Phuket Post 156

Phuket

Issue No. 156

Tel: 076 620 054

PHUKET’S PC PROBLEMS

16 - 30 JULY 2011

phuket-post.com

20 BAHT

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News

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making sustainable smiles in Phuket

2-3 NEWs 4-5 weird &

phuket bags

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phuket curriculum

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phuket pc dating

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PHUKET choice

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hEALTHY PHUKET

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

CLASSIFIEDS

Alaska-born but Phuket resident Kelly Franklin, CEO and President of Sustainable Smiles - an NGO environmental organisation -talks to the Post about her shocking findings and what needs to be done to save the north of Phuket and its people.

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

Due to the increase in tourism development and environmental degradation along Nai Yang Beach much needed efforts need to be made towards the protection of the coastal environment and the livelihoods of the local community who depend on Nai Yang Beach’s natural resources.

The coastal environment around Nai Yang Beach is subject to all kinds of misuse, anthropogenic pollution, oil pollution, coastal development, beach erosion (due to both natural and human-caused events) and lack of an integrated coastal area management.

Environment:

Nai Yang Beach consists of a dissipative sandy beach ecosystem. Coral reefs and a small area of mangrove habitat is located at the south end of the beach at the influx of a freshwater stream.

Nai Yang Beach National Park is classified as a Natural Preservation Area making it the only area along the west coast of Phuket to be classified as such. However, coastal ecosystem biodiversity and ecosystem balance has declined or changed in this area due to many anthropogenic threats.

Economic Development:

There are over 70 businesses heavily reliant on tourism along Nai Yang Beach, including massage and beauty shops, restaurants, bars, dive and water recreational shops, tailor shops, 5 star hotels, small hotels/bungalows, souvenir shops, small convenient stores, and tour shops.

Solid Waste Pollution:

A variety of pollution issues exist along Nai Yang Beach, including illegal dumping, littering, lack of effective waste management strategies, and ocean currents bringing marine debris onto shore. The solid waste pollution issue at Nai Yang Beach has increased over the years and more and more tourists are complaining about the cleanliness of Nai Yang Beach, threatening the local livelihoods who depend on tourists coming to this area to enjoy the natural beauty.

In June, 2011 Sustainable Smiles conducted a questionnaire interviewing local business owners/ workers along Nai Yang Beach to assess the current waste management system and give feedback on how to implement an effective waste management strategy.

Over 50% of the respondents interviewed were either strongly dissatisfied or not very satisfied with the current waste management system at Nai Yang Beach. 38% were neutral and only one respondent was satisfied with the current waste management system.

Water Pollution:

Nai Yang Beach has two water channels (klongs) where freshwater enters the sea and one storm drain that flows directly into the sea. Sustainable Smiles is conducting water quality monitoring in these three areas and results so far have found the water quality to be poor.

Therefore, a further examination of point sources of pollution entering these canals and drainage system is necessary.

An algae bloom was observed at Nai Yang Beach during the end of the monsoon season in October and November 2010 and reports of red-tide blooms have been recorded in the past.

Algae blooms can cause depletion of dissolved oxygen and the production of toxins affecting marine organisms can have health implications for humans. Causes of algae blooms usually results from a combination of factors including the increased level of nutrients (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) from pollution, especially sewage effluent.

Conclusion:

Nai Yang Beach community currently lacks infrastructural and technical resources to tackle the problems of waste management. Sanitary and well maintained collection points combined with increasing public awareness about good health and a clean environmental sanitation should be one of the priorities for the community at Nai Yang Beach.

Waste reuse and recycling among the community should also me promoted. Collaboration between all the different stakeholders including the local government, National Park Service, and the local community also need to be established.

If you would like to find out how you can help, visit sustainablesmiles.org

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Surf’s now up in Patong

victim of its own success; the KataKaron authorities have lost out to Patong beach to host this year’s Quiksilver Thailand Surf Competition on September 21-24.

Kata beach’s great breaks, large swells and beautiful scenery made it the perfect location for the popular annual event that attracted hundreds of surfers and nonsurfers to the beach on the west coast of Phuket.

Its popularity was perhaps the main reason that Kata authorities approached organiser of the event, Chanin Joob Aiyarak to ask for a 'donation' to host the event this year.

Khun Chanin said, “We had a meeting at the Kata-Karon Municipality and they basically said to us that we couldn’t do live music or any other things like that this year.”

The reason cited, according to K. Chanin, was that the municipality believed the Quiksilver Surfing Event was not really giving much back to Kata and referenced the Phuket Music Festival as an example.

K. Chanin however, believes that this wasn’t really a fair comparison, “Although organisers have to pay the Kata-Karon tessaban to stage that concert there, the festival also charges customers a fee to attend, whereas the surfing competition was free and anybody could come and watch."

Dates for the Quicksilver Thailand Competition remain the same and it promises to be even bigger and better than last year. As well as last year’s beach games, live music and parties, there will also be more international competitors throughout the multiple divisions of the international surf competition.

M

y name is Pariya and I work for my family’s Fashion Jewellery business. I love travelling, challenging myself and being independent.

Pic: Tim Hain

Michael Flynn, the father of teen surfing sensation Annie, said he was surprised by the sudden change of venue and although he expressed worries over the potential danger of hosting the event between Patong and Kalim beaches, due to the prevalence of rocks on the shore, said that it could be a great event.

“It might be even better than last year.

I’ve emailed Quiksilver to ask them to try and get some shower facilities for the contestants and some shade for the spectators, but they haven’t yet been in touch.”

What is for sure though is that the event will be held in Patong, K Chanin said, “I have received approval from the authorities and they haven’t asked for a donation as they know it is a good event that will further promote Patong.”

Other Patong-based events include: Patong Carnival: November Patong Gay Pride: June Phuket Bike Week: April

SDF receives award

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News

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ill Dalley, a director of Phuket’s Soi Dog Foundation has been named the first ‘Asia Pacific Canine Hero,’ as part of the SPCA Canine Welfare Awards.

Gill received 302,000 baht as part of the reward and her decision as to where to donate the money was an easy one to make, “I have no hesitation in donating the money to the SDF (which needs to raise 5 million baht before November) as this is vital to our continued existence on Phuket.

"I am grateful and humbled by this award from the SPCA. I accept it on behalf of all the tremendous staff, volunteers and loyal donors who enable us to carry “But the work cannot stop for a second," out this important work,” Gill said.

Gill was flown to Chengdu, China to John added.

When the Post went to print, the SDF accept the award.

The SDF is in a race against time to had so far managed to raise a whopping raise 5 million baht by October, half the 8 million baht, leaving just 2 million baht, value of the shelter land at Mai Khao still to be raised for the land appeal.

Fund raising continues with an event in Phuket’snorth-east, otherwise it is earmarked to be sold to commercial currently being planned at the Tatonka restaurant in Cherng Talay in September and a interests.

John Dalley, husband and co-director of Melbourne Cup horserace fund raising the SDF said, “Gill’s award is a fantastic event likely to be held at Twinpalms, recognition of her dedication towards the Kamala on Tuesday, 1 November, 2011.

If you would like to donate or find out sterilisation of more than 32,000 dogs on Phuket and caring for dogs kept at more, visit: www.soidog.org or call 081 788 4222 the shelter.

What has been your most perfect day in Phuket?

The day that I joined the Phuket Mermaid fashion show at Jungceylon, shopping centre in Patong.

What's the most romantic thing you have ever done?

When I was a young girl, I put a bouquet of red roses on the table of a student that I had fallen in love with. I still smile when I think of that time.

What's your favourite part of your body?

I love my eyes because they can show and express my feeling and the type of mood I am in.

Would you like to be a cat or a bird?

