Cabinet to review B63bn Ao Phuket project

PHUKET: The Ao Phuket Project committee yesterday agreed to present to Cabinet for approval a plan to spend 63 billion baht on transforming Saphan Hin and Phuket Bay into a mega-development covering 2,216 rai.

The 14-person committee, headed by former Phuket Governor Prof Yuwath Wuthimethee, met at the Governor’s office in Phuket City to review the plan by construction consultants BBMT (Thailand).

The plan, which took two years to complete at a cost of 12 million baht, designates 10 areas: a MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions) center, commercial offices, a food center with restaurants, a hotel and serviced apartments, a shopping mall, a “Cyber City”, an entertainment complex, a sports center, a hospital and a marina.

The entire development, if approved, is expected to be complete within five years, after which, according to the plan, it will generate a return of 10 billion baht a year.

Prof Yuwath said that the committee will present the proposal at a Cabinet meeting expected to be held in Trang province on December 15 and 16, or in January next year.

Committee member and former Phuket City Mayor Phummisak Hongsyok called for local residents to support the plan. “Saphan Hin was used for tin mining for more than 200 years, which has left the land barren,” he said.

“1n 1992, the central government came up with the idea to develop this land. Phuket City Municipality at that time supported this policy and raised the idea with local residents and businesspeople, and especially the impact the project would have on the environment. However, the government was changed and the project was stopped,” he said.

K. Phummisak added, “Phuket City Municipality now has the task of getting local people to understand that it is necessary to develop this area and make it better. It has been ruined for a long time.”

However, current Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwannasuppana said that she was worried the project would adversely affect local fishermen and city residents, and that she will raise these concerns at the next committee meeting, for which a date has yet to be set.

“I will present my concerns to the committee before this project is proposed to the [central] government to make sure that it benefits all the people of Phuket,” she said.