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Advertise here for just 15,000 baht Call 076 620 054 or email: sales@phuket-post.com Issue No. 160

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16 - 30 SEPTEMBER 2011

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20 BAHT

Trying anti-corruption T-shirts for size Living without a name Rugby World Cup times and fixtures We discovered our time Discover the flavors of Panache. Tempting salads, traditional Thai dishes, and do-it-yourself pizzas baked fresh in the wood-fired oven. Fine poolside dining complemented by deluxe service and Outrigger’s legendary hospitality. Contact us for a complimentary wine voucher for your next visit. www.outriggerthailand.com +66 (0) 76 336 900 www.outriggerthailand.com

110902 Outrigger Ad Panache Phuket Post 229 x 44.indd 1

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News 2-3 NEWs 4-5 weird phuket &

phuket 's weird

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pc phuket

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phuket meeting

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rugby world cup 2011

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hEALTHY PHUKET

16 - 130- SEPTEMBER 15 JUNE phuketphuketPOST.COM POST.COM

A spanner in the works for Phuket’s taxi problems By Jody Houton

14-15 Picture PHUKET & DINING 16-17 PHUKET property & business 18-19

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Have a story? Would you like to tell Phuket all about a particular restaurant, hotel or show? If so, then contact editor@phuket-post.com and let everybody know. Phone: 076 620 054 Fax: 076 273 202

ess than a week after drivers} must have followed the desk and only work with compathe topic of violent taxi tourists and saw they were get- nies who understand working in drivers was raised at the ting into my driver’s car. They Phuket, what it takes and what Honorary Consul meeting and recognised him from the previous they have to provide, as not to subsequently promised to be time they had warned him and put our guests and their drivers looked into, a group of taxi driv- my driver became scared. The at risk. ers outside a Phuket 5 star resort drivers told the tourists to get “Whenever any tour agent viciously assaulted a driver for out and then about five of them calls, we explain to them that an elephant trekking company beat him up and told him to stop the tour company has to send stealing their business.” for picking up 'its' guests. a proper identifiable van or car On Sunday 4 September, a After a few terrifying minutes, with a proper voucher to pick up driver for Kok Chang Safari, K. Preecha managed to get away, guests,” he added. was dispatched to pick up two but not without first taking a hit K. Preecha, however, believed Australian guests at Cape Sienna, on the head by a spanner, which that as he had the correct docuand as usual had phoned ahead was later thrown through his ments, the fact that his driver was to reception staff to confirm his windshield during his get-away. attacked was an unprovoked and estimated arrival time. The security guard at Cape completely unjustified attack and However, unlike previ- Sienna, despite seeing the entire unfortunately not an isolated one. ous occasions, the manager of incident, did not get involved, as “This happens all times; there Kok Chang Safari, Sinlapachai according to Frank Dreist, the are lots of problems, not just with Choosen had asked if the guests, GM of Cape Sienna, he too was my company, but any company or agency that uses instead of waiting outside the Kamalatheir own transport. based resort would "Taxi stands on Phuket operate just like Police Everybody knows, walk around 200 but everybody is checkpoints, they have the same power.”: metres down the just scared.” road and meet the "I alone cannot manager of Kok Chang Safari, Sinlapachai Choosen driver there. solve this problem but hope the police Khun Sinlapachai explained to the Post, “We fearful for his safety. and government can.” said K. have been threatened by those “What could a single secu- Silapachi. He is therefore making it his taxi drivers before. They have rity guard have done against phoned me personally complain- 4-5 angry taxi drivers? Yes, he rather brave mission to attempt to ing that I am stealing their busi- was scared... of course,” said Mr turn a negative into a positive and ness and told me not to return.” Dreist. he and his driver have made an K. Silapachi said that he He and other members of Cape official statement to the police. disagreed and believed he was Sienna staff quickly arranged Following positive identificaoperating within the parameters their own limousine transport tion from police records, 3 of the of the loosely defined agreement to take the frightened tourists drivers have been apprehended among transport services on the wherever they wanted to go, and are being sought by the poisland. including a completely different lice. “I have an elephant trekking elephant camp. It is K. Silapachi’s ultimate company, my cars have the Kok Cape Sienna are one of the few aim for this case to be hopefully Chang Safari logo on the side and resorts on the island that do go used as an example to inspire my staff wear the Kok Chang some way to explain the rather others on the island to have the Safari T-shirts. The last time one confusing set up of the tuk tuk courage to complain and seek of my drivers went to that area, and taxi situation on the island. justice through proper and lawthe taxi drivers asked him for Mr Dreist said, “We have ful means. his documents. Taxi stands on a standard letter in our rooms Mr Dreist however, believes Phuket operate just like Police informing guests of how the taxi that much more is needed to checkpoints, they have the same system works, so they can under- solve the situation, and said, power,” said K. Silapachi. stand why a taxi from another “As long as these {tuk tuk/taxi So despite having the correct area can't pick them up, but we routes} are not government condocuments, the owner of Kok don’t warn them against using trolled, regulated and enforced, Chang Safari attempted to play it local taxis as believe it or not, the system of taxis will live by safe and suggested that his driver during 2.5 years we have had its own rules and we can only Preecha Choowong pick up the very few incidents.” try to work with it the best we guests a few hundred metres He also said that the resort possiblly can.” away from the taxi stand outside did its best to ensure that the For an in-depth look at how tour agencies it worked with and by whom this could be Cape Sienna. Unfortunately this did not understood the rather delicate brought about, turn to page 12solve the problem, “They {taxi situation, “We do not have a tour 13.


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News

16 1 - - 1530 JUNE SEPTEMBER phuket-phuketPOST.COM POST.COM

Bridge jumper rescued American Ambassador tours Phuket F

ollowing a recent spate of suicides on the island, it seemed like another body was to be added to the total when a man jumped from Thepkrasattri Bridge into the crashing waves on Sunday 11 September. But luckily for rubber plantation worker Thanawat Mingpijan, it seemed like that was not to be his day. Hasun Soduang, a 63-year old local boatman, who was currently living under the bridge and watching TV at the time, saw Khun Thanawat’s body plummet to the water and sprang into action. Khun Hasun along with two friends

jumped into the boat, getting to the Khun Thanawat just in time and before he was pulled under and into the Andaman sea. After many desperate attempts to pull him on board by throwing out a rope, he finally caught it and was pulled onto the boat and brought back to shore. It is believed that Khun Thanawat attempted to commit suicide because he has been recently suffering from a muscle condition that has affected his arms and legs and prevented him from working. Khun Thanawat is well and recovering in Takua Thung Hospital in Phang Nga.

