Meet Somphone Inleuangsy, a trailblazing Laotian woman steering her way into history as one of the first female train drivers in Laos—a dream fueled by the transformative China-Laos Railway. 🌏🚄
Completed in 2021, the 1,035-km railway has become a lifeline for regional connectivity, linking Vientiane to Kunming in the Chinese mainland. For Somphone, it’s not just tracks and trains: “This railway opened doors I never imagined,” she says, reflecting on her journey from rural Laos to the driver’s seat of a high-speed locomotive.
The project, part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, has created over 100,000 jobs in Laos, with women like Somphone shattering stereotypes in male-dominated fields. “I want to show young girls that they can chase any career,” she adds, her story resonating across Southeast Asia as a symbol of economic empowerment and cross-border collaboration.
With over 10 million passengers and 20 million tons of freight transported since its launch, the railway isn’t just moving people—it’s accelerating dreams. 💫 As regional ties strengthen, Somphone’s journey reminds us that infrastructure can be a catalyst for human potential—one track at a time.
