ASIA - Local politicians and tourism industry groups in Phuket have lashed out against a Thailand cabinet decision to drop plans for an international convention and exhibition centre on the southern island.
The THB2.6bn (US$85m) Phuket International Convention and Exhibition Center (ICEC) project was shelved during a cabinet meeting on 2 October and revealed by Phuket Democrat MP Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr on her Facebook page on 17 October.
Anchalee, quoted in several media reports, claimed the only clear notification of the decision was that the budget set aside for the new facility was being allocated to other “economic plans”.
Local politicians and businesses have reacted furiously to the news including island MP and opposition party representative Rewat Areerob, who told Phuket News that Phuket contributed a huge amount of revenue to Thailand but lacked infrastructure suited to its stature.
South Thailand still had no facility to handle large groups of meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibition visitors, despite similar venues gaining government support in the north, he added.
Rewat has aimed his complaint at the Senate Tourism Committee and is also calling on the deputy PM and finance minister Kittirat Na-Ranongto to explain why approval for the ICEC had been cancelled. His colleague Anchalee is addressing her complaints to the PM.
Phuket Tourism Association vice-president Bhurritt Maswongsa told Phuket Wan Tourism News the project was another sign that the current government didn’t care about the southern region and was ignoring the three elements Phuket’s tourism future required: Safety, security and sustainability.
Plans for the ICEC stalled earlier this year after the project failed to pass its environmental impact assessment. The decision was based on concerns that the site was once a nesting place for sea turtles.
The proposed Thai Exhibition Centre had also been threatened by criticism of alleged kickbacks demanded by state officials from designers and architects bidding for the project.
Got a story for Exhibition World? Email us: exhibitionworld@mashmedia.net
