The head of one of Myanmar’s biggest DMCs has said that he is hopeful that a new agreement between Thailand and Myanmar will lead to greater cross-border tourism opportunities.

Edwin Briels, managing director of Khiri Travel Myanmar, said that the recently-signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Myanmar Tourism Federation and Tourism Authority of Thailand would create new options for overland tours between Sukhothai in Thailand and Myanmar’s Mon and Kayin states.

The MoU commits the neighbouring tourism boards to promoting the two countries as a single destination for international travellers.

“Mon culture is one of the oldest in Southeast Asia and the limestone mountains and the caves in Kayin state are spectacular and offer a great backdrop for soft adventure activities,” Briels said. “Khiri Travel already has regularly clients arriving through [the] Myawaddy border and hopes that soon the Three Pagodas Pass will be opened for tourism as there are millions of tourists yearly visiting Kanchanaburi province.

“Crossing over to Myanmar and continue to Mawlamyine, Golden Rock and Yangon would be a perfect extension for ‘two countries-one destination’ promotion,” he added.

Thailand and Myanmar are share a 1,800km border and currently have three official border posts – Tachilek, Myawaddy and Kawthaung – that international tourists can use if they have valid visas.

The Three Pagodas Pass, which links Thailand’s Kanchanaburi province with Myanmar’s of Kayin State, is expected be developed in future, as it is the closest overland border crossing to Bangkok.