VIENTIANE, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, which is currently under construction across the Mekong River, is set to open in 2024 to boost border travel between Laos and Thailand and spur trade with other countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
The 1,350-meter bridge, linking Bolikhamxay province in Laos to Thailand's northeastern province of Bueng Kan, is now 70 percent complete. Construction is ahead of schedule, and the bridge is expected to open to traffic in early 2024, the local daily Pasaxon newspaper reported on Thursday.
When the bridge is completed, it will enable Bolikhamxay to become another regional trade hub and transit route. It will help promote cross-border trade, investment and tourism, bolster economic growth in Laos and Thailand, and strengthen ties between the two neighbors.
Plans to build the bridge were first drawn up in 2014. The design of the structure was approved by the Lao and Thai governments in 2018, and construction kicked off in January 2021.
The total construction cost is estimated to be 130.3 million U.S. dollars, of which Laos will be responsible for some 46.13 million U.S. dollars. Laos' construction costs will be financed by Thailand's Neighboring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency through the provision of loans.
There are currently four bridges linking Laos and Thailand across the Mekong River. ■
