Thongrob Taomafuang and Atthaporn Pansena
travel alongside the yet to be completed designated wheelchair path.
Jetsada Homklin
The on-again, off-again construction of a 3 million baht wheelchair path
near the Redemptorist Vocational School for Persons with Disabilities
has hit another pothole as Pattaya City Hall tries to remove private
structures encroaching on the public roadway.
Phuwiang Pothita, the city architect heading the effort to build the
15-centimeter-high path connecting the Redemptorist School with Big C
Extra, said private homeowners and businesses have built out their
property into Soi Paniadchang, blocking the slow-moving construction
workers.
Since it was announced in October, the wheelchair route has been a
repeated source of disappointment for disabled students and staff. Work
finally began in late December, then stopped again, only to resume Feb.
25.
Samart Ngernmanmee, a local motorcycle-taxi driver, said no construction
has been done on the path for about a month, causing traffic problems in
the area due to roadworks left abandoned by work crews.
Despite appearances, Pothita denied that construction has stopped and
said Nawaphol Construction Co. will complete the work by June 23. Paving
the entire route is the next step.
Pothita said that city hall will fine the contractor each day the
project goes past the completion date.
Redemptorist students Thongrob Taomafuang and Atthaporn Pansena said
they live opposite the school and have to be very careful when crossing
the street as cars normally go fast. The men also have to wheel in and
out along the street because of the way people park their cars,
obstructing the way.