Nightmare at Chalong Circle

[Valentine]

1 hour ago, madmax2 said:

Should do the same as other countries, pay a far market price take back the land

and if the land owner is not happy with the price paid go to arbitration to sort it out

Shades of the water tank saga when they widened Visit Rd. It took a couple of years to resolve. Staring a major construction job like this without having the requisite land in hand seems highly questionable.

There is likely some Land Expropriation Law but the interpretation may leave a lot to be desired. A quick way out of it would be to invoke Section 44.

When the new road was built behind Homeworks it took a lot of negotiation to move one householder even though he was given that land in the first place & agreed to move when needed.

[madmax2]

When the government wants land in Australia  they resume it and pay what they consider is a fair market price

Although this rarely happens to widen roads as the road reserves are in most cases adequate when planned it still  happens in some older developed areas where extra land is required to widen a road

I personally have had land (10acres/25rai) resumed by the government for part of a industrial estate

I was not happy with the price paid , took the government to court and won the case, the government paid all court costs of the case but did not reimburse me for my personal costs

The law has now changed and they would now have to pay personal costs if you win the case

No way could you refuse to sell land in Australia required for infrastructure development by the government, if not happy with the price offered you sue them, but make sure you are in the right or you will end up having to to pay all the costs of the case both yours and the governments 

[sebastion]

Shades of the water tank saga when they widened Visit Rd. It took a couple of years to resolve. Staring a major construction job like this without having the requisite land in hand seems highly questionable.
There is likely some Land Expropriation Law but the interpretation may leave a lot to be desired. A quick way out of it would be to invoke Section 44.
When the new road was built behind Homeworks it took a lot of negotiation to move one householder even though he was given that land in the first place & agreed to move when needed.

They only just settled with the land after homepro. Took some local negotiations to work that deal.
Before homepro boat guy has less land to play with so he is sticking strong.
The circle bar etc is a whole new level of problem. Influential owners are harder to squeeze.

[madmitch]

The traffic hasn't been too bad considering what they've done, though I don't approach from Rawai so can't comment on that.

 

So today the police are back controlling the traffic, the bollards filtering all the traffic from Patak Road into Chaofa West are back and they're letting one lane through at a time. Result: tailbacks southbound on Chaofa West half a kilometre or so before the Big Buddha lights. To avoid this on my return I used Chaofa East where it tailed back to the Yacht Club turning. 

 

Patak Road to the Circle was flowing very well. It looked busy approaching from Rawai.

 

Perhaps there's a new batch of overenthusiastic traffic police. It's about that time of year. But I hope it's a one-off as it was totally unnecessary.

[dick dasterdly]

17 minutes ago, madmitch said:

The traffic hasn't been too bad considering what they've done, though I don't approach from Rawai so can't comment on that.

 

So today the police are back controlling the traffic, the bollards filtering all the traffic from Patak Road into Chaofa West are back and they're letting one lane through at a time. Result: tailbacks southbound on Chaofa West half a kilometre or so before the Big Buddha lights. To avoid this on my return I used Chaofa East where it tailed back to the Yacht Club turning. 

 

Patak Road to the Circle was flowing very well. It looked busy approaching from Rawai.

 

Perhaps there's a new batch of overenthusiastic traffic police. It's about that time of year. But I hope it's a one-off as it was totally unnecessary.

I had to travel towards Chalong Circle from Chaofa West around 3 p.m. today and it was a long, slow queue of traffic.  It was only on approaching Chalong Circle I realised police were involved/directing traffic flow at Chalong Circle - although I did wonder why every now and again there was a 'rush' of scooters/bikes going by and through the traffic queuing on Chaofa West.

 

Your post probably explains it.

 

But I could be being unfair, as I rarely have the misfortune to take that route at that time of day.

 

On a more positive note, I headed from Chaofa West to Chaofa East (eventually....) to get something I needed, and on the way back towards Chalong Circle it was the typical slow queue of traffic.  A couple of Westerner tourists on a scooter (coming from the opposite direction and turning across our traffic) had a small collision with a Thai on a scooter heading in our direction.

 

Much to my suprise, there was a bit of shoving and (presumably) swearing from the Thai - but no real aggression .

 

 

Edited November 12, 2016 by dick dasterdly

[madmitch]

18 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

I had to travel towards Chalong Circle from Chaofa West around 3 p.m. today and it was a long, slow queue of traffic.  It was only on approaching Chalong Circle I realised police were involved/directing traffic flow at Chalong Circle - although I did wonder why every now and again there was a 'rush' of scooters/bikes going by and through the traffic queuing on Chaofa West.

