Central Festival Underpass - Parking

What do the red marks on the pavement mean?

I always thought that it meant no parking.

but with the developments of Central Underpass I guess that they don't.

Now there is really NO PARKING.

A plastic bottle?

As we wandered around the market in Sapan Hin we were most fascinated at what someone had done with a plastic bottle!

View Sapan Hin - South Phuket in a larger map

Congratulations Nong Jaan and Nong Tong

It was a lovely celebration and it was also lovely to visit Panwa House and not be at work.

Jemma wanted to dance, to play on the beach, to play with the iPad, to sing on the stage and she was able to do all of these things - here are some photographs.

Thank you for inviting us.

Bottle Tops on the Beach.1

  Company: Heineken                     Email: marnie.kontovraki@heineken.com

           

  Company: Leo (Singha)                     Email: pr_relations@boonrawd.co.th

                          

  Company: Chang                     Email: ?

                             

  Company: Ar - Cha Beer                     Email: ?

Should these companies contribute to cleaning our beaches?

Which hospital do you visit in Phuket?

There are 3 hospitals in Phuket that I have personally visited

Phuket International Hospital Phone No: 076 - 240 935

Bangkok Phuket Hospital Phone No: 076 - 254 425

Vachira Hospital Phone No: 076 - 210 935

Not visited here - 

Phuket Adventist Hospital Phone No: 076 - 210 935
Phuket Provincial Hospital

but price structuring seems to be an issue
if they do a good job I don't care...

Phuket International Hospital is my choice 
Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2012

A television - where am I?

Following on from my photograph of a British Telephone box question - which was....

In front of King Cross Breed in Phuket Town and adjacent to Coffee Ice.

Where was I?

Do I need to wear a helmet?

YES!

I would like to say that I was shocked with the amount of motorbike accidents but I am not. How many accidents are not reported?

View Accident black spots in a larger map

This is a map of some of the reported road tragedies.

I would suggest to any visitors to Thailand that unless they normally ride a motorbike not to rent one here.

BUT if you do - please rent a helmet.

Thanks to the Phuket Gazette for informing us.

Some Thai men and their long fingernail

image from freshly educated men - used with permission

Some Thai men have one very long fingernail.

This was one of those days - “Why do some Thai men have one long manicured fingernail?”  

Well in some parts of rural Thailand, it is a sign of the man’s social status (no Facebook here) – a  farmer would not grow a nail like this. The long lone uncut fingernail (often on the little finger) shows social status by indicating that one does not engage in or have to engage in manual labor. 

Some of our staff from the Issan region say it is grown for luck while some of the men in the office say it can give a really good scratch!

There is often more than one answer in Thailand. 

        

Jemma and her Loy Krathong

The day began early with Jemma and Chuen making a krathong.

Then Jemma was off to school.

After school Jemma went to Klong Mu Dong 

After that trip Jemma met me in the local village.

Lovely.

Phuket News - November 2012

our trip to Hornbill Island

The weather is certainly getting hotter here and some of the stories are getting stranger.

There are laws about releasing fireworks in Phuket

who takes the money?

Fireworks licence and corruption

missed all the people of the streets for the Vegetarian Festival?

Dangerous fireworks worth a good blast

I agree and if you don't like it don't go

see you in 2013

Phuket Bank robber - 2.7 million Baht in 60 seconds
A quick way to get money
and so do the scammers
In Phuket there are scammers at an ATM
take care when using ATMs anywhere in the world.
and also tourists scam other tourists at ATMs  
If in doubt don't use

Cheats in Phuket will not be tolerated - "Phuket Governor"
- looking forward to this starting...

Seems to be more boating accidents -

2 speed boats collided off Koh Kai Island in Phang Nga Bay
many injured - one dead
 Korean tourist hit by a long tailed boat propellor  

The story of the baby elephants is concluded - 
3 elephants are not with their natural mother

A sad warning
a toddler and grandfather die in the waves at Mai Khao Beach in Thalang

A man falls from 18 floor of hotel in Patong
and survives!

Land is seized on Krabi - resorts are closed
and the building was not noticed because?
then
a pier is stopped being built in Thalang.

More difficult is Koh Racha Yai 
deeds have not been issued to the people living there for generations
so the title is not theirs...




