04-08-2017

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

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Friday, August 4 – Thursday, August 10, 2017

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TSUNAMI-WARNING TOWER REPAIRS UNDERWAY > PAGE 3

TAKING A STAND

NEWS

PAGE 3

Hunt is on for ‘break and enter’ Chalong creep

LIFE

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Baz ‘Brunching with the Bogie’

A tuk-tuk stands parked in a dedicated ‘Taxi-Meter Stand’ in Patong just hours before D-Day. Photo: The Phuket News

TUK-TUK, TAXI DRIVERS VOW TO CONTINUE FIGHT FOR MORE PARKING SPACES IN PATONG The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

P

atong tuk-tuk and taxi drivers have vowed to continue their fight against the militarybacked drive to regain scores of parking spaces in the resort town and return them to the public to use after new rules to punish the drivers came into force on Thursday (Aug 3).

“This is not acceptable for us,” Anan Pluemjit, a key representative and frontman for the drivers told The Phuket News this week.

“Having a total of 84 parking points is the solution for everything,” he added.

Mr Anan vowed that the drivers would “stand for our purpose”.

“Everything we have presented has been ignored. It is like a blind alley.

The committee has made something easy to become a harder issue. We will meet about this soon,” Mr Anan said.

Tuk-tuk and taxi drivers in Patong on Monday (July 31) were given until Thursday to enjoy their status as parking space kingpins before they were relegated to occupy only 21 taxi ranks

in Phuket’s busiest resort town, instead of the 84 they previously operated.

The news was handed down by the Provincial Public Transportation Committee (PPTC) at Patong Police Station on Monday morning.

About 30 of the “public transport” drivers waited outside the police station while the news was delivered. Many of them carried worried expressions on their faces.

Inside the police station, leading representatives for Patong’s legion of drivers were shown a map pinpointing the exact locations of where the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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21 taxi ranks, or “stands” as they are called by officials, will be.

Present in the meeting room were officers from Patong Traffic Police, Kathu District Office, Phuket Land Transport Office as well as soldiers from the Royal Thai Army 25th Infantry regiment, based in Phuket.

Patong Traffic Police Chief Maj Ekkarat Plaiduang explained that his officers were only following orders.

“We have to do our job as ordered by the PPTC, which is to inform all drivers in Patong of the new rules over the next three days, after then...

SPORT

PAGE 32

What’s it really like to face the Kiwi ‘haka’?

News 2

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Lifeguards warned swimmers to beware of Portuguese man-o-war. Photos: Phuket Lifeguard Service

Portuguese man-o-war wash ashore at beach

LI F EGUA R DS AT NA I Yang Beach on Phuket’s northwest coast have issued a warning for Portuguese man-o-war after one of the potentially painful species washed up on the beach on Tuesday (Aug 1).

“Even though we found just one, we still need to warn all swimmers to be aware of them,” the Phuket Lifeguard Service posted on their Facebook page.

The island’s lifeguards last warned about Portuguese mano-war washing ashore Phuket’s beaches in June, when the stinging siphonophores were

found on Nai Thon Beach.

Portuguese man-o-war regularly return to Phuket during the southwest monsoon from May through October, with scores washing ashore last September.

In its update posted on July 20, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) noted: “Jellyfish warning for travellers swimming in Thailand. As the country is currently in a monsoon season, and rain wind and storms can often bring Box Jellyfish and other unexpected marine creatures closer to the shore.”

The Phuket News

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Claimaints step up their legal battle for ‘stolen’ elephant > page 5

Tourists rescued after boat sinks in collision The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

N

ineteen people, including 16 tourists, were plucked from the sea near James Bond Island, northeast from Phuket, after a boat collision sank their tour boat in Phang Nga Bay Monday (July 31).

The accident occurred at Khao Hua Yai, west of James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay, at about 1:30pm, The Phuket News was told.

Among those rescued from the rough weather sea were four tourists from Belgium and 12 tourists from Norway, reported rescue workers from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) in Phang Nga. Phang Nga Vice Governor Eakkarat Leeseng and officers from the Tourist Assistance

All 19 rescued from the sea, including 16 tourists, suffered only minor injuries in the collision. Photo: DDPM Phang Nga Centre (TAC) later arrived at Phang Nga Hospital and confirmed that the 16 tourists and three Thais taken to the hospital for treatment had suffered only minor injuries.

