GMS in the News

The Governments of Thailand and Myanmar officially opened the second Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge to traffic on 30 October 2019 in Tak province, Mae Sot district, Thailand. The bridge crosses over the Moei river, and connects the Mae Sot District of Thailand with Myawaddy in Myanmar.   

Thailand’s Golf Digg and Viet Nam’s Spa Noir emerged as winners in the Mekong Innovative Startups in Tourism (MIST) 2019. Golf Digg, an online golf booking service, won as best Travel Technology Venture.

Financial resource mobilization by the Malaria Trust Fund has helped eradicate malaria and build strong foundations for health systems in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have identified 19 priority infrastructure projects to enhance regional connectivity and mobilize investments. Fifteen of the projects are in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

The six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion have agreed to extend the “early harvest” implementation of their Cross-Border Transport Facilitation Agreement (CBTA) for 2 years.

The International Finance Corporation is partnering with Thailand-based Amata Corporation to develop sustainability projects for cities, towns, and industrial zones in the Greater Mekong Subregion. The projects will promote green growth and sustainable design practices.

A new bridge now links the border towns of Myawaddy in Myanmar and Mae Sot in Thailand.

Pilot projects in the Greater Mekong Subregion are helping increase small farmers’ income by enhancing their access to the lucrative organic food market using a community-based certification system.

Japan and the five Southeast Asian countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion adopted the Tokyo Strategy 2018 at the 10th Mekong-Japan Summit Meeting in Tokyo on 9 October.