ID :
310703
Thu, 12/12/2013 - 15:40
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Regional tourism port opened in Thai North

CHIANG RAI, THAILAND, December 12 (TNA) - Thailand has opened an official tourism port, the first of its kind in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), in Wiang Chiang Saen Sub-district of the northern Chiang Rai Province, aimed to stimulate Mekong Rim tourism from the Thai Kingdom to southern China through Laos. Caretaker Thai Deputy Interior Minister Wisarn Techatheerawat on Thursday presided over a ceremony to inaugurate the First Wiang Chiang Saen Tourism Port in Chiang Rai's Chiang Saen District. The first official tourism port in the GMS has been developed and is located at the formally First Chiang Saen Seaport after the Thai Ministry of Transport's Marine Department has constructed and opened the Second Chiang Saen Port for a new regional cargo deep seaport to replace it. Chayakrit Nissasaisuk, Wiang Chiang Saen Mayor, invited international tourists to now enjoy their boat rides for sight seeings along the multi-culture-rich Mekong River, saying that the first regional tourism port can now serve 300 visitors an hour and will be further developed to serve up to 600 visitors an hour within 2015, when the ASEAN Community (AC) is also formed. The mayor revealed that a hall in the compound of the First Wiang Chiang Saeng Tourism Port will also be soon developed into a duty-free market, which will be turned to be a flea market for GMS member countries every weekend. Meanwhile, Suchart Liangsaengthong, Thai Consular General in Kunming, reported that China is improving its western region, which provides great opportunities for Thai business operators. According to the Thai consular general, Yunnan Province of southwestern China, which can link Thailand with Kunming, has a total population of 48 million and a logistic system facilitating travels through the R3A regional land route and a bridge across the Mekong River, making it easier for Thai business operators to invest in the immense Chinese economy. Besides, Yunnan has implemented its Bridgehead Strategy, under which each Chinese province cooperates through their transportation links, which will increase travels, trade and tourism worth over 7 billion US dollars. The Thai consular general noted that China plans to further develop the country in three aspects over the next 10 years, including expanding its market to the world, allowing more currencies to flow in the domestic market and increasing special economic zones, all of which will provide more business channels for Thai business operators. (TNA)

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