PHUKET: A group of senior executives from cruise lines say conditions at Phuket's deep sea port need to be improved in a hurry after constant complaints from passengers have gone unheard.
The executives - mostly from Royal Caribbean but also representing the Princess line - complained that Phuket Immigration and Phuket Marine Office 5 staff knew about the problems but no action had been taken to fix them.
Consultant and spokesperson Dr Choedchai Khannabha told Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha that sometimes just 10 Immigration officers would be sent to deal with as many as 6000 passengers on a cruise ship.
The passengers had as little as 12 hours to see Phuket and it was important for a good impression to be created.
Taxis at the deep sea port were also not to international standards, and there was a lack of signage informing the quality tourists on the ships about taxi fares and what to do on Phuket.
With Dr Choedchai at the meeting were James Ngui, Royal Caribbean product and port operations manager, Colin J Clarke, hotel director, Rick Welch, worldwide operations manager, and Jianfeng Tong, head of port operations, Asia.
The cruise companies hope to have 60 visits a year to Phuket, with passengers staying up to two days, and cruise travellers are just the kind of tourists Phuket needs.
The national government is believed to be fast-tracking plans to expand the Phuket deep sea port at Cape Panwa on the east coast so it can handle more cruise liners after years of neglect.
Singapore now has an ultra-modern cruise liner terminal. Phuket will not gain from the increasing interest in the region unless its port facilities are quickly raised to match the extra demand and Singapore's international standards.
Governor Tri said he would take up the issue and recommended that cruise executives detail in writing their complaints and what needs to be upgraded at the port.
The executives - mostly from Royal Caribbean but also representing the Princess line - complained that Phuket Immigration and Phuket Marine Office 5 staff knew about the problems but no action had been taken to fix them.
Consultant and spokesperson Dr Choedchai Khannabha told Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha that sometimes just 10 Immigration officers would be sent to deal with as many as 6000 passengers on a cruise ship.
The passengers had as little as 12 hours to see Phuket and it was important for a good impression to be created.
Taxis at the deep sea port were also not to international standards, and there was a lack of signage informing the quality tourists on the ships about taxi fares and what to do on Phuket.
With Dr Choedchai at the meeting were James Ngui, Royal Caribbean product and port operations manager, Colin J Clarke, hotel director, Rick Welch, worldwide operations manager, and Jianfeng Tong, head of port operations, Asia.
The cruise companies hope to have 60 visits a year to Phuket, with passengers staying up to two days, and cruise travellers are just the kind of tourists Phuket needs.
The national government is believed to be fast-tracking plans to expand the Phuket deep sea port at Cape Panwa on the east coast so it can handle more cruise liners after years of neglect.
Singapore now has an ultra-modern cruise liner terminal. Phuket will not gain from the increasing interest in the region unless its port facilities are quickly raised to match the extra demand and Singapore's international standards.
Governor Tri said he would take up the issue and recommended that cruise executives detail in writing their complaints and what needs to be upgraded at the port.
This could be Phuket's motto:-
(insert any gov dept here)"staff knew about the problems but no action had been taken to fix them".
Posted by Sir Burr on July 14, 2012 09:10