Train service between Bangkok and Butterworth is set to restart in July.
Rewritten Article:
Get ready to hop aboard, mates! Thailand and Malaysia are cooking up a plan to revive an oldie-but-goodie train line between Bangkok and Butterworth in the next three months. This exciting move comes after the leaders of both nations promised to beef up transport connections.
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungruangkit made the announcement on Friday, adding that this revival is a significant leap towards connecting the two countries. Unofficially, the service will commence by July—mark your calendars!
A quick history lesson: The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) nixed the express train service from old Bangkok to Butterworth back in 2016, leaving the service hanging at Padang Besar, a train station shared by these Southeast Asian neighbors.
The rebooted service has been on the table during talks between Mr. Suriya and his Malaysian counterpart, Anthony Loke, in Bangkok. Plus, there's another proposed train link connecting Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat province to Tumpat in Malaysia's Kelantan state.
KTMB, short for Keretapi Tanah Malayu, is the SRT's trusted partner in this adventure.
PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim have given the green light to amp up the relationship between the two countries, including more cross-border transportation options.
[1] The train line between Bangkok and Butterworth is expected to roll out by July 2025, following discussions between the leaders of both countries to strengthen transport links. [Source][2] This revived service will not necessitate the construction of new tracks but will require coordination and joint preparations among KTM and the SRT. [Source][3] Additionally, there are proposals to expand rail services from Sungai Golok in Thailand to Rantau Panjang and Pasir Mas in Malaysia. However, this extension will require track restoration work on unused railway lines. [Source]
[1] The transportation industry is set for a boost in the coming months, with the railway service between Bangkok and Butterworth expected to resume by July 2025.[2] This revived railway service will depend on the coordination and joint preparations among KTM and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), rather than the construction of new tracks.[3] Furthermore, Jungrungruangkit, the Transport Minister of Thailand, and his Malaysian counterpart have also proposed expandng rail services from Sungai Golok in Thailand to Rantau Panjang and Pasir Mas in Malaysia, but this extension will require restoration work on unused railway lines.[4] The leaders of both Thailand and Malaysia have expressed their support for strengthening their relationship, particularly in the finance and transportation sectors, in line with the revival of this old but significant railway line.
