A progress review meeting was held May 16 in Bolikhamxay Province, chaired by Minister of Public Works and Transport Leklay Sivilay. The province’s governor, Mr. Khamhoueng Phanyanouvong, also attended, along with the project's steering and management committee.

The route begins at km 0 in Thong Yai Village, Pakxan District, and ends at the Laos-Vietnam border in Xaychamphone District. It cuts through four districts and 28 villages. The concession agreement was signed in October 2025 with Namtha 3 S Company. Construction is expected to take four years, wrapping up in 2029.

So far, crews have cleared roughly 63 kilometers of the approved route for data collection. Environmental impact surveys are underway across all four districts:

· Pakxan District (25 km, 8 villages): Surveys are complete in 5 villages, with 3 remaining.

· Bolikhan District (66 km, 5 villages): Data collection is finished but not yet certified by the district committee.

· Viengthong District (39 km, 6 villages): Surveys are done in 3 villages, with 3 left.

· Xaychamphone District (73.8 km, 9 villages): Surveys are fully complete in 2 villages, ongoing in 3, and not yet started in 4.

The provincial technical committee has also prepared a preliminary study on compensation prices for affected areas.

During the meeting, Minister Leklay Sivilay urged all steering committees and Namtha 3 S Company to closely examine a realignment section from km 150 to km 203, along with compensation rates and technical construction standards—ensuring everything follows Lao law and regulations.

KPL