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• Phuket Pearl of the Andaman • International Shopping Destination • Luxury hotels stake claims on Phuket’s beaches

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CONTENT

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Phuket Pearl of the Andaman

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International Shopping Destination Magnet for high-end villa investments

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Luxury hotels stake claims on Phuket’s beaches

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Activities galore at Patong Beach

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President Aeumsree Boonhachairat Editor Lawrence Neal Editor Group Orawan Hoichan Preeya Tednok Sarunya Chansawang Saranyu Tantisaere Chaninya Sunsompark Naipaporn Narata Graphic Designer Jidlada Yenchuen Co-ordinator Thitipon Leelakajonkij Senior Vice President Wararak Leelertphan Advertising Manager Rattanawan Saengpraphanurat Advertising Supervisor Sansanee Wechsatol Advertising Chaninart Kanlaoung For Advertising 0-2338-3333 ext. 3567 0-2338-3567 ( Direct Line) Email: rattanawan@nationgroup.com The Nation is edited and published by Tulsathit Taptim for Nation Multimedia Group Public Co.,Ltd. At 1854 Bangna-Trat Road,Bangna, Bangna,Bangkok 10260

Phuket Highlights The International Shopping & Leisure Destination at Patong Phuket Waterfront living at its finest

To love be love

We link together the aspirations of discerning individuals around the world, be it in a private or a business context...

With total passion.

Not often you find a hotel with five-star flair and a sense of fun rolled into one.

Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa, the place you‘d rather be’

The best serviced villa in Phuket

Discover Nature Discover Yourself

Why Live Anywhere Else Pearl of Naithon

Enjoy the game of life

Asia’s Boutique Airline

Where a holiday belongs

Sores of Serenity

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Come Together, become one, in this glamorous heaven, your sanctuary by the sea

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Phuket Pearl of the Andaman

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earl of the Andaman, southern paradise city, golden beaches, the two heroines, highly revered Luang Pho Chaem are familiar symbols of Phuket to all Thais. To global tourists, Phuket is also a well-known international brand.

Dubbed ‘Pearl of the Andaman’, Phuket is encircled by the Andaman Sea and globally renowned for its scenery and beaches, as well as the clear skies and blue waters of the Andaman Sea that attract visitors from around the world and tempt some of them to revisit the province time after time.

Phuket has a long history. Aside from the clear blue skies, sea and fresh air, the island province offers a vast array of tourist sites and activities including historical exploration. As a tourist resort with a number of beaches, Phuket welcomes at least 5 million tourists a year.

Its tourist season lasts 6 months, with the high season from November to April. The rainy season is from May to October, with a slight drop in the number of tourist arrivals. The most visited tourist sites are the island’s beaches.

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“In the foreign market, we are trying to penetrate high-end groups such as yacht owners since Phuket has five marinas providing quality ship repair services at reasonable prices. In July, 135 yachts were berthed in the province, generating considerable income for Phuket.”

Hotels and accommodation in Phuket are available in levels from 1-star to 7-star. Presently, more than 40 villas are being built at Por Bay and are expected to be completed within 2011.

‘Nai Thon’ - Tranquility on the Beach Nai Thon Beach is a small little-known beach in Sirinat National Park, just 15 minutes from Phuket International Airport.

Nai Thon Beach boasts powdery white sand and has fully retained its natural environment. Shaded with a row of casuarinas along the shore, it is ideal for those seeking solitude.

Although small, Nai Thon Beach has a few small- and medium-size hotels for tourists. A number of new hotels have emerged,

Setthapan Putthanee, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Phuket Office, said Phuket is a scenic resort location ideal for all classes of people. It offers a wide choice of tourist attractions - luxury, casual or adventurous, with accommodation ranging in price from 200 to 100,000 baht per night.

Phuket’s highlight activities include land and water sports such as shooting, go-kart, speedway and cable ski. For golf enthusiasts, there are six standard golf courses to choose from. Spa services are widespread for those who want to relax and trekking is also possible for nature and

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mostly medium-sized, and a wide range of restaurants are available.

Nai Thon Beach is quiet during the day but when night falls, a few small pubs and bars come to life although these hardly compete with the racier beaches further south.

‘Mai Thon Island’ - Maldives of Thailand Mai Thon is a tiny island in the Andaman Sea off southeastern Phuket. Dubbed the ‘Maldives of Thailand’, Mai Thon is a famous tourist destination, especially among foreign visitors.

