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The Finance Ministry has approved a budget of almost Bt900 million for the Highways Department to undertake the construction and maintenance of three main roads on Koh Samui.

The investment is part of the government's Bt1.56-trillion stimulus package.

The ministry will gradually provide the budget to the project from next year through 2013.

The project is divided into six parts: road improvement (Bt615 million), flood prevention (Bt231 million), road expansion (Bt40 million),installation of traffic signs (Bt4 million), installation of lighting posts (Bt4 million) and installation of roadside barriers (Bt2 million).

Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij and Deputy Finance Minister Pruttichai Damrongrat yesterday visited the island to view construction and improvement work on the three main roads, which have a combined length of 70 kilometres.

They also visited Treasury land at Lam Mai Kan, where the Finance Ministry is studying the possibility of developing an international convention centre.

The area, which occupies 40 rai, is close to Samui Airport and the main town.

Seni Puvasettaworn, president of the Koh Samui tourism association, said the island had a few hotels featuring seminar rooms that can each cater to between 100 and 200 guests.

He said that if an international convention centre were set up, it could serve as a venue for trade fairs and many other activities.

This would draw more visitors to the island and help boost its income from tourism from the present Bt15 billion per year.