Preparations are now underway for the fair, Phuket Vice Governor Vikrom Jakthee announced at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (Dec 16).
Each year the fair attracts thousands of visitors to enjoy the food stalls, children’s rides and take part in the charity lucky prizes that raise funds for the Phuket chapter of the Red Cross.
The annual fair has been rebranded several times over the years as the local and national government push their support for providing venues for vendors to sell their local products.
This year the fair will keep its previous moniker the “Good Phuket Products Fair”, Vice Governor Vikrom confirmed.
Present to announce the return if the fair was Wandee Woonciew, who as wife of the current governor, Narong Woonciew, serves as President of the Thai Red Cross chapter in Phuket.
Mrs Wandee explained that the fair will be held at its traditional location, at Saphan Hin Park, from Dec 26 to Jan 6.
“As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the economy of Phuket very much, we have to hold the fair in a new way by adapting to the current situation,” Mrs Wandee said.
“This meeting [yesterday] is aimed at brainstorming and assigning duties for relevant officers, so that they can make preparations for their responsibilities at this fair,” she said.
No details about the major lucky draw prizes, a key factor in raising funds for the Phuket Red Cross, were revealed yesterday.
The funds raised are used to carry out local Red Cross community projects across the island and to support flood and drought disaster victims elsewhere in Thailand.
Last year, the top prize in the popular lucky draw was a B2.29 million townhouse in Thalang. The second prize was a Toyota Yaris ATIV 1.2 j valued at about B700,000, and the two third-place prizes were a Honda Wave 110i motorcycle each.
Dr Opas Kankawinpong, Director-General of the Ministry of Health’s Disease Control Department, has announced that all usual events can go ahead for the new Year, including “countdown” events usually held nationwide.
However, the New Year countdown celebrations this year may have to be divided into small zones with a limited number of participants, amid fears that it would be difficult to control the spread of COVID-19 if a large crowd were allowed to gather at a single location.
Phuket officials have yet to announce what precautions will be in force at the Red Cross Fair or any other major events held in Phuket over the New Year.