OrBorTor Wichit aspires to municipality status

PHUKET: The President of Wichit Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) has requested for the Governor of Phuket to upgrade the OrBorTor to the status of a town municipality, skipping the usual tambon municipality step.

The upgrade is needed to reflect the rapid growth of the area’s economy and population, OrBorTor President Kreetha Saetan claims.

Phuket Muang District Chief Wirawat Janpen, however, advised against the plan, saying that it was against normal procedure.

K. Kreetha met with K. Wirawat and Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit in the governor’s office May 23 to discuss the request.

K. Kreetha explained that Tambon Wichit’s populations now stands at about 37,000 people and business in the area has been expanding rapidly, putting pressure on the OrBorTor‘s services. Upgrading the organization’s status to a town municipality would allow it to improve services to keep pace with the rapid growth, he said. The OrBorTor is able to raise an annual budget of 160 million baht from a combination of taxes, service fees and government allowances, he added.

The change of status would increase the organization’s revenue collection potential and the position of OrBorTor president would be replaced by a town mayor.

The request has already been approved by OrBorTor Wichit council, K. Kreetha said.

K. Wirawat, however, raised concerns that by upgrading the organization’s status directly to a town municipality without first being a tambon municipality was not normal procedure.

This could cause problems with develop issues and the public’s right to participate in local administration, he said.

Annual revenue collected by OrBorTor Wichit after government allowances and subsidies have been subtracted is not actually that high, K. Wirawat continued. If the OrBorTor were to become a town municipality, 40% of their annual income would have to be used to meet administration costs, taking funds away from development projects. Constituents would also expect a higher level of service from a town municipality, putting more pressure on the organization, he said.

K. Wirawat recommended that the OrBorTor first become a tambon municipality.

It could later apply to be upgraded again to a town municipality if the situation still warrants, he said.

Governor Niran instructed OrBorTor officials to discuss the proposal with their constituents before further action is taken.