Issue No. 159
Tel: 076 620 054
1 - 15 SEPTEMBER 2011
phuket-post.com
20 BAHT
EMBRACING ELEPHANTS, FEELING PHOTOGRAPHS, PUSHING BUTTONS
Advertise here for just 15,000 baht Call 076 620 054 or email: sales@phuket-post.com
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News
Reasons to love all of Phuket’s seasons
2-3 NEWs 4-5 weird phuket &
phuket elephants
6-7
feeling phuket
8-9
phuket pc
10-11
PHUKET 's gibbons
12-13
hEALTHY PHUKET
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14-15 Picture PHUKET & DINING 16-17 PHUKET property & business 18-19
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CLASSIFIEDS
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.
huket weather can be divided into three distinct seasons: Peak, Hot, and Rainy. I’ll give you three guesses what season we’re currently in… The graph shows a pretty good breakdown of the year. You can see how the temperature stays essentially constant throughout, with the only major difference being the amount of rain. Peak Season, from December to the end of February, is when everyone from Europe comes
to enjoy the sunny days, good weather and to crowd the beaches, fill the hotels, and provide Phuket with enough money to exist over the coming low season. Accommodation prices soar, food costs a bit more, and all the gears in Phuket start slowly turning powered by the massive influx of tourist money. The Hot Season, from March to the end of May, is when most Europeans have left and the locals and some Asian markets
sweat it out trying to stay cool, darting from air conditioned room to air conditioned room. It's not actually that much hotter than any other time of the year, but a few degrees makes all the difference. The Rainy Season, from June until the end of October, is when the gears of Phuket grind to a halt and gain a thick layer of rust. The beaches are empty, the rains come, the locals start to dip into their savings, and everything goes on sale - it's a swift return to Phuket's roots as a local farming community. Still, it's my favorite time of year for all of those reasons, and if you've got a bit of extra time, then it's a great time to visit Phuket: you'll save a lot of money and everything will be more relaxed than during the hectic peak season. So remember all this when swimming to the local shops in your plastic poncho or staring out of your window wistfully and moaning of cabin fever.
AirAsia Check in: Free, Simple, Quick
Phone: 076 620 054 Fax: 076 273 202
A
irAsia’s use of the latest forms of technology and innovation is sure to ease the queues at Phuket international airport this high season. AirAsia has three self check-in options, including web, mobile, and kiosk check-in. To avoid hassles, large crowds and long lines at the airport, all passengers are encouraged to proceed with self check-in and it really is as easy as that. To further promote and enforce the use of self check-in, AirAsia is considering the possibility of charging fees for conventional check-ins at the airport counter. According to Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO of Thai AirAsia, “By strongly promoting the use of web and mobile check-in,
AirAsia is increasing convenience for our passengers. We are giving people the option to check-in from home, or at their own convenience. “It’s easy, quick, and will significantly shorten lines at the airport, saving time for everyone. Most importantly, self check-in will assist in optimizing costs and allocating our resources more efficiently. These savings will then translate to low fares for our passengers.” Passengers may check-in on the website at www.airasia.com and print out their boarding passes from home, or use the mobile check-in option and check-in from their mobile phones. Those who choose the latter option will receive a 2D Barcode which can
be scanned at the airport by the 2D reader machines in order to print their boarding passes. An additional check-in option includes using the airport kiosk to check in and print out boarding passes. AirAsia will be ordering additional kiosks for every airport at our destinations in order to facilitate passengers with more convenience. Passengers who have already checked in may proceed to the baggage drop-off counters with their boarding pass, in order to load their luggage and verify travel documents. AirAsia has prepared to open more baggage drop-off counters in order to facilitate the increasing number of people who will start using self check-in options.
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News
11 -- 15 15 SEPTEMBER JUNE phuketphuketPOST.COM POST.COM
Patong blaze raises M suspicions M
y name is Vanessa Herrmann, I am 20 years old. Now I study at Ramkhamhaeng University. I chose to become a model because I love to see the changing of fashion and I want to be a part of it. Although we are just coat hangers, we are the best hangers!
ysterious circumstances surround a 3am blaze that destroyed the Koh Kaew Clothes Market in Patong on 24 August. The large fire damaged nearly all of the 200 stalls within the market, situated opposite Jungceylon shopping centre. No one was seriously injured and the
fire was eventually brought under control after two hours of firefighting. Unfortunately none of the vendors had any insurance, as in Thailand there are no such policies that cover indoor-markets like Koh Kaew. Investigation is currently underway to determine how exactly the blaze started and whether accidental or an act of arson.
Thailand goes for World Record Massage
T
hailand is famed for its massages, and numbers of parlours, so it is only right that it attempts to break the World Record for Massage. A practice mass massage run was held at Kata beach on 19 August.
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All hands were to the pump when over 500 trained masseurs joined in, including a few well-meaning tourists. Over 800 professionals are expected on the actual day on 17 November, in Nonthaburi province. The “World Record for Thai Massage” is being organised by the Health Ministry, Export Department and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Australia currently holds the world record for 263 people being massaged at the same time. TAT said that this event was not only to coincide with celebrations for His Majesty the King's 84th birthday, but also promote Thailand as a destination of health and wellness.
Jet skis go viral
ustralian authorities are hoping that a soon-to-be released internet video will warn prospective travellers about the potential dangers of renting jet skis. The video, which was filmed on Patong beach, highlights the perceived lack of action taken by government officials despite statistical figures that show a high rise in the numbers of incidents and complaints. Phuket-based forums and websites are full of recounted tales involving tourists of all nationalities being extorted of money when it is alleged they have damaged a jet ski.
Earlier in the year the Post reported on a young Australian couple who had alleged to have been ‘ripped off’ by a gang of operators and despite taking their complaint to the police, they decided to not pursue the case for fear of being assaulted. It is hoped that the video, made by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will result in an increased awareness of what to look out for, as well as put on some much-needed pressure for Phuket officials to usher in changes.
What has been the most perfect day in Phuket? Everyday that my family and I live together. What’s been your most romantic day so far? Last New Year's day, while standing at Kata View Point and watching the fireworks from three beaches: Kata Beach, Karon Beach and Patong Beach. What’s your favourite part of your body? My lips, they’re small but have a good shape. Would you like to be a bird or a cat? I want to be a bird because then I have a chance to fly and see everything from a higher view. It's a wonderful feeling that I can't get from an airplane.
No news is good news
T
he recent R&R visit by the United States Military from 22-25 August passed without incident. This is only news when one considers that in the past, their arrival, and decision to use their own transport, has prompted angry local taxi drivers to form a blockade at the Deep Sea Port.
Since then however taxi drivers and tour operators alike have signed an agreement to end the blockade and all seems to be going according to plan. The USS Boxer, the USS Green Bay and the USS Comstock were here on a goodwill visit that included, as usual, painting a school wall.
Can you find the ten words which have been in the news over the last two weeks within a minute? Clocks start… now!
