VietNamNet Bridge – Former pilot Mai Trong Tuan has asked the Government and relevant agencies to consider developing a trans-Indochina road and railway linking Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

The route will begin at Mu Da Pass in Vietnam’s central province of Quang Binh and then cross Vietnam-Laos border to several provinces of Laos and Cambodia before ending in Vietnam’s southern province of Binh Phuoc.

The road is expected to stretch around 1,000 kilometers, including 30 kilometers in Vietnam, 560 kilometers in Laos and 410 kilometers in Cambodia. Around 50% of the road is envisaged going along the Mekong River.

Tuan believes the route would be the shortest way to connect the north and the south of Vietnam as it is 300 kilometers shorter than the existing National Highway 1A and 500 kilometers shorter than Ho Chi Minh Highway.

In fact, National Highway 1A has been upgraded in recent years but vehicles can travel at an average speed of only 40 kilometers an hour due to heavy traffic and many residential areas along the way. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh Highway is long and prone to landslides in rainy season.

Tuan said the trans-Indochina route would help ease traffic on existing roads, thus reducing traffic accidents. It will also be a good alternative for drivers in rainy season to avoid floods and landslides.

Tuan unveiled the idea of building a trans-Indochina route in 2010 before recently announcing a specific development plan for the route.

Le Ba Khanh from the Department of Bridge and Highway Engineering of the HCMC University of Technology said it is important to evaluate traffic on the proposed route. Surveys showed that passengers usually opt for road and railway routes of less than 900 kilometers but an air route for a distance of at least 1,000 kilometers or longer.

SGT/VNN