Former Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck or ‘Prince Jigme’ of Bhutan, one of the royal guests at the 60th Anniversary Celebration of His Majesty King Bhumibol’s Accession to the Throne, paid a visit to this tiny island.

Mai Thon is a private island renowned for its white sandy beach, clear waters, rich coral reefs and tranquil ambience - a perfect choice for total relaxation. The name ‘Mai Thon’ (meaning log in Thai) is derived from the shape of the island.

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IMAGE PHUKET Sleepless ‘Patong Beach’ A trip to Phuket isn’t complete without stopping at Patong Beach - easily the most famous of Phuket’s beaches and usually crowded with tourists from every corner of the world.

Located on the west coast, Patong Beach is 15 km. from the provincial town and roughly at the middle of the island. It has a wide, crescent-shaped strand, around 9 km long, with zig-zag roads sloping up into the hills.

Patong Beach never sleeps since it is the most popular nightlife entertainment venue for tourists in Phuket. Open 24 hours daily, the beach area is the center for the tourist business, with tour operators, entertainment venues and every kind of tourist-related service such as restaurants, both international brands and seafood, rubbing shoulders along the beach road.

The highlight of Patong Beach is its glittering nightlife with pubs, bars, nightclubs and even tiny boxing rings competing for the attentions of the many tourists.

‘Phuket FantaSea’ Spectacular Phuket FantaSea, another well-known tourist attraction in Phuket, is a theme park combining Thai arts and culture with the cutting-edge technology of Las Vegas and the captivating ‘Kamala Magic Show’.

Covering an area of 350 rai on Kamala Beach, Phuket FantaSea is a complete evening entertainment venue with restaurants, souvenir shops, Thai handicraft shops and games room. The ‘Kamala Magic Show’, in a setting of Iyara palace, blends various aspects of the Thai identity including literature, ways of life, and arts and culture presented through the main characters of Prince Kamala and his friendly elephant ‘Iyara’.

White sand and waves at Kata and Karon Beaches For truly magnificent white powdery sand , the back-to-back beaches of Kata and

Karon are hard to beat.

Located 17 km from Phuket town, Kata Beach is ideal for swimming and snorkeling due to its coral line reaching Pu Island, just offshore. However, it is dangerous to swim here in the monsoon season because of the large waves and currents.

Karon Beach, just to the north of Kata Beach, is characterized by a ridge of sand dunes and rows of casuarinas and sugar palms. The beach road, close to the dunes, is a good place to absorb the scenic views of the sea.

Merit-making at the Vegetarian Festival A highlight of the Phuket calendar is the annual Vegetarian Festival, which this year will take place between October 17-27, 2009.

Thirteen shrines in Phuket are gearing up to celebrate this great event which is expected to generate revenue of at least 30 million baht for the island.

As well, visitors can explore the magic charms of Phuket at many other interesting tourist destinations, including, Phromthep Cape - the island’s sunset viewpoint, Khao Rang - a viewpoint on the hill in the city, Rawai Beach, the Fishery Village and Surin Beach, which is one of the most beautiful beaches of this paradise island.

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International Shopping Destination

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ecognized, today, as one of the world’s most exotic holiday desti nations, Phuket is equally popular with both Thai and foreign tourists, who appreciate this beautiful, tropical green island paradise, blessed with a sunny climate and surrounded by a pristine aquamarine sea and fabulous sandy beaches.

The steady influx of local people and foreign tourists over the past ten years has resulted in a huge building expansion of residential accommodation constructed in popular locations throughout the island. To cater to the needs of this population increase, many new shopping venues, including centers, malls, department stores and specialized shops have been built in locations

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close to the new residential zones.

Both major and minor entrepreneurs have invested in the building of these shopping enclaves to meet the expanding purchasing power of Phuket’s growing population, which is now not far behind that of Bangkok.

As a result, this popular tourist destination is now ready to be acclaimed as an ‘International Tourist Shopping Destination’ in vogue with those of other such tourist cities around the world.

