VietNamNet Bridge – The transport ministers of Vietnam, Laos and Thailand gathered at a conference in Hanoi on February 21 to discuss objectives and solutions to enhance trilateral transport cooperation.
At the inaugural event, ministers from each nation agreed to quickly complete internal procedures for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between their respective Governments, which will add national roads No. 8 and No. 12 in Vietnam and Laos to Protocol No.1 of the Greater Mekong Sub-region Cross-Border Transport Facilitation Agreement (GMS-CBT).
The opening of these routes for cross-border movement will reduce transport times and costs, thus making the of transit of goods between northeastern Thailand, central Laos and Vietnam’s Vung Ang and Hon La ports more viable, especially those enroute to Northeast Asia.
The three transport ministers also agreed on an action plan to realise the agreement between their Governments on land tourism transport. The plan mentions the establishment of subcommittees on transport, tourism, immigration and customs to assist the operation of the three countries’ Joint Committee.
Concluding the conference, the ministers signed the amended MoU on the implementation of the GMS-CBT.
Once implemented, the MoU will facilitate the movement of vehicles from the East-West Economic Corridor to Hanoi and Hai Phong cities in Vietnam, Lao capital Vientiane and Leam Chabang, Thailand.
Source: VOV