Betong, Thailand is another one of Southern Thailand’s more interesting districts with a namesake border town. Located in the Thai province of Yala, Betong Town itself is just 10 kilometers from the Malaysia-Thai border crossing in Northern Perak, Malaysia and offers visitors quite a selection of entertainment options. From its extensive history and not-so-secret, sex tourism, to its eclectic art and vast love of chickens, there are plenty of unique things to see and things to do in Betong, Thailand that make this not-so-dusty little border town worth a visit.
My Nutshell Version of Betong History
Betong, Thailand has history. A lot of history, that newbie visitors may or may not really be interested in. But having some knowledge of Betong’s past, may give you a little insight into the local culture. Like other Southern Thailand towns, the people of Betong were directly affected by the Anglo-Siam Treaty of 1909.
Once part of the Malay Kingdom of Reman, the 1909 treaty split the Kingdom of Reman into two parts. Northern Reman Hulu remained with Siam and southern Reman Hilar (including Kroh, now known as Pengkalan Hulu) went to Perak in the Federated Malay States.
This means that Kingdom of Reman families, at the time, had to choose which country they were going to stay in. And to this day, there are Yala border communities that have close family in both Thailand and Malaysia.
But Betong’s history is even more complex than that. In addition to the whole World War II invasion of Thailand and Malaya, in 1941, the (still) ongoing Southern Thailand Insurgency (which includes Yala Province) started around 1948. The Second Malayan Emergency (which involved the Kroh-Betong area) was from 1968 to 1989.
The Betong-Kroh Tragedy Memorial is in place at the Betong-Perak border crossing, honoring victims of the 1968 Kroh-Betong Tragedy, in which 16 members of the Royal Malaysian Police Field Force lost their lives. On June 17, 1968, a military convoy was taking patients from Baling, Kedah to Kroh, Perak, when they were ambushed by a group of communist terrorists. The ambulance was attacked first.
Is Betong Thailand Safe?
Well, to be honest, I myself have always been a bit hesitant to visit Yala province due to its ‘unrest’ reputation. However, I did feel fairly safe walking the streets of Betong throughout the day and evenings. Of course, I pretty much stay to myself and generally try to keep a low profile (which isn’t necessarily easy being the only caucasian face I saw in an entire week). But for the most part, no one seemed to take much notice of me other than at the border where I especially stood out.
I did have a brief chat with a young, well-spoken store keeper at a shop on the edge of town. When I asked him about the nearby night market, he did quietly let me know “There are people just past (the location) with guns…”. Myself, not quite sure how to decipher that information, I figured maybe it was best that as a solo traveler I stayed closer to town and populated areas; especially at night. The “just past”, by the way, is also in the direction of the Betong Bus Station.
Welcome to Betong, Thailand!
My first impression of Betong, Thailand was definitely positive. As you enter Betong from the border, the main street has light posts with yellow chickens roosting on the tops (metal not real). Completely charming and unique. The Betong Chicken is highly regarded in Betong Town and I’m all for that.
Betong is also surprisingly clean for a border town. Unlike ‘some’ other tourist-y hot spot areas in Southern Thailand, Betong’s streets and roadsides are notably rubbish-free. Even the small local shops have tidy shop front areas, which to me is quite impressive considering how many people I saw meandering about.
The people of Betong are generally very friendly, and as helpful as they can be within language limitations. I had expected a bit more Bahasa Melayu, but found more Thai and Mandarin speakers in the main town area. English too, but it was hit or miss.
A brochure or two, or a city map would have been helpful, but sadly the only paper map I found (which was quite nice) is no longer being printed, but a few copies can be found taped on some hotel lobby walls.
Tip: Keep photos of various landmarks on your phone and just show local people, and they will point you in the right direction. You can also refer to my little map below:
Things to Do in Betong Town, Thailand
As previously mentioned, there are a lot of things to see and things to do in Betong Town. Many are within walking distance of the Clock Tower, offering first time visitors plenty of options for a quick visit without breaking the bank with special tour costs or exhausting day trips outside of town. Just chillout at your hotel and check out the local sights at your leisure. Loads of Instagram-worthy photo ops too, so be sure you’re stylin’ your best.
Betong Clock Tower
Located at the roundabout intersection of Sukhayang Road and Rattanakit Road, Betong’s Clock Tower is smack in the middle of town and a perfect landmark for newbie visitors. Basically, if you can see the clock tower then you’re not lost. Many local sights (and massage shops) are within walking distance of the clock tower, so for first time visitors, this is a also great area to book your accommodation.
I looked high and low for reliable information about this clock tower, but came up short. But apparently Swiftlets often make their appearances here to roost on the power lines (I know right?). However, local rumor is that if visitors get pooped on by these magical birds, then the visitor is destined to return to Betong for a future visit. A strange yet unique fun fact, for sure.
