Sunbathing topless is illegal BUT...

Sunbathing topless on the beaches in Phuket is illegal but a lot of visitors feel the need to do this.  Is there any department who are supposed to reinforce this rule?


I imagine that there would be a plethora of volunteers to take photographic evidence and more...


       

Progress?

  
On the way to work I recognized a change in the collection of rubber from the trees.

Is this modernization / progress?


I know what I would rather see.

Phuket News ++: January 2011

Fore!

Local people upset with the Russian Mafia coming to Phuket - will Phuket look towards Pattaya OR do some people want the money more?


With this investment it is a shame that the Tuna steak is still so expensive in the shops.


Not sure about visiting Surin Beach - a beach seller is beaten up!


The one way system is changed in Patong and I still do not understand it and on some of the roads you drive on the 'wrong' side of the road...


Bleached Coral is a problem for a number of Dive Sites... again.


Fake Cops demand money from shop keepers in Patong - does that mean that the cops normally shakedown the shop keepers are not false?


Demand for the Phuket Mob souvenirs is choas - why has someone not made any copies of them then?


A Swede dies in a tower in Patong - alone - and there is no risky business because the police did not find anything - reading the text attached - did they look?  Then there are two more 'natural' deaths?


The police warned bars that there would be a clamp down on the opening times of bars - but some did not listen ? - and were fined.


2 people were killed by the surf in Karon - and there were red flags - in the Dry season?


Sapan Hin is for Thai people - wonderful - i hope that the proposed development does not spoil it

A Thai bride takes all the cash from a 'farang' husband and keeps her lover - this is a not new BUT the farang's friends are trying to retain the money - watch this space.


A sad story which made the headlines in the UK - Thai Bride met on the Internet is 'cancelled' - a different story.


Thai school uniforms are sexy - now i know why I was a good teacher?!?


Some discussions are closed - but no pictures

Chinese New Year come to Phuket

The entertainment doesn't stop here in Phuket.


After putting my feet down after Christmas and New Year my feet are suddenly wrenched up by the oncoming Chinese New Year celebrations...


The festival will take place on the streets of Old Phuket Town and Queen Sirikit Park from February 8 to 10 and will feature day and night activities.

From 7pm to 10pm daily, performers from Suining City, China, will entertain visitors on the “walking streets” of Thalang and Phang Nga roads along with local food and products, “walking performances”, exhibitions, local games and much more.

An image of the Chinese goddess Guan Yin will be temporarily enshrined in Queen Sirikit Park during the festival. Also enshrined will be items representing the goddess provided by Guangde Temple in Suining City, Sechuan Province – Guan Yin’s hometown.

Local people will be able to pay homage to the image and offer items to welcome good luck for the coming year.

Other activities to pay respect to the Chinese goddess will be in the form of a “pilgrim tour” on a local bus (songtaew). From 9am to 5pm daily during the festival, a 99-baht tour will take pilgrims to nine famous shrines in Phuket Town to pay respect to Guan Yin. Those wishing to take part in the tour can contact the Phuket TAT at 076-212213. 


I might take a ride on the bus...

Phuket Local food fair (20 - 24 Jan)

The Phuket Local Food Fair in Sapan Hin was on last week.  We all went and there were a plethora of stalls selling a great amount of different foods - my favourite was the sticky rice in the bamboo.



Jemma and Chuen liked to play with the coconut palms...

  

     

Don't like ironing?

I have heard people moan about ironing BUT was this ever a reason?

Splash Jungle and more (again)

Sir Terry Leahy has been dragged into a row over claims of unpaid bills at a luxury resort he set up in Thailand, the Daily Mail reveals today.

He bought the 48-acre West Sands site in Phuket with business partner Paul Mercer in 2006.

It boasts a 500-metre private beach, 426 properties with ocean views and private pools, a diving centre and the Splash Jungle Water Park.

Is this because Splash Jungle is too expensive or because the land deal was 'dodgy' or because the positioning of West Sands is 'odd' or was it just a ridiculous idea to set this company up?


But we like Splash Jungle


  

No paperwork in Phuket? Impossible

Is this a story from the cold war and written by Alistair Maclean?


1) People enter into the country without a passport

2) People exit the country without a passport

3) People leave on a flight that does not exist

Then the group is 'unknown'.

Click here for a report in the Phuket Gazette.

         

 

Flat Stanley visits Phuket

I got a surprise yesterday when Flat Stanley decided to visit me at work!

He had a massage on the beach followed by a sunbathe.

Phuket News: December 2010

Christmas morning with my lovely family

How much is deemed illegal in Phuket and nothing is done about it - because of; culture, low earnings, should have thought...

I have found the mug that I would like to have on my coffee table.


The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office in Bangkok has confirmed that its “spot a drug lord souvenirs" will not be available in Phuket until the new year.

The souvenir items, a collection of coffee mugs, pens and T-shirts bearing images of some of the DEA’s “most wanted” drug traffickers, were initially intended to be distributed this week 


Oil Exploration off the coast of Phuket - I wonder if the environmental dangers have been discussed by the Government or only who's going to get all the contracts?  
See here for a discussion on the web.


