YOU COULD call it a supermarket for skin art. Phuket's first Tattoo Convention opened yesterday with plenty of ink being applied to vacant spaces.

The three-day exhibition and talk-fest is a prelude to Phuket Bike Week . . . and it seemed to be moving along a little like a high-speed Harley.

There was plenty of passing scenery, and all of it was attached to participants.

Neck art appears to be popular, although backs, chests and legs seem to be holding their traditional position as favorites as well.

We didn't see a single smiley being applied, not an emoticon in sight. Why is this? Is it because computer geeks ride bicycles, or because having a tattoo applied is no laughing matter?

The 350 baht entrance fee certainly attracted a great deal of interest upstairs at the Jungceylon shopping precinct in Patong, with about 30 tattooists working intermittently on fresh flesh.

One artist and model did leave us agog, though. It appeared the young lady was having a huge tattoo mapped out for application to her entire front side.

It will certainly be a spectacular finished result, assuming she doesn't change her mind and decide to live with her natural assets. We couldn't help wondering, though, how many lucky people will get to see the ultimate masterpiece.