MUNDOK (Southern Thailand): Every time a festival nears, Malaysians make a beeline to the Mundok market here.
Even though the exchange rate between the ringgit and the baht is not favourable, Malaysians continue to cross into Thailand on passenger boats plying Sungai Golok from Bukit Lata in Rantau Panjang.
Besides buying new clothes for Hari Raya Aidiladha, shoppers also took the opportunity to shop for other goods such as food items.
Fruits such as rambutan, mango and durian, which are in season, are in high demand as the prices are lower here.
Durian is being sold for between RM3 and RM3.50 per kg, compared with RM5 and above in Malaysia, while other fruits are sold for between RM2 and RM2.50 per kg.
One of the Malaysian shoppers, Saiful Kamaruzaman, said he and his two sisters wanted to buy new clothes and kitchen appliances for Aidiladha.
“My sisters and I planned to buy baju raya and head scarves to be presented as gifts to our relatives who return to celebrate Hari Raya.
“However when we saw fruits, especially durian and rambutan, being sold cheaply, we decided to buy the fruits as well.
“Shopping in Mundok is like a festival to Malaysians especially on Friday as it is the Nat day (Nat is Thai for market) and many shops are opened compared to normal days,” said the 31-year-old car salesman from Kota Baru.
Checks by New Straits Times found that at least six passenger boats were plying Sungai Golok once the market opened for business at 8am (Malaysia time).
It takes less than five minutes for each boat to reach the jetty in Mundok from the many jetties in Kampung Bukit Lata, Rantau Panjang.
A boat operator, who wished to be known only as Min, said durian lovers would come to Mundok to buy the fruit as the market here offered the best prices.
“I have had about a hundred customers since early this morning and the majority plan to buy fruits and other items at the Mundok market,” said the 40-year-old who has been a boat operator since he was 18.