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ROTTING CORPSE FOUND IN HIS BATHROOM ‘IF I KILLED HER I WOULDN’T KEEP HER IN THE GARBAGE, IN MY BATHROOM, IN MY HOUSE FOR YEARS’ –STEIN DOKSET

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HORROR • Woman’s body stuffed in the trash in locked bathroom • Police suspect remains are of former Thai girlfriend • 9mm pistol, two magazines and 58 bullets discovered

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A GRISLY

SECRET

Norwegian lived for three years with dead lover’s corpse

Stein Dokset (left) waits in a cell at Chalong Police Station. Keeping him company is police volunteer and fellow Norwegian Goran Dikandes.

Paritta Wangkiat reporter3@thephuketnews.com

I

n a situation inconceivable to most people, 50-year-old Norwegian Stein Håvard Dokset lived for three years in his eight-bedroom mansion in Kata with a horrific secret: In one of the eight

bathrooms was his former lover, dead and rotting.

No one but Dokset knew about the body, decaying in a bin bag stuffed into a municipal garbage bin and concealed behind the locked bathroom door.

Even his current girlfriend (now his ex-girlfriend) did not know. She had smelled some-

thing decaying but it wasn’t that bad, she said – she dismissed it as a dead rat.

But the family of Rungnapa Rachsombat, 33 at the time of her death, had long felt that her disappearance was highly suspicious. They had reported her missing but – as with missing persons cases in

most countries in the world – police had done little but go through the minimal motions.

The break in the case came with a tip from a lawyer’s office in Bangkok to the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB): Search Dokset’s home off Khoktanod Rd. There’s a body hidden inside it.

On Tuesday afternoon (February 28) the CIB sent officers from the Crime Suppression Division Region 5, supported

by Chalong Police, to Dokset’s house and demanded to search it. Finding nothing elsewhere in the house they demanded he unlock the bathroom. He told them he had no key.

He was persuaded to break the lock with a hammer.

Inside, police found the wheelie bin and inside that, bones and foetid goo.

The remains were not even identifiable as human. Police had to hand over the contents of the bag to their forensics experts to tell them whether it was what they suspected – the mortal remains of a person.

By late Wednesday morning they had their answer. The remains were human.

Dead woman’s pistol Dokset, meanwhile, denied all knowledge of the bin and its contents. He had not been in the bathroom for many months, he said, and he had no idea who had placed the body there.

He seemed at a loss, too, to explain the discovery in his study of a handbag containing Rungnapa’s mobile phone and ID card, and a 9mm pistol, registered in her name, along with 58 rounds of ammunition.

Police initially thought that only half the body – the lower half – was in the bin,

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FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

so pitifully small was the amount of rotted material.

They went back to the house and searched the roof spaces and other less accessible parts of the house.

Noticing that the toilet in another bathroom was blocked, they called for a vacuum truck to come and suck up the contents of the septic tank. But this, too, produced no clues.

Whose body?

Then the word came from the forensic boys. The body was complete, they said. No need to look further.

But whose body was it?

The corpse was utterly unrecognisable. Officers took blood samples from Rungnapa’s mother and sent those off with tissue samples from the corpse to the Royal Thai Police Forensic Department for DNA analysis. “It’ll take a month,” they were told. “Please try to do it faster,” they replied.

All through this, Dokset maintained his innocence and ignorance. As police searched the house for the second time, he said, “If I killed someone, do you think I would have kept the body in my house all this time?” His relationship with Rungnapa was near-perfect, he said. “We never fought in the whole time we were together.”

Secret lover But clearly something had gone awry in their relationship.

After six years together, she left him after secretly marrying a policeman – so far unnamed – whom she had been seeing behind Dokset’s back.

Two months later, apparently with the marriage already in ruins, she disappeared.

After the house had been

Photo: Paritta Wangkiat thoroughly searched, Dokset was taken to Chalong Police Station, charged with possession of a gun – Rungnapa’s – without a permit and of concealing a dead body, and was locked in a cell.

Still he maintained he knew nothing about the body or how it got into his house.

Finally, in the evening, after almost 24 hours in handcuffs, being questioned by police through an interpreter or waiting in a police lockup, Dokset cracked.

He admitted that he and Rungnapa had had a furious argument, which deteriorated to the point where they started shoving each other. This happened, he said, at the top of the flight of stairs leading up from the ground floor.

‘An accident’ She fell down the stairs, Dokset said. “It was an accident.”

Seeing her unmoving on the hard tiles at the foot of the stairs, he hurried down to check her pulse. There was none.

He told police that, panicking, he had loaded Rungnapa’s body into the bag and then into the bin, and locked it in the little-used bathroom.

On Wednesday evening, Dokset sat down and wrote his account of how Rungnapa died.

Police felt it was too sketchy.

We’re not finished yet, they said. We have more questions.

As The Phuket News was going to press yesterday morning (March 1) police were preparing for a re-enactment of Rungnapa’s death at Dokset’s house.

But whether this will provide the true story behind Dokset’s grisly secret remains to be seen.

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POPEYE’S TEARS Paritta Wangkiat reporter3@thephuketnews.com

There were harrowing scenes at an elephant camp near the Big Buddha on Tuesday (February 28) as officials dragged reluctant young elephant Popeye away from his friends and into a truck to be transported to the Parks Office at Khao Phra Taew in Thalang.

As Popeye squealed and dragged his feet, mahouts at the ATV Seaview Elephant Trekking Camp pulled him by the ears and used ‘ankuses’ – sharp curved implements – to get him into the truck.

Once in the truck, the young elephant appeared to be weeping at the loss of his friends.

Po p e y e w a s o n e of two young elephants confirmed by authorities to have been held illegally.

The legal status of 37 elephants is currently under investigation in Phuket, following official raids on four elephant trekking camps on the island on Monday (February 27).

Ni ne ele pha nt s were “seized” from AT Hill Adventure Tour, eight from ATV Seaview Tour, two from Laguna Excursions in Cherng Talay and 18 from Siam Safari on Monday.

The camps may continue to work all the elephants, but they may not be moved from the camps until the probe into the elephants’ legality has been completed.

The investigations follow a week of raids around the island by authorities, in response to the raid on an elephant trekking camp in Sai Yoke on January 24. That, in turn, followed the discovery of two dead wild elephants in Kaeng Krajan National Park in Petchburi Province on January 3.

In Kaeng Krajan Park officials found one elephant butchered – with various body parts missing – and another dead and burned.

In the truck, a distressed Popeye appears to weep at the loss of his friends in the ATV Seaview Trekking Camp.

This incident led authorities to inspect elephant camps around the country, including the one in Sai Yoke, where 19 unregistered elephants were seized, with the backgrounds of 10 more currently being investigated.

Authorities discovered that seven young elephants possibly linked to the illegal 19 seized at the camp had been rented to other elephant trekking camps around the country.

Two of the seven have still not been located, and two are thought to be in the north of Thailand. The remaining three were transported to elephant trekking camps in Phuket.

Elephant trek king camps are required to have documents showing that their elephants are registered, something authorities will be checking in Phuket over the

Harrowing scenes as young elephant gets taken away next couple of weeks.

Popeye and Joey, another young elephant held at L a g u n a E xc u r s i o n s i n Cherng Talay, were seized on Monday after they were found to be related to the Sai Yoke elephants and to be in human possession illegally.

The mother of the two young elephants was found at the Sai Yoke elephant trekking camp, whose owner failed to produce a registration document. As a result the two young elephants in Phuket are also deemed to be “illegal”.

The legality of a third young male elephant, twoyear-old Johnny, seized on

February 10 from the Phu Thai Review Souvenir Market is under investigation, as his supposed mother is registered.

Author ities are waiting for DNA tests to show whether Johnny is actually the offspring of that particular mother elephant, or of another, illegally-held female.

Popeye was rented to the AT Seaview Tour for around B15,000 a month, said an official. An deposit of B800,000 was made as a guarantee of the elephant’s health and safety.

In addition to the accusations of illegally owning elephants, the owners of the AT Hill Adventure Tour company

were also charged with forest reserve encroachment. They have a land document, but it is a SorPorKor, which allows the land to be used only for agricultural purposes.

The Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), Damrong Phidet, joined with the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NED) on Monday to investigate Phuket’s elephant trekking camps.

Authorities are also continuing to check Phuket restaurants to see if any have elephant parts on the menu.

3

Policy clash puts brakes on no-plastic bags project Phuket’s policy aimed at getting rid of plastic bags has been scuppered for the time being, partly by another campaign – to control ugly billboards.

The start of the no-plasticbags project has been indefinitely postponed after some major retailers failed at the last minute to confirm they would join the launch ceremony on Monday (February 27), citing concerns that public awareness is not yet high enough to make the campaign a success.

Major retailers all signed a memorandum of understanding with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha, on December 5 last year, pledging to join the campaign.

The government organised another meeting January 27 at Provincial Hall, setting Monday (February 27) as the date for the project to be launched and for retailers to sign up officially.

Jirasak Thammawate chief of the Phuket Energy Office (PEO) told The Phuket News, “We had to postpone it. The province sent a note asking everyone to confirm they would be at the launch on Monday but this was met by silence from some of the big retailers.”

These included retailers that had signed up to the MOU in December, or before that.

Mr Jirasak said that, when contacted about their silence, they told him they were worried that the public was not aware of the campaign.

Mr Jirasak said he accepted that promotion of the project had been a failure.

The PEO erected six billboards in various parts of the island to inform the public.

Now, however, only one remains, at the intersection next to the Princess Mother Sri­nagarindra School in Saphan Hin. The others have been taken down by local government bodies because of a new policy – to get rid of unsightly billboards in Phuket.

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

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Les Vorasmarthy performs a low pass in front of Surin Beach, as the mega-yacht A lurks in the background.

Birdman’s wings are clipped The Phuket White Sand and Blue Sky Air Show at Surin Beach on Saturday (February 25) went ahead minus the main act: stunt flyer and ‘Birdman’ Jari Kuosma, whose act fell through at

the last minute. Birdman was meant to land on Surin beach wearing his bird suit, but on the day the plane he was meant to be riding in pulled out, and a replacement one could not be found.

With Birdman’s act cancelled, members of the public were instead left to watch veteran stunt pilots Les Vorosmarthy, in his Extra 300, and Markus Walther at the stick of his Pitts Special S2B.

Slum dwellers take fight over land to the top

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior (MoI), Pipatchai Paiboon, met with representatives from the Soi Kingkaew slum in the Kuku area of Phuket Town last Friday (February 24) to try to solve land ownership problems that have seen local residents at loggerheads with authorities for several years.

Mr Pipatchai must have been a bit taken aback; he came to Phuket to check out the location chosen for the planned meeting between the Prime Minister and her Cabinet, and local people in March.

But when residents of Soi Kingkeaw community heard he was in town, they sent representatives to meet him at Phuket Provincial Hall.

The villagers themselves admit that they live in what used to be mangrove forest, illegally occupied, but say they cannot afford to move elsewhere, not even to the “Eua Athorn” cheap housing built by the Government at the top end of the soi.

As reported in The Phuket News last month, they were alarmed to see Land Office staff once again trying to survey the area in January as part of the process for issuing a Chanote free-

Stern warning to all: Pipatchai Paiboon. hold title. They knew that someone had applied for ownership of almost half of the land under their community.

The community charge that authorities have treated them unfairly.

Representative Prawit Rattanapan explained on Friday (February 24) that the villagers had occupied the land for more than 30 years. However, because the area was originally mangrove forest, the authorities have always forbidden the occupants to develop facilities in the area and also barred them from getting title deeds.

Now, it seemed, a single individual was possibly going to get a title deed to much of the same land.

The Chief of the Phuket Land Office (PLO), Sitthichai

Promchart, named the claimant as Preeda Udomsap who, he said, had applied for the Chanote seven years ago.

Mr Sitthichai said Mr Preeda claimed that his family had occupied the land and received a Sor Kor 1 occupation paper – an essential requirement for a successful Chanote application – way back in 1924.

The survey had had to be postponed several time because the Soi Kingkaew com mu nit y – whom M r Sit t h ichai de sc r ibe d a s “invaders” – had prevented officials from getting onto the land to survey it.

He hinted that the cwhanote issue was by no means a foregone conclusion; it had yet to be established, he said, whether the original land paper Mr Preeda had was a “flying” Sor Kor 1.

Sor Kor 1 papers are notoriously vague and on a number of occasions in the past the paper for an undesirable piece of land has been “flown” to a more attractive plot nearby.

One thing that is confirmed is that the disputed land is within the boundaries of the Klong BangcheelaoKlong Thajean Mangrove Forest Reserve, set up in 1958.

Theerapong Weerapol, 46, and the home-made pistol.

Neighbour shot after having too much fun A 46-year-old man, Sutin Hokmeng, was shot dead at his friend’s house on Monday (February 27) while celebrating Liverpool’s win in the Carling Cup final with friends.

M r Sut i n’s neig hbou r Theerapong Weerapol, 46, allegedly admitted to police that he had fired his home-made gun at the deceased.

Theerapong said he was angr y with Mr Sutin and his friends, as they would have reg ula r pa r t ies a nd always make a lot of noise.

His anger reached a climax on Monday night when Mr Sutin and his f r iends complained to Theerapong about his fast driving.

Police said Theerapong told them that he usually rides his motorbike fast along the road, but after being abused by the group, he grabbed his homemade gun from his house, and went to kill Mr Sutin.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Man killed after looking at a gang member ‘wrongly’ A 25-year-old Thai man, Kriangsak Douysaduak, was shot dead in Phuket Town early on February 23 during a quarrel between his gang and an opposing one.

The quarrel started when Kriangsak and the gang he led paid a visit to the home of his opponent, known only as “Petch”, in Soi Siangtai, off Thepkrassattri Rd. The purpose of the visit was to interrogate Petch as to why he had looked at a member of Kriangsak’s gang.

Not satisfied with his explanation, Kriangsak’s merry men decided summary justice was

required. They gave Petch a good beating and then rode off.

Justifiably aggrieved, Petch summoned his own gang to his house – not far from Kriangsak’s HQ – and waited for Kriangsak & Co to return.

The two sides faced off, pointing guns at one another.

One of Petch’s group, armed with an 11mm pistol, fired four shots at Kriangsak, who was declared dead when he reached Vachira Phuket Hospital.

Both gangs were questioned by police, but no arrests were made. Officers are now collecting more evidence on the identity of the shooter.

Last-ditch attempts to stop bus terminal Former Rassada Mayor Suratin Lianudom, who lives near the as-yet-unopened bus terminal on Thepkrassattri Rd, to the north of Phuket Town, has sworn to keep up his campaign against the terminal, even though the Phuket Hig hways Depa r t ment (PHD) is pressing ahead with preparations for its opening.

Previously, Mr Suratin and around 400 villagers signed an open letter and presented it to the Damrongtham Center in

an attempt to block a plan by the Highways Department to cut though the median strip in the road next to the entrance to the bus station.

This attempt failed, with the contractor refusing to stop work on the 70-metre gap.

PHD Deputy Chief Sathaporn Sornchana told The Phuket News that the department needs to finished the bus turn before the scheduled mobile Cabinet meeting begins in Phuket on March 19.

OrBorJor poll date set T he ele ct ion t o de cide who will replace former OrBorJor President Paiboon Upatising, who resigned from the post on February 16, will be held on April 7.

Kittipong Tiengkunakrit, Phuket Director of the Election Office announced on Tuesday (February 28) that the registration of candidates will

be held at Phuket Community Hall in Phuket Town (opposite the Governor’s Mansion) from March 5 to 9, between 8:30am and 4:30pm. Registration costs B30,000 per candidate.

The candidates will be announced after registration closes, with the election

by Thai voters scheduled to take place on April 7.

ISLAND NEWS

5

Tesco pledges action on pollution of klong Tesco-Lotus headquarters in Bangkok have promised to ensure no more pollutants leak from the company’s store in Rawai into a neighbouring canal.

The pledge came after the HQ was made aware of the problem by The Phuket News.

T he President of the Chalong Bay Community, Suta Prateep na Thalang, visited the Damrongtham Center – the province’s ombudsman – on Monday (February 27) to request an investigation into the pollution and a lack of action by officials.

Mr Suta showed pictures of waste water spilling from an outlet from the boundary of the store, and of dead fish in the canal.

Local villagers point to Tesco-Lotus because, they say, the water upstream of the store is of better quality.

“We have been asking local authorities for help for more than two years,” said Mr Suta.

“But no one has made a serious attempt to solve this problem.”

Salinla Seehaphan, TescoLotus Communications Director, said in an email to The Phuket News, “Tesco Lotus has been taking the issue seriously and we took prompt action to replace malfunctioning pumps in the effluent pond and fix the effluent pipes, which were crushed by land subsidence.

“Now the issue has been addressed and we will continue to monitor water quality for eight weeks until the situation returns to normal.

“We have learned that the water quality was impacted by technical problems, so we have put in measures to prevent it from occurring again in the future.”

The klong running past the Tesco store has a milky appearance, and fish have been dying.

GOT WHEELS: Manoo Kaewdam (foreground) is delighted with his new electric wheelchair, one of nine handed out by the Rotary Clubs of Phuket to people who have lost the use of their legs. Mr Manoo has been unable to walk since falling out of a tree. Another 31 electric wheelchairs will be distributed in the coming months to disabled people in Phuket and Phang Nga.

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Australian model dies in bike crash Au st r al ia n model La na O’Connell, 23, died in a motorbike crash on Patak Rd on Saturday (February 25).

Ms O’Connell and boyfriend Ken Trivett were driving on a motorbike in the early morning, when they reportedly hit the side of a street vendor’s sidecar parked in the bike lane.

Their bike veered into the opposite traffic lane, and hit an oncoming motorcyclist.

The couple were reportedly not wearing helmets.

Ms O’Connell died instantly, while Mr Trivett, the street vendor, and the Thai

motorcyclist were injured.

The Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper reported Ms O’Connell’s mother Marilyn as saying, “She was a beautiful girl who loved life and had so many hopes and dreams which will never be fulfilled.”

Glamorous Life swimwear designer Joanne Rahn said Ms O’Connell had had a bright career ahead of her.

“I have worked with her a few times and she was always so professional and one of the girls who was really earmarked to go far,” she was quoted as saying in the same paper.

Getting set for school mini-marathon:

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Lana O’Connell with longtime boyfriend Ken Trivett, photo from her Facebook album.

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tomorrow from 10am to 7pm or on the day of the race, from 4.30 to 5.30am.

Plukpanya Municipal School is to host a mini-marathon on Sunday (March 4), starting at 4.30am.

The registration fees will be B200 for the 10.5-km run (which will include a free T-shirt), B100 for 3.5 kms, and B300 (with a free medal) for the 1.5-km family team run.

Running numbers can be collected from Plukpanya School in Phuket Town

Weekend market aims at foreigners: Phuket Boat Lagoon is to hold a regular Weekend Market starting a week from March 10-11. B5 million will be spent to establish up to 70 sales booths (possibly more later on) in different zones, for “garage sales”, boats and boat accessories, fashion and food. There will also be

customised vehicle licence number plate auction in April, with revenue raised going towards a road safety fund.

The auction will be held April 28 and 29 at The Metropole hotel in Phuket Town, starting at 8am.

Those interested in bidding should take their identification card or passport (for foreigners) to the PPTO and register between March 1 and April 27, between 9am and 4.30pm.

an area for car boot sales.

The market will be open from 3 pm to 10pm every Saturday and Sunday.

Bookings for booths are being taken until March 5 – already around 50 have been snapped up. The price per booth will be just B100 a day in the initial promotional period.

Licence plate auction: Phuket Provincial Transportation Office (PPTO) plans to hold its annual

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NATIONAL NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Sondhi jailed for 20 years Agence France-Presse

A cou r t in T hailand on Tue s d ay ( Feb r u a r y 29) sentenced one of the Kingdom’s most controversial political f ig u res, media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul, to 20 years in prison for corporate fraud.

Mr Sondhi is the founder of the royalist Yellow Shirt protest movement, which has played a major role in Thailand’s colour-coded political conflict, and helped to topple fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006.

T he Cr i m i n a l C ou r t in Bangkok convicted Mr Sondhi of violating the Securities and Exchange Act in a case dating back to the mid-1990s, and gave him the maximum sentence possible, a court official said.

The 64-year-old tycoon is appealing the verdict and was released on bail of B10 million, his lawyer Suwat Apaipak said.

He was accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission of falsifying documents used as collateral for a loan of almost B1.1 billion for his ASTV/Manager media empire.

Mass protests by the Yel-

7

IN BRIEF Briton jailed for sex with girls A court on Tuesday (February 28) sentenced a British man to 21 years in prison for the rape of three underage girls who had been forced to have sex with him by the mother of one of the victims.

Stuart Hargreaves Lloyd, 45, was convicted of having sex with the girls between 2004 and August 2010 in hotels in the capital Bangkok and the beach resort town of Pattaya.

A 50-year-old Thai woman was jailed for 42 years for forcing the girls, including her own daughter, into prostitution, an official at the Bangkok court said. –AFP

Another bomb suspect held Media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul (holding microphone), one of the main organisers of anti-PM Thaksin Sinawatra protests, leads a rally in Bangkok on March 26, 2006. Thousands of protesters flooded into Bangkok’s ritzy downtown shopping area to press demands for Mr Thaksin to quit, one week ahead of trouble-plagued elections. Photo: AFP lows, formally known as the People’s Alliance for Democracy, helped trigger the 2006 coup by royalist generals who ousted Mr Thaksin, then seen as Mr Sondhi’s arch-enemy.

Mr Thaksin now lives in self-imposed exile overseas to avoid a jail term imposed in his absence for corruption, but his younger sister

Yingluck Shinawatra is the current Prime Minister.

In 2010 Mr Sondhi was convicted of defaming Mr Thaksin and handed a sixmonth suspended jail sentence.

The Yellows claim allegiance to the throne and are backed by the Bangkok-based elite, although their influence has waned since 2008 when

they seized Bangkok’s airports and stranded hundreds of thousands of tourists.

Mr Sondhi was among dozens of Yellow Shirt supporters charged in 2010 with terrorism offences over the airport occupation.

That case, however, has yet to go to court.

He is also facing trial

for insulting the monarchy – a serious charge in the Kingdom – because he once quoted from the speech of a hardcore Red Shirt.

In 2009 Mr Sondhi survived an assassination attempt but was wounded in the head when gunmen wielding assault rifles opened fire on his car at a petrol station.

Police said on Monday they were holding a third Iranian for questioning in connection with an alleged plot to kill Israeli diplomats in Bangkok.

The man, who has denied any links to a string of botched blasts in the capital on February 14, was charged with overstaying his visa, said police. Phone call logs allegedly showed he had been in regular contact with the two Iranians in custody.

–AFP

Capital’s Hitler chic riles tourists, Israelis Is Hitler chic? Bangkok’s hip youngsters certainly seem to think so. The capital is currently seeing a wave of “Hitler Chic” fashion, a controversial trend that has riled many tourists as well as the Israeli government.

Images of Pandas, Teletubbies and even Ronald MacDonald have been morphed into images of the Führer, recently reported CNNGO.com.

The Israeli Ambassador Itzhak Shoham is not amused.

“You don’t want to see memories of the Nazi period trivi-

alised in this manner. It hurts the feelings of every Jew and every civilised person,” he said.

In Bangkok’s backpacker haven of Khao San Rd, one popular T-shirt depicts Hitler sunbathing naked on a tropical beach, while shoppers at the city’s famed Jatujal market can easily find Nazi flags, reproduction Third Reich propaganda posters, Iron Cross pennants, and faux SS crash helmets.

Some foreign tourists see such Nazi chic as just a peculiar aspect of Thai youth culture.

“I guess one could say ‘boy, it’s a pretty ignorant world and kids today,’” notes Mark Goldberg, from New Orleans. “I doubt people who are [into these designs] would even know their significance.”

Last September in Chiang Mai, a group of high school students paraded in homemade Nazi uniforms, complete with swastika ar mbands a nd t oy g u n s. L e a d i ng them was a teenage girl dressed in a faux SS uniform with a fake Hitler mustache.

Jailed for lèse majesté A political activist was sentenced on Tuesday (February 28) to seven and a half years in prison in the latest in a series of convictions under the Kingdom’s controversial royal defamation laws.

The Criminal Court in Bangkok found Surachai Danwattananusorn, 70, guilty of insulting the monarchy during several public speeches he gave to supporters of his Red Siam group in 2008 and 2010.

“This case is politically-motivated,” his lawyer

Karom Polpornklang said, adding that he planned to appeal the verdict.

Red Siam is a hardcore offshoot of the Red Shirt movement, which is broadly loyal to fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by royalist generals in a 2006 coup.

The royal family is an extremely sensitive subject in Thailand, but calls for reform of the strict lèse majesté legislation have grown following several

high-profile convictions.

A 61-year-old man was jailed in November for 20 years for sending text messages deemed insulting to the monarchy, while a US citizen in December was handed twoand-a-half years in prison for defaming the King.

