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Thonburi Station is part of every master plan as a terminus
of the southern rails. In recent years it underwent a restoration
and bridges leading to the area were built. However, the rail
platforms have now been razed and the land around the station
will be used for future expansion of the Siriraj Hospital. We
have photos, the official announcement, and a full report of
this story that does not appear in the local press.
Right: Platform areas at the station have been torn down. The latest: Update on Thonburi Station - August 17, 2004 |
 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
Left: The renovation model is still in the passenger hall. In the upper left are overpass bridges that have already been built to provide access to the area. Both the freight buildings (in the middle) and the tourism center (on the right by the klong), both obviously recently renovated, are now derelict, dirty and abandoned. Guards informed us the tracks will now end at Bangkok Noi Station (870 away). Wisarut earlier looked into this: I found from the SRT website that some part of Thonburi station has to be demolished to make the way for the new Emergency Building for Siriraj Hospital. |
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Right: Interior of the spacious and well-proportioned main hall A group of Thai and frang students were at the station taking photos of the area as part of a project to document abandoned buildings in Bangkok. |
 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
Left: The station itself is in excellent condition and overlooks the Chao Phraya River. The plaque in front of that station reads: The Southern Railway Station - The southern railway station begins at Bangkok Noi so it is named "Bangkok Noi Railway Station" or officially called Thonburi Railway Station. In 1900 A.D., King Rama V removed the people who stayed in Bangkok Noi and the nearby Muslim mosque to build the southern railway. The King donated a piece of land on the opposite bank to build the new mosque "Unsorrizzunna." During World War II, the Japanese army used this station to be their base which was bombed by the Allied army that ruined all of the buildings. Field Marshal P. Pibulsongkram rebuilt the station (in) the same style--the European style. The southern railway starts from Bangkok Noi passing Nakornpathom, Petchaburi, Kanchanaburi and Lungsuan, Chumporn as the end of the route. Now the station is still preserved in good condition. |
For another abandoned station, see the Songkhla to Hat Yai railroad & station
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Right: The ticketing booths Below: The sign says "Thonburi Station"
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 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
(Photo: Reiner)
April 5, 2003 - Train awaiting departure to Nam
Tok.
(Photo: Reiner)
April 5, 2003 - Steam locomotive 850 used in the filming of Jackie
Chan's Around the World in 80 Days.
(Photo: Reiner)
May 19, 2003 - Tourist information center ready to be opened (by October it was dismantled)
What happened at Thonburi Station? - Complied from reports by Wisarut Bholsithi, Reiner, and Ron Morris, December 2, 2003- December 8, 2003
Reiner writes: Last night I was shocked to find Thonburi station decommissioned. Did anybody know about this development? Did any of the papers report it? What happened to all the wonderful plans, partly invested into by considerable restoration works into the historic station building and the old goods sheds, to create an historic side, integrating the royal barge museum on the opposite side of Klong Bangkok Noi?
The SRT
website reports that parts of Thonburi Station have to be demolished
to make the way for the new Emergency Building for Siriraj Hospital
and the terminal has been moved to Bangkok Noi Stop (870 meters from
the original terminal) since it is closer to Arun Amarin Road (the
road in front of Siriraj Hospital).
The Official Announcement from SRT
September 25, 2003 - Thonburi Station Ceased to Exist on October
4, 2003 so as to make the way to transfer of 33-rai of SRT land to
Siriraj Hospital on October 7, 2003. Therefore, The last Station Master
of Thonburi Station will become the first Station Master of Bangkok
Noy Station after October 4, 2003.
The station building and park will remain
Even though Thonburi Station ceases to exist to make the land available
for the new emergency building of Siriraj Hospital (the first and
biggest hospital in Thailand), the actual building will be preserved.
The park in front of Thonburi Station and the pier along Bangkok Noy
canal will also remain. The station master will live in an air-conditioned
temporary office until SRT receives the budget to handle Bangkok Noy
Station.
People living nearby
Housing for SRT workers and officers is closer to Bangkok Noy Station
than Thonburi Station. Some of those who work in Thonburi Locomotive
Depot have used the derelict bogeys as well as the dilapidated locomotives
(Henchel Diesel locomotives) as either resting places or temporary
housing. Stray dogs as well as the dogs owned by SRT workers run around
the depot since SRT has set up the Bangkok Noy Railway Market (a new
market to replace Sala Namron Market).
Bangkok Noi Station and Sala Namron Market
Bangkok Noi station (which replaces Thonburi Station) was built to
force the occupants of Sala Namron market to move to the new market
and to allow the supposedly temporary withdrawal of trains from the
Thonburi Station, thus depriving the market of much of their business.