Island Life Photos

TAT Awards now open O A

pplications for the Thailand Tourism Awards 2012 open for submission during November 2011 to January 2012, and then undergo a detailed scrutiny process before the winners are announced on World Tourism Day, September 27, 2012. Initiated by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in 1996, the Thailand Tourism Awards are held bi-annually. They are designed to reward bestpractices in the Thai travel and tourism industry and encourage companies and organisations to constantly strive for higher professional standards. TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni said, ''Because of the strict and stringent criteria that goes into the judging, the awards have become recognised as proof of the TAT's desire to promote quality development of the tourism industry. We want the awards to be globally recognised as a symbol of quality.'' He said by recognising and honoring the industry entrepreneurs for their direct and indirect contributions towards raising the standards and professionalism, the TAT strives to reward their hard work by helping them boost their competitive advantage and marketing efforts. Since their launch, the awards have been conferred on 406 companies, organisations and institutions, broken down into 120 Awards of Excellence, 284 Outstand-

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ing Awards and two Honorary Awards. For 2012, the Awards are categorised into six groups: 1) Tourist attractions 2) Tourist accommodation 3) Tour Programs 4) Tourism Development and Promotion Organisations 5) Health tourism 6) Innovative Tourism Marketing and Public Relations itineraries of visiting travel agents.

n Friday, 9 September, U.S Ambassador to Thailand Kristie A. Kenney made her first and very brief goodwill visit to Phuket. As part of her daylong trip to Phuket, she had a closed-door meeting with Maj Gen Pekad Tantipong (above right), met with students from Prince of Songkla University, and discussed details of the latest internet start-ups at Software Park Phuket. The purpose of the visit was to focus on issues relating to education, youth, business innovation, and the welfare of American citizens visiting and resident in the area. Ambassador Kenney also toured the Phuket International Academy Day School, before finishing her day with the newly formed Phuket Chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand. Although during the brief press conference at the Software Park, she commented on the necessity of keeping the visiting Navy personnel safe and said, when questioned, that the Rohingya refugees

required humane treatment, she did not disclose whether she would be returning to Phuket in the future in a more professional capacity and perhaps meeting government authorities or attending the Honary Consul Meeting. Kristie Kenney began her duties as the United States Ambassador to the Royal Kingdom of Thailand on January 8, 2011. A career senior Foreign Service officer, she served as the first female United States Ambassador to the Philippines from 20062010. She began her diplomatic career in 1981 and her overseas assignments have included serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador and in positions at U.S. Embassies in Jamaica, Switzerland, and Argentina. Ambassador Kenney also served as the State Department Executive Secretary in Washington, D.C. and on the staff of the National Security Council at the White House. She speaks Spanish and French and has won several prominent awards for leadership.

Can you find the ten words which have been in the news over the last two weeks within a minute? Clocks start… now!

For more information, e-mail:prdiv3@ tat.or.th or visit www.tatnews.org

Cats get own place

he stray cats of Phuket finally have a place to rival their injured canine cousins. Lady Marchig of Switzerland recently donated 25,000 U.S dollars to help the Soi Dog Foundation (SDF) build a Cat Facility to provide some much needed help to control the stray cat problem in Phuket. Co-founder of the SDF Gill Dalley, said, “It’s not a shelter, but more like a hospital, where we will treat cats and then let them back on the streets. We will also be sterilising as many as we can.” Gill said that it was a massive bonus for the cats to have their own facility, as previously they had to share the accommodations with other soi dogs. “This made them incredibly stressed and certainly didn’t help in their healing process,” explained Gill. For the last few months, the Phuket media have been following the SDF’s race

against time to raise the necessary 5 million baht to avoid closure of its building. The foundation purchased half the land on which the shelter is located in 2009 but must purchase the other half by the end of the month. Gill said, “If we don’t pay in time, they can theoretically raise the amount of how much we need to pay.” Gill told the Post that she was quietly optimistic about its future though, “We are only around 20,000 U.S dollars away from our target, and so have already prepared the documents and formally applied to purchase the rest of the land.”

Tuk tuk Meeting German Rain Bobol Award Jump Surf Fraud Love


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weird phuket

16 - 130- SEPTEMBER 15 JUNE phuketphuketPOST.COM POST.COM

Getting involved in the carnage Pulse Media Company Limited

Does my bum look huge?

122/5 Moo 4, Srisoonthorn

Sir Mix A Lot once rapped the eponymous lyrics, ‘I like big buts and I cannot lie,’ however even the most dedicated of rear afficiados, may struggle to fully appreciate one particular British woman’s asset. As this is what she truly sees it as, all 5ft 3 inches (152 cms) of it. She has the world’s widest rear and is making a fortune from it: around £90,000 pounds a year.

Sub-District, Thalang District, Phuket 83110, Thailand

Editor Sukhonthip Tantanak

Associate Editor Jody Houton editor@phuket-post.com

Piecing together your life

A man needs a hobby. Taking that maxim to the extreme was a British man, who last week, finally finished a jigsaw that he had been working on – for seven months. This was not because he was lazy or inept but because it was the largest jigsaw in the world. It comes in eight separate bags, has its own trolley and weighs over 17kg. Once the 32,256 parts were put together, the jigsaw measured 18 feet long (549 cms).

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EMERGENCY helplines Police: 191 Tourist Police: 1155 or 1699, Immigration Police: 076-212108 Phuket Tourist Rescue Centre, Chalong: 076-383907-9 Phuket Emergency Rescue Centre: 076-217833 Royal Thai Naval Centre: 076-391590, 076-391598 Patong Beach Emergency Rescue Centre (Thung Thong Police Station): 076-321182

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he most gruesome and some would argue most exciting festival, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival returns on 27 September. For a week-long period, devotees, a.k.a medians for the spirits, will be spearing flesh, walking on hot coals and channelling past spirits. Phuket town is the place where the majority of the celebrations take place and on the last night of proceedings on 6 October will probably resemble something you have had nightmares about. Smoke-filled streets, incessant explosions from firecrackers and people lumbering through the streets bleeding and screaming. There’s a good chance you’ll get hurt, but hey, it only happens once a year and it’s a good opportunity for you to explore Phuket Town, if you haven’t yet. Sure it has crazy roads, occasional traffic jams, and nonsensical shops, but if you just dismiss the place out of hand, you’ll be missing out on what little remains of any real local Thai culture—outside of the small fishing villages. All the major celebrations take place here, not just the vegetarian festival to many smaller fairs, motor shows, food festivals, school parades, and the basic civic life that exists in any authentic place. Sure you can get a simulacrum of all these celebrations in Patong plus a bunch of partially clothed girls and a multitude

of drunken foreigners, but, as with everything in Patong, it has a plastic, showy taste like Tang or Pop-Tarts. To extend the plastic/food analogy a bit further, the plastic wrap comes off in Phuket Town and while things aren’t as clean, flashy, or as appealing to the eye, what you get is real. The old town in Phuket has a bunch of great old Sino-Portuguese buildings that remain from the 18th Century. During this period the Hokkien Chinese were primarily responsible for running the island’s tin mining operations, and, as the trade developed, much of the old town was built to provide the infrastructure to support the growing commerce. The shop-house is a particularly interesting feature of the old town as its mongrel offspring in the form of modern shop-houses can be seen island wide. The front of the building contains the basic shop and the upper floors a residence. Here and in a few other areas, you can feel a real sense of history, which is completely lacking in the rest of hastily built Phuket. So, while it’s unordered, small, often dirty and crowded, it’s also real. That might seem like damning with faint praise, but real can sometimes be the most precious of things in Phuket. Get yourself along, pick up some earplugs firecrackers and maybe even a bannana if you see this woman.

You are served… by a scorpion

Chinese residents in an apartment block in Shenzen woke up one morning this month with some unwanted guests: live scorpions. It is thought to be part of an elaborate scheme by the apartment owner to rid the block of its inhabitants, a sort of forced and speedy eviction. Forced eviction in China is rife as it gets around the pesky problem of waiting for the inhabitants to leave and worse yet, them seeking compensation.