Betong’s Historic First Mailbox
Nearby, on the corner of Sukhayang Road (across from the clock tower) is ‘The World’s Largest Post Box’, which is also described (by some sources) as ‘Thailand’s Largest Post Box’. Obviously, there are some lost in translation issues going on. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t, but for Betong it was their first mailbox and has a historic significance plaque to back that information up.
According to the plaque, the mailbox was installed in 1924 by Mr. Sanguan Jirajinda, the former mayor, telegraph and post master. It stands 290cm in height, with a circumference of 140cm. As Betong Town expanded over the years, so did the streets, so now Betong’s Historic First Mailbox is quite close to the adjacent street, making photo taking slightly challenging.
World’s Largest Post Box (or just Thailand’s)
A much larger mailbox has since been installed in front of the community center on the corner of Sukhayang Road and Chaloem Phra Kiat The King 80 Phansa Park. It’s a bit of a hike from the clock tower area, but you can’t miss the festive-looking corner.
Closer towards the main building the giant red mailbox can be seen. This version of ‘The World’s Largest Post Box’ is a whopping 9-meters tall and definitely a contender for the biggest something. It’s a hearty walk from town, but worth it for the photo op alone.
Betong City Museum
The Betong City Museum is located on Rattanakit Road next to Sud Siam Park. This 5-level museum has a lot of potential, but I’d have to say compared to other museums I’ve been to in Thailand, it’s a huge disappointment (in its present state).
The first two floors of the museum are absolutely jam packed with ‘stuff’ and few (if any) explanations. No brochure is available either. The staff, however, are extremely friendly and able to explain a few things (if you point and ask). The collections are still interesting to look at.
Artifacts, tools, doll collections, some art pieces are scattered about the ground level floor. And on the next level are some old photos, news clipping, food posters, and some baskets. You really have to be in the mood to suss out some of the hidden historic gems buried within.
Although the museum is generally described as 3 levels, there are 5 levels reachable by staircases with the top 3 levels being open-air viewing decks (and pigeon roosts). The building itself is picturesque, with standard Thai-style roofing and entry arches, but the Betong City Museum deserves a little more love with a much-needed upgrade. *Open daily: 8:00am until 6:00pm, entry 10-20baht/ Tel: 016-248 5133
Bonus sightseeing:
Just a stone’s throw from the museum is a gorgeous hand sculpture created from tiny metal hearts. The view through the hands is of the Betong Town cityscape below.
Bentong Chicken Statue
The Betong Chicken Statue is one of the things that actually lured me to Betong in the first place. I had to see it with my own eyes, and indeed I did. This cheesy but adorable statue is much larger than I expected, and well maintained with a fresh coat of paint and a prominent street side roost. The rooster, chicken, chicks and eggs combo make for a fabulous ‘Wish you were here’ photo op. Located near the entry of the Betong Mongkollrit Tunnel; you can’t miss it. *Open 24 hours a day and well-lit at night.
Betong Chicken is the official symbol of Betong, their spirit animal if you will. Not because it has magical powers or has folklore roots, but because it’s coloring and build are different from regional chickens (such as the more common Jungle Rooster). And… if you’re a drumstick fan, Betong chickens are said to have meatier legs. Betong even has an annual Betong Chicken Festival every April, so be sure to mark your calendars!
Betong Mongkollit Tunnel
The Betong Mongkollit Tunnel is purportedly the first mountain tunnel in Thailand to be built with reinforced concrete. The ‘mountain’ being the hilly Sud Siam Park. Although the 273-meter-long tunnel was opened in 2001 to help with traffic congestion, it also doubles as a great short cut from town straight to Sud Siam Park. Also, right across the street from the tunnel’s park entrance is the famous chicken statues making the tunnel part of a sightseeing trifecta.
The tunnel’s town entrance is at the interception of Amonrit Road and Phakdi Damrong Road and doesn’t necessarily look pedestrian friendly from afar, but it is. The tunnel’s 9meter width includes 2 traffic lanes and pedestrian walk ways on each side.
*If your equilibrium starts feeling a bit off while walking inside, just touch the wall as you walk and you’ll feel much better. It may have had something to do with the absence of a visual horizon, but it made me a bit dizzy.
Sud Siam Park (aka Betong Municipality Park)
Sud Siam Park is a 47-acre forested park in the middle of Betong Town. It’s brilliant. With its winding roads, towering trees, grassy knolls and scenic vistas, Sud Siam ticks all the boxes for health and sports enthusiasts, which was its initial development plan idea to begin with. The park even has a sports stadium and public swimming pool!
