Piyamit Tunnel in Betong, Adjacent to Pengkalan Hulu
The significant date of June 16, 1948, was when a state of emergency was declared in Malaya after communist terrorists murdered 3 European plantation managers in Perak. You can refer to
The Dark Story Behind the Bukit Sungai Siput Summit Monument
for more information regarding this matter.
Consequently, the entire armed forces were ordered to hunt down the communist terrorists who had fled into the jungle on July 23, 1948. At that time, communist terrorists frequently launched armed rebellions with the aim of seizing power and establishing a communist government. At the beginning of the emergency, the British had 13 infantry battalions, consisting of 7 Gurkha, 3 British, 2 Royal Malay Regiment, and Royal Artillery units. The total number of combat personnel at that time was not very large, consisting of only 5,034 members and 5,660 members from support forces. For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, it was because of this factor that other Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Rhodesia, New Zealand, and Fiji also assisted by sending their respective military forces. During the first 5 years of the Emergency, the Royal Air Force launched 4,500 air strikes on communist positions in the jungles.
The strength of the communist terrorists at that time was estimated at 12,000 guerrillas. As a result of isolation strategies and military operations, this number decreased to 7,000 in 1951 and only about 2,000 armed guerrillas remained by 1957. Finally, the emergency was declared over in 1960, and the remnants of the communist terrorists fled and took refuge in southern Thailand via Pengkalan Hulu.
One of the remnants of the communist terrorists that we can see today is the Piyamit Tunnel. In case you didn't know, the Piyamit Tunnel is located in Tano Maero, Betong, in the Yala province, Thailand. It is located adjacent to and not far from the town of Pengkalan Hulu, Perak.
What is so impressive about this Piyamit Tunnel? Back in its heyday, the Piyamit Tunnel was used as the 2nd Division Headquarters of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP), which was capable of accommodating up to 300 people at one time.
The Piyamit Tunnel began construction in 1976 with a workforce of 50 to 200 people daily. The construction of the Piyamit Tunnel only used basic tools such as hoes, chisels, and hammers. However, the tunnel was dug 15 meters below the ground surface and took 2 years to complete.
The length of this tunnel is 1 km, with a width and height of approximately 1.5 meters. The Piyamit Tunnel also has 9 entry and exit points. This tunnel also contains bedrooms, a communication room, a weapons workshop, a shooting range, and a training hall.
There are also other facilities built on the surface above the tunnel. These include 2 basketball courts, an open conference area, a charcoal storage room, a lounge, couple's huts (used in turns by couples), a clinic, a kitchen, toilets, and a food storage room.
Couple's huts (used in turns by couples)
To go and see the Piyamit Tunnel for yourself, you can head to Tano Maero, Betong via Pengkalan Hulu, Perak.
