Reopening of Saphan Mon Bridge สะพานมอญ

See the locations on Saphan Mon Bridge Google Map

Picture by Isriya Paireepairit
Picture by Sarinee Achavanuntakul

Picture by *petitpor*

Thailands longest wooden bridge has been repaired: Saphan Mon Bridge สะพานมอญ - also known as Uttamanusorn bridge - in Sangklaburi สังขละบุรี will be reopened on October 18 with a ceremony. The 850 metres long bridge crossing Song Kalia river had been torn apart by a water runoff in July 2013. The middle section then collapsed. Engineering soldiers of the Ninth Division of Thailands army took over the reconstruction of the bridge after a private company had failed. The Mon bridge was first built in 1987 by ethnic Mon people to honour Luang Por Uttama. The monk had fled Burma with 60 mon families in 1949 and founded the community of Ban Wangka. “U Uttama devoted all his life to setting up this village for preserving the Mon language, traditions and culture,” Sirithesho, a 54-year-old monk at Wat Wang Wiwekaram, told The Irrawaddy. Uttama passed away in 2006. The bridge links Sangklaburi district with Ban Wangka.

After the old bridge collapsed local peole of Nong Lu village built a floating bamboo bridge stretching 450m across the river besides the old bridge. Seea video.


Picture by Thibaud Saintin
Children playing on the raft bridge besides the damaged old Saphan Mon Bridge


Read more:
Sangkhlaburi and Ban Wangka: Where Thais and Mons encounter