Thai AirAsia CEO calls for infrastructure improvements at Airport @ 2012-07-21

The Chief Executive Officer of Thai AirAsia in Thailand , Tassapon Bijleveld, has called for the improvement of Phuket’s infrastructure to support tourism growth when the Asean Economic Community (AEC) starts in 2015.

Speaking during the Phuket Creative Tourism Forum at Rajabhat University yesterday (July 20), Mr Bijleveld said Phuket had high potential to be a regional hub of southern Thailand. However, the improvement of infrastructure such as the expansion of the Phuket International Airport (PIA) was required. Mr Bijleveld said about 120 million people in the Asian-Pacific region travel on a plane each year. Fifty three per cent of those are people belonging to countries of Asean, which means Asean countries is a large market for tourism. The countries in Asean are Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. In addition, 47 per cent of the total number of tourists who visited Thailand were from Asean countries, he said. “To support the growth of tourism, the PIA will need to be upgraded and expanded,” said Mr Bijleveld. Mr Bijleveld believed the limitation of PIA’s capacity also prevent the establishment of new charter flights, which would expand Phuket’s tourism market. For example, one Indian wedding brought more than 200 Indian guests to Phuket, with about USD5 million to spend on their trip. This market is expected to expand in Phuket, however there are still no direct flights from India to Phuket. In addition, Mr Bijleveld said Phuket needed good public transportation to improve tourism, and perhaps even a bigger deep sea port to support high-end tourists who came on cruise ships. “About 1,000 to 1,500 passengers can come on a cruise ship, which is ten times more than the number of passengers coming on one flight,” he said. “If we can improve the deep sea port, it will help boost the tourism industry.” Because there are many tourist want to travel to Phuket .

Hotel staff in Phuket survey backs five-day week @ 16-07-2012

The new resort very swiftly attracted the cream of the island’s hotel workers, and dismay and anger among hotel owners and managers, who were used to having their staff work a six-day week.
In the past 10 years things have changed hugely, a recently released survey has found. Now, 50 per cent of the island’s top 100 hotels have a five-day work week, and another 23 per cent have arrangements that amount to a 5.5-day week.
The survey, conducted over the course of a year by 10 employees of luxury hotels, some which are among the 27 per cent still on a six-day week, has a very specific agenda: to have 100 per cent of top hotels in Phuket work a five-day week
One of those involved commented, “Those at [six-day] resorts were deeply concerned about the direction of their business and people, and [therefore felt] compelled to delve into this important issue by collecting data.”
The staffer, who for obvious reasons asked not to be named, says that the survey team are convinced that hotels benefit from allowing employees enough time off “to recover from work, reflect upon work, and enjoy a certain quality of life”.
The surveyors argue that there is a large relational gap between overworked servers and the guests at six-day hotels. Service can become grudging or lacklustre. Good employees leave, resulting in a decline in quality.
The survey is currently a work in progress, say the researchers, but they felt their findings should be aired at this point to raise interest in working hours in the hotel industry.
It lists the following hotels and hotel groups as having five-day work weeks: Absolute Group; InterContinental (Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn); Lauguna Resorts & Hotels; Marriott; Movenpick; Thanyapura Group; Six Senses; Starwood, Aleenta, Amanpuri, Anantara Villas, Andara, Best Western Karon, Cape Sienna, Dewa, Hilton, Mai Khao Dream, Millennium, Paresa, Patong Resort, Pavilions, Raddison Blu, Sala, Sea Sun Sand, Trisara, Kata Rocks and the new Pullman Arcadia.
Everyone want to work 5 days and rest 2 days a week .

Gov wants 5,000 CCTV for Phuket : 04/07/2012

Actions to improve security in Phuket have been proposed by Provincial Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Chonasit Watanawarangkun, following a meeting yesterday (June 2) with commanders of police stations on the island.
Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha said yesterday (July 3) that he wants to see the number of CCTV cameras in Phuket increase to 5,000 by next year.

He said he will allocate B2 million from his B10 million emergency fund to pay for 100 cameras, and he urged the 19 local authorities on the island to include the purchase of high-quality cameras in their budgets for the coming fiscal year.

“I hope we can achieve this goal [of 5,000 cameras],” said Gov Tri. “However, it depends on the support from local authorities as well.”

There are currently about 1,000 CCTV cameras installed around the island but many of these are not actually in use.

Phuket city is safe city for tourist .

