Phuketwan on the new governor
PHUKET'S new governor greeted about 350 senior island administrators and officials yesterday and gave details of his early approach to the job.
Governor Wichai Praisa-Ngob, categorised as a ''high grade diamond'' by people from his previous province, took the opportunity to predict that the Heroines Monument will soon allow traffic to pass smoothly and that the island will look more beautiful.
Like his predecessor, Dr Preecha Ruangjan, who was ordered from a ''private'' beach, the new Governor has had a controversial start, with the German ambassador walking out after waiting for 30 minutes and being told he would have to wait 20 minutes more.
Readers can compare the starts the two governors have had by looking at the links at the end of this article. Here's what Khun Wichai had to say yesterday:
Phuket's profile: Khun Wichai wants to improve the way the island looks. He said that when he drove down from the crossing to the mainland, he saw lopped trees that looked ''like missing teeth.'' Phuket needs to look beautiful all the time, he said.
Tourism: Bringing visitors to Phuket and making them content here remained important, Khun Wichai said. He hopes to bring more tourists to Phuket.
Cleanliness: Garbage on the island was a problem, the Governor said, and there was no excuse for not keeping the island neat because there was not a high cost involved.
Traffic: Traffic at the Heroines Monument needed a solution, either by routing traffic above the roundabout or under it, he said. A solution was also needed to traffic flow at the tesco-Lotus intersection, he said. A second route was also needed across to the mainland, he said. One bridge was not enough if there was an emergency. Road signs needed to be easier to see.
Roadsides: The surroundings to Phuket's roads could be made to look more appealing, the Governor said.
Water: More needed to be done to maintain Phuket's water supplies, he said. If one local government ran short, then they should look to borrowing water cooperatively from a neighboring local government, rather than buying more. He was keen to have the Department of Disaster prevention and Mitigation involved in helping with water conservation.
Local Government: The Governor offered to be a conduit if necessary between one local administration and another. They should try to help themselves first, but he was ready to intervene if necessary.
Land: The Governor would like to see more trees planted on the hillsides to prevent soil erosion and keep the island looking beautiful. Care was needed to make sure titles were appropriate and controlled, he said.
Drugs: Action was needed to keep illegal drugs under control. It was a problem nationwide, he said.
Conference Centre: The Governor said he was keen on driving this project because Phuket needs a conference centre. Phuket would not have lost the Asean (Plus Six) summit if the island had had the right infrastructure, he said.
Harmony: The Governor believes local administrations should be able to work together peacefully with common goals.
The Governor plans to travel around the island to visit all the organisations. This is more effective than if delegations come to see him at Provincial Hall, he said.
What Dr Preecha said and did
Phuket Governor Sets Out New Philosophy
Phuket's new governor spells out his priorities and his philosophy to representatives from most government and local departments. The general outline makes a handy guide to his thinking.
Phuket Governor Sets Out New Philosophy
Phuket Governor Ordered Off 'Private' Beach
Phuket's new governor was ordered off a '' private'' beach soon after arriving on the island, which may explain his unhelpful attitude when he met the Jumeirah project investment team.
Phuket Governor Ordered Off 'Private' Beach
What Khun Wichai said and did
New Phuket Governor a 'High Grade Diamond'
Welcome Photos Phuket's new governor brought cheers and tears today as he greeted Phuket officials. Phuket may have to wait to see but people from his previous province say he is a ''diamond.''
New Phuket Governor a 'High Grade Diamond'
German Ambassador Delivers Blast, Walks Out
Latest On a visit to Phuket, Germany's ambassador blasts Thai officials outside Bangkok for failing to notify embassies about arrests and deaths of citizens.
German Ambassador Delivers Blast, Walks Out
I too noticed the tree stumps in the middle of the divider strip on the main road from the airport. As there were no electrical wires to be entangled with, indeed trees outside the road, under wires were left intact, why were they cut? It seems Phuket Thais really hate trees
And as for garbage, good luck. I've seen Thais walk past a garbage can to throw something on the ground, then they collect it later and burn it in dioxin laden bonfires.
Go have a look at Bang Tao beach in 2 or 3 weeks after the westerly winds come in strong. It'll be encrusted the entire length with plastic refuse, rope and other fishing detritus.
Posted by Christy on March 20, 2009 14:25