After nearly five years of construction, the stunning MRT Wat Mangkon station nears completion, as new photos posted by the BKKTrains Facebook page show. 

Located close to Chinatown, the the future MRT Blue Line station takes its name from Wat Mangkon Kamalawat (which means "Dragon Lotus Temple"), the largest Chinese Buddhist temple in Bangkok. 

Like the already revealed MRT Sanam Chai, this new station pays homage to Thailand's rich tradition, in particular the area's Chinese heritage. The staircase leading downstairs resembles the underbelly of a dragon, while the walls are decorated with traditional Chinese patterns and tiled dragons. Deep red columns and golden dragon motifs on the ceiling also distinguish MRT Wat Mangkon Kamalawat from the drab underground stations of the past.

Although construction on Wat Mangkorn station appears to be nearly complete, Bangkokians won’t be able to access it until at least September 2019. The MRT Blue Line extension will eventually connect to Phuttamonthon Sai 4 in Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon to the west of Bangkok, though the initital phase will only reach Lak Song station at Bang Kae.

See also: First look at Bangkok's four spectacular new MRT stations

All photos by www.facebook.com/bkktrains