Sam Kong Underpass: Over and out - late fines set to breach B570mn, project engineer looking to leave Phuket

[rooster59]

Sam Kong Underpass: Over and out - late fines set to breach B570mn, project engineer looking to leave Phuket 

The Phuket News

 

 

PHUKET: The completion of the Sam Kong Underpass later this month, more than 18 months beyond its original deadline, will not be marked by any ceremony – official or unofficial – with the lead project engineer overseeing the B834-million project vowing to leave Phuket.

 

The completion, however, will mark the calculation of the final fine to be paid by the contractor, Vivat Construction Co Ltd, which in accordance with the government tender is to be calculated at B2 million for each day late in finishing the project.

 

Project Engineer Chalermpon Wongkietkun of the Phuket Highways Office, who was assigned to oversee the project, expects the last of the finishing touches to be complete by October 30. If that holds true, Vivat Construction stands to be fined some B570 million, Mr Chalermpon confirmed on Wednesday (Oct 5).

 

“The company will have to pay a fine of about B2 million per day, effective from January 20, when the contract extension expired,” Mr Chalermpon said.

 

“Yes, they will have to pay about B570 million in total after the project is completed on October 30… I have no information of when or how they will pay this hefty fine. It is up to our accounting staff and the Highways Department to figure that out.

 

“After the project is completed, the construction work will be under two-years guarantee by Vivat Construction Co Ltd and the project will still be under the responsibility of the Phuket Highways Office,” he added.

 

The completion is not to be marked by any form of celebration, Mr Chalermpon assured.

 

“We will have no opening ceremony whatsoever. What’s the point? The road is already open for the public to use and I do not want to hear any more criticism about this project,” he said.

 

“It’s has been a long and tough time for us working on this project. To have another public announcement or opening ceremony would be a disgrace.”

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/sam-kong-underpass-over-and-out-late-fines-set-to-breach-b570mn-project-engineer-looking-to-leave-phuket-59403.php#lJpkxuwHOf5BM2g4.97

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2016-10-08

 

[LivinginKata]

It's all about saving as much face as possible ....

[steelepulse]

>>  I have no information of when or how they will pay this hefty fine.

 

If I was a betting man I'd say they won't pay, and either file bankruptcy, or negotiate way down and the settlement kept away from the public.

[LivinginKata]

1 minute ago, steelepulse said:

>>  I have no information of when or how they will pay this hefty fine.

 

If I was a betting man I'd say they won't pay, and either file bankruptcy, or negotiate way down and the settlement kept away from the public.

 

One would think the fines would be deducted from the monthly payment schedule .... but hey  this  is Thailand ...

 

[chercheur888]

31 minutes ago, steelepulse said:

>>  I have no information of when or how they will pay this hefty fine.

 

If I was a betting man I'd say they won't pay, and either file bankruptcy, or negotiate way down and the settlement kept away from the public.

I have heard that this is the same company who will do the Chalong underpass. They will not have to pay the fine, because they will finish Chalong 18 months AHEAD of schedule, in case they have a clause in the Chalong contract for finishing ahead of schedule.

 

"Mr Chalermpon also said that the underpass was always in danger of flooding during the rainy season as it has been built in a natural catchment area that floods with each heavy downpour.

“Every time it rains like this at this time of year, this area will still have issues with floodwaters because the tunnel has been built in a basin, so this area will always have to deal with floodwaters much more than other areas,” he said."

Building a tunnel in a basin could have the same problems in Chalong as it might be even worse due to the proximity to the sea, but I am not a specialist in constructions.

[KarenBravo]

Didn't they come to some arrangement about the fine? Didn't they agree that it would be set at 200 million Baht?

[slapout]

Until the call for projects that are to be bid on a competitive basis, call for the companies,''bidding'' to provide a '' bid bond '' and then the ''winning bid company'' to provide a ''proformance bond'' via a major Thai bank, they will have problems, getting quality work done in a timely manner.

 

It seems most construction or work of any kind, for the government, has been set up to make skiming / corruption easy for all involved, kind of like a free extended family buffet, including booze.

It does seem that the present government is following some of the more prudent methods to safe guard the taxpayers funds that have been entrusted to them to run the country and not following the old grab, run, and hide as we have been subjected to for too long.

