BANGKOK, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Thai government on Tuesday approved financial assistance to Laos for the construction of the fifth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge linking Thailand's northeastern province of Bueng Kan with Lao's central province of Bolikhamsai.
"The fifth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge had been approved in principle in the Cabinet's resolution on June 4 this year," said Peerames Vudthitornetiraks, president of the Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency Public Organization (NEDA).
"The Thai Transport Ministry was assigned to implement the project on the Thai side with the budget of 2.63 billion baht (87.2 million U.S. dollars)."
Meanwhile, Peerames said the Lao government will be given soft loan through NEDA.
The construction of the bridge will take about three years, which is to support connectivity and border trade between Thailand and Laos and also promote logistics to Vietnam and China, said Peerames.
