Laos, Thailand Continue Tourism Cooperation

   HANOI (Feb. 11) XINHUA - The national tourism authorities 
of  Laos and Thailand have agreed to continue a tourism 
cooperation plan  for the 1998-1999  period, the Lao News 
Agency KPL reported Wednesday.
   The plan is part of an agreement on Lao-Thai tourism 
cooperation signed  in 1992.
   For 1998-1999, the two sides agreed to co-operate in 
exchanging  delegations of executive committees on tourism, 
training tourism  personnel, and promoting investment and 
marketing.
   A Thai tourist official said Thailand needed the 
understanding and  co-operation of Laos because of the 
current economic crisis.
   Because of a shortfall in cash, some projects have to be 
postponed.  The two sides will meet to discuss and co-
ordinate the projects  affected by budget problems.
   The official said one project to be implemented 
immediately was the  training of hotel people in Laos.