Light rail could be the answer

Phuket’s infrastructure, such as road and air transport and telephone lines, are about to get short and long-term improvements.

Complaints about the lack of cheap, efficient transport on the island are one of the biggest criticisms from tourists, who find taxis and tuk tuks more expensive on Phuket than they would be used to in a place like Bangkok.

Patong’s one-way system, which has been through more changes than most people care to remember, can be baffling

The sight of unsightly overhanging telephone lines everywhere on the island are a blot on the landscape, often competing with stellar sea views, and winning.

Road transport between the West and East of the island is more difficult as increasing numbers of vehicles traverse a large hill between each coast.

Phuket International Airport, which processed a record 7.5 million arriving and departing passengers in 2010, is groaning under the pressure.

Now the local authorities are getting serious about building a light-rail between important points on Phuket to improve transportantion of large numbers of people and take pressure of the increased road transport traffic.

No longer up the pole

In Phuket Town, home to some of the island’s most stunning Sino-Portuguese architecture and steeped in history, municipal workers have started pulling down power poles lining several major streets to replace them with underground cabling.

The authorities have also held meetings on building a tunnel beneath the large hill running between Patong and Kathu, which is now subject to vastly increased traffic. If this was to become a reality it would improve traffic flow from West to East of the island enormously.

A major upgrade of the airport is under way to have it ready for the 2011-2012 high season.

And the one-way system in Patong is finally going to change to be more tourist friendly. Some of these projects are works in progress and the others on the drawing board. All of them are needed for Phuket to keep pace with its own growth.

Phuket infrastructure improvements on the way is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

There's no business like the education business

We are here to educate you.

Phuket is rapidly becoming a mecca for international schools to set up on with two new schools announcing they will open on the island.

Kajonkiet International School Phuket [KISP], which also has a campus in Bangkok, will open in Kathu on 22 August, 2011 and Huaqiao Phuket Thaihua International School, Phuket town announced construction was to begin on its site in May, 2011.

The decision by Kajonkiet to build a school on Phuket was based around the ASEAN Economic Community Plan, expected to start in 2015. Under the plan there will be a free flow of goods, services, investments, capital and skilled labour amongst the 10 ASEAN countries.

Once this starts happening Phuket is expected to attract many more permanent residents so preparing students in English language and other global skills becomes more important.

Kajonkiestsuksa offers opportunities through Thai, ESC [Thai and English] and English programmes, which are popular with expat. residents.

Phuket already has the well established British International School [BIS] and the new Phuket International Academy Day School [PIADS], which is a nursery to grade school aspiring to become a three programme International Baccalaureate World School. BIS is an English medium, co-educational day and boarding school.

Phuket attracting more international schools is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

I give up. I'm confused!

Help may be in sight for those tourists wanting an early glimpse of Patong Bay when arriving in the city from the airport as city fathers debate changing its controversial one-way system…again.

At present Patong visitors coming from the north, for example the airport or Phuket Town, are essentially forced under the existing clockwise, one-way system onto Rat-U-Tit 200 Pi Road, the so called “second road,” a block back from the bustling beachfront, lined with numerous shops and including the huge Jungceylon Shopping centre and an excellent market.

Which way to Bang La road?

But for most Patong visitors this means having to go right to the end of the long road and turn right to come back along the beach, where much of the more upmarket restaurants, hotels and bars are located directly across from the beach on Taweewong Road, the so called “front” road.

So what to do? Patong authorities are now seriously contemplating reversing the one-way system to an anti-clockwise route that would take visitors along Taweewong Road as a first option, thus enabling them to get a better feel and picture of the beach and what Patong offers.

The debate rages about whether a round-about should be put at one crucial intersection leading north along beautiful and upmarket Kalim Beach. Also in the equation is whether several roads linking the front and second road should be two way. About two years ago the authorities changed these but, instead of requiring motorists to remain on the prevailing left had side of the road ?they switched to the right.

[ Thailand retains left hand road driving, reportedly because the first king of Thailand to obtain a car had a British made Rolls Royce, which, of course had the steering wheel on the right, thus requiring the driver to drive on the left for safety]

The change by Patong authorities looked a bit confusing but when considering the difficulties of turning in Patong traffic on the two main roads, it made a bit of sense–and certainly would have let those from countries who drive on the right feel right at home!

The jury is still out on a final decision on whether to go anti-clockwise, but it is looking more certain.

Patong One Way Road System Would Favour Tourists is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

The challenger

Phuket’s media wars in newspapers and radio are getting intense as new entrants put pressure on the established players.

In newspapers, the 18-year-old Phuket Gazette, which has long dominated the weekly news agenda, is being challenged by The Phuket News, an apparently well funded start-up that looks much like the Phuket Gazette in content [ there is only so much local news to go around on Phuket] but appears to be targeted more to the tourist trade than expats.

