Montri Manator, Deputy Director of the TAT Phuket office, delivered the news at a meeting at Provincial Hall yesterday (Aug 4), held to announce further steps Phuket officials are taking to help revive the island’s tourism industry.
The “Phuket Dedthangkoh” (“Phuket Awesome Island”) roadshow, held at the Siam Paragon Shopping center on July 30 - Aug 2, saw tour packages totalling B1,307,278 sold, Mr Montri said.
At the meeting, presided over by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew, Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) Chief Banyat Kantha revealed that his office had organised with local transport operators major discounts on vehicle-hire rates to help local businesses provide tourist services.
Under the agreement, the cost of hiring tour vehicles – for 10 hours, including fuel and paying the driver – was reduced as follows:
- Large tour buses, reduced from B6,500 to B4,500,
- Medium-sized buses reduced from B6,000 to B4,000
- Small buses from B5,500 to B3,000, and
- Vans now available at B2,200
Taxis will charge according to fare meters, Mr Banyat said, while Patong motorbike taxi rates had been reduced by 50%, to about B20-50 per ride, he added.
Meanwhile, Phuket Provincial Employment Office Chief Santi Nantasuwan explained that his office will be holding its “Phuket Job Fair 2020” at the Baan and Beyond Phuket mall on the bypass road (opposite Central Festival Phuket) from 9am to 3pm on Aug 20.
“At the fair, recruiters from more than 30 companies will open booths and 796 vacancies will be open to applicants,” Mr Santi said.
“Officers from the Ministry of Labour will give suggestions about how people can claim unemployment compensation. They will even have vacancies on offer for positions abroad, and can offer advice on how to register for them, among other services,” he said.
There will also be training and consulting sessions for those who are unemployed, Mr Santi added.
He urged any people seeking more information about job hunting in Phuket to contact the Phuket Employment Office by calling 076-219660 or contact them through the Phuket office’s official facebook page: https://web.facebook.com/doe.phuket/
Of note, in opening the meeting, Governor Narong also commented on the death of 29-year-old science teacher Thanachart Teanwattanakun, who was crushed to death when a large tree fell onto his teacher’s accommodation house at Thairatwithaya School in Kathu on Sunday night (Aug 2).
“We are very saddened by this incident and we want all officials to check trees and buildings near your offices. Some tree branches should be cut to prevent them from falling down and hurting people during this rainy reason,” Governor Narong said.