First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge ( th, สะพานมิตรภาพ ไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ 1, ; lo, ຂົວມິດຕະພາບ ລາວ-ໄທ ແຫ່ງທຳອິດ, ) is a bridge over the Mekong, connecting Nong Khai Province and the city of Nong Khai in
Opened on 8 April 1994, it was the first bridge across the lower Mekong, and the second on the full course of the Mekong.
The cost was about A$42 million, funded by the Australian government as development aid for Laos.
The bridge was designed and built by Australian companies as a demonstration of their ability to complete major infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia. The concept design of a balanced cantilever bridge was proposed by Bruce Ramsay of VSL with the final design carried out by Maunsell consulting engineers.
The official name of the bridge was changed by the addition of "First" after the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge further south at
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 b ...
with Vientiane Prefecture in Laos; the city of Vientiane is approximately from the bridge. With a length of 1,170 meters (0.73 mi), the bridge has two -wide road lanes, two -wide footpaths and a single gauge railway line in the middle, straddling the narrow central reservation.
* The rail gauge is
* The loading gauge might be
* The structure gauge (roughly equal to a road lane) might be about
History
Opened on 8 April 1994, it was the first bridge across the lower Mekong, and the second on the full course of the Mekong.
The cost was about A$42 million, funded by the Australian government as development aid for Laos.
The bridge was designed and built by Australian companies as a demonstration of their ability to complete major infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia. The concept design of a balanced cantilever bridge was proposed by Bruce Ramsay of VSL with the final design carried out by Maunsell consulting engineers.
The official name of the bridge was changed by the addition of "First" after the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge further south at Savannakhet
Savannakhet (ສະຫວັນນະເຂດ), officially named Kaysone Phomvihane ( lo, ໄກສອນ ພົມວ