Boats, silent legacy of Narathiwat
Narathiwat is not just a large town. There’s a fishing village close by to the town centre. The jetty appears to be clean but there’s a strong smell of fish and salt. Many of the fishermen are waiting under the trees and in small platforms called “pondok” – away from the glaring sun and blistering heat. Some are smoking, while many are fasting during the Muslim’s holy month of Ramadan.
The women folk work at home, operate small street stalls, caretakers of their children and elderly, or at the nearby wet market selling local vegetables, fruits and tasty sweet treats. The men work as fishermen, labourers and in small ice-making shops. There appears to be many out-of-school young people and children » I don’t think today is a public holiday but I could be wrong.
The boats at the river mouth are colourful, and with simple flowing designs. Similar boats can be found in Malaysia, especially in the east coast states of the peninsula. I think there are so many similarities between the province and Malaysia.
The heat is incredible today, just like yesterday. Yet I am stubborn, preferring to continue with my journey into the heart of Narathiwat.
Zashnain
An avid blogger, twitterer and photojournalist, Zashnain Zainal suffers from an incurable addiction to social work, helping marginalised communities since 1989. Nowadays he travels from the plantations of Malaysia to the slums of Thailand. He can be found at zashnain.com and @bedlamfury
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