02-09-2016 by The Phuket News

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POLICE EXTORTION PROBE FALLS SILENT > PAGE 5

DEADLY DEEDS

NEWS

PAGE 5

Russian Phuket car rental spurs ATM heist hunt

LIFE

PAGE 21

Opera set to pop at Trisara finale

A police autopsy found that former Phuket Land Chief Tawatchai Anukul (right) suffered internal injuries.

FORMER PHUKET LAND OFFICE CHIEF FOUND DEAD IN CUSTODY The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

awatchai Anukul, a fugitive of 13 years wanted for issuing an estimated 1,000 illegal land titles for land worth billions of baht during his years as Phuket Land Office Chief ending in 2003 and later as local land chief in Phang Nga, was found dead in his cell within hours of his arrest by the Department of Special Investigation

(DSI) on Monday (Aug 29). DSI Director-General Col Paisit Wongmuang has played down allegations that Tawatchai had been “silenced”, claiming that Tawatchai, 66, had committed suicide in his cell on the sixth floor of the DSI head office in Bangkok by using his socks to hang himself from a cell door hinge. Tawatchai was found about 2am Tuesday and rushed to Mongkutwattana Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:45am, Col Paisit

told the press on Tuesday (Aug 30). “I believe the suspect committed suicide because he faced a DSI arrest warrant and was also being sued in many cases related to offences involving illegal land-deed registration,” Col Paisit said. On Wednesday (Aug 31), however, police coroners said that bleeding in the stomach, a ruptured liver and suffocation caused the death. Tawatchai’s younger brother, Mr Chainarong said the autopsy results

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

indicated that the rupture of liver was caused by forcible contact with a hard, blunt object. Col Paisit said the doctor who treated the suspect has been asked to clarify if the liver rupture was caused by CPR performed by officials who attempted to resuscitate him. Tawatchai’s death ended all criminal action against the former land official, but legal action relating to his alleged money-laundering would continue, Col Paisit said...

SPORT

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Land Chief death links to murky past Continued from page 1 ...Thawatchai, a native of Thalang district in Phuket, was accused of having illegally issued land rights documents for more than 1,000 plots of land in Phuket, Phang Nga and Surat Thani provinces. They included a document for 500 rai overlapping the Khao Lampi-Hat Thai Mueang National Park in Phang Nga. The land was estimated at B10.5 billion. Tawatchai was also accused of aiding encroachment of Sirinat National Park. Thawatchai had also allegedly issued a land document to a private company for 362 rai of land in Rassada, north of Phuket Town Named as accomplice in several of Tawatchai’s dealings during the halycyon days of Phuket land corruption was former Kathu Land Office Chief Bunchoo Limraksasin. Bunchoo was sentenced in 2006 to 20 years in prison after he was found guilty of 10 counts of demanding bribes amounting to millions of baht for land titles between December 21, 2001 and March 8, 2003. The court also found his personal assistant Meena

Kalra guilty of seven counts of conspiring to launder money for Bunchoo. She was sentenced to seven years in prison after police raided her home in Land & Houses Park in Chalong and found her with B17 million in personal savings despite a monthly salary of B5,000. Bunchoo went on the run the same time as Tawatchai in 2003, but after a manhunt in Phuket and Phang Nga, Crime Suppression officers finally arrested him in Ranong in July that year after his return from the Andaman Club casino and resort in Myanmar. Police have yet to link Tawatchai’s dealings with the assassination of Pongtorn Hiranyaburana, who was installed as Deputy Chief of the Phuket Land Office weeks after Tawatchai had transferred out of Phuket. Mr Pongtorn was shot dead while driving home to Surat Thani on April 25, 2003 immediately after then-Prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra appointed Mr Pongtorn to lead an investigation into “suspect land titles” in Phuket. The police failed to bring Mr Pongtorn’s killers to justice.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

First elephants arrive at new retirement home park > page 7

Heritage saved Historical hospital mansion spared demolition The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

public call to preserve Phuket’s heritage has saved a century-old Sino-Portuguese mansion behind Vachira Phuket Hospital from demolition to make way for a new hospital wing. Fine Arts Department Deputy Director Kajon Mookmeeka visited the 100-year-old “Boonphat Building” with Thalang National Museum Chief Sukkamon Wongsawan last Saturday (Aug 27) following complaints from locals that the mansion would be demolished to make way for a new 298-bed hospital building. The campaign against the demolition went viral after being posted on Facebook by Watanyoo Thephuttee and the local Culture Office with a message asking people to join the campaign to save the classic building. “I want every one to join the campaign against the idea of demolishing this SinoPortuguese building because the building is important to Phuket,” Atsawin Auttatum, President of the Culture Office in Phuket Town, posted on his office’s Facebook page

Deputy Director of The Fine Arts Department, Mr Kajon Mookmeeka said the building should be turned into a museum. Photo: Watanyoo Thephuttee last Thursday (Aug 25). Fine Arts Deputy Director Kajon later said, “After learning that Vachira Hospital was considering demolishing this building we came to inspect it and consult with the director of the hospital. However, we have now learned that the building will not be demolished and that an alternative location is being sought for the new hospital building.” Vachira Hospital Deputy Director Somboon Wangteatum added, “Following a

meeting between the hospital’s management and those who opposed the demolition of the Boonphat Building, it was agreed that the demolition would not take place… It has now been agreed that the building will be used as a medical museum which will feature items such as the first X-ray machine used at Vachira Hospital which came from Singapore,” he said. After his inspection of the building last Saturday Mr Kajon said that both the Boonphat

and neighbouring Ranong buildings were quite deteriorated and in need of renovation. “Therefore we will have to compare the buildings to old photos so we can see how much damage there actually is and what will have to be renovated,” he said. Speaking on behalf of the Director of Vachira Hospital, Chaiyuth Thonglim last Friday said, “If no solution is found our last option is to build a new building at Chalong Hospital."

Patong tunnel stalls on environmental impact THE PLAN TO BUILD A B6 billion tunnel through the dangerous hills from Kathu to Patong has stalled as the current proposed plans have failed to pass its Environmen-

tal Impact Assessment (EIA), Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup has revealed. However, Mayor Chalermluck confessed that she did not know which part of

the comprehensive plans had yet to be approved. “The studies and design for the project were concluded last year, but the EIA study has yet to be approved,” Mayor

Chalermluck said last Friday (Aug 26). “It is a large project that has required a lot of time to conduct studies to cover a wide range of issues. I am not sure which area of the project that has not passed the EIA this time,” she said. “But my office will be notified of what needs to be done and how to improve the plan to make it environmental friendly, and we will make those adjustments. “We will keep public updated on this as soon as we get some information from the EIA approval body,” Mayor Chalermluck added. The latest plans aim to build a four-lane expressway from Phra Meita Rd (off Phang Muang Sai Kor Rd) in Patong, with two lanes for cars and two for motorbikes, to join the tunnel through Patong Hill. The Phuket News thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Record ATM heist

Russian car rental leads to manhunt Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

passport provided in order to rent a white Fortuner SUV from a tour company in Rawai has provided police with a key suspect in the manhunt for the gang who robbed B12 million from hacked Government Savings Bank (GSB) ATMs in July. The passport names Rustam Shambasov as renting a white Fortuner from P&D Tour in Saiyuan, Rawai from July 25-28, said Gen Panya Mamen, a national level Advisor (Level 10) for the Royal Thai Police and former Commander of Region 8 Police, who is leading the investigation into the ATM heist. During a press conference on Monday (Aug 30) at Phuket Provincial Police Station, Gen Panya Mamen announced that police had managed to identify the remaining suspects wanted in connection with the robberies and were seeking arrest warrants for the suspects. “We were initially only able to identify one suspect

Gen Panya said that the suspects inserted a card then pressed ‘Cancel’ to trigger the ATMs to dispense cash. as Rustam Shambasov, 29, who arrived in Phuket on July 14 and left the country on Aug 1. “We also had images of other suspects which were not clear, however, we have now found better quality images of these suspects and we expect arrest warrants for all suspects to be issued by this evening” he said. Gen Panya had been in Phuket since last Sunday (Aug 28) when he inspected two of the five ATMs on the

island hacked and robbed by a group of foreigners. The hacked ATMs in Phuket include one at J&P Supermart in Mai Khao, where B240,000 was withdrawn and another at the CP Fresh Mart on Sakdidet Rd south of Phuket Town. Three withdrawals of B280,000 were made from a GSB ATM at the Phuket Provincial Transport Office and a further three withdrawals of B80,000 were made from an ATM in front of

Chinese injured as boat burns MORE THAN 20 CHINESE tourists were rushed to hospital for injuries sustained when the speedboat they were travelling on caught fire on Tuesday (Aug 30). There were no fatalities or serious injuries among the 42 people on board. Initial reports indicated that the fire started from a spark or a short circuit. The Phuket Tourist Rescue Centre at Chalong Pier received a call from the speedboat at 11:30am asking for assistance, The Phuket News was told.

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Phuket police questioned some of the Chinese tourists after the tour speedboat fire. It was reported that tourists had been injured by an electrical shock or spark after a small fire broke out from a water pump. The incident happened right after

the boat left Chalong Pier and was at sea between Koh Lone and Koh Hei, only a few kilometres off Phuket’s southwest coast. Tourists sitting at the back of the boat reportedly felt electrical currents coursing through their legs. The crew on board administered first aid to those in need and contacted the Tourist Rescue Centre for help. They also quickly extinguished the small fire and ensured no spark would re-ignite the boat. Eakkapop Thongtub

the Saiyuan Clinic in Rawai. Two withdrawals were also made from an ATM near “Ruangporn Pharmacy”, a police report noted. According to Gen Panya, the thefts took place between July 7 and 30 when the gang hacked into ATMs using malware to trigger cash withdrawals. Police believe two teams were involved, with one team installing the malware into the targeted ATMs and a second team to make the withdrawals.

PHUKET NEWS

Police probe into extortion falls silent OFFICIALS AND POLICE investigating allegations of corrupt officials extorting of cash payments from employers so that migrant workers can continue working in Phuket have fallen silent on any progress in the case, but have revealed that the case has been quietly handed over to Region 8 Police to handle. The allegations were propagated by a list of 20 “names” of corrupt officials – including police – and the government agencies they supposedly worked for going viral on social media earlier this month. The names listed resembled nick names, such as “Region 8 Narin”, “Wichai” and “Pi Moo” (“Elder Pig”), and the agencies named included the Patong Police, Phuket City Police, Kathu Police, Wichit Police, Tourist Police, Region 8 Police, as well as the Kathu Civil Defence Office and even the local anti-human trafficking centre, among others. The list gave specific mobile phone numbers for each person and noted the cash payments collected on the 10th of each month. Phuket Provincial Police

Phuket Provincial Police Chief Maj Gen Teeraphol Thipjaroen is no longer leading the investigation into corrupt police and officials. Chief Maj Gen Teeraphol Thipjaroen vowed to investigate when confronted with allegations that his own officers were involved in the systemic extortion. “We have to investigate whether this list was fabricated. Do the officers on the list exist, are they just made-up names? We also will investigate to find out where this list came from and who posted this list online,” Gen Teeraphol said. “I have no involvement in this type of operation and I encourage the victims to come forward and file a complaint so we can bring those corrupt officials in to face the law,” he added. The Phuket News

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

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GENERAL MANAGER

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Is it worth spending B80 for a chance at winning B6 million?

Are lottery odds to low? PHUKET POLL The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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EACH WEEK, TENS OF thousands of people play the Thai lottery, with many people choosing a lucky number such as a birthday in the hope that it brings good fortune. Presently the maximum prize to be won with one pair of B80 tickets is limited to B6 million. To this, The Phuket News asks readers in our latest online poll, “Is the Thai lottery worth playing?” Responses available are: 1) No, the chances of winning any of the prizes are too small; 2) No, the prizes are not big enough and without a “jackpot” it’s not worth entering; 3) Yes, the tickets are cheap and the main prizes are large enough; 4) Yes, if you believe in your luck. Luck is all it takes to win any lottery. To cast your vote visit ThePhuket News.com and select “Poll” from the “News” menu.

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Phi Phi boat-free safe zones aim to protect reefs Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter2@classactmedia.co.th

fficials with local dive and tour operators have joined together to use 1.6 kilometres of rope with 800 floats to mark off areas in the Hat Nopparat Thara - Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park to prevent tour boats from directly accessing coral reefs in the park. The operation to install boat-free safe swimming zones was completed on Monday (Aug 29), Park Chief Sarayut Thantian told The Phuket News. “We marked off an area with 600 metres of rope at Kai Island, and a total of 1,000 metres of rope combined to mark off areas at Phi Phi Don and Bamboo Island,” he said. “We joined with the Krabi Driving Center, Local Diving, Poseidon Dive Center and Project Abroad to mark off the areas together,” he added. Chief Sarayut explained that marking off the safe zones was part of a greater project to use 8,400 floats in total to protect marine sites in Phi Phi national park in honour of HM Queen Sirikit’s 84th birthday on August 12. Dr Thon Thamrongna-

The boat-free safe swimming zones have been marked off to protect tourists from boat accidents and to protect coral reefs in the national park. wasawat, adviser to the DNP and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University in Bangkok, told The Phuket News, “A further 9,000 floats will be used to mark off marine sites in 13 national parks, including Hat Nopparat Thara - Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park. These will be deployed in December. “These floats will block all boats from entering areas where

coral reefs need protection. By doing so, they mark out safe zones for tourists to swim and help prevent boating accidents, and they make it easier to manage and control the volume of tourists in these areas,” he said. However, Dr Thon said he had yet to confirm how many more floats will be used to mark off areas in the Phi Phi National Park. The move comes as park of-

ficials struggle to protect pristine marine sites from hordes of tourists. Park officials have already closed off several tourist-popular islands, including Yoong Island near Phi Phi and Koh Tachai, so that the area can recover from environmental damage. World-renowned Maya Bay is also under consideration for temporary closure to stave off environmental damage from mass tourism.

My airport X-ray screening was clear, but my currency disappeared? PR MANAGER Natchaya (Nat) Sittiprasert 088 765 5881 pr@classactmedia.co.th

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

QUESTION

I was on AirAsia f light AK825 to Kuala Lumpur, leaving at 12:55pm on August 5, 2016. I passed through the X-ray scanner around 12:15pm to 12:30pm or so, and pretty sure I was in the far left queue at the immigration desks. Just before boarding the flight I decided to give my leftover Thai currency to my wife, and it was then I noticed that the B1,000 notes totalling more than AUS$200 were missing, along with about 700-800 Malaysian ringgit.

