A steel bridge linking Kang and Vang Naek villages in Phonthong District, Luang Prabang Province, collapsed on 7 February while a fully loaded truck carrying sacks of concrete was crossing, local authorities confirmed.
No injuries were reported. Officials advised motorists to use alternative routes while the bridge remains closed, though no timeline has been given for repairs. Authorities have not released details about the truck or its driver.
The incident adds to a growing list of bridge collapses reported across Laos in recent years, many linked to overloaded heavy vehicles. Much of the country’s rural bridge network was built decades ago and was never designed to accommodate today’s heavier transport loads.
As construction, mining, and agricultural activity increase, trucks carrying concrete, minerals, and produce regularly exceed posted weight limits, placing mounting pressure on aging structures.
Similar incidents were reported in March 2025 in Namuang village, Vang Vieng district, and in November 2025 in Phonhong District, Vientiane Province, where a bridge collapsed under an overweight truck bearing foreign registration.
Public Frustration Grows
These recurring incidents have sparked public concern over truck driver behavior and the effectiveness of law enforcement in preventing overweight vehicles from using bridges with limited capacity.
“There are signs on both sides of the bridge saying ‘Do not carry/load more than…,’ but drivers do not comply. They ignore regulations and violate the law,” one social media user wrote.
A local resident from the affected village described the severity of the problem as, “This bridge is in my village. The maximum allowed truck weight is 10 tons, which used to cross it safely, but now trucks of 40-50 tons are passing over it, and that’s why it collapsed.”
Others pointed to systemic enforcement failures.
“Trucks exceeding the weight limit pass through the area, and police checkpoints at each spot are just symbolic displays, but they never actually function properly to protect the nation,” a local resident commented.
As of 9 February, the Phonthong bridge remains closed with no announced completion date for repairs.
