114 km Link To Boost Transport, Trade Ties
Bangkok Post
November 13, 2014
Writer: Patsara Jikkham
The cabinet has approved a budget of almost two-billion-baht for building a road in Laos to encourage border trade with Thailand.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting yesterday, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, deputy government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the 114km road would stretch from the town of Hongsa to Luang Prabang's Ban Chiang Man, on the border with Chalermprakiat district of Nan province.
The road is expected to cost 1.97 billion baht to build. It was approved by the Finance Ministry, which made the initial proposal for Thailand to fund the project.
The route will establish a transport link with Thailand through the Huay Kon border crossing in Chalermprakiat district, Maj Gen Sansern said.
It would help ease travel to Luang Prabang, a Unesco World Heritage site, and boost economic and transport exchanges between Nan and Luang Prabang, he said.
According to the deputy spokesman, financing the route is part of Thailand's strategy to establish transport links with neighbouring countries as a way of bolstering investment, agriculture, industry, tourism, and the export of consumer, fuel and farm products.
The road would also improve the quality of life for Lao people by creating opportunities in the country, he said. The new route will connect to roads No.13 and No.4 in Laos, which could also make travel from Thailand through to Hanoi in Vietnam much easier.
Full article:
Govt to fund B2bn Laos road | Bangkok Post: news