Thailand, Malaysia bolster rail link

  Thailand plans a rail link with Malaysia from Sungai Kolok station in Narathiwat province. (Photo:bangkokpost.com)

Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand is considering a railway connection between its Sungai Kolok station and the east coast of Malaysia to promote trade and tourism.

Pichet Kunadhamraks, Director-General of Thailand’s Department of Rail Transport said  on January 18 that the two countries’ rail agencies are working on a proposal for a link between the border town in Narathiwat province of Thailand and Rantau Panjang in Kelantan state of Malaysia.

The eastern line in Malaysia connects with a western section to Kuala Lumpur and Johor Baru, a city opposite Singapore.

On January 17, Pichet held talks with Mohd Shahriman Shafein, the Malaysian rail department chief under the framework of 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 will 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 Thailand's southern Songkhla province.

In addition to the plan for a second connection, the two sides 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./.