Electricity pole in Trat road provokes ridicule

The original plan would have taken this new road to a Trat village through a pond, so the engineers devised this solution. (Photo by Jakkrit Waewklayhong)

Hasty construction of a small concrete track in Trat has left an electricity pole standing erect in the middle of the single-lane road.

A Facebook user on Monday posted pictures of the road, with an electricity pole seen standing almost in the centre, and a sarcastic message that read, "A road in Trat province. What a smart way to reduce car speeds and reduce accidents."

The reinforced concrete road is three metres wide and 260 metres long in Soi Loong Pon, tambon Ao Yai of Trat's Muang district.

Rangwan Khankhaeng, chief of Ao Yai Tambon Administration Organisation, said the road had followed the blueprint during construction, but it was diverted from its original location to avoid a nearby pond.

"Four people who owned land nearby were concerned about the effect on the road if it was too close to the pond, so they donated their land for construction of the road," he said, adding his organisation had written to the Trat Provincial Electricity Authority asking it to move the pole.

He said there was urgency in constructing the road because the TAO just received its budget and it wanted the work to be completed while there was no rainfall. If the job had been delayed for too long, the contractor might have refused to start the work as they face fines if they are unable to finish on time.

Wilai Somchit, a villager, said she was afraid soil erosion around the pond could damage the road.

Trat Provincial Electricity Authority manager Thawatchai Roisri said workers could remove the electricity pole either on Thursday or Friday, depending on whether the concrete was dry and set.

The cost of removing the pole would be collected from the contractor, he said, adding that normally electricity pole removals are requested and arranged before construction.

The road was constructed with a budget of 500,000 baht by Tiwa Trat Partnership Limited .