The Government aims to develop the northeastern province of Nong Khai as a regional logistics hub and the Nong Khai customs checkpoint as a one-stop-service model to facilitate cross-border trade and enhance the efficiency of goods transportation.

Prime Minister and Finance Minister Srettha Thavisin visited Nong Khai on 29 October 2023 and chaired a meeting at the Nong Khai Customs Office to discuss the issues of border trade, customs procedures, exports, and one-stop-service development between Thailand, Lao PDR, and China.

The Prime Minister urged the Nong Khai Governor and relevant agencies to push for the establishment of the one-stop-service center within three months. The center will serve as a place for business negotiations between investors and traders, and for supervising and checking the standards of tourism business licenses and tour guides.

He said that the center should facilitate border trade through Nong Khai around the clock. Regarding tourism, the Prime Minister stressed the Government’s policy of increasing the number of tourists visiting secondary tourist cities in order to generate more income for the regional areas of the country.

He also instructed relevant agencies to work more closely together in tackling the problems of road, rail, air, and water transport to facilitate international goods transportation. Laws and regulations concerning logistics will also be improved.

On the same day, the Prime Minister presided over the opening of the Naga Fire Miracle of Faith Festival in Phon Phisai district of Nong Khai. He said that the Government would support the organizing of various festivals, especially in secondary tourist cities, to attract tourism arrivals in the provinces.