Fifth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge opens, linking Bueng Kan and Bolikhamxay

In a landmark moment, Their Majesties the King and Queen presided over the official opening of the Fifth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge (Bueng Kan–Bolikhamxay), alongside Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse, at the midpoint of the bridge, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The project is more than physical infrastructure: it also marks the launch of a new permanent border crossing linking Thailand with Laos. It is a strategic corridor expected to reshape trade, investment and tourism across Thailand’s upper Northeast and the wider Indochina region.

Spanning the Mekong River, the bridge links Mueang Bueng Kan district, Bueng Kan province, with Pakxan district in Bolikhamxay province, Laos. It completes a key missing “jigsaw piece” in the regional economy by providing the shortest route linking Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.

The route is expected to speed up and cut costs for freight moving from Thailand (Bueng Kan) through Laos (Bolikhamxay) to Vietnam (Vinh), opening opportunities for Thai products in Vietnam’s central market and facilitating wider links towards southern China.

The bridge is also expected to transform Bueng Kan from a typical border province into a major logistics hub and gateway, boosting jobs, investment and local economic growth. Projections indicate it could lift the value of cross-border trade by tens of billions of baht a year.

Tourism is also expected to benefit, with easier travel between Thailand and Laos enabling visitors to cross into Bolikhamxay and continue onwards to other destinations in Laos or Vietnam more conveniently.

Getting to know the “Fifth Friendship Bridge”

The Bueng Kan–Bolikhamxay bridge project forms part of efforts to strengthen regional transport links and support trade, investment and logistics between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, while enhancing the economic potential of Thailand’s upper Northeast.

The project is tied to broader regional frameworks, including the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) economic cooperation programme and the Ayeyawady–Chao Phraya–Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS).

The project aims to enhance the competitiveness of Thailand’s Northeast within the upper subregion, while supporting cross-border economic development, trade and investment. A key focus is strengthening transport and logistics links between Thailand and Laos, and onwards to Vietnam, to accommodate the expected rise in future travel and freight volumes.

On the Thai side, the route begins in Mueang Bueng Kan district near Highway 222 (km 123+430), connecting to rural roads Bor Kor 3217 and Bor Kor 3013, and then to Highway 212, before crossing the Mekong via the Fifth Friendship Bridge and ending at Route 13 in Laos—part of a main network that can link onwards to Vietnam.

Work on the Thai side was divided into three parts:

• Construction of the Thai-side road section 1 (km 0+000 to km 9+400)
   
• Construction of the Thai-side road section 2 and the Thai border checkpoint (km 9+400 to km 12+082.930)
   
• Construction of the Thai-side Mekong bridge section, plus upgrades to the Highway 212 intersection and a multi-purpose area under the bridge (km 12+082.930 to km 13+032.930)

The project is expected to be a key driver in stimulating the economy of Bueng Kan and surrounding areas, enhancing its potential as a border trade gateway and strengthening the country’s regional logistics system.

The bridge has been open for public use since December 27, 2025. The permanent border crossing on the Thai side is located at Ban Don Yom, Khai Si subdistrict, Mueang Bueng Kan district, Bueng Kan, linking to Ban Kluai Udom, Pakxan district, Bolikhamxay, Laos.

The crossing operates daily from 6am to 10pm. During the initial phase, there will be no bridge-crossing fee, as the relevant legal procedures in each country are still being finalised.