Laos announces it will, by year's end, begin construction of the first section of a railway linking the capital Vientiane to Thailand’s Nongkhai province via the Friendship Bridge.
The 3.5 km-long track will be built with the help of the Thai government, which will provide the 197 million-baht funding, 30 per cent of which will be a grant while the rest will be long-term loan with no interest on condition that Thai companies and materials be used.
The second 9 km-long section that will go around the outer area of Vientiane will be built with French grants worth 150 million Euros.
For details, listen to our Laos Today report.