Tourism News

Tourism News Phuketwan Tourism News
facebook recommendations

NEWS ALERTS

Sign up now for our News Alert emails and the latest breaking news plus new features.

Click to subscribe

Existing subscribers can unsubscribe here

RSS FEEDS

Phuket Landslides: Are We Saying Goodbye to the Patong Hill Road?

Phuket Landslides: Are We Saying Goodbye to the Patong Hill Road?

Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Today's Updating Report

PHUKET: A reader sent this photograph to Phuketwan today that makes the road over Patong Hill look as though it is heading for the bottom of the hill.

Another reader, on the way to Kamala, sent the message: ''The road 200m past patong hill temple has completely gone. Fallen down the mountain.''

However, telephone calls to the Phuket Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation failed to produce any kind of alarm.

Perhaps they haven't seen it.

Well, here it is. Or here it was.

Latest UPDATE


The truth is, we learned after a couple more phone calls, that nobody can say for certain whether the Patong Hill road will disappear or not.

There are serious concerns for its future if more heavy rain falls.

While the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation has been warning Phuket about the potential for landslips and slides, the Patong Hill road is not their responsibility..

The ascent from Kathu on the Phuket City side is the responsibility of the tessaban Kathu council to maintain. Beyond the temple it becomes the responsibility of the Roads Department.

Today's dramatic slide is in the Roads Department territory. But there has already been one other earlier slide lower down, in the council's territory.

Kathu council admit they need to change the powerline going up the hill from the temple side of the ascending road to the other side of the road. The likelihood of losing more poles is too great.

But no work can be carried out until after dry weather arrives, in case there are more landslides.

The Phuket Governor, Tri Augkaradacha, has already announced that the Phuket Province emergency fund will cover the cost of urgent repairs.

But major repairs cannot be carried out until authorities are certain that more rain is not on the way.

All the authorities would like to warn motorists going over the hill - the main artery that links Patong with Phuket City and the real world - to be careful. It's dangerous.

Phuketwan thank the readers who alerted us to the crisis and particularly the person who sent the dramatic photo.

We hope there is no need for further alarm, and that dry weather comes fast.

Hang in there, Patong Hill. Help is on the way.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

gravatar

It doesn't inspire confidence that the authorities had patched up the road and even laid fresh tarmac to complete the repair and the next day it all goes down.

Posted by soupdragon on October 19, 2011 14:06

gravatar

I think the Dragon is shaking it's back and doing some affirmative reclaiming. Make sure you are not driving on the next piece of road that goes down the hill? Keep us updated with photos, thank you PW for telling the truth and not sticking your head in the mud/road slides.

Posted by Robin on October 19, 2011 14:07

gravatar

Is that a cement mixer coming up behind? It wouldn't surprise me.

Posted by Sam W on October 19, 2011 14:36

gravatar

I for one hope that Patong becomes completely cut off from the rest of Phuket. This will keep the undesirable louts of Patong (farang and Thai alike) from infecting the rest of this beautiful island with their tattoos, drugs, sexual perversions and alcoholism. Those stranded in Patong can take a ship to Pattaya where they fit in more. Give Phuket back to the quality tourists with class.

Posted by Horatio on October 19, 2011 15:11

gravatar

Unbelievable... The road should be closed ASAP for (at least) heavy vehicles until true experts assess the current foundations.

Posted by Mr. K on October 19, 2011 15:40

gravatar

@ Haratio, i take offence at your comment, i have tattoos but a) i'm by no means undesirable and b) i'm not a lout. Don't tar everyone with the same brush, one day it could get you into trouble. And by "giving Phuket back to the quality tourists with class" do you mean backpackers who were the original visitors to Phuket.

Posted by phuket madness on October 19, 2011 16:55

gravatar

man oh man...if this road is forced to shut down, can you imagine the chaos this will cause...and especially with the high season upon us

Posted by sky on October 19, 2011 16:59

gravatar

Horatio as a resident of Patong and not fitting any of your stereotypes I take offence at your post. There are people fitting the bill you described all over the island - the days of it being a high end tourist attraction are far behind us.

If you regard arrogant attitudes such as yours as 'quality' I suggest you take a good look in the mirror.

Now back to the story - at this rate we won't need a tunnel!!

