The news came at a press conference at Patong Municipality offices yesterday (Dec 29), where Mayor Chalermluck was joined by Kittimaet Kornphatsawat, Director of the Provincial Electricity Authority’s Special Project Management Construction and Management Division.
Mayor Chalermluck explained that the municipality has been unable to move ahead with resurfacing the road, officially named Thaweewong Rd, as workers have repeatedly needed to access the new cables installed underground to make final adjustments and conduct tests on the cables.
While Mayor Chalermluck admitted that the state of the road had made it “inconvenient”, for many people who drive along the road the hazards are just plain dangerous.
That problem will soon be resolved, “as the electrical authorities have pledged that this operation will be completed in January 2021,” Mayor Chalermluck said.
After the new power and communications cables are brought online, the power poles and cables that now line the side of the road will be removed in an operation that is hoped to be completed by sometime in June, she said.
“As soon as the municipality has received confirmation from the Electricity Authority that no more traffic surfaces will be opened, the municipality will hurry to finish the new road surface by February. If we can find a contractor,” said Ms Chalermluck.
In a statement of assurance, Mr Kittimet said that PEA workers were conducting final tests on the cables installed underground.
“This work should be completed by January [sic], after which workers will start removing the cables from along the side of the road. This part will be completed first before Songkran,” he said.
“Then after Songkran It will take about a month and a half to two months to dismantle all the power poles,” he added.
“This will result in a beautiful landscape in line with the objectives of both agencies, the Provincial Electricity Authority and Patong Municipality,” Mr Kittimet said.
The project to install the power and communications cables underground stretches from the bridge at the southern end of Patong beach all the way to Loma Circle at the northern end.
The project is being funded by a budget of B213,640,647 provided by Patong Municipality supported by a budget of B60,365,957 provided by the Provincial Electricity Authority.