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More resorts set to open as numbers rise on Phuket and in the region

Phuket to Add More Than 2000 Resort Rooms

Friday, February 11, 2011
PHUKET will enter 2012 with an additional 2071 rooms opened this year, taking the Phuket total to 43,036, says Suchart Hirankanokkul, President of the Thai Hotels Southern Chapter.

A moratorium on resort building of the kind that has been imposed in Phuket's largest regional rival, Bali, was not possible under Thai law.

In any case, Khun Suchart said: ''If we stop building hotels and tourists keep on growing in numbers, where will they stay? Phuket needs more resorts, but we need to make sure the management process is as it should be.''

Much of the development over the next two years is taking place in and around Patong. Patong Mayor Pian Keesin told Phuketwan ''Bali can do this because their religion is so strongly connected to the law.

''If we wish to protect the environment, it would be good to follow their lead. This would be a good thing. But they can do it, and we cannot.''

Khun Suchart said that he believed Phuket was continuing to move up as a four and five star destination, and the question of the quality of future tourists was in the hands of the resorts.

By providing better service and better value, the better prices would ensure that the quality of tourists rose rather than fell, he said.

On Khun Suchart's list of openings for 2011 are the West Sands Resort (426 rooms) and the Holiday Inn (244 rooms) in Mai Khao, the Novotel Phuket Kamala Bay (305 rooms) and the Novotel Phuket Dahlia (305 rooms) in Patong, as well as the Regent Phuket Cape Panwa (106 rooms) and the Four Points by Sheraton (200 rooms.)

A change in management, though, appears to have led to the Four Points by Sheraton brand going elsewhere on the island, with the Cape Panwa resort's opening pushed back from March to April.
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Comments

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"If we stop building hotels and tourists keep on growing in numbers, where will they stay? Phuket needs more resorts"

Yea. Bring it on, can't have these tourists sleeping in the street or airport arrivals hall and eating and drinking at the 7/11 or off street carts.

I don't see the need for more tourists if the ones that already come here can't be treated in a proper manner and swim in pollution free water. Has anyone seen or smelt Patong lately?

From Chang Mai to Chalong we continually hear alarming reports from eating poisoned foodstuffs, drowning the first day or being blatantly ripped off. They come here for a holiday not an ordeal or something worse to return home in a box or an urn.

It would be nice to clean up the backyard first before opening the front gate.

Posted by innocent bystander on February 11, 2011 11:58

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Innocent Bystander makes a totally valid argument. Fixing the continuing stream of complaints and problems will mean that more people will come.

"Khun Suchart said that he believed Phuket was continuing to move up as a four and five star destination, and the question of the quality of future tourists was in the hands of the resorts."
I don't think he could be more wrong, to be honest. As for where he gets this 4/5 star rating from - there is only 1 standard when it comes to Stars and that's Michelin.

The room count is also way off. Why have they not included all those places opening behind Jungceylon, or is this a selective hotel list - only listing brand names rather than all the guest house style rooms?

Posted by Tbs on February 11, 2011 13:56

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"Much of the development over the next two years is taking place in and around Patong. Patong Mayor Pian Keesin told Phuketwan "Bali can do this because their religion is so strongly connected to the law."

No, they can do this (restrict the building of new resorts) because it makes sense.

"If we wish to protect the environment, it would be good to follow their lead. This would be a good thing. But they can do it, and we cannot."

So Thais wish not to do this, but still expect Phuket to be a 4-5 star destination. Not logical.

A 4-5 star destination:

Does not have the main entertainment area (Bangla Road) smelling like an open sewer, which it is and does smell like.

Does not have over priced public transportation, and only one type of transportation at that, with nothing less than legalized extortion fares.

Does not allow the selling of fake goods (Bangla Road stalls come to mind) but they do allow police raids in OTOP on 200 Year Road, I am guessing that is to show Bangkok that the police are getting their token amount of arrests to stop fake goods, but it seems that Bangla Road is never "raided."

Does not allow the ongoing fraud on the jet ski rentals, that I can honestly say, is beyond ridiculous, apparently tourist police cannot intervene and regular police just sort of look the other way.

Does not bury their trash on the beach, Layan Beach comes to mind.

The list goes on and on. Mayor of Patong, you keep thinking this is a 4-5 star destination, you are mistaken.

Posted by Lee on February 11, 2011 14:28

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Hotel room counting in Phuket is so yesterday. Today as a returnee you rent a serviced apartment. Thousands of new apartments every month, at least feels like it.

Posted by Lena on February 11, 2011 20:27

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Already too much trash and sewage and the annual water shortages.. Good grief - IT IS TIME to change the law,
and yes a functioning National government would have to be in place for that.
I have pics of raw sewage running into Surin where foreign swimmers are unaware. Where to send?

Posted by Ripley on February 12, 2011 11:21

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''If we wish to protect the environment, it would be good to follow their lead. This would be a good thing. But they can do it, and we cannot.''

Utter nonsense.

Every major development on Phuket needs local approval. You want to stop them, just don't approve them. Simple.

Unless of course you don't REALLY want to and the developers are much bigger fish than you are and you don't dare to oppose them.

Indonesia is just as corrupt as Thailand is but if Bali can do it, there's no excuse for Phuket to claim it can't be done here too.

It's desperately needed.

Phuket is chocking in garbage and sewage which will poison the island and it's waters for generations to come.

Currently Phuket produces about 600 tonnes of garbage every day, of which only 60 percent can be burned daily. The rest piles up in a huge mountain of rubbish at the Saphan Hin incinerator.

Take a drive down there for a sobering reality check and ask yourself does Phuket really need 2000 more hotel rooms.

Stop all new developments immediately and concentrate solving the already serious current infrastructure, transportation, environmental and dishonest business practice problems.

Phuket is clearly not capable to handle even the current level of tourism and the last thing needed is to increase it.

Posted by Chris on February 12, 2011 12:08

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@Chris... Couldn't agree with you more. But the simple truth is that while money is being slipped under the table for building approval these developments will continue.

I got chatting to a middle aged couple, quiet well to do folks, the other evening. They arrived here the day before for a two week holiday, but they had decided after only one day they had seen all they wanted of Phuket and were leaving in the morning for Bali. They had walked through Bangla Rd and couldn't understand why anyone would want to be there - the stench was unbearable.

Would you ever come back? I ask... Only if hell froze over were both their replies.

I hear this so much and I know not only will it not get better but indeed it'll get a lot worse.

Both Thais and Foreigners can see the problems but the Thais are just not able to implement any lasting solution... Parking in Patong - Jet Skis, this list goes on. If fact let's ask the question "When was the last time the Authorities initiated and implemented anything that works?"

Posted by Graham on February 13, 2011 12:27

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Graham,"When was the last time the Authorities initiated and implemented anything that works?"
The helmet laws for one seem be taking off gradually.It seems to me that folks wear their helmets in the day, but not at night. Maybe it is safer to drive at night, drive with no lights into oncoming traffic? Wow? Not only here, I say it in the southern regions as well. BUT in the southern regions the police are quite strict.
Do not look for logic, you won't find any. Just smile and nod your head knowingly.

Posted by GrahamM on February 13, 2011 16:43


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