Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram and counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith jointly chair the commission.

The commission must determine unsettled stretches of boundary in areas of Ban Romklao and three villages in Thailand's Uttaradit and Phitsanulok provinces and Xayaboury in Laos.

Over the past decade the two countries have determined 676 kilometres of border - about 92 per cent. The commission was established in 1996. Seven problematic stretches at Huay Kon and Phudou have been resolved recently, according to the Laos ambassador to Thailand and a former joint chairman of the commission, Ouan Phommachack.

He said "technical problems" were behind the unsettled stretches of border. These include naturally changing watershed and mountain areas cited in the Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907.

Man-made changes have altered natural boundaries, too, he said citing Chong Mek in Thailand and Vang Tao in Laos.

It is uncertain if the commission will resolve all disputes stemming from land claimed by both countries that led to the December 1987 Thailand-Laos border war.

"Modern techniques and a spirit of cooperation could bring us to a way out," Ouan said in a recent interview with The Nation. "We will work under the framework of the signed treaty and no party can take advantage of others," he added.

After the Luang Prabang meeting Nitya will continue on to Vientiane where he will meet Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh on Thursday and Friday.

They will discuss transport networks and construction of two more "friendship bridges" over the Mekong River, immigration and human trafficking.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation