Phuket Cultural Street Festival Opens

[NBT TV Phuket]

Mini-video on VDO ClipSpecial report for Andaman News TV11 PHUKET FOR 3 ANDAMAN PROVINCES & FM90.5 Phuket 8.30am Monday 26 September 2005

The ancient and historical roads of Thalang, and Krabi in the heart of Phuket City are being revitalized just like in the flourishing old days, with a Cultural Street Festival, that started last weekend and will go on for the next 6 weekends. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and local administrations, the event was officially opened on Saturday evening by the Minister of Culture Uraiwan Thienthong, and distinguished officials and guests, both from Bangkok and Phuket.

First they watched a procession along Krabi Road of local groups in colourful and traditional costumes.

Then they sat down in front of the grand old colonial mansion to watch a stage performance, after the Minister and her Permanent Secretary khuying Tipawadee Meksuwan gave a welcoming speech and officially marked the festival open. Dancers and singers, especially from Rajapat University, also pleased the large audience.

Then the VIPs, including the Educational and Cultural Attache from the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok, rode on the old fashioned rickshaws pulled by local citizens in traditional costumes past the crowds of onlookers, to view the arts, crafts, musical performances and local food & drink stalls all set up along the roads, nicely lit up to show off the glorious Sino-Portuguese architecture.

We took this opportunity to ask the Culture Minister Uraiwan what message she would like to give residents and tourists to Phuket:

“I hope the tourists from Thailand and every country in the world can come to see the culture of Phuket in Phuket, even the marriage, any other things, food, everything in Phuket is very important.”

It certainly seemed to be a popular evening out for local Thai residents but there not so many tourists in evidence. We asked one Dutch tourist, who came across the festival by accident, what he thought of the show:

“I have just came from there..fantastic and great beautiful, saw last night, came again tonight..”

Even foreign residents, might be surprised how much better it has got over the years: This family were happy to come along and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere in the so called 'walking street or pedestrian only zone', with shows like the ice sculpturing pleasing their daughter:

“Very nice well organized and enjoyable.. What do you like here? maybe look at the people doing the ice picking things (sculptures):.. I wouldn't say anything about it (the food).”

So try to get along to Thalang Road, and Krabi Road, in Phuket City's "Old Town", over the next weekends until November 6. The festivals begin at 7 pm and end at 11 pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Iran, Portugal, the Netherlands and Britain will be also represented in various international shows, as well as local Phuketian shows. Each weekend there will be a different theme, and for the Baba weddings on 21-23rd October in particular they are looking for more Thai-Chinese or Thai-foreign couples to participate. You get register for the weddings and get more details on this festival in Thai at www.phuketian.com or phone 0-1891-4025

[Jai Dee]

Special - preview Phuket Vegetarian Festival

Special report Andaman News TV11 PHUKET FOR 3 ANDAMAN PROVINCES & FM90.5 Phuket 8.30am Wednesday 28 September 2005

During October 3rd to 11th the whole island of Phuket will covered with mostly yellow flags, and local people in white clothes, symbolizing the ancient vegetarian festival which has been practiced for almost two hundred years. This year the lantern poles at 13 Chinese temples are set to be raised on the 2nd of October at 5.09 pm. believed to be the auspicious time that marks the beginning of the annual festival where many ritual ceremonies will be followed.

Chairing a press conference held last Friday at the Navamin square in Phuket City, Governor of Phuket, Udomsak Uswarangkura, reaffirmed that the island is ready to welcome participants and tourists, both Thais and foreigners, to join in the ceremonial festival, with ample security and facilities. According to the governor, all shrines are also being asked to ensure that the Masong or mediums do not use any material irritating to the eyes during the street processions.

Suwalai Pinpradap, the Tourism Authority of Thailand's local office Director, who also took part in the press conference, said at least 50,000 tourists from Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and China are expected to join the annual vegetarian fair, and generate income of about 200 million baht for the province. She told Andaman News that they hope greater number of tourists will be coming because this year they are also being joined by mediums from Taiwan and puppets from China: Voice -08.28.01: “This year Phuket gets cooperation from the Taiwanese Association of Tourism. They will bring their members to join our parade on the 1st day of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival on the 3rd of October and apart from that we will have a Chinese puppet from Chendu City in China to perform every day during the Chinese festival.” -7.48.08

A statue of the Chinese goddess Chao Mae Tap Tim also known as Mazhofu or the Ruby Goddess has also been brought over especially from China for the festival, and this alone should attract a lot of overseas visitors who believe in its protection.

During the festival month, most schools around the country will be closed bringing more students and their families into the province to witness the festival, especially as this will also be the last month of the special domestic packages by local airlines, and the second of four months with relaxed duty free rules for Thais. Suwalai also pointed out that it coincides with the ongoing Cultural Streets Festival along Thalang and Krabi roads at the weekends all month, and the so-called Golden week holidays in Asian countries, with extra charter flights being laid on, so many visitors will take this opportunity to travel to Phuket.

Among ceremonial events are chanting at all the shrines, early morning street processions around Phuket city and even to Patong this year for the first time, bladed-ladder climbing and fire walking in the evenings, while onlookers as well as devotees are encouraged to wear white and follow vegetarian diets, which refrain from all meat, at the many food stalls lined along the roads near temples. But everyone whether devotees, residents or tourists, are welcome to join this year's Phuket Vegetarian Festival.