Nong Khai province (, ; , ) 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 province, in 2011. Nong Khai province lies in upper northeastern Thailand. Nearby provinces are (clockwise, from the east): Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Udon Thani, and Loei. To the north it borders Vientiane province, Vientiane Prefecture, and Bolikhamsai province of Laos.

Geography The province is in the valley of the Mae Nam Kong (Mekong River), which also forms the border with Laos. There are highlands to the south. The total forest area is or 7.1 percent of provincial area. The Laotian capital, Vientiane, is only from the provincial capital of Nong Khai. The First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, which connects the two countries, was built jointly by the governments of Thailand, Laos, and Australia, and was opened in 1994.

Nong Khai is the smallest province in the northeastern after Bueng Kan and other seven districts became Bueng Kan province in 2011.

History

Phu Lon, a prehistoric mining complex in the province, is one of the two sources from which the copper used in Thailand is thought to have come, the other being the Khao Wong Prachan valley in central Thailand. Joyce White and Elizabeth Hamilton dated the earliest ore processing at Phu Lon to about the middle of the second millennium BC. At neither source is there evidence of prehistoric mining until several centuries after the first bronze artefacts appear in Southeast Asia. The gap bears on the disputed question of when and by what route bronze reached the region.

Over the centuries, control of the province swung between the Thai Kingdom Ayutthaya, and the Laotian kingdom Lan Xang, as their respective powers ebbed and flowed in the region.

The Prap Ho Monument in front of the historic city hall (now a museum and cultural center) memorializes the war dead of the Haw wars.

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. The balls resemble an orange sun. They rise out of the river approximately 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 (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, 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 and Hinduist ideologies, Buddhas, many-armed goddesses, a seven-headed Naga 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 ordained in Wat Sisaket in Nong Khai.

Symbols The provincial seal shows a pond with a bamboo clump close to it. The bamboo symbolizes stability, glory, and continuity for the peaceful and fertile land.

The provincial tree is the tamalan or Burma pallisander (Dalbergia oliveri).

The provincial aquatic life is the seven-striped barb or Jullien's golden carp (Probarbus jullieni).

Administrative divisions Provincial government As of 23 March 2011, the province is divided into nine districts (amphoes). The districts are further divided into 62 subdistricts (tambons) and 705 villages (mubans). The eight districts of Bueng Kan were districts of Nong Khai before they were split off to form Bueng Kan province.

Mueang Nong Khai Tha Bo Phon Phisai Si Chiang Mai Sangkhom Sakhrai Fao Rai Rattanawapi Pho Tak

Local government As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Nong Khai Provincial Administration Organisation () and 19 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Nong Khai and Tha Bo have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 17 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 48 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).

Economy Economic output In 2021, Nong Khai province had an economic output of 44.396 billion baht (US$1,168 billion). This amounts to per capita gross provincial product (GPP) of 97,617 baht (US$2,570). In 2023 the total labourforce was 223,746 of which 222,815 persons were employed in economic activity. In agriculture and fishing 106,834 persons (47.9%) were employed and in the non-agricultural sector 115,981 persons (52.1%).

+ Gross Provincial Product (GPP) ActivitiesBahtPercent1 Agriculture and fishing 10,065,000,000 22.72 Manufacturing 8,846,000,000 19.93 Education 6,316,000,000 14.24 Trade 4,924,000,000 11.15 Finance 2,980,000,000 6.76 Human health 2,203,000,000 5.07 Defence + publ.admin. 2,054,000,000 4.68 Real estate 1,800,000,000 4.09 Transportation 1,550,000,000 3.510 Construction 1,524,000,000 3.411 Energy 552,000,000 1.212 Information 447,000,000 1.013 Other service activity 431,000,000 1.014 Mining 261,000,000 0.615 Hotel and restaurant 146,000,000 0.316 Pastime 130,000,000 0.317 Water supply 118,000,000 0.318 Administration 26,000,000 0.119 Scientific activity 23,000,000 0.1   Total 44,396,000,000 100

+ Employed persons ActivitiesWorkforcePercent1 Agriculture and fishing 106,834 47.92 Trade 31,570 14.23 Construction 15,826 7.14 Hotel and restaurant 15,038 6.75 Manufacturing 13,834 6.26 Defence + publ.admin. 13,307 6.07 Education 7,751 3.58 Human health 5,994 2.79 Transportation 3,871 1.710 Finance 2,574 1.211 Other service activity 1,978 0.912 Scientific activity 1,636 0.713 Household enterprise 611 0.314 Administration 436 0.215 Energy and water supply 407 0.216 Real estate 381 0.217 Mining 321 0.118 Pastime 293 0.119 Information 153 0.1   Total 222,815 100

Transport Air The nearest airport is Udon Thani International Airport, 56 km from Nong Khai.

Rail

The main railway station in Nong Khai is Nong Khai railway station. This station can be considered the destination of the Upper Northeastern Railway Line (only in Thailand's area).

Road The First 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 Laos's capital, Vientiane ( upriver), on the north bank opposite the Thai town of Si Chiang Mai District. Construction of a rail spur to Thanaleng outside of Vientiane was begun early-2007 and officially opened 5 March 2009.

Nong Khai is 626 km north of Bangkok and 60 km north of Udon Thani.

Human achievement index 2022 Health Education Employment Income 22 33 48 40 Housing Family Transport Participation 23 30 47 73 Province Nong Khai, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6357 is "somewhat low", occupies place 46 in the ranking. Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the Human achievement index (HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this task since 2017. RankClassification  1 - 13"high"14 - 29"somewhat high"30 - 45"average"46 - 61"somewhat low"62 - 77"low" Map with provinces and HAI 2022 rankings

References

External links

Provincial website Nong Khai Travel Guide