The meeting took place at Phuket Provincial Hall, with Consul Li Chenglong leading a delegation from the Chinese consulate. Also present were Phuket Provincial Office chief Narong On-in and Phuket Provincial Public Relations Officer Wimol Nukaeo.
Mr Li said the consulate, established in 2001, was tasked with assisting Chinese tourists and residents in Phuket and safeguarding their rights and interests. He thanked Governor Nirat for his continued attention to the Chinese community in Phuket, including attending activities at Phuket Thai Hua ASEAN School earlier in the day, said an official report of the meeting.
Mr Li noted that last year marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, coinciding with a royal visit by His Majesty the King, further strengthening bilateral relations under the concept that “China and Thailand are brothers and sisters”.
He also praised Governor Nirat’s experience from his previous posting in Chiang Mai, another major tourism hub popular with Chinese visitors.
Tourist safety was raised as a key concern, particularly accidents involving tourists riding motorcycles without valid driving licences. Mr Li said the consulate supported Phuket’s measures to tighten law enforcement by the Tourist Police and regulate vehicle rental businesses to reduce road accidents.
Governor Nirat said the province has stepped up controls on motorcycle and car rental operators to prevent vehicles being rented to people without valid licences.
“If you don’t have a driver’s licence, you should not be renting a vehicle,” he said. “Avoiding the law leads to accidents, losses and problems with insurance claims when crashes occur.”
Mr Li reported that more than 500,000 Chinese tourists have visited Phuket since the beginning of the year, and asked all agencies to cooperate closely to ensure visitor safety during upcoming major festivals, so tourists can “travel happily and return home safely”.
He also noted an increase in direct flights between Phuket and several Chinese cities and suggested strengthening sister-city relations in the future.
Governor Nirat reaffirmed that Phuket treats tourists of all nationalities equally and is open to cooperation with the Chinese consulate in exchanging information to support law enforcement.
“We aim to keep Phuket free from influential figures or actions that place anyone above the law,” he said.
The meeting highlighted continued cooperation between Phuket authorities and the Chinese consulate to strengthen bilateral relations while improving tourist safety and the quality of tourism services on the island.