Officials sing Phummisak’s praises

PHUKET TOWN: All the officers of Phuket Town Municipality – about 1,000 of them – turned out to say farewell to Phuket Town Mayor Phummisak Hongsyok at an outdoor buffet at the Phuket Incinerator on Wednesday night. Groups of officers sang K. Phummisak’s praises – literally – in tributes to the man who leaves office on December 24, when he completes exactly 10 years of service as Mayor. The Mayor’s farewell was held a little early because rules covering municipal elections prohibit the holding of parties in advance of a poll. An election is expected early in the new year. The Mayor reflected on his decade running the island’s largest municipality and was upbeat about the town’s future. “I have been working for the Phuket Town Municipality since 1990,” he said. “Now I want to look back to what has been improved in Phuket and how it will be developed in the future.” He explained that there are 20 City Municipalities in Thailand – and said that Phuket Town is on the verge of becoming Phuket City. “If we compare the income that we earned for this year, it puts us as the fifth municipality behind Chiang Mai, Yala, Haad Yai and Nakhon Ratchasima,” K. Pummisak said.