Officials of Laos and Thailand display the signed documents during a technical and business dialogue between the two sides in Nan province of Thailand last week.

Lao delegation visits Nan province of Thailand to boost economic cooperation

The private sector of Laos aims to enhance business integration with the Thai business sector, especially in Nan province of Thailand, to explore new opportunities for boosting the growth of trade and industry.
A Lao delegation led by the President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI), Mr Oudet Souvannavong, recently met trade officials in Nan province to discuss the development of sustainable cooperation.
The meeting focused on expanding the relationship between Laos and Thailand and promoting economic cooperation. The two sides discussed a range of topics specifically related to cooperation in the trade and industry sectors between Thailand’s Nan province and Oudomxay, Luang Prabang and Xayaboury provinces in northern Laos.
The meeting also discussed cooperation for building a better quality of life for people in these provinces of Laos and Thailand, ways to promote the export of local products like textiles and coffee, and the full integration of border trade activities.
The two sides focused on 11 specific topics, including cross-border trade facilitation, trade of coffee, tourism, distribution of products, reopening local border points to boost trade, exchange of labour, building on the integration of young entrepreneurs, cooperation in technology and digital, and technical cooperation between the two countries.
The visit of the Lao delegation, which included officials from the provincial Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Oudomxay, Luang Prabang and Xayaboury, is expected to rebuild and refresh cooperation following disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic over the past three years.
After the technical and economic dialogues, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on exchanging information on economic matters, trade, investment and other important issues. This will cover exchanges between the two countries and the three northern provinces of Laos and Thailand’s Nan province, especially between the chambers of commerce and the tourism sector.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Governor of Nan province, Mr Wiboon Waewbandit. The Lao delegation, accompanied by the Thai partners, visited a number of food, fruit and coffee processing and manufacturing units before returning home.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update July 15, 2022)