01-12-2017 by The Phuket News

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PATONG VENUES PUSH FOR LATER CLOSING TIMES > PAGE 3

DEFLATED BY DEBT

PHUKET FC SHUT DOWN OVER FIFA-ORDERED PAYOUTS

NEWS

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Abbot probed over ‘irregular’ temple statues

LIFE

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Free to roam at a sanctuary to call home

A marching band enjoys practice at Surakul Stadium, which for eight years served as the home of Phuket’s only league football club, Phuket FC. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

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huket FC, the island’s only league football club has been shut down. Phuket FC President Pitipol Nukulpanichwipat broke the news at a conference alongside the club’s consultant, Thipsunanta Krajang, at the Tourism & Sports Phuket office at Surakul Stadium on Tuesday (Nov 28). The termination of the eight-yearold club was due to an outstanding

debt totalling B83 million from lawsuits filed by ex-players against the club’s previous owner, Pramookpisitt Achariyachai, Founder and President of Kata Group Resorts, Mr Pitipol told The Phuket News at the press conference. “We cannot continue to play in the Thai league. We cannot enter next year’s league because we have been stopped by football’s governing body Fifa. If we do not clear the B83mn debt, we cannot get the club licence to be able to continue to play,” he said. “The debt comes from three of

Phuket FC’s former players suing Phuket FC for having their contracts terminated in 2014. Those players are Alonso Jose Carvalho da Silva, Marcio Gleydson da Silva Santos and Roland Gunter Vargas Aguilera,” he continued. “They have sued Phuket FC, but the previous owners of Phuket FC did not really co-operate with this issue, so the three players filed a complaint to Fifa, making this issue a lot bigger,” said Mr Pitipol. “The players originally got kicked out of the club because they were

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doing things they were not supposed to… bringing young women into the camp, turning up late for training and so on,” he explained. “But the ex-president of Phuket FC didn’t submit his reasons for terminating the contracts. This meant that the players did not think they did anything wrong, and there was no evidence,” he said. Documents addressed to Phuket FC and the three players from the Fifa headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, from as far back as 2014 and as recent as June this year, were presented by...

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Phuket FC shuttered by debt Fifa-supported claims by ex-players mires club in insolvency Continued from page 1 ...Mr Pitipol at the conference. Documents from Dec 18, 2014 addressed the dispute between the three former players and Phuket FC, when the club was under the ownership of Mr Pramookpisitt, and a letter from a Fifa attorney announced Fifa’s decision that Phuket FC must pay the former players money over the disputes. In July 2017, another set of notices were sent notifying Phuket FC that it had been found guilty of failing to comply with Fifa’s decision passed in December 2014. The letter stated that

Phuket FC would be unable to continue its licence unless it paid: • B849,915 in fines from Fifa; • B35.27mn to Roland Gunter Vargas Aguilera; • B24.3mn to Alonso Jose Carvalho da Silva; and • B23.39mn to Marcio Gleydson da Silva Santos “We received all of these documents at once, last month (Oct). We never received any of the previous documents,” said Mr Pitipol. With regards to what Phuket FC could have done differently to prevent the termination of an eight-year-old

club, Mr Pitipol said, “I just wish that the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) had been fair to us as the club’s current owners, because it’s not our fault. “We had previously asked for their financial support with funding the club, we requested an amou nt of B400,000, which they refused after finding out about the debts. “They refused to help at all. I just wish we had gotten better support from them,” he said. To put the extent of the debt into perspective, Mr Pitipol told The Phuket News that for the 2017 season over B10mn had been spent on running the club. “How much we have spent on salaries and general management this year does not even reach B11mn,” he said. “Now the debt will go to the ex-club president, (Mr

Phuket FC President Pitipol Nukulpanichwipat (left) and club consultant Thipsunanta Krajang. Photo: Shela Riva Pramookpisitt)… he will have to clear the debts as he was the owner at the time.” Mr Pramookpisitt was the owner of the football club from May 2012 until he announced his departure from the club in December 2015. Mr Pramookpisitt gave the club, for free, to the current chief of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administrative Or-

ganisation (OrBorTor) MaAnn Samran. In July 2016, Mr Pitipol, who is also Director of the Rayaburi Group of hotels, and Chatchai Rojrungrangsi, Director of Royal Gems Pavilion, jointly took over as the club’s presidents. Mr Pramookpisitt declined to comment to The Phuket News about Fifa’s

decision to uphold the explayer’s claims. However, the likelihood of a new club forming is quite large, said Mr Pitipol. However, he did not provide details. “All players are now out of contract with Phuket FC, they are free to go anywhere. We are not suing them, they are not suing us… it’s a happy ending. It is possible there will be a new club under another name, perhaps Phuket FC’s former players can be hired,” he said. “However, we want to warn anyone who might be thinking of starting or taking over a club in Thailand to be wary of situations like this, and to check thoroughly beforehand. “Either way, we members of Phuket FC, would like to continue to help and be participants in the Phuket community,” he said.

Abbot suspended over ‘irregular’ statues THE A BBOT OF PHR A Nag Sang Temple in Thalang has been suspended from duty for a breach of the monkhood’s code of conduct after a rash of complaints over several statues at the popular temple. The news came at meeting at Tha Reua Temple in Thalang last Friday (Nov 24), presided over by Phra Ratchasirimunee, the head monk overseeing the administration of all temples in Phuket. Joining him were Phra Kru Metta Pirom, Abbot of Wat

Mongkol Nimit in Phuket Town and head monk overseeing the administration of all temples within the diocese of Muang Phuket. “Phra Kru Wijitsuppakarn the abbot of Phra Nang Sang Temple in Thalang, is now suspended from his duty while the renovation of the 35-metretall statue of the revered Luang Por Chaem is carried out,” said Phra Kru Metta Pirom. “The order, signed by Phra Ratchasirimunee, states that Phra Kru Wijitsuppakarn has

breached the monkhood’s code of conduct. Many people reported to the Phuket National Office of Buddhism office and posted accusations on social media of inappropriate structures at the temple,” Phra Kru Metta explained. “Some of the claims have been found to be true. So Phra Kru Promprapatsorn… is now also the Acting Abbot of Phra Nang Sang Temple, effective from Nov 23,” Phra Kru Metta added. Eakkapop Thongtub

Among the irregular erections at the temple flamed by people in comments online is a ‘Yak’ (‘giant’) with large exposed breasts toting a machine gun.

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PHUKET NEWS

Nightlife bosses appeal for later closing times The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

Drug arrest statistics have shown that the use of methamphetamine or ‘ya bah’ is on the rise in Phuket due to decreasing prices. Photo: Ya ware / Twitter

he President of the Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA), Weerawit Kreuasombat, on Monday (Nov 27) submitted yet another request for the government to extend the legal trading times for entertainment businesses in Patong to 4am. The request is a way to end the ongoing racketeering by officials who collect bribes from venues in order to stay open late, Mr Weerawit repeated. This time the request was filed to Kathu District Chief Somprat Prabsongkram at the Kathu District Office, with Mr Weerawit joined by other PEBA members. “There are more than 400 entertainment venues in Patong. About 190 of them are legally licensed,” Mr Weerawit explained. “We can estimate the income generated by the Patong nightlife industry averages out to about B25 million per day. This amount of money also affects other occupations and sources of income for people

‘Ya bah’ use on the rise

Later trading hours will help end the racketeering by officials who solicit bribes so the nightlife venues can stay open later, said Mr Weerawit. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub in other industries, and this in turn also stimulates the nation’s economy,” he said. Mr Weerawit explained that although for years requests to extend the legal closing times had yielded no response at all from the presiding officials in Bangkok, the government was now considering expanding the entertainment zones so that more businesses could be

issued entertainment licences and legally stay open one hour later. “We want this problem to be solved. It is a way to reduce the opportunity for officials to take bribes, and also 4am is the most suitable time for venues in Patong to close,” Mr Weerawit said. However, he added, “Just expanding the entertainment

zones is not enough, as businesses will still need to stay open past 1am in order to serve customers and stay in business. “But by extending the closing times, most entertainment operators are willing to pay more to the government for this benefit instead of paying bribes,” Mr Weerawit noted. Eakkapop Thongtub

DRUG ARREST STATIStics have shown that the use of methamphetamine (ya bah) is on the rise in Phuket due to decreasing prices, Phuket Provincial Office Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Sakchai Kunanawatchaidej has revealed at a meeting of the working group on drug abuse analysis and surveillance in Phuket. “Methamphetamine’s (ya bah) popularity is predicted to increase further as prices decrease, according to this year’s drug arrest statistics,” Mr Sakchai told the meeting last Wednesday (Nov 22). “Kratom has also been found to still be very prevalent in Phuket, and is continuing to spread. “In some months the epidemic did decrease, but overall an outbreak of ya bah use is still occurring,” he said. “The transporting of drugs into Phuket has become more

common through bus travel or by mail delivery, or even by boat. Especially methamphetamine, which is transported in clusters of not more than 10,000 tablets, which officials are always on the look out for. “Relevant agencies also seek the cooperation of local people and leaders to help monitor the sale and use of illegal drugs in order to reduce the spread of drugs in Phuket. “Government agencies are becoming more involved in various measures to prevent and suppress drugs, as well as in the treatment of drug users,” he added. “This includes tracking the behaviour of those who have previously undergone drug treatment and the surveillance of villages and communities that have prevalent drug use, in order to prevent the spread of narcotic drug use in Phuket,” said Mr Sakchai. The Phuket News

Day-trip tourists escape as tour bus engulfed by flames A PHUKET TOUR BUS CARrying 22 Chinese tourists back from a day trip to Phang Nga was engulfed by flames this evening, stopping traffic on the busy Thepkrasattri Rd in Koh Kaew, north of Phuket Town. Lt Col Sanit Nukong of the Phuket City Police and firefighters from Koh Kaew Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor) were called to scene, on the southbound lanes opposite the Isuzu showroom, at 6pm. By the side of the road were 22 Chinese tourists along with the tour guides and driver, totalling 29 people

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who were thankfully no longer on the bus. Kusoldharm rescue workers were first on the scene and used fire extinguishers to battle the flames until the firefighters arrived, but to no avail. The better-equipped firefighters, however, took just 15 minutes to douse the blaze, and spent another 20 minutes soaking the vehicle to ensure the fire did not flare up again. Bus driver Prasert Intarat explained that he was carrying the tourists from Takua Thung in Phang Nga back to the Phuket Pearl Hotel on Montri Rd in Phuket Town when

he smelt smoke coming from the air conditioning. Mr Prasert explained that he stopped the Phattalung-registered bus, emblazoned with “Tidarat Kongmuan” on its side, to let the tourists and their guides off so they could wait for another bus that had been called to transport them safely to their hotel. “I kept driving [to take the bus back to its depot], but I got only about 50 metres down the road when smoke started coming out of the airconditioning vents. “I stopped the bus again and

opened the emergency door to let the smoke out, but then I could see sparks coming out from the aircon, and then there were flames,” he recalled. “I used a fire extinguisher but the fire grew too strong, too quickly. I tried to open the main aircon vent to get to the fire, but I could not remove cover because of screws, so I got off the bus and disconnected battery and called for help,” Mr Intarat said. Col Sanit said police believe fire start from electrical short circuit, but were still investigating in order to confirm the exact cause of the fire.

