Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s TransportMinistry is planning to open a new rail route to link Sa Kaeo province, about200 km east of Bangkok, with Cambodia to facilitate cross-border trade, andboost tourism around the eastern border of the country.

Bangkok Post cited Transport Minister ArkhomTermpittayapaisith as saying that the new rail route, which will be openedsoon, will connect Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district with Cambodia's Poi Pet,Sisophon and Battambang. 

The new route is expected to facilitate traveland logistics across the Thai-Cambodian border, Arkhom said.

This will also boost economic cooperation betweenthe two countries, which are part of the Greater Mekong Sub-region SouthernEconomic Corridor project that involves Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia andVietnam, he added.

Worawut Mala, acting governor of the StateRailway of Thailand, said both governments will sign a draft agreement on jointwork along the tracks on April 22, after the two sides have concluded talks onthe matter. 

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha andhis Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen will oversee the signing of the agreement.

Thailand will give a diesel-powered train toCambodia as a symbolic gesture of cooperation between the two countries. Thetrain, which has four carriage, will be unveiled at the opening of the newroute. 

A temporary railway station is being built nearthe Thai-Cambodia friendship bridge in Aranyaprathet, which is also currentlyunder construction. 

The temporary railway station is closer to theborder than Aranyaprathet station, the minister said. 

The 29.28-kilometre bridge, which is expected tocost some 4.19 billion baht (over 131 million USD) for construction, will linkSa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet to Cambodia's Poi Pet town.-VNA