Andaman News Monday 11 Feb

[NBT TV Phuket]

MiniVDO: The new Tourism Minister sets a revenue target of 800 billion baht this year up from 600 billion.

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216224

The new Tourism and Sports Minister Mr. Weerasak Kowsurat stated his policy to emphasize on value and cost effectiveness for tourists visiting Thailand. He further explained that a positive attitude will be promoted among domestic travelers while overseas markets should be quality markets. After assessing initial marketing information, Mr Werasak aims to push for a target of 800 billion baht revenue, higher than the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s target of 600 billion baht. He expects Thailand to attract approximately 15 million visitors focusing on high spending power groups, especially Middle Eastern, Russian, Chinese and Indian travelers. He also placed priority on mega projects for tourism by gathering data to present as the government’s policy. The new minister also has a policy to promote Thailand as a world class destination, which means tourism products including man-made, historical and new sites must be supported.

MiniVDO: The TAT launches 3 major activities to stimulate European travelers to come to Thailand during the off season.

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216223

Three majors tourism events are scheduled to be arranged by the Tourism Authority of Thailand during May and August this year aiming at stimulating European travelers to visit Thailand during the off peak season. The TAT vice governor for overseas marketing Juthaporn Rerng-ron-Asa details the three events as ‘Thai cuisine’ promotion, ‘Green Season Special Offer’ by cooperating with travel agents in having gifts to attract tourists; and the third event is ‘Amazing Thailand through the Lens’ by working with all 7 of its overseas offices in Europe to invite famous photographers who are fond of Thailand to take part in shooting or filming contests on 4 routes in Thailand. The TAT then will promote the films to build ‘Thailand’s Fan Club’. The programs are expected to help increase the number of tourists visiting the country.

MiniVDO: The Phuket authority asks the sea plane operator to re-design and submit their flight routes within this month, after public complaints were filed against the business on safety and noise pollution grounds.

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After receiving public complaints filed against the sea plane services which take passengers to land at Patong bay and several meetings to discuss the issue, the Phuket vice governor Smith Palawatwichai led officials to go on board the plane which flew from Phuket airport to land at Patong bay on Friday. The sea plane is operated by Destination Air Company which offers services on many routes to outlying islands in the Andaman region with stunning views. The complaints state that the service causes noise pollution and may cause accidents during the landings. After experiencing the flight himself, the vice governor said the noise is apparent during take off and landing. He orders operators to prepare new flight routes to present to the authority within this month in order that the landing and take off routes will not disturb or harm tourists at Patong beach. In Phuket the sea plane has permission to land near Bang Tao Bay, Yacht Haven, Chalong Bay, Cape Panwa, Naka Noi Island, Koh Racha islands and Patong bay.

MiniVDO: Patong police and tourism business personnel were trained on how to check for false passports in prevention of international crime.

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Police officers and hotel staff in Phuket were trained to observe passports carefully to see whether they are fake or false. The sessions were given by Australian Embassy’s Attaché Mr. Glyn Ruddell. The embassy also gave almost 100,000 baht worth of equipment to test for fake passports. The activity is part of the development plan of the National Police Bureau for its anti-crime and security operations. It also integrates the operation with other agencies in crime prevention measures. According to Kathu Police Superintendent Pol. Col. Krissak Song-moon-nark who oversees the Patong area, it has acquired 50 million baht for road safety and 10 million baht for a tourist centre from the Patong Municipality under the office’s three year development plans.

MiniVDO: Kathu Municipality sets a target to earn 165 million baht from tax collection this year and spend on its education and cultural plus tourism development.

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For this fiscal year of 2008 the Kathu Municipality expects to earn 165 million baht from tax collection. The Deputy Mayor Somkid Chisawas is confident that it would reach the target and that the funds earned will be spent on education, local cultural and tourism promotion, which would ultimately lead to the well being of local residents. In the past year, the municipality has had roads expanding to four lanes and is developing a mining museum in support of tourism.

MiniVDO: Mobile medical volunteers provided services at Lone Island in Phuket.

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Medical doctors, dentists and health officials in Phuket made their trip to Lone Island, located on the south east side of Phuket Island. The local residents took time off fishing and came for the service at the health station. The heath station chief Preecha Attawerap told our reporter that public health issues here are aging aches and pains or arthritis, and Gastroenteritis or indigestion. Phuket Vice Governor Worapote Ratasrima said he would add other public services for the community as it is not convenient for locals to seek services on the mainland. The mobile medical volunteer work is carried out in remote areas in respect of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana who dedicated her life to the health of people in remote areas.

The Phang-Nga authority asks environment officials to get more local participation in their work after many deforestation cases were reported.

Following increasing cases of deforestation and public land encroachment, Phang-Nga Vice Governor Pititham Titimontri called a meeting with officials under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The vice governor asks environmental officials from all 3 departments under the ministry’s umbrella to integrate and cooperate their operation to ensure they go into the same direction. This covers both looking after land forest and mangrove areas to ensure efficient operations in prevention and suppression against deforestation and public land encroachment, he emphasizes. In the past months of October 2007 to end of January 2008, thirty eight cases involved forest law with 20 people arrested. This involved over 220 rai of forest area encroachment. The Phang-Nga’s Vice Governor emphasized that officials work with local communities to raise public awareness in protecting their natural resources.

MiniVDO:Students at Rajapracha Nukhroh School in Phuket got new traditional Thai classical musical instruments.

