Pattaya Promises Completion of Long-Delayed Thappraya Road Contsruction by April

[Gaybutton]

Many of you, especially residents here in Pattaya, are sick and tired of the length of time it has taken for the Thappraya Road construction project to be finished. This has already been going on for nearly 5 years and now, right in the middle of high season, it's worse than ever. The city now promises everything will be complete by April. Anybody wanna bet?

 

Of course, even if they really do get the project finished by April, I can't help but wonder how long it will be until they start digging it up again. After all, don't forget that Pattaya is going to be Thailand's first city with all electrical wiring going under the ground. Nothing along the project area, or anywhere else in Pattaya for that matter, suggests that work getting that done has even started. I shudder to think what the city will go through if they ever do.

 

If you are angry and frustrated, you're not alone. The following appears in the PATTAYA MAIL:

 

http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd1

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Long-Delayed Thappraya Road Construction Angers Residents and Business Operators

 

City Assures that the Over-Budget Road Work will be Complete by April

 

by: Phasakorn Channgam

 

Construction on the Thappraya Road leading from Pattaya to Jomtien Beach and extending into Jomtien Second Road will be complete by April, Pattaya officials say, bringing an end to a long-delayed project that continues to incite bitter complaints from residents and motorists.

 

The project stretches from Bali Hai Pier along Thappraya Road turning left at the Macchanu circle into the new Jomtien 2nd Road and on to Sukhumvit Road opposite the Four Regions Floating Market.

 

Officials announced that the construction “is now 70 percent complete”, but businesses and residents affected by the dust and diggings are skeptical about the claim.

 

Said one businesses operator along the pot-holed, muddy and dusty road, “This has become a mother of all jokes. We have been suffering in these conditions for the past 4 years. Our business has dropped to almost nothing. Customers don’t bother to stop and risk breaking their limbs just to come and dine and shop in our establishments. City Hall should be ashamed of themselves. The high season has come and almost gone. We have lost the best period of our incomes.”

 

Another resident commented, “The stretch of Thappraya Road that runs for a couple of kilometres from the Third Road overpass to the beach on Jomtien has seen a road widening scheme that has been going on seemingly forever and for a period appeared to be abandoned. We have seen the traffic lights at Thepprasit junction immobilised for months by design and only recently re-introduced.

 

During this period we have witnessed countless accidents and several fatalities at the Thepprasit junction area alone.” He continued to say, “Almost every tourist visiting Pattaya will take a trip along this road at some point to visit Jomtien Beach and of course tourists on Jomtien Beach will do the reverse. What kind of impression will they get as they bounce around in the back of a baht bus that is trying its best to avoid potholes and roadwork obstacles only to arrive at an endless traffic build up at Thepprasit? I would say it could be the, “I’m not coming back”, impression.”

 

Begun in 2005 with a budget of 488 million baht, the project has faced continual delays and cost over-runs due to property owners refusing to turn over land as ordered by the government until they received more compensation. Currently 28 plots with 17 owners remain in contention and the price tag has jumped to 1.1 billion baht.

Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh remains confident, saying “the problems will be worked out and the entire project completed by April.”

 

Ronakit acknowledged that the drawn-out construction has been a source of traffic congestion, pollution and complaints for too long. He said that besides property disputes the project was delayed by digging problems, laying of water pipes in some areas and the failure of the Provincial Electrical Authority to relocate high-voltage lines from the Pratamnak Hill Junction to the Hanuman Circle.

 

“Pattaya City receives regular complaints about these issues from residents and drivers on Thappraya Road,” he said. “They consist of problems with dust, traffic jams, and the delay of project operations. However, Pattaya City once again is asking the public to forgive us for this inconvenience.”

 

Sounding very convincing, Ronakit said “At the end of February residents should see road-surface work from the Bali Hai bridge to Rompho Market around the back of the Macchanu circle completed. The 2nd road running parallel to Jomtien Beach Road between the market and Sukhumvit Road will be done by April 2010.”

[Guest lvdkeyes]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[Guest Geezer]

After all, don't forget that Pattaya is going to be Thailand's first city with all electrical wiring going under the ground. Nothing along the project area, or anywhere else in Pattaya for that matter, suggests that work getting that done has even started. I shudder to think what the city will go through if they ever do.

 

Sorry GB but you are wrong.

 

After three years of having Beach Road and it

[Guest lvdkeyes]

It's heartening to see all the wires are underground. That gives me more confidence as to what Thrappaya Rd. will look like when it's finished in April 2010.

[2lz2p]

Sounding very convincing, Ronakit said

[Gaybutton]

Never happen!

Meanwhile, I've been on that section of road a couple times within the past several days. Maybe they have a crew of invisible men and invisible machinery doing the work, but if anybody is there doing any work at all, I missed it.

[Guest Doug]

April 2011 or 2012? They never stated April of what year.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

From the first posting on this thread:

"Sounding very convincing, Ronakit said