The approval removes the major hurdle to the expansion, which has been held up for five years.
It comes just 10 days after Minister of Transport Air Chief Marshall Prajin Janthong announced government plans to turn Phuket into a yachting and cruise ship “hub for Asean”.
The plan, announced previously by Wattanachai Ruangpanyalertkul, Chaophaya Terminal International Co’s Director of Songkhla and Phuket ports, provides for separate berthing for cargo and cruise ships, with a 60-metre extension using “dolphins”, bridges to connect the dolphins to the land, a cruise terminal building, basic facilities, internal roads and parking.
“After this the Phuket Treasury Office [which owns the land] will organise private sector investment and assist with planning of the development.
“This will benefit Phuket and support the [government] plan to make the island a yachting and cruise ship hub. In a few days, public hearings will be held in Phuket to discuss the plan,” he added.
See previous story here.