Another Big Bridge

[DonaldBattles]

Saw the big new island bridge under construction. Big money. There is not one 4 lane road through the island and the new bridge compliments the most elaborate check point building when you come on the island. Ever ask why they can't build a 4 lane road and an over pass at Central and Chalong Circle?

[grumpyoldman]

Also wonder why Don's mall is now a Burmese shanty village..........................

[ScubaBuddha]

Welcome back Don. Or should I say, "欢迎回来，唐。"

Saw the big new island bridge under construction. Big money. There is not one 4 lane road through the island and the new bridge compliments the most elaborate check point building when you come on the island. Ever ask why they can't build a 4 lane road and an over pass at Central and Chalong Circle?

And for those that are counting, that is actually bridge number 3.

Also wonder why Don's mall is now a Burmese shanty village..........................

Look again...it's shophouses now. (Burmese workers camp is in the back.)

.

Edited May 29, 2011 by ScubaBuddha

[katasyd]

Welcome back Don. Or should I say, "欢迎回来，唐。"

Saw the big new island bridge under construction. Big money. There is not one 4 lane road through the island and the new bridge compliments the most elaborate check point building when you come on the island. Ever ask why they can't build a 4 lane road and an over pass at Central and Chalong Circle?

And for those that are counting, that is actually bridge number 3.

Also wonder why Don's mall is now a Burmese shanty village..........................

Look again...it's shophouses now. (Burmese workers camp is in the back.)

I was quite surprised to see they have named the development 'Baan Don'

[MissChris]

Ever ask why they can't build a 4 lane road and an over pass at Central and Chalong Circle?

Dunno about Central, but if they put a 4 lane overpass over Chalong Circle, what on earth would The Grinch and Lt [Word Polite Sons Shouldn't Use in Front of Their Mothers] do? They've spent decades practising their arm movements & whistles, let alone those skintight pants &

shiny helmets. Then there's the fun watching harassed motorists negotiate 'Cone Hour'. LOL

[falkan]

I feel like they have building that bridge for 2-3years now, was the first time you left Phuket by road

[stevehaigh]

I feel like they have building that bridge for 2-3years now, was the first time you left Phuket by road

i never had a problem with the old (current) bridge, seems to work just fine, nice views too

[KarenBravo]

There's a bridge to the mainland??

[stevenl]

I feel like they have building that bridge for 2-3years now, was the first time you left Phuket by road

i never had a problem with the old (current) bridge, seems to work just fine, nice views too

That one is still there and will keep being used. The other one, the lower one, will stop being used.

[brieno1955]

I feel like they have building that bridge for 2-3years now, was the first time you left Phuket by road

i never had a problem with the old (current) bridge, seems to work just fine, nice views too

That one is still there and will keep being used. The other one, the lower one, will stop being used.

Mr.Aroon Saneh, Director of a Department of Highways Phuket, pronounced a building a whole of Sarasin 2 Bridge, which will be used instead of Sarasin 1 Bridge, was 93% complete. The brand brand new overpass will be open upon Jul 20th 2011. In addition, an aged overpass will be renovated to be used as a perspective point.

Phuket yachties will be pleased to know that a 300-million baht deal to build a new Sarasin Bridge includes raising the old bridge to give up to 10-meters' clearance beneath all three bridges.

The old Sarasin Bridge will become a car-free tourist attraction once construction of the third bridge is complete.

PS to OLD CROCK........[1]This is not my reporting, [2] this is not me trying to pull the wool over your eyes,[3] this is not from "the site that doesn't want to appear on TV' :jap:

Just some info on whats going on with the bridges...

PPS...bet you all the money you like that within a very short time that the "car free tourist attraction''and "perspective point"' will be full of food stalls etc, etc to the point you wont be able to access the view...

Edited May 30, 2011 by LivinginKata
quote error corrected

[petercallen]

Ever ask why they can't build a 4 lane road and an over pass at Central and Chalong Circle?

Dunno about Central, but if they put a 4 lane overpass over Chalong Circle, what on earth would The Grinch and Lt [Word Polite Sons Shouldn't Use in Front of Their Mothers] do? They've spent decades practising their arm movements & whistles, let alone those skintight pants &

shiny helmets. Then there's the fun watching harassed motorists negotiate 'Cone Hour'. LOL

How could they build a four lane overpass at Chalong Circle, Where would the land required for

a overpass and side roads come from

Chalong circle has 5 roads coming into it, 4 busy most of the time and the pier road busy in peak periods.

