Star Aid raises B1.55m for charity

CHERNG TALAY: The StarAid gala dinner at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket on Saturday evening raised just under 1.55 million baht for charity, an increase of more than 400,000 baht on last year’s event. All 510 seats for the dinner were sold out as Phuket’s socialites shelled out 1,250 baht a head for tickets and more for raffle tickets and items offered in silent and live auctions. The highlight of the evening was the performance by top Thai singing star Christina Aguilar, who sang two sets to wild applause. Later in the evening the big crowd-pleasers were Eurasia, the resident band from Timber Hut, with guest singers Trevor Fisher and Claire Mossop. The proceeds from the event will go toward treating children with HIV or AIDS, and supporting their families, and to establishing a Center for the Handicapped, a project launched by the Lions Club of Phuket Pearl. The main sponsor for this year’s event was Laguna Resorts & Hotels. Other major sponsors included Starwood Hotels & Resorts, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Star Clipper Cruises, Asian Premier Holidays and Strategy Catering.