Pipat revealed plans to raise safety standards for the large-scale Kathu-Patong tunnel project by reducing the tunnel diameter from 17 meters to 14 meters to lower construction risks while maintaining the original investment budget of 11 billion baht. The project is expected to be proposed to the Cabinet within this year, with construction starting next year and opening scheduled for 2031, alongside a toll reduction to 20 baht.
Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, speaking as the chair at the 15th academic seminar on "Tunnel Construction and Maintenance Technology," updated on the progress of the Kathu-Patong tunnel mega-project in Phuket, which is set to become the largest tunnel ever constructed in Thailand.
Originally, the project planned for a tunnel diameter of 17 meters. However, after engineering risk assessments, the Transport Ministry ordered a reduction to 14 meters to improve structural stability and simplify construction. The tunnel will be specially designed wide enough to safely accommodate cars and motorcycles, which account for over 65% of Phuket residents' transport.
. He added that although construction costs have risen due to global increases in oil and building material prices—pushing many projects’ budgets up by about 8%—reducing the Kathu-Patong tunnel diameter from 17 to 14 meters helps lower construction costs enough to offset these increases. This allows the project to maintain its investment budget at approximately 11 billion baht without needing additional funding.
Regarding land expropriation, progress is ongoing and expected to reach 100% completion by September this year. Meanwhile, development of Phase 2, connecting Kathu to Phuket International Airport, will proceed concurrently.
“This project has received strong cooperation from all relevant agencies, as everyone agrees that Phuket’s traffic problems require urgent solutions. If the project is approved by the Cabinet this year, construction can begin next year, with the service expected to open in 2031,” Pipat said.
Upon completion, the project will provide travelers and tourists with more options, linking Phuket Airport to key tourist areas, especially Patong Beach, reducing travel time to approximately 20-30 minutes and significantly easing congestion on the province’s main roads.
Surachet Laopulsuk, Governor of the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT), said that the proposal to submit project details for consideration by the Ministry of Transport and the Cabinet was originally expected by June. However, due to additional documentation requirements, submission is now anticipated in July, and the approval process should then proceed quickly.
Regarding the plan to reduce toll fees to ease living costs following government policy, EXAT has proposed cutting the toll for four-wheel vehicles from about 40 baht to approximately 20 baht, or about 10 baht per trip during certain periods. This aims to directly benefit the public, even though it may reduce project revenue somewhat; the reduction is still manageable.
Phase 2 is expected to be submitted for Cabinet approval next year to align with the construction schedule. Phase 1 construction will take about four years, and Phase 2 about three years, enabling both phases to open services around the same time.
Initially, Phase 1 alone is expected to serve around 70,000 users daily. With both phases completed, daily users are projected to exceed 100,000, underscoring the project's key role in resolving traffic issues and supporting Phuket’s economic and tourism growth in the future.
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