Committee on Joint Development Strategy for Thailand-Malaysia Border Areas
Thailand-Malaysia Committee on Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas: JDS
Important News and Updates
The 15th JDS Working Group Meeting Advances Seamless Development of Thailand-Malaysia Border Areas
On September 2, 2025, Thailand hosted the 15th Working Group Meeting of the Thailand-Malaysia Committee on Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas (JDS) at the Rua Rasada Hotel in Trang Province. Ms. Sasithon Palatthadech, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), chaired the meeting, with Datuk Dr. Zunika binti Muhammad , […]
The 6th Ministerial Meeting of the Committee on Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas (JDS)
On August 6, 2024, representatives from the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) attended the 6th Ministerial Meeting of the Committee on Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas (JDS) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, co-chaired by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and Malaysia. The meeting endorsed the JDS Strategic Plan […]
IGNITE Thailand Conference in Kuala Lumpur: Enhancing Thailand-Malaysia Cross Border Connectivity Through Public-Private Partnership
On July 1, 2024, the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur hosted the IGNITE THAILAND in Kuala Lumpur conference: Enhancing Thailand-Malaysia Cross Border Connectivity Through Public-Private Partnership in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event comprised an Economic Forum and Business Matching activities. Ms. Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, and Dr. Mohd Shaharin Bin Umar, […]
The 14th JDS Committee Working Group Meeting to Drive Economic Development in the Thailand-Malaysia Border Area
On May 21, 2024, the Ministry of Economy of Malaysia hosted the 14th Joint Development Strategy (JDS) Working Group Meeting for the Thailand-Malaysia Border Area in Langkawi, Malaysia. The meeting was chaired by Datuk Dr. Zunika Binti Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General (Policy) of the Ministry of Economy of Malaysia. Mr. Wanchat Suwankitti, Deputy Secretary-General of the […]
Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Meets with Minister of Finance and Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council
On April 22, 2022, Dato Sri Mustapa bin Mohamed, Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy), met with Mr. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Minister of Finance, together with Mr. Danucha Pichayanan, Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council, at the Ministry of Finance. Both parties discussed and followed up on the progress of various […]
The 12th Working Group Meeting of the JDS Program
On February 7, 2020, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council hosted the 12th Working Group Meeting of the Thailand-Malaysia Committee on Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas (The 12th Working Group Meeting of Thailand-Malaysia Committee on Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas: JDS) to discuss cooperation projects in the Thailand-Malaysia border […]
“NESDC” Discusses with “Malaysia’s Ministry of Economic Affairs” Progress on Thai-Malaysia Border Area Development
During December 10-11, 2019, Dr. Wanchat Suwannakitti, Policy and Planning Advisor at the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), co-chaired the 5th Project Coordinators’ Meeting and the 3rd High-Level Meeting under the Thailand-Malaysia Committee on Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas (The 5th Project Coordinators’ Meeting and the 3rd High-Level Meeting […]
General Information about JDS Cooperation
The Thailand-Malaysia Committee on Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas (JDS) was established in 2004 with the objective of enhancing the well-being and livelihood opportunities of the people equitably, as well as reducing factors leading to security issues in the five southern border provinces of Thailand (Songkhla, Yala, Satun, Pattani, and Narathiwat) and the four northern states of Malaysia (Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, and Perak), and mitigating factors that contribute to security problems in the border areas.
Enhancing the Connectivity
Ensuring the Competitiveness
Enriching the Human Capital
Infrastructure development for connectivity will be based on the following linkage corridors:
Satun Province – Perlis State
(Satun – Perlis Link)
Songkhla Province – Perlis State
(Songkhla – Perlis Link)
Songkhla Province – Kedah State
(Songkhla – Kedah Link)
Pattani – Yala – Betong – Pengkalan Hulu
(Pattani – Yala – Betong – Pengkalan Hulu Link)
Pattani-Narathiwat Provinces – Kelantan State
(Pattani – Narathiwat – Kelantan Link)
There are 3 main levels of cooperation mechanisms:
Ministerial Meeting
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries serve as
co-chairs.
Senior Officials’ Meeting
Co-chaired by the Permanent Secretaries of Foreign Affairs of both countries
Working Group Meeting
The NESDC and the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of Malaysia serve as the joint secretariat, with sub-mechanisms to facilitate operations, including Project Coordinator Meetings and High-Level Meetings to monitor the progress of individual projects or discuss specific issues.
On September 2, 2025, the NESDC hosted the 15th Thailand-Malaysia JDS Working Group Meeting in Trang Province. The meeting was co-chaired by Ms. Sasitorn Pholattadej, Deputy Secretary-General of the NESDC, and Datuk Dr. Zunika binti Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of Economy of Malaysia, with participation from relevant Thai and Malaysian agencies. The meeting aimed to monitor the progress of the JDS Strategic Plan and follow up on directives from the 6th JDS Ministerial Meeting. On this occasion, the meeting welcomed the success and progress of key projects covering dimensions of transport, special economic zones, tourism, rubber, and human capital development. It encouraged the acceleration of ongoing projects to ensure completion within the timeframe, particularly the road connecting the new Sadao Border Checkpoint to the Bukit Kayu Hitam Checkpoint and the second Sungai Kolok-Rantau Panjang Bridge. Discussions also addressed border crossing facilitation to enhance fluidity, which relevant agencies will consider in further detail. Additionally, the meeting supported the mid-term review of the JDS Strategic Plan in 2026. Thailand is scheduled to host the next JDS Senior Officials’ and Ministerial Meetings.
โครงการสะพานโครงการก่อสร้างสะพานคู่ขนานข้ามแม่น้ำโก-ลก จังหวัดนราธิวาส เชื่อมเมืองรันเตาปันยัง รัฐกลันตัน ประเทศมาเลเซีย
The Hat Yai – Padang Besar double-track railway project and the Padang Besar – Ipoh electrified double-track railway project.
Hat Yai – Sadao Motorway Project connecting to Hat Yai International Airport and road connection to the New Sadao Border Checkpoint
Railway Rehabilitation Project from Sungai Kolok to Rantau Panjang – Pasir Mas – Tumpat – Kota Bharu
New Satun Airport Design Project
Maintenance Project for Highway No. 410 connecting Yala (Betong) – Pattani
Road Construction Project connecting the New Sadao Border Checkpoint – Bukit Kayu Hitam Border Checkpoint
Songkhla Special Economic Zone Project
Narathiwat Special Economic Zone Project
Wang Kelian – Wang Prachan Free Flow Zone Project
Examples of Projects under JDS Cooperation
The 2nd Sungai Kolok – Rantau Panjang Bridge Project
The New Sadao – Bukit Kayu Hitam Border Connection Road Project
Double-track railway between Hat Yai and Padang Besar and
Electrified double-track railway between Padang Besar and Ipoh
