The Second Chiang Mai Railway Station
The Second Chiang Mai Railway Station
The first Chiang Mai Railway Station was opened at this location on January 1, 1922. You can find information about this station here. During World War Two the station was totally destroyed by Allied bombers in December, 1943. Chiang Mai was a base of the Imperial Japanese Army and the railway station was a strategic target just as Chiang Mai airport. After the destruction of the railway station the trains from Bangkok stopped at Pasao Railway Station, near Lamphun.
Right after the end of the war construction started of a new railway station. A man named Mom Jow Votyakorn Worawan (1899-1980)made the design.He was the grandson of King Rama IV. He graduated from Cambridge University. It took two years to construct the station which was opened in 1947 (2491)
- Mom Jow Votayakorn Worawan. Source: Wikipedia
- Aerial picture of the railway station. Early 50s Boonserm Satrabhaya

Chiang Mai Railway Station in the early 50s. Photographer unknown.

Chiang Mai Railway Station in the early 50s. Photographer unknown.

Sideshot of Chiang Mai Railway station 2018

Beautiful front shot of the Chiang Mai Railway Station in the 1950s. Photographer unknown.

Chiang Mai Railway Station 2018

Back of the Railway Station
Pictures by Boonserm Satrabhaya
The late Boonserm Satrabhaya took quite a few pictures of the Railway Station in the 1950s from a helicopter. These were made during floods. Clearly visible is the turntable on which steam engines were turned in order to let their noses pointing in the right direction. The turntable was made in Germany in 1922 by Joseph Vögele in Mannheim.
- Turntable in the front. Looking north. On the right the Railway Terminus Hotel. Picture of Boonserm Satrabhaya
- View at the station from the turntable. Picture by Boonserm Satrabhaya
- Chiang Mai Railway Station, looking towards the south. Picture by Boonserm Satrabhaya.
- View on the station, early 50s. Picture by Boonserm Satrabhaya
My aquaintance, the late Robert van Hirschhorn aka “Rail Asia”, made these pictures of the turntable in 2006. You can find Robert’s great pictures here.
- An Eastern and Oriental carriage being turned. Picture by Robert van Hirschhorn, 2006
- An Eastern and Oriental carriage being turned. Picture by Robert von Hirschhorn, 2006
The picture on the left was made by Robert Larimore Pendleton in December 1950. More of Pendleton’s pictures can be found here.

Station in 1950. Picture by Robert Larimore Pendleton
Wally Higgins made the other picture in 1959.

Picture taken on March 15, 1959 by Wally Higgins
Jerry Reed sent me this picture with the following comment: “”This is the Railway station as it looked on July 18, 1969 from the roof of the Railway Hotel which is only a memory. I took the photo while on R & R leave from The U S. Air Force while stationed at Takhli RTAFB.”
Takhli Royal Thai Airforce Base was used by the US Airforce during the Vietnam War. The picture show the entrance of the railway station at Charoen Muang Road as well as two fountains and an old steam locomotive on display. Fascinating picture! Thanks Jerry Reed!

Railway Station and Charoen Muang Road in July, 1969. Picture by Jerry Reed.

Railway Station 1972. Picture by Werner Röpke.
Updated June 14, 2018