I can answer 100% bird, because I often dream I can fly like a bird and freedom is the one thing that I am always looking for.

word search

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

Yingluck, Wages, Mistakes, Stable, Sidecar Holiday, Bridge, Abort, Love, Surf

ipost

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weird phuket

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No entry in Phuket Town

Pulse Media Company Limited 122/5 Moo 4, Srisoonthorn Sub-District, Thalang District, Phuket 83110, Thailand

I've wanted to take this shot for a long time. It has seemed to become almost normal for people to drive against the traffic flow on this one-way street (linking Thalang and Dibuk roads). So I went on a Saturday morning, and in 15 minutes I witnessed five different motorists driving down Soi Romanee against the traffic flow.

Sending out an S.O.S … again

Photograph by Stephan Audiger: www.art-phuket.com

Editor

A man from the U.K has been banned from visiting his local hospital after repeatedly and falsely claiming he was ill.

The real life ‘boy who cried wolf’ could find himself in dire straits if he ever does fall ill, as he is also forbidden from calling an ambulance, subject to his Anti Social Behaviour Order (Asbo).

Healthcare in the U.K is free and therefore a person could theoretically visit a hospital or call an ambulance many times a week without fear of payment, unless, like the naughty chap, they are deemed to be doing it without justification.

Sukhonthip Tantanak

Associate Editor editor@phuket-post.com

Sales Jaruwan (Kiew) Onkong kiew@phuket-post.com

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Admin & Accounts

Thick as a plank of human

admin@phuket-post.com

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CONTACT INFORMATION Advertising Sales: sales@phuket-post.com Classified Advertising: classifieds@phuket-post.com Editorial: editorial@phuket-post.com Reporters: reporter@phuket-post.com Design: designer@phuket-post.com Distribution: admin@phuket-post.com Jobs: admin@phuket-post.com Main Phone: 076 620 054 Fax Number: 076 273 202 Website: http://phuket-post.com

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

Save our sharks

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group of divers led by an organisation called “Dive Tribe” are seeking ways to release many of the captive leopard sharks currently being kept in restaurants.

D i v e Tr i b e h a v e u t i l i s e d social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter and thedivetribe. com to campaign for their release.

“Sharks are a big reason why people come to dive in Thailand, we want to see them in the ocean and not in some restaurant marine tank,” said Gwyn Mills, owner of Dive Tribe.

Mr Mills said that he has been overwhelmed by the support from the general public, with many in the diving community offering to pay for their release.

"The number of shark sightings in Thailand has taken a massive down turn in recent years,” explained Mr Mills, “12 years ago I could guarantee divers would see a shark, now we are lucky if we see just one a month.”

Mr Mills said that this would undoubtedly have a negative effect on Dive Tourism in Thailand, and would then have a knock-on effect.

“When the divers leave to go somewhere else to see sharks, not only do dive businesses suffer but hotels, restaurants and

The latest craze known as planking is when people take photos of themselves lying face down in somewhere unusual and then post them on the web.

The latest practitioner of wasting one’s time in a pointless manner was arrested after police discovered that an English boy’s unusual place was actually quite a dangerous one as well.

The 14-year-old posted photos of himself lying across railway tracks in York, the police investigated and got their boy…

Shhh I’m having an affair

the supporting businesses infrastructure also.”

Sharks traditionally contain high levels of mercury, and US and Australian authorities have warned the public and in particular pregnant women and young children against the consumption of shark’s meat.

If you would like more information or would like to help 'release' a shark, contact: info@thedivetribe.com

Ever thought of complaining at the amount of time your girlfriend spends on her mobile telephone but are worried as to how to broach the subject?

Well if you’re resident in India, then the government has taken the burden on itself and has released a brochure in Punjab, warning that if newlyweds spend too much time on the phone and do not talk to their husbands, it might be making them jealous.

This has, of course, caused uproar in India, with many young Indian women denouncing the warning as mere misogynistic tripe.

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phuket bags

Phuket bans plastic bags

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Nick's anti-plastic bag scheme is almost 'in the bag'

ick Anthony – co-owner of Nick explains that although plastic bags Indigo Real Estate and well- will effectively be banned, meaning no known Phuket-based environ- stores will be ‘allowed’ to give them mentalist – has a smile on his face and away, it is still 'under consideration' if a with good cause. failure to comply will be punished.

Ever since Tesco Lotus refused to sign “Ultimately the Governor and local a M.O.U (signed by all other major retail Orbortor leaders need to decide whether stores on the island) to introduce a plastic to enact a fine,” he said. bag charge last year, Nick’s campaign to Not to be dismayed, much like reduce plastic waste had looked doomed. the German TV documentary maker That was until he attended a meeting featured in the last issue, Nick believes in June, between the Tesco Senior Vice the sheer intention and admission of President, Phuket Energy Office Director responsibility a great step forward for Jirasak Dhamawej and Phuket Governor environmental action and predicts that Tri Augkaradacha.

Phuket could well be nation leaders in “I’m very happy. They decided to take it such matters in the future. one step further than a plastic bag charge When the ‘ban’ is introduced, it will and will ban plastic bags altogether,” said have been 2.5 years since Nick originally a beaming Nick. decided to tackle Phuket’s waste problem, This initiative will be introduced on “The initial trigger was the realisation that 4 December, when 840,000 cloth bags, if we wanted to donated by the government and private make Phuket sector, will be distributed around the p r o f i t a b l e island. during the low Despite its initial reluctance and refusal (green) season, to join the ‘plastic bag’ campaign, it was then we needed ironically Tesco’s insistence that any local to clean and initiative be government-sanctioned that maintain the led to the Governor making the shock beaches so that announcement. they could be This means therefore, that by the end of open all year the year, customers will be unable to take round.” their groceries away from their local 7/11, Nick set about launching a two-pronged Tops or indeed Tesco in a free plastic bag attack. The first was to target the use of and will instead have to purchase or bring plastic and reduce its usage. The second with them a cloth bag, costing anywhere was to increase the awareness of the benfrom 10-60 baht. efits of recycling at every level; from the government, the Orbortors way down to the individual level.

Nick said, “In the last 3 months, I’ve Unfortunately, as of yet, the difference between an initiative and campaign, seen a 300% increase in effort. Recyseems mere semantics. cling is already monetarised and Phuket

Or will they?

Patong beach at its most filthy in 2009

actually has quite an active recycling community. There are 7 recycling stations in Phuket, more than enough to facilitate every house on the island if they wished to recycle.”

He admitted that although he was relatively happy with the recent changes, he would also like to see a similar scheme to the Big Bin initiative in Chiang Mai introduced.

The privately-owned company sends trucks from door to door collecting recyclables in exchange for useable goods.

40 cans get 6 eggs for example. This, Nick believes, goes some way to change the mindset that recycling doesn't have a monetary value.

“Waste in Phuket is like an octopus’s arms, hard for the government to get its hands around. The beast is getting larger and larger owing to driving consumerism and a growing population.”

But Nick believes that they’re managing to do that now, or at least recognising the need and the introduction of new and necessary infrastructure (e.g expanded incinerator to be completed by the end of the year) is a positive step forward.

So will Phuket’s most active member of the environmental community take a step back now, happy in the knowledge that he has been instrumental in perhaps solving a large portion of the waste produced on the island?

Absolutely not, “There is still a lot of

hotel and household waste that needs to be recycled, and I’d like to see recycling stations placed out at sea,” he said.

Nick Anthony is also a member of the recently formed Phuket-based environmental organisation ‘SEEK’ (Sustainability, Environment, Empowerment, Knowledge).

Currently on its watchful eye’s agenda is a road in Southern Phuket that will pass through the Khlong Koh Pi mangrove forest, and the harmful emissions of 2 stroke Speed Boat Tours.

