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Phuket will be host to a spectacle of romance and tradition in a mass
wedding of 18 couples in the 'Baba Peranakan' Phuket wedding festival
on August 14. In celebration of Phuket's rich Chinese heritage,
couples from around Asia will come and join the wedding ceremony at
Hongsyok Mansion on Thepkasattri Road, Phuket Town. All couples will
be dressed in traditional Straits Chinese wedding costumes from the
19th century, and will also be taken around town in a rickshaw
procession on August 15.
 
For more information contact the Phuket Peranakan Association on 61
Satun Road in Phuket Town or call 076 224316.

Phuket will soon be the scene for a flotilla of mega yachts with the
10th annual Asia Superyacht Rendezvous set to hit its shores this
December. The invitation-only event is host to some of the region's
most spectacular yachts in a three-day festival of racing, team
activities and cocktail parties from December 16-18. Both motor and
sail vessels will join the rendezvous of yachts more than 30 metres in
length. Racing will take place from Nai Harn Bay north to Surin Bay,
followed by a 'challenge' team boat-building and racing contest.
 
For more information, visit the Asia Superyacht Rendezvous website at
www.asia-superyacht-rendezvous.com.

Phuket is now a key part of the international kiteboarding scene with
the first-ever international kiteboarding competition set to take
place off Surin Beach from August 5-8. The Phuket Kite Jam event will
earn competitors ranking points under the international competition
called the KTA Tour. Thai kiteboarder Narapichit 'Yo' Pudla is among
the top contenders for both freestyle and course racing events.
 
Stereolab will be host to the event's parties both before and after
the racing. For more information visit www.kiteboardtour.asia.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has announced that international
visitor arrivals in the first half of 2010 increased by 13.70%, in
spite of the sharp declines in arrivals during the political crisis
months of May and June. From January to June 2010, total arrivals were
7,515,025 up from 6,609,313 over the same period of 2009. The TAT
stated that "this is because arrivals in the first half of 2009 had
been hit by the impact of the global financial and economic crisis
prevailing at the time, making this year's rate of increase relatively
high over a low base figure. It also reflects the fact that while
arrivals to Bangkok were significantly affected, arrivals to Phuket
remained relatively buoyant."
 
Tourism Authority of Thailand officials are optimistic that it will
still be possible to meet the year's total arrivals target of 14.5
million arrivals, said the press release.

Phuket has been named the fifth-best island in Asia for 2010 in the
World’s Best Awards readers' poll held by the prestigious Travel +
Leisure magazine. Topping this category was Bali, while Koh Samui on
Thailand's gulf coast placed fourth. Five resorts in Thailand
including two Phuket resorts earned the honour of ranking among the
Top 15 Resorts in Asia. Bangkok was named the world's Best City
Overall, edging out Thailand's Chiang Mai; Florence, Italy; San Miguel
de Allende, Mexico; and Rome, Italy. Bangkok reclaimed the No. 1 spot,
having held it before in 2008. The survey was conducted from December
2009 through March 2010, before the May street protests that triggered
several travel advisories to the city.
 
The Travel + Leisure’s 2010 World’s Best Awards were announced in New
York on July 8.

Today marks the start of the Khao Pansa three-month meditation retreat
for Buddhist monks in Phuket and across Thailand. Each year, one day
after the full moon of the eighth lunar month, monks take refuge in a
temple and spend the three rainy-season months in meditation and
Dharma study. The retreat starts off with a ceremonial parade with
devotees carrying large candles sculpted into mythological figures
into the temples.
 
Khao Pansa takes place one day after Arsana Bucha Day, which marks the
first sermon made to five disciples that the Buddha made after
reaching Enlightenment.

The west-coast town of Kamala Beach is hosting a beach festival on
July 28, with the action set to start about 6pm. A Miss Kamala
competition, live music and fire shows are among the entertainment
offerings. A range of local food and drinks will be on sale, too.
 
Kamala is a fishing village that has now grown into an international
resort destination, with several luxury Phuket resorts and villas to
be seen along a headland road south of the village, known as the
'Millionaires' Mile'. In spite of these developments, Kamala retains a
strong local culture, as festivals such as this one show.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce Thailand is holding a marine
industry seminar on trends and updates in both the Australian and Thai
markets. The July 30 seminar will be followed by the AustCham Thailand
Sundowners networking evening, which is expected to attract a range of
guests including senior Embassy personnel, AustCham members and Board
from Bangkok, and several business operators in Phuket.
 
The seminar starts at 4pm and is free for AustCham members.
Non-members pay a 300- baht entry fee. For the networking session,
starting at 6pm, members pay 400 baht and non-members are 600 baht.
Both events take place at the Skippers Bar at Royal Phuket Marina.
 
For more information and to register, contact Harry Usher at
harry@ladypie.com, or visit www.austchamthailand.com.

Phuket's Buddhist temples will be alive with candlelit processions on
the Buddhist holy day known in Thailand as Arsana Bucha Day, taking
place on July 26 this year. This full-moon day of the eight lunar
month celebrates the first sermon made to five disciples that the
Buddha made after reaching Enlightenment.
 
Phuket's famous Wat Chalong will join several other temples across
Thailand in marking the evening event.