The power of social media! Embarrassed officials react instantly to "Stairway to Heaven"

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

Daily News reported that the mayor of Sattahip couldn't stand all the hoo-haa and 555s after the internet went barmy over the "Stairway to Heaven" in Sattahip, eastern Thailand.

 

This is the pedestrian bridge under construction on Sukhumvit Road opposite Makro which was built around a power pole and all its cables and wires. 

 

It was another example in Thailand of getting an immediate response - some would say rise - to a situation or problem by using the power of social media.

 

The story came out in the morning - in next to no time mayor Narong Bunbangertsri, district chief Kittipong Kittikhun and contractors were ALL rushing to the scene.

 

A bit of naming and shaming not to mention some ridicule got the response. Just be careful in Thailand not to overstep the mark, notes ASEAN NOW. The defamation laws are horrendous and truth might be no defence.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

In this case it's clear that the cables came first and the bridge after. And obviously there was never any intention of leaving it like that when the bridge was finished. It's not the first time this has happened - we published a story in a similar vein in 2016.

 

Narong - clearly irked by all the attention - resorted to calling everyone who had commented "phee nong prachachon Thai" - my Thai brothers and sisters. 

 

He explained to Daily News that the contractor was within their rights to finish the work by going around the pole, as it were.

 

The moving of the pole was not their job - that's the responsibility of the Royal Navy's electrical department who were waiting on 2022 budgets to complete the job.

 

He assured his "phee nong" that all would be fine when the work is done in the New Year and the hole in the bridge is repaired.

 

There will be a lovely bridge with no danger to the public at all. 

 

Other similar cases of daft officialdom over the last few years have included villagers planting banana trees in potholes to shame mayors into action. 

 

But as we say, everyone needs to be careful about the defamation laws.

 

An attractive Thai woman who pictured herself bathing in a pothole

was threatened with the courts for her posts. 

 

However, no action was taken when someone put a large model of a penis in the road and started praying to it. 

 

That appeared to be Thai culture and a legitimate call to the rain gods for precipitation.

 

Mostly we advise our readers to employ a shake of the head, smile and say "Amazing Thailand" - an expression even non-English speakers in the kingdom fully appreciate!

 

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[jvs]

I can come up with a few more examples but i better not,just in case,...... you know.

I do not want to be invited to a free trip to a crocodile farm !555

[worgeordie]

Better say nowt then , don't want to be sued .....for telling the truth.

regards Worgeordie

[OneMoreFarang]

I think they did a great job and congratulations for thinking outside of the box.

 

And I mean it. Because think about what would have happened if they would not have finished the job. I guess then the contractor would not get paid for building that stairway and the workers would probably be out of work and also not get paid.

And if the cable guys had to wait for next years budget then what should have happened?

What they did is win/win. Not perfect and obviously it has to be improved. But I wish more people would think out of the box like these guys.

[itsari]

Why is it that Thai people are unable to take criticism ? 

Even worse when coming from a Caucasian.

Thai or foreigner can  see the ridiculous result from contracting out a bridge to be built with power lines not yet relocated that are  in the way of a new construction .

 

[itsari]

19 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think they did a great job and congratulations for thinking outside of the box.

 

And I mean it. Because think about what would have happened if they would not have finished the job. I guess then the contractor would not get paid for building that stairway and the workers would probably be out of work and also not get paid.

And if the cable guys had to wait for next years budget then what should have happened?

What they did is win/win. Not perfect and obviously it has to be improved. But I wish more people would think out of the box like these guys.

Put people  in a box walking next to the exposed powerlines . 

[Paulaew]

I see the point, but I was just disappointed that the thread wasn't about Led Zeppelin.

 

Paul Laew

[jvs]

32 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think they did a great job and congratulations for thinking outside of the box.

 

And I mean it. Because think about what would have happened if they would not have finished the job. I guess then the contractor would not get paid for building that stairway and the workers would probably be out of work and also not get paid.

And if the cable guys had to wait for next years budget then what should have happened?

What they did is win/win. Not perfect and obviously it has to be improved. But I wish more people would think out of the box like these guys.

Here is another great example of (not thinking at all)out of the box.

Besides the fact that the stairway itself is placed very nicely to block the sidewalk.

Yes you are right,we need more people like this!

 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, itsari said:

Put people  in a box walking next to the exposed powerlines . 

Did you read the article?

It's a temporary solution before those lines are redirected.

[itsari]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Did you read the article?

It's a temporary solution before those lines are redirected.

I read the article .

Move the lines first . No money to move then wait with the bridge . Simple

[scubascuba3]

No one had the bright idea to move the bridge slightly before being built?

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The moving of the pole was not their job - that's the responsibility of the Royal Navy's electrical department who were waiting on 2022 budgets to complete the job.

Planning at it's best.

[hotchilli]

40 minutes ago, itsari said:

I read the article .

