March 27, 2008
"Drive along from Kong Kaen (Thailand's northern province), lunch in Vientiane, have a sunset view in Hanoi, and spend the night in China's Nanning -- some day we will enjoy a one-day trip like this, provided with all needed facilities and service along the route for logistics, transportation, business and tourism," Krit Krachitti, head of Thailand's working group on Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) economic cooperation told Xinhua on Thursday about the prospect of GMS development in his eyes.
"Roads bring everything," said Krit, director-general of Department of International Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while pointing out colorful lines illustrating the highway network that links the six member countries in the GMS being constructed on a road map.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua prior to the upcoming Third GMS Summit, where leaders of the six GMS countries -- Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, will be meeting in Vientiane, Laos on 30-31 March 2008 to discuss the progress and chart future directions in GMS cooperation, Krit was hopeful that the summit will see some key concerns in GMS cooperation to be further addressed.
One urgent problem to be solved is the materialization of "single-stop inspection" for border-point customs check, which will lessen the time and trouble when vehicles cross the borders.
Others obstacles include different driving and traffic regulations. Easier flow of human resources and goods may also bring cross-border crimes such as human trafficking and other.
Laws and regulations need to be put in place or adjusted, and bilateral agreements to protect investors' interest and convenience to achieve long-term benefit in many aspects, not only for transportation, said Krit.
Nevertheless, "I see great potential in GMS development, which involves comprehensive cooperation in many areas -- trade, tourism, telecom transportation energy sector, environment, etc. It will certainly benefit all member countries in the sub-region, and the ASEAN, Asia in a broader sense."
Thai entrepreneurs have displayed great enthusiasm for investing inside GMS, said Krit, but they need more assurance and support from the governments.
He views the private sector as the "major stakeholders in the GMS cooperation," referring to the proposals expected to be raised at the GMS Business Forum, a component of the coming GMS Summit, and put forward to the six premiers.
The proposals include urging the governments to review and simplify existing related policies, laws and regulations with an aim to provide better policy environment for international investment, to promote small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SME) and help build up their credibility, and make adjustments in GMS Cross Border Transport Agreements (CBTA) to facilitate more convenient transportation.
Beside the road network, Thailand would also like to see the rich resources of the Mekong River -- shared by the six GMS countries and one of the foundations for the GMS cooperation itself, to be further explored for transportation and trade, said Krit.
The six countries entered into the GMS cooperation framework, designed to enhance economic relations among the countries with ADB 's assistance in 1992.
The program has contributed to the development of infrastructure to enable the development and sharing of the resource base. It has also led to the international recognition of the subregion as a growth area.
The Third GMS Summit, with a theme of "Enhancing Competitiveness Through Greater Connectivity", aims to sustain and deepen economic cooperation and integration efforts among the GMS countries in order to better meet development challenges and realize the common vision of an integrated, harmonious and prosperous subregion.
The First Summit was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in November 2002, while the Second Summit was held in Kunming, China in July 2005.
The "East-West Corridor", the network of highways that links DaNang in eastern coast of Vietnam, through Mukdahan in Thailand's northeastern border, and Mawlamyine in southern Myanmar is the first major infrastructure project built under the GMS framework, while eight other "Economic Corridors" are under construction, he noted.
Source:Xinhua
"Drive along from Kong Kaen (Thailand's northern province), lunch in Vientiane, have a sunset view in Hanoi, and spend the night in China's Nanning -- some day we will enjoy a one-day trip like this, provided with all needed facilities and service along the route for logistics, transportation, business and tourism," Krit Krachitti, head of Thailand's working group on Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) economic cooperation told Xinhua on Thursday about the prospect of GMS development in his eyes.
"Roads bring everything," said Krit, director-general of Department of International Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while pointing out colorful lines illustrating the highway network that links the six member countries in the GMS being constructed on a road map.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua prior to the upcoming Third GMS Summit, where leaders of the six GMS countries -- Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, will be meeting in Vientiane, Laos on 30-31 March 2008 to discuss the progress and chart future directions in GMS cooperation, Krit was hopeful that the summit will see some key concerns in GMS cooperation to be further addressed.
One urgent problem to be solved is the materialization of "single-stop inspection" for border-point customs check, which will lessen the time and trouble when vehicles cross the borders.
Others obstacles include different driving and traffic regulations. Easier flow of human resources and goods may also bring cross-border crimes such as human trafficking and other.
Laws and regulations need to be put in place or adjusted, and bilateral agreements to protect investors' interest and convenience to achieve long-term benefit in many aspects, not only for transportation, said Krit.
Nevertheless, "I see great potential in GMS development, which involves comprehensive cooperation in many areas -- trade, tourism, telecom transportation energy sector, environment, etc. It will certainly benefit all member countries in the sub-region, and the ASEAN, Asia in a broader sense."
Thai entrepreneurs have displayed great enthusiasm for investing inside GMS, said Krit, but they need more assurance and support from the governments.
He views the private sector as the "major stakeholders in the GMS cooperation," referring to the proposals expected to be raised at the GMS Business Forum, a component of the coming GMS Summit, and put forward to the six premiers.
The proposals include urging the governments to review and simplify existing related policies, laws and regulations with an aim to provide better policy environment for international investment, to promote small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SME) and help build up their credibility, and make adjustments in GMS Cross Border Transport Agreements (CBTA) to facilitate more convenient transportation.
Beside the road network, Thailand would also like to see the rich resources of the Mekong River -- shared by the six GMS countries and one of the foundations for the GMS cooperation itself, to be further explored for transportation and trade, said Krit.
The six countries entered into the GMS cooperation framework, designed to enhance economic relations among the countries with ADB 's assistance in 1992.
The program has contributed to the development of infrastructure to enable the development and sharing of the resource base. It has also led to the international recognition of the subregion as a growth area.
The Third GMS Summit, with a theme of "Enhancing Competitiveness Through Greater Connectivity", aims to sustain and deepen economic cooperation and integration efforts among the GMS countries in order to better meet development challenges and realize the common vision of an integrated, harmonious and prosperous subregion.
The First Summit was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in November 2002, while the Second Summit was held in Kunming, China in July 2005.
The "East-West Corridor", the network of highways that links DaNang in eastern coast of Vietnam, through Mukdahan in Thailand's northeastern border, and Mawlamyine in southern Myanmar is the first major infrastructure project built under the GMS framework, while eight other "Economic Corridors" are under construction, he noted.
Source:Xinhua
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