On 18 January 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand hosted the 11^th Meeting of the Thai – Lao Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) in Bangkok. H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand and Chairman of the Joint Boundary Commission (Thai side) together with H.E. Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR and Chairman of the Joint Boundary Commission (Lao side), co-chaired the said Meeting.

          The 11^th Thai – Lao JBC Meeting discussed and followed up on the implementation of the outcome of the 10^th JBC Meeting, as well as the and demarcation of the land and river boundary between Thailand and Laos. The Meeting noted the progress made by the various mechanisms under the JBC which worked closely and effectively in the best interest of the peoples of the two countries.

          The outcome of the 11^th JBC Meeting was positive. The meeting agreed on further demarcation of the boundary in Huay Don, Ubon Ratchathani Province.  Regarding the survey and demarcation of the river boundary line in the Mekong River and Heung River, both sides completed jointly a new map of the Mekong River between Thailand and Laos. Negotiations on the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the survey and demarcation of the river boundary line between the two countries are proceeding on the basis of international law. Both countries are committed to expediting the boundary negotiations, moving forward hand in hand with the survey and demarcation of the boundary, towards a clear and uniform boundary between the two countries, which will lead to sustainable cooperation and friendship of the border areas between Thailand and Laos.

          Thailand and Laos share 1,810 kilometres-long boundary: 702 kilometres of land boundary and 1,108 kilometres of river boundary. Joint survey of the boundary between the two countries started on 6 May 1997 and to date, the two countries have demarcated 676 kilometres with 210 boundary pillars.