Phuket residents express concerns about destruction of historic building

PHUKET: Residents of Phuket Town have raised concerns about the destruction of an abandoned 100-year-old building on Damrong Road in Talad Yai, which they say is of historic value to the island.

The Phuket Treasury Office yesterday confirmed that they are just clearing out the landscape and did not aim to destroy the building.

“We are beautifying the landscape by clearing out old trees and the mess around the building under the governor’s policy of ‘Keep Phuket Clean by Our Hand and Heart’,” said Kasempoom Weerasamai of the Phuket Treasury Office.

The building is owned by an ex-manager of Chartered Bank in Phuket Town, which was relaunched as the Peranakannitat Museum in May by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (story here).

Members of the public requested officials to transform the area into a public park or museum and preserve the building for the next generation.

However, the Treasury Office announced that no plans for renovation or development are currently in the pipeline.

— Kritsada Mueanhawaong