alanmorison

Before I go, just let me get back to the central point of the discussion. Having lost that debate, you turned the discussion into an assault on me and my profession.

Just for the record, journalists have done more to give you the freedom of speech you have on thai visa and in daily life that any other group in society. They take generalised, ill-informed slagging from ill-informed slaggers every day, and mostly get on with their job. But the freedoms you take for granted today have mostly been won by journalists and journalism, good and bad, throughout history.

Did the stingray attack the woman? Yes, of course it did. While I go along with some of the principles espoused by Peter Singer and Animal Liberation, it's a big, big mistake to attribute human characteristics to animals. ''Self-defence'' is best left to the courts of law. It's a human thing, not an animal thing.

Many animals defend themselves without inflicting harm on whatever confronts them. If the stingray rolled up into a ball, that would be defence.

Putting a painful barb into a swimmer's foot or Steve Irwin's chest is not defensive in any shape or form: it's an all-out counter-attack, an attempt to cause injury.

Only people who have seen too many Disney movies, and a few marine biologists who grow too close to their subjects, could see it any other way.

Thanks, guys. Happy to have you criticise anything on phuketwan to your heart's content.

Cherish your hard-won freedom.

Does this mean that I can get back to accurately reporting what's happening on the island without wasting my time on anonymous critics whose only intent is to make baseless slurs and deliver idle provocations?

What a relief . . . say hello to Nemo for me.

I hate to be accused of pushing my own website, but I will because it is relevant, so all you cynics, please blaze away . . . . Phuketwan has all you need to know about visitors on Phuket and the future of the Phuket economy this high season and in 2009. The island is doing better than other parts of Thailand, perhaps because it has had to overcome so many crises since 2004. However, package tours diminish the benefits to the local community. Something needs to be done about that . . . there's also the very real biological crisis brought on with the discovery of box jellyfish on the east coast. But when all is said and done, Phuket and the Andaman remains a great destination, any time of the year. Two US warships were in port for a few days and an Australian and an Indian navy warship arrive on Monday. If you want more, try phuketwan.

If he is genuinely interested in Thai food on Phuket, shouldn't the advice of some Thais be sought? They do cook Thai quite well . . .

Ah Todd . . . are you another total cynic who only reads what his warped train of thought writes between the lines?

Sorry, no free tickets. Phuketwan tries to avoid freebies. We just know the genuine goods when we actually go to have a look.

You should try that some time . . .

By the way, the block between Tesco and Central is reasonably popular, because the island has moved on.

Your universe seems to be a little small.

Most of us are over the tired Gary Glitter stuff. You still find it funny, huh?

Alan,

According to the Cambridge Dictionar BTW sensational is not only good:

2 DISAPPROVING describes news reports and articles that are intended to excite or shock people rather than be serious:

Some of the more sensational Japanese newspapers have given a lot of coverage to the scandal.

Ok . . . is that everything I write, or just some of it, or all of Phuketwan's reporting? You must have read most of it to make such a sweeping generalisation.

After reading Phuketwan a couple of times, I felt no need to read it any more because of the resemblance to the English tabloids. Your occasional post here confirms that opinion, so I am not reading Phuketwan anymore.

And, no, sorry, I am not going to give you examples here, there have been plenty over time, I even recall we had a discussion earlier about this, and just as in this thread, you refuse to open yourself to crticism from anybody else, so what is the point?

I welcome intelligent criticism, just not the ill-informed kind. You have been challenged to put up. This pointless diversion from the topic was created by you and a couple of others who are happy to slur the professions of other posters, without good reason, and without the capacity to justify their complaints. Tabloid minds are the problem.

I stand corrected, IMO your journalism is sensationalism.

So I'm sorry, we don't agree on this.

Ok . . . is that everything I write, or just some of it, or all of Phuketwan's reporting? You must have read most of it to make such a sweeping generalisation.

Perhaps you could nominate one example of ''sensationalism''? Perhaps one of our 50 updates reporting the airport blockade accurately over those three days, or breaking the news about box jellyfish being found off Phuket? Or our forecast of the economy of the island for the coming high season?

Phuketwan's journalism does not pretend to be perfect, no journalism does. We try very hard to get it right. We check our facts. Mostly, we get it right. It is certainly better than living in an information vacuum.

So, Steve, let's go through this one thing at a time . . . just what have we done that you think is ''sensationalism''?

As a reviewer and writer, I would highly recommend Siam Indigo restaurant on Phang Nga Rd in Phuket Town: fabulous Thai/ French food in a stylish and historic building, set in an interesting cultural precinct.

As a reviewer what do you think about their food quality?

Gerd

Hi THAIGERD - On the occasions I dined at Siam Indigo, the food was fresh, innovative and delicious. I do highly recommend it, especially if you book ahead as a VIP with the owner Celine - she will not disappoint.

What do you mean, 'You book ahead as a VIP?' Is that how you review restaurants, by getting special treatment? A good restaurant should be consistent in quality and treat every order as if it was special. To let the owner know you are a reviewer breaks the first rule of genuine reviewers: you don't let the owner or chef know that you are there.

