Thai-Lao leaders confident with success of MRC Summit

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, 4 April 2010 (NNT) – Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Lao counterpart, Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh, discussed bilateral cooperation in the fields of transport, investment and energy development when they met on the sidelines of the First Mekong River Commission Summit in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province on Sunday.

Prime Minister Abhisit stressed that Thailand would like to resume its place as No.1 investor in Laos and asked for Lao advice on new business opportunities. He then congratulated the Lao Prime Minister as both countries will celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties in December 2010.

The Lao Prime Minister said on his part that the third friendship bridge being constructed across the Mekong from the Thai northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom to Laos’ Khammuan Province would be completed within next year. He believed that the network of communication could further improve bilateral trade and investment.

Other construction projects between the two countries are the fourth friendship bridge from Chiang Rai to Bo Kaew and the road from Tha Na Laeng to Vientiane. The two projects are reported to have good progress.

Lao Prime Minister Bouasone also stated that the first Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summit in Thailand would be successful as China had agreed to supply data on the condtion of water to the MRC which will benefit better water management in the basin. He added that forest conservation and dam construction could improve the water issue