Lao-Thai Railway Completes Second Phase of Construction and Ready for Public Use

The Lao-Thai Railway is expected to start operations this year following the completion of the second phase of the railway construction, according to the developer.

Vientiane Times reports that the Phase II of the Lao-Thai Railway Construction Project has been completed and it is currently awaiting the finalization of the Thailand-Laos train license agreement before opening it to the public.

“We expect to launch the train service between August and October,” the developer of the project said.

The extension comprises a 7.5-kilometer railway line from Thanalaeng station at the Thai border to Khamsavath station, costing about THB 900 million, 30% of which is a grant from Thailand’s Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA).

The Lao-Thai Railway started construction in 2019 and was expected to be finished by 2021, but due to some delays, the project is finally completed two years later.

Thai delegations visited the station in January and discussed the feasibility of a China-Laos-Thailand railway link that would help reduce cargo transport costs by 30-50% over the next three to five years.

The Lao-Thai Railway and Laos-China Railway are planned parts of a regional rail network that will connect China to Singapore via Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia.