Goodbye hanging wires – hello modern Bangkok!

Work has begun to bury wires on one of Bangkok’s most famous arteries – Sukhumvit Road.

And all the unsightly power poles are being pulled out too on a long stretch of upper Sukhumvit from Soi 1 to Soi 71.

On the scene yesterday was electrical chief Wanchai Jianwatanawit with more sound bites than a seasoned politician – he spoke of bringing Bangkok into the modern era, a place that would be lovely to live in, a great lifestyle, a bright future….

Oh, and there are a lot of foreigners in Sukhumvit as well, he pointed out to Sanook.

Everyone had their picture taken as the engineers started pulling down some of the wires that had offended Microsoft’s founder Bill Gates when he snapped his holiday pictures a few years ago.

Wanchai pointed out it has taken a while to get started due to various problems but now it was all systems go.

The “Smart Metro” project as it is called, will see the wires buried on a 12 kilometer stretch (both sides of the road) from Soi 1 to Soi 71.

Some 544 poles will be ripped out.

The work teams are being split into ten zones.

Work is also underway to beautify 11 kilometers of Pahonyothin and Phayathai roads, two other main Bangkok arteries.

Sanook

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