KOTA BARU: Thailand is expected to begin construction of the second Rantau Panjang-Sungai Golok bridge in April 2025.
The Kelantan State Public Works, Infrastructure, Water, and Rural Development Committee chairman, Datuk Dr Izani Husin, said that the project will strengthen bilateral relations and benefit both countries.
"Moreover, this project symbolises the close strategic cooperation between Malaysia and Thailand in enhancing border area development, which can serve as a model for future joint efforts,” he told Bernama on Friday (Aug 2).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to undertake a working visit to Rantau Panjang and the Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine Complex at Sungai Golok, Narathiwat, Thailand on Saturday (Aug 3).
Anwar and his counterpart, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, will be briefed on the second bridge project and discuss border issues and socio-economic matters affecting both countries.
Earlier, Narathiwat Governor Trakul Thotham reportedly stated that an Environmental Impact Assessment, scheduled to begin in September, must be conducted before construction starts.
The six-lane bridge and the existing Muhibbah Bridge, which connects Rantau Panjang and Sungai Golok, would be collectively known as the Twin Bridges. – Bernama
