New Thai-Lao bus services launched

BANGKOK, October 1 (TNA) - New cross-border bus services between Thailand and Laos have been launched, as part of the two neighbouring countries' preparations for the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015. Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sitthipan on Monday presided a ceremony to officially introduce the new bus services, run in the Thai side by state-owned Transport Company, from Bangkok to Vientiane and Bangkok to Pakse at the Mor Chit Bus Terminal in the Thai capital's Chatuchak area. Chatchart acknowledged that the new Thai-Lao bus services are aimed at promoting tourism and economic growth of both neighbouring countries and at supporting the formation of the Single Economic Community of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in which Thailand and Laos are among the 10 members currently. Meanwhile, Transport Company President Wuthichart Kalyanamitra told journalists that the new Bangkok-Vientiane bus service has been extended between Thailand's northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima Province and Vientiane, with a fare of 900 baht/trip for each passenger and Nakhon Ratchasima becoming a stopover, and that his Transport Company operates one trip per day on the route and Laos runs a reciprocal service on the same route. According to the Transport Company chief, the fare on the Bangkok-Pakse route has also been set at 900 baht/ trip per passenger, with Thailand's northeastern Ubon Ratchathani province becoming a stopover at the Wang Tao border checkpoint. The inaugural trip on the Bangkok-Vientiane route is scheduled to depart at 8pm and the Bangkok-Pakse route is scheduled to depart at 9pm Monday, with fares for both the inaugural trips specially discounted to halve for each passenger. (TNA)