Once that was accomplished, the trains returned to Thonburi Station.
The cession of Thonburi Station has effectively
forced merchants and hawkers form Sala Namron Market to the new market.
Sala Namron had been illegally set up for about 25 years with mafia
protection form those in military uniforms. Thus SRT has full rights
to evict those merchants and hawkers and send them to live in the
new designated place.
History of Thonburi Station
The station was opened in 1900. During WWII, Allied forces bombed
Thonburi Station into rubble and the original building was destroyed.
Especially on the fateful night on March 5, 1945 when the bomb killed
several patients in Siriraj Hospital. The station was rebuilt in 1950.
History of Bangkok Noi Canal
Bangkok Noy canal is the former Chaophraya River until Somdej Phrachairachathiraj
of Ayudhaya ordered the digging of the shortcut canal around 1529
from the area which is now Thammasart University Hospital to the area
which his now Fort Wichaiprasit and become the main line of the Chaophraya
River.
History of the surrounding park
The park around the Thonburi Station was authorized by the SRT board.
It was created and restored for 6-Cycle Jubilee of His Majesty in
1999 and was paid for by Unilever Thai Holding PCL.
The famous Thonburi Station sign
What happened to the "expensive" wooden station sign from
Thonburi Station that was displayed at Parliament during the censor
debate in May of 2003? It was used to deflect charges of corruption
from Transport Minister Suriya and its surprise unveiling left the
opposition stunned. We wonder who has the sign now.
GOVT
COUNTER-ATTACK: Bt150,000 sign points at Pradit - The Nation,
May 30, 2003
Give
public the answers, orders PM - The Nation, May 31, 2003
No mention of the Thonburi Station
closure in the Thai press?
It appears that local newspapers did not report when Thonburi Station
was closed for good. They just mentioned the new terminal at Bangkok
Noi as well as the conflict between merchants at Sala Namron. Bangkokbiznews
(a Thai-language Business newspaper owned by the Nation Group) condemned
those merchants at Sala Namron by saying the merchants told a lie
to the public to protect their own vested interests and that Sala
Namron Market should never exist in the first place. We will be interested
to see see who will be the contractor of that new Siriraj Emergency
Building.
Thonburi Station building may not be
the original one, but still it is historic and has quite recently
been extensively restored. It might survive as a historic relic, but
it seems the station as such is gone forever--against all previous
planning which had it integrated.
Arun Amarin Road is about equidistant to Thonburi and Bangkok Noi
stations and as congested as Bangkok roads can be. Bangkok Noi station
had been built only recently in connection with the arguments over
the old market which had now finally been removed. The trains subsequently
duly returned to their original terminus right next to Tha Rotfai
ferry pier. How are ordinary passengers supposed to catch the trains,
including tourists to Kanchanaburi? This is a similar mistake to one
committed by Gen Prapass in 1961 when the Meklong Line was cut back
from Klong San to Wong Wien Yai - away from the then only reliable
and predictable transport artery in Bangkok, the Chao Phraya River.
Odds and ends around the site
Mikado locomotives 950 and 953 are in the area. No. 953 is well maintained.
No. 950 does not work and apparently is used as spare parts for 953.
Many of the rails for the defunct Thoburi Station were produced in
1953 and had begun to rust away.
On April 5, 2003, Thonburi Station was used in filming of "Around
the World in 80 Days." It was supposed to be "Agra Station."
Japanese-built "Pacifics" locomotive 850 was used in the
film as well.
Transportation to the area
Pickup buses No. 1018 (Rotfai - Samyaek Fai Chai) and No. 1475 (Rotfai
- Talingchan) still terminate at Rotfai Pier and bus number 1475 is
one of a few buses that reaches Bangkok Noy Station (thus no problem
on transferring the passengers from Rotfai Pier to Bangkok Noy station).
BMTA Bus No 83 passes by Bangkok Noy Station, thanks to the road parallel
with the railway track even though it still terminates at Wat Amarin
(the temple closest to Thoburi Station and Siriraj Hospital - razed
into pile of rubble at the same time Thoburi Station was bombed -
only a little Ubosot survived).
Changes in schedules
December 15, 2003 - Ceased: Commuter line 351/352 (Bangkok Noy - Nakhon
Pathom)
Substitute: Commuter Line 351/352 (Bangkok Noy - Ratchaburi)
Bangkok Noy Ratchaburi
Commuter 351: 17:38 19:50
Commuter 352: 06:40 04:30
Transformed: Ordinary 253/256->
Rapid 177/178 (Bangkok Noy Lang Suan)
Bangkok Noy Lang Suan
Rapid 177: 19:15 04:35 (New Day)
Rapid 178: 04:35 (New Day) 19:55
Rapid 177/178 will park for 1 minute at Charansanitwongse Stop, Wat Ngiw Rai Station and Ta Plee Station.
