Bolikhamxay is finalizing land compensation rates for the Vientiane-Hanoi Expressway, pushing forward a major infrastructure project designed to link landlocked Laos with Vietnamese seaports.
Local officials met with affected households in Pakxan district, on 23 September to outline payment structures for residential plots, rice fields, and agricultural land.
The draft framework sets different compensation rates based on location and land-use documentation across four districts along the route, including Pakxan, Bolikhan, Viengthong, and Xaychamphone.
Officials said the draft also establishes management and inspection responsibilities, prohibited activities, and penalties for violations.
Construction Progress
The 203.8-kilometer Bolikhamxay stretch is a critical piece of Laos’ broader economic strategy to establish direct, high-speed regional trade routes.
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone recently highlighted the expressway as a top priority during a 21 September meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc, emphasizing the need for continued bilateral coordination.
The USD 1.9 billion Lao section reached 30 percent completion by May after being signed in October 2025 with a target to open in 2030. Across the border, Vietnam launched construction on its connecting USD 910 million segment in Nghe An, aimed for completion by 2029.
The compensation meetings mark a necessary administrative step before the government finalizes the payouts for residents displaced by the highway’s construction as construction continues.