I’ve tried to contact the airport authorities, but their website has no obvious contact links. I also tried to contact the tourist police, but their email link (phukettouristpol@phuketpolice. com) is dead. – David Thompson, Australia

ANSWER

No, we have not seen your email. I am not sure where you got that address from, but people needing assistance from the Tourist Police can send emails to tpdphuket@ hotmail.com. Staff at our receiving centre will notify an inspector and he/she will investigate the complaint case by case. It is important to write all the details that you can recall

Passengers pass through the security scanners at Phuket Airport. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot from the time of the incident to help us help you. – Sen Sgt Maj Kirati Kaewsamduong, Tourist Police Passengers who experience

poor service or have other complaints but have already left Thailand can send reports of incidents or complaints to our email receiving centre at HKT_airportservice@ airportthai.co.th or at aotpr@

airportthai.co.th and our staff will help sort out the problem. We have no report of such an incident. To report the incident, however, our office will need to see it in writing. Hence, you must provide details, including personal information, the time and place that the incident took place, so we can determine where to investigate to assist you. Although your details from the incident now have been passed on to us, please note that for us to act on any such complaints, we must receive the complaint directly from the person filing the complaint. – Warangkana Chotichuong, Customer Service, Phuket International Airport thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Greener pastures

PHUKET NEWS

Sanctuary welcomes its two first arrivals Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter2@classactmedia.co.th

he first two elephants to call the new Phuket Elephant Sanctuary home have arrived and the welfare park is making strides toward opening later this month. Madee, a 60-year-old female originally from a logging camp in Narathiwat, along with Kannika, a 32-year-old female originally from Surin province, arrived at the reserve, located on 70 rai near the Khao Phra Thaew Wildlife Sanctuary in Thalang, on August 20. Madee spent most of her life working in the logging industry near the Thai Malay border, but was moved to Phuket in 2009 to start providing jungle trek tours to tourists. Kannika, although only “middle-aged”, has already spent more than 20 years in Phuket working in the tourism industry. “We are due to rescue more elephants very soon,” Louise Rogerson, Project Director of the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, told The Phuket News.

Staff from Vachira Phuket Hospital confirmed that the abandoned newborn boy is in good health. Photo: Rawai Municipality

Newborn dumped at Rawai temple Kannika, 32, and Madee, 60, have been retired from working in Phuket’s tourism industry and have become the first elephants to arrive at the new Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. Ms Rogerson explained that the park is no longer called Elephant Nature Park (ENP) Phuket, as initially proposed when work on the sanctuary began in May, simply for promotional purposes. “We changed the name so it would be easier for tourists to remember and easier to find on Google, nothing more,” she said. “The Phuket Elephant Sanctuary remains a partnership between Lek Chailert, founder of the Save Elephant

Foundation, myself as founder of EARS Asia, and Mr Montree Todtan,” she explained. The ENP group operates much-respected elephant welfare reserves in Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, Surin and Cambodia, and Ms Lek Chailert has become a globally respected figure for her many decades of work dedicated to saving and protecting elephants. “Kannika and Madee both used to be at my old camp, but it is time for them to retire,”

Pickup nearly cut in half in crash A PICKUP TRUCK SPLIT in half after its driver lost control during a rain shower and crashed into a roadside electricity pole last Sunday afternoon (Aug 28). Two occupants of the vehicle reportedly suffered unspecified but non-critical injuries. Tha Chatchai Police were informed of the accident at 2.30pm. Police along with Kusoldharm rescue workers reported to the scene on Thepkrasattri Rd, at the curve between Ban Bang Duk and Ban Mak Prok in Thalang’s Mai Khao subdistrict, where

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The pickup was nearly cut in half by the force of the impact. on the side of the southbound lanes was a wrecked bronzecoloured Mazda pickup truck with Phuket license plates. The bed of the pickup truck had nearly completely separated from the cab, and a wheel had also come loose

and separated from the vehicle. A concrete electric pole a few metres away was damaged at its base, and was leaning towards the road. The driver, Palawi Khamsieng, 27, and her passenger Indonesian national Tranggielia Lokon Parengkuan, 44, were taken to Thalang Hospital, where they were treated for unspecified injuries. Police reported that the pair had just returned from a business trip in Krabi. At the time of the accident, it had reportedly been raining. Eakkapop Thongtub

explained Mr Montree, former owner of At Hill Adventure Park in Chalong but now CEO of the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. “We expect the park to become home to about 20 to 30 elephants. We have to pay for older elephants, but if any owners would like to donate their elephants to us, it would be our pleasure. We expect the sanctuary to become where older and injured elephants can be retired,” he said.

POLICE ARE CHECKING CCTV for the person who abandoned a newborn baby boy in a rice cooker box at a small temple near Promthep Cape on Tuesday (Aug 30). Monks discovered the baby at about 8am after collecting alms, reported Rawai Municipality rescue worker Nattapol Kaewpraju. Upon arrival, Mr Nattapol and his team were led to the area where they found the baby, with light skin and black hair and estimated to be five days old. The baby was wrapped in a red cloth inside a rice cooker box.

“The baby has a small bite on his body, possibly from an ant, but overall he is healthy,” Mr Nattapol told The Phuket News. Vachira Phuket Hospital was notified and quickly dispatched a team of medical staff to pick up the baby for examination, he added. “No one knows who left the newborn here, but police are now checking CCTV in the area to find the person that left the baby in the area so they can bring that person in for questioning,” Mr Nattapol said. Eakkapop Thongtub

Opinion 8

OPINION

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editor@classactmedia.co.th From the USA; BA in Communication Arts from Bangkok University International College; seven years’ experience at Nation Junior Magazine, Bangkok Recorder, Phuket. net, Thailand-USA.com, Farangs. com and Phuket Gazette.

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084 307 7408 execeditor@classactmedia.co.th Fifteen years working in news and covering local issues and events in Phuket, with 18-month hiatus spent working for the Brunei Times on Borneo. From Queensland, Australia; 10 years living in the UK before moving to Phuket in 2000. Degree in business management. Spare time spent sailing or with family.

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EDITORIAL

A remedy for ailing culture

igh praise must go to the Fine Arts Department’s Phuket office for their outstanding contribution this week in preserving a monument honouring Phuket’s past. If it weren’t for Atsawin Auttatum, President of the Culture Office in Phuket Town, raising the alarm by calling for people via Facebook to rise up against the planned fate for the century-old Boonphat Building at Vachira Hospital Phuket, Phuket might have lost one of its treasures forever (see Page 2). The simple image of the Boonphat Sino-Portuguese style mansion against the backdrop of the multi-story modern hospital buildings at Vachira Hospital with stark clarity is reminiscent of the small church surrounded by cloud-reaching skyscrapers in the 1927 classic film Metropolis. Events this week showed plainly that the theme of the Fritz Lang movie is clearly alive

in Phuket. Preserving monuments to the past takes effort, but is most likely a burden to be shouldered by a handful of people far from the public limelight, and whose efforts mostly go unnoticed. Phuket Town is home to the few buildings on the island that can be directly traced back to roles played in Phuket’s past. Most people think of the classic shophouses that line the streets through Old Town, but the Boonphat mansion is out of sight, and obviously nearly out of mind. Kudos must also go to Fine Arts Department Deputy Director Kajon Mookmeeka who called for the Boonphat mansion to be turned into a museum. Phuket has little architectural heritage as it is and all efforts to preserve what we have must be supported. Thailand is home to only five World Heritage sites as

recognised by Unesco. Another five sites remain on the “tentative” list. Phuket is not among them. Despite the island’s vital role as a port of call connecting East and West during the centuries of ships making spice runs, when the island became a veritable mixing pot of cultures, Phuket has yet to be recognised culturally for anything other than its food. What is dumbfounding is why the Boonphat building was slated for demolition in the first place. Two other similar-style and similar-age buildings – the Ranong and Sripatcharintaranusorn buildings, both already situated on hospital grounds – were already listed by the Fine Arts Department as cultural heritage sites. If this is the calibre of thinking of those responsible for operating the largest government hospital on the island, heaven help us. We’re going to need it.

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1. One dead, dozens of temples damaged as powerful quake hits Myanmar ‘Double tap’ Pattani bombs kill one, wound 29 Phuket car rental tips police to key suspect Russian in B12mn ATM heist First elephants arrive at new Phuket sanctuary Phuket police probe into extortion, corruption falls silent Phuket motorists urged to drive with caution following heavy rain Phuket officials ordered to strictly enforce labour laws Electrician electrocuted while working on Phuket high-voltage cables Phuket taxi drivers get their way, no reduction in fares Driver of Chinese tour bus in Patong Hill crash fined, set free

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MANAGING EDITOR BIDS FAREWELL IT IS WITH BITTERSWEET nostalgia that I – a former life editor, broadcast assistant, and finally, managing editor of The Phuket News – pen my final oped, a small farewell to readers and colleagues, past and present. This edition of The Phuket News – number 36 Volume 6 – represents my 130th issue, culminating two-and-half years at Class Act Media, and formally wrapping up a five-and-half-year chapter in Phuket as a writer, reporter, editor, manager, photographer, broadcast assistant, radio personality, and I dare say, opinion leader. To say I valued my time here would be an understatement: the memories stored, stories covered, norms challenged, rules bent, mistakes made, controversies stirred, lessons learned, and above all, the people I’ve had the privilege to know and work with – all these intangible facets will continue to serve me throughout life. It goes without saying that the last five years have passed by in a flash and endowed in me a rich perspective that has taught me a great deal, not only about myself, but society, the world, life, death and time. I look forward to formally

penning my own Phuket memoirs, and encourage anyone and everyone who has passed through this speck of rock in the Andaman in any meaningful manner, to reflect on and share their own stories. As Chris Husted – our chief “thinker” and uncontested guru on everything Phuket, sailing, cars and baking – says of a good story: “It will get read”. In the mean time, the path before me is a challenging yet promising one. As communications officer for the Asia and Pacific Seed Association, I will be abreast of all the latest developments in agriculture, food security, plant breeding, biotechnology, intellectual property and transnational trade – matters that affect everyone on this planet. This new role will be anything but a breeze, but I’ve been trained well. After all, if you can survive Phuket traffic, unscrupulous threats aimed at silencing the media and multiple tours of the rancid Saphan Hin landfill, there really is nothing you cannot accomplish. A wise mentor once advised: “find a need and fill it”, and “always leave a place better

than you found it”. Moving on, I say with confidence that my need here has been filled, and that I leave behind an effective, progressive and potent media machine. Though I do not take credit for such confidence, which is due to all those who gave and continue to put their heart and soul into “keeping the ship afloat” through these increasingly volatile times. Phuket, you truly are privileged to have a talented media team – Chris Husted, Matt Pond, Anton Makhrov, Zhong Wenhui, Tanyaluk Sakoot, Supatra Sutham, Mark Knowles, JP Mestanza, Panumas Suparaninityothin, Sirapat Kanphonngam, Chris Howson, Donna Toon and Jason Wilder – to keep you upto-date about everything going on here, whether through The Phuket News, Novosti Phuketa, Pujidao Xinwen, Live 89.5 or The Phuket News TV. To put it bluntly, these folks really do “know their sh*t”, and I feel sorry for the competition who will no doubt continue to have trouble sleeping at night. Finally, in no particular order, I express gratitude to all the others I’ve worked with at this fine company: Tim Newton,

Simon Ostheimer, Jason Beavan, Simon Samaan, Alasdair Forbes, Nick Walker, Nick Davies, Claire Connell, Dalia Hilmi, Nitad Manee, Thanapong Khao-Amphaiphan, Wai Netiya, Siriporn Seangmas, Jittiya Rakdej, Apichai Pitakchotiwong, Chinawut Phongphasook, Natchaya Sittiprasert, Anchalee Inchorun, Sarapee Tharawanon, Hathaichanok Yokchuer, Orajit Ongjirakul, Jureeporn Sawekwang, Peerapon Juhong, Monthep Poolkasam, Phatsara Raktammakit, Nisakorn Kittiprapanant, Nipaporn Sangkrit, Athikom Keyyuranom, Kanyapoj Chaiprapan, Prapawarin Yangchan, Angkana Nuram, Chanida Summast, Nattha Thepbamrung, Anthika Muangrod, Saroj Kueprasertkij, Tammy Na Thalang, Daria Manina, Dasha Suleiman, Dave O’Connor, Kirsty Meyer, Gary Holden, Tim Shaw, Bill Barnett, Marque Rome and Phil Tease. There may be others who I have forgotten or have purposely left out, but don’t take it personally. It’s been my privilege and pleasure, Phuket. I won’t end this by saying good bye, but rather, see you when I see you. Signing off. Steven W. Layne

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

THAILAND NEWS

Using poop to power homes Remote Thai villagers running their stoves using cow dung PHETCHABURI

estled in a deep pocket of forest that lies off Thailand’s electrical grid, villagers in Pa Deng have become early adopters and evangelists for an unusual alternative energy source: cow poop. After successfully lighting up their homes with solar panels and stoves fuelled by cow dung, the villagers are now clean energy crusaders in a gas-guzzling country that overwhelmingly relies on fossil fuels. It was a friend from Myanmar who first told 44-year-old Wisut Janprapai that faeces could be used to power a cooking stove. “At first we didn’t believe it,” he said from outside his wooden home, which is surrounded by fruit trees and under the shadow of a mountain range that lines Thailand’s western border with Myanmar. But with no access to state power lines and plenty of cow manure to go around, Wisut and his neighbours reasoned

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Balloons fill up with methane gas after microbes break down the animal manure and other organic waste packed inside. Photo: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP it was worth a try. Now nearly 100 families in the rural network have small stoves running on blue bio-gas balloons they crafted after years of experimenting. The balloons are hulking polyester sacks that fill up with methane gas after microbes break down the animal manure and other organic waste packed inside. The fuel source is healthier

and more sustainable than burning wood, and also saves villagers from having to venture into the forest for kindling. “It’s nothing complicated, just put the food and waste in,” explained Kosol Saengthong, the leader of the network. “And then the gas will come.” While Pa Deng is powered solely by green energy sources, the rest of Thailand runs chiefly on oil, coal and

natural gas – much of it imported. Successive governments, including the current administration, have warned that the country faces an energy crisis on current consumption trends unless new power sources are embraced. The Kingdom is the second largest consumer of energy in Southeast Asia after Indonesia, according to US government

data from 2013, and the 22nd biggest user in the world. Consumption is also heavily skewed. Most of the power is funnelled to sprawling Bangkok, where some of the capital’s luxury malls suck up more energy than entire provinces. But compared to its impoverished neighbours, Thailand is a leading investor in renewables and plans to increase its reliance on clean-burning fuels from 12 per cent to 25% in the next five years. Groups like World Wildlife Fund say it could be setting its sights much higher, with a recent report laying out a future that would have the country operating on 100% renewables by 2050. Phirat Inphanich, a policy analyst at Thailand’s Energy Ministry, agrees the Kingdom could be making better use of its resources. “Thailand is the land of renewable energy,” he said. “You can walk anywhere, especially in rural areas, and you will see things that can be turned into energy.” But changing mindsets is

difficult, said the 38-year-old, who travels around the country urging communities to generate more of their own power in the footsteps of Pa Deng. These small-scale efforts will not overhaul the sector but they can make a dent, plus help villagers cut down on energy costs. “If any Thais are still hesitating to make their own energy, just look at (Pa Deng) as an example,” he said. Villagers in Pa Deng saw their first flash of electricity when former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra donated solar panels nearly a decade ago. But the panels started breaking after a few years, and no one came to mend them. “So we decided to send our own villagers to learn how to fix the panels ourselves”, said Kosol, the group’s leader. The villagers reached out to academics and travelled to factories and research centres, where they offered fruit from their gardens in exchange for lessons on how to harness other forms of renewable sources – like the biogas tanks. AFP

10 THAILAND NEWS

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Krabi drug suspect with live grenade shot dead

A A tourist gets friendly with an elephant at Win Elephant Camp in Phang Nga. Photo: Vladimir Bezrukov Facebook

Mahout killed by elephant at camp PHUKET A MAHOUT HAS BEEN attacked and killed by a male elephant at an elephant camp in Kapong district of Phang Nga. The attack occurred at Win Elephant Camp in tambon Rommanee, said Col Wasant Banluephuet, a deputy investigation chief at Kapong police station. The incident was reported at around 5:30pm last Thursday (Aug 25). The elephant, Plai Seedor Mongkhol, flew into a rage

and attacked mahout Sornchai Kerdsommart, 38, when he went to unchain him from a wooden post he was tethered to at the camp. The animal then fled into the nearby jungle, camp staff told police. Sornchai received major injuries to his right arm and face and his skull was fractured. He died on the spot, Thai media reported. Livestock officials joined other mahouts in the jungle hunt for the escaped elephant, which was tracked down by Thursday night, tranquilised and recaptured.

