Members of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) are gathering in 17 northern provinces to support their fellow protesters in Bangkok, Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul said earlier today.

“Although protests are sprouting up, there are no reports of any danger,” he said, claiming the authorities have control of the situation.

Provincial governors are under instructions to enforce maximum security measures at government installations in their provinces, he said.

Security forces have been tasked with guarding provincial halls (sala klaang) but ordered not to clash with protesters if they stage raids. Security cameras would record incidents for future prosecutions, he said.

Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop told a press conference last Friday that anyone attempting to illegally occupy Phuket Provincial Hall would face prosecution.

The province has an extensive network of CCTV cameras to identify protest leaders who incite violence or other criminal behavior, he said.

“I believe the Phuket people understand the situation and would never do a terrible thing like that… It doesn’t matter what color shirts they wear – yellow, red, pink or green – anyone caught committing acts of violence will be prosecuted,” he said.

“It’s good for Thai people to express their opinions, but they should do so in a non-violent way,” he said.

Gov Wichai said he heard the tourism industry in Chiang Mai had been crippled, with rooms that would normally go for 1,000 baht a night being offered at just 399 baht. The northern province is famous for its Songkran celebrations.

“It’s unbelievable…the protesters may have fun, but businesses will suffer,” he said.

“As for the Songkran Festival, Phuket is relatively free of the political turmoil which has beset other parts of the country… Both Thai and foreign tourists are likely to flock here in record numbers over for the Songkran Festival,” he said.

The grounds of Phuket Provincial Hall were last occupied by political protesters in September 2008, when yellow-shirted People’s Alliance of Democracy (PAD) members set up camp during the premiership of the late Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

Although there was no violence, PAD members restricted parking lot access to then-governor Niran Kalayanamit and other high-ranking civil servants. They also conducted body searches of members of the public entering the building to do business.

The protest ended after a few days. Officials at Phuket Provincial Hall allowed PAD members to use the building’s electricity to power their public address system and broadcast PAD protests in Bangkok.

CREDIT : phuketgazette.net

Date: August 2009
Location: All Chinese Shrines on the Island

The largest island in Thailand, the most populous and the most popular one- Phuket is a major watershed in the tourism industry of Thailand. And festivals and events in Phuket are more than you can even think of. In this cosmopolitan island there are festivals for every faith, every religion every race, and every kind of tourist for that matter. The Por Tor Festival in Phuket is a Chinese Festival celebrated in the month of July/August. Por Tor in Chinese means “Hungry Ghosts”.

An important merit-making event for ethnic Chinese, the Por Tor Festival is celebrated to worship and satiate the ghosts of the ancestors who they believe are released from hell for the month. Special food, flowers and candles are presented to the ancestors’ altars. Colorful turtle shaped cakes are made and put on display. Since turtles symbolize longevity, making such offering is believed to bring long life to the worshippers.

The Por Tor Festival again holds testimony to the large number of Chinese population that have migrated and settled down at Phuket. During the festivities, the Chinese populace can be seen dressed in their best headed for their ancestors’ altars with all the offerings. After the offerings are done they revert back home where a sumptuous spread of gala treat await them.

Date: July 22nd – 26th, 2009
Location: Chalong Bay

Six Senses Phuket Raceweek will be held from 22-26 July at the Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa, with racing off the southern tip of Phuket. It promises to be a week of exciting, international-standard yacht racing off Phuket’s East Coast with plenty of social activities throughout the week.

Six Senses Resorts & Spas return for a second year as Title Sponsor, joined by Co-Sponsors Jaguar Cars, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Rodenstock. Composite Catamarans join Canpac Beverages (supplying the wine), Nivea and Moorings as Official Suppliers, the latter launching their Phuket fleet of new power and sailing catamarans at Raceweek. For more information and to register, contact www.phuketraceweek.com

Tourism Authority of Thailand, Phuket Office and Phuket Japanese Association will hold “The 4th Phuket Japanese Festival” on the 7th of March 2009 at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town. As we are one of the parts of Phuket, we would like to provide the opportunity to the local people who is working for the tourism and local students interested in Japan and Japanese people through the Japanese traditional festival which introduce the Japanese culture and foods, and we hope these experiences will help them to be familiar with Japanese tourists.

And also, we hope this festival make Japanese children in Phuket improve their knowledge of Japan.

Due to the economic crisis and the Bangkok Airport closed last year, it is very hard situation for Japanese market. So we hope this festival shows the good news of Phuket through the media to Japan and can be contributed to the tourism as we usually had done in the past.

This festival is supported by Tourism Authority of Thailand (Phuket Office), Japan Embassy in Bangkok, The Japan Foundation, Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok, and Japanese Association in Thailand, Fujifilm and Japan Airlines which are our special sponsors.

The highlights of the festival are “Free photo taken with Kimono by Fujifilm” and “JAL Air Ticket to Japan” for the lucky draw.

Also, In order to promote further exchanges between Japan and Mekong Region Countries (Kingdom of Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Union of Myanmar, Kingdom of Thailand, and Socialist Republic of Viet Nam), it was decided at the Japan-Mekong Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in January 2008 to celebrate the year 2009 as “Mekong-Japan Exchange Year.” By the government.

In this Japanese festival, it came to co-sponsor with The Japan Foundation, Bangkok, and to screen the movies as a film festival, and it is authorized as one of the events of the Japan – Mekong Exchange Year. Two movies will be shown (“YUKI NI NEGAUKOTO” and “BEAT KIDS”).

