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Champassak road toll charges causing confusion
Motorists are confused and complaining about changes to tolls on Road No. 16 (the road from the Chongmek to Vangtao border crossing to the Japanese Bridge over the Mekong at Pakse) since they were introduced last month. The government signed a concession with the Duangdy Bridge-Road Construction Company allowing them to collect fees for a period of 45 years and the company is experimenting with the collection of tolls over a period of four months after which the system will be reassessed. But the experimentation is confusing road users after the tolls were introduced on August 17 with the fees varying depending on the type of vehicle.
Currently, many provinces are trying to eliminate the collection of tolls on major roads in order to facilitate transport and trade but Champassak is now doing the opposite. Last month, cars were required to pay 20,000 kip and minibus operators 25,000-30,000 kip. Meanwhile, 35-seat buses were charged 40,000 kip and heavy trucks or trailers 80,000 kip one way on the route from the Laos-Japan Mekong Bridge to the Vangtao-Chongmek border crossing, but now some tolls have changed.
Source: Vientiane Times (Latest Update September 19, 2016)
(Latest Update September 19, 2016)
Note LR - Not sure if motorbike riders have to pay toll as it is not mentioned in this article nor in a previous article in the Vientiane Times on 22 August
Motorists are confused and complaining about changes to tolls on Road No. 16 (the road from the Chongmek to Vangtao border crossing to the Japanese Bridge over the Mekong at Pakse) since they were introduced last month. The government signed a concession with the Duangdy Bridge-Road Construction Company allowing them to collect fees for a period of 45 years and the company is experimenting with the collection of tolls over a period of four months after which the system will be reassessed. But the experimentation is confusing road users after the tolls were introduced on August 17 with the fees varying depending on the type of vehicle.
Currently, many provinces are trying to eliminate the collection of tolls on major roads in order to facilitate transport and trade but Champassak is now doing the opposite. Last month, cars were required to pay 20,000 kip and minibus operators 25,000-30,000 kip. Meanwhile, 35-seat buses were charged 40,000 kip and heavy trucks or trailers 80,000 kip one way on the route from the Laos-Japan Mekong Bridge to the Vangtao-Chongmek border crossing, but now some tolls have changed.
Source: Vientiane Times (Latest Update September 19, 2016)
(Latest Update September 19, 2016)
Note LR - Not sure if motorbike riders have to pay toll as it is not mentioned in this article nor in a previous article in the Vientiane Times on 22 August