To begin with, the ‘Ocean’ group of local investors has established several shopping venues in various beachfront locations, such as the Ocean Shopping Mall, Robinson Ocean and Phuket Shopping Center in Phuket city, while Ocean Department Store and Ocean

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‘Central Festival Phuket’, Phuket’s first large-scale shopping complex, has just celebrated its fifth anniversary. A Central Group investment of 2 billion baht, created a newtrend resort shopping center, targeting the expanding tourist market with its high-end purchasing power.The Central Group intentionally designed the Central Festival Phuket as a ‘Mini Chidlom‘, and it is especially remarkable for its spacious interior and open location, with many restful corners for weary shoppers. Its many brand-name shops are comparable to those in Bangkok and many global brands have reserved their own venues here in order to best serve the needs of the many foreign customers. Also located within the Central flagship complex, is the popular Asian-concept restaurant Phuja Nirvana - renowned as one of the top Asian dining venues.

In the same compound, Central has invested more than 1 billion baht in a retail home improvement store - HomeWorks - which is the largest standalone store of its kind in the South of Thailand. HomeWorks was established to serve the demand for household products in Phuket, where the real estate business has grown alongside the expanding tourism industry, resulting in increasing numbers of hotels, spas and resorts.

HomeWorks Phuket contains an inventory of more than 60,000 products, categorized as construction materials and tools, kitchen furniture, electrical kitchen appliances, bathroom ware, tiles, lamps and other electrical appliances used in the home. Other services, such as specialized products orders, or made-to-order wooden furniture, with an exchange, or refund proviso within 14-days after purchase, etc., are also available here.

HomeWorks contains ‘Power Buy’ under the home-store concept, which emphasizes product display and demonstrations in a spacious area for customer convenience. ‘Work Out’ is Super Sports’ first shop in Phuket, named with a new concept whereby customers are inspired to realize that exercise can be taken anywhere, including at home.

A shopping complex opened earlier this year in Phuket is the ‘Outlet Village Phuket’,

an investment of 1 billion baht by the Pena House Group. Situated on a 52-rai plot of land, the new venue offers a wide selection of both Thai and foreign brand-name products to meet the needs of all shoppers.

Another major investment is the Royal Phuket Marina, an awarding-winning marina development on Phuket’s east coast, which incorporates luxury residences and shopping facilities amid landscaped parks and gardens.

The 8,500 sq. m. retail complex, built along a waterfront boardwalk, will accommodate outdoor dining, entertainment and a wide range of international restaurants, including top names such as Les Anges, Lemoncello and Mom Tri’s Boathouse Regatta. The complex also houses leisure and wellbeing facilities including the Pearl Spa & Beauty and the RPM Health Club.

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Magnet for high-end villa investments

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huket is a paradise for both Thai and foreign investors. This small jewel of an island in the Andaman Sea has not only become the ideal destination for tourists, but is also the ultimate investment location, attracting many Thai and foreign millionaires eager to buy land, villas, or condominiums as their vacation residences.

Known as a world-famous tourist resort, Phuket is also a highly profitable location for real estate business. Property traded in the “Pearl of the Andaman”, especially that on beachfront locations or in the hills, both of which are very popular with international clients, are perfect for both residence and investment.

There are a number of projects for luxurious villas for sale at prices ranging from 10 - 200 million baht. Apart from those being sold, some villa units are being rented out to overseas visitors, who reside in Phuket occasionally. Projects providing these rental services, include Lakewood Hills, Allamanda, Baan Suk Sabai, Baan Chai Nam, etc.

“During the last three or four months, we have been contacted by clients to create designs for property projects, after the market growth had previously slowed down for a period of time,” said Natchapon Sawangwannarat, Managing Director of Tula Architects Co., Ltd. He added that if no severe political problems occur next year, Phuket’s real estate market and investment climate would recover and become vigorous once again, and the vacation residence market would flourish.

Phuket is a popular location for second homes of high-end foreign business people as well as westerners who escape the cold European winter for warmer weather in Thailand.

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Most recently, a group of Scandinavian investors has commenced development of a project to serve Scandinavian residents with a condominium of 400-500 units, worth between 1,500-1,600 million baht.

In addition, the renovation of old buildings is frequently seen. For example, a group of 5-6 Sino-Portuguese commercial buildings were recently rebuilt, retaining their original architecture and decorated in “Balinese” style.

This style is as popular as the “modern tropical” style, which is expected to continue as a leading architectural trend until 2010.

As well as incorporating contemporary city life features and tropical colours into the properties, local materials are also used. Under the eco-friendly Green Architect concept, the airy atmosphere of seafront areas is achieved by deploying a terrace, pond, or shallow pool.

Property investment in Phuket is divided into two sectors. The first is the development of the city itself and the second is of land situated in outlying areas of the island, fronting the sea.

