The Phuket News 04 May 2018

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

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HOME RAIDED FOR BOMB-MAKING SUPPLIES > PAGE 2

NOT FOR SALE

ATTEMPT TO SELL PRIME STATE-OWNED BEACHFRONT LAND FOR B3.6BN DRAWS FIRE

NEWS

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Canal water runs black at Karon Beach

LIFE

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New research revives weed in Thai medicine

An agent advertising the 40 rai at Layan Beach, at B90 million per rai, says the evidence she has to support the sale is solid. Photos: 224Land

The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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n online advertisement selling prime beachfront land on Phuket’s west coast for B3.66 billion has spurred officials into action as the land in question is currently illegally occupied by encroachers facing forced eviction as ordered by the Supreme Court.

The advertisement, posted on the “224Land” Facebook page on April 18, went viral and as of last week had already had more than 8,000 shares

with nearly 4,000 people specifically posting comments about it.

Regardless, the lead figure tasked with evicting the encroachers since the Supreme Court handed down its decision on Nov 1 last year said he was initially unaware of the move to sell the land.

“It is definitely not for sale. It is public land. It is public space for everyone, nobody can own this land,” the official – who expressly for this report asked not to be named, and instead be identified only as “a senior representative of the Phuket Justice

Committee” – told The Phuket News this week.

“There are no genuine documents that allow this land to be sold, as already determined by the Supreme Court in its decision, and no people can claim to have any right to conduct business on the land. I have now checked the company which posted the ad online, and the information posted is not reliable,” he added.

The official vowed to hold 224Land responsible for publishing the ad.

“It is not [legally] possible to advertise this land for sale. They will

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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be charged for collusion to commit fraud,” he said.

“The Phuket Governor, Cherng Talay Tambon Administ ration Organisation (OrBorTor) and Royal Thai Army officials in Phuket have already been informed and requested to investigate this,” he explained.

Identification that the land advertised is among the 178 rai of beachfront land at Layan and Leypang beaches ruled on by the Supreme Court is undeniable. The advertisement even features the same maps used by the Department of Special...

SPORT

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A skyfall of big boundaries and a broken roof

News 2

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Pool safety urged after toddler drowns POLICE A R E U RGI NG parents of infants and young children to keep their young ones in sight at all times after a horrific incident last Monday (April 23) resulted in a 9-month-old boy drowning at an expat family’s home in Cherng Talay.

Police were notified of the incident at 10am last Monday by the parents, who Capt Nareupon Taewlae of the Cherng Talay Police said were an expat couple living on the island. The mother is Filipino, he noted.

“The parents told officers that they forgot to close the door to the pool terrace,” Capt Nareupon told The Phuket News.

“They didn’t know what had happened until about 7:30am, when they discovered that their 10-year-old son had already pulled the toddler from the pool all by himself,” he explained.

Patong hotel steps up defamation fight against Royal Thai Army > page 5

Bomb-making materials seized at Phuket home The materials were found hidden in a corner of the property.

Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

Police are urging parents to keep an eye on their children near house pools. Photo: Raphael Biscaldi The parents rushed their baby to hospital, but sadly the infant was pronounced dead.

“I did not press the parents too much while questioning because this is a very hard time for them. It is a traumatic loss, and they are devastated,” Capt Nareupon said.

“This is a terrible incident and we do not want any more incidents like this to happen to anyone,” Capt Nareupon added.

“All parents must be careful to look over their children,” he pleaded.

The Phuket News

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

P

olice and Phuket-based soldiers have raided a house on Phuket’s west coast acting on information that bomb-making materials were being kept at the home.

The officers arrived at the home, in Moo 2 Cherng Talay, last Sunday (April 29) with an EOD bomb-disposal team as a precaution and began their search at about 5pm.

Hidden in a corner of the property obscured by heavy jungle the officers found several gallons of ammonium nitrate in four separate containers.

Ammonium nitrate is a common agricultural fertiliser but also can be used as a deadly explosive agent.

The team also found eight bundles of non-electric detonators with wiring, as well as several bags of unsuspicious soil.

Police said the raid was conducted acting on information provided to authorities but would not disclose how the information was obtained.

None of the residents in the home were present when the raid was conducted, and police did not disclose whether any of the people staying in the home were suspected of any terror-related activities.

However, at the home officers also found a parcel addressed to a “Mr Lert,

Engineer” with a contact phone number, which police traced to a “Lt Yutthana Chitchonlathan”. Police did not disclose whether “Lt Yutthana” was a police officer or enlisted with a branch of the military.

Police confirmed they were continuing their investigation.

Prime beachfront state land for sale Continued from page 1 ...Investigation in announcing the Supreme Court order last year.

That was before DSI Chief Paisit Wongmuang and DSI Deputy Chief Lt Col Prawut Wongsrinil made the trip to Phuket in person to oversee the posting of public notices physically on the plots to inform the public that the Supreme Court had ruled that the plots were state land and that any persons found encroaching on it faced criminal legal action.

Regardless, a woman who responded to enquiries made by The Phuket News by calling the number posted with the advertisement claimed that she had every right to sell the land.

“This land is available for sale with the correct documents. I have received many calls from people interested in it, but no one has placed a deposit yet,” she said.

“It does not matter what the media or people say about this land. It can be sold because my evidence is strong enough.”

Of note, among the images posted with the ad was a copy of a NorSor land-use document, which confers the right to occupy but not own the land.

Meanwhile, the official spearheading the evictions told The Phuket News on Monday (April 30) (before this issue went to print) that Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong himself was to yesterday (May 3) personally oversee the marking out of the plots from which the encroachers are to be evicted.

“He knows well that the legal process is very long. He just needs it to be accurate,” the official said.

The official also defended the very slow process of evicting the encroachers, despite Lt Col Montree Boonyayotin, Director of the

The 40 rai comprises prime beachfront land that has been ruled as state land by the Supreme Court. Photo: 224Land DSI’s Natural Resources and Environment Crime Litigation division, on Nov 2 last year vowing to use the full force of the law to have the businesses ejected from their illegal sites.

In order to have the occupants vacate the land, Col Montree said, “We have to cooperate with other government offices to post notices to evict the people from the area.

“If these people refuse to vacate the land, arrest warrants will be requested to take action,’ he warned.

“They will be taken to Bangkok. If there are any arrests, we will petition the court for bail to be denied. Officers can take action against any person who encroaches on this land after this,” Col Montree noted.

Asked if any deadlines – flexible or working – had been set for removing the encroachers, the eviction task force official simply said, “As soon as possible.”

A Phuket News reporter was intimidated by people conducting business on the land in question while the reporter was assisting in compiling this report. The incident has been recorded with the Cherng Talay Police. thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

PHUKET NEWS

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Black water on the beaches Tourists at Karon stunned, Governor pushes for Patong dredging Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

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ocal government agencies are scrambling to figure what caused the water in a canal emptying onto Karon Beach to turn black on Tuesday afternoon (May 1), causing much concern among stunned tourists on the beach.

In response, Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong on Monday evening ordered the relevant agencies to expedite an urgent investigation into the cause of the incident, which saw the black water empty into the sea at the near the Naga serpent statue halfway along the beach.

However, Karon Mayor Tawee Thongcham by late Monday afternoon had said that heavy rain had caused a large volume of run-off to enter the canal, causing the water to turn black. He had a team of workers quickly dispatched to dredge the canal just it before enters the sea to help the dirty water flow quicker.

Regardless, Phuket Public Relations Office Chief Butsaya Jaipiem posted a report on

INSET: Black water flows past at Karon Beach. MAIN: Governor Norraphat (right) inspects the heavily polluted canal in Patong. Photos: Siang Prachachon Kon Phuket / Patong Municipality Tuesday noting that, “Phuket has set up an investigation team to investigate the wastewater problem in all areas of Phuket to analyse the basics and be ready to solve the problem (sic).

“In the long term, dredging and the use of chrysanthemum plants will be carried out, and all municipalities will have a wastewater-treatment system, which is included in the wastewater-management plan, to solve the overall environ-

mental problems in Phuket,” the report added.

Despite the rhetor ic, Gov­e r nor Nor raphat ordered Phuket Vice Governor Thawornwat Kongkaew to inspect the area and take steps to solve the problem.

The black water at Karon came just six days after Governor Norraphat approved an emergency budget of B4 million to clear the filthy debris from the Pakbang Canal, which runs through the heart

Student-visa crackdown to hit Phuket T O U R I ST P O L I C E I N Phuket this week were to launch a crackdown on foreigners who had enrolled in Thai-language courses as a way to stay in Thailand through false use of a student visa.

The suspects being targeted are those who obtain a visa only as a way of staying in the country, and not actually attending the courses they are enrolled in, Capt Ekkachai Siri of the Phuket Tourist Police explained to The Phuket News.

The crackdown and ensuing raids were set to begin on Wednesday (May 2).

@thephuketnews

The crackdown on foreign students enrolled in Thailanguage courses in Phuket was set to begin on Wednesday. Photo: element5 “We will inspect language schools across the island,” Capt Ekkachai said.

Any irregularities in student enrolment and attendance will be investigated, he added.

“If we find any illegal activities, we will move to press charges against those involved, including the language school,” Capt Ekkachai warned.

The crackdown follows raids in Bangkok last week after romance scammers busted by police presented student visas to officers. During the raids officers also searched 74 international schools which provide language courses.

Tourist Police Chief Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan said that criminal elements from Africa had enrolled as students at language schools. Tanyaluk Sakoot

of Patong, Phuket’s busiest tourism town.

The canal, although only a small waterway, is also used as the main dumping point for untreated wastewater by businesses throughout the town.

G ove r no r Nor r a ph at announced the budget last Wednesday (April 25) after an inspection of black water emptying from the Pakbang Canal into Patong Bay. The emergency budget also follows a formal request

for help from Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kepsub that she sent to Governor Norraphat on March 14.

Mayor Chalermluck pointed out that Patong Municipality had been waiting for the Phuket Provincial Public Works Office to carry out the canal-clearing project since 2016.

“It has been more than long enough for the Phuket Provincial Public Works Office to finish their draft plan, and as a result this canal has not been dredged for two years, so now it is necessary to submit this letter requesting to have the canal dredged as soon as possible,” she added.

Gov Norraphat agreed.

“This problem has been going on for a long time. I am aware that canal always fills up with sediment, but that the project has not yet been carried out. This project is the responsibility of the Phuket Provincial Public Works Office, which has received a budget of about B398 million, which includes the funds to dredge the canal,” he said.

“Not having this project

affects Patong Municipality, and the consequences (of not having the project completed) seriously affect our tourism image, which means we to solve this problem. It is fair for me to allow a B4million to dredge this canal,” the Governor concluded.

Gov Norraphat added that he would consult with the contractor who was commissioned in 2016 to carry out the project.

“I have been told that only 1% of the work agreed to in the contract has been completed because the contractor’s workers cannot even access the canal,” he said, alluding to the over-saturated state of construction throughout Patong.

However, no mention was made of a Facebook post on Tuesday highlighting black wastewater pouring into Patong Bay again, and the foul water exiting a pipe where the Pakbang Canal empties into Patong Bay. The Facebook post, in Thai, went viral, and as of last week had recorded 988 reactions and 798 shares.

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PHUKET NEWS

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Accidental ‘fireworks’ fire under investigation GENERAL MANAGER

Jason Beavan 086 479 7471

gm@classactmedia.co.th

SALES SUPPORT Siriporn (Nok) Seangmas 086 479 7470 sales@classactmedia.co.th

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

T H E K AT H U M AYOR has confirmed that authorities are still investigating the fire that broke out in Kathu Municipality offices last Monday night (April 23), unintentionally setting off an impressive fireworks display.

Kathu Mayor Chaianan Sutthikul confirmed to The Phuket News that the fire started at 1:30am in a municipality building used by the local office of Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM).

“I warned other officials from my office about this incident emphasising that they must be more careful about safety,” Mayor Chainan said.

“At this stage I cannot reveal more details because we are still investigating the fire. We will know more about the cause of the incident next week, when the investigation is finished,” he added.

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Beauty raid seizes fake facial creams Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

The fire started at 1:30am, setting off an impressive fireworks display. Screen­ grab: Siang Prachachon Koh Phuket Mayor Chainan discarded faulty electrical wiring as the likely cause of the fire, though a rescue worker who was at the scene disagreed.

The fire also sparked off questions about fireworks being kept at the municipality, an issue which the municipality has yet to address amid accusations that one official was using a storeroom for his private business.

Eakkapop Thongtub

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police raid on a beauty outlet south Phuket Town last Thursday (April 26) netted an estimated B5 million in fake facial and beauty creams and several suspects for selling the counterfeit goods.

Officers from the Border Patrol Police 425 unit raided the Panda Beauty store near the near Naka Market (also known as the “Weekend Market”) on Wirat Hongyok Rd, Wichit, at 10:30am.

At the scene, the officers led by the unit’s deputy commander Capt Teerasak Narasri found a cache of cartons containing hundreds of boxes of beauty creams featuring the brand name Rayanskin,

The store near the Naka Market was found to be peddling fake Rayanskin brand-name beauty products. specifically the “Ray Facial Mask” and “Ray Facial Gold Mask” products.

Jarin Cheyong, a lawyer representing Rayanskin International Co Ltd, explained that Rayanskin had specifically discontinued producing those products due the scale of fake merchandise being produced to illegally lure customers to buy the inferior products.

“Instead, the company launched the ‘Anjeri’ range of cosmetics,” Mr Jarin said.

“We were afraid that customers might misunderstand that the fake products were actually the genuine products and that people might be affected by the chemicals in the fake products,” he explained.

