For more than two decades the annual Red Cross Fair in Phuket has been been held at Saphan Hin. Each year the fair draws many thousands of visitors, and is extremely popular with Thais, with the only aberration being last year, when it was quietly cancelled with no official announcement.
A Phuket Red Cross official, who declined to be named, last year told the The Phuket News, “There are multiple reasons we are not holding the Red Cross Fair, but these reasons are the decision of Phuket Red Cross President Sudarat Plodthong.”
“One reason (to cancel the fair) is to allow Phuket Red Cross workers to spend time with their families during the festive period… This year we want to allow people to spend the New Year with their loved ones,” the unnamed official last year explained. (See story here.)
As is ‘tradition’ in Phuket, last year Ms Sudarat was installed as President of the Phuket chapter of the Red Cross only because she was the wife of the Phuket Governor at the time, Norraphat Plodthong.
This year the current president is Sitthinee Tavipatana, wife of incumbent Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana.
This year, the Red Cross Fair returns with festivities held at Saphan Hin Park from Dec 27 to Jan 6.
Top prize of its renowned lucky draw this year is a two-bedroom townhouse valued at B2.24 million, including air conditioning and a B100,000 furniture gift voucher.
Second prize is a Toyota Yaris valued at B700,000, and third prize is a pair of Honda Wave 110i motorcycles.
Other prizes include gold necklaces and other valuable household appliances and items.
The 11-day fair features hundreds of local stalls selling a variety of hand-crafted goods and other items, and every night live entertainment, including performances by some of Thailand’s top singers and celebrities.
To purchase lucky draw tickets or for more information about the fair, contact the Phuket Red Cross at 076-211766 or 087-2767591.