KRABI

drug suspect was shot dead in Krabi last Friday night (Aug 26) when he pulled out an M67 grenade in a getaway attempt while surrounded by police. Border Patrol Police 426 teamed up with Region 8 Police and local defence officials who used vehicles to surround 29-year-old Charnchaiyuth Krainara when he attempted to drive a Mitsubishi pickup truck to avoid arrest. Charnchaiyuth pulled out a M67 grenade and was about to throw it at police when he was shot by an officer. Police said Charnchaiyuth was one of the biggest drug dealers in the province. At 9:30pm last Friday, Krabi Police Deputy Commander Col Boontawee Toraksa led a team of officers including forensic police to investigate the shooting of a drug suspect in front of a shop on Ruamjaichon Rd in Krabi Yai sub district. Upon arrival, police found the body of the suspect lying face down on the road in the

Charnchaiyuth Krainara, 29, named as one of Krabi's biggest drug dealers, slammed his pickup into a police vehicle before lowering his window and flashing a grenade, said police. pool of blood. Charnchaiyuth had been shot once in the back of the neck, with the bullet coming out of his forehead. Close to the body was a live M67 grenade wrapped in tape. Straight after the shooting, officers closed the road and blocked off the area to prevent any vehicles passing through while an EOD team carried out an investigation. It took the team one hour to safely deactivate and remove the grenade preventing it from

exploding. Officers also collected more than 30 11mm and 9mm bullet heads from the road. After the area was clear, Charnchaiyuth’s body was taken to Krabi Hospital. On the body was a bag with B3,000 cash and a bag of crystal meth (ya ice), police also found 11 bags of methamphetamine pills (ya bah) with 200 pills in each bag inside Charnchaiyuth’s pickup. “Police shot at the getaway

vehicle and Charnchaiyuth reversed and slammed his vehicle into a patrol vehicle. Chanchaiyuth then lowered his window and flashed a grenade. He came out of his vehicle, pulled out the pin and was ready to throw it at officers when he was shot. Police revealed that during the shootout two women were in the suspect’s vehicle .They were taken to the Border Patrol Police Station for questioning. Eakkapop Thongtub

Rotting, illegally dumped garbage just 500 metres from the San Pa Tong Hospital in Chiang Mai has angered local residents. Photo: Cheewin Sattha

Illegal dumping causes big stink CHIANG MAI RESIDENTS ARE UP IN arms over garbage collectors who dump rubbish in earth pits just 500 metres behind San Pa Tong Hospital in Chiang Mai province. The locals claim the culprits have been dumping garbage for more than a decade, heavily polluting the area, creating an eyesore and causing hospital patients to suffer from the foul odours. Residents of Nong Sariam village in tambon Yuwa of San Pa Tong district said firms contracted to collect garbage

dumped it in abandoned pits, left after the soil had been dug up and sold. The rubbish was dumped surreptitiously at night. The rotting rubbish gave off a stench that permeated the hospital and nearby communities, especially during the rainy season. Hospital staff yesterday morning (Aug 30) examined the site after receiving complaints from residents. They said there were three pits about 500 metres behind the hospital. The first pit was near Baan Nong Sariam, the second at Baan Sala and the third near Wat Sri Pan Ngern, all in Tambon Yuwa.

Wirat Klinprathum, director of San Pa Thong Hospital, said management had sent a letter of complaint to Tambon Yuwa Municipality. The municipality said it had tried to solve the problem by putting up signs prohibiting garbage dumping and blocked the access road to the pits with concrete blocks. But garbage collectors removed the signs and the blocks and continued to dump their waste. San Pa Tong police once arrested the operator of a garbage truck and fined him B1,500. This temporarily halted the dumping. Bangkok Post thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

ASIA NEWS 11

Hong Kong’s engine fuel Milk tea or ‘lai cha’ is what keeps city’s people going HONG KONG

ome cities are fuelled by coffee. In Hong Kong, it’s milk tea that keeps things running – a potent nostalgia-infused caffeine hit, with fierce competition to brew the best in town. There are thousands of restaurants offering international cuisines, but the city’s no-frills diner-style cafes, some of them decades old, remain perennial favourites with locals, and still do a roaring trade. Known as “tea restaurants” they serve up cheap local favourites, from fried egg sandwiches to noodle soups. The standard accompaniment is a milk tea, or “lai cha” – a tangy, deep-tan brew made from blends of black tea strained repeatedly for strength, then mixed with condensed or evaporated milk. The city gulps down around 2.5 million cups a day. At family-run tea shop Lan Fong Yuen, in Hong Kong’s Central district, business shows no sign of slowing after 60

A tea master makes milk tea at family-run tea shop in Hong Kong. Photo: AFP years in operation. Owner Lam Chun-chung says the no-fuss nature of Hong Kong’s tea restaurants plays a big role in their popularity in a fast-paced city. “People are always in a rush. Having a quick bite with milk tea is fast and convenient,” says Lam, who adds that his cafe has much more character than the growing number of sterile coffee shops. “We represent the grassroots. When you are here you

feel a sense of community,” he says. Customers sit around shared wooden tables, many stopping for just 10 minutes to grab a quick breakfast or mid-morning boost. A tea master juggles steaming pots on an electric stove, straining the hot brews through long cloth sieves – a key utensil for any serious Hong Kong “lai cha” joint. The sock-like strainer has lent Hong Kong milk tea one

‘World’s largest’ pearl emerges PHILIPPINES A POOR PH I LI PPI N E fisherman found what is thought to be the world’s largest pearl, but hid it under his bed for a decade without knowing its worth, local authorities said. T he m a n fou nd t he 34-kilogramme pearl inside a giant clam that was snagged by his anchor as he waited out a storm at sea, according to local tourism department chief Cynthia

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pearl in his thatch hut on the western island of Palawan, tucked under a wooden bed as a good-luck charm, Amurao added. With the fisherman’s consent, the pearl was put What is now thought to be on display at the city hall of the world’s largest pearl. Puerto Princesa, the provinPhoto: Handout/AFP cial capital, and photos were posted on the government’s Amurao, who is also the Facebook page. fisherman’s aunt. Local officials are hopNot knowing it could be ing gemmologists will visit worth tens of millions of the city to assess its quality dollars, he kept the 30-cen- and value. timetre by 60-centimetre AFP

of its nicknames: “stocking milk tea”. At this cafe, tea is strained seven times to intensify the flavour. Lam taught the current tea master his skills and still drinks a cup or two of milk tea each day. It is an addiction, he says, but also a way to monitor standards. Milk tea is a local institution and has even made it onto an official list of the city’s “intangible cultural heritage”.

Hong Kong’s Association of Coffee and Tea says it is also building a global fanbase. The association has been running Hong Kong milk tea contests worldwide for the past seven years, and they are growing. Earlier this month, competitors from Hong Kong, mainland China, Canada and Australia all competed for the “Kam Cha” or “Golden Cup” award in the association’s largest tea competition, on home turf. Local contestant Chen Chiping, 44, emerged victorious – he has been making milk tea in Hong Kong “cha chaan tengs” for 22 years. “Every detail has to be strictly precise – the heat of the stove, the water temperature,” he says. The fragrance and potency, as well as the thick consistency, make Hong Kong-style milk tea unique, Chen adds. It has flowed through the city’s arteries for more than half a century, according to association chairman Simon Wong, who tells how it was first served on Hong Kong’s

docks to sailors and labourers, an earthy adaptation of the weaker version made with fresh milk by the colonial British who governed at that time. “Hong Kong people wanted something with more punch. So we invented this type of brewing,” Wong says. The strength of the tea and the canned milk made it value for money – few ordinary Hong Kongers at that time could afford fresh milk. Wong’s father – a tea trader – was a proponent of the new concoction, setting up one of the first tea restaurants in Hong Kong, which still exists today. Mainland China has now also developed a taste for Hong Kong-style milk tea, and immigrant communities across the world are introducing it to new countries, says Wong. The winning formula? Both tea champion Chen and cafe owner Lam agree – it is the passion to make a great cuppa. “The most important thing is to put your heart into it,” says Chen. AFP

12 WORLD NEWS

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Living lives in a legal limbo West Bank occupants face eviction after nine-year legal battle PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

tiny Palestinian village in the Hebron hills could soon cease to exist after a nine-year legal battle with Israeli authorities who say its 167 residents live on an archaeological site. Israel’s supreme court is expected to make a final decision on the fate of Khirbet Zanuta soon. The village in the south of the occupied West Bank, around 20 kilometres from the Israeli city of Beersheba, includes makeshift homes made of stones, metal, clay and even tyres. Caves in the area have also been used as homes in the past, and its residents farm the hundreds of hectares of surrounding land, raising sheep and goats. “I was born here before 1967,” said village head Rashad al-Tal, 65, referring to the year when Israel’s occupation of the West Bank began. “We lived in a cave and we walked seven kilometres to

Children look out from a window in the Palestinian village of Khirbet Zanuta, located in the hills south of the West Bank city of Hebron. Photo: Hazem Bader/AFP go to school in Dahriya,” the closest city, he added as his daughter stirred milk behind him to make curd. He said villagers began to build houses in the 1970s without having permits from the Israeli authorities and were fined for doing so. Such permits are extremely difficult to obtain for Palestinians living in most of the West Bank. “We showed them all the ownership papers for our land

and asked for construction permits,” said Tal. While Israeli authorities say structures in the village are illegal and are built on an archaeological site, the villagers themselves suspect other motives. They allege that Israel wants to clear more space for settlers, since a settlement industrial zone called Meitarim is located less than a kilometre away. Villagers say explosives were used to develop the in-

dustrial zone and question why this would have been done if the nearby area was archaeologically important. Khirbet Zanuta is in what is known as Area C, the part of the West Bank under complete Israeli control. Around 60 per cent of the Palestinian territory falls under that classification, originally set up under the 1990s Oslo accords in an arrangement meant to be temporary. Israel’s military decides on

construction permits in Area C, and they are rarely granted to Palestinians. The military demolishes structures it deems illegal. That process, along with Israel’s continuous settlement building in the West Bank, has been strongly criticised internationally as contributing to the erosion of the possibility of a two-state solution. The court case involving Khirbet Zanuta is reaching its conclusion as debate over Israeli demolitions of Palestinian structures in the West Bank intensifies. In 2015, Israel demolished 548 structures in the West Bank, displacing 787 Palestinians, according to UN figures. But during the first four months of this year alone, 598 were demolished, displacing 858 people. The legal battle over Khirbet Zanuta has been waged since 2007. With the two sides unable to settle, Israel’s supreme court is expected to issue a ruling soon. Israeli authorities have said in court filings that “Khirbet Zanuta is an archaeological

site and residents’ presence in the area can have an impact on the site. “As a result, they must leave the area.” Israeli authorities declined further comment when contacted, saying their case was being presented in court. Rights activists who support the villagers and their legal battle say claims about the area’s importance as an archaeological site are exaggerated. “We have consulted Israeli archaeological experts who say that the presence of the residents does not interfere with that of the historical remains,” said Sharona Eliahu-Chai of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel. Yoni Mizrachi of the Emek Shaveh NGO said that “every West Bank village contains remains”, adding that those in Khirbet Zanuta are “neither very important nor very extensive”. “This is a political issue,” he said. “When they want to expel residents, they say that it is an archaeological site.” AFP

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Russians in bloom Arrivals on cheap tours spur growth in volume TOURISM Anton Makhrov news@novostiphuketa.com

ntil recently August has been traditionally the month marking the lowest number of Russian arrivals to Thailand – and in particular, Phuket – but with Egypt and Turkey unavailable and other destinations too expensive, Russians have started returning to the Land of Smiles even in the midst of the rainy season, Russian Association of Tour Operators (ATOR) reports. ATOR, whose members include Russian tourism powerhouses Biblio Globus, Coral Travel, Intourist, Natalie Tours, Pegas Touristik and TUI Travel, are reporting that affordable prices are now the key factor determining their clients’ travel decisions and that the industry is taking steps to meet the demand for cheaper options with extra charter flights, seasonal promotions by hotels and shorter duration of stay. According to ATOR’s analytical service, the average

Tez tour operator staff wait at Phuket International Airport. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot duration of stay for Russians arriving to Thailand on organised tours in August fell to seven to 10 days (compared with 12-14 days last year), while the average price of a tour to Phuket dropped 10-12 per cent to US$700 (about B24,207) from Moscow and to US$500 (about B17,291) from Eastern Russia. “More and more often it is the budget, not the weather, that determines the choice of destination by tourists. For instance, traditionally Koh

Samui used to be popular in summer because of nearly zero rain and storms, but this year the island is less popular than Phuket, where to the contrary the weather is unpredictable, but direct charter flights are available and cheap hotels are aplenty,” says Tatiana Dashkova from ATOR member-company Russian Express. Ms Dashkova’s colleagues from Intourist believe that direct charter flights by major operators are one of the factors

determining Thailand’s rising popularity among Russians in the low season. Transportation costs account for a significant share of a packaged tour price and using charters instead of scheduled flights let operators make their offers cheaper. Rossiya Airlines now has two charter flights to Thailand per week and Royal Flight has direct charters from Moscow to Phuket. AZUR air now has four to five flights to Phuket and three flights to Bangkok for ANEX Tour.

BUSINESS NEWS 13

British Amb Davidson to talk Brexit, tourism POLICY BRITISH AMBASSADOR to Thailand Brian Davidson will be the keynote speaker at the British Chamber of Commerce of Thailand (BCCT) Phuket Business Dinner to be held in Patong on September 22. Amb Davidson will speak on post-Brexit issues, deliver an update on British Embassy in Bangkok processes and services as well as key Phuketrelated issues such as tourism safety, The Phuket News has been told. Although his appointment was announced in September last year, Amb Davidson has been British Ambassador to Thailand since June 2016. He has extensive experience in Asia, having started his career in Beijing (1988-1992) and most recently served as Consul General in Guangzhou and then Shanghai between 2006-2015. Other overseas posts have included Lithuania and Australia. While in the UK Brian has worked for the Cabinet Office as an analyst on international terrorism and on secondment to International Financial

Ambassador Davidson will be the keynote speaker at the BCCT event in Phuket. Services London as Deputy Chief Executive. Amb Davidson holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Cambridge University. He speaks Mandarin Chinese, French and rusty Lithuanian and is currently studying Thai. Amb Davidson married his husband, Scott, in 2014 in one of the first same-sex marriages performed at the British Embassy Beijing. They are now the happy parents of one son. The event, one of the successful Phuket Business Dinner series, will be held at the Amari Phuket Patong Beach from 6:30pm to 9pm. Attendance costs B890 per person, including inter-buffet and soft drinks. Payment direct at the door to hotel. The Phuket News

Digital ads see 15% hike in H1 2016 ADVERTISING DIGITAL ADVERTISING grew nearly 15 per cent in the first half of the year as more brands and companies switched to digital media, says the Digital Advertising Association of Thailand (DAAT). Norasit Sitivechvichit, a DAAT director, said digital media has become increasingly popular as the priority choice for advertising prod-

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ucts and services. Haircare, skincare, automotive and non-alcoholic drinks companies prefer digital advertising to convey their message to target customers. Moreover, the cost of digital media is usually lower than that of traditional mass media like TV and newspapers. According to the DAAT, digital advertising stood at B4.73 billion in the first half and is estimated to reach B9.88 billion for the whole year, up 22%.

