RANTAU PANJANG: With the water level dropping to slightly below the waist at the deepest end of Sungai Golok, the river has become a playground among Kelantanese and Thai residents living on opposite sides of the banks.
No protocols are needed as the residents, mostly children, took to the shallow river which is showing signs of drying up further. They are enjoying themselves, as no passports are needed to have fun and frolic in the river.
With the crowd drawn to the river, hawkers on both sides of the divide took the opportunity to earn some money by selling snacks and drinks. For them, the unrelenting dry weather which is expected to end next month, is a blessing.
Checks by the New Straits Times along the river yesterday evening showed that both Malaysian and Thai traders have started opening stalls along both sides of the river selling snacks such as kerepok lekor, kerabu maggi, lok cing and ice-cream.
Trader Suhaili Harun said she opened a stall on the Kelantan-side of the river bank on Friday and business has been exceptionally good.
"I sell fried rice, fried mee and iced juices. The fried rice costs RM1 per bowl. The children love it because it is cheap. The business during the hot spell here is better than normal days,” said the 34-year-old mother of two children when met at the location.
"I and other traders from across Sungai Golok at the Thai-side open our stalls about 4pm when it is cooler and close about 7pm,” said Suhaili.
Visitor Adli Abdul Ghani said nearly 600 people came to swim and play in the shallow river and those with families had picnics.
"It looked like the 2016 `water festival' is being repeated at Sungai Golok," said the 54-year-old man from Jalan Sekolah Cina who came with his eight-year-old grandson Mohd Arif Hakim Mohd Khairul Azman.
"We will came again because I was told that this phenomenon will last until end of the month," said Adli, adding that the visit was his second so far.