THAILAND'S Cabinet has supported the Chalong-Patong road that would cut travel time substantially between the island's south and its west coast.
Cabinet has also agreed to the short but equally controversial road through mangroves between Saphan Hin and Sakdidet Road, in Phuket City.
Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob told a meeting today of a committee organised to investigate the Chalong-Patong connection that the project had the Government's go-ahead.
But before building can begin, the Highways Office has to ask the Forests Department and the Agriculture Land Reform Office for permission to use portions of land.
The existing road, having been carved across the hill by locals already, meant that no more trees would have to be lost, the governor said.
Once the feedback has been received, it should be possible to have the environmental impact assessment, which has already been made, revised.
The officially sanctioned documents could then be formally approved.
Construction of the road would take between six and nine months and cost 26 million, Khun Wichai said.
He said that the Forests Department had opposed the building of the proper road but had taken no action against those who carved the rough road.
''It is only through rubber plantations anyway,'' he said. ''We don't need to cut down any more trees.
''If I worked for the Forests Department, I wouldn't be seeking an increase in salary in a hurry.''
He added that Cabinet also supported the 20 million baht Saphan Hin connecting road, although that was not a subject for discussion today.
Both road routes have been resisted by environmentalists.
The existing rough road between Chalong and Patong begins near the new Phunaka golf course in Chalong and emerges near Nanai Road in Patong.
It would reduce the existing 20-kilometre journey to five kilometres.
Cabinet has also agreed to the short but equally controversial road through mangroves between Saphan Hin and Sakdidet Road, in Phuket City.
Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob told a meeting today of a committee organised to investigate the Chalong-Patong connection that the project had the Government's go-ahead.
But before building can begin, the Highways Office has to ask the Forests Department and the Agriculture Land Reform Office for permission to use portions of land.
The existing road, having been carved across the hill by locals already, meant that no more trees would have to be lost, the governor said.
Once the feedback has been received, it should be possible to have the environmental impact assessment, which has already been made, revised.
The officially sanctioned documents could then be formally approved.
Construction of the road would take between six and nine months and cost 26 million, Khun Wichai said.
He said that the Forests Department had opposed the building of the proper road but had taken no action against those who carved the rough road.
''It is only through rubber plantations anyway,'' he said. ''We don't need to cut down any more trees.
''If I worked for the Forests Department, I wouldn't be seeking an increase in salary in a hurry.''
He added that Cabinet also supported the 20 million baht Saphan Hin connecting road, although that was not a subject for discussion today.
Both road routes have been resisted by environmentalists.
The existing rough road between Chalong and Patong begins near the new Phunaka golf course in Chalong and emerges near Nanai Road in Patong.
It would reduce the existing 20-kilometre journey to five kilometres.
We can applaud loudly Phuket Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob for his tenacious job to lobbying Bangkok to get what Phuket needed desperately to make life easier for all phuketians and local businesses to cross the island.
Posted by Whistle-Blower on November 9, 2009 20:30