Latest News

A night of Irish music, food and drinks is being hosted by the JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa in Phuket's first St. Patrick's Ball on March 27. Proceeds will be donated to the Life Home Project - a shelter for children in Phuket orphaned or affected by HIV/Aids. Tickets are 3,000 baht each, including free flow wine and beer at dinner. Live and silent auctions and raffles will be held throughout the night.
 
For more information and tickets, see the website www.lifehomeproject.org.

Phuket remains second only to Bali as a favourite international travel destination for Australians, a leading hotel booking website, HotelsCombined.com.au, has revealed. Some 8.8 percent of Australians choose Bali as a destination outside of the country, while 6.3 percent head to Phuket. In Phuket, Aussies pay an average overnight rate of AUS$130, and stay just over a week on average.
 
HotelsCombined.com.au General Manager Michael Doubinski said, "Traditional Asian budget destinations -- Bali and Phuket -- have always presented Australian jetsetters with superb value for money in breathtaking costal surroundings."

The Phuket pineapple -- long known as the sweetest in the land -- is now being officially recognized for its unique taste and look with its recent addition as a 'geographical identity' product with the Thai Department of Intellectual Property. The chance to buy an authentic, registered Phuket pineapple will give local farmers a boost.
 
The Phuket Gazette reported that "Phuket pineapples are also valued for their appearance. Miniature versions are common sights at spirit houses and on offering tables at Chinese shrines around the country. Ethnic Chinese Thais believe the many eyes on the husk’s exterior represent vision and wisdom."

Phuket resorts enjoyed a jump in occupancy in January, according to the latest figures released by hotel research firm STR Global. Phuket resort occupancy was a healthy 86 percent in January, a 32.7 percent increase over the previous year's figures. It was the third-largest occupancy increase in the Asia/Pacific region, after Beijing (41.9 percent increase) and Shanghai (up by 41.4 percent).
 
Hotels across the Asia/Pacific region showed increases in all the key performance measures in January. "In year-over-year measurements, the Asia/Pacific region’s occupancy rose 13.9 percent to 61.0 percent, average daily rate increased 5.6 percent to US$130.75, and revenue per available room jumped 20.3 percent to US$79.81," reported STR Global.

Phuket was voted one of the top-ten best places for UK women to travel to this summer, in a poll conducted by online travel agent Sunshine.co.uk. The website found that many women are planning trips abroad during the football World Cup event in Cape Town, leaving their partners behind to enjoy watching the matches on TV in peace. Chris Brown, co-founder of Sunshine.co.uk said, "Not everyone enjoys the football, and during the World Cup some women must feel alienated. It's not surprising that this has brought about a rise in women taking holidays alone or with their friends. By taking your summer break in a country that didn’t qualify for the world cup, there is less chance in getting caught up in the football fever, and more of a chance to relax and enjoy your holiday."
 
While Dubrovnik, Croatia, was voted the best place to avoid the world cup frenzy, Phuket ranked a solid seventh place in the poll. "Thailand is not just a haven for backpackers anymore; from unwinding on white sandy beaches to exploring the dramatic mix of old and new in Phuket town, there is something here to tempt even the most ardent football fan away," the website said.

A Phuket man is doing his part to restore the vibrancy of Andaman Sea's marine life with his own sea fan breeding project near Palai Beach. Following the 2004 tsunami, Jaroon Kongsub began breeding red, orange and pink sea fans in his floating farm with the aim to return them to the ocean's depths after they mature.
 
His project now has the support of Green Fins Club and the Mangrove and Coastal Resource Research and Development, and he will continue to help restore the sea's natural ecology and educate others on how to preserve our precious ocean life. The first sea fan planting took place offshore yesterday.

The two brave women who saved Phuket from a Burmese invasion in 1785 are being honoured in the annual Two Heroines Festival from March 6-20. Festivities will include a mass ordination of monks, a ritual worship of Phuket’s ancestors on March 12, a flower garland ceremony on March 13, sports events, tours of Phuket historical sites from March 8-10, light and sound shows and other performances from March 13-15.
 
The two sisters, Thao Thepkrasattri and Thao Thao Sri Soonthorn, are depicted holding swords on the Two Heroines monument at the airport road traffic circle in Thalang. Many Thais are seen bowing to the statue as they pass by, and some stop to offer garlands in reverence. (Source: Phuketindex.com)

Phuket beach club music lovers are set to hit the sands of Patong Beach for two days of revelry with international DJs, from 6pm to 1am on February 18 and 19. The Festival on the Sand, being organized by Seduction Nightclub and 24Phuket.com, will feature DJ David Morales from the US and DJs Bert Bevans and Mickey D.
 
Advance tickets are available for 400 baht a night at Seduction Nightclub on Soi Bangla or for 500 baht each at the entrance on the evenings of the event. Two-day tickets booked in advance are 600 baht or 800 baht at the entrance. For more information visit www.24phuket.com.

Phuket is welcoming senior football players from eight nations to compete in a tournament at Surakul Stadium, Phuket City, from May 31 to June 5. Teams joining the event for footballers aged 55 and over are from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Iran, Taiwan, Armenia, the US and Thailand.
 
Football is a popular sport in Phuket, with matches played at all levels from local kids kicking a ball around on the beach to international tournaments.