Construction of the Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge across the Mekong River



(05/03/2009) Thai PRD





Thailand and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic already jointly
operate two bridges across the Mekong River, and a new bridge, the
third of its kind, will soon be constructed, with the foundation-stone
laying ceremony scheduled for Friday, 6 March 2009.



The Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge will link Hom village in At Samat
subdistrict, Mueang district, Nakhon Phanom province in northeastern
Thailand, with Veuntayvillage, Khammouan province in Laos.



Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will preside over
the foundation-stone laying ceremony on March 6. The ceremony will take
place at two spots, one at Veuntay village in Khammouan, at 3:00 p.m.,
and the other at Hom village in Nakhon Phanom, at 4:00 p.m. Lao Vice
President Bounngang Vorachit, will represent Lao PDR at the ceremony.



Also present at the official groundbreaking ceremony will be Prime
Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh, and
ministers and high-ranking officials from both sides.



Thailand is responsible for the construction cost of the Third
Friendship Bridge, which is estimated at 1,761 million baht. The
concrete bridge will be 788 meters long and 13 meters wide. It will
require a period of 30 months for the construction. When completed, the
cross-border facility will become a new land route bringing Thailand
and Laos closer together.



The bridge will facilitate the cross-border movement of goods and
people from Thailand to Laos and vice versa. It will create business
opportunities and generate economic activities between the two
countries, especially in trade, investment, and tourism. Apart from
Thailand and Laos, this bridge will also make it easier for Thailand to
connect with Vietnam, another country in the Greater Mekong Subregion.



Thailand and Laos officially opened the First Friendship Bridge,
linking Nong Khai in northeastern Thailand with the Lao capital of
Vientiane, on 8 April 1994. The Second Friendship Bridge, linking
Mukdahan, also in northeastern Thailand, with the central Lao province
of Savannakhet, was opened on 20 December 2006.



The operations of the bridges across the Mekong River have played a
vital role in promoting relations between Thailand and neighboring
countries. They have also boosted cross-border trade.



From January to November 2008, cross-border trade between Thailand and
Laos totaled almost 73 billion baht. It is expected to increase by 25
percent in 2009. Many Thai products, especially consumer goods,
machinery, and IT products, are still in great demand in Laos. Thailand
now ranks first among Laos’ trading partners and it still remains the
largest foreign investor in Laos.

ความก้าวหน้าโครงการก่อสร้างสะพานข้ามแม่น้ำโขง แห่งที่ 3
ประจำเดือนสิงหาคม 2552

สรุปผลการก่อสร้าง ณ วันที่ 20 สิงหาคม 2552

แผนงานประจำเดือน สิงหาคม 2552 0.527 %

ผลงานประจำเดือน สิงหาคม 2552 0.450 %

แผนงานรวมถึงเดือน สิงหาคม 2552 0.787 %

ผลงานรวมถึงเดือน สิงหาคม 2552 0.820 %

เร็วกว่าแผน (+) 0.033 %

credit : http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=965728

Thai members :Napoleon and Augustines

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