Thai Lao Freindship Bridge

We were in Nong Khai so we decided to drive down to the Thai-Lao Freindship Bridge spanning the Mekong River to have a close look at it. After all, Australian tax dollars funded this might concrete bridge and we fancied a close up look.

Here's a tip - take a guide if you want to do the same. We stopped twice to ask directions and then had to haggle a little with the officials in charge of the bridge to get access - the bridge is on Highway Department land and you have to enter thier compound to get real close to it. This is an international border crossing and you can't just wander about wherever you feel like.

A five minute walk from where the officials were busily watching TV and smoking cigarettes we reached a beautiful shady spot on an embankment overlooking the Mekong andright alongside the bridge. There are some signs in Thai and English explaining when and how the bridge was built and what it cost.

The views across to Laos are very nice and we watched some children playing in the river as the sunset.