Andaman News Wednesday 6 Feb.

[NBT TV Phuket]

MiniVDO: A local school in Phuket has its students prepare Chinese cake for the Chinese New Year festival.

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216174

In celebrating Chinese New Year, as well as having its students participating in cultural learning by making Chinese desserts, the Phuket Technology School invited local experts to teach their students on the dessert preparation. They made Khanom Keng or steamed sticky rice flour and the steamed sponge cake, wisely used during the Chinese festival. The students will also earn some extra income as the desserts will be put on sale at the Phuket Commercial Affairs Office until today, February 6th.

MiniVDO: The Phuket Commercial Affairs office offers specially priced goods for shoppers during Chinese New Year while the local market is also active.

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216173

Chemical free-vegetables, fruits and meats are put on sale under the specially priced goods program made available at the Phuket Commercial Affairs Office during the Chinese New Year. The program launched nationwide aims at ensuring fair prices for consumers during the Chinese New Year period. Meanwhile shopping at a local fresh market in Phuket city was active yesterday as Chinese families prepared food for today’s paying homage activity. Shoppers however admitted that they are spending carefully this year due to higher prices of goods including cooking oil and fresh chicken meats.

Interview - Assistant Professor Pranee Sakulpipatana, local historian on Chinese New Year

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216172

To find out more about the meaning and symbolism of Chinese New Year we have an interview with Assistant Professor Pranee Sakulpipatana, Lecturer at Rajaphat University Phuket & a local historian. The Chinese New Year starts this Thursday, February 7 with holidays and celebrations for 3-9 days. Many Chinese-Thai Hokkien or Baba families, live in the old part of Phuket town along Thalang Road, where her family still own a shophouse, as she tells us more: …… (we wish all our viewers & listeners ‘Si Nee Huad Jai’ in Hokkien or ‘Gong Xhi Faa Chai’ in Chinese = Happy New Chinese New Year)

12 provinces in southern Thailand are scheduled to meet and discuss road safety ideas.

Related officials from 12 southern provinces including Phuket, Phang-Nga, Krabi, Ranong and Songkhla are scheduled to gather at Phuket Merlin Hotel to discuss and share their experiences and knowledge on road safety, focusing in reducing road accidents. According to the Phuket Public Health Office, acting chief Dr. Wiwat Sritamanote, the participants will conclude the lessons learnt from the previous implementation and operations in detail, hoping that it would lead to sustainable solutions to prevent or reduce the number of road accidents.

Young people are invited to take part in drawing contests about mangroves and coral reefs.

Young people, who are art enthusiasts, aged not more than 16 years old, are invited to take part in a drawing contest reflecting life cycles of mangroves and coral reefs in relation to Thai ocean, human activity’s effects on the ocean and natural marine disasters. Interested participants are requested to create their work on 11 by 15 inches pieces of paper. In the south, the qualified drawings will be displayed at Phuket Marine Biological centre at Cape Panwa. Entries can be sent to the International Institute of Marine (Thailand) located in the compound of National Disaster Warning Centre (NDWC) from now until March 17th 2008.

MiniVDO: Youth in Phuket won prizes in the ‘To Be Number One Challenge Happy Music Contest Season 3’.

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216169

5 youths from Phuket took part in ‘To Be Number One Challenge Happy Music Contest Season 3’ final round in a single category held at Queen Sirikit Public Park on Sunday evening. They were Pawida Mirisji, Thanond Jamroen, Natcha Bhokaphan, Sujimon Piaklin and Aekchon Chuan-Chana. They competed for a 25,000 baht cash prize with a shield donated by Princess Ubol Ratana. The result came out that Sujimon from Satree Phuket won the first prize, Pawida from Khajohnkiat Seksa came second and Natcha came third.

MiniVDO: Students at Phuket Technical College are educated about AIDs prevention

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216168

A former soldier from the Northern province of Petchabun, Nattaphol Thongwan, rode his tricycle to give a talk about how to keep away from HIV Aids for Phuket Technical College students yesterday during their morning assembly. The Public Health officials took the opportunity to give out leaflets and condoms to young people to raise awareness in safe sex and create concept that carrying condom is not such a shame behavior. Nattapol has been riding his tricycle to 66 provinces across the nation starting from his home town of Petchabun. After Phuket he will visit Phang-Nga and Krabi to campaign against HIV AIDs seeing young people as a vulnerable group for AIDs.

MiniVDO: Phuket pursues safety measures in workplaces to improve quality of life for employees.

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216167

Representatives from 40 companies or business places in Phuket who are responsible for safety and health issues in their workplaces gathered to revise, share and enhance their skills and knowledge on the safety measures at work. This aims at reducing hazard factors and ensures that the workplaces follow the laws and regulations on the issue. According to the regulations set by the Welfare and Labour Protection Department, workplaces with more than 15 employees must set up a committee on safety and health to ensure that the employees are working in safe environment both in terms of health and accident treats.

MiniVDO: Krabi is keeping a close monitor on the drug situation among minors.

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216166

The Krabi authority summed up the narcotic drug cases for the one year period from December 2006 – December 2007 stating that 2 major dealers were arrested with 249 minor dealers. The meeting revealed however that number of cases during the first quarter of the fiscal year of 2008 which started from October 2007 were a total of 173 cases arrested and 210 wrong doers. The Krabi Governor Siwa Siisaowaluk voiced his concerns that narcotic drugs are still found to be spreading more among students and young people aged between 15-25 years old. They are found to use amphetamines and marijuana. He stressed that the marijuana in particular is reported to be used among tourists on Lanta Island, and Ao Nang beach and that he has ordered officials to seriously suppress and tackle the problem.

Special - Renovation of old hospital near Koh Sireh, Phuket

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216165

After acquiring an old hospital, located on the way to Koh Sireh on the east side of town, at a budget 327 million baht last year, the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation or PPAO is now working on the redevelopment of the hospital. The 14 rai hospital was under the Thai Asset Management Corporation’s care and the PPAO purchased it aiming to provide alternatives of public health care for middle income earners in Phuket and the nearby provinces. After the acquisition, the PPAO has been working on procedures with progress, while its CEO Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr expects that the hospital will be ready for public service by this year’s end. Just before the end of January, the PPAO CEO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ban Paew Hospital Director Dr. Surapong Bunprasit to jointly manage the hospital for a 3 year period. The new facility is planned to initially open with 100 patient beds in the first phase out of the planned 280 beds. The administrator also places importance on greenery in every corner, apart from an outdoor garden and landscaping ina relaxed feeling for patients and families. The design is carried out by Silpakorn University in Bangkok. The university this week briefed the detail to the PPAO’s officers. They have worked on the renovation plan for the 10 storey building, interior, meeting rooms and patient rooms. Anchalee emphasizes that the hospital is being developed under tax money from local people so it will be a non-profit organization while the general public are invited to participate in contributing to the hospital’s development and growth. She stresses that it should serve local people as a priority as today the local government hospital of Wachira has to cater to many residents and foreign laborers. Meanwhile Dr. Surapong reaffirms that the Ban Paew Hospital will be responsible for medical resources and specialists to provide an efficient service for people while the PPAO will be responsible for equipment. He re-affirms that the general public will get high quality medical care with economical fees.

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from Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) at 8.30am & local Cable TV channel 1 + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, & possibly FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket, Wednesday 6 February 2008 & http://news.prd.go.th