Patong tunnel stalls on environmental impact

The Phuket News

 

The plan to build a B6 billion tunnel through the dangerous hills from Kathu to Patong has stalled as the current proposed plans have failed to pass Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements.

 

PHUKET: -- The plan to build a B6 billion tunnel through the dangerous hills from Kathu to Patong has stalled as the current proposed plans have failed to pass Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements, Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup revealed today (Aug 26).

 

However, Mayor Chalermluck confessed that she did not know which part of the comprehensive plans had yet to be approved.

 

“The studies and design for the project were concluded last year, but the EIA study has yet to be approved,” said Mayor Chalermluck.

 

“It is a large project that has required a lot of time to conduct studies to cover a wide range of issues. I am not sure which area of the project that has not passed the EIA this time,” she said.

 

“But my office will be notified of what needs to be done and how to improve the plan to make it environmental friendly, and we will make those adjustments.

 

“We will keep public updated on this as soon as we get some information from the EIA approval body,” Mayor Chalermluck added.

 

The news of the Patong tunnel project stalling comes as local residents in Patong’s Baan Mon community are calling for some action by officials to prevent tour buses and trucks from crashing into buildings in their neighbourhood, where children play on the streets. 

 

The call for action follows yet another tour bus crashing at the bottom of Patong Hill on Monday night. 

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/patong-tunnel-stalls-on-environmental-impact-58846.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2016-08-26

No surprise there ... everyone fighting over their own personal cut of the pie.

 

I don't expect a tunnel to be built in my life time. Mind you I am an old guy

>> It is a large project that has required a lot of time to conduct studies to cover a wide range of issues

 

I wonder how much has been milked out of these studies, 1% of total budget or more?  Even 1% is a nice little payday.

Quote

The news of the Patong tunnel project stalling comes as local residents in Patong’s Baan Mon community are calling for some action by officials to prevent tour buses and trucks from crashing into buildings in their neighbourhood, where children play on the streets. 

 

Instead of a 6 billion baht tunnel they could maybe build a playground so the kids can play safely?

 

(the tunnel should still come, but I do not see why the local residents are waiting for it to happen before taking other action)

However, Mayor Chalermluck confessed that she did not know which part of the comprehensive plans had yet to be approved.

The brown envelopes lady.

You can probably count on 2 hands the number of studies which have been done on this project, each eating up good size chunks of money.