PHUKET: There is no overall emergency plan for an aircrash on Phuket, an official from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said today at a forum with honorary consuls.

''We have to work with the airport authorities,'' he said. ''Tsunami is the one we keep practicing because we still do not have the help of all authorities.''

He recommended telephoning the Kusoldharm Foundation on 1669 for situations requiring a fast ambulance or police on 911. The suggestion is that there should be one number for all emergencies, rather than a range of numbers.

The emergency crash of a One Two Go flight on Phuket in 2007 killed 90, with 40 survivors.

PHUKET: The Norway Consul suggests nine issues for discussion - travel insurance, beach management, illegal tour guides, ''quality'' tourists, the stability of Thai culture amid universal standards, co-operation between private and public sectors, traffic, pollution and emergency planning.

The consul for Netherlands says that issue No. 10 should be jet-skis and parasailers, but the person responsible for management of that issue - the director of Marine Office 5 - is not present today. [The director arrived late.]

The Czech consul appreciates the large number of administrators who are at the first forum to be held for some time, so he provides background covering some of the key issues. Many of them are not new, but they all remain unresolved.

The Norway Consul says emergency planning needs to be broader than just administrators and consuls. Hospitals, the Airports of Thailand management and others all need to be involved.

She goes on to note that many visitors to Phuket have no travel insurance and Vachira Phuket Hospital has to meet the cost of their treatment.

The Estonia Consul calls for an update on beach management. Those three issues - travel insurance, emergency planning and beach management, are for discussion today, with other issues possibly to be raised later.

Several well-known hospitals have name cards set out today but are not represented. The seats are empty. Phuketwan has three reporters at the forum. Other media are hard to find.

PHUKET: The island will be the site for the 2016 ACM-ICPC World Finals next year - the world's most prestigious programming contest.

It's the 40th year of the contest. People will compete around the world and then the best 1300 will come to Phuket for the world finals.

The dates have been set for May 15-20 next year. The Prime Minister will be invited to open the event. Movenpick and Le Meridien will house most of the students, with the opening ceremony at Phuket FantaSea.

Saphan Hin stadium will host the event.

PHUKET: There will be a study next year to see whether the tram planned for a north-south route down the island's spine can be extended to Patong.

The representative from the Foreign Ministry told the consuls' forum about the plan for the first time today.

The 23.5 billion baht project has to meet with Cabinet approval and Cabinet will decide whether it's open for public or private investment.

Phuketwan believes there are faster, more efficient answers to Phuket's transport problems.

PHUKET: We're coming LIVE from Phuket Provincial Hall where an enormous effort has gone into creating the most impressive gathering on Phuket we've seen in eight years.

Governor Jamleran Tipayapongtada, who has shown a much greater readiness than his predecessors to back changes and to listen to expats, has moved down from the podium and is sitting on the same level as everyone else.

This is an encouraging sign. He's had a big week, meeting earlier with four European ambassadors and the Canadian ambassador. It's hard to recall a time when expats had a greater opportunity to be heard.

The governor has created space for 23 countries, and sitting opposite them is a large array of officials, about 40 all told, covering every aspect of life in Phuket.

He's just come across to say ''Hi'' to Phuketwan. We know he's a keen reader, but if any of the comments belong to him, he hasn't owned up to them yet.

The row of consuls is impressive, stretching from ''Australia'' all the way down to US of A.

It's 1.43pm and the governor has his mike on. We've coming LIVE now.