Priscilla Kibbee: Nong Khai Thailand

I chose Saturday to cross the border into Thailand. The immigration posts were packed with shoppers from Laos crossing the border and going into Nong Khai or heading further south to Udon Thani. On the Thailand side people were there freelancing rides into town or further on. I ended up riding into town in a pickup truck. Over the past few years Nong Khai has been busy rebuilding its walkway along the Mekong.

It now extends for about a mile along the river.

My hotel served this sort of rice soup for breakfast. It was actually quite good.

There was a nice verandah in front of the restaurant where you could eat and watch the world go by. Tuk tuks gathered across the street waiting for fares which was very convenient.

An old Thai style house sitting forlornly in a field. Most of the traditional houses have been replaced by concrete homes.

A typical street. Nong Khai is a small city of perhaps 50,000.

The main market extends for perhaps half a mile along the river...just behind the new walkway. In the center of the market there is an open area where food vendors congregate.

There are lots of food stalls in the market...connected with restaurants facing the River. Many of them have fish cooking on grills.

They look delicious but I have never been brave enough to try them.

Hm...this might make a nice pot for flowers next year.

Actually I would like to bring one of these home.

The Mekong from the Thai side...looking at Laos.

In the middle of this Wat is a huge golden Buddha. It is best photographed from the River. Unfortunately the only tour boat from the Thai side goes out at dusk.

There are several sellers in the market with "silk" in baskets. Unfortunately the amount of real silk they carry has declined in recent years to almost nothing.

The ferry for locals between Thailand and Laos. Everyone else has to take the Friendship Bridge which was funded by Australia.

My hotel restaurant has banana splits. No..that's not why I chose it.

Around the corner is a night market (food) covering several blocks. Vendors haul in chairs, tables and cooking supplies and set up shop when the sun goes down right on the street.

I chose to eat Chicken and cashews on my hotel verandah.

In the center of town is a beautiful Wat with an attached University. My friend Phonesay took me here once to meet his English instructor (who spoke no English) and some of his fellow monks.