Bangkok's subway system is not a symbol of modernity. Launched on July 3, 2004, the Chalerm Ratchamongkhon Line -- the country's first subway line -- is a triumph of Thai civil engineering and a source of national pride.
Bangkok is considered one of the most challenging cities in the world in which to build underground rail systems. The capital sits on low-lying soft clay soils, with a high groundwater table, seasonal monsoon flooding and rapid soil subsidence.
