Champasak province in Laos, in the lower Mekong basin shares, a common border with Cambodia (Photo: KhmerTimes)Phnom Penh (VNA) - TheTrapeng Krean – Nongnok Khean international border gate pair, the first ofCambodia and Laos, officially opened on January 10 with the aim of promotingtrade and tourism between the two ASEAN neighbours.
Cambodian Prime Minister SamdechHun Sen and his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith co-presided over theinauguration ceremony.
The crossing, which connectsCambodia’s Steung Treng province with Laos’ Champasak province, marked a newachievement of the two countries’ bilateral ties, and will facilitate bilateralborder trade, tourism and connectivity.
It is expected to boost thecountries’ regional integration while accelerating East-West marketconnectivity, facilitating the development of the Cambodia-Laos-VietnamDevelopment Triangle area as well as linking ASEAN with other regions, said LaoPM Thongloun Sisoulith.
For his part, Cambodian PMSamdech Hun Sen pledged to offer favourable conditions for land-locked Laos touse Cambodia’s roads, waterways, ports on the Mekong River and sea docks toconnect with other areas and the world.
He also added border Cambodianand Lao residents are allowed to use laissez-passers to cross the common borderfrom this January.
Cambodia and Laos established diplomaticties 60 years ago. The two countries share the 450-kilometer-long border. Todate, they have finished about 83 percent of border demarcation work with 121out of the 145 markers planted.-VNA
