PHUKET will be transformed into a Singapore-style urban hub within 20 years, says a powerful Phuket MP in painting a broad vision of Phuket's assets and deficiencies.

To Phuket MP Tossaporn Thepabutr, the island has a desperate need for balance between prosperity and happiness, and between nature and numbers.

Khun Tossaporn and his wife Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr became Phuket's most influential ''first couple'' with Khun Anchalee's appointment as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Secretary-General from Janauary 1.

Khun Tossaporn acknowledged yesterday that his wife's new role gives Phuket its greatest opportunity to redress some of the chronic imbalances of a budget based on false figures.

While the handout to the province is based on the 320,000 registered citizens, the real population probably rides above one million when 200,000 Burmese workers and thousands of tourists are on the island in any given month.

The sweep of Khun Tossaporn's vision went well beyond budget, though, as he briefed the Phuket Provincial Cooperative Office yesterday on the future of Phuket.

Phuketwan was pleasantly surprised to hear that Khun Tossaporn agrees that Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi must be treated as one if the benefits of fast-track ''green'' tourism are to be maintained despite exponentional development.

We've seen no real sign yet of the government understanding the need to stop or slow development in Krabi and Phang Nga. That will be essential as Phuket becomes an island-size city, albeit one with good beaches and quick access to coral reefs.

Khun Tossaporn said that the three provinces need to have a common strategy. However, Phuketwan would go further than that and say the three provinces need a common ''Greater Phuket'' government.

No Governor in Phang Nga or Krabi is going to apply the brakes on development voluntarily, yet the brakes need to go on to preserve the Andaman region's tourism attractions into the next decade and beyond.

Plastering Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga with shophouses will reduce the region's pulling power. As tourists are quick to point out: ''People from big cities don't come on holidays to see buildings.''

Khun Tossaporn says that MPs from the three provinces are meeting, and the plan is for Governors and Mayors to meet more frequently, too.

But Phuketwan is convinced that only with radical special treatment can the region's natural attractions be preserved in the face of a ''gold rush'' of prosperity.

If a Singapore-style Phuket is already becoming obvious to Khun Tossaporn and others, Phuket needs a benevolent dictator, a 21st century Lee Kwan Yew, today. Tomorrow will be too late.

Khun Tossaporn said that even with the expansion planned for Phuket International Airport, it would probably only take Phuket at its current rate of development five years to go from 6.5 million arrivals and departures to the new full capacity of 12.5 million.

That means by 2018, the problems that Phuket has now will become even greater unless they are solved in the meantime. And in Phuketwan's opinion, only a strong benevolent dictator with wide powers can make it work.

Khun Tossaporn made the point that Phuket's budget needs to be realistic. While Khun Anchalee will be serving the needs of the entire country in her influential new role, she is not likely to overlook Phuket.

''If we cannot solve some of these enduring problems, Phuket will no longer be the ideal place to live that it should be,'' Khun Tossaporn said.

Singapore sends its students overseas to learn and broaden their education, and Phuket needed to do the same, he said.

Phuket now had the highest minimum wage in the country, and at 217 baht it was as much as 50 baht above the minimum wage in some other provinces.

As a result, Khun Tossaporn said, he was frequently approached by people from other provinces asking, about finding jobs on Phuket.

''They come,'' he said. ''Of course they come. Not only do they come from other Thai provinces, but from Burma as well.''

Khun Tossaporn said that the legalisation of Burmese workers meant that there were now 3000 Burmese children on Phuket who were legitimately entitled to be educated in Thailand.

Those kinds of issues would intensify as the nations in Asean developed and the region became more unified.

''At some stage in the near future the centre of the world will be Asean,'' he said. ''We should look to a future where people can travel with greater ease from country to country.

''Phuket will be developing at a rate comparable with Singapore inside 20 years. I can guarantee it.''

He highlighted three issues:

Property ''If you have land, please don't sell it right now. Let it grow in value. Save it. The island cannot grow extra space. The beaches have to be preserved.''

Education ''Be inspired to improve your knowledge and expertise, learn English and encourage other to gain a more complete education.''

Tolerance ''Live together and accept others. Strive to improve but be content with what life delivers.''

Khun Tossaporn said tourist numbers dropped before the new year because of the ''second tsunami'' forecast by a fortune teller.

But since January 1, the crowds have returned, with three flights now coming daily from Korea where there was one.

''Will another foolish forecast have the same effect next year?'' he asked. ''How do we make sure the tourists feel secure?'' (Phuketwan's answer: the resorts need to reassure their guests. But first, establishments in the danger zone need to answer the question: who wakes the guests in a tsunami alert at 3am?)

He said the strength of the Thai baht and an increase in package tourism from growing markets such as Russia meant that numbers of visitors were growing, while income was not increasing.

Most of all, he said, Phuket people needed balance in their lives. Many had grown wealthy but become less content at the same time.

''Phuket people need balance,'' he said. ''Balance in their lives, just as Phuket needs balance between increased tourism and protecting the environment. We can do it. We must.''