Cold spell boosts charcoal trade along Thai-Lao border

NAKHON PHANOM, THAILAND, October 31 (TNA) - As a cold spell has already hit Thailand's provincial areas, especially those in the North and Northeast, cross-border charcoal trade has become active along the Thai-Lao border. In Tha Uthen and That Phanom Districts of Thailand's northeastern Nakhon Phanom Province, bordering Laos, sales of charcoal from Laos are booming due to rising domestic demand, as people living along the Mekong River have been affected by strong winter wind. Currently, more than 1,000 sacks of charcoals imported from Laos are sold daily, generating revenues of hundreds of thousdands baht for traders. Meanwhile, Thai public health authorities have advised locals to take care of their health after temperatures in the upcountry have been dropping, as the annual winter is approaching. (TNA)