Phuket we'll go...



Nick got me with this one - I had been sent this advert previously and thought nothing of it UNTIL Nick said it was on an Aussie billboard...

(Hint: two letters together and you get another sound)

... did you get it now?


An advantage to cleaning the beach.




This sounds a little odd - well it is.  I do get a degree of satisfaction from asking the companies of rubbish that I find on the beach what they feel about the fact that their products (marine or otherwise) are ending up spoiling nature.

This then reminded me of the scene in "The Shawshank Redemption" where there is finally a reply to his demands for books from the council (or somebody).

Anyway - I like my picture...

Top 8% and TripAdvisor




Okay some people believe everything that they read on the Internet and some people don't.

I (and probably 12 million others +) have probably received this message from Tripadvisor.

Please research as much as you can about your trip before you go - there are always two opinions to something and do you know what you want?

Here are restaurants that I have visited, coffee shops I have visited and things I have done - these are only my opinions and experiences.

Breakfast in Khao Lak




I am off on a trip today where I will be managing a Wedding Ceremony on a beautiful beach in Khao Lak - hoping it is all planned.

Staying at Kantary Beach and I remember why I like to visit hotels - I do not have to peel the fruit - had a healthy pile of fruit and then an unhealthy pile of bacon. Do they cancel each other out?

Looking like a beautiful day for a Wedding - watch this space...

Happy Birthday Chuen xx



Jemma, Mum and I celebrated Chuen's birthday with presents in the morning 
and dinner at Cloud 19.


The chocolate cake was wonderful - thank you to our chefs.



Why no edit HTML?


Okay I apologise for the current inability to edit the html code on this blog.

Things coming up cannot be currently changed.

The problem is noted on the Forum but...

NOTE: Google Chrome saved me... (19 April)


Songkran - the reality, the reasons and the fun


As we set up a small Buddha in the lobby of the Cape Panwa Hotel I was gently reminded that Songkran is a lot more than just people comparing the size of their guns.



Here is an outline of some Songkran celebrations that were throughout Thailand.



Then I read about the Road Casualties caused by Songkran.
39 deaths on the first day 

But in Phuket Day One: only 4 accidents and no death...
BUT over the whole of Thailand
3 days = 173 deaths and 1,526 injuries (registered)

Wow and they were charging 500 Baht an entry fee today for the Grand Palace grounds and it was busy...




an addition from The Nation - 


 - and the ban on alcohol?


Motorcycles in Phuket




Well I have had quite enough of ranting about tourists on holiday and they really should not drive a motorbike if they do not know how to already...

This led me to thinking about how Thai people are able to drive in what the Westerner sees as pandemonium...


Then I saw this place that sold motorbikes (unfortunately not rental) - in Phuket Old Town so the building was in keeping with the older traditions AND the was a Chinese Shrine inside the building.


So that's why - buy your bike here and receive a free blessing - this reminds me of another place in Phuket Old Town which sells motorbike helmets from what looks like a Chinese Shrine - maybe I'm right?



A plastic bag levy



After returning from a trip to Hong Kong I looked at Phuket in a number of different ways.

In Hong Kong you are charged if you want the seller to give you a plastic bag.

Do you think that Thailand would be able to do this? I believe that Phuket keep trying to do this but it keeps failing?



We're all in this together

Earth Day recently saved an enormous amount but what it did for me was to raise my awareness - congratulations to the places which made it an event - such as a candle lit dinner etc.

Bangkok Earth Hour 2013 saved 1,699 megawatts of electricity, reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 1,073 tonnes & saved 6.65 million baht.


We're all in this together and this App intends to do is also raise our awareness and make everybody aware that the little things count as well.

One Small Act — you don't have to do a lot, to do a lot.

Track all of the little things you do for the environment and discover how your impact can contribute to creating a more sustainable and eco-healthy planet.

FEATURES:
- Over 400 small “eco” actions you can set as goals or complete to make a difference in our environment
- Share a Tree actions to help the Arbor Day Foundation plant 1 million trees during December
- Points and badges to celebrate your eco achievements
- Green tips from Hollywood’s biggest stars
- A spectacular virtual garden that you help create by completing actions
- A newsfeed to see how friends and celebrities are going green
- Social media sharing to let others know how you are contributing small eco actions
- An action plan
- An impact counter for the planet’s water, health, energy and environment 

Launched in May 2007, “Green Is Universal” is NBC Universal’s ongoing green initiative dedicated to raising Green awareness, affecting positive change to the environment, and greening its own operations. Throughout the year, NBC Universal uses it numerous media and entertainment platforms to educate the public on the environment, with over 200 hours of green-themed content airing across over 40 NBCU brands. NBCU uses the over 400 actions created by Practically Green as the sustainable small actions in the One Small Act app.


