Thai ready to start talks on Bangkok-KL HSR link

China Railway showcases models of its high speed trains in Kuala Lumpur at an exhibition and symposium in December 2015.

BANGKOK: The State Railway of Thailand has sent a letter to the Malaysian railway authority, seeking to start discussions on the feasibility of a High-Speed Rail (HSR) connecting Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. 

Its governor, Wuttichart Kanlayanamit, said the letter was sent last week. 

“By the end of this week, it will be clear where and when the talks will be held. It could be either in Malaysia or Thailand,” he told Bernama here recently. 

He is upbeat on the potential of a HSR linking the two capitals. 

Wuttichart was asked to comment on Thai Transport Minister Arkom Termpittayapaisith’s announcement last week talks between Malaysia and Thailand on the feasibility of 1,400km HSR link were in the offing. 

The HSR link would help shorten travelling time between the two capitals to six hours, he said, adding that the talks would start at the official level before proceeding to the ministerial level. 

The HSR link was broached during the Malaysia-Thailand annual consultation meeting here in September, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his Thai counterpart Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha agreeing to conduct a feasibility study on the proposal. 

Najib said the HSR link would complement the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore HSR. - Bernama