Rights groups say the use of the rules to suppress free speech has worsened under the Government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra who rode a wave of support among Red Shirts in an election last year.

thephuketnews.com

8

REGIONAL NEWS

IN BRIEF Riots in Xinjiang kill at least 12 Riots in the volatile Chinese region of Xinjiang left at least 12 people dead on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhua reported, in the latest unrest to rock the country’s remote northwest.

The news agency said that “rioters” killed at least 10 people, with police then shooting dead two of those involved in the violence in Yecheng county, Kashgar prefecture.

Xinhua said that “violent mobs” launched attacks at around 6pm local time and police were now in pursuit of those involved in the violence.

Xinjiang, in China’s northwest, has been hit by sporadic bouts of violent unrest in the past few years.

Official jailed for uploading porn A court in Vietnam has sentenced an official to two years in prison after he posted pornographic photos on a provincial government website.

State media says Phan Ngoc Quan was convicted of “illegally accessing” Tra Vinh province’s website. The verdict didn’t mention pornography.

Thanh Nien newspaper reported that a police investigation found Quan uploaded pornography to the website in 2010 and 2011. The report said Quan confessed to the charge.

Vietnamese law says it is illegal to trade or disseminate “depraved cultural items”.

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Japan feared Fukushima crisis could ‘finish’ Tokyo

Agence France-Presse

A worst-case scenario sketched out by the Japanese government foresaw the end of Tokyo in a chain of nuclear explosions that would mean evacuating the city, an independent panel said Tuesday.

Plans were drawn up for the mass withdrawal from the capital as at least one senior minister fretted that meltdowns at Fukushima might spark crises at reactors all along the coast and engulf the city of 13 million people.

The revelations came in a 400-page report published by a panel of experts who were given free rein to probe the events surrounding the world’s worst nuclear crisis in a generation.

“I had this demonic scenario in my head” that nu-

clear reactors could break down one after another, then chief cabinet secretary Yukio Edano told the panel.

“If that happens Tokyo will be finished,” he said, according to the report.

The panel said as the situation on Japan's tsunamiwrecked coast worsened, Fukushima operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) had wanted to abandon the plant and evacuate its workers.

But the utility, which refused to co-operate with the study, was ordered to keep men on site by then prime minister Naoto Kan. Experts concluded that if the premier had not stuck to his g u ns, Fu k ushima would have spiralled further out of control, with catastrophic consequences.

“When the prime min-

ister’s office was aware of the risk the country may not survive (the crisis)...

TEPCO’s president (Masataka) Shimizu... frantically called” to tell the premier he wanted his staff to leave the crippled nuclear reactor, panel head Koichi Kitazawa told a news conference.

Kitazawa said Kan threatened to break up the powerful utility if the company insisted on pulling its men out.

He said Kan’s refusal to bow to TEPCO’s demand had averted a worse crisis.

Respected academics, engineers and journalists were drafted in by the Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation after public demands for an independent probe into the meltdowns at Fukushima in the aftermath of the monster tsunami of March 2011.

Officials check for radiation signs.

Malaysia scraps Erykah Badu concert over Allah body tattoo Agence France-Presse

Malaysian authorities scrapped a concert by American singer Erykah Badu on Tuesday after she angered Muslims with a photo in which she sports body art including the Arabic word for “Allah”.

Information Minister Rais Yatim said on Twitter that the concert was cancelled because it breached government guidelines on “religious sensitivities

and cultural values” in the Muslim-majority country.

“The ‘Allah’ graphic on the singer’s body will surely cause controversy among Muslims,” Rais said.

In separate comments quoted by state news agency Bernama, he warned the concert would “lead to bigger problem” by threatening national security and tarnishing the government's image.

The acclaimed soul artist had been scheduled to perform in the capital Kuala Lumpur.

Photo: Najmudeen Organiser Pineapple Concerts said late Tuesday on their website they were working “to rectify the issues

that we’re facing”.

“Erykah Badu and Pineapple Concerts will still like to carry on with the show.”

Malaysian Islamic groups frequently oppose concerts

by Western artists whom they accuse of promoting promiscuity and corrupting youths, but rarely are high-profile acts cancelled once initial approval has been granted.

T he of fend i ng photo appeared Monday in Malaysia’s biggest Englishlanguage daily, The Star.

Photo: AFP

India govt clarifies gay sex views Agence France-Presse

The Indian government sought to clarify its views on homosexuality on Tuesday, saying it “fully” backed a 2009 court order decriminalising gay sex despite the objections of a top state lawyer last week.

During a hearing in the Supreme Court last Thursday, additional solicitor general P.P. Malhotra had called gay sex “against nature” in a submission that caused outrage among gay rights activists.

The home ministry later sought to disown the comments, causing confusion about the government's stance on the highly sensitive social issue.

On Tuesday, another additional solicitor general, Mohan Jain, stressed that his views were those of the government, which he said fully supported a Delhi High Court decision in 2009 to decriminalise gay sex.

“It’s a government of India decision that there is no legal error in the judgement of the Delhi High Court,” Mohan told the Supreme Court, which is hearing several appeals seeking to overturn the decriminalisation decision.

The 2009 judgement to overturn the colonial-era ban on gay sex was hailed as a major victory at the time.

THE PHUKET NEWS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Wounded British journalist rescued, safe in Lebanon Agence France-Presse

Wounded British photographer Paul Conroy was safe in Lebanon on Tuesday after being smuggled out of the besieged Syrian city of Homs, as France’s president retracted a statement that a French journalist had also escaped.

President Nicolas Sarkozy went back on an earlier statement that Le Figaro newspaper’s Edith Bouvier, who has multiple fractures, had been rescued from the besieged Baba Amr district of Homs.

And a management source at Le Figaro told AFP that

Bouvier, 31, was “not in Lebanon but still in Syria.”

Earlier, a Lebanese official told AFP: “The information we have is that both arrived overnight in Lebanon.”

“Paul Conroy is at the British embassy and in good condition. Edith Bouvier is also here in Lebanon but we have no information as to where she is exactly,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

In London, the Foreign Office in London said freelancer Conroy was “receiving full consular assistance from our embassy.”

Thirteen activists were killed trying to help the Western journalists and to bring in aid to the Homs rebel stronghold of Baba Amr, international activist group Avaaz said.

UN officials called for an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid into violence-tor n regions of Syria, where the United Nations now says well over 7,500 people have been killed.

The death toll in the Syrian government crackdown is now “certainly well over 7,500,” B. Lynn Pascoe, UN undersecretary general for

political affairs, told the Security Council on Tuesday.

The international community’s failure to “stop the carnage” is encouraging the Syrian government to believe that it can act with “impunity,” Pascoe said.

But US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that declaring Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a war criminal could “complicate” a solution to the crisis.

“I also think that from long experience that can complicate a resolution of a difficult, complex situation because it limits options to per-

suade leaders perhaps to step down from power,” Clinton told a Senate hearing.

Earlier, a spokeswoman for Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper said Conroy was “in good shape and good spirits” following his escape.

A father of three, Conroy was working for the weekly during a rocket attack on February 22 on a makeshift media centre in Baba Amr. US veteran reporter Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik were killed in last week’s rocket attack in Homs while Bouvier and Conroy were wounded.

Australian PM mulls cabinet reshuffle Agence France-Presse

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Tuesday refused to rule out punishing ministers who failed to back her in a bitter leadership ballot with Kevin Rudd as she mulls a cabinet reshuffle.

Gillard retained office on Monday by crushing rival Rudd 71-31 in a secret vote of Labor parliamentarians after

the former leader challenged her as head of the country’s ruling party.

Rudd quit as foreign minister ahead of making his move on Gillard and that position now needs to be filled, as does that of assistant treasurer and right-wing powerbroker Mark Arbib, who has resigned.

While both the prime minister and Rudd – who has now been banished to the

backbenches – have urged unity from the party after one of the most damaging and spiteful campaigns in recent history, Gillard said there would be changes.

“I made it clear yesterday that I’ll announce the reshuffle in my own time and I’m not going to be speculating on it before I announce it,” she told ABC radio.

“I will judge my team on

the way I’ve said I’m going to judge it – on merit and the capacity to take the fight up to the other side of politics.

“That’s what will drive my decision.”

Rudd has urged Gillard not to take retributions so as to help rebuild trust and unity within the splintered Labor party, which badly lags the conservative opposition in the polls ahead of 2013 elections.

Julia Gillard. Photo: MystifyMe Concert Photography

9

IN BRIEF British lawmakers to visit Falklands next month British lawmakers will visit the Falklands next month, an official said Wednesday, in a move likely to stoke tensions with Argentina ahead of the 30th anniversary of the 1982 war over the islands.

At least half a dozen members of parliament’s defence select committee will visit the British military base in the South Atlantic archipelago, in the first such trip since 1999, a committee spokesman said.

Two dead after blast at Brazil’s Antarctic base

An explosion destroyed a Brazilian research base in Antarctica Saturday, killing two navy personnel and injuring a third.

Brazilian Defense Minister Celso Amorim confirmed the deaths of two people in the blast, which occurred after a fire in a room housing energy generators of the Comandante Ferraz research base.

The base was located in Admiralty Bay, King George Island, near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Romney wins Arizona Agence France-Presse

White House hopeful Mitt Romney won Tuesday’s Republican Party primary in Arizona as expected, according to projections by US media.

A victory in the southwestern US state boosts Romney’s frontrunner position in the race to determine which Republican will face President Barack Obama in November.

A f a r m o r e c o nt e n tious battle was playing out Tuesday in the Midwestern state of Michigan, where minutes after polls closed the vote was too close to call.

Pres hopeful Mitt Romney.

Photo: Gage Skidmore A r i zona ns cast t hei r final ballots by 7pm local time, and while votes were still being counted and the Republican Party had yet to put out any official results,

early exit polls put the state in Romney’s win column.

CNN exit polls projected 44 per cent of the Arizona vote for Romney and 27 per cent for his main rival Rick Santorum, a religious conservative who has been surging nationally in recent weeks.

The other two in the race, former House speaker Newt Gingrich and Representative Ron Paul of Texas, are trailing.

Results from CBS News exit polls in the state, which borders Mexico, showed 48 per cent of voters cited the US economy as the most important issue to them.

thephuketnews.com

10 LETTERS/VIEWPOINT

THE PHUKET NEWS

OPINION

The tourists are a-changin’

“Sometimes there can be clashes between cultures. While Europeans prefer a quiet atmosphere, content to sit around the pool, the Chinese and Russians are more likely to make a lot of noise, preferring to party > 11

Editor’s Viewpoint

NORACHAI’S WORLD

SAD START TO ‘NO PLASTIC BAGS’

T

he news that Phuket’s “no plastic bags” campaign has stalled for the meantime is bad news for the island for a number of reasons.

The project was halted after some major retailers failed at the last minute to confirm they would join the launch ceremony on Monday (February 27), citing concerns that public awareness is not yet high enough to make the campaign a success.

Chief of Phuket Energy Office (PEO) Jirasak Thammawate said he accepted that promotion of the project had been a failure because of lack of budget.

Six billboards had been put up, but only one remains. The others have been taken down by local government bodies because of a new policy to get rid of unsightly billboards.

Promotion of such a project is crucial to its success. Every media outlet on the island, plus the government, needs to be supporting and carrying the message of the project.

There needs to be advertising and information up.

Elephants have long memories.

Letters to the Editor Save the animals

[Re: Jumbo busts: Three baby elephants seized in trek camp raids] Government officials have raided Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT), located in Phetchaburi Province. WFFT operates a sanctuary for abused animals and confiscates wildlife from the pet/animal trade. Many of these are species protected under CITES and other international laws to which Thailand is a party.

The raids have included imprisonment of members of the WFFT and “confiscation” of animals. These animals should be returned immediately to ensure their safety and no further arrests should take place.

This foundation, and the service it provides to Thailand, its people and wildlife, should have the full support of the Government. Its advocacy role is an important part of any democracy.

Instead of reassuring the public or solving the problem, such raids and harassment by highranking officials and government agencies only draw attention to the problem and raise questions in the minds of the international community about Thailand’s commitment to conservation and enforcement of international laws.

Katie McCaffery Canada

A sad end for all

[Re: Police confirm tourist’s death was suicide] Very sad ending to a young life. My brother aged 17 did the same thing and it is those who are closest to those who take their lives that suffer for years to come. Rest in peace.

Chris Williams

No place for mistakes

[Re: 37 rushed to hospital after resort chlorine leak] I hope they will charge this hotel employee who claims he has worked for many years maintaining pools.

These kinds of mistakes are unacceptable and he should not get away with that so easily. He had a big responsibility and his attitude is unheard of. Charge him and terminate his employment at once. By the way, he also helps to damage Phuket’s and Thailand’s tourism reputation.

Responsible hotel manager

Thumbs up

[Re: Topics listed for mobile Cabinet meeting] It is nice to see that the development of sewerage and road systems in areas where flooding is common, new clinics in the forgotten areas of the island (where the tourists don’t go), a larger police force and improvement schools facilities and quality of education are priorities of this once people-oriented party – at least during campaign time.

Pocoloco

Not the Chinese, please

[Re: China ‘will back Phuket light rail system’] The Chinese make mobile phones that do not last for more then a year. What can you expect from a light rail? Don’t allow them, or else many will be at risk of serious injury or loss of life.

John

It is also important that once a date is promoted at length – which hasn’t really been the case here – it needs to go ahead, even if simply to prove that some things in Phuket CAN happen on time, and that there is some urgency behind the project.

The issue of plastic on this island is an often-talked-about problem. Many Westerners arrive from environmentallyfriendly countries to find the plastic used extensively, including the huge numbers of plastic bags given out at every supermarket, 7/11 and minimart in Phuket – even to carry that tiny pack of chewing gum.

It was a great idea to start a campaign to hopefully reduce waste and help change cemented attitudes toward plastic use. But this project has been poorly advertised.

Let’s hope that the environmental campaign does go ahead, but perhaps with a rethink about marketing strategies and to make sure everyone on the island actually knows it is happening.

This week in history The life of the rich

[Re: New luxury car showroom] Indecent! About 20 people have no shame at all to buy multimillion baht cars in a country where millions people don’t have enough money to live.

Marc

It’ll all work out

[Re: New luxury car showroom] One man’s f loor is another man’s ceiling. There is no shame in success, and if the lucky 20 who can afford to buy such luxuries are intolerable to the needy, perhaps karma will get them.

Tony Belasco CORRECTION In last week’s story on p14, ‘Third new Patong mall set to open in March’, we said the mall would cost more than B3 million to build.

The correct figure is B300 million. We apologise for the error.

Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Email editor@thephuketnews.com or fax 076 612 553. Please include your full name, phone number, and email address.

thephuketnews.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

■■ March 2, 1983 – Compact Disc (CD) players and discs are released globally for the first time. They had only been available in Japan prior to this date.

■■ March 3, 1938 – Oil is discovered in Saudi Arabia.

■■ March 4, 1918 – The first case of Spanish flu occurs, the start of a devastating worldwide pandemic.

■■ March 5, 1836 – Samuel Colt makes the first production-model revolver, the .34-caliber.

■■ March 6, 1964 – Nation of Islam’s Elijah Muhammad officially gives boxing champion Cassius Clay the name Muhammad Ali. ■■ March 7, 1876 – Alexander Graham Bell is granted a patent for an invention he calls the telephone.

■■ March 8, 1817 – The New York Stock Exchange is founded.

BE MY GUEST THE PHUKET NEWS

FEATURE 11

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

How Phuket’s tourist demographics are changing

The faces of visitors arriving to our tropical island have changed dramatically over the last year or so.

According to Immigration figures, from 2010 to 2011 the number of Chinese tourists arriving in Phuket almost doubled, from 182,543 to 343,125. Over the same period, the number of Russian arrivals went from 148,722 to 276,084.

The two nationalities are first and second for airport arrivals.

Bangonrat Shinaprayoon, the director of Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Phuket Office said up until a few years ago, Western Europeans were still the island’s main tourist market, but in recent years they have been usurped by tourists from China, Russia and South Korea.

Two years ago, Europeans made up approximately 40 per cent of all tourists to Phuket, but over the last 12 months that figure has dropped to 30 per cent, the same percentage as Asian arrivals.

Mrs Bangonrat cited the economic downturn in Europe as a possible reason for the drop in numbers. Another factor might be the addition of more direct flights from Phuket to cities across Asia.

As the number of Western Europeans has dropped, Russian arrivals have gone in the other direction. Indeed, 2011 saw 80 per cent year-on-year growth over the year before, due to Russia’s booming, oil and gas-led economy, as well as the increased convenience of direct flights and charter flights.

However, the Chinese have outstripped all other arrival numbers. More than five cities in China have regular direct flights to Phuket.

Wesley Hayden, general manager of B-Lay Tong Phuket Resort in Patong, said since

With more direct flights, Russian and Chinese tourists have been coming in ever growing numbers in recent years.

2005, Thailand has increasingly attracted the “international class”. Prior to this, most visitors to the Kingdom had been Europeans, who flew long distances to visit famous ‘brand-name’ places.

The international class, meanwhile, are expatriates already working in Asia, who don’t have the time or inclination to take long trips.

For them, Phuket is perfect for a weekend break.

At the 123-room B-Lay Tong, they place a special emphasis on internet bookings, with many of their customers hailing from Phuket’s third largest market, Australia.

According to figures supplied by the hotel, there are an incredible 30 to 40 million expatriates working across Asia, an ever-growing middle class who have disposable income to spend, and access to some of the world’s best destinations.

Says Mr Hayden, “Part of the strategy for any hotel

is to make sure you don’t have a dominance of any one nationality, which can leave you exposed.”

At B-Lay Tong, they average 12 per cent Australians, 10 per cent Russians, and around 30 per cent Europeans, with the rest mixed.

Mr Hayden admitted that sometimes there can be clashes between cultures. For instance, while Western Europeans often prefer a quiet atmosphere, and are content to sit around the pool, other nationalities – such as the Chinese and Russians – are more likely to make a lot of noise, preferring to party.

His hotel handles all problems case by case, and does not separate different nationalities.

Interestingly, while Russian and Middle Eastern guests change bad behaviour once it’s pointed to them, Mainland Chinese frequently don’t understand why noise is a problem, and refuse to keep quiet.

Out of all guests, Rus-

sians are the biggest spenders, largesse that includes eating and drinking in-house, as well as tips for staff. European guests often dine outside the resort, while Chinese guests are the stingiest, making the most of all complimentary inclusive items, including buffet and activities.

Theera Kanjana was until recently cluster general manager of Courtyard by Marriott, overseeing the island’s three Courtyard by Marriott Phuket properties, at Patong Beach, Kamala Beach and Surin Beach.

He said that at Surin and Kamala, most guests were European, though in high season last year Russian guests were the majority. Meanwhile, the Patong Beach hotel attracted mostly Koreans, closely followed by Chinese.

Mr Theera says that Asian tourists are probably the most active, joining sightseeing tours, watching entertainment shows, and shopping;

while Russian tourists like to drink and party. However Scandinavian guests love peace and quiet, stay for the longest time, and are usually in families.

Out of all groups, Chinese guests rise the earliest, getting up for breakfast before going on an island tour – all this while Russian and European guests are still sleeping.

Because the Chinese also usually return after dinner out, the different schedules mean there is less opportunity for clashes of cultures.

As at B-Lay Tong, Mr Theera says he also had no policy of separating groups.

Russian tourists were Marriott’s number one spenders, including in food and beverage outlets. Chinese, however, preferred to spend money on gifts and souvenirs, as most of them are on pre-paid package tours, the price of which already includes accommodation and food.

Just as the 2011 Immigra-

tion figures confirmed, Mr Theera said he had seen a rapid increase in the number of Chinese tourists to Phuket.

When he compared the situation to 10 years ago, it was remarkable how many more Russian and Chinese tourists you could see walking around.

However, Mr Theera acknowledges that Phuket already has many hotels that do focus on particular nationalities, in particular Russians, Chinese and Korean tourists.

Often, the hotel is owned by a tour company, which uses it to house package tour guests.

These three- to four-star hotels are seen as long-term investment by the tour companies, and presumably enable them to make a larger profit.

Somboon Jirayus, President of the Tourism Business Association, confirms that some standalone hotels in Phuket already support solely Russian tourists, with tour agencies booking up all of their rooms.

Mr Hayden of B-Lay Tong believes that building a hotel to cater to just one nationality is a mistake. He cites the example of local hotels building pool villas to cater purely for the Korean honeymoon market, which became a major problem when many of them chose to go to Bali instead.

It appears his is the common view on the island, with Methee Tanmanatragul, an adviser to the Southern Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, confirming Phuket has no new hotels being built purely to cater for one nationality.

While the clash of culture that can happen when guests from different countries stay in the same place is still an issue, he believes Phuket’s hoteliers are more than capable of handling such difficulties.

thephuketnews.com

12 BUSINESS/TOURISM

THE PHUKET NEWS

BUSINESS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Smash hit

Another success as Sansiri takes deposits on 120 homes in just 10 days > 14

business@thephuketnews.com

Thailand mulls financial help for stranded tourists

High price sees Thai rice exports fall by half

TTR Weekly

Agence France-Presse & The Phuket News

It’s too late for the hundreds of Air Australia passengers who were stranded in Phuket last week, but next time tourists are left to fend for themselves after their airline or tour company collapses, they may get financial help from the Thai Government.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has announced it will introduce a compensation scheme for tourists stranded in Thailand.

The ministry confirmed it was prepared to remove unfavourable articles in the Act of Tourism and Guide Registration 2008, which could disadvantage Thailand in the free trade era of the ASEAN Economic Community 2015.

The ministry spokesperson, Watchara Kannikar, said the ministry will review the law to prepare for AEC 2015.

“AEC could be an opportunity or constitute a threat for Thailand’s tourism industry depending on how we approach the new era,” he said.

The Government’s goals are lofty. By 2015, it hopes tou r ism w ill ea r n B2.2 trillion in revenue and draw more than 30 million international tourists, 10 million more than it expects in 2012.

Once the AEC era begins, ASEAN member countries will represent an overall p opu lat ion of 580 m i llion people and a vast pool of labour that can move between member countries.

There are concerns that it could lower the quality of tour guides in the country, or

Australian Hon Consul Larry Cunningham (left) with passengers stranded at Phuket International Airport last week. take jobs away from Thais in the tourism sector.

In addition, the country will require a compensation scheme to aid tourists who suffer from unethical practices.

If a scheme is not introduced, the free-trade era could spur more problems and a downgrade quality without a compensation channel for tourists.

A tourism spokesperson indicated that travel agencies would have to contribute to the fund, and there is a proposal that the Government should match the private sector’s contribution.

The objective is to make tour operators more respon-

sible in their dealings with tourists. Often, fierce competition in the industry leads to unfair treatment of clients.

“It is too early to reveal the details of the proposed contributions and the make-up of the overall fund,” he said.

The initiative was prompted in part by the bankruptcy on January 27 of Russian travel agency Lanta Voyage Company, which left more than 500 Russian tourists stranded in Thailand. The ministry stepped in to help them initially, and the Russian government eventually paid repatriation expenses.

“The case serves as a reminder that we must have a

We believe that the success of a project is essentially based on a serious management

liberto@construction-thailand.com

compensation mechanism in place, possibly through insurance. However, setting up the fund is a very difficult task because it involves multiple parties.”

The project should start with inbound tourism and then be extended to include compensations for Thais who are stranded overseas when on holiday.

He a c c e p t e d t h a t i t would raise travel agency expenses. However, he said, it would be good for the industry in the long-run.

In April 2011, the former Abhisit Vejjajiva Government established the Committee to Resolve Tourist Issues, chaired

by Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban.

It launched a B20 million tourist service centre at Suvarnabhumi Airport to

provide assistance to visitors and accept complaints from travellers.

However, the Tourism Ministry hopes to expand the scheme to include Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hat Yai. According to Suvarnabhumi Airport’s tourist service centre, an average of 30 tourists a month requested a translator to help coordinate or resolve issues with the Airports of Thailand, Immigration Bureau, the Customs Department and Tourist Police Division.

The Tourist Police Division is supposed be staffed by officers who can speak at least one foreign language, but the duty of translation has been t ransfer red to the centre or to expatriate volunteers who work closely with the police division.

liberto@construction-thailand.com 40 years experience of more than 20 years at your service in Thailand.

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The harvest of rice around the world in 2011-2012 should hit a new record of 721 million tonnes, a rise of 3 per cent from the previous year, and lead to lower prices, the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) said Wednesday.

For Thailand, however, this is bad news, as other countries muscle into Thailand’s markets with cheaper rice at a time when the government has been driving up the price through its rice pledging scheme, aimed at enriching farmers using taxpayers’ money.

In addition, last year’s floods in the central provinces – Thailand’s most productive rice-growing area – hit output, adding more upward pressure on Thai rice prices.

Asia, which is the top producer of r ice i n t he world, is set for a three per cent gain in production to 653 million tonnes. Africa was set for a one per cent gain to 25.5 million tones.

The FAO estimates that this should enable the price of rice to continue falling in the coming months as stocks increase and imports decline.

It estimated that global trade in rice will decline by one million tonnes due to better harvests in traditional import countries. One of these is India, which this year resumed rice exports and has overtaken Thailand as the world’s biggest exporter. According to industry estimates, India exported 2.3 million tonnes of rice between October 2011 and January 2012, while Thailand sold around 2 million tonnes during the same period.