The bus was returning to Phuket Town when the driver smelled smoke coming from the air conditioning. Meanwhile, the 22 tourists, travelling on a “Top Hill” tour company tour, were safely delivered to their hotel. Eakkapop Thongtub

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A WOM A N FROM K Azakhstan appealed for help in getting a Russian man to “pay up” for her B300,000 hospital fees for a motorbike accident in which he was the driver and she was riding pillion. Anor Tolegenova, 24, received brain surgery at Vachira Phuket Hospital for serious injuries sustained in a motorbike accident with 24-year-old Dmitry Beloborodov in Patong on Oct 25. She had accepted a ride home from Mr Beloborodov, who was then a stranger, said Ms Tolegenova. “He promised to come here and he has to pay for my every day in hospital. We have been waiting too long for him,” Ms Tolegenova explained. “ I owe t h e h o s pit a l B308,370.50. His passport is being held by Patong Police,

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Anor Tolegenova, 24, needs help finding 24-year-old Russian national Dmitry Beloborodov. Photo: Anor Tolegenova / Facebook so he has to come and we must meet with the police before making a deal. Then I can go home,” she said. Methavee Maneesri, head of Vachira hospital’s international department, noted that Mr Beloborodov no longer answers their calls. “He told me via telephone that he is afraid of the police arresting him for overstaying his visa,” she said. Shela Riva

ore than 100 disgruntled local residents and beach operators massed at Surin Beach on Monday morning (Nov 27) to present a list of demands in the hopes of clearing up “misunderstandings” about alleged duplicity in allowing beach operators to serve tourists on the sands and to raise the standard of the beach so that it becomes more attractive to tourists. The list was to be presented to MaAnn Samran, chief of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor). However, despite arranging to meet the residents at the

More than 100 local residents and beach operators massed at Surin Beach to deliver their list of demands. Photo: Jamlong Sitthichock beach on Monday, Mr MaAnn was nowhere to be seen. Mr MaAnn was contacted but told the protesters he was unavailable as he was at Phuket Provincial Court, said local resident Jamlong Sitthichock. One key concern raised by the residents was why massage services were still allowed to be provided on the beach while all other operators, notably restaurants, were forced to vacate their sites on the sand. “We believe that the notice to stop beach operators on the beach was issued after local residents forced the construction of the Surin Beach seawall to halt on Nov 15,” said Mr Jamlong. In that stand-off, Mr

MaAnn claimed that a public hearing had already been held and approved the construction of the seawall. However, when challenged on this point, Mr MaAnn was unable to prove any such meeting took place, alleged Mr Jamlong. The list of demands presented included issues far beyond beach vendors, and included the dire situation of the current lack of lifeguards at the beaches, and called for the Phuket Governor and other high-ranking officials to take a leading role in resolving. Additional reporting by Eakkapop Thongtub

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editor1@classactmedia.co.th From Melbourne, Australia, Mark holds a BA from La Trobe University where he completed a double major in Anthropology and Media Studies. He has over eight years experience as a journalist, photographer and editor for several magazines and newspapers.

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EDITORIAL

Going all-out on ‘all inclusive’

he arrest earlier this week of a Chinese “zero-dollar” tour company owner in Bangkok, who police say brought a large number of Chinese tourists to Phuket, is the latest action in an ongoing effort by Thai authorities to crush budget Chinese tour companies operating in Thailand. While in this latest case it is alleged that the tour company owner used a false identity to register his business – a clearly illegal act – the actual legality or otherwise of the so called “zero-dollar” tours remains in much murkier waters. Many people openly complain that such tours don’t benefit Thailand’s tourism sector because the tourists, having paid all their costs upfront, do not spend any money in Thailand. Worse, such tours are commonly accused of price-gouging the tourists at souvenir shops which, as the argument goes,

are often owned by or aligned with the tour operator. But when these “all inclusive” Chinese tour operators are clear with their customers about which shops they will be visiting while in Phuket, there is no misleading collusion to herd these tourists unwittingly into a particularly pricey souvenir shop. And the issue of pricegouging is a non-starter when it comes to unessential products such as souvenirs – which according to the concept of supply and demand, are worth whatever people are willing to pay for them. Just think of the government-mandated two-tier pricing for entry to the country’s national parks as a case in point. So it seems clear that these “zero-dollar” tourists do spend plenty of money, but perhaps they are just spending it in the “wrong” places and this

is what has upset their detractors. In any case, the whole crackdown on “zero-dollar” operators seems clouded in corruption, favouritism, unspoken motivations and making up the law as you go along. Meanwhile, recent hotel industry reports say there has been a surge of interest by premium international hotel groups in the “all inclusive” holiday pricing model, as highlighted by global tourism conglomerate TUI recently launching its “all inclusive” Robinson Club resort in Khao Lak. The sting is that the same argument against “zero-dollar” tourists could be easily made against these “quality” allinclusive tourists – that they don’t spend. But it seems unlikely that any opposition to these “quality” tourists will be voiced as loudly, or gain any traction with the authorities. Time will tell.

TOP 10 STORIES ON thephuketnews.com

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Corruption Street: ‘I’m so tired of it,’ says PEBA President 3,000 cruise line passengers descend upon Patong Kazakhstani woman in Phuket seeks help finding Russian man. Phuket passenger van slams into safety rail at famed monument One dead, one injured in wicked pickup accident Phuket Opinion: The price of going public MaAnn a ‘no show’ as angry residents present Surin Beach demands Phuket tour bus engulfed by fire Patong nightlife operators file another request to extend closing times 14 burnt to death after van crash in Sing Buri

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HAVE YOUR SAY Flirting with danger

Re: Kazakhstani woman in Phuket seeks help finding Russian man Dmitry Beloborodov As Thailand is a dangerous country for tourists: falling from balconies, getting electrocuted in swimming pools, buses on fire, brakes of buses not working on Thai hills, dangerous beaches without well trained beach guards, speeding taxis and passenger van (see the almost daily photos), motorbike accidents, etc, etc. It is time that visiting holiday tourists are obligated to have a health and accident insurance in Thailand. Facilitate tourists upon arrival at Thai airports with a insurance desk to buy insurance for the duration of holiday before they go through immigration (if they arrive without insurance). Kurt Where is your travel insurance Miss Anor Tolegenova? It`s not Mr Beloborodov who is wrong, you are. You don’t have any insurance you don’t understand that? And you got on this motorbike for free trip

home or what? So, good luck Miss Anor Tolegenova. Take a look at Vachira Hospital in Phuket Town, About 25% of the patients there are Russian or without any kind of insurance… disgusting. Nasa 12 ..................................................

Leadership wanted

Re: MaAnn a ‘no show’ as angry residents present Surin Beach demands Wow, MaAnn a no show is not a big surprise… seems like the standard “eff-you” approach he has always used. Let the beach beds go, it’s over, but umbrellas, food and drinks should be allowed in limited numbers. It had already got out of hand and covered the entire beach after two weeks of high-season. The black water is still there, and the pavilion is disgraceful. Surin/Bang Tao needs new leadership ASAP! And to The Phuket News… please keep us informed of MaAnn’s personal disastrous seawall project. Actually, my family and I wish you would keep an eye on everything the OrBorTor does, because we have yet to see anything that has benefited the local

community… just poorly constructed projects, one after another… like tearing up the streets three or four times in the past year. Ben Pendejo ..................................................

Disappointed

Re: Corruption Street: ‘I’m so tired of it,’ says PEBA President “However, police at the time declined to investigate the claims as they said they were currently only focusing on spearheading a campaign against the Patong tuk-tuk and taxi mafia”. And they couldn’t even do that… Sir Burr ..................................................

Action warranted

Re: Warrant for policeman over Yingluck’s escape Procedural matters… oh so it takes three months: First summons = you should be prepared, start packing your belongings. Second summons = time to leave, thanks for supporting our retirement funds. Good luck with the warrant … oh, a no show? Looks like you took our advice. Rorri 2

The law is the law

Re: Patong nightlife operators file another request to extend closing times This is just wrong. The way to stop corruption is to obey the law. Then, if anyone takes a bribe to break the law, make the penalty 10 years jail. That way the bars are all legal, the bars get good trade as people come out earlier, the clubs get trade as anyone who wants a late drink can go to them as the bars are closed. Simon 01 ..................................................

Sceptical

Re: Phuket Opinion: The price of going public Oh come on. Methinks the lady doth protest too much. You really had no idea that there were illicit payments being made in Patong? Seriously? That’s the path you are taking? The “Tiger Fire” didn’t tip you off? The fact that raids on illegal businesses failed to find their mark? That you could ask any foreign owner in Patong and get a “yes of course”? Sorry, like your site, I don’t believe you. Martin K

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THAILAND NEWS

App to fight ‘fake news’

‘Media Watch’ makes it easy to report inappropriate web content BANGKOK Bangkok Post

new smartphone app, “Media Watch”, was launched on Tuesday (Nov 29) to enable consumers to more easily submit complaints against things they take issue with on the internet. “Media Watch” is a hotline to the deputy secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Panpimol Wipulakorn, for citizens who wish to report controversial media they come across on the internet. “This application represents a new milestone in measures for protecting the younger generation from false information,” Dr Panpimol said. Wasant Paileeklee, manager of the Fund for Development of Safe and Creative Media for Mental Health, which helped develop the app, said the fund will work together with the Family Network Foundation to uncover information that is potentially false so legal action against

The purpose of the Media Watch/MediaDetector.net app is to get the word out quickly about ‘fake news’ on the health front. Photo: via Bangkok Post the culprits can be pursued if necessary. “The application will maximise input from voluntary contributors in monitoring the media, and integrate with the government to ensure justice for any wrongdoing,” Mr Wasant said. The app is available at the

Google Play store, but only under the name “MediaDetector.net”. The ministry’s website at www.mediadetector.net currently has a link to an Android APK file, which can be used to manually install the app – not a recommended procedure for most phone

