Mr Aree arrived at Phuket Provincial Hall at 9:30am, accompanied by Pol Col Prateep Charoenkan, Deputy Chief Inspector General of the Prime Minister’s Office for the Southern and Southern Border Regions, and representatives from the working group of Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.
They were welcomed by Phuket Governor Nirat Phongsitthaworn, Provincial Permanent Secretary Thiraphong Chuaychu and Provincial Office Chief Narong On-in.
During the initial briefing, Gov Nirat outlined the current high-season tourism situation, noting a continued rise in international arrivals, particularly from direct overseas flights, said an official report of the meeting.
With visitor numbers climbing, the province is moving to fast-track development of critical infrastructure including Phuket International Airport, road networks and public transport systems, all aligned with the goal of developing Phuket as a Smart City, he said.
Following the meeting, Mr Aree chaired a policy session with heads of regional government agencies at the Muk Anda Meeting Room at Provincial Hall. Vice Governor Adul Chuthong also attended to hear directives for addressing residents’ hardships and strengthening government coordination across the 6th Inspection Area.
Mr Aree said Deputy Prime Minister Phiphat places strong emphasis on improving public utilities, transportation infrastructure and local quality of life. He noted that both agency budgets and the central government’s emergency reserve fund are being utilised to address urgent needs and deliver swift, tangible benefits to the public.
Phuket has sought centralised budget support for fiscal year 2026 under this mechanism, with four projects ‒ totalling B21,725,550 ‒ approved under the authority of the Deputy Prime Minister, said the official report.
The largest is a B9.9 million upgrade of Highway 3033 from the Highway 402 intersection to Baan Mak Prok in Mai Khao, Thalang District, aimed at supporting tourism, improving travel efficiency and enhancing road safety for residents and visitors.
Also approved is the ‘Phuket Safe Destination’ initiative (B1,825,550), led by the Phuket Provincial Tourism and Sports Office, designed to strengthen tourist confidence and promote Phuket’s safety standards.
The ‘OTOP Phuket on Tour: 2 The Towns’ project (B5mn), under the Provincial Community Development Office, will expand marketing and distribution channels for community-made products.
The Phuket Fabric Local to Global Creative Arts project (B5mn) aims to elevate the identity of local textiles, improving competitiveness and creating additional income opportunities for communities.
Mr Aree said monitoring mechanisms will ensure that all priority projects proceed effectively, adding that the combined efforts are expected to improve residents’ quality of life, reinforce economic stability and strengthen the long-term sustainable development of Phuket Province.