The project, awarded to Phuket-based Thawatchai Civil Limited Partnership, was scheduled to take just 90 days after work began in July 2025, with completion due by the end of October. Instead, work is now expected to finish around 10 months behind schedule.
Mr Winai confirmed the contractor has been liable for contractual penalties of B20,000 a day since the original contract period expired.
However, he declined to explain exactly how many penalty days had been waived, despite estimating the remaining fine at “almost B3 million”.
If penalties had been applied continuously from the original completion deadline, they would now total more than B5 million.
Mr Winai said the contractor had been granted relief for delays caused by factors beyond its control, including objections from local residents and businesses, utility works carried out by other government agencies and prolonged wet weather.
He said work was initially disrupted after residents and business operators objected to road excavation shortly after construction began in July last year, citing traffic disruption and construction noise.
The objections continued for almost a month before the matter was referred to the provincial administration in August 2025, when then-Governor Sophon Suwannarat ruled that the project should proceed.
Further delays followed while water and electricity authorities carried out underground pipe and power-line works, Mr Winai said.
The contractor had also cited delays in transporting construction materials due to fuel transportation disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East, together with rising rubber prices and increased transportation costs, he added.
Despite repeated enquiries by The Phuket News, the Highways Office has yet to explain how long each of those delays lasted or how many days of contractual penalties were waived as a result.
Mr Winai said the carriageway itself has now been completed, with only about 200 metres of the raised central divider still to be constructed.
However, motorists continue to face lengthy traffic queues at the Chao Fa West-Khwang Road intersection, even outside peak hours.
The Highways Office has also yet to explain whether any changes will be made to the traffic-light sequencing once the new median is complete, or whether it intends to address ongoing concerns over the difficult and potentially hazardous exit from Soi Ta-iad onto Chao Fa West Rd.