Patong wins carnival after all

PATONG: The annual one-day carnival to mark the opening of the tourism high season will be held in Patong on November 1 after all. There was doubt over this year’s carnival, a fixture for many years, because it falls in the midst of campaigning for the municipal elections on November 16 and 17. Having at first decided to postpone the festival indefinitely, local officials joined a meeting of business and community leaders today and decided to proceed. The gathering at Diamond Cliff Resort was told that a 700,000-baht budget had been approved for a festival that will run from 7:30 am to midnight. Most activities will take place on the beachfront and Soi Bangla. Spokesperson Wallee Pachantabutr, General Manager of Impiana Phuket Cabana, invited residents and tourists to join the fun and attend the grand parade around sunset. It will have the theme, “Phuket – the paradise island”. November 1 also marks the start of the island-wide Seafood Festival, which will climax in December with another carnival in Patong.