19 July - The 5th Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, Bueng Kan and Bolikhamxai Provinces, Lao PDR, 82.5 percent progress, the gateway connecting Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and China's Guangxi Province.
Ms. Tipanan Sirichana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that the Prime Minister has accelerated the development of Thailand's transportation infrastructure in all 4 dimensions (land, rail, water and air) to connect seamlessly to the ASEAN region. Promote economic, social and tourism development in the region. Enhance the quality of life of the people to have access to convenient, fast and safe travel through efficient transportation systems. According to the 20-year national strategic plan, it has accelerated the construction of the 5th Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge linking Bueng Kan. and Bolikhamxai Province, Lao PDR, which have progressed respectively Despite facing obstacles from the COVID crisis, the project has progressed more than 82.550% and is expected to open for service to the people of both countries in 2024.
for this project The Cabinet under General Prayut's leadership has approved the preparation and signing of a draft agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. About the construction of the 5th Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in 2019. Later, on October 28, 2022, Gen. Prayuth attended the foundation stone laying ceremony for the 5th Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge construction project in Mueang Bueng Kan District. Bueng Kan Province and Bolikhamxai Subdistrict Lao People's Democratic Republic or Lao PDR. The Department of Highways designed a prestressed concrete box-shaped bridge with two traffic lanes and a length of 1,350 meters, along with a border checkpoint building for the border crossing process. and roads connecting the networks of both sides The project has a distance of 16.18 km, a budget of 4,010.067 million baht, with the Thai side having the Department of Highways (TNT) as the project owner, a budget of 2,630 million baht (construction cost 2,553 million baht and construction supervision cost 77 million baht) on the PDR side. . Laos, with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) as the project owner, with a budget of 1,380.067 million baht (construction cost 1,256 million baht / consulting fee 44 million baht / management fee 15 million baht / allowance for shortage 63 million baht and management fee of NEDA 2.067 million baht)
“When the construction is complete It will be a gateway between Thailand-Laos-Vietnam. and Guangxi province of China There was an economic expansion and trade and investment between Thailand and Lao PDR, resulting in the transportation of goods from Thailand to the market in southern China. Connecting cargo from the central region of Lao PDR to Thailand's Laem Chabang Deep Sea Port to export by sea to other regions for the Thai economy to grow sustainably.”Ms. Thiphanan Said.-Thai News Agency
Source: Thai News Agency