A bigger roundabout would improve traffic flow but they cannot do that without extra land

A roundabout is the only thing that can work there, they tried traffic lights and they were a disaster

[grumpyoldman]

Welcome back Don. Or should I say, "欢迎回来，唐。"

Saw the big new island bridge under construction. Big money. There is not one 4 lane road through the island and the new bridge compliments the most elaborate check point building when you come on the island. Ever ask why they can't build a 4 lane road and an over pass at Central and Chalong Circle?

And for those that are counting, that is actually bridge number 3.

Also wonder why Don's mall is now a Burmese shanty village..........................

Look again...it's shophouses now. (Burmese workers camp is in the back.)

.

Hmmmm.....SB you call that current state of that building shophouses? I can see that's what they are aiming at, but that's not what it is now.

They haven't worked on those shophouses hiding the encampment for about two months (or more). I think the owners run a construction company and are housing their crew there.

[brieno1955]

I feel like they have building that bridge for 2-3years now, was the first time you left Phuket by road

Twice i have posted a reply and twice has dissapeared into the stratosphere!!!! Why?

Anyone else have problems on here?

Edited May 30, 2011 by LivinginKata
quote format corrected

[stevenl]

Twice i have posted a reply and twice has dissapeared into the stratosphere!!!! Why?

Anyone else have problems on here?

No problems.

You seem to be posting with your mobile (judging from the quality of the links etc.), so maybe that has something to do with it. From my mobile I sometimes also experience problems.

[brieno1955]

Twice i have posted a reply and twice has dissapeared into the stratosphere!!!! Why?

Anyone else have problems on here?

No problems.

You seem to be posting with your mobile (judging from the quality of the links etc.), so maybe that has something to do with it. From my mobile I sometimes also experience problems.

No, not from mobile...from desktop computer in my condo...maybe a problem with server...beyond my capabilities i think...Thanks for reply anyway.

[stevenl]

No, not from mobile...from desktop computer in my condo...maybe a problem with server...beyond my capabilities i think...Thanks for reply anyway.

In that case, may I suggest your quotes before you post them? With incomplete quotes and lots of '</DIV>' your posts are not the best legible ones.

[thedivezone]

I feel like they have building that bridge for 2-3years now, was the first time you left Phuket by road

Probaby a day-rate job !

[grumpyoldman]

Welcome back Don. Or should I say, "欢迎回来，唐。"

Saw the big new island bridge under construction. Big money. There is not one 4 lane road through the island and the new bridge compliments the most elaborate check point building when you come on the island. Ever ask why they can't build a 4 lane road and an over pass at Central and Chalong Circle?

And for those that are counting, that is actually bridge number 3.

Also wonder why Don's mall is now a Burmese shanty village..........................

Look again...it's shophouses now. (Burmese workers camp is in the back.)

.

Hmmmm.....SB you call that current state of that building shophouses? I can see that's what they are aiming at, but that's not what it is now.

They haven't worked on those shophouses hiding the encampment for about two months (or more). I think the owners run a construction company and are housing their crew there.

I politely retract this post, actually did see some new building on the top today.

Hi Don ! Hope you are doing well.

[brieno1955]

TV says it will open next week but AFAIK the opening is slated for late July...what ever......

Yes , you are right..the bridge has been under constuction for near two years.The originall story about it said it would take 720 days and open in August,so ,for a change a major project is completed on time and on budget.[Probably due in no small part to the fact that it was a Italo-thai construction job, and skimming was minimised]

The powers that be decided that this bridge along with the other white elephant project[ forget what its called] where the traveller is welcomed to Phuket in a big building of nothingness?? that no one stops at anyway, are very important as a welcoming "gateway" to the island...great, if only when you got into the place the reality is that the infrastructure is mainly lacking!!

I have the feeling that these 'welcoming' projects are someone who is infuential [Maybe a big boat mariner owner..] personal projects.[maybe their name is on a plaque somewhere..look at me, look at what i did, thing]

But to spend 280-300 million baht on a bridge is another case of wrong priorities IMO, there are many, many more important infrastructure projects of greater importance and neccessity than this bridge.

The local news is full of stories of needed projects stalled, cancelled,or just completed to a low standard simply because the funding is not available. 300 mill would go a long way towards these jobs.

I realise that funding comes in many guises and from many scources for various projects, but surely someone somewhere on Phuket could co-ordinate priorities,and ensure that more urgent and benificial jobs get the funds first.

[katabeachbum]

TV says it will open next week but AFAIK the opening is slated for late July...what ever......

Yes , you are right..the bridge has been under constuction for near two years.The originall story about it said it would take 720 days and open in August,so ,for a change a major project is completed on time and on budget.[Probably due in no small part to the fact that it was a Italo-thai construction job, and skimming was minimised]

The powers that be decided that this bridge along with the other white elephant project[ forget what its called] where the traveller is welcomed to Phuket in a big building of nothingness?? that no one stops at anyway, are very important as a welcoming "gateway" to the island...great, if only when you got into the place the reality is that the infrastructure is mainly lacking!!

