Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Ngo Duc Thang has paid a working visit to Sa Kaeo province to study the possibility of elevating trade between the eastern provinces of Thailand with Vietnamese southern counterparts via Cambodia.

The ambassador also made a field-trip to Aranyaprathet-Poi Pet international border gate and a number of roads which links it with Cambodia ’s provinces of Battambang and Siem Reap.

During his working session with provincial authorities, Thang said Sa Kaeo is located on the East-West Economic Corridor that connects the Thai capital city of Bangkok with Vietnam ’s southern largest economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City , opening up a big opportunity to strengthen the sub-regional connectivity.

The Aranyaprathet-Poi Pet international border gate would create favourable conditions to boost trade, investment and tourism relations between Vietnam and Thailand through Cambodia , he said.

Thang proposed the provincial leaders join hands with the embassy to hold a seminar in the province in the near future to help local agencies and firms as well as the eastern provinces thoroughly understand benefits of the regional connectivity and Vietnam ’s investment policies and incentives.

The diplomat also requested Sa Kaeo province to adopt a new mechanism to promote the reception of guest workers from Vietnam .

Sa Kaeo authorities agreed on the ambassador’s viewpoints and proposals, saying the province is planning to upgrade a railway and roads to facilitate the flow of goods between the two nations via Cambodia .

The province is developing a project to turn itself into a centre of logistics and services connecting roads that run through the four regional countries - Myanmar , Thailand , Cambodia and Vietnam , they said.

The provincial leaders promised to create favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese in the province, work out a new mechanism for receiving guest Vietnamese workers and simplify procedures in dealing with those who had entered as tourists and have stayed for work in Thailand despite their invalid visas.

Following his tour of the Thai province, Thang and his entourage then held working sessions with the leaders of the Cambodian province of Siem Reap and the Vietnamese Consul General in Battambang province./.