Its not a thrilling sight, but Bang Sue junction is about to become rather important place for Thai rail travel, and its an interesting case study on how Thai’s like to build things.
Bang Sue Junction:
From here, the rail line splits off West toward the South. It also connects to the Bangkok underground MRT line, and serves many city bus lines.
They’re currently building a large 5-level Bang Sue Central Station. It will have twenty-four 600-meter long platforms, and will eventually replace Hua Lumphong as the terminal station for all State Railway lines, moving train travel out of the inner city entirely
:'( We love Hua Lumphong. It will be sorely missed.
The Library Train:
You might see a well-decorated train carriage on the side of the tracks. Its actually a library for homeless children. The project was initiated in 1999 by the Royal Thai Police to offer basic education services to homeless children living in the Bang Sue area. There’s another one down in Hua Lumphong.
:’) Gosh we love the State Railways of Thailand!
A cement city:
You might be able to see the headquarters of Siam Cement Group (SCG) – the largest cement company in Southeast Asia, and the 4th largest company in Thailand. The Thai construction industry seems to absolutely love cement. A humble metro station looks like an aircraft carrier. Look how much of it is around Bang Sue Junction!
Interestingly, Siam Cement was founded by a royal decree, and is still 30% owned and controlled by the Crown.
TIPS:
Coming into Bangkok?: If you’re arriving into Bangkok from further afield, this might be the stop to get off thanks to its links to the MRT, and its proximity to the BTS – the two metro lines in Bangkok. Otherwise, the terminal station is also on the MRT, and its a nice place, so you should go check it out.
