The news came through an official report of a meeting of the ‘Public-Private Joint Committee for Developing and Solving Economic Problems in Phuket Province’ held yesterday (May 21) and chaired by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat.
There was a resolution to follow up and expedite projects that have been approved by the government but are still waiting for budget allocation, said the report.
Such projects were necessary for the continuing development of the area according to the goals set. Among such projects was the ‘International Andaman Health Center’, the report said. The budget amount is B5.116 billion. The duration of the project is five years.
“If the Andaman International Health Center [sic] project budget is allocated and the work completed, it will elevate Phuket to be a centre for health tourism, and [making the province] ready to drive Thailand to be a medical centre,” the report noted.
EXPO FALLOUT
Much confusion has surrounded the future of the International Andaman Health Center following Phuket last year losing its bid to host the Specialised Expo 2027/28.
The theme of the bid was for Phuket to highlight and promote medical and wellness services.
The International Andaman Health Center was originally slated to be built at a 141-rai site in Mai Khao, with the government providing the land and B5.11bn in budget support ‒ the same figure cited at the meeting yesterday.
Government Spokesperson at the time Anucha Burapachaisri in June last year expressed on behalf of so-called “caretaker Prime Minister” at the time Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha that the B5.11bn project at Mai Khao will go ahead.
However, in his closing days as Governor of Phuket, Narong Woonciew in July warned that Phuket failing its bid to host the Specialised Expo 2027/28 could see major delays in Phuket receiving support for what he called critical infrastructure projects.
The cornerstone of the ‘International Andaman Health Center’ at Mai Khao was a brand-new international hospital, the Songklanagarind Hospital Phuket, to be built for B4,762,262,532, Mr Anucha said.
However, already by the time Mr Anucha was giving his assurances on behalf of the prime minister last year that the Mai Khao project would go ahead, Prince of Songkla University had already announced that it will be building its 500-bed ‘Songklanagarind Phuket Hospital’ in the heart of Kathu.
There have since been no clarifications of which project is to be supported by the government, or any clarification on the dubious nature of the dual announcements that indicate that PSU is building its new B3.14bn hospital in both locations.
DRONES AND DRUGS
Other projects reviewed at the meeting as slated to go ahead but yet to receive budget funding were aerial drones for public safety.
Regarding policy development, the meeting resolved to continue with implementing guidelines for solving problems in tourist areas in Patong by controlling the use and sale of kratom and marijuana.
“The government is now proactively detecting groups that sell kratom and marijuana illegally and solving the problem of foreigners competing for occupations reserved for Thai people that must be expedited and strictly followed the law,” the report said.
Also reported was that “a short-term, medium-term, and long-term solution to drought and water shortage problems has been put in place in order to solve the problem sustainably.”
Such action “drives the implementation of various projects and the development and solution of economic and social problems for the well-being of the people to be well, happy, stable and sustainable”, the report said.