Don’t get curried away

A huge percentage of Singaporeans will be cooking curry this month as an act of solidarity with an Indian family who they believe were made to feel persecuted. Police were called to the aforementioned family’s house after receiving complaints from an intolerant neighbour. The nation responded by cooking curry to show that as curry is now arguably part of local cuisine, so different cultures be accepted. Immigration is a spicy hot topic as the moment, with many complaining the laws are too lax.


phuket nameless

16 1 - - 1530 JUNE SEPTEMBER phuket-phuketPOST.COM POST.COM

By Jody Houton

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friend of mine once told me that if a foreigner chooses to come and 'start' again in Phuket then they must be pretty strange in one way or another. Part of his argument was that it was nigh on impossible to ever really know who they are, or who they once were and how far apart the discrepancy actually was. While I tend to agree with him that Phuket certainly throws up many ‘colourful’ characters, one has to wade through endless tides of drab greys to find one that is vibrant and fun, and strange… in a good way. So when I met a French artist who introduced himself as merely Bobol, I was optimistic that I had found a colourful and strange character, in a good way. “I’m called after the French slang for amphetamine,” Bobol began, “People called me that when I was just a skinny kid because I used to do a lot of it.” Back then, he recounts, he had not begun painting or drawing and instead wrote utopian stories, but all that along with his entire lifestyle was soon to change. In 1985, Bobol left France and after a few months picked up a rotring art pen. “I moved to Spain and I also spent a wonderful period of my life in Tahiti,” Bobol said with a barely visible smile beneath his handlebar moustache. Bobol’s time in Tahiti proved to be somewhat of a pilgrimage as he had always enjoyed the work of fellow Frenchman Gauguin: predominantly pictures of beautiful Tahitian girls in their ‘natural’ state. “He painted the girls there, as I did and as I do. I try to do what he did but 100 years later on,” said Bobol.

Meeting Bobol

Bobol left Tahiti and came to Phuket, where he has been for 18 years. He has never returned to France. Since arriving on the island he has made over 2,000 pictures – created in his own inimitable style and painted more than 50 large canvas pieces, the majority of them are of his favourite subject matter. “I love to paint girls, beautiful Asian girls. They have everything; circles and squares and light and shade…” Bobol estimates that around 90% of his drawings are of the female form, with the other 10% depicting Phuket towns, streets, scenes and festivals. The majority of his hand sketches use the rotring art pen, which has an extremely fine tip that allows him to create an incredible level of detail, created by hundreds and thousands of little dots. This method is now - at least to the Phuket underground French art scene (yes there is one) - referred to as Boboliennes. Well-placed dots create the emotion, features and expression of his charcters. Flicking through one of his many books of sketches, he points to a Phuket Vegetarian Festival scene that he captured a few years ago, and says, “Sometimes I take five hours to create a particular drawing.” It’s easy to see how this could be; the image he refers to is on a normal piece of A4 paper and contains hundreds of characters. Bobol lived and worked at an artist’s studio along Soi Romanee in Phuket town for 13 years before moving to his current apartment in Phuket town. Now Bobol lives and works on the second floor of a backstreet Phuket town shop house. The massage table - which also doubles as his bed - is surrounded by paintings, sketches and a huge book collection.

“Paintings and books are my life,” said Bobol, “I only go outside to eat and then I return home straight away. Sometimes I go to the karaoke bar and sing some songs in Thai, but I don’t really have many friends, pets or even a lover, I make peace not love.” Slightly embarrassed by such an honest statement, I averted my eyes from his gaze and looked around his room; most of the images were of women in various forms of undress, so I didn’t really believe he was 100% committed to just making peace. All his pictures – without exception - are of Asian girls. I asked him why. “I like them,” he said, “The mystery of them, and through painting them I can learn more about that mystery. They’re completely opposite to French girls, with French girls everything she could say I already know and understand. “So I like learning about Thai girls, I also read Thai and listen to Thai songs, I love learning about their mystery. They’re still a mystery to me, inside and out.” I asked him which of his paintings was his favourite and he showed me a picture of a bikini-clad woman on a beach. I smiled and asked him what her name was. He replied that he had never met her. He then explained to me that his technique, rather disappointingly, involves taking photos and then using tracing paper to copy the details. Unfortunately he now has to use other people’s shots as his camera is broken. Often he uses old photos as reference points, but believes it doesn’t really matter, as he likes to stay and create work on and about Phuket town, which he believes has not changed a lot since he arrived.

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“It’s changed little by little, but she’s still ok, it’s not changed as much as other areas, like Patong for example,” he said. Bobol admits that he rarely goes there, or anywhere, and leads rather a reclusive life. I get the feeling that he is absolutely fine with this and it is through his work, his writings, drawings and reading that he truly lives. “In my work I like to draw ideas of utopia,” said Bobol. In Bobol’s utopian world, there are, of course Asian women, especially Tahitian women. “My perfect woman is like this, no civilisation; half naked with flowers in their hair.” In his own way, apart from being fully dressed, Bobol lives quite like the Tahitian girls of 100 years ago. He doesn’t have a telephone, TV or an email address, so contacting him, he admits is rather difficult… “Usually people just shout up to my window – Bobol! And I come down.” Bobol also writes and receives long hand-written letters often from his now two grown up children in France, as this is the only ways he communicates. “I don’t have a telephone because I don’t want to be disturbed during my painting, for me mobile phones are not my time. You see people messaging and calling each other 20 times a day. But this is their way, not mine,” Unsurprisingly Bobol is also not on Twitter or Facebook, “People never use their real name, so you never really know who they are.” Quite true... and it was with that parting sentiment, that I left the man who wished to be known only as Bobol. If you wish to contact Bobo, you can by writing a letter to: Bobol, P.O. Box 239, Phuket Town, 83000 Phuket, Thailand


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pc phuket

Expat-friendly Keyboards Part Two

By Seth Bareiss

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ometimes we expats need to replace whole keyboards with another language’s keyboard. Incidentally, this process is the same if you’re adding several keyboards and input-language options… say, if you’re sharing the computer with a person from Thailand or some place (like France or China) where the standard keyboard is distressingly different from yours. If you have a desktop PC with a keyboard you don’t like — for any reason — you can easily unplug it and replace it. Replacement keyboards with the standard American + Thai (“Kedmanee”) letters are less than 500 baht at any computer store in Phuket. The hardware replacement is easy: just turn off the PC, unplug the old (PS/2 or USB) keyboard, and plug in the new one. If it’s a USB keyboard, try to use one of the two USB ports closest to the round, purple PS/2 keyboard port and the place your power supply plugs into the back of the PC. If it’s a PS/2 keyboard, remember that it should plug into the purple hole, not the identically shaped green one. The green PS/2 port is only for a mouse. Getting Windows to recognise the letters’ layout is a little trickier, but still child’s play. If possible, do this software part first, before plugging in the new keyboard. If not, it’s not tragic, but during this software setup rely on your mouse more than typing because Windows thinks you still have the old arrangement of keys. After you start your Windows PC, go to the ‘start’ menu. Click on “control panel / settings”. Click on “Regional and Language Options”. You’ll see a small new window with three tabs: “Regional Options”, “Languages”, and “Advanced”. Steer clear of “Regional Options” / “Standards and Formats”, unless you’re going to change

it to your most comfortable language. Setting it to Thai is a bad idea. Although this window seems only to adjust the way months, years, and dollars are displayed, its effects are far more wide-reaching. Have you ever installed some software and been freaked out because the software comes up in Thai? That software is almost always taking a reading of THIS setting, and the time zone of your clock, to guess which language it ought to use. You can probably safely ignore the “Advanced” tab too. That leaves just ‘Languages.’ If you’re planning to click on “install files for East Asian Languages” (Thai for your spouse?) or “install files for complex script…”, and you’re using WinXP, you may need your original Windows install CD or a close substitute. Otherwise, just go ahead and click on “Details…” Whether you’re changing your keyboard’s layout or adding a new input language, go to the lower-right side of the window, click on “add” and scroll through the available languages ‘til you find yours. Note that British English and Japanese keyboards, for example, are NOT identical to an American or Thai keyboard: they rearrange the “@” and “;” and money symbols. IMPORTANT: if your keyboard is not a perfect match to your preference, we can deal with that later using keyboard stickers that you can buy for under 100 baht. and then choose the keyboard that most closely matches yours rearrange the " scroll through the available languages 'ssingly d If you’re adding Thai input or switching to a Thai + English keyboard, you should choose the Thai “Kedmanee” keyboard. If you’re adding Japanese or Korean as an input language and

