Thailand and Malaysia step up plans for a border bridge

KUALA LUMPUR: -- Thailand and Malaysia have stepped up plans to construct a second bridge across the Kolok River aimed at promoting bilateral tourism and trade, according to a Thai foreign ministry spokesman.

The construction of the bridge is expected to cost US$2 million. Both sides have agreed to share the expenses equally. The bridge should be completed within the next two years, the Thai spokesman said.

The leaders of Thailand and Malaysia signed the original agreement to build the bridge last October, but little progress has been made on the project since.

The two countries agreed to speed up the construction of the bridge during a visit to the site of the second bridge across the Kolok River in Bukit Bunga by Thai foreign minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon and a minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mustapa Mohamed on Sunday.

Senior officials from the two countries are scheduled to meet in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday to discuss details of the joint development strategy for the border areas, he said.

Mr. Kantathi concluded his four-day official visit to Malaysia on Sunday. It was his first visit to Malaysia since he became foreign minister earlier this year. Since then he has visited eight of the ten members of the regional grouping, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN.

--TNA 2005-06-12

A good move, a second bridge is indeed needed to boost trade in this region.