Nong Khai ( th, เทศบาลเมืองหนองคาย, ) is a city in northeast
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 capital 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 ...
. Nong Khai city is located in
Mueang Nong Khai district
Mueang Nong Khai ( th, เมืองหนองคาย, ) is the capital district (''amphoe mueang'') of Nong Khai province, northeastern Thailand.
Geography
Neighboring districts are (from the east clockwise): Phon Phisai of Nong Khai Pro ...
.
Nong Khai lies on 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, near the site of the first
Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, spanning the river to
Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
. The Thai-Lao Friendship bridge was largely funded by a gift to the Lao government from the Australian government. It is the road and railway gateway to the Lao capital,
Vientiane
Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...
, upriver, on the north bank opposite Thailand's
Si Chiang Mai district. Construction of a rail spur to
Thanaleng
Thanaleng station, also known as Dongphosy station (''Ban Dong Phosy'' in Lao), is a railway station in Dongphosy village, Hadxayfong District, Vientiane Prefecture, Laos. It is east of the Lao capital city of Vientiane and north of the Lao-Th ...
outside Vientiane was begun early-2007 and opened 5 March 2009.
Nong Khai is north 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 ...
by road and north of
Udon Thani
Udon Thani ( th, อุดรธานี, ) is a city in Isan ( Northeast Thailand), the capital of Udon Thani Province and with a population of approximately 430,000 in its urban area the 7th largest city in the country. The city municipality ...
.
History
The Prap Ho Monument before the old city hall (now a museum and cultural center) memorialises the dead of the
Haw wars
The Haw Wars ( th, สงครามปราบฮ่อ) were fought against Chinese quasi-military refugee gangs invading parts of Tonkin and the Siam from 1865–1890. Forces invading Lao domains were ill-disciplined and freely demolished B ...
.
Nong Khai has become a popular destination during the
Buddhist Lent
The ''Vassa'' ( pi, vassa-, script=Latn, sa, varṣa-, script=Latn, both "rain") is the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada practitioners. Taking place during the wet season, Vassa lasts for three lunar months, usually from July ...
festival when mysterious balls of light, or
Naga fireball
Naga fireballs ( th, บั้งไฟพญานาค; ), also known as ''bung fai phaya nak'' or "Mekong lights" and, formerly, "ghost lights" are a phenomenon said to be seen annually on the Mekong River. Glowing balls are alleged to natura ...
s, rise from 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. The balls resemble an orange sun. They rise out of the river approximately 6–9 meters (20 to 30 feet) and disappear after three to five seconds. Although the fireballs can be seen at other times, most Thais travel to see them during the full moon in October when the incidence of them is considered to be much higher.
Nong Khai's main sight is
Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku ( th, ศาลาแก้วกู่; ; , also spelled as Sala Keo Ku, Sala Keo Koo, Sala Kaew Ku, Sala Kaew Koo, Salakaewkoo, Sala Gaew Goo, Sala Kaeoku, etc. Alternative name: Wat Khaek) is a park featuring giant fantastic con ...
(alternatively spelled as
Sala Kaew Ku, also known as
Wat Khaek), a park of colossal sculptures, some over 20 m tall. The park is the handiwork of the mystic
Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat
Bunleua Sulilat (June 7, 1932 – August 10, 1996; often referred to as Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat; th, หลวงปู่บุญเหลือ สุรีรัตน์, , ; numerous variants of the spelling exist in Western languages ...
, who bought the land in 1978 when he was exiled from his native Laos, where he had built a similar park in Vientiane in the 1950s. Synthesizing
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
and
Hinduist ideologies, Buddhas, many-armed goddesses, a seven-headed
Naga
Naga or NAGA may refer to:
Mythology
* Nāga, a serpentine deity or race in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions
* Naga Kingdom, in the epic ''Mahabharata''
* Phaya Naga, mythical creatures believed to live in the Laotian stretch of the Mekong Riv ...
snake, and various human-animal hybrids dominate the site.
Notable figures from twentieth century Buddhist history have lived in Nong Khai -- the world renowned Buddhist scholar and leading meditation teacher
Ajahn Sumedho
Luang Por Sumedho or Ajahn Sumedho ( th, อาจารย์สุเมโธ) (born Robert Karr Jackman, July 27, 1934) is one of the senior Western representatives of the Thai forest tradition of Theravada Buddhism. He was abbot of Amarava ...
was ordained in Wat Sisaket in Nong Khai.
File:Nai Mueang, Mueang Nong Khai District, Nong Khai, Thailand - panoramio (2).jpg, Streets of Nong Khai, provincial capital of Nong Khai Province.
File:Nong Khai Aquarium.jpg, tNong Khai Aquarium
File:Phrathat Nong Khai.JPG, Phrathat Nong Khai
Climate
References
External links
*
{{Borders of Thailand
Populated places in Nong Khai province
Laos–Thailand border crossings
Populated places on the Mekong River
Cities and towns in Thailand
Isan