Phuket 'bypass-bypass' construction stalled

Construction on the 'bypass-bypass' road in Phuket has stalled with 70 meters left to go.

PHUKET: -- Budget problems are holding up work to complete a road linking the bypass road to a section of Ekwahnit Road near the back entrance to Surakul Stadium.

Work on the project, known jokingly as the bypass-bypass road, was stalled for months because the road was blocked by a home belonging to a family of squatters who settled the area some 20 years ago and had no place else to go.

Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop took up the matter himself, asking Wichit Municipality to build new accommodation for the family in the nearby low-income community behind the stadium.

When completed, the new road will run through the center of the community, over the same terrain as a dirt road already there.

Like a scene from circa-1989 Berlin, Gov Wichai in March took the first sledgehammer swing in the offensive to bring down the wall and finally open the route to traffic, but work to pave the final 70 meter stretch has still not begun.

Although construction of the road was started by Wichit Municipality, Gov Wichai transferred responsibility to the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) on March 24.

The project was not in the PPAO’s budget for this year, causing delays while the money was found.

The PPAO has finished the design of the last stretch of the road and the drainage alongside it.

On June 24, a budget of 1,072,000 was finally approved. The money will go to the Department of Supplies and Property, which will purchase construction equipment and open a bidding process for the contract.

Deputy director of the PPAO’s Public Works Division, Wassana Sriwilai, says he expects this to take around one month.

Whichever company wins the bid will then have 90 days to complete the project, he says.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-07-03

At 3 million Baht per kilometre for bitumen, its only 210,000 to complete this stretch - would love to see the breakdown on the 1Bn plus cost ! Ask any construction company here for the costs - and now ... we're on the road to nowhere... good line for a song!

At 3 million Baht per kilometre for bitumen, its only 210,000 to complete this stretch - would love to see the breakdown on the 1Bn plus cost ! Ask any construction company here for the costs - and now ... we're on the road to nowhere... good line for a song!

From the article "On June 24, a budget of 1,072,000 was finally approved. The money will go to the Department of Supplies and Property, which will purchase construction equipment and open a bidding process for the contract." However, I do not understand why they are buying construction equipment & then getting others to bid who should have their own equipment for the job. Seems like this could well be another inside job.