Kongjing, Thailand, August 20 (Xinhua) – In order to fully tap into the potential of the China Laos Thailand Railway in promoting logistics and tourism, the Conference on Promoting Logistics and Tourism Along the China Laos Thailand Railway was held in Kongjing, a city in northeastern Thailand, on the 19th.
Chinese Consul General Liu Hongmei delivered a speech, saying that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand. The purpose of this conference is to promote cooperation through building a platform, maximize the driving effect of the China Laos Thailand railway on economic and social development, promote the sharing of mutually beneficial cooperation dividends in areas along the railway, including Northeast Thailand, and enable railway interconnection to drive regional coordinated development, better benefiting the people of the region.
In his speech, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, Chakhappong Dangsuttan, emphasized the important role that railways play in promoting the development of the tourism industry. He stated that the China Laos Thailand Railway is not only a transportation artery, but also a tourism artery that connects different cultural, natural, and creative destinations along the route.
Sihala, General Manager of the National Railway Company of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Laos, introduced the huge benefits brought to Laos by the opening of the China Laos Railway at the meeting. He stated that railways have become a key driving force for Laos’ transformation, helping to reduce transportation costs, promote trade circulation, and create new tourism opportunities. The China Laos Railway has transformed Laos from a “land locked country” to a “land linked country”. In the future, with the integration of the railway network with Thailand, it will build a seamless railway corridor connecting China’s inland and the hinterland of Southeast Asia.
Mekong College Dean Su Liyan said that the key to regional cooperation lies in the interconnectivity of transportation, especially the railway network. This is not only related to infrastructure construction, but also requires the creation of a strategic economic corridor in the Greater Mekong Subregion. By combining logistics tourism with emerging industries such as health preservation, creative services, and medical tourism, the dividends of this economic corridor can benefit the people along the way.
This conference is hosted by the Chinese Consulate General in Kongjing, co organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of Yunnan Provincial People’s Government, and organized by Mekong College. Nearly 300 representatives from China, Thailand, Laos and other countries attended the conference to discuss how to expand the railway network, strengthen cross-border trade and tourism facilitation, improve logistics efficiency and tourism experience.