Previously, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced 15 September 2025 as an additional public holiday, essentially turning what would be a 1-day Hari Malaysia public holiday on Tuesday (16 September) into a 4-day long weekend.
Accordingly, some Malaysians are taking the opportunity to travel, and notably, hundreds of thousands of them are heading up north across the border to Thailand for a holiday.
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150,000 Malaysians are expected to ‘celebrate’ Hari Malaysia in Southern Thailand
Thai-ASEAN Halal Tourism Industry (TAHTA) president Aida Oujeh was quoted by Utusan Malaysia as saying that around 150,000 Malaysian tourists are expected to visit Southern Thailand during the long weekend, especially the provinces of Songkhla, Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani.
She added that the estimation is based on the number of accommodations already booked in the 4 provinces for 16 September. Specifically, up to 95% of 120,000 rooms in hotels, villas and resorts have already been booked as of 29 August.
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Thailand is banking on Malaysian tourists to achieve its tourism targets this year
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Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said that the number of Malaysian tourists to Hatyai, Songkhla, is expected to increase by up to 30% during the long weekend period.
According to the Bangkok Post, TAT is banking on Malaysian tourist arrivals for the country to achieve its tourism targets this year after a decrease in tourist arrivals from China.
TAT added that the average spending of Malaysian tourists in Thailand is THB5,500 (~RM729) per day or THB28,700 (~RM3,804) per trip, staying around 5 days on average.
Thailand has set a target of 5 million visitors from Malaysia this year, and as of 7 September, it has recorded 3.13 million Malaysian tourist arrivals, reported The Nation.
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So, what do you guys think of Malaysians travelling to Southern Thailand during the Hari Malaysia long weekend? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
