Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, Road bridge between Mukdahan, Thailand and Savannakhet, Laos
The Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge extends 1600 meters across the Mekong River and links Thailand to Laos via two traffic lanes on concrete box girders. The construction uses prestressed concrete and carries the roadway high above the riverbed while customs stations on both banks control international traffic.
Construction began on 21 March 2004, with supports and spans built on shore and moved onto river pylons by crane. A crane accident on 27 July 2005 killed nine consultants, engineers and workers from Thailand, Japan, the Philippines and Laos. The opening ceremony was held on 19 December 2006, and the bridge opened to the public on 9 January 2007.
The structure carries the name of friendship between both nations and displays bilingual signage showing the official connection between neighbors. People from the region cross daily for shopping, work or family visits and use the border checkpoints at both ends.
Drivers switch from left-hand traffic on the Thai side to right-hand traffic when entering Laotian territory, with the change taking place directly on the span. Border processing at each end may cause delays, so travelers should allow enough time for formalities.
The roadway changes traffic direction on the span itself, so drivers switch from one side to the other during crossing. This feature makes it one of the few border crossings worldwide where the change happens midway through the structure.
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