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The Lady in Bangkok

Thailand was the first stop in Aung San Suu Kyi’s first trip abroad in 24 years > 10

Alasdair Forbes & Claire Connell: news@thephuketnews.com

Tree falls on truck, one hurt A MAN WAS INJURED when a tree fell onto a pickup truck at around 11 am on Sunday (May 27) morning, as he and his employee were travelling along the KamalaPatong road.

Arriving at the scene, near the Thavorn Beach Village resort, Kamala police and Ruamjai Katanyu Foundation rescue workers found a large tree lying across the road and across the cab of the pick-up.

The passenger, later identified as Supong Phoomcharoen, 35, had already been taken by local people to hospital, suffering from neck and leg injuries.

The driver of the pick-up, Supachai Suksawatdee, 30, who was uninjured, told police that he and Mr Supong were going to Kamala from Chalong through very heavy rain when the tree fell on them.

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Ready for the big one P

A ‘badly injured’ man receives treatment in the emergency medical tent.

huket authorities orgainsed a quake evacuation training program recently in Srisoontorn to prepare the health office, local administrative office, police, rescue teams and locals for possible future quakes.

The location was chosen owing to the area having previously suffered quakes registering up to five on the Richter Scale.

Following the “earthquake”, medical staff and rescue teams arrived at a public heath centre in Moo 2 to set up a makeshift treatment station.

“Injured” villagers were transferred from their homes to the centre to receive first aid, while others were evacuated from their houses to open space.

The medical teams practiced their triage skills, dividing the injured into three groups according to the seriousness of their injuries.

The most seriously hurt were the first to receive treatment in a medical tent.

An outdoor exhibition showing the public the best ways of reacting to earthquakes was also arranged at the public health center to increase understanding and help prevent panic in the case of a genuine quake.

Phuket put on a spectacular opening ceremony for the National Youth Games.

Youth Games ‘will give Phuket B600m boost’

BY THE TIME THEY END on Tuesday (June 5), the National Youth Games, currently underway, will have given Phuket’s rainy season a B600 million boost, Governor Tri Augkaradacha said at the press centre at the Royal Phuket City hotel on Sunday evening (May 27).

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“I believe that about B600m will be spent [by the teams] during the Phuket Games,” he said.

He added that a watch is being been kept for local businesses tempted to gouge the visitors. “I asked the Department of Internal Trade of Thailand (DIT) to control

prices, which should not rise during this period.”

He added , “We were competely ready to field the Phuket Games, with all the facilities needed, including stadiums, accomodation and places athletes can practice.”

Read our full Youth Games report on page 41.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Soneva still tight-lipped about new Evason owner

T

he Soneva Group has finally acknowledged officially what has been known on the island for some weeks – that it has sold the Evason Phuket resort.

But the identity of the buyer has still not been revealed. Soneva says only that the resort was sold “to an international and Thai hospitality and leisure group”. It has also kept the sale price a secret.

In a press release issued on Saturday (May 26), Soneva said, “Evason Phuket will cease operations with immediate effect and shall no longer be operated by Six Senses Resorts & Spas. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.”

It quoted Sonu Shivdasani, founder and CEO of Soneva, as saying: “Although it did not fit into The Soneva Group’s strategic plans, Evason Phuket is a wonderful property that will continue to thrive under new ownership.”

Mr Shivdasani made a promise to help laid-off staff.

“We are working hard to provide alternative employment to as many [staff] as possible.

Evason workers protest at Provincial Hall against the layoffs.

In addition, we have agreed a package for any Evason Phuket [staff] whom we can’t employ elsewhere.

“The full package includes salary payment according to Thai law, plus one month advance notice, a bonus as per agreement with the labour

union, health insurance cover until November 2012 and a job reference.”

The press release stressed that the sale of the Evason was “a deal that is separate from the Pegasus [Capital Advisors] acquisition of the Six Senses and Evason branded resort and

spa management contracts.

“The Soneva Group continues to retain a majority stake in Six Senses Hua Hin and Evason Hua Hin and Six Senses Laamu.”

Meanwhile, about 200 workers laid off by the Evason delivered a signed petition to

Phuket Vice-Governor Sommai Preechasil on May 24.

Krittiphol Boonreerk, deputy president of the Phuket Island Resort Labour Union told The Phuket News that almost all the workers at the Evason are seniors, who have spent a long time working at the resort.

“We need the new owner to let them keep their jobs. About 70 to 80 per cent of workers are older, and they will have trouble finding new jobs at their age,” Mr Krittaphol said.

He advised workers against signing any documents from Evason without advice from the union, because there might be a risk of them signing away various rights.

Workers are hoping to meet with the new owners of the resort on June 12, though at this stage the have no idea of who they are.

V/Gov Sommai told the workers that she will assign the Phuket Provincial Labour Protection and Welfare Office and the Employment Offices to negotiate with the resort owner on their behalf.

3

Worker in bizarre suicide

A MAN WAS KILLED by a six-wheeled truck in front of Wat Tha Reua on Thepkrassattri Rd, in a bizarre incident on Monday evening (May 28).

The man had already stood in the middle of the northbound carriageway causing a long traffic jam.

Police arrived, calmed him down and led him off the road.

However, as soon as they left, witnesses said, he ran out into the road again and jumped up onto the bonnet of a pick-up truck.

When the owner stepped out to remonstrate with him he immediately jumped down and ran away, into the path of the six-wheeler.

The truck driver abandoned his truck and fled.

The dead man was identified as construction worker Danlao Srikuman, 39, from Nakhon Panom.

Acquaintances told police that he was frequently drunk and had tried a number of times to commit suicide by running into traffic. This time, apparently, he succeeded.

Macau has 33 casinos, the biggest of which is The Venetian, pictured.

Thais offered 388 jobs in Macau T H E M I N I S T RY O F Labour (MoL) has announced that 388 jobs are available specifically for Thais in casinos, hotels and resorts in Macau, the former Portuguese enclave on the southern coast of China, near Hong Kong.

The MoL says that the jobs are open to Thais interested in working abroad and hopes that some will be taken up by people laid off in hotel closures such as the recent shutting of the Laguna Beach Resort and the Evason Phuket resort.

The announcement came after MoL officials visited Thai workers and business operators in Macau earlier this

month. In meetings, Macau’s hospitality operators requested more Thai staff.

Anyone interested in the positions can register their name and details online at overseas.doe.go.th. The deadline for registration is June 12.

For those not keen on working overseas, the Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PEO) has announced that more than 5,000 jobs remain unfilled in Phuket.

T he PEO a r r a nge d a small job fair at HomeWorks Phuket last Sunday (May 27) to help unemployed people get work.

But, said Phuket Provincial

Employment Office Chief Noppadon Ployoodee, there were few visitors, despite promotion through SMS, websites and other media.

Part of the reason, he explained, is that Phuket’s unemployment rate is very low; most people already have jobs.

About 15 former staff of the Evason Phuket were reported to have visited the job fair and promptly got new jobs.

Mr Noppadon said he thought that the majority of the laid-off Evason staff did not bother to go to the job fair “because they want to rest after long years of working with the hotel”.

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SIMON OSTHEIMER Managing Editor 083 922 9265 managingeditor@thephuketnews.com From Hong Kong; a decade’s experience as editor of magazines and newspapers in Shanghai (City Weekend, that’s Shanghai), Beijing (tbjhome, Urbane), Hong Kong (Time Out Hong Kong), Kuala Lumpur (Vision KL), Bangkok (Bangkok 101) and Phuket. Journalist for Esquire, Fah Thai, Vacations & Travel, Travel & Leisure, CNNGo, Surface and Dwell.

ALASDAIR FORBES Executive Editor 087 884 9964 execeditor@thephuketnews.com From the UK; 40 years as a journalist and editor on magazines and newspapers in the UK, Middle East, Hong Kong and Thailand: Cheshire Observer, Chester Chronicle, Saudi Gazette, Gulf Mirror, Gulf Construction, Gulf News, Hongkong Standard, Asian Business (Editor) and Phuket Gazette (Managing Editor for seven years).

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Local furniture firm ‘not linked to drug bust Briton’ Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com

J

ames Firth, managing director of East Furniture & Interiors of Phuket, has denied any connection to the company’s namesake in Pattaya, whose former MD was arrested on Monday (May 28) in possession of 25.85 grams of crystal methamphetamine, or ya ice.

The Pattaya One news website reported that Briton Simon Hall, 39, former MD of the defunct East Furniture in Pattaya, was arrested after the drug was found during a search of his apartment on Wongamart Beach in Naklua, on the northern edge of the city.

Simon Hall pictured in the police station. Photo: PattayaOne He was already on bail in connection with two earlier drug offences.

Mr Firth told The Phuket News, “Originally we and

the Pattaya store were part of an alliance of furniture businesses.

“When that fell apart, we in Phuket and Pattaya decided

to rebrand ourselves as East Furniture.

“But we have never had a financial connection with the Pattaya store, which in any case closed about 18 months ago.”

He said he was surprised at the arrest. “[Mr Hall] is a qualified dive instructor and has a solid background in high street shop management in the UK.” Pattaya One quoted police as saying that Mr Hall, who has been living in the city for six years, “is a well-known suspected drug dealer who would sell primarily to foreign customers.”

Mr Hall is to be held in custody pending a court appearance.

DANE HALPIN Sub Editor editor2@thephuketnews.com From Australia; Degree in Journalism, Charles Sturt University. Four years’ experience at: The Australian, The Central Western Daily, The Leader, The Canberra Times, and The Vientiane Times.

CLAIRE CONNELL Sub Editor editor1@thephuketnews.com From New Zealand; BA (English) from University of Otago; Diploma in Journalism from the University of Canterbury. Five years’ experience at Gisborne Herald and Marlborough Express.

Petchbangbon (right) and his Indonesian opponent before the fight, with the all-important WBC belt.

JODY HOUTON Sub Editor editor3@thephuketnews.com From the UK; Masters Degree in Journalism, Kingston University. Five years’ experience at Groove Magazine, Metropolis, The Western Telegraph, The Mirror and Phuket Post.

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Ticket to ride: Early customers get ready for the YMAX 4D experience.

Phuket gets YMAX theatre seats, and is showing 10 short animations, each about seven to 10 minutes long.

“The effects make customers feel like they are actually part of the scene, with light, wind, water, smoke and vibrations,” said Ms Piromrat.

“We expect to add an odour effect in the future.”

The Phuket YMAX is the 18th to open in Thailand, and Ms Piromrat said another is planned for the Central Fes-

tival mall “soon”.

The theatre is on the second f loor of the Coliseum Paradise shopping complex, opposite Robinson, and is open daily from 10.30am to 10pm.

Currently tickets are on special offer at B70 for one animation. After July 31 the prices will rise to B100 for adults and B80 for children under 11 or students who can produce a student ID card.

Airplane passenger dies of heart failure

Pickup driver dies in high speed smash

PHUKET TOWN NOW HAS a 4D YMAX cinema featuring 3D short animations along with sound, light and wind effects, spritzes of water and vibrating seats.

At a press briefing Piromrat Chaimee, YMAX PR & Event Marketing Executive, said, “This cinema is to the same standards as in Universal Studios or Disney theme parks.”

The theatre has just six

AN INDIAN AIRLINER made an emergency landing in Phuket on Monday afternoon (May 28) after a passenger indicated he was having severe trouble breathing.

The captain and crew of the Indigo Airlines plane, en route from Singapore to New Delhi, administered first aid to the passenger, 70-year-old Indian national Ramesh Ku-

mar Brasin, but decided his condition was severe enough to warrant immediate hospitalisation.

The headed for the nearest airport, which was Phuket.

The plane was met by an ambulance which took Mr Brasin to Thalang Hospital where, despite emergency treatment, he died 12 hours later of heart failure.

A THAI MAN DIED ON the evening of May 24 after his pickup truck slammed into a power pole on Thepkrassattri Rd, near the Srisoonthorn Municipality offices.

Witnesses said the car was travelling north, very fast through heavy rain and the driver, Pichai Chuaytan, 40, apparently lost control.

Thai boxer keeps WBC belt with Patong KO PETCHBANGBON SOR Tanapinyo of Kokiet Gym, in Bangkok, easily retained his WBC Asia Continental Super Flyweight belt on May 29 with a TKO against contender Alwi Alhabsyi from Indonesia.

In front of a large crowd, in a ring specially built on Patong Beach, Petchbangbon pummeled Alhabsyi into submission after just two minutes of the first round.

Since winning the belt last year, Petchbangbon has already defended it once, in February this year, in a fight with Richard Garcia of the Philippines.

He has won all of his past 10 fights. His challenger, Alwi had not done so well – his record in the past 10 fights was three wins, one draw and six defeats.

The match was the highlight of a boxing fiesta on the beach, consisting of five boxing matches and 10 Muay Thai fights.

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PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

5

Police ‘keeping an eye’ on Bandido members POLICE HAVE REPORTED that members of the Bandidos, a notorious international motorcycle gang branded in Canada and the US as an organised criminal gang, are currently in Phuket.

The Superintendent of Kathu police station, Pol Col

Sermpan Sirikong, reported in a meeting on Wednesday (May 30) of the Phuket Security Committee that the gang haven’t yet caused any trouble.

“Most of them have come in as tourists, or are behind businesses such as bars or nightclubs in Patong, with Thais as their

front men,” said Col Sermpan.

He said police have been keeping an eye on the gang since first being alerted to their presence a few months ago.

The Bandidos hit the Thai headlines six years ago when a Dane, two Britons and a Thai surveyor were arrested

New probe

for allegedly being involved in turning large tracts of government land into sites for property development.

The theory at the time was that the proceeds from t he Ba nd idos’ cr i m i nal activities elsewhere were to be laundered by ploughing

them into property on Samui.

They were charged with extortion, money laundering to the tune of B3 billion and six counts of illegal sale of public land. The surveyor was accused of supplying forged land documents.

Eventually all the cases

were dropped for lack of hard evidence, but by that time the property development was dead.

It seems however that Phuket police believe there is no smoke without fire and intend to keep a close watch on the bikers.

Investigators target 200 rai of land in Karon area Paritta Wangkiat reporter3@thephuketnews.com

T

he end of last week saw dozens of government investigators descend on Phuket as interest focused on another piece of seafront land that may or may not have been acquired by its “owner” with the connivance of corrupt officials.

First to arrive were officials from the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), led by SecretaryGeneral Pol Col Dutsadee Arayawut. He is becoming a regular visitor to the island; in March he was here to look at mountain land somehow acquired by a former ViceGovernor of Phuket.

This time he was investigating allegations that 200 rai of seafront land in Karon had been illegally appropriated.

The 300-metre stretch of land is on the slope of Mai Ngao Cape in Karon.

The “owner” of the Mai Ngao land was initially granted a title deed for 20 rai in August 2008. However, over 200 rai of land is currently fenced off, with an impressive locked gate at its entrance.

Col Dutsadee said, “We have found certain irregularities and have reason to be suspicious about how this title deed was issued.”

The case has similarities to the ongoing investigation into the issue of the title deed for 65 rai of land next to Freedom beach, which began earlier this year.

But the PACC is still not sure at this stage if the same suspect officials are involved in both cases.

According to recently gathered evidence, the person believed to be the owner of the land originally put in a request for the title deed in 1989 without the official SorKor 1 (a certificate to show land ownership before 1954). His request was refused two years later.

There is no record of this

‘Irregularities’: Pol Col Dutsadee Arayawut request at the Phuket Land Office (PLO), which has led the PACC to believe that the cancellation was because the land is part of the Nakkerd Forest Reserve.

In December 2006, another individual claimed she had bought the land from the former owner and presented what she stated was the official SorKor 1 to officials and requested a Chanote from the Phuket Land Office (PLO).

However, officials discovered that the paper was a “flying SorKor 1”. Sor Kor 1 papers are notoriously vague. The paper for an undesirable piece of land can sometimes be “flown” to establish possession of a more attractive plot nearby.

The new applicant’s request was initially dismissed, but she then appealed to officials, explaining that the original owner wasn’t able to prove that it was his land in 1991 as there weren’t any maps at the time showing boundaries of private and public land.

In 2008, the PLO and Department of Land agreed to issue a title deed for the land.

However, the PACC recently found out that in fact a boundary map for that area did exist in 1990.

In addition, although the land was originally suspected to be in a forest reserve area, the PACC has discovered a letter issued by officials from the Forestry Department claiming that the land in fact wasn’t.

However, the PACC suspects that the land may also include part of the Kuan Lam Toey grazing reserve, which is public land.

When the title deed was granted on August 8, 2008, the land was sold to a company within four days. The former owner of the land, who requested a title deed in 1989, is a major shareholder in the company.

Col Dutsadee said that the PACC’s investigations will continue for at least another two months but added, “There are certain aspects of the application process that make us believe the title deed may have been gained illegally.”

The Department of Special Investigations, which is part of the Justice Ministry, seems to agree. They came down in force last Friday (May 25), the day after the PACC were on the island.

Lt Col Prawut Wongsinin said the DSI had received information that 20-plus rai of the 200 might have been sold to Iranians for B250 million.

After the officials visited the site, they arranged a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall and invited some of the officials who were involved in the issuing of the title deed to attend.

The Director of the Forest Land Management Office, Samak Donnapee, produced evidence that the land is in forest reserve area.

He brought with him a survey book produced in 1973 as part of Forestry Ministerial Regulations brought into force to preserve forests around the country. The survey book was evidence that the land was surveyed by officials as part of the process of declaring it a forest reserve area.

“This proves absolutely that the land is in forest reserve area,” said Mr Samak.

The DSI and PCAM will continue their investigations.

Officials involved in the issue of the deed will be invited to Bangkok for more questioning.

A locked gate marks the entrance to the 200-rai site.

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Legal Burmese get ready for their court date

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ight Burmese immigrant workers who arrived in Thailand legally under the immigrant workers MoU signed by the Thai and Burmese governments are to go on trial on June 11 – charged with working without work permits.

Their boss says they had only just arrived in the country the day before their arrest – and were not working.

The eight have languished in prison for more than three months since their arrest.

Their employer brought them into Thailand on February 10 under the terms of the MoU, but they were arrested the following day at a worker camp in Tung Tong.

The President of the Phuket Local Business Club, Prasan Boontantrapiwat, said their employer provided them with accommodation in the camp while they waited for their work permits, which were expected to be issued two days later.

However, before that could happen they were arrested by Tung Tong police and charged with working

without work permits. On March 9, an Inspector General of the Ministry of Labor, Pakorn Amornchewin, visited Phuket to check into the case, after relatives of the Burmese complained to the government of Myanmar.

Mr Prasan explained that worker’s employer had already paid the fees for their work permits.

“They are legal immigrant workers. They just arrived and hadn’t yet started working,” Mr Prasan said.

The police apparently see things differently, telling the employer initially that he would have to pay B5,000 each for the release of the Burmese. Mascots and entertainers take to the stage to entertain the Euro 2012 preview crowd.

Originally nine workers were arrested. One admitted to working illegally and has been sent back to Myanmar.

The other eight, however, have refused to admit guilt and are willing to go to court.

This may take some con- IN PREPARATION FOR THE FINALS hundreds of football fans and performances siderable time; the first hearing of the Euro 2012 football tournament, which from Thai groups No More Tear at Central is unlikely to resolve the case, kicks off next Friday (June 8), GMM Grammy Festival and Klear in Jungceylon, were arand with the chronic backlog in conjunction with Honda hosted a Euro 2012 ranged to let people know that the island’s in Thailand’s courts, the next Road Show Tour at Central Festival Phuket two largest shopping centres will be showing hearing might not be until on May 23 and then at Jungceylon on May 25. all of the Euro 2012 football games from June The events, which included special guests, 8 to July 2. next year.

Shopping malls hop on Euro 2012 bandwagon

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THE PHUKET NEWS

Fakes!

PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

7

Police warn about counterfeit money circulating in Thailand

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Members of the New Generation 2012 Party show their solidarity. Leader Pairoj Ruampanpong is fourth from right.

10 more register for city elections A NEW PARTY, THE KHON run Mai (New Generation) 2012 Party registered last Friday (May 25) to contest 10 wards in the Phuket City Council elections, to be held on June 16.

Led by a former council member, Pairoj Ruampanpong,

who was a member of the ruling Khon Num Party several years ago, the new party does not expect to take over the council, but only to form an opposition to Khon Num. “We would like to examine the administration’s work,”

ounterfeit B1,000 and B100 notes are circulating in Thailand, police have warned.

A spokesperson of the Thai Royal Police, Maj Gen Piya Utayo, told media that police in the deep south city of Haad Yai were notified recently by staff of a local 7-Eleven store that the store had received a fake B1,000 note from a fried chicken vendor.

Questioned by police, the

chicken vendor, Kornan Buanak, 40, told police that he had received the note from one of his customers.

The fake note is similar to the real thing, but printed on thinner paper, Gen Piya said.

The colour is also rather paler than the genuine article.

In the north of Thailand, police in Nan province reported that some rather amateur fake B100 notes had been detected in the province.

The fakes are slightly smaller than the real thing and when the notes get wet the ink fades or blurs.

Gen Piya said that people passing the counterfeit notes usually use them to buy goods in places where the light is not good, or in crowded shops where their victims are too rushed to notice.

In addition, they will often mix the fakes in with genuine notes.

Burmese maid held for B2m burglary A BURMESE MAID HAS been arrested for robbing her former employer’s house, walking off with jewellery valued at B2 million.

Yupha Waiyasit, 58, restaurant owner on Nanai Rd, Patong, reported to police on May 21 that her house had been burgled. She suspected the robber was a 37-year-old Burmese woman, Wandee, who had worked with her until five months previously.

Police found Wandee the following day at the guest house where she lived in Soi Patong Whisky.

A search of her room turned up a gold ring, five pairs of earrings with diamonds or other gems, five gold amulets, three watches, two diamond rings and B392,800 in cash.

Wandee confessed that the money had come from the sale of other stolen jewellery,

including a diamond necklace valued at more than a quarter of a million baht.

Police said that Wandee had climbed over a wall into Ms Yupha’s back yard then simply walked into the unlocked house while its owner was working in her restaurant at the front.

All the stolen items – including those that had been sold – have been recovered and returned to Ms Yupha.

Chinese consulate discussed

Russian drowns at Karon Beach

said Mr Pairoj. “We want to be a bridge connecting people with the council so that people can be sure decisions it makes will not be a waste.”

Khon Run Mai 2012 Party will also focus on education and youth issues.

THE SONGKHLA-BASED Chinese Consul General, Xu Mingliang, met Wednesday, May 30 with Phuket ViceGovernor Chamroen Tipayapongtada to discuss opening a consulate in Phuket.

Mr Xu noted that almost

400,000 Chinese tourists visited Phuket in the first three months of 2012.

“Thailand, and Phuket, are the top destinations for Chinese tourists. It would be easier to support them if there is a consulate in Phuket too, rather

than just in Songkla, which is far away,” he explained.

V/Gov Chamroen said he would relay the proposal to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Xu also said there should be more Chinese translations on the island’s signage.

A RUSSIAN MAN, DENIS Skorobogatove, 33, drowned at Karon Beach on May 30.

He was reportedly swimming in the strong surf, despite the red warning flags being up on the beach.

Interior of the new Yellow Bus to Hua Hin.

New bus route to Hua Hin launched A NEW BUS ROUTE BEt we e n Ph u ke t a n d Hu a Hin has been launched by Ru ng r ueng ( Mu kd ahan) Ltd, better known as Yellow Bus. The company also has a connecting service from Hua Hin to Mukdahan, allowing passengers from Phuket to travel all the way to the border with Laos.

The bus leaves Phuket daily at 7am and takes about nine hours to reach Hua Hin. The return journey sets out from Hua Hin at 8am.

The bus is equipped with 30 massage seats, each with an entertainment centre for watching TV, playing games

or listening to music.

Tickets cost B617 oneway, or B1,050 return. They may be bought at the Yellow Bus counter at the new bus terminal on Thepkrassattri Rd or booked by calling 086 324 4457 or 080 114 7312.

The ser vice began on May 19. Company spokesperson Attaporn Kompipatpong admitted that the first few buses were far from full, but said he expects more passengers as the word spreads.

“We expect there to be about 17,000 passengers a year using this route, which will give us an income of about B10 million for the first year,” he said.

Daily baked Italian Breads and Italian Pastries, from our Executive Pastry Chef Francesco Giordano.

Wide selection of Italian cold cuts and cheeses, delicatessen, fruit and vegetables, pasta, fine extra virgin olive oils, and special gourmet products.

