Phuket

Karaoke operators sing the blues

Published

17 years ago

June 13, 2002

Karaoke operators sing the blues | The Thaiger

PHUKET TOWN: More than 200 karaoke operators gathered at the Phuket Provincial Hall this morning to protest about the closure of their premises and to petition the authorities to allow them to reopen. The protest comes after a three-day campaign by police to check karaoke bars for licenses. Many were found to have none, or to have licenses that had expired. Pol Capt Wiwat Chamnarnkit of Phuket Town Police Station explained, “To open a karaoke bar you must apply for a license at the police station. “Once the premises have been inspected for compliance with the regulations, the application is sent to the Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police for approval and then to the Provincial Governor for his signature. “The operator will usually know within 30 days whether the application has been successful.” Chaiyong Praptook, owner of Sasa Karaoke, near Nimit Village in Phuket Town, demurred. “My shop was checked two days ago and the police asked me to close it because I still haven’t got a license even though I applied two years ago. I’ve followed all the regulations, but everything is so slow.” Nucharee Kongbun, who has operated two karaoke bars in Saphan Hin for almost four years, said, “Both shops have been closed for four days already, but I still have to pay rent every day. I submitted the paperwork for renewal a couple of months ago but the documents are still at the police station.” Many of today’s protesters had not received licenses because they had not submitted full documentation, in particular evidence of property rights or rental contracts – the reason being that they had set up their businesses on public land. Capt Wiwat said, “We are holding about 100 applications at the police station because they have not submitted rental contracts or land deeds.” The protesters urged the authorities to speed up the issuance of licenses for those who had already submitted applications, and to allow business to continue while applications are being considered. They also urged the authorities to consider ways to “help” those who were unable to provide rental contracts or land deeds to support their applications. After meeting representatives of the protesters, Vice-Governor Manit Wattanasen announced that he would urge the police to speed up processing of applications and to clear everything within seven days. As for those who have not submitted applications, he said that they should do so within seven days if they wanted to be fast-tracked with the existing applications. In the case of applications already approved by the police, he would sign them himself today, he said. However, when it came to those who could not provide land or rental papers, he said, “I have to think about this. We have to find the way that will satisfy both the operators and the public, because some of these karaoke bars are on public land. “There will be a big problem if I allow businesses to operate on public land.” Apart from the land requirements, a karaoke bar is supposed to meet four main criteria before receiving a license. Specifically: – It must have a glass door to contain noise from within; – It must have separate toilets for men and women; – The karaoke machine must be shut off at 1 am; – There must be a sign over the entrance stating that anyone under the age of 20 is barred.

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News

30 dolphins greet visitors to Similan Islands

Published

2 days ago

October 21, 2019

Greeley Pulitzer

30 dolphins greet visitors to Similan Islands | The Thaiger

Tourists were treated to the sight of a school of dolphins in the Similan Islands off the Phang Nga coast on Sunday.

Tour organisers said that around 30 dolphins swam close to the boat six or seven miles offshore, creating excitement for passengers. It was the first time dolphins had been seen in the vicinity since October 15.

The Similan Islands National Park director said they were bottlenose dolphins and were among several species now returning to the area following a five-year closure of the park for environmental rehabilitation. Food is again plentiful there for them, he said.

Tourists are forbidden to feed wildlife lest the free handouts alter the animals’ natural behaviour, and the park’s waters are also very sensitive to contamination from human disease and marine debris, according to the director.

SOURCE: nationthailand.com

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Patong

Phuket hotels slashing the price of rooms

Published

2 days ago

October 21, 2019

The Thaiger

by Sophie Deviller

Hotels on Thailand’s most popular holiday island are being forced to slash prices, with rooms left vacant and beaches sparse as Thailand’s tourism chiefs struggle with a plunge in Chinese visitors caused by the US trade war and a stronger baht. Phuket was the most visited destination in the country last year, after Bangkok, and a good gauge of the state of its crucial travel industry.

