Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, joined by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has visited Sadao district to inspect the development of the Thai-Malaysian border area.
The two leaders on Monday met at the new Sadao Customs Office in Songkhla province to discuss cooperation in trade, investment, and economic collaboration. They also discussed the progress of the construction project linking the new Sadao-Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint and the current trade and tourism situations along the border of both countries.
They also inspected the new connection point between the new Sadao checkpoint and the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint in Malaysia, aiming to alleviate congestion on both sides of the border.
Sadao Customs, located in Songkhla province, is a crucial land border checkpoint contributing significantly to Thailand’s economy. In the fiscal year 2023, it collected a total revenue of 7.691 billion Baht, including customs revenue of 1.72 billion Baht.
Additionally, Sadao Customs recorded a total import-export value of 428.919 billion Baht. The top five exports were rubber, rubber sheets, rubber gloves, computer equipment, and electronic devices, contributing to a total of 207.643 billion Baht or 34%.
Regarding the border-crossing statistics, from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023, Sadao Customs had 5,358,270 incoming travelers and 656,401 personal and commercial vehicles. In recent years, Sadao Customs has faced significant traffic challenges. The government has approved the construction of a new Sadao Customs checkpoint.
However, the Sadao-Bukit Kayu Hitam route has not followed the original plan, leading to the continued use of the existing checkpoint due to the absence of an entry road for trucks. Currently, there is an ongoing road construction project from the Phru Tiaw sub-district to connect with the new Sadao Customs checkpoint, with an approximate distance of 2 kilometers. (TNA)
