Greater Mekong Subregion Cooperation

A. Greater Mekong Subregion Cooperation

1. With the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Program having been established in 1992, a number of projects have been initiated to provide a focus on infrastructure in the region. A map of the three economic corridors identified under the GMS is provided at the end of this appendix. The Champasack Project was formulated within the broader context of regional integration within southern Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) as well as to promote trade and travel with the neighboring countries of Thailand and Cambodia.

2. A GMS Cross-Border Transport Agreement (GMS Agreement) is in the process of being finalized to facilitate cross-border transport of goods and people. It is a multilateral instrument covering several cross-border aspects including (i) single-stop/single-window customs inspection; (ii) cross-border movement of persons (i.e., visas for persons engaged in transport operations); (iii) transit traffic regimes, including exemptions from physical customs inspection, bond deposit, escort, and veterinary inspection; (iv) requirements that road vehicles will have to meet to be eligible for cross-border traffic; (v) exchange of commercial traffic rights; and (vi) infrastructure, including road and bridge design standards, road signs, and signals. The GMS Agreement will apply to selected and mutually agreed upon routes and points of entry and exit in the signatory countries.

3. The following corridors and border crossings on the project road are included in the scope of the GMS Agreement: (i)

From Vientiane (Lao PDR) to Sihanoukville (Cambodia). The route comprises Vientiane-Ban Lao-Thakhek-Seno-Pakse (Lao PDR) to the Lao PDR/Cambodia border-Stung Treng-Kratie-Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville (Cambodia). The border crossing is at Veun Kham (Lao PDR)/Dong Kralor (Cambodia).

(ii) From Champasack (Lao PDR) to Ubon Ratchathani (Thailand). The route comprises Champasack (Lao PDR) to Ubon Ratchathani (Thailand). The border crossing is at Wang Tao (Lao PDR)-Chong Mek (Thailand).

4. The project road is expected to support this Agreement by providing an uninterrupted all- weather access on both the above sectors.

B. Emerald Triangle Cooperation Framework 1

5. To complement the GMS Cooperation, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Thailand have embarked upon an emerald triangle cooperation framework. As tourism has been perceived to

be an effective instrument for socioeconomic development, the initial aim of this cooperation is to utilize the combined tourism resources of the subregion for the mutual benefit of the participating countries. The strengths in the tourism industry of each member country will enhance the combined potential in this sector and promote tourism in this subregion. Not only is this cooperation expected to benefit the tourism industry, but it is aimed at generating economic growth, reducing income disparity in the three countries, and enhancing the well-being of people at the grassroots level.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand website, (http://www.mfa.go.th).

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6. The geographical coverage of the emerald triangle is northeastern Thailand, northwestern Cambodia, and southern Lao PDR, covering the project area. Each country has identified two provinces as part of the emerald triangle: Ubon Ratchathani and Sisaket in Thailand, Preah Vihear and Odor Meanchey in Cambodia, and Champasack and Salavanh in the Lao PDR. The tourism highlights in the emerald triangle include Pha Taem National Park in Ubon Ratchathani Province and Khao Pra Vihan National Park in Sisaket Province of Thailand, Preah Vihear Temple of Cambodia; and the ancient Wat Phu (temple) and the Khone Phapheng Waterfalls (the “Niagara Falls of Southeast Asia”) in Champasack Province of the Lao PDR. The Khone Waterfalls are part of the project impact area, while Wat Phu is across the Mekong River adjacent to the project road.

7. The tourism cooperation framework will complement existing regional and subregional frameworks such as the GMS, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and Asia Cooperation Dialogue. Tourism is one of the strategic areas of cooperation in the Bagan Declaration and the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Plan of Action adopted by the leaders of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Thailand in Bagan, Myanmar on

12 November 2003. Tourism cooperation in the emerald triangle may thus be considered a showcase project for the ACMECS.

8. Immediately after the first ACMECS Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, the Inaugural Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Emerald Triangle Cooperation on Tourism was held on

2 August 2003 in Pakse, Champasack Province, Lao PDR. At the meeting, Thailand, Cambodia, and Lao PDR adopted the “Pakse Declaration on Tourism Cooperation in the Emerald Triangle.” The declaration was an expression of the three countries’ political commitment and shared vision to promote tourism cooperation in the area where their borders are joined. It also provided practical guidelines for the three nations to achieve quick, tangible results.

9. The “Emerald Triangle Plan of Action” was drawn up at the first working group meeting of the Emerald Triangle Cooperation organized in Ubon Ratchathani Province of Thailand in December 2003; it includes joint research, human resources development, joint marketing and promotion, exchange of personnel and expertise in both the public and private sectors, development of transportation and tourism facilities, and improvement of international border checkpoints.