Sixth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge over Mekhong Is Planned

The new bridge is planned to connect the Thai province of Ubon Ratchathani and the Laotian province of Salavan. The bridge will be about 1.65 km long, made of a combination of metal and concrete and will comply with the Asian Highway Design Standard. After the bridge in completed, it will facilitate travel between Thailand and the southern parts of China contributing to development of Thai–Lao border trade and boosting tourism between the two countries. On the Lao side, the bridge will finally merge into the route which links Laos to Da Nang in Vietnam and southern China, 137 km from the Thailand–Laos border.

Currently there are four Thai-Lao Friendship bridges. The first one inaugurated in April, 1994, connects Nong Khai province in Thailand with Vientiane Prefecture in Laos. It was not until January, 2007 that the second Thai–Lao Friendship bridge was opened linking Mukdahan and Savannakhet. In November, 2011, the third bridge was built between Nakhon Phanom and Thakaek, and the most recent bridge over the Mekong was put into operation in December, 2013, in the northern part of Thailand and Laos, between Chiang Khong and Houay Xai.

The fifth Thai-Lao bridge may appear in Bueng Kan province in Thailand with the Lao city of Pakxan on its other end – it is now under construction.

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