Phuket tourism seeks elected governor for tailored policies and mafia crackdown

Tourism operators in Phuket are optimistic that electing their provincial governor could help address the island’s long-standing issues, such as the taxi mafia. The Move Forward Party (MFP), which secured the majority of Parliamentary seats recently, has proposed administrative reform that would allow provinces outside Bangkok and Pattaya to elect their governors.

Suksit Suvunditkul, president of the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, believes that in addition to urgent measures to alleviate the public’s cost of living burden, the new government should implement a long-term plan to tackle environmental issues in Phuket, especially as more tourists are returning to the island. He suggests that initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, like carbon credits, should be prioritized by the government to enable the carbon credit market to expand.

However, Suksit also acknowledges that other critical problems in the area, particularly the taxi mafia, may not be easily resolved unless the province has more authority to address this issue through its own elected provincial governor, who would have increased power to eliminate such problems. He said…

“Adopting a one-size-fits-all approach might not be appropriate. Each destination has its unique problems that centralized policies cannot fix. Phuket should have full authority in local administration because in the past there have been a lot of lost opportunities due to inappropriate regulations.”

For instance, tourism zones like Bangla Street, which is not a residential area for locals, should be allowed to open after 2pm to encourage visitor spending. With an elected provincial governor, regulations could be established to ensure tourist safety and tackle outstanding issues such as the local mafia more effectively than an appointed administration reported Bangkok Post.

Santisuk Klongchaiya, CEO of Thai AirAsia, hopes the election will result in a stable government to drive the country forward. He emphasizes that the most pressing agenda for the tourism industry is to rebuild confidence in terms of safety, as tourists from some countries, such as China, have been hesitant to choose Thailand due to these issues.

Klongchaiya also highlights that the aviation industry is facing challenges from delayed permission for aircraft imports, a matter the new government needs to address promptly. He suggests accelerating the certification of more overseas maintenance, repair, and overhaul stations to provide local airlines with more options for repairs and negotiating with other countries to increase flight quotas.