Lao PDR, 8 Oct. – “Paetongtarn”, Prime Minister, discussed with the Prime Minister of Lao PDR to urgently solve 5 cross-border problems, with the 2 leaders witnessing the signing of 6 documents.
Reporters reported that at 14.00 local time, which is the same as Bangkok time, at the Office of the Prime Minister of the Lao PDR, Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister, joined the official welcome ceremony and held a full discussion with Mr. Sonxay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR, with Mr. Maris Sengiampong, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Pichai Naripthaphan, Minister of Commerce, and Mr. Prommin Lertsuridej, Secretary-General to the Prime Minister, also joining.
Mr. Jirayu Huangsap, Government Spokesperson, summarized the important points as follows: The Prime Minister thanked for the warm welcome. Thailand and Lao PDR are neighbors with close ties and cooperation. He thanked the Lao government for welcoming Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in January. He was pleased that the r
oyal projects in Lao PDR helped improve the quality of life and strengthen the relationship. He invited the Lao Prime Minister and his wife to pay an official visit to Thailand again after the postponement. Next year, both countries will organize activities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, emphasizing maximum participation at the public and local levels.
The Prime Minister of the Lao PDR said that Thailand and the Lao PDR are close neighbors and friendly countries with relations and cooperation covering all dimensions. There are discussions and exchanges of visits between the two countries on various occasions regularly. The official visit to the Lao PDR will also follow up on issues of cooperation between the two countries more closely.
The two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest, including resolving transnational crimes and major cross-border issues, with both countries prioritizing five areas: (1) drugs, (2) online scams, (3) human trafficking, (4) transboundary haze, an
d (5) water management in the Mekong River.
(1) Narcotics: Thai and Lao PDR agencies have jointly developed a proactive framework for solving border problems, which was the result of a telephone conversation between former Prime Minister Settha Thavisin and Prime Minister Sonxay, in which the Thai Prime Minister proposed holding a meeting between provincial governors, border district chiefs and border area agencies of both countries early next year to follow up and drive forward implementation in accordance with the framework.
(2) Online Scams: Thailand and Laos are serious and give importance to suppressing online scams crime networks. We ask that Thailand and Laos accelerate the establishment of a working group to suppress call center gangs and online scams along the Thai-Laos border and to hold continuous meetings to follow up on the resolution of the problem so that there is tangible progress as soon as possible.
(3) The problem of human trafficking, which is linked to the problem of Online Scams, shou
ld be expanded to arrest and prosecute the criminal groups behind it, help and send back those who have been deceived into working, and have high-ranking police representatives of Thailand and Laos discuss the suppression of these criminal networks as soon as possible.
(4) On the issue of transboundary haze, we are pleased that in October there will be the launch of the CLEAR Sky Strategy action plan between Thailand, Lao PDR and Myanmar. In the next phase, we would like to link the database and Early Warning System regarding the quality and climate of Thailand, Lao PDR and countries in the region together.
(5) Water Management in the Mekong River: Thank you to Prime Minister Sonxay for sending a message of condolence for the flooding in many areas of Thailand, as well as for expressing condolences and encouragement to the Lao PDR, which is also experiencing flooding in many provinces. Both leaders are pleased to have the MOU signed today on integrated water management and will utilize various cooperation f
rameworks in the Greater Mekong Subregion for systematic water management.
In addition, Thailand and Laos will enhance economic cooperation and connectivity, especially trade and investment, to improve the quality of life of the people, especially on both sides of the Mekong River, including cooperation in tourism, where the number of tourists between the two countries has been continuously increasing. Thailand is ready to develop medical personnel and the public health system in Laos under the 3-year Thai-Laos Human Resource Development Plan (2022-2025). For cooperation on labor, the Prime Minister confirmed that Thailand wants all foreign workers to have access to various rights and services while working in Thailand. He asked Thailand and Laos to jointly promote Lao workers to work in Thailand through the correct process. He also asked Laos to take care of Thai people and Thai investment in Laos.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister commended the Lao PDR as the ASEAN Chair for its active role on Myanmar.
As a neighbor of Myanmar, Thailand will cooperate with ASEAN and Myanmar’s neighboring countries, especially Laos, China and India, to find a solution to the situation in Myanmar as soon as possible, and expressed his congratulations on the success of the ASEAN Chair this year.
The leaders then witnessed the signing of six agreements between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Lao PDR.
Witnessed the signing ceremony of 6 agreements between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Lao PDR and the submission of the results of the study and design details of the Chiang Mai-Luang Prabang Mekong Bridge construction project as follows:
1. Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in integrated water resources management 2. Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of Friendship City relations between Khon Kaen Province and Vientiane Capital 3. Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in human resources management 4. Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Internal Trade and the Department of Standards
and Measurement 5. Memorandum of technical operations for rail freight transport 6. and letter of intent between the Department of Highways and the Department of Bridges.-314.-Thai News Agency
Source: Thai News Agency