[Myanmar] Construction Set To Begin On First Burma-Laos Bridge

The first bridge across the Mekong River between Burma and landlocked Laos will begin construction in February, according to a report by the state-run daily The Vientiane Times. The 660-m bridge, spanning the Mekong from Kainlap on the Burmese side to Xiengkok in Laos, will provide the first road link between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. The decision to begin construction comes after a visit to Burma by Lao Transport Minister Sommad Pholsena last week. Laos currently has three bridges on the Mekong joining the country to Thailand. The river forms the border between the two countries.