The third and fourth bridge across Laos and Thailand will be completed in 2011 !

Progress announced on two more Thai-Lao bridges

BANGKOK, April 17 (TNA) - Thailand and Laos affirm that no obstacles will be encountered in building the third and fourth Thai-Lao 'friendhip' bridges respectively. Both will be completed in 2011 as planned.

Thai Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram met Lao Deputy Prime Minister Thonglun Sisulid regarding the progress of the bridges construction at his office in Bangkok.

The third bridge will connect Thailand's northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom with Thakhek in Laos' Khammuan province. The fourth bridge will connect Chiang Mai's Chiangkhong with Huayxai district in the Lao province of Borkaew... more info :.

Following the talk, a spokesperson of the Lao Foreign Affairs Ministry said Thailand will contribute half the construction cost of the Chiang Mai-Borkaew bridge, and Laos has sought a Chinese government loan for the balance.

China's President Hu Jintao earlier confirmed his government's readiness to provide financial support, according to the Lao spokesperson.

Thailand requested nine more months to complete the bridge design, after which construction will begin, and will take about four years.

Laos considers the northern bridge as very important because it connects Chiang Rai and Kunming, a highly important road link for Asean countries in the future.

As for the southern Thai-Lao bridge, land must still be expropriated on the Thai side, but can be done soon, the Lao spokesperson said.

Pending settlement, construction is expected to start at the end of this year or early next year, and is likely to be completed before the fourth bridge.

Tharit Jarungwat, spokesman of Thailand's Foreign Affairs Ministry, said that the Lao Foreign Minister had invited his Thai counterpart to visit Laos and participate in a meeting of the Thai-Lao joint committee.

The Lao government will host the next construction progress report meeting.(TNA)

Source: MCOT