Laos, Thailand study construction of new highway connecting to Vietnam border

Laos and Thailand have discussed a feasibility plan to build an expressway from Kasone Phomvihane city, capital of Savannakhet province, central Laos to Lao Bao border gate in Vietnam.

On August 23, Lao media reported that authorities of this country and Thailand discussed a feasible plan to build an expressway from Kasone Phomvihane city, capital of Savannakhet province, central Laos to Lao Bao Border Gate in Vietnam.

Savannakhet Deputy Governor Senesak Soulysak proposed the plan to build the 160km expressway to former Thai Energy and Mines Minister Sonthirat Sonthijirawong and other officials.

Mr. Senesak added that in addition to the construction of the above highway, investment in building 5-star hotels and golf courses, international transportation services... will help promote further development of Savanakhet province, which has witnessed increasing foreign investment in the renewable energy sector.

Illustration photo, source: Internet

According to the Savannakhet provincial government, the expressway will also boost economic trade as the province is located on the East-West Economic Corridor connecting to the northeastern region of Thailand.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) is an economic development program initiated at the 8th GMS Ministerial Conference in 1998 to facilitate economic development and integration for EWEC countries. EWEC includes four countries located in the center of the Indochina peninsula: Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Of which, Thailand is the second largest foreign investor in Savannakhet province of Laos, after China in 2023.

Notably, in 2022, the Lao Government signed a memorandum of understanding to study the feasibility of surveying, designing and constructing an expressway from Houaphanh province to the Laos-Vietnam border (Namsoi-Na Meo border gate). The project to build an 80km expressway, implemented under the BOT form, will be implemented within 4 years after approval.

According to Lao press, the 80km-long expressway will be built under the BOT model and the construction of the section connecting Houaphanh province with Vietnam will take about 4 years to complete.

According to Lao press, Thailand is the second largest foreign investor in Savannakhet, after China in 2023./.

Bich Huong