Without delay! The Minister of Tourism made an unannounced visit to Hua Lamphong station and enlisted genuine railway experts to join the team. This effort is set to transform Thailand's rail tourism, preparing a fresh new look ready to welcome travelers from across the globe.
On 3 June 2026, Mr. Surasak Pancharoenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, traveled to Bangkok Railway Station (Hua Lamphong) to assess the site's potential from a tourist's perspective, preparing to transform this historic station into a cultural and experiential travel destination.
This urgent site visit followed a historic meeting between the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Ministry of Transport on 2 June 2026, where a resolution was made to integrate efforts to elevate Thailand's rail tourism standards to match those of Japan.
The plan aims to establish Hua Lamphong as the main hub for rail travel tourism, to effectively distribute income and tourists from major cities to secondary cities.The Ministry of Tourism collaborates with the Ministry of Transport to drive rail travel tourism, aiming to spread income to local communities.)
Mr. Surasak said that to develop the tourism experience effectively, one must see things firsthand as ordinary tourists do, in order to truly understand how the Ministry of Tourism can complement and work with the Ministry of Transport in ways that create the greatest impression for visitors.
During the site survey, the Minister met Mr. Ham-Wanwisk Niempan, a famous influencer behind the page “Train Ride Team,” along with Mr. Hammun and a group of young rail travel enthusiasts.
Mr. Surasak took this opportunity to discuss, exchange views, and listen to suggestions from actual users’ perspectives, to incorporate these insights into the joint working group's considerations between the two ministries.
Additionally, Mr. Surasak invited Mr. Wanwisk to join the joint working group to leverage his expertise and dedication in driving rail tourism policies forward, ensuring they meet the needs of all traveler groups.