Thai, Laotian Towns To Jointly Develop Trade, Tourism

NAKHON PHANOM (NORTHEASTERN THAILAND), January 5 (TNA) - Two border towns in Thailand and Laos have agreed to promote cross-border trade and tourism. Korakot Thamrongwongsawat, district chief of Nakhon Phanom province's That Phanom district in northeastern Thailand early Sunday led officials in wishing a “Happy New Year” to Sinthasone Mahakhoth, Nongbok district officer in the Laotian province of Khammouane. The Thai side also congratulated their Laotian counterparts on opening a new office, designed for boosting relations between That Phanom and the Nongbok districts. The new office will further help boosted cross-border trade and tourism because That Phanom district has a market which allows the Laotians to cross the border and buy necessities and also has the revered Buddha statue at Wat Phra That Phanom temple. Plans are being made to promote the two districts to become twin districts, aimed at promoting tourism and cater to ASEAN Economic Community, due to be launched at end-2015. Meanwhile, Krisda Bunrat, governor of the southern Songkhla province, told journalists that concerned agencies are cooperating to help boost tourism in Songkhla’s Sadao and Hat Yai districts. Defence volunteers and policemen are being assigned to help provide protection in Sadao after the number of tourists fell more than half during the New Year holidays. Lesser tourists visited the two districts during the annual celebrations following three explosions in Sadao on December 22 in which 27 persons were wounded. (TNA)