AN INVESTIGATION is to be made into Phuket's future public transport needs at a cost of 500,000 baht, the island's Transport Director, Kanok Siripanichkoon, revealed yesterday.

He gave Phuketwan a full account of the number of tuk-tuks and taxis on Phuket . . . and an explanation of the financial pressures now coming to bear on some drivers.

Tuk-tuk and taxi alternatives are expected to be discussed today when the first International Conference of the Society for Transportation and Traffic meets on Phuket, with highly regarded former Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai set to head discussions.

Other meetings are taking place amid rising concern about the island's future transport needs.

Ten years into the 21st Century, Thailand's prime island tourist destination retains a system based on traditional village zones. Excessive fares, unrivalled in Asia, have become a tourism turn-off.

Khun Kanok said yesterday that one option that the 500,000 baht investigation would be looking at closely was a light-rail system. Other ideas would also be examined.

Here's his official guide to Phuket's current transport:

Tuk-tuks: side-entrance 519, rear-entrance 643.

PHUKET AIRPORT

Mai Khao Sakool: 40 mini-buses, 20 saloon cars.

Airport Limousine and Business Services Cooperative: 125 saloon cars, 25 MU-7 seven-seaters

Metered Taxis: 68

Buses: Including seung taews, vehicles of all kinds: 2730

Resort buses: 200

Illegal taxis at the airport: About 200

''I can't imagine how many illegal vehicles are operating on the whole island,'' Khun Kanok said.

Colonel Grissak Songmoonnark, police chief for Patong, where most of the tuk-tuks are based, recently told Phuketwan ''Two hundred tuk-tuks would be enough for the whole island.

''Problems arise because of the rivalry between the tuk-tuk groups, which means they often cannot make pick-ups so return trips are usually made empty.

''The return trip empty is built in to the price. It should be 150 baht to travel from Karon to Patong, but because the driver has to return empty, he charges 300 baht.''

Internet news and chat sites are being filled with criticism of the high fares charged by Phuket's tuk-tuks and taxis, yet at the same time the drivers say they are having problems making ends meet.

This appears to be for two reasons:

..the number of drivers is increasing, even though tourists are spending less;

..other organisations and individuals with a vested interest in tuk-tuks and taxis continue to take their cut.

Khun Kanok estimated the cost of converting any vehicle to a taxi-meter vehicle at 100,000 baht. This includes the meter and a ''Meter-Taxi'' sign, plus a repaint to the existing colors.

By his reckoning, the average Phuket airport taxi visited the airport and picked up six fares a day in high season, and two or perhaps three in low season, if they were lucky.

Drivers have to make extra in the high season to sustain themselves and meet their outgoings in the low season.

Khun Kanok said the average limo driver had monthly expenses of a 10,000 baht repayment on his vehicle, a 16,450 baht payment to Airports of Thailand as a rental fee, petrol costs of 30,000 baht (1000 baht a day) and 9000 baht for food (300 baht a day).

This meant each driver had to make about 65,400 a month simply to break even. Similar pressures applied to tuk-tuk drivers.

In both cases, the excessive costs are borne by their tourist customers, and Thailand's tourism reputation suffers as a consequence.

''The problem for Phuket is the people who control these vehicles,'' he said. ''They are above the law. According to the law, taxis and tuk-tuks can pick up customers on Phuket anywhere, any time.

''In Phuket, it doesn't work like that. What does this mean? The island needs a step-by-step approach to improve services. If everybody co-operates, it can work.''

Many tourists now book packages in advance to avoid the high cost of airport taxis, and walk or find alternatives to hiring tuk-tuks.

Airport drivers are calling for a reduction in AoT rent and Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob is looking at suggestions. He has said he will respond next week.

At the same time, he has suggested trialling meters in tuk-tuks, with a flag-fall of 200 baht, around the Karon and Kata regions.

What's plain, though, is that as Phuketwan has proposed, Phuket desperately needs a public transport strategy. That can only come at the initiative of Thailand's national government.