Thailand
Cambodia urges Thailand to expedite construction of border admn facility
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) of the Royal Government of Cambodia has urged its Thailand counterpart to expedite the construction of its administrative building at the Steung Bat-Ban Nong Ian International Border and prepare relevant documents so that both parties can open the bilateral border gate in the near future, said a MPWT release.
The suggestion was made during a meeting on Monday between MPWT’s officials led by Minister Sun Chanthol and Thai diplomatic delegation led by Cherdkiat Atthakor, who is the Thai Ambassador to Cambodia, to discuss the progress and development of bilateral friendship and cooperation in all sectors, especially transportation infrastructure connectivity and investment.
Chanthol told Atthakor that the construction of the new Steung Bat international border gate administrative facilities in Poi Pet city is progressing as per the plan and is expected to open for heavy transportation between Cambodia and Thailand to facilitate trade of goods. The passage would contribute to the reduction of congestion at Poi Pet International Border.
Vasim Sorya, Under-Secretary of State of MPWT, told Khmer Times yesterday that the Thailand officials have been working with a construction contractor at Ban Non Ian International Border in Aranyaprathet district of the country’s Sa Kaeo Province, but he was not aware of the pace of the progress outside Cambodia.
“From what I know, they need to revise their internal contracts between them and contractors. Probably they could prepare documents to find a new company to take over or continue construction of their international border checkpoint administrative building,” said Sorya even though he did not accompany Chanthol to attend the meeting with Thai Ambassador at the ministry.
Chanthol, who worked as the Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce and Vice-Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia from 2013 to 2016, also asked his Thai counterpart to upgrade a railroad width to 1.435 metres to enhance transportation more effectively, which will be easy to be connected and reduce time-consuming in doing trade between the two countries.
The Senior Minister said Cambodia and Thailand have cooperated with each other especially in the development of provincial infrastructure along the borders such as the National Roads 48 and 67. He also revealed the possibility of constructing Thmar Da international border gate that will be able to transform border areas to a special economic zone through tourism and cross-border trade.
The release pointed out that Chanthol also asked his Thai counterpart to consider the construction of the remaining one kilometre of road in Thailand near the border to connect to the National Road 55 of Cambodia. Sorya said that this is an “internal matter of Thailand” when Khmer Times sought reasons behind the remaining length of the road that has not been improved by Thailand.
“I cannot provide response to this, but probably their procedures in arranging and opening international border gate are different from ours. However, we have to urge them to finish it,” said Sorya, who is also a spokesman of MPWT.
Chanthol also told Thai Ambassador that Cambodia has been seeking investment partners to build an express railway worth over $4 billion at a total length of 382 kilometres from Phnom Penh to Poi Pet after feasibility study has been completed and that Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed his support for the express railway project connecting Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping granted $45 million to Cambodia during the official visit made recently by Prime Minister Hun Sen to China. The grant aid was offered for solving impacts to be caused by Cambodia’s express railway project, while Cambodia, Thailand and other countries in the Great Mekong Sub-region will be able to gain benefits from the express railway project.
“Cambodia stays at the centre of the region is expected to become a production and storage hub for transited goods from one country to another,” the release said.
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501242859/cambodia-urges-thailand-to-expedite-construction-of-border-admn-facility/