item--1- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is confident that Phuket is prepared to be a host venue for the ASEAN summit with dialogue partners and called for Thais to unite and be good hosts.

After spending a private weekend on vacation with his family in the resort island of Phuket, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on his departure gave an interview to local media at the airport saying that he had enjoyed the vacation and had a good rest. Asked about the ASEAN summit which is scheduled to take place in Phuket on June 13-14th, Mr.Abhisit expressed his confidence that the province is prepared and ready to host the summit. He said he learnt that the local provincial authority, local governments, business sector and residents welcome the summit. He said he is certain that the meeting in Phuket will be a success and should restore foreign confidence in Thailand. The prime minister also stressed that any international conference in Thailand is seen as a good opportunity for Thais to reflect the identity of Thainess and hospitality and he urges all Thais to join the government to be good hosts for this summit.

Item--2- Phuket Governor insists Phuket’s readiness to host ASEAN summit with dialogue partners and plans a mass vow in support of the summit.

Phuket Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob reaffirmed Phuket’s readiness to host the 14th ASEAN summit with dialogue partners, namely China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India in mid June. The summit will be held at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa located on Karon beach. In the lead up to the summit, among several activities to encourage local people to be good hosts, the governor plans a huge assembly of all parties on May 22nd to vow that they will fully support the summit and will be good hosts and ensure that the summit runs smoothly. Government officials, local government leaders and officials, members of the private sector, students and teachers plus members of the public are invited. The governor calls for multi sector collaboration, regardless of whatever their political belief is. Mr. Wichai went on to point out that if the ASEAN summit in Phuket went smoothly, it will greatly boost and revive tourism as well as restore foreign tourists and investors’ confidence in Thailand. The governor is calling a meeting with related agencies today Tuesday to assign and follow up preparation work focussed on landscaping and beatification of roads and both sides from the airport to the hotel for meeting and accommodation. He also follows up publicity to campaign for residents to join with the authority to give an impressive welcome to visitors. On the police side, police region 8 held a training session to review its officers’ skills in controlling or handling big crowds or mobs. Around 300 officers from the Phuket provincial police attended the training.

Item--3- A Phuket MP reassures that local people are willing to collaborate with the government to host the ASEAN summit with dialogue partners.

Phuket representative from Democrat Party Tossaporn Theppabutr insists Phuket’s readiness to host the ASEAN summit with dialogue partners on June 13-14 saying that after the meeting with local community leaders, organizations and residents, they expressed positive attitudes and welcomed the meeting. He said people he met said they are ready to give collaboration to the government to gear up for the success of the summit. Tossaporn confirms that Phuket is well prepared in many aspects whether convention facilities or accommodation etc.. On the local government side, the Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukhaban voiced his full support that Phuket can host the international conference, saying that such an important conference will boost Phuket’s reputation and reassure visitors of safety and security. He also called for multi-sectors in Phuket to be good hosts for the summit.

item--4- Thailand is holding THAIFEX-World of Food Asia 2009 this week in Bangkok to promote and ensure international market of the country’s high standard of food quality.

The international trade fair - THAIFEX - World of Food ASIA 2009 is scheduled to be held from the 13-17th of May at Impact Arena, Muangthong Thani in Bangkok. The Deputy Director General of the Export Promotion Department Kullani Isdisai told Andaman News, while visiting Phuket, that the trade fair covers food and beverage featuring halal food, food technology, catering, hospitality service and retail & franchises. She said at least 95,000 participants from overseas have confirmed to attend the event stressing that it’s a platform that Thailand, as a frozen and ready–to-eat /instant food exporter, can assure international clients of its highest food safety standards. Admitting that the existence of the A H1N1 virus led to consumers’ caution, Mrs. Kullani said a thermo scanner will be installed at the trade fair to assure participants of healthy practice. Exhibitors are from local and overseas manufacturers, importers and exporters, agents, distributors and service providers. According to the Deputy Director General, the department also signs an MOU with commercial banks to support exporters as part of measures to stimulate the economy.

item-5-- Survival Specialist, Bear Grylls, invests in property in Phuket.

Kata Rocks real estate project informed Andaman News that Adventurer and TV personality, Bear Grylls, is buying a Club Penthouse at Kata Rocks. Bear is well known in America for his survival program ‘Man verus Wild’ which is now the No. 1 Discovery program worldwide. In the UK, he is better known for his program ‘Born Survivor’. Much of his fame comes from what he is prepared to eat on these programs as he demonstrates the various survival techniques. Bear, 34, was in the SAS (UK special forces) when he broke his back in three places in a parachute jump at the age of 21. Whilst lying in a hospital bed with the doctors wondering if he was going to walk again, Bear set a goal to climb Mount Everest. At the age of 23, Bear became the youngest Briton to climb the mountain and survive. Bear said when he wants to just chill out with family and friends, he tries to pick places that are discreet but spectacular. He believes Kata Rocks is both of those in abundance, a very special hideaway. Kata Rocks, designed by award winning architects, Original Vision, is right on the oceanfront on the headland between the two beaches on Phuket, Kata Beach and Kata Noi Beach.

item--6- Big hotels in Phuket join the campaign to boost Phuket’s summer season from April – November with a sun and fun concept.

Trying to put the Phuket’s low season or sometimes called green season behind them, a group of real estate and tourism business people, including residents and hoteliers led by Nick Anthony, MD of Indigo Real Estate Company, recently launched a campaign to boost the ‘Summer Season’ from April 15 through to November 1. The campaign was announced last month at Chedi Hotel on Surin beach. After a month, Andaman News caught up with Nick to ask how the campaign is going and he said they had quite a great deal of success. Most of the big hotels agreed to join and they emphasize that Phuket is a beautiful place all year round, as he explained more: (Voice *** ) The General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott at Kamala Beach, Lutz Mueller, also supports the campaign. He said they will join publicity campaigns together with other hotels. (Voice** )

item--7- The testing of tsunami warning towers planned on every Wednesday is being delayed.

Following the announcement by the Phuket authority that the national disaster warning centre plans to play the national anthem via all 19 Tsunami warning towers across the island every Wednesday morning and early evening, starting from Wednesday May 6th, the plan was subsequently reported to have been delayed. The exercise is part of a maintenance program to make sure that the towers installed across the vulnerable locations are functioning well at all times. The provincial Chief of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation office Chotnarin Kerdsom told Andaman News that after the first test which went well at Saphan Hin in Phuket city, he was informed by the National Disaster Warning Center or NDWC that it delays the tests for other towers as it is in the process of reorganizing network stations and sub-stations of transmission.