Fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge inaugurated

The fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge across the Mekong River was officially opened on Thursday, marking a major milestone in improving transport links and boosting trade across the Mekong sub-region, especially between Việt Nam, Laos, and Thailand.

The opening ceremony was attended by General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse, along with Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, the Queen, and senior leaders from both countries.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul described the bridge as a clear symbol of the strong partnership between the two governments and the shared aspirations of their citizens, especially those in Laos’s Bolikhamxay province and Thailand’s Buengkan province. They emphasized that the new bridge improves Laos’s access to the East–West Economic Corridor, easing the movement of people and goods while promoting trade, tourism, and overall economic development.

The 1,350 metres long bridge significantly reduces travel distance from Buengkan in northeastern Thailand through Bolikhamxay in central Laos to the Cầu Treo border gate in Việt Nam’s Hà Tĩnh Province. The route is now just over 200 kilometres long, down from more than 350 kilometres previously, making it the shortest and most efficient land route for transporting goods from Thailand to Việt Nam.

The project is expected to create new momentum for economic development, trade, investment, and tourism in the two border provinces, as well as across the wider Greater Mekong Sub-region, which includes Việt Nam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and China’s Yunnan and Guangxi provinces.

As the fifth project of its kind, the bridge builds on earlier Laos–Thailand transport cooperation following four friendship bridges already in operation. It is expected to further strengthen the long-standing friendship and comprehensive partnership between Laos and Thailand, while also improving regional connectivity with Việt Nam and contributing to a more integrated and dynamic Mekong region.