Absolute Phuket

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Issue 01 / October & November 2007

.com All you need to know about Phuket, life and more

Pushing the limits

The story begins on page 24

Visit our website www.tourismthailand.org

ISSUE 01 ForEword

ISSUE 01 ContEntS

16 Ride In A Tuk Tuk

Features Credits Editor Supachart Ruamsamu supachart@AbsolutePhuket.com

Editor-in-Chief Dan White dan.white@AbsolutePhuket.com

Creative Director Matt O’Sullivan matt@open-up-ideas.com

Production Manager JP Boutet jpboutet@AbsolutePhuket.com

Finance Director Ian Stuart ian.stuart@AbsolutePhuket.com

CEO Bryan Lunt bryan.lunt@AbsolutePhuket.com

Publisher Absolute Group Design OPEN Advertising, Pattaya info@open-up-ideas.com

Printing Amarin PLC sale@amarin.co.th

Advertising Sales Sales Director Callum McKay callum.mckay@AbsolutePhuket.com Mobile 083 596 7537 Office 076 346 282

Welcome to the very first issue of AbsolutePhuket, Thailand’s latest luxury travel and lifestyle publication. We are proud to bring you this magazine every two months both in print and on the web in order to make sure you don’t miss out on what we believe is an exciting new development in publishing in Thailand. I would like to thank all our business partners, both those assisting with our extensive worldwide distribution network and our advertisers for choosing AbsolutePhuket to promote their products and help keep you at the forefront of what’s new in Phuket and Thailand. Partnership with AbsolutePhuket will bring you many future customers and our distribution or sales teams will be delighted to speak with you and help take care of your future needs.

22 Vegetarian Festival

Phuket

12 On

Thailand

Phuket History

Tuk Tuk Beep Beep

22 Alternative

Vegetarian Festival

27 Lifestyle 41 Photo

Marinated In Mud

Shoot

Hong Kong

Regulars 08 Welcome 18 Food

Governor Of Phuket / TAT Keith Floyd, Recipes. SITCA

34 Investment

Take care and see you in Phuket very soon! Kawp Khun Khrup!

Phuket Fashion Show Mosquito Wars

54 Travel

27 Marinated In Mud

Vineyards Of Issan

16 Aspects

47 Survival

We would like to say a very special thank you to the Governor of Phuket, Niren Krlayanamit and Suwalai Pinpradab of the Tourist Authority of Thailand Southern District, for their tremendous support. We are extremely proud to be working with both of them to promote tourism within Phuket and in the wider world in a professional manner.

With their help and support, we look forward to constructive expansion in the future.

On behalf of our hard working and dedicated team, I would like to invite you to go on-line and complete the complimentary subscription of AbsolutePhuket so that we can keep you updated and give you a trouble-free way to share our great magazine with friends and business colleagues worldwide. We will also be creating an AbsolutePhuket Ambassadors Club Award via our website at www.AbsolutePhuket.com for those who do the most to help promote Phuket and Thailand to people the Kingdom and around the world.

10 On

Fractional Ownership

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Issue 01 / October & November 2007

Foreword by Bryan Lunt

18 Kieth Floyd

.com All you need to know about Phuket, life and more

41 Phuket Fashion Show

36 Business

Changing Times

46 Competition Win a Holiday for Two 51 Health

Bryan Lunt Chairman Absolute Group

58 Extravagance Phuket Royal Marina 64 Sport

Pushing the limits

The story begins on page 24

Rodeo Adventure

54 Hong Kong

Visit our website www.tourismthailand.org

Cover Image Dan White

Medical Tourism

AbsolutePhuket is published by Sun Sea and Sand Co. Ltd. Registration Number 8837354810366.

Registered Address 42/11 Taveewong Road, Kathu, Patong, Phuket. Design by OPEN Advertising Limited, Pattaya. Printed by Amarin Printing & Publishing PLC, Bangkok. All material is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior permission of the copyright holder. All information and data are correct at time of going to press.

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

wElComE GovErnor oF phUkEt / tAt

Governor of Phuket As governor of Phuket it is my pleasure to introduce you to a new magazine that is dedicated to highlight all that this beautiful island has to offer. As a vibrant and sophisticated place, Phuket is at the forefront of the world vacation industry and AbsolutePhuket sets out to reflect the diversity of experience that visitors can expect to enjoy.

Situated on ancient trade routes, Phuket has always been a cosmopolitan place that has welcomed traders and immigrants for generations. Phuket has changed over the years and is now the favourite holiday destination for millions of foreign tourists. Not surprisingly, the beautiful beaches and wonderful scenery of the island give us a major advantage in what is a very competitive global market. Thailand is proud to offer some the finest services and hospitality to travellers and Phuket is at the forefront of the industry as it is home to some of the finest hotels and resorts in the world. It is also leading the way when it comes to themed vacation activities such as spa treatments, golf and scuba diving. The facilities we offer match those of any destination in the world and are surrounded by exquisite natural beauty.

In terms of commerce, the property market is buoyant and lucrative. Business is thriving and the economy is growing while our rich heritage and historical traditions live on fostered by a deep sense of civic pride. All these exciting developments, both past and present, are what the AbsolutePhuket team are interested in portraying and promoting.

I wish the very best of luck to AbsolutePhuket.

Niren Krlayanamit Governor of Phuket

Tourism Authority of Thailand We at the Tourist Authority of Thailand welcome the arrival of AbsolutePhuket.

Phuket offers visitors all the riches of its natural heritage such as the sea, sand, sky, beach, forest and world renowned diving sites. Sino-Portuguese architecture casts its spell delighting travellers to the city, while Phuket-style hospitality has never failed to impress visitors from all walks of life. In addition, accommodation ranging from world-class resorts to tropical-style bungalows cater warmly to all the needs of travellers. We are happy to see all the grace and beauty found in Phuket reflected in the pages of a magazine that looks out at Phuket and the wider world as AbsolutePhuket gives readers some insight into their surroundings and plenty of information on all that our beautiful island has to offer.

We also welcome this magazine as it provides an opportunity for local businesses to gain greater visibility while promoting tourism to the area and we look forward to co-operating with AbsolutePhuket in the future.

Suwalai Pinpradab Tourist Authority of Thailand Southern District

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

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oCtobEr & novEmbEr 2007 on phUkEt

oCtobEr & novEmbEr 2007 on phUkEt

Rolling back the years Phuket is famous the world over as a sophisticated and cosmopolitan holiday destination drawing in millions of tourists every year. As an island situated on ancient trading routes Phuket also has a fascinating past.

The name Phuket comes from the Malay word ‘bukit’, meaning mountain or hill, which is how Phuket appears from the sea.

When the two sisters, Chan and Mook, defeated the Burmese they fooled the invaders by disguising the island’s women as men and positioning them on the walls of the capital city of Thalang as defenders.

The Burmese were very confused and sailed away foreseeing an approaching era of relentless cross dressing.

During the pre-literate era of the Srivichai Empire Phuket was eleventh in a series of twelve cities. During this era Phuket’s emblem was, rather unglamorously, that of a dog. Geologists believe that there was a time when Phuket was part of the mainland but natural forces detached it a million years ago as a result of continuous erosion. Between the period of 1681 and 1685, Phuket was actually administered by a Frenchman, a missionary by the name of Renee Charbonneau. The King decided it would be good for business given the large numbers of European merchants and traders that were calling in to port. The indigenous inhabitants of Phuket were called Negritos. They were the size of pygmies. They are in fact considered to be among the world’s smallest races.

Genetic experts also consider the DNA of the Negritos to be among the purest of any human race. Phuket has a culture all of its own, combining Chinese and Portuguese influences with that of the Southern Thais and the Chao Leh, a seafaring, semi-nomadic group who depend on fishing and boat building, and who have occupied the area for a thousand years.

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

Phuket has a long recorded history dating back to 1025 but perhaps the pivotal moment in the island’s history was in 1785 when Kunying Jan, widow of the recently deceased governor, and her sister Mook rallied the population to oppose a huge force of marauding Burmese sent to conquer the island from the sea and carry off its inhabitants into slavery.

Chan and Mook were honoured for their bravery and resourcefulness by king Rama I who conferred royal titles on them. You can see a statue built in tribute to the sisters on the road to the airport, the heroine’s monument. That was not the end of the story though.

Forty years later the Burmese returned to wreak their revenge. They destroyed Thalang and forced the islanders to flee to Phang Nga on the mainland. It was only twenty years later that the Burmese crumbled and the islanders could return home. Thalang was rebuilt, but soon after Phuket town was founded in the south of the island and became the new capital.

Originally called Junk Ceylon, a corruption of the Malay words ‘Jang Si Lang’, the earliest recorded documentation of Phuket’s existence was in the works of a 3rd Century Greek geographer called Ptolemy.

He talked of passing the cape of ‘Jang Si Lang’ on a voyage from the ancient kingdom of Suwannapum to the Malay Peninsula. For centuries Phuket was on the major trading route between India and China and was a natural place for seafarers to shelter during the voyage. Phuket seems to have been part of the Hindu Shivite Empire called in Thai ‘Tam Porn Ling’ which established itself on the Malay Peninsula during the first Millennium AD. After that it was part of the Srivichai and Siri Tahm. Phuket first came under Thai control in the 13th Century. The island remained a port of call for passing traders but also gained in economic importance as a result of its natural reserves of ivory, gems, natural pearls, hides, spices, fire wood, caulk for ship hulls, and ambergris (a secretion of the intestines of the sperm wale

used in the manufacture of perfume). With all these potentially lucrative natural resources it wasn’t long before European trading powers started showing an interest in Phuket. In the 16th Century the Dutch set up a trading post and soon administered a large part of the island. They were followed by the French.

After Ayuthaya was sacked by the Burmese in 1767 there was a short period of chaos in Thailand which was ended when King Taksin drove the Burmese out of Siam and re-unified the country. The Burmese, however, were soon ready to return to the offensive and it was then that Chan and Mook came to the rescue of their compatriots. Not surprisingly the British were also interested in Phuket. The East India Company sent Captain Francis Light to investigate trade opportunities and it was he who warned the sisters Chan and Mook of the invading Burmese feet.