The other English language newspapers are The Phuketian, which is an offshoot of The Phuket News stable; and The Phuket Post, which is a fortnightly paper on glossy paper that somehow seems to survive against much bigger competition.

In radio 90.5 FM BlueWave radio is English language but with a strong bias toward Thai listeners. It broadcasts the news and current affairs provided by MCOT, the state broadcasting system, but is primarily a music radio. It also broadcasts the BBC news on the half hour.

Radio 91.5 FM PhuketIslandRadio started around three years ago,  taking over from a small setup operation. 91.5FM is active in community and charity events. It is primarily music driven but strongly promotes its announcers and also offers, a longer, BBC bulletin on the hour.

Likely to challenge both stations is IndoChine Radio, scheduled to go on air on a Sunday, initially, in late May. Like the others it will be a music station with strong personalities.

The question is whether the Phuket advertising market can handle two weekly newspapers and three English language radio stations. Time will tell, but it is heartening to see the entrepreneurial spirit alive and well. For an island its size, Phuket is well served by the media. It is robust, innovative and competitive.

The only serious competition on the Internet to all of these outlets is Phuketwan, an edging, provocative and, journalistically strong portal that focuses mainly on news rather than promoting hotel, restaurants etc and is often first with the big stories.

Phuket English Language Media Wars Heat Up is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

The MICE and the Turtle

MICE [meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions] is a growing business on Phuket so the announcement that a MICE centre, designed in the shape of a marine turtle, will be built gives the business on the island a boost.

Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha recently revealed the design, which has a main building shaped like a turtle with surrounding buildings designed along Sino-Portuguese lines, as recommend by locals.

The architects for the MICE centre, KAED103, designed the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre in Bangkok.

The Phuket MICE centre will be built on Treasury land in Tambon Mai Khao is expected to be completed by the end of 2013. The Government has allocated B2.6 billion.

Phuket needs more MICE business with only a few hotels geared to offer the wide range of services and benefits it requires.

MICE involves organisations planning well in advance, often years, for meetings based around themes such as hobbies, a profession or an educational type of topic. There are many specialised trade shows.

New MICE Centre Proposed for Phuket is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

Not Formula 1, but great fun

Stretch limousines are standard transport for the Hollywood glitterati when attending a movie premiere or award shows like the Oscars.

It’s not because Robert de Niro or Scarlett Johansson want to avoid driving in the Los Angeles traffic–and it certainly isn’t because they want to be environmentally friendly–it’s, well, to arrive in style and to show off. That’s what Hollywood is all about.

Fear no more on Phuket. You, too, can now arrive in style in the island’s first and only stretch limo service. Put on the glad rags, invite your friends [quite a few] and get into party mood–or just drive out to the airport in grand style to turn heads as you are dropped off as the centre of attention.

Started by an enterprising Swede called Bengt Wojidkow, with two Thai partners, who already runs two Rolls-Royce and Lincoln stretch limos in Bangkok, the 4.6-litre, V8 powered limo comes with four video screens,  bass speakers buried in the back seats and, of course, an in-limo bar set.

IndoChine Group, which has a hotel and restaurants and bars at Kalim Beach, also runs a stretch limo service in Singapore, which is very popular so there are still plenty of people willing to splash out for a special occasion on something a little more unusual like this.

The limo would be ideal for those tourists, or locals, wanting to “put on the Ritz,” for one of the island’s many charity, restaurant and hotel opening events.

The limo is available for B7500 per hour.

Travel Phuket In Style: Stretch Limo Service Starts is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

Songkran fun means happy hoteliers

Phuket is famous for bouncing back from all types of adversity such is its reputation as a premier tourist destination.

The recent Songkran festival between 13-15 April was a good case in point with hotel occupancy rates averaging about 70% across the island, with an estimated Baht800 million being generated in revenue.

Some 8000 tourists took part in special events and activities held during the period, including the “Phuket Bike Week”, which attracts bike enthusiasts from around the world; the “Songkan on the Beach” activities and the “Ice Songkran” festival in old Phuket Town.

Direct flights to Phuket are growing, so these should help increase tourist numbers at festivals such as Songkran, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand [TAT].

The TAT is trying to market Phuket as a year round destination. For example, it refers to the “low” season from late April to October when it is wetter, as the “green season.” It has also been referred by local hoteliers as the “summer” season as, despite it being a bit wetter, it is the summer.

At the end of May a number of Phuket travel agents will exhibit at “the wonder southern coastlines” domestic tourism promotion in Bangkok to reinforce this strategy.

