Gov defends Phuket against detractors
Wiparatana Nathalang


Gov Maitri.

PHUKET: -- Governor Maitri Inthusut has hit back at those who keep pointing out the bad things happening of the island, and blaming the island and its authorities, without also boosting its good points and recognising the efforts that are being made to tackle the problems.

In conversations with The Phuket News in the past week, the Governor said that Phuket is catching flak, most recently for tuk-tuk actions in Patong and stolen passports but he is fighting to reclaim the island’s reputation.

The Governor noted that he had recently been looking at solutions for environmental problems ranging from picking up garbage, checking out the treatment of elephants at safari camps and solving the problems of goat farmers to leading all the officers involved in fixing water shortage problems.

He had also been tackling land encroachment, he said, climbing up a steep mountain himself, leading officials to land deep inside the forest “to catch those illegal land invaders”.

Governor Maitri also said he has been working on improving Phuket’s infrastructure with a variety of projects to solve traffic jams. “It seems that the traffic in Phuket is improving every day,” he said. “Underpasses, tunnels and widening of roads are on the way.”

“Phuket is the tourist destination with the second highest revenue in Thailand. Any city in the world with a lot of tourists has both advantages and disadvantages. The higher the revenue, the more disadvantages there will be.

“The recent tuk-tuk rally in Phuket is an example of the problems that originate from conflict and misunderstanding between two groups of businesses.

“Each of the business operators has to struggle to earn a living in order to keep up with rapid changes in the environment and the economy.

“As human beings, we need to understand that chaos undeniably happens. It would be unjust to blame any particular person, place or situation.”

Addressing the revelations of passports going missing on the island – highlighted by the news that two Iranian passengers on the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 were travelling on passports reported missing in Phuket in 2012 and last year – the Governor was irritated that Phuket is being blamed.

“Phuket attracts all kinds of people from all walks of life from around the world. Everybody wants to get the most benefit for themselves. Phuket is being unfairly vilified because all of these people were greedy to make money from these disappearing passports.

“Phuket needs a higher budget from the central government to strengthen the police. Phuket earned the second-highest revenue for Thailand, yet because we have a low registered population we get insufficient funding from the central government, which is unfair.

“If Phuket were an independent city I assure you that many of these horrible accusations would disappear.”

The Governor also pleaded for more dialogue to overcome language barriers, poverty, education shortfalls and “some of the traditional attitudes of Thai people that cause breakdowns in communication between foreigners and Thais.”

He suggested, “We need regular meetings to discuss and exchange opinions and views in order to understand each other better.

“We can make this world a better place.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/gov-defends-phuket-against-detractors-45349.php


-- Phuket News 2014-03-25

TL;DR: "Everybody wants to get the most benefit for themselves."

The toilet is over flowing and needs to be flushed.

Here is the fundamental problem with the Governor - all the excuses. He has an excuse for everything.

"traffic seems to be getting better everyday" - where does he live to make such a statement?

"Phuket needs a higher budget from the central government to strengthen the police" - No you dont - you just need the current police here to actually do their jobs. And hell no do you need more money - more money means more corruption and money been skimmed of the top.

"The recent tuk-tuk rally in Phuket is an example of the problems that originate from conflict and misunderstanding between two groups of businesses" - abd that gives them the right to shut down Patong and demand their colleagues be released and the police chief transferred?

“We need regular meetings to discuss and exchange opinions and views in order to understand each other better" - dont you keep cancelling the regular meetings with the consulates and embassies?

All i read in his interview is excuses for everything.

Goat farmer problem?

Really?

Effort and excuses won't get you anywhere.

Goat farmers?

Clearly not living in 'our' world. Just no idea of reality. Walking about Patong surrounded by his body guards and media in no way the same as a lowly tourist or ex-pat.

Blah blah blah, blah blah blah. Please governor, give us one thing you've done that has actually helped the island. All the infrastructure projects were started way before it was your turn at the trough.

I find the Governer's comments insulting to my intelligence.

I find the Governer's comments insulting to my intelligence.

I wholeheartedly agree with you there - but hey lets hope he gets the goat farming sorted - a real priority

Need to understand the problems and have more meetings but didn't they stop the meetings with the consuls because they were exposing too many issues that were NOT being tackled.

I didn't know they had goat farmers here though unless it is the goats who are involved in a the illegality here for they seem to be growing in number will alacrity

so, hide the bad news and lie to tourists, even they are ripped off starting at the airport taxi scammers?

Goats are directly related to the traffic problems
( between Layan and Banana beach )

Goats are directly related to the traffic problems

( between Layan and Banana beach )

looks like one of those PDRC rallies.

Paraphrased:

"This is what I do for you, Phuket:

I climbed a steep mountain by myself, I talk regularly with goats and tuk-tuks and I pick up garbage. So stop blaming me for doing nothing and start blaming the farangs as you should. Also, you have to understand that chaos undeniably happens, but you should not blame a person, place or situation, don't blame anything at all, just accept..., or, you can still blame the farangs. And about the passports missing, stolen and sold in Phuket, don't blame Phuket, or you make me mad...blame the farangs who come here with tempting passports! And now the most important part: Phuket needs a higher budget for me and more meetings, because I don't really like to climb steep mountains."

