How is Hat Yai under crisis

[Stocky]

Ventured out today to replenish supplies.

 

Noted quite a few people without masks, we've dropped from the 100% of about a week ago, still the majority are masked, but a noticeable few being worn as chin straps only.

 

Not much traffic, but plenty of road works going on, glad to see the works department is taking the opportunity to do some resurfacing and general repairs.

 

A surprising number of small shops open, but the city was very quiet except for FoodPanda and GrabFood delivery bikes zipping about the place.

 

Big C Extra was near empty, just a handful of shoppers, all the shelves were fully stocked even the noodles and tinned goods. The only taped-off area was the alcohol, but good to see that was all fully stocked ready for reopening next month (hopefully). Everything else in the complex was shut apart from the banks, pharmacies and take away food outlets.

 

Tops (Robinson) was also quiet, but again no shortages of anything, all shelves, fridges and freezers fully stocked.

 

Both Big C & Tops had temperature checks and hand-sanitiser at the door. 

 

We're good now until early next month.

 

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Edited April 21, 2020 by Stocky

[ThaiCelt]

Was in Tops at Central Festival today, fairly busy, most shelves full with locally produced items but I did notice that some of the imported goods were OOS, there is definitely more traffic out and about and almost everyone I saw was in full compliance regarding the wearing of masks.

Drove over to Makro shortly after, the car park was full but I didn't go inside, the missus went, she was able to buy all she was looking for.

[Stocky]

Completed our fortnightly shop today at Big-C and Tops (Robinson). 

 

Hat Yai's starting to look fairly normal, most shops around town seem to be open, lots of traffic. Malls remain supermarkets, banks and pharmacies only, but I hear from May 15th the Plaza will open again, so I assume most of the shops in the other malls will be opening too.

 

Both Big-C and Tops were pretty much fully stocked, the boxes of bottle Leo & Singha beer were all gone, but otherwise all present and correct, I grabbed a slab of Singha tins, just in case. Hard to find tinned tomatoes, none in Big-C, claimed the last three tins in Tops, though whole rather than chopped, and the cheapo brand. Neither store was especially busy today.

 

A lot of roads in the central area has been resurfaced, though no road markings yet. They're digging up Sripoovanart Road near Diana burying the power cables, but someone hit a water main this morning and the road was flooded both ways. Cable burying is in the process of turning the corner into Sam Sip Met.

 

Restaurants are starting to open up this week, the De Van Cuisine called to let us know they were now open, but with limited tables to allow spacing, so please book. I guess it'll be sometime before we can go out for a beer and listen to a band, but we're getting there if slowly.

[garrya]

Today, I have actually noticed increased traffic. In the morning it felt as though it was a normal school week. Markets were busy as always. Some restaurant seemed to have been preparing for opening. 

Well, things are going back to some sort of normal soon.

[RickG16]

A friend in Hat Yai told me she was going to work as normal (office), so I'm not sure how seriously it is being taken there?

[Stocky]

Hat Yai hasn't shut down. On our soi the motorbike repair shop, dressmaker, bakery and laundry never closed, the only place that did was the hairdressing school. The same goes for most of Hat Yai, the schools, big shops & malls, restaurants and bars all closed, but a lot of smaller premises and industries stayed open.

[Stocky]

Last night we ate out at a restaurant for the first time since March 14th. The De Van Cuisine is now open and it was full last night, well half full as only half the tables were in use; one empty table between diners.

 

First time in Hat Yai after dark for eight weeks and it was a bit depressing to see everything shuttered and the streets empty, particularly the area around Lee Garden now devoid of food stalls and Malaysian tourists. 

 

Daytime on the other hand is starting to look more normal, the Hat Yai Nai Sunday Flea Market was open today for the first time since the lockdown. 

[Vigilante]

18 hours ago, Stocky said:

Last night we ate out at a restaurant for the first time since March 14th. The De Van Cuisine is now open and it was full last night, well half full as only half the tables were in use; one empty table between diners.

 

First time in Hat Yai after dark for eight weeks and it was a bit depressing to see everything shuttered and the streets empty, particularly the area around Lee Garden now devoid of food stalls and Malaysian tourists. 

 

Daytime on the other hand is starting to look more normal, the Hat Yai Nai Sunday Flea Market was open today for the first time since the lockdown. 

You mean the Saturday Flea market?

