Senior immigration officials from the ten ASEAN member countries discussed ways to enhance regional cooperation at a forum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 11th ASEAN Immigration Intelligence Forum on September 7, Major General Sok Veasna, Director of the General Department of Immigration's non-immigration and technology department, said the meeting aimed to strengthen regional cooperation through sharing immigration intelligence and information among ASEAN member states. He stressed sharing intelligence is a very useful tool to prevent unwanted travellers from crossing borders. Furthermore, officials have a chance to learn lessons and experience from each other by enhancing their close cooperation, he said. Sok Veasna said sharing intelligence among ASEAN member states should be as quick as possible in order to fight any kind of threats to each nation in the region. Participants will also discuss the establishment of an immigration hotline, intelligence data sharing protocol and irregular movement of people. The gathering is part of the 19th Meeting of the ASEAN Directors-General of Immigration Department and Heads of Consular Affairs Divisions of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, which opens on September 8. Founded in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA