The proposal was raised during a meeting of the Phuket Provincial Governance Committee at Phuket Provincial Hall on Thursday (Feb 19). The session, led by Kriangsak Suksombun, included committee members and advisors to the Provincial Administrative Organisation in Region 6, covering Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi.
The meeting featured a lecture by a representative from the Comptroller General’s Department, focusing on government procurement regulations and best practices. Attendees discussed key aspects of procurement management, including purchasing, hiring consultants, contract management, and performance evaluations. The session also included case studies and a Q&A segment.
A key issue raised was the need to revise the procurement median price in Phuket, which officials argue is set too low. As a result, contractors are reluctant to bid on projects due to financial losses, and many who do take on contracts ultimately abandon the work.
The committee’s proposal aims to ensure that procurement pricing reflects the economic realities of the province, making government projects more attractive to contractors and reducing the risk of unfinished developments.
The proposal follows the B66 million landscaping and bike path project at Nai Harn Lake collapsing to a halt after the contractor won the bid for the contract by undercutting all other bids.
Work on the project stopped because the contractor, Sasivarai Construction Co Ltd, ran out of operating funds.
“The problem is that government officials choose the cheapest option. This company won the bid by undercutting others by B6mn, but after construction began they ran out of budget and they couldn’t continue, leading to a complete halt in progress,” Rewat Areerob, recently re-elected as President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO), told The Phuket News.
While he could not provide a definitive completion date, Mr Rewat reassured residents that the project will be finished as soon as possible.