Phuket will be upgraded to a premium tourism destination as efforts are being made to address several problems in the island province, says Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
She made the remarks during a visit to the southern province on Thursday to address issues related to tourism, flood prevention, infrastructure development and traffic management.
At a meeting attended by state agencies and the private sector, Ms Paetongtarn said that almost one-quarter of foreign visitors to Thailand visit Phuket, with many heading directly there instead of Bangkok.
"The government wants to focus on developing the province into a premium tourist destination where tourist spending is expected to increase," the prime minister said.
"We also want to promote Thailand as a destination for major festivals and Phuket is a well-known destination among tourists," she said.
She instructed agencies to find ways to deal with congestion that is affecting the island's tourism industry and speed up construction projects aimed at easing the heavy traffic.
They include a new route from Bang Muang Mai to the airport, an additional traffic lane on Highway No 4027, an elevated road construction project at a junction between Highways Nos 402, 4027, and 4025, and a study of the new Sarasin Bridge.
Ms Paetongtarn stressed the need for authorities to crack down on criminals and influential figures operating on the island to ensure public safety, adding that Phuket's garbage problem must also be addressed.
A campaign should be introduced to encourage locals to sort and recycle garbage, she said.
Thaneth Tantipiriyakij, president of the Phuket Tourist Association, welcomed the government's plan.
He said the plan requires government budget allocations for infrastructure development projects in the island province as well as measures to promote sustainable tourism.
He said the prime minister's visit provided a good opportunity for the private sector to propose projects to the government for consideration.
Mr Thaneth said the government considers the tourism industry the main engine of economic growth and Phuket is a major tourist destination.
According to government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub, more than 230,000 tourists, both Thais and foreigners, visited Phuket between Dec 28, 2024 and Jan 1, generating at least 8 billion baht in revenue.
This led to an average hotel occupancy rate of over 80%.