2nd Thai - Lao Friendship Bridge Opens Wednesday

[george]

2nd Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge opens Wednesday

BANGKOK: -- The second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge will be officially opened next Wednesday by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand and Lao Vice President Bounnhang Vorachith, a senior Thai official said on Thursday.

Songsak Paecharoen, director general of the Highways Department, said the opening of the 2nd Friendship Bridge, linking the Lao province of Savannakhet and northeastern Thailand's Mukdahan povince, would facilitate transportation, trade, investment and tourism activities for countries in the Mekong Sub-region.

Bridge construction began on March 21, 2004. The two governments raised a loan of Bt2.588 billion from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to finance the construction. Funds spent on building the bridge alone amounted to Bt1.585 billion.

The bridge has two traffic lanes 12 metres in width and 1,600 metres long. It is part of the land transport development plan of the East-West economic corridor running through Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

--TNA 2006-12-14

[frenchFARANGbkk]

2nd Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge opens Wednesday

BANGKOK: -- The second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge will be officially opened next Wednesday by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand and Lao Vice President Bounnhang Vorachith, a senior Thai official said on Thursday.

Songsak Paecharoen, director general of the Highways Department, said the opening of the 2nd Friendship Bridge, linking the Lao province of Savannakhet and northeastern Thailand's Mukdahan povince, would facilitate transportation, trade, investment and tourism activities for countries in the Mekong Sub-region.

Bridge construction began on March 21, 2004. The two governments raised a loan of Bt2.588 billion from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to finance the construction. Funds spent on building the bridge alone amounted to Bt1.585 billion.

The bridge has two traffic lanes 12 metres in width and 1,600 metres long. It is part of the land transport development plan of the East-West economic corridor running through Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

--TNA 2006-12-14

Are foreigners allowed to cross there?

[chownah]

2nd Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge opens Wednesday

BANGKOK: -- The second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge will be officially opened next Wednesday by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand and Lao Vice President Bounnhang Vorachith, a senior Thai official said on Thursday.

Songsak Paecharoen, director general of the Highways Department, said the opening of the 2nd Friendship Bridge, linking the Lao province of Savannakhet and northeastern Thailand's Mukdahan povince, would facilitate transportation, trade, investment and tourism activities for countries in the Mekong Sub-region.

Bridge construction began on March 21, 2004. The two governments raised a loan of Bt2.588 billion from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to finance the construction. Funds spent on building the bridge alone amounted to Bt1.585 billion.

The bridge has two traffic lanes 12 metres in width and 1,600 metres long. It is part of the land transport development plan of the East-West economic corridor running through Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

--TNA 2006-12-14

Are foreigners allowed to cross there?

With the exception of those rare people who have dual Thai/Lao citizenship there will be nothing but foreigners crossing it.

Chownah

[abdulrahman]

Are foreigners allowed to cross there?

With the exception of those rare people who have dual Thai/Lao citizenship there will be nothing but foreigners crossing it.

Chownah

Can we farang drive through?I have already the permission for Laos,but up to now always used the !st Friendship Bridge.And can I drive to Vietnam,Da Nang?

Thanks for the information.

[Jai Dee]

Highway Police all geared up to welcome HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on opening ceremony of second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge

The Highway Police has prepared to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn who will preside over the opening ceremony of the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge at Mukdahan Province on December, 20.

Pol.Col.Adis Ngamjitsuksri (อดิศร์ งามจิตสุขศรี), Deputy Commander of the Highway Police, said officers had set up a service center, 700 meters away from the bridge, for commuters who want to use the bridge on the opening day. Not only this service provides drinking water and toilets, it is also used as a new a checkpoint to inspect smuggling. The first smuggling checkpoint in the province is two kilometers away from the bridge.

