Phuket Carnival underway in Patong

One of the many colorful participants in yesterday's parade. Photo by Sakhon Saengtongsamarnsin.

Patong's flamboyant ladyboys are always popular with the parade crowd.

PHUKET CITY: 'Phuket Carnival at Patong 2009' kicked off in style yesterday with fireworks, a colorful parade and plenty of activities along the Patong beachfront.

The grand opening began at 5:30pm with a welcome speech by Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop, followed by a parade from the football field all the way along the beach road south to the Holiday Inn.

Among the 56 government and private-sector organizations taking part in the colorful spectacle were: Patong Municipality, Dowroong School, Kathu Police, Patong Hospital, Simon Cabaret, Jungceylon, Central and several other communities in Patong and other parts of Kathu.

uring the six-day festival, there will be a wide variety of live entertainment starting at 7pm at a beachfront stage near the end of Soi Bangla.

Headline acts, which hit the stage at 10pm, will be: Sweet Mullett (tonight), Cham Chamrum (tomorrow), Thaitanium (Friday), Hangman (Saturday) and Som Amra (Sunday).

The event is co-hosted by the Phuket Provincial Office, Patong Municipality and the Phuket Tourist Association.

The beer sponsor is Chang, which has contributed 40 million baht to ensure everyone has a good time.

Despite being held back to avoid heavy rains that washed out carnivals early last month, last night's fun got a slight damper by intermittent thundershowers that started at around 10pm.

Tonight's forecast by the Meteorological Department calls for widely scattered thundershowers covering 30% of the island and northeasterly winds from 15kmh to 30kmh.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009/12/16

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

VDO at

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev...hp?news_id=1278

or

The Phuket Carnival at Patong 2010 is now on to spice up the festive tourist mood.

<p> A four kilometer long fancy-costume procession going along the Patong beach road or Thawewong Road on Tuesday evening signaled the beginning of the festive ‘Patong Carnival 2010’ held by the Patong Municipality, the provincial authorities and the Phuket Tourist Association to welcome tourists for this high season in the Andaman region. The parade was appreciated by some thousands of tourists -Thais and foreigners. The one week event was announced opened by Phuket Governor Wichai Praisa-Ngob who hoped that it would signal Phuket’s friendly readiness to welcome tourists and that the local operators act as good hosts for visitors. Visitors can enjoy great varieties of booths with local & international food and premium quality products from across Thailand. Entertainment, which includes cultural shows and music bands, are also on stage every evening. The carnival will go on until Sunday December 20th.

weekly Andaman News NBT TV (VHF dial) at 8.30am, & repeated on satellite C Band (usually net black) frequency 4134 Mhz at symbolate 2530, & repeats on Phuket Cable TV channel 1 at 3.30pm, 7pm, 1.30am & 6.30am, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, Friday 18th December 2009 & http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/ & www.YouTube.com/AndamanNews