Have you ever heard about Tuk Tuk or Rice Barge boat tour in Thailand? For frequent traveler, I am sure they have heard about this famous local water transport in Thailand. For foreign tourist, they definitely will try to experience river ride using this boat. The traditional commercial water transport have been modify and become as one of the tourism product in Thailand.
TUK TUK and RICE BARGE in Thailand
In Sibu Sarawak also have similar Tuk Tuk or Rice Barge boat. In local dialect we called it “moto chalo”. There is no clear indication how local people get the name “moto chalo” for this type of boat. Early research shows that if local Chinese said someone have left, they will said, “Chow lor (have left)”. Whereby “moto” in Iban mean transport with engine. According to my friends, the name might be created from a story about an Iban guy with Chinese boat operator in Sibu wharf. One day an Iban guy asking one boat operator at the wharf, “Ni moto tadi towkey (Sir, where is the boat just now?)”, he asked. “Chow lor”, the other boat operator answered and pointing his figure to the boat which just left the wharf. The Iban guy does not understand what the boat operator said and assume that the name of the boat is chalo. From that incident local people started call that boat as “moto chalo”. This boat is popular among the local who lives along the Rajang River, the longest river in Malaysia. Outside visitors’ also can experience the ride and only need to pay as low as 50 cents per trip.For tourism point of view, this is a great asset in tourism industry in Central Region which the local tour operator has not explored yet. The boat already been there for many years but at the moment it is mean to transport people from Sibu town to the longhouses or villages across river.
MOTO CHALO in Sibu Sarawak
