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UN ESCAP Regional Meeting on Cooperation of International Railway Transport

Bangkok, 13-15 October 2014

Laos Country Paper

Ministry of Public Works and TransportDepartment of Railways

1. Introduction2. Planned Railway Network 3. Recent Development

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1. Introduction

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The Old Port on the Mekong River

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Mekong Waterfall

Steam Locomotives Operated on the Khong Island (1920‐1940)

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The Old Railway Embankment and Track on the Khong Island 

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An Old Railway Bridge on the Khong Island

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2. Planned Railway Network

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Planned Railway Network

• Vientiane – Luangphrabang -Boten (220 km);

• Nongkhai - Vientiane -Thakhek - Mu Gia (480 km);

• Vangtau/Chong Mek (Lao -Thai border) - Pakse -Savannakhet – Laobao (452 km);

• Mukdahan (Lao -Thai border) -Savannakhet - Lao Bao (222 km).

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3. Recent Development

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3.1 Lao-Thai Railway Phase 1: Thanaleng-Friendship Bridge Railway Construction Project

• Financial support of 197 mill. baht (of which 30% and 70% are grant and soft loan respectively) by the Thai Government;• Construction period: Oct. 2006 – May 2008;• Grand Opening of Lao-Thai Railway Operation: 9 March 2009.

Ground Breaking Ceremony on 19 January 2007 at km 1+850

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Thanaleng-Friendship Bridge Railway Construction Project

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Thanaleng-Nongkhai Railway Construction Project

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Thanaleng-Friendship Bridge Railway Construction Project

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Grand Opening Ceremony of Lao-Thai Train Operation co-presided over by H.E. Mr. Boungnang Vorachit, Vice President of the Lao PDR and HRH Princess

Sinrinthorn of the Kingdom of Thailand at Thanaleng Station, 5 March 2009

Annual Number of Passengers

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Pas

seng

ers

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

50,000

1

[VALUE]

[VALUE]46,509 47,532 [VALUE]

34,432

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Monthly Number of Passengers at Thanaleng Station

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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec2014 3,225 3,162 3,029 2,522 2,421 2,631 3,361 4,043 3,0052013 3,214 2,711 2,702 2,350 2,351 2,307 3,065 3,085 1,847 2,389 2,816 3,4062012 3,710 3,233 2,960 2,676 2,260 2,412 3,649 2,979 1,940 2,068 3,122 3,2072011 3,680 3,427 3,179 2,944 2,604 2,571 3,783 3,700 2,233 1,570 1,748 2,9042010 3,484 3,899 2,922 2,183 2,036 1,886 2,644 2,704 1,918 2,371 2,371 2,5502009 1,522 2,090 2,248 2,331 3,499 2,935 1,965 3,123 2,556 3,519

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

Pass

enge

rs

Months

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

3.2 Lao-Thai Railway Phase 2

• Detailed Design Completed in July 2010 (Grant Aid of the Thailand);• Financial Support of Thailand in April 2012, which is worth 1.65 billion baht (30% grant);• Construction Contract for Container Yard and Facilities and Upgrading Signaling and Telecom Systems at Thanaleng station (more than 591 million baht) was signed 27 Sep. 2013. Construction period is 18 months.

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Construction Activities PhotographRailway Mainline, Track Works, Signaling and Telecommunication

CY Layout

Operator Office

Warehouse

Gate and Weight Station

Construction Activities PhotographsContainer Yard CY), Roadwork, Platform, Operator Office, Warehouse, Gate and

Weight Station, Pump House

泛

亚

铁

路

示

意

图

West corridor

Centralcorridor

East corridor

3.3 Lao-Sino Railway Project

Lao-Sino Railway Project

• MOU was signed on 7 April 2010.

• Cooperation Area: Railway planning, financing, construction, operation and management, rolling stock maintenance and staff training.

• F/S completed in June 2012 by China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co. Ltd;

• The financing is under discussion with the People’s Republic of China .

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Laos - Sino Railway Project

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Boten-Vientiane Railway is the shortest route from Singapore to Kunming

Features• Design for both passenger and freight traffic• Total length: approx.420km; Tunnels: 190 km; Bridges: approx.90 km• Design speed: 160 km/h and 120 km/h for passenger and freight trainsrespectively• Tracks: single standard gauge (1,435 mm) line (with double track reserved)• Traction: Electrical• Main Stations: 5 (passing through Luangnamtha, Oudomxay, Luang-phrabang, Vientiane Provinces and the Capital City)•Estimated construction period: 5 years Challenges:• Only Vangvieng-Vientiane 80 km is plain, the other region is all mountains, mostsection of the railway cross the bridges and tunnels• Complexity of geological conditions along the route• Lack of existing supporting facilities (roads, power supply grid)• Unexploded ordnance (UXO)• High environmental requirements

3.4 Railway Studies1. Vientiane – Thakhek – Mu Gia Railway (450 km)

Pre-feasibility study was completed in March 2011 by Chung Suk Co. (grant aid by Republic of Korea ROK);

Seeking financial assistance from ROK under the ASEAN-ROKCooperation framework for carrying out feasibility study.

2. Savannakhet - Laobao Railway Project (220 km)

Pre-F/S was completed in Sep 2009 by Giant Group Co. Ltd;

A concession was granted to Giant Group in November 2012 for theimplementation on BOOT basis.

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3.4 Railway Studies (contd.)

3. Thakhek-Savannakhet-Pakse-Vangtau/ChongMek (324 km)

Pre-Feasibility Study completed in December 2013 byTESO Engineering Co. Ltd (grant aid of ROK)

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3.5 Regional Cooperation Mechanism

Association of South‐East Nations ASEAN• Land Transport Working Group/Railway  

Subworking Group• Singapore‐Kunming Rail Link Special Working 

Group Greater Mekong Subregion GMS

• GMS Transport Forum• GMS Railway Association GMRA (MoU for the 

Establishment of GMRA signed in 2013)32

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3.6 Multilateral and Bilateral Agreements

- Intergovernmental Agreement on Trans-Asian Railway Network (November 2006) was ratified on 29 March 2011.

- ASEAN Framework Agreements on • the Facilitation of Goods in Transit (AFAFGIT);• the Facilitation of Inter-State Transport (AFAFIST);• Multimodal Transport (AFAMT)

- Crossborder Transport Agreement on the Movement of Goods and People in the Greater Mekong Subregion GMS CBTA (1999).

3.6 Multilateral and Bilateral Agreements (Cont.)

- Agreement on Joint Traffic Working between the Lao PDR and the Kingdom of Thailand signed in 1997, then renewed on 30 March 2008.

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Thank you

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