PHUKET is ringing in the Year of the Ox with big Chinese New Year's celebrations along Phuket City's historic downtown streets.
NEW YEAR'S festivities will be held with the 10th Old Phuket Festival, from January 31 to February 2.
Most activities and walking street displays will be on Soi Romanee, Thalang Road and Krabi Road, and at 'Suan 72 Pansaa Maharachinee', or Queen Sirikit Park, near the Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket office.
From 3pm to midnight each day, Soi Romanee and Thalang Road will be converted into walking streets.
Parking will be available at the main Thai Military Bank branch, at Wat Puttamongkon and at Phuket Kulthida School.
Jungceylon shopping centre in Patong will also be holding a number of Chinese traditional performances.
January 31
The event begins with a cultural parade starting at Saphan Hin public park in Phuket City at 5pm. The parade will go along Phuket Road to Surin Circle, Rassada Road, Suriyadet Circle, Yaowarat Road, finishing at Queen Sirikit Park on Thalang Road. Opening ceremonies begin at 7pm with performances at the park's centre stage of Chinese opera, local dancing, kung fu and Chinese folk dance troupes.
A large outdoor screen will be showing movies that have been filmed in Phuket. On Thalang Road, an animated show about Sino Portuguese architecture will be featured at house #63 throughout the festival.
Old-style boats (gorchan) from the region will be launched and floated down the Bang Yai klong (canal), which runs alongside Queen Sirikit Park.
Local historians will be speaking, in Thai, at Thai Hua Museum on Krabi Road.
The museum will also feature a photo exhibition on Sino-Portuguese architecture.
Dr Yongtanit Pimonsathien and Ajarn Jarunee Pimonsathien, architecture and urban planning experts from Thammasat University, will hold a lecture on history and architecture at house #83 on Thalang Road, from 7-9pm, in Thai.
February 1
Entertainment and vendor stalls will be set all along Thalang Road, from 6-11pm. House #83 will host a seminar about preserving Old Phuket, from 7-9pm. In Queen Sirikit Park, there will be a trade fair to buy local food and traditional sweets (khanom boran) along Klong Bang Yai.
Jungceylon shopping mall, in Patong, will feature Chinese opera, local dancing, kung fu demonstrations and folk dancers from China at the Port stage.
February 2
Starting at 10.09am and going until midnight, people are invited to pay respect to Chinese gods at the golden dragon statue in Queen Sirikit Park. Many activities will honour Phuket's twin cities in China - Hainan, Iantai.
Theatre performers from seven provinces in China will put on shows throughout the festival.
There was a prelude, too, that will hopefully be repeated next year:
Children's Walking Street Festival, January 24
The Governor's office is launching a Children's Walking Street Festival to be held in Phuket City every three months, starting on January 24 from 3pm to midnight. The opening ceremony at Queen Sirikit Park begins at 4pm. The theme of the festival is promoting good behavior and leadership through parental support. More than 2000 people are expected to join the event.Stage shows, student work and art displays, handicrafts for sale, food and games are the main festival attractions. Educational booths on drug prevention and safe sex will be on display, as well as an exhibition on sufficiency economics. Phuket City Municipality is sponsoring the event by providing organization and facilities support. Free dental checks are also on offer.
NEW YEAR'S festivities will be held with the 10th Old Phuket Festival, from January 31 to February 2.
Most activities and walking street displays will be on Soi Romanee, Thalang Road and Krabi Road, and at 'Suan 72 Pansaa Maharachinee', or Queen Sirikit Park, near the Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket office.
From 3pm to midnight each day, Soi Romanee and Thalang Road will be converted into walking streets.
Parking will be available at the main Thai Military Bank branch, at Wat Puttamongkon and at Phuket Kulthida School.
Jungceylon shopping centre in Patong will also be holding a number of Chinese traditional performances.
January 31
The event begins with a cultural parade starting at Saphan Hin public park in Phuket City at 5pm. The parade will go along Phuket Road to Surin Circle, Rassada Road, Suriyadet Circle, Yaowarat Road, finishing at Queen Sirikit Park on Thalang Road. Opening ceremonies begin at 7pm with performances at the park's centre stage of Chinese opera, local dancing, kung fu and Chinese folk dance troupes.
A large outdoor screen will be showing movies that have been filmed in Phuket. On Thalang Road, an animated show about Sino Portuguese architecture will be featured at house #63 throughout the festival.
Old-style boats (gorchan) from the region will be launched and floated down the Bang Yai klong (canal), which runs alongside Queen Sirikit Park.
Local historians will be speaking, in Thai, at Thai Hua Museum on Krabi Road.
The museum will also feature a photo exhibition on Sino-Portuguese architecture.
Dr Yongtanit Pimonsathien and Ajarn Jarunee Pimonsathien, architecture and urban planning experts from Thammasat University, will hold a lecture on history and architecture at house #83 on Thalang Road, from 7-9pm, in Thai.
February 1
Entertainment and vendor stalls will be set all along Thalang Road, from 6-11pm. House #83 will host a seminar about preserving Old Phuket, from 7-9pm. In Queen Sirikit Park, there will be a trade fair to buy local food and traditional sweets (khanom boran) along Klong Bang Yai.
Jungceylon shopping mall, in Patong, will feature Chinese opera, local dancing, kung fu demonstrations and folk dancers from China at the Port stage.
February 2
Starting at 10.09am and going until midnight, people are invited to pay respect to Chinese gods at the golden dragon statue in Queen Sirikit Park. Many activities will honour Phuket's twin cities in China - Hainan, Iantai.
Theatre performers from seven provinces in China will put on shows throughout the festival.
There was a prelude, too, that will hopefully be repeated next year:
Children's Walking Street Festival, January 24
The Governor's office is launching a Children's Walking Street Festival to be held in Phuket City every three months, starting on January 24 from 3pm to midnight. The opening ceremony at Queen Sirikit Park begins at 4pm. The theme of the festival is promoting good behavior and leadership through parental support. More than 2000 people are expected to join the event.Stage shows, student work and art displays, handicrafts for sale, food and games are the main festival attractions. Educational booths on drug prevention and safe sex will be on display, as well as an exhibition on sufficiency economics. Phuket City Municipality is sponsoring the event by providing organization and facilities support. Free dental checks are also on offer.
