Bangkok (VNA) – The fifth Thai - Lao friendshipbridge, which links Bueng Kan province of Thailand with Pakxan town of Laos, isscheduled to open this November.
Deputy Transport Minister of Thailand Manaporn Charoensri said recentlythat the project features a 1.35km crossover with a dual-lane road traversingthe Mekong River and a four-lane bypass on the Thailand side.
The bypass links Highway No.222 (Bueng Kan - Phang Khon) with NongKhai, Nakhon Phanom and Sakon Nakhon provinces of Thailand. Additionally, a 2.86kmdual-lane bypass in Pakxan is also included in the project.
Manaporn noted the project, worth 3.9 billion THB (105 millionUSD) in total, aims to facilitate transportation between Thailand and Laos. When operational, the bridge will helptransporters decrease costs and time spent on cargo transportation between thetwo countries, thus benefiting logistics and tourism.
She also anticipated more investment andemployment opportunities, along with city expansion in Bueng Kan thanks to thisproject, adding that the improved connectivity with Vietnam and the southernregion of China is expected to contribute to this development.
The official mentioned plans for infrastructure building to supportsustainable development in the four Thai provinces bordering Laos. Bueng Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, and SakonNakhon provinces have been identified as high-potential economic zones. Two outof a future total of six Thai - Laofriendship bridges are located in this area.
The ongoing development projects in the area include a double-trackrailway and road network, which has been allocated 1.6 billion THB from thisyear’s fiscal budget. Their total cost is over 72 billion THB. Theyaim to enhance transport links between Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and China, she added./.