The second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge links Thailand’s Mukdahan Province with Lao’s Savannakhet. After the opening of the bridge, police officers will be dispatched to station in nearby areas to facilitate traffic and assure safety for commuters.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 19 December 2006

[Jai Dee]

2nd Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge announces toll fee

Director-General of Department of Highways Songsak Paechareon (ทรงศักดิ์ แพเจริญ) revealed the amount of toll fee charged onto vehicles crossing the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge.

The toll fee for four wheeled vehicles is set at 50 baht, while the toll fee for heavy trucks is set at 350 baht. The toll rate will be proposed to Transport Ministry and the Cabinet for endorsement.

He said that the two countries will hold a signing ceremony to acknowledge the international law after all details have been completed.

The official opening of the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge is expected to take place in the beginning of the next month.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 19 December 2006

[Jai Dee]

Thai PM looks forward more invest in Laos

Thailand's Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont is optimistic about bilateral relations between Thailand and Laos, and encourages more Thai business interests to invest in that country.

Surayud's remarks were made at a luncheon party hosted Monday in honor of Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh during his first official visit to Thailand.

The two neighboring countries will celebrate the 56th anniversary of their diplomatic relations Tuesday, Surayud was quoted by the Thai News Agency as saying, adding that relations have now extended to several fields. Combined trade has grown steadily and trade growth last year was over 40 percent with imports by Thailand expanded by almost double.

Moreover, Thai investors are allowed by the Lao government to invest extensively in that country while the Thai government also has a policy to encourage more Thais to invest in Laos, said Surayud.

He noted that future relations between the two countries would continue to become brighter due to various factors including relaxed regulations, which facilitate travel, visa exemptions, bus and other transport services and, most importantly, the scheduled opening of the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge on Wednesday.

The new span links Thailand's Mukdahan province with Savannakhet in Laos. From there, roads lead all the way to the ports of Hue and Danang in central Vietnam. The bridge access is expected to boost trade and travel between Thailand and its Indochina neighbors.

Source: Xinhua - 19 December 2006

[Jai Dee]

East - West Corridor

The East – West Corridor has promised that the Second Mekong International Bridge will serve much more than another transportation link between Thailand and Laos, as the bridge will become parts of a land route that will directly connect Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam together.

Stretching over 1,600 kilometers, the Corridor will become the only land link that connects the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. It will run from Mawlamine in Myanmar to the border crossing between Thailand and Myanmar at Myawaddy, and then to Thailand’s Tak province.

From there, the Corridor will go through Phitsanulok province and Khon Kaen province to Mukdahan, a northeastern bordering province in Thailand. Then, the Second Mekong International Bridge will lead the Corridor to Savannakhet in Laos. It will Stretch further to the old imperial capital of Hue and Danang in Vietnam.

Though access to much of the Corridor is still difficult, the construction of key bridges including Second Mekong International Bridge, tunnels and road improvements have begun and by late 2006, it will be possible to drive comfortably from the Thai- Myanmar border to Danang.

The Corridor will provide tremendous opportunity for development to the people who reside along the Corridor. It will also change in a very permanent way on how they think about each other.

Economic Potentials

The transport link is dubbed “East – West Economic Corridor” because when combined with measures to facilitate cross-border transportation of goods and people, it is expected to result in increased trade and investments, as well as other economic opportunities.

Especially when linking up to other such roads now under implementation or at an advanced stage of preparation, the East- West Economic Corridor is set bring about major economic and social changes to the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), that also includes Cambodia and Yunnan Province of the People’s Republic of China. Eventually, the East – West Economic Corridor will also be an important link between South Asia and mainland Southeast Asia.

The East – West Corridor is a key project in socioeconomic development framework of GMS.

Tourism Boost

The Corridor is rich in natural, cultural, and historical resources that provide enormous potential for tourism development. The Corridor is a home to several World Heritage Sites designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), cultural heritage, and varied natural geography.