Posted by Mister Ree on October 19, 2011 17:39

gravatar

Look on the bright side of things, if the road does go bang, then it will just be increased traffic from Karon area and through Surin and Kamala. So what? Make a plan and find a solution. Mother nature is not going to wait for man. You think it is bad now, wait for the year of the Water Dragon on the 23rd Jan 2012, then we can watch the dolls dance.

Posted by Dun on October 19, 2011 18:41

gravatar

Looks like the Phuketwan reader who supplied the photo is also a Phuket Gazette reader.

Posted by Eric on October 19, 2011 20:05

Editor Comment:

A person reads two Phuket sites! Eric notices!

gravatar

The hill is obviously collapsing. Can we not just place some dynamite in strategically chosen areas and by so doing accelerate nature's inevitable course, flatten the whole thing and then after a few weeks of steamrolling to make it totally flat the entire journey across the island will become a lot safer forever because the non-existent hill will no longer pose a problem to traffic. We need a feasibility study on this as a matter of urgency.

Posted by Civil Engineer on October 19, 2011 20:15

gravatar

I'm living in Phuket since 18 years now. Everything is going worth and worth. Thais are like kids. Now one is responsible. This is the result of endemic corruption. too much is too much. It's time to leave.... Goog luck Thailand

Posted by Fred on October 19, 2011 20:18

gravatar

No cement. No poles. No drainage.. How this road can support the heavy rain with a passage of many heavy truck full of cement, bricks or iron? Because, believe me, if anything very heavy never pass on the road, it can last much longer. And now who will repair the road? The same company that, with their trucks, have destroyed it. For sure they won't pay the bill..

Posted by Dave on October 19, 2011 20:40

gravatar

An ovation to: Civil Engineer, Fred and Dave.. In only 3 email they have said so many things true that everyone can have I nice shot to understand the present condition of Phuket and so many things that any authority will never do.. Too much clever..

Posted by Richard on October 19, 2011 21:05

gravatar

Another big landslide on the Bypass Road at the new Japanese restaurant and the Big Bike Dealership that had the Hayabusa Sign outside. Beware Bypass road is next for a sinkhole?

Posted by Dun on October 19, 2011 22:22

gravatar

I have noticed that Fred, Dave and Richard are all the same person. Same style of broken English in all 3 posts. If you're going to post anonymously, please don't use an Anglo-Saxon name when your grammar and spelling clearly show that English is not your native language. Thanks.

Posted by Graham on October 19, 2011 22:56

gravatar

@Horatio: Somehow your comment suggests you are living in Bangla Road for a few years already...

Posted by Fritz Pinguin on October 19, 2011 23:49

gravatar

If this road goes, its like a heart attack for Phuket. Coronary surgery is needed, put in some stints.

Think about the diverted heavy traffic destroying all the other tiny roads to Patong in no time. Not to speak of the traffic congestion and new tuk-tuk fares.

Posted by Lena on October 20, 2011 01:39

gravatar

Horatio says, 'Give Phuket back to the quality tourists with class.' I've got news for you Horatio. Along with the so-called 'quality tourists', Phuket has been hosting louts since its early days of tourism. Perhaps your nostalgia comes with a free pair of rose colored glasses.

Posted by Ping on October 20, 2011 11:54

gravatar

It would be a good thing if they just decide to abandon this road altogether. Let the hill go back to nature how it should be. The main road should lead along the coast from Kamala - Patong - Kata - Chalong - Muang Phuket - Airport. In fact I have heard strong rumours that a Korean company is going to build a high-speed rail network or that a Chinese company will construct a high-tech maglev train such as the one linking Shanghai airport to the city. That is capable of speeds up to 450 km/h. Would be a great thing if they cut the travel time from Patong to Chalong down to 4-6 minutes or so. Of course, such a system will come at a cost but one that Phuket as by far the richest province of Thailand can easily afford. Such a system would make Phuket the no. 1 tourist resort in the world.

Posted by Weerakul Kittiporn on October 20, 2011 21:46

gravatar

Dear Graham, I notice that you noticed wrong. I apologize for my "broken English", even if my name would be David or Dawid or Davide or Davud.
The name, Anglo-Saxon or not, means nothing..

Posted by Dave on October 20, 2011 22:54


Friday March 29, 2024
Horizon Karon Beach Resort & Spa

FOLLOW PHUKETWAN

Facebook Twitter