Nong Khai

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Nong Khai (หนองคาย) is a city in North-East Thailand, capital of the Nong Khai Province. It is situated directly at the Mekong River and is the site of the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge across to Laos. It is the Thai gateway to the Laotian capital of Vientiane 25 kilometres up river, on the north bank opposite the town of Sri Chiang Mai on the Thai side. Although at the time of building the bridge, railtrack was installed along the centre of the roadway to the Laos side, no railway infrastructure exists in Laos to connect it with any on-going destinations. The service currently stops one kilometre short of the border at a new railway station not far from the city centre of Nonh Khai.

Nong Khai's main sight is Sala Kaew Ku (also Wat Khaek), a park of massive sculptures (some over 20m tall). The park is the handiwork of the mystic Luang Pa Bunleua Sulilat, who bought the land in 1978 when he was exiled from his native Laos. Synthesizing Buddhism, Hindu and Confucian ideologies, Buddhas, many-armed goddesses, naga snakes and all sorts of human-animal hybrids dominate the scenery.

In more recent years, Nong Khai has become a popular destination during the Buddhist lent festival when mysterious balls of light, or Naga fireballs, rise from the Mekong river.

[edit] Economy

Nong Khai is essentially a border town with the typical traffic associated with such locations. Tourism is mainly comprised of short stopovers by people traveling to and from Laos. The main thoroughfare is mainly populated by hardware stores, banks and gold shops. A large, busy Indo-china market thrives in the city centre along the riverside. Tourists are catered for by a wide selection of hosteleries from budget guesthouses to international hotels and thriving evening entertainment.