Malaysia and Thailand have joined forces to promote cross-border tourism with the launch of a self-drive initiative aimed at increasing awareness of tourism routes and activities in both countries.

THAILAND plans to build a 62km motorway in the southern province of Songkhla to the border with Malaysia in a bid to boost bilateral trade and cross-border tourism that is currently worth an estimated Bt500 billion per year, Transport Minister Arkhom Termpitayapaisit said yesterday.