Betong
Betong is a district of Yala Province, situated in the southernmost province of Thailand in Sankalakhiri mountain range. It borders the Malaysian states of Kedah and Perak. The Population can be classified into two major groups Muslims and Chinese. Its terrain is mostly mountainous and hilly with forested plateaus. From all the stories I have heard about betong is a lot of curves most of people go there will be carsick. It was very surprised that I did not carsick. Moreover, I could change my misunderstood that betong was underdevelopment district because it was same as staying the other province of Yala; it Set around 140 km from Yala and took a hundred of mountains to arrive there. As my first time faced betong, I could see that it was more developing than other places in southernmost and it also had many attractive places to visit. Particularly the winter flower garden and piyamit tunnel were my impression experience. Depart in the morning at 8:30 a.m. by Taxi. On the Taxi, starting went out from Bunnansta, 3 of my friends and I faced with the curve, hill, and also risk with abyss of a high mountain. There are curves every 30 metres. The driver turn pass and pass till hundred curves to betong. When arriving at straight road I wheeze to my friends. We arrived at betong approximately 10:00 a.m. I get out the taxi at Community centre.
The Community centre located near the world’s largest mail box. So we walked to there and I was very surprised that I could touch and see the real world largest mail box in Thailand. It is situated at the clock tower intersection. It is made of reinforced concrete, with a cylindrical shape divided into 2 parts - the base and the box. While waiting Fatonah’s sister to welcome and guide us to tourist attraction, my friends and I took photographs and we enjoyed a stroll around the shops. Around 11:40 a.m. her sister welcomed us and we headed to winter flower garden. Driving through rubber plantations and up a mountain on a gradually narrowing road, we arrived at garden around 12:10 p.m. As soon as I arrived there, the cold air touched me, and I felt fresh and bright. Even though the weather is hot at that time but it was very cold at the winter flower garden. We walked to the garden and had lunch on the grass amidst the colorful flowers. After had lunch we visited a few scenic spots, took photographs and rested at a cool area on the hill. Then, we go dawn the mountain to see the place for planting flower. We also viewed bungalow. It was attractive me to stay because around the bungalow decorated with various kinds of flower.
Afterward, we headed to piyamit Tunnel which located at the mountain top in the midst of deep forests. This area was the base where the Communist Party of Malaya hiding. Entering the gate of piyamit tunnel, there were two cute, white and smiling people standing to sale the tickets for entering the tunnel. After bought it we rushed to the tunnel. The way to there was very scary; it was surrounded with trees and lush jungle. To get to the tunnel, we had to climb a long flight of well-paved stairs. When we reached a hut where the tunnel entrance was, I felt very tired. So, we rested for a while and then two Chinese people welcomed us and told some information about the entrance of tunnel. Then, we passed through the tunnel. This tunnel was 1 kilometre length and 5-6 feet wide and there are 9 entrances exit paths. Inside the tunnels are little areas for rest, food storage, bedrooms for communists, as well a few steps for climbing to get to outside. The temperature in tunnel was very cold. After we went out from tunnel we were shopping, bazaars showcase the traditional crafts for which betong is famous and there were dozens of souvenir stands. They were not attracted me to buy because it was very expensive.
At 3:00 p.m. heading to the central mosque where located beside the main road of the city. The mosque was big, wide and blue sky color. This mosque was built with 6 round log topped with 6 thatch roofs and it was reestablished at the current site with the cement floor, wood walls and corrugated iron roofs. Here we took photographs for a while and went straight the community of old city in ban kapeh kota learning center to see the antique. It is the important place for studying history. We saw muslim architectures, and many kinds of antique such as old pottery, old ornaments, kolak boat and etc. But some of antique were moved to Hadyai. After that, we went straight back to Fatonah’s sister house. On the way to her house, we could see two giant sculptures of betong chicken showing in the central of betong city. It originated from the Langshan breed in china. The feather, skin, shanks were yellow and the break was yellowish red. Furthermore, we also passed through betong Mong kon Rit Tunnel, the only vehicle tunnel in Thailand, before we reached her house. It was 268 metre long, 9 metre high and 7 metre wide. It was very beautiful, in the tunnel was dark and sparkle with lights. When we arrived at her house, all of us got long rest.
In the evening, betong was decorated with light and colorful bazaars. There were a thousand of swallows catching at the wires. All of these views let me know that betong was very developed city and very nice place to visit. The views that I sightsee attracted me to go there again on the next opportunity.
Through the nights betong is cooler than elsewhere in the south. In the morning of new day, we prepared for going back home. The water was so cold because it was cold weather for the whole year at betong. It tends me to bathe in the early morning. I was chill after taking bath. Around 11:00 a.m. the Taxi came and we were homeward with safety.
