News & Minivdos Andaman News Wednesday 14 November

[NBT TV Phuket]

National Geographic Traveller experts rate Phuket Island's environment at a low score.

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The well known National Geographic Traveler website & magazine's November edition highlights 522 experts votes on 111 islands around the world. To see how the integrity of these islands around the world is holding up, Traveler and National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations conducted this fourth annual Destination Scorecard survey, aided by George Washington University. The scores that followed reflected the experts' opinions, on a scale of 100 or Enhanced to 0 (zero) or Catastrophic. Faroe Islands in Denmark was top with a score of 87. Phuket scored only 46. It was 106th or 6th from bottom. Some quoted phrases from their remarks on Phuket suggest their thinking behind the scores: quote "Chaotic development. The Thai people do not realize what a beautiful island we have. They continue to over-exploit all the island's resources. We missed the window of opportunity after the 2004 tsunami to clean out illegal coastal development." unquote

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but to find out some responses to that survey, we asked some tourists and the Patong Deputy Mayor how they rated Phuket's environment out of 100, and what they thought yesterday, which was also the first good weather day of the high season. Let's hear what they said: ....

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Our interview with Christopher Byrd, Managing Director of Tour de Asia Bicycle Touring Company, organising the 5th Tour de Thailand charity ride 20 November to 16 December, from Chiang Mai to Phuket, via Khao Lak on 14-16 December, and meeting up with local day riders near Sarasin Bridge to Dolphin park, Patong. It's to raise funds for Thai people with leukemia, cancer & blindness through donations or sponsorship. During a preparation visit to Patong yesterday, he told us more:

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Contact: www.tourdethailand.com

Tel: 081-1734469

Fax: 02-663-4632

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Phuket aims to have at least 70% of voters come out to exercise their votes for the general election.

<p> Phuket Provincial Election Commission has vowed that they will campaign and educate people about the general election to get eligible voters to come out to exercise their rights on December 23rd. The Phuket Vice Governor Tri Akkaradecha in his capacity as the provincial head of Election Commission, said it targets to have at least 70% of voters exercise their rights while seeking support and cooperation from all media especially radios and television to help with the campaign. He admitted that people still need to be made aware of the election procedures and the information of the proportion and the area MP candidates.

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Phuket launches Thailand’s first mobile registration vehicle for public service.

<p> The mobile registration vehicle from Phuket Provincial Office under the Local Administration Department was launched to provide public service in the Patong area of Kathu district as the pioneer location yesterday. It is also Thailand’s first unit to provide a mobile unit.

The vehicle is well equipped with modern tools including on-line Internet, and is developed by the Local Administration Department to be a compact registration office to serve people at their places. They can register their house registration or residency, apply or renew ID cards, transfer houses, change names, etc. This is also part of the attempt to encourage people who live or work on the island to register their residency so that proper public utilities and services can be provided. The new service is expected to attract around 80,000 more people to register their residency.

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A global warming awareness and reduction campaign was launched in Phuket.

<p> The Thai Environment Institute in cooperation with Toyota Thailand held an exhibition and activity at Central Festival in Phuket to raise public awareness on global warming and how to reduce the risk. The activities included exhibiting of products made from recycled material by local students. It aims at educating and promoting natural resources and environment conservation among young people including waste reduction. A 10 minute long documentary from ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ was also screened to show how global warming affects human beings while also introducing ways to resolve or prevent problems. Young participants also learnt about ways to conserve energy which included turning the air-con down to 25 degrees Celsius maximum.

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The TAT estimates 1.5 million tourist arrivals in Phang-Nga by the end of this year

<p> The accommodation rooms of hotels and resorts in Phang-Nga’s Khao Lak and Koh Yao is now 100% redeveloped and accommodates around 1,000 more rooms for this high season. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand Region 4 Director Suwalai Pinpradap, the tourist arrivals to Phang-Nga during January to June this year was up 16% compared to the same period last year. It totaled 749,000 people with an average of 2.38 days stay and 1,718 baht per day per person. This generates revenue of over 1,860 million baht for the first six month of the year. Suwalai expects the number of tourist arrivals to Phang-Nga to reach 1.5 million by this year end. Phang-Nga has 121 hotels and accommodation registered with 4,546 rooms. Thais, German, Swedish, British and Swiss are among the main markets.

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The Aeronautical radio ‘Mini Volleyball’ is on until November 17th.

<p> The under 12 year old Aeronautical Radio Mini-Volleyball’ tournament is now being held at the Saphan Hin sport complex in Phuket city with 10 teams participating. The opening ceremony took place on the 12th with the Phuket Vice Governor Worapote Ratasrima presiding over the ceremony. The matches will go on until November 17th. The winner will be participating in a national level competition to be held in Ranong province.

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The 2008 Phuket International Blues Rock Festival will have 12 bands on stage.

<p> The organizer of the annual festival told Andaman News that next year’s event at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa, February 22-23, will be expanded to 12 bands in total - showcasing 10 of South East Asia’s finest acts and topping it off with an American headliner each night. Confirmed so far are Bangkok’s Soi Dog Blues Band, Georgia’s Blues Band, Full House and Cannonball as well as The Blues Machine from Pattaya and Boy Blues Band from Chiang Mai. More bands will be added shortly, and they have also secured one of Australia’s top blues acts, Salty Dog. The internationally renowned Rich Harper Band from Los Angeles which has gathered strong following in Thailand over the past two years will return in 2008. First held in December 2005, The Phuket International Blues Festival was organized to showcase the diverse local and regional talent and to show the world that Phuket is capable of staging international music events on a par with the best in the world. The festival is a charity event, with profits being donated to worthy organizations dedicated to Phuket’s children’s education, The Phuket International Women's Club and The Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation. More details are on www.phuketbluesfestival.com

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The Royal Over-Seas League Thailand holds a young musician contest.

<p> The Conrad Young Musician of Thailand Competition in association with The Royal Over-Seas League is arranging the The King’s Award – 2008. For the past 55 years of its 97 years existence the Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) has developed a diverse range of activities and projects aligned and devoted to the career development of talented young artists and musicians internationally from around the world. The western classical music competition is open to all Thai citizens and other persons who have been resident in Thailand for a period of not less than one year. Age for entry is up to and including 20 yrs. of age as at 30th March 2008. Candidates should register their intent to enter the competition as soon as possible but no later than 31 December 2007 by completing and submitting a registration form digitally through the ROSL Thailand website www.roslthailand.com where there is more information.

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Krabi’s Berk Fah Andaman Festival starts on Thursday.

<p> The Krabi Berk Fah Andaman or Andaman Festival will be held during November 15th to 17th at the public park on the river bank in Krabi town. The annual event will mark the opening of this year’s tourism season and reflect the readiness of local people to welcome tourists. Three main activities will be showcased. They are tourism, sports and cultural shows plus local community products sales. The festival participants will also enjoy great choices of local food and sea food. The festival will be officially opened at 7.30 pm in November by the Krabi Governor Siwa Sirisaowaluck.

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from Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) 8.30am + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, both broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket & Phuket Cable TV Channel 1 at 7, 10.30 or 11pm, Wednesday 14 November 2007