Phuket, Existing Sustainability Actions and Governance Initiatives
In response to escalating environmental and infrastructural pressures, national and provincial authorities have introduced policies aimed at steering Thailand’s tourism sector toward higher value and lower impact models. Examining how these policy frameworks translate to the local reality in Phuket reveals both significant progress and ongoing structural gaps.
15.1 The National BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) Economy Model
The Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model was formally adopted by the Royal Thai Government as a national strategy to drive economic growth while preserving natural capital. Within Phuket’s tourism ecosystem, the BCG model targets three primary pillars:
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│ BCG MODEL IN PHUKET TOURISM │
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┌───────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────┐
│ BIO ECONOMY │ │ CIRCULAR ECONOMY │ │ GREEN ECONOMY │
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│ │ │
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• Valorisation of • Organic Food Waste • Low-Carbon Fleet
Local Gastronomy Diversion in Hotels Transfers (EVs)
• Marine Habitat • Single-Use Plastic • Renewable Energy
Restoration Projects Elimination Targets Grid Integration
- Bio-Economy: Capitalising on Phuket’s UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation by linking luxury resort supply chains directly with local organic farming and small-scale sustainable fisheries.
- Circular Economy: Promoting hotel-level waste audits, composting organic kitchen waste, and reducing single-use plastics across commercial hospitality properties.
- Green Economy: Transitioning public transport fleets and island tour vans to Electric Vehicles (EVs) and promoting solar rooftop installations across commercial hotel properties.
15.2 Private Sector and Hospitality Industry Certifications
Independent sustainability certification programs have gained traction among international hotel brands operating in Phuket:
| Certification Program | Operational Focus | Adoption & Regional Impact |
| GSTC-Recognised Standards (e.g., EarthCheck, Travelife) | Energy efficiency, greywater recycling, local hiring, and community engagement. | Widely adopted by luxury 5-star resorts; adoption remains minimal among mid-tier and budget independent hotels. |
| Green Hotel Standard (Department of Environmental Quality Promotion) | Energy conservation, waste sorting, and local environmental compliance. | National benchmarking tool; provides regulatory recognition for participating domestic accommodation providers. |
| Phuket Hotels Association (PHA) Initiatives | Collective commitments on single-use plastic elimination and hospitality staff education. | Successful industry-led platform; reduced millions of single-use plastic water bottles across member properties. |
Destination Governance and Institutional Architecture
Effective destination management in Phuket is hindered by administrative fragmentation. Authority over natural assets, urban infrastructure, public transport, and commercial activity is divided across multiple national ministries, provincial agencies, and local government organisations.
16.1 Administrative Fragmentation and Institutional Overlap
Jurisdictional boundaries in Phuket frequently overlap or conflict, creating policy gridlock in environmental management:
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│ JURISDICTIONAL FRAGMENTATION IN PHUKET GOVERNANCE │
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Marine & Coastal Zone ───► Department of Marine & Coastal Resources (DMCR)
National Parks & Reefs ───► Department of National Parks (DNP)
Water Reservoirs & Dams ───► Royal Irrigation Department (RID) / PWA
Roads & Public Transit ───► Department of Rural Roads / Land Transport Dept.
Municipal Planning ───► Phuket Provincial Administrative Org. (PAO) +
19 Local Administrative Bodies (Tessaban)
- Inter-Agency Silos: Decisions regarding beach management, wastewater infrastructure, and road expansion are often executed in isolation without an integrated spatial strategy.
- Municipal Division: Phuket Province is split into 19 local administrative bodies (municipalities and Subdistrict Administrative Organisations – TAO). Small coastal municipalities lack the financial capital and technical expertise to build utility-scale wastewater treatment plants or manage complex coastal erosion issues independently.
16.2 The Need for a Centralised Destination Management Organisation (DMO)
Unlike world-class island destinations with integrated management authorities, Phuket operates without a unified Destination Management Organisation (DMO). While the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) handles marketing and promotion, no single entity possesses the regulatory mandate to manage spatial carrying capacity, balance inter-sectoral water demands, or enforce island-wide sustainability standards.
Chapter 17: Sustainable and Slow Tourism Opportunities
Diversifying Phuket’s visitor economy away from mass beach tourism requires developing authentic, low-impact alternatives. Community-Based Tourism (CBT) and slow travel itineraries offer viable pathways to redistribute tourism expenditure into the island’s interior and eastern coastal zones while preserving cultural and ecological heritage.
CASE STUDY 5: Community-Based Ecotourism in Bang Rong Village
Location: Thalang District (Northeastern Phuket)
Primary Focus: Mangrove conservation, organic farming, agro-tourism, and Muslim cultural heritage.
Overview & Context:
Bang Rong is a traditional Muslim coastal fishing community situated along the mangrove-lined eastern coast of Phuket. In response to commercial real estate pressures, the community established the Bang Rong Community-Based Tourism Enterprise to generate sustainable livelihoods while protecting local coastal ecosystems.
Key Initiatives & Experiential Offerings:
- Mangrove Protection & Kayaking: Guided low-impact kayak tours through intact mangrove estuaries, combined with community-led crab nursery and replanting programs.
- Agro-Tourism Integration: Visitors participate in traditional coconut harvesting, pineapple picking, and local organic farm-to-table culinary workshops.
- Direct Economic Equity: Tour revenues are managed directly by a community board, reinvesting profits into village infrastructure, local schools, and elderly care.
Governance Takeaway:
Bang Rong demonstrates how Community-Based Tourism can serve as an effective spatial counterweight to mass resort development, preserving natural carbon sinks (mangroves) and providing local communities with direct financial returns.
CASE STUDY 6: Carrying Capacity Management and Marine Ecosystem Recovery in Maya Bay (Phi Phi Islands)
Location: Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park (Andaman Sea)
Primary Focus: Marine conservation, overtourism regulation, coral restoration, and controlled access governance.
Overview & Context:
Made famous by international cinema, Maya Bay suffered catastrophic ecological degradation due to unmanaged day-trip tourism. At its peak, over 5,000 daily visitors and hundreds of speedboat anchors destroyed over 80% of the bay’s shallow coral reef systems and displaced local blacktip reef shark populations.
Regenerative Interventions & Access Protocols:
- Complete Ecological Closure: In 2018, the Department of National Parks (DNP) implemented an unprecedented, multi-year closure of the bay to all visitors, allowing coral replanting and wildlife recovery.
- Infrastructure Redesign: Direct boat entry and anchoring inside the shallow bay were strictly banned. A new floating pontoon pier was constructed at the back of the island (Loh Samah Bay), with a boardwalk leading visitors to Maya Bay.
- Strict Operational Limits: Daily arrivals are capped with mandatory advance reservation systems, swimming in the bay is prohibited to protect shark nurseries, and seasonal closures are enforced during monsoon months.
Governance Takeaway:
The recovery of Maya Bay proves that ecological restoration is possible when authorities strictly enforce physical carrying capacity limits. It serves as the primary regional benchmark for managing high-density marine tourism sites in the Andaman Sea.