Enjoy our Illy coffee at the coffee bar, or a nice lunch from our carte of Italian traditional specialty.

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THE PHUKET NEWS

PHUKET FOCUS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Save Our

9

Island

Locals on Racha Yai, south of Phuket, have called for official support to save their small island’s environment from the ravages of unrestricted tourism. But with parts of it already a dumping ground for garbage, will any efforts be too late?

Paritta Wangkiat reporter3@thephuketnews.com

A

fter more than six months of repeated attempts to bring the issue of environmental degradation on Racha Yai to the attention of authorities, island-dwellers finally received their first ever visit from environmental officials last week.

On Monday (May 28) a meeting was held at Rawai Municipality to discuss the findings of the visit.

What the officials saw on the island included piles of garbage, polluted water and land encroachment.

“We’ve seen the effects of tourism become more noticeable since 10 years ago,” said the President of Preserve and Protect Racha Yai Club, Sarit Jandee, whose family have lived on the island for decades.

“What can we say? Most of the space on the island is occupied by individuals.

We don't have the power to force them [to use their land for practical waste and water treatment].”

In Mr Sarit’s opinion, environmental problems on Racha Yai island have mainly been caused by a lack of environmental awareness and official inaction.

“If you visit the island, you will see holes filled with garbage right next to the sidewalk,” Mr Sarit said.

“Glass bottles, food, foam

lunch boxes. Those are the types of waste you get from unmanaged tourism.”

With most of the island’s land used for tourism, Racha Yai doesn’t have a suitable space to set up a proper station to deal with waste water management or the ever-increasing amount of garbage.

Currently, burning and small land fills are the main methods used to dispose of the latter, but they are not a long term solution.

However, the people that would be most likely to raise a stink, so to speak, about the issue, are not present.

Many islanders have moved to Phuket, selling or renting their land to tourism operators.

According to Mr Sarit, only three original households are currently still living on the island. Around 30 locals own small pieces of land in the southeast of the island, which is less desirable for developers.

Racha Yai is encountering another major environmental problem, polluted water from two canals discharging water from the centre of the island into Siam Bay, to the north.

Mr Sarit believes this is the result of a combination of inappropriate waste water treatment and a lack of law enforcement.

Ironically, this problem appears to have been partially fixed by another form of lawbreaking, for now at least.

An illegal structure blocking

one of klongs prevents the pollution from reaching the reefs 200 metres offshore, though contaminated water sometimes runs into the sea following heavy rains.

The reefs are gradually recovering from coral bleaching, reported Phuket Marine Biological Center researcher, Chaimongkon Yamaroonpattana.

The reefs, he said, will recover to “acceptable” levels in five years if there are no “disturbing factors”.

Mr Chaimongkon said that one of these disturbing factors might be pollution from the klong flowing into Siam Bay. “If we don’t do something soon, Racha island will be dead,” said Mr Sarit.

Around 1,200 visitors a day arrive at Racha Yai island in high season, and around 500 in low season.

“We want to see everyone taking action on this issue,” said Mr Sarit, “to make sure that the island’s [environment] will definitely survive.”

On May 28, off icials agreed to apply regulations and laws “in a compromising way” but local environmental activist, Suta Prateep Na Thalang, wondered how long the island’s environment will have to wait before the laws would be enforced in an uncompromising way.

“If we begin things late, will the environment be capable of resilience 10 years from now?” he asked.

Clockwise from top: The pristine shoreline is under threat; one of the blocked canals; some of the garbage left by visiting tourists.

SA

LA

ST

2D

LE

AY

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10 THAILAND NEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

King Bhumibol visits Ayutthaya T

housands of people gathered last week as HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej made his first visit out of the capital in almost three years, visiting Ayutthaya.

King Bhumibol, dressed in a military uniform, left Siriraj Hospital on May 25, bringing much delight to the whole nation.

“Long live the King” echoed across the country,

during the much beloved monarch’s televised trip to Ayutthaya.

Millions of people were glued to their TV sets and rejoiced at the sight of His Majesty. Many of them were

moved to tears.

“I love him so much,” Napaporn Thaveethanakij, 76, said from her home in Samut Prakan, tears of joy glittering in her eyes.

A number of people also

gathered along the way from Siriraj Hospital, waving flags, to express their love and loyalty to His Majesty. Since being admitted for treatment in 2009, the King has rarely left the medical facility’s compound.

Fine Arts Department deputy director general Sureerat Wongsangiam said the trip would be recorded in the National Archives of Thailand, the Bangkok Post reported.

Aung San Suu Kyi arrives in Bangkok Agence France-Presse

DEMOCRACY ICON AUNG San Suu Kyi on Wednesday told an ecstatic crowd of Myanmar migrants in Thailand she would do all she could to help them, on the first stop of her first trip abroad in 24 years.

“I can give you one promise – I will try my best for you,” Suu Kyi told a crowd of hundreds who packed a narrow street in Samut Sakhon province south of Bangkok to see the opposition leader, who had not left her homeland since 1988.

Suu Kyi praised the strong “spirit” of workers from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, “in spite of the many troubles they have been through” in comments to journalists.

“All of them say one thing – they want to go back to Burma as soon as possible.

That of course is part of our responsibility,” she said, adding that her visit to Mahachai was like being “back in Yangon”.

Cheering Myanmar migrants held up banners with Suu Kyi’s picture and signs in Burmese and English that read “Free Burma” and “We want to go home”.

“I am very happy and I want to cry. I feel that we will get democracy in Myanmar,” said Phyu, who has been in Thailand for six years.

Suu Kyi’s foray beyond Myanmar’s borders is a significant show of confidence in dramatic changes that have swept her homeland since a near 50-year military dictatorship was replaced with a quasi-civilian regime last year.

T he for mer pol it ical prisoner, who won a seat in parliament in historic April by-elections, was expected to meet Thailand’s prime minister and attend the World Economic Forum on East Asia during several days in the country.

Her decision to begin the trip by meeting some of the hundreds of thousands of Myanmar migrants who work in low paid jobs in Thai homes, factories and fishing boats, shines a spotlight on a group that has long been marginalised and prone to exploitation.

Thailand’s workforce is heavily reliant on low-cost foreign workers, both legal and trafficked, with Myanmar nationals accounting for around 80 per cent of the two million registered migrants in

Aung San Suu Kyi smiles at Myanmar migrant workers outside their community center after meeting community representatives in Samut Sakhon on the outskirts of Bangkok on May 30.

Photo: AFP the kingdom.

There are thought to be a further one million undocumented foreign workers.

“Most of the workers here want to go back home but we

can’t afford that. There are no jobs back there and it’s difficult to eat, difficult to live,” said Aung Htun, 28, a rice mill worker.

Suu Kyi met several mi-

grant workers as part of her visit, hearing stories that conveyed a range of experiences and promised to discuss the issues with the Thai authorities.

Suu Kyi’s ventures overseas, which also include a European tour in June, are seen as the completion of her transformation from prisoner to global politician.

The 66-year-old, who spent 15 of the past 22 years under house arrest, refused to travel abroad in the past even when the former junta denied her dying husband a visa to visit her, because of fears she would never be allowed to return.

Suu Kyi also said she would meet refugees in northern Thailand, where roughly 100,000 people live in camps after being displaced by ethnic conflict in Myanmar’s eastern border areas.

Man flees with B200,000 Webmaster found guilty during gunpoint robbery Agence France-Presse

TAN Network

A LONE GUNMAN FLED with B200,000 after holding staff members at a branch of Thanachart Bank at gunpoint in Bangkok. At around 6.30pm on Tuesday (May 29) a male,

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approximately 170 centimetres tall, held bank workers at gunpoint at the branch in Wongsawang.

He ordered them to put cash from their drawers into his plastic bag, before leaving with around B200,000 in cash.

The robber also attempted to rob an Ayutthaya Bank branch nearby but could not open the door. Afterward, he turned to an adjacent Siam Commercial Bank branch but changed his mind after seeing security guards at the entrance.

A BANGKOK COURT ON Wednesday convicted an online editor for hosting posts critical of the revered monarchy on her website, but suspended her jail sentence amid demands to reform the lese majeste law.

Chiranuch Premchaiporn was found guilty of failing to speedily delete comments by other people deemed insulting to the royal family from her popular news website, Prachatai. The Bangkok court fined her B20,000.

But Judge Kampol Rungrat, while sentencing Chiranuch to eight months in jail, suspended the sentence for a year, saying that she had cooperated with the court and had “never violated the law herself”.

“The defendant cannot deny responsibility for taking care of content on her website,” he said, adding she was initially given a one-year jail term but that this was cut to eight months for her “useful” testimony to the court.

She still faces further

charges of breaching section 112 of the Thai criminal code which outlaws insults to the royal family.

Hers is one of several high-profile cases that have stirred fierce debate, where authorities are accused of trampling on free speech by exploiting the strict “lese majeste” law against defaming the royal family.

On Tuesday, a petition signed by almost 27,000 people urging reform was submitted to parliament in the first mass action of its kind.

THE PHUKET NEWS

ASIA NEWS 11

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Nepal’s war children head from poverty to university Agence France-Presse

T

he gates of one of Nepal’s top private schools swing open and 20 children who hope to be the doctors, lawyers and scientists of tomorrow spill out into a smart Kathmandu suburb.

But while their classmates come from the country’s wealthiest elite, these children were rescued seven years ago, dirty and sick, from a cowshed on the edge of the capital.

“I want to be a pilot when I leave school. I’d like to study science at university, maybe in France,” says Rita Bhandari, 14, who is in the top two percent of her year group at the prestigious Gyanodaya Bal Batika School.

Like her 19 friends, Rita was handed to traffickers in impoverished western Nepal by her family in the hope of giving her a life away from the brutal civil war then sweeping through the countryside.

The children’s journey from the remote district of Humla saw them end up on the unforgiving streets of

Founder of The Humla Children’s Home charity Eugene Lane-Spollen, top left, and his wife Maura, centre, pose with Nepalese Humla children in Kathmandu. Photo: AFP Kathmandu, where children are sold as sex slaves or forced into back-breaking labour in brick factories and mills.

Their salvation came when they were discovered by Irish businessman Gene LaneSpollen and his wife, Maura, who were visiting Nepal and heard about a group of children living in a cattle shed.

“It was a cold March day and there was no sign of the

children because it was dark,” said retired Coca-Cola executive, Gene, 64, who is based with his wife in France.

“We went upstairs on a ladder and there was no light, no windows upstairs at all. When your eyes got used to the dark you could see something and then we realised the barn was full of kids.”

Gene and Maura took all 20 children – who were then

aged between three and nine – and set up a charity to house and educate them, enrolling the group in a local school to teach them to read and speak English and Nepali rather than their tribal language.

“Over the course of the next couple of years we found the children were developing a real sense of ambition or competitiveness among themselves, even though they lived

as a big family,” Gene said.

The couple return frequently to monitor the pupils’ progress after appointing carers to instill a regime of study and discipline that has seen the youngsters catching and then even overtaking their more affluent classmates.

Rita’s success is all the more remarkable given her start in life, losing her father in the 1996-2006 Maoist civil war and having to leave her mother and younger brother and sister behind when she was sent to Kathmandu.

“Gene is like our godfather,” she told AFP. “He changed my life.”

Most of the students have never been back to Humla and they get to ring home just once every other month, but many talk about returning one day.

Chand Rai, who runs the home with his wife Menuka, says he feels “blessed” to be the group’s surrogate father.

“My family is here. It’s not work, it’s living here with them,” he said.

Rai said the children were not treated differently by their

more affluent classmates at school as they have earned respect by being good at sport and lessons.

But he admitted problems occasionally arise when they see their richer friends enjoying cinema trips and other privileges.

The children rise at 6am for prayers before their chores, and study for an hour before school. They are allowed an hour to unwind after classes but then it’s back to the books.

It is the strict routine which sets the home apart from other care centres in Kathmandu, where children are left to their own devices and often end up back on the streets.

But it is not cheap: accommodation and schooling costs for the group costs around 2.8 million rupees (B1.1 million) a year, with Gene and Maura covering most of the expense and donors making up the rest.

“If they have good food, good medicine, good management and a good school, there’s nothing to stop them,” said Gene. “They can be whatever they want.”

Corby release date set for 2017 Agence France-Presse

INDONESIA IS DUE TO release jailed Australian drug trafficker Schapelle Corby in September 2017, a prison chief said last Friday, after she had five years slashed off her 20-year term.

Corby could be released earlier if she is granted parole and will likely continue to receive the usual twiceyearly sentence reductions, Gusti Ngurah Wiratna, head of Kerobokan prison on Bali island, told reporters.

“After subtracting her (annual) sentence cuts and

the five-year clemency, she will be released from jail on September 20, 2017,” Wiratna said.

“In the future, she will continue to receive further remissions every August 17 on Independence Day, and on Christmas,” he said, adding that a team would now evaluate Corby’s eligibility for parole.

He said Corby had served enough time to be eligible to file for parole, for which a prisoner much also “express remorse, show good behaviour and not commit any crimes while serving their sentence”.

Corby’s lawyer Iskandar Nawing said that for Indonesian nationals, parole can be granted as quickly as three months after filing.

“It will likely take much longer for a foreigner because we have to coordinate with the immigration office,” Nawing said, declining to give a time frame.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono approved clemency for Corby, 34, on Monday, cutting five years off her sentence.

Corby was convicted in 2005 of smuggling 4.1 kilos of marijuana.

Take the plunge!

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12 WORLD NEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Queen Elizabeth II: a lifetime of devotion to duty Agence France-Presse

Q

ueen Elizabeth II, who celebrates her diamond jubilee this month, has spent a lifetime upholding her pledges to serve her peoples, earning a reputation in the process for calm shrewdness.

The four days of parties, pageantry and thanksgiving from tomorrow (June 2) will mark her 60 years on the throne and will serve to reflect on how she has been for many a reassuring figurehead throughout the vast changes witnessed during her reign.

When she ascended to the throne in 1952 aged just 25, Winston Churchill was prime minister of Britain, Jawaharlal Nehru led the newly-independent India, and swathes of Africa and Asia were still governed by Britain.

In the six decades since, Queen Elizabeth has been a symbol of constancy as Britain’s empire dwindled, throughout the Cold War and through the huge social upheavals between the postwar gloom and the digital age.

Despite the changing times and the very public ups and downs of the royal family, Elizabeth remains a popular figure and can lay claim to be the most recognised woman on the planet.

“To her, being Queen is a great role, much greater than her and it is a role she tries every day to keep up to,” Kate Williams, the author of Young Elizabeth: The Making Of Our Queen, told AFP. “It’s not just a full-time job: it’s your whole life.”

Born in London on April 21, 1926, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary – nicknamed “Lilibet” by her family – was third in line to the throne behind her uncle Edward, the prince of Wales, and her father Albert, the duke of York.

But the princess became the heir when her uncle abdicated as King Edward VIII in 1936 to marry US divorcee Wallis Simpson, and her father succeeded as King George VI. She was brought up by governesses, and moved into Buckingham Palace in 1937 when her father was crowned.

Towards the end of World War

Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 60 years on the throne this month, having ascended to the throne in 1952 aged 25.

II, aged 18, she undertook national service and qualified as a military driver.

In November 1947, she married her third cousin, naval commander Philip Mountbat-

ten, who renounced his titles as a prince of Greece and Denmark to wed.

The couple’s first son, Prince Charles, was born in 1948, followed by Princess

Anne in 1950, Prince Andrew in 1960 and Prince Edward in 1964.

Elizabeth was visiting Kenya when her father suddenly died overnight in February 1952. She had been staying in the Treetops Hotel, famously going to sleep a princess and waking up a queen.

Her husband broke the news and she returned to Britain immediately.

She was crowned on June 2, 1953, becoming the 40th monarch since King William I in 1066.

She has been head of state of 32 realms, a figure now standing at 16 including Britain.

While her public image, with her trademark matching bright outfits and hats, is known to all the queen’s private life remains something of an enigma.

She is an avid follower of horse racing and famously a lover of Corgi dogs, which she keeps as pets.

Her duties have kept her busy – she has toured the world, visiting every Commonwealth country, while

at home she fulfils hundreds of official engagements each year, from garden parties to hospital openings and state banquets.

The punishing schedule has been helped by her robust health, and the support of her husband Prince Philip.

Behind the scenes, she only ever takes Christmas Day off from the red boxes of official state papers that she has to plough through.

She has seen 12 different British prime ministers from Churchill through to David Cameron. Many have attested to her level-headed wisdom and thorough grasp of affairs.

In her diamond jubilee message, Queen Elizabeth vowed to “dedicate myself anew to your service”, reiterating her 1947 pledge.

Her devotion to duty has sometimes been misinterpreted as coldness – most famously following the death of Diana, princess of Wales in a car crash in Paris.

But many see a queen who has shown throughout her life that she can adapt to the times with dignity.

Pope Benedict ‘hurt’ after butler betrayal Agence France-Presse

POPE BENEDICT XVI feels betrayed by his butler, who was arrested during an investigation into Vatican whistle blowers, and is determined to root out moles, spokesman Federico Lombardi said on Tuesday.

“The pope is a witness to a case which touches him closely. It is a trial for him. He is suffering but also desires to understand, shed light on the matter, and discover the truth,” Lombardi said at a press conference.

“He is particularly hurt with regard to one person, Paolo Gabriele, who he was close to, who he knew, loved and respected,” Lombardi said in reference to Benedict’s butler, who was arrested after he was found in possession of secret papal papers.

Lombardi denied Italian media reports that five cardinals had been interrogated

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as part of the investigation into the leak of confidential documents to newspapers, but said that searches were still being carried out.

Gabriele’s arrest was greeted with disbelief as the 46-year-old was known for his papal devotion and loyalty and there has been speculation he was a simply a pawn in a game of intrigue and struggle for power inside the Holy See. His lawyers on Monday said he would “collaborate widely” with Vatican authorities, sparking wild speculation in the national media that the butler may be about to spill the beans on other whistle blowers.

G a b r iele, who h a s worked at the Vatican since 2006 and was one of a select few with access to the pope’s private quarters, was arrested a month after Benedict set up a special commission of cardinals to probe the leaks.

The documents,

splashed in the national media and published in a book, have shed light on many Vatican secrets, including the Church’s tax problems, child sex scandals and negotiations with hardline traditionalist rebels.

It alia n med ia have speculated that the leaks could be a part of a powerstruggle within the Vatican that aims to replace the Church’s powerful number two, Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, and maybe even the pope himself.

But Bertone’s deputy, Archbishop Angelo Becciu, on Tuesday said that the leaks did not expose rifts within the Church but showed that its members felt free to express their opinions.

The leaked documents “don’t reveal power struggles or vendettas but this freedom of thought, precisely what the Church is reproached for not authorising,” Becciu said.

THE PHUKET NEWS

LETTERS/VIEWPOINT 13

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

OPINION

Editor’s Viewpoint

Norachai’s World

A MANAGEABLE EXAMPLE?

T

he island of Racha Yai, some 24 km from Phuket, attracts around 1,200 day-trippers from Phuket daily during high season. Some spend the night, while others stay just for the day, snorkelling or scuba diving, or walking or lounging on the beautiful sands before returning.

While there, they also visit restaurants and toilets, deposit their trash and, of course, put extra pressure on the tiny island’s water resources and infrastructure.

The news that, after six months of lobbying and pleas, the inhabitants of Racha Yai were finally graced with a visit from Phuket authorities raises a more serious and wider question: At what point must Phuket – including Racha Yai – stop trying to accommodate more visitors and concern itself instead with taking care of its regular visitors and the people already living here?

On the visit to Racha Yai, officials were greeted with piles of garbage, landfills, polluted water and complaints of land

Struggles with the bottle.

Letters to the editor Educating the locals [Re. Racha Yai ‘in serious trouble’] I don’t want to be bad but... don’t you think the first step should be to educate the Thai people how to keep their country “green” and clean?? For example, Phuket is not getting that much dirty by tourism and foreigners.... but by Thai people.

Look around! I clean daily the forest/road next to my house (plastic bags, bottles, and much more) thrown into by Thai people riding their motorbikes or by Thai people sitting behind pickup cars. So, a much better education to the Thai people and how to respect their own country is necessary (sorry to say).

Dan

Willing to help [Re. Racha Yai ‘in serious trouble’] Hello, my name is Lui and I work in a hotel in Kata Beach.

I would like to give help to this island. We send a lot of our guests to visit this island and when I saw the news I’m very sad. I would like to help and make a group of people or an organisation if possible, this will be good for everyone!

Me and my staff can go clean and recycle the bottles.

If anyone with a boat can take us (for free) there from Chalong Pier please contact us 0854725097. I have four people who can help once a week during one month.

Lui

The impact of too much waste [Re. Racha Yai ‘in serious trouble’] We all see the mounting piles

of household rubbish throughout the island and elsewhere in Thailand. In our research regarding household domestic waste (land dumps and landfills) we came across some shocking health problems.

In the UK soiled nappies that were being disposed in household domestic waste were in fact found to contain the polio vaccine.

In Nigeria, many birth defects were contributed by the diseases from local landfills.

What happens when the Phuket water table is finally contaminated? The tap water already reeks of sewage leakage into the so called potable water.

Tony Restall

Tell the world [Re. Racha Yai ‘in serious trouble’] The best way to get things done here when it comes to the environment, animal protection etc is to cause a loss of face. Make

this international news and the government officials won’t just talk about doing something sometime in the future.

Dave

Unfair situation [Re. Soneva still mum about new Evason owner] Even in this day and age, it is extraordinary that a huge workforce can be summarily sacked without warning. Of course, it is low season, and the exercise could be construed as a cynical exercise in cost -cutting. And presumably the new owners of the Evason wish to remain invisible because they do not want to be exposed to criticism and possible litigation.

Is there no way that the resort staff can mount an effective challenge? Some of them have worked there for many years and do not deserve such treatment.

Rattled in Rawai

encroachment. Sound familiar?

Many Racha Yai locals blame “unmanaged tourism”.

Again, one has to ask whether Phuket itself has “managed tourism”. We certainly have many tour companies, but how ethically or environmentally aware they are is largely left to them to decide.

Steps are being taken. After numerous false starts and delays, Phuket’s new incinerator – while perhaps not the best solution – is finally ready to deal with as much trash as we are making every day.

But every dry season we discover again that Phuket’s water supply runs dry in many areas. The solution is simple: make use of what we have in abundance in our other season – rain. But very few companies or individuals seem inclined to install rain water tanks to take advantage of the bounty that is delivered to them free.

And no one in government is encouraging this.

Another thing we have in abundance is plastic bags...

Managed? Not quite yet.

This week in history Happy memories [Re. Evason closed, staff fired] Great shame about the Evason we have been going there every six months for the last 10 years.

The friendliest hosts and people we have ever met, many of them now good friends. Good luck in your dispute with the new owners and hope to see you all again soon.

David and Margie Brown

Clever tactics [Re. Evason closed, staff fired] The new owners are playing a clever game by paying the required severance pay demanded under Thai law. No legal action will succeed against that. On the bright side, after the resort has been refurbished, no doubt many will be able to reapply for their old jobs. A ‘win win’ situation for some.

Agogohome

Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Email editor@thephuketnews.com. Please include your full name, phone number, and email address.

■■ June 1, 1533: Anne Boleyn is crowned Queen of England after marrying Henry VIII, however it doesn’t turn out to be the happiest of marriages.

■■ June 2, 455: Start of the sack of Rome when Vandals enter the city and, er, vandalise it for two weeks.

■■ June 3, 1839: China destroy 1,200 tons of opium confiscated from British dope dealers, sparking the First Opium War. ■■ June 4, 1989: After two months of protests, the Chinese government sends the People’s Liberation Army into Tiananmen Square.

■■ June 5, 1977: The 8-bit Apple II goes on sale.

■■ June 6, 1944: D-Day in WII as the Allies begin their offensive against Germany with mass landings of troops in Normandy.

■■ June 7, 1991: Mt Pinatubo in the Phillipines explodes, throwing a cloud of ash seven kms into the sky, and killing 847 people. Most die when their homes collapse under the weight of falling ash.

thephuketnews.com

14 BUSINESS/TOURISM

THE PHUKET NEWS

BUSINESS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Spoiled for choice

Two major property developments launch in Phuket this weekend > 16

Alasdair Forbes: business@thephuketnews.com

Superyacht crew school set to open in Thalang Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com

A

new school opens in Thalang on June 16, offering courses that lead graduates to a life of glamour and high salaries – working on superyachts around the world.

