Bridge to Samui: PM shows support - project could start building in three years

[webfact]

Bridge to Samui: PM shows support - project could start building in three years

 

Picture: Manager Online

 

The MPs behind proposals to build a bridge from the Thai mainland at Khanom to Koh Samui announced that their dream is a step closer. 

 

Palang Pracharat MP Dr Rong Bunsuaykhwan said that a meeting was held with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha who did not oppose the scheme.

 

Proposals are now being forwarded to a special committee that will begin the process of looking into the matter along with the transport ministry.

 

Dr Rong and his team of MPs reckon that if all goes well, residents of the island and Khanom could see the first piling after 3 years. 

 

It was no longer just a pipedream, he told Manager. 

 

Thaivisa notes that a bridge has been proposed for years. Many think that a bridge will be a great way to stimulate tourism and solve problems associated with high fees at the island's only airport and an antiquated and overcrowded ferry service. 

 

Source: Manager Online

 

 

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[Assurancetourix]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

residents of the island and Khanom could see the first piling after 3 years. 

And tomorrow pigs fly ..

 

At the border between the provinces of Nan and Uttaradit, in the village of Pak_Nai, a bridge must also be built over the large Sirikit Dam reservoir;
When I went to Pak Nai in 2010, I photographed the plan of the three bridge projects.
I went back there in August 2011 during my big tour of Thailand by mountain bike, still no bridge;
and BMW overlander who made us magnificent videos on U-Tube went there last year, and ...... still not the shadow of the first pile of this bridge;
this is road 1026, Wiang Sa - Na Noi - Na Muen - Pak Nay

 

[Samui Bodoh]

My God, they are sooo thick.

 

The allure of Koh Samui is that it is an island.

 

If it is connected to the mainland by bridge, then it is part of the mainland and thus merely a group of hotels and restaurants near the sea. Just like all the other resorts on the mainland.

 

Again, for those too thick to get it, the allure of a tropical island, and thus its appeal to tourists, is that it is an island.

 

How did these people get elected?

 

[stephenterry]

The last thing that Khanom needs is a constant influx of noisy Koh Samui tourism, especially Chinese. 

[Vigilante]

Many of these (promises of) mega-projects serve a purpose.

They are carrots to be dangled ,in the provinces concerned, usually before elections.

They cost nothing.

Free publicity for corrupt politicos

 

Kra canal anyone?

 

[Tropicalevo]

38 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

My God, they are sooo thick.

 

The allure of Koh Samui is that it is an island.

 

If it is connected to the mainland by bridge, then it is part of the mainland and thus merely a group of hotels and restaurants near the sea. Just like all the other resorts on the mainland.

 

Again, for those too thick to get it, the allure of a tropical island, and thus its appeal to tourists, is that it is an island.

 

How did these people get elected?

 

Well said.

[Creasy]

Hopefully in three years time the PM is behind bars or in exile

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Many think that a bridge will be a great way to stimulate tourism greed and corruption.

 

[Old Croc]

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

If it is connected to the mainland by bridge, then it is part of the mainland

Interesting theory, is it an actual fact or your just thoughts about what constitutes an island?

To you, places like Phuket, Penang and all the islands comprising the Key West chain,  (there must be scores more) are just part of the mainland. What about undersea tunnels - Hong Kong, Britain?

 

My thoughts about this proposed bridge are firstly, it will never happen,  and if it did it would be a tragedy. My thoughts would be to greatly expand the ferry services and canx whatever the single airline agreement is. Open up the skies to cheap flights.

[marko kok prong]

The first piling will be the last piling i predict in this hair brained scheme.

[lom]

43 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

 

My thoughts about this proposed bridge are firstly, it will never happen,  and if it did it would be a tragedy. My thoughts would be to greatly expand the ferry services and canx whatever the single airline agreement is. Open up the skies to cheap flights.

It would be a tragedy because the infrastructure can not cope with more tourists. Infrastructure according to Thais is number of hotel room, shops, and restaurant but there is much more than that needed.

There is enough of ferry arrivals and there is no single airline agreement - it is just that the airport is fully owned by Bandit Airways so they decide how many flights there should be per day and how much to charge a competing airline for using the airport.

[Old Croc]

11 minutes ago, lom said:

there is no single airline agreement - it is just that the airport is fully owned by Bandit Airways so they decide how many flights there should be per day and how much to charge a competing airline for using the airport.

"canx whatever the single airline agreement is." 

 

I'll try to be more accurate next time, although, one airline owning the airport, setting prices and restricting flights seems very similar to my statement.