US tourists held for baring bums BANGKOK TWO AMERICAN TOURists have been held for “inappropriate behaviour” after sharing photos of them baring their buttocks at a famous Bangkok temple, Thai police said on Wednesday (Nov 29). The pair, Joseph and Travis Dasilva, both 38, uploaded pictures last Friday (Nov 24) of their bared backsides at Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) to Instagram. It was not immediately clear if the men were related. But their asinine antics could land them in more serious trouble after police sought to charge them under a computer crime law – an offence that can carry jail time. The riverside temple, whose ancient ‘prang’, or tower, is one of Bangkok’s best known landmarks, features on the logo of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The men were detained at a Don Mueang airport late on Wednesday (Nov 28) and fined $150 (B8,130) each. “They were detained @thephuketnews

Immigration police arrested two Americans at Don Mueang airport and said they confessed to posing for photos at the Temple of Dawn while showing their naked buttocks. Photo: Immigration Police as they were about to leave Thailand,” Col Cherngron Rimpadee, an Immigration Police spokesman said, adding they were on a ‘watch list’ after their social media posts caught authorities’ attention. Col Jarupat Thongkomol, from the police station near the temple which is managing the case, said the men now faced more serious charges. “We are now seeking court approval to prosecute them on the Computer Crime Act for uploading pornographic pictures,” he said. The act carries up to five years jail per charge. Thailand takes a hard-

line on disrespectful gestures towards Buddhism, the country’s dominant religion. Tourists are told not buy and sell Buddha sculptures or get sacred tattoos or of images of the Buddha for fashion purposes. People visiting temples are also expected to dress modestly, covering their shoulders and legs – with advice signs common at Bangkok’s religious landmarks. In 2015 neighbouring Malaysia deported four western tourists after charging them with obscenity for taking nude photos on a mountain on Borneo island. AFP

or tablet owners. APK files are generally for use only by programmers or highly experienced users. Mediadetector also has a Facebook page with plenty of information about the new app and website. Manager of the Family Network Foundation, Tanicha-

ya Limpanich, informed the press that an existing group of volunteers has continuously worked on preventing information that is deemed inappropriate from surfacing but now plans to allow netizens to contribute to helping the community too. “Our team under the Family Network Foundation have been trained to professionally document complaints lodged by citizens, with proper protection under information privacy laws, to help build a trustworthy environment between the state and the people,” she said. “This joint commitment will benefit society as a whole, especially adolescents. It will hold those who post inappropriate content accountable for their actions, as there are currently no proper channels of accountability for those who fall victim to falsified information to pursue,” she added. Also on Tuesday, the National Institute of Development Administration organised a “Change to Shine”

seminar, inviting leaders in the film, news and communications industries to share their ideas about steps to move the media industry under the Thai Society 4.0 initiative. The panellists expressed the importance of speed in the digital era after the significant shift from traditional media to digital media, as well as the need for information verification. Chief strategy and innovation officer Kittipong Veerataecha said it is necessary to foster an environment where collaborative learning is possible. “Nowadays people put more trust in regular people who monitor situations because traditional news agencies lack the transparency and rawness of people who are actually part of an event, or actual victims of something that surfaces on the internet,” he said. “The education system should change their approach to teaching. They must teach them how to think, not how to believe,” he added.

THAILAND NEWS

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Police bite justice advocate

Cops to quiz bigwig over a so-called scapegoat-for-hire scam BANGKOK Bangkok Post

usadee Arayawuth, the Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Justice, will be questioned by police over a so-called scapegoat-for-hire scam involving former teacher Jomsap Saenmuangkhot and a hit-and-run case that dates back several years, a senior police officer said on Tuesday (Nov 28). Acting deputy national police chief Gen Wirachai Songmetta said the senior justice official will be quizzed as a witness over his decision to help the ex-teacher, whose vehicle struck and killed an elderly man. Jomsap, after serving 18 months in jail for the incident, lodged a petition with the ministry’s support, claiming she was wrongfully convicted. Col Dusadee is known to have backed her bid to seek a retrial. According to Gen Wirachai, several more people will also be summonsed for questioning.

Police want to talk to, maybe interrogate, deputy permanent secretary for justice Dusadee Arayawuth over just what he was doing when he championed the claim of false imprisonment of the former teacher and hit-and-run driver Jomsap Saenmuangkhot. Photo: Bangkok Post / file Already included on the list are Natchapol Supattana, who initiated a campaign to solicit funds to support Jomsap’s legal battle, and a television show host who interviewed her several times. Gen Wirachai said even though Mr Natchapol’s campaign appeared to be well-intended, police must interview

him to make sure he was not involved in any wrongdoing as authorities suspect the former teacher or her family hired a surrogate to act as a fall guy for the crime so she could be exonerated. He said police were also asking corrections authorities at the prison where Jomsap served her sentence for infor-

mation that could be useful to the investigation. Meanwhile, two people including Jomsap’s husband Nirand Saenmuangkhot have reported to police in Nakhon Phanom to answer questions about the suspected scam. M aj G e n Su w ich a r n Yankittikul, chief of the Nakhon Phanom Police, said Mr

Nirand and Thassanee Hanphayak, who testified earlier in Jomsap’s favour, reported to the police on Monday (Nov 27) to give statements. Both were released without being charged. According to Maj Gen Suwicharn, eight people were accused of being involved in the alleged scam but so far

only four have been charged. They are Jomsap; her teacher friend Suriya Nuancharoen, who helped seek the retrial; Sap Wapee, who was allegedly hired to pose as the driver; and his wife, Jan. The Ministry of Justice, which has been criticised for its role in supporting Jomsap’s retrial bid, plans to rewrite the ministerial regulations for cases that go to trial, it said. A mong the proposed changes is a requirement that a committee must consider any request for a retrial, rather than handing the authority to just one person. Mr Suriya, one of prime suspects in this case, was also embroiled in the illegal possession of Siamese rosewood in another case dating back to 2014, according to Cheewaphab Cheewaphan, head of an anti-poaching task force under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Task force officials confiscated 500 sheets of wood worth B10 million his house earlier but have since returned most of it, Mr Cheewaphab said.

Elephant stomps villager to death TAK A L O CA L M A N WA S killed by a wild elephant while he and a friend were foraging for food near their village in Tha Song Yang district on Wednesday (Nov 29). A r pue K h i r i noi, 42 , told police that he and Lola Wiangpana, 51, went out to collect wild produce that morning. Without warning, a wild elephant ran out of the forest towards Lola. The animal used its trunk and feet to

Rescue workers recover the body of Lola Wiangpana, who was killed by a wild elephant while collecting forest produce in Tha Song Yang district, Tak, on Wednesday morning (Nov 29). Photo: Assawin Pinitwong attack his friend, said Mr Arpue, who immediately fled for his own safety and informed the village head. Tha Song Yang District Chief Suebpong Nimpoolsawat led police and rescue

workers in search of Lola. His body was found about three kilometres from Jorkhi village in Tambon Mae La later on Wednesday morning, police said. Bangkok Post

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

ASIA NEWS

Japan fills its boots

Bespoke shoemaking no longer dominated by European cobblers JAPAN Etienne Balmer

hen Yohei Fukuda left for England more than a decade ago to learn his trade as a master leather shoemaker, he could hardly have imagined that his native Japan would one day become a leader in this traditionally European art. “The number of bespoke shoe workshops has been booming in Japan in the past few years,” explained the elegant-looking bald and moustached 37-year-old, sporting a smart shirt and tie under a dark-blue work apron. “There are at least 40 in Tokyo today and maybe as many as 100 in the whole country,” Fukuda said. Bespoke leather shoemaking has historically been dominated by European artisans but Japan developed a taste for the luxury footwear at the beginning of the 2000s and local manufacturing classes quickly took off. Fukuda’s own workshop is

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Japanese master shoemaker Yohei Fukuda. Photo: AFP located close to the upmarket area of Ometesando in Tokyo, often described as Japan’s answer to the grand Champs Elysee avenue in Paris. A narrow staircase leads up to his old-fashioned workspace that smells strongly of leather and glue, the basic tools of the trade. There is not one machine in the whole place – everything is

done by hand, from the precise measurement of a client’s feet to the delicate business of attaching the soles to the shoe. “Each pair of shoes takes between 120 and 140 hours of work and we produce around 80 a year,” explained Fukuda. He does not want to go at a faster pace: “I want to make good shoes,” he stressed. Fortunately, his customers

are in no hurry and willing to pay a hefty price for the bespoke quality – a 100% made-to-measure pair costs 480,000 yen (B137,046) at least. Why Japan? Mari Yamaguchi, who teaches this meticulous trade in a private school in the trendy Harajuku area of Tokyo says that bespoke shoes “speak to the Japanese

spirit, with its sense of detail.” At Yamaguchi’s school, dozens of young students are bent over workbenches, carefully learning each one of the individual painstaking steps required in the manufacturing process. “A foot is something very special. Each foot is unique, like each piece of leather. When making bespoke shoes by hand, the challenge is to get close to perfection by bringing together these two imperfect but magic elements,” she said. Maybe Japanese people think about shoes more than in other cultures because most people put them on and take them off several times a day – whenever entering a house,” mused the 43-year-old teacher. Not for the first time, the Japanese have travelled abroad to adopt the skills and then improved them, said Jesper Ingevaldsson, Swedish author of a specialist blog on shoemaking. “They have done with shoes what they have done with other things, like denim for example: they learn from

the west, come home, and perfect it and evolve it,” said Ingevaldsson. The Japanese have developed such a good reputation in the field that Western apprentices are now heading east to learn the trade. In Fukuda’s workshop, five young apprentices labour on workbenches made from old 1920s English chests of drawers. One scrutinises the quality of a new delivery of leather, another sews on a sole, making sweeping gestures with his arm every time he pulls the thread. And these interns are in turn bringing their own Japanese-inspired creativity to the ancient tradition. Clemence Rochard, a 27-year-old French apprentice, created a pair of hand-made shoes made partly of leather and partly from material from a sparkling and flowery kimono she found in Kyoto. “In Japan nobody would have thought about it,” acknowledged Fukuda. AFP

10 WORLD NEWS

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

The island that time forgot

A Britain of yesteryear, one of the most remote islands in the world ST HELENA Beatrice Debut

oin-operated telephone boxes, a capital without a cash machine and a local shop with a wooden floor: St. Helena is Britain of yesteryear, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. “I don’t think I would fit in the outside world,” said Ivy Robinson, who runs the Wellington House bed and breakfast, complete with a pale blue Georgian facade, in the village-sized capital Jamestown. The accommodation, attentively run by the 50-something proprietor, has no internet connection just like all but one of her competitors. Robinson makes do with a fixed-line telephone to communicate abroad and with the island’s other 4,500 people. She has not yet got a mobile phone despite St Helena, which lies roughly halfway between Angola and Brazil, getting a mobile network two years ago. “As the rest of the world

The general house room decorated with miniature and paintings in the Napoleon House compound, in Longwood, on the British Overseas Territory of St Helena island. Photo: Gianluigi Guercia / AFP looks chained to their iPads, we continue to watch the horizon for passing ships,” said Jeremy Harris, the local director of the National Trust conservation charity. The boats that occasionally call at the territory set the pace of life on the island,

supplying the islanders’ every need. From fuel to food, furniture to medication, clothes to vehicles, the arrival of fresh cargo aboard the territory’s maritime link to the outside world via Cape Town was always much anticipated.

