Electric Poles along Pattaya Beach to be Removed

Pattaya’s Public Electricity Authority, in association with CAT Telecom Public Company, Limited and other telecommunication related organizations will soon begin the project in which the electrical and cable wires will be placed underground. Pattaya residents and tourists in and around the affected areas have been warned to be prepared for any inconvenience that may be associated with the project, which begins on November 1.

Mr. Samnao Boonkaewan, Acting Chief of Pattaya Public Electricity Authority, explained that under the Pattaya Scenery Development Project, all electrical and telecommunication poles, along the entire area along Beach Road from the North Pattaya Round about to Pattaya Second Road’s Wat Chaimonkol would be affected. He said that some of the utility poles have already been moved. Others were not able to be removed yet because they contained electrical or telecommunications wires belonging to organizations not managed by the Electric Authority, such as the Pattaya Police Station’s CCTV wires. This has delayed progress of the project because the Electric Authority doesn’t have the legal authority to alter government property. CAT and the Pattaya Police Station have been asked to cooperate in removing the affected equipment.

Director of CAT Telecom Public Company Limited Pattaya Mr. Sanchorn Pattamasingh said that CAT will coordinate telecommunications related issues and will serve as an information center to spread the word to other communications related organizations so that they can prepare their equipment by November 1 to be ready for the movement of the cables and electrical wires underground, with as little inconvenience as possible to the public. At the same time, the Pattaya Police Department will need to be take charge of the CCTV cables, as CAT and the other related organizations have no legal authority to manage that equipment.

Pattaya Deputy Mayor Veerawat Khakhay said that the telecommunications related organizations and the Pattaya Police Station have been asked to be ready before November 1 for the project to begin, so there will be minimal inconvenience to the public.