A shipment of 1,000 tonnes of rice from Thailand has been delivered to China via the Laos-China Railway.
According to an announcement by Thailand’s Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, the shipment of rice was delivered to Chongqing in 20 carriages.
Exports of other agricultural products using the new rail link are to follow, Bangkok Post reports.
Mr. Alongkorn Polabutr, adviser to the agriculture minister, said Thailand hopes to export fruit, orchids, rubber, cassava, and palm oil, along with fish and livestock products on the new railway.
Fruit from Thailand can reach Chongqing in under 48 hours via the Laos-China Railway, allowing it to reach consumers while retaining freshness.
Bridging Gaps
The Thai government has ordered the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) design and build a new bridge from Nong Khai Province to Laos in order to connect the country to the Laos-China Railway.
The new bridge will cross the Mekong River from Nong Khai to Laos and facilitate freight transportation across Thailand, through Laos, and onward into China.
