Chao Phraya's Kanchanaphisek Bridge

If you're heading out in a somewhat Southeasterly direction through Bangkok along Route 9 towards Samut Prakan, past the 150 foot tall (50 meter) three-headed elephant looming above the Erawan Hindu temple on your right you'll probably find yourself heading towards the Kanchanaphisek bridge and over the Chao Phraya river.  The Erawan temple and museum are a topic for another day soon, but let's stay in the car for now and just get to the bridge.

Other than the top image today that I took the last time I went over the bridge, all of the others I've found online. I'd love to be able to take credit for them, but frankly they haven't printed enough money yet in total to get me up to the top of the tower pictured to the left here.  I don't like to stand on a chair to change a light bulb.

The six-lane bridge is relatively new, and an arm of the Southern part of what is called the Outer Ring Road. Construction began in 2001, I believe, and it was opened near the end of 2007.

The rest of the photos today give you an idea of what the construction looked like as the towers stood alone, the approach was put out to meet them and the sections of road bed were moved up, piece by piece, by barge and crane over the wide and busy Chao Phraya.

Why was I on the bridge?  Ah.  Well, that story starts Thursday. Family obligations are keeping me from making a post on the 13th, sorry to say..

The approach roadway in 2001

Another tower view I'll never see in person

Barges bring sections of road bed to be raised by crane

The road bed nears completion

The road bed in place, the bridge is nearly ready to open

The Chao Phraya empties into the Gulf of Thailand at the top of this image