PHUKET: Ambassadors met in Bangkok yesterday aiming to make Phuket a safer destination as authorities and police on Phuket discussed ''the small island with big problems.''

The words belong to Phuket Vice Governor Jamleran Tipayapongtada who chaired the Phuket meeting about the same time as diplomats met with the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to urge Thai authorities to clamp down on extortion and scams.

Australian ambassador James Wise, who said on Phuket last month that the summit was coming, joined the ambassadors of Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Britain in meeting Suwat Sidthilaw.

On Phuket ''commonly used scams involve local operators demanding extensive cash payments from tourists for allegedly damaging jet-skis or tricking visitors to pay through the nose for poor quality gemstones,'' the National News Bureau of Thailand reported.

At Provincial Hall in Phuket City, yesterday's meeting was told by Assistant Director Wanapharar Suksombul from the Tourist Authority of Thailand that time-share touts have replaced jet-ski scammers as the most-complained-about topic by Phuket tourists.

The TAT now plans to establish offices all over Phuket to hear what tourists have to say, she said. Offices would be set up in Patong, Kata, Kamala and at the new Phuket City bus terminal, she said.

Vice Governor Jamleran said scams and other problems associated with tourism needed to be wiped out on Phuket before the next high season.

At one stage he asked for a call to be made to Phuripat Theerakulpisut, Chief of Phuket's Marine Office 5,who vanished from the meeting.

''You have to make an action plan and tell us what you can and can't fix,'' Vice Governor told Khun Phuripat on his return.

''I accept the order,'' Khun Phuripat said, accepting that there were issues that needed to be clarified, then bringing laughter as he added ''but now it's lunchtime already.''

Jet-ski Association president Anusorn Saley said that even he was puzzled by Khun Phuripat's decision to increase the number of places on Phuket where jet-skis can be legitimately used to include Naka Island.

[Jet-skis continue to be operated illegally at Surin and Laem Singh beaches without action being taken.]

An insurance scheme had failed to resolve the jet-ski scams, said Phuket Police Deputy Commander Colonel Pirayut Karajedi.

He said it was time that jet-ski operators paid increased levels of coverage to make sure they no longer needed to dispute payments with tourists.

Insurance should cover the time that jet-skis were out of the water - often the payment that jet-ski operators demanded, above and beyond insurance coverage.

He said jet-ski operations were a lucrative business and the hirers could afford to pay for more insurance.

He added that jet-skis should operate from a central point at Patong beach where a large sign should be placed in several languages spelling out conditions of hire.

[Phuketwan has suggested taking this one step further and operating the jet-skis from an offshore patoon, as happens on Boracay in the Philippines, one reason why it is rated ''the world's best beach.'']

Jet-ski Association president Khun Anusorn said he was surprised to hear that there were now 289 jet-skis on Phuket when his association's figures revealed 219 just two years ago.

The Bangkok meeting of ambassadors is expected to continue to apply pressure for change on Phuket, where another top-level meeting will be scheduled next month.