A Japanese company, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is in the process of conducting a series of tests to asses Phuket’s current effectiveness in dealing with carbon emissions, the results of which will hopefully aid in the future development of island-based initiatives and infrastructure.

A cause of countless complaints and harmful effects on Phuket's environment is the high number of tuk tuk and taxis.

The problem has been well publicised in the media and authorities are apparently well aware that a change must occur.

Considering constant complaints are usually the catalyst for change in Phuket and on the strength of how unified tourist, expats and locals are in their desire for the situation to be remedied, the introduction of an effective public transport system, Nick believes, with a smile, is inevitable.

“The light rail project will be a positive first step. It will happen! It will just take investment and efficient transport will soon be on the horizon as well.”

Maybe then, Phuket residents, tourists and expats alike will all be able to sport smiles as broad as Nick’s.

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phuket curriculum

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The cost of an International Education

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eciding which school to send one’s child to is perhaps one of the most difficult and important decisions a parent has to make, a deliberation surely compounded when one is living in a ‘foreign’ country.

Parents living in Phuket can choose from a traditional Thai school offering the Thai National Curriculum, a Thai school offering the Thai National Curriculum delivered in English, a Thai school offering an International Curriculum or an International school offering an International Curriculum delivered in English with Thai language and culture included.

What to choose and where to send your little bundle of joy? A new primary school – teaching children aged 5-11 Key Stage 1 and 2 - ‘The Palm House School’ is set to open this September on a picturesque plot of land in Rawai and adds one more option to the pondering.

The school’s headmaster is English-born Nicholas Parker Smith and the first child to be enrolled was his own son, Oliver.

Mandarin and Russian will be language options for those parents who wish their offspring to be tri-lingual.

“We have 2-speed Thai classes, for the kids who have a Thai parent at home and those that are only learning it at school like Oliver,” explained Nicholas.

Considering the number of expats living on the island and the number of Thai parents who wish their child to have an international education, international schools are understandably big business.

Is it born from a desire for their children to speak English, or something much more complex? What is indisputable is that tuition fees are quite a ‘consideration.’

But what is the metaphorical and literal cost of not sending your child to a local school when living in a foreign country?

The Post voluntarily dropped by the new headmaster on the block’s office to ask just that…

Phuket Post: Shouldn’t a child in Thailand be attending a Thai school? Why should a parent send him/her to an International school?

Palm House School: There are many Western parents living on the island who have children who do not speak Thai and therefore sending them to a Thai school could prove problematic on many levels. If the family do not intend to stay on the island long term then following an International curriculum would mean that their child does not fall behind due to language limitations.

Palm House will be following the International Primary Curriculum which cultivates international mindedness whilst allowing students to maintain a strong sense of their own cultural identity whether that is Thai or not.

PP: How many hours per week is Thai language taught at the school?

PHS: Palm House is very mindful that its students are living and learning in Thailand and will incorporate Thai Language and Culture into the mainstream timetable every day. There will be a 45 minute session every day which will include Thai history and citizenship with extra language options available if the parent so wishes.

PP: How important is Thai literacy to the curriculum of your school?

PHS: Thai literacy will be included daily in the timetable. For children who will remain living in Thailand this is of course a very important subject. We have a responsibility to ensure that our Thai national students have the same opportunities in Thailand as they would have got had they gone to a Thai school. For foreign children, Thai literacy is important as a sign of respect to their host country. Without learning Thai language, it is impossible to understand Thai culture and therefore respect.

PP: Does Thai history play a part in the History syllabus?

PHS: Thai history will be covered in the Thai Lan-

guage and Culture session. The IPC concentrates on International history providing the student with a world view rather than a purely Thai view.

PP: If a curriculum is based on a broader more general International one, do you think your students are missing out on a distinctly Thai experience?

PHS: Living in Thailand makes it impossible to miss out on the ‘Thai experience’ as we all experience that every day. However, following an International curriculum means that the child does not miss out on an international experience while living in Thailand.

PP: Although the students are arguably more prepared for the international work place, if they choose to remain in Thailand, will they be able to compete with students educated in a Thai school?

PHS: Compete in what way? I assume you mean by gaining employment in Thailand. Students leaving Palm House will have followed the Thai National Curriculum learning objectives set for a private school. This will enable them to speak Thai and understand and appreciate Thai cultural norms enabling them to compete sufficiently with students educated in a Thai school.

PP: What are the three most important things to equip a child with from the international curriculum so that he/she can adapt to the Thai experience?

PHS: The IPC focuses heavily on acceptance, awareness of other cultures and tolerance. Each module of learning takes into consideration differing cultural norms and the notion that we are not all the same. With these beliefs in mind a child who has followed the IPC will have been taught how to accept and adapt to any cultural experience, not just Thai. The IPC celebrates diversity in its philosophy and mind set.

PP: How important is it for a child to have an international education? Is it more or less important for a child of an expat?

PHS: For any child, whether or not they have a Western parent or not, it is important to have choices. Education enables choices, be it from an International or local school. An International school experience will most probably be delivered in English and therefore open up the international employment stage.

However, the education of your child is a very personal choice. As the father of a British child living in Thailand, it is very important for me that my son has every oppor-

tunity in the world that I did. I cannot allow my choice to live here affect his future. Does this mean it is more important for my son to get an international education than it is for a native Thai child? Absolutely not. In this day and age, as the world gets smaller, many parents, regardless of their nationality, are opting for international education. Again, this is a very personal choice.

PP: How has education changed in the last twenty years?

PHS: Education has taken on massive developments over the last 20 years and the IPC has been developed based on the most modern teaching methods and brain friendly learning techniques. Whereas 20 years ago teaching methodologies included teacher front facing and rote style learning, nowadays, outcome based learning and enquiry methodology is more frequently used.

Knowledge is not only the desired outcome but the skills to think, adapt and understand the world around them.

With the demands of today’s work place being more computer and technology based rather than manual skills based, children need a very different set of skills centred on communication and adaptation. Teachers are now trained to be able to cope with multiple learning styles and intelligences in the classroom and to teach using modern technology and resources. Gone are the days when only a big thick textbook is used in the classroom. Today’s primary school classroom benefits from interactive whiteboards, lap tops and memory sticks. Internet based research and integrated subjects are incorporated into thematic based curricula and children are encouraged to enjoy the learning process rather than dread it!

PP: What are the differences in what a child has hopefully achieved by the time he leaves primary school (11 years old) now than twenty years ago?

PHS: No one can properly predict the nature of work and life opportunities that will be available for today’s primary age children by the time they are adults. Many of the jobs they will have don’t yet exist; especially in the fields of ICT, technology and science. So the IPC focuses on a skills-based approach, developing adaptable and resilient globally-minded learners. After leaving Primary school children will be well on the way to gaining these skills and will have the confidence and self assurance to deal with senior school and all its demands!

For more information, call: 076 288630 Email: info@palmhouseprimaryschool.com

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phuket dating

3rd Kathu Stre et Festival, 15-17 July

Singing, dancing and some great street fo od throughout th e streets of Phuk et town

Phuket's S eafood Festa, Pat ong July 30-31

If you've still not had en ough to eat and fa ncy some Patong-esq ue culture, get on down...

Have a you wa n event nt the island to kno w about?

L know a et us t: info@ phuket post.c om

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Battle of the sexes

’ve been out of the dating game for quite awhile and had only just reentered it a few weeks ago. Having been away for so long, the rules had become somewhat foggy in my mind. However, having experienced it anew, the best analogy I can come up with for dating is emotional and financial pugilism.

Now, I consider myself an upright man and I will not shrink from an honorable confrontation between two opponents on a level battlefield. However, dating is nothing like that. The man faces the woman in the ring, as it were, but the rules stipulate that he must keep his hands behind his back at all times. The woman can strike, bite, tear, kick, and gouge. The only hope the man has of winning is to take all of the blows until the woman finally tires, exhausted, gorged on blood, and sated.

