TRAVEL NEWS

New bridge to increase Thai - Laos travel

03 Oct 2006, The second bridge across the Mekong River dividing Thailand and Laos is scheduled to open in December and lead to increased tourism in the region, the government-run Thai News Agency quoted Thailand's ambassador to Vietnam Kittipong Na Ranong as saying Saturday.

Kittipong said the second Mekong River bridge 530 kilometres north-east of Bangkok will serve as an essential part of the road linking Mukdaharn in Thailand, Savannakhet in Laos, and Quang Tri in Vietnam.

About 80,000 Thais visited Vietnam last year and the number is expected to increase to more than 100,000 this year. And about 100,000 Vietnamese tourists visit Thailand last year, he said.

With the bridge and joint tourism promotions by Thailand, Laos and Vietnam the numbers should continue to increase, he said.

The first bridge over the Mekong River linking Thailand and Laos was opened in 1994 about 500 kilometres northeast of Bangkok and just 30 kilometres south of the Lao capital Vientiane.

Source: bangkokpost.com

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