The project includes the construction of a new landmark sculpture, symbolising Patong Beach, along with outdoor recreation and performance spaces, explained Weerawit Kruesombat, President of Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA).
Patong Mayor Chalermsak Maneesri on Oct 17 led a meeting to make clear to all local stakeholders how the project would unfold. Present at the meeting were department heads from Patong Municipality, including officials from the Engineering Division, as well as officers from Patong Police and Tourist Police and local business operators.
Mayor Chalermsak assigned Mr Weerawit to represent Patong Municipality and explain the project, currently dubbed Patong Town’s ‘Welcome Zone’, to the Phuket News.
The project aims to enhance the beachfront area through a multi-phase renovation, addressing safety, aesthetics and organisation to elevate Patong as a quality tourist destination, Mr Weerawit explained.
“The goal of the project is to enhance organisation in the area, especially in terms of parking along the beachfront footpath,” he said
A key objective is to optimise parking along the beachfront footpath for better accessibility and convenience. “Once completed, the project is expected to enhance parking, improve organisation, and create a more functional and beautiful beachfront walkway,” he added.
The contract for work was signed on July 24 and will conclude on May 21 next year, with a total period of operation of 300 days, Mr Weerawit told The Phuket News.
In terms of budget, the project is divided into three phases, Mr Weerawit noted.
“The Cabinet has approved the budget for this project, with the first phase costing B42mn to improve the entire landscape, and the second phase costing around B30mn, and the third phase costing B50mn,” he said.
“The first phase has been approved by the central government, and starts this month,” he added.
The first section to be developed will start from the Coral Beach Bridge to Soi Mor Watthana at the southern end of the beach.
According to the actual construction plans by Patong Municipality, construction will be carried out in eight phases, with Phase 1 starting on Oct 15 and Phase concluding on May 8.
FUNDS
Patong Municipality needed to seek central government funds for the project, simply due to the nature of the ‘hidden population’ in Phuket’s busiest tourism town, Mr Weerawit noted.
“The problem is we must acknowledge that many residents in Patong have relocated from other areas, contributing to a significant hidden population,” he said.
According to Patong Municipality, as of June last year Patong had a population of 19,721 registered residents living 4,569 households, with a “hidden population” of approximately 21,838 people, all living in a total area of 1,634 square kilometres.
With more tourists coming, that figure is expected to increase as more Thais from outside Phuket come to Patong to work.
“The sidewalks along the road in front of Patong Beach are severely damaged and in disrepair, which does not reflect well on Phuket as a top tourist destination,” Mr Weerawit also explained.
“And when vendors come to operate their businesses at the beach, some of the vehicles, notably the ‘samlor’ (literally ‘three-wheeler’) parked along the road in front of the beach are not parked properly, which creates a messy and disorderly appearance,” he added.
“The construction and improvements will help make everything more organised,” he said. confirmed.
PATIENCE
Mr Weerawit called on people to be patient and understanding while the work is carried out.
“The inconvenience from the construction is something we need to accept, as a city looking to grow must accept some disruptions,” he said.
Local residents in the construction area have raised concerns and questioned why the improvements weren’t made during the low season.
“We attempted to carry out the work during the current [tourism] low season, but certain elements were not ready, as we were still awaiting budget approval.” Mr Weerawit explained.
“It’s important to understand the bureaucratic process. Once an e-bidding, price proposal or bid is submitted and a contract is signed, the work will proceed according to the terms of that contract and budget,” he added.
Having such work carried out during Phuket’s annual rainy season, during the southwest monsoon from May to October each year, also presented other obvious problems, Mr Weerawit noted.
“If we limit construction to the low season, weather and bigger high tides can cause delays and make it difficult to continue the work, leading to various problems,” he said.
“If we keep thinking about doing it during the low season, it will never be done. We will never start improving it… So I believe we just need to be patient a little longer. Once it’s done, Patong will look better and be more organised,” he assured.
PUSHBACK
Regarding public opinion on this matter, Mr Weerawit explained that both the public and private sectors have recognised the issue of vendors along the beachfront as a longstanding problem.
“This issue has persisted for many years, and there has been a long-standing intention to address it, particularly due to the significant deterioration of the beachfront footpath over time,” Mr Weerawit said.
“So we want to improve it, including adjusting the lighting in the area of the walkways to improve safety,” he added.
“As I highlighted, Patong is facing challenges in organising samlor and mobile vendors,” Mr Weerawit said.
“When we attempt to organise them, we often face complaints and backlash from those affected. But it is important to note that the critics are usually those who stand to lose their benefits, such as the mobile vendors.” he added.
“Though there are only a few hundred ‘pushcarts’, organising them will help tens of thousands of people by making the area nicer and easier to walk through,” he said.
“I’ve seen some vendors parking carelessly while selling their products and ignoring the rules. This messy parking causes chaos and adds to the trash in the area,” he said.
“Building the promenade will help organise this area. There’s no reason to complain when the government is working to improve it… If we wait for everyone to feel comfortable before making changes, the city won’t progress. It’s normal for a developing city to face some challenges, like roadwork or construction, he told the Phuket News.
“Once the construction is complete, it will have only positive effects, creating more convenience for people and making the city more beautiful, livable and better than before,” he assured.
TRASH
Mr Weerawit recognised the problem of trash that more vendors along the beachfront may add to the already growing volume that Patogn creates.
“First, I must say that the waste problem is not just a crisis in Patong; it is a crisis for all of Phuket because there are thousands of tons of garbage accumulating in Phuket right now,” he said.
“In Patong alone, there are currently 150 tons of trash per day [needing collecting], but it is expected that will increase during the high season,” he said.
“There is currently a significant amount of waste generated, so we need to focus on reducing it. We cannot place the entire responsibility on the municipality or the government officials or private officials; it requires collective effort from everyone.
“We need to start from the ground up, raising awareness about proper waste separation. This includes educating local residents and tourists about following the rules,” Mr Weerawit explained.
“We have been working to educate local residents and business owners in Patong, and we’re also involving tourists. Our goal is to raise awareness about waste management and encourage everyone to take responsibility and be more aware of this matter.
“This is a significant challenge, primarily due to people’s carelessness. In comparison, countries like Japan have made progress by promoting discipline in waste disposal and enforcing strict laws with substantial penalties for violators, which helps cultivate a strong sense of environmental responsibility,” he noted.
“When it comes to enforcing laws in our country, there’s a hesitance due to concerns about impacting tourism. This has led both lawmakers and law enforcement in Thailand to rely heavily on moral choices,” he said.
“However, I believe that implementing stricter laws could lead to improvements in managing these issues,” Mr Weerawit insisted.