Patong has begun a major infrastructure project to move power and telecom lines underground along five roads, aiming to improve safety and enhance the streetscape.
The massive project, backed by a 224 million baht budget, will see power and telecom lines buried along five key roads: Bangla Road, Thaweewong Road, Sawatdirak Road, Ruam Jai Road, and Prachanukroh Road, covering a combined distance of nearly 1.8 kilometres.
The initiative is part of a long-running effort by the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), with joint funding from Patong Municipality. Patong will contribute 84.45 million baht for engineering, while the PEA is investing 137.53 million baht to overhaul the electrical system.
Construction has already started on Bangla Road, with work expected to finish by early January. The next phase, along Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road, is scheduled to begin in April.
“The work aims to improve public safety, protect infrastructure from weather-related damage, and support future growth in electricity and telecommunications,” said Mayor Lalita Maneesri.
Motorists and businesses are being warned of temporary lane closures and restricted access in work zones.
“Updates on route closures will be announced in advance.”
The PEA awarded the construction contract to ASEFA Public Co Ltd, the lowest bidder, with a winning bid of 205.9 million baht, according to its official e-bidding announcement.
A ceremony was held this week at the Patong Beach entrance to Bangla Road to mark the start of the cable work. Key officials, including Council President Weerawit Krueasombat, NBTC Region 42 Director Mahama Kaje, and PEA Region 2 officer Somsak Samranrat, attended the event alongside Patong Police and telecom reps.
While the PEA continues its work on the underground power system, the NBTC’s role in the project focuses solely on relocating telecom cables, which have increasingly cluttered the city’s skyline and posed safety hazards, reported The Phuket News.
“Placing telecom lines underground will reduce service disruptions, prevent accidents, and improve the city’s appearance in areas with high tourist traffic,” said Thammarong Chuayaksorn, Chief Administrative Officer at Kathu District Office.
Officials say the project marks a key step toward Patong’s long-term goal of becoming a modern, safer and more visually appealing city for residents and millions of annual visitors.
The story Patong rips up roads to bury cables in 224m baht revamp as seen on Thaiger News.
