The news follows the office already installing barrier posts to stop motorists making illegal u-turns near the northern entrance to the Darasamut Underpass earlier this month. (See story here)
The small section of road now needing the barriers is a break in the median in front of Phuket International Hospital. The gap originally allowed emergency vehicles quickly access to the hospital, but was blocked with concrete blocks when construction of the new drainage system along that section of the bypass road began.
The Highways Office, when told of the illegal u-turns by The Phuket News, said they were unaware that one of the concrete blocks had been removed and that motorists were now using the gap to make u-turns.
Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Lueduanghad told The Phuket News on Saturday (Oct 24), “I thought that when Wichit police blocked the u-turn with concrete blocks that would be sufficient to stop people from making u-turns there and that they would force to use the correct u-turn at Central Festival Phuket.
“I will let the police know and ask them to block the u-turn again. Hopefully this will be done on Monday (Oct 26) before anybody has an accident.”
However, as of yesterday morning (Oct 29) motorists were still making illegal u-turns on the busy road.
Wichit Police Chief Col Kitipong Klaikaew told The Phuket News yesterday, “I asked the Highways Office on Tuesday (Oct 27) for suitable materials to block the u-turn. However, at present they don’t have anything big or heavy enough.
“Some people just don’t care about the danger they and others face when they make illegal u-turns. They need to stop and follow the law. Any motorists caught making illegal u-turns there will face a fine of between B400 and B1,000,” he added.
Chalermpon Wongkietkun, the project engineer overseeing the drain construction close to the u-turn, said that once the drain construction has been completed, the u-turn will once again be accessible for emergency or other vehicles turning right onto the hospital’s grounds.
However, he added that he was not sure if it would be possible to stop motorists from making u-turns there and said that it will be down to the Highways Office and Traffic Police to find a solution.
Meanwhile, Phuket Highways Office Director Mr Samak also told The Phuket News today that the issue of motorists making illegal u-turns where the new plastic road barriers have been installed at the southbound entrance to the Darasamuth underpass has taken a new twist.
Police are currently looking for an officer who was captured on camera at the exact spot where police have been stopping people and warning them against making the illegal u-turn.
A driver took a photo of the officer making the u-turn. The photo was later posted on the Phuket People’s Community Voice Facebook page (click here).