Phuket Gateway 2.0 to be ready next month

Phuket Gateway will be ready to kick off on December 12 this year and is expected to be the welcoming landmark of Phuket at the top of the island providing useful information to travelers.

This morning (November 9) Phuket’s Governor, Norapat Plodthong, chaired a meeting to follow up on the project – the Phuket Gateway at Thachatchai – which was attended by all the local authorities involved with updating the Gateway project.

The updated development plan of the ‘gateway’ to the island is to create a tourism information centre, make it more convenient for vehicles on both the entrance and exit routes, add photographic opportunities, resting areas for vehicles and drivers, a screening area for buses arriving on the island, renovation of the existing infrastructure, walkways, bridges, a boat service for eco-tourism routes, the Kaimook Watchtower, a multi-purpose viewpoint and a shopping area where local products such as Batik fabric, pearls and pineapples would be available.

Initially, in 2006, the Phuket OrBorJor had built the original gateway aiming to make it a tourism spot and a welcoming area as people arrived on the island as well as creating a tourism information centre, conference room, shopping spaces, a service building for tourist assistance, tourist library and offices.

The buildings were created including unique art that explains about Phuket’s history, culture and natural resources. However the Governor recognised that it wasn’t being used to full effect but recognised the potential and has overseen the make-over.