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A new social group has been formed in Phuket with the aim of bringing single expats together for some fun evenings of wining and dining. Single in Phuket (SIP) is set to host its second event this Friday, October 12, at the Irish Times Pub in Jungceylon, from 8pm to 10pm
 
Meet new people and enjoy two for one cocktails, complimentary canapes, great music from the Roaring Bhoys band and a chance to win one of three Sunday Carvery lunches for two guests at the Irish Times. There is no cover charge and no RSVP required.
 
SIP is open to suggestions on event ideas, formats, venues, invitees and entertainment. People who are not single are also welcome to join, as long as they come along with a single friend or two.
 
Check out the SIP group page here: www.facebook.com/SingleInPhuket

The Kamala Lawn Bowling Club will host a Barefoot Bowls competition this Sunday (October 7) from 3-5pm in a fundraising effort for the Phuket Has Been Good to Us Foundation. The cost is 350 baht per person for bowling only or 500 baht for bowling and BBQ. The Foundation runs several English-language and after-school programmes to help the less fortunate children of Phuket.
 
For more information or to book your spot, email info@phukethasbeengoodtous.org or visit www.phukethasbeengoodtous.org.

Friendship, good health and fun are the focus of The Straits Games, a three-day sports and social festival that attracts gay groups from all around Asia. Among the sports being played are volleyball, bowling, badminton, squash and swimming. This year marks the event’s 11th anniversary.
 
The Straits Games will take place in Patong Beach from October 12-14. Visit www.phuket-pride.org or call +66 (0)84 848 7963 for more information.

A lot of visitors love to ride motorbikes to and around Phuket, but few have travelled so far as Wissam Al Jayyoussi. Local news reports say that Mr Wissam has just arrived here as part of his 60,000 km ‘Goodwill Journey’ bike tour in support of disadvantaged children in Palestine.
 
Phuket is one of hundreds of stops on a tour that took him across 21 countries in Asia from Dubai to Bangladesh to Vietnam and many places in between. From here, he’ll ride his BMW GS1200 Adventure down to Singapore, his last stop before returning home to plan new explorations.
 
Find Wissam’s blog updates and more information on the Goodwill Journey at http://goodwilljourney.org.

Adults and kids keen to hone their athletic skills will not want to miss the Thanyapura Open Day Triathlon Challenge, starting at 10am on September 30. In addition to vying for glory on the elimination races, participants will gain tips and on-the-spot training from Jurgen Zack, the Ironman champion who won eight worldwide Ironman titles and earned a top-ten ranking at eight Ironman World Championships in Hawaii during his racing career.
 
The races will be held in two heats, the first from 10 am to 12 pm and the second from 3-5pm. Entrance is free. For more information call Thanyapura on 076-336000 ext 5055 or visit www.thanyapura.com.

Southern Thai history and culture will be on display in Phuket’s Old Town with the launch of the Southern Thai Museum Festival 2012, set to run from September 21-23. Four venues will host exhibitions: The Thai Hua Museum on Krabi Rd, Phuket City Municipality Tourist Information Centre on Thalang Rd, the Phuket Thai Hua Club on Dibuk Rd and the Baba culture centre on the Phang Nga-Phuket road intersection.
 
Entrance is free and the exhibitions will be open daily from 10am-8pm.

Culture and history buffs will not want to miss an upcoming seminar highlighting Phuket’s rich and diverse heritage being organised by the Phuket PR Network together with the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM). The Culture & Heritage seminar, part of the ‘Identifying and Marketing ‘Brand Phuket’ series, will be held at the Blue Elephant restaurant in Phuket City on October 5. This event is designed to create awareness about Phuket’s diverse history, mainly its Paranakan roots and ‘shop house’ communities.
 
Dr. Yongtanit Pimonsathean from the Faculty of Architecture and Planning at Thammasat University, Bangkok, will be the main guest speaker for this event and he will also discuss Phuket Town’s quest for UNESCO heritage status.
 
Admission is 300 baht, while the cost for dinner is 1,000 baht. For more information visit the Phuket PR Network site: http://www.phuketprnetwork.com.

Some 700 walkers and runners are set to join the Starwood Mini Marathon on Koh Siray this Sunday (September 16) to raise funds for UNICEF and local Phuket charities.
 
The mini marathon route is 10.5 km while the charity walk is 5 km in length. The price for registration for the mini marathon is B300 per runner and the charity walk is priced at B250 per person.
 
More than 60 prizes are also up for grabs in the charitable lucky draw, with tickets on sale for B100 each. To register and for more information call the Westin Siray Bay resort on 076 335 600.

The popular Phuket Good Taste Food Festival is set to launch in Saphan Hin in Phuket city this Friday (September 14). The food fair will feature the usual tasty array of local cuisine, and this year the festival is highlighting ecological and health awareness by having vendors use biodegradable containers and more energy-efficient lighting, as well as refraining from selling alcohol and putting additives in the food.
 
In addition to hundreds of food stalls, there will be live music and other entertainment on the stage every evening. The festival will be on daily from 4pm to 11pm until September 22.