Phuket's 'Road To Rawai' To Be Divided

[Lite Beer]

Phuket's 'Road to Rawai' to be divided

Traffic trundles along Wiset Road, which is to have a median strip from Chalong Circle to Rawai Beach.

PHUKET: The Land Transport Office has announced that placement of a median strip through the full length of Wiset Road, from Chalong Circle to Rawai Beach, will begin this month.

The road will have at least five U-turn breaks.

The project is part of a government strategy to decrease fatal accidents. The plan was announced by the Phuket Provincial Land Transport Office Chief, Teerayut Prasertpol, on Monday.

“Our target is to reduce traffic fatalities [on this road] to zero,” Teerayut Prasertpol said.

“When the project is finished, there might [still] be some accidents but they won’t be fatal,” he added.

Mr Teerayut went on to explain that the initial plan – designed by the Highways Department regional office in Surat Thani – incorporated four U-turns.

“However, locals were not comfortable with that plan, and after consideration we added an extra U-turn,” he said.

“In addition to the median and U-turns, local police will create special zones alongside the road for hawkers to sell their products to motorists,” he said.

Mr Teerayut explained that by doing so, the police hope to make the road more orderly.

The news follows an announcement in May that Wiset Rd was Phuket’s choice for the nationwide White Road Project, an initiative in which every province chose one road on which to increase safety awareness with active participation from local residents.

“We chose Wiset Rd because it is a straight-yet-sloped road where a lot of serious accidents occur due to fast driving,” he explained

The road will have at least five U-turn breaks.

The project is part of a government strategy to decrease fatal accidents. The plan was announced by the Phuket Provincial Land Transport Office Chief, Teerayut Prasertpol, on Monday.

“Our target is to reduce traffic fatalities [on this road] to zero,” Teerayut Prasertpol said.

“When the project is finished, there might [still] be some accidents but they won’t be fatal,” he added.

Mr Teerayut went on to explain that the initial plan – designed by the Highways Department regional office in Surat Thani – incorporated four U-turns.

“However, locals were not comfortable with that plan, and after consideration we added an extra U-turn,” he said.

“In addition to the median and U-turns, local police will create special zones alongside the road for hawkers to sell their products to motorists,” he said.

Mr Teerayut explained that by doing so, the police hope to make the road more orderly.

The news follows an announcement in May that Wiset Rd was Phuket’s choice for the nationwide White Road Project, an initiative in which every province chose one road on which to increase safety awareness with active participation from local residents.

“We chose Wiset Rd because it is a straight-yet-sloped road where a lot of serious accidents occur due to fast driving,” he explained.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-08-07

[stevenl]

Easiest way to make the road safer would be to reduce it again to 2 lanes, as about 4 years ago. It will handle the same amount of traffic, but the speeds will be greatly reduced.

[grumpyoldman]

Easiest way to make the road safer would be to reduce it again to 2 lanes, as about 4 years ago. It will handle the same amount of traffic, but the speeds will be greatly reduced.

I'm uncertain why they think a median will keep people from speeding here?

Better would be some flashing caution lights with a speed limit and some BIBs collecting 300thb occasionally at a surprise road block that people don't see as they come down the hill at Vijitt resort.

People drive way too fast coming down that hill toward Rawai Beach.

[LivinginKata]

I've recently noticed on Chofa West that tyres (4 high) have been placed along the yellow median strip in strategic places. Great idea, stops the lunatics overtaking at high speed in dangerous areas, plus it's not a fixed obstacle and will hopefully not cause a fatal accident.

[Jimi007]

Oh boy! This will really reduce the traffic flow as the right lane where the five breaks in the medium are will be all backed up with people trying to make a U turn!

[steelepulse]

Does more people riding the wrong way increase road safety and cut down on fatalities?

[Jimi007]

Does more people riding the wrong way increase road safety and cut down on fatalities?

Very good point!

[Shot]

Does more people riding the wrong way increase road safety and cut down on fatalities?

Very good point!

That was my first thought.

[Valentine]

Oh boy! This will really reduce the traffic flow as the right lane where the five breaks in the medium are will be all backed up with people trying to make a U turn!

Being part of such a grand project they might actually have 3 lanes where the U turns are. A big problem I see with some of the 4 lane roads is that in many places people park on the inside lane as there is no shoulder. This is particularly evident outside Supercheap mini mart on Chao Fa West (which should also have a median strip) where sometimes you have to snake your way past especially when vehicles are waiting to turn right into PTT. BTW more traffic lights are being installed on the Chao Fa roads.

[starkey_rich]

I live by the Vijitt Resort right on the brow of the hill and it really needs something doing there to slow the traffic as there have been about six accidents in the last few months all in the same spot.

Inexperienced, useless drivers coming up the hill too fast then they hit the bend,brake hard,skid, hit the barrier and flip over.

Only one killed so far.

I am sorry to say I don't even go out anymore as the security guy next door is always there first and calls the ambulance.

