THE GOVERNOR of Phuket set up a brain-storming board late today to help the island boost tourism and tourist safety through troubled times.

Dr Preecha Ruangjan told a large meeting that the Phuket Tourist Association and the Tourist Police will work together to ensure that tourists are protected, and that problems are dealt with efficiently.

The PTA and the Tourist Police will involve other organisations and groups as required to come up with a permanent mechanism that can be put into practice as soon as possible.

The Governor told the gathering of about 50 organisations at Provincial Hall that the chronic problems raised by tourists, diplomats, honorary consuls and in the media had to be overcome.

''How can we make Phuket a medical hub?'' the governor asked. ''How can we protect tourists against crime, and prevent landslips, drownings, road accidents?

''We need answers, and the tourists will want answers as well.''

Among the organisations at today's meeting were representatives from the Tourism and Sports Ministry, local administrations, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Airports of Thailand, commercial groups and promotional groups, local police, marine police and the guides association.

The regional director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Settapan Puttanee, told the meeting in detail how much the tourist industry has lost in the past 12 months.

He said tourist numbers had dropped by 600,000 visitors in 2008 compared to 2007, and that passenger figures for 2009 were down (flights in January dropped 16.49 percent on January 2008, Phuket Airport figures show).

Hotels without serious marketing had lost 35 percent of guests in 2008, he said. Big hotels reported dramatic losses on Christmas-New Year events and some hotels reported being down by seven million baht on Christmas night alone, compared to the previous year.

Other resorts reported heavy downturns in January compared to January 2008.

When compared with Chiang Mai and Pattaya, Phuket still had reasonable numbers of charter flights coming, he said.

Fourteen airline brands were still operating out of the island, with a total of 213 international flights a week.

Khun Settapan said that some resorts had cut regular staff annual bonuses by 50 percent.

Others had told staff they would not pay the whole bonus until the low season, when the effects of the downturn on 2009 would be more obvious.

Some resorts had been forced to cut staff salaries, he said. A small proportion had paid increases, despite the downturn.

Normally, trainees would come to work at the resorts but many resorts had suspended training programs. Other resorts are not hiring qualified students at all, he said.

Thai Airways had sought help from TAT to bring charter flights from Australia to Phuket, he said. He was trying to organise this new route.

At next month's ITB Berlin travel fair, the world's largest, Phuket would be strongly represented. The Singha Thailand Open Golf tournament, also in March, was another opportunity to promote the island.

Songkran in April would follow, with the TAT now planning how to make it appealing to travellers. Bike Week would come at the same time, he said.

New motorcycles could be launched on the island as part of the event. May 5 would bring the Diving World gathering (as reported in Phuketwan).

Somboon Jirayus, president of the Phuket Tourist Association, said that occupancy rates had dropped at resorts as a result of the economic downturn to 60 or 65 percent. February looked better, with rates perhaps averaging 70 percent.

Khun Somboon said tourists were spending less. It was hoped that more visitors would return but tourists were waiting until the last minute in the hope that better prices would be available.

The PTA was trying to promote visits to Phuket by Chinese and Australians, with a plan to revitalise the image of Phuket with a road show to China in April.

The deputy mayor of Patong, Chairat Sukkamal, said it was easy to plan road shows but getting cohesion between organisations was sometimes difficult.

Often, a handful of bodies had to be consulted in Thailand to make improvements for tourism, he said.

Phuket also needed a symbol that could be promoted as the island's cultural icon, he said.

He believed that many people wanted to come to Phuket but the possibility of another blockade kept some away.

The high cost of tuk-tuks and motorcycle taxis kept some people from coming to Phuket, he said.

''They are the highest price for this kind of transport in the world,'' he said. ''Prices for fares are very high, especially when compared to Bagnkok.''



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