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New Special Administrative Zone Legislation

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Posted: 14 Feb 2011 | 6:00 am

Thailand is seeking to reform legislation which will create new special administrative zones in the country. Essentially the structure would allow locally elected officials instead of politically appointments made from Bangkok.

Currently only Bangkok and Pattaya work under semi-autonomous administrative schemes. In Phuket provincial appointments are made by the Central government.

Recently announced were plans for a consolidated special administrative zone for the tourist destinations of Hua Hin and Cha-Am. It's been reported in the local press that pending approval the reform process will be made prior to December of this year.

The tourism dependant destination of Koh Samui has yet to obtain municipal status and continues to be lumped into the far ranging policies of nearby Surat Thani province.

Local tourism leaders continue to voice concern over the lack of local self determination and prioritization of government funded infrastructure which is rapidly falling well behind private sector development

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Ko Samui is a municipality since 1999, when the sanitary district became a subdistrict municipality. It was upgrade to a town municipality in 2008. Thus Samui has a local government for many years already, though not with as many abilities (and tax income) as it would have as a city or special administrative area. Bill Barnett responds:
Yes, you are correct and perhaps our article would be better refinded. The entire island of Koh Samui falled under the Amphoe District fo Surat Thani District. Samui is designated as one municipality or Thetsaban Mueng. What is needs is designation as a special administrative area or at provincial status in order to not see infrastructure and tax revenue diluted from the larger Surat Thani area. The current Cha-Am and Hua Hin merger will be a good test case at creating a localized form of Government based on a tourism ecoonomy. Thanks for writing in.

Andy, 14 Feb 2011 | 6:14 am

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