"NOng Khai"

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has called for expeditious development of the Udon Thani-Nong Khai railway to form a link to the Laos-China high-speed rail in a move to facilitate all-important exports.

Three border checkpoints in Nong Khai were reopened on Sunday, more than two years after they were sealed in March 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Thai durians were transported into China's border town of Mohan via Nong Khai after the Chinese government approved imports of the fruit.

Two containers carrying 40 tonnes of durian and one container filled with 20 tonnes of coconuts entered China for the first time on a train on Sunday.

The first batch of agricultural cargo heading for China’s Chongqing city left the China-Laos railway system’s Vientiane station at 3pm on Thursday, said Alongkorn Polabutr, adviser to the agriculture minister.

Three northeastern provinces will be promoted as a major domestic and international destination, with a focus on luring Chinese visitors via the China-Laos railway.

The Department of Rail Transport (DRT), in conjunction with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), is getting ready to turn Nong Khai province into a logistics hub for the China-Laos high-speed railway.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced on Friday that it will set up special disease prevention measures for travellers entering Thailand via the Nong Khai checkpoint from December 24.

Nong Khai province has proposed a “One Day Go” programme without quarantine, hoping to stimulate its tourism economy at the Lao border.

The northeastern province of Nong Khai is preparing to launch the tourism sandbox programme following the success of Phuket Sandbox that started in July, governor Monsit Phaisarnthanawat said on Tuesday.

A report questioning whether the yearly “Bung Fai Phaya Nak” (Naga fireballs) in Nong Khai was a natural phenomenon or a man-made one went viral on social media on Saturday.

Wednesday morning brought shock and dismay to a 70-year-old Nong Khai resident when her house went up in flames just as she was returning from giving alms to monks.