[Stocky]

2 hours ago, Vigilante said:

You mean the Saturday Flea market?

No, our local street market in Hat Yai Nai is most definitely held on a Sunday.

[recom273]

On 5/11/2020 at 8:18 AM, Stocky said:

No, our local street market in Hat Yai Nai is most definitely held on a Sunday.

Yup, my wife has a stall there, reports from friends was that it wasn’t worth going.
 

Saturday night is the area behind the main wet market / police station - it’s well worth a walk to get some different types of streetfood or second hand items.

 

We went to Big C Klong Hae yesterday, it was a lot busier than recent weeks. In comparison to my last shopping trip to Makro, I noticed a lot of shoppers forgetting about social distancing, people seemed to be a lot less aware / considerate of others.

[Stocky]

I don't think many knew it was re-opening, expect it will be busier this Sunday.

[MarcelV]

I'm looking forward to returning to Hat Yai, hopefully next month. Been stuck in Narathiwat now since late March and all provincial borders in the three Southern Border Provinces are still closed and so are all beaches and parks. The local Rama V Park is open to suspected Covid-19 victims or whatever, but not to the general public.

Except for some American Mennonite missionaries, of whom there are always at least a few in town, there are no farangs present. Still, people are nice as always to me and I never get the feeling that foreigners aren't welcome.

[phuketsub]

On 5/14/2020 at 3:46 PM, Stocky said:

I don't think many knew it was re-opening, expect it will be busier this Sunday.

Thanks for the update...I was thinking of doing a road trip down there, but can't convince the wife.

 

[Stocky]

Shopping today at Big-C and Tops (Robinson). Hat Yai looking fairly normal except for shuttered hotels & bars, traffic back to where it was.

 

Big-C has the QR Code access system to get in and out of the mall, physically sign in if you can't do it online. HomePro is now open, as are all the shops, and most, but not all, of the stalls. Big-C wasn't too busy and no shortages I noticed. All pretty much as normal except the checking in and out, temperature checks, masks & sanitiser. Tops had the QR Code set up but no one insisted we check in so we didn't, quiet but fully stocked.

 

Restaurants are opening, but the social distancing rules are being applied differently. Last week at De Van Cuisine they had alternate tables in use, but a family group can sit all together at the same table - makes good sense. This weekend we went to Billin Bistro and there the tables are widely spaced AND there is social distancing at the same table, so you can't sit opposite each other, and bizarrely as a family of four we had to sit at two separate tables. The first situation means you can have a nice night out, the second situation you might just as well order through FoodPanda and sit together at home to eat.

[Stocky]

Out for dinner last night and it was noticeable the number of maskless people has increased. Thai restaurant we went to had hand sanitiser and staff were masked but there was little evidence of social distancing, six of us all sat together at a family sized table, with a table of four directly behind us. Beer was available too, served in a coffee mug. Hat Yai is relaxing.

[Stocky]

Hashi Japanese restaurant has now reopened to diners, went last night. Temperature checks, sanitiser, but no ThaiChana. Restaurant was full, lucky we booked a table. Though of course only half full, tables socially distanced but thankfully seating isn't. No alcohol.

 

A lot more restaurants are now open, driving through town I wouldn't say it was lively, but it was no longer looking totally dead.

[phuketsub]

Thanks for the update, Stocky, and please keep 'em coming.

 

Not much to report from out here in the sticks of Ranode, Songkhla.

 

I think there are a lot of people acting crazier than normal, but that's about it. I guess it is always kinda like that our here in the sticks, where the demographic tends to be losers, elderly and children because all of the hard-working, young people go off to work in Bangkok, Phuket, etc.

 

On a personal note, I am able to post here with Firefox once again so maybe I'll be contributing more often, although my days of 'moderating in moderation' have come to an unceremonious end.

 

I did notice the people in Muang Ngam (SinghaNakhorn District)  are protesting yet another seawall project like the horrific money-wasting affront to nature up here....but of course now is not the best of times to protest of hold public hearings.

 

We got some pretty hard rain here last night and didn't see it coming since the Satingphra radar has been down since Songkran (or what should have been Songkhla).

 

Anyway, just checking and and hope everyone is well.

 

 

[Stocky]

All good in Hat Yai Nai, apart from masks and the extended school holiday, it's pretty much as was.

