Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge

The Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge ( th, สะพานมิตรภาพ ไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ 4, ; lo, ຂົວມິດຕະພາບ ລາວ-ໄທ ແຫ່ງທີ 4, ) is a highway bridge over the Mekong River that links the Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai Province of Thailand and Houayxay in Laos. The bridge opened to the public on 11 December 2013. The bridge was the last section of AH3, Asian Highway 3 to be built.

Size and location

The bridge is 630 meters long (with a main span of 480 meters) and is 14.7 meters wide.Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit, "4th Friendship bridge opens" ''TTR Weekly''
2013-12-12 It is about 10 kilometers from Chiang Khong District in northeastern Chiang Rai Province, in northern Thailand, and about 12 kilometers from Houayxay, the capital of Bokeo Province, northwestern Laos.

North of the bridge, a six kilometer service road connects the bridge to Laotian highway R3A. In the south, a three kilometer service road connects the bridge to the Chiang Khong-Thoen Highway and Route 1129 in Thailand.

History

The bridge was jointly financed by the governments of Thailand, Laos, and China – with Chinese and Thai construction firms responsible for the construction and the costs shared between Thailand and China. The project was hoped to boost trade and development of the Greater Mekong Subregion. About 1,900 million Thai baht, baht was budgeted for the project.

On 12 December 2012, a ceremony marking the joining of the two sides of the bridge was held in Houayxay, Laos. A year later, on 12 December 2013, the bridge was officially opened at a ceremony presided over by Sirindhorn, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

Chiang Khong was designated as a Special Economic Zone in 2015.

See also

* First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
* Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
* Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
* Fifth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
* Sixth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
* Seventh Thai–Lao Friendship BridgePlan Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge

* Kunming–Bangkok Expressway

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fourth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge
Bridges over the Mekong River, Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge 04
International bridges, Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge 04
Bridges in Thailand, Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge 04
Bridges in Laos, Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge 04
Laos–Thailand border crossings, Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge 04
Buildings and structures in Bokeo province, Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge 04
Buildings and structures in Savannakhet province, Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge 04
Greater Mekong Subregion, Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge 04
Articles containing video clips