Commerce Ministry data showed that Thailand exported just 350,000 tonnes of rice in January, down 52 per cent from 730,000 tonnes in January 2011.

Earlier this week Vietnam was quoting US$415425 a tonne for white rice, Pakistan US$435-445 and India US$445-455, far lower than Thailand’s US$563.

Despite the bad news, the Commerce Minister said he would ask the Cabinet to approve an extension to the rice pledging scheme beyond Wednesday (February 29), when it was due to expire.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

BAILOUT? No way, Delhi

BUSINESS/TOURISM 13

AirAsia’s revenue up, but profit falls Agence France-Presse

tells Kingfisher boss Mallya as he seeks white knights

Vijay Mallya: Can he pull off a rescue by British Airways and Iberia parent ICA? Agence France-Presse & The Phuket News

India’s Civil Aviation Minister has ruled out a government bailout of Kingfisher Airlines as the cash-strapped carrier submitted a new flight schedule after a week of cancellations and stranded passengers.

Kingfisher has been battling for months with huge debts (around 130 billion rupees, or B83 billion at last count), massive operating losses, staff resignations and problems with the tax man.

Unlike recently collapsed Air Aust ralia, however, Kingfisher is still flying, albeit at a reduced rate, and still battling to go on doing so.

On Monday The Times of London reported that help may be on the way from foreign investors. It cited the possibility that International Consolidated Airlines (ICA), the parent company of British Airways and Spain’s Iberia, might buy into Kingfisher.

The fly in the ointment is that the Indian Government would have to change the law to allow this.

Kingfisher has scrapped scores of flights over the past week, leaving passengers stranded and the airline’s owner, brewing magnate Vijay

Mallya, known as the “King of Good Times,” battling to save the debt-laden company.

At least 20 flights were cancelled on Wednesday (February 22) by the airline, which owes millions of dollars to suppliers, lenders and staff.

“We are not going to bail out Kingfisher but we hope it can mobilise resources,” Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said in New Delhi.

The airline submitted a fresh f light schedule to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DCGA) after the regulator on Tuesday ordered it to come up with a “realistic” plan.

Only 28 of Kingf isher’s f leet of 64 registered aircraft are in operation as many of its planes have been reclaimed by lessors or are awaiting spare parts.

“Kingfisher has submitted an updated schedule of flights. We are still reading and analysing it,” said DGCA Director-General Bharat Bhushan, who has ordered daily checks on the safety of the airline’s planes.

Mr Mallya welcomed the move to monitor the carrier’s safety.

“I am glad the DGCA wants to do special daily audits on us. We welcome

Fuel prices ‘could soon hit B50 a litre’ Continuing increases in global oil prices may soon drive Thailand’s retail fuel prices to break the B50-a-litre level, according to the country’s energy planning agency.

Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO) DirectorGeneral Suthep Liumsirijarern said that global oil prices are

expected to reach US$150 (B4,500) a barrel this year, compared with the 2011 record high of US$147 (B4,410).

The EPPO’s forecast of pricier fuel was made even after it had taken into account the assumption that no war will break out in the Middle East in 2012 – far from a certainty.

the opportunity to prove our aircraft are entirely safe,” he wrote on Twitter.

The airline declined to comment on its new flight plan, but the Press Trust of India said the airline would operate around 170 flights daily, less than half of its intended schedule.

A consortium of over a dozen lenders, led by staterun State Bank of India (SBI), was reported to be considering providing funds to the struggling airline.

The banks “have to decide on the basis of the business plan of the company. If they are satisfied with the business plan, they can lend money,” Mr Singh said, adding the government would not interfere.

SBI’s shares plu nged by nearly eight per cent on concerns about its existing loan exposure to Kingfisher and fears it would give more. Shares of private IDBI Bank, another significant lender to Kingfisher, slid by nearly seven per cent.

K i n g f i s h e r ’s s h a r e s dropped 6.53 per cent to 25.05 rupees while those of Mallyacontrolled United Breweries (Holdings) Ltd slumped nearly 10 per cent to 84.85 rupees.

The Bangalore-based airline, India’s second-largest

Photo: Dana Smillie/World Economic Forum

carrier until earlier this year when its cash woes deepened, has blamed its latest problems on officials freezing its bank accounts for not paying tax arrears.

The company posted a net loss of 4.44 billion rupees ($88 million) in the three months to December, compared with a loss of 2.54 billion rupees a year earlier.

Mallya has said that closing down the airline “is not an option”.

Kingfisher is one of India’s worst-hit airlines in an industry that is now plagued by high fuel prices, price wars and poor airport infrastructure.

The government is considering a proposal to allow foreign airlines to buy up to 49 per cent in local carriers, but the civil aviation minister said that would not resolve the airline’s troubles.

Even if the government cleared the plan quickly, “nobody is going to invest billions of rupees or dollars just within a day or two”, Mr Singh said.

In an analysis of what went wrong with Kingfisher, Indian website YourMoneySite blamed Kingfisher’s troubles on a combination of factors, including the airline’s huge size; being “blinded by its own glossy image”, which resulted in it

refusing to operate on remote North Eastern Indian destinations; and its 2008 acquisition of Air Deccan, rebranded as Kingfisher Red, and aimed at the budget market.

Of the last, YourMoneySite says, “Running a full service carrier (FSC) along with a low-cost carrier (LCC) turned out to be messy for [both] airlines. Trying to manage an FSC and an LCC with the same management ended up making Kingfisher a “confused” airline.

“Costs were higher than LCCs, but the product was worse than the conventional FSCs. So, Mr Mallya’s airline lost both ways – it could neither cater well to the FSC nor the LCC customer. Hence, it rapidly lost market share.”

Southeast Asia’s largest budget carrier AirAsia on Wednesday (February 22) reported a fall in net profit by almost half in 2011 as it struggled with high fuel prices, despite posting record revenue.

The Malaysia-based airline recorded revenue of 4.47 billion ringgit (US$1.48 billion) for the year, up 13 per cent from 2010.

But in a filing to Malaysia’s stock exchange, it said net profit for the financial year, which ended on December 31, was 564.1 million ringgit ($186.7 million), compared to 1.06 billion ringgit ($333.6 million) in 2010.

AirAsia Chief Executive Tony Fernandes said the results were positive, given the challenging global environment.

He said the loss in net profit was largely due to unrealised foreign exchange losses on translation and deferred taxes.

“Our full year results indicated that we were on the right path – that is, we managed matters that were within our control,” he said.

“This is remarkable in an environment where macroeconomic factors such as fuel prices have impacted us and every other airline,” he added.

He noted average fuel prices increased 36 per cent over the year, accounting for half of the airline’s total cost.

Net profit for the fourth quarter slumped 56.4 per cent to 135.7 million ringgit ($45 million) year-on-year.

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thephuketnews.com

14 BUSINESS/PROPERTY

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Phuket tourism swindlers in the cross-hairs TTR Weekly

SMASH HIT

The first two homes are now complete. Sansiri hopes to speed up construction to Bangkok rates – a house every 70 days.

Foreig n diplomats were scheduled to meet the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Chumpol Silpa-archa, today (March 2), to discuss ways to crack down on tourist swindles, mainly in Phuket.

Ministry spokesperson, Watchara Kannikar, said the Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Thailand and the ambassadors of six other countries – Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands – are scheduled to meet with Minister Chumpol to brainstorm solutions.

The main concern is the mafia-style scams and swindles that are marring Phuket’s image as a tourist destination.

The minister admitted that swindles in Phuket were an international issue which

called for immediate action.

“The most common rip-off involves overpricing or lowquality products, low-standard services, and exaggerated damage claims on broken items,” Mr Chumpol said.

Illegal tour guides, particularly from Russia and South Korea, unlawful taxi drivers and an oversupply of jet skis are on the complaints list.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports says it will blacklist jewellery shops that sell lowquality items at inflated prices.

The names of shops that are guilty of scamming tourists will be posted on the website of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports as well as that of the Department of Tourism.

“The Tourism Authority of Thailand has also been told to inform its overseas offices regarding this issue,” the minister said.

Poor response to Half of Sansiri project sells in 10 days home loan scheme Apinya Saksri reporter4@thephuketnews.com

Thai property giant Sansiri continues its seemingly irresistible success in Phuket, announcing this week that it took deposits on more than 120 houses in its latest project, Habitia, in the 10 days from February 17 to 27.

That leaves just half of the 244 houses for sale in the B760 million project, located west of the British International School, yet to be sold.

Most of the buyers were Villa Suksan is a q uie

t seclude

arn 2 Nai H e s a h P now Selling

local people “who want a house in a modern style”, said Suriya Wannabuit, Sansiri’s executive vice president for project management and marketing.

Customer trust the Sansiri brand, he said. Research showed, too, that few of the homes had been bought by speculators – so people were buying them to live in.

Mr Suriya took media on a tour of the two houses built so far which, he said, give a nod – a small nod – to local culture, with Sino-Portuguese

d deve lopme nt of bout ique villa s

com bini n

elements incorporated in the homes, and rubber tree motifs in the arched entrance to the project. The original tin pond on the site was also kept for residents to relax around. A club house is to be built there.

He admitted that construction of the first two houses took longer than expected because the original work was not up to Sansiri standards, and the first attempts had to be torn down again.

Normally in Bangkok it takes just 70 days for Sansiri

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The Government Housing Bank (GHB) is to discuss the government’s first-home loan scheme with the Finance Ministry after the scheme failed to attract the expected numbers of people buying their first home.

The scheme provides for mortgages with zero interest for the first three years for firsttime buyers who buy homes costing less than B1 million.

GHB President Worawit Chailimpamontri said that since the scheme was launched in October, loan requests received have totalled just B2

billion – about 2,000 buyers nationwide.

He theorised that the scheme had probably not attracted many borrowers because of the impact of the heavy flooding late last year, and because of some of the scheme’s conditions.

He said the bank will hold discussions with the Finance Ministry before the end of March to iron out any problems in order to boost lending. This might include an adjustment to the conditions.

–TAN

Asia-Pacific leads hotel pipeline

Phanason sells B280m on first day

to build a home. Here it is taking longer.

Habitia can build homes this fast because the houses are assembled from precast concrete elements. This method also means the homes have no pillars or beams, allowing home owners greater freedom in placing their furniture.

Next on the Sansiri list are town-houses, under the “Habitown” brand, to be built on an adjacent site. The pre-sales days for that development will be from March 23 to 25.

According to the January 2012 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report, the AsiaPacific hotel development pipeline has far more hotels than any other region in the world apart from North America, and more rooms than any other region.

Asia-Pacific has 1,479 hotels on the drawing board o r u nd e r c o n s t r u c t io n , totalling 359,753 rooms.

Among the region’s countries, China led the way with the most rooms under construction:141,177 – more than any other region combined.

Low-end property developments in Phuket continue to sell like hot cakes, with Phanason Garden Home, next to Tesco-Lotus in Thalang, taking deposits on homes valued at B280 million on February 9.

The homes on sale vary in price from B1.49 million for a two-bedroom townhouse to B2.29 million for a threebedroom semi-detached home.

The company said it expected its target of B500 million in sales before the end of February to be met.

It added that there is provision for more houses to be built. Purchases can be secured with a deposit of B5,000, and the initial sale period saw the company offering a discount of B100,000 off the full price.

THE PHUKET NEWS

LUXURY 15

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

LUXURY PHUKET

The dictionary defines luxury as “a material object, or service conducive to sumptuous living”, while Wikpedia states: “Luxury goods are products and services not considered essential but are associated with affluence. The concept of luxury has been present in various forms since the beginning of civilisation. Its role was just as important in ancient western and eastern empires as it is in modern societies.” On this new page, we’ll promote the very best in luxury living on Phuket, whether it be a yacht, jet, car, watch, fashion, or jewellery – so read on, and enjoy the Phuket luxe life.

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thephuketnews.com

16 ART

THE PHUKET NEWS

CULTURE

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

BIG LIST: Sporting spectacles > 22

culture@thephuketnews.com

KNOW WHERE THIS IS? GUESS RIGHT AND WIN!

GERRY’S view

THIS WEEK’S HINT: “This holy shrine, known in Thai as Pla Phom, is visited by thousands of visitors every day, who either pray for good luck or have their pictures taken in front of the animals and altar.

The elevation from this point provides a spectacular view of Phuket’s world-renowned sunset, looking over the Andaman Sea as it is bathed in a splash of orange and crimson.”

–Gerry Cummings

HOW TO ENTER: EMAIL US

editor@thephuketnews.com

ENTER ONLINE

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Manufacturing a masterpiece Norachai Thavisin editor3@thephuketnews.com

thephuketnews.com

PHUKET GALLERIES Designed by Woulfe Studio

Baan Wana Park, 177/22 Moo.4, Srisoonthorn Road, Thalang, 076 620 071, designedbywoulfe.com.

Dream Gallery

Boat Lagoon, 23/122 Thepkasattri Rd, Koh Kaew, 076 273 487, gallery@asiansourcingallery.com, thedreamgallery.asia.

I Mon Art Gallery:

29/2 Phang Nga Rd, Phuket Town, 086 961 8968, montian_29@live.com. Open daily 8am-7.30pm.

King Art Studio:

21 & 50 Soi Bangla, Patong, 086 682 9130, info@kingartstudio.com; kingartstudio.com. Open daily 10am-midnight.

C

aroline Ballini is a busy woman. Every month, she spends long hours editing her relatively new monthly French- and Thai-language magazine Le Paris Phuket in a comfortable office at her home in Chalong.

And in the middle of March, the editor will show her life collection of collage work, which she has continuously made since her youth in Paris, at the Orféo French restaurant on Saiyuan Rd in Naiharn.

Because she uses computers all day, Caroline enjoys the pleasure of working on handicraft, cutting out figures and scenes from prints of painting masterpieces, and juxtaposing them seamlessly as collages, telling different stories that are rather different from the original artists’ intention.

So far, the artist has resisted using digital images.

The 50 or so framed collages were made for her father in

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99 Art Studio:

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Phuket Modern Art:

5/28 Haad Patong Rd, Patong, 089 646 8838, phuketmodernart.com.

Red Gallery:

Phuket Art Village, Soi Naya 2, Rawai, 087 323 321, redgallerythai@yahoo.com; phuketredgallery.com.

Sarasil Art Galllery:

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Open daily 8pm-9pm.

The Love Art Studio:

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The One Gallery:

53 Srisoonthorn Rd, Cherng Talay, 083 634 6840, inone_111@yahoo.com. Open daily 11am-9pm.

French editor Caroline Ballini and one of her collages that will be exhibited at Orféo.

Paris, and returned to her when he passed away.

With the Big Buddha gazing down on her garden, Caroline and her partner, Thai artist Montri Thipsak, who manages the Nakhonnai Gallery in Rawai, gravely review the changes they’ve seen in Phuket since their move from

Koh Pha Ngan near Samui some seven years ago.

Alongside this writer, the two attended the recent SEEK-organised workshop at T ha nyapu r a Ret reat , where 20 locals made their start on the daunting environmental conservation task that lies ahead.

With the sound of the everbustling Chao Fa West Rd in the background, the couple say that Phuket’s infrastructure has clearly struggled to keep up with the island’s rapid development over the years.

It’s food for thought, as I let Caroline get back to her work.

She’s a busy woman.

Veerachan Usahanun:

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Vichen Gallery Bzenter

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Open daily 3-9 pm. (Telephone to view before 3 pm.)

Watcharin Art Studio:

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Wua Gallery and Studio:

1 Phang Nga Rd, Phuket Town, 076 258 208, wua.artgallery@gmail.com; wua-artgallery.blogspot.com.

THE PHUKET NEWS

PEOPLE 17

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Interview with the vampire A

As darkness descends, Andrew transforms into his vampire alter ego, Count Snape.

nd rew Snape has a slightly different hobby than most – he is Phuket’s only vampire opera singer.

A music and IT teacher at Kajonkiet International S cho ol Phu ke t by d ay, Andrew t ransfor ms into Count Snape at night, a ‘vampire’ operatic singer with black cape and make-up that complete the look.

Andrew moved to Phuket in July last year, having previously spent t i me teaching in Myanmar.

Growing up in the UK, he had always been involved in church choirs; learning how to play the organ and taking singing lessons.

Because of his talent, he was always pushed by his teachers into solo parts, including memorably during a Westminster Cathedral evening mass performance.

His later transformation into a vampire opera singer just “happened”, he says.

Andrew’s sister is a seamstress, and his family have always dressed up for Halloween. Having once worn a vampire outfit, his friends began calling him Count Snape

By day, Andrew Snape is a teacher at Kajonkiet School. and the nickname stuck.

Unsurprisingly, he’s a fan of 1960s American comedy, The Munsters, and has a particular fondness for one of the characters, Grandpa, who was a vampire.

“I found him fascinating,” says Andrew. “He was ver y eccentric and loveable. He was a friendly old grandpa, and that drew me to vampires in a positive way.”

He believes that his unusual Count Snape persona lends itself well to opera.

“Opera is not just about singing, it’s about acting and stage presence. [The vampire look] works for me as a performer, and it works well with opera.”

His recent performances at Friendship Beach Resort and Royal Phuket Marina were well received, and he hopes to be asked to give many more performances around the island – that is to say, if anyone bites.

Count Snape: 083-8583302; snapedom.com

FAMILY

Another dog day afternoon FAMILY MATTERS Elizabeth Bradley culture@thephuketnews.com

In our new Family section, we welcome columnist Elizabeth Bradley, a British-American mum who spent a large portion of her childhood in Antibes, France (which she considers home).

Due to her father’s job, she travelled extensively between the US, EU, UK, and Asia, having lived in Geumchon, South Korea, and Cortona, Italy, before arriving in Phuket with her Canadian-American husband Billy, and three yearold daughter Kaya.

In her own words: “I’m an aesthete, philomath, vedantist, and major gamer, as well as an interfaith minister, working on her doctorate at the University of Sedona.”

All of this has created a travel and food addict, and a global citizen, as well as an eccentric mum. Each month in Family Matters, she will be writing about the blessings in her life on the island: her family, their travels, and holistic and artistic living.

I

t’s around 7am and we hear a rapping at the door.

It seems like the person is very eager to be let in, perhaps angry even. We try to ignore it, but it doesn’t stop.

My husband, in a daze, goes downstairs and lets her in. Low and behold it is our adopted soi dog Lucy, who scrapes at our front door incessantly every morning, until she is allowed in. Accompanying her is Moonie, yet another dog neglected and deserted in our neighborhood.

Dogs seem to dominate my everyday life. Despite having rescued and adopted pets for years, I’ve never encountered more friendly and intriguing animals than Thai dogs. It seems they don’t know that they are canines, and some act like dignified gents wanting a cup of tea and a nice bowl of whatever you’re eating.

My daughter and I find watching the local dogs to be fascinating. Every day, Souvlaki, our neighbour Jess’s large adopted soi dog, takes a walk down the street as he goes over to the local grocery store. He sleeps there for a few

Kelsey: ‘I’ve never encountered more friendly and intriguing animals than Thai dogs.’ hours, and then makes the trip back, as though coming home from work. When he walks down our street, our neighbour’s little dog Blackie barks at him ferociously, as though

an invader is approaching.

Blackie, who is also called Batman, is the local sniper.

He perches high on people’s houses and fences, and is almost unseen at night time.

He is in fact like a cat, jumping and climbing where dogs don’t normally go. The funniest thing is that he gives us an escort whenever we leave the street, whether in our

car or on foot. We feel like VIPs with a personal sniper dog escort, guiding us to our destination.

My mother is wary of dogs after my brother got his head bit open by one. When she came to our home, I had a tricky time explaining why she had about six dogs approach her, some of whom are very large. I must have seemed like a maniac for introducing each of them to her: “Mom, this is Kiko. And this is Blackie.”

She was not thrilled to b e s u r r ou nd e d a nd my explanations of how friendly they are didn’t fly.

Our three year old is not like grandma; she has become the dogs’ helper and doctor.

We’ve treated ( and keep treating) the mange they get, and the countless alien-like ticks that are everywhere. She goes to the vet with them, holds their paws. She even makes sure to talk with them every day, so if she becomes the dog whisperer when she gets older, I will blame them.

Follow Elizabeth and her family at sattvicfamily.net

thephuketnews.com

18 HEALTH

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

WORKING ON A HUNCH T

he mother of all postures – the shoulder stand (salamba sarvangasana), most commonly called the candle pose – is be part one of our anatomical focus on the neck and shoulders. Part two will follow next month.

In my desire to give the importance of this posture the utmost credence, let me borrow some words from yogacharya (master teacher) BKS Iyengar: “The importance of sarvangasana cannot be over-emphasised.

It is one of the greatest boons conferred on humanity by our ancient sages.”

So why should you get upside down? Well, to start with it provides a great stretch for the neck, upper back and the spine and keeps the spine long and strong. This is a massive benefit for the modern human, who tends to hunch and slouch while spending countless hours on the computer, sitting at a desk or driving.

So let me guide you through the candle pose and onto upright living.

1

For those of you that are new to this asana, it is best to use a few props, so grab a towel and find a wall you can comfortably rest your feet on.

Fold one or more towels or blankets into rectangles and place the on the floor. Lie on the towels so that the upper back and neck are being supported by the towel (see image one).

If you are more comfortable and confident with this posture, lie on the floor without the towels. Both options require your chin tucked to the chest and the back of the neck flat on or towards the floor. (For those suffering high blood pressure, work on level one until you are confident holding

it for 3 minutes, then you can proceed to level two.)

Have your back facing the wall. Place the palms down on the floor and bring the knees to the chest. On an out breath, raise the hips of the floor and rest the hands on the hips by bending the elbows, start to feel the chest touching the chin.

Level one: It is at this point that you find the wall with your feet and have your thighs parallel to the floor (see image two).

Level two: Walk your hands further down the spine towards the shoulders and bring your hips on top of the shoulders.

You will now be resting on the back of the head and the neck with the elbows resting

EDUCATION

Concern over PC tablets Concern has been voiced by academics about the Gover n ment’s pla n to give free electronic tablets to young students.

The academics were speaking at a seminar entitled “Will handing out 900,000 tablets refor m Thailand’s education?”, arranged recently by the Thai Journalists Association, reported The Nation.

“If children use the tablets all the time, they will develop bad eyesight and

Kajonkiet

International School Phuket

pting e c c A nts e d u t s now

abnormal brain development,” said Associate Professor Nittaya Kotchabhakdi, a paediatrician at the M a h id ol Un ive r s it y’s Faculty of Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital.

Children between the average age of Pathom 1 students of six and eight found it easier to learn from real situations rather than virtual ones, Prof Nittaya said.

“They should be encouraged to interact with one another or they will grow

up having problems with communication. Also, with tablets, they will become less active and get fat and lose out on height.” She added that youngsters should instead be encouraged to read books and play.

Deputy Secretary to the Education Minister, Dr Worakorn Kamsingnok, said the tablet policy plans to boost children’s learning in preparation for the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

“Creating strong minded individuals who will become leaders in tomorrow’s international community.”

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thephuketnews.com

2

on the floor. Place the hands in the middle of the spine and take two breaths.

Level one: Have the feet about a hip width apart and press the feet into the wall Push the hips forward toward the shoulders, try to take the “kink” out of the hips.

Level two: Exhale and stretch the legs straight with the toes pointing up. Press the hips forward towards the chin and take the “kink” out of the hips (see image three).

Stay in this position with steady in and out breaths for 30 seconds to one minute. When you feel confident with the asana, work toward a 5 minute hold. Exhale and gradually

3

slide down to lie on the back and relax with steady breaths.

What else makes this posture the mother of all asana?

Well, there is so much more going on internally with the candle pose that provides amazing benefit for the entire body.

It enables the thyroid gland – the gland responsible for managing your metabolism – to function more efficiently.

The candle pose vitalises the nerves, purifies the blood and promotes good circulation; the entire endocrine, digestive, nervous, and venous systems of the body are stimulated in incredible ways.

A rich supply of oxygenated blood is sent to the organs

and glands in the upper part of the body.

Increases blood flow to the brain, therefore helping headaches, congestion and sore throats The change in bodily gravity positively affects the abdominal organs and the bowels move freely while also releasing the system of toxins resulting in a feeling of full energy.

It has been said that while practising the candle “new life will flow into you and your mind will be at peace and you will feel the joy of life”.

I look forward to sharing part two with you next month.

Metta, Kim Kim White is the owner of Sala Suddhavasa, an internal arts centre in Rawai offering private and group sessions in taiji, yoga and meditation: 086276-9174, info@suddhavasa. com; suddhavasa.com The opinions and advice contained in this column are those of the author only. The Phuket News is not responsible for the outcome or results of following any advice in any given situation.

New Kajonkiet campus opens The brand new campus of the Kajonkietsuksa School on Pra Phuket Kaew Road in Kathu is opening to cater for increasing student numbers at the school.

Designed by a Thai architectural firm based in Hat Yai, the new building is airy and cool.

The new facility – which will accommodate the primary school, the swimming pool, a covered futsal field, tennis and basketball courts – will eventually cater for some 2,000 students from the English programmes and the international wing.

Initially all of the Kindergarten section of the school will move there. The spacious multi-level buildings of the new campus will also house the new Kajonkiet International School Phuket (KISP).