Elephants Gibbon Zoo Photo Flood Video Power Korean Hotel Money
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weird phuket
1 - 151 -SEPTEMBER 15 JUNE phuketphuket-POST.COM POST.COM
Dear Editor, Pulse Media Company Limited 122/5 Moo 4, Srisoonthorn Sub-District, Thalang District, Phuket 83110, Thailand
Editor Sukhonthip Tantanak
Associate Editor Jody Houton editor@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
I
am writing to thank the Post for saving me 200 baht, allow me to explain… Travelling along the road towards Patong from Kathu last week, I saw the dreaded sight of a temporary police checkpoint. There were twenty or so police officers on either side of the road stopping every motorcyclist. Notebooks flipped open, with their respective pens working at a-flurry. I’ve been stopped many times before and often my smile, politeness and nid noy Thai manages to charm the police officer into letting me go. On that day however it was different, I could feel it. Every motorcyclist seemed to be having a ticket written up and although I had a helmet on, had the correct tax paid on my bike and owned a greenbook, I just knew this ‘enforcer of the law’ was going to get me on something. I gave him my British driving licence and he looked at it, as many officers have done before. Then he asked me if the bike was mine, to which I replied that it was and showed him my greenbook. Satisfied, or rather unsatisfied, he returned to the matter of the driving licence and informed me that it was only for driving cars. This is strictly true, so after offering a few weak excuses, I gave up when I saw he had already begun writing up a ticket. And this is where I want to thank you Phuket Post because I remember an issue you did a while ago (Issue 140) that contained an interview with a police officer at Kathu station. In it, he quite clearly stated that although there were maximum fines, it was up to the police officer’s discretion of how much he could charge within that monetary parameter, often the amount being based on a perceived violator’s financial status. So I said, “No, not 500, why 500?” I knew that was too high, “300 baht!” And you know what? He changed the ticket, right there and then. Now I work, and had places to be, so I asked if I could pay the fine at Kathu police station instead of queuing up along with 100 or so other violators. He was already on his next customers and writing out a ticket for two plump and pink-faced tourists. Without looking up from his pad he said “No.”
Batty traffic lights
So emboldened by the absurdity of the whole ridiculous facade of a situation I said to the tourists, “Just 300 baht, don’t pay any more than 300 baht!” The police officer shouted, “Hey it’s not your country!” and so I stormed off to join the queue. While I was in the line, I gave it some thought as to why I was so angry. I mean I didn’t have the correct driving licence that’s true, but I still felt indignant at the situation. Why? Was it because, these flimsy laws are not consistently enforced? A helmet-less ride in Phuket town will surely bag you a fine from a passing police officer, but in Cherng Talay, you often see police officers without helmets. It’s the inconsistency. It’s like an absent parent who wonders why his child doesn’t behave properly, despite never being there to show him, teach him or reprimand him for acting a certain way. It’s also the inconsistency of varying fines for the same crime. So, I’m standing in the queue venting to no one in particular, because either no one is listening or no one really cares. Everyone, Thai or foreign, has accepted that this is the way it is. While in line, the officers started putting away the cones, popping the tops back on their pens and flipping the covers back to the front of their notepads. It was 12.28: lunchtime. Law enforcement over, and as the lucky ones on the motorbikes sped past the police box and of the blank faces of the beaten violators, I thought, “You’re right, it’s not my country, because if it was, I’d riot right here and now.” But it’s not, and I didn’t, possibly because I’d be on my own, but also because I don’t have a work permit or pay any tax. Yours truly, Anonymous
Bats have had a bad rap since they were maligned with the slickdressing European serial killer Dracula, but they have feelings like every other animal… probably. This is perhaps why the decision has been made to install traffic lights at the top of a tunnel in North Wales to prevent the short-sighted flyers from getting crushed by oncoming traffic. It is hoped that the bats will begin to associate the lights with the impending arrival of a train and fly out of the way.
Love conquered by prick
Love conquered all for a British woman who overcame her fear of needles when she fell in love with a tattooist. Previously she couldn’t even go to the dentist’s but as soon as her man gave her a little prick of his needle, she was cured! Now she has wonderful teeth and arms full of tats and even helps out at the parlour every now and again.
Male pole dancing
The Chinese have once again latched upon a modern Western invention and tweaked it ever so slightly to make millions from it. The rigorous movements of male pole dancing are apparently perfect for developing rock-hard abs and tight six-packs. A Chinese man finally found a school that would teach him the sexy dance two years ago and he has been working as a pole dancing instructor, earning 6,000 US dollars ever since.
Alien monkey in garden
A rare species of hairless monkey from Gexhai village in China has been repeatedly mistaken for an alien owing to its unusual looks and bulging eyeballs. A farmer had originally thought a rabbit was foraging on her cucumbers when she had approached it from behind, until of course, she saw its “alien face.” Now it has been adopted into the family and has gone off cucumbers and now eats only space dust… or peaches.
phuket elephants
11 -- 15 15 SEPTEMBER JUNE phuketphuketPOST.COM POST.COM
By Jody Houton
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5
Embracing the elephants
uring the entire duration of last month, Banyan Tree – a hotel in the Laguna Resort Complex on Phuket’s West coast – showcased Sangduen ‘Lek’ Chailert’s ‘Embrace the Environment, Save the Elephants’ photo exhibition. Khun Lek’s photographs capture elephant families in the wild, playing in ample and abundant green Thai pastures. K. Lek is also the founder of the Elephant Nature Foundation (ENF): an NGO that advocates and campaigns on the behalf of the rights of Thailand’s elephants. Part of K. Lek’s and the ENF’s duties are to travel around Thailand inspecting the different elephant camps. In Phuket there are many, so on her most recent trip, considering its close proximity to Banyan Tree, she paid a visit to the Laguna Elephant Camp, also situated in the Laguna Resort Complex. There are currently five elephants living at the Laguna Elephant Camp. David Campion, Group Director CSR Operations, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts said, “The older elephants take tourists for elephant riding in the camp, but the younger elephants do not have fixed roles, however they do occasionally visit the hotels.” Laguna also works under the advisement of Thai-based elephant specialist Richard Lair, who in a recent trip in May confirmed the conditions for keeping elephants in Laguna to be good, as was the treatment of them. K. Lek however said that although she had no doubt that the elephants were healthy and that the Laguna Elephant Camp was still better than most others in Phuket, she would still like to see improvements made. She said, “I am still pretty concerned with their habitation and
would be good if the operators could, and were indeed willing, to show tourists where and how the elephants actually live and what they ate. “These are only my suggestions,” said K. Lek, “I’m interested in giving them a better life that’s all, so that they don’t just serve the tourists on the beach or provide rides all day.” K. Lek believes that the government needs to work in tandem with the island’s resorts, elephant camps and theme park shows, in order to create new legislation to protect these animals, which are very much part of the Kingdom. “Despite elephants being a national symbol of Thailand, and bringing in so much money, they have never been a government priority or part of any political party’s master plan. I don’t know what the government is thinking about!” K. Lek therefore believes that the government should be working with the different camps to ensure they are complying with, as of yet non-existent, laws to protect the elephants’ welfare, and to make sure they have enough space and food. It is K. Lek’s optimistic hope that Phuket elephant camps and Phuket local authorities will in the future work together to plan and redesign their projects to ensure elephants have enough land and plantation. living space and also their diet.” “I am not against trekking or riding per se,” K. Lek told the Post, eager to clarify. In fact, before founding the ENF, Khun Lek worked in the elephant tourist industry, and helped owners of trekking companies find ‘unemployed’ elephants. Through doing this, she inadvertently learned about the abuse and neglect that typically befalls the domestic elephant. K. Lek recognises that elephant tourism brings much-needed money to Thailand, therefore instead of wishing to stop it, she merely seeks to improve their circumstances. Whether in Kata, Chalong or Kathu, most elephant camps in Phuket are not as spacious, equipped or regulated as the one in Laguna Phuket and for those especially, K. Lek worries for the elephants’ mental and physical wellbeing. “All of the elephant camps I have seen in Phuket could vastly improve the elephants’ quality of life if the owners just gave them a little more space and a more balanced diet.” The Chiang Mai-native added that it
