Thailand, Laos, Vietnam to launch joint transnational bus routes

Thailand is in discussions with Vietnam and Laos about establishing new bus routes linking the three nations' popular destinations.

The Thai government has given the go-ahead to open a bus connecting three countries via route R12 from Nakhon Phanom province to Laos' Thakhek town and on to Ha Tinh province in central Vietnam, according to Laotian Times.

"We are doing what we can to expedite the route-opening process," the online English-language newspaper quoted Thailand's Ministry of Transport as saying.

The ministry asked Laos to host the second Trilateral Working Group Meeting as soon as possible in order to discuss the service model and make formal agreements.

The distance between Nakhon Phanom and Vietnam's Ha Tinh province is around 300 kilometers.

The joint transnational bus passenger service will be run by Thailand's state-owned The Transport Co., Ltd, according to English-language daily Bangkok Post.

The Transport Co. Ltd had focused on cross-border bus services for quite a while but the latest initiative would be its first three-country service, Noppharat Karunyavanich, company president, said.

"A request is underway to seek a service license from the Department of Land Transport. If it is obtained, the three countries can sign a memorandum of understanding," he noted.

Laotian Times wrote: "The three cities are especially attractive to tourists, with local arts and culture activities, temples, and sacred sites, as well as natural wonders like waterfalls, mountains, and beaches."

Bordered on the west by Laos, Ha Tinh is home to a string of religious sites like Cua Dieu Tower, Huong Tich Pagoda, Bich Chau Temple and Chieu Trung Temple.

The province also has many special tourism attractions that are ecologically, historically, and culturally significant, including Vu Quang National Park, the Ke Go reservoir, Hong Linh Mountain, the famous poet Nguyen Du's residence, and the monument to Tran Phu, the first General Secretary of Vietnamese Communist Party.