Andaman News Friday 16 November

[NBT TV Phuket]

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Pirated goods were seized in Phuket City last night.

<p> Hundreds of computer games in various forms including CDs were seized by police from 3 shops in Phuket city yesterday evening. The seizure took place after police were informed by a private company representative that their goods were copied. The shop owner Mr Eaknarong told police that he bought the goods from Bangkok and did not know that they were pirated. The copyright company representative Thawatchai Suankok Klang sated that the 3 shops violated the property rights law and caused damage to the company. The games were on sale at 200-300 baht while the original copies are priced at over 1000 baht each.

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Phuket plans a garden reception in honour of HM the King on 6th December 2007.

<p> The Phuket provincial authority is preparing to organize a garden reception to celebrate HM the King’s 80th Birthday anniversary. The Phuket Governor Nirund Kalayanamit held a meeting with related officials in preparation for the grand event, which will be held on December 6th, 2007 at the governor’s residence, during 5-10pm. The event will provide officials and representatives from private organizations to express their respect and fondness of the beloved monarch. The initial activities planned include light and sound presentations, jazz music using the royally composed songs and firework displays. The event theme will be grand, but under the sufficiency economy principle in honour of HM the King. Foreign diplomats and dignitaries will be invited to attend the reception.

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To Be Number One Teen Aerobic & Dancercise Thailand Championship 2008 was held in Phuket.

<p> The To be Number One Teen Aerobic and Dancercise Thailand Championship 2008 was staged at the Satree Phuket School in the heart of Phuket city. They impressed the audience. Organised for the 5th year, the activity was participated in by four teams from local schools. They were Satree Phuket, Chalermprakiat Somdej Phra Srinakarin School, Dao Rung and Khajohn Kiat Suksa School. The winner received a plaque of honour from the To Be Number One Project with 20,000 baht schooling fund from the Ministry of Public Health, and will take part in the regional level to gear up for the national level next year. The To Be Number One program is graciously chaired by Princess Ubol Ratana with the main aim to encourage constructive activities among young people and keep them away from drugs and other indecent activities.

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All parties concerned with waste management in Phuket discuss way out before staging a public forum by this year’s end.

<p> Officials and representatives from local government and personnel in the environmental field gathered and discussed with private businesses to brainstorm ideas and map out operation direction in waste reduction and management for Phuket. The meeting discussed forms or means of appropriate waste management, study legal data on garbage in order to bring them up for discussion in public forums where the participants are expected to exchange problems, ideas and resolutions. The small public session outcome or conclusion will then be presented in a large public forum expected to be held before the end of this year. The organizer, led by the Public Health Deputy Chief Dr Wiwat Sitamanote expects that the data and forum would lead to the changes in behavior for waste management.

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Two more candidates have registered to run in the general election in Phuket totaling up the candidates to 10 so far.

<p> Yesterday was the 4th day for the MP candidate candidacy registration and 2 more came to register. They were Mr Wisut Chantira and Aree Suriya from Peur Paen Din party who received number 9 and 10. Wisut resigned from a teaching career to run in the general election. Their registration yesterday brought the total number of candidates to 10 from 5 political parties. Phuket can have 2 representatives for the province. The Provincial Election Commissioner Tri Akaradecha said he believes the competition in Phuket would not be as fierce as other provinces, but he however instructed police to closely monitor the gunmen situation.

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Phuket follows up Korean language tests.

<p> Twenty Thai nationals have passed the A grade for Korean language proficiency test under the MOU signed between Phuket province and 33 Korean Tourist Businesses. The statement was made by the Phuket Governor Worapote Ratasrima who further said 22 people have got B and 65 are graded C or need improvement. The provincial authority also joins hands with the Korean Association in Phuket and the Skill Labor Development office to enhance their language skills once a week in support of the tourism industry. This also helps reduce the so-called sitting guide problem when Thai nationals are asked to attend, but let Korean nationals to be guides, when guides are careers legally reserved for Thai nationals only.

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Phang-Nga’s overall economy is reported to be growing during the third quarter of this year.

<p> The increase in value of rubber and oil palm production which results in the rise of consumer products indicates overall growth in Phang-Nga’s economy in the third quarter of this year. These include the collection of VAT, electricity consumption and new vehicle registration. The investment in construction is also reportedly growing compared to the same period last year while the number of tourists continue to grow despite the off peak season. This month the Provincial Social Security Office reports at least 20 more places offering employment in their system mostly in service industry and skill labour in businesses.

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The Laguna Phuket Triathlon on 2 December attracts World Ironman Champions.

<p> Laguna Phuket together with Thai Airways International Plc., the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and Herbalife International (Thailand) Limited, will host the 14th annual Laguna Phuket Triathlon on Sunday 2 December 2007, from 7.00am to 1:00 pm. They told Andaman News that the event is expected to be more exciting than ever as the 2007 World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington, 2005 World Ironman Champion Faris Al-Sultan, as well as 2007 World Ironman 70.3 Champion Mirinda Carfrae will also be competing in the race for a slice of the US$20,000 pro prize purse. Chrissie was the biggest surprise winner ever and the first Brit to win in the history of the Ironman World Championships. Also, Mirinda won the title at this year’s Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, Florida and broke Natascha Badmann's half-Ironman world best time. The 758 athletes in the individual race and 60 teams in the Herbalife Corporate Challenge Team Relay, as well as an expected 300 runners in the 6k Fun Run should provide spectators with plenty of race action to view this year.

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The Road Closures for the Laguna Phuket Triathlon were also announced.

