Thursday 17 October 2019

Lao Thai Peace Bridge Nong Khai




Peace Bridge


I crossed the bridge in July 2019 One of the shortest international crossings in my life.

It was maybe 10min at most but nice crossing the Mekong that way.

On the Lao side in typical Lao fashion there was no customs officials in the offices at work, no transport to Vientiane, so a local customs official took me by motorcycle back to the road bridge customs point  at the end of the bridge to pass through customs.

There one can take a local bus to Vientiane for next to nothing.

Copyright
wildlotus Arts
Bee Pollen Production





Railway
A metre-gauge rail track from 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 Thanaleng Railway Station in Laos, about 3.5 km (2.2 mi) 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 through a combination of grant and loan.[3] Construction formally began on January 19, 2007.[4] Test trains began running on July 4, 2008.[3] Formal inauguration occurred on March 5, 2009.[5]
Reference Wikipedia