Phuket celebrating the coming of holiday season by bringing two major annual fairs in Phuket Town. The town is also launching much checkpoints guarded by police officers throughout the country after the campaign of road safety “Seven Days of Danger”. Launching the opening of both events such as Phuket Red Cross Fair and Colorful Phuket Countdown 2012, Phuket Governor is being busy today.

Phuket Red Cross Fair takes place in Saphan Hin at 6 PM as it will display fireworks with following performances. Years ago it held charity raffle with grand prize, a Honda city car. Meanwhile Colorful Phuket Countdown 2012 will hold in Sanaam Chai in front of Phuket Provincial Hall. The opening is holding at 8 PM today (29/12). Colorful Phuket Countdown 2012 will perform mini-concerts from famous artists, a dance contest, a 20 meters exhibition tunnel with lights and decorations and others. Second countdown event will set up a clock to count down the seconds going to the last sunset of this year in Phromthep Cape, Rawai.

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Among those invited is the two-time Asian champion from Thailand, Narapichit “Yo” Pudla then the two-time Asia Freestyle/Race Championship, Aya Oshima followed by the two-time Japanese Freestyle champion, Ken Nacor. Pilippines champion and Asia number two: 2008 Olympics windsurfing silver medallist Ho Chi Ho from Hongkong, Turkish KTA Champion Taner Aykurt and Kathryn Bogwardt of 2010 and 2011 KTA Ladies champion.

The sport already has a strong following in parts of Thailand; Hua Hin has played host to the international tour for the last two seasons, and Pranburi is the venue for the Thailand stop on the Kiteboard Tour Asia.

Willy Kerr, KTA tour director, said, “This year’s Phuket King’s Cup Regatta will feature a thrilling KTA race event which will be a unique addition to the Phuket King’s Cup.

“There is a growing interest in the sport across much of Southeast Asia and we’re very excited to be able to bring this spectacle to people who may not be familiar with the stylish, cool fun of the professional kiteboarding scene.”

Kevin Whitcraft, president of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising Committee, added, “We’re delighted to welcome an exhibition event by KTA at this year’s Phuket King’s Cup.

“This is a bold step for us in terms of broadening the Regatta and we hope this new element will appeal strongly to kiteboarding enthusiasts and a younger sailing audience.

The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is now in its 25th year, after first sailing in 1987 to celebrate His Majesty the King of Thailand’s 60th birthday.

With the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King, the Regatta is organised by the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising Committee under the auspices of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, and in conjunction with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Royal Thai Navy and the province of Phuket.

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Mr. Lavelle asked to compose music and lyrics for new Musical Fountain as it claimed to be the largest in the country. “This event enlivens biggest occasion for Thais, the 84th birthday of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej,” said Mr Lavelle. “This first Phuket World Musiq Festival proudly sponsored by Phuket Provincial Office, the OrBorJor, Phuket City Municipality, Singha Corporation, the TAT [Tourism Authority of Thailand], the PTA [Phuket Tourist Association] and the World Musiq network,” said him. This event will take place in Saphan Hin under the title of “Father of Love”.

The major zones will be “Best of Phuket” and Phuket Food Kingdom. “Himmaphan zone” will set up for foundations and a “Wave of Love” exhibition will aim for tsunami victim 2004 and to remember how the survivors healed from the catastrophe. The performance will start at 5 PM, said Mr Lavelle. “It will accommodate Thai artists performances as well Gnawa band from Morrocco; Marimba percussion of Ziv Eitan from Israel; and Akha Hilltribe people performance from North Thailand,” said him. Even there is Phuket Youth Orchestra from local municipal school students.

All artists will perform in the festival on December 5 from 8 PM to 8:30 PM for HM The King. They will song Father of Love all together. “OrBorJor and Phuket City convinced it will attract tourists from the beach to Phuket Town. After Musical Fountain held at Vegetarian Festival, many people asked to watch Fountain performance daily. It must be a success,” said OrBorJor President Paiboon. The schedule of the events will be accomplish in early November.

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This event, powered by PTT, has picked 82 entries from 32 countries interest, including 28 of the top 30 ranked teams in the world.

Volleyball powerhouses Brazil, China, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the USA will send their strongest pairings to the Swatch World Tour season finale on Karon Beach, from November 1–6.

World Champions and the world’s number one ranked team, Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca from Brazil will compete in Phuket for the first time and will be aiming for a record 7th win this season, and a first win for Brazil in the Phuket tournament.

Teams from the USA have dominated the Phuket event, having won this tournament four years in a row with two-time winners April Ross and Jen Kessy (World No.5 team) from the USA returning in search of a coveted third title.

Last year’s beaten finalists Greta Cicolari and Marta Menegatti (World No.7 team) from Italy, 2006 winners Xue Chen and Zhang Xi (World No. 3 team) from China and Sanne Keizer and Marleen Van Iersel (World No.6 team) from the Netherlands, will all hope to prevent the USA leaving with a fifth title.

Germany has entered the largest number of teams with nine descending on Karon Beach, Brazil and Spain travel with five teams each while Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, the Netherlands and the USA will each bring four teams.

