Phuket Turns on the Water for Boat Show

By Chutima Sidasathian
Wednesday, January 5, 2011

BOATING and Phuket's good weather appear to have parted company this
high season. Usually December and January on Phuket produce glorious
cloudless blue skies, but not this time.

With the Phuket Pimex show due to open at Royal Phuket Marina on
Thursday, rain and wind lashed parts of Phuket today, with more forecast
over the next five days.

According to the Thailand Meteorological Department, a weather system
off the South China Sea is affecting Thailand's weather.

Local storms around Phuket are also playing havoc with outdoor
activities, as was clearly shown last month when 12 King's Cup racers
were beached at Kata when a vicious squall swept in unexpectedly.

Now it appears to be the turn of the boat show at Royal Phuket Marina to
endure some particularly nasty weather.

The Meteorological Department says there's a 10 percent likelihood of
rain over the next five days, with heavy swells and a warning that two
to four meter waves may be too strong for small boats to leave port
until after January 7.

The smart alternative may be to pop down to the Pimex show and buy a
bigger vessel.

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Awwww, Phuket!

(Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know how Thai's pronounce Phuket.)