Government spokesperson Sansern Kaewkamnerd stated the new route would be 114kms long and link the Laotian town of Hongsa to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang. He said the new road would enhance trade and tourism between Nan and Luang Prabang.
Colonel Kaewkamnerd added that linking the two locations would also offer travellers and transport companies a convenient and time-saving means of connecting to onward routes for eastern Laos and Vietnam. The colonel finished off by saying the final advantage of the road would be that it would provide Laotians living in the area with easier access to consumer goods and agro-industry supplies.
Hongsa is across from the Thai province of Nan and close to the Ban Huay Kon border post. Ban Huay Kon is one of the officially recognised border crossings between Thailand and Laos.
The crossing is one of the options for expats and long-stay tourists in Thailand to renew their permits to stay. There is also a market on the Laos side of the border where visitors can buy themselves some unique Laotian and Chinese souvenirs.
New road to link Thailand and Luang Prabang
News in Asia
The Thai government has given the green light for the construction of a road to link one of the country’s northeastern provinces with Luang Prabang. The Thai cabinet decided to allocate the THB1.97 billion needed for the project late last week.