buffalo_bill Posted January 16, 2022 Report Share Posted January 16, 2022 This bridge perfectly fits into the Chinaman´s idea to find easy access to the Indian Ocean avoiding lengthy travel by sea. They do not mind packing further financial burdon on already overdepted units. It strengthens their influence and has been successful all over Africa for some time. As I have never built a bridge I am not sure about the size of the investment but it should not create major headaches in Beijing looking at the advantages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted January 17, 2022 Report Share Posted January 17, 2022 The bridge is only part of the equation, the trains will grind to not more than walking pace once in Thailand due to the antiquated rail network. Construction on the High Speed Link from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) started 4 years ago and is expected to begin operation in 2026, it doesn’t help having 12 different contractors on the project. The Korat to Nong Khai link, which is twice the distance is only on the drawing board High Speed Rail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted January 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2022 On 1/16/2022 at 11:59 PM, buffalo_bill said: They do not mind packing further financial burdon on already overdepted units Yeppidy, see Laos for definition of above quoted statement. Of interest "“If you look at their credit history they have never defaulted,”. There's always a first time. On the other hand, one has some (hopefully positive) exposure to the real estate market in several places close to Vientiane city and I expect all this playing with trains, to bode well for the future, government debt or no. Laos, less coups than Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted January 18, 2022 Report Share Posted January 18, 2022 I wonder if when Deputy Prime Minister Anutin was chairing the meeting he took the opportunity to submit the bid from Sino Thai Engineering and Construction Ltd, a company in which his family are amongst the directors. As for linking China to the Indian Ocean, well they have a long wait, HSR line down to Malay Border isn’t scheduled for completion until 2037, I think realistically more like 2050. Two sure things about projects of this magnitude, they are always over budget and over schedule I though China was going to the Indian Ocean via Myanmar, after all the Sino Myanmar Pipeline for Oil and Gas is already operational and they are building a deep sea port at Kyaukphyu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo_bill Posted January 18, 2022 Report Share Posted January 18, 2022 They did a 99 years lease for an economically meaningless seaport on Southern Sri Lanka plus 60 square-kilometers around it. The target is strategical influence, time does not matter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted April 26, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2022 What’s Behind the New Russia-Laos Military Facility Hype? A closer look at the significance of recent reports on the opening of a new Russian defense office in Vientiane. On March 26, reports began surfacing about the opening of a new Russian defense facility in Laos. While few specifics have been disclosed about the exact nature of the facility, it speaks to both Moscow’s continued determination to play up its security engagement with Southeast Asian states more generally as well as recent developments in Russia-Laos defense cooperation. https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/whats-behind-the-new-russia-laos-military-facility-hype/ Looking forward to having a beer with the comrades at Khop Chai Deu, that's where it all happens, in Laos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted June 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2022 Thailand to start running buses to 10 Lao destinations from June 15 The nine new routes are: Nong Khai-Vientiane Udon Thani-Vientiane Ubon Ratchathani-Pakse Khon Kaen-Vientiane Bangkok-Vientiane Nakhon Phanom-Thakhek Udon Thani-Udon Thani International Airport-Nong Kha-Vang Vieng Chiang Rai-Bokeo Loei-Luang Prabang These routes are scheduled to be opened from June 15 and tickets will be available at all Transport Co ticketing booths across the country. They can also be bought online via https://tcl99web.transport.co.th/Home https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016042 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My Penis is hungry Posted June 9, 2022 Report Share Posted June 9, 2022 about 10 years ago maybe more the rules to enter Thailand where you needed to have a ticket out of the country, Entering from Canada the airlines needed to see a flight in and out. Mate had a one way ticket to Bangkok and was planning to drive to Vientiane and get his paperwork in order there for longer stays Something he'd done many times before However how to get a cheap proof of flight out of Thailand? Air Canada wasn't going to let him board and he needed a ticket in minutes to prove he had an onward flight out of Thailand, something cheap HAS to be an airline, not a car or anything else Nok Air had/has a scheduled flight Udon Thani to Vientiane So he booked that flight - was then $50 - bargain Got on the Air Canada flight to Bangkok Unknown to Air Canada or many people, Nok Air flight Udon Thani to Vientiane is a bus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted June 13, 2022 Report Share Posted June 13, 2022 KHON KAEN: The planned resumption of the bus service between Khon Kaen and Vientiane on Wednesday has been postponed indefinitely because of problems on the Lao side, a Transport Company official said on Monday. The Khon Kaen-Vientiane service, operated by the state-owned Transport Company and a Lao company, was halted more than two years ago following the arrival of Covid-19. With the pandemic receding, the two sides had agreed to resume the service on June 15. However, a Transport Company official at the Khon Kaen terminal, Siriporn Supaso, said on Monday it had been further delayed. The Lao partner was not ready, citing the weakening of the kip currency from 250 to 450 kip per baht and the higher fuel prices, he said. The Lao side wanted the fare to go up by 20 baht. Another reason cited was that the number of tourists was likely to be low as the rainy season had begun, Ms Siriporn said. She said the two sides would meet later to decide when to resume the service. The Transport Company was ready in terms of staff, travel documents, safety standards and health measures against Covid-19, Ms Siriporn said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted October 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2022 MLG is now entering the Lao People's Democratic Republic for a month of family, authentic cuisine, and supervising various trades, to finish the house. Below recent photo of the newly finished patio, on the front. This is the larger house, there's a smaller, two bedroom one, on the site to the right. As you can see, the Lao obsession, with no guttering on the roof, presents an obvious problem. One that I'll work through when I can get there myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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