Frontier Closed Area - Man Kam To [????-????] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Frontier Closed Area - Man Kam To [????-????]

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Submitted by philk on Sun, 2019-04-28 00:36
Current condition: 
Demolished / No longer exists

Access to the Frontier Closed Area in Man Kam To circa 1950.

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Photos that show this place

1954
1954
1955
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Comments

Submitted by Andrew Suddaby on Sun, 2019-04-28 14:41.

Thank you Phil. Andrew

Submitted by philk on Sun, 2019-04-28 15:16.

It's always nice when these places are located after so many years. I should add that this location is separate to the other Man Kam To Control Point which marks the proper China/HK border control point.

This place just marks what appears to have been the start of the Frontier Closed Area as at 195-. It would still be interesting to locate a map that shows the original FCA boundaries. I found a 1985 map with he FCA boundary marked on it, but by then it had shrunk considerably and the entry point was further north, around where Kong Nga Po Road joins with Man Kam To Road today.

Submitted by David on Sun, 2019-04-28 14:20.

I took a look through the maps at http://www.hkmaps.hk/mapviewer.html

On the "Map 1975" overlay the boundary isn't shown but there's an "R" on the south end of the bridge. That means "restricted access", so the FCA boundary should still have run through there in 1975. 

Submitted by Andrew Suddaby on Sun, 2019-04-28 14:47.

Thanks for the clarification Phil. I think that as there were apparently two places, that must be why I became really lost in this discussion. Regards Andrew

Submitted by philk on Sun, 2019-04-28 15:27.
The FCA has largely been removed to encourage a bit of development and tourism. Many previously inaccessible villages and areas no longer require an FCA permit. For example, I believe Lin Ma Hang village is no longer inside the FCA but without permits you can only reach it from the south. If you catch the minibus to LMH from Fanling, part of the journey crosses over into the current FCA and the driver will make you alight before he gets there. Even now, if you take the East rail (old KCR) to Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau you must either be a permit holder or intend to cross the border into the Mainland.

Submitted by Andrew Suddaby on Sun, 2019-04-28 16:59.

Thank you Phil.  In all my visits to Hong Kong I only ever went anywhere near the FCA once when in 1981 my wife and I had a day excursion by train to the then still sleepy town of Shumchun(?) just over the border.  It was just starting to be developed.   Your interesting comment explains why we had to get a temporary day 'visa', or somethig like that to travel, and why the 'visa' meant that we only had to change trains and walk across the border bridge at Lo Wu before boading another train for the very short ride to Shumchun(?).  I didn't  even know until relatively recently that there was a FCA, believing that the border was just that.  Amazing!  Andrew