Jerman Cheung
East Asia Press Office,Hong Kong
Following a three month trial run, Bangkok’s MRT Blue Line extension officially opens today.
By extending the existing line from Hua Lamphong to Lak Song, the railway line will accommodate ridership of 500,000 passengers per day, alleviating the heavy traffic congestion in the Samphantawong district (Bangkok China Town) and significantly improving access to this district for locals and tourists.
As the lead consultant, Arup has been working with Italian-Thai Development PCL (ITD) on Contract 1 for two underground stations, Wat Mangkon and Sam Yot (locally known as Wang Burapha) and two intervention shaft structures in the centre of Chinatown, covering full multidisciplinary services including civil and structural, geotechnics, architecture, building services, alignment, fire engineering, tunnel ventilation and passenger movement analysis.
A brand-new look with multi-storey above ground buildings incorporating entrances, concourses and retail areas is given to Wat Mangkon and Sam Yot stations to reflect the architectural shop house style of the Rama V period, bringing new elements as well as aesthetic design to the existing MRT stations.
The Blue Line extension also has one of the deepest underground station in Bangkok, with its formation level of the base slabs at approximately 26m to 30m below ground level and are ground bearing on the aquifer sand and clay.