Round 1 of my recent dating experience started with the standard body work to the wallet: a few sharp “can you buy me a drink” jabs to the left kidney and a low roundhouse “thanks for dinner.” I’d been out of the game a long time though and had

had time to work on my financial abs and core.

Plenty of overtime crunches and good financial planning along with conservative living core work allowed me to easily take these expected blows.

However, she wasn’t done: with a brutal “expensive romantic dinner—and then invite friend along” blow, which I swear was below the belt, she got me when the referee wasn’t looking.

Round 2: wearied but unbeaten, she started the upper-body work. Head over heels for the girl, I didn’t even try to mount a defence. I took a “meet all my friends” straight to the jaw, a “go out with me late on a work night” on the ear, and then a “oh, I lost my phone for 2 days and didn’t know you called” head butt.

Round 3: I staggered into the ring, blood blurring the vision in my left eye, a cut lip and swol-

len tongue slurring my normally sweet words, and a major concussion slowing my wit. She was dancing around me, flashing in and out fainting blows as I groggily turned to take the punishment always a few moments late.

Tiring of her game, she quickly dodged to the left and, seeing her opening, crouched and sprang upwards quick as lightening, landing a shattering “There’s no magic” uppercut.

The end: I was on the mat.

My only view was of her red high-heels dancing around me; the referee getting ready to call the fight, my corner reaching for the towel. It was over; the fight was lost. The only thing now was to congratulate the winner and handle my defeat with what dignity I could muster. If only.

Lifting one high-heel above me, she brought it down on my crotch with a career ending “I could go a year without sex” remark. I crawled from the ring, even the mostly bloodthirsty spectators looking away with a mixture of shame and pity, my mind turning to the only alternatives I had left: abstinence, or even perhaps homosexuality...

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pc phuket

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Phuket Post's pc help desk

By Seth Bareiss

FAKE USB MEMORY STICKS In computer stores this summer, be especially wary of 256 gigabyte USB memory sticks. Many stores in Phuket are selling fake 256 Gigabyte USB memory sticks. These aren't simply "fake" like "fake" Rolex watches, pirated DVDs, and Gucci handbags.

Those fake Rolex watches and pirate DVDs really work… at least until you get them home... and I've never seen a fake Gucci handbag that failed, dumping your groceries onto the sidewalk.

No, these memory sticks are "fake" in the same way that a 1000 baht note is fake if your child crayons an extra zero onto a 100 baht note. They won't do the job.

These fakes usually carry a Kingston label. Kingston is a legitimate high profile computer memory maker.

The fake sticks are 2 Gigabyte sticks pretending to be 256 Gigabyte sticks. If you like nerdy tech details, you'll want to know that the fakery extends beyond simply printing a label on the outside of the sticks.

The manufacturer puts an overly large FAT (File Allocation Table) onto the memory stick. This is like writing a book with 10 chapters, but the printer puts in a

table of contents that says the book has 100 chapters.

To test one of these memory sticks, you can try to put into it more than 2 Gigabytes of files or you can try to reformat it by right-clicking on its icon in "My Computer" under Windows and choosing "format".

A 2 Gigabyte USB memory stick costs less than 200 baht in Phuket this summer.

You can find a real 2 Gigabyte USB memory stick in computer stores, grocery stores, photo shops, and even most 7-Eleven convenience stores. Real 256 Gigabyte memory sticks do exist, but they're not available in Phuket yet and they cost over 15,000 baht. These fakes sell for about 2,300 baht. Don't get caught!

WEB BROWSERS Mozilla's Firefox 5 is available now.

Firefox 4.x is only a few months old, but already version 5 is out. Surprisingly, it's very good. It has none of the problems that delayed the release of version 4. It has the old "File, Edit, View... Help" menu, not the confusing menu that came with version 4. Almost all add-ons that work with early versions of Firefox also work with this version.

Firefox is really the only web browser

you should be using on a daily basis.

It's stable, and has good error-recovery when you visit badly written websites.

It's impervious to many viruses, which makes Firefox like pure gold when you compare Firefox's security record to Microsoft Internet Explorer's.

Firefox has literally thousands of easyto-get free add-ons.

The two which are best suited to Phuket's Farang community are always ".com" and No Squint.

Always ".com" is something you've probably wanted for ages. When you type a few words into Firefox's "Search Box" at the top-right corner of your screen, you usually get Google.co.th, with search results often in Thai. You're probably more interested in getting Google in English.

Always ".com" makes that change for you: the search box's results are always Google in English.

Incidentally, in any web browser, if you type "Google.com/ncr" into the address bar, you will always get Google in International English, no matter what country you're standing in.

No Squint automatically resizes websites to fit the width of your screen. Many websites like NFL.com have a width that doesn't change.

They're designed to look good on the smallest screen you might have, but they're an awful waste of space on a big beautiful new computer monitor. If you

are bothered by websites that have a fixed width that's far smaller than your screen, or if you just have aging eyes that don't focus well on the small letters used on many websites, this free FireFox add-on is for you.

By the way, you can get similar results without the add-on by holding down the "CTRL" key and tapping on the "+" key.

Make things smaller by using CTRL + "-"However, this is not automatic. You have to re-do the command for every webpage you visit. With No Squint, it's automatic.

Google Chrome's 13 beta version is available now, too, but...who cares? It's a beta version, so it's probably got lots of problems. Also, it's from Google. Google's End User License Agreements are a testament to how far big company lawyers will go to steal your privacy and sell it to anybody with a nickel.

They give themselves the right to filter what you see, record which websites you go to, and quite a few other things we'd rather Google didn't snoop and sell.

Firefox is the only web browser worth having, because the other ones are either too little (Safari, Sea Monkey) or belong to companies that don't respect your privacy (Microsoft Internet Explorer and Google Chrome).

If you have a computer topic you'd like to see covered in a future advice column, please contact info@phuket-post.com.

•Phuket Computer Clinic's website including meeting times and places: www.woody.info •Images of real Kingston USB memory sticks: www.tinyurl.com/RealKingston •Download Firefox version 5 from: www.GetFireFox.com •Get FireFox add-on Always ".com": www.tinyurl.com/GoogleInEnglish •Get FireFox add-on No Squint: www.tinyurl.com/NoSquint

Social Media for Business

By Masaya Mikami

S

ocial interaction on the internet started when Usenet - a worldwide distributed internet discussion system - was introduced 30 years ago.

Nowadays, social ‘media receives attention from businesses as well as individuals. In this issue we will look at how social media is effectively used for promoting company brand, image and its products.

The most important element of social media is of course participation. Like in real life, ‘One way’ communication is useless. By attracting users to your social media, this will hopefully lead to a quality thread of discussion, possibly to points that your company needs to improve. Users are the main drivers of Social Media, not a company.

Having said that, you should always introduce discussion points or questions that lead to feedback or statistical results.

Social Media Marketing perhaps is the subject most business owners are interested in.

Social Media has been recognised and

used as a marketing channel by companies for a few years now.

Most companies are still struggling to find the best way to use social media. To begin with, it is important to understand the basic concept. Principals of social media marketing consist of a distribution network and information control.

A distribution network is fundamentally your network connected to as many people as possible. Making your social media profile public is the easiest step to start building your connection to people around you and have dealt with before.

This connection of people is your marketing platform. Therefore, if you can reach users who have a high potential of buying your products or at least interested in your company, the value and quality of your network is increased.

Once your network is built, the information control phase starts. Information you are sharing within your network should be just enough to trigger discussion or talk

among the users in the network.

Without discussion or talk, you will not get the best out of the social media: the synergy effect. Good examples of information control can be seen on Apple’s new product line release. Just-enoughinformation is ‘leaked’ (released) to start speculation of new product releases among users.