Khun Lek with one of her friends
If such legislation and government involvement does not occur, she is hoping the ENF’s latest plan will raise the standards of elephant camps on Phuket and in Thailand. “We will be introducing a rating system for the different elephant trekking parks around Thailand by the end of the year. We will visit a camp many times and award them with either 6 stars or 1 star depending on how the elephants are treated. “This, I hope will be incentive enough for them to take better care of the elephants, as hopefully tourists will only go to ones that have been recommended.” The Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, established in 1995, is ENF’s showpiece project and is home to over 30 rescued elephants. Ranging in age from infants to old-timers, these previously abused and neglected creatures are able to live out the rest of their lives in peace and dignity on the park's extensive grounds. Nestled in the breathtaking Mae Taeng Valley, about an hour north of Chiang Mai, Elephant Nature Park is a place where elephants no longer work for humans. Instead, a team of full-time staff and Park volunteers maintain the Park and care for the elephants. For more information, visit: www. ElephantNatureFoundation.org or call: 053-272-855
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picture phuket
1 - 151 -SEPTEMBER 15 JUNE phuketphuket-POST.COM POST.COM
Feeling every shot you take Tippanate ‘Kkaew’ Pittayasamai is a Phuket-based freelance photographer. Her huge flowing curly hair makes her instantly recognisable at Phuket's top social events, parties and weddings. She has taken pictures for His Majesty the King of Thailand and believes in order to take good photos, the photographer must 'emphasise' with his/her subject matter
When did you get interested in photography and why? It was when I was about ten years old and my father gave me the family camera to take the holiday shots, even at that age I took better photos than my Dad! When I was older, I got back into photography while working for traffic corner - a Thai TV channel. Even though I worked as a corporate officer, a lot of the time I had to go to events and things with the PR guys who would take photos etc. Sometimes they were busy and I ended up taking them, and I fell back in love with photography. Do you remember the first photo that you took? Yes I do, my first job on my own was taking a photo of a girl from Issan who wanted her picture taking professionally so she could send it to a guy that she’d met on the internet. I remember it well, I gave her my clothes, and did her make up and did a lot of photo shop on the image! But it must have worked, because she ended up marrying the guy! What’s your favourite subject matter? I love taking photos of beautiful girls; their curves, beautiful eyes, great skin, women are beautiful to look at. I actually love taking photos of everything; I get to put it all in the picture and experience the emotion of the shot. For example, when I go to a wedding I need to feel the happiness from the couple to be able to take a good shot. It was also my great honour to take photos for the King, and one of his charity projects and so I visited many poor children at one of his projects. I must feel their pain, so I focused on their eyes or the holes in their shirt…You’ve got to identify the feeling and decided what to focus on. I work freelance and take photos all over Thailand: Phuket, Krabi, Hat Yai and Bangkok. I take photos of weddings, parties, food, hotels, all of that… My photography teacher, Suvicha Premjaicheun – who has taken actual photos of the King - was a great inspiration to me. Before I started, I just wanted to be a photographer, he made me want to be an artist. How has technology changed the photography? Do you use it all? It’s very important for photographers to try to follow technology, but without losing the art of picture taking. In the last 10 years, it’s changed from film to digital… If you can’t use photoshop you can’t put what you want to put inside it. For example you can put effects in it, and make a picture like your dream and use your imagination. Do you think people respect photos the same way they did in the past? Photos with power that are really good will always be respected and should still be printed out. But photography like everything else needs to follow the way the world is going. Yes people don’t print out the photos like they used to, just like they don't really buy books or magazines anymore, we need to keep up with technology. What will be the future of image capturing? Maybe eyes will take photos, I still like to draw things, so I don’t think so much will change, as long as we are still human, we will still have expression and art. Art is going nowehere… To book K. Kkaew contact: angeleyesimage.com or call 081424 9333
8 Quiksilver Surf Competition 20 11, Patong Sept 21 -24
Highly popular surf event, once st aged in Kata, changes venue to the already eventladen Patong. Free entrance, gnar ly shorts optiona l.
Phuket Pe t fair, RPM, 2-4 Sep
Know your d hunds from ascyour schanuzer s? If not attend th is two-day animal fair .
Phuket Fest, S Vegetarian ep Wonde 27-Oct 5 rfu
lly noisy a nd fun strange, .G down a nd mar et on vel at an eve nt so d iffere you’re nt un ever a likely to see gain, u n til nex year. t
phuket pC
1 - 151 -SEPTEMBER 15 JUNE phuketphuket-POST.COM POST.COM
Green IT actually pushes your business
By Masaya Mikami
I
t's been two years since Green IT concepts were launched at the world's largest IT exhibition: CeBIT in Hanover, Germany. Green IT is a combination of concepts that focus on saving the environment through innovations in information technology and maximizing the business/production process efficiency to conserve power and natural resources. This remarkable idea can be implemented in our everyday life, especially in the business sector to push commerce. We research Green IT concepts to introduce new ways to reduce business costs by analyzing 3 major resources that keep our daily IT system running. HARDWARE including PC, server, peripheral and other network devices in your office has the highest potential to achieve a reduction of energy consumption. This means more saving on electricity bill. The quick and easy way to start with cutting power is to always turn off your PC and
servers when not using them or at least put into to sleep mode. This applies not only to PC and servers, but also to UPS, printer and network devices. Some of these devices are equipped with a timer function that allows you to automatically turn on/off power at specific time. Being aware of power consumption when you are buying new equipment is also important. Power consumption, especially with servers, varies, largely depending on the CPU clock, manufacturing process on CPU (depends on type of CPU), the Hard Disk's rotational speed, and type of HDD or Solid state drive. Purchasing a notebook computer rather than a PC is the energy-efficient choice. A notebook's power consumption
is usually 1/5 - 1/8 of a PC. SOFTWARE can also contribute to Green IT by increasing your awareness in energy usage of IT assets in your office. Software that manages all your IT assets from one controller PC is good start in becoming aware of all your IT resources. Usually this automatically maps all your IT resources in the office and creates a list of equipment you have. With a combination of IT resource management tools and a power consumption estimator, you are notified of your IT assets’ usages against its capacities and approximate power consumption. This leads to the right judgment of new hardware purchase at the right time. For maximiz-
ing PC performance while lowering power usage, there is software to tweak your Operation System (OS). A few adjustments can also be made from the energy saving and performance options in the control panel. NETWORK is the easiest way to achieve Green IT. You should change your network by adapting to a wireless network whenever it is possible. Recent wireless technology allows a throughput of up to 300MBits/ Sec therefore, most files can be transferred to your destination device within a reasonable amount of time. If you have a large network, possibly adapting higher bandwidth lines between networks such as ATM or fiber optic would save some cable resources and unnecessary network devices. By adapting some Green IT concepts, you can spare your expense to push your core business while also contributing to society. You can indeed hit two birds with one stone.
