Ken from Karon

I think we have certainly come to some sort of crossroads with the Tuk Tuks. The blockade at Karon Police Station is just the first of what will be a series of very public 'spats' between the Tuk Tuk mafia and the new kids on the block. 2013 will be a watershed for these red two-stroke vampires. If they fight smart they might survive in some updated form. But the original post is right, don't worry about the authorities having to intervene, the revolution has already begun.

Harder to get decent local news anywhere on radio now. 91.5 are doing the best with the BBC for international and local updates in their shows. 89.5 just sound like their coasting along. Even their two morning stars sound bored since they returned to the airwaves. If you listen long enough (and we can't be bothered anymore) they repeat the same news for most of the day. As I say, just coasting along. I don't think 90.5 are in the game at all. Phuketwan on radio would be interesting

Might be worthwhile contributing to this too.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sydictive-Element-Please-Explain/226687970795616

Found on FB page, Phuket's Best Events

i hope this young thai man who was trying to make something good will take it more of a learning experience and move it on to another place that would appreciate and help you bring success and tourist into the place. phuket is not the place. why anyone would invest any amount money into this place is beyond me.

the organizers should refund money to the people who paid if they ask. this would gain alot of credibilty to them for the future if they are planning to do this somewhere else. anybody that knows and reads about phuket i think can understand why it failed and would fail even if everything was well planned ahead.

+1

They planned their own airline to bring 50,000 people to the island. They planned to have any number of celebrities come to the party. They planned the largest floating stage in the world. They promised to compensate local contractors. They promised so much and have delivered a mess. They will walk away from this mess tomorrow and the rest of the island will have to cope with the damage to the reputation and the consequences.

OMG. They have the 'how ya doin' girl on 89.5 morning show. She was kicked off 91.5 and re-surfaced again. With their dynamic duo away they would be better off with a trained monkey and an mp3 player. Me and she-who-must-be-obeyed have been driving around the island the last few days trying to avoid the influx of tourists and have to say 91.5 are kicking arse with the FM coverage and their programs over the holiday season. Even warming to Doris, amazing. I think there are now enough farang living here to deserve some professional radio at last. There must be enough companies to support at least one decent station. Yes?

I pray that there are no deaths or injuries but fear it's just going to be one hell of a mess. Too many people and just such amateur arrangements. I hope you are wrong 'Phronesis'

If the party ends up being as good as the organisation they will have an mp3 player and a couple of iPod speakers. Sounds like Patong is a great place not to be on new years eve. 20 thousand extra people? What a shambles.

Problem with Patong (where do I start) is where to park. Everything's too expensive. Soi Bangla is more like a freakshow than a place for entertainment. The tourists there think they have some right to behave in ways they never would in their home countries. Far too many people and a fantastic place for expats not to go. I say AWP - Anywhere But Patong.

Gallery Cafe by Pinky in Phuket Town (590bt until 9) and the Expat Hotel in Patong (690bt near Bangla Road). The Gazette and Phuket News have quite a few options listed.

It says 'Fabulous 103FM' at the top of my page, whoever they are. I hope that whoever sponsors the forums it doesn't influence the content. The best radio on the island is off now with the Sam and Natasha team away. Assume they went home or just having some time off. Please come back soon. They are just playing 80s music now presumably off a cheap laptop. Boring. Good to hear all the farang stations playing some christmas music too.

Connections are so erratic here. We are always slapping our head in despair of the local internet. I much prefer internet radio to the local stations. They are mostly just amateur music stations here. Busiest time of the year and 91.5 is just streaming the BBC and 89.5 morning program is playing music. 90.5 has two Thai people reading nothing I want to hear in english. I want to like our local radio but streaming is the go. I have 3BB and Iceberg streams fine.

In my opinionradio stations in Phuket will go of the way of the Dodo along with newsprint. People can listen through streaming or read exactly what they want on the internet in their own language.

I must agree. I can listen to my iPod or 10,000 radio stations online if I want to get music. The only thing that might get me listening more is doing some sort of local programs that make us want to turn on. Playing an overseas news service and doing 30 seconds of Phuket weather isn't local radio. The main three stations are trying to be everything to everyone and failing. A trained monkey with a computer can play music. It's lazy programming. I expect decent management and production costs more than advertisers can afford in Phuket. She who must be obeyed listens to stations in the US and Europe online.

I do get a bit bored with all the cross advertising with the other group companies (Phuket News, Events Thailand, some tourist TV channel, Ticketmaster, etc...). I guess they need to get more paid advertising.

Yes, PLEASE get rid of all that cross promotion. It's getting really boring. I find myself tuning over as soon as one of the in house ads start, heard them over and over for months. I think you're right. Not enough advertisers although they sound like they're trying harder than the other music stations. They are trying to do local news but it's patchy. The girl during the week obviously has some news training. At least they are giving it a go and not replaying the BBC. Are there any ratings for the stations in Phuket? Who's listening to what?

I get the feeling that the radio wars are getting pretty ferocious between 89.5 and 91.5, like the way the Gazette was slagging off the Phuket News when it started. The news show on Sundays on 89.5 is an example of how they are spending money on some decent local content rather than just endless music. 91.5 sounds like they've lost the plot during the week although some of their weekend shows are very good. I think 90.5 has already given up the battle. When it comes to the websites 91.5 looks really pro while 89.5 looks like it was done by the local kindergarten. This is a good chat. Ken