The 40 participants in last year's Phuket (Talad Yai) Photo Walk were a mixed bunch, but had one thing in common - big smiles.

July 24 has been set as the date for this year’s Third Worldwide Photo Walk and, as with last year, Phuket will be joining in with at least one walk.

The worldwide effort is the brainchild of Scott Kelby, a Florida-based photographer who is also the president of the US National Association of Photoshop Professionals – so he knows a bit about taking pictures, and how to fix them afterwards. In the first year, there were walks in 236 locations, with 8,324 people taking part. Last year the numbers leaped to more than 900 locations and 32,000 people.

There’s no charge for joining your local walk. Afterwards, each photographer may enter one picture in a local competition (though there is no obligation to do so if you don’t want to). The walk leader chooses the best of these to be entered for the worldwide competition, with Kelby choosing the overall winner and 10 “honorable mentions”. There is also a “People’s Choice” winner, selected by those who took part in walks.

Thailand tops them all: Last year's winner - worldwide - was "Can't stop smiling", shot at the floating market in Amphawa, Samut Songkram, by Bossakorn Buena.

Both the overall winner and the People’s Choice winner get one year’s free online training from Kelby’s company Kelby Training. The overall winner also gets a voucher for US$1,000 to spend with Adorama (a sort of Amazon.Com for photographers). The People’s Choice winner gets a US$750 voucher and the honorables each get US$250 vouchers.

Last year Phuket had two walks, one mostly (though by no means exclusively) “farang” and one mostly Thai. This year, so far, there’s only the farang one, but it’s early days so keep an eye out for a Thai one, if that’s your preference.

Phuket’s only walk (so far) is being organised again by pro shooter Karim “Kim” Khamzin. To enter, go here. The walk, in Phuket Town, is limited to 50 people – first come, first served. Kim will choose the winning picture (as leader, he’s disqualified from entering his own pictures – which is only fair).

For inspiration, go here for the top photos from the past two years. There’s a video here of the walk Kim organised last year.

Even if you have only a little point-and-shoot digicam and no intention of entering the competition, this is a great way to meet likable people and make new friends, and to see the town with a fresh eye. Call it Facebook with real human beings, or Twitter with mouths instead of keyboards.

Here a SimpleViewer Flash gallery should be displayed. Click here to open the post in your browser to see the gallery.

Australian photographer Paul Roubicek, a professional shooter who has been on an 18-year whirlwind ride "to some of the most brutal and complex wars, natural disasters and international Humanitarian missions on this planet", is one of those whose work is on show. This shot was taken in Iraq.

Looking for something to hang on the walls of your fabulous holiday villa? “The Big Picture”, an exhibition of superb photographs – all for sale – will open at the super-stylish Hung Fat’s restaurant in Kalim on May 28, with an opening party from 6 to 9 pm.

Featuring a mixture of photos from students, amateurs and professional shooters, the exhibition aims to raise funds for the Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation, set up after the 2004 tsunami by the late Tom McNamara of Baan Rim Pa fame. It now provides English-language education for hundreds of Phuket children.

Tickets for the opening, at B1,000 each, will include two glasses of wine and canapés by award-winning chef Aaron Hooper. The number of people admitted will be limited so, although tickets may be available at the door, anyone wishing to be sure of a place should book by email in advance. For more about the charity, go here.