Hat Yai: A Century of Prosperity and Resilience
Hat Yai District, in Thailand's Songkhla Province, serves as a vital economic hub for the southern region and ranks as the nation's third-largest city. Its origins lie in the reign of King Rama V, who commissioned a railway connecting Bangkok to other regions to solidify Siam's stability. To fund this project, Siam borrowed heavily from England, ceding control of four Malay states Sai Buri, Perlis, Kelantan, and Terengganu to British colonial rule. A decade later, Hat Yai station officially opened, with over 100 houses already established nearby.
Hat Yai flourished as a center for Southern Thailand's tin and rubber trade, fostering commercial ties with Singapore and Malaysia. Following World War II, around 1947, surging rubber and tin prices fueled rapid economic expansion within Hat Yai.
Today, Hat Yai boasts a history spanning over a century. From humble beginnings as a small, clustered community, it has blossomed into a major city a vital economic force in both the southern region and beyond. However, Hat Yai has faced adversity in the form of natural disasters, epidemics, and the fallout from unrest along the southern border. These challenges have temporarily stalled the city's once-booming prosperity.
To learn more, tune into the follow-up program "From the Roots to Us,"
episode: "Hat Yai: Prosperity from the Past to the Present." Airing Saturday, May 4, 2024, at 2:05 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. on Thai PBS.
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