Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam are collaborating to establish a maritime route linking the islands near Thailand’s Trat province with Cambodia’s Sihanoukville province and Vietnam’s Kiên Giang province.
The initiative aims to boost trade, investment, tourism, and the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) industry. Trat Governor Natthapong Sanguanjit recently led a meeting about this project at the CVTEC-Trat Business Roadshow 2024. The meeting included the deputy governors of six provinces across the three countries, the president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) Chamnan Srisawat, and the senior vice president of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Puripan Bunnag.
Mr. Chamnan noted that the TCT has been advocating for a Cambodia-Vietnam-Thailand Economic Corridor (CVTEC) conference, with TCEB as a co-organizer and main sponsor. The goal is to establish a maritime route connecting the three nations, creating a market under the concept of “One Market, Three Destinations.”
“This maritime route will serve as both a modern economic corridor and a charming tourism path, showcasing beautiful natural and cultural sites along the way,” Mr. Chamnan said.
Governor Natthapong emphasized the importance of promoting tourism that links the eastern coastal regions of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam via this maritime route. Representatives from both the private and public sectors of the three countries have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance trade, investment, tourism, and the MICE industry along this route.
The meeting also developed a plan to advance tourism and the MICE industry along the maritime route. TCEB Deputy Director Apichai Somboonpakorn expressed confidence in Thailand’s readiness for this project. If successful, it will enable tourists to travel from Pattaya to Laem Chabang, then to Trat, Sihanoukville, and Kiên Giang, and vice versa.
Wiyada Suang, vice president of the Tourism Council of Trat province, announced that the maritime tourism route is set to open during the high season in November of this year.
