The Phuket Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Bangornrat Shinaprayoon, said she welcomed the Best of Phuket awards. ''Phuket and the region need positive role models,'' she said. ''If these awards lead on to more good ideas, that's great.''


PHUKETWAN is looking for opinions from readers to help make the 2010 Best of Phuket Awards the best yet in celebrating the island's top achievers.

We are also in the process of looking at what readers want from Phuketwan and welcome your ideas. Are there aspects of our coverage that can be improved? What would you like to see and read?

We are on our way to making Phuketwan a better site in 2011. Please help us to do it.

This year, Phuket's premium news magazine, the Phuket Post, is joining in the 2010 Best of Phuket Awards for the first time, adding the glossy lustre of a quality print product to celebrate the winners.

The following categories are included: Phuket Environmental Action of the Year 2010, Phuket Innovation of the Year 2010, Phuket Business of the Year 2010, Phuket Resort of the Year 2010, Phuket Restaurant of the Year 2010 and Phuket Person of the Year 2010.

Nominations by readers for the various awards will be noted and taken into account before judging panels assess all the candidates in each category. Judges will begin making an assessment from December 1.

The awards were initiated by Phuketwan in 2008, first making awards for 2007.

We started the Best of Phuket Awards back in 2008 and we are delighted to have the support of the Phuket Post for this year's fourth awards. Every community needs its role-models, and Phuket is no exception.

The awards had grown with the region to extend beyond Phuket to take in ''Greater Phuket''. To many residents, Greater Phuket now includes Phang Nga and Krabi.

Phuketwan has had positive feedback on the Best of Phuket Awards so far and I am sure they will grow in significance every year now, especially with the Phuket Post's involvement.

There are two categories this year for the first time within the Best of Phuket Restaurant of the Year 2010: Fine Dining and Best Value Dining. Previous awards have been made on the basis of value dining alone.

The Environmental Award is a new category to be marked for the first time in 2010.

The Best of Phuket Awards 2010 are open to all residents and businesses in the Greater Phuket region. The judges' decisions will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

If you have a nomination in any category for the Best of Phuket Awards this year, let us know about it via the Comment box below. If you have a suggestion about Phuketwan we'd welcome that, too. [The editor has promised to remain calm and be discreet.]

Here are previous Best of Phuket Award winners:

Person of the Year 2009 Kongkiat Kespechara, Director of the Bangkok Hospital Phuket. Dr Kongkiat not only runs one of the island's best hospitals, he is also attempting to give Phuket a second key industry alongside tourism - IT - as well as playing a vital role in the development of medical care throughout Thailand.

Person of the Year 2008 Wing Commander Wicha Nurnlop, then general manager of Phuket International Airport, oversaw negotiations in handling a three-day occupation of Phuket airport and the announcement soon after of a five billion baht airport expansion for Phuket.

Person of the Year 2007 Promchote Traivate, then local coordinator of the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and Recreation, who started community health programs, developed community tourism, and promoted environmental values to exceptional levels.

Restaurant of the Year 2009 Two winners this year, Natural Restaurant in Phuket City and White Sand Beach Restaurant and Bungalow near Khao Lak in Phang Nga. Both more or less open-air, with great food at good prices.

Restaurant of the Year 2008 Kan Eang 2, less well known than its sister restaurant Kan Eang at Pier nearby in Chalong, but a firm favorite with islanders in the know for flavor and value.

Restaurant of the Year 2007 Dibuk Restaurant, Phuket City, manages to mix French and Thai with Old Town charm and deliver consistent taste as reasonable prices.

Resort of the Year 2009 Cape Sienna Resort and Villas. Urban chic goes to the seaside. A pace-setting resort that blends stunning views with good food and music.

Resort of the Year 2008 SALA Phuket Resort and Spa, a resort that applied creative Thai design and enhanced a near-perfect setting at Mai Khao beach in north Phuket. This was the first award of its kind. There was no award in 2007.

Business of the Year 2009 Marriott International has shown faith in ''Greater Phuket'' by rapidly growing its brands to the point where we believe it now has more staff in the Andaman region than any other private employer.

Attraction of the Year 2008 Not strictly a business but a huge Phuket success story nevertheless, the Big Buddha attracts visitors by the hundreds every day and is a symbol of Phuket's commitment to tolerance and mee kwam suk (happiness).

Business of the Year 2007 Destination Air. A seaplane air shuttle to speed people to their offshore five-star destinations is an idea that shouldn't need to circle, land, then try again.

Innovation of the Year 2009 Mediation in the court system. Enhanced by then Phuket Chief Justice, Varangkana Sujaritkul, the system of talking to resolve civil cases and some criminal cases eased the pressure on the Phuket court system.

Innovation of the Year 2008 The Ao Po Grand Marina on Phuket's east coast set new standards for the island and lived up to its founder's words: ''Phuket's future is on the water.''

Innovation of the Year 2007 Red Mountain, a new golf course sculpted from tin mine country at the heart of Phuket, makes the island even more appealing for swingers to enjoy its tropical terrain.