Phuket Governor pours scorn on Samkong underpass constructors
Saroj Kueprasertkij


The governor says that if construction continues at the same rate, the underpass will not be complete until June 2016. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot.

PHUKET: -- Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongthada has poured scorn on the Samkong underpass project and because they have now extended their completion time three times has requested he be informed monthly on construction progress.

“I can’t let this project go on like this. It’s so embarrassing. I’ve heard and received so many complaints about this project,” Gov Chamroen said.

He confirmed that he will arrange a meeting with the construction company, project engineers from the Highways Department and himself within this month to find the best best solution for moving the project forward.

“I have the right to protect Phuket interest. I will bring this issue to the Transportation Minister at my next meeting with them which is around the end of this month,” he confirmed.

The Samkong underpass, being constructed by Wiwat Construction Co.Ltd, is only 54% complete which means they are 46% behind schedule.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-governor-pours-scorn-on-samkong-underpass-constructors-54833.php


-- Phuket News 2015-11-06

easy, 3 shifts, 24 hour a day

Easier, write a "Late finish penalty" clause into the contract. Also, an "early finish" reward clause. That, along with hourly, on-site quality inspection team should do the trick.

Traveling sailor has a easy solution for solving this problem but because contracts are mostly awarded on amounts of kickbacks it isn't ever going to happen

If contracts were awarded on competence/experience, rather than how many kickbacks they can receive, problems like this would be less likely to happen.

Also, as TS mentioned, penalty clauses are used throughout the world and work wonders, they're not hard to include in a contract in Thailand. If they're serious about doing things right. Which they're not.

Construction contracts run just as late in Phuket as they do in every other part of the world.

All Thai construction projects take forever. It's cheaper for the contractors to use manual labor and hand tools to build, rather than purchasing or renting power tools and machines. That's why condos and office towers take about 3 years to build, if they ever get completed as many of the developers run out of financing when the projects don't meet their loan requirements for completion of the project.

Looking at that picture, at least this tunnel is going to have 4 lanes and a centre divider.

Eventually.

Nice looking swimming pool, where are the lifeguard stations going to be?

Does this mean the Governor/Highways Department will take away the Chalong Underpass contract? Or will this be impossible due to the envelopes that have already changed hands?