 

Completed the fortnightly shop today, Big C Extra was busy, all the stalls have reopened together with all the shops, it's all pretty normal now. QR code worked well with the new Thaichana app, contrary to reports I'd seen on Richard Barrow's website the app only seeks access to location and use of the camera, checking out only requires you press the button, no need to scan the QR code again. Tops (Robinson) is using the QR or sign in requirement now, last visit no one was enforcing compliance.

 

All we need now is for the bars to open and restaurants back to serving alcohol, hopefully in a couple of weeks.

 

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Edited June 2, 2020 by Stocky

[recom273]

I have been in town for a couple of mornings, it feels like a ghost town.

 

I noticed there is a free food handout on sai 3, with police keeping the queue in check.

Alittle dim sum has closed its doors and are selling up, to my mind it was never that busy anyway, but it’s a shame when restaurants who try to go the extra to provide nice food in a clean environment  are closing up.

 

 

[phuketsub]

Does anyone know if the massage shops are open yet?

 

It looks like I am going to have to drive down there to get medicine for my mother-in-law at PSU...My wife and daughter want to go shopping, so I need something to pass the time.

 

On a side note, my mother-in-law had an appointment for today, but the doctors said "don't bring her in because of Covid19".

 

Her real health issue is that she's morbidly obese because of sugar/carb addiction...but they never even raise that issue. So in my view this takes it to another level of ridiculousness....

 

So far the only valid reason I can come up with for going is to prevent my wife from crashing my car...

[Stocky]

On 6/12/2020 at 8:32 AM, phuketsub said:

Does anyone know if the massage shops are open yet?

They should be. Why not give them a call to double check.

 

I've a dental appointment at Bangkok hospital next week, I wonder if they'll reschedule me again? It's only my check-up but they've already moved it from April to June.

 

Had dinner at Samila Seafood last night. We gave them a call on Friday to see if they were open again, yes, but you must order the food first; logical as they're not going to buy in fresh seafood on the off-chance someone will turn up, which is fair enough. Arrived to find the restaurant shuttered and dark, after a phone call we found they've set up a few tables in the next door food court. They're certainly missing the Malaysian tourists who are their best customers. Very enjoyable meal, beer was available and no coffee cup disguise either.

 

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Edited June 14, 2020 by Stocky

[phuketsub]

I spoke to the director of the local hospital here (Ranode District) and he said we could re-open our little English school, but only if we buy one of those expensive thermometers, don't use air-com, keep everybody masked, etc.

 

I really don't so how that can work on a practical level, so gonna put it off for another week.

 

 

[Stocky]

At Billin Bistro last night, thankfully they've done away with the social distancing at the table so we were able to sit together as a family group of four this time.

 

The restaurants/bars nearby have all reopened, they were queuing to get into Mi-rin-da, waiting for their temperature checks. Whilst it is a restaurant, it's also very much a bar too. Likewise Sleepless Corner at the top of the road, that also is open. 

[ThaiCelt]

Also not a bad crowd in the Swan last night watching the football.

[Stocky]

14 hours ago, ThaiCelt said:

the Swan

Good to hear it's survived the three months closure.

[MarcelV]

I miss Hat Yai. Haven't been able to travel there for three months now.
Hopefully soon I'll make it back there.:)

[phuketsub]

On 6/22/2020 at 10:59 AM, MarcelV said:

I miss Hat Yai. Haven't been able to travel there for three months now.
Hopefully soon I'll make it back there.:)

What's it like down your way? You're in Narathiwat, right?

[phuketsub]

A sign that things are getting back to normal: I have to renew my work permit and permit-to-stay, but this time the Education Office told me I needed to get fingerprinted at the Police Region 9 Offices in the middle of nowhere in Ratthaphum District...It was hilarious, because in their anti-Covit set-up they had the entire building wrapped in yellow tape that read, in English, do not cross this line..this is a crime scene..

 

Anyway, adding another new layer of bureaucracy...,

[MarcelV]

On 6/23/2020 at 2:51 PM, phuketsub said:

What's it like down your way? You're in Narathiwat, right?

Everything here is back to normal. Most people still wear face masks and there is still plenty of hand sanitizer to be found, but otherwise it looks like very little is different from before the crisis. There are no tourists here, so at least that industry didn't get damaged.

[phuketsub]

I wonder how Sunai Kolok is doing...have you been down there at all? I always find those little southern border towns so enchanting in a weird way. It's like watching crabgrass claw its way up through  cracks in the pavement...