i have lived in phuket for just over a month or so now and i can already see where it is going.
in 10 years this place will be a total disaster. as you say the infrastructure is lacking in so many ways. i love the round about up here near robinson. or the part going to patong from phuket town where it turns into an alleyway basically. where the shops are literally a few feet from the road. i plan only living here a year or so to get set up then move to maybe trang or florida :)