Lao and Thai officials gathered in Vientiane to negotiate the building of a new railway bridge over the Mekong River connecting Nong Khai and Vientiane. The meeting was aimed at tightening land transport connections and tightening logistics between the nations.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Laos and Thailand plan new railway bridge across the Mekong
Photo: wikipedia

Railway bridge project reviewed by Laos and Thailand

The meeting was held at the Lao Ministry of Public Works and Transport. The meeting was co-chaired by Chanthon Sayakhon, Director of the Lao Railway Department, and Dr. Pichet Kunadhamraks, Director-General of Thailand’s Department of Rail Transport.

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Senior delegates of the Foreign Ministries, the Customs and Immigration Departments, NEDA, Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, Department of Highways, State Railway of Thailand (SRT), and the Rail Technology Research & Development Institute also joined.

The proposed railway bridge was the result of consultations by Thailand’s Prime Minister and the Lao Minister of Transport. Both governments saw that the project would facilitate easier crossborder movement by train and alleviate the congestion that the currentThai-Lao Friendship Bridgeworking by road and train has.

Railway bridge to connect Nong Khai and Vientiane networks

The new structure, as stated by Thailand’s Ministry of Transport, will stand around 30 meters away from the current bridge. It will serve solely for rail transportation with two lines — an average gauge line (1.435 m) and a meter gauge line (1.0 m).

The viaduct will join Vientiane South Station and Thanaleng Station in Laos and intersect Thailand’s network at Nong Khai. The SRT is carrying out extensive design studies, with commencement of the build in 2027 and an aim to complete by 2030.

The project also comes under the Thailand–China High-Speed Rail project. The Phase 1 Bangkok–Nakhon Ratchasima is 48 percent done, while the Phase 2 Nakhon Ratchasima–Nong Khai is getting ready papers for bidding, due to begin within 2025.

Source: www.thestar.com.my

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What is the goal of the new Laos–Thailand railway bridge?

It aims to separate rail from road traffic and improve transport efficiency between Nong Khai and Vientiane.

When will construction of the railway bridge start?

Thailand’s State Railway plans to begin construction in 2027 and open the bridge for service by 2030.

How will the railway bridge connect regional networks?

It will link Thailand’s standard- and meter-gauge systems with Laos’s lines and the Laos–China railway.