Railway authorities in Thailand redesign station appearances.
Revised Base Article:
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has given the Ayutthaya high-speed rail station a facelift, inspired by recommendations from international heritage gurus. These gurus highlighted the necessity of striking a delicate balance between progress and the preservation of the World Heritage site.
SRT honcho, Veeris Ammarapala, revealed that the recommendations came from the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), who serve as the World Heritage Committee's trusted advisors.
Their visit to Ayutthaya from January 19-22 was a treasure trove of site inspections and reviews of the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) related to the high-speed rail project.
The experts recognized that moving the high-speed rail line away from Ayutthaya was a pipe dream. Instead, they suggested tweaking the station and elevated tracks' design and height to keep these structures invisible from the heritage zone.
They also rolled out some cooperative suggestions, inviting the Department of Rail Transport, the Fine Arts Department, tourism authorities, and other agencies to unite and tackle indirect and long-lasting impacts on the heritage zone.
To increase harmony between the station and the landscape, they advocated for a lower building height, an appropriate scale, and architectural elements like walls and ceilings that would blend seamlessly with the environment.
Landscaping efforts were on the agenda too. They proposed planting trees in designated public park areas and replacing those lost during construction to restore visual harmony.
Rest assured, Mr. Veeris confirmed that the SRT has already revamped the station design in accordance with these suggestions.
Footnotes:1. World Heritage Committee Recommendations for Ayutthaya High-Speed Rail Station2. SRT Confirms Design Changes to Ayutthaya High-Speed Rail Station
Enrichment Integration:These design modifications aim to lower the building height, adjust the scale and architectural elements, modify the design of the elevated tracks, promote landscaping efforts, and enhance cooperation between various agencies to protect Ayutthaya's UNESCO World Heritage site. Experts suggest incorporating suitable walls and ceilings, planting trees, and replacing removed trees to improve the visual harmony around the station. These modifications are a response to recommendations from ICCROM and ICOMOS, who inspected the site and reviewed the project's Heritage Impact Assessment in 2025. The SRT has implemented these revisions to safeguard the site while advancing development.
- The design adjustments for the Ayutthaya high-speed rail station, as suggested by international heritage experts from ICCROM and ICOMOS, will involve lowering the building height, modifying the scale and architectural elements, altering the elevated tracks' design, promoting landscaping efforts, and improving cooperation among various agencies to preserve Ayutthaya's UNESCO World Heritage site.
- To preserve the visual harmony around the Ayutthaya high-speed rail station, experts recommend incorporating suitable walls and ceilings, planting trees in designated public park areas, and replacing lost trees during construction. These recommendations were made following a site inspection and review of the project's Heritage Impact Assessment in 2025, and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has confirmed that it has already implemented these revisions.
