Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam are looking to cooperate in establishing a maritime route connecting islands near Thailand’s Trat Province with the provinces of Sihanoukville in Cambodia and Kien Giang in Vietnam, Thai media reported on Sunday. 

Such a sea route is aimed at promoting investment, trade and tourism, combined with meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) between the three countries, according to Bangkok Post.

Trat governor Natthapong Sanguanjit recently chaired a meeting about this initiative at the Cambodia-Vietnam-Thailand Economic Corridor (CVTEC)-Trat Business Roadshow 2024 event.

The meeting was attended by provincial leaders of the three countries, along with president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) Chamnan Srisawat and senior vice president of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) Puripan Bunnag.

The TCT has been accelerating the organization of a CVTEC conference, with TCEB as a co-organizer and main sponsor, Chamnan said.

The goal of the conference is to promote a sea route that connects the three countries, creating a market under the concept of ‘one market, three destinations,’ the TCT leader stated. 

“The maritime route will not only function as a modern-day economic route, but it will also be a charming tourism route, with beautiful nature and culture along the way,” Bangkok Post quoted Chamnan as saying.

Trat governor Natthapong underscored the need of finding a way to promote tourism connecting the eastern coastal regions of the three countries through this sea route.

Representatives of the three countries' private and public sectors have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly strengthen trade, investment, tourism and the MICE industry in areas along the route.

TCEB believes that Thailand is ready for this project, and if successful, the project will allow tourists to travel from Pattaya to Laem Chabang, then to Trat, Sihanoukville, Kien Giang and vice versa, said TCEB deputy director Apichai Somboonpakorn.

The route will be put into operation in the peak season this year, around November, Wiyada Suang, vice president of Trat Provincial Tourism Council, announced.

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