Changes made to Ayutthaya train station for high-speed railway closely monitored
Officials of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) last week visited the Ayutthaya train station to inspect preparations being made for the high-speed railway project that is currently under construction.
Joined by representatives from the Fine Arts Department, the visit aimed to ensure that the changes made to the existing station pose none or very little impact to the nearby Ayutthaya Historical Park.
Located in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, the Ayutthaya Historical Park was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1991 under Criteria III as an excellent witness to the period of development of a true national Thai art.
“SRT will conduct a joint HIA [Heritage Impact Assessment] study with the Fine Arts Department and present the findings to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO] to address their concerns about the development project,” SRT governor Nirut Maneephan said.
“Initially, SRT will adjust the design of the station and reduce the height of the runways by 4 metres to minimise the impact to nearby areas.”
The high-speed railway is a joint project with SRT, China Railway International and China Railway Design Corp. The project’s Phase 1 covers a 253km rail track from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima being built under a budget of 50.63 billion baht. The route comprises six stations – Bang Sue, Don Muang, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Pak Chong and Nakhon Ratchasima.