Triggering curiosity and eagerness to know all the information causes a synergy effect to create speculation. In return the needs/wants of users can be used as

improvement points of the company’s products / company’s brand strategy.

Lastly, a company should follow carefully what users say in order to extract new ideas or perspectives.

You can also collect and measure users’ interest by statistical data. It is an important gesture to reply to some users’ comments so that they know of your existence in the Network and to show appreciation of their contributions.

phuket choice 10 Between the mother and the state 1 - -1530JUNE 16 JUlyphuketphuket-POST.COM POST.COM

Mechai Viravaidya has been campaigning for family planning rights for most of his life

Mechai Viravaidya with two statues, made entirely from condoms, at his Bangkok restaurant 'Cabbages and Condoms'

Mechai Viravaidya

L

ast month, a 50-year-old woman was arrested in her home in Phuket town on suspicion of performing ‘illegal’ abortions.

Also taken to the police station was her 20-year-old patient, who was five months pregnant and seeking a termination.

Although the would-be-abortionist was in fact a trained nurse, many ‘backyard practitioners’ who perform the procedure in Thailand are not.

This, however, does not deter an estimated 300,00 Thai women a year seek-

ing them out and undergoing the highly dangerous and ‘illegal’ procedure.

Post-operation, it is quite common for the young women to go straight from the ‘backyard clinics’ to hospitals to receive life-saving post-abortion treatment.

Since a revision in the law in 1957, it is widely recognised that a woman may legally have her pregnancy terminated in cases of risk to her physical health or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or other sexual crimes. In these cases, she may therefore go to a hospital to have the

procedure performed.

In 2005, the Medical Council of Thailand added to that very short list the preservation of a woman’s mental health as an acceptable condition in seeking a termination of pregnancy. Therefore if a woman believes that having a child could cause anxiety or depression or even sadness, she is fully within her rights to apply for an abortion.

Mechai Viravaidya, who has been credited with popularising the use of condoms in Thailand and is a regular campaigner for

safe sex, family planning and pro-choice rights for Thai women, said that the root of the problem therefore wasn’t the actual law, but a lack of knowledge of it.

“Abortion is not illegal in Thailand, young women need to know that if they can have it proved by two doctors that having a baby would cause them anxiety or depression then trained doctors can perform the procedure.”

The difficulty, Khun Mechai explains, is that many Thai people are unaware of the 2005 change in the law, including police

CATEGORIES OF ABORTION LAWS FROM MOST TO LEAST RESTRICTIVE I. TO SAVE THE WOMAN’S LIFE OR PROHIBITED ALTOGETHER

Afghanistan Andorra Angola Antigua & Barbuda Bangladesh Brazil–R Brunei Darussalam Central African Rep. Congo Côte d'Ivoire Dem. Rep. of Congo Dominica Dominican Republic Egypt Gabon

II. TO PRESERVE PHYSICAL HEALTH

III. TO PRESERVE MENTAL HEALTH

IV. SOCIOECONOMIC GROUNDS

(also to save the woman’s life)

(also to save the woman’s life and physical health)

(also to save the woman’s life, physical health and mental health)

Bahamas Burundi Chad–F Camaroon Comoros Costa Rica Djibouti Grenada Jordan Morocco Mozambique Pakistan Peru Rwanda Vanuatu

Algeria Botswana–R/I/F Colombia–R/I/F Gambia Ghana–R/I/F Hong Kong–R/I/F Israel–R/I/F/+ Jamaica–PA Liberia–R/I/F Malaysia Namibia–R/I/F New Zealand–I/F Northern Ireland Spain R/F Thailand R/F

Australia–FS Barbados–PA/R/I/F Belize–F Cyprus–R/F Fiji Finland–R/F/+ Great Britain–F Iceland–R/I/F/+ India–PA/R/F Japan–SA Luxembourg–PA/R/F Saint Vincent & Grenadines–R/I/F Taiwan–SA/PA/I/F Zambia–F

V. WITHOUT RESTRICTION AS TO REASON See also NOTE V.

Albania

Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Bahrain Belarus Belgium Bulgaria Cambodia Canada Estonia France* Georgia Germany* United States FS/PA

INDICATIONS R Abortion permitted in cases of rape R1 Abortion permitted in the case of rape of a woman with a mental disability I Abortion permitted in cases of incest F Abortion permitted in cases of fetal impairment SA Spousal authorization required PA Parental authorization/notification required

+ Abortion permitted on additional enumerated grounds relating to such factors as the woman’s age or capacity to care for a child S Sex selective abortion prohibited x Recent legislation eliminated all exceptions to prohibition on abortion; availability of defense of necessity highly unlikely

U Law unclear FS Federal system; abortion law determined by states. In Australia and Mexico, state laws fall into different categories of restrictiveness. Classification reflects law affecting largest number of people.

phuket choice

1 - -1530JUNE 16 JUlyphuketphuket-POST.COM POST.COM

Rescue workers at a Bangkok temple share a moment

officers and doctors, and even if they did know, it isn’t necessarily indicative of a willingness to act upon it.

“Most doctors are aware of the law, but knowing something and doing something about it are completely different. There’s also certain police officers that indulge in what is known as rent keeping behaviour, and some doctors are fearful that they may lose their practice if they are ‘found’ to have acted in an ‘illegal’ manner’.”

Khun Mechai said that no doctor has ever been prosecuted for performing an illegal abortion.

Pic: the blaze.com

So although a woman may know she is legally entitled to seek a termination of her pregnancy on grounds of damage to her mental wellbeing and a doctor is also aware but unwilling to perform the procedure either because of personal moral objections or fear of police remonstration, then the doctor can of course refuse to perform the operation.

“Prostitution, gambling and vote buying are all illegal in Thailand, but just because people know something doesn’t mean a thing,” said the outspoken activist.

K. Mehcai believes that Thai women

and couples shouldn’t give up seeking a safe and legal termination to their pregnancy though and suggested those in rural areas go to Had Yai and Bangkok, if of course they have the funds to do so.

Nongluk Boonthai, Hon. Secreatry General of the Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights Foundation of Thailand concurred and said, rather unfortunately, that it often boils down money.

“Most young women can't get access to a safe service at public hospitals because of the negative attitude and unwillingness to perform an abortion by most Thai physicians and private hospital fees meanwhile are much too high for low-income women,” Khun Nongluck said.

K. Mechai has his own clinic right next to his flagship safe sex themed restaurant ‘Cabbages and Condoms’, in Bangkok.

Symbolic of how intertwined issues of safe sex, prostitution and family planning issues are in Thailand is the existence of a massage parlour in the same block, right next to the family planning clinic.

This dichotomy, although certainly not exclusive to Thailand, is one that K. Mechai among others believes needs to change and the sooner the better: “The real question to ask is, 'If your 17-year-old daughter or sister became pregnant what would you want her to do? Drop out of school to have the baby and ruin her life?

“I think if everyone is honest about it they would answer almost universally that the best option would be to have a termination, but Thai society as a whole is not ready to be so open yet.”

So unfortunately, despite the change

11 in the law and constant work by Khun Mechai as well as the WHRRF and other organisations to raise awareness of safe sex and women’s rights in Thailand, wilful ignorance, culture and history are all proving hard to compete against.

In November 2010, over 2000 foetal remains were discovered in individual plastic bags at 3 different temple crematoriums in Thailand, underlying the existence of something much deeper than just a lack of knowledge or money at play.

Kamheang Chaturachinda, President of WHRRF explained, “Abortion is still regarded socially as immoral and sinful, even in some medical circles.” Khun Kamheang and the WHRRF therefore advocate a complete societal shift in how pregnancy terminations are perceived.

