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Phuket's hidden treasure, the island off Cape Promthep

Rawai to Spend 30m Baht on Cape Cable Car Study

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
LATEST in the megaprojects for Phuket: a cable car that could run between Cape Promthep and Ko Kaewpitsadarn, the sacred island off the cape's tip.

Tessaban Rawai is spending 30 million baht on research and an environmental impact study.

The budget for the investigation is in the local authority's spending plan for 2010-2012.

The island is considered a holy place by Buddhists because it contains two offshore ''footprints'' of Buddha that only become visible when the tide is low.

The island is three kilometres from the cape, which is already famous for its sunset view and its palmyra trees.

Ko Kaewpitsadarn is noted for its religious significance, with seven monks living in a temple there. Surrounding reef coral is protected.

The Mayor of Rawai, Arun Soroj, believes a cable car would bring more tourists and enable the island to be visited more frequently.

Steps could be built on the island to allow people more easy access to the temple and views of its natural beauty.

The plan follows approval of a 40 million baht budget to study the potential for a tunnel under Patong Hill, linking the resort town with central Phuket.

Talk continues about a cable car to run from the outskirts of Patong to the Big Buddha on Nakkerd Hill.
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Comments

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Why bother if they build a cable car the reef will destroyed by the visitors as Coral Island was. Twenty years ago Coral island had a pristine full reef now there is virtually nothing left. Its easy enough to get to the island now with a short boat ride from Rawai beach and the boat operators are very careful and only follow the set route onto the beach avoiding any damage to the reef

Posted by Michael on October 27, 2009 17:36

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Who dreams up these hare-brained schemes ?

Posted by Mouse on October 27, 2009 19:36

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30m baht, just for the research? Please! If it is a sacred island, leave it like that.

Save the 30 mil baht and take our word for it. It will only destroy !! Don't they have something better to spend their money on?

Posted by VFaye on October 28, 2009 09:29

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With the safety record that Phuket has, this will be a mess. Waste of money, as per usual. I pay a substantial part of my wage in tax and I am tired of this blatant waste of public money.

The roads here are do dangerous, people dying every day, repairs are superficial and there is no education system in place to try and change the mind set of the millions of people who drive like maniacs here.

Let's invest our public money in safety - good helmets, healthcare and a better transport system. Please. . .

Posted by Janet on October 28, 2009 10:44

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What a waste of Time & Money. I agree with Michael leave the visits to the Longtails after all that is part of the Phuket Charm a Longtail Ride to a sacred island it also provides an income. Spend the Money on enforcing an exclusion Zone round the Racha islands for Commercial Trawlers that are ripping up the Coral Reefs and eliminating the Fish Stocks exactly what toursists come here for Divers & Sportfishermen it would also increase the Sea Gypsies catch and Income.

Posted by Rawai Beach IGFA Fishing Club on October 28, 2009 15:20

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Rawai Beach IGFA Fishing Club I also agree with you on this.

Posted by Graham on October 28, 2009 17:54

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Very good point about Racha, also Rawai is one of the only areas in Phuket without a park unless you count the bamboo park most other areas have exercise parks for residents to enjoy, there is no room to walk on the sea front as the walkway is full of tables, 30 million would be better invested elsewhere

Posted by Michael on October 29, 2009 10:29

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Use the 30 million Baht for the roads like Soi Kerny or Soi.Fred where you take your life in your hands by driving on these roads.

Posted by Art on November 1, 2009 17:57

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Another total waste of tax payers money which would be better spent on improving the Islands infrastructure, more especially the road system which is a disgrace.

Posted by Local on November 2, 2009 11:47

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It just sounds like a money grab!

Why doesn't the OrBorTor replace missing stop signs, improve the roads and/or road engineering that cause so many deaths every week in Rawai?

If the OrBortor is interested in attracting tourists, why doesn't it concentrate on the garbage that is ever present on the beaches in the area (Nai Harn, Yanui, Rawai, Laem Ka!!!). This is garbage which (for the most part) is the result of locals dumping their garbage on the beach. It's terrible and an insult to anyone that appreciates nature! Impose fines so that law enforcement would pay for itself.

Why has the OrBorTor erected 5 or more taxi stands in prime areas at Nai Harn beach within 100 meters of each other?

I see the taxi drivers sitting playing cards in these "eyesores", meanwhile they have monopolized most of the prime parking spaces along the beach, requiring the tourists to park in a parking lot 100 meters away.

Why can't the taxis park next to the Wat in a central location? Why must the beach be cluttered with taxi stands, massage stands, plastic beach chairs, etc, etc. It seems that the short-term pursuit of money has eclipsed the concern for the nature and natural beauty in this area, which will, in the long term, guarantee that tourists will return.

Posted by a local on November 4, 2009 21:14


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