More simple is
DO NOT hire a Jet Ski - the Jet Ski Wars have begun

3G is still under discussion 

 then Patong Hill collapses but repairs 'on hold until March' 
Retaining wall collapses
Central underpass to start this month...

Three accidents on one day but no death 
as the roads get busy i hope that there are few accidents...

The Andaman Cultural Festival starts tomorrow
tomorrow
The Andaman Cultural Festival DOES NOT start tomorrow 
organised and how many people lose?

Phuket Governor speaks out about corruption
"Stop out of control corruption"
so it was controlled previously?

Work is delayed on building the underpass for Central
Good news but for 2 days?

The kickboxer - Pitbull - Lee Aldhouse will be extradited to Thailand
good - but how did they do this - a fair trial?

Phuket wildlife officers warn of Bangla Slo Loris Raids 
Why warn them?
Patong gambling raid fails to come up trumps 
because? 

November 1 is D-Day for black taxis 
"There are 2,882 illegal taxi cars in 186 taxi centers in Phuket"
so not difficult to fine and sort out...

Taxis at Phuket airport told to "Stop harassing tourists"
and...
we need more taxis at the airport
why...
more taxis approved 
because...

Countdown to Christmas

Christmas began yesterday with a family visit to the cinema to see
"Rise of the Guardians" - all parents should watch this film.

The Advent Calendars came out this morning, chocolates eaten, surprises shared it is the beginning to the countdown to Christmas.

Tonight the presents are wrapped and the countdown App is started.

Christmas is shared

The three musketeers at the Vegetarian Festival

I chose to join the Vegetarian Festival Parade from Kathu Shrine to Sapan Hin and it was fabulous and I had a great deal of fun.

However these three men (which I think have met previously) seemed to be having the most fun - pure adrenaline...

Maybe I should have been with them in the morning and I would understand more?

Happy Loy Krathong

The internet is ablaze with the amount of information appertaining to Loy Krathong so not on this post.

This was 2011 and my daughter in the local village.
This was at work - 2011, 2010, 2009.
Do you have the Loy Krathong App?

Happy Loy Krathong.

Ashleigh and Brian - Congratulations

With all the stories in Phuket I have one which put a smile on our faces.

Brian and Ashleigh were staying with at Cape Panwa Hotel and Brian wanted to propose to Ashleigh - Brian wanted us to help to organise his proposal - how could we help?

Flowers were arranged from Suan Luang Flowers - drinks and dinner at Baba Nest...

and

Ashleigh said yes!

when's the wedding? - can we help again?

Airport Tax?

A common question that I hear is whether the visiting tourist must pay airport tax?

There was certainly is an airport tax 5 years ago and it was increased BUT then somewhere it was decided that the Airport tax should be included in the price of the airline ticket.

So the only advice that I can give you is to look carefully at the receipt that you received when you purchased your ticket AND ask the agent who sold it to you AND keep some cash in your back pocket - you can always buy a cup of coffee at an outlet in the airport.

I did then look at Air Asia and their information regarding this;

*	For most countries, the airport tax has been included in the final total and is to be paid upon booking unless stated otherwise. The airport tax listed here is to be paid at the respective airport before departure.

So check!

Wonderful but nothing to do with Phuket

This is wonderful - how long did it take and how many mistakes?

Butterfly Release - 6th year

A favourite place of my daughter's is Phuket Butterfly Garden and Insect World - we love to visit.

There is an event each year which is really special and it is the Butterfly release - this year it took place at Bang Pae Waterfall.

We arrived and the place was teaming with people - it was wonderful - children were being offered butterfly wings as they arrived and there was snacks available free for everyone. I believe that the new Phuket Governor was there but this was of little interest to Jemma.

Jemma wanted to release her butterflies which had been reserved specially for her - thank you. The big cage of butterflies was release and a plethora of different coloured butterflies were release into the air. After these were released then the sponsored cages were also opened.

Butterflies were everywhere and the happiness was abundant.

After the butterflies were released and encouraged to fly fish were released into the lake and small plants were planted. 

There were a number of places to buy a number of items - from car wax to ice cream - from sponsored tents.

What a fantastic idea and a wonderful environment! 

See you next year.