B35bn Hat Yai-Sungai Kolok rail link eyed
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B35bn Hat Yai-Sungai Kolok rail link eyed

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(Bangkok Post file photo)
(Bangkok Post file photo)

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is seeking an 80-million-baht budget to conduct a feasibility study into a new double-track railway connecting Hat Yai in Songkhla with Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat.

The project, costing 34.59 billion baht, aligns with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s policy to enhance railway efficiency, improve connectivity across Thailand and neighbouring countries, and boost border trade, tourism and economic development in the southern provinces.

According to Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, the feasibility study will take approximately one year, concluding in 2026.

The project will then move into the design phase (2026-2027), followed by an environmental impact assessment (EIA) from 2027 to 2028. Cabinet approval is expected in 2028, with land expropriation and franchise bidding slated to take place between 2028 and 2030. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2029, with the service launch expected in 2034.

The line would span 216 kilometres, taking in 27 stations, eight train stops and two freight yards.

The overriding aim of the project is to enhance connectivity between Thailand and Malaysia, linking Bangkok to the town of Sungai Kolok on the Thai-Malaysian border.

Mr Suriya also noted that while the railway bridge has been upgraded for operational readiness, the Malaysian railway segment from Rantau Panjang to Pasir Mas has been out of service since 2005.

In addition to the Hat Yai–Sungai Kolok project, six other double-track railway projects worth approximately 280 billion baht are awaiting approval from the National Economic and Social Development Council before submission to the cabinet, added Mr Suriya.

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