Capt Teerasak said the raid followed his unit receiving a complaint from the manufacturer Rayanskin. “And this morning we found these products that are not registered (as required by law),” he added.

Other plain evidence proving the products were fake were discovered on the boxes themselves, which were missing elements that are included on the genuine products, The Phuket News was told.

“The shop owner will be charged for breaches of the both Cosmetic Act and the Consumer Protection Act for selling unregistered, unlabelled cosmetics and selling counterfeit goods,” Capt Teerasak said.

Kiattisak (Rudy) Deamer 088 754 1371 sales2@classactmedia.co.th

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Hotel strikes back

Thai Army accused in defamation claim Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

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he legal representative of a Patong hotel and one of the hotel company’s executive board members last Friday (April 27) upheld their promise to file a complaint against a Royal Thai Army officer in Phuket for alleged breach of the controversial Computer Crimes Act. Anand Chaiyadej, who is the legal representative for Patong Paragon Co Ltd, along with Patong Paragon Co Ltd Executive Board member Wisit Eamwirojrit, filed the complaint at Patong Police Station.

The complaint accused Army Spokesman Col Pramote Promin of causing damage to Mr Wisit through defamatory accusations made through “media” on April 2.

This made the illegal acts relevant under the Computer Crimes Act, Mr Anand explained to the press after the complaint was filed.

The words published in the video clip posted online

The hotel’s legal representative Anand Chaiyadej (2nd from left) accompanied by Patong Paragon Co Ltd Executive Board member Wisit Eamwirojrit (2nd from right) at Patong Police Station (April 27). accused Mr Wisit of insulting the Royal Thai Army but these were not what Mr Wisit said, Mr Anand explained.

“This action has caused a great misunderstanding and resulted in negative consequences for Mr Wisit,” he said.

Mr Anand threatened to take the issue to the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, if remedial action were not taken.

He also called on the Army to have all nine soldiers involved in the case removed from Phuket.

“If Royal Thai Army Region 4 does not take any action within a month, I will take this case to the Supreme Court,” he warned.

“It is our right and it’s time for people to protect themselves,” Mr Anand said.

“Plus, I will go to complain in person to Army chief General Chalermchai Sittisart to have these nine soldiers moved out of Phuket until the case has concluded,” he added.

The Patong resort on April 7 threatened to file a counterclaim of defamation against

Builders dig up suspected cannons OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN called in to examine what are suspected to be two cannons that were discovered while excavating to build a new house in northern Phuket last Saturday night (April 28).

The area, near a mangrove forest behind the Baan Kho En Tambon Health Promoting Hospital, was roped off for safety after Baan Kho En villager headman Somnuek Patee reported the find to Tha Chatchai Police at about 7pm.

Mr Somnuek told the responding police officer, Maj Preecha Kongchoo of the Tha Chatchai Police, that he was notified of the find by Tawit Chaibutsee, a 42-year-old construction worker from Khon Kaen.

Soon to arrive at the scene with Tha Chatchai Police were soldiers stationed at the Phuket Checkpoint as well as rescue workers.

The two rusted objects now believed to be antique cannons were one and a half metres long. Officials from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) were called in to ensure the objects were safe to handle. @thephuketnews

The suspected cannons were found among construction rubble in Mai Khao. Photosw: Eakkapop Thongtub Mr Tawit, who f irst found the objects, told officers that a backhoe was clearing the area in order to build a house near Baan Kho En School, about 500 metres away.

“The backhoe moved objects from there and dropped them here,” he said.

“We saw the objects dumped along with cement rubble. I took a better look and saw that the objects looked very similar to cannons, so I informed the village headman,” Mr Tawit added.

The discovery of the

suspected cannons follows a World War I minesweeping float being discovered at Nai Yang Beach in October last year, although the object was originally feared to be a lost torpedo from World War II, causing much anxiety among local residents.

Eakkapop Thongtub

the Royal Thai Army seeking their own damages to the tune of B100 million.

That threat came in response to Army Region 4 Commander Lt Gen Piyawat Narkvanich announcing on April 1 that he had instructed Army legal officers to file defamation charges against the hotel over the video posted online.

The video report claimed that Mr Wisit had accused soldiers visiting the hotel of trying to extort money from him while visiting the hotel.

PHUKET NEWS

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Submarine surfacing off Phuket causes stir THE SURFACING OF A submarine off the west coast of Phuket last Sunday (April 29) caused a stir online, with people posting comments in belief that the submarine was one that Thailand bought from China.

The video was posted online by Thanapot Meeboonkit, who said he did not record the video himself. Instead, he asked readers to credit the actual person who took the video, but failed to name the person.

The sighting of the submarine was made by a Thai tourist on a fishing boat on the way back to shore in Phuket, noted Thai PBS in its report of the incident.

“Many viewers said it might be a submarine Thailand recently bought from China last year but wondered why it was delivered so fast,” said the report.

However, it was later clarified by other viewers that it was a US Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine that took part in a joint maritime security exercises with Thailand under the “Guardian Sea 2018” operation, the report added.

The five-day anti-subma-

The surfacing of the submarine of f Phuket caused a sensation online.

Screengrab: Facebook via Thanapot Meeboonkit rine and maritime domain awareness exercise involved cooperative situations designed to enhance mutual capabilities in anti-submarine warfare while also improving information sharing between the two navies.

Participating from the US Navy, in addition to the unnamed Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine were the guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG-97) and a P-8 Poseidon aircraft specially developed by Boeing for the US Navy for conducting anti-submarine warfare (ASW).

The exercises were held to strengthen anti-submarine warfare capacity as well as military relations.

The Phuket News

Opinion 6

OPINION

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

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The long, long learning curve

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O

btaining an education visa in order to live in Thailand for longer than a tourist visa allows is certainly nothing new, it’s been going on for a long time. The results of the recent clampdown, which began in Bangkok last week and saw 74 international schools which provide language courses searched and a number of “criminals” apprehended, came as little surprise.

A similar clampdown was set to begin in Phuket on Wednesday (May 3), when The Phuket News went to print, and Capt Ekkachai Siri of the Phuket Tourist Police confirmed that any irregularities in student enrolment and attendance will be investigated.

Surprisingly, it was reported that police were zeroing in on foreign criminals who obtain education visas so they can live in Thailand and commit crime.

Do police honestly believe

the only reason that people enrol at language schools to obtain education visas is to commit crime? This is far from the truth. People enrol at language schools to obtain education for a number of reasons: First, they may just want to extend their stay in Thailand and actually spend some time learning the language while they’re here; and second, some foreigners who do not have legitimate businesses set up in Thailand but are happy to run illegal businesses via Facebook pages etc. all whilst staying on an education visa.

Some people who have these education visas keep it to themselves, although there are others who are happy to tell all and sundry. One such person, who The Phuket News shall not name, was staying on an education visa whilst running a now defunct pub/ guesthouse slap bang in the

middle of Phuket Town. Had he attended the courses for which he enrolled? Very unlikely!

Another case was that last year of the Russian “Crypto Boss” Maxim Lastovka, 27, and his partner who were allegedly robbed of various valuables during an alleged burglary at their condo in Nai Harn.

Chalong Police confirmed that both Russians were on education visas. Surely a quick “khun pôot paa-săa thai bpen măi?” from any officer involved with the two Russians would have revealed how much Thai they had learned.

If police are serious then they should have an absolute field day in Phuket and we await reports of language schools, visa service providers and education officials being prosecuted, and foreigners being deported and blacklisted for their illegal use of these easily obtained visas.

TOP 10 STORIES ON thephuketnews.com

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Student-visa crackdown to hit Phuket Phuket police target rental operators over riders’ licences Submarine surfacing off Phuket causes stir Woman loses leg in Phuket road accident Opinion: The day my best friend drowned on a Phuket day tour Cops bust short course visa scam Phuket van collision kills motorbike rider Suspected cannons found in Phuket Police urge pool safety after toddler drowns at Phuket villa Phuket to celebrate National Labour Day

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HAVE YOUR SAY Same old story

Re: Student-visa crackdown to hit Phuket Good idea but will it never happen. I have met a few over the years who work illegally without a work permit and do nothing, as far as contributing to the Thai economy goes.

It’s far to easy to get away with it at present and language schools should be made responsible for students who enrol then do not attend classes and given a heavy fine for not making them attend class.

Peter Rawai This was also done four to five years ago. It’s pretty easy for the schools to enforce the rules. You used to have to attend two two-hour classes a week. Not very difficult regardless what your motivation is. Any “crackdown” is more of an image thing.

Foot ...................................................

A shot in the foot

Re: Thousands join Chiang Mai rally This is the beginning of big demonstrations. Funny, it is actually the NCPO itself that gave Thai people a reason to

demonstrate with this Doi Suthep affair. Four years of patience and waiting. Thai people don’t want to wait any longer for the “better” as promised, as the “better” serves only the elite.

Kurt ...................................................

Dreams of flying

Re: Two Phuket underpasses to close for floodprevention cleaning It was, and still is, inevitable.

Wouldn’t have had that problem if they’d built a flyover.

Island Man ...................................................

Hard to control

Re: Phuket police target rental operators over riders’ licences I am wondering how the Thai administration will be able to control all motorcycle and car rental businesses, Thais and foreigners alike, as most are privately owned and rented without a business license or provided to rental companies occasionally or full-time. Expats, bar girls, employees or local folks, all are more or less in the rental business without paying any taxes at all.

Asterix

If enforced, that will likely put most rental shops out of business. Keeping unlicensed tourists off bikes will certainly be a good thing, especially the Chinese ones who wobble around clearly lost, they are a danger to themselves and others. However to really cut down road deaths it would be better to start closer to home, 99% of all craziness I see on the roads every day is caused by locals.

Discover Thainess It has long been overdue that something be done to keep riders without a proper license off the roads. I guess that most rental shops will soon be out of business, as most renters don’t have the proper license for riding a motorbike. But please don’t forget also to target the many locals who are riding without the proper license.

Xonax ...................................................

A simple solution

Re: Opinion: The day my best friend drowned on a Phuket day tour If you don’t want to die on holidays: Don’t get on a bus or minibus; don’t get on a jet-

ski or parasail; don’t swim in the water; don’t get on a boat; don’t get drunk and fight with security; don’t cross the road unsafely; don’t ride a scooter; don’t buy drugs; don’t drink the water – apart from that, have a super holiday in your hotel room. If you don’t want to get ripped off… stay there!

Chris 007 It’s not even a consideration, best leave your tourist dollars on the tarmac and depart swiftly if you think authorities give a hoot about tourist welfare.

Pauly 44 ...................................................

Whale shark woes

Re: Fingers off whale sharks, biologist says These creatures used to visit the area regularly. It’s only because of the kind of ignorance demonstrated by these people and inherent in society at large that has lead to the dramatic reduction in numbers of whale sharks here and world-wide.

Not only are they affected by over-fishing and pollution but they themselves are killed by irresponsible fisherman looking to make a quick buck.

Captain Jack 69

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THAILAND NEWS

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Killed by a fallen cable Family destitute after woman motorcyclist killed by internet wire KHON KAEN Bangkok Post

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he death of a woman motorcyclist pulled violently to the road by a fallen internet cable has left the family that depended on her destitute, and her partially paralysed husband talking about ending his life.

Representatives of several local agencies last Friday (Apr 27) visited the family of 40-year-old Maneenate Charoenngao at Nong Hai village in tambon Phra Lap of Muang district.

Ms Maneenate was killed when a fallen overhead cable wrapped around her neck on Lao Nadee Rd last Wednesday evening (Apr 25). She was pulled violently off her motorcycle and died on the spot.

The visit followed reports about the hardship facing the family after the loss of its main income earner. Ms Maneenate’s husband suffers from partial paralysis and cannot walk unassisted, their

Funeral rites for Maneenate Charoenngao, the woman motorcyclist killed when an fallen overhead cable wrapped around her neck, were held at a temple in Muang district, Khon Kaen, last Friday (Apr 27). Photo: Chakkraphan Natanri youngest daughter is autistic and her parents are elderly and ailing.

Her sudden death leaves her eldest daughter, who has just completed vocational education and does temporary work, to carry the heavy burden.

The eldest daughter, Kanokwan Panyapim, told visiting officials that the death of her mother increased the stress on her father. He could not come to terms with the loss. He looked perpetually sad and kept saying he wanted his life to end as he did not

want to be a burden on the family any more.

This worried the family a lot, the 21-year-old woman said.

As her father could not walk, she and other relatives had to take turns in caring for him and arrange the funeral

rites for her mother.

She thanked their lawyer, Woraphan Benjaworakul, for voluntarily providing legal assistance to the family.

Ms Woraphan said constant legal assistance would be provided to enable the family to sue those responsible, for both civil and criminal cases.

She was working closely with police handling the case in ensuring action is taken action against those involved.

Ms Woraphan said that according to the Provincial Electricity Authority, cables attached to power poles must provide a clearance 5.5 metres high when crossing over a road and 4.4 metres from the ground if on the roadside.

What caused the cable to fall was the main issue, Ms Woraphan said.

She and tambon chief Winai Thongthap led representatives from Khon Kaen provincial Red Cross, the provincial public health office and other agencies to visit the family.

Khon Kaen police chief

Chamlong Suwalak said the investigation was progressing well. Police had so far interrogated four witnesses and gathered a lot of evidence.

This included information on the firm that owned the fallen Internet cable.

The company had already contacted investigators, Capt Chamlong said.

The investigation was focused on two issues – whether the cable fell to the road due to some damage or improper installation, or if someone or something caused it to fall.

