Bill Gates yacht inspires new man-made Thai island

Reuters
Published: Friday, May 18, 2007

HONG KONG -- A visit to Thailand by Bill Gates has inspired the construction of a man-made island off the resort of Phuket, so the world's richest man and other billionaires can moor their huge yachts.

Hoping to build an Asian playground for the rich and famous to rival the French Riviera and the Caribbean, cordless telephone tycoon Gulu Lalvani plans to build a doughnut-shaped island of 30 to 40 luxury villas and a hotel around a marina.

"Bill Gates was there last month with his wife on a 54 metre (177 foot) yacht and he loved it so much," Lalvani, founder of phone maker Binatone told Reuters in an interview.

Press conference to clarify "Zoran Island" plan

Developers are planning a man-made island to berth super-yachts off the east coast of Phuket, but early news reports may have overstated the case. The developers now say there are many challenges to overcome before any construction can begin.

PHUKET: Following reports that a man-made island was ready to be built off the east coast of Phuket to accommodate a marina for mega-yachts, the marketing manager at Royal Phuket Marina [RPM] clarified that the project is still in the early planning stages and faces many obstacles before it can become a reality.

RPM Marketing Director Wilaiporn Titimanaaree told the Gazette that developer Gulu Lalvani will hold a press conference at RPM on May 25 to announce his plan, which envisions a 6.6-billion-baht marina, luxury hotel and villa complex on reclaimed land about three kilometers off Phuket’s east coast.

For detail : © Reuters 2007 and Phuket Gazette