Of the 2016 projection, ad spending on Facebook will account for B2.84 billion, up from B1.9 billion in 2015, while YouTube will represent B1.66 billion, up from B1.5 billion last year. Ad spending on Line is expected to see the highest growth at 131% this year. A joint survey by the DAAT and TNS Research (Thailand) predicts that top spenders on digital advertising this year will be automotive firms, which are

expected to spend nearly B1 billion, followed by skincare (B974 million), telecommunications (B915 million) and non-alcoholic drinks (B627 million). Mr Norasit said digital advertising has grown in tandem with increasing internet usage and social media popularity. “The use of digital marketing will continue to be one of key trends for brands and marketers in the near future,” he said. Bangkok Post

Market analysis by the Digital Advertising Association of Thailand (DAAT) shows digital advertising so far in 2016 in a breakdown by industry. Image: DAAT

14 BUSINESS NEWS

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Property experts to head forum SPONSORED

s leading property figures prepare for the biggest real estate awards programme in the Kingdom, the 11th Thailand Property Awards 2016, presented by Hansgrohe and organised by PropertyGuru Group, Asia’s leading online property group, attention is being focused on the the Property Report Congress all-day real-estate networking conference that will debut in Bangkok before the gala awards event. The congress will be held from 9am to 6pm at the Plaza Athenee Bangkok, a Royal Meridien Hotel and also the host venue for the Thailand Property Awards. Topics to be covered by experts during the congress include: market review, content marketing, retail segment, hotel segment, office segment, design segment, and round-ups on Thailand’s regional markets of Phuket, Eastern Seaboard, Hua Hin and Chiang Mai. The impressive speaker line-up comprises: Andrew Langdon, Senior Vice President Asia, Möven-

An expert panel of speakers is lined up to lead the Property Report Congress. pick Hotels & Resorts; Nithiphat Tongpun, Executive Director, CBRE Thailand; Clint Nagata, Founder and Chief Creative Director, Blink Design; Maurizio Bisicky, VP for Sales & Marketing, Anantara Vacation club; Pitiphatr Buri, Executive Director, Bhiraj Buri Group; Sasivimol Sinthawanarong, Design Principal, Jarken; Thomas Leeser, Principal, Leeser Architecture; Stephen O’Dell, Director, SODA (Thailand);

Clayton Wade, Owner/ Manager Director, Premier International. Meanwhile, MQDC Magnolia Quality Development Corporation, Minor International and boutique firm Lucky Living Properties are just a few of the top contenders in the 11th Thailand Property Awards 2016. More than 200 developments have entered this year – up 32 per cent from 2015 – and now the independent panel of judges have whittled down the list to 36 companies

who will compete in 33 award categories. Leading with nine nominations is MQDC, which was Highly Commended in the Best Developer category in 2015, the landmark 10th anniversary of the Awards. This year, MQDC is competing in the expanded luxury condominium categories, including Best Ultra Luxury Condo Development (Bangkok) for The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok and Best Luxury Condo Development (Bangkok) for Magnolias

Waterfront Residences at ICONSIAM. With a healthy demand from Thai super prime buyers and Asia-based foreign investors, the upscale residential segment remains one of the most active in the industry. Last year’s Best Developer winner SC Asset is also competing in the luxury/high-end categories, along with big names such as Sansiri, Major Development and Menam Residences, for projects located in the Chao Phraya River, Wireless Rd, Saladaeng, Phrom Phong and Ladprao areas. In addition to the revamped condo awards, the best low-rise and high-rise condo developments in the capital will be recognised in separate categories for the high-end and affordable segments. There is also a new award waiting for the Best Community Retail Development in the country. Elsewhere in the Kingdom, emerging and established developers are competing in the residential/housing/ villa categories in the popular holiday destinations of Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Samui, Phang Nga/Krabi, and the Eastern Seaboard.

In Phuket, contenders shortlisted for the Best Condo Development award are: Saturdays Residence by Two Villa Tara Co Ltd; The Beachfront Oceanfront Condos and Villas by The Beachfront Oceanfront Condos and Villas; and Twinpalms Residences MontAzure by MontAzure. “2016 has been the most challenging year since I joined the central judging panel in 2014,” says Suphin Mechuchep, Managing Director at Jones Lang LaSalle (Thailand), and chairperson of the judges. “There were a total of 214 of entries, a significant increase from only 163 last year. All of the judges spent a lot more time and effort than previous years on entry reviews and site visits. But it has also been a great experience as we have had excellent opportunities to meet with many interesting property developers as well as designers and architects who are involved in these projects.” Ms Suphin said.

For registration, tickets and enquiries for the Property Report Congress, email Patravadee Sirapanthakarn at amy@ propertyguruinternational.com

World Tourism Day all work and no play TOURISM Celebrating tourism with a trip to the beach on Sept 2627 might be off the agenda.

T H A I G OV E R N M E N T spokesman Maj Gen San-

sern Kaewkamnerd says there have been no discussions at Cabinet level on the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recommendation to declare September 26 and 27 special holidays. A TAT press release on August 15 said the agency would seek Cabinet approval to recognise September 26-27 as special one-off holidays to celebrate World Tourism Day that is being officially hosted in Thailand on September 27. Declaring a long-weekend holiday from Saturday, September 24 to Tuesday, September 27 would promote domestic tourism, the TAT said. The proposal was one of three TAT measures to boost tourist confidence after the bomb attacks in seven southern provinces, 11 to 12 August, according to TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn. However, gover nment spokesman Maj Gen Sansern said, “According to Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chano-cha’s earlier remarks, additional public holidays must be kept at an appropriate level and that they should not be just for tourism promotion.” TTR Weekly thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Thai taxi talisman transport insurance

Phuket Old Town’s pop icon prints

POPERA PROS

Trisara readies for gala night at the opera with FIVERA’s finalé performance > Page 21 @thephuketnews

16 TECHNOLOGY

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Don’t you fake it ‘til you make it

Do you really want to fool potential customers by purchasing fake likes? LET’S GET

SOCIAL

Daniel Villota

The term ‘fake likes’ refers to external services that sell packages of likes from fake profiles

Buying ‘fake’ likes can skew your demographic data on facebook

e have been working as a social media marketing agency for the last three years and have seen several companies that have grown their fan base on social media platforms from a few hundred to thousands, or in some cases even hundreds of thousands, in a matter of just two to three days. This isn’t because one of their posts went viral or that they’ve deployed a costly marketing campaign, they have simply bought “fake likes” – a vanity metric used by certain companies to appear successful. It is not good for any business – let me explain why. The term “fake likes” refers to external services that sell packages of likes from fake profiles. These packages can run anywhere from B250 for 500 likes to B6,000 for 25,000 likes or more. All you have to do is simply Google “buy fake likes” to find several options and price points and then make the transaction. However, these likes are coming from “click farms” which create thousands of spurious accounts on Facebook and are paid to manually like certain pages, but of course, have no intention whatsoever of interacting with your page or driving real business to your company. Keep in mind that this is very different to a paid marketing campaign on Facebook aimed at increasing your followers – where it’s possible to narrow down an audience that might potentially be interested in becoming a real fan of your page or more importantly, a client. To be able to deliver your content to your target audience, Facebook’s algorithm values the type of posts you publish and the engagement of your follow-

Likes generated in ‘click farms’ can do your business damage in the long term ers. So, by having tons of followers with low engagement, you actually decrease the visibility of your post when it’s published. This means that over time, even your real followers will not be able to see the content that you publish. Another reason why buying likes is a bad idea is because it will affect the validity of demographic data from your audience. Facebook gives you the capability to know the age, gender, city, country and language of your audience, giving you an idea of who is really interested in what you offer or promote through your page. But when you buy likes, all this data becomes distorted, ruining this valuable information. The game in social media is not about the quantity of followers, but about the quality of targeted audiences, and even more so, your fans that are

talking about you and how they engage with your content. I understand that building social media followers is not easy and doesn’t happen overnight. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts and you should be very careful of how you acquire followers, as you may be penalized in the future for bad marketing practices. Growing and nurturing a fan base that will help you grow your business will take time and resources if you really want to see sustainable results in the long term. Daniel Villota is the Managing Director of E-Media Asia, the number one social media consulting agency in Southern Thailand. He can be contacted at daniel@e-media.asia or visit www.e-media.asia

‘Third gender’ tops net usage

survey by the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) has identified members of the “third gender’” as the heaviest internet users, averaging 53 hours per week, the Bangkok Post has reported. Unsurprisingly, internet usage rates are higher among younger people, with Generation Y (people born between 1980-2000) averaging 48 hours, Generation X (those born between 1965-80) at 44 hours, Generation Z (those born after 2000) with 40 hours and baby boomers with 31.8 hours. According to the survey results, internet usage on mobile devices among Thais is set to increase by 9% to 6.2 hours per day this year, boosted largely by the availability of fourth generation (4G) commercial wireless broadband service. Thais spent an average of 5.7 hours a day accessing the internet on mobile devices in 2015.

ETDA executive Ms Surangkana said YouTube, Facebook and Line were the most visited social media platforms. She said Thais used smartphones as their primary device to access the internet, thanks to more affordable mobile devices, greater availability of 4G commercial service coverage and a digital lifestyle that increasingly links consumers to the internet. Up to 85% of the 16,661 survey respondents said they used a smartphone to connect to the internet. Chatting on social media was the most popular activity, with 86% of respondents using their devices to do it, followed by visiting YouTube (66%), reading books online or e-books (55.7%), searching for information (54%) and conducting financial transactions (45%). Ms Surangkana said the survey found that millennials (members of Gen Y and Gen Z) used YouTube the most. While Baby Boomers and members of Gen X stuck to traditional social media networks such as Line and Facebook. Personal computers were the primary devices respondents used to access the internet from 8am-12pm, while smartphones were the primary devices used to connect to the internet from 4pm8am. Peak mobile internet usage was from 4pm8pm, the survey found. Bangkok Post thephuketnews

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CULTURE 17

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Thai taxi talismans A guide to good karma, protective amulets and road safety SIRINYA’S WORLD Dr Sirinya Pakditawan pakditawan@googlemail.com

Sirinya Pakditawan is a ‘luk kreung’, or halfThai, born and raised in Hamburg, Germany. She enjoys writing about Thailand, with a focus on culture, art, history, tradition and on the people, as well as a mix of topics concerning Thai popular culture, travelogues and articles about Thai food. Sirinya’s aim is not only to entertain you but to provide you with information and facts about Thailand, its culture and history that may not be generally known, in particular to the Western world. She has a PhD in American Studies from the University of Hamburg. To read the original story, and many more, be sure to check out Sirinya’s blog: www. sirinyas thailand.de

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ride in a taxi can be a great “crash course” introduction to Thai culture, mentality and beliefs. One of the first things you might notice upon boarding a taxi, van or limousine is all the sacred objects and talismans that the drivers have arranged on their dashboards, which serve as mini religious altars. What is the reason behind these talismans? On the surface, it’s a kind of animism, or the attribution of supernatural powers to inanimate objects, a basic “safety” precaution if you will. Many Thai Buddhists believe in karma and that each person’s fate is predetermined by their previous actions, in a past life or even this one. Thus, many Thais believe that anything that happens to a person, good or bad, happens as a direct or indirect result of their past actions. Therefore, many Thais, to some extent, believe that conventional safety precautions (helmets, seat belts, blinkers), driver’s skills and speed are not necessarily related to the probability of having an accident. In other words, if someone becomes a victim in a car accident, many will conclude that it was because of his or her negative karma. Strange as it may seem to a rational Westerner, the fate of a taxi might be influenced by the spirits of the passengers that ride in it. Therefore, on one hand Thai taxi drivers tend to believe in the concept of pok pong (ปกป อ้ ง), which implies a supernatural, magical or spiritual protection against danger and harm, which often carries a lot more weight the concept of prevention or pong gun (ป อ้ งกัน), by avoiding accidents through minding practical safety measures such as wearing seat-belts and helmets. Nonetheless, it is believed that pok pong plays an essential role to counter the negative influences radiated from the passengers. Thus, taxi drivers transform their cabs into a sort of spiritual “life insurance” when they decorate their dashboards with numerous talismans and amulets. To bless their car, some drivers have a yantra, a sacred, ancient geometrical diagram drawn by a monk or other holy scribe, which is then placed on the ceiling. Many drivers also hang Thai flower garlands and amulets on the rear view mirror to honour the journey goddess Mae Yanang (แม่ยา่ นาง). The dashboard

may also harbour Buddha statues and pictures of enlightened monks and royal images that are considered auspicious. Some drivers go beyond adorning the inside of a taxi and also decorate the outside. Taxi drivers may customise their cars with mascots, stickers, lamps and flags, which they also believe serve as an extra layer of protection against negative karma. Ancient beliefs, spells and superstition aside, most Thais in the modern day are rational enough to agree that safe driving and an emotionally-stable driver can go a long way in staying safe on the roads. A few simple and polite words to remind your Thai driver of this will also go along way. Say: Kup rote dee dee (ขับรถด ๆี ) – drive nicely or steadily, or Kup rote cha cha noi (ขับรถ ช า้ ๆหน่อย) – please drive slowly. In conclusion, we can say that Thai taxi altars and talismans are really special, since they reveal a lot about Thai culture, auspicious beliefs and

their mentality about life and harmony. Riding in a taxi in Thailand can become a spiritual experience. Just make sure you are carrying around good karma and vibes! Yours, Sirinya

Photos courtesy of ‘Thai Taxi Talismans’ Facebook page

18 ART

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Making the cut Monthian Yangthong works with the ancient art of woodcut printing in his Old Town gallery Amy Bensema bensema.amy@gmail.com

cattered throughout the Old Town district of Phuket are a wide variety of interesting artisan shops and unique local art galleries and studios. Perhaps one of the most intriguing is I Mon Art Gallery, which showcases original woodcut and linocut prints.

