Governor Norraphat told an entourage of officials gathered at the meeting at Phuket Gateway Meeting Room that the Phuket Gateway was to become a “Phuket landmark”.
To that end Watcharin Pathomwattanapong, Acting Chief of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO, OrBorJor), announced that a “Pearl Tower” standing 23 or even up to 45 meters tall will be erected at the site “to help to promote ecological tourism and education about nature.”
“We will construct an outdoor walkway, a wooden bridge, a sling bridge, high tower and have a boat service. It will be a place where people can walk in the garden, take photos, exercise or relax,” he said.
Gov Norraphat added, “We will launch the market on Dec 12 this year. We will also have a wide range of products made by communities across Phuket, such as batik, pearls, souvenirs, pineapples and various fruits and vegetables available to tourists.”
“The idea is to improve, develop and upgrade the place to be used in the way that it should. Phuket Gateway will be a new Phuket landmark,” he said.
“The travel information service will provide convenience and ease, there will be an easy entry and exit, with all facilities highly accessible.”
The Gateway was built on 25 rai of government land with its initial budget of B46.7 million sourced from tax revenue collected by the PPAO.
The budget later blew out to B50mn when it was completed and opened in 2007 by then-President Anchalee Vanichthepabutr.
Since then it has failed to attract significant numbers of tourists and has been widely criticised as a waste of government funds.
However, not yesterday and not even in June when Gov Norraphat first announced plans to revamp the Phuket Gateway (see story here), has any official how much money is to be spent on the major “facelift”.