The Phuket Highways Office has announced that the Bang Khu, Samkong, Darasamut and Chalong underpasses will continue to be closed nightly from 8:30pm to 6am, now through to July 31, to allow work on the long-delayed project to continue.
The closures are required to complete installation of the Smart City Remote Control and Monitoring Centre, including replacing deteriorated lighting systems, installing new electrical systems with remote outage notification, automatic licence plate recognition cameras and internet-connected variable message traffic signs.
Phuket Highways Office Chief Winai Kuemueang confirmed to The Phuket News that the contractor, Better World Traffic Co Ltd, will not receive any relief from the financial penalties for the delays.
"The contractor’s request for a waiver or reduction of the penalty has been rejected," Mr Winai said.
Under the contract, the company faces a late-completion penalty of B100,000 per day after failing to meet the contractual completion deadline of Apr 24.
Better World Traffic Co Ltd has already accumulated B8.3 million in penalty fees. If the work is finally completed by the newly announced target date of July 31, the project will have finished 98 days late, resulting in total penalties of B9.8 million.
The repeated extensions have frustrated motorists, with the latest announcement marking the seventh extension of the overnight closures as work continues on some of Phuket’s busiest roads.
The B48.412mn project, funded through the Southern Andaman Provinces Group’s 2025 budget, was originally scheduled to take 210 days to complete.
The project has faced months of delays, prompting provincial officials earlier this year to order an investigation after concerns that little work had been carried out for an extended period following the signing of the contract.
In its latest overnight closure announcement, the Phuket Highways Office apologised for the continued inconvenience and advised motorists to avoid the affected underpasses during the overnight closures and use alternative routes where possible.
The works are being supervised by Phuket Highways Office Senior Civil Engineer Sanakorn Thabthimthongsuk.
Members of the public can report damaged roads, faulty street lighting, malfunctioning traffic signals and damaged road signs to the Phuket Highways Office on 076-212179 during office hours or through the Department of Highways’ 24-hour hotline 1586.