BANGKOK: -- Private sedans, tour buses and foreign diplomatic cars from Thailand traveling to five Mekong-basin nations must have registration plates written in English beginning June 11, a senior Transport Ministry official said.

Acting Land Transport Department director-general Chairat Sa-nguansue said the new requirements -- that automobile registration plates bear the name of the country, the registration number and appropriate provincial codes in English -- follows agreements on border transportation with the five countries including the three Indochinese nations, Myanmar and southern China.

The department has completed laying out sizes and colours of the new registration plates which will be used in those five countries, Chairat said.

Car owners may apply and obtain the new registration plates from June 11 onwards, he said.

Mr. Chairat said vehicles from Thailand entering those countries must be strictly used for either tourism or transportation purposes only.

--TNA 2008-04-26