Do you want to have a go?
Download the App 


  • Recycle batteries – 15 points
  • Use a coffee cup, water bottle, glassware and flatware at work – 20 points
  • Use less paper at work – 20 points
  • Stop dry cleaning your clothes (or never start) – 30 points
  • Install a shower timer – 5 points
  • Switch to natural baby wipes – 10 points
  • Donate clothes to a charity – 20 points
  • Buy antibiotic- and hormone-free meat regularly – 50 points
  • Drink with a reusable straw – 10 points
  • Sell used goods online – 5 points

Watch this space as to how we did...

Phuket Happenings - March 2013



thank you to Mr. Diday
Was March a short month? Because it did seem to go very quickly...

So what are the points that I found this month?  





photo courtesy of Cape Panwa Hotel
Miss Thailand World came to work today at Cape Panwa Hotel and it was entertaining but what did this tell me about Phuket Gazette readers?


Land probe model comes to Phuket 
is this an April Fool and someone got their dates muddled?

Tuk Tuk 'does a flip'  
another reason not to take a Tuk Tuk - is it safer walking?
Bangkok visits Phuket to rid Phuket of unscrupulous Jet Ski operators 
- but there are none...

Greenpeace stage a rally against the exploitation of Krabi for it's Natural Resource - Coal.
Looks good enough to preserve....
Happy Hour - Worldwide 

well only if you read the right things - minimal promotion here in Phuket.

An illegal tanker spills oil into the canals of Phuket
and 
“We have identified the boat and the owner, but we have yet to find him,” Phuket Marine Police Inspector Chatchai Sakdee told the Gazette.

In the same week as Russians in Rawai are caught without a work visa Russians are found with protected animals (but no legal ownership papers) asking if photographs want to be taken.
Then I read that "very little Russian money reaches the local people"
So who's getting the money from them then?


A triple murderer is caught at the Visa Run Pier 
Moral: don't leave the country where they are there for paperwork and money

Phuket sea gypsies unearth Human bone under home
they are worried because
1) there are no ghosts
OR
2) this was the original owner?

Tour Operator not making enough cash turns to selling drugs  
is there more here or more on kickbacks?

Unearthed bones from the foot of Big Buddha 
but they were dog bones...



Worries being shared about the problems in Songkran 
- let's wait and see...

Read this story and remembered what my mother told me about playing in revolving doors to the library
driver of coach stuck and dies in the automatic doors 

A new Phuket bus route from the airport comes into operation...
- well it was going to but then there were threats...
but then people are told to use it - is this the same bus?
people are told to use the Phuket Airport Bus 
the buses are ready to roll 
- maybe there are no drivers?
but maybe the taxi drivers are protecting us from the drunk bus drivers
drunk bus driver chased to Thalang 
BUT
foreigners maybe forced to buy insurance? 
- will this be able to be used with the Jet Ski operators?



They are looking into the idea of using tracking devices for tailing criminals let out of jail. Have they never seen the Television programmes which allow the user to negate these systems or other people to be tracked for you?
- some of the comments are quite funny

Or is this the April Fool?
to reduce arthritis etc squat toilets will be removed...

Accidents in Phuket - think this is old and out of date or there are simple too many


View Accident black spots. in a larger map


Game Centre is NOT your friend




How many of you (me included) have taken a quick break to visit the toilet and smoked a cigarette, made a phone call or something else?

Last week I was having a great run on Temple Run – Level 7 and it was fabulous and I broke my best score – okay maybe I might have had more than one game…

Anyway – did you know that you really should put on the Airplane Mode if you have a play when you shouldn’t and I really don’t think that you should share you score with Game Center.

I had a colleague who was surreptitiously having a ‘Temple Run fix’ and after the end of the game got an SMS from the boss –

“If that’s the best you can do I suggest you stop playing – much like your job!”

But there is a fix for this.