After arriving on the island to take up the post of Governor of Phuket last Wednesday (Oct 1), Mr Saransak spent last Thursday in Phang Nga, where he joined more than 100 youths from Thailand’s southern border provinces to take part in the 45th ‘San Jai Thai Su Jai Tai’ project, aimed at fostering understanding, cultural exchange and national unity.
Governor Saransak continued his support for the programme yesterday (Oct 7) by visiting host families in Phuket, namely Muslim families at Cape Panwa. He was accompanied by Mueang Phuket District Chief Pairoj Srilamul, Phuket Provincial Sergeant Major Thanet Nawalong, and local officials.
The governor met several young participants, including Amir Ali Awae, Phuriphat Bahem, Natcha Salamma and Bismila Doloh, who expressed their gratitude to Phuket residents for welcoming them “like family”, said an official report of the occasion.
The project, launched in 1976 under the initiative of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, aims to foster friendship and understanding between people from Thailand’s far South and other regions of the country.
Later yesterday afternoon, Governor Saransak visited the Laem Panwa community to enjoy traditional ‘Southern Tea’ prepared by local villagers, highlighting the diversity and warmth of Phuket’s cultural identity.
Also yesterday, Governor Saransak presided over the opening of ‘The Portraits 2025’ ‒ an art exhibition apparently dedicated to World Mental Health Day ‒ at the Limelight commercial shopping mall in Phuket Town.
The exhibition features works by artist Orrawan Laosakul and 11 guest artists, who use portraiture to explore human emotion and mental wellbeing.
In his opening remarks, Governor Saransak praised the initiative for combining art and mental health awareness. “These paintings are not just works of art, but also tools to communicate feelings that are difficult to put into words,” he said. “Art not only creates beauty but also heals the heart and connects people.”
The exhibition, organised in collaboration with the Phuket Art Association, with its president Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr and the Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) Chief PPHO Chief Suthiphon Khonatphong also present yesterday, runs from Oct 7-14 and is free to the public.
After returning from Phang Nga over the weekend, Governor Saransak joined the Airports of Thailand (AoT) Phuket branch for a Buddhist chanting ceremony on Monday (Oct 6), marking what AoT calls the 37th anniversary of Phuket International Airport.
The date of the celebration has long been debated ‒ with AoT citing Oct 8, 1988, as the handover date to its authority, though the airport was officially designated as an international facility in 1976 under the Department of Commercial Aviation. Further, AoT itself was not established until Sept 30, 2002
Regardless, the anniversary has been observed annually on Oct 8 to honour the island’s aviation gateway.
Governor Saransak was joined at the ceremony by Phuket Airport General Manager Monchai Tanode, Deputy Provincial Police Commander Col Jirasak Siamsak, Third Naval Area Deputy Chief of Staff Capt Chaiwat Wongsupthai and senior officials from government and private agencies.
As part of the event, AoT Phuket reported strong passenger numbers during China’s Golden Week holiday (Oct 1-8), with 228 flights ‒ an average of 29 per day ‒ representing a 32.75% increase from 2019 and a 57.72% rise from last year.
The total passenger count of 34,375 was up more than 65% compared with 2024, signalling a strong recovery in the Chinese market, AoT reported.
The airport also announced plans to welcome two new international airlines: Uzbekistan’s Centrum Air, beginning four weekly flights between Tashkent and Phuket from Oct 31, and Air France, launching six weekly Paris-Phuket flights from Nov 28.
AoT Phuket also reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable operations through initiatives such as the ‘Phuket Airport Protects Mangroves’ project, which has cut carbon emissions by over 10 tonnes a year, and community safety training under its ‘Corporate Citizenship Airport’ programme.