your keyboard is Thai or English, you can actually stick with a basic US or British English keyboard setting using only ABCs to input those languages. By “input” language, I mean the languages you can type in, not the language Windows shows in menus. If you’re changing your keyboard permanently, or changing the input language that shows up when Windows starts (including the log-in screen), then change the default keyboard and language at the top of this window. If you’re planning to switch between 2 keyboards or input languages every day, make sure that at the bottom of this window you have chosen “Language bar… Show the Language bar on the desktop” and “Show additional Language Bar icons in the task bar.” Close up all those windows. Click “OK” everywhere. At this point, if you selected more than one possible language, then down near your clock in the bottom-right corner of the screen, you should see a little “EN” (English) or “TH” (Thai) or other letters. Click on this and you’ll see your list of input languages and keyboards. From now on, that’s how you switch between several keyboards and input languages. So, what if your PC is a laptop? No problem. You have three options. You can order a keyboard from eBay or Yahoo auctions. (See an example at www.tinyurl.com/ phuket-post-keyboard-1) There are many, many companies that will ship any make, model, and language of laptop keyboard to you for about 1000 baht + about 500 baht for shipping. If you’ve been inside a laptop before you can easily swap keyboards. If you’ve never done it, bring it and a couple hundred baht to any PC store or to Woody’s Sunday morning com-

16 - 130- SEPTEMBER 15 JUNE phuketphuketPOST.COM POST.COM

puter clinic ( www.woody.info ). Don’t bother buying a laptop keyboard here in Thailand: the price will be high, and they may not have anything suitable. Another choice is an external keyboard. This option works exactly the same as my earlier advice about replacing the keyboard on a desktop PC. Lastly, if your current keyboard arrangement is almostbut-not-quite right, or totally screwed up but has a greater or equal number of keys than your desired keyboard, consider software plus stickers. I did this myself, to convert my Czechoslovakian laptop’s keyboard to American English QWERTY layout. The software part is already described, above. Getting the right stickers may require a little creativity. First, Google for “wikipedia (your language or country) keyboard” as in this example: tinyurl.com/phuket-post-keyboard-2 This shows you the keyboard layout you will need. Compare it carefully to the original keyboard, so you know which keys

will need stickers to correct their layout. If you choose a Thai or American design, you can buy the stickers you need in almost any PC store in Phuket, for 25 to 150 baht. For more exotic keyboard layouts, you can either order the stickers online for less than 100 baht (tinyurl. com/phuket-post-keyboard-3) or just take the Wikipedia picture of your desired keyboard layout down to a print shop like iTree in Lotus Tesco Kathu, where they will happily print as many copies of it as will fit on an A4 page, for 85 baht. You’ll get about 6 months of heavy use out of lowquality stickers, and years from better-quality stickers. You may also want to consider getting 200 baht stickers that remind you of MS Word or Excel or Photoshop keyboard shortcuts… hey, why not? There are also some ways to reassign specific keys to mean new things—make the 4/$ key mean 4/€ for example—but that advice will have to wait for another article. For this issue of the Phuket Post, I’ve already written too much. Thanks and goodbye ‘til late September.

Table of URLs: 1) tinyurl.com/phuket-post-keyboard-1 is an American company that ships replacement laptop keyboards worldwide. 2) tinyurl.com/phuket-post-keyboard-2 is a Google search for a French keyboard layout. The first three links are what we want. 3) tinyurl.com/phuket-post-keyboard-3 is a Google search for French letter layout keyboard stickers on Amazon.com 4) tinyurl.com/phuket-post-keyboard-4 English + Photoshop keyboard shortcut stickers 5) tinyurl.com/phuket-post-keyboard-5 English + MS Word shortcut keyboard stickers 6) tinyurl.com/phuket-post-keyboard-6 English + Excel shortcut keyboard stickers



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phuket meeting

16 - 130- SEPTEMBER 15 JUNE phuketphuketPOST.COM POST.COM

Hon Cons issue last warning The Honorary Consul Meeting, in essence, is a platform for the Hon Cons to raise and make suggestions as to how to solve their particular complaint and for Phuket authorities to listen, but it is at least hoped that something, as a direct result of the meeting will change, advice will be heeded and changes will be implemented. The Post attended this tri-monthly meeting's very heated and controversial tri-monthly meeting to se if this hope was founded… By Jody Houton

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t is customary at the beginning of most public meetings and government hearings for attendees to be given the ‘minutes’ of the earlier get-together. This is typically done to remind those attending of the previous matters discussed, in order to perhaps begin where they left off or check on the progress. The minutes are rarely scrutinised or disputed as they are - by definition - supposed to be an accurate and neutral documentation of the previous meeting. The tri-monthly Phuket Honorary Consul Meeting held on the 31 August was, as well as being an opportunity for the different Hon Cons of Phuket to discuss their grievances and observations of the last three months, also supposed to be a platform for the visiting Austrian Ambassador, Dr Johannes Peterlik to deliver a ‘Thailand and Austria – partners in progress’ speech. But barely had the meeting been officially opened by Governor of Phuket, Tri Akradecha, had German Hon Con, Dirk Naumann, raised his hand to address the Governor and the room. Mr Naumann is well known among the expat community and among his fellow consuls as being perhaps the most outspoken and by extension ‘frustrated’ of consuls and so it was with an element of surprise that after objecting to the accuracy of the previous meeting’s minutes by denouncing them as not representative, he then invited other consulates to give information as to why they weren’t. So it was after a few awkward seconds that Australian Hon Con, Larry Cunnigham, while sporting a rather fetching

T-Shirt (see box on p.9) cleared his throat and addressed the room. He said, “The minutes of the previous meeting do not focus on the relevant points raised and make no mention of jet skis at all. As everybody knows I have spoken

no details are ever given in the minutes. This gives the impression that everything is ok, but everything is not ok.” Gov Tri, in his characteristically calm and appeasing voice replied that the points would be amended to the minutes and that,

So being without a true and accurate acknowledgement of the past, the beginning of the present and future proceedings made its rather jittery start. in depth about jet ski incidents before and everybody knows that the scams are a regular occurrence on the island, in fact we all (Hon Cons) make these points, but

as previously stated, he would prepare a document listing jet ski violations and distribute them so that the operators are aware that if they are found to contravene

any of these, they will have their jet ski licences revoked. Mr Naumann suggested that a policy of minutes-checking should be implemented, before they are made official in order that they may be accurately discussed. So being without a true and accurate acknowledgement of the past, the beginning of the present and future proceedings made its rather jittery start. The meeting therefore began amidst an unprecedented air of pessimism and dissatisfaction. Perhaps as a result of this it was refreshing to see representatives, who had previously remained refrained, become vocal in their dissatisfaction. In fact it was ‘action’, and the reactions caused by the perceived lack of it, that characterised the whole meeting. All the while, Dr Peterlik remained quiet yet attentive sitting by the side of the Governor. After a brief preamble of thanks to the Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong, Martin Carpenter, the British Consul in Phuket, told him that, “My concerns still lies with the way victims are sometimes interviewed and made to feel like they are more responsible than they actually are.” Mr Carpenter referenced a recent case involving a British woman who had visited Patong police station to state that she had been raped. “According to Thai law,” began Mr Carpenter, “Any female person who has been sexually assaulted or raped must be interviewed by a woman, but this was not done and is in fact rarely done.” Commander Pekad responded by saying that the lack of female police officers had


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Austrian Ambassador, Dr Johannes Peterlik chats to Larry Cunnigham