In the 19th century tin became the most valuable resource in Phuket and Chinese immigrant labourers settled on the island in huge numbers. The interior of the island became almost exclusively Chinese while the coastal areas were dominated by indigenous Muslim fishermen. The Chinese influence is still strong and influences much of the architecture and tradition of Phuket. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries Phuket’s wealth and importance continued to increase and it was declared a monthon and given control of other tin mining provinces, Phang Nga, Krabi, Ranong, Trang, Satun and Takuapa. At the inception of the constitutional monarchy in 1933 Phuket became a province of Thailand and has been ruled by an Interior Ministry-appointed governor ever since.

In the last thirty years Phuket has been at the forefront of Thailand’s incredible growth in tourism.

With its beautiful beaches, tropical climate and exquisite scenery this comes as no surprise.

Even with the swift pace of development, however, an older parallel existence carries on.

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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on thAIlAnd vInEyArdS oF ISSAn

on thAIlAnd vInEyArdS oF ISSAn

PROVENCE IN SIAM GRAPE ESCAPES IN ISAAN When ordering wine with dinner Phuket offers a selection of the world’s finest. Of course both reds and whites from major producers are readily available, but there are also very drinkable alternatives on offer from some slightly more unexpected locations. AbsolutePhuket takes a journey to the heart of the Thai wine industry.

As our battered 1970’s vintage, powder blue Toyota Corolla sedan negotiates the sharp corners on a narrow road leading us up to a plateau, warm dry sunshine and a clear, gentle, Provencal light bring us within reach of the vineyards. This is country that could have been committed to canvas by Cézanne or Van Gogh. Low, rock strewn hills line the horizon.

Parched, yellowing fields testify to the passing of a long hot summer.

But there are things here that would have baffled the post-impressionists.

Spirit Houses by the side of the road adorned with Buddhist offerings of flowers, rice and burning incense. Orange clad monks in pick up trucks making their way home to glittering temples where families prostrate themselves before golden statues. Small markets in clean village streets where, rather than seeing old men nursing a glass of Ricard and baker’s

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

windows full of fresh baguette, one is greeted by the sight of dark skinned Asian farmers tucking into bowls of spicy soup, their Honda dreams parked up in lines by the side of the road. This place may look like the South of France, but this is Loei – a sleepy plateau in the north-eastern part of Thailand near the border with Laos. Its physical resemblance to Provence makes it no coincidence that this is one centre of Asia’s nascent wine industry. Thailand is not a place that one would think of first when contemplating a glass of red, but ‘Chateau de Loei’ is aiming to put Thailand on the wine Connoisseur’s map. For nearly twenty years the vineyards here have been producing over half a million bottles annually from Chenin Blanc and Syrah grapes. The vines were specially imported from France and transplanted into the dry earth of Isaan with expert care by French consultants.

Construction magnate, Chaiyudh Karnasuta, was a life long Francophile and it was he who first saw the wine making potential of this area. It was not lost on him that the soil and climate here almost exactly resembles that of the South of France where some of the world’s finest wines are produced. In 1992, after the government liberalised controls on wine production, Chaiyudh took a gamble and at the same time satisfied an artistic longing. “I am old and I am very rich. This is an old man’s gamble.” He explained in 2001, “I believe in five to 10 years, wine production in Thailand will be at least 10 million bottles.”

To those who belittled his dream he simply pointed out the popularity of Chilean wine, which was initially dismissed as doomed to fail. “You see, Rome was not built in one day and wines and vineyards take decades to settle down.” Although he passed away before seeing his dream fulfilled for Chaiyudh Chateau de Loei was a labour of love. A tour of the vineyards themselves at harvest time reveals scenes that chime with a vision of a Provencal, pastoral calm.

The vines are gently stripped by intent looking vineyard workers. Huge baskets of cut grapes are then carried between sturdy looking women, their

heads shaded by straw sun hats. They are then loaded on to waiting pick-ups. At Chateau de Leoi itself the grapes are processed in the modern manner whilst matured wine is bottled and labelled. Not only are the vineyards expanding, so is the pastime of wine tasting.

Urban Thais are developing a taste for combining a weekend getaway to the dry Mediterranean climate of Loei with a wine tasting trip to the vineyards. Tour buses pass through on a regular basis disgorging well heeled tourists from the cities keen to see if the wine from the vineyards of their own nation matches up to the wines produced in France or Australia. It is Chaiyudh’s daughter in law, Kanitda Karnasuta, who has inherited the reins at Chateau de Loei. She sees the biggest obstacle to the growth of the Thai wine industry in Thailand itself is a fascination with all things foreign. “Even Jaques Chirac, the former President of France, accepted Chateau de Loei as a respectable international product, yet Thai people themselves like things only if they are foreign.”

Eighty percent of consumers of Chateau de Loei are foreigners. “On Thai airways they serve French wine in first class, yet I have spoken to French people who say the Chateau de Loei Chenin Blanc is vastly superior. In Thailand we still have some way to go to change perceptions.” As one visitor points out, “The Thai red goes well with our red chicken curry and tom kha gai,” a spicy coconut and chicken soup, “and the white complements the goong chai nam pla,” raw shrimp marinated in lemon juice and chilli.

Chateau Loei is not yet going to have the Parisians ditching the Bordeaux or the Spanish pouring the Rioja down the waste disposal, but it represents a solid start in the business of producing wine and in time, although it will always be comparatively small, the Thai wine industry may carve out a niche all of its own amongst wine drinkers from around the world.

Whatever else, a trip to the vineyards of Loei is a rewarding experience for those who have a taste for the landscapes of Cézanne and the slow pace of life in rural Thailand.

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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oCtobEr & novEmbEr EvEnt CAlEndAr

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

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ASpECtS tUk tUk bEEp bEEp

ASpECtS tUk tUk bEEp bEEp

Image: Jamal Alayoubi

Inside the tuk tuk the ride can be terrifying

Tuk Tuk Beep Beep

The symbol most often seen is the ubiquitous three wheeled rusty trike powered by a noisy two stroke engine bombing up the polluted, highways of Bangkok, loitering around the tourist fleshpots or being loaded with impossible amounts of baggage by market vendors packing up after a hard day of haggling. There are many other variations though. In Ayuthaya they have an elegant fifties style retro look that makes them appear to be a tuk tuk attempting to imitate a Volkswagen Beetle. On the formerly war torn border with Cambodia there are still Ben Hur like chariots where the passenger reclines on a trailer whilst being pulled by a large motorcycle.

In Phuket the tuk tuk takes the form of an intensely practical four wheeled van. Brooding over all these variations is the tuk tuk’s ubiquitous elder cousin; the Songthaew. The songthaew is weightier, faster and better travelled than the tuk tuk. It only has two speeds. Very, very fast and very, very slow as the driver veers left and breaks hard thinking he has spotted a passenger. When following a songthaew maintaining breaking space is of the essence. They also make crossing the road a trial, not because they speed by but because, thinking you might be a potential passenger, they insist on slowing down right in front of you causing all the other traffic to queue up behind them. The songthaew loses on love and gets a bad press whilst the tuk tuk has restaurants

named after it. The songthaew may not inspire the slack jawed affection amongst foreigners that the tuk tuk does, but everyone would admit that they do the job. Anywhere you go in Thailand a songthaew has been there before you. On the steepest mountain roads of the north songthaews can be seen grinding the gears at impossible inclines crammed with locals, many of them hanging precariously off the roof or the rear of the vehicle. Leaving the industrial estates of Chonburi at the end of a factory shift are songthaews packed with countless numbers of passengers for

The driver veers left and breaks hard thinking he has spotted a passenger whom, it appears, claustrophobia has never been an issue. In Phuket, tuk tuks and songthaews ferry around drunken revellers, every kind of commuter, families with kids and just about anything else for a price, which is so often the real hurdle in getting from point A to point B. The day they become equipped with meters is the day that the stress levels of the entire tourist population of Phuket will be considerably reduced. Realistically however it is a day that will never come.

Love it or hate it, the tuk tuk is an international emblem of all things Thai.

AbsolutePhuket tries to work out why.

The rickshaw, the predecessor to the tuk tuk

Every country has their symbol. In England it’s soggy fish and chips.

This probably says something about how the Brits see themselves.

In Vietnam it’s the conical hat which is such an awesomely practical object that, judging by their rapidly increasing GDP it should make the rest of us very, very afraid. Thailand, for some reason, is represented by a stinking, noisy, three wheeled contraption often driven by men whose sense of caution could legitimately be called into question. The tuk tuk evolved from the chaotic streets of Bangkok and spread across the country belching smoke and deafening passers-by whilst unpredictably changing lanes more often than David Beckham changes hair styles.

Its history is an interesting one. It is believed that its predecessor the rickshaw, was introduced to Thailand by Chinese immigrants in 1871, but was banned in 1901, because it caused traffic chaos. By 1950 the bicycle powered version or Samalor was also banned and today’s tuk tuk was born. Since then it has mutated into a beast of many breeds.

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

Often travelling at speeds often deemed unsafe

Many are decorated by the drivers

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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Food lobStEr thErmIdor

Food kEIth Floyd

After a swashbuckling culinary career Keith Floyd washes up on the shores of Phuket in style.

ABOUT KEITH FLOYD

Keith Floyd is a huge name in his native UK and is known for his flamboyant style and colourful character. He is the BBC’s most popular TV chef with over 20 best-selling cookery books and 20 TV cooking series airing in over 40 countries worldwide reflecting his life spent trawling exotic locations pursuing his passion for food and the good life. Floyd’s Brasserie at the Burasari Resort Phuket opened in March 2007 and is the world’s first and only Floyd’s restaurant.

Great food is for everyone where ever they are from and whatever their background

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

A man of frenetic energy, Keith Floyd’s life has been a roller coaster that has taken him from commanding a tank in the British army to living on a boat called ‘Flirty’ gently cruising around the Mediterranean whilst exporting French wine to the UK and sending British antiques to France. Somewhere along the way he entered the restaurant business starting as a waiter, a potato peeler, a barman and a dishwasher.

He rapidly realised a talent for the industry and ended up owning and managing restaurants in Bristol, Avignon and Marbella before moving to Provence in 2000. In the 80’s Floyd became famous for his television cooking shows in the UK. The shows were marked by his enthusiasm for food, his passionate delivery and his voracious consumption of red wine.

