The key event will be an air-sea rescue simulating a tourist boat stricken by large waves and strong winds in a demonstration to be held off Loma Park, Udomphon Kan, head of the Phuket Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office (DDPM-Phuket) has confirmed in a radio interview.
As already made clear, the aim of the “emergency response plan”, as officials have called it, is to build confidence among tourists so that they feel confident in coming to Phuket on holiday.
To that end Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Pinsuwan last Thursday led a delegation to discuss with Patong Municipality officials, including Patong Deputy Mayor Lalita Maneesri, the measures taken to safeguard tourists safety at the beach and in the water.
However, Mr Udomphon’s confirmation over the weekend that a rehearsal of police responding to a drunken tourist on Bangla Rd followed a visit and inspection of the party street by members of a House of Representatives special commission on Saturday night (Nov 25).
Of note, it also follows a shooting incident in which a Bangla Rd tout was attacked by eight men just over a week ago. (See stories here, here and here.)
The special commission, led by Chairperson Khattiya Sawatdiphon, was in Phuket to investigate Phuket’s “readiness” to allow nightlife venues to remain open until 4am. The current prospective deadline for introducing the new policy is Dec 15.
Ms Khattiya and the special commission met with senior Phuket officials at Phuket Provincial hall on Friday (Nov 24), which according to an official report of the meeting made no mention of the shootings and gang attack on Nov 19.
Instead, Ms Khattiya focused on five issues, including ways to introduce a law to prevent business operators from being forced to pay officials for what she called “benefits”.
“The first issue is requesting a permit. There is a question from society: Why are there so many entertainment venues? There are many establishments that are not registered according to the law. So, what are the problems with the law?
“The second issue is the time for opening and closing. Is 1am too early or not? Customers only came in around 9-10pm. Sometimes they only sit for a little while before having to go somewhere else. If the closing time is extended, it may create more business, and more jobs and income,” Ms Khattiya said.
“The third issue is the age of people working in service establishments must be 18 years or older. It must be determined whether the age can be reduced or not? We can talk on this,” she said.
“Because of these three issues, if a business operator or someone that does not follow the law may use a ‘channel for benefits that they can get from officials’,” Ms Khattiya added.
“As this is the objective of the special commission, we are thinking about how to adjust the law in order to facilitate business operators so that it is not necessary to pay illegitimate benefits to government officials in order to properly conduct business,” she said.
“We will find a middle ground between officials and business operators to be able to proceed together so that no one has to pay anyone [for ‘benefits’], and anyone can be punished. But right now it appears that those with licences are punished more,” she noted.
“People trading without licences and how to make these things so ti prevents the benefit of officials is the focus of this committee. We must come to a conclusion together,” Ms Katthiya said.
Phuket was the first tourist location that the special commission had visited, Ms Katthiya noted.