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Special Report for Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) at 8.30am local Cable TV channel 1 + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi Phuket provinces, possibly FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket, Thursday 20 March 2008
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Shino-Portuguese buildings in old Phuket city are a blend of influences from abroad. The building structures and utilities are made to compliment Chinese principles but then decorated both inside and outside in Western styles.
The buildings are narrow but deep; the interiors follow the Dutch influence; the tax collected depends on the width of their building by the road.
The front part of the second floors stick out more than first floors, decorated with arched top windows all the way down to the floor. The top of the windows are decorated with adjustable wooden louvers in order to see the life outside. The architraves are decorated with the blend of Western and Chinese designs.
Ngor Ka Khee or the walkways in front of commercial buildings 5 feet wide, are influenced from England through Singapore during colonial times for protection against sun and rain.
Chinese style doors are in front of the house with windows on both sides, and Chinese style vents are on top of both windows.
Nametags or names of villages in China moved from are often hung above by the owner of the houses in order to tell their relatives of their location.
On top of the windows are decorated arched half circles, and points of stars are perforated on the loophole, which was fashionable during the Neo-classic era in England.
The buildings are also decorated with some auspicious things according to Chinese ideology, like Chinese letters, nature drawings or flowers and leaf drawings, and some animals. For example cloud patterns mean luck and fulfil your desires.
Perforated designs were influenced by English summerhouses in the country side, originally made f