Residents of Vientiane Capital have been left in the dark after street lights have stopped working in several districts.
Patchy street lighting systems in the capital have meant that many areas remain dark at night, causing poor visibility and posing a risk to motorists and pedestrians, Lao Phattana reports.
Residents have taken to social media to air their complaints, with many citing the section along Kamphengmeuang Road (T4) from Donkoi Village to Nonghai Village in Sisattanak District as excessively dark at night.
Meanwhile, sections of Dongpaina Road in Sisattanak District, Sithong Road in Sikhottabong District, and Ban Hom Road in Hatsaifong District, have also been plunged into darkness at night.
“Dongpaina Road becomes very dark at night, resulting in frequent traffic accidents. We have also witnessed a rise in crime in the area. I hope authorities will repair the street lights soon,” one woman told the Laotian Times.
A resident of Ban Hom Road in Hadsaifong District says street lights along the road have been out for a very long time, despite the road only recently being constructed.
“When I ride my motorbike along on this road in the evening, I feel unsafe because it is so dark. I hope that authorities will look into this problem and solve it as soon as possible,” he said.
“It is not only the street lighting that is an issue; several traffic lights in the town are also broken, and some roads have been badly damaged. We hope to see improvements soon,” another resident complained.
New street lighting was installed along seven major roads in Vientiane Capital last year, with power cables for the new streetlights laid underground.
