Sarnpetch visited Songkhla Hospital to resolve the issue of the contractor abandoning work on the 9-story building, quashing rumors of demolition, affirming the structure's solidity, and ordering urgent crane removal within 3 days before moving forward with a new bidding in Q4 2026.
19 June 2026 at Songkhla Hospital, Mueang District, Songkhla Province GMT+7 Mr. Sarnpetch Boonyamanee, Deputy Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Songkhla Province Constituency 1 visited the site to monitor progress on the 9-story outpatient and emergency building project at Songkhla Hospital after the previous contractor abandoned the work, causing delays. They were joined by Mr. Jirawat Maneechot, Deputy Governor of Songkhla, Dr. Papon Dechaiset, Songkhla Provincial Public Health Officer, Dr. Rattanaphon Loprasertkul, Director of Songkhla Hospital, along with executives and relevant officials for a close progress review meeting.
Mr. Sarnpetch stated that as a Cabinet representative, he had discussed with the Minister of Public Health, who is concerned about this outpatient and emergency building project. It is a key health project for Songkhla Province that will enhance medical service capacity for local residents and nearby provinces. Coordination with Songkhla Province and related agencies has been made to closely monitor and expedite solutions so the project can proceed as soon as possible.
The project has a total construction budget of 426 million baht, with over 200 million baht already disbursed. The contract termination with the previous contractor was due to continuous delays in work delivery, resulting in accumulated fines exceeding 10% of the contract value and exceeding the scheduled construction period, enabling Songkhla Hospital to legally cancel the contract.
Currently, the process is underway to adjust the base price to reflect increased construction material and energy costs before submitting it to the Ministry of Public Health for approval. The Terms of Reference (TOR) will be prepared to reopen bidding for a new contractor, expected to complete by Q4 2026, with an additional construction period of approximately 2–3 years before full operation.
Regarding the building’s structural safety, Songkhla Hospital engineers confirmed that the partially completed building remains stable, meets standards, and can continue construction. Concerning public concerns about the crane and scaffolding still on site, it was decided to have the previous contractor promptly dismantle and remove them.
However, if the previous contractor fails to act, Songkhla Province has approved a contingency budget of 300,000 baht for the hospital to carry out the removal immediately to ensure public safety. Legal action to claim damages and fines from the former contractor will proceed accordingly.
Mr. Sarnpetch also reaffirmed, “I confirm that the rumors of demolishing the building are untrue. This building will definitely not be demolished.” He added that the main goal is to quickly resolve issues so the building can open for public service as soon as possible. Future use will be considered to align with patient needs and public health development, possibly converting some areas into specialized centers or premium clinics to improve service efficiency.
The 9-story outpatient and emergency building project at Songkhla Hospital began on 30 August 2022, with completion scheduled for 24 July 2025. Investigations revealed several delays in work delivery, leading to contract termination and preparations to hire a new contractor so this important Songkhla Province project can continue and benefit the public to the fullest.
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