Governor Sophon announced his support for the move during an address delivered at the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce (PCC) held at the Phuket Merlin Hotel yesterday (Apr 25).
He outlined his vision for the future governance of the province. expressing his support for transitioning Phuket’s governance model to a special administrative status, like that in effect in Pattaya and Bangkok.
The event, attended by key figures including PCC President Kongsak Koophongsakorn, Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) President Rewat Areerob and other prominent local leaders, marked a significant moment in Phuket’s political landscape. As Governor of Phuket, Mr Sophon is a Bangkok-appointed official.
Governor Sophon praised the PCC as a pivotal force in fostering collaboration between the private sector and government agencies. He emphasised the chamber’s vital role in driving economic and social development in the province, highlighting its success in tackling various challenges alongside governmental initiatives.
In advocating for a shift in governance, Governor Sophon highlighted the pressing need for Phuket to access greater fiscal autonomy. Currently constrained by a limited budget, he argued that the province’s development potential is stifled. Drawing parallels with the administrative structures of Pattaya and Bangkok, he proposed a reformed model whereby Phuket could assume greater control over taxation and budget allocation.
Under this proposed framework, Governor Sophon suggested the establishment of an elected provincial governor, empowered to oversee strategic management while also advocating for a revised system of budget allocation. He proposed a new mechanism by which a portion of provincial GDP and tax revenues would be reinvested locally, fostering healthy competition among provinces to drive economic growth.
The Governor also announced significant infrastructure projects aimed at addressing pressing challenges facing Phuket.
These included the construction of four additional traffic routes, as reviewed by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin last Friday (Apr 19), as well as initiatives to expand traffic lanes and improve water infrastructure, including tapping into water resources from the Cheow Lan Lake in Surat Thani to mitigate long-standing water shortages.
Following his visit to Phuket last week, PM Srettha announced with a blanket statement that Phuket in the future will be supplied water from the Cheow Lan Lake in Surat Thani.
PM Srettha pointed out that the government was now looking at spending some B16bn on Phuket development projects, including resolving the recurring threats of water shortages by having water piped in from Cheow Lan.
“Relevant agencies have been given directions to bring water from Cheow Lan Reservoir to be used in Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket. In the future, Phuket residents will not lack water to use,” PM Srettha assured.
However, no further details of how and when water supply from Cheow Lan were provided.
“Regarding wastewater and garbage management, I would like to strictly enforce the law. Do not allow waste to be released into the sea. and public water sources. We strive to make Phuket a livable city. It is a destination that people from every corner of the world want to move to live and visit, but if the environment is not good they won’t want to,” PM Srettha added.
Meanwhile, the proposal to transition Phuket to a special administrative status represents a paradigm shift in the province’s governance structure, with potential implications for its economic growth and development trajectory.
While PM Srettha was in Phuket last Friday, Wirintra Paphakityotphat, head of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) Region 11 branch, which represents Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi, presented a list of four formal requests to the Prime Minister ‒ the first of which is to permit Phuket become a ‘Special Administrative Zone’.