The train might have been faster too. but it is a weird trip and not easy from hat yai to the border and then to the train station in Malaysia. I guess there used to be a train all the way easily from Bangkok to Singapore, but now it's all jacked up at the borders. If you take buses, the border crossing goes better and you do not have to keep moving your luggage.

I agree with you about the tuk tuks. This makes life so much easier.