(KPL) In 2008, Asia Development Bank, China and Thailand reached agreement to fund the GMS Northern Economic Corridor stretching 228 km from the Laos-China border in Luang Namtha to Thailand to help improve living standards of local people in the northern province of Laos.

As for trade and transport businesses in Viengphoukha District, LuangNamtha Province, Route 3 or R3 has brought more benefits than expected thus significantly improving people’s access to markets and services and reducing transport cost of goods so that local people can earn more money than in the past.

With the good road, buyers can buy agriculture products directly from local farmers in the province and its neigbours.

“Today, I run a transport business, which gives me better incomes than in the past or ten years ago. Now I can spend less time for travelling and have more time for my routine activities,” said Mr Den Sipamuan, a villager of Namngeun, Viengphoukha district, Luang Namtha Province.

“Now, I have five trucks for aggregate service and I can transport aggregate 20-30 times per day and I can earn 2 million-5 million kip per day,” said Mr Den Sipamuan.

The project R3 is the last remaining link, year-round overland route between Singapore and Beijing. Within the Lao PDR, it is the first year-round road linking two northwestern, remote and poorest provinces, Luang Namtha and Bokeo.

ABD’s support to the project was based on the need to promote regional integration in the Greater Mekong Subregion and support economic and social development in the Lao PDR by providing an all-weather road link between two of its poorest provinces.

KPL