A growing number of foreign tourists are visiting Hat Yai, Thailand's southern business center in Songkhla Province, to join the "Hat Yai Chinese New Year Festival", local media Friday reported.

More immigration officials have been deployed at Sadao Checkpoint in the province to facilitate foreign tourists, mainly Malaysians, entering the country to join the grand festival, to beheld from Jan. 28-31, the Thai News Agency said.

"There has been an influx of foreign tourists, mostly Malaysians, entering the Sadao Checkpoint over the past couple of days; so, we have to deploy more staff to carefully check their border passes or passports, as well as facilitate their smooth entry into the kingdom," local immigration officials said.

More tourist arrivals are expected in Hat Yai later this week for their Chinese New Year celebrations.

(Xinhua News Agency January 28, 2006)