AN EXPAT entrepreneur is winning support on Phuket for his plan to establish a 900-million baht aquarium and marine zoo with performing animals in the southern Phuket district of Rawai.
Canadian Daniel McDaniel took his proposal to Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha at Provincial Hall in Phuket City today, accompanied by the Mayor of Rawai, Aroon Soroj.
Mr McDaniel, a six-year expat resident on Phuket who has investments in Vancouver, told the governor that he had a long-term lease on 60 rai of land near the shooting gallery in Patak Road, Rawai, between Chalong Circle and Karon Hill.
The 900 million baht investment would cover two phases, the first including the aquarium and marine zoo. Visitors would be able to feed marine animals, including sea lions, dolphins and seals, he said.
The plan also was for tourists to be able to swim with the creatures, he said. About five rai of the property had been set aside for pools.
Although environmental permission had yet to be granted, Mr McDaniel said his estimate was that the project could be completed in 120 to 160 days after approval and could be open in time for Phuket's next high season this year.
Phuket needed wet-weather entertainment and a marine park of this kind would be a great asset, Mr McDaniel told the Phuket governor.
Phase II, which included a resort, would begin in about two years and the entire project could be complete within five years, Mr McDaniel said.
He added that expertise would be provided by a Jakarta aquarium. There would be a ''Jurassic Park'' aspect to the venue, and Mr McDaniel planned to talk to schools on Phuket in an effort to make entry free to local orphans.
Dual pricing would be proposed, Mr McDaniel said, to make entry affordable to Thais.
Phuket has one aquarium, at the Phuket Marine Biological Centre on the easy coast, but there are no performing animals and staff there are dedicated to preserving the local marine environment.
An aquarium in the Phuket region proposed by the giant American group Ripley's some years ago failed to materialise.
A more recent plan to turn an island off Rawai into a tourist attraction by stocking it with monkeys from all over the world was hotly debated and eventually rejected by authorities.
Mayor Aroon said that Rawai - where rapid real estate development is now underway - had also recently gained a 600 million baht investment from Russia for construction of villas on 65 rai.
Phuket's Governor Tri told Mr McDaniel he would assist with the performing aquarium project where he could.
Rip-Offs, Racism Pose Threat to Phuket, says ExpertCanadian Daniel McDaniel took his proposal to Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha at Provincial Hall in Phuket City today, accompanied by the Mayor of Rawai, Aroon Soroj.
Mr McDaniel, a six-year expat resident on Phuket who has investments in Vancouver, told the governor that he had a long-term lease on 60 rai of land near the shooting gallery in Patak Road, Rawai, between Chalong Circle and Karon Hill.
The 900 million baht investment would cover two phases, the first including the aquarium and marine zoo. Visitors would be able to feed marine animals, including sea lions, dolphins and seals, he said.
The plan also was for tourists to be able to swim with the creatures, he said. About five rai of the property had been set aside for pools.
Although environmental permission had yet to be granted, Mr McDaniel said his estimate was that the project could be completed in 120 to 160 days after approval and could be open in time for Phuket's next high season this year.
Phuket needed wet-weather entertainment and a marine park of this kind would be a great asset, Mr McDaniel told the Phuket governor.
Phase II, which included a resort, would begin in about two years and the entire project could be complete within five years, Mr McDaniel said.
He added that expertise would be provided by a Jakarta aquarium. There would be a ''Jurassic Park'' aspect to the venue, and Mr McDaniel planned to talk to schools on Phuket in an effort to make entry free to local orphans.
Dual pricing would be proposed, Mr McDaniel said, to make entry affordable to Thais.
Phuket has one aquarium, at the Phuket Marine Biological Centre on the easy coast, but there are no performing animals and staff there are dedicated to preserving the local marine environment.
An aquarium in the Phuket region proposed by the giant American group Ripley's some years ago failed to materialise.
A more recent plan to turn an island off Rawai into a tourist attraction by stocking it with monkeys from all over the world was hotly debated and eventually rejected by authorities.
Mayor Aroon said that Rawai - where rapid real estate development is now underway - had also recently gained a 600 million baht investment from Russia for construction of villas on 65 rai.
Phuket's Governor Tri told Mr McDaniel he would assist with the performing aquarium project where he could.
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I hope besides performing animals it would be a venue for education as well. I hope it is akin to something like live parks in hawaii or ocean park in hong kong.
Good luck to this project. I would love to see it come to life.
Posted by Charles P on April 5, 2011 12:10