The 19 were on board a boat named “Wararat” on a tour organised by Khao Lak Asia Tour Company.

“It was raining when the

tour group left Khao Poh Pier,” reported an officer from the DDPM Phang Nga. “Visibility was not good as the boat driver could not see clearly,” the officer said.

The Wararat crashed into another tour boat, named “999 Tour 41”, operated by the Thai Morning Sun Tour Co, driven

by Suthin Sutthakit, 43, with

12 Chinese tourists on board.

The Wararat sank, while no tourists on board the “999 Tour 41” suffered any injuries.

Rescue workers f rom DDPM Phang Nga and Phang Nga Hospital soon arrived to safely recover all 19 from the Wararat from the heavy sea and transport them to shore, where they were taken to Phang Nga Hospital.

“Every tourist was rescued.

The Phang Nga Governor has ordered me to look after all the tourists injured and to contact their embassies,” V/ Gov Eakkarat said.

“It was very lucky that they were all wearing life jackets.

We always warn tourists to wear life jackets for safety,” V/Gov Eakkarat added.

Police are continuing their investigation with a view to pressing charges against the boat drivers.

Police friends or foe in parking spat?

Continued from page 1 ...the new public parking regulations will apply,” he told The Phuket News.

With PLTO Chief Banyat Kantha not present, one PLTO official who asked not to be named explained to the drivers, “First, traffic police will warn you to not park outside the designated areas. Your vehicle details and names will be recorded and handed over to the PLTO. “If police find you guilty, you will be fined. This can happen only twice. After that your commercial drivers’ licence will be suspended for seven days.

“The next time you are caught, your licence will be suspended for 15 days,” he added.

Repeat offenders who continue to ignore the parking regulations will be called in for “attitude adjustment”, the official warned.

Patong Traffic Police Chief Maj Ekkarat reiterated his officers’ predicament.

“This is the conclusion of the PPTC to you all. We are only informing you of it. If you are not happy, we have no choice,” he said.

“Don’t blame us,” he repeated time and again.

‘Don’t blame us… We’re just following orders,’ Patong Traffic Police repeatedly told the drivers on Monday.

Maj Ekkarat pointed out that three more taxi stands, and their locations, had yet to be approved by Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong.

“It has been requested to allow three more taxi stands,” he said.

According to documents available at the meeting, the three locations requested are for one near the Deevana Patong Resort & Spa and another near The Lunar Patong, both located on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, and a third near the Patong Pearl Hotel on Sawatdirak Rd. Although taxi and tuk-tuk drivers’ representatives at the meeting, and those waiting outside the police station, were reluctant to speak with The Phuket News, Maj Ekkarat assured all feedback from the drivers would be passed on to the PPTC.

The meeting on Monday followed Phuket Governor Norraphat and any other senior Phuket officials involved in the campaign last week declining to confirm or deny any imminent action pending against van, taxi and tuk-tuk drivers commandeering parking spaces in Patong.

However, that silence followed Lt Col Surasak Phuengyam, Deputy Commander of the 25th Infantry Regiment, announcing on July 21 that the Patong drivers had until Aug 3 to move out or face action from the military.

The Patong drivers have consistently pushed for more than twice the number parking spaces than ever announced by Phuket officials in this latest campaign, which was brought on by Maj Gen Pornsak Poonsawat, Deputy Commander of the Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, which is responsible for all of Southern Thailand.

During an inspection of Patong Beach in February, Gen Pornsak noted that parking spaces along the entire beachfront had been commandeered by private taxis, tuk-tuks and car and motorbike rental operators. thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Towering silence

PHUKET NEWS

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Eight tsunami-warning towers under repair Prawarit Musika

T

he Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket office (DDPM-Phuket) has announced that it aims to have all 19 tsunami-warning towers in Phuket operational by the end of this month.

