THAILAND

THAILAND / ประเทศไทย

Opening of the First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge on the Mekong River.
Stamp issued on 08.04.1994.
Face value: 9 Thai baht.
Printed by Leigh-Mardon Ltd., Melbourne, Australia.
Printing: Offset lithography.
Print: 5,000,000 copies.
Size: 48 x 30 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 1593.
- Scott No. 1565.
- StampWorld No. 1644.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 1723.
- Thai Stamp Catalogue No. 1542.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 1564.

The First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge (Thai: สะพานมิตรภาพ ไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ 1; Lao: ຂົວມິດຕະພາບ ລາວ-ໄທ ແຫ່ງທຳອິດ) is a bridge over the Mekong, connecting Nong Khai city in Thailand with Vientiane Prefecture in Laos. With a length of 1,170 m (0.73 mi), the bridge has two 3.5 m (11 ft)-wide road lanes, two 1.5 m (4 ft)-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. Opened on April 8, 1994, it was the first bridge across the lower Mekong. The bridge was designed and built by Australian companies. The concept design of a balanced cantilever bridge was proposed by Bruce Ramsay of VSL with the final design carried out by Maunsell consulting engineers.