The construction of the fifth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, a major connection across the Mekong River linking Borikhamxay province in Laos and Bueng Kan province in Thailand, is on track for completion by the end of the year. The new 1,350-meter bridge is expected to facilitate increased travel and trade between Laos and Thailand, as well as with neighboring countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
An official overseeing the project from the Laos side has confirmed that construction is more than 80% complete as of last November, with expectations to finish by late 2024. The project, initially surveyed in 2014 and officially approved in 2018, commenced construction in January 2021.
Financing for the Lao portion of the bridge has been supported by a 1.38 billion baht loan from Thailand’s Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA), with costs being jointly shared between the two nations.
The segment in Laos involves the building of a 535-meter-long bridge section and the creation of access roads, immigration and customs facilities, and additional infrastructure. The new bridge will become part of a network that includes four other bridges over the Mekong River, facilitating connections at the Vientiane-Nong Khai, Savannakhet-Mukdahan, Khammuan-Nakhon Phanom, and Huayxai-Chiang Khong points. (NNT)
