A group of Phuket’s top government officials recently held a meeting aimed at solving Phuket’s traffic problems. Attendees at the meeting, which was held at Phuket Provincial Hall, included Phuket Provincial Administration Office President Paiboon Upattising and Phuket Vice Governor Jamroen Thipayapongthada.
The meeting was held following instructions given by the Governor for local officials to place Phuket traffic high on list of priorities, a traffic committee was formed to work out systematic plans of action and report back to the Governor. This also includes making a funding proposal to involved offices as well as creating network system with other related agencies.
The meeting took into consideration a traffic report which has been conducted by the Office of Transport Policy and Planning which concluded that the local traffic problems are based on two main factors: high amounts of circulation on the main highway connecting Phuket to other provinces (highway 402), and inferior road conditions. The report also identified problematic areas as follows:
1. Traffic hotspots in business and school areas:
Satree Phuket School intersection, Thep Kasattri Road/Chumporn Road intersection, Tung Ka/Yaowarat Road intersection, and Rajabhat University/Samkong Road.
The traffic hotspots above fall mainly on main roads used by motorists.
The traffic hotspots above most noticably at Satree Phuket School, Phuket Wittayalai School and Phuket Technical College.
2. Traffic hotspots near markets and trading areas:
Rassada Road, Dibuk Road, Thep Kasattri Road, Pang Nga Road, Ranong Road and Yaowarat Road.
3. Most critical areas that need urgent measures:
Ta Reu intersection, Rajabhat intersection, Chalerm Phrakiat intersection, Dara Samut intersection, Naka intersection, Chalong Circle, Satree Phuket intersection, Thep Kasattri intersection, District Office intersection, Mae Luan intersection.
Additionally, the meeting agreed to:
a) Identify most critical areas that need urgent correction
b) Set up measures to deal with those spots with immediate effect
c) Work out a systematic plan to deal with traffic problem on a short-term (1 – 2 years), mid-term (2 – 5 years), and long-term (over 5 years) basis.