Jan. 7—VIENTIANE ( Vientiane Times/ANN) — Bokeo province will soon become a crossroads for people travelling between Thailand and southern China as the existing small domestic airport undergoes a massive transformation into an international airport.
It's also convenient to be able to fly back to Vientiane from Bokeo because, having made the long journey north by road, which takes 23-24 hours, people don't want to have to make the return journey through yet more hairpin bends and steep downhill gradients, especially as it is unpleasant for anyone who gets travel sick. In contrast, the flight from Bokeo to Vientiane takes just 50 minutes. Laos' main airports are Wattay Airport International in Vientiane and airports in Bokeo, Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, Savannakhet and Champassak provinces. The upgrade in Bokeo has been underway for the past two years and is now nearing completion. The first test flights at Bokeo International Airport took place recently, involving planes flown by Lao Airlines and Lao Skyway. The airport is located in Tonpheung district, in an area surrounded by forested hills and the Mekong River.
Bokeo International Airport is situated just 5 kilometres from the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone and the upgrade to an international facility is expected to spur Bokeo's economic development. The runway is being lengthened and widened and the layout of the airport improved to allow for better aircraft parking, as well as a larger passenger terminal and parking lot. The upgrade is estimated to cost more than 149 billion kip and is being fully funded by the Lao government. In the past, only small planes with 50 seats could land at the airport but in the future it will see the arrival of larger planes each day, which will increase the flow of both tourists and businesspeople. The airport is being enlarged to meet the growing needs of regional air travellers, while the provincial capital Huayxai district shares a river border with Thailand. Due to the province's strategic location, the government has set its eyes on the development of road and air connectivity to attract more foreign investment.
Huayxai town is located on the Mekong River and as such offers scenic views with restaurants offering refreshment and relaxation, and being most popular at sunset. Before the bridge linking Laos and Thailand across the river opened in 2013, enabling faster and more direct travel, scores of foreign tourists would spend a few days exploring Huayxai and its environs before moving on. In the first six months of 2013, upwards of 200,000 tourists visited Bokeo province, exceeding the total figure of 300,000 in 2012. These days there are still foreigners to be found in Huayxai district, but many people have never been there and the atmosphere is different now to what it was. Before the bridge was built, visitors took a ferry between Laos and Thailand, with boats departing from the riverbank in central Huayxai district. Now the border crossing has moved and the bridge is about 9 kilometres from the centre of Huayxai.
The bridge links Bokeo with Thailand's Chiang Rai province and speeds the movement of goods as well as people. In the town of Huayxai, many people were dependent on the tourist trade before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, but many food vendors in particular have given up this line of work and moved on to other jobs. However, services at hotels, guesthouses, beverage outlets and entertainment venues in Bokeo are of a high standard as provincial officials make regular inspections to ensure that standards don't slip. All in all, Bokeo is an exciting and inspirational place to visit as it undergoes the transformation from sleepy riverside township to an international transit point.
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