PHUKET: Thailand's campaign against drug-taking was top of the agenda when Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung spoke to 264 senior police from around the country's southern region on Phuket today.
The Deputy PM's views are well-known - he supports 100 percent no tolerance and would like those convicted of serious drug crimes executed much faster than they are at present.
On Phuket, there are still tourists who imagine they can do on holiday what they do at home, to their great cost. More than 80 percent of the prisoners in Phuket jail are there because of drugs.
A gentler side of the present government was being demonstrated at the same time by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who opened Phuket's One Village One Product Festival at Saphan Hin in Phuket City.
She admitted it was difficult for her to speak in southern language - Thais' regional accents differ as they do in many countries - but that she was delighted to have been made to feel so much at home today.
''''I am a northerner,'' she admitted. ''But I am very proud today that southern people have given me such a warm welcome.''
Historically, Phuket and the south have always been majority Democrat voters but with reconciliation the aim after years of discord, politics appear to have been put to one side.
People seem to understand that having a ''red'' Prime Minister come to ''yellow'' Phuket with a view to correcting budetary injustices under governments of both colors is a massive step forward.
PM Yingluck also looked at Phuket's controversial 600 metre mangrove ''flyover'' near the Saphan Hin festival but gave no signal as to whether - as her Trasport Minister hinted strongly last week - the project had met with Cabinet's funding approval.
It's generally better understood in Bangkok these days that Phuket has to have infrastructure and reforms to prosper as a successful international tourist destination.
And one that will continue to send large amounts of revenue to Bangkok.
Some of Phuket's senior tourism and business leaders were meeting with PM Yingluck about 5pm to offer up ideas before her official reception greeting tonight at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa in Karon.
Tomorrow, the Cabinet of Thailand meets on Phuket for the first time since 2003 . . . and some big projects from Phuket and around the Andaman provinces are likely to be approved as Thailand perhaps begins to change the face of Phuket tourism.
The Deputy PM's views are well-known - he supports 100 percent no tolerance and would like those convicted of serious drug crimes executed much faster than they are at present.
On Phuket, there are still tourists who imagine they can do on holiday what they do at home, to their great cost. More than 80 percent of the prisoners in Phuket jail are there because of drugs.
A gentler side of the present government was being demonstrated at the same time by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who opened Phuket's One Village One Product Festival at Saphan Hin in Phuket City.
She admitted it was difficult for her to speak in southern language - Thais' regional accents differ as they do in many countries - but that she was delighted to have been made to feel so much at home today.
''''I am a northerner,'' she admitted. ''But I am very proud today that southern people have given me such a warm welcome.''
Historically, Phuket and the south have always been majority Democrat voters but with reconciliation the aim after years of discord, politics appear to have been put to one side.
People seem to understand that having a ''red'' Prime Minister come to ''yellow'' Phuket with a view to correcting budetary injustices under governments of both colors is a massive step forward.
PM Yingluck also looked at Phuket's controversial 600 metre mangrove ''flyover'' near the Saphan Hin festival but gave no signal as to whether - as her Trasport Minister hinted strongly last week - the project had met with Cabinet's funding approval.
It's generally better understood in Bangkok these days that Phuket has to have infrastructure and reforms to prosper as a successful international tourist destination.
And one that will continue to send large amounts of revenue to Bangkok.
Some of Phuket's senior tourism and business leaders were meeting with PM Yingluck about 5pm to offer up ideas before her official reception greeting tonight at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa in Karon.
Tomorrow, the Cabinet of Thailand meets on Phuket for the first time since 2003 . . . and some big projects from Phuket and around the Andaman provinces are likely to be approved as Thailand perhaps begins to change the face of Phuket tourism.