The movies will be shown at the Baan Kathu School one day before the festival on March 6, 2009 and it is also one of the promotions for the festival.

We will hold the first speech contest during the festival. We would like to provide the opportunity to the students who are studying Japanese hard, and we hope they use this event for the improved motivation to further studying Japanese.

In others, the Heisei Nozomi no Kai, Japanese acting volunteer group comes from Japan to show the Edo folk craft as same as the last time, and you will enjoy it. And also we will organize Thai Classical Dancing Performance to present Thai Traditional cultural for relationship between Thailand and Japan; such as local Thai dessert.

Additionally, we have much more things at the festival. Lucky draw free ticket and free gift will be distributed, first come and first served basis. We are waiting for many people coming on that day.

More information Contact:
TAT Phuket Office Tel. 076 – 212213, 211036
Phuket Japanese Association Tel. 076 – 234446

The Thailand Open will make an emphatic return to the Asian Tour schedule from March 5 to 8 at the Laguna Phuket Golf Club and boast prize money of US$500,000.

Having not been played since 2005 due to a lack of sponsorship the event is now back in full swing. The tournament welcomes on board Singha Corporation (as in Singha beer) as the title sponsor and the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and PTT Public Company Limited as premier sponsors.

It will be a full-field event on the Asian Tour and in another boost for the event US PGA Tour star Daniel Chopra will compete. The Swede is a two-time winner in America. The final 2 rounds of the Thailand Open will be broadcast live on Star Sports.

The event will showcase world class golf facilities, gracious Thai hospitality, and the great value for money that Thailand represents.

Voted in the top 10 for Best Golf Resort in Asia, Best Clubhouse in Asia and Best Golf Course in Thailand by readers of Asian Golf Monthly magazine, Laguna Phuket Golf Club features a wealth of scenic lagoons, coconut groves and undulating fairways, set against the dramatic backdrop of the surrounding mountains and Andaman Sea.

Coincidentally, the Thailand Open was last played in Phuket when New Zealander Richard Lee lifted the title in 2005 at Blue Canyon Country Club.

Sponsored by Golfasian and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, you can win a chance to play FREE in the Pro-Am, the day before the Singha Thailand Open 2009!

How? It’s simple, just fill out a Phuket holiday inquiry and be entered to win a slot in the Singha Thailand Open 2009 Pro-Am! Golf packages can be tailor-made and include all Phuket resorts and Phuket golf courses.

The 23rd year of Patong Carnival is organized and funded by Patong Municipality. There will be One Tambon One Product (OTOP) sales, arts and culture displays, spa and massage services, and food and beverage services.

The entertainment will display traditional Thai culture from various regions across the country.

Highlights of the carnival include:

- Dec 15: Fireworks after dark.
- Dec 16: Beach clean-up and longtail boat competition, off Loma Park at 9am.
- Dec 17: Adventure Competition at Loma Park at 9am.
- Dec 20: Fancy Parade along the beach road at 5pm.

Ancient Chinese tradition states that the gates of Hades burst open to unleash restless spirits, or “Hungry Ghosts”, during the seventh Chinese month (ninth in Thailand). Phuket, with its large ethnic Chinese population, celebrates with the Por Tor Festival.

A hungry spirit can soon be a malicious one, so relatives pay their respects and appease them with gifts of food. The most popular offerings are turtle cakes. The turtle symbolises longevity and by giving these cakes the worshippers believe they will prolong their own lives.

This is also a time to pay homage to the god of the devils, known to the Chinese as Por Tor Kong. The god has a special shrine on Phuket (near the Bang Neaw School) where a stage is erected for likay (a Thai folk performance) and outdoor movies.

Once a community project, now an annual event, the is becoming a widely anticipated attraction for Patong’s visitors and residents. Beach activities, a colourful parade, street parties, lots of outrageous costumes and stage shows.

6-9 August 2008: Patong Beach and Paradise Complex, Patong

Twenty-three teams from ten countries, including local sides from Phuket, will compete for the Cup, Plate, Bowl and Spoon titles at the 2008 Phuket International Cricket Sixes being played next to the beach at Karon Stadium, Phuket, Thailand from 17–20 April 2008.

This is the fifth staging of this popular International Cricket Council award-winning tournament which helped to kick start the development of cricket in Phuket.

“It’s fantastic to see such a multi-national line-up of of sides, including New Zealand and Bahrain for the first time,” said Tournament Director Mr Brad Tarr.

Teams will be flying in from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia, Pakistan, Indonesia, India, Bahrain, UAE and New Zealand to compete along with local Thai teams.

Also confirmed for the Phuket Sixes are the former England pace bowler Alan Mullally who will take to the turf along with the former Australian international and Phuket regular, Trevor Chappell.

Matches start at 9.15am daily from Thursday to Sunday. Finals in all divisions will be played Sunday afternoon.

The ‘Sixes by the Sea’ gets underway with a beach cricket tournament. The tournament also features social functions at The Green Man, Joe Kool’s bar and the Gala Awards Dinner at the Hilton Arcadia Hotel.

On Friday 18th from 6.30pm a Charity fundraising Twenty20 match featuring all the best players from the tournament will be held under floodlights at the Karon Stadium.

Entry for all spectators is free and food & drinks are available at the ground.

The Phuket International Cricket Sixes 2008 is one of a series of cricket tournaments on the Asian Cricket Sixes Tour which also includes events in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, Australia, Shanghai and Singapore.