My listening and DXing experience of Thailand FM radio stations in Perak, Malaysia (PART 1: Sitiawan)

It is common if TV and radio neighboring countries can be received in a bordering area of a country because the neighboring countries TV/radio transmitter sites are not far from bordering area of the country. When a bordering area can receive neighboring countries TV/radio stations, this greatly attracts many residents in bordering regions to watch and listen to their TV and radio stations respectively.

Malaysia is an example. Many Johor people love to listen to Singapore FM radio stations because Singapore radio stations carry better content than local radio stations, even free-to-air TV stations. Same goes to Kedah, Perlis, Perak and Kelantan bordering areas, where Thailand TV and radio stations can be received there.

Talking about Thailand radio stations, although I don't understand the language (only few I know such as Sawadeekrap สวัสดีครับ, Khob Kun Krap ใช่ ครับ, Aroi Mak อร่อยมา and Thai's number pronouncements), but I feel it is interesting when comes to receive Thailand radio stations in Malaysia.

15 years ago, I received Thailand AM radio stations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia usually at the evening during sunset such as Radio Thailand AM 891kHz, Radio Saranrom MW 1575kHz, and Songkhla based AM 1269kHz/1404kHz. It is common to receive Thailand AM radio stations at night in Malaysia because of AM propagation allows far distance transmission at night or after sunset.

Until late 2013, it was my very first time to receive a Thailand FM radio station in Penang, Malaysia. On December 2013, the first Thailand FM radio station that I received in Penang was Parliament Radio FM 89.0MHz, transmitted from Khao Pokyo, Yala province, Thailand. During that time, IKIM FM 89.0MHz was transmitted in Celcom's Lower Jerai where unable to cover Penang, cause I could receive Thailand radio station on 89.0MHz in Penang.

From 2015 to 2019, I received a lot of Thailand FM radio stations in Penang, Kedah, and Langkawi Island, all of receiving condition videos are available on YouTube. Now we're in 2020, Chinese New Year is almost ended. I almost perform radio receiving test every Chinese New Year in Perak, but for this year, 2020 Chinese New Year is very impressive one because I captured Thailand FM radio stations in three Perak locations, there are Sitiawan, Ipoh, and Teluk Intan.

Before sharing my listening experience in these 3 locations, my very first of receiving Thailand FM radio station in Perak, Malaysia was in Bagan Datuk. I captured MCOT Satun FM 93.25MHz in Bagan Datuk, Perak, Malaysia on 15th June 2018 (Hari Raya Aidilfitri festival), the distance from Satun to Bagan Datuk is 303km. In this video, MCOT Satun FM 93.25MHz was playing Thailand National Anthem at 7pm (Malaysia time UTC+8) and starting to relay Radio Thailand Bangkok content. 


Next,  I was used to receive Radio Thailand Betong FM 93.0MHz in Kuala Kangsar.


In addition, I also received Radio Thailand Satun FM 99.5MHz in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia (PLUS Highway) on 31st August 2019.

 Let's talk by locations.

1. Sitiawan

Every year of Chinese New Year festive season, I usually go to Sitiawan, Perak with family to eat "Red Wine Mee Suah" (a popular Chinese food in Sitiawan) and visit Tua Pek Kung Temple. The Red Wine Mee Suah is tasty actually.

Sitiawan's famous Red Wine Mee Suah

Tua Pek Kung temple in Sitiawan, Perak, Malaysia

At Tua Pek Kung temple, previously I captured the furthest radio stations signal were from Seremban/Gunung Telapak Burok, Kuala Lumpur Tower and Gunung Jerai, but I received Indonesia and Thailand radio stations at Tua Pek Kung temple in Sitiawan, Perak during Chinese New Year 2020 (later I will share about my listening experience of Indonesia radio stations in Perak, Malaysia).

On 26th January 2020, I received two Thailand FM radio stations in Sitiawan, Perak, Malaysia, there were:

1. Radio Thailand Satun FM 99.5MHz
2. MCOT Satun FM 93.25MHz

Both are transmitted from Tambon Khuan Khan, Satun province, Thailand. Transmitting distance to Sitiawan, Perak, Malaysia is 284km.

By receiving two Thailand radio stations from Satun in Sitiawan, Perak, Malaysia, I used TECSUN PL-380 receiver, receiving signals were in MONO, but no interference from other radio stations when stay in stationary position. For MCOT Satun FM 93.25MHz, I could only hear a little interference from Nasional FM 93.1MHz Gunung Brinchang, but Nasional FM 93.1MHz was also weak there.






Next, for Part 2, I will share about my experience of receiving and listening to Thailand FM radio stations in Teluk Intan, Perak.