KL-Bangkok direct train to be revived this year – Loke

Malaysia and Thailand intend to revive the direct train service between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok this year, reports Bernama, with transport minister Anthony Loke saying this could be rolled out swiftly.

“Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM) and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) have been given three months to carry out initial preparations to begin the Kuala Lumpur-Bangkok train operations. This doesn’t require a new track but does call for coordination, joint marketing, and cooperative ticketing between the two countries,” he said.

Last Friday, Loke met Thailand’s deputy prime minister and transport minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, touring Bangkok’s Bang Sue Central Terminal and getting briefed on the country’s high-speed rail services.

Loke also said that the Thai authorities had proposed extending rail services from Sungai Golok (Kelantan-Thai border) to Rantau Panjang and Pasir Mas, which he said could boost local economies and improve livelihoods in the border region.

“We will need time to prepare for reviving the railway link between Sungai Golok, Rantau Panjang and Pasir Mas. This is because track restoration work is required on the long-unused railway lines in Rantau Panjang and Sungai Golok,” he added.

There are two railway lines connecting Malaysia to Thailand – the West Coast Line at Padang Besar and the less-known Rantau Panjang branch line. The latter splits away from the East Coast Line at Pasir Mas and has not been used for decades. Sungai Golok is the immediate station on the Thai side; Rantau Panjang on the Malaysian side.

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