They had examined footage from a camera that showed the incident, but it was not clear whether a 10-wheel truck travelling in the opposite direction had hit the black, overhead cable that fell to the road, Capt Chamlong said.

The truck driver would be called in for questioning, because a man sitting on the top of the truck was seen bending his head as if to avoid something, the police captain said.

Ex-cop known for preying on foreigners arrested for robbery SAMUT PRAKAN A FORMER POLICE OFFICER with a record of preying on foreigners was arrested for allegedly stealing money and other valuables from an Indian engineer working for an airline.

Sommas Boonyen, 39, a former police officer attached to a Bangkok police station – reportedly Bang Na – was apprehended at the entrance of Soi Chalerm Prakiart in Prawet district on theft charges and taken for a police press conference on Monday (Apr 30).

@thephuketnews

A 9mm pistol, 27 rounds of ammunition, a Toyota car, B2,000 cash, 190 rupees and a police uniform were seized from the suspect, said Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan, deputy commissioner of Tourist Police Bureau.

The arrest came after Thajudheen Poovancheer, 27, an Indian national working as an engineer for the airline Jin Air, filed a complaint at Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station last Sunday (April 29), saying he had been robbed while having a meal opposite a hotel on King Kaew Rd in Bangkok’s Bang Phli district.

He said a man dressed as a police

Sommas Boonyen, 39, was expelled from the police force on April 7 on theft charges – and re-arrested on Monday (Apr 30) for the same offence. Photo: Sutthiwit Chayutworakan officer had asked to see his passport and then searched his wallet.

The ‘policeman’ took his credit

cards, cash and his mobile phone, said the engineer.

Police began an investigation

that led to the arrest of Sommas in Prawet district a day after the complaint was filed.

The suspect had a criminal record of committing similar offences on several occasions, said the deputy chief. He was expelled from the police force on April 7 after he was arrested for theft by Bang Na police on March 1. He was released on bail, but proceeded to commit the same offence.

The suspect confessed to the charges and was held in police custody for legal action, said Maj Gen Surachet.

Bangkok Post

8

THAILAND NEWS

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Sex tours clean-up

Foreign report claims companies offering steamy vacations BANGKOK Bangkok Post

P

olice are looking into a sex tour scandal after a foreign report emerged claiming that companies are offering steamy vacations to Western travellers with particular emphasis being placed on resort destinations such as Pattaya and Phuket.

Lt Gen Thitiraj Nhonghanpitak, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), said last week that he has instructed the Anti–Human Trafficking Division (ATHD) and Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) to look into the case.

The move comes after the online site of Britain’s The Sun claimed it had uncovered a number of websites, in both Thai and other languages, offering sex tours to Brits and other Western tourists.

Lt Gen Thitiraj said tourist police and local police have ramped up crackdowns on gangs that deal in the sex trade in recent months, citing the recent bust of a swingers’ party in Pattaya.

He said they will now expand

‘Package tours’ with Thai partners, accommodations and daytime activities are easily found, and payable in advance. Photo: via Bangkok Post the scope of their investigation to determine whether an organised crime gang of Thais and foreigners is heavily involved in the sex trade in Thailand.

Maj Gen Kornchai Klaiklung, commander of the trafficking division, said all known sex trafficking gangs have already been blacklisted by the Immigration Bureau.

He rejected foreign media reports claiming Thailand is a sex tourism destination and that young schoolchildren can be found in some areas

offering sex services to tourists.

Maj Gen Kornchai said many girls may pretend to be younger than their true age and offer such services to tourists, adding that such “freelancers” are not affiliated with any tour packages.

“Police have arrested many women and ladyboys and none were part of organised sex tours. In most cases, they offered sexual services [independently] or through Thai or foreign agents [on an individual basis],” he added.

Police will also investigate if tour guides have been helping travellers by procuring paid-for sex partners, he said.

He said foreign media like to sensationalise stories to boost their readership but the reality is that the sex trade in Thailand is not that pervasive.

His comments were questioned by netizens on social media. Some pointed to notorious areas like Walking Street in Pattaya, which is lined with a-go-go bars where girls routinely dance in skimpy outfits and can be taken out of the premises by paying a “bar fine” of around US$30 (B950).

Maj Gen Kornchai said police have also targeted websites that offer sex services, with hundreds being closed down in the last three months.

“It can’t be denied that the sex trade exists. What we need to do is curb it,” he said.

According to the Sun Online, Thai websites are offering Westerners packaged holidays with “fresh out of school virgins” and “ladyboys”.

One company offers punters the chance to sleep with “young virgins”, adding: “Be the first to deflower one of these young enchanting virgins,”

according to the British media.

All of the companies also offer gay prostitutes among their selection of tour packages.

One of the companies offers a seven-day package for US$1,400 (B44,278.50).

Another firm claims to offer a five-star luxury sex holiday with a “private pool villa on the tropical island paradise of Phuket”.

One company based in Pattaya promises to deliver a “girlfriend” experience (“GFE”) for the duration of the stay. Seven days cost just under $1,500 (B47,441.25), according to the Sun Online.

On Feb 27, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Thailand needed to upgrade its image to cast off the shackles of being a sex tourism destination following disparaging comments by a minister in Gambia that went viral.

“When anyone says something bad about us, we have to comply with and use the laws [to solve such problems]. Everything must be improved. We have to help turn Pattaya and other tourism areas into higher-quality tourist attractions and get rid of this [sex tourism],” Gen Prayut said.

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

ASIA NEWS

9

Afghanistan’s camel power

Where sesame is turned into oil by an animal’s steady steps AFGHANISTAN Anne Chaon

O

ld Afghan men looking to soothe their aching joints or enrich their rice dishes stand around a tiny shop where they are lulled by a camel’s steady steps as sesame oil flows into a plastic bucket.

The traditional industry in northern Afghanistan is the domain of ethnic Turkmen, though its origins seem unclear.

The sesame are pressed not by hand but by camel power to extract their precious oil.

Two of the animals take turns every couple of hours walking around in circles in the cramped space, a pack on their shoulders supporting a mast that drives the wooden press, a patch covering one eye to narrow their gaze.

Chari Amini has taken over the business started by his father and his 12-year-old son is already helping him as he prepares to become the next generation of sesame oil producers.

Amini buys sesame at the

@thephuketnews

A traditional sesame oil press powered by camel in Mazar-i-Sharif. Photo: AFP local market, which are grown between rows of wheat, hashish and poppies in the fertile soil of Balkh province, which borders Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

If the seeds are of good quality, one kilogram can produce half a litre of oil.

“We are about 35 producers in Mazar-i-Sharif, all Turkmen, and we all know each other,” says Amini, his bald head covered with a turban, referring to the capital of Balkh.

“We are honest – it’s the key to business,” he explains.

“We never stopped during the wars.”

Amini also presses sesame for farmers who bring their harvest to him, charging 100 Afghanis (B44.84) per ser, a traditional unit of weight that is equal to seven kilograms.

Dark chunks of residue are collected and used as fuel in homes.

This modest trade brings A mini 20,000 Afghanis (B8,967.41) per month – not as lucrative as opium poppy used to produce heroin, but

better than the income of a soldier. And it is enough to support his five children.

His shop is one of several facing a wide road in Mazar-iSharif, the front entirely open to customers.

Every two hours, his employee Alokozai pours 11kg of seeds into the press and takes the reins of the camel to guide him around the circle.

Alokozai never considered doing anything else with his life, he says, surprised by the question.

Each camel works for 10 hours a day. Amini keeps the animals for 18 months and then resells them “for a profit” once they are muscular.

Roughly 300,000 litres of sesame oil are produced using the traditional method each year in Balkh, according to Zabihullah Zubin, a director at the provincial Department of Agriculture. That provides a livelihood for about 50 producers.

About 300 farmers produce sesame but they prefer to sell on the regional market for a higher price – 120 Afghanis (B53.80) per kilo against 90 Afghanis (B40.35) in the Mazar-i-Sharif bazaar, explains Zubin.

This method of producing sesame oil is competing with more efficient industrial presses, of which Mazar-iSharif has three.

“They have the food technology, they know how to process, to clean the seeds, do the packaging... the small manual production would need investment and technical support” to access the overseas market, said Zubin.

Joseph Nezam, an AfghanFrench businessman, is trying to develop local sesame oil production with the support of the American development agency USAid so they can sell directly into markets abroad.

“Afghanistan has a very good quality sesame but people prefer to sell to neighbouring countries that serve as an intermediary to the international market, and help them to produce at European standards,” Nezam says.

Old customers of Amini swear that the camel-pressed sesame oil they use to flavour their traditional Afghan rice dish kabuli palau is “totally organic, healthier, and sweeter” than industrial presses that “burn” seeds by crushing them.

“It’s better than any tablet or medicine,” says Hajji Abdul Ghani Rahmani, a traditional doctor who stops by Amini’s shop to stock up on sesame oil to use at his clinic.

“You can use it and feel better very soon,” he adds, as he massages the knee and leg of an elderly man sitting inside the shop.

AFP

10 WORLD NEWS

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

From vigilantes to gangsters

Embedded in Rio, paramilitary groups become even more brazen BRAZIL Carola Solé

T

hey’re seldom mentioned by officials and are almost never identified, but paramilitary groups are increasingly embedded in Rio de Janeiro – and, with the slaying of a prominent politician last month, are ever more brazen.

When Marielle Franco, an outspoken activist for the rights of poor blacks in Rio’s violence-plagued favelas, was gunned down, the most unusual thing was that authorities firmly pointed the finger at the paramilitaries, or “militias” as they’re known locally.

Murders happen all the time in Rio de Janeiro state.

There were 15 homicides a day in the first two months of the year, according to the Public Security Institute.

But with the focus nearly always on the drug gangs controlling swaths of the favelas, killings by militias – shadowy groups of ex-police and serving officers gone rogue – mostly pass under

A woman carries her child past military police patrolling one of Rio’s poorest neighbourhoods, where pervasive violence is being blamed not only on drug gangs but on the increasingly powerful vigilante groups that sprang up to fight them. Photo: Carl de Souza / AFP

the radar.

Franco’s killing, which was conducted in a chillingly professional manner, changed that. Franco had made a name for herself criticising what she said were police death squads in the favelas and now, in a

deliberate and public way, she has been silenced.

“What they did to Marielle showed that what’s happening in Rio is very serious,” said leftist legislator Marcelo Freixo, who oversaw a congressional committee, joined

by Franco, seeking to lift the lid on militia activities.

And six weeks after the killing, police have yet to make any arrests – more proof, critics say, of the militias’ heavy hand.

Ironically, when the militias first formed around the year 2000, they were seen as an attempt to save Brazil’s second biggest city from the ravages of drug gangs.

Uniformed police were unable to cope, and so vigilantes with close links to the police stepped in. The city authorities did nothing to stop them, seeing the loosely organised groups as far preferable to the dreaded narcos.

But like an out-of-control Frankenstein monster, the militias gradually morphed from neighbourhood protection into mafia-like protection rackets, using their muscle and expertise not only to fight drug gangs but to replace them as rulers of the local streets.

And from the streets, the

militias have extended their influence into politics, all the while preventing the Brazilian media from daring to dig too far into their activities.

Their ranks are filled with current and former members of the police, firefighters, prison staff and soldiers, who tout their mission as “bringing morals and cleaning out the drug dealers”, said sociologist Thais Duarte, an expert on the phenomenon.

Look back far enough, and you can trace the origins of today’s militias to the underground death squads doing dirty work for the dictatorship between 1964 and 1985, said Jose Claudio Souza Alves at the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro.

But today their principal role has veered into the commercial, making them more like mafia gangs than anything else.

In their strongholds of western Rio they control distribution of cooking gas,

the internet, cable television and local transport. In this way, a single militia group can earn an estimated $7 million (B220.64mn) a month, experts say.

And because of their law enforcement links they are rarely brought to justice. They are “deeply rooted in the state apparatus,” Duarte said.

“Militias have a different political and social capital to the traffickers,” she added.

“Traffickers have those negative stereotypes of being normally black and from favelas, while the militias are better off, they’re white and older. All this gives them legitimacy.”

The militias’ protection rackets extend into politics, and they’re not afraid to back up their threats.

“The militias sell votes in whole areas. They can offer a candidate control if he pays them and agrees not to get in their way,” Alves explained.

But that’s not all: “They have campaigned themselves, and once they are in office they are able to get total control,” he said.

Those ambitions broke into the open in 2016 municipal elections when more than a dozen candidates were murdered, including one known as “Falcon”, who also served as president of one of Rio’s famed samba schools.

Whether Franco’s murder will change anything for the militias remains to be seen.

As far back as 2008, they were blamed for kidnapping and torturing journalists from O Dia newspaper, a case that prompted a major investigation and arrests of some leaders.

However, the paramilitaries overall continue to flourish.

“The only way to fight the militias is to attack their economic base,” Souza said.

AFP

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

BUSINESS NEWS 11

Marriott Phuket AccorHotels acquires JW appoints new GM Movenpick for B17.8bn HOSPITALITY

HOSPITALITY AFP

F

rench hotel group AccorHotels announced Monday (April 30) it has signed a deal to buy Switzerland’s Movenpick Hotels and Resorts for 560 million Swiss francs (US$567mn, or B17.87 billion).

Founded in 1973, Movenpick has 84 hotels in 27 countries, and plans to open 42 additional hotels by 2021, with significant expansion in Middle East, Africa and AsiaPacific, AccorHotels said in a statement.

The deal is expected to be finalised in the second half of 2018.

