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Friday, September 5, 2008
Floods in Chalong and Patong
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Downpours caused traffic tailbacks around the island, including in front of the power station on Chao Fa West Rd (pictured), and damage to homes and shops.
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PHUKET: Heavy rains since this morning have caused flooding at many locales around the island, causing long tailbacks along major roads and damage to shops inundated with water.
Patong suffered minor floods this morning before the rain stopped to give the resort town a midday reprieve, but the skies opened again this afternoon and brought more flooding.
Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd saw long tailbacks from Soi Bangla back to Baan Sai Nam Yen School, while on Sirirat Rd at the southern end of Patong one shop staffer told the Gazette that it took an hour to clear out the floodwater from his shop this morning, only to see the shop flood again after just 30 minutes of rain this afternoon.
Patong Municipality workers spent an hour clearing drains at the intersection at the bottom of the hill so that the floodwaters would subside.
The Thai Meteorological Department center in Phuket City recorded rainfall of 34.7 millimeters between 1 pm and 3 pm.
In Chalong, runoff from nearby hills caused flooding across Chao Fa West Rd in front of the Phuket Provincial Electricity substation.
Nearby shophouses were flooded, with staff at TTT Furnishings store saying it was the first time that the shop had been flooded. “Normally, only the road floods, but today it’s not even heavy rain and the shop was flooded after only about an hour,” said one staffer.
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Phuket, Thailand
19:29
local time (GMT +7) |
Friday, September 5, 2008
Park chiefs hamper Navy plans for emergency helipads
PHUKET CITY: The Royal Thai Navy’s Third Fleet wants to build a network of helicopter landing pads on outlying islands so that tourists needing emergency medical treatment can be brought back to Phuket faster.
Rear-Admiral Supot Pruksa of the Third Naval Area Command announced the initiative yesterday following his opening address at a two-day maritime safety meeting attended by 60 naval officers at the Phuket Merlin Hotel.
All attendees are based in the six Andaman Coast provinces that comprise the Third Area Command, centered at the naval base at Cape Panwa.
The meeting is being held to update officers on progress made and integrating procedures of the Third Fleet’s five-year Maritime Safety Plan, launched in 2006.
Navy efforts to increase tourist safety in the Andaman region came after the 2004 tsunami, when staff were posted at new facilities in Patong, on Koh Lanta Noi in Krabi and at both the Similan and Surin archipelagos off the coasts of Phang Nga and Ranong.
Citing the example of a Russian tourist who was airlifted to Phuket after being bitten by a fish while diving off the Similans in May last year, R/Adm Supot said that setting up landing pads for helicopters was the next logical step in the safety plan.
One landing pad has been built at the Surin Islands, but additional landing pads are needed there and at other popular tourist destinations, including the Similans and Koh Lanta Noi, he said
However, the National Parks officials responsible for these islands have been reluctant to allow more than 300 square meters of park land to be covered with asphalt to accommodate the 20-meter-diameter landing pads, he added.
“They say it will hurt the environment and destroy the scenery, but I think it is worth it in order improve our emergency response capacity,” he said.
The cost of each landing pad, about 60,000 baht, would be covered by the Navy, he said.
The Navy already has permission to build a helipad at Similan Island 8, but would prefer to site the helipad on Island 4, which is visited by many more tourists.
“We are in disagreement with them over that, but in the end I hope we can build it there. We would build it in an area that would not block beautiful views,” he said.
If the emergency helipad project is successful, injured tourists could be airlifted to Phuket in just 20 minutes, he said.
Getting injured tourists back to Phuket from the Similans can take up to four hours when seas are heavy, he added.
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Phuket, Thailand
16:15
local time (GMT +7) |
Friday, September 5, 2008
AirAsia CEO aims to set up base in Phuket
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One of the three new 164-seat Airbus A320 aircraft AirAsia has on order, similar to this one pictured, has been earmarked for the Bangkok-Phuket route. The aircraft is expected to arrive within three months.
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PHUKET CITY: AirAsia would like to establish Phuket as a regional operations base, but efforts to do so have thus far been hampered by Thai bureaucracy, the company’s founder has told the Gazette.
In an exclusive interview, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes also said that one of three new 164-seat Airbus A320 aircraft the airline has on order will be earmarked for the Bangkok-Phuket route. The aircraft is expected to arrive within three months.
