Vietnamese, Lao, Thai localities promote comprehensive cooperation mechanism
VOV.VN - The 23rd conference of the nine provinces of Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand that share the use of Road 8 and Road 12 was held from February 27 to February 29 in the northeastern Thai province of Sakon Nakhon to review co-operation in 2023 and outline orientations for future collaboration.
The event featured the participation of representatives from the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Quang Binh of Vietnam; Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, and Nong Khai provinces of Thailand; and Bolikhamxay and Khammouane province of Laos. It was also attended by representatives of dozens of businesses from the three countries.
In his speech, Chu Duc Dung, consul general of Vietnam in Khon Kaen, said the agency is actively boosting ties with provinces in northeastern Thailand, particularly those with overseas Vietnamese communities and bordering Laos, focusing on areas of trade, investment, tourism, culture, education, and health care in provinces along Road 8, Road 9, and Road 12; as well as boosting development in the nine provinces.
Participants consented to continue augmenting linkages in education, health care, culture, sports, tourism, science, and technology, including expanding partnerships in training human resources; supporting migrant workers to move freely in accordance with agreements within ASEAN and on the basis of each country's legal regulations; and strengthening information exchange on preventing COVID-19, monkeypox, and other contagious diseases.
Regarding transportation, they concurred to urgently request the governments of the three countries complete documents for constructing the Ha Tinh - Thakhek - Nakhon Phanom - Bangkok transport route; co-ordinate to open a passenger transportation route connecting Quang Binh, Khammouane, Nakhon Phanom, and Sakon Nakhon; offer favourable conditions for logistics businesses in the nine provinces to set up partnerships in transporting goods via Routes 8 and 12 to the Vung Ang Industrial Zone of Ha Tinh province, Hon La of Quang Binh province, Cua Lo of Nghe An province, and delivery to third countries.
They also underlined the need to fast-track the construction project of the Vientiane - Hanoi expressway via the Thanh Thuy (Nghe An) - Nam On (Bolikhamxay) intersection, towards facilitating trade, travel, and socio-economic development in Laos and Vietnam.
For agriculture ties, the localities also agreed to step up information and experience sharing in training and technology transfer in agriculture among them, as well as co-operation in combating the trafficking of wild animals along border areas.
The 24th event of this kind will be held in Quang Binh in February and March, 2025. The 23rd preparatory conference for the event is set to take place in Laos’s Khammouane province in September and October this year.