“When you hear the signal that the Royal Mail Ship is leaving, you think ‘oh my goodness’: I am in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, just thousands of miles from anywhere – what if?” said Lisa Phillips, the island’s governor. The sense of isolation is compounded by the dearth of information about official matters on the island – all of its elected councillors take a vow of silence to not divulge their discussions in the name of confidentiality. But times are changing. The island now boasts an international airport with a weekly air link to South Africa, and the governor decided in August to relax the councillors’ code of conduct. Thanks to the new air service, 69-year-old Teddy Fowler was able to return from Britain in time for his mother’s funeral on the island. But his children, who emigrated to Britain, did not make the journey – the flights were too expensive.

“Even with the plane, it will always be the same for us – the Saints,” he said, using the name for the islanders. “We will still be isolated.” The airport promises to be a game changer for those who fall ill, permitting aerial medical evacuations for the first time. Some patients have died aboard the postal ship, which takes six days to reach Cape Town. The life of a newborn has already been saved thanks to the airport, according to the governor. But keeping the island supplied with essentials still depends on ocean-bound cargo – as well as patience, planning and a “make do and mend” attitude. One young “Saint” had to borrow a wedding dress for her big day after the RMS St Helena broke down. Craig Yon, a diving instructor, waited two and a half months for a spare part for his boat.

In October, St Helena suffered a shortage of flour – affecting the supply of everyday staples. “When you want to cook something, and you can’t find all the ingredients, you just have to cook something else,” said Phillips. Food production on the island, where exposed rockfaces are punctuated by lush forests and meadows, is mainly limited to salad, tomatoes, cucumber, pork and tuna. “We embrace the slow place. That’s the key to life on St Helena,” said Michel Dancoisne-Martineau, the curator of the French historical sites on the island where Napoleon was exiled until his death in 1821. Two centuries on, the defeated emperor is enjoying something of a revival. Britain’s one-time archnemesis has become the island’s foremost draw for history buffs. “Whether we like it or not, Napoleon came here, he died here, he is part of our history now. That is a tourist attraction,” said Lawson Henry, a local councillor. Napoleon’s Longwood home, where he lived behind permanently closed shutters to torment the soldiers assigned to guard him, is now open to visitors. St Helena is still associated with exile – albeit for the islanders who call it home. With no industry and underdeveloped agriculture, St. Helena’s economy is struggling, with an average annual salary of just £7,280 (B316,969). More than half of the population work abroad at any one time – often with the armed forces on the Falkland Islands or “nearby” Ascension Island – 1,100 kilometres away. AFP

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Cruising the dream

BUSINESS NEWS 11

‘Genting Dream’ brings 3,000 passengers TOURISM Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

ome 3,000 cruise liner passengers descended upon Patong last week and were welcomed by officials from various local government agencies including Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup. The stop-off last Wednesday (Nov 22) was part of the Genting Group’s five-day “Island Escapade” cruise from Singapore aboard the Genting Dream liner, which also includes port calls at Kuala Lumpur and Penang. During the stop-off, Mayor Chalermluck together with Kathu Mayor Chaianan Sutthikul and others including media were invited on board the Genting Dream where they were greeted by Michael Goh, Senior Vice President of Genting Cruise Lines International Sales. Mr Goh said, “The Genting Group has run a luxury cruise business in Asia for more than 24 years. However, we have recently launched six

The ‘Genting Dream’ cruise liner. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub new ‘Dream Cruise’ routes which include visits to various locations within in Asia including Patong in Phuket. The Genting Dream liner weighs 151,300 tons, is 335 metres long and 40m wide. The liner travels at speeds of up to 23 knots, has 19 floors with 1,674 rooms which can house 3,352 passengers. On board the liner there are a choice of 35 bars and restaurants with 1,999 crew members. It is said that the liner came at a cost of about B3.5 billion. From now on the Genting Dream will visit Phuket once

a week every week of the year. “Cruise tours are becoming increasingly popular among tourists, as we can see by the market growth of 22% over the past three years,” Patong Mayor Chalermluck noted. “Phuket, and Patong, are both cruise tour destinations and the Thai government has not ignored this fact, as evidenced by the development of the Phuket Deep Sea Port to be a ‘turn-around port’ with facilities that will help us be ready to become a hub for cruises within the Asean region,” she added. Mayor Chalermluck wel-

Kobkarn axed from new Cabinet line-up TOURISM THE NEW CABINET LINEup, announced last Friday (Nov 24) has received positive feedback from the private sector but politicians, academics and political activists have warned that the latest shake-up will not bring any change unless the government improves its approach. Among the key changes is that Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul has been axed from her post as Tourism & Sports Minister. Ms Kobkarn wrote an open letter expressing what she felt about serving as a minister, noting that during her three-year stint as tourism and sports minister, she worked with state agencies, the civil and private sectors as well as others to improve the tourism industry. Installed as the new Tourism & Sports Minister is Weerasak Kowsurat, 50, who also currently serves as the Chairman of The Board of the Thailand Conventions& Exhibitions Bureau (TCEB). Mr Weerasak, a Harvard law graduate, has already previously served as Tour@thephuketnews

ism & Sports Minister and as Chairman of the Board of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Bangkok Post

Weerasak Kowsurat. Photo: TCEB

comed the return of cruise liners, but also marked the need to be prepared to cater to the thousands of tourists they bring with each arrival. “More international cruise liners are coming to Patong every year, including this ‘Dream Cr uise Gent ing Dream’. This is another way to improve Phuket’s economy. However, although we are not yet positioned to provide perfect service to these tourists, the beauty of Patong Beach and other tourism attractions on the island can impress them,” she added. Genting Cruise Lines only on Nov 16 celebrated the arrival of Genting Dream at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore, which will be the ship’s home port through until at least late March. At that welcome event, Mr Goh estimated that Genting Dream’s deployment could generate US$30 million (B978.3mn) in commissions, US$60mn in air tickets (B1.956 billion) and US$80mn (B2.6bn) by way of hotel reservations across the region.

New appointments at SALA Phuket Resort and Spa: (from left) Anthony Van Sleeuwen as General Manager, Basil Scheerer as F&B Manager and Tony Wrigley as Executive Chef.

SALA Phuket fires up for 10th anniversary HOSPITALITY AS SALA PHUKET REsort and Spa approaches its 10th anniversary in December, the luxury beachfront resort has appointed a new General Manager as well as a new Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Manager to lead the luxury beachfront resort into the next decade. The role of General Manager is a homecoming for Anthony Van Sleeuwen, who in his previous tenure with SALA Hospitality Group opened SALA Phuket as Executive Assistant Manager in 2007 and later became Resident Manager. He also previously held positions in the SALA Bangkok office, taking on the role

of Group Director of Marketing, as well as Cluster General Manager for the sala boutique brand properties. Joining Mr Van Sleeuwen is another familiar face to the SALA team, Executive Chef Tony Wrigley, who has been transferred from his role as Regional Executive Chef – sala boutique, where he oversaw the culinary operations for sala rattanakosin, sala khao yai, and sala ayutthaya for the last five years. Working with Mr Wrigley to ensure SALA Phuket Resort and Spa’s gastronomic offerings are of the highest standards is the new Food & Beverage Manager Basil Scheerer. Mr Scheerer joins the team from the Pullman Khaolak-Phang Nga. The Phuket News

12 BUSINESS NEWS

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Pattaya’s floating festival Quality defines successful 2017 Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show MARINE

This year’s show featured a strong in-water display of global yacht brands and Thai-built commercial and pleasure craft, as well as a diverse range of onshore exhibitors.

The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

attaya turned on the style for the sixth Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show with four days of excellent weather welcoming 4,554 visitors to the Gulf of Thailand’s premier marine event at Ocean Marina Yacht Club which saw an extensive in-water display of global yacht brands as well as a diverse range of onshore exhibitors. “This year’s show has been a great success. Not only has the line-up of exhibitors and displays been excellent, but the number of visitors and the quality of visitors has been very good too,” said Scott Finsten, Harbour Master of Ocean Marina Yacht Club, organisers of the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show. The Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show continues to promote Thailand’s marine industry and showcase the Gulf of Thailand’s onshore facilities and offshore cruis-

ing grounds. Speaking of its central role in the region, Ewa Stachurska, Simpson Marine’s Group Marketing Manager noted how important it was to hold an annual boat show in Pattaya, and how its growth will help to develop and increase brand awareness in the area. Berne Lamprecht, Managing Director of on-land exhibitor ASAP Marine, also commented, “The layout of

the show was very good and the outdoor set-up was very professional.” Kazuki Otsuka, Managing Director of Hull Marine, was also pleased with the way the products on display were segmented and partitioned. As a sales platform for Thailand’s marine and lifestyle industries, the show continues to deliver good results. “Exhibitors have reported

sales and the generation of many serious leads with many serious buyers. Visitors were engaged and interested in the boats, marine products and accessories, as well as the wide range of lifestyle products and services on display,” added Mr Finsten. “We are committed to supporting Thailand’s East Coast and Thailand’s marine industry, and it’s encouraging to see the show developing

each year,” he said. Napong Paripontpochanapisuti, Acting Assistant Managing Director, Residential Business, Ocean Property Co Ltd, organisers of the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show, concurred. “The sixth edition will drive marine business in the Gulf of Thailand and help to grow the industry further. We are already planning for 2018 and aim to make the seventh

edition of the show the best yet,” he said. Turning heads at the show were JetSurf Thailand who were showcasing their new jetpowered surfboard and were one of multiple in-water activities which drew crowds daily. Pop-up restaurants dotted the marina front and provided visitors with al fresco dining options while kids’ activities and games ensured visitors of all ages were catered to. The Networking Cocktail Party was attended by more than 300 of the industry’s movers-and-shakers, and a charity auction of stunning Gulf of Thailand framed photos raised B40,000 for Disabled Sailing Thailand, a non-profit organisation based in Pattaya who are building boats designed for disabled sailors. Organisers have confirmed the dates for the 7th Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show: Nov 29 – Dec 2, 2018 at Ocean Marina Yacht Club. The Phuket News was a proud media partner of the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show.

