Vietnam urges Laos to move forward with road link
No soil has been turned since the survey and design of the Nasone road upgrade, which would link Luang Prabang province to the Vietnam border at Dien Bien province, after a study into the project ended two years ago. Vietnam’s Minister of Transport, Mr Truong Quang Nghia, met with the Lao Minister of Public Works and Transport, Dr Bounchanh Sinthavong, in Vientiane last week to talk about the project. Mr Nghia said the 110-km road upgrade is expected to cost about US$87 million. The road would run from the Meuangngoy junction in Ngoy district to the Vietnam border via Phonthong district. We suggested to Dr Bounchanh that we should build the section from the centre of Phonthong district to the border first, over a distance of around 50 kilometres, he said. Dr Bounchanh said he and Mr Nghia jointly approved the construction of this section of the road. If Mr Nghia approves it would be possible for us to borrow money from Vietnam with a low interest rate in order to fund the construction, Dr Bounchanh added.
