Bangkok signs MOU on Mekong tourism cooperation

BANGKOK, September 12 (TNA) - Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on promoting and developing tourism among five cities in the lower Mekong River basin. The MOU, covering Bangkok, Thailand's capital; Vientiane, Laos' capital; Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital; Yangon, Myanmar's former capital; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's largest city, was inked at the Tourism Cities Summit, held in Vietnam from September 9-12, 2013. The agreement, endorsed by governors of the five cities, is mainly aimed at joint development of not only tourism, but also cultures of the five cities, as well as at promoting their youth cultural and sports exchange. The MOU also focuses on developing overall tourism of each of the five participating countries through the potential of the five cities. For example, Bangkok, as a regional centre for air transportation and products development, may collaborate with Japan or European countries to boost tourism of the five cities. (TNA)