In the morning of September 9, at Hoa Lu border gate in Binh Phuoc (Vietnam) – Trapeang Sre (Cambodia), Ministry of Transport of Vietnam in combination with Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Cambodia and Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Laos hold the Opening ceremony to perform the Memorandum between the Governments of Vietnam – Laos – Cambodia on road transport.

The ceremony witnesses the presence of Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho, Secretary of State of Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Cambodia Tauch Chankosal, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport of Lao People’s Democratic Republic Vilaykham Posalath, provincial leaders and local people in the border gate region.

Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tho and delegates at the opening ceremony

Neighboring relations and friendship between Vietnam – Laos – Cambodia have been increasingly consolidated and developed for the past years. The cooperation in economy, trade and investment among three countries has witnessed positive progress, especially in trade. Due to shared borderline and bilateral cooperation between Vietnam – Cambodia, Vietnam – Laos as signed in the Agreements, Protocols on road transportation makes contribution to promoting economic, trade and tourism exchanges of people in these three countries.

Beforehand, in the atmosphere of preparing to enter into ASEAN economic community, on 17/1/2013, in Champasak (Laos), on behalf of the Governments of three countries, Minister of Transport of three countries signed the Memorandum with a view to satisfying the needs for economic development, trade and tourism exchanges; creating favorable conditions for people and all commercial and non-commercial motor vehicles to transport cargo between the border of three countries.

Deputy Minister of Transport of Vietnam Le Dinh Tho states that the Memorandum includes 11 Articles and 3 appendices providing for contents to facilitate cargo and passengers transport on road between three countries. As specified by the Memorandum, commercial vehicle quota of each nation regarding border transport (motor vehicles transporting passengers according to fixed routes not included) is 150, the increase in commercial transport vehicle quota shall be negotiated by the three countries on the basis of common economic needs and benefits.

Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tho is speaking at the ceremony

Directorate for Roads of Vietnam is the focal agency giving permission as well as reporting to Ministry of Transport the situation of international transport, through transport between three countries according to the above Memorandum.

Besides, as stated by Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tho, when coming into effect, the Memorandum shall allow commercial and non-commercial transport vehicles of each nation to enter into the two countries, contributing to reducing transport fees, curtailing waiting time, facilitating people of the three nations, international tourists, vehicles and cargo to transcend the border between those countries; at the same time speeding up their relations, economic, commercial, tourism and transport exchanges between provinces of Cambodia and Laos and provinces in Tay Nguyen, the Southeast and Southwest of Vietnam and shortening the distance between the Capital of Vientiane (Laos) and Ho Chi Minh city (Vietnam).

Opening ceremony

Besides, opening the road to execute the Memorandum shall facilitate border transport, ensuring security and safety for transport as well as people and cargo, making contribution to further tightening the friendly relation among three countries.