Andaman News Tuesday 12 February

[NBT TV Phuket]

MiniVDO: Seventeen million baht from the government’s Disaster Relief Fund is handed to Krabi for its redevelopment.

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Three years after the Tsunami catastrophe, 2 projects concerning people’s safety and well being are being constructed on Krabi’s Phi Phi island. They are a hospital building constructed under a donation from the revered monk of Luang Tha Bua and the Tsunami evacuation shelter. The latter project is funded by the government’s Disaster Relief Fund under the Prime Minister’s Office. The Deputy Permanent Secretary Natee Premrassami yesterday handed over a cheque worth 17,708,130 million baht to the Krabi authority; 15,982,000 Baht towards the evacuation shelter while another 1,726,130 million baht will be used for the hospital building’s construction. The evacuation shelter will also used as command centre in case of any disaster. It will be 9 metres high with capacity to accommodate 650 people while the deck is designed to be helicopter pad. Both new facilities are expected to ensure safety and confidence for residents and tourists. At present Phi Phi island houses around 1,800 residents, with about 2,000 rooms in accommodation, but has around 3,000 – 4,000 visitors per day, both staying and making day trips.

MiniVDO: Phang Nga receives another 45 million baht for a post tsunami project.

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47,018,180 million Baht from the government’s Disaster Relief Fund is allocated to Phang-Nga authority to carry out two projects related to Tsunami effects. They are a Tsunami Evacuation building which requires over 45 million baht fund while another 1.8 million baht will be spent on assisting 10 tsunami affected pig or swine farmers. The evacuation buildings will be built in 4 locations in Thakuapa and 1 in Kura Buri district. The new facility is expected to ease residents and tourists’ concerns for safety in case of any emergencies like a Tsunami.

MiniVDO: Krabi will start bio-diesel production for commercial purposes on February 16th.

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Starting February 16th onwards, Krabi has set a target to produce 20,000 litres a day of bio-diesel for commercial purposes. The governor Siwa Sirisaowalak announced that after the Krabi Oil Palm Cooperatives had pioneered the production with a capacity of 10,000 litre per day, it will now double the production as an alternative fuel for agriculturalists, fishing communities and tourism to reduce costs. Krabi carries out comprehensive oil palm production, including cultivation, plantation, processing and producing fuel from the crop.

The Phuket Election Commission expects at least 70% of voters to exercise their votes for the senatorial election on March 2nd.

Admitting that the campaign or public participation in the pre-election period for the upcoming senator election to take place on March 2nd is not as active as the previous general election in December, the Phuket Election Office director Suparp Akkakam still predicts at least 70% of eligible voters to come out to exercise their rights. He said his office tries to educate people on the senator’s roles for the country’s development. In Phuket 3 candidates run for the seat in the upper house.

MiniVDO: Phuket Police run strict checks for drugs in entertainment venues.

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All officials concerned, including police, volunteers, excise and health officials carried out checking operations at Karaoke bars in Rassada sub-district to check for arms and drugs. They also checked the businesses licenses and collected data of employees. During the operation in 14 entertainment Karaoke bars, the officials arrested 3 Burmese workers who failed to show their entry permit papers. 18 Indonesian fishing crew who could present papers were also present. The authority has a policy to check on entertainment places in all 3 districts on the island aiming at keeping control of narcotic drugs and social issues.

MiniVDO: The local government in Paklok area voices concern that investors are beginning to lose confidence after a series of local protests.

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The President of Paklok Administration Organization Panya Sampaorat expressed his concerns over the investment mood saying that investors are beginning to lack confidence in the area due to a series of local protests against new development. He detailed that 3 private marina developments were proposed, with two approved while another one, the Yamu, still awaits clearance. The local administrator went on to say that investors are now purchasing 70-80 rai plot of land to develop villas for high-end markets plus an airstrip for private small planes, but the local government has not yet received their request.

MiniVDO: A taxi driver in Patong returns a tourist’s wallet after it was dropped and the owner now needs to be found.

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MiniVDO: The number of EMS items sent from Phuket doubles this tourist season, while the Thai Post Company now provides swift service via airplanes.

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The Thai Post Company now offers EMS mail service from Phuket to Bangkok via airplane to cope with the high number of mail during the peak season. The company’s Deputy Managing Director Anussara Jitmitraphap said the company launched the service during the last quarter of last year, the beginning of the tourist season for the Andaman region. She further stated that the EMS or Express Mail Service from Phuket increased from 600 – 700 kilograms per day to 1,000 – 1,200 kilograms. The air freight enables mail to reach Bangkok just over night before being distributed to different destinations. The company now looks into the possibility of offering the same service from Bangkok to Phuket. Besides the air service from Phuket, the company starts to offer the service between Bangkok & Haad Yai plus Bangkok & Udorn Thani.

Health officials warn people to strictly follow advice from officials on dealing with dead poultry.

