Siamese village faces demolition

GEORGE TOWN: A Siamese village that has been home to six generations of the community here for almost two centuries is on the brink of extinction following a proposed development of a hotel.

The village, located off Burmah Road, is believed to be the oldest and last settlement for the Penang Siamese community.

It is also a stone’s throw from the Wat Chaiya Mangalaram Buddhist Temple (Reclining Buddha Temple) built in Burmah Lane in 1845 and the 203-year-old Dhammikarama Burmese Buddhist Temple just across the road.

Speaking to reporters at the village yesterday, Pulau Tikus assemblyman Yap Soo Huey said eviction letters were sent out to the villagers and businesses in April, asking them to vacate.

Yap said she sent a letter to the Penang Municipal Council on Tuesday, requesting for the building plan approval, which was submitted by Five Star Heritage on April 17, to be withheld because there were ongoing talks.

“We would like to come to an agreement to ensure that the heritage value of the village and the community can be preserved to prevent the loss of a cultural heritage,” she said.

It was reported that the proposed development of a five-storey hotel by Five Star Heritage Sdn Bhd would involve the demolition of seven shops and 10 wooden houses on the affected 0.64ha (6,400 sq m) site.

The land, estimated to be worth between RM55mil and RM89mil, was originally bequeathed by East India Company on behalf of Queen Victoria of England to the Burmese and Siamese community of Penang in 1845.

It was also reported that four Malaysian-Burmese individuals, who had identified themselves as the Penang Burmese Trust Properties Group, claimed to be the land’s trustee.

Boon Leua Aroomratana, 56, a third generation resident, said that before the eviction notice on April 23, the villagers had no prior knowledge about the development.

“We also received a letter from the (developer’s) solicitor offering my family a compensation of RM30,000. We are at a loss. As one of the longest-staying Siamese families in the village, this is a sudden decision made without consulting us,” he said.

Another resident, Nai Chan Sararaks, 75, said his parents were buried at a cemetery near the village.

“This place is where my roots are,” he said.

Penang Heritage Trust secretary Clement Liang said the village was once featured on Thai television, adding that any development should benefit the Siamese and Burmese communities.

“If the village is destroyed, then the Siamese community can no longer exist in one common place. For example, the community at the Koay Jetty was split up when the place was demolished,” he said.