I have the feeling that these 'welcoming' projects are someone who is infuential [Maybe a big boat mariner owner..] personal projects.[maybe their name is on a plaque somewhere..look at me, look at what i did, thing]

But to spend 280-300 million baht on a bridge is another case of wrong priorities IMO, there are many, many more important infrastructure projects of greater importance and neccessity than this bridge.

The local news is full of stories of needed projects stalled, cancelled,or just completed to a low standard simply because the funding is not available. 300 mill would go a long way towards these jobs.

I realise that funding comes in many guises and from many scources for various projects, but surely someone somewhere on Phuket could co-ordinate priorities,and ensure that more urgent and benificial jobs get the funds first.

Funding comes from bangkok, just like most revenue from Phuket ends in bkk. Every Province above a certain number of residents are to have dual lane Highway access, both from a traffic point of view and a defence point of view. The old bridge was not capable of todays traffic and loads.

Phuket has little to say how to use central funds, Central junction flyover has been applied for twice (one as a long lasting concrete, one as inexpensive steel), but not accepted by bkk

but in Chumporn they are presently building a concrete flyover in a junction (surat,bkk, ranong) I have never waited more than 90 seconds to cross

not to mention the roads in Taksins beloved Chiang Mai

[stevenl]

The old bridge was not capable of todays traffic and loads.

Disagree with you there. The old bridge was fine, but the yachties lobbied well and got there new, higher bridge.

[katabeachbum]

The old bridge was not capable of todays traffic and loads.

Disagree with you there. The old bridge was fine, but the yachties lobbied well and got there new, higher bridge.

so we disagree

I have been on it twice a week for a year and it was a vibrating experience overtaking convoys of 18 wheelers

as they will raise it 10 meters and keep it, yachties would have been happy with this solution

but of coures the official story may appear as a no loose face story

[cloudhopper]

Hi Don heard you're living in China. Phuket is a crime-ridden concrete-lined shit hole now, nothing like when you had your place. And I mean the original Dons. So don't miss it and enjoy whatever you're doing now...

[brieno1955]

The old bridge was not capable of todays traffic and loads.

Disagree with you there. The old bridge was fine, but the yachties lobbied well and got there new, higher bridge.

Exactly...but apparently the biggest joke of all is that even though the yachties get their overhead clearance the channels are so silted up that they still cannot come and go

They could easily have made the Thepkasattri Bridge two lanes to come and go on and off Phuket..it really is only an access road for service providers [mainly buses, trucks and vans on tour ]and is never ever a bottleneck so when you get down to it and a waste of money if it really is just for the yachties...

Edited May 31, 2011 by brieno1955

[brieno1955]

The old bridge was not capable of todays traffic and loads.

Disagree with you there. The old bridge was fine, but the yachties lobbied well and got there new, higher bridge.

so we disagree

I have been on it twice a week for a year and it was a vibrating experience overtaking convoys of 18 wheelers

as they will raise it 10 meters and keep it, yachties would have been happy with this solution

but of coures the official story may appear as a no loose face story

Wrong..look at the artists portrayal and read the info...they are only raising the centre section and from 5 metres to 10...not the whole bridge.:jap:

[katabeachbum]

Wrong..look at the artists portrayal and read the info...they are only raising the centre section and from 5 metres to 10...not the whole bridge.:jap:

and raising the centersection 10 meters makes the yachties happy, right?

sufficient for an ordinary flybridge cruiser, most sailboats cant pass the north of Phuket this way anyway due to shallow waters

[LivinginKata]

sufficient for an ordinary flybridge cruiser, most sailboats cant pass the north of Phuket this way anyway due to shallow waters

Most times I look out to the west from the bridge I just see white surf breakers. Is there really a channel for boats to navigate out. Seems unlikely to me, maybe at the very highest point of the tide.

[katabeachbum]

sufficient for an ordinary flybridge cruiser, most sailboats cant pass the north of Phuket this way anyway due to shallow waters

Most times I look out to the west from the bridge I just see white surf breakers. Is there really a channel for boats to navigate out. Seems unlikely to me, maybe at the very highest point of the tide.

indeed looks shallow, but my Azimut 42 only needed 1,10 meters/3 feet 6 inches of water

[KarenBravo]

indeed looks shallow, but my Azimut 42 only needed 1,10 meters/3 feet 6 inches of water

What it needs and what is safe are two different things.

[katabeachbum]

indeed looks shallow, but my Azimut 42 only needed 1,10 meters/3 feet 6 inches of water

What it needs and what is safe are two different things.

of course, and less than 1,5 meters of water easily costs a million baht in repairs