Study the feasibility of a railway route from Khammuan-Champasak-Laos-Cambodia border and connect to Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok

By laopost.com

Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Member of the Politburo of the Party Central Committee and Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), delivered remarks at the National Public Works and Transport Sector Conference for 2025–2026 and the implementation meeting for the 2026–2030 Five-Year Development Plan of the Public Works and Transport Sector on 6 May 2026 at the National Convention Center.

During his address, he emphasized a number of important issues that the Ministry of Public Works and Transport should continue to focus on in order to achieve positive progress and improvements in its work. He stressed that leaders at both the central and local levels of the public works and transport sector nationwide should take the matters discussed at the conference, review them carefully, and lead their practical implementation so that they produce concrete results, including: …

1. Upgrade and develop transport and communications infrastructure in a comprehensive and systematic manner to strengthen connectivity within the country, across the region, and internationally. Priority should be given to the country’s key arterial highways that serve as the lifelines of the economy, including National Road 13 North and National Road 13 South, as well as other roads identified in Government Resolution No. 05/PM dated 30 March 2026. This also includes implementing Resolution No. 165/NA and Resolution No. 10/PM concerning policies to promote road construction and maintenance in the new phase, including the OPBRC and PRTC programs.

In addition, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport should coordinate with the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and local authorities to jointly study and develop road networks leading to tourist attractions, key development zones, and major production areas.

Attention should also be given to the strict management of modified vehicles and overloaded trucks in order to protect existing roads from deterioration and damage, ensuring that transportation routes remain in good condition and can operate normally.

2. Urban development should go hand in hand with environmental protection and improving the cleanliness and attractiveness of cities. This includes addressing urban flooding problems, wastewater management, and municipal solid waste management.

In particular, strategic plans should be developed for the management of electronic waste (e-waste). As the government is promoting greater use of electric vehicles, special attention must be paid to the growing issue of expired and discarded EV batteries. Appropriate methods for handling, recycling, and reprocessing these batteries should be thoroughly researched and implemented.

At the same time, local authorities throughout the country should explore and expand the use of solar energy and other alternative energy sources, especially for public street lighting in urban areas. These efforts are aimed at creating cities that are more livable, environmentally friendly, green, and sustainable.

3. Develop inland waterway infrastructure and transportation in conjunction with protecting the nation’s waterways, territorial waters, and national sovereignty. In recent years, the Government and the National Assembly have allocated approximately 200–300 billion kip per year as a principle budget for this sector.

Therefore, the Ministry of Finance, in coordination with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and local authorities, is instructed to review annual budget allocations to ensure they are focused on priority areas identified through studies conducted by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

At the same time, efforts should be made to harness the potential of major waterways, including the Mekong River, its tributaries, and reservoirs created by hydropower dams, as alternative routes for water transportation. Water transport is an efficient option that can carry large volumes of cargo while reducing pressure on road transportation networks.

In addition, coordination with local authorities should be strengthened in managing vessel operations, marine engineering standards, and the safety of tourist boats, passenger vessels, and cargo ships. Attention must also be paid to regulating the extraction of stone, gravel, and sand for construction purposes, and authorities must strictly prevent operators from exploiting such activities as a cover for illegal gold mining.

4. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport is also instructed to study and resolve the problem of water shortages in major urban areas throughout the country, particularly in:

• Vientiane
• Pakse
• Luang Prabang
• Kaysone Phomvihane

Solutions should utilize various investment models, including government-funded projects, BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) arrangements, and PPP (Public-Private Partnership) schemes.

Furthermore, urgent action is required to address water supply losses caused by leakage and wasteful water consumption, which result in significant revenue losses. Modern technologies should be adopted to improve monitoring, detection, and management of water systems.

Finally, emphasis should be placed on the use of domestically produced construction materials and equipment that meet quality standards, including broader utilization of products manufactured by Lao Toyota and other qualified local producers.

5. Develop the civil aviation sector to become more modern, safe, and compliant with international standards. Priority should be given to resolving outstanding issues and accelerating the reform of the state-owned airline, Lao Airlines, so that the restructuring process can be completed as quickly as possible.

In addition, studies should be conducted to prepare a long-term plan for a new airport in Vientiane, as it is recognized that the existing Wattay International Airport is already experiencing significant congestion and is becoming increasingly overcrowded.

6. Strengthen the management of vehicles, driver operations, and passenger transportation services, particularly passenger buses throughout the country, to ensure a high level of safety. Serious attention must be given to protecting the lives and property of citizens and passengers.

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport should take the lead in coordinating with the Ministry of Public Security to address violations of traffic regulations, especially in urban areas. This includes tackling problems such as:

• Driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances.
• Excessive speeding beyond legal limits.
• Improper transportation of soil, rock, sand, and other construction materials.
• Other transport activities that do not comply with established regulations and safety standards.

These measures are intended to improve road safety, reduce accidents, and ensure that transportation services operate in accordance with the law.

7. Develop the railway sector and related supporting industries in order to maximize benefits for the nation and its people.

This includes advancing key railway projects such as the Laos–Vietnam Railway, as well as conducting feasibility studies for a railway line extending from Khammouane Province through Champasak Province to the Laos–Cambodia border, with future connections onward to Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City, and Bangkok.

These railway developments should be integrated with the expansion of multimodal logistics and transportation systems (Multi-Modal Transport), combining rail, road, waterway, and other transport modes. The objective is to improve connectivity, enhance trade and cargo movement efficiency, and continuously increase revenue generation for the country.

8. Study and adopt modern technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), as tools to support the development, management, and administration of the infrastructure systems under the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

The objective is to improve the efficiency, speed, accuracy, and transparency of planning, operations, monitoring, and management across the sector, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of infrastructure development and public service delivery.

[Original article ສຶກສາຄວາມເປັນໄປໄດ້ເສັ້ນທາງລົດໄຟ ແຕ່ຄໍາມ່ວນ-ຈໍາປາສັກ-ຊາຍແດນລາວ-ກຳປູເຈຍ ແລະ ເຊື່ອມຕໍ່ໄປພະນົມເປັນ ນະຄອນໂຮ່ຈິມິນ ແລະ ບາງກອກ at laopost.com. Translation by ChatGPT.]