Phuket’s Paiboon presses Pheu Thai for progress
PHUKET: The president of the Phuket provincial council has wasted no time in appealing to Yingluck Shinawatra’s new Government now taking shape to tackle the problems from the rising cost of living as soon as possible.
Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Paiboon Upatising made his appeal through the media yesterday.
“I would like to ask the new Cabinet to continue supporting infrastructure improvements on the island, including construction of the International Convention and Exhibition Center [ICEC] and improved security throughout Phuket,” he said.
The ICEC, set to be built on 140 rai of Treasury Department land on the island’s northern tip in Mai Khao, received the Abhisit government’s approval of 2.6 billion baht in funding under the Thai Khem Khaeng (“Strong Thailand”) fiscal stimulus package.
It seemed as close as ever to becoming a reality, even after the revelation last May that the site was located in a tsunami hazard zone would need to be redesigned.
Both of Phuket’s recently-elected Democrat Party MPs have assured that the project will continue to move forward under Pheu Thai, but political changes at the national level have a long history of derailing Phuket’s decades-old dream of having a world-class convention center.
Mr Paiboon was more curious about the future of the project, saying it would now be up to the new government to push the project through. He encouraged them to do so, citing Phuket’s need for such a facility and promising coordination and support from the OrBorJor.
Mr Paiboon noted that the overall response to the election results among investors was positive.
The public will have high expectations for the new Cabinet to tackle economic issues, especially the high cost of living, he said.
He also called on the new Government to increase funding to local administrations in order to move forward with grassroots infrastructure development.
— The Nation
