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Travel
T H E N I L E R I V E R F E S T I VA L
Island Escapes THAILAND’S BEST ISLAND ESCAPES
Reward yourself...Unwind
www.serenityphuket.com 14 Moo 5 Rawai, Muang, Phuket 83130 Thailand Tel: +66 (0)76 371 900 Fax: +66 (0)76 613 831 Email: rsvn@serenityphuket.com
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Phuket’s Coolest Resort and Beach Lounge
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Contents 8
W H AT ’ S O N Upcoming Events in Thailand
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H E A LT H & W E L L- B E I N G Eranda Spa
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CO V E R F E AT U R E Taylor Swift
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MEDICA L TOURISM THA I L A N D Medical Hub of Asia
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T R AV E L The Nile River Festival
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6 B E S T B A N G KO K M A R K E T S If they don’t have it, you don’t need it
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G A S T R O N O M I C D E S T I N AT I O N S I N A S I A Bangkok The Diverse
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A B S O L U T E T W I N S A N D S R E S O R T & S PA Living the dream here in Phuket
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ISL AND ESCAPES Thailand’s Best Island Escapes
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W ELCO M E TO A BS O LU T E T H A I L I F E S T Y L E M AG A Z I N E J U N E / J U LY 2 013
From the best restaurants in Bangkok to the best islands to visit while in Thailand, this issue of Absolute Thai has it all. We worked extremely hard to bring you a wide and diverse range of articles to inform and entertain you. Of course the beautiful pictures of Taylor Swift are nice to look at too. This young lady seems to have a new song in the top 5 every week as well as a new boyfriend on her arm just as often. She admits that these rapid fire relationships give her the ideas for new songs. Not a bad strategy. I’m sure many of us could write some crazy songs about life, and especially women, in Thailand! One thing that is a must while in Thailand is visiting a beach. Preferably a secluded beach. They are becoming harder and harder to find, but read our article on the best beaches in the country, and you will find what you’re looking for. And for a truly wonderful and unforgettable vacation, spend a few days at the Absolute Twin Sands Resort on Phuket. I will be returning there as soon as I can get the time.
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TIM KNIGHT EDITOR
CREDITS CHAIRMAN: Bryan Lunt Bryan.Lunt@AbsoluteThai.com MANAGING DIRECTOR: Mike Hall MikeHall@Absoluteworld.net EDITOR: James Chanodom Editor@AbsoluteThai.com FEATURE EDITOR: Tim Knight TimKnight@AbsoluteThai.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Jason Hull Advertising@AbsoluteThai.com PUBLISHER: San, Sea and Sand Co. Ltd. PRINTING: Phongwarin Phongwarin@inet.co.th
ADVERTISING SALES GENERAL MANAGER: Callum Mckay Callum@AbsoluteThai.com Mobile: +(66) 083 596 7537 Loran Wanigasooriya: Media Consultant Loran@AbsoluteThai.com Mobile: +(66) 086 267 8235 Vinda Kallayanamitr: Media Consultant Vinda@truemail.co.th Mobile +66 (0)86 355 6218 Paul Eastland: Media Consultant Paul@AbsoluteThai.com Mobile +66 (0)80 826 2315
Absolute Thai is published by San, Sea and Sand Co. Ltd. Registration Number 8837354810366. Registered address 42/11 Taveewong Road, Kathu, Patong, Phuket Tel: 076 342 147. Printed by Phongwarin LTD., Samutprakarn. All material is strictly copyrighted and all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior permission of the copyright holder. While every care has been taken in the production of this publication, the publisher takes no responsibility for an errors, loss or omissions that may occur.
What’s On
UPCOMING EVENTS IN THAILAND JUNE - JULY 2013
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AMAZING THAILAND GRAND SALE Date: 15 June - 15 August, 2013 Venue: Department stores that participate in the program, Nationwide
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hat/Why : During the event of Amazing Thailand Grand Sale, participants can experience and enjoy discounts of 10-80%, and many other privileges at participating department stores, shopping malls, King Power Duty Free, jewelry shops, golf courses, Thai products, spa and massage, hospitals, as well as from the leading airlines and online travel agencies.
Samui and other famous destinations in Thailand. The event attracts many target tourists such as Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea etc. to travel and go shopping in the low season of Thailand. Contact : TAT Bangkok Office, Tourism Investment Department T: +66 2250 5500 ext. 2951 E : businessdiv@tat.or.th W : thailandgrandsale.tourismthailand.org
There are also discounts to be enjoyed at participating merchants at selected tourist attractions in Bangkok, Chiangmai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Koh
IMPORTANT Event dates and program details may be subject to change. Many of the festivals and events listed on Thailand’s official calendar of annual events are traditional Buddhist or folk festivals, the date of which is either determined by the Buddhist lunar calendar and waxing and waning moon. These are not staged events. The festivals reflect the rhythm of life in rural Thai villages and local traditions as observed in times past. To ensure you have the most updated information, please reconfirm details prior to travel.
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IMAGE: KAMONRAT / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
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BUN LUANG AND PHI TA KHON FESTIVAL Date: 28-30 June, 2013 Venue: Dan Sai District, Loei Province
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hat/Why : Phi Ta Khon is a type of masked procession celebrated on the first day of a three-day Buddhist merit making holiday known in Thai as “Boon Pra Wate”.
as ghosts to parade a sacred Buddha image. The procession is marked by a lot of music and dancing. In addition, on the second day of the festival, the villagers gather at Wat Ponchai to listen to the messages of the thirteen sermons of Prince Vessandorn recited by the local monks.
The annual famous festival takes place on the second or third weekend in June at a village of Dan Sai, Loei Province. The festival is held to worship spirits, the protectors of the village, and to ask for plentiful rain for the coming farming season.
Contact : TAT Loei Office T: +66 4281 2812 E: tatloei@tat.or.th Dan Sai District Office +66 4289 1266
Phi Ta Khon is paraded by young men who wear huge masks made from carved coconut-tree trunks, topped with wicker work and sticky-rice steamers, and dress
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UBON RATCHATHANI CANDLE FESTIVAL Date:
22-23 July, 2013
Venue: Muang District, Ubon Ratchathani Province
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The procession moves from in front of Wat Si Ubon Rattanaram along the road to Thung Si Muang. There are also the dancers and the musicians in traditional dresses joy in the parade.
During the cerebration, the huge candles are prepared by people from temples throughout the province a couple of days before the procession, and then paraded through the city on floats with a beautiful lady representing an angel for each candle, each representing a local temple, district or other institution.
In addition, there are the impressive exhibition of wax sculptures, which created by the international artists from various countries. Contact: TAT Ubon Ratchathani Office T: +66 4524 3770, +66 4525 0714 E: tatubon@tat.or.th Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Office: +66 4525 4827
hat/Why : Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival is the traditional well-known festival in Issan and the largest religious ceremony in Ubon Ratchathani, which held on Asalha Bucha Day and Khao Phansa Day every year. This day marks as the beginning of the rainy season retreat for Buddhist monks.
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ABSOLUTE THAI ERANDA SPA
ERANDA The Spa with a View W O R D S : P e t e r Wa r r i n g
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f you spend any time on Koh Samui, you’ll quickly realize that the island takes massage culture very seriously: it’s chockablock with spas and competition is fierce to provide the best massages and packages. Needless to say, no trip to Koh Samui should go without a visit to a spa; not only are they wonderfully relaxing, but they also just make you feel plain good about life. In just a few hours you can go from tired and jaded to relaxed and ready to face the world again. if you’re a newcomer to the spa scene, you may well be wondering which ones offer the best choices.
most – it has its own cave-like steam room and outdoor plunge pool. It’s also set in an extremely lush location and is in easy reach of Chaweng, being set in the town’s northernmost limits, and has a beautiful view of the sea. A turning off the beach road as it leaves town leads you to the spa itself. A well laid-out garden undulates down a hillside and as soon as you arrive you enter a hidden world where you literally step into nature. The garden is a world apart and even before you start any treatment, just being in so much green is a relaxant in itself. The grounds have their very own waterfall and there’s a stream meandering through the property, adding a hypnotic plashing sound to
Eranda Herbal Spa in the northernmost part of Chaweng is one of the island’s favorites and offers more than
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the already peaceful surroundings. The entire spa has a 5-star feel about it and exudes an elegant sense of luxury wherever you go. Yet, it’s reasonably priced and has offered consistently good service over the years. Eranda Herbal Spa has been open 11 years and has a reputation for rigorously trained staff. It’s not just about technique, either: there’s a great difference between a truly satisfying treatment, and one that’s simply run-ofthe-mill. A meditative feel is required on the part of the therapist. After all, the spa is trying to promote customers’ wellbeing – body, mind and the soul, too. It’s in the main sala that your spa journey starts. You can look out from your seat to the sea beyond while you sip the welcome drink that the receptionist brings you along with the spa menu.
ERANDA HERBAL SPA IN THE NORTHERNMOST PART OF CHAWENG IS ONE OF THE ISLAND’S FAVORITES AND OFFERS MORE THAN MOST – IT HAS ITS OWN CAVE-LIKE STEAM ROOM AND OUTDOOR PLUNGE POOL. Treatments include all kinds of massage, including traditional Thai, Swedish, oil and Pra-kob (using hot herbal compress). Herbal steam rooms and Jacuzzis are also available. You can also enjoy body scrubs, wraps, facials and a range of beauty treatments. Try the packages too, with treatments that last up to a full 4 hours of sheer bliss. There’s a whole range of them, with the most popular being Samui Sensation, taking about 2 hours and 30 minutes. You’ll be first treated to a session in the herbal steam room and plunge pool. This is followed by the Eranda signature massage – a full hour and half of excellent pampering, then finishing with either a face or foot massage. Afterwards chill out with a herbal drink. You can opt for the treatments to take place either in a spacious communal sala or in one of the private rooms, which are self-standing. There are 8 rooms, two of which are open-air, with the others being airconditioned. All are elegantly decorated with wood abounding. But it’s a good idea to include a session in the steam room first; it’s a great way to start: the steam is laced with herbs and helps de-toxify the body. Alternate sitting in the heat with taking a dip in the plunge pool
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just outside, and savor the sheer sense of well-being that comes over you. It’s also an amazing feeling to sit in the water while enjoying looking out over the garden and actually feel a sense of relaxation beginning to steal over you. You’ll feel laid-back before the treatment begins and it’ll intensify the experience. The treatments at Eranda are all conducted at an unhurried pace; you never have the feel either that there are lots of other clients – the gardens and the different treatment rooms all keep everyone separate; the world at Eranda feels very much a private one and yours alone to enjoy. But it’s not just down to a good layout. The masseuses treat each and every person as a special guest and go to great lengths to provide an excellent experience.
