Goodbye hanging wires - hello modern Bangkok!

 

Picture: Sanook

 

Work has begun to bury wires on one of Bangkok's most famous arteries - Sukhumvit Road.

 

And all the unsightly power poles are being pulled out too on a long stretch of upper Sukhumvit from Soi 1 to Soi 71.

 

On the scene yesterday was electrical chief Wanchai Jianwatanawit with more sound bites than a seasoned politician - he spoke of bringing Bangkok into the modern era, a place that would be lovely to live in, a great lifestyle, a bright future....

 

Oh, and there are a lot of foreigners in Sukhumvit as well, he pointed out to Sanook.

 

Everyone had their picture taken as the engineers started pulling down some of the wires that had offended Microsoft's founder Bill Gates when he snapped his holiday pictures a few years ago.

 

Picture: Sanook

 

Wanchai pointed out it has taken a while to get started due to various problems but now it was all systems go.

 

The "Smart Metro" project as it is called, will see the wires buried on a 12 kilometer stretch (both sides of the road) from Soi 1 to Soi 71.

 

Some 544 poles will be ripped out.

 

The work teams are being split into ten zones.

 

Work is also underway to beautify 11 kilometers of Pahonyothin and Phayathai roads, two other main Bangkok arteries.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-11-17

All hail Bill Gates.

 

Where should we send him next ?

A whole flock of flying pigs just flew past my balcony.

Hell of a job. It's a start though. Lets bring LOS into the (20th) century

3 hours ago, 01322521959 said:

Hell of a job. It's a start though. Lets bring LOS into the (20th) century

The 21st century would be better, but at least the 20th century is, as you say, a start. Better for them not to run before they can walk.

Sadly, anyone living around Soi 1 to 71 will not be able to read this news article on line as their Fibre Optic link has been chopped ......................

Do not touch anything along Sukmhvit after the work is done,do not go there if heavy rain.

bangkok is a best turest place in the word

"Everyone got their pictures taken"  Well I'm glad to hear nobody missed the customary photo opertunity.  

5 hours ago, Denim said:

All hail Bill Gates.

 

Where should we send him next ?

How about to the beach with a pack of smokes?

As the overhead cables are being taken down then the underground ones must already be in place. I live on Sukhumvit and never noticed them doing it. Great news!

     Wednesday my partner and I noticed they were bundling the overhead wires on a stretch of Pratamnack Road.  Not sure if the work was being done because some bigwigs were going to be traveling the road for the Fleet Week activities but just wrapping the wires together makes them look somewhat neater and they end up not hanging so close to the ground.    More of this could be done while we wait for them to be buried--likely sometime in the distance future for many of the roads.

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

"Everyone got their pictures taken"  Well I'm glad to hear nobody missed the customary photo opertunity.  

..there should be more electricity to sell now.

A grammar police troll post has been removed. 

8 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

A whole flock of flying pigs just flew past my balcony.

Yup, there they are

I choose to belive in change ....

If I always say "No way" then there is no future...

I belive in little by little

 

please feel free be destructive and non constructive

 

8 hours ago, Denim said:

All hail Bill Gates.

 

Where should we send him next ?

Finding Red Bull Boss and Yingluck. LOL

Good to bury the wires in Bangkok....so now how about a good "hello modern Thailand - v.4.0" ?.....and to bury them nationwide ?

 

A few of the millions from the sanctioned chinese weapons deal should provide the funding ?

The underground wires must be in place first.  They are not.  Are they? 

 

Are they including the high voltage wires at top? That job will be tricky.  It is not that difficult to put internet and telephone wires underground.  Could have been done when they did the fing sky train but that assumes planning capacity.  

 

Now they are underground we can enjoy them ripping up the pavement every year for repairs just like roads.  Cause the construction corruption knows no limits except creativity or benefits to citizens

i know that i am a minority but i find all these hanging wires beautiful.

especially the wildlife which they support.

 

Thanks Mr Gates, can you come back soon and talk about the pavements please

The entangled cluster of wires I saw when I first came to Bangkok was what reminded me this is still a third world country. Maybe that notion can be buried with the wires? I doubt it.

All down by Sukhumvit soi 38 when I walked past a couple of hours ago. 

Trucks ladders and wires everywhere. 

I recall they spent several days a month or so back putting loads of wires underground.  Once the poles have gone and they fill the holes in everything should look a lot better. Mind you it will probably take ages to fill the holes, so just another hazard to watch out for.

They have put a new water pipe in between Thong lo and Phrom Phome over the last couple of months. Its been a total mess for ages. Must have been drug up twice in different places because of leaks and there is still a pretty bad leak in a certain place. That will have to be dug up again eventually. Having said that most of whats been dug up has so far just been filled in with either dirt or tarmac. 

Look nice when its finished. 

No rush.

Sure.  Even if completed - one city down, a whole country to go... 

9 hours ago, marko kok prong said:

Do not touch anything along Sukmhvit after the work is done,do not go there if heavy rain.

Do you think the workmanship is really that bad? You mean to say during heavy rain those cables not properly insulated will electrocute anyone who walk on water on the surface? If that happen a lot of people are going to die then?  In Malaysia and Singapore it never happened so I think it wouldn't happen in Thailand if they follow the standard procedure.

I don't know if it's related for not, but we got a notice from the Electric Authority informing us that power was going to be OUT/OFF on our entire lower Sukhumvit soi this coming Sunday (11/19) from about 9 am to 3 pm.

 

BTW, there's a lot more than just electric wires hanging up there on the poles. I'm assuming cable TV, phone lines, fiber internet, and who knows what all else...

 

Are the electric guys undergrounding EVERYTHING, or just the electric wires? Can't really tell from the OP report.

I know that this is the Bangkok forum, but today as me and the Mrs were out and about in Patts I actually saw a 3BB/True/TMN/AIS guy looking up at a right birds nest in the sky, frown, scratch his chin then shake his head, Temple end of Nern Plap wan for Pattaya-ites    Don't know if he ever fixed it.

7 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I don't know if it's related for not, but we got a notice from the Electric Authority informing us that power was going to be OUT/OFF on our entire lower Sukhumvit soi this coming Sunday (11/19) from about 9 am to 3 pm.

 

BTW, there's a lot more than just electric wires hanging up there on the poles. I'm assuming cable TV, phone lines, fiber internet, and who knows what all else...

 

Are the electric guys undergrounding EVERYTHING, or just the electric wires? Can't really tell from the OP report.

If they are taking to poles down as well as the wires what do you think will be holding the other stuff up ?