Since then he has written at least 25 books including ‘Keith Floyd’s Thai Food’. He has also presented about 20 television series, which are still being shown in over 40 countries worldwide. Floyd has long been a champion of Thai Cuisine broadcasting his delight on television long before its explosion of popularity in pubs and restaurants across the UK. Known for his forthright views amusingly expressed, the core of Floyd’s message is that haute cuisine should be really good fun. He rails against stuffiness and snobbery. Food is life and life is food. Great food is for everyone where ever they are from and whatever their background. He has now brought his enthusiasm for cooking back to Thailand. He has opened the first Floyd’s Brasserie on Patong Beach at the Burisari resort. This spacious, open air restaurant serves dishes with a panache and style that are all Floyd.

He uses the finest and freshest ingredients only when they are at their very best as the seasons dictate.

Thai food is featured but so are dishes that Floyd has encountered on his travels from all over the world. Floyd offers the chance to sample the best in international cuisine whilst staying true to his unfussy and uncomplicated approach to the gastronomic arts.

Each issue of AbsolutePhuket will give you a glimpse into Floyd’s kitchen presenting a recipe that is a hundred percent Floyd.

lobster thermidor INGREDIENTS

4 cooked lobsters each 450g butter 25g 1 shallot, peeled & finely chopped dry white wine 150ml Bechamel Sauce 300ml chopped fresh parsley 20ml chopped fresh tarragon 10ml freshly grated parmesan cheese 90ml pinch of mustard powder salt pinch of paprika

SERvES 4 CalORIES 435 cals per serving PREPaRaTION 30 minutes COOkING TIME About 15 minutes PREPaRaTION

Lay the Lobsters, back upwards, on a board. Using a sharp knife, split each lobster length-wise cleanly in two, piercing through the cross at the centre of the head, then prepare them removing all tail meat and dicing in quarter inch chunks. Melt the butter in a pan, add the shallot and fry gently for 5 minutes to soften. Add the wine and let bubble until reduced by half. Add the bechamel sauce and simmer until reduced to a creamy consistency. Add the lobster meat with the herbs, 60ml of parmesan and mustard, salt and paprika to taste. Spoon the mixture into the cleaned shells, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and pop under a hot grill briefly to brown the top.

SERvING Serve at once.

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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Food rEd CUrry wIth mIxEd vEGEtAblES

Food dUmbInG down thAI CUISInE

Pet Maak Maak

[very spicy]

Thailand is world famous for it’s spicy food. If you want to enjoy the full flavour you have to learn to handle the heat.

Red Curry with Mixed Vegetables INGREDIENTS

PREPaRaTION

carrots cut bite-size 1/4 cup eggplant cut bite-size 1/4 cup mushrooms cut bite-size 1/4 cup baby corn cut bite-size 1/4 cup green beans cut bite-size 1/4 cup cauliflower cut bite-size 1/4 cup 2 kaffir lime leaves sweet basil leaves 1/4 cup red curry paste 2-3 tsp coconut milk or cream 2 cups oyster sauce (optional) 2 tsp fish sauce 1 tsp fresh red chilli pepper 1/2 cane sugar 1/2 tsp black pepper to taste

Heat the coconut cream over medium heat with the red curry paste for about 30 seconds or until the paste dissolves. Add the lime leaves, basil, green beans, and all the other vegetables. Cook about 20 seconds.

Add the fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and pepper.

Stirring, bring to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

SERvING Serve hot with steamed white rice. Serves 2.

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

I’ve always liked heat in my food even as a kid, when General Tsao’s chicken from the Chinese take-away was about as adventurous as we got at my house in New Jersey. Now after 12 years in Thailand I’ll go spoon for spoon with any local cook and the hottest curry he or she can mash up. So if there’s one thing that brings out the macho in me, it’s when a local street vendor who spots me lingering in front of her pots, my mouth watering, gives me a pitying smile and assures me “This one okay for you, not too spicy!”

I’ve been tempted more than once in this situation, to blurt out that seagoing traders brought chillies to Old Siam from the Americas, way back when 500 years ago all they had here was black pepper, but I’ve learned it’s best to restrain one’s annoyance in Asia.

Once in a while though, I simply can’t resist declaring with one of the Thai style smiles I have cultivated for such occasions, “Madam, I bet I can eat hotter than you!” No one ever takes the bait. Probably because no one ever takes me seriously. They just laugh. There are at least two things that every Thai knows as a people, they can do way better than everyone else in the world. The first is speak Thai, and the second is make and eat Thai food. Lest one underestimate the significance of the latter, consider that a Thai will not ask a foreigner “Do you eat this dish?”, but “Can you eat this dish?” Which leads me to the point of all this. I’ve come to the conclusion that the average Thai believes that Westerners do not really want to eat authentic Thai food, and circumstances conspire to reinforce that perception. I often suspect that most locals are of the opinion that when a Westerner opts for stir fried prawns with holy basil instead of a pot pie, it’s out of a sense that they ought, when in Siam, to do as the Siamese do or that, like Bangkok yuppies who crowd Western style bistros and fast food outlets, foreign travellers want to be trendy on holiday. Folks here are sometimes aghast when I tell them I run a Thai cooking school. In fact they often don’t believe their ears (or perhaps my pronunciation) until I’ve repeated it several times. The relief is usually considerable when I assure them, “Oh but I just do the marketing. My Thai partner is in charge of the teaching.” The Thai food lover who travels here from abroad in the hope of going beyond the same standards served up by Thai restaurants worldwide, had better be prepared to get well off the beaten

track, preferably to places with not a word of English in sight. Here’s the rub on Thai curries. What makes a hot one satisfying, is the way the chillies are pounded into the paste. Since almost all restaurants here buy this product from local manufacturers who make it daily in big batches, the cook cannot control its kick.

Since he doesn’t want to risk having his dish sent back (yet again) to the kitchen by some tourist for whom “hot” means the way he likes the steam to rise from his goulash soup, the cook will cut back – sometimes way back – on the amount of curry paste he uses. But since much of the flavour is in the paste, there’s not much left to give the dish its authenticity, especially since while he is at it, the cook will probably cut back on other seasonings in the belief that they too are too “Thai” for the Western palate. After all, why take any chances? Et voila! Tasteless Thai food in Thailand!

As an intrepid eater who wants the real thing, you might try saying “Rao gin phet dai!”, meaning “We can eat it hot!” But this is taking pot luck, since what a Thai considers hot is likely to be many times more intense than what the average Westerner can stand.

A Thai will not ask a foreigner ‘Do you eat this dish?’, but ‘Can you eat this dish?’

So, chances are, the cook will (understandably) not believe you anyway, and you will get the insipid version of the dish you had hoped to avoid. But where I live there is perhaps reason for hope. On this little piece of paradise some clever restaurateurs have begun putting up signboards that read “We Have Thai Food.” In case we’d forgotten.

The Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts is recommended

by Lonely Planet, Frommer’s and Rough Guide to Thailand among many other guide books. Their daily cooking classes have been featured on BBC World TV and their professional training programs have been attended by chefs from 25 countries on 5 of the world’s continents. SITCA recently became Thailand’s first culinary vocational training centre to be accredited by international organization City & Guilds.

For more information visit www.sitca.net.

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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AltErnAtIvE vEGEtArIAn FEStIvAl

AltErnAtIvE vEGEtArIAn FEStIvAl

It looks painful, but the piercing is done with surgical precision

Pushing the limits Phuket is a modern, cosmopolitan and thriving place, but however modern it gets, old traditions remain very much alive. They are an essential and fascinating part of its soul.

AbsolutePhuket checks out the annual Vegetarian Festival in Phuket Town.

Some take the minimalist approach

Some years it has been known to rain. Best come prepared

Phuket is a modern island. A world famous network of resorts, golf courses, spas, luxury hotels, yachting marinas and leisure facilities that are, justifiably, famous worldwide and attract visitors from every continent. Phuket is also an island with rich traditions and a rich history.

Long before developers realised the potential of this beautiful place as a centre of leisure and relaxation Phuket already had a history and a culture all of its own. As it has developed those roots have remained very much in tact. Religion comes in many forms. Some are magnificent, some reflective and some simply bizarre. Here in Phuket, once a year religion (quite literally) explodes altogether in shamanistic rituals of self denial and loud bangs that sees shopkeepers, lawyers, travel agents, bus drivers and students ascend to a level of surrealistic trance that tests all definitions of worship. For nine days at the beginning of ‘Taoist Lent’ the descendents of Chinese immigrants abstain from eating all

meat and dairy products. They devote themselves to the purification of the soul culminating in acts of physical asceticism that involve incredible feats of self mortification, walking through fire and climbing ladders with rungs of sharpened blades. I am standing on the damp streets of Phuket town at dawn in front of a beautifully ornate Chinese temple. The gongs are beaten and the bells are rung. The rooms of the temple and the temple-yard are heavy with smoke from ancient, holy statues. Lined up are devotees wearing the traditional robes of celebration. Men gather on one side of the alter, women on the other.

They are preparing to be possessed by the spirits of the ‘Nine Emperor Gods’. Presently, the Spirits announce their arrival. Facial expressions change.

The devotees start to twitch. One after another the participants shift from being ordinary people to being mediators with the spirit world. One after another they walk, hop or run out into the yard, where a team of helpers is ready to pierce their faces and bodies with knives and skewers. One by one they stand in line, enchanted, enlightened or in ecstasy, bobbing up and down, uttering squeaks and dribbling saliva while waiting their turn to have their flesh sliced and punctured. The piercing itself is being done with surgical precision. What drives normally sane and restrained people to such extremes is the desire for absolute purity. It takes two or three men to punch the metal and wood through the faces of their subjects. Many have such large and unwieldy objects pushed through their flesh that they need helpers on either side to aid them as they walk otherwise their skin would be completely shredded. The operations complete, the devotees make their way out on to the streets. Dressed in silk and running on bare feet, those possessed by spirits precede the elaborately perforated. Trance like they stop for offerings proffered at street side shrines. They are nodding their heads, hopping up and down and squeaking like kittens. These are the voices of the spirits inside them. To me they look like a mass break-out from the local lunatic asylum, but they are not. They are ordinary townspeople and their rituals are deadly serious. In the main body of the gathering procession one teenager with fashionably floppy hair has pierced his face with a huge model jet fighter made of Coca Cola cans. Further on a charming looking couple have a complete bicycle sticking through their cheeks.