Mr Fernandes also confirmed that AirAsia has been scouting for up to three sites on Phuket for its new budget hotel chain, Tune.
Setting up Phuket as an AirAsia operations base would be for single-aisle aircraft, such as the Boeing 737 or Airbus A340, rather than large, wide-bodied aircraft from international routes, he said.
However, Mr Fernandes said that establishing Phuket as a base could take time as he believes the Thai authorities have a negative view toward budget carriers.
Mr Fernandes, who entered into a partnership with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to form Thai AirAsia, said the Thai carrier had so far not experienced any serious impact from the closure of Phuket, Haad Yai and Krabi airports by the People’s Alliance For Democracy (PAD) last week .
“I have not seen much evidence of people going home or running away,” he said.
Both Thai AirAsia and THAI Airways have reaped the benefits of One-Two-Go and Nok Air’s misfortunes with higher passenger and cargo loads, after One-Two-Go was grounded by the government pending safety improvements and Nok Air cut its Phuket service to two weekend flights due to a fall in demand.
In contrast, Thai AirAsia currently has 10 flights a day into Phuket, including two from Kuala Lumpur and one from Singapore. AirAsia flies 656 flights daily, on 102 routes to 57 destinations in 12 countries.
Mr Fernandes, who is famously outspoken, had harsh words for the Airports Authority Of Thailand (AOT), which runs six airports in Thailand, including Phuket International Airport (PIA).
He did not directly criticize the authorities who run PIA, but did say that Thailand is definitely falling behind other prime tourist destinations because of the AOT’s reluctance to reduce current landing charges that are among the highest in Asia. He called the AOT “rudderless”.
“We have delivered for them. We are the only airline to remain and not cut flights. In fact, we have added capacity into Phuket,” he said.
Special report by Alastair Carthew
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Phuket, Thailand
14:40
local time (GMT +7) |
Thursday, September 4, 2008
All quiet at Provincial Hall
PHUKET CITY: The scene at Phuket Provincial Hall remained quiet late this morning, despite Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej’s announcement earlier that he would not step down – as many had expected – to ease political tensions throughout the country.
Just before noon there were only about 10 members of the Phuket Watch group, a local affiliate of the Peoples’ Alliance for Democracy (PAD), at Phuket Provincial Hall.
Among them was Phuket Watch leader Natjarong Ekpermsup who told the Gazette yesterday afternoon that his group planned to end their occupation of Phuket Provincial Hall grounds last night and move back to Saphan Hin, their usual gathering spot.
However, today PAD members are still stationed at entranceways to Provincial Hall, though the building remains open for service to the public.
Despite reports that the building had been “seized” by the protesters over the past few days, the situation there has been peaceful throughout. Many government officials simply stayed home after the Governor said they did not have to report to work on Monday.
Other government workers joined the PAD protesters outside the building.
Given this morning’s developments, Mr Natjarong told the Gazette just before noon today that he and his group would remain at Provincial Hall and continue to closely monitor the situation in Bangkok. The decision as to whether to move to Saphan Hin would be made later today, he said.
A television screen showing PAD protest activities in Bangkok via the anti-government ASTV remains set up on the grounds of Provincial Hall for this purpose.
Mr Natjarong said he was not surprised by Samak’s address this morning, saying the PM was “playing games” as usual.
Clarifying the situation inside Provincial Hall was Manas Nurak, personal secretary to Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit.
“Provincial Hall re-opened for work as normal on Tuesday, but PAD members have restricted parking lot access for cars of VIPs – the Governor and his deputies. Members of the public who need to conduct business here need to make their way in on foot. Members of the mob have been conducting body searches and looking through people’s bags before allowing them to enter.
“All officers here are still working today as normal, though it has been inconvenient for them since they cannot park their cars as usual,” he said.
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Phuket, Thailand
16:49
local time (GMT +7) |
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Gov't to organise referendum
BANGKOK (The Nation): In a bid to find ways to solve the ongoing political chaos, the Samak government agreed this morning to conduct a “public referendum”, Culture Minister Somsak Kietsuranond announced this afternoon.
He quoted Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej as saying that the referendum is the best solution to the problem.
