Phuket shortcuts proposed to bypass the bypass

PHUKET: A new shortcut from the Heroines’ Monument to Kathu has been proposed to alleviate congestion at Koh Kaew, Ban Khu and Tesco Lotus intersections.

The road would start about 300 meters west of the Heroines’ Monument on Srisoonthorn Road and run south 1.3 kilometers to join Route 3004, which connects to Soi Han Farang and passes the British International School before connecting to Kathu-Nakok Road.

“We already have a budget of 13 million baht to build the road,” Governor Maitri Inthusut said at an inspection of the area yesterday morning.

“We plan to widen and pave a small dirt path that already exists. We’ve contacted four of the five people who own land next to the road, and they’ve agreed to donate land for the project. We’re in the process of contacting the fifth landowner, who lives in Bangkok. If she does not agree, we will choose another path and try again.”

Once the Srisoonthorn connection is complete, the governor will turn his attention to another shortcut that would create a more direct route from Kathu-Nakok Road to Phra Phuket Kaew Road. This route would start at the Phuket Mining Museum and emerge at the Shell service station near the Kathu campus of Kajonkietsuksa International School.

“These smaller roads should make it easier to travel between the Heroines’ Monument and Patong,” the governor said.

— Saran Mitrarat