Thailand plans a rail link with Malaysia from Sungai Kolok station in Narathiwat province. (Photo:bangkokpost.com) Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand is considering a railwayconnection between its Sungai Kolok station and the east coast of Malaysia to promote tradeand tourism.
Pichet Kunadhamraks, Director-General of Thailand’s Departmentof Rail Transport said on January 18 that the two countries’ rail agencies areworking on a proposal for a link between the border town in Narathiwat province of Thailand and Rantau Panjang in Kelantan state of Malaysia.
Theeastern line in Malaysia connects with a western section to Kuala Lumpur andJohor Baru, a city opposite Singapore.
OnJanuary 17, Pichet held talks with Mohd Shahriman Shafein, the Malaysian raildepartment chief under the framework of the Thailand and Malaysia Railway JointWorking Committee (RJWC) at the Transport Ministry office in Bangkok.
AThai official said the connection between Sungai Kolok and Rantau Panjang willencourage more trade, border crossings, tourism and investment between the twocountries.
Currently, Thailand and Malaysia have one rail connection atPadang 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 projectto further connect the two countries.
The topic is expected to be discussed during thenext round of RJWC meetings in August in Malaysia./.
