China and Thailand have signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) regarding China building Thailand’s first dual railway lines for high-speed trains and pledging to buy agricultural products from the kingdom.
The MoU were signed Friday in Bangkok and were witnessed by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang.
Under the agreement, Thailand’s dual rail lines would help connect with rail lines built from China to Laos and would help boost goods transportation as well as the number of tourists in the region in future.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (right) and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang shake hands after signing the agreement.
Gen Prayut said Thailand is prepared to cooperate with China in developing transportation networks for road, rail and marine within the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).
Presently, roadway development connecting Bangkok and Kunming in southwestern China is underway, which would more efficiently and conveniently help transport goods and tourists.
He said Thailand also realizes the importance of transportation development between countries so that it could develop into an economic corridor.
Thailand is now preparing to establish special economic zones along its borders with neighboring countries and hopes that China would do the same, said Gen Prayut.
Li said the rail accord is the starting point which would lead to further rail development linking China, Laos and Thailand.
Li said China would buy more agricultural products from Thailand, especially rice and rubber, and that his country is ready to cooperate with Thailand in promoting development within the sub-region in every field.
Gen Prayut has proposed that a joint Thai-Chinese committee on both rail development and cooperation on agricultural products is in the process of being set up and the committee should hold its first meeting by early next year.