The Galileo Yachting school is aimed firmly at the Thai market, initially targeting Thai women for work as stewardesses, and Thai chefs.

The school is the brainchild of Brian Murray, who is ex-British Royal Navy and was a superyacht skipper for 25 years, commanding superyachts owned by the likes of the Getty family.

He and par t ner Alex Wheeler expect to place graduates of their 18-day courses on superyachts, with pay starting at B100,000 a month, rising – for those who become chief stewardesses – to as much as B420,000 a month.

And that doesn’t include tips.

Mr Murray started years ago in the recruitment business, sourcing engineers to look after gas turbine engines when they began to be used in superyachts.

At that time, the only place to find such engineers in Britain was from the Royal Navy. With his connections, he quickly became the “go-to guy” for engineers.

Yacht owners then began asking him to find other types

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Most of the classes will be taught by long-time stewardess Julie Humbert (right) assisted by Joy Humskul. of crew – chefs, captains and stewardesses.

From there, in order to fulfil these requests, he stepped into training, running a school specifically aimed at training superyacht crew, first in Monaco and then in San Remo, Italy.

With costs climbing out of sight in Europe, and regulation becoming oppressive, he was looking for another, cheaper place to set up.

“Two years ago I was on a Thai Airways flight and I was astounded by the level of service. Amazing compared with service on European airlines. Then I stayed in a five-star hotel in Bangkok, and it was the same.”

Pretty much immediately, he decided Thailand was the place to establish a new school – it had the low costs, the less stringent rules, and the right raw materials: the Thai people.

The courses will consist of 14 days intensive training in a luxury villa not far from the Thanyapura complex – an onshore version of a superyacht.

Stewardesses will be trained in etiquette, cleaning, cooking (mostly for when the yacht’s chef is on holiday, or for crew), flower arranging, understanding wine and champagne and how to serve them, table settings, shoulder and neck massage and, on the more robust side, basic seamanship and navigation,

along with tender driving.

At the end of the 14 days trainees will be sent for a four-day course in safety in Bangkok, to acquire the essential Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping certificate, which covers such delights as first aid, fire-fighting and survival techniques.

The courses will be limited to 10 people at a time, with trainees being taught 12 hours a day by Julie Humbert, a French chief stewardess of 10 years’ experience, and her Thai assistant, from a hotel training background. Alex will also teach job application and interview techniques.

In addition, guest chefs will be brought in to teach cooking, and one of the world’s top experts to teach flower arranging.

Brian and Alex are confident they will have no trouble placing trainees in jobs. The superyacht market is large and growing.

“It’s massive. There are 10,000 -plus megayachts around the world – that’s vessels over 24 metres in length – and the average crew for each of these is ten, so that’s 100,000 jobs,” Brain says. “That doesn’t include the thousands of superyachts, under 24 metres.”

And the market is growing, especially in places like China, which turns out new billionaires almost on a daily basis.

“If you want to buy a new yacht from Perini Navi in Italy, for example, you’ll find there’s a seven-year waiting list,” he points out.

The training comes at a price: B118,000, though Brian stresses that a stewardess fresh out of the school can recoup that from her first month’s pay aboard a superyacht.

And the life can be very glamorous. In his time as a yacht skipper, Brian sailed to some of the most exotic places in the world, and guests on the various yachts he captained included Uma Thurman, the McLaren Formula One team, Whitney Houston, Julio Iglesias, Rod Stewart and guitar ace Eric Clapton, which whom he once played pool in a bar Clapton owned on Antigua.

More information on the Galileo school can be seen at galileoyachting.com or call 084 840 5822 or email: training@ galileoyachting.com.

De Bellis named as Catch boss CATCH BEACH CLUB AT Surin Beach has announced the appointment of Benedikt De Bellis as Manager.

Before arriving to Phuket five years ago, Mr de Bellis held management positions at luxury venues including the Grand Copthorne Waterfront in Singapore, the Radisson SAS Portman Hotel in London, and The Ritz Hotel in London.

In Phuket he worked initially for the Siam Supper Club in Cherng Talay before moving to Opus One restaurant in Plaza Surin.

Catch Beach Club recently expanded in size and scope, adding daily lunch and dinner buffets, a boutique, and a reception area for booking Twinpalms products including luxury yacht charters with sister company Andaman Cruises.

Patrick Cescau.

IHG to get new chairman THE INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group (IHG), whose portfolio includes the Holiday Inn in Patong, the Crown Plaza at Cape Panwa and the Holiday Inn at Mai Khao, has announced that the current chairman of the company, David Webster, will retire at the end of the year.

He will be replaced by Frenchman Patrick Cescau, 62, who was group chief executive of Britain’s giant Unilever group from 2005 to 2008, and then on the board of the international business school, INSEAD. He is a non-executive director of International Airlines Group, Tesco and Pearson plc.

THE PHUKET NEWS

BUSINESS/TOURISM 15

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

White goods prices set to rise; wages and material costs blamed

Phuket gains from row over rocks in South China Sea ACCOR DI NG TO A Chinese news site, Phuket has benefitted from an ongoing spat between China and the Philippines, with mainland Chinese tourists who had planned to visit the Philippines diverting to Bali, Phuket or Cheju Island in South Korea.

According to Shanghai-based online news se r v ice E a st d ay, t he switch came because of increasingly tense relations between China and the Philippines that blew up on April 10, “when a Philippine warship harassed 12 Chinese fishing vessels that had sailed near Huangyan Island to seek shelter from a storm”.

Huangyan Island – in fact a triangular chain of reefs and rocks surrounding a lagoon in the South China Sea – is claimed by both countries. Vietnam, too, in the past has laid claim to the shoal.

The Philippines call it Panatag Shoal but it is more widely known as Scarborough Reef, after

a tea clipper of that name wrecked there in 1784.

It is about 200 km from the Philippines and about 900 from Hainan Island, the closest point in China.

Eastday quoted Yu Weihua, general manager of the Shanghai China International Travel Service Co Ltd, as saying, “Short island routes with a relatively low price have soaked up the majority of local tourists [originally] bound for the Philippines because they boast similar attractions.”

The agency reported an increase of 20 per cent or more in the number of visitors it was sending to Bali and Phuket compared with last year.

Shanghai China CYTS Outbound Travel Service, too, has seen a 10 per cent increase in tourists to Bali, Phuket and Cheju.

“Those who decided not to visit the Philippines contribute to the increase,” Liu Xin, its deputy general manager, told Eastday.

NNT

Duncan Worthington explained the value of the King’s Cup Regatta to Phuket.

‘Brand Phuket’ still defies any clear definition Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com

Thai AirAsia T floated on SET MCOT Online News

A S I A AV I A T I O N , A holding company owning a majority 51 per cent of Thai AirAsia, this week floated 1.21 billion shares on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), at an initial public offering price of B3.7 per share, with trading in the shares beginning yesterday (May 31).

Chief Executive Officer Tassapon Bijleveld expressed confidence that the share price would climb rapidly; with institutional investors showing great interest, the initial public offering (IPO) was about 10 times oversubscribed.

The listing on the SET will help strengthen the company’s financial stability and make it easier to increase the airline’s f leet size, Mr Tassapon said.

The firm plans to double its fleet to 48 Airbus-A320 aircraft in the next five years.

National Securities Managing Director Suvapa Charoenying noted that the float is equivalent to about 25 per cent of Asia Aviation’s market capitalisation of B18 billion.

Ms Suvapa said the company’s earning and profit are growing at a rate of around 20-25 per cent per year. The first quarter alone saw a profit of B600 million.

Apart from any gain in share value, investors will have to wait for a return on their money; the company will pay no dividends to shareholders in the first three years.

Meanwhile, Mr Tassapon said that a decision on whether the airline will move its operations to Bangkok’s old Don Mueang Airport will be made within the next couple of months.

he American Chamber of Commerce in Phuket (AmCham) and the Phuket PR Network on May 24 held the first of four meetings to try to come up with a definition of “Brand Phuket”.

The series was sparked by a deliberately provocative question from Bangkok-based brand guru David Keen at an AmCham seminar in Phuket last November. His question was simple: “What is Phuket?”

There were no answers then, and there were no answers on May 24, either, though there is now a sense that some of the people who spoke, and those in the audience, have been giving the matter some thought.

This first session focused hotel-supermarket-restaurant jewelry-aquarium-new building renovation-hospital-shop-bardisco-pub-office-real state

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on sport (the next will be on culture) and was kicked off by Debbie Dionysius, Assistant Vice President – Destination Marketing at Laguna Phuket.

She focused on the inception and growth of the Laguna Triathlon, the addition of the Ironman 70.3 triathlon series, and the Laguna Phuket International Marathon series, the latest of which will take place on June 12.

She presented figures showing the huge growth of the three events in terms of competitors, their spending, and above all the value of the events in promoting Phuket as a sports destination.

Duncan Worthington of Infinity PR and Go Yachting, presented a similar portrait of

the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, with the media mileage it generates, the cash value to the island of the 1,000 sailors taking part, and the buzz created for Phuket on the internet.

Other speakers were sponsorship specialist Paul Poole and Nick Seaver, CEO of Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club.

While the two main speakers made it quite clear that sports events are important to bringing in high-paying visitors and – more relevant – pushing Brand Phuket out into the world, just what that brand is, is still far from clear.

The organisers will be hoping that the next three sessions will bring the brand more into focus.

CONSUMERS MAY BE forced to face a price increase of no less than 5 per cent in electrical appliances from June onward because manufacturers say, they can no longer support increased material and labour costs.

Supachai Suthipongchai, chairman of the Electrical and Electronics Club, part of the Federation of Thai Industries, has revealed that the prices of electrical appliances will see a gradual increase of 5 per cent during the second half of the year to offset higher initial costs of about 10 per cent, caused by increases of prices of imported raw materials as well as the 300-baht minimum wage hike.

At present, electrical appliances manufacturers are attempting to control all initial costs to maintain the current prices. However, they will be obliged to adjust product prices upward if the attempt fails, he said.

Mr Supachai said the price increases will vary according to the group of products.

Retailers such as Power Buy have begun to receive requests to raise prices, especially for household appliance – for instance, a 5 per cent increase for air conditioners, 5-7 per cent for washing machines, and 3-5 per cent for refrigerators.

The electrical appliances market has experienced 10-per-cent growth year-onyear during the first quarter as people buy new white goods to replace those damaged in last year’s flood.

Hot weather has also boosted sales of electric fans and air conditioners. It is projected that the electrical appliance market will see growth of 10 per cent growth for the year as a whole, equivalent to B200 billion.

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16 BUSINESS/PROPERTY

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

FDI up 44pc in first 4 months MCOT

THE NUMBER OF foreign direct investment (FDI) projects applying for investment promotions for January-April reached 407 with a total investment value of B155.4 billion, according to Board of Investment (BOI) adviser Hiranya Sujinai.

She said the number of projects represented a rise of 21 per cent year-on-year, while the investment value jumped 44 per cent.

Ms Hiranya noted that foreign direct investment (FDI) promotions during the first four

months were mainly businesses already invested in Thailand wanting to expand their holdings (59 per cent). These accounted for 240 of the 407 projects, and had an investment value of B113 billion.

Businesses attracting the highest investment value included electronic products and electrical appliances with 94 projects valued at B51 billion.

Japanese investors remained the biggest players in terms both of the number of projects and the investment value, accounting for 228 of the applications, with combined worth of B93 billion.

BoT predicts 6pc growth, World Bank says 4.5pc Computer-generated image of the new dcondo project, with the central ‘creek’ – a 100-metre swimming pool.

First-time buyers spoiled for choice H

ome buyers in Phuket will be spolied for choice this weekend when presales open for two major developments by Bangkok developers.

Sansiri is continuing its drive into the low-price end of the Phuket housing market with the launch of yet another project, dcondo Creek in Kathu, while Phanason, which has already completed or part-completed 11 projects in Phuket, will launch its twelfth, Phanason Grand Ville in Baan Bangjo.

The dcondo design concept is inspired “by the creek running through the mountain”, with a 100-metre swimming pool at the heart of the development’s landscape surrounded by greenery, “providing

a relaxing and harmonious living space”.

Dcondo Creek was due to open for sales from today (June 1) to Sunday, but if past performance is anything to go by, all 806 units are likely to be reserved on the first day.

The project is located on 8.5 rai, on Wichit Songkram Rd, near Kathu. It will have four eight-storey buildings with a total of 806 units and two room types – 750 studio units and 56 two-bedroom units.

The studio units are 29 square metres in area, with a balcony, kitchen area and bathroom. The two-bedroom units are 60 square metres with a dining area, ensuite master bedroom, living room and a private balcony.

Suriya Wannabuit, executive vice president, said, “We are confident that the design will receive strong feedback.” dcondo Creek will also have a clubhouse with fitness facilities, a garden, the 100-metre pool and a security system equipped with 24-hour CCTV and key card access.

Prices run from B1.1 million to B2.5 million. Construction is scheduled to begin in October Buyers who reserve and sign a contract on June 1-3 will be able to spread the down payment across installments of just B999 baht a month.

Phanason Grand Ville also opens for presales today, with a variety of houses on offer, starting at B1.8 million.

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three types of single-floor houses, detached and semidetached, and five types of two-floor detached or semidetached homes. Inside space will range from 60 to 175 square meters, and gardens will range from 36 to 54 square wah (144 to 216 square metres).

Reservation deposits are being kept low – just B5,000 for the cheapest homes.

Phanason appears to be spreading its net wide, not targeting only the Thai market but also “foreign investors such as Russian, British, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, China, etc. who are interested in property business, trade, and investment”.

The company also recommends the project for retired people who “need to find shelter and privacy”.

TAN/MCOT

THE ASSISTANT governor of the Bank of Thailand, Paiboon Kittisri- kangwan, has indicated that the central bank may raise the GDP growth projection for the year 2012 to 6 per cent, given the continuing improvement in consumption, investment and industrial production.

Paiboon said that the government’s fiscal and monetary policies have been successful in stimulating the economy and should continue to promote growth throughout this year.

The World Bank is less

excited about growth in Thailand, however, projecting the Thai economy to grow 4.5 per cent this year.

Kirida Bhaopichitr, the bank’s senior economist for Thailand, urged the Thai government to rethink its populist policies, which it believes are costing the state large amounts of money without substantially increasing economic productivity.

“Thailand needs to increase its capacities in investment, which is more effective in boosting the country’s competitiveness than boosting consumption,” Ms Kirida wrote.

AirAsia ‘defying trends’ e-Travel Blackboard

A I R A S I A’ S C H I E F executive Tony Fernandes says the low-cost carrier continues to defy industry trends after recording a 4-per-cent growth in net operating profit during the first quarter this year compared to the same period last year.

In the airline’s quarter profit update, Mr Fernandes described the carrier’s growth as “remarkable” compared to

its competitors’ performances.

He attributed the growth to AirAsia’s “resilient business model” and “cyclical airline business”.

During the record-breaking quarter, AirAsia saw its revenue jump 11 per cent to RM1.17 billion (B11.7 billion) from RM1.05 billion (B10.5 billion) during the same quarter last year and its passenger count increase 12 per cent.

Looking ahead, Mr Fernandes said business looked “positive” and added that he expects the second quarter to continue producing high load factors.

“We are monitoring fuel prices very closely and the moment we perceive an opportunity, we will not hesitate to add to our hedges based on our forward bookings,” he explained.

Despite business growth, earlier this week AirAsia announced it would axe its seven-times-weekly service between Kuala Lumpur and Solo, Indonesia.

THE PHUKET NEWS

ART 17

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

CULTURE

BIG LIST:

The last word in grave humour > 22

Jody Houton: culture@thephuketnews.com

Patong airbrush duo happy to spray away J

ack Acharya has been airbrushing ‘customised’ images onto T-shirts for more than ten years. The half Nepalese/Thai young man explains that its popularity has increased tenfold recently and that he has two main markets; Australians and Kuwaitis.

“We can put whatever image customers want on their T-shirts. Most people want a caricature of their faces put on them, for example.”

Jack added that there were cultural differences in what his two main markets asked for though.

“Kuwaitis tend to want intricate designs of religious iconography, symbols and characters,” Jack said, “Whereas a lot of Australians like to have things like genitalia on their T-shirts.”

Jack can draw anything, and along with his Thai partner Boy, they quite often do.

The process is easy, at least for them; first they take a picture of the image or draw it on the spot completely freehand.

Then they impress the image on the T-shirt using a standard compressor machine.

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Above: Boy with ink jet in hand readies himself to draw another customised T-Shirt.

Right: Jack sits amongst the pair’s designs, at their stall in Patong opposite Beach Rd. Then comes the tricky bit, they add a range of vibrant or moody, dark colours on the image and ink the rest of the T-shirt; again completely customised. The T-shirts sell for around B600-800, depending on the intricacy and size

GERRY’S

editor@thephuketnews.com

of the image.

“It takes around two hours to do the picture and slightly less if customers want an image on the bonnet of a car or the body of a bike.”

So the next time you see a motorcycle with purple flames

licking the body, a T-shirt with a ‘krazy’ message on it or even an Arabic symbol, it will have likely come from the Patong shop of the eversmiling Jack and Boy. Jack and Boy’s stall is located opposite Beach Road.

PARTING THE CLOUDS: Centara Karon Resort and

Art Jerm opened the “mini-clouds” mini-exhibition by artist Somrak Maneemai last Saturday (May 26). Mr Somak’s told The Phuket News that his inspiration to paint comes from images he visualizes in clouds and shapes created by liquid, resulting in an amazing zoo of weird and wonderful animals. The exhibition will run at the Centara Karon Resort until 28 June.

KNOW WHERE THIS IS? GUESS RIGHT AND WIN!

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THIS WEEK’S HINT: This structure on the south-east coast of Phuket Island certainly looks like an official lighthouse, but in fact it is only a lighthouse in appearance, as it has never been used for the purpose of guiding or warning boats of dangers.

It was built in the late 1980s and really only serves to identify the restaurant and guesthouse of the same name. At night the current owners of the restaurant turn on several incandescent lights at the top of the lighthouse, which gives the illusion of authenticity, but the real warning light is several hundred metres further down the coast.

–Gerry Cummings

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Congratulations go to Michael Archer, who correctly guessed that last week’s photo was of the Koh Kaew Yai shrine on a small island about 500 metres offshore from the Phromthep Cape lookout. Very visible from the lookout at Phromthep Cape, the shrine stands out at sunset when the sun’s rays hit it directly.

thephuketnews.com

18 PEOPLE

Preserving history

Kritchaya Na Takuathung Director of Phuket Heritage Trails

H

ow many years have you lived in Phuket?

I was born here.

Explain your job.

I founded Phuket Heritage Trails which offers cultural and educational tour services for visitors or Phuket residents who’d like to take a closer look into Phuket culture, history, cuisines, traditions, the true charms of the island, as well as to explore some of the sites known only to locals.

What is the best thing about living here?

Phuket offers a wide range of fun activities and places to see and explore. Although I was born here, the island can still surprise me every now and then. The fact that Phuket is small (compared with other provinces) and changes constantly, makes it very interesting to learn something old, and explore something new.

What do you do to relax?

Meditation or listening to great Buddhist teachers while sitting in perfect silence. I’ve been practising Buddhism and meditation for the past

four years now and it’s been absolute bliss. Meditation is the art of silencing the mind.

When the mind is silent, concentration is increased and one experiences inner peace in the midst of worldly chaos.

What kind of music do you like?

I like listening to solo female vocalists such as Adele, Anggun, Macy Gray, or Lauryn Hill. They are so talented, great performers, and have such powerful voices.

What is the best advice you have for people moving to Phuket?

Keep your heart open. Although it’s the second-smallest province in Thailand, it is a place with the widest diversity of people from all walks of life, apart from Bangkok.

Economic booms in Phuket have attracted both Thais and foreigners to migrate here for centuries, long before any other parts of Thailand. Tourism, marine, and property businesses have drawn more to the island in recent decades.

The big difference between then and now, as I see it, is that

Phuket in the past was more a community with a harmonious blend of various ethnics and cultures. Then, we respected, accepted, and shared. Whereas now, it is quite opposite.

Living in Phuket means the environment and people five kilometres away from where you are, can be so different.

So, do not judge too soon, you can easily become cynical or miserable living here, or very happy. It’s your choice.

What’s your favourite childhood memory?

When my sister and I spent most weekends in Patong and Kata Noi in the ’80s, we followed our father, who was a talented chef at the time, to work.

In Patong, he worked at one of the five restaurants on the beach. There were only three hotels in the entire bay, a quiet Muslim fishing village and paddy fields to the back.

Patong was very beautiful then, one of the most beautiful bays, sadly not now.

Kata Beach and Kata Noi were similar. My dad moved on to be personal chef to Mom

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Exposed Tri [Tridosyuth Devakul] at his villa on the cliff overlooking Kata Noi, today called Mom Tri’s Villa Royale. I still remember stunning Kata Noi beach with lots of coconut trees and thatched-roof cottages.

The person you admire the most and why?

HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, he is the soul of our nation. I admire him the most for his tireless efforts for the benefit and welfare of the people in this kingdom. He cares so much for us and what is best for all Thais.

As one of the world’s richest monarchs, he could have enjoyed his fortune; going on holidays, staying at luxury hotels, dining at world-class restaurants, enjoying life, or shopping lavishly.

He would have been a regular visitor to Phuket then, but no... the last time he visited Phuket was in 1973, and for less than a day.

Instead, our King has used part of his great wealth to fund many royal development projects, particularly in rural areas of the country, and has launched over 4,000 royal

Kritchaya Na Takuathung is a born and bred Phuketian. projects to help the poor.

Where in Phuket would you take someone on a first date?

Hmm, an orphanage? Or perhaps one of the poorest and dirtiest corners in Phuket would be a great place to check out his attitude and opinions.

You know... I don’t have much time to waste.

Favourite place on the island, and why?

The Buddhist Nuns Monastery called “Wat Khun Chee”, at the foot of Rang Hill. The monastery offers peaceful

monastic life and facilities for female guests to stay and practice with the resident nuns in a serene atmosphere.

The monastery conducts an introduction to Buddhist teaching and meditation courses every evening from 7pm to 9pm.

I am there at least three days a week to help.

I learned so much from them when I joined the community in 2010 as a Buddhist nun for three and a half months and still actively help them to help others.

Karen Ellison, third from left, is the host of the Phuket Book Exchange.

Conversing over good reads A GROU P OF K EEN readers regularly meet at Duke’s Sports Bar in Kata for a monthly book exchange, held every second Monday of the month.

When The Phuket News visited there were eight women swapping books and chit-chatting, but host and owner of Dukes, Karen Ellison, says they can often have up to 15 people at the

thephuketnews.com

evening. The meet up is targeted toward long term residents on the island, and there are at least 100 English-language books (of all different genres), as well as DVD movies to choose from.

The get-together was or ig i n a l ly st a r t e d by Chicky Net member Sally Horn and has been running for around 18 months. It

is open to everyone, not just those involved in the Chicky Net network, and attracts people from all walks of life.

The evening runs from 5pm to 7pm, and Duke’s puts on happy hour drinks and popcorn.

For more information visit dukesbigboard.com and click on the Book Exchange link.

THE PHUKET NEWS

HEALTH 19

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Find a healthier you Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

L

iving in Phuket can sometimes take a significant toll on your body. Green curries, bottles of Singha, and hot days where lying on the beach seems like the only form of exercise you can manage.

However, just because this is the easy option does not mean that this is the right option. Starting this month, Patrick du Preez will be writing a monthly health and wellness column for the Phuket News.

Patrick is the Director of Club Asia Fitness Centre at the Royal City Hotel in Phuket Town.

South African born Patrick said, “I’ll be writing about all the different types of fitness; cardiovascular, weight training, nutrition and discussing the benefits and value of group fitness activities.”

The good news is that Patrick won’t be asking you to completely cut your favourite Patrick du Preez is training to write his regular monthly health and wellness column. curries and pizzas completely The great thing for the favourite food. You just have or in fact get into shape. from your diet.

“There are some great Phuket News reader is that “Sure, you’ve got to eat to moderate what you eat.”

Patrick said that despite gyms on the island. Hardcore Patrick will be writing for the right thing and stay away from junk food and sugary all of the temptations on the gyms, high tech gyms and you; the keep-fit enthusiast, drinks like that, but you can island, Phuket is in fact a great many Muay Thai gyms which the amateur and the soon-toalso continue to eat your place to be if you want to stay, are also great for fitness.” be fitness guru.

Thanyapura’s Olympic-standard 50m swimming pool.

