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Phuket's local theatrical troupe, the Andaman Players, are set to debut their new show, 'LOVE is a Four Letter Word', a musical and comedic voyage through the world of love, at Mom Tri's Villa Royale in Kata Beach. Organisers say that, 'This revue, just like love itself, promises something for everyone – from ballads and Shakespearean sonnets, modern dance and poetry, to cutting edge comedy sketches that will make grown men squirm and their wives raise a knowing eyebrow.' Showtime is 7pm on April 23.
 
Tickets for the three-course dinner and show are 2,250 baht net, only available in advance at Mom Tri's Villa Royale. Email pr@villaroyalephuket.com for details and to make a booking.

Korean singing sensation Seo In Kook was in Phuket recently to film a highly anticipated music video, but his dedication to the job took its toll and he was hospitalised for heat exhaustion. Filmed in a Phuket resort location on the hills overlooking Kamala Bay, the video is said to be costing US$270,000 in production. Popular acress Kim Min Jung will also appear in the video. Seo In Kook was released from hospital and is on his way to a full recovery following a short break.
 
Phuket's tropical setting forms the backdrop for several films, attracting top directors from Hollywood to Mumbai. Among the most famous movies filmed here are Leonardo Dicaprio's "The Beach" and the sequel to "Bridget Jones Diary" starring Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant.

Phuket football fans will get a rare chance to see a live match at the international level of play, with a game between Muang Thong United of Thailand and South China set to be played at Surakul Stadium on April 20. The match is part of the Asia Football Confederation Cup being played in several locations. It was originally planned to be played in Bangkok but was moved to Phuket at the request of the Chinese team due to security concerns.
 
The 16 finalists from the AFC Cup regional competition will be known by mid-May. See www.the-afc.com/en/tournaments/clubs/afc-cup for full details on the AFC Cup.

Phuket has been nominated as Asia's Leading Destination in this year's World Travel Awards, joining Goa, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo and others in contention for the prestigious prize. A number of Phuket resorts have also been nominated in a number of categories including Asia's Leading Resort, Asia's Leading Beach Resort and Asia's Leading Spa Resort.
 
The Asian nominees are among 5,000 nominated companies, spread across more than 1,000 categories, including airlines, cruise companies, destinations, resorts and hotels. Votes are cast by 183,000 travel professionals including travel agencies, tour and transport companies and tourism organizations in more than 160 countries. World Travel Awards, now in its 17th year, is a major driver of supreme quality standards within the global travel and tourism industry, encouraging excellence in everything from product innovation, creativity and staff training to customer service and overall performance.
 
Winners of the 2010 Asia & Australasia awards will be announced in a ceremony at the The Claridges Surajkund, Delhi, on October 17.

The 'Red Shirt' political troubles in Bangkok making world headlines this week have forced the cancellation of many Thai New Year events in the capital. In Phuket, however, the Songkran water festival is going ahead as planned. The island resort is 900 km and a world away from Bangkok, with life going on as usual in all areas of Phuket.
 
Songkran events are being held all over Phuket, but the most action will take place in Patong tomorrow (April 13) and Phuket Old Town from April 13 to 15. Parades, live music and other entertainment will be held throughout the day.

The Sang Som-Phuket Cup 2010 – the first professional snooker tournament to be held in Phuket – will be held at the Royal Paradise Hotel in Patong Beach from April 19-24. The event is an official part of the Thailand Ranking Circuit 2010, a total of six events from January to September. The Phuket competition is the fourth event of the circuit.
 
Snooker enthusiasts are invited to come and watch 16 international and domestic top ranked billiards players in action, including former World No. 2 in the professional rankings Jimmy White (England), former English and World Amateur champion Stuart Bingham (England), the two-time former Asian champion Jin Long (China). Free entrance to all games.

The Phuket King's Cup Regatta, Asia's largest keel boat regatta, was announced 'Asian Regatta of the Year' at the inaugural Asia Marine & Boating Awards, held in Shanghai, China, from April 8 to 11. Award presenter Alistair Skinner said, 'The Asian Regatta of the Year award went to the Phuket King's Cup Regatta who continue to innovate and lead the way in regional sailing regattas. Its international recognition is evident with participants coming each year from all corners of the globe to take part, including more boats and crew from China each year.'
 
The Phuket King's Cup Regatta, now in its 24th year, continues to expand its participant-base with over 2,000 people of 33 nationalities taking part in the 2009 Regatta. Showing continued year-on-year growth, the Regatta's organisers continue to work closely with the global yachting community to make each year better than the previous. Phuket is also a popular destination for leisure sailing, with Phuket yacht charters being one of the top visitor attractions on the island. (Source: Sail-World.com)

Koreans dreaming of a perfect Phuket wedding will have the chance to learn more about the honeymoon island in the upcoming Phuket tourism road show in South Korea from April 25-30. Representatives from Phuket's tourism authorities and businesses will visit Seoul and Busan with the aim of attracting more Koreans to the island.
 
About 250,000 Koreans visit Thailand every year, a number that is expected to rise in the coming years. There are currently four airlines operating direct flights between Seoul and Phuket. (Source: Brunei.fm)

Phuket Town's historical district, known as 'Old Town', will be host to plenty of family activities over the Songkran Thai New Year's festival from April 13 to 15. Traditional new year's rituals including merit-making and sprinkling water on Buddha statues will be performed, as well as some serious water fights up and down the streets. Games, outdoor movie screenings, streetside fairs, ice-carving demonstrations and stage shows will also be held throughout the festival.
 
In Phuket's nightlife centre, Patong Beach, the not-so-historic yet infamous Bangla Road will be the site of a two-day water festival, complete with a parade and music shows, on April 12 and 13.