You failed to notice the full stop. I said ' On the occasions I dined at Siam Indigo ... innovative and delicious.' I never said I alerted the owner or chef I was there. But, nevertheless, Siam Indigo is a fine dining experience totally under-recognised and under-estimated in SE Asian gastronomical circles.

Do you go incognito whenever you review a restaurant, just as any customer would, and pay for your meal?

>>Even in the US, it would be difficult to imagine the introductory paragraph reading: ''A STINGRAY self-defended a woman as she swam at a beach on Ko Yao Noi on Saturday evening, inflicting a painful wound.''

Wouldn't it be "A STINGRAY defended itself when a woman swam to close blah blah"?

Only if you believe Nemo is out there and can actually talk. The stingray (counter) attacked the woman. She accidentally stood on it. The stingray reacted. Its reaction was probably pure reflex . . . But a barb through the skin is still a (counter) attack.

Don't believe everything you see in Disney films! Animals can hurt you, too!

And if you find one that talks, please let me know.

As a reviewer and writer, I would highly recommend Siam Indigo restaurant on Phang Nga Rd in Phuket Town: fabulous Thai/ French food in a stylish and historic building, set in an interesting cultural precinct.

As a reviewer what do you think about their food quality?

Gerd

Hi THAIGERD - On the occasions I dined at Siam Indigo, the food was fresh, innovative and delicious. I do highly recommend it, especially if you book ahead as a VIP with the owner Celine - she will not disappoint.

What do you mean, 'You book ahead as a VIP?' Is that how you review restaurants, by getting special treatment? A good restaurant should be consistent in quality and treat every order as if it was special. To let the owner know you are a reviewer breaks the first rule of genuine reviewers: you don't let the owner or chef know that you are there.

The Phuket Brewery opens on November 21 on the Bypass with seating at tables for 2000 guests, and a large stage that can accommodate international performers. Carabao, the great Thai band, is the headline opening act with the promise of more stars to come regularly.

Who do you want to see live on Phuket?

Here's one suggested list: Loso! Carabao again. Madonna on the slide, any great alternative rock band, especially the White Stripes. Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, the Rolling Stones seriously reborn from 1970, and with Tata Young singing lead vocals, No Doubt, Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas (all other rappers/hip hoppers should be banned because it's sooo boooring) Joan Baez, Nina Simone with a little help from science, Mazzy Starr, Amy Winehouse, Norah Jones, kd laing twice, Jet, Outkast, Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin, the B-52s, Ben Harper, Bjork, Blondie, Blur, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Coldplay, the Corrs, Eskimo Joe, George Benson, Green Day, Foo Fighters, John Butler Trio, Joni Mitchell, Lilly Allen, Mary J. Blige, Metallica, Milli Vanilli, Nelly Futado, Oasis, Okkervill River, PJ Harvey, Powderfinger, Red Hot Chili Peppers (ped ped ped), Simply Red, Garbage, Smashing Pumpkins, the Strokes, Thom Yorke, Tracy Chapman, and most of all . . . Jack Johnson singing duet with Bob Marley.

--More at www.phuketwan.com

You are entitled to your opinion, even though it's nonsense. Huggy's headlines were sensationalism at its worst.

Our journalism is sensational.

I am saying your 'journalism' is sensational, you say my opinion is nonsense. In the next line you say your journalism is sensational. So the only difference is: you cal it journalism, I call it 'journalism'.

Feel free to call it what you like. I am not sure the single quotes make any difference. Does that mean we agree on something?

If something is 'sensational' then it's usually good. But 'sensationalism' is bad. Another trick of the English language.

Phuket's Marine Biological Centre has issued an alert over the presence of box jellyfish in waters off Krabi and Phuket. Scientists are continuing to try to define more clearly the dangers, without unnecessary alarm.

THE DIRECTOR of the centre, Vannakiat Thubthimsaeng, has alerted key tourism, media, hospitals, local authorities and the Governor that potentially dangerous box jellyfish are in the waters of the region.

His warning comes in a letter sent dated October 21 to a long list of people in high positions on the island.

It follows the death of a Swedish girl tourist off Koh Lanta in April and two news reports this week by Phuketwan that revealed the presence of box jellyfish in the sea off Phuket's east coast.

--more at www.phuketwan.com

Stevenl,

You are entitled to your opinion, even though it's nonsense. Huggy's headlines were sensationalism at its worst.

Our journalism is sensational. There is a difference

I fail to see what this diversion of Huggy's has with the central issue of a stingray attack on a tourist.

Perhaps you could explain?

I'm all in favor of the sunblock solution.

Huggybear,

Yes, it's all about english and semantics. 'Attack' is both a noun AND a verb. 'Self-defence' is a just a noun. 'Attack' and 'defence' are opposites. When a stingray strikes, it's a counter-attack. To defend is to protect or guard oneself, or, say, a fortress. It does not imply striking out. A counter-attack is something different. That's what the stingray did. It counter-attacked. Reflexive, perhaps, but an attack, nevertheless.