pc phuket
11 -- 15 15 SEPTEMBER JUNE phuketphuketPOST.COM POST.COM
9
By Seth Bareiss
PUSHING AN EXPAT’S BUTTONS
W
e live in Thailand, but as expats we still have strong language, cultural, and financial ties to our birthplace. For PC users, expat problems can be as simple as “This keyboard has a dollar sign ($) but we need a British pound (£), a Euro (€), and a Japanese Yen (¥) too.” If you're Russian or Japanese, your preferred keyboard layout is totally different from many you can find in Phuket. Or your web browser won't display websites in your language, or maybe you just need to keep constant track of how much the Thai baht is worth compared to the currency
in which your pension is paid. In this issue I'll talk about how to get occasional unusual characters from your keyboard, and how to keep track of the Baht and the Euro. In the next Phuket Post I'll talk about how to make bigger changes, like keyboard replacement and adding unusual languages like Arabic, Thai, and Japanese to your Windows PC.
CURRENCY TRACKER Have you got FireFox web browser? If you don't, you should. Using Internet Explorer is an invitation to viruses. Google Chrome... is a virus, robbing you of your privacy. Get FireFox for free at GetFireFox.com After you've installed it, load up on useful add-ons like Dcurrency. Dcurrency adds three little numbers and flags at the bottom-right corner of your web browser. They indicate a base currency like Thai Baht or the English pound, and how much that currency is worth in two other currencies or precious metals. You can get it at tinyurl.com/expatmoney
After installing Dcurrency into FireFox, restart FireFox. If you see currency exchange rates in the lower-right corner of your FireFox window, hold down the CTRL key and tap the slash ( / ) key. Right-click on the flags to change which currencies are displayed, or to choose “graph” from the menu, which lets you see how two currencies have fared against one another today, this month, or the last 5 years. UK expats, keep a box of tissue handy to cry into.
TYPING STUFF THAT ISN'T ON YOUR KEYBOARD
Are you happy with your keyboard, except that you occasionally want to type a letter or currency symbol that ain't there? You have a few options. You can copy and paste. There are several sources you can copy from. Firstly, in Windows, go to “Start menu” > “All Programs” > “Accessories” > “System Tools” > “Character map”. Choose the same font as the document you're working in… usually Arial. Hunt down the character you need, click on it, and copy-paste it from the Character Map into your document. Secondly, you can copy from the internet or save these webpages on your PC if you're usually not connected to the internet. For dollars, pounds, Euros etc, you can copy from the compact table at the bottom of tinyurl. com/expatmoney2 or the more spread-out but better organised alphabetical list at tinyurl.com/ expatmoney3 To save those webpages so you can read and copy from them when you're not connected to the
internet, just load them up once in any web browser, then hold down the CTRL key while you tap once on the S key. A menu will pop up that lets you save the webpage on your PC or memory stick. You'll be asked whether you want the whole page (graphics included) or just the HTML. Either answer is OK, for our purposes today, because we're not interested in the graphics.
NUMBER=LETTER CODES: CURRENCY AND OTHER ALPHABETICAL CHARACTERS
Instead of copy-paste, you can use the ASCII code and other number = letter codes, if of course you have a numberpad on your keyboard. I don't mean the numbers arranged in one row above your ABC... QWERTY... keys. They won't do this. I mean the separate numbers arranged in a 4x4 key square, like a calculator's keypad, on the right side of your keyboard. If you have a compact laptop keyboard, you probably don't have a numberpad. You can plug in a USB or PS/2 or BlueTooth external keyboard for less than 500 baht, though! Let's test your keyboard. Open a document - any kind of document. Type in a few words, like “This is an A: ”. Now hold down the ALT key and tap 065. Did a capital A show on your screen? If yes, you can use ASCII number codes to put foreign European letters in your document. Now try these, you budding genius! ALT+0233 The é in Café and resumé ALT+0241 The ñ in Hasta
Mañana ALT+0128 The Euro symbol: € ALT+0163 The British Pound: £ Pretty cool, huh? This technique works with any European or Russian alphabet. (Sorry, it won't work with Thai or other Asian languages.) The ASCII table is a code like Morse code. Where Morse code uses dots and dashes to represent letters like dot-dot-dot dash-dash-dash dotdot-dot means S O S, ASCII uses numbers to represent letters and
other characters. You can jot down your favorites from the extensive charts at http://tinyurl.com/expatmoney4 or add a zero to the beginning of the numbers in the left-hand column of the chart at www.asciicode.com. If you have a computer question or solution you'd like to see covered in future advice column, please contact me in care of thePost: info@phuket-post.com
NEXT ISSUE That's all we have room for in this issue. In the next issue of The Phuket Post, I'll talk about many things including how to completely replace a laptop keyboard, how to fake replacing a keyboard using software and how to make permanent key reassignments so hitting the M key produces an A, or hitting $ makes an £
WWW list: Dcurrency add-on for FireFox: tinyurl.com/expatmoney Get FireFox web browser: GetFireFox.com Wikipedia's list of currency symbols: tinyurl.com/expatmoney2 Forex's list of currency symbols: tinyurl.com/expatmoney3 ASCII and other “number = letter” codes: tinyurl.com/expatmoney4 More ASCII: www.ascii-code.com
phuket primates 10 The fall of the island of the gibbons 1 - 151 -SEPTEMBER 15 JUNE phuketphuket-POST.COM POST.COM
By Jody Houton
Maesa waits for a change in luck and to be finally accepted as a gibbon
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unda‘s whole family was slaughtered when he was just an infant; poachers tracked his group by listening to their morning calls of the wild and swooped in for the kill. Only he was taken; the others were too old, too strong, too unpredictable and too wild. The poachers knew they wouldn’t have let them take him, so they killed his family... Only the youngest of gibbons are ever taken from the jungles, as these are the only ones that can be trained. Whether as pets, or performing in zoos or along Bangla road, many of Phuket’s performing apes start life out with the same horrendous jolt. Suwit ‘Tum’ Punnadee has been the Project Director of the Phuket Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (GRP) for ten years and said, “Gibbons and monkeys are taken when they are very young for two reasons: firstly they are very cute and secondly very easy to teach.” Stripped from the natural spoils of living in a gibbon community, when they reach sexual maturity at about 6-7 years old, many gibbons kept in captivity become frustrated, grow large canine teeth and become extremely aggressive. It is then that their ‘career’ riding bicycles, dunking basketballs or having their photograph taken with tourists typically comes to an end.
