Bueng Kan ( th, บึงกาฬ, ) is a town (''

thesaban mueang Thesaban ( th, เทศบาล, , ) are the municipalities of Thailand. There are three levels of municipalities: city, town, and sub-district. Bangkok and Pattaya are special municipal entities not included in the ''thesaban'' system. The mu ...

'') in Mueang Bueng Kan district, in

Bueng Kan province Bueng Kan ( th, บึงกาฬ, , ), also spelled Bung Kan, is the 76th province (''changwat'') of Thailand, established by the Act Establishing Changwat Bueng Kan, BE 2554 (2011) on 23 March 2011. The province, consisting of the districts ...

, far northeastern

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

. It is the district capital and is on the

Mekong River The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's twelfth longest river and the third longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annuall ...

, opposite the Laotian town of

Pakxan Pakxan (''Paksan'' or ''Muang Pakxan'') ( Lao ປາກຊັນ) (french: Paksane) is a district and a town in Bolikhamsai Province, in western Laos. It is the capital of Pakxan District. The Nam Xan River joins the Mekong River at Pakxan on ...

of Bolikhamsai province. It lies at the junction of Highways 212 and

222 __NOTOC__ Year 222 ( CCXXII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Antoninus and Severus (or, less frequently, ye ...

, northeast of

Nong Khai Nong Khai ( th, เทศบาลเมืองหนองคาย, ) is a city in northeast Thailand. It is the capital of Nong Khai province. Nong Khai city is located in Mueang Nong Khai district. Nong Khai lies on the Mekong River, near ...

and northeast of

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

. The economy is based on agriculture, with para rubber as the principal crop, and tourism.

History

The settlement became a

sanitary district Sanitary districts were established in England and Wales in 1872 and in Ireland in 1878. The districts were of two types, based on existing structures: *Urban sanitary districts in towns with existing local government bodies *Rural sanitary dis ...

in 1956. Like all sanitary districts, it was upgraded to sub-district municipality in 1999. Bueng Kan was formerly part of

Nong Khai Province Nong Khai province ( th, หนองคาย, ) was formerly the northernmost of the northeastern (Isan) provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand until its eight eastern districts were split off to form Thailand's newest province, Bueng Kan provin ...

until the formal establishment of the new province of the same name on 23 March 2011. ''Bueng'' () means marsh; ''Kan'' () is associated with the Hindu deity

Kāla Kala ( sa, काल, lit=Time, translit=Kālá/Kālam), ) is a Sanskrit term that means "time" or "death." As time personified, destroying all things, Kala is a god of death, and often used as one of the epithets of Yama. In Shaivism, Kala ...

, or the colour black.

Transport

The city is connected to many major cities by day and night airconditioned express buses. The journey to Udon Thani takes around 3 hours 45 minutes, and Bangkok is from 10 hours 30 minutes to 12 hours away depending on company and route.

Udon Thani International Airport : ''For the United States use of the facility during the Vietnam War see Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base'' Udon Thani International Airport ( th, ท่าอากาศยานอุดรธานี) is an international airport near the c ...

with direct flights (under normal conditions) to

Chiang Mai Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...

Pattaya Pattaya ( th, พัทยา, , ) is a city in Thailand. It is on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about southeast of Bangkok, within, but not part of, Bang Lamung district in the province of Chonburi province, Chonburi. Pattaya City ( ...

U-Tapao,

Phuket Phuket (; th, ภูเก็ต, , ms, Bukit or ''Tongkah''; Hokkien:普吉; ) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, the country's largest island, and another 32 smaller islands of ...

, and both Bangkok airports, is at 200km by road from the city. Sakon Nakhon regional airport at 172km with flights to Bangkok (Don Mueang) at 172km. The nearest rail connection is

Udon Thani railway station Udon Thani railway station is a railway station located in Mak Khaeng Sub-district, Mueang Udon Thani District, Udon Thani Province. It is a class 1 railway station located from Bangkok railway station. History The station opened in June 24 ...

in the centre of Udon city. Building of the fifth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge began in 2021. Construction of the bridge at about 4km west of the city centre is expected to take 3 years for a completion in 2023. The project will link the cities of Bueng Kan in Thailand and Bolikhamxai in Laos across the Mekong River. Its cost will be around US$130.3 million. Thailand has agreed to pay US$25.47 million and Laos is covering about US$46.13 million. The bridge will enable Vietnam to be reached by road from Thailand through Laos over a distance of 150km. Already existing Thai-Lao Friendship Bridges link

Nong Khai province Nong Khai province ( th, หนองคาย, ) was formerly the northernmost of the northeastern (Isan) provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand until its eight eastern districts were split off to form Thailand's newest province, Bueng Kan provin ...

with

Vientiane Prefecture Vientiane (or ''Viengchan'', Also known as ''Vientiane Prefecture'' or ''Vientiane Municipality'') ( Lao: ນະຄອນຫຼວງວຽງຈັນ, ''Nakhônlouang ViangChan'') is a prefecture of Laos, in the northwest Laos. The nationa ...

(

First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge The First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge ( th, สะพานมิตรภาพ ไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ 1, ; lo, ຂົວມິດຕະພາບ ລາວ-ໄທ ແຫ່ງທຳອິດ, ) is a bridge over the Mekong, c ...

;

Mukdahan Mukdahan ( th, มุกดาหาร, ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') and capital of Mukdahan Province, which became Thailand's 73rd province in 1982. In the northern region of the country, on the right (west) bank Mekong River, it was for ...

with

Savannakhet Savannakhet (ສະຫວັນນະເຂດ), officially named Kaysone Phomvihane ( lo, ໄກສອນ ພົມວິຫານ; th, ไกสอน พมวิหาน) since 2005 and previously known as ''Khanthaboury'' (ຄັນທະ ...

(

Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds e ...

);

Nakhon Phanom Nakhon Phanom ( th, นครพนม, ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in northeastern Thailand, capital of Nakhon Phanom Province. The town covers ''tambons'' Nai Mueang and Nong Saeng and parts of ''tambons'' At Samat and Nong Yat, all in ...

with

Thakhek Thakhek (Lao language: ທ່າແຂກ), the capital of Khammouane Province, is a town in south-central Laos on the Mekong River. The Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, linking Thakhek and Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, across the river, started ...

(

Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge The Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge ( th, สะพานมิตรภาพ ไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ 3, ) over the Mekong is a bridge that connects Nakhon Phanom Province in Thailand with Thakhek, Khammouane Province in ...

); and Chiang Rai province with

Houayxay Houayxay ( lo, ຫ້ວຍຊາຍ) (also ''Huoeisay'', ''Houei Sai'' or ''Huay Xai''), is a district in Bokeo Province, Laos, on the border with Thailand. Ban Houayxay is the administrative centre of the district. The town lies on the Mekong ...

(

Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge The Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge ( th, สะพานมิตรภาพ ไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ 4, ; lo, ຂົວມິດຕະພາບ ລາວ-ໄທ ແຫ່ງທີ 4, ) is a highway bridge over the Mekong ...

References

External links

The navel of the Mekong
29 October 2020.

Bangkok Post The ''Bangkok Post'' is an English-language daily newspaper published in Bangkok, Thailand. It is published in broadsheet and digital formats. The first issue was sold on 1 August 1946. It had four pages and cost one baht, a considerable amount ...

Populated places in Bueng Kan province Populated places on the Mekong River Cities and towns in Thailand {{BuengKan-geo-stub