The Phuket Provincial Natural Resources and Environment Office hosted a meeting in Wichit on Friday (Nov 7) to outline implementation plans for the eighth year of the Rajabhat Environmental Conservation Project.
The initiative, involving a wide network of provincial agencies and educational institutions, aims to build environmental awareness among young people and promote behaviour changes needed to support Phuket’s long-term sustainability goals, said an official report of the event.
Natthakrit Phonphet, Director of the Phuket Provincial Natural Resources and Environment Office (MNRE Phuket) and chair of the meeting, said the project this year will focus on producing “clear change” by encouraging youth to grow with a strong understanding of sustainable urban development.
He emphasised basic but essential behaviours such as waste separation, reducing plastic use and creating new value from community waste ‒ steps he said will help drive Phuket towards a ‘Net Zero Waste’ future.
Now entering its ninth year, the Rajabhat Environmental Conservation Project brings together Phuket Rajabhat University, Phuket Vocational College, the Phuket Provincial Agricultural Council, the Office of Environmental and Pollution Control Region 15, the Marine and Coastal Resources Region 10 Office, Sirinat National Park, the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO), Phuket City Municipality and the Phuket Village Environmental Volunteer Network.
The goal, Mr Natthakrit said, is to equip students and teachers with the knowledge and sense of responsibility needed to become role models in natural resource management and community environmental stewardship.
The network will now develop a full slate of activities for the 2026 fiscal year, with the aim of positioning Phuket as a model city for sustainable resource management, he added.
‘CITY IN NATURE’
Earlier the same day, Phuket officials and experts gathered at the Pearl Hotel in Phuket Town for a seminar marking World Town Planning Day 2025, highlighting the theme ‘City in Nature for Climate Change’.
Vice Governor Adul presided over the opening of that event, organised by the Phuket Provincial Public Works and Town & Country Planning Office and attended by more than 100 participants from government agencies, local organisations, the private sector and the media. The seminar was also broadcast live online.
Vice Governor Adul said the forum provided an important opportunity for experts to exchange knowledge on environmental resilience and urban design. Speakers from the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning Region 15, the Thai Association of Landscape Architects and the Thai Urban Designers Association delivered presentations on creating cities that balance infrastructure with natural systems.
He added that previous Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat had already established a working group on landscape and urban planning to enhance Phuket’s identity, protect its Sino-Portuguese character, and promote environmentally-conscious urban development.
The Vice Governor noted that torrential rain the previous night had caused flooding and landslides in several areas, which served as a reminder of the urgent need for stronger climate adaptation in city planning.
Thammarit Ritthipakdee, Senior Civil Engineer and Acting Chief of the Provincial Public Works and Town & Country Planning Office, said this year’s World Town Planning Day theme underscores the importance of integrating natural systems into cities to manage climate impacts such as flooding, smog and extreme heat.
He said the annual seminar aims to expand public understanding of sustainable planning, introduce new ideas and innovations, and build cooperation among all sectors to guide Phuket’s future development.
The office hopes the event will act as a catalyst for long-term collaboration between public agencies, the private sector and civil society in shaping Phuket into a true ‘City in Nature’ capable of responding effectively ‒ and sustainably ‒ to the growing challenges of climate change.