The construction of the biggest freshwater fish aquarium in the Northeast, located at Khon Kaen University’s Nong Khai Campus, has recently been completed and officially opened to the public.

The Nong Khai University Campus is a satellite campus of Khon Kaen University, located on 516 rai, just off Chaloemphrakiat Road in the Muang District of Nong Khai city.

Source - Leaftlet hand out at the entrance

Asst. Prof. Wanchai Soomleg, KKU Vice President - Nong Khai Campus, said the aquarium, the construction of which began in 2004, was collaboration between Nong Khai Province and the Campus, with a total cost of about 180 million Baht supported by the province.

Asst. Prof. Wanchai added that the project was initiated by the province to conserve freshwater fish in the Mekong River as well as to stimulate tourism in the province and Indochina region. The aquarium is one of the province’s most important development strategies.

Many kinds of freshwater fish and their habitats that are found in the Mekong River will be displayed in tanks of various sizes and the highlight will be a 25 meter tunnel tank that features the various ecological systems of native Mekong River habitats. Marine lives will be displayed as well.

Photos to follow

Thanks for the tip on that Seamus. We went there today.

Directions:
Coming from Udon take the left turn well before Nong Khai, - for the Friendship Bridge, Vientiane etc, - cross the railway line, then just before the right hand bend, take a left turn into the Khon Kaen University campus, through the big arch, follow that road for a few hundred metres, then take the first left turn, (before the actual University turning). You should see the building which has some fish paintings on the outside as you turn. Car park is adjacent to the building

Details:
It's open from 9.00am until 5.00pm Tuesday to Saturday and 4.00pm on Sundays.

Admission is 50 baht for foreigners, 20 baht for Thai's and 10 baht for children!

(n.b. It closes on Monday)

Inside:
It's new on two levels, entrance from the upper level. Initially it looked like a couple of (rather dark) big rooms, with fish tanks, but they then lead to a couple more rooms and then to a corridor/tunnel down through/under the large aquarium, after which there is a very large more brightly lit room with many more fish tanks and a few ornamental Nagas, fountains and suchlike.

I would mention that at times we all found the glass of the fish tanks in the upper rooms rather disorientating.

Overall though we were quite pleased.

Ah, you beat me to it with the photo's Ricky, thanks for posting them here.

I don't suppose you know if the admission fee is going to be free forever, or is it just till the building is fully completed with the few bits and pieces left to finish?

No mention of admission charges at the aquarium Sean. Though a local told me that one will be introduced later.

is there a plaa berk, the giant mekong catfish?

There was some pretty big fish in there serve, but not being an expert I am not sure of the names of all the different species.

Perhaps someone else picked up some of the names and can give us some more info.

I was looking for plaa buk too at the new aquarium on Sunday, but didn't see any there, though I was preoccupied with keeping my son out of the water.

These are amazing fish, the "Mekong catfish", and after visiting the Aquarium, which is free for the time being, our family went on down the road to the Chaeng Sawan market, one of the best afternoon markets in the area (on the right on the way to the bridge).

I always make a point of checking out the huge plaa buk there, but there were none there either, and there weren't any there last time I went either, though they've always had them in the past.

Anyone know what's up with these giant catfish? Are they protecting them more now, or enforcing the catching of them, or is there a scarcity of them or what?

Had a brainstorm, asked "her indoors" (the wife), who told me it's the rainy season - silly! - and because the water levels are so high, the fishing is not good. Makes sense to me.

She also informed me that there was indeed a small plaa buk in the big tank at the aquarium. Didn't I see it?

She added that the big ones would be too much for this space, too hard to take care of there. Again, makes sense to me. (Am I the only one who feels stupid here sometimes?)

So there you go, serve.copped.

Looks good, i like an aquarium so its a bonus, a good attraction for NK.

Video of Nong Khai Aquarium:

Thanks for adding the video Lee, looks like you had an interesting day visiting it.

I gather they are charging an admission fee now, if it's true, I don't suppose you remember the price by any chance?

Sean wrote:I gather they are charging an admission fee now, if it's true, I don't suppose you remember the price by any chance?

Yes it's 50 baht for foreigners, 20 baht for Thai's and 10 baht for children. Well worth the 50 baht IMO.

Thanks for the info Lee, I've updated the costs above.