Another man has been rather more practical.

Fearing rain perhaps, he has the shaft of an open umbrella sticking through his face. Figure after figure trudges past, each one sporting ever more creative piercings using ever more bizarre objects. Multiple skewers at all angles through face neck and body,

The festival ends with a deafening display AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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AltErnAtIvE vEGEtArIAn FEStIvAl

AltErnAtIvE vEGEtArIAn FEStIvAl

Devotees possessed by spirits are given refreshments at the roadside

Some are very inventive The fire is real

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

Some are downright scary It looks like a snowstorm and sounds like a war zone

tongues transfixed by iron bars or sliced with saws.

Maybe the most peculiar are those who have chosen to gauge a hole in their cheeks and then pierce the wound with branches of leafy foliage. This all started in 1825 when a Chinese travelling theatre troupe came to Phuket to perform for immigrant tin miners. The actors were struck down by a mysterious epidemic. No medicine would cure the disease. The entertainers blamed their illness on the fact that they had failed to pay proper respect to the nine emperor Gods of Taoism. Unfortunately they had no priests who knew how to perform the ceremonies that would placate the Gods. They were forced to send word back to their homes in Fujian in China. Eventually messengers returned to Phuket with the correct manual and the performers were able to resurrect their ancient spiritual crafts. It is no surprise that the origins of the Vegetarian Festival lie in theatre.

As a penance for their sins the actors adopted a strict vegetarian diet to propitiate the deities of Kiu Hong Tai Te and Youk Hong Ta Te and were cured. The villagers were impressed and decided to follow the example of their theatrical visitors. They built ornate temples in thanks to the deities and these beautiful temples in Phuket Town are still the base camps for devotees during the festivities. It is here that you see men piercing their friends before they step out onto the streets of the town. Besides fasting devotees must abstain from sexual intercourse, killing, quarrelling, telling lies and, bizarrely, staying in hotels during the three weeks before the festival starts. These restrictions are all designed to strengthen them before they are possessed by the Emperor Gods. After the procession of ascetic spirits comes the procession of ear splitting noise. Hooded youths carry huge shrines and effigies on their shoulders. Everywhere around people fling deafening fire crackers that whizz and boom at extraordinary volume. The acrid smell of gunpowder perfumes the smoke and ash that shrouds the air. It feels like a re-enactment of the first day of the Somme and it is amazing that no one is injured or incinerated. And as the last float is carried aloft into the distance the town falls deathly quiet. It is still only 7.30 in the morning and the street cleaners arrive, sweeping up mounds of dust and debris. At the start of the working day it is as if all this had never happened. I wander into a travel agents to buy a ticket out. Sitting opposite me is a beautifully manicured Thai woman in her early twenties with coiffured hair and wearing a fetching and fashionable, cream coloured trouser suit. As she busies herself at the computer making my reservation and printing out my ticket I notice the stigmata of the Emperor Gods on her cheeks and her image comes back to

me. Only two hours before she had been walking through town with an iron bar through her face.

Now, like the whole community, she has returned to the Twenty First Century and resumed her life of mundane tasks… Shopping, watching TV and working at her job. As I make my way through town I notice others. The taxi driver too has the small wounds that betray his morning’s activities. The man who sells me a newspaper smiles at me, which must be painful since both cheeks are marked by neat round scabs.

I must look disturbed. He looks concerned. “Sabai di mai?” He asks me. “Are you okay?” in Thai. “Sabai di,” I answer him. “Yes I am okay.” He grins and carries on with his day.

Above: a spiritual reward Below: Timeless history, ancient ritual

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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lIFEStylE mArInAtEd In mUd

Marinated in Mud Famous throughout the world as an island where the single minded pursuit of relaxation is the prime directive it comes as no surprise that Phuket has become a global leader in the business of health and well being.

Thailand as a whole has seen an explosion of popularity in spa treatments over the last fifteen years and Phuket leads the way.

Spas are not something new. They were in existence 4000 years ago and both the ancient Greeks and the ancient Romans soaked, steamed and massaged each other on a regular basis. Thailand itself has a long tradition of massage. Wat Pho in Bangkok is home to one of the most respected massage schools in the world. Traditional massage is universal throughout Thailand. In addition to the rich traditions of massage and healing arts from Thailand itself, modern spas also incorporate therapies borrowed from around the world. Whether from Finland, Canada, India or Thailand all this centuries old global wisdom is distilled into a variety of treatments that incorporate the best of all worlds. In an effort to provide something special spas are also developing treatments that may appear at first to verge on the outlandish. Some will cover you in chocolate, soak you in milk or baste you in fruit paste. You might be rubbed down with stones, seaweed or sand or marinated in mud to Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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lIFEStylE mArInAtEd In mUd

Materials used in spa treatments come from all over the world remove impurities. Actually all these treatments are valid and founded in centuries of accumulated global knowledge. AbsolutePhuket sent some guinea pigs out into the field to try out some of the more interesting sounding treatments that spas in Phuket have to offer. Steve, a marketing executive from the United States, Cecelia, a tour guide from France, Catherine, an accountant from Taiwan and Ksenia, a student from Russia venture where pretty much everyone else is also very keen to tread.

Chocolate Wrap Body and Mind Day Spa

The chocolate soaks into the skin exfoliating and re-hydrating

Mud is an effective astringent, absorbent, ion exchanger and hormone regenerator

Chocolate has a chequered history. Originating in Central America it played a major part in the life and traditions of both the Mayan and Aztec civilizations where cocoa beans actually served as a currency. Discovered, along with the Americas themselves, by Christopher Columbus in 1492 at first chocolate didn’t really impress the newly arrived Europeans.

In 1579 English pirates captured a whole vessel full of valuable cocoa beans but burned the cargo thinking it was sheep dung. It was not long, however, before chocolate started to catch on and by 1615 it was so fashionable that Ann of Austria, daughter of Philip II from Spain, introduced the beverage to her new husband, Louis the XIII of France and his court as part of her dowry. By the middle of the century chocolate mania took hold and chocolate’s reputation as an aphrodisiac flourished throughout Europe. Art and literature became thick with imagery inspired by chocolate. From then on chocolate swept the world becoming humankind’s most popular confectionary of choice. If you have chocaholic tendencies and simply eating the stuff has failed to satisfy this could be the treatment for you. Starting with a rub down with hot towels to open the pores you are then coated with thick layers of chocolate and wrapped in towels and plastic sheeting. Although you might smell like a mars bar for a couple of days the fact is that chocolate has well known properties of exfoliation and rehydration. As it melts it soaks into the skin and the lactic acid in the milk bring the toxins to the surface. Twenty minutes of this leaves your skin silky, smooth and glowing. If you are unwise enough or unlucky enough to get sun burnt then this treatment will help the skin recover. Steve’s verdict, “It was fantastic. It was so relaxing that I fell asleep. Next time I get a bar of chocolate I won’t know whether to wear it or eat it.”

Mud Bath Mandara Spa at the JW Marriott

There may be a wisdom about the world that comes naturally to pigs and buffalo but is only dawning slowly on mankind; the power of mud.

It may not be the world’s most glamorous substance, but when it comes to health its benefits are many fold. In fact the therapeutic properties of mud have been known for thousands of years. The ancient Romans took advantage of the curative powers of Mud and Renaissance physicians praised its beneficial effect. Scientific research has demonstrated that mud is an effective astringent, absorbent, ion exchanger, hormone balancer, anti-inflammatory, and cell regenerator. At the Mandara spa they use mud specially imported from France. Half an hour in a luxuriously warm mud bath scented with flowers converts Ksenia to mud for ever. “My bubble bath days over. From now on it’s a mud bath three times a week.”

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

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The wrap stays on for between twenty minutes and half an hour

Thai White Mud Wrap Body and Mind Day Spa

Thai white mud, or Din So Pong, has been used for centuries by Thai women to help cleanse and tone the skin. Not so much like a mud as a thick white chalk din so pong helps draw out impurities, heals wounds and clears rashes. The mud is hand-sifted and sun-dried. The resulting soft powder is traditionally blended with flower or herbal waters, and is then applied to problem areas to cleanse the skin. Its cool, clay like properties mean it is excellent for treating dry or burnt skin. The treatment starts with a massage followed by a rub down with hot towels.

The body is then smeared with the cooling white mud before being wrapped in towels and plastic. The mud dries and draws out toxins whilst nourishing and purifying the skin. It reduces the impurities and restores elasticity. The wrap stays on for between twenty minutes and half an hour. After washing off the mud the treatment is best finished off with an aromatherapy massage. Cecelia’s review was positive. “I will definitely be coming back,” she says.

Cecelia’s review was positive. “I will definitely be coming back,” she says

Jasmine Rice Body and Mind Day Spa

In a country where, “have you eaten rice yet?” is the usual greeting, it is no surprise that jasmine rice plays a central role in Thai culture. In addition to being the staple food it is also a part of social, economic, ritual and festive traditions. Jasmine or ‘Thai Hom Mali’ rice has, in the past, been variously labelled as ‘fragrant rice’, ‘jasmine rice’, ‘aromatic rice’ or ‘scented rice’. This variety of rice can only be grown in the hot, sunny climates of Southeast Asia. It is also very nutritious containing vitamins B1, B2, niacin, carbohydrate, iron, calcium, phosphorous and protein.

It was the great grandmother of the founder of Body and Mind Day Spa, Araya Akkasintawangkul, who first used the rice paste left over from cooking as a face mask and, as with so many other folk remedies, modern science is confirming much of the wisdom that villagers have passed down through the generations for centuries. Applied to the face and body it cleanses and rejuvenates the skin drawing out the toxins. The full treatment is the 3 hour Jasmine Rice Package which includes a body scrub with jasmine rice for about an hour followed by an aromatherapy massage that refreshes the skin. Trained therapists work their way through the body, gently releasing stress and tension until time and space are entirely forgotten. Surprisingly, the tropical fragrance from Thai jasmine rice lasts all day. The package ends with a blissful facial treatment using rice extract, pearl and ginseng that leaves you totally rejuvenated. Cecelia gives the treatment a ringing endorsement saying, “I think maybe I look five years younger but then it may just be that it was so relaxing I just feel five years younger.”

