PHUKET: Phuket's Governor Tri Augkaradacha has promised to intervene in person to solve the continuing jet-ski scams that pose a threat to Phuket's tourism future.

His undertaking came in a meeting today with Australian Ambassador James Wise. The two talked before the quarterly gathering of Phuket officials with Phuket's honorary consuls.

At the larger meeting, Governor Tri also undertook to oversee a review of the current fares being asked by Phuket tuk-tuks and taxis, with an intention of lowering the cost for travellers.

In one telling moment at the earlier meeting, Australian honorary consul Larry Cunningham told the governor: ''Every resort on Phuket is being held captive by the taxi drivers sitting outside their front doors.''

Ambassador Wise told Governor Tri that some honorary consuls were ''less than enthusiastic'' about continuing the meetings with the governor and officials because results ''had not always met expectations.''

The innovative gatherings began last year and today's was the sixth meeting.

Governor Tri said he recognised the benefits of the three-monthly assemblies and hoped to make sure they could be more constructive in future.

Ambassador Wise added: ''People in Bangkok are very conscious of these issues affecting tourism on Phuket and the need to do something about them.

''Our main concern is safety, whether it's involving tourists with jet-skis or tourists getting into conflict situations with tuk-tuk and taxi drivers.''

Later British honorary consul Martin Carpenter told the larger meeting that the points being made about tuk-tuks especially were not an ''argument generated by the honorary consuls but one generated by the residents and tourists on Phuket, the people who use this transportation.''

Mr Cunningham said the jet-ski operators were a particular problem at present ''because they grow with the power, and they know they have the power.''

Tourists caught up in scams were intimidated and the police had no presence on the beach to provide protection, he said.

''They [the scared tourists] will pay just to get out of there. If we want people to come to Phuket, they need to feel safe,'' he said. ''We need to see some action.''

Governor Tri said efforts were already being made to reform the tuk-tuk and taxi drivers in Patong. He would begin tackling the jet-ski complaints by meeting with operators early next month.

At the main meeting with officials and honorary consuls a series of issues were discussed. Among the highlights:

..Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation chief executive Paiboon Upatising, German honorary consul Dirk Naumann and Finland honorary consul Pamuke Achariyachai agreed that Phuket and the Karon municipality needed to urgently give local and international media a response to a damaging television report on waste water pollution at Kata and Karon beaches that is about to screen in Germany. The report will soon be repeated on Russian television, Mr Naumann said.

..British honorary consul Martin Carpenter called on Phuket media to campaign to promote safe swimming during the monsoon season at Phuket beaches, using information from the Tourist Police.

..Mr Carpenter also said that some confusion had been caused by a police list provided to media and the meeting. The list only included expats who died in cases to which police were called, not people who died in Phuket hospitals.

..Mr Cunningham asked whether Phuket Immigration officers had the power, after expats had been fined for drink-driving, to expel the people involved from Thailand. A spokesman for Immigration said that after a court penalty had been imposed, Immigration officers usually checked to see if a person's name was on a blacklist. Mr Cunningham said he had heard of abuses lately by Immigration authorities.

The next meeting between honorary consuls and the governor is scheduled for June 23.

Governor Tri said he was in favor of smaller meetings where action could more clearly be pursued.

A larger than usual contingent of Phuket media turned out to cover today's meeting.