Centred among the eclectic shops on Phang Nga Road, I Mon Art Gallery is bright, cheerful and full of intricate detail. Walking inside the gallery, and thereby into the world of its resident artist/owner Monthian Yangthong, is a jaw-dropping experience. Paintings featuring the artist himself cover the walls, some spiritual, others abstract, while stacks of magazines, old newspapers and art supplies fill every empty nook and cranny. Sitting surrounded by all of this, perfecting his technique at a small table, is Monthian. He is a quirky fellow -- very energetic, extremely friendly, passionate and so very talented. He is the only artist in Phuket who makes woodcut and linocut prints, a fact of which he is very proud. Originating from Songkhla, Monthian has been in Phuket for nine years. Originally opening his gallery to showcasing his paintings, over the years he realized his real passion and talent was in linocut and woodcut printing and he has since honed and nurtured that

faces of such famous artists as Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dali, Reggae music legend Bob Marley, the iconic Steve Jobs and pop culture doyens such as Andy Warhol. Aesthetically pleasing, the prints make great centerpieces, however, it is when one gets up close and personal to the prints that the intricate details really pop.

talent. It was a wise decision on Monthianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part, as his linocut and woodcut prints really are his claim to fame. Large prints cover the walls of I Mon Art Gallery. They feature the

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HEALTH 19

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

To love yoga or knot Kim White kim@mindbodyyogasystem.com

Kim White is the owner of Sala Samadhi. She offers authentic Hatha yoga instruction for private and group sessions. Contact: www. mindbodyyogasystem. com or 086 276 9174. 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 situation.

ello and welcome to August. This month I thought I would do something a little different. Over the last few weeks I have seen this particular yoga pose posted again and again by many different people on my instagram feed. It looks fun, and easy enough, so I thought I would share it with you. I am not sure it has a proper name but I am going to call it shrivatsasana after the Sanskrit word of Shrivatsa, which is the name for the Buddhist eternal knot, one of the religion’s eight auspicious symbols. The symbols or “symbolic attributes” are yidams and teaching tools. Not only do these energetic symbols point to qualities of an enlightened mind-stream but they are ornaments that highlight these enlightened “qualities”. The Shrivatsa symbol in particular, draws many parallels with yogic teachings and promotes practises similar to those of yoga. The “love knot” as it is commonly known, represents the intertwining or union of wisdom and compassion, the inseparability of “emptiness” and “interdependent origination” (the underlying reality of existence), the eternal continuum of mind, samsara – the endless cycle of suffering of birth, death and rebirth within Buddhism. The knot has no beginning or end,

symbolizing the wisdom of the Buddha. Yoga has all this, you ask? Well, yes, Yoga is a great pathway, an awesome tool that can be used to open a door to the spiritual world, a starter pack, so to speak. The word yoga is a Sanskrit translation of the word union. There are so many ways and variations of practicing yoga, they are not all about standing on your head with a foot up and behind parts of your own body that you have never seen before. Yoga is an individual practice that will manifest itself naturally, with the right guidance. This guidance will come in the form of a good teacher or perhaps a book or even a personal investigation. There is raja yoga – a form for the strong-willed, and slow form for the restless, karma yoga for the saviours of the world, bhakti yoga for the devotional and jnana yoga for the wisdom seekers. All of the varying forms have the same goal in mind, bringing union to your life, however union translates for you. A coming together of aspects of your life in a way that creates a positive change mentally, emotionally and physically. Lets look at how we can create this love knot yoga pose for ourselves. 1. I think it best to start out using a wall behind you, until you have the balance aspect of the pose sorted. I rest my bottom on the wall behind me. 2. Cross your legs at the ankles and

It’s easy to see why this pose is called the ‘love knot’. come up onto your toes. 3. Bend your knees out to the side like a crossed ankle squat. 4. Tuck your chin into your chest and round out through the back, caving your chest, while crossing your arms at the elbows or higher. 5. Lean forward with your torso maintaining this shape and turn both palms to face outwards. 6. Maintain body shape and lower your torso until the middle finger on each hand is touching each heel. 7. Hold for 30 seconds to one minute (or long enough for a photo to be taken) 8. Hashtag #phuketnewsloveknot – Post your pics and show me the yoga love. Happy stretching Metta Kim OXO.

Zika virus outbreak in Singapore, authorities confirm 41 cases

ingaporean authorities on August 28 confirmed 41 locally transmitted cases of the Zika virus, which can cause deformities in unborn babies, and said more infections are likely. A day after announcing its first locally transmitted case, that of a 47-yearold Malaysian woman resident, the government reported 40 more – mostly foreign workers at a construction site. All 41 are residents or workers in a particular suburban residential and industrial district, the Ministry of Health and the National Environment Agency said in a joint statement. “They are not known to have travelled to Zika-affected areas recently, and are thus likely to have been infected in Singapore,” the statement said. “This confirms that local transmission of Zika virus infection has taken

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place.” those tested positive also live or work in It said that at this point the commuother parts of Singapore,” the statement nity transmission of the virus appears said. to be localised within the Aljunied CresThe health ministry said it has cent and Sims Drive area, which hosts alerted clinics and hospitals to be "extra high-rise residential blocs and some vigilant” and report patients with sympindustries. toms associated with the virus, mainly However, since Zika is spread by fever and rash. the Aedes mosquito – Health Minister Gan which also carries Kim Yong told lothe dengue cal media more virus – the imported health cases are ministry likely “cannot because rule out Singapore further is an international commutravel hub. nity transBecause mission... Zika infections worldwide: Photo: Furfur many Zika carsince some of

riers display only mild symptoms or no symptoms at all – meaning infected people may not seek treatment – local transmission of these imported cases “is also very high,” he said. Health officials said the current infections came to light after a local clinic on August 22 reported an unusual rise in viral fever. This prompted a check by health ministry experts, who told doctors to refer new cases to the government-run Communicable Diseases Centre. The National Environment Agency has deployed more than 200 officers to inspect and destroy possible mosquito breeding sites in the area. According to the statement, 36 of the 41 cases involve foreign labourers working at a construction site in the area. AFP

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

ENTERTAINMENT 21

Opera meets pop at Trisara

Acclaimed pop-opera band, FIVERA, return to Trisara for ‘A Night at the Opera’

hailand's only pop-opera band FIVERA are returning to Trisara for their final “A Night at the Opera” performance. The gala event on Saturday, September 17 is set to be an evening of fine cuisine and live music at Trisara and is proudly presented by The Phuket News, Phuket News TV and Live 89.5 in support of Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation. This will be the third and final performance at Trisara for the acclaimed FIVERA performers, so don’t miss your chance to see this fantastic live event. FIVERA perform a unique musical blend of contemporary pop and traditional opera. Their performance will include stunning renditions of the world’s most loved opera classics, as well as beautiful harmonizing to contemporary classical and pop crossovers. The group

will perform some of your favorite pieces in a unique and beautiful style. Prepare to be awed by their powerful voices and entrancing melodies. Fantastic auction prizes are up for grabs, including a private luxury charter on My Olympia 76 for 20 people, a beautiful sterling silver and gemstone necklace and earring set from Fragola Creations, two nights at Hotel Brunelleschi in Florence, Italy, and two nights at St Regis in Singapore. Proudly sponsored by Class Act Media, proceeds from this event will go towards supporting the local charity Phuket Has Been Good To Us. The charity organisation works to improve the economic opportunities and life chances of children by funding high quality English-language education in government schools in Phuket. This fund-raising event will enable the charity to employ a full-time, qualified Eng-

FIVERA harmonizes with five different tones: soprano, mezzo soprano, tenor, baritone and bass baritone

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lish teacher for the next school year. Tickets for “A Night at the Opera” are B5,000 net per person which includes a delicious four-course meal and beverages. VIP tickets offering lounge seating and LR bubbles at the pre-dinner performance have already sold out! The event starts at 6:30pm. The dress code is “elegant”. For guests wishing to enjoy a total Trisara experience, the resort is offering special prices for a night or two in a fantastic Pool Room or Villa. Last year’s event sold out quickly and all the VIP tickets have already been snapped up, so book your tickets now! For more information or bookings, please call Trisara Phuket on 076-310100 (Ext 5) or email events@trisara.com

The money raised will go to help local students

22 ISLAND SCENE

Kata Rocks' staff mingled with guests as the evening kicked off

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Black dresses contrasting with bright ones matched the night's stormy tropical theme

‘MONSOON’ PARTY HITS KATA ROCKS, BUT IT WAS CLEAR SAILING FOR GUESTS Kata Rocks hosted the sixth event of its exclusive Collective Series Sessions on Saturday, August 27. Guests enjoyed handcrafted drinks complemented by Executive Chef Laia’s gourmet tapas. Fortunately, despite the night’s ‘Monsoon’ theme, party-goers enjoyed clear skies to watch the sunset from Kata Rocks’ award-winning private Sky Penthouse Villa.

Stunning sunset views ensured the night lived up to its 'most instagramable party' hype

Guests enjoyed refreshing drinks and delectable canapés

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ISLAND SCENE 23

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Craig from C&C Marine with Joshua and Martin from Lee Marine

John and Marcus with the C&C Marine team

C&C MARINE THANK YOU PARTY HITS THE AIRWAVES WITH LIVE 89.5 RADIO C&C Marine hosted its annual customer and staff ‘thank you’ party on Friday, August 26 at its warehouse facility in Koh Kaew. To help get the party started, live 89.5 held an outdoor broadcast, with host of “Drive On Live” Jason Wilder manning the microphone throughout the evening. C&C Marine’s Craig Holmes also got some airtime when Jason interviewed him about the companies fortunes over the last year.

Representatives from the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism together with guests after the pre-event gathering.

(L-R) Mr Boon Yongsakul and Mr Kanit Yongsakul receive a token of appreciation from Mr Firnandi Gufron.

BOAT LAGOON HOSTS INDONESIAN MARINE AND TOURISM DELEGATION The organizers of the Riau Archipelago ‘Sail Karimata’ Marine Festival 2016 held a pre-event gathering for the sailing and marine community at Phuket Boat Lagoon on Saturday, August 27. The Indonesian delegation was led by Marine Development Consultant Mr Aji Sularso, together with Mr Ermiel Thabrani and the Assistant Deputy Director of the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism Mr Finandi Gufron. Also present at the Pre-Event gathering was the Chairman of Phuket Boat Lagoon Group Mr Kanit Yongsakul and the Deputy Managing Director of Phuket Boat Lagoon Mr Boon Yongsakul. For more information about the festival visit www.sail.id

Phuket Tourist Police and volunteers helped clear the beach

Tourist Police and many other volunteers prepare for the clean-up

TRASH HERO THAILAND VOLUNTEERS CLEAN BANG TAO BEACH Trash Hero volunteers wearing their free T-shirts, sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand

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Trash Hero Thailand, winner of the prestigious Green Excellence Award 2015, held its first official community clean up in Phuket at Bang Tao Beach on Saturday, August 7. Scores of hard-working volunteers scoured the beach all morning to pick up rubbish. Volunteers also enjoyed a free yoga session and were provided with complimentary fruit and water courtesy of Best Western Hotel.

24 EVENTS

FRI

2 SEP

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM First Week Friday and the Third Week Friday, in Karon Beach. Try out our delicious Aloo Tikki, Samosas, Chicken Tandoori, Aloo Gobi, Navrang Korma, Butter Chicken, Lamb Vindaloo, Naan, Rice, Salads, Chutneys / Achars, Pistachio Ice Cream, Gulah Jamun, Fruits. And extra dishes on the menu: ONIONBHAJI, BOMBAY ALOO, DAL MAKHINI, VANILLA ICE-CREAM. For only 499/- nett and special reduced prices on drinks. 076-286464 Ext 4.

ing a lavish Sunday Brunch featuring a delectable international seafood buffet complemented by a 12 course degustation menu featuring the finest selection of gourmet plates. Bodega Sunday Brunch from 12pm till 3pm price start from 1950++. Reservations recommend call our F& B Reservation team on 076 324 101 ext 8938.

Cricket league every Sunday @ Alan Cooke Ground, Thalang

WEEKLY BBQ EVERY FRIDAY

Come join us for our WEEKLY BBQ EVERY FRIDAY at Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong from 12pm-Late! Indulge in All You Can Eat BBQ Pork Ribs, Chicken and Sides for ONLY 395 BAHT! Our BBQ is famous at Two Chefs! Come try us out and enjoy our mouthwatering pork ribs, flavor-bursting chicken and more! Join us for Live Music from 8-Late Performed by Our Famous Two Chefs Band! Come for the FOOD - Stay for the FUN at Two Chefs!!! RESERVE Your Table Now Online at bit.ly/TwoChefsReservations Check out more details on our website at bit.ly/TwoChefsEvents.

La Gritta’s New Discovery Menu

Take your taste buds on a culinary tour through some of the finest Italian flavours. Chef Patrizia has created a six-course discovery menu priced at THB 1,590++ per person. Only during the month of September, show the promotion code PMLGPN2016/1 to receive a 10% discount! For reservations, email lagritta@amari.com or call 076 292 697. For more info: www.lagritta.com

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Phuket Cricket Group (PCG) hosts the T20 Cricket League every Sunday at the Alan Cooke Ground in Thalang. Two games per day, starting at 10am and 2pm. Everyone welcome to come and enjoy cricket at a fantastic venue. Food and beverages available all day at the Boundary Bar. Anyone interested in cricket in Phuket please email phuketcricketgroup@gmail.com. Visit www.phuketcricket. com and www.acgphuket.com for further info and directions. This event is sponsored by Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort, The Phuket News and Live89.5.

Sunday Roast EVERY SUNDAY

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

Traditional Sunday Roast Angus O’Tool’s Karon Beach

All Day Breakfast at Cafe Siam

Aussie bacon & egg rolls NOW at Cafe Siam. All day breakfast, just like mum makes. Lavazza Coffee, healthy snacks & salads. Find us at the Entrance of The Royal Paradise Complex, Patong. Mon - Sat 8.30am - 4.00pm. Facebook: CafeSiamGuesthousePhuket 081 676 9411.

Pool Competition at Expat Sports Bar

Bellini After Hours

Chalong nightlife will never be the same with the launch of Bellini After Hours, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday only, dance the night away with the Bellini Band and DJ from 10pm till 2am. Pizza available all night. Join us for our opening weekend starting this Friday night, remember to like us on Facebook to get a free drink. More info on Facebook - Bellini After Hours.

SAT

1.2kg mussels served with french fries, your choice, your style: nature, marnière, provençale, garlic & cream or Thai style. Reservations recommended B295 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

5 SEP

A CASUAL SUNDAY BRUNCH BY THE POOLSIDE

Live Sports at Expat Hotel

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

SUN

Sunday Tapas

This is what Sunday lunches are meant to be - fabulous, fresh unlimited and Western and Asian tapas with friends and family crafted by the talented team of chefs at Banyan Tree Phuket. Starting at THB 2,000 net per person.Reservations, Banyan Tree Phuket, 076 372 400 # 5463.

MON

3 SEP

The competition at 9pm - Expat Sports Bar at the Expat Hotel Soi Taipan Patong. See map at www.expathotel.com.

Mussels night @ Shakers

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

4 SEP

Relaxing afternoon by the poolside featuring a lavish spread of international delicacies and fresh seafood from the Ocean. Special Promotions: (1) A group of over 10 people receive 20% discount. (2) Birthday celebrations – birthday person receives a complimentary Brunch. The rest of the party, if over 10 people receive 20% discount. All prices are subject to a 7% government tax and a 10% service charge. Children’s prices are applicable to those aged from six to twelve. Children under the age of six dine with our compliments. RSVP, HYATT REGENCY PHUKET RESORT, fnb.phuhr@hyatt.com, 076 231 234.

All you can eat BBQ night

6PM – 11PM: Beef, Pork, Chicken, Burgers, Sausages, Prawns & Squids, salad buffet, Choice of potatoes & Sauces, Bread, Buns & garlic bread Reservation recommended 395 baht P.P. shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

WED

7 SEP

All you can eat Sunday Roast Buffet

Indian Curry Night on Fridays Come to Navrang Mahal in Karon Sea Sands Resort & Spa for an authentic Indian Feast

Sunday Gourmet Brunch At Bodega and Grill

Relax with your family and friends while enjoy-

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

All you can eat BBQ Ribs night

6PM – 11PM: All you can eat BBQ Ribs served with salad buffet, potato Salad & Choice of Sauces Reservation recommended 350 baht P.P. shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

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THU

EVENTS 25

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

8 SEP

Thursday Pool Parties @ Centara Grand West Sands Resort & Villas Phuket Thursday Pool Parties Are Here! Every Thursday from 5pm to 9pm at the main Centara Grand West Sands Resort & Villas Phuket Pool – the one beside the beach -- we’re hosting our beloved Pool Parties. Live DJ, Pool and Poolside Activities, Great Food and Happy Time Prices. Wear your Board Shorts and Bikinis. Check in with us for specific themes – a new one every week. Centarahotelresorts.com/cgwp or call (0) 76 372 000 for details.

