Purple Line strikes fear into residents

The planned underground Purple Line train route has caused a mixture of hope and fear in parts of the old communities it will run through.

On July 25, 2017, the cabinet approved a proposal by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) to go ahead with the Purple Line.

Estimated to be worth about 125 billion baht, the 23.6-kilometre route, from Tao Poon to Rat Burana, is a southern extension.

The winner of the tender is expected to be announced in August or September, with the service to be launched in 2027.

Some sections will be built underground to avoid land acquisition problems in major districts of Bangkok’s old town…