The fair lasts for seven days and of course takes place at Wat Chalong, which can be found on Chaofa Road in Chalong. During the seven days there are numerous stalls selling anything fried you can think of, as well as stalls selling plenty of goods, clothing and souvenirs that can be had for great prices. The fair comes alive each night with live entertainment that includes dancing, music and Muay Thai among other things, and like all Thai festivals there will also be contests and raffle draws.

Wat Chalong is one of the most important temples on the island and is extremely beautiful, so it is worth visiting regardless of the festival. But I do ask all tourists to please respect the Thai culture and Buddhist religion by making sure that your shoulders and knees are covered once entering the temple grounds. Otherwise just have fun and mingle with the locals.

The Year of the Dragon is the most celebrated of all the zodiacs in the Chinese calendar as it is the mightiest of all the signs. This year marks the Water Dragon and Phuket’s Old Town will light up with fireworks, colourful decorations and people dressed in red. Although in many countries this holiday is celebrated over 15 days, here in Phuket only the first day is celebrated, which in on January 23rd.

For those really wanting to experience this great holiday the best way to do this is to go and join in on the festivities, which of course includes eating. There are certain foods that are believed to bring good luck if eaten on this day. These include fish, dumplings, melon and pumpkin seeds, noodles, sweets and taro cakes. Don’t forget to hit the market, as the Chinese New Year is famous for its bargain prices.

The fair kicks off on January 1^st at 3:30pm and features food kiosks, booths selling local arts & crafts and souvenirs, carnival attractions and fair games, and is something that people of all ages can enjoy. There is also night entertainment in the form of live music and traditional Thai dancing. The fair is a fantastic way for tourists to mingle with the locals and learn more about the lovely Thai culture, as well as taste Thai delicacies and sweets.

Although this is a popular festival used to bring in the New Year, it is also an important charity event. The fair holds a lottery each year and all ticket sales go to the Thai Red Cross in Phuket, which is great organisation aimed at helping locals in need. The event itself is free, however purchasing a ticket is highly recommended, as last year the first prize was a 3 million Baht home.

The Phuket Red Cross Fair will take place at Saphan Hill Park in Phuket town and will run from the 1^st to the 7^th of January. It will begin at 3:30pm each afternoon and carry on into the evening.

Some may think that this shortage of beer is a major crisis, especially with the high season just beginning. While others are using it as an opportunity to make fast money, with some bars and restaurants charging ridiculous amounts of Baht for a bottle of this favourite brew. It is not just Singha bottles that are dwindling, Heineken and Tiger are at a shortage as well. The solution seems simple to me; drink Leo or Chang.

As a local living here it is a bit worrisome as it may greatly affect business for some on the island. Although it does not directly affect me, it is just another hit to the already problematic high season. Many local business owners fear that they will take a direct hit as they will be unable to provide beer at reasonable prices, or will be unable to restock as the prices on beer are fast rising.

I do realize that many tourists enjoy drinking Singha, Heineken and Tiger while on holiday here but it is not the end of the world. You can still enjoy a beer-drinking holiday if you stick to Chang and Leo.

First thing to consider when looking for long-term accommodations is location. Villas in the busiest and most populated expat communities will of course also be the most expensive but will offer foreigners the most comfortable facilities. Apartments are great for those not wanting to deal with the maintenance of a villa and can run from a few thousand baht to a hundred thousand. This of course depends on the location; an ocean front penthouse with all the trimmings will of course be more than an apartment in Phuket Town.

Those that want to live in a Thai style environment have the option of renting a house. Houses will be the least expensive in the residential areas of the island, rather than the touristy beaches. Small one and two bedroom unfurnished homes can come as cheap as 5,000 baht per month. There are also very large houses that are two-storeys and consist of swimming pool and are completely furnished for those with more money to spend.

Regardless of which suits you, the best thing to do is tour around the island and look for a suitable place before jumping into the first one available. Visit a few of the local expat hangouts for tips, or try browsing through one of Phuket’s local newspapers.