Modern science is confirming much of the wisdom that villagers have passed down through the generations for centuries

applied to the face and body it cleanses and rejuvenates the skin drawing out the toxins

Surprisingly, the tropical fragrance from Thai jasmine rice lasts all day

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

lIFEStylE mArInAtEd In mUd

Ayurvedic Massage Royal Spa

Ayurveda, the ancient healing tradition of India, spoke of a universal source of all life. The energy called ‘prana’ is the energy, or the breath of life which moves through all living forms. Yogis work with this energy using breathing techniques, meditation, physical exercise and massage to produce altered states of consciousness, healing and longevity. Ayurveda is the oldest and most holistic medical system in use on the planet today.

Ayurvedic massage, or ‘abhyanga’ is a full body massage with medicated oils to balance specific conditions.

Herbal oils chosen according to ‘dosha’, or your body and character type, contain herbs and ingredients that pacify the unbalanced energy types which in Sanskrit are called vata, pitta and kapha. Ayurvedic massage is practiced to help the body expel toxins from the body as quickly as possible. Lastly warm oil is poured gently over your forehead or ‘third eye’. It was developed by ‘vaidyas’, or practitioners of Ayurveda in Kerala, India for use in ‘sukhachikitsa’ or restorative therapy. The name for the anointing of the third eye comes from the Sanskrit words shiras ‘head’ and dhara ‘flow’. The liquids used in shirodhara depend on what is being treated, but can include oil, milk, buttermilk, coconut water, or even plain water. Shirodhara treatment is used to heal chronic neuro-muscular disorders such as hypertension, insomnia, depression, anxiety and headaches.

Catherine told us, “It was certainly a nice feeling having the oil flow over my forehead. You will need some strong shampoo though, because it soaks into the hair.”

Oil is slowly dripped on to the forehead or ‘third eye’

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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Hot stone massage therapy originated with healers using river stones warmed in either hot coals or hot water

Hot Stone Massage Royal Spa

The hot stones relax the muscles and relieve pain

Seaweed contains an enzyme that creates a spontaneous heat

This is another age old Ayurvedic therapy dating back 5000 years.

Healers would not only use their hands for manipulation and healing but also utilise tools from the earth such as herbs, flowers, crystals and stones. Hot stone massage therapy originated with healers using river stones warmed in either hot coals or hot water. Healing would take place by placing the hot stones on the body and arranging them along the energy centres of the body. The hot stones relax the muscles and draw out muscle pain and discomfort. The stones are heated up to 50 degrees Celsius in hot water and then used in two ways. Some stones will be laid on top of the spine and some used for massage. The therapist also uses traditional methods of Swedish massage whilst holding a heated stone. As the stone cools she replaces it with another. Heated stones are then used directly in the hands of the therapist delivering various massage strokes to the muscle tissues. Hot stone massage is suited to people who tend to feel chilly or who have cold feet. It also works well for those who suffer from muscle tension. The heat relaxes the muscles allowing the therapist to work on the muscle without using deep pressure. Catherine says, “At first the stones do feel really hot, but once you are used to it you can feel your muscles relaxing and it turns into a delicious experience.”

Seaweed Wrap Mandara Spa at the JW Marriott

Seaweed has long been known as one of the best sources of nutrition available to man. Although it may look unappetising, slimy and smelly when washed up on the beach, when treated right and prepared correctly it is delicious as any connoisseur of Japanese food will corroborate.

Seaweed is rich in fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals and if compared with plants that grow on land, these sea or ocean vegetables are 10 to 20 times higher in vitamins, minerals and amino acids. They also contain other important trace minerals. Similarly all ocean vegetables are low in calories, nutrient-dense and can add flavour and zest to quite a number of recipes. These benefits also make it beneficial when applied to the skin. At the Mandara Spa Ksenia is smeared with a seaweed paste. The masseuse explains that seaweed contains an enzyme that creates a spontaneous heat. This heat is absorbed by the skin reducing cellulite and firming the skin. This is followed by contour gels and massage. For the treatment to be successful it needs to be carried out over a number of weeks in conjunction with diet and exercise. Ksenia tells us, “It felt really nice. I would like to have the time to do the whole six month treatment.”

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

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North Shore

InvEStmEntS FrACtIonAl ownErShIp

Let’s share…

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If you want to invest in other peoples hangovers but can’t afford the whole farm, then you can limit the investment by sharing.

A Fractional Helicopter: Fractional ownership largely came into being for those who wanted to own aircraft.

Helicopters aren’t cheap and for those who have need of them, fractional ownership is an excellent opportunity.

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AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

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A Fractional Pig: The Number One

You may have heard the term Fractional ownership, but what exactly does it mean? Simply stated, fractional ownership is the opportunity to own something for only the amount of time you would actually like to use it and be responsible for it. In Thailand this mainly applies to vacation property. Each owner invests money according to the amount of time they intend to spend at the residence. They all share the carrying cost. All the details of maintaining the property are taken care of by a property management company, leaving the owners free to enjoy their vacations. A ‘Use Plan’ is established so it is clear who will use the residence and when. Does it really make economic sense to purchase, outright, a second home for vacation purposes? Being the owner, you are responsible for the tax, security, maintenance and management all yearround. Statistics show that most vacation home owners stay between 10 and 17 days annually at their vacation home. Why pay more than you need in order to enjoy it? Fractional ownership is an ideal alternative to traditional vacation real estate ownership. You can still have the value, equity, tax savings and other benefits of second-home ownership but at a fraction of the cost. That is what fractional ownership provides. You have an appreciable property investment, at a fraction of the price, no maintenance anxiety, and a holiday home in a great location that is fully serviced with excellent amenities. So how big is the fractional ownership market? In America it is now a fifteen billion dollar a year industry. Although it includes various types of commercial properties, it is not limited only to property alone. If you want to see what else is available, have a look at www.fractionallife.com. You will find Sports cars, luxury Yachts and aircraft to name just a few of the things on offer.

Both companies and individuals have been sharing the cost of aircraft for many years. So what about fractional ownership in Asia? As you may be on holiday here, what about Thailand? There are some fractionally owned Condominiums available in both Phuket and Pattaya with Koh Samui to follow. The standards are high, but they are in limited supply, and probably always will be, unless the laws regarding foreign ownership in Thailand change. For the technicalities of investment to work, you need it to be freehold or under foreign ownership. In any condo building there can only be 49% foreign ownership, the other 51% being Thai.

Not all the Thai people like this law since, if you think about it, it is the Thai owner who suffers. As a foreign owner, with 49%, you can sell to either a Thai or another Foreigner, but a Thai owning part of the 51% can only sell to another Thai. Which one is going to get the higher price?

The positive side of this is that anyone who gets involved with fractionally owned property in Thailand will see the value of their investment go up because of the shortage of suitable investment opportunities. This looks set to continue.

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bUSInESS ChAnGInG tImES

bUSInESS ChAnGInG tImES ClaYTON WaDE HaS BEEN IN THE REal ESTaTE BUSINESS FOR 22 YEaRS, STaRTING HIS CaREER IN SEaTTlE, WaSHINGTON. HE IS NOW MaNaGING DIRECTOR OF PREMIER HOMES REal ESTaTE IN PaTTaYa.

Thailand can look forward to years of continued growth and success in the real estate sector

Changing Times The Real Estate business in Thailand is changing. Expert, Clayton Wade, sees a bright future for those who adjust.

Yes, it is a lot easier to say the boom is over now isn’t it? Not too many arguments at this point. As I had written on a number of occasions over the past couple of years the boom would continue as long as foreigners had money and relations between the Thai Government and foreign investors ran smoothly. This has not always been the case and the boom was successfully deflated in only a matter of months. True, the Thai government has just recently been making some very dramatic and positive policy changes concerning visas and real estate, and I am personally convinced that they will only improve further within the very near future. The fact of the matter does remain that the boom is over. So, taking that into consideration, where is the Thailand real estate market today? Deceased? No, the sonic boom may have faded from earshot, but like the thunder that follows close behind, Thailand is showing great signs of continuing business rumbling throughout the real estate sector.

Now that all of the real estate speculation frenzy is out of our industry, we are left with what I like to refer to as the ‘real’ real estate market.

Whether you live in Phuket, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui or Pattaya, we all know that just about everyone who comes to Thailand doesn’t want to leave. As has been said so many times, nothing seems to deter people from living here. We will always have a steady stream of foreigners coming to Thailand to work in the many industrial estates throughout the country and of course the legions of people who love Phuket, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui or Pattaya wouldn’t consider

Thailand is showing great signs of continuing business growth AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

living anywhere else. This fact is demonstrated very clearly by the continued business that the established agencies are experiencing today in all of these areas of Thailand. There is a strong and robust interest in properties from foreigners and with the number of expats who continue to come to Thailand to work, the rental market is still looking very good as well. Boom or not, foreigners are still out there looking to buy homes and/or rental income property in Thailand.

The ‘real’ real estate market is moving along very well and certainly a lot better than some in the industry would think or say. Although there are some very telling positive and negative market indicators out there, it is still a bit early to make any solid predictions. But one thing is for sure and that is that Thailand can look forward to years of continued growth and success in the real estate sector.

Yes, I agree that there is a developer’s recession brewing out there. That is, developments built with poorly-designed layouts, poor building materials and in poor locations are definitely going to be challenged.

A good number will most likely go out of business

Boom or not, foreigners are still out there looking to buy homes and rental income property in Thailand over the coming year or two. We see the very same scenario happening with the multitude of real estate agencies that have popped up over the past couple of years around Thailand. Many, maybe most, put all of their eggs in one basket and rode the new condo construction boom only to find themselves now changing course midstream as they try to figure out just how they can participate in the area’s secondary real estate sector of rentals and sales of existing properties. This real estate agency recession will see a large number of existing agents and agencies folding up and going out of business as well. Those agents and agencies that are broad-based, are professional, are experienced and know their product line will remain in business since they are what the ‘real’ real estate market is all about here in Thailand. The continuous and steady influx of foreigners working, living, and staying here in Thailand is what will keep those real estate agencies that have paid their dues in the marketplace for years to come. If you look really hard, you’ll see clear sailing ahead for Thailand’s real estate market. And if you listen very carefully, I just know you’ll hear the thunder of continued real estate business rumbling throughout the Land of Smiles.

