Phuket Boating

Hi Paolo,

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Examples are easy…

I set the default location in Chalong where my house is, but I was not allowed to mark that a business is in Vichit, which is literally a few hundred meters down the road.

Other tests would not let me set Si Sunthon as the default location and mark a business next door in Koh Keaw or Thep Kasattri or Pa Klok.

Worse still is that Google calls Phuket Town just Phuket when you place the pin there in the map.

Please note that Google calls all these areas in Phuket “Tambon” – which literally are subdistricts. So placing the pin on the map pulls up names Tambon Chalong, Tambon Vichit and so on. The map plugin uses the Tambon as cities, and there in lies the problem.

FYI – There are actually three districts for Phuket – 1) Thalang, 2) Kathu and 3) Mueang – but the Google map plugin does not report that.

All this comes down to how the Thai government sets its borders for its local administrative bodies, and they are very particular about it and this system is used throughout the country.

This is highlighted by the map plugin referring to the Region as “Chang Wat Phuket” – which literally translates as “Phuket Province”.

It dawned on me overnight that probably the best way for GeoDirectory to be set up for Thailand is call each province a city – if that is at all possible. People in Phuket understand that Phang Nga (the province next door to the north) is about at 40 minutes drive away, and consider that a different location.

I hope this helps – and thanks again for such a quickly reply – you’re a star ??

Chris

Hi Paolo,

First, thanks for all the great work. I am trying to create a free directory for the boating community in Phuket, but I have the exact same problems as Mark above.

I think the issue is exactly the same. Phuket is not even half the size of Los Angeles, but each neighborhood in Phuket is listed by the government as a different “tambon” (technically “subdistrict”)…

This means I cannot create a new listing anywhere outside the tiny area set by the default location unless I call it a different “city” – which they most certainly are not, and this will certainly confuse our local users.

Anyhoo, just FYI. This issue is the same all throughout Thailand.

It would be great if there were a patch for this, as mentioned – it would be a nationwide in one fell swoop ??

I the meantime, I’ll keep chipping away to see if I can make it work. I love the plugin and can’t wait to get it up and running here. The maps feature and get directions is critical here, as most places are hard to find unless you’ve already been there…

Thanks
Chris