Underpass safety under scrutiny, assures Phuket Governor

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Underpass safety under scrutiny, assures Phuket Governor
Saroj Kueprasertkij


The new Minister of TRansport has dispatched a team of expert engineers to ensure that the Sam Kong Underpass is completed in accordance with all safety regulations. Photo: PR Dept

PHUKET: -- A team of expert engineers have arrived in Phuket from Bangkok to ensure that the Sam Kong Underpass is built according to safety standards, Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong announced today (Sept 1).

“The new Minister of Transportation, Krasuang Khamanakhom, has sent a special team of engineers to Phuket to inspect the construction of the underpass to ensure it meets safety standards,” Gov Nisit told the press at Provincial Hall.

“The minister has confirmed that Wiwat Construction Co will be held responsible for the construction site. They must strictly abide by all standards set out in the concession contract,” he added.

The news comes after a handful of protesters gathered at the construction site to protest the condition of the roads passing the site and the long delay in completing the underpass, which at last report was more than seven months behind schedule. (See story here.)

Protest leader Apisit Tiewattanakul on Sunday handed to Governor Nisit a list of about 180 names of people affected by the construction site. The list will be forwarded to Minister Krasuang, Gov Nisit explained today.

“I think they deserve the right to express their problems in peace to the government,” Gov Nisit said

Wiwat Construction Co has assured that the underpass will be open to traffic by New Year, he added.

“The area surrounding the underpass will be cleared up before April. However, this is just an estimation. I cannot confirm that it is accurate,” he said.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/underpass-safety-under-scrutiny-assures-phuket-governor-53906.php


-- Phuket News 2015-09-02

[Valentine]

In the top centre of the photo there is a concrete section sloping downwards which has not made any progress for a long long time. Just after where the concrete ends it is usually underwater. Seems to me the company does not have the engineering skills to complete this job.

[madmitch]

They employed a completely different construction strategy to the Central Underpass, where the road was never completely blocked off east/west. This may have been out of necessity, it may have been just different engineering techniques.

I would have thought that engineering inspections would be ongoing throughout the project but obviously not. As always in Thailand, react after there's a problem rather than prevent the problem in the first place.

That doesn't look to me as though it'll be ready for traffic in four months, although perhaps below ground progress is better that we can see.

It does concern me that the same company has the Chalong Underpass contract, though it's possible they won't employ the same construction company (doubtful though, as they usually go hand in hand, particularly with large brown envelopes changing hands).