Source: FN
Cambodia-Thai Friendship Bridge (Ban Nong Ian-Stung Bot) connect people of Cambodia-Thai-ASEAN, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha said in the inauguration ceremony held Monday morning in Aranyaprathet District, Sa Kaeo Province, linking Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said “Ban Nong Ian-Stung Bot Friendship Bridge opens a new history page for Cambodia-Thai for better cross-border trade and contacts between the people of Cambodia and the people Thailand”.
He said that the bridge will ease daily traffic congestion for Aranyaprathet-Poipet gate; connect Bangkok and Phnom Penh that will further promote tourism, trade, and transport cooperation in accordance with vision of ASEAN community and Greater Mekong Sub-region, which set Bangkok-Poipet-Phnom Penh-Ho Chi Minh as the ASEAN Highway No. 1 and the South Economic Corridor.
The Premier underlined that Ban Nong Ian-Stung Bot Friendship Bridge is a route for goods, while Aranyaprathet-Poipet is a route for guests and tourists.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha considers Ban Nong Ian-Stung Bot Friendship Bridge the first Cambodia-Thai bridge, which clearly shows the good traditional relations between the two countries. Ban Nong Ian-Stung Bot bridge is also a symbol of the success of the joint work between Cambodian-Thai officials and the close ties between both people. The new bridge will promote cooperation on other areas such as economics, communications, society and culture, education, agriculture, and tourism towards progress and development.
He continued that the bridge is his and Prime Minister Hun Sen’s joint gift for the people of the two countries and ASEAN community. He is proud that the bridges and roads have begun and finished under the mandate of himself and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
According to the Cambodian Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT), the 620-metre-long and 17-metre-wide bridge is constructed by Thai engineering team under a grant aid of the Thai government of about US$19 million.