The image of "Hat Yai" is not just a tourist city but also an economic hub and the "heart" of lower Southern Thailand, powered by decades of hard work by restaurateurs, traders, and service providers. Yet beneath this prosperity lies the shadow of natural disasters.
Looking back, Hat Yai has faced severe floods before—in 1988, 2000, and 2010—that caused damages worth tens of billions of baht.
However, the recent major flood in Hat Yai left damage far deeper and more widespread than anyone expected. Especially in the city's economic zones, almost every dimension was heavily impacted. Initially, scenes showed people trapped in buildings, lacking food, water, and communication signals.
This was a heartbreaking period of loss. As the situation eased, the city moved into a phase of managing the massive amounts of debris left behind. Strong cooperation between government and civil society mobilized efforts to clear the mess, restoring cleanliness. But this was followed by dust from dried mud layers, posing yet another challenge to returning the city to normal.
Although physical conditions began to improve, Hat Yai’s economic structure remains fragile and concerning. The city’s economy is primarily driven by trade and services, with an interconnected tourism ecosystem linking hotels, restaurants, massage parlors, and entertainment venues catering to tourists from Malaysia, Singapore, and within Thailand.
Currently, only about 30-50% of hotels have reopened, while restaurants—the vital core—have recovered to less than 20% of normal operation.
A major obstacle is structural damage, including electrical systems and collapsed ceilings, requiring huge repair costs. Many small operators face cash flow shortages and cannot access funding to restart. Consequently, the city’s nighttime atmosphere, once bright with shop lights, has turned dim and quiet, disappointing arriving tourists.
Songpol Jangsiriwatthanathorn, Chairman of the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce, said Hat Yai suffered over 45 billion baht in damage. Whether it can fully recover depends on the recovery scenario. Returning to "full strength" relies on three factors:
1. V-Shape: Rapid recovery if there is sufficient financial injection and targeted support measures.
2. K-Shape: Unequal recovery—those with capital survive, those without disappear from the system.
3. L-Shape: Prolonged stagnation without returning to previous conditions.
Immediate priorities include building confidence in water management with clear drainage and emergency plans so both existing and new investors feel secure investing again. Emergency drills and established shelters are necessary. Post-COVID, Hat Yai's festivals attracted many people, leveraging unique local attractions, so systematic preparedness plans are essential.
"This year’s rainfall was a once-in-300-years event, causing damage to about 80% of Hat Yai district, except for Kanjanavanich Road and Kho Hong area, which were unaffected. All sectors were impacted, with industry suffering tens of millions in losses."
Amid these challenges, the private sector led by LINE MAN Wongnai recognized the urgency of restoring the restaurant ecosystem. According to LINE MAN Wongnai data, Hat Yai is one of Southern Thailand's key economic centers, with local restaurants representing 15% of the southern region. Before the flood (21 Oct–20 Nov 2025), about 2,800 restaurants were active. After the flood (27 Nov 2025–6 Jan 2026), about 75% resumed operations, but nearly 1,000 small restaurants remain closed, highlighting the local economy’s vulnerability requiring swift recovery.
Yod Chinsupakkul, CEO of LINE MAN Wongnai, said that while the city has not fully recovered, LINE MAN Wongnai serves as a digital infrastructure linking shops, workers, income, and data. Recognizing the importance of "livelihoods," they launched the 'LINE MAN Mobile Kitchen'.
This cloud kitchen model enables restaurants with damaged storefronts to cook and earn income immediately without waiting for repairs. Currently, about 15 restaurants participate.
"We plan to operate initially for three months and are ready to extend support if it helps operators regain stability. The goal is to keep Hat Yai’s food ecosystem operational even in areas still under recovery."
To revive Hat Yai’s local economy, LINE MAN Wongnai has introduced support measures for businesses and consumers in the area, including:
LINE MAN Wongnai stands firmly with Hat Yai residents, waiving profit deductions in the area for three months to redirect all income toward higher rider pay and campaigns supporting restaurants citywide. They have continuously worked to aid the business ecosystem, including distributing 1,000 relief bags to about 1,000 riders and families in the area,
partnering with the Department of Labor Protection to provide motorcycle repair points for riders, offering 50% discounts on Wongnai POS devices, deferring debt and monthly fees to improve shop liquidity, working with the Mirror Foundation to employ local riders to distribute food to affected people, and raising over 5.4 million baht in donations via LINE MAN and LINE Pay with the Thai Red Cross for full-area aid. They also plan to release loans to help shops reopen without relying solely on government aid.
Siwat Suwanwong, Chairman of the Songkhla Tourism Industry Council, Vice Chairman of the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce, and owner of Buri Sriphu Hotel, who provided space for the LINE MAN Mobile Kitchen, added that as a tourism and service operator, he saw the struggles of restaurants unable to open due to storefront damage. Upon meeting Yod from LINE MAN Wongnai, he gladly offered Buri Sriphu Hotel’s front area free of charge to serve as the mobile kitchen space, transforming an empty spot into a ready-to-use business area within two weeks.
Today, restaurant owners and employees have jobs and income again by selling food 100% through the app. This is an example of multi-sector cooperation helping to preserve and sustain the small business economy, which is key to making Hat Yai a strong economic city once more.
Thus, the LINE MAN Mobile Kitchen project succeeded through partnerships with local supporters including Buri Sriphu Hotel (space provider), Lucky Flame and Hat Yai Cold Equipment (kitchen equipment sponsors), Suan Ruam Electric Partnership (electrical and lighting sponsors), and API Marketing—all contributing to restoring livelihoods for the people of Hat Yai.
The decision to launch the project was made rapidly to beat time, supported by locals who sourced equipment and utilities to enable a swift launch. Additionally, LINE MAN plans long-term support through low-interest loans and special promotions aiming to bring back 300-500 restaurants by the upcoming Chinese New Year festival, preparing Hat Yai to welcome tourists again.
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