Khun Tum said, “We receive many retired performers, but we also get lots of requests from owners who just can’t take care of them anymore.” Up until 2005, it was legal to own a monkey or gibbon in Thailand, as long as you had the right permit. This has, thankfully, all changed now. Phuket zoos, and places that stage monkey shows however can still be granted such paperwork and so are therefore operating - legally speaking - completely above board. Although officially permitted, Ashley
Just hanging around the Phuket Gibbon Rehabilitation Project waiting to be set free
become listless, sick, and depressed. They are often trained with violent methods and are abused when they refuse to perform. “What is a few fleeting moments of distraction for visitors means a lifetime of misery for the animals,” Mr Fruno said. However at least for the immediate future, the situation is unlikely to change, as Khun Thum believes not enough people actually want it to: “Phuket Zoo and other places like that have permits and bring lots of money into Thailand, as this is what tourists actually want to see. It’s a difficult situation.”
“We receive many retired performers, but we also get lots of requests from owners who just can’t take care of them anymore.”: Suwit ‘Tum’ Punnadee, Project Director of GRP Fruno, Senior Campaigner for PETA Asia has little doubt of the irrevocable damage that is being caused to performing monkeys in zoos all over the world. “Primates forced to perform have no control over any aspect of their lives. Handlers dictate their eating and sleeping schedules, and they aren't allowed to engage any natural behaviors, such as socialising, roaming, and foraging. Many
He also said that he was more concerned as to where such places were actually getting their gibbons and monkeys from, “They always use young gibbons in the shows, and so they will have likely been forcibly taken from their mother. Also, what happens when they get older?” Working gibbons and monkeys do not have a pension plan, so the lucky ones, the ones who manage to survive are the ones
that somehow manage to find their way to the GPR and to where the rehabilitation programme begins. “When the animals first come, they are given a physical examination for herpes, hepatitis A + B and tuberculosis. If the animals pass the medical, then they are admitted to the centre with the ultimate aim of rehabilitating them so they may be released back into the jungle. “It’s important for them to have good eyes for example, so that they may forage when they get back to the wild,” K. Tum added. He explained that with the older retiree gibbons, this unfortunately was quite rare as often they had become withdrawn and were just not used to interacting with other primates. “Some gibbons and monkeys have never seen members of their own species before so don’t know how to really act with each other. So if they pass the physical, we then start the socialisation process.” Gibbons of a similar age and size are then placed in cages together with the ultimate aim of, perhaps for the first time since they were snatched from birth, being part of a family again. “Often when they see their first gibbon they become excited or scared. They have no experience of being with other primates or grooming each other for example. So
we put them in cages to see if they can eat, sing or play together. “They also go through a type of detox process - where we only give them fruit - as often they are only used to eating bad unhealthy human food,” explained K. Tum For those that take well with other gibbons, they, along with the members of their new family, are transferred to the GPR’s tourist site at the Bang Pae waterfall and it is there where the second stage of rehabilitation begins. Although still kept in cages, the enclosures are much larger and tend to be built around the trunk of trees, allowing the gibbons to climb and forage for themselves. If the gibbons show positive progress, they are released. “We have reintroduced around 22 gibbons into the forest, and now about 5 different families live there. We are very happy because 30 years ago, the whole forest was completely empty, but now for the first in a long time there are second generation wild gibbons being born,” said K. Tum with a smile. Unfortunately, sometimes setting up ‘home’ does not always work out and when released at Bang Pae waterfall, a monkey pairing’s new start can end quite badly. Khao – a male gibbon that ‘worked’ the bars in Phuket and Nuan – a former pet from Phang Nga who was given up when she bit her owner’s daughter had baby Puya together in 2001 and were later released in 2007. A year later though, male gibbon Khao disappeared and Nuan was found with a broken arm and brought back to the rehabilitation centre. She was then paired with Max and in 2010, Maesa was born. Unfortunately though, mother and child did not bond and Nuan abandoned Maesa, refusing to pick her up and instead often left her hanging off the cage or on the floor. Such behaviour is unfortunately quite common, both in the human and primate world, with those who have themselves had traumatic upbringings. Mr Fruno said that treating a primate in any other way than a primate can have extremely negative consequences, “You
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primal phuket
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don't need tests to see that captivity literally drives primates insane. A walk through any zoo or entertainment park can reveal primates exhibiting abnormal, repetitive behavior like circling, pacing, or bar biting, due to stress, abuse, loneliness and deprivation of senses. Many even resort to self-mutilation like biting themselves or tearing out their own fur out of frustration. “ To prevent any harm coming to Maesa, she was taken from the family cage after just a month with the ultimate aim of pairing her with other young gibbons, but again her life was to take a turn for the worse, as she now spends her days alone in her cage, because her peers have refused to accept her into their community. “This sometimes happens,” said K. Tum, “but she’s still very young and has been through a lot. She also has plenty of time to be accepted into a gibbon community.” Feeling lonely or learning how to be a primate is not a problem, at least for the majority of the Long Tail Macaque monkeys of Lopburi. In the city of Lopburi, in the centre of Thailand, far from being forced to ape human ways to survive, monkeys are accepted or at the least tolerated, as locals recognise the important contributions they make to the local economy. The Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand (WARF), of which the GRP is just one of its projects, also has a scheme
Making the best out of a bad situation on a beach in Phuket
live side by side. Although there are attempts at controlling the population growth, nobody has ever studied the exact numbers, but there must be thousands.”
“If your last memory of your mother was her violent death at the hands of a human being, it'd be safe to say your thoughts regarding the species wouldn't be too kind.”: Ashley Fruno, Senior Campaigner for PETA Asia in Lopburi in which K. Tum spent some of his working life. “Monkeys have lived there for many generations, and monkeys and humans
A monkey performs at a monkey show but has its eyes set on retirement
A walk through Lopburi is sure to conjure up scenes from Hollywood movies Gremlins and more recently the Rise of the Planet of the Apes… One side of the street resembles pretty much every other small Thai town, with rows of shop houses and street stalls. Businesses and shops on the other side of the street however, have remained vacant and derelict of humans for a long time and are now occupied and are solely the domain of the monkeys. This situation is very much a working relationship between monkeys and non-monkeys and very rarely spills over into trouble. “The people are used to dealing with the monkeys,” K. Tum said, “The monkeys only get aggressive when they do not have food, then they go and perhaps ransack a house or property to get it. They’re used to humans and so are not scared of them.” The project’s main duties are therefore to go to catch a particularly troublesome monkey and also go and help the injured ones. The situation in Phuket is very different from Lopburi and while few would advocate the free-for-all that is Lopburi city, modern day public perceptions of zoos and cruel use of animals have improved quite dramatically in the last few decades, but according to K. Tum, it still needs to change, especially in Thailand. “Most Thai people I think have a very
caring and loving attitude to animals [owing to Buddhist tenants] but there are, like anywhere, bad people who use monkeys for a business. “We try to stop it and raise awareness, but still we get baby gibbons who come here and that mean their families will have been killed, which mean the poaching practice continues. But it’s also the tourist’s job not to solicit that type of behaviour.” Following psychological tests in the 1970s, founded in psycholinguistic theories, species of apes were found to have the capacity to communicate with not only one another but also humans through learned sign language. So, although scenes from Rise of the Planet of the Apes are still pretty fantastical, one does wonder what a liberated and free Lopburi Long tailed Macaque, a Phuket gibbon pet and a Koh Samui plantation-working monkey would have to say to each other if they ever got together and what exactly their opinion of humans would be. Mr Fruno is rather pessimistic of the slant the potential conversation could take, “If your last memory of your mother was her violent death at the hands of a human being, it'd be safe to say your thoughts regarding the species wouldn't be too kind.” Whether it is the chaotic and lawless existence of the Lopburi primates, the slave-like living of the coconut-picking monkeys in Koh Samui or the drugged, domesticated doped up and confused existence of the Phuket gibbon, the way Thailand treats its primates needs to change. It seems that Thai people and its tourists want Thailand’s apes, chimps and monkeys to act more and more human, and bemoan them when they act anything other than. We wonder why they attack, why they steal from humans or become anti-social, and exhibit signs of mental distress. We wonder why they respond like we would do, despite us forcing them to ape us.