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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photo Shoot CEntrAl FAShIon Show

Central Festival Phuket

Fashion Show Phuket is the Cote D’Azur of Thailand attracting the fashion conscious from all over the world. Central Festival Phuket put on a fashion show with a difference to mark Thai Mother’s Day. Three generations of style.

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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photo Shoot CEntrAl FAShIon Show

photo Shoot CEntrAl FAShIon Show

For Monica, 12 years old, it had long been a dream to strut down the catwalk just like the stars on television.

She stopped talking about it though because her friends at school would laugh and tell her she was too small. Often she would go home in tears. On Sunday August 12th, the tears stopped. She not only graced the catwalk like a television star, Monica and the screen stars she had been desperate to emulate came together on the same stage in the same fashion show. To mark Thai Mothers Day and the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit Central Festival Phuket in Phuket Town put on a fashion bonanza featuring three generations. The models were drawn from all walks of life; business women, doctors, dentists, housewives, high school students, university graduates and media workers. They were joined on stage by some of Thailand’s best known TV stars. BeBe fashion provided the outfits whilst hair and make-up was taken care of by stylists flown down from Bangkok for the occasion. Songphol Pongrapeeporn, General Manager-Marketing of Central Festival Phuket says, “Phuket is the Cote D’Azur of Thailand. We wanted to mark Mothers Day with something that would show the glamour of Phuket but also be fun.” The senior fashion editor from In-Style Magazine was on hand at rehearsals to give tips to those who were new to the catwalk. It took a little time to get the models to overcome their shyness. “Everyone is beautiful if they can just be themselves. That’s all we wanted to show on stage. When people are not used to being on show they can take a little time to relax.” As the show unfolded, Songphol’s prediction proved correct as all ages from toddlers to grandmothers displayed a shimmering variety of outfits from the bohemian hippy punk enthusiasm of Jay-Da, one of Phuket’s most famous artists to the cool retro-chic of Yhine, a magazine journalist from Bangkok. The professional models flown down especially from Bangkok for the show gave the show an added frisson of glamour.

There was Joy (Rinlanee Sripen), Pang (Ornjira Lamwilai),Tuk (Chanokwanun Rakcheep) and Pong (Nawat Kulrattanarak) all of whom feature in popular TV. The tone was generally cool casual. As Sophong says, “The beach atmosphere of Phuket influences the way people dress here. We will often go straight from the office to relax on the beach. Where in Bangkok you might have to wear a formal business suit, here you wear cool linen or a polo shirt for the same kind event. It is more relaxed. A kind of party office.”

Judging by its success, it looks like the party office of Central Festival Phuket is set to continue.

Watch this space.

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

High flying media stars from Bangkok

The models are ready and the compere checks her notes

Cameras follow the models on to the catwalk

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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photo Shoot CEntrAl FAShIon Show

photo Shoot CEntrAl FAShIon Show

Models, both amateur and professional, are attended to by stylists. Once on stage the outfits vary from bohemian hippy-punk to cool retro-chic

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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survival mosquito wars

Competition win a holiday for two

AbsolutePhuket has a great competition to promote our new AbsoluteSamui magazine coming in December. You could Win a Holiday for Two in Koh Samui at the 5 Star Absolute Private Residence at Samui Peninsula Resort for 7 nights including flights from Bangkok or Phuket to Koh Samui* The lucky winner can have two complimentary round trip tickets with Bangkok Air, Asia’s Boutique airline to the beautiful island of Koh Samui, met by limo and transferred to the hotel. On arrival welcome drinks and the start of a great vacation at Koh Samui’s finest resort! We’ve also arranged dinner for two at one of the top rated a la carte restaurant, AbsolutePhuket will also throw in a bottle of champagne to mark the occasion.

All you have to do to be entered for this great prize is tell us why you think AbsolutePhuket is Thailand’s hottest new magazine in fewer than 40 words.

Enter your answer, along with your name, phone number and email address to: – Website entry at www.absolutephuket.com/competition – SMS text message from your mobile phone to +66 856 971 850 – Video message can be uploaded to www.absolutephuket.com/competition – Post to AbsolutePhuket, PO Box 268, Patong Beach, Phuket 83150, Thailand.

The draw takes place on 30th November 2007 and the winner will be informed by email or phone.

Mosquito

AbsolutePhuket bringing you much more than any other magazine.

If it ever feels like there is a fly in the ointment in Thailand it usually turns out that it isn’t actually a fly at all. *The seven nights luxury accommodation is in one of the Absolute Private Residence Club luxury pool villas at the Samui Peninsula Resort. Approximate value is 2,000 US $ per week and is on a room only basis. The winner cannot exchange the prize for a cash amount or sell the prize to another person. The winner cannot transfer the prize to another person. The offer does not include mini bar consumption or telephone calls and other incidentals. Round trip airport transfers in Koh Samui as well as two complimentary air tickets from either Bangkok or Phuket to Koh Samui. The accommodation and air tickets are not valid during major holidays and peak travel dates. The offer expires on 30th April 2008 and should be used before this date. Check in dates are Saturdays only and the 7 nights must be used consecutively. Winner will be notified by email or by telephone within 7 days of the draw. Tou must supply a valid email or phone number. If after 7 days, the winner does not contact the magazine There are no purchase requirements or further obligations except to allow AbsolutePhuket magazine to publish you winning details and several photographs by mutual agreement from the holiday as part of our future AbsolutePhuket and AbsoluteSamui marketing promotions.

The draw will take place on Friday 16th November 2007. The Editor of AbsolutePhuket has the final say and entry into this free competition automatically confirms you accept the terms and conditions. A full set of terms and conditions can be found at www.AbsolutePhuket.com/competition.

absolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

Vs People It is most likely that hovering, dismembered, intense whine that flits into your ear at sunset causing you to leap and squirm as you realise that your evening just got gate crashed. It can mean only one thing. The mosquito. Between man and insect there is little love lost. From childhood we learn that if not battled on every front, with every means at our disposal these tiny, buzzing predators have the power to invade our space for hours on end inspiring regular feats of twitching, insomnia, self slapping and downright bad language on our part. Worldwide the mosquito is one of man’s most fearsome foes carrying all kinds of nasty diseases that you really don’t want to get. The good news is that Thailand, as battle grounds go, has certainly been the scene of a resounding victory on the part of humankind and indeed the Ministry of Public Health. Over the last three decades malaria has been all but eliminated in most inhabited areas.

In most of Thailand the mozzie has been medically

Issue One / October & November 2007 absolutePhuket

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SUrvIvAl moSqUIto wArS

SUrvIvAl moSqUIto wArS

5 ways to avoid bites.

1. keep all flesh covered especially at dawn and dusk. You don’t have to go for the full burka, but it helps to wear long sleeved shirts and long trousers. Wear socks even if you are wearing open shoes. light clothes are less attractive than dark colours. The mosquito is a gloomy little beast.

disarmed. In fact if you were really looking to get that ill you would have to head all the way to the jungles bordering Cambodia, Laos or Burma where malaria still thrives. That doesn’t mean that the mosquito has lost its power to be really annoying or, on a bad day, to ruin your evening. No one is certain when the mosquito first reared its spiteful little head but it’s pretty safe to bet that the whining little varmint predates man by about 100,000 years. That’s quite a head start by anyone’s reckoning. When scientists examined the fossilised remains of a hundred-million­ year-old mosquito preserved in a chunk of amber, they found appendages on it tough enough to pierce dinosaur hide. No wonder then that, these days, soft, white, touristic flesh represents an enticingly easy meal. The first rule of any battle is to pick your ground. With the mosquito this is pivotal. Where there is still or stagnant water, let alone plants, the mosquito is always close to home base and ready to refuel. That means that when you sit down to eat in a restaurant apparently calmed by the relaxed burbling of elaborate water features and framed by a magnificent leafy canopy of foliage, both you and your hosts need to know what you are getting into. The mosquito regards this environment with even more pleasure than you do and they will be lining up in force in vast watery encampments to get airborne and start feasting greedily on your naïve, exposed flesh.

This is a sad state of affairs since human beings are actually an acquired taste for the mosquito. Of over 2,500 species, only the females of a few varieties are interested in feeding on people. And even that is only a recent evolutionary development. Their favourite meal of choice is either deer or cattle, but they are not always guaranteed to be on the mozzie menu.

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

5 ways to fight back.

1. Spray them with noxious, insect killing aerosol spray. It can do the trick but you will usually find that you are spraying yourself just as hard which can induce dizziness.

Have a sit down.

2. Try the traditional method of swatting them with a rolled up magazine (Try this one?!)

It’s great exercise if you don’t want to play squash, but you do play into the mosquitoes hands by, a. Not killing any and b. handing them the psychological advantage which can only be humiliating considering their laughable IQ. 3. Zap them with an electronic tennis racket.

Hear the crackle of victory and smile fiendishly to yourself in the knowledge that each flash of sparks marks another enemy vanquished. These impressive implements of sure victory are easily purchased from your local merchants of death… Tesco lotus, Carrefour or the Big C. 4. Beat yourself up with your own bare hands belting each area of your exposed flesh with such terrific force and speed that no creature hiding in the crevices of your skin can survive the onslaught. Then take yourself to hospital to be treated for concussion.

5. The electronic mosquito trap zaps them without the effort of the awesome tennis racquet. It’s great for pacifists who want to kill whilst also living in denial.

2. Don’t wear perfumes or aftershaves. You might end up attracting a different kind of creature than the one you were actually after by attempting to be fragrant.

3. Use repellent preferably with DEET. It’s called repellent because it really is truly foul and disgusting. It’s oily and it’s smelly. It is, in fact, utterly repelling. If it repels you more than the mosquitoes do, then skip the repellent and just head out to take your chances with racquet in hand.

4. Mosquitoes are water babies. anywhere there is still water there is also a potentially festering colony of pumped up mozzies waiting to get airborne and launch relentless raids on your ankles. avoid the water or tip it out. They also love plants.

Plants+water=an itchy night out.

5. Mosquito coils can work as long as you stay downwind of the smoke. You will end up smelling like a barbecue but apparently it makes them suffer.

