Government Urged Fix Phuket’s Tourist Industry

[george]

Government urged to help rejuvenate Phuket’s tourist industry

PHUKET: – Phuket’s businessmen have urged the government to

help rescue the province’s natural tourist attractions from their environmental crisis. They have been gradually damaged over the years by tourism.

“We call upon the government to immediately resolve this problem, using law

enforcement and providing larger budgets to renovate our attractive sites

and help create a sustainable tourism business here,” Wichit Na Ranong,

president of the Regional Tourism Business Association told TNA.

The appeal was made following a recent National Geographic magazine publica tion which ranked both Thailand’s two famous tourists destinations, Phuket and Chiang Mai, as among the world’s worst tourist attractions.

The journal predicted the beauty of Phuket's natural attractions would be

completely destroyed by environmental problems within the next five years.

Phuket’s beaches and beautiful scenery have already been destroyed by illegal trespassing on national reserve land, to enable tourist resorts to be constructed, said Mr. Wichit.

“Beautiful beaches and the sea are very critical to the survival of the local tourism business. If they go, there will be no more tourists coming to Phuket,” Mr. Wichit predicted.

-- TNA 2004-08-01

[ovenman]

PHUKET: – Phuket’s businessmen have urged the government to help rescue the province’s natural tourist attractions from their environmental crisis. They have been gradually damaged over the years by tourism.

Gosh, I wonder who is really responsible for the degradation of Phuket's natural tourist attractions: the businessmen or the tourists?

[Tornado]

I really think it has to start at the government or lack of governing for that matter, I do not mean the new governor as I think he will do a good job in time. I mean more localised, you have the same man back in power now in Patong that was there a few years ago. He was far from straight back then and mega amounts of money went missing from the road works etc - I cannot believe he is back in office? The place (Patong) looks like a ghetto and has attracted the scum from all around Thailand and every other country - I would never take my daughter to Patong as I would be classed as a bad parent.

Regarding the environment - no planning, no vision, no responsibility.

Corruption is still rife down here and they think the money will never end - they will be wrong and sorry!

[omaga24]

Tornado,

I was in Phuket back in Febuary of 2002. I did notice the condition of the roads there but I thought nothing of them. As side from that how have things changed since then? You mentioned the scum of the earth in your post. What did you mean by that? I haven't been back since 02 so thats why I'm asking. Ok thanx for the future info.