The French group, which already includes the Pullman, Raffles, Novotel and Mercure brands, said the acquisition would further consolidate its operations in Europe and in the Middle East and boost growth, notably in Africa and Asia.

“With the acquisition of Movenpick, we are consolidating our leadership in the

AccorHotels CEO Sebastien Bazin said the deal would further accelerate his group’s growth in emerging markets. Photo: AFP / file European market and are further accelerating our growth in emerging markets, in particular in Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific,” AccorHotels CEO Sebastien Bazin said.

“The Movenpick brand is the perfect combination of

modernity and authenticity and ideally complements our portfolio.”

AccorHotels repor ted turnover was up 0.6% in the first quarter, due to improved performance in Europe, especially in France.

Thai marine parks to cap visits TOURISM THAILAND WILL LIMIT tourist visits to marine national parks throughout the country to six million a year, according marine and conservation expert, Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat.

Dr Thon serves as the deputy dean of the Faculty of Fishery at Kasetsart University in Bangkok and is an official advisor to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.

He made the comments on his Facebook page last

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The number of visitors allowed to enter marine parks will be limited to six million a year. Photo: DNP Thursday (April 26), saying the decision to cap tourist visits would be part of a “national reform strategy” for marine parks.

An outspoken critic who has often chided the tourism industry for the negative impact on national marine parks, he says the damage to coral reefs that currently stands at 77% should be reduced to 50% over the next five years. He welcomed the decision to cap tourist visits saying it would encourage marine conservationists across the country to campaign harder for change.

Meanwhile, Phi Phi Island has set as a priority to half the number of visitors per day from about 6,000 to 3,000.

TTR Weekly

In February it announced the sale of a 55% stake in the subsidiary that owns its hotels to a group of international investors including the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia and Singapore for 4.4bn euros (B168.22bn).

JW MARRIOTT PHUKET Resort & Spa has announced the appointment of Matthias Y. Sutter as the resort’s new General Manager, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and 18 years of luxury hospitality expertise.

In his role as GM, Mr Sutter will be primarily responsible for managing the hotel operations and maintaining the exceptional services of the 265-room luxury resort located on Mai Khao Beach.

Mr Sutter started off as an architect but soon discovered his passion in hospitality, obtaining his degree at the Swiss Hotel Management School, Zurich Belvoirpark.

He received his master’s of business administration at the Zurich Graduate Business School of Administration, which gave him the necessary tools to advance in his career as a hotelier.

Mr Sutter, who speaks English, German and French, brings with him over 18 years of experience with some of the world’s leading luxury properties including Peninsula and Hyatt.

Matthias Sutter has been appointed General Manager at the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa. He joined the Marriott group in 2011 as Hotel Manager at the St Regis Sanya followed by his first General Manager appointment at the Sheraton D cube City, Seoul in 2014.

Over the past few months, Mr Sutter has been assigned to the corporate office, assisting in diverse “Task Force” assignments such as the St Regis Singapore and the two newly opened Moxy hotels in Tokyo and Osaka.

Married and a father to 5-year-old twin daughters, Mr Sutter is also a former member of the Swiss National Junior Golf team as well as being an active and passionate triathlete.

He replaces Oriol Montal, who served as the JW Marriott Phuket’s General Manager for four years.

The Phuket News

12 BUSINESS NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

In money, managers matter Consistency in performance the great hallmark of any manager FINANCIAL THAIMES Wiliam Frisby

N

ext month the 21st Fifa World Cup will kick off in Russia. On the back of world cup fever, we thought it would be an appropriate time to discuss the lessons that football can teach us about selecting investments.

You may remember Sir Alex Ferguson and his 26 years at Manchester where he won 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two UEFA Champions Leagues with a win percentage of 60%.

One of the most impressive aspects of Ferguson’s career is that the majority of success came with one club. Also, during Ferguson’s reign many other unsuccessful managers came and went. This is very similar to the fund management world where we often see highly paid “experts” fail in an arena where they have previously been successful.

Skill or Luck?

If you gathered 1,000 people

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who also has a PhD in Economics, has built a decadeslong reputation for consistency, one of the hallmarks of a good fund manager. Photo: AFP together and asked them to flip a coin, maybe one of them would flip heads 20 times in a row. In this example we all know that this can only be attributed to luck rather than skill. However, if a football or investment manager was to achieve the same result then

he would be labelled a genius.

There are an estimated 76,000 investment funds around the world and therefore the risk of picking a lucky coin flipper, rather than someone with actual skill, is quite high.

In their 2013 study, Adrian Bell et al. conducted a study

of football managers. In their model they took into account factors such as the club’s wage bill, injuries, transfers and the availability of players throughout a season, to create a metric for how many points a manager would be expected to gain per game.

They could then apply this to a fund manager’s career to see if they performed above, below or at the level of expectation.

The study showed there was a group of football managers that consistently performed above the expectations of their club. Interestingly, the majority of managers that performed at the top of this list were those with the longest history in the Premier League, such as Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Sam Allardyce, Martin O’Neill and Harry Redknapp.

Put simply, what this study showed is that there is a group of managers that always perform above expectations.

It is my belief that the investment world also has its Alex Fergusons and there are

various similarities between great football and investment managers. Below are some lessons we think football can teach investors.

Commitment As with great football teams, great funds tend to have a mercurial talent at the helm who stay there for a long time.

Despite not collecting the vast amount of silverware that Alex Ferguson has, Arsene Wenger will no doubt be considered a great of the game. Since joining Arsenal in 1996 he has won three league titles, seven FA cups and five league cups.

When I look at fund managers I heavily favour those that have remained in the same position for a long time. Better than that, I try to focus on firms where the talent is also the owner and is therefore unlikely to ever leave.

Performance and Consistency With football and investment it is obviously important to

produce results, no one is going to employ a football manager that never wins.

Pep Guardiola is widely considered to be the greatest manager in the world at the moment due to his consistency. One of the most remarkable points about Pep’s consistency has been his ability to replicate success in multiple leagues around Europe.

When looking at fund managers we could consider different market conditions similarly to managing in different professional football leagues. The longer the track record of a fund manager managing their fund the more data we have to analyse how they can cope with different market conditions.

It is unfair to expect a fund or football manager to win every year or season.

The key is how well they perform over multiple years or seasons and when they lose, how badly do they lose, for how long and do they always appear near the top of their best performing peers.

Preserving capital is as important as making money.

There is no benefit in winning 5-0 one week if you lose 5-0 the next week. Preserving clients money in bad times is like preserving goal difference through defeats and Pep Guardiola is a master of this.

Stay tuned for next week when we disprove the myth that “Wall Street is random” and that it is better to be investing in index-tracking investments rather than backing the best fund managers.

If you would like any more information on how savings plans work then you can go here for more details. Or, alternatively, you can email wfrisby@hampton-bridge.com

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Colouring in is fun, even if you’re an adult!

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

15

THE SIMPLE THINGS

Thai medical research branches into cannabis

16

Reflections on the small pleasures of a family day trip from Phuket to Khao Lak Jamie’s family enjoying Ton Prai Waterfall – still with plenty of water in the hot season. Photos: Jamie Monk

JAMIE’S PHUKET Jamie Monk

F

rom our house it’s about 100 kilometres to the beachside tourist town of Khao Lak and we’ve done several little holidays in Khao Lak over the years. Good for a night or two, a bit of vitamin sea and some quiet beach time. So, on a day off earlier this year, I thought we could make a little family trip up there with some stops on the way. Just the four of us, plus one extra friend of our daughter.

It normally takes about 45 minutes from our house to reach the very north of Phuket and drive over Sarasin Bridge. It was a lovely, hot, sunny high season day and we had planned to leave late and stop for lunch on the way at a place called Nern Khao View Talay just north of the small town of Khok Kloi.

But the restaurant was closed for a wedding! Luckily, nearby is the Wat Khao Waterfall which has a restaurant right next to it called Krua Klang Dong.

We have eaten here before, it does very tasty local food at a good price.

Although we do prefer the slightly fan@thephuketnews

cier Nern Khao View Talay. It was busy (lunchtime on the weekend) and we had to wait a little while for a table before ordering too much food, as we normally do!

Wat Khao Waterfall itself is not huge, but when we came in low season it had quite a flow of water. This time – not much going on, but still people were splashing around in pools of water.

High season is not the ideal time to visit waterfalls! We planned to stop at a bigger waterfall later. I hoped that either Lampi or Ton Prai waterfall would be worth a visit. But first we carried on to Khao Lak. We could have stopped at Thai Mueang Beach on the way, but we’d spent a long time eating so needed to dash a little.

Arriving in Khao Lak we drove down Soi Nangthong to the beach. We have stayed at the Nangthong Bay Resort before which has a nice restaurant by the sea – it looked busy. We just played around on the sand and rocks for a while. There are miles of beaches around Khao Lak and compared to the busier beaches in Phuket it feels very relaxed. Phuket does of course have quieter beaches, but Khao Lak just seems more peaceful.

We used to do this more often, but the kids are getting older and have their

Klang Dong Restaurant at Wat Khao Waterfall. own things to do and friends to hang out with… plus in high season I have only one day off per week and I often appreciate a lazy day.

On this sunny day we left Khao Lak after 3pm and drove south again.

Ton Prai Waterfall is about 30km from Khao Lak. The national park staff at the entrance said they have to close by 4:30pm so we walked as speedily as possible along the path to the waterfall, about 650 metres up and down steps and picking your way through tree roots. We arrived at the waterfall and the only other people there were four Thai teenagers who asked my son to take a photo of them, then they left, so we had the waterfall to ourselves.

Crispy shrimp cakes with sweet chilli sauce.

On a hot day, the water in the waterfall was surprisingly cold! We splashed around for about half an hour before the walk back to the rangers’ station where, thankfully, they have some cold drinks for sale. Time to drive home again. I like having these days out with the family. I like family time. I like having my kids around. We got home just before sunset. This is the kind of day we enjoy. No particular plan, enjoy the scenery, enjoy the company of family and it makes me very happy to be living here in Phuket.

Jamie Monk blogs about all things Phuket and more at: jamiesphuketblog. com

14 DINING

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Culinary diplomacy Pyongyang Spicy Boiled Pork.

Pyongyang BBQ Ribs.

A cold jellyfish plate.

This North Korean eatery in Bangkok shows how food can bridge divides Jason A Jellison

O

n a quiet block of Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Rd, there stands an unassuming eatery called the Pyongyang Okyru Restaurant. It serves some of the only genuine North Korean food available in Thailand. The interior of the restaurant looks akin to a modest family diner, but all things familiar end there. The recent and historic warming of North and South Korea’s diplomatic relations that saw both nation’s leaders hold hands as they crossed the border into each other’s countries makes this the perfect time to explore another crucial, but perhaps more subtle form of international diplomacy: Food.

Upon arrival, a small team of conservatively dressed

waitresses descended upon us and gave us a menu with over four dozen signature North Korean dishes. These dishes are not commonly found elsewhere and North Korean food differs strongly from South Korean food in that it has far less sugar.

This allows for amazing taste sensations.

For example, the chilled mung bean salad is a wonderful appetiser, full of noodles and Thai chillies with fried beef, mushrooms, veggies and seaweed, all tossed in a lovely sesame sauce.

We tried the barbecue beef ribs and barbecue pork ribs and received plates stuffed with tender meat in a fantastic Korean sauce with onions, roasted potatoes, green beans, a little spice and small chunks of carrots. Truly superb.

Next, we tried the cold jellyfish plate and were bowled over when our tastebuds discovered that this jellyfish is far more tender and high quality than its Thai counterpart. Served with a mild sauce, this was quite a comforting dish and we all agreed to have it again.

We were then delighted to try the kimchee dish. It had three delicious types of North Korean kimchee, the most interesting of which was a very mild white kimchee. This dish had some of the most delicate and balanced flavours of any dish we tried, aside from the jellyfish.

The spicy boiled pork was a delightful surprise. Served cold, it came with spring vegetables in a unique sauce that we had never tasted before.

But the most interesting dish of the night was unquestionably the Pyongyang cold noodles. The dark brown noodles are served in a cold, red broth with chunks of marinated sweet-and-sour salmon. The noodles are mixed with precise amounts of vinegar and mustard for a delicious symphony of flavours that are generally not found in other Asian cuisines.

Sadly, we did not get to try everything in one evening.

The restaurant is equipped with table-top grills for traditional Korean barbecue and there were a number of interesting dishes that would have to wait until next time. The cucumber kimchee, black Pyongyang sausage, fried quail and fried beef with gingko nut all looked very interesting.

Evening performances featuring traditional North Korean instruments and dancing occur regularly. Although unadvertised and having to be discovered on foot, Pyongyang Okyru provided a dining experience that could easily go toe-to-toe

Pyongyang Okyru Restaurant.

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un (left) walks with South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in down a red carpet during a historic welcoming ceremony following the unprecedented warming of relations. Photo: AFP with the very finest restaurants in Thailand.

If you decide to stop in for a cultural experience, remember that it’s a delicate time to discuss international affairs, so it is an evening for pleasure, food, and perhaps a little soju (the favoured beverage of North Korea). In these tense political times, it pays to remember that food can cross cultural boundaries and unite people – something we would like to see more of these days.

Although there are a host of lunch specials, a normal dinner costs about B350 per person and is well-worth every penny. The Korean barbecue is usually about B600 per person. This is not inexpensive, but with nearly 50 rare dishes available it is certainly a delicious and educational experience.

