On June 12, 2024, ITTLLDC Executive Director Mr. Dulguun welcomed a business delegation led by Dr. Chanthone Sitthixay, Chairman and Founder of Petroleum Trading Lao Public (PTL) Company. The delegation included Mr. Parya Nuanthasing, Director of Business Development; Mr. Sitthideth Kingvongsa, Secretary to the Chairman; and Mr. Sakhone Philangam, Managing Director of Thanaleng Dry Port.
During the meeting, the parties engaged in a constructive dialogue, exploring avenues to enhance cooperation, particularly in Regional Connectivity—Priority 4 of the Vienna Programme of Action for LLDCs for the decade 2014-2024. A key focus of their discussion was the development of a corridor that would connect Northeast Asia to Southeast Asia.
Petroleum Trading Lao Public (PTL), in collaboration with Yooshin Engineering Corporation and Korea National Railway, is set to build the Laos-Vietnam Railway, expected to be completed and operational by 2028. Additionally, PTL and the Government of Vietnam have signed a concession project for the Vung Ang Seaport project, aiming to operate and develop wharfs No.1, 2, and 3 of Vung Ang Port in Vietnam’s central province of Ha Tinh, bordering Laos’ Bolikhamsai and Khammouane provinces. This project will facilitate Laos’ connection to the sea and help realize its goal of becoming a regional logistics center.
The Laos-Vietnam Railway project, stretching 250 kilometers and costing $2 billion, will contribute to developing a modern and standardized transport infrastructure system, crucial for LLDC connectivity. This railway will enhance Laos’ role as a transport and trade hub within ASEAN and beyond, bringing substantial benefits to the people of Laos and promoting sustainable prosperity.
The Laos-Vietnam Railway is part of the Laos Logistics Link Project, which includes several sub-projects such as the Thanaleng Dry Port and Vientiane Logistics Park, the Laos-Vietnam Railway, Vung Ang Seaport, and the Boualapha Coal-Fired Power Plant.
Laos shares extensive borders with its neighbors: 1,845 kilometers with Thailand, 2,161 kilometers with Vietnam, 555 kilometers with Cambodia, 475 kilometers of mountainous border with China, and a 238-kilometer-long Mekong River border with Myanmar. All five neighboring countries have access to the sea, while Lao PDR is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. Laos currently has two railway lines:
1. 422.4 kilometers of 1,435 mm standard gauge railway, primarily the Boten–Vientiane railway, which opened in December 2021.
2. 12 kilometers of 1,000 mm narrow-gauge railway with two stations in Vientiane, Khamsavath, and Thanaleng, both connected to Thailand’s railway system.
The successful implementation of these projects is poised to transform Laos into a pivotal logistics hub in the region, fostering economic growth and regional connectivity.
