Mekong River Commission

Cambodian, Lao Fisheries Programme drivers meet for the first time

Cambodian driver Im Huy (above left) and Lao counterpart Thongsouay Xayaphet (above right) at the Dong Kralor border crossing on August 29. Overland travel between the two countries recently became easier with the completion of a new highway and bridge across the Sekong River in Cambodia’s northeastern provinces of Kratie and Stung Treng (below). Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen inaugurated the bridge and the new sections of National Routes No. 7 earlier this year. The new section between Kratie and Stung Treng has halved the driving time between the two provincial capitals to 90 minutes. With the bridge and other new sections of the highway, it is now possible to drive from Phnom Penh to the Lao border in six hours. The Dong Kralor crossing complements the Mekong River checkpoint at Veun Kam just below the Khone Falls, which is accessible only by boat or four-wheel drive from the Cambodian side. Mr Huy, who frequently drives to the Vietnamese border, first drove to Dong Kralor in late 2006 when the new highway was nearing completion. Mr Thongsuay, who often drives in Thailand, drove to Dong Kralor at the same time but did not meet his Cambodian counterpart on that occasion. Mr Huy has been working for the MRC and the Mekong Secretariat since 1993 while Mr Thongsuay has been driving for the MRC and the Living Aquatic Resource Research Centre in Vientiane since 1999. Photos: Lem Chamnap