TWO-kilometre tailbacks and confusion came with the first Army Asean checkpoints on Phuket today.
While one national outlet reported that the island was ''abuzz with pride and wonder,'' the truth is that nobody south of the Heroines' Monument was showing much interest.
Those to the north or west of the monument were not exactly ''pulsing with vibrancy'' either. Especially if they were caught up in the traffic delays of 15 minutes or more.
Some who had no knowledge of the army's arrival under the Internal Security Act for the series of Asean meetings were surprised to see so many men in uniform.
The clamp went on Phuket today, beginning with a checkpoint that was actually north of the island, in Phang Nga.
Just how many of the 14,000 military personnel said to be involved have arrived and how many more are coming, nobody was saying.
But cars were certainly being checked. And the number of special vehicle stickers to smooth passage through the checkpoints had increased to 60,000 by today.
There were plenty of grumpy media people, though. Having been issued with red stickers, (red stickers, in yellow territory?) they now all have to go back to Cherng Talay to try to gain green ones.
Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Dapong Rattanasuwan told Phuketwan that some problems had been caused by having separate Army and police checkpoints.
They would be merged from Thursday.
A source at Laguna Phuket advised anyone travelling north to avoid the area between the 7.30am-9am peak times, when VIPs and others are likely to be on the roads.
According to our insider, ''everything is going seamlessly. Everybody seems to have stickers now. In terms of guests, we've had a couple who have dropped out and a couple who have been switched to other resorts.
''But most guests seem to be enjoying it. The soldiers in and around the Laguna Phuket area have great big smiles.''
Security is tightest around the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket, where most of the talking will take place over the next eight days.
At a media conference, Governor Wichai Praisa-nob sensibly advised Phuket people to stay away from the Bang Tao area unless they have business there.
On the diplomatic front, nine countries have reportedly not confirmed their attendance yet: North Korea, South Korea, the Philippines, Russia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Canada, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
However, news agency wire reports indicate most if not all of those countries will be there, although perhaps not at Foreign Minister level.
Thailand sent an emissary to North Korea, the nuclear rogue state, to try to persuade the Foreign Minister to attend.
That would have presented the possibility of a meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss the weather on Phuket, and probably moving on quite quickly to other, more serious matters.
Mrs Clinton will hold talks in India over the weekend on an ''enhanced strategic partnership'' before traveling next week to Thailand and Phuket on July 22-23.
So much for the gobal village. Phuket village chiefs met with the governor today to learn as much as possible in one final briefing.
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While one national outlet reported that the island was ''abuzz with pride and wonder,'' the truth is that nobody south of the Heroines' Monument was showing much interest.
Those to the north or west of the monument were not exactly ''pulsing with vibrancy'' either. Especially if they were caught up in the traffic delays of 15 minutes or more.
Some who had no knowledge of the army's arrival under the Internal Security Act for the series of Asean meetings were surprised to see so many men in uniform.
The clamp went on Phuket today, beginning with a checkpoint that was actually north of the island, in Phang Nga.
Just how many of the 14,000 military personnel said to be involved have arrived and how many more are coming, nobody was saying.
But cars were certainly being checked. And the number of special vehicle stickers to smooth passage through the checkpoints had increased to 60,000 by today.
There were plenty of grumpy media people, though. Having been issued with red stickers, (red stickers, in yellow territory?) they now all have to go back to Cherng Talay to try to gain green ones.
Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Dapong Rattanasuwan told Phuketwan that some problems had been caused by having separate Army and police checkpoints.
They would be merged from Thursday.
A source at Laguna Phuket advised anyone travelling north to avoid the area between the 7.30am-9am peak times, when VIPs and others are likely to be on the roads.
According to our insider, ''everything is going seamlessly. Everybody seems to have stickers now. In terms of guests, we've had a couple who have dropped out and a couple who have been switched to other resorts.
''But most guests seem to be enjoying it. The soldiers in and around the Laguna Phuket area have great big smiles.''
Security is tightest around the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket, where most of the talking will take place over the next eight days.
At a media conference, Governor Wichai Praisa-nob sensibly advised Phuket people to stay away from the Bang Tao area unless they have business there.
On the diplomatic front, nine countries have reportedly not confirmed their attendance yet: North Korea, South Korea, the Philippines, Russia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Canada, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
However, news agency wire reports indicate most if not all of those countries will be there, although perhaps not at Foreign Minister level.
Thailand sent an emissary to North Korea, the nuclear rogue state, to try to persuade the Foreign Minister to attend.
That would have presented the possibility of a meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss the weather on Phuket, and probably moving on quite quickly to other, more serious matters.
Mrs Clinton will hold talks in India over the weekend on an ''enhanced strategic partnership'' before traveling next week to Thailand and Phuket on July 22-23.
So much for the gobal village. Phuket village chiefs met with the governor today to learn as much as possible in one final briefing.
MediaWATCH: Singapore Leads Boom from Gloom
News Digest A burst of energy leads hope for recovery; tourism still tight; Clinton to talk N Korea on Phuket; Malaysia church impersonation; Michael Jackson doctors questioned.
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Photo Album Phuket has been fighting to stave off the rapid spread of the H1N1 virus and a campaign HQ has now been established at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket City.
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Latest There are four times as many unregistered tuk tuks on Phuket as registered vehicles, a meeting hears to consider allowing 373 to register. Cheap public transport is not mentioned.
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Photo Album Who stole the governor's welcoming garden from Phuket airport? That was the shock development today as the Defence Minister told the red shirts: Stay off Phuket.
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