Phayao park renovation abandoned, 9.6 million baht project in disarray
In Phayao province, a public park renovation project valued at 9.6 million baht remains unfinished as the contractor has abandoned the work.
The project site is now deteriorating, with building materials damaged, overgrown grass, and sunken roads. Officials assure that they are actively addressing the issue.
Yesterday, April 22, a journalist from the Phayao province examined the Chalerm Phra Kiat Nong Leng Sai Park renovation project after a popular social media page highlighted the incomplete state of the park, often referred to as the lung of Mae Chai.
The project, designed by Phayao’s Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, involves four main construction areas: a public restroom facility, stone steps for accessing Nong Leng Sai, an embankment lined with precast concrete walls, and a reinforced concrete activity area. The initial budget was set at 14,437,600 baht (US$431,900), with a median price of 10,335,100 baht (US$309,090).
The project was contracted through electronic bidding (e-bidding), with a joint venture winning the contract at 9,690,000 baht (US$289,815), 32.88% below the total budget and 6.24% below the median price. The project was scheduled for completion by September 2024, including the restroom and embankment works with precast wall panels.
However, these were not completed on time, leaving the construction idle. Social media inquiries questioned whether the responsible agencies had declared the contractor as having abandoned the project, urging the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning to investigate.
Upon inspection, the park’s structures were found incomplete and abandoned. The metal doors of the unfinished buildings were damaged, and the adjacent pavilion remained incomplete with wooden scaffolding and tile stacks.
The area was overgrown, and the roads had started to sink. Teerawat Kiangkam, director of Phayao’s Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, clarified that the project was initiated by Phayao’s Department of Tourism and Sports, which managed the budget and contract termination. His department was only responsible for the design, not the budget or execution.
Phanuphan Iamubonwan, from Phayao’s Department of Tourism and Sports, explained that the renovation project was funded in 2023 and initiated by Mae Chai district. It was part of two projects spanning four contracts in the 2024 fiscal year, with three contracts completed.
The issue arose from the abandonment of the final contract related to the park renovation by the contractor at the end of last year. He stated that the Department of Tourism and Sports is addressing the issue by notifying the contractor as per regulations.
The department has returned the area to Mae Chai Municipality to seek land use from the Treasury Department. Despite the challenges, the Nong Leng Sai project was inaugurated on December 26 last year, with Mae Chai district officiating the event, reported KhaoSod.
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