More than 100 residents in Krabi’s Ao Luek district are urging the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to alter the path of the planned Thap Put-Krabi railway line, warning that the current route will devastate local communities and vast tracts of farmland.
The affected villagers from Ao Luek Nuea sub-district voiced their grievances on Wednesday during a public hearing chaired by experts from the project’s consulting firm.
The proposed route is slated to cut through dense residential areas and agricultural land in Ao Luek Nuea, before heading towards downtown Krabi, raising fears of widespread displacement and financial ruin.
Many attendees expressed frustration over a perceived lack of transparency, claiming that they had been kept in the dark about the mass transit project until receiving an official invitation to the hearing just two weeks ago.
Among those worst hit are residents who have recently finished constructing new homes, only to discover their properties lie squarely within the SRT’s expropriation zone. Local residents expressed deep anxiety regarding land expropriation compensation.
They argued that the government payouts, typically pegged to the Treasury Department’s appraised values, would be grossly insufficient to purchase replacement land in their commercial hub, where actual market rates are substantially higher.
According to documents from the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), the Thap Put-Krabi railway line is a crucial network expansion, designed to connect with Krabi International Airport.
It is also intended to accommodate passengers from the planned Surat Thani–Phang Nga–Tha Nun line, offering alternative travel options, reducing transit times and bolstering economic growth in the southern region.
The 68km project is listed under the government’s urgent action plan (2023-2027). It begins in Khok Charoen sub-district of Phang Nga’s Thap Put district and terminates at Krabi International Airport.
Initial assessments indicate that the development will disrupt more than 300 households and consume over 160 hectares of agricultural land. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin between 2031 and 2035.
The huge project has an investment budget of 32.893 billion baht.
The budget breakdown allocates 16.662 billion for civil construction, 3.656 billion for land and property expropriation, 11.836 billion for rolling stock procurement and 739 million baht for project management, supervision and environmental mitigation costs.
The areas designated to be impacted by the rail link span several jurisdictions. In Phang Nga, it will impact Khok Charoen and Thap Put sub-districts.
In Krabi, the route traverses Na Nuea, Khao Yai, Ao Luek Tai, Ao Luek Nuea, Ban Klang and Khlong Hin sub-districts in Ao Luek district, Khao Khram, Khao Thong, Thap Prik, Sai Thai, Krabi Noi and Krabi Yai sub-districts in Mueang district and Nuea Khlong sub-district in Nuea Khlong district.
