An example of what the new
parking garage will look like once in service.
Phasakorn Channgam
Thailand’s first automated parking garage is expected to open in
November at Bali Hai Pier, offering storage of cars and, eventually, boats.
Using a computerized-elevator system by Simmatec Robotic of South Korea, the
735 million baht garage will offer 407 parking spaces on seven floors. Three
hydraulic “Transo Devices” will lift cars into and out of spaces. Each car
must be shorter than 5.2 meters long, 1.9 meters tall and weigh no more than
2.3 tons. Vehicles also must measure no more than 13 cm. from ground to
engine.
Also in the works is an automated, 360-boat mooring project that similarly
would lift watercraft into slots. That project, however, is even more behind
schedule than the parking garage.
Original plans called for the parking garage to be completed in July. The
contractor is now expected to deliver the completed garage this month with
opening some time in November.
Construction Department Director Soontorn Sompramai said work on both the
vehicle and boat structures began in January. But the boatyard is still
being used to offload garbage from Koh Larn and no timetable has been set to
move that operation.
If ever finished, the mooring building will take 200 boats no longer than
eight meters long, 150 boats no longer than 11 meters and 10 yachts. The
boats will sit above the waterline, preventing damage during storms and high
waves.
