4 ASEAN members to promote tourism

[darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx]

 4 ASEAN members to promote tourism jointly 


Kyodo, Manila, 28 November 1999. Foreign ministers of Thailand, 
Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar agreed Saturday to create a joint tour
package called 'Suwannabhumi' in a united bid to showcase their 
countries' tourist spots and further develop air and road transport  
links among them, a Thai official said Sunday. 

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Don Pramudwinai told reporters the 
foreign ministers of the four Southeast Asian countries met Saturday 
on the sidelines of the summit of the  Association of Southeast Asian 
Nations (ASEAN). 

Don said the new joint tourism campaign includes Cambodia's Angkor 
Wat, which is one of the seven wonders of the world, Laos' Luang 
Prabang, Myanmar's Mandalay area and Thailand's Grand Palace
in Bangkok. 

'It would not only bring us foreign revenues, promotion of air and 
road transport links...but every participating country agreed the 
project would also highlight the distinctive value of Suwannabhumi,
which is a Buddhist region,' Don said. 

Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan also invited the three other 
cooperating countries to send officials to Bangkok to discuss 
specifics of the tourism project, Don said. 

Don also said Myanmar and Laos finalized a bilateral agreement 
on Mekong River water transport during a meeting of their officials 
in Manila. 

Thailand and China also reached an agreement to celebrate next 
year the 25th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic 
ties between their countries with a theme focusing on tourism
cooperation highlighting the Mekong River, Don said. 

The Mekong River runs through China, Tibet, Laos, Myanmar, 
Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. 

Don said the China-Thailand tourism agreement was reached 
during a bilateral meeting between Surin and Chinese counterpart 
Tang Jiaxuan on Saturday. 


Internet ProLink PC User