services. Construction of the bridge began in 1999, and was completed in 2002. It was opened to traffic on 7 May that year. The bridge was named in tribute to King Bhumibol's brother, the late King Ananda Mahidol, who was also known as Rama VIII as he was the eighth king of the Chakri Dynasty. The bridge was inaugurated by King Bhumibol on 20 September 2002, the anniversary of Ananda Mahidol's birth. Design The bridge is of an asymmetrical design, with a single pylon located on the Thonburi bank of the river. The pylon, which is tall, is in the shape of an upside-down Y standing on two legs. The bridge deck passes through the legs of the pylon, carrying two carriageways of two lanes each, as well as shared pedestrian and cycle ways on both sides. Fifty-six cables, arranged in two planes in a semi-fan configuration, support the -long main span, while another twenty-eight cables arranged in a single plane with a near-harp configuration connect the tower to the median of the anchor span. Most of the bridge, which is in length, is constructed of reinforced and prestressed concrete, except for the main span, which has a steel structure with a composite concrete deck. At its completion, the bridge was one of the world's largest asymmetric cable-stayed bridges. The bridge's architectural elements include lotus motifs, which appear in the pedestrian railings, as well as references to King Ananda Mahidol. The cables have gold-coloured sheaths, and other steel elements are painted accordingly. The bases of the tower are enclosed in octagonal enclosures resembling the feet of an elephant. The top of the tower features a glass observation deck, which is enclosed in a -tall metal frame in the shape of a lotus bud and is accessible by a lift inside the tower. It is the tallest bridge observation deck in the world, but is not currently open to the public. Viaducts connect the bridge to Wisut Kasat Road on the east side of the river and Arun Amarin Road and the Borommaratchachonnani Elevated Highway on the west side. Lift towers and stairs allow pedestrian access to the bridge from each bank. The area around the base of the pylon has been developed into a public park. It features a larger-than-life statue of Ananda Mahidol, which was unveiled by King Bhumibol on 9 June 2012. The bridge received several engineering awards: