A VISA on arrival for every traveller is one fast-track solution being proposed by the Governor of Phuket to revitalise tourism on the island and in Thailand.

Governor Dr Preecha Ruangjan also wants the funding to be able to train or retrain people thrown out of work by the coming economic crisis, plus the budget for a sports and conference centre.

His requests came at an emergency summit meeting on tourism and survival that took place on Phuket today, just as Thailand was gaining a new Prime Minister in Bangkok.

Another suggestion from Krabi is that national parks should be free of entry fees for two years to encourage visitors.

The Governor of Phuket and representatives from four other provinces gathered at Provincial Hall, along with the deputy permanent head of the prime minister's department.

The leaders of Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Ranong and Trang had a chance today to explain their problems to one of the country's most senior officials.

The report from Oran Chaiprawat will go directly to the new Democrat Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, whose ascension to the top job only became clear about halfway through the Phuket gathering.

While the new Prime Minister was being chosen in the capital, about 50 representatives from the five Andaman provinces were given a chance to air their grievances to Khun Oran, a former senior banker.

One by one, people from each of the five provinces explained the difficulties facing the Andaman region's immediate future as Thailand's leading tropical holiday destination.

Here's a province by province summary of the report that will soon be in the hands of Thailand's new Prime Minister:

Phuket: Governor Dr Preecha Raungjan said that between January and the middle of 2008, Thai visitors to Phuket dropped by 21 percent and foreigner visitors by 15 percent.

The island's tourism income depended heavily on the foreign market, which made up 86 percent of revenue.

During the eight-day blockade of Bangkok's major airports, 40,000 passengers bound for Phuket were among the hundreds of thousands trapped in the capital.

The first protest blockade over three days in late August at Phuket International Airport led to massive cancellations among tourists from China and Korea.

The second blockade in Bangkok means that these markets will not return for many years, perhaps never.

Now the push was on to bring more visitors from Russia, the Middle East, Australia, Sweden and India.

Charter flights from these countries direct to Phuket would avoid the potential for more trouble in Bangkok, he said.

''What Phuket needs most now,'' the Governor said, ''Is national government funding for the sports and conference centre proposed for Mai Khao.''

He also asked for extra time for resorts and resort staff to pay their social security. The banks should also give businesses and individuals extra time to pay back loans.

Krabi: Deputy Chief Admnistrator Veerawat Jampen told the summit that the airports blockade led to the cancellation of 104 flights and losses of 400 million baht alone to the airport authority.

The entry fee for national parks should be lifted for at least two years, he said, to encourage tourism.

He reiterated the need for banks to allow time payment of existing loans.

Room taxes paid by orborjor to the national government should also be dropped for two years. Airport landing tax should also be lowered.

Speedy access and easy of entry should be permitted to film-makers who wanted to use the region as a backdrop for their movies, he added. This would help promote the Andaman, he said.

Phang Nga: President of the Tourism Association of Phang Nga, Krit Srifaa, said that most tourists to Phang Nga came via Phuket airport or Krabi airport.

He warned of a potential cycle of increasing crime and social disorder because of the blockades, and crime and disorder would drive tourists to other destinations.

At least three years would be needed for many businesses to recover well enough to repay bank debts. Social security payments also needed to be forgotten for two years. So should the orborjor room tax.

He agreed that national park entry fees should be lifted for at least two years.

Ranong: Deputy Chief Administrator Jamrean Tippapongtada said Ranong had 400,000 Thai visitors and 32,000 foreign visitors last year.

The home-stay aspect of tourism was just starting to take root there, and the blockade was a setback. But the province was not reliant on tourism.

Ranong needed its own budget to develop a local hot springs as a unique attraction.

Ranong was new to the Andaman group of tourism provinces and was hoping to win a higher profile soon.

Trang: Local TAT director Kritsada Rattanapeuk said the province had 80,000 visitors a year, and only 8000 of those were foreigners.

Trang airport had two flights a day, and 14 flights were cancelled during the blockade.

Resorts in Trang suffered cancellations to between 20 percent and 80 percent of bookings.

Tourism should be worth three billion baht a year to Trang. But between 40 percent and 60 percent of bookings through to April had been cancelled, he said.

Next year is due to be Trang's year, with a promotion ''Amazing Trang 2009'' set to provide special fare-accommodation packages with Nok Air.

Trang needed six million baht to improve its main deep sea port, he added, and enlargement of the main traffic artery from two lanes to four lanes.


*Updating report. More adding soon.