Thailand And Malaysia Open New Sadao Border Crossing
Thailand and Malaysia officially opened a new border crossing connecting Sadao in Songkhla Province with Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah, aiming to boost cross-border tourism and trade between the two nations.
On July 10, 2026, Thai Prime Minister Anuthин Charnweerakul and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim presided over the opening ceremony of the connecting road between Sadao Customs Checkpoint in Songkhla Province and Bukit Kayu Hitam Checkpoint in Kedah, Malaysia. The ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers Pipat Ratchakitprakarn and Ekniti Nitithanpong, Tourism and Sports Minister Suraskul Pantcharoenkul, and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Thapanee Kiarungloy.
The project marks a significant infrastructure development that strengthens transportation, trade, and tourism connections between the two nations, supporting the government's "Ease of Traveling" policy and enhancing Thailand's competitiveness as an ASEAN travel hub.
Tourism Minister Suraskul described the new road as tourism infrastructure that creates added economic value for overland tourism growth, particularly attracting Malaysian tourists who predominantly travel by land. The ministry is conducting active marketing in collaboration with Malaysian tourism partners and automotive clubs to encourage personal vehicle and caravan travel into Thailand.
The strategy includes promoting scenic routes for cross-border tourism, distributing tourism revenue to Southern border towns, and strengthening Thailand's position as an ASEAN tourism center.
TAT Governor Thapanee stated the authority is pursuing a "Value over Volume" strategy to attract quality tourists. The Sadao checkpoint upgrade is viewed as boosting Thailand's competitiveness and supports the Indonesia–Malaysia–Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) framework for regional economic and tourism integration.
TAT aims to develop Southern Thailand into a tourism gateway connecting Thailand–Malaysia–Singapore routes and enhance Thailand's role as an ASEAN tourism hub. During the Sadao opening, TAT is launching the "New Hatyai" project, inviting Malaysian social media influencers to showcase the city's tourism offerings.
