Phuket
New look for Laguna Phuket Triathlon

PHUKET: This year’s Laguna Phuket Triathlon has a new look and a new bike course for the international athletes heading to the island to compete in a 1.8-km swim, 50-km bike ride and 12-km run at the Laguna Phuket resort on Sunday, November 20.
The organizers celebrated the triathlon’s 23rd anniversary by unveiling its fresh new look for participating athletes on September 24 at Vertigo TOO, Banyan Tree Hotel in Bangkok.
The baby elephant mascot ‘Laguna’ is the race’s new ambassador, sporting a redesigned race logo. There’s also a new bike course and tips to conquer the course, previously recognized as one of the most challenging bike courses in Asia.
The 2016 Laguna Phuket Triathlon features prize money of US$ 20,000 (or 694,790 baht).
Wowing the crowd even before the conference started was Thailand’s number 1 rock star Athiwara Khongmalai, better known as ‘Toon Bodyslam’, who has been an avid fan of Laguna Phuket Triathlon since 2012.
Presiding over the Bangkok conference were Promchote Traivate, Inspector General Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Sports; Kajornkiet Rakpanitmanee, Vice Governor of Phuket; Ravi Chandran, Managing Director of Laguna Phuket and sponsor representatives; Soodrak Chanyavongs, Manager, Promotions Department from Thai Airways PLC and Wasna Jirasuradej, Marketing Manager, Cocomax.
“The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has been working on developing a framework for the future of Thailand’s sport tourism, a segment in which Thailand has a high potential to continue growing, both in its quantity and quality,” said Mr Promchote.
“Laguna Phuket Triathlon, hosted and organized locally in Phuket with full collaboration between the government, local communities and private sectors, exemplifies a strategic sport tourism combination that promotes both destination and healthy lifestyle with international appeals,” he said.
The enduring appeal of Laguna Phuket attracts entries from leading international pro athlete personalities, as well as age groupers worldwide. This year we once again expect to see a field of more than 1,000 triathletes, representing more than 50 countries around the world, at our resort on November 20,” said Laguna’s Ravi Chandran.
“As the organizer of Asia’s longest standing triathlon race, it is a delight to see the popularity of triathlon proliferates new races in Thailand and the region while Laguna Phuket Triathlon, with its longevity and worldwide appeal, is being recognized internationally. This year in particular, it is an honor that Laguna Phuket Triathlon is shortlisted as a finalist in ‘Best Amateur Sports Event of the Year in Thailand’ category at Sports Industry Awards (SPIA) Asia 2016” said Mr Ravi.
While sport tourism is key to Laguna Phuket Triathlon’s success, sustainability has also been an integral focus of the race.
Athletes booking their slots in Laguna Phuket Triathlon can help raise funds through donations and sponsorships for the resort’s long established ‘Laguna Phuket Foundation’ to operate its various charitable programs.
“Not many years had passed before the triathletes felt a deep connection with our race and the communities surrounding it, and started asking how they can give back to the race,” said Mr Ravi.
“Over the years, millions of baht have been raised through Laguna Phuket Foundation to fund initiatives as local school renovations, survival swim teaching, Community Learning Center, Seedlings Phuket and the Mobile Learning Center for children.”
Registration is open now until November 13. For more information and registration, visit www.lagunaphukettri.com or Facebook/LagunaPhuketTri.
The Phuket Gazette and The Nation are the proud national media partners in the event.
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Events
Phuket Monopoly game creators need your help with token designs

Phuket is set to get its own version of the popular game MONOPOLY and its creators want your help with ideas for the specialised tokens. ‘MONOPOLY: Phuket Edition’ was announced last month which will see the street art on the board game replaced with that of famous places around Thailand’s famous tourist destination. Such art will include beaches, hotels, shops, markets and other popular attractions.
Jennifer Lau from Winning Moves UK, is producing the game under official license from Monopoly brand owners, Hasbro. Lau says the tokens will feature a holiday theme. The token’s departure from the original theme of wheelbarrows, boots, iron, and thimbles as well as popular sports cars and hats.
“We have had a wealth of emails and suggestions coming in for Phuket, so thank you for each and every single one of them! We are taking them all into consideration whilst putting together the design of the game.”
“We wanted to change the tokens so that they would be more suitable for an island like Phuket, where so many people like to go on holiday to.”
“There will be six themed tokens that replace the original and we want to hear your suggestions for what these tokens should be!”
Bangkok has already been featured in the Monopoly game as it came out for purchase back in 2018.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Phuket holds vaccine administration rehearsal as it waits for green light

Phuket is rehearsing procedures to ready themselves for the Covid‐19 vaccine administration green light. A rehearsal at Vachira Hospital’s Lan Muang Khao open area was held late yesterday to iron out any kinks in the administration process. Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong watched over the procedures along with other health officials.
Pichet says the first vaccine round of 4,000 doses should arrive early in March, with the 2nd and 3rd set of doses, 16,000 and 48,000 respectively, to arrive in April and May.
“The government recognises the importance of the affected areas of the economy where the epidemic situation of COVID-19 must be stopped and has allocated the COVID-19 vaccine to Phuket Province to build herd immunity, restore the economy, return a smile to Thailand.”
“We are preparing to COVID-19 mass vaccination to build confidence among the people that they will receive a quality, safe vaccine and to receive follow-up care after it has been administered.”
Pichet says Phuket’s first target groups to receive the vaccine include medical and public health personnel, with others on the frontlines to come next.
Then, workers aged 18-59 years old, people with underlying diseases including chronic respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, cerebrovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity will follow.
“People with severe neurological conditions and pregnant women should be wary of taking the vaccine, as well as women who are breastfeeding and people with immunodeficiency.”
The procedure to get vaccinated starts by recipients undergoing screening by having their temperatures taken, and then sanitising their hands before entering the administration area. Then, they will move their way through a series of steps, detailed below:
Step 1: Register
Step 2: Record weight and blood pressure
Step 3: Pass the screening process by have their medical history and risk assessment recorded and then signing a consent to receive the vaccine
Step 4: Wait for vaccination
Step 5: Vaccination
Step 6: Rest for 30 minutes, while being observed for symptoms. Then scan the official Line account “หมอพร้อม” (“Doctor Ready”)
Step 7: Pass a final check before receiving a document confirming vaccination
Pichet says health workers will follow up with vaccine recipients after 1,7, and 30 days from being vaccinated to monitor any adverse reactions.
Those who are set to receive their second jab will have appointments made for them. Those who receive the Sinovac vaccine will be scheduled to have their second doses 2 to 4 weeks after the first. AstraZeneca vaccine receivers will be scheduled for their second doses 10 to 12 weeks after the first.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
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Phuket
Phuket police officer charged with attempted murder for shooting and critically injuring a noodle vendor

The drunk, off-duty police officer in Phuket who has caught on camera shooting and beating a noodle vendor on Bangla Road is now facing attempted murder charges as well as charges of carrying a firearm in public without a necessary reason and firing a weapon in a public area. The commander of the Phuket police station said he ordered investigators to prosecute the officer Pornthep Channarong with every criminal charge that can be applied.
The officer had gotten into an altercation just before dawn yesterday and shot a young vendor who was walking by. Surveillance camera footage show the 25 year old suddenly falling to the ground after being shot. The officer walks up and shoots the vendor at a close range, but it appears the second shot did not hit the vendor. The officer also slapped the vendor in the face, picked him up and shoved him over, and then kicked him as he lay on the ground.
The vendor has a 4 year old daughter and 3 month old son. His wife says normally he works as a motorbike driver, but he was helping his mother selling noodles. He was shot while he was walking back from collecting a noodle bowl, she says. The vendor is in critical condition and being cared for at Vachira Phuket Hospital’s intensive care unit. He’s in need of Type B blood.
“For his condition, the doctor told me that the bullet went through his lung. He lost a lot of blood. We need a lot of Type B blood for him.”
A disciplinary investigation into the incident was launched by police and Pornthep was officially dismissed from the Royal Thai Police force. Region 8 Police Commander Kitrat Panpetch says the incident does not reflect the police force in Phuket.
“The incident was caused by an officer who did something wrong that our organisation does not want. We are a big organisation with more than 200,000 officers under our control. Our officers are not all bad like this.”
Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pornsak Nuannu says he has reminded the police chiefs across the island to discuss reasons for carrying firearms in public.
“Carrying firearms is to prevent any type of crime that may happen, not to commit a crime by themselves like this incident. If I see any police doing such a thing, I will decisively proceed in terms of both officer discipline and criminal charges.”
SOURCE: Phuket News
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