PATTAYA, Thailand – Road improvement works along the railway parallel road between Khao Talo Intersection and the area behind Wat Tham Samakkhi in Pattaya have been delayed after recent rainfall disrupted construction, prompting mixed reactions and growing frustration from local residents who rely on the busy route.
Contractors explained on March 16 that rain in recent days prevented crews from applying cement to stabilize the road base as planned. The process requires time for the cement to cure properly to ensure maximum strength of the road surface, and wet conditions can compromise the quality of the work.
Currently, construction teams have deployed a road recycling machine to crush and mix materials from the existing road surface while adding cement to reinforce the road’s structural base. Once this stage is completed, the next step will be asphalt paving.
Due to weather-related disruptions, the completion timeline has now been extended by around 10 days, pushing back the previously planned reopening date of March 17.
However, the delay has sparked widespread discussion among Pattaya residents online, particularly those who must detour around the construction zone during daily commutes.
Some expressed sympathy for motorists forced to take longer routes only to face traffic congestion at nearby intersections during rush hour. Others questioned whether rain alone should account for the delay.
“Rain only fell for two or three days. That’s already an excuse,” one resident commented.
Another said they pass the site daily and often see little activity when the weather is clear. “On sunny days nobody seems to be working, but when it starts to rain suddenly the contractors show up. It’s confusing.”
Several residents complained that the road closure, which began in mid-February, has created significant inconvenience. One commenter claimed that despite the one-month closure period, “actual work seems to have taken less than two weeks.”
Others raised questions about traffic management around the construction area, particularly the placement of cones near the Khao Talo intersection that forces vehicles to detour and sometimes worsens congestion.
A few residents also worried that heavy rainfall could wash away newly laid materials. “If the rain gets stronger, the stones will probably be gone,” one commenter wrote.
Despite the criticism, some locals acknowledged traffic officers who have helped direct vehicles through the area to ease congestion during peak hours.
The railway parallel road has long been considered a critical alternative route in eastern Pattaya, and residents say they hope the project will ultimately improve drainage and road conditions once completed.
For now, many commuters are watching the skies — and the construction site — closely, hoping the project will be finished without further delays.