Investment in the latter is mainly based on highend resorts, or vacation homes developed for the foreign segment. The estates are usually planned for a long-term lease of 30 years. In some instances, a hotel is built along with vacation homes in the same compound and the hotel management is authorized to manage the rental of the homes for the actual owners.

Apart from foreign investors, who buy land on the island to develop such projects, local investors and other major investors from Bangkok are also investing in the same way.

The latest group of local investors to express interest in this kind of project are part of the Chalong Miracle Lakeview Co., Ltd., led

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by Chonkan Baosannin, Managing Director (Marketing).

Executives of the company decided to invest 4,000 million baht in a project on 66rai of land on Western Chao Fa Road in Chalong Sub-district of Phuket City. A plot of 26 rai is allocated for 35-units of twin and single houses and a 182-unit condominium, while the remaining 40 rai is planned for common areas.

The development is divided into phases.

The condominium will take three years to complete. Its smallest units, covering 140 sq. m., will sell for 8 million baht each, while the most expensive units, which are penthouses, will sell for 32 million baht per unit. A unit of a twin house will sell for 24.6 million baht, while a single house will sell in the region of between 33 – 42 million baht, with an average area of 150 sq. wah. Rewat Areerop, who is both a local investor and a Democratic Party MP for Phuket, said he had used a budget of 30 million baht to develop the “Andaman Thai Boutique Resort” project around Mittraphap Beach, in Rawai Sub-district of Phuket City.

Andaman Thai Boutique Resort offers 20

rooms and 8 villas in a poolside configuration. Total investment is 30 million baht, excluding 6 million baht for land.

Investors from Bangkok also consider Phuket to be a profitable location. For example, Italian-Thai Development Plc., a major contractor, has invested in hotels, villas, marinas and entertainment complexes like Ao Po Grand Marina and Luxury Resort and Residence Phuket. The projects mentioned are personal and family investments of Dr. Premchai Karnasuta, the company’s CEO. Ao Po Grand Marina in Phuket is a largescale project located on over 100 rai, consisting of villas and a luxury hotel. The villas are already complete, while the hotel, which is a low-rise building, is under construction.

All the above mentioned projects represent a part of the whole property development scenario, reflecting the strong potential of Phuket, which has not been unduly affected by the current economic developments. Despite the recent economic recession, investors are still headed towards Phuket, and another era of development seems imminent.

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Recommended Hotel 1. Katathani Phuket Beach Resort is a 5-star luxury hotel, featuring a classic Thai-style interior design. This spacious resort is surrounded by a beautiful, landscaped garden and natural, fresh sea breezes direct from the ocean. The resort is situated amidst the Palm Garden on Kata Beach and each evening.

Tel. +66(0)7633 0124-6 E-mail:reservation@katathani.com The Shore Tel. +66(0)7633 0124 E-mail:theshore@katathani.com www.TheShore.katathani.com ,www.TheShorePhuket.com 2. Pimalai Resort & Spa Peace, Serenity, Solitude. These are the words that come to mind for Pimalai. Add to that luxury, elegance, natural surroundings and genuine friendly service.

Tel. +66(0)2320 5500 E-mail:reservation@pimalai.com www.pimalai.com www.pimalai.com 3. Phuket Pavilions is a 5-star luxury hotel situated on the peak of the hill overlooking the beautiful Andaman Sea. Each guestroom features an elegant d cor and has been specially designed to offer guests maximum privacy, with spectacular, panoramic views, and direct access to the private swimming pool.

Tel. +66(0) 7631 7600 E-mail:reservations@phuketpavilions.com www.pavilions-resorts.com/phuket 4.Malisa Villa Suites This glamorous and romantic sanctuary by the sea is situated on the pristine kata Beach,southwest of phuket.Only 45 minutes from Phuket international Airport,the romantic resort boasts a harmonious blend of ancient Thai architecture and contemporary Western elegance to evoke an atmosphere of pure elegance.

Tel. +66(0)7628 4760 www.malisavills.com

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5. Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort&Spa is a 5-Star Hotel Address :333 Patak Road, Karon Beach , Muang , Phuket 83100 Tel. +66(0)7639 6433-41, +66(0)2442 2188 E-mail:reservations.phuket@hilton.com www.hilton.com 6.Banthai Beach Resort & Spa is located at the centre of Patong Beach, Phuket Thailand and situated on 5 acres of land amid lush tropical gardens facing the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea. Tel. +66(0) 7634 0850-4 www.banthaiphuket.com 7. The Pearl of Naithon has been designed to offer clients a unique opportunity to own a luxury apartment or duplex penthouse in one of the world‘s most stunning locations. The beach is just a few steps away.

