Thakhek

Thakhek
ທ່າແຂກ
City
Thakhek centre
Thakhek
Location in Laos
Coordinates: 17°24′N 104°48′E / 17.400°N 104.800°E / 17.400; 104.800Coordinates: 17°24′N 104°48′E / 17.400°N 104.800°E / 17.400; 104.800
Country  Laos
Province Khammouane Province
District Thakhek District
Population
 • Total 85,000

Thakhek (Lao language: ທ່າແຂກ) is a town in south-central Laos on the Mekong River and facing Nakhon Phanom across the river in northeastern Thailand. It is the capital of Khammouane Province.

The city has many French colonial style official buildings, villas and shops. Western scientists first encountered the Laotian rock rat - kha-nyou (Laonastes aenigmamus) in Thakhek's market. 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. In 1943, 85% of the population of Thakhek were Vietnamese due to French policy of encouraging Vietnamese immigrants to Laos.[1]

Construction of the Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, linking Thakhek to Nakhon Phanom, started in 2009 and was commemorated on 11/11/11.

The population is 85,000 people according to 2012 census data.

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) 3
(0.1)		 28
(1.1)		 41
(1.6)		 100
(4)		 277
(10.9)		 335
(13.2)		 561
(22.1)		 536
(21.1)		 409
(16.1)		 64
(2.5)		 10
(0.4)		 8
(0.3)		 2,372
(93.4)
Source: Weatherbase [2]
  1. ↑ Stuart-Fox, Martin (1997). A History of Laos. Cambridge University Press, p. 51. ISBN 978-0-521-59746-3.
  2. ↑ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Thakhek, Laos". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
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