- Opening date: 08.04.1994.
- The cost of the project: $ 30 million.
- Location: Mekong River
Laos is a small country in South-East Asia. The western part of the state borders with Thailand. Previously, the communication between these two countries was carried out with the help of ferries, but the question of alternative methods of communication was increasingly raised. At the end of the 20th century, the Australian government allocated $ 30 million for the construction of a bridge linking different states. All major work fell on the shoulders of Australian engineers and workers. The structure was called the Bridge of Thai-Lao Friendship, its grand opening was held on 08.04.1994. It was the first of similar Friendship Bridges in Laos.
First Bridge of Friendship
The bridge over the Mekong River is located near the city of Thanaleng and is intended for road and rail traffic. The total length of the Bridge of Thai-Laotian Friendship is 1170 m, it is a part of the Asian Asian road network AN12. For cars there are 2 lanes, and for trains - one track, located in the center of the building. Pedestrians are provided with sidewalks, the width of which is 1.5 m.
Moving along both tracks is perfectly safe, because they are separated from the roadway by high concrete barriers. Despite the conditions created, the movement of cyclists and pedestrians across the Bridge is prohibited: you can cross the border only by special buses.
The railway route The bridge of Thai-Lao friendship links the cities of Nong Khai and Thanaleng. The construction was started in 2007, and already in 2009 the road was officially opened. Daily on the bridge there are 2 pairs of trains, with traffic at this time overlapping.
Second Bridge of Friendship
The friendship bridge under number 2 is in the Laos province of Savannakhet , connecting it with the Thai province of Mukdahan. You can find the bridge by coordinates 16.600466, 104.740013. The construction of this facility was started in 2004, and the official opening took place in December 2006. The movement of vehicles was established a little later - in January 2007.
The total length of the bridge is 1.6 km, width - 12 m. The cloth consists of two lanes: in Laos it goes on the right side, and in Thailand - on the left. The construction of the bridge in the total amount was spent about $ 7 million, received on credit from the Government of Japan.
The Third and Fourth Bridges
The bridge between the provinces of Nakhoy Phanom and Khamouan is the third in a series of Bridges of Friendship between the two countries. The beginning of its construction is March 2009, and the official opening took place in March 2011. The length of the structure is 1.4 km, and the width is 13 m. You can reach it by coordinates 17.485261, 104.731074.
The Fourth Bridge of Thai-Laotian Friendship connects the provinces of Chiang Rai and Huai-sai . It was opened in 2013. Its length is the most modest compared to the others - 630 m, width - 14.3 m. You can find the bridge on the coordinates 17.879981, 102.715256.