PUBLISHED : 19 Jan 2024 at 04:00
Thailand and Malaysia are considering connecting Sungai Kolok station in the south to the neighbouring country’s eastern coast line to promote trade and tourism.
Pichet Kunadhamraks, director-general of the Department of Rail Transport, yesterday said that both the Thai and Malaysian railway agencies were looking to link the southern Thai railway line at Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat province with Malaysia’s eastern line at Rantau Panjang in Kelantan state.
Malaysia’s eastern tracks connect with the western section to the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and Johor Baru, a city in the south opposite Singapore.
Mr Pichet on Wednesday held talks with Mohd Shahriman Shafein, the Malaysian rail department chief, as a follow-up to promises made by Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisn and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim to step up ties in transportation and other areas.
The talks were held during the Thailand and Malaysia Railway Joint Working Committee (RJWC) at the Transport Ministry office in Bangkok.
A Thai official said the connection between Sungai Kolok and Rantau Panjang would encourage more trade, border crossings, tourism and investment between the two countries.
Currently, Thailand and Malaysia have one rail connection at Padang Besar, a town in Sadao district in Songkhla province.
In addition to the plan for a second connection, the two parties also discussed the possibility of hosting a high-speed railway project to further connect the two countries.
The topic is expected to be discussed during the next round of RJWC meetings in August in Malaysia.