Families Meet At Malaysia-Thai Markets

By Adnan Jahaya WANG KELIAN (Perlis, Malaysia), March 13 (Bernama) -- Every Sunday, thousands of people would flock over to the Malaysia-Thailand border to shop. There are markets lined up along the border that does not require citizens of either countries to produce travel documents to visit, be they in Wang Kelian or Wang Prachan. This ease of access indirectly promotes tourism as apart from shopping, it gives the opportunity for both Malaysians and Thais to meet up with friends and relatives from across the border. Malaysians naturally tend to scour for bargains at the Wang Prachan market on the Thailand side, while the Thais prefer to shop at Wang Kelian market on the Malaysian side. MEETING LOCATION The Thais call the location "nat", which translates into "day market", but it is also a meeting place for families from both sides of the border. Dohman Salim, 59, is among the thousands of visitors who would visit Wang Prachan on Sunday mornings. The farmer from the Khuandon district of Satun rarely goes there to shop. Instead, he would have breakfast at a stall in Wang Prachan in the hopes of bumping into his relatives from Malaysia. "I like meeting up with them and having breakfast together at the stall," the Thai told Bernama in fluent Malay when met in Wang Prachan. WARMTH AND FRIENDLINESS AT THE BORDER Siti Ruwiyah Zubidi, from Kangar, said she did not have to fix a time and place to meet up with her relatives in Satun, as they would inevitably bump into each other every time she visits Wang Kelian. "It is a brief meeting where we exchange hellos while shopping. Once in a while we would discuss family matters," said the 45-year-old homemaker. She would also sometimes meet up with friends and relatives while in Wang Prachan, but if an appointment was set, both parties would come bearing gifts to exchange. "I would bring 'pisang awak' from my village and they would also bring me bananas from Setoi (Satun)," she said. SYMBOL OF CLOSENESS The Wang Kelian Kampong Development and Security Committee (JKKK) Chairman Zunaidi Abu Bakar said that the markets at the border have existed for over 20 years and was special to the people. "Because of the markets, they do not need to travel as far as Setoi to meet up with their relatives," he said to Bernama. The market has become a symbol of the close relationship between Perlis and the Satun Province, especially with the allowance for movements without travel documents for up to one kilometre radius from the Immigration’s main control post. Action would be taken against those who ventured beyond the stipulated area, as the markets do not extend father than a kilometre from the bordergate. There was a time when nearly 50,000 people visited the markets that are located within the Malaysia-Thai forest reserves. However, the figure dwindled drastically following the implementation of a government security measure on Feb 1, 2008, which restricted movements along the border. The government lifted the security measure on Dec 5, 2008, allowing for unfettered movement once again from 8am to 7pm, restoring business to the markets. Those visiting the markets are required to return to their points of origin within the day. THREE DECADES OF DEVELOPMENT The traditional village of Wang Kelian was virtually unknown 30 years ago. In fact, there were barely any roads going into the northern Perlis village, back then. To leave Wang Kelian, villagers would have to traverse a trail that leads to a cave, which acts like a natural 370-metre tunnel that ends in Kaki Bukit, the nearest town to the village. Such difficulties deterred visitors from going into the 250-year-old village. It also made daytime the only time viable for travel into or out of the village. Wang Kelian received its first taste of development when a tarred road was built through the hilly area in the early 80s, connecting Wang Kelian to Kaki Bukit. The road was then connected to the one built on the Thai side. The cooperation between both countries allowed for the opening of the bordergate, eventually culminating in the establishment of the day market. -- BERNAMA