Thailand and Laos have inked an agreement to upgrade a road and extend a railway linking the two countries to foster cross-border economic cooperation.
According to Thailand’s Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA), the deal was signed in Vientiane last weekend.
One project involves work on improving the road linking the Phudu border checkpoint in the country’s Uttaradit province with Laos’ Vientiane capital city. The upgrade calls for a two-lane road to be paved with asphalt at a cost of 1.8 billion baht (59 million USD).
The remaining sees the train route from Thailand’s Nong Khai province to Thanaleng in Laos extended to Vientiane. The 7.5km extension from Thanaleng will cost 1.6 billion baht.
NEDA said that the projects would make the transport of goods and passengers faster and safer along the Chiang Mai-Vientiane Economic Corridor route./.