Royal Phuket Marina (RPM) has been chosen to host the Thailand International Boat Show (TIBS), from January 12-15, 2023, and it comes as no surprise, as the majority of boat shows that have been held in Phuket have been staged at this magnificent marina.

“We are proud to continue our tradition of hosting Thailand’s premier leisure marine events and we hope this event will help support Phuket, and Thailand’s, recovery. We expect visitors from Phuket, all over Thailand, and internationally to attend the show.” Gulu Lavani, Chairman of Royal Phuket Marina

Situated on the east coast of the island, RPM is the gateway to Phang Nga Bay and hundreds of beautiful islands in the Andaman Sea.

“Royal Phuket Marina is the perfect venue for our event as the exhibition hall boasts a unique waterfront set against the stunning backdrop of the marina,” says JAND’s CEO David Hayes. “It is also Phuket’s largest exhibition facility, boasting 2,000sqm of internal space and over 1,000sqm of usable outdoor venue space, with sweeping views of the marina and lush tropical surroundings.”

RPM recently obtained SHA Plus+ certification for its Marina and Exhibition Hall. It is the first and only venue of its type with SHA Plus+ certification in Thailand. The SHA Plus+ certification is given to businesses with at least 70% of their staff fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The marina is a distinguished world-class destination combining luxury waterfront living with a state-of-the-art marina. It is the proud holder of the prestigious 5 Gold Anchor Award bestowed by the British Yacht Harbour Association as well as the clean marina accreditation by the Marina Industries Association.

Recently, RPM added distinguished yachtsman Oliver Wilce as Marina Manager. Mr. Wilce’s addition to the team will further develop RPM as a world-class yachting destination.

RPM is currently finishing an inner-channel dredging project, which will enable round-the-clock access for boats up to 35 meters. This THB 10 million investment

to dredge the 750 meters of the Koh Kaew Canal inner channel up to the marina’s entrance, allowing 24-hour access even at low tide. The project will ensure an inner-channel width of 20 meters, and a depth of 2.5 meters, even at the lowest tide levels.

The initiative comes in addition to the marina’s continuous investment in sustainability. Being the first marina to switch to renewable energy, it has recently added additional solar panels, quadrupling its previous solar-energy production from 34kWp to over 130kWp, as it continues to explore ways to reduce its carbon footprint.

“This latest investment reinforces our commitment to our customers and to the betterment of the island’s overall marine infrastructure. We aim to attract additional yacht and boat owners to the island, who may have previously opted for other destinations, thereby benefiting the local economy. It is part of our vision to make Phuket the yachting hub of Asia, and a destination on par with any other marine destination in the world,” Gulu Lavani, Chairman of Royal Phuket Marina

The marina’s solar panel system utilizes the roof space atop its fully covered 4-storey boat dry stack system, and with the initial deployment, 60 percent of the power consumed in the marina’s operations was generated by the solar panels.

This latest expansion of the solar panel system shows the marina’s firm commitment to sustainable practices and minimizing the environmental impact of its operations.

In July 2019, the marina was the first in Thailand to be awarded ‘Clean Marina Accreditation, meeting the strict requirements of the ‘Clean Marina Program’ of the Association of Marina Industries. To achieve this certification, a facility must meet all legal regulatory requirements and a percentage of voluntary best management practices.

Phuket’s local authorities also recently announced sandbox visitors are no longer restricted to the use of public piers for their tour departures. As such, Royal Phuket Marina is now an approved pier and destination point for speedboat excursions operated by SHA Plus+ certified tour boat operators and day trips aboard luxury yachts.