PHUKET, THAILAND – Overstretched infrastructure, a mounting waste crisis and security risks emerged in 2025 as Phuket’s central challenges and were set to shape the island’s agenda for 2026.
Airport and tourism capacity under pressure
The president of the Phuket Tourist Association, Thaneth Tantipiriyakij, said many of the island’s internal problems had for years stemmed from inadequate infrastructure. Phuket International Airport was operating at its limits, with a single runway handling about 20 flights per hour and around 18 million passengers annually, although it had originally been designed for 12 million. On land, he pointed to chronic traffic jams and a lack of public transport, which drove taxi fares to big-city levels and pushed residents and visitors into private cars and rental vehicles.
Traffic gridlock and basic services at breaking point
Thaneth now regarded traffic as the most urgent issue and called for stricter parking management, test phases with closed traffic-light intersections, additional U-turn points, more connecting roads and faster implementation of delayed projects.
“The lives of local people must be good first,”
said Thaneth, arguing that tourism could only be sustained if everyday conditions improved. He added that capacity for waste, wastewater and drinking water on the island was increasingly exceeded, with water supply falling out of balance as consumption rose.
Construction boom intensifies infrastructure strain
Building activity further heightened the pressure, with almost 20,000 new residential units added in the previous year. This was accompanied by more than 5,400 unlicensed accommodations compared with only around 900 to 1,000 approved hotels.
“This growth massively increases the pressure on utility networks, traffic and public services,”
emphasized Thaneth, warning that unchecked expansion risked overwhelming local systems.
Governor targets waste crisis and traffic relief
Phuket governor Nirat Pongsittithaworn identified waste disposal as one of the island’s most urgent tasks. About 1,200 tonnes of garbage per day were generated, while the incineration plant could process at most 500 tonnes. As an immediate measure, he ordered all municipalities and tambon administrations to treat organic “wet” waste locally, noting that roughly 60 percent of daily refuse was organic.
Local treatment and business responsibility
According to Nirat, decentralised treatment could significantly ease pressure on landfill sites and save up to 360 garbage truck journeys per day, also reducing traffic. He urged greater responsibility from businesses, particularly hotels, restaurants and schools, in handling their own waste.
“My task is to push forward what is clear as quickly as possible,”
said Nirat, adding that the goal was to keep Phuket both livable and welcoming.
“That is the only way forward – a real win-win,”
said the governor.
Security fears and limited policing resources
The president of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, saw personal security as the greatest threat. He referred to a bomb threat in the previous year in the Andaman region, which had affected Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi. The island also faced growing challenges from a very heterogeneous population and limited personnel, which encouraged petty crime and allowed some foreigners to work illegally or run fraud schemes.
K-9 units and tighter health and entry checks
Kongsak said police were able to bring serious incidents under control and arrest suspects within 15 to 20 minutes but suffered from equipment shortages. The lack of K-9 explosive detection dogs had been particularly critical, and work was under way with border and provincial police to station five to six K-9 units on Phuket permanently to strengthen security. Kongsak also called for stricter checks at the Tha Chatchai checkpoint, the main access point to the island, and for the creation of a comprehensive disease-prevention unit.
Budget gap and call for higher funding
Another key issue, he said, was underfunding. A realistic adjustment of budgets to reflect the actual population could generate an additional 2 to 3 billion baht by 2026, enabling projects such as extra entry lanes and AI-based surveillance systems. Without this, he warned, crucial infrastructure and security investments would remain out of reach.
Political backlash over tourism and visa policy
Member of parliament Chalermpong Saengdee of the People’s Party criticised national tourism policy and described deep dissatisfaction among local residents.
“For many years the people of Phuket have felt like second-class citizens,”
said Chalermpong. He was particularly critical of visa-free entry, which he said had attracted groups of foreigners with bad intentions.
Visa-free entry and cannabis liberalisation under fire
“The free-visa policy has opened the door for people who act as if they are above the law,”
said the politician. Without clear zones or effective controls, he argued, the liberalisation of cannabis had changed Phuket’s image.
“Without clear regulation, cannabis makes Phuket appear unsafe in the eyes of the international community,”
explained Chalermpong, adding that such conditions attracted irresponsible visitors and led to influential networks. He viewed structural reforms as the only long-term solution.
Patong emerges as hotspot of island tensions
Patong mayor Lalita Maneesri portrayed her municipality as a focal point for many of the island’s problems.
“The biggest problem at the moment is the garbage,”
she said. Depending on the season, the volume ranged from around 120 tonnes per day in the low season to more than 200 tonnes daily in the high season, and Patong planned to switch from one-year to three-year waste contracts to attract more capable operators.
Organic waste and unruly visa-free tourists
Organic waste was particularly challenging because of the density of hotels and restaurants.
“We have purchased machines to convert organic waste into fertilizer,”
explained Lalita, describing efforts to treat refuse locally. At the same time, there were problems with certain visa-free tourists whose behaviour involved recklessness, drunkenness and brawls, prompting the mayor to advocate strategies to attract wealthier and more considerate visitors.
Traffic bottlenecks and long-term relief plans
Traffic remained a daily burden in Patong, with Patong Hill experiencing all-day congestion during the high season. Long-term relief was expected from the Patong tunnel project and a new Chalong–Patong link road. In the short term, Patong was relying on measures such as pedestrian flow management, stricter taxi regulations and the planned “Patong Hill Safe” CCTV project to improve safety and traffic flow.