National Road 3 (Laos)

National Road 3 in Laos
map
Basic data
Operator:	Ministry of Transport
Start of the street:	Nateuy ( 21 ° 4 ′  N , 101 ° 39 ′  E )
End of street:	Fourth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge , Ban Houayxay ( 20 ° 13 ′  N , 100 ° 27 ′  E )
Overall length:	197 km
Provinces :	Luang Namtha Province Bokeo Province  Map with all coordinates: OSM | WikiMap map

The National Road 3 is an economically important link in the north of Laos between China and Thailand . The 197-kilometer route begins in the provincial capital Luang Namtha in the province of the same name , Luang Namtha , in Laos. It continues southwest to the provincial capital Ban Houayxay in the province of Bokeo on the Mekong River and ends at the border crossing on the Fourth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge . China in particular is interested in improved traffic routes to Southeast Asia and, together with Thailand, it finances the majority of the expansion of the highways in Laos. The Laotian section belongs to the Kunming-Bangkok Expressway , which in turn is part of the Asian Highway AH3 .