Khun Nongluk said, “There needs to be a paradigm change from looking at a termination of pregnancy as a morality and legal issue to an issue concerning public health and women’s rights to have access to a safe abortion service.”

K. Nongluk would also like to see the decriminalisation (see table on p. 11) of the abortion law altogether, “Pregnancy under 12 weeks should be a matter between the woman and her physician rather than one between the state and the woman.”

As of August 2011, this is unfortunately still not the case, and the Phuket-based university student could be facing up to 3 years in jail and 6,000 baht in fines, while her backyard physician is likely to face a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to 10,000 baht.

12

HEALTHY PHUKET

SALT: the good, the bad and the ugly

(And no we are not talking about Angela Jolie’s latest movie) 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.

T

he word salary originates from Latin: salarium which referred to the money paid to the Roman army soldiers for the purchase of salt. The word salad literally means "salted," and comes from the ancient Roman practice of salting leaf vegetables.

"In Rome, the soldier's pay was originally salt and the word salary therefore derives from it.

Regardless of the exact connection, the salarium paid to Roman soldiers most probably gave rise to such expressions as "being worth one's salt."

sumed. A craving for salt reflects a healthy need.

When healthy, our bodies are able to use the amount of salt they need, and expel any excess by processing through the kidneys.

1. Salt is most effective in stabilising irregular heartbeats and, contrary to the misconception that it causes high blood pressure, it is actually essential for the regulation of blood pressure - in conjunction with water. Naturally the proportions are critical.

2. Salt is vital to the extraction of excess acidity from the cells in the body, particularly the brain cells.

3. Salt is vital for balancing the sugar levels in the blood; a needed element in diabetics.

4. Salt is vital for the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in the body.

5. Salt is vital to the nerve cells' communication and information processing all the time that the brain cells work, from the moment of conception to death.

6. Salt is vital for absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract.

Modern Allopathic medicine advises low salt and low fat diets for some diseases. This however, goes against the grain of holistic nutrition. We are salt; and good oils need to be a part of our diet (10% of our caloric intake).

Salt is vital to life. A shortage of this essential nutrient can cause serious health risks, even death.

The body cannot produce its own sodium or chloride, yet all

human fluids contain (and need) salt.

The body regulates the amount of salt we consume based on our individual needs. Salt intake levels are determined in the brain.

Our cerebral cortex senses each person’s needs and creates an appetite that is more powerful than an individual’s conscious choice.

Thirst, for instance, is a signal that our bodies need water to help balance the salt we have con-

Oasis Spa’s Newest Branch opens in Kamala

D

on’t come to the Royal Thai Spa merely because it is Oasis Spa's newest branch … or because it’s nestled among perfect sunsets, an unspoiled tropical beach, and cascading mountains … or even because it is housed in a beautiful contemporary traditional Thai-style structure with eight elegant treatment rooms each equipped with its own Jacuzzi and Herbal Steam Room – do come to experience a pampering that goes beyond anything you have known or can imagine.

Oasis Spa with its Lanna style identity is the trendsetter in Thailand’s day spa industry.

It also has established branches

1 - -1530JUNE 16 JUlyphuketphuket-POST.COM POST.COM

in Chiangmai, Bangkok and Pattaya. It is proud to have received the Thailand Tourism Award for Excellence in Day Spa two consecutive times.

Ask about our Buy 1 Get 1 free Grand Opening promotion and

free transportation in Kamala.

For information, or to make your appointment for pampering, call 076 33 7777, today. (Hurry this promotion is a limited time offer.)

7. Salt is vital for the clearance of the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm, particularly in asthma and cystic fibrosis.

8. Salt is vital for clearing up catarrh and congestion of the sinuses.

9.Salt is a strong natural antihistamine.

10. Salt is essential for the prevention of muscle cramps.

11. Salt is vital to prevent ex-

cess saliva production. Needing to constantly mop up excess saliva indicates salt shortage.

12. Salt is absolutely vital to making the structure of bones firm. Osteoporosis, in a major way, is a result of salt and water shortage in the body.

13. Salt is vital for sleep regulation. It is a natural hypnotic.

14. Salt is a vitally needed element in the treatment of diabetics.

15. Salt is vital to the communication and information processing nerve cells the entire time that the brain cells work - from the moment of conception to death.

16. Himalayan salt contains about 84 mineral elements that the body needs. Some of these elements are needed in trace amounts.

17. Twenty-seven percent of the body's salt is in the bones. Osteoporosis results when the body needs more salt and takes it from the body. Bones are 22% water.

Is it not obvious what happens to the bones when we're deficient of either salt or water.

Doctors recognise salt’s functions in the human body. Whether it’s the saline solution used in a hospital emergency room or dietary therapy to treat or prevent health threats, medical experts recognise the important role of salt for life and good health.

The best salt to ingest is Himalayan Salt. It is pure and unpolluted (not like our oceans and therefore sea salt).

Available in Phuket from Sylvie at http://www.healthfoodthailand.com Or in Nai Harn at the Living Food Café This article is for informational use only. Please consult your health practioner in your use of salt. “Every body is different.”

HEALTHY PHUKET

1 - -1530JUNE 16 JUlyphuketphuket-POST.COM POST.COM

goals and sometimes more. So to keep this information fun, let’s go to the man himself, Isaac Newton. We can use his laws of physics to help us achieve what we talk, think and dream about almost every day...

TRAINING WITH

I

Newton's First Law of Motion states that in order for the motion of an object to change, a force must act upon it, a concept generally called inertia.

When applied to the act of getting fit and losing weight, this law essentially describes the process that if we continue to do what we are currently doing, we are going to be forever the same as we currently are!

This generally never makes anyone happy...so, how do we change this? Essentially we need to move it...or lose it.... and normally it applies to muscle, but the truth is ...it’s everything. If we don’t use it, we lose muscle and that includes our cardiac muscle and our metabolism.

In the end we also lose our desire to do anything about it, which may end in us losing our life!

Newton's Second Law of Motion defines the relationship between acceleration, force, and mass.

Essentially this law is a formula: That describes the amount of force that must act on any given mass to create acceleration. Pretty Simple really! So stop saving

BODY TALK

By Garnett Symonds

How to get pregnant…

ome couples seem to get pregnant just talking about it. For others, it takes plenty of patience and a bit of luck. Conception is based on an intricate series of events.

Each month, hormones from your pituitary gland stimulate your ovaries to ovulate.

Once the egg is released, it travels to one of the fallopian tubes and is now ready for conception! Knowing when you are ovulating is, for some women, like trying to hit a moving target, especially since various factors can affect exact timing of ovulation, including stress and over-exercising.

To help gauge when you are ovulating, you might like to keep an eye on the calendar. Ovulation is most likely to occur at the midpoint of your cycle. So if you have a consistent 28-day cycle, ovulation is likely to begin about 14 days after the day your last period began.

If you have a longer cycle, say 34 days, ovulation may begin about 20 days after your last period began. Also, watch for changes in cervical mucus. Just before ovulation, there is an increase in clear vaginal secretions.

Ovulation also causes a slight increase in basal body temperature.

As Steve Jobs and his team quite boldy said, there's an APP for everything. This is certainly the case regarding getting preg-

4

Sir Issac Newton probably had great abs.

Three Laws of Motion

was in an exercise class this week and at the end of the class I asked one of the participants how they enjoyed it. They said it was okay but it wasn’t very hard.

Therein lays the age-old question and answer... How do we get fitter, leaner, stronger, thinner or just plain healthier?

Do we actually know that we are in control of how hard we work out? Do we know that we are in control of our intensity, our outcome even our destiny?

Sometimes I don’t think we do...

We are all human, and in a planet with 6 billion people, we have approximately 6 billion answers as to why we are exercising or even why we go to a health club at all. But being human, also gives us all the answers we need to give us the fitness we want, the health that we so need and the body we crave.

