Pattaya Residents Protest Against Construction of Median Strip on Thepprasit Road

[snoop1130]

 

Several Pattaya residents came out to protest against the building of a median strip on Thepprasit Road yesterday, June 25th, saying it would worsen congestion.

 

Thepprasit Road and its surrounding areas are currently undergoing four development projects which include:

 

1. The installation of drainage pipes: This aims to address the issue of flooding in Soi Kho Pai by directing the water towards Soi Thepprasit 7 and 9 to Jomtien Beach.

 

By Tanakorn Panyadee

 

Full Story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/06/26/pattaya-residents-protest-against-construction-of-median-strip-on-thepprasit-road/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-06-26

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

[Henryford]

That whole idea is crazy. It must be costing millions of baht. It is not only very dangerous but stops traffic using the road efficiently.  I bet loads of bikes are hitting it when they try to overtake at night. What on earth were they thinking? No other road in Pattaya has such nonsense.

Edited June 26, 2023 by Henryford

[scubascuba3]

I'm coming round to the idea that these islands make it safer, but specific businesses will be effected if they aren't near a turn

[wpcoe]

How wide were the sidewalks on Thepprasit?  To remove 50cm would be significant, no?

[jacko45k]

11 hours ago, Henryford said:

No other road in Pattaya has such nonsense.

Isn't there one on North Rd?

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, wpcoe said:

How wide were the sidewalks on Thepprasit?  To remove 50cm would be significant, no?

Sidewalks aren't being reduced but they are in a poor state of repair at the moment

[ezzra]

This median strip was erected in order to prevent U turns and bikes crossing traffic and to keep the traffic flowing, but Thai motorists, who are at best can be described as cowboy's style road users, are not used to such road's managements system and refuse to accept it.

[newnative]

13 hours ago, Henryford said:

That whole idea is crazy. It must be costing millions of baht. It is not only very dangerous but stops traffic using the road efficiently.  I bet loads of bikes are hitting it when they try to overtake at night. What on earth were they thinking? No other road in Pattaya has such nonsense.

    Nonsense.  Several Pattaya roads have median strips in the middle with designated turning areas.  I guess you have never been on Thappraya Road or North Pattaya Road or Jomtien Second Road or Sukhumvit Road or . . .

    I actually think the median on Thepprasit is a good idea but they should have planned designated turning and U-turn lanes and not have them in the thru traffic lanes.  This could have easily been done by eliminating parking in those areas and adding another thru lane to have 2 thru lanes and a designated turning lane.  But, I know, it is anathema to ever suggest eliminating a parking space, even though that is what needs to be done on heavily congested roads like North Pattaya Road.

[newnative]

2 hours ago, wpcoe said:

How wide were the sidewalks on Thepprasit?  To remove 50cm would be significant, no?

No.

[JimTripper]

How long has this construction been going on?

 

Complaints and they need to tear it down or keep modifying it. ????

[Dionigi]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Isn't there one on North Rd?

North pattaya road does not have the same problems, most of the side roads have thew ability to turn right into them and the centre barrier is wide enough for right turn lanes to be placed. Thepprasit is narrower, there are no slip roads for right turns, everyone is stopped in the overtaking/fast lane, and all the right turners now have to u-turn at a few places on the road that have been left available.  I tried for a bolt taxi, the other night, and watched them, on the app, trying to get to soi 8 from Thepprasit, they all gave up and I ended up on a motorcycle taxi heading down the wrong side of Thepprasit road with the driver trying to get across the centre.

[Dionigi]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

This median strip was erected in order to prevent U turns and bikes crossing traffic and to keep the traffic flowing, but Thai motorists, who are at best can be described as cowboy's style road users, are not used to such road's managements system and refuse to accept it.

Now everybody who wanted to turn right u-turns in less places causing more congestion. If you need to turn right then, if you are prevented, the only alternatives are u-turns or much longer journeys, especially if you are not used to Pattaya short cuts.

 

[mikebell]

Has anyone calculated how much fuel consumption these blockades cost?  The cost in lost business?  I no longer use a TV/Audio shop as the Great Wall of Thailand has added 10 kilometres to my journey.

This is the Thai answer to Global Warming.

Edited June 27, 2023 by mikebell
extra thoughts.

[jacko45k]

23 minutes ago, Dionigi said:

North pattaya road does not have the same problems, most of the side roads have thew ability to turn right into them and the centre barrier is wide enough for right turn lanes to be placed. Thepprasit is narrower, there are no slip roads for right turns, everyone is stopped in the overtaking/fast lane, and all the right turners now have to u-turn at a few places on the road that have been left available.  I tried for a bolt taxi, the other night, and watched them, on the app, trying to get to soi 8 from Thepprasit, they all gave up and I ended up on a motorcycle taxi heading down the wrong side of Thepprasit road with the driver trying to get across the centre.

The comment I replied to claimed 'No other road in Pattaya has such nonsense' which is not true....North  Rd has it's own problems, too many lights, too much traffic and parking blocking lanes. Threppasit is quite wide and could have some turn slip-roads if parking was restricted more. Trying to please everyone isn't going to happen. 

I have been avoiding Threppasit for near 2 years now, always got work going on there!