Commuter 355/356 (Bangkok - Suphanburi)
will park at Talingchan Junction.
Note about Chaophraya Express Boat
Due to the higher congestion of river traffic, here are new boat routings:
N6 (Memorial Bridge) N6 (Bangkok Side)
-> for going upstream to Nonthaburi
N6 (Thoburi side) -> for going downstream to Wat Ratchasingkorn
N10 (Siriraj Hospital) N10 (Wang Lung) -> for Going downstream
to Ratboorana
N10 (Prannok) -> for going upsteam to Nonthaburi
N13: This one is renamed as "Phra Athit Pier" -> from
Bang Lamphoo Pier
There is a thread on this at the forum.
Local press reports
on Thonburi Station - January 9, 2004
2Bangkok.com was the first to report on December 2, 2003 that demolition
was going on around the newly renovated Thonburi Station. We also
were first to report that the station are was being given to Siriraj
Hospital. Finally this is being reported in the local press (translated
and summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi from Matichon, January
6, 2004):
SRT is transferring the area around old Thonburi Station for medial
hub. On January 5, 2004, Premier Thaksin headed a ceremony to transfer
SRT land to Siriraj Hospital to construct Siriraj Medical Hub. Minister
Suriya, SRT Director, and Dean of Siriraj Medical School Department
were in attendance. Siriraj Hospital will construct new medical facilities
to function as a medical center for both the Royal Family and other
people.
Even though Siriraj Hospital possesses 70 rai of land, it is stretched
to the limit since the hospital has to take care of more than 6000
patients a day. Therefore, the major expansion is necessary. The expansion
will help the hospital to become a major medical institute in Southeast
Asia since the new facilities will help Siriraj Medical School produce
more doctors and nurses as well as medical personnel and medical researchers.
The expansion will cover the old Thonburi Station area with a total
area of 33 rai, 2 ngan and 94 square wah (total 13,494 sq meters).
Professor Dr. Piyasakol Sakolsatyathorn (Dean of Siriraj Medical School)
said the construction of Siriraj Medical Hub will be three billion
baht. The design will be started in February 2004, the construction
will be started in August 2004 and it will be done in 3 years.
Update on the 'new' Thonburi Station - January 19, 2004
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Right: Bangkok Noi station is renamed "Thonburi Station." The two signs at either end of the platform are covered by linen sheets with "Thonburi Station" painted on them. The others still show "Bangkok Noi." |
 (Photo: Reiner) |
There is a giant sign opposite Bangkok Noy Station (near Wat Chimplee Thayikaram) that says "Great Sacrifice for Extending the Life of Everybody!" and a drawing of the proposed medical center with a surrounding park. This implies that SRT has to sacrifice the important terminal for the new medical center. Someone has put ropes around the station with signs that say "Dangerous Area!" and "Ceremony Process Held!" Hopefully it means an exorcism will be held and not demolition of the station. Typically the government "asks" SRT to "donate" the land for public goods like the hospital construction as well as the local road from Chiangmai to Lamphun and around Chatuchak Park.
 (Photo: Reiner) |
Left: Where else but on 2Bangkok.com would you find this: Reiner has located the 'expensive' Thonburi Station signs used to embarrass the opposition in the censure debate of May 2003 |
Reiner visited the Bangkok Noi/Thonburi station on January
2 and found the following:
- Because of the long weekend, the situation was moderately chaotic,
both outside the station (tuktuks, songteows, taxis, cars, motorcycles
delivering passengers to the 07:20 Lang Suan and the no. 257 07:45
Nam Tok trains vying for space with the market traffic between the
market and the station).
- The Nam Tok train was composed 12 cars, 3 of which exceeded the
length of the platform.
- Double track operation now begins a little south of Ban Champli
only, leaving the sector from Bangbamgru were it previously began
(including Taling Chan) again single-track. Signals seem installed,
but not yet operating. Safety is ensured by the time-honoured token-system.
The entire new track is unsignalled and that is why tokens are used
(AKA 'Fish tails' in Thai SRT jargon). SRT has not finished training
SRT workers to operate the modern signals yet. Training will be done
in 2006.
