Hotel room bookings in Hat Yai district and elsewhere in this province have risen to almost full occupancy this week as Malaysian tourists are coming to Thailand`s border provinces to celebrate Malaysian National Day, according to the president of Narathiwat Tourism Business Association.

Abdul-ayi Awae Sue-mae said as Malaysia will celebrate its National Day August 31. Many citizens of Thailand`s neighbour to the south will come here to celebrate the event over several days.

Hotel rooms in Hat Yai and Narathiwat province are heavily booked, he said. While normally only some 10 per cent of about 3,600 hotel rooms in Narathiwat were booked but because of the Malaysian celebration bookings during the five day national holiday Aug 29-Sept 2 had soared to 60 per cent occupancy.

Mr. Abdul-ayi said that during Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra`s recent meeting with southern tourism operators, he promised to order the tourism and sports ministry to draft a programme.

The Prime Minisater also proposed a roadshow to the Middle East to persuade Arab tourists to visit Thailand`s south as well as offering a low interest of 1.5 per cent to tourism, commerce and fishery operators for three years, and to make the Sungai Kolok and Betong border districts a duty free zone with an aim to lure more Malaysian tourists to visit and spend money. (TNA)