Rain Causes Patong Hill Road Landslide – Again

[webfact]

Rain causes Patong Hill road landslide – again

Phuket Gazette

Traffic heading from Patong to Phuket Town can still pass, but the road has been closed to one lane and the danger area has been marked with warning signs. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

No injuries were reported as the dislodged earth tumbled into a rubber plantation below. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- The section of road on Patong Hill that was washed away by heavy rain last year has suffered another landslide, in the same place, after days of heavy rain soaking Phuket this week.

The section of road, just west of the Chinese shrine at the top of the hill, first collapsed during heavy rains last October, then again in early May with the advent of this year’s monsoon season.

Last night, the same site suffered another landslide, with the dislodged earth tumbling into a rubber plantation below.

No injuries were reported.

Phuket Highways Department workers have marked the danger area with warning signs for motorists. Vehicles heading from Patong to Phuket Town can still pass, but the road at that location is yet again closed down to just one lane.

“We have to wait for the rain to stop before we can make temporary repairs. We will make permanent repairs later,” said Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luadwonghat.

The news of last night’s slide follows Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha in June requesting an emergency budget of 80 million baht to repair the road.

Governor Tri moved for the emergency budget as the road was deemed at high risk of collapsing due to the heavy annual monsoon-season rains.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...gain-18024.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-09-28

[Shot]

"Phuket Highways Department workers have marked the danger area with warning signs for motorists."

So the entire road has been marked?

[alstaxi]

Landslide......again?????

Fixing the problem involves more than waiting for the rain to stop, highways department will never figure this out until they get their heads out of the dark places they are in.

[Lannatyne]

"We will make permanent repairs later"

Does Thai language have a direct translation for the word 'permanent' in this context?

[Pomthai]

"The road was built from a foundation of mud and sand which was never properly reinforced. When it first failed we fixed it with a mix of mud and sand and tarmacked over it. When it failed again we fixed it temporarily with a mix of mud and sand and tarred over it again. When it failed yet again we still decided to fix it with a mix of mud and sand I think we might have thrown is some concrete blocks as well this time to be sure then we tarmacked over it. When it failed again we were all taken aback and in shock, this came as such a surprise and obviously is the fault of too many farang driving on it and the rain. This time we are going to fix it with a mix of mud and sand, but permanently." In-spite of the repeated and "unavoidable" road failures, we decided to spend the budget on a horrific sign and some giant concrete balls. This is why we are waiting for more money.

Need I say more.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Pomthai

[asiawatcher]

Interesting - I got a quote to do a 1km two lane with kerbing, channeling and drainage at 10M Baht in concrete, in asphalt was 3M Baht. 80M Baht and substandard work yet again?

[jocko]

"The road was built from a foundation of mud and sand which was never properly reinforced. When it first failed we fixed it with a mix of mud and sand and tarmacked over it. When it failed again we fixed it temporarily with a mix of mud and sand and tarred over it again. When it failed yet again we still decided to fix it with a mix of mud and sand I think we might have thrown is some concrete blocks as well this time to be sure then we tarmacked over it. When it failed again we were all taken aback and in shock, this came as such a surprise and obviously is the fault of too many farang driving on it and the rain. This time we are going to fix it with a mix of mud and sand, but permanently." In-spite of the repeated and "unavoidable" road failures, we decided to spend the budget on a horrific sign and some giant concrete balls. This is why we are waiting for more money.

Need I say more.

Sign of the times As i drive by it i have no time to look at it due to the white knuckle drive i am trying to make safely still i am am sure people love it

[NomadJoe]

Interesting - I got a quote to do a 1km two lane with kerbing, channeling and drainage at 10M Baht in concrete, in asphalt was 3M Baht. 80M Baht and substandard work yet again?

This is at the top of a steep hill. You can't really compare the two.

[steelepulse]

Interesting - I got a quote to do a 1km two lane with kerbing, channeling and drainage at 10M Baht in concrete, in asphalt was 3M Baht. 80M Baht and substandard work yet again?

This is at the top of a steep hill. You can't really compare the two.

True,one of the jobs doesn't involve siphoning off a huge portion of the budget.