Thai agents work with Lao partners

BANGKOK  Thai tour operators should partner with travel agents in Lao PDR to encourage tourism and also to boost the number of Chinese tourists travelling through Laos to Thailand.
Ambassador of Thailand to Lao PDR, Pisanu Chanvitan, told Association of Thai Travel Agents’ members, through a Skype live cast, Thursday, that the country tour operators should closely study neighbouring countries especially tourism in Lao PDR.
“Although Laos is a small country and only 5% of its 6 million population can afford to travel overseas, we should collaborate on tourism and related sectors to increase the region competitiveness.”
inside no 3He added: “Agents should closely study and work together with Lao tourism operators…Laos is a gateway country for Chinese tourists travelling via R3A route from Kunming.”
Route R3A is part of the so-called North-South Economic Corridor linking Thailand with Laos and Xishuangbanna Prefecture in Yunnan province, southern China. The road route crosses the Mekong River at Huay Xai at the Friendship Bridge enters Thailand at Chiang Khong in Chiang Rai province.
To encourage tourism, the countries should discuss how to ease regulations and the border pass process to allow more bus tours from China.
The fourth Mekong Bridge that opened at Chiang Khong a year ago could be used to expand overland tourism, but its full potential is hindered by out-dated regulations. The bridge spans the river between Chiang Khong in Chiang Rai province, Thailand and Huay Xai in Bokeo province, Laos.
The R3A highway passes through Laos for around 250 km and eventually ends in Kunming in China, a distance of over 1,000 km.
Just 2 km from the bridge’s service road highway on the Thai side of the river, highway 1052 links Chiang Rai a distance of around 100 km to the west.
The three other Mekong Friendship Bridges are: Vientiane-Nong Khai, Savannakhet-Mukdahan, and Khammouan-Nakhon Phanom.
The construction of the fifth bridge between Bolikhamxai province of Laos and Bung Kan province in Thailand is in the pipeline and there is a plan to build a sixth bridge between Saravane province in Laos and Ubon Ratchathani province in Thailand.
Bus service between the countries also encourage travellers. The routes are: Nong Khai-Vientiane; Udon Thani-Vientiane; Ubon Ratchathani-Pakse; Mukdaharn-Savannakhet; Khon Kaen-Vientiane; Nakhon Ratchasima-Vientiane; Nakhon Phanom-Khammouane; Bangkok-Vientiane; Udon Thani-Nong Khai-Vang Vieng; Bangkok-Pakse; and Chiang Rai-Chaing Khong-Bokeo.
Laos will also open Attapeu International Airport in May next year. The airport is designed to be of an international standard and will be able to support ATR72s with 70-100 seats, Fokker 70, Fokker 100 and MA60 aircraft.
Once completed, the airport will be the fourth gateway in the country. The first is Vientiane’s Wattay International followed by Luang Prabang and Pakse airports.
The nearest airport to Attapeu is Pakse International Airport, 200 km northwest. It has a couple of regional services to Cambodia and Thailand operated by Lao Airlines.
Laos also plans to build what it calls an international airport in Tonpheung district of Bokeo province to offer and boost convenient for tourist arrivals.
The construction of the airport should start early 2015. It will be located close to the border with Chiang Rai province, Thailand.
Last year, Lao travellers made 1,106,080 trips to Thailand, up 13.33% from 975,999 visits in 2012 and Thai citizens made 2,059,434 trips, improving 6.28% from 1,937,612 visits in 2012.

sourced:ttrweekly.com