In a terse statement to The Phuket News on yesterday (December 11) Salinla Seehaphan, Corporate Affairs Director, wrote, “This project has been put on hold. We will inform [you] of any further developments.”
When the plan was announced at the beginning of last year, it sparked protest marches in the town, with local people claiming that the store would kill local businesses and the local culture, and cause traffic jams in the city’s narrow streets.
Reacting to the “on hold” announcement, Deputy Mayor Dr Kosol Tan-utai said, “Under municipal regulations which we are waiting to have approved, Tesco Lotus will not be able to build a store covering more than 300 square metres.”
This, he said, would be too small a space for what Tesco-Lotus was proposing to build. He noted that Tesco had not made any further proposals recently to the municipality.
Theerapong “Tor” Iamananjaroen, President of the Fresh Market Club, which spearheaded opposition to the Tesco plan, was happy to hear that it is on hold, although he was concerned because the plan has not yet been declared dead.
“If the municipal regulation limiting businesses in built-up areas of Phuket to no more than 300 sqm is approved by Bangkok, this will help a lot of local people in the area and also keep traffic under control.
Mr Tor said he admired Dr Kosol’s attempts to push through the area limit. This, he noted, was the opposite of other municipalities in other provinces, which were pushing for larger areas to be allowed.
He said, “If anybody sues Dr Kosol, the local people will protect him in any way possible. I admire his vision for taking care of local people first, solving the problem with the municipality regulations and making it right for the people.”