The news comes after DDPM Deputy Director-General Kobchai Boonyaorana last Saturday (July 29) revealing that of the 19 “facilities” in Phuket, 11 are “out of order”.

“Out of the eight siren towers in Phang Nga, five are out of order. But all four broadcast towers are working,” Mr Kobchai told the Bangkok Post.

“The department aims to fix all of the equipment in the six Andaman coastal provinces by the end of October,” he added.

DDPM-Phu ket C h ief Chatchawan Betjasiriwong told The Phuket News on Wednesday (Aug 2), “We are sending our workers to fix 11 towers, which are in process now. According to our schedule, all repairs will

O f fic ial s in sp ec t the tsunami-warning tower at Patong Beach last year.

Photo: Suthicha Sirirat

The man was caught on CCTV entering a property in Patak Villa late last Saturday night or early last Sunday morning.

Police called on to catch ‘Chalong creep’

be finished this month.”

Chief Chatchawan pointed out that the tsunami-warning towers were not the only way of warning people of impending disaster.

“We also use government warning systems, which is to announce alerts through radio, television and local officers such as village headmen. If the warning towers are not working, there are several ways to warn people,” he said.

Chief Chatchawan also confirmed that one of the two tsunami-warning buoys anchored up to 1,000 kilome-

tres off Phuket’s west coast, and which serve as critical components in Thailand’s tsunami-warning system, was operational.

“We have just completed an annual check on one buoy, which is still working,’ he said.

“We are in the middle of conducting a check on the other buoy now, which has ceased functioning. We expect it to be fully operational again

by October,” Chatchawan said.

“Do not worry about the buoy that is not working now because it is part of a much larger system of other warning

Wipeout kills mum, child fights for life

A 31-YEAR-OLD WOMAN died and her 3-year-old son was left seriously injured on Tuesday (Aug 1) when an out-of-control cement truck flipped, crushing the pair under the vehicle in Sri Soonthorn.

The driver of the cement truck fled the scene, while there is just a 50% chance that the boy will survive.

Capt Eakkasak Khawnwan of the Thalang Police received report 8:45am that there had been an accident on the Khao Lan-Bangjo Rd (Baan Ya junction) in Moo 4, Sri Soonthorn, Thalang.

Thalang Deputy Chief Lt Col Anukul Nooket and Capt Eakkasak arrived at the scene together with rescue workers and Lt Col Anukul reported that a Phuket-registered cement truck had collided with a Krabi-registered Yamaha Fino motorbike.

The driver of the cement truck, which belonged to the Siam City Cement company, had fled the scene.

The motorbike driver, Chattraporn Moonyai, 31, from Surat Thani and who is the wife of a Cherng Talay policeman, was pronounced dead at the scene.

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The cement truck flipped crushing the woman and her son. Photo: Eakkapop thongtub Chattraporn was returning home with her 3-year-old son after dropping off her other two children at kindergarten.

Lt Col Anukul continued in his report, “It is believed that the cause of this accident is because the cement truck was travelling at high speed when coming from Bang Jo towards the Khao Lan Intersection.

“When the cement truck arrived at the scene, which was down a hill and with a right curve, the driver lost control of vehicle. The cement truck hit a power pole on the right side of the road.

After that the cement truck hit the back of a Mitsubishi pickup truck on the opposite

side of the road.

“The cement truck then flipped and fell onto the motorbike and collided with another power pole causing it to fall down.”

“We know that the driver of the pickup truck is 44-yearold Khitthiphat Phongphanit.

However, at present we only know the registration details of the cement truck.

“Police will continue to investigate the incident and will hunt down the driver of the truck.”

The 3-year old boy is currently receiving treatment at Vachira Phuket Hospital where doctors have said he has a 50% chance of survival.

Eakkapop Thongtub

buoys that work together to detect tsunamis, so one buoy not working has very little effect on the whole tsunami-detection system,” the DDPM-Phuket Chief explained.

Mr Chatchawan also called on people not to be overly concerned about the tsunamiwaning towers that are not working.

“The towers are not the only way to warn people.

There are several ways to warn people, such as through radio, television, local officers or village headmen. Trust the DDPM-Phuket,” he said.

