PHUKET: Residents on Phuket needed to clarify what the holiday island's ideal carrying capacity for tourists would be then work towards achieving the right balance with nature, Air Chief Marshal Prajin Jantong said today.
The air chief marshal, who is Transport Minister, deputy head of the National Council for Peace and Order and commander in chief of Thailand's Air Force, was speaking to Phuketwan during a break in talks at Phuket International Airport today.
''Think of Phuket as one container,'' he said. ''How many people can you fit in one container, and maintain a balance with the environment? If you overload, pollution will follow.''
He said that with every new project, the residents should be involved first. And he added: ''Avoid destroying the environment.''
The air chief marshal was on a trip to Phuket to hear from local officials in advance of a decision-making summit about transport in Thailand scheduled for October 11.
Phuket with Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Kon Kaen and Korat has been earmarked for advancement as a ''transport hub'' for Thailand, the meeting heard.
One key issue is the development of a rail link from Surat Thani that would terminate just north of Phuket at Tha Nun in Phan Nga then continue on as a tram route via Phuket International Airport to Chalong Circle, in southern Phuket.
Another key issue is how to extend Phuket's capacity for arrivals by air once the enlargement now underway at Phuket airport has been completed.
Among options, authorities could look for land for a new second airport in Thalang, a development in the sea on either side of Phuket, or a new airport at Tha Nun, just north of the Sarasin Bridge that links Phuket to the mainland.
The price of land on Phuket was proving to be a major inhibition to the government purchasing properties to proceed with the second highway parallel to Thepkasattri Road from the airport to Phuket City, to purchasing land associated with a proposed tunnel through Patong Hill, and to any bid to build a second airport on Phuket.
The air chief marshal suggested, though, that instead of fully privatising any Patong Hill tunnel and a toll road, the investment required should be 30 percent government funded, 20 percent from Phuket subscriptions and 50 percent private.
This would give locals some return from the tolls, he said. The tunnel is still having environmental impact research undertaken.
The tram to Chalong Circle, he was told, would involve an 18 kilometre stretch to the airport, a 19 kilometre link to the heroines Monument in the centre of the island, and a 23 kilometre stretch south to Chalong Circle.
It would take 90 minutes to make the entire 60 kilometre journey, with 20 stops along the way. A suggested number of 68,000 passengers in the first year would grow to 140,000 over 30 years, the meeting heard.
The line would cost 2.3 billion baht to build.
About 700 rai was planned for the transport hub and associated retail requirements at Tha Nun that could include a second airport but residents there have yet to agree to selling up.
''Phuket must determine whether 10 million tourists is enough, or whether 15 million tourists is enough,'' the air chief marshal told Phuketwan.
''There will certainly be a limit in tourist numbers, bearing in mind the existing residents and the Burmese population, and their water, electricity and garbage needs.''
Former Democrat MP Raewat Areerob put in a special plea for speedy approval of the 800 million baht needed for an underpass at Phuket's bypass-Thepkasattri Road junction so the project could go ahead without undue delay.
The air chief marshal, who is Transport Minister, deputy head of the National Council for Peace and Order and commander in chief of Thailand's Air Force, was speaking to Phuketwan during a break in talks at Phuket International Airport today.
''Think of Phuket as one container,'' he said. ''How many people can you fit in one container, and maintain a balance with the environment? If you overload, pollution will follow.''
He said that with every new project, the residents should be involved first. And he added: ''Avoid destroying the environment.''
The air chief marshal was on a trip to Phuket to hear from local officials in advance of a decision-making summit about transport in Thailand scheduled for October 11.
Phuket with Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Kon Kaen and Korat has been earmarked for advancement as a ''transport hub'' for Thailand, the meeting heard.
One key issue is the development of a rail link from Surat Thani that would terminate just north of Phuket at Tha Nun in Phan Nga then continue on as a tram route via Phuket International Airport to Chalong Circle, in southern Phuket.
Another key issue is how to extend Phuket's capacity for arrivals by air once the enlargement now underway at Phuket airport has been completed.
Among options, authorities could look for land for a new second airport in Thalang, a development in the sea on either side of Phuket, or a new airport at Tha Nun, just north of the Sarasin Bridge that links Phuket to the mainland.
The price of land on Phuket was proving to be a major inhibition to the government purchasing properties to proceed with the second highway parallel to Thepkasattri Road from the airport to Phuket City, to purchasing land associated with a proposed tunnel through Patong Hill, and to any bid to build a second airport on Phuket.
The air chief marshal suggested, though, that instead of fully privatising any Patong Hill tunnel and a toll road, the investment required should be 30 percent government funded, 20 percent from Phuket subscriptions and 50 percent private.
This would give locals some return from the tolls, he said. The tunnel is still having environmental impact research undertaken.
The tram to Chalong Circle, he was told, would involve an 18 kilometre stretch to the airport, a 19 kilometre link to the heroines Monument in the centre of the island, and a 23 kilometre stretch south to Chalong Circle.
It would take 90 minutes to make the entire 60 kilometre journey, with 20 stops along the way. A suggested number of 68,000 passengers in the first year would grow to 140,000 over 30 years, the meeting heard.
The line would cost 2.3 billion baht to build.
About 700 rai was planned for the transport hub and associated retail requirements at Tha Nun that could include a second airport but residents there have yet to agree to selling up.
''Phuket must determine whether 10 million tourists is enough, or whether 15 million tourists is enough,'' the air chief marshal told Phuketwan.
''There will certainly be a limit in tourist numbers, bearing in mind the existing residents and the Burmese population, and their water, electricity and garbage needs.''
Former Democrat MP Raewat Areerob put in a special plea for speedy approval of the 800 million baht needed for an underpass at Phuket's bypass-Thepkasattri Road junction so the project could go ahead without undue delay.
To Transport Minister, Air Chief Marshal Prajin Jantong. I would like to suggest: STOP immediately all the future Underpass projects on Phuket. It costs to much 'tea money'. Build fly-overs! Fly-overs are faster to build, are 40% cheaper, and road capacity increase with 40%. Underpasses are expensive to build, and tunnel maintenance on Phuket will ask a lot of maintenance discipline to keep the tunnels 100% of the time dry during heavy raining during which many times electric failures ( black out) occur. No Underpasses! Build Overpasses/fly-overs.!
Posted by Kurt on September 29, 2014 10:09
Editor Comment:
My recollection is that the leaders of Phuket's tourism industry were given the choice, Kurt, between underpasses and flyovers. They chose underpasses because flyovers are identified with Bangkok and big cities, not with holiday island destinations. They have a point.