Naresuan Bridge

The Naresuan Bridge leads into Ayutthaya City.

The arched iron bridge in the middle is the Pridi-Thamrong Bridge, the first bridge of Ayutthaya which linked the city island with the mainland. The long-span bridge was constructed in 1940 CE and opened officially on 14 July 1943, the anniversary birthday of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, the Thai Prime Minister. The bridge was named after the former Prime Ministers, Professor Pridi Banomyong (1900-1983) and Rear Admiral Thawal Thamrong Navaswadhi (1901-1988). The construction of the bridge with a span length of 60 m was a masterwork. All construction materials and methods were developed in Thailand by Thai engineers under the consultation of a German engineer - Dr Kruck - employed by the Department of Highways. The bridge was precambered during construction to counteract future deformation. The primary reinforcements in the deck were pre-tensioned and released after the concrete had been cast, a technique later known as "partially prestressed concrete". The overall bridge length is 168.6 m, while the roadway width is 6.5 m. [Source: Handbook of International Bridge Engineering - Wai-Fah Chen, Lian Duan - CRC Press, Oct 11, 2556 BE - page 1156]

(Picture courtesy of Sean Alcock)

Ayutthaya Historical Research