Mekong River Bridge 5, Bueng Kan, Borikhamxay, connecting the Mekong River Basin region

Bueng Kan, Bolikhamsai

The president of the Bueng Kan Chamber of Commerce pointed out that this 5th Mekong Bridge is another important bridge across the Mekong River that will connect the transportation network connecting the northeastern region of Thailand with the central region of the Lao PDR.

It crosses to the end of the South China Sea at the deep-sea port of Vung Ang in central Vietnam. From here, you can travel to other parts of the world, including Asia and Europe, such as China, Japan, Korea, and Russia.

Including connecting to China’s new Silk Road shipping route to Europe via Russia, another route in addition to the Indian Ocean or Pacific Ocean.

It can be said that if the construction is completed and opened for use, Bueng Kan will experience a huge change. Thai-Lao border trade on the Bueng Kan-Bolikhamxay side will expand and increase to more than 10 billion baht for sure.

From the original trade value before the COVID-19 outbreak of approximately 6 billion baht, in 2020, the impact of COVID-19 caused the value of border trade between Bueng Kan and Borikhamxay to be reduced to only 2.9 billion baht.

In addition to the construction project of the 5th Mekong Bridge (Bung Kan-Bolikhamxay), Bueng Kan Province has prepared the area to support it by hiring a consulting company to study the feasibility of various construction projects, such as Bueng Kan Airport.

The construction project of a new standard highway, Bueng Kan – Udon Thani (Kumphawapi District), approximately 159 kilometers long, including the construction of a water canal parallel to this road at the same time, to divert Mekong water to Nong Han Reservoir (Kumphawapi Weir) and then to Ubonrat Dam, Nam Phong District, Khon Kaen Province, to strengthen the irrigation network in the Northeast.

Mr. Boonpeng added, “Importantly, the China-Laos Railway will officially open in early December 2021, which will be another way to stimulate the economy, both from tourists who will travel on the train.

There are still some Chinese investors who will travel to the Northeast and Bueng Kan area to look at rubber businesses or to find investment opportunities in new industries because currently in Bueng Kan, there are rubber businesses, almost all of which are owned by Chinese investors.”

It is called the addition of a logistics network connecting the Mekong Basin region, which makes exporting and importing goods more convenient, can transport more than the current car-sharing ships, is safe, saves costs, and will definitely attract more investment from neighboring countries such as Vietnam, China, and other countries.

Information source: Thansettakij newspaper