Traffic jams hit southern resort island

PHUKET: -– Traffic congestion is a problem normally associated with Bangkok, but according to police in Phuket, traffic jams are becoming increasingly common on the southern resort island.

Pol. Maj. Theerapol Thipcharoen, deputy superintendent of Phuket district police station, said that over the past 10 years the island had seen traffic problems grow from bad to worse, with congestion particularly bad around schools and suburban shopping malls.

Speaking of a traffic ‘crisis’ in Phuket town if the problems were not addressed immediately, he called for volunteer traffic control officers to help the work of regular traffic police officers, whose current numbers were insufficient.

He also noted that the town’s authorities were currently studying the feasibility of widening roads in the town centre.

At the same time, he called for better public transport on the island, noting that most of the island’s residents currently used private vehicles as a result of poor public transport services.

-- TNA 2004-09-17

6 years ago, you could actually stand on the side of the road and see 1 car every couple of minutes, now it has gotten ridiculous. They built 4 major shopping centres within a 1 km radius and forgot to widen the roads - it is one lane each way!

They new these places were being built, but as usual they waited until the shopping centres were built and now they are widening roads around the traffic jams, which increases the traffic jams. a 10 minute trip has now turned into a 1 hour vacation.

The Tuks are no competing with the motor bikes for road should space!