Potential economic corridors between Vietnam and Lao PDR: Roles played by Vietnam

The Third Thai-Lao Friendship over the Mekong officially opened on 11th November 2011 facilitates the cross-border trade along Asian Highway 15 and Asian Highway 131 between Northeast Thailand, Central Lao PDR and North Central Vietnam. Since the establishment of East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) which based on the Asian Highway 16, the cross-border trade among countries in Greater Mekong Sub-region has been much facilitated. The success of EWEC encourages local governments in the region to establish other economic corridors. Currently, it seems that there are ambitions to establish parallel corridors with EWEC. The basic criteria for these corridors is the connectivity of Thai-Lao PDR or Lao PDR-Vietnam border gates, major cities in Northeast Thailand, South and Central Lao PDR, and North Central and Mid Central Vietnam, ports in Vietnam by utilizing some existing Asian Highways (AHs) or national highways (NRs). This paper would examine the current state of those corridors including Vietnam’s national highways and provinces and ports they connect.