This guy is all talk and no action. He knows about ALL the problems but does little or nothing. Maybe is is not capable or maybe he choses to do nothing. He likes to have "discussions" with criminals and illegal businesses, instead of insisting to enforce the law. Suthep claims he will have a clean Thailand, and if so, will he do something about the situation in Phuket? The place is now a joke.

Sticking your head in the sand and denying reality is worrying from any body....but more so for someone in his position.

There is no substance in his interview...no dealing with the real issues.

I am sure though that there are many members here who greatly appreciate his valiant efforts towards the goat problem. See? A smokescreen about a senseless subject because he can't/won't face the truth.

The reality is a failed island run by thugs in brown and a wholly corrupt legal and Government system. The ongoing thuggery, the brutality of certain sectors, the scams, frauds, racism, organised crime, rape, murder, beatings, violence from taxis and tuk tuks, the lack of transport, .....did I miss something? Probably. Nearly always directed towards foreigners.

chaos undeniably happens

T-shirt idea?

nowt to say really!

Luckily we will have the Mayor of Patong back soon and the last pice of the puzzle shall be sloved!

Sadly, he is little more than a well heeled pimp.

The toilet is over flowing and needs to be flushed.

Right no need for meetings to discuss things and posit theories about professions in conflict.

Call a plumber.

I find the Governer's comments insulting to my intelligence.

I wholeheartedly agree with you there - but hey lets hope he gets the goat farming sorted - a real priority

I think he is trying to blame all the illegal land clearing on Phuket on the goat farmers.

I expect to read about a goat farming "crackdown" next week.

Seriously, the administration on this island is the laughing stock of other truly world class tourist desinations.

The word is out,complain and you are meat.

The man has missed an opportunity to lay out a comprehensive, point-by-point plan to address the very same issues he is trying to defend and deflect.

There is a serious lack of credibility given the miserable track record for Phuket law enforcement in the areas of traffic, parking and service response. I've yet to seen any report that outlines crime statistics, response times for calls for service and other data to support additional funding or manpower.

As far as I know the police do not have a Computerized Assisted Dispatch System (CAD), but they rely on paper and pencil. CAD would capture all the data, which cannot be manipulated, and the public could see what is being done, by whom and where. It does wonders for holding people/officials accountable for what they do and don't do.

The Chief of Police is responsible for data collection, which the Governor present to Bangkok to support his need for additional resources. Lacking that, it is just so many words, accompanied by pleas that may go unanswered

Climbing up hills and into the "Jungle" is commendable, but I'd rather see a Governor demand from those, whose jobs is it to do that sort of enforcement, to produce or hit the road.

Shows are nice, but the performance must justify the price of admission.

Good luck Governor.

“The recent tuk-tuk rally in Phuket is an example of the problems that originate from conflict and misunderstanding between two groups of businesses.

“Each of the business operators has to struggle to earn a living in order to keep up with rapid changes in the environment and the economy.

It sounds sympathy for tuk-tuk 1st Km for 300 Baht , where Bangkok taxi 1st cost only 35 Baht, the cost of living higher then in big city like Bangkok

_{All of the islands problems are solved.}

Here is the fundamental problem with the Governor - all the excuses. He has an excuse for everything.

I was just going to post same statement, seems that he's in total denial about the situation.

"The higher the revenue, the more disadvantages there will be." So I guess that puts the well to do paid off officials now in category of disadvantaged? This is such an odd statement. It is hard to tell what he meant, if anything. Strange.

"As human beings, we need to understand that chaos undeniably happens." As government officials you should know a major part of your job is to bring order to your area. The chaotic free-for-all that seems to typify news coming out of Phuket indicates that the top authority gains some advantage by allowing that chaos.

Here is the fundamental problem with the Governor - all the excuses. He has an excuse for everything.

I was just going to post same statement, seems that he's in total denial about the situation.

THis is the fundamental problem with modern Thai mentality!

I do not live in Phuket but I imagine the problems in phuket as they are here. I go for exercise in a city park. The litter everywhere was next to unbearable not to mention garbage bins not emptied and piles of garbage. I began picking up the litter myself. I hate complaining without doing something about it. It is better to light one candle than to curse in the dark. After a few months the 6 workers who regularly cleaned 10 meters squared began to spread out to the 1,000,0000 sq meters. Sounds big but I know if I was employed there, I could pick up most of the litter in one day. I saw the supervisor literally standing over the workers ensuring litter was being picked up. Things began to improve but I think everyone got tired of the new regime because last time I checked the park was backsliding as far as cleanliness goes. New paint and repaired fences seemed to substitute for cleanliness. What I see in Thailand is precious little work ethic even when Thai people own their own shop. Granted the heat can make things difficult but these are people accustomed to stooping over rice in the fields for days on end under a hot sun. From a foreigners point of view it is a little frustrating knowing how beautiful Thailand could be with a little effort.