TAXI and tuk-tuk drivers paid off police and local authorities to gain the best parking spots along beach road, the Mayor of Patong, Pian Keesin, acknowledged last night.
He said that corruption had to stop before improvements could be made.
''Sometimes police and local authorities join with bad people,'' he said. ''The problem can only be halted if we sort this out.''
During a wide-ranging public conversation last night, Mayor Pian also revealed that jet-skis, longtail boats and speedboats will all have to enter the water at Patong beach via the canal at the southern end, starting in three months.
Khun Pian told an unusual ''Performance Press Conference'' session in the gardens of the local tessaban council that all vessels and vehicles would enter and leave from the Pak Bang canal once construction work widened the klong.
The move would keep jet-ski transporters off the main beach, he said.
On land-based traffic, he said the one-way routes between the beach road and Rat-U-Thit-200-Pi Road would soon be converted to conventional left-hand lane thoroughfares.
At present, drivers have to switch to the wrong side of the road, the right side, and this was confusing tourists, Khun Pian said.
Some of the 500 million baht in the tessaban's current funds is being used to widen the road at the temple junction on the descent into Patong and to make Sai Kor Road four lanes, he said.
Parking for Patong was being improved by creating a large parking area behind the Jungceylon shopping mall on Sai Kor Road, he said.
Lighting would also be improved with more lamps going along the beach road, he added.
Mayor Pian also revealed that a new school is being built to replace Patong's existing Sai Nam Yen high school at a cost of 317 million baht, and that the school would have an auditorium big enough for 3000 people, 60 classrooms and a rugby field.
He told a group of residents, high school children and media what the tessaban had achieved since October and responded to verbal and written questions that were carefully vetted first by a master of ceremonies.
According to a response questionnaire seen by Phuketwan, last night's event cost 150,000 baht. Questions asked respondents whether the event was worthwhile and should be repeated.
The event appeared to indicate a new sense of the need for transparency in local government.
Because the written questions from the media were vetted first by the MC, no response came to questions about the high fares of tuk-tuks and security for tourists.
Phuket Waterpark Slashes Entry Price in HalfHe said that corruption had to stop before improvements could be made.
''Sometimes police and local authorities join with bad people,'' he said. ''The problem can only be halted if we sort this out.''
During a wide-ranging public conversation last night, Mayor Pian also revealed that jet-skis, longtail boats and speedboats will all have to enter the water at Patong beach via the canal at the southern end, starting in three months.
Khun Pian told an unusual ''Performance Press Conference'' session in the gardens of the local tessaban council that all vessels and vehicles would enter and leave from the Pak Bang canal once construction work widened the klong.
The move would keep jet-ski transporters off the main beach, he said.
On land-based traffic, he said the one-way routes between the beach road and Rat-U-Thit-200-Pi Road would soon be converted to conventional left-hand lane thoroughfares.
At present, drivers have to switch to the wrong side of the road, the right side, and this was confusing tourists, Khun Pian said.
Some of the 500 million baht in the tessaban's current funds is being used to widen the road at the temple junction on the descent into Patong and to make Sai Kor Road four lanes, he said.
Parking for Patong was being improved by creating a large parking area behind the Jungceylon shopping mall on Sai Kor Road, he said.
Lighting would also be improved with more lamps going along the beach road, he added.
Mayor Pian also revealed that a new school is being built to replace Patong's existing Sai Nam Yen high school at a cost of 317 million baht, and that the school would have an auditorium big enough for 3000 people, 60 classrooms and a rugby field.
He told a group of residents, high school children and media what the tessaban had achieved since October and responded to verbal and written questions that were carefully vetted first by a master of ceremonies.
According to a response questionnaire seen by Phuketwan, last night's event cost 150,000 baht. Questions asked respondents whether the event was worthwhile and should be repeated.
The event appeared to indicate a new sense of the need for transparency in local government.
Because the written questions from the media were vetted first by the MC, no response came to questions about the high fares of tuk-tuks and security for tourists.
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If it was only Tuk-Tuk businesses which would be corrupt, it would not need so much energy to fix it...
But it is the whole business communities and civil servants at all levels which are sucking money through corruptions and bribes.
So far none of politicians, army men and high government statesmen had dared to fight it seriously....
Red Shirt as well Yellow Shirt Leaders as well claim to fight corruption since longtime but are unable to give Plan One and Plan B if the first one does not work.
Posted by Whistle-Blower on March 3, 2010 14:23