So if you get a chance, pay a visit to Pyongyang Okyru on Sukhumvit Soi 25 in the heart of downtown Bangkok, a culinary experience like no other awaits. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

TECHNOLOGY 15

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Colour yourself happy with Lake Your inner artist will be tickled pink with this fun colouring book app TECH TIDBITS Amy Bensema bensema.amy@gmail.com

U

nleash your inner artist with Lake: Colouring Books. Lake is a creative colouring app with a vibrant collection of colouring books from some of Instagram’s finest illustrators. An Apple Design Award Winner in 2017, Lake helps users to relax by colouring as well as discover inspiring artists. Simply open the app to begin colouring. The app allows you to colour yourself happy while leaving your mark on the illustrations you love and support artists directly.

For adults, colouring has many benefits. First and foremost, the brain experiences relief by entering a meditative state. colouring has also been known to lower stress and anxiety levels. Focusing on colouring also can help expel negative thoughts and draw positive ones in. Colouring as an adult offers a therapeutic potential to reduce anxiety, create focus and an increased ability to bring about more mindfulness.

Once the Lake app is downloaded, you will be able to immerse yourself in colour and forget the world around you,

@thephuketnews

This simple app is the perfect way to relax and forget about your troubles for a while. Photo: Mark Knowles the simple visual pleasure of colouring can be enjoyed by anyone. There is no need to be an artist or an exemplary creative type to colour. Additionally, it’s is a hobby that can be taken wherever you go.

Lake also promises a meditative colouring experience. The app is free to download and there are plenty of in-app purchases, but for those just looking to give the app a whirl, there is plenty of free content to start with.

Features of Lake include one free illustration a day, with new artists and new colouring books added continu-

ously and a five-piece tool set that consists of an acrylic brush, watercolour brush, spray, fill and an eraser.

Lake includes a gradient colour wheel with 245 hues which allow for a seamless colouring experience loaded with harmonious colours – it includes a history palette to show you previously used colours so you can keep your work consistent. Other features include a tap-to-fill colouring option, the ability to zoom in/out, colour inside the lines and a manageable number of colouring surfaces. The app also allows users to instantly save drawings as

well as quick sharing for social media and print options. Lake also works offline.

Lake welcomes new users with freebies. There are free daily specials for the first 60 days. Lake allows users to explore diverse drawing styles. Each artist delivers an incredibly unique illustration style to ensure that colouring never gets boring. The free colouring page available in each colouring book allows users to get a taste for all styles and the app is consistently featuring new artists.

The app is extremely easy to use and beautifully designed. Lake: Colouring Books app pays fine attention to detail like one would expect from an adult colouring book. Lake is free to download from the iOS app store, and offers in-app purchases. For those looking to subscribe to unleash the app’s full potential, there are weekly, monthly and yearly subscriptions available.

More information about Lake: Colouring Books app can be found at www. lakecoloring.com Amy Bensema is a writer, photographer and long-term Phuket expat. You can email her at: bensema.amy@gmail.com, follow her on twitter @girl_with_bear or on instagram @Phuketstagram.

16 HEALTH

Forward to the past for a better cure

T

Karnjana Karnjanatawe

hough more and more countries have legalised marijuana for medical purposes, cannabis is still illegal in Thailand.

But realising the gradually shifting tide, Rangsit University founded the Medical Cannabis Research Team last year in the hope of securing scientific proof on the medical benefits of cannabis and, pending a possible law change, to bring it back to Thai medicine for the first time in centuries.

Thailand’s pioneers in cannabis study are three female pharmacists from the university’s pharmacy faculty: Assoc Prof Dr Narisa Kamkaen, the team leader; Asst Prof Dr Surang Leelawat; and Dr Worawan Saingam. Prominent among the three is Dr Surang, the first Thai academic pharmacist to conduct groundbreaking research on the use of

marijuana extract to treat cholangiocarcinomas, or bile duct cancer. It started in 2006, when she received a two-year grant from the Thailand Research Fund to study the effects of medical marijuana.

“A lot of medical research showed that marijuana extracts can stop or slow the growth of some cancers, but no one had studied the effects of marijuana extracts on cholangiocarcinomas,” she said.

She is interested in bile duct cancer because it is a primary liver cancer – a leading cause of death in Thailand, especially among men. The Northeast has the highest bile duct cancer, caused by a parasite, or a liver fluke, found in raw fish dishes. The disease is a silent killer because patients are usually not aware of the sickness until it is in the advanced stage. About 20,000 people die per year because of liver cancer.

“I thought if I could discover some-

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Medical research on the efficacy of marijuana is often hindered due to Thailand’s drug laws. Photo: Pixabay thing [about the cure], I would be so proud,” she recalled of her ambition.

The two-year research yielded an awe-inspiring result. With marijuana extracts supported by the laboratory of a public hospital, she found that the herbal compound could slow cancercell growth and stop its spreading to different parts of the body. The result was verified and published in Cancer Investigation, a medical journal in the United States, in 2010.

After the first finding, Dr Surang didn’t have a chance to pursue her research until she picked it up again last year. One of the reasons is that marijuana is still classified as an illegal drug in Thailand – this despite the fact that for centuries cannabis was part of Thai traditional medicine.

Use of the plant for medical purposes can be traced back to the period of King Narai the Great (1656-1688) of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, according to the Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine Department Director Dr Kwanchai Visithanon.

“Cannabis was part of at least 91 formulas of Thai traditional medicine,” he said, adding that it was used to improve food intake, promote sleep, relieve pain and anxiety and treat epilepsy.

Today marijuana is legal for medical purposes mainly in Europe, South America, Australia and Canada, as well as 29 of the United States, while a handful of countries have legalised its use for recreation. However, in Thailand marijuana is categorised as a Class 5 narcotic under the 1979 Narcotic Drugs Act. The law prohibits production, consumption, sale, import, export or possession of the drug, unless permitted by the Public Health Minister on a case-by-case basis.

Dr Kwanchai said, however, that cannabis does not display any effects that fit into the definition of an addictive drug.

“Marijuana does not have such effects. It is even less intoxicating than alcohol,” the doctor said, believing there are no valid reasons to categorise marijuana as an addictive drug. When the narcotics law was enacted in 1979, marijuana was removed as a traditional herbal medicine.

“Thailand should allow marijuana for medical use so that we can bring back our traditional formulas for the benefit of patients,” he said.

Progress to legalise marijuana is slow, although the amendment of the Narcotics Drugs Act received public hearings and approval by the Office of the Council of State last year.

“The amendment will allow the use of marijuana for scientific research and for medical purposes,” said Wicha Mahakhun, dean of the law faculty at Rangsit University and the ex-commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption

A prototype of the marijuana-based spray. Photo: Rangsit University

Asst Prof Dr Surang Leelawat. Photo: Rangsit University Commission.

“If there is no amendment, we can’t conduct marijuana research that involves real patients, let alone treating sickness. The change is minor, but it will bring enormous benefit,” he said.

While the winds of change are beginning to blow, Rangsit University is determined to be a pioneer in medical marijuana research. Last year, the Medical Cannabis Research team asked for permission from the Public Health Minister to conduct three separate research studies: to produce marijuana extracts for research, to conduct an animal experiment on treating bile duct cancer cells with THC, and to produce a prototype of a mouth spray.

Dr Narisa Kamkaen was responsible for producing marijuana extracts. She successfully extracted THC and CBD from seized marijuana, although she found the seized weed was contaminated with mould and bacteria. She hopes the research team will be able to grow the plant in a closed growing environment in order to produce organic marijuana.

Dr Surang Leelawat is continuing her experiment on the effects of THC on bile duct cancer cells. Since last year, she has studied the treatment with rats.

The process started with the administration of bile duct cancer cells to rats and then injecting the marijuana extract to find out if the compound can slow the growth or reduce the size of cancer cells in the animal. Results of the lab tests can be used for calculating dosage for future patients, she said. Unfortunately, it is still illegal to conduct clinical trials or produce marijuana-based medicines to treat patients in Thailand.

“If the prime minister invokes Section 44 to amend the law, it will bring huge benefits not only to patients, but to the development of Thai traditional medicine in the future,” said Rangsit University President Dr Arthit Ourairat.

Bangkok Post thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

EDUCATION 17

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Online A-levels increase access

Affordable International A-Level lessons are now available to all on the web

The Phuket News editor1@classactmedia.co.th

I

TS Education Asia, a Hong Kong based school organisation established in 2005, has released the world’s first set of video-based lessons for the globally recognised International A-Level (itseducation.asia/online/distance-education.htm). With an entry point of zero cost, students from all backgrounds are now able to gain A-Level qualifications for entry to universities around the world in the following range subjects: Accounting, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Geography, History, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology.

The lessons have been specifically produced for maximum effect online learning by ITS’ professional teaching staff, all of whom have extensive experience in teaching the course to students in the classroom and achieving excellent examination and university entry results. Every student can now watch 25 sessions of video lessons per unit of A-Level (around 100 to 150 hours in total depending on subject requirements) absolutely free of charge. There are an additional set of five revision videos per unit for those wishing to upgrade.

Registration for free classes is a simple log-in process via the ITS Edu-

@thephuketnews

The courses bring the A-Level into places where no traditional schools could hope to deliver such a program. Photo: NEC Corporation of America cation Asia website which also includes all the information students need to make informed subject choices depending on their needs and wishes. Having sampled up to 10 hours of free online A-Level courses, students can explore a comprehensive range of affordable online support packages to suit every need and budget for the remainder of their course, or alternatively continue with just the videos for free.

Other expert support services include personal homework marking and

fully live tutorial lessons with individual teachers. The courses bring the A-Level into places where no traditional schools could hope to deliver such a program and to millions around the world wishing to study A-Levels to enter university. They also overcome quality international education’s biggest barrier to entry – price – by making A-Level classes online more affordable.

ITS co-founder, and Oxford graduate, Danny Harrington explained, “We offer video lessons on demand, access

to notes, model answers, access to peerto-peer forum and a free education planning consultation for a fraction of the cost of traditional face-to-face tutoring and nothing mare than an internet connection to a simple smartphone, tablet or laptop is needed.”

ITS said its online courses could provide a lifeline for students in a range of different circumstances: including those with mobility problems; homeschooled students seeking qualified teaching support; those unable to afford overseas boarding schools; those studying the IB, BTEC or other syllabi but wish to improve their academic portfolio and university entrance chances; or those of post-compulsory-school-age who need formal qualifications.

“We have always sought to release students from the cost, time and locational limitations of mainstream education models while still allowing students to gain the qualifications they need to progress in the modern world. ITS Education Asia has worked hard and is proud to have devised the very first globally recognised and affordable online A-Level program content for the most popular subjects taken. With this International A-Level project we believe ITS Education Asia has found a way to bring university entry possibilities to millions around the world,” concluded Harrington.

18 ISLAND SCENE

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Julianna Mester (left) and Dasha Gorodstova were the second- and first-placed senior vocalists, respectively.

Just a few of the many girls who competed in the junior vocals competition on the day.

Guitar maestros Blaze Crause (left) and Dhanesh Wigneswaran both gave rocking performances.

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

The winners across all catergories took to the stage for a group photo at the end of the awards ceremony.

7TH ANNUAL PAPA YOUTH TALENT COMPETITION AT HARD ROCK CAFE A host of Phuket’s talented youngsters took to the stage at the Hard Rock Cafe last Sunday (Apr 29) to take part in the 7th Annual PAPA Youth Talent Competition. The judges had their work cut out for them choosing the prizewinners from amongst all of the incredible performances on the day.

Hole in One Bar team members celebrate their season victory.

Mazen (left) and Ying from Thailand Pool Tables.

PATONG POOL LEAGUE HOSTS END OF SEASON PARTY AT HOLE IN ONE BAR It was a great turn-out and atmosphere for the Patong Pool League End of Season Party held at the winning team Hole In One Bar's venue last Thursday (Apr 26). All those in attendance got to enjoy great food, drinks, music and of course lots of friendly games of pool.

International consuls and local officials gathered to discuss road safety in Phuket.

ROAD SAFETY CONCENS RAISED AS CONSULS AND OFFICIALS MEET Australian Consul-General Craig Ferguson hosted a lunch for all Consulates in Phuket at the Novotel Phuket Phokeethra on Monday (April 30) to discuss road safety on the island with members of the Phuket Road Safety Committee chaired

by Dr Wiwat Seetamanotch. Also in attendance was Maj Gen Theeraphol Thipjaroen, Commander of Phuket Provincial Police, local hospitals and members of the Land Transport Office of Phuket.

Chef Peter (centre) hosted a masterclass for local media at Banyan Tree.

CHEF PETER KURUVITA SHOWCASES TEA-INSPIRED FOOD AT BANYAN TREE Award-winning Australian chef and Dilmah Tea brand ambassador Peter Kuruvita hosted a weekend of fine cuisine at Banyan Tree Phuket last weekend (April 27-29). Chef Peter gave The Phuket News and other local media a preview of his delicious tea-inspired cuisine at Banyan Tree’s Tre restaurant on Friday (April 27). thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

ISLAND SCENE 19

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

From left: Wolfgang Meusberger, Bill Barnett and Anthong Lark flanked by lovelies.

The dance floor was filled with revellers all night long.

GLAM, GLITZ AND GLITTER AT PHUKET HOTELS ASSOCIATION BENEFIT The Phuket Hotels Association, a non-profit organisation of hoteliers focused on promoting a positive image for Phuket while also supporting community-based projects, hosted its gala benefit dinner last Saturday (April 28) to raise funds for 20 hospitality scholarships and traineeships for local residents. It was the second annual edition of the event, also known as PHAB 2 (Phuket Hotels Association Benefit) and the exciting evening was filled with “Glam, Glitz and Glitter” and took place in the Latitude Marque at Laguna Phuket.

