THE Tourism and Sport Ministry has a new office on Dumrong Road, near Provincial Hall, in the administrative heart of Phuket City.

The site was once a boy scout camping area. Now Tourism and Sport is establishing a fitness centre for the local community, as well as a second office for the department.

Local Tourism and Sport headquarters will remain at Surakul Stadium, on the other side of Phuket City.

Promchote Traivate, the regional T&S chief, said that the new offices would also be used for reskilling unemployed people, as well as aerobics and fitness-related activities.

Athletes from all over the south find a place to stay at Surakul Stadium to train, and the new centre gives them a second site to accommodate visitors.

Other T&S branches are planned for Mai Khao, Rawai and villages across the island.

Khun Promchote has been developing fitness programs all over Phuket, based in schools and community centres. The idea is to encourage local communities to take responsibility for their own fitness and health.

He won the Phuketwan Person of the Year 2007 Award for his work in creating awareness of the need for healthy lifestyles, developing homestay facilities, and creating alternative tourist industry jobs for local people.

Any group wising to use the new facilities should contact Tourism and Sport on 076 217054. Khun Promchote is on 081 8697431.