Korat’s century-old train station to be demolished to make way for new, modern version
Nakhon Ratchasima’s 122-year-old train station will be torn down next year to make way for one that supports the dual-track system of Thailand’s new high-speed railway network.
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced on Monday that the demolition will kick off in February before a more modern one is built. The new station will be fully compatible with the dual-track high-speed railway system that is currently in Phase 1 of construction.
The 179-billion-baht Phase 1 covers the 253-kilometre distance between Bangkok and Korat as the Northeast province is also known.
Though only 16% of the project has been completed due to the Covid pandemic, SRT expects the first phase to be up and running by 2026.
Phase 2 of the project, costing 300 billion baht, will cover the 356km between Nakhon Ratchasima and Nong Khai. SRT said this phase is under the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process.
SRT expects Phase 2 to be up for bidding before May 2023 and construction may start in the following year.
The high-speed rail route from Bangkok to Nong Khai should go into operation by 2029, linking Thailand to the China-Laos railway.
Before demolishing the Nakhon Ratchasima train station, which was built in 1900 during the reign of King Rama V, SRT has been holding activities, so locals and tourists can check out the site for the last time. Activities, so far, include an exhibition of model trains, railway equipment and souvenirs.
