A railway project linking Thakhek township in Khammouane province of Laos and the Mu Gia border gate in Viet Nam’s Quang Binh province under the build–operate–transfer (BOT) model has received in-principle approval from the Lao National Assembly (NA) at the inaugural session of its 10th legislature.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 31 directed relevant agencies to consider all three investment models—state-funded, private, and public–private partnership (PPP)—for the North–South high-speed railway, while chairing the sixth meeting of the Steering Committee for national key railway projects.

Viet Nam and Russia have agreed to develop a railway project linking the two countries via China and Mongolia to strengthen transport connectivity and expand regional economic cooperation.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha asked ministries and localities to speed up land clearance and relocation works in the North-South high-speed rail line project during a hybrid conference on the land clearance plan for the railway project on June 16.