Trial runs for Phuket’s boat taxi pilot project have been postponed for one month, with the testing period now scheduled for Dec 15–30, Governor Saransak Srikruanet said on Friday.
The service, aimed at easing traffic congestion on the popular tourist island, will initially run along the west coast from Nai Yang beach, near Phuket International Airport, to Patong Beach.
The long-term plan envisages a network of 14 stops along the west coast of the island, including key tourist beaches.
A working group on transport and logistics integration has approved the installation of temporary floating piers at key departure and arrival points and discussed criteria for licensing passenger boats on the pilot route.
Mr Saransak emphasised that the boat taxi system could become a vital alternative to Phuket’s increasingly congested roads.
“If we cannot accommodate visitors efficiently, repeat tourism will inevitably decline,” he said. “But by improving connectivity and travel convenience, we can enhance visitors’ experiences and encourage them to return.”
The governor added that the project’s continuation would depend on safety, legality and overall feasibility.
“If the risks outweigh the benefits, whether for tourists, operators or the environment, we must be ready to discontinue it,” he said, while acknowledging that road-based solutions such as expansions and expressways remain long-term undertakings.
Preparations for the trial are progressing, with private partners providing temporary equipment and the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning finalising designs for provisional piers.
The Phuket Urban Development Alliance, in collaboration with an academic institution and the Digital Economy Promotion Agency, will collect and analyse data during the trial period to assess the project’s effectiveness, safety and regulatory compliance.
The full route will stretch 16 nautical miles (about 31km) and take about 40 minutes per trip. A preliminary study identified 14 potential pier sites on the island, including Nai Yang, Nai Thon, Bang Tao, Karon, Kata, Kamala and Nai Harn beaches.
