WANG KELIAN – Once a bustling town with a special open-border concept that saw both Malaysians and Thais flocking to its markets, Wang Kelian is today a shadow of its former self.
The town, near southern Thailand’s Satun province, made the headlines following the discovery of transit camps and mass graves containing the bodies of 139 migrants, believed to be Rohingya, in 2015.
The news shocked the country, especially Perlis residents, who knew Wang Kelian as an integral part of cross-border trade.
Immigration authorities used to allow a “borderless” area over a 1km radius two weekends a month, when a market – selling everything from cheap leather goods and household items to local delicacies like northern-style dodol – would be set up here and in Wang Prachan, Satun, on a rotational basis.
Malaysians just needed their MyKad to cross the border, while Thais could enter Wang Kelian without any documents.
Another local attraction was a flea market, which was frequented for decades not only by Perlis folk and Thais, but also people from Kedah, Penang and Perak hunting for a bargain.
After the grisly discovery five years ago, however, Malaysian and Thai authorities ended the open-border arrangement and stepped up security, leaving the market areas deserted.
The Covid-19 pandemic this year only worsened residents’ economic plight.
A local who wished to be known only as Noraini, 58, said busloads of people would come to the flea market to do their weekend shopping back then.
“Wang Kelian’s glory days are over, and locals’ livelihood has been taken away from them through no fault of their own. The authorities should do something to revive the town.”
Indera Kayangan assemblyman Gan Ay Ling said the state government is making effort towards this end.
“I have heard senior citizens saying there used to be 60 chartered buses coming here for the bazaar every weekend.
“But now, zero.”
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man had proposals to turn things around for the town when the coronavirus hit, forcing the plans to be shelved. – The Vibes, September 28, 2020
