According to procurement records, the Phuket Highway Office awarded the contract to Better World Traffic Co Ltd as the lowest qualified bidder on Sept 26. The total contract value is B48,412,000, and includes B120,000 for control room data systems and B720,000 for electrical connections and equipment.
“Many people’s concerns about the high cost of the project stem from technical reasons that are far more complex than simply replacing light bulbs,” he said.
Mr Somkit explained that the old systems had been repeatedly damaged or stolen, requiring a complete overhaul.
“The new lighting system isn’t just ordinary household lighting,” he said. “All the wiring had to be rewired to maintain centerline lighting. There’s also a switching system to prevent malfunctions, as the old system operated 24/7, causing problems.”
The new designs will use 500-watt high-power LED, each costing tens of thousands of baht, Mr Somkit said.
The government procurement contract allocated B28,800 for each LED light inside the tunnel. With a total of 94 LED lights to be installed in the underpasses, the total cost of just the lights amounts to just over B2.7 million.
Yet Mr Somkit stressed that the cost of each LED light is justified. ‘They are not the same as the cheap ones you can buy online,” he said. Current base prices for 500W LED lights sold online start at about B499 each.
Mr Somkit explained that the brightness of each LED light can be adjusted individually, with Wichit Police having full control remotely.
“The system is supported by a new wiring network to maintain consistent visibility. The system also includes automatic switching and real-time alerts to the control room in case of malfunctions,” he said.
The aim is to have low brightness at the entrance and exit of each underpass, and brighter lights in the middle of the tunnel. “This will improve visibility, which will reduce accidents,” he said.
However, while Mr Somkit says the aim is to have individual control of the brightness of each light, the procurement contract accounts for a series of LED lights of differing brightness that will achieve the same effect.
The contract accounts for 38 250W LED lights in each tunnel, with the each light costing B11,250 (total B2,137,500); a further 28 150W LED lights in each tunnel costing 8,460 each (total B1,184,400); and yet another 149 75W LED lights in each tunnel costing 7,920 each (total B5,900,400).
Further, a new LED billboard costing B200,000 each will be installed at the entrance to each tunnel, costing a total of B1.6mn. The billboards include ‘smart features’, and are called ‘Variable Message Signs’ (VMS), Mr Somkit explained.
and integrated camera systems that allow police to monitor vehicle speeds, scan license plates and control multiple intersections remotely from the control room.
AI systems will further support real-time traffic and crime management.
A total of 14 AI CCTV camera units also will be installed, costing a total of B2,112,488, and five units of the software required for the cameras will cost a total of B250,000, he added.
“The underpasses in Phuket need to be modernised, but some people think it’s just the lights that need replacing, bit that’s not true” Mr Somkit said flatly.