Preparing Phuket Carnival passports ALL THE FUN of the fair comes to Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club (TSLC) tomorrow (June 2) for the inaugural Thanyapura Carnival.

Kicking off at 10am, the fair offers Phuket residents and visitors alike a great opportunity to check out the leisure centre’s world class facilities and to put their athletic abilities to the test.

Many great prizes will also be up for grabs; including 6-month family memberships to TSLC, escapes to Thanyamundra and action-packed stays at the soon-to-open Thanyapura Sports Hotel.

Thanyapura Group Presi-

dent Robert Hauck said he was looking forward to a day of friendly rivalry and fierce competition, “We want to showcase our facilities, and also encourage people on the island to live healthy lives, play sports and engage in family activities.

“When people arrive at the Carnival, they will be given a special Thanyapura Passport.

The aim of the game is to complete each activity and get a stamp in your passport for each one. It’s a great way to experience all the different sports and facilities we have on offer here at Thanyapura, while having a great time too.”

Myanmar’s poor health system on life support STARVED OF FUNDS and medicine during decades of military rule, doctors at a clinic in Yangon offer their usual advice to one of Myanmar's newest HIV patients – come back when you're sicker.

In a country with one of Southeast Asia's biggest armies but a healthcare system in tatters, scarce antiretroviral drugs are given only to those with the advanced form of the illness.

“If I don't get the treatment, I'm worried the disease will get worse,” said a 47-year-old farmer at the clinic run by charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) after she was diagnosed with the virus.

During almost half a century of military rule which officially ended last year, Myanmar's junta generously funnelled cash to the armed forces but presided over one of the world's lowest outlays on public health.

MSF says only a third of the 120,000 people living with HIV in Myanmar who

under World Health Organization (WHO) standards should receive antiretrovirals are being treated.

The shortage of medicine extends to other serious illnesses including tuberculosis and malaria.

Figures from the WHO show Myanmar spent just US$12 (B380) per capita (or two per cent of GDP) on health in 2009, of which only one dollar came from the government, with the remainder cobbled together

by NGOs and patients.

That miserly outlay was matched only by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a nation ravaged by war and political instability.

In an effort to address the funding crisis, reformist President Thein Sein, whose nominally-civilian government took over from the junta in March 2011, has quadrupled the health budget for 2012-2013.

"It is a good start, but it is coming from a very low base," says Toole. "It will need massive investment... with

comparable investment by the government and donors, it would probably take at least 20 years, and possibly 30, to catch up with Thailand."

Under the junta NGOs were banned from public hospitals and in effect ran a parallel health service, but now they are calling for closer cooperation with the government to extend the reach of healthcare.

"We need to start thinking about a long-term health system where we can all work together," argues MSF head of mission Peter de Groote.

In the meantime, many among Myanmar's impoverished population will continue to rely on foreign NGOs for help.

Mying Maung Maung, a 37-year-old carpenter, says he had to turn to MSF when he needed treatment for tuberculosis and HIV. After several years of antiretroviral treatment, he stopped responding to the medicine, in part because he did not stick to the strict timetable of taking his dose.

thephuketnews.com

20 EDUCATION

THE PHUKET NEWS

The BIS class of 2012

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

B

ritish Ambassador to Thailand, Asif Ahmad attended the British International School’s Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2012 on May 25, and despite the age difference between Ambassador Asif and the Year 13 graduation class, he said that there were more than just a few similarities.

“I was also the recipient of an international education and received a buffet of classes from all over the world.

But when I completed my education, not only was it not recognised on the international scale, but it was also seen as rather odd, especially to my English friends who thought that life started and ended in England.”

He went on to say that times were much different now, and as the influence of Asia gained on a global scale, an international education and mindset was much more beneficial than it previously was.

He then went on to say that, “Many people regard your generation as lazy, withdrawn and self obsessed, but many people thought the same about mine with the hippies with their long hair and weird ways.

thephuketnews.com

Singing rehearsal with, from left to right, Year 4 students Ivan Matulyak, Daniel Bondarenko and Marley Rae.

Clockwise from top: the graduating class, proud parents, Ambassador Ahmad chats with Headmaster Neil Richards.

Prove them wrong. Prove them wrong.” In the Graduating Head Student’s speech, Panitnan Prajantabut said in reference to her and the graduating

year, “We are a bit of a ‘bag of pick and mix sweets’, but that’s what makes us special.”

While many of the Class of 2012 will be going to uni-

versities around the world; in Europe, U.S and also Asia, some are choosing to remain in Thailand. No doubt their ‘unique and varied’ school

education will stand them in good stead for the next, exciting step of their lives.

It certainly did for the British Ambassador to Thailand.

Kajonkiet kids follow the Yellow Brick Road REHEARSALS ARE UNDER way for the Kajonkiet International School’s production of the Wizard of Oz, due to take place during the last week of the summer term at the campus.

As well as practicing singing, dancing and acting with the children on a daily basis, music and drama teacher Andrew Snape (previously featured in The Phuket News under his vampire opera singer alter ego ‘Count Snape’) is in charge of the little Dorothy, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, and Wicked Witch.

Altogether now, ‘there’s no place like home’.

THE PHUKET NEWS

ENVIRONMENT 21

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Is Phuket courting disaster?

Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

A

mid growing concern over Phuket’s ability to deal with potential disasters, Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club hosted a Crisis Management Plan seminar on May 23.

The event was billed as being an opportunity for Phuket’s business owners, government representatives and environmental experts to discuss ways in which they might work together better to create a contingency plan in the event of an earthquake, tsunami, flood or any other natural disaster.

As such it was attended

by Phuket’s Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak, Vice President of NGO Thai-

Prakob Petcharut talks BCM. land Environment Institute (TEI) Dr Chaiyod Bunyakit and owner of Business Continuity Management (BCM) Prakob Petcharut.

In the opening speech, Vice Gov. Somkiet said, “Phuket is a special gift from Thailand; we are blessed with clean air, beautiful beaches and food, so it’s our responsibil-

ity to look after it for future generations.”

He remarked that everybody must be mindful of the need to balance the growth of Phuket’s much-needed infrastructure while maintaining the island’s beauty and natural environment. He believed that a huge contributing factor to the erosion of Phuket’s natural landscape was construction, and believed that much of it was being done illegally.

“Although Thailand has many laws [regarding property development], the implementation of them is still not there.

The authorities try to find ways to avoid complying fully with regulations.”

The Vice Gov added to the predominantly foreign crowd, many of whom work in the hospitality industry,

Pet of the Week

“I’m Jummum, I was born on January the 4th this year. I’m such a sweet dog and my parents are Nim Chonthira Saiwaew (my mother) and Rico Stapel (my father).”

Want to see your pet here? Email your photos to: editor1@thephuketnews.com

Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak speaks of Thailand’s special gift in Phuket.

“Phuket has many disasters; man made and natural.”

Bringing it back on topic, he continued “We need emergency laws to manage disasters, earthquakes and tsunamis. Businesses and the provincial government need to work together to take good care of the island. I’m very happy and would like to support the organisation.”

But before the welcoming applause for the next speaker had died down, the Vice Gov had left the building. Dr Chaiyod, the chairman of TEI, later remarked how he would be sending his powerpoint presentation to the Vice Governor.

He said, “I’m disappointed, it’s essential that the government, private sector and environmental organisations all know what the other ones are doing and want.”

After a 45-minute speech delivered by the doctor, many people who did attend were also perhaps unaware of what the TEI actually wanted, and besides the echoed recommended method of communicating between factions, how to go about getting it.

Dr Chaiyod spoke of how global warning and a growing population was putting undue stress on the world’s resources and how the current lifestyle is unsustainable. He also suggested that bearing in mind the way Thai politics is organised, a bottom-up approach would be best.

“We’re in the second year of a three-year plan. I suggest that independent businesses, the private sector and organisations become more vocal and go and physically ask the province and local authorities what they want.”

He added, “If there’s nobody asking what they want, how does anybody know?”

The TEI is an NGO and receives project-funded donations from agencies like Rockefeller and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in order to carry out research.

Kanokwan Homcha-aim, a researcher and project coordinator at TEI, said that she believed that to remain realistic about what can be done, either through man or nature, was

incredibly important “Quite often we cannot do anything about these naturally-made problems like climate change.

We cannot reverse it but we can contain it.”

She added that although the areas’ specific concerns were different, she had hopes of replicating the success of their most recent project in Haad Yai. “As part of our ongoing projects in Haad Yai and Chiang Rai, we implemented a strategy to manage the floods, and installed cameras to monitor when the waters get to dangerous levels. This is a particular problem in that region and we are looking into what may be the particular areas of concern in Phuket.”

The third speaker meanwhile was resolute that Phuket should be wary of anything and ever y thi ng. Pra kob Petcharut, the owner of BCM started his presentation with a mini-documentary containing quite graphic images of people jumping from windows of the World Trade Centre during the 9/11 terrorist attack.

Mr Prakob, who makes his living from selling tailoredpackages to businesses seeking contingency plans, said, “9/11 brought about concern and knowledge in Business Continuity Management. Certain sectors in Phuket have BCM in place, but many don’t”.

He referenced how during the November 2011 Bangkok floods, many 7/Elevens managed to continue stocking basic goods owing to a well-organised BCM. Mr Prakob said that regardless of the type of business or industry, the basic premise of BCM was the same, “You need to identify what your most valuable product is and then take steps to safeguard it. Think about worst-case scenarios. What if something happens? If the Phuket International Airport closes, what will you do?

“If customers lose confidence in you, then you will lose business, so it’s all about ensuring that does not happen.”

This naturally elicited a question from the audience of potential hints and tips of what to do if that happened or

in the event of an earthquake or tsunami. Unfortunately Mr Prakob said he didn’t have such information at hand.

From that point on, restoring confidence in the seminar seemed like a much more pressing dilemma.

Much of the morning was about identifying what needed to be done and why, the next step might be perhaps to discover how that can be done, besides of course employing Mr Prakob to do it himself.

For Mr Prakob however, this is the best option, “If you ask the government a question to do something, their first answer will be about budget and they don’t have enough.

That’s why I don’t care about the government and why I started up my own company.”

A Q&A session followed including predominantly foreign attendees who suggested that, much as Dr Chaiyod had said, changes needed to happen at a grass roots level.

Wages needed to be raised and more people needed to be employed to monitor and then raise tsunami alarms, for example.

One of the main things learned from the Crisis Management seminar was that in order for anything related to Phuket crisis management or disaster preparedness to be achieved, it was prudent for people to work together and stop blaming others, and be prepared to take at least a small share of the responsibility.

It was important for the ‘them, them, them’ and ‘us, us, us’ attitude to become ‘we, we, we.’ How this will happen without people listening to others and having a vested interest in not actually working together to ‘improve’ things, remains to be sought.

Kelly Franklin, the president of Sustainable Smiles and also a member of SEEK, the environmental organisation that put on the event said, “The end was missing what's [to happen] next and how to proceed further, but TEI does have plans to follow up with everyone as this was just an introduction with a workshop with more discussions to come later.”

thephuketnews.com

DANE’S WORLD

22 WEIRD NEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS

Model Majesty is added to Legoland Agence France Presse

A

The genuine article - HM Queen Elizabeth II.

Lego model of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth complete with a diamond-encrusted crown is to go on display in time for the diamond jubilee. The 10-centimetre-high figure was revealed to the public at the Legoland theme park in Windsor on Thursday – just a few miles from the queen’s favourite home of Windsor Palace. It depicts the monarch dressed in white, wearing a blue sash – the Garter Riband – and with real diamonds dotting the crown sitting atop her grey curls.

The figure, displayed in a Lego model of Buckingham Palace at the park, is not the first time that Lego has depicted the queen and other members

of British royalty. The toy company took on the Royal Wedding in 2011, creating figures of Prince William and his new wife, Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge, along with a more toneddown figure of the Queen dressed in a yellow suit and hat.

The figure of the Duchess did not feature any jewels, but her wedding dress was embellished with flowers.

Prince Harry was also depicted, with the figure made recognisable by the ginger hair beneath his military cap.

The queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations will feature a festival of boats on the river Thames and the lighting of more than 2,000 beacons around the country during the four-day public holiday beginning June 2.

Finally, a bloody good decision Agence France Presse

Not the genuine article - these are normal meatballs.

Stew on this Agence France Presse

A JA PA N ESE A RT IST cooked his own genitals and served them to five paying diners in Tokyo to cover the medical costs, in a bizarre act to raise awareness about sexual minorities.

Mao Sugiyama had his penis and testicles surgically removed in March and kept them frozen for two months before dishing them out – seasoned and braised – to customers at an event hall on May 13, according to postings on his Twitter account and local police. Diners paid 20,000 yen (B8,000) for the plate with a portion of genitals. Pictures published on a website appeared to show the meal came complete with mushrooms and a parsley garnish.

The painter, who is reportedly 22, said on Twitter the organ had been removed by a physician and certified to be free of infections.

The meal was prepared under the supervision of a certified cook and diners were required to sign a waiver indemnifying Sugiyama and event organisers.

In May 18 tweets, the artist said steps were taken so the act

thephuketnews.com

met all relevant laws, including a ban on organ sales, processing of medical waste and even food sanitation requirements.

“I receive questions from some women and men... asking ‘Will there be a next time?

Please host it again.’ But there is only one set of male organ,” he tweeted on May 16.

“Unfortunately, I have no plan for the next time.”

Sugiyama, who considers himself “asexual”, that is without gender, initially thought about eating the genitals himself, but decided to solicit paying customers to help pay his hospital bills for the surgery.

In an email to AFP, he confirmed the event had taken place and said it was organised to raise awareness about “sexual minorities, x-gender, asexual people”. He said he was readying to publish an official account of the day. Police in Tokyo said they knew of the episode, but added that it had not broken the law as cannibalism was not illegal in Japan.

“We are aware of the case.

There was nothing (criminal) to it. It does not violate any detailed rules. There is nothing to take action about,” an officer at Suginami police station said.

A N AUCT ION HOUSE announced Thursday it had withdrawn from sale a vial said to contain blood taken from late US president Ronald Reagan after he was shot in 1981.

PFC Auctions, based on the Channel Island of Guernsey, said the owner had agreed to donate the item to the California-based Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, which had threatened legal action to stop the sale.

The auction house said it had “negotiated with the consigner to arrange for the item to be withdrawn from the auction and donated to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, a considerable financial gesture from the consignor.”

Bidding in the auction, which was due to conclude at 1900 GMT on Thursday, had reached $30,086 (B950,340), PFC Auctions said.

The five-inch (12.5-centimetre) long, half-inch diameter vial dates from the March 30, 1981 assassination attempt, when Reagan was shot and wounded by the deranged John Kinkley Jr. The lot description says “dried blood residue from president Reagan (1911-2004) can be seen clearly” in a quarter-inch ring at the end of the rubber stopper.

A letter of provenance said the vial came from a woman who worked at a Maryland laboratory that did a blood test for lead after the shooting.

Vial body: Reagan may be dead but his blood lives on.

The seller, who wishes to remain anonymous, bought the item at a public auction in the US in February for US$3,550 (B112,000), said PFC, a boutique online auctioneer on Guernsey.

The seller said in a statement: “I realised what an important artefact this was when bidding in the US auction.

“I am a serious collector of presidential memorabilia, and have donated to museums before, and thought from the provenance supplied at the auction where I purchased, that the Reagan Foundation had no interest in the item.”

He said the reaction to the sale “clearly highlighted the importance of this historical artefact and I would personally be delighted to see it put on public display.”

After the 1981 blood test was completed, the vial remained on the laboratory employee’s desk and her director said she could keep the paperwork and the test tube.

After she died, it was put up for sale by her son.

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

with Dane Halpin editor2@thephuketnews.com

THE BIG LIST

Running in a hot air balloon might be pretty amazing, but it’s also an exercise in futility, considering the whole point of a hot air balloon is to enable effortless long distance travel. But it’s nowhere near as pointless as the following feats of human endurance.

Gravely humorous BUDDHISM, ITS ADHERENTS WOULD SAY, HAS many advantages over all other philosophies. But with most believers being cremated, it’s Christians who get to have the last word – on a gravestone.

Just who has the last word rather depends. There are those who carefully stipulate in their wills exactly what should be on their grave marker, while others (more fool them) leave it up to those still alive to decide how the dead should be remembered.

In the former classification was the comedian Spike Milligan, known particularly as one of the founder of The Goons, often regarded as the foundation of quirky modern British humour.

Milligan was bipolar as its known these days, swinging from deep depression to euphoria. It’s difficult to tell which mood he was in when he wrote his own epitaph: Dúirt mé leat go raibh mé breoite, Gaelic for “I told you I was ill.”

Sadly, Milligan was not the first with this witticism.

He died in 2002. Twenty-three years earlier, in a cemetery in Florida, B P Roberts was laid to rest under a stone that said I Told You I Was Sick. He wasn’t the first – there are many more examples.

Another person who grumbled about people not taking her ailments seriously was Margaret Daniels, laid to rest in a graveyard in Richmond, Virginia. Either that, or someone else had had quite enough of putting up with her complaints: She Always Said Her Feet were Killing Her But Nobody Believed Her. Eccentric actress Joan Hackett would drive directors crazy with her insistence on getting 10 to 12 hours’ sleep.

She would routinely hang a note on her door, reading, “Go away. I’m asleep.” She had that put on her gravestone, too.

Some of the best epitaphs, however, are the ones thought up by those who survived the not-so-dear departed.

In Nova Scotia relatives had the last, rather bitter, laugh when they buried Ezekial Aikle: Here Lies Ezekial Aikle, Age 102. The Good Die Young.

In Oconto Falls, in Canada: Here Lies The Body Of A Man Who Died. Nobody Mourned, Nobody Cried. How He Lived, How He Fared, Nobody Knows, Nobody Cared. Ouch.

Or on the marker in Massachussetts of the grave of Arabella Young, who died in 1771: Here Lies As Silent Clay Miss Arabella Young, Who On The 21st Of May Began To Hold Her Tongue.

Revenge can also be quite subtle. In a cemetery in Montreal is a stone that reads: John Free your body and your soul, Unfold your powerful wings, Climb up the highest mountains, Kick your feet up in the air.

You may now live forever, Or return to the earth, Unless you feel good where you are.

Now read the first letters of each line.

Finally, lest you think that the dead are worse off than you are, consider this epitaph from a grave in Sudely, England: I may be dead, but you are ugly.

THE PHUKET NEWS

TIME OUT 23

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

BOOK

MUSIC

FILM Men in Black 3 103 minutes Rating: General

Home

Toni Morrison A M E R I C A’ S M O S T celebrated novelist, Nobel Prize-winner Toni Morrison, extends her profound take on our history with this twentieth-century tale of redemption: a taut and tortured story about one man’s desperate search for himself in a world disfigured by war.

Frank Money is an angry, self-loathing veteran of the Korean War who, after traumatic experiences on the front lines, finds himself back in racist America with more than just physical scars.

As Fran k revisits his memories from childhood and the war, he discovers a profound courage. A deeply moving novel about an apparently defeated man finding his manhood – and his home.

Born and Raised

John Mayer R E L E A S E D I N M AY, Born and Raised is a far more bluegrass record than anything American singer John Mayer has released to date.

The composition for this album is broken down to its bare bones. Recorded primarily in New York City, Born and Raised takes a more emotional turn, revealing a vulnerable Mayer in 12 tracks of varying poignancy.

The opening chords of Queen of California sound like they’re sampled from a James Taylor song. Acoustic, light and airy, the opening seconds to the album are blissful.

The album explores a minimally different genre than his previous works, but in this case, change is not only good but more than welcome.

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Starring: Josh Brolin, Emma Thompson, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones

T

he Men in Black, Agent J and Agent K, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones’s aliencapturing characters, are reunited once again in the third installment of the lighthearted alien adventure.

It’s been 10 long years and a plethora of alien movies and special effect advancements since the dire sequel, however the good news is that this effort is

not as bad as its predecessor.

The first Men in Black was a hugely successful movie, it was funny, it looked good, seemed fresh and just worked.

The second was none of these things. The third lies somewhere in the middle

between good and terrible.

It’s a little ridiculous and at times quite odd.

The premise of this installment is that Agent J (Smith) must return to the past, 1969 to be specific, to save Jones’ character Agent K. He travels

through time to defeat the film’s villain, Boris the Animal. He encounters the young Agent K and has to convince him that he is indeed from the future and must make his mother and father fall in love at the school ball.

Oh no, wait.

Together, the two have to work together to stop Boris, before the entire future changes and world is overtaken by Boris’ fellow aliens. Along the way, Agent J learns far more about his partner than he ever knew after working with him for years in the present day.

This is a movie well worthy of a watch, and goes some way to redeem the franchise from the ordeal of Men in Black 2.

As some movies and movie times change every Thursday morning, after The Phuket News has gone to press, the accuracy of the following information cannot be guaranteed. For up-to-date information, visit sfcinemacity.com, or phone the cinemas directly: SFX Coliseum Phuket 076-209-000 and SFC Jungceylon Phuket 076-600-555.

SFX COLISEUM PHUKET (CENTRAL FESTIVAL)

SFC JUNGCEYLON PHUKET (PATONG)

American Reunion 12:00 | 16:40 | 21:20 Dark Shadows 11:30 | 14:00 | 16:30 | 19:00 | 21:30 Distortion (Kon Loke Jit) 14:20 | 19:00 Men In Black 3 11:15 | 12:30 | 13:20 | 14:50 | 15:40 | 17:10 | 18:00 | 19:30 |

20:20 | 21:45 | 22:35 Men In Black 3 11:45 | 14:05 | 16:25 | 22:10 The Avengers 11:15 | 14:10 | 19:15 The Avengers 12:30 | 15:30 | 18:30 | 21:30

American Reunion 14:10 | 18:50 | 21:10 Dark Shadows 12:15 | 17:00 | 21:35 Distortion (Kon Loke Jit) 11:50 | 16:30 Men In Black 3 11:15 | 12:00 | 13:20 | 14:20 | 15:40 | 16:40 | 18:00 | 19:00 |

20:20 | 21:20 | 22:35 The Avengers 12:30 | 15:30 | 18:30 | 21:30 The Cabin in the Woods 14:45 | 19:25

BRAIN TEASERS Down

1. Completely clean. It’s not less. (9) 6. Old enemy? Am rub up wrong way. (5) 8. Megalith for Barbie guys? (6) 9. Condie’s complaint, we hear, about drink. (4,4) 12. Dried up scar. (4) 13. Anyway, don’t look so much. (10) 15. Tucked away, CDs elude mix-up. (8) 19. She and I note Aussie woman. (6) 20. Elba, northeast? Back to activate. (6) 22. Be around servant, get bruise. (5,3) 25. Signs for William on stage. (10) 28. What sleepy bull does on construction site? (4) 29. Get Ronald into power? It’s a very small thing. (8) 31. Circle torn; I am in the east. (6) 33. Guide young ox. (5) 34. Set up arrangement: cue frog in! (9)

2. Fuss about a party. (3) 3. Number of mule ran astray. (7) 4. Ran back to you, student of moon. (5) 5. Quiet! Carpet may raise shoulders. (5) 6. Money, almost the width. (7) 7. Guy back in ’Nam. (3) 8. Take apart sled; I am Bess.

(11) 10. List. It takes ’em to one last letter, getting point. (7) 11. Elves and ant men returned to opposite of freedom. (11) 14. Before, er, cardinal. (3) 16. Mr Parker, after “Bravo!” (7) 17. Color to expire, it's said. (3) 18. Name future flower returned.

(3) 19. Return a postscript to therapy place. (3) 21. Crustacean chucks tea at queen. (7) 23. Cap ounce of dope. (3) 24. Did goat dent car? Joking! (7) 26. Can Ronald do musical piece?

(5) 27. Gobble part of vicar’s coffin. (5) 30. Landed and illuminated. (3) 32. Notice of race for neither partner. (3)

1. At the start of a game of snooker how many balls are there on the table?

2. Who played Hugh Grant’s love interest in the film Three Weddings and a Funeral?

3. Where does the name “spam” (the food) come from?

4. Which composer wrote Land of Hope and Glory?

5. Which Thai city is commonly known to Thais as KorTorMor? Questions provided by Peppers Bar in Cherng Talay.

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz:

1. 22 (15 red, one each of Black, Pink, Blue, Brown, Green and Yellow and the white cue ball); 2. Andie Macdowell; 3. SPiced hAM; 4. Edward Elgar; 5.

Bangkok.