Spirit Lanterns are deemed dangerous - I wondered when this point would be made - but to make them illegal would be a shame -(Health and Safety in Thailand??). Then again I was not surprised when the accelerant is not allowed on-board an aeroplane - but the owner questions the airline's actions...


I read that Thai ladies must take a 'UK spousal' English test - I do hope that i do not have to take a Thai test - maybe this should be adopted in the UK?


There was a accident in the rain on the Jet Skis - 2 newly weds from China were killed.  I do not think that it is a good idea to go on the Jet Skis, do you think that the owner will claim damages?


I sometimes wonder why I do not drive a car and feel guilty BUT then I read this - a death on a black-spot outside Promphan supermarket on Chao Fa West Road - we shop there sometimes and thought that it was dangerous in a car!


Phuket Divers to clean up Patong (go for it - not just the water - i thought) Bay.


Tsunami buoys arrive - I feel safer already, and the test on 24th?


'Much progress' (Phuket Governor) has been made regarding the tuk tuk / taxi fares.

Fascinating - Thai companies complaining that they are being pirated by other companies copying Thai branded.  Has anyone of them been to Patong or is everything there made in China and the people in Thailand are simply selling it?


Wikileaks include Thailand - the Russians were attempting to bribe a witness
A cable sent in August 2009, soon after a Thai court refused a US extradition request, said there had been "significant indications that the Russians were trying to use bribes to influence the outcome of the case".

Returning to our friends from Russia I read that a Russian man kills an Intruder in his hotel room (5 star).  The killed man was a hotel security guard - watch this space

    

Phuket Street Show - 17th December

Looking forward to the Phuket Street Show - Old Phuket Town is always worth a visit AND when there is a festival doubly so.

Lots of things are happening.


See you there.

Race 1, Day 1 Phuket's Kings Cup Regatta

The Phuket Kings Cup Regatta started today - whoops.


They do have a facebook page - sorry.
I wonder how the weather affects them?

Long Live the King

Birthday wishes to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 83 years old, the worlds longest reigning monarch...   


I joined my family in Phuket Town for a ceremony to celebrate this special day where gifts were 

given to the monks.

    

Phuket News ++: November 2010

Where do I start?
November is the time when all the prices start to go up - well traditionally, I am getting more and more Thai everyday - sometimes not even needing my passport to get a Thai price... but i think that our lovely Jemma with a Thai hello and a Wai swings it!

Air Asia flies to Bali from December the 17th - just the time when I am too busy for anything but going to work 


Phuket taxis going to get a meter and call centre - heard this before...


Phuket land dispute stalls sea gypsy culture center project - not surprised


Glad that I wasn't at this restaurant to write a review for my blog and concierge - bizzare murder and suicide in Phuket Restaurant - solved!


Full tsunami evacuation drill on the 24th - Merry Christmas. 


Thai spouses applying for visas to join or marry British partners in the UK now have to pass an English language test that is unavailable in Phuket - I am glad that there is not one for Phuket!  Whoops - incorrect I am married to my wife... would that mean that you would not have to pass the test if you were married?

The Thai authorities have lost Thaksin - surprised - apparently Norway or the Lebanon?

Then i read on the forum - And people wonder why Thailand attracts so many 'undesirable' foriegners.If they can't even track down Taksin this sends a crystal clear message around that globe that the authorities are unable to find their own backsides with a map so any foreign fuguitive will be perfectly safe here. 

Additional 1,000 dead foetuses found at Temple in Bangkok - 

Now this story is disturbing for what it is and for why this happens

Then i read on the forum - Abortion (because I want one) is illegal in Thailand. But abortion (because I am threatening to harm myself if I have an unwanted baby) is legal in Thailand. It is legal for a woman to have an abortion in Thailand if the continuation of the pregnancy would harm the mother. 

Is this correct?

The situation is disturbing...

And then I read that they are building a Meditation Centre on top of the morgue site! So have they dealt with the issue which led to this situation existing?
NO - this is Thailand, turn the page and indicate that the issue has been dealt with, this may work for a number of issues but not this issue - the issue of legalizing abortions MUST be addressed.


And then I read on the forum - Surely the money would be better spent on education and free contraceptives. Overhauling the abortion laws also.
It's a bit obvious here that there is a problem and a spanking new meditation centre won't cure it. 

Nuff said.

   

A Fun Run - a conundrum?

My training for this did not go very well (see previous blog) - but what the heck I could not cop out now and I did not have a very good excuse.

I packed my bag and got the 'kit' ready the night before - all ready.

I arrived at 7:30 and immediately thought that I was at the wrong place - I saw a plethora and well muscled and toned competitors... only to find out that these were competitors for the Ironman Triathalon Event!

It was entertaining watching everything happen and then the swimmers for the Triathalon arrived at speed and they ran to their bikes - wow.  The call went up from  the DJ - we were off...

The run was 7km and I am glad that the course was not up an down hill (like the way to work) - about the distance from my home to work - it drizzled during the run but it was fun and I managed to take some photos...


The iPod was helpful to keep going and I have to admit that Robbie Williams and some trance music were the best tunes to run to.

Results are available from here. I was 133 and 40 mins 15 secs.