The 2009 Red Cross Fair is scheduled to take place at Saphan Hin park for 10 days starting 26 December. There is no charge to visit the fair, which will feature a wide selection of games, entertainment and free medical services.

It is hoped that this year's raffle will help raise even more than last year, which totalled 3 million baht (£55,000). Surprisingly, nobody came forward to claim the top prize, a Toyota Vigo truck valued at 650,000 baht (£12,000), which was auctioned off earlier this year.

According to Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop: "I am sure no province in Thailand has ever dared to give away as big a reward as this before. But we are Phuket, so why not?".

For more details, please visit the website of the Thai Red Cross Society. If you would like to donate prizes to the raffle yourself, please contact the Phuket Red Cross (tel: 076-211 766; 081-979 1766) or any local government administrative office.