Thailand joins Mekong countries in sealing partnership with SKorea

BANGKOK, July 30 (TNA) - Thailand and four other Mekong River Basin countries have adopted the first action plan for their cooperation with the Republic of Korea (ROK) over the next three years. The first agreed action plan was endorsed at the 4th Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Seoul on July 29, in which foreign ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand and South Korea participated. Acting Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told TNA after Tuesday's meeting that the cooperation covers, among others, infrastructure, technology, agriculture, rural development, water resources, environmentally- friendly growth and human resource development. Sihasak, who is also Thai Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, acknowledged that the action plan also creates investment opportunities in the Mekong River Basin, most members of which are also member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Under the cooperation Thailand and South Korea will offer assistance to the rest countries, with Thailand to train their officials and develop their local communities and roads, including Route 48 from Koh Kong to Sre Ambel in Cambodia and a road from Mae Sot in Tak Province in the Thai Northwest via Myawaddy to Kaw Kareik in Myanmar, which are considered important economic routes. Sihasak said South Korea is also interested in developing Route 48. According to the acting Thai foreign minister, it is an opportunity to boost economic cooperation between South Korea and countries in the Mekong River Basin, as it will also help narrow economic gaps among ASEAN member countries and speed up the formation of the ASEAN Community (AC). (TNA)