“Discussing these problems is good, but it can only be successful if they are implemented in practice. I have been waiting for implementation for 1.5 years already." already been acknowledged and that he had already put in the request for more female officers with the head of Police in Bangkok but was still waiting. Mr Carpenter then seized upon the opportunity to ask the Commander whether he thought the Phuket Police was understaffed based on his assumption that the actual numbers of Phuket residents far exceeded the official numbers gained from the recently-carried out census of 420,000. He made the point that he believed that the services were severely under-budgeted and a direct result, the police among other emergency services were struggling to perform to a satisfactory level. Both Gov. Tri and Commander Pekad responded that requests for more budget allocation had already been made and that his comments would be taken into consideration. They were both waiting. And so the well established formula was set: Question posed. Answer given. Action pending. Perhaps emboldened by his consul comrade’s comments, Dutch Consul Seven Smulders also decided that today was his day to make a very dramatic and wellrehearsed speech with poignant pauses while his words were translated into Thai and points allowed to resonate. “In the past it has often fallen to Larry {Cunningham) or Dirk {Naumann} to make interventions in these meetings but Mr Governor I would like you to know that they do not stand alone in their efforts.” After a brief pause, he continued, “On the contrary, more Hon Cons share their frustrations and concerns and I am one of them. “There are around 90,000 Dutch visitors to Phuket every year, most of them have no problems, however some of them do, with tuk tuks and jet skis and passports being confiscated etc. I and the Dutch Ambassador have been waiting to see if these problems are rectified before putting up travel advice to warn of these problems, but still these problems have not been resolved to a satisfactory level.” Mr Smulders ended by saying that it was merely his intention to improve

Phuket, “We all love Phuket, are proud of Phuket and want to make it a better place that’s all.” Mr Naumann continued Mr Smulder’s previous thread of thought that if no action on behalf of the government is seen to take place, then it will be up to others to try to force a change and this will have its own ramifications, with some not at all positive. He said that in the two weeks since the Wir Retten Ihren Urlaub (We save your holiday) documentary on water pollution problems in Phuket had aired on German TV screens in August 16, he had received 33 emails from German nationals cancelling their holidays. He also mentioned an incident involving a German national almost being beaten to death by Patong tuk tuk drivers over a 100 baht fare dispute on 25 August. “How can a tourist island, how can we allow the law to be taken into the hands of a mob? If I have a dispute over a 100,000 baht or a million baht bill I go to the police station or lodge a complaint, but in Phuket apparently tuk tuk drivers can take the law into their own hands, but where does this stop? This will destroy this society, if I am owed 5 baht, can I just go and shoot someone?” asked Mr Naumann. A rhetorical question perhaps, but one that certainly raised questions that needed to be answered over how the latest incident, where, because of poor quality CCTV footage and an unwillingness for anybody to stand witness and identify the tuk tuk drivers, can, as-of-yet go unpunished. “It was over 100 baht, in Bangkok an 800 metre taxi ride costs about 14 baht, but in Phuket it costs much more: 200 baht, and even perhaps a life, how can this be? Isn’t it time to clamp down seriously on these thugs? We cannot allow this to continue… This is your job,” demanded Mr Naumann of Commander Pekad. Mr Naumann also raised objection to only being informed about the incident six days after it happened, which is against the agreement that a Hon Con should be informed whenever a foreigner is involved in a serious incident as soon as possible.

meeting phuket

9

Commander Pekad responded by saying that the case was still being investigated and that he sought his understanding. For the first of many times in the meeting, he also introduced the rather curious concept or explanation of events as being caused by ‘emotions’ and was not necessarily anything to do with the law or lack of enforcement. Mr Cunningham pressed on and said that he had received many complaints concerning aggressive and misbehaving Tuk Tuk drivers from Australian citizens of late and, at least to him, such incidents seemed to be increasing in number. It was Mr Cunnigham’s time to pose a rhetorical question, but this time he actually answered it as well, “How can this be? This is because they have power and they are protected.” Information or opinion as by whom they were protected was not offered, so the statement hung in the air for a little while, before he finished his address to Commander Pekad. “This is the only way they can continue. Why have there been so many assaults by Tuk Tuk drivers recently?” asked Mr Cunnigham, but this time, he waited for an answer. The response given by Commander Pekad drew a laugh from many of the Thai attendees in the room, “I don’t know about that,” said Commander Pekad, “Since I’ve been in this role (two years) there have always been around the same amount.” Time was pressing on and soon the meeting would have to be brought to a close, so when the Ambassador of Austria was finally given his opportunity to speak, it quickly became apparent that his ‘Thailand and Austria – partners in progress’ speech’ would have to wait for another time. He began solemnly and earnestly and in doing so managed to articulate the thoughts and impassioned complaints of the proceedings into a stark warning. “The Thai authorities should know that the majority of the Hon Cons are working on a voluntary basis, so they should value

their contributions and their thoughts,” Dr Peterlik began. “We, at the Austrian Embassy, have been watching this situation in Phuket for about 1.5 years now and are, as a number of EU countries are, concerned with the goings-on in Phuket.” Dr Peterlik made the point that many of the representatives present on that day were from EU nations and were, as a union therefore, stood together, and if one had a complaint then it is seriously considered, not only by the nation but also by the EU as a whole. He made the point that trust therefore was essential in the future of Thai-EU relations. “We ask all of our citizens to apply by the rules and laws of Thailand when they are in your country and our consuls are asked to provide help and assistance whenever necessary. “But we have to rely on the leadership of your government and your authorities, we are all trying to improve tourism, but if we can’t rely on the Thai government’s leadership then we will be forced to, specifically in Phuket and the cases of tuk tuks - the national symbol of Thailand - to issue warnings and highlight the possible dangers of using them on Austria’s and other EU nations' travel advice section.” Dr Peterlik, echoing the thoughts of many of the consuls said, “Discussing these problems are good, but these can only be successful if they are implemented in practice. I have been waiting for implementation for 1.5 years already, we have not issued travel advice yet, but if the situation is not remedied, we will have to. We must protect our citizens abroad, so with your respect I hope we can move forward.” Unfortunately Dr Peterlik must have had a prior engagement, as, after his last point, he had to leave and could not wait around to hear the Governor’s response. Not to worry, I’m sure an accurate record of the minutes of the meeting can be sent to the Austrian Ambassador. The Governor said that all issues raised would be considered and set the next meeting for the 24 November.

Larry Cunningham explains that shirt What exactly does the T-shirt say? What was the reaction to wearing it It reads in Thai: Anti Corruption: We at the recent Hon Con meeting? can change Thailand. A few of the other Hon Cons saw it and gave me a thumbs up, so perhaps they’ll Where did you get it? be wearing one next time. I got it from the Australian Chamber of A few members of the Phuket authoriCommerce. They have made them avail- ties noticed it, but we didn’t really talk able to all members of the chamber, so about it. there will probably be Aussies up and down Thailand wearing them… When will you be wearing it again? I will be wearing it at various functions Why are you wearing it? and whenever there is media coverage, I feel that we have severe problems in and whenever I am at meetings with the Phuket mostly caused by issues of corrup- 'powers that be'. tion. So I wanted to wear it to show my This is to show them that there are grave support for anti-corruption… concerns among the Australian committee.


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HEALTHY PHUKET

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What’s in a drug’s name?

Richard Patrick Cracknell, N.D., PhD is a traditional naturopath, and as such, is not a medical doctor and does not diagnose, prescribe, or treat disease or illness, but treats the “human triad” - body, mind and spirit with nutrition, supplements and natural therapies. The views expressed by Richard Cracknell, in no way reflect those of the Post. His beliefs and advice should be referred to as an alternative and not as a replacement to any treatment you are currently receiving for an existing ailment.

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arge pharmaceutical companies often take herbs or a natural healing plant and reduce it to its active ingredients. They then patent those ingredients and make a drug that supposedly does the same thing as the natural herb or plant. The only problem with this is that nature put these plants together with various ingredients that work synergistically; and once you start pulling them apart their effectiveness is diminished and side effects become apparent.

