The central province of Thanh Hoa and its Lao neighbouring province of Houaphan on August 23, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the coordination of managing and protecting the national border line between the two localities.

The two sides agreed that they will continue educating local Vietnamese and Lao people and officers to strictly follow the agreement on border regulations as well as cooperation agreements signed by the two countries and provinces.

Under the MoU, Thanh Hoa and Houaphan provinces will further enhance patrols to protect the border line and markers, especially at border gates and paths, as well as exchange information and cooperate to prevent all criminal activities, including human trafficking and smuggling of drugs, weapons and explosives.

The two provinces share 192 kilometres of border line and have to date set up 89 of the 92 markers assigned in the project on enhancing the Vietnam-Laos national border marker system.