-The engines at Thonburi were 1980-built Alsthom/Henschel/Krupp, no.4210
replacing no. 4214.
| Right: Weekend rush at the new Thonburi Station (formerly Bangkok Noi Station) |
 (Photo: Reiner) |
For the case of Siriraj Hospital, the new medical center
will be limited by Arun Amarin Bridge and Arun Amarin Road (the western
border of old Thonburi Station and Siriraj Hospital - in front of
the new Thonburi Railway station). Wat Amarin remains intact--otherwise,
Siriraj Hospital has to pay heavy compensation the abbot and trustee
of Wat Amarin to construct a new temple.
 (Photo: Reiner) |
Left: Three cars of a 12 car train do not have platform access. |
(Drawing: Siriraj Hospital)
Official
explanation of what will happen to the former Thonburi Station area
- translated and summarized by Wisarut Bholsithi from the Mahidol
website
The area of Thonburi Station which SRT and MOTC transferred to Faculty
of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital is due to the cabinet resolutions of
May 26, 2003 and September 16, 2003 which asks the Faculty of Medicine,
Siriraj Hospital to come up with the Siriraj Hospital Development
Project for a Southwest Asia Medical Center. This project has been
backed by Premier Thaksin Shinnawatra and Minister Suriya Jungrungruengkij.
Thonburi Station Area is 33 rai, 2 ngan, 94 square wah (53,976 sq
meters) on the bank between the Chao Phraya River and Bangkok Noy
Canal. The area transferred also includes Thonburi Station main building.
The Faculty of Medicine is going to develop this area to connect with
the Siriraj Hospital area while preserving the essence of the area,
the connections from inside to the outside, land usage, people who
live around this area, and local customs so that this area will have
benefits for both local people as well as the people from all parts
of Thailand. This project will consist of 5-6 new buildings to be
finished in 3 years.
This project will have the following main principles to meet government
policy and mission:
1. Center of Excellence in Biomedical Research to create new medical
knowledge for sustainable development such as molecular, biogenetic
and post genomic medical research and enhancement for medical care.
2. Center of Excellence in Medical Care through the expansion and
medical service enhancement of Siriraj Hospital to be able to compete
on the international level and enable it to take care of patients
from all classes as well as foreigners to achieve a Center of Excellence
in Medical Care in Southeast Asia.
3. Siriraj Medical Museum as a source of great medical knowledge--collecting
traditional Thai medicine for educational proposes and for tourism
for children, people, and foreigners.
4. Center of Advanced Geriatrics and Gerontology along with data collecting
and propagation of knowledge to the society at large to improve healthcare,
prevention, medical treatment, and rehabilitation of the aged.
5. Center of Medical Information and Communication Technology--using
Technology to develop medical science, facilitate research, improve
service, create a medical database, and connect with provincial and
international medical institutes.
6. Center of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine to produce high quality
personnel on traditional Thai medicine with R & D on traditional
Thai medicine to be acceptable on the international level.
7. Royal Park with herbs, walkway along the river, the pier and preserved
Thonburi Station Building. The Faculty of Medicine will improve the
existing park into a complete park with herbs to create a green area
for patients and visitors to relax and for educational proposes.
This Thonburi Station area will connect with the existing area of
77 rai to create a Center of Excellence with efficient management
and state of the art single systems applied to all sections of Siriraj
Hospital. After finishing the construction of the new buildings, Siriraj
Hospital will be able to make a giant leap forward to reach excellence
as a regional medical center.
The Faculty of Medicine will also start to plan and develop the existing
area including the improvement of OPDs, pathway improvement, green
area improvement, and research projects on the vaccine for dust mite
allergies, prototype virus for producing the vaccine for dengue fever,
Thallassemia project, Cardiovascular Center and Clinical research
management unit.
After the official transfer of SRT area to Siriraj Hospital for free
on January 5, 2004 to support this project for the Center of Medical
Excellence, the Faculty of Medicine will preserve Thonburi Station
building as a museum building and the Tourism Authority will develop
the tourist pier for the tourists from the Grand Palace, the mouth
of Bangkok Noy canal, Siriraj Hospital Museum, Railway Museum, the
Royal Barges, Wat Amarinthararam (the temple next to Siriraj Hospital),
Bangkok Noy Railway Market, and tourists who go along Bangkok Noy
canal.
The area along Bangkok Noy canal connecting with Chao Phraya River
is an area with a very good view, thus the project has been designed
with a view of the river with well-planned system engineering and
infrastructure systems. This will enhance the quality of life for
patients, the physicians and visitors.
The development of SRT land is the significant cooperation between
the different bureaucratic offices. Both SRT and Siriraj Hospital
have been founded by King Chulalongkorn, thus the government and the
directors of both departments cooperate to fulfill the wishes of King
Chulalongkron and the current HM The King.
The latest: Update on Thonburi Station - August 17, 2004