SUDOKU

Across

thephuketnews.com

24 KIDS PAGE

THE PHUKET NEWS

COLOURING CONTEST

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

E

very week, colour in Sophie's drawing, have a photo taken with your work, and email it to editor@thephuketnews.com The winner will be announced on this page next week.

This week, congratulations go to Jenni from HeadStart school, who has won a B500 voucher for Phuket Adventure Mini Golf! We look forward to seeing next week's entries.

Tw i n s E d o a r d o & W i l l i a m Pellegrino, age 8, BIS

thephuketnews.com

Punpailin Nuanjun (Sandy), a g e 7, O B J Baan Maireab School

mail@

Jack Po we r, age 7, PIADS

sophieillustration.co.uk

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

LIFE&STYLE

SHOPPING 25 Train goes to market Shopping at the Mae Klong > 29

Claire Connell: lifestyle@thephuketnews.com

fashion file Have an outfit to show off? Send a photo to:

editor1@thephuketnews.com

GLAMOUR GIRL Jen LeVasseur Teacher

BRIGHT SPARK Jirapa Komlar

Tax consultant & accountant

Necklace and bracelet gifts from a friend.

Sunglasses (B299) from Naka weekend market.

Coach bag (B2,150) bought in the US.

Bright yellow dress (B300) also from Naka.

Forever 21 long black dress (B650) from South Korea.

Green bag (B1,020) bought from an online shop.

Forever 21 shoes (B500) are also from the US.

Yellow VNC shoes (B590) found at Central Festival.

ACCESSORIES 1

2

PHU THALANG 3

4

1. Cowboy hat B350 2. Printed scarf B299 3. Batik bag B890 4. Handmade necklace B150

Accessories from Phu Thalang, 74 Thalang Rd, Old Town. Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, 076-258-388.

thephuketnews.com

26 DINING

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Thinking about how to design artistic cuisine Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

T

hink Design Magazine hosted a wine dinner with a difference last weekend (Friday, May 25), with diners treated to a 5-course dinner influenced by works of art.

Executive Chef of the Bliss Beach Club, Alexander Oddy said that although he had done themed nights before, this was the first of this type.

“The themed nights I’ve done before have always been based around a particular food like egg or duck or something like that, so this was pretty special.”

Chef Alexander was sent a selection of pop art pieces

by Spanish national and L.A resident Gomez Bueno a month before the dinner and revised the menu three times before he was happy with it.

He admitted that although he was initially sceptical about attempting such a unique night, it became easier for him.

“After reading about Gomez and studying his work,

Chef Alexander with a Gomez Bueno original.

Michael Earle and Chef Alexander discuss the pieces.

I really got into it and didn’t just want to go the easy way of just using colours as the main impetus and driving force for my collections.

Before each cou rse, owner of Think Design Michael Earle gave a brief introuction into each of Gomez Bueno’s pieces and as the dishes were brought out Chef Alexander gave some wonderful insights into the process involved in the creation of his dishes. For

to a painting of an archetypal good-looking surfer guy.

“As surfing is the reason for going to the beach, everything else is an afterthought. What do we eat?

Where do we drink? Will we track sand into the car? It’s something quick. So I made a burger with a difference, with really good quality beef.

Each burger came equipped with a limited edition burger wrapper, designed by Gomez Bueno.”

example, he explained that an image that featured the Batman logo inspired Chef Alexander to create a dish with ‘a slow cooked egg’ as the ‘superhero’ of the second course and the chopped salsa, chorizo and Bravas sauce as the sidekick and utility belt to the superhero.

He added that some paintings were easier to create dishes in response to, in particular the fourth course ‘Takeaway beef’ in response

Photo: Jessie Cotterill

WINING AND DINING: Two Chefs in Kata held a wine tasting event on May 24, with wine from supplier World Class Wine and a four course dinner for guests.

Dinner at Holiday Inn Master of Wine Steve Bennett, from New Zealand, will hold a wine dinner in conjunction with Holiday Inn Resort Phuket on June 7.

Welcome drinks served at 7.00pm, dinner served at 7.30pm. Price B2100++.

For reservations contact 076 370200 or ml_hirp@ phuket.ksc.co.th

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

DINING 27

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

A whole lotta love S

tepping inside Gitano Restaurant & Love in Cherng Talay is like stepping back decades to your childhood.

The interior of the restaurant is decked out in brightly coloured furniture with handpainted lamps and floor. On the walls are bold acrylic paintings by co-owner Miguel Kirjon.

Miguel and partner Lin Prachakrich opened their Pa Khlok restaurant in 2009 and the Cherng Talay branch followed seven months ago.

Both serve Mexican and Thai cuisine.

The restaurants are indeed a labour of love, as the name might suggest. The couple spent hours decorating the interior and hand-painting the lights, and a large mural which adorns the wall of the children’s play area.

Lin manages both restaurants while Miguel works fulltime as director of branding for Twinpalms.

Miguel, of Finnish and German descent but raised

Above, cordon bleu; right, enchiladas. in Colombia, met Lin, who is Thai-Chinese, while they were both teaching at what was then Dulwich International College, now the British International School. The couple’s children, Valentine, 11, Vivaldi, 3 and Vanjelis, 1, have been integral in the way the restaurant is shaped today.

When they opened Gitano

Restaurant & Love, it was with the idea that their children, and children in general, could be part of the fun.

Both restaurants are very family friendly, with a special room for kids to go wild, and a popular branch of their business is holding children’s parties, complete with specially designed games.

Lin and Miguel run Gitano Restaurant & Love.

Of the fun design, Miguel says, “It’s a fun place, it’s colourful and it makes people happy.”

Also making people happy is the food, which is reasonably priced and all made fresh on the day.

Lin’s Mexican food is lowcarb, and nearly everything on the menu can be made

vegetarian. Highlights include the quesadilla (B190), and fajitas (B190).

A must-try is Lin’s home made Mexican sauce, which tourists have been known to buy and take home to their own countries.

On the Thai menu, signature dishes include the penang curry (B150), which Lin says

is a cross between massaman and penang because she uses peanut powder.

The salmon steak with lime juice (B210) is also delicious.

If you’re having a bad day, lunch or dinner at Gitano is guaranteed to make you smile.

G i t a n o l o v e . c o m , 0 81 892-2419 (Lin) or email lin@gitanolove.com

Wining and dining with The Godfather AMERICAN DIRECTOR producer and screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola was in Phuket in spirit last week, when representatives from his winery hosted a wine dinner at the Boathouse in Kata.

Wendy Putman, President of Wholesale Wine & Food, and her daughter Emily Putman, Director of International Sales, explained that the five reserve wines presented on the night were from a very small production run, made with grapes grown in California’s Napa Valley, and named after his most famous films.

Coppola’s winery, a familyrun business, produced its first vintage in 1977.

One of the wines at last Friday’s wine dinner was the Sofia Coppola Sparkling, 2009,

Wendy, left and Emily Putman. one of several wines named after his daughter. Emily says Coppola promised Sofia as a seven-year-old that he would make her a sparkling wine when she got married, and he followed through with his promise.

Emily says Coppola is very involved in the winery, including in the production of the unique labels, designed in a spiral around the bottle.

A specially-made machine uses infrared technology to sense where each bottle is, and wrap it accordingly.

Standout dishes of the evening included the king crab cannelloni wrapped in Parma ham, aged parmesan and balsamic vinegar, teamed with the Godfather 1972 Chardonnay.

Another example of a fine wine-and-food match was the black Angus New York strip steak, with a Pinot Noir reduction, teamed with The Cotton Club 1984 Zinfandel – a full red that worked really well with the rich flavours of the beef.

Evening highlight – the scrummy king crab cannelloni wrapped in Parma ham.

thephuketnews.com

28 EXPLORE

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

THE PHUKET NEWS

The Old Town is given a facelift

thephuketnews.com

Marks the start of high season. The highlight is the colourful parade held on the first day.

Date: December 15-20.

Location: Patong Beach Road.

Red Cross Fair

Charitable occasion to mark the arrival of the New Year, with vendors and a popular raffle.

Date: Late December.

Location: Centre Stage, Sapan Hin Public Park.

Dibuk Rd.

Rd. →

→

Thalang Rd. →

Phang Nga Rd. →

Thalang Rd. →

Phang Nga Rd. →

d. →

Also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore, ethnic Chinese worldwide believe that during the 7th lunar month, the ghosts of their ancestors visit their home. To make sure their visit is a happy one, offerings of food are made, such as a red cake in the shape of a turtle.

Date: Seven days in late August.

Location: Phuket Road.

Patong Carnival

Dibuk Rd.

OLD PHUKET TOWNbe no wires blocking With the Peranakan Cul- will ture Centre having opened in the view. the old Standard Chartered Read the full version at Bank building at the intersec- jamie-monk.blogspot.com. tion of Phuket and Phang Nga Jamie works at liveaboard roads, things are looking up dive specialists Sunrise Divfor the Old Town. ers in Karon, 084-626-4646, And thankfully, soon there sunrise-divers.com

MUSEUMS

Kathu Mining Museum

Seafood Fiesta

→

et R

Introduces Muslim culture in Phuket, with fashion show, live music and singing.

Date: Late July.

Location: Various.

Por Tor Festival Fair

← Rano ng Rd. ←

This elegant colonial-style mansion was completed in 1907 by wealthy Chinese immigrant Tan Ma Siang. Chinpracha House is one of the most integral ancient remains on the island.

Old photographs, Italian floor tiles, imported furniture from China and old utensils are wellmaintained in the house’s interior.

98 Kr ab i Rd , Phuket Tow n , 076 211 281. Open daily 8am4pm. B100.

Phuket Halal Food Festival

Celebrates the sea, with a wide range of freshly cooked local seafood, including lobster s, crabs, octopus, squid, clams and all kinds of fish, together with vegetables, fruit and a variety of interetsing juice drinks.

Date: August Location: Rawai Beach.

← Krabi Rd. ←

Chinpracha House

Sells products made by prisoners across southern Thailand.

Date: Mid-June.

Location: Centre Stage, Sapan Hin Public Park.

Suthai Soi 2

k Phu

Prisoner Product Fair

Dibuk Rd.

Takuapa Rd. →

FESTIVALS & FAIRS

Clockwise from top left: the corner of Dibuk and Yaowarat Roads; Tha lang Road during the Phuket Street Show; shophouses along Soi Romanee; map of the area.

→ Yaowarat

O

ne of the things that everybody notices here in Phuket, and just about everywhere in Thailand, are overhead cables.

There are power cables, phone cables, internet cables, all kinds of cables, and more often than not they look terrible.

After living here for so long, I have developed a blind spot for cables, but when you come to an area with no wires hanging over the street, it’s very noticeable. Sadly, there are very few cable-free places

Aekwanit building, corner of Dibuk and Yaowarat, is a section yet to be done – quite a difference. Once you’ve seen a street looking great without wires, then the wires look even worse.

Krabi Road, just to the west of Thalang Road, is now also wire free. The Thai Hua Museum is found here.

Of course some parts of old town are like a living museum with businesses such as the Old Herb Shop on Thalang Road that have been run by the same family for 100 years or more. And I love the old buildings. My wife and I joke about trying to buy one, but a small shophouse might be too small for us and the kids to live in. But maybe...

Rd.

Jamie Monk lifestyle@thephuketnews.com

19th and early 20th century at the height of the tin mining boom. Some new buildings are present, but there is a very active old town association led by important local families, so these streets (I hope) will not be allowed to become ugly.

I went to take a little walk in the Old Town on May 19, a week after the work had been completed in Phase 2.

Well, not totally complete, the section on Phuket Road is not done yet (see map). But part of Dibuk Road is done, and the shophouses look better for it.

For instance, the Aekwanit building on the corner of Dibuk and Yaowarat Roads is now wire-free and looking great. On the opposite corner of the same junction from the

Thepkrasattri

JAMIE’S PHUKET

in Phuket. Putting all cables underground is expensive and with continual upgrades in technology, can lead to endless digging with cables being replaced.

In the old heart of Phuket Town some roads have been dug up, but all the cables – now inactive – were still there.

And then suddenly a couple of weeks ago we drove through the old town, and along Krabi Road we could see a whole new street view with no ugly wires. It was like the work had happened overnight, because I’d just driven down Krabi Road the day before.

Doing this work will allow the old buildings to show their true face. Much of the old town was built in the late

Built according to colonial architecture, imitating a mansion of a tin miner, the museum shows the origins of Phuket’s culture and history especially from the mining era.

Several indoor exhibition rooms display Phuket architecture, mining, Thai-Chinese way of life, Chinese immigrants’ life, the Baba’s marriage and the solar system.

Muang Tor Sung Rd (behind Loch Palm Golf Club), Kathu, 088 766 0962. Open daily 9am4pm.

B50 for Thais, B100 for foreigners, children half-price.

Philatelic Museum

The museum is in the old preserved Post Office, housing old

equipment such as telegraph tickers, telephones, parcel-weighing machines and collections of Thai stamps issued since 1951.

Phuket Post Office, Montri Rd, Phuket Town, 076 224 883.

Open Mon - Fri 8 .30am 4.30pm. Sat 9am-12pm. Free entrance.

Seashell Museum

Over 2,000 species of sea shells that were collected by the Patamakanthin family are now displayed in the museum.

2/2 Moo 2, Viset Rd, Rawai, 076 613 666; www.phuketsea shell.com.

Open daily 8.30am-5.30pm.

B100 for Thais, B200 for foreigners, children half-price.

Thai Hua School Museum

The museum is in what used to be the main Chinese-language school, built in 1934.

C la s sroom s in side were renovated as exhibition rooms, displaying Phuket Thai-Chinese culture and tradition.

28 Krabi Rd, Phuket Town, 076 211 224; www.thaihuamuseum.com.

Open daily 9am-5pm. B50 for Thai, B200 for foreigners, add extra fee for photograph.

THE PHUKET NEWS

TRAVEL 29

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

A train runs through it

Watch where you walk in the Mae Klong market Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com

M

any of the odder aspects of Thailand are the result of compromises made to create a win-win result for all concerned. So long as the health and safety people are never allowed anywhere near.

A delightful example of this is the Mae Klong market in Samut Songkram province, west of Bangkok.

A rail line r uns right through the market. Stallholders, not willing to give up a single inch they didn’t have to, sell their goods right next to the track – actually touching it – and hang awnings over the track to keep the sun off their fish, fresh vegetables, desserts, clothing, or shoes.

Approach the market from the railway station that stands between it and the Mae Klong River and it looks as though there is no way a train could go through; the tracks simply disappear into the shade under the awnings. But it does.

The track is a convenience

Above, the train rumbles through the market, almost but never quite touching the goods. Right, from top: The rails run straight into the market; tracks provide a handy walkway; vendors replace their awnings just seconds after the train has gone through. for shoppers. They can follow it through the market. The space between the rails, which belongs to the rail company, is never infringed on by the vendors. When a train comes through, which is about eight

times a day, an astonishing transformation takes place.

Alerted by a couple of toots on the horn from the train, and with complete aplomb, the vendors pick up their trays full of goods and

TRAVEL NEWS Conrad Bali launches new Family Package Conrad Bali has launched a new family package that provides parents with extensive benefits including complimentary meals, recreational and cultural activities for their young ones. The formula is simple: parents unwind for an ultimate getaway, save with complimentary kids meals from the extensive kids menu each time they dine in the resort’s three restaurants or order through in-room dining, and relax knowing that their little ones will be well taken care of.

The new family package now includes complimentary access to Kura Kura Club, Conrad Bali’s kids club.

Children between the age of three and 12 are invited to learn, connect and explore Bali’s unique culture. A highlight of Kura Kura Club, the daily cultural program features activities such as traditional Balinese dancing, learning the Indonesian language, and learning how to make traditional Balinese offerings. Throughout their stay, children continue to be entertained with a variety of activities such as arts and crafts, cookie making,

visiting the resort bakery, pizza making, kite flying, and treasure hunts.

Sprawled over 6.8 hectares of tropical gardens with levelled grounds, multiple pools and fronted by 350 metres of beach, the resort provides easy and safe environment for children. Beach exploring allows children the opportunity to discover nature at its best, while the resort’s lagoon pool and sand area provide a safe area inside the resort for kids to enjoy.

“Over the years, we see more and more family travel with young children.

Being an award-winning, child-friendly resort, we are confident that our new family package will give parents the opportunity to enjoy what our luxurious resort has to offer, whether is a pampering session at the spa or delighting in culinary creations in one of our restaurants, and knowing time that their children too are having a good time and gaining memorable experiences,” said Jean-Sebastien Kling, general manager, Conrad Bali More information: conrad bali.com

Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort celebrates grand opening Embedded in the mythical hills of the famous Son Tra Peninsula and surrounded by a beautiful landscape with panoramic views of the East Sea, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, designed by star architect Bill Bensley from Bensley Design Studios Bangkok, will open on June 1, the first InterContinental Resort in Vietnam.

Enjoy t hei r s p e cia l opening rate starting from USD220++ (B7,000). Book from now until January 1, 2013 for stays between June 1 and January 1, 2013 and enjoy: Daily buffet breakfast for two; high speed wi-fi throughout the resort; 10 per cent discount at Citron Restaurant or Barefoot Café or L_o_n_g Bar; complimentary scheduled shuttle bus to Danang City and Hoi An Ancient Town (UNESCO Heritage Site).

More information: reser vations@icdanang.com

move them back, then move their awnings out of the way.

Some don’t even bother to move the trays, which they have filled to precisely the height where the part of the train overhanging the wheels will simply glide over the top of the goods with a couple of centimetres to spare.

The diesel train with a couple of coaches in tow rumbles past, and as soon as it has done so, the awnings go back out over the track and the trays are put back in place. In 20 seconds you’d never know there had been a train there.

It all happens so swiftly but calmly that it’s almost disappointing, yet at the same time close to magical.

The line ends at the station, so 15 minutes later the whole process is repeated as the train comes back the other way.

No one seems to feel this is the slightest bit dangerous, or even out of the ordinary. After all, the players get plenty of

practice, and it’s as routine for them as taking off and putting on a pair of shoes.

Those most at risk are probably the tourists with cameras glued to their faces.

But if they look as though they

might be hit, the vendors pull them gently out of the way.

To get to Mae Klong, take Route 35 west out of Bangkok about 50km. Or take a train from Wong Wian Yai, which takes you through the market.

thephuketnews.com

30 ENTERTAINMENT

THE PHUKET NEWS

THE TICKET Flying high with Claire Connell

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

editor1@thephuketnews.com

E

ven those with a severe fear of heights are being encouraged to give it a go at the new Mid Air Circus Arts circus academy in Phuket.

The company opened in August 2011 and since then has been providing many entertainment performances on the island, including impressive displays at the recent Bliss Beach Ball in Bang Tao and the British International School’s March Spring Fair.

Specialising in teaching skills on trapeze, aerial equipment, silks, tissues, pole dancing and juggling, the company offers private and group lessons on a casual basis or as part of their training academy.

The men behind the venture are trained circus performers Ben Martin, from New Zealand, and Adam Lambert, from Australia.

The two friends met while working at Club Med Phuket in 2005, after spending many years working for the com-

Adam Lambert, left and Ben Martin. pany’s circus schools.

Ben has been teaching and performing on the trapeze for the last nine years, while Adam is a former professional performer with Australia’s Silver Circus, and spent eight years as Club Med’s circus activity manager for Asia Pacific.

Last year they decided to go for it, forming their own

company.

They say even if you’re the type of person who flinches at the thought of being high off the ground swinging from a trapeze, they are convinced it won’t take long before you’re comfortable with the height and having the time of your life.

Adam says, “The first time is for fear, the second time is for fun, and the third time is

The impressive displays from Mid Air Circus Arts performers. for life.”

“People are doing less and less exercise these days.

The trapeze is a great way to get your fitness up and have a great time flying through the air. It is really great for personal goals – there’s no limit to how far you can go with your skills.”

Ben says when he started off learning the trapeze

he himself was terrified of heights, but now feels very comfortable at such altitudes.

Children and adults can learn important skills too, he says, including self confidence, concentration, fitness and body strength.

“It’s exhilarating, pulseracing and a huge adrenalin rush.”

All the equipment at their

89.FM goes Live from Tiger AMID THE THUDS OF kicks and punches being landed, DJ Jason Wilder talked about all things Muay Thai and music during his Drive show on Phuket Live 89.5FM, which was broadcast live from Chalong’s Tiger Muay Thai and MMA (TMT) Training Camp last Friday.

“Watching the trainers and watching the connection that the guys have here with the people who come is cool,” said Jason before his show. “You see them smiling a lot.”

TMT beat several other businesses on the island to host the Drive show, which airs every weekday from 3pm to 7pm.

For Jason, who had been at the camp several times in the past to watch the notorious BBQ Beatdown held the last Saturday of every month, TMT seemed like the logical choice.

“This is a great place and it’s awesome to help spread the word about the atmosphere here – there’s always something going on,” explained Jason.

Tiger Muay Thai and MMA Training Camp is

thephuketnews.com

regarded as one of the top training facilities in Thailand and hosts guests from all corners of the world.

“It was an absolute pleasure to have Jason and the crew here. The entire camp was on fire thanks to his quick wit and welcoming personality,” said TMT’s Director of Communications, Natasha Horrelt.

Highlights during Friday’s show included a live on-air tattoo that Jason had done on the back of his neck

by TMT trainer and tattoo artist Kru Oh – the outline of a small Buddha with several symbols surrounding Above, Jason interviews TMT Director Will Elliott, and below, gets a bamboo tattoo from Kru Oh. the figure.

“The tattoo means that the person it is on is of the highest calibre,” said Kru Oh, whose full name is Waigon Promsuwan.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to get done,” Jason said. “I don’t know of any other radio deejay who has had a tattoo done while doing a show live.”

A speed kicking competition and a tasting from the several figures from TMT Marshall, a guest at the camp from New Zealand, “I’d never camp’s well-known Tiger and lots of music.

“It was really cool of them seen a live radio show before Grill rounded out the show, along with interviews of to come here,” said Hirini – the music was refreshing.”

Pa Khlok training venue (where the full size flying trapeze is set up) is imported and is certified and rated to both Australia and American safety standards.

Prices start at B950 for a 90-minute class, or B750 a class if 10 classes are bought in advance. For more information visit midaircircus.com or visit facebook.com/midaircircus

WEEKDAYS Breakfast

Sam Clarke

7am-11am

Non Stop Classics

Live 89.5

11am-12pm

Lifestyle

Steve Johnston

12pm-3pm

Drive

Jason Wilder

3pm-7pm

Non Stop Music

Live 89.5

7pm-7am

SATURDAY Weekend Brunch

Bob Hayes

10am - 1pm

Phuket News Radio

Live 89.5

1pm - 2pm

Saturday Sport

Sam Clarke

2pm - 5pm

Going Green

Nick Anthony

5pm – 7pm

Saturday Night Fever

Live 89.5

7pm – 11pm

SUNDAY Weekend Brunch

Bob Hayes

10am – 1pm

The Spin

Tim Newton

1pm - 4pm

Jason Wilder

4pm - 7pm

Live 89.5

7pm - 8pm

Live 89.5

8pm – 11pm

Lazy Sunday Afternoon Phuket News Radio (repeat) Sunday Night Chill

* Box of Neutrals is now part of Saturday Sport (2pm-3pm)

www.phuketliveradio.com Tel: 076-612-895, 090-490-7895

THE PHUKET NEWS

ENTERTAINMENT 31

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Lady Gaga rocks Bangkok Coconuts Bangkok

L

ady Gaga put on an impressive show last Friday night at Rajamangala Stadium, to the delight of 50,000 screaming Little Monsters.

The production of the biggest concert ever in Thailand was super tight, the sound was solid, and, most importantly, Lady Gaga sang beautifully.

W h i le p e r for m i ng a stripped down version of Hair, Gaga wore a traditional Thai Chada headdress (given to her by the leader of the Shade of Gaga fan club) and sat on a modified motorcycle with a keyboard installed in the handlebars.

It’s a bit surreal to see a 26-year-old woman in an outfit that looks more fitting for sadomasochism play a perfect piano sonata and fill a massive arena with her voice, but that is what the crowd witnessed on Friday night.

During that number, a highlight of the night, she addressed some of the controversy that has dogged her tour.

“You know, the past few places that I’ve been to, there’s been a lot of protesting. And coming to Thailand has been the first country in a few shows

Fans dress up for Gaga’s Bangkok concert.

It was all go at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium. that has really been excited and embraced me. So thank you so much to all 50 or 60 thousand of you for believing in what I stand for,” she said, seemingly crying as the crowd erupted into cheers.