Tel. +66(0)7632 4054 www.pearlofnaithon.com 8. Royal Phuket Marina (RPM) Phuket's award winning state-of-the-art marina is the 'paradise' island's premier lifestyle destination. It is devoted to sailing, sports and leisure, with luxury residences and shopping facilities set amidst landscaped parks and gardens The Boardwalk at RPM is where we shop, dine and live at leisure. Enjoy gourmet restaurants, browse specialty stores and shop for marina and boating necessities, water sports equipment and home decor. www.royalphuketmarina.com/retail/leisure www.royalphuketmarina.com/retail/wellbeing Tel. +66(0)81 375 6280 E-mail: villas@royalphuketmarina.com

Luxury hotels stake claims on Phuket’s beaches

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ne major attraction of Phuket for tourists is its convenience. Throughout the province, visitors can find services and facilities of international standard, putting Phuket high in the rankings of Thailand’s tourism destinations.

Indeed, the latest survey of TIME magazine on January 2009 revealed that ‘Phuket’ was the top-list destination for Asian tourists. Previous surveys placed Europe and Australia at the top.

Increasing numbers of tourists have naturally resulted in a continuous growth of tourism-related services. Currently, numerous investments are ongoing to support demand in the travel and tourism market. Over the years, the hotel business has proved an accurate index to gauge the health of the tourism sector.

Many well-known hotel brands, especially in the up-market segment, have set up properties in prime locations on almost every beach to service their customers against the economic downturn and the problem of the H1N1 Human Influenza A Virus that has proved to be little more than a minor setback.

The ‘Outrigger’ chain invests more The various negative factors that have buffeted the international tourism industry have not stopped development of the travel business in Phuket. Lots of new hotels have opened here or are under development. On land of the Laguna Group, for example, American chain Outrigger Enterprise will manage a luxurious Residential Villa Town Home and Serviced Apartment under the name ’Laguna Village’. This project, to be completed in December this year, will elevate the Laguna brand and give Laguna Phuket more international reach.

Another investment expansion by Outrigger Laguna represents the seventh hotel under the Laguna Group. ‘Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort & Villa’ has 309 units with private pool and clubhouse, fitness center, tennis course, Ungsana Spa, shops and restaurants, and is expected to open within the next two years.

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Carlson Hotels Worldwide enters the fray

The other six brands under the Laguna Group are Banyan Tree, Sheraton Grand Laguna, Dusit Thani, Laguna Beach Resort, Laguna Holiday Club Resort and Amandara that will be managed by Best Western in the near future. All offer premium services to answer the needs of customers.

The ‘Shangri-la Hotel’ is another hotel chain that has already signed a contract with Durham Holding (Thailand), Ltd. to manage the ‘Shangri-la Phuket Resort and Spa Bangtao’ that is scheduled for official launch in 2010.

After top-ten hotel management chain ‘Carlson Hotels Worldwide’ announced the opening of its hotel and office building project, Radisson Sathorn, in early October this year, the chain began seeking out further opportunities in the travel market. Carlson plans to invest in two properties on Phuket ‘The Radisson Plaza Resort Phuket Panwa Beach’ and ‘The Regent Phuket Cape Panwa’.

Marriot Hotel, owner of the Courtyard brand, also plans to share the market in this area by managing projects on two famous beaches: Patong and Kamala. Both projects opened in October this year.

Tira Kanjana, the General Manager of Phuket Hotel Group said that the Courtyard

by Marriot Phuket at Kamala beach has 256 rooms. All are suite-type accommodations with separate bedroom and living room. The hotel targets Thai and foreign families who are loyal to the Courtyard brand.

The Courtyard by Marriot Phuket at Patong Beach has 390 rooms on a prime area, with sea, hopping center and entertainment venues all nearby. The hotel is located a short walk from the beach.

