INTRODUCING a new column, Phuket ResortWATCH, in which Phuketwan will provide the lowdown on the upbeat world of resorts and clubs around Phuket, Thailand and the region.
Social notes, media alerts, club news, celebrity visits, gossip . . . Send your info to editor@phuketwan.com Look for Phuket ResortWATCH regularly.


PHUKET: Floating resort liner Queen Mary 2 is expected to anchor off Phuket on April 4 before sailing back to Southampton on a 32-day cruise that costs US$6922. Carrying as many as 2620 well-heeled passengers, the giant liner will be eagerly awaited by Patong's touts, tuk-tuk and taxi drivers . . . . but preplanned tours may mean much of the loot goes elsewhere. Facilities on board are as swish as they get at sea.


CLAUDE Sauter, a cheerful chap with a 17-year liking for Phuket, has been elected the new President of the Skal International Club of Phuket. The top Phuket job came Claude's way at the organisation's AGM on Thursday. Claude, who is General Manager of the Panwa Beach Resort, has been the club's Vice President for three years and steps up to replace Blandine Cressard.


LAGUNA Phuket gave a visiting Russian media group a taste of the resort's luxury facilities during their stay at Angsana Laguna Phuket and Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket. Victoria Bogdanovskaya of Glamapple; Gulnara Nasyrova of Collezioni; and Marina Petrova of Dorogoe Udovolstvie were taught the secrets of Thai cuisine by Dusit Thani executive sous chef Pachon Pachkam.


ANNUAL memberships for the Ao Chalong Yacht Club expire on March 31. Payment can be made by cash at the club or paid directly into the club bank account.


RENOWNED Thai architect Mom Luang Tri Devakul's (better known as Mom Tri) newest addition to Phuket is the VR Gallery at Mom Tri's Villa Royale, which just celebrated its launch this month. VR Gallery is the successor to the mini gallery that existed at Mom Tri's Boathouse for many years.


VARIETY Hotels announced the opening of Narry Hotel Patong, a 44-room boutique hotel located in the heart of Phuket, Thailand. Situated in the lively entertainment district of Patong and just a minute's walk to Patong beach, the hotel is literally surrounded by shopping, restaurants and bars, as well as a variety of entertainment venues. From island excursions or water sports such as scuba diving, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, jet skiing, or wakeboarding, to water parks, bungee jumping, elephant trekking, shooting ranges and much more - there's no shortage of activities to keep you busy.


PHUKET model Vanessa ''Na-Chatra'' Muangkod, once a student of Satree Phuket School, picked up prizes valued at six million baht by winning Miss Thailand World 2012 on Saturday. Of Thai-German extraction, she's headed for the global finals in China on August 18.


IMPIANA's Phuket resorts are among those switching off for Earth Hour from 8.30pm-9.30pm on March 31.

DUSIT Thani Laguna Phuket is, too, in an unusual fashion. The media release says: This year's annual global event is part of an ongoing campaign, which this year is expected to involve in excess of 5200 cities, towns and municipalities in more than 135 countries. To mark the occasion, lights will be switched off on the exterior of Dusit Phuket, as well as in the restaurant, main lobby and other public areas.

''The climate is changing and The Earth is warming up. This is a serious global environmental scenario issue on the international agenda,'' said Peter Komposch, General Manager of Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket. ''People in every country need to encourage their citizens to be more concerned about this in their daily lives.

''If we look back to 2010, we faced a number of natural disasters around the world, from the tsunami in Japan to the flooding in Thailand, as well as a series of earthquakes and other 'natural' disasters. These should be seen as warning signs from Mother Nature. It's never too late to start caring, saving engery and using our resources more wisely. Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket has implemented the EarthCheck program in operating our business and also organises regular staff training sessions.''

To mark the occasion, Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket invites resort guests and Phuket residents to gather at a specially created 'Earth Hour - Long Table Evening' event, featuring a four-course wine dinner set on a 10 metre-long dining table situated at Casuarina restaurant's beachfront.


JUST a 90-minute drive from Bangkok's international airport, Tune Hotel Pattaya is already proving popular with Thai and international tourists who want a comfortable, clean, safe and secure hotel to stay in before enjoying all that Pattaya has to offer.


AUSTRALIAN Chamber of Commerce holds a Sundowners event this Friday at Skippers, Royal Phuket Marina. A special session will have speakers from the marine industry with the boat show the talk of Phuket. Starting time is 4.30pm with speakers from 6pm.


IBAP Networking meets April 6 at URBAN FOOD, Central Festival, to hear Dr Thitinan Pongsudhirak is Director of the Institute of Security and International Studies and Associate Professor of International Political Economy at the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University. He is frequently quoted and his op-eds have regularly appeared in international and local media, including a column in The Bangkok Post.