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HEALTHY PHUKET
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Lower your blood pressure with celery juice 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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hen someone tells me about their high blood pressure, I tend to recommend the well-known remedies to help alleviate the problem: exercise, diet, nutrition and reduce stress. But we’ve all heard these over and over, so I’ll change gears and keep it simple: Breathe deeper and drink ¼ to ½ glass of celery juice. Some may not like the taste
of celery juice on its own, but mixing it up in a juice of carrot, apple and celery is quite tasty. Drinking celery juice to lower high blood pressure is a known traditional Chinese folk remedy and the use of celery as a food also dates back to ancient Greece. Celery adds flavour to dishes, and its active compounds contain medicinal value. The most efficient way to consume celery and its active
Phuket Adult Futsal League kicks off
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ick off for Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club’s (TSLC) eighth season of its popular Adult Futsal League (AFL) began on 25 August.. All games are organised in league format and will take place on the TSLC’s 50 metre x 30 metre floodlit Limonta “Soccer Pro” FIFA-standard astro turf pitch in Thalang. This season, Thanachart Bank presents the AFL, Noppadon Ruengjinda, Vice President of
Thanachart Bank Limited (PLC), said the start of the new league should encourage players from Phuket to get more involved in the sport. David Roberts, Vice-President of Thanyapura, said the previous seven AFL seasons were very successful and many teams have signed up again for the upcoming competition. “We generated great interest in the sport and importantly, the aim of the TSLC’s AFL season is
to bring the local football community in Phuket together in a friendly and fun atmosphere on one of Asia’s best futsal pitches,” Mr Roberts said. Application forms are available and can be submitted at Thanachart Bank, Siam City Bank and the TSLC or can be submitted via email to Khun Virapol and Martin Hill at Thanyapura. Email: virapol@thanyapura.co.th Telephone: 076 336 000
ingredients is through juicing. Juicing is the process of compressing the vegetable to extract its water and nutrient content. Celery juice contains the compound 3-n-butylphtalide, or phthalide, which contributes to the vegetable's taste and aroma. According to 'High Blood Pressure Info', phthalide helps relax the smooth muscles in the walls of the blood vessels. Blood pressure decreases as the blood vessels dilate and allows blood to flow easier and more freely. Celery contains many other active compounds, which include vitamin A in the leaves and vitamins B1, B6, B2 and C within the stem. Other compounds include folic acid, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and amino acids. Several compounds in celery confer blood pressure-lowering effects. Apigenin, 3-N-butyl phthalide and certain other substances in celery act like angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium channel blockers; two categories of pharmaceutical blood pressure-
lowering medications. Because of this, some doctors recommend eating four celery sticks per day or the equivalent amount of celery juice, celery oil or celery seed extract. Celery has been used traditionally, to treat nervousness, hysteria and arthritis with varying results. One of the more studied benefits of celery is its ability to potentially lower high blood pressure. A study, performed by the University of Chicago Medical Center, where rats were given the primary active compound in celery, found that cholesterol levels dropped by 7% while blood pressure was reduced 12 - 14%. To determine celery juice’s effectiveness in humans, a physician at the Whitiker Wellness Center and her father both drank celery juice for thirty days. The fathers’ systolic level dropped from 148 (148/96) to 128 (128/82) and the physician’s went from 120 to 105. Celery is safe for most, but check with your health care provider before introducing celery juice into your diet
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TRAINING WITH
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ave you been away on holiday? Did you abandon your healthy eating for cheese, crackers and junk food- filled days and wine-filled nights? Did you 'reward' yourself with fatladen carbohydrates such as cream based pastas and croissants for breakfast because you spent the last 6 months working out hard... and now, is it a struggle to put your shoes on and get back to the health club? If so, don’t beat yourself up about it. You were on holidays and you enjoyed yourself and you have put on a few excess kilos and your fitness has decreased a little but don’t despair... you were healthy and fit once and you can get back there again. Just remember that you didn’t lose it overnight so you’re not going to transform yourself after only one visit to the club. It’s just going to take some time.... but like all good things that took time,
13 Unleash the giant within HEALTHY PHUKET
you will be amazed at what you might find in the end. However, now might be the best time to re-assess yourself, your goals and your strategy on getting there. Before your holidays, did you find yourself doing the same thing day in day out and not really seeing a lot of change? Have you ever asked yourself, what do you really want out of your health club, out of your exercise... out of life? Maybe now is the perfect time to hire a PT (Personal Trainer) and let them take you and your training to the next level. Now might be the time to stop what you have been doing and do something completely different and challenge your body and your mind with some Yoga, Les Mills Body Balance or some one-on-one Pilates training. Now might be the time to stop saying 'I can’t' and say, 'I will try'. We live in a unique place in Phuket, with beautiful oceans to swim in, challenging hills to run and ride over with captivating views at the top. With 5-Star health clubs and knowledgeable, motivating and inspiring personal trainers that are waiting for you to unleash all that knowledge and help you to become the best version you ever thought possible. Do you know what the definition of insanity is? It’s doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different
BODY TALK By Garnett Symonds
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Male Menopause
he term ‘male menopause’ is sometimes used to describe the reduction in the bioavailability of testosterone related to aging. Male and female menopause differ somewhat. In women, ovulation ends and hormone production falls during a relatively short period of time. In men, hormone production and the availability of testerone decline at a much slower rate. Changes in male sexual function, energy levels and mood, are more subtle and can go unnoticed for years. Testosterone levels vary greatly among men. In general, older men have lower levels than do younger men. Testosterone levels gradually decline throughout adulthood. By age 70 years the decrease in a man’s testosterone levels can be as much as 50 percent. Low testosterone will cause changes in sexual function. This might include erectile dysfunction, infertility, reduced sexual desire and fewer spontaneous erections, such as during sleep. Sometimes low testosterone can cause sleep disturbances, such as insomnia or increased sleepiness. Physical changes include increased body fat, reduced muscle bulk, strength and endurance. Also decreased bone
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density, which also occurs in female menopause due to decreased estrogen levels. The formation of bone matrix depends upon the necessary sex hormones to stimulate osteoblasts. Low levels of testosterone might also contribute to decreased motivation or selfconfidence. You may even have feelings of sadness or depression, or have trouble concentrating or remembering. It is also important to note that some of these signs and symptoms are a normal part of aging. Others can be caused by various underlying factors, including medication side effects, thyroid dysfunction, depression and alcoholism. For some men testosterone replacement therapy relieves the problematic signs and symptoms of testosterone deficiency. For others, the benefits aren’t clear. There are also risks, such as prostate cancer or other health problems. Garnett B Symonds, is an osteopath and a fellow of the British Institute of Homeopathy. Contact: 081 607 2343 or info@garnettsymonds.com
result or outcome. If you want or need a different outcome from the one you are experiencing now, whether you’re exercising or not, you need to do something different and change your strategy. Maybe your holiday was not a holiday,
but a time for solace before you unleash the GIANT within. The only thing that limits us is our imagination. Go on... shatter your previous beliefs and take you, your body mind and soul to a new place... find a new you!
