The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has revised the design of the Ayutthaya High-Speed Rail Station, reducing its height to 28 meters and relocating it slightly to avoid overlapping with the original railway station. The changes were made following a request from the World Heritage Committee’s advisory body, which visited the site in January 2025. A response from the expert panel is expected by mid-March, with contract signing anticipated in April.
Veerit Amrapal, Governor of the SRT, stated that additional information and updated construction visuals had been submitted to the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) for further review. The proposed station, part of Contract 4-5 of the Thai-Chinese High-Speed Rail Project’s first phase, will span a 13.3-kilometer section from Ban Pho to Phra Kaew. The expert committee’s visit to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya reportedly yielded no significant concerns, suggesting progress on the contract may proceed as planned.
The revised station design follows previous height reductions from 37.45 meters to 35.45 meters, and now further to 28 meters, addressing concerns over the project’s impact on Ayutthaya’s UNESCO-listed heritage site. If no further objections arise, the SRT will consult with Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit to finalize the agreement with contractor Boonchai Panich (1979) Co., Ltd. The contract is expected to be signed in April 2025, with construction commencing by mid-year.
Meanwhile, progress on Contract 4-1, covering the 15.21-kilometer Bang Sue-Don Mueang section, remains pending. This segment overlaps with the high-speed rail project linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, and U-Tapao airports, requiring amendments to the joint investment contract. The SRT board is set to review the revised contract on March 27, with further approvals from the Attorney General’s Office and the Cabinet expected by May 2025.
Overall, the first phase of the 253-kilometer Thai-Chinese High-Speed Rail Project, connecting Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, has reached 41.7% completion, though progress is behind schedule by 28.06%. The project aims to begin operations in 2028.
Attending the discussions were representatives from the SRT, ONEP, and other relevant agencies.
