Confusion on Patong’s ‘Road to Kindness’

[rooster59]

Confusion on Patong’s ‘Road to Kindness’

The Phuket News

 

The only sign in English (in red circle) is at the road’s northern junction with Phra Baramee Rd, and is not even official. Photo: Patong Municipality

 

PHUKET: More than two and half years after construction of one of the busiest roads in Patong has been completed there are still no street signs in English along the road so that tourists in the “international tourist destination” know which road they are actually on.

 

Worse, the two authorities responsible for what most local expats know as “Phang Muang Sai Kor Rd”, which runs the entire length of Patong, has no signs in English – or any other language people who cannot read Thai will understand – nor are they forthcoming in the near future.

 

Phang Muang Sai Kor Rd literally translates as “Town Plan Line/Route A Rd”, the name it was initially given during its construction as the town plan needed to attribute some form of identification to the road under construction.

 

However, the name has stuck, despite a public poll years ago that decided the busy thoroughfare should be called “Phra Metta Rd” – with “Phra Metta” meaning “benevolence” or “kindness”, in keeping with the names of other major roads in Patong, such as Phra Baramee Rd, meaning “Prestige Rd” (or “Road of Prestige”).

 

To the Phuket office of the Department of Rural Roads (PDRR), which built the road over the contracted 900 days at a budgeted cost of B211 million, Phra Metta Rd is called Route 4055, according to their own naming system for roads they build, and further signs or dedication of names are – according to them – not their job.

 

“The road was actually completed in April 2014 to help ease traffic congestion,” PDRR Director Theerapol Jirarantankorn explained.

 

As such, the road also serves as a critical conduit throughout the town, as it connects with Phra Baramee Rd at the northern end of Patong, passes by the front doors of Patong Police Station and Patong Hospital, then continues behind the Jungceylon shopping mall and connects at the roundabout at the southern end of Patong so traffic can continue unimpeded onto Sirirat Rd to Karon, the next beach resort town to the south of Patong.

 

Only two other roads run the entire length of Patong: Thaweewong Rd (the beach road) and Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd – and both are one-way. The new road, yet to be signed in English, allows two-way traffic.

 

“Phang Muang Sai Kor refers to the project name of Phuket roads during their construction, and there are many of these, such as Phang Muang Sai Kor 1 (Route A1), Sai Kor 2 (Route A2),” PDRR Director Theerapol explained.

 

“Most roads we build are renamed after the project is completed, but locals still call this road by its project name (Phang Muang Sai Kor Rd),” he noted.

Mr Theerapol pointed out that the PDRR has posted one sign at each end of the road, revealing its true name of “Phra Metta Rd” – but the signs are in Thai only.

 

“We are no longer responsible for naming the road. We built it and under the contract terms of construction we are still responsible for repairs to it, and we have posted signs marking the road’s name as ‘Phra Metta Rd’ – but we are not responsible for any more than that,” he said.

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/confusion-on-patong-road-to-kindness-59649.php#lG73JelbLgz6xEaV.97

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2016-10-30

 

[LivinginKata]

I just call it 'New Road' or 'Middle Road'

[Farang99]

Most locals of my acquaintance either do not know the names of any roads (they tend to give directions with reference to shops or other buildings) or else refer to them by some nickname based on their size or appearance.

[grumbleweed]

Quote

 then continues behind the Jungceylon shopping mall and connects at the roundabout at the southern end of Patong so traffic can continue unimpeded

Roundabout? continue unimpeded? 

Maybe in theory, but TIT, where every roundabout should have a search and rescue unit stationed nearby, or at least issue basic survival kits to every car that goes near one

[JSixpack]

Yet another reason to leave Phuket and find happiness in Pattaya.

[monkey4u]

1 hour ago, JSixpack said:

Yet another reason to leave Phuket and find happiness in Pattaya.

Via the road to nowhere ?? 

[bokningar]

So it is hard to find anyone who want to be responsible?

Never heard that one before 

[NamKangMan]

1 hour ago, monkey4u said:

Via the road to nowhere ?? 

 

 

Or, he could get a taxi to the Phuket Airport that can cost more than his flight, then he can wait in various queues that will take longer than his flight. 

[Old Croc]

3 hours ago, JSixpack said:

Yet another reason to leave Phuket and find happiness in Pattaya.

So a delay in selecting a suitable odonym for a new street is sufficient reason for you to change residence?

You must spend a great deal of your existence always moving elsewhere.

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

So a delay in selecting a suitable odonym for a new street is sufficient reason for you to change residence?

You must spend a great deal of your existence always moving elsewhere.

 

Any excuse will do. No, once you live in Pattaya, you don't really wanna move elsewhere. Only place I've lived in Thailand except briefly in Bangkok for work-related reasons. :)

[Old Croc]

2 minutes ago, JSixpack said:

 

Any excuse will do. No, once you live in Pattaya, you don't really wanna move elsewhere. Only place I've lived in Thailand except briefly in Bangkok for work-related reasons. :)

Horses for courses.

[Lokie]

On 10/30/2016 at 7:41 AM, LivinginKata said:

I just call it 'New Road' or 'Middle Road'

Everyone I know calls it Middle road (we used to call it broken road until they finally got round to finishing all the re-levelling and laying of sewer pipes to ease the flooding problems) the section just past Hospital to T junction of Sansabai was regularly under a few feet of water in the past.

[LivinginKata]

1 hour ago, Lokie said:

Everyone I know calls it Middle road (we used to call it broken road until they finally got round to finishing all the re-levelling and laying of sewer pipes to ease the flooding problems) the section just past Hospital to T junction of Sansabai was regularly under a few feet of water in the past.

 

Flooded again about 02.00 last staurday morning. The pipes did not help as nowhere for the water to drain away.

[Lokie]

Yes I know a few days ago half of Bangla and areas around Sansabai/Soi Sunset |(behind Thai-pan) had the worst floods in over 10 years, the operative word was 'ease' the flooding in my statement above, anyone who knows the area of Middle rd and how it floods and gathers water at such times will know that the measures carried out (new drainage and re-laying the road slightly higher) was not going to make any differance to the problem - Soi Banzann and parts of Nanai down onto it are bad in torrential downpours from the hillside running along back of Nanai and the Cop shop is normally submerged at least once every year (you would think that they would could actually sort something out - hence there appears to be no hope with the situation) keep building more and don't worry about infrastructure and environmental side of things lol...

 

Keeps the local Soi mechanics in good business repairing all the bikes with water ingress damage to air filters, engine oil and exhaust systems