Old Phuket Town Get A Face Lift Upgrade
One thing that everyone noticed here in Phuket, and everywhere in Thailand - overhead wires. There is a power cable, telephone cable, internet cable, all kinds of cables and sometimes looked awful. Having lived here for so long, I have developed a blind spot for the cable, but when you come to an area without cables hanging over the road, it's very real! It looks very clean and tidy.And there is little / cable wire-free places in Phuket. Putting all the underground cables are expensive and with continual upgrades in technology, can cause endless digging with cable replaced. At the heart of Phuket Old Town - which readers may know is my favorite part of Phuket - several streets cleared of the cable is a few years ago.
(above) Thalang Road, the photo was taken in December 2010 for Phuket Road Show
(above) Soi Romanee, a narrow road that connects the road with Dibuk Thalang Road
Only 2 of these roads has been done, but plans are in place to remove the wires from many other parts of the road around the old town along Dibuk Road, Krabi Road, Yaowarat Road Phuket Road. A map may be useful to explain, and voila ...
Thanks to the Phuket Gazette website for a map. Well, plans are all very well, and over the last year, certainly some of the roads had been dug up, but all the cables are still there. And then suddenly a few weeks ago, we drove through the old town, and along Jalan Krabi we can see the whole view of new roads without ugly wires. It was like the work that has happened last night, because I had just driven down the road Krabi previous day. Wires and electric poles were all gone and the other cable has been running very neatly along the front of the building, almost invisible. Big!
Doing this work in Old Town Phuket will allow old buildings to show their true faces. Most of the old town was built in the late 20th century and early 19th at the height of the tin mining boom. Several new buildings are present, but there is a very active association of the old town, led by a local family that is important, so that these streets (I hope) will not be allowed to be ugly!
Some buildings would need some paint and some need to improve more, but I like the facade of a little fragile and I love the old tiled roofs as well. Hoping that the roads are left in the plan can be attended immediately. I went for a small walk on May 19, a week after the work has been completed on "Phase 2" (well, not really complete, part of Phuket Road unfinished). But part of Dibuk Road done, and has some great shop ...
(top) On the Road cordless Dibuk
(top) The Aekwanit building at the corner Dibuk and Yaowarat Road.
Now the wire-free and looks great. And look at the photo below. It is in the opposite corner of the same intersection from Aekwanit building, corner Dibuk and Yaowarat, the photos were taken the same day, this section has not been done - it's quite a difference! Once you've seen the way it looks great without wires, the cables look even worse!
(above) Krabi road, just to the west of Thalang Road, now free wire.
Thai Hua Museum found here. Of course some parts of old Phuket town like a living museum with a business like Old Herb Shop in Thalang road that has been run by the same family for 100 years or more. And I loved the old building. My wife and I joke (?) About trying to buy one, but a small shop might be too small for us and the children to stay in!
(top) Old Roof Tiles in Krabi Road
The old town is looking good, and I read that a new museum will open soon celebrate local Peranakan culture (for more on this, see my story in Baba Wedding in Phuket). There is always something new to see around the city. The Shrine of Serene Light is being renovated, hoping that soon finished