Malaysia and Thailand intend to revive the direct train service between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok this year, said transport minister Loke Siew Fook.
“KTM and the State Railway of Thailand have been given three months to carry out initial preparations to begin the Kuala Lumpur–Bangkok train operations,” he said here after a working visit to the Thai capital.
“This doesn’t require a new track but does call for coordination, joint marketing, and cooperative ticketing between the two countries,” he said.
During his visit, Loke toured the Bang Sue central terminal in Bangkok and received a briefing on Thailand’s high-speed rail services.
Loke said the Thai authorities had proposed extending rail services from Sungai Golok to Rantau Panjang and Pasir Mas in Kelantan, 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. This is because track restoration work is required on the long-unused railway lines in Rantau Panjang and Sungai Golok,” he added.