The compromise reality is that for mozzie needs must and they have learned to point their virulent little snouts at the acres of human flesh more conveniently available. Mosquitoes do, however, like some human flesh more than other human flesh.

Often in a group one person will be bitten a lot more than all the others. According to recent studies about 20 percent of people attract 80 percent of bites. So if you think they are picking on you, then you are probably right. No one is quite sure why mosquitoes are so unfair in distributing misery equally but the consensus is that it is down to scent.

Old Asia hands have long noticed that people who drink heavily tend to attract more mosquitoes than the better behaved. The same is true of those hygienically challenged. So if self respect is not enough this is surely an added incentive not to become a filthy alcoholic in hot countries.

Although the whine of the mosquito is enough to strike anxiety into most of us, especially if one of the little brutes has managed to break and enter whilst you are sleeping, it is important to bear in mind their essentially puny nature. It will help you relax.

They can be blown into oblivion by a single puff of wind but are far more likely to be eaten, drowned, swatted, or crushed by spiders, fish, carnivorous plants or, indeed, you before they ever reach the end of their pathetic and miserable life span. Overall, just three or four mosquitoes out of a hundred live long enough to bite two victims consecutively. It’s not a great record despite their supposed collective strength. Scientists calculate for the mosquito to win and put you out of your misery it would have to bite you 424,242 times in order to make you pass out with blood loss. That’s a pretty tall order for such a small creature even if they come at you in enough numbers. And if they did materialise in those numbers then you would know that you were in an Alfred Hitchcock film and it would all be over.

Pass the popcorn. You, on the other hand, have many means at your disposal to swat, electrocute, crush, gas or trick the enemy. They can only resort to mass and speedy reproduction. So on a bad evening when you feel that the mosquito onslaught is relentless, the battle is lost and you are contemplating a retreat into despair, bear in mind that the mosquito is fighting a rear guard action in terms of long term damage. Go and wield the racquet.

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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hEAlth bAnGkok hoSpItAl

Medical Tourism

Welcome to the health section of AbsolutePhuket, where our aim is to provide you with up-to-date and relevant information on issues associated with your health and wellbeing in the tropical paradise of Phuket.

Medical treatment is often unpleasant and, more often than not, hard on the bank account. In recent years globalisation and outsourcing have hit the business of healthcare in a big way. This has taken the form of what is termed ‘medical tourism’ and Thailand has been extremely well placed to take advantage of developments. The reason is simple. Hospital care in Thailand is of world class standards whilst costs are a great deal lower than in Europe, the United States or Australia. All medical staff are trained to the highest standards both in Thailand and abroad.

It is little wonder that people come from all over the world for treatment and it is even less of a wonder that many of them come to Phuket where the quality of care is complemented by a magnificent location and can be combined with a holiday or convalescence in the most perfect surroundings. Thailand generates some US$280 million in revenues from treating 308,000 foreign patients annually. Tourists spend an average of US$144 a day while the medical tourist averages expenditure of US$362. A large proportion of medical tourists clients come to Phuket for cosmetic surgery. The most popular cosmetic enhancement has been reducing sacks under the eyelids. The other Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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hEAlth bAnGkok hoSpItAl

most common types of cosmetic surgery being performed are breast augmentation and reduction. There are also a significant number of people who come to Phuket for dental work, notably dental implants.

Heart disease is also treated very often here in Phuket. Bangkok Hospital has performed 200 coronary surgeries for foreign patients since they opened their new institute of cardiology in 2006 and with the problem of global aging this number is likely to be growing as the world’s population ages. There are also a few sex changes operations being performed here but they are generally done by private doctors who use the hospital’s state of the art facilities. The savings in cost are startling. Where in the United States a coronary artery bypass operation might cost US$100,000, in Thailand the same surgery costs US$12,500. The Bangkok Post 2004 Mid-Year Review states that healthcare costs in Thailand are 50 % cheaper than in Singapore, three times cheaper than in Hong Kong, and five to ten times cheaper than in Europe and the USA. Phuket has been one of the most well-known tourist destinations for decades, and currently, the island has been transformed into a major tourism hub with a well prepared infrastructure and services to accommodate millions of tourists from around the world every year. This was originally done to ensure that tourists were provided with care of an international standard in case of an emergency or the need for medical attention during their holidays. However, with the investment in international medical facilities, Phuket is now able to provide the highest standards of medical care blended with Thai hospitality. A world-class medical service coupled with the warm Thai welcome makes Phuket a prime health and wellness destination. The Bangkok Hospital in Phuket is a member of the fast expanding Bangkok Hospital network in Thailand. They are at the forefront of hospital advances in a comprehensive range of medical treatments and medical technology. One of the reasons that medical standards are so high in Thailand is that the whole system is based directly on that of the United States. The King’s father, Prince Mahidol, studied medicine first in Edinburgh and then at Harvard University in America in the early part of the 20th century. Whilst studying, the Prince drew up plans for Siriraj Hospital and a medical school in Thailand. This royal interest laid a firm foundation for medical infrastructure and training for subsequent years. He also persuaded the Rockefeller Foundation to provide medical scholarships to Thai student doctors. The relationship between the medical profession in Thailand and the United States remains strong.

Every year many Thai medical students complete their studies in America.

Dr. Kongkiat , Director of the Bangkok Hospital of Phuket is bullish about the future. “Many other countries will attempt to get involved in the industry as it will no doubt be very profitable and help development but I believe that Thailand will remain at the forefront of medical tourism due to dedication to customer service, skilled doctors and state of the art facilities.” The numbers of medical tourists visiting Thailand are only set to increase as the Tourism Authority of Thailand actively promotes the idea of healthcare holidays and the airlines start to offer joint packages with the hospitals.

Phuket is now able to provide the highest standards of medical care, blended with Thai hospitality

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

EmErgEncy AsiA specialises in providing custom made and standard Marine First Aid Kits.

All kits contain only high quality supplies and instructions.

With an EmErgEncy AsiA Marine First Aid Kit you can save a life by treating and responding to emergencies until hospital care is available. mobile 66 (0) 9574 3331 Email info@emergencyasia.com

trAvEl honG konG

trAvEl honG konG

Pearl of the Orient HONG kONG IS a kalEIDOSCOPE OF lIFE, a SOPHISTICaTED FUSION OF EaST aND WEST, a CITY OF DIvERSITY WHERE NEW aND OlD MIx. THIS YEaR THERE IS EvEN MORE TO CElEBRaTE.

This exciting city offers a unique energy and diversity that makes every visit unforgettable. This year Hong Kong is holding a wide variety of events to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). From ceremonial and cultural occasions to exhibitions and conferences, the year-long celebration is a joyous event for the whole of Hong Kong involving both citizens and visitors. Special offers from famous attractions and local merchants will also add to the experience.

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

The year is also filled with traditional Chinese celebrations. This autumn romance will be in the air with the Mid-Autumn Festival when delicious moon cakes are made and the locals take colourful lanterns to parks, beaches and hilltops to gaze at the moon.

Then from November to January, family visitors shouldn’t miss Hong Kong WinterFest, where the city is turned into Santa’s Town with lots of festivities, winter sales and special shopping deals. You can also learn the true spirit of Hong Kong from the city’s cultural connoisseurs and experts who know it best by joining the Cultural Kaleidoscope programme arranged by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Special activities include a Duk Ling sailing junk ride, insights into Cantonese Opera, the art of tea appreciation, the

subtly of Tai Chi, the practice of Feng Shui and more.

Hong Kong also offers a plethora of dining options. As you would expect, good Chinese restaurants are found everywhere. Most specialise in one or more of the following: Cantonese, Chiu Chow, Hunan, Szechuan, Peking, Shanghainese or Chinese Vegetarian. The Hong Kong Best of the Best Culinary Awards (BOB) also recommends the finest of Hong Kong dishes for visitors. Many other cultures and tastes are also represented in Hong Kong’s dining scene. Day and night, Hong Kong’s gourmet delights are plentiful.

Whether you want to pick up a snack or get dressed up for an evening out, Hong Kong has it all. Good food is available throughout the Causeway Bay but these areas offer a “true Hong Kong” ambience. Many

budget eateries featuring local snacks can be found along Jardine’s Bazaar, Tang Lung and Matheson streets. Sample Hong Kong-style tea, available at famous eateries. You will never forget its richness and aroma. Brilliantly lit, many of the food stalls stay open until the early hours to cater to late diners.

Bars, sushi parlours and other fine eateries along Sunning Road offer a mouth-watering alternative for an evening out. Sip a cooling beer at an open pub as the sun sets, then enjoy dinner at one of the many cosy restaurants at your service in Times Square, Lee Theatre Plaza and along Percival Street and Paterson Street. Over the years, Kowloon City has evolved from an industrial district into a residential area, and today it is a treasure-trove of international Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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trAvEl honG konG

cuisine with Asian eateries very much in the spotlight.

Delicious and inexpensive, they offer a variety of Southeast Asian delights, Cantonese and Chiu Chow dishes, as well as scrumptious local desserts. Most of the restaurants are small, family-run businesses with friendly service. About 20 years ago, Lan Kwai Fong was known as “fringe Central” as business was mainly focused on the waterfront. Today, it’s the most popular loose-tie, hair-down dining and entertainment area on Hong Kong Island. The young and stylish flock to Lan Kwai Fong to sample specialities from around the globe – Middle Eastern, Italian, Mexican, French and American to name but a few. Many restaurants open onto the cobblestone streets, providing the luxury of alfresco dining. Further west, around Staunton, Shelley Street and Elgin streets, SoHo (named after its location “South of Hollywood Road”) joins in offering a compact, fashionable area of bars and restaurants specialising in different cuisines including French, Nepalese, Italian, Mexican and Indian. The charming South Side town of Stanley offers a unique mix of laid-back eateries in a relaxed, seaside setting.

Some of the most romantic tables in Hong Kong can be found in Stanley. A wide range of culinary options, from seafront alfresco to pubs stocked with boutique beer, particularly along the main street.

The restaurants in Murray House offer panoramic views of the picturesque seaside village providing a glorious backdrop to alfresco dining. Easily accessible, Tsim Sha Tsui is a dynamic district for gourmands.

