Although we saw a few foreigners in NKP, there's no question the city is benefiting from large numbers of Thai tourists. The ones who want to visit NKP will also take in Wat That Phanom. The ones who want to visit Wat That Phanom will take in NKP. So easy to do today....with a nicely paved 4 lane highway all the way. I'm not sure how far the 4 lane goes from NKP to Nongkai......I know it's at least partially built. But when that's completed, it will be another opportunity for people to make easy 1 day/2 day trips.
As my wife and I were visiting the spitting naga along the Mekong, we thought back to 1972 when the RTAF conducted bombing runs in Thakhaek, Laos, just across from NKP. The folks in NKP would gather along the banks of the Mekong and chow down on oliang (ice-coffee) and monkey balls (meat balls on a stick). No one seemed to be concerned of the conflict just across the river. Meanwhile, convoys of bomb laden 10-wheel trucks would often be seen passing through the city on the way to the depot on the RTAF Base (joint with US). Those were the daze my friend.