Road No. 13 South is resurfaced with asphalt.

Upgrade of Road 13 South now 42.31 percent complete

The upgrade of a 50-kilometre stretch of National Road No. 13 South linking Vientiane and Bolikhamxay province from Km21 to Km71 is now 42.31 percent complete.
Minister of Public Works and Transport Mr Leklai Sivilay inspected the road works on October 17, calling for continued progress alongside measures to ensure safe travel.
Project manager Mr Souksakhone Choutannouvong briefed the minister and his delegation on the progress of work, which remains on schedule, with 42.31 percent of the work completed as of the end of September, approximately 14 months after the upgrade began on July 15, 2025.
Full completion is scheduled for July 15, 2028, with some asphalt paving already laid.
The upgrade begins in Khoksivilay village,Xaythany district, Vientiane, and ends at Xaysavang village in Thaphabath district, Bolikhamxay province. It is being implemented under an Output and Performance-Based Road Contract model, comprising three years of construction followed by seven years of maintenance.
The project manager and the contractors — Road and Bridge Construction State Enterprise No. 8, in partnership with Somxay Chaleun Construction Company — have committed to completing the first layer of asphalt paving by the start of the 2027 rainy season. The aim is toprovide smoother and safer travel along the road while the remaining work continues.
During the inspection, Mr Leklai praised the progress made to date and stressed the need to ensure the road works meets the required technical standards and make effective use of modern machinery.
He also called for any obstacles to be cleared promptly and for improved traffic management and dust control in populated areas. Regular water spraying and the installation of appropriate warning signs were highlighted as necessary measures to protect road users and nearby communities.
Mr Leklai further urged the project team to accelerate outstanding work, including earthworks, embankment construction, sub-base and base layers, additional asphalt paving, drainage, and the installation of roadside safety equipment.
Maintenance of existing road sections, particularly the repair of potholes, was also emphasised to ensure safer travel throughout the construction period.
Upgrade of the arterial road will greatly improvetravel between Vientiane and Bolikhamxay province. Maintaining progress while addressing road safety, traffic flow and construction-related disruption will remain key priorities as work continues towards the scheduled completion date in July 2028.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update October 20, 2026)