The Corridor’s attractions can be promoted to different niche markets using a variety of themes, including nature, culture, history, war memorials, Buddhists pilgrimages, and beach vacations. It should be noted that there is a considerable concentration of tourist attractions in the eastern and western portions of the Corridor such as the Hue, Danang and Mawlamyine areas. They are areas where highly civilized societies have prospered and perished in turn for at least 2,000 years. In addition, there is a long history of many different cultures in this area like the Cham and Mon civilizations.

Three of the four UNESCO World Heritages Sites in Vietnam can be found in the Corridor provinces. The two endpoints of the Corridor are also home to world-famous names: the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Khe Sanh, and the Burma-Siam Railway, or also know as the death railway.

Another tourism product in the Corridor that has a strong potential is cross-border overland tours. Such tours that combine attractions across the Corridor provinces are expected to become more common once planned transport infrastructure improvements are completed and cross-border facilitation agreements are implemented.

Joint promotion of tourism attractions enhances the attractiveness of the individual tour sites. The attractiveness of sites in Savannakhet, for example, can be greatly improved by packaging them with sites in Mukdahan. Both cities complement each other: Savannakhet shows signs of French colonial culture, while Mukdahan has a flourishing Indochina market, such as a market selling produce from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 20 December 2006

[BigSnake]

I wonder if the Immigration folks will be a friendly lots.

[Jai Dee]

Thai – Laos Together toward Asia: The Second Mekong International Bridge: Mukdahan – Savannakhet

The Second Mekong International Bridge will not only forge the solid relationships between centuries-old friends between Thailand and Laos, but will also provide convenient land link among countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) by the end of 2006.

The bridge is an integral part in the East –West Corridor project that promises to bring down any barrier against the land transportation in most of the Southeast Asia.

Background

The governments of GMS countries have agreed in 1992 that they will develop road networks among Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam under the East – West Corridor project. Two other GMS countries are China and Cambodia.

Under the project, Thailand, Laos, southern Myanmar, and central Vietnam will become main markets for exporting goods to southern China, Philippines, South Korea, Japan to the east, as well as Bangladesh, and Southern India to the south.

The project will also boost joint developments, tourism, investments and certainly enhance the multi-lateral relationships.

Chronology

1995: The study confirmed that the Mawlamine – Mukdahan – Savannakhet – Dong Ha route is the most appropriate route for the East – West Corridor project. GMS countires issued the resolution to build the Second Mekong International Bridge, while complementing highway construction in Thailand and Vietnam were completed.

1997: Asian Development Bank approved three million US dollars for studies and designs of three main parts of the corridor, the Second Mekong International Bridge, improvements of Highway No. 9 in Laos, and the improvements of Danang Pier.

March 18th, 2001: Then, the Transport Minister of Thailand and Communication Transportation, Post and Construction Minister of Laos signed the memorandum of understanding to construct the Second Mekong International Bridge.

December 3rd, 2002: Later, Thailand and Laos signed the contract to build the Second Mekong International Bridge.

March 21st, 2004: The foundation stone-laying ceremony of the bridge construction initiated.

December 20th, 2006: Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn officially opened the 2nd Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge.

Project Details:

The entire bridge project has an overall length of 2,050 meters, with the 12-meter-wide main bridge made of pre-stressed concrete stretching over 1,600 meters, an approach road on Thai soil spanning over 250 meters, and an approach road on Laos side extending more than 200 meters.

Both Thailand and Laos have prepared border-control facilities on the Mekong River’s banks.

Location

The bridge is located in Baan Bang Sai Yai and Baan Song Puey in Mukdahan’s Muang district on Thai side, and in Baan Ta Udom and Baan Na Kae in Kanthaburi, Suvannakhet on Lao side. In Thailand, the bridge will lead to Mukdahan – Ubon Ratchathani Highway. In Laos, it will lead to a connecting road that will connect Highway No 9.

