Security issues could become a bigger concern for Chinese railway contractors as theyexpand their presence in Southeast Asia, according to regional development experts.

Three headline projects particularly have drawn attention to China’s growing rail constructionactivity in the area in recent months.

The China-Lao railway project was launched in December with a ceremony in the capitalVientiane, and a China-Thailand railway project was inaugurated two weeks later inAyutthaya, Thailand’s ancient capital, 64 kilometers north of Bangkok.

… Kumar Ramakrishna, head of policy studies in the executive vice-chairman’s office of Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the so-called Islamic Stategroup has already expanded its influence into Southeast Asia.

“Enhanced intelligence coordination is needed on terrorists’ identities, their movement, andlogistics and funding pipelines between and within governments in the region,” Ramakrishna said.