Plans progress on Salavan-Ubon Ratchathani bridge construction

Laos and Thailand are moving forward with plans to build a sixth bridge linking the two countries across the Mekong River.
Construction of the 6th Friendship Bridge, to be built between Salavan province and Ubon Ratchathani province in Thailand, is expected to start in 2029 with a completion date scheduled for 2031.
A bridge across the river at this location would cut logistics costs and open up new trade routes to Vietnam and China.
The Thai newspaper Thairath reported that significant progress has already been made, with Laos making changes to its construction plan to take rising traffic and trade volumes into account.
According to the report, the Lao government has decided to widen the road connecting the bridge and the arterial highway Road No. 13 from the planned two lanes to four lanes, to support the anticipated increase in traffic.
The intersection on Road 13 will take the form of roundabout, which will require an impact study, including additional land expropriation.
Thairath also reported that the Lao government requested Thailand’s financial support for its share of construction of the bridge, estimated at about 185 million baht.
Lao authorities are finalising a budget framework to negotiate a loan from Thailand’s Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency before submitting a budget request for the 2028 fiscal year.
Under the current plan, the project will be submitted for Cabinet approval in 2028, followed by bidding for contractors and contract signing.
Pile driving is expected to begin in 2029, with a construction period of about three years before the bridge opens to traffic in 2031.
The total cost is estimated at 5.221 billion baht, based on mid-2025 data.
The total construction cost is estimated at 5.056 billion baht, including 1.380 billion baht for the Thai access road and customs and immigration buildings, 1.977 billion baht for the bridge itself, and 1.699 billion baht for the Lao access road and buildings.
Project management costs are estimated at 165 million baht.
The bridge will be 1,607 metres long and will connect Highway 2112 on the Thai side with National Road 13 on the Lao side, between Na Tan subdistrict in Thailand and Lakhonpheng district in Laos.
The Thai access road will be 4.325 kilometres long and have four lanes, while the Lao access road will be 17.509 kilometres long and also have four lanes, with customs and immigration buildings on both sides.
The change in driving lane, from the left side in Thailand to the right side of the road in Laos, will begin on the Thai side of the bridge.
When operational, the 6th Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge is expected to strengthen cross-border travel and trade, improve freight transport, and improve logistics between Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and China.
The project is also expected to reduce transport costs and promote economic growth in border areas along both sides of the Mekong.
Plans for construction of the next Mekong bridge follow on swiftly from the opening of the 5th Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge linking Bolikhamxay province with Bueng Kan province in Thailand in December.
The 1,350-metre bridge connects Laos’ Route 13 with Thailand’s Highway 244 and opened to traffic on December 27.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update February 11, 2026)