Thread: Sanam Chai underground train station is one of its kind

The Sanam Chai underground station of the Blue Line from Hua Lamphong to Bang Khae, when completed, will be one of its kind, unique and different from the other underground train stations.

The Sanam Chai station which is within the Rattanakosin Island zone was purposely intended to showcase Thai traditional architect and to be turned into another tourist attraction for Bangkok besides serving train commuters.

The floor on which the ticket selling booth is located was designed and decorated in a fashion that exudes Thai identity. Designed by Associate Professor Pinyo Suwankhiri, national artist in architecture, huge white square-shaped pillars which were delicately decorated are lined on both sides of the passage way to the station. The ground floor and its walls were modelled after ancient walls with tiles in Pikul flower pattern.

Noting that the Sanam Chai station is in close vicinity to the Grand Palace, Associate Professor Pinyo said he wanted the station to look grand with historic and cultural values.

Besides being designed to be grandiose, he said that practicality and usage of the station were not missed out. For instances, he said inflammable materials were used in the construction and there are no sharpened corners which may pose a hazard to commuters.

Another real engineering challenge is the underground water as the station is close to the Chao Phraya river and there are also many artifacts buried underground, he added.



Sanam Chai underground train station is one of its kind - Thai PBS English News

Inflammable materials ... nice to know, give it a big miss ..... first country to ever advertise an inflammable tourist attraction. .. go thailand, always bucking the trend, unique, inventive .....

Doesn't look very traditional or very Thai.

Just very 'showy'.

I do like that Laos style red and gold paintwork though.

Thailand is really cranking on with their Public transport system.

It's good now and improving with every extension of the BTS and MRT.

Awesome for the city dwellers and tourists but not so good if one lives up in Fuksville Nakonnowhere.

Still need to hitch a ride on the nearest Buffalo.

designed and decorated in a fashion that exudes Thai identity

when will they be installing the exploding transformers, the hanging electrical cables, and the advertising hoardings.

Indeed, in many ways the development of Bangkok is a metaphor for Thailand - everything for the rich, influential and corrupted feeding off the masses that give them their wealth while the rest of the country inhabits a near medieval state whereby there aren''t even fucking bus networks functioning within, into and around urban areas.

Incidentally, when one sees a diagram of all the various networks, either currently under construction or proposed, it becomes apparent the usual Thai talent for clever coordination and skilful planning is being maintained........

Russian tourists will feel right at home.