 

 

[Familyaffairs]

All long term residents of Phuket already knew that whatever funishing date they gave would not be met and using BS excuses such as rain (f.y.i. Its a yearly occurence a.k.a. Monsoon) before the first spade went into the ground, and as for the fine? that amount will never ever be paid, and it will be amicably settled among some interested parties.

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

Didn't they come to some arrangement about the fine? Didn't they agree that it would be set at 200 million Baht?

I am sure much like immigration there is a mercy ceiling/ruling. I am sure the engineer designed the catch basins to carry away even the heaviest rainfall. Just make sure it has a cover as we do not want somebody to start stuffing old couches and chair inside. 

[madmitch]

7 hours ago, chercheur888 said:

I have heard that this is the same company who will do the Chalong underpass. They will not have to pay the fine, because they will finish Chalong 18 months AHEAD of schedule, in case they have a clause in the Chalong contract for finishing ahead of schedule.

 

"Mr Chalermpon also said that the underpass was always in danger of flooding during the rainy season as it has been built in a natural catchment area that floods with each heavy downpour.

“Every time it rains like this at this time of year, this area will still have issues with floodwaters because the tunnel has been built in a basin, so this area will always have to deal with floodwaters much more than other areas,” he said."

Building a tunnel in a basin could have the same problems in Chalong as it might be even worse due to the proximity to the sea, but I am not a specialist in constructions.

Looking forward to driving through the Chalong Underpass tomorrow, as the two and a bit year project has already been underway for ten months.

[catinthehat]

10 hours ago, chercheur888 said:

I have heard that this is the same company who will do the Chalong underpass. They will not have to pay the fine, because they will finish Chalong 18 months AHEAD of schedule, in case they have a clause in the Chalong contract for finishing ahead of schedule.

 

"Mr Chalermpon also said that the underpass was always in danger of flooding during the rainy season as it has been built in a natural catchment area that floods with each heavy downpour.

“Every time it rains like this at this time of year, this area will still have issues with floodwaters because the tunnel has been built in a basin, so this area will always have to deal with floodwaters much more than other areas,” he said."

Building a tunnel in a basin could have the same problems in Chalong as it might be even worse due to the proximity to the sea, but I am not a specialist in constructions.

If they know it will flood going into the project then the design team should be shot. It is quite simple to install a system comprised of sump pumps. It's done all over the developed world. Oops, forgot to speculate that the money for that element of the project may have been skimmed. But they certainly had enough time to install that mechanical element.

 

Amazing Thailand!!!

[Valentine]

14 hours ago, catinthehat said:

If they know it will flood going into the project then the design team should be shot. It is quite simple to install a system comprised of sump pumps. It's done all over the developed world. Oops, forgot to speculate that the money for that element of the project may have been skimmed. But they certainly had enough time to install that mechanical element.

 

Amazing Thailand!!!

They have been installing pumps this past week

[Grubster]

I would like to hear the contractors side of the story, I have been in construction all my life and the biggest setback on most jobs I've done have been directly related to poor engineering and not lack of effort on the contractors part. When engineers go back to the drawing boards with that dumb look on their face you know they don't have the answer you need to continue working. Many times they just tell you to figure it out showing you in the small print where it says "these drawings are only a guideline all contractors are responsible for correct and compete installation".  Now many may say why would you bid on a job that has a clause like that, the answer is all jobs have that clause so I guess short of going out of business you have no option. I bet there is another side to this, but then with defamation laws what they are here it may not get said.

[Grubster]

15 hours ago, catinthehat said:

If they know it will flood going into the project then the design team should be shot. It is quite simple to install a system comprised of sump pumps. It's done all over the developed world. Oops, forgot to speculate that the money for that element of the project may have been skimmed. But they certainly had enough time to install that mechanical element.

 

Amazing Thailand!!!

I'm guessing this wasn't the same engineering firm that built the tunnel under the English channel. I'm sure they could get help from the west when doing a project like this but that would mean they don't know something and that won't happen here will it.

[Grubster]

55 minutes ago, Valentine said:

They have been installing pumps this past week

I bet the pump manufacturers are busy now, probably nothing to do during the drought. We can't make this up its really happening.