Fah Thai Magazine July/August 2017

HAPPENINGS
THAILAND
PHUKET / TRANG
SPOTLIGHT
Brave the Waves
For four days and five nights between July 19 and 23, Phuket turns into a place for
professional racers from around the world during the Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek.
Raceweek is the first event in the annual Asian Yachting Grand Prix comprising of four
days of professionally run, international-standard yacht racing off Phuket’s south coast
during the windy southwest monsoon. Over six or seven classes (depending on entries),
include the IRC Classes, Sports Boat, Bareboat Charter, Cruising, Multihulls, the breathtaking
Firefly 850 and the splendid Classic Class. The “Regatta Bar” opens daily – offering
ice cold post-race pints as bragging rights are given when participants come off the boats.
A one of a kind, Raceweek is
Asia’s most exciting and fastest
growing regatta. The event that
features racing on water and land
as well as beachside parties will
show how Phuket as a must-visit
destination and a racing ground.
Raceweek is held under the
auspices of the Ao Chalong Yacht
Club, in conjunction with the
Tourism Authority of Thailand,
the Sports Authority of Thailand
and the Yacht Racing Association
of Thailand. +66 (0) 89 000 4664,
phuketraceweek.com
HIDDEN TALENT
Phuket Art Village is a hidden treasure off the Rawai main strip where original art
pieces by talented Thai artists dwell, as most of their creators are from the area.
Located at the end of Soi Naya 2 in Tambon Rawai, the plot that covers
around one rai (1,600sq m) used to be Rawai Art Village. It wasn’t until Somrak
Maneemai, an artist from Krabi, gathered with a group of talented artists to create
works of art and display them in the artsy community. Since then, the pace of creativity
renamed the place as Phuket Art Village.
The village is home to eight studios that feature contemporary art in different
media – from painting to music. Visitors are free to stroll through the studios in
the village and appreciate art from displays as well as talk to local artists.
Tel: +66 (0) 89 471 5653, +66 (0) 95 026 6100, facebook.com/Phuket-Art-Village/
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FROM TIN TOWN TO CULTURED ROAD
Billing itself as a small town with a glorious past, the Kathu district has made a comeback
and repositioned itself on the tourism map with the Kathu Culture Street Festival. The
cultural event, in the town once a rich source of the grey metal, celebrates on the streets
of Kathu from July 9-11 around Kathu market on Wichit Songkhram Road.
First held in 2009, the street event is how folks at Kathu district demonstrate
their way of life and tell their history of the rare element – from the last century and
carried on to the next generation. Located just 9km from Muang, the district once
relied on rice farming and tin mining. It also is one of the first to have a vegetarian
tradition ahead of the town of Phuket.
The event will demonstrate the old days of Kathu and of course tell the story
of how the town became known for tin mining, all detailed in its exhibition. Along
the streets, you will have a chance to taste local food influenced by Chinese cuisine,
many of which are vegetarian dishes. To add more nostalgia, locals leave their homes
bedecked in the traditional Chinese attire. facebook.com/culturlstreetkathu
THE CAKE IS LEGEND
After 21 years, the Trang Cake Festival simply gets larger and
more vibrant. Bakers from all over Trang will showcase their
best work on cakes from Trang at the King Rama V plaza in
Muang district in early August.
The history of the unique cake started when a Chinese
immigrant named Kugming Heng arrived in Trang and baked his
own cake made simply from flour, eggs and sugar to accompany
morning coffee. The original recipe was later shared among
locals who also wanted to sell the cake.
Fast forward to two decades and the cake now becomes
an OTOP product, with various flavours – from coffee to green
tea and fruits like orange or lychee. However, bakers manage
to keep the original recipe and not add preservatives in the
ingredients. The unique quality is that the cake is still fresh and
tastes great after four or five days. A bite of the famous cake
where it’s created is always a treat.
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