Myanmar-Thailand bridge link on track

The new bridge that will connect Myanmar with Thailand is expected to open to traffic in 2019. The link will be called the second Friendship Bridge and will provide a connection from Mae Sot district in Thailand’s Tak province with the town of Myawaddy in Myanmar. The new bridge will form part of the Mae-Sot Bypass Road. The link will run from Highway No 12, cross the Moei/Thaungyin River at Ban Wang Takien in Mae-Sot district to link with Myawaddy. The bridge is intended to help boost, trade and tourism between the two countries and to reduce delays over the existing bridge, which becomes congested at peak periods. The plans have yet to be finalised however, while a feasibility study has yet to be carried out. In all the project is expected to cost in the order of US$113 million.