An update on the progress of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project Phase 1 (Bangkok - Nakhon Ratchasima) covering contracts 4-5, civil works from Ban Pho to Phra Kaeo: The latest conclusion involves adjusting the "Ayutthaya Station" design to align with recommendations from UNESCO and the Fine Arts Department, ensuring infrastructure development advances alongside World Heritage city conservation.
To prevent the construction of Ayutthaya Station—located about 1.5 kilometers from the historic city zone of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya—from impacting the World Heritage site's scenery, the project prepared a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and incorporated UNESCO expert recommendations to revise the station design as follows:
• Building height reduction: Lowering the height from ground level to the roof peak from the original 46.00 meters to just 28.00 meters.
• Track elevation lowered: Reducing the running track (bridge) height from 19.00 meters to 17.00 meters.
• Reduced floor area: Cutting the station's usable space by approximately 3,111.94 square meters, a 13% decrease.
• Contemporary architecture: Incorporating elements from the original Ayutthaya railway station in the design, importantly ensuring no disturbance to the platforms of the original station, which is a declared ancient monument.
The new Ayutthaya high-speed rail station will be a 3-story building, 450 meters in length, designed to facilitate comprehensive connectivity:
• Level 1 (Ground Floor): Functions as a travel interchange with low-level platforms for meter-gauge trains, four road access points, waterway access (Pa Sak River pier), and full parking facilities for cars, buses, taxis, tuk-tuks, and bicycles.
• Level 2 (Concourse Level): Serves as the ticketing center for all train services (high-speed rail, Red Line commuter, and long-distance trains), featuring waiting areas, shops, VIP lounges, prayer rooms, and connections to meter-gauge and Red Line platforms.
• Level 3 (Platform Level): Dedicated exclusively to high-speed trains, comprising two island platforms (total of four platforms).
Construction will be divided into two phases to ensure efficient management:
• Phase 1 (36 months): Starting with archaeological surveys, track construction, and other infrastructure works.
• Phase 2 (36 months): Proceeding to construct Ayutthaya Station itself (currently budgeted as a provisional sum awaiting detailed design revisions).
Key schedule: The drafting of the Terms of Reference (TOR) and cost estimation is expected between March and May 2026, with the goal of contract approval and signing by December 2026 to January 2027.
To keep the project on track, related agencies must expedite detailed archaeological surveys, finalize station design, dismantle old railway tracks and signaling systems, plan train operations to minimize disruptions during construction, and manage eviction of encroachers within the project area.