Critical issues of overdevelopment through construction, poor facilities, flooding, traffic and even garbage collection have all gone unaddressed by the previous administration under former Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos, Mr Thames explained.
Of note, former mayor Mr Aroon was not allowed to run for re-election as Rawai Mayor as he is facing corruption charges.
Mr Thames (pronounced “Thames”, as in the famous river of London) contested the election for the District 1 seat as a Phuket MP, but was bested by the well-respected Chalermpong Saengdee ‒ prompting him to focus his attention on his home ground.
As a member of the Chart Pattana Kla Party, Mr Thames, a Thai-British native of Rawai, will arrive in office with a whole new agenda and a very different perspective to local politics.
After completing Primary School at Baan Bang Neow Municipal School in Phuket Town and Junior High at Dulwich International College ‒ Phuket, he graduated High School at Murdoch College in Perth, Australia, where he also completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Western Australia.
With his Western education, Mr Thames, who turns 38 years old next month, promised full transparency during his term. “I will open everything ‒ budgets, spending, decisions. I’m not afraid of scrutiny,” he told The Phuket News.
He acknowledged the corruption cases that occurred under the previous Rawai mayor but declined to comment on the past, stating that his focus is on ensuring transparency and reforming the internal system during his term.
CONSTRUCTION
Mr Thames highlighted that many new construction projects in the Rawai area have raised concerns among local residents.
Regarding large developments on a steep slope beside Nai harn Lake, Thames explained that the projects were already approved long before the election, during the term of Mr Aroon.
“As I have not been officially appointed Mayor, I do not have access to the full information about those projects, but I will do so as I am installed,” he promised.
Mr Thames also expressed frustration with outdated laws that tie the hands of local governments when it comes to urban planning, especially concerning construction blocking natural drainage, thus causing flooding in key areas in Rawai.
“Landowners want to maximise every inch of their land. They build up to the edge of their title deed. When that blocks water flow and causes flooding, the municipality has no real power to stop them unless the law changes,” he said.
While Thames did not yet elaborate on measures to control the volume of future construction, he reiterated his intention to uphold the law.
WATER SUPPLY
“Water shortages are not just Rawai’s issue ‒ they are a Phuket-wide crisis,” Mr Thames said.
“Rawai is a subdistrict with no water sources because the terrain does not feature natural dams or reservoirs. Most people dig wells and rely on tap water, which the municipality must expand each year depending on budget,” he said.
Among the long-term solutions for Rawai, Mr Thames proposed a desalination plant. “If we cannot extract fresh water, we must convert saltwater into drinkable water,” he suggested.
WASTEWATER
On wastewater management, Mr Thames noted that larger hotels generally comply with environmental regulations, but small businesses often violate waste disposal laws.
“Hotels and large businesses follow the law strictly. What’s more worrying are small businesses… many dump waste directly into canals,” he said.
“Many restaurants skip grease tanks and dump waste directly into drainage canals… For this we must enforce the law. Violators will be fined,” Mr Thames warned.
TRAFFIC
Rawai’s notorious traffic congestion, especially at Chalong Circle, is outside municipal control, Mr Thames admitted, as it falls under the Department of Highways.
“Our roads end where the Highways Department begins. All we can do is improve alleyways and internal routes for motorcycles to ease congestion,” he said.
However, he added, “We can create more internal connections in the small streets to reduce congestion on main roads, especially for motorcycles.
“The only way out of Rawai is to pass Chalong. Cars from all directions want to turn to Kata here. The Department of Highways should create alternative routes to reduce pressure,” he said.
FIVE MUSTS
Mr Thames outlined five immediate areas as his first priorities, with waste management at the top of his list.
“Garbage collection is slow and incomplete. Half our trucks are broken. Before asking residents to separate waste, we need a functioning basic system,” he said.
“Waste is collected slowly, not on time, and is piled up all over the place. The management of Rawai Municipality has been unsystematic and ineffective for a long time.
“The second thing that I will push is the flood prevention plan because we are already behind this rainy season. I’ve ordered emergency dredging, but proper maintenance should have started years ago,” he said.
His remarks included criticism of the Rawai canal and flood system, calling past maintenance inadequate.
“We should have dredged canals twice a year. But our mud suction truck is broken, and the one from the provincial authorities is shared across the province, it’s slow,” he said.
“Flooding, even if short, still ruins people’s lives. We must fix this now.
“Next I would like to fix the municipal system. People complain, and nothing happens. That must change. We need a fast, accountable response system,” Mr Thames said.
“And upgrading public services, I want to rebuild the municipal building and introduce a Rawai-based civil registry, so residents can manage ID cards and household documents locally,” he continued.
“Last is tourism and culture. Rawai is already beautiful. We don’t need new projects, we need to maintain and manage what we already have,” he said.
“To do that, we need to fix all the above so we can have an efficient system, and maintain a decent destination.”
AUTONOMY
Whether he can transform Rawai’s administration remains to be seen ‒ but Mr Thames is strong in his belief that Phuket needs more power to govern itself.
“Phuket is governed like any other province that relies on agriculture, but we generate far more income and we are ready to stand on our own,” he said.
Mr Thames believes that granting Phuket greater autonomy would allow the island to design and implement development strategies that truly reflect its unique needs and potential.
“If that means removing the position of mayor entirely for a more efficient system, I would support it… I don’t mind,” he added.
“We are the province that generates the most income for Thailand. We should elect our own governor and plan our own urban design. This isn’t just an idea ‒ it’s a proposal that could truly benefit Phuket.
“While we don’t yet have that kind of political system in place, what I can do now is take action at the local level, and that’s why I chose to run for mayor,” he said.