VIENTIANE, Jan 24 — Thailand and Laos on Saturday signed two cooperative memorandum of understandings (MoUs) and also agreed to upgrade four existing temporary border checkpoints to permanent ones, aimed at catering to the increasing tourism and trade between the neighbouring countries for the future, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Sek Wannamethee, director-general of the Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Information Department told a press conference in the Lao capital of Vientiane that the MoUs were signed following the end of the 19th Thai-Lao Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JC).
The two countries held a two-day meeting of the 10th Joint Border Committee (JBC) and the 19th JC meeting in Vientiane.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Affairs Minister Gen Tanasak Patimapragorn and his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith co-chaired the meeting which concluded today.
Mr Sek said both Gen Tanasak and Lao Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Thongloun hailed the existing warm relations between the two countries and agreed to upgrade four temporary border checkpoints while they would also speed up signing a new agreement on security along the two countries’ border.
Related agencies of Thailand and Laos will cooperate closer on suppressing human trafficking, said Mr Sek, adding that both sides also agreed on organising an informal ministerial meeting, designed towards strengthening bilateral relations.
After the meeting ended, both deputy prime ministers signed two MoUs concerning an exchange of academics and know-how between Devawongse Varopakarn Institute of Foreign Affairs and the Lao Foreign Ministry.
The second MoU involved the development of Paksong Hospital in the Lao province of Champasak, Mr Sek added. (MCOT online news)
