Post by Laoupdate on Mar 6, 2005 3:24:24 GMT -5
Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand and Laos have agreed to introduce three more bus routes next year to intensify tourism and transport cooperation between the two countries, according to the Bangkok Post newspaper.
The deal was reached at a meeting in Bangkok between Thai Director-General of the Land Transport Department Piyapan Champasut, and his Lao counterpart Latanamanee Khunniwong.
Under the agreement, buses will run from Champassak in Laos to Thailand's northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani and on to Bangkok, from Savannakhet in Laos to Mukdahan in the Northeasterm region of Thailand, and from Luang Prabang to Nan in the North of Thailand.
The two countries have been cooperating on transport since 2004, Piyapan said, adding that cooperation had resulted in an increase of bilateral transport operators from five to 172, running 5,139 vehicles, including 11 transit-cargo operators with 761 vehicles.
Lao's imports via Thailand the past year were worth 1,067 million bath and exports 10,825 million bath. The volumes are expected to rise by 10 percent next year. Meanwhile, the number of land travellers between the two countries increased from 2.4 million in 2003 to 3.3 million last year.-Enditem
Source:VNA
Photo:http://www.cyclingaroundtheworld.nl/thailand/images/frienship-bridge.jpg