Sadao Crossing Upgrades Aim to Boost Thai-Malaysian Trade and Travel

The Sadao Border Checkpoint in Songkhla, southern Thailand, is poised for further development aimed at boosting trade and connectivity with Malaysia. Visiting senators revealed that the checkpoint is expected to handle over six million travellers this year. Senator Pratuang Montri, president of the Lower South Senators' Visit Project Committee, and his delegation recently inspected the checkpoint. During the visit, representatives from a vendor group in Tambon Samnak Kham Municipality submitted a petition to the Senate delegation, urging consideration of an economic stimulus plan for the area around the old checkpoint building, arguing it would attract more tourists and boost local revenue. Mr Pratuang pledged to utilize the Senate committee mechanism to monitor budget allocation progress in coordination with the cabinet, addressing operational delays at both customs and border checkpoints. The Sadao Border Checkpoint, which links to the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint in Kedah, Malaysia, is considered the country's most prominent land crossing, generating the highest import value among all border checkpoints. According to the Songkhla Provincial Administration, services at the Sadao Border Checkpoint encompass customs, transport, and border trade, with an average of 6.4 million commuters, 800,000 personal cars, and 500,000 trucks crossing annually over the past three years. For the current fiscal year, the checkpoint has recorded over 4.2 million commuters since last October, with the annual figure projected to exceed six million by year's end. Currently, the Sadao Border Checkpoint primarily operates from a new building, where services have been enhanced with modern technology and upgraded facilities to improve efficiency. These include a new cargo terminal for logistics trucks, a CIQ passenger terminal building, and immigration checkpoint lanes for personal cars (11 for outbound and 14 for inbound traffic). The checkpoint also offers an X-ray machine, a contactless body scanner, and other facilities for commuters. The Songkhla Provincial Administration is advancing a project to build a road linking the new Sadao Border Checkpoint building with the surrounding community, which will shorten travel by five kilometres. The administration is also set to redesignate a U-turn point in front of the CIQ Passenger Terminal to ensure commuters' safety while reducing service redundancy.