Xieng Kok, a small Lao river port for cargo vessels travelling along the Mekong River, is being eyed for an upgrade into an international crossing linking Laos, Myanmar, China and Thailand.
According to Wichai Boonsuwan, chief of Xieng Kok immigration checkpoint, the port is currently serves mostly cargo ships which stop to unload freight or for fuel.
However, Lao authorities see its potential and want to develop the port into an international crossing following the completion of a bridge linking Laos and Myanmar, he said.
"Lao authorities want to develop Xieng Kok into a permanent checkpoint. It can also be linked with Myanmar via the Myanmar-Laos bridge which was built in line with China's Belt and Road initiative," he said.
However, he said a permanent checkpoint at the bridge cannot be opened yet due to the ongoing internal issues in Myanmar.
According to Mr Wichai, foreign tourists can visit the port and all they have to do is to present their passports to immigration staff. However, they are not allowed to enter into Laos itself.
A border source said the opening of the checkpoint at the Laos-Myanmar bridge has been delayed pending negotiations between Myanmar authorities and ethnic groups.
While the bridge itself is under the supervision of the Myanmar government, the surrounding areas are controlled by Wa and Shan State, according to the source.
Pakaimas Vierra, who owns the Mekong Delta Travel Agency which runs Mekong cruises, has welcomed the prospect of Xieng Kok port being upgraded into an international port.
According to Ms Pakaimas, Xieng Kok port is half way along the cruise route between Chiang Rai's Chiang Saen district and China's southernmost province of Yunnan and it could serve as a tourist stop for boats.
She said at the moment there is no tourist stop along the 263km route from Chiang Rai's Chiang Saen to Jinghong port in China. The upstream cruise takes about two days and one night while the downstream cruise takes one day.
Ms Pakaimas, also vice-president of the Chiang Rai Chamber of Commerce, recently launched a 106km cruise from Chiang Saen to Laos' Xieng Kok port and has discussed regulations with local authorities.
She said Xieng Kok port has great potential because it is close to the Myanmar-Laos bridge and is linked to central Laos, which recently launched a "Visit Laos Year 2018" campaign aimed at promoting tourism in the country.
"The discussion was preliminary in order to find out if we can make a tourist stop at the port," she said.
Xieng Kok is one of 14 river ports that four nations -- Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and China -- have agreed to develop as part of an agreement on common navigation rules along the Mekong.
