Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge

The First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge ( _th. สะพานมิตรภาพ ไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ 1, [IPA|sà.pʰaːn mít.trà.pʰâːp tʰai laːw hɛ̀ŋ tʰîː nɯ̀ŋ] ; _lo. ຂົວມິດຕະພາບ ລາວ-ໄທ ແຫ່ງທຳອິດ, [IPA|kʰǔa mit.ta.pʰâːp láːw tʰai hɛŋ tʰám ǐt] ) is a bridge over the Mekong, connecting Nong Khai province and the city of Nong Khai in Thailand with Vientiane in Laos. With a length of 1170 m, the bridge has two 3.5 m-wide road lanes, two 1.5 m-wide footpaths and a single metre gauge railway line in the middle, straddling the narrow central reservation.

History

Opened on April 8 1994, it was the first bridge across the lower Mekong, and the second on the full course of the Mekong. Fact|date=January 2008

The cost was about US$30 million, funded by the Australian government as development aid for Laos. Fact|date=January 2008

The bridge was built by Australian companies as a demonstration of the capabilities of their ability to complete major infrastructural projects in southeast Asia. This mixing of development aid with commercial interests was criticized by some NGOs. Fact|date=January 2008

The official name of the bridge was changed by the addition of "First" after the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge further south opened in January 2007.

Road traffic

Traffic on the bridge drives on the left, as in Thailand, while traffic in Laos drives on the right. The changeover at the Lao end, just before the border post, is controlled by traffic lights.

A shuttle bus service operates across the bridge, between the Lao and Thai border posts.

Railway

A metre-gauge track from the new Nong Khai station runs along the centre of the bridge. Road traffic is stopped when a train is crossing.

On March 20 2004 an agreement between the Thai and Lao governments was signed to extend the railway to Tha Nalaeng in Laos, about 3.5 km from the bridge. This will be the first railway link to Laos (but not the first railway, as a short portage line once existed). The Thai government agreed to finance the line though a combination of grant and loan. Construction formally began on January 19 2007. [cite news | title=Laos link launched | url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2007/03/7118/laos_link_launched.html | work =Railway Gazette International | date = 2007-03-01 ] Test trains began running on July 4 2008.cite news | title=Testing takes train into Laos | url =http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2008/07/8622/testing_takes_train_into_laos.html | work =Railway Gazette International | date = 2008-07-07 ] Formal inauguration is planned for August 2008.

On February 22 2006 approval of funding for the rail line from Tha Nalaeng to Vientiane, about 9 km, was announced by the French Development Agency. [Saeung, Sopaporn (February 23 2006). [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/02/22/regional/regional_20001335.php "France okays Thai-Laos railway link"] , "The Nation".]

References

See also

* Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
* Transportation in Laos
* Transport in Thailand