The Mekong River which runs through or alongside all six countries is a central feature of the economy of the sub region, playing a key role in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and energy sectors, and providing an important mode of transportation.
All but one (Thailand) of the six economies are in transition from highly centralized, planned economies to more market-oriented, open economies.
These areas are resource-rich and should be highly complementary to the faster growing economies of East and Southeast Asia.
Intraregional trade has begun to blossom between the countries in the sub region, for example between China and Thailand, Vietnam and Thailand, and Myanmar and Thailand. But the poor state of infrastructure severely limits trade and commerce.
The sub region suffers from a severe lack of internal capital which must come, in part, from outside sources. Private investors are more likely to consider investing in the sub region if all countries coordinate their efforts to improve the returns on investment.
Area of the sub region have common cultural heritages For example, Thailand has a long historical relationship with Laos and shares some common language roots with the ethnic groups of Yunnan Province