Lao People's Democratic Republic
Lao People's Democratic Republic - 2.3 Road Assessment
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Road Network 

Laos is a landlocked country, and therefore relies on its neighbours, Vietnam and Thailand, for seaport services.  

The Lao Road network is estimated at about 59,647 Km, with only about 23% paved (concrete or tar). In general, more than 60% of the total national roads are classified as in poor or bad condition. Most of the provincial and district roads are inaccessible during the rainy season. It is estimated that more than 40% of villages are 6 kilometer or more from a main road and nearly half are nor accessible during the rainy seasons. Road transport is the most used mode for freight transport, accounting for more than 95 percent of total freight transport. 

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List

Distance Matrix 

image-20240129164059-1

 

Travel Time from Capital City to Major Towns (hours) 

 

Oudomxay 

Luangpabang 

Xiengkhuang 

Khammouan 

Savannaket 

Champasak 

Saravan 

Attapue 

Vientiane 

Capital 

11 hours 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vientiane 

Capital 

 

7 hours 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vientiane 

Capital 

 

 

7 hours 

 

 

 

 

 

Vientiane 

Capital 

 

 

 

6 hours 

 

 

 

 

Vientiane 

Capital 

 

 

 

 

8 hours 

 

 

 

Vientiane 

Capital 

 

 

 

 

 

11 hours 

 

 

Vientiane 

Capital 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 hours 

 

Vientiane 

Capital 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 hours 

 

Road Security 

Traveling in Laos is generally safe with exception of some areas in the North where precautions should be taken. UN Humanitarian missions to be briefed by UNDSS before travel. Field staff to be informed by local authorities. Vehicles often do not have lights and animals stray onto the roads.  The number of road accidents in Laos has risen sharply in recent years along with the increase in the number of motor vehicles, especially motorbikes.  

Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits 

Weighbridges are supervised by the Department of Transport under Ministry of Public Work and Transport. Unfortunately, existing weigh stations on national roads do not adequately enforce vehicle axle controls, while provincial and rural roads lack such stations. 

Weigh stations do not generally inspect vehicles for dimension limits or roadworthiness, and there does not appear to be any existing procedures for testing and certification of weighing devices used for the enforcement of vehicle weights. Truck overloading, although having significantly declined in recent years due to increased enforcement, is a problem in some areas, for example, close to quarries, mines, or cement factories and timber extraction, often in remote areas. 

All roads under the GMS project are all-weather roads and in good condition. These roads were designed axle as outline below. However, the rest of the domestic network can only support lower loads typically below 8.5 metric tons 

Maximum Gross Weight limits (metric tons) 

Axle Load Limits 

Rigid Truck 

Simi-Trailer 

Trailer 

2 axles 4 wheels 

9.5 

 

14 

2 axles 6 wheels 

14.10 

 

16.1 

2 axles 8 wheels 

 

 

18.2 

3 axles 6 wheels 

16 

 

 

3 axles 8 wheels 

17.5 

 

 

3 axles 10 wheels 

23.2 

23.2 

 

3 axles 12 wheels 

 

 

27.3 

4 axles 8 wheels 

20 

 

 

4 axles 12 wheels 

27.2 

 

 

4 axles 14 wheels 

 

32.3 

 

5 axles 18 wheels 

 

41.4 

 

6 axles 22 wheels 

 

49.6 

 

Road Class and Surface Conditions 

Breakdown of Surface Types of Roads in Laos 

Road Types 

Length (Km) 

Concrete 

855 

Asphalt concrete 

1,357 

Tarred 

11,785 

Gravel 

24,798 

Earth 

20,852 

Total 

59,647 

 

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