PHUKET: About this time every year, the Phuketwan editor rests his two weary typing fingers and quits responding to comments.
This is not a sign that Phuket's Doomsayers are winning - quite the opposite. The battle to improve Phuket is clearly being won, so the editor can take a break.
Our esteemed leader figures he might book a flight to try to catch up with Rihanna around a swimming pool somewhere, to see what she really thinks about Patong sex shows and slow loris touts and rescue her from boredom.
Then again, he might not.
For the next couple of weeks or so, one thing he definitely won't be doing is responding to readers.
This doesn't mean that mindless comments will begin appearing, unchallenged. It simply means they will disappear without trace. No antidote, no poison.
So far Phuket's 2013 has produced a number of surprises, with the campaign to end corruption on the island for good perhaps the most important story to break.
With the backing of the European Union and China to end scams and protect tourists properly, Phuket's residents have also begun to speak out.
Talking about corruption and the damage it's doing to Thailand's future is no longer taboo.
Phuketwan is happy to play a small part in spreading awareness of this and other issues. We aim to keep shedding light in dark corners where we can.
More readers than ever are catching our coverage, devoid as it is of the traditional tabloid newspaper approach of beating up a topic one day simply so that it can then be hosed down the next.
Statistics don't always lie. Our team of five competes against teams 10 times as big and often leads the way. Phuketwan clearly remains tops for news and views.
In October we averaged more than 8000 readers a day and in the past five days, we've received more than 260 readers' comments.
So the editor says thanks for your continuing support. He also notes that Phuketwan's attitude to comments remains unchanged from the previous announcement:
PHUKETWAN hereby alters its policy on the posting of Comments and bans whingers, whiners, do-nothings, dingbats, doomsayers, carpers, harpers and kooks. This list may grow with time. Constructive ideas and new pieces of information remain welcome.
This is not a sign that Phuket's Doomsayers are winning - quite the opposite. The battle to improve Phuket is clearly being won, so the editor can take a break.
Our esteemed leader figures he might book a flight to try to catch up with Rihanna around a swimming pool somewhere, to see what she really thinks about Patong sex shows and slow loris touts and rescue her from boredom.
Then again, he might not.
For the next couple of weeks or so, one thing he definitely won't be doing is responding to readers.
This doesn't mean that mindless comments will begin appearing, unchallenged. It simply means they will disappear without trace. No antidote, no poison.
So far Phuket's 2013 has produced a number of surprises, with the campaign to end corruption on the island for good perhaps the most important story to break.
With the backing of the European Union and China to end scams and protect tourists properly, Phuket's residents have also begun to speak out.
Talking about corruption and the damage it's doing to Thailand's future is no longer taboo.
Phuketwan is happy to play a small part in spreading awareness of this and other issues. We aim to keep shedding light in dark corners where we can.
More readers than ever are catching our coverage, devoid as it is of the traditional tabloid newspaper approach of beating up a topic one day simply so that it can then be hosed down the next.
Statistics don't always lie. Our team of five competes against teams 10 times as big and often leads the way. Phuketwan clearly remains tops for news and views.
In October we averaged more than 8000 readers a day and in the past five days, we've received more than 260 readers' comments.
So the editor says thanks for your continuing support. He also notes that Phuketwan's attitude to comments remains unchanged from the previous announcement:
PHUKETWAN hereby alters its policy on the posting of Comments and bans whingers, whiners, do-nothings, dingbats, doomsayers, carpers, harpers and kooks. This list may grow with time. Constructive ideas and new pieces of information remain welcome.
When you catch up to Rihanna, thank her. She did more for the endangered lorises in Phuket than any government official in Thailand ever has.
Posted by NomadJoe on November 1, 2013 08:54