The event raised B500,000 for Laguna’s Child First Fund.

Adoring fans from all over Phuket came to see their idols perform.

BODYSLAM HEADLINE A HUGE LINEUP AT LAGUNA FOOD & MUSIC FESTIVAL Rock superstars Bodyslam took to the stage at Laguna Phuket last Friday (April 27) to kick off a weekend of fabulous food and masterful music. For the event’s second year the “Laguna Phuket Charity Concert” was organised in support of Phuket Panyanukul School, a school for children with special needs. All weekend long guests and visitors enjoyed a wide range of pop-up food booths selling international and Peranakan cuisine from Phuket’s top restaurants as well as local vendors and Laguna Phuket resorts.

From left: Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Teeraphol Thipjaroen, Phuket Vice Governor Prakob Wongmaneerung, Australian Consul-General to Phuket Craig Ferguson.

Samita Warit and Piyanoot Hongyok.

AUSTRALIAN CONSUL-GENERAL TO PHUKET HOSTS ANZAC DAY CEREMONY A glorious sunrise coupled with storm lightning and thunder approaching on the eastern horizon blessed those attending the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Phuket Yacht Club on Chalong Bay last Wednesday (April 25). The bloom in the number of people attending the Dawn Service this year stood as testament to the service, ceremony and venue for the event.

SUNSET SEDUCTION AT THE BOATHOUSE

O @thephuketnews

ne of Phuket’s most romantic sunset views awaits you at The Boathouse on stunning Kata Beach. See The Phuket News next week for the full story.

20 EVENTS

FRI

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

4 MAY

SAT

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

5 MAY All you can eat Sunday Roast Buffet

Mussels night @ Shakers

All you can eat BBQ Ribs night

1.2kg mussels served with French fries, your choice, your style: natural, marnière, Provençale, garlic and cream or Thai style. Reservations recommended B295 P/P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

6PM – 11PM: All you can eat BBQ Ribs served with salad buffet, potato salad & choice of sauces. Reservation recommended. 295 baht P.P. shakersphuket@ gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

Beef, Pork and Lamb – Cauliflower, Broccoli, Peas, Carrots, fried mushrooms, grilled tomatoes – Yorkshire pudding – roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes – gravy, mushroom sauce, mint sauce. Reservations recommended. B350 P/P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

Bike Wash ALL YOU CAN EAT BBQ RIBS Come join us for our WEEKLY BBQ EVERY FRIDAY served ALL DAY & ALL NIGHT at Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong. Indulge in All You Can Eat BBQ Pork Ribs, Chicken and Sides for ONLY 445 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. www.twochefs.com

BBQ Buffet on Saturday Night Come and join us along the shores of the Andaman Sea for an unforgettable experience of freshest seafood, generous selections of BBQ items, tempting desserts and delicious drinks. At The Nai Harn Phuket’s Cosmo Restaurant from 6:30-10pm. Price: B1,950 for adults and B975 for children under 12. For further information and reservations please contact: 076 380 200 or fbreservation@thenaiharn.com

Come get your bike washed by our Hooters’ Girls.

Time: 11am - 7pm (public wash). Party time: 7pm 9am (Auction and party). Buy five wristbands to get a discount of 10%. May 1 to 5 at Hooters Phuket in Patong. More information: sale1@hootersphuket.com

SUN

6 MAY Go Live Sunday Seafood Brunch

Sunday Roast All Day, All Night

World Cup League @ BISP Term 3

Healthy Vegan Buffet at DiLite Restaurant Come to Thanyapura’s DiLite Restaurant to enjoy a healthy vegan buffet every Monday to Saturday. Lunch: 12pm to 3pm Dinner: 6pm to 8:30pm. Price: Lunch B350 and Dinner B550. Information and bookings call 076 336 000 or visit: thanyapura.com/hotel/dining/

Friday Lunch at The Boathouse Phuket Savor and enjoy a 3-course set menu with unlimited red and white at The Boathouse, Kata Beach, Phuket.

Best deal before your weekend starts. Only B1,000 net per person. Bookings: 076 330 015-7 or email Pinyo.T@boathouse-phuket.com

Dates: May 12, May 19, May 26, June 2, June 9 and June 16, 2018. Age / Time U9: 9:30-10:30; U11: 10:3011:30; U15: 11:30-12:30 *Girls may play down one age group. Package Includes – World Cup Team Kit, Participation Medal and Seven Saturdays of Matches.

Price: B3,000 if you register and pay before April 8, B3,500 if you register any time after April 8, 2018. To register for the World Cup League please contact: infobisp@cruzeirothailand.com

Jazz Night JJazz Night at Mom Tri’s Wok Pagoda Kitchen, Every Saturday night from 18:00 - 20:00 with Canape & Cocktail. For more infomation & reservation please contact 076-333-568 or fb@villaroyalephuket.com THB 850 per person. Mom Tri’s Wok Pagoda, fb@villaroyalephuket.com, 076-333-568.

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 445 Baht! Enjoy a Large ALL YOU CAN EAT selection of your favorites!

Featuring: Roast Aussie Beef, Pork Loin and Chicken.

Roasted or Mashed Potatoes. Roasted Mixed Vegetables Flavored with Thyme and Garlic. Yorkshire Pudding and Red Wine Gravy. Enjoy Live Music from 8-Late Performed by Our Famous Two Chefs Band!

Come for the FOOD - RESERVE Your Table Now Online at bit.ly/TwoChefsReservations Check out more details on our website at bit.ly/TwoChefsEvents Reservation, Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong. Kata Beach 076-333-370 Kata Center 076330-065 Karon 076-286-479 Patong 076-344-914.

The Banyan Tree Brunch experience offers a generous selection of live fresh, local and imported seafood with exceptional lobster dishes, Japanese starters, mouth-watering meats, Asian wok and Western grill treats. Gourmet cuisine, exceptional service, live jazz and tranquil surroundings, The Banyan Tree Brunch has something for everyone! Every Sunday 12pm 3:30pm, Prices start from B2,800 net per person. For reservations email: fb-phuket@banyantree.com or call 076 372 400.

MON

7 MAY

All you can eat BBQ night 6pm – 11pm: Beef, Pork, Chicken, Burgers, Sausages, Prawns and Squid, Salad buffet, Choice of potatoes and sauces, bread, buns and garlic bread. Reservation recommended. B395 P/P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

Traditional Sunday Roast at O’Tool’s Served from 2pm. Your Choice of either Roast Beef, Chicken, Loin of Pork or Leg of Lamb Served with Roast & Boiled Potatoes, 3 Fresh Vegetables, Yorkshire Pudding & Gravy. Only 350 Baht. Includes a Free Glass of House Red or White. See: www.otools-phuket.com

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

WED

EVENTS 21

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

9 MAY

B800 at the door. Comedy Club Bangkok, Underwood Art Factory.

THU

24 MAY

Singha Laguna Phuket Open 2018

Sala Wednesday nights ribs, beats, brews.

Devour our succulent pork rib set complete with sweet corn chowder, blue cheese salad, moist cornbread and finished it off with a bread and butter pudding.

DJQ will keep the soul flowing and your toes tapping as you wash down those tender ribs with a bucket of craft brews. Full Rack set B1,600, Half Rack set B1,200, bucket of craft brews B800. Reservations, SALA Phuket Resort and Spa. Email: events@sala phuket.com or call 076 338 888.

THU

10 MAY

Phuket Province and Laguna Golf Phuket have again been selected as the premier venues to host All Thailand Golf Tour 2018’s “Singha Laguna Phuket Open” – a professional golf competition organised by Sports Management Group (SMG) with Singha Corporation as founding sponsor and Asia’s premier destination resort, Laguna Phuket, a title sponsor. Aiming to expand “All Thailand Golf Tour” to Thailand’s leading tourism destination and promote Phuket province as a sports tourism hub, Singha Laguna Phuket Open 2018 will be held during Thursday May 10 – Sunday May 13, 2018 at Laguna Golf Phuket as a co-sanctioned golf event with Asian Development Tour (ADT). It will see the top professional players vying for more than a B2 million prize fund. First tee time starts at 7am daily. Highlights will be broadcast on True Visions Sports Channel, with live broadcast shown on Saturday and Sunday. There will also be various hospitality and activities throughout the week including golf-related and lifestyle merchandise. Spectators welcome – entry is free! *The course and golf academy will be fully booked by the event during May 7 – 13, 2018.

FRI

11 MAY

Dinner - Rotary Club Patong The Rotary Club of Patong Beach cordially invites guests and prospective members to enjoy dinner, drinks and a good time with the RCPB. The event starts at 6:30. Please visit www.rotarypatong.org for additional information.

Reboot and Maximize Your Energy Participants will learn new fitness & lifestyle facts and how they can reprogram their body with the practitioners including Hayden Rhodes, Kim White, Andrew Stannard and Susanna Eduini. THB 29,000 net per person. Day package and single class are available starting from THB 1,000 net per session. Bookings linda.overman@marriotthotels.com or +66 76 338 000 ext. 3750 - 3752. jwmarriottphuketresort.com - JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa

SUN

FRI

8 JUN

27 MAY Ride 4 Kids Charity Quiz Night Don’t miss out on this super cool fundraising event.

Spaces are limited. THB 250 per person up to six people per team. Underwood Art Factory, bypass road at 6:30pm. Raising money for PHBGTU, The Good Shepherd and Outrigger’s Share 4 Change programme. Book your spot donna.thethaiger@gmail. com

RETRO NIGHT – BACK TO THE 70S & 80S Don’t miss out on our newest, exciting weekly event at Two Chefs. Come and join us for our special Flambé 300g Australian grass-fed rib eye steak served with a creamy peppercorn sauce, roasted vegetable medley and potato gratin for ONLY B495. Have a sweet tooth? Treat yourself to the Two Chefs banana flambé served with vanilla ice cream for ONLY B95. Sit back and enjoy one of our drink specials as you listen to the famous Two Chefs band performing all your favorite retro hits and more! Live music starts from 8pm and goes late at all of our Two Chefs locations. Reservations are highly recommended. You can book on our website at www.TwoChefs.com or find us on Facebook at Facebook/TwoChefsThailand. Come for the food, stay for the fun! Reservations: Call us directly at Two Chefs Kata Center 076 330 065, Kata Beach 076 333 370, Karon 076 286 479 or Patong 076 344 914.

TUE

5 JUN

FRI

Phuket Business Sundowners Phuket Business Sundowners (PBS) is a relaxed and informal networking meeting held the 2nd Friday of every month. A small entry fee, THB 500 per person, that includes the first two drinks and a light buffet.

Make sure to bring lots of business cards, as getting to know each other is what PBS is all about. The first meeting will be held at the Caddy Shack, Kathu - near to the entrance of Loch Palm and Red Mountain Golf clubs. Please let us know you are coming in a private message on FB. https://www.facebook.com/phuketbusinesssundowners/

FRI

18 MAY

15 JUN

Open House Jumping Xgames 10am jumping, 11am-12pm pony ride for kids, 3pm Cowboy Xgames, 4-5pm pony ride for kids and 5pm horse show. Food truck. Drinks for a fun family event.

Phuket Andaman Horse Riding, Soi Bang Niow Dam 2, Sri Sunthorn, Thalang, Phuket, 082 806 1695.

MON

28 MAY Hospitality Golf Challenge 2018

Quiz Night - Rotary Club Patong Meeting - Rotary Club Patong Stand-Up Comedy Tickets B600 in advance at Underwood Art Factory.

Tel: 095 721 9563 or visit comedyclubbangkok.com

@thephuketnews

The Rotary Club of Patong Beach cordially invites guests and prospective members to attend its regular meetings. The cost for non-members is B500 and includes lunch. The meeting begins at 12pm at the Millennium Resort in Patong. For additional information please visit: www.rotarypatong.org

Our monthly Pub Quiz Night at the Aussie Pub Kamala has been a blast with over 60,000 THB raised so far!

Are you going to help us top 100,000 THB by the end of the year? Join us, it’s a great way to get to know your fellow Rotarians, bring your friends. All proceeds go to the charity “Rotary Club of Patong Beach” There is a lucky draw and a small participation fee so bring a little cash as well :-)

The Third Laguna Phuket Hospitality Challenge charity golf tournament will take place on the June 15, with an amazing day of gourmet golf at Laguna Golf Phuket Course all in aid of The Children First Fund.

Why not come and join the event with some great local hole sponsors treating all the golfers to some fun challenges and exciting Food and Beverage service. We are proud to have Live 89.5FM and Phuket News TV as our Media Partner and Sponsor. Visit www.aseanevents.com or email mark@asean-events.com Laguna Golf Phuket Course, golf@lagunaphuket.com, 076 324350.

22 TIME OUT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York 1. The Old Tolbooth was an important municipal building in which British city for over 400 years?

2. Which Californian beach city, in Los Angeles County, is also the name of a 2017 single by Miley Cyrus?

3. What does the online chat acronym “AFK” stand for?

4. Which politician served as the President of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865?

5. Which river forms most of the border between Devon and Cornwall, in southwest England?

Answers below, centre

SUDOKU

Medium

Across 1. Indian 21 across 5. Article in constant use 8. Pinball paths 12. Cooking bib 14. Bail out 15. April honoree 16. ____linear 17. There’s a minor and a major 18. Emerald for one 19. Bakery purchase 21. Ciabatta, for example 22. Feudal land 23. Metal source 24. “Tobermory” writer 27. 1950s style home 30. Thai relative 33. Less emotional 35. Plan 36. Romanian currency 37. Fish order 41. Noah’s creation 42. Extra 43. Comedy 44. Sue Grafton’s “___ for Lawless” 45. Some daisies 48. Cassette contents 49. Sound of contempt 50. Oodles

21. An inhaling of air 23. Augury 24. Agave rug fiber 25. Mites, e.g.

26. Douglas and Cameron 28. Hazardous 29. Flutter 30. Cud chewer 31. Noted storyteller 32. Bizarre 34. Undo, as stitches 38. Following 39. Before, poetically 40. Surpass 46. Incite 47. Small coin in Down Paris 1. Stoolie user 49.

