{
  "generatedAt": "2026-05-15T00:00:00+07:00",
  "canonical": "https://enjoythai.land/research/cities/hat-yai/",
  "markdownUrl": "https://enjoythai.land/research/cities/hat-yai.md",
  "htmlUrl": "https://enjoythai.land/research/cities/hat-yai/",
  "sourceDataVersion": "2026-05-15",
  "publicSlug": "hat-yai",
  "matrix": {
    "city": "Hat Yai",
    "recommended_slug": "hat-yai",
    "thai_name": "หาดใหญ่",
    "province": "Songkhla",
    "recommended_page_status": "first-class destination",
    "if_merged_merged_with_what_and_why": "Keep Songkhla Old Town as related support node",
    "strongest_traveler_use_case": "south rail/air/border hub, food, shopping",
    "biggest_static_risk_or_caveat": "flood/rain and event/border-route conditions are live",
    "decision_families": "today; where-to-stay; route-check; food-route; gold-buying-check",
    "confidence_level": "high"
  },
  "packet": {
    "city": "Hat Yai",
    "thai_name": "หาดใหญ่",
    "province": "Songkhla",
    "recommended_slug": "hat-yai",
    "page_status": "first-class destination",
    "merge_recommendation": "Keep Songkhla Old Town as related support node",
    "summary": "Hat Yai is modeled as: south rail/air/border hub, food, shopping. Static copy should foreground traveler decisions and avoid live claims.",
    "best_for": [
      "south rail",
      "air",
      "border hub",
      "food",
      "shopping"
    ],
    "avoid_if": [
      "flood/rain and event/border-route conditions are live"
    ],
    "best_months": "November–February unless the page-specific season window states otherwise.",
    "season_windows": {
      "best": [
        "November–February"
      ],
      "acceptable_with_caveats": [
        "March–May heat",
        "May–October rain-aware travel"
      ],
      "high_risk": [
        "flood/rain and event/border-route conditions are live"
      ]
    },
    "static_decision_signals": {
      "today_signal": "Do not hardcode; use TMD, Air4Thai/PCD, transport and event feeds where relevant.",
      "weather_risk": "Use seasonal static framing only; daily weather is a future live signal.",
      "aqi_risk": "Live-check via Air4Thai/PCD where station coverage exists; especially relevant in dry/smoke season.",
      "transport_friction": "Treat route timing, transfer spread and public transport schedules as live or semi-live.",
      "food_signal": "Use as static food-route positioning only when supported by official/local source candidates.",
      "crowd_level": "Do not hardcode current crowding; express event/weekend sensitivity as static risk.",
      "comfort_penalties": [
        "heat",
        "rain",
        "AQI where relevant",
        "event/crowd pressure",
        "route spread"
      ]
    },
    "base_areas": [
      {
        "name": "Downtown / Kim Yong / Santisuk",
        "best_for": "food and shopping",
        "watch_outs": "crowded/noisy",
        "transport_logic": "walk/road/rail nearby",
        "walkability_or_spread": "compact",
        "weather_noise_flood_or_air_caveat": "rain/flood"
      },
      {
        "name": "Central Festival / airport road",
        "best_for": "business, malls, airport access",
        "watch_outs": "less local food texture",
        "transport_logic": "road",
        "walkability_or_spread": "spread",
        "weather_noise_flood_or_air_caveat": "rain traffic"
      },
      {
        "name": "Railway station area",
        "best_for": "rail route",
        "watch_outs": "transport-first",
        "transport_logic": "SRT rail",
        "walkability_or_spread": "compact",
        "weather_noise_flood_or_air_caveat": "schedule/rain"
      }
    ],
    "nearby_alternatives": [
      "Songkhla",
      "Trang",
      "Nakhon Si Thammarat",
      "Malaysia border"
    ],
    "route_roles": [
      "south rail/air/border hub, food, shopping"
    ],
    "food_angle": "High; dedicated food-route page justified.",
    "culture_angle": "Use official TAT/provincial/heritage sources; avoid attraction listicles.",
    "shopping_gold_gem_angle": "Gold-buying check possible as live-price/shop-directory support; shopping is primary static angle.",
    "arrival_modes": [
      "Hat Yai Airport",
      "SRT rail",
      "bus/road",
      "Malaysia border route"
    ],
    "should_be_static": [
      "page status",
      "merge/split logic",
      "seasonal caveats",
      "base-area logic"
    ],
    "should_not_be_static": [
      "daily weather",
      "AQI",
      "transport schedules",
      "event dates",
      "prices"
    ],
    "data_confidence": "high",
    "entity_seed_notes": {
      "aliases": [
        "HDY"
      ],
      "approx_lat": "7.0084",
      "approx_lon": "100.4747",
      "related_entities_to_create": [
        "Kim Yong Market",
        "Santisuk Market",
        "Hat Yai Junction",
        "Songkhla Old Town",
        "Sadao border route"
      ],
      "observation_coverage_candidates": [
        "TMD",
        "Air4Thai/PCD where available",
        "SRT/CAAT/ferry/event feeds where relevant"
      ],
      "related_page_candidates": [
        "hat-yai-stay-guide",
        "hat-yai-route-check"
      ]
    },
    "source_candidates": [
      {
        "name": "TAT Hat Yai",
        "type": "official",
        "url": "https://www.tourismthailand.org/Destinations/Provinces/Hat-Yai/362",
        "why_it_matters": "official food/shopping/gateway identity",
        "supports": "static copy"
      },
      {
        "name": "TAT Kim Yong Market",
        "type": "official",
        "url": "https://www.tourismthailand.org/Attraction/kim-yong-market",
        "why_it_matters": "market/food-shopping evidence",
        "supports": "food-route"
      }
    ]
  },
  "currentProductLinks": [
    {
      "href": "/where-to-go/hat-yai/",
      "label": "Open current traveler page"
    },
    {
      "href": "/food/hat-yai-food-route/",
      "label": "Open food guide"
    },
    {
      "href": "/accommodation/hat-yai/",
      "label": "Open stay guide"
    }
  ]
}