The symbol of friendship

The symbol of friendship

= Nadi Nain =

One more friendship bridge appears, and this time it is on the mighty Mekong a natural watercourse skirting Myanmar in her easternmost section that is a part of the Golden Triangle Region. This is the first ever Myanmar bridge on this trans boundary river passing through six countries before emptying into South China Sea.

Linking Myanmar with Laos, a landlocked country in Southeast Asia with much economic prospects the friendship bridge will benefit not only the two friendly neighbors, but also the whole Greater Mekong Sub region and beyond.

Sandwiched between Thailand and Vietnam, and also bordering Myanmar and China in the north and Cambodia in the south, Laos is a hydro power importer of the region, selling electricity mainly to Thailand, Vietnam and China.

The bridge formally inaugurated by Myanmar President U Thein Sein and his Laotian counterpart Mr. Choummaly Sayasone, is an outcome of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy meeting held in Yangon in October 2003. At the meeting Vietnam proposed a northern economic corridor linking Myanmar and Vietnam via Laos.

Accordingly, the bridge will become an important facility on this economic corridor between Haiphong port in Vietnam and the deep-sea port in Kyaukphyu of Myanmar, with non-coastal Laos as the- in between.

A number of bridges have already been erected on this legendary river by other countries along its basin. But this newly commissioned facility stands as an obvious accomplishment in the history of cooperation between the governments of Laos and Myanmar as well as a catalyst for increasing their bilateral trade volume.

Additionally, it bears witness to the strengthening amity, cooperation, trust and understanding between the two ASEAN member states.

The governments of Laos and Myanmar reached an agreement on building the bridge during President U Thein Sein’s offi cial good will visit to Laos in March 2012. The project started in February 2013 after a groundbreaking ceremony. The construction of the 691.6 meters long and 10.9 meters wide bridge took roundabout 30 months and completed five months ahead of the target date.

The bridge capable of withstanding 75 tons of loads per vehicle was built at a cost of USD $ 26 million. It was a joint project between Myanmar and Laos with each country contributing 50 percent of the cost.

The overpass is located between Houay Koum village, approximately 13-km north from Xiangkok village, Long district, Luang Namtha province of Laos, and Kenglap, Thachilek district, eastern Shan State of Myanmar.

A momentous historic landmark between the two nations sharing a 230-kilometer long common border in their remote areas, the bridge will also help create cross-border trade and ease transportation between the two nations in particular and their neighbors, including China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh and India in general.

As for the locals, they do not need to rely solely on ferry boats to cross the river as in the past. The friendship bridge has opened up a speedy and smooth transport of goods and passengers between the two neighbors and also acted as a springboard for development of the remote area where it is located.

Finally, the friendship bridge is a milestone and a symbol of the 60-year old friendly diplomatic relations between the two countries which was established in July 1955.

#Themyawadydaily