Moscow rulers 2. Flatterer of a sort 51.

Show of pride 3. American oil 52. “Sure” company 53. Verge 4. Advised 5. Comes before the 54. First among men 55. Capital city on river in poker the Aare river 6. School subj.

56. Underground 7. Sched. time passage 8. Full of ardor 57. Large book 9. Shade of red 10. Drink from a nut 58. Expel, in a way 59. Natural pouches 11. Go downhill 61. Abbr. after a 13. Decree ____ colonel’s name, 14. Hearty draft maybe 20. Swell place?

52. Bakery supply 55. Boulangerie basketful 60. Poems of Norse mythology 61. Make again 62. Kitchen smell 63. Petri dish filler 64. Roberts’ Brockovich 65. Ape 66. Does some tailoring 67. AC/DC album 68. Many four-footed friends

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) 1) Edinburgh; 2) Malibu; 3) Away from keyboard; 4) Jefferson Davis; 5) Tamar

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW

5

to seven adults are reported to police as missing in Las Vegas every day.

18

per cent of mothers in the UK regret the names they picked for their children, according to a recent UK survey.

600

minutes is the minimum length of time obese people generally sit for each day.

14,000

years ago, cave lions roamed the forests in England and Scotland. Today, Scottish wildcats are the only species of wild felines in the British Isles.

110,000

viewers per month is what “Cats Meok Bang” – a livestream of stray cats eating – gets on average in South Korea.

Source: Uberfacts

It’s a sign. Photo by Terri Lloyd Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket? Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

This week in history May 4, 1260 Kublai Khan becomes ruler of the Mongol Empire.

May 5, 1980 Operation Nimrod: The British Special Air Service storms the Iranian embassy in London after a six-day siege. .

May 6, 1782 Construction begins on the Grand Palace, the royal residence of the King of Siam in Bangkok, at the

command of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke. (Photo: TAT)

making it the oldest diplomatic alliance in the world that is still in force.

May 7, 1946 Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering (later renamed Sony) is founded with around 20 employees.

May 8, 1886 American pharmacist John Pemberton first sells a carbonated beverage named “Coca-Cola” as a patent medicine.

May 9, 1386 England and Portugal formally ratify their alliance with the signing of the Treaty of Windsor,

May 10, 1688 King Narai of Thailand nominates his daughter Sudawadi to succeed him with the foreigner Constantine Phaulkon, Mom Pi and Phetracha acting as regents.

The ensuing revolution leads to the Ayutthaya Kingdom severing all ties with Europe.

Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Jobs

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Jobs

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Trades & Services

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

ADVERTISING SERVICES

CLEANING SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

EDUCATION

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

MARINE SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

MARINE SERVICES

MARINE SERVICES

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Trades & Services

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

classifieds@thephuketnews.com

MOVING SERVICES

POOL SERVICES

PROPERTY SERVICES

OTHER

OTHER

ADVERTISE HERE

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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Buy & Sell

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

JOBS NT GE Live-in housekeeper wanted R U Live-in housekeep wanted for house in Kata. Must understand English and love dogs. Excellent conditions. 31/3 Soi Plukjae Kata Phuket. Contact: Lillian Dinic: lil@ladolcevitare. com.au or call 080 690 5248.

GE UR

NT

Bar staff wanted

Blondie Bar 2 at Otop Market Patong requires Bar Staff. Thai nationals only. Good salary and room provided.

Phone Mick: 081 087 6114.

BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE T EN

SA

LE

FOR SALE SILVERCRAFT 31

ALMOST NEW 35 HOURS ONLY, STILL UNDER WARRANTY EXTRAS GRAB RAILS COVERS. AVAILABLE NOW THAI REGISTERED AND TAX PAID SEA TRIAL AT SHORT NOTICE OK, new price inc reg & extras B4,863,000 offers over B4.6 million considered. Please contact William at: wfphelps@me.com or call 00 44 11 89 841 627.

G UR

6.2m Hypalon Stingray RIB

“Ready to go” w 175hp 4str Suzuki w 130hrs, 8hp aux, dble axle trailer, Garmin 521S, 160L fuel, & full set of gear.

Top condition.Harry, 081 273 1740.

G

T EN

SA

LE

Boat For Sale

72' (22m) Thai Trawler partially-converted as Tour Boat Business. Rebuilt from top to bottom three years ago (spent just over 1MB) including engine as was planned to use for a tour business, owner had to return to the UK unable to return (very ill son). Some weather damage and need some repairs. Engine has only done only 6 hours, has new 12 kua generator. Currently in Hua Hin. Viewing can be arrange. Must sell within the next few months. Open to all reasonable cash offers. Contact Shayne on 093 418 9529 or shayne.inbox@gmail.com

UR

BUSINESSES FOR SALE MINI RESORT - Near Laguna

Luxury Villas, 4- and 3-bedroom, pool, office/Apt, 1/2 Rai, well furnished – tropical garden setting. Now on vacation rentals, a money maker. Only B13.5mn - 089 594 4067.

Restaurant for sale

Thai food, seafood restaurant at Karon Beach for sale for B1,500,000. Contact George in Karon Beach: georgiospolyno@ gmail.com or 081 088 1451, or May on 082 283 3154.

SURIN: LUXURIOUS BAR-RESTAURANT SALE

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

CARS, TRUCKS FOR SALE UR

N GE

TS

A

LE

2012 Ford Ranger 2.2 Open Cab

78,000km. Six-gear manual transmission.

Looks and feels like a new car, treated like a baby by its single owner. Engine clean as. Full set of new tyres. B500,000. Call 081 427 5168. @thephuketnews

FURNITURE HOUSEHOLD ITEMS FOR SALE

Very nice furniture, different office materials, flowerpots and much more for sale. For an appointment please contact EVELYN DEGEN. Located at 119/17, Ban Suan Youcharoen 5, Moo 8, T. Pa Khlok, A. Thalang, Phuket. Contact: evelyndegen@yahoo.de or call 084 851 7950.

HOME IMPROVEMENT Flat roof waterproofing

We do flat roof waterproofing with a 20year warranty by installing quality four layer slate spotted bitumen torch foil + crack repair! Andreas Ruthe, 22/5 Moo1 Kamala, Kathu. Contact: office@tcm-asia.com, 086 943 9834 or 076 385 081.

MOTORBIKES FOR SALE Kawasaki Z300 ABS for Sale

Kawasaki Z300 ABS for sale. Good condition, from owner. Year: 2015. Colour: yellow and black. Price: B150,000. Bo in Cherng Talay/Pasak. Email: cherngtalay@gmail.com or call 076 615 810 or 076 615 811.

POOL TABLES Rasson Victory 2 Pro Tounament

Style is forever! The Victory Tournament 9 ft. pool table is a tournament-style, highquality pool table designed with commercial and private use in mind, slate bed. B228,000.

REAL ESTATE SERVICES CHATTHA Property and Rental Management Service in Phuket

Our services: Housekeeping, Garden, Swimming Pool, Maintenance and Repair. www.chatthamanagement. com office: 076 636 244 or mobile: 090 179 6635.

Chattha Management.

PROPERTY FOR SALE Surin 2 BR & 3 BR for Sale

400m from beach. Duplex and pool access apartments in lowdensity, high-quality area. Fully furnished. Great rental yields.

Also for rent. B1.99mn to B5.5mn. Email for more info: jgstryker@gmail.com or call 083 645 0097.

Penthouse for Sale

432.44sqm penthouse for sale: 320 degree view of Patong Bay and city. Private pool. Top floor at Andaman Beach Condominium, Patong, Phuket, Thailand.

Condo Facilities: Two tennis courts, 10 x 24 metre swimming pool, fitness and game room, restaurant, parking.

NO BROKERS PLEASE! B60 million O.N.O. Contact Songpan: songpanpirom@hotmail.com, 081 737 8662.

OFFERED FOR SALE

OFFERED FOR SALE A profitable and intimate 20room garden resort situated on Koh Lanta, Krabi at the end of Long Beach just a 2-minute stroll to the sea. Set in lush gardens, the bungalows are tastefully finished each with their own full-length verandas. Ideally located in Phra Ae village, with many amenities in the immediate area. The resort benefits from: • A delightful swimming pool (guest use only) • Car-park • Free-WIFI throughout the resort • Room-service • A combined restaurant & bar adjacent to the pool with state of the art Western kitchen • A beautiful tropical garden • Private manager’s accommodation (screened from the resort) • staff quarters • Private electricity supply • Ample water supply & storage For further information, please Email gardenisland.pp@ gmail.com For the attention of Ms. Chorladda CHUANCHOM with the following details: 1. Full name of potential Buyer 2. Full contact details, i.e. , Mobile phone number 3. Brief explanation of experience (if any) in the service industry The Vendor is genuine & the price is opportunistic. Genuine inquiries only please.

28 CLASSIFIEDS

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Buy & Sell

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

PROPERTY FOR SALE Nicklas Klodner

Two-storey villa in a gated community @ Pruksa The Plant, Kathu. Corner land plot 170 sqm, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Indoors 140 sqm. With furniture ready to move in B8,100,000, Nicklas Klodner, The Plant 144/15. Email: nicklas.klodner@gmail.com or call +66 80 519 7719.

RPM owner direct

Unique luxury condo 2 bed, 2 bath, 155sqm. Foreign FREEHOLD. Architect remodel. New Jacuzzi. Views to lake, mountain, marina, pool, etc. Completely furnished to a high standard, toothbrush only required.

Owner leaving Thailand. Priced at 16MB for quick sale. Contact Brian (Owner): 089 054 4354, 076 360 943. bggvirgo@gmail.com RoyalPhuketMarina Condos.com

Amazing 1-bedroom house in great area

Brand-new one bedroom house with full kitchen and car parking and ready to move in, right in the heart of Rawai. Perfectly priced home on the most desirable street of Rawai, so don’t miss out! B2.9M for quick sale. Contact Benni by email at: b_gholami@ hotmail.com or call 088 168 5032.

Building for Sale

One-unit building for sale in business area Boat Avenue near Villa Market Laguna. Three and a halfstorey, 24 square wah. Khun Mhee (owner), 49/23, Cherng Talay. Email: anmehee@hotmail.com or call 095 545 0017 or 086 346 2622.

Freehold studio at low price

Freehold 36m2 studio, opposite the Lotus Tesco hypermarket of Phuket Town, freehold condominium; perfect for long stay or for investment B1.9 million. Email: mguillien@ gmail.com or call 097 920 2339.

80m2 freehold condo in Patong

Freehold 80m2, 2-bedroom apartment in quiet condo with swimming pool in Patong. Ideal investment in most active tourist area in Phuket. B5.9 million. Contact Michel GUILLIEN, Andaman Beach Suites, Unit 1604, Patong, Phuket. Email: mguillien@gmail.com or call 097 920 2339.

Unique Investment Opportunity

Unique investment opportunity Not to be missed: 5 pool villas, big land, large entertaiment areas, parking garages and private gates.

More info www.thegardenkptphuket.com www.thegardenkptphuket.com

PROPERTY FOR SALE Single house for sale

Located the way to Yamu Pa Khlok, from the main road 500m, 55 SQW, 3 bedrooms, 2 restrooms, with modern kitchen, 2 cars parking, free space 140 SQM. 3.5 Million Baht, K. Suwit: suwitlap5@gmail.com, 081 895 6969.

New Modern Villa – 5 Mins to Ao Po Grand Marina

200 sqm, land 500 sqm, 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, swimming pool, close to UWCT school. Including: pool/garden/wifi/TV.SAT/services. Google map: tiny.cc/deltaho. Contact owner (Alain): mrdupouy@yahoo.fr. 65,000/ month, Alain, 57/3 Moo 3 Soi Ban Bang Pae, T. Pa Khlok, T. Thalang, Phuket 83110. Email: mrdupouy@yahoo.fr or call 081 893 5270.

PROPERTY FOR RENT New Rawai Villa Rent & Sale

PuriAnda Villa: 2 Bed, Furnished, Kitchen, Private Pool, Sala, Land 350m2, House 165m2, 2km to Nai Harn. Short or Long Term Rent Only B60,000, Sale: 8.9m. info@purimasproperty.com, 0815384588

COMMUNITY

PROPERTY FOR RENT

5-bed pool villa, 1.2 Rai

3 detached buildings, L-shaped open plan living, Western kitchen, guest suite, pool 11mx5m, quiet residential area. 1.2 rai plot. THB19,750,000. Contact Mrs Simpson by email: thaivillaonline@gmail.com or call 084 447 7248. More info at: thaivillaonline.com

Chalong Office, Workshop/Store

300sqm office on 2 floors with all services incl.3 phone lines + 300sqm undercover workshop/store with 4m ht & 3 phase. Chanote 0.5rai.

B12,000,000, Simon Jupe, 29/4 Soi Nayai, Chalong, Phuket 83130. Email: simonj@cscoms.com or call +66 (0)87 883 2542

Property 5 Mins to Ao Po Grand Marina

Very big house 750sqm, Land 4,000sqm, available 15 June, 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, swimming pool, jacuzzi, close to UWCT school, including pool, garden, service, wifi-tv/sat.