Pan Pacific to invest more Pan Pacific, a leading management chain for 5-star hotels and residences with a strong Asian customer base in Hong Kong,

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Singapore and Taiwan, has also looked at opportunities for hotels in Phuket and the Southern Seaboard. The Group believes this area still has good potential for development. The ongoing expansion of the leading brands in Phuket is a sure sign of the island’s economic recovery. Continuous investments by major hotel chains at this time will enable ‘Phuket’ to boost its position in the high-end market, reinforcing its image as an international ‘luxury destination’.

Golfing in Phuket Sheer pleasure with great challenges Phuket has become a top choice tourist destination and has also acquired an accolade for having some of the most attractive golf courses worldwide, which are popular with both Thai and the world’s golfers, and include:

Laguna Phuket Golf Club The Laguna Phuket Golf Club (formerly Banyan Tree Golf Club) is a resort-style 18-hole golf course designed by Max Wexler and David Abell, situated on Phuket’s western coast. A par-71 layout stretches 6,654 yards, meandering through lagoons, coconut groves and generous, undulating fairways, with a backdrop of green tropical hills and spectacular views of the Andaman Sea. Tel: +66 76 270 991/2

Mission Hills Phuket Golf Resort & Spa Designed by the great Jack Nicklaus, the course is situated on Phuket’s northeastern coast, 9 km from the airport, offering a distinct challenge and stimulating round to all golfers. Nestling below a panoramic range of mountain peaks and breathtaking ocean views, this unique course offers both fun and excitement. First-class facilities include a driving range and luxurious spa.

Tel: +66 76 310 888

Loch Palm Golf Club Loch Palm Golf Club is located in Kathu District, in the middle of the island, 7 km from Phuket town. This lush 400-rai, 18-hole, par-72 course is masterfully designed to blend perfectly with the natural terrain. Under impressive mountain peaks and sandwiched between Katu Waterfall and Katu village, the fairways present challenging hazards and greens around Crystal Lake, the largest lake on any golf course in Phuket. Tel: +66 76 321-929-34

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atong Beach is without doubt the most famed of Phuket’s myriad attractions, a dream destination for countless travellers from around the world. Patong is currently gearing up for the coming tourism high season with a packed schedule of events, activities and promotions.

Activities galore at

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IMAGE PHUKET This year, Patong’s giant department store ‘Jungceylon’ has been renovated throughout under the concept of ‘The Destination for Life Leisure’ to act as a centre for food, drinks, travel and rest for tourists, and in preparation for the coming high season. Hopefully the development will inject new life into Patong, even though much of the world is still mired in the economic crisis.

Activities to welcome tourists from all corners of the world will get into swing through November to December, with eight large-scale activities and two special promotions.

On November 1, 2009, the ‘3rd Jungceylon Phuket Scooter Party Music Night’ will be launched in conjunction with Phuket Scooter, the Loy Kratong Festival and the ‘To Be No.1 Aerobic Contest’ for the southern region under the popular To Be Number One project of H.R.H. Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya.

On December 5, a mass candle-lighting ceremony will be organized to mark His Majesty the King’s Birthday.

December 15 is the opening of several colourful festivals - Phuket Carnival, Christmas festival, the ‘Domon Man Contest’, and the Phuket Count Down @ Jungceylon.

‘Jungceylon’ also cooperated with Thai Air Asia to organize the ‘I Love Phuket’ campaign with discounts and special privileges for passengers on Thai Air Asia’s Phuket route.

In addition, the ‘7 Days Special’ is a special promotion to welcome the tourism festival at Patong Beach with an array of products with discounts up to 70 percent.

The Sound Phuket is a contemporary entertainment hub on Patong Beach set up along similar lines to Bangkok’s well-known Bed Supper Club.

Sound, located within Jungceylon, is very popular among Thai and foreign tourists with various styles of electronic music including Hip Hop, R&B and House Music spun by Sound Phuket’s professional DJs every night from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The ‘Phuket King’s Cup Regatta’ is the

final program of the 23rd world regatta, a must-see event for those that come to Phuket for its maritime scene. The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta program will showcase the beauty of Phuket’s islands and beaches, as well as the high standard of its marinas and other yachting facilities as a world-class centre for maritime sports.

More than 2,000 people are expected to attend the event during November 28 - December 5, 2009, earning the island upwards of 40 million Baht.

The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta has a long history, inaugurated to mark H.M. the King’s Birthday. This year, the regatta will host top competitors from all over the world, including Australia, UK, China, Russia, Thailand, and more. The official sponsors of the competition are ThaiBev and Mom Tri’s Boathouse Hotel.

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