Phuket plans light rail services

PHUKET: -- The Phuket authorities are planning to build a light-rail system on the resort island province to try to solve the worsening traffic congestion.

The Phuket provincial authorities have agreed to a development master plan, which includes a light-rail project, a senior local government official, Anchalee Vanichthepabutr told TNA on Monday.

An estimated 10 billion baht will be needed to fund the large mass-transit project, Mrs Anchalee said.

It was unlikely that there were be any state assistance for the project in the near future, she added.

The provincial authorities are expected to establish a company to run the project, Mrs Anchalee said.

Phuket residents would be invited to buy shares in the company, which would also seek interest-free loans to finance the project, she said.

According to a study by Prince of Songkla University, there are four possible routes for the light-rail project -- from the Phuket Airport to the Karon Beach, from the Patong Beach to the inner city, from the airport to the inner city, and a city ring route.

Mrs. Anchalee said the most feasible routes were from the Phuket Airport to the Patong and Karon beaches, and the city ring route.

-- TNA 2004-09-20

If they could link Patong, karon, kata, chalong, and loose those tour buses that would be great!.

In the meantime the construction trucks will be the bane of the island.