The Ministry of Transport has assured that the two hundred year old Luang Poo Thuad Vihara (chapel) at Iam Voranuch Temple will not be affected by the construction of the Purple Line rail project, although part of the temple’s land will be expropriated.
In a statement, posted on the Facebook page of the temple today (Friday), Deputy Transport Permanent Secretary Sorapong Paitoonphong said that he has been assured by the Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority (MRT), the project’s owner, that construction will not affect the chapel, adding that he has instructed the MRT to try to limit impacts on the temple as much as possible.
Phra Maha Soi Sitthimethee, the secretary of the temple, said the temple will, however, submit a petition to the National Office of Buddhism today, seeking help, pointing out that, not only the temple, but also other ancient structures and a community on the temple grounds, will be evicted to pave the way for the construction of the railway.
The monk said that, initially, MRT officials informed the temple that a portion of their grounds, about four metres from the temple wall, will be expropriated, but this was subsequently increased to six metres, putting the Luang Poo Thuad Vihara and a chedi at risk of being demolished.
The temple is located on a 0.4 hectare plot in the Bang Khun Prom area of Bangkok.
