Phra Pok Klao Bridge ( th, สะพานพระปกเกล้า, , ) is a bridge crossing the
Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya ( or ; th, แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา, , or ) is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand.
Et ...
in
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 ...
,
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 serves to connect the two sides of the Chao Phraya River in the Bangkok area, namely
Phra Nakhon District's
Wang Burapha Phirom and
Samphanthawong District
Samphanthawong ( th, สัมพันธวงศ์, ) is one of the 50 districts (khet) of Bangkok, Thailand. Regarded as Bangkok's Chinatown, it is the smallest district in area but has the highest population density of Bangkok's districts. ...
's
Chakkrawat
250px, '' Prang'' (pagoda in Khmer-style) of Wat Chakkrawat, the origin of the area's name.
Chakkrawat ( th, จักรวรรดิ, ) is a '' khwaeng'' (subdistrict) of Samphanthawong district, Bangkok.
History
In the year 1915, correspon ...
with
Khlong San District's
Somdet Chao Phraya as well as
Thonburi District
Thon Buri ( th, ธนบุรี, ) is one of the 50 districts (''khet'') of Bangkok, Thailand. On the west bank of Chao Phraya River, it was once part of Thon Buri province. Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Bangkok Yai, Ph ...
's
Wat Kanlaya
Wat Kanlaya ( th, วัดกัลยาณ์, ) is a ''khwaeng'' (sub-district) of Thon Buri District, Bangkok's Thonburi side, regarded as the northeast area of the district adjacent to the Chao Phraya River's west side.
History and prese ...
.
History
Phra Pok Klao Bridge was built in 1982 on the 200th anniversary of
Rattanakosin or Bangkok nowadays. The bridge was designed to alleviate traffic congestion on the adjacent
Memorial Bridge. The bridge is composed of three
viaduct
A viaduct is a specific type of bridge that consists of a series of arches, piers or columns supporting a long elevated railway or road. Typically a viaduct connects two points of roughly equal elevation, allowing direct overpass across a wide v ...
s, with the central viaduct designed to carry future mass transit links. The bridge was named after King
Prajadhipok
Prajadhipok ( th, ประชาธิปก, RTGS: ''Prachathipok'', 8 November 1893 – 30 May 1941), also Rama VII, was the seventh monarch of Siam of the Chakri dynasty. His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to political and ...
(Rama VII) since he was the builder of the nearby Memorial Bridge.
In June 2020, the central viaduct that used to be the structure of the failed
Lavalin Skytrain
Lavalin Skytrain ( th, โครงการรถไฟฟ้าลาวาลิน) is a cancelled rapid transit in Bangkok, planned since 1984 during Prem Tinsulanonda reign as prime minister. It was to have been operated by Lavalin (SNC-Lava ...
project will be converted into a
sky park
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space.
In th ...
, and will be considered as the first sky park in
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
.
References
External links
Pokklao BridgeBureau of Maintenance and Traffic Safety, Thailand (link broken).
Road bridges in Bangkok
Bridges completed in 1984
Crossings of the Chao Phraya River
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