This was bad one a few weeks ago just down the hill.He was doing at least 120 k

Edited August 8, 2011 by starkey_rich

[Valentine]

Recently I was coming from Rawai & just near the top of the hill & the bend I was overtaken by a pickup like I was standing still but actually doing about 75kph so the pick up must have been doing at least 120 passing on the outside of the dividing line forcing a car coming the other way to take quick evasive action. As he disappeared in the distance I could see him swerving inside & outside while he continued to overtake all & sundry. A median strip would have at least prevented some of this madness.

[starkey_rich]

Recently I was coming from Rawai & just near the top of the hill & the bend I was overtaken by a pickup like I was standing still but actually doing about 75kph so the pick up must have been doing at least 120 passing on the outside of the dividing line forcing a car coming the other way to take quick evasive action. As he disappeared in the distance I could see him swerving inside & outside while he continued to overtake all & sundry. A median strip would have at least prevented some of this madness.

I have to turn right into my Soi just over the brow of the hill.Nearly been shunted many times as a lot of drivers pull into the yellow.I now sit farther back so drivers coming up the hill can see me.Still trying to instill into GF to do the same on her bike.But it's like talking to a brick wall

[seriouseats]

hope they put walls and not those orange poles.. those get destroyed after a few weeks by drunk drivers and then people can just not follow the walls again

[Old Croc]

Easiest way to make the road safer would be to reduce it again to 2 lanes, as about 4 years ago. It will handle the same amount of traffic, but the speeds will be greatly reduced.

They could always rip up the bitumen to make it into a gravel, potholed road. That would really slow down the traffic.

[lufc74]

How about educating people about general road safety, both Thai and westerners. I see so many people just aiming their car, with no road knowledge what's so ever.

A proper road test and general road etiquette would be a start.

Edited August 9, 2011 by lufc74

[ScubaBuddha]

Does more people riding the wrong way increase road safety and cut down on fatalities?

Very good point!

That was my first thought.

Mine too. Thai's are too lazy to go up and U-turn. Riding counter-flow is so much quicker! Now if they put an actual counter-flow lane on the shoulder like you see in other parts of Thailand, then maybe.

[ScubaBuddha]

Recently I was coming from Rawai & just near the top of the hill & the bend I was overtaken by a pickup like I was standing still but actually doing about 75kph so the pick up must have been doing at least 120 passing on the outside of the dividing line forcing a car coming the other way to take quick evasive action. As he disappeared in the distance I could see him swerving inside & outside while he continued to overtake all & sundry. A median strip would have at least prevented some of this madness.

Yeah I have to agree that some of the worst and most dangerous driving I have ever seen has been along Vichit road. Pretty much any Thai that drives for a living drives aggressively and dangerously in Thailand. Taxi's, delivery trucks, minibuses, 3BB trucks, then there is the farangs in their Fortuners and Hilux's, but that road frequently has standouts.

A few weeks ago a farang on a Honda Wave had it full out from Hayeak Chalong to Sai Yuan Rd in dense traffic swerving all over the place like an absolute madman to get ahead then blew the red arrow just narrowly getting between oncoming vehicles. It was as if his life depended on it. I couldn't keep up with him on my 650cc Ninja if I tried.

Then every evening the boys come out and race their Sonics and souped up Finos up and down Vichit with the requisite red light in front and white light in the rear, which actually makes sense considering how often they drive couter-flow. One time I got overtaken while overtaking there. Crazy. A median will probably help as long as they have a cut out and deceleration lane for the U-turners, not like the disaster that is the Airport road. Yeah, lets have traffic come to a complete stop in the fast lane. It's like road planners are playing a cruel joke on the Thai people. I'm convinced Thai civil engineers are part of a clandestine population control program.

[starkey_rich]

Wonder what happened to this bright idea then?

Edited November 2, 2011 by starkey_rich

[snamos]

I've recently noticed on Chofa West that tyres (4 high) have been placed along the yellow median strip in strategic places. Great idea, stops the lunatics overtaking at high speed in dangerous areas, plus it's not a fixed obstacle and will hopefully not cause a fatal accident.

Yeah it would be nice if they illuminated them though...there is a new bit of concrete near the TOT which I forgot was there on a dark night.

[snamos]

I used to Live up one of the Soi's near the Lemon Green Petrol station, Every time i entered or exited the Soi there were people traveling on the wrong side of the road to go from the Mosque to the Halal food stores to the Petrol Station, All this divided road is going to do is encourage more people to drive on the wrong side of the road for longer stretches!

[NomadJoe]

Wonder what happened to this bright idea then?

Now a year on and still nothing. They must have read all the thoughts and suggestions above. lol

[Jimi007]

Wonder what happened to this bright idea then?

Now a year on and still nothing. They must have read all the thoughts and suggestions above. lol

LOL! True! But, I usually go pretty fast on that little stretch of road as well. Otherwise I'd get run over...