Project to reverse Patong traffic flow hits a speed bump

Phuket Gazette

Patong's busy Soi Ruamjai will be turned into a two-way road as part of the reversal of the traffic flow. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

The Laem Petch Circle, a cornerstone in the traffic-reversal plan, is taking longer than expected to complete. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- A long-awaited plan to reverse the direction of one-way traffic flow in Patong was expected to take effect in June, but has been delayed as work to complete a new roundabout at the north end of the beach road has fallen behind schedule.

The 4.2-million-baht Laem Petch Circle project was delayed due to the need to remove utility poles in the area and is now expected to be finished by August 12, said Phunsak Naksena, Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) at Patong Municipality.

However, it will still be several months after the circle has been completed before the flow of traffic will be reversed.

Under the current regimen that went into effect in mid-January 2007, southbound traffic is routed along Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road, while northbound traffic travels along the Thaweewong Road, better known to many as “the beach road”.

Completing the loop, Prachanukhro Road at the south end of the beach was made one-way toward the beach, while Phra Barami Road remained two-way.

“After Laem Petch Circle is finished, we will put up traffic signs and have arrows painted on the road, which will take an additional two or three months. Once that is finished, we will do a test run of reversing the traffic flow for about a month, probably in November,” explained Maj Saravut Chuprasit, chief of Kathu Police’s Traffic Division.

As part of the plan, Ruamjai Road, which connects Thaweewong Road and Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road near the southern part of the town, will become a two-way road on August 10, explained Maj Saravut.

Palad Phunsak expressed some worries about this aspect of reversing the traffic flow in Patong after talks with the Kathu Police, especially considering how narrow Ruamjai Road is.

“The road is quite small and some cars are always parked along the road. Cars will probably need to be parked on only one side of the road on days with even-numbered dates, and on the other side on odd-numbered dates,” said Palad Phunsak.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle16502.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-07-25

This just keeps on getting better and better..what a joke..

A blind man and his donkey could have completed the northern roundabout in a couple of months...

Then takes 2 to 3 months to paint arrows and erect signage?????? bizarre...

Better still...lets trial opening at the start of high season......brilliant!!!

And already, before opening he says''Palad Phunsak expressed some worries about this aspect of reversing the traffic flow in Patong after talks with the Kathu Police, especially considering how narrow Ruamjai Road is."

A comedy script writer would be hard pressed to beat this stuff...

"piss up in a brewery" springs to my mind. hopeless.

>>The 4.2-million-baht Laem Petch Circle project

Seems to be a bit on the high side considering low cost Burmese workers and below standard materials being used. Actual cost 1 million baht, tea money cost, 3.2 million would be my guess, unless this project is made out of imported granite and workers from unions in OZ and the US.

Hmmm 38Baht to US$1'ish So, 4.2Mn Baht... A US$1.1 million traffic circle, is this really what I'm reading? There has to be more to the costing. PLEASE tell me there's more.

Hmmm 38Baht to US$1'ish So, 4.2Mn Baht... A US$1.1 million traffic circle, is this really what I'm reading? There has to be more to the costing. PLEASE tell me there's more.

You are reading it right but your math skills are still those of a 1st grader

-narratio-

First about 30-33 Baht for a Dollar since long!

Is than, <140.000 Dollar approximately.

Reading the discription, I do not understand, how the new plan is working.

A drawn map would help.

Hmmm 38Baht to US$1'ish So, 4.2Mn Baht... A US$1.1 million traffic circle, is this really what I'm reading? There has to be more to the costing. PLEASE tell me there's more.

You have the decimal point in the wrong place it is 110.526.32

"piss up in a brewery" springs to my mind. hopeless.

They're 'bout as useful as a keg of Beer at an AA Mtg !!....

Hmmm 38Baht to US$1'ish So, 4.2Mn Baht... A US$1.1 million traffic circle, is this really what I'm reading? There has to be more to the costing. PLEASE tell me there's more.

You are reading it right but your math skills are still those of a 1st grader

Yes indeed...more like $110,000 approx

And what are they going to do at the south end of Rat-U-Thit? That works fine with the current traffic flow but they will surely need traffic lights as all northbound traffic will be turning right and all traffic from the beach going straight. It won't work without some sort of traffic control.

And what are they going to do at the south end of Rat-U-Thit? That works fine with the current traffic flow but they will surely need traffic lights as all northbound traffic will be turning right and all traffic from the beach going straight. It won't work without some sort of traffic control.

That's what has puzzled me. At present traffic into Patong flows left into Rat-u-Tit and exiting Patong flows out without any crossover. With the new system traffic exiting Patong will crossover traffic entering Patong. Just crazy.

And what are they going to do at the south end of Rat-U-Thit? That works fine with the current traffic flow but they will surely need traffic lights as all northbound traffic will be turning right and all traffic from the beach going straight. It won't work without some sort of traffic control.

That's what has puzzled me. At present traffic into Patong flows left into Rat-u-Tit and exiting Patong flows out without any crossover. With the new system traffic exiting Patong will crossover traffic entering Patong. Just crazy.

Well, that is the same problem they're having at the moment at the Northern end at the beach road/direction Kamala intersection. I do expect though the problems in the new setup to be bigger.

This would be a good stimulus to avoid both these roads and take the new road behind Jungceylon when possible.

And what are they going to do at the south end of Rat-U-Thit? That works fine with the current traffic flow but they will surely need traffic lights as all northbound traffic will be turning right and all traffic from the beach going straight. It won't work without some sort of traffic control.

That's what has puzzled me. At present traffic into Patong flows left into Rat-u-Tit and exiting Patong flows out without any crossover. With the new system traffic exiting Patong will crossover traffic entering Patong. Just crazy.

Well, that is the same problem they're having at the moment at the Northern end at the beach road/direction Kamala intersection. I do expect though the problems in the new setup to be bigger.

This would be a good stimulus to avoid both these roads and take the new road behind Jungceylon when possible.

The road running behind Jungceylon will be OK once they actually make it a proper road & configure the traffic lights properly (you can experience long waits with nothing going through the green). I assume the beginning of this road at the northern end is where the planned tunnel will come out.