ERANDA HERBAL SPA HAS BEEN OPEN 11 YEARS AND HAS A REPUTATION FOR RIGOROUSLY TRAINED STAFF.
Eranda is always looking to improve on the experiences it offers guests and has formulated an entirely new package. It’s called Unique Repose Chirapsia and is definitely something special. The word chirapsia may have a slightly familiar ring to it, but it turns out it’s an entirely new word, coined especially for the purpose. Chirapsia starts with you lying on your front while the masseuse massages your back, followed by legs, arms, front and then head. To say it’s a delicious experience is an understatement. It’s both soothing and rejuvenating and is relaxing throughout. The masseuse uses her forearms and elbows as well as her hands to knead tired and aching muscles, promoting a very definite sense of well-being. If you want to keep your eyes open, no matter where you are at Eranda, you’ll be greeted with views of the lush garden world outside the treatment room. But probably all you’ll be really aware of is the massage itself; it’s hard to be distracted from such a wonderful feeling. Chirapsia lasts up to 2 hours; it’s been tried and tested, after being specially put together to bring you something unique, a combination of Swedish and Eranda’s own signature massage. The latter is influenced by Thai massage and despite being the product of two very different continents, Chirapsia is seamless and seems to flow along, just as the masseuse’s hands and arms do.
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ERANDA IS A MEMBER OF THE PRESTIGIOUS SAMUI SPA ASSOCIATION, FURTHER GUARANTEEING THAT YOU’LL BENEFIT FROM TIME SPENT HERE.
Once your treatment is finished, you return to the reception sala where you are given herbal tea; there’s no rush at all and you are free to linger. Eranda has many of its own products and the same oils and essences that are part of the treatments here are on sale. If you are looking for a gift, then you’re sure to find something pleasing here – there’s a whole range of goodies to choose from. ERANDA HERBAL SPA Location: Clearly signposted on the beach road, as you head north out of Chaweng, the spa is just up a lane that heads into the surrounding countryside.
The concept of service is a vital part of what makes Eranda a satisfying experience. If you’re staying in Chaweng, Bophut or Choeng Mon, you can take advantage of the entirely free pick-up service: you’re transported from your hotel to the spa and then afterwards, you’re taken back – it cuts out the stress of driving around.
Open daily from 09:00am till 09:00pm T: 077 422 666 WWW.ERANDASPA.COM
Eranda is a member of the prestigious Samui Spa Association, further guaranteeing that you’ll benefit from time spent here. Eranda has grown ever more successful over the years and next year the owners plan to expand further, adding on the land adjacent to the spa and making the garden larger.
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LEADING AGENT
FOLLOWING A SELL OUT FIRST PHASE WE ARE PROUD
YOUR FIR EVERY STUNNING OCEAN VIEWS, FULLY FURNISHED IN AN OUTSTANDING PENINSULA SETTING ON
INTRODUCING TWIN SANDS MUCH ANTICIPATED SECOND PHASE Following a much anticipated opening and sell a first phase, International estate agent Jones Lang LaSalle and award-winning resort developer the Absolute World Group have joined forces to bring you the opportunity to own a stunning apartment in the second phase of this spectacular resort on the celebrated island of Phuket. Nestled between two white sand beaches and set within a breathtaking peninsula, boasting remarkable views, the newly opened Absolute Twin Sands Resort & Spa, on Phuket’s west coast, is the ultimate resort getaway. Offering a range of fully furnished studio, 1 and 2 bedroom resort apartments with access to the full range of services and facilities of the resort plus exceptional yields fixed at 6% per annum, the resort provides the perfect lifestyle investment into Thailand, one of the world’s most attractive holiday markets. Prices starting from THB 2.5 million. EXPERIENCE THE ULTIMATE RESORT LIFESTYLE INVESTMENT BY BOOKING A PRIVATE RESORT VIEWING OR 3 NIGHT STAY FOR $199. PLEASE CONTACT A MEMBER OF THE DEDICATED JONES LANG LASALLE TEAM: TEL: +66 (0) 76 346 282 EMAIL: JLLABSOLUTE@AP.JLL.COM
TO ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF TWIN SANDS PHASE TWO
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EXPERIENCE BEFORE YOU BUY 3 NIGHTS IN THE RESORTS 1ST PHASE FOR $199
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Taylor Swift PUTTING HER LIFE TO MUSIC WORDS: Tim Knight
IMAGE: JOE SEER / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
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aylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989 in Reading, Pennsylvania to Scott and Andrea Swift. Taylor was named after James Taylor; her mother believed that if she had a gender neutral name it would help her forge a business career. Taylor spent most of her childhood on an 11 acre Christmas tree farm in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Taylor spent her summers at her parent’s vacation home at the Jersey Shore. Swift’s first hobby was English horse riding. Her mother put her in a saddle when she was nine months old and Swift later competed in horse shows. At the age of nine, Taylor turned her attention to musical theatre and performed in Berks Youth Theatre Academy productions of Grease, Annie, Bye Bye Birdie and The Sound of Music. She traveled regularly to Broadway, New York for vocal and acting lessons. However, after a few years of auditioning in New York and not getting any work she became interested in country music. IMAGE: FEATUREFLASH / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
SWIFT CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF SCOTT BORCHETTA, A DREAMWORKS RECORDS EXECUTIVE WHO WAS PREPARING TO FORM HIS OWN INDEPENDENT RECORD LABEL, BIG MACHINE RECORDS. TAYLOR WAS ONE OF THE NEW LABEL’S FIRST SIGNINGS. At the age of eleven, after many attempts, Taylor won a local talent competition by singing a rendition of LeAnn Rimes’s Big Deal, and was given the opportunity to appear as the opening act for Charlie Daniels. At the age of twelve, Swift was shown by a computer repairman how to play three chords on a guitar, inspiring her to write her first song, Lucky You. She had previously won a national poetry contest with a poem entitled Monster in My Closet, but now began to focus on songwriting. Taylor moved to Nashville at the age of fourteen, having secured an artist development deal with RCA Records. Taylor left RCA Records when she was fifteen, the company wanted her to record the work of other songwriters and wait until she was eighteen to release an album, but she felt ready to launch her career with her own material. At an industry showcase in 2005, Swift caught the attention of Scott Borchetta, a Dreamworks Records executive who was preparing to form his own independent record label, Big Machine Records. Taylor was one of the new label’s first signings. Taylor released her debut album Taylor Swift in October of 2006 and received generally positive reviews from music critics. The New York Times described it as,
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“a small masterpiece of pop-minded country, both wide-eyed and cynical, held together by Ms. Swift’s firm, pleading voice”. Her single Our Song made Swift the youngest sole writer and singer of a number one country song. The album sold 39,000 copies during its first week. In 2008, Taylor released her second studio album Fearless. The lead single from the album, Love Story, was released in September 2008 and became the second best-selling country single of all time, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Four more singles were released throughout 2008 and 2009: White Horse, You Belong with Me, Fifteen and Fearless. You Belong with Me was the album’s highestcharting single, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. It was the top-selling album of 2009 and brought Swift much crossover success. In September 2009, Swift became the first country music artist to win an MTV Video Music Award when You Belong with Me was named Best Female Video. Her acceptance speech was interrupted by rapper Kanye West, who had been involved in a number of
TAYLOR BECAME THE YOUNGEST EVER ARTIST, AND ONE OF ONLY SIX WOMEN, TO BE NAMED ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR BY THE COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION.
other award show incidents. West declared Beyoncé’s video for Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), nominated in the same category, to be “one of the best videos of all time”. When Beyoncé later won the award for Video of the Year, she invited Taylor onstage to finish her speech. In November 2009, Taylor became the youngest ever artist, and one of only six women, to be named Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association. Taylor released her third studio album in October 2010 Speak Now, and she wrote all the songs herself. She originally intended to call the album Enchanted, but Scott Borchetta, her record label’s CEO, felt the title did not reflect the album’s more adult themes. Swift toured throughout 2011 and early 2012 in support of Speak Now. As part of the thirteen-month, 111 date world tour, Swift played seven shows in Asia, twelve shows in Europe, 80 shows in North America and twelve shows in Australasia. Three dates on the US tour were rescheduled after Swift fell ill with bronchitis. The stage show was inspired by Broadway musical theatre,
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ABSOLUTE THAI COVER FEATURE
IMAGE: HELGA ESTEB / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
SWIFT’S FOURTH STUDIO ALBUM, RED, WAS RELEASED ON 22 OCTOBER 2012. SHE WROTE NINE OF THE ALBUM’S SIXTEEN SONGS ALONE.
Swift’s fourth studio album, Red, was released on 22 October 2012. She wrote nine of the album’s sixteen songs alone. Her manager encouraged Swift “to branch out and to test herself in other situations”. She has described the collaborative process as “an apprenticeship” which taught her to “paint with different colors”. Red examines Swift’s attraction to drama-filled relationships; she believes that, since writing the record, such relationships no longer appeal to her. Musically, while there is some experimentation with “slick, electronic beats”, “the pop sheen is limited to a handful of tracks sprinkled among more recognizably Swiftian fare”. Rolling Stone enjoyed “watching Swift find her pony-footing on Great
with choreographed routines, elaborate set-pieces, pyrotechnics and numerous costume changes. Swift invited many musicians to join her for one-off duets during the North American tour. Appearances were made by James Taylor, Jason Mraz, Shawn Colvin, Johnny Rzeznik, Andy Grammer, Tal Bachman, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Nicki Minaj, Nelly, B.o.B., Usher, Flo Rida, T.I., Jon Foreman, Jim Adkins, Hayley Williams, Hot Chelle Rae, Ronnie Dunn, Darius Rucker, Tim McGraw, and Kenny Chesney. Taylor contributed two original songs to The Hunger Games Soundtrack called Safe & Sound ft. The Civil Wars and Eyes Open. In May 2012 Taylor featured in B.o.B’s song Both of Us.
