THE PROSPECT of Thailand's Foreign Ministry intervening to clear up the corruption on Phuket was raised at a dramatic seminar involving honorary consuls, embassy representatives and a senior delegation of FM heads from Bangkok today.

The theatricality of the occasion, with one speaker calling Phuket ''the most corrupt province of Thailand,'' was accentuated when torrential floods locked in many participants at the Adamas Resort at Nai Yang.

One of the honorary consuls at the meeting later told Phuketwan that the event was so significant that it may even be a ''turning-point in Phuket's history.''

The torrential downpour and the flooding that followed may mean a delayed start to this afternoon's ''mini-UN summit'' at Provincial Hall in Phuket City.

But the rain did not stop the German Ambassador, Dr Hanns H. Schumacher, delivering a blast about Phuket police especially.

''Changes cannot come unless Phuket is free of corruption and extortion,'' the hushed meeting heard.

The Foreign Ministry delegates appeared stunned by the onslaught from Dr Schumacher and others who regaled the meeting with tales of stand-over tactics by taxi drivers and tuk-tuks and other Phuket horror stories.

Dr Schumacher lashed Phuket police for failing to inform the German embassy of the deaths of German citizens until weeks later.

One honorary consul who heard what Dr Schumacher said told Phuketwan: ''It was a stellar performance.''

Dr Schumacher has been leading the charge for reform on Phuket since last year, when he was first stood up in March by the extra-busy newly-arrived Governor, Wichai Praisa-ngob.

In November, the two men met under more cheerful circumstances, with the governor agreeing to Dr Schumacher's suggestion for an innovative series of quarterly meetings.

Dr Schumacher is clearly upset at the lack of reform on Phuket. Back in March last year, this is what he told Phuketwan:

''I as well as other European ambassadors are about to investigate the situation that too frequently, our embassies are not informed when our nationals are either detained or die in an area of jurisdiction of any police district in Thailand.

''Thailand has signed the international convention on consular affairs and it has the legal commitment to inform the embassies as soon as possible.

''I understand that this is not so much a question of goodwill. The authorities in Bangkok are quite cooperative. But it has to go down, trickle down, to the local police authorities. This was an issue I would have loved to discuss with the governor.''

He later told Phuketwan that the problems were not particular to Phuket, and that Pattaya posed more problems in this regard.

But he did add that on the island, Patong police especially failed to inform embassies about arrests and deaths.

Today nothing had appeared to have changed - so Dr Schumacher gave the island's leaders and police both barrels.

His target this time was wider, with corruption now squarely in his sights - and it should be a lively gathering once this morning's participants reconvene at Provincial Hall this afternoon.