It is unlikely to go ahead for at least five years, Samak Lueduanghad, Director of the Provincial Highways Department, added.
The concept was first proposed in 2009 by the then-Governor of Phuket, Wichai Praisa-Ngob, and is “still under study” Mr Samak said.
If built, he explained, the four-lane road will start from Road 4030 [the airport road], go through Baan Don, across the Heroines-Cherng Talay road near Baan Manik and then intersect with the bypass road.
“We need to study it very carefully because it will pass some historical sites. According to the law, any highway must be at least two kilometres from such sites.
“We are currently carrying out a feasibility study and at the same time working on the environmental impact assessment (EIA). I believe the study will finish by 2020 and it will take two or three years to construct.”
The cost of the project, if it goes ahead, is currently estimated at B9 billion – B3 billion for construction and B6 billion for land acquisition.