Pattaya’s mayor apologized for the state of the city’s sidewalks and promised speedy repairs.
National media early this month picked up the story of the decrepit condition of the footpaths on Central Road, which are impassable in many places. Piles of unused concrete slabs and drain covers lie by the road while sections remain unpaved or peppered by open manholes.
The situation on South Road didn’t make the national press but is just as bad.
Pattaya gave a contractor more than 28 million baht to repair and maintain the Central Road sidewalks, but as so often happens, the workers walked off the job last year, leaving it a dangerous mess.
Sonthaya said both projects missed their deadlines, and Pattaya has tried to fine the contractors. He explained that projects devoted to burying overhead wires and laying new subterranean pipes were to blame.
He acknowledged that the electrical project is not set for resolution any time soon. There was a problem with the original equipment specified, and now the job was to be sent out again for public bid, which can’t happen until the comptroller-general approves the work order.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Electricity Authority is waiting to install new utility poles, and the city must install new streetlight towers. Neither can be done until the wiring is completely laid.
However, there’s no budget for the poles, Sonthaya said.
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