The meeting, held at Phuket City Police Station, was led by was Phuket City Police Chief Pol Col Chatree Chueakaew and Pol Lt Col Pawina Chumrit, Chief of the Phuket City Police Traffic Division.
Also in attendance was Phuket MP Chalermpong Sangdee, subdistrict leaders and village headmen (Kamnan and Phu Yai Baan), and representatives from the Koh Kaew Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor).
The objective was to review ongoing efforts and formalise a traffic management plan that could be used as a long-term guideline to improve road safety and ease daily gridlock in the area.
The initiative follows a recent collaboration between the Phuket Highways District and Phuket City Police, who introduced a trial system in early July. Changes included repainting footpath edges in red and white to clearly mark no-parking zones, and adjusting lane markings to allow for two straight-going traffic lanes where safe, said an official report of the meeting.
According to authorities, these early measures have already made a noticeable impact, with traffic now flowing more smoothly during peak hours.
“We’ve seen clear improvement during the test run, especially in terms of lane discipline and reduced bottlenecks,” said Pol Col Chatree.
New U-turn and Crossing Plans
At the meeting, officials confirmed the introduction of a controlled U-turn period during rush hours ‒ between 7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm ‒ as part of the revised traffic flow system.
Police will be stationed at the intersection during these times to manage traffic and assist pedestrians in crossing safely.
Additionally, the Phuket Highways Department has been requested to expedite the installation of zebra crossings and speed bumps in key areas. These are expected to improve pedestrian safety, especially during school and work commute hours.
Located north of Phuket Town, the Koh Kaew Intersection has long been a source of frustration for commuters. The area serves as a key junction connecting residential neighbourhoods, local schools and access roads to major commercial zones.
Heavy congestion is particularly common during school drop-off and pick-up hours, as well as during the evening commute.
Efforts to reduce congestion have previously stalled due to overlapping jurisdictions and a lack of cohesive planning.