Transport Minister Dinh La Thang called for further preliminary studiesof plans to open five cross-border bus routes between Vietnam andThailand during a talk with his Thai counterpart, Prajin Juntons, inHanoi on May 14.

He said that the two countries developed a planfor the bus routes two month ago and invited Laos to join in efforts tomake the bus routes connect the three countries.

Possible routes include a route from Vietnam's central Ha Tinh provinceto Laos' Khammuon province, and on to Thailand's Nakhon Phanom province.Another route would go from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh, and on toBangkok.

The two ministers also agreed to promotecoastal marine transport from the east of Thailand to the southern coastof Vietnam.

Minister Prajin Juntons said that theywould organise a meeting in August between delegations from Vietnam,Thailand and Cambodia to discuss the coastal marine transportcooperation. He said he hoped Vietnam creates favourable conditions forvehicles from Thailand to enter Vietnam.

He also said thatThailand's Transport Ministry would consider offering support toaviation firms of both countries, particularly Thai-Vietjet Air, anairline that is 51 percent owned by Thai Kannithi Aviation and 49percent by Vietjet Air.

Thang said that he appreciatedthe transport cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand as the twoprepare for the ASEAN Community at the end of the year. For betterconnectivity with regional neighbours, he added, Vietnam considerstransport infrastructure a major pillar for development.-VNA