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THE GUARDIAN DESCRIBED SWIFT AS A “BRÜNNHILDE OF A ROCK STAR” AND CHARACTERIZED RED AS “ANOTHER CHAPTER IN ONE OF THE FINEST FANTASIES POP MUSIC HAS EVER CONSTRUCTED”.
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Songwriter Mountain. She often succeeds in joining the Joni/Carole King tradition of stark-relief emotional mapping. Her self-discovery project is one of the best stories in pop”. The Guardian described Swift as a “Brünnhilde of a rock star” and characterized Red as “another chapter in one of the finest fantasies pop music has ever constructed”. USA Today felt that the “engaging” record saw Swift “write ever-more convincingly -- and wittily and painfully -- about the messy emotions of a young twenty something nearing the end of her transition from girl to woman”.
and Sydney’s ARIA Music Awards. She became a spokes model for Keds sneakers, released her sophomore Elizabeth Arden fragrance, and continued her partnerships with Covergirl, Sony Electronics and American Greetings, as well as her unofficial brand tie-ins with Ralph Lauren and Shellys. The album’s lead single, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, was released in August 2012. The song became Swift’s first number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, recording the highest ever one-week sales figures for a female artist. Two further singles have since been released: Begin Again and I Knew You Were Trouble. In her career, as of April 2013, Swift has sold over 23 million albums and 54.5 million digital tracks worldwide.
As part of the Red promotional campaign, Swift will perform at Nashville’s CMA Awards, Frankfurt’s MTV Europe Music Awards, Los Angeles’ AMA Awards
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ABSOLUTE THAI MEDICAL TOURISM
THAI MEDICAL TOURISM WORDS: Peter Davison
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edical tourism to Thailand is big business, and Phuket is rapidly becoming the centre of worldwide attention for overseas clients wanting an image change, particularly plastic surgery and dental procedures. The numbers are quite staggering. According to the latest research, over 15,000 Australians travelled overseas for plastic surgery last year. From Phuket International Hospital’s perspective and the agencies they partner with, over 20,000 hotel room nights were booked last year in Phuket to accommodate their medical tourists. A serious injection to the local economy. Added to these hotel bookings, medical tourists spend on average 180,000 Thai Baht (US$ 6,000) per procedure, as well as on an impressive amount on food, shopping, and sightseeing.
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The industry is also growing, with Phuket hospitals, plastic surgeons and dental centres anticipate growth of at least 30% this year. The overall international interest in medical tourism within Phuket continues to thrive, and Phuket is responding by opening more plastic surgery centres and spa and wellness centres, coupled with the expansion of hospital and dental services. Phuket’s largest plastic surgery department, Phuket International Aesthetic Centre (PIAC), opened its new facility earlier this year. Specifically designed and modelled on the female form, PIAC incorporates curves and intimate consultation and treatment rooms, as well as state of the art medical and surgical equipment. “Medical tourism” is defined as travel done for the purpose of improving one’s health, whether it’s a visit to a
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weight-loss camp, a dental check, or a surgical procedure. In Phuket, medical tourism also incorporates the “pampering” side of health, such as aromatherapy or a soothing foot massage, as well as beauty treatments ranging from herbal facials to hair transplants. It’s become a thriving business not only for Phuket’s private hospitals, but related services such as fitness and wellness centres. Many resorts are rushing to add the moniker “& Spa” to their brand names, while some are designing their facilities to accommodate guests recovering from a medical procedure, or even to have it performed on site. The Thai Ministry of Public Health wants Thailand to become the “medical hub of Asia,” and this is one of the major aims in the government’s economic development plan. Phuket has been identified as one of three regional health hubs in the country, in addition to Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
THE INDUSTRY IS ALSO GROWING, WITH PHUKET HOSPITALS, PLASTIC SURGEONS AND DENTAL CENTERS ANTICIPATING GROWTH OF AT LEAST 30% THIS YEAR. So what is it about Phuket that attracts health and wellness seekers? Cost is the most obvious advantage. It is estimated that medical care in Thailand costs one-half to one-third of that in Singapore, one-fifth of the cost in Western Europe and about one-eighth of that in the United States. In Australia, a breast augmentation (implants) would cost anywhere around AUD$15,000. In Phuket, the same procedure is less than AUD$4,000. Add AUD$1,000 for airfares, and AUD$500-$1,000 for a hotel and Australians can have their breast augmentation completed for under AUD$6,000, less than half the cost in Australia, with a 10 day holiday in Phuket thrown in as well. Procedure costs at PIAC also include many extras that overseas clients require, from complimentary airport and hotel transport services, concierge and guide services as well as the small extras, such as mobile phone rental, complimentary internet access, or late room checkout. In addition to affordable prices, many of the things that make Phuket attractive to conventional tourists also apply to its health care services, including: • a tolerant and welcoming attitude towards visitors • a service-minded culture • delicious and healthy food • an attractive and relaxing environment in which to recover
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ensures quality, equal to the standards of American and Australian hospitals.
IN AUSTRALIA, A BREAST AUGMENTATION (IMPLANTS) WOULD COST ANYWHERE AROUND
PIAC also guarantees their work, with the terms and conditions of what is covered in the unlikely event that there is a surgical complication stated on their website. Having confidence in what is being offered, and backing this up by a guarantee is unique, and I know of no other hospital or plastic surgeon offering this same level or assurance. On-going support services are also offered once a client returns to their home country. In Australia for example, a Partner Doctor Network is available where clients can access Australian Doctors who are part of the network, further providing post-operative aftercare and peace of mind.
AUD$15,000. IN PHUKET, THE SAME PROCEDURE IS LESS THAN AUD$4,000. ADD AUD$1,000 FOR AIRFARES, AND AUD$500-$1,000 FOR A HOTEL AND AUSTRALIANS CAN HAVE THEIR BREAST AUGMENTATION COMPLETED FOR UNDER AUD$6,000, LESS THAN HALF THE COST IN AUSTRALIA, WITH A 10 DAY HOLIDAY IN PHUKET THROWN IN AS WELL.
Phuket has the added advantage of having numerous first-class resorts, beautiful beaches, and a diverse range of leisure activities to enjoy both before and after a health treatment. The island’s attractions, medical services, and spas are now often marketed together as a complete “health and rejuvenation” package for holidaymakers.
Medical services are not only a good value, but are also of good quality, offering comparable standards to Western countries and the more advanced economies of Asia. The skills of the surgeons, the technology, and hygienic and safety practices of the hospital facilities are generally world class. Many doctors have trained in Europe or the US, and some are internationally renowned in their respective specializations. Both of the leading hospitals in Phuket that provide the majority of services to medical tourists are also JCI accredited; an international accreditation and standards monitoring system that
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The push for health tourism has spurred investment in health care facilities and related services across the island. The two main private hospitals, for example, are both expanding their capacity and service offerings,
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which is good news for anyone needing a range of quality health care options close at hand for themselves and their families. Phuket has also attracted a host of practitioners of holistic and alternative health methods, offering residents and tourists a wider choice of ways to keep healthy and maintain a sense of well-being. A yoga class, a massage treatment, or a refreshing herbal steam bath can all now easily become a part of one’s daily activities. Recent trends over the past couple of years have seen a move towards group travel, with many agencies offering group travel throughout the year. Previously, clients would travel alone or with their family. Now, it is possible to travel in a group of up to 25 like-minded individuals, all who have the same goal: travel to Phuket for a procedure, share their experiences, make new friends, and collectively enjoy the best of what Phuket has to offer. Feedback from these group tours show that the clients, predominantly female, enjoy the support network that travelling in a group brings. Lifelong friends are made, and the group tour concept appears to be growing from strength to strength. This is not to say that only females travel for a procedure. Many men are having dental work done or facelifts, a trend that is also noticeable over the past few years.
PHUKET HAS THE ADDED ADVANTAGE OF HAVING NUMEROUS FIRST-CLASS RESORTS, BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND A DIVERSE RANGE OF LEISURE ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER A HEALTH TREATMENT. So the benefits of health tourism are clear. With the development of the island as a premier medical and spa centre, staying in Phuket has become not only a lifestyle choice, but a healthy choice too. If you are considering an image change, for plastic surgery contact Phuket International Aesthetic Centre on www.plastic-surgery-phuket.com or for dental procedures www.dental-phuket.com.
PETER DAVISON IS THE INTERNATIONAL SERVICES MANAGER AT PHUKET INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL.
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THE NEW ABSOLUTE THAI APP Download Today Owners of the iPad can now download the Absolute Thai Magazine iPad application FREE to read and enjoy at your leisure.
Absolute Thai iPad app is a user-friendly interactive magazine which contains extra content not found in our printed magazine, so now there are even more stunning photos, articles and even videos!
ABSOLUTE THAI THE NILE RIVER FESTIVAL
THE NILE RIVER FESTIVAL WORDS: Peter Holthusen
I
n the middle of the 19th century, the river Nile, one of the greatest remaining challenges for explorers and adventurers, still had its origins behind a barrier of fetid swamps, fatal diseases and seemingly ferocious tribesmen. Its mystery was compounded by reports of fabulous lakes and mountains.
swamp, thwarted earlier attempts to follow the river upstream. Today, the mighty Nile, like no other river on earth, still attracts those with a passion for exploration and adventure and is rapidly becoming one of the world’s most popular kayaking destinations. For the past 9 years an intrepid band of kayakers have charted a course to the spectacular Bujagali Falls near Jinja, Uganda to compete in the most coveted of all white-water competitions, The Nile River Festival.
