Bang Bua train station’s name change enrages local people

Political and environmental activist Mr Srisuwan Janya and residents of Bang Bua community in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district on Monday (April 23) lodged complaint with the Government’s complaint centre over the unilateral change of the “Bang Bua” elevated train station to “Sripatum” station by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA).

Mr Srisuwan alleged that the name change was intended to benefit a privately-run Sripatum University which is located in Bang Bua area.

Bang Bua station is one of the 16 elevated train stations on the 19-kilometre extended Green Line (North) from Mo Chit to Khu Khot station in Pathumthani province.

Construction of the line is expected to be finished and open to service in 2020.

The complaint would also be lodged with the Ministry of Transport, he said.

He said that the movement against the MRTA came after local communities in Bang Bua complained that the MRTA unilaterally changed the original name of Bang Bua station to Sripatum station without seeking consent or opinions from local residents.

They believed the change was made upon a request from Sripatum University.

Local residents said they were not informed over the name change despite the fact that Bang Bua is a big community with over a hundred years of history.

Local residents said Bang Bua is a well-known community and it has been used as the name of school, temple, market, and pier. Therefore, it would make more sense to name the train station after the community’s name, they said.

Mr Sriswan said he agreed with the local residents. Moreover, the train project’s proposal and the environmental impact assessment which had been approved by the cabinet also state that the station would be named “Bang Bua Station”.