Hanoi (VNA) –෴ Traffic police from ASEAN member countries have exchanged experience in ensuring traffic safety and order, and discussed measures to facilitate cross-border transportation at a forum that kicked off in Hanoi on November 21.

The first ASEAN Traffic Police Forum, an initiative of Vietnam, brought together 150 delegates from the ASEAN nations, and representatives from embassies of regional countries and the ASEAN Police Chiefs (ASEANPOL). In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen To Lam highlighted similarities in traffic safety and order shared by ASEAN countries with high rates of traffic accidents, deaths, injuries and congestion. Member countries of the Greater Mekong Sub-region also signed memoranda of understanding on cooperation in transport, he said, noting that such documents have just touched upon cooperation in facilitating cross-border transportation without mentioning collaboration in ensuring traffic safety and order. The Vietnamese Government has paid heed to ensuring traffic safety and order, and considered this one of the key national programmes, the officer affirmed. However, Vietnam remains one of countries with large numbers of traffic accidents and jams, according to the minister. Lam said the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) hopes to learn from other regional countries’ experience in guaranteeing traffic order and safety, and improving State management in this field. Major General Tran Son Ha, head of the Traffic Police Department under the MPS, said transport and traffic order and safety play an important role in building a complete and sustainable ASEAN Community. He explained that transport helps promote socio-economic and cultural development as well as trade exchange domestically, regionally and internationally. The three-day forum, to last through November 23, will discuss issues regarding traffic accidents, traffic law enforcement and driving licence grant. The participants are scheduled to make a fact-finding trip to the Hanoi-Hai Phong expressway./.