SRETTHA VOWS ‘HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS’ TO BE SPENT ON INFRASTRUCTURE
Phuket people are grateful for the B5.325 billion the government is spending on four projects to fix the island’s eternal traffic problems, local government sources said amid the visit by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to Phuket last Friday (Apr 19).
One post by the Phuket branch of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) actually named PM Srettha as the person to thank for the budget spending on the decades-in-coming road construction mega-projects.
PM Srettha arrived at Phuket International Airport at 9:30am and joined a meeting where he was briefed on several of the key traffic mega-projects underway on the island.
He then visited a marquee set up to feature displays explaining the four main projects already in process.
Yet PM Srettha himself pointed out that the government was now looking at spending some B16bn on Phuket development projects, including resolving the recurring threats of water shortages by having water piped in from Surat Thani.
“Relevant agencies have been given directions to bring water from Cheow Lan Reservoir to be used in Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket. In the future, Phuket residents will not lack water to use,” PM Srettha assured.
“Regarding wastewater and garbage management, I would like to strictly enforce the law. Do not allow waste to be released into the sea. and public water sources. We strive to make Phuket a livable city. It is a destination that people from every corner of the world want to move to live and visit, but if the environment is not good they won’t want to,” he added.
“These are policies in which the government has invested hundreds of billions [sic]. This is because the government has pressed the button to promote tourism, to improve the economy. We have come a long way in the past seven months. People have more money in their pockets, giving the opportunity for the creation of wealth. However, this wealth will not last without stability,” PM Srettha said.
“Phuket as a tourist city and an important city for the economy. Transportation in the area is a top priority,” he said.
“I have asked the Ministry of Transport to expedite construction for the projects that have been approved to be completed as soon as possible by integrating with various agencies in the area and asking them to make plans to deal with traffic problems during construction in order to have as little impact as possible on local residents.
“In summary, we must save everyone’s time, money and lives. The Yingluck government planned projects that at that time would have used a budget of B8bn, but for 10 years the projects have been stagnant.
“Today we have to use a budget that is almost B16bn, or double the original amount. We have wasted enough time and opportunities. Today we have come not only to ‘create’, but also to ‘care’ about the entire dimension of society. and culture of Phuket people and come to make the…
...lives of the people better as well,” PM Srettha said.
ROADS
The focus of PM’s visit last Friday was firmly on the road mega-projects. Joining PM Srettha for his visit from Bangkok were Minister of Transport Suriya Jungrungruangkit and Pol Gen Kittirat Phanphet, who is currently Acting Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (see page 3).
“The Prime Minister ordered all units to speed up the project to solve traffic problems in Phuket province… Ready to upgrade the island to be a model island for world-class tourist cities,” explained one official report of the visit.
PM Srettha, who while serving as Prime Minister also serves as the Minister of Finance, ordered officials to focus their efforts and expedite all road projects to alleviate traffic between Phuket Town and the airport, namely traffic on Thepkrasattri Rd.
“Do not allow work to cause distress to people using the route or minimise the impact [of the projects] and have all projects expedited to be completed within the specified time period,” PM Srettha said.
To that end, PM Srettha called for concession contracts that imposed heavy fines on contractors for failing to complete projects to specifications or on time.
The Prime Minister was briefed on the elevated road project to be built at Muang Mai, to allow traffic to continue from Route 4027 (through Pa Khlok) to the airport.
The project includes a three-way intersection and construction of a new four-lane road between Maung Mai and the airport. The “interchange” to be an “elevated bridge”, or “flyover”. The project length is 1.95km and has been designated a construction budget of B1.3bn, official reports explained.
The design was completed in 2020. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report has been approved by the “Supervisory Committee”, and the project is awaiting special dispensation by the Cabinet for the construction to pass through mangroves, as is required by law, official reports noted.
The Department of Highways and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment have inspected the condition of the mangroves to be affected and will propose to set a construction budget for 2025. Although the main project was scheduled to be completed in 2027, construction is now to start in November and the new roads are hoped to be opened to traffic in 2027.
In contrast to preceding promotional events highlighting the government’s efforts to alleviate Phuket’s traffic woes, this visit made no mention of the billions to be spent on the so-called ‘light rail’ project or the Patong Tunnel.
After his briefings at the northern end of the island, PM Srettha travelled south to the Heroines Monument for further briefings there on construction of the underpass proposed to be built under the famed monument ‒ which is also the focal point of continually heavy traffic traffic tailbacks.
Mr Srettha was welcomed to the site, the car park at the
Robinson Lifestyle Thalang mall, by Srisoonthorn Mayor Chalermpol Kerdsap and a host of other VIPs in the area.
Construction of the underpass is to cost about B2.38 billion. The Phuket branch of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA Phuket) on Monday (Apr 22) started moving the power lines along Thepkrasattri Rd from Thai Watsadu in Thalang all the way to the Heroines Monument in order to allow work on the underpass to proceed. The moving of the power lines, and power poles is scheduled to continue through to June 30.
Of note, although official reports marked that PM Srettha was briefed on the “New Sarasin Bridge Construction Project to support [the] Andaman Airport”, no government reports on the PM’s visit released any details of the project, or proposal.
Further, despite Mr Chai also announcing before the PM’s visit that PM Srettha was to travel south of the Heroines Monument to see firsthand the U-turns and perpetual traffic tailback at the Koh Kaew intersection, that did not happen.