It seemed like the perfect plan. I would travel to Phuket with my mate, who owns the pub in the Cotswolds, four days before our wives arrived for a further fortnight. That would give us a whole four days to deal with car hire, get the fridge stocked, put the house in order. But, mostly, four days to sample Phuket’s glorious nightlife sans WAGs. I enjoy spending time with my mate, who owns the pub in the Cotswolds, not least because it’s his job to get people drunk every day. Since I’m a gossip columnist, he’s one of my few chums whose livelihood is arguably more reprehensible than my own.

So as we careered down Kata beach in the warm evening air just a couple hours after landing at Phuket airport, we were filled with the same sort of excitement as when we arrived as squiffy-haired backpackers 10 years previously. Except the unmistakable throb of Kata’s neon waterfront was strangely subdued for reasons which soon became apparent – the king’s sister had died. Read the rest of this entry …

The government of the People’s Republic of China is no longer warning its citizens against traveling to Thailand. The Chinese government lifted it’s travel warning following an appeal by the Thai government, in which it assured them the troubles which closed Bangkok’s two major airports last November, are now over. Read the rest of this entry …

Lovestruck couples around the world will spend next Saturday, Valentine’s Day, celebrating with flowers, chocolates and anonymous love letters signed “from your valentine”. And it will be more of the same here on one of the world’s most romantic holiday island. Phuket is the perfect place to fall in love. Read the rest of this entry …

More than 50 yachts from around the world will line up for the start of this year’s Phang Nga Bay regatta which starts on Tuesday. The fleet will spend four days racing from Phang Nga Bay, first to Laem Sak, then to Koh Yao Noi, to Railay Bay in Krabi, and finally back to Phuket. A new race course has been set for this year’s event which will sail through the Koh Hong islands. Read the rest of this entry …

When Dr. Preecha Ruangjan was appointed Governor of Phuket in November last year, he knew he had a big job ahead of him. During his first three months in the job, Dr Preecha has moved to ensure the longevity of Phuket’s tourist industry, he has taken control of conservation projects and is working overtime to cut the island’s crime rates. He has also campaigned to reduce the holiday road toll, he has put in motion plans to combat the world’s economic crisis and rebuild Phuket’s tourist industry, and he has declared war on drug pushers in the province. Read the rest of this entry …