She probably wasn’t aware that she was causing more controversy by wearing the Chada headdress as some netizens called it an affront to Thai culture, but that didn’t really matter.

Indeed, the always controversial Gaga had managed to avoid major criticism in Thailand for a while – unlike in the Philippines, where Catholics protested against her sex-charged show, and in Indonesia, where fundamentalist Muslims threatened violence if she performed (she ended up cancelling her June 3 date in Jakarta.)

But soon after she landed in her private 747 on Wednesday

Photos: Coconuts Bangkok night at Bangkok’s Don Muang airport, she ruffled some Thai feathers by sending out a tweet to her 24 million followers that said, “I just landed in Bangkok baby! Ready for 50,000 screaming Thai monsters. I wanna get lost in a lady market and buy fake Rolex.”

Some weren’t happy that she chose to mention Bangkok’s pirated goods industry and a possible reference to prostitution.

One of the many peaks of her Friday night show was the performance of Born This Way which featured a massive sculpture of a woman giving birth and lots of moaning and groaning from Gaga in the lead up to the song. When the song finally did kick into action, Rajamangala erupted.

We now know why three 747s and 20 shipping containers were needed to transport everything for the performance, as the size of the production rivalled a Superbowl halftime show.

The stage featured a huge haunted castle with lots of moving parts and Gaga changed

outfits for nearly every song.

Memorable costumes included an Alien-esque get-up that obscured her face, an allwhite outfit with a ram’s-horn headpiece, and the leather and chains of her S&M leotard.

After performing for over two hours, Lady Gaga closed out the show with an encore version of Marry the Night, a motivational dance number off her Born This Way album.

Then the lights came on and everyone went home – transformed into Little Monsters if they weren’t already – and having witnessed what was Thailand’s biggest and, many will argue, best concert ever.

Cannes crowns ‘Love’ as competition winner Agence France-Presse

Cannes crowned Love by Austria’s Michael Haneke, the wrenching tale of a man and his dying wife, with its Palme d’Or prize Sunday as Europe swept the awards at world cinema’s top showcase.

Haneke’s octogenarian actors, French screen icon Jean-Louis Trintignant, 81, and Emmanuelle Riva, 85, bowled Cannes over in the story of Georges and Anne, an adoring couple whose bond is tested after she suffers a stroke.

His second Palme in three years, the win confirmed Haneke’s status as arguably the most important film director working in Europe.

Haneke took the Palme d’Or three years ago for a very different work, The White Ribbon, a black-andwhite study of malice in a German village on the eve of World War I, which some saw as a parable on the roots of Nazi savagery.

Hailed as a “masterpiece” by critics, the French-lan-

guage Love marked a journey into tender new territory for a director better known for exposing the icy secrets of the soul.

Haneke’s sober camera chronicles the intimate details of Anne’s physical and mental decline, as Georges fulfils a pledge to care for her at home until the end.

Both actors climbed on stage at the star-studded gala in the Riviera city to accept the award with Haneke, who dedicated it to his wife of 30 years.

“This film is an illustration of the promise we made to each other, if either one of us finds ourselves in the situation that is described in the film,” the 70-year-old director told the audience.

Speaking for the rest of the jury, the designer Jean Paul Gaultier said Riva and Trintignant had delivered “the greatest emotion of all the movies we saw.”

Choosing among 22 films from around the world, the jury headed by Italian director Nanni Moretti handed all

but one prize to Europeans.

Cannes’ best actor award went to Danish heart-throb Mads Mikkelsen, 46, searing as a man falsely accused of molesting a child in the psychological thriller The Hunt by Thomas Vinterberg.

Two young Romanians, Cosmina Stratan and Cristina Flutur, shared the best actress prize for their roles in Cristian Mungiu’s Beyond the Hills, about a young nun and her friend who falls victim to a deadly “exorcism”.

Mungiu, who captured the Palme d’Or in 2007 for the Communist-era abortion drama 4 Years, 3 Months and 2 Days, also won this year’s screenplay prize for the story that explores how badly institutions can fail the individual.

The festival’s runner-up Grand Prix award went to Reality, a tragicomedy by Italy’s Matteo Garrone about a father driven mad by a quest to become a reality TV star.

Its star, Aniello Arena was unable to attend the awards.

He is in prison for murder.

thephuketnews.com

32 ISLAND SCENE

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Far left, Nick Seaver, CEO of Thanyapura and guests.

BRANDING THE ISLAND: The American Chamber of Commerce in Phuket (AmCham) and the Phuket PR Network held their Sports Tourism seminar on May 24, the first of four meetings to try to come up with a definition of “Brand Phuket�.

Above, Richard Valentine with his winning voucher for Thanyapura.

Above, Natasha Eldred, left, and Bev Sangsuwan.

Above right, Alastair Carthew with guest.

FOR THE KIDS: On May 23 Child Watch presented money to children under its care, over three hundred children total. The Rotary Club of Patong Beach and several other donors to Child Watch were present, with Rotary supporting over 50 children.

Photo: Gerry Cummings

END OF AN ERA: Students from the British International School Year 13 celebrate their graduation day on May 25.

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

GIVING BACK: Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket participated in the

Mobile Blood Collection campaign on May 25, organised by the Phuket Regional Blood Centre, part of the Thai Red Cross Society.

ISLAND SCENE 33

A ROYAL GUEST: The Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa hosted Than Phuying Bandhu Savali Kitiyakara, the mother of HRH Princess Soamsawali on May 22-23.

EASY BREEZY:

Sea Breeze Surin held its reopening party on Friday night, with more than 50 people attending.

New owners Peter and Helen Munoz, originally from the UK, took over the v e n u e r e c e n t l y.

Phuket musicians Pjae Stanley and Colin “Illy” Hill provided the entertainment.

‘GIRLS’ GONE WILD: Participants in the Phuket International Rugby 10s joined the afterparty on Saturday evening, held at Taipan in Patong. The highlight of the night was of course the cross dressing talent show which attracted some rather impressive, and scary, entries.

thephuketnews.com

34 EVENTS

THE PHUKET NEWS

UPCOMING EVENTS

List your event for FREE at thephuketnews.com/events.php

JUNE 1-9

Somrak Maneemai at VR Gallery Somrak Maneemai’s “Lost in the Clouds” collection is his newest work. Somrak has a MFA from Silpakorn University. His Red Gallery was specially mentioned in the New York Times and has recently relocated to the Phuket Art Village in Rawai. The NYT commended the art village for its originality. The VR Gallery is located adjacent to Mom Tri’s Villa Royale at the entrance of the Baan Kata Estate. 076 333 568. See momtriphuket.com.

JUNE 2

Time: 5pm onwards. Talung Thai Restaurant. Contact 076 302 000, email: dining@ paresaresort.com, www.paresaresorts.com.

Olympic Games as well as music, a weekly quiz night and Happy Hour drinks. And a popular return attraction for the youngsters at this year’s Festival will be the Kidz Fun Zone, serving up daily afternoons of sports skills, cooking lessons, adventure and educational activities, golf excursions and outings to local amusement parks, for just B200 per session. Further attractions planned for the Festival include art classes from a Festival Artist-in-Residence and Zumba fitness sessions.

For more information, a schedule of events and details on promotions, please visit http://www.lagunaphuket.com/events/ family-festival.

JUNE 11 - JULY 11

JULY 1

Chris De Meo at VR Gallery Opening reception June 12, 7pm. VR Gallery is excited to announce the 1st solo exhibition of artist Chris De Meo. So impressive are his works that he has been invited to exhibit “My Abstract Life” at VR Gallery. The exhibit will be predominately large abstract pieces. For the opening reception we request children be over 12 years old. Contact 076 333 568.

JUNE 16 Phuket Academy of Dance 2012 Thanyapura Carnival Thanyapura invites everyone to visit our sports facilities with fun games and activities. Get a chance to win special prizes for all of the activities. Contact Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club, 076 336 000.

Song and Dance Spectacular, Ballet, Jazz and Tap by students across the Island. Contact Linda 081 893 7749 for details.

Organic Spanish Wine & Tapas Night at Paresa Join us for an exciting evening featuring certified organic Spanish wines from the Parés Baltà winery. Sample some of the finest cava and wines from this spectacular winery, presented by Parés Baltà’s winemaker Mr Maxime Bazart, distributed in Thailand by Black Forest Distribution.

This is accompanied by a fine selection of tapas created by our executive Chef Ryan Arboleda. B1,100 net per person.

JULY 9-20

Summer Camp at FunStart!

Summer Camp Details Where: FunStart When: July 9-20, 2012 Times: 9am-3.30pm.

Ages: 7-13 years Includes: Sports, survival in the wild, adventure, cooking, art, making new friends! Cost B12,000 (Special discount for HeadStart students) For registration details contact FunStart office from 10am-8 pm. Contact HeadStart Office, 076 612 876, miki@headstartphuket.com.

The Bangkok Travellers

JUNE 7

American Independence Day Picnic American picnic at HeadStart with hamburgers, hot dogs and American beer for sale. Free admission. Games and jumping castle for kids, fireworks at sunset and live band. Contact David Rucker 087 266 7514 or visit website navyleaguephuket.org.

JUNE 23 - AUGUST 25

JUNE 2

Live band The Bangkok Travellers on Saturday night at 8pm. Also Sunday roast served from 2pm. Every Sunday. Adults B299, children B150. Sugar Reef, opposite Tesco at Cherngtalay.

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

JUNE 23 - AUGUST 31 Learn to Fly - Flying Trapeze “Learn To Fly” Flying Trapeze Lessons at Laguna at Canal Village. Open to the public everyday for all ages 4 years and up! Starts 5pm till late. We have “Try and Fly” classes, 1/2 hour and one hour sessions And don’t miss “The Laguna Fantasy Fly Shows” presented by “Ordinary People doing Extraordinary things”. Contact K.Pee 084 837 5726 or K.Gee 086 003 0241, KidzSole@ KidzSole.com www.KidzSole.com.

WAHOO THAILAND 2013 SPORT FISHING TOURNAMENT Offshore The Similan Islands

19th - 21st February 2013

Proudly organised by the Rawai Beach Fishing Club, (RBFC) Phuket, Thailand.

Summer Family Festival Laguna Phuket’s two-month Summer Family Festival swings into action on Saturday June 23 with a treasure trove of fun and games for kids, together with a host of entertainment options for parents. Right through until August25, Canal Shopping Village is transformed into a carnival playground, with a BBQ Beer Tent for parents to socialise and relax while their youngsters enjoy the Kidzsole Flying Trapeze, bouncy castle, trampoline and games in the Kidz Lounge.

The BBQ Beer Tent will offer a feast of televised big screen summer sporting events including coverage of the Euro 2012 Football Championship London

57 hours of non - Stop fishing!

Huge media coverage!

CASH AND PRIZES TOTALING OVER APPROX. 3,000,000 BAHT ($100,000) Summer Day Care at FunStart!

Summer Day Care Where: FunStart When: July 9-27, 2012. Times: 8.30am-3.15pm.

Ages:3-6 years Cost: B9,000 for 3 weeks B3,500 per week. Contact HeadStart front office. Call 076 203 185. Email: miki@headstartphuket.com.

For further details please contact Warren Crowe or Andy Bright info@rawaibeachfishingclub.com Warren tel: +66 (0) 812604291 Andy tel: +66 (0) 862739948 Website: www.rawaibeachfishingclub.com RAWAI BEACH FISHING CLUB IS AN OFFICIAL SPONSOR CLUB OF THE INTERNATIONAL GAME FISHING ASSOCIATION. RBFC SUPPORTS IGFA’S STANDARDS OF GOOD SPORTMANSHIP IN RECREATIONAL FISHING

www.phuketticketmaster.com

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

EVENTS 35

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

REGULAR EVENTS

List your event for FREE at thephuketnews.com/events.php FRIDAY

buffet with a touch of Scandinavia, and listen to our live music. For example: Our home-smoked salmon, smoked prawns, Swedish meatballs, roasted porkloin, home-made bread, delicious desserts and much more. B395 or B695 include free flow of Chang draught, wine, Sangria. See www. twochefs.com, 076 330 065, katacenter@ twochefs.com.

pat Guesthouse Sports Bar, Patong. See map at www.expatguesthouse.com.

WEDNESDAY

SUNDAY

Two Chefs Tex Mex Night Sunday Roast Pork Sunday Roast Pork or Beef Dinner Every Sunday 2pm onwards Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong B290. Stilton with Port or Wine Every Sunday 2pm onwards B290. www.expathotel.com.

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At Two Chefs Karon 6pm-1am. Every Wednesday you can enjoy Phuket’s best Mexican food. Chili con carne, Mexican rice, Mexican springrolls, nachos, pork fillet skewers, salmon quesadillas, grilled corn cob, desserts from our bakery and much more. Our house band will be here to play live music. B495 or B795 include free flow Chang draught and Sangria. See www. twochefs.com, call 076 286 479, karon@ twochefs.com.

THURSDAY AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM Pool Competition @ Expat Hotel Pool Competition at 9pm. Expat Sports Bar, Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www. expatsportsbar.com.

SATURDAY

Lazy Sunday Jazz Morning at Paresa Kick back and enjoy a lazy Sunday breakfast at Paresa with live jazz music, free flow sparkling wine and stunning selection of breakfast dishes. Spend the rest of the day at Paresa’s Infinity Pool or Beach Club.

B600++ per person. Every Sunday 9am to noon. Call 076 302 000.

All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub, one km from Chalong circle. Please contact 081 895 4763.

DAILY

MONDAY The Craic Biannual Golf Day Biannual golf day June 9 at Laguna Golf course, B500 registration fee (includes two drinks and buffet at prize giving party) 50% of Laguna non member green fees. Format Texas scramble. Contact claire5_32@hotmail.com.

Summer Promotions!

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Two Chefs Surf Night

BBQ at Expat Hotel Time 8pm, Expat Sports Bar, Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www.expatsportsbar. com.

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At Two Chefs Kata Beach. Every Monday from 6pm-12am. You can enjoy our big BBQ Buffet with Blackened red snapper, beef burgers, Chicken Fajitas, Tacos, Chimi-Churri marinated chicken, desserts from our bakery and much more. One member from our house band will sing pleasant music during the night. Only B495. See www.twochefs.com, 076 284 155, kata@ twochefs.com.

Best Mini Golf in Phuket! Phuket Adventure Mini Golf – Fun for Everyone! A challenging 18 holes miniature classic championship golf course surrounded by palm trees, stones, water, bamboo and bushes. Designed & built together with Scandinavian Adventure Golf. Whether living close by or here on a fabulous holiday, this is the place for the whole family, friends and couples to enjoy at all times.

Contact 087 268 1925.

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TUESDAY Very Happy Hours at Friendship Beachfront Resort

Two Chefs Saturday Brunch At Two Chefs Kata Centre. Every Saturday 12pm-3pm, you can enjoy a big delicious

Pool Competition at Expat Guesthouse Pool Competition Every Tuesday 9pm Ex-

4-6pm. Everyday. B60 - All beers. B90 House wine and Single shot drinks. B150 Tall cocktail. Great food, great drink, great fun all the time. Contact Charlie 089 728 5304, chef@friendshipbeach.com, 27/1 Soi Mittrapap, Rawai, Phuket.

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36 JOBS

THE PHUKET NEWS

CLASSIFIEDS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Penthouse condo with seaviews Two double bedrooms > 39

classifieds@thephuketnews.com

JOBS IN PHUKET

List your ad for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

Immediate Start: Thai English skills. Please send swimming teacher to teach CV helena@welcometo Divemaster with good English and professional attitude wanted for Phi Phi dive centre. Salary + commission + board/lodging.

Contact 076 381 765, email info@sea-bees.com.

Accountant: Two positions for accountant are urgently required at HotelTravel.com. Vocational or bachelor degree in Accounting. Please send CV or call for more details. Fresh graduates are also welcome. Call 076 282 808, email jobs@hote ltravel.com.

Job Vacancy - HotelTravel.com: Geo Coding Officer, Admin Researcher, Data Research Admin and Business Coordinator Hotel Par tners. Bachelor’s degree in any field. Good

CV or call for details. Call 076 282 808, email jobs@ ho teltravel.com.

Th a i N a t i o n a l A r t Teacher: Phuket International School has an opening for a position of an Art teacher. Requirements: Thai National, good English, education in Art or in the related field. Email phuketinternational@asia. com.

Accountant: We are looking for a full-time accountant to work in an International School. 5 days a week. 8 am to 5 pm. Thai national. Must speak English. Email phuketinterna tional@asia.com.

Swimming Teacher: Looking for a qualified Thai

and assist teaching swimming for HeadStart International school and after school classes at FunStart.

Salary B15,000 plus good commission. Please contact 076 203 185 or 087 882 5544.

Tr a i n e e M a n a g e r : Thai national with a degree,excellent English skills, outgoing personality and an enthusiasm to learn and succeed are all essential to start a career in the swimming pool industry.

Salary negotiated. Email info@mobilepooldoctor. com.

Office Staff Wanted: Fluent in English, Thai nationality, age 25 - 40, with experience in travel agency and/or real estate business. Working hours: Mon - Sat 9am - 6pm. Send

thailand.si.

Receptionist: Receptionist needed for FunStart Family Sports Club in Kathu. Should have a working knowledge of c ashier duties, a good command of English and good customer relation skills. Salar y B15,0 0 0.

Contact 076 203 185, 087 882 5544.

Summer Camp Teachers Required: The British International School, Phuket are seeking ESL teachers for their annual July English Summer Camp programme. Full programme details are available on our school website.

Applicants are ideally required to have a recognised education degree and a TEFL qualification. Please submit your applications to ppreez@bisphuket.ac.th.

Private Drama Teacher WANTED: Female students aged 6 and 9 years old are looking for someone fun and creative to do some private drama and movement lessons after school (4.30-6pm) twice a week, in the Laguna area. This person must be English speaking and non -smoking. Please email: Sherin.peace@ gmail.com with previous training credentials, photo of yourself and contact details.

Housekeeping Staff Required: 5 day work week, service charge, duty meals and transportation.

Experience required but not necessary. Good attitude. Contact 076 372 300.

Salesperson Required:- Thai female – good command of English, confident, and highly-motivated for a Design Agency based in Phuket. Basic salary plus commission. Contact: john@cre8-media.net or call 083 502 5552.

Sales Executive: We have an opening for a field

R e a l - E s t a t e S t a f f sales executive to promote Wanted: Looking for full our range of luxury website time young Thai staff, fluent in spoken and written English with real estate business experience. Please send an e-mail with a photo to info@molokophuket. com.

and print design products.

See our jobs page on lfrasia.com for more info and details on how to apply.

Email: sales@lfr-asia.com.

Kindergarten Teacher Wanted: We are look-

Operations Manager ing for a native English / Sales: Club Asia Fit- kindergarten teacher to join

Looking for Staff: Da- ness - Phuket’s leading our team to teach 10-12 Vinci Restaurant in Rawai Naiharn is looking for staff.

Waitress and bar tender with experience. Working hours 4pm-11.30pm, one day off, good salary. Contact 086 947 5197.

fitness centre requires an Operations Manager and a Sales Consultant. Requirements Thai National, degree and must be able to communicate in English. info@clubasiaphuket.com.

children aged 3- 6 years of age. Must have a minimum Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent. Contact Daniel 084 520 4978, email: info@ c ravensnur ser yphuket. com.

Thai National PE Teacher: Phuket International School has an opening for a position of PE teacher. Requirements: Thai National, good English, education in the related field. Email phuketinternational@asia.com.

Wanted seller: Wanted seller. Women, thai nationality, good english, good looking, friendly, tidy. 6 days a week, 3pm to 7pm, B300 per day plus comissons. Contact 083 6 49 6169.

Website Programmer required: Cybernok are looking for good HTML, CSS and PHP programmers (preferably with Joomla! experience) with good English skills. Please e-mail your CV with recent picture and expected salary. info@cybernok.com.

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THE PHUKET NEWS

CLASSIFIEDS 37

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

List your advert for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

BUY & SELL IN PHUKET

10-metre-wide double shop premises plus 10 newly-fullyfurbished rental rooms above for sale in Phuket Country Club area. Chanote title. B22 million or nearest offer. Call 081 606 5772.

of Bangla Road. Located in a busy soi with many restaurants and small pubs and a big hotel.

Big lounge on the bottom floor.

Very cheap selling asap. 087 272 4862.

BUSINESS SERVICES Tile It: Thalang. Wana Park on Srisoonthorn Rd. Phuket’s quality tile boutique. Tiles for interior, exterior, residential, commercial. Contact 076 620 168 or 081 424 2828. Email info@tile-asia.com.

Motor Yacht Freezer for sale: Custom made

BOATS & YACHTS

Cu s t o m B u i l d D i ve Speedboat: 49ft Fiberglass Boat, 24 Diver Seat, one year old, 3 Honda engines 675hp, survey for international insurance,all safety equipment, VHF radio,side entry and exit doors, 35 places plus 5 staff. Contact: 084 188 4544.

For Sale 35 Ft Speedboat: With 200 HP x 2 Yamaha engines. Recently reconditioned, spent B300K to rebuild the engines, paint, etc, needs another B100K to be like new. Offers to James 085 064 4806 alonglee52@ gmail.com.

Speedboat Dive/Snorkelling: Customised speedboat diving, snorkelling, GPS radio, 2x Yamaha engines 200cc. Also available Bauer compressor 40 tanks regs BC DS boat. B900,000. Call Joe 087 891 8912, joe@similandiving-safaris.com.

Indo Construction: 40 years’ experience and more than 20 years at your service in Thailand. Main contractor: study project, architecture design and construction and management. Contact: 076 381 895.

As new only 7,000kms. Pearl white unmarked condition. leather, DVD, tint, towbar, rollbar, rust and paint protect.

An eyecatcher with 20” rims and 265 profile tyres. Bargain.

Email zoloft2010@hotmail. com.

CHILDCARE

Dive Speedboat for Sale: Custom built dive

Farang Food Paradise:

speedboat.A must-see; one of a kind in Phuket. Places for 24 divers. 49 feet Glassfiber 675hp Honda Engines. Only 1 year old ready with all licences for business. Contact: 084 188 4544.

Guesthouse and Shop For Sale: Three -storey

2.0L 4WD, excellent condition, low mileage, regular service & rust proof treatment, accident-free, one lady driver only. B950,000.

C all: 0 8 9 5 9 2 4 8 9 4 o r gibbonslim@gmail.com.

Nissan Navara Calibre:

H60 x D50 x L200cm, was made for a Hatters Motor Yacht 60 Ft in 1998 and still runs very well. Paid U$5K. Make me an offer.

Contact 085 064 4806 or alonglee52@gmail.com.

BUSINESSES FOR SALE

CRV 2010 for Sale:

Your specialist of imported food and drinks in Phuket. Visit our shop at the Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco Lotus. Contact: 076 612 733, 076 248 900. www.phuketfood.com.

Patong Pool Club & Sports Bar: Big pool club on NaiNai Road in Patong. 9 Brunswick tournament pool tables, air conditioned carpeted pool hall. 20 tvs, 2, 2.5 meter projectors. Call 088 444 7912 (selling because of private health problems). h t t p s : // w w w. f a c e b o o k . com/pages/Patong-PoolClub/322189594471781.

Techworx: Custom design & installation. Professional service and support. Premium service: home cinema, home automation, marine AV and IT, lighting control and multiroom audio-video. Call: 084 443 9863.

Havana Cigar Shop:

CARS FOR RENT The car for rent: Car in

- 4 floors - 6 rooms (television, refrigerator, air-conditioning, safety box and furniture included) - 7 bathroom (1 downstairs bathroom) - Kitchen (cooker, hood cooker) - Reception area (Currently used as coffee shop) - WiFi

oldest bilingual international child care facility. High-quality, time-proven schedule and curriculum. Now in brand new purpose-built school. Experienced native English teachers to teach ages 1 1/2-8. Mon-Fri 8am.-5pm. Bus service available from Patong, Karon, Kata, Phuket, Rawai and Chalong.

Website: www.buds-phuket. com.

CLUBS & MEMBERSHIPS Club Asia Fitness: Royal

Opposite HomePro Village Chalong. Contact 081 956 2024, vinoltds@hotmail.com.

Boutique Hotel For Sale:

Buds Nursery: Phuket’s

good condition, short and long-term rental with firstclass insurance and delivery service. Call 086 690 6007, email: k.niwatt@hotmail.com.

A1 Car Rentals: Fullyinsured. Starts at B12,000 to B18,000 per month. Please call 089 831 4703. Email for more info: a1carrent@gmail. com.

