Thai-Lao friendship bridge to open in November

The fifth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, connecting Thailand’s Bueng Kan province and Laos’ Pakxan town, has been scheduled to open in November. The announcement was made by Deputy Transport Minister, Manaporn Charoensri.

The bridge will span from Bueng Kan, Khai Si and Wisit subdistricts in the Mueang Bueng Kan district, situated across the river from Pakxan. The construction project features a 1.35-kilometre crossover with a dual-lane road traversing the Mekong River and a four-lane bypass on the Thailand side. This bypass links Highway No.222 (Bueng Kan-Phang Khon) with Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom and Sakon Nakhon. Additionally, a dual-lane, 2.86-kilometre bypass in Pakxan is included in the project.

The project, with a total cost of 3.9 billion baht, aims to facilitate transportation between Thailand and Laos. Manaporn indicated that the bridge would help transporters decrease costs and time spent on cargo transportation between the two countries, ultimately benefiting logistics and tourism.

With the completion of the project, the ministry anticipates growth in investment and employment opportunities, along with city expansion in Bueng Kan. The improved connectivity with Vietnam and the southern region of China is expected to contribute to this development.

Manaporn further mentioned plans for infrastructure development to support sustainable growth in the four provinces bordering Thailand and Laos. Bueng Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan and Sakon Nakhon have been identified as high-potential economic zones. Two out of a future total of six Thai-Lao Friendship Bridges are located in this area.

Among the ongoing development projects in the area is a double-track railway and road network, which has been allocated 1.6 billion baht from this year’s fiscal budget, reported Bangkok Post.

The total cost of these projects is 72 billion baht. They aim to enhance transport links between Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and China.

In related news, a collaborative medical project between Thailand and Laos has successfully conducted heart surgeries on 30 children, illustrating a significant step towards combating heart-related diseases in young individuals.