Accor, Ocean Wing to open MGallery HOSPITALITY AC C O R H O T E L S A N D Ocean Wing Co Ltd have partnered for the opening of MGallery by Sofitel Phuket Patong Resort, located in the bustling heart of Patong. Situated on 200 Rat U Thit 200 Pee Rd, close to the Deck Patong, the property is now under construction and scheduled to open in Q4 2018 to Q1 2019. The MGallery By Sofitel Phuket Patong Resort will feature 235 rooms and suites,

Pamera Jivavisitnon; Pobchai Jivavisitnon; Patrick Basset, Chief Operating Officer AccorHotels Upper Southeast & Northeast Asia; Boonchai Jivavisitnon, Owner of Ocean Wing; Kannika Jivavisitnon, Roger Huet Project Manager Design & Technical Services, Nea & Sea, Design and Technical Service – AccorHotels Asia. an all-day-dining restaurant and two bars. Wellness and leisure facilities include a fitness centre, spa, an outdoor pool and a kids club.

AccorHotels currently operates over 800 hotels and resorts across Asia Pacific with 73 properties in Thailand. The Phuket News

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Luxury superyachts to cruise into Kata

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

A look at the symbolic meanings of the lotus

FREE TO ROAM

The Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is a champion for the ethical treatment of ex-working elephants Amy Bensema

he Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is a fantastic initiative brought to Phuket in partnership with Elephant Nature Park, which is an elephant rescue and rehabilitation centre in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The sanctuary endeavours to pioneer ethical elephant tourism by offering retired elephants the chance to live out the rest of their years in a nurturing environment where they are allowed to roam free. At its core, the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is a retirement home for sick, injured, tired or old elephants who have spent their lives working long, exhausting hours in the logging industry, or the tourism industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which is still hugely popular in Southeast Asia. This type of work is not only difficult for the elephants, but it is often conducted under extremely cruel and abusive conditions. Currently, there are six lovely lady elephants that reside at the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, and the best way

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to both meet and interact with them is through a morning or afternoon tour. Booking in advance is required as the tours tend to fill up quickly and you cannot just turn up and get to see the elephants. I have had the opportunity to join the morning tour at the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary on two separate occasions over the last year. Both visits have been equally informative, educational and enjoyable. The meeting point for the tours at the sanctuary is a quaint cafe called Monkeypod Coffeehouse. Here you can grab a strong cup of coffee before piling into the trucks that take you to Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. There is no public access to the sanctuary for safety and insurance purposes, which is obviously a great idea as the elephants roam free. Tours begin at the Tree Top Reception and Observation Platform and the introduction session is led by a member of staff. Visitors are given an overview of the vision and mission of the sanctuary as well as shown a short, documentarystyle video that highlights the horrors of

A mahout sits and watches over one of the six female elephants that reside at the sanctuary. Photo: Amy Bensama

the elephant tourism industry. Although graphic, the video is a must-watch as it highlights why there is such a need for the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. Interestingly enough, both times I joined the tour it seemed that most visitors were not aware of the hardships endured by many elephants in the tourism industry in Southeast Asia. Education is key, and the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary does a good job of turning something negative for the elephants into a positive experience for both elephants and visitors. After a meet and greet feeding session with a few of the elephants, the tour kicks off in full swing. Separated into groups, visitors get the chance to wander the extensive grounds of the sanctuary and follow the elephants and their mahouts. Observing the elephants in their natural habitat is a real treat. The lovely ladies are quite playful in nature and occasionally throw mud and pull down rather large tree branches. However, it is lovely to watch them being carefree and having fun. A highlight of the tour is watching the elephants frolic and bathe

in the lagoon on the sanctuary grounds. It is easy to see that the staff leading the tours are very passionate about their work. They truly love the elephants and share their knowledge freely and answer any questions as best they can. Mostly Thai, the staff are great conversationalists and really fun to be around for the duration of the tour. The tour is rounded out with a delicious, homemade lunch prepared by the staff. The food is all vegan or vegetarian and included in booking costs. A morning or afternoon at the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is highly recommended for those coming to Phuket on holiday as well as locals and expats residing in Phuket or Thailand. Unique, informative and fun, the tour offers a lot of insight into the importance of having such a sanctuary in Phuket. Plus, the elephants are sweet and charming and a joy to follow around for a few hours. Amy Bensema is a writer, photographer and long-term Phuket expat. You can email her at: bensema.amy@gmail.com or follow her instagram @Phuketstagram

14 HEALTH

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Taking life at a snail’s pace

Good things take time, so be forgiving and be patient when doing good Photo one.

Photo two.

Kim White kim@mindbodyyogasystem.com

ello and welcome to December, we are at the end of our Yin journey this year and to remind you about what our Yin journey is all about, I would like to share with you a very fitting quote by the great Mahatma Gandhi and our accompanying Yin asana for this month: “Good travels at a snail’s pace. Those who want to do good are not selfish, they are not in a hurry, they know that to impregnate people with good requires a long time.” This month I would like to share with you the Yin snail and remind you to be forgiving, be patient and to persevere when working on doing good to yourself, before we can help others, we must first help and heal ourselves. Although our progress may be slower that we like, good is being done. The snail is a great reminder that although the journey may be slow, you can keep going moving. The Yin snail is also an amazing

posture to lively up the main highway of our body… the spine. Often we take the spine for granted and expect it to just keep, keeping us upright, but imagine if it didn’t just keep us standing and upright, imagine if it actually moved freely!

Although this asana can seem daunting. There are a few steps you can follow to progress and staying mindful and patient, with a steady breathe, is the key.

1. Start by lying of your back with your knees on your chest. 2. For beginners or those of you with Look no further than the slow-paced glaucoma, neck issues or very high but high achieving Yin snail to bring blood pressure, follow photo one. By these awesome benefits to your life: • A deep release and stretch for the extending your hands above your head and keeping the back round, catching whole spine the feet, the ankles or the calves and • A nice relax for the heart bringing your feet above your head. • Great internal organ massage 3. To progress onto the full snail, • Increases blood flow to the head take an out-breathe and support your • A good drain of the lungs lower back with your hands as your • Relives the urinary tract • A nice release of the neck and back lifts off the floor. 4. In-breathe as you extend your legs shoulders

over your head, keeping the knees bent. 5. Aim to have your knees touch your forehead and both feet touch the mat behind your head. 6. Once you feel comfortable with your feet and knee placement, place your palms down beside your hips and breath steadily with a longer outbreathe to your in breathe. See photo two. 7. Hold this asana for 1-3 minutes. 8. Slowly roll your back down onto the mat on completion and rest in this lying position for another 30 seconds to one minute. Don’t be surprised if you feel some tingly or warm sensations as you are resting, this is normal for this posture as we were all just inverted, things have to settle back! Happy stretching. Metta, Kim oxo

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EVENTS 15

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Feadship’s stunning and sleek 83.5-metre superyacht ‘Savannah’.

Glamour, elegance and luxury

Global superyacht players to converge on Phuket for KRSR 2017 The Phuket News editor1@classactmedia.co.th

ith just one week to go to the most exclusive yachting event in Asia, the excitement around the start of the Kata Rocks Superyacht Rendezvous (KRSR) is building in the final lead up to this year’s event to be held from December 8-10. It will feature a multitude of glamorous parties and dinners hosted by industry leaders from the world’s leading yachting brands.

THE SUPERYACHT LIFE The organisers of the event, Infinite Luxury, expect to exceed last year’s line up of 17 participating yachts with some of the world’s most prestigious yacht brands joining this year’s rendezvous. The largest yacht in attendance will be the majestic 70-metre Feadship Lady Christine, which will host a private owners’ party. Adding to the on-board party fun is the Northrop & Johnson’s sunset cruise, hosted on the Zeelander. In addition, guests will also have ample opportunities to experience the various participating superyachts during the “yacht hop”. As part of the new “King’s Cup Superyacht Experience” on December 8, attending superyachts will take participants out for the exciting final race-day action of the prestigious Phuket King’s Cup Regatta. LA DOLCE VITA Embracing the art of Dutch mari-

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time craftsmanship and custom luxury sailing yachts, Royal Huisman joins the KRSR this year with an exclusive brunch in a Sky Pool Villa Penthouse, celebrating its “Spirit of Individuality” and “Passion for Perfection” in Asia. Meanwhile mid-day refreshments and celebrations continue with Burgess on the magnificent 51m MY Northern Sun and with Princess Yachts on a recently launched 32m superyacht. NEW ARRIVAL IN ASIA Global yachting brands are also choosing the Kata Rocks Superyacht Rendezvous to launch in Asia. Contest Yachts, an iconic leader in custom-built sail yachts, will introduce the familyowned company at its Asia launch cocktail party on December 7 at Kata Rocks. ELEGANCE AND GLAMOUR Long-time supporter Lee Marine expands its KRSR profile this year with its own “Lee Marine Luxury Tasting” event for its clients and discerning guests. There is also the Boat International Party, with the global media authority on super yachting joining the event for the first time. Meanwhile the gourmet beach BBQ at The Surin Phuket is poised to be another posh affair welcoming owners, industry moguls and discerning guests. OWNERS’ DINNERS The Feadship Owners’ Dinner is the marquee event of the KRSR. It gathers a curated group of yacht owners, Kata Rocks villa owners, and the highest-networth clientele for an evening of fine dining and informal business conversa-

tions. Added for the first time at the KRSR, Benetti and VistaJet are joining forces to host their own exclusive Benetti & VistaJet Owners’ Dinner, leveraging the ultimate dream pairing of superyachts and private jet charters. And once again the KRSR, now officially recognised as Asia’s most exclusive invitation-only superyacht event, concludes with the highly anticipated Charter Season Opening Party. All told it adds another feather in the cap of “Brand Phuket”, as the KRSR continues to elevate the destination to elite, new “superyacht hotspot” status on par with the likes of Monaco and the Caribbean.

KRSR will feature glamorous parties and dinners.

16 EDUCATION

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Students learn the benefits of teamwork during their production of ‘Alice in Wonderland’.

