Phuket advances new road project to ease traffic and boost disaster resilience
The working group tasked with overseeing the proposed new road project linking Kathu and Srisoonthorn in Phuket confirmed that it will proceed with the required surveys and inspections. The group will also create maps delineating the land boundaries, thus paving the way for the road’s construction.
The working group, led by Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Pinsuwan, convened at Phuket Provincial Hall. During the meeting, they discussed strategies and measures to foster stronger cooperation between government and private sector entities via the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO). The PPAO has been designated as the key coordinating agency for the new road project.
Attending the meeting were PPAO President Rewat Areerob, Srisoonthorn Mayor Chalermpol Kerdsup, Nimit Ekwanich, Chairman of the Wichit Municipality Council, and Phuket Provincial Prosecutor Vikram Komoltri, who provided legal advice, reported The Phuket News.
Three families, represented by Sanguan Kulwanich, Kitti Saksaktawee, and Nginao Ekvanich, agreed to donate the land necessary for the new road, which will span 5.6 kilometres.
At a prior working group meeting in March, Rewat explained that the proposed road would be 12 metres wide. It will start near the Phuket Mining Museum in Kathu and traverse the island’s heartland hills, connecting with the eastern side of the Bang Neow Dam reservoir in Baan Manik, Srisoonthorn.
The primary purpose of the new road is to alleviate traffic congestion on Thepkasattri Road, the island’s central traffic artery, and provide an alternative route for those travelling to Phuket International Airport.
Announcing the proposed new road in November of the previous year, Nimit explained the private sector’s desire to expand transportation routes by establishing a new road between Kathu and Srisoonthorn to address Phuket’s significant traffic issues, which hamper tourism due to limited transportation routes.
Nimit highlighted the challenges of constructing new roads, citing limited and costly land availability and the necessity for improved mobility and traffic safety. He referred to the debilitating floods in October, when landslides cut off roads, preventing travel and causing substantial economic damage to the province.
The new road, therefore, is not only a solution to traffic congestion but also a means to enhance disaster resilience.
