Bueng Kan (, ) is a town municipality (thesaban mueang) in Mueang Bueng Kan district, in Bueng Kan province, Isan (northeastern Thailand). It is the district capital and is on the Mekong River, opposite the Laotian town of Pakxan of Bolikhamsai province. It lies at the junction of Highways 212 and 222, northeast of Nong Khai and northeast of Bangkok. The economy is based on agriculture, with para rubber as the principal crop, and tourism.
Toponymy Bueng () means marsh; Kan () is associated with the Hindu deity Kāla, or the colour black.
History The settlement became a sanitary district in 1956. Like all sanitary districts, it was upgraded to sub-district municipality in 1999. Bueng Kan was formerly part of Nong Khai Province until the formal establishment of the new province of the same name on 23 March 2011. On 25 March 2020, the Ministry of Interior announce to dissolve Wisit subdistrict municipality and Bueng Kan subdistrict administrative organization (SAO) and combine the two with Bueng Kan subdistrict municipality. Also upgrade the status of the latter to Bueng Kan town municipality. Published in Royal Gazette, volume 137, special section 179 Ngor, date 5 August 2020 and effective on the same date.
Geography Wisit subdistrict, west part of Bueng Kan town municipality are plains interspersed with undulating, uneven slopes. Bueng Kan subdistrict, most of the east part of Bueng Kan town municipality is lowland with watersources, such as Nong Bueng Kan, Nong Fang Daeng and Huai Kan Ya.
Climate
Administration Local government The administration of Bueng Kan town municipality () is responsible for the combined area of Wisit and Bueng Kan subdistricts, that covers 59,494 rai ~ and consists of total 24 administrative villages (muban). As of 2022: 20,103 people. The town municipality is divided into three districts (khet). Villages of Wisit subdistrict Villages of Bueng Kan subdistrict
VillageDistrict 3Moo3 Ban Nong WaengMoo4 Ban Na PanMoo5 Ban Nong Na SaengMoo6 Ban Lao ThawonMoo8 Ban Huai Dok MaiMoo10 Ban Saen CharoenMoo11 Ban Don CharoenMoo12 Ban Na SuksanMoo13 Ban Chak Thip SamakkheeMoo10 Ban San Samran VillageDistrict 1Moo1 Ban Bueng Kan NueaMoo2 Ban Phan LamMoo7 Ban WisitMoo9 Ban Na NueaMoo1 Ban Bueng Kan KlangMoo2 Ban Si Sophon VillageDistrict 2Moo3 Ban Bueng Kan TaiMoo4 Ban Na NonMoo5 Ban Tha KraiMoo6 Ban Tha Pho Moo7 Ban Dong Mak YangMoo8 Ban Bueng SawanMoo9 Ban San PrasertMoo11 Ban San Suk
Transportation The city is connected to many major cities by day and night airconditioned express buses. The journey to Udon Thani takes around 3 hours 45 minutes, and Bangkok is from 10 hours 30 minutes to 12 hours away depending on company and route.
Udon Thani International Airport with direct flights (under normal conditions) to Chiang Mai, Pattaya U-Tapao, Phuket, and both Bangkok airports, is at 200 km by road from the city. Sakon Nakhon regional airport at 172 km with flights to Bangkok (Don Mueang) at 172 km.
The nearest rail connection is Udon Thani railway station in the centre of Udon city.
Building of the fifth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge began in 2021. Construction of the bridge at about 4 km west of the city centre is expected to take 3 years for a completion in 2023. The project will link the cities of Bueng Kan in Thailand and Bolikhamxai in Laos across the Mekong River. Its cost will be around US$130.3 million. Thailand has agreed to pay US$25.47 million and Laos is covering about US$46.13 million. The bridge will enable Vietnam to be reached by road from Thailand through Laos over a distance of 150 km. Already existing Thai-Lao Friendship Bridges link Nong Khai province with Vientiane Prefecture (First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge); Mukdahan with Savannakhet (Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge); Nakhon Phanom with Thakhek (Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge); and Chiang Rai province with Houayxay (Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge).
References
External links The navel of the Mekong. 29 October 2020. Bangkok Post