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The tsunami of late 2004 stopped Phuket's real-estate boom cold. A year later, local real-estate professionals say, the juggernaut rose again. Even a military coup and the military government's tinkering with foreign investment rules couldn't slow the pace of Phuket's prized high-end real-estate market. But a new tsunami has come from across the Pacific Ocean--only this time, instead of hitting beaches, it has struck banks and financial institutions across two continents. A seismic shift of fortunes in the US housing market triggered a financial crisis in 2007 that sent shock waves around the globe. The New York Times recently reported that many once-hot regions around the British Isles and Europe--even as far away as India and China--have cooled significantly and followed the US pattern of tumbling prices and sharply rising defaults and foreclosures. In Phuket, however, the real-estate market seems unfazed.

Efforts by the Phuket Provincial Livesotck Office (PPLO) to inoculate stray dogs against rabies have earned a new Japanese ally. The Animal Clinic of Japan visited the Phuket Shelter for Stray Dogs in Suanpha Bangkannoon, Talang on April 26 to bring food and medicine to animals there, joining the PPLO's campaign to make Phuket a rabies-free zone. They brought 10kg of food for dogs and cats and a gift of $5,000. PPLO Chief Sunart Wongchavalit explained that his office and the subdistrict administrative organizations on Phuket have rallied together around the rabies-free campaign to offer free vaccinations and sterilizations for dogs and cats. In addition, veterinarians from the Livestock Office have been going door-to-door on Phuket to register and vaccinate family pets. Phuket animal lovers may contact the Phuket Health Station Group (PHSG) or the PPLO for times and locations of vaccination clinics. The PHSG may be contacted at 0-7621-7330, the PPLO at 0-7621-6934.

Premium property developer Raimon Land PLC recently announced that sales at its luxury condominium project "The River", located on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, opposite the Shangri-La Hotel, have surpassed Bt 5 billion, 40% of the Bt 12 billion target sales value for the property. The River, Raimon Land's largest project to date, was pre-launched in March 2007. Within three days the initial units released were snapped up at a record-setting price for Bangkok of Bt 150,000 per square metre.

Raimon Land has been thrilled with the response to their newly completed unit, which they say is practically indistinguishable from its computer generated marketing image, thus delivering on its promise for high quality and standard of design and construction.

Zheng He, a legend throughout Southeast Asia's ancient world, embarked on 7 historic voyages between AD 1405 and 1433 and, unlike most of his European counterparts, he fostered goodwill and peace wherever he made port. Stocked with precious gifts and tributes, Zheng He initiated extensive trade with the countries he visited while spreading Chinese culture and technology, the most advanced of its time.

Simpson Marine will display some of the most sought-after models in the region at Boat Asia 2008, including an Azimut 55, Beneteau Oceanis 50, Lagoon 440 and Sea Ray 44 Sundancer – all top sellers in Asia. The Azimut 55 is the most successful mid-size motoryacht in Asia and the best selling model from the Azimut range with Simpson Marine selling over 15 units around the region. In true Azimut style, the 55 provides style, elegance, functionality with the use of intelligent space.

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot," crooned Joni Mitchell in the '70s. Parking in cities of the Kingdom during the '80s and '90s was still child's play. Nasty devices like the yellow wheel clamps were still unknown, and parking was mostly free.

Remember the Korean cars in Bangkok pre-1997 Asian economic "tom yam kung" crisis--the Daewoos, the Hyundais, the KIA's and the Ssanyong's? The new Koreans were affordable and compact city cars, including a monster SUV, one of the first sport utility vehicles in Thailand: Ssanyong Musso. After the economic bubble burst, Daewoo vanished from Thai shores, and today three Korean brands are available: KIA, Hyundai making a strong comeback, and Ssangyong.

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.