Move the lines first . No money to move then wait with the bridge . Simple

TiT... 

[OneMoreFarang]

40 minutes ago, itsari said:

I read the article .

Move the lines first . No money to move then wait with the bridge . Simple

I understand that.

But I am not one of those workers who needs their job and payment everyday.

 

Imagine you would be a worker and you would want to take your salary home. And imagine there is something that prevents you from doing your job properly. You could wait maybe two months and don't work in that time and don't get paid in that time. Or you use your imagination and "finish" the job and work and get paid.

What would you do?

 

Obviously what they did is not the way it should be. And I am pretty sure they thought about not continuing with their work. And then they probably thought about not getting paid. And they they had this idea how they could continue and get paid. I understand why they did what they did.

[itsari]

6 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I understand that.

But I am not one of those workers who needs their job and payment everyday.

 

Imagine you would be a worker and you would want to take your salary home. And imagine there is something that prevents you from doing your job properly. You could wait maybe two months and don't work in that time and don't get paid in that time. Or you use your imagination and "finish" the job and work and get paid.

What would you do?

 

Obviously what they did is not the way it should be. And I am pretty sure they thought about not continuing with their work. And then they probably thought about not getting paid. And they they had this idea how they could continue and get paid. I understand why they did what they did.

If i was the contractor i would not start with the work until the work area was ready . I am sure that contractor has many jobs to get on with in a location that is ready .

The and his employees  that have the skills to build the bridge will be gainfully employed where ever . 

[TheScience]

The engineers probably asked to have the power pole moved half a dozen times and nothing.

 

They had a job to do and they did it boom.

[ChrisY1]

So it got built....no-one really cared much that a pole and cables were there....no they move! Just a further example of Thai inefficiency!

[chickenslegs]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The moving of the pole was not their job - that's the responsibility of the Royal Navy's electrical department who were waiting on 2022 budgets to complete the job.

The building of this bridge is necessary due to the massive road-widening project between Pattaya and Sattahip (u-tapao airport and beyond). I would have thought the budget for the project would include moving electricity poles, rather than waiting for the RTN to find the cash.

 

The poles along the NaJomtien and Bang Saray sections were moved back more than a year ago.

[Golden Triangle]

Bunch of <deleted> morons.

[whaleboneman]

14 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think they did a great job and congratulations for thinking outside of the box.

 

And I mean it. Because think about what would have happened if they would not have finished the job. I guess then the contractor would not get paid for building that stairway and the workers would probably be out of work and also not get paid.

And if the cable guys had to wait for next years budget then what should have happened?

What they did is win/win. Not perfect and obviously it has to be improved. But I wish more people would think out of the box like these guys.

Thinking outside of the box, I would have built the stairway on the other side of the pillar and avoided the wires altogether.

[JeffersLos]

When do they start building their nuclear power station again? 

Edited December 21, 2021 by JeffersLos

[The Hammer2021]

So who took the risk of sharing the info on their FB page or is there a special whistle blower channel?

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

In this case it's clear that the cables came first and the bridge after.

Says who? WHO?!

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

But as we say, everyone needs to be careful about the defamation laws.

 

An attractive Thai woman. . .

Badda BING!

[kneebendingfools]

5555555

[mikebell]

Which comes first; the planning or the building?  I thought before any earth was moved there were multiple feasibility studies by eleven committees - all on travel expenses and free lunches; all members related to the local mayors?

[brianthainess]

This seems to be standard practice in Thailand, as when roads are built or widened the power poles are left in place until the road is finished, then moved months later. Planning/building permission  should not be given until such are moved, The problem lays with the local govt. for not going to the site BEFORE building permission and just granting permission on paper with no pre-inspection on site. 

[robblok]

21 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Did you read the article?

It's a temporary solution before those lines are redirected.

And you believe that excuse, there was just no forward planning. Its not as if this project materialized all of a sudden. Plus without social media this would not be exposed. 

 

Its just crappy planning and now coming up with an excuse. What you really mean to say if the contractor had not completed it no brown enveloppes could have been exchanged. 

 

Nobody should have signed off on this.

 

Though i do agree that its better to have a unsafe pedestrian bridge then having to cross the road. But that does not excuse the poor planning. 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

What you really mean to say

Why do you pretend you know what I really mean to say?

I wrote what I wrote because I mean it.

And I wrote I understand why the did it. I didn't write that it is the way it should be done because it isn't. 

[robblok]

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Why do you pretend you know what I really mean to say?

I wrote what I wrote because I mean it.

And I wrote I understand why the did it. I didn't write that it is the way it should be done because it isn't. 

Surprised that you really mean it. Seriously they plan something wrong and you think its a good thing because its better then nothing. Sure that is one point of view (that i partly agree with).

 

But basically its <deleted> poor planning and the reason its accepted this way is because the kickbacks. No other reason.