300 Thais stage peaceful demo over closure of Sg Golok jetties

Some 300 people living along Sungai Golok here staged a peaceful protest today over the closing of six jetties by the Thai military. They use to jetties to cross the river to get to Malaysia and back.

The jetties, ordered to be closed on security grounds, are Pengkalan Gaji, Pengkalan Jambu, Pengkalan Bereng, Pengkalan Buluh, Pengkalan Cek Kaseng and Pengkalan Retak.

"This closing of the jetties has impacted our lives," Pengkalan Sungai Golok assistant community head Pairat Mamat told the media.

He said they would be appealing to the Thai Prime Minister to get the jetties reopened.

Some 5200 residents from 1300 families depend on the jetties for the livelihood. Some of the families also send their children to schools in Malaysia.

Now only Pengkalan Prapa is available for the them to cross Sungai Golok to get to alaysia.

-- BERNAMA