PY O C E FRE£60m DIVORCE? MADNESS, SAYS MADONNA PAGE 4
XPRESS
DAILY
Friday, December 19, 2008 VOL 1, NO 242 dailyxpress.net
YOUR PM’S ON THE PHONE
Though many are complaining, some can’t wait to hear from our very own ‘Obamark’ >PAGE 2
WEEKEND TRAVEL
THE FUN climbs onto the roof of the Mekong Delta
2 TODAY
Friday, December 19, 2008
THE CITY Delicious
THE NUMBER of registered cellphone numbers in Thailand.
Bangkok governor candidate, actor Yuranun Pamornmontri, serves up a plate of ‘phad thai’ while visiting a market behind the Thai Airways International headquarters on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road yesterday.
DAILY XPRESS/KUNLAPHUN SIRIMAMPORN
surprise
HE’S A PEOPLE’S PM Our new premier starts his reign by wooing people directly – through SMS DAILY XPRESS
ike it or not, a message from our new PM Abhisit Vejjajiva maybe popping up on your cellphone. “I am your new PM. I would like to invite you to help our country pull out of the crisis. If you are interested in receiving my messages, please send your five-digit postal code to 9191.” One AIS subscriber, who chose to remain anonymous, says: “I quickly sent my postal code. I am eager to hear what he has to say. I don’t mind paying Bt3 for it.” At press time, she had not received a response. For those who got one, it reads: “I am Abhisit Vejjajiva.
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Please accept my thanks. I will be in touch with you shortly.”
From the horse’s mouth It wasn’t just text messages, some people got a message in their voicemail saying: “I am Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister. I am aware that people are suffering from many problems and stress. I am determined to serve the country to the best of my abilities. I would like to ask you to help, because without unity, my mission can never be successful.” MP Sirichok Sopha, a close aide of the PM, says the messages were sent out to encourage public participation.
“Cellphones allow us to reach people in all sectors, regardless of their gender and age,” he says. Plus, he says, the postal codes will help the Democrat Party identify the clusters of Abhisit supporters. The SMS idea came from Democrat MP Korn Chatikavanij, who is tipped to become the Finance Minister. “We hope this move will bring us closer to people,” he says, adding that asking cellphone operators to send out these messages wasn’t a violation of rights or the law.
So, who’s complaining? “Still, I would like to apologise if the message has upset anyone,” Korn says. Sirichok also says that cell-
DAILY XPRESS
phone operators stand a chance of making money. “If people respond, they get Bt3.” Korn and Sirichok were speaking after the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Institute’s director Saree Ongsomwang voiced concerns. “Our institute has received a lot of complaints about intrusive messages before,” Saree says, adding that the PM should keep in touch with his people via television and other media channels. Still, not everyone is complaining. “Advertisers bombard us every day anyway – Abhisit’s message is hardly this sort of junk,” a fan says. Many cellphone users are still waiting to hear from the PM. “I haven’t got the message yet,” one female fan said.
Some like it, some don’t Cellphone operators
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received instructions about sending out the text messages on behalf of the PM as early as Monday. True Move said it has sent 12 million such messages, but is yet to check how many people have responded. Advanced Info Service and Total Access Communi-cation only sent messages to their postpaid subscribers – all two million of them. AIS got 4,000 replies, while of the 600,000 DTAC subscribers who got the message, 1 per cent replied. Cellphone operators expect to finish sending the messages in a few days. Cellphone operators will not advertise for political parties, but they will volunteer if the request comes from the government.
Different reactions However, a telecom industry source says some subscribers called in to say they didn’t want the message. “You have to understand that there are some people who like this government and some who don’t,” said the source. Some users said they didn’t know how to reply, while others said they would rather not spend the Bt3. In fact, some said they felt their privacy was being compromised and plan to file charges against the prime minister. The Consumer Protection Institute of the National Telecommunications Commission says people can file their complaints with them. DAILY XPRESS
Editor: Tulsathit Taptim / Managing Editor: Thanong Khanthong / Deputy Managing Editors: Kumar Krishnan, Jintana Panyaarvudh / Design Editor: Leroy A Sylk Web Co-editors: Marisa Chimprabha, Paisal Chuenprasaeng / The City Editor: Chularat Saengpassa / The Fun Editor: Veena Thoopkrajae / Sport Editor: Preechachan Wiriyanupappong / Group Editor in Chief: Suthichai Yoon
>>DAILY XPRESS is edited by Tulsathit Taptim and published by NMG News Co Ltd, at 1854, Bang Na-Trat Road, Bangkok 10260, and printed by FOR DISPLAY ADVERTISING,PLEASE CALL (02) 338 3000 # 1 WPS (Thailand) Co Ltd, Tel (02) 338 3000, Fax (02) 338 3334. EDITORIAL: Tel (02) 338 3333. ON THE WEB: DAILYXPRESS.NET >>DAILY XPRESS is a supplement to subscriber copies of THE NATION with bonus distribution in selected areas of Bangkok and its environs every Monday to Saturday. The Sunday edition of DAILY XPRESS incorporates THE NATION. Subscription rates: one year Bt4,900 within regular delivery areas; please contact Customer Service on (02) 338 3000. For bulk copy subscription rates please call (02) 338 3532.
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GLOBETROT
Friday, December 19, 2008
THE WORLD Hail
Mary
DAILY XPRESS
2.1 bn The number of people around the world who are practising Christians
briefly Maddy’s deal ‘inaccurate’ Superstar Madonna and her former husband Guy Ritchie denied on Wednesday an “inaccurate” report that she had agreed to pay him up to £60 million (Bt3.2 billion) in a divorce deal. But the couple, who were granted a “quickie” divorce last month, said they were “happy” with the terms of their separation, stressing that the welfare of their children was the most important to them. – AFP
AP
No cake for ‘Hitler’ A young clown called ‘Little Teeth’ holds up an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe at the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City on Wednesday. Hundreds of clowns made their annual pilgrimage to the Basilica to pay their respects to the Virgin – Mexico’s Patron Saint.
Indian TV faces new controls AFP, New Delhi
ndian broadcasters have produced a new set of rules on covering live events after accusations that their TV footage helped militants during the Mumbai attacks, an industry body said yesterday.
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Keep out the gore The guidelines ban the broadcasting of information that could reveal security operations, of live phone-ins and gory images, reported the Indian Express. Similar regulations are already in place in the United States, Britain and Canada. Indian news channels were heavily criticised for their coverage of the Mumbai siege, with one station broadcasting a telephone conversation with two of the gunmen who killed 163 people over three days.
OLIVER TWIST DIDN’T STARVE Dickens may have taken fiction too far, says study on Victorian workhouses AFP, Paris
octors writing in the British Medical Journal say they have uncovered the gruel truth behind the Victorian workhouse. Charles Dickens, they contend, was exaggerating when he portrayed Oliver Twist driven to the brink of starvation by a miserly diet of watery porridge. In fact, the food provided under 1834 Poor Law Act, which set up workhouses for the destitute in mid-19th-century UK, was dreary but nutritious enough for children of Oliver’s age. In “Oliver Twist”, Dickens wrote, the orphans were given
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“three meals of thin gruel a day, with an onion twice a week and half a roll on Sunday.”
Enough for survival Four medical experts say such a diet would have killed or crippled the children, inflicting anaemia, scurvy, rickets and other diseases. One keysource for their research was a treatise written in 1843 – five years after “Oliver Twist” came out – by a physician, Jonathan Pereira. He found that the guardians of the poor had a choice of six “workhouse dietaries”. On the basis of Pereira’s figures, using a recipe for water
gruel taken from a 17th-century English cook book, the authors calculate Oliver would have had around 1.76 litres of “substantial” gruel per day, comprising 106 grams of top-quality oatmeal. This would not have be the only source of food. Pereira details “considerable amounts” of beef and mutton that were delivered to individual London workhouses. “The diet described by Dickens would not have supported a nine-year-old child, but the published workhouse diets would have met that need,” the paper says. They suggest, Dickens’ attack on the workhouses may have come from his own deprived childhood, after his father was imprisoned for debt.
A store in the US has defended a decision to reject a request to inscribe Adolf Hitler on a birthday cake. “We have standards and principles by which we decorate and we were exercising them,” a spokesperson said. Heath Campbell, 35, father of Adolp Hitler Campbell, in the two previous years had been turned down for asking a swastika be put on the cake. Campbell’s two other children are named Joycelynn Aryan Nation and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie, an apparent reference to the head of the Nazi SS, Heinrich Himmler. – DPA
No-good douche The belief that Coca-Cola works as a spermicide is nothing but an urban legend. Deborah Anderson, a professor in obstetrics at Harvard, says that Coca-Cola douches were sometimes used in 1950s and 1960s in the belief that the drink’s acidity killed sperm. But, she says, there is no evidence to suggest it works – and plenty of reasons to suggest it could cause harm. She said an old study on the subject had recently been resurrected and had won the spoof Nobel. She was afraid the news surrounding this award may bring back the legend. – AFP
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Friday, December 19, 2008
DAILY XPRESS
THE FUN.
TRAVEL
NEXT STOP
Wonderful Phi Phi The New7Wonders Foundation, promoting awareness of the beauty of the world’s heritage, both man-made and natural, and the danger of its destruction and decay, is again inviting votes for the new seven wonders of nature at
VIETNAM
www.New7Wonders.com. Among the international favourites is Thailand’s Koh Phi Phi.
The short-listed nominees will be announced next July next year with the winners hitting the list in 2011.
See sea planes Dive a kilometre from the natural coral reef off Phuket’s Bang Tao Beach, and you can observe the 10 aircraft – four Douglas C-47 Dakota Skytrains and six Sikorsky S-58T helicopters – submerged in November to create an artificial coral reef and diving site. Corals will form a new reef along each craft, providing a new habitat for marine fauna and allowing the ecological system to eventually rehabilitate itself.
Songkhla’s glowing wonders From now till the end of February, Hat Yai District in Songkhla is all lit up for the Lantern Festival. Dubbed “The Colours of the South”, the free fest features glowing wonders under categories like Fabulous International Lantern, Amazing Birds, and World of Kids. For information, call Hat Yai Tourism Office at (074) 238 518.
Amazing Angkor Till January 31, Cambodia’s Angkor Wat showcases its annual lightand-sound performance “The Legend of Angkor Wat”, a retelling of the history behind the spectacular ancient ruin and the Khmer empire. The one-hour nightly performance starts at 8pm and costs Bt2,100. A buffet dinner is Bt890 extra. Tickets for the show are available through Thaiticketmajor and www.AngkorWatShow.com.
The Mekong’s
mystic mountain A dizzying ride to the top of Forbidden mountain leads to a summit lost in forest melodies and wintry mist
Call (02) 262 3456. By Phan Trong An A N N , Vietnam
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he interlacing waterways of the Mekong Delta feed busy floating markets and luxuriant orchards, but tourists who want to get off the beaten track should head for higher ground. That Son (Seven Mountains) in Vietnam’s An Giang province is the only mountain range in the delta, and Cam Son – Forbidden Mountain – is its highest peak. Arriving at the foot of the
Cam Son, our group had a choice to make: slog to the top on foot, or let motorbike taxis take the strain on the seven-kilometre road to the summit. “A one-way trip is 50,000 dong (Bt100), a round trip 80,000,” says a friendly taxi guy, who introduces himself as Pham Tuan Thanh. Deal done, we roar off and up the steep and winding route. “Experienced riders remember every pothole on this steep
and inhospitable terrain,” he shouts, calming my nerves as we zip through bends above dizzying drops. Our first stop is Thanh Long, a dazzling ribbon of white water that dashes over mountain boulders at incredible speed. There’s not much time to stand gawking at this spectacle before we’re off again, racing up the road to the Phat Lon (Big Buddha) pagoda. All that’s left from the ravages of the Vietnam War are the foun-
Friday, December 19, 2008
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3,143
METRES The height of Mount Fansipan, Vietnam’s tallest peak.
HOT CINDERS Asia’s Broadway star sizzles as Cinderalla at the Bangok ball. >Page 8
Good deal Eco bliss on Koh Lanta Eco resort and spa Langham Place on Krabi’s Koh Lanta has adding an extra touch of class with its in-room enhancements. There’s a selection of pillow types, an aromatherapy essential-oil burner and fragrant candles and a journal for your dreams, plus personal sarongs, slippers, umbrellas and beach bags. Check it out at http://Krabi.LanghamPlaceHotels.com.
The wild at your back A sanctuary on the doorstep of a sanctuary, the Anantara Si Kao is on the edge of Chao Mai National Park, with its lovely Andaman Sea coast and untouched islands. There are 138 rooms, each with a private balcony overlooking either the ocean or the tropical garden designed Bill Bensley. An hour’s drive from Krabi airport you can sail, water ski, kayak, windsurf and snorkel. Visit http://SiKao.Anantara.com.
Nova’s bigger and better The Nova Platinum Hotel, an Amari associate, is adding a new wing next year, along with extra comfort and services, including connecting rooms and a new restaurant, Kiara. The hotel has free Internet throughout, and guests can enjoy the fitness centre, the outdoor pool with its own bar, waterslide and Jacuzzi, and a range of leisure and business services. Visit www.Amari.com/NovaPlatinum.
dations and a small sanctuary, but we still find hundreds of worshippers gathered round the large Buddha statue inside. This image is dwarfed though by the eight-storey-high statue of Maitreya Buddha that stands in a hollow surrounded by trees higher up the mountain. It’s visible from all over the mountain but is probably best viewed from Van Linh pagoda, where we stop for a bite to eat. Van Linh’s bell-tower, ninestorey pagoda and temple, lying against a spectacular mountain backdrop 535m above sea level,
draw Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world. I reward myself for making the trip with a serving of banh xeo (rice pancake filled with shrimp, meat and vegetables), a speciality of Cam Son. Bo Hong peak at the top of the mountain is our final destination, at 716m above sea level. Dominating the horizon that opens up around us are Ta Lon mountain to the west and Co To mountain to the south. Slivers of cloud cut through the scenery, showing just how high we are. Spending the night on the “roof of the Mekong Delta” is an unfor-
gettable experience. It costs only 5,000 dong for a small place at Bo Hong with all the necessities: a mosquito net, blanket, mat and pillow. As night falls the temperature drops, and a whistling wind harmonises with the faint tolling of a pagoda’s bell. But I can hardy sleep; my mind is still swirling with the atmosphere of the place. I spend my time watching the people and the place gradually enveloped in a wintry mist. It’s only with the glow of dawn that spring seems to return to the mountain its forests.
Beach deals in Hua Hin Until December 28 enjoy terrific prices at Let’s Sea in the beach town Hua Hin. The chic, al fresco inn is offering 20-per-cent discounts in its Eco-Chic Living promotion, so you can stay in the Studio Pier for Bt4,200+ or a romantic Moon Deck Suite for Bt5,000. Add the benefits of the Z-Luxe Club for Bt5,200. The offer doesn’t apply to Saturdays, and you should reserve at www.LetUsSea.com.
8 THE FUN
Friday, December 19, 2008
WKND.EVENTS 2
DAILY XPRESS
MINUTES was all it took for tickets for British band Blur’s reunion concert next year to be sold out.
T H E AT R E R E V I E W
ONE SLIPPER SHORT Broadway Asia’s ‘Cinderella’ is strictly for kids – and fans of Lea Salonga Singing by Lea Solanga, playing the title role, is the highlight of the production.
By Pawit Mahasarinand S P E C I A L T O D A I LY XPRESS
he posters for “Cinderella” carry the Asian Broadway star’s name as big as the play’s title, even bigger than “Rodgers and Hammerstein”, the songwriting dream team who gave the show its music for a live TV broadcast starring Julie Andrews. It was understandably one of their least successful efforts and never made it to Broadway. But if the star, Lea Salonga, is the reason you want to see “Cinderella” on its 30-week Asian tour, which started in Manila in July and has crossed China, that’s a darned good reason. Her voice is heavenly, so good that it’s a major disappointment there is no castrecording CD of the show. Her portrayal of the young housemaid-turned-princess is filled with charm, sincerity and, to use a word from the show, effervescence. Costume designer Renato Balestra harms the actress towards the end, though, because the Princess’ gown unfortunately makes Salonga look like the young Prince’s stepmother.
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XTRA YO U R C A R R I A G E AWA I T S >> “Cinderella” is being staged at the Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre at the Esplanade. >> The show is at 7.30pm daily until Sunday with 2pm matinees tomorrow and Sunday. >> Tickets are Bt1,000 to Bt4,000 at Thaiticketmajor. >> Check for more shows at www.Rachadalai.com.
In one frequently reprised song, “impossible things are happening every day”. That’s true, but they’re not happening everywhere. Cinderella’s magical evening at the ball ends at midnight, but for many viewers on Wednesday night, the end came much earlier.
By the book Director Bobby Garcia’s staging is pretty much by the book, except for a few minor changes, notably in the role of the Fairy Godmother. Charlie Parker, despite her supernatural role, brings much wit, compassion and humanity to the role. Other characters, from the Stepmother and her daughters to the King, Queen and Prince come out flat and stereotypical, like old-fashioned Disney characters. “Disney on Ice” has already taken care of that. The outdated and thrifty production was obviously designed with a hectic travel schedule in mind. Even a magical moment like the pumpkin being turned into a carriage doesn’t get any appreciative gasps. If your budget only allows for one show, save it for “Chicago” – the tickets cost the same.
Cinderella’s ugly stepsisters fall flat. The Fairy Godmother brings better comic relief.
Friday, December 19, 2008
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DAILY XPRESS
$240,000
WAS THE PRICE of an original ‘Star Wars’ light sabre auctioned off last week in Hollywood.
WKND.EVENTS The best triple bill ever
Bollywood
dance fever The current No 1 Bollywood film, “Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi” (“Match Made in Heaven”), is back in Bangkok cinemas for a second weekend after its big opening last week. Shahrukh Khan stars in this story about the transformation of a soberly dressed middle-aged man who falls in love with a funloving younger woman (Anushka Sharma), and the pair then enter a reality-TV dance show. It has grossed around US$12.5 million (Bt437.5 million) worldwide. Showtimes are at 8 tonight and tomorrow and at 4pm on Sunday at SF World at CentralWorld. It’s in Hindi with English subtitles. Call (089) 488 2620 or see www.BollywoodThai.com.
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Emotions unleashed
Three favourite acts – Palmy,
Modern Dog and Groove Riders – team up for the all-acoustic “Groove My Dog Unplugged Concert” next Friday in Muang Thong Thani. They’ll perform specially rearranged songs backed by a brass band, from a central stage with seats all around. The show starts at 8. Tickets are Bt1,000 to Bt2,500, available at Thaiticketmajor. Call (02) 262 3456.
STREE T SHOW
Handlebar hijinks
Brotherly riddims
James Yogi is the ‘spokes’-man for crazy bicycle stunts. Watch him fly this weekend By Manta Klangboonkrong
XTRA
D A I LY X P R E S S
ho wants to watch a guy ride a bicycle? Well actually, James Yogi doesn’t so much ride a bike as perform the impossible. The Brazilian-born Japanese BMX champ is strutting his wheels for the International Street Show in Lumpini Park. He juggles, jumps rope, swings, spins and otherwise puts a pair of tyres through some pretty fancy hoops. A competitor since his teens, Yogi won the Brazilian BMX Championship and stardom with his uniquely smooth style. “I like to ride and have fun with it. I can’t think of anything else I enjoy more.” Speaking through Yogi an interpreter, he says because he enjoys it so much, “I want to make other people happy when they see me. I love to hear people laugh.” Then comes the master-of-his trade balloon popper: “Definitely do not try to do what
W AWARD-WINNING ARTIST Santi Thongsuk presents “The Rhythm of the Heart” tomorrow through January 17 at Phuket’s D Gallery. You’ll be inspired by his depictions of the unified mind and body. The gallery is at the Royal Phuket Marina and open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 to 7 and Sundays from noon to 6. See www.DGallery.co.th.
Gangsters on Valentine’s Day THERE WILL BE 15 performances of the hit musical “Chicago” from February 12 to 22 at the Muangthai Ratchadalai Theatre at the Esplanade. The New York production with a multinational cast has played more than 250 cities. Murder, greed, violence, adultery … and dancing – all this for Bt1,000 to Bt4,000 per seat through Thaiticketmajor. Call (02) 262 3456. ‘Chicago’ comes to Bangkok in February.
IT’S ALL FREE >> The International Street Show also features acrobats Dabu from Japan and South Korea, mimes S’il Vous Plait and the Grego puppetry show from the US. >> It’s on from 3 to 9 until Sunday in Lumpini Park. >> For more details, see www.BangkokStreetShow.com.
Overtone on RCA hosts a ska jam session tomorrow night featuring Thailand’s Kai-Jo Brothers and South Africa’s Sibling Rivalry. The Kai-Jos’ rasta hip-hop will contrast nicely with the Siblings’ ska-punk. Get in and get two drinks for Bt300. Details at www.Overtone.tv.
Paintings of pooches I do without proper training. It can be very dangerous.” Got that, kids? And, if the tricks start to get a little stale, he’ll whip out something fresh. He surprised even himself, for example, by assembling a bicycle so small it can fit in a lunchbox – and riding it. His shows also involve stage props that add to the delight for spectators young and old. “I hope Thai people will like my act,” he says. “I’ll do my best and bring a lot of tricks.”
Sad-eyed stray dogs never
looked so adorable as they do in “Looking Dog ... Dog Looking ... The Abandoned Beauty”, an exhibition of paintings by Vittaya Sudprasert at the Gossip Gallery until January 18. Have a scrounge any day but Sunday from 10.30 to 8.30, on Sukhumvit Soi 28. Call (02) 258 6247 or have a peek at www.GossipGalleryBkk.com.
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ALTERNATIVE / SOHO
DAILY XPRESS
The
so-ho-t
magic
History in the making
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All eyes are still on the UN General Assembly at which more than 60 countries (at last count and still increasing) are expected to voice their support for France’s statement to reaffirm human rights regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. At the press time, it’s still not clear whether Thailand, after the meeting between local LGBTI activists and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be among them. This is after all the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
of Mika Eat your hearts out ladies – the Middle Eastern pop sensation has taken the gay world by storm By Paisarn Likhitpreechakul SPECIAL TO D A I LY X P R E S S
The Passion
ome personal indulgences shouldn’t be shared with the rest of the world, but when they’re as pretty as Mika, you know the world will forgive you. The Beirut-born artist burst onto the music scene two years ago with an irresistible flamboyance in his debut album “Life in Cartoon Motion”.
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The Passion Love & Dance Party on Sunday evening features J Jetrin Wattanasin, Christina Aguilar, Jennifer Kim and Saowalak “Amp” Leelabutr. The venue is Santika club on Ekamai. Click www.PDCreation.com for ticket prices and other details.
First Hong Kong Gay Pride
UNIVERSAL MUSIC (THAILAND)
Some 1,200 people turned out for Hong Kong’s first official Gay Pride parade last Saturday, which was organised by Rainbow of Hong Kong,
Midnight Blue, the Social Movement Resource Centre and the Women Coalition, with the support from two dozens other groups. Many of the participants came from mainland Chinese cities and Hong Kong’s expatriate community. Hong Kong decriminalised homosexuality in 1991, but the age of consent for homosexuals is set at 21 (compared to 16 for heteros) with violations punishable by up to life in prison.
Friday, December 19, 2008
His bubbly “Love Today” is already familiar to Thai ears from a TV commercial and his appearance at the Brit Awards has been shown on local cable a few times. But to truly experience Mika, one has to watch his recent “Live in Paris” performance (now available here on DVD). For yours truly, it’s a musical climax – in more ways than one.
Even while writing this confession, I feel embarrassed for conveniently forgetting the fact that I’m already double the age of most of Mika’s fans. It feels silly falling for a younger guy, butterflies in the stomach and all. Am I not too old for this? But it feels so good – just like “sucking too hard on a lollypop”. Following Britain’s tradition of pretty boy singer/songwriters, Mika’s gorgeous Middle Eastern looks and slight physique are a winning formula. More importantly, he packs more talent in his cocktail pinkie than all the boy bands and girl gangs can together muster in their musical sweat shops. Such unapologetic flamboyance and formidable talent makes it no wonder that he’s often compared to Freddie Mercury – not least for the falsetto.
With such hits as “Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)”, “Lollipop” and “Relax (Take It Easy)”, he makes camp cool with the kind of infectious fun that the intellectual Rufus Wainwright can’t imagine. But my teenage crush on Mika is about more than just high camp. Whatever his sexual orientation, Mika is not afraid to talk about man-onman love, calling the eponymous gay character in his hit “Billy Brown”, a “victim of the times”. The ironically titled “Happy Ending” is probably the most beautiful song to hate the whole world by, while “Any Other World” tells you to “say goodbye to the world you thought you live in.” Perfect if you’re trapped on a desert island. Bravo!
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Share ideas on gay issues via email to asiantrekker@yahoo.com.
I’M ALREADY DOUBLE THE AGE OF MOST OF MIKA’S FANS.IT FEELS SILLY FALLING FOR A YOUNGER GUY, BUTTERFLIES IN THE STOMACH AND ALL.
ENTERTAINMENT
DAILY XPRESS
Friday, December 19, 2008
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T H E AT R E P R E V I E W
Lost in the human zoo The Bangkok Theatre Festival has ended, but the lights are still on at the Makhampom Studio By Pawit Mahasarinand S P E C I A L T O D A I LY XPRESS
an “The Zoo Story” – the 1959 play by American Edward Albee, about a man’s summer idyll in the park being interrupted by a stranger’s extraordinary story – resonate in today’s Thailand? The absurdist drama with the shock ending has been a favourite of Arthri Vanichtrakul since he read it in college. Now he’s directing it for the Bangkok Troupers, who earlier this year gave us “The Mind Game” and “The M Project”. The play deals with social disparity and the isolation of modern existence, but Arthri is drawn in particular to its theme of individuals failing to communicate. “It’s closer to us than we think,” says the Bangkok University lecturer who previously guided “Rashomon” and “Na Rak Na Ron”. “We might not consider this American masterpiece very
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XTRA LAST PLAY OF THE YEAR
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relevant to us. Albee was specific in creating the play’s two characters, but we’re all like them in many ways. “The play gives me an image of a cage – each individual living in a cage, framed by many bonds,” he says. “We know that, if we break free once in a while and get to understand one another better, we may be happier, but we frequently choose not to.” English-major graduate
Nithina Preechatavekij spent almost a year translating Albee’s original under the supervision of veteran director Dangkamon Na Pombejra. The Sao Soong Theatre Group’s Kiiti Meechaikhet and Korapoch Suebchompoo, both BU alumni, form the cast. English surtitles will be projected.
tonight through Sunday and December 26 to 28 at the Makhampom Studio at the Saphan Kwai intersection, near the Saphan Kwai Skytrain station. >> Showtime is 7.30, and
there are second shows at 4pm on the Saturdays and Sundays. Book seats for Bt200 by calling (08) 660 0657 or e-mailing ArtsHub@hotmail.com.
THE PLAY DEALS WITH SOCIAL DISPARITY AND THE ISOLATION OF MODERN EXISTENCE.
DAILY XPRESS/ DARANAT DENKIRIYADEELERD
>> See “The Zoo Story”
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AFTER DARK
Friday, December 19, 2008
DAILY XPRESS
clubscene
DJ Adam Freeland Tonight Club Culture Sri Ayutthaya Road (BTS: Phya Thai) (02) 642 5499 www.Club-Culture-Bkk.com Dress code; ID A major presence on the international clubbing and festival circuits, Freeland recently featured on the best-selling mix series “Global Underground” alongside Sasha and James Lavelle. Admission with a drink is Bt650, but tickets are selling for Bt500 now at the Sripoom Espresso Bar, Cafe Democ and Superzaap Store.
afterda
Shades II: Illuminate 808 RCA, Zone C (02) 203 1043 www.808Bangkok.com The second Shades series promises bigger and brighter thrills, with quality electro house from Bangkok’s favourites. The party includes insane lighting, huge lasers, strobes, smoke machines and lots of rave. Don’t forget your shades! Entry is Bt450 with a drink.
Spectrum: Back to the Summer of Love III Tomorrow Synergy (formerly Sin Bar) Sukhumvit Soi 2 (BTS: Nana) It’s been 20 years since the birth of house music, and the movement is still going strong.
The third and this year’s last series of acid-house raves moves to the newly refurbished Synergy. Tickets with a drink are Bt200 for gals and Bt300 for guys.
BKK D&B Sessions Tomorrow 808. RCA Want a drum and bass fix? Bangkok’s most respected drum and bass DJs - Dragon, Paulie, Pichy and T-Base – serve some up front and old skool mixes. Entry with a drink is Bt150.
