Malaysia has strongly advised its citizens vacationing in Thailand to be watchful as the country is facing storms that have pounded many provinces with downpours.
Ahmad Fahri Ahmad Sarkawi, the Malaysian consul general in Songkhla, said travellers entering Thailand should stay alert for bad weather and urged them to avoid island visits.
“The weather in Thailand in currently quite severe with strong winds, heavy rain and high waves, especially in island areas like Phuket,” the diplomat told the Bernama news agency on Thursday.
Ao Phangnga National Park, home to the famous James Bond Island, is among the southern attractions that are being closed because of conditions caused by Storm Soulik.
Malaysians have been flocking to Thailand this week, with Hat Yai district in Songkhla their main destination, during a week-long school holiday that ends this weekend.
A day after the consul issued his warning, three Malaysian-registered cars were damaged by a storm that sent heavy rain and gusty winds to Ban Dan Nok, a border town in Sadao district of Songkhla, opposite Kedah state, on Friday.
Sadao police said the gale brought down big trees and utility poles and some fell on three cars from Malaysia. No one was injured as they were not in the vehicle during the incident, they added.