Happy 100th birthday Hua Lamphong
PATTRAMON SUKPRASERT
Hua Lamphong station will celebrate its 100th anniversary this Saturday with various activities from 9am-6pm. Apart from showcasing State Railway of Thailand (SRT's) work over the past 100 years, the highlights include traditional Thai ensemble shows as well as a display of different types of train bogies.
The architecture of Hua Lamphong is clearly influenced by European train stations. The structure is divided into two main parts: the front building and the station hall. The first part was designed by Italian architect Mario Tamagno, who worked for the Siamese government. The station hall, which had been finished earlier, is steel-structured with an arched roof, with the two ends decorated with stained-glass windows.
Over the years, the station has been constantly renovated – including a big repair after a shocking accident when a driverless locomotive rammed into the hall in 1986. Today, the waiting lounge is air-conditioned. The building has also been repainted to match the original colours.