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"Phuket is second from bottom," Suwinai Wattatham, a senior official at the Human Security and Social Development Ministry, told a seminar yesterday.

Against the average human-security score for the whole country of 69.65 per cent out of a possible 100, the capital managed only 11.62 per cent, while Chiang Mai marked 87.87 per cent.

Besides Phuket at 34.13 per cent, scoring under 50 per cent were Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Nonthaburi and Chon Buri.

Suwinai said the human-security score was calculated using comprehensive criteria, including the ratios of hospital beds/doctors to the population, student/teacher ratio, household income, employment rate, crime rate, divorce rate, population density, telephone and Internet access, and election turnout.

"The report identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each province," he said. "The information will be useful in improving the human-security situation".

Other top-graded provinces were Phrae (85.96 per cent), Lamphun (85.52 per cent), Nan (84.35 per cent), Phayao (83.85 per cent), Yasothon (83.62 per cent), Mukdahan (82.73 per cent), Maha Sarakham (82.60 per cent), Lampang (81.84 per cent) and Samut Songkhram (81.15 per cent).