BUNG KAN, 28 September 2012: A bridge connecting Thailand’s Bueng Kan province and Bolikhamxai province in Laos will be built in the next three years to boost more trade and tourism.
Bung Kan governor, Pornsak Jearanai, said the construction of the fifth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge should begin in three years.
“The Cabinet has approved the project which cost Bt2 billion based on present day costs,” he said.
The governments of both countries have agreed in principle to go ahead with the fifth bridge over the Mekong River,” he said.
The Lao-Thai joint commission on bilateral cooperation agreed, last April, at a meeting in Vientiane to build the bridge based on the benefits that have been gained from three bridges that have already been opened. The fourth at Chiang Khong will open next year.
“The bridge will increase trade between the two countries from the present Bt5.4 billion to some Bt24 billion, which is at the same level of trade value at the Nong Khai-Vientiane (the first Thai-Lao friendship bridge),” the governor said.
He also cited that if the bridge is built in Bung Kan, it will also shorten the distance from Thailand to Vietnam.
From Bolikhamxai, Lao national Highway 8 leads to the Vietnamese border at Nge An province in the north central coastal region. It will provide the shortest transport route for transport of goods between Thailand and Vietnam borders at a distance of 150 km.
“Bung Kan will be one of the closest access points to deliver products to Vietnam and China and will benefit tourism.”
There are three other Lao-Thai Friendship Bridges across the Mekong River.
The first connects Nong Khai province in Thailand with Vientiane in Laos and the second connects Mukdahan province in Thailand with Savannakhet province in Laos. The Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge connects the northeastern Thai province of Nakhon Phanom with Khammouan province in central Lao PDR.
Meanwhile, a fourth bridge is under construction to connect Thailand’s Chiang Kong in Chiang Rai and Huay Xai in Bokeo province in Laos.
