Street work irks Chiang Mai locals

CHIANG MAI: -- A scheme to move all elevated electricity lines underground on two of the city's roads has annoyed residents and businesses.

Chiang Mai Municipality began work in December 2004 as part of a strategy to improve the appearance of Tha Pae and Chang Klan roads, both popular tourist areas.

But critics claim Tha Pae Road has been left with a deteriorating surface, while there has been a rise in air pollution and traffic congestion. Neighbouring buildings, temples and pagodas have had problems of structural cracking as a result of the work.

Deputy Mayor Poonsawas Worawan said construction had been delayed by last year's flooding, which caused sand to enter cavities. He said the scheme was 80-per-cent complete and pledged all construction of cavities, roads and footpaths would be finished by September 15.

Residents will have to bear further disruption when the Electricity Generating Office and Telephone Organisation of Thailand move wires underground and remove posts from the streets.

--TNA 2006-08-19

Street work irks Chiang Mai locals

Deputy Mayor Poonsawas Worawan said construction had been delayed by last year's flooding, which caused sand to enter cavities. He said the scheme was 80-per-cent complete and pledged all construction of cavities, roads and footpaths would be finished by September 15.

--TNA 2006-08-19

But will it be done properly???

wasnt the road resurfaced on Chang Klan done last year? Have you been on it lately? It needs to be done again IMHO. And the curbs were just redone again after being too steep. They need to add more drains- simply due to the fact that Chang Klan rd turns into a canal everytime it rains hard.

The relocation of lines underground will be great thou. The electricity lines in TL are such an eyesore.

He said the scheme was 80-per-cent complete and pledged all construction of cavities, roads and footpaths would be finished by September 15.

This is a joke; right??

He obviously hasn't driven or walked down Tapae Rd recently.

The drain covers on the pavements are non existent in some places or a piece of mangled metal and concrete. Some places the pavement has been replaced and dug up again, so broken etc. Some of the new pavement just ends in a bit of sand with some blocks placed on it ...........

Then there's the road ........

Sept 15 is less than a month away!!

But then if we read the article again, it doesn't say which year!!!! So are we talking Sept 15 2008, maybe!!??

And, not to be too negative about Thailand, but does it say that after they've finished with the electric lines, they'll go back in and bury the phone cables, as well? Maybe after that, reinstall the water lines? The cable TV lines?

And, not to be too negative about Thailand, but does it say that after they've finished with the electric lines, they'll go back in and bury the phone cables, as well? Maybe after that, reinstall the water lines? The cable TV lines?

And if you were a Thai construction contractor for such services, would you want to have it any other way?

All I can say is that there are still heaps of airborne cables on Thaphae Road despite years of work back and forth... and it's not only "critics" who complain about the road surface being uneven.

Everyone who is unfortunate enough to have to drive there (pretty much everyone with a car in Chiang Mai) can see and feel for themselves what the state of the road is.

Street work irks Chiang Mai locals

CHIANG MAI: -- A scheme to move all elevated electricity lines underground on two of the city's roads has annoyed residents and businesses.

Chiang Mai Municipality began work in December 2004 as part of a strategy to improve the appearance of Tha Pae and Chang Klan roads, both popular tourist areas.

But critics claim Tha Pae Road has been left with a deteriorating surface, while there has been a rise in air pollution and traffic congestion. Neighbouring buildings, temples and pagodas have had problems of structural cracking as a result of the work.

Deputy Mayor Poonsawas Worawan said construction had been delayed by last year's flooding, which caused sand to enter cavities. He said the scheme was 80-per-cent complete and pledged all construction of cavities, roads and footpaths would be finished by September 15.

Residents will have to bear further disruption when the Electricity Generating Office and Telephone Organisation of Thailand move wires underground and remove posts from the streets.

--TNA 2006-08-19

"Thailand- The Administrators' and Officials' Foot in Mouth Hub"

Come on, it's motorable. And there's worse roads in the world. Most of them in Laos, but hey.