Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
| Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge | |
|---|---|
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|
| Carries | Motor vehicles, Trains |
| Crosses | Mekong River, Thai-Lao border |
| Locale |
Nong Khai, Nong Khai province Vientiane, Vientiane Province |
| Official name | Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 1.17 km (3,800 ft) |
| Width | 3.5 and 1.5 m (11 ft 6 in and 4 ft 11 in) |
| History | |
| Opened | April 4, 1994 |
The First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge (Thai: สะพานมิตรภาพ ไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ 1, pronounced [sàpʰaːn míttràpʰâːp tʰaj laːw hɛ̀ŋ tʰîː nɯ̀ŋ]; Lao: ຂົວມິດຕະພາບ ລາວ-ໄທ ແຫ່ງທຳອິດ, [kʰǔə mittapʰâːp láːw tʰaj hɛŋ tʰám ǐt]) is a bridge over the Mekong, connecting Nong Khai province and the city of Nong Khai in Thailand with Vientiane Prefecture in Laos; the city of Vientiane is approximately 20 km (12 mi) from the bridge. With a length of 1,170 meters (0.73 mi), the bridge has two 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)-wide road lanes, two 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)-wide footpaths and a single 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) gauge railway line in the middle, straddling the narrow central reservation.
Opened on April 8, 1994, it was the first bridge across the lower Mekong, and the second on the full course of the Mekong.
The cost was about £19 million, funded by the Australian government as development aid for Laos.
The bridge was designed and built by Australian companies as a demonstration of their ability to complete major infrastructural projects in Southeast Asia. The concept design of a balanced cantilever bridge was proposed by Bruce Ramsay of VSL with the final design carried out by Maunsell consulting engineers.
The official name of the bridge was changed by the addition of "First" after the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge further south at Savannakhet opened in January 2007.
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