POLICE ARE INVESTIgating a man who has been reported for breaking into several houses in the Patak Villa neighbourhood in Chalong and committing acts to scare homeowners The alarm was raised

by Facebook user Sanna Hakala, who on Tuesday last week (July 25) posted, “[My friends] live in my house during high season. The same guy has been harassing them before. The photos [posted] of the guy wearing a hoodie is from them. The picture of his face [from the video] is from the time I was there,” Ms Hakala told The Phuket News.

“Our door was locked and somehow he still got in. He was inside the house for about 10 minutes before I woke up

(I can compare times from CCTV) and he woke me up by holding a flash light above my eyes,” said Ms Hakala.

“I know he went to a few houses in Patak Villa, where my friends lived before. They do not have CCTV, so no photos,” she added.

“He has been outside one house touching women’s underwear, and went into two other houses. But like I said, no proof,” she said.

Sub-inspector of Chalong Police Capt Somkiet Sarasin, who is in charge of the case, was unavailable for comment.

However, Snr Sgt Maj Jittrakorn Chimnate of the Chalong Police, who Ms Hakala said helped her file the report, said that the suspect has not been arrested.

Shela Riva

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PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

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Lifeguards and tourists rush to help the foundering dolphin at Karon Beach.

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A ST R I PED D OLPH I N found weak and unable to swim at Karon Beach on Monday (July 31) has died.

Experts at Marine Endangered Species Unit (MESU) of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC) confirmed that the dolphin had suffered a severe infection.

The mature male striped dolphin, about 30 to 40 years old, weighing 80 kilograms and measuring two meters in length, died while it was being transported to the PMBC headquarters at Cape Panwa.

“There was a big wound the left side of it head. We believe that this wound had become infected. We also found marks on its body that seemed to indicate that the dolphin had been tangled in a fishing net,” MESU veterinarian Watcharaporn Kaewmong explained.

Eakkapop Thongtub

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Taking the high road in making Patong Hill safe PHUKET POLL The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

O

fficials cannot rely on a sole solution but instead need to take a comprehensive approach to fixing the deadly steep road down Patong Hill to prevent further deaths from runaway tour buses, say respondents to a recent online poll by The Phuket News.

The poll, which closed last Friday (July 29), was launched after two tragic tour bus crashes on Patong Hill claimed three lives in less than two weeks.

On the night of July 10, a tour bus crash killed a 10-yearold boy and his father, both Chinese tourists on holiday in Phuket.

That accident came less than two weeks after another runaway tour bus killed a 40-year-old woman who happened to be riding a motorbike on the street where all driv-

Rescue workers at the bus crash on Patong Hill on July 10 that killed a 10-year-old boy on holidays in Phuket with his father, who later also died. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub ers of out-of-control “brake failure” buses aim to come to a rest, instead of slamming into a concrete wall beside the entrance to the street.

Together, the two accidents left nearly 50 people, mostly tourists, injured.

To this, The Phuket News asked readers the simple question, “What should Phuket do about the deadly Patong Hill road?”

Only 7% of respondents voted, “Driver education is key, as well as strict penalties

for reckless drivers. If we don’t change drivers’ behaviour, we won’t change anything that will fix the problem.”

A further 12% agreed with Patong Mayor Chlermluck Kebsup’s opinion: “Re-engineer the road to reduce the gradient.

The Patong Mayor is right, it is the fastest option.”

Even leaning on lawenforcement garnered little support, with only 10% of respondents voting, “Target bus operators with harsh penalties.

If bad driving costs them, they

will change drivers’ attitudes themselves and will take care of the vehicles.”

Despite all these options, the second-most popular response, which garnered 16% of the votes cast, was, “Simply ban all the big buses from Patong Hill. Tourists can be transported by minibuses.”

Yet by far the most popular response, with 54% of all votes cast, was: “Do all of the above. The problem needs a mutli-pronged approach to be effective and to avoid any “weak link” from becoming the scapegoat for policy failure.”

Of note, 2% of respondents voted, “Do nothing. The government has already done enough. The rest is for everyone else to learn.”

