Speaking to the Phuket News this afternoon at his mansion on Krabi Road in Phuket Town, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut was optimistic about Phuket’s short and long term infrastructure prospects.
The first good news he shared was confirmation that the final 9-metre-wide, 1.25 kilometre segment of road that branches south from Wichit Songkhram Road, near Makro in Kathu, had unofficially opened to traffic last week.
“The official grand opening of the road will be on March 25. This willl help traffic flow between Chalong and Kathu, which will no longer be required to go through the Central junction.
"The land was donated by Anupas, and I assisted in securing the budget, which was about B9 million for that particular segment,” Gov Maitri explained.
The short-cut connects Wichit Songkhram Road – from the junction located about a kilometre west of Central Festival – to Chao Fa West Road, at the junction right next to the main Honda showroom, also owned by the Hongsyok (Anupas) family.
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The Governor went on to note that the north-south lanes of the B670 million underpass under construction in front of Central Festival, are expected to be functional "after the Songkran holiday" (April 13).
“The east-west lanes should be open to traffic by October,” he said.
Gov Maitri affirmed that solving traffic problems is a top priority for the Phuket government – in the short and long term.
He then outlined several long-term (more than six years to complete), mid-term (three to five years completion) and short term (within two years) projects currently being prioritised.
Among the long term projects include developing mass-transit networks, both at the intra-provincial and inter-provincial scales; the four-lane fly-over that would connect Phuket Town with the Sakoo junction near the airport; the tunnel that would connect Kathu with Patong; an underpass at Chalong Circle and a new alternative (above ground) short-cut that would connect Patong with Karon.
Mid-term projects include the B800 million underpass at the Bang Koo intersection (next to the Toyota Showroom off the bypass road); a .78 kilometre short-cut from the Chao-Fah Suan Luang junction to Muang Chao Fah; expansion of the route from Wat Tha Reua temple in Thalang to the Tin Mine Museum in Kathu, and ultimately on to the Loch Palm Golf Course.
“The success of these projects will depend on the Phuket people being able to work together in harmony as to ensure that a proper plan can be formulated," said Gov Maitri.
"Another important factor will be the Thai government does its part to ensure that the necesarry capital can be secured so that the plans can be carried out,” he said.
Short-term priorities – already under way – include completing the Central Underpass, the Tesco Lotus Underpass, Khlong Koh Pee Road and the Airport expansion – all of which are hoped to be completed by next year, he said.
Additional reporting by Wiparatana NaThalang