Tourism operators in the South have urged the government to strengthen security measures after Malaysian tourists were injured in a roadside bomb attack in Tak Bai, although the incident has affected only a limited number of tour groups travelling to Hat Yai this weekend.Sitthipong Sitthiphataraprabha, president of the Hat Yai Songkhla Hotels Association, said cancellations included a group of four buses that planned trips from Kelantan to Pattani and Hat Yai through the Sungai Kolok checkpoint.
"If the government cannot properly control the situation, the conflict could spread into economic districts such as Hat Yai," said Mr Sitthipong.
He said violence typically targets security personnel, officers and government organisations, but this incident stirred public concern among Malaysians because it affected tourists. In previous decades, locals were harmed in the conflict.
The number of Malaysian tourists travelling through Sungai Kolok is usually low compared with major checkpoints, with around 1 million arrivals annually. The Sadao checkpoint in Songkhla normally tallies 3-4 million arrivals per year.
Malaysian tourists are continuing to visit Hat Yai via the Sadao checkpoint as usual, and hotels have not reported any mass cancellations, said Mr Sitthipong.
