THE UNITED STATES and other countries with large numbers of visitors to Phuket are likely to be invited to attend a multi-national summit with the Governor of Phuket, scheduled for August.

China, Taiwan, Japan and Switzerland are among other nations that will probably be invited to send delegates, broadening the recently-introduced quarterly gatherings of honorary consuls to make them truly representative of Phuket's tourist and resident expat communities.

Feedback from the first two meetings, which have involved about 16 honorary consuls or embassy representatives and an equivalent number of senior Thai officials, has been extremely positive.

A free exchange of ideas and information has clarified the needs of Thai officials and police, and national representatives.

Several good ideas have emerged from the meetings, along with the acceptance of a more transparent approach to some issues on both sides.

As a mini-United Nations forum for Phuket, the concept has the potential to continue to build the confidence of tourists in Phuket and Thailand as destinations, as well as enhancing mutual understanding.

Expansion of the third meeting would represent an acknowledgment of the importance of the US and other countries which have large numbers of visitors to Phuket, but do not maintain consular representation on the island.

The US, for example, has a growing special interest in the safety and security of Phuket because of the regular visits by US warships, but chooses to deal with the needs of expat American citizens based on Phuket through a regular outreach program from Bangkok.

When asked by Phuketwan whether the US would attend the next gathering, the response came from a US embassy spokesman: ''Should we receive an invitation, we would certainly consider sending a representative if scheduling permits.''

A spokesperson for the Governor's office said today that invitations to the next meeting would expand to include the US and other nations that did not have honorary consuls on Phuket, but represented substantial numbers of tourists.

The meetings have also received a growing amount of attention in the local Thai media. The viewpoint of tourists is seldom projected, leaving many locals in the dark about the tourism industry and its responsibilities and targets.

Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob initiated the meetings after the idea was suggested by German ambassador Dr Hanns H. Schumacher. Governor Wichai has also said that complaints by tourists and expats should go to his office or to the honorary consuls and embassies of the people involved.

Likely to be on the enlarged list for an invitation to the next meeting are the US, India, China, Japan, Taiwan, Switzerland, Singapore and Malaysia.

At previous meetings Germany, Australia, Britain, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Russia, Korea, Finland, Netherlands Austria, Italy, France, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Estonia have been represented.

With the governor in charge, the meeting has also included representatives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Foreign Ministry, Phuket, the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation, the Chamber of Commerce, Immigration, the Resources and Environment Phuket Office, Phuket Tourist Police, local police and the Transport Department.