Laos agrees to expedite reopening of border checkpoints between Vientiane and Nong Khai

The Thai Commerce Ministry’s permanent secretary, Keerati Rushchano, said on Thursday that Vientiane's Vice Mayor Phoukhong Bannavong told him during their recent meeting in the Laotian capital.

Keerati asked the Laotian side to expedite the reopening of its four border checkpoints opposite Nong Khai – Tha Dua checkpoint in Vientiane (opposite the Nong Khai Pier), Vientiane’s Nong Da checkpoint (opposite Nong Khai’s Ban Mo), Ban Don Tai checkpoint (opposite Ban Chumpon), and Ban Khok Hae checkpoint (opposite Ban Muang in Nong Khai).

He told the Laotian official that the Thai border checkpoints could be reopened as soon as Vientiane authorities resume operations at their checkpoints.

The eight checkpoints on both sides of the border, which were used as a channel for border trade, have been closed for almost three years since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
 

Phoukhong told Keerati that Vientiane Capital, which has the authority to reopen the border checkpoints in question, would do so "as soon as possible" to allow people on both sides of the border to resume their border trade while welcoming the return of foreign tourists.

“Both sides agreed to work together on tourism in the region for maximum mutual benefit,” Keerati said.

There are 49 border checkpoints and boundary posts between Thailand and Laos. Thailand has reopened 44 and Laos 36.

Last year, border trade between Thailand and Laos totalled 260 billion baht, up 21.1% from a year earlier. Border trade accounted for as much as 94.7% of total trade between the two neighbouring countries.

Border trade between Nong Khai and Vientiane alone totalled 86.5 billion baht last year, up 15.3% from a year earlier and the highest among the Thai provinces bordering Laos.