Phuket Highways boss flames underpass contractor, orders urgent road repairs

[webfact]

Phuket Highways boss flames underpass contractor, orders urgent road repairs
The Phuket News


The contractor Civil Engineering Co Ltd has been ordered to finish the Samkong Underpass as quickly as possible. Photo: PR Dept

PHUKET: -- The Director of the Highways Department Phuket office, Samak Lueduanghad, has ordered the contractor for Samkong Underpass to urgently make major road repairs to make the roads past the construction site safe.

He has also criticised the contractor, Civil Engineering Co Ltd, and the government tender bidding process for failing to complete the project on time.

“We have expanded the lanes [past the site] as much as we could to ease traffic congestion, but we have still run into many problems,” he said during an inspection of the site yesterday (August 25).

“We were aware that when the project started that excavation of the land and the condition of the road surface would be issues we would have to deal with. What worries us the most now is the condition of the road which must be improved for the sake of safety. We have to fix the damage to the road fast.”

Mr Samak apologised for the project not being completed on time.

“When the construction company signed the contract to finish the underpass on time and agreed to furnish it with all safety measures required by the Highways Department, we hoped the compamny would be e to deliver that.

“Now we have been told that the company did its best to wrap up the project on time, but their have exceeded their deadline. They have failed to deliver the project on time,” he said.

The original deadline for opening the underpass was June 25, 2015. However, an unforeseen issue with excavating past municipal drains saw the deadline moved to August 2015.

The company has now failed that, and only last month informed The Phuket News that the underpass was now not expected to be complete until March 2016

Mr Samak also flamed the selection process for the government contract to build the underpass.

“Many construction companies are capable of getting the work done, but they did not bid for the project and government officials in charge of the hiring did not look for the best construction companies with the highest bid -- but only focused on qualified companies that had lowest bids,” he said.

“All over the country, big projects like this always face many problems. We feel sorry for residents and tourists that have to go through this because we have narrow roads and do not have alternative routes past this point.

“We want this project completed as quickly as possible, but everything must be done in accordance with the agreement between us and the contractor.

“Our apologies to everyone affected by this project. We have ordered the contractor to wrap up the project and open the underpass as soon as possible,” Mr Samak added.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-highways-boss-flames-underpass-contractor-orders-urgent-road-repairs-53820.php


-- Phuket News 2015-08-26

[clockman]

The corruption that is ingrained in Thai society!

[stevenl]

The corruption that is ingrained in Thai society!

I think this is the same as is happening in many western countries: construction companies are asked for a bid on a project, and the company that meets the requirements and has the lowest bid is accepted. Experience with similar projects, quality of the construction, etc are all not part of the equation and not taken into account.

[steelepulse]

Unless there is a large bond put up to guarantee timely work and a sizeable penalty per diem, there really doesn't appear to be too much of a penalty for delivering shoddy work in a tardy fashion.

[zaphod reborn]

The corruption that is ingrained in Thai society!

I think this is the same as is happening in many western countries: construction companies are asked for a bid on a project, and the company that meets the requirements and has the lowest bid is accepted. Experience with similar projects, quality of the construction, etc are all not part of the equation and not taken into account.

And this is the same problem they had while building the underpass in Pattaya. But it is more than just the bidding system which awards the contract to the lowest bidder, regardless of safety record, quality of construction and experience. The contracts have to require that the contractor will take all necessary steps to do the project without compromising the safety of people in the construction zone, and the government has to actually supervise that they are complying with that requirement. But, this is Thailand, and slogan "safety first" is the only thing they really know about safety.

[ChrisY1]

And no doubt the company has been given extensions of time...again, no doubt with cost implications to Phuket Admin.

Would be interesting to see the tendered value of the project and the actual cost information from the contractor.

[chercheur888]

Dear Director of the Highways Department Phuket Office,

you aint seen nothing yet, just wait for the construction of the Chalong underpass for years and years to come.

[MockingJay]

Why am I not surprized?

[Acharn]

The corruption that is ingrained in Thai society!

I thought he said the problems came from selecting the lowest bidder? His recommendation seemed to be to select the highest bidder. You think that would be a good idea?

[razer]

There is "on time" and there is "Thai time"

[madmitch]

So, if this company has failed so abysmally in its construction of the Samkong Underpass, how has the very same company won the contract for the Chalong Underpass?

[stoneyboy]

Hardly surprising when most of the folk working on the project do so in flip flops or bare feet no less.

[duckmandon]

The corruption that is ingrained in Thai society!

I think this is the same as is happening in many western countries: construction companies are asked for a bid on a project, and the company that meets the requirements and has the lowest bid is accepted. Experience with similar projects, quality of the construction, etc are all not part of the equation and not taken into account.

But in the real world the contractor even if the lowest bidder must finish the project on time. He also has to comply with the safety regulations. This is gauranteed by retensions which also covers warranty period. Can be cash or bank gaurantee. This stops bad workmanship & the failure to complete.

[Deli]

Look at the 1st underpass they opened at Central Festival. The road is a bumpy ride already now. grills are staining out of the surface to kill bike riders and traffic diversion is a mess. There are no other words for this than TiT and will never change.

[hkt83100]

They might want to watch this video, those guys had some problems, too. But they finished their project ahead of schedule, and everybody will agree that this underpass is a ridiculous challenge compared to the bridge...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOAcRrfW-8s

[stevenl]

Look at the 1st underpass they opened at Central Festival. The road is a bumpy ride already now. grills are staining out of the surface to kill bike riders and traffic diversion is a mess. There are no other words for this than TiT and will never change.

Traffic coming from the north should take the indicated u-turn, not the one many people are taking now.

Otherwise I don't agree with you: I find the ride there smooth, have not seen any stakes to kill bike riders (what is a bike doing in the tunnel anyway).

[grumpyoldman]

Dear Director of the Highways Department Phuket Office,

you aint seen nothing yet, just wait for the construction of the Chalong underpass for years and years to come.

Speaking of the Chalong underpass, how about all the businesses around there that are going to suffer for two+ years as no one will want to go near there? I guess they don't matter?

[madmitch]

Dear Director of the Highways Department Phuket Office,

you aint seen nothing yet, just wait for the construction of the Chalong underpass for years and years to come.

Speaking of the Chalong underpass, how about all the businesses around there that are going to suffer for two+ years as no one will want to go near there? I guess they don't matter?

You know as well as I do that nothing matters more to the people involved in these projects than lining their own pockets and to hell with anyone else.

I wonder when they are going to start resurfacing the left hand lane in Chaofa West just after Chalong Circle? Or, judging by the article to which this thread properly relates, maybe they won't bother! Still, it means we've already experienced the traffic limited to one lane at this particular point.

[chercheur888]

Dear Director of the Highways Department Phuket Office,

you aint seen nothing yet, just wait for the construction of the Chalong underpass for years and years to come.

Speaking of the Chalong underpass, how about all the businesses around there that are going to suffer for two+ years as no one will want to go near there? I guess they don't matter?

Oh, don't worry about them, because they will have the time of their life.

In another recent Phuket News article it was announced that they found 2 diverting roads for the North/South traffic, but so far nothing for South/North.

It might mean that they will call the United Nations to set up a tent City as not many people from the South can get out, hence a lot more business for all the shops on the south side.

Sorry just had some sort of sarcastic streak.

[alansiporin]

The traffic will be amazing while the Chalong tunnel is constructed.

In the staes, construction projects on very busy roads is often restricted to night time only.

Wonder if this was/ is a consideration for Chalong?