The Trip To Satun.

Satun and the Malaysian border.

Heard about Satun Province south west of Thailand and wish to venture into that part of the world. As I learnt, that part of the country is populated by Thai Muslims and a mix race of Thais and northern state Malays.

The name Satun is a Thai version of its original Malay name, Setul (sentol, or wild mangosteen tree).

The province is located on the Malay Peninsula, on the shore of the Andaman Sea. It is separated from Songkhla Province by the Nakhon Si Thammarat mountain range and from Malaysia by the Sankalakhiri Mountains.

Satun made of 67.8% Muslims, 31.2% Buddhist and 10% ethnic Malay Muslims.

THE TRIP.

Day 1 – 20 June 2011.

Meeting point was at Bukit Jelutong Petronas Station where my cousin Dato Malek came by from Damansara Heights. We stopped at Rawang for breakfast, coffee break at Bukit Gantang and lunch at Sungai Dua Butterworth for prawn noodles. We rendezvous with Atan, at Sungai Batu Pahat Snake Farm in Perlis. With Atan at the wheel we drove heading for the Malaysian/Thai border checkpoint at Wan Kelian. We negotiated through the sharp winding road of the Sankalakhiri Mountain and the wayside sceneries were a beauty with all greens all around.

The winding mountain road.

The mountain.

Border check point of Wan Kelian / Wan Pracha.

Wan Kelian check point was deserted that particular Monday evening and the formalities at the Thai Immigration and Custom were very brisk. We were the only three (3) crazy Malaysians crossing the border at that hour. The paper work to bring Malaysian car into Thailand was speedy and easy. The only busy activities were the stalls that lining up the road after the check point selling Malaysian smuggled goods. The favorite items are gasoline in bottles and cooking oil.

Most parts of the road from the Thai border of Wan Pra Cha to the Hatnyai/Satun Highway were under repair and we had to reduce speed. There were villages flanking the road and portrait of political Candidates hanging distinctively at telephone and electrical poles for the upcoming General Election on 3 July 2011. At some small village or community, political campaign was blaring.

We got into Satun city at about 1800 hours and checked into Pinnacle Satun Wangmai Hotel. The Hotel is supposed to be the best in Satun, a two (2) star and I graded it as Hatnyai Hotels as of thirty (30) years ago. The charge was RM 65 per night. We had no choice and got to make do what was the best available. The consolation was the satellite TV and a mini fridge in the room. We had dinner at the nearby Muslim Hawkers Stall and city night seeing drive.

Pinnacle Satun Hotel.

Day 2 – 21 June 2011.

To be honest, Satun is not the place that I expected to be. We had breakfast at the same Muslim Hawkers Stall. The nasi lemak tasted differently and it served with chicken and no sambal. I requested for soup as gravy and chili sauce to satisfy my kind of taste of nasi lemak. The drink was so damn sweet even though ordered for less sugar. Staying here for couple of days can die of diabetes.

After breakfast we drove out of town to Tamalang a small port serving as ferry Terminal, islands hopping and trawlers base. I expected to see a town by the sea frontage and sandy beaches. I was totally disappointed.

Tamalang Ferry Jetty.

Boats to Islands.

Open sea Trawler coming back to Landing Point.

At 1000 hours we decided to check out from the Hotel and headed for Danok via the Hatnyai/ Satun Highway. Danok is located at the Malaysian/Thai border of Kedah and Atan could cross back home to Perlis. We bypassed Hatnyai City and took a shortcut by the Hatnyai/ Sadao Highway. We broke journey at Kronnyet, the small town popular to local Thais and Malaysians for cheap bargain. I bought myself a jacket for RM 30, something to remember for this Thailand adventure.

We arrived in Danok at around noon and Atan recommended a newly completed Hotel - Siam Thana Hotel. I found the Hotel to be well located, a 7 Eleven, Muslim Restaurant and a shopping complex across the road. Siam Thana Hotel is a four (4) star hotel and it only cost RM 85 per night!! I was very impressed, even the lift has a digital indicator and a wifi available in the room. There are ninety (90) channels on the satellite TV but channel 73 strictly for adults viewing only.

Siam Thana Hotel, Danok.

Spacious and clean room.

After lunch at the opposite Muslim Restaurant, Atan’s wife came in from Perlis to join us and Atan broke from our company.

At night, Dato Malek and I browsed around Danok town surveying the things that we wanted to buy for home the following morning. Danok has changed a lot since I passed through this tiny town several years ago. The night is now polluted with noises from the discos, karaoke and massage parlors. Malaysians merry goers spent the late evening and night perhaps for cheap entertainment crossing the border and home before the border close at midnight Malaysian time. Cheap Thai cuisines and seafood is also an attraction. Danok the border town in Thailand and Bukit Kayu Hitam across the Malaysian border are two different worlds entirely. Danok is economically flourishing from the inter border free flow of Malaysian currencies and barter trading. Danok is a safe place as tourists are well protected.

Day 3 – 22 June 2011.

The Hotel came with complimentary breakfast and to play safe I had four (4) toasted breads and two (2) half boiled eggs. We then checked out from the Hotel and stopped by in town. I bought a bag of glutinous rice, coated peanuts, anchovies, dried shrimps and local Thai mangos.

No hassled crossing the Thai Immigration checked point, Malaysian Immigration and Malaysian Custom. We did not bring in any contraband goods. By 1100 hours (Malaysian time) we were back on Malaysian soil, feeling secured and free. There is nothing like the home country and the air is even different.

Along the PLUS Highway we stopped for lunch at Perak River R&R for the traditional gulai tempoyak ikan patin specialty. Dato Malek also took the opportunity to see a Solicitor friend opposite the State Secretariat Building in Ipoh and we also dropped by at Kampong Melayu to pay a visit to my Mother.

Perak River R&R.

Perak State Secretariat.

The last stop along the Highway was at Ulu Bernam R&R for tea. Met my daughter at her Office in Bukit Jelutong and by 1830 hours I hit home base.

IMPRESSION OF THE TRIP.

Disappointed!!!

KL area would be without water for couple of days and Dato Malek was equally worried about the water disruption back home. Shorten the trip would be advisable to assist the Datin and her young grandson.

If not for Atan’s domestic problem which he had to sort out back home, we could stay in Satun for couple more days and venture out to the outskirts. We could spend time, islands hopping or to the beautiful beaches of Trang. Whatever……I may revisit that part of Thailand in the near future. I am very inquisitive about one island off Satun that is populated by Malays from the northern state of Perlis in Malaysia. I am eager to meet the Malay tribe that migrated to this Thailand Island in history.

I SHALL RETURN.