COURTESY OF BED SUPPERCLUB
Tonight
Hot Spanish blood Jesse Garcia is not about to let dancers ‘Off Da Hook’ at Bed tonight By Manta Klangboonkrong D A I LY X P R E S S
esse Garcia loves the Big Mango so much he just can’t keep away. This time, Spain’s hottest DJ is clocking in as Bed Supperclub’s first foreign resident. The momentum for Garcia started building in the late ’80s, when the then-14-yearold started spinning at a small club in his hometown. It wasn’t long before he became one of the scene’s most aspiring dance masters, with scratchy, trippy house tunes that blend harmoniously with Spanish tribal and Latin flavours. Though he enjoys classical music and reading comic books, Garcia’s been a professional DJ for 20 years, a decade of that spent producing. Garcia is among the few
J
Spanish DJs who’s had global exposure and sales. He recently scored a nomination for “the most fluent digital download” from music website Beatport, as did such famous figures as Axwell, Robbie Riviera and Dirty South. His mega-hit “Off Da Hook” hit No 1 on Beatport’s download chart and became a
dancefloor anthem all over Europe. When he’s not in the studio, Garcia is at a party – somewhere in the world. He’s a resident at Roger Sanchez’s Stealth Records Parties that roam the planet, and just finished a fresh remix for Sanchez’s upcoming “Release Yourself” compilation series.
XTRA NO ONE SLEEPS
>> Catch Jesse Garcia at Bed Supperclub tonight from 10.30. Tickets are Bt1,000 with two drinks. >> Get into Bed on Sukhumvit Soi 11 via the Nana Skytrain station. Call (02) 651 3537 for more, or head to www.BedSupperclub.com.
Friday, December 19, 2008
CELEBRITY 13
DAILY XPRESS
Jason Statham brings the goods once again in ‘Transporter 3’ By Michael Sragow T H E B A LT I M O R E S U N
s Bacon, the small-time scam artist in “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”, Jason Statham worked comically hard to be a hard guy. As Terry Leather in one of this year’s best action films, “The Bank Job”, Statham embodied to just the right point of imperfection the longing to make a killing that also could change your life. But as Frank Martin, aka The Transporter, Statham is one cool customer – he keeps all his energy coursing beneath the surface. A former Special Forces operative who lives in weird Spartan luxury on the French Mediterranean, Martin offers super-swift automotive transport of goods or people, no questions asked, for the right price. Statham brings an actor’s craft and a star personality to the role; he gives a clean performance in the slovenly genre of the espionage-cum-carnage film. “Transporter 3” proves that he’s overdue for superstardom. And if you’re addicted to action, it will put you in adrenaline-freak heaven. The director, Olivier Megaton (Is he an auteur or a new Transformer?), as well as Corey Yuen, the martialarts choreographer, and series creators Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen are themselves savvy pros when it comes to delivering packages. They turn a martial-arts vehicle into a guessing game: How human is this sleek transporter anyway? They know how to make us root for the transporter – never more so than in “Transporter 3”.
A
The man has rules Martin is a man with a code, and his code is strictly pragmatic: “Never change the deal. No names. Never look in the package.” In the previous films, we were drawn to him simply because Statham convinced us that there was a line he would not cross and that his conscience was clear. In “Transporter 3”, he breaks his rules more flagrantly than ever for the sake of his latest package – a
Jason Statham returns for his third turn as driver Frank Martin in ‘Transporter 3’.
A C T I O N S TA R
Special delivery Ukrainian beauty named Valentina (Natalya Rudakova) – and, in the process, might prevent an ecological catastrophe. As Frank races with Valentina from France to Odessa, “Transporter 3” contains several chases and fights that outdo anything in the new Bond film. Of course, there are automotive stunts that manage to put you into free-fall, especially when Frank balances his super-souped-up auto on one side to squeeze between two trucks during a high-speed chase. His hands are lethal weapons even when he’s not in the driver’s seat. He operates like a martialartist surgeon, taking apart the competition whether it looms over him en masse or sends out a thug. The action is relentless.
Frank’s Audi is put through its paces as he squeezes between two big rigs during a high-speed chase.
What makes it all work is that Frank remains a self-made hero. He needs little more to quell an angry gang than his dark suit, white shirt and tie; along with any props at hand, they become the Transporter’s
mighty arsenal. In “Transporter 3”, the man makes the clothes, and not the other way around. > > “Transporter 3” is playing in cinemas.
14
THE SCREEN
Friday, December 19, 2008
TO SEE
DAILY XPRESS
‘THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL’ was the No 1 in North America last week, earning US$30.4 million.
on tv
Pride and G lory
Hard to Kill Revenge is the name of the game as a cop hunts down his wife’s killers in this highoctane action movie starring Steven Seagal. Cinemax (TrueVisions), 8pm
Mr Bean’s Holiday The bumbling Mr Bean goes to Cannes, where he accidentally separates a boy from his dad and must now bring them back together. Rowan Atkinson stars. HBO (TrueVisions), 8pm
102 Dalmatians Cruella DeVil (Glenn Close) gets out of prison and goes after them darned puppies once more. Star Movies (True/Visions), 9.35pm
Brainchild Students from King Mongkut’s University of Technology show their new creation – a voicecontrolled wheelchair. Channel 3, 4pm
Channel links www.NationChannel.com Channel 3 – www.ThaiTV3.com Channel 5 – www.TV5.co.th Channel 7 – www.CH7.com Modernine – www.MCOT.net NBT – TV11.prd.go.th Thai PBS – www.ThaiPBS.or.th True – www.TrueVisionsTV.com
A family of N ew York City Po against each other in the lice officers are pitted investigatio that went h n orribly wron g. Stars Edw of a drug bust Farrell, Noah ard Norton, Emmerich a Colin nd Jon Voigh t. ★★★
don’t miss! Chulalongkorn International Film Festival This year’s biggest hit South Korean movie is fea-
tured this week at the Chulalongkorn University International Film Festival. In “The Chaser” (“Chugyeogja”), a former police detective turned pimp (Yun-seok Kim) is having a bad day. Two of Jung-yo’s girls are missing, one with his car. Another girl has called in sick. He’s strapped for cash and owes money to some mighty unsavoury characters – guys even worse than he is. So Jung-yo makes the fateful decision to make the sick girl work anyway. Soon, he discovers that he’s just sent her to service a client who is likely a serial killer. This gritty, action-packed thriller screens at 5 today. The movie is on DVD with English subtitles. Admission is free. The festival continues next Friday and then from January 23 to February 6. The screenings are in Room 503 on the fifth floor of the Boromrajkumaree Building. Call (02) 218 4802 or visit ChulaFilmFest.multiply.com. – Daily Xpress
Transporter 3 Driver Frank Martin (Jason Statham) has a new assignment: deliver the feisty daughter of a Ukrainian official from Marseilles to Odessa. For added excitement, Martin is fitted with a bracelet that will explode if he fails to make his delivery on time. ★★
Happy Birthday Director Pongpat Wachirabunjong’s follow-up to “Me … Myself” stars Ananda Everingham as Ten, a photographer who becomes close to Pao (Chayanan Manomaisantiphap) while working on a travel book. The two vow to stay together until
death do them part and when Pao falls into a coma, Ten proves he is a man of his word. With
Earthlings of their impending doom. Jennifer Connelly also stars. Also at Krungsri
English subtitles at some cinemas.
IMAX. ★★★
The Day the Earth Stood Still In this update of the 1951 sci-fi classic, Keanu Reeves plays an alien who comes to warn
‘Happy Birthday’ stars Chayanan Manomaisantiphap and Ananda Everingham.
Saw V Jigsaw might be dead, but his grisly traps live on. Costas Mandylor stars as a detective trying to piece things together. At SF Cinemas. ★
Friday, December 19, 2008
THE SCREEN 15
DAILY XPRESS
TO SEE
‘FOUR CHRISTMASES’ was No 2 in North America last week. It earned US$13 million.
on dvd REGION 1
nage The Orpha wakens old memories fornr Laanudrao
child a rlos (Fe An adopted and her husband Ca old orphanage ) a d creeky (Belen Rue le buys the past begins to p u co e th Soon the Cayo), and d are was raised. t’s imagine i where Laura what’s real and wha ha T d n a nd glish haunt her a . In Spanish with En see ★★★ difficult to e Scala. ★ t th subtitles a
Ong Bak 2 After witnessing his parents’ death, the son of a nobleman (Phanom “Tony Jaa” Yeerum) grows up to become a fierce young warrior, skilled in many martial arts, and has only a taste for vengeance. Sorpapong Chatree also stars. With English subtitles at some cinemas. ★★★★
Beverly Hills Chihuahua A pampered lap dog named Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore) finds herself accidentally lost in the mean streets of Mexico. ★★
Twilight A teenage girl (Kristen Stewart) risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire (Robert
Ikigami Imagine an ugly future in which the government randomly selects individuals under the age of 24 for sudden death – and taps others to deliver the death warrants. Such is the vile realm on display in this dark and disturbing Japanese science-fiction saga from director Tomoyuki Takimoto. In Japanese with English and Thai subtitles at the Siam.
Pattinson). Based on the first book in a series of novels by Stephenie Meyer. ★★★
bled Takeo. In Japanese with Thai and English subtitles at House.
Tokyo Sonata
Haa Thaew
Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s dark drama is about a Japanese family that disintegrates after its patriarch loses his job. In
Produced by the man who etched the tiger on
★★★★
Angelina Jolie’s back, spiritual tattoo master Noo Kanpai, this action drama tells the story of a man empowered by an inked alphabet. With English subtitles at some cinemas.
Japanese with Thai and English subtitles at House and the Lido.
A Christmas Story Little Ralphie only wants one thing for Christmas – a Red Ryder BB gun. But the new “25th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition” of this laugh-filled holiday classic offers more, including commentary by actor Peter Billingsley and director Bob Clark, a documentary and script pages of deleted scenes. You’ll shoot your eye out! – Washington Post
Apex Lido: (02) 252 6498 Siam: (02) 251 3508 Scala: (02) 251 2861 www.ApexSiam-Square.com
★★★★
The Duchess Century – The Movie Plaza
Keira Knightley plays Georgiana Cavendish, a beautiful and clever woman who becomes a celebrity of British high society when she marries the Duke of Devonshire.
