PM urges fast-track completion of Songkhla-Malaysia border road
Thailand’s long-delayed new border crossing in Songkhla is finally set to open, with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra ordering urgent action to complete the missing road link to Malaysia.
During a mobile Cabinet meeting in Songkhla yesterday, February 18, PM Paetongtarn inspected several development projects and was shocked to learn that the 2nd Sadao Border Checkpoint, built in 2019, remains closed due to an unfinished road connecting it to Malaysia’s Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint.
The Songkhla Provincial Administrative Organisation approved 98 million baht in November last year for the construction of two key roads to boost border trade and tourism.
The first, a 600-metre road linking the two checkpoints, was allocated 28 million baht and scheduled for completion in six months. The second, a 1.15km road connecting the checkpoint with Highway No. 4, was given a 70 million baht budget and is expected to take a year.
The 38 year old Thai prime minister has now ordered local government officials to accelerate the first road’s completion within the first quarter of this year, ensuring the long-awaited border crossing finally opens.
Cross-border trade at Songkhla’s first Sadao Checkpoint hit 450.18 billion baht in fiscal 2024, with trade in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 reaching 114.08 billion baht, up 1.8% from the previous year, reported The Nation.
Officials are now under pressure to meet the PM’s deadline, unlocking new opportunities for trade and tourism between Thailand and Malaysia.
In similar news, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with his informal advisory group on February 2, led by former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, to discuss key regional issues.
The meeting, which followed Thaksin’s court-approved international travel, focused on the ongoing situation in Myanmar and developments in cryptocurrency. Anwar described the session as productive in a social media post.
Discussions continued over dinner, joined by Singapore’s former Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo. Thaksin’s visit to Malaysia from February 2 to 3 was permitted by Thailand’s Criminal Court after he posted a 5-million-baht bond.
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