The new president of the Phuket Tourist Association, elected on July 22, has urged the government to stop generating negative publicity about Phuket, saying authorities should enforce the law without publicising every crackdown.
Sarayut Mallam said officials should continue cracking down on offences such as nominee businesses, illegal tour guides, illegal taxis and beach encroachment, but argued there was no need to publicise every operation in a way that damaged confidence in the province.
Having served on the association’s committee for 34 years, Sarayut said he had experienced multiple crises affecting Phuket, including the 2004 tsunami, the Covid-19 pandemic and international conflicts, giving him a strong understanding of the island’s tourism industry.
He said his priority as president was to help the association and Phuket move forward together while restoring confidence among tourists and investors.
Sarayut argued that many of the issues attracting attention in Phuket also occur in other tourism destinations across Thailand, including Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Samui and Bangkok, but said the island was receiving disproportionate negative coverage.
He said he had raised these concerns during meetings of the Tourism and Sports Ministry’s public-private consultative committee, urging the government to highlight Phuket’s strengths rather than focusing almost exclusively on its shortcomings.
The newly elected president said some existing laws may need to be updated to better serve the interests of locals. Although he supports action against illegal businesses, he argued that publicising every crackdown had damaged confidence in Phuket.
He said Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong had promised to visit Phuket in August to discuss ways to improve the island’s image and promote its positive side.
Sarayut added that the association would continue promoting Phuket while working with the private sector to improve infrastructure, particularly traffic congestion, and attract higher-quality visitors.
Sarayut’s comments come as Phuket continues to make headlines, including a recent case in which a foreign man assaulted a Thai woman on Bangla Road after accusing her of stealing his Thai girlfriend’s bag.
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