(02) 247 9940 www.CenturyTheMoviePlaza.com
House (02) 641 5913-4 www.HouseRama.com
At the Lido. ★★★
Major Cineplex/EGV Bangkok: (02) 515 5555 www.MajorCineplex.com
Burn After Reading In this black comedy by the Coen brothers, a disk containing the memoirs of a fired CIA agent (John Malkovich) ends up in the hands of two unscrupulous gym employees (Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand). At the Lido and Paragon Cineplex. ★★★★
Kids Asato (Teppei Koike) has the power to transfer other people’s wounds to his own body. His strange healing powers lead to a friendship with the trou-
Paragon Cineplex (02) 129 4635 IMAX: (02) 129 4631 www.ParagonCineplex.com
SF Cinemas Bangkok: (02) 268 8888 www.SFCinemaCity.com
Toi et Moi
Vista
The lovelorn Ar iane word balloons fo (Julie Depardieu) scripts ra magazine You an photo-novella in the d Me. She’s used to seeing l’amour in her fic tion, and this co lours how she sees her ow n relationships. Mea her cellist sister Lena (Marion Co nwhile, tillard) is dealing with he r own budding romances. In French with En glish
House.
and Thai subt itles at
Chiang Mai: (053) 894 415 www.ChiangMaiVista.com
Critical consensus ★★★★★ = Must see! ★★★★ = Solidly entertaining ★★★ = It’s okay ★★ = Barely watchable ★ = Don’t bother
16
Close to Home By John McPherson
LEISURE
Pooch Cafe
The Buckets
Adam
Calvin and Hobbes
By Brian Basset
By Paul Gilligan
By Scott Stantis
By Bryan Basset
By Bill Watterson
Friday, December 19, 2008
Comics&Games
Red and Rover
DAILY XPRESS
Friday, December 19, 2008
LEISURE
DAILY XPRESS
Games&YourStars SUDOKU
The last word in
ASTROLOGY
By Eugenia Last
Today’s Birthday: Emotional matters will leave you difficult choices but, if you separate your feelings from what needs to be done, you can avoid the grief that comes from making the wrong move. Do whatever it takes to hold on to what you’ve worked so hard for.
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
ARIES *** March 21-April 19 There is still time to make some moves before the year comes to a close. Check out job prospects that might come into play in the new year. You can sign up for courses to enhance or add to your skills. TAURUS *** April 20-May 20 Think about what you accomplished this past year and what you want to pursue in the future. If you aren’t completely happy with the way things have gone, make your adjustments now. GEMINI ***** May 21-June 20 You’ve got some great ideas that could parlay into a partnership but don’t follow through for the wrong reasons. First, make sure that your ideas are feasible in the current economic atmosphere.
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★
CANCER ** June 21-July 22 Change is exactly what you need, so stop fighting it. Someone you care about isn’t likely to agree with what you are doing. Set the record straight so everyone knows why you feel the way you do. LEO **** July 23-Aug. 22 Have some fun with friends and stop worrying so much about your work. If you mix business with pleasure, you will end up on the losing end of the stick. Enjoy the people who appreciate you.
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY
VIRGO *** Aug. 23-Sept. 22 Look for something new to give you a new lease on life. You need a change now more than ever. Find a new direction that will stimulate your mind and get you excited about the future. LIBRA *** Sept. 23-Oct. 22 You’ll be feeling emotionally drained from conversations with people who are overindulgent, overbearing or just plain stubborn. Pick your battles carefully. Put your energy into the one you love. SCORPIO **** Oct. 23-Nov. 21 Focus on what you can do for others and you will hook up with someone who shows an interest in what you are trying to achieve. A problem with a lover is likely to leave you feeling distant. SAGITTARIUS ** Nov. 22-Dec. 21 You’ll be torn between what you should do and what you want to do. You may need to find a way to stretch your time and fit both choices into your plans. Come up with a workable solution.
Jake Gyllenhaal
Actress Cicely Tyson is 75. Singer Maurice White (Earth, Wind & Fire) is 67. Guitarist Alvin Lee (Ten Years After) is 64. Actor Tim Reid is 64. Actress Jennifer Beals is 45. Actress Jessica Steen is 43. Actress Kristy Swanson is 39. Actress Rosa Blasi is 36. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal is 28.
CAPRICORN ***** Dec. 22-Jan. 19 Finalise paperwork, close a deal or do something to add to the comfort of your home. The possibility of a financial gain is looking positive. Someone you least expect may have an interest in you. AQUARIUS ***** Jan. 20-Feb. 18 You’ve got a better handle on your life than you realise, so relax and start putting things in order. Love and romance are looking positive — get out with the one you love, or socialise if you are single. PISCES *** Feb. 19-March 20 You may have trouble settling into something you promised to do. Instead of arguing, get what needs to be done out of the way so you can do what you really want to do. Someone will offer help.
17
Saint - Gobain, a French multinational and one of the top 100 industrial companies in the world, has been enhancing its global leadership position with operations in more than 50 countries and it fields a workforce of over 200,000 people. The abrasive division is world leader in the manufacture and distribution of abrasive products with a strong presence in the USA, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Saint - Gobain Abrasives (Thailand) Ltd. specializes in the manufacture of reinforced cutting and grinding wheels with highly automated manufacturing process. All our products are designed to satisfy the needs of industrial application, the professional users or even the do-ityourself enthusiasts. Saint - Gobain Abrasives (Thailand) Ltd. trades wide range of abrasive products and manufactures thin wheels under various brands i.e. Flexovit, Norton and Atlas. Our manufacturing plant is located in Nakornchaisri, Nakornpathom province with sales office on Sri Ayutthaya Road, Bangkok. To strengthen its operation in Thailand, we are looking for high caliber candidates to join us in this growing company.
Product Engineer - Bonded Abrasives Product Engineer - Thin Wheels
Sales Engineer - Engineering Market Sales Engineer - Distribution Market
He/she reports to Product Manager. He/she determines market and product needs, and promotes the development, testing, and introduction of improved and/or new products for his/her assigned end use product classifications. He/she provides technical service support to the field sales organization to solve customer needs and product problems for the purpose of maintaining and increasing sales. Job includes:
Reporting to Sales Manager, he determines market, approaches customers to understand product needs and to sell, promotes and introduces new products. The ultimate objectives are to increase sales turnover and to strengthen market position. Job includes:
● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Brand management & development of new products to meet market requirements and raising the performance levels of existing products. Identify new customers and markets. Recommend strategies to make inroads into these customers' accounts, and assist the sales team to establish distribution channel in the markets. Defining & implementation of promotional programs, laying out marketing campaigns, participation in exhibitions, trade shows, etc. Develop product catalogues. Streamline product labels and packaging for various in-house brands and private labels products manufactured in the plant. Acquire, analyse, evaluate and disseminate technical and market information and competitor analysis. Understand market sizes, price points to help define the pricing policies. Develop training programs, from basic to advance levels, to customers as well as sales team. Set product manufacturing and safety standards (in Thailand) in accordance with International norms in coordination with Thai Institute of Standards (TIS).
Qualifications: ● ● ● ● ● ●
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●
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Qualifications: ● ●
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Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. 5-7 years working experience including in sales and marketing. Good technical background with industrial consumables is a plus. High mechanical aptitude and sales ability. Effective analytical and problem-solving skills. Able to work under pressure. Strong leadership, interpersonal and communication skills. Good command of spoken and written English.
Identify and build customers base and markets to increase sales and sales channel in the markets. Retain existing customers. Obtain, analyse, evaluate market information and competitor analysis. Understand market, its sizes, price points to help define the pricing policies. Define and implement marketing campaigns and promotional programs i.e. exhibitions, trade shows, etc. Develop sales tools, training programs, and product catalogues.
●
Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering. 5-7 years working experience including in sales and marketing. Sales experience of industrial products is a plus. High mechanical aptitude and sales ability. Effective analytical and problem-solving skills. Able to work under pressure. Strong leadership, interpersonal and communication skills. Good command of spoken and written English.
