A once-busy town on the border between Thailand and Malaysia is now deserted of tourists after borders were closed.

The Malaysian government has acted to protect the spread of coronavirus by temporarily locking the country from March 18 to March 31.

Footage from Hat Yai in Songkhla province, southern Thailand this morning (March 19) shows that a town that used to crowded by Malaysian tourists has became deserted.

Local bus companies have had to cancel their Songkhla to Kuala Lumpur route after the Malaysian government prohibited foreigners from enter their country.

The bus business owner Tony Chan said his business would suffer but he accepted the situation.

He said: "We are not happy to cancel and reduce the routes but it is understandable and hopefully the situation will be better soon so we can operate normally again."

The main tourist street also appeared deserted with only a few street vendors and tuk tuk drivers waiting for customers.

Driver Lorchade Phala said the Malaysian tourists are the main life-blood of the town.

He said: "I have been a tuk tuk driver here for 20 years and this is the first time there hasn't been any Malaysian tourists."

Coronavirus infections surged across Southeast Asia, driven in part by hundreds of infections stemming from a mass Muslim gathering in Malaysia just over two weeks ago.