CARS FOR SALE

Phuket City Hotel. Offers Zumba/LesMills classes/weight training/sauna/steam/swimming pool, all inclusive. For a free trial workout, come along and join the action. Tel 076 354 027, 087 275 3614. www. clubasiaphuket.com.

Funstart: Family sports and leisure club. Swimming/golf/ playcentre/gaming arcade.

Call 076 203 185, 087 882 5544. See funstar tphuket. com.

SK A L I nt e r na t i onal Phuket: Skål is a professional organisation of leaders from all branches of the travel and tourism industry. www. skalphuket.org.

Singapore Club Phuket: Calling all Singaporeans in Phuket to join “Singapore Club Phuket”. Contact Robin on 081 803 7189, 076 303 500.

- CCTV - Key card and key tag system - Good security

EDUCATION

- Growing area - Good location - Successful business Price B10 million.

Call 088 761 2617, 085 261 3405.

Four Level Guesthose Bangla Road: Four level guesthouse/hotel in the centre

Old Classic 1960 Benz for Sale: Old classic 1960 Benz. Spent B250,000 to recondition. Offers accepted. Call 085 064 4806 for more details or alonglee52@ googlemail.com.

Want to Practice your Thai?: Thai courses and lessons for daily life (culture and language) with friendly and energised Thai female teacher. Graduated from university. Negotiable prices can be offered. Plus have outdoor activities for your experience.

Call 080 386 5026.

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38 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS

BUY & SELL/HOMES IN PHUKET

List your advert for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php for rent opposite HeadStart International School by Central and Makro. 2 air-con. ADSL, washer, 2 hideaway sofa, 2 TVs, 3 desks, office with view over shared swimming pool.

B17,000. Contact May 089 973 3276.

111, email info@hhlegaladvi sors.com, www.hhlegaladvi sors.com.

EDUCATION

Bon Café Phuket: A

Reduced Sofa for Sale: One year old three

Palm House International School: Palm House International School, Rawai. Ages 5 -11years.

Qualified and experienced teachers, extensive grounds Extra curricular activities include: Swimming, Basketball, Mandarin, Russian.

Please look at our facebook page Palm House School or www.palmhouseprimaryschool.com for further information. Contact details: 076 288630, info@palmhouseprimaryschool.com.

seater sofa for sale. Backrests recline for comfort.

Can be folded down to make a comfortable bed. Large matching ottoman. May be able to deliver if nearby.

B20,000 new, B9,000 ono.

Call 085 572 6870.

Russian Language for Your Kids: Are your children starting to forget Russian? Sign up to our Russian Language For Kids program.

Visit http://PhuketRussian School.com, email us at info@ phuketrussianschool.com or call 082 804 9131.

Cooking School: Fire up your creative flair with Food Services Cooking School. Italian, Western and Thai cuisine.

Try our famous pizza school.

082 816 0126, email: info@ foodservicesth.com.

MOVING & STORAGE

producer of premium coffee blends and powdered mixes as well as selling, maintaining, servicing and repairing all major brands. 076 355 600-1.

PET ADOPTION Why buy a pet?: Soi Dog Foundation have over 300 beautiful dogs and puppies available for adoption. Fully-vaccinated and sterilised.

Contact 085 574 4258. Email: cindy@soidog.org.

schild Red Wine for sale, best offer. I bought it for my collection before. Please call me, James on 085 064 4806.

POOL TABLES Phuket Pool Tables: www.phuketpooltables.com.

Your number one billiard and snooker supplier in Phuket.

Sales, rent and profit-sharing.

All accessories and services.

Call 081 823 4627.

Air Tickets to Samui: Need to sell air ticket barter quickly. Substantial savings.

Please email or call me for details. +66 (0) 81 938 1728.

Email : les@capitaltv.co.th.

Land for Sale: 11 rai, one kilometre from Naiyang beach. B6.5 millions per rai.

Please call : Siriporn +66 (0) 896 499 939.

years renewable contract, B40,000 a month, building with three rooms, bathroom, living area, office, I live all you see, second building up to three offices, two bathrooms, showroom,bike in the price. Contact 084 552 9792.

Space for Rent in Patong: Of fice, Busi-

Golf Villa is only three years old located at Loch Palm Golf Club Phuket. Bought for B32.5 million plus landscape and renovation B6.3 million. Four bedroom plus extra room and pool. Any offers welcome. alonglee52@ gmail.com.

Bargain Land Rawai: Renovated Condo for Sale: Patong near Simon Cabaret, 50sq metre hugh pool and garden area. Everything new fully furnished plus kitchen, free hold. Sale B3 million, no stupid offers.

Thai 087 621 3405/ English.

Contact 085 471 9246.

Selling or Renting Your Property?: We

Luxury Condo Kata Beach: Stunning seaview

Buon A p p et i to: D e li market and bistro. Number one supplier of Italian Deli in Phuket. Call 076 384 273, info@buonappetitogroup.com, www.buonappetitogroup.com.

Villa for sale or lease:

have buyers for foreign freehold, sea view properties and land. Call 080 143 2929 or visit realestate.phuket. net.

5 star, 1 bed room lounge kitchen, micro wave, satellite TV, DVD WiFi. Weekly/ Monthly rates. Call James 090 864 4519.

4 Bed/5 Bath HomeB30k month: Immaculate

Haris & Hawryluck - Attorneys at Law: Unit 6D

4 bed/5 bath custom home with full western kitchen. Gated entry in quiet development across from Boat Lagoon, near BIS. ADSL, Satellite, Only B30k per

CCM Complex, call 076 510

month. Martin 087 850 4684.

65% Off in Low Season!: This Peninsula Villa Phuket is located in Cape Panwa. Phuket. This villa has swimming pool, aircon. and WiFi . Below rates are daily.

Weekly and monthly rates available upon on request.

This Peninsula Villa Phuket was valued by Night & Frank realty recently at B123 million. It has 12 rooms, common swimming pool and gym facility. Give us an offer.

Contact alonglee52@gmail. com.

• Standard room, share toilet and shower B1,000 • Deluxe room B1,500 • Superior room B2,500 • Penthouse B10,000. Please call James 085 0 64 4806 or email to alonglee52@gmail. com.

pool villa for rent, Rawai area, 5 minutes to Chalong centre, fully furnished. Please contact : 089 472 9870, e-mail: dchaibut@gmail.com

Furnished 3bed 2bath + Office Near Central for Rent: Furnished house

Cape Yamu. 2 x 0.75 rai adjoining plots OrBorTor road access to super end of soi private location. Private sale direct from the owner. Only 3.5 million baht per rai. Contact 081 087 9237, www.phuketlandforsale.net.

SEAVIEW LAND FOR SALE: Near Chalong pier, Nice One Rai in Chalong: Reduced, just

Private Pool Villa: Private

Quiet location for sale: 1 plot 724 sq metre, perfectly developed behind excl project, Bali wall, 16m well, electric, freehold, Building permit for pool villa, private street. Price B4.5m. www.phuketlivingart. com, residler@gmail.com.

Eng.German 080 890 5187/ Thai 081 817 4805.

1.5 Rai (2 X 0.75 Rai) Chanote at Cape Yamu: 1.5 rai flat land at

Health Food : Online health

MY STORAGE Self Storage you can buy quality moving and packing supplies like individual boxes, bubble wrap, packing tapes & knives plus secure padlocks. We also help you to move and store.

Call 076 292 909.

thephuketnews.com

Home and Work Chaofa: 800sq.metre 7

PROPERTY CONCIERGE

We Sell Boxes & Moving Supplies: At

A fabulous 4 day/3 night riverboat cruise up the River Kwai. B55,000. Price includes 2 persons in one luxury cabin, daily excursions, transfers from Bangkok, meals. www. destinationthailand.tv. +66 (0) 81 938 1728, email: les@capi taltv.co.th.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

n e s s s p ac e f o r r e nt o n fifth floor of Patong Towe r. C a l l 0 7 6 3 41 3 7 0 .

food in Thailand. Good Karma, all natural healthy, natural and organic products. Contact 082 276 1675. www.goodkar mathailand.com.

Land 330 sq metre, peaceful location, five minutes to Patong, Chanote title. B5.5 million. 086 268 8701, email: f430spiderf1@hotmail.com.

Golf Villa for sale/ lease: The Lake View

8/28–29 Moo 9, Chaofah East Road. Contact 076 283 365.

PROPERTY FOR RENT

5 Star River Cruise:

Villa for rent in Rawai Beach, 3 Bed 4 Bath Jacuzzi Bath, Private pool, The striking two-storey homes feature a grand living room and dining area, kitchen. TV, DVD/CD Player, Internet Wifi. 089 727 7477, www.baanmari mar.com.

Chaofah Pet Hospital:

PERSONAL SERVICES

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS FOR SALE

House Villa for rent:

PET HOSPITAL

1982 Lafitte Rothschild: 1982 Lafitte Roth-

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

B6 million now. 200m off main road near Chalong temple. Full chanote title.

Call 087 053 6181/089 651 3479. Email philcroker69@ hotmail.com.

Thai Style House for Sale: Teak wood f loors, stairs, walls, 2 bedrooms.

150 metres from the sea.

Three rai and one ngan plot.

Chanote title. Price: B25 million per rai. No agent. Call 087 278 7206

Jindarin Beach Club & Resor t: B1.5 million for one plot, B3.2 million for cottage + plot. Call 080 467 7770 (Thai), 083 520 0020 (English). www.jinda rin.com, Email: eam1008@me.com.

THE PHUKET NEWS

CLASSIFIEDS 39

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

List your advert for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php PROPERTY FOR SALE CONT.

hilltop, sea/mountain views, chanote, water, electricity and office. B4.2m per rai. Call 087 978 5804.

Luxury Private Pool Villas: Brand new Bali style

Pent house Condo with Sea Views: Genuine opportunity to buy 150sq metre (+100sq metre terrace) two double bed, B2.5m condo. Bang Tao Beach.

Superb facilities include pool and gym. Company or standalone. B6,990,000.

Call Paul 082 6 05 0138.

3 and 4 bed villas 1 km to Nai Harn Beach. High rental guaranteed investment.

Prices from B12.9m (incl. full furniture pkg). Enquiries sakt27@gmail.com +66 878 974 42.

Exclusive Pool Villa with Class & Style.

Land 700 sq metre. Big pool with sala, 400 sq metre living area, 4 sleeping room, dining, guesthouse, garage, 6 bathroom.

Full basement. Private street. Bargain price B16 million. www. phuketlivingart.com, residler@gmail.com. Call Rene: 080 890 5137 Yupin: 081 817 4805.

Land for Sale Mission Hills: 800 sq metre

Info: 089 594 4067

1300 sq metre

stairs, walls, 2 bedrooms.

Land 330 sq metre, peaceful location, five minutes to Patong, Chanote title. B5.5 million. 086 268 8701, email: f430spiderf1@hotmail.com.

Land for Sale: Land Mission Hills half rai plot, quiet select location, chanote, water, electricity. Price B1.6m. Six rai

Nice Villa for sale: Three Land For Sale: 6 rai Hill-

Very quiet and private locations, very close to airport, Tesco, Golf courses and Phuket International Academy. All Chanote title from B1.7 million. Contact 087 276 0529.

Condo in Phuket Town for Sale/Rent: New condo, 1 bed, fully-furnished, WiFi, maid service, sea view. Call 081 893 5188.

Mission Heights Residence

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bedroom villa with separate bedroom/office, opposite pool.

Khao Khad Road, two minutes walk to river, four km to Ao Makham beach. Secure parking for two cars, government water, six ring oven, fridge, washing machine, satellite TV, cable TV, Wi-Fi, nature gardens, plot size 104 sq metres.

Asking price B7 million. Call owner 084 304 6723 Thai/ English.

top, sea/mountain views, chanote, water, electricity and office. B4.2 million per rai, Contact : 087 978 5804.

Academy.

Modern, New Two Storey Villa for Sale:

WRITE YOUR CLASSIFIED FREE ONLINE: 189 CHARACTERS + 1 PICTURE

Designed specially for families, the Mission Heights Residence offer very spacious 540 Sqm houses, all with 12 meter long swimming pool, 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, guest bungalow, maid quar ter and a nice garden in a very secure, children friendly environment only couple of minutes from Phuket International

Living space 200 m2, balcony. terraces, three beds, two baths, furnished, ADSL, tropical garden, calmly gated village, clubhouse pool/tennis court, near Phuket Town, shopping, Rawai-Naiharn beach. Call 089 593 8690, ruen_narayan@hotmail.com.

Located only 10 minutes from Airport, Grand Ao Por Marina, new Tesco Shopping center, 2 golf courses, Naiyang beach, Thanyapura sport / leisure center and international school, the Mission Heights Residence is a perfect place to live for families without traffic in a very peaceful, secure and natural surrounding.

After a great success of the first phase, the Sunrise Ocean Villas is now starting to build the 8 other villas of "Phase2". The price of 17.9 million baht makes the project one of the most compettitive on the island for being only 60m from the beach.

E ac h v i l l a h as a li v i n g area of over 300 sqm, has 3 spacious bedrooms, all sea views, 5 bathrooms, a 10x4m infinity pool, maid's quarter and a covered 2-car parking. The houses are specially designed to guarantee a complete privacy, with an open panoramic view of the sea.

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PUBLIC NOTICE

Come visit the villas and you will be wonderfully surprised by the quality of the project as well as the quality of life you can find here.

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The Villas currently under construction being built to highest western standard and are launched at only 13.9 million Baht for the first 3 houses.

189 CHARACTERS

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Te r m i n a t e d S t a f f Notice: The Directors and Management of Emerald Villa Services and Tamarind Villas Phuket. Wish to make it known that the person known as: Sathitapron Dutwan (old name) or Pattrida Dut wan (present name) ID Card number is 3 8599 00128 190. Is no longer employed and no longer represents the above companies.

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For appointment or more details, contact the project director Khun Montha at 081 343 0777 (Thai, English & German) Email: thesunri sevillas@yahoo.com.

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For appointment or more details contact project director, Khun Montha at 088 75 11 750 or email mission_ heights@yahoo.com.

REAL ESTATE SERVICES Thailand Proper t y Agent: CB Richard Ellis provide strategic advice and execution for sales and leasing for all types of property. http:// www.cbre.co.th/en/index.asp.

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THE PHUKET NEWS

PHUKET SPORT 41

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

The Phuket team during the opening ceremony.

The Phuket Soft Tennis team who won a gold medal. The boys’ team took silver. Photos: Phuket Games Press Centre

LET THE PHUKET GAMES BEGIN The Phuket Games

THE PHUKET GAMES

Province 1

Sukunya Phoonpong reporter2@thephuketnews.com

2

T

4

he 28th National Youth Games kicked off in style last Saturday (May 26), with its opening ceremony attracting 15,000 supporters and athletes from across 77 provinces in Thailand.

Rain did little to dampen the spirits of those who attended the opening ceremony, held from 6pm at Surakul Stadium in Phuket Town.

On display were six impressive performances from Phuket students, including Phuket singer Jaruwat “Dome” Cheawaram, this year’s winner of television singing competition The Star.

Also perfor ming was Pavida “Silvy” Moriggi, who competed in the same competition in 2011, and who sang the official Phuket Games song.

Phuket finally picked up its first gold medal on Tuesday (May 29), when the girls’ soft tennis team beat their Nakhon Ratchasima opponents in the final rounds of their competition.

Phuket students Krit Jamkajornkiet and Panot Kingkaew beat Maha Sarakam in the competition’s Go event (a Chinese board game similar to chess) to also take gold.

Phuket bowler Somkiet Kraisombat also picked up a gold medal in the boys’ bowling competition, held on Wednesday afternoon.

Silver medals were awarded to the boys’ soft tennis team; Phuket’s Go players Sorawit Kingkaew and Pat-

3 5 6 7 8 9 10 19

Bangkok Chon Buri Suphan Buri Chiang Mai Nakhon Si Thammarat Samut Prakan Surat Thani Chantha Buri Nakhon Ratchasima Khon Kaen Phuket

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

35 21 16 13 13 11 8 7 6 6 3

23 18 22 18 10 9 6 4 10 6 5

27 14 15 15 3 14 5 5 12 12 8

85 53 53 46 26 34 19 16 28 24 16

As of May 30, 2012

Dancers from the Peranakan Association perform a traditional dance at the opening of the Youth Games. Below, the Phuket girls’ table tennis team won a bronze in their event.

Above, Phuket singers Jaruwat “Dome” Cheawaram and Pavida “Silvy” Moriggi. Below, Chaowat Chomcheuy wins silver in the boys’ Nanquan Wushu (Chinese martial arts).

tarin Waiyakarn; Kanyapak Sor-sakul in the 50 metre butterfly; Changchuan Wushu (Chinese martial arts) student Jirawat Thothong; and Chaowat Chomcheuy, who came second in Tuesday’s final rounds of the boys’ Nanquan Wushu (Chinese martial arts).

Chaowat also picked up a bronze in Wednesday’s Nantao Wushu competition.

Bron ze me d als we re also awarded to Thitisak Mahan-chakornpong in the boys’ Changchuan Wushu; 3,000-metre runner Siriyakorn Kamlai; the Phuket’s girls’ and boys’ tennis teams; the girls’ table tennis team; the boys’ cycling team road time trials and the Phuket bridge team.

As of May 30, Phuket’s medal haul stood at three gold,

five silver, and eight bronze.

Meanwhile, in Talang, Alan Cooke delivered the opening speech to welcome the 20 teams taking part in the Phuket Youth Games cricket tournament at the impressive Alan Cooke Ground on May 27.

If the Phuket team beats fellow Group ‘A’ team Khon Kaen today (June 1), they will play Chantaburi on Sunday (June 3).

If they win that then they’ll be through to the semi-finals on June 4, with the finals to be played on June 5.

The recent rains have proved troublesome, with tarp being employed on numerous occasions and some games even being cancelled.

Results of all matches will be announced by the Cricket Authority of Thailand

atcricketthailand.com.

Athletes are competing in 40 sports at various venues across the island, the main ones being the stadia at Surakul, Saphan Hin, Rajabhat Phuket and Kathu.

The Phuket Games run until June 5.

For more information about the Phuket Games, visit www.phuketgames.com

thephuketnews.com

42 PHUKET SPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS

Sun shines on regatta

S

un greeted the sailors on Day 2 of the Samui Regatta on Tuesday (May 29), as sailors left the anchorage with good breeze, blue skies and the anticipation of idyllic tropical racing. Shifting winds forced a start delay but all classes eventually got underway and competition was tight on the racetrack.

The entire fleet were sent on Windward/ Leewards and multiple races were in order for all – the longer Course 16 for IRC Zero, IRC One and IRC Premier, and Course 19 for IRC Two/ Bareboat and Multihull classes.

The IRC Zero boats completed their first Windward/ Leeward of the day in a little over one hour with the 90foot Genuine Risk skippered

by Geoff Hill, taking Line Honours – the first of three today. His five minute lead in Race One wasn't enough and Neil Pryde's HiFi won on corrected time one minute ahead of Hooligan, skippered

by Marcus Blackmoore in second and Sam Chan's Freefire in third.

Race Two saw Hooligan back to their winning ways with a clear win on corrected time from HiFi in second and Freefire in third. Hooligan

Turbulent Samui weather has made for great sailing conditions. Photo: SamuiPics.com went on to win the third race and take a three point lead in the series. Genuine Risk and HiFi were recalled after being over the line in Race Three, dropping HiFi to fourth.

Freefire took advantage finishing second and Mui Mui, skippered by Frank Pong third.

A battle royale is developing between the top three as they play snakes and ladders and with three more days of racing, the title is there for the taking.

Dubbed the “40-foot” class, IRC One consists of 10 closely matched boats with a strong international flavour. In the

first race today Singapore's Foxy Lady 6 went one better than their best yesterday scoring a win by a mere two seconds on corrected time.

EFG Bank Mandrake, skippered by Nick Burns/ Fred Kinmonth finished second ahead of Rick Pointon's Jing Jing in third. David Ross and crew on KukuKERchu suffered damage and retired from the remaining races for the day.

Foxy Lady 6 continued her winning ways with a first in the second and final race of the day, to keep the pres-

sure on series leaders EFG Bank Mandrake who placed third behind Steve Manning's Walawala 2.

On the slightly shorter Windward/ Leeward course for IRC Two/ Bareboat class, Pattaya-based boat Reef Knot, skippered by Stuart Collins came out on top in the first race. With less than five minutes separating the top four, the predominantly Thai crew on Amanda, skippered by Lennart Fahlgren finished second with Greg Coops' Abraxas in third.

The second race went to

form with Reef Knot making it two wins from two, followed

by Amanda and Abraxas in second and third respectively.

In the second race, Moonblue 2 lost out to Dynamite who showed great crew work to take the win by over two minutes on corrected time with El Coyote in third.

The multihull competitors are enjoying some close racing and on Day 2 the series looks to be anyone's for the taking. After a strong performance yesterday beating Sweet Charriot for the daily-double, Fantasia was out-paced in the first race by the Thailand-built twin-masted Crazy Horse, skippered by Kunta.

Fantasia, skippered by Andrew Stransky placed second ahead of Radab Kanjanavit and his all Thai-crew on Cedar Swan in third. Sweet Charriot, skippered by Henry Kaye, found it hard going and finished seventh on corrected time.

Sweet Charriot re-discovered their form in the second race to finish second behind Fantasia with Crazy Horse in third.

The 2012 Samui Regatta finishes tomorrow. For more information and full results, see www.samuiregatta.com

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

FC Phuket lose 3-0 away to Ratchaburi CONTINUING THEIR run of dreadful results, Phuket FC lost away to Ratchaburi FC in their latest Yamaha League Division 1 match, held at Ratchaburi Centre stadium on Sunday (May 27).

Dour first half performances from both sides meant the teams headed into the tunnel at half time with a score at 0-0. However, in the fifth minute of the second half, Phuket FC’s Brazilian keeper Alonso was sent off, leaving the away team with just ten players on the pitch.

On the 66 minute mark, Ratchaburi finally made their numerical superiority count, when Chutipon Thongtae scored for a 1-0 lead. The same player scored again with 89 minutes on the clock, and then to rub salt into the wound, Ratchabu r i’s Chak r it Rawankon knocked in a third in extra time. Final score 3-0 to the home side.

Ratchaburi FC currently top the table, while Phuket FC remain mired in the relegation zone.

Teams from the Under 8s and Under 10s put their hands up for Phuket.

Villa win BSS football tournament LAST SUNDAY (MAY 27), Brazilian Soccer Schools Phuket (BSS) hosted a three team mini tournament at Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club over three different age groups.

The BSS Phuket Under 8’s defeated Kajonkiet FC in their opening game with a comfortable 7-0 victory. BSS then went down 2-0 to Bang Jo but with Bang Jo going on to a 3-0 victory against Kajonkiet FC themselves, it meant BSS Phuket would met Bang Jo again in the final. In a much improved performance, BSS Phuket recorded a 2-1 final win.

The BSS Phuket Under 10s got off to a winning start

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against Kajonkiet FC in a 3-0 win. Youth Football Home then entered the competition with a 6-1 win over Kajonkiet FC. In the final group match BSS played some excellent counter attacking football which netted them a 4-0 victory.

BSS met Youth Football (YFH) Home in the final, with the visiting team looking to avenge their previous loss.

It was a much tighter match this time around, and looked as if BSS were going to stay unbeaten when they scored from the edge of the area, but with two minutes left YFH got an equaliser to take the match to penalty kicks.

Both Y FH and BSS scored their opening spot

kicks, but the BSS keeper made a good save to deny YFH their final kick. Siam Yapp then stepped up, on his birthday, to fire in the winning penalty to win the mini tournament for BSS. “I like playing with and against new players on a proper pitch, and I like my dad watching me play,” said the happy youngster.

With time and light running out, the Under 16's had a lot of possession in the opening match against Villa FC, but eventually went down 1-0 after conceding a late goal.

Villa FC eventually went on to become the mini tournament champions, with BSS Phuket placing second.

THE PHUKET NEWS

PHUKET SPORT 43

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

The weather provided some great sliding weather. Cup finalists, the Roosters (green) in the mud.

The Prince of Songkhla (yellow and blue) in action.

Photos: John Gray

Rugby 10s end in fantastic final RUGBY Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

T

he Cup Final of the 14th annual Phuket Rugby 10s tournament had everything that a good final needs; controversial matchhinging decisions, fights, infringements, injuries and some really great play.

The game’s only t r y, scored by Moorabbin Rams Team A, was initially disallowed owing to one of its players punching a player from opposing team the Rooster’s in the melee that led to the try.