This challenge fired the imagination of The Royal Geographical Society, who had a particular interest in determining the source of the Nile. Thus, in a series of expeditions between 1856 and 1877, several indefatigable British explorers, including Burton, Speke, Grant and Baker were sent to unravel the mystery of the source of the Nile. This river, the longest in the world, flowed through the desert, yet brought life in its floodwater every year. Where did all this water come from ? The Sudd (Arabic for obstacle) – a huge, papyrus-clogged
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This year The Nile River Festival will take place from the 6th to 9th December and is set to be bigger and better than ever with more than 80 world-class kayakers competing against each other in the 4 main competitions scheduled throughout the weekend. This annual event
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is also used as a platform to showcase the very talented Ugandan kayakers such as Ibrahim Mugembe and David Egesa, and of course the renowned Ugandan Freestyle Kayaking Team, who are always selected from the results of the competitions. In the past the local team have travelled to world championships and other competitions in Australia, France, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The 2012 event marked the inaugural Hendri Coetzee Itanda Falls Race, named in honour of the renowned South African outdoorsman and author who was tragically killed by a crocodile whilst leading an expedition into the Congo in 2010.This extreme race was actually conceived by Coetzee long before his death, but at the time the course was considered far too dangerous. The race which was held by invitation only took place on the spectacular Itanda Falls, an 800m Class 6 rapid, and it is predicted the race will soon emerge as one of the most extreme kayaking events in the world.
THE NILE RIVER FESTIVAL IS SPONSORED BY KAYAK THE NILE, BRUSSELS AIRLINES, NILE
Coetzee was an employee of Kayak the Nile at the time of his death, the renowned Ugandan white-water adventure company founded by his closest friend Jamie Simpson, the celebrated kayaker from Scotland who, through working in partnership with Nile River Explorers, are largely responsible for coordinating The Nile River Festival. The company is now owned and operated by two very experienced kayak coaches from the UK – Sam Ward, the GB Team Coach and Emily Wall, two times British Freestyle Kayaking Champion.
BREWERIES, BUJAGALI ENERGY LIMITED, NILE RIVER EXPLORERS, FLUID KAYAKS, NALUBALE RAFTING, PYRANHA KAYAKS, ARTISTIC SPORTS GEAR, THE HAIRY LEMON ISLAND, THE UGANDA INNOVATION FACTORY AND PALM EQUIPMENT EUROPE.
Funds raised from last year’s event went to the Hendri Coetzee Trust (HCT), which was formed in his name after the memorial service that was held in Centurion, South Africa on 28 January 2010. Some of Hendri’s close friends suggested forming a Committee to steer his legacy and fund the publication of his book, ‘The Best Day Ever’. In addition to the Hendri Coetzee Itanda Falls Race, the organizers held three other competitions including the Big Air Freestyle kayaking event on the Cuban wave, and the challenging Big Air Freestyle event on the Nile Special wave. Big Air Freestyle really pushes freestyle kayaking to its limits with kayakers often pulling huge inverted tricks up to 5 ft above the surface of the water. The waves in this 70km (43 mile) section of the great White Nile are much bigger than anything competed on elsewhere in the world and The Nile River Festival seems to have more media coverage than the World Freestyle Championships. The final competition was an Extreme
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ABSOLUTE THAI THE NILE RIVER FESTIVAL
fairly nondescript town if it were not for its location. It is at the head of the Napoleon Gulf, on the northern edge of Lake Victoria, and lies on the east bank of the Victoria Nile. The town is perhaps best known for being the source of the Nile. Even as it leaves the lake, it is a surprisingly large river and it is a bit spooky to think of it wandering north for 4,000 miles until it reaches the Mediterranean Sea.
Endurance Race running down a 40km course of Class 5 white-water. Kayakers raced in teams of two that took extreme fitness and skill to a new level, for in this section of the mighty river 1600 cubic metres of water per second drop down through 70 metres to give rise to the finest white-water in the world. On top of this they held a number of rafting events, video screenings of ‘Kadoma’ (Hendri Coetzee’s film of his final expeditions) and ‘The Grand Inga Project’ (Steve Fisher’s film of running the largest rapids in the world, the vicious Inga Rapids in the Congo) and of course, some of the best parties ever seen in such a remote location, but then they are sponsored by a brewery !
Jinja suffered badly during the Amin years and subsequent periods of economic and political turmoil, but a more recent economic upswing has been mirrored by the emergence of the river corridor as a major tourism centre in the region, with the emphasis strongly on adrenalin-orientated activities.
The Nile River Festival is sponsored by Kayak the Nile, Brussels Airlines, Nile Breweries, Bujagali Energy Limited, Nile River Explorers, Fluid Kayaks, Nalubale Rafting, Pyranha Kayaks, Artistic Sports Gear, The Hairy Lemon Island, the Uganda Innovation Factory and Palm Equipment Europe.
This year Jinja will also be hosting an exciting new campaign dubbed ‘Painting The City Bright’, which will begin with a relay from Jinja to Skellefteå in Northern Sweden, where glass bottles shaped in the form of the Nile perch, tilapia and hippos will be filled with water
This year the organizers plan to lay on a special ‘Party Truck’ between The Nile River Festival and The Zambezi River Festival at Livingstone, Zambia – a spectacular event already into its third year, so paddlers can make one trip to Africa and compete in the best kayaking events in the world ! The White Nile near Jinja, Uganda’s second largest town has become known as the adventure sports capital of East Africa, for the river here has several grade five rapids which offer exhilarating white-water rafting on a par with the world-renowned Zambezi Gorge below Victoria Falls. Less than eighteen years ago, tourism activity on the Nile north of Jinja was limited to a peaceful and rather obscure picnic site at the Bujagali Falls – a series of impressive rapids about 10 km (6 miles) downriver of the source of the Nile – visited by a handful of travellers annually. Today, the eastern bank of the Nile between Jinja and Bujagali has developed into a world-class adventure-tourism centre, serviced by four bustling backpacker facilities, and an upmarket tented camp and hotel. This is because the 70km stretch of the Nile north of Jinja is now a mecca for white-water rafting, river surfing, kayaking, bungee jumping, jet-boat riding and quad biking. All the rapids at the Bujagali Falls are named to heighten the anticipation, for instance: ‘Total Gunga’, ‘Silverback’, ‘Rib Cage’ and ‘Surf City’. Jinja would probably be a
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from the source of the Nile, then carried across Europe to Sweden, and will culminate in the first ever African Ice Swimming Championships in Jinja – an event inspired by the city of Skellefteå, where, for the last two years both the Swedish and Scandinavian winter swimming championships were held. The brainchild of Steve Babb’s Skellefteå-based ‘Big Steve From England’ initiative, thousands of people have already started painting 66 houses on Main Street in cheerful colours. The Bujagali Falls, which lies downstream of the source of the Nile an hour’s drive east of Kampala, is the launching point for a commercial white-water rafting route that ranks as one of the most thrilling and safest in the world, passing through three heart-stopping grade five rapids in one day. There are several companies offering a variety of itineraries without compromise. A typical itinerary would include a transfer from your hotel at Jinja where the mighty Nile begins its journey to the Mediterranean Sea. After a full safety demonstration you will then enjoy a half-day adventure white-water rafting. With lots of good rapids, including the mighty ‘Itanda’ (The Bad Place) and a beautiful river with spectacular flora and fauna, there are some very exciting sections with space between to lay back and float along taking in the scenery and enjoying the wildlife, particularly the many species of birds to be found here.
Brewery. But if you are seeking to explore the natural wonders of the area, the nearby Mabira Forest Reserve, which straddles the Kampala-Jinja road about 20 km (12 miles) west of Jinja, is one of the largest forest areas in Central Uganda. This popular nature park hosts grasslands, forested valleys and an astonishing variety of bird and monkey species.
Two kilometres upstream beside the Jinja Nile Resort is the Nile High Camp which has a 44 metre bungee jump. Here, intrepid jumpers leap from a 12 metre cantilevered steel structure on top of a towering cliff above the Nile. If you want an extra adrenaline rush, there is the option of being dipped into the river on a longer bungee. Often performing at this site is the ‘Ugandan Acrobatic’ Jeremiah Bazale.
Travelling to Jinja by air is easiest through Entebbe International Airport, 40 km (24 miles) south of Kampala or through the Kenyan capital Nairobi, which is the main air travel hub of East Africa and offers frequent bus connections to Jinja. Customs and immigration officials are extremely polite and efficient, and a visa – for those who require one – can be purchased on arrival at the airport or at any overland border. Bicycle taxis are the most popular choice for getting around and are a great way to see the city.
Fishing for Nile perch and tilapia attracts many anglers to the Bujagali Falls. The fast-flowing waters above and below the falls are probably the best places from which to cast off. The king of the freshwater fish is without doubt the massive Nile perch, while the much smaller, rather bony tilapia which makes good eating, can be found on the menus of many of Kampala’s finest restaurants.
A visit to this enchanting city on the shores of Africa’s largest lake will not disappoint you. It is the human psyche that demands we discover and explore. If you’re seeking an adrenaline rush amidst some of the most spectacular scenery in Uganda, you’ll be well rewarded for charting a course to Jinja, home to the most exciting kayaking event in the world – The Nile River Festival.
The actual ‘Source of the Nile’ is marked by a popular but uninspiring plaque, all finished in garish reds and yellows thanks to official sponsorship by the Bell
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ABSOLUTE THAI 6 BEST BANGKOK MARKETS
6 BEST BANGKOK MARKETS If They Don’t Have It, You Don’t Need It WORDS: Tim Knight
W
hen you’ve had your fill of fancy malls and brand boutiques, Bangkok’s night markets open your wallet to a whole new set of retail delights under the moonlight.
Keep in mind: it’s best to avoid Monday, when a city-wide ban on street vendors is loosely observed. Khao San Road Khao San, once geared solely towards backpackers, hosts street vendors selling all things overtly Thai -think pad Thai noodles, Chang/Singha beer T-shirts and wooden ridgeback frogs that make a convincing croak.
