Crossing Borders (and Religions)

My journey to Malaysia from Thailand starts with a 9 hour overnight boat ride from the island of Koh Tao on the Gulf of Thailand back to the town of Surat Thani on the mainland.  The Lonely Planet (LP) Guidebook describes the overnight boat ride as, "let the boat and ocean gently rock you to sleep as the ocean night air cools you off from the day's heat."  The LP leaves out the part of being crammed onto the boat with about 50 other travelers (some of them who have not showered in what smells like days), and "sleeping" on mats that measure no more than 38 inches wide.  The "gentle rocking" of the ocean is a flat out lie, and as for the cool air part, the air is indeed cool, however, it is still extremely humid. 

Myself and the 49 other backpackers and some Thai's arrive on the mainland around 4:40am the next morning.  I am then ushered onto a bus and start another 10 hour journey to the border town of Su-Ngai Kolok, the southern-most part of Thailand.  There is a warning in the LP saying that this border crossing "may be" unsafe due to frequent and spontaneous religious clashes between the Muslims and Buddhist populations.  Well, the LP was published in 2008, which means the research was done in 2007; it is 2010 and I have not heard any news of violence, so I decide to make this border crossing...

The journey via road is beautiful.  We ride along side the beach almost the entire way.  As the bus rolls along, I reflect on my trip throughout the rest of Thailand.  From the mountain terrain of Northern Thailand, to the densely populated Bangkok and central Thailand, I am now traveling in almost flat and sparsely populated land with the ocean on one side and coconut groves on the other side.  Along the way, Buddhist Wats dot the landscape, with the roofs peaking out behind tall trees and villages, pointing directly above, as if designed to send the thoughts and prayers of its peoples to the celestial skies. 

Once we reach the Southern most province in Thailand, I immediately notice a change.  Saffron cloaked monks gives way to women in burkas and head-scarves.  Along side the Thai script on buildings and road signs is Arabic script.  Mosques now dot the landscape with their crescent moon and star.  Along with this sudden change in religion comes barbed wires, check-points every 10 miles, soldiers carrying guns, sand-bag trenches, and tanks along the road side.  I am in complete awe.  I ask myself, is this all really necessary?  Can the violence really be that bad?  Apparently so.  Since the 2005, over 5,000 Muslims and Buddhist have been killed as both sides have fought for "control" of this Southern Province.  Major fighting has stopped in 2008, but the area is still tense--hence, all of the army and artillery in the area.  Even the 7-Eleven that my bus makes a rest stop at is crowded with soldiers and guns.  I think to myself that this must be some sort of representation of the Middle East, specifically Israel.  Are two, three, four, etc... religions not able to co-exist side by side?  Apart of me wants to jump off the bus and spend one day in this region and talk with some locals about the situation and their thoughts; however, the better part of my judgment kicks in and I get back on the bus after the 7-Eleven stop and continue on to the border.

The border crossing itself is uneventful.  Like crossing from Viet Nam into Lao, I also had to walk with my bag across the border, only instead of 6km, it was only 500 meters.  Hello Malaysia!