Cambodian driver Im Huy (above left) and Lao counterpart Thongsouay
Xayaphet (above right) at the Dong Kralor border crossing on
August 29. Overland travel between the two countries recently
became easier with the completion of a new highway and bridge
across the Sekong River in Cambodia’s northeastern provinces
of Kratie and Stung Treng (below). Cambodian Prime Minister
Hun Sen inaugurated the bridge and the new sections of National
Routes No. 7 earlier this year. The new section between Kratie
and Stung Treng has halved the driving time between the two
provincial capitals to 90 minutes. With the bridge and other
new sections of the highway, it is now possible to drive from
Phnom Penh to the Lao border in six hours. The Dong Kralor crossing
complements the Mekong River checkpoint at Veun Kam just below
the Khone Falls, which is accessible only by boat or four-wheel
drive from the Cambodian side. Mr Huy, who frequently drives
to the Vietnamese border, first drove to Dong Kralor in late
2006 when the new highway was nearing completion. Mr Thongsuay,
who often drives in Thailand, drove to Dong Kralor at the same
time but did not meet his Cambodian counterpart on that occasion.
Mr Huy has been working for the MRC and the Mekong Secretariat
since 1993 while Mr Thongsuay has been driving for the MRC and
the Living Aquatic Resource Research Centre in Vientiane since
1999. Photos: Lem Chamnap