Savannakhet Province in Lao PDR is a thriving hub of trade and services in the Greater
Mekong Sub-region (GMS). The province is located along the East-West Corridor (EWC)
linking Thailand, Lao PDR, and Vietnam (Road No.9). It is also along the North-South
axis (Road No.13) that runs through Lao PDR, leading north into China and South into
Cambodia.
Road and bridge construction will further develop Savannakhet as a trade and services
zone. Road No.9 is being improved thank to international assistance from Japan. Once
the improvement work is completed by 2004, this road will shorten the transport time
between Savannakhet and central Vietnam.
Savannakhet itself will also develop multiple routes from Thailand to north/central Vietnam. This will bring about an expansion of markets. Direct access to Thailand across the new Mekong River Bridge, which is currently under construction, will create further business opportunities for all the economic sectors in Savannakhet.
The total value of export in Savannakhet was US$238 million in 1998-1999, of which nearly 92% (US$218 million) was transit goods.