Phuket may not have a finer example of a friendly neighbourhood restaurant than Ban Saiyuan's the Breakfast Hut. Set among a cluster of small businesses along Kata-Sai Yuan Road, the restaurant sits in a building that's a little more than a hut--but not much more. As I pull my motorbike into the small dirt-patch of parking outside, I immediately feel at home. The surfer ghetto in my home region of Santa Cruz County, California is dotted with many such neighbourhood eateries all serving straightforward breakfast and lunch fare (often heavy on the carbohydrates) at modest prices. They're populated with locals on their way to work or to the surf break if a killer swell happens to be running that day. The scene at the Breakfast Hut is no different, and just as in Santa Cruz, the proprietor of the Breakfast Hut issues a warm "good morning" when we walk up to take a seat.

A light rain finished a cool afternoon April 19 at Karon Stadium, but that didn't seem to dampen spirits for the fifth annual Phuket Cricket Sixes tournament. Players were scattered in clumps across the stands, chatting quietly among themselves. The low murmur was occasionally broken when someone decided a bowler or batsman on the field needed heckling. It was probably the beer talking--all in good fun, of course. "Our attraction is a bit like real estate," explains Chairman Michael "Cat" Maher, who founded the tournament in 2004. "They've got the three L's: location, location, location. We've got beaches and hotels and palms and a stadium right next to the sand, and where else in the world can you do that? Maybe a little in the Caribbean. People love it, and they come back year after year. We have teams now from as far as New Zealand."

Pornthip Raksapiksu has big ambitions. With business partner and boyfriend Rob Collins, Khun Pornthip opened D Gallery at the Royal Phuket Marina in December 2007 to add sophistication to the art scene in Phuket. The works that hang in the D Gallery on a stormy mid-April afternoon are surely sophisticated. Drawn from both established and up-and-coming Thai and Vietnamese artists, the paintings often wrestle with big ideas: the blending of traditional techniques and modern imagery, a clash of cultures, urban living, and the intersections between commercial and erotic culture. "It might take time for Phuket people to understand this art," she says. "It's not everyday colour or beauty. They're conceptual, and most of them are sophisticated."

Times are changing in the world. The Taw.Paw .155/2549 was issued to amend # Taw.Paw.1/2528 and provides guidance on the application of accrual basis for certain kinds of businesses. Here's a list of the major changes from Taw.Paw.1/2528:

An issue that frequently arises in property purchase transactions in Thailand is who should be responsible for the registration fees and taxes payable upon the transfer of property title. The registration fees and taxes can amount to a significant premium on the purchase price and consequently the point is well worth negotiating with the Seller.

Summer is approaching and everyone wants to look their best in bikinis and swim wear. In the past I have on occasion shared information about body treatments with you. Now, I have some more news about these treatments: Thermage and laser lipolysis or Smartlipo. Until now, Thermage has been used successfully for treating facial and neck laxity. Body Thermage has produced phenomenal results for many patients using the ThermaTip STC treatment. But the new body shape procedure by Thermage, ThermaTip DC, can help tighten, firm and shape the body in a single go without surgery, injections and with little to no downtime.

The tourist high season is over and it seemed like another solid year for visitors, which was good news for Phuket’s overall economy.

The midday sun in Phuket is brutal. My fair skin all but bursts into flame after thirty minutes of exposure to its punishing ultraviolet rays if not protected by thick applications of sunscreen. Such was the state of my face and arms when I reached the offices of Shades one recent lunchtime. Thankfully, Shades Managing Director Graeme Chuck soon took me out to experience first hand some of his company's handiwork.

After bouts in the ring, a bout of flu caused an about turn in fortune for Blair Speers. With not enough money in his pocket to leave Thailand, he headed back to his rented house, away from the airport, and away from the bread line in the place he once called home. Today this motivated and driven young man sits, literally, on top of his empire. His modest but tasteful office is situated at the head of a tight, metal, spiral staircase. He shares this office with partner and long standing friend Stephen Baxter, who kick-started Blair into business.

With a grounding in Journalism and TV and having had extensive work-experience in Public Relations with one of the biggest PR companies in the world, Chanut (Tum) Nawnarong believes that: "Phuket has so much to offer, but is still in its infancy as far as PR goes."

“We wanted to create a place beautiful enough for angels,” says Khun Kantima, explaining the inspiration behind the name of the Apsaras Beach Resort & Spa. Apsara is a Sanskrit word meaning 'Celestial nymphs'.