The decision was made at a special cabinet meeting conducted this morning at the Supreme Command Headquarters on Chang Wattana Road. The venue of the meeting had to be changed after protesters led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy stormed into the premises at Government House.
Somsak told reporters that the Office of the Council of State of Thailand will consider the legislation concerned in conducting the referendum.
Earlier, People Power Party MP Suthin Klangsaeng said that his party wanted the people to be the judge in choosing between the government and the PAD.
Suthin suggested that the referendum be held with the following simple questions:
1) Should the government continue in office, resign, or dissolve the House for a snap election?
2) Should the PAD continue or end its protests?
3) Should the PAD’s ‘New Politics’ proposal to revamp the electoral system be accepted?
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Phuket, Thailand
15:28
local time (GMT +7) |
Thursday, September 4, 2008
PM Samak still stonewalling
BANGKOK: Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej insisted in an address to the nation on Radio Thailand this morning that he would not step down, quashing widespread expectations that he would finally resign.
Samak has been driven into a tight corner, suffering two blows in a row yesterday. The first came when Army chief Anupong Paochinda told him that the military would not use force to disperse anti-government protesters from Government House, despite Tuesday’s declaration of a state of emergency. The second blow came when Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag resigned. The two events spawned intense rumours last night that Samak was ready to call it a day.
Samak had expected tough action against the protesters. But the soft approach of the military deprived him of his sword to bring down the PAD.
People Power Party MP Panya Sripanya had said it was possible that his party would press Samak to step down rather than dissolve the lower House. The party’s MPs from the northeastern region will hold a meeting today to take a stand over the situation.
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Phuket, Thailand
08:40
local time (GMT +7) |
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
PAD to leave Provincial Hall
PHUKET CITY: Encouraged by recent developments in the capital, local members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) say they will end their protest at Phuket Provincial Hall today.
Phuket PAD leader Natjarong Ekpermsup told the Gazette, “The government ordered a state of emergency in Bangkok, but the Thai military refused to disperse the protesters. This refusal of the military to follow PM Samak’s orders has caused the PAD movement to calm down. Today will be our last day at Provincial Hall. When everyone goes home tonight we will take down the tents, stage, screen and public address system and move everything to Saphan Hin, where we will continue to hold our evening gatherings as usual.”
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Phuket, Thailand
16:38
local time (GMT +7) |
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Phuket PAD protests continue; government utilities threatened
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About 1,000 protesters turned out at Provincial Hall, many to protest the violence in Bangkok last night that left one PAD member dead.
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Natjarong Ekpermsup, president of Phuket Watch, said that PAD will have the electricity and water supplies to government offices cut off on Wednesday.
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PHUKET CITY: About 1,000 protesters marched on Provincial Hall this afternoon in support of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstrations in Bangkok. The PAD wants Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to resign.
The large crowd was bolstered by many people who had turned out to rally against the violence in Bangkok last night that left one PAD member dead and several others injured, resulting in PM Samak declaring a state of emergency in the capital this morning.
Natjarong Ekpermsup, President of Phuket Watch, told the Gazette, “We are here to show our support for the Bangkok PAD, who are trying to oust Samak. We do not want the airport blocked as we need it ourselves so that we can send reinforcements up to Bangkok.
“I can’t say how long the protest will stay here because it really depends on the government. I have contacted the Krabi PAD and told them to protest at their Provincial Hall rather than at their airport.”
Clarifying why protesters were still at Phuket International Airport, he said, “Now, at the airport there are about 200 people who refuse to follow PAD instructions. They are not PAD members, they are just bystanders protesting and we have asked them to join us here at Provincial Hall.”
However, Khun Natjarong forewarned that the PAD may yet step up its campaign. “On September 3 [Wednesday], electricity and water supplies to government offices will be cut off. I think the government is cornered now so they have to hire NorPorKor [“mob agitators”] to try to disrupt peaceful protests.
“In my opinion, Samak’s government announced the state of emergency in Bangkok to divert attention from the main issue, which is him resigning.
“We will meet the governor and ask him to forward our request to the government to stop using violence against the people. There should be no double standards. They should not block the PAD and then allow the United Front for Democracy to do as they please.”
Phuket PAD protesters this afternoon boarded five buses bound for Bangkok. “Protesters from Haad Yai, Surat Thani and Phang Nga will also head to Bangkok to join the PAD rally there,” K. Natjarong said.
