Buses, trucks allowed down Patong Hill

The opening of the road down the hill to limited large vehicles with no more than 10 wheels came into effect at 10am today (Dec 8).

Present at the meeting held at the site of the landslide site on the hill were Patong Mayor Chalermsak Maneesri, Kathu Mayor Chai-anan Sutthikul, Kathu District Chief Siwat Rawarangkul and the superintendents of Patong and Kathu Police Stations.

“The contractor had improved and repaired the area by compacting the soil and rocks at the same level as the road surface, as well as solving other problems in accordance with the established plan The area is therefore safe and strong to a certain extent that large vehicles can use the way,” said an official report of the meeting.

“However, the traffic lanes on the way up [the hill] from Kathu to Patong cannot be widened  because that area is still under construction,” the report added.

A further concern about larger vehicles being allowed up the hill, from Kathu to Patong, was that larger vehicles that had “limitations in power efficiency” could encounter problems climbing up the hill, and cause “more safety and traffic problems”, the report noted.

The repairs are on schedule to be completed by the target date Dec 25, said the report.

Larger vehicles will be allowed up the hill only after sufficient repairs to the landslide site and the road had been made, officials assured.

Until then, as is currently allowed, only motorbikes and “small vehicles” ‒ cars, pickups and passenger vans ‒ will be allowed to continue travelling up the hill towards Patong, the report concluded.