Transport minister Yuichiro Hata said Tuesday in Bangkok that he has signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in railroad services with the Thai government.

Speaking to reporters, Hata said he was told that Thailand wants to start a high-speed rail project sometime next year and he expressed his wish to extend as much cooperation as possible from Japan.

The document concerns sharing of railway knowhow and cosponsorship of seminars, and the two countries will set up a working group for exchanging information, according to the minister.

In a meeting Monday with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Hata made pitches for Japan's rail and irrigation technologies.

Having experienced devastating floods last year, Thailand is planning to solicit bids for an international tender on flood mitigation measures.

Hata said he pledged to Yingluck that the Japanese government will provide sustained cooperation if a Japanese-led consortium is selected.