Construction of a new Thai-Lao bridge, aimed at boosting trade and tourism among Thailand, Laos and China, was expected to start in the middle of this year, a senior Thai Transport Ministry official said on Sunday.
Piyapan Champasut, deputy permanent secretary for transport, said after visiting the planned construction site of the new bridge that his ministry would give details of the construction which could start in mid 2008.
Total investment in the construction was estimated at 1 billion baht (32 million U.S. dollars) of which the Thai and Chinese governments would foot the bill equally, Piyapan said.
The new bridge - to link Thailand's northern province of Chiang Rai with Laos' Huayxai province - is expected to open in 2011. The bridge will serve to link northern Thailand with Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan province, passing through Laos.
The planned opening of the new bridge in 2011 would facilitate a second port in Chiang Saen district of Chiang Rai, due to open at around the same time, and would help boost trade between the three countries in the future, said Piyapan.
The new bridge will also assist roads now under construction, from Chiang Khong district in Chiang Rai to Luang Nam Tha in Laos and on to Kunming. The total distance of the roads is about 1,500 km.
Source:Xinhua
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