Sadao: The Prime Ministers of Thailand and Malaysia officially inaugurated the new Sadao-Bukit Kayu Hitam border crossing road, opening a new economic gateway between the border, connecting trade, investment, and travel, creating new opportunities for the people of Thailand and Malaysia.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Anutin Charnvirakul, together with Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, officially inaugurated the new road connecting the Sadao Customs checkpoint and the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint. This marks a significant step in Thai-Malaysian cooperation in upgrading border infrastructure to facilitate travel for citizens and businesses of both countries.
The Prime Minister's spokesperson said that the connecting road will be open for public and business use, and for the transportation of goods, from July 11, 2026 onwards. This follows years of joint effort by both countries to push the project forward, resulting in a complete connection of customs checkpoints between the two sides.
During the opening ceremony, the Prime Ministers of both countries passed through the customs gates on both sides and shook hands at the midpoint of the checkpoint, symbolizing the strong friendship and cooperation between Thailand and Malaysia. Following this, the Malaysian Prime Minister invited the Thai Prime Minister to the Malaysian side to participate in the plaque unveiling ceremony and have lunch as the host country.
The Prime Minister thanked Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, for honoring the event by co-presiding over it, and praised the close cooperation in driving development in all areas, including the commitment to peace and economic development in the southern border provinces of Thailand and northern Malaysia, with the goal of creating new economic opportunities for the region.
The Prime Minister further stated that the new Sadao border crossing is not just infrastructure, but an 'economic gateway' that will connect people, trade, and investment between the two countries more closely. The Sadao-Bukit Kayu Hitam border crossing is considered the most important border trade gateway between Thailand and Malaysia and is one of the main transportation routes in the region, facilitating the transport of goods, tourism, and travel between the two countries.
The government believes that once the connecting roads are fully operational, it will reduce congestion at border checkpoints, decrease waiting times and logistics costs, allowing businesses to export and import goods more quickly, enabling farmers to bring their produce to market more efficiently, and benefiting transportation, tourism, hotels, restaurants, and other services in border provinces from easier travel.
The Prime Minister also stated that, following formal discussions with the Malaysian Prime Minister yesterday, both sides agreed to accelerate the development of border connectivity in the Songkhla-Kedah, Satun-Perlis, and Narathiwat-Kelantan areas. This, coupled with the promotion of border economic zones and facilitation of customs and immigration, aims to increase economic opportunities for the people of both countries.
The government is confident that this investment in infrastructure and border connectivity will attract new investment, create jobs, increase income for local businesses, and improve the quality of life for people in border areas, while strengthening the two countries' long-term position as regional trade and logistics hubs.
Furthermore, Thailand and Malaysia jointly aim to expand trade value to US$30 billion. Trade through the Sadao border crossing alone accounts for over 80% of all Thai-Malaysian border trade, reflecting the area's role as a hub for trade and logistics between the two countries.
The Sadao border checkpoint is located in Samnak Kham Subdistrict, Sadao District, within the Songkhla Special Economic Zone. The project covers an area of over 596 rai and features 11 vehicle inspection lanes on each side, 14 immigration lanes on each side, and a cargo terminal with 8 lanes per day for trucks. It is equipped with two Fast Scan X-ray systems and truck weighing scales to increase the speed and accuracy of goods clearance.