http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/04/25...ss_30032640.php

Thai help for Lao airport expansion

The Thai government is providing Laos with Bt320 million in aid money to expand Pakse Airport.

Nophadol Bhandhugravi, president of the Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (Neda), yesterday signed a financial-assistance agreement with Lao Ambassador to Thailand Ouan Phommachack.

The financial deal consists of a Bt224-million loan and a Bt96-million grant. The 30-year loan carries an interest rate of 1.5 per cent and comes with a grace period of 10 years. It is conditional on Laos hiring a Thai consultant and Thai construction firms and importing raw materials from Thailand worth at least half of the project's total value.

The latest soft loan brings total financial assistance to Laos to Bt800 million.

So far, Neda has provided about Bt5 billion worth of financial aid to Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. More aid will be extended to help these countries upgrade their infrastructure.

Note to the usual suspects who will undoubtedly show up in this thread. The Thai gov't has already allocated money to fix several problems at Suvannabhumi airport. They also have already approved new loans for Thai farmers and agreed to help the farmers who are in debt. But yeah, education system still needs a lot of help from the govt and it seriously needs a revamp.

After the problems with Suvannabhumi it should be interesting

After the problems with Suvannabhumi it should be interesting

Indeed. Just to see the difference between a project done under Thaksin and another without.

They also have already approved new loans for Thai farmers and agreed to help the farmers who are in debt ............

........ by giving them new loans ????

The financial deal consists of a Bt224-million loan and a Bt96-million grant. The 30-year loan carries an interest rate of 1.5 per cent and comes with a grace period of 10 years. It is conditional on Laos hiring a Thai consultant and Thai construction firms and importing raw materials from Thailand worth at least half of the project's total value.

The latest soft loan brings total financial assistance to Laos to Bt800 million.

224 million , 30 years @1.5% , yet half of that will be used directly to purchase thai materials , and a good proportion of the remaining 50% will be spent hiring thai consultants and engineers.

looks more like a good business opportunity for the thais than an aid package for laos.