Thai railway eviction saga: Low-income residents face displacement for high-speed project

The ongoing tale of the imminent relocation of the Bun Romsai community, along with over 100 other residents residing alongside a railway track in Phaya Thai district, Thailand, continues to unfold. Having called this area home for over two decades, community leader Chao Kerdaree candidly shares insights into the upcoming eviction, which has been instigated by the State Railway of Thailand, the rightful landowner, leaving the community with no alternative but to vacate.

One can gain access to the Bun Romsai community along Phetchaburi Soi 5, located approximately 800 metres from Phaya Thai BTS station. The neighbourhood finds itself lying in the path of the projected Don Mueang-Suvarnabhumi-U-Tapao high-speed rail route.

The high-speed rail project comes with a hefty sum of 224 billion baht and serves as a key component of the…