A POLICE GENERAL from Bangkok has been secretly pursuing the task of solving problems on Phuket associated with illegal ''black'' taxis and tuk-tuks for two years - and he believes he has a solution.

Police General Pichit Kuandachakupt met Phuket's Governor today to reveal his strategy for Phuket's immediate transport future.

General Pichit, who is on the Board of The Police Commission, said the process of change had already begun with his involvement as a consultant with Marriott International resorts.

There was a blockade at at least one Courtyard by Marriott on Phuket earlier this year. The general said that based on security video of the incident, one of the drivers involved was sentenced to jail for five months.

''Now the Marriott has no problem and we plan to sort out similar problems across the whole of Phuket based on our experience of this situation,'' he told today's meeting.

General Pichit is proposing that 500 tuk-tuks and taxis would earn green licence plates to make them part of the new system, and only the green-plate vehicles would be part of the call centre system to be used by Patong resorts.

The general said the Mayor of Patong, Pian Keesin, and his son Preechavude Keesin, who is President of the Taxi Federation of Patong, support the new system, along with resorts who had been told about it so far.

The Patong Taxi Club was represented at today's meeting at Provincial Hall in Phuket City by Setthasak Burson.

The changeover has already begun and taxis and tuk-tuks are being registered today, the general said.

''Three years should see the whole system made over,'' General Pichit said. He said that while involvement after the Courtyard blockade provide direct experience at solving the issues, the investigation into Patong's needs had been underway for two years.

''I saw tuk-tuk drivers debating prices with tourists outside the hotel where I am staying just this morning,'' General Pichit said. '''It is always an eye-opener to see this kind of haggling first-hand.

''The drivers spoke impolitely, the tourists were subjected to the wrong kind of approach, and there was a mafia-style attitude. We hope that will soon be a thing of the past.''

Numbers of illegal black taxis have been estimated at up to 4000 vehicles, and the issue of transport on Phuket has generated more complaints from tourists than any other issue.

''We have the names and addresses of about 2000 low-season black taxi drivers on Phuket,'' he said. ''In the high season, the number goes up more than double.''

The compilation of the lists of ''black'' drivers has been undertaken by police from Bangkok over the past two years.

''There will be a lot of energy in the campaign to let everyone know what we are doing now, and why,'' the general said. ''We want tourists to have a say, too.

''The number-plate change is the first step. Parking along beach road in Patong will be transformed as well in the next few weeks.''

Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha added that Patong's one-way system would also be reversed next month. He said that with the reversal will come a parking system that devoted more space to ordinary vehicles, and less to tuk-tuks and taxis.