Open for business the minute the sun dips below the city skyline, explore and forage in a well-stocked world of whimsical products and flexible price tags, browsing everything from tourist tack to authentic antiques, fragrant flora to fight-ready flick knives.
But in recent times the foreigner-to-Thai ratio has evened out somewhat thanks to local-favorite watering holes such as Hippie de Bar and Brick Bar.
The subtext for Bangkok’s street traders seems to be “if we sell it, they’ll buy it,” and like it or not, you probably will.
In addition to the standard same-same-but-different souvenirs, an increasing variety of independent designer clothes and trinkets is being hawked, making for a fun stroll down the street to shop for one-off items and gawk at interesting tourist characters.
It requires a little commitment to find and make the most of the markets listed here, but your efforts will be justly rewarded.
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Though an undeniably colorful aspect of Bangkok, Khao San is hardly the poster child of all things Thai, so don’t make this the only Bangkok market you visit.
Between Silom Soi 4 and 6 lies the infamous street that has done its part in immortalizing table tennis shows the world over.
Where: Khao San connects Chakrabongse and Tanao roads, just off Ratchadamnoen Klang Road. All cabbies and tuk-tuk drivers know it, regardless how off-tone your pronunciation.
Depending what floats your boat, Patpong is a shopping and entertainment zone with a “come-one, come-all” openness -- running the red-lit gauntlet can be daunting with pesky show promoters tugging at your arms, but hey, where else are you going to find that Borat-esque swimsuit?
When: Daily, all day. Tour operators and food stalls open in the mornings to cater to the tourists staying on Khao San, but when the sun goes down, the music starts thumping and the street gets progressively carnival-esque, tapering off at 11 p.m. or so.
Right across from Patpong, at the top of Soi Convent, stands a savior to night owls citywide -- P’Uan -diligently grilling his moo ping (pork on sticks) late into the night.
Silom Road A wholesome commercial district by day, Silom turns into tourist central by night, with makeshift shops appearing on the sidewalks on both sides of the road, selling mainly souvenirs and knockoff accessories.
Where: Silom stretches from the Dusit Thani Hotel on the corner of Rama 4 Road all the way to riverside Charoenkrung Road. Take the Skytrain to Sala Daeng station to jump in the middle of the action.
PATPONG IS A SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT ZONE WITH A “COME-ONE, COME-ALL” OPENNESS -- RUNNING THE RED-LIGHT GAUNTLET CAN BE DAUNTING WITH PESKY SHOW PROMOTERS TUGGING AT YOUR ARMS, BUT HEY, WHERE ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO FIND THAT BORAT-ESQUE SWIMSUIT?
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ABSOLUTE THAI 6 BEST BANGKOK MARKETS
A fresh market towards the rear sells betel nuts, vegetables, and fruits, and beverage pit stops serve up drinks such as lavender soda. Where: Along Maharat Road, close to the intersection with Chakraphet Road and Saphan Phut night market. Take the river boat from the Skytrain Saphan Taksin station and disembark at the Saphan Phut pier, or cab it if you’re visiting at night. When: All day, every day, with floral action peaking after 2 a.m. Ratchayothin Night Market In the big lot right beside Major Cineplex Ratchayothin, an open-air night market caters mainly to locals and moviegoers killing a few minutes before show time. The majority of the stalls hawk affordable fashion (as in, heavy on the Japanese and Korean influences), as well as cosmetics, jewelry, phone accessories and other kitsch. Yuppies browse the goods on display, and there’s a hipster bar overlooking the shopping area conveniently close by for the non-shopping enthusiasts.
THOUGH MORE OF A TRADITIONAL MARKET THAN A SHOPPER’S DELIGHT, PAK KHLONG
Though always advisable to bring cash to go to a market, some of the stalls also accept credit cards should a retail wave wash over you.
TALAT IS A COMFORTING PLACE TO SOOTHE INSOMNIAC TENDENCIES, WITH FLOWERS IN A RIOT OF COLORS GIVING OFF GENTLE
Where: Adjacent to Major Cineplex Ratchayothin. The closest stations are Mo Chit and Phahonyothin. From there, take a cab or brave a motorbike taxi if the traffic looks bad.
AROMAS THAT WAFT THROUGH THE AIR. When: Vendors on Silom are in business from around 6 p.m.-1 a.m. from Tuesday to Sunday, while Patpong stays open every night until 2 a.m.
When: Tuesday - Sunday, from 4 p.m.-11 p.m. Saphan Phut Night Bazaar The night market adjacent to Memorial Bridge (aka Saphan Phut) swarms with a younger local crowd, with second-hand items and cheap price tags that appeal to pre-workforce shoppers.
Pak Khlong Talat Though more of a traditional market than a shopper’s delight, Pak Khlong Talat is a comforting place to soothe insomniac tendencies, with flowers in a riot of colors giving off gentle aromas that waft through the air.
A variety of goods and services tempt the predominantly university student shoppers, from hookahs to handbags, tattoos to T-shirts.
Fresh flowers and decorative plants arrive by the truckload during the witching hours of the night, making the pre-dawn hours the busiest.
The area under the bridge is a popular spot for local teenagers to hang out riverside, and caricaturists are often found sketching for a small fee.
Tagete marigold flowers, jasmines and roses are delicately threaded into the patterned garlands seen all around town, and orchids and a cornucopia of other flowers are arranged into bouquets and elaborate displays.
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One of the best snacks here is the squid eggs, served in a styrofoam bowl on a bed of raw veggies.
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NOSTALGIA-INDUCING GOODIES UP FOR
Stairs leading up to the bridge give you a nice view of the Chao Phraya River, and its proximity to the flower market makes for a two-stones outing to glimpse two facets of the local lifestyle.
GRABS INCLUDE LPS, GRAMOPHONES, TYPEWRITERS AND VINTAGE EVERYTHING -- TOYS, CAMERAS, FANS, POSTERS. THERE’S A FAIR
Where: At the base of the Memorial Bridge, at the intersection of Maharat and Chakraphet roads. Take the river boat from the Skytrain Saphan Taksin station and disembark at the Saphan Phut pier, or cab it if you’re visiting at night.
AMOUNT OF SECOND-HAND CLOTHING AND BOOKS RECYCLED HERE AS WELL.
When: Tuesday -Sunday. Stalls start to set up around 6 p.m., with the market really kicking into gear around 8 p.m. until 2 a.m. Ratchada Night Bazaar Rachada Night Bazaar’s origins as a vintage automobile swap meet are still very much evident in the market, with retro collectibles and mod fashion accessories sold from VW camper vans. Also known as the “Vespa Market,” these classic scooters still pepper the grounds, many of which are driven by the hip artsy Thai crowd that frequents the market. Nostalgia-inducing goodies up for grabs include LPs, gramophones, typewriters and vintage everything -toys, cameras, fans, posters. There’s a fair amount of second-hand clothing and books recycled here as well. For shoppers mourning the loss of the Suanlum Night Bazaar, work is underway to relocate the Bangkok mainstay to this area next year. Where: At the junction of Ladprao and Rachadapisek roads. Take the train to Ladprao station, exit 1. When: On Saturday, with the first vendors setting up around 6 p.m., sellers are out in full force from 8 p.m. until after midnight.
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Воплощение вашей мечты в реальность в отеле Impiana Resort на пляже Чавенг Ной острова Самуи. Идиллический курорт расположен в одном из самых красивых райских уголков мира - на пляже Чавенг Ной. Нетронутое побережье с видом на тропические сады, бесконечные бирюзовые лагуны и белоснежный песок балует идеальной атмосферой спокойствия и романтики. И не забывайте, мы предлагаем вам лучшее место, подходящее на любой вкус. Независимо от того, что вы хотите: убежать от городской суеты и расслабиться или наслаждаться походами по магазинам до упаду! www.impiana.com.my 91/2-3 Moo 3, Chaweng Noi Beach, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 Thailand Tel: 66 (0) 77 448 994 Fax: 66 (0) 77 448 999 Email: info.kohsamui@impiana.com
ABSOLUTE THAI ASIA’S 50 BEST RESTAURANT 2013 (THAILAND)
ANDREAS HERZIG F&B DIRECTOR SIAM KEMPINSKI HOTEL AND THE TEAM FROM SRA BUA
BANGKOK: THE DIVERSE GASTRONOMIC DESTINATION IN ASIA W O R D S : L a u re n c e C i v i l
B
angkok was well represented at the inaugural Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant awards held on the 25th of February at Marina Bay Sands. Chef David Thompson’s Nahm was recognised as The S. Pellegrino Best Restaurant in Thailand and the 3rd best in Asia. The growing appreciation of Thai cuisine was further emphasised with Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava who was named as Veuve Clicquot Asia’s Best Female Chef and her restaurant Bo.lan was ranked 36th in Asia and
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Sra Bua By Kiin Kiin at The Kempinski Bankok ranked 29th. Also, there is a lot more to the Bangkok dining scene than just Thai food. The progressive Indian cuisine served at Gaggan was ranked 10th and Eat Me 19th. Bangkok can feel proud of it gastronomic recognitions with two restaurants in the top 10, three in the top 20 and a 10% overall share of the Best Restaurants in Asia.
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“Following the success of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants,” says William Drew, Editor of Restaurant Magazine, published by William Reed Business Media Ltd in the UK, “we launched Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants to champion the significant and continued growth of the industry in Asia, and provide the restaurants with international peer reviews, recommendations, and profiles.” Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list is created from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of over 900 international leaders in the restaurant industry. Split into 26 regions, each with 36 members of food critics, chefs, restaurateurs, and highly regarded ‘foodies’ plus a chair person. Each can cast seven votes for restaurants they have eaten in during the previous 18 months, three of which must be outside their region. Academy members have the freedom to vote for any restaurant, irrespective of size or reputation, that gave them the best dining experience. No restaurant can apply to be nominated; a system that ensures no external influences on the final result.
