Fourth Lao-Thai friendship bridge to be built next year

Vientiane (VNA) – All necessary preparations for the construction of the 4 th Lao-Thai friendship bridge have been finished, and the project will kick off in June, 2009, a Lao official said.

The bridge, designed to link the Lao province of Bokeo and Thailand’s Chieng Rai province, will become part of the 270km-R3A road that links Laos, China and Thailand, the deputy director general of the construction project said.

The Chinese and Thai governments have jointly invested around 59 million USD in the project.

Meanwhile, the Lao government will provide basic facility support for the construction of the 480-metre long and 14.7-metre wide bridge.

The bridge is expected to be opened in 2011.–