Greater Mekong Sub-Region to Start Issuing Cross-Border Vehicle Passes

 

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CHIANG RAI – During the recent meeting on cross-border transport ministers from five of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) have agreed to start issuing cross-border vehicle passes for residents of the 5 countries.

Transport Ministers from Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and China on Thursday called an informal meeting on the GMS Cross-Border Transport Facilitation Agreement.

Transport Minister, Arkom Termpitayapaisit said all GMS members, except Myanmar, would begin issuing cross-border passes for trucks and non-fixed route buses that come and go from one another’s countries. A maximum of 500 trucks and non-fixed route buses is allowed for each country.

The pilot project will run from 1st December until the end of 2019.

Myanmar decided to delay the project, as it is in the middle of political transition and has no experience in handling inter-country vehicles. Myanmar will instead operate cross-border transport with Thailand first. The Myanmarese government plans to fully implement the 6-nation agreement by 2020.

The Thai government designated four permanent border checkpoints in Mukdahan, Chiang Rai, Tak and Sa Kaeo to issue truck and bus border passes to Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. GMS nations agreed on the regional connectivity project 15 years ago and proceeded to ratification in 2015.

Meanwhile, Chiang Rai Provincial Employment Office organized a job fair to accommodate the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in the province.

Chiang Rai Provincial Employment Office chief Wanida Jaree said that the event aims to provide students and general public with the information on education and careers so that they realize their skills, interests and aptitudes.

This will allow them to properly decide whether they further their studies or work in order to prepare the workforce to meet the needs of the AEC labor market.

The job fair offered 2,000 job vacancies and featured a forum on the future of Thai workers in Chiang Rai special economic development zone. The event was attended by a large number of people.

By Vipaporn Pooritanasarn and Rodney McNeil