[justin case]

who will built that, the burmese slave wagers with chinese money ?

 

and what about the local maffia's... 

 

if even a government bus on phuket is not possible

 

 

[Tidybeard]

Should be interesting ... it has taken them around 3 years to resurface about 50% of the ring road, and they still haven't finished that ! ... so good luck with a very difficult bridge.

If they do build a bridge, the ring road could never cope with the increase in traffic. It is close to gridlock now at certain times of the day - imagine if the traffic say doubled. 

 

Total garbage news !

 

[NCC1701A]

make it a double decker with a train track on top.

[spiekerjozef]

Maybe a bridge from Pattaya to Koh Samui ?

[natway09]

So the allure of having a holiday on an island will be shattered.

Stupid idea

[zyphodb]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

My God, they are sooo thick.

 

The allure of Koh Samui is that it is an island.

 

If it is connected to the mainland by bridge, then it is part of the mainland and thus merely a group of hotels and restaurants near the sea. Just like all the other resorts on the mainland.

 

Again, for those too thick to get it, the allure of a tropical island, and thus its appeal to tourists, is that it is an island.

 

How did these people get elected?

 

by fixing the election of course...

[30la]

3 hours ago, Vigilante said:

Many of these (promises of) mega-projects serve a purpose.

They are carrots to be dangled ,in the provinces concerned, usually before elections.

They cost nothing.

Free publicity for corrupt politicos

 

Kra canal anyone?

 

Name suggestion: Prayut & Friends Bridge...

[legend49]

2 hours ago, Creasy said:

Hopefully in three years time the PM is behind bars or in exile

after he has the 3 Chinese subs delivered

 

[spidermike007]

Dumb and dumber. Looked this up. A water bridge of this sort costs between $60 and $70 million per kilometer. Really? Is this administration going to spend 65 billion baht on this? Shows their level of desperation, and their insatiable desire for tax revenue, that they can enrich themselves with. 

 

Just build a second airport, that only the discount airlines have access to, either on the southern part of the island, or in Don Sak. Easy deal. Win win for everyone except the BA mafia. They need to be put down anyway. A 30 year monopoly is plenty reward, for their initial investment. Now, for once it is time to consider the people, over the corporation. 

[khunPer]

Can only wish for a bridge with one way traffic, i.e. from the island to the mainland, as the island already git more cars than there is road space for...????

[worgeordie]

Spend quite a few Millions on feasibility studies ,then forget the whole thing.

regards worgeordie

[Odysseus123]

I must be being really effected by modern day communications..as I read the headline as..

 

"Bridge to Samui..come in Samui.."

"This is Samui..receiving you loud and clear..

"Uh..copy that Samui..."

[KCPhuket]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

My God, they are sooo thick.

 

The allure of Koh Samui is that it is an island.

 

If it is connected to the mainland by bridge, then it is part of the mainland and thus merely a group of hotels and restaurants near the sea. Just like all the other resorts on the mainland.

 

Again, for those too thick to get it, the allure of a tropical island, and thus its appeal to tourists, is that it is an island.

 

How did these people get elected?

 

One ahole appoknting others as underlings. They would sel.mum for 5 bt. Why would Samui want to be Phuket?!? BS!!k

[Jane Dough]

5 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

And tomorrow pigs fly ..

 

At the border between the provinces of Nan and Uttaradit, in the village of Pak_Nai, a bridge must also be built over the large Sirikit Dam reservoir;
When I went to Pak Nai in 2010, I photographed the plan of the three bridge projects.
I went back there in August 2011 during my big tour of Thailand by mountain bike, still no bridge;
and BMW overlander who made us magnificent videos on U-Tube went there last year, and ...... still not the shadow of the first pile of this bridge;
this is road 1026, Wiang Sa - Na Noi - Na Muen - Pak Nay

 

In Ratchayothin we got a lovely train, three overpasses, one underpass and all the trappings in three years.

 

Mind you that is Bangkok, a place that matters.

 

Rooster

[Cake Monster]

Of course Prayut is not going to oppose this Bridge.

One of his Buddy,s in the Government even proposed that the thing should be named after him a month ago.

 

[dinsdale]

He's building roads and bridges everywhere. This is what corrupt leaders do. The kickbacks are enourmous.

[honoluludave]

First, its an island with too many cars already. It does not need the added cars. Second, not sure what the distance is, but who is going to take care of all the cars that break down, run out of gas or who have an accident on this bridge?

[racket]

What a stupid idea, and hopes it never materializes.