A veritable smorgasbord of tastes is on offer, from international cuisine to traditional Chinese delights along Hillwood Road and Austin Road. Browse main thoroughfares like Nathan Road, Canton Road and Chatham Road, as well as side streets such as Ashley Road and Granville Road. Shopping centres also often host quality dining options such as the Szechuan and Cantonese restaurants found in the Miramar Shopping Centre on Kimberley Road. Knutsford Terrace and Knutsford Steps are an international dining oasis and a sensational experience in this bustling neon shopping district. In Hong Kong it’s shop till you drop.

From early in the morning until late at night, shoppers can be on their toes combing the city for the latest fashion accessories, the funkiest clothes, antiques and

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

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memorabilia, Asian crafts, the latest in electronics and hi-tech gadgets. Throughout the year, stores offer fabulous discounts and promotions, luring bargain hunters from all over the region. The City’s duty-free status makes it a true shopper’s paradise offering unrivalled shopping pleasure and excellent value.

Every time you shop, don’t forget to look for the QTS sign. A project initiated by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Quality Tourism Services (QTS) Scheme rigorously assesses the quality of service in shops and restaurants. Only those reaching the required standard are awarded the right to display the QTS symbol so it is a real guarantee of excellence. Hong Kong’s Central district houses many shimmering skyscrapers and marbled shopping atriums and malls. The contrast between the old world markets and designer boutiques provides variety and excitement to any shopping day. Scattered among the government headquarters and financial and banking houses are a wealth of

The charming South Side town of Stanley offers a unique mix of laid-back eateries in a relaxed, seaside setting opportunities for any shopper. The Landmark, The Galleria, Prince’s Building, Alexandra House and the IFC mall are the main shopping centres, with designer shops and exclusive brand names in abundance.

Two parallel streets in Central known as “The Lanes”, Li Yuen Street East and Li Yuen Street West are a riot of stalls hawking everything from inexpensive clothing, watches and costume jewellery to luggage and shoes.

Situated between Queen’s Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central, the market is open daily from 10am to 7pm. Admiralty too is famous for its brand-name luxury goods. Pacific Place, one of Hong Kong’s most popular malls, is the ideal place to go in this area.

You’ll find perfect gift ideas within its 130 plus outlets, including the Lane Crawford and Seibu department stores and top designer labels. Pacific Place is connected to the Admiralty MTR Station. Hong Kong is always an exciting place. During this year of festivities we can all enjoy celebrating ten years of past success and a bright future.

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

ExtrAvAGAnCE phUkEt royAl mArInA

ExtrAvAGAnCE phUkEt royAl mArInA

Land, Sea & Luxury Phuket is one of the world’s premier yachting destinations.

Phuket Royal Marina leads the way in combining luxury living with satisfying sailing.

You might think that if you are the owner of both an enormous luxury yacht and a magnificent and lavishly decorated sea front condominium that there could be little more that you would need to satisfy your material desires. You might be wrong. The journey from earth bound luxury to sea bound luxury may just be too long or too awkward to traverse. The answer to this conundrum has been found with the development of the ‘Aquaminium ‘in the Royal Phuket Marina located on Phuket’s east coast. These luxury waterfront residences with private yacht berths fuse the pleasure of yachting with the luxury of stable, terrestrial living.

The marina is the brain child of a Hong Kong based AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

telecoms billionaire, Gulu Lalvani. “It’s been my hobby since the early 1960’s to discover at least three new holiday destinations a year, a crazy hobby I know, but it’s the way I do it. In 1991 I heard about a new destination, Phuket.” He fell in love with the island.

He had only been there a week before he was the happy owner of his own villa. Even though Lalvani owns homes all over the world it is Phuket that remains his favourite place and it is where he wants to live out his retirement. Retired or not he is a man of furious energy and that energy has been channelled directly into the creation of the Royal Phuket Marina.

He hired Hong Kong architects, Palmer and Turner

to develop this corner of maritime paradise and his dream is now a reality. Once created the units have sold like proverbial hot cakes to buyers from all over the world. The prices range from a modest $294,000 dollars for a smaller two bedroom dwelling to $881,000 for a larger condo of 525 square metres.

Lalvani believes that Phuket has the potential to be the world’s premier yachting destination. “It has a very long season. In Florida or the Med you’re lucky to have more than five months in the year. In Phuket you can come here for 12 months a year and it’s always sunny. It can get a bit rough in the low season, but on the east coast and in Phang Nga bay it is sheltered.”

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Spoilt with views

ExtrAvAGAnCE phUkEt royAl mArInA

As he also points out Phuket has some of the world’s best beaches and islands perfect for scuba diving, sightseeing, kayaking and walking. It all adds up.

In practical terms Phuket is a very attractive option for the yachtsman. The main expenses; fuel, crew and mooring are reasonably priced. Crew and

The word is out worldwide amongst yachtsman that Phuket is the place to be maintenance costs are 80 percent cheaper than in Hong Kong. What may have impeded people in the past was the massive import duty on luxury yachts but that has been amended by the government so now the word is out worldwide amongst yachtsman that Phuket is the place to be. As demand outstrips supply Lalvani is already one step ahead. He is planning a man made island with a high end hotel, exclusive homes and huge berths for the super rich to park their sea going toys of up to 70 metres in length. The island will be called ‘Zoran’. In addition he has purchased land on Phuket to construct another marina. Yachtsman are being attracted to the spectacular sea and islands of Phuket like bees to honey and Gulu Lalvani is determined to match the beauty of the natural setting with facilities that match any in the world for laid back luxury.

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

Issue One / October & November 2007 AbsolutePhuket

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OPEN FROM 12PM UNTIL 3AM EVERY DAY Only Greek Food Restaurant in Patong

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The menu is very complete and can satisfy the taste bus of everyone.

Diners can begin their evening by enjoying tasty appetizers such a carpaccio and Horiatiki salad, move on to Moussaka, Risotto or perhaps smoky bbq souvlaki skewers and beef tenderloin.A wide range of Thai delicacies and even Weiner Schnitzel are available.

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Sport rodEo

Sport rodEo

Bull Vs Tough Guy Cowboys, Country and Western music and grilled steak are all popular in Thailand. But a real wild west rodeo is a different thing altogether. Steve and Am Sandford head to the heart of the beast.

A large black bull stomps its hoofs and kicks up a swirl of dust as a sturdy young man edges onto the back of the animal, wrapping his gloved hand around a chunk of rope. Suddenly, a horn blares and a heavy iron gate is yanked open as the man and his charge fly out into the outdoor arena amid a roar of cheers from the rodeo grandstands.

For most Canadians raised on the country’s prairie provinces images of bull riders and calf ropers are synonymous with the way the wild west once was. But for my Thai wife Am, who was experiencing her first pro rodeo while helping out as a volunteer, it was a mix of amazement, shock – and a quite a bit of awe. She is no stranger to cowboys. Thailand is home to some pretty authentic looking wild west action. At the Chokchai ranch near Pakchong Khorat’s finest horsemen rope steers, ride horses alarmingly fast and whoop a lot before relaxing in a very realistic looking saloon. On the Canadian prairie, however, the action gets a little rougher.

As the bull preforms a pirouette in mid-air taking the rider up into space.

Am points to the spectacle and asks, “Why was that cowboy kicking the bull?” Explanations don’t always come easily. “The bull doesn’t look AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007

happy,” she adds, with a touch of consternation.

With a look of concern in her eyes, Am continues to watch as the contestant suddenly lurches forward and is flung into the air while the animal continues its mad rant. “The bull is winning?” She asks. I pause for a moment enjoying the raw beauty of man vs. beast as the toppled young man smashes headlong into the dirt. I then explain the rules of engagement. “The cowboy has to stay on the bull for eight seconds to win the money but he has to get the bull to buck as hard as possible to get the best score with the judges,” I tell her. “Eight seconds is a very short time. What is the point?” My wife replies. “Racing horses in Thailand lasts at least one minute. Eight seconds is way too quick,” she comments, adding that it’s a lot more fun when the audience can gamble on the outcome.

After watching several more grown men fly through the air, Am shakes her head and says, “I don’t think it’s a good sport.

The cowboys are strong so they should not torture the animals.

They just play tough guys with the cows.” I give my head a mental shake realising she may have a point. In fact, cows and chickens, heck, even the dogs get treated a lot rougher in Thailand than in Canada – but inevitably, most of the animals end up on the dinner plate, no matter which country one is living in. Not surprisingly, the greatest amount of injuries inflicted on the cowboys come from the rough stock events which include bareback riding, wild bronco enduring and the most dangerous of all – bull riding. That’s why it isn’t uncommon to see some of the riders decked out with special elbow and knee padding, vest protectors and even the odd neck brace.

The cattle have only a rope tied tightly round their private parts to make them suitably jumpy.

The local rodeo had its first ever fatality five years ago when a bare-back rider had a hard fall from the horse he was riding and later fell into a coma. That said, for protective gear most of the rodeo competitors still opt only for the dusty, worn Stetsons, creased and bent down below the eyes giving them the rugged Marlboro Man appearance that remains the fashion around here. It’s all part of the ranching tradition

The cattle have only a rope tied tightly round their private parts to make them suitably jumpy

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Sport rodEo

that goes back more than a hundred years including the rounding up of cattle, breaking in wild horses and, quite justifiably, the letting off of a little steam at the end of the day. Indeed, Medicine Hat’s roots lie in the ranching and agriculture sector and the annual stampede and rodeo attracts a wide mass of the rural sector who enjoy the annual shin-dig. The Canadian affair is also a time-honoured tradition, dating back to 1887, just three years after Medicine Hat was formed as a Canadian Pacific Railway tent town and a Mounted Police outpost. Despite the strong tradition, Am decides she has seen enough of the “eight second”

They don’t talk much and when they do, all of the talking is about bulls rides and trudges back to the beer tent where she is volunteering to sell cans of Coors Light beer to the cowboy crowd. During a break, she makes an interesting observation about the small talk she hears around the beer table. “They are very polite but they don’t talk much and when they do, all of the talking is about bulls, their horses and their competition.

All about cowboys and their culture. They are very proud about who they are.” As the final pack of cowboys suck back their beers and leave the hospitality tent, no doubt relieved to have my wife’s approval, Am makes a final observation. “They look pretty good in their blue jeans. I guess when they fit themselves on the back of their horses, it exercises their butts.” There is a reason to everything.

AbsolutePhuket Issue One / October & November 2007