Hungry Ghost Por Tor Festival Phuket City

Ethnic Chinese in Phuket believe that "Por Tor Kong" is a God of Devil. During the seventh lunar month in the Chinese calendar, it is believed to be the period when spirits are released. The gates are opened and spirits released to wander or revisit homes. This is the fresh market on Ranong road under the Office of Phuket City. Residents here held the "Por Tor" or "Hungry Ghost" festival to make merits and offerings to their ancestors. People spend a few days attending this festival. The significance of this event is that it's another occasion for local ethnic Chinese to pay gratitude to the deceased. During the festival, during the day and evening, the area is filled with people who bring food and nicely decorated fruits to make offerings to "Por Tor Kong" to pass on to those spirits. A must offering for the festival is red turtle shaped cake, large or small. They believe that turtles symbilize longevity. The auspicious red turtle shaped cake is believed to pass on the blessing to "Por Tor Kong" - God of Devil. Then God can bring fortune and success to worshippers.

The "Por Tor" festival not only illustrates people's strong belief, but it also reflects gratitude and unity of people in the community. It is similar to the Thai Buddhist "Sart" festival. "Por Tor" is a beautiful festival which has been passed on. It signifies unity and care by community members. The festival here is initiated by the local community and supported by the Office of Phuket City. The Phuket City's fresh market is not the only location to hold the festival, as it is organized in many communities in Phuket City.

This year, The "Por Tor" or "Hungry Ghost" festival will be held during August 26-27, 2010 at the fresh market under the Office of Phuket City on Ranong road. And during August 28, 2010 - September 7, 2010 at Por Tor Kong Shrine, Bang Niao. If you are looking forward to the local cultural festival in Phuket, I suggest you to join the festival.

Reference : "Story of Phuket - Por Tor festival" www.phuketprovincial.com

Seasonal Flights from Phuket International Airport (Departures)

There are many airlines and flights that fly directly from Phuket to many destinations all over the world. The airlines and flights are as below.

Tiger Airways
TR 2153 to Singapore
TR 2155 to Singapore
TR 2157 to Singapore

Thomas Cook Airlines
DE 2369 to Frankfurt
DE 6369 to Frankfurt

Jetstar Asia Airways
3K 534 to Singapore
3K 538 to Singapore

Thai Airways International
TG 202 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 204 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 206 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 208 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 212 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 214 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 216 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 218 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 222 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 224 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 226 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 486 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 671 to Suvarnabhumi
TG 638 to Hong Kong

Air Asia
AK 823 to Kuala Lumpur
AK 827 to Kuala Lumpur
AK 829 to Kuala Lumpur
FD 3022 to Suvarnabhumi
FD 3024 to Suvarnabhumi
FD 3026 to Suvarnabhumi
FD 3028 to Suvarnabhumi
FD 3030 to Suvarnabhumi
FD 3032 to Suvarnabhumi
FD 3034 to Suvarnabhumi
FD 3036 to Suvarnabhumi
FD 3524 to Singapore
FD 3924 to Hong Kong
FD 3940 to Jarkarta Sokarno
FD 3964 to Hochiminh
FD 3976 to Chiang Mai
FD 3984 to Udon Thani

Pacific Blue
DJ 4148 to Perth

Asiana Airlines
OZ 748 to Seoul/Incheon

Shanghai Airlines
FM 832 to Pudong

Jetstar Airways
JQ 28 to Sydney

Air Berlin
AB 7165 to Munich
AB 7167 to Berlin

Bangkok Airways
PG 252 to Samui
PG 256 to Samui
PG 272 to Suvarnabhumi
PG 274 to Suvarnabhumi
PG 276 to Suvarnabhumi
PG 278 to Suvarnabhumi
PG 280 to Suvarnabhumi
PG 282 to Utapao

Malaysia Airlines
MH 787 to Kuala Lumpur
MH 791 to Kuala Lumpur

V Australia
VA 24 to Brisbane

Silk Air
MI 751 to Singapore
MI 753 to Singapore
MI 755 to Singapore
MI 757 to Singapore

