Bridging ties: Saleumxay (right) welcoming Parnpree in Vientiane. — Vientiane Times/ANN
THE Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Laos and Thailand have begun talks on the construction of a bridge to carry a railway over the Mekong River between Vientiane, Laos and Nong Khai in Thailand.
The two leaders also discussed the extension of the cross-border rail link from Nong Khai to Vientiane (Khamsavath) train station, to promote tourism and enable easier access to the Laos-China railway.
These issues were discussed when Laos’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith met for talks with his Thai counterpart Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara in Vientiane on Monday.
According to Laos’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides agreed to encourage each other’s related sectors to consider ways to further promote bilateral trade volume by removing existing barriers to trade and making it easier to do business.
The talks were also aimed at bolstering tourism between Laos and Thailand through use of the Vientiane (Khamsavath) train station, especially given the influx of visitors expected during Visit Laos Year 2024.
Further talks will be held on completing border demarcation, and on joint efforts to reduce air pollution in border areas caused by agricultural burning. — Vientiane Times/ANN
