The 2nd/2025 Land Traffic Management Subcommittee Meeting, chaired by Phuket Vice Governor Samawit Suphanphai, was held at Phuket Provincial Hall and linked via Zoom with the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) and other agencies.
The session focused on tracking project updates, solving bottlenecks and setting guidelines for the development of Phuket’s transport network, said an official report of the meeting.
Vice Governor Samawit reminded the meeting of instructions given at the national Land Traffic Management Committee Meeting in April, when Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit urged Phuket and related agencies to fast-track measures to improve traffic efficiency in both the short and long term. High priority was again placed on expediting the long-delayed Phuket Mass Transit System, the report said.
Updates on key projects under review included:
* Phuket Mass Transit System (Phase 1): Covering the route from Phuket International Airport to Chalong Intersection, this project by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) has already undergone feasibility and cost-effectiveness studies. The Ministry of Transport has ordered the Department of Highways to complete works on Route 4027 first to reduce disruption, after which MRTA construction will proceed.
* Tha Noon – Phuket Airport Double-Track Railway: The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has completed a feasibility study and initial environmental assessment for a railway connection from Phang Nga’s Tha Noon subdistrict to Phuket International Airport. The project, part of the wider Surat Thani–Phang Nga–Tha Noon line, aims to boost tourism, improve passenger travel, and ease road congestion.
* Kathu–Patong Expressway (Phase 1): A 3.98km expressway project by the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) currently awaits Cabinet approval. Phase 2 of the Muang Mai–Koh Kaew–Kathu Expressway (30.62km) is also under environmental review and investment study.
* Highway expansions: The Department of Highways reported progress on several widening projects:
- Route 4027 (4.55km, Baan Para–Baan Muang Mai), now in contractor selection.
- Route 4026 (1.95km to Phuket Airport), pending permission for use of mangrove land.
- A new B20 million feasibility study for a highway linking Baan Pa Khlok to Baan Bang Khu, designed to bypass the Heroines’ Monument, Koh Kaew and Bang Khu intersections, and connect with the bypass road.
* Elevated intersection project (Routes 402 & 4027): Plans for a new flyover to ease congestion on the island’s busiest north-south artery have been postponed, though private sector representatives urged its continuation.
The meeting also resolved to move ahead with solutions at the congested Thalang (Baan Khian) intersection, the official report noted.
In addition, OTP presented an ongoing study analysing public transport travel data in major urban areas, including Phuket, to better inform future planning.
Vice Governor Samawit emphasised that while studies and proposals were advancing, delays in approvals, land issues and coordination among agencies remained key obstacles.
“These projects are essential for the safety, convenience and long-term economic growth of Phuket,” he said.