Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen (2nd R) shakes hands with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (2nd L) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Sept. 7, 2017. Prayut arrived in Cambodia on Thursday morning for a one-day official visit. (Xinhua/Sovannara)
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and Thailand agreed on Thursday to further promote bilateral ties and cooperation in trade, investment, and tourism for mutual benefits.
The agreement was made between Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and visiting Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha during a bilateral meeting at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh.
"The discussion today produced highly fruitful outcome that will be used as a roadmap for promoting Cambodia-Thailand relations," Hun Sen said in a joint press conference after the meeting.
He said both sides agreed to enhance interconnectivity by road, railroad, air, and waterway in order to serve trade and tourism.
The two sides also discussed the issues of cross-border drugs and human trafficking, he said.
"We initiated the establishment of a free-drug zone along the Cambodia-Thailand border," Hun Sen said, adding that Cambodia also wished to see all of its laborers work in Thailand legally.
Approximately 1.05 million Cambodians are currently working in Thailand, and some 300,000 of them are undocumented.
The two neighbors reaffirmed their commitment to boost the trade volume to 15 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, up from 5.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2016.
Meanwhile, Prayut promised to encourage Thai merchants to buy more agricultural products from Cambodia.
"We will further enhance our bilateral cooperation along the border for the interest of our two countries and peoples," he said.
At the end of the meeting, the two prime ministers witnessed the signing ceremony of an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation between Thailand and Cambodia.
Prayut arrived in Cambodia on Thursday morning for a one-day official visit.