PIWC Meet & Greet Coffee September WHERE: Starbucks @Central Festival WHEN: 2nd Thursday of each month from 10:30AM to NOON WHAT: New members are encouraged to join our monthly Meet & Greet Coffee Morning to find out more about our organization. It’s also a great opportunity to chat with a few members in a more casual setting over a cup of coffee. Starbucks @Central Festival.

Dishes and Live Action Chef Stations. Indulge in an ALL YOU CAN EAT dinner including; fresh seafood, vegetarian dishes and wide variety of meat dishes! All for ONLY 495 BAHT Per Person! Sit back and enjoy a Children’s Thai Dance Show + Live Music Performed by Our Famous Two Chefs Band from 8pm-Late! Don’t Miss Out! BOOK Your Table NOW At bit.ly/ReserveTwoChefs More info at: bit.ly/TwoChefsEvents

THU

15 SEP

Open to all junior golfers aged 12 – 21 years old holding a USGA or nationally recognized handicap, the championship will consist of 54 holes, with each age-group gross winner of the championship earning themselves places in the 11th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at Laguna Lang Co in March 2017! Contact golf@lagunaphuket.com to learn more about the event!

PIWC Luncheon September Monthly lunch will be at on Thursday, September 15 at Les Diables Boat Lagoon. RSVP is required no later than Tuesday 13 September. Price is 600 baht members; guests are 750 baht. Registration at 11:30 and lunch begins at noon. NOTE for cancellations and no-shows – please provide us with a minimum 24 hour notice for cancellation otherwise you will be responsible for the lunch fee, as we must guarantee our headcount to the restaurant. Thanks for your understanding. All proceeds from our monthly lunches support PIWC Scholarship Awards. Your support is greatly appreciated. See you at Les Diables at Boat Lagoon.

SAT

10 SEP

This inspirational program is designed to educate, motivate and understand hormonal balancing, the cortisol connection, stress reduction and much more. Full program THB 22,000 net p.p. (excludes accommodation). One off classes from THB 900. 15% discount before July 31. Limited numbers. Reservations and special accommodation rates contact linda.overman@marriotthotel.com or 076 338 000 ext. 3752.

SAT

17 SEP

A Night at the Opera 2016

Thai Night Buffet at Two Chefs Kata Beach Do you enjoy delicious Thai Cuisine that’s bursting with flavor? How about exciting Live-Action Cooking Stations? Come and indulge with us on Saturday September 10 at Two Chefs Kata Beach for our Thai Night Buffet from 7pm-Late! Enjoy a large selection of mouthwatering Thai

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2nd ACCOR HOTELS “Heartbreak” Hill Mini-Marathon’ 2016 To create an annual fundraising event which supports the improving education and well-being of underprivileged children within the community we live and work. Our priority is to raise funds for local schools in Phuket and nearby provinces and support to Accor Yim Kids Project, which is a part of ACCOR HOTELS Corporate Social Responsibility. More info: tel. 089-4751159 or Facebook: facebook.com/groups/heartbreakhillphuket. This event is proudly sponsored by Live89.5.

The Reboot & Re-energize your Body & Mind Workshop Faldo Series – Thailand Championship South 2016 8-11 Sept.

SUN

18 SEP

“A Night at the Opera” – An elegant night of harmony & gastronomy! For the 3rd and final year FIVERA, Thailand’s only pop-opera group, will perform popular arias and pop hits in operatic style at Trisara. Saturday 17th September 6:30 pm at Trisara. THB 5,000 per guest, includes 4 course dinner & drinks. Book now: events@ trisara.com VIP seats now SOLD OUT!! Proceeds to Phuket Has Been Good To Us to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged Thai children in Phuket. This event is proudly sponsored by Live89.5.

THU

22 SEP

Property Report Congress Thailand 2016 A high-level forum for real estate professionals & industry leaders, VIPs, experts and Asia Property Awards winners and judges. The whole-day conference will cover Thailand’s top regional locations,design,retail,office, hotel segments, an overall market overview,a workshop on content marketing. More info please contact Amy, conference director +66 804 492 525. This event sponsored by The Phuket News. Plaza Athenee Bangkok.

Thailand Property Awards 2016 The 11th Thailand Property Awards 2016 promises to be the most prestigious and competitive to date, with more than 500 of the Kingdom’s biggest and emerging names in real estate gathering on 22 Sept, at Plaza Athenee Bangkok, a Royal Meridien. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to celebrate one of the region’s emerging property markets and meet the industry leaders who are redefining it.

SAT

24 SEP

Inaugural Benefit Gala 2016 Celebrate Phuket International Academy (PIA)

becoming United World College Thailand (UWCT) in an evening filled with good food, free-flow drinks, live music, DJ, raffles and prizes, all in aid of a good cause. All proceeds will go towards a full scholarship for an underprivileged local Thai student to attend UWCT next year. Ticket donation 3,500 THB. Book your tickets now at: uwcthailandgala. org This event is proudly sponsored by The Phuket News.

SUN

9 OCT

12th Mai Khao Turtle Fun Run and Mini Marathon 2016 The 12th Turtle Fun Run: Run Across the Sea Mini Marathon and Fun Run will take place on 9 October 2016, at 6:15 am at Phuket Gateway. Proceeds benefit the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation. There will be a 10.2 km mini marathon (350 THB), a 5.3 km Fun Run (300 THB), and a 2.5 km Family Run (1000 THB/family). Registration at the JW Marriott Mai Khao concierge from 3-8th October from 10:00-17:00, or the day of at Phuket Gateway 4:30-5:30 am. Contact Kittipan: 0897738830.Sponsored by The Phuket News and Live89.5.

WED

23 NOV

Phuket International Sportfishing Tournament (PIST) 2016 Registration is on the 23th November 2016 from 4pm onwards Location Tamarind Bar & Grill in Chalong. The weight station will be at the Tamarind Bar & Grill in Chalong on all 3 fishing days, 24th, 25th & 26th November. The final evening and prize giving party will also be held in the Tamarind Bar & Grill, Chalong More info at www.phuket-international-sportfishing-tournament.com The event is proudly supported by Live 89.5 and The Phuket News.

26 TIME OUT

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York Across

1. Which Conference side did Jamie Vardy play for before joining Leicester? 2. In which city is Harvard University? 3. What is President Barack Obama’s middle name? 4. The Bodleian Library is in which city? 5. What is the ninth prime number? Answers below, centre

SUDOKU

55. Old beer 58. Ho-hum 60. Swiss for lake 63. Not a champion’s thinking 66. Beheaded Boleyn 67. Avoid 68. Secondhand 69. Imbroglio 70. Grope 71. The “B” of N.B.

23. In ___ (together) 24. Live 1. Kind of drop 25. Chasm 5. Haircuts 26. Swelter 9. Height 27. Mrs. Bush 13. Diaper cream 29. Packing a punch ingredient 30. They can be 14. Blockhead taken en passant 16. Be hopping mad 32. Charter 17. “Lose-lose” 33. Wastes time scenarios 34. Gangsters’ gals 20. Dulles posting 36. One of Alcott’s 21. Does not exist “Little Men” 22. Child’s creation 38. Behold 23. Place to relax Down 41. Harmful 24. Anger 42. Brewer’s need 25. With competence 1. Place for a comb 47. Present and 28. Certain berth 2. Buckets future 31. Insignificant 3. Hawkeyes home 49. Thistlelike plant 35. Marque 4. Wahine accessory 52. In times past 37. Haven 5. Capital city in 54. “Thar ___ 39. “Lar__” : 60’s Africa blows!” Rangers TV series 6. Norse war god 55. Emulated Janet 40. Excuse for losing 7. Hardy post Evans 43. Elton John, e.g. 8. Symbol of 56. Fork feature 44. Incessantly worthlessness 57. Lodges 45. Stand for a 9. Tolerates 58. Down in the portrait 10. Jointly owned dumps 46. Bed support store 59. Miner’s quest 48. Map within a map 11. Peewee 60. Get rid of 50. Not so much 12. Additionally 61. “I’ll second that” 51. Atlantic Coast 15. Arboreal 62. Grant states, with “the” monkey 64. Grimm character 53. Shakespearean 18. Pinch suffix 19. Big jerk 65. Hero

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) Fleetwood Town; 2) Cambridge (Massachusetts); 3) Hussein; 4) Oxford; 5) 23

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW

This week in history ■■ Sept 2, 1752 Great Britain adopts the Gregorian calendar, nearly two centuries later than most of Western Europe.

■■ Sept 3, 1971 Qatar becomes an independent state.

in six people in the US would like to die before the age of 80, according to a recent study.

■■ Sept 4, 1781 Los Angeles is founded.

■■ Sept 5, 1972 Munich massacre: A Palestinian terrorist group called “Black September” attacks and takes hostage 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympic Games. Two die in the attack and nine die the following day.

female news anchors in Egypt have been suspended by the state until they lose weight.

per cent of teen drivers in the US change clothes, do homework or change contact lenses while driving.

1,075

years old is the age of Europe’s oldest tree – a Bosnian pine in northern Greece.

■■ Sept 6, 1552 The Victoria, the only surviving ship of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition, returns to Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain, becoming the first ship to circumnavigate the world.

102 million

dollars worth of legal marijuana has been smoked In the US state of Oregan already this year. Source: Uberfacts

■■ Sept 7, 1966 In Cape Town, South Africa, the architect of Apartheid, Prime Minister Dr Hendrik Verwoerd, is stabbed to death during a parliamentary meeting.

Solitude in Phuket. Photo by Rick Nuffer Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket? Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

■■ Sept 8, 1504 Michelangelo’s David is unveiled in Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

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STORAGE Reserve Your Storage Space

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 Sizes to Suit all Budgets  Personal & Business Storage  Motorcycle Storage  Left Luggage Service  We Sell Boxes  Storage Insurance Inclusive

Secure, Clean & Cost Effective Self Storage Jungceylon Shopping Center, Patong, Phuket

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Buy&Sell BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE Steel boat for sale

32 metre steel boat for sale, built 2012 2x cummings engines, 10 hrs work only, International REG. Excellent for live - aboard or ferry, price 6MB. contact call Joe 087 8918912 or joe@similan-divers.com.

ACTIVITIES, GROUPS Free Tiya’s Hammocks campaign

Win Free hammock from Tiya’s Hammocks Phuket. Winner will get V Weave hammock, handmade from North of Thailand, weight capacity 250 kgs. Value 5,200 THB. More details visit Facebook: Tiya’s hammocks, Contact: Tiya, tiya@tiyashammocks.com, 089 600 0041.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Business For Sale

No not a bar or guesthouse but a viable business not dependent on tourism or high seasons. All the machinery&inventory of materials to begin manufacturing wooden window blinds. This business has been a proven success in Phuket with over 5 years of profitable operations. Over 3 MB. in inventory included, 2 MB. with financing available. Call +6681 487 4812 or lamsden@phuketemail.com for photos&details.

Restaurant for sale in Rawai

All new equipment, air conditioned, private terrace, unlimited parking. All offers considered. optispa@gmail. com, 088 386 9132, 063 067 4498.

Looking for a Partner Investor

I am looking for a Partner/Investor to expand my Dive business. Anyone interested please email me to discuss the proposal. rwhi690169@bigpond.com

Restaurant set up for sale

A fully equipped restaurant in the highly sought after Boat Avenue mall in Laguna. Stainless steel kitchen, Wi-Fi, bar counter, service area. Ready to go in days. Email: jukeboxphuket@gmail.com, 081 090 1608.

CAR FOR SALE Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8G VVTI

2013 - 35,000km - Automatic White - CD Radio, Air-con, Alloys Excellent Condition, Only used for school runs. 525,000, Duang, Royal Phuket Marina, gavinmullins@hotmail.com, 083 093 9724. le

t sa n e rg

Honda Jazz 2009 1500cc Auto

57,000kms. One owner since new. Regularly serviced by Honda. Tax and Insurance until the end of June and available now at right offer. Reduced by 40,000 bht, REDUCED to 330,000bht o.n.o, Andy +66846909144, andysmalster@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE New loft trailer

Fully welded steel construction. Proper fenders springs, hitch, lights, toungue jack, alu deck. Fits M/C, ATY, const, landscape. 1700 lb. cap. 65,000 THB, 081 693 8214. @thephuketnews

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MOVING SERVICES Looking for Moving Company?

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

REAL ESTATE SERVICES Phuket real estate tour

Real estate investment tours are specially designed to help you to achieve your investment goals with the right property in the right location. You will get advice on the multitude of lucrative investment opportunities in Phuket. 1990, md@tourasian.com, 080 826 4665.

WEBSITES, IT For Sale: hoteldealsphuket.com

PHD has 125,000 pages indexed in Google and an average of 22,000 page views per month! See stats image. Also see the selling points on the link below. Quick sale: 33.000B!, Mark, mr.m.hopkins@gmail.com

PROPERTY FOR SALE Beautiful Land in Rawai For Sale

Beautiful mountain view with option of sea view land of 742m2 for sale in Rawai with chanote title. For more information contact 085 790 2021.

PROPERTY FOR SALE Outstanding Beach Front Pool Villa

A rare opportunity to purchase a 4 bedroom beachfront villa in a 5* resort at The Village Coconut Island. A “snip” at 22m THB. Contact email aadmo@ btinternet.com, Somjit, aadmo@btinternet.com, 081 9791945.

LAND NEAR WATERFALL FOR SALE

Beautiful, gently sloping land for sale near Bang Pae waterfall. Good road, 3-phase power. NS3 paper (upgrade applied for). 7 rai, B4m/ rai. 087 884 9964 (En) or 087 272 5594 (Th). alasdair. phuket@gmail.com

PROPERTY FOR SALE Sale by owner Apartment ‘The Pearl of Naithon’ Leasehold

Total area 226,66 SQM including terrace 41,25 Sqm, 50 meters from the beach, 3 bedrooms with 3 bathrooms, Owner purchased at THB 22.5 million, now reduced to only THB 11.5 million for quick sales. MP + 66 (0) 89 814 1458.

Modern home office for sale

Modern home office for sale located 400 m fr Central Intersection. 1 Unit has 1 commercial, 1 living space, 4 bedrooms & built-in bathrooms. Owner, thip_june19@yahoo.com, 087 543 4716.

COMMUNITY

Prime Land near Natai Beach

13 Rai Prime flat land full chanote 5 mins to beautiful Natai beach 5 mins to Khok Kloi 20 mins from Phuket airport. Close to temples, beach & mountain views perfect for large property or subdivide for development. 13,500,000, James Thai & English, 091 878 5240, dannyred@hotmail.com

Kay McDonnell

I have a number of FIRE SALE PROPERTIES from 1.5 MTB to 47MTB. Condos/Houses/Villas Please contact me if you are looking for bargains in the south of the island.080 124 1245, kay@pare.com thephuketnews

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PROPERTY FOR RENT Villas & Apts Rent-Chalong

2- and 3 -bedroom pool villas, 2-bedroom townhouses & studio apar tments. Special prices from 700/night or 8,000/month. Rates include WiFi, maid service, cable TV, furnishings. Great loc ation near Big Buddha. info@chalongapar tment.com, 086 282 6221, www.chalongapartment.com

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Waterfront Condominium

The Cleat Condo, residence project in Krabi Boat Lagoon Marina. Price 3-9MB, size 37119 Sq.M., 1 or 2 bedroom, marina view. For rent/sale. marketing@phuketpropertytrip.com

House for Sale

House at Land and House for sale. 2-storey with 3 bedrooms, living room, kitchen, balcony, jacuzzi, library, laundry. Near to kid playground, two swimming pools, sauna, gym. Enough land to build a second house on the same plot. Ekaterina Oseledets, 095 861 7571.