Aspirin is a perfect example of this: Aspirin is actually the trade name of Bayer Aspirin and should be written with a capital A. Willow and poplar tree bark and leaves have been used as medicines to remedy pain, fever and inflammation as far back to the ancient Sumerians and Egyptians and from them to the writings of Hippocrates. Assyrian physicians, dating to the Sumerian period, used willow leaves to treat inflammatory rheumatic diseases. According to an ancient papyrus, dated 1500 BC, the ancient Egyptians were also aware of the fever-reducing property. The leaves and bark of the willow contain salicylic acid. The ancient Chinese, the early Native Americans and early Europeans used these plants to treat pain and fever, Englishman Edward Stone is given credit for conducting the first clinical trial of these ‘drugs’ in 1763. Reverend Stone, apparently on tasting a piece of willow bark, while walking through the meadows near his rectory in Chipping Norton, England was struck by its extremely bitter taste. Likening the taste to that of Cinchona bark, he wondered if it would produce similar therapeutic actions. This was the age of the “Doctrine of Signatures” after all. He wrote: "As this tree delights in a moist or wet soil, where agues chiefly abound, the general maxim that many natural maladies carry their cures along with them or that their remedies lie not far from their causes was so very apposite to this particular case that I

could not help applying it; and that this might be the intention of Providence here, I must own, had some little weight with me." Acting on this logic, he set up an experiment; he gathered and dried a pound of willow bark then ground it to a powder which he gave to about fifty of his parishioners. This was long before there were ethics panels that oversaw human experimentation. Stone reported that feedback from his test subjects suggested willow was a ‘powerful astringent and very efficacious in curing agues and intermitting disorders.’ Thomas MacLagan, a Scottish physician, conducted the first formal clinical trial of salicin in 1874. His ‘phase 1 trial’ consisted

Classifications of complementary and alternative medicine The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) classifies complementary and alternative medicine therapies into five categories: • Alternative medical systems. These systems are built on complete systems of theory and practice and include holistic medicine and naturopathic medicine; developed in the Western culture and Chinese medicine and Ayurveda medicine; developed in ancient Eastern cultures. • Mind-body intervention. This uses a variety of techniques to enhance the mind’s capacity to affect the body’s functions and systems. Techniques include cognitive behavioral therapy,

meditation, prayer, mental healing, and art, music, and dance therapy. • Biologically-based therapies. These therapies use substances found in nature, such as herbs, foods, and vitamins, and include dietary supplements, herbal products, and natural substances. •Manipulative and bodybased methods. These methods heal using the movement of one or more body parts and may include chiropractic, osteopathic

manipulation, and massage. •Energy therapies. There are two types of therapies that use energy fields. Bio-field therapy manipulates our bio-fields by applying pressure and/or manipulating the body by placing hands in, or through, these fields. Qigong, reiki, and therapeutic and healing touch are included in this type of therapy. \Bio-electromagnetic-based therapies involve the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or direct current fields.

of consuming about 2 grams of the compound without ill effect. Reassured as to salicin’s safety by his own survival, he then tested efficacy by giving it to a patient with rheumatic fever. The patient's fever, pain, and inflammation subsided, thus confirming the antipyretic effect of salicylates, as well as their analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Clinical trials were simpler to do back then. Salicin was first isolated in pure form in 1829 by the French pharmacist Henri Leroux who demonstrated its antipyretic property. Raffaele Piria, an Italian chemist, hydrolyzed salicin to salicylic alcohol and with a bit further chemical manipulation produced salicylic acid in 1838. In 1874 two German men, Kolbe

and Lautemann, figured out how to make salicylic acid commercially for about 10% of the cost of extracting it from willow bark. This product became popular for treating inflammatory conditions, including rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout. This compound came with unwanted side effects, including gastric irritation and an unpleasant taste. Because of this, many patients found the drug intolerable, including the father of a young chemist named Felix Hoffman who worked at Friedrich Bayer and Co. His father’s arthritis inspired Hoffman to produce a more tolerable version of salicylic acid. He succeeded in August 1897 producing acetylsalicylic acid. Heinrich Dreser, Hoffmann’s boss at Bayer, is given credit both for recognising the commercial potential of Hoffman’s discovery and also for naming the compound, Aspirin, registering the name on February 1, 1899. Various theories exist to explain his choice of name, the more logical being that he used the Latin name Spirea, for the genus meadowsweets, the source of salicylaldehyde. It wasn’t until 1971 that John Vane explained that these drugs worked by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis. Up until then, there was no explanation as to why Aspirin worked. It is interesting to note how in our current times, the lack of a clearly defined mechanism of action is often used as an argument against the use of a medicine of plant origin. For the first hundred years Aspirin was used, nobody cared how it worked, just that it did.


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Phuket island golf courses… How to play golf in windy conditions

irstly the rule of thumb is one mile an hour of wind affects the golf ball by one yard. So if you are playing into (against) a 10 mile an hour wind the ball will go 10 yards shorter than if you are playing down (with) wind 10 miles an hour the ball will go ten yards shorter. If you are playing in a side wind left or right the ball will move because of the wind if you hit a more solid shot the wind will not affect the ball. We will come to that later, if you hit a weak shot the ball will be affected much more.

In to the wind -Most golfers hit the ball harder into the wind, which makes sense as the wind will affect the ball flight, however hitting the ball harder will put

more spin on the golf ball and the ball will fly higher ending up a shorter distance. Also the bigger your back swing the higher the plane of swing again the ball will fly higher ending up shorter. So when playing in to the wind use a three quarter swing and hit the golf ball at 80% power instead of 100% power this will put less spin on the golf ball, the ball will fly through the wind better, just like a knuckle ball in baseball.

Down wind- Unless you can actually drive the par 4 you are playing it would make sense when playing down wind using a 3 wood off the tee instead of a driver; the ball will go just as far.

BODY TALK By Garnett Symonds

Food Poisoning

Food poisoning occurs when you swallow food or water that has been contaminated with certain types of bacteria, parasites, viruses or toxins. Most cases are due to common bacteria such as Staphylococcus or Escherichia coli (E.coli). The bacteria Staphylococcus aureus is found on humans, but when allowed to grow in food these bacteria can produce a toxin that causes illness such as vomiting and diarrhea. Proper hygiene and hand washing will prevent bacteria from entering food that will be eaten. The major source of E.coli is from the feces of infected animals. It can also be found in untreated water. Cooking at the correct temperature is important in eliminating E.coli when it has contaminated food. Food poisoning usually occurs after eating at pinics,school cafeterias,social functions and restaurants, where one or more people may become sick. Types of food poisoning include Botulism, Campylobacter enteritis, Cholera, Fish poisoning, Listeria and Salmonella. Bacteria may get into your food in different ways such as improper handling or preparation. Meat may come into contact with intestinal bacteria when being processed. Food poison-

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HEALTHY PHUKET

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ing often occurs from eating or drinking food prepared by someone who did not hand wash properly or prepared food using unclean utensils, cutting boards or other tools. Also, be careful of raw fish and unwashed raw fruits or vegetables. Fortunately, most cases of food poisoning can be prevented with proper food handling. To practice food safety, quickly refrigerate perishable foods such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs – don’t let them sit more than two hours at typical room temperature or more than one hour at temperatures above 32 C. Minimize the time food is in the danger zone – between 4C and 60C – this is when bacteria can multiply quickly. The most common types of food poisoning generally cause symptoms within 2-6 hours of eating the food. Most people fully recover from the most common types of food poisoning within 1248 hours without serious complications. Garnett B Symonds, is an osteopath and a fellow of the British Institute of Homeopathy. Contact: 081 607 2343 or info@garnettsymonds.com

Side winds - In a side wind you have two choices to either hit the ball on (with) the wind or hold the ball into (against) the wind. Sir Nick Faldo did this beautifully when he won the British Open at the home of golf St. Andrews in 1990 holding the ball into the wind on the first 9 holes and again holding the ball against the wind on the way home. First choice, hitting the ball on the wind, this might hit the ball further but you have to allow for the wind to affect the ball more and when the ball lands it will still have more momentum on it compared to normal, and is more dif-

ficult to control the ball. My suggestion would be to take an extra club or two and hold the ball in to the wind with a three quarter swing at 80% power so the ball will land softer giving you more overall control. So if you are right handed playing in a cross wind from right to left hit a fade into the wind if you are playing in a cross wind from left to right draw the ball into the wind this will hold the ball’s flight almost like a straight shot. Good luck with your golf game, go to www.phuketgolfpro.com for more information, tips and advice.


