Rattanakosin 200th Anniversary Bridge

The Rattanakosin 200th Anniversary Bridge is a 700-metre timber-decked suspension footbridge across the Ping River in Tak town, built in 1982 to mark 200 years since Bangkok’s founding as the capital of the Rattanakosin kingdom. It’s a crossing for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorbikes rather than cars — the deck is just 2.5 metres wide, hung from steel cables between five concrete pier bases.

Locals use it daily to get between the riverbanks, and that everyday traffic is part of what makes it worth a stop: motorbikes puttering past fishermen casting lines from the pier, kids cycling home from school, the wooden planks giving slightly underfoot with each step. The concrete piers carry simple Thai decorative touches rather than anything elaborate, and the real draw is the view — a long, open sightline down the Ping River with Tak’s low hills in the background. Riverside parkland runs along both banks near the bridge, with benches and shaded spots for people who want to sit rather than cross.

Water levels on the Ping shift a lot between the dry and rainy seasons, and the bridge sits high enough to clear the river even when it runs high after the monsoon rains. Watch out: the wooden deck can feel slightly bouncy when a motorbike passes while you’re mid-crossing — hold the rail if you’re unsteady on your feet, especially with young kids in tow.

Insider Tip: Walk out to the middle of the span around sunset. The concrete road bridges elsewhere in Tak town don’t give you the same unobstructed view of the river bending away toward the hills, and the footbridge itself catches the last light well for photos.

The bridge sits within easy reach of central Tak town by car or motorbike, and pairs naturally with a stop at the King Taksin the Great Shrine or the Si Maharat City Pillar Shrine, both a few minutes away. There’s no dedicated parking area at the bridge itself — most visitors park along the riverside road and walk the last stretch.