Hat yai: All 36 students and two lecturers from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) who were stranded due to floods in Hat Yai, Thailand, have been successfully rescued today, says Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir. In a Facebook post, he said all of them were now safe and would be moved to a temporary shelter before being brought home to Malaysia.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the rescue operation was a coordinated effort involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Malaysian Embassy in Thailand, the Consulate General of Malaysia in Songkhla, the Thai authorities, local rescue teams, and UUM management. Dr Zambry expressed his appreciation for their efforts in ensuring the operation was conducted safely and orderly. He also expressed hopes for the remaining arrangements to go smoothly.

The students and lecturers, all from the Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy (TISSA-UUM), had been stranded since November 22 while participating in the Thai-MYS 2025 Cultural Exchange Programme. The rescue comes as part of a broader evacuation effort following major floods in southern Thailand.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan stated that over 700 Malaysians had been evacuated from Hat Yai to Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah. The evacuation operation was enabled by a reduction in water levels after heavy rain subsided, which allowed Malaysian and Thai teams to reach previously inaccessible areas.