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Koh Samui bridge one step closer
Published On Wednesday, July 17, 2024 10:46
But don’t rev up your car engine just yet. There are still many steps and years to go. But the public hearings on the proposed bridge, connecting Koh Samui to the Surat Thani mainland, have resumed, according to a government press release.
The hearings are being held by the Expressway Authority of Thailand, with the second phase getting underway yesterday, July 15. The first round involved the selection of potential entrance and exit points, both on Koh Samui and on the mainland.
It’s expected that the bridge will have 2 entrances and 2 exits located on the mainland, one in the Surat Thani district of Don Sak, and the other in Khanom, Nakhon Si Thammarat.
The total distance would be 37 kilometres, including the bridge and the access roads in both districts. The bridge itself will stretch for 25 kilometres across the Gulf of Thailand. There was a total of 7 locations proposed during the first round of public hearings.
The second round of hearings kicked off on Koh Samui yesterday, moving to Nakhon Si Thammarat today, and on to Surat Thani tomorrow. The main topic of discussion is expected to be the bridge’s proposed location.
In total, the project will require 3 rounds of public hearings, with the final hearings set to finish in October 2025. Construction is slated to begin in 2029, having previously been set for 2028.
The bridge is expected to open in 2033, provided it passes feasibility and environmental assessments and gets the seal of approval from the government.
Public hearings on the proposed bridge connecting Koh Samui to the mainland have resumed, according to a government press release.
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