Unsafe Karon stadium in Thailand dismantled for community redevelopment

The demolition of the Karon Stadium, a prominent structure at the southern end of Karon Beach for the past 28 years, is currently in progress. The Phuket Provincial Public Works Department declared the arena, officially known as the Thet Phra Kiat Nawamin Sports Stadium, unsafe to use, prompting this move, according to Karon’s Mayor, Jadet Wicharasorn.

The stadium had been out of use for approximately six to seven years prior to the decision, Jadet stated.

Jadet further explained that the stands have not been used for a long time and are in a dilapidated condition.

“Therefore, it was deemed appropriate to order its demolition.”

The demolition process kicked off on October 1 under the supervision of Hat Yai Demolition Limited Partnership. The company, which won the procurement contract with a bid of just 0.01 baht, is expected to complete the project by October 31.

As part of the contractual obligation, a deposit of 50,000 baht was required, along with a penalty of 10,000 baht for each day the work remained incomplete.

Jadet revealed that the company will take the rebar from the demolition and sell it at auction.

“Post-demolition, the area will be redeveloped for community use.”

The Karon Stadium, built in 1995, was initially an active sports and exercise venue for the local community and hosted various significant events in the Karon area. However, it gradually fell into disuse.

To discuss further developmental plans for the site, Karon Municipality will hold a public hearing with residents on October 16.

Safety measures are in place to prevent debris from the demolition from falling onto the footpath along the Karon Beach Road (Patak Road), reported The Phuket News.

Despite these precautions, pedestrians and motorists are cautioned to be careful while passing the stadium site, and people may prefer to avoid the area, Karon Municipality noted.

In related news, a luxurious Thai-styled house that was built over a public canal was being set to be demolished. The property owners claimed that if they knew about the public canal encroachment, they would not have bought the house in the first place.

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