Royal Thai Railway
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The followings information are rewrite from "The Railways of Thailand" by R.Ramaer who do a very comprehensive research about Royal Thai Railway. This book was published in Thailand in 1994 by White Lotus Co.,Ltd.(G.P.O. Box 1141, Bangkok 10501). Anyone who interest in this book can find it at Asia Book Stores in Bangkok. I would like to ask for author's permission to take some parts of his book in this web page and I do not want to take any benefits from doing so just to share this interesting information to any persons who interest in Thai railway.
Thai railway system started at the era of King Rama the5th, who wanted to modernized his country after taking visit to various europeon countries. While he visited Germany, he had a good connection to Bismarck Then therefore the german advisors were sent to Siam (Thailand's name at that time). Among them the railway engineer name Karl Bethge had suggested the recently submitted railway plan to keep out of the British influence by using Europeon standard gauge in stead of British metre gauge
The first siam railway was a private line connected Bangkok with Paknam, a distance of 21 km. The line begun in 1887 and was opened by the king on 11 April 1893.
The contract for Bangkok to Nakorn Rachasima was signed on 12 December 1891. The first stage was the section to Ayudhaya a distance of 70 km. and Nakorn Rachasima was reached in 1900.
In 1901, a new line to the south was begun from Thonburi opposite Bangkok on the west bank of the Choa Phraya river. This line was to build in metre gauge and it was the first connection to Malaya. The first reach to Petchburi was in 1903.
Set of Thai stamp issued in commemorated the centennial of Thai railway.
Under construction
