Phuketwan MediaWATCH
A daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media.
btimes.com.my IRIS Corp has appointed Guangdong Machinery Import & Export Co Ltd the prime contractor for the 600-tonne per day waste incineration power plant project in Phuket. ''GMG will be responsible for the construction, supply of the equipment including design, installation, commissioning and training,'' a statement said. Iris said the MOU would formed the basis of a technical turnkey arrangement between it and GMG to promote the mutual understanding and for it to deploy its environmental technologies.
latimes.com The chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board said the pilots of Continental Connection Flight 3407 that crashed near Buffalo, NY, nearly a year ago made mistakes that showed their ''complacency and confusion that resulted in catastrophe.'' ''History is repeating itself,'' Deborah Hersman also told reporters in Washington. Fifty people died in the crash.
Associated Press The science-fiction sensation Avatar and the Iraq war thriller The Hurt Locker lead an eclectic mix of best picture contenders for this year's Academy Awards. Avatar and Locker have nine nominations each, including best picture and director. For the first time since 1943, when Casablanca won, the Oscars feature 10 best picture contenders instead of the usual five. The organisers changed the number to include a broader range of titles.
tehrantimes.com Tehran dismissed reports that an airplane, seized on December 11 in Thailand for smuggling weapons, was heading for Iran. ''There was no link between this airplane and Iran,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told a weekly press briefing. Thai authorities said they seized more than 35 tons of arms from a cargo plane they said had come from North Korea, and arrested its five crew members after the aircraft made an emergency landing at a Bangkok airport.
nydailynews.com It's the Wedding Planner vs. Bridezilla now. Celebrity party organiser David Tutera used the B word against a woman suing him for bailing out of her lavish Singapore wedding. ''Melissa Chin was looking to turn her wedding into a PR opportunity and ... is simply a Bridezilla looking for her 15 minutes of fame,'' Tutera said in a statement. The reality show star is being sued by Chin and groom Steve Choi after he failed to show up to their August 22 dream blowout at Singapore's five star Shangri-La Hotel.
Manila Standard Connie Veneracion writes: The view from the boat was magnificent, offering a panoramic perspective of the crescent shaped shore that is Patong Beach. Almost as soon as our feet touched the sand, however, trouble began. The ''entrepreneurs'' were all over us, crowding us, competing for our attention. No, thank you, I told them all, I just came for a swim. It was not even 4pm and the bar girls were already out - and outdoors too! Phuket might be some people's idea of fun but it isn't mine.
theopnepress.com People using Phuket hotels will have an opportunity to put their football skills to the test from February 26, when the second Phuket Spicy Soccer 7s gets underway. The tournament has been described as ''the hottest thing in Phuket in February'' and will see teams from around south-east Asia compete over two days at the FIFA Phuket Tsunami Football Centre. Participants can look forward to three levels of competition with trophies available for winners and runners-up at each level.
Phuket Coming Events
Until February 4 Aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and other warships anchor off Phuket for shore leave.
February 3-7 Phang Nga Bay Regatta. More than 60 yachts are expected to enter in six classes. More information: http://www.bayregatta.com
February 3 Cunard liner Queen Mary 2 arrives at Phuket.
February 5-14 Phuket OTOP (one village, one product) Fair at Saphan Hin public park in Phuket City. About 300 booths, nightly performances, local and national products, good food. Hundreds of visitors expected each evening.
February 7 Wichit Municipality mini-marathon over 4.5 kilometres and 10.5 kilometres. For more information call 076-525100 or 080-6481363.
February 13-19 Chalong Temple Fair.
February 14 Valentines Day, Chinese New Year.
February 19-21 Old Phuket Chinese New Year Festival, Old Phuket Town.
February 25-28 Phuket Gay Festival in Patong.
February 26-27 Phuket International Blues Rock Festival 2010 at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa, Karon.
February 26-28 Phuket Spicy Soccer 7s at Fifa Phuket Tsunami Centre.
April 9-13 Phuket Bike Week, including tattoo competitions, island rides and the Miss Phuket Bike Week contest.
May31-June 5 Eight-nation football tournament for players over 55 at Surakul Stadium in Phuket City. Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Taiwan, Iran, Armenia competing.
May Date to be finalised for Muay Thai kickboxing competition at Laguna Phuket.
June 4-13 Phuket International Film Festival.
Photo Album A large blaze that could be seen from many parts of Phuket City lit up the night sky and destroyed vehicles and about one rai of goods at a recycling depot.
Big Phuket City Blaze Recycles Goods as Smoke
Phuket Given a Flying Start by First-Class Cuts
Latest If Qantas is slashing the number of first class seats on its fleet then its time for Phuket to sort out its own highly priced transport woes. The future is filled with travel for all at reasonable prices.
Phuket Given a Flying Start by First-Class Cuts
With a Roar, Phuket Welcomes Year of the Tiger
Festival of Fun The Year of the Tiger arrives on Phuket with a larger road this year as the heart of Old Phuket Town celebrates its Chinese heritage and invites all residents and tourists to join in
With a Roar, Phuket Welcomes Year of the Tiger
Plastic Phuket Turns Over a New Banana Leaf
Latest Organic not plastic will be the thrust of a new education campaign entitled ''Phuket Green Island'' to persuade shoppers to avoid unnecessary packaging and waste.
Plastic Phuket Turns Over a New Banana Leaf
Phuket Brewery Venue Reopens With Free Whisky
Photo Album Three bands and free whisky is the recipe for packed houses and success at the old Phuket Brewery venue, which seems to have new life under new management.
Phuket Brewery Venue Reopens With Free Whisky
Connie Veneracion going to Patong for a swim. Mmh. Sure. And then talking down Phuket because of the bar girls and touts in Patong. If you look for beach without that, do not go to Patong. There are enough other nice and wonderful beaches in Phuket and greater Phuket.
And to insinuate that everyone who goes to Phuket because of that "idea of fun" is just plain stupid. Sure red light is big in Patong and some other places, but would you judge Hamburg because of the "reeperbahn"? Amsterdam because of its "Rossebuurt"?
You can be angry at Patong because it seems to be run by the redlight people, but Phuket is not Patong. Just deboard another beach.
Posted by Lena on February 3, 2010 16:04