Phuket road closure: Temporary shutdown for flood-prevention works disrupts traffic
Police have released a map indicating alternative routes to help reduce traffic disruptions after the temporary closure of a 1-kilometre stretch of road for flood prevention works in Patong.
The section affected from Soi Banzaan to Soi Nanai Ruamjai (Soi Nanai 8) has been closed since Tuesday. The road closure was originally scheduled until August 26, although recent notices from police suggest alternative routes should be followed until only July 5, without further clarification.
The escalation of the Phuket road closure was aimed at facilitating the construction of a “sand trap (SP1)” near the wastewater treatment plant, as explained by the police in their initial announcement. This construction work is part of the flood-prevention system devised by the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning. The project, with a budget of around US$222 million, was started in 2016 and has not been completed to date, reported The Phuket News.
The latest notice from Patong Police presents an alternative route for southbound traffic approaching the closed section of the road. They recommend turning left onto Soi Banzaan, then right onto Nanai Road, and continuing southbound. For traffic entering Patong from the south, either turning left or right at the roundabout at the southern end of the town would help avoid the affected area.
In addition, northbound traffic can take Prachanukroh Road to continue north, along Thaweewong Road (the Patong Beach road), or alternatively, turn right and continue north along Nanai Road, then turn left onto Soi Banzaan, and then take a right back onto Phra Metta Road to continue northbound travel.
This temporary Phuket road closure has raised concerns regarding the impact on businesses situated along the affected section of the road. However, some hotels and guesthouses along the west side of Phra Metta Road may see the new alternative routes as a blessing.
Business owners along that section of the road have faced challenges due to street access restrictions, increased crime in the area, and the absence of streetlights, for which Patong Municipality has received the blame.