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Phuket, Thailand
23:48
local time (GMT +7) |
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Pian keeps digging for Patong tunnel
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Patong Mayor Pian Keesin will keep chipping away at his goal of having a tunnel under Patong Hill.
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PATONG: Pian Keesin, the recently re-elected Mayor of Patong, yesterday announced he will continue with his plan to build a tunnel under the hills separating the popular beach resort town from Phuket City.
“We plan to set up a budget to study and research the impact of building a tunnel, in the hope that – if there are no objections – we can finish the research and design stages within a year and a half,” he said.
However, Mayor Pian admitted that the project was still a long way from being a reality. “Whether this project will go ahead is dependent on environmental factors as well as tourism and how local businesses, organizations and people will benefit from it.
“We are still talking with investors and considering how much budget should be set aside for research before we decide on a big project like this,” he said.
Mayor Pian’s announcement follows the first meeting of the new Patong Municipality 18-seat council on Friday.
The meeting, chaired by Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit, saw Tanin Atthasap voted council chairman, beating fellow councilor Charoen Kwanyuen by 11 votes.
Prasob Prateep na Thalang was voted vice-chairman, beating Mana Panchalad by 10 votes.
Khun Pian was installed in his second term as Patong Mayor after being cleared of three complaints of vote-buying by the Election Commission in Bangkok on August 20.
Yesterday, he announced his seven-point platform, in which he pledged:
1. Education: To have Wat Suwankiriwong School and Baan Kalim School brought under the responsibility of Patong Municipality; to set up two childcare centers; and to support having a sports complex built at Tri Trang Beach.
2. Society: To improve the quality of life for the elderly, the handicapped and HIV sufferers.
3. Administration: To have Patong Municipality improve its effectiveness through developing its officers’ skills.
4. Economy and tourism: To build a food court at Loma Park, to develop the quality of tour guides, to boost investment for development, to preserve the environment in Patong, to support a change in the law so that buildings can be above the current limit of 80 meters above sea level.
5. Public utilities: To finish Phang Muang Rd and to support having a Kathu-Patong tunnel.
6. Natural resources and environment: To improve wastewater treatment and to have cleaner water in Patong Bay.
7. Safety and security: To install more CCTV cameras and to have more volunteers on the street to help tourists.
After Mayor Pian announced his policies, councilor Prasert Pattakor of the Patong Gao Na party, which opposed Mayor Pian’s Rak Patong party in the recent election, pointed out that K. Pian’s policy of allowing buildings over the 80m limit contradicted his own environmental policy of preserving green areas in the resort town.
Mayor Pian has yet to announce who will be his “Deputy Mayors” and his consultants, which are non-elected positions.
It is expected that Chairat Sukkabal, who was one of K. Pian’s Deputy Mayors throughout his entire first four-year term, will be reinstated as one of K. Pian’s Deputy Mayors.
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Phuket, Thailand
19:14
local time (GMT +7) |
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Highways Office chief told to speed up Chalong Circle removal
PHUKET CITY: Phuket Vice-Governor Worapoj Ratthasima has told Saroj Suwinchai, the chief of the Phuket Provincial Highways Office, and Paiboon Upatising, president of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor), to get going on removing Chalong Circle.
At the monthly Governor Meets Press meeting at Provincial Hall yesterday, V/Gov Worapoj said, “It’s too old and not attractive for people who pass by and see it. I need to make it better.
“Also, there are serious traffic jams there in the morning and evening. So it should be done quickly.” V/Gov Worapoj said.
Khun Saroj explained that he had first to apply to the OrBorJor for permission to remove the roundabout, including the large fountain that is the centerpiece of the circle, as the OrBorJor had paid for it, and thus it was the OrBorJor’s property.
“The OrBorJor has now given us permission to remove it. But when I went to inspect the roundabout, I saw that the fountain is about three meters wide and made of concrete and steel. So now we are looking for a way to remove it,” he said.
However, V/Gov Worapoj said, “I have asked K. Paiboon and he has agreed to remove it, but I still need you both [Saroj and Paiboon] to co-ordinate the budget required and get it done.”
K. Worapoj also told the press that the OrBorJor were co-ordinating with the Srisoonthorn Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) to expand the road around the Heroines’ Monument by six meters.
