Chong Mek ( th, ช่องเม็ก) is a border town in the
Isan
Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provin ...
region of
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 located in the
Sirindhorn District
Sirindhorn ( th, สิรินธร; ) is a district (''amphoe'') of Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand, established by the Royal Decree Establishing Amphoe Sirindhorn, BE 2534 (1991), coming into force on 4 January 1992. It was named in the ...
of
Ubon Ratchathani Province, about east of
Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani ( th, อุบลราชธานี, ) is one of the four major cities of Isan (with Khorat/Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, and Khon Kaen), also known as the "big four of Isan." The city is on the Mun River in the south ...
. The town is the only land-based crossing open to most travellers from Thailand to
Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
, the other such crossings being across the
Mekong
The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's List of rivers by length, twelfth longest river and List of longest rivers of Asia, the third longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , ...
river.
Vang Tao is the settlement on the Lao side.
The town has a busy market popular with Thai visitors, however its popularity has diminished since the opening of the
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
at
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 form ...
in 2007.
Sights and attractions
About west of Chong Mek is the large
Sirindhorn Reservoir
The Sirindhorn Dam is in Sirindhorn District, Ubon Ratchatani, Thailand. It impounds the Lam Dom Noi River, and its reservoir is the province's largest water resource. The dam was commissioned in 1971 to serve as a hydropower facility as well as ...
created by the construction of the
Sirindhorn Dam
The Sirindhorn Dam is in Sirindhorn District, Ubon Ratchatani, Thailand. It impounds the Lam Dom Noi River, and its reservoir is the province's largest water resource. The dam was commissioned in 1971 to serve as a hydropower facility as well as ...
in 1971.
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References
Populated places in Ubon Ratchathani province
{{Borders of Thailand