The poll elicited a slew of responses and suggestions from readers, from several that supported the long-awaited plan to build the “Patong Tunnel” to even setting up staging areas for passengers to transfer to smaller vehicles for the journey over range.

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Lucky license plates at last year's auction. Photo: The Phuket News /file

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It pays to be lucky T H E PH U K ET LA N D Transport Office (PLTO) will hold its annual auction of “lucky number” license plates at The Metropole Hotel in Phuket Town on Aug 26-7.

Money raised from the auction will go towards roadsafety campaigns and a charity for victims of road accidents.

The auction will see bids for 301 sets of licence plates beginning with the Thai letters KorLor (กล) with the theme “Rich business precious heritage of Andaman”. The highest set price for opening bids is B50,000. For details call 076-211019.

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Police dig in as battle for elephant continues

PHUKET NEWS

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Shela Riva reporter1@classactmedia.co.th

P

olice this week confirmed that they are still waiting for the final documents needed for them to conclude their investigation into the tenuous battle for ownership of an elephant that began in late March this year.

On March 24, Cdr Surasak Inphrom of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command in Phang Nga together with fellow Navy officers and the brother of the owner of a female elephant named “Yo” went to Chalong Police Station to file a report stating that an elephant at an elephant camp in Chalong is an elephant which was stolen from Krabi 14 years ago.

The report was filed after Somsak Reangngern, 35, Yo’s mahout and the younger brother of the owner got sent a photo of an elephant being kept at the Chalong elephant camp which he was sure was Yo. However, the people from the Amazing Bukit Safari camp in Chalong where the

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Construction of the resort on the road through Ao Saen to Krathing Cape on Phuket’s southwest coast has been ordered to stop. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Construction of coastal eyesore ordered to stop

The elephant, named either Yo or Nampetch, is still being held at the Amazing Bukit Safari camp in Chalong. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub elephant was found to held were adamant that the elephant was called Nampetch and that they had the registration documents to prove it.

The two parties were given until Mar 31 to present freshly produced copies of their original elephant registration documents to police in the hope of resolving who – if anyone – legally owns the pachyderm.

“We are waiting for the documents of evidence for the investigation before sending the case to court,” said Lt Col Winai Poonsawat, deputy chief of the Ao Nang Police in Krabi province, on Tuesday (Aug 1).

“The case still hasn’t gone to court so we still don’t know who is the rightful owner.

However, I can confirm that we have charged Raewat Chernkaew, the man who

sold the elephant to the camp, with group theft at night using a vehicle,” said Lt Col Winai.

“Right now the elephant is still in the same place, at the camp. I don’t know if the elephant is working or not.

It most likely is, because the case isn’t finished,” Lt Col Winai said.

“It will probably take another month or two. These things take a while,” he added.

RAWAI MAYOR AROON Solos has ordered construction to stop on a collection of buildings likely to become a resort on a popular coastal road at Nai Harn after discovering that parts of the buildings breach the project’s building permit.

Mayor Aroon issued the order at a meeting held at Rawai Municipality on Monday (July 31).

Present at the meeting was Capt Boworn Phromgaewngam Deputy Director of the Phuket branch of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC).

Officials confirmed that the project, on the road through Ao Saen to Krathing Cape, was on legally acquired private land and that the project had been issued a building permit allowing four three-level buildings.

However, on inspecting the site on Monday, officials confirmed that the buildings under construction had deviated from the plans submitted to the municipality.

“Some parts of the four buildings that were permitted to be built have exceed the permit,” Mayor Aroon said.

“All construction has been ordered to stop. For the parts of the construction that can be approved by law, the owner of the land must update the building plan and submit it to Rawai Municipality for approval,” he added.

“The parts that have been built that cannot be granted approval by law must be removed within 30 days,” Mayor Aroon noted.

Eakkapop Thongtub

Opinion 6

OPINION

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

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editor3@classactmedia.co.th Originally from the UK; Has over six years experience as editor and reporter for Phuketindex.com magazine and website, and InPhuket magazine.