The governments of both nations equally share the bridge construction cost. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) has approved 3.2 billion baht for the project. The borderline between the two countries is situated at the middle the bridge.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 20 December 2006

[Jai Dee]

New bridge linking Thailand, Laos over Mekong River opens

MUKDAHAN, Thailand — A bridge financed by a Japanese bank linking Thailand's Mukdahan Province and Laos' Savannakhet Province crossing over the Mekong River was formally opened Wednesday marking the completion of overland transport from Thailand to landlocked Laos with final end Vietnam's seaport in Danang.

The opening ceremony was held in the middle of the 1.6-kilometer-long bridge, presided over by Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Laos' Vice President Bounnhang Vorachit and witnessed by dignitaries from Japan, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand including Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh, Thailand's junta-appointed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont,

Source: Kyodo News - 20 December 2006

[george]

2nd Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge officially opens

BANGKOK: -- The second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge -- this one linking the Lao province of Savannakhet and northeastern Thailand's Mukdahan province -- officially opened Wednesday.

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand and Lao Vice President Bounnhang Vorachit jointly presided over the opening ceremony on Wednesday morning which was witnessed by the Prime Ministers of the two countries and diplomatic corps.

The 2nd Friendship Bridge is aimed at facilitating transportation, trade, investment and tourism activities for countries in the Mekong Sub-region.

Bridge construction began on March 21, 2004. The two governments raised a loan of Bt2.588 billion from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to finance the construction. Funds spent on building the bridge alone amounted to Bt1.585 billion.

The bridge has two traffic lanes 12 metres in width and 1,600 metres long. It is part of the land transport development plan of the East-West economic corridor running through Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

Previously, the first Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge over the Mekong linking the Thai province of Nong Khai and Lao capital Vientiane was opened in 1994.

--TNA 2006-12-20

[Jai Dee]

Industry Ministry Permanent Secretary believes 2nd Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge will stimulate investment

Permanent Secretary for Industry Chakramon Phasukavanich indicated that the official opening of the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge linking Mukdahan province of Thailand and Lao province of Savannakhet will be the main commercial route for the countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

Mr. Chakramon said Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam will use the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge for trading because the route can provide greater convenience and also lower transportation expenses. He added that the location of the bridge is strategically appropriate for Thailand and neighbouring countries.

Mr. Chakramon also said it is highly possible that an industrial estate will be constructed near the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand had previously conducted a research on the possibility of such establishment, and at the moment, a number of Thai investors have already started working in this area. Mr. Chakramon believes that the bridge will be able to draw in more investors to the area.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 20 December 2006

[Jai Dee]

Commerce Minister: Second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge benefits Thailand’s export and tourism

Commerce Minister believes that the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge will contribute to Thailand's export sector and tourism.

Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jiraphaet (เกริกไกร จีระแพทย์) said the bridge will facilitate the transport of goods from Thailand to Lao as it provides a direct route linking Thailand’s Northeastern region to Lao’s Middle region.

In regards to tourism after the launch of the opening, Mr Krirkkrai indicated that it will attract more tourists to visit the country’s Northeastern region and help boost tourism among other countries in the western part of the Indochina Peninsula, namely Lao, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 December 2006

[astral]

A two lane bridge does not imply that they expect much traffic.......................

[Jai Dee]

Commerce Minister to boost Thai-Lao energy and agricultural businesses

Commerce Minister Krikkrai Jiraphaet plans for Thailand to boost investment in Laos by trading energy and agricultural products in particular because they will add more values for both countries.

Mr. Krikkrai said before having a meeting on the trade cooperation between Thailand and Laos that the meeting will follow up on the economic directions of the two countries. He said Thailand would like to do more investment in Laos to open the new market in a neighboring country. Thailand foresees that Laos has the right resources to invest in energy, minerals, mines, and agricultural products, and once trading opportunities have become more concrete, more careers would be developed and more earnings would be generated.

Mr. Krikkrai said the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge will facilitate the trade logistics for both countries, and they will benefit from the bridge consequently.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 December 2006