"After talks with China's central government, China wants to have its trucks running from Kunming to Bangkok via Laos," Chula Sukmanop, deputy director-general of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), said yesterday.

He addressed a workshop last week on Thailand going towards a world-class logistics centre in the Greater mekong Subregion (GMS).

The Chinese government wants to start trucking in the second quarter of next year, he said.

The vehicle limit on each side would be set at 500 units. In the first year of cooperation, each would run only 100 vehicles and then gradually increase the quota to 500 vehicles in the fourth year.

For Thailand, the Land Transport Department would be the authorised agency issuing permits for trucking from Bangkok to Kunming, capital of the southern province of Yunnan. Freight transport and irregular tour-vehicle operators will also be given consideration. Details on the quota will be unveiled later, Chula said.

Given the current situation, there was an agreement under the GMS framework to have only inbound "single-stop inspection". For example, when freight trucks run from Laos across the border to Thailand, they could pass through without inspection at the Laotian border checkpoint. Officials from both countries would provide the border control facility at Thailand's border checkpoint with inspection, quarantine and customs clearance services.

This also needs legislation to support it.

"The bill on cross-border trade and transport facilitation has been handed to the House of Representatives," Chula said.

"We're also preparing for the separation of people and freight when moving across the border in same way we do at airports and seaports."

There was little progress on software collaboration in cross-border transport among Asean members, he said. But the GMS countries should be ready before other Asean members by making matches such as between Thailand and Laos or Laos and Vietnam, he said.

However, China is not preparing for single-stop inspection, he said.

For the current progress in transport development by the ministry, Chula said the OTP had transformed the nation's master plan into a ministerial plan.

As a gateway in the northern area, the Chiang Saen II port in Chiang Rai province is to be completed by the end of next year. All equipment at Chiang Saen I will be moved to Chiang Saen II port.

The Chiang Khong Bridge, 80 kilometres from the Chiang Saen I port, will be a gateway for road transport linking to China after construction is completed and it opens in April 2012, Chula said.

About 200 rai (32 hectares) of land near the bridge and port will be prepared for logistics activities such as customs clearance, inland container depots and inspection points. The government will invest in the land and private companies will operate the facilities.

If the country needs to extend its railroad in the North to Chiang Saen, authorities will have to think about what needs to be adjusted. However, this rail route will be more important than the high-speed Nong Khai-Bangkok route, as it will carry cargo, Chula said.

According to data collected by the Trade Negotiations Department last year, 67 per cent or US$190 billion (Bt5.9 trillion) of total international trade was in Asia. Of that, 30 per cent or $57 billion was trade among Asean members and, of that, 25 per cent or $14 billion was trade among GMS countries.

Thailand is the largest trading partner of Laos at 51 per cent and with Cambodia at 32 per cent. It is the second-largest trading partner of Burma with 19 per cent.