Nong Khai
Mekong Border City At The First Thai Lao Friendship Bridge (1994); Home Of The Sala Keoku Sculpture Park · Nong Khai, Nong Khai
Nong Khai is a relaxed provincial capital on the south bank of the Mekong in north-eastern Thailand, facing Laos, with the Lao capital Vientiane only about 25 kilometres away across the First Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, opened in 1994. Many travellers pass through on the way to Laos, but the town rewards a few slow days. A riverside promenade runs past Tha Sadet market, where stalls sell goods from Laos, China and Vietnam, and riverside restaurants serve Mekong fish and the Vietnamese-style dishes the town is known for. East of the centre, Sala Keoku is an extraordinary garden of giant concrete sculptures of Buddhas, Hindu gods and nagas created by the mystic Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat. Wat Pho Chai houses the revered golden Buddha image Luang Pho Phra Sai, and at low water the top of a sunken chedi, Phra That Nong Khai, shows in the river. At the end of Buddhist Lent in October, crowds gather along the Mekong to watch for the naga fireballs, glowing balls said to rise from the river. The overnight train from Bangkok and flights to Udon Thani bring you here.
Tha Sadet Market, Mekong Promenade, Nai Mueang, Nong Khai, Nong Khai, 43000, Thailand
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: the promenade is public space open at all times; Tha Sadet market opens from about 8 or 9 am to about 5 or 6 pm daily; Sala Keoku has opened from about 7 or 8 am to about 6 pm daily, with last entry shortly before; Wat Pho Chai opens from early morning to early evening. The Friendship Bridge border crossing has operated from about 6 am to 10 pm, with overtime fees outside office hours and at weekends; check. The traps that ruin a day are arriving at the bridge after the last shuttle or without US dollars for the Lao visa, visiting Sala Keoku at midday or after closing, booking the naga fireball night without a room, and expecting to buy alcohol on a Buddhist holy day. Confirm current times before relying on them.