Thailand and Vietnam in alliance for rubber commodity industry

BANGKOK, July 23 (TNA) - Thailand and Vietnam have jointly agreed todevelop Thailand's northeast into a regional hub of the rubber industry.

Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Theerachai Saenkaew recently held talks on this matter with Vietnam's Deputy Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Bui Ba Bong during his visit to Hanoi earlier thismonth.

The two ministers discussed in concrete terms on how the two countrieswith a sizeable rubber industry can cooperate further for mutual benefits.

The two countries will from now on exchange information more actively on the industry and cooperate in human resource development as well astransport infrastructure.

With rubber production in Thailand's northeast projected at half a million tonnes in seven years, the two countries agree to use Vietnam's port of Danang to export both countries' output to buyers in China, Japan and South Korea, as transport cost to Danang is cheaper than via Bangkok toThailand's eastern seaboard, Mr. Thirachai said.

The two countries will develop their cooperation by setting priorities and meeting annually to assess their progress, he added. (TNA)