HAT YAI — Only about half of hotels in Hat Yai have reopened after severe flooding, while others remain closed for cleanup, repairs or permanent shutdown, the local hotel association said.
Sittipong Sithiphatprapha, president of the Hat Yai–Songkhla Hotel Association, said many operators are still assessing whether they can afford to reopen. One long-established hotel that had operated for decades has decided to close permanently, citing high renovation costs and concerns that flooding could return in 2026.
He said the risk of repeat flooding has become the top concern for hotel operators, who are urging the government to focus on flood prevention rather than post-disaster compensation.
Large parts of Hat Yai remain heavily damaged, with debris still clogging buildings, homes, businesses and public roads, Sittipong said. He called on authorities to deploy more personnel and heavy machinery, saying local communities and provincial agencies lack the capacity to manage the cleanup alone. Without additional support, full recovery may not be possible until at least mid-2026, he said.
Business owners are also facing financial strain. The association has asked the government to grant debt repayment holidays, describing the flooding as a crisis worse than the COVID-19 pandemic. Sittipong said compensation measures announced so far fall far short of covering losses.
“The damage from the floods is far worse than Covid,” he said. “During Covid, there were no customers, but the buildings were still there. Now everything has been washed away, leaving only mud and debris.”
Many hotels suffered broken glass, prolonged water damage and structural problems that require extensive renovation before reopening. Sittipong urged the government to provide access to affordable financing, including low-interest loans and new capital, to help businesses restart.
He said hotel and business operators now fall into three groups: those with enough capital to reopen quickly, those that have shut down permanently — mostly small and medium-sized enterprises — and those that want to continue but lack funds.
The flooding struck just before the year-end holiday season, when many businesses had already stocked up in anticipation of increased activity linked to upcoming regional sporting events and a Thai Chamber of Commerce meeting. Many lost their inventory when floodwaters rose too quickly to move goods, he said.
Despite the challenges, the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Hat Yai office reported early signs of recovery, with tourists beginning to return during the New Year period. The agency estimates more than 77,000 visitors will travel to Songkhla province between Dec. 31, 2025, and Jan. 4, 2026, generating more than 600 million baht in revenue.
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