Phuket Tourism Bounces Back Solidly at Songkran Festival is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

More hospital help is at hand.

Phuket gets a new hospital in May to relieve pressure on already over crowded  hospital facilities on the island.

The hospital, run by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization [OrBorJor] will open for outpatient treatments in May and the inpatient section in July. It will be located on Sri Sena Road in Phuket Town. The hospital will be run as a “secondary” treatment facility with complicated cases requiring specialists in brain, cardiac or cancer cases being transferred to other hospitals.

Phuket has several hospitals that can easily handle such cases. In addition they have excellent dental and “aesthetic” [ plastic surgery] units at prices significantly less than many other countries,  Western countries.

The main hospitals are Phuket International Hospital, Bangkok-Phuket Hospital, Mission Hospital, Patong Hospital, Thalang Government Hospital and Vachira Hospital. There are also several clinics.

The new hospital is 10 stories high with 129 patient beds with room to expand to 190 beds. Administrators expect to be able to treat up to 300 outpatients and 20 in patients per day.

Medical teams will also provide services outside the hospital, visiting and examining patients to assist people who could not attend hospital because of personal circumstances.

New Phuket Provincial Administration Organization hospital to open in May is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

Charter flights, particularly from Russia, were also up–by 64%–compared to 2009. Russian flights jumped 128%.

Overall passenger arrivals were 7.05 million in 2010, putting strain on the airport and underlining the urgent need for the B5 billion revamp under way to be completed so the airport can meet its target of 12.5 million visitors by 2014.

The direct flights, and continued rise and rise of low cost carriers like AirAsia opening up new routes, such as between Phuket and Bali, are the main reasons for the surge in numbers.

Runway to more and more Phuket visitor arrivals

In 2010 direct flights were started by Hainan Airlines of China and Qatar Airways from Doha, while Mehan Air from Iran and Strategic Airlines from Australia announced the opening of new routes in 2011.

And the Russians keep on coming. Pega Touristik, a tour operator, increased charter flights from eight Russian cities and Rossiya Russian Airlines, based in St Petersburg announced it would scheduled flights connecting with Thai Airways International through Bangkok.

Aeroflot, the Russian national carrier, started three weekly flights directly from Moscow to Phuket and Transero, a scheduled and charter carrier, started charters from St Petersburg and other Russian cities.

From Germany, TUIFLY, a charter group, started direct high season Berlin-Phuket flights and Blu-Express, from Rome, Italy, also flies to Phuket via Bangkok.

All of these flights translated in visitor arrivals [January-September, 2010-Source: C9 2010 Hotel Market Update, January 2011] from Asian countries being up 44%, but overall European visitor arrivals dropped 1%.

Top source markets for January-September, 2010, in order of numbers were Australia, China, United Kingdom, Sweden and Russia. Top growth markets were China, Middle East, Denmark, South Korea and Australia and the top Asian markets were China, Middle East, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan.

Out in 2011 will go V Australia, replaced by Strategic Airlines.

Phuket Visitor Arrivals Soar Skyward in 2010 is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

Brush will be an artistic centre on Phuket

John Underwood, an understated, almost 60 Australian, has a vision for Phuket’s art scene: create a centre of excellence where artists of every hue can gather and display their works.

That place is Brush, Underwood’s new restaurant on Kalim Beach with fantastic sunset views, a eclectic tapas menu from an award winning chef and with the potential to become the focal point for the Phuket artist community.

Sculpture, painting and other forms of conventicle art are on the “menu” at Brush. But Underwood also has other, more creative ideas.

“Why not do an exhibition of those crazy mudflaps on Thai trucks with pictures of movies stars, such as Silvester Stallone? Or why not tattoos? They are now universally accepted all over the world by everyone. Why not an exhibition of the best tattoos on Phuket?”

Such creativity is expected from John Underwood by those who know him. After 19 years on Phuket he has developed a reputation for producing works of art out of every conceivable type of material, much of it recycled, at his Underwood factory on Phuket’s by-pass road.

He has worked with most of the large hotels on Phuket, including doing the design for Indigo Pearl, a northern island resort noted for its unusual look and feel.

Brush is his latest project, very much aimed at bringing the island’s highly varied artist community to the public–and together.

The restaurant will stage exhibitions, fashion shows, kinetic art [moving art] shows. In fact, anything that has an artistic bent to it, Underwood is willing to give it a go.

A model might be Bangkok’s now famous Bed Restaurant, where patrons lie back on comfortable “beds” to eat food while watching artists at work.

Patrons at Brush won’t be lying down, but the restaurant is laid out in such a way that a fashion show, or a sculpture beavering away while other eat and drink, could carry on in front of appreciative eyes.

Brush Restaurant To Paint New Art Scene On Phuket is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.