On June 26, the Deputy Dean of the Prince of Songkhla University in Kathu, Phuket Campus, Dr. Pan Thongchumnum, revealed that the university has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Phuket OrBorJor (Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation) to create a sustainable development for the island of Phuket.
Rewat Areerob, the President of Provincial Administration Organisation, signed the academic MOU and will represent the local government organisation at the university during the term of the study and preparation of the report.
Dr. Pan says that the university will take part to support the development plans using all academic department at PSU.
The university, despite a variety of academic courses, is currently limited is size compared to other campuses, such as Surat Thani, Trang, Pattani, and Had Yai. The MOU will also allow the OrBorJor to help expand the university area in order to increase academic efficiency of the university and allow for more courses and students in the future.
PSU is also host to a large number of overseas students, many who had to return home during the Covid pandemic but are now starting to return to the campus (and spend money in the local community).
Whilst a lot of Phuket’s development has been rather haphazard and organic over the past 30 years, both PSU and the local provincial government have recently been working on a series of reports on tourism, tourist mixes and sustainable development. Phuket is an island province with approximately 400,000 permanent residents. Pre-Covid, the island used to welcome up to 1 million tourists each month (in 2019).
