Infrastructure in Laos – One night to Bangkok

Infrastructure in Laos – One night to Bangkok – The Economist, September 19, 2013
[Thanks to Tom for pointing this out.]
…In the short run, China and Thailand are focusing on linking their markets via Laos either where the country it narrowest, or, say, east of the opium-growing Golden Triangle, where Thailand and Laos meet Myanmar. It is in fact a century-old route of Yunnanese trade with the Thai cities of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. In December the newest of four “Thai-Laos Friendship Bridges” spanning the Mekong river is to be inaugurated at Huay Xai. The bridge, paid for by China and Thailand, is meant to cut travel time on the planned 1,900km (1,200 miles) Kunming-Bangkok Expressway…