Andaman News Monday 26 November 2007

[NBT TV Phuket]

MiniVDO: The Loy Krathong Festival in Phuket held in various locations was actively participated in by residents and tourists.

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Starting from the Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong where it arranged a Krathong making demonstration and facility for the public and tourists to take part in the traditional Thai Loy Krathong festival. The activity was held in the middle open hall with the fountains as backdrop. The event drew interest from tourists. On Soi Bangla road, beer-bar operators joined in the festive festival by having their staff dress in traditional Thai styles which were seemed to stun or amaze some foreign visitors. Meanwhile right on Patong beach, opposite Soi Bangla, a big stage was set up for the opening ceremony for the evening with Phuket Vice Governor Tri Akkaradecha presiding and then leading the officials and public to float Krathong into the ocean. Foreign tourists, especially couples, enjoyed the event, some released floating lanterns while most of them bought the Krathong to float in water. Some even said they understood the concept of the festival: (Australian Tourist // Swedish tourist //British tourist)

Meanwhile in Phuket City the big pond at the Saphan Hin tip was lit up with candle lights from Krathong. Families came to the event as they believed in begging pardons from the water, to take away bad luck and wish for a prosperous future. This year the Phuket City Office arranged a grand Krathong in Lotus shape in celebration of HM the King’s 80th Birthday which drew vast attention from the participants.

Young Reporter - Loy Krathong Festival at Horizons Learning Center, Phuket

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Today at Horizons Learning Center, as part of our multicultural learning environment, we are celebrating the Thai festival of water, Loy Krathong. As part of our Thai studies curriculum, we held a Loy Krathong Festival to enhance students’ understanding of Thai culture. We started out this morning making Krathongs out of banana trees, banana leaves, flowers, candles and incense. Parents also came along to join in the Krathong-making. Students came to school in Thai costumes and performed dances, fencing and a Loy Krathong play. Let’s listen and watch some highlights:

One of the more popular performances was the teacher’s dance: Pamela Wetzell, Director, thanked all the participants and parents. Loy Krathong is one of the most beautiful Thai festivals and one that all of us at Horizons Learning Center really enjoyed. This is Ellie Anderson, today’s Young Reporter for Andaman News.

MiniVDO: Guides for cruise ships and tourist boats were trained on first aid to properly take care of tourists in times of need.

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Guides who deal with cruise and tourist passenger boats in Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi gathered to learn about basic sea rescue and first aid from professional trainers of the provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, the Royal Thai Navy and Bangkok Hospital in Phuket. The session was arranged by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Phuket Office which oversees the Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi provinces in the Andaman Region. Stressing the need for such skills in safety, the TAT local office Deputy Director Runjuan Thongrut said several cruise ships bring in tourists to the region each week, especially getting busy since this month of November, so the hospitality personnel, especially guides who are close to visitors, need to learn safety procedures. The cruise ship passengers are considered a high spending power group of tourists, she concluded.

MiniVDO: Bangkok Hospital Phuket ran a fire drill to enhance the personnel skills and test all equipment in handling any emergency situation.

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The annual exercise simulated a fire situation when smoke and fire supposedly broke out in a patient’s room on the hospital’s second floor. The staff then initially used the fire extinguisher tanks to control the fire while at the same time alerted the hospital’s rescue unit with fire fighters to extinguish the fire. The fire engines from the Office of Phuket City were also notified and rushed to the scene to assist. Hospital staff evacuated patients to safety locations outside and transferred to other hospitals for treatment. The drill was reported to have followed action plans. The hospital sets to run fire exercises twice a year with extensions to other possible disaster incidents. They are expected to enhance the hospital’s personnel skills in handling fires and transfers of patients in a professional and efficient way.

MiniVDO: Bangkok Hospital Phuket & International Business Association of Phuket help Ban Kathu School.

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Staff from Bangkok Hospital Phuket & the President & members of the International Business Association of Phuket or IBAP visited the Ban Kathu primary government school in Phuket. The hospital staff, including some senior doctors & even their Director, are lending assistance by volunteering in the classroom, teaching the enthusiastic students English and other health subjects plus offering free medical check ups as well as assessing needs for future operations. The school lacks sufficient teachers and equipment, with old and neglected facilities. Together with IBAP, they are considering how else to help the school, firstly by donating food including boxes of noodles, and a cheque for funds. Piyanooch Ananpakdee, Project Coordinator of Bangkok Hospital Phuket told us more about their hopes:

MiniVDO: A Tree planting activity was arranged in Phuket in honour of HM the King’s 80th Birthday Anniversary as well as some turtles released.

