The project, spearheaded by the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO), aims to transform the 33-rai site into a recreational area complete with an observation tower, a multipurpose pavilion and a pagoda.
The development also includes a parking area accommodating some 300 vehicles to alleviate inner-city traffic congestion.
Project contractors have commenced work by leveling the site and placing piles along the old prison wall. Sayan Kaewsringam, project manager for SPM 5988 Co Ltd confirmed that the initial phase is well underway, with machinery deployed to prepare the foundation.
Pile-driving for the observation tower has begun, while additional equipment is expected to arrive next week to begin work on other key structures, including the multipurpose pavilion and the pagoda.
The initiative is being carried out under the leadership of Rewat Areerob, who on Feb 1 was re-elected as President of the PPAO. he has yet to be officially installed foir his second term.
The park’s development aligns with efforts to create more public green spaces and enhance urban infrastructure. In addition to providing a scenic and accessible recreational area, the new park is expected to ease traffic flow in central Phuket.
The adjacent parking facility will serve visitors to nearby educational institutions, government offices, and heritage roads in the Phuket Old Town area.
The construction is projected to be completed by the end of 2025, marking a significant milestone in Phuket’s urban development, said an official report of the work underway.
A budget of B169.5 million was approved for the project in June last year, yet work initially began with the demolition of the prison walls in November 2022.
Krisana Thipayachan, Commander of Phuket Provincial Prison at the time, explained that the move to transform the old prison into a tourism attraction came under the direction of Ayut Sinthapphan, then Director-General of the Department of Corrections.
Built some 120 years ago, the prison remains one of the oldest remaining prisons still standing in the country, Mr Kisana said.
The prison covers just over 41 rai, with much of the site undeveloped as the buildings clustered close to Damrong Rd, he said at the time.
“By designating the development of the Old Phuket Prison area in Phuket Town for public use to become a green area, it will become the lungs of Phuket Town,” Mr Krisana said.
“Currently, this Phuket Prison is not used for inmates control missions, but it is worth preserving for future generations to learn about the wisdom of the craftsmen in the past, both in architecture and the tools and materials used in construction,” he said.
“People generally can’t see or touch such real things from the past; some people call it ‘Twilight Zone’... Developing the ‘Twilight Zone’ to be an eco-tourism attraction and a ‘live museum’ learning centre will give tourists and local people a learning experience about correctional work in the past,” Mr Kirisana continued.
“The prison will also serve as a source of education for those interested in correctional work and will be used as a professional training venue for inmates who are undertaking vocational training before release,” he added.