Phuket Gov And Consuls To Talk Through Problems

[george]

Phuket Gov and consuls to talk through problems

PHUKET CITY: -- Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop has agreed to meet with the island’s honorary consuls every three months to discuss problems concerning tourists and expat residents.

The move follows a proposal by the German ambassador to Thailand yesterday.

German Ambassador Dr Hanns H. Schumacher met with the governor at 2pm at Phuket Provincial Hall.

Dr Schumacher was accompanied by German Honorary Consul Dirk Naumann and Dr Gerhard Melcher, a German orthopedic surgeon at Vachira Phuket Hospital. Dr Gerhard acted as interpreter.

Dr Schumacher told Gov Wichai that 250,000 German tourists travel to Thailand every year.

More collaboration between the Thai police and the German Embassy and Honorary Consulate in cases involving German expats and tourists is required, he said.

“A meeting between international honorary consuls in Phuket and you, the governor, should be held every three months to discuss problems involving tourists and expats,” he said.

“The meeting would help co-operation run more smoothly,” he added.

The governor was receptive to the idea.

“From now on, I will order the police to report to me every case in which a foreigner is involved,” he said. “Regarding the honorary consul meeting, that’s such a good idea. I’ll definitely arrange it.”

Moving on, Dr Schumacher told the governor how pleased he was that Satree Phuket School, the only school on the island teaching German, would send two exchange students to Germany.

He would like to see the German program maintained and expanded into other high schools, he said.

Tourism was also on the agenda.

Phuket is the second most popular destination in Thailand for German tourists, after Pattaya, Dr Schumacher said.

Gov Wichai told the ambassador that while he knew Phuket was popular with Germans, he would not be attending ITB Berlin 2010, one of the world’s biggest travel trade shows, next year.

“I think Phuket must get three things in order before I show off the island to the world,” he said. “Those three issues are convenient transport, a clean environment and an end to political fighting.”

Dr Schumacher closed the meeting by presenting a coffee cup to Gov Wichai as a gift from the German diplomatic mission.

“Every time you drink coffee from this cup, it will remind you of our meeting,” he said.

This year is the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Germany.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-11-03

[JetsetBkk]

...“Those three issues are convenient transport, a clean environment and an end to political fighting.”...

I disagree. The top three issues are

1. public bus service between the west coast tourist beaches,

2. public bus service between the tourist beaches and Phuket town

3. public bus service between the tourist beaches and the airport

And best of luck with the tuk-tuk thugs and airport thugs.

A few hundred taxis on the island taxis would be nice, too.

[stevenl]

He, this means the governor is more ambitious than you are: you have only 3 issues, which he covered in his first point.

[JetsetBkk]

He, this means the governor is more ambitious than you are: you have only 3 issues, which he covered in his first point.

I don't think most expats give a dam_n about the other issues. I wonder how many tourists from Bangkok look around and wonder "Where have all the taxis gone?"

Still, there are some really nice looking trees going up along Thepkassatri Road now. Very pretty . Nice job, governor . Pity about all the mature trees - the pradoo, crape myrtle, blackboard trees etc. - that they dug up to be replaced by frigging palm trees. Yes, I got those names from an article in the Gazette by Patrick Campbell. I also note that the following week there was a front page story "Phuket palm project boosting local pride". What a joke! Did someone give the Gazette a call? A quickly scribbled front page counter to the previous week's criticism? So pathetic. Dear Gazette, if you're daring enough to print an article by your "Nature" columnist criticising the governor, try to grow a pair and stick to your decision. Otherwise you look rather silly.