Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO People-to-People Connectivity between Central Vietnam, Lao PDR and Thailand Masami Ishida Institute of Developing Economies Japan External Trade Organization 1 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO Today’s Topic I. Exchange through Tourism II. Cooperation in Education III. Sister – City Relations IV. Background of Deepened Relations 2 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO I. Exchange through Tourism 3 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO Thai Tourists Visit Central Vietnam Hue 1st 3rd From 2004 or 2005 Thai tourists who visit Central Vietnam Had Da Nang 2nd Increased. 3 Nights 4 Days Khon Kaen Trip Mukdahan Hoi An Ubon Ratchathani Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO Arrivals to Laos by Vietnamese and Thai 100,000 20,000 80,000 15,000 Tay Trang – Pang Hok 10,000 Huay Xai – 60,000 5,000 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 40,000 2.7 – 4.8% Chiang Kohn 2.8 – 8.5% 20,000 300,000 0 250,000 200,000 Na Meo – Nam Xoi 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 150,000 100,000 50,000 0 100,000 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 0.2 – 1.8% 80,000 40,000 60,000 35,000 Nam Ngeun – 30,000 25,000 Nam Can – Nam Khan 40,000 20,000 15,000 20,000 10,000 Huay Kon 0.8 – 1.7% 5,000 0 0.2 – 2.1% 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 100,000 Cau Treo – Nam Phao 1.1 – 7.4% Nam Heuang – 80,000 60,000 Nong Phur 0.8 – 9.0% 40,000 20,000 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Vientiane – Nong Khai 8.4 – 20.4% 1,000,000 800,000 Cha Lo – Naphao 0.9 – 7.0% 200,000 600,000 150,000 100,000 400,000 50,000 0 200,000 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Lao Bao – Den 0 Bo Y – Phou Keua Savanh 8.6 – 27.3% 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Savannakhet – Mukdahan 3.3 – 4.5% 0.5 – 5.0% 300,000 30,000 250,000 25,000 200,000 20,000 Pakxan – Bueng Kan 15,000 1,000,000 10,000 200,000 5,000 150,000 0 5.6 – 13.5% 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 150,000 100,000 800,000 100,000 200,000 50,000 50,000 Thakhek – 150,000 0 0 600,000 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Nakhon Phanom 100,000 300,000 50,000 400,000 16.2 – 35.6% 250,000 Vang Tao – Chong 0 200,000 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Mek 1.7 – 3.1% 200,000 150,000 : Entry by Thai people. 100,000 5 0 50,000 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 0 : Entry by Vietnamese people. 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO Thai tourists created Tourist Arrivals at Den Savanh Border the new trend of people-to- people 280,772 291,825 300,000 connectivity. But the 236,984 250,000 190,876 number of Thai tourist 200,000 161,717 145,126 show sluggish Trend 150,000 recently. 80,568 100,000 1. Thai government 30,179 31,669 22,489 25,099 33,576 26,499 31,749 50,000 regulation to 0 government 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 officials business tour has become Savannakhet + Den Savanh Border tight. 1,000,000 2. Competition 800,000 between LCC and bus tour has 600,000 become tough. 400,000 3. Thai tourists do 200,000 not repeat visits to the same spot 0 Central Vietnam. 2005 2010 2015 : Entry by Thai people. 6 Source: Statistical Report on Tourism in Laos. : Entry by Vietnamese people. Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO Tourist Arrivals at 3rd Mekong Bridge & Thakhek 200,000 November 11, 2011 Completion of Third Mekong Bridge 150,000 132,456 103,120 90,236 100,000 58,963 49,800 56,040 59,709 57,048 40,537 50,000 25,230 29,134 11,377 9,635 13,683 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Vietnamese people who moves from Nong Khai to Vientiane and Tourist Arrivals at 1st Mekong Bridge (near Vientiane) from Nakhon Phanom to Thakhek have 1,000,000 925,043 increased. 900,000 767,382 789,390 800,000 709,946 700,000 600,000 513,870 517,300 500,000 442,168 400,000 300,000 201,790 200,000 152,548 115,157 129,090 129,112 91,629 100,000 40,496 0 7 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO Vietnamese Tourists Visit Thailand & Laos Vientiane 1st Nakhon Phanom 2nd Vinh Udon Thani 2 Nights 3 Days Tour Shopping Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO II. Cooperation in Education 9 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO Foreign Students Enroll in Central Vietnam Nghe An Educational Vinh Univ. (Foreign) 100 500 College (Lao) Lao 80 400 Chinese 60 300 Thai 40 200 20 0 100 2005 2010 2015 0 Hue Educational Ha Tinh Univ. (Lao) 2005 2010 2015 Quang Binh Univ. Dong Hoi College (Lao) (Lao) College (Lao) 2000 Hue Univ. (Foreign) 500 100 Under 1500 400 80 Graduate 60 Vinh 300 Language 1000 40 200 20 500 100 0 2005 2010 2015 0 0 Dong Hoi 2005 2010 2015 2005 2010 2015 Quang Tri Education Da Nang Foreign Dong Ha College (Lao) Hue Medical College (Lao) Language Univ. 100 Da Nang （Foreign) 80 Hue Da Nang 100 60 Education College 80 40 Da Nang 60 20 Under Graduate (Lao) 40 0 Graduate (Lao) 2005 2010 2015 Tam Ky 20 0 2005 2010 2015 Quang Ngai Pham Van Dong Univ. (Lao) Quang Nam Univ. (Lao) 100 100 80 80 60 60 40 Source: Graphs are based on data collected by Vietnam Institute of Economics 40 20 10 from Ministry of Education in Vietnam. 