Despite the player receiving a yellow card, the try stood and the Rams won 5 – 0.

Pat Cotter, the tournament director said, “It was a controversial decision by the referee but his decision is final.”

The Rugby 10s tournament was launched in 1998 and was initially created to provide more opportunities for Phuket resident Pat to play rugby and develop the rugby-playing community on the island.

Over the years it gradually grew in prominence and as more teams started to compete, the more Pat realised its potential of becoming a vehicle for good. For many years, through raffles, generous donations and entry fees, the Rugby 10s has raised

millions of baht for the Asia Center Foundation (ACF). The ACF, launched in November 2001 is a registered non government organisation (NGO) on Phuket.

The ACF employs local Thai staff and also makes use of the help of local and international volunteers to engage and work with underprivileged, impoverished and children-at-risk on the island.

Pat said that although the weekend rains had affected the number of spectators, he was hopeful that they would be able to at least match the B1 million raised at last year’s event. The Rugby 10s raffle prizes included electrical razors, rugby shirts and night stays in luxury resorts.

He said that all-in-all he was very happy with the tournament and that despite the atrocious rains and winds of the weekend, the level of play was very good.

He added that the lastminute cancellation of the Karon stadium venue – owing to its hosting of the Phuket Youth Games – was disappointing, but he was pleased with the new Kata Sports Ground as the replacement venue.

He added that the rain affected more than just the attendance of spectators during the three-day tournament though, “There’s been a lot of injuries during the tournament as the rain has forced many

of the players to adjust their style of play and game... It’s been a much more of a short passing tournament which has led to the big bruisers getting a hold of things.

One thing a bruiser did got hold off was Phuket Vagabonds and Phuket Viagrabonds player Dan Ashburn, who was knocked unconscious during one of the games and had to be taken to hospital.

A little bit shaken, but back on his feet Dan said he was pleased with both of his teams’ performance – by getting to the quarter finals in both the Main and Coffin Dodgers competitions.

The Rugby 10s tournament was once again a great success The Moorabbin Rams Team A celebrate their victory. and although the game itself was the initial driving force for people to travel to Phuket from all over the world and get together, it was not the only motivation.

James Mathewson said, “I’ve actually not been paying much attention to the rugby, I’ve been too busy talking to the many people I’ve not seen in years.”

Phuket’s very own Prince of Songkhla RFC’s first visit to the tournament almost came to a fairytale ending with them reaching the Bowl Final, however the Taipei Baboons proved too strong and beat them 21 – 0.

The Singapore Bucks beat Moorabbin Rams Team B by 12 – 0 in the Plate Final.

Photo: Robert Brewer

thephuketnews.com

44 WORLD SPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Anonymous targets Montreal FORMULA ONE Agence France-Presse

T

he global group of computer hackers known as Anonymous on Tuesday threw its support behind Quebec students protesting hikes in tuition fees by threatening to disrupt the Montreal Grand Prix.

The activists, who earlier this month claimed responsibility for downing a dozen Quebec government websites, blasted organisers for intending to run the race in the Canadian province that recently passed an emergency law restricting protests.

Special Law 78, it said, has been “universally condemned by human rights watchers around the world as tyrannical, draconian – and (has left) Quebec in clear violation of its basic human rights obligations.”

“Beginning on June 7 and running through race

The Montreal circuit. Photos: Mark McArdle and magicfab day on June 10, Anonymous will take down all the F1 websites, dump the servers and databases – and wreck anything else F1-related we can find on the internet,” said a statement.

Anonymous, which in 2010 targeted websites of companies such as Visa and Mastercard after they stopped supporting whistleblower Wikileaks, also warned race spectators

not to purchase tickets online for the event or risk having their credit card information stolen and posted online for all to see.

The threats came as students and government representatives headed into a second day of talks to end protests that have raged here since mid-February over a plan by provincial Premier Jean Charest to raise rates at

Quebec universities by 82 per cent to rein in a budget deficit.

Hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested and clashes have erupted sporadically as more than 165,000 students have refused to attend class as tens of thousands have taken to the streets.

A tent ative deal was reached after marathon negotiations a month ago but soon fell apart, and nightly

protests in Montreal and other cities resumed.

Special Law 78 was passed on May 18 in an effort to quell the unrest, but has only served to galvanise opposition to the government.

The measure requires organisers to give police at least eight hours advance warning of times and locations of protest marches, with hefty fines imposed for failing to do so.

Last week, some 1,000 protesters were detained in some of the biggest mass arrests in the province’s history.

Meanwhile Tuesday, talks between students and the Quebec government aimed at ending the tuition fees protests appeared to be moving forward.

During a dinner break, Martine Desjardins, president of the Federation of University Students (FEUQ), said she and her colleagues had submitted offers to the government.

“We expect the government to get back to us tonight,” Desjardins said without going into details. “It's clear the negotiations will continue tonight.”

The discussions between Education Minister Michelle Courchesne and student leaders have been touted as a “last chance” to resolve the conflict before the start of summer festivals and other major tourist draws such as the Montreal Grand Prix.

Mirza welcomes Asian boom Ukraine’s sex TENNIS

Agence France-Presse

ASI A N POST ER GI R L Sania Mirza says the women’s game is in its best state ever in the region, with Chinese stars like Li Na leading the charge and a new generation waiting in the wings.

“I think we’re probably at the healthiest best in Asian women’s tennis,” Mirza told AFP in an interview on the sidelines of the French Open.

“Tennis is growing in Asia,” she said.

Asia’s former number one was speaking after a three-set loss with her American doubles partner Bethanie MattekSands to the Russian-Romanian pair of Nina Bratchikova and Edina Gallovits-Hall in the first round at Roland Garros.

The shock defeat came after

Sania Mirza.

Mirza and Mattek-Sands won the doubles trophy at last week’s Brussels Open.

Sania, who was at a careerbest world number 10 in the doubles ranking before Tuesday but has slipped to number 185 in singles from a peak of 27 in 2007, is now unsure of being able to play in the

Photo: Keith Allison.

London Olympics.

She’s only 25 but injuries have hobbled her career, which reached a climax when she won the mixed doubles with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi at the Australian Open in 2009.

With more than $2.2 million (B70 million) in career prize money and a celebrated

Over 90 Cities, One Perfect Gateway.

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wedding in 2010 to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, Mirza has to decide soon on her tennis priorities in order to preserve her health.

“That’s a call I’ll take, either playing just singles or just doubles.”

Mirza said that after three surgeries – on her wrist and both knees – her body feels much older.

“It's not the tennis. I’ve never doubted about the tennis. It’s more about the body.”

While more young women across Asia are taking up tennis, inspired by Mirza and Chinese stars like Li, the men’s singles game hasn’t caught up.

Mirza agreed that the massive popularity of football and cricket in Asia could be factors, but also noted that Asian men have to contend with far more powerful players in Europe, Russia and the United States.

industry bets on Euro 2012 FOOTBALL Agence France-Presse

UKRAINE’S SEX INDUStry is banking on pulling in clients and cash during Euro 2012 but campaigners paint stark warnings given that the championship co-host has the highest rate of HIV infection in Eastern Europe.

“Kiev’s prostitutes are preparing actively for Euro 2012,” one Ukrainian sex site said, claiming that some are even studying the history of the 16 nations taking part in the tournament, plus the basics of football, to get a competitive edge.

Ukraine transformed prostitution from a crime to a misdemeanour in 2006, with fines ranging from eight to 20 euros (B790), while pimping or running a brothel remains a criminal offence.

The ex-Soviet republic is home to between 52,000 and 83,000 sex workers, with 11,000 in the capital Kiev alone, according to campaign group the International HIV/AIDS Alliance.

In the other tournament venues, Donetsk and Kharkiv in the east, the number is put at over 3,000, and Lviv in the west, almost 2,500.

THE PHUKET NEWS

WORLD SPORT

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

45

Afghanistan: Home of ‘most extreme golfing’ Agence France-Presse

“W

elcome to the most extreme golf in the world,” says the European Union ambassador to Afghanistan, as half-a-dozen heavily armed bodyguards fan out around him and scan the Kabul Golf Club course.

But Vygaudas Usackas is not talking about security threats facing golfers in a war zone – he’s talking about the course.

It is one big hazard, with unfair fairways of rock and thistles, sand-and-oil “greens” and the chance of falling into a ditch making even the most wicked of traditional sand traps and water hazards seem benign.

But in a country where guns far outnumber golf clubs and diplomats live in compounds set deep behind blast walls and razor wire, Usackas revels in the chance to “get out and get some fresh air”.

The air at Afghanistan’s only golf course – a half-hour drive out of Kabul – is certainly easier to breathe than the dust and pollution of the chaotic capital, but golfers accustomed to the eye-soothing sight of immaculate lawns would be in for a shock.

And they can leave the fancy two-tone spiked shoes behind, being well-advised to don army style boots to cope with the terrain.

As for clubs, forget about the state-of-the-art Titanium driver that cost a few hundred dollars and choose, like anybody else, from a dusty collection of bags containing ancient woods and irons in the spartan, single-room “clubhouse”.

Then, equipped with two caddies, one to carry the bag, the other to stake out the likely landing area of your – perfect – shot so that he can maybe see the ball ricochet off a rock into a pile of rubble, you are ready to play.

The fore-caddy will also warn picnickers and cricketers and the riders of passing donkeys that balls may soon be coming their way.

They tend to be most accommodating, shifting temporarily from the direct line of fire and applauding any good shot in this bizarre game, in which Usackas and his party of one reporter and Afghanistan’s only golf pro were the

The course was built some 60 years ago during the rule of the then-king, Zahir Shah, but has been destroyed by 30 years of war: a line of rusting Soviet tanks from the 1980s can still be seen on a nearby hill.

The Russians were followed by civil war and rule by the hardline Islamist Taliban, who were ousted by a US-led invasion in 2001 for sheltering Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.

When the Western-backed President Hamid Karzai came to power, Afzal returned to his beloved course. “I didn’t even recognise it,” he says now.

Deminers cleared the course, but as an extra precaution Afzal set several thousand sheep roaming over it for five days – they set off no mines and all survived.

But war still plagues Afghanistan, with the Taliban An armed Afghan security guard stands beside the entrance to the Kabul Golf Club. The club describes itself as the waging a 10-year insurgency “best and only” course in Afghanistan and promises “golf with an attitude”. The nine-hole course, which first opened against Karzai’s government in 1967, became a battlefield in the 1990s when rival Mujahideen factions fought amongst themselves over overthrowing a Soviet-backed regime.

Photo: AFP and 130,000 US-led NATO troops. sole players one recent Friday. walls of the club’s office. for the stroke index because system and dreams of coverOn the golf course, if The pro, Mohammad Afzal “I invited Tiger to visit this is Afghanistan and they’re ing the course in grass – but it you’re playing with the amAbdul, 52, has been the man- Kabul. He said okay, but no all tough.” has been like that for a year. bassador, that means the ageager and coach at the Club for plans have been made,” says The tee boxes seem invisThe greens are grey, made old instruction for playing a 35 years – apart from war- Afzal. “I like him, I like all ible in the scruffy terrain, from sand and waste oil in an shot – “Don’t lift your head” forced closures and a couple golfers – he’s a good man.” except to Afzal, who has a effort to provide a smooth – takes on a new meaning. of stints in jail under Soviet Also on the wall is a scratch handicap and plays the surface. And the holes are, as If you do, you are likely to invaders and hardline Taliban large poster of the rules of course like the pro that he is. Usackas says, “like everything spot a man with an automatic Islamists “for associating with the course.

The fairways can barely here – relative”. Some have rif le kneeling a few yards foreigners”.

“Tip #1: Play aggressively. be distinguished from the cups, others are just scratched away – which could put you A photograph of him with There are no gimmes (a shot rough and are scarred by depressions in the sand. off your stroke.

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46 WORLD SPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

Anger, sympathy for ‘great leader’ Cronje CRICKET Agence France-Presse

W

hen Hansie Cronje died in an air crash 10 years ago, cricket lost an inspirational leader and the sport’s most highprofile self-confessed cheat.

“He was a great leader of people who had the ability to get the best out of his players,” said former team-mate and current South African coach Gary Kirsten when asked for his main memory of the sporting icon, who was banned for life for accepting money from illegal gamblers.

Cronje, who captained South Africa to 27 wins against only 11 losses in 53 Tests before his disgrace, was the only passenger on a mail delivery flight which crashed into a mountain near his home town of George in bad weather early on June 1, 2002. He was 32.

“He was a fantastic team-

Indian Youth Congress activists shout slogans after desecrating the face of disgraced South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje, seen here on a billboard advertisement for men’s suits together with his teammates, April 12, 2000 in Mumbai. Cronje was sacked by the South African Cricket Board for accepting sums of US$10,000 and US$15,000 for matching fixing in a recent triangular series held in India earlier that year. Photo: AFP mate and captain, always positive, enthusiastic and supportive,” said former South African wicketkeeper David Richardson, the International

Cricket Council’s general manager, cricket.

Richardson said his reaction when details were revealed of Cronje’s involvement

with cricket’s underworld was “huge disappointment, a little anger and some sympathy for what you would not wish on anyone”.

But Richardson said there was a positive side to the revelations made at the King Commission, a judicial inquiry set up in South Africa in 2000 after Indian police intercepted telephone calls between Cronje and Sanjiv Chawla, a London-based gambler, during South Africa’s tour of India that year.

“Until then, most believed the problem, if there was one, was limited to the sub-continent. The King Commission dealt with the matter effectively and unambiguously. The players were investigated, were found guilty and punished.”

In addition to Cronje being banned for life, Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams were banned until the end of 2000 for being persuaded by Cronje to accept money in return for under-performing in a one-day international in Nagpur.

Richardson said he believed that measures taken by

the ICC to combat corruption were effective.

“Today, no player i n international cricket is able to say, hand on heart, he is not aware of the dangers and of his responsibilities. Unfortunately, the corruptors will not leave the players alone – the fight is ongoing.”

Kirsten agreed with Richardson that the King Commission had helped clean up the game. “It created an awareness for cricketers around the world of the consequences of getting involved in something like this.”

Ali Bacher, the former managing director of the United Cricket Board of South Africa, said he felt sorry for the Cronje family as the anniversary of the death approached.

“It is something that never escapes them.”

Bacher believes Cronje realised he was trapped and wanted to escape from the clutches of his corruptors.

World Cup winner Steyn rejoins Sharks RUGBY Agence France-Presse

SOUTH AFRICAN WORLD Cup winnner Francois Steyn resigned for his former Super 15 side Sharks on Tuesday (May 29) ending a three-year spell at Top 14 outfit Racing-Metro.

The 25-year-old – capped 47 times and outstanding in the 2007 World Cup-winning campaign – signed a three-year contract with the Durban-based side and will join from July 1.

“I am pleased that we are able to assist SARFU in bringing back international star players such as Steyn and

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have him back playing rugby at Kings Park,” said Rudolf Straeuli, the Sharks rugby commercial manager.

Sharks coach John Plumtree said Steyn had a lot to offer.

“It is great to have him back with us as we did miss him,” Plumtree said. “He was definitely an influential player when he left and he will again be that, so it is fantastic to have him with the Sharks.”

Racing-Metro’s president and major shareholder Jacky Lorenzetti had said recently he expected the multi-purpose back – who is renowned for his long-range penalties – to leave.

“South Africa made him

an offer he couldn’t really refuse: either you return and you can play for the national side, or you stay in France and you will not play for the Boks any more,” said the Swiss-born France-based property mogul.

“We can understand him.

But he is not leaving because of the so-called problems at Racing, ie he hasn’t left for Stade Francais or Toulouse.”

Steyn’s final match with Racing came in last Saturday’s 17-13 Top 14 title play-off loss to Toulon where they let slip a 13-0 lead.

Racing have been bedevilled by internal disputes throughout the season beginning with the abrupt departure of popular backs coach Simon Mannix and disquiet over the managing of the club by coach Pierre Berbizier.

The Sharks played themselves back into contention for Super 15 southern hemisphere honours when they beat Western Stormers 25-20 at Kings Park last Saturday.

Their fourth successive win lifted the Sharks into third place on the South African conference log.

THE PHUKET NEWS

WORLD SPORT 47

FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012

SPORT

Ten of the best

All the action from the International Rugby 10s > 43

Dane Halpin: sport@thephuketnews.com

England’s Phil Jagielka relishing return to his ancestral homeland FOOTBALL

Agence France-Presse

P

hil Jagielka admits he could have been turning out for Poland at Euro 2012 but says he would never have turned down the chance to represent England at a major tournament.

Jagielka’s life has turned upside down in the last few days after a major change of events has forced him to re-arrange his summer plans.

The Everton defender was planning a golf trip to Portugal this weekend after he was left out of the original 23-man England squad and was only put on the standby list by new manager Roy Hodgson.

But with Gareth Barry being ruled out with an abdominal injury which he suffered during the 1-0 win over Norway on Saturday, Jagielka

has now been handed a late reprieve and will be pushing John Terry and Gary Cahill for a starting place in the England defence at his first major tournament.

It could have been a different story for Jagielka had he chosen to follow the path of his Polish grandparents who moved to England at the end of World War II. Poland would have jumped at the chance to have secured the services of Jagielka, but the 29-year-old revealed he would not have felt comfortable playing in a team where he struggles to understand the language.

Although Jagielka’s father speaks fluent Polish, he can only speak a few words and could never have imagined playing for anyone else but England.

“I could have played for Poland but I don’t see myself as Polish. I was born in Eng-

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EVENT

TEAMS / INFO

Friday, June 1 817, 107

14:20

Super 15 1 2

16:35

Rugby Union

Super XV

Crusaders v.

Highlanders

16:35

18:30

Rugby Union

Super XV

815, 111

20:30

00:00

Golf

European PGA Handa Open, Newport

816, 104

16:00

01:30

Tennis

French Open

Rebels v. Brumbies

Roland Garros, Day 6

Saturday, June 2 817, 107

culture.

“My grandparents moved over in about 1948, via Africa, and settled in Weaverham. My grandad died just before I was born, hence the middle name (Nikodem).

“My grandma, my babcha, lives in Weaverham, Cheshire now. My dad lives there too.

She’ll be happy to see me go back to Poland. My dad speaks Polish but I can only manage the odd hello and goodbye.

I’m not telling the lads that England and Everton player because I don’t want to get Phil Jagielka. Photo: AFP stitched up.”

It is something of a failand. I speak with an English rytale return for Jagielka who accent,” he said. seemed certain to be part of “Thankfully I got to play Fabio Capello’s squad for the for England. Maybe if I’d been World Cup back in 2010 before nowhere near the team I might a ruptured cruciate ligament have done, but I don’t know in April 2009 forced him to if I’d have felt comfortable miss the showpiece event. joining up with the squad.

Jagielka has shown he can “I’d have been a bit of compete against the best playa loner, I don’t speak the ers in the world after helping language or know about the England record a 1-0 victory

14:30

16:35

Rugby Union

Super XV

Blues v. Chiefs

16:35

18:30

Rugby Union

Super XV

Waratahs v. Hurricanes

21:55

23:55

Rugby Union

Super XV

Lions v. Sharks

811, 107

02:00

Rugby Union

Super XV

Bulls v. Stormers

18:30

20:15

Rugby League

NRL

Raiders v. Wests Tigers

20:15

21:55

Rugby League

NRL

Bulldogs v. Rabbitohs

813, 109

17:00

19:50

Motor Bikes

MotoGP

Qualifying, Barcelona

813, 101

23:15

01:15

Soccer

Friendly

England v. Belgium

817

21:55

00:00

Soccer

Friendly

Denmark v. Australia

815, 111

20:30

00:00

Golf

European PGA Handa Open, Newport

816, 104

16:00

00:00

Tennis

French Open

Roland Garros, Day 7

P

W

D

L

F

A

Chiefs

12

10

0

2

330

247

12

10

0

2

265

196

BP Pts 83 69

Team

P W D

L

F

53

1

West Coast Eagles

9

8

0

1

987

692 142.63

A

% Pts

50

2

Essendon

9

7

0

1

997

711 140.23

32

3

Adelaide

9

7

0

2

903

709 127.36

28

4

Collingwood

9

6

0

2

824

743 110.90

28

5

Sydney Swans

9

6

0

3

895

685 130.66

24

6

Carlton

9

5

0

3

915

710 128.87

24

902

759 118.84

20

32

3

Brumbies

12

7

0

5

314

250

64

45

4

Bulls

12

8

0

4

371

274

97

48

5

Crusaders

12

8

0

4

346

257

89

46

6

Sharks

13

8

0

5

342

285

57

45

7

St Kilda

9

5

0

4

7

Highlanders

13

9

0

4

307

288

19

44

8

Hawthorn

9

5

0

4

914

785 116.43

20

9

Geelong Cats

9

5

0

4

831

801 103.75

20

10

Fremantle

9

4

0

4

679

711

20

11

North Melbourne

9

4

0

5

1003 890 112.70

16

12

Richmond

9

4

0

5

868

16

8

Reds

13

8

0

5

276

301

-25

40

9

Hurricanes

13

7

0

6

405

370

35

40

10

Cheetahs

13

5

0

8

346

371

-25

32

11

Waratahs

13

4

0

9

303

323

-20

30

13

Western Bulldogs

9

3

0

5

708

760

93.16

16

12

Rebels

12

4

0

8

273

398

-125

29

14

Brisbane Lions

9

3

0

6

717

818

87.65

12

13

Western Force

13

3

0

10

256

342

-86

23

15

Port Adelaide

9

1

0

6

736

849

86.69

12

17

16

GWS Giants

9

0

0

8

502 1061 47.31

4

15

17

Gold Coast Suns

9

0

0

9

600

60.18

0

18

Melbourne

9

0

0

9

554 1069 51.82

0

14 00:00

AFL

Team Stormers

hurdle I was pretty much in his squad.

“Obviously stuff happened and the things changed so I wasn’t particularly happy to hear he’d left his role. But I was happy to be around the squad when it got announced.”

Although several high profile names including Michael Carrick and Micah Richards have turned down the chance to be on the standby list for England, Jagielka admits he would never turn down that opportunity.

“I can’t comment on what other people want to do. It’s their life and whatever choice they want to make. But the way football is now, it’s a squad game.

“He (the manager) offered me a chance to play against Norway. If I’d said ‘No’, at 29, I might as well have said I was retiring from international football. And I don’t see myself doing that.”

against world and defending European champions Spain in Capello’s last home game in charge back in November 2011.

The talented defender was just starting to force his way into the England set-up when the Italian coach left his post back in February.

Jagielka admits he was disappointed to see Capello leave the job and now hopes he can show Hodgson that he is good enough to be a firstteam regular.

Jagielka added: “When he (Capello) left it was a little bit gutting. I felt I was third or fourth choice, the next in line to play. Unfortunately, due to managerial changes, injuries, whatever, I’ve dropped down the pecking order.

“It was a bit frustrating.

I felt that I’d half-proved to Fabio what I could do. I had a broken toe and he asked me to play in the Spain game and I felt that if I got over that

15

Blues Lions

Conference leader

13 12

2 1

0

11

0

11

263 205

364 336

-101 -131

Wild card team

RESULTS Chiefs 28-22 Bulls Hurricanes 66-24 Rebels Blues 20-27 Highlanders Brumbies 12-13 Reds

Western Force 17-11 Lions Cheetahs 35-34 Waratahs Sharks 25-20 Stormers Bye: Crusaders

95.50

785 110.57

997

RESULTS Richmond

21.11 (137) - 10.15 (75)

Hawthorne

Gold Coast Suns

10.10 (70) - 17.16 (118)

Port Adelaide

St Kilda

16.15 (111) - 12.11 (83)

Sydney Swans

GWS Giants

7.11 (53) - 18.11 (119)

Essendon

Adelaide

6.13 (49) - 10.15 (75)

Collingwood

North Melbourne

17.10 (112) - 15.6 (96)

Brisbane Lions

Carlton

15.17 (107) - 6.13 (49)

Melbourne

West Coast Eagles 11.18 (84) - 5.6 (36)

Fremantle

Sunday, June 3 816, 107

11:00

13:00

Rugby League

NRL

Warriors v. Storm

813, 109

16:00

18:00

Motor Bikes

MotoGP

World Championship, Barcelona

814

21:30

23:30

Rugby Union

French 14

Semi-Final

815, 111

20:30

00:00

Golf

European PGA Handa Open, Newport

816, 104

21:00

23:30

Tennis

French Open

Roland Garros, Day 8

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