8B
8B 866 to Seoul/Incheon

Dragon Air
KA 213 to Hong Kong
KA 215 to Hong Kong

XL Airways
XLF 047 to Charlesdegaulle
XLF 077 to Brussels

Britannia Airways
BLX 802 to Arlanda

Firefly
FY 3605 to Penang

Happy Air
HPY 1224 to Hat Yai

Edelweiss Air
WK 041 to Zurich

Orient Thai Airlines
OX 8220 to Don Mueang
OX 8222 to Don Mueang

Korean Airlines
KE 638 to Seoul/Incheon

Blue Panorama Airlines
BV 3316 to Milan, Italy
BV 3324 to Rome, Italy

Nok Air
DD 7503 to Don Mueang
DD 7507 to Don Mueang

Reference : Airport of Thailand Public Company Limited, Official Airport Website (http://www.airportthai.co.th/airportnew/phuket/)

Seasonal Flights to Phuket International Airport (Arrivals)

There are many airlines and flights that fly directly to Phuket. Then you can save your time and money because Phuket is 900 kilometres far away from Bangkok. The airlines and flights are as below.

Air Asia
AK 822 from Kuala Lumpur
AK 826 from Kuala Lumpur
AK 828 from Kuala Lumpur
FD 3021 from Suvarnabhumi
FD 3023 from Suvarnabhumi
FD 3025 from Suvarnabhumi
FD 3027 from Suvarnabhumi
FD 3029 from Suvarnabhumi
FD 3031 from Suvarnabhumi
FD 3033 from Suvarnabhumi
FD 3035 from Suvarnabhumi
FD 3525 from Singapore
FD 3925 from Hong Kong
FD 3941 from Jarkarta Sokarno
FD 3965 from Hochiminh
FD 3975 from Chiang Mai
FD 3985 from Udon Thani

Happy Air
HPY 1225 from Hat Yai
HPY 2235 from N. Si Thammarat

Silk Air
MI 752 from Singapore
MI 754 from Singapore
MI 756 from Singapore
MI 758 from Singapore

Malaysia Airlines
MH 786 from Kuala Lumpur
MH 790 from Kuala Lumpur

Dragon Air
KA 212 from Hong Kong
KA 214 from Hong Kong

Blue Panorama Airlines
BV 3316 from Milan, Italy
BV 3324 from Rome, Italy

Thai Airways International
TG 201 from Suvarnabhumi
TG 203 from Suvarnabhumi
TG 205 from Suvarnabhumi
TG 207 from Suvarnabhumi
TG 211 from Suvarnabhumi
TG 215 from Suvarnabhumi
TG 217 from Suvarnabhumi



TG 221 from Suvarnabhumi
TG 223 from Suvarnabhumi
TG 225 from Suvarnabhumi
TG 129 from Chiang Mai
TG 486 from Perth
TG 609 from Hong Kong
TG 671 from Narita

Bangkok Airways
PG 251 from Samui
PG 255 from Samui
PG 257 from Samui
PG 271 from Suvarnabhumi
PG 273 from Suvarnabhumi
PG 277 from Suvarnabhumi
PG 279 from Suvarnabhumi
PG 924 from Suvarnabhumi
PG 281 from Utapao

Firefly
FY 3604 from Penang

My Travel Airways
DK 5911 from Oslo
DK 8927 from Gothenburg

XL Airways
XLF 046 from Charlesdegaulle
XLF 076 from Brussels

Air Berlin
AB 1764 from Munich
AB 7164 from Munich
AB 7166 from Berlin

V Australia
VA 19 from Melbourne
VA 23 from Brisbane

Pacific Blue
DJ 4149 from Perth

8B
8B 856 from Seoul/Incheon
8B 865 from Seoul/Incheon

Korean Airlines
KE 637 from Seoul/Incheon

Edelweiss Air
WK 040 from Zurich

Tiger Airways
TR 2152 from Singapore
TR 2154 from Singapore
TR 2156 from Singapore

Aurela Airline
Y2 9120 from Copenhagen

Britannia Airways
BLX 801 from Arlanda

Thomas Cook Airlines
DE 2368 from Frankfurt
DE 6368 from Frankfurt

Jetstar Airways
JQ 27 from Sydney

Shanghai Airlines
FM 831 from Pudong

Jetstar Asia Airways
3K 533 from Singapore
3K 537 from Singapore

Asiana Airlines
OZ 747 from Seoul/Incheon

Orient Thai Airlines
OX 8221 from Don Mueang
OX 8223 from Don Mueang

Nok Air
DD 7502 from Don Mueang
DD 7506 from Don Mueang

Reference : Airport of Thailand Public Company Limited, Official Airport Website (http://www.airportthai.co.th/airportnew/phuket/)

