PHUKET'S regional rival, Bali, would be happy to take the women's international beach volleyball tournament from Phuket if the Tourism Authority of Thailand fails to find six million baht to sponsor the event, tourism industry contacts confirmed today.

The mystery is that if the government plans to spend 1.5 billion baht as promised revitalising tourism in Thailand, why is it that they have been unable to find relatively paltry funding for Phuket's most iconic beach event?

A source within the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Bangkok told Phuketwan today that the TAT budget for events of this kind had been cut, and that perhaps half the six million baht being asked for by the organisers could be found.

The four-day titles on the sand, held each year at Karon beach, south of Patong, probably do not offer a return in vast numbers of additional visitors to the island.

But the Thailand Open invariably makes for strong marketing reinforcement of Phuket's reputation as a destination where beach culture is strong.

Intensifying Phuket's sun-sea-sand image will be important in repairing the collateral damage that Phuket suffered during the 10-week red protest and the deadly fiery crackdown that brought it to an end, with prominent Bangkok landmarks razed.

News of the shortfall emerged by chance in a discussion yesterday about international events of the kind Phuket needs to recover quickly. The regional director of the TAT, Bangornrat Shinaprayoon, later confirmed that the funding for the beach volleyball usually came from the Bangkok head office of the TAT.

Later this month the Phuket regional TAT will, however, fund the two-night Phuket Music Festival Full Moon Version on the same stretch of sand at Karon.

Ironically, the Governor of the TAT, Suraphon Svetasreni, mentioned Phuket favorably in a media release that accompanied his letter earlier this week reassuring the world that Thailand was open for tourism again.

Thailand's overall recovery strategy has caused some friction, with fare-boosting Thai Airways asking resorts to slash rates in half, a strategy that the Pacific Asia Travel Association condemned as counter-productive.

Today PATA renewed its call for an image building campaign rather than a price slashing exercise, which some in the industry say could leave Phuket and Thailand taking as long as four years to return to current pricing levels.

''We believe that we must rebuild international confidence in Thailand as a destination that already offers tremendous value,'' PATA chief executive officer Greg Duffell said. ''As we now enter the low season, hotel rates are extremely competitive.

''We prefer to see an image building campaign, rather than a strategy based on product discounting. We are also advising hotels to add value to room rates by including free wi-fi, breakfast etc, rather than simply slash prices.

''Until tour operators have the confidence to send their clients to Thailand, and tourists/business travellers feel confident that they will enjoy an uninterrupted trip, price cutting alone will not bring back the numbers.

''Our long-standing and much respected role as industry advocates means that we have a duty to advise our members on how best to address major issues and crises.

''This applies in equal importance to all member categories and I know that TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni appreciates our frank, open and honest assessment of what now needs to be done to restore confidence and to support those employed in travel and tourism across Thailand.''

Another beach image-builder, the Phuket Quiksilver board-surfing series, held at Karon, Kata and Kamala through the low season last year for the first time, has been reduced to one event this year.