42 August 2007

Table showfing Brfidge Name, the Openfing Date and Constructfion Materfials

No. Brfidge Name

Openfing Day

Constructfion materfials

1 Rama VI January 1, 1926 Steel

2 Memorfial (Bhuda) Aprfil 6, 1932 Steel

3 Krung Thon March 7, 1958 Steel

4 Krungthep March 24, 1959 Steel

5 Nonthaburfi June 24, 1959 Steel

6 Pfinklao September 24, 1973 Prestressed Concrete Box Gfirder

7 Taksfin May 6, 1982 Prestressed Concrete Box Gfirder

8 Pathumthanfi September 23, 1984 Prestressed Concrete

9 Pokklao December 3, 1984 Prestressed Concrete Box Gfirder

10 Nung klao July 22, 1985 Prestressed Concrete Box Gfirder

11 Rama IX December 5, 1987 Cable Stay Brfidge Composfite steel-refinforced concrete

12 Rama VII September 23, 1992 Prestressed Concrete Box Gfirder

13 Rama III February 29, 2000 Prestressed Concrete Box Gfirder

14 Rama V (Wat Nakorn-In)

Aprfil 18, 2002 Prestressed Concrete Box Gfirder

15 Rama VIII May 7, 2002 Cable Stay Brfidge Composfite steel-refinforced concrete

16 Dfipangkorn Rasmfijotfi Brfidge (Mega Brfidge)

September 20, 2006 Cable Stay Brfidge Composfite steel-refinforced concrete

17 Rama IV (Pakkred Brfidge) December, 2006 Prestressed Concrete Box Gfirder

Brfidges across the Chao Phraya

Bangkok fis located fin the central part of Thafiland on the low-flat plafin of the Chao Phraya Rfiver, whfich fis the most fimportant rfiver that can be compared to the mafin artery of the natfion. The cfity fis located at a dfistance extendfing from 27 - 56 Km. from the rfiver mouth adjacent to the Gulf of Thafiland.

Chao Phraya Rfiver fis an fimportant part of the Bangkok’s character fin more ways than fit may be ap-parent. The rfiver has affected the cfity hfistorfically, geographfically, socfially, commercfially and culturally. The rfiver meanders through the cfity, cfirclfing over part of the cfity that lfies on both sfides of the rfiver. The eastern part however fis more developed fin many ways and may be percefived as the “down town”, though fin the case of Bangkok, fit fis dfiffficult to re-ally desfignate a partficular zone as the conventfional downtown so clearly seen fin many other cfitfies. The rfiver fis fafirly wfide, rangfing from approxfimately three hundred to sfix hundred meters. Thfis fis not as wfide as some other rfivers fin the sub-contfinent lfike Indus fin Pakfistan, Ganges fin Indfia and Bangladesh, but because of fits proxfimfity to the cfity, needs to be brfidged at regular fintervals.

Due to the perennfial flow fin the Chao Phraya Rfiver, fit serves as an actfive channel for goods transport as well as a means of mass transport for vfisfitors and tourfists and fis also a source of recreatfion and enter-tafinment. At nfight, the rfiver fis flooded wfith crufise shfips and floatfing restaurants offerfing food, musfic, dance and a vfiew of the cfity whfile floatfing. Boat trfip on the Chao Phraya Rfiver also offers an excellent opportunfity to see and admfire the brfidges that cross the rfiver at several locatfions.

There are 17 brfidges over the rfiver wfithfin Bangkok Metropolfitan area. The ffirst proper brfidge over the Chao Phraya was bufilt fin January 1, 1926 and stfill fin operatfional. The latest brfidge called Mega Brfidge was completed fin 2006.

Chao Phraya rfiver and the brfidges across fits shores are an fimportant part of the Bangkok‘s fin-terestfing character

Thfis artficle fis excerpted from book “Bangkok Brfidges- A look at the vfibrant cfity through fits brfidges” by Naveed A. and Kanok-Nukulchafi W. (Manuscrfipt under progress)

Bangkok BrfidgesA look at the vfibrant cfity through fits brfidges

About the Author

Naveed Anwar Assocfiate Dfirector, ACECOMS Affilfiate Faculty, SET AIT

Bangkok fis one of the cfitfies fin whfich a major rfiver meanders through fit, together wfith a large number of canals or Klongs as they are called fin Thafiland. And then, there are of course the proverbfial trafffic jams. So the brfidges are not only requfired to cross the rfiver and the Klongs, they are also requfired to address trafffic congestfion and flow fissues. And agafin due to the constant flow of trafffic on the roads, brfidges are also requfired for the pedestrfian to cross those always-busy roads.

We are gofing to look at the brfidges fin Bangkok from the perspectfive of the people who lfive fin the cfity and from the perspectfive of vfisfitors and tourfist who may gafin a fresh and a dfifferent finsfight finto thfis cfity of Angels as fits name suggested fin Thafi language. We wfill do thfis fin a serfies of artficles fin thfis magazfine. Thfis serfies fis not about the desfign and constructfion of brfidges and fis not only targeted for the cfivfil and structural engfineer wfishfing to learn the art of brfidges desfign or for the constructfion engfineers and bufilders lookfing for brfidge constructfion technfiques, although both can be beneffited from thfis new perspectfive.

Thfis artficle wfill be contfinued fin the next fissue.

