Kampong Siam is an ethnic Siamese enclave within the

downtown core The Downtown Core is the historical and downtown centre of the city-state of Singapore and the main commercial area in Singapore excluding reclaimed lands with two integrated resorts such as the Marina Bay Sands, one of the most expensive buil ...

of George Town in the

Malaysian state Malaysia is a federation of thirteen states and three federal territories, which form the primary administrative divisions of the country. Eleven states and two territories are part of Peninsular Malaysia, while two states and one territory ...

of Penang. Located within the city centre, the neighbourhood is situated near the corner between Burmah Road, George Town, Burmah Road and Burmah Lane, immediately adjacent to Wat Chaiyamangkalaram. The neighbourhood is still inhabited by ethnic Siamese, who had moved into the area as early as the 19th century. However, the enclave has also, in recent years, been under threat from rapid urbanisation and redevelopment.

History

The first Siamese settlers were believed to have arrived at Pulau Tikus in the early 19th century. According to a census conducted in 1828, as many as 1,117 ethnic Siamese were residing within Kampung Siam. In 1845, the land where Kampung Siam now stands was granted by the British authorities to the ethnic Siamese as a gesture of goodwill to Rattanakosin Kingdom (1782–1932), Siam. The four female Siamese trustees who became custodians of the land also built Wat Chaiyamangkalaram next to the village. More recently, Kampung Siam's residents have been embroiled in a tussle over land rights, as the neighbourhood is earmarked for the construction of a hotel. Although the land was held in trust, it was sold without the trust holders' knowledge to a developer in 2014. When the residents were issued eviction notices, a lawsuit was filed in retaliation against the developer. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2015, leading to fears that the Siamese enclave will be bulldozed to make way for redevelopment.

References

{{Ethnic Enclaves in Malaysia Populated places in Penang Ethnic enclaves in Malaysia Thai diaspora in Malaysia Thai Towns

History

See also

References