Chalong Traffic Circle to be removed

An icon and landmark for everybody living on Phuket is about to be removed, at least this is what the Phuket Gazette has heard.

"Motorists in the southern end of the island may soon be missing their favorite landmark as the provincial highways office is considering removing Chalong Circle and installing traffic lights at the five-way junction.
Saroj Suwinchai, director of the provincial office of the Highways Department, told the Gazette that the idea behind the proposal is to relieve traffic congestion at the junction.
“Our plan is to remove the roundabout and install traffic lights on the four main roads at the junction that lead to Kata-Karon [Patak Rd], to the bypass road [Chao Fa East Rd], to Phuket City [Chao Fa West Rd] and to Rawai [Wiset Rd].
“Vehicles entering the junction from Chalong Pier will be forced to turn left onto Wiset Rd. They must do a U-turn and come back and wait at the lights to enter the junction again,” he said."