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381 sea turtles and 50,000 baby sea bass fish were released into the sea in front of the Royal Thai Navy Third fleet at Cape Panwa. The activity, arranged by the Phuket province and the Royal Thai Navy Third Fleet, aimed at joining the national celebrations of HM the King’s 80th Birthday Anniversary as well as promoting natural resources conservation as also encouraged by Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand. The Royal Thai Navy Third Fleet has its own turtle conservation centre both in the Andaman region and the Eastern coast of Chon Buri. On the Andaman coast, the centre is located at Phang-Nga Naval Base. In the afternoon the tree planting activity was also held at Klong Mudong in Wichit Sub-District, adding more trees to the mangrove area there.

MiniVDO: The Phuket authority gets prepared to host the 21st Phuket King’s Cup regatta with over 100 yachts participating.

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More than 100 yacht crews have confirmed their participation in the 21st Phuket King’s Cup Regatta to be held during December 1st - 8th in the Andaman Sea off Phuket, with racing from Monday to Saturday, except a lay day on Thursday. The annual event is always held during the week of HM the King’s Birthday with its inaugural event in 1987 in celebration of HM the King’s 60th Birthday Anniversary. Phuket Vice Governor Worapote Ratasrima held a meeting with all related agencies last Friday in preparation for the grand event. The special Sail Past activity will be arranged in the Kata Bay on Wednesday December 5th, HM the King’s birthday, for all sailors to pay respect to HM who won a sailing gold medal in 1967 during the fourth South East Asia Peninsular Games now known as the SEA Games. The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is recognized as the most prestigious regatta in Asia. More details are on www.kingscup.com

Special - Kings Cup 80 Rugby final at Sanam Chai in Phuket: Thailand beat Australia

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The King's Cup 80 Rugby tournament at the Sanam Chai ground in Phuket City ended last Friday night, 23rd November, with a fitting final victory for the young Thai national team in yellow, who beat a strong and slightly heavier Australian team from Canberra in white, who seemed a bit below the form they showed in the first league game last Saturday when they beat the Thais 34-24. The Thai team started to gain revenge early on with fast flowing moves, stretching the play across the field, exciting the home crowd. They scored two early tries or touchdowns, finding gaps in the Australian defense. It was a bruising encounter, with a few injuries, despite the equal average weights of around 80 kilograms. The Aussies came back into the game with a try and conversion kick to bring the score closer at 14-12. Our Channel 11 cameramen were out in force to record the whole match for True Visions to show later. The Thai team converted a penalty kick to extend the lead to 17-12. And after another quick try and conversion they moved into a comfortable 24-12 score. Their best try of the night came just before half time, and this really pleased the Thai crowd.

31-12 was the score at half time and it seemed all over. But the Aussies weren’t giving up. The Thai manager & coach seemed a little tense. But the Aussies could not convert their chances. Patrick Cotter of the local Phuket Vagabonds club was enjoying the match. The Thai Rugby Union officials kept good track of the timing, scores and weights of the players, in this relatively new 80 format which provides more equal chances for lighter teams. Two misbehaving & opposing players were sent to the sin bin to sit out together for 10 minutes. The Thai team finished with a good try and conversion, plus a final drop kick, to finish the win with a final score of 44-24. It was a friendly finish;

All the teams, including 3rd place Sri Lanka, and 4th placed Thai Under 20 year olds, lined up for the presentation. The Thai captain collected the King’s Cup trophy in front of HM’s portrait. The Australian captain of the Canberra Pirates, David McLenaghon, collected the runners up trophy, and after the game told us how he felt their game went: “Defintely tough …. Attacking quality” A Thai player, Kiattiyot Kwanseng, told us how happy they were to win HM the King’s trophy in this auspicious year: “Are you v. happy?.. now go celebrate..” All the players, VIPs and officials joined up for final photos before leaving Phuket, planning to meet again probably in New Zealand for next year’s rugby 80 tournament.

Interview - Ketsuda Tantiwattanaphan, Operation Supervisor of Destination Air Shuttle seaplanes

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Our interview is with Ketsuda Tantiwattanaphan, Operation Supervisor of Destination Air Shuttle seaplane service, who started the first flights to/from Patong Bay pier last week, with scheduled flights to/from Phi Phi Island & Phuket airport; and also new flights to Langkawi, Malaysia, on the first Tuesdays of each month, from 4 December with special donations that day; They can arrange excursion tour flights to various sites like the tour around Patong Bay you can see now, as Ketsuda tells us more on the rocky pontoon: ……. Contact: www.DestinationAir.com Tel : 076 328637-9 Fax : 076 328598

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, Monday 26 November 2007 & http://news.prd.go.th