Thakhek

Thakhek stands on the eastern bank of the Mekong, facing Nakhon Phanom across the river. Limestone hills rise behind the town, and the river links it with the settlements of the middle Mekong. The country around it is associated with the old realm of Sikhottabong, remembered in Lao traditions and in the name of a revered riverside stupa south of the town.

The stupa of That Sikhottabong became an important Buddhist shrine. Tradition places its foundation in an early age, while King Setthathirath of Lan Xang is credited with restoring it in the sixteenth century. Its prominence reflects the enduring religious connections between communities on both banks of the Mekong, where pilgrims and traders crossed the river as well as travelling along it.