Fangum Road in Vientiane may be closed over New Year

Vientiane police are considering whether to close the riverside Fangum Road to traffic from April 13 to 16, allowing pedestrian access only, while Setthathirath Road has temporarily reopened to traffic, a senior official said yesterday.

According to the Head of Vientiane Traffic Police of the Ministry of Public Security, Police Lieutenant Colonel Khamsone Luangnor, the closure of Fangum Road would allow local residents easy access to the river and Don Chan island for various recreational activities... more info

But if the road remained open, vehicles would also have access to the beach, as in past years, he said.

“We will allow the public to play or swim within certain areas and we will have policemen on duty to ensure safety. The public may convey their good wishes and pour a little water on officials, but this should be done with restraint and in accordance with accepted traditions,” he said.

Setthathirath Road is currently being upgraded as part of the Road No 1 reconstruction project, and reopened yesterday to allow local residents easy access to temples during the Lao New Year.

This street is home to several of Vientiane 's oldest and most important temples and, during the New Year festivities, devotees and visitors will visit them to perform traditional ceremonies.

“Today, we are clearing away some of the obstacles and machinery that has been blocking the road because of construction work. We'll open the road so that vehicles can have easy access to the temples,” said the Head of the road building project, Mr Dethsongkham Thammavong.

He said local residents and visitors would be able to use the road over the three-day holiday, and it would be cleared as much as possible to avoid congestion.

Meanwhile, he would fill in potholes with soil and install temporary signs warning the public to take care, to reduce the risk of accidents.

“We'll be opening a 3-km stretch from Vat Inpeng to Simeuang village, from now until April 16. Then we'll close it again to resume work,” he said.

Settharirath Road is one of the city's oldest streets and the revered temples of Inpeng, Ong Teu, Xiengnheun, Mixay, Sisaket and Simeuang, as well as the Hor Pra Keo , are found here .

“From now until the end of the New Year, policemen and Young Pioneers will be on the streets to control traffic. They will pay particular attention to speeding, drink driving, and the wearing of helmets,” said the Deputy Director General of the Transport Department, Mr Bounsoum Somsihakhom.

He said at a press conference in Vientiane yesterday that checks would be carried out on Roads No 13 north and south, at the Nongbeuk junction, and on Thadeua, Fangum, T2, T4, Dongnasok, Dongnathong and Dongdok roads, among others.

“Road accidents cause damage to property, as well as serious injuries and fatalities. They also affect the country's socio-economic development, with around 470 billion kip in losses each year,” he said.

This year, he said, the police and the authorities would be stricter in their attempts to prevent accidents on the roads over the New Year.

“We urge the public to cooperate with officials – they alone cannot reduce the number of accidents. If everyone drives more carefully, there will be far fewer accidents.”

“Our actions serve to protect your property and your life. You should understand this and obey the traffic regulations,” he said.

From April 12 to 18 last year, there were 301 accidents nationwide, causing injuries to 359 people, and 32 fatalities. In Vientiane there were 81 accidents, 175 injured people, and three fatalities.

By Panyasith Thammavongsa

Vientianetimes