The announcement today (Nov 29) followed the tender for bids for the service coming to a close at 4:30pm last Thursday (Nov 23). Bidding for the tender opened on Nov 6.
“Nobody has placed bids for the tender. Therefore, the PPAO has cancelled the tender for e-bidding on this project,” read a document signed by PPAO Deputy Chief Satien Kaewpraprab on the website.
Mr Satien told The Phuket News today, “I have no idea on any further plans for the lifeguard service. I can’t give any opinion or reply to the media. PPAO Acting Chief Watcharin Patomwatthanapong is the only man who can talk to the media regarding this issue.”
Mr Watcharin’s secretary, in response to repeated attempts by The Phuket News to contact Mr Watcharin today, said that was not available as he was in a meeting.
However, an official from the PPAO’s Division of Procurement, who declined to be named, told The Phuket News this afternoon, “Now the bidding for the tender is over. We will have to start the tender process again but this has to be put to the council first.
“I don’t know when this will happen,” he said.
On Nov 10, Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong urged the PPAO to act swiftly on hiring lifeguards so that they are ready for the high season.
Mr Satien responded by stating that bidding for a new contract to take on the lifeguard contract via the phuketcity.org website started on Nov 6 offering a budget of B16.5 million for 10 months of service, and that the issue would be resolved by the end of November. (See story here.)