Click a thumbnail to view more photographs
Phuket to Gain Movie Museum
By chutima Sidasathian Wednesday, April 22, 2015
PHUKET: Budget has been approved for new creative museum and parkland projects valued at more than 118 million baht that will become fresh drawcards for tourists all over the holiday island of Phuket.
Coming to Nai Harn in southern Phuket is a movie museum (40 million baht); Nearby Rawai will gain a stadium (13 million baht); Suan Luang Park in Phuket City will win a bicycle trail (15 million baht); the island's Bang Yai canal will be cleaned and renovated (six million baht); public toilets are coming for Saphan Hin and Suan Luang parks (three million baht); Phuket City's Dragon Park will gain an open museum (15 million baht); and Saphan Hin will also win a tourist centre (26 million baht.)
Although details of some of the projects have yet to be revealed, Tourism and Sport Director Santi Pawai said the budgets had all been approved and he expected local municipal councils to quickly organise tendering for all of the spending.
Perhaps the most controversial of the projects is the 26 million baht tourist centre, which was approved for the shorefront in Patong when Pian Keesin was mayor.
However, his successor, Chalermluk Kebsub, told Tourism and Sport that residents of Patong did not want the tourism centre and preferred to keep open space where they traditionally picnicked.
The tourist centre is now destined to be erected at Saphan Hin on the other side of the island, a place where foreign tourists are seldom seen.
Space in parks being gobbled up for new developments could also be an issue at Saphan Hin, Dragon Park, Rawai and Nai Harn.
While the latest addition from Tourism and Sport, the viewing platform at Phuket City's Rang Hill, has proven to be enormously popular, many Phuket residents remember the 50 million baht Gateway that was a Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation project.
The Gateway, north of the Tachatchai checkpoint, is lucky to attract a handful of cars every day. While the idea was good, the concept did not take account of the wishes of visitors to get to their accommodation first, then to look around.
More is expected to become known about each of the projects in coming days.
|
Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
More silly projects, confirming that Thai officials do not understand tourist wants and needs. Why not a Thai cultural center...try and preserve what small remnants of Thai culture that remain. Thai culture now is considered as a good ping pong show that runs 50 times a day... but tell me where a tourist can go watch traditional Thai dancing with live music on traditional instruments every day.
Posted by
Richard Vickers
on
April 22, 2015 15:36
Dear Richard, you'll find traditional Thai music and dancing in most hotels - although not on a daily basis - usually twice a week.
Posted by
Sam Wilko
on
April 22, 2015 17:02
A tourist centre at Saphan Hin?
Posted by
Elephants Gerald
on
April 22, 2015 18:00
Editor Comment:
Apparently there are no suitable locations on the west coast.
Let's hope there is plenty of scrutiny on the spending. That the budgets are approved with concrete plans sends all the wrong signals already. Mmm...
Phuket Gateway, yes, I remember that chestnut. 'Nuff said on that the better. I've heard it referred to as a vote-buying project by some.
Posted by
Duncan
on
April 22, 2015 18:20
Movie museum built on Public Money??
No money for lifeguards, no money fir cleaning beaches, no money to put signs on the roads warning there is a death plunge hole, no money to put signage at NaiHarn lagoon, but there is a moneys for "Movie Museum" construction?
It is undoubtedly the most amazing thing I read today in media.
And Sapan Hin incarceratir obviously will be on a tourust trail now, they will explain how they are treating that garbage which they not manage to burn in time.
Posted by
Sue
on
April 22, 2015 19:09
last I saw thai tv movies seemed to consist of vampire and kickboxing type films none were academy award material I cant see quality tourists rushing this proposed museum or maybe I missed the good movies.
Posted by
slickmelb
on
April 22, 2015 20:52
Phuket Gateway? Simply drive up there and have a look for yourself. Draw your own conclusions on this multi-million affair to see where tax-payers' money goes. And take photos.
Posted by
Sam Wilko
on
April 22, 2015 21:07
@ Duncan. Is that the place with the turtles balls outside, as you arrive before the check point at Tacha Tai?
Posted by
Duncan B
on
April 22, 2015 21:43
Editor Comment:
Yes, the Gateway. A good example for officials to see that ''Build it and they will come'' is not true.
OK Sam... scrap that need for a cultural center... press on with that tourist center at Saphan Hin... and maybe they can runs tours to the broken incinerator and over-flowing dump. Almost everywhere I've ever been...Fiji, Mexico, Central America... there is a cultural center. I guess tourists should just shut up and go watch the dancing elephants at Phuket Fantasea... or maybe the ladyboy shows at Simon Cabaret.
Posted by
Richard Vickers
on
April 22, 2015 23:49
i would settle for clean beaches and side walks, and just a general clean up of ''Phuket'' money well spent, rather than what they suggest.
