Attapeu airport ahead of schedule
Attapeu airport ahead of schedule
The two year construction project to develop Attapeu International Airport is 50 percent complete after beginning in May last year.
The project is expected to reach completion within 24 months or in May next year.
The Project Manager, Mr Komack Keochampa said yesterday, “After completing around 44 percent of the construction by the end of last month, as of today we have now finished approximately 50 percent of the building.”
Mr Komack said the 44.6 percent that had been completed was about 3.8 percent ahead of the schedule they had set.
The project, which is valued at 289 billion kip (US$36.19 million), is expected to finish before the proposed completion date. The development is being undertaken by a Vietnamese company based in Attapeu province and is under the supervision of the Public Works and Transport Ministry's Civil Aviation Department.
The company has been provided funds in the form of a loan as this project is a government investment.
The construction of Attapeu International Airport is expected to encourage socio-economic development and tourism in the province, as well as the southern region as a whole.
The Deputy Project Manager, Mr Bouakhay Saophouthone said the new airport would be a medium-d facility with a 2,850 metre runway.
A project report noted it would be able to accommodate aircraft with 70 to 100 seats such as the ATR72, Fokker70, Fokker100 and MA60.
“This is only the first phase of the project and it's located on an area of 450 metres by 2,850 metres in Xaysettha district,” Mr Bouakhay said.
“The government plans to complete the second phase by 2020 to expand the airport, whereby the 2,850 metre runway will be increased to 5,200 metres.”
He said currently there are only two airports in the four southern provinces of Champassak, Xekong, Saravan and Attapeu. One airport is located in Champassak province and another is in Saravan province.
vientiane times