Meanwhile, a round shallow swimming pool is already ready for Kindergarten children to cool down in.

The official opening of the new campus by Governor Tri Augkaradacha will be held on

The new campus (above) and the KISP library (below).

Thursday March 8, with open days from March 8-10.

During this time members of the public are invited to see student work exhibitions, academic competitions, a special booth from Shelton College Singapore, and various entertainment. Meanwhile, lessons

go on as usual at KISP in the main school campus on Chao Fa West Rd. A growing KISP library has books imported from the United Kingdom, popular with both children and parents as they cover teaching subjects as well as fiction to enjoy.

THE PHUKET NEWS

ENVIRONMENT 19

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Sea turtle baby boom Agence France-Presse

Globally-endangered green turtles are enjoying a baby boom on remote Philippine islands as a three-decade protection programme starts to pay off, environ ment group Conservation International said recently.

The project is a key part of worldwide efforts to rebuild green turtle populations, and could help see the species’ status upgraded from endangered to vulnerable in a few years, CI Philippines’ executive director Romeo Trono said.

“We are seeing very stable increases in their populations around the world and... this is a very important contribution,” Mr Trono told AFP, referring to the Turtle Islands sanctuary that straddles the PhilippineMalaysia sea border.

On Baguan, one of the nine islands that make up the sanctuary, 1.44 million turtle eggs were laid last year, the highest number since records started in 1984, according to Conservation International.

With one per cent of green turtles generally surviving until adulthood, last year's baby boom will lead to roughly 13,000 green turtles living a long life as they swim the

PLASTIC MENACE IN OUR OCEANS Agence France-Presse

A young green sea turtle swims by visitors at the Phuket Aquarium at Cape Panwa. world’s oceans, the group said.

Mr Trono said this population alone could be one of the biggest in the world, alongside groups of green turtles in Australia and Costa Rica where conservation efforts are also underway.

The success on Baguan is so important because green turtles can live up to 100 years, meaning the 2011 boom’s impacts will be felt

into the 22nd century.

Mr Trono said that, when he began work on the Philippine project in the early 1980s as an environment department staff member, the eggs and their nests were regularly being “wiped out”.

The eggs are considered a delicacy in some parts of Asia, and foreign fishermen as well as locals were poaching them.

The conservation efforts,

Adopt a dog

Natty arrived at the Soi Dog Shelter over 12 months ago with a horrific neck wound. He’s since fully recovered & his wonderful personality is shining through. Natty is a Pit Bull - approx 2 1/2 years old. He’s very friendly, loves to play & walks perfectly on a lead. He’s sterilized, fully vaccinated & gets on well with other dogs. Natty is a favourite with the Soi Dog staff & we’re therefore trying to find Natty a very special home. If you’d like more information about Natty please email cindy@soidog.org or phone the Soi Dog shelter on 081 788 4222. You can also visit our website www.soidog.org or follow us on Facebook!

If you are interested in adopting a dog please do not buy from the markets. Soi Dog Foundation has over 200 dogs and puppies available for adoption at any time. For more information on how to adopt visit soidog.org. All animals are fully-vaccinated and desexed. Young puppies will be desexed free of charge as soon as old enough.

which involve Philippine and Malaysian authorities as well as Conservation International, have seen strengthening law enforcement and volunteer community patrols to stop egg poaching.

The Philippine navy is helping to patrol the areas on their side of the border.

Conservation International hailed the project as a model for protecting biodiversity.

On Midway atoll in the North Pacific, dozens of young albatross lie dead on the sand, their stomachs filled with cigarette lighters, toy soldiers and other small plastic objects their parents have mistaken for food.

That sad and surreal sight, says Hong Kong-based Australian film director Craig Leeson, is one of the many symptoms of a plague afflicting the world’s oceans, food chains and human communities: the onslaught of discarded plastic.

“Every piece of plastic ever made since the fifties exists in some shape or form on the planet,” Mr Leeson said. “We throw plastic into a bin, it’s taken away from us and we never see it again – but it still comes back at us.”

Over the past year, Mr Leeson has been following the menace of plastic from Sardinia to Canada to the Indian Ocean for a film that aims to combine the art of nature documentary with a campaigning quest.

Provisionally called

Away, the film – backed by David Attenborough and the UK-based Plastic Oceans Foundation – brings together new research on the spread of plastic with missions by “explorers” such as Ben Fogle to show the diverse effects of plastic trash.

Its message is that while you may throw out your plastic goods, they are never really thrown “away”.

Crews under Mr Leeson’s direction have so far swum with blue whales, taken a deep-sea submarine to the depths of the Mediterranean and found swirling clumps of plastic trash in the Indian Ocean.

The foundation cites research showing that at least 250 species have ingested or become entangled in plastic in the seas.

They put forward plastic ingestion as one of the main causes of “skinny whale syndrome”, in which whales are discovered mysteriously starved.

The 250 million tonnes of pla st ic we d i s c a rd each year make their way for thousands of miles around the oceans.

Pet of the Week

This cute ginger cat is named Tigger, which means Tiger in German.

He is 18 months old, and belongs to Suchada Sukpual.

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

thephuketnews.com

20 KIDS PAGE

THE PHUKET NEWS

COLOURING CONTEST

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

E

ach week, colour the picture, have a photo taken with the finished work, and email it to editor@ thephuketnews.com. The grand winner will be announced on this page in two weeks’ time!

This week, congratulations go to Naomi Kochan, age 10, in class 5B at Headstart. Sophie says: “I love her suggestion of the birdhouse to remind us that keeping birds in captivity is not very kind. Also, the bold coloured background and rainbow colours make it altogether a striking image.”

mail@ sophieillustration.co.uk

Runners-up

Pim, P2, Da ra s a m u t h (stron g neat colouring)

thephuketnews.com

H a r r y F o r d h a m (great shading!)

Te ra pa t Maliwan, K3, Wittaya Sathid School (what a character)

Thanks go to all the children at Darasamuth Phuket School, Kajonkietsuksa School, British International School Phuket, Phuket International Academy, and Coconut Club for their fantastic entries.

Please keep them coming in, remembering to write your name, age and school on your work.

THE PHUKET NEWS

TIME OUT 21

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

BOOK

MUSIC

FILM Haywire

93 minutes Rating: 18+ Director: Steven Soderbergh Starring: Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Bill Paxton, Channing Tatum, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas

Da Vinci’s Ghost

by Toby Lester Everybody knows Leonardo Da Vinci’s iconic picture of the Vitruvian Man. Few though are aware of the story behind it, or perhaps that there was even a story to begin with.

Toby Lester changes this, looking at the origins of the one of the world’s most recognisable cultural icons.

In telling its story, Lester weaves together a century-spanning saga of people and ideas, assembling an eclectic cast of fascinating characters, with Leonardo himself in the starring role.

Like Vitruvian Man itself, the book captures a pivotal time in the history of Western thought when it seemed possible, at least to da Vinci, that understanding the human body might unlock nature’s secrets.

Reign of Terror

Sleigh Bells Mom + Pop Sleigh Bells caused a joyful ruckus in 2010 with the debut album Treats. But now that the shock of the new has long worn off, they follow-up with Reign of Terror, which was billed in advance by guitaristproducer Derek E Miller as a “heavier” guitar record.

And he was right, for the most part. But of the 11 ambitious tracks, only a handful seem to leave any lasting impressions other than blowing out every speaker in the house.

‘Comeback Kid’ is the closest approximation of the ultracatchy singles that peppered Treats, but the production is more refined, the claustrophobic aggression of the debut replaced by sweet, wobbly vocals, and a more spacious arrangement.

Dane Halpin editor2@thephuketnews.com

There is a reason professional athletes stick to sport, and professional actors stick to acting – the skills sets generally don’t intersect.

S t e ve n S o d e r b e r g h (Oceans 11/12/13, Traffic, Contagion) sets out to prove that theory wrong in Haywire, enlisting pro Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Gina Carano as the film’s heroine.

Does it work? Not really.

Fighting in a caged octagon is one thing, but playing a character in a movie is a new arena entirely, and her lines don’t deliver the same punch as, well, her punches.

Of course, Soderbergh is shrewd enough to know what Carano’s strengths and weaknesses are onscreen, and for a first-time movie lead, Carano acquits herself capably enough in the smattering of actual ‘acting’ moments in the film.

Still, there’s no disguising that the real purpose of her being there is to provide some high impact fight sequences, and those she delivers in quite spectacular fashion, from her opening diner bout with Channing Tatum to the hotel suite brawl with Michael Fassbender and the many others in between.

With his awful hairdo, McGregor is suitably slimy as Mallory’s betrayer; Bill Paxton is fun in a small role as Mallory’s former Marine-turnedauthor dad, while Douglas and Banderas bring some gravitas to their respective ‘suit’ roles.

There’s plenty of running and gunning, naturally, but the true highlights are several one-on-one fights between Carano and her male co-stars, showing the combat in wide shots instead of tightly edited

exchanges, and making the most of Carano’s natural propensity for violent exchange.

But despite the solid action, it’s hard to see exactly what this film is aspiring to be. Haywire, like last year’s Drive, strips the plot down to its basic parts, leaving only a very lean action flick, but Carano lacks the on-screen presence of Ryan Gosling that made Drive so compelling.

Thanks to a fairly dull script, the final destination of the film is clear, we have a pretty good idea of who’s to blame and what’s going to happen, and none of it is going to be very surprising.

In the end, it comes off as little more than a high octane, low-concept pulpy action flick with the most generic of plots.

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

SFX COLISEUM PHUKET (CENTRAL FESTIVAL) Gand Tob Phee (T) [G]: 13:15, 15:30, 17:50, 20:00, 22:15 Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (E/3D): 12:10, 14:15, 16:20, 18:25, 20:30, 22:35 Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (E/F): 14:55, 19:05, 21:10 Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (T) [G]: 11:30, 13:35, 15:40, 17:45, 19:50, 22:00 Haywire (E) [18+]: 13:45, 15:50, 18:00, 20:00, 22:05 Haywire (E/F) [18+]: 12:50, 17:00 Melody Ruk Tumnong Nee (T/E.SUB) [G]: 11:25, 13:30, 18:05 Safe House (E) [15+]: 15:35, 20:10, 22:30 Valentine Sweety (T) [15+]: 12:00, 14:35, 17:10, 19:45, 22:20

SFC JUNGCEYLON PHUKET (PATONG) Faces in the Crowd (E) [18+]:

11:30, 13:40, 15:50, 18:00, 20:10, 22:15

Gang Tob Phee (T) [G]:

12:15, 14:30, 16:45, 19:05, 21:20

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (E) [G]: 12:00, 14:05, 16:10, 18:15, 20:20, 22:25 Journey 2: Mysterious Island (E) [G]: Safe House (E) [15+]:

13:40, 17:30, 20:45 11:15, 15:05, 18:20, 22:10

Valentine Sweety (T) [15+]:

12:30, 15:45, 19:35

BRAIN TEASERS Across

Down 1. Clumsy in the formerly saucy. (8) 2. Crisp, he makes numbers. (7) 3. Product of efforts sounds useful for the job. (9) 4. “Train guide,” Ed ranted. (6) 5. Less than 20, mix

six directions with it.

(8) 7. Insect game. (7) 8. Ordered Des to moan back. (6) 9. Apparently, court orders hotel. (4) 15. For a sweetener, alter China cars. (9) 16. Trickle through for me, consumed. (8) 17. 100 desire queens in tight groups. (8) 19. United Nations medics take points to disrobe. (7) 21. Hail fashion that’s nothing special. (7) 22. Zero swamp returns to evil elf. (6) 23. Says cardinal can be seen in the numbers. (6) 24. Beach back at a thousand. (4)

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s quiz: 1. The Drums; 2. Four Points for the first, eight for the second and elimination for a third; 3. Jorn Utzon; 4. El Salvador and Honduras; 5. This Ole House (reached No 1), “Country House” (1), “The House That Jack Built” (4), “House Arrest” (3) and There’s A Ghost in my House” (3); 6.

Capt James Gallaher; 7. Sheep’s wool; 8. Twice; 9. New York Rangers and New York Islanders; 10. Trent, Dee, Wear, Cam and Severn.

SUDOKU

1. Cheer inn to make muddled. (10) 6. Strike breaker’s wound covering. (4) 10. Widening divorcée with cooking utensils and particle.

(9) 11. Tempts medical specialty with summer coolers. (7) 12. Before the car­dinal, I make depression for leader.

(9) 13. In Virginia, what to do with laurels.

(4,2) 14. Thickness of lair town, they say. (7) 18. Gives way to belt parts. (7) 20. In poor writing, direction for

swimming style. (6) 25. Without fire, without peer. (9) 26. Pub fury leads to artillery bombardment.

(7) 27. Argue to change Kate, so to speak. (9) 28. Home to two points of the street. (4) 29. News-bearers, oddly, sense germs.

(10)

THE QUIZ

Test your general knowledge with these 10 questions 1. Which instrument did jazzman Gene Krupa find fame playing?

2. In show jumping how many points does a refusal cost?

3. Which Danish architect was responsible for designing the Sydney Opera House?

4. Which TWO countries fought the so-called “Football War” of 1969?

5. Which songs with “House” in the title were Top 5 UK hits for the following artists: Rosemary Clooney; Blur; the Alan Price Set; Krush; and R Dean Taylor?

6. Who in 1949 completed the first nonstop Round the World flight?

7. From where do we obtain lanolin?

8. How many times had Wallis Simpson been married prior to marrying Edward VIII? 9. Which 2 NHL teams are based in New York?

10. Which rivers f low through the following UK cities: Nottingham, Chester, Sunderland, Cambridge and Gloucester?

Thanks to Peppers bar in Cherng Talay for the questions. Peppers hosts quizzes every Wednesday. Call 076325-112 or visit phuketsportsbar.com

thephuketnews.com

DANE'S WORLD

22 WEIRD NEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS

Man loses balls to hungry croc

Talk about getting caught with your pants down.

A 70-year-old man from Zimbabwe has lost part of his testicles after being attacked by a crocodile when crossing the Chivake River naked.

Local man Jonah Maturure said he’d taken off his trousers and put them in a tomato box above his head before he crossed the river.

He’d crossed the same s p ot i n t h e s a m e r ive r several times before, but this time, a giant croc was waiting for him.

“I was not suspecting anything... But when I was almost in the middle of the river I was attacked,” he said.

“It mauled a chunk of my buttocks before attacking my

This week's valuable lesson: Balls should be kept well away from hungry crocodiles. manhood, tearing my testicles into shreds. The skin covering my manhood was partly torn but I quickly put my thumb in its mouth... It then grabbed my hand and I could hear my bones cracking.”

Realising that he wasn’t

going to save his personal possessions, he threw his tomato box in the river.

That move may have saved his life, and his manhood.

The beast loosened its death grip and swam straight for the tomato box. Maturure

escaped, bleeding profusely from his nether regions, and ran to a nearby house for help.

The battle was just one of a string of crocodile attacks recently in Gutu, an area with a sparse population of just 78 people per square kilometre.

Galactic president hails Zaxon UFO Phil, self-appointed intergalactic frontrunner for US president, announced last week he has been granted authority to assume the job without waiting for the November election.

“I’m going to become your new president. ... Don’t worry, [Barak] Obama, Mitt Romney and whoever else can still have their little election.

That’s not going to affect me,” UFO Phil, whose real name is the slightly less ridiculous sounding Phil Hill, said.

In interviews with several

media outlets, Hill said he is in possession of secret scrolls that are written by beings from another planet. Apparently aliens are into totalitarian dictatorships, because Hill claims those scrolls give him authority to assume presidential leadership without a democratic election.

Once he assumes the presidency, Hill says he will establish a “Senate for Terrestrial Alien Relations”, to welcome the arrival of “brothers from space”.

Hill also said he will decommission all military ships at

Your new world president? sea, in favour of a new fleet of flying discs with spaceports in major cities around the globe.

In addition, he wants to build a giant stone pyramid behind the Hollywood sign.

The pyramid would be similar to the ones he wants to build on top of Pikes Peak in Colorado and on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. “The Statue of Liberty has to come down,” Hill said. In its place, he will erect a much taller “Monument of Zaxon”.

Zaxon, according to Hill, is the leader of the aliens. “He has very nice skin and will look phenomenal as a statue.”

PORN AGAIN Radio station in hot water over gay sex broadcast

Leading the charge of extreme sports

This is a truly electrifying sport – a new game which allows players to tackle opponents by zapping them with stun guns.

Ultimate Tazer Ball (UTB) combines the skills of football with the adrenaline levels of an all-out riot, allowing players to zap their opponents with 300,000-volt stun guns to induce a muscle spasm which will make them drop the ball or trip over.

There have been no official

thephuketnews.com

games played, but the sport’s creators insist it is genuine and claim they are planning to form a league.

In an online video clip, one zapped player warns: “If you’re scared, don’t play.”

Another says: “It hurts, man, it doesn’t feel good.”

Only the player in possession may be zapped as teams compete to maneuver an oversized foam ball into a net.

As far as radio goes, it was perhaps the ultimate love hits compilation.

But broadcasting several minutes of audio from a gay porn film apparently didn’t go down too well for British radio station Jazz FM, who have been forced to apologise to their listeners.

The accident took place last Saturday night during the pre-recorded ‘Funky Sensation’ programme, when listeners were stunned to hear the sensation getting a little more funky than usual.

On top of a jazz beat was the sound of what appeared to be two men having sex, with many listeners clearly notic-

ing the grunts and groans of male copulation were not matched to the music.

A number of tweets were sent in response to the error, with some listeners reported to have been enjoying a fa m ily meal when t hen clip was broadcast.

This led to an apology being issued by both the presenter and management in a subsequent statement.

Head of programming Mike Vitti, who presented the show, said: “Unfortunately we had an unauthorised access to the live feed on Jazz FM on Saturday, February 18 at 7.15pm which resulted in a highly regrettable incident.

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

with Dane Halpin editor2@thephuketnews.com

THE BIG LIST

Sporting Spectacles Gone are the days of bare knuckle brawling, gladiatorial bloodbaths, and Himalayan bear wrestling. But for those still yearning for more violence in their sport, read on: High voltage: Because Ultimate Tazer Ball (see below left) and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) are really just for pussies, why not up the ante by combining the two? Michael Alexander did just that, sewing three-million-volt tasers into the gloves of guys already guys already punching and kicking the hell out of each other. Alexander describes Shockfighting as “putting true warriors in a ring, against each other with three million volts of electricity charging out. Winner takes all.” We’re not sure what the “all” the winner takes is, but frankly, we don’t want to.

Kite runner: For people who want to get in the air but aren’t coordinated enough to attempt hang gliding or buying plane tickets, kite jumping is probably the best start. But the recipe for kite jumping is as simple as the recipe for disaster: A comically oversized kite and you, trying not to die when it inevitably snatches you up into the sky. It is considered one of the riskier forms of kiting, an achievement that may seem comparable to being the most hardcore knitter in the Woolly Sock Club, until you actually see it in action.

Armed hold-up: XARM is a combat sport that is equal parts every Stallone movie ever made, the arm-wrestling of Over The Top and the pugilism of Rocky with the futuristic spandex of Judge Dredd.

A fighter’s waist is chained to a 28” by 16” table, and his left hand his taped to his opponent’s. Contestants have three one-minute bouts to pin their opponent’s arm or pummel him into a coma – whichever happens first.

Crazy Celts: Hurling is a uniquely Irish sport which appears to be a hybrid of field hockey, soccer, football and unremitting, pants-wetting terror. The game is played with axe-like sticks called hurleys or ‘camáns’ and a small, hard ball. Two teams, each with 15 Irishmen of questionable mental stability, attempt to score goals by smacking the ball as hard as possible, at head height and at terrifying speeds.

Need for speed: A game played in an open-walled arena where a rock-hard ball is hurled against the wall at speeds in excess of 300 kph, Jai-Alai is a game the Basque call “the fastest sport on Earth”, because they apparently haven’t heard of Formula One. The game is played like squash, but a version that could only have been dreamed up by sun-damaged Spaniards, with players slinging the ball at a wall using a specially designed wicker basket with a curved glove attached.

Raiders of the lost pants: An Indian team game, which is an official sport at the Asian Games, Kabaddi calls itself a cross between tag and wrestling, which is true, because it’s a lot like tag, and it does feature lots of sweating men in underwear. Two teams of 12 face each other on a court. One team sends a raider into the opponents territory, who must not draw breath whilst he is there. The raider’s job is to ‘tag’ his opponents and get out without being caught. Traditional garb for teams is socks and boxer shorts, or sometimes just briefs.

Iron man: Whether it’s standing on a mountain or in a cave, hanging off a cliff, driving on a motorway, flying through the air, jetting on the water, skiing down a hill or simply standing on a sidewalk in Times Square – Extreme Ironing is a sport that takes the once mundane task of ironing clothes to a whole new level. Housework will never be the same again.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

LIFE&STYLE lifestyle@thephuketnews.com

SHOPPING 23 That’s just the ticket Entertainment news, reviews and gossip > 32

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

editor@thephuketnews.com

Dressed to the nines Hassakan Charoensuk Landlord

Hat (B220) from Chaofa Variety market in Naka.

T-shirt (B350) bought at 48 Shop in Samkong.

Patterned bag (B200) picked up at a local market at Nai Yang beach.

Rewind-brand jeans (B1,050) found at Outlet on the Bypass road.

Bohemian rhapsody Ekkarach Pachtawee Musician

Beachy hat (B150) bought at Jatujak Market in Bangkok.

Second-hand shirt (B10) f rom Naka weekend market.

Ripped denim shorts cut and modified from his father’s jeans.

C r o c s ( B1 ,7 7 0 ) bought from a store in Central Festival.

Shoes (B200) from Jatujak Market in Bangkok.

ACCESSORIES 1

2

3

TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY 1. Thai numeric earrings B300-450 2. Thai numeric necklaces B320-490 3. Reindeer tree necklace B490 4. Sawaddee rings B300-350

4

Accessories from online store Tomorrow Is Yesterday, tmisyd@gmail.com; tomorrowisyesterdays.com

thephuketnews.com

24 DINING

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Mobile café on a roll Claire Connell editor1@thephuketnews.com

Malisa & Me mobile café owners Dan and Malisa Shults have found a niche market in Phuket, delivering a tasty variety of food and drink to customers around the island from the comfort of their travelling food truck.

T hei r u nique food truck was specially made in Bangkok. Dan says the trucks are incredibly popular in the United States, so when looking to start up a business, they figured the same idea might work here.

Malisa has worked in the tourism industry, and Dan is a student at Prince of Songkla University study-

Above: the truck wa s made in Bangkok.

Left: grilled ham and cheese sandwich. ing hospitality management, but the couple were looking for a new business venture.

The simple but great-tast-

ing sandwiches are reasonably priced, with the pair offering vegetable or chicken quesadillas, grilled sandwiches (in-

Malisa Shults – one half of the couple behind the cafe. cluding pizza, mexican, tuna and bacon, barbecued pork), plus s’mores (B85) and the famous American peanut but-

ter and jelly sandwich (B70).

Malisa and Dan also make great iced drinks – all created using homemade

Two years of Bamboo

syrup –including the unique pumpkin flavoured ice latte.

T he couple have big pla n s for t he bu si ne s s , including perhaps a franchise over the next few years.

But for the meantime they are happy driving around the streets of Naiharn and w ide r Phu ket , re a dy t o deliver fresh, home-made food to eager customers.

Disclaimer: the mobile café is on its way to becoming an institution at The Phuket News’ Kathu office, where Dan and Malisa arrive to feed the hungry staff twice a week.

■■ M a l i s a & M e : 0 81 956-8635, malisaandme@ mail.com; facebook.com/ malisaandme

Who made all the pies?

Pictured at the fun two year anniversary celebrations of the popular Bamboo Cafe in Rawai, are, from top right, owners Michael Tilford and Fan Aem-Aost, and bottom right, staff members Bpang, Fern, owner Fan Aem-Aost, Pele, and Mew.

thephuketnews.com

For the second year in a row, Phuket’s ow n L a d y P ie, a k a Su e Ushe r, and her hard working team will be making an astonishing 8,500 pies to send to the Hong Kong Sevens, held every year in late March.

The pies – a collection of the Aussie meat, steak and kidney, and chicken and vegetable varieties – will be shipped to Hong Kong on March 20 to feed hungry spectators on the coming weekend.

The unique pies will be shaped like a rugby ball thanks to special moulds purchased in Australia, while a gravy mix will be used to form the ball’s laces, as pictured above.

“It is excellent. Ou r girls are working really hard – they are so proud of the numbers they have made in such a short time,” says Susan.

While the popular HK sevens refrain “Who ate all the pies?” remains unanswered, at least the hungry hordes will know where they were made.

THE PHUKET NEWS

DINING 25

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Naughty and nice Naughty Radish restaurant manager Darachan “Nok” Yakorn spent 20 years living in London before returning to Thailand to raise her children in their native culture.

Her family are now scattered around Thailand – her children live with their grandmother in Bangkok, while Nok’s husband Virat (who she met in London) works in Khao Yai. Becau se of t h is, she devotes her ti me to the vegetarian-friendly salad restaurant, located at the Burasari resort in Patong.

