First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge
First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge สะพานมิตรภาพ ไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ ๑ ຂົວມິດຕະພາບ ລາວ-ໄທ ແຫ່ງທຳອິດ | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 17°52′42″N 102°42′56″E / 17.8783°N 102.7156°E |
| Carries | Motor vehicles, Trains |
| Crosses | Mekong River |
| Locale | Nong Khai, Nong Khai Province Vientiane, Vientiane Prefecture |
| Official name | First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 1.17 km (3,800 ft) |
| Width | 3.5 and 1.5 m (11 ft 6 in and 4 ft 11 in) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | John Holland |
| Opened | 4 April 1994 |
| Location | |
.jpg){kind=link}
The First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge is a bridge over the Mekong, connecting Nong Khai Province and the city of Nong Khai in Thailand with Vientiane Prefecture in Laos. The Lao capital city Vientiane is approximately 20 km (12 mi) from the bridge.
The bridge is 1,170 meters (0.73 mi) long. It has two 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)-wide road lanes, two 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)-wide footpaths and a single 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge railway line in the middle, straddling the narrow central reservation.
- The rail gauge is 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
- The loading gauge might be 3,000 mm (9 ft 10 in)
- The structure gauge (roughly equal to a road lane) might be about 4,000 mm (13 ft 1 in)