Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
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The Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge (Thai Saphan Mittaphap Thai-Lao) is a bridge over the Mekong, connecting Nong Khai province and the city of Nong Khai in Thailand with Vientiane in Laos. Spanning a length of 1170 m, the bridge has two 3.5 m-wide lanes for vehicle traffic, two 1.5 m-wide footpaths and an unfinished single railway line in the middle, straddling the narrow central reservation.
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[edit] History
Opened on April 8, 1994, it was the first bridge crossing the lower Mekong, and the second on the full course of the Mekong.
The total cost was about US$30 million, funded by the Australian government as development aid for Laos.
The bridge was built by Australian companies as a demonstration of the capabilities of their ability to complete major infrastructural projects in southeast Asia. This mixing of development aid with commercial interests was criticized by some NGOs.
[edit] Road traffic
Traffic on the bridge drives on the left, as in Thailand, while traffic in Laos drives on the right. The changeover at the Lao end is controlled by traffic lights.
A shuttle bus service operates across the bridge, between the Lao and Thai border posts.
[edit] Railway
A track from the new Nong Khai station runs part way across the bridge.
On March 20, 2004 an agreement between the Thai and Lao governments was signed to extend the railway to Tha Nalaeng in Laos, about 3.5 km from the bridge. This will be the first railway link to Laos.
On February 22, 2006 approval of funding for further development of the rail line was announced by the French Development Agency.
The Thai government agreed to finance completion of the link to Tha Nalaeng, while the French are backing a second phase, to Vientiane, a distance of about 30 km.
[edit] References
- Saeung, Sopaporn (February 23, 2006). "France okays Thai-Laos railway link", The Nation.
