Latest News

The Phuket women's networking site, Chickynet Phuket, has passed two milestones this month, with its one-year anniversary coinciding with the signing up of its 500th member. Chickynet Phuket was formed by Phuket expat Berthe Mandaat, offering mostly expat women a user-friendly online format in which to share ideas, arrange events and exchange stories and advice on living in Phuket. Members have formed a number of groups -- including 'Yummy Mummies', the Book Club, Tennis Club and 'Chickies Mean Business' -- that have spawned dozens of meetings, social events and online exchanges. The forum has also proved popular, with discussions ranging from finding a good hairdresser to advice on grief counselling services and doing business in Phuket.
 
To join Chickynet Phuket, visit chickynetphuket.ning.com (sorry, ladies only!). Chickynet has now also opened sister sites for women in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui.

Phuket angels and devils are set to mingle at the Grasslands, Royal Phuket Marina, tomorrow evening (March 19) for its Red & White Party, starting at 8.30pm. Guests are invited to dress in red if feeling devilish or in angelic white if seeking a more virginal look. The night features dance music from DJ Tank, a belly dance performance from Malika and other sexy entertainment.
 
Entrance is 250 baht including one beer or wine.

Phuket will join more than 4000 cities in 84 countries in cutting electricity use for one hour on March 27 for the global "Earth Hour" energy-saving campaign. In Thailand, Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen will join Phuket with official activities to honour the earth. Businesses, government offices and individuals are set to switch off their power for one hour -- a simple action that yields tremendous savings when done en masse. In Bangkok alone, 1423MW of electricity were saved during last year's Earth Hour, which reduced CO2 emissions by 900 tonnes.
 
A number of Phuket resorts have also announced plans to join the campaign, with special activities including candlelight dinners being offered to guests while the lights are switched off. Phuket's Earth Hour will take place from 8.30 to 9.30pm. Patong Beach has been appointed the main centre for official Earth Hour activities, though few details of events have been announced.

Phuket art aficionados will have the chance to muse over the work of Vietnamese painter Nguyen Tan Cuong in his art exhibition at D Gallery, Royal Phuket Marina, from April 2 to May 31. Cuong describes his series of paintings, entitled 'Day-Night and Day', as not depicting "a specific subject or things or person; instead it lets our visionary images and some subtle change in repeated images which just give a feeling like in a half-awake dream and some narratives that can be quietly shared with the viewers". His work has been shown in several galleries across Asia and Europe.
 
The exhibition is open every day from 11am to 7pm. For more information visit www.dgallery.co.th.

First held in 2004, this is the 7th staging of the Phuket International Cricket Sixes, featuring up to 30 sides from Asia/Pacific and around the world competing in the Cup, Plate, Bowl, Spoon and Women’s Divisions in the popular six-a-side match format. A record number of teams, supporters and officials from Australia, UK, India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, China will fly in to compete in the tournament plus teams from Thailand and Phuket.
 
For the first time this year, a Women’s Division will compete. Other events during the cricket festival include the Phuket Beach Cricket Sixes, Sixes Welcome Reception, Sixes Gala Awards Dinner, and a T20 Fundraising Match for Junior Cricket in Phuket.
 
The tournament runs from April 14-18, at the Karon Stadium in Karon Beach. More information at www.phuketsixes.com.

Phuket will be one of the stops in a new exotic world cruise set to start in 2012 with the 450-passenger Seabourn Quest luxury liner. The 109-night cruise starts in Fort Lauderdale, then travels down South America followed by an eastbound crossing of the Atlantic Ocean to Africa and then Asia before a loop back to the Middle East and Europe.
 
In addition to Phuket, other port calls include Devil's Island, French Guiana; Recife, Salvador Da Bahia and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil; Walvis Bay, Namibia; Cape Town and Durban in South Africa; Maputo, Mozambique; Singapore; Ho Chi Minh City and Chan May in Vietnam; Keelung (Taipei); Shanghai; Hong Kong; and Port Kelang, Malaysia; Mumbai, India; Khasab, Salalah and Muscat in Oman; Dubai; Safaga (for Luxor), Sharm el-Sheikh and Alexandria, Egypt; Aqaba, Jordan; and Corfu. The final destination is Venice.

Etihad Holidays, a division of Etihad Airways, has announced a new cooperative agreement with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to promote holiday packages to Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Koh Samui, as it aims to attract more Middle Eastern visitors to the Kingdom. Special promotions are being offered this month, said Etihad spokesman Peter Baumgartner, adding that "Thailand is one of our key holiday destinations, offering travellers a rich culture and history and a vibrant nightlife. This is backed by the warm hospitality for which the Thai people are renowned."
 
The Middle East is considered an important emerging market for Thailand tourism. Russia and China are also rising stars, with visitors from these countries coming to Phuket in increasing numbers.

The world has been abuzz this week in watching Oscars being handed out to glittering A-list stars at the Academy Awards in Hollywood, but soon Phuket will have its own share of excitement and celebration of films. The Phuket Film Festival is set to run from June 4 to 13 at the Coliseum Paradise Multiplex in Phuket City. Organisers say that "the Festival will lay the groundwork for a sustainable annual event which will not only help raise visibility of Phuket as a quality tourist destination but also act as an anchor event drawing tourism during Phuket's low season."
 
Entries are still being considered, but as the event approaches, films to be screened at the event will be announced on www.phuketfilmfestival.asia.

More than 3000 divers are expected to join the attempt to break the world's record in a mass dive off Thai Muang in Phang Nga province, Phuket's neighbour to the north. The current record, according to the Guinness Book, is held by a group of 2486 divers, who made the plunge together in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, last year.
 
To earn the record, all of the divers must descend to a depth of at least 10 meters and remain submerged for one minute. Discounts on Phang Nga resorts and free transport on buses from Bangkok will be provided to divers who wish to take part.