Highway Department to receive tenders for Pattaya-Map Ta Phut motorway next month

[Thaivisa News]

Bangkok:- The Highway Department will receive tenders for the construction of the Pattaya-Map Ta Phut motorway in March, Highway Director General Chusak Kewee said.

Apart from enhancing the logistic system in the eastern region, the new motorway is expected to help boost tourism in eastern coastal provinces.

Chusak said the construction of the project can start right away because it has passed the process of feasibility study and environmental impact assessment.

He said the department will spend some Bt14 billion from the Motorway Fund for the construction of the 32-kilometer-long motorway. The fund is being built up with proceeds from motorway tolls.

Chusak added that the Cabinet has also approved the project in principle.

The Pattaya-Map Ta Phut motorway will link the 51-km-long Chon Buri-Pattaya motorway, which is now under construction, at the Pattaya-Rayong Intersection. It will be cut through Bang Lamung district to the highway No 3 or Sukhumivit Road at tambon Ban Chang.

A well-informed source from the Highway Department said a total of Bt1.8 billion has been allocated for the expropriating of 2,308 rai of land for the construction. The construction could begin this year and it will be completed in 2018.

“The new motorway will make it more convenient and faster to travel to the eastern coast and provide more route options,” the source said.

“It will supplement the government’s plan to develop Thailand as logistic hub as it will link the Suvarnabhumi airport the Laem Chabang deep seaport and Map Ta Phut industrial estate. It will also boost tourism,” the source added.

[ratcatcher]

“The new motorway will make it more convenient and faster to travel to the eastern coast and provide more route options,” the source said.

Won't need those silly High Speed Trains then?

[razer]

The next generation of nouneau riche bureaucrats are coming.

[wowfactor10]

coming from highway 7 will this new highway then short cut going to najomtien beaches for example?

So without riding over traffic jammed pty sukhumvit road? is this new high suppose to lower traffic on Pattaya Sukumvit road?

[Tomtomtom69]

So this 51km Chonburi-Pattaya motorway already under construction, are we talking about an extension to the Burapha witthi expressway that currently ends just north of Chonburi and would possibly be elevated along Sukhumvit road all the way down to Pattaya (can't imagine the horrendous amount of traffic jams that would cause during it's construction, assuming that's the plan) or are we talking about an improvement to the existing Chonburi-Pattaya section of highway 7, also known as the Bangkok-Chonburi motorway? The current Chonburi-Pattaya section is still a motorway, but parts of it are in horrendous condition for a motorway to be honest.

Although I haven't been to the area for a while, my hunch is the first option is unlikely because as it's only been just over half a year since I was last in the area and I didn't see any evidence of construction, not to mention a recent article where locals were in opposition to the extension of the Burapha witthi expressway and therefore the project was shelved, most likely means that it's the second option.

However, before I speculate further, does anyone know what is actually going on? Any evidence of construction anywhere?

[NanLaew]

So this 51km Chonburi-Pattaya motorway already under construction, are we talking about an extension to the Burapha witthi expressway that currently ends just north of Chonburi and would possibly be elevated along Sukhumvit road all the way down to Pattaya (can't imagine the horrendous amount of traffic jams that would cause during it's construction, assuming that's the plan) or are we talking about an improvement to the existing Chonburi-Pattaya section of highway 7, also known as the Bangkok-Chonburi motorway? The current Chonburi-Pattaya section is still a motorway, but parts of it are in horrendous condition for a motorway to be honest.

Although I haven't been to the area for a while, my hunch is the first option is unlikely because as it's only been just over half a year since I was last in the area and I didn't see any evidence of construction, not to mention a recent article where locals were in opposition to the extension of the Burapha witthi expressway and therefore the project was shelved, most likely means that it's the second option.

However, before I speculate further, does anyone know what is actually going on? Any evidence of construction anywhere?

No, 51 km 'already under construction' is the upgrade of the existing 'motorway 7' between the 361 intersection (to Chonburi) and the 'spur' onto Highway 3 (Chonburi - Sattahip). That section although looking like a motorway for several years isn't fully upgraded so the construction they talk of is mostly on adequate feeders and drainage and upgraded intersections such as the Laem Chabang junction. It also includes toll booths at Nong Prue, about 3.5 km east of where the spur meets Sukhumvit. That will make it 100% toll road (motorway) from Bangkok to Pattaya.

The new 32 km which is the subject of this post will kick off from about 3 km west of the Motorway 7 - Highway 36 (Rayong) intersection and turn south along the west-edge of Mabprachan and then pretty much south-southeast through Huay Yai (almost parallel with 331) and meet Highway 3 (Sattahip to Rayong) somewhere between the entrance to U-Tapao and Ban Chang.

I had a pdf of what was probably the EIA and socialization submission. It was all in Thai and had a pretty good approximate route map but I downloaded that on my other computer. I will see if I can find the link again.

Edited April 13, 2015 by NanLaew

[Langsuan Man]

Why do they make these announcements and never show it on a map ?

I have always maintained that the Thais , who always brag about never being colonized, don't understand it was because no one could find them

[Robbie Dye]

A map or plan would be great especially for those who live around Mabprachan