via Bangkok Post, 09 October 2020: A new high-speed rail is being proposed for Ayutthaya, and the Fine Arts Department is coordinating with other government agencies amidst concerns raised by Unesco about possible threats to the World Heritage Site.
An inter-agency working team will be formed to design the new Ayutthaya train station for the high-speed rail project so that it will reflect the historical value of the one it will replace, the Fine Arts Department says.
Even though the existing station is not part of Ayutthaya’s inner historical precinct declared as a Unesco World Heritage Site, it holds deep historical significance, having been built during the reign of King Rama V when railways were first introduced to the country, according to Pratheep Pengtako, the department’s director-general.
His remarks followed a meeting on the issue with the Department of Rail Transport (DRT) chief and transport permanent secretary, Chayatham Promsorn.