The breezy restaurant, adjacent to the resort’s Just for You juice bar, has aircon, but its doors are glass, meaning it has the feel of sitting outside but without the suffocating heat.

On the menu is an extensive range of signature salads – including the bestselling Massaman chicken salad. Just like the popular curry but in salad form, Massaman sauce is tossed through a fresh salad.

Above, the colourful create-your-own salad bar.

Below, the popular Massaman chicken salad.

Naughty Radish restaurant manager Darachan Yakorn spent 20 years in London.

There is also a createyour-own salad bar, grilled meat dishes, and a host of vegetarian options. Salads are priced from B220 upwards.

As a vegetarian herself, Burasari group owner Lily Udomkhunnatum wanted to st ar t up a rest au rant with healthy food, as well as provide great vegetarian options for similarly-

minded customers.

P r iced a rou nd B120, drinks from Just for You include the trademark Detox Special – perfect for those recovering from a night out on Bangla Road – made f rom mango, pineapple, kiwi and mint leaves.

Also popular is the Carrot and Ginger Energiser, made from carrot, tomato, lime,

parsley and root ginger.

In a nutshell, Naughty Radish is the perfect place to have a light lunch before heading to the beach, or a great way to relax once you’ve had your dose of sunshine.

Not that naughty, but nice.

Naughty Radish, Burasari, 18/110 Ruamjai Rd, Patong, 076-292-929; burasari.com

Two is always better than one Two Chefs Bar & Grill is owned by three friends from Sweden – Krister Westberg, Henrik Ojelind and Billy Agren – and was established 12 years ago. The trio now have three branches, one in Kata central (where the popular Scandinavian-themed Saturday Brunch is held), Kata Beach, and in Karon.

The br unch is mainly Nordic, including Swedish meatballs, smoked chicken and salmon (from their own smokehouse), pickled herring, Swedish pancake, Swedish seafood stew, rhubarb pie, Semla (a bun filled with marzipan and cream), and toast skagen (shrimp on sautéd bread), plus a selection of delicious meats, various salmon dishes, potato dishes

A French night out Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket in Karon are hosting a wine dinner on March 9, featuring French wines from M. Chapoutier winery presented by Stephane Barlerin, Export Director of M. Chapoutier.

The dinner, to start at 7pm, will be held at the resort’s Mare Restaurant.

Executive chef Sandro Aguilera will create a traditional five course French menu for guests.

Freshly cooked prawns and a tasty serving of salmon. and freshly baked bread.

It is well-priced at B395, and is B695 inclusive of free flow Chang beer or wine.

Two Chefs, Kata Centre, 31/1 Karon Rd (near Dino Park), 076-330-065; twochefs- phuket.com

Service comes with a smile at Two Chefs in Kata Centre.

The dinner is priced at B2,900++. To make re se r va t ions phone 076-201-234 or email fbscpbr@chr.co.th

thephuketnews.com

26 EXPLORE

The temple was founded by Luang Pu Supha, claimed to be the world’s oldest man.

THE PHUKET NEWS

RANG HILL TEMPLE I magine a bright, sunny morning and I’m driving through Phuket Town with my wife. The kids have been dropped off at school, and we’ve put in a broken laptop for repairs.

We’re driving on familiar roads, heading north near the Vachira hospital. There is a little-used side road by the hospital that heads up to the top of Rang Hill. My wife asks – do you know the temple up this road? Indeed I do not.

I’m sure I’ve driven this way before, but seem to have missed Rang Hill Temple (Wat K hao Rang) ever y single time. It’s a shame, as hidden from view up the sm a l l side roa d by t he hospital is something quite impressive – there’s more than one Big Buddha in Phuket.

We arrived at the temple late morning, but I did not have my camera with me (we hadn’t planned to stop anywhere that day), so instead we had a quick look, bumped into a local photographer I know, then dashed home, picked up the kids, and told them we were going to a temple. Hooray, they said!

Journeys to treasure are always meant to be shared.

JAMIE’S PHUKET

Well, perhaps not quite, but at least this temple was one they’d never seen before.

Rang Hill Temple was founded by a monk called Luang Pu Supha, who some claim to be the world’s oldest man (a fact not ratified by Guinness World Records). His image can be found on amulets for sale at the temple, though the supposed 115-year-old now lives at the temple named after him, Wat Luang Pu Supha, also located in Phuket.

Beyond the Big Buddha there is a new temple building, which looks to have been recently completed and is reached by a separate staircase lined by Naga snakes guarding the entrance.

Unfortunately I didn’t enter as the rest of the family had seen enough and were already waiting in the car. In any case I will return sometime soon.

Read the full version at jamie-monk.blogspot.com.

Jamie works at liveaboard dive specialists Sunrise Divers in Karon, 084-6264646, sunrise-divers.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

PHUKET MUSEUMS Chinpracha House

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

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

98 Krabi Rd, Phuket Town, 076 211 281. Open daily 8am4pm. B100.

Kathu Mining Museum

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

Several indoor exhibition rooms display different themes such as Phuket architecture, mining , T h ai - C hin e s e way of life, Chinese immigrants’ life, the Baba’s marriage and the solar system.

The outdoor exhibition displays equipment including a dredge and hydraulic mining gear.

Muang Tor Sung Rd (behind Loch Palm Golf Club), Kathu, 088 766 0962. Open daily 9am4pm. B50 for Thais, B100 for foreigners, children half-price.

Philatelic Museum

The museum is in the old preserved Post Office, housing old equipment such as telegraph tickers, telephones, parcel-weighing machines and collections of Thai stamps issued since 1951.

There are also a small library and a souvenir room.

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

Open Mon-Fri 8.30am-4.30pm.

Sat 9am-12pm. Free entrance.

All-in one-way fare from

THB

5,420

Singapore

All-in return fare from

THB

7,650

Singapore

All-in return fare from

THB

24,280

Australia/New Zealand * facebook.com/SilkAir

Exclusive MasterCard Privilege Enjoy exclusive preview booking from 01 to 15 March 12. In addition, all MasterCard payments from 01 March 12 to 14 April 12 are eligible to redeem special travel accessories bags and neck cushion, while stock last**. You also stand a chance to win Central Gift Vouchers worth THB 8,000 in our Grand lucky draw.

Visit mcshopathon.com/silkair Fares quoted are for one-way and return trip on Economy Class per person, for flights originating out of Phuket only. All advertised fares are inclusive of associated taxes and surcharges only. Fares quoted are subject to change due to currency fluctuation. Booking are to be made online via mcshopathon.com/silkair from 01 March to 14 April 12 for travel between 01 March 12 to 31 May 12. (Black out date from Singapore to Phuket from 11 to 14 April 12 and from Phuket to Singapore from 15 to 18 April 12) Subject to seat availability. Tickets are strictly not refundable, and change of flight, date or passenger name is not permitted. Other terms and conditions apply. *Australia/New Zealand: Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Darwin, Auckland and Christchurch. **Please email Phuket_Sales@singaporeair.com.sg within 30 days of your ticket purchase to arrange for the collection of the giveaways.

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

TRAVEL 27

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Originally the palace had gardens down to the nearby Prachinburi River, but these have been nibbled away over the intervening century.

PALATIAL SURROUNDS The two-storey palace, built in Renaissance style and completed in 1909, is a delightful European confection; bright yellow with white stucco leaves, flowers and gargoyles.

Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com

I

n 1867 the French completed their annexation of Cambodia, taking large swathes of that country, including Battambang and Siem Reap, which had been under Thai control for centuries.

Chaophraya Abhaibhubate, the Thai lord of Battambang, was invited by the French to stay on, but declined, not relishing the idea of being an instrument of French control.

He moved back into Thailand, taking up residence in Prachinburi Province, about 100 km northeast of Bangkok.

King Rama V appointed him Governor of Prachinburi and although he had lost huge amounts of land to the French, he was by no means impoverished.

In fact, he was still rich enough to decide that a palace should be built specifically for a projected royal visit to the province.

The two-storey palace, built in Renaissance style and completed in 1909, is a delightful European confection, painted bright yellow with white stucco leaves, flowers and gargoyles everywhere and standing out magnificently from the morosely mouldy 1960s concrete blocks of the modern Prachinburi Hospital

Chaophraya Abhaibhubate. that now surrounds it.

Originally it had gardens stretching down to the nearby Prachinburi River, but these have been nibbled away in the intervening century by a road along the riverbank and car parking for the hospital so that all that remains in front of the palace now is a small formal garden.

King Rama V never stayed in the palace – he was already ill when it was completed, and died the following year, but his son, King Rama VI, was a regular guest, and in 1924 took Chaophraya Abhaibhubate’s granddaughter as his royal consort.

By 1941, the palace had passed its glory days and had become the administrative offices for the hospital growing up around it.

Recently, however, it has been restored and is now a museum, filled partly with artifacts from the Chaophraya

and his family, along with fascinating photographs that give an inside glimpse into royal life at the time of Rama VI. One large room is also a showcase for herbal medicine; the Prachinburi Hospital has in this century developed a reputation for high-quality herbal medicines and therapies to go along with conventional modern medical practice.

“Traditional” rather than “herbal” would be more accurate in describing some of the exhibits in this room.

They include such non-herbals as bottled cobras, pit vipers, scorpions and centipedes, along with horses’ hooves and a slightly disturbing jar containing the bones of three pythons topped by their skulls.

After a stroll through the palace, a most pleasant way to end one’s visit is to spend time in the shady garden behind the palace, with its fountain and beds full of carefully labelled herbs.

It is possible to stay in the hospital – it costs B800 a night for a room for two, including breakfast. But the mattresses seem to be made of concrete.

To get to Prachinburi, take Route 305 through Nakhon Nayok, Route 33 through Pak Phli and then Route 319. The palace is on the south side of the river. Anyone in the town will tell you how to get there.

thephuketnews.com

28 ISLAND SCENE

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

FAMILY FUN: Children and parents alike enjoyed FunStart’s First Family Day BBQ last Sunday (February 26). The party, held at the FunStart Family Sports and Leisure Club, took place from 2pm to 7pm, and included a variety of pool games, a bouncy castle, and access to all facilities. The delicious BBQ and other food was supplied by the on-site Yummy’s cafe, run by Celine Masson of Siam Indigo. The party is a new monthly event that will be held on the last Sunday of every month. Pictured left (from left to right) are FunStart owner Miki Edouard, Celine Masson, and a member of staff from Yummy’s.

LUXURY CAR SHOWROOM OPENS: Above, the presentation of a Lamborghini for Governor Tri Augkaradacha, from Sureeporn Udompolvanich, CEO of TSL Auto, at the opening of the TSL Auto Corporation showroom, on the bypass road. Around 300 people attended the grand opening, with its fashion show featuring “celebrity models” brought down from the capital for the event.

ROARING IN: Phuket bikers held a meeting with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha on February 23, to discuss Phuket Bike Week 2012, to be held from April 6 to 8.

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

ISLAND SCENE 29

A GOOD HAND: Pictured at the APBP Simultaneous Pairs Bridge Tournament Event are Phuket “Hub of Bridge Club” reps Chantal Fernandes, front left, and Jo Baily, front right, who scored highly at the competition at The Lounge in Bang Tao.

TRANCE ICON DJ SVEN VÄTH PLAYS PATONG: Frankfurt-based German DJ Sven Väth performed at Famous Discothque & Rooftop Beach Club in Patong on February 23 to a large, appreciative audience. From 1985, Väth was part of the band OFF which released the hit ‘Electrica Salsa’ in 1986. He was also one of the founders of trance music labels Harthouse and the now-defunct Eye Q, as well as being among the first DJs to play trance records. He has performed at some of the planet’s biggest music festivals, toured South America and played in the middle of the jungle.

MUD, GLORIOUS MUD: Central Festival Phuket staff, along with other volunteers, got good and muddy planting 1,800 mangrove trees along the coast near Baan Bor Rae, next to Klong Mudong at the top end of Chalong Bay, on Monday (February 27). Vice governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada and more than 100 staff from Central Retail Corporation and various government departments joined in the “Save Phuket Save Our Planet” project, the fifth time Central has organised a mangrove planting in Phuket, and the second time at this site. A muddy day makes for a cleaner future.

thephuketnews.com

30 EVENT

THE PHUKET NEWS

WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET MARCH 7

List your events here for as low as B99 per line, or online at www.thephuketnews.com/events.php

MARCH 12-18

Makhabucha Day

MARCH 13-15 Thao Thepkrassattri - Thao Sri Suntorn Festival The festival celebrates the island’s victory in 1785 over an invading Burmese force.

The festival is held at Baan Riang, near Thalang, in the evening. There are market stalls, food, and impressive performances. Anyone in Phuket will have seen the Heroines Monument, commemorating the two sisters who led the people of Phuket to victory.

This is a Buddhist holiday that takes place annually on the night of the full moon during the third lunar month of the year.

Makhabucha is a day to remind all Buddhists of the event when 1,250 monks, all of whom were ordained by Lord Buddha himself, decided to come back to see Lord Buddha, without prior appointment, after travelling around teaching Buddhism.

This significant event took place over 2,500 years ago. Because it was the first assembly of a large group of Buddhist monks, the Lord Buddha handed down to them the Owata Patimok, considered the first constitution containing all the laws that Buddhist monks have followed from that day until now.

The activities include merit-making ceremonies at temples in the morning.

At night people walk with lighted candles in hand around the main building in each temple.

MARCH 9-10

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Coconut Carnival March 12-18, 2012, 6.30pm – 10 pm.

B780 per person* at DiVine Restaurant.

Enjoy a week of this festive buffet dinner at DiVine Restaurant in Thanyapura, offering a wide selection of innovative coconut dishes prepared by Chef Moo. *Price is subject to 10% service charge and 7% applicable government tax. For reservations, please contact +66 (0)76 336 000 Ext. 5070 Email: dining@thanyapura.com, www.thanyapura.com.

MARCH 24

with early morning merit-making, by offering food to the monks. Paying respect to elders and ancestors is also an important custom of Songkran.

Young people pour scented water over Buddha images and on the hands of elders to show respect, and to seek their blessing.

Another custom of Songkran is to clean houses and anything old and useless must be thrown away. It is believed that anything bad belonging to the old year will be unlucky to the owner if left and carried on to the coming new year. The most prominent custom of the festival is throwing water.

Everybody throws water on each other, during the three-day festival. The most popular place for water-throwing is in Chiang Mai.

MAY 1 Labour Day The government has established May 1 of every year as Labour Day just like most European countries. The objective of this day is to recognise the employee’s duty and responsibility they show everyday of the year. The government has marked May 1 as a public holiday. You will find most private companies closed, including banks. However, all government offices will remain open. May 1 falls on a Sunday this year so May 2 will be the substitute day for employees.

MAY 5 “A Ray of Hope” Fundraiser

Open House Kajonkiet The Kajonkiet Group would like to invite you to our “Open House” at our new school campus in Kathu on the March 8, 9 and 10.

The “Open House” event includes student work exhibitions, academic competitions, a special booth from Shelton College Singapore and several booths from local organisations.

Programme March 8: -9.00am - Opening Ceremony by Phuket Provincial Governor Tri Augkaradacha.

-9.30am - Shows from our students.

-10.00am - Academic competitions and exhibitions.

The Lions Club of Phuket Pearl cordially invite you to “A Ray of Hope” fundraiser on March 24, 2012 from 7 pm. Welcome punch, snack buffet, live band, live show and auction. Dress code is colourful. Entrance fee is B1,200 per person. Contact 087 887 9672 for more details. Tickets available at www.phuketticketmaster.com.

APRIL 6 Chakri Day A public holiday to honor the founder of the Chakri Dynasty, King Rama I.

APRIL 13-15

Programme March 9: -9.00am - Graduation Ceremony K3, P6 and M3 students Kajonietsuksa.

-All day - Student exhibitions.

Programme March 10: -9.00am - Graduation Ceremony K3 and P6 students Kajonkiet Pattana School.

-All day - Student exhibitions.

Contact please call Kajonkietsuksa School : Contact 076 264 770-2. Address: 125 Soi The Valley 1, Pra Phuket Keaw Road, Kathu, Phuket. See kajonkietsuksa. ac.th.

thephuketnews.com

Coronation Day (Wan Chat tra Mongkhon) Commemorates the coronation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1950.

MAY 9 Royal Ploughing Ceremony and Farmer’s Day Ceremonies giving blessing to the country’s farmers are held on this day. It is officially known as Wan Phra Ratcha Phithi Phuet Monkhon Lae Charot Phra Nangkhan Raek Na Khwan. This day is also observed as Farmer’s Day. Each year’s date is astrologically-determined and announced by the Bureau of the Royal Household.

A government holiday only, this ceremony revives an ancient blessing of the plants and ceremonial start to the new growing season. The action takes place on Bangkok’s Sanam Luang in front of the Grand Palace.

JUNE 4 Visakha Bucha Day

Songkran Festival Songkran is the old Thai New Year , and is an occasion for family reunions. Many Thai people return to their homes and families for the three-day festival. It is celebrated each year between April 13 and 15. It was originally a religious holiday. Songkran begins

Falls on the full moon of the sixth Thai lunar month (May). A Buddhist observance commemorating the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha. Also observed as National Tree Day. On this, the holiest Buddhist holiday of the year, you will find the temples full with devotees receiving blessings and giving offerings. All government and public sector business will be closed, including most bars and pubs.

THE PHUKET NEWS

EVENTS 31

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET FRIDAY

List your events here for as low as B99 per line, or online at www.thephuketnews.com/events.php

BBQ at Expat Hotel

Pool Competition

Time 7.30pm, Expat Sports Bar, Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www.expatsports bar.com.

At 9pm Expat Guesthouse Sports Bar, Patong. See map at www.expatguesthouse. com.

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IBAP - The State of Phuket 3 Back by popular demand this meeting will be a moderated panel presentation by leading Phuket business and information experts. Venue: URBAN FOOD, located in Central Festival Shopping Center. http:// ibap-phuket.org or call 081 970 7910.

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Pool Competition Pool Competition at 9pm. Expat Sports Bar, Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www. expatsportsbar.com.

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Chef’s Table at Paresa Recipe by Ryan is an innovative culinary dining venture. Indulge in intricate dishes created by Paresa’s Executive Chef Ryan Arboleda, featuring a six-course set menu prepared in a live cooking environment.

Time: 6pm to 10pm. Call 076 302 000, email: dining@paresaresorts.com.

20% Off All Pizzas At Shakers. Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim areas.

Reservations call 081 891 4381.

Salsa Class in Green Man Studio from 6.30 to 9 pm, more information on phuketdance.com.

On the big screen. F1, MotoGP, Tennis, Golf, AFL, NRL. Irish Times Irish Pub, Jungceylon, Patong.

SUNDAY Sunday Roast Pork Every Sunday 2pm onwards Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong B290 per person.

Please see www.expathotel.com.

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Best Sunday Carvery in Phuket

BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat

Half-Chicken Spit Roast

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Only B225 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Reservations please call 081 891 4381.

Curry Fridays at Navrang Mahal

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Live Music Enjoy live music at Kamala’s only live music venue. Every Saturday from 8.30pm with free buffet. Call for more info on 085 655 5127.

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Chef’s Table at Paresa Recipe by Ryan is an innovative culinary dining venture. Indulge in intricate dishes created by Paresa’s Executive Chef Ryan Arboleda, featuring a six-course set menu prepared in a live cooking environment.

Time: 6pm to 10pm. Call 076 302 000, email: dining@paresaresorts.com.

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Half-Chicken Spit Roast

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All Major Sports Live

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SATURDAY

Weekly meeting in English. Dinner out on first Tuesday of the month. rotarypatong.org.

Salsa Class Rawai

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Every Friday, all-you-can-eat authentic Indian curry buffet, B449 net per person.

Draught beer B50. 7pm-11.30pm. Call 076 286 464.

Rotary Club of Patong Beach

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Roast beef, BBQ ham, chicken, pork and Yorkshire pudding. All you can eat B399.

Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

Only B295 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. For reservations call on 081 891 4381.

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.

Quiz Night @ Peppers Quiz Night every Wednesday at Peppers Sports Bar near Laguna. Great food, great music, great beer. Contact 081 728 1010.

Facebook Peppers Sports Bar.

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Interactive Pub Quiz Night Starts from 8pm every Wednesday night.

The largest selection of draught beer in Phuket. Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

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BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat Only B295 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Reservations call on 081 891 4381.

THURSDAY

Sunday Brunch Enjoy the original Sunday brunch in Phuket at Twinpalms, Surin Beach. 12-3pm. Reservations please call 076 316 577.

MONDAY Roaring Bhoys Live Music every Monday night. The largest selection of draught beer in Phuket. Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

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BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat Only B325 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Reservations 081 891 4381.

WEDNESDAY

BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat Only B325 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Rd, Patong. Reservations 081 891 4381.

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AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub, one km from Chalong circle. Contact 081 895 4763.

.

Live Music Enjoy live music at Kamala’s only live music venue. Every Saturday from 8.30pm with free buffet. Call for more info on 085 655 5127.

DAILY

Grizzly’s Sports Bar & Restaurant Watch all the sport that is on TV this weekend with us. Located between Loch Palm Golf Course and Kathu Waterfall. Call 087 471 8747.

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TUESDAY AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM

Only B225 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub, one km from Chalong circle. Contact 081 895 4763.

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AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM

Half-Chicken Spit Roast

All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub. Contact 081 895 4763.

Only B225 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

Sunset Happy Hours & Ninjazz Don’t miss the Sunset happy hours. Between 5pm and 7pm. “Buy one get the same one free” promotion. The Luna Bar, Centara Grand Beach Resort. Call 076 201 234.

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Brew Great Beer Phuket’s one and only small batch handcraft beer. Open every day for lunch and dinner 11am until midnight. Full Moon Brew Work, behind the ship, the port zone at Jung­ ceylon. Call 076 3667 753.

The Craíc Live Music every week Roaring Bhoys - Tuesdays & Saturdays Bangkok Travellers - Sundays Draught Guinness at the only Irish Bar in North Phuket Open from 5pm, closed Mondays Laguna Phuket

thephuketnews.com

32 ENTERTAINMENT

THE TICKET

THE PHUKET NEWS

with Claire Connell

editor1@thephuketnews.com

Nothing blue about Blues Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com

Since way back, a hundred years or more, the Blues has had a huge inf luence on other kinds of music.

What was initially a form of protest and an outlet for the miseries of negro life in the Deep South of the US, Blues was initially not taken seriously by the white masters of America – when it was considered by them at all it was usually accompanied by unpleasant epithets – “that nigger/jig noise” etc.

But the Blues gradually crept into the mainstream, informing jazz (also not regarded as being at all respectable to begin with), forming the basis of rock ’n’ roll and heavily influencing bands such as the Rolling Stones and the Beatles.

But right at the beginning the breaking out of the Blues into the mainstream was because white people embraced it – very much a double-edged sword.

Very influential early on

was George Gershwin, whose Rhapsody in Blue (1924) and opera Porgy & Bess (1935) leaned heavily on Blues.

By the ’60s and ’70s, Blues inf luences could be found in just about every kind of popular music.

Now, however, the Blues – in the US at least – has been largely abandoned by t h e A f r i c a n -A m e r i c a n population. Hip hop is where it’s at. All too often, it’s whitey who’s playing the blues.

So is the Blues dying?

Chris Thomas King, headliner at last weekend’s Blues Rock Festival in the Laguna Grove, doesn’t think so.

“The short answer is no. But it may be difficult to find the Blues as we knew it [in the US].”

He knows the Blues. He’s steeped in it. His father, Tabby Thomas, was a Blues muso and owned Tabby’s Blues Box, in its time a famed club in Baton Rouge. Buddy Guy played with him.

Chris himself soared to fame in the 2000 Coen brothers Deep South movie, O Brother,

Chris Thomas King on stage at the Festival last weekend.

Where Art Thou? in which he played Delta Bluesman Tommy Johnson.

“Back in New Orleans,” he admits, “you don’t see many people doing Blues in its classical form.”

Part of the reason for this is that people have tried to nail the Blues down. “It’s become a kind of classical music

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

form, a fixed form.” The keepers of the flame (often white), “expect you to bend it and move it in certain places.

“I don’t do that. I want to inject my own personality.”

He recalls that in the 1960s BB King – now in his nineties and regarded as the godfather of the Blues, was shunned by Blues purists be-

cause he used a big band to back him, horns and all.

“What people didn’t realise is that in the early days the horn was used in Blues, not the guitar. With the horn you could create the same emotions as you could with the voice. In those days you couldn’t do that with the guitar.”

But by the ’60s the purists had decided that the Blues was voice and guitar. It’s this rigidity that has dogged the Blues in the US. Blues, Chris says, has always been “anti-Western” so any Western purists trying to nail it down to a particular form are bound to fail.

Outside the US the story is very different. Blues, Chris says, is now a “world-wide music”.

He believes, too, that it cannot be imported into any culture by anyone but people from that culture. He cites British Blues, which owed its success to bands such and the Rolling Stones and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.

The Blues is far from dead.

It’s simply doing what it always did – evolving in new, unexpected and exciting ways.

House fest on Koh Lanta The DJ line-up for the annual Absolut Mango House Festival in Krabi has been announced, with some of the world’s biggest house music DJs set to be on the bill.

