A 30-year-old Malaysian sales manager, Ray, brought his team to Hat Yai to pray for better luck and safety but their “luck-changing” trip took an unexpected turn when a heavy flood trapped them in the city.
Instead of returning home, all 10 members of his team ended up sleeping overnight inside a shopping mall, after floodwaters rose so quickly that roads, hotels, and even the airport became inaccessible.
Ray and his team have been stranded since Nov 23.
“We had to leave our Airbnb because another family fleeing the flood needed it”
Speaking to WeirdKaya, Ray and his team had stayed at an Airbnb from Nov 20–23 and planned to extend their stay. However, another family escaping floodwaters near Lee Garden had already booked the unit for the night.
“We were forced to leave. All the hotels on higher ground were fully booked. We had nowhere else to go,” Ray said.
With lower Hat Yai submerged and accommodation options gone, the group sought shelter at Hatyai Festive Mall, joining hundreds of stranded tourists and locals.
Level 5 of the mall turned into a temporary shelter
The mall opened an empty space on Level 5 to house stranded people like Ray and his team.
“Only limited restaurants were still open, but thankfully we had food, water, chargers, and toilets to use. The mall staff were very helpful,” Ray said.
He also shared an extreme flood warning from Thai authorities predicting that water levels could rise to 1.25m–1.45m, urging residents in lower areas to evacuate immediately.
Evacuation alert provided by Ray:
He missed his flight because even military trucks couldn’t reach the airport
Ray said they contacted the Malaysian consulate and Thai rescue teams, but the roads were too flooded for help to reach them.
They told us to go to the airport using a military truck and take the next flight home, but even the truck couldn’t pass through the flooded road,” he said.
Because of this, Ray missed his flight on Nov 23.
“Every road to the airport was underwater.”
Van stuck in Sadao, with water levels expected to rise again
Hoping to leave by land, Ray booked a van to pick his team up and send them to Bukit Kayu Hitam. But the van never made it.
“We actually had a van to come pick us up since yesterday, but they were stuck at Sadao on the way to pick us. They advised us to wait until the water level goes down,” he said.
He added that the latest warning predicts water rising up to 1.5m, making travel impossible for now.
“People were swimming with their luggage above their heads”
Ray also witnessed heart-wrenching scenes nearby.
From far, we saw people carrying their luggage on top and swimming across to get food and water, else they will suffer from hunger and dehydration,” he said.
Thousands remain stranded as Hat Yai battles historic flooding
Songkhla authorities have declared multiple areas disaster zones, and military vehicles are prioritising rescues in high-risk areas. But with major roads blocked, many, including Ray and his team remain stuck.
Ray said they will only be able to leave once water levels go down, as all transport routes remain blocked.
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