Phuket Airport Closed by Anti-Government Protesters

9th September.I can't quite get my head around the idea that Samak has to quit because he hosted an early morning cooking show on TV... but that seems to be the story..Bangkok Post News - Samak Must ResignNow looks like new elections might happen sometime soon. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news for the PAD, but the same people are likely to win again unless the suave Democrats, led by the sauve Abhisit Vejjajiva who was born in England and...

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Phuket Butterfly Garden

We had been once before to the Phuket Butterfly Garden, years ago when our daughter was little and before our son was born. Somehow never made it back until a couple of weeks ago. Our daughter said she wanted to go again. She'd just been on a school "field trip" and they'd been studying the life cycle of the butterfly, so I think butterflies were one of her current favourite things.The full name is Phuket Butterfly Garden and Insect World - yes,...

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New Lonely Planet Guide to Phuket

It was a few months ago that a guy called Adam visited our office and said he was doing some research for a new Lonely Planet guidebook all about Phuket. He explained this was a new kind of guide. Rather than try to pack the entire SE Asia region or the whole of Thailand into a guidebook that ends up weighing 2 kilos and is out of date by the time it's published, the new idea is to make small pocket sized guides to single destinations, ideal for...

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Kata Noi Beach

Kata Noi beach hardly seems to have changed in years. I took a ride over to Kata Noi recently to take some photos in the sunshine and have to say... Nice! Actually it has probably been a few years since I was last there. Kata Noi is not the kind of beach you pass through. The road is a dead end after crossing over from Kata beach (only takes a few minutes), so I suppose you really only go to Kata Noi if you stay there or out of curiosity.The beach...

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The Big Chicken Restaurant

If you drive on the normal bus route between Patong and Phuket Town, after passing through the area called Tungtong, and passing the Phuket Country Club you'll see a restaurant that is also a local landmark. Everyone knows where the Big Chicken is! You can't miss it... (see location on Google Earth)Now, we must have driven past a thousand times, on the way to nearby Bang Wad reservoir for example. We have been living in the Kathu area for 5 years....

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Exploring Phuket Town

I have always liked Phuket Town. Big enough to be interesting, small enough to be easily explored, busy but without crazy traffic (most of the traffic bypasses the town), lots of interesting areas, hills and views, parks, temples, local people who seem rather detached from the tourism that grips the main beaches. Phuket Town is where you can find local life a plenty, local festivals and a different nightlife scene to the tourist zones.I realised...

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