I believe there are few natural laws that if we all abide by, we can achieve our

S

13

nant and various pieces of software can be purchased for a few hundred baht.

You tend to be most fertile during the two to three days before your temperature rises.

And of course you can try an ovulation predictor kit which tests your urine for the surge in hormones that takes place before ovulation.

If you are trying to conceive, it’s important to have sex regularly, that way you are almost certain to hit a fertile period at some point.

Daily intercourse during the days leading up to ovulation might increase the odds of conception. It is also important to maintain good health before and during pregnancy.

Supplement your diet with vitamins, especially folic acid which plays an essential role in a baby’s development.

A daily pre-natal folic acid supplement beginning a few months before conception greatly reduces the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects.

Garnett B Symonds, is an osteopath and a fellow of the British Institute of Homeopathy.

Contact: 081 607 2343 or info@garnettsymonds.com

yourself for tomorrow and do it today and give it 100%! I promise you will never be sorry you did.

Newton's Third Law of Motion states that any time a force acts from one object to another, there is an equal force acting back on the original object.

This is fantastic news. It means that every time we lift a weight, that same weight is acting against us, which helps us increase our muscle size, strength and endurance and ultimately improve our metabolism. If it didn’t we would be like astronauts and lose a lot of muscle weight, which looks great on the scales... really bad without your clothes on!

Now, I’m not as old as Isaac or as famous, and my science teacher would qualify that I’m not as smart, but I do have a little bit of experience in reaching health and fitness goals, and really it all can be summed up in one 'LAW', and although it can be really complex and very scientific, which I’m happy to expand on in future articles, essentially I really like Nike’s Law... Eat Right. Drink Plenty of Water.

Sleep Well and Go Like Hell!! Just Do It! Train Hard!

Your Exercise and Lifestyle coach.

Dazza....Did it today and doin’ it again tomorrow!

Caribao superstars perform crowds at the 30th year Carabao anniversary at Phuket town on 6-9 July

Pic: Island Life photos

Lifeguard training at Le Meridien on 13 July Pic: Island Life photos

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PHUKET DINING

Historical and traditional dining at Centara

T

here are six Centara Hotels national’s 15 years of experience & Resorts in Phuket, with a in Michelin star restaurants. seventh to open sometime The design of the menu has in the next year. been created with a very simple The newest and perhaps most aim: Being the place in the Kata/ distinguishable in theThai hotel Karon area for Italian fine dining. chain is the Sino-Portuguese There is nowhere else really styled Centara Grand Beach around here, explained Chef FabResort. rizio, “I mean there is a huge Also known as the ‘pink pal- difference between pizzerias ace’, the five-star hotel is locat- and Italian restaurants. There are ed at the most secluded part of not so many Italian restaurants Karon and has direct access to in Phuket but many pizzerias: the beach.

Places you go to get a pizza and There are two onsite restau- lasagna.” rants: The Cove: a restaurant “Pizzerias serve simple that serves a mixture of inter- Italian cuisine from 30 years ago. national dishes and The Mare, You’ve got to do a lot more than which means 'The Sea' in Italian. just add a special vinaigrette for The Mare is the signature it to be considered modern ItalItalian restaurant of Centara ian cuisine. Italian cuisine has Grand Beach Resort Phuket. changed a lot since then and It overlooks the beach, serves now has many more influences, a variety of pizza and pasta including French and owing during the day, and classical Ital- to recent African and Arabic ian cuisine in the evening. immigration, Arabic flavours.”

Considering the resort has not The menu has a strong seafood yet been open a year, the recent influence and contains a delecappointment of German-born table selection of traditional and Andreas Hameder as Executive modern Italian dishes including Chef and Italian-born Fabrizio a delicate antipasto selection, Crocetta as Resident Chef is a sampler platters and stone-baked perfect marriage of efficiency pizza from a traditional wood and gastronomic flair. fire oven.

“Everything is fresh; nothing is Such dishes include a Sandpre-cooked, including the pasta. wich Croccante Di Pesce Spada Fabrizio does very traditional con Pepperoni arrositi: Crispy Italian cuisine, it is fine dining sandwich of swordfish with at its best,” said Mr Hameder. roasted mixed bell peppers.

Executive Chef Hameder also (350 baht) The sweet of the stated that Fabrizio was a perfec- plum sauce mixed exquisitely tionist. This is perfectly under- with the understated heat of the standable, considering the Italian bell peppers makes for a great

combination of flavours.

One of the dishes that Executive Chef Hameder is perhaps most pleased with is the Spaghetti Al Pesto – Spaghetti pasta with Italian pesto sauce (350 baht), “I eat this at least twice a week. The way Fabrizio makes it is really special. The pesto is made from Italian basil, but how he manages to give the spaghetti its green colour is a secret.”

Boiled al dente, of course, Fabrizio has made the spaghetti look and very much taste like a new basil infused variety.

There are also a wide variety of main courses, all Italian favourites with a slight modern and Fabrizio twist. Substituting mayonnaise with white lemon cream gives the Medallion of chargrilled Australian veal tenderloin, seared yellow fin tuna, and caramelized leeks, a fresh and airy taste.

All of the aforementioned dishes are on the Signature Chef Menu, a list of recommendations that changes every month depending on what is seasonal.

Centara also puts on special themed evenings, for example a fois gras or white asparagus night.

Taking advantage of its extensive wine cellar, Centara also hosts a monthly wine tasting evening.

The exquisite location, ambient setting and five-star dining is sure to up the ante for other aspiring fine dining restaurants in the Kata/Karon area.

15

thanyapura's worldclass welcome

R

obert Hauck has been appointed as President of the Thanyapura’s unrivalled hotel and sport facilities.

Thanyapura offers an unsurpassed portfolio of diverse resources centred on a 23-hectare campus in Phuket, which includes the Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club - a world-class sports and fitness facility for elite athletes and amateur enthusiasts.

Thanyapura’s onsite services extend to restaurants and bars, a cooking school, day spa, fully equipped kids and teens club, visual arts studio and a performing arts centre.

It also home to the Thanyapura Mind Centre for the cultivation of mental and emotional balance, the Phuket International Academy Day School (PIADS), the 38-room Thanyapura Retreat, the 77-room Thanyapura Resort and the five-star Thanyamundra Ogranic Resort, the first and only certified organic farm in southern Thailand, adjacent to Khao Sok National Park.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining such an innovative project as Thanyapura with its world-class facilities and hotels,” Mr Hauck said.

“Thanyapura offers a remarkable range of international calibre venues and integrated activities to both the leisure and corporate markets, bringing something to-

tally new to the Asian region – and certainly something unique to the travel and hospitality industry.

“This premium training facility has already attracted strong interest from around the world among professional and amateur athletes as well as professional and national teams.

"I am looking forward to promoting all of Thanyapura’s exceptional resources to their many target markets," added Mr Hauck.

16

phuket property

1 - -1530JUNE 16 JUlyphuketphuket-POST.COM POST.COM

A home is not a home without a roof

By CB Richard Ellis Thailand

A

property’s sustainable value should be defined not only by price, location and quality of construction, but also by the quality of property management.

Effective property management is the key to sustaining and appreciating property values.

Phuket has matured as a property market and the island now has 2,808 completed villas and 3,613 completed condominium and apartment units. The role of property management has become increasingly important to effectively manage these completed properties.

This is particularly important in Phuket for three reasons – the unforgiving tropical environment and its toll on structures, occasional or partial occupation by overseas owners and legal structures outside conventional condominiums or juristic Moo Baans.

Residents of completed developments are discovering unforseen problems, many of which should have been addressed by a good property manager.

