NONTHABURI — Of all the philosophical questions posed by an abstract urban masterpiece which went viral over the weekend, one had an answer: Which came first, the staircase or the pole popping through it?
In photos posted Saturday, an unfinished staircase is seen built around an existing utility pole on the Nonthaburi side of metropolitan Bangkok. The Escheresque images, first posted by Facebook page Black Hat, were shared more than 2,000 times. Today, the process of removing the persistent pole began.
Some netizens took a moment to appreciate the concern shown for the concrete post.
“When it’s a big tree, they decide to cut it,” Facebook user Tim Kulachart wrote in reply.“ If they [showed the same consideration] for trees, people would praise them a lot.”
Another user suggested a practical answer, that workers were on deadline when they encountered the pole where the stairs for a new footbridge were to be erected.
“I understand them. Once they signed the contract, they had to hurry. Otherwise they will be fined,” wrote user Nopadol Kong, suggesting the electrical authority wouldn’t have moved quickly to remove it if asked.
รื้อแล้วเสาไฟกลางสะพานลอย! การไฟฟ้าบางใหญ่ต้านกระแสสังคมไม่ไหว สั่งรื้อเสาไฟด่วนคาดเสร็จในวันนี้ @amarintvhd pic.twitter.com/FYK8pIH2OD
— Sivaphat_AmarinTV34 (@jummum31) June 13, 2016
Nonthaburi Governor Nisit Chansomwong backed up that theory, saying the footbridge project had to move forward despite the pole’s continued existence, because the contract to build it was set to finish mid-July.
Under public scrutiny, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority, or MEA, started Monday the process of removing the pole located on side of Ratchaphruek Road. They expected the work to be finished today.
The 4 million baht footbridge was initiated by the Nonthaburi Highway District Office, which said it had sent a written request for MEA to remove the pole.
In a statement, the utility blamed the developer for rushing ahead.
“The developer and the officials responsible at MEA did plan together,” it said in a Sunday statement. “But construction began without waiting for the removal of the electricity pole.”
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Photo : Black Hat / Facebook
