PHUKET has the highly-skilled Pan-China Construction Group pushing a plan for speedy introduction of a light-rail airport-Phuket City link - and a host of developments of other kinds.

The appearance of Pan-China executives at a meeting with the Governor of Phuket on Saturday marks a huge step towards Phuket's speedy infrastructure development.

China is literally fast-tracking South-east Asia. Heading the four-man delegation was Yuan Shan, Director of the Planning Design Institute, China Urban Development Strategy Research Centre, and General Manager-Chief Architect, Pan-China Construction Group, GuangDong branch.

''We want to invest in the airport link first,'' he said. ''Then there are prospects for rapid economic development in other aspects of the island's growth. Phuket needs good public transport as it expands to an island city.

''Keep the environment beautiful, keep your local culture, and we can help with the strategic planning. Phuket is a well-known brand, but it does not have public transport and infrastructure in place, ready for speedy development.''

Phuket's future as a tourism and business centre hinges on infrastructure to match the speed of development, he said. ''Phuket so far has not found the money for the airport-Phuket City link, so we believe we can help to make the project pay for itself. Benefits will flow to us, and the local people. I am sure we can help Phuket achieve its goals.''

A group of senior Phuket tourism industry leaders greeted the Pan-China delegation. Methee Tanmanatragul, past president of the southern branch of the Thai Hotels Association, spoke of the need for wise urban development within a natural environment.

Phuket needed integrated megaprojects, he said, but with emphasis on parks, education, marinas and high technology. ''Phuket is a tourist centre and international, and we welcome thoughtful investment,'' he said.

The secretary general of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, Dr Sirichai Silpa-Ar-Cha, said that with the regular changes in governors, there was a concern that projects of this scale really needed to be overseen by a ''Board of Investment Phuket.''

Phuket Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob said that he would set up a structure for big-picture development on Phuket within weeks, before his retirement at the end of September. That group would supply a continuing Phuket connection with Pan-China and other potential investors.

Another group from China is to meet the governor on September 10.

The Pan-China group joked that with a Chinese approach to engineering and Chinese manpower, the long-planned tunnel through Patong Hill could be started and finished in three days. At least, we think they were joking.

The delegation presented a show of their various large-scale existing projects in Cambodia, Brazil, and other countries.