Premium villa 8B in the prestiques Sunrise Ocean Villas developement is now for sale. Being built on the highest point in the estate, only 80 meters from the ocean and located 3 mins away from Grand AoPor Marina, 10 mins from golf course, 20 mins from the airport, shopping centers, schools and hospitals, this villa is a perfect place to live with no traffic, no pollution and no mass tourism... More than 600 Sqm usable building area, 3 bedrooms, guest apartment, maid quarters, games room, 10 meter infinity swimming pool, roof terrace and breathtaking views. Can be ready to move in within 8 weeks and still can be customized to the wishes of new owner. For sale at only 24.9 mill Baht. For viewing or more information please contact our sales director, Khun Montha 081 343 0777 Email : montha_phuket@yahoo.com.

MAI KHAO LAND

Beachfront land in Mai Khao. East coast. 3 rai 2 ngan 24sqw. For sale: 45 million baht. 45 million.

PROPERTY FOR RENT Attractive 3 bed single house

Set in quiet surroundings in Bang Jo. Land area is 240 sq mtrs living area is 106 sq mtrs. Features - Modern Kitchen, Washing Machine, Security System, Auto Gate, Off road Parking, Air-Con, 12V LED Garden Lighting, Fountain water feature and Gardener. 25K per month on 1 year contract. Call 081 968 6051.

Kathu Condo for Sale/Rent

36 Sqm Fully Furnished with Pool & Fitness. Rent start 9,000 monthly. Close to Patong, Central Festival Phuket and Prince of Songkla University. Lily Line ID: 0841094466, flyfreelily@gmail.com, 084 109 4466.

Two condos for sale/rent

2 condos for sale 48 sqm. - sale price $60,000 (developer’s price $116,000) & 54,5 sqm. - sale price $70,000 (developer’s price $128,000). Fully furnished, near Central, Big C, BIS, Lotus, hospitals, schools. Communal pool and gym. Short & long time rent available 48 sqm. – THB 10000-15000 per month; 54,5 sqm. – THB 15000-20000 per month + electricity&water, Ekaterina Oseledets, 095 861 7571.

2 BDR Bungalow, Nai Harn Beach

For rent with “Free UBC Platinum cable TV”, security, air-con, fridge, stove, quiet area, at end of cul-de-sac, 12,500 per month. Call 098 017 8818 or 087 884 8972.

Office/Shop for Rent

Ground Floor space with excellent positioning on Chalong Pier Road. For more information, please call 081 416 4177 or 076 381 341. @thephuketnews

New Sea View Villa

34 PROPERTY

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

re Pri du ce ce d

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4-BEDROOM VILLA WITH LARGE GARDEN, Paklok Set on a sizeable land plot of 1300 SQM, this standalone property is situated in peaceful surroundings in Paklok.

PAVILION STYLE SEA VIEW VILLA, Surin 4 Bedrooms, 5 Bathrooms, 550sqm.

39,500,000 THB

Located in an exclusive development on a hillside close to Surin Beach. With a Thai style the pool villa features spectacular views of the clear waters.

3 fr 00 om m be ete ac rs h

8,900,000 THB

4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 142 sqm.

SIZEABLE 1-BEDROOM APARTMENT, Layan 1 Bedrooms, 1 Bathrooms, 76sqm. Overlooking a lake this bright leasehold apartment features open plan living, separate bedroom and a sizeable terrace. The colonial style development is very-well maintained with lots of greenery, swimming pool, kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pool and outdoor seating area. Must-see development.

3,100,000 THB

FREEHOLD 2-BEDROOM APARTMENT, Karon 2 bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 156 sqm.

On offer is a spacious 2-bedroom apartment. Just a few minutes 10,700,000 the sandy Karon Beach, this property is ideal both for residential purposes and as a holiday home. Terrific location at only 68,000 THB per SQM.

THB

ly ed ew h N nc u la

Starting at

3,900,000 THB

SEAVIEW INVESTMENT CONDOS , Kalim 1 bedrooms, 1 Bathrooms, 35sqm.

Offering a 7 % annual guaranteed for 15 years, this newly launched project offers spectacular sea view. Set in blocks of 4 units, Freehold is available with the best units still on offer. Be quick to arrange a viewing.

CHARMING 5-BEDROOM POOL VILLA, Rawai

19,750,000 THB

5 Bedroom, 4 Bathroom, 435sqm.

Set on a massive 1920 SQM land plot this standalone house is something unique. Large pool with views of the mountains. Covered outdoor space with terracotta tiles and large kitchen area

WONDERFUL 2-BEDROOM POOL VILLA, Chalong 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathrooms, 298sqm.

Quiet villa development with 12 units, this well-priced property offers easy access to Chalong pier and Phuket Town. Significantly reduced in price to facilitate a quick sale

6,980,000 THB

DUPLEX CONDO WITH JACUZZI, Patong 1 Bedrooms, 1 Bathrooms, 87 sqm.

Location does not get better. This freehold duplex is just steps from Patong Beach and walking distance all main amenities. Luxury development with excellent common area facilities.

9,800,000 THB

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PROPERTY 35

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Call us today to schedule a viewing or visit Thailand’s leading online marketplace to seach 1000’s of properties in Phuket and all other major locations across Thailand - go to FazWaz.com

GOLF VIEW TOWNHOUSE WITH POOL, Kathu

7,500,000 THB

3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, 260sqm.

Overlooking the golf course this charming townhouse offers a private pool and plenty of surrounding greenery. 3-storey property ideal both for golf enthusiasts or residential use.

3-BEDROOM GROUND FLOOR APARTMENT, Kamala

3,000,000 THB

3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 124 sqm.

Spacious leasehold apartment. Situated in an older estate in a peaceful jungle surroundings. Just a few steps to the large communal pool directly from the terrace.

STUNNING 3-BEDROOM POOL VILLA, Nai Harn 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, 260sqm.

Well-appointed pool villa nestled in a quiet development just a short drive to Nai Harn Beach. Fascinating design, both interior and exterior, the villa was recently renovated to a high standard.

12,500,000 THB

WELL MAINTAINED POOL VILLA, Chalong

2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 206 sqm.

Charming pool villa in a gated community. Easy access to local shops and restaurants. Open plan living with 2 well appointed bedrooms.

6,700,000 THB

t ew ke N ar m

4 Bedrooms, 5 Bathrooms, 430 sqm.

29,000,000 THB

Designed with an emphasis on Feng Shui the penthouse offers stunning views over the waters at Naka. Large private pool and Jacuzzi.

Se w

@thephuketnews

Situated in a quiet location in the residential area of Thalang. Short drive to international schools and hospitals. 400 sqm indoor space and a large outdoor pool.

SEAVIEW 2-BEDROOM APARTMENT, Ao Po

UNIQUE SEAVIEW POOL VILLA Patong

This two bedroom property is well-presented and provides spacious accommodation for a very reasonable price. Gorgeous views to the ocean and the surrounding islands.

Standalone villa on 1000 sqm plot nestled on a hillside in Patong with great views over the city. High potential to generate a solid rental income. Rare property to enter the market.

2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 106sqm.

7,500,000 THB

PERFECT FAMILY HOME, Thalang 4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, 500 sqm.

8,800,000 THB

Te va rri lu fic e

FREEHOLD PENTHOUSE WITH PRIVATE POOL, Kamala

4 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms, 485 sqm.

19,950,000 THB

36 SPORT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

T20 cricket returns

Outrigger series to kick off this weekend CRICKET Matt Pond editor3@thephuketnews.com

Wet Dreams win big, P extend lead in PPL Despite wearing his latest accessory, Mr Tak from Martin Swiss failed to impress on the night.

POOL G OI NG I N TO LAST Thursday’s (Aug 25) round of the Patong Pool League, Ting Tong Bar had closed the gap on Wet Dreams, who sat top of the league table, to just three points. However, following last Thursday’s games Wet Dreams extended that gap to seven points. Playing away from home agai nst M&M Ba r, Wet Dreams took a big 9-2 win over their opponents, while Ting Tong Bar, who played away to Natalie Bar, had a shock 5-6 defeat. Elsewhere, Martin Swiss had a big 8-3 loss at home against Sports Bar with Mr

Tak’s new glove not bringing luck to either him or his team, while Champs Bar narrowly beat Simon and Oils a 6-5 at home. Dirty Nellies picked up 11 points due to their “No Game” against Amigo.

League Standings Wet Dreams

Ting Tong

1Bar

Genius

Champs

Sports

Dirty Nellies

Natalie

Martin Swiss

Simon & Oils

M&M

Amigo

huket’s T20 (twenty over) cricket league will be starting this Sunday (Sept 4) at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG). The Phuket Cricket Group (PCG) is pleased to announce that Outrigger Resorts is once again the naming sponsor of the annual league for the 4th consecutive year. This season, the Outrigger T20 will feature four teams – Island Cricket Club (ICC), Laguna Cricket Club (LCC), Patong Cricket Club (PCC) and Thalang Cricket Team (TCT). The league will consist of a round-robin format with two games played each Sunday. The first game starts at 11am, the second at 2:30pm. This format makes it great for spectators as they get to watch two action packed games from the comfort of the pavilion and enjoy food and beverages served from the ACG’s Boundary Bar all day.

To kick-off the season, PCC will play TCT first, followed by LCC playing ICC. Semi-finals are set to be played on Oct 16 with the winners progressing to the Outrigger Resorts T20 final to be held Oct 30. The ACG is a purpose built cricketing facility in Thalang offering players and spectators first class facility to play and enjoy watching cricket. Everyone is welcome and the ground is very child friendly. The Phuket News and Live 89.5 have this year signed on as the PCG/ACG official media partner. Phuket’s No. 1 source of news and radio will be covering all of the runs, wickets and community events held at the ACG throughout 2016. For more infor mation please visit the PCG website www.phuketcricket.com and the ACG www.acgphuket. com where directions to the ground can be found. Anyone interested in getting involved in cricket in Phuket please email – Phuketcricketgroup@gmail.com.

Each week spectators will get to watch two action packed games from the pavilion. Photo: Michael Way

T20 Fixtures

Week Sept 4 11am - Patong Cricket Club Vs Thalang Cricket Team 2:30pm - Laguna Cricket Club Vs Island Cricket Club Week 2 Sept 11 11am - Island Cricket Club Vs Patong Cricket Club 2:30pm - Laguna Cricket Club Vs Thalang Cricket Team Week 3 Sept 18 11am - Patong Cricket Club Vs Laguna Cricket Club 2:30pm - Island Cricket Club Vs Thalang Cricket Team Week 4 Sept 25 11am - Thalang Cricket Team Vs Patong Cricket Club 2:30pm - Island Cricket Club Vs Laguna Cricket Club Week 5 Oct 2 11am - Patong Cricket Club Vs Island Cricket Club 2:30pm - Thalang Cricket Team Vs Laguna Cricket Club Week 6 Oct 9 11am - Laguna Cricket Club Vs Patong Cricket Club 2:30pm - Thalang Cricket Team Vs Island Cricket Club Semi finals Oct 16 10am - 1st Vs 4th placed 2pm - 2nd Vs 3rd placed Finals day Oct 30 10am - 3rd and 4th place play-off 2pm - 1st and 2nd place play-off

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

SPORT 37

It’s all about the

‘Classic 2017’ FISHING

Jimmy Stewart editor@classactmedia.co.th

nce again the weather has kept boats mainly in port me hearties, and the fishing was as fickle as catching a good internet connection. But moving along, I have it on good authority that next years “Classic 17” Fishing Competition is altering its venue from the Similan Islands, (outside the exclusion zone), to an area outside Chalong Bay encompassing “all” the local hotspots including Green Island, the Rachas, the Drop-off, and for anyone wishing to “overnight”, Koh Ha/Roc and Hin Dang. The organisers advise me this was done to allow a bigger choice of boats, including “open” and single engine craft and therefore more flexible pricing for Thailand’s premier “Big Game” competition. So it’s everything from Gin Palace luxury to bare boards “roughing it” on a ‘budget”

BISP tennis player Anzac was comfortable winner of the LTAT Southern Circuit Boys 10 & Under title held in Hat Yai.

Marlin will be a top catch during the competition. boat, although I am waiting on information regarding a mother-ship, and landings information. It is expected that the “liveaboards” will stay at sea for the duration of this three-day event, which will get underway at 8am on Mar 1, 2017 from Chalong Pier, while the smaller boats are welcome to bribe and corrupt their crews to stay out as long as they like in order not to miss the dusk Sailfish runs, or even sleep rough off one of the islands, which would be my preference on a

Mena “budget” boat. All the sponsors for the previous eight years are once again on board including The Phuket News and Kan Eang @Pier Restaurant, who will once again be offering their sensational seafood buffet at the prize giving on Mar 4, which will, as usual, be all inclusive of some drinks. With seven months to go, there are already 12 confirmed teams, and although not finalised, hopefully the registration will once again be held at Mad Mohally’s, “famous fishing

Something to get you through the day! SURFING

Tim Campbell info@skylaphuket.com

T H E W I N D OWS A R E down, the fresh salty air lifts your smile as the cool breeze rushes past your face. As you swing into the car park the frothy white waves call your name. Without hesitation your feet hit the squeaky sand, only paces away from your dream come true. You’re taken to another place as the crispy big blue hits your face. With every

Sammy Campbell surfing in the real world. paddle reality fades away, the majestic sight of a set approaches, sending tingles right down your bones. As you glide effortlessly along the wave you hear cheers from a distance. Crystal beams reflect off the water as you carve from top to bottom. Is that the green room you see? Yes please! It’s natural peak rises and engulfs you and you’re now embraced in it’s hug. You see

HASH HOUSE HARRIERS Run: #1596: Saturday Sept 3 Run Start Time: 4pm Hares: GY W, What-a-rat, Lucky Lek, Any C’ll Do Location: Koh Siray Directions: From Phuket Town, travel across the bridge to Koh Siray and turn left at the

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BISP tennis players reach the finals at Hat Yai

the exit shining bright, bending low, you hold on tight. Some one calls your name and your eyes open, you snap with confusion. Wow, you’re actually in your office. Sheepishly, you wipe the drool and a deep breath produces a smile. You’re not there yet, but hopefully you will be in a little while. It’s time to call it a day, see you in the water! clock tower roundabout into Soi Theppratan. Carry on for 1.5 kilometres and turn left into Soi Leamnganusorn, and follow for 1.6km to laager on left. GPS co-ordinates N 7.91137 E 98.43303. Note: Poodle dogs on leads for run and circle please, farm animals will be encountered. Hash Bus Pickup Schedule: Kamala @ Black Cat’s Bar: 2:15pm Patong @ Expat Hotel: 2.45pm

bar” in Rawai on Feb 28. The rules will be as the previous eight years and will be available from Warren Crowe at thailandclassic2017@gmail. com along with any registration or boat enquiries you may have, and with a dozen already registered most of the better over-night boats are already booked, so it’s worth an e-mail. Fingers crossed the weather improves and next month I will be able to once again keep you up to date on what the local fishing is like. Tight lines to all.

TENNIS BISP TEN NIS PLAYER Anzac was comfortable winner of the Boys 10 & Under title at the LTAT Southern Circuit tournament in Hat Yai last weekend, winning the final without dropping a game, 4-0 4-0. Meanwhile, James also reached the final of the 16 & Under event, and in a very close match came runner-up after a score of 3-6, 6-4 and 2-10 in the super tiebreaker deciding set.