Held as part of the island’s annual Lanta La nt a Fest ival, t he party takes place March 7-9 at the Mango House Bar and Restaurant in Lanta Old Town.

This year’s event s e e s t h e r e t u r n of M i n ist r y of Sou nd resident DJ Two Good Souls, back by popular demand, with Ireland’s Colin Edwards, best known for the track Funk it Up, also returning. “ We’r e t h r i l l e d to have all our Mango House family DJs playing at this year’s special festival, and equally as happy to welcome Absolut Vodka Thailand as our new title sponsor,” said event producer Duane Lennie.

Silent film ‘The Artist’ crowned Agence France-Presse

Silent movie T he Artist crowned its spectacular awards season success by winning five Oscars including the coveted Best Picture prize at the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday.

The French-directed blackand-white movie earned Oscars for best director for Michel Hazanavicius and best actor for Jean Dujardin, who played a silent movie era star whose career was torpedoed by the arrival of the “talkies.”

Martin Scorsese’s 3D adventure Hugo – which had the most nominations, with 11 compared to 10 for The Artist – also ended the evening with five prizes, but all of them came in technical categories.

Jean Dujardin - best actor.

Meryl Streep won best actress for her powerful turn as former British premier Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, earning a standing ovation from the A-list Hollywood audience.

It was the third Oscar for the 62-year-old Streep and her first in three decades, u nderscor i ng her st at us as the pre-eminent actress of her generation.

Octavia Spencer took home the prize for best supporting actress for her role as a black maid in the civil rights drama The Help, receiving a standing ovation.

Veteran Canadian actor Christopher Plummer crowned a six-decade acting career with a long-overdue Oscar, a best supporting actor trophy for his role in Beginners as an ailing widower who embraces his homosexuality.

Hollywood’s biggest and most glittering night had long been expected to be a battle

between Hugo and The Artist, two odes to film-making.

Other winners included the Johnny-Depp voiced Rango, which won the best animated feature prize, and Woody Allen, who was honoured for best original screenplay for Midnight in Paris.

The show was presented by a galaxy of stars, including last year’s best actress and actor Natalie Portman and Colin Firth, Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Tom Hanks and Angelina Jolie.

Notorious British comic Sacha Baron Cohen came dressed as the star of his latest movie, The Dictator – pouring the faux ashes of late North Korean leader Jim Kong-Il onto the red carpet.

TATA GIVES BACK:

Pop star Tata Young and Hard Rock Cafe Phuket recently presented a B250,000 cheque for Thailand’s flood victims. The money was raised from the successful Hard Rock Cafe “Amazing Phuket Benefit Concert Series 3”, which Young performed in during November.

Young also donated her famous blue dress, used in the Ready for Love music video. Her dress will become part of the Hard Rock Cafe’s memorabilia collection.

thephuketnews.com

WEEKDAYS The Breakfast Club

Ryan Jon

7am til 11am

Weekday Hitz Blitz

great music

11am til 3pm

Drive on LIVE

Jason Wilder

3pm til 7pm

The Night Ritual

Sam Clarke

7pm til 10pm

SATURDAY Box Of Neutrals Saturday Morning Glory Phuket News Radio Dazed and Confused Phuket News Radio

Rob James, Peter McGinley & Michael Lamonato Sam Clarke & Ryan Jon Jason Wilder & Simon Ostheimer Bongo Bob & Baba Fats Ryan Jon & Alasdair Forbes

9am til 10am

10am til 12pm 12pm til 1pm 1pm til 4pm 4pm til 5pm

Going Green

Nick Anthony

5pm til 7pm

Saturday Night Fever

DJ Burt

7pm til 11pm

SUNDAY Dazed and Confused

Bongo Bob & Baba Fats

1pm til 4pm

Lazy Sunday Afternoons

Jason Wilder

4pm til 7pm

Absolute Jazz

Doug Styles

7pm til 9pm

www.phuketliveradio.com Tel: 076-612-895, 090-490-7895

THE PHUKET NEWS

JOBS 33

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS

Thai-style house for sale: B5.5m Only 5 minutes to Patong > 36

classifieds@thephuketnews.com

JOBS IN PHUKET

To advertise here visit: thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

Assistant to Managing Director (full time) A unique opportunity to join this pioneering wealth management boutique in Phuket. We are looking for a highly-motivated employee, who has a passion for client service and for the investment profession. Candidates will grow with our company and must be able to multi-task numerous projects. The role involves regular contact with our high net-worth clients around the world.

Remuneration: thb 15k - 18k / month + annual bonus Working Place : Office in Laguna Applicants must: be female and of Thai nationality; speak and write excellent English; have a university degree; have a minimum of two years' experience; have strong PC skills, in particular MS Excel.

Karon Hillside Staff Wanted: Karon Hills i d e H ote l i s l o o k i n g for staff: Chef, Kitchen helper, House Keeping staff, Handyman, Bar and restaurant service staff, English required, Reception staff English required.

Good starting salary and SC. Only Thai nationals.

Please contact K.Sandy on 087 275 4581 or email: info@karonhillsidehotel. com.

e2thedoggies@gmail.com or call 084 877 3566.

Shop Girl for a Jewellery Shop: A Retail Jewellery Shop in Patong is looking for some shop girls. Speak English.

Basic computer skills.

Salary plus commission.

Please email resume with photo to: info@sil verberry.com.

the animals some TLC. 084 877 3566 sherin.peace@ gmail.com.

A c c o u n t a n t Cherngthalay: Building company seeks Bookkeeper/Accountant. Good English and IT VAT experience. Good salary and Bonus. Call 087 885 3532.

Kindergar ten Secretary: Must have good

Office Staff Wanted: English and computer skills.

M a r ket ing Per son Female, English speaking Mon-Fri, 7.30am-4.30pm, Wanted: Full Time/Part staff to work in nice en- Chalong. Call 080 624 7060.

Time. Great opportunity with Phuket based company. Must speak good English. Must have good computer skills and internet knowledge. Please send resume to:gary@shadesa sia.com.

Apple Mac Support: Apple Mac technical support needed to help with computer issues in Surin area. Please email admin@esxoasia.com.

driver with their own small truck to pick up food parcels from Headstart school, QSI school, Phuket International Acadamy, then deliver to Thalang dog pound, Mon- Friday 230- 430. Must Speak English & have no fear of dogs & be ok with helping to feed the dogs.

Daily gas money and wages paid in cash. Contact: gon

day Resort requires experienced rental and service manager. Excellent salary and bonus. Please call 087 885 3532.

The role is a general administrative role and will focus on supporting our Managing Director. A dynamic and positive work ethic is essential.

Please send your curriculum vitae to: Passaporn Voragul, mas@securewm.com www.secure-wealthmanagement.com "independent advice for the new financial era"

Massage Shop Staff: to tam mice@live.com.au.

Sales Staff Wanted: R e q u i r e e x p e r i e n c e d English speaking female.

Thai with previous selling experience with own car, outgoing personality with ability to sell to farangs, flexible hours. Retainer, fuel, phone and commission. Call Khun Nam 076 272 702. Island Curtains.

st af f for busy, fr iendly massage shop, Patong Beach,hairdresser, beauty salon experienced, manicure / pedicure, facial, etc.

10am to 11pm. Day off per week. Please contact Khun Key ( Thai) on 080 889 6557 or email your resume

Web Developer PHP MVC: PHP Developer with strong MVC framework (Yii, CI, Symf, Z E N D) a n d J Q u e r y.

Email: iibc.shayne@ gmail.com.

vironment with outgoing personality and basic book keeping skills. Please call K.Nam 076 272 702. Island Curtains.

Animal Lover Volunteers: Looking for some

Class Act Media publishes The Phuket News – Phuket’s leading English language newspaper – and broadcasts Phuket's most vibrant and coolest English language radio station – Live 89.5 FM.

English speaking volunteers who love working with dogs, Mon-Fri, from 3-6pm at the Phuket Stray dog pound in Thalang area feeding dogs, cleaning bowls and giving

SALES MANAGER (THAI OR FOREIGNER)

JOB WANTED Driver / Animal Lover: Part Time: Looking for a

The role consists of:

Rental Manager Bangtao Beach: Holi-

Butler/House Manag er: Pr ofe s si o nal Head Butler 44 with over 20 years extensive experience with The Royal Household, Buckingham Palace and an internationally renowned Hollywood Producer is now available. Interested parties kindly email enquiries to p.v.b.b@live.com.

WE ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING

RESPONSIBILITIES: - Reaching sales target - Developing and following up new sales leads - Self discipline in developing and managing sales volumes - Preparing regular sales activities reports to the GM - Excellent communication and negotiation skills - Self driven and motivated with a positive attitude - Work well under pressure and achievement oriented COMPETITIVE SALARY, BONUSES AND TRAVEL EXPENSES, FRIENDLY WORK ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL SECURITY (10%) PAID BY THE COMPANY, EXCELLENT CAREER PROGRESS OPPORTUNITY

Interested applicants are invited to apply by sending a full resumé in English with a recent photo & expected salary to:

Class Act Media Co., Ltd. 99/7, Moo 1, T. Kathu, Phuket 83120 Tel: 076 612 550-2 Fax: 076 612 553 E-mail: gm@thephuketnews.com

www.thephuketnews.com

thephuketnews.com

34 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS

BUY & SELL IN PHUKET

To advertise here visit: thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

bedroom with ensuite, three FS TVs, pool table, stock, furniture. etc. Price negotiable.

Call Chompoo on 084 844

Please contact 085 654 2244.

CARS FOR RENT

3504.

BUSINESS SERVICES Phuket Consult Services: Insurance, personal assistance, legal assistance, police and emergency assistance, property management sales and rentals, company registration, visa and work permit and accounting. Call 081 691 9679.

Farang Food Paradise:

BOATS & YACHTS

only, and bumper cars. Call 082 419 0742.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Digifox Marine: Marine inboard engines, hydraulic and mechanical equipment service, repairs and spare parts. MAN, Arneson, ZF, Rolls Royce and others. Professional team of engineers, high quality, personal approach guaranteed. Contact 076 336 221, 083 171 4141. Email info@ digifoxmarine.com.

Speedboat for Rent: Panwa Beach. 16 knots service speed comfy can do 38 knots emergency. Sight seeing Phi Phi Island or fishing. We have equipment experienced skipper. Contact Gustav 080 649 0500.

Pegasus 8.2M - Late 2 0 0 6: S UZ U K I 14 0 H P

Prot e c t Your H o m e w i t h C C T V: C C T V &

Obligation free appointment .

Contact 084 100 6274.

Alarm service. Protect your home with high-quality CCTV camera,and GSM alarm. Free survey and quote. Please call 086 105 8144 or click www. huketechnology.com.

Great returns. Create passive cashflow with our Forex Trading system. Call for more information 082 286 4463.

Bar Bangla Road for sale: Best bar-deal on Bangla Road? Good location in popular Soi Crocodile. Lease payed for 34months. Bar has had same owner for 12 years and wants a quick sell for moving back home. Asking for B1.9 millon only!! Please contact tomarell@hotmail.com.

land, Maikhao Beach. Perfect for resort, 15-20 villas. First villa under construction. www. phuketapartments.de. Contact Julius 087 267 1192.

BUSINESSES FOR SALE

Kamala Bar for SALE!:

Phuket slingshot, Thailand’s

Indo Construction: 40 years experience of more than 20 years at your service in Thailand. Main contractor: study project, architecture design and construction and management.

Contact 076 381 895.

Tile It: Thalang. Wana Park on Srisoonthorn Rd. Phuket’s quality tile boutique. Tiles for interior, exterior, residential, commercial. Contact 076 620 168 or 081 424 2828. Email info@tile-asia.com.

Investors or Partners Wanted: Five Rai hillside

- 4 strokd - 300 hours. Fully equipped. Location: Boat Lagoon. Price: B700,000. Contact 086 268 7901, martin@ pertinax.asia.

B u s i n e s s f o r S a l e:

Your specialist of imported food and drinks in Phuket. Visit our shop at the Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco Lotus. Contact 076 612 733, 076 248 900. www.phuketfood.com.

Investment Opportunity: 8-15% monthly returns.

Unique Automated Business: Low overheads,

Very profitable bar on main road. Owner returning to Australia in high season. Has one

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Alarms & CCTV Services: Protect your home or office with an alarm system and CCTV cameras. Call 085 798 9469 or email contact@ alarms-phuket-services.com.

New Mazda2 & Vios for Rent: First class insurance, special price for long term rental. Call 080 521 9888, email sornin_s@ yahoo.com.

A1 Car Rentals: Fullyinsured. Starts at B12,000 to B18,000 per month. Please call 089 831 4703. Email for more info: a1carrent@gmail.com.

CARS FOR SALE Hyundai XL 5 Speed Manual: Good condition B50,000. Call 085 787 5526.

ABC International Nursery: Education for chil-

dren 18 months to six years old with experienced native English teachers following the UK EYFS curriculum. Contact 089 971 1813.

Kiddies Home Nursery: Award for top Nursery for Phuket Province 2011.

Ages 3 months to 4 years.

Open 7 days a week and from 6.30 am to 7pm. Rock Garden Village. Call 0p76 528 862, mobile 082 539 8252, email: kiddieshomenursery@gmail. com.

CLUBS Funstart: Family sports and leisure club. Swimming/golf/ playcentre/gaming arcade.

Call 076 203 185, 087 882 5544. See funstart phuket. com.

SK A L I nt e r na t i onal Phuket: Skål is a profes-

M a z d a Tr i b u t e 2 0 0 5 G o l d c o l o u r,

sional organisation of leaders from all branches of the travel and tourism industry. www. skalphuket.org.

60,000 km full Mazda Service history. One owner.

B580,000. Call 081 737 0722.

Singapore Club Phuket:

CHILDCARE

Calling all Singaporeans in Phuket to join “Singapore Club Phuket”. Contact Robin on 081 803 7189, 076 303 500.

Buds Nursery: Phuket’s oldest bi-lingual international child care facility. High quality, time proven schedule and curriculum. Now in brand new purpose build school. Experienced native English teachers to teach ages 1 1/2-8. Mon-Fri 8am.5pm. Bus service available from Patong, Karon, Kata, Phuket, Rawai and Chalong.

Website: www.buds-phuket. com.

DIVING All 4 Diving: 5/4 Sawatdirak Road, Patong Beach.

Contact 076 344 611.

EDUCATION Russian Language for Your Kids: Are your children starting to forget Rus-

sian? Sign up to our Russian Language For Kids program.

Visit http://PhuketRussianSchool.com, email us at info@ phuketrussianschool.com or call 082 804 9131.

Q uali f i ed Teach er/ Tutor Wanted: English speaking, tutor wanted for Grade 4 student, 2-3 hours per day, 6 days a week, to do extra tutoring (reading, writing, math) in Thalang. At Phuket International Acadamy school. Contact:Sherin. peace@gmail.com. or call 084 877 3566.

Guitar Lesson By Pro Player: Guitar/bass lessons beginner to advanced. Personal one-on-one or by DVD. Diploma of Teaching (Aust) degree. Call 089 777 3063.

Want to Practice your Thai?: Thai Courses and

lessons for daily life (culture and language) with friendly and energised Thai female teacher. Graduated from university. Negotiable prices can be offered. Plus have outdoor activities for your experience!! Call 080 386 5026.

Learn Thai at Home: Thai woman teacher with 8-9 years’ experience gives Thai and English lessons for company/hotel staff and Thai cooking at your home.

Full course with conversation practise and home study material. Both at beginner and more advanced levels. Tel:081 797 1497 Email: teacherjoy_ phuket@hotmail.com.

Dos & Don’ts of Thai Culture: Learn Thai and Thai culture that is necessary for enjoying life in Thailand.

Group classes three days per week, learning about the real dos and don’ts of Thailand. The Genius Language School, call 089 203 9270 (Aooddy).

Green House: Construction, renovation, electric, metal work, wood work, shop fitting.

Cooking School: Fire up

your creative flair with Food Services Cooking School. Italian, Western and Thai cuisine.

Try our famous pizza school.

082 816 0126, email: info@ foodservicesth.com.

Native German Teacher: Native German TEFL teacher is teaching German and English to single students at home or small groups in Chalong. 080 778 1220, 081 810 9115.

International Kindegarten: International Kindergarten. Native English teachers, UK and Singapore curriculum, small class sizes. The best choice. Call 082 323 1188.

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

CLASSIFIEDS 35

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

BUY & SELL/HOMES IN PHUKET MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS FOR SALE

Your big bike specialist on the bypass road. Contact 085 785 4440.

SAFEWAY STORAGE

PERSONAL SERVICES

•

Furniture

Bon Café Phuket: A

•

Cars-Boats

•

Machinery

producer of premium coffee blends and powdered mixes as well as selling, maintaining, servicing and repairing all major brands. 076 355 600-1.

Main Highway Thalang

To advertise here visit: thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

advice. Contact for more info 081 892 9960.

Kata Hot Yoga: The most popular Yoga for men and women in Phuket. Four classes every day. Kata yoga, it works! www.katahotyoga.com, Contact 076 605 950.

Health Food : Online

Haris & Hawryluck - Attorneys at Law: Unit 6D

Honda outboard: Honda

CCM Complex, call 076 510 111, email info@hhlegaladvi sors.com, www.hhlegaladvi sors.com.

MOTORBIKES FOR SALE

PET ADOPTION

8,000 km. Perfect condition. Fast and fun. Priced to sell quickly at 595,000 baht. email ducphuket@ gmail.

Atmanjai: World’s best natural health programmes to improve health, reduce stress, weight loss, detox, rejuvenation, vitality and overcome disease. See more info at www. atmanjai.com.

Techworx: Custom design & installation. Professional service and support. Premium service: home cinema, home automation, marine AV and IT, lighting control and multiroom audio-video. Call 084 443 9863.

English-Thai Law Off ice: Visa, wor k per mit, Repossessed Motorbikes

company formation, property transfer etc. Please telephone for advice. Call 084 063 9223.

2011 models Finos from 28,000B Mios from 25,000B Clicks from 30,000B Safeway Repos Main Hightway Thalang.

076 313 235, 081 125 1873

Ya m a h a S e r o w f o r Sale: 220cc, year 199 6.

Sale B45,000. Please contact Khun Nicolas (farang) 083 176 4265. Khun Ball 081 084 9532 (Thai).

MOTORBIKE SERVICES Dynamic Tyre Balancing: Dynamically balance your motorcycle tyres for a smoother ride with DYNA BEADS! Available at West Coast Service Center Phuket.

One-Bedroom House, Kata: Fully-furnished, one bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, terrace, WiFi and cable TV. Price B9,000 per month. Located in Kata. 081 606 2827.

Beach Frontage: One bedroom self-contained holiday villa Rawai. Rental day/week Call 081 677 1641.

Rent Kata One-Three Bed Apartments: Superb

Why buy a pet?: Soi Dog apartments and pool pentFoundation have over 300 beautiful dogs and puppies available for adoption. Fully-vaccinated and sterilised.

Contact 087 050 8688, email: john@soidog.org.

PET HOSPITAL Chaofah Pet Hospital:

Harley XR-1200 for Sale: 2009 model. Only

Space for Rent in Patong: Office, Business space for rent on fifth floor of Pa-

health food in Thailand. Good Karma, all natural healthy, natural and organic products.

Contact 082 276 1675. www. goodkarmathailand.com.

5 HP outboard, 2004 but not used much, so in near-new condition. Contact Pete at Boat Lagoon 080 393 6447.

Any reasonable offer considered.

cable TV, internet, fully furished house at B8,000 per month. Call 080 521 9888, sornin_s@yahoo.com.

Boun A p p et i to: D e li tong Tower. Call 076 341 370. market and bistro.Number one supplier of Italian Deli in Phuket. Call 076 384 273, info@buonappetitogroup.com, w w w. b u o n a p p et i t o g r o u p. com.

076 313 235, 081 125 1873

House for Rent Near Heroines Monument: Two bed, one bath,

Havana Cigar Shop:

houses 115-375 sq metre, less than five minutes walk to two beaches (Kata and Kata Noi) Call 081 078 1246.

Apartment for Rent in Patong: New condo with swimming pool, security 24/7. 46sq metre, furnished.

Daily/monthly. 089 728 4005 or email: thamad17@yahoo.com.

Rawa i B e a c h Fro n t House: Rawai beach front

Apar tment for Rent in Rawai: Business nine apartments, fully-furnished with swimming pool & office.

Contract 081 893 2165.

house for sale/long term rent.

Three beds, three baths with three air-con. Cable TV, ADSL on area 1600 sq metre. Call 089 649 9939.

Comfor table Private and Quiet: Three bedroom townhouse, just a few minutes to Karon Beach. B25,000 per month, long term rent required.

Call 081 396 0880.

Houses for Rent : Long Term, Chalong, very private with mountain views, two bedrooms, kitchen, fully-furnished, Sat TV, ADSL, UBC and common swimming pool. 089 724 3669.

Four Beds/Four Baths Villa for Rent: Securely located in Baan Suan Loch Palm Estate, 10 minutes to golf courses, International schools and Central, 15 mins to Patong. B65,000 per month. Includes common area pool and gardening service, 6 months minimum.

Available from 22 April 2012. +61 41 268 3850 or email jenjira555@yahoo.com.au.

8/28–29 Moo 9, Chaofah East Road. Contact 076 283 365.

POOL TABLES Phuket Pool Tables: www.phuketpooltables.com.

Your number one billiard and snooker supplier in Phuket.

Sales, rent and profit-sharing.

All accessories and services.

Call for more details on 081 823 4627.

WRITE YOUR CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT Heading ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......

PROPERTY CONCIERGE

Opposite HomePro Village Chalong. Contact 081 956 2024. Email: vinoltds@hotmail.com.

Body ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B99 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B198 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B297 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B396

American Health Clinic: Chiropractic spinal adjustment with an experienced chiropractor can take away the pain almost as quickly as it began. Call 076 612 707.

Live Music By Colin Hill: Popular expat pro musician (guitar/vocals) with work permit. Can perform solo, duo or band. www.play-guitar.net, 089 777 3063.

Phuket Visa: Offers consulting and services on company registration, work permit, visa, accounting, auditor, legal

...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B495

Selling or Renting Your Property?: We

...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B594

have buyers for foreign freehold, sea view properties and land. Call 080 143 2929 or visit realestate.phuket. net.

...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B693 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B792 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B891 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B990

PROPERTY FOR RENT Luxury Pool Villa: Designed for comfort has everything near Laguna lease B22,000. Contact 089 594 4067.

Box B200

Colour Background B200

Colour Headline B200

Colour Picture B395

Deadline: Monday 12pm (noon) for that Friday’s issue

Hand this in at agent shops, our office or fax: 076 612 553

thephuketnews.com

36 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS

HOMES IN PHUKET PROPERTY FOR SALE CONT.

top, sea/mountain views, chanote, water, electricity and office. B4.2 million per rai , Contact : 087 978 5804.

To advertise here visit: thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php Well-established quiet neighborhood. Chanote title. For sale by owner at B10.7 million.

Call 087 267 1282 or email david_rosa mond@yahoo.com for details and photos.

Top Rawai Beach Condo For Sale: Serenity Resort & Residences. Two bed / two bath, 134 sq metre.

Only B11.9 million. See www. stefan.asia for details.

town centre. Just 24 km north of Sarasin Bridge. Good road access and electricity. Very quiet, green area. Urgent sale for just B5 million total, nonnegotiable. Contact Peter on 089 652 1951 or email phuket. pn@gmail.com.

Land for Sale: Land Mis-

Nice One Rai Chalong: Reduced, just

Land for Sale: 11 rai,

B6.0 now! Full chanote title.

Call 089 651 3479, 087 053 6181.

Phuket - Allamanda Residences: One Deluxe Condo-Unit (Duplex House) fully-furnished set within the unique Phuket Laguna Complex with balcony right over the lagoon, 3 bedrooms, roof-terrace with sala etc. FOR SALE OR LONG TERM LEASE. Call (66) 081 737 0365, e-mail: utai pan@ya hoo.com.

Kamala Two Brand New Villas: Two bedr o o m s , t wo b at h r o o m s , Western kitchen, 130 sq metre. Nice garden with large pool in quiet area. Price: B5.5 million or minimum threemonth rental. Call 081 496 9070 (Eng/Swedish) or 081 719 1175 (Thai). Email:diod@ telia.com.

Land For Sale: 6 rai Hill-

House With PoolRawai/Nai Harn: Plot of approx 825 sq metre with enclosed space of approx 220 sq metre. Three bedrooms and three bathrooms with open plan western kitchen. Fullyair-con, WiFi and cable TV. Solar hot water. Large approx 70 sq metre free-form pool in large established tropical garden. Sala and covered twocar parking with electric gate.

one kilometre from Naiyang beach. B6.5 millions per rai.

Please call : Siriporn +66 (0) 896 499 939.

Thai Style House for Sale: Teak wood floors, stairs, walls, 2 bedrooms.

Land 330 sq metre, peaceful location, five minutes to Patong, Chanote title. B5.5 million. 086 268 8701, email: f430spiderf1@hotmail.com.

sion Hills half rai plot, quiet select location, chanote, water, electricity. Price B1.6m. Six rai hilltop, sea/mountain views, chanote, water, electricity and office. B4.2m per rai. Contact 087 978 5804.

