item---1-- Flags under the ‘116 Days from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day’ were handed over to Thalang district yesterday.

The sub district office in Kamala yesterday morning handed over the flags under the ‘116 Days from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day’ campaign to Cherng Thale sub-district district officials. The ceremony took place at Phuket FantaSea ground in Kamala and was well participated in by officials & local government representatives. The flags were then walked and run to be placed at the Cherng Thale Sub-district Administration Organization office where all participants vowed to carry out good deeds and promote unity in their community in serving Their Majesties the King and Queen. The 116-day campaign is being held to promote national unity, and it runs between Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday on August 12 and His Majesty the King’s birthday on December 5.

item---2-- Phuket police start beach patrols on electric bikes at Karon beach to welcome tourists this high season.

A Electric bicycle patrol police force was released by Phuket Provincial police chief on Wednesday morning along the beach road in the tourist resort of Karon, south of the island. The officers will be carrying out patrols along the 2 kilometre long Kata and Karon beaches to ensure tourist safety and assist them for any assistance they may need. They run patrols from 4 pm until 10 pm daily. Three electric cycles are donated by local businesses there. According to the provincial police chief Pol. Major. General Apirak Hongthong, the Provincial Administration Organization supports with a 2.4 million baht fund for police to conduct training workshops for volunteer police to look after the members of the public and tourists alike.

item---3-- Siam Commercial Bank opens another branch in Phuket to cater for growth especially tourism.

Despite the world financial crisis and its effects, the Siam Commercial Bank on Tuesday opened its 27th branch in Phuket. The new outlet was opened within the new HomeWorks compound, opposite Central Festival. An executive from their headquarters Napendpasang Krisnamara said this is due to Phuket’s continuous tourism growth, leading to related businesses booming. He said the bank plans to open a couple more in Phuket by this year’s end while a total of 75 branches are to be added in the country. He however admitted that the bank is more cautious about loan approvals due to the outside economic factors and that they are under consideration for new measures and criteria in prevention of Non Performing Loans or NPL which Thailand faced in 1997.

item---4-- Passenger boats between Phuket &Koh Yao cut fees in the wake of fuel price declines.

After fuel prices continued to drop down, passenger boat operators between Phuket’s Bang Rong pier and the island of Koh Yao in Phang-Nga said they have adjusted the fee down respectively. A local boat operator Bangmeed Jaidee said the fee now comes down from 150 to 120 baht per person while heavy material or big vehicles such as motorcycle fees remain unchanged. He also stressed that tourists are charged the same fees as Thais. Ten boat trips are offered daily from Bang Rong pier to Koh Yao serving about 500 people per day.

item---5-- AmanCruises Manager & marine book writer supports the installation of more artificial reefs and marinas in the Andaman Sea.

Bill O’Leary, Manager of Amancruises for high end guests of Amanpuri hotel at Pansea beach in Phuket, and co-writer of the ‘Andaman Pilot’ marine guide, told Andaman News that he fully supports the idea of more Andaman Sea artificial reefs, like the old planes and helicopters to be installed in Bangtao Bay next month, and more new marinas, like the recently opened Ao Por Grand Marina in Thalang, both in Phuket. He is updating and extending the coverage of the ‘Andaman Sea Pilot’ marine guide to ‘South East Asia Pilot’ which is due out in January 2009. He would like more Thais to get involved in the growing marine industry and encourage more development of marinas and artificial reefs along the Andaman coast:

item---6-- Rawai local government is holding a Loy Krathong Festival event during November 9-13th.

Activities and many forms of entertainment plus traditional or cultural performances will be arranged during the annual ‘Loy Krathong’ Festival which the Rawai local government is holding during November 9th – 13th . Run under the ‘Rawai Sky Night Festival’, the event will be held at a public park around the Nai Haan Lake which the local government wishes to introduce as a nice tourist and recreation site. The Mayor of Rawai Municipality Arun Soros said the event aims at promoting a traditional festival among locals and tourists to Phuket. as well as to generate income for local people.

item---7-- A strange looking fish surprised local villagers in Phuket.

This peculiar looking fish - a mix between a fresh water cat fish and an alligator or crocodile (possibly an 'alligator gar') – was caught by a Nareuphol Sa-Nguannam in the Chalong area. The fish is one metre long and weighs around 20 kilograms. Nareuphol caught the fish while fishing in a local pond with his fishing rod. He said he was surprised to see that the fish looks like cat fish and alligator and notified the fisheries office to pick it up as he is concerned about the fish’s safety if it stays in the pond.

item---8-- The Rotary Club of Patong Beach is celebrating an Evening of Magic & Enchantment on Saturday to raise funds for children’s charity projects.

The Rotary Club of Patong Beach informed Andaman News with this poster that it is celebrating an Evening of Magic & Enchantment, (after Trick & Tricks this Halloween) at the Holiday Inn Resort on Saturday 1 November 2008 starting at 7pm. It is a Cosmic Dinner Show, the likes of which no one in Phuket has ever seen before with magicians’ tricks, illusionists and psychics both on stage and mingling with the crowd, a treat for adults and children alike. Tickets are available at all three Sandwich Shoppes, at Friendship Beach and at ChemDry. Ticket prices are THB 2500,- if purchased in advance at the those locations or THB 3000,- on the day. Proceeds of the evening will go towards Patong Rotary's many children-oriented programs such as scholarships and day care centers. For more information contact email phuketmagic@gmail.com or Tel 08-18940462.