Approval for 3 Old Town rail stations

The Rattanakosin Island Committee has approved the designs of three new railway stations along the western Orange Line that will be built in Bangkok’s strictly zoned Old Town.

The three stations along the Thailand Cultural Centre-Taling Chan stretch are expected to be built near Sanam Luang, Democracy Monument on well-preserved Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue, and Siriraj Hospital, across the Chao Phraya River from the Grand Palace.

The committee, led by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, has decided to approve the stations along the route, which will cut through Rattanakosin Island, according to Rawiwan Phuridet, secretarygeneral to the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning.

According to project details posted on the operator’s website, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) plans to break ground at Taling Chan station and build the new electric line along the current Bangkok Noi route that runs to Siriraj Hospital.

It will then tunnel under the Chao Phraya to link Siriraj Hospital with underground stations at Sanam Luang and Democracy Monument.

The last two stations must be carefully designed because they fall within a 1.8-square-kilometre radius of Bangkok’s Old Town.

The area is subject to strict city zoning rules as well as tough scrutiny by the committee that covers land development proposals.

The area is described as an “island” because it has the river on the West and Klong Lot, the old city canal, to its East.

The three stations are among 30 that will run along the 39.6km Orange Line project that runs west-east from Taling Chan to Min Buri. Some 23 stations will be underground.