Phuket turned off for Happy Earth Hour

PHUKET: Although there will be no official event tonight to mark Earth Hour 2013, the chief of the Phuket office of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PPEA) is urging people to join the global event to show their support for conserving energy.

“It is a very good campaign that everyone can join. It is easy to do at home, just turn off the lights,” PPEA Somchai Krueapat told the Phuket Gazette.

“By doing this you will have the chance to help save world energy reserves and you may feel good about doing it,” he said.

The annual event asks people to switch off their lights for one hour from 8:30pm to raise awareness of the importance of saving energy.

Last year, hundreds of millions of people around the world took part, while astronaut Andre Kuipers observed the lights-off event from the International Space Station (story here).

Intent on making their stance on energy saving clear, many private venues across the island will be taking part in the global event.

The JW Marriott Phuket Beach Resort & Spa is asking its guests to join the event.

“This year we will again join the global awareness campaign to save energy,” Marketing Communications Manager Kewalin Sukumjittanon told the Phuket Gazette.

“We have sent a letter to our guests in every room to be aware of the Earth Hour event,” she said.

Guests are asked to turn off their room lights and join fellow energy savers in the resort’s main bar for Happy Earth Hour, buy one, get one free.

“This is a good event to urge everyone to be aware of energy conservation, so we will always support this event,” Ms Kewalin added.

Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong will also be taking part.

“We will turn off some of the main lights in areas where it will not affect customers and the stores,” a staffer at Marketing Department confirmed.

— Chutharat Plerin