Splashing blessings on everyone in sight
While the water splashing will flourish, the traditional values of Songkran are the focus of the 2009 celebrations.
Songkran is without doubt the most popular of all Thai festivals and rightly so.
It marks the beginning of a new astrological year and its exact dates are determined by the old lunar calendar of Siam.
This year the three-day festival falls on 13 to 15 April.
Traditionally, April 13 is known as “Maha Songkran Day” and marks the end of the old year, April 14 is “Wan Nao”, while April …

VDO : Special on growing vegetables or Thai herbal ingredients in limited spaces of Phuket
Special report for Andaman News NBT TV (VHF dial) + Radio Thailand FM90.5 at 8.30am & perhaps repeats on Phuket Cable TV channel 1 at 7pm & 1am, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces & maybe Mazz Radio FM108 at 7pm in Phuket, Wednesday 4 March 2009 & http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/ & www.YouTube.com/AndamanNews Send comments to AndamanNews@yahoo.com
With limited & ever reducing space on the tourist resort island of Phuket, with so much housing, hotel resorts, or …

VDO : News : Phuket will host ASEAN+3 and ASEAN + 6 meetings from 10 to 12 April
The Thai cabinet on Tuesday concluded that the Association of South East Asian Nations or ASEAN+3 and ASEAN+6 meetings for Heads of States will be held during April 10-12 in Phuket. The +3 members are China, Japan and South Korea, while the +6 includes the same but also Australia, India and New Zealand. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced after the cabinet meeting, that they had come to an agreement on the schedule and …

VDO : Andaman News Weds. 4 March pt 1: Big Cleaning Day Phuket; Mayors of southern municipalities in Phuket; Education Minister visited Special School Phuket; Thai Muang Turtle fair; Krabi request 500m. baht for fiscal year 2010; Lab shows Phuket school
item—1– A ‘Big Cleaning Day’ was held in Phuket.
All 11 local governments on Tuesday joined in the Big Cleaning Day campaign activated across the island under the idea to beautify and tidy up roads for good environment. Phuket Vice Governor Worapoj Ratasrima declared the campaign open near the Heroines Monument …

VDO : Andaman News Weds. 4 March pt 2: Phuket alcohol-free religious venues; Phuket upgrades noodle shops; TAT Phuket Japanese Festival; police steps up work on 3 murders; Lorry trailer accident claimed 2 lives.
item—8– A Temple in Phuket arranged an activity to promote the concept of alcohol-free religious venues.
Thepvararam Temple or locally known as ‘Wat Mahnik’ in Thalang district of Phuket recently arranged an activity to promote and encourage people to understand the concept of a ‘Temple is not a Bar, Pavilion is not a gambling venue’. The event urged …

Andaman News Tuesday 3 March; Phuket to host ASEAN Education Meetings; Minister reaffirms 15 year free education; Phuket centre to assist people in drought; Phang-Nga Gov. inspects reservoir; Phuket Midnight Beach Soccer at Songkran; Phuket road sho
Andaman News NBT TV (VHF dial) + Radio Thailand FM90.5 at 8.30am & perhaps repeats on Phuket Cable TV channel 1 at 7pm & 1am, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces & maybe Mazz Radio FM108 at 7pm in Phuket, Tuesday 3rd March 2009 & http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/ & www.YouTube.com/AndamanNews Send comments to AndamanNews@yahoo.com

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As we seem to be coming towards the end of the dry calm season on the west coast of Phuket, let’s not forget there are plenty of beautiful beaches on islands off the east coast of Phuket, which are generally calm and great for swimming, snorkeling, and exploring even in the rainy windy season, as they are situated in the naturally protected Phang Nga Bay between Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi. An example is Ko Kai or Egg Islands – two islands Yai and Noi, big and small, near each …

4th Phuket Japanese Festival
Tourism Authority of Thailand, Phuket Office and Phuket Japanese Association will hold “The 4th Phuket Japanese Festival” on the 7th of March 2009 at Queen Sirikit Park in Phuket Town.
As we are one of the parts of Phuket, we would like to provide the opportunity to the local people who is working for the tourism and local students interested in Japan and Japanese people through the Japanese traditional festival which introduce the Japanese culture and foods, and we hope these experiences will help them to be familiar …

Phuket Film Festival Call for Entries June 4 – June 11 2009
Bangkok, Thailand : The second edition of the Phuket Film Festival to be held June 4-11 2009 on the beautiful international tourist destination of Phuket Thailand is calling for entries.
Feature films, documentaries and short films (including animation) are welcome to submit screeners to the Festival. Information can be found on the website: www.phuketfilmfestival.asia Preference will be given to award winnfilm festival films.
The Festival is looking for films to fit in broad categories under “A Slice of Life”, “Water”, “The …

Phuket Film Festival On Hiatus Until June 2009
The coming months are going to busy ones for film lovers in Thailand. There are festivals, festivals and more festivals. August has the Thai Short Film & Video Festival. September has the Bangkok International Film Festival. And the World Film Festival of Bangkok is being held at the end of October.
Last year, the inaugural Phuket Film Festival was held in October, but the second edition of that festival won’t be held this year. Organizer Scott Rosenberg says he’s taking a hiatus, given the …