But that’s not all. Throughout the park’s exquisite landscaping are colorful statues of animals and dinosaurs, as well as several lovely (more realistic) sculptures of people. It’s all very charming, and if you keep on the roads, stroller and wheelchair friendly too.
The quick way to get to Sud Siam Park is through the Betong Mongkollit Tunnel. But another route is via the steep road adjacent to Wat Phothisatto Chaomae Kuan Im (temple), which leads you through the woods, straight to the Betong City Museum and panoramic view point.
Wat Phothisatto Chaomae Kuan Im Temple
If you like Buddhist temples regardless of size, the Wat Phothisatto Chaomae Kuan Im temple awaits. Located just a couple of blocks from the clock tower (next to the road (Pongsak Road) that leads to Sud Siam Park, the small temple has a colorful ornate roof and an interesting 7 story chedi on its premises.
When I asked them if they had a Hungry Ghost Festival, they didn’t seem to know what I was talking about, so obviously I’m not the one to describe in great detail the nuances of this particular temple (or any temple for that matter). As a temple fan myself, I simply find the artwork and various Buddhist shrines intriguing to look at. *Open daily: 6:30am until 4:30pm and all are welcome.
Wat Phutthathiwat Buddhist Temple (Royal Temple)
The Wat Phutthathiwat Buddhist Temple complex is massive. Previously known as ‘Wat Betong’, Wat Phutthathiwat Buddhist Temple is said to date back to 1917. The temple received the royal granted Visungkamsima in 1953. Most notable of the temple is the large sitting Buddha pondering the distant horizon. The impressive bronze Buddha is 14.29 meters high, 9.9-meters wide, and weighs 40 tons. The Wat Phutthathiwat Buddha is purported to be the largest bronze Buddha in Thailand.
Just up the hill from the Buddhist temple is Phra Mahathat Chedi Phra Phuttha Dharma Praka. This Chedi (special temple building) is about 40-meters high and completely painted gold. The building construction was started in 1990 and completed in 1993 to commemorate the 69th anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen. Presently there are fundraising efforts to help finance building upgrades.
Located on Rattanakit Road and Rattanakij Road Soi 4, a bit far from the clock tower area, but there is an as-the-crow-flies ‘short cut’ through a few back streets to the left of the Wat Phothisatto Chaomae Kuan Im temple. Unfortunately, the gate was locked when I passed through but you might get lucky! Otherwise just follow the long (and steep) Rattanakij Road Soi 4 down and enjoy the long hike back up, when you return. *Open daily: 7:00am until 6:00pm.
Betong District Municipality Fresh Market
If you love fresh produce or shopping for Asian snacks, then you’ll love the colorful Betong District Municipality Fresh Market. Located on Tesjinda Road (just a few blocks from the clock tower), this local market is a real hidden gem; a bit like Hat Yai’s Kim Yong Market without the congestion.
The main floor is an absolute cornucopia of fruits and vegetables of all kinds. And the second mid-level mezzanine floor is a treasure trove of Asian snacks, nuts, sauces and more. They even sell pink duck eggs!
The upper level of the market of the market is where the clothing vendors can be found. Most items that you could find in Hat Yai can also be found here; colorful lounge pants, sportswear and t-shirts. Those 100baht price tags are also popular, so it’s great bargain hunting for fashionistas on a budget. *Open daily: 5:00am until 5:00pm/ Tel: +66 73 230 551.
BPP Night Market
The BPP Night Market is about a mile or so past the Largest Mailbox location. After seeing a few online photos, I was intrigued enough to go check it out. However, I went a bit too early. It was along this stretch of road that I encountered the helpful shop keep and his mention of “people with guns”. His coworker actually gave me a lift to the BPP Night Market so I could get a photo. It was much smaller than I had expected and not a creature was stirring (even at 4:00pm in the afternoon).
I decided to give it a pass (for safety reasons), as getting back to town was probably going to be problematic and worse after dark. Here’s a photo for you though. If you do decide to go, be sure and secure roundtrip transportation ahead of time, because it’s a heck of a long walk from town.
Betong Street Art
Betong’s street art is scattered at several areas around town, and at least one online source states there are 11 locations. Credit for many of those works of art goes to a group from Silpakorn University under the guidance of their Dean of Faculty of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Arts; Ajarn Amarit Chusuwan.
The work that I was especially drawn to was near Burger Papa on Rattanakit Road. From the signature, at least some (if not all) of the murals on this alley were done by Huafoo Art Studio. Oddly enough, when I location checked on Google map it appears that the alley had previously been painted with other art work and had since been repainted. So, it’s safe to say that Betong street art scene is constantly evolving, one alley masterpiece at a time.
Other alleys in the general location are also adorned with paintings large and small, so just walk around the area and you’re sure to see them.
