Unrest prompts Malaysians to postpone trips to southern Thailand
TUMPAT: Unrest in southern Thailand, particularly in April, has prompted some Malaysians to postpone their holidays to the neighbouring country.
A survey at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex in both Pengkalan Kubor and Rantau Panjang found that fewer Malaysians were crossing over to the Tak Bai and Sungai Golok sub-provinces today.
Malaysian tourist Najihah Hussein said she and her husband decided to postpone their vacation to Narathiwat after learning about the latest incident yesterday.
"We came from Terengganu. After learning that the situation in Thailand is unstable, we decided to cancel our trip.
"We will walk around the duty-free zone here instead," said the 28-year-old mother of two.
Visitor Mohamad Fakri Salleh said he believed the decline in Malaysian visitors would be temporary.
"Some Malaysians are worried about the unrest, but I don't think this will last long.
"They will likely start travelling to southern Thailand again once the situation eases, especially during weekends and public holidays," said the 35-year-old businessman from Kota Baru.
A check at the Pengkalan Kubor ICQS Complex this morning showed that fewer Malaysians were using the ferry service to Tak Bai.
The number of Thai nationals entering Kelantan via the same route remain unchanged.
Southern Thailand, especially the provinces bordering Kelantan and Perlis, has long been a popular destination for Malaysians seeking short getaways.
Affordable prices, local delicacies, cultural familiarity and convenient land access make towns like Narathiwat, Sungai Golok and Danok frequent choices, particularly for weekend trips and public holidays.
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