Mr. Pathom Chaleywaret, Director-General of the Department of Rural Roads (DRR), revealed the progress of the Southern Coastal Road Project (Thailand Riviera), stating that in the fiscal year 2020, the DRR hired consultants to study the extension of the Riviera road, including both the main route and the spur lines, to connect the main route or spur line, totaling 2 routes, with a combined budget for study and construction of approximately 7 billion baht.

1. The route from Samut Prakan Province to Samut Songkhram Province, with a consulting budget of 54 million baht, covers a total distance of 100 kilometers (km) for surveying and design, with a duration of 1 year. The estimated construction cost for the entire route is approximately 3.1 billion baht.

2. The route along the Tanawasi Mountain range along the western coast, connecting from Kaeng Krachan District in Phetchaburi Province to Kui Buri District in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, has a study budget of 61 million baht, covering a distance of 196 km for surveying and design over a period of 1 year, with an initial estimated construction cost of around 3.7 billion baht.

For the two routes extending the Riviera road, once the study is completed, the DRR plans to gradually request construction budgets for improvements in sections of the existing road under the DRR's management first, with expectations to start disbursing the budget in the fiscal year 2022. Some sections will require the completion of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report before gradually proposing construction budgets for each section.

However, for the selection of the main route and spur line for initial construction, the DRR will integrate with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to choose routes that promote access to tourist attractions first, as the goal is to use these roads to support tourism, stimulate the economy, and generate income for local communities and the country, in line with government policy.

Mr. Pathom also mentioned that in the fiscal year 2020, the DRR has undertaken the Riviera road extension project, totaling 514 km, with a construction budget of 1.188 billion baht, including the main route between Chumphon Province and Songkhla Province, specifically in Sichon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, which involves upgrading the existing DRR road to become the Riviera road over a distance of 14 km with a budget of 24 million baht.

Additionally, there are plans to improve spur lines and infrastructure projects, such as train stations, and roads connecting to tourist attractions, such as the Pa La U Waterfall between Phetchaburi and Chumphon Provinces, totaling 32 routes over approximately 500 km with a budget of 1.164 billion baht. Contracts with contractors have already been signed, and work is underway, with an initial construction period of about 1 year, expected to be completed and operational by 2021.

“According to the development plan for the Riviera road, in addition to developing along the originally designated route from Samut Prakan to Samut Sakhon, extending down to Phetchaburi, the southern route to Chumphon is also planned, and the DRR aims to develop the southern route from Songkhla Province to Su-ngai Kolok District in Narathiwat Province,” he added.

Mr. Pathom also stated that the DRR is currently integrating efforts with the Ministry of Tourism to develop roads leading to tourist attractions. Recently, they received results from a tourism study on 7 themes along the Mekong River from Mukdahan Province to Bueng Kan Province, which will be used as data for developing access routes to tourist attractions along the Mekong in line with the themes of the Ministry of Tourism.

By July, the DRR will send officials to study the route and details before planning operations and proposing budgets in 2022 to survey and design the construction or improvement of existing roads to support tourism.

SOURCE: www.bangkokbiznews.com