Google map: tiny.cc/deltaho, Contact owner (Alain): mrdupouy@yahoo.fr. Long term 145,000/Month, Email Alain: mrdupouy@yahoo.fr or call 081 893 5270.

PROPERTY FOR RENT 3-Bedroom Western Villa

Near Laguna, has all, full kitchen, quality furniture.

Live in tropical garden, good security, secluded.

6/M lease: B20,000/M. Call 089 594 4067.

For Rent Kata Beach

Nice one-bedroom apartment, modern furnished, 68sqm first floor close to indoor pool-sauna-elevator. B25,000 per month. Exclusive electric, minimum rental period 6 months. Tel: English 064 532 3637, Thai 094 803 5944. Email English: villaonroof@ gmail.com or Thai: maliwan_kaewmeesri@yahoo.com thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

SPORT 29

Prime Real Estate win WCGC

Event culminated with 19 teams battling it out at Thailand Final GOLF Chris Watson

T

he Blue Horizon World Corporate Golf Challenge (WCGC) Thailand 2018 event culminated in Phuket last Saturday (Apr 28) with 19 teams battling it out at the Thailand Final at Laguna Golf Club Phuket. The winners would have the honour of representing Thailand at

the world final in Cascais, Portugal later this year.

Team Prime Real Estate (Paul Judge and Pim Surintarangoul) came out victorious with an amazing score of 44 better ball points, birdieing the last hole and winning on countback, booking their ticket to Portugal for the WCGC World Final, which will see more than 30 countries participate.

The WCGC Thailand

What’s on at the ACG Date

Time

Fri May 4

4:30pm

Sun May 6

10am

Activity Thalang Tigers – Kids’ cricket coaching C & C Marine 8 by 20 cricket league Patong Whites v Goa Panthers

Wed May 9

4:30pm

Thalang Tigers - Kids’ cricket coaching

The Thalang Tigers Kids’ cricket coaching takes place every Wednesday and Friday. Photo: Jason Robertson

@thephuketnews

roared back into action in 2018 with a new Title Sponsor ‘Blue Horizon’ at the helm of the event, and a new stableford better ball format. With a title sponsor on board it enabled the entry fees to be significantly lower than last year, this helped double participation on last years’ event with over 150 teams taking part in 2018.

Event organiser Fore Management would like to say a special thank you to their Title Sponsor Blue Horizon Developments, and would also like to thank Thai Airways International, who will be flying the winning team to the world final.

Other recognitions go to Federbrau, Fenix Xcell Angkor Golf Resort, Leadbetter Golf Academy Bangkok, and The Phuket News and Live89.5 for their support throughout the event. Events of this stature cannot happen without such a high level of sponsorship.

They look forward to welcoming all participants back later in the year for their quest to reach the World Corporate Golf Challenge, World Final 2019.

Blue Horizon WCGC Thailand Winners for 2018 – Paul Judge and Pim Surintarangoul from team Prime Real Estate – hold their winners’ trophy. Photo: Supplied The World Cor porate Golf Challenge is the biggest corporate golf tournament in the world and since its inception 25 years ago;

over one million golfers have competed across the globe for the chance to represent their company and country 2018 the World Finals.

T h e Ph u k e t N e w s a n d Live89.5 were proud media sponsors of the Blue Horizon World Corporate Golf Challenge (WCGC) Thailand 2018.

30 SPORT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

Panthers sing the blues Kohler’s 122 helps Patong Blues cruise to ‘8 by 20’ victory CRICKET Neil Quail

I

n the first game of the new C&C Marine sponsored ‘8 by 20’ League played at the ACG last Sunday (Apr 29), Patong Blues overwhelmed the newly founded Goa Panthers to secure a first victory and lay claim to the undesirable title of the tournament’s early favourite.

A thoroughly devastating 122 not out from Man-ofthe-Match, Matthew Kohler, batting with fellow opener Sameer Khan (44 not out) put Patong Blues in the ascendancy before rain interrupted play and Patong subsequently deciding to declare on 194 without loss in the 16th over.

Kohler’s dramatic innings included 10 sixes and seven fours, with one monstrous strike that sailed out of the

ground and crashed through a local resident’s roof, unfortunately just before the rains began. Thankfully, Modern Zen Architecture were on hand and soon had the damage repaired.

Khan’s innings was considerably more sedate, and realising his partner was in form, opted to keep Kohler on strike with clever, but less adventurous scoring shots to a very open outfield and a

HASH HOUSE HARRIERS Run #1683: Saturday May 5 Run Start Time: 4pm Hares: Creature from the Blue Lagoon, Flipflop, Clitmas Pussy, Jungle Balls Location: Kathu - Bang Wad Dam Directions: Go to Kathu, and from the Caltex intersection go 2 kilometres along the 4020 and turn right into the Phuket Country Club Golf course (HHH). Coming from Chalong etc. the turning is 800 metres after the lights at the end of Muang Chaofa Rd. Follow the HHH signs up to Bang Wad Dam and follow the lake around for 2.8km until you get to the track to the island. Please do not park in the lay-by as that is reserved for the buses.

Bus pick-up: Kamala @ Black Cat’s Bar: 2:45pm Patong @ Expat Hotel: 3:15pm More info: phuket-hhh.com

Panther’s fielding plan preferring to sacrifice single runs in the hope that one of Kohler’s boundary-bound efforts would fall short of its distant mark.

Pick of the bowlers for the Panthers was Sarvesh Kandolkar restricting the score off his spell to 19 from three overs.

Whether it was the demoralising boundary-pounding performance from Kohler, or Patong Blues’ solid bowling response to the Panther’s need for an urgent start to their batting innings – it was soon evident that Patong’s total would not be challenged.

Having their total overs reduced to 17 due to the rain delay certainly didn’t help the Goan’s chase, and after only four overs and an upper order collapse, the Panthers had clawed their way to a score of 25, but were staring down the barrel of defeat following four early dismissals. Best of Patong’s bowling were Ryan Kohler, Saju Abraham and Andrew McMillan each with a brace of wickets, while McMillan as wicket-keeper also

Matthew Kohler on his way to 122 not out and Man-of-the-Match with a shot clearing the ACG clubhouse.

Photo: Michael Way added two caught behind to his fielding statistics.

A brief but all too late wag from the Panther’s tail pushed their total to 75 before their last wicket fell, giving Patong Blues an emphatic 119-run victory in this first match of a new and exciting playing format.

This Sunday (May 6), the ACG again hosts the Goa Panthers who will be hoping to recover points when they

clash with bitter Patong Blues’ rivals and recent Thalang International 7s Cup runners up, Patong Whites – this game is scheduled to start at 10am.

Places are still available for individual players in the C&C Marine ‘8 by 20’ league.

If interested, please contact jason@acgphuket.com The Phuket News is proud media sponsor of the C&C Marine ‘8 by 20’ League.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018

SPORT 31

PREMIER PREDICTIONS: ENTER NOW AT THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Laguna Phuket plans to expand golf tournament GOLF

MAIN SPONSOR

The overall competition winner will receive a 3 day/2 night stay in a Sri Panwa one bedroom luxury private pool villa including daily breakfast plus a 120 minute spa treatment for two persons. Total prize value: B123,000 The monthly competition winner for May 2018 will receive a B3,000 voucher to spend at Angus O'Tool's, Karon Beach.

The Phuket News editor3@classactmedia.co.th

EPL PREDICTIONS

L

aguna Phuket has revealed plans for the upcoming Singha Laguna Phuket Open to become, eventually, as internationally well-known and inclusive as its acclaimed annual triathlon and marathon events.

Although only in its second iteration this year, the All Thailand Golf Tour event – to be held from May 10-13 – is guaranteed a wide following in Thailand and South East Asia through television coverage.

But Laguna Phuket’s managing director, Ravi Chandran, and assistant vice president and director of golf, Paul Wilson, have bigger long-range plans. In particular, they want to develop the professional tournament into a week-long celebration of golf that involves amateur players of all levels and abilities.

This will mean extending the current program of a proam on the Wednesday before the tournament and a “play like the pros” round on the day after its conclusion to a range of individual and team golf events for amateurs, spread over a week.

“The Laguna Phuket triathlon, which this year celebrates 25 years, and the marathon, being held in June for the 13th year, are highly recognised events that attract thousands of participants and spectators from around the world,” Chandran explains.

“They have helped make Phuket an international sporting hub, with Laguna Phuket as the centrepiece. We believe the Singha Laguna Phuket Open can become equally

@thephuketnews

MONTHLY SPONSOR

MONTHLY STANDINGS

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

OVERALL STANDINGS

adamrosindale 22 chook 21 giggs 21 SirBR 21 diggersd 20

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

adamrosindale 193 TC 192 diggersd 191 thailand express 190 MRB 188

English Premier League 2017 - 2018 Laguna Golf Phuket's Golf Director Paul Wilson (left) and Laguna Phuket Managing Director Ravi Chandran.

Photo: Supplied

1 2 3 4 5

well-known among golfers and be the third mantle in the island’s and resort’s sporting calendar.

“Many people remember the 2009 Thailand Open held at Laguna Phuket. Last year we successfully recaptured the interest from that event and this year, as Phuket’s only professional golf tournament, we aim to build on it further.

The relationship with Singha as joint title sponsor is an excellent fit and we hope this also extends long into the future.”

Paul Wilson says the golf tournament can be expanded in coming years to include individual amateur and team events, similar to those organised around the triathlon and marathon.

“There are numerous shortdistance, team and other activities associated with the triathlon and marathon,” he explains. “The full distance of both events attracts elite contestants and serious competitors from all over the world.

But there are other shorter and less intense variations for people of all ages and abilities and we believe the golf tournament can be extended in a similar way.

“The professional tournament is definitely raising our profile,” he adds. “We believe we can capitalise on this growing interest in many ways, both around the time of the event and at other times during the year.”

The 2018 Singha Laguna Phuket Open, with a B2 million prize pool, will have a full field

of 156 qualified professional and amateur male participants.

As a joint-sanctioned Asian Development Tour event, it provides a pathway for aspiring golfers to develop their careers regionally and internationally.

The Phuket News is proud media sponsor of the Singha Laguna Phuket Open 2018.

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Live Sports TV Schedule *Times may be subject to change

SPORT START Friday 4th May Rugby Union 14:30 16:40 Aussie Rules 16:30 Saturday 5th May Rugby Union 14:30 16:40 20:00 22:10 NRL 14:25 16:30 Aussie Rules 13:30 16:30 Soccer 18:30 21:00 23:30 Soccer 21:00 21:00 Motor Racing 17:00 21:20 Sunday 6th May Aussie Rules 14:30 Soccer 19:30 22:30 Soccer 10:30 Motor Racing 15:30 20:20

STOP

EVENT

TEAMS / INFO

16:30 18:40 19:30

Super XV Super XV AFL

Chiefs v. Jaguares Rebels v. Crusaders Geelong Cats v. GWS Giants

16:30 18:40 22:00 00:00 16:25 18:30 16:30 19:30 20:30 23:00 01:30 23:00 23:00 21:00 22:20

Super XV Super XV Super XV Super XV NRL NRL AFL AFL EPL EPL EPL EPL EPL MotoGP MotoGP

Hurricanes v. Lions Waratahs v. Blues Stormers v. Bulls Sharks v. Highlanders Warriors v. Wests Tigers Sharks v. Eels West Coast Eagles v. Port Adelaide Adelaide Crows v. Carlton Stoke v. Crystal Palace West Bromwich v. Tottenham Everton v. Southampton Leicester v. West Ham Watford v. Newcastle Qualifying, Spain Rookies Cup

16:30 21:30 00:30 00:30 20:20 21:20

AFL EPL EPL EPL MotoGP MotoGP

Brisbane Lions v. Collingwood Man City v. Huddersfield Chelsea v. Liverpool Arsenal v. Burnley MotoGP of Spain Rookies Cup

Team

MP

W

D

L

F

A

GD

Pts

Manchester City Manchester United Liverpool Tottenham Hotspur Chelsea Arsenal Burnley Everton Leicester City Newcastle United Crystal Palace Bournemouth Watford Brighton West Ham United Huddersfield Town Swansea City Southampton Stoke City West Brom

35 35 36 35 35 35 36 36 35 35 36 36 36 35 35 35 35 35 36 36

30 24 20 21 20 17 14 13 11 11 9 9 10 8 8 9 8 6 6 5

3 5 12 8 6 6 12 9 11 8 11 11 8 13 11 8 9 14 12 13

2 6 4 6 9 12 10 14 13 16 16 16 18 14 16 18 18 15 18 18

102 67 80 68 60 67 35 42 49 35 41 42 42 32 43 27 27 35 32 30

26 27 37 31 34 48 32 54 52 44 54 60 62 47 67 56 52 54 65 54

+76 +40 +43 +37 +26 +19 +3 -12 -3 -9 -13 -18 -20 -15 -24 -29 -25 -19 -33 -24

93 77 72 71 66 57 54 48 44 41 38 38 38 37 35 35 33 32 30 28

Premier League fixtures Saturday May 5 Match

Time in Thailand

Brighton

vs

Man Utd

Stoke

vs

Crystal Palace

Bournemouth

vs

Swansea

9pm

Leicester

vs

West Ham

9pm

Watford

vs

Newcastle

9pm

West Brom

vs

Spurs

9pm

Everton

vs

Southampton

2am 6:30pm

11:30pm

Sunday May 6 Match

Time in Thailand

Man City

vs

Huddersfield

7:30pm

Arsenal

vs

Burnley

10:30pm

Chelsea

vs

Liverpool

10:30pm