Phuket light-rail EIA to be submitted next week

[rooster59]

Phuket light-rail EIA to be submitted next week 

The Phuket News

 

 

PHUKET: The Office of Natural Resources and Environment Policy and Planning (ONEP) this week conducted a survey of light-rail construction sites in Phuket and Phang Nga ahead of the office planning to submit the B39-billion mega-project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) next Friday (Jan 26).

 

The team of officials, led by Sirigate Aphirat of the Ministry of Transport’s Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), carried out the inspection on Wednesday and Thursday (Jan 17-18).

 

The EIA, by law a critical “must pass” element of any major government project in Thailand, will be submitted for its first consideration on Jan 26, Mr Sirigate confirmed.

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-light-rail-eia-to-be-submitted-next-week-65661.php#TQikgDE3rfJFR9uC.97

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2018-01-20

[the guest]

If the light railway does not circumvent the Island, then it has no value.

[madmitch]

2 hours ago, the guest said:

If the light railway does not circumvent the Island, then it has no value.

It'll have plenty of value to politicians, local Government officers, contractors, landowners and assorted related parties. 

[steelepulse]

4 hours ago, madmitch said:

It'll have plenty of value to politicians, local Government officers, contractors, landowners and assorted related parties. 

Unfortunately that seems to be the driving force for most decisions.  Who cares if there's actually any value added for the public?  If public showers and changing facilities can't be installed on all popular beaches every 500 m, then that tells you what these officials really think about the hordes of tourists that come.

 

 

 

[arithai12]

14 hours ago, the guest said:

If the light railway does not circumvent the Island, then it has no value.

Which island, Phuket? If it manages to circumvent it, it would be quite an interesting underwater light railway.

[nkg]

Seems like a lot of money ...

Edited January 21, 2018 by nkg
mistake

[Old Croc]

23 hours ago, the guest said:

If the light railway does not circumvent the Island, then it has no value.

Disagree.

This all or nothing mindset is just another way of saying nothing.

A rail link from the bridge via the airport and city and on to a terminus in the south of the Island would be an incredible start to solving Phuket's traffic problems.

Phuket's topography precludes this type of rail from linking with tourist towns on the west coast, and they seem to be set on this system, but it's not hard to envisage new mini bus services operating from the nearest station to each western city.

Perhaps at a later date a suitable East-West transport link will evolve.

[Old Croc]

4 hours ago, nkg said:

Seems like a lot of money ...

Nowhere near as much as they are spending on transport links going north from Bangkok. The richest province is often last on the list when time comes to spend their taxes.

[madmitch]

28 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Disagree.

This all or nothing mindset is just another way of saying nothing.

A rail link from the bridge via the airport and city and on to a terminus in the south of the Island would be an incredible start to solving Phuket's traffic problems.

Phuket's topography precludes this type of rail from linking with tourist towns on the west coast, and they seem to be set on this system, but it's not hard to envisage new mini bus services operating from the nearest station to each western city.

Perhaps at a later date a suitable East-West transport link will evolve.

Your thinking may be correct in the long term but what about during construction? I've no idea what the proposed timescale will be but if it's typical of other projects you can add at least 50% on top. So, four to five years maybe?

 

Six underpasses, construction in the middle of Thepkasattri Road and Chaofa East (or is it West - I'm already confused) as well as the centre of Phuket Town, plus larger areas for stations. Will traffic actually be able to move at anything more than walking pace? Chinese guests will spend longer in their buses to the hotels than on their flights from Beijing!

 

The hilly West Coast roads will become overused and probably won't provide much relief.

 

And if the Chalong Underpass contractors get the job I'll be on the first flight out of here!

[Old Croc]

4 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Your thinking may be correct in the long term but what about during construction? I've no idea what the proposed timescale will be but if it's typical of other projects you can add at least 50% on top. So, four to five years maybe?

 

Six underpasses, construction in the middle of Thepkasattri Road and Chaofa East (or is it West - I'm already confused) as well as the centre of Phuket Town, plus larger areas for stations. Will traffic actually be able to move at anything more than walking pace? Chinese guests will spend longer in their buses to the hotels than on their flights from Beijing!

 

The hilly West Coast roads will become overused and probably won't provide much relief.

 

And if the Chalong Underpass contractors get the job I'll be on the first flight out of here!

Agree, construction will be a nightmare,

However I'm looking at the benefits of a finished system, if it ever gets there.

Properly designed and constructed rail will move much faster than road traffic and eventually reduce the amount of vehicles on the road. 

I've been a proponent of a raised system similar to that in the capital, but apparently aesthetics and self interested parties prevent this from happening on Phuket.

If this is what we have to have, I consider it better than nothing. 

[LivinginKata]

3 hours ago, madmitch said:

Your thinking may be correct in the long term but what about during construction? I've no idea what the proposed timescale will be but if it's typical of other projects you can add at least 50% on top. So, four to five years maybe?

 

Six underpasses, construction in the middle of Thepkasattri Road and Chaofa East (or is it West - I'm already confused) as well as the centre of Phuket Town, plus larger areas for stations. Will traffic actually be able to move at anything more than walking pace? Chinese guests will spend longer in their buses to the hotels than on their flights from Beijing!

 

The hilly West Coast roads will become overused and probably won't provide much relief.

 

And if the Chalong Underpass contractors get the job I'll be on the first flight out of here!

 

I was thinking much the same. Chalong underpass might be near (??) finished and along comes the light rail building works.

[steelepulse]

7 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

I was thinking much the same. Chalong underpass might be near (??) finished and along comes the light rail building works.

 

No point in stopping the cash cow.  New project, new money for many.   Who cares about the inconvenience and all the time and money lost due to construction?  Certainly not those benefiting from these envelopes projects.