More than 100 residents of Phuket’s Rawai municipality opposed the plan to build a “Hollywood Movie Museum” on Nai Harn beach, saying they believed nature attracted tourists to Phuket.
The majority of residents attending the three-hour public hearing at Rawai Municipality Office said they disapproved of the THB40 million project to build stage props of Hollywood movies shot in Phuket.
They said they wanted to protect the natural environment of the beach and that nature was a big reason why tourists come to Phuket.
Many residents suggested that a new venue, such as Gateway at Baan Tha Chatchai in Thalang, was a more suitable place for the project, while others pointed out that any construction near mangroves or the sea would eventually erode because of the salt water.
Mayor Aroon Solos said he understood the residents’ concerns because the area proposed for the project was in the pine tree area above the beach.
The project had already been approved, but now that residents had rejected the plan, he would see if the municipality still wanted to proceed with the project.
Plans to construct the museum were first revealed in April by Phuket Tourism & Sports Department Director, Santi Pawai, who said its likely location would be at Nai Harn beach.
According to Santi, Nai Harn was chosen because it had a beautiful beach that was currently not as popular as the island’s other beaches, and he hoped that the existence of the museum would attract filmmakers to the area.
Besides the actual museum, the facility was set to be designed to make the most of the outdoors, and would feature rest-and-relaxation areas, showers, toilets and a food court.
Story: The Phuket News/ Photo: Wales_gibbons
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