20 0 0 2005 2010 2015 2005 2010 2015 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO The Number of Lao Students in Vietnam Students do not have to use air plane. They can move to the cities from their home towns by bus. This is an effect of cross-border road infrastructure development Vinh Univ. 642 Students Ha Tinh Univ. 1900 Students Quang Binh Univ. 140 Students (2015) Hue Univ. 310 Students Da Nang Univ. 517 Students Qaung Nam Univ. 179 Students Source: Interviews with the universities conducted in October 2016 and in December 2015. Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO Other Examples of Exchange of Students Increase in the number of foreign students at Khon Kaen Univ. 2013 2014 2015 2016 Science & Technology 177 202 236 213 Many of them are from CLMV countries Health 182 219 250 225 including Laos Humanities & Society 364 435 401 480 Total 723 856 977 918 Source: Survey conducted by Khon Kaen Univ. Another case study 1 or 2 students Vietnamese Mukdahan study tourism Industrial College as of 2015 Hue Chaophraya Industrial College University 12 trainees of business experience as of 2015 12 Source: Survey conducted by Khon Kaen Univ and Vietnamese Institute of Economics. Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO III. Sister-City Relations 13 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO MOUs between Neighboring Provinces Xieng Khouang Nghe An Bolikhamxay Ha Tinh Quang Binh Khammouane Quang Tri Thua Thien Hue Mukdahan Savannakhet Da Nang Salavan Quang Ubon Sekong Ratchathani Nam Champasak Attapeu Bangkok Preah Vihear Source: Interview at People’s Committees : A Sister – City Relation between neighboring provinces. and DPI of Vietnamese provinces and 14 commercial department of Ubon : Cooperative relations based on Emerald Triangle. Ratchathani province in 2015 and : Cooperative relations based on MOUs on education and tourism. 2016. Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO Sister City Relations and MOU in General Xieng Khouang Nghe An Bolikhamxay Ha Tinh Quang Binh Khammouane Quang Tri Thua Thien Mukdahan Savannakhet Hue Da Nang Salavan Quang Ubon Sekong Ratchathani Nam Champasak Attapeu Bangkok Source: Interview at DPI in Thua Thien Hue Province and Department of Foreign Affairs of Da Nang City in December 2015, and at DPI of Quang Tri Province in October 2016. 15 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO MOUs between Vietnam and Lao PDR Thua Thien Hue Province and Da Nang Concluded MOU with 6 Provinces in Lao PDR Khammouane Thua Thien Savannakhet Hue Da Nang Salavan Sekong Champasak Attapeu Source: Interview at DPI in Thua Thien Hue Province and Department of Foreign Affairs of Da Nang City in December 2015. 16 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO Nine Provinces’ Cooperative Relations 1996 Plan of Vietnam – Thailand Friendship Village was started in Nakhon Phanom Nghe An 1996 Sister – city relation of Bolikhamxay 2 Lao Provinces, 3 Bueng Ha Tinh Vietnamese provinces Nong Khai Kan Khammouane Quang and Nakhon Phanom Sakon Nakhon Binh 2011 The third Mekong NakhonPhanom Friendship Bridge was completed 3 Thai provinces added Meeting twice in a year Promoting trade, tourism and road development 17 Source: Interviews at People’s Committee of Ha Tinh Province and DPI of Nghe An Province in October 2016. Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO EWEC Business Database Project Phit Tak Sanulok Quang Tri Karen Mukdahan Khon Kalasin Thua Thien Savannakhet Hue Kaen Mon Da Nang Source: Based on my experience of working for Mekong Institute as a consultant in 2012. 18 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO IV. Background of Deepened Relation 19 Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO Overseas Vietnamese in Thailand First Generation (18 – 19 century) 1) Vietnamese who accompanied with Nguyen Phuc Anh (later called as Gia Long, the First Emperor of Nguyen Dynasty) when escaped to Bangkok in 1783 and continued to live in Thailand.