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EDITORIAL Maybe you’re getting a bargain

L

et’s step back in time to the late ’90s and early 2000s when a large amount of Thailand’s tourism revenue came from one particular group of travellers, – namely backpackers.

Many would come here with empty backpacks to fill with clothes to wear throughout their holiday. Of course the most popular choice of clothing was counterfeit branded goods, for which Thailand was, and still is, well known.

It is an industry that has long put money into the pockets of locals, albeit illegally.

Back then it would be very rare to read of raids carried out on outlets selling counterfeit goods, but today, pretty much every month you’ll read a about a raid being carried out on some particular place selling said counterfeit goods.

Only those officials who are involved in the raids know

why they target any particular place, for readers it’s left to their imagination, and we pretty much know what your thoughts are. But what left this writer bemused was the most recent raid carried out by officers from the Department of Intellectual Property’s Phuket office at the Chao Fah Variety Market, better known by locals as the Naka Weekend Market, last Saturday (July 29).

You can go to this market on any given weekend and find sunglasses, denim, T-shirts, shorts, audio speakers, trainers, football kits, perfumes, handbags, purses, music CDs, DVDs and so on – all of them counterfeit goods.

So, why so bemused?

Maybe because in last week’s raid, led by Phuket Provincial Defence Office Chief Sivach Rawangkul, and joined by officers from the military’s Internal Security Operations

Command (ISOC), security personnel from the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command as well as Wichit Police, all they managed to find was three shops selling illegally trademarked goods and only one vendor was arrested.

Look at the above list of commonly counterfeited goods; many are sold by vendors who sell only counterfeits, while others are thrown in with a variety of other items which are not counterfeit. But for officials to say they only found three outlets selling counterfeit goods is a joke.

If I went walking in the market this weekend, what’s the bet that I could find far more than three stalls selling counterfeit goods?

Or maybe I’ve got it all wrong, maybe they really are the genuine article, and I’m actually getting a great bargain for my money.

TOP 10 STORIES ON thephuketnews.com

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Aussie ‘Solo Man’ Mark Coutelas arrested for meth, again Tourists rescued from sea after boat sinks near James Bond Island Tourists, expats called to dress respectfully for HM King’s birthday Suspected illegal tour guide caught feeding fish off Phuket Swedish surfer dead of suspected overdose Chinese tourist dies, swept from Phuket rocks while posing Five die when speedboat sinks in storm Phuket muscles in on Patong taxi, tuk-tuk drivers over parking Dive pioneer Kevan Thompson remembered B300K in fake goods seized from market

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HAVE YOUR SAY Buyer beware

Re: Angry vendors file complaint over Phuket Floating Market flop These vendors need to grow up, they made a poor business decision based on false promises, they only have themselves to blame, nobody owes them a successful business, get over it.

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

An eye for an eye

Re: Phuket muscles in on Patong taxi, tuk-tuk drivers over parking spaces How about all drivers who break the rules more than twice have their tyres deflated and all drivers who break the rules more than five times have a tyre slashed? Let’s see how they like it.

Pavel ...................................................

Thailand’s shame

Re: Battle over ownership of Phuket elephant continues Thailand was recently in the BBC news rated as the most abusive nation to elephants, mostly from chaining them and lack of space.

I can personally attest horses also suffer from lack

of free running fields in this way too at most Thai managed stables, once ill or injured, warehoused in the stall for years on end.

Christy Sweet Appalling level of inaction over something that should have been easy to settle… but typical of things here, the legal avenue has been obfuscated and twisted by graft and lies in such a way that it shows that everyone is the owner.

Again, the true loser is the poor elephant. Regardless of what has been happening with the legal case, the only thing that can be assured is that the elephant has continued to be beaten and abused to ensure it is worthy of letting idiots patronize these abusive venues.

A fair, just and ethical system would have placed the poor animal at the Phuket Sanctuary where it would have received the love and care that it needs and deserves.

Ben Pendejo ...................................................

Honesty is its own reward Re: Tears of joy as Phuket lifeguard returns B100k to Chinese tourist

Well done and I congratulate him on his honesty. I have seen this lifesaver around and he has always been friendly and has a good attitude. Keep up the good work. Very lucky for the tourists, as that amount of money is very tempting for anyone.