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A comprehensive sets of classical Thai musical instruments worth 543,800 baht were handed over to Rachapracha Nukhroh school in Kamala village of Phuket. The school, run under Royal Patronage of HM the King, was rebuilt in the post Tsunami period to replace the badly damaged one to accommodate orphans and needy students. The new instruments are sponsored by the Thai Red Cross Society’s Relief and Community Bureau. The school is hoping to set up its own Thai classical music band to promote traditional Thai music and even expand to an earning tool for its students’ schooling funds in the future, as it is located in a vibrant tourist location.

MiniVDO: The Krabi orchid fair starts tomorrow.

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The preparation for tomorrow’s kick off for the ‘Krabi Orchid Fair 2008’ is now in place with Krabi Governor Siwa Sirisaowalak confirming its readiness. The event to be arranged during February 12-16, at a ground in front of the provincial Hall, aims at promoting Thai orchids, especially the Lady Slipper, an outstanding wild orchid, in honour of HM the Queen of Thailand. The event will include contests on the Lady Slipper for a trophy donated by HM the Queen as well as contests on other types of orchids. An exhibition on the orchids as well as local community products sales will also put on. The organizers expect the fair to attract vast number of tourists to appreciate the Thai orchids.

MiniVDO: Police have caught a Thai man who snatched a handbag from a Dutch tourist.

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38 years old Kris Jaruphan, from Phuket town was questioned by Kamala police after he was arrested while fleeing a crime scene where he snatched property from a Dutch tourist. The robbery took place while the female tourist was riding a motorbike on the Kamala – Patong route. Kris confessed that he committed the crime when he saw the victim put a small luggage bag in a basket up front. The tourist was safe and alerted police, resulting in the thief’s arrest later on.

MiniVDO: Phang Nga police investigate a police officer’s death.

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Thai Muang police checked out a Toyota vehicle where the body of Sergeant Major Pisit Ngan-Manikarn, an officer from the police station was found dead. He is reported to have died from a bullet wound on his left scull side and one bullet through his right hand palm. The autopsy result however surprised his family as Pisit was right handed, but the bullet wound was on his left side of his face. They suspect that if he really committed suicide it would have been on the right hand side. Police however are still investigating the cause and await the full result to confirm the type of bullet in his skull to see whether it matches his own weapon.

Special Report - Artificial reefs being made from concrete blocks near Poo Island in Kata Bay off Phuket

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216213

Being well known for rich underworld resources, the Andaman Sea in south Thailand is a diver’s dream destination but some are apparently or unavoidably harming some coral reefs. Related agencies are now working on creating artificial reefs to reduce affects on natural reefs. Our special report today takes a good look at the operation to place artificial reefs in Kata Bay.

These 150 concrete blocks were dropped into the sea near Koh Poo or Poo Island in Kata Bay off Phuket as part of the Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Centre under the Marine and Coastal Resources Department in reviving marine resources. When over 100 concrete blocks are placed on top of one another at the sea ground, they can become new homes for marine life. To humans they are expected to become interesting new artificial coral reefs. The project is initiated to alleviate the natural resources exploitation in the Andaman region. Being famous for its spectacular diving sites, the Andaman Sea and Phang-Nga Bay which cover the ocean in Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi are sources of income earned from the fishing industry and tourism like diving. According to the department’s data, as many as over 100 diving companies and tourist operators take their clients to different diving spots in the Andaman including Phi Phi, Koh Khai or Egg islands, Racha, Koh Poo or Poo island and other islands or bays around Phuket including Patong, Karon and Kata. These marine resources are however all affected or damaged in one way or another by various factors including over-fishing, pollution, soil erosion from land, climate change, and natural as well as human activity. The department then came up with the operation aiming to reduce the number of boats with visiting divers to the coral reefs, while the region still needs to attract tourists so the artificial reefs can create new diving spots as well. Projects with artificial reefs or using old ship or plane wrecks have been carried out successfully in Japan and many states in the US. When time passes the concrete blocks or artificial reefs are proved to be perfect homes for marine lives and favorite spots for divers which in turn help spread out divers from congested areas.

“We then expect the artificial reefs will be beneficial in the long term. We have experimented and proved that the reefs have soft corals, sea fans, and have become very fertile to be perfect diving spots in the future.” - Paitoon Panchaiphum, Director, Marine & Coastal Resources Conservation Centre, Phuket. In Kata and Karon beaches attract many holiday makers, and many love to also take long tail boats out to appreciate coral reefs. That’s why the local government like the Karon Municipality stepped in to support the project. Fertile oceans mean local income. The Karon Deputy Mayor Sompong Dap-petch explained that the municipality put the budgeting in support of the project in its 3 year plan. In Phuket the concrete blocks were placed in six locations, two around Racha Island, and two at BangTao bay, which began in 2005 and now two more in Kata Karon bays, while two more are to be placed near Koh Yao Yai and Shark Point in Phang-Nga Bay.

Interview - Michael Massey, President of the International Business Association of Phuket

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Our interview waswith Michael Massey, President of the International Business Association of Phuket (or IBAP), during IBAP’s 1st ever seminar on Saturday February 9 on ‘Pitfalls and Protection for Directors of Thai Companies’. The speaker was Sam Fauma, Managing Director of International Law; the participants were members & guests. IBAP also holds network meetings on the 2nd Fridays of the month at Loch Palm Golf Clubhouse, Kathu. But first Michael talks about the seminar: ……. www.ibap-phuket.org

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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, Monday 11 February 2008 & http://news.prd.go.th