All aboard new railway expansion

On the right track: A monk blessing a train during a ceremony on the eve of the handover ceremony of the rail project in Vientiane. — Reuters

Lying on the Mekong River and with the Lao capital, Vientiane, about 22km upriver, Thailand’s northeast Nong Khai province is expecting the upcoming China-Laos Railway to provide a tailwind to the border region’s development.

“The China-Laos Railway will help enhance economic and trade ties between Thailand and China,” said Jiranun Sakultangphaisal, an adviser to the tourism association of Nong Khai.