Preparing for future success The study of drama aids the stimulation of creativity and builds confidence EDUCATION CORNER Emily Norman

ncreasingly in today’s world, communication is seen as the key to success, and the ability to express ideas clearly and confidently through speech is seen as essential to a student’s future study and employment opportunities. At BISP our Drama Program supports

the development of these skills so that students are able to communicate effectively beyond school; whether this is for a university interview, or for a future job. Alongside the development of communication skills, the study of drama aids the stimulation of creativity, and builds confidence as students are challenged to address perceptions about the world around them and their place within it. A strong drama program aides the development of team work skills as students engage in collaborative work with each other. Students are given the opportunity to develop role play using a variety of techniques

including movement and speech which allows for a greater depth of understanding by focusing on active learning. This becomes an outlet for children to express themselves in a positive way and allows their confidence to grow and develop. Students learn to read, interpret and understand various texts, and then, through drama, they are able to add another dimension by thinking and creating the characters, the character relationships, the set, props, costume and creatively directing the piece. Children who take part in school shows and who engage in role play, movement and teamwork are dedicated and passionate about making the show a success. They develop the confidence to be on stage in front of a live audience, to remember what they have to do, and, when they have to do it. Crucially children feel an immense sense of pride and contentment at the end of a performance. This often continues through later life as individuals seek the enjoyment that comes from performing, exploring this new and exciting hobby throughout their teenage years and into adulthood. Actors perform for their own pleasure and enjoyment, and if involved in drama from a young age, are able to build a solid foundation from which they can develop and hone their individual drama skills in the future. At BISP students study Drama throughout their primary and secondary years. All students in Years 7-9 (aged 11-14) also study for their LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts) qualification in

BISP Drama Teacher Emily Norman. Spoken English and Communication. Recognised internationally as a formal qualification, modules studied include Public Speaking, Verse and Prose and Acting. These skills are learnt during class workshop lessons and the resulting work is presented before a visiting UK examiner each year. In Year 10 students have the choice of specialising in Drama and taking their IGCSEs over a two year period, and again in Year 12 and 13 can opt to take Theatre as part of the International Baccalaureate. BISP LAMDA Educator and Drama Teacher Emily Norman is a Dance and Drama graduate of Performers College, London and holds a BA Hons in Dance Education from the Royal Academy of Dance.

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CULTURE 17

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Dreaming of lotus flowers Purity, rebirth and eternity: A revered flower with deep symbolic meaning SIRINYA’S WORLD Dr Sirinya Pakditawan pakditawan@googlemail.com

I’ve often wondered about the meaning of the lotus flower and in the days following this dream, I decided to do a bit of research about the lotus as a symbol

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nce I had a vivid dream about a beautifully lit mansion with a pool of white lotus flowers in front. I had the feeling that this place was somewhere in Thailand. I often dream of landscapes and particularly of those in Southeast Asia. I guess this is why I long to see all these amazing places in reality. I’ve often wondered about the meaning of the lotus flower and in the days following this most recent dream, I decided to do a bit of research about the lotus as a symbol. First of all, I learned about the spiritual and religious meaning of the lotus flower in different cultures. In ancient Egypt, for instance, the lotus was a symbol of rebirth and hence it was commonly used for wall and tomb paintings. The lotus has the power to renew itself since it loses old blooms and adds new ones in a daily cycle. The lotus is also hugely important symbol in both Hinduism and Buddhism. In Hinduism, the lotus flower stands for eternity, purity and peace. Hence, it is also the flower of the gods and Brahma, the ultimate creator of the world, arises from a lotus blossom. In Buddhism the lotus flower has even more meanings, for example, it symbolizes self-awareness, love and the compassion of all beings and things, emptiness from desire, enlightenment, victory over attachment, overcoming suffering and spiritual development. Thus, the lotus also stands for patience, purity and mysticism. You must certainly know the lotus position – a way of sitting during meditation. It is an important position in Buddhist meditation and also in yoga practices. The lotus position seeks to represent the deep spiritual meaning with the form of the human body – legs crossed and tucked in a way that makes the bent knees look like the petals of a lotus. It is important that the soles of the feet are tucked away so that it is a respectful position to sit in when visiting a temple where exposing the bottom of your feet is considered rude. In fact, there are lotus flowers and water lilies of different colours. Since I saw white lotus in my dream let me focus on the meaning of this particular colour: The white lotus symbolizes awakening, representing spiritual perfection and purity. Hence,

The divine beauty of a perfectly formed lotus blossom has captured humanity’s imagination for eons.

it also stands for peace and a peaceful mind. Well, how to interpret this dream now? Maybe I’m a person who is lucidly dreaming but the mansion and the lotus flowers surely symbolize a way to realise my longing and a path to awakening, in a worldly but also in a spiritual sense. How about you? Have you ever dreamed of water lilies or other flowers? Yours, Sirinya

Sirinya Pakditawan is a ‘luk kreung’, or half-Thai, born and raised in Hamburg, Germany. She enjoys writing about Thailand, with a focus on culture, art, history, tradition and on the people, as well as a mix of topics concerning Thai popular culture, travelogues and articles about Thai food. To read the original story, and many more, be sure to check out Sirinya’s blog: sirinyas thailand.de

18 ISLAND SCENE

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From left: Dan, Digby and Bruce.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Patrick and Wan.

REMINISCENCES OF PHUKET DAYS AS PATRICK LAUNCHES HIS MEMOIRS Friends and fans of Phuket author Patrick Campbell gathered at The Green Man (Nov 26) to celebrate the launch of his new book: Phuket Days, Life in the Island Fast Lane.

DR SANGUAN TALKS ABOUT SEIZING YOUR OPPORTUNITIES Renowned plastic surgeon Dr Sanguan Kunaporn spoke on the theme of “Opportunity” at Inspired Phuketian last Sunday (Nov 26) at Skye Lake club in Cherng Talay. Inspired Phuketian is a monthly series of talks hosted by Skye Lake Club. This event is proudly sponsored by The Phuket News and Live 89.5 Dr Sanguan Kunaporn with Inspired Phuketian founder Able Wanamakok.

Local art-lovers came out to celebrate the opening of The Phuket Art Club.

THE PHUKET ART CLUB HOSTS ITS GRAND OPENING PARTY Local art-lovers came out to celebrate the opening of The Phuket Art Club’s new venue in Chalong last Thursday (Nov 23).

40 RIDERS RIDE TO HOME & LIFE IN PHANG NGA FOR CHARITY Around 40 riders out of Phuket came together to donate to the orphans of Home & Life in Phang Nga. They arrived bearing gifts from their wishlist to make the foundation a better place for all the children there, enjoyed a delicious lunch and played hilarious team games. Just a few of the generous supporters who rode to Phang Nga to donate to the Home & Life Foundation.

The BISP U15 Girls team celebrate their victory.

The BISP O15 Boys team celebrate their victory.

BISP HOSTS ITS 16TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SOCCER 7S TOURNAMENT Last Friday and Saturday (Nov 24-25) saw BISP host its 16th International Soccer 7s tournament involving over 1,500 players from 154 teams, 37 schools and 10 countries. thephuketnews

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ISLAND SCENE 19

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017 The Skål Phuket guys know how to party like it’s 1969!

Flower power was in full force on the night.

SKÅL PHUKET CELEBRATES SWINGING SIXTIES STYLE AT CHARITY DINNER Skål International Phuket & South Thailand unleashed their “inner hippies” at Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa in Karon last Saturday (Nov 25) for their annual charity dinner.

From left: Intrepid cylists Eve, Calle and Lovisa cross the finishing line at Barnhem.

Eve and Lovisa get a hug from a fellow cyclist who rode with them on the final leg.

THE HAPPY WORLD TOUR RIDERS REACH THEIR FINISH LINE AT BARNHEM After a year cycling around the globe, The Happy World Tour team of Calle, Eve and Lovisa returned to their starting point at Barnhem home, raising B2 million along the way.

Chef Francesco, Maj Ekkachai, Dr Francesco and Chef Marco.

ITALIAN CHEF DUO UNITES FOR A ‘BELISSIMO’ EVENING OF FINE FOOD Cape Sienna Exec Chef Francesco Greco and Guest Chef Marco Medaglia combined in the kitchen for a delicious Italian dinner at Plum Prime Steakhouse last Friday (Nov 24).

Marlène, Marisa, Jean-Philippe and Christian.

FINE ART, FINE FOOD AT FIREFLY: YOU’RE TALKING MY LANGUAGE! The Pavilions’ Firefly restaurant last Friday (Nov 24) hosted an art dinner inspired by the artists whose work featured at the resort’s “The Language of Art” exhibition.

‘LIVING IN PHUKET’ GIVES HELP TO THE ISLAND’S EXPATS, BOTH NEW AND OLD On Saturday (Nov 25) the“Living in Phuket” at Bangkok Hospital Phuket helped introduce newcomers in Phuket to social and volunteering opportunities, lifestyle, travel and hospitality services, educational establishments, specialised retailers and businesses, and much more.

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Bangkok Hospital Phuket Deputy Director Dr Lalita Kongseeha and Trocadelyo Legal Phuket’s Christian Chevrier cut the ribbon to officially open the event.

Bangkok Hospital Phuket team members were on hand to help answer enquiries from expats new to Phuket.

20 EVENTS

FRI

1 DEC

Pool Competition at Expat Sports Bar Competition starts at 9pm - Expat Sports Bar at the Expat Hotel Soi Taipan Patong. See map at www.expathotel.com

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SAT

2 DEC

SUN

3 DEC

Live Sports at Expat Hotel

6pm – 11pm: Beef, Pork, Chicken, Burgers, Sausages, Prawns & Squid, Salad buffet, Choice of potatoes and sauces, bread, buns and garlic bread. Reservation recommended. 395 baht P.P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

Spend quality time with friends and family, enjoying a one of a kind Sunday brunch on a perfect day of sunshine by the ocean of XANA Beach Club. Every Sunday from 12.00 to 15.30 hrs. From 1,850++THB. Reservations, XANA Beach Club, info@xanabeachclub.com, 076 358 500.

Mussels night @ Shakers

ALL YOU CAN EAT BBQ RIBS Come join us for our weekly bbq every friday served ll day & all night at two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata beach and patong. Indulge in all you can Eat bbq pork ribs, chicken and sides for only 395 baht! our bbq is famous at two chefs! come try us out and enjoy our mouthwatering pork ribs, flavor-bursting chicken and more! join us for live music from 8-Late performed by our famous two chefs band! come for the food-www. twochefs.com

Curry Cravings In Karon

WED

6 DEC

One Night in Phuket - Fund Raiser Keemala Screening JIMMY FAME & FRIENDS “ONE NIGHT IN PHUKET” FILM SCREENING & LIVE MUSIC BUFFET & COCKTAILS – KEEMALA RESORT. A benefit for the Rotary Club of Patong Beach. Emmy-Nominated filmmaker Jim Newport presents the first screening of the concert film “ONE NIGHT IN PHUKET” - featuring performances by many of the island’s best musicians as well as appearances by prominent members of the community, their families and fellow Rotarians. Live music from Colin Hill and Jimmy Fame. Buffet & No Host Bar. The film will screen promptly at 8:00 PM. Tickets are just 650 THB with all profits going to the Rotary Club of Patong Beach’s HELMETS FOR KIDS CHARITY. www.rotarypatong.org

Kata Rocks 3rd ANNIVERSARY BRUNCH POOL PARTY This year’s event is centred around an enticing combination of excellent entertainment, delicious food and an exclusive fashion show next to Kata Rocks’ gorgeous 35-metre infinity swimming pool. Priced from THB 2,900++ per person. Running 12:30-3:30 pm, enquire about the complimentary van offer for groups of 10, for more information and reservations contact: dining@katarocks.com or visit katarocks.com

Come to Navrang Mahal in Karon Sea Sands Resort & Spa for an authentic Indian Feast every Friday (starting Dec 1, 2017), in Karon Beach. Try out some of our delicious appetizers and mains such as: Aloo Tikki, Samosas, Chicken Tandoori, Aloo Gobi, Navrang Korma, Butter Chicken, Lamb Vindaloo, Naan, Rice, Salads, Chutneys / Achars, Gulab Jamun, Fruits, Onion Bhaji, Bomay Potatoes, Dal Makhini, Ice-cream etc etc. (Menus subject to change and variety). For only 499/- nett and special reduced prices on drinks. Booking: 076 286 464 Ext 4.

