PM punts Phuket Expo bid

The route would make road transportation to the South more convenient, and would help support tourism in the South of Thailand, both on the Andaman coast and the Gulf of Thailand, to be a seaside tourist area in the style of the ‘Riviera’, PM Prayut said at press conference held at Government House yesterday (Mar 29).

The Prime Minister led the press conference as part of the continuing drive for support in Thailand’s bid for Phuket to host the World Specialsed Expo as “Phuket Expo 2028”.

The press conference was held after a high profile meeting of key figures involved in the bid, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Minister of Commerce Sinit Lertkrai, Deputy Minister of Interior Songsak Thongsri, Assistant Minister attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wichawat Isaraphakdee and Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew.

Also present for the meeting were Chattan Kunchorn Na Ayudhya, Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayutthaya, Director of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and Sanan Angubolkul, Chairman of the Board of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand.

The Prime Minister thanked all agencies for their joint support, fully pushing for the bid to host Expo 2028 Phuket Thailand, Anucha Burapachaisri, Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister for Political Affairs Acting as spokesman for the Office of the Prime Minister, explained after the meeting.

“Thank you for raising awareness, and we ask all sectors to work together for the success of the country,” he said.

“Thailand is confident that this event will be used as a platform to drive action to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals under the main idea ‘Future of Life : Living in Harmony, Sharing Prosperity’ [the theme of the Phuket Expo bid],” Mr Anucha continued.

Each of the more than 30 representatives from government agencies and the country’s leading private business organizations at the meeting all reported good progress in developing support for the bid

Phuket Governor Narong emphasised the readiness of all sectors in the province, Mr Anucha noted.

Campaigns to raise awareness of the Expo bid had been successful, and preparations were underway to prepare the island to host the event, he said.

Mr Anucha marked the key support among the private sector in Thailand’s bid, with the official report of the meeting specifically naming Krung Thai Bank, Kasikornbank, Bank of Ayudhya, PTT,  Siam Co. Piwat Co Ltd, King Power International Group, Thai Beverage PCL, Airports of Thailand, Siam Cement PCL, and hotel groups such as Minor International.

“I know this is not an easy task, but I believe that with the cooperation of all sectors, the state, the private sector and the public, it can be achieved. All sectors are requested to follow the movements of member countries closely as information for adjusting Thailand’s strategy in bidding to host the event,” PM Prayut said.

“I invite everyone to join hands in making changes, see progress order and presenting the readiness to be a good host with ‘Yim Siam’ [“Thai smile”], he said.

Thailand’s bid aims to see Phuket host the Specialised Expo 2027/2028 from March 20 to June 17, 2028.

Phuket is competing against four other cities to host the event: Minnesota, in the United States; Belgrade, in Serbia; Malaga, in Spain; and San Carlos de Bariloche, in Argentina.

The host country will be elected by representatives of the 170 Member States of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) on the principle of one country, one vote at the BIE General Assembly to be held in June.

If Thailand’s bid is successful, the event is hoped to attract at least more than 5 million visitors, generate more than B49 billion for the economy and provide about 100,000 jobs during the runup and duration of the expo.

The bid to host the event has already received B5.11bn from the government budget.

So, if nothing changes, nothing changes. Talk talk talk

@Kurt  Rest assured that every country willing to host the  Expo will pump a lot of money into their bid ! Not only Thailand. Blackmailing ?  Typical nonsense from you !

Stop all this nonsense, and start to practice the continue 'mouth work' about environment and sustainability on Phuket. All around now proves last few years nothing, really nothing, is done to improve anything about it on Phuket. Amazing phuket. Tourists just see army/navy units at beaches to take away chairs, matts, umbrellas. They don't understand the take away of their comfort.

What is wrong with present roads from BKk to 'Andaman'? It's fine as it is. The continues drive/publicity about enormous amounts costing projects for Expo-'28, a few months happening only, are premature. Thailand behaves as it has already scored Expo-'28. It looks almost as Thailand blackmail the committees that because big investments it MUST be given the Expo.

Instead, maybe the PM should propose the establishment of a new whaling industry to reduce the amount of black water pollution in Phuket caused by all the whale poop.  

Simply a pre-election comment. The sole purpose is to win his own election and the Expo vote  All rhetoric. 

If Phuket is selected for Expo, I will eat my hat.  The fundamental elements in Thailand are simply not in place to attract a world event without shaming themselves in the process.  The ongoing mismanagement of trash and wastewater pollution, continuous violence and shameful behavior of the taxi thug mafia, corrupt and lazy police, dangerous driving, etc. would leave the world saying "WTF&quo...