Posted by
robert smith
on
April 23, 2015 00:08
How about a bicycle path from Patong to Kamala and Patong to Karon, or even Patong to Phuket City so that tourists who don't want to rent motorbikes can avoid being ripped off by taxi mafia?
Posted by
Bicyclist
on
April 23, 2015 06:29
I see the tourism center with a huge mural sign at Surin beach everyday. Haven't seen in a tourist going in yet, nor myself but I really don't know they need to offer. Certainly see the tuk tuks parked outside and people using its driveway to set up shop and sell iced coffees and meat on sticks. This is all money that should be invested in setting a public transportation network. Think about it please. If our government was to use our tax money correctly they could use a considerable amount of this money and some of the billions spent on the underpass on a new public transportation system, then we could be riding in air conditioned buses for free for the next 10 years. THAT would make some tourists happy and A LOT of Thais very very happy. Let alone saves a few lives. Just saying.
Posted by
JustSpendIt
on
April 23, 2015 07:42
A movie museum in Nai Harn? Really? What does Nai Harm have to do with movies? Sounds like someone's boondoggle...
Posted by
Jim McGowan
on
April 23, 2015 09:58
Editor Comment:
Will people come to the beach to watch movies? Hmm . . . the problem is that a lot more open public space disappears under each of these projects. A visit to Cape Panwa will show how the philosophy of ''developing'' natural attractions works. It's a turn-off for a more environmentally-sensitive market. Let's hope it gets moved where it's wanted.
A life saving club on each beach would have more merit and be money well spent.
Posted by
slickmelb
on
April 23, 2015 17:58
Editor Comment:
The realisation of the need for developing that kind of culture at the beaches isn't strong enough yet. There is no altruistic sense of being a volunteer lifesaver for the community good. The volunteer spirit has to come before the clubhouse. Let's hope there is still some space under the trees along the beachfronts.
"The realisation of the need for developing that kind of culture at the beaches isn't strong enough yet. There is no altruistic sense of being a volunteer lifesaver for the community good. The volunteer spirit has to come before the clubhouse. Let's hope there is still some space under the trees along the beachfronts."
I don't often agree with you Ed but that is exactly right. In fact it might never happen in our lifetimes.
Posted by
Elephants Gerald
on
April 23, 2015 19:51
Editor Comment:
No point in comparing developed and developing countries or expecting similar attitudes to evolve. Having a Starbucks or a Macca's shouldn't lead people to jump to foolish conclusions.
The money needs to be spent in cleaning up the klongs & drains that pour filth into the sea & onto the beaches. The open sewer running from the fixed market in Kata is a prime example with market waste washed down the drains & much else picked up along the way.
Also the mountains of debris in certain parts of the island need to be disposed of somehow.
No more pie-in-the-sky schemes. Get the island fit to visit first.
Posted by
Logic
on
April 23, 2015 22:35
Ed alas I submit that your likely correct don't even think the boy scout movement has a following don't see too many Thai volunteer police as you do foreigner's yes that spirit is just not in the culture for community good or sense of personal achievement sadly.
Posted by
slickmelb
on
April 25, 2015 02:40
Editor Comment:
Thailand has many volunteer organisations and boy scouts galore and far more social awareness of the need to help that most countries. But not lifeguards.
Eventually, the "museum", with such silver screen superstars as Padthai and Tom Yum Kung will simply turn itself into a legit seaside row of restaurant stalls, leased to locals who are willing to pay the appropriate keymoney for the priviledge.
Posted by
peter rawai
on
May 2, 2015 07:36
Editor Comment:
The existing Phuket Gateway is the ideal place for the movie museum. There is even space for drive-in movies. No more open spaces should be covered in concrete.
I really do concur with the Ed's answer to peter rawai on May 2, 2015 07:36. Turtle Balls Centre, (Phuket Gateway), is the place to put this idea.
Posted by
Duncan B
on
May 2, 2015 11:52
What about putting then also performance videos superstars , like Jah Rsiam, if that disaster is inevitable and host fan meetings regularly there ?
Then at least I would have interest to visit , or conceived stall and restaurant would not look so out of place.
Posted by
Sue
on
May 2, 2015 13:16
What would a simple shop units like pictured cost, I think 5m Baht would be plenty of money, should have left the illegal restaurants there at least they did not block the veiw
Posted by
peter allen
on
November 11, 2015 10:04
Editor Comment:
Oh yes they did.
|
More silly projects, confirming that Thai officials do not understand tourist wants and needs. Why not a Thai cultural center...try and preserve what small remnants of Thai culture that remain. Thai culture now is considered as a good ping pong show that runs 50 times a day... but tell me where a tourist can go watch traditional Thai dancing with live music on traditional instruments every day.
Posted by Richard Vickers on April 22, 2015 15:36