Rawai seawall compromised by strong surf, Mayor orders boulder reinforcements as stop-gap - See more

[rooster59]

Rawai seawall compromised by strong surf, Mayor orders boulder reinforcements as stop-gap

Darawan Naknakhon

PHUKET: About 30 metres of a 600-metre section of the sea wall at Rawai Beach has been eroded by unusually strong surf in the past several days, a public works survey team has found.

Led by Rawai Mayor Arun Solos, the team of municipality public works officials surveyed the damaged seawall today.

“There’s been unusually strong surf for the last several days and we expect it [strong surf] to persist the coming few days,” Mayor Aroon said.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/rawai-seawall-compromised-by-strong-surf-mayor-orders-boulder-reinforcements-as-stop-gap-57338.php

-- Phuket News 2016-05-08

[simon43]

P**s-poor pointing by that guy. What seawall?

[sebastion]

Most of the landowners on that strip want that wall to erode so the trees are removed and the views will open up.

Even that one section that isnt rebuilt was because of the view.

[phuketandsee]

Strong surf? Couldn't possibly be inadequate design and/or construction now could it?

[Thaddeus]

That's a seawall...!

A couple of overweight tourists sitting on it could bring that down.

I wonder how far it vary's from the original design, and the difference between the designated budget and actual expenditure.

[gandalf12]

That's a seawall...!

A couple of overweight tourists sitting on it could bring that down.

I wonder how far it vary's from the original design, and the difference between the designated budget and actual expenditure.

Design? What design?

[ironbark]

That's a seawall...!

A couple of overweight tourists sitting on it could bring that down.

I wonder how far it vary's from the original design, and the difference between the designated budget and actual expenditure.

Design? What design?

Exactly. Coastal erosion is not a temporary problem that can be solved by a non expert. It occurs for many reasons from sea level change to changes in sediment recruitment due to patterns of development.

Coastal erosion is a major problem all over Thailand. A few boulders is a band aid that can even make things worse.

[WhizBang]

Seawall compromised by strong surf?

More likely compromised by shoddy construction and poor 'design'.

Speaking of design, that looks more like a garden wall, ceratinly not what came to mind when I read seawll.

[NCC1701A]

One of the more realistic photos of how Thailand actually looks I have seen on the web.

Maybe they should put in on the front page of Lonely Planet.

[elgordo38]

That's a seawall...!

A couple of overweight tourists sitting on it could bring that down.

I wonder how far it vary's from the original design, and the difference between the designated budget and actual expenditure.

Design? What design?

Exactly. Coastal erosion is not a temporary problem that can be solved by a non expert. It occurs for many reasons from sea level change to changes in sediment recruitment due to patterns of development.

Coastal erosion is a major problem all over Thailand. A few boulders is a band aid that can even make things worse.

Yes stop gap, band aid is a phrase heard so often in Thailand. Its all about the money honey. The closer you live to Bangkok the closer you are to the pot of gold.

[sendintheclowns]

' Probably designed in Bangkok.

For more examples of shoddy work, visit Kamala Beach 11 years after the 'tsunami reconstruction' costing hundreds of millions. Sea walk is buried under sand, because it was built in the season when there were no King tides to take into account. Part of concrete bridge fell down, sea wall near school is collapsing. Not due to heavy swell only, the planners forgot to take into account that there was a Kong there . The retaining wall for the Kong is collapsing as well ,

Glad I donated to Kamala locals, and not the Thai Govt. reconstruction scheme, which probably received funds from International aid agencies.

[Kudzu]

One the best is tires in concrete. Another one -- wooden logs http://razon.ru/dload/photo/kalin/kd5/IMGP3859.jpg

Edited May 8, 2016 by Kudzu

[KenKadz]

It seems to me that Years ago when the Japanese had a strong presence in Thailand's Eastern region, a Japanese aid/development group offered technical expertise to restore Pattaya Beach and protect it from future erosion.

Two things wrong with that offer.

First, a non-Thai is not going to tell a Thai anything that might imply that they do not know how to do something, (face).

Second, there are no recurring profits for the city government's relations, if the job is done right the first time and there are no continuing restoration and repair projects.

And the proof is on the beach!

[harada]

It looks to me that they haven't sealed the joins in the pipes and sumps, I've seen it happen many times in Thailand, it all looks very nice until it rains and then the joins just blow out with the above result.

[Remi080]

This Thai-know-how-logical will never stop. First look to other country's how they do it. And then do it better.(thai way).

[fakename]

Why dont they do like on most beaches here, just dump the garbage alone the beach, it wont be too long, before there are no natural beaches in Thailand.

[monkey4u]

That's a seawall...!

A couple of overweight tourists sitting on it could bring that down.

I wonder how far it vary's from the original design, and the difference between the designated budget and actual expenditure.

Please don't tell anyone I sat on it

[Old Croc]

Parts of the Rawai seawall were demolished, and trees toppled, by big winter storms a couple of years ago. The repairs were probably less than adequate.

I don't know if this applies in the Rawai area, but I was once informed that a lot of spoil from the old tin mines was dumped into the water on the eastern side of the island. The white sand is just now starting to build up again on top of this spoil. I've noticed there seems to be more sand along Rawai than when I came six years ago. It could explain why waves are now smashing into the seawall more often.

Perhaps some long term residents have more insights.

[Jimi007]

Parts of the Rawai seawall were demolished, and trees toppled, by big winter storms a couple of years ago. The repairs were probably less than adequate.

I don't know if this applies in the Rawai area, but I was once informed that a lot of spoil from the old tin mines was dumped into the water on the eastern side of the island. The white sand is just now starting to build up again on top of this spoil. I've noticed there seems to be more sand along Rawai than when I came six years ago. It could explain why waves are now smashing into the seawall more often.

Perhaps some long term residents have more insights.

I remember when the "sea wall" was built. I thought it a disaster waiting to happen. The portion of the beach were there in no sea wall is fine... The poorly built sea wall that was built for the restaurants by the or bor tor about 9 or 10 years ago, if I recall correctly.

[dageurreotype]

One of the more realistic photos of how Thailand actually looks I have seen on the web.

Maybe they should put in on the front page of Lonely Planet.

Years ago Rawai was a nice peaceful place with a long string of restaurants where you could sit on a mat and eat decently priced good Thai barbecued fish, oysters and somtam etc. Then the whiners, farang, came out in force complaining about it being 'unsanitary'. That, and the exploitation of the last refuge from the overpriced lousy watered down 'Thai' food on the rest of the South of the island, has led to it's demise.

I watched that idiot walkway being laid on sand and again as a massive hole sank into the sea just two months later. Now look at it! Bloody shambles of plate glass and just a couple of the original venues left who now charge so much (because it appears they have a 'special' dispensation) that visitors are now forced into the new 'boutique' joints back from the sea. The Thais have disappeared leaving Chinese and a handful of farang in their wake. I hope those complaining farang, who, I suspect, had vested interests in the total destruction/ruination of what was are happy with their bloody selves. And gone broke.

[fester the benevolent]

In retrospect using soluble bricks for a sea wall probably wasn't such a great idea Mayor.