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Holey Hill! Phuket's Road to Patong Springs a Canyon
By Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian Wednesday, August 22, 2012
PHUKET: This is the new hole on the road across Patong Hill that emerged today in the wake of a severe downpour on Phuket.
The hill road runs between Phuket City and Patong on the west coast and is perhaps only slightly less important than Phuket's north-south Thepkasattri Road artery, which links Phuket City and most of southern and central Phuket to Phuket International Airport.
Both key pieces of infrastructure were hammered today by a storm of severe proportions that dumped huge amounts of rain on the island overnight.
Flooding and almost complete traffic chaos followed, with meteorology officials forecasting that more rain could yet come.
Canals and drains were unable to pump water quickly into the sea off Phuket City on the east coast or Patong on the west coast because of an unusually high tide.
Late this morning, emergency authorities were struggling to cope.
It is believed many people would have missed flights because of the inadequacy of Phuket's roads in a tropical downpour.
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Comments
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I love songs, their words just sum it up. Thank you Paul Simon, " Slip sliding away, slip sliding away
You know the nearer your destination, the more you slip sliding away."
Posted by
DunB
on
August 22, 2012 10:07
Looking at the picture it must be the same location, that has been repaired about 4 times already.
Seems to be the same quality of work like on the road between Patong and Karon, especially near the entry to Centara Grand. A repair there lasts about 2 or at maximum 3 weeks. :-(
Posted by
Fritz Pinguin
on
August 22, 2012 10:15
That road is scary at the best of times, but the way it is falling apart, it will soon be little more than a goat track. The big trucks and buses can't be helping. Is there any way the Thai authorities can ban heavy traffic on that hill?
Posted by
lucky
on
August 22, 2012 10:25
Whoa !
That is one big hole and certainly not the first one.
How about fixing the road properly instead of cosmetic patch-ups like it's been the case in the past before someone gets seriously hurt or even dies ?
Naah, if it looks good, it's good enough, na khrap ?
Posted by
Andrew
on
August 22, 2012 11:17
This looks very close to where the previous hole appeared a couple of years ago and took 6 months to repair properly, or not properly as would seem to be the case
Posted by
richard
on
August 22, 2012 11:35
Seriously is anyone actually surprised by this? It's not rocket science... you're allocated X to build a road and end up with substandard construction which results in the above.
Just another day in LOS.
Posted by
Graham
on
August 22, 2012 11:58
Not sure. It looks to me like that centre bit of road opposite Absolute, where the mayor's car got stuck a while back.
Posted by
GiantFan
on
August 22, 2012 11:58
I feel another string of song words forming. Don McLean sings:- "They would not listen,they did not know how, perhaps they'll listen now." BUT!
In the final Chorus,"They would not listen, They're not listening still,Perhaps they never will."
Posted by
DunB
on
August 22, 2012 12:13
Just put some barriers out and let traffic flow as normal. No need to block the road and carry out some tests to see if the rest of its going to collapse. hehehe.
Posted by
chrisT
on
August 22, 2012 13:13
This happens, if it only gets refilled, every time, but no one is looking for the reason of the 'sinks'.
Also who is in charge, to control the 'repair' services, on Phuket roads? Almost every repaired piece of road, on the west coast need to be repaired, after 2 weeks, again!
Amazing Thailand, road-constructors still get paid!
Posted by
???
on
August 22, 2012 13:20
@lucky
"Is there any way the Thai authorities can ban heavy traffic on that hill?"
Only with the tunnel, I think!
Posted by
???
on
August 22, 2012 13:24
Yes i was one of those missing flights. Get to the airport early as many roads are full of cars and water is everywhere :(
Posted by
Jaye
on
August 22, 2012 13:31
A thirsty monkey can use a stone to break a coconut shell getting the juice out. If the monkey becomes sick and you give her a mobile phone, she will still use the phone to break the coconut instead of calling the doctor... does anyone see any similarity in here ?:-)
Posted by
paul
on
August 22, 2012 13:33
B 5 million to 'repair' this bit of road the other year, 2 of the extra sewer pipes were left behind. At least K Pian was on hand this morning supervising the rescue mission and helping to direct traffic- maybe (hopefully, realistically?) it will be done right this time when people can't get to Patong and the cash cow dries up (unlike the stream). At least no one tumbled into it.
Posted by
Mister Ree
on
August 22, 2012 13:48
If this is what happens to a road on the side of a hill, what will happen when they build a tunnel under the hill? Looking at other stories & websites & the degree of flooding, with blame being attached to blocked drains & sewers, could we realistically expect the tunnel to remain dry, or will it become another flooding disaster?
Posted by
Logic
on
August 22, 2012 14:09
Talking about badly build roads or taxis is quite useless. Talking about those who should uphold the law and ensure the law is respected might help.
Political compromises are not part of the law. Otherwise the law is what it is in Phuket, a big joke!!
Posted by
wolf
on
August 22, 2012 14:10
@ Logic
"what will happen when they build a tunnel under the hill?"
Don't need to wait for the hill tunnel. Actually, I hope it will not have water curtains at the portals.
But imagine: What could have happened, today, if we already had the Tunnel on the road to the airport?
Posted by
???
on
August 22, 2012 22:24
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I love songs, their words just sum it up. Thank you Paul Simon, " Slip sliding away, slip sliding away
You know the nearer your destination, the more you slip sliding away."
Posted by DunB on August 22, 2012 10:07