Phuket’s roads get a makeover in time for Vegetarian Festival

Phuket Town is in a race against time to ensure its roads are smooth and festival-ready before the Phuket Vegetarian Festival kicks off next week. The city’s top brass is pulling out all the stops, with Deputy Mayor Suphot La-ongphet leading the charge on a series of urgent road resurfacing projects across key streets.

Suphot was spotted inspecting Yaowarat Road on Monday, September 23, where the finishing touches are being made to a newly installed drainage system that promises to banish the area’s flooding woes.

“We’re focused on quickly resurfacing Yaowarat Road to keep residents and road users safe.”

Suphot emphasised that the resurfacing will include fresh road markings, zebra crossings, and a footpath clean-up to ensure the area sparkles for festival-goers.

The city is also urging residents to be patient, as the timeline for the works will be communicated in advance to minimise disruptions. The festival, which officially runs from October 3 to 11, draws large crowds, making safe, smooth roads a top priority.

Meanwhile, the deputy mayor revealed an ongoing project in partnership with the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) to move power lines underground along Thepkrasattri, Deebook, and Phuket Roads.

“We’ve instructed operators to boost lighting and mark closures clearly, so everyone can navigate safely.”

Nighttime resurfacing is also underway on Komaraphat Road and Thung Kha Road, with work taking place between 9pm and 6am and 10pm and 5am, respectively. Residents are kindly asked to avoid parking in these areas during the roadworks to prevent delays, reported Phuket News.

ORIGINAL STORY: Phuket Vegetarian Festival to sprout excitement and turnip the fun

The annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival is set to “sprout” with residents ready to “turnip” the excitement from October 3 to October 11, confirmed by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat.

In a meeting jam-packed with officials and local figures at Phuket Provincial Hall, Governor Sophon, Vice Governor Norasak Suksomboon, and Phuket Culture Office chief Pichaiyut Singhasami finalised the festival dates. The focus was to ensure this year’s event is the best one yet, laying out the guidelines to keep everything running smoothly.

Governor Sophon yesterday, August 7, emphasised the collaborative efforts of the Phuket Provincial Office, the Phuket Shrine Association, and other key players in putting together this event. He underscored the festival’s importance in preserving Phuket’s cultural heritage, fostering community spirit, and planting seeds of pride among locals.

“The festival aims to perpetuate these traditions while fostering community spirit and cultural pride.”

Key activities planned for this year include a procession to honour His Majesty the King, a ceremony for chanting auspicious blessings to King Vajiralongkorn, and a nine-day pilgrimage to nine shrines to pay homage to the Buddha. A government report mentioned these activities but did not provide details on other agenda items discussed, reported Phuket News.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your carrots and celery, and get ready to celebrate – the festival promises to be a veggie feast of fun and tradition!