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WILL the tunnel under Patong Hill get the go-ahead now that Pian Keesin has been re-elected mayor of the resort town?

As Khun Pian's party swept into control of the decision-making tessaban council in Sunday's election, it seems likely that the tunnel project will be pursued rapidly.

The reelected mayor used a car emerging from the underpass as his main campaign image.

However, Khun Pian, leader of the Rak Patong (Love Patong) party, feels obliged to wait until the official results are declared in seven days before making any comments.

He has seen election results overturned and run-offs held again in the past.

But Khun Pian did say in his final speech before his weekend victory: ''The sky belongs to the birds, but the mayorship of Patong belongs to Pian.''

Noted for his evening meet-and-greet strolls around Patong, the resort-owning businessman defeated Somkiet Kuru of the Patong Gao Na ( Patong Progress) party by 3826 votes to 3249 in Sunday's poll.

Just as importantly, Khun Pian's party, in opposition before the poll, took 11 of the 18 seats on Patong's decision-making tessaban council.

It's plain that Khun Pian's personal popularity remains undiminshed, despite a decade or more at the forefront of local politics.

In the leadup to the election, some of Khun Somkiet's posters around town were slashed. Officials said about 60 percent of those elegible to vote turned out.

Provided the election result becomes official, when it comes to the tunnel under Patong Hill and other proposed innovations, Khun Pian no longer faces an uphill battle all the way.

Plans for a two-billion baht underpass through Patong Hill suffered a major setback in May when the tessaban rejected the budget for a feasibility study.

The then head of the tessaban board, Raksak Nuset, said the underpass study was too expensive. A new feasibility study would have cost 39,680,000 baht.

Khun Raksak said the project appeared to have taken on a life of its own, without local people being consulted first. Khun Raksak did not contest the election.

Khun Pian, among the strongest advocates for the tunnel, believes an underpass would end the hundreds of accidents that occur each year on the windy road across the hill between Kathu and Patong.

Overloaded or underpowered trucks frequently fail to make it over the top and braking buses have been known to slide off the hill in wet weather.

The tessaban consists of six representatives from each of three Patong districts, with the mayor elected separately. Elections are held every four years.


FRIENDLY football games, a charity golf tournament and an auction evening mixed ESPN Star Sports personalities with Phuket locals over the weekend. And it proved to be a potent brew.

With 16 local teams taking part in the tournament at Laguna Phuket Golf Club and more than 160 at the dinner that followed at Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket, a total of 750,000 baht was raised.

The money will go towards improving hygiene and safety standards at Ban Klongsai School in Phang Nga, which the ESPN folk visited to see for themselves where the money was going.


IN THE island's other big sporting event of the weekend, Australian boat Yo!2 took honors over another Australian boat, Katsu, and Ruby Tuesday from New Zealand in the premier division for yachts in Six Senses Phuket Raceweek.

The regatta, said to be the fastest-growing in Asia, is sailed off the south of the island from its HQ in Chalong.

Look for every day, Monday to Friday, at Phuketwan. It's essential reading. To tell us your news, email bigislandmedia@gmail.com or telephone 081 6513489.

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