If you use Patong Hill to get between Kathu and Patong, give yourself extra time this month. The Phuket Highways Office, the provincial branch of Thailand's Department of Highways, says it is carrying out slope works on Route 4029, the road over the hill known locally as Phra Barami Road, with a temporary traffic diversion in place while crews are working.
The notice, posted by Patong Municipality on 4 November 2026, covers the stretch between kilometre markers 0+690 and 0+900. The diversion started on 5 November and runs until the work is complete, from 8.30pm to 3am the following morning. The office warns that the site sits on a slope with dangerous bends, and asks drivers to slow down, follow the construction signs and plan their journeys in advance. The notice was also reported by The Phuket News, Khao Phuket and Rawai.com.
What the work is and how long it should take
The job is shotcrete: spraying a layer of concrete onto the uphill slope to hold soil and rock in place, so that less of it ends up on the road during heavy rain. Athikan Landen, the civil engineer supervising the work, told The Phuket News that the contractor plans two work periods on each working day, from 10am to 2pm and from 9pm to 2am, with around 10 rounds of spraying and completion scheduled for 26 November.
One lane will be closed while concrete trucks and equipment are on site, with traffic diverted from the lower part of the hill, but the lane restriction is not meant to stay in place outside working hours. Officials say the arrangements may change depending on conditions, so the posted signs on the day are the ones to follow.
A separate closure lower down the hill
The engineer stressed that the slope work is not the same project as the construction on the lower section of Patong Hill Road. That job involves installing a box culvert to improve drainage, which first means moving existing water infrastructure, including a pressure-reducing valve chamber that sits in the way. That lower section stays closed for the whole of that project, which is expected to take about two more months and finish around late December, according to The Phuket News.
What it means if you drive it
For most people the practical impact is at night, when the official diversion window applies, and around midday if the daytime work periods go ahead as planned. Taxi and minibus journeys to and from Patong may take longer at those times, and the hill is no place to rush on a scooter, especially in the dark with trucks working nearby. If you spot a road problem on a national highway, such as potholes, broken street lights or damaged signs, the Phuket Highways Office takes reports on 076 212 179 during office hours, and the Department of Highways hotline 1586 is free and open 24 hours.