Seeing who's the fastest at the Kajonkietsuksa School's Sportsday on 26 August

10 contestants in Miss International Bikini delight the crowds at Jungceylon on 9 September

Grand Opening of Holiday Inn Resort Mai Khao on 9 September


PHUKET DINING

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Adding a little Panache to Phuket

he recently-opened Panache restaurant, by Outrigger Phuket, is hoping its innovative and interactive menu will bring something different, something fun and something affordable to those wishing to dine within the Laguna Resort Complex. The 100-seat restaurant is part of the new suites area of the Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas. Also within the vicinity is a kids’ play area, swimming pool and even a fitness centre. “Guests can drop off their kids in the play area or by the pool, safe in this knowledge that they will be taken care of, and they

very nice and it’s also a question of hygiene.” This style of being able to pick and choose Darren believes will keep everybody happy, as guests not only just pay for what they eat but are able to decide exactly what and how they eat it. The ingredients for the pizzas are right there on display as is the woodfire oven, so diners can walk up to the pizza station, select what they want on the pizzas and then tell the pizza chef exactly how they wish him to cook it. There is also the delightfullyexcitingly-described fresh noodle station, akin to the pizza station,

"Fewer calories, hold the garlic, extra anchovies?" enquires Chef Czeschka, "This piece of sirloin, not that? It’s all possible," he promises. "I like to think of it as a culinary conversation," says Chef Czeschka. "With such a cross-cultural mix among our guests our approach is to be flexible and really cook what people want." For those wishing to dine on neither pizza nor noodles there is also plenty of options separated in the novel way of grouping dishes in the easily recogniseable ‘small, medium or large’ with regard to the size of portions.

can just worry about enjoying their meal,” said Darren Shaw, General Manager of Outrigger. However, considering the design of the menu, it is quite unlikely that any of its customers will be worrying much at all. Panache is test-running a rather new style of dining, and encouraging its diners to pick and choose what they want by combining a particular buffet with either a meat or particular pizza dish for example. Lunch and dinner is included a la carte and eaten combined with whichever particular buffet menu a guest fancies. So for example, a salad buffet along with homemade dressings and condiments will cost 220 baht, but if you wish to eat it with either pizza or noodles, this will cost just 360 baht. If you would like to take a little from all stations, which includes access to the fruit, dessert and coffee sections, then that comes in at a very reasonable 440 baht. The thinking behind having separate ‘cold’ buffet sections was two-fold, explained Darren, “We didn’t want to have hot food out on display all day as it obviously goes cold and doesn’t taste

the diners can select everything from the type of noodles, of which there are seven fresh varieties: sen lek (rice noodles), woon sen (glass noodles), mah mee (yellow egg noodles), sen Jai (white flat noodles), mee spam (big egg noodles), soba (buck wheat noodles), and sen mee (angel hair noodles). Diners can also select the meat and other ingredients and then sit back and watch the noodle man prepare it exactly how you like. Again many options are included: gutiau-soup, wok-fried with oyster sauce, rad-naa (in a thick broth), phad sa-ew (soy and oyster sauce), phad thai (tamarin sauce), Singaporian style and Phad kee maw (spicy). All of this is done under the watchful eye of Austrian Executive Chef Robert Czeschka who although originally trained in Europe, has spent the last six years honing his Asian taste buds in Malaysia, China, Vietnam and currently Thailand. The ‘interactive kitchen’ is paramount to the concept and success of Panache and Chef Czeschka is very much a participant. He often prepares the dishes after finding out exactly how the guest likes their food.

An example of a small dish would be salmon rosettes roses of smoked salmon, honey and yoghurt dill sauce, salad bouquet (320 baht). A featured ‘medium’ dish is the marvelously renamed ‘Goong Disco’ (Plar Goong): marinated shrimps prepared in a sashimi style, served alongside lime, chili and mint (340 baht). Traditionally stewed in whiskey: So good and so spicy that it apparently makes those who eat it want to dance uncontrollably. The Post is not too sure about that, but it was pretty darn tasty. If you’re feeling hungry, you could choose a large dish like Goong supeng tod king prawns in a crisp tempura batter, wasabi mayo, kikoman soy and sprigs of noodle tree for 520 baht. All of mentioned dishes can of course be combined with the salad, noodle or dessert section. “This is a relatively new concept,” said Darren, “and one that has not really been test-ran but so far we have received positive feedback.” Why not give it a go? Your only limit is your own imagination. Panache, Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas, 0-7633-6900

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Secret Dinner Invitation

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remchit Prateap Na Thalang has been throwing secret dinner parties in Bangkok for the last few years. Later this month she intends to launch the first of many in her family’s hometown of Phuket. she tells the Post all about it. Once upon a time more than 400 years ago, in a place first called Jung Ceylon, Chalang, then Thalang, and today Phuket, my ancestors began trading herbs, spices and woods with English merchants, including those who established the British East India Company in 1600. And so began the known journey of my family, who has lived with nature, harvesting, trading, eating, dispensing and using rainforest plants of southern Thailand for more than 12 generations. For nearly 200 years my family traded with the British East India Company, including my ancestor Thao Thep Kasatri, the heroine of the Battle of Thalang in 1785, who traded aromatic, medicinal and edible plants with Sir Francis Light during his 15 years in Thalang. Living in harmony with nature, my ancestors influenced the emergence of a distinctive southern Siamese cuisine, with its immigrant Chinese and Indian elements, suffused with intense, rich aromas and flavors from the forests and seas of the Andaman coast. My mother, grandmother and great grandmother, all great chefs, ran successful restaurants in Thalang, sharing their love of

food with all who came to enjoy. In turn, as dharma, I inherited our family’s cuisine wisdom and secrets from my parents. My father began sharing his knowledge and love of the rainforest with me when I was just five, teaching me the way of the rainforest until I left home. On returning from each class in the jungle, my mother taught me how to turn rainforest plants into delicious ambrosias and elixirs for a long life of joy and vitality. And so, with gratitude and in honor of my parents and ancestors, I opened NA THALANG. NA THALANG presents secret set-course Ancestral Siamese Cuisine lunches and dinners for secret guests on specified dates at secret venues, with each menu created, prepared and presented by me, using the secret recipes and artisanal preparation methods of my ancestors and fresh seasonal ingredients from my farm and the rainforests, markets, beaches and seas of Phang Nga and Phuket. NA THALANG offers an exotic culinary journey, allowing you to travel back through time to the cuisine of old southern Siam, to the cuisine of my ancestors, to experience a unique symphony of the senses; sublime, surprising, satisfying and always enjoyable. As Phuket is slightly different and a different beast to traverse (see page 2), the location of Aleenta Resort has been set, yet exact details of exactly wherein will be revealed on 28 September.


phuket property 16 IS BRANDED LUXURY THE WAY TO GO?

