The Paknam Railway was Thailand's first railway line, established in 1893. Stretching 21 km (13 mi), it was a narrow gauge line. The line was constructed by the Paknam Railway Company established by a British navigator Alfred John Loftus and the Danish naval commander Andreas du Plessis de Richelieu. Construction commenced on 10 July 1891. The company was granted a 20-year concession to run the line. The opening of the railway on 11 April 1893 was attended by King Rama V who had in fact invested half of the 400,000 Baht funding required for construction of the line.