Questions raised over vehicle spraying station
Many people are wondering what the point of the quarantine station on the Thanaleng side of the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge actually is, given that its spray station resembles a nursery water sprinkler. Ostensibly, the spray station, through which every vehicle entering Laos must pass, is to prevent the spread of animal or plant diseases into the country. But members of the public have questioned whether the station is in fact doing the job it is supposed to. The small sprayers may wet the wheels of passing vehicles but there is no way they could remove any invasive grass seeds lodged in the undercarriage of a passing vehicle, for example. Director of the Vientiane Agriculture and Forestry Department, Dr Linkham Douangsavanh, told Vientiane Times on September 20 there were plans to spray a lot more water on passing vehicles. Right now, the quarantine station at the bridge is spraying only a little water on passing car wheels as there is not much funding, he said.
