Building of sixth Lao-Thai river bridge planned for 2023

Laos and Thailand plan to start work on a sixth bridge to link the two countries across the Mekong River in 2023, linking Saravan province in the south of Laos to Ubon Ratchathani province in northeast Thailand.
Director General of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport’s Road Department, Mr Litta Khattiya, told Vientiane Times on Monday the survey and design of the bridge had been finalised.
“The governments of Laos and Thailand have approved the design of the bridge,” Mr Litta said, adding that if everything goes to plan work on the bridge will begin in 2023 and the structure will be completed in 2025.
Mr Litta said the construction cost would be financed by Thailand’s Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA) through a mix of grant aid and loans.
Thailand’s Minister of Transport Saksayam Chidchob was quoted in Xinhua recently as saying that the cost of construction was estimated at 4.36 billion baht (US$140 million).
He hoped to accelerate construction of the bridge by discussing the matter with various agencies during his trip to the northeastern Thai provinces of Amnat Charoen, Yasothon and Mukdahan.
The 1.02-km bridge will connect Road No. 13 South in Nakhonpheng district, Saravan province, to Thailand’s Highway 2112 in Na Tan district, Ubon Ratchathani province.
The planned bridge will not only connect eastern Thailand to the south of Laos but will also create a link to central Vietnam and serve as an economic corridor for the whole region.
Once built, the 6th Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge is expected to boost border trade and investment and promote tourism between Laos and Thailand.
The bridge will spur the government’s efforts to transform Laos from being landlocked to a land link within the region, which should cut the cost of transport and accelerate development in southern Laos.
At present, trade between Thailand and southern Laos takes place through the Vangtao-Chongmek border crossing, with Champassak province serving as the economic hub for the four southern provinces.
More goods and people enter Saravan province through the Laylay border crossing between the province and Vietnam’s Quang Tri province, following the construction of Road No. 15R several years ago.
When the 6th Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge is open to traffic, Saravan province will be fully connected to a regional economic corridor.
There are currently four bridges linking Laos and Thailand across the Mekong River. The first connects Vientiane to Thailand’s Nong Khai province and the second connects Savannakhet province to Mukdahan province in Thailand.
The third bridge connects Khammuan province with Thailand’s Nakhon Phanom, and the fourth links Bokeo province in the north of Laos with Chiang Rai province.
Construction of a fifth bridge to link Borikhamxay province and Thailand’s Bueng Kan province across the Mekong River is likely to begin later this year and will take three years to build.

By Somsack Pongkhao
(Latest Update October 20, 2020)