Old Phuket Town Festival underway

PHUKET TOWN: -- Motorists planning to go downtown tonight should take note, as sections of several major arteries are now closed to traffic for the Old Phuket Town Festival that starts today.

From 3pm until midnight on all three days of the festival, the following roads will be blocked off:

Phuket Road: From the intersection with Dibuk Road south to the intersection of Phang Nga Road;

Thalang Road: Entire length;

Krabi Road: From Yaowarat Road Junction to Satun Road Junction;

Phang Nga Road: From Phuket Road Junction west to the Sinthawee Hotel;

Yaowarat Road: From Dibuk Rd south to Suriyadet Circle;

Soi Romanee: Entire length.

Today saw the beginning of ‘Fun Fun Poh Thong’ - culture tours of local Chinese shrines aboard old-style ‘songthews’.

The tours leave the Tourism Authority of Thailand offices on Thalang Road at 1pm, 1:20pm and 1:40pm daily and space is limited to the first 20 passengers.

Fees for the trips, which last about four hours, are just 50 baht per passenger. Those taking part also receive Chinese sweets and paper lanterns.

The songthews return to Queen Sirikit Park in time to allow passengers to enjoy dinner and the evening’s main event: dancing and cultural performances by troupes from 10 different provinces of China.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-02-19

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That explains why it took 30 minutes to go 500m in town yesterday.