BANGKOK, June 27 (Xinhua) -- A bidding on the construction of the Fifth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge project is scheduled in July with a winning contractor being scheduled to sign for it in August, confirmed government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat on Saturday.
The construction of the friendship bridge is expected to get started later this year and to be finished in a three-year time, she said.
The bridge project, designed to link Thailand's Bueng Kan province with Laos' Bolikhamsai province across Mekong River, is estimated to cost 1.26 billion baht (about 40.88 million U.S. dollars), the spokeswoman said.
Of that total cost, Thailand has agreed to pay 787 million baht (about 25.47 million U.S. dollars) and Laos to cover 476 million baht (about 15.41 million U.S. dollars), according to the government spokeswoman.
The four other Thai-Lao friendship bridges, built up in previous years, linking Chiang Rai with Huay Xai, Nong Khai with Vientiane, Nakhon Phanom with Thakhek and Mukdaharn with Savannakhet in Thailand and Laos respectively. Enditem
