Thakhek
Thakhek
ທ່າແຂກ | |
|---|---|
| Thakhek District | |
 Thakhek centre | |
  Thakhek Location in Laos | |
| Coordinates: 17°24′N 104°48′E / 17.400°N 104.800°ECoordinates: 17°24′N 104°48′E / 17.400°N 104.800°E | |
| Country | Laos |
| Province | Khammouane Province |
| District | Thakhek District |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 85,000[1] |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
Thakhek (Lao language: ທ່າແຂກ), the capital of Khammouane Province, is a town in south-central Laos on the Mekong River. The Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, linking Thakhek and Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, across the river, started in 2009 and was opened on 11 November 2011.
The city has many French colonial style official buildings, villas, and shops. In 1943, 85% of the population of Thakhek were Vietnamese due to the French policy of encouraging Vietnamese immigrants to Laos.[2] Remnants of the abortive Thakhek-Tan Ap railway can be seen in and near the town. The railway would have run between Thakhek and Tân Ấp Railway Station, Quảng Bình Province, Vietnam through the Mụ Giạ Pass.
Western scientists first encountered the Laotian rock rat, kha nyou (Laonastes aenigmamus), in Thakhek's market.
Climate[]
| Climate data for Thakhek | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 29 (84) |
31 (87) |
33 (91) |
34 (94) |
33 (91) |
31 (88) |
29 (85) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
31 (87) |
30 (86) |
28 (83) |
31 (87) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 13 (56) |
17 (62) |
19 (67) |
22 (72) |
24 (75) |
24 (76) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
23 (74) |
20 (68) |
18 (64) |
14 (58) |
21 (69) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 2.5 (0.1) |
28 (1.1) |
41 (1.6) |
100 (4) |
280 (10.9) |
340 (13.2) |
560 (22.1) |
540 (21.1) |
410 (16.1) |
64 (2.5) |
10 (0.4) |
7.6 (0.3) |
2,370 (93.4) |
| Source: Weatherbase [3] | |||||||||||||
References[]
- ^ "Main Cities by Population in Laos". Worldometers. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ Stuart-Fox, Martin (1997). A History of Laos. Cambridge University Press. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-521-59746-3. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Thakhek, Laos". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved on 24 November 2011
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thakhek. |
Thakhek travel guide from Wikivoyage- Destination: Khammouane Province
- Laos–Thailand border crossings
- Populated places in Khammouane Province
- Populated places on the Mekong River
- Provincial capitals in Laos