Before construction, the Petroleum Trading Lao Public Company (PTL), Yooshin Engineering Corporation and Korea National Railway will conduct a detailed design study for the railway.

A cooperation agreement on the project was signed in Vientiane last week by President of Petroleum Trading Lao Public (PTL) Company Chanthone Sitthixay, President of Yooshin Engineering Corporation Chon Kyung-soon, and Executive Director of Korea National Railway Park Jin-Hyun.

Upon completion, the Laos-Vietnam Railway will make contributions to the development of a modern and standardised transport infrastructure system, while reducing transport costs so as to promote Laos’ socio-economic development.

The project will strengthen Laos’ connectivity as a transport and trade hub within ASEAN and beyond. It is envisaged to support the Lao government’s vision and the country’s development strategy of transforming Laos from a landlocked country into a land-linked country.

The Laos-Vietnam Railway is a part of the Laos Logistics Link Project, which includes a number of sub-projects such as the Thanaleng Dry Port and Vientiane Logistics Park, the Laos-Vietnam Railway, Vung Ang Seaport, and the Boualapha Coal Fired Power Plant.

The high-speed electrified railway project will be built over a distance of some 500 kilometres, including some 312 kilometres linking Vientiane and Khammouane province’s Thakhek district, and a 139-kilometre route connecting Thakhek district with the Laos- Vietnam border. Total investment for the project is estimated at 5.5 billion USD./.VNA