Interested candidates, who look for a career, are invited to write in with full resume, stating present and expected salaries, and enclosing a recent photograph to:
sea-recruit@saint-gobain.com
Saint-Gobain Abrasives (Thailand) Ltd. 539/2 Gypsum Metropolitan Tower, 13th Floor, Sri Ayutthaya Rd., Phayathai, Bangkok 10400. Tel: 02 6405440 Fax: 02 6405441 www.saint-gobain.co.th
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Data Management Manager
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1059/2546
Nippon Consulting Recruitment Co., Ltd. “Let us be your professional Career Consultant” We are looking for many positions according to our clients requirement as follow :
• • • • • • • • • • •
Japanese Interpreter / Translator Accountant Engineer Secretary Human Resources Customer Service Logistics / Shipping QA / QC / ISO / BOI Purchasing / Warehouse Import & Export Sales & Marketing
All positions required : ◆ Thai or Japanese Nationality ◆ Good command of English or Japanese ◆ With computer literacy Please send your resume, present photo together with relevant documents or apply in person at:
Sino-Thai Tower, 16th Floor, Unit B, 32/41 Sukhumvit 21 Road (Asoke), Klongtoey-Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Tel. 02-261-7165, 02-665-2505 Fax: 02-665-2510 E-mail: info@ncrecruitment.com Website: www.ncrecruitment.com
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Sumitomo Corporation Thailand Ltd. and Sumi-Thai International Ltd., the affiliated companies of Sumitomo Corporation, a Japanese leading international trading and investment company with 179 offices worldwide. We and our affiliated group companies are expanding our business and require more highly qualified and dynamic manpower for the positions of:
Senior Assistant Tax and Accounting Manager Responsible for tax & accounting of Metal Department, consolidated report. Qualifications: ● Male, age 35-40 ● Master's or Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Audit ● CPA licence is an advantage ● Good command of English ● 10 years experience in accounting for big firms ● Knowledge of tax and accounting
Project Development To create and develop the new business opportunity. Project: Infrastructure projects such as transportation, water, industries, etc. Qualifications: ● Male, age 30-35 ● Bachelor's Degree in Engineering ● Master's Degree in Business Administration ● Good command of English ● 5-7 years experience in project development
Investment/Project Analyst Job Description: ● Analyze the feasibility of company's project investment from investor's point of view ● Develop & Analyze financial model ● Sensitivity analysis ● Risk & Return analysis ● Suggestion/Comment for risk protection Job Qualifications: ● Male/Female, age 30-33 ● Bachelor's/Master's Degree in Finance ● Experience 5-7 years as a project analyst, investment analyst in financial institution or project investment in the company ● Good command of English Please apply in person or send your resume in English by mail with expected salary and recent photo to
Sumitomo Corporation Thailand Limited 20th & 21st Floor, M. Thai Tower, All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Rd., Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Ms.Pornpimol Tanpanichakul, Human Resources Development Department E-mail: tanpanichakul.pornpimol@ sumitomocorp.co.jp Tel. (02) 654-0002-29 ext. 403
The Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Chulalongkorn University as a move toward a “World-Class Innovative Business School” is now seeking a highly sophisticated professional to join our school as a
“Director of International Accreditation” responsible particularly for international accreditation process and development. The selected applicant will be provided with prestigious position, excellent compensation and overseas development opportunities. Scope of Responsibilities: ● Teaching in the management or related fields and leading the school’s global pre-accreditation and accreditation processes ● Contacting and working closely with foreign accreditation organization and mentors from overseas institutions. ● Preparing strategic plan, accreditation plans, self-evaluation report and annual report for accreditation process ● Developing processes in order to comply with the standards of international accreditation Qualifications: Thai/Foreign nationality, age over 35 years old ● Master’s degree or above ● Al least 10 years experience preferably in academic or quality assurance or related fields ● Excellent English communication skills ●
Interested candidates please submit your detailed CV, recent photo, together with transcript to Personnel Department,
the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Road, Bangkok 10330 Tel. 02-218-5773
URGENTLY REQUIRED RENECO is a private company offering services in wildlife management projects. - The ECWP (Emirates Center for Wildlife Propagation) is a research and conservation project based in Morocco, whose main goal is to secure sustainable populations of the endangered North African Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata). Its main actions are: the enhancement of fundamental knowledge of the species through research in ecology biology and behavior, the management of a conservation captive breeding programme, the reinforcement of wild populations, the protection of houbara populations into the wild, the hunting management and the public awareness. See www.ecwp.org - The SKCWP (Sheikh Khalifa Center for Wildlife Propagation) in Abu Dhabi, as part of a global strategy to breed and conserve houbara bustard worldwide, a new program focusing on the Asian houbara bustard species (Chlamydotis macqueenli), is launched in Al Ain city. First step of this program is the establishment of a conservation captive-breeding program.
BIRD KEEPER Job description - The holder of this job will first join a breeding team in ECWP, Morocco to be trained on all houbara bustard captive-breeding techniques (bird maintenance, nutrition, artificial reproduction, incubation) and will, after months, join the SKCWP program in Abu Dhabi. Skill required - Educational background in biology. - A former experience in birds breeding (poultry or wild birds) would be a bonus. - Basic computer skills (Office) will be an asset. Language requirements - English speaking: intermediate level minimum is needed. Additional valuable abilities - Ability to work in a multicultural and multinational environment. Please send your full resumes and recent photo to. The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates 82 Seng Thong Thani Bldg., 25th Floor, North Sathorn, Bangkok 10500 Tel. 0 2639 9820-4 Fax. 0 2639 9818 uae_recruitment@ymail.com
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THE SPORT
Friday, December 19, 2008
THE SPORT “The Big Ticket” had a big hand as the Boston Celtics turned Sweet 16. Kevin Garnett scored 10 of his 18 points in the final quarter, and the white-hot Celtics clipped the pesky Atlanta Hawks 88-85 on Wednesday night, extending their winning streak to 16 games. “We just hung Garnett in there, and KG had a tremendous effort down the stretch for us,” said Celtics Paul Pierce, who also finished with 18 points. – DPA
Furcal stays with Dodgers Rafael Furcal is staying with the Los Angeles Dodgers, reaching a preliminary agreement on a $33 million, three-year contract. A day earlier, Furcal, who played for Dodgers, had been close to accepting a $30 million, threeyear offer from the Atlanta Braves, his original major league team. – AP
Holyfield ready to shock the world Former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield said
2:0
Montenegro stiker Mirko Vucinic scored a late brace as holder Roma qualified for the Italian Cup quarter-finals with a win at home.
FIRE 5
Garnett sparks Celtics to 16th straight win
Indian technology giant Tata Consultancy announced a sponsorship deal with Formula One team Ferrari, bucking predictions that the sport could collapse in the global economic crisis. “For the first time an Indian brand will appear on a Ferrari,” Ferrari chief Luca di Montezemolo said Tuesday. “It’s a historic event.” Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will display its logo on Ferrari cars during the 2009 season, a company statement said. “TCS has entered into a historic agreement with Ferrari for an enhanced technology and marketing partnership,” it said, without giving financial details of the deal. – AFP
AS ROMA vs BOLOGNA
MAN UTD
briefly
Tata to sponsor Ferrari next year
DAILY XPRESS
he was ready to surprise everybody and regain the world title and become the oldest ever champion at the age of 46 when he faces WBA titleholder Nikolai Valuev of Russia on Saturday. The four-time world champion – who lost his last world title in 2000 and has not fought since he lost to Sultan Ibragimov in Moscow last year – said that experience and not age could count against the 35-year-old Russian giant when they face off against a packed-out stadium of 12,500 spectators. – AFP
Davenport cries off from Aust Open Three-time Grand Slam winner Lindsay Davenport announced that she is pregnant and has taken herself off the WTA Tour indefinitely. “Of course this unexpected, but exciting, surprise now means I will be putting tennis on hold for the foreseeable future,” Davenport said. Davenport – AFP
Pak disappointed at tour cancellation Pakistan called the decision by India’s cricket board to cancel the national team’s cricket tour “disappointing” and said it would result in a loss of at least US$25 million. – AFP
Red Devils overpower Gamba in 5-3 classic showdown at Club World Cup AFP,Yokohama, Japan
M
anchester United overpowered Japan’s Gamba Osaka 5-3 to book their place in the Club World Cup final yesterday, with six goals in a breathless 17 minutes. First-half headers from Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo, both from Ryan Giggs corners, set them on their way but it was the second period that set the game on fire. Gamba pulled one back through Masato Yamazaki in the 74th minute before Wayne Rooney pounced a minute later soon after coming on as a substitute. Another substitute, Darren Fletcher, made it 4-1 on 78 minutes before Rooney bagged another second after the restart.
Adding to the drama, Gamba won a penalty when Gary Neville handled the ball and Yasuhito Endo converted the spot kick with five minutes left. Hideo Hashimoto then made it 5-3 in injury time. With the win, United now only have Ecuador’s Liga de Quito to overcome on Sunday to claim one of the few pieces of silverware to elude the club in its distinguished history. “It was a terrific match, an amazing game, the people got their money’s worth” said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. “The football from both teams was very good. For me Edwin Van der Sar was our best player, his saves helped secure the vic-
tory for us. “We are in the final and I think we deserve to be there.” For Gamba, it was one of the biggest games in their history and they could easily have been overawed, but they did themselves credit, although coach Akira Nishino wasn’t entirely happy. “It was a very tough game but overall I’m not satisfied because we didn’t win,” he said. “At Gamba, we always want to win and we gave away easy goals. But we never gave up or lost the spirit to challenge them. We were not intimidated. “We made them take us seriously and it’s a pity we couldn’t play on an equal level.” United began without Dimitar Berbatov who was sick with a virus while Rooney was on the bench after a knock in training, giving a rare start for Carlos
Friday, December 19, 2008
THE SPORT 23
DAILY XPRESS
Evander Holyfield BOXER ON HIS UPCOMING FIGHT
“I have been asked about my age so many times but that is fine. It is not about how old you are. It is about how old you feel and what you can do inside the ring. I am very experienced and I know what I have to do against Valuev. I am in great shape and I really look forward to Saturday night.”
Nikolai Valuev BOXER ON EVANDER HOLYFIELD
“Holyfield is a living legend and I am full of respect for him. However, once you are inside the ring, neither names nor titles matter any more. I have trained very well and I will put on a good performance on Saturday night.”
Fergie praises Ronaldo amid Real rumours
IT WAS A TERRIFIC MATCH,AN AMAZING GAME,THE PEOPLE GOT THEIR MONEY’S WORTH.THE FOOTBALL WAS GOOD. Alex Ferguson Tevez. It didn’t take long for them to warm up with Ronaldo, again at the centre of reports that he is headed for Real Madrid at the end of the season, unleashing a left foot drive that
Yosuke Fujigaya did well to gather. With 68,000 fans packed into the Yokohama International Stadium, the atmosphere was electric with as many cheering for United as the local hopes. It was fast and furious and United had a let off in the 13th minute when danger man Endo floated a beautifully paced ball over the defence which Ryuji Bando controlled brilliantly. He let rip with his left foot but Van der Sar was off his line in a flash to save a certain goal with his legs. At the other end, Ronaldo, in lime green boots, collected the ball on the right, twisted and turned his way past two defenders only to blast his shot just past the left-hand post. United were enjoying themselves and the chances came thick and fast in the second half.
