Commuters criticise ‘dangerous’ Bangkok Apiwat Station’s lack of lights

Commuters took to social media to criticise officials involved with the construction and opening of the “dangerous” Bangkok Apiwat Central Station. Two weeks after the official opening of the station, formerly known as Bang Sue Grand Station, roads around the station remain dark due to the absence of street lights.

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) promised that street lighting will be installed next week after cooperation with the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) is finalized.

Render Thailand, a Facebook page that provides updates on Thai transportation projects, posted about the lack of lighting on the roads inside Bangkok Apiwat Central Station on Tuesday.

The page said…

“Bangkok Apiwat Central Station had been officially open for two weeks but no one was paying attention to the street lights of the roads inside the station.”

Render Thailand posted several photos of the dark roads at Bangkok Apiwat Central Station along with its update. The roads had street lamp poles but were not lit, leading to uncertainty about the reason for the lack of lighting – whether it was intentional energy-saving or if the lamps were not functioning.

The page stressed the importance of passenger and motorist safety and called for the installation of street lights to prevent any potential tragedies, especially in dangerous spots like curves at the north and south of the station and the entrance to the underground car park.

The director of the SRT’s Public Relations Department, Ekkarat Siarrayanpong, clarified the issue with One 31 news agency by saying that the SRT was working with the MEA to connect the electricity to roads around the station.

Ekkarat assured passengers that streetlights would be in place by next week. Additionally, the SRT plans to provide more amenities such as chairs, signposts, and security cameras for passenger comfort and safety.

Ekkarat emphasized that the SRT is open to feedback and suggestions and is committed to improving the station to provide the best service to passengers.

The SRT also apologized for any inconvenience caused. On the opening day of the station, the first train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai was delayed by three hours and the station was reportedly filled with smoke and air pollution from old trains.

Anucha Burapachaisi, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, urged passengers to be patient, stating that while there may be some initial issues, the station would soon be as good as the former central station, Hua Lamphong.