Article Category - Community in Phuket

Early March saw two young swimmers from the British International School (BIS) Flying Fish Swimming Club of Phuket participate in the Singapore National Age Group championships with some very impressive results. Bianca Goetz, 12, a Singapore national at the school, consolidated three silver medals for second place in the 12-year-old category for the 100m (with a time of 1:03.18), 200m (2:17.40) and 400m (4:49.10) freestyle events and one bronze medal for 50m (30.00) freestyle. With these results, Goetz will now be a part of the Singapore Youth National Team to participate in the Southeast Asian Age Group Championships, held in Bangkok June 6-8.

D Gallery, a contemporary art gallery, has now opened in Phuket, Thailand. Over 220 sqm of contemporary works and between six to eight exhibitions by leading and emerging artists throughout the year is what D Gallery is promising. Located in the Royal Phuket Marina on Thepkrasattri Road, D Gallery was established in 2007 to promote upcoming as well as established Southeast Asian artists principally from Thailand and Vietnam.

You’ve toured the world, played guitar in almost every continent and find it's become increasingly difficult to continue making a living in your own country. So, where do you go?

Famous around Asia as a travel show host, television presenter Raine Grady is best known as the face of Asia & Beyond, Destination Thailand and local shows Phuket Plus and Pattaya Plus.

The young swimmers at the BIS Flying Fish club may be spending a lot of time in the water, but it's definitely the skies they're aiming for. With commendable performances and success in several recent national and international swimming competitions, confidence is high, and training is...rigorous. The dedicated team of competitive swimmers is at the school's swimming pool at 6: 15 in the morning, every weekday, for an hour and half's worth of practice uttil they're off to school. They're back in the pool at 4: 30 pm, for another couple of hours' training.

Greeting guests at the porch tables, Noi breezes about like a bird. Taking orders, delivering food, making espressos, she’s as busy as a bee. Dressed in crisp, white-silk cheongsam, lips tinted red, she looks like a porcelain doll. Enthusiastically, she empties her bag during a quiet spell. Noi’s partner John, a hearty Welshman, hovers nearby keen to catch a glimpse of the contents.

With 18 years of experience in the nature tourism industry Siam Safari has been running their successful tours to Khao Sok, just a two-hour drive from Phuket, for a number of years now. They have along the way, snapped up many different tourism and environmental awards for their tours and activities.

Julie is sitting at the dining table with Mona, her ten year old step daughter. It’s a school day and Mona is doing her lessons. A month or so ago, the family packed up in Paris and moved to Phuket. Today, they are doing a home-school evaluation to post back to France.

We meet in her airy parlour at Fisherman’s Way. It was fate that drew me here. Stuck in traffic at Chalong, a small sign had caught my eye. I had to know what was in the bag. Fascinated by the accuracy of past fortunes told, Wan studied with the nation’s grand masters to learn the ancient craft. Under Royal Patronage of Her Majesty the Queen, the Astrological Association of Thailand trains devotees to read into the future.

“One of the most wonderful parts of living in Phuket, is that we live in a community where people still care and support each other,” says Chantal Fernandes, long-term resident on the island. And a group of caring individuals have gotten together to do just that; support Graham Frost, a fellow Phuket resident for many years, pictured here with his nurse.

A passion for waves keeps James “Jimbo” Welch on the move. Originally from Maui in the islands of Hawaii, he landed on Phuket a few years ago and is happy to call this isle home when not roving with a camera and surfboard. Aside from surfing, he captures the beauty of waves on film. Recently returned from a trek to Indonesia, his unquenchable wanderlust and fascination for the cultures of south-east Asia produced a few thousand more images to add to his growing collection.

This is a column that features a range of interesting tidbits from around the Island, with information on up-coming leisure and entertainment events and the people and businesses that make Phuket the exciting place it is

It’s the Green Season, we’ve been told. Certainly, Phuket never looks more lush and verdant than during the few months it receives its quota of annual lashings from the raingods.

It’s the Green Season, we’ve been told. Certainly, Phuket never looks more lush and verdant than during the few months it receives its quota of annual lashings from the raingods.

LET’S FACE IT, of the few big issues almost guaranteed to have newspapers and magazines flying from the stands or being searched for on the Internet, relationships rates very high.

The high-pitched whine of a small aero engine overhead usually means one thing on Phuket: the Helicam team is at work. Philippa Peters met the team, and didn’t mention “joystick” or suggesting that business has “taken off” once.

The Island Furniture Cricket League has begun its second year with four teams all eager for a bit of batting and bowling. The first match of the season took place on 21 January at the new pitch at Cherng Talay school, between Phuket Academicals (previously known as the BIS team) and Island Cricket Club.

A free seminar will be held for UK Nationals wishing to learn more about last year’s changes to British legislation on pensions and how this will affect expats holding current and paid up UK pensions. The seminar, which will be held at the Green Man, Chalong, at 7.30pm on Tuesday 13 February, is being staged by the Montpelier Group, in association with Skandia and Phuket Post, and will also cover how the UK’s new taxation of trusts will effect both new and existing Inheritance Tax Planning. Call 086976 4998 or email bpayne@montpeliergroup.com to reserve a seat.