Thailand, Cambodia boost ties between border villagers

CAMBODIA, April 26 (TNA) - The Thai and Cambodian governments are boosting relations between their people living along the border to further promote cross-border trade and travels. Thai Deputy Permanent Secretary for Interior Surapol Pongthadsirikul and Cambodian Permanent Secretary for Interior Sak Setha co-chaired a meeting of senior Thai and Cambodian officials in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, Thursday to plan the 4th Thai-Cambodian border provincial governors’ meeting, scheduled for April 27. Surapol acknowledged that the planned meeting will work out initiatives to boost relations between the Thai and Cambodian people in seven Thai and nine Cambodian provinces along the common border, aimed to facilitate trade and trips across the border. According to the senior Thai official, another border crossing will also be opened in Baan Nong Ian of Thailand’s eastern Sa Kaeo province adjacent to Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province to relieve congestion at the Rong Klua market in Sa Kaeo. The Thai and Cambodian authorities also agreed at Thursday’s meeting to use bottom-up approach to initially handle unsettled border issues. (TNA)