Officials discuss transport sector reforms

Government officials are looking to reform the transport sector by removing barriers to the transport of goods for both Lao and foreign entrepreneurs.

Lao transport officials heard lessons from a Japanese expert at an Asean Japan Transport Logistics workshop in Vientiane yesterday, to gather more information on how to develop the Lao transport system.

During the workshop, Special Assistant to the Director of the Cargo Facilities Affairs Office under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan, Mr Tomoyuki Fukuhara, spoke about administration for cargo facilities in Japan .

He focused on the Japanese logistics process, administration systems in the field of logistics and the current situation in the warehouse industry.

Director General of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport's Transport Department, Mr Bouaphet Sayasane, said capacity building for the transport sector was needed to ensure the existing infrastructure was used effectively, and as a way of preparing for the full implementation of the Greater Mekong Sub-region Cross Border Transport Agreement in 2010.

He added that the concept of logistics was relatively new for developing countries, and had become a hot issue in recent times.

“A good logistics system will lead to a reduction in transport costs, and make the system more reliable and regionally integrated. This means importers and exporters involved in production and transport will be able to conform to the customs system,” he said.

This was why logistics had been on the national agenda for many countries in the region, including Thailand and Vietnam , he added.

Although road links with neighbouring countries have improved, some barriers remained, creating obstacles for the transport of goods coming to and going out of Laos , Mr Bouaphet said.

He told Vientiane Times that transport fees at immigration border checkpoints were still high, and transactions were often held up with drawn-out documentation processes.

A ‘one stop service' pilot project is being implemented at Daensavan, the immigration border checkpoint between Savannakhet province, Laos , and Vietnam .

Under this project, customs officials of both countries will work together in checking goods and documents in only one place.

This means that once goods are checked at the immigration border checkpoint in Vietnam , they will not need to be checked again at the Laos checkpoint, and vice versa.

But there will be challenges in implementing this sort of project, as documentation processes differ and there is as yet no office in which officials of both countries can work together.

“We will have a meeting with the Vietnamese authorities next month to discuss issues related to the ‘one-stop service' project,” Mr Bouaphet said.

“We also plan to set up similar services on the borders with Thailand and China in the future, to save time and money for business operators.”

By Somsack Pongkhao
(Latest Update February 07, 2008)