Even in the US, it would be difficult to imagine the introductory paragraph reading: ''A STINGRAY self-defended a woman as she swam at a beach on Ko Yao Noi on Saturday evening, inflicting a painful wound.''

I should have made it plain: jellyfish don't attack, ok? They just don't like sharing.

Anyway, where were we? Ah yes . . . .

Surely the most important point is that the locals knew there were more stingrays about but the tourist/visitor was not told.

Local communities seeking tourists for homestays should share their knowledge about what's in the water.

Otherwise there will be more attacks. And more pain all round.

URGENT HELP is being sought from Australian researchers after the discovery of box jellyfish in the sea around Phuket and a death in waters off the more remote resort destination of Krabi.

While marine biologists say it is too early for tourists to be alarmed, research on the prevalence of the deadly marine creatures has become a priority.

An Australian whose son survived a jellyfish sting in the Gulf of Siam believes Thailand may have more box jellyfish deaths than Australia, but these mostly go unreported.

One Swedish tourist died from a box jellyfish sting off the coast of Krabi, in April this year.

A spokesperson for the Phuket Marine Biology Centre said that testing is likely to confirm biologists' suspicions that the type discovered on Phuket is not the same variety as the killer box jellyfish.

The jellyfish discovered off Phuket were caught in mangrove traps at Nam Bor Bay, near Phuket City on the east coast of the island, on July 30.

-- Full report at www.phuketwan.com

PHUKET will have a new governor next week. Governor Niran Kalayanamit is being promoted to Bangkok. The new governor will come from a north-central province.

The ending of his key role as province governor in just a week's time brings to a close a relationship with the island that began when Khun Niran was appointed a deputy governor seven years ago. He was promoted to the key role of governor in 2006 and is highly-regarded for taking a stance on vital issues.

The longtime General Manager of Holiday Inn Phuket, Wolfgang Meusburger, told Phuketwan that Khun Niran had done his best for business and tourism on Phuket.

''I hope his successor is as good as Khun Niran has been,'' Mr Meusburger said.

Phuket is seen as one of the most important of Thailand's 76 provinces, largely because of the huge amount of revenue generated by tourism. However, one of the biggest battles that governors always have is with the national government in Bangkok. Khun Niran was no exception.

- More at www.phuketwan.com

An accurate measure of the downturn in tourism comes with the release of figures from Phuket International Airport that show passenger numbers down by 27 percent and flights off a similar figure.

Comparison between 2007 and 2008 reveals a 28 percent drop in flights for the month of August.

That downturn is continuing, with a drop of 22 percent in the number of flights in September so far, up to September 15.

Those figures indicate that the cost of aviation fuel was already having an effect before the declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok and the blockade of the island's airport over three days late last month.

Airport General Manager Wicha Nurnlop told Phuketwan that the drop in the number of passengers was even greater in the first half of September, with numbers down to 135, 980 from 184,345, a drop of 27 percent.

-- More at www.phuketwan.com

Yes, and Steve Irwin is alive and living in Rio.

OK, let's rewrite that introductory paragraph. ''A woman was foolish enough to step in the water close to a stingray today, and the stingray couldn't help itself. It just had to barb her and cause a painful injury. But it was in self-defence, the stingray said.''

Happy now?

I think you've watched too many cartoon flicks where all the animals are really, really nice, and behave just the way humans think they should.

The word ''attack'' doesn't mean flying off to aggressively impale someone. It covers self-defence, too. It may be a natural reflex, but in the English language, what the stingray did constitutes an attack.

Readers of phuketwan.com have been well aware the airport was scheduled to reopen. We told them yesterday about this morning's meetings, and at 11.20am told them the airport was going to reopen. Don't mean to be boastful, but we followed up with a long, thorough, reliable report.

THE BLOCKADE of Phuket International Airport is over, and now the cost is being counted.

Phuket's air siege lifted when leaders of the Peoples' Alliance for Democracy met Sunday morning and decided to stop the protest that brought a halt to all flights in and out of the island from Friday.

Soon after, airport General Manager Wing Commander Wicha Nurnlop called all 11 airlines and told them the airport was open, and that flights could resume as soon as possible.

The first outbound flight will be Thai Airways TG214, due to leave Phuket for Bangkok at 4.20pm.

Inbound, the first flight to arrive will be TG213, which leaves Bangkok at 2.10pm and arrives on Phuket at 3.30pm.

If you are a tourist travelling to Phuket or trying to leave the island, check with your airline direct for information about rescheduled flights.

The airport will have to cope with a backlog of travellers.

-- Detailed report at www.phuketwan.com

Anti-government PAD protests spread to Phuket for the first time today with a huge demonstration at the airport. The island's police chief has called in reinforcements. Flights are functioning, with delays. But outbound passengers are being forced to walk long distances to catch flights.

- Details and Updates at Phuketwan.com