Seabed drilling starts for Koh Samui bridge project
Seabed drilling started yesterday, February 10, as part of a geographical survey for a proposed bridge linking Koh Samui to mainland Surat Thani, according to Koh Samui’s Marine Office branch.
The office, under acting director Adul Ralukemul, issued an announcement to caution vessels navigating in the vicinity.
The advisory specifies the area between latitude 09°19’15.19″N and longitude 009°49’05.59″E to latitude 09°24’18.28″N and longitude 009°57’9.47″E.
Illuminated buoys have been positioned to delineate the drilling zone, which extends from Koh Samui district to Khanom district in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Vessels are advised to maintain a minimum distance of 300 metres for safety.
The drilling, anticipated to last 140 days, aims to identify an appropriate location for the Samui sea bridge, stated Surachet Laophunsuk, governor of the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT).
EXAT is also organising a public hearing to assess community interest in the bridge, which would facilitate a 40-minute car journey on the proposed four-lane structure, reported Bangkok Post.
The bridge toll is provisionally set at 700 baht (US$20) per car, which is marginally less than the 760 baht (US$22) ferry fare per person with a vehicle. The ferry trip currently requires several hours.
Last year, the hotly-debated sea bridge connecting the Thai mainland to the paradise island of Koh Samui is one step closer to reality.
The second phase of public hearings for this ambitious project kicked off in Surat Thani province on July 15 last year, setting the stage for a project that promises to revolutionise travel to one of Thailand’s most beloved holiday spots.
Set to span 37 kilometres with a jaw-dropping 25-kilometre stretch over the shimmering Gulf of Thailand, the toll bridge aims to bolster connectivity between Don Sak in Surat Thani and Khanom.
The precise endpoints of this colossal structure are pegged in Khanom district, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Taling Ngam subdistrict on Koh Samui.
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