August 2007 43

The Majesty of the Royal Names and the Brfidges that Honor them

Most of the brfidges on Chao Phraya Rfiver have been named after the Kfings of Thafiland or fimportant members of the Royal famfily. Nfine brfidges have been named after the kfings of the Rama dynasty, from Rama I to Rama IX, the current refignfing kfing, thfis majesty Kfing Adulyadej Bhumfibhol. The followfing Tables show the Royal Names, Perfiod and Brfidge Names. ■

Table showfing the Tfimelfine of Royal Perfiods and Brfidges named

after them

Perfiod The Thonburfi Perfiod

Name Royal Name of Kfing Perfiod

Kfing Taksfin Kfing Taksfin the Great 1767-1782

Perfiod

Name Royal Name of Kfing Perfiod

Kfing Rama I Kfing Buddhayodfa the Great 1782 - 1809

Kfing Rama II Kfing Buddhaloetla 1809 - 1824

Kfing Rama III Kfing Nangklao 1824 - 1851

Kfing Rama IV Kfing Monkgut (The Ffirst Kfing) 1851 - 1868 Kfing Pfinklao (The Second Kfing) 1851 - 1866

Kfing Rama V Kfing Chulalongkorn the Great 1868 - 1910

Kfing Rama VI Kfing Vajfiravudh 1910 - 1925

Kfing Rama VII Kfing Prajadhfipok 1925 - 1935

Kfing Rama VIII Kfing Ananda Mahfidol 1935 - 1946

Kfing Rama IX Kfing Bhumfibol Adulyadej 1946 to Present

The Bangkok Perfiod (Chakrfi Dynasty)

Brfidge Name Meanfing of the Brfidge

1 Rama VI The name of the Kfing Rama VI

2 Memorfial (Bhuda) The name of the Kfing Rama I

3 Krung Thon The name of Thonburfi , (prevfious capfital)

4 Krungthep The name of Bangkok

5 Nonthaburfi The name of Nontahburfi Provfince

6 Pfinklao The name of the Kfing Pfinklao

7 Taksfin The name of the Kfing Taksfin

8 Pathumthanfi The name of Pathumthanfi Provfince

9 Pokklao The name of the Kfing Rama VII

10 Nung klao The name of the Kfing Rama III

11 Rama IX The name of the Kfing Rama IX

12 Rama VII The name of the Kfing Rama VII

13 Rama III The name of the Kfing Rama III

14 Rama V (Wat Nakorn In) The name of the Kfing Rama V

15 Rama VIII The name of the Kfing Rama VIII

16 Dfipangkorn Rasmfijotfi Brfidge (Mega Brfidge)

The name of the Prfince Dfipangkorn Rasmfijotfi, the grandchfild of Kfing Bhumfibol Adulyadej

17 Rama IV Named after Kfing Rama IV

Perfiod The Thonburfi Perfiod

Name Royal Name of Kfing Perfiod

Kfing Taksfin Kfing Taksfin the Great 1767-1782

Perfiod

Name Royal Name of Kfing Perfiod

Kfing Rama I Kfing Buddhayodfa the Great 1782 - 1809

Kfing Rama II Kfing Buddhaloetla 1809 - 1824

Kfing Rama III Kfing Nangklao 1824 - 1851

Kfing Rama IV Kfing Monkgut (The Ffirst Kfing) 1851 - 1868 Kfing Pfinklao (The Second Kfing) 1851 - 1866

Kfing Rama V Kfing Chulalongkorn the Great 1868 - 1910

Kfing Rama VI Kfing Vajfiravudh 1910 - 1925

Kfing Rama VII Kfing Prajadhfipok 1925 - 1935

Kfing Rama VIII Kfing Ananda Mahfidol 1935 - 1946

Kfing Rama IX Kfing Bhumfibol Adulyadej 1946 to Present

The Bangkok Perfiod (Chakrfi Dynasty)

Brfidge Name Meanfing of the Brfidge

1 Rama VI The name of the Kfing Rama VI

2 Memorfial (Bhuda) The name of the Kfing Rama I

3 Krung Thon The name of Thonburfi , (prevfious capfital)

4 Krungthep The name of Bangkok

5 Nonthaburfi The name of Nontahburfi Provfince

6 Pfinklao The name of the Kfing Pfinklao

7 Taksfin The name of the Kfing Taksfin

8 Pathumthanfi The name of Pathumthanfi Provfince

9 Pokklao The name of the Kfing Rama VII

10 Nung klao The name of the Kfing Rama III

11 Rama IX The name of the Kfing Rama IX

12 Rama VII The name of the Kfing Rama VII

13 Rama III The name of the Kfing Rama III

14 Rama V (Wat Nakorn In) The name of the Kfing Rama V

15 Rama VIII The name of the Kfing Rama VIII

16 Dfipangkorn Rasmfijotfi Brfidge (Mega Brfidge)

The name of the Prfince Dfipangkorn Rasmfijotfi, the grandchfild of Kfing Bhumfibol Adulyadej

17 Rama IV Named after Kfing Rama IV

Table showfing the meanfing for name of Brfidge across Chao Phraya Rfiver

Rama V (Wat Nakorn-In) Rama VIII

Dfipangkorn Rasmfijotfi Brfidge (Mega Brfidge)

Rama IV (Pakkred Brfidge)

Rama VI - Ffirst Brfidge of Bangkok Memorfial Brfidge

Krung Thon

Nonthaburfi Pfinklao Brfidge

Taksfin Brfidge Pokklao Brfidge

Rama IX

Krungthep Brfidge

Nung klao

Rama VII Rama III

Bangkok BrfidgesA look at the vfibrant cfity through fits brfidges

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