Welcome to the Cleaned‑Up Wireless Road
The Story Behind the “Slick” Cable Swing
Think of Bangkok’s streets as a giant tangled web—power lines, data cables, the works—dangling like a bad garland over every foot. On the infamous Wireless Road, this electronic jungle is almost a tourist attraction in its own right, but not for a good reason.
Since the 2014 coup, the Thai military government kicked off a massive “underground extravaganza” to yank those pesky cables out of the way and slide them below the city’s bustling sidewalks.
- Sum‑ptuous safety – wires at head‑height turn every run into a hazard, a trip‑and‑tumble playground for unsuspecting locals and tourists.
- Neat aesthetics – a cleaner skyline lets the city breathe easier and look a lot less like a sci‑fi set.
- Stable supply – weather‑tangled cables are more prone to damage, which can throw the whole electrical grid into a black‑out frenzy.
Why the Name “Wireless” Makes No Sense Anymore
The street earned its moniker back in the day when Thailand’s first radio station set up shop there. Today, if the city keeps the wires on the surface, it would be the most wired “wireless” spot to ever be.
What’s Been Happenin’
Bangkok’s authority crews have already cleared a huge section of the coveted Sukhumvit Road, the custom streets that cut across posh neighbourhoods and tourist hotspots.
“It’s a commercial corridor. Hotels and foreign visitors live around here. When they see a clean, beautiful road, they’ll whisper… and email… word goes.”
— Prasonk Kumpradit, a senior official with the Metropolitan Electricity Authority
The project sits on a long‑term plan, but it got a surprising catalytic boost when Bill Gates paid a quick visit to Bangkok in 2016 and snapped a photo of the cable chaos. He deleted the post later that day, blaming “illegal tapping” for the mess.
While tech fans debated his claim—wired cables are a mix of telecom and power connections—the government decided to keep the plan moving forward, promising: “No more disorderly stuff.”
The Takeaway
- Get your footwork right; sidewalks are getting cleaner soon.
- The city’s power supply is getting a makeover—think fewer blackouts.
- Remember: Literally, the more underground the wires, the less you’ll get zapped by an unexpected spark.
So keep your eyes peeled—Bangkok’s streets are about to look less like a tangled mesh and more like a sleek highway. Get ready to stroll without tripping over cables and stay lit up all the time. That’s the goal of the new underground highway, or as they’ve got it: the no‑cable, all‑fun future.
Bangkok Goes Undercurrent: City Stack‑Poles Into Underbelly
Picture a skyline that’s no longer a tangled spaghetti mess—Bangkok is pulling out its electric messes and burying them straight beneath the pavement. The Cambodian‑inspired megacity’s latest pok‑poks of progress have already moved 1,184 utility poles off three of its busiest arteries.
What’s the Plan? “Unplug and Play” for the Next Five Years
- Targeting 39 more streets.
- Spans a total of 127 kilometres of road network.
- All cables will be shuffled into the ground, freeing up the streets for traffic, food stalls and tourists alike.
Officials say it’s only a slice of the entire wiring web, but for the everyday rider and route‑knob lover it’s a colossal upgrade.
Prasonk’s Punch‑line: “No More Black‑out Love‑Strings”
“The main advantage we get is the security of the electrical system,” said Prasonk. “When the cables are underground, the problem with disturbances that can cause blackouts will be gone.”
It’s not just a technical fix; it’s the city shaking off a safety hazard that had the locals worried about sudden zaps.
Reactions on the Ground
“Taking the wires away is really great. It makes the city clean, clear and simply pleasant to look at,” said Sukanya Phuangdech, 45, a resident of Sukhumvit Road, who recently saw the newly cleared boulevard.
She felt a newfound calm, “No more disorderly stuff. I feel like people are happier.”
Martin Fletcher, 30, a teacher from England, echoed the sentiment. “Bangkok’s infamous spaghetti‑needle wires are getting a makeover. Now it’s a lot nicer.”
By the Numbers (or Near‑Numbers)
While the exact totals of the city’s original cable maze remain a mystery, this pioneering realignment stands as a cornerstone of Bangkok’s plan to streamline urban life—one reel per meter at a time.
With the polledistances straightened, the city is poised for fewer blackouts, cleaner streets, and a happier, more “tangled‑free” populace.
