Thailand PM pushes major transport projects in northeast region (2025)

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is advocating for major transport development projects in northeast Thailand, aligning with an upcoming mobile Cabinet meeting agenda in Nakhon Phanom tomorrow, April 29.

This initiative precedes the PM’s scheduled visit to the area today, where the government is considering transport projects in Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, and Mukdahan provinces. The aim is to transform the region into a significant economic and tourism centre along the Mekong River.

The PM’s visit will address cross-border trade, water resource management, sustainable development, and drug suppression efforts along the Mekong River, as stated by Government Spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub.

The plans include increasing flights to Nakhon Phanom and Sakon Nakhon airports, along with completing an environmental study for Mukdahan Airport by the end of the year.

Rail projects are progressing, notably the new 355-kilometre double-track railway on the Ban Phai-Mukdahan-Phanom section, projected to open by 2028. Future railway extensions on the Udon Thani-Sakon Nakhon-Nakhon Phanom, Nong Khai-Bueng Kan-Nakhon Phanom, and Mukdahan-Amnat Charoen-Ubon Ratchathani sections are also under consideration.

Additionally, a border cargo centre in Nakhon Phanom is set to launch this year, connecting transport networks between Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and southern China via the R12 route.

In road transport, over 20 new projects are in development to enhance connectivity between the provinces and neighbouring countries.

Jirayu expressed that the government intends to elevate secondary cities like Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, and Mukdahan as premier destinations, thereby boosting year-round tourism and local economies.

Efforts to improve public health in the upper northeast are underway with the inauguration of the Faculty of Medicine at Nakhon Phanom University, addressing the region’s shortage of medical professionals.

The PM’s visit tomorrow will include Don Koen Park in Mueang district of Sakon Nakhon to assess a significant water rehabilitation project and a stop at the handicraft centre in Nawa district of Nakhon Phanom, which promotes a sustainable fashion model.

She will then chair a meeting on cross-border drug trafficking at the Royal Thai Navy’s Mekong Riverine Unit, followed by attending a cultural ceremony along the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom, reported Bangkok Post.

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