My farewell letter to Phuket Post (as submitted):

With the current issue of Phuket Post, Associate Editor Robert Pratt departs the newsmagazine after leading it for the past eight months during a period of transition. Mr Pratt leaves Phuket for his native California, where he will ship out at the end of November for a position playing jazz saxophone aboard the Cunard cruise liner the Queen Victoria.

"I take away vivid memories of the unique people of Phuket," Mr Pratt said. "Many impressions of the warmth, spirit and traditions of the Thai people will stay with me: bringing early morning alms to monks at Wat Kun Chee, honouring Princess Ubol Ratana during the grand opening of Patong's Millennium Resort, paying respect to Chinese gods during the Vegetarian Festival, and many more memories. The friends I have made in Phuket will have a place in my heart wherever I plant my feet."

Mr Pratt cited working with a knowledgeable and lively editorial and production staff as his proudest achievement at Phuket Post. He also helped to present a story by contributing writer Eric Haeg that scooped all other local media on the incursion of dangerous box jellyfish into waters surrounding Phuket. Additionally, he led the production staff in a redesign of the look and feel of the Phuket Post that achieved a more contemporary presentation, and he implemented an automated production system.

After travelling around the world aboard the Queen Victoria (stopping one day in Phuket during his voyage), Mr Pratt promises a return to the Pearl of the Andaman for further endeavours in journalism and music. Until then, he leaves Phuket Post in the capable hands of the reporting and production staff, who will train newly appointed Managing Editor Phil Teese and Assistant Editor Fraser Morton to rigorous standards. Mr Teese comes to Phuket after a career in newspaper writing and editing in Australia. Mr Morton has resided in Phuket for the past three years, after graduating from university in Edinburgh, Scotland.