Phuket.com Magazine
February
2007
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Dear Reader,
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| Phuket Sino-Portugese
architecture |
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In this issue of Phuket.com Magazine, we go inside Old
Phuket Town’s Sino-Portuguese district for a glimpse into
the multi-cultural influence of Phuket’s tin mining past. That
same theme dominates a newly overhauled resort in northern Phuket,
the Indigo Pearl, and the effect
is surprising. We then head farther north – off the island,
in fact – and explore the mind-blowing wonders of the Similan
Islands, the endless tranquillity of Khao
Lak, and the property explosion in Phang
Nga Province. As a bonus, we continue our conversation
with a doctor whose specialty can make even the toughest of
men cringe.
Enjoy!
Rungtip Hongjakpet Izmen
editor@phuket.com
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CCTV
in Phuket: Big Brother?
All over the world, closed-circuit
TV (CCTV) cameras are helping police to catch bad guys and to
make life more secure. Phuket is currently installing its first
48 CCTV cameras - 16 in Patong, 16 in Kata-Karon and 16 in Phuket
City. Read more... |
Phang Nga Property
Market
At first glance looking at the title of this article your first
impression is ‘Phang Nga isn’t in Phuket’. But
getting in your car and taking a short 20 minute ride over the
Sarasin bridge you suddenly realize it’s faster to reach
Natai beach than it is many of Phuket’s nether regions.
Read
more... |
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| TAT
Director Suwalai Pinpradab
Suwalai Pinpradab, Director of the local
office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is representative
of the new generation of Thai woman working at senior levels
in government agencies; not long ago, it was very rare to
find women working at such levels, even in the private sector.
Selling Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi to the world is a tough
job, and Khun Suwalai is also a wife, and the mother of two
teenage sons.
Read more...
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On the Rock
(Kata) and La
Casa (Patong)
Sam Wilkinson – foodie extraordinaire – dines
among the boulders at Kata Beach’s friendly and appropriately
named restaurant with divine views – On
the Rock. Then he discovers that the heart of Patong Beach, like
the moon, is made of cheese (and pizza, and pasta, and wine…)
at La Casa Pizzeria e Ristorante.
Read more... |
Le Meridien Khao Lak Beach
& Spa Resort
Holidaymaker seeks well-rounded, mature
resort for carefree one- or two-week fling. Long walks on the beach,
luscious grounds for intimate conversation, and ample dining options
are a must. Extra points given if you’re good with kids and have
comfortable rooms, big swimming pools, and onsite activities. Make
me forget cold weather and dreary office life and I’ll love you
forever. Loud and rambunctious hotels need not reply. Read
more... |
One Night in Similan Islands (by
Speed Boat)
I hiked to a sturdy slab of granite
near the peak of Miang Island for a better view of the beach. Below
me, yachts, dive boats, and people float in an aquamarine sea. They
didn’t look anything like ants, unless ants have taken up recreational
swimming. A string of islands stretched out in the distance, disappearing
over the horizon. I was dying to be back in the clown suit that is
my snorkelling gear, floating with the fishies. Read
more... |
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Khao Lak - A reborn Paradise
Khao Lak is a funny place. With beaches
as long as a flight across the Pacific Ocean backed by stacks of mountains,
there’s no questioning its allure. It’s beautiful, and –
from certain vantage points – even awe-inspiring. Its close proximity
to Phuket, Khao Sok, Krabi, and the Similan Islands means the limitless
activities those destinations offer – be it elephant trekking,
speedboat tours, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, or kayaking –
are never more than an hour or two away. Read
more... |
Sex change: A slice of happiness
A happily-married man with two teenage
children, Dr Sanguan Kunaporn has made his name in a controversial
field: male-to-female sex reassignment surgery (SRS).
This Phuket-based surgeon has been responsible for turning 200 Thai
men and more than 400 foreign men into women - so far... Read
more... |
Sino-Portuguese & European
architecture
A must-do in Phuket is a walk in the
old part of Phuket City, around Thalang, Dibuk and Krabi roads. The
beautiful architecture along these roads will take you back the charm
of a century ago. According to Pranee Sakulpitpatana, a lecturer at
Phuket Rajabhat University and one of the island’s premier historians,
the architecture is a reflection of European influence on the island.
Europeans including the Portuguese and the British, had been interested
in Phuket’s tin wealth since the 16th century. Read
more... |
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Road manner
In this issue of Do’s & Don’ts,
we’d like to share with you a few things about road sense and
manners, especially for those who have never been here before. Do
plan in advance if you are thinking of renting a vehicle in Phuket.
You need a licence, and your ordinary national licence is not valid
in Thailand. Get an international licence for the type of vehicle
- motorbike or car - that you plan to rent. Read
more... |
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Top
10 Tours
You versus fish, battling it out on
the open sea. Jumping on a speedboat for a snorkelling trip to Phi
Phi Islands or for a day of power diving. Watching costumed elephants
dance about, or riding one – sans makeup – through the jungle.
Exploring caves by canoe. Dining at sunset on a Chinese Junk. All
our trips are amazing, who’s to say which is best? You, actually,
thanks to our interactive Top 10 List. Read
more... |
Phuket
International Blues Festival
The 2nd Annual Phuket International Blues
Festival is rocking the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa in
Karon Beach the third weekend of February. The highly acclaimed Rich
Harper Blues Band (USA) will once again headline the event and close
the show Saturday night. The phenomenal voice of British blues legend
Victor Brox will again fill the air as Friday night draws to a close.
If you did not see these magnificent performers last time, here’s
your second chance! Read more... |
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