Skip ...................................................

Another eyesore

Re: Construction of Phuket coastal view eyesore resort ordered to stop It is a complete eyesore. It should never have been allowed in the first place. It should be knocked down completely and the land put back the way it was before.

Disgusting that it was ever given approval to build there.

Gregory JCS ...................................................

More to come

Re: Out of control Phuket cement truck kills woman, injures child, driver flees These reckless and out of control cement trucks are frequently seen hogging narrow roads, speeding, crowding other drivers out, and using their size and weight to intimidate. DLT and police

too ineffective and corrupt to do anything. Expect more of these deadly accidents.

Sam Welllesley ...................................................

Death-trap boats

Re: Tourists rescued from sea after boat sinks in collision near James Bond Island Clearly there are two things done very wrong that proves that both drivers have no qualification at all, and should never have been on the water, let alone taking passengers.

The conditions were not good so if they are not experienced drivers to be able to cope with the conditions then they should not have been out. Then, they were clearly going too fast for the conditions. These boat drivers should all be banned from the sea until they have an international skippers license and have GPS, Radio and O2 and people trained to use it and enough guides for 6:1 ratio.

In this case its was clearly bad driving in bad conditions which makes the drivers at fault and the boat companies at fault for employing un qualified divers.

Simon01

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THAILAND NEWS

7

The rise and fall of Gen Manas Army ‘Big Shot’ who sat at apex of Thailand’s grisly trade in humans BANGKOK Aidan Jones & Sally Mairs

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n army ‘Big Shot’ whose i n f lue nce seeped across the south, Lt Gen Manas Kongpan sat at the apex of Thailand’s grisly trade in humans, raking in an untold fortune to keep prying eyes off the trafficking route.

As the number of desperate Rohingya and Bangladeshis shuttled through the trafficking operation shot up, so did Manas’ rank in the Thai military.

But the silver-haired general was condemned to 27 years in prison on July 20 for profiting from the trade, an extraordinarily rare conviction of a senior member of an army that dominates the kingdom.

The 61-year-old’s downfall was hastened in 2015 after investigators uncovered secret jungle prisons in the south where traffickers starved and tortured migrants while holding them for ransom.

The discovery exposed Thailand’s horrifying role in a criminal operation that shifted victims from Myanmar to Malaysia, and forced the ruling junta to launch a belated crackdown.

Police followed a money trail that lead straight to Manas, an army hard-liner with a passion for bullfighting.

“He was involved in such an obvious way… at a time when the junta was really trying to show themselves to be clean,” said Paul Chambers, an expert on Thailand’s military.

“He is going down because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Manas was first highlighted as a suspect in early

@thephuketnews

Lt Gen Manas Kongpan (centre), now convicted of involvement in human trafficking, arriving at the criminal court in Bangkok. Photo: Pornchai Kittiwongsakul/AFP 2015 after 98 famished Rohingya were found in trucks in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, stopped by a random police checkpoint.

Provincial police – aided by anti-trafficking NGO Freeland – used the drivers’ cell phones to trace their regular route.

The trail carved through Thailand’s southern neck from coastal Ranong, where boatloads of migrants arrived from Myanmar, to malaria-infested camps near the Malaysian border, where they were held in appalling conditions.

Phone and e-banking records from the drivers led to key trafficker Sunan Saengthong, a Ranong politician and businessman who had deposited nearly $600,000 (B19.98 million) in accounts belonging to Manas.

In May 2015 police found more bank slips revealing that Sunan’s nephew had also transferred huge sums

to Manas, including some $400,000 (B13.33mn) in just over a month.

Sunan was jailed for 35 years in a separate trial but his nephew Nattaphat Saengthong and others remain at large.

Around the time of the money t ransfers, Manas served as a top commander of Thailand’s southern security arm.

His job was to enforce its controversial “push-back” policy – which meant turning around boats of stateless Rohingya who were trying to flee persecution in Myanmar.

But he used this position to do just the opposite, according to the July 20 verdict, which exposed a matrix of collusion between state officials and businessmen who profited from trafficking.

Witnