Sukhumvit District Council Approves Phased Drainage Upgrade Program, Residents to Encounter Works from September

The Sukhumvit District Council voted on July 6 to adopt a three-phase drainage pipe replacement program drawn from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration 2027 budget papers. The measure directs crews to start excavation on Sukhumvit Road between Soi 11 and Soi 24 on September 15, followed by later phases covering Soi 55 and Soi 71. All households and businesses within 200 metres of the work zones fall under the affected area according to the council resolution.

The vote follows the release of the BMA’s mid-year infrastructure report, which identified repeated flooding at those locations during the 2025 rainy season. Council records show the selected segments recorded water levels above 30 centimetres on at least four separate days last year, prompting the district to move the projects forward in the current budget cycle.

Daily travel and service changes

Commuters using Sukhumvit Road will face single-lane closures during daytime hours from September through December, with crews working between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays. Local advocates note that residents who rely on motorcycle taxis or private cars for short trips to the BTS stations at Nana and Asok will need to allow extra travel time once barriers appear. Street-side food vendors operating within the work zones must relocate to designated side lanes for the duration of each phase.

The first phase covers 4.2 kilometres and is projected to finish by December 2026. The second phase, beginning in January 2027, targets 3.8 kilometres along Soi 55, while the final segment on Soi 71 starts in March 2027. The council documents state that full system testing will occur only after the third phase concludes in June 2027.

Budget allocation and next steps

According to the approved resolution, 145 million baht will be drawn from the BMA capital works line item, with 62 million baht released immediately for pipe procurement. The remaining funds are scheduled for disbursement in two tranches tied to construction milestones listed in the tender documents. The district engineering office will publish weekly progress updates on its public website beginning August 1.

Property owners along the affected stretches will receive written notices by registered mail no later than August 20, detailing exact dates when access to driveways may be restricted. The legislation states that emergency vehicle access will be maintained at all times through temporary ramps installed at each work site.