All you can eat BBQ Ribs night

Sunday Roast All Day All Night Come enjoy a Traditional Sunday Roast EVERY SUNDAY at Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong. Indulge in our Traditional Sunday Roast ALL DAY & ALL NIGHT for ONLY 395 Baht! Enjoy a Large ALL YOU CAN EAT selection of your favorites! Featuring: Roast Aussie Beef, Pork Loin and Chicken. Roasted or Mashed Potatoes. Roasted Mixed Vegetables Flavored with Thyme and Garlic. Yorkshire Pudding and Red Wine Gravy. Enjoy Live Music from 8-Late Performed by Our Famous Two Chefs Band! Come for the FOOD - RESERVE Your Table Now Online at bit.ly/TwoChefsReservations Check out more details on our website at bit.ly/TwoChefsEvents Reservations, Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong, Kata Beach 076-333-370 Kata Center 076-330-065 Karon 076-286-479 Patong 076-344914.

Traditional Sunday Roast Angus O’Tool’s Karon Beach

6pm – 11pm: All you can eat BBQ ribs served with salad buffet, potato salad & choice of sauces. Reservation recommended. 350 baht P.P. shakersphuket@ gmail.com 081 891 4381.

SURF & TURF NIGHT EVERY WEDNESDAY @ TWO CHEFS All you can eat! Grilled Australian rib-eye steak, teriyaki marinated chicken and grilled tiger prawns with BBQ sauce, red wine sauce and Bearnaise sauce Caesar salad and herb sautéed potatoes. Only 495 BAHT. Two Chefs Live Band on stage from 8 pm until late. WWW.twochefs.com Karon 076-286-479, Patong 076-344-914, Kata Beach 076-333-370, Kata Center 076-330-065. Reservations, Two Chefs Karon – Patong – Kata Center

THU

7 DEC

Lunch or dinner served from 2pm. Your choice of either roast beef, chicken, loin of pork or leg of lamb served with roast and boiled potatoes, three fresh vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. Only B350 per person which includes a free glass of house red or white. Opposite Centara Karon Resort. See: otools-phuket.com

PHUKET BUSINESS DINNER Grenfell. What Went Wrong?

Fundraiser Night for upkeep of Scooters and Chairs All welcome to raise funds for a great cause. Kangaroo bar - Bangla Rd, Don’s BBQ and Big Southern Bikes all coming together for a fundraiser for the continued upkeep of the electric mobility vehicles. Friday, Dec 1 at 7pm at the Kangaroo bar. Free BBQ and Harley-Davidson rides from the various bike clubs on the island and abroad.

MON

4 DEC

All you can eat BBQ night

NRL, AFL, Soccer, Rugby Union. Any live sport, we will show it. Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www. expatsportsbar.com

XANA’s Sunday Brunch

1.2kg mussels served with French fries, your choice, your style: natural, marnière, Provençale, garlic & cream or Thai style. Reservations recommended 295 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Full Moon Party at Xana beach club Full Moon Party. Exclusive sound by DJ Vadim from Moscow Russia, DJ Beycan from Izmir Turkey. Free entry. Start from 8pm onwards. Reservations, XANA Beach Club, info@xanabeachclub.com, 076 358 500.

All you can eat Sunday Roast Buffet Beef, Pork & Lamb – Cauliflower, Broccoli, Peas, Carrots, fried mushrooms, grilled tomatoes – Yorkshire pudding – roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes – gravy, mushroom sauce, mint sauce. Reservation recommended 350 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail. com 081 891 4381.

BCCT, in collaboration with AustCham, Beluthai, German, French and The Netherlands-Thai Chambers of Commerce, invites you to attend a Phuket Business Dinner at Amari Phuket. We will review the key principles of detection, protection, containment and egress of fires in high rise buildings then consider what went wrong in this event. Briefing led by Geoffrey Fordham, a Certified Fire Protection Specialist with the NFPA and currently employed by ONYX Hospitality Group as Senior VP of Engineering, Safety & Security. Time: 6.30-9.00pm. Cost and Payment: THB890 including inter-buffet and soft drinks. Food and beverages on guest’s own account. Payment at the door. Booking: Urosesri@bccthai.com or 02-651-5350-3.

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THU

7 DEC

Cinderella Secondary Pantomime The British International School is pleased to present ‘Cinderella’, a traditional Christmas Pantomime. Performed by our Secondary Drama students, it takes place on Thursday 7th December at 6pm and Friday 8th December at 4pm in the Auditorium. Entry is free and open to all Phuketians. For more information visit the British International School’s website.

FRI

EVENTS 21

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

SAT

9 DEC

Thanyapura’s Colour Fun Run Thanyapura’s Colour Fun Run returns to Phuket! Gather your friends or gear up solo for the race through the jungle. We’ll see you “Colour Runners” all coloured up at the finish line! The race is open to all age groups and limited to 1,000 participants. Medals and complimentary meals are awarded to all finishers. For more details facebook.com/Thanyapura.

Celebratory Christmas Masses will be held at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Cherng Talay near Laguna and Boat Avenue at 11.00 p.m. Christmas Eve and 11.00 a.m. Christmas Day. Each service will be preceded by a 30-minute carol service, led by St Joseph’s renowned choir, and followed by an invitation to enjoy some light refreshments with the congregation after mass. Details can be found on the church website at phuketcatholics.com

SUN

31 DEC

8 DEC The BOAT that ROCKED

Phukethon 2017 Mark your calendar for the Phukethon 2017 weekend. Asia’s major international marathon festival for the first time ever in Phuket, the running paradise island and pearl of the Andaman. Registration is now open. Go to phukethon.com. Get running with the Super Early Bird rate! Limited spaces. Experience the 3-day festival December 8-10, 2017. See you at Phukethon 2017! Register NOW! Phukethon, Saphan Hin, Phuket, 080 214 6950 or 080 287 6515.

The Boat That Rocked is a live music extravaganza delivered by some of the best musicians and entertainers in Phuket. The show delivers almost 40 songs featured in over 70 movies. The show is on the 9th of December at the White House in Phuket Boat Lagoon. Starts 7pm. Tickets B750pp including “movie food”. Book now at www.phuketticketmaster.com or info@ legendmusic.net.

SUN

24 DEC

Boat Lagoon Weekend Beats & Bites

JOIN US ON OUR CHRISTMAS DINNER 2017!

Music & Food & Fun. December 8-9, 2017 from 6pm till 10pm at Lagoon Quay. Phuket Boat Lagoon. For more information contact Phuket Boat Lagoonon: 095 012 2442 or 076 239 888 ext. 618.

Join us on our Christmas Eve Dinner! It is the most wonderful time of the year to be celebrated among loved ones, new friends, and great food! Enjoy exclusive appetizers, mains, and desserts in our festive atmosphere! THB 2,000++ per person Limited seats available. Kindly RSVP: Tel: 063 064-0661 Email: rsvn@thavornbeachvillage.com EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY!

Sri panwa welcomes back the 2 Michelin star Chef Stefano Baiocco of Grand Hotel A Villa Feltrinelli together with his team for a pop-up @ Sri panwa, 8th – 20th December, 2017. The award-winning chef will be serving simple Italian classics with their own creative twists such as L’astice and Il Tonno for starters, Ravioli, Le Linguine for pasta dishes, Il Branzino and L’agnello for main courses, finishing with Il Tiramisu and Il Limone for desserts and more. Reservations only, Baba Soul Food, Sri panwa, Phuket, fb@sripanwa.com, 076 371 000.

New Year’s Eve Set Menu at Two Chefs The price is THB 1,295. Amuse: Fresh oyster-with vinegar pearls, lemon zest and touch of fresh horseradish. Starter: Goat cheese salad-Arugula, sundried tomatoes, red wine infused apples, fried onion, goat cheese croutons, Kalamta olives with a raspberry vinaigrette. Main: Surf & Turf-Grilled Australian beef tenderloin, butter poached Canadian lobster, MalbecRedwine sauce, ratatouille and a tarragon flavored potato spring roll. Dessert : Passion fruit panacotta served with fresh tropical fruits and chocolate truffle. Reservations, Two Chefs Karon – Patong – Kata Center, Kata Beach 076-333-370 Kata Center 076330-065 Karon 076-286-479 Patong 076-344-9145.

THU

4 JAN

THE PHUKET RENDEZVOUS For four days, Royal Phuket Marina will be transformed into a bustling hub for all things luxury – highlighting Phuket as one of Asia’s premier destinations and guaranteeing maritime heaven for leisure boating enthusiasts. As well as showcasing premium yachts in the marina, the PHUKET RENDEZVOUS will also feature properties, exotic cars and luxury brands with live music, events and parties for everyone to enjoy! For more infomation visit: thephuketrendezvous.com

and much more. Open 7 days a week, all day dining. Best ribs in town. At the front of Best Western Patong Beach. Promotion every day – 399B all you can eat A La Carte. Mondays, come 4 pay 3, Live music. Heart of Patong. Free parking. Reservation, 076-360-220.

CHEF PABLO’S DEGUSTATION MENU Celebrating our Thailand Tatler’s Best Restaurants Award: Come and indulge in a succulent 5-course tasting menu including Foie Gras, pumpkin soup, Alaska Scallop, slow cooked Duck breast & Baba au Rhum. “Grape juice” pairing available! THB 1,390++ Reservations and full menu: dedos-restaurant.com 076 325 182 - 8 Lagoon Rd, Laguna, Cherng Talay.

La Gritta’s Discovery Menu Take your taste buds on a culinary tour through some of the finest Italian flavours. Chef Patrizia has created a six-course discovery menu consisting of the appetiser, main course and dessert, priced at 1,590 THB++ per person. The terms and conditions are subject to change without prior notice. Reservations, lagritta@amari.com 076 292 697.