“We are very proud of our players, and congratulations to Anzac and James on their results,” says BISP RPT Tennis Academy Head Coach Lee Austrin. “I would like to thank Coach Ball who took the trip,” adds Coach Austrin. “Parents have reported on the excellent job he did with driving, coaching and warm ups, and arranging everything for the players and their families!” Learn more about tennis at BISP at: www.bisphuket.ac.th/ tennis

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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Rosberg wins in Belgium German takes victory despite Lewis Hamilton’s Herculean fightback the title lead while Hamilton struggled through the midfield and reassert himself in the championship equation. Instead, Hamilton lost only 10 points to maintain a ninepoint lead. By the end of the frenetic race the championship picture remained barley changed – and with Hamilton’s penalties now served, the Briton has his fourth title come November firmly in his sights.

FORMULA ONE BOX OF NEUTRALS Michael Lamonato michael@boxofneutrals.com

hen exiting Eau Rouge and cresting Raidillon a Formula One car is travelling at approximately 310 kilometres per hour, but Kevin Magnussen was unlikely to be considering the numbers as he lost control of his car. As the Dane’s Renault slid off the track at one of motorsport’s most famous corners, his body attempted to brace for the violence of the 12.5G impact. When the car finally came to rest in a tyre barrier, Magnussen stepped gingerly from the cockpit unaided. He was sore, but his injuries extended only to a small cut on his left ankle. As r ace cont rol redflagged the grand prix to repair the track, the sport sighed with relief – the crashed Renault had been only the punctuation to the chaotic opening laps of the Belgian Grand Prix. Nico Rosberg led confidently from pole knowing his teammate Lewis Hamilton would be starting from the back row of the grid as punishment for installing three new engines in a single

Nico Rosberg pictured crossing the finish line first at the Belgian Grand Prix. Photo: John Thys/AFP weekend, but between the two bookending Mercedes the field unravelled. Max Verstappen, attempting to recover from a slow start, lit the fuse by diving down the inside of Kimi Räikkönen at the first turn. Sebastian Vettel, sensing opportunity, swept around the outside of both of them, but all three cars clumsily collided on the apex. Vettel spun and ended up at the back of the grid, Räikkönen and Verstappen returned to the pits for repairs. The field bottlenecked. Scrambling for position, Manor’s Pascal Wehrlein rear-ended Jenson Button’s McLaren, eliminating both cars from the race. Carlos Sainz suffered a catastrophic tyre failure shortly afterwards, and as he attempted to return to the pits his car’s rear end collapsed,

leaving him stranded and out of the race. Even Sauber wasn’t saved from the mess; it was forced to retire Marcus Ericsson’s car with a gearbox problem. By the time Magnussen crashed on lap six, race direction had had enough – after a short time behind the safety car the race was stopped for almost 20 minutes for track repairs, giving everyone a chance to catch their breath. As they did so, realisation dawned that Hamilton, after starting from P21, was sitting pretty in fifth and raring to contest for an unlikely victory. Rosberg, who had been expecting a straightforward cruise to an unchallenged victory, pinned his hopes on a two-stop race using the slower but more enduring medium tyre. Hamilton, true to his ag-

gressive nature, chose a threestop strategy that leant heavily on the faster and more delicate soft compound rubber. An audacious lunge at the top step of the podium would have seemed fitting after the bizarre opening stint of the race, but wins at Spa-Francorchamps are never so straightforward. As the unusually warm Belgian sun beat down on the track, Hamilton found his tyres were expiring faster than he’d hoped, and as Daniel Ricciardo did his best to keep the Mercedes behind him, Hamilton found he had little choice but to settle for a nonetheless impressive third. But one would have been forgiven for thinking the Mercedes drivers had switched cars – on the podium it was Hamilton who was happiest, in contrast with Rosberg’s half-smile.

The German knew that the Belgian Grand Prix had been his chance to win back

Don’t forget to tune in to Live89.5 each and every Saturday from 9am to hear box of neutrals talk F1 and a whole lot more.

Storm, Sharks fight for top spot into NRL finals OLYMPICS MELBOURNE STORM and the Cronulla Sharks will slug it out this weekend for the top spot in Australia’s National Rugby League in the last regular round heading into the finals. The Sharks rekindled their hopes of a first-ever premiership with a resounding 37-12 home win over the lowly Sydney Roosters to pull to within one competition point of the Storm after 23 rounds. Trailing 12-0, the Sharks mounted 37 unanswered points to end their four-game winless sequence and remain in contention for the minor premiership as the top team heading into next month’s play-offs. Cronulla will face off against competition frontrunners Storm in a summit showdown tomorrow (Sept 3) in Melbourne to finish top on the final regular season standings. Melbourne opened the door for Cronulla when they crashed 26-16 at home to the late-charging Brisbane Broncos. Wayne Bennett’s Broncos produced some of their best football of the season to claim a fourth-straight win and lie in fifth spot heading into the final 24th round. If Cronulla fail to dislodge Melbourne, the Canberra Raiders could oust the Sharks and claim second spot and with a home final if they win away at Wests Tigers this weekend. Ricky Stuart’s Raiders

kept in the hunt for a top-two finals spot with a 44-30 win over lowly Manly Sea Eagles. North Queensland leapfrogged Canterbury into the top four with a 24-16 defeat of the Bulldogs. Johnathan Thurston’s sublime kicking game had the Bulldogs under pressure as the champions shored up their premiership title defence. A victory over Gold Coast in Townsville this week will ensure they finish in the top four. Matt Moylan snapped a match-winning drop goal two minutes from fulltime to give the Penrith Panthers a thrilling 15-14 victory over Gold Coast and confirm a finals berth. The Titans fought back from trailing 14-0 at half time to draw level at 14-14 before Moylan’s late intervention. The Titans will need to beat North Queensland this week or rely on other results to finish in the top eight and obtain a place in the finals. Wests Tigers kept alive their finals push when they scored three tries in the last 10 minutes to eliminate the New Zealand Warriors 3624 in Auckland last Sunday (Aug 28). The Tigers need ninthplaced Gold Coast to lose to North Queensland tomorrow and beat Canberra in their final round match at home the following day to play in this season’s finals. Out of contention South Sydney extended Newcastle’s miserable club record to 17 straight losses with a 34-12 thrashing of the Knights. AFP thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

SPORT 39

PREMIER PREDICTIONS: ENTER NOW AT THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Premier League lead record transfer spree FOOTBALL

he cashed-up English Premier League led a record-breaking raid by Europe’s top clubs before the transfer window slammed shut on Thursday morning (Thai time), with Arsenal alone paying more than 60 million euros (B2.3 billion) for German defender Shkodran Mustafi and Spanish striker Lucas Perez. The Premier League’s TV riches have fuelled transfer inf lation across the continent, with Inter Milan and Barcelona paying top dollar for Brazil’s exciting Olympic gold medal-winning striker Gabriel “Gabigol” Barbosa and Valencia goal-scorer Paco Alcacer respectively. About 50m n eu ros (B1.9bn) were spent on the pair and most analysts predict European spending would have easily been the highest yet when the two-month transfer window closed – between 11pm on Thursday (Sept 1) (Thai time) for the Bundesliga to 5am Friday (Sept 2) (Thai time) for the Premier League. Spending by England’s 20-club Premier League alone was expected to bust the £1bn barrier after Manchester United set a new world record with the £89mn (B4bn) purchase this month of French midfielder Paul Pogba. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was one of the late big-spenders. The Gunners, eighth in the early standings, spent an estimated £35mn (B1.58bn) to bring German international defender Mustafi from Valencia. “He is at the right age,” Wenger said of the 24-yearold, who was in Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad. “And he has good experience,” Wenger added of

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MAIN SPONSOR

The overall competition winner receives a two day/one night private fishing charter to Racha Island on board Wahoo Yacht Charters Phuket’s Reel Blue. Total prize value: B180,000 The monthly competition winner for September 2016 will receive a THB3,000 voucher to spend at Angus O'Tool's Karon Beach.

EPL PREDICTIONS MONTHLY STANDINGS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

OVERALL STANDINGS

MRB 21 scottkip 21 adamrosindale 20 LFC444 20 cszcms 19

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

MRB 21 scottkip 21 adamrosindale 20 LFC444 20 cszcms 19

English Premier League 2016 - 2017 Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Arsenal spent an estimated 35 million pounds (B1.58bn) on bringing German international defender Shkodran Mustafi from Valencia. Photo: Patrik Stollarz/AFP

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the big defender who was in the German team that reached the semi-finals at Euro 2016. Arsenal paid another £17 mn (B770mn) for Deportivo La Coruna striker Perez, according to media reports, while they have also bought Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka, Japanese forward Takuma Asano and young English centre-back Rob Holding. “He’s not only a goalscorer, he’s a guy who combines well with partners, who can give a final ball and makes good runs,” said Wenger of Perez. Arsenal defender Serge Gnabry returned to Germany with Werder Bremen. Meanwhile, Chelsea let French international striker Loic Remy go on loan to Crystal Palace for one season. Palace were also among contenders to take Arsenal’s England midfielder Jack Wilshere on loan. Manchester City’s out-offavour England goalkeeper Joe Hart was set to complete a move to Torino in Italy.

But the English Premier League’s £5.14bn, threeseason television deal has set a pace that few other championships can keep up with. Christian Heidel, sporting director for German club Schalke said the Premier League has forced up prices everywhere. “If English managers are on the phone, then the [transfer] sums are automatically higher,” Heidel said on a talk show for Kicker magazine. “If the negotiations are within Germany, then it is often difficult to exclude the higher sums from England.” Schalke this month sold Germany winger Leroy Sane, 20, to Manchester City for a reported 43m euros (B1.66bn). With additional fees, the figure could rise to 50 million for a player who had made just 47 Bundesliga appearances before City signed him. Elsewhere in Europe, Inter Milan confirmed the signing of Barbosa on his 20th birthday late Tuesday (Aug 30). “Gabigol is an Inter player,” the Serie A giants said

in a statement, announcing a five-year contract. Inter did not release financial details but the Gazzetta dello Sport website reported Inter paid the Brazilian club 27.5m euros (B1bn) for ‘Gabigol’, who has drawn comparisons with Neymar. Spain international Alcacer joined Barcelona from Valencia in a 30 million euro (B1.15bn), five-year deal, the Catalan side announced. The 20-year-old, who scored 13 goals in 34 appearances for Valencia last season, will heighten competition in the Barcelona frontline already led by Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. In France, just six months after signing for Monaco, Brazilian Vagner Love has moved to Alanyaspor in Turkey, another country where clubs have become big spenders. Other big-name deals were likely before The Phuket News went to press on Wednesday as top players seek a regular game in increasingly competitive squads. AFP

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Man City Chelsea Man Utd Everton Hull Middlesbrough Tottenham Arsenal Leicester West Brom Liverpool West Ham Burnley Swansea Southampton Sunderland Crystal Palace Watford Bournemouth Stoke

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3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

A GD Pts

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0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2

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3 2 1 2 2 2 2 5 3 2 6 5 4 4 4 5 3 6 5 6

6 5 5 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 -1 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -3 -3 -4

Results (Aug 27-28) Sunday August 28 West Brom Man City

0-0 3-1

Middlesbrough West Ham

Saturday August 27 Tottenham Chelsea Crystal Palace Everton Leicester Southampton Watford Hull

1-1 3-0 1-1 1-0 2-1 1-1 1-3 0-1

Liverpool Burnley Bournemouth Stoke Swansea Sunderland Arsenal Man Utd

Fixtures (Sept 10-11) Saturday September 10 Man Utd Arsenal Bournemouth Burnley Middlesbrough Stoke West Ham Liverpool

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Man City Southampton West Brom Hull Crystal Palace Tottenham Watford Leicester

Sunday September 11 Swansea

Chelsea

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Sport

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

editor3@classactmedia.co.th

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

Premier League clubs lead transfer raid > page 38

PHUKET REMAIN IN D2

Andaman Dragon fail in their season-long fight to reach new ‘Thailand League Championship’

Phuket’s Nattapoom Maya will be hoping to keep his place in the squad for the 2017 season. Photo: Puvadon Kosol Klabpadung

FOOTBALL Matt Pond editor3@classactmedia.co.th

huket FC’s hopes of reaching the soon-tobe formed “Thailand League Championship” (TLC) came crashing down the past two weeks with the team only managing to get one point from a possible six. The results mean that the team will remain in division 2 for the 2017 season. With the new TLC, the 3rd, 4th, and in four of the eight regional divisions, the 5th placed teams will automatically get promoted to it. Meanwhile, teams placed at 5th in remaining four of the eight regional divisions also have a chance to move up from division 2 by competing in a play-off that will see top teams gain a place in the new TLC. This new league will effectively be the new third tier of the Thailand professional football leagues for the 2017

season and will be divided into two zones with 16 teams in each zone. These teams will join the 13 teams who fail to gain promotion to Division 1 from the Champions League knock out round at the end of the year. However, it is now impossible for the Andaman Dragon to reach 5th place. As of last Tuesday (Aug 23), Phuket FC sat at 7th place in the 12-side AIS Southern Region Division 2 table on 25 points, but following a loss to Nara United last Wednesday night (Aug 25) and a draw against Phangnga FC last Sunday (Aug 28) the team now sit at 8th on 26 points. It was a single goal in the 57th minute of the game against Nara United that gave Nara their victory, a goal scored by Aaron Sareh (13). However, after that result, and although it had dropped Phuket to 8th in the table, they were still only four points off the league’s 5th placed side.

But by picking up only a point against Phangnga in a 2-2 draw last Sunday they are now some five points adrift with only one game to play. It is highly debatable whether last Sunday’s game against the neighbouring “Dredgers” should have gone ahead due to pitch conditions. In fact, it was Phangnga FC who in a Facebook post last Friday (Aug 26) said it was likely the game would be cancelled due to those said conditions. However, the following day (Aug 27), and despite their being constant rain over the province throughout the Friday and Saturday resulting in a completely waterlogged pitch, the game was allowed to go ahead. This is usually a decision made by the game officials during a pitch inspection just three hours prior to kick-off time, and it is possible that some of the things mentioned in their Facebook posts, espe-

cially about the club not being in a position to pay the hefty B50,000 fine should the game be cancelled, that the officials made the decision for the game to go ahead. The Phuket News can confirm the pitch was nowhere near in playable condition, and this was clearly visible by the performances of both teams who both had to resort to long-ball tactics. This with the addition of the fact that players from both teams had to intermittently keep taking sideline breaks to wash mud kicked up at them from their faces in order to see. Nonetheless, Phuket’s Sukree Etae opened the scoring for Phuket about 18 minutes into the first 45, but just 20 minutes later the Dredgers brought the score level. The score remained at 1-1 at the end of the first half. About 20 minutes into the second 45 Phangnga took the score to 2-1. But it was Phuket’s Akkarapol Meesawat (17) who

AIS SOUTHERN REGION DIVISION 2 Team

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Suratthani FC

Nara United

Ranong United

Trang FC

Yala United

Pattani FC

Satun United

Phuket FC

Phattalung FC

-8

Hatyai FC

-14

Phangnga FC

-10

Nakhorn Si Heritage 19

-22

brought the score level once again and earned the team their point. Phuket will play their last game of the season away against Pattani FC on tomorrow (Sept 3) with kick-off set for 4pm. However, the team will

be without central defender Seon Power who was given a red card last Sunday for what was described as on off-the-ball altercation with a Phangnga FC player. The Phuket News is proud media sponsor of Phuket FC. thephuketnews