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Published on March 29, 2008

The Asian Development Bank has supported development of transportation routes into the Mekong region since the GMS's establishment in 1992. Some routes, including Highway 9 connecting Thailand, Laos and Vietnam and Highway 3 linking Thailand, Laos and China, have been completed and are ready for transportation.

Samak will propose his own ideas for using these and other roads to promote tourism, said Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama. The minister did not reveal the exact routes the Prime Minister would propose during the meeting.

Leaders from Burma, Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam will gather for their third summit in Vientiane to review the 16-year-old development scheme and seek further cooperation.

They will sign a number of documents, including a memorandum of understanding on transportation, and endorse the Vientiane Action Plan for 2008-12 for further cooperation.

The GMS is also involved in other areas of cooperation, such as energy, telecommunications, trade, investment, tourism and human-resource development.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation