Old Phuket’ draws big crowds

PHUKET CITY: Thousands of people thronged streets in the old part of Phuket City last night to celebrate the arrival of the Chinese Year of the Rooster and the first night of the 7^th Old Phuket Festival.

Thalang Rd and Dibuk Rd in the old quarter of Phuket were filled with the sights and sounds of celebration, as well as the perfume of incense and the aroma of traditional Chinese New Year and Phuketian delicacies.

Many of the well-maintained shophouses in the Old Town were open to visitors keen to see traditional Phuket decorative style.

Sithi Tandavanitj will tonight open the grounds of his family’s Krabi Rd home to townspeople and tourists for a son et lumiere performance featuring Chinese opera.

Phuket Thai Hua School on Krabi Rd is holding its own exhibition, illustrating traditional clothing, customs and dance from the town’s past, under the title “Proud of our Old Town”.

On February 11, the fourth and last day for traditional celebrations for Chinese New Year, there will be about 20 shows from China, all free of charge, starting from 7:30 pm.