Carnival marks start of high season

PATONG: The Patong Carnival 2001 yesterday marked the opening of this year’s tourism high season. The day’s activities, which began in the morning with a merit-making ceremony, included a beach clean-up, a coral exhibition and a mini-marathon fun run. The highlight of the carnival was the colorful evening parade along Thaweewong Rd and into Soi Bangla. The parade, which was led by Phuket Wittayalai School band, comprised floats made by government departments, local businesses and clubs, street performers and hundreds of people, including local Thais, resident foreigners and tourists, simply joining in the event. The parade ended in Soi Bangla where Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi declared the tourist season officially open. In the evening, Soi Bangla was closed to traffic for a concert featuring top Thai jazz musician Tewan Sapsaenyakorn, dancers from Simon Cabaret and locally-based singer Juicy.