The Second Chiang Mai Railway Station

by Frans Betgem · Published June 10, 2018 · Updated August 29, 2018

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

front view of the Chiang Mai Railway Station

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

Front of the Chiang Mai Railway Station just after the opening

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.

The back of the Chiang Mai Railway Station in 1950

Station in 1950. Picture by Robert Larimore Pendleton

Wally Higgins made the other picture in 1959.

Chiang Mai Railway station by Wally Higgins 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!