Great House for Sale: Three bedrooms, four bathrooms and pool. B5 million.

C o n t a c t 0 8 9 4 6 9 2 8 9 7.1

Kata Beach Centre Phuket: Apartments for rent and lease in luxury building with pool. Per day, week, month, year and 30 years. Contact Scott Bolls, email: sbolls@hot mail.com, call +66 81 828 0972.

Patong Guesthouse: 8 rooms, internet cafe and a p a r t m e n t . B1. 3 m i l l i o n .

New Townhouses in Kamala: This is a devel-

0857946530.

Discount Rentals

Jindarin Beach Club & Resort: B1.5 million

Daily / Weekly / Monthly / Lease LUXURY VILLAS NEAR LAGUNA

for one plot, B3.2 million for cottage + plot. Call 080 467 7770 (Thai), 083 520 0020 (English). www.jinda rin.com, Email: eam1008@ me.com.

Info: 089 594 4067

Nice Three Bed House for Sale: Three-bedroom house in Moobaan Tarn Thong Villa opposite Moobaan Chao fa California. B3.1 million. Contact Lee on 081 803 7189.

Sea View Villa: Luxury seaview Patong-Karon villa, four bedrooms, private pool.

Sell for B22 million, and also available rental daily and monthy basis. www.awphuket.com.

Rawai Pool Villa: 4 Bedroom/4 Bathroom European style single storey house with self-contained guesthouse and pool on 736m2 plot.

Large master bedroom with en-suite, walk-in wardrobe.

Modern western style kitchen with granite tops, built-ins throughout and 4 air-cons.

Electric gate, TV and phone line. Large verandahs, carport, and established garden.

Chanote title B11m. 087 891 9349.

Seaview Land AoMakham for Sale: 33 rai land upon hill with seaview. Very easy access from road. B5 million per rai. 081 895 4318.

Email: wapeebow@gmail.com.

Kata Phuket Luxur y Studio/Apartment: 60 sq metre. Lease hold 30+60 year option. Free furnishing and transfer. B3.0 million. Contact Scott Bolls, email: sbolls@ hotmail.com, call +66 81 828 0972.

New Apartment for Sale Patong: Condo: swimming pool, security 24/7. Furnished, 46sqm, freehold: B2.9 million.

089 728 4005, thamad17@ yahoo.com.

Approx three rai, with chanote title, 2 km south of Thai Muang

ning three-bedroom pool villa, five minutes from Laguna 600 sq metre plot in peaceful location. Finished to a very high specification. “Must see� selling price B12.9 million. Please contact 084 994 9303 or email phuketpoolvilla.info@gmail. com.

Seaview Land for Sale:

Grand Ville Pasak Soi 8, two storey house, three bed, three bath, three air-con, cable, internet and fully-furnished. Call 081 894 2505.

Near Chalong pier, 150 metres from the sea. Three rai and one ngan plot. Chanote title. Price: B20 million per rai. No agent.

Call 087 278 7206.

Kata House For Sale: 5

B1.9 Million New Condo: New Studio (1 bedroom)

minutes to beach, large modern house, three floors, furnished, three beds, two full bath, air-con, western kitchen, spacious living room, garage with laundry/overhead storage, large covered patios, security doors/windows, garden, company name available. B5.5 million. Call 081 131 5751, email: seadog5000@yahoo.com.

Nice One Rai Chalong NOW Reduced to 6.5m ono: In Chalong 200 metres off main road in great location.

Full chanote title. 089 651 3479.

Land For Sale: 6 rai hilltop, sea/mountain views, chanote, water, electricity and office B4.2 million per rai. Contact 087 978 5804.

24 Rai Flat Land Cheap: Perfect Land for Villa:

opment of affordable 3-bedroom townhouses, located in Kamala, approximately 1.5 km from the white sandy beach of Kamala and about 10 minutes drive to Patong.

Prices from only B4,900,000.

For more info call 087 882 2856 or email luc@phukettropical-realestate.com.

Modern Pool Villa: Stun-

Urgent Three Bed House for Sale: Phuket

thephuketnews.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

24 rai flat land close to Phuket zoo. Owner direct, B3.8 million per rai, chanote title. Call 085 789 1773.

condominium in The Point, across from Phuket International Hospital and BigC. Beautiful four-year-old central atrium building with no stuffy hallways. 36 m2, high-speed internet, cable TV, and swimming. Parking under building. Third floor with nice view.

B1.9 m. Contact Walter at wp drake2@yahoo.com, 083 301 3470.

Chalong Land: Land in Chalong. 15 rai of gently sloping land, with full chanote, near Chalong temple. Sea views from top of land. Good road access and electricity. Perfect for development. Only B5 million per rai. Call Peter on 089 652 1951 or email phuket.pn@ gmail.com.

Private Pool Villas from B4.9M: Intira Villas is a development of 15 boutique villas in the heart of Rawai. Second phase open now. Only a few villas available. 083 594 9279.

THE PHUKET NEWS

CLASSIFIEDS 37

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

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38 ISLAND SPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Buck’s blast lifts TNT CRICKET

An emphatic captain’s knock from Barry Buck helped keep the Thanyapura News Tigers’ (TNT) hopes of a maiden finals berth alive last weekend, sneaking his side home against Liquid Lounge Lizards (LLL).

On an overcast morning at the Alan Cooke Ground, TNT won the toss and elected to field, hoping to avoid the worst of the midday heat.

Both sides were level on points coming into the match, and a loss here would have effectively ended title aspirations.

LLL got off to a steady start, moving to 0-26 until Buck struck in the fifth over, cleaning up the stumps of Ian Lenton (10).

Big-hitting Dave Kellerway (11) then joined Neil Culpan

Island Cricket

TNT captain Barry Buck plays a cautious stroke against the pace bowling of Neil Culpan.

(62) and pushed the score along until Kellerway was bowled by Paul Lattimore trying to push the run-rate along just after the first drinks break.

But with four wickets down for 63 runs in the 12th over, LLL looked at risk of a serious batting collapse. That is, until

captain Nifty Catts (18 off 61 deliveries) played a watchful innings to support Neil Culpan in a 91-run partnership before Culpan was caught by keeper Gary Carrick in the 30th over with the score on 154.

The tail crumbled soon after, and LLL were all out for 182.

With conditions noticeably warmer in the afternoon session, the TNT innings got off to a shaky start with their top three batsmen not showing any respect to the accurate bowling from LLL’s opening pace attack of Neil Culpan and Nifty Catts.

At 3-29, Ryan Dunn, the

Team

P

W

L PT

The Village

3

3

0 18

Island CC

4

3

1 17

Patong CC

4

2

2 16

TNT

4

2

2 14

Laguna CC

3

2

1 13

LLL

4

1

3 12

Leopards

3

0

3 2

Island Furniture League’s standout batsmen so far this season, strode out to the middle looking to stabilise the innings and post another big score. But Culpan achieved the vital breakthrough, bowling Dunn early in his innings, and literally breaking middle stump in the process.

Soon after drinks, and with TNT at 5-55, LLL looked as though they had a real chance of victory if they could clean up the bottom half of the batting order quickly.

En beats Rat in Portrait reign in clash of titans FUTSAL snooker comp SNOOKER It takes a lot of balls to assemble Phuket’s best snooker players in one place. Fifty-two of them to be precise, spread across four tables at the Target Snooker Club in Phuket Town.

Up for grabs at the club’s annual snooker tournament, which attracts players from all of the island’s top clubs, was B10,000 for first place, with the runner up claiming B5,000.

Thirty-two players entered the straight knockout competition, but after eight hours of play it was Boonchuai ‘En’ Aladklonchee and ‘Rat’ Boonrueng battling it out at the final table.

Playing in a best-of-seven-

thephuketnews.com

game final, Rat went up three games to two and was 36-30 in the sixth game. However, En fought back to claim a 4336 win in that game, before a comprehensive victory in the decider earned him first place.

The first match of last Thursday’s (February 23) Adult Futsal League action saw the top two Premier Division teams battle it out. Thanachart Bank needed a win against table topping Portrait FC to put pressure on their rivals in the race for the title.

As in their first encounter, it was a tight game, with both teams defending deep and trying to hit their opponents on the break. But it was Portrait FC who managed to convert more efforts to secure a 3-2 victory, and move even further clear at the top of the table.

The next game saw the Thalang Tigers, looking to bounce back after a couple of tough defeats, taking on Honda who continue to struggle at the foot of the table.

Thalang had taken an imposing 4-2 lead with eight minutes remaining when a power cut interrupted the play by shutting off the floodlights.

This caused disruption for the players, especially Honda, as they were having more possession and creating more chances to get back into the game.

But when the game resumed it was Thalang who had used the unscheduled intermission to regroup and push on to win 5-3.

In the First Division, a depleted Island Boys team put up a good fight against a strong Ultraman outfit, but poor finishing let them down as they fell to a 4-1 defeat. The result pushes Ultraman closer to TSLC in

the race for the Division One championship.

In the second First Division match of the night, undefeated leaders TSLC looked to extend their points cushion at the top against Chevrolet.

Chevrolet started the stronger of the two, scoring twice in the first five minutes, managing to hold their lead until the break.

TSLC came storming back in the second half, scoring early to close the gap, but then conceded another Chevrolet goal soon after.

The home side still looked to snatch a point after two unanswered goals, but with only a minute remaining, an own goal by TSLC handed Chevrolet the win. Final score, Chevrolet 4 TSLC 3.

But Burger Marx (22) and Barrie Buck (74 not out) steadied the innings with a critical 45-run partnership before Marx fell lbw in the 18th over with the score at 100.

Still needing 82 runs, Martin Hill (11) joined his captain at the crease and played another key support role, putting on a further 43 runs, while LLL made one last-ditch effort, bringing back on their strike bowlers Culpan and Catts.

But it was too little too late.

Culpan was able to dismiss Hill off the last ball of his allotted overs, but Paul Lattimore remained a thorn in LLL’s side, and held down one end as Buck blasted TNT to victory in the 35th over with three wickets in hand.

TNT advance to fourth place in a tightly packed league table.

FPL comp wide open at the top The under-14 division of the Fair Play League (FLP) is hotting up, with four of the six competing teams having a legitimate chance of winning the title.

First up in Sunday’s (February 26) matches saw third placed Argentina go down 6-5 to France. Germany White scored their first point of the season with a 2-2 draw against Thailand thanks to a late penalty goal The final match at Youth Football Home saw leaders Germany Green play against the in-form team of the division, Brazil.

After a tight first half, Brazil pulled away, eventually winning 9-4.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Outside the box Dane Halpin editor2@thephuketnews.com

The Box of Neutrals claim to have drawn their inspiration from British commentary legend Murray Walker, who once said that “those who can, do.

Those who can’t, talk about it”.

Consisting of Australians Rob James, Michael Lamonato and Peter McGinley, the trio behind Live 89.5’s dedicated weekly Formula One (F1) radio show met by pure coincidence, joining forces after realising their mutual dislike for lectures on Australian cinema, and their mutual passion for cars going around in circles.

The format of the show often changes, mixing in news with some good old fashioned shenanigans. “It’s mostly just us mucking around, pointing out how many times Mark Webber licks his chin in press conferences,” Lamonato says.

“Motorsport is, and can be, a bit wooden to the casual fan... But there’s a human side to the sport. Formula One underestimates its ability to tell a story – or at least executive producers [of most other broadcast outlets] underestimate it.”

And if Box of Neutrals is anything, it is definitely not wooden. The show removes

of followers all over the place – including a very confusing pocket of fans in The Netherlands. They seem to like us over there, for some reason,” Lamonato says.

Although James points out: “In terms of legally broadcasting, then yes [this is my first international gig].

“I have dabbled in pirate radio, which mostly consists Australian F1 ‘experts’ Michael Lamonato, Peter McGinley of me playing Box Of Neutrals and Rob James are Informative, when they’re all sober. very loudly out of my car in a busy city strip.”

So what exactly should you expect from Box of Neutrals?

Rob’s tips for 2012: Michael’s tips for 2012: “It is probably the most cliche It’s tough to look past the I’m hoping that we have far term in promotion, but they Vettel/Red Bull combination more teams fighting for the should expect the unexpected. again. But I am definitely top positions. I could easily “Not because we’re parsupporting HRT to score a see at least four teams that ticularly clever or anything point – if that happens this could be fighting for race like that – it’s mostly just year, we get to throw Peter wins. Maybe not Ferrari for because we’re not very good at McGinley out of an aeroplane. the first part of the season. planning. Also because Peter the serious side from a sport and frankly there are enough has, on occasion, had a drink that is often obsessed about proper journalists to do that or two before getting into the studio - which makes fractions of a second, tyre for us,” says James.

“Plus I’ve spent A$140 things... interesting.” degredation and fuel loads, and makes it entertaining of my own money hiring a for the casual enthusiast all male stripper for [fellow host] Box of Neutrals broadcast the way up to the most hard- Peter McGinley during one their ‘interesting’ formula of our episodes. I need to for Formula 1 madness every core petrol head.

Saturday morning from 9am“Good fun. That’s what make my money back.”

And while this is their first 10am on Live 89.5FM. Tune we’re about, we’re not out to be serious journalists and find- foray into the glamourous in over the coming weeks as ing the hard stories. Because world of international radio, the guys give away free tickets that’s not what we’re about, “We do have small numbers to the Malaysia Grand Prix.

2012 predictions

ISLAND SPORT 39

The first 50 to book will receive free Malaysia GP tickets.

Tourism Malaysia sets F1 Promotions If free tickets get your engine running, then there’s plenty to get excited about for Tourism Malaysia’s latest promotion.

To celebrate the upcoming Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix, several packages are being offered that will allow Phuket’s motorsport enthusiasts to get up close to the action.

The first is a three-day two-night package which includes accommodation and breakfast, airport transfers, transport to and from the event, and a city tour of Kuala Lumpur. Prices start from B9,000 per person.

The second is a fourday three-night package, which includes the same perks as the three-day, starting from B11,600.

T he f i rst 50 people to book will receive free

grandstand tickets to attend the Grand Prix, worth B5,000 each. Those tickets also entitle the holder to a pit walk on March 23.

The Grand Prix will be held from March 23-25.

As part of the promotion, Malaysian Airlines are offering return airfares from Phuket to Kuala Lumpur from B5,600 all inclusive, while Qatar Airways are offering return fares from B1,700 excluding taxes.

The packages are available from Phuket Jet Tour, Siam Mileage and West Coast Ride Thailand, from now until March 25.

Some terms and conditions apply. For more info, visit malaysiangp.com. my or tourism.gov.my, or call Tourism Malaysia Phuket on 076-220-192.

Media Partners

thephuketnews.com

40 INTERNATIONAL SPORT

IN BRIEF Scotland’s Lamont out for 4 months Rory Lamont is set to be sidelined for up to four mont hs wit h a broken leg, the Scottish Rugby Union said on Tuesday.

Scotland wing Lamont was injured during the first half of Scotland’s 23-17 defeat by Fr a nce i n Sunday’s Six Nations international at Murrayfield when, after jumping to contest a re-start with French number eight Louis Picamoles, he landed awkwardly.

Chisora banned indefinitely Dereck Chisora has been suspended indefinitely by the World Boxing Council for his behaviour before and after his fight with Vitali Klitschko.

British heavyweight Chisora was involved in a brawl with countryman David Haye at the news conference after his defeat by the Ukrainian in Munich.

Chisora also slapped Klitschko at the weighin and spat water in the face of his brother Wladi m i r b efor e t he b out .

Olympic chiefs to monitor betting Betting patterns will be monitored for any suspicious activity on a daily basis during the London Olympics.

British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan said that plans will be in place to combat the threat of ‘fixing’ and illegal betting.

Reds clinch late win RUGBY Defendi ng champions Queensland Reds got out of jail with a last-minute try and title rivals Canterbury Crusaders and Western Stormers held on for valuable wins, as rugby’s Super 15 season kicked off.

The Reds, missing the attacking spark of injured Wallaby playmaker Quade Cooper, stole a dramatic 25-21 victory over the NSW Waratahs with winger Dominic Shipperley’s runaway try on the final siren after appearing beaten in Sydney.

The seven-time champion Crusaders nudged out New Zealand rivals Auckland Blues 19-18 at Eden Park after scoring two tries to one with rookie fly-half Tyler Bleyendaal proving the difference.

Across in Cape Town, last season’s semi-finalists the Stormers prevailed 39-26 over New Zealand’s Wellington Hurricanes amid injury concerns over their prospective Springbok skipper and flanker

Tiger Woods began to lose some of his swagger back in 2007 as he chased Jack Nicklaus’s all-time record of 18 majors, former swing coach Hank Haney writes in his new book.

In The Big Miss: My Years Coaching Tiger Woods, Haney says Woods’ pursuit of Nick-

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thephuketnews.com

Team

Pl

W

D

L PD Pts

Stormers

1

1

0

0 13 4

Reds

1

1

0

0

4

4

Highlanders

1

1

0

0

4

4

Bulls

1

1

0

0

5

4

Brumbies

1

1

0

0

2

4

Lions

1

1

0

0

2

4

Crusaders

1

1

0

0

1

4

0

4

Melbourne

0

0

0

0

Blues

1

0

0

1 -1 1

Cheetahs

1

0

0

1 -2 1

Western Force

1

0

0

1 -2 1

Waratahs

1

0

0

1 -4 1

Chiefs

1

0

0

1 -4 1

Sharks

1

0

0

1 -5 1

Hurricanes

1

0

0

1 -13 0

Hurricanes flanker Jack Lam runs against the Stormers. Photo: AFP Schalk Burger. Elsewhere in round one, Springbok Morne Steyn kicked the Northern Bulls to an 18-13 win over the Coastal Sharks in Pretoria, and Otago Highlanders staged a second-half comeback to defeat the Waikato Chiefs 23-19 in Hamilton.

South Africa’s World Cupwinning coach Jake White won his opening match in charge of

the Brumbies 19-17 over the Force in an Australian derby in Canberra, while Lions fly-half Elton Jantjies kicked nine penalty goals in a 27-25 victory over fellow South Africans Central Cheetahs in Johannesburg.

The Reds joined the Brumbies at the top of the Australia Conference when Shipperley outstripped the Waratahs’ defence to run in the Reds’ only

try and fight back from 15-21 down with 13 minutes left.

Up until Shipperley’s lastditch intervention, the Waratahs had looked to be getting the upper hand after South African scrum-half Sarel Pretorius’s try on his debut had put the home side in front with their second try. But the Reds somehow found a way to score a try that had threatened to elude

them for the whole game with Mike Harris, deputising for Cooper at number 10, slotting over six penalties.

I n Auck la nd , rook ie Bleyendaal proved a worthy stand-in for injured All Blacks star fly-half Dan Carter on debut with four penalties and hit one conversion to steer last year’s losing finalists home over the Blues.

Woods mulled military career

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GOLF laus was taking its toll and that the former world number one also toyed with the idea of leaving it all behind and joining the US military.

Woods, who tees it up this week at the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic starting Thursday, now has 14 majors.

“There was more urgency and less fun. He never mentioned Nicklaus’ record, but it started to weigh more heavily at every major,” Haney wrote.

He also wrote that Woods lacked confidence in certain aspects of his game.

“One of the adjectives most often used to describe Tiger Woods was fearless. But the more I observed him close up, the more it became clear he wasn’t,” the excerpt said.

“Sometimes, to make it less of a big deal, he’d remind me that he had never considered himself a particularly good driver. ‘That’s why my name is Woods,’ he’d joke. ‘Maybe it would have been different if I’d been named Fairway.’”

Haney also wrote that Woods wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the American military, and that he was especially attracted to the Navy SEALs. Woods’s father, Earl, fought in Vietnam.

Kohli sends Thisara Perrera to the boundary during Sunday’s epic run chase. Photo: AFP

Kohli the hero as India stay alive in tri-series Agence France-Presse

Virat Kohli blasted an unbeaten 133 off just 86 balls as India’s stunning sevenwicket bonus point victory over Sri Lanka kept them alive in the tri one-day series in Hobart on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old right-hander produced his highest ODI score to supercharge the World Cup champions to a remarkable 321 for three off just 36.4 overs and secure the extra point with 20 balls to spare.

The bonus point enabled India to draw level with Sri Lanka on 15 points. The World Cup runners-up now need to beat Australia in today’s (Friday) last round-robin game in Melbourne to reach the best-

CRICKET of-three match finals.

Australia are already in the finals, which get under way in Brisbane on Sunday.

Kohli was the stand-out man-of-the-match with 16 fours and two sixes in an ODI featuring three century-makers and a combined total of 641 runs off 86.4 overs.

“That was the best oneday innings I’ve played in my career because we needed to pull off a win with a bonus point and we were able to do that so I am really happy with the performance,” Kohli said.

India came into the Hobart match on the back of three defeats and a tie and their problems were magnified when

Tri-Series Team

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L PD Pts

Australia

7

4

3

0 19

Sri Lanka

7

3

3

1 15

India

8

3

4

1 15

in-form Sri Lanka appeared to set a daunting target of eight runs an over for them to claim the vital bonus point.

Jayawardene said Sri Lanka would bounce back against Australia, who they already have beaten twice in the tournament.

“If we’re hungry enough to play in the finals we should beat Australia, simple as that.”

Australian captain Michael Clarke is likely to miss the match against Sri Lanka as he continues to recover from hamstring and back problems.

THE PHUKET NEWS

INTERNATIONAL SPORT

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

41

LOOKING AHEAD: NRL 2012

PENRITH PANTHERS After a disastrous 2011 that saw the side finish 12th and coach Matt Elliott sacked mid-season, the Panthers head into what they hope will be a bright new era in 2012. The arrival of coach Ivan Cleary – fresh from guiding the Warriors to last year’s grand final – has fans dreaming of similar success ahead for their club, and general manager Phil Gould hasn’t wasted any time in making the tough decisions. But the Panthers have also said goodbye to no less than seven regular members of their NRL squad over the off-season, including captain Petero Civoniceva’s return home to Brisbane the most telling.

Prediction: 14th

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS The much-heralded arrival of Greg Inglis to start 2011 further strengthened one of the NRL’s must potent attacking units, yet their poor defence helped bring about their eventual poor showing. This year, they’ve been relatively quiet in the player market, save for the handy addition of towering centre Matt King to strengthen the right-side attack. But new coach Michael Maguire is the most highly-credentialed to arrive at Redfern since supercoach Jack Gibson in 1978. Don’t be surprised if some of the flashy play gets toned down in 2012 in favour of a more unified South Sydney approach.

Prediction: 7th CRONULLASUTHERLAND SHARKS The Sharks enter the 2012 season hoping to end their wretched recent run in recent years. Following the NRL’s most aggressive recruitment drive and a clean-out of its playing ranks, supporters have reason to be hopeful.

Coach Shane Flanagan has taken a broom to the roster he inherited from the Ricky Stuart era, sweeping out a raft of fringe first-graders and replacing them with hardened professionals and precocious talents. The most notable is controversial but undoubtedly talented playmaker Todd Carney, who will add some potency to the halves if he can control his off-field indiscretions.

Prediction: 8th CANBERRA RAIDERS Following a lacklustre last season, 2012 is very much a case of ‘wait and see’ for

the Raiders – although in the meantime it is hard to ignore the evidence that Canberra is indeed the sleeping giant of the NRL. Certainly they possess all of the ingredients of a successful side. Dominant up front, their forward pack is the envy of the NRL, with man mountains Tom Learoyd-Lahrs and Dane Tilse partnered by Australian Test prop David Shillington and veteran Brett White. They can expect some good competition for the No.7 jersey with Josh McCrone and Sam Williams both impressing at times last season, while the return from injury of five-eighth Terry Campese is a huge boost.

Prediction: 11th

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS The Cowboys, after three years in rugby league’s wilderness, returned with a bang last year, recapturing the attacking flair and ball-playing brilliance everyone knew they still possessed. But despite a disappointing end to the season, there’s an air of expectation this year in Townsville. The core group of players from the 2011 campaign remain, and some are among the hottest prospects in rugby league.

Young players like Tariq Sims and Kalifa Faifai Loa, after breakout 2011 seasons, are proven match-winners – players who add spark to a team previously over-reliant on a sprinkling of stars.

Prediction: 6th WESTS TIGERS One of the dominant sides of the Telstra Premiership over the past two seasons, Wests Tigers head into 2012 looking to put the pain of consecutive finals losses behind them. Despite the unexpected departure of halfback Robert Lui in the off-season, the Tigers still boast one of the most lethal attacks in the Telstra Premiership – primarily due to the presence of crafty hooker Robbie Farah and the brilliance of Benji Marshall.

The Tigers will expect victory against a new-look Cronulla in their opening game, but the real test will come in the following weeks when they face Manly and St George Illawarra.

