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LEXICON

 

 

Bang Seu Grand Station

Bangkok's newest Central Station (fig.), which was built from 2013 to 2021 officially came into service in July 2021, eventually replacing Hua Lampong Train Station (fig.) as the terminus for all long-distance trains. It is built on a large plot of land in Chatuchak owned by the State Railway of Thailand, located adjacent to the Bang Seu Junction railway station. It is the largest railway station in Southeast Asia, with 26 platforms and 274,192 m² of usable floor space, and a length of 596.6 meters. Often transliterated Bang Sue Grand Station and in Thai initially known as Satanih Klahng Bang Seu (สถานีกลางบางซื่อ), i.e. Bang Seu Central Station’, yet King Rama X in September 2022 on the request of the Cabinet Secretariat renamed it to Satanih Klahng Krung Thep Aphiwat, i.e. Bangkok Prosperity Central Station’ or ‘Bangkok Revolutionary Central Station, though it is officially referred to as Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal and abbreviated KTW, while the Royal Household Bureau additionally informed the Cabinet Secretariat that the King also named the State Railway of Thailand’s (SRT) Light Red Line commuter train route, that runs from Bang Seu (บางซื่อ) to Taling Chan (ตลิ่งชัน), Nakhon Withi (นครวิถี), whereas the Dark Red Line commuter train route, linking Bang Seu (บางซื่อ) and Rangsit (รังสิต), received the official name Thani Ratthaya (ธานีรัถยา). However, the renaming resulted in a costly multi-million baht makeover cost to replace the initial lettering on the exterior of the building alone. According to the State Railway of Thailand, the total expenses to redesign and replace the nameplates and logos, which includes the installation of 2 SRT logos, as well as 48 three meter tall Thai letters and 62 corresponding letters in Latin script for the text in English, from the existing ones to transparent ones at a whopping 33 million baht. Following public concern about the high price tag the station's new ceremonial name was put on hold in January 2023 to allow the Stae Audit Office to look into the matter. Initially, only SRT Red Line commuter trains used the building, with long distance trains on the Northern, Northeastern and Southern lines switching here from Hua Lampong Train Station on 19 January 2023. From 24 May 2021 to 30 September 2022 the station acted as a COVID-19 vaccination center. See also POSTAGE STAMPS and MAP.