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ANDAMAN Edition Volume 17 Issue 41 October 9 - 15, 2010 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht Festival reels in millions By Pimwara Choksakulpan vacations in Thailand and the three-day China National Day holi- TOURISTS coming to Phuket for day on Monday that marks the start the annual Vegetarian Festival from of a long holiday period in China. October 8-16 are expected to Adding to the influx are two pump at least 200 million baht into more direct flight services to the local economy during the nine- Phuket, both landing on the island day festival. for the first time on October 12. Occupancy rates in Phuket Qatar Airlines inaugural Doha- Town stood at 50%-60% on Tues- Kuala Lumpur-Phuket will arrive day, but many hotels in the island’s at 10:25pm, the first of the airline’s capital district were already fully six-daily-flights-a-week service. A CHOSEN ONE: A ‘mah song’ holds up ‘traditional’ blades piercing through his cheek. Photo: Christian Mouchet booked for the last three days of Earlier that day, Air Asia’s in- the event, said Wanaphapar augural direct flight from Ubon Suksombul, Assistant Director at Ratchathani will land at 2:20pm. Call to keep Veg Fest traditional the Tourism Authority of Thailand Ms Wanaphapar added that the (TAT) Phuket Office. bulk of the visitors coming were PHUKET Shrines Association objects like beach umbrellas, with figurines of Chinese gods TAT-registered hotels and ac- ethnic Chinese from Singapore, President Prasert Fakthongphol power drills and motorbike parts as headpieces. commodations in beach areas are Malaysia, Mainland China, Hong has asked participating shrines in in recent years. Maintaining this tradition was already enjoying occupancy rates Kong and Thailand. Other impor- this year’s Vegetarian Festival to Among the traditional items he difficult because some mah song of about 70%, she added. tant inbound markets during the have their mah song (spirit me- suggested as the instruments of do not register with the shrines. Ms Wanaphapar said the TAT period are Australia, India and the diums) use only “traditional” ob- choice are those mentioned in “They pierce their bodies out- expected a 10% rise in the num- Middle East, she said. jects to pierce their cheeks. Chinese legends. Such objects run side the temples and join the ber of visitors this year because “Phuket will be more crowded The request reflects the in- the gamut from swords, axes, and processions on the streets,” he the event coincides with school than ever,” she said. creasing popularity of “modern” maces to 12-inch spiked-staffs said. Police to launch helmet crackdown island-wide POLICE across Phuket are preparing to take expanding this campaign to come into force From July 1 next year, repeat offenders organizations introduce separate punish- the helmet crackdown campaign beyond across all of Phuket.” – at least those in Phuket City Police Dis- ments for their own staff caught breaking Phuket City Police District to cover the He assigned the superintendent at each trict – will be fined. the law. entire island, effective January 1. police station on the island to set a team up In Patong, posters featuring Kathu Po- Meanwhile, the state-run National News Phuket Provincial Police Commander to promote the campaign and inform resi- lice Superintendent Arayapan Pukbuakao Bureau of Thailand has reported that all new Maj Gen Pekad Tantipong told the Gazette dents of the impending crackdown in their and Kathu Traffic Division Inspector driver’s license applicants and people re- the move to enforce the traffic law island- respective jurisdictions. Jakkawat Boontawegunsawat, both wear- newing their licenses will be required to wide follows the success of the campaign The teams will also ask private and gov- ing helmets while sitting on a motorcycle, have a doctor’s certificate. launched in Phuket Town. ernment organizations in their areas to have been posted throughout the town. Psychological and emotional tests are “Since [the campaign was launched on] support the campaign by donating helmets. “We are drafting an MoU [memorandum also included in the examination to guaran- July 1, people in Phuket Town have been From January 1, the punishment for pas- of understanding] for private and govern- tee that no mental disabilities are found, NBT more aware of the importance of wearing sengers found riding without a helmet will ment agencies and community leaders to reported. helmets. be the same as for those in town: First- sign to acknowledge and support the crack- It was not reported whether the new rule “Now we rarely see motorcycle riders time offenders must watch the mandatory down next year,” Col Arayapan said. will go into force immediately. and passengers without helmets, so I am road-safety and traffic law film. 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Terms and conditions apply. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS October 9 - 15, 2010 Westin defers taxi decision MANAGEMENT at the Westin of the resort in search of trans- Siray Bay Resort and Spa, a local port, said Mr Praderm. affiliate with global resort giant “Some of our drivers get only Timetable of the gods Starwood Hotels, has deferred one fare in three days,” he said. A full schedule of the processions announcing its decision on However, he added that the whether to allow a local taxi number of other taxis seen enter- for this year’s Vegetarian Festival. counter inside its new luxury re- ing the resort to pick up Page 8 sort on Koh Sireh in Phuket. passengers indicated that many Business up in air The announcement followed a more of the resort’s guests meeting on October 1 between re- wanted to use taxis, but did not Phuket International sort management and members of use local drivers simply because Airport braces for high the local taxi co-operative, Sirae they did not know about them. season. Page 10 Island Taxi Service. “We wear uniforms. We are While the meeting was under polite to guests. We keep records way, about 50 members of the taxi of each trip made in order to be Educational acronyms co-op massed at their taxi stand able to track down any lost items. Sifting through the in the front of the resort, waiting One of the Koh Sireh drivers and We are never rude… for good news. their ‘taxi stand hut’. “We just want the hotel to share alphabet soup of teacher Inside the resort were the said this was the co-op’s third at- their income with local villagers,” qualifications. Page 15 resort’s management team, three tempt in two months to set up a Mr Praderm said. representatives of the taxi co-op, counter on resort grounds, just as The resort has a list of set fares, Vegetarian delights a representative of the Hello local tour operator Hello Phuket which start at 300 baht for a taxi Phuket company and Phuket City had already done. ride into central Phuket Town, a Where to find the tast- Police Superintendent Wanchai The co-op has 70 drivers of- ride of about 5 kilometers. iest treats at this year’s Ekpornpit as witness. fering non-metered fares in vans, The cost to hire a van to either Praderm Klomsuwan, chosen sedans and tuk-tuks, but only a Phuket Airport or the Big Buddha veg fest. Page 16 by the co-op to run the taxi stand, small number of guests walk out image in Karon is 1,000 baht. Classifieds Everything you need at prices you 500 more can afford, from jobs to homes. Pages 27-38 cars on the It’s play-off time road each Check when FC Phuket play at home in their month promotional play-offs. MORE than 500 new vehicles are being registered each month, com- Page 39 pared with 50-100 per month last year, says Phuket Land Transport SOMETHING MISSING? The site of the So Nice bar near Club Med in Kata. Office Director Kanok Nurse in stabbing murder Siripanichkorn. Around 10% of new registra- A NURSE at Bangkok Hospital critically injured from a single stab tions are by foreigners and 40% Phuket has confessed to stabbing wound to the left side of his chest Policeman wanted are by Thais from other provinces, her husband to death in Rassada. that severed a coronary artery. he said. Rachada Rattanadilok na Mrs Rachada, crying over her While 2009 saw 23,760 new Phuket, 40, called Phuket City Po- husband’s body, confessed to over Kata bar spat registrations in Phuket, this year lice about 10:30pm on October 2. stabbing her husband. CHALONG Police are looking to But Mr Boonlert claims he has looks to speed past that number, Officers rushed to the scene, Neighbors said the couple’s re- question a fellow police officer rented the plot for about seven with 21,112 new registrations al- an apartment on Soi Kiatsin, but lationship was characterized by over his alleged role in the demo- years.