King to open Rama X Bridge next month

The construction of the Rama X Bridge across the Chao Phraya River is complete, with Exat Governor Surachet Laophulsuk announcing that His Majesty the King will preside over the opening ceremony on Dec 14.
Mr Surachet said the bridge, which has been royally bestowed the official name “Saphan Thotsamarachan”, is expected to open for traffic by the end of December or early January at the latest.
The new cable-stayed bridge is part of an 18.7-kilometre elevated road connecting the Rama III-Dao Khanong expressway with Bangkok’s Western Beltway. The bridge also links to the Chaloem Maha Nakhon and Si Rat expressway systems.
The 780-metre-long bridge crosses the Chao Phraya from Rat Burana district on the Thonburi side of the river to Yannawa district on the Bangkok side. It runs parallel with the Rama IX Bridge.
According to Mr Surachate, the bridge has a 450m mid-span and eight traffic lanes, making it the widest in the country. It can withstand earthquakes and a maximum 270km per hour storm.
The bridge is set to accommodate 150,000 cars daily.
Mr Surachet said that the bridge’s design commemorates His Majesty the King, including sculptures of a golden yellow Naga on four pillars, representing the year of His Majesty’s birth, and a pattern of the Yellow Starflower, the tree of King Rama X on the bridge fences.
He said there will be a celebration in honour of His Majesty the King on Dec 14, right after the opening ceremony.
The Exat governor said the bridge has been open for pedestrians to walk up and for sightseeing since early this year.
It has not been available for cars because the construction of the vehicle entrance was not completed.
Following the opening of the Rama X Bridge, the Rama IX Bridge will be closed for a year of maintenance.
It will be the first major restoration of the bridge in almost four decades, he said.