“That is a measure of a young person wanting to do well, to improve himself by his own determination and ambition to practise all the time.” His comments came as the respected Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that United and Real Madrid have a gentleman’s agreement to transfer Ronaldo to the Bernabeu at the end of the season. It said the two teams agreed in principle to the deal at the end of a tugof-war for the Portugal star this year but pledged a vow of silence. El Mundo quotes a conversation this week between a Real Madrid director, Pedro Trapote, and one of his business associates, and says at least two other senior club sources have leaked the news.
Patrice Evra battles with Satoshi Yamaguchi, left, and Hideo Hashimoto in Japan.
Evra cries ‘foul’ over EPL ban A F P , Yokohama, Japan
A
Real recall Parejo Injury-hit Spanish giants Real Madrid recalled Spanish Under-21 midfielder Daniel Parejo from his loan spell at English Championship side Queens Park Rangers. The 19-year-old – who is a goalscoring midfielder having scored 11 goals in 37 appearances for the Real Madrid reserves – has only completed five months of his year long loan but part of the deal was that Real could recall him at any time.
AP
,,
Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo, top right, scores his team’s second goal against Japan’s Gamba Osaka in the semi-finals of the Fifa Club World Cup.
EPA
S
ir Alex Ferguson has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo’s work ethic and value to the club amid reports that Manchester United have agreed to sell him to Real Madrid at the end of the season. Ferguson, speaking in Japan before the fresh rumours of a possible move emerged in the Spanish press, was full of praise for the Portuguese star who has been at Old Trafford for five years. “Over the five years he has been with us, we have seen him develop into the player he is today,” he said on the sidelines of the Club World Cup here. “He always had certain attributes that pointed him towards the very top – his amazing skill, his speed and his courage. In the time he has been with us, he has developed his decision-making.” He has also become a master marksman, which Ferguson said was down to “practice, practice, practice.” “As a kid he played centreforward for Sporting Lisbon and our people in Portugal kept telling us that ‘this boy is a great goalscorer.’ “When he first came to us, we couldn’t see that. All of a sudden he just blossomed and last season he got 42.
AP
A F P , Yokohama, Japan
Wayne Rooney scores his first goal during Manchester United’s semi-final match in the Club World Cup.
n angry Patrice Evra has lashed out at the fourmatch ban slapped on him by the FA for his part in a postmatch brawl at Chelsea last season, insisting he did nothing wrong. “I’m very angry because I didn’t touch anybody, yet I have a four-game ban,” he said. “But sometimes bad things happen in life – now I’m focusing on the Club World Cup because I want to be a world champion.” United announced on Tuesday they would not appeal the ban, although manager Alex Ferguson labelled it “the worst decision I have ever known.” The French international was ruled by the Football Association to have attacked Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell at Stamford Bridge after April’s game. The club’s chief executive David Gill added his criticism. “We thought it was disproportionate, a poor decision. Patrice is a wonderful character and I believe him 100 per cent when he says he never hit the groundsman. He has our full support. “We don’t like the decision and we don’t think it reflects other improper conduct charges. But we move on.”
24
THE SPORT
Friday, December 19, 2008
GOLF
KNEE-RLY OK Rested Tiger says leg will be stronger than ever AP, Thousand Oaks, California
T
iger Woods wore sneakers instead of spikes. He sat next to a bottle of Gatorade Tiger, not the silver US Open trophy. One thing that didn’t change at his first press conference in 184 days were questions about his left knee. But after speaking for a halfhour at Sherwood Country Club on Wednesday, covering everything from his rehab to his caddie to his improbable 14th Major victory, the most powerful statement about his health and future required no words at all. Does he have any doubts he will be better than before? Woods turned up the bottom of his lip, shook his head three times and mumbled, “Uh-uh”, as if that had never entered his mind. Six months after reconstructive surgery on his left knee to repair a ruptured ligament – his third surgery in six years – Woods said he was right on schedule to return, already hitting short irons and excited about playing on a leg that has never been more stable. “I’ve just been training and trying to get healthy enough to compete next year,” Woods said. “Everything has been right on schedule. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.” The uncertainty is when he will return, and how his leg will respond when he goes through a full practice. His plan was to start hitting balls in January, but he already has been chipping and putting, and taking full swings with small clubs, shots that go no more than 100 yards. “I haven’t hit full shots with my entire bag yet,” Woods said. “As far as coming back, I don’t know. I don’t know how it’s going to respond with repeated practice days and long days of practice trying to get back, and ultimately playing my way into shape. That’s obviously going to take a little bit of time.” He is thankful to be merely the host this week of his Chevron World Challenge – temperatures felt like the upper 30s even before a light rain fell
,,
Tiger Woods talks to a reporter at Sherwood Country Club.
Tiger retains his caddy Steve Williams has been reprimanded after the caddy’s outburst against Phil Mickelson but not fired by Tiger Woods. “What ended up happening is I communicated with Phil, and we have discussed it,” Woods said. “I talked to Stevie about it, and he feels bad what happened. It’s over and done with, and we put it to bed.” Woods was asked if Williams will be on his bag when he returns next year. “Yes, he will,” Woods replied.
I HAVEN’T HIT FULL SHOTS WITH MY ENTIRE BAG YET. I DON’T KNOW HOW IT’S GOING TO RESPOND WITH REPEATED PRACTICE.
AP
Tiger Woods at Sherwood. Woods won last year by seven shots, and this is the fifth time this year he could not defend a title. The last meaningful shot he took was a tap-in for par on the 19th hole in a Monday play-off at the US Open, a victory that even Woods finds hard to believe. He played that week with the torn ligament and a double stress fracture, and spoke about a left knee with so much swelling at night that he couldn’t see his kneecap. “As I’ve progressed through my shorter clubs, hitting fuller shots, you remember what it
was like when you hit a full shot,” he said. “And for me, the last time I really hit a full shot was at the Open. It didn’t feel very good.” In the few shots he has taken over the past few weeks, the leg has felt better than ever. Woods said he has tried not to snap his left leg at impact over the last couple of years, but his knee ligaments wouldn’t allow for it. “The fact I made it this far was amazing without rupturing it,” he said. He made adjustments to compensate.
DAILY XPRESS
Friday, December 19, 2008
THE SPORT 25
DAILY XPRESS
N AT I O N A L G A M E S
TENNIS
NATTHANAN’S GOLD RUSH
Noppawan is world champion
The water-babe from Bangkok bags fourth medal
Teen prodigy Noppawan Lertcheewakarn was named the 2008 ITF Junior World Champion on Tuesday. Noppawan, the current world No 1 in the junior world rankings, was the most consistent player on the girls’ circuit, capturing four singles and two doubles titles during the year. Noppawan, or “Nok”, 17, holds an overall 39-12 winloss record for the year in singles, and 31-11 in doubles. She and Taiwan’s Tsung-Hua Yang, who won the award in the boys’ category, were the first Asian players to be named junior world champs. “It’s a great honour to receive this award. I finally become the world junior No 1 and my next goal is to do well on the WTA next year,’’ said the teenager who hails from Chiang Mai.
DAILY XPRESS
angkok failed to win a single gold in the track-and-field competition yesterday but kept their top position in the medal standings in the on-going National Games in Phitsanulok. Speedy Sitthichai Suwornpratheep of Samut Prakarn made it a double sprint gold yesterday when, fresh from winning the 100m gold on Wednesday, he claimed his second in the 200m, crossing the finish line in 21.31 seconds. Suphan Buri’s Orranut Klomdee proved her class in the women’s 200m, storming home first in 24.11. Nakhon Pathom and hosts Phitsanulok shared two gold apiece in the track-and-field events, where a total of 11 golds were at stake yesterday. Bangkok’s swimmers contin-
XPRESS/NARIN KRUAKLAI
B
Natthanan Chankrajang in action in the women’s 50m freestyle. ued their exceptional form in the pool, capturing five out of the seven golds on offer yesterday. Chiang Mai took the remaining two. Water-babe Natthanan Chankrajang from Bangkok, who won four gold medals in the SEA Games last year and eight golds in the Thailand
University Games the same year, snatched two golds yesterday, including the 50m freestyle event with a Games record of 26.72secs. So far she has won four golds in the Games. Judokas from Bangkok and the host province shared the honours with two golds each, while Krabi’s ballroom dancers
grabbed two of five golds on offer. In the weightlifting competition, Suthiporn Wattanakasikam from Nakhon Sawan, the gold medallist at last year’s SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, powered his way to the three golds on offer in the men’s 94kg event. Suthiporn not only retained the title, but also smashed his previous Games records in all three disciplines by lifting 160kg in the snatch and 191kg in jerk for a record total of 351kg. Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Watcharawadee Rattanachuang claimed three golds in the women’s 75kg division, with Chon Buri snatching two through Wiriya Suwanrat in the women’s 69kg class. At press time, Bangkok lead the table with 41 gold, 30 silver and 31 bronze medals, followed by Chon Buri (19-13-19) and Chiang Mai (13-14-20). Nakhon Ratchasima are trailing in fourth place with 10 golds, with hosts Phitsanuloke in fifth.
DAILY XPRESS
26
THE SPORT
Friday, December 19, 2008
DAILY XPRESS
Dravid may go down the order
GOLF
BASIC INSTINCTS
AP, Mohali, India
Aussie underdog takes lead at Volvo Masters
I
Lerpong Amsa-ngiam D A I LY X P R E S S
Chawalit Plaphol tries a recovery shot from off the fairway in the first round yesterday. share of second with Taiwanese Lin Wen-tang. Like Basic, Blyth and Lin managed a flawless round, with four birdies each. “It was really solid. I kept it fairly safe and hit a lot of greens,’’ said the 27-year-old Blyth from Brisbane. It was a disastrous day for big names, including Singh, who paid dearly for lack of practice. He shot a 76 which placed him at joint 65th. Thaworn Wiratchant along with Chawalit Plaphol and Chapchai Nirat posted the best scores among Thais. The former Asian Tour No 1 Thaworn could have signed off with a 69 had he not bogeyed on the 18th, which saw him slip out of the top 10. “I drove a shot into a tree and it got really difficult,’’ said an
upset Thaworn. Chawalit started strongly with three birdies in the first five holes but bogeyed on the 9th and 18th. “Overall it was not a good day. I was putting okay but it just wouldn’t drop into the holes. The wind was strong, so it was difficult to control the direction,’’ said Chawalit who’s missed the cuts in eight of the 18 Asian events he entered this year. Thongchai, who is eyeing a hat-trick of wins after triumphing in Vietnam and Cambodia, got off to a poor start, carding a one-over par for joint 41st position. “The wind was strong and the greens were hard. But the conditions will be easier in the morning and I will be teeing off early,’’ he said.
