The protest follows Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn last week ordering a complete overhaul of the plans for the decades-in-coming Patong Tunnel project ‒ slashing the tunnel width, axing tolls, and transferring control away from the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT).
Under the new plan, the tunnel width is to be reduced from 17 metres to 10m, throwing into doubt whether motorbikes will be allowed to use the tunnel at all, or still will be able to but with extra safety measures installed.
Phiphat’s order for the plans to be fully revised came just one week after he went public to tout that the government is spending B130 billion on key road infrastructure projects allegedly for the benefit of Phuket
Following the protest on Patong Hill yesterday, Phuket MP Chalermpong Saengdee joined the call, declaring that “the people and businesses of Phuket demand travel safety and infrastructure worthy of a world-class tourist destination.”
“For nearly three decades, the demand for the Patong Tunnel has been shelved, seemingly unimportant, even though it should have been implemented long ago,” Mr Chalermpong said.
“The Patong hillside road is the island’s main artery. Every day, tens of thousands of tourists, locals, and workers are at risk. Rain, traffic jams, and accidents have become commonplace. Is this the image of a world-class tourist city the government portrays?”
He added that the public and business community stand ready to support the project.
“What we need is immediate construction ‒ not another delay, not another study. The Patong Tunnel is not a dream; it is an urgent necessity. Phuket should not have to wait just to cross a single mountain.”
KEY SUPPORT
In a coordinated show of unity, Phuket’s leading business organisations also renewed their demand for the government to act now ‒ not later ‒ on critical transport infrastructure, warning that continued inaction is crippling the island’s growth, safety, and tourism competitiveness.
At a joint meeting of 24 private sector groups yesterday (Nov 4), local business leaders demanded the government expedite key infrastructure developments ‒ particularly the long-delayed Patong Tunnel and expansion of Phuket International Airport ‒ which they said are vital to sustaining Phuket’s economy and easing chronic traffic congestion.
The meeting, held at the offices of Phuket City Development Co Ltd (PKCD), was led by Phuket Chamber of Commerce President Kongsak Khoophongsakorn; chairman of the Phuket branch of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI Phuket) Montawee Hongyok; and Phuket Tourist Association President Thaneth Tantipiriyakit.
Together, they reviewed the island’s infrastructure progress and reiterated that after years of studies, promises and redesigns, the government must now act ‒ not plan ‒ to resolve Phuket’s transport bottlenecks.
‘CANNOT WAIT ANOTHER FIVE YEARS’
Mr Kongsak said that despite minor improvements by the Highways Department ‒ including adjustments to 10 intersections on Thepkrasattri Rd (Route 402) that cut travel time from Phuket Airport to Bang Khu from 60 to 40 minutes ‒ overall congestion remains severe.
“Traffic jams continue to paralyse Phuket,” he said. “We cannot wait another five years for plans to turn into action. These projects must start now.”
He outlined three stages of urgent work needed:
* Immediate phase: Improve U-turns and intersections on Route 402 and expand Route 4027 to four lanes, improving the connection to Phuket Airport.
* Short-term phase: Push forward the Phuket Expressway Project under the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) ‒ Phase 1 (Kathu-Patong, 3.98km) and Phase 2 (Phuket Airport-Kathu, 30.62km).
* Continuing phase: Implement five strategic developments ‒ the ‘new Sarasin Bridge’, the MR9 Surat Thani-Phuket railway, the Thap Put-Krabi rail line, the Phuket Light Rail and the Andaman Airport Project.
“These projects are not luxuries. They are the backbone of Phuket’s future,” said Mr Montawee. “Without them, we risk losing investment and tourism to other destinations.”
GROWTH OUTPACING INFRASTRUCTURE
Mr Thaneth reported that Phuket generated B398.9 billion in tourism revenue between January and September 2025, with the total expected to exceed B500bn by year’s end ‒ but warned that the island’s infrastructure is falling dangerously behind.
“Phuket’s tourism is rebounding faster than our ability to manage it,” he said. “We need roads, airports and safety systems that match our global status as a world-class destination.”
He added that new international routes from Mumbai and Paris will open between October 2025 and January 2026, while major global events ‒ including the Phuket Contemporary Art Festival, EDC Thailand, the Asian Massage Championship, PRIDE Phuket and the Global Wellness Summit ‒ will continue to draw record crowds.
Mr Thaneth also urged better regulation of car rentals and stricter enforcement of international driving licence requirements for foreign renters to improve road safety.
TOP PRIORITIES
The private sector warned that Phuket International Airport, built to handle 12 million passengers a year but now serving 15 million, is operating far beyond capacity.
With only one runway and 25 parking bays, over 400 flights now land and take off daily during peak season.
“The airport is bursting at the seams,” Mr Kongsak said. “The expansion must move ahead immediately to handle at least 18 million passengers a year. Delay will strangle Phuket’s economy.”
Equally critical, he said, is the need to proceed without alteration on the Patong Tunnel Project, which has already completed more than 90% of land expropriation.
However, a recent order by Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn to redesign the project ‒ removing toll fees and reducing the width of the tunnel ‒ could push back construction by another four to five years.
“The private sector and the people of Phuket have been waiting too long,” Mr Kongsak said. “If tolls are an issue, the government can subsidise part of the cost ‒ but the tunnel must be built. Any redesign now will only push us further behind.”
Mr Montawee warned that a narrower redesign could also eliminate motorcycle lanes, making the route less safe and less practical for local residents. “This is not acceptable,” he said.
The Patong Tunnel Project, approved in 2021 and removed from EXAT’s management to the Department of Highways, was slated to begin construction in February 2027 ‒ but business leaders are urging the government to move that schedule forward.
In the meantime, they proposed urgent improvements to the new, smaller road over Patong Hill as a safer temporary alternative to Patong Hill’s steep and accident-prone route.
Mr Thaneth reaffirmed the tourism sector’s united stance: “The tunnel, the expressway, and the airport expansion are not future plans ‒ they are Phuket’s lifeline today. We are asking the government to act now, before opportunity and safety are lost.”