BARRAMUNDI FARRO
ASIA’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS LIST IS CREATED FROM THE WORLD’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS ACADEMY, AN INFLUENTIAL
Australian born David Thompson opened his first Nahm restaurant at London’s Halkin Hotel in 2001 which was awarded a Michelin within six months of opening, the first Thai restaurant ever to receive such an accolade. Bangkok’s Nahm restaurant was opened in September of 2010 at the Metropolitan Hotel to both acclaim and controversy. In April of 2012, it was the first restaurant in Thailand to make it onto the World’s Best 50 Restaurants.
GROUP OF OVER 900 INTERNATIONAL LEADERS IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY.
Everything has its moment in time, but nothing last forever. It was the EU ban on fresh Thai herbs that starved Nahm in London into closing on the 15th of December 2012. At Nahm in Bangkok, Chef David uses recipes resurrected from old cookbooks of former Thai matriarchs, many of which have not been seen for many years, such as southern-style grilled mussels smoked with coconut husks then cooked with curry-infused coconut cream. All of his dishes are an authentic perfect balance of sour, sweet, salt, and spice flavours; true to Thai culinary heritage. It’s no coincidence that Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava, winner of Veuve Clicquot Asia’s Best Female Chef, has multiple connections to the Master of Thai cuisine David Thompson. After all, she has his passion for Thai food, cooking, food history, culture, and tradition, and this inspired her to open Bo.lan. Having completed her masters on Gastronomy at the Le Cordon Blue and
BALCONY DINING
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ABSOLUTE THAI ASIA’S 50 BEST RESTAURANT 2013 (THAILAND)
WITLOF CHERRY MOZZARELLA SALAD
Adelaide University in Australia, she worked alongside Chef Amanda Gale at the former Cy’an in the Metropolitan Hotel. Amanda introduced Bo to David who then invited her to be a part of his Michelin starred team at Nahm in London. There, her interest in Thai food was nurtured, and she absorbed more valuable knowledge from David and his partner Thanongsak. As her passion grew so did her desire to open a world class Thai restaurant in Bangkok. It was there that she met Australian Chef Dylan Jones who became her husband and partner in Bo.lan. They opened their restaurant in 2009 on a belief in maintaining Thai cooking rituals used throughout the country’s culinary history. The Bo.lan team follows the Slow Food philosophy, and uses fresh, seasonal, and locally grown and sourced ingredients to produce authentic dishes.
LAMB RACK PEARL BARLEY
Kolkata born Gaggan Anand is best known in Bangkok’s restaurant industry for his authentic, modernist, and progressive approach to Indian street food. Anand created a new genre of Indian cuisine when he opened Gaggan, adding a new twist to classic Indian recipes, reinvented through molecular gastronomy. His interpretation of paapdi chaat transforms the traditional afternoon streetfood snack into a spherical yoghurt egg resting on a wafer. IIn 2007, with just $500 dollars in his pocket, Gaggan came to Thailand in search of culinary challenges. He was the opening chef of Red Bangkok, and quickly
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ASIA’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS IS AN ENDORSEMENT THAT BANGKOK IS ONE OF ASIA’S BEST GASTRONOMIC DESTINATIONS.
established a reputation for what was seen as a revolutionary style of Indian cuisine. He very soon became one of the most talked about chefs in Thailand.
with red papaya, roasted coconut, chilli, and betel leaf is as luscious as is innovative. While the grilled Tasmanian oysters with miso and spring onion is a dish to savour long into the night.
His real passion was to have his own restaurant, so, along with three friends, he decided to create Gaggan. While the standalone colonial house was being renovated, Gaggan leapt at a once-in-a-lifetime chance – he interned with the research team of Spain’s famed El Bulli, under the inspiring Ferran Adrià of Catalonia.
Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin opened at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok in September 2010, and offers a modern interpretation of Thai cuisine. Behind beautifully composed food presentation, familiar flavours of traditional dishes are maintained while the chefs push the boundaries of form, texture, and temperature.
He stayed just a few months, but Gaggan was the first Indian and just the second Asian ever to enter through the hallowed doors, and considers his time at the nirvana of culinary knowledge one of true enlightenment. Gaggan is a chef with simple recipes made with elegance by exotic presentation and futuristic cooking techniques. What he does with passion is translated into those recollections of his roots into modern, innovative dishes; providing simple solutions that are authentically Indian, but also succeeds in bridging the culinary divide between East and West.
“We are extremely proud to have achieved this tremendous recognition for Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin,” said Henrik Yde-Andersen, the founder of Kiin Kiin. “The success was only made possible by the effort and passion of Morten Nielson, our Chef de Cuisine and his staff as each and every one contributed to this accomplishment.” Kiin Kiin in Copenhagen is currently the only Thai restaurant in the world holding a Michelin star. Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant awards is a ringing endorsement that Bangkok is fast becoming one of Asia’s best gastronomic destinations.
Eat Me is a laid back restaurant with flair on the menu. Doubling as an art gallery and maintaining late opening hours gives it appeal to the party crowd. Things only got better when New Yorker Tim Butler took over the kitchen adding flair and a pantry of obscure ingredients, such as betel leaf, onto the menu. The black chicken
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TRY WAKEBOARDING IN PHUKET WAKE PARK GOOD FOOD. FREE WIFI. MASSAGE. MUSIC. FUN. APARTMENT FOR RENT
www.phuketwakepark.com E-mail: info@phuketwakepark.com Tel: +(66) 076 202 527
ABSOLUTE THAI ABSOLUTE TWIN SANDS RESORT & SPA
A LETTER FROM THE ISLANDS Absolute Twin Sands Resort & Spa, Phuket,
H
i there Joe and Marie,
tween two beaches, Tri Trang and Merlin Beach. We took a stroll today to Tri Trang and had a little sunbathe and a paddle, enjoyed a meal at a local restaurant, then walked up over the rise to the other beach. Merlin Beach was just as beautiful, and we arrived back at our suite just in time to catch sunset over the western arm of Patong Bay. The funny thing is that it was just as outstanding sound-wise as it was visually with an exotic mix of wind chimes and cicadas. As Marie would say, “Dreamy.”
I know you asked for a postcard from Phuket, but I’m sending you a letter as I have just too much to say! This place we’re staying at is absolutely amazing. It’s called Absolute Twin Sands, and is just south of Patong. We checked in today, and are looking out from our balcony down to the beach, the shore is lined with tropical pine trees and the water simply defines the colour of turquoise. I can hear you asking, “What’s with the name?” Well, the hotel is built be-
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Anyway, just before dinner we ran into a really friendly English family by the swimming pool. We invited them to dinner at the onsite Blue Mango restaurant (recently named #1 on TripAdvisor too!), but they explained that they were shared ownership owners and staying in their fully equipped two-bedroom suite (all of the rooms have a kitchenette) which sounded real neat to us but off we went to dinner anyway and it was just fabulous. Claudio, the Executive Chef, explained that the food is ‘Anglo-Med’ and he was spot on: I mean little Josh had genuine, and I mean genuine, fish and chips while we nibbled on anchovies on home-baked bread with olive oil-drenched salad then lasagne and spag carbonara. Wicked stuff, and the wine was really reasonably priced, too. They also have a five-star Thai chef, and we’re planning on sampling green curry and massaman curry tomorrow tonight, perhaps with a bottle of white. Not for Josh, mind. We’re in a huge one-bedroom suite (Josh has a roll-in bed) with vivid modern art on the walls and a blackand-white theme running through it. All the mod cons are here including a 40” flat-screen TV with a sound bar instead of speakers, a rain shower in the bathroom, and a comfortable balcony with tables and chairs above the three-part swimming pool. I say “three-part” as there’s a 25-metre lap pool, a kids’ play area, and an infinity Jacuzzi pool. Josh and I splashed around for hours and hours until bedtime. Most other hotels wouldn’t let us
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ABSOLUTE THAI ABSOLUTE TWIN SANDS RESORT & SPA
do that, but here you can. Afterwards, he wanted to lift weights and go on a running machine in the 24-hour fitness room, but I could see he was fading fast so I took him upstairs for a DVD and a bedtime story. What’s remarkable about Absolute Twin Sands is that the morning views are just as exotic as the sunset vistas so we enjoyed a nice cup of tea on the balcony before venturing down for breakfast. The English family checked out today, but not before showing us around their twobedroom suite. It was more or less in the same design and décor as ours but even larger and OMG, the size of the balcony… it was just huge! Anyway, breakfast was simply perfect: we sat on the all-day dining Blue Mango terrace instead of in the air-conditioned interior, and I enjoyed a full-on English serving while Joni tackled a mixed fruit platter with yoghurt and raspberry jus. She excused herself and went for a foot massage at the ‘iSpa’, telling me later that there’s free access for guests to the sauna and steam room at the spa. She’s also hinting that the double
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treatment room with Jacuzzi is beckoning, so who knows?
family, I did ask them what they had to pay for an entire suite to themselves and they said 2.5 million Baht which is only just over AUD$80K – can it really be so cheap? They said they can even rent out or pass on as an investment to their kids, and they get to use an amazing motor yacht and get complimentary golf equipment thrown in!
Josh then had a go on the free 24-hour internet in the smart and air-conditioned lobby while we decided on what to do today, finally choosing a shopping spree. It’s good to know that there’s a free shuttle bus running to Patong day and night, passing by Jungceylon shopping mall and of course the infamous Soi Bangla with its intoxicating nightlife. It’s great to be in a quiet area, but it’s also good to be connected; oh, speaking of which, there’s free Wi-Fi throughout the resort.
Anyway, we really are living the dream here, and are meeting one of the Absolute Fractional sales guys in the morning to learn more. If this works out we can’t wait to have you join us next time.
The verdict? You can tell by now that I’m all fuelled up about it, otherwise you’d have just had the aforementioned postcard, but I wanted to let you know that the project is on-going and this is only phase one: phase two and three will offer even more, with extra pools and villas. Come and check it out; I promise you, it’s like nothing else we’ve ever seen before, and you can stay as a guest, own an outright apartment or even share the cost of a whole apartment with other owners like the English
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Wish you were here… Clive, Joni, and Josh xx Absolute Twin Sands Resort & Spa 97 Muen Ngoen Road Patong, Kathu, Phuket 83150 Thailand T: +66 (0) 76 302 050 F: +66 (0) 76 302 051 E: mk@absoluteresorts.com W: AbsoluteResorts.com
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It’s here
now!
