More details have come to light about the viral photos and video of this foreigner filling up potholes on a Phuket road taken over the weekend.
The foreign man gained high praise on Facebook for fixing huge potholes in a road in Nai Yang, on Phuket’s west coast, instead of waiting for local authorities to do their jobs.
The post, which included photos and a video, was created by Facebook user FF Porkar Lukchin Pin, which translates as “FF roasted meatball vendor,” on Friday.
It read: “He mixed cement and sand to fix the road by himself. No government offices responded to the small road surface problem. This road is three kilometers away from Phuket International Airport. I am very ashamed. There are more than 10 holes in the road. I was driving past him while he was fixing the road. He is around 50 years old. Thank you to the foreigner, speechless for the government offices.”
An outpouring of comments from Thais thanked the foreign man and complained about government offices. Some comments said how shameful the road incident was for Thai people.
One local resident confirmed, “This road is Soi Bangmalauw 11 Moo 1 in Thalang. This dusty road is tarred but now it is damaged and has holes. The man in the photo lives on that road.”
The resident said that, in the past, the road has been repaired twice by the Phuket OrBorJor (Provincial Administration Organisation).
An officer at the Phuket OrBorJor Division of Public Works, who asked not to be named, said, “Technically, we are not responsible for this road. Those instances of repair could have been the result of special requests for assistance.”
The other agency that could be responsible, the OrBorTor, also seemed to shift blame away from themselves.
The organization’s Chief Kittikorn Pratheep na Thalang was not available for comment but his secretary, who asked to be named, said, “We have checked with our lawyer and this road is not under our jurisdiction. It is near the Bang Khanoon protected forest area – the last time this road was fixed it was fixed by the OrBorJor – it would be best to ask them.”
Story: The Phuket News
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