One-way surveys yield contradicting results
PATONG: The results from two public opinion surveys of Patong’s one-way traffic system are in – one says the public is in favor of keeping the system, the other says it is not.
Prince of Songkla University, Phuket campus, surveyed 759 people in Patong, with 60% saying that are satisfied with the one-way system, but 40% saying they are not happy with it.
The survey of 662 people conducted by the Police and Planning Department (PPD) of Patong Municipality, however, shows that only 41.2% of people are in favor of keeping the system while 47.3% want it scrapped – 11.5% declined to respond.
Nawapol Na Nakhorn, an officer at the PPD, said that the survey asked about improvements that should be made and what respondents believe the benefits and disadvantages of the one-way system are.
“The most popular suggestion was to slow down traffic so pedestrians can cross the street safely,” K. Nawapol said.
Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Decha Budnampetch said, “Different people have different opinions, so nobody is right or wrong. The one-way system will stay, but we have to make it better than it is now.”
He noted that the one-way system has now been in use for three months, and said that the Phuket Governor would soon hold a meeting to discuss the system and the survey results.
