| Official Name: | Kampung Siam |
| Settlement Type: | Ethnic enclave in George Town |
| Pushpin Map: | Malaysia Penang George Town city centre |
| Coordinates: | 5.4312°N 100.313°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Malaysia |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | City |
| Subdivision Name2: | George Town |
| Leader Title1: | Local government |
| Leader Name1: | Penang Island City Council |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 10250 |
| Leader Title2: | Mayor of Penang Island |
| Leader Name2: | Rajendran P. Anthony |
| Leader Title3: | Pulau Tikus State Assemblyman |
| Leader Name3: | Joshua Woo Sze Zeng (DAP) |
| Leader Title4: | Bukit Bendera Member of Parliament |
| Leader Name4: | Syerleena Abdul Rashid (DAP) |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Utc Offset: | +8 |
| Timezone Dst: | Not observed |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within George Town in Penang |
Kampong Siam is an ethnic Siamese enclave within the downtown core of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located within the city centre, the 2681abbr=onNaNabbr=on neighbourhood is situated near the corner between Burmah Road and Burmah Lane, immediately adjacent to Wat Chaiyamangkalaram.[1] [2]
The neighbourhood is still inhabited by ethnic Siamese, who had moved into the area as early as the 19th century. However, the enclave has also, in recent years, been under threat from rapid urbanisation and redevelopment.[3] [4]
The first Siamese settlers were believed to have arrived at Pulau Tikus in the early 19th century. 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. 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. 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.