Urban Development In Nathon

[ClaudeFeller]

Maybe some of yours have read the last issue of Samui Newspaper with the inside story about the work of a local group proposing a bypass road around Nathon and a Masterplan for the seaside area.

This evening I had a talk to one of the very engaged local peoples here in Nathon:

Well, it seems that this group has succeeded. There will be definitely a bypass road in the next 2 or 3 years and the masterplan could be done later on as well!

A modern urban development in Samui seems to be possible.

I think thats kind of good news.

[SamuiJens]

Don't believe before I see with my own eyes! That way you don't get sad/angry, whatnot!

Hope it's true.

[southbot]

Having lived for years in the Nathon / Bang Makham area myself in the past, I know full well that there are some very serious business people there who have always wanted proper planning and development for Nathon.

I heard proposals for the ring road around Nathon and shoreline development in 1998. In fact I drew up the design and plans for a 5 Star hotel proposed for the beach front at the time.

It never happened, not because nobody wanted it but because the money just was not coming from Surat or Bkk central and also at that time the S.E. Asian economies were busy collapsing.

I am sure that in time, with persistence from the Nathon business community, there will indeed be the necessary ring road around the back of the town and "properly planned" ( or close to it ? ) development of the shoreline.

There are issues to do with who gets what, who controls which and who pays the rent, but sure they'll sort that out in time as well

When the day comes ( soon we hope ) that there is a beach boulevard and a nice shoreline in Nathon with no traffic jams, I'll be there sippin' a good long capucinno and enjoying the cosmopolitan ambience.

[ClaudeFeller]

Having lived for years in the Nathon / Bang Makham area myself in the past, I know full well that there are some very serious business people there who have always wanted proper planning and development for Nathon.

I heard proposals for the ring road around Nathon and shoreline development in 1998. In fact I drew up the design and plans for a 5 Star hotel proposed for the beach front at the time.

It never happened, not because nobody wanted it but because the money just was not coming from Surat or Bkk central and also at that time the S.E. Asian economies were busy collapsing.

I am sure that in time, with persistence from the Nathon business community, there will indeed be the necessary ring road around the back of the town and "properly planned" ( or close to it ? ) development of the shoreline.

There are issues to do with who gets what, who controls which and who pays the rent, but sure they'll sort that out in time as well

When the day comes ( soon we hope ) that there is a beach boulevard and a nice shoreline in Nathon with no traffic jams, I'll be there sippin' a good long capucinno and enjoying the cosmopolitan ambience.

Here some ideas of the Masterplan:

Students from Bangkok University...

... and their model:

Sure it will take time, but: Think positive!!

The bypass is crucial (like a bypass for Maenam and for Hua Thanon!). As long as the Highway Department will lead this project the Samui Municipality will not have any possibility to ruin it.

[churchill]

Where is the by pass runnung from to ?

[womble]

Don't wish to put a dampner on things, but did anyone see the original masterplan for chaweng lake?

Now we can see what an embaressment that has become, so much money being taken in corruption the end result is after more than 3 years it is still unfinished and certainly nothing close to the plans originally drawn up.

[ClaudeFeller]

Where is the by pass runnung from to ?

Starting in the north of Ban Makham and joining the ring road at the road to the Waterfall - 4 km together.

[womble]

Where is the by pass runnung from to ?

Starting in the north of Ban Makham and joining the ring road at the road to the Waterfall - 4 km together.

I noticed they have already started to widen that road...........

I wonder if there will be complaints from shop owners in Nathon, worrying about possible loss of trade.

[ClaudeFeller]

Where is the by pass runnung from to ?

Starting in the north of Ban Makham and joining the ring road at the road to the Waterfall - 4 km together.

I noticed they have already started to widen that road...........

I wonder if there will be complaints from shop owners in Nathon, worrying about possible loss of trade.

Widen road: I think it has nothing to do with the bypass - maybe just had some money left.

Yesterday I have asked many people living there:

"Why they make this road wider?"

99 from 100: "No idea" (Thats what I was supposing)

1 from 100: "Because have too much traffic" (There was never any traffic jam in this road!)

I am always surprised by the total lack of information, knowledge and interest on this island.

Shop-Owners:

Nobody is more annoyed of the actual traffic then the shop owners. If less traffic due to the bypass road (estimated 70 %) there will be opportunities to make Nathon look nicer and more attractive for customers - walking street, planting trees, concerts etc. The SAPA Group (the local group) had collected a petition from locals, including the shopowners. The three or four puyay-baans (local majors) had signed too.

[womble]

A couple of weeks back when I went to the water department and noticed the road widening I asked my mrs why she thought it was being widened when other main roads in urgent need of repair were being ignored.

She reckons maybe it's because lots of locals live on that road.............

Perhaps Samui express could do an article on this???

Why is a small road with next to no traffic being widened when main roads crumble and kill.

We are normally told roads are not being fixed as no money available from highways department, obviously the money has been now made available but is being used in the wrong place.

Edited June 19, 2007 by womble

[southbot]

>Don't wish to put a dampner on things, but did anyone see the original masterplan for chaweng lake?

The thing is that a lot of the work and money around Chaweng is controlled by people around Chaweng....

In Nathon the flow of stuff is very much controlled ( in as much as there is any control ) by Nathon people.

They have an entirely different mindset to Chaweng folks, having not been exposed to absurd amounts of touro-dollars.

The corruption levels amongst Nathon folk are most certainly a tad lower than areas like Lamai and Chaweng that have just so much money flowing through them.

To a degree this has been part of the problem, the money flows down the wrong channels all over Samui.

If Nathon had a quarter of the money that Chaweng has got the shoreline development would have been finished off years ago.

I give 'em my best wishes of good luck to try to get that all sorted, it would be of benefit to Samui to have a port of entry that was really something for the tourists to enjoy, rather than just a bus/taxi/songtaow pickup/dropoff place.

[ClaudeFeller]

Don't wish to put a dampner on things, but did anyone see the original masterplan for chaweng lake?

Now we can see what an embaressment that has become, so much money being taken in corruption the end result is after more than 3 years it is still unfinished and certainly nothing close to the plans originally drawn up.

The SAPA group is aware of this problem. Thats why we propose to hire external project leaders (Highway Department for the bypass, a consultancy company for the Seafront) when it comes to realize the actual planning.

By the way, did somebody join the SAPA sponsored concert with two artists from the Music School in the arrival of the new pier??

Here a pic of this amazing because cultural event: