SEVERAL honorary consuls from Phuket were due to meet with Thailand's Anti-Corruption Commission in Bangkok this week to pass on their insights into Phuket's problems.

However, the meeting has had to be postponed, along with an innovative Foreign Affairs Ministry gathering of all honorary consuls in Thailand.

It is believed Foreign Affairs was forced to postpone the gathering because of the no-confidence motion being brought forward this week against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Phuketwan understands that FA planned a 90-minute briefing for Thailand's honorary consuls, followed by a lunch.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya has taken a special interest in the development of the honorary consul's meetings with the Governor and leading police and administrators since they began in February last year.

Last year on Phuket, he met over a working breakfast with a selection of honorary consuls and was reported to be a keen listener to the steady flow of complaints that come to honorary consuls from expat residents and tourists.

In August, at a seminar involving the honorary consuls and a Foreign Ministry delegation, one speaker shocked some listeners by saying that Phuket was ''the most corrupt province in Thailand.''

The invitation from the Anti-Corruption Commission followed the continuing involvement of the Foreign Ministry in Phuket's quarterly ''parliaments.''

It's a sign that interest in the effects of obvious corruption on tourism on Phuket is widening as more cases of jet-ski scams and tuk-tuk extortions come to light. Corruption on a broader and deeper scale is also coming to the notice of the honorary consuls as Phuket becomes more international.

Australians have been victims of recent scams and violence on Phuket, prompting a rash of bad publicity in the country that delivers the largest number of tourists to the island.

Australian Ambassador James Wise is scheduled to join the next honorary consul's gathering on Phuket with the Governor in May.