Massage ‘Parlors’
I’m a huge fan of reflexology and bliss inducing foot massages and Betong delivers the goods. But after hitting a couple of places near my hotel, I discovered Refresh Healthy Massage across from the clock tower. Not only were their prices a bit lower than what I had been paying, Refresh Healthy Massage was absolutely THE best hands down (no pun intended).
Despite being very popular, there seemed to be an unwritten rule for customers to be quiet, making for a very relaxing and wonderful experience. Staff are excellent too. Notable with foot massages in Betong is that shoulder and head massages are automatically included in the price even if it actually goes over the ‘set time’. If a great massage is what you want, this is the place to go. *Open daily: 9:00am until 9:00pm (10:00pm on weekends)/ Tel: +66 64 249 9236.
Sexy Massage and Dating
Now, I’m no expert on sexy massages, but I’ll bet that room service can probably be ordered at most places. If not, at least a referral. The number of massage establishments that I saw in Betong was more than I have seen in Hat Yai, Songkhla, and Satun combined. And for the most part, the ones I saw all looked clean and almost had a family business vibe (really).
And for the lonely-hearts club members? Karaoke bars and late night 7-11s seem to be the best place to make new friends. Some hotels even offer hourly room rates for their weary and lonely travelers. Need more inside scoop? Just look for the various groups of middle-aged men ‘sightseeing’ and ask. Just don’t ask if you’re with your spouse.
Places to Eat
During my short stay, I wasn’t exactly wowed by the Betong food, but then I usually don’t spend a lot of my time eating either. I did however see a lot of Chicken Rice on menus. so, if you are a fan of Chicken Rice, you’ll be in heaven.
Street food is abundant in Betong, making eating on-the-go easy and budget friendly. And, of course, the local fried chicken is definitely as good as they say. Look for a slew of food stalls in the back alleys near the clock tower, as well as down near the Chicken Statue.
For picky ‘Eww what’s that?’ folks, try the 7-11, which has a good stock of pre-packaged healthy choices like Caesar Salads, yogurt, and sandwiches.
Places to Stay in Betong Thailand
There is no shortage of hotels and guest houses in Betong. But for first time visitors who want to explore the main town (or nightlife), anything near the clock tower is a good choice. With most sightseeing spots being within walking distance of the clock tower, taking the hassles of transportation out of the mix make for a stress-free stay.
I chose Betong Hello Guest House because it offered balconies. Unfortunately, I got a little confused and thought I was booking closer to the picturesque tunnel entrance, because there are two Hello properties. The guest house, by the way, only has 3 rooms and only one has a balcony with a real view. So, if you want the cool room, get the one with 3 beds. The Betong Hello Hotel however has no balconies, but does have bathtubs and mini fridges. Next time, I’ll be staying there for sure!
Don’t like my hotel picks? Check Booking.com for more options.
Getting Around
There are no GRAB taxis or taxis of any kind in Betong. And in fact, if you use the word ‘taxi’ in reference for any point A to point B transportation, you will quickly be met with head shakes. Tuk tuk seems to be the umbrella word for all things transportation related in Betong, Thailand. But they also seem to be a bit scarce in Betong.
Yellow colored ‘tuk tuks’ seem to be prominent, but how much you pay for one can get sketchy. If you ask your hotel to call one for you, then the price is likely to also be a bit higher. But then, maybe not. I strongly suggest you get the actual tuk tuk price written on a piece of paper before you use any local services. Miscommunications are common. You can read a more detailed account of my own Betong transportation experiences HERE.
There are also no moto taxis in Betong. No identifiable orange vests, no horn honking to see if you need a ride. Nothing. However, motor bikes are available to rent if you’re feeling adventurous. Good luck on that and please wear a helmet.
Getting to Betong Thailand
*By car, Betong, Thailand is a clear shot via Route 67 to 76 to Pengkalan Hulu, Perak and then Route 77 from Pengkalan Hulu to Bukit Berapit border crossing. From there it’s just 10 kilometers more via Thailand’s 410 Highway.
*By train, you would disembark at the Yala Train station and take a bus from there to the Betong Bus Station.
*By air, yes Betong even has an airport now. Nok Air is their main carrier.
If using public transportation (or private car hire) to get from Malaysia to Betong, Thailand you might want to read this:
Sungai Petani, Malaysia to Betong, Thailand (What You Should Know Before You Go)
That’s a Wrap!
Betong, Thailand was more than I expected. And despite a few challenges here and there, I thoroughly enjoyed this cute little border town. In hindsight, I’m glad I focused my own first time visit sightseeing efforts on town itself, but I’m very much looking forward to a return trip to explore more of the surrounding area sightseeing options, because there is much more to see. If you’re heading to Betong, I hope you have a great trip. Safe travels!
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