Cross-border passenger train on track to boost trade, relations with Laos
Employment opportunities
The railway is also bringing jobs for local people. Vongthong Somphavath, a former tour guide from the tourist hot spot of Lang Prabang, said she is proud to be a conductor on a regular train on the line. She lost her job because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the China-Laos Railway project offered her another opportunity, and it is a nice opening, she said.
"It's a pretty stable job and the salary is decent," the 26-year-old said, adding that some of her friends also want to join the company and have asked her advice.
La Thor, a 23-year-old who works maintaining a section of the railway in Luang Prabang, received training from a Chinese civil engineer. He said he wants to be Lao's Zhan Tianyou, aka Jeme Tien-Yow, who is known as the "Father of China's Railways" for his contribution to the sector.
Wang Jujie, Meng Zhe, and Xu Panyiru contributed to this story.
Contact the writer at luowangshu@chinadaily.com.cn
