Deputies from the Orange Camp in Samut Sakhon and Bangkok joined a survey of the Mahachai-Wongwian Yai railway line to listen to public feedback on the Dark Red Line suburban railway project.
On 2 May 2026, Mr. Natthapong Sumnotham, a deputy for Samut Sakhon, along with a group of Pracha Chart Party deputies from Samut Sakhon and Bangkok, conducted a field survey of the Mahachai-Wongwian Yai railway line. They gathered feedback from people who have awaited clarity on the Dark Red Line suburban railway project for over ten years. He said the visit aimed to compile information to send directly to the Minister of Transport and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). "People want to know definitively if this project will proceed, so they can plan their lives accordingly. It's no longer acceptable to study endlessly while budgets are wasted with no progress," Mr. Natthapong said. Beyond future infrastructure, the Pracha Chart Party deputies also identified urgent problems needing immediate fixes: stations lacking lighting, some platforms being too high which makes boarding difficult, and the absence of CCTV cameras on trains.
Mr. Narupol Lertpanyaroj (Bangkok MP for District 27) raised questions on behalf of vendors about whether freight transport would still be possible if the line converts to an elevated electric train, and how fare rates might affect people's incomes. Regarding connectivity, there was a proposal to consider linking the route from Wongwian Yai to Hua Lamphong to achieve seamless rail system integration without multiple transfers.
Mr. Pongsananat Thonglee (Bangkok MP for District 26) observed that most people remain unaware of the second public consultation scheduled for 18 May due to insufficient publicity and lack of signage at stations. He urged the SRT and project consultants to urgently improve information dissemination.
Ms. Thanyathorn Thaninwatthanathorn (Bangkok MP for District 30) revealed that the electric train plan is not aligned with Bangkok’s new road construction (Phutthamonthon Sai 1) and lacks clarity regarding land expropriation.
Meanwhile, Mr. Napat Jittapinan-Kanta (Bangkok MP for District 24) emphasized the need to consider impacts on temples and historic sites along the route up to the King Taksin Monument.
"We hope this study will be the last, and we urge the Minister of Transport to provide the public with a clear answer," Mr. Natthapong concluded.