Haadyai, Thailand

Hat Yai, Thailand (Thai : หาดใหญ่) is a city in southern Thailand near the boundary to Malaysia. With a population of 157,359 (2008) in the core city and about 800,000 in the Greater Hat Yai. Hat Yai is the biggest city of Songkhla Province and the largest metropolitan area in Southern Thailand, and is thus often mistaken as being the capital of the province. However Songkhla is the capital and the center of administration and culture while Hat Yai is the business center. The two cities are considered as twin cities due to the close connection, accordingly, Hat Yai and Songkhla form the Greater Hatyai-Songkhla Metropolitan Area. The name "Hat Yai" is a short version of "Ma Hat Yai", meaning big Ma Hat (Thai: มะหาด) tree, a relative of jackfruits in genus Artocarpus. Originally named Khok Sa-Met Choon, Hat Yai was a small village until the southern railway was built there. The junction which connected the town of Songkhla with the main route was originally located in the Utapao area, but was moved to Khok Su-Met Choon in 1922 when the Utapao area turned out to be flood prone.

Sungai Golok, Thailand

Sungai Kolok (สุไหงโกลก) is a border town in Narathiwat, Thailand, just north of the Malaysian border. The town on the Malaysian side of the border is Rantau Panjang which is in the state of Kelantan. Sungai Kolok is popular among Malaysians for its shopping and infamous entertainment delights. Tourism however has taken a knocking since 2005 as several bombs, blamed on southern Thai Muslim separatists, have rocked the town. Sungai Kolok is the railhead on the east coast branch of the State Railways of Thailand's southern line. There are two departures daily to Bangkok, at 11:30 (rapid) and 14:20 (express), both stopping at Yala, Hat Yai, Surat Thani and many other towns en route.

Rantau Panjang, Kelantan

Rantau Panjang is a town in Kelantan, Malaysia. It is the major border crossing between Malaysia and Thailand for the East Coast of Malaysia. The town on the Thai side across the Golok River which forms the boundary between the two countries is Sungai Kolok. The town has a duty-free shopping area where you can find electronic goods, cigarettes and clothes. Rantau Panjang is about 40km from Kota Bharu, the state capital of Kelantan. The road between Kota Baru and Rantau Panjang goes via Pasir Mas. Rantau Panjang and Sungai Kolok are linked by the short "Harmony Bridge" over the Golok River.