“It will be good for traffic because every car must pass at that monument to come to Phuket. The OrBorJor has given about 10 million baht to Srisoonthorn OrBorTor for the project.
“However, they have encountered a problem and are now in negotiations with a private landowner there,” V/G Worapoj said.
He added that the Srisoonthorn OrBorTor will soon receive 27 million baht to install roadside drainage ditches along Thepkrasattri Rd from the Heroines’ Monument to Koh Kaew.
“We need to fix the flooding problems there, which happen often after it rains. The budget has been approved by the provincial committee and will soon be given so the project can be started,” he said.
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Phuket, Thailand
19:03
local time (GMT +7) |
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Phuket ICT a ‘no show‘ at Chinese expo
PHUKET: The project to have representatives from Phuket businesses and other organizations promote Phuket’s information and communications technology (ICT) prowess at the 5th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) in Nanning City, Guangxi, China, next month has failed due to lack of interest.
The Department of Export Promotion (DEP) aimed to run 69 presentation booths at the event (click here for earlier report).
However, at a Provincial Hall meeting chaired by Phuket Vice-Governor Smith Palawatwichai on August 28, it was reported that the project had attracted very little interest from Phuket businesses.
Indeed, even the local branch of the Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA) had withdrawn from participation due to lack of budget.
So far, only three Phuket businesses will join the event. Phuket FantaSea will send 10 staffers, including management and performance actors, to man two booths at the expo.
The Phuket Exportation and Manufacturing Association (PEMA) will occupy five booths, presenting local produce, including fresh and dried seafood, cashew nut products, abalone products and fish balls.
Silk Idol Co Ltd, which produces Thai silk and cotton, will occupy one booth for displaying its wares.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Southern Region 4 Office will promote tourism to Phuket by distributing 10,000 brochures printed in Chinese and 1,000 copies in English at the event.
DEP Deputy Director-General Niramol Charoenphao still hopes that Phuket will be better represented, especially in the “City of Charm” zone, where Phuket spas, hotels, travel agents and hospitality businesses can pitch their sales to mainland Chinese.
Khun Niramol said that she will invite the Phuket Spa Association to join the event, and that she also aims for Phuket FantaSea to perform at the event’s opening celebrations.
The DEP has reserved 12 booths at the expo, but only eight will be occupied. Interested business operators can join by contacting the Phuket Provincial Commercial Office (Tel: 076-212017) before Friday.
“We are still missing Phuket’s prominent point, which is tourism. We expected spas, travel agents and hospitals to join, but as the economy has slowed down, businesspeople are being more wary about the potential returns.
“Not only are Phuket operators like this, business operators in Bangkok and other regions are also having the same problems,” K. Niramol added.
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Phuket, Thailand
18:58
local time (GMT +7) |
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Japanese tourists cancel trips to Phuket
PHUKET: More than half of the Japanese tourists who planned to visit Phuket over the next week have canceled their bookings due to concerns over political unrest in Thailand.
Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) President Somboon Chirayus yesterday told the Gazette that despite the reopening of Phuket International Airport on Sunday, there have been many cancellations among foreign tour groups.
Cancellation rates among Japanese visitors are the highest, at about 50%, he said.
Mr Somboon, deputy managing director of Merlin Phuket Hotels and Resorts, said the direct flight from Narita to Phuket was now operating at half-capacity.
These flights had been nearly full every day before the recent increase in tensions in the capital and closure of Phuket Airport by protesters over the weekend, he said.
“I think we will need more time to make tourists understand that the situation [in Phuket] is back to normal,” he said.
It is still too early to judge the effect of the airport closure on Phuket’s tourism picture in the long-term, but the distress and inconvenience suffered by passengers who were unable to catch their return flights is bound to leave a bad impression, he said.
Embassies around the world are closely watching the situation here and the issuance of travel advisories warning against travel to Thailand would have a negative impact, he said.
Methee Tanmanatragul, President of Thai Hotels Association Southern Chapter, earlier told the Gazette that the airport closures by anti-government protesters cost Phuket more than 250 million baht a day in tourism revenue, and about 400 million baht per day was lost in the Southern region as a whole.
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Phuket, Thailand
14:43
local time (GMT +7) |
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Phuket PAD assembling at Provincial Hall
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