Phuket tourism surge outpaces island’s infrastructure

Phuket’s tourism industry is calling on the government to urgently resolve what it describes as a deepening infrastructure crisis, warning that the island’s rapid tourism growth is outstripping its ability to cope.

The Phuket Tourist Association said that while tourism and the city’s expansion have continued year after year, infrastructure has not kept pace and cannot adequately support the scale of growth. The association urged the state to move from discussion to delivery, saying the problems have been talked about for years without meaningful implementation.

Thaneth Tantipiriyakij , president of the Phuket Tourist Association, said one of the biggest challenges is the island’s carrying capacity.

Phuket, he said, was designed to support a population of about 400,000. In reality, the number of people on the island is far higher: more than 400,000 additional people come in to support the economy, there are about 130,000 registered migrant workers, and during peak periods tourist numbers can reach close to one million. That level, he said, exceeds what Phuket can reasonably accommodate — a problem that was already evident during the Phuket Sandbox period.

He said Phuket is now focusing on attracting “quality” tourists, noting that visitors are staying longer and spending more. Average per-capita spending across markets in Phuket is now around 50,000 baht or more, higher than before Covid-19, he said, adding that Phuket’s tourism growth must not come at the expense of local quality of life.

He also suggested promoting tourism through “city pairing” packages, using Phuket as a hub and linking it with nearby secondary destinations such as Phang Nga and Ranong to make travel easier for foreign visitors.

However, he stressed that the government must take urgent infrastructure solutions seriously. He said Phuket’s infrastructure and public utilities plans have existed for decades, but key projects have not progressed.

He cited the Kathu–Patong tunnel project, which had previously shown signs of moving forward but has since been delayed after changes in government. He also pointed to long-running water-supply plans, including a proposal to bring water from Cheow Lan Dam. That plan, he said, has been discussed for 20–30 years. The route the water would take would also benefit areas along the way. While the project was once estimated in the billions of baht, he said the required investment would now run into tens of billions.