THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Three Thailand-Laos border checkpoints reopening for trade

Three Thailand-Laos border checkpoints reopening for trade

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the reopening of three border checkpoints linking Thailand to Laos, deputy government spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek said.

“The three border checkpoints had been ordered shut to prevent Covid-19 from spreading since the first wave,” she said. “They are the Pak Saeng checkpoint in Ubon Ratchathani, Chiang Khan checkpoint in Loei and Hai Soke checkpoint in Nong Khai."

Ratchada said the Cabinet came to the decision after the Joint Public and Private Sector Consultative Committee on Commerce proposed the reopening so that cross-border trade between the two neighbours could help the export sector.

“But the reopening will apply only to the transport of goods and products. Strict Covid-19 preventive measures will be employed at the checkpoints,” she added.

The Department of Foreign Trade reported that cross-border trade between Thailand and Laos in the first 10 months of 2020 was recorded at Bt156 billion, decreasing 5.2 per cent year on year. This made Laos Thailand’s second-biggest cross-border trade partner after Malaysia, whose trade value with Thailand during the same period amounted to Bt198.6 billion.

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