Malaysia–Thailand border, Betong Politics

Hey guys!

After being in Betong for a couple of days we have already been confronted with history of the border between Siam (Thailand) and the sultanates of the Malay Peninsula (Peninsular Malaysia today). It has varied throughout history according to the influence the kingdom over the sultanates. The southern part of Siam has always been populated by Malays and traditional Malay sultanates of Kedah, Kelantan, Pattani and Terengganu who came under Siamese suzerainty in the 19th century. The Malay states immediately to the south, namely Perak and Pahang were independent sultanates until the British started asserting influence over them in the late 1800s. The frontiers between the states were largely vague and not well defined.

In 1785, the British obtained the island of Penang from the Sultan of Kedah. The channel between the island and the mainland of Peninsula Malaysia became the border between British territory and Kedah, and therefore Siamese, territory.

On 6 May 1869, Great Britain and Siam signed an agreement known as the Bangkok Treaty of 1869 where Siam ceded a piece of territory on the mainland opposite Penang to Great Britain. The territory became known as Province Wellesley. The treaty also defined the border between British and Siamese territory and this border remains the boundary line between Penang and Kedah today, although both are now constituent states of Malaysia.

On 9 July 1909, Great Britain and Siam signed another agreement in Bangkok. Known as the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909, the agreement ceded the states of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu to Great Britain while Pattani remained in Siamese hands. The treaty, in one of its four annexes, defined the border between British and Siamese territories. This border ultimately became today's border between Malaysia and Thailand.

Thailand regained control of the Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu during World War II when the Japanese handed them over to the kingdom, thus moving the Malay States-Siamese border southwards again. However, the states were returned to the British at the end of the war. 

Betong, Thailand checkpoint

To conclude we can say that the British have had a big influence in the ownership of land near the border of thailand and Malaysia

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Klaas

Greetz from Celi, Marco and Mieke

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia-Thailand_border