Hat Yai: the vibe
Videos from people who went, played right here, with what viewers said underneath. Not part of the score.
The verdict
Mixed · 52Little substantive content; the sparse comments are mixed, with warm affection for the city and flood recovery offset by travel hassle and 2025 flood damage.
- locals kindness
- city resilience after flood
- cheap hotels
- clean streets
- affection for the city
- grueling border and train travel
- 2025 flood damage
- closed businesses
- unpredictable Nov-Dec weather
- Hat Yai is recovering from the 2025 floods, with some businesses still closed.
- Getting there overland from Malaysia via Padang Besar is exhausting, so flying or driving may be easier.
- Budget hotels are very cheap, around 500 baht a night.
- November and December can bring sudden flooding and storms, so plan around them.
- Online coverage is thin, so the picture of long-term living here is uncertain.
Read from 8 videos, 22 comments and 0 posts on 2026-11-07; the summary is written by a language model and can misread sarcasm.
Hat Yai First Look: My Worst Thailand Arrival Ever! 🇹🇭
Walk-About Wayne · 14K views · 2026
What viewers said
“This is what I like about your personality Wayne, even after a testing stressful journey arriving back into Southern Thailand you give credit to what this town went through last flood season. Literally under water and unlike other traveller”
♥ 9 likes
“You and Chris were like Steve Martin and John Candy from Planes, Trains, and Automobiles — except it was just trains, trains, and trains. I was waiting for you to go back to the train station and invite him home for Thanksgiving dinner.”
♥ 9 likes
“Gosh. How kind you are with Chris! What a character. You're still smiling. What a journey!”
♥ 4 likes
“Wow Wayne, what a grueling ordeal. Thanks for doing taking one for the audience. I wondered what that train trip might be like. I drove from Penang to Hatyai a couple of times, once with my lady friend from Penang and once with relatives wh”
♥ 5 likes
“I’m glad you survived your ordeal, sometimes it’s just worth spending a few dollars to get there easier and faster”
♥ 3 likes
“Tough day at the office Wayne. Hotel looks OK for only 500 baht a night. Cheers buddy. 🤩”
♥ 5 likes
“Wow what a mission! That geezer on the train was a legend 😂 thanks for sharing as ever Wayne 👍🏻”
♥ 3 likes
“fair play for sharing Wayne, we've all had those travel days, cant beat a bit of live and learn”
♥ 2 likes
“Nice to see that man moving so well after his stroke”
♥ 4 likes
“Tough journey but great vlog! Thanks Wayne!”
♥ 3 likes
Found with a YouTube search for the city and “digital nomad”, fetched 2026-11-07; titles, descriptions and comments belong to their authors and link to the originals.