As a full time Vegetarian it is difficult to enjoy some of Thailand’s amazing cuisine. Some of the most pleasing meals consist of meat, fish, fish sauce and shrimp paste all of which as a vegetarian I cannot eat. But during the Vegetarian Festival I can indulge in all of the delicious food and taste dishes that I normally am unable to eat.

The festival is also a great way to mingle with the locals and learn more about the religious and cultural aspect of Southern Thailand. It is celebrated by the Chinese-Thai community and involves a number of ceremonies where men and women do odd things to themselves to purify their mind and body by giving praise to the Nine Emperor Gods. The parades that show these strange rituals; like piercing sticks through their cheeks, can be seen during the various parades that take place at each of Phuket’s Chinese Temples, which are all located throughout Phuket town.

The festival runs until October 5^th and is a must for all visitors to experience. For a complete schedule of the events go to www.phuketvegetarian.com.

Thalang Road is where these mansions can be found, making for a fantastic afternoon stroll. I started my tour at the east end of Thalang Road at the lovely Tai Hua Museum. The museum was built in 1911 and was originally a Chinese Language School. Now a museum and an exhibition site, this building is open to the public from 9:00 until 15:00 from Tuesday to Sunday.

Next I stopped in at the Phra Pitak Chinpracha Mansion, or in English the Blue Elephant Mansion. It is just west of Tai Hua and is known to be one of the most beautiful homes in all of Phuket. The mansion is privately owned and its interior is not open to the public. However one wing has been turned into a Thai cooking school and restaurant and is a fantastic venue for learning this culinary delight. Next to it is Baan Chinpracha, a great example of Sino-Colonial architecture. The ground floor is open to the public from 9:00 to 16:30 everyday except Sunday, however the upper floor is still lived in by its resident Jaroonat Tandavaniyj.

I ended my tour at the China Inn Café & Restaurant, a mansion that has been turned into a lovely café and souvenir shop. It was a great place to relax and have a cup of tea after my lovely afternoon stroll.

There are three races, the main event that is a 42km race, a mini-marathon at 13kms and a 4.5km ‘fun run’ (or walk) and anyone from the age of 18 and older can participate. The main marathon will start at 06:00 at Sarasin Bridge and will end at the Saphan-Hin municipality office. The winner can expect to receive 24,000 Baht. The mini-marathon will start and end at Saphan-Hin also commencing at 06:00, while the ‘fun run’ will start at 06:30 at Saphan-Hin.

Those wanting to register should go to Saphan-Hin Park on Saturday July 30 at 10:00. There is a dinner open to all runners at 17:00 that evening. This marathon is an excellent event and is a wonderful way to keep fit while on holiday.

So town is set to be a bit livelier from the 3^rd to the 7^th of March, as homesick sailors from USS Patriot, USS Rushmore and USS Cleveland enjoy ‘morale, welfare and recreation’ (MWR). What exactly this means is not clear, but apparently many sailors take the opportunity to go on diving trips and catch up on sleep.

Now maybe times have changed, but I’m sure that’s not the traditional image of sailors on shore leave I’ve been brought up with, and I have no doubt you will find at least of few of them enjoying the less-wholesome delights of Phuket.

Both tourists and locals have been advised not to hang bags from the handlebars of their motorcycles or leave things in the front baskets, as petty crime is set to increase on the island.

The news comes after a man was arrested on Friday after robbing the 7-Eleven on Wiset Road, Rawai, and getting away with no more than 360 baht.

He entered the store brandishing a brick at 4:00 and demanded that the shop assistant hand over all the cash.

Unfortunately for him, the small amount was delivered in 10 baht coins and he was arrested soon afterwards.

Mongkhol Pintajan, 33, was arrested after the police examined the CCTV footage of the incident.

He said he robbed the shop as he had no money.

It’s a sorry state of affairs for all involved if the current hard times lead some to such desperate measures.