Work on new Kiakkai bridge across Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river to go ahead
The construction of a bridge across the Chao Phraya River, which has been stalled by land expropriation issues and legal hurdles stemming from the construction of the new parliament building nearby, is finally moving ahead, City Hall said yesterday.
With 40% of the land required to build the bridge now acquired and compensation being paid out, the project will now go ahead, said Thaiwut Khankaew, director of the Public Works Department under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, adding the project has not encountered public resistance so far.
Negotiations to expropriate the remaining 60% of the land required — located on both sides of the river — are currently ongoing, Mr Thaiwut said.
Once the budget is cleared, the expropriation process will be completed in six months, he added. The project will see the construction of a 350-metre-long bridge, which will have three lanes in each direction. The work will also involve building an elevated road that will act as an access ramp to the bridge.
The four-lane Sam Sen Road outside the new parliament will be doubled in width to accommodate the increased traffic. The bridge will link Bangkok’s Thon Buri and Phra Nakhon districts.
Apart from land ownership and expropriation issues, Mr Thaiwut said the bridge project was held up by complaints from architects of the new parliament building nearby.
They argued the bridge design and construction method would create noise pollution that would adversely impact surrounding areas, including the new parliament complex. Mr Thaiwut said the bridge’s design has been adjusted to address their concerns.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2148283/work-on-new-bridge-across-chao-phraya-to-go-ahead
