Bangkok Considers Pioneering "Train-Through-Building" on Red Line

Transport Ministry explores innovative design inspired by Chongqing to create unique station and landmark at former department store

 

Thailand's Ministry of Transport is exploring the creation of the nation's first "train-through-building," with the Red Line section between Hua Lamphong and Wongwian Yai earmarked as the potential pilot project.

 

The ambitious plan envisions constructing a station directly through the former Merry King Department Store, aiming to forge a distinctive new landmark for the capital.

 

Pichet Kunadhamraks, director-general of the Department of Rail Transport (DRT), revealed that the department's study trip to the extensive rail network of Chongqing Municipality in China had highlighted the innovative "train running through building" concept, exemplified by Liziba Station. 

 

This station on Chongqing Rail Transit (CRT) Line 2 features side platforms with the track alignment and station itself integrated within commercial and residential buildings.

 

The development of railway lines and stations within buildings in Chongqing was driven by the city's dense population and limited land availability.

 

Consequently, railway construction there necessitates maximising space efficiency. In areas where large-scale land acquisition proves challenging, the integration of infrastructure with existing buildings offers a resourceful solution.

 

Crucially, the study found that the buildings accommodating Chongqing's "through-building" railway lines are not standard constructions but are specifically designed to support the rail infrastructure.
  



 

The lower levels are adapted to house the station, incorporating advanced noise and vibration dampening systems to minimise disruption for residents.

 

The distinctive Liziba Station has since become a significant tourist attraction, boosting the local economy and energising the surrounding area.

 

Pichet explained that the study trip to Chongqing's rail system had illuminated opportunities for adapting such concepts to Thailand's future mass transit developments.

 

Bangkok, with its similar challenges of high population density and limited space, would greatly benefit from space-saving construction methods for its expanding rail network.

 

Therefore, the design approach of Liziba Station in Chongqing, which elegantly blends buildings and public transport infrastructure, presents a compelling model for Bangkok and its surrounding areas.

 

Furthermore, it offers the exciting prospect of creating unique landmarks to draw in tourists and bolster the nation's tourism sector.

 

News emanating from the Ministry of Transport indicates that the "train-through-building" development model has been under preliminary investigation.

 

Potential buildings suitable for this concept have been identified along the Red Line suburban railway between Hua Lamphong and Wongwian Yai.

  



 

The Ministry's suitability assessment of this route has pinpointed two buildings with the potential for this innovative development: firstly, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Education Office, where plans are exploring the possibility of the train passing through the fourth floor; and secondly, the former Merry King Department Store (Wongwian Yai), with the sixth floor under consideration for the railway line.

 

The news report further suggests that initial assessments indicate the former Merry King Department Store (Wongwian Yai) presents a particularly promising opportunity to create a striking "train-through-building" highlight.

 

Its location near both the Wongwian Yai station on the Purple Line and the Wongwian Yai station on the Red Line suburban railway adds to its appeal. The seven-storey building, situated near the Wongwian Yai roundabout on Charoen Rat Road, is privately owned and currently stands permanently closed.

(2025/04/23-00:00)