Kathu residents gather at Phuket Provincial Hall after access denied to road

Kathu residents gather at Phuket Provincial Hall after access denied to road
Darawan Naknakhon

PHUKET: -- Around 60 residents from Kathu went to Provincial Hall today (Feb 19) to hand over a letter of complaint to the Phuket Governor after being denied access to a road which runs behind Loch Palm Golf Course and connects to Wichitsongkram Rd.

The residents, led by former village headman Somyod Pensook and representatives Akom Kaewcham and Surathin Lainudom arrived at Provincial Hall at 9:40am and handed over their letter to Vice Governor Chokdee Amronwat.

Also present were Kathu District Chief Sayan Chanachaiyawong; Phuket Land Chief Watcharin Jettanawanitch and Phuket City Office Chief Saranyu Sayma.

The letter stated that Loch Palm had closed the road that accessed Wichitsongkram Rd, a route that had been used for more than one hundred years.

Mr Somyod said, “Residents are upset because the golf club closed the road and they cannot access it any more. They have been forced to use an alternative route around the golf course which is narrow and dangerous.

“People drive very fast on the alternative road, and the wall around the golf course is too high and leaves drivers with poor vision for on coming traffic. There are now accidents happening often on the new route.

“The old road was used even before the golf course was built,” he said.

“When the golf course opened residents were refused access to the road but still used it. However, on January 27 a company came and blocked the road and said it could only be at restricted times,” he added.

Mr Somyod went on to say that the road has now been blocked with a big sign saying Private Property Access Only Vehicles with Stickers or Permission.

Full Story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/kathu-residents-gather-at-phuket-provincial-hall-after-access-denied-to-road-56290.php

-- Phuket News 2016-02-19