Former Phuket Democrat MP Raywat Areerob together with Chalong Mayor Samran Jindaphol met with Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong at Governor House in Phuket Town to file a compliant about the ongoing delays in construction of the much-awaited Chalong Underpass.
Mr Raywat said, “The Highways Department provided a budget of over B546 million to construct the Chalong Underpass. The contract was signed on July 27, 2015. The contract started on July 28, 2015 with work set to be complete on Sept 14, 2017, a total of 780 days.
“Construction started more than 14 months late due to problems various problem the constructors said they encountered.
“The Highways Department paid all expropriation costs for land at the construction site and they completed the handover of the land on around Jan 15, 2018,” Mr Raywat explained.
“Since construction started Rawai Municipality have received numerous complaints from residents and business operators about traffic jams at the construction site.
“In a meeting on Dec 26 last year, it was said that construction was to be complete by April 2019.
“However, road users who pass the construction area to reach Chalong Circle, Rawai, Kata, Karon, Chalong Bay and other areas in the south of Phuket do not believe construction will be finished by April 2019.
“The late construction will affect the island’s tourism economy, so we have handed this notice to the Phuket Governor to ask exactly what date construction will be finished.
“It is also to help push construction to be finished as soon as possible,” Mr Raewat added.
In response to receiving the complaint, Gov Norraphat said, “We will contact relevant offices to find a solution in order to solve problem as soon as possible.”