The Government of Thailand is striving to turn Thailand into a transport hub for six countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), following an infrastructure development project worth 100 billion baht (over 3 billion USD) in the Thai border provinces (Illustrative photo: Bloomberg) Bangkok (VNA) – The Government ofThailand is striving to turn Thailand into a transport hub for six countries inthe Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), following an infrastructuredevelopment project worth 100 billion baht (over 3 billion USD) in the Thaiborder provinces.
Speaking with reporters on May 10, TransportMinister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said once construction of the facilities iscomplete, Thailand will become a major transit country among the GMS members.
The infrastructure includes a new double-trackrailway, bridges and roads as well as material transport centres for borderprovinces in Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, China and Vietnam.
The minister said the infrastructure will create"economic corridors" and faster logistical management for these sixcountries. The five border provinces of Thailand will play an importantrole in linking the country with its neighbours, he added.
At the Chiang Khong border checkpoint innorthern Chiang Rai province, the Thai government has spent 85 billion baht(2.6 billion USD) developing a double-track railway from Denchai to ChiangKhong, and another 1.4 billion baht (43 million USD) on building a goodstransport centre.
Chiang Khong is also part of the North-SouthEconomic Corridor (NSEC), which links Thailand, Laos and southern China. To thewest, the Mae Sot border checkpoint in Tak province has been touted as atransnational route in the East-West Economic Corridor.
The Thai Government has already built a bridge worth1.1 billion baht (34 million USD) over the Moei River to relieve trafficcongestion at the checkpoint. The bridge is part of a larger plan to connectMae Sot and Yangon, Myanmar and improve access to the Indian Ocean.
On Thailand's eastern border with Cambodia, thegovernment is building a bridge in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district, whichwill cross the Bhrom Hote Canal to access Poipet, Cambodia. The bridgewill be opened in 2021.
In Nong Khai province opposite Laos, 1 billion baht (about 31 million USD) wasspent on building a bridge for cars and trains heading to Vientiane, as well asa train station and a goods transport facility.
At the Nakhon Phanom border checkpoint, the Thai cabinetwill be asked to approve a 68-billion-baht (2.1 billion USD) project to build anew double-track railway linking Ban Phai, Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom inorder to streamline the regional route from the northeastern border to the LaemChabang Port in Chon Buri district, the transport minister said.-VNA
VNA
