Kampung Siam, Penang

The first Siamese settlers were believed to have arrived at Pulau Tikus in the early 19th century.^[2] According to a census conducted in 1828, as many as 1,117 ethnic Siamese were residing within Kampung Siam.^[5] In 1845, the land where Kampung Siam now stands was granted by the British authorities to the ethnic Siamese as a gesture of goodwill to Siam.^[1][2] The four female Siamese trustees who became custodians of the land also built Wat Chaiyamangkalaram next to the village.

More recently, Kampung Siam's residents have been embroiled in a tussle over land rights, as the neighbourhood is earmarked for the construction of a hotel.^[1][3][4] Although the land was held in trust, it was sold without the trust holders' knowledge to a developer in 2014.^[6] When the residents were issued eviction notices, a lawsuit was filed in retaliation against the developer. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2015, leading to fears that the Siamese enclave will be bulldozed to make way for redevelopment.^[3][4]

• Wat Chayamangkalaram
• Wat Buppharam, Penang
• Malaysian Siamese
• Pulau Tikus
• Kampong Serani
• Ayer Rajah