Island Life Photo
Ao Chalong Yacht Club host the Sabang Intl Regatta 2011 pre-party on 19 August
Millenium Resort, Patong, celebrate their 3rd year anniversary with a typical Buddhist and Islamic ceremony on 29 July
Kittikorn Kewkacha CEO of Phuket FantaSea presents one million baht’s worth of scholarships to students who live in Phang Nga Phuket, Ranong, Krabi, Trang, Surathane and, Nakornsrithamarat areas on 17 August.
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PHUKET DINING
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Surin has Cudos
owntown Surin is unrecognisable to what it once was; with highend boutique clothing stores and restaurants very much de rigeur now. Indeed Warren Lucas – Managing Director of Mantra Restaurant Group – said one of the reasons he decided to open Surin’s newest restaurant ‘Cudos’, was because of Surin’s as-of-yet untapped potential. “When I first came here I noticed a distinct lack of so many things, to get good quality international foods for example, one needs to travel all the way to Central Festival, so I will also be opening a delicatessen in Surin, hopefully by the end of the year,” said Mr Lucas. Mr Lucas has grand plans for Surin, as do many others including Hong Kongbased businessman and owner of Andara, Alan Zeman, who will apparently be opening a range of luxury clothing stores in the new year. There are also plans to open a spa and even a British style pub in the area very soon. But for now, Mr Lucas is taking it one step at a time and is very much focused on his current project, the exquisitely designed and elegant Cudos Restaurant & Bar. Cudos is located within walking distance of Surin Plaza and Opus One, a restaurant that he admits he has a friendly rivalry with. “We’re aware of what they do and they have a very loyal local following, we will definitely be helping each other improve in the future. "There are obviously a lot of Italian restaurants on the island, so we didn’t want to do that. Instead we have a broad selection of Mediterranean cuisine. I think this really suits the climate,” he said. Mr Lucas referenced the tapas dishes especially as incredibly popular and not altogether dissimilar to the Thai concept of sharing food. It is little wonder that such dishes are so popular, as they contain a wonderful assortment of raw, fried and braised dishes. Such delicacies include Garlic prawns with chorizo and chilli, (200 baht) and Chicken, jamon and almond croquettes (200 baht). Perfect with a glass of wine or ice-cold beer. Also featured on the menu is a unique selection of modern inspired dishes
that capture the true essence of the finest Mediterranean flavours from Italy, Spain, Southern France, Greece, Turkey and North Africa. The menu is not cluttered with too many dishes and contains obviously hand-picked favourites from Mr Lucas and Cudos chef,
Belinda Tuckwell, who said that she was inspired and liked to create traditional, good rustic Mediterranean food. Great mains abound, including Sea Bass with cauliflower and almond puree, parsley and caper dressing (500 baht) with slices of lemon. The citrusy juices blend
delightfully with the sweetness of the almond puree. Cudos is very much high-end and this is reflected in the price of the dishes, but the dishes are all cooked with the highest quality ingredients, so it is quite justified. The beautifully understated and earthytoned interior of Cudos makes for an extremely relaxing and stylish dining experience. Cudos will be displaying a regular run of both local and international artists and allowing them to exhibit their pieces. German national Tilo Kaiser’s ‘Exuberance’ exhibition is the first to hang his paintings on Cudos’ high walls. Described as mixed media on canvas, his colourful pieces very much compliment the cool and chic atmosphere of the restaurant. Despite the classy environment and exquisite food, Cudos still manages to maintain a very personable and friendly environment, with Australian-born chef, Belinda Tuckwell often coming to front of house to chat to customers, answer any questions and enquire as to their preferences. “As long as it is of high quality, we try to source as many produce locally as possible, “ explained Chef Belinda, “Including quite surprisingly, the mozzarella cheese.” Chef Belinda added, “There’s an Italian family who live in Patong who have some cows in Phang Nga, the milk comes from them, and the mozzarella is churned right here in Phuket.” Out the back, is the wonderfully designed coliseum–esque curved back wall, which looks into out into the courtyard which Warren promises, will be the centrepiece for many events to come, “The acoustics are great here, so we may have a Spanish guitarist or stage show, the options are endless.” The rear garden bar offers open air enjoyment under the stars with a 60 foot tall majestic tamarind tree as it's canopy while the indoors features warm wood tones and custom designed lighting that creates an ambient mood for late night entertaining with friends. Testament to the appeal of Cudus, is that despite having only been open for 8 weeks, the restaurant already has many regulars and returning customers. Kudos to Mr Lucas for achieving that...
We discovered our time Discover the flavors of Panache at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas’ new restaurant. Savor fine Asian and European cuisine. Tempting salads, traditional Thai dishes, noodles made-to-order and do-it-yourself pizzas baked fresh in the wood-fired oven. Delight in the catch of the day, complemented by poolside dining, deluxe service and Outrigger’s legendary hospitality. Outrigger’s newest restaurant at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas. www.outriggerthailand.com +66 (0) 76 336 900 Laguna Village, 142/3 Moo 6, T.Cherngtalay, A.Thalang, Phuket, 83110 Thailand
Email panache@outrigger.co.th today and receive a voucher for a complimentary bottle of wine at your next Panache meal for two.
www.outriggerthailand.com
110809 Outrigger Ad Panache Phuket Post.indd 1
8/10/11 2:30 PM
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phuket property Slowing down 2011 THAILAND PROPERTY AWARDS visa runs judging begins
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he days of easy visa runs may be coming to an end. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok has instructed foreign Thai Embassies and Consulates to be stricter with requirements when applicants are applying for tourist visas. The Royal Thai Embassies, Consulates and Consulates-General will from now require a confirmed airline ticket with flight numbers and date of entry/exit, plus confirmed hotel reservations with name and dates of checking in/out. Required documents are: - One completed and signed application form - One photo (colour, size 4 x 6 cm) - Passport (valid for no less than 6 months) - Hotel reservation in Thailand with name and dates of checking in/out - Airline ticket or confirmation slip with flight number and date of entry/exit If any of the required documents are missing, an explanation letter must be provided.
