THAILAND-LAOS TOURISM PACT COMPLETES MEKONG FRAMEWORK

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has completed the third and last of a series of tourism agreements designed to vastly improve the facilitation of visitor movements between Thailand and her immediate neighbours.

The minutes of the meeting and the implementation of the tourism cooperation programmes were signed in Vientiane on 15 September after a meeting between Tourism Authority of Thailand Chairman and Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office H.E. Mr. Adisai Bhodharamik and H. E. Mr Cheng Sayavong, Vice Minister of Commerce and Tourism and Chairman of the National Tourism Administration of the Lao PDR (NTAL).

The Thai minister’s visit to Laos was part of a recent series of visits to Cambodia during 27-28 July 2000, Myanmar during 1-2 September, 2000 and now Laos during 15-16 September, 2000, to follow up Thailand’s tourism agreements with each of these neighbouring countries and boost tourism flows to and within the entire region.

Minister Adisai said, “Tourism is a major component of the regional economic development plans and widely recognised for its foreign exchange and job creation potential. The Mekong region is one of the last frontiers of tourism and all the countries are working eagerly together to ensure that we maintain and even grow our market share.”

He said it has been agreed that all the GMS tourism ministers will meet in Bangkok in early October to review the entire package of agreements and co-ordinate the various moves being taken to open up road access and liberalise frontier and visa formalities.

Lao PDR and Thailand are signatories to an agreement on tourism co-operation under which there is a Plan of Action covering the period 2000-2001. The plan Included the TAT assisted study for the potential for tourism development of the Stone Forest area in Borikhamsay and Khammouane provinces of Lao PDR. The completed report of the study was officially handed over by Minister Adisai to his Lao PDR counterpart during their meeting.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed that the development of the transportation network, including the Mekong River would connect the two countries and entice more visitors. The agreement is to further encourage relaxation of entry formalities to promote the flow of tourism between Thailand and Lao PDR.

Under the agreement, TAT and NTAL will work with relevant authorities of their respective countries to facilitate travel and tourism by considering the opening of more border checkpoints, authorising visas on arrival and other facilities for tourists, including the convenience of travelling by car across the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge to encourage overland tourism.

In the not too distant future, the two countries will be linked by the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge connecting Mukdaharn and Savannakhet. In addition, the new highway route of Ubon Ratchathani – Chong Mek – Pakse – Done Khon route will link tourist attractions of Ubon in Thailand, Champasak in Lao PDR and Stung Treng of Cambodia and increase the potential of travel through the Khmer Civilization route. A third highway route will run from Chiang Rai in Thailand to Loung Namtha in Lao PDR and Mengla in Southern China.

Minister Adisai said, ‘Lao PDR is a critical country at the crossroads of all these three routes. The country will benefit substantially from these highways in terms of trade and tourism flows.”

Both sides also agreed to support various tourism activities along the Mekong River, including promotions and joint investment by public/private sector entities. “We both agreed that the private sector plays a very significant role in tourism development and agreed to co-operate and support private tourism business and investment,” said Minister Adisai.

He noted Lao PDR and Thailand had also agreed to work closely with Cambodia and the Union of Myanmar, which shares borders with both countries, to develop and promote regional tourism for common benefit.

In order to carry out the regional tourism co-operation programmes, TAT and NTAL will form an Implementing Technical Group (ITG) to be the working mechanism to implement the plan agreed upon at the meeting.