Seeking advice for Hat Yai please

[allycross]

Hello everybody,

I am a young, fun, slightly mad 37 year old lady who is retraining as a teacher. I am looking to move to Thailand at the end of August around the Hat Yai area and wondered how best to go about contacting and/or meeting people over there. Although I do enjoy my own company, it would be nice to be in contact with ex pats living in the area to help advise on rental accomodation etc.
Many thanks in advance for any advice!

[dirtydog]

In Hat Yai town itself are a couple of expat bars, if they are white or black the odds are they are teaching in Hat Yai as it isn't one of the worlds greatest tourist destinations.

[allycross]

Thanks for that. I'm wondering now if I have chosen my destination wisely! I wanted to start in Thailand somewhere not as manic as Bangkok and as I do not have a degree, only TEFL<,CELTA and experience I thought there may be less competion there. Also a 2 schools were recommended to me there. What do you think?

[dirtydog]

There is some stuff about Hat Yai and links to other stuff on Hatyai here (Penang Hat Yai Chumphon Bangkok Pattaya Jomtien).

[isdatu]

Welcome aboard allycross. Sure it pays to do your research but i'm sure most would agree with me that you really have to be in-country to get a feel of what region may suit your needs. My brother is teaching and has taken to it like a duck to water. Only had a Tesol paper when he came over 18 months ago, found work through a recruitment agency with good pay and accom. Works for those that want it.

[mikem]

The food court at Carrefour always seems to have some westerners.

Had Yai is a great place to live. Plenty to do and see. Friendly T.A.T.

Close to a nice beach at Songkhla where there are a lot of westerners - but not teachers.

Had Yai is the main train junction in south Thailand so easy to get to look around the area.Theres even a train to K.L. Malaysia.

[seamusogin]

welcome allycross, lived in songkla for 8 months, { 1 yr ago } no offence to mikem but there are not lots of westerner's there, and any that do live there are mostly teacher's. go to the beach and people want to have a photo taken with the farrang ! Always found the locals to be very friendly,And im pretty sure there's load's of work available for teacher types. best of luck

[dirtydog]

Hat Yai has a Carrefour? I know they have a Robinsons, didn't know about a Carrefour, can't find it on their website either.

[mikem]

677 Phet kasem Road

If you go from the clocktower bus stop the Songkhla bus, minibus goes past it
on the left side heading out of town.

Songtows that go there have Carrefour on them.

[dirtydog]

Bloody hell, that would make Hat Yai almost a livable place for a farang

[matsalleh]

Hat Yai has a Carrefour? I know they have a Robinsons, didn't know about a Carrefour, can't find it on their website either.

and a Central - and a Tesco Lotus and a Big C...

[dirtydog]

Are they still selling sex toys on the market?

[matsalleh]

Are they still selling sex toys on the market?

Saw some shitty vibrators in the stalls around Central - yes.

[klong toey]

We were shopping in Hat Yai not to long ago same set up as Carrefour and tesco in Bkk,pizza hut and chester grill.Took some pizza back to her village not to sure if the people there had seen pizza before.They gave it a funny look but no one tried a slice.Have driven from Hat Yai along the coast road and down to Yala,have never seen any falangs on the beaches along that stretch of coast.They look pretty deserted to me.

[dirtydog]

Chester grill would make a good thread, wonder if anybody has ever had a good meal at one of them....

[klong toey]

Chester grill would make a good thread, wonder if anybody has ever had a good meal at one of them....

It might make a good thread,but they don't make good chicken.

[mikem]

Are they still selling sex toys on the market?

Some of the dvds they have on display in the markets would make Gary Glitter blush. Popular with elderly Chinese-Malaysian women tourists

[Jet Gorgon]

Welcome to TD, Ally. HatYai is OK, but I dunno about living there. A friend has a nice restaurant -- The Ballad -- across from the King's Hotel and there is a fab Chinese restaurant at the end of that road connected to a shabby hotel...A couple of farang restaurants. Songkhla is likely better.

[matsalleh]

Welcome to TD, Ally. HatYai is OK, but I dunno about living there. A friend has a nice restaurant -- The Ballad -- across from the King's Hotel and there is a fab Chinese restaurant at the end of that road connected to a shabby hotel...A couple of farang restaurants. Songkhla is likely better.

The Ballad has gone a long time ago (yes it was nice with a good atmosphere when your chap did have it) and is now a sort of steak restaurant where the sell all sorts of steak (chicken and pork) but the real stuff. USELESS if you ask me.
As to living there, well there's a lot of business (wood chip factories) rubber, and last but not least fish processing that attracts even "Farang" professionals. Songkhla is nice for holidays but I think for work Hatyai is by miles better. You have 3 Tops stores that sell Farang stuff, and most are in within walking distance. As to Chinese restaurants, Hatyai offers probably more. As to farang restaurants, well there is none that I would recommend in Hatyai, that point goes to Songkhla.