“We’re trapped behind a wall” — villagers in Chachoengsao furious as rural road project raises roadbed above rooftops. CHACHOENGSAO, Thailand — Residents of Moo 4 in Phimpha Subdistrict, Bang Pakong District, are up in arms after a road expansion project by the Department of Rural Roads raised the new road surface over two meters — high enough to block homes, shops, and even rooftops. Local resident Mongkol Yoodee sounded the alarm after construction on Rural Road Route 2004 (linking Highway 34, Bang Na–Trat Road, to Route 314) ramped up in recent months. While the project initially promised to elevate the roadbed by only 75 centimeters following a public hearing, the current build has left massive concrete barriers towering above doorways, walls, and shopfronts — turning once-accessible homes into boxed-in enclosures. “This is way beyond what we agreed on,” Mongkol said. “The wall outside my shop is now over two meters tall. I can’t even see the road. Once it’s finished, we won’t be able to get in or out of our own houses.” The 549.5-million-baht project spans 4.425 kilometers and is expected to take 900 days to complete. It will expand the rural road from two lanes to four. But residents now fear it will also bring crime, flooding, and property devaluation — on top of the complete loss of access to their own properties. Locals protest road construction that blocks access to homes and shops, defying public hearing promises. “If the road ends up higher than our fence walls, it’s going to be easy for thieves to just step into our yards,” Mongkol warned. “And when it rains, all the water’s going to flow straight down into our homes.” Residents are calling on responsible agencies and project leaders to return to the site and reassess the situation urgently. Many argue that the construction violates the spirit of the original public hearing and leaves them physically and economically stranded. “Right now, we don’t know who to turn to for help,” Mongkol said. “But we can’t live like this — trapped behind concrete, waiting for water or burglars to come through.” Fears of flooding and theft rise after new highway walls tower over fences in Bang Pakong district.   ‘No way out’: Residents demand urgent fix as 2-meter road elevation leaves properties sealed behind concrete.