National Railway Communities Thank Deputy PM Phipat for Resolving Land Housing Issues on State Railway Property
Government approved land lease agreements for 3,121 households on state railway property across multiple regions, with a nationwide 5-year plan allocating 7.7 billion baht to resolve housing issues for low-income railway communities.
On April 29, 2025, representatives from various national community networks including the Railway Community Network (CMFT), Four-Region Slum Network, Yaowamo City Network, and Nakhon Si Thammarat Network met with Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phipat Ratchakitprakarn to express appreciation for government efforts in understanding and improving people's living conditions. The meeting, held at the Ministry of Transport's Ratchard 1 Conference Room, also included Transport Ministry Secretary Ratchapong Chukaew and SRT Governor Anant Pothnimdaeng to discuss mechanisms for addressing housing issues on SRT land.
Deputy PM Phipat revealed that the collaboration between SRT and CODI has made tangible progress, with land lease agreements approved for 64 communities comprising 3,121 households across multiple regions including Songkhla, Trang, Surat Thani, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Phichit, and Bangkok. From 2023 to present, SRT has completed housing project land leases for 5,518 households, representing 20.5 percent of the target group of 27,084 affected households.
Moving forward, the Transport Ministry is prioritizing 35 provinces with 300 communities impacted by major railway megaprojects including double-track railways and high-speed rail systems. The government has set a 5-year action plan (2023-2027) allocating 7.718 billion baht to address low-income housing issues through 30-year land leases from SRT, ensuring tenure security. For communities requiring relocation, the government commits to finding suitable alternative land for replacement housing, currently assisting 11 communities in this process.
Deputy PM Phipat announced the establishment of an oversight committee to monitor and resolve railway land housing issues, conduct fact-finding investigations, and ensure swift resolution of residents' problems. He emphasized that the modern Transport Ministry balances infrastructure development with improving people's quality of life, ensuring sustainable and secure housing for all citizens.