Phuket International Airport (IATA : HKT, ICAO : VTSP)

Position
Phuket International Airport (HKT) is the gateway to Phuket Island, a paradise for tourists in the southern part of Thailand. HKT is now under supervision of the Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT). Phuket Island and nearby provinces are popular resort areas and Phuket International Airport enjoys a large number of passengers from all over the world, and plays an important role in promoting travel and tourism in the southern region as well as throughout the kingdom. It is the second busiest airport in Thailand in terms of passengers (but not cargo), after Suvarnabhumi Airport in the Bangkok metropolitan area. Today, 10 airlines are on service and more than 2,900,000 passengers, 27,000 flights and 12,000 tons of cargo are handled at the airport.



Location
HKT is located in the north of Phuket Island, 32 kilometres from the center of Phuket City, 82 feets above sea level.

Airport Facts
The airport has 2 terminals : Terminal 1 is used for international flights and Terminal 2 for domestic flights.
Service time of airport : 24 hours
Runway : 09/27, 3,000 metres long and 45 metres wide
Accommodation capacity : 10 flights per hour
Characteristics : asphaltic concrete
Durability : PCN 69/F/C/W/T
Taxi way : 8
Apron Area : 94,800 square metres

Terminal
Total Area : 45,688 square metres
Arrival : 3,590 square metres
Departure : 4,243 square metres
Government Office : 659 square metres
Rental Area : 6,897 square metres
Other Public Area : 26,540 square metres

References :
1. Airport of Thailand Public Company Limited, Official Airports Website
(http://www.airportthai.co.th/airportnew/phuket/)
2. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phuket_International_Airport)

Phuket Top Hit Destination of The Andaman

Perhaps the most popular and best known destination of this region is Phuket Island. About the size of Singapore, it is without a doubt the largest island in Thailand. Due to its size, the entire island is separated into different major areas and beaches namely Patong, Kamala, Kata, Karon and many others. With Patong being the most populated with tourists, hotels, shops and restaurants, other areas offer more peace in its own distinct way. Hotels in certain remote areas such as Panwa Cape offer private beaches where guests can relax at their own pace.

Visitors to Phuket will find a great deal of things to see and do like shopping, dining, dancing, watching world-class shows, participating in water sports, etc. But at the top of the chart is island hopping, the very soul purpose visitors come to The Andaman Coast. Those who prefer privacy could charter their own yacht or speed boat to small islands nearby. Popular choices include Coral Island or Ko Hay and Ko Lone which take only 15 minutes to reach by speed boat from the southern tip of the island. Equally exhilarating is joining other tourists for a half and full-day tour snorkeling around a choice of islands in the vicinity. Tour prices range between 30 to 50 USD inclusive of lunch. If you have a whole day, first-timers should go for The Phi Phi Island tour which stops at the picturesque Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Ley, Maya Bay, Pileh and more.

Reference : Tourism Authority of Thailand

Travel from Bangkok to Phuket by VIP Air-Condition Bus

There are 2 types of VIP bus of Phuket Travel Service Co., Ltd. One type is 36 seats bus, it's 2 floors, 4 seat-rows, the size of seat is small for a big person, which is THB 626.- Another type is 24 seats bus which is 2 floors, 3 seat-rows, big size seat and more comfortable for 900 km. journey, which is THB 974.-

Other services such as small pillow, small blanket, drinking water, snack and movie are the same but a meal of 24 seats-bus-passenger are served in VIP room with more special menu.

In conclusion, I have to say that the 24 seats VIP bus of Phuket Travel Service Co., Ltd. is more comfortable and valuable than 36 seats bus. And it is the best way of travelling from Bangkok to Phuket when you have a lot of time and to save your money in the same time.

REMARK : Phuket Travel Service Co., Ltd.
Bangkok Office : 26/37 Borom Rat Chonnani Rd., Chimphli, Taling Chan, Bangkok 10170, Tel. : (66)-2885-9025, (66)-2885-9026
Phuket Office : 154/7 Phangnga Rd., Tambon Talat Yai, Amphoe Mueang, Phuket 83000, Tel. : (66)-7622-2107, (66)-7622-2108, (66)-7622-2109