Phuket seeks Singaporean visitors and wellness investment
Talks between Phuket officials and Singapore’s ambassador covered tourism, investment, cruise links, healthcare and disaster preparedness.
Phuket is seeking more high-spending Singaporean visitors and investment in its wellness and medical tourism sectors following talks between Phuket Governor Chotinarin Kerdsom and Singapore Ambassador Catherine Wong Siow Ping on Thursday, 5 November 2026.
The meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall focused on strengthening cooperation in tourism, trade and investment at provincial level. Singapore First Secretary (Political) Joel Chek joined the ambassador’s delegation, while Phuket representatives included Provincial Commercial Officer Woranit Apiratjirawong and Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket Office Director Siriwan Seeharach.
The officials discussed building on existing air links between Phuket and Singapore, which are currently served by an estimated five to eight direct flights a day. They also considered ways to attract more high-quality visitors from Singapore and expand maritime and cruise tourism between the destinations.
Wellness and medical tourism were identified as potential areas for Singaporean investment. Governor Chotinarin invited Singaporean investors to explore opportunities in Phuket, particularly in sectors he said had strong growth potential.
The governor also referred to Singapore’s experience in urban management, city planning and managing densely populated areas, saying Phuket could apply relevant lessons locally.
Tourism safety and disaster preparedness were discussed following recent flooding and landslides in Phuket. Chotinarin outlined the province’s emergency response arrangements, including its incident command system, inter-agency coordination and public warnings for flooding, flash floods and landslides.
He asked the Singapore Embassy to help communicate information about Phuket’s safety and disaster management systems to Singaporeans, with the aim of building confidence among international visitors.
The meeting also covered cultural and educational exchanges between Phuket and Singapore.
