Extending the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) from Kota Bharu to Sungai Golok would bridge the gap in the eastern corridor of the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (also known as the Pan-Asian Railway Network), Malaysia Institute of Transport (MITRANS) director and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) associate professor Dr Wan Mazlina Wan Mohamed said, reports Bernama.
“This can create an alternative and resilient land bridge between Port Klang, Kuantan Port, and onward to Kunming via southern Thailand. While the western alignment of the Pan-Asian Railway Network already runs through Padang Besar and Hat Yai, the eastern corridor via Kelantan remains disconnected,” she said, adding that the extension would connect to Thailand’s planned Hat Yai-Sungai Golok rail upgrade.
Thai ambassador to Malaysia Lada Phumas recently suggested that Malaysia’s ECRL project, which starts at Kota Bharu, be extended to the Thai-bordering Sungai Golok to enhance Malaysia-Thailand rail connectivity. Echoing this, Wan Mazlina said it would also support the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity 2025.
“Streamlined border facilities, including upgraded immigration, customs, quarantine and security (ICQS) posts, would be critical to facilitating smoother trade and cross-border movement,” she noted, adding that the improved connectivity would support Kelantan’s development goals under the Tanah Merah-Tumpat Corridor and help the state attract RM9.5 billion in private investment by 2025.
“The project also aligns with Malaysia’s National Logistics Policy 2030, particularly its objective to increase rail’s modal share in freight transport and strengthen the East Coast’s competitiveness within regional supply chains,” she said.
It’s approximately 30% cheaper to move goods in bulk by rail versus road, said Wan Mazlina, and by connecting the ECRL to Sungai Golok, the Kota Bharu-Bangkok transit time could be halved to 12 hours. But with costs potentially exceeding RM2 billion due to greenfield construction and the necessary border infrastructure, Malaysia must carefully assess the financial viability of such a project, she added.
“Other national priorities, such as the ECRL Phase 2 to Penang or the Sabah-Sarawak link, must also be weighed in the cost-benefit analysis. Implementation challenges, including land acquisition in flood-prone areas, the need to bridge the Golok River, and environmental concerns involving wetlands in Tumpat must also be considered,” said Wan Mazlina.
If planned and executed strategically, this extension could be the catalyst that transforms Malaysia’s East Coast into a dynamic trade and logistics corridor for the wider ASEAN and Indo-Pacific region, she added.
There are currently two Keretapi Tanah Melayu railway lines that cross into Thailand – the West Coast Line at Padang Besar and the less-known Rantau Panjang branch line. The latter splits away from the East Coast Line at Pasir Mas and has not been used for decades. Sungai Golok is the immediate station on the Thai side; Rantau Panjang on the Malaysian side.
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