Road 13 South safety under scrutiny
There are no almost safety barriers to protect road users along Road 13 South, which runs for about 847 kilometres from Vientiane to Attapeu province via Borikamxay, Khammuan, Savannakhet, Saravan and Champassak provinces. Along the route there are many sections of winding road where motorists can lose control, particularly in poor weather conditions, and the lack of safety barriers only serves to make the road more dangerous. An official from the Khammuan provincial Public Works and Transport Department, Mr. Thongkhen Singthongbounmavong, told Vientiane Times on January 17 that he was unaware of any plan to erect more safety barriers along Road 13 South. Many sections of the road have white lines down the middle and turning area indicators but there are not many barriers, he said. Mr. Thongkhen added that 80 or 90 percent of the streets in Thakhaek district, Khammuan province, had been paved with asphalt and concrete but other urban areas in the province had yet to receive road upgrades .
