Roofs over pedestrian walkways left uncovered for a year after original contractor walked away
PUBLISHED : 28 Nov 2024 at 15:53
SURAT THANI – The main ferry pier on Koh Samui is finally getting its roofs back, after a full year in which passengers have had to endure rain and sometimes scorching sun on their way to and from the boats.
Narobb Tuaycharoen, a member of the Nakhon Samui municipal council, said on Thursday that workers had begun installing metal sheets on one of the two roof structures at the Nathon pier, to be immediately followed by the other one.
The repairs should be completed within a week, or before year’s end at the latest, he said.
Nathon is the gateway to and from the southern resort island, with ferries and speedboats linking the island with other destinations, including mainland Surat Thani province. Some call Nathon the capital of Samui.
The Marine Department hired a company to replace the roofs over the 200-metre-long walkways from July 2021 to December 2023, with a budget of 212 million baht. The contractor removed the old roofs, leaving only the structures without coverings since December last year.
The reason the company left the work unfinished is not known.
The municipality later contacted the Marine Department and obtained approval to finish the job.
The long pedestrian walkways at the Nathon pier have been shade-free for a year. (Photo: Supapong Chaolan)