Kunming–Bangkok Expressway
Kunming–Bangkok Expressway is a proposed international expressway running from Kunming, Yunnan province, People’s Republic of China, to Bangkok, Thailand via Laos The first expressway sections were opened in 2008.[1]
The expressway will be approximately 1,900 km (1,200 mi) in length when complete; about 730 km (450 mi) was completed from Kunming via Xiaomenyang to Jinghong) and crossing the Lao border at Mohan, all in Yunnan, by 2017 [2] and the next 250 km (160 mi) of the Highway, south of China within Laos follows Route 13 then Route 3.
It was jointly funded by China, Laos, Thailand and the Asian Development Bank.
It traverses jungle and highlands in southern Yunnan and Northern Laos before entering Thailand at Chiang Khong. It then continues southward, largely following Thai Route 1, which becomes an Expressway standard road near Bangkok but which is largely an at grade dual carriageway along most of its length within Thailand
The entire road is a non Expressway standard undivided 2 lane highway within Laos as of May 2019.
| Section | Length (km)1 | National Route |
Status and comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yunnan, CN | |||
| Kunming – Yuxi | 86 | G8511 | 6-lane expressway completed (1999) |
| Yuxi – Yuanjiang | 112 | G8511 | 4-lane expressway completed (2000) |
| Yuanjiang – Mohei | 147 | G8511 | Expressway Completed (Dec 2003) |
| Mohei – Simao | 71 | G8511 | Expressway Completed (Apr 2011) |
| Simao – Xiaomenyang | 97 | G8511 | Expressway Completed (Apr 2006) |
| Xiaomenyang – Mohan/Boten | 217 | G8511 | Expressway Completed |
| LAO | |||
| Mohan/Boten (Yunnan) – Nateuy | 20 | Route 13 | Expressway Completed |
| Nateuy – Luang Namtha | 45 | Route 13B | Expressway Completed |
| Luang Namtha – Ban Houayxay | 197 | Route 3 | Ferry across Mekong, Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge finished on December 11, 2013 [3] |
| TH | |||
| Chiang Khong – Chiang Rai | 113 | 1020 | Planned, Alt route 1174/1098/1173 |
| Chiang Rai – Chai Nat | 562 | 1 | Divided highway (named Phahonyothin Road) |
| Chai Nat – Bang Pa-In | 194 | 32 | Divided highway |
| Bang Pa-In – Bangkok | 49 | 1/31 | Divided highway (named Phahonyothin Road & Vibhavadi Rangsit Road) |
1Some distances on existing roads if expressway distances unavailable
Expressways also planned or under construction: Kunming to Mandalay (Burma) and Kunming to Hanoi (Vietnam).
