Bridge across Golok River to be built by Malaysia and Thailand

BANGKOK, October 25 (TNA) - Malaysia and Thailand plan to materialize the construction of a brige across the Golok River to connect their border areas and to promote cross-border exchanges in all forms more closely between the two neighboring countries. Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, who is paying a two-day official visit to Thailand with his wife, scheduled for October 24-25, as the guest of the Thai government, raised the issue while meeting with his Thai counterpart General Prayut Chan-ocha at Bangkok's Government House on October 24. "The further development of cross-border connectivity between Thailand's southernmost part and Malaysia's northernmost Kelantan State through the construction of the Golok River is needed, but well-arranged security measures at border passes that will be jointly worked out by both sides are also needed to prevent and crack down goods smuggling, as well as drug and human trafficking, while people with dual nationalities will also be strictly screened", the Malaysian prime minister suggested. The Malaysian premier praised close and strong bilateral cooperation between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok in all dimensions, citing Thailand's support for easing terrorism in Malaysia and Malaysia's support for solving the problem of violent unrest in the Thai Far South as examples. The Malaysian leader also vowed to keep on close ties and cooperation between Malaysia and Thailand in all areas, especially in bilateral trade that have increased to about 14.2 billion US dollars so far this year, a 17 per cent year-on-year up. The newly-elected Malaysian prime minister, thus, proposed that all four border customs checkpoints between Malaysia and Thailand be opened around the clock in the near future. According to the Malaysian leader, Kuala Lumpur is pleased to work together with other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through regional frameworks for the sake of further economic and public development successfully and for the maximum benefit, in a friendly manner, of the 10-member ASEAN Community (AC), comprising of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. On Wednesday evening, the Malaysian prime minister and his spouse, Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah binti Haji Mohamad Ali, as well as his entourage then attended a dinner reception, hosted by the Thai government, at the Government House. Before flying back to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday evening, the visiting Malaysian leader and his entourage paid a courtesy call on Thai Privy Council President and Statesman General Prem Tinsulanonda (เปรม ติณสูลานนท์), who is also a former Thai prime minister, at his place in the city and delivered a special lecture at Bangkok-based Chulalongkorn University, themed “Malaysia-Thailand Bilateral Relations in the Context of ASEAN” earlier in the day. Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad is taking his Malaysian premiership for the second time, after he previously took office during 1981-2003, making him the longest holder of the Malaysian government leadership. (TNA)