Deputy PM calls for Phuket light rail to serve the beaches

PHUKET: Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula yesterday told the governors of five Andaman provinces that he would like to see the Phuket light-rail project serve popular beaches on the island.

“In my opinion, having the light rail expanded to serve the beaches would be a good idea,” Deputy PM MR Pridiyathorn said.

“A lot of people visit the beaches, and if we have light-rail from the beaches to Phuket Town, a lot more tourists will have a better chance to learn more about Phuket and provide an economic boost to the town.”

However, Deputy PM MR Pridiyathorn noted that the current plan for the light rail route is from Tha Noon in Phang Nga to the Phuket International Airport, Phuket Town then on to Chalong Circle, where the line will terminate (story here).

“I will think about this further and see if expanding the light-rail route can be done,” he noted.

The light-rail project has been hailed by tourism experts as a game changer for Phuket. The 23.5-billion-baht project is slated to begin in 2021 (story here)

Deputy PM MR Pridiyathorn was in Phuket yesterday to hear reports on economic and tourism development firsthand from the governors of Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang and Ranong.

He pledged his support for several projects, including the expansion of Phuket’s Deep Sea Port.

“Expanding and developing the port is important,” he said. “I am aware that Phuket has a plan to develop it, but I want to see a better port compared with other countries that are also marine tourist destinations.”

Deputy PM MR Pridiyathorn highlighted the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of land and marine tourism.

To that end, he said he wanted to see better roads linking Phuket to Phang Nga, Surat Thani and Ranong.

“This should not be difficult. These provinces are important for tourism and Thailand’s economy. Improving the roads would improve our tourism image overall,” he said.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong