The Department of Highways has finished upgrading a section of Highway 4 between Chumphon and Ranong in a bid to improve road safety in the area and promote the development of Thailand's western coast.
According to a department source, its Bureau of Highway Construction 1 improved a 17.75-km section of Highway 4 at a cost of about 847 million baht. The work saw the section upgraded to a dual carriageway with four lanes.
The entire section, including U-turn spots, is also illuminated at night.
The road work took place in areas of tambon Sai Daeng and Bang Non in Ranong's Muang district, which is part of 1,277-km Highway 4 (also known as Phetkasem Road) that connects Bangkok to the Thai-Malaysian border at Sadao district in Songkhla in the South.
The project is also part of the government's efforts to improve connectivity across the country to boost Thailand's competitiveness, as per the policy issued by Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob.
The upgrades will help reduce road accidents and reduce fuel consumption for transportation. It is hoped the project will also help increase economic activity, especially in regard to tourism and agriculture, along the west coast.
