ABOUT 50 Phuket families opposed to construction of the Patong Tunnel staged a protest today outside a meeting intended to brief the community about the project's environmental effects.

The demonstration came on a big day for Phuket transport super-projects.

On the other side of Phuket, Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha met with the Chinese construction firm that is currently the front-runner for building a light rail or monorail stretching from the Sarasin Bridge to Chalong Circle.

Another Chinese firm meets Phuket's governor next week, but TLK Reality Construction already has one big Thai rail project won and believes it can successfully bid for Phuket's two billion baht-plus project.

The proposed light rail or monorail - a choice has yet to be made - now includes extensions from the airport to the site of the proposed meetings and conference centre, and beyond to Sarasin Bridge, and beyond Phuket City to Chalong Circle.

Critics fear a private enterprise transport solution could be priced out of reach of some locals if private contractors gear their return revenue too high.

What concerns the 50 families who protested at Patong municipal kindergarten today is where they will live if the proposed Patong Tunnel entrance-exit is dug where their existing homes are now.

While the families - mostly Thai Mon - protested outside, other local people and the Patong Mayor, Pian Keesin, listened inside to an environmental report from consultants from Thammasat University.

The protesters declined to join the meeting inside. Some people who listened to the environmental briefing later joined the protest outside.

Mon community leader Phanit Sombut said that people knew they would be compensated for giving up their present homes, but feared that with Patong's sky-high property values, the government compensation was unlikely to leave them able to buy elsewhere in the west coast boom town.

More talks will be held. The final verdict on the six billion baht tunnel now seems considerably further away than a verdict on the monorail or light rail.

On the other side of the island, Phuket's Governor Tri told six representatives from TLK that the original connection between Phuket International Airport and Phuket City had now been determined to need to extend to the conference centre and Sarasin Bridge to Phuket's north, and to Chalong Circle in Phuket's south.

Governor Tri was told that once approval was given, the project could be built in 12 months.
While an express service from the airport to Phuket City would reduce Phuket's dependence on expensive airport taxis, one concern is whether the line would be for tourists only, or whether it might have regular stops aimed at helping to reduce the amount of traffic now clogging Phuket's main north-south artery.

Others see buses as a more sensible option - unless there's a plan to take the monorail or light rail through the Patong Tunnel. Most of Phuket's tourists are bound for destinations on the west coast and have no need to travel via Phuket City.