 

Your post probably explains it.

 

But I could be being unfair, as I rarely have the misfortune to take that route at that time of day.

 

On a more positive note, I headed from Chaofa West to Chaofa East (eventually....) to get something I needed, and on the way back towards Chalong Circle it was the typical slow queue of traffic.  A couple of Westerner tourists on a scooter (coming from the opposite direction and turning across our traffic) had a small collision with a Thai on a scooter heading in our direction.

 

Much to my suprise, there was a bit of shoving and (presumably) swearing from the Thai - but no real aggression .

 

 

Just heard that it may well have something to do with the memorial to the King taking place at Promthep Cape today. No doubt lots of VIPs expected.

[Valentine]

11 hours ago, madmitch said:

The traffic hasn't been too bad considering what they've done, though I don't approach from Rawai so can't comment on that.

 

So today the police are back controlling the traffic, the bollards filtering all the traffic from Patak Road into Chaofa West are back and they're letting one lane through at a time. Result: tailbacks southbound on Chaofa West half a kilometre or so before the Big Buddha lights. To avoid this on my return I used Chaofa East where it tailed back to the Yacht Club turning. 

 

Patak Road to the Circle was flowing very well. It looked busy approaching from Rawai.

 

Perhaps there's a new batch of overenthusiastic traffic police. It's about that time of year. But I hope it's a one-off as it was totally unnecessary.

Took me 40 minutes to get from Makro to the 1st traffic lights on Chao Fa West.

[KarenBravo]

Yes, it was all due to a memorial at Promthep.

[madmax2]

only another 700 days before the job is finished, if on time

This could end up like the cask wine thread

[sebastion]

only another 700 days before the job is finished, if on time
This could end up like the cask wine thread

They haven't even completed the drainage. That was supposed to be a 20 day job. Lol.
The tunnel can't break ground until they complete the drainage. Stalled drains on both sides of the road on the home pro side of the circle.
The police station housing "additions" still haven't been bulldozed and the marine engineering shop won't budge.

It's going to an amazing failure.

[madmax2]

4 minutes ago, sebastion said:

They haven't even completed the drainage. That was supposed to be a 20 day job. Lol.
The tunnel can't break ground until they complete the drainage. Stalled drains on both sides of the road on the home pro side of the circle.
The police station housing "additions" still haven't been bulldozed and the marine engineering shop won't budge.

It's going to an amazing failure.

Wife saw a new sign 2 days ago, now 370 days before the job is finished, if on time

Another month and it will probably be over 400 days, just look at the other finished

road projects in Phuket and how long they really took to complete the jobs

[LivinginKata]

27 minutes ago, sebastion said:

<snip>
It's going to an amazing failure.

 

And even worse than the Samkong underpass. This will be a spectacular failure. I have to wonder if it will ever be completed. What's the penalty clause ??

[sebastion]

Wife saw a new sign 2 days ago, now 370 days before the job is finished, if on time
Another month and it will probably be over 400 days, just look at the other finished
road projects in Phuket and how long they really took to complete the jobs

I don't think the construction company is liable for the unreclaimed land that's needed to build. It's just a massive oversight or whatever you want to call it.
Look at the state of the home pro entrance. Those metal plates will be worked hard until they work it all out.

[Badrabbit]

Why do people complain so much, the two completed underpasses have made a huge difference and the third is near completion that too will make a big difference provided they get rid of the traffic lights and allow traffic to flow quickly, Chalong underpass will eventually be completed until then just get on with your lives and stop running everything down!

[DrDave]

17 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

And even worse than the Samkong underpass. This will be a spectacular failure. I have to wonder if it will ever be completed. What's the penalty clause ??

Even if there's a penalty clause, it most likely wouldn't be invoked.

Didn't the Samkong contract call for something like a 1 million baht/day penalty? I seriously doubt that any penalty was ever paid (although it's likely that money did change hands in some way). 

[sebastion]

How do you fit 5 lanes into that space between home pro and the Chalong circle?
3 lanes width for the tunnel and a lane each side of the tunnel.
They are missing 5 metres of space. Lol.

Look how we basically are driving on Homepros old garden bed and lawn.
Just wait for those townshops close to the circle. They will have a major lane on their doorsteps.

[LivinginKata]

7 minutes ago, sebastion said:

How do you fit 5 lanes into that space between home pro and the Chalong circle?
3 lanes width for the tunnel and a lane each side of the tunnel.
They are missing 5 metres of space. Lol.

