The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is looking to relocate its locomotive maintenance and production facilities within a 200km radius of Bangkok.
SRT governor Nirut Maneephan said the present facility in the Makkasan area will be developed into a mixed-used complex — a public park, SRT museum, and a city station for the high-speed rail service connecting Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports.
In June 2021, the SRT hired the KUSIP joint venture for 210 million baht to come up with a relocation plan. The group is led by King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang and also includes Utility Design Consultant, See Consult Engineering, Infra Group, and Pro Concept Engineering. It has 600 days to work on the project.
He said the group has proposed two locations. One is a 454-rai SRT site at Khao Chi Chan Junction station in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district.
The alternative is a 240-rai site at Suphan Buri station in Muang district. The budget needed for the site in Chon Buri would be 8.2 billion baht while developing the site in Suphan Buri would be 8.1 billion baht. However, the SRT’s board has yet to agree to either location.
Mr Nirut said the board requires more information such as feedback from locals on the centre’s location, the cost of relocating SRT staff who need to work there, and future opportunities the land could bring if it is used for commercial purposes on top of being used as a maintenance depot.
The board wanted to see more location options and suggested it should be within 200km of the capital. The site must be at least 200 rai, he said. Mr Nirut said another possibility could be SRT land at Chong Kae Station in Nakhon Sawan’s Takhli district, and Lam Narai Station in Lop Buri’s Chai Badan district.