The Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) confirmed this week that construction and landscaping works are continuing at the former prison site on Damrong Rd, transforming the area into one of the largest new green spaces in central Phuket Town.
The project is intended to create a recreational park, community activity area and historical learning centre for local residents and visitors.
Officials said work is progressing according to plan and, barring any further delays, the park is expected to open by mid-2026.
Once completed, the development is expected to become a major public green space for Phuket Town, aimed at improving residents’ quality of life while enhancing Phuket’s image as a tourism destination in the long term.
Previous updates by PPAO President Rewat Areerob described the project as becoming a new “lung” for Phuket Town residents, providing space for exercise, leisure and tourism.
The park is being developed on the site of the former Phuket Provincial Prison, which stood for more than 120 years before being demolished in late 2022.
The redevelopment project includes a pagoda to house Buddhist relics, a multi-purpose building, pavilions, children’s playgrounds, scenic viewpoints and public restrooms, along with parking facilities intended to ease congestion in the busy Phuket Town area.
Construction officially began in December 2024 under a B165.8-million contract awarded to Bangkok-based SPM 5988 Co Ltd. The overall project spans about 540 days, with completion originally scheduled for June 11 this year.
The transformation of the prison site has been under discussion for more than a decade following approval for a new provincial prison to be built in Srisoonthorn, Thalang. The new prison opened in December 2020, allowing the old facility to be repurposed for public use.
Demolition of the prison walls began in November 2022 after the Treasury Department approved use of the land as a public park.
At the time, officials said the project would preserve elements of the site’s history while creating a modern eco-tourism attraction and public learning centre.
The old Phuket Provincial Prison was originally built during the governorship of Phraya Ratsadanupradit in 1901, making it one of the oldest prisons in Thailand before its demolition.