PUBLISHED: 14 Perhaps 2025 at 03: 00
Following recommendations from international heritage experts, who called for the striking of a balance between development and the preservation of the World Heritage site, the State Railway of Thailand ( SRT ) has revised the design of the Ayutthaya high-speed rail station.
Veeris Ammarapala, SRT governor, revealed that the SRT has received formal written reports from the International Council on Monuments and Sites ( ICOMOS ) and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property ( ICCROM), both of which serve as advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee.
Site inspections and reviews of the high-speed rail project’s Heritage Impact Assessment ( HIA ) were among the tasks that they completed while they were in Ayutthaya from January 19 to January 22.
The experts came to the conclusion that it is impossible to reroute the high-speed bridge line to Ayutthaya and that the station’s layout and elevation should be changed to prevent the structures from being seen from within the history zone.
In order to solve direct and combined long-term effects, they also suggested cooperating with the Department of Rail Transport, the Fine Arts Department, tourism government, and other organizations.
Additionally, they suggested a lower creating level, correct size, and appropriate structural elements like walls and ceilings in order to make the place more in harmony with the surrounding landscape.
Additionally, they suggested landscaping measures, such as replacing trees that were removed while building to regain physical harmony, with planting trees in designated public park areas.
Mr. Veeris confirmed that the SRT has previously updated the station’s layout in accordance with these recommendations.