Thailand and Malaysia Open New Sadao-Bukit Kayu Hitam Border Post

The Prime Ministers of Thailand and Malaysia officially opened a new border post in Sadao, Songkhla province, on Friday in a move to strengthen community relations and trade between the two countries. Thailand’s Anutin Charnvirakul and Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim inaugurated the connecting road between the new Sadao customs checkpoint in Thailand and the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint in Malaysia, marking the official opening of the border facilities. Following the ceremony, Anwar Ibrahim invited the Thai delegation to cross the border into Malaysia for a luncheon. The customs post on Kanjanavanich Road in Sadao district is located within the Songkhla Special Economic Zone. The project was built on a 296 rai (approximately 95 hectares) plot, with construction commencing on 31 May 2016 and a budget of 1.53 billion baht (approximately Rp830.60 billion). The main building was completed on 8 September 2019, featuring office facilities, a cargo inspection area, passenger and vehicle terminals, and a residential complex. The border post is equipped with 11 vehicle inspection lanes and 14 immigration lanes on each side. The cargo inspection area can serve trucks through eight lanes in each direction and is fitted with modern inspection technology, including two high-speed X-ray scanner systems and two truck weighing systems on each side. The opening of the Sadao border crossing is expected to improve the efficiency of border management between the two countries and enhance the scanning capabilities for both goods and people. The facility is also expected to help curb illegal smuggling and promote bilateral trade and investment, with daily operating hours from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. local time.