The Ministry of Public Health are still closely monitoring the H5N1 or bird flu situation even though it is reported to have been found only in poultry, not humans. The ministry is still campaigning and educates people to change their behavior, especially if they are found to consume dead poultry and incorrectly de-skin the dead birds. Some even put dead poultry in rivers or water sources where any disease would easily spread. If the public see any suspicious death of poultry, they should notify officials. They are also advised not to cook for food, any poultry from the same flock of those which die.

MiniVDO: Childwatch Phuket charity arranged a youth and family camp to promote family ties.

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The Buddy activity was the first or ice breaking session for young people age 10-15 years old from 16 schools in Thalang district of Phuket do together during the youth camp arranged during February 9-10th, at the Phuket Rubber Experiment Station in Thalang district. The 3 day session run by ChildWatch, Phuket provided an opportunity for teenagers and their families to play games and do activities together to promote family ties and create understanding environment among participants. After the participants got acquainted, they then discussed and shared their expectation towards each other, expressing their need and concerns which lead to better understanding of people of the same or different ages.

Phuket proposes to host the National Youth Games in two years time.

Phuket is prepared to propose itself to host the 26th Youth Games to be held in 2010. The meeting of the provincial sports committee discussed the readiness and preparedness in offering as the host venue with other 8 provinces in other region as candidates to host. They include Buriram, Yasothorn, Pattani, and Petchaboon. Phuket Governor Nirun Kalayanamitr stressed that Phuket is well equipped with stadiums, athlete accommodation, safety measures, medical care and media exposure. He believes that the local governments will also support. If selected to host, the National Sport Bureau will support with 54 million baht while another 50 million baht will come from the local authority’s budget.

MiniVDO: The Phuket Bike Week expands with a Motorcycle Exhibition as well this year.

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With the hopes of pulling in more tourists and bikers to Phuket up to an estimated 50,000 people, and generating over 100 million Baht worth of business, the Phuket Bike Week and Motorcycle Exhibition 2008’s organizers, including several private and public offices, are working together to organize this year’s annual Big Bike Festival during 9-14 April. The objective of the festival is to meet and celebrate like brothers and sisters from around the world, promoting Phuket tourism, safe riding, and boosting Phuket local businesses as well as providing charity-funds for underprivileged schools in Phuket. They say the Phuket Motorcycle Exhibition and Show will be the largest and grandest in Asia, to be held on 10-12 April at Jungceylon in Patong. On 11-12 April, The Biker Weekend Party is held at Patong Football Field. On 12 April there is an Island Bike Cruise in the afternoon with a Grand Dinner at Thainnan Restaurant, Phuket Town. On 13 April, everyone celebrates Songkran Festival, so the Bikers park up at the beach front outside Graceland Hotel. More details are on www.PhuketBikeWeek.com

MiniVDO: A Bangkok – Ranong Bus accident resulted in 4 deaths

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The accident occurred at 4 am yesterday when an air conditioned bus belonging to Choke Anan Tour company lost control and over turned, then went into the ditch in KraBuri district of Ranong. The bus was carrying passengers from Bangkok enroute to Ranong province. The accident caused 4 deaths and 27 people were injured. The passengers were taken to Ranong hospital with three people in serious condition. After the accident the driver Supornchai Chanthap, age 41, did not flee the scene. He told police that when getting to the accident scene, the vehicle start to skid and he lost control and braked but could not control the vehicle, causing it to over turn and slap into the steel bar on the road side. The location is a sharp curve and villagers said accidents often occur there.

MiniVDO: Burmese labourers were arrested in Ranong for explosive possession.

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Ranong provincial chief police Apirak Hongthong led his officers to raid a rented room in Bang Rin sub-district and found a hand grenade in a toilet. He then notified the bomb disposal team and detained two Burmese nationals, Joh, age 32 and Moh, age 29 for further investigation. The two men told police that they are working as fishing crew and the hand grenade belonged to another Burmese who came to visit and placed it in the toilet. Police said they have been following the group as they are suspicious and will carry out further investigation to find if more people involved.

Interview - Eam Thavornwongvong, Chairman of the Phuket committee for the Louise Willgrass Foundation, with Cindy Ratcliffe, Director Elect,

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Our interview is with Eam Thavornwongvong, Chairman of the Phuket committee for the Louise Willgrass Foundation, a UK/Thai tsunami based charity, together with Cindy Ratcliffe, Director Elect, for the Phuket committee of the Foundation. Louise Willgrass was killed by the tsunami in Phuket; a Thai couple sheltered her husband & 4 children. The tsunami fund was formed in her memory to channel proceeds into educational projects in Phuket. They raised almost 800,000 British pounds so far; & are now donating to Thai schools; yesterday they presented 1.6million baht for Ban Ao Por School, for 5 new classrooms & water purification. But first khun Eam tells us more about Louise & her family: ……. www.louisewillgrasstsunamifund.co.uk/ Or www.bluecustard.co.uk/louisewillgrass/ ------ Interview in June 2005 with Nigel Willgrass is at http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=131627

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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, Tuesday 12 February 2008 & http://news.prd.go.th