Hat Yai, the south’s biggest city, with Songkhla’s old town, lake and beach half an hour away.
Hat Yai is the largest city in southern Thailand and its crossroads: the main railway junction, a busy airport and the road to Malaysia all meet here. It is a trading city of Thai, Chinese and Malay families, with Prince of Songkla University, Songklanagarind Hospital and several international schools. Songkhla, the provincial capital, sits 30 km away on the sea, with Sino-Portuguese shophouses in an old town now on UNESCO’s tentative list, Samila Beach and the great lake behind it. Most buyers are local and regional families rather than holiday-home owners.
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