MUNDOK (Southern Thailand): Mundok market, the shopping haven for Malaysians located along the Kelantan-Thai border, is slowly returning back to business about eight months after the massive explosion last year that killed 11 people.
However, only a few shops have reopened, while the rest have yet to resume operations.
Trader Jamilah Mat Seman, 43, said she started to open her stall last week.
"There were nearly 100 traders operating at Mundok market here, but after the explosion, many decided to close their businesses and move to Narathiwat.
"Only 40 of us are left here now. I learned that some traders chose to resume business a week after Hari Raya Aidilfitri," said Jamilah, who has been selling appliances at the market since 2018.
Checks by the New Straits Times at the jetty in Kampung Bukit Lata near Rantau Panjang recently, which is normally used by Malaysians to cross over to Mundok, showed fewer shoppers had visited the market.
Several Thai police and army personnel were spotted manning along the Golok river to prevent illegal crossings.
On July 29 last year, 11 people were killed at least 111 others were injured in the incident last year.
The explosion also caused 330 villagers to suffer huge losses after their homes and other structures were damaged by the blast.
The affected homes were located within 500m from the warehouse.
The explosion also damaged vehicles, schools, and government department offices.
The Thai government estimated property losses suffered by victims of the Mundok fireworks warehouse explosion to be more than RM14 million.
