PHUKET'S decision day for the Asean Plus Six Summit comes tomorrow with the arrival of Deputy PM Suthep Tueksuban and two senior Government ministers to assess the island's suitability.
The group of 60 was in Pattaya today, so it may not yet be a foregone conclusion that the important conference of 16 national leaders will come Phuket's way.
News of the probe by a large team from Bangkok came today by chance when the governor's media conference was interrupted by a telephone call from Deputy PM Suthep.
In a 20 minute conversation, Governor Wichai Praisa-Nob told Khun Suthep that everything was ''100 percent ready'' for tomorrow's visit.
He said that the island had the capacity to cope with up to 4000 visitors associated with the big summit. He named a couple of resorts in the conversation: Hilton Arcadia and Laguna Phuket.
Bangkok sources say the Deputy PM will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on Saturday's visit.
Phuketwan has previously made the point about Phuket's suitability for the summit on security grounds, and also highlighted that the two resorts named are the prime candidates.
Asked why Phuket was ideal for Asean Plus Six, the governor said today: ''It's beautiful, natural, and we have the space and the security. We have six weeks to get ready.''
He said it would be a great thing for Phuket to have such a top-level conference in the midst of the quiet period of the tourism year.
It is understood that India is the only remaining country yet to agree on proposed dates in June because elections are currently being held there.
Five minutes before the Deputy PM rang to interrupt today's media conference, Phuketwan had asked the governor about the chances of the summit coming to Phuket.
''Yes, it's possible, maybe 80 percent certain,'' he had said. ''Now we are trying to make the roadways look more appealing and the whole landscape attractive.''
The Asean Plus Six Summit has a troubled history. First scheduled for Bangkok, it was postponed because of the invasion of the capital's airports by yellow shirt protesters in November.
Then it was to be Phuket's turn, but sufficient accommodation could not be found during the Songkran-Easter break, so it went to Pattaya.
Poor security led to red shirt protesters invading the resort on the day the summit was to begin, triggering an emergency airlift to safety for some national leaders.
The 10-member Asean grouping of Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos and the Philippines is to be bolstered by China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India.
In the context of the global downturn, this makes Asean Plus Six the most important conference in the Asia-Pacific for many years.
Phuket has hosted several smaller Asean gatherings recently and as an island with one road on and one road off, security against mass protests is largely provided by nature.
Phuket is a yellow shirt and Democrat Party stronghold, with minimal red shirt support on the island.
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The group of 60 was in Pattaya today, so it may not yet be a foregone conclusion that the important conference of 16 national leaders will come Phuket's way.
News of the probe by a large team from Bangkok came today by chance when the governor's media conference was interrupted by a telephone call from Deputy PM Suthep.
In a 20 minute conversation, Governor Wichai Praisa-Nob told Khun Suthep that everything was ''100 percent ready'' for tomorrow's visit.
He said that the island had the capacity to cope with up to 4000 visitors associated with the big summit. He named a couple of resorts in the conversation: Hilton Arcadia and Laguna Phuket.
Bangkok sources say the Deputy PM will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on Saturday's visit.
Phuketwan has previously made the point about Phuket's suitability for the summit on security grounds, and also highlighted that the two resorts named are the prime candidates.
Asked why Phuket was ideal for Asean Plus Six, the governor said today: ''It's beautiful, natural, and we have the space and the security. We have six weeks to get ready.''
He said it would be a great thing for Phuket to have such a top-level conference in the midst of the quiet period of the tourism year.
It is understood that India is the only remaining country yet to agree on proposed dates in June because elections are currently being held there.
Five minutes before the Deputy PM rang to interrupt today's media conference, Phuketwan had asked the governor about the chances of the summit coming to Phuket.
''Yes, it's possible, maybe 80 percent certain,'' he had said. ''Now we are trying to make the roadways look more appealing and the whole landscape attractive.''
The Asean Plus Six Summit has a troubled history. First scheduled for Bangkok, it was postponed because of the invasion of the capital's airports by yellow shirt protesters in November.
Then it was to be Phuket's turn, but sufficient accommodation could not be found during the Songkran-Easter break, so it went to Pattaya.
Poor security led to red shirt protesters invading the resort on the day the summit was to begin, triggering an emergency airlift to safety for some national leaders.
The 10-member Asean grouping of Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos and the Philippines is to be bolstered by China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India.
In the context of the global downturn, this makes Asean Plus Six the most important conference in the Asia-Pacific for many years.
Phuket has hosted several smaller Asean gatherings recently and as an island with one road on and one road off, security against mass protests is largely provided by nature.
Phuket is a yellow shirt and Democrat Party stronghold, with minimal red shirt support on the island.
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