Viet Nam is set to begin construction of a new 417-kilometer railway line connecting the northern port city of Haiphong to Kunming, People’s Republic of China (PRC), via Hanoi and Lao Cai Province. The initiative, with an estimated investment of about US$11 billion, aims to bolster trade and tourism between the two countries by enhancing connectivity and facilitating smoother transportation of goods and people.
The fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge spanning the Mekong River, connecting Borikhamxay province in Lao PDR with Bueng Kan province in Thailand, is now 96% complete. Its official opening is being planned for May 2025, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The new bridge will facilitate easier travel and trade between the two countries, as well as strengthen connections within the Greater Mekong Subregion, particularly benefiting businesses engaged in trade between Thailand and Viet Nam.
The Government of Thailand has announced that its ambitious high-speed railway project connecting the country to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) through the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is scheduled to begin operations in 2030.
The Twenty-sixth Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Subregional Transport Forum (STF-26) was held on 26 and 27 of September 2024 as an in-person meeting in Beijing, People’s Republic of China. The Forum, with the theme “Strengthening Supply Chains and Logistics by Enhancing the Collaboration with Private Sector in Promoting a Sustainable GMS Transport System”, was organized by the Research Institute of Highway, under the Ministry of Transport of PRC), with support and attendance of the GMS Secretariat.
Since 2020, the coronavirus disease pandemic have caused various constraints on global supply chains and logistics, significantly affecting the supply of goods, their prices, and people’s livelihoods. The key will be how to secure supply chains and logistics, without being affected by these external factors.
The Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) in Cambodia marked a significant upsurge in trade activities in January and February 2024. The trade volume through this economic corridor reached $628 million, reflecting a robust growth of 38.3% compared to the same period in 2023.
The construction of the fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, an infrastructure project connecting the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and Thailand, is on schedule to be completed by the end of 2024. This bridge spans the Mekong River, linking Bolikhamxay province in Lao PDR with Bueng Kan province in Thailand. The project is a testament to the ongoing cooperation between the two nations and is expected to enhance travel and trade within the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).
This paper presents new evidence of the effects of road construction on both domestic and international trade flows in the People’s Republic of China using customs data and information on transport investments in the region.
The Government of Thailand eyes an investment target of THB 500 billion (around $13.7 billion) for its Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) over the next five years, focusing on industries such as electric vehicle development, medical services, biotechnology infrastructure, and digital industries.
The Government of Cambodia is preparing to introduce enhanced travel measures in time for its peak tourism season, which will run from mid-October through March of next year. These measures includes simplifying entry procedures, following the recommendation of Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Manet, and preparing to open the new Siem Reap Angkor International Airport.
Greater Mekong Subregion Secretariat
Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division,
Southeast Asia Department, Asian Development Bank
Address: 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550, Metro Manila, Philippines
Telephone: +63 2 8632 4444 Fax: +63 2 8636 2226