XPRESS/KOBPHAK PHROMREKHA
nfancied Neven Basic of Australia fired an unblemished six-under-par 66 to take an unexpected lead in the opening round of the US$750,000 Volvo Masters of Asia yesterday. The little-known Sydneybased golfer enjoyed a solid bogey-free round, picking up birdies at holes 3, 4, 8, 9 11 and 13 to grab a two-stroke lead and steal the show from Asian No 1 Jeev Milka Singh and inform Thongchai Jaidee at the 7,094-yard Thai Country Club course. “I had no bogeys in the round. I hit a really nice shot with my five iron on the third hole and nearly made a hole in one. After that I hit it really nicely and holed a few putts,’’ said Basic, who posted two top-10 finishes this year – in the Worldwide Selangor Masters and the Midea China Classic. Basic earned his spot in the season-ending tournament despite a poor showing at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open. “I missed the cut in Cambodia and three or four players could have caught me if they’d made it into the top five. I sat in my hotel room watching live updates on the Internet every hour. It was quite stressful,” Basic said. His countryman Adam Blyth trailed two shots behind for a
XPRESS/KOBPHAK PHROMREKHA
U
Neven Basic chips on to the green during his round.
ndia are considering pushing out-of-form batsman Rahul Dravid down their batting order for the second Test against an England said eager to strike back in the match starting today after losing the series opener. India staged the biggest successful fourth-innings run chase ever in India – and the fourth biggest anywhere – to beat England by six wickets in the first Test in Chennai, but were under pressure from an out-ofform touring team for much of the contest and are looking to further strengthen their batting order. Going through the leanest form of his career, Dravid has scored just 320 runs in the past 10 Tests, including a sum of just seven runs from two innings in Chennai. “We’re not really worried about Dravid’s form,” captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said. “No one can question his talent or determination, it’s just a matter of getting some initial runs and he’ll get his confidence back.” Dravid is India’s secondhighest run scorer. “We’ve been thinking about a change in the batting order,” Dhoni said. “We have pondered over moving Laxman to the No 3 spot and get Dravid to bat at No 5, but it is a tough decision.” “What if we lose Laxman to a good delivery early and if Dravid has to come in with India three wickets down? That’ll put extra pressure on Dravid, who is not in good form.”
Friday, December 19, 2008
THE SPORT 27
DAILY XPRESS U E FA C U P F O O T B A L L
Becks for AC Milan
A LATE WINNER
A F P,
F
ormer England captain David Beckham will arrive in Milan tomorrow to be officially unveiled as an AC Milan player. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder is joining on loan from his current club Los Angeles Galaxy and will stay at the San Siro until the end of March. Beckham will be presented to fans at 19.00 local time ahead of Milan’s home match against Udinese. It is believed that Beckham will be accompanied by his wife, the former Spice Girl Victoria, and he will visit the club’s training facilities and undergo a medical. Beckham is due to leave Milan on Monday but return a week later on the 29th so that he can fly out with the squad to Dubai for their winter training camp. He will be available for selection once the Serie A season starts up again on January 10.
Deportivo sneak through, Hamburg thrash Aston Villa A F P , London
D
eportivo La Coruna qualified by the back door from the Uefa Cup group stages as the 2004 Champions League semi-finalists struck a late winner through Rodolfo Bodipo for a 1-0 victory at home to Nancy. FC Copenhagen thanked Cesar Santin for a second-half winner in their 1-0 win at FC Bruges to also get their ticket through while Lech Poznan got the third and final berth of the night following a win by the same scoreline at Feyenoord with Ivan Djurdjevic on target. Another six places in February’s two-leg round of 32 were on offer in late yesterday’s fixtures before today’s draw which comprises the eight third-placed teams in the Champions League groups and
RESULTS
2-1
Hamburg’s Ivica Olic scores the second goal, reducing Aston Villa players Nicky Shorey, left, and Carlos Cuellar to mere spectators. Hamburg won 3-1. the 24 Uefa Cup qualifiers. AC Milan’s late conceding of an equaliser in a 2-2 draw at home to VfL Wolfsburg meant the Germans held on to top spot in Group E, meaning they play a third-placed team in the Round of 32. AC Milan fans staged a
Blue Jackets down hot Sharks in OT The Columbus Blue jackets won in overtime to beat a San Jose team that entered the game with best early-season record in NHL history.
ice hockey NHL Yesterday’s results: New Jersey 5, Buffalo 3; Columbus 2, San Jose 1, OT; Calgary 3, Minnesota 2, OT; NY Rangers 3, Los Angeles 2, OT; Vancouver 4, Edmonton 2
golf Volvo Masters of Asia Yesterday’s first round scores at the Thai Country Club: 66 – Neven Basic (AUS) 68 – Adam Blyth (AUS), Lin Wen-tang (TPE) 69 – Hendrik Buhrmann (RSA), Tony Carolan (AUS), Mrcus Both (AUS), Lam Chih Bing (SIN) 70 – Antonio Lascuna (PHI), Andrew Dodt (AUS), Gavin Flint (AUS), Mitchell Brown (AUS),
Jeev Milkha Singh
A F P , Tokyo
L soccer Mardan Mamat (SIN), Gaurav Ghei (IND) 71 – Danny Chia (MAS), Dinesh Chand (FIJ), Terry Pilkadaris (AUS), Shiv Kapur (IND), Chawalit Plaphol (THA), Chapchai Nirat (THA), Thaworn Wiratchant (THA), S.S.P. Chowrasia (IND) 72 – Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND), Rick Kulacz (AUS), Wang Terchang (TPE), David Bransdon (AUS), Rashid Khan [A] (IND), Juvic Pagunsan (PHI), Chris Rodgers (ENG), Rhys Davies (WAL) Uefa Cup Group E: AC Milan (ITA) 2 (Ambrosini 17, Pato 56) VfL Wolfsburg (GER) 2 (Zaccardo 56, Saglik 81); Portsmouth (ENG) 3 (Crouch 40, 42, Hreidarsson 90)
Hamburg – coached by former Spurs handler Martin Jol – meaning they only qualified in third spot from Group F. “[We take this result] very hard – no-one likes to lose,” said Reo-Coker. “It’s not the mentality we’ve got at this club.”
ON TV
Liga plan to be ‘kings of world’
basketball NBA Wednesday’s results: Boston 88, Atlanta 85; Indiana 127, Golden State 120; Philadelphia 93, Milwaukee 83; Dallas 96, Toronto 86; Detroit 88, Washington 74; Utah 103, New Jersey 92; Cleveland 93, Minnesota 70; Chicago 115, LA Clippers 109 (OT); New Orleans 90, San Antonio 83
protest against their own club during the meaningless tie at the San Siro which was practically empty with few fans other than the 1,600 travelling German supporters. Aston Villa skipper Nigel Reo-Coker was far from happy as they went down 3-1 at
Heerenveen (NED) 0 Not playing: Braga (POR) Group F: Hamburg SV (GER) 3 (Petric 18, Olic 30, 57) Aston Villa (ENG) 1 (Delfouneso 83) Ajax (NED) 2 (Vertonghen 4, Luis Suarez 90+1-pen) Slavia Prague (CZE) 2 (Cerny 13, Jarolim 41) Not playing: Zilina (SLO) Group G : FC Bruges (BEL) 0 FC Copenhagen (DEN) 1 (Santin 58) St Etienne (FRA) 2 (Ilan 29, 44) Valencia (ESP) 2 (Morientes 33, Zigic 72) Not playing: Rosenborg (NOR) Group H: Feyenoord (NED) 0 Lech Poznan (POL) 1 (Djurdjevic 26) Deportivo La Coruna (ESP) 1 (Bodipo 74) Nancy (FRA) 0 Not playing: CSKA Moscow (RUS) Italian Cup Wednesday’s results: Last 16: Fiorentina 0 Torino 1 (Bianchi 19); AS Roma 2 (Vucinic 83, 86) Bologna 0
iga de Quito coach Edgardo Bauza has fired a warning ahead of their Club World Cup final – his side plan to be “kings of the world.” The South American champions are on a high after beating Mexico’s Pachuca 2-0 to reach Sunday’s showpiece event, where they will meet Manchester United. At stake is not just the title but a five-milliondollar pay cheque for the winners, a windfall for the Ecuadorian club, which survives on a fraction of what drives top European teams. “We are now in the final, which means we are among the top two clubs in the world,” said Bauza, an Argentinian who has already announced he is quitting the club after the tournament of continental champions. “It is a great honour but we are not satisfied. We want to do better, we want to be kings of the world.” Claudio Bieler and Luis Bolanos scored the first-half goals that put Liga into the final, as they used lightning counter-attacks to break down the Concacaf winners. “This team [Liga] have shown their greatness, like they have in other matches, the boys are prepared to play, and to fight no matter where they play, or who it is against,” added Bauza.
Basketball NBA Phoenix v Portland 10.30am/Star Sports
Soccer Uefa Champions League last 16 draw
6pm/ESPN Dutch League
AZ Alkmaar v Utrecht: 2.45am (Sat)/ TrueSport3
Golf South African Airways Open
second round 6.30pm /TrueSport 4 Chevron World Challenge
second round, 3am (Sat)/TrueSport 4