<p> Laguna Phuket also informed Andaman News that due to the 2007 Laguna Phuket Triathlon on Sunday 2 December, with approximately 800 cyclists using Phuket’s northern roads that morning, the following road closures and traffic disruptions will occur at the following times: 1. 07.30am – 09.15am Naithon Road - 4031 (old airport road) junction. 2. 08.00am – 11.00am Old airport road to 4026 (new airport road) junction. 3. 09.00am – 10.45am Old airport road from Naithon Road junction - 4026 junction. 4. 08.15am – 10.15am Small roads north west of Thalang. 5. 08.30am – 10.15am Thalang back roads – the Thalang-Cherngtalay Road . 6. 08.30am – 10.45am Cherngtalay – Thalang road 7. 07.00 am – 12.15pm All Laguna Phuket roads. In particular the roads within Laguna compound will be mostly closed though out the morning. Any traffic going to/from Patong, Kamala or Surin going to/from Ban Don, Thalang or the airport are asked to use Srisoontorn Road (4025) via the Heroines Monument. Traffic to/from the airport should use the airport road (4026) linking to Thepkrasatri Road (402). Laguna Phuket said they apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the temporary roadblocks and traffic restrictions.

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Four sports events for young and old are on this weekend in Phuket.

<p>Two soccer, one rugby and one golf event take place on this busy weekend of sports in Phuket: First today the British International School International school's 7's football or soccer tournament at campus in KorKaew started at 8.30 am and finishes at 4.30 pm today & tomorrow Saturday 17th November, with 17 international school's competing including 3 Thai teams, with over 670 students in nine divisions that cater for both primary/secondary girls and boys. Secondly, the Andaman Soccer 7s take place on Saturday all day as the first part of the 2007 Phuket International Soccer 7s which continue next weekend, both planned at Karon Stadium, if the pitch is in good enough condition. Thirdly, the week long Kings Cup Rugby 80 tournament starts at Sanam Chai tomorrow Saturday at 5.30pm with Thailand against Australia & at 7.15pm Laos play Sri Lanka. More games are every other day until the finals next Friday evening at the same times. And finally in golf, on Saturday after noon, the British Business Association of Phuket are holding their annual ChildWatch Golf Competition on the Canyon Course at the Blue Canyon Country Club followed by Dinner at the Millenium Hotel, Patong, with Sunday also being their Family Day at the hotel. Take your choice and enjoy!

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Batik shirts are a popular item sold in tropical countries in Asia, and while it originates in Indonesia, this simple art and craft has been used to create a substantial means of income for many villages on the island of Phuket.

Now, Batik is something you see a lot in Phuket, it's almost synonymous with tropical living with but today I'm with the Sirsoonthorn group of women who not only make Batik shirts, but have diversified their product range to include a lot of different things.

The Sirsoonthorn group in the Thalang district, comprising of 6 women, make Batik items as a hobby, and have a line of products, using Batik to create not only shirts, but things like pillow cases,// sarongs,// t-shirts,// bed sheets,// hanker chiefs,// tablecloths, handbags, plate mats and the popular yellow shirts with the royal emblem of H.M. the king's 80th Birthday Anniversary stitched to the shirt pocket, giving it a tropical twist and sold at around 600 baht is one of the groups most popular items. This has allowed them another means of income outside of their normal professions.

The products by the group are of good quality as well, sealed with the 'Phuket Brand' logo that is sponsored by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization or PPAO, which helps distributes the group's products whenever it organizes events. Besides being certified by ISO 9001-2001, the products are one of the many under the 'One Tambon, One Product' or OTOP projects that encouraged locally made Thai products.

The craft is fairly simple, as the technique uses equipment that is easy to handle, make and fix. // First the pattern is drawn on to paper and then traced over by pencil on to a piece of cloth. //The material is then stretched out onto a wooden frame, and using a canted needle (being a tool with a wooden handle and a metal cup) melted candle wax is scooped and let out of a spout that ranges in small and large sizes,// depending on the width of the line the artist wishes to create. //The wax blocks the dye used to color the fabric. The color is then painted on and when dry the material is dipped into a solution to keep the dye from running,// then another to dissolve the wax.

"Our products are different from other places, as we have table cloths, bed sheets, plate mats, that we haven't seen other groups do. Our Batik products are more diverse."

While their products are not sold on road side shops they are made to order, as the group has received requests for bags and shirts from foreign and local clients. The group's patterns of tropical flowers and fish, while not new to the craft of Batik making, are beautiful, and with the members trying to create different products with the craft as it is, their skills, with this art form, can only get better

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Interview with Saichit Praditseri, English teacher & DVT Co-ordinator, of Phuket Vocational College (or PVC) plus Cindy Ratcliffe, President of Phuket International Women's Club (or PIWC), as they were celebrating the 9th anniversary of appreciation by PVC to PIWC members at a lunch yesterday. PIWC gave 358 PVC students scholarships worth over 3.5m baht in 9 years. The PVC Tourism & Hospitality students made F&B, foot massages, handicrafts, English & dance shows yesterday before the PIWC's 'Rhapsody in Blue' fundraising gala next Saturday, 24 November at Indigo Pearl Resort. Saichit first sums up her appreciation:

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After-dinner tickets are still available for ball:

Tel. Joan Watson 087 282 0422

www.phuket.com/PIWC

www.dovePVC.moe.go.th

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, & other times Phuket Cable TV channel 1, Friday 15 November 2007

email [email protected] for more info