Transport Ministry to investigate SRT's expensive signboard project
The Transport Ministry is looking into the 33.16 million project to change signboards in Bangkok’s Bang Sue Station, which has sparked criticism among netizens.
Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said on Tuesday that he has instructed his ministry’s permanent secretary to look into the project.
The project first came to public notice when Unique Engineering and Construction wrote to the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) on December 29 saying it has signed a contract with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) for the project.
The project includes replacing the station’s main signboard with one that reads “Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal” and putting up the SRT emblem.
Before attending the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Saksayam told the press that the permanent secretary has been told to check if the budget matches the job done.
“The station’s signboard needs to be specially made,” he said, adding that there are many signboards that need changing.
He said he expects the investigation to be completed within seven days.
“Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal”, granted by His Majesty the King in September 2022, is the official name for Bang Sue Grand Station.
The King also named SRT’s red and dark red lines “Nakhon Withi” and “Thani Ratthaya”, respectively.
The 15-billion-baht grand station opened in November 2021 and began serving passengers of SRT’s two red lines. It is the largest railway station in Southeast Asia, with 26 platforms and 274,000 square metres of usable floor space.
The station also features an underground parking lot for up to 1,700 cars as well as state-of-the-art facilities, clean toilets and fully airconditioned waiting rooms.
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