Want to make an Yxaiio party, or have this in your hotel, contact us on +66 (0) 81 3700 103 Phuket, Samui, Pattaya facebook.com/yxaiio yxaiio.thailand@yxaiio.com
ABSOLUTE THAI ISLAND ESCAPES
IMAGE: KOH CHANG ISLAND
THAI ISLAND ESCAPES WORDS: Steve Field
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hailand has over 250 islands, from deserted specks of land to tourist havens with mega resorts with everything in between. Regardless of what you are looking for in a tropical island, chances are that Thailand has at least one to fit your tastes, here we have selected a few for you to read about and give you a taste for your future trips to Thailand.
Thai islands tend to run through a progression: They start out “primitive” and unvisited by outsiders, then a few tourists show up, then a handful of basic huts and restaurants open to cater to those few tourists, then electricity comes to the island, then word of the island spreads and the island sees an increasing number of tourists. After that, some nicer, mid-ranged, traveller facilities appear.
Best Overall Island: Ko Lipe Stunning beaches. Check. Crystal clear blue water. Check. Outrageously tasty seafood, jungle hikes, relaxing beach bars, world-class snorkelling and scuba diving. Check, check, check, and check.
This is the point of development where Ko Lipe is now, perfect for travellers who want some comforts while also experiencing a remote-feeling, slightly wild, place. Ko Lipe has a few dive outfits, a few beach bars, a few air conditioned rooms. And if you seek a basic 400 baht ($11, €8.50) a night hut on the beach, Ko Lip has that too. For now . . .
Ko Lipe has nearly everything you’d want in a Thailand island except for a high-end resort. And therein lays the reason you may want to visit now.
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If Ko Lipe’s development follows in the path of other islands, the next steps involve the low-end huts and restaurants getting squeezed out of business. Then a luxury resort will come to the island along with ever increasing tourist numbers. And then the islanders have a choice: They can manage their tourist growth in a smart way that preserves the island’s ecology and benefits all (as Ko Tao, Ko Samet and, to a lesser extent, Ko Phi Phi have done). Or they can grow with wild abandon (like Pattaya, most notoriously). We will be hoping Ko Lipe chooses the former option. In the meantime, man is the beach here amazing! Where to Stay: Anywhere on or near Sunset Beach. We also love the lower-mid-range Castaways Resort and the basic huts of the very friendly and very unfortunately-named Porn Resort. IMAGE: KOH KOOD ISLAND
STUNNING BEACHES. CHECK. CRYSTAL CLEAR BLUE WATER. CHECK. OUTRAGEOUSLY TASTY SEAFOOD, JUNGLE HIKES, RELAXING BEACH BARS, WORLD-CLASS SNORKELING AND SCUBA DIVING. CHECK, CHECK, CHECK AND CHECK.
Best Island for Tropical Forests: Ko Kood Ko Kood’s close proximity to Cambodia put it off limits for the nearly three decades that the Khmer Rouge brought political instability to Thailand’s eastern neighbour. Happily, the situation in Cambodia no longer makes travel to Ko Kood a risky undertaking. The tourists have started to come to this far flung eastern Thailand island. And several resorts have sprung up to cater to them. Still, most of Ko Kood is undeveloped. There’s not even a road through the middle of this lush, densely forested island. You’ll need a sense of adventure, a good pair of hiking shoes, and a bottle of mosquito repellent to explore the arboreal beauty the island has to offer. The rewards for making this journey include a scenic temple in the middle of the island, a variety of birds, and a gorgeous three-tiered waterfall. Where to Stay: There are a number of mid-range resorts geared mostly to middle aged couples. For a location surrounded by tropical forests we suggest Koh Kood Resort. Getting There: At the time of writing, there were two boats a day from Laem So, on the Thailand mainland, and one from Ko Chang. Travel agents in Bangkok
IMAGE: KOH CHANG, KLONG NONSI WATERFALL
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ABSOLUTE THAI ISLAND ESCAPES
IMAGE: KOH KOOD ISLAND
fill up with Bangkokites on weekends, but is very peaceful mid-week.
KO CHANG ACCOMMODATIONS FILL UP IS VERY PEACEFUL MID-WEEK.
Where to Stay: The nicest resort is the Dusit Princess Koh Chang, but there’s a large selection of places to fit most budgets. For quality budget accommodations, check out the Cliff Cottage with a wonderful ocean-side bar/hangout and rates as low as $4.50 a night.
(especially around Kao San Road) offer combination bus/ boat tickets to Ko Kood from the Thailand capital.
Getting There: You can make your own way to via the port of Laem So, but the easiest option is to buy a combination bus/boat or plane/boat ticket available from travel agents in Bangkok and on Ko Chang.
WITH BANGKOKITES ON WEEKENDS BUT
If You Go: Don’t expect anything in the way of nightlife. There aren’t even many single backpackers that come here. There are, however, some stellar beaches in addition to the tropical forests.
If You Go: In general, the beaches on the island’s west coast are the best; we especially like the vibe at Ao Klong Prao (Coconut Bay). Also, note that Thailand has two islands named Ko Chang. This Ko Chang in Trat province is much larger than its doppelgänger in western Thailand. Still, if there’s any doubt, you should specify exactly which Ko Chang you are talking about.
Best Island Close To Bangkok: Ko Chang There are many islands and beach spots closer to the Thai capital than Ko Chang is. But none are this nice. In 4-6 hours (depending on traffic and the speed of your vehicle) you can travel by land between the bustle of Bangkok and the beaches of Ko Chang. This large hilly island offers a bit of everything: nightlife (of both the low-key and loud nightclub variety), jungle hikes, beautiful beaches, scenic temples, and a smattering of scuba diving and snorkelling. Ko Chang accommodations
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Honourable Mention Best Island Closest to Bangkok: Ko Samet and Ko Mun Nork (both of which are closer to Bangkok than Ko Chang). Best Nearly Undeveloped Island: Ko Tarutao So you want to get away from it all and live out your own version of Survivor (without the risk of being voted
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KO TARUTAO IS PART OF A NATIONAL NATIONAL PARK AND HAS BEEN LEFT TO ITS NATURAL BEAUTY. THE ISLAND IS TEAMING WITH WILDLIFE, BIRDS AND TURTLES ESPECIALLY.
IMAGE: KOH LIPE ISLAND
out of a tribe). Head to the island where actual Survivor reality show filmed its Thailand season: Ko Tarutao. Ko Tarutao is brilliant blip of beaches and palm trees surrounded by clear blue water off of Thailand’s west coast. There are no Full Moon Parties here, no large resorts and no internet cafes. (Neither are there banks or medical services). Ko Tarutao is part of a national national park and has been left to its natural beauty. The island is teaming with wildlife, birds and turtles especially. There’s excellent snorkeling a short swim from the beach. And there’s not much else. Which is exactly how travels to this gem of an island like it.
IMAGE: KOH LIPE ISLAND
Where To Stay: All accommodations on Ko Tarutao are run by the National Park. Guests have a choice of staying in a tent or a fan-cooled bungalow that, while not luxuriously, is comfortable enough to make a stay here pleasant. Getting There: There are three boats per day, in season, from Ko Lipe. If You Go: IMPORTANT—the travel season to Ko Tarutao is strictly from early November to the end of May. In the off-season the boats don’t run. IMAGE: KOH KHAI, A FAMOUS ISLAND IN TARUTAO MARINE NATIONAL PARK
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Brand new Gym on Beach road, PatonG, Phuket enjoy the fantastic views whilst you work out.
Facilities include;
• fully equiPPed fitness centre
• full air-conditioned
• muay thai BoxinG
• Bjj / mma / yoGa classes
• diet Plans and suPPlement advice • strenGth, x-fit and trx traininG • male and female sauna and steam rooms oPeninG times: 7am – 11Pm 7 days a week. daily, weekly, monthly and yearly rates availaBle.
www.facebook.com/maximum.muaythai MaxiMuM Fitness CoMbat Centre, LoMa Park, beaCh road , Patong Phuket.
www.maximumfitnessphuket.com
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ABSOLUTE THAI TRIATHLONS
IMAGE: STEPHANE SUBERT@ISEC PHOTOGRAPHER
TRIATHLONS A young and growing sport WORDS: Simon Wheeler
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exciting is that everyday age groupers get to race their times against elite/professional racers on the same day and at times starting alongside your idols.
s the sport of triathlon grows across the region with more events and participation on the rise, what are the origins of the sport and why have so many turned to this sport as a form of exercise?
Triathlons have witnessed rapid growth over the last decade. It is seen as the fastest growing sport in the world today.
A triathlon competition combines swimming, cycling, and running, in that order. Participants have to complete the course, and the first to do so wins the race. There is no time break between each section. The transitions between swimming and cycling, and between cycling and running, are part of the recorded time and added to your final accumulative times. Triathletes are both male and female. What makes triathlon additionally
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In Asia, we have huge growths with Japan itself boasting over 1million registered competitors and others following quickly behind. Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, China, and Hong Kong are all registering new events and race participation.
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IMAGE: STEPHANE SUBERT@ISEC PHOTOGRAPHER
TRIATHLETES ARE BOTH MALE AND FEMALE, WHAT MAKES TRIATHLON ADDITIONALLY EXCITING IS THAT EVERYDAY AGE GROUPERS GET TO RACE THEIR TIMES AGAINST ELITE/PROFESSIONAL RACES ON THE SAME DAY AND AT TIMES STARTING ALONGSIDE YOUR IDOLS.
