As I was crossing RAMA 9 bridge last week, from BKK heading south, I saw off to the left a new bridge starting to span the river. Is this the bridge to extend the East Ring Road south across the river to join up with the West Ring Road?

No

To clarify - if you do a search for "Wongwein Yai" you should find information on that bridge, part of the "Industrial Ring Road", not the Outer Ring Road.

Admittedly, since the outer ring road bridge isn't started yet, and the new bridge will cross the river (twice actually - it goes north-south over a loop in the river, so starts and ends on the east bank, with a junction leading onto the west bank half-way across.) you could use half the bridge, and some other roads to go from the eastern ring road (which does appear to be getting extended south from BangNa at the moment) to the western ring road.

But it's not the "proper" bridge for the Outer Ring Road...

Admittedly, since the outer ring road bridge isn't started yet, and the new bridge will cross the river (twice actually - it goes north-south over a loop in the river, so starts and ends on the east bank, with a junction leading onto the west bank half-way across.) you could use half the bridge, and some other roads to go from the eastern ring road (which does appear to be getting extended south from BangNa at the moment) to the western ring road.

But it's not the "proper" bridge for the Outer Ring Road...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll be amazed if that bridge is not used for the Outer Ring Road connection. The road that is being constructed on the Samrong side of the bridge looks to be clearly heading over to the areas where the Eastern Ring Road construction is really getting going.

As you say, that wasn't the original plan but there doesn't seem to be much evidence of the Industrial Ring Road breaking ground as yet.

Edited May 30, 200521 yr by Tarragona

Info and pictures of the Mega bridge:

http://www.2bangkok.com/2bangkok/Bridge/wo.../wongwein.shtml

actually 3 (sam) new bridges are being built, BOTH of those described above, and yes, SOUTH (some 4-5 kms, I think ) of PraPraDaeng, leading into that halfisle west of SamRong the OUTER ring is being built (the road itself from there to the circle near Ram2/Tesco/SamaeDaeng is already in use.

2 bridges, due to the meanders are being built north of praPraDaeng and are that industr.road.

There are very clear maps of Outer./bigger BKK for sale, in 2 lingos,s at SeeEd booksops (or any Thai chain) which show about any new road being planned, very good for all the proposed airptlinks too.