Look how we basically are driving on Homepros old garden bed and lawn.
Just wait for those townshops close to the circle. They will have a major lane on their doorsteps.

 

 

We all know it was  badly planned .... as in piss poor planning ... as in no real thought about the construction and all about the money that can be skimmed off ... TIT

[LivinginKata]

35 minutes ago, DrDave said:

Even if there's a penalty clause, it most likely wouldn't be invoked.

Didn't the Samkong contract call for something like a 1 million baht/day penalty? I seriously doubt that any penalty was ever paid (although it's likely that money did change hands in some way). 

 

I expect the constructor was paid monthly on a progress basis. So I doubt that the constructor actually paid back any money and the gov just reduced payments. But hey TIT and who knows if fines were paid.

 

The gov officials bet over backwards to make excuses for the delays and no doubt those officials were well compensated.

[Rimmer]

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[metisdead]

 

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[madmitch]

Happy First Birthday Chalong Underpass.

 

It was a year ago today that work commenced. 

 

May I be among the first to congratulate the contractors, designers and developers on being involved in one of the biggest cock-ups of my time in Phuket.

[Badrabbit]

Happy First Birthday Chalong Underpass.
 
It was a year ago today that work commenced. 
 
May I be among the first to congratulate the contractors, designers and developers on being involved in one of the biggest cock-ups of my time in Phuket.

So what about the other underpasses are they also a big cock up?

Also work has only started within the last few months on the Chalong underpass so where does the year ago come from?

So many people complain here, it will be completed when it's completed until then just get on with your life!

[sebastion]

So what about the other underpasses are they also a big cock up?

Also work has only started within the last few months on the Chalong underpass so where does the year ago come from?

So many people complain here, it will be completed when it's completed until then just get on with your life!

How insightful. Future Dalai lama in the making.

Sent from my EVA-L19 using Tapatalk

[madmitch]

2 hours ago, Badrabbit said:

 

So what about the other underpasses are they also a big cock up?

Also work has only started within the last few months on the Chalong underpass so where does the year ago come from?

So many people complain here, it will be completed when it's completed until then just get on with your life!

 

 

Work started on December 18th 2015. That is why it's a first birthday. I can't be arsed to find the link as it was a while ago I looked it up.

 

You obviously have greater levels of tolerance than me.

 

[Valentine]

9 hours ago, madmitch said:

 

Work started on December 18th 2015. That is why it's a first birthday. I can't be arsed to find the link as it was a while ago I looked it up.

 

You obviously have greater levels of tolerance than me.

 

I actually thought it started Oct 2015 & then halted for New Year festivities.

[Badrabbit]

 
Work started on December 18th 2015. That is why it's a first birthday. I can't be arsed to find the link as it was a while ago I looked it up.
 
You obviously have greater levels of tolerance than me.
 

Life is too short to be stressed over everything that goes on here, it's happening get over it or don't get over it, up to you!!

[Old Croc]

18 hours ago, Badrabbit said:

 

So what about the other underpasses are they also a big cock up?

Also work has only started within the last few months on the Chalong underpass so where does the year ago come from?

So many people complain here, it will be completed when it's completed until then just get on with your life!

 

A bit hard to get on with your life when you're sitting in a tailback for two hours.

[Old Croc]

5 hours ago, Valentine said:

I actually thought it started Oct 2015 & then halted for New Year festivities.

"The construction contract – assigning Civil Engineering Co Ltd a budget of B546 million to complete the underpass – officially began on July 28, 2015, but an oversight saw work on moving the power lines, utility poles and water pipes not beginning until March this year."

 

 

[sebastion]

"The construction contract – assigning Civil Engineering Co Ltd a budget of B546 million to complete the underpass – officially began on July 28, 2015, but an oversight saw work on moving the power lines, utility poles and water pipes not beginning until March this year."
 
 

Wow. The poles still haven't been rectified.
The drains and pipes need to go via private land which is taking its time.
Drive past in front of homepro today and they aren't working at all. Just sitting around waiting in the middle of the mess.

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[Badrabbit]

A bit hard to get on with your life when you're sitting in a tailback for two hours.

Tailback for two hours, when and where? do you sit in the tailback getting stressed and angry?

In 8 yrs here never seen a tailback lasting a couple of hours(I am on a bike so no problem with getting through slowly) I've learnt to accept whatever is going on and do not let anything stress me out, what's the point in becoming stressed and angry it just ruins your whole day, two underpasses have been completed and I wouldn't say they are cocky ups, third one nearly completed and I think another is under way up by the airport(not sure about this) all good in my book!