Construction of the second Muhibbah (Friendship) Bridge linking Rantau Panjang (Kelantan, Malaysia) and Sungai Golok (Narathiwat, Thailand) is underway to enhance cross-border trade, security, and tourism. The project, implemented under the Indonesia–Malaysia–Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) and Japan Development Support (JDS) framework, marks a major milestone in bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The new bridge, designed as a 116-metre-long, 10-metre-wide T-beam girder structure, will include two traffic lanes, a covered pedestrian walkway, and motorcycle lanes to ease congestion at the existing crossing. Malaysia allocated RM17.3 million for the works and began tendering in September, while Thailand approved RM23.2 million in April. Each government is managing its own procurement and construction components through Thailand’s Ministry of Transport and Malaysia’s Public Works Department.
Additional infrastructure will include access roads — 80 metres of asphaltic concrete pavement on the Malaysian side and 100 metres of reinforced concrete pavement on the Thai side — alongside architectural, electrical, and safety enhancements. The Songkhla Highway Construction Centre will oversee related works, with State Railway of Thailand (SRT) land being utilised under a pending MoU.