Phuket Highways Dept office congratulated for completing Samkong Underpass

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Phuket Highways Dept office congratulated for completing Samkong Underpass

The Phuket News

 

The Highways Dept Phuket office was congratulated for completing the underpass, which was officially opened today (Dec 20) some 18 months behind schedule. Photo: PR Dept

 

PHUKET: -- The Phuket office of the Highways Dept was today congratulated for completing the Samkong Underpass, which was finally officially opened with a ceremony this morning, more than 18 months behind schedule.

 

The plaudits came during an official opening speech delivered inside the tunnel by Phuket Vice Governor Teera Anantaseriwidhya at 7am today (Dec 20).

 

Meanwhile, while traffic backed up on the surface roads at the busy intersection above as the northbound lanes through the underpass had been closed since 10pm last night to accommodate the ceremony.

 

“We want to congratulate the Phuket Highways Office, who was in charge of the Samkong Underpass construction and completed this project for the public to help solve traffic problems on the island,” said V/Gov Teera.

 

“We also hope that the construction of the underpasses at the Bang Khu Intersection, Chalong Circle and at the airport turnoff will finished by 2017 and 2018,” he added.

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-highways-dept-office-congratulated-for-completing-samkong-underpass-60329.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2016-12-20

[Psimbo]

Maybe the headline should have been  'The Phuket office of the Highways Dept was today embarrassed for still not completing the Samkong Underpass, which will have ongoing repairs to fix shoddy workmanship and sinking roads'. 

[scorecard]

3 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Maybe the headline should have been  'The Phuket office of the Highways Dept was today embarrassed for still not completing the Samkong Underpass, which will have ongoing repairs to fix shoddy workmanship and sinking roads'. 

 

 

And maybe should be, a brief low-key quick opening ceremony was conducted on the (outer) side of the tunnel which caused no delay to the traffic. 

 

Also, love to see a confirmation that the construction company was billed 1,000,00Baht a delay for late delivery and confirmation it will be deducted before final payment is made by the gov't office concerned.

[PJ33]

How anyone can keep a straight face and accept "congratulations" after this multi-year farce is so comical it defies belief.

This project was already underway when I first came to Phuket in September 2013 and was only finally completed in the last few weeks. Yes traffic could pass under for about the last 6 months but anyone on the roads above has continued to endure 3+ years of upheaval, delays and appalling road surfaces right up until November. The road surface was so bad for so long, my girlfriend had to replace the suspension on her bike.

Then when it was finally complete (and the same with the Central underpass), they banned all motorbikes and tuk-tuks from using the underpass and they still have to go through the original junction above with all the traffic lights. Yes, if you want to go through the underpass in your huge gas-guzzling 4x4 then by all means pass through as quick as you like and continue on your journey to clog-up the roads elsewhere. But if you are using a vastly more environmentally friendly scooter, keeping the roads more traffic free, you are punished by being made to wait at the lights.

Also to point out that it has not made things any better for anyone going to the Tesco Lotus complex or heading to Kathu / Patong, there are still the same huge waiting times caused by the traffic lights at the junction above the underpass. Even at 2am last Friday I was stationary at the lights for almost 3 minutes waiting for green, whilst only 2 or 3 vehicles passed through the junction from other directions. Have they never heard of "traffic-sensing traffic lights"...?

Even removing all the traffic lights and sticking a roundabout in the huge space now available would have been far better for all concerned than the dumb lights.

So you'll forgive me if I don't feel like anyone even remotely connected to this shambles deserves anything more than a boot up the backside and relocation to an inactive post.

[xylophone]

9 minutes ago, PJ33 said:

How anyone can keep a straight face and accept "congratulations" after this multi-year farce is so comical it defies belief.

This project was already underway when I first came to Phuket in September 2013 and was only finally completed in the last few weeks. Yes traffic could pass under for about the last 6 months but anyone on the roads above has continued to endure 3+ years of upheaval, delays and appalling road surfaces right up until November. The road surface was so bad for so long, my girlfriend had to replace the suspension on her bike.

Then when it was finally complete (and the same with the Central underpass), they banned all motorbikes and tuk-tuks from using the underpass and they still have to go through the original junction above with all the traffic lights. Yes, if you want to go through the underpass in your huge gas-guzzling 4x4 then by all means pass through as quick as you like and continue on your journey to clog-up the roads elsewhere. But if you are using a vastly more environmentally friendly scooter, keeping the roads more traffic free, you are punished by being made to wait at the lights.

Also to point out that it has not made things any better for anyone going to the Tesco Lotus complex or heading to Kathu / Patong, there are still the same huge waiting times caused by the traffic lights at the junction above the underpass. Even at 2am last Friday I was stationary at the lights for almost 3 minutes waiting for green, whilst only 2 or 3 vehicles passed through the junction from other directions. Have they never heard of "traffic-sensing traffic lights"...?

Even removing all the traffic lights and sticking a roundabout in the huge space now available would have been far better for all concerned than the dumb lights.

So you'll forgive me if I don't feel like anyone even remotely connected to this shambles deserves anything more than a boot up the backside and relocation to an inactive post.

 

Agree..........these f/wits really don't have a clue do they.

 

The sad part is they don't know how stupid they are and that's dangerous!

[arrowsdawdle]

Congratulations for doing your job, what you are paid to do, and what you are expected to do?

 

Apparently, this is not the norm.