Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Sinlert Sukhum was tasked with delivering an update on Phuket’s traffic issues to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra during her visit to Phuket earlier this month.
Maj Gen Sinlert Sukhum explained to the PM the heavy traffic situation in many areas across the island, and proposed introducing AI technology for traffic lights control to help ease the long tailbacks that have become the norm in Phuket.
An ‘Adaptive Traffic Control System’ (ATC) has already been rolled out in Bangkok, where the technology was deployed at 50 locations throughout the capital, for decades well known worldwide for its historic traffic jams.
The ATC adapts to real-time traffic patterns to optimise the traffic flow by changing the timing of traffic light changes in line with traffic demands. The system is dynamic, and constantly adjusting to accommodate traffic. The new system was last week touted to have overall travel time along the ATC routes by 25%.
Maj Gen Sinlert told The Phuket News that PM Paetongtarn agreed ‘in principle’ to bringing the ATC system to Phuket.
The next step is for an official plan, and budget request, to be drafted, Maj Gen Sinlert said.
JAMMED
“The main issue is too many cars, too few roads, and a lack of coordinated infrastructure planning," said Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Pol Col Phatsakorn Sonthikun.
Pol Col Phatsakorn’s simple, obvious yet finally admitted in public assessment comes as Phuket starts to return to “normal traffic jams” after a heavy New Year peak tourism peak period.
In one of the worst-affected areas on the island, in Bang Tao, Cherng Talay, a traffic congestion nightmare saw one resident take 1.5 hours to travel just three kilometres.
That was before the ‘Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Thailand 2025’ held over three days last weekend brought at least another 26,000 people to the area.
Cherng Talay Police deployed more than 250 officers to try to ease traffic congestion. Some officials praised their efforts, yet days before the EDC Cherng Talay Police warned motorists to avoid specific roads leading to the music festival site, at Boat Avenue Lakefront ‒ and warned tourists not attending the EDC to avoid the area altogether.
In Patong, residents complained to The Phuket News that at the height of the peak season it took them one hour to travel from one end of Patong to the other.
Meanwhile, dumbfounding traffic snarls have also become commonplace for local residents nowhere near tourist areas. Morning peak hour traffic northbound along the bypass road sees traffic backed up at least a kilometre each morning, and that is before the northbound motorists join the long tailback to the Koh Kaew Intersection, which immediately joins onto the traffic tailback heading towards the Heroines Monument.
Evening rush hour southbound along Chao Fa East Rd past Dowroong Wittaya School is jammed every week night, and long tailbacks are common at other major intersections, including the Khao Lan Intersection in Thalang, and as always at Chalong Circle in the south.
SPLATTER PLAN
Pol Col Phatsakorn noted that different areas were trying different tactics to try to alleviate traffic jams. “Police chiefs across various districts have been directed to enhance enforcement and trial new traffic management systems,” he said.
“The first phase focuses on clearing Route 402 (Thepkrasattri Rd), which faces significant congestion from Bang Khu to Thalang. Traffic along Route 402 typically peaks between 4pm and 8pm.
“New U-turn points modeled on the system near Thai Watsadu are set to improve traffic flow, reducing reliance on traffic lights. We plan to create five new U-turns… But even with traffic lights at Koh Kaew and Khao Lan intersections turned off, public concerns about U-turn safety necessitate additional measures,” he explained.
“In addition to immediate fixes like closing unnecessary traffic lights and introducing U-turn cones, future plans include one-way systems and road network expansion,” he added.
Pol Col Phatsakorn specifically urged Cherng Talay Municipality to speed up road construction projects, stressing the need for “prompt cooperation”.
“Cherng Talay’s ongoing road construction on Soi 14 and 16 has added to congestion,” Pol Col Phatsakorn said.
“Even when people take a different route to avoid the area, they just add to the traffic in Patong and Kamala, and spill over to the bypass road and create jams extending as far as Siam Niramit,” he added.
Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor) Chief Manoch Phanchalad said that his office had a “critical long-term plan” to build a road from Laguna to Cherng Talay Soi 14.
“We have set a budget of B64 million to expand the road surface, but it has to be done on a drainage canal, which requires permission from the relevant agencies, with which we are currently coordinating. We intend to expand the road surface in March to allow some more cars to pass through,” Mr Manoch explained.
“Another route that is expected to be expanded is the route in front of the OrBorTor offices to Wat Cherng Talay, but it is still under consideration because it is private land,” he added.
looking at other areas, Pol Col Phatsakorn revealed that plans were afoot to make Soi Sunrise one way from Chalong Circle to Chalong Pier. “We will make it one-way, allowing vehicles to go straight in without exiting the same way, as there are other available exits,” he said.
“Also, turning off traffic lights, particularly along Chao Fa East and West Roads, could significantly ease congestion,” he added.
A long-term strategy was to reduce the number of vehicles on the road during peak hours by having more buses providing transport for school kids and older students.
“The Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation [PPAO] EV buses, for instance, are under consideration for route adjustments that accommodate students, potentially reducing private vehicle usage,” Pol Col Phatsakorn said.
“I have suggested that PPAO consider changing the EV bus routes to better suit residents’ needs,” he added.
PATONG CAN WAIT
“Patong remains a significant challenge,” Pol Col Phatsakorn admitted. “Traffic from Karon, Kamala and Kathu adds to the congestion on the already narrow roads.
“The intersection near Soi Bangla often becomes choked because of many people walking on the street. Patong Municipality proposed to install barriers at crosswalks, but locals were opposed to the idea,” he said.
“As a result, plans to address Patong’s traffic problems have been postponed to later phases,” Pol Col Phasakon said.
MORE COMING
The traffic jams that have become part of life in Phuket are not expected to ease as the government upgraded its tourism target from 39mn foreign arrivals in 2024 to 40mn in 2025 ‒ meaning more tourists coming to Phuket..
Heading into the New Year break, Lertchai Wangtrakuldee, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office, said the island was expecting more than 230,000 visitors over just four days, from Dec 28 to Jan 1, generating an expected B8 billion for the local economy.
Mr Lertchai said this year’s income is expected to increase by 30%, rising from B388bn to B450bn, all from increased arrival numbers.
Even for the end of this month, Pattaraanong Na Chiangmai, TAT deputy governor for international marketing in Asia and South Pacific, said that Chinese tourists coming to Thailand might see a jump of at least 10% year-on-year during the Chinese New Year in the final week of January.
TAKE ACTION
Pol Col Phatsakorn also recognised the traffic congestion caused by people parking illegally alongside roads.
“If you see a taxi or car parked in the middle of the road or not following the rules, please notify the Traffic Police. We will respond immediately and enforce the rules strictly,” he said.
He urged cooperation among local residents and tourists in complying strictly with traffic rules. “Along with public input, this is key to solving Phuket’s traffic problems,” he added.