Somchart Pimthanapoonporn said Hat Yai's business district is lively and the city has been festooned with Chinese-style decorations ahead of the city's Chinese New Year 2013.
He said all the city's hotel rooms are fully booked for the Feb 10-16 festival, with an increased inflow of both domestic and international tourists feeling confident about the government's security measures.
He said combined forces of police, soldiers and civilians have been deployed across the city around the clock and checkpoints have been set up to ensure safety for local residents and tourists as part of stiff security measures to prevent any untoward incident by insurgent groups.
About Bt200 million is expected to be circulated during the upcoming festivities, said the association president.
