Laos, Thailand enhance cooperation on tourism
Lao and Thai tour operators have made a commitment to working together to promote transborder tourism. They met in Vientiane on Monday to exchange knowhow and experiences to strengthen tourism sectors ahead of ASEAN Economic Community integration 2015.
“The meeting is very important to enhancing the cooperation between tourism sectors in Laos and Thailand as preparations are made for ASEAN Economic Community integration 2015. Cooperation will bring benefits to our two countries,” said Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism ChaleunWarinthrasak.
Over the past ten years, Laos and Thailand have cooperated in various areas, and some of their cooperations fall under the Golden Triangle Area development framework, Laos-Cambodia-Thailand heritage triangle, Mekong and Irrawaddy cooperation framework, GMS framework, among others, according to Mr Chaleurn.
In recent years, the tourism-related links between Laos and Thailand has been facilitated with numerous facilities developed. There are more international border check points, more Lao-Thai Friendship bridges and more direct fights between the two countries.
“Last year, over 2 million Thai people visited Laos and over 1.3 million Lao people visited Thailand,” said Mr Chaleun.