Joining Mr Pita were Phuket’s three MPs, all representatives from the Move Forward Party, elected to office in the national election earlier this year: Somchart Techathavorncharoen for Phuket District 1; Chalermpong Saengdee for Phuket District 2; and Thitikan Thitipruethikul for Phuket District 3.
Of note, Move Forward candidates won all three Phuket seats for Members of Parliament by strong margins during the national election in May.
Mr Pita visited the Phuket City Municipality Waste Incinerator at Saphan Hin, and the adjoining landfill, to hear about the need to cope with the island’s growing volume of waste generated, and delivered to the landfill, each day.
If measures were not taken soon, Phuket would soon need to send its solid refuse off-island, Mr Pita was told.
Mr Pita then joined Phuket Irrigation Office Director Krirksak Leenanon at the Klong Kata reservoir in Chalong to discuss projects underway there.
One project that began on June 20 is to expand the reservoir capacity. The project is due for completion on Feb 14 next year.
Mr Pita also inspected the road around the reservoir, sections of which collapsed into the water during heavy rains last year.
Mr Pita was shown that some temporary repairs have already been made in some areas, but was told the Phuket Irrigation Office was still waiting for budget approval in order to proceed with permanent repairs to the road.
Mr Pita then headed north to Ratsada, stopping at the Guan Yu Shrine in Chalong along the way.
At Ratsada, Mr Pita joined Ratsada Mayor Nakarin Yosangrat on a tour of the Tha Jeen Canal, separating Koh Siray from Phuket, to see the mangroves there firsthand and to hear Mayor Nakarin’s plans to develop the area into an eco-tourism attraction.
Mr Pita joined local officials and residents at the Saphan Yao Pier at Laem Hin, where Kueakiat Jitkuea, President of the Koh Kaew Tambon Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor) and his staff explained the plans they have for developing the pier to something more like Chalong Pier to help develop the area and generate incomes for local people.
While in Phuket, Mr Pita visited both the Kathu Shrine and the Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town to make merit and observe the Phuket Vegetarian Festival currently underway.