Tourism accounts for 18% of Thailand’s gross domestic product and Chinese holidaymakers make up more than a quarter of total arrivals. But while 2.2 million people from the country visited in 2018, according to official figures, the numbers for January-September were down almost 20% year on year.

Claude de Crissey, the French Honorary Consul in Phuket and owner of about 40 rooms in the Patong Beach area, says Chinese tourists are usually present even during the current low season.

“That was not the case this year,” he said, adding he had to lower his prices by as much as 50%.

The problem is not only in Phuket, with hotels also struggling to fill rooms in the seaside resort of Pattaya on the mainland and on Koh Samui.

Trade tensions with the US have already made some Chinese reluctant to take holidays owing to uncertainty back home, while the Thai baht has risen about 10% against the yuan this year.

A boating disaster off Phuket’s coast that killed 47 Chinese holidaymakers in July 2018 also scared some off.

“We are worried,” said an industry insider, declining to be named due to the sensitivity of the topic in a country where tourism provides tens of thousands of jobs. Adding to the headache is the fact that more than 3,000 new hotel rooms are being constructed on the island, raising the question of who will fill them.

“In terms of business, it’s not good,” said Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, vice-president of the association of hotels in Thailand and director of Vijitt Resort.

“Because … we have more hotels, more rooms to sell, we have more restaurants, more coffee shops.”

Still, tourism authority chairman Yuthasak Supasorn said he remained “optimistic.”

“We should reach our goal of 39.8 million foreign visitors.”

However, that is only up from 38.2 million in 2018, much less than the jump seen from the previous year’s total of 35.6 million.

Counting on India

Now hoteliers and tour package operators are targeting visitors from elsewhere, particularly India, which experts see as a huge untapped market.

A rapid expansion of the middle class in India, increased direct flights and visa-free travel have prompted Thailand to revise forecasts upwards.

It now expects two million Indian tourists this year, after an increase of nearly 25% on-year in the first seven months. But for now, the lower arrivals is evident on the streets of Phuket.

“I’ve never seen anything as bad as what it is at the moment,” said Paul Scott from Australia, who said he has been coming to Thailand for 15 years.

He mainly blamed the stronger baht for the drop-off but also the fact that Thailand wasn’t the untouched vacation paradise it once was. “Now it’s not so new … and it’s not cheap,” he said.

SOURCE: AFP

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Events

The 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle fun run attracts more than 4,000 runners

Published

3 days ago

October 20, 2019

The Thaiger

4,000 runners from Thailand and overseas took part in the 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run and Half Marathon 2019 yesterday, starting from the Phuket Gateway.

The event is expected to raise 700,000 baht for the charity, now in its 15th year. The money raised goes towards to The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, which is committed to protecting the marine and coastal environment, and ecosystems, for the wellbeing of sea turtles that nest in the Mai Khao beach and the surrounding areas.

The annual race also provides funds for thePhuket Marine Biological Centre’s Injured Turtle Rehabilitation Program and The Third NavalArea Command’s Turtle Hatchery Program.

The race was in its 15th year and runners of all ages and abilities took part in the race. The morning’s racing was divided into five categories – the 21.1km half marathon, 10.5km mini- marathon, 5km fun run and 3k family run and VIP participants for all the races. The route of 21.1 kilometre race took runners northwest along the Haad Sai Kaew beach towards Thao Thepkasattri bridge, past the rural road No. 3006, run along the road – Pi Lai viewpoint area returned back along the T. Baan Tha Nun to the iconic Sarasin bridge before finished the half marathon in the Phuket Gateway.

For Mini Marathon 10.5 km – Over all category, Mr. Chinnawat Changlek clocked 39 minutes and 40 seconds to clinch victory in the male half marathon, winning prize money and a trophy with the signature of Phuket’s Governor. The winner in the female mini marathon was Surakarn Wanna with a time of 47 minutes and 47 seconds.

Winners also received a prize gift voucher as well as a medal. Congratulations to all participants.

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