Minister of Public Works and Transport Mr Leklai Sivilay (left) receives a briefing on the progress of Section 2 of the Vientiane-Hanoi Expressway during a site visit to Bolikhamxay province last week.

Govt calls for faster progress on planned Vientiane-Hanoi expressway

Authorities have been instructed to move more quickly in planning route changes, awarding compensation to displaced residents, and efforts to ensure high construction standards.
The recommendation was made following a site visit to Section 2 of the Vientiane-Hanoi Expressway in Bolikhamxay province last Friday, with the government pushing for timely completion of the project.
A delegation led by Minister of Public Works and Transport Mr Leklai Sivilay visited the construction site to review preparations and overall progress of works on the section of the expressway linking Pakxan district in Bolikhamxay province to the Vietnamese border at Thanh Thuy in Xaychamphone district.
The call for faster progress was made during a meeting held in Bolikhamxay province on Friday, chaired by Mr Leklai and attended by the Chairman of the Bolikhamxay Administration Committee, Mr Khamvaen Panyanouvong, together with members of the project’s steering and management committees.
Stretching for 203.8km, Section 2 of the expressway will run from Thongyai village in Pakxan district to the Laos-Vietnam border, passing through 28 villages in Pakxan, Bolikhan, Viengthong and Xaychamphon districts.
An agreement on a feasibility study of the project was signed with Namtha Bridge-Road Construction Co., Ltd., CK Import-Export Trading Co., Ltd. and 3S Development Co., Ltd., while a conditional concession agreement was concluded on October 15, 2025.
The consortium affirmed its readiness in both capital and experience to complete the project by 2029, within the planned four-year timeframe.
The expressway is set to become one of the region’s most important road links, greatly easing transport between the Lao and Vietnamese capitals.
The Department of Roads under the Ministry of Public Works and Transport has approved detailed designs for two sections under a design-build arrangement covering Km30+000 to Km40+000 and Km92+000 to Km100+000.
Officials reported that route clearance and survey work have progressed steadily, with data collection completed along 63km of the approved route.
Environmental impact assessments are also advancing across the four districts.
In Pakxan district, assessments have been completed in five of eight affected villages. In Borikhan district, survey data collection has largely been completed, although some areas are still awaiting official approval and additional surveys.
Meanwhile, surveys in Viengthong district have been completed in half of the villages through which the expressway will pass, while environmental assessments in Xaychamphone district remain ongoing.
Provincial authorities have also completed a preliminary study on compensation to be awarded for the loss of land and other property.
During the meeting, Mr Leklai instructed the relevant authorities and the project developer to conduct further analysis of the proposed route change between Km150+000 and Km203+800, while ensuring that compensation awards and construction standards comply with the relevant legislation.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update May 20, 2026)