Nine Phuket heroes due to arrive next month
Phuket Gazette


Miniatures of the 2.5m bronze statues that will be erected in Thalang. Photo: Supplied

PHUKET: -- A 50-million-baht project to honor important figures in Phuket’s history moves closer to completion next month with the arrival of nine bronze statues.

The statues represent individuals important in the defense of Phuket against Burmese invaders, including the well known Phuket Heroines, sisters Thao Thepkrasattri and Thao Srisoonthorn (story here).

Cast in Ang Thong province, the statues will be formally welcomed when they arrive at the Tah Chat Chai checkpoint on January 23.

“We will meet the statues at the checkpoint, then form a parade to escort them to Saphan Hin,” said Urai Lersukanusorn of the Phuket Provincial Culture Office.

After a celebration at Saphan Hin, the statues will be moved to their final destination at the Thalang Victory Memorial Field in Thalang (map here) on January 26, she said.

“We spent 26 million baht on the statues and the bases they stand on,” said Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa. “The Ministry of Tourism and Sports gave us another 24 million baht to build a car park and a fence and to decorate the area in a historic style.”

“This is an important project for the province,” V/Gov Sommai added. “The ceremony we are planning will let us all welcome the statues together and help people realize the sacrifices of the nine heroes.”

The schedule of the welcoming ceremony has yet to be set, she said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Nine-Phuket-heroes-due-to-arrive-next-month-22977.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-12-07

This is an important project for the province, V/Gov Sommai added.

26 million + 24 million.

How many life guards could that buy?

How many non-corrupt police?

How many...

Oh, what's the point?

This is an important project for the province, V/Gov Sommai added.

26 million + 24 million.

How many life guards could that buy?

How many non-corrupt police?

How many...

Oh, what's the point?

From my perspective I agree with you, but I think many Thai will not agree, and consider this a very important project, much more important than life guards or anything like that.

This is an important project for the province, V/Gov Sommai added.

26 million + 24 million.

How many life guards could that buy?

How many non-corrupt police?

How many...

Oh, what's the point?

From my perspective I agree with you, but I think many Thai will not agree, and consider this a very important project, much more important than life guards or anything like that.

"but I think many Thai will not agree" - I bet the Thai's that do not agree are also the ones that siphoned off a few million out of this "important project" for themselves.

No need for the last 2 posters to keep up their 'banter'. Enough - last 2 posts removed.

This is an important project for the province, V/Gov Sommai added.

26 million + 24 million.

How many life guards could that buy?

How many non-corrupt police?

How many...

Oh, what's the point?

From my perspective I agree with you, but I think many Thai will not agree, and consider this a very important project, much more important than life guards or anything like that.

let me remind you how many lives would be saved if the tourists admire the thai heroes instead of swimming in treacherous waters

“The Ministry of Tourism and Sports gave us another 24 million baht to build a car park and a fence and to decorate the area in a historic style.”

(thats almost 750,000 USD) !!!

sounds like more than is needed to build a car park and decorations and fence (for Thailand).

(i know people that build complete homes for a tenth of that in thailand !!!)

i would just LOVE to see the REAL costing of these kinds of projects!

1.6 million USD for a statue and a car park? I'm getting some bids on getting a car park redone back in supposedly expensiveland and the bids are in the tens of thousands, not 700K USD, That's some serious tea money. Who exactly are these 9 heroes and what is the statue cast in, gold or platinum? Such a frivilous waste of money when as someone mentioned above, the money could actually be used to save lives and better the island. I really doubt the statue is revered by the (mainly non) locals.

the fence will be there, so thais can go in FOR FREE and you farang will be paying 300 baht

Hope the Phuket guides get it right this time and not put the new coming heroes in the same league as they did with the Heroines Monument

As ASEAN 2015 rapidly approaches, is it not perhaps lacking tact to 'waste' this money on dredging up memories of these old battles with the Burmese?

Simon

PS - And +1 to previous posters who commented about how this money could (should) have been used to make a difference!