Phuket Light Rail Boost from Fast-Track China Group

PHUKET has the highly-skilled Pan-China Construction Group pushing a plan for speedy introduction of a light-rail airport-Phuket City link – and a host of developments of other kinds.

The appearance of Pan-China executives at a meeting with the Governor of Phuket on Saturday marks a huge step towards Phuket’s speedy infrastructure development.
China is literally fast-tracking South-east Asia. Heading the four-man delegation was Yuan Shan, Director of the Planning Design Institute, China Urban Development Strategy Research Centre, and General Manager-Chief Architect, Pan-China Construction Group, GuangDong branch.

”We want to invest in the airport link first,” he said. ”Then there are prospects for rapid economic development in other aspects of the island’s growth. Phuket needs good public transport as it expands to an island city.

”Keep the environment beautiful, keep your local culture, and we can help with the strategic planning. Phuket is a well-known brand, but it does not have public transport and infrastructure in place, ready for speedy development.”

Phuket’s future as a tourism and business centre hinges on infrastructure to match the speed of development, he said. ”Phuket so far has not found the money for the airport-Phuket City link, so we believe we can help to make the project pay for itself. Benefits will flow to us, and the local people. I am sure we can help Phuket achieve its goals.”

A group of senior Phuket tourism industry leaders greeted the Pan-China delegation. Methee Tanmanatragul, past president of the southern branch of the Thai Hotels Association, spoke of the need for wise urban development within a natural environment.

Phuket needed integrated megaprojects, he said, but with emphasis on parks, education, marinas and high technology. ”Phuket is a tourist centre and international, and we welcome thoughtful investment,” he said.

The secretary general of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, Dr Sirichai Silpa-Ar-Cha, said that with the regular changes in governors, there was a concern that projects of this scale really needed to be overseen by a ”Board of Investment Phuket.”

Phuket Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob said that he would set up a structure for big-picture development on Phuket within weeks, before his retirement at the end of September. That group would supply a continuing Phuket connection with Pan-China and other potential investors.

Another group from China is to meet the governor on September 10.

The Pan-China group joked that with a Chinese approach to engineering and Chinese manpower, the long-planned tunnel through Patong Hill could be started and finished in three days. At least, we think they were joking.

The delegation presented a show of their various large-scale existing projects in Cambodia, Brazil, and other countries.

MBK Offering Foreigners Freehold Property Finance

Leading Thai institutional group MBK PCL through a subsidiary MBK Guarantee Ltd. have gone into the real estate financing business.

On offer to foreign homebuyers in freehold condominium projects are terms with key items being loans between THB 2 to 20 million and monthly payments over 2-10 years.

A balloon payment at the end of the loan of up to 50% of the total can be arranged. Interest is set at MLR (minimum leaning rate) plus 2% per annum.

There is no requirement for employment in Thailand or permanent residence. For those over 60, only 50% of the value can be financed.

Phuket ‘Special Entertainment Zone’ Bid by Governor

By Phuketwan Reporters

Bangkok Airport Train Officially Opens Tomorrow

The long awaiting official operating of commercial operations between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Bangkok commences tomorrow August 23.

Two types of services are available with the express train to the main Makkasan station for THB 100, and a city line comprised of 8 stops starting at Phayathai for only THB 15.

Trains run at 15 minute intervals between 6 am and midnight daily.

Bangkok hoteliers and taxi drivers are keenly watching how popular the service becomes and ultimately for those with hospitality assets what impact will be felt if any on micro city locations. Certainly the BTS skytrain over the years has been partly responsible for a dynamic shift in hotel demand to the Sukhumvit/Ploenchit areas.

Phuket Airport Expansion Can Grow to 15 Million

EXPECT disruptions as Phuket International Airport undergoes the major expansion that will lift its capacity to be able to handle 12.5 million arriving and departing passengers a year.

The President of Airports of Thailand, Serirat Prasutanond, said today that it might be possible to expand still further, but 15 million would be the upward limit because the airport perimeter was finite.

He was speaking at a special seminar at Central Festival Phuket. To grow to 15 million, existing staff quarters at the southern edge of the airport would need to be demolished.

The size of the airport represents a key brake on how fast and how far Phuket can develop.

Today’s seminar was an attempt to listen to people on Phuket before construction begins in 2011, with a development firm yet to be chosen.

The enlargement would be finished in March, 2014. The existing terminal will become the domestic terminal and a new international terminal will be built.

Methee Tanmanatragul, former President of the Southern Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, put in a plea for Phuket’s new airport to be built to top international standards.

The 5.8 billion baht airport should be complete in March 2014, Khun Serirat said.

Tourism industry leaders have urged a strategy to be devised for Phuket’s future to match the growth of Phuket to the upwards limits of the airport.