ith nominations closed for the 2011 Thailand Property Awards, a record number of entries have already been passed to a distinguished panel of industry judges. The committee will now begin the stringent assessment process, with the year's shortlisted finalists to be announced in October. Well over a thousand developers, property agents, architects and real estate companies are represented on the submitted list of entries, including many of Bangkok's top residential developers, plus stand out projects and real estate firms based in Thailand's most popular resort destinations, with Phuket well represented. "The standard of entries is impressive," said Paul Ashburn from BDO Advisory, which oversees the judging process. "Although the rules prevent us from revealing any of the names just yet, suffice to say the entry list reads like the 'who's who' of Thai real estate." The addition of several new categories such as ‘Best Affordable Condo Development’ has added to the scope of the awards this year, while also drawing first time entries from a number of big name property players. A significant increase in the number of entries from Phuket and Koh Samui also suggests the market for resort properties is picking up. Phuket-based companies will compete
for the coveted ‘Best Developer’ award, with large numbers of entries submitted from Phuket in the ‘Best Villa Development’ category as well as under ‘Best Condo Development.’ Properties on Phuket are also competing in other nationwide categories such as ‘Best Shared Ownership Development’ and for the ‘Best Green Development Award.’ Terry Blackburn, Chief Executive Officer of organisers Ensign Media, said: “The level and number of entries for this year's awards is a clear reflection of the strength and quality in the industry. With big brand sponsors and media partners also on board, shortlisted companies stand to see considerable benefits from winning a 2011 Thailand Property Award."
The Winners of the sixth Thailand Property Awards
Price THB 500
Each entry will be subject to a rigorous evaluation process, judged on a range of qualitative factors with just one overall winner selected in each category. Site visits are scheduled for September and will be conducted by a team of professionals that includes lawyers, surveyors, agents and engineers. Now in their sixth year, The Thailand Property Awards are widely recognised as a benchmark for excellence in Thailand's residential real estate industry. The Gala Award ceremony will take place at the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok on 5 November, and with many of the tables already reserved, the event is expected to attract more than 600 leading figures from the Kingdom's property sector.
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PHUKET business
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Why People Can’t Find Jobs They’re out of touch We’re a society that knows how to apply for a job. That’s not the problem. The challenge for employment seekers today is to become proficient at finding work. That’s a much more complicated process than merely applying for a job. Anyone missing this skill will be unemployed for a long time. They’re looking in the wrong places It’s highly unlikely that you’ll find employment in today’s workplace by attending a job fair, looking at a newspaper, looking at internet job sites, or sending out unsolicited resumes/CV’s to employers. The majority of employment opportunities are never advertised so employment seekers must learn how to sniff them out and how to approach employers in a strategically effective way. They’re using the wrong tools Most employment seekers use one tool only: a CV. They must learn how to create a variety of
tools that are marketing oriented and focused on the needs of the employer. The approach used by most employment seekers is the same as it has been for most of the 20th century – and it doesn’t work. They’re making it hard to get hired If the only option you give an employer is to offer you a permanent full-time position, you’re making it hard for them to hire you. This is especially true for small
businesses, where most of the action can be found. Being willing to accept part-time, temporary and contract work – without reservations – is essential. They’re ignorant about Social Media The personal branding guru, Dan Schawbell says “Your first impression isn’t a handshake anymore. It’s your online presence that will decide the fate of your career.” Managing your online pres-
ence is as important as managing your credit rating. 70% of recruiters in the U.S. report that they have rejected candidates because of information they found out about them online. Getting hired today is as much a function of being found online as it is about applying to employers. Their governments are failing them Governments are stuck in the 20th century. They keep trying to solve 21st century problems
with 20th century solutions. For the past few years, they have poured billions of dollars, euros and pounds down the drain trying to stimulate the economy and propping up dying and inefficient industries. At the same time, small businesses that have been creating most of the new jobs for years have been virtually ignored by governments. The countries that will succeed in the coming decade are the ones that will give small businesses the support and resources they need to expand and also encourage and support graduates to create their own jobs. For an increasing number of workers, the era of the traditional job and all the stability that came with it is over. We need to accept that, adjust to it, and move on. Ron McGowan is the author of the international best seller “How to Find WORK in the 21st Century”, currently in use at over 400 colleges and universities worldwide and used extensively by career/employment counselors.
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Harley Davidson Fatboy for sale
House in Nai Harn Rawai
New in Phuket Capsule coffee machine
1993 Fat boy for sale. Pictures taken this week. To many custom parts to list ie. Rhineheart exhaust, 1600 cc engine, S&S Carb, oil cooler. Very nice shape and very fast. 500 000 baht. Travis Gladu : 0818950612
Teak house near Nai Harn beach, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms , furnished, air condition, living room, kitchen and storage. 12,000 baht per month Tel: 081-451-9027, 084-8988258.
fully automatic, 6'490.- 1 year guarantee Espresso and Arabica creme capsule for 18.- Milk foamer for cappuccino 2'490.- all prices including 7% V.A.T.
room to rent
Pick Up isuzu 2010 FOR RENT
Bar in Karon for Sale
Wash machine for sale
Beautiful Beachfront house with 2 available rooms on Chalong Bay in Panwa, 20 min from Chalong 20 from Phuket town, 45 from Patong, no crowds or hassles here but you need transportation, 1 with A/C, pool, carpark, pool table, full kitchen, call Bon 087-513-5214
pick up spacecab dmax isuzu 2010 for rent 15000 long term 3 month+ 18000 one month 6000 one week Email: ttprvs@hotmail.com
Snazzy bar in Karon Plaza for sale. Includes 2 air-conditioned guestrooms and kitchen. Real Bargain. Contact sean54d@gmail.com (Lee) for details.
Wash machine for sale "Samsung Diamond Drum"6.5 kg. less than 6 Months old. Priced to sell-2,200 baht firm. Must pick up yourself. Contact: duangamporn@gmail. com Tel : 080-8938343
168 sq. wai, single house in Saiyuan, Naiharn beach
honda crf 250 2008
CHALONG SHOP HOUSE FOR SALE
168 sq.wha.(672 sq.m) with coconut trees surrounding, mountain view, 2 stories + decking area. 35,000 b/m + 2 months deposit. For sale at 9.5m. For more info, e-mail: phuket8@hotmail.com or call 081-5978315
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
Jeunesse Products
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
New house for sale at Kamala beach
HONDA PHANTOM for sale
Town House in town for rent/ sale
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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
1,000 baht
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
Kata Seaview Pool Villa Needs Finishing
Call 081-5377146 s_karnwigit@yahoo.com
Email : sunparasol@gmail. com
Samsung LED Smart TV 46" NEW!!!
American Jeunesse anti-ageing products now available in Phuket. Contact: Count Slackula Email :count.slackula@gmail. com
Insert a photo in classified for an additional 200 Baht Email artwork and text to: tradingpost@phuket-post.com Tel: 076 620 054 Fax: 076 273 202
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