it all depends on what you are looking for in Phuket. Chaotic traffic and infrastructure situation, skyrocketing prices, rip off taxi drivers. I loved it here, but ever since the end of the pandemic things have changed dramatically. If you are looking for a tranquil place, then Phuket and Pattaya are the worst options. Nightlife? Then you are at the right place. Rawai, where I am living, is not to be recommended for the elderly.
you are absolutely right….. however the fact is, that it‘s only an island and the infrastructure is a total mess, as many would agree. Spain, for example, had to find out the hard way that mass tourism could never be the solution. Mallorca is a great example. They seem to have understood.