''FROM the beauty of nature to the world of creativity.'' This is likely to be the phrase that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will hear today when Phuket presents its case for holding World Expo 2020 in the Andaman region.

Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob will be leading the contingent from Phuket, with the island up against six other provinces of Thailand in bidding for what could be a transformational opportunity for Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi.

Phuket is the only contender, apart from Chiang Mai, with an airport, and the only contender with a second airport, Krabi so close. High-speed bullet rail from Bangkok would also become more of a possibility if the island wins the bid.

As a yellow Democratic Party stronghold, Phuket had never been in a more favorable position.

''Quality public transport would reach Phuket with the expo as a matter of course,'' the governor said. Having experienced a 300kph rapid rail ride in Spain last week, he sees the potential in a link from Bangkok to Phuket.

Phuket airport's planned 5.7 billion baht expansion would also enable ''Greater Phuket'' to cope with up to 12.5 million arrivals and departures within the next three years, he added. Twenty-two landings and take-offs could then occur every hour, he said.

Key people from all over the island briefed the governor at a special meeting at Provincial Hall in Phuket City yesterday. The governor noted the number of world-class golf courses, the yachting marinas, the quality of international resorts and hospitals, and the capacity of Phuket to easily welcome and farewell a large number of visitors.

If the balance between Phuket's natural beauty and development could be maintained, the World Expo 2020 will become a watershed moment for Greater Phuket.

Tan Chee Kion, representing the Provincial Federation of Industry, told the governor that he was a Thai but had spent most of his life in China. He said that he had visited Shanghai for its current word expo and ascertained that the city had 80,000 rooms for international guests.

Half a million people a day were visiting the Shanghai expo, he said. Millions of yuan had been spent in clearing schools and industry for the space needed for the current expo, yet the one advantage Phuket had from the start was plenty of open space.

The income alone from the price of admission to the Shanghai expo was huge. Coupled with holidaymakers, the expo in Greater Phuket had the possibility of turning the region into Southeast Asia's Hawaii almost overnight.

''Shanghai has been successful and unsuccessful,'' he said. ''Transport is difficult there, with some people taking three hours to get to exhibitions on foot.

''Phuket has huge advantages if it gets the public transport right and the timing right. But Phuket cannot walk alone. Phang Nga and Krabi need to be involved, too.''

The concept of international expos had left many places in the world with great infrastructure, he said. It was possible to see Phuket emerge with a range of high-quality venues for all kinds of future tourism.

Phuket's ability to call on people as volunteers during a world expo would be a bonus but the teaching of languages was a huge demand, so people who spoke different languages would probably have to be brought from all over Thailand.

A local representative from Mai Khao told the governor that the balance in the district between development and nature was about right.

''No place in the world is like Phuket, with its mixture of Buddhists, Muslims and Christians,'' he said. ''People have been sailing here as traders and tourists for centuries.

''We already understand the need for tolerance and have the ability to welcome people from all over the world with a smile.

''All we need is more knowledge to make it work.''

Phuket, he said, was the kitchen of the world, with the ability to cook in a range of styles and with fresh ingredients that few other places could match.