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By Mr. David Simister, Chairman of CB Richard Ellis Thailand

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s one of the most mature resort property markets in Southeast Asia, Phuket has a lot to offer in the luxury market, from branded hotel villas to managed villa estates, but what is the right development model and what are buyers looking for? Whilst the luxury villa market is finite in volume, what the buyers want is not generic. Some buyers may want a luxury 4-bedroom branded holiday home where money is no object, others may want a 1 or 2-bedroom investment property which produces income and has potential for capital growth. Some prefer built properties with no development risk, while others may purchase off-plan at attractive prices. There are many properties in Phuket which fit the bill, but which model is the best? The luxury villa market can be broadly classified into four segments – internationally branded hotel villas, villas in managed estates, non-branded villas with hotel management and standalone villas. Branded luxury villas managed by international hotel chains such as Banyan Tree, Aman, Four Seasons and Conrad have the benefit of a guarantee in the quality of management backed by the experience of these brands, as well as fivestar hotel services and amenities. Within the branded market there are broadly two product offerings – large villa estates ideal for a vacation home and smaller 1

and 2-bedroom villas which are part of a compulsory leaseback program. The pros for branded residences are clear, they offer a complete lifestyle package, quality management and a managed rental program, in some cases also with a guaranteed yield. But branded properties also have their downside. Firstly, brands command a price premium, although some projects such as the Conrad Samui do offer better value than others with a lower entry price and a 7% guaranteed yield offer. It is also possible for branded projects to have a change in management as management contracts do not run in perpetuity. Sheraton Laguna Phuket, for example, is being re-branded to Angsana after a very successful 20 years and generating consistent rental yields for owners. If the property

value is tied to a brand, its value is likely to change, for better or worse, along with management changes. Brands also do not guarantee that a property will sell. Saleability is also underpinned by other factors such as design, view quality, location and pricing, so even the best five-star brands cannot guarantee a project’s success. The alternative to branded projects is villas located within a managed estate. These properties can still be well run if managed by a professional management company and do offer value for money as there is no brand mark-up. Malaiwana, for example, has seen a recent upswing in sales and interests as buyers are recognising the project’s value. One can afford a bigger property that is well run, albeit without branded manage-

ment and five-star hotel services but for much better value. This type of property still has rental income potential and offers flexibility in the owners’ usage. Another project based on a newer concept is Les Residences in Khao Lak, a managed beachfront estate located next to a five-star resort. The villas are non-branded but benefit from five-star amenities of the adjacent Le Meridien resort as well as feature its own common facilities. Its absolute beachfront position is also a feature rarely available in other West Coast Phuket properties. Another property type based on a new and highly successful concept is small specialist resorts such as Andara and Sri Panwa. Both projects started off as non-branded hotel managed projects, but grew to establish

its own branding, and hence a price premium. Song Saa Private Island in Cambodia is based on a similar model. The villas will be managed and operated as a five-star resort and are part of a compulsory leaseback program. Despite the un-established resort market in Cambodia, the project has been extremely successful. The well-balanced design makes the property an ideal holiday home as well as investment with ability to generate consistent income through a managed rental program. This type of project often offer better value for money compared to branded residences, and owners still benefit from add-on services and amenities of a five-star hotel, although the quality of the management would rely very much on the team and their experiences. In the case of Song Saa, the resort has put together a highly specialised management and operations team who have extensive experience in leading luxury resorts. The strength of the management team will be one of the key factors driving the property’s capital growth post-completion. Perhaps the Song Saa model may be the best way forward to meet future buyers’ demand? There is no definitive answer on what is the right or wrong, but the common link between all successful projects such as Song Saa, Andara, Conrad and Malaiwana is successful execution and delivery of a high quality scheme.

The miracle years are approaching

By Nathanial Bibby

T

he Thai economy is beginning to gather momentum, with a new proactive government at the reins. After years of setbacks with global recessions, military coups, a tsunami, and the red shirt saga, Thailand is hungrier than ever for economic expansion.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has just announced its latest marketing campaign entitled, “The Miracle Years of Amazing Thailand”, which plans to double tourist arrivals and expenditure by 2014. TAT projects total arrivals climbing to more than 19 million next

year, up from the forecast of 17 million this year. The government wants to see 30 million arrivals per year by 2014 while income from domestic and international markets would reach 2 trillion baht per annum. The marketing campaign has been allocated a staggering 500 million baht budget over the next 2 years. This includes 210 million to be spent on target markets outside the country. Some of the events that have been lined up to attract foreign tourists include the Formula 1 motor racing, the football league in the UK, and the Australian Open. The recently elected Yingluck Shiawatra has made it clear that

her priorities are to introduce a series of economic stimulus and she plans to implement a 40 % rise in the minimum wage to 300 baht per day. She has also promised to compensate employers by cutting the corporate tax rate to 23 percent next year and 20 percent a year later, from the current 30 percent; a huge economic stimulus! Phuket has long been earmarked as a major growth area of Thailand, which will benefit those property investors already in the game. The Phuket Exhibition and Convention Centre being built in Mai Khao with an approved budget of 2.6 billion baht will cause tourist arrivals to skyrocket and the 60,000 ho-

tel rooms will represent a huge under-supply. Hotel chains and institutional investors are recognising this and we have seen a huge upswing in hotel and land transactions this year. There are still some great deals to be had in Phuket - there is probably a window of approximately 6 months before prices start to move off the back of this high season. Now is a great time to get into the market, though investors should be very selective when it comes to location and developments. For more information, contact Nathanial on 081 968 9811 or nathanial@mandaraexclusive. com or visit www.realestate-inphuket.com.


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New in Phuket Capsule coffee machine

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honda crf 250 2008

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2008 honda crf 250 good condition well looked after fast reliable bike starts first time new pads sprokets and valves email me for pictures and more details 145,000 baht Email: dew.rachada@yahoo. com

Chao Fah West - 300 M from Chalong Circle Double unit 7.5 m, 3 storeys : 9.9 million with chanote 0841113977

Great Bargain! Brand new Samsung LED Smart TV 46". Retail price 42000 THB and my price only 36000 THB! I sell because I need cash urgently. My loss your gain! Model UA46D6000SR Call: 0801423141

Ducati 620ss

LAST PLOT 4 SALE SAIYUAN MAIN ROAD

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Substantial Seaview Pool villa with mangnificent sea and mountian views. This villa needs the complete interior to be finished. 50 sqms living area 800 sqm outdoor area.Located in a quiet area on a private road. Chanote title: 10.5 m phuketland1@gmail.com

2003 Ducati 620ss 15,000kms Has all keys,on board security, maintenance records,excellent condition. Contact Lee Brock: 0898964939

ONLY THB 7,5 MILL - 3 HONGS - 15 X 20 M. MAIN ROAD / ROAD 2 SIDES - SAIYUAN AND SOI 5 www.stefan.asia - stefan 084 1113977 Best for Development

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Detached house, 2 floors. 65 sq. wai.3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms with 3 x 8 m pool. 7.5 million baht.

HONDA PHANTOM, 200 cc, good condition, 1 farang owner, green book, 22xxx kilometer, 4 years old, new 84,000 Baht, only 39,000 Baht. Call Michael: 08-163 60 162.

2 stories, 2 bedrooms ,2 bath rooms,located in town next to Mission Hospital. For rent at 8000 b/m. Sale at 1.85 MB. For more info pls. e-mail 'phuket8@hotmail.com' call at 081-7872201

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10,000 thb per month include water &electricity fee Close to Iconic pub ,rawai area room for rent :t.v.cable,hot water,refridge 5 q. near restuarant ,bars and massage shop Contact K.Nok: 087-0543034

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American Jeunesse anti-ageing products now available in Phuket. Contact: Count Slackula Email :count.slackula@gmail. com

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