Thai-Lao rail link wins more travellers
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Vientiane (Vientiane Times) -- More and more travellers, particularly tourists, are using the first Lao railway linking Vientiane to Nong Khai province of Thailand built some years ago.
In 2014 alone, more than 38,000 people used the railway services, an increase of 15.7 percent compared to the previous year. Of the total figure, 80 per cent were tourists and the rest were residents and businesspeople.
The Lao Railway Authority's Railway Management Division Chief, Somsana Rasaphone said that previously, the number of people using the railway route had increased by around 3,000 people annually but last year the figure increased by 6,000 people.
“I believe that more people will come to use our services once more facilities are built,” he said, saying that the railway has yet to serve goods transportation pending the construction of a warehouse.
“We are building the warehouse and a 2-km railway access line to it, funded through a 500 million baht loan from Thailand. The railway should be ready to facilitate the transportation of goods next year.”