Edited June 27, 2023 by jacko45k

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Sidewalks aren't being reduced but they are in a poor state of repair at the moment

That can be said of Everywhere in Thailand.

[scubascuba3]

4 hours ago, Dionigi said:

North pattaya road does not have the same problems, most of the side roads have thew ability to turn right into them and the centre barrier is wide enough for right turn lanes to be placed. Thepprasit is narrower, there are no slip roads for right turns, everyone is stopped in the overtaking/fast lane, and all the right turners now have to u-turn at a few places on the road that have been left available.  I tried for a bolt taxi, the other night, and watched them, on the app, trying to get to soi 8 from Thepprasit, they all gave up and I ended up on a motorcycle taxi heading down the wrong side of Thepprasit road with the driver trying to get across the centre.

Problem with North Pattaya road is it's best avoided due to the limited turn opportunities, for example coming out of Lotus have to go to 3rd road to go back the other way

[LEXUS 400]

What about people wich are walking and shall cross the the road ????.

[chickenslegs]

10 minutes ago, LEXUS 400 said:

What about people wich are walking and shall cross the the road ????.

They need to say a short prayer and hold tight to their amulets. But that is the same when crossing the road anywhere in Pattaya - even at pedestrian crossings.

[wpcoe]

15 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Sidewalks aren't being reduced but they are in a poor state of repair at the moment

From the article linked in the OP:

1. Quote

   The construction of road islands: Road islands with a width of 90 cm are being constructed on Thepprasit Road. The pedestrian walkways on both sides have been reduced by 50 cm each to maintain the original size of the road.

    

[Furioso]

I've already dealt with these strips on Thepprasit..and, there are several other street constructions ongoing near my Condo. It's amazing/frustrating as every single of my once awesome shortcuts are now blocked, sometimes forcing me to take 5km detours. 

 

As of now there are little gaps in the Thepprasit medians, which I think makes it a lot more dangerous. 

[webfact]

UPDATE: Pattaya Mayor Addresses Concerns about Roadwork on Thepprasit Road
By Tanakorn Panyadee

 

 

Pattaya — Pattaya mayor Poramase Ngampiches addressed concerns about the construction of a median strip on Thepprasit Road, which the residents said would worsen traffic.

 

During a city council meeting on Monday, June 26th, Poramase mentioned a recent protest staged by people living near Thepprasit Road.

 

The people said they opposed the addition of a median strip on Thepprasit Road because it would reduce U-turns, narrow the road, and worsen congestion.

 

The building of a 90-cm-wide road island is one of the four ongoing roadworks on Thepprasit Road.

 

In response to the complaint, Poramase said the issue has been repeatedly raised by residents living in the area, and he has been looking for optimal solutions.

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/06/27/update-pattaya-mayor-addresses-concerns-about-roadwork-on-thepprasit-road/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-06-28

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

[scubascuba3]

6 hours ago, wpcoe said:

From the article linked in the OP:

1.  

Maybe already reduced then, not noticeable as they are mostly unfinished

Edited June 27, 2023 by scubascuba3

[scubascuba3]

7 hours ago, LEXUS 400 said:

What about people wich are walking and shall cross the the road ????.

Yesterday a taxi bike dropped someone off and she had to run the gauntlet crossing the road, probably the U-turn was too far away

[Geoffggi]

26 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Yesterday a taxi bike dropped someone off and she had to run the gauntlet crossing the road, probably the U-turn was too far away

Agreed, U-turns are the biggest cause of accidents, some people just want to drive how they want without any thought for others

[Victor Laszlo]

On 6/27/2023 at 5:47 AM, jacko45k said:

Isn't there one on North Rd?

Practically the full length, apart from a couple of intersections.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

In response to the complaint, Poramase said the issue has been repeatedly raised by residents living in the area, and he has been looking for optimal solutions.

Resignation?

[jcmj]

Just demolish them and get the other side paved. Should be easy enough to do at the same time. This has been going on way too long. Do they even try to use logic in anything that they are doing? Rhetorical question. We all know that answer. 

[Guderian]

It's actually getting worse. They'd left several open spots in the median where you could do a U-turn, but now they're filling them in or blocking them off. Last night I went for a few beers at the Rompho bars in Jomtien. To get back home I'd turn right onto Thepprasit from Soi 17, and they'd left a gap in the median to allow this. No more, though, they're busy filling it in permanently. The masterplan seems to be that you will only be able to do a U-turn at the new roundabout by the Kaan theatre, which more or less cuts off South Pattaya from Jomtien for the large number of people living in the various villages and developments in the streets along Thepprasit, unless you're willing to drive miles out of your way.

[PoorSucker]

On 6/27/2023 at 6:19 AM, scubascuba3 said:

Sidewalks aren't being reduced but they are in a poor state of repair at the moment

Yes, can not even park there. 

[newnative]

     Stay the course.  Medians are needed on some of the major roads as Pattaya continues to grow--along with the traffic.  Get the initial work done and then see what improvements can be made--which could mean adding a few more U-turns and upgrading the U-turn lanes with designated turning lanes separate from the traffic flow, to keep traffic moving.   And, it could mean moving some of the U-turn lanes that might have been poorly placed.