EVERY DAY

Sri panwa welcomes back 2 Michelin star Chef

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St Joseph Catholic Church Christmas & New Year Mass

7 Nights 7 Themed Dinners at Rim Talay

JOIN US ON OUR CHRISTMAS DINNER 2017! Join us on our Christmas Eve Dinner! It is the most wonderful time of the year to be celebrated among loved ones, new friends, and great food! Enjoy exclusive appetizers, mains, and desserts in our festive atmosphere! THB 2,000++ per person Limited seats available. Kindly RSVP: Tel: 063 064-0661 Email: rsvn@thavornbeachvillage.com EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY!

Mana Smokehouse Traditional American BBQ/smoked and slow roasted, along with TEX MEX tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas…

Make each night unique! Enjoy our themed dinners with the cool sea breeze. Phuket Night Market @690 THB++, Thai & International buffet @790 THB++, Seafood Night @980 THB++, Ribs, Wings & Rings @770 THB++, Butcher’s Night @market price, Surf & Turf @950 THB++, Thai Seafood Gala @980 THB++ The terms and conditions are subject to change without prior notice. Reservations, rimtalay@amari.com, 076 340106-14 #8027.

22 TIME OUT

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York 1. Which company is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America? 2. What are Heysham 2, Hinkley Point B and Dungeness B? 3. “La Manche” is known by what name in English? 4. What is the family name of famed Italian fashion designer “Steffano”, born in 1962? 5. Whose first business venture was a magazine called Student, before setting up a mail-order record business? Answers below, centre

SUDOKU

Medium

Across 1. Paw 4. Drive away 9. Influences 14. Storm heading: Abbr. 15. Exclamation of victory 16. 1988 Olympics locale 17. Language spoken by many 20. Crazy quilt 21. Whiskey ___ 22. Transport to Oz 26. Beard beginning 31. Braggadocio’s forte 32. Fax button 34. Unfurl 35. Conditions of the mind 37. In a frenzy 38. Relating to Argentina and Brazil, for example 42. Priest 43. Genre for Andy Warhol 44. Cook too long 47. Defense acronym 48. Location of the opening scene of “The Bourne Supremacy” 51. Type of prescription drugs 53. A cord worn around the neck to hold a

knife or whistle 55. ___ vera 57. Roman poet 58. It’s spoken by many 65. Kind of closet or cloth 66. Italian ruins 67. London Dry, e.g. 68. Chimney channels 69. Oozes 70. Wrong __ of the stick

29. Writer, Uris 30. Yellowstone sight 33. Devilish sort 35. Rude look 36. Calyx part 38. Cleanse 39. Final word 40. New Zealand tree with hard red wood 41. Multivitamin supplement 42. Winter house Down ingredient 1. Knock down 45. Exhausts 2. Roaming alternative 46. Bribes 3. Co-star in “The Good Shepherd”: 48. Forced feeding, as Robert __ __ with a tube 4. Colorful rug 49. Beginning 5. Teacup handle 50. Number next to a 6. ___ Beta Kappa plus sign 7. A dog’s age 8. Maniacs 52. Small salmon 9. Vail trail 54. “That means ___!” 10. Took 56. “What ___ can I 11. __ we there yet? say?” 12. “That’s right!” 58. Christmas worker 13. Envelope type 18. ____ Giovanni 59. Nothing 19. Tutsi 60. African grazer 23. Spot of wine? 61. Korean name 24. College head 62. Polished off 25. Coming up 63. Bite 27. Leaflike part 28. Sanctuary 64. Neon, e.g.

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) Hershey; 2) UK nuclear power stations; 3) English Channel; 4) Gabbana (of Dolce & Gabbana fame); 5) Richard Branson

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW

2.50

This week in history Dec 1, 1952 The New York Daily News reports the news of Christine Jorgensen, the first notable case of sex reassignment surgery.

dollars is all it cost to buy legal divorce papers from a vending machine in Corinne, Utah, in the late 1800s.

Dec 2, 1976 Fidel Castro becomes President of Cuba, replacing Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado.

litres of sap is needed to make one litre of maple syrup.

250

milliseconds is all it takes for a visual mechanism called “ensemble lifelikeness perception” to allow humans to perceive what’s real and what’s simulated.

Dec 3, 1976 An assassination attempt is made on Bob Marley. He is shot twice, and plays a concert two days later. (Photo by Ueli Frey)

15 million

Dec 4, 1954 The first Burger King is opened in Miami. Dec 5, 1952 The Great Smog: A cold fog descends upon London, combining with air pollution and killing at least 12,000 in the weeks and months that follow.

red blood cells are killed and created by your body each second.

220 billion

dollars in productivity is lost every year on hangovers alone in the US. Source: Uberfacts

Dec 6, 1768 The first edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica is published.

See you tomorrow. Photo by Patricio Forci Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket? Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

Dec 7, 1972 Apollo 17, the last Apollo moon mission, is launched. The crew takes the photograph known as The Blue Marble as they leave the Earth. Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

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PERSONAL SERVICES

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

Buy & Sell

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

BUSINESSES FOR SALE Profitable business for sale

Located on main road in Karon, motorbike rental business, with 30 bikes and helmets, office equipment all included for 2.5MB call 0837774766 or Line - namaqua.j.

New cat café for sale

Brand new 3-floor building in Samkong. Thai and foreigners are loving my café, been doing really good since the opening in September. Unfortunately I have to go back to my country because of family problems. I invested B1.4 million in this café. We have 12 cats from Bengal (B36,000), Maine Coon (B25,000) Persian, Siamese and Thai cats. They all have the vaccine and they all 6-months. Upstairs, bedroom fully furnished, 4 new air con in the building. Kitchen and bar fully furnished with new equipment. Music speaker and phone. License, work permit company. 3-year lease can be extended. Rent 30,000 p/m. Price: B1.1 million negotiable. No deposit if take over. Contact: thephuketcatcafe@hotmail.com or call 099 432 1733.

t sa n e g

Business for Sale

R ESTAU R A N T B U S I N ES S I N Ur CHALONG For rent/sale. Fully equipped & operational, 50 seats Chaofa East road, 400m from Haiyek Traffic Circle. Contact: shchalong@gmail.com

New Salon for SALE

Stylish brand new salon with all equipment and stock for sale at Bang Tao Tinlay Market with all furniture and fixtures. Contact through email at: naveenmarapana@gmail.com or call 080 370 6131 – Kunal, 081 899 0919 –Chin.

SURIN: LUXURIOUS BAR-RESTAURANT SALE

Totally renovated, Italian design & furniture, all-new imported kitchen & bar equipment, ready to operate. Large Bar, DJ booth, garden lounge, rooftop. Seats 50 indoors, 50 in garden, 40 rooftop. 080 143 5541 Pablo.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Tenancy of Clubhouse for sale

Tenant required for already established bar and Clubhouse in the Thalang area of Phuket. The prospective tenant should have previous chef/catering experience and want to establish their own style of management and expertise in building up their business. The Owner of the venue is extending and refurbishing the current building to include a new kitchen space and secondary bar with an extra seating area. The tenancy is for sale for 1.5 million Thai Baht (terms to be agreed) to include new fitted commercial kitchen plus new and existing furniture. Flexible lease terms based on a 3+3 year agreement are available. Existing catering needs of the venue will have to be considered when reviewing the business options. Expressions of interest along with current resume and contact details should be sent to info@jandgroup.com

6.2m Hypalon Stingray RIB

"Ready to go" w 175hp 4str Suzuki w 130hrs, 8hp aux, dble axle trailer, Garmin 521S, 160L fuel and full set of gear. Top condition. Call Harry: 081 273 1740. @thephuketnews

BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE Boating deal of the year: 7.5m baht (reduced from 10m baht)

Due to serious health reasons, the owner must part with his beloved 80’ tour boat. New wiring throughout, power outlets, transformer and voltage meters. New upholstery throughout bar and entertainment area. Engines & generator fully reconditioned & serviced. All maintained to European standards. Ideal boat for quality day trip business. beachsando1@ gmail.com 080 695 3933.

BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE Long Tail Boat For Sale

Ready to go “Long Tail Boat” with or Without Captain (Thai) Get special price, please call 085 781 9167 (English) Bangtao Beach, Phuket, B275,000, giorgionaef@aol.com 085 781 9167.

CAR FOR SALE 2014 Nissan Juke For Sale

2014 Nissan Juke, one owner, full history, leather interior, rear sensors, climate control. Perfect Phuket runabout, only 82000km. 530,000, soiana56030@gmail.com, 0950 924 729

HOME IMPROVEMENT Flat roof waterproofing

We do flat roof waterproofing with 20year warranty by installing quality three layer slate spotted bitumen torch foil + crack repair! Email: office@tcm-asia.com. Call: 0869439834 or 076-385081.

HOME IMPROVEMENT TechWorX Projects

TechWorX Projects now offer a full Electrical Contractor service. This complements our existing offerings of AV, IT, Home Automation, Home Cinema and Security systems. If you are planning a new build or renovation please contact us for a free consultation. Daragh, 393/8 moo 1 Srisoonthorn road, Cherngtalay, Thalang, Phuket 83110, daragh@techworx.asia, 084 443 9863.

MARKETING, PUBLIC RELATIONS Restaurant Tester (expat)

Review and rate restaurants in general and the taste of their dishes in the following locations Surin, Kamala, Patong, Kata, Karon. Candidates must have excellent knowledge of different cuisines as well as communication skills. For more information please send email with the subject “Restaurants” to sh@vetliner.com

MEMBERSHIPS Loch Palm Golf Membership

Lifetime Loch Palm Golf membership for sale. 400,000 baht, the Loch Palm transfer fee of 72,000 baht will be shared equally between the buyer and seller. sales@joydive.asia

Phuket Country Club Golf Membership

Phuket Country Club Family Golf Lifetime membership for Sale. 2 courses, 9 & 18 hole course, Seller will pay 60,000 baht transfer fee, the buyer pays 380,000 Thai baht. Contact Chris - 087-884-8972

MOTORBIKES FOR SALE Kawasaki Z300 ABS for Sale

Kawasaki Z300 ABS for sale. Good condition, from owner. Year: 2015. Colour: yellow & black. Price: 150,000 baht. Bo in Cherngtalay/Pasak: cherngtalay@gmail. com. Call 076 615 810 or 076 615 811.

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Buy & Sell

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

MOVING SERVICES Looking for a Moving Company?

With over 15 years of experience Bigmove Phuket is the number 1 provider of moving and shipping in and out of Phuket Thailand. We provide storage in a state of the art clean, secure, storage facility located centrally in Phuket. www.bigmovephuket. com. Mr Joe: bigmovephuket@gmail.com 081-797-5377.