Phuket Island to be pilot for tourist safety advice : 29th June 2012

MOTS permanent secretary, Suwat Sidthilaw, deputy permanent secretary Thanitta Savetsila Maneechote, and Tourist Police commander Police Major-General Adis Ngamchitsuksri launched the project, the Bureau of Tourist Assistance and Fraud Prevention, late last week.
Mr Suwat said: “The campaign will provide tourists with important tips on how to avoid risks. Tourists are also encouraged to file complaints at the new bureau.”
Around 70 per cent of tourists in Thailand are travelling without the support of travel agencies and have no point of reference if they encounter a problem.
The “how to avoid risk” campaign is being implemented at Patong Beach and seven other pilot sites: Bangkok’s Khao San Rd; Ayutthaya’s floating market; Hua Hin; the ferry wharf on Koh Samui; Haad Yai’s Santisuk market; the walking street in Pai; and Chiang Mai’s walking street.
One part of the announcement by Gen Adis was puzzling. He said, “The Tourist Police will continue to step up safety for visitors in Thailand.
“A network of volunteers, who are taxi and tuk tuk drivers, have joined the police to disseminate safety information to travellers.”
Tourists and residents of the island alike view taxi and tuk-tuk drivers with a great deal of suspicion as they are often the cause of cheating and have been involved in many violent incidents, so it seems doubtful that they could be used as a confidence-building channel or to provide accurate information on safety to foreigners.
Phuket is more safety .

Medical teams practice halting flu at Phuket airport @ June 14th 2012

The training session was aimed at dealing with all subtypes of HxNy influenza, which includes such killers as Spanish flu, Asian flu, bird flu and swine flu.
Dr Wiwat Seetamanotch, a doctor with the Provincial Health Department, explained, “The training session is aimed at protecting the other passengers and Phuket.”

After the “call” came in to the control tower, the emergency medical team, wearing hazmat (hazardous material) suits prepared an area for screening passengers on the aircraft.

For this morning’s exercise, there was even an aircraft full of volunteer “passengers”.

Some of the medical team entered this and separated the passengers into green, yellow and red sectors – with green wristbands for those sitting far from the “sick” passenger, yellow for those sitting close to him, and red for the victim himself.

On the ground, both green and yellow passengers received an alcohol gel to clean their hands and a health information card, and were scanned with a Thermoscanner, which detects body temperature.

While the “red” passenger was rushed to hospital, the “yellows” were interviewed about their travels in the past 15 days, were rescreened with the Thermoscanner, underwent chest X-rays, and were then quarantined in a special negative-air-pressure room in hospital.

Finally, the medical team spray-disinfected the aircraft and the screening area in the airport.

Phuket grabs two more golds

The Phuket island today retained its seventh place in the medal standings of the National Youth Games, capturing two more gold medals.

In the final of the 39-42 kilo class of the Pencak Silat competition, Sampan Thongsidam delighted the home crowd by beating Muhamin Se from Pattani 4:1 in the sport that is traditionally strongest in the deep south of Thailand.

In the girls’ 15-18 years tennis finals, Phuket’s Butsarin Raktaengam repeated her victory in the Uttraradit Games four years ago by overpowering Rongroong Leenabanjong from Bangkok in straight sets, 6:4, 6:3.

The Phuket soft tennis team, meanwhile, racked up another three silver medals.

With a few more finals still to be played tomorrow (June 5), Phuket now has 17 gold, 15 silver and 25 bronze medals.
Bangkok still leads the medal table with 96 gold, 65 silver and 55 bronze medals, followed by Chiang Mai (27, 35, 37) and Chonburi (26, 29, 31).
But today the National Youth Games finish .

New 'no swimming' sign in 7 languages at Karon Beach Phuket , June 6th ,2012

PHUKET 2012 : Today Karon Municipality has designed new warning signs in seven languages with the aim of preventing tourists from drowning .
Fifteen signs will be erected on Kata and Karon beaches giving warnings in Thai, Chinese, English, Russian, French, Korean and German.

The sign includes a message, though in English only, from Karon Mayor Thawee Thongcham, which says, “The monsoon season has started and on certain days the sea can be very dangerous.

“Whenever the red flag is placed, we urge you not to swim in the sea as there are invisible undercurrents which are almost impossible to detect from the shore.

“Too many accidents occur every year on the Andaman Sea beaches and we cannot assume any responsibility in the case of accidents.”

The chief of the Karon Municipality Tourist Rescue Center, Suphachai Janpetch, said he is still worried about tourists who have no experience of rip currents in the water off Phuket.

They want to protect the toursit from the beach .