Japanese musician and resident of Phuket, Tetsuo Suse, has scored a countrywide first for the island with his new microbubble spa. In fact, he may have scored a world first with the two microbubble steam rooms he’s installed at his MB House spa, which opened in January.

Writers’ nights at Mom Tri’s Boathouse hotel kick off again on April 29 with an evening with Bangkok-based Canadian film-maker, writer and public speaker Bjorn Turmann.

Phuket Observer was invited to join the Dusit Laguna Resort’s Earth Hour Candle Light Dinner. The idea was simple: turn off the power at home and dine by candle light at the Dusit’s Trattoria restaurant, with 20% of the proceeds going to the WWF.

It was the ultimate Patong opening: lip-synching ladyboys galumphing around the stage, tiny skirts (on girls and boys alike) and big fronts (on the ladyboys, mostly), volume cranked up, crowds of passers-by rubbernecking to see what was going on, free drinks, balloons, flowers and an opening ceremony presided over by the deputy mayor and the deputy police chief of Phuket’s Big Play Pen.

The grand Andara Resort has now opened on Millionaires’ Mile in Kamala, following a well-established model whereby developers build villas and apartments, sell them, and then – when the owners are not in residence – rent them out by the night to tourists.

Phamon Samphanthamit – better known to his friends as Mon, is the guy you need to know when your spouse runs from the bathroom shrieking “Snake! Snake!” – a not uncommon occurrence; after all, paradise is well known for harbouring at least one snake…

The Topper Sail Phuket sailing school and Phuket Sunshine Village (PSV) are looking for a sponsor or sponsors to make a dream come true for a group of orphans from the village.

You may recall the story we ran about Women’s Will Power, a group of five 30-somethings living in Phuket who removed 90% of their clothing for a glamour calendar, which was then sold to raise money for charity.

The exercise, we’re happy to report, was a success, with the ladies recently visiting Phuket Sunshine Village (PSV), a shelter primarily for abused children but also for kids suffering in the aftermath of the 2004 Asian Tsunami.

Jean-Noel Lumineau presented his first French food festival at Mom Tri’s Boathouse in Kata nine years ago – two weeks of the very best French food in the world.

He came back every year to do the same thing and, in September 2008, made the big jump, moving to Phuket as Chef Consultant for Mom Tri’s four restaurants – the Boathouse, the Oasis next door, Mom Tri’s Kitchen (all in Kata) and, the most recent addition, Mom Tri’s Regatta at the Royal Phuket Marina.

Probably the most successful movie in terms of drawing tourists to Phuket was The Beach, the 2000 Leonardo di Caprio backpacker adventure movie. Phang Nga Rd in Phuket Town stood in for Khao San Rd in Bangkok, and Maya Bay on Phi Phi Lay Island was The Beach.