Triathlon as a sport is still young. Dating back to the 1920s in France, the event was called “Les trois sports” – translated as “Three Sports” – which consisted of swimming across the channel Marne, a 12K bike ride, and a 3K run. What a sight that would have been! The sport went very quiet, and then resurfaced again in the early 1970s, the date many see as the official birth of the modern sport, a triathlon was held in California, USA on September 25th, 1974, and the rest is history. Triathlon joined the Olympics at the Sydney 2000 Games in Australia, with a single event for men and another for women further raising the interest and attention of the sport. Triathlon as a sport became a global household name. There are four major governing bodies: The ITU (International Triathlon Union), who head the Olympic distance events and grass roots races in over 130 countries. www.itutriathlon.com The Ironman brand, which has become known for the longer version of a triathlon, with races taking a maximum time of 17 hours to complete. www.ironman.com
IMAGE: STEPHANE SUBERT@ISEC PHOTOGRAPHER
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ABSOLUTE THAI TRIATHLONS
IMAGE: STEPHANE SUBERT@ISEC PHOTOGRAPHER
TRIATHLON AS A SPORT IS STILL YOUNG, DATING BACK TO THE 1920S IN FRANCE THE EVENT WAS CALLED “LES TROIS SPORTS” – TRANSLATED AS “THREE SPORTS”.
Challenge, originating in Germany, known as the Family race, boasts the largest race day participants of 5,000 race entrances and are spreading their brand name and event across the world. www.challenge.com Ultra Triathlon, seen to many as a completely separate sport, I have to include them in my list as it follows the rules of swim, bike, and run. This newer version of Triathlon is based on endurance and mental strength. www.iutasport.com Separate independent races are also growing, adding to the long list of races athletes can choose from. As a multi-sport event, Triathlon has seen its growth
IMAGE: STEPHANE SUBERT@ISEC PHOTOGRAPHER
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IMAGE: STEPHANE SUBERT@ISEC PHOTOGRAPHER
come from various sources. One major contributing factor came from the medical fraternity, those runners or cyclists who for years pounded the roads later in life were restricted by injury, doctors began advising athletes from various sports to consider swimming as a good form of recovery, health, and fitness without similar strains on the body. Runners were also asked to try cycling and cyclists to swim. A growing number of talented athletes began training multiple disciplines, but also finding a new sport enabling them to compete in.
AS THE SPORT GAINS IN POPULARITY TRIATHLON CLUBS WITH KIDS PROGRAMS ARE SEEN IN JUST ABOUT EVERY MAJOR CITY IN THE WORLD.
The newer generation of Triathletes coming through have been training in all three disciplines from a young age, raising the standards of professionalism. As the sport gains in popularity, Triathlon clubs with kids programs are seen in just about every major city in the world. The recent Olympics saw the triathlon watched on the streets of London by over 200,000 fans. To learn more about training and participating, details can be found at www.astc.triathlon.org (Asian Triathlon Confederation). For contact details outside of Asia, check with your local club.
IMAGE: GENERIC
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ABSOLUTE THAI NEWS
THE NAKA PHUKET OPENS WITH EXCLUSIVE PACKAGE OFFER
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n celebrating its soft opening, The Naka Phuket is offering an exclusive “Founder Package” from now until October 31, 2013.
6 nights now until November 30, 2013 can earn up to 3 complimentary nights, guests staying 4 nights will receive 2 complimentary nights and those staying for a minimum of 2 nights will be entitled to one complimentary night. For further details, please visit www.thenakaphuket.com.
The special package priced at Baht 28,547++ offers guests 2 nights’ villa accommodation with daily breakfast buffet, and complimentary round trip transfer from the airport and the resort, mini bar with daily replenishment and daily shuttle bus service to Patong. Extension nights are available for only Baht 14,274++ per night.
The Naka Phuket, located near the vibrant town and beach of Patong, is set to become the island’s premier integrated luxury pool villa resort. Nestled between its own private beach and lush greenery, the resort features 94 uniquely designed one, two and threebedroom luxury pool villas, each enjoying ocean and mountain views.
Guests taking advantage of this “Founder Package” will also receive an exclusive Founders Club Membership card, which will automatically grant them VIP status, including an invitation to plant a “Memory Tree” in front of their villa on their first visit at the resort. On each subsequent visit at The Naka Phuket, guests will be entitled to a special welcome cake or fruit basket, complimentary bottle of red wine and late checkout until 6:00 p.m., subject to availability.
The Naka Phuket 1/18, 1/20 Moo 6 Kamala, Kathu, Phuket 83150 Thailand Tel. 66 76-337 999 Fax. 66 76 337 990 E-mail : info@thenakapatong.com Website : www.thenakapatong.com
In addition, founding members can accumulate their stay until November 30, 2013 for free nights during January 11 - November 30, 2014. While those booking
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ABSOLUTE THAI NEWS
SKY TERRACE @ HANSAR BANGKOK H ansar Bangkok is a sanctuary of elegance, sophistication, and outstanding comfort in the heart of the city. With exceptional hospitality and highly personalized individual service, Hansar Bangkok offers the best of both worlds; a boutique experience with extremely spacious accommodation.
For those looking for a climate controlled cool environment there is the space indoors for the more formal events, business meetings, exclusive private VIP lunches and dinners with an exquisite menu prepared by the highly talented Chef Chatree with every aspect of the service tailored to each specific need.
There is a growing trend for entertaining, socialising, and partying at altitude on the roof with a cool balmy breeze and a unique city view. From here the view looks over the top of Four Seasons Bangkok to the top end of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club and Siam Square. Others use their roof terraces a commercial restaurants, but this can cause an issue when it has to be closed for a private function. Hansar has chosen to make theirs a dedicated party space.
But there are those break-free moments with the desire to breathe fresh air, sip on a coffee, indulge in a cigarette and feel the breeze in your hair. Escapes are essential to rejuvenate the creative thought process to be powered with brilliant suggestions for that next gruelling brain storming session. Networking is a key part of today’s business process. Share a beer from the circular illuminated bar at the far end of the terrace watching the sunset. Connections are what’s needed to make that next deal work.
Located on the 19th floor, Rooftop Sky Terrace offers a unique, elegant event space for weddings, private parties, cocktail, society, and networking events, Executive meetings with dining and coffee break facilities, as well as product launches and press events. The area is completely closed off from the hotel’s public areas, making it a totally private and intimate space for functions and events for up to 200 people.
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ABSOLUTE THAI NEWS
CENTARA KATA RESORT PHUKET NAMED TOP HOTEL FOR FAMILIES IN TRIPADVISOR 2013 TRAVELLERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
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12 years and sharing their parents’ room and bedding can stay free of charge. Self-catering facilities are included in many of the rooms.
The awards are based on the reviews and ratings of guests, which appear on the TripAdvisor website page for each specific property.
For more information and reservations:
entara Kata Resort Phuket has been named as one of Thailand’s top 10 hotels for families in the TripAdvisor 2013 Travellers’ Choice awards.
Representing its biggest-ever Travellers’ Choice campaign, TripAdvisor has named more than 6,000 award-winning properties around the world this year, with dedicated lists covering 82 countries and 9 regions.
Leisure amenities include three swimming pools, with an interconnected children’s pool complete with play slides. The Kids’ Club has professional child minders, and is separated into Camp Safari for the young ones, and E-Zone for the older children and teens.
Tel. +662 101 1234 ext 1 E-mail to reservations@chr.co.th Facebook: www.facebook.com/centarahotelsresorts Twitter: www.twitter.com/MyCentara
Centara Kata Resort Phuket received praise from guests for its location, rooms and amenities, and especially for the family accommodation and the attractions available for children. The resort is located at Phuket’s popular Kata Beach, and is ideal for family holidays, offering bed configurations such as a king bed with a rollaway bed and a sofa bed, or two queen beds, so that families can comfortably stay in one room. Up to two children under the age of
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ABSOLUTE THAI NEWS
PHUKET’S ‘HEAVEN OF HEAVENS’ PARESA OFFERS CUSTOMISED SERVICES AND PACKAGES FOR YOUR DREAM WEDDING!
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huket’s prestigious “Millionaire’s Mile” five-star hideaway, Paresa, is tailoring dream weddings for all tastes. With customised venue celebrations, menus and themes ranging from fireworks and flying lanterns to baby elephants and cabaret shows, Paresa is here to plan your wedding in style!
Creating a memorably moving experience amid lush tropical forests and gardens, one of Paresa’s wedding options is the ‘Miracle Lawn’ package, which invites couples to exchange vows as the sun sets over the most stunning panoramic view on the island, priced at THB111,000.
With breathtaking views overlooking Kamala Beach and the Andaman Sea, the idyllic luxury Phuket Resort, Paresa, is now among the world’s Top 10 Places to get married abroad and one of the world’s Top 10 Proposal Destinations.
A ‘Beachfront’ wedding, priced at THB131,000, is at the memorable setting of the exclusive Hua Beach, which is the idyllic setting for a picturesque beach wedding with the Andaman Sea as the background. Paresa is an oasis of tranquility and unrivalled luxury, and is a short 30-minutes from Phuket International Airport.
Paresa’s dedicated events team is now offering an easy-to-use and comprehensive wedding planner guide, with its own Wedding Guide Book detailing options and packages, as well as a step-by-step checklist to ensure your wedding arrangements run smoothly.
For more information, please contact: wedding@paresaresorts.com
The Wedding Guide at Paresa (www.paresaresorts. com/weddings-en.html) offers a variety of celebrations from a colourful Thai or beach wedding to a traditional western ceremony, tailored to any religious, romantic, or personalized ceremony desired.
ABSOLUTE THAI
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J U N E / J U LY 2 013
SaTUrday 9Th November
SUNday 10Th November
• Sprint Triathlon(750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) • 2013 Phuket ITU Long Distance Triathlon Series • Standard Distance Triathlon (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run) (3km swim, 80km bike, 20km run) • Relay Standard Distance (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run) • Kids International Triathlon Championships
broadcaST To over 336 mIllIoN vIewerS Globally
comPeTe IN ParadISe PHUKET’S FIRST ITU TRIATHLON 9th & 10th NOVEMBER 2013 reGISTer Now AT ITUPHUKETTRIATHLON.COM “I look forward to welcoming you to my beautiful home, Phuket” Jaray Jearanai, Current Thailand Triathlon Champion
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