Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam Meet on Shared Highways:

Representatives from Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam met in Vietnam's central Quang Binh Province on 6 January to discuss measures to boost cooperation and sustainable development on Lao Highways 8 and 9 and the Vietnamese to Thai routes they link.

The Vietnam News Agency reported that the meeting agreed to strengthen cooperation among the the three countries' provinces involved and ask their governments to form a framework agreement to facilitate transport along the highways, in an effort to increase tourism and trade among countries in the Mekong sub-region.

Highway 8 runs through Laos' Khammouane Province and links Thailand's Nakhon Phanom with Vinh in Vietnam, and Highway 9 connects Thailand's Mukdahan Province with central Vietnam via Laos' Savannakhet Province.

Representatives from the participating provinces signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in tourism, transport, culture, education and training, and other areas.

For visitor information on Khammouane Province, click here.

For visitor information on Savannakhet Province, click here.

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