The East West Economic Corridor is both a transport system as well as a framework for cooperation which connects the peoples of four of the GMS countries. The Corridor, which is about 1600 km long, is the only land link which connects the Indian Ocean with the Pacific. It runs from Mawlamyine in Myanmar through the border crossing between Thailand and Myanmar at Myawaddy and Mae Sot. From there, the Corridor goes through Phitsanulok and Khon Kaen to the Thai- Lao border at Mukdahan and Savanakhet. The Lao portion of the Corridor is slightly over 200 km long. From the Lao -Vietnamese border the Corridor stretches to the old imperial capital of Hue and from there to Da Nang. Access to much of the Corridor is still difficult but the construction of key bridges, tunnels and road improvements have begun and by late 2005 it will be possible to drive comfortably from the Thai- Myanmar border to Da Nang .
