Wong Wian Yai - Mahachai Rail Line
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End of the line or beginning of the line. Wong Wian Yai station.
Maeklong Railway was a private concession founded by Phraya Phiphatkosa (Mr. Selestino Xaviar--a Portuguese who worked as Portuguese Consul in Bangkok and the Ministry of Foreign Affiars) and 10 foreigners as Tha Chin Railway Co.Ltd. after being granted a concession on May 17, 1901. The line was inaugurated by Crown Prince Vajiravut (King Vajiravut) at 09:08 on December 29, 1904. The train started from Klongsarn Station at 12:45 and reached Mahachai Station at 14:10. The line was open for public services on January 4, 1905. The line went from Klongsarn (now Klongsarn Pier) near Fort Pid-Padjanuek to Mahachai near Fort Wichian-Choduek with a total distance of 33.1 km.
Later on, Mae Klong Railway Co.Ltd. was founded by Royal Concession on June 10, 1905, and became effective on August 15, 1905. The line ran from Wat Ban Laem Station to Mae Klong Station with a total distance of 33.864 km. Therefore, the passengers from Bangkok had to take a ferry ride from Mahachai to Tha Chalom to connect with Mae Klong line. Both companies were merged to form Mae Klong Railway Co.Ltd. on July 12, 1907, with Royal approval from King Chulalongkorn on October 6, 1908.
Mae Klong Railway become more popular, so the company decided to run electric tram service on the railway track from Klongsarn Station to Wat Sai Station on February 12, 1926 with a total distance of 7.6 km. Later on in 1927, the tram service was extended 1 km. more from Wat Sai Station to Wat Singh Station. Tram service had 30-minute interval with a one-way ticket at a price of 5 stang (a price of daily newspaper of that day).
The concession of Tha Chin section was expired on November 23, 1942 and the Mae Klong section on August 14, 1945. After that, the government decided to nationalize Mae Klong Railway Co.Ltd. and turn the company into "Mae Klong Railway Organization", an organization within Royal State Railway Department, Ministry of Transportation. Royal State Railway Department was reorganized as a state enterprise (State Railway of Thailand) by SRT Act of 1952 effective on July 1, 1952 which also turned Mae Klong Railway Organization into "Mae Klong Railway Office." Tram service on Mae Klong Railway track was discontinued on February 1, 1955 so as to follow the regulation of SRT.
The traffic around Klongsarn-Wongwian Yai area become so congested that Field Marshall Sarit Thanarat (Premier from October 20, 1958 to December 8, 1963) decided to shorten Mae Klong Railway by moving the eastern terminal from Klongsarn to Wongwian Yai on January 7, 1961. Initially, the strongman wanted to shorten the line to have the eastern terminal at Wat Singh station. However, people in Thonburi told him that it would be much more convenient to have the eastern terminal at Wongwian Yai and he agreed with them.
Premier Sarit also planned to move the Bangkok Railway Station from Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue Junction after terminating Pak Nam Electric Railway on January 1, 1960. However, he could only move the railway cargo terminal which was next to Klong Phadung Krungkasem to Bangsue Junction area (Chatuchak Park was conceived in 1975).
August 14, 1945 - Government nationalized Maeklong Railway
November 13, 1945 - Government purchased both sections of Mae Klong railway lines with a price tag of 2 million baht even though Mae Klong Railway Co.Ltd. asked the government to pay either 4 million baht for the whole system or the separate price -> 1.02 million baht for the line from Klongsarn - Mahachai and 2.00 million baht for the line from Ban Laem to Mae Klong.
May 12, 1950 - The tram system from Klongsarn to Wat Singh and Paknam railways were in very dilapidated condition. Field Marshall Plaek asked if the Royal Railways Department could shorten Paknam Railway to Saladaeng or Klong Toei and abolish Maeklong railway altogether. Royal State Railway Dept. declined such a proposal since RSR was going to buy two new sets of electric railway systems with a price tag of 1.5 million baht as a replacement for broken motors.
April 30, 1952 - Mae Klong Railway Organization was founded as a state enterprise within RSR Dept. before being absorbed into SRT.
Wong Wian Yai to Mahachai
05.30, 06.25, 07.00, 07.40, 08.35, 09.40, 10.40, 12.15, 13.20, 14.25, 15.25, 16.30, 17.05, 17.35, 18.35, 19.10 and 20.10. It takes about 1 hour to reach Mahachai.
Mahachai to Wong Wian Yai
04.30, 05.20, 05.55, 06.25, 07.00, 08.00, 09.35, 10.40, 11.45, 13.15, 14.25, 15.25, 16.00, 16.30, 17.35, 18.10 and 19.00. It takes about 1 hour to reach Wong Wian Yai.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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