Prediction: 2nd SYDNEY ROOSTERS An underwhelming 2011 for the Roosters has resulted in a major change of personnel in 2012 – including the departure of star five-eighth Todd Carney and Queensland State of Origin forward Nate Myles – as they look to recap-

ture their form of two years ago. With Mitchell Pearce and Braith Anasta continuing with the playmaking duties and the likes of Sam Perrett, Anthony Minichiello and Shaun KennyDowall out wide, they boast more than enough strike power to do it. And intimidation up front should be no problem, either – Mose Masoe, Frank-Paul Nuu au sala a nd Ja red WaereaHargreaves will see to that. But it’s still a long way back to the top.

Prediction: 15th NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS Things have just got a whole lot more serious in Newcastle, with the club now owned by billionaire mining magnate Nathan Tinkler, and managed by one of Australian sport’s greatest ever coaches, Wayne Ben-

Former assistant coach Steve Price arrives at the helm with plenty of critics already prepared to suggest the club is headed for a down-cycle. He’ll have to find a way to keep the Dragons firing despite the fact they have lost some significant potency in attack.

Mark Gasnier and Darius Boyd no longer cut a swathe through their backline, and for a team not necessarily known for piling on the points, the loss of gamebreakers could be a killer blow.

Still, the new additions will add depth to the side, though probably not enough to carry them to the finals.

Prediction: 9th MANLY SEA EAGLES A year in which the Sea Eagles added yet another N R L premiership to the trophy

ROUND 1 (TIMES IN THAILAND): Friday March 2 Parramatta Eels vs Brisbane Broncos Saturday March 3 Canberra Raiders vs Melbourne Storm Penrith Panthers vs Canterbury Bulldogs Cowboys vs Gold Coast Titans Sunday March 4 Warriors vs Manly Sea Eagles Wests Tigers vs Cronulla Sharks Monday March 5 Rabbitohs vs Sydney Roosters

nett, at the helm for the first of a four-year stint. Tinkler’s swearing in by 97 per cent of Knights members last March gave the club something it had never before boasted; buying power. The first order of business was to lure Wayne Bennett and with him followed superstar fullback Darius Boyd, the unquestionably talented Adam Cuthbertson, and exciting prospect Alex McKinnon – all from the Dragons.

Two favourite sons have also returned in the form of Danny Buderus and Timana Tahu.

Prediction: 5th ST GEORGE DRAGONS The post-Wayne Bennett era begins at the Dragons.

15:30 13:30 15:30 17:30 08:00 10:00 15:00

cabinet started coming apart at the seams before the grand final celebrations had even died down, with news that iconic long-serving coach Des Hasler had been successfully poached by the Bulldogs. However, they still go into 2012 as the champions, and with almost their entire premiership-winning squad intact. They may now be sporting a rookie coach, and they’ve lost a couple of key members of their backline – youngster Will Hopoate and veteran winger Michael Robertson – but it’s still an incredibly strong roster packed with representative players.

They will again be a force to be reckoned with this season.

Prediction: 3rd

PARRAMATTA EELS A raft of changes aimed at reversing the Eels’ horror 2010 performance backfired spectacularly in 2011, as the side managed to under perform even by their dismal standards. Fans will be hoping for a far better showing from what is another large batch of new recruits, and they do have cause for optimism.

Season 2012 sees the arrival of star former Rabbitohs halfback Chris Sandow and the return of Queensland and Australian centre Willie Tonga along with his brother, the promising Esi Tonga. The addition of former Bulldog and Kiwi international, five-eighth Ben Roberts, will also give coach Stephen Kearney plenty of options in the playmaking roles.

Prediction: 10th NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS Having lit the 2011 finals series alight, all eyes will be on the Warriors once more this season to see if they can repeat the dazzling form that took them to their second NRL grand final. But there remain a few unknowns – none more pressing than the arrival of coach Brian McClennan following predecessor Ivan Cleary’s departure for Penrith in the off-season. He inherits a side on the rise, with young guns Shaun Johnson and Kevin Locke among the most exciting talents in the Telstra Premiership. It’s difficult to find too many weaknesses in this Warriors squad, and Johnson’s combination with James Maloney in the halves looks to have finally put to bed any lingering hangover from the retirement of Stacey Jones.

The only real challenge for the sole Kiwi side will be to find year-long consistency.

Prediction: 4th BRISBANE BRONCOS For the first time in 18 years the Broncos enter an NRL season without Darren Lockyer, the most influential player in the club’s history. Brisbane pushed to within a game of the grand final in 2011, ending a tremendously successful season under coach Anthony Griffin. Certainly they have all the elements: a mobile, strong pack of forwards, a dependable halfback (who can also fill Lockyer’s shoes if need be), and electrifying outside backs.

Plus, they’ve managed to lure back another of their favourite sons, Petero Civoniceva, for a swansong year. Still, it could

be a season of transition rather than competition for the Brisbane team.

Prediction: 12th CANTERBURY BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS After back-to-back poor seasons in 2010 and 2011, when the club finished 13th and 9th respectively, Bulldogs fans will be hoping for a major reversal of form. For Canterbury, this year is all about change: a new coach in Des Hasler taking the reins following the muchpublicised demise of Kevin Moore, and the bumping to the bench of touted successor Jim Dymock; a fresh captain in Michael Ennis; and a new culture of hard work, attention to detail and commitment.

Prediction: 13th MELBOURNE STORM Brushing aside the salary cap saga that had devastated the club in 2010, Melbourne resumed normal service last season on their way to the minor premiership, and although their campaign unexpectedly faltered a week short of the grand final, there is no reason to suggest they won’t be back in the mix once again in 2012. The most notable absentee this season will be enforcer Adam Blair, while centre Beau Champion has also departed. However the return of back-rower Ryan Hoffman following a brief stint in England and the arrival of prop Jason Ryles will more than fill that void. Key to Melbourne’s success will be the presence of the ‘big three’ – Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk.

Prediction: 1st GOLD COAST TITANS The Gold Coast enter their sixth season at their first crossroads: after successive semifinals appearances in 2009-10, the NRL’s youngest franchise were left licking both their wounds and the dreaded wooden spoon in 2011. Now, a host of their foundation players have moved on, and they have invested in the future, shoring up key positions with some big names.

The arrivals of Jamal Idris, Nate Myles and Luke Douglas will cover for the losses of Preston Campbell, Nathan Friend and Anthony Laffranchi, but whether that’s enough to challenge this year is anyone’s guess.

Prediction: 16th

thephuketnews.com

42 INTERNATIONAL SPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

THIS YEAR’S GRAND PRIZE IS SPONSORED BY:

THE PHUKET NEWS TIPPING COMPETITION: 25

Gunners rout Spurs, as Giggs celebrates in style FOOTBALL Arsenal came from 2-0 down after 39 minutes to beat Tottenham 5-2 in a thrilling north London derby at the Emirates Stadium as the Premier League resumed last weekend.

Louis Saha and former Arsenal hitman Emmanuel Adebayor put the visitors into a 2-0 lead but Arsenal were level before the break through Bacary Sagna and Robin Van Persie strikes.

Tomas Rosicky then put Arsenal in front just after the break and the rout was completed by a quickfire double from Theo Walcott.

Arsenal now sit seven points behind their rivals and are level with Chelsea on points as their quest for fourth place continues.

Meanwhile, Ryan Giggs marked his landmark 900th appearance for his club with a dramatic injury-time winner as Manchester United beat Norwich City 2-1.

United closed the gap

Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs celebrated his 900th club game with a match-winning goal against Norwich. once again to two points behind rivals City at the top of the league, but they left it late after Grant Holt had equalised for the home side, cancelling out Paul Scholes opener.

But in typical United fashion, it was their veteran of 21 years who popped up to steal all three points for the champions, turning in Ashley Young’s cross a minute from time, to spark wild celebrations in the away end.

Elsewhere, league-leaders Manchester City easily dis-

posed of Blackburn Rovers 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

Goals from Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko were enough to maintain City’s stranglehold on top spot.

Andre Villas-Boas lifted some of the pressure on him and his Chelsea side as they beat Bolton 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Three second-half goals from David Luiz, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard ensured Chelsea kept up

with Arsenal in the hunt for fourth place.

Terry Connor’s first game in charge of Wolves was a tale of two halves, as his side came back from 2-0 down at the break to earn a share of the spoils with Newcastle United at the Sports Direct Arena.

Newcastle United threw a w a y a t wo - g o a l l e a d against Wolves to d raw 2-2, while West Brom demolished Sunderland 4-0.

An early goal from Pavel Pogrebnyak earned Fulham a 1-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road, while Wigan Athletic remain at the foot of the table after a goalless draw with Aston Villa.

In The Phuket News’ tippping competition, ‘zedi44’ has made a late surge to take out February’s monthly prize – a B3,000 voucher from Australia Bar and Grill in Kata, where you can watch all the international sport on 50” plasma screen TVs or on the big screen.

In the annual competition,

Phone +66 76 270958 abpoffice@yahoo.co.uk www.lcc-albatross.com THIS MONTH'S COMPETITION IS SUPPORTED BY:

DANE’S TIPS ROUND 26 Liverpool v Arsenal Blackburn v Aston Villa Man City v Bolton QPR v Everton

Stoke v Norwich West Brom v Chelsea Wigan v Swansea Newcastle v Sunderland Fulham v Wolves Tottenham v Man Utd

away win away win home win away win draw draw away win home win home win home win

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‘gafferworld’ still holds a commanding lead, and with just 11 rounds remaining, it will take a lot of work for someone to close that gap.

The overall winner will receive a return flight to the UK, courtesy of Albatross

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Lufthansa City Center.

This week sees Liverpool take on Arsenal in a crucial game for the Gunners, while Tottenham host Man Utd in a match that could reshape the top of the competition table.

Indian league postponed again UP IN THE AIR Future uncertain as Gold Coast Agence France-Presse

A new football league in the Indian state of West Bengal featuring semi-retired world stars has been postponed after encountering “many problems”, organisers said Wednesday without elaborating.

The franchise-based Premier Soccer League (PLS), based along the lines of cricket’s popular Indian Premier League, was due to be played across six venues in West Bengal from March 24-May 6.

Former Argentina star Hernan Crespo, Italy’s World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro, Robert Pires of France and England’s Robbie Fowler were among the stars signed to play alongside district-level players.

thephuketnews.com

FOOTBALL

“We will announce the new dates soon,” said Utpal Ganguli, secretary of the Indian Football Association, the name of the body running the sport in West Bengal.

“There are many problems which need to be sorted out.

We are confident the tournament will be held in West Bengal. But for now, it is not starting on March 24.”

Former England and Liverpool striker Fowler tweeted that the tournament now appeared unlikely to go ahead.

“Ah well.. India looks like its cancelled, boots are clean and looking for a new place to play,” wrote the 35-year-old, who was sold for US$530,000 to the Kolkata franchise at an

England’s Robbie Fowler, who played in Thailand last season, is now clubless. auction last month.

It was the second time the league has been postponed.

It was due to start on February 25, then put off until March 24, before the latest delay caused by problems organising grounds. No new date has been

set for the event to start.

Six local business groups that bid successfully for a team to play in the PLS had splurged around $7 million to buy the foreign stars at the auction.

T h e PL S h a s f a c e d numerous hurdles since the ambitious project was announced just a month ago.

The All-India Football Federation (AIFF) refused to allow Indian players from the official domestic I-League to join, saying the PLS was essentially a state-level tournament.

The latest delay is thought to be due to the reluctance of the state gover nment to release grounds owned by it for the PLS unless details of the tournament finances and the source of funding were made clear.

kicked out of A-League comp Agence France-Presse

Football Federation Australia kicked Gold Coast United out of the A-League on Wednesday after a furious row with the club’s owner, billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer.

The decision, which will take effect from the end of the season, followed a recent outburst (reported here last week) when Palmer labelled the league “a joke” and his club as “insignificant”.

Fellow billionaire and Australian soccer chief Frank Lowy attacked Palmer for his “illogical, confused and damaging” comments while slamming the team for wearing jerseys that said “Freedom of Speech” during their last game.

Lowy, who has been chai r ma n of shoppi ng centre giant Westfield for 50 years and has a A$4.98 billion fortune – marginally less than Palmer’s – said he was left with no alternative but to terminate the Gold Coast licence.

It will leave the A-League with just nine teams.

Lowy said he made repeated attempts on Wednes-

day to talk directly with Palmer about a smooth completion of the season for the sake of the other teams, but they went unanswered.

Gold Coast have four games left to play.

Just ahead of the termination announcement, Palmer tweeted: “We intend to fight this ludicrous decision by FFA in the courts. Frank Lowy is an institution who now belongs in an institution.”

Last week he said it would be a major blunder to take away the club’s licence.

“We will injunct them in the Supreme Court and we will fight them in court to a standstill,” Palmer said.

THE PHUKET NEWS

INTERNATIONAL SPORT 43

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Lin steals All-Star limelight From page 44 “The experience tonight was a lot of fun,” he said. “I didn’t play too much but I was glad to be a part of it.”

Lin said now that the contest was finished he hoped to use the break from the regular season schedule to get some rest and prepare for the remainder of the season.

Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Kyrie Irving scored 34 points, added nine assists and was eight-of-eight from three-point range to lead Team Chuck to victory. Irving was named MVP of the game.

Lin pictured in action for the Knicks.

English Premier League Team

MP W

basketball fans around the globe.

Undrafted out of Harvard, he was cut by two clubs late last year before he caught on with the Knicks.

He saw limited action in his first nine appearances in New York, averaging just six minutes a game.

Then he scored 25 points off the bench against New Jersey, 28 against Utah, 23 against Washington and went off for 38 points against Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers and the legend was born.

The US-born Lin is the son of Taiwanese immigrants and his

But even with all the star power in the game, Lin was getting the lion’s share of attention.

“I’m def initely su r pr ised that people are talking about Linsanity or whatever,” Lin said.

“I think hopefully as the season progresses, it will go from that to the New York Knicks and hopefully the Knicks can win basketball games.

Hopefully we can make a good push after the all-star break and people will start talking about the Knicks and not necessarily me.”

Lin’s underdog story has touched

French Ligue 1 Team

maternal grandmother is from mainland China, and he believes his ethnicity might have had something to do with him going unnoticed

by NBA teams for so long.

“I know a lot of people say I’m ‘deceptively athletic’ and ‘deceptively quick,’ and I’m not sure what’s deceptive.

“But it could be the fact that I’m Asian-American. But I think that’s fine. It’s something that I embrace, and it gives me a chip on my shoulder.

But I’m very proud to be AsianAmerican and I love it.”

Italian Serie A

D

L

F

A

P

D

L

F

A

P

D

L

F

A

1

Manchester City

26

20

3

3

67

19

63

1

Montpellier

MP W 25

16

5

4

48

25

53

1

Team Milan

MP W 25

15

6

4

49

22

P 51

2

Manchester United

26

19

4

3

63

26

61

2

Paris Saint-Germain

25

15

7

3

44

25

52

2

Juventus

24

13

11

0

37

15

50

3

Tottenham Hotspur

26

16

5

5

51

30

53

3

Lille

25

12

10

3

43

27

46

3

Udinese

25

13

6

6

37

23

45

4

Arsenal

26

14

4

8

53

37

46

4

Saint-Étienne

25

12

7

6

33

26

43

4

Lazio

25

13

6

6

39

29

45

5

Chelsea

26

13

7

6

47

31

46

5

Lyon

25

12

4

9

41

32

40

5

Napoli

25

10

10

5

42

24

40

6

Newcastle United

26

12

7

7

38

38

43

6

Rennes

25

11

7

7

34

30

40

6

Roma

25

11

5

9

38

31

38

7

Liverpool (TQ)

25

10

9

6

29

23

39

7

Toulouse

25

11

7

7

27

23

40

7

Internazionale

25

11

3

11

34

34

36

8

Norwich City

26

9

8

9

38

43

35

8

Marseille

24

10

9

5

34

23

39

8

Palermo

25

10

4

11

39

39

34

9

Sunderland

26

9

6

11

34

30

33

9

Bordeaux

25

9

9

7

30

28

36

9

Catania

24

8

9

7

32

33

33

10

Everton

25

9

6

10

26

27

33

10

Valenciennes

25

8

6

11

26

27

30

10

Chievo

25

9

6

10

21

30

33

11

Fulham

26

8

9

9

32

36

33

11

Brest

25

5

14

6

22

22

29

11

Atalanta

25

9

10

6

30

28

31

12

Stoke City

26

9

6

11

26

38

33

12

Evian

24

6

9

9

33

37

27

12

Cagliari

25

7

10

8

23

26

31

13

West Brom

26

9

5

12

33

35

32

13

Caen

25

7

6

12

30

37

27

13

Genoa

25

9

4

12

33

46

31

14

Swansea City

26

7

9

10

28

34

30

14

Lorient

25

6

9

10

24

32

27

14

Parma

24

7

8

9

29

37

29

15

Aston Villa

26

6

11

9

29

34

29

15

Dijon

25

7

5

13

30

44

26

15

Fiorentina

24

7

7

10

23

25

28

16

Wolves

26

5

7

14

30

51

22

16

Ajaccio

25

6

8

11

27

43

26

16

Bologna

24

7

7

10

24

29

28

17

QPR

26

5

6

15

27

45

21

17

Nice

25

5

8

12

23

29

23

17

Siena

25

6

8

11

27

28

26

18

Blackburn Rovers

26

5

6

15

37

59

21

18

Nancy

25

5

8

12

22

35

23

18

Lecce

25

6

6

13

28

40

24

19

Bolton Wanderers

26

6

2

18

29

54

20

19

Auxerre

25

4

10

11

30

38

22

19

Novara

25

3

8

14

21

45

17

20

Wigan Athletic

26

4

8

14

23

50

20

20

Sochaux

25

4

8

13

22

40

20

20

Cesena

24

4

4

16

16

38

16

Stoke Arsenal Norwich Man City Chelsea

2-0 5-2 1-2 3-0 3-0

Swansea Tottenham Man Utd Blackburn Bolton

Newcastle

2-2

Wolves

QPR

0-1

Fulham

West Brom

4-0

Sunderland

Wigan

0-0

Aston Villa

Ajaccio Auxerre Evian Montpellier Nice

2-1 0-0 2-0 1-0 1-0

Dijon Saint-Etienne Nancy Bordeaux Caen

Valenciennes Lyon Brestois 29 Toulouse Rennais

2-0 Lorient 4 - 4 Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Marseille 2 - 0 FC Sochaux-Montbéliard 1-1 Lille

Spanish Primera Liga

English Championship

1 – 3 1 – 0 1 – 0 1 – 2 1 – 0

Udinese Fiorentina Internazionale Lecce Cesena

Catania Siena Atalanta AC Milan Genoa

L

F

A

P

1

2

80

21

64

1

Borussia Dortmund

23

16

16

6

2

70

18

54

2

Bayern Munich

23

15

11

7

6

37

29

40

3

Borussia

23

14

10

5

9

34

35

35

4

Schalke 04

23

14

24

8

10

6

39

32

34

5

Bayer Leverkusen

23

24

10

4

10

33

36

34

6

Werder Bremen

23

Osasuna

24

8

10

6

28

38

34

7

Hannover 96

RCD Espanyol

24

9

6

9

27

29

33

8

VfB Stuttgart

9

Atlético Madrid

24

8

8

8

33

30

32

9

49

10

Sevilla FC

24

8

8

8

26

27

32

40

47

11

Rayo Vallecano

24

9

4

11

32

36

43

37

45

12

Real Betis

24

9

3

12

28

10

33

30

44

13

Real Sociedad

24

8

6

10

6

15

45

52

42

14

Getafe CF

24

7

8

9

12

6

14

33

42

42

15

RCD Mallorca

24

7

7

10

23

12

4

16

50

60

40

16

Granada CF

24

8

4

12

22

33

10

10

13

36

50

40

17

Villarreal CF

24

6

9

9

25

32

10

8

14

51

52

38

18

Racing Santander

24

4

12

8

19

Millwall

33

8

10

15

34

45

34

19

Sporting Gijón

24

5

6

13

20

Nottm Forest

32

9

4

19

28

50

31

20

Real Zaragoza

24

3

6

15

21

Bristol City

33

8

7

18

28

52

31

22

Coventry City

33

7

7

19

29

46

28

23

Portsmouth

32

9

9

14

33

34

26

24

Doncaster

31

6

7

18

27

52

25

MP W

MP W

D

L

F

A

P

8

7

61

32

62

1

Real Madrid

24

7

7

51

32

61

2

FC Barcelona

24

6

9

41

27

57

3

Valencia CF

24

8

56

43

55

4

Levante UD

24

51

30

54

5

Athletic Bilbao

50

39

53

6

Málaga CF

33

53

7

34

53

8

25

51

52

48

14

45

9

11

11

11

33

12

Derby County

32

Ipswich Town

32

17

Watford

18

Peterborough

19

1

Southampton

33

18

2

West Ham Utd

32

18

3

Reading

32

17

4

Blackpool

33

15

10

5

Birmingham

32

15

9

8

6

Cardiff City

32

14

11

7

7

Brighton

33

15

8

10

39

8

Middlesbrough

32

14

11

7

38

9

Hull City

31

15

6

10

31

10

Leeds United

33

14

7

12

11

Burnley

33

14

5

12

Leicester City

32

12

13

Crystal Palace

32

14

Barnsley

15 16

West Ham Utd Birmingham Brighton Bristol City Burnley

0-0 1-2 3-0 1-3 1-3

Crystal Palace Nottm Forest Ipswich Town Blackpool Millwall

Coventry City Doncaster Middlesbrough Portsmouth Watford

1-0 1-1 0-2 0-0 0-3

Atlético Madrid Real Sociedad Osasuna Valencia CF Rayo Vallecano

1 – 2 1 – 0 2 – 1 1 – 2 0 – 1

FC Barcelona RCD Mallorca Granada CF Sevilla FC Real Madrid

3 – 1 4 – 1 4 – 1 1 – 1 2 – 2

Novara Palermo AS Roma Juventus Parma

German Bundesliga D

Team

Team

Bologna Lazio Napoli Cagliari Chievo

21

D

L

F

A

P

4

3

50

15

52

3

5

51

14

48

5

4

37

14

47

2

7

50

30

44

10

7

6

34

29

37

10

6

7

37

37

36

23

8

10

5

28

30

34

23

8

5

10

37

33

29

1899 Hoffenheim

23

7

8

8

26

27

29

10

FC Nuremberg

23

8

4

11

22

32

28

31

11

FSV Mainz 05

23

6

9

8

34

36

27

32

30

12

Hamburger SV

23

6

9

8

28

38

27

27

34

30

13

VfL Wolfsburg

23

8

3

12

28

44

27

24

31

29

14

FC Köln

23

7

3

13

30

44

24

29

28

15

FC Augsburg

23

4

9

10

23

37

21

34

28

16

Hertha BSC

23

4

8

11

25

40

20

36

27

17

FC Kaiserslautern

23

3

9

11

16

32

18

31

24

18

SC Freiburg

23

4

6

13

28

51

18

22

45

21

19

45

15

Villarreal CF 2 – 2 RCD Espanyol 1 – 2 Málaga CF 5 – 1 Real Betis 1 – 1 Racing Santander 1 – 1

Athletic Bilbao Levante UD Real Zaragoza Getafe CF Sporting Gijón

Team

MP W

Borussia Dortmund 3 – 1 Bayern Munich 2 – 0 Werder Bremen 0 – 1 FC Augsburg 3 – 0 VfL Wolfsburg 1 – 2

Hannover 96 Schalke 04 FC Nürnberg Hertha Berlin Hoffenheim

Champions League Relegation

1. FC Köln

0 – 2

Bayer Leverkusen

VfB Stuttgart

4 – 1

SC Freiburg

FSV Mainz 05

4 – 0 1. FC Kaiserslautern

Borussia M’gladbach 1 – 1

Champions League qualifiers

Premier League promotion

Hamburger SV

Europa League

Premier League play-off

Barnsley Peterborough Reading Leeds United Southampton

COMING UP Premier League

(times in Thailand. Matches shown on TrueSport 1-6)

Saturday March 3

West Brom v Chelsea

22:00 22:00

Liverpool v Arsenal

19:45

Wigan v Swansea

Blackburn v Aston Villa

22:00

Sunday March 4

Man City v Bolton

22:00

Newcastle v Sunderland

19:00

QPR v Everton

22:00

Fulham v Wolves

21:05

Stoke v Norwich

22:00

Tottenham v Man Utd

23:10

thephuketnews.com

44 INTERNATIONAL SPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS

SPORT

FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

Game on Full preview of the 2012 NRL season > 41

sport@thephuketnews.com

LINDERELLA STORY Agence France-Presse

J

eremy Lin said on Friday he is trying to embrace the moment and have fun with all the attention he is receiving during his first NBA all-star weekend.

Lin, who went from sleeping on his brother’s couch to reviving the struggling New York Knicks franchise in just a couple of weeks, spoke after competing in the NBA’s rising stars challenge game.

Lin shot one-of-four and finished with two points in just under nine minutes of playing time

as his Team Shaq lost 146-133 to Team Chuck.

“Just to be here and to see the company and all the players that are here is just, it’s been unbelievable,” Lin said. “I’m just trying to take it all in and embrace it and enjoy it every step of the way.”

Lin threw a lob to Blake Griffin for a dunk in the first half but his overall numbers weren’t that impressive. Lin said he asked for limited floor time because he had played two games in as many nights for the Knicks heading into the rising stars game.

Continued on page 43

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