Thailand has entered three teams for the tournament, two of which will gain automatic entry to the main draw of the Phuket Thailand Open, as the host country.

Aside from those countries, other 32 participating in this tournament are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Puerto Rico, Russia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, USA and Vanuatu.

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The walk initiates photographers gather in cities across the world for a day of walking around trying to catch great photos. This event was devised by American photography and PhotoShop expert Scoot Kelby. Last year 33,000 people took part in walks in 1,100 locations worldwide.

There are prizes to be won, mostly loads of expensive software, though photographers will have to be particularly good to come ahead of 32,999 other shooters.

Phuket walk organiser Karim Khamzin says, however, that the main point of going on the walk is “to meet others, compare thoughts on photography, try to take great pictures and simply have fun looking at Phuket Town with a new perspective”. This is the third time the walk has been organised in Phuket.

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The center has set a higher target than usual for this drive, aiming to stock up in anticipation for an increased demand for blood in the coming months. On July 1,568 units of blood received, exceeding the target for that month of 1,500 units.

“However, I’m concerned that blood supplies will not be enough in September and October. We are anticipating the Vegetarian Festival and the semester break for schools so our target for these months is to get at least 2,000 units per month,” said Suphawan Rattanachan, an officer from the Phuket Regional Blood Center.

On Mother’s Day, the Red Cross Society invites people in all blood groups to honor HM Queen Sirikit, the president of the Thai Red Cross Society, by donating blood at the regional blood center.

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Quicksilver Retail (Thailand) Ltd General Manager Surached Mungthong said that the opening of Quicksilver Surf House was to promote the upcoming Quicksilver Thailand Surf Competition 2011 and to grow Phuket’s surfing culture,

“I would like to help expand the surfing community in Phuket and enable more tourists to experience surfing here. Surf House staff will suggest places and times to surf, as well as help beginners join a surf school in Patong,” Mr Surached said.

Staff will also give out information about the 3rd Quicksilver Thailand Surf Competition 2011 to be held in Patong from September 21-24 in front of Phuket Graceland resort. This year, the event will become one of six ranked competitions in the ASEAN Surfing Championship held in Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia. This also include “surfing festival” with fashion, music and sport activities.

Mr. Surached says that the competition held in Patong because he would like to send a message that surf can be done at any beach in Phuket, not only Kata. He wants more and more people take part in that fun activity. There will be a surf show by a famous international surfer, surf clinic and games on the beach, finally close by a live concert on the beach.

There are already more than 100 surfers registered for the competition, he said. Overall, about 300 surfers are expected to compete in the games, which include four classes: long board, short board, women and master (for surfers over 35 years old), he said.

“Surfers will come from many countries: USA, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philipines, Singapore and so on. These people will help boost the local economy during the low season,” he added.

Quicksilver will also co-operate with the Phuket Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Center to organize a sea grass-planting event for the surfers near Pa Khlok.

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Bingham was the only ranked player who remained in the tournament. Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon (82), Alfie Burden (57), Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm (67) and Issara Kachaiwong (87) all fail to reach the final. Thepchaiya certainly had the advantage of home support and the knowledge that Bingham had just scraped through his last two rounds going into the championship match.

This Thai player had surprised the viewers since only few of them estimated him to extend his winning run and up to step onto final, considering Bingham’s experience with longer matches and the final being the best of nine frames as opposed to the best of seven in previous rounds.

The UK professional started well, going two frames ahead before Thepchaiya replied. Bingham took the third frame leaving Thepchaiya 3-1 down. A combination of good snooker from Thepchaiya and a little complacency from Bingham handed three frames in a row to the Thai.

Requiring only one more frame for an upset, Thepchaiya portrayed few nerves and gave Bingham few opportunities to respond, winning the last frame, and the match by a score of 5 frames to 3.

Patong’s Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukkaban presented the worthy champion Thepchaiya with a cheque for 100,000 baht and the second Sangsom Phuket Snooker trophy.

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Philip was one of four Stamford International University (STIU) students who competed against 14 other students in the semi-final round of the competition on February 25. The contest, organized by the Ministry of Education and the English Speaking Union, is open to Thai students from high schools and universities across Thailand.

The other three STIU students were Ms Suchanart Preecha, Mr Napas Nilobolvong and Ms Hataichanok Chantaluksuk.

Phillip and Hataichanok qualified for the final round, along with two competitors from Chulalongkorn University and one from Assumption University (ABAC). The final round began on March 18, with competitors speaking on the theme “Words Are Not Enough”.

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Wasana Soonthornsiri of the Phuket Provincial Comptroller General’s Office announced today that the total monetary donations received thus far totaled 764,123.92 baht. The fund more than doubled after two large donations were made today, she said.

Prince of Songkla University Phuket Vice President Methi Sunbhanich handed 300,000 baht to Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha this morning at the center, while Ban Thai Beach Resort & Spa manager Boonlert Sukhotu chipped in with a 100,000 baht donation from the resort.

Donations still can be made in person at the center, located on the first floor of Provincial Hall, or by bank transfer to: Phuket Tsunami Relief Center for Japan, Account No 805-0-41578-3, Krungthai Bank, Phuket Branch.

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