Phuket wins To Be Number One prizes

PHUKET: Phuket province was honored with two prizes in this year’s To Be Number One competition, held at Impact Muang Thong Thani in Nontaburi on June 25: one for committed support of the competition and another for dedicated participation.

The competition recognizes community projects put forward to tackle drug abuse by local youths.

Phuket, Yasotorn and Khon Kaen provinces were each awarded 100,000 baht and a trophy.

Rattiya Chancawee, policy and plan analyzer of the Phuket Provincial Health Office, said, “Phuket has participated in the To Be Number One competition since it started in 2004. We have supported this project by setting up the To Be Number One Club in Phuket.”

The To Be Number One Club, a community project based in Baan Liporn Khaolan, in Thalang, also picked up a 100,000-baht prize and a trophy in recognition of its efforts to curb drug abuse among minors with the support of the public and private sectors.

Jittra Romin, a PPHO officer and consultant to the To Be Number One Club, told the Gazette that the club won the regional competition with its project aimed at persuading children to engage in productive activities, such as playing sports.

At the national competition in Bangkok, the team was given two hours to come up with a new project.

“We decided to make a tree which had fruits on it, with each fruit being a picture and details of different activities that we hold in our community so that children don’t turn to drugs,” said K. Jittra.

“The prize money will be used to develop other community activities at the club,” she added.

The competition was held the day before a Phuket Provincial Police drugs suppression unit seized 1,384 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills in Kathu.