Thailand, Malaysia Open New Border Crossing
Thailand and Malaysia inaugurated a new border crossing road connecting Sadao and Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoints on July 10, expected to boost trade, reduce congestion, and lower logistics costs for businesses in both nations.
Thai and Malaysian Prime Ministers officially inaugurate a new connecting road between the Sadao and Bukit Kayu Hitam border checkpoints, opening an economic gateway that links trade and investment while creating new opportunities for citizens of both nations. At 10:45 a.m. on July 10, 2025, at the new Sadao Customs Station in Sadao District, Songkhla Province, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim presided over the formal opening of the connecting road between the new Sadao Customs checkpoint and the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint.
Upon the Thai Premier's arrival at the Sadao checkpoint, he crossed to the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint to unveil a commemorative plaque, welcomed by Prime Minister Anwar and his wife. The two leaders embraced and greeted each other warmly. During the ceremony, both prime ministers walked through the customs gates on both sides and met at the midpoint to shake hands, symbolizing the friendship and strong cooperation between Thailand and Malaysia. The Malaysian Premier then invited the Thai Premier to visit the Malaysian side.
Afterward, the Malaysian Prime Minister hosted a lunch in honor of the Thai Premier and delegation, featuring dishes including basmati rice, traditional beef curry with bamboo shoots, grilled chicken with sambal, stir-fried squid with chili, red snapper with sweet and spicy sauce, traditional local vegetable salad, and durian cake and Malaysian-style desserts.
This represents a significant step in Thai-Malaysian cooperation in upgrading border infrastructure to facilitate citizens and businesses of both countries. The connecting road will open to the public and businesses for travel and cargo transport from July 11 onwards, following years of continuous project promotion by both countries until the two customs checkpoints were fully connected.
The Thai Premier thanked the Malaysian Premier for presiding over the ceremony and praised the close cooperation in driving development in all areas, including the commitment to create peace and economic development in Thailand's southern border provinces and Malaysia's northern region, with a goal of creating new economic opportunities for the region.
The Premier noted that the new Sadao checkpoint is not merely infrastructure but an "economic gateway" that will connect the people, trade, and investment of both countries even more closely. The Sadao-Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint is Thailand and Malaysia's most important border trade gateway and one of the region's major transport routes, facilitating cargo transport, tourism, and travel between the two countries.
When the connecting road is fully operational, it is expected to reduce congestion at the checkpoint, decrease waiting times and logistics costs, enabling exporters and importers to move goods faster, allowing farmers to bring produce to market more efficiently, and benefiting transportation, tourism, hotel, restaurant, and service businesses in the border provinces through improved travel convenience.
The Premier stated that from formal discussions with the Malaysian Premier the previous day (July 9), both sides agreed to accelerate border area connectivity development across Songkhla-Kedah, Satun-Perlis, and Narathiwat-Kelantan zones, coupled with promotion of border economic zones, customs facilitation, and immigration procedures to increase economic opportunities for citizens of both nations.
"The government is confident that this infrastructure investment and border connectivity will help attract..."
