Patong’s promenade revamp drags on with no end in sight
Delays blamed on site complications as penalties quietly imposed
A major promenade upgrade in Patong has fallen behind schedule, with only partial progress made and no confirmed completion date.
The long-awaited redevelopment of the Thaweewong Road promenade in Patong has hit a major snag, with only 30% of the work completed, well past its deadline and with no firm end date in sight.
Kittisak Morasilp, Director of Patong Municipality’s Engineering Division, confirmed the delay.
“Progress is only about 30%. The company has fallen behind schedule and penalties were applied.”
However, he declined to reveal the exact fines imposed.
The project, part of the first phase of the so-called Patong Welcome Zone, was awarded to I&P Joint Venture under a 42 million baht contract. The 300-day construction period officially began on July 24 last year, with completion expected by May 21 this year. Despite this, a significant portion of the work remains unfinished.
“The first instalment of the 42 million baht contract has already been paid to the company, although the payment schedule was adjusted after the contract was signed. The contractor has not abandoned the site and is being fined for delays. However, I cannot say when the work will be finished.”
The scope of the project includes a 950-metre stretch from Coral Beach Bridge to Soi Mor Watthana, with upgrades such as a new footpath, parking areas, a beachfront sculpture, and dedicated outdoor performance and recreation spaces.
Weerawit Kruesombat, President of the Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA) and also President of the Patong Municipality Council, said delays like this are not new for local projects.
“Local government agencies always faced the same issue: contractors who lack competence or abandon projects.
“This project is different. The contractor has not left in any way – they found issues during construction that required time to fix. We have continued with the same company and fined them for the delay. At least they didn’t run away.”
Weerawit said the redesigned promenade is intended to bring much-needed order to Patong’s famously hectic beachfront.
“The goal is to improve parking, accessibility, and organisation, while creating a more functional and attractive walkway.”
Patong Mayor Lalita Maneesri has been actively inspecting the site and holding discussions with local businesses and residents to address ongoing issues and push the project forward, reported The Phuket News.
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