In many cases, even with more recent developments, developers have now exited the scene after the project has sold out and been completed and there is not necessarily a well thought out plan on how the property will be managed going forward.

Challenges in property management are not only limited to the physical maintenance of the property, but also less than perfect ownership structures. Due to foreign ownership restrictions in Thailand, several complex legal ownership structures have emerged.

There are several projects in Phuket where there is a combination of freehold and leasehold ownership structures and shared ownerships in other entities. In some instances, developers continue to retain a proportion of the common areas or it is held in an unrelated entity. Such own-

Completed Villa Supply by Location as of Q1 2011

Completed Condominium Supply by Grade as of Q1 2011 1600 1400 1200

South Coast

West Coast Central

Inland East Coast North East Coast South West Coast North West Coast South

1000 800 600

1254

400 200 0

ership structures, which with hindsight are less than perfect, directly affect how or whether a property can be effectively managed.

The challenge for a property manager, if he is to be effective in Phuket is to set up operating systems for developments, irrespective of these obstacles.

“Each development is unique in terms of the challenges it faces in property management as well as ownership issues. To sustain long-term value of a property, the

1468

398

493

Mid-range Luxury Entry-level High-end

management structure implemented needs to be tailored to suit individual developments and circumstances,” said James Saunders, Director, CBRE Phuket.

This is a complex area that requires expert help backed by previous experience and a real sense of commitment from the property manager to ensure that structures implemented are appropriate and that the development functions smoothly.

All key issues must be resolved to benefit the development as a whole, for

both owners and developers. Effective communication with co-owners and establishing a good working relationship between owners, the committee and the property manager is also essential to ensure a smooth operation.

Once the structure is established, the routine hard work of daily management, financial liquidity and long-term maintenance and improvements must begin and be kept in focus.

“No property manager or company are super managers capable of sorting all problems out in one go or without a properly resourced budget,” said David Simister, Chairman of CBRE Thailand.

“The key is ongoing commitment. You cannot just import Bangkok condominium expertise and expect results in Phuket.”

Other challenges faced by low density and low volume developments in a tropical destination include perpetual high running costs to maintain water and landscape features, water and irrigation issues and wear and tear of the property and common areas due to extreme weather.

Part of the property manager’s responsibility inevitably is to deal with defect rectification from design problems such as utilities, fire and safety systems, insufficient drainage and major renovation works.

Owners who invest in Phuket not only want a project that functions efficiently, but also one that is continuously improved where their investment is protected and appreciates in value, and underpinned by effective property management.

The good news in Phuket is there are committed owners and developers who together with their property managers are taking on these challenges and delivering solid results.

why Your Property is Not selling T

By Nathanial Bibby

he process of selling your home is a bit like going to a job interview.

One of the most important factors that will determine whether or not your property will get sold is presentation.

Although this may sound weird, presentation is a way of life in the world of real estate. Buyers are looking for homes in perfect condition – many basing their final decisions on it.

Each property is different, though find out which features of your home are the most outstanding, and do your best to highlight them. The best way to do this is to use effective lighting and by making sure your property is as clean and clutterfree as possible.

First impressions are crucial, think about what the first thing people will see when they pull up to your property.

In many cases this will be your lawn, therefore make sure it is well trimmed and healthy. If your lawn is a mess, your buyer may immediately get turned off and pull away.

The entrance to your property must also be in great shape, so add plants and

You may not have a garden like this, but you can make it as uncluttered

paintings to help make a good impression. Your primary goal is to please that potential buyer.

In any market, you should always get some help from a local real estate professional; they have buyers on their books that could be perfect for your home. Look for an agent that has a good track record

of experience and a strong presence both online and offline.

You want your agent to be motivated, so don’t be afraid to offer a higher agency fee than usual. This will set you apart from the majority of other re-sales in your area and keep your property at the forefront of your agent’s mind.

There are also additional things your agent could do for you, such as placing a sign on your front lawn: advertising that it is for sale is one of the methods of drawing potential buyers.

If you’re agent is proactive, they should list your property on their books and have it up on their web-site within a few days.

Other things your agent can do to inspire interest is e-marketing to their database, promoting your property in local shopping centres such as Jungceylon, and advertising in print media, such as Phuket Post. All of these methods help to attract as many potential buyers as possible.

The reality is that in this market, it may take some time to sell your home. These days, properties can sit on the market for months or longer before they get snapped up. If you still have a problem getting that sold sticker across your front door, you can always reduce the price or go back to the basics.

If you would like to chat about how to sell your home, contact: nathanial@ phuket-properties.co.th or 081 968 9811.

phuket Q&A

1 - -1530JUNE 16 JUlyphuketphuket-POST.COM POST.COM

17

Thai views of mental health

There are just 300 psychiatric doctors in Thailand. The Post went to speak to one; Dr Ngamwong Jarusuraisin, M.D – Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Bangkok Hospital to ask why and whether there was a stigma for mental illness in the kingdom.

Historically speaking how has Thailand and Thai people viewed mental illness?

It used to be viewed that if a person had mental illness then he/she was weak, and was their own problem and their own fault. As a result people very rarely talked about it and instead kept it bottled up… that of course made the problem worse.

What about in contemporary Thailand?

Nowadays the majority of middle and high classes are much more accepting of mental illness. They understand it’s a disease that can affect anybody and is often passed on through hereditary means.

Whereas many working class Thais think it is something spiritual. They misinterpret the symptoms and believe they are spiritual mediums. Their family perpetuate the myth by instead of suggesting they visit a doctor, suggest that they release ten fish or perform some other ritual as an act of penance.

Have these views been an obstacle in researching different forms of mental illness in Thailand? Does the government award an equal budget to the mental health department as other areas of health?

In 2000, the Thai government started

taking mental illness much more seriously and recognised it as the important disease it is. Most provinces now have a psychiatric hospital.

The nearest is in Surat Thani. Thai citizens are now covered for mental illness as well as any other illness under the universal health care coverage scheme (also known as the 30 baht scheme). This enables them to receive free consultation and treatment.

That being said there are still only 300 trained doctors. Police are slowly becoming more aware of mental illness and since 2008 are also required to asses a suspect for mental illness. According to Thai law, if a person commits a crime while it is believed he/she is suffering from a mental illness, then he will not be charged until he is deemed to have recovered.

So, although it has been found that he committed a crime while suffering from a mental illness, he/she will still be charged when they recover? Do you agree with that? Would you like to see any other changes to the law brought in?

It is important that they are charged, if they commit an aggressive action, then they need to be punished for it. I would like to see a 'Community Care' program introduced in Thailand, unfortunately

there are many people who wander around Phuket who need mental health care and unfortunately because of the way mental illness is regarded, they will not ask for help until it is perhaps too late.

In Bangkok Hospital, how many members of staff is there that currently work in the Mental Health Department? Would you say that the majority are foreigners or Thai nationals?

There are 3 full time psychiatrists, and 6 part time ones. Each day I have around 7-10 consultations with walk in patients and at any one time there are 2 ‘live in’

patients. It is about 65% foreigners and 35% Thai people. The main reason for this disproportionate number is that foreigners are typically more accepting of mental illness. Nationality and race play no factor in the difference of diseases, the symptoms are always the same.

How does Bangkok Hospital view the use of Electro Convulsive Therapy?

I have experience with ECT and believe it can be very useful, but we don’t use it in Bangkok Hospital and in fact few hospitals in Thailand as it is hard to convince people of its safety and effectiveness.

Dr Ngamwong Jarusuraisin’s tips for a healthy mind • Have religion and pray every night to calm and control your mind, failing that: read a book.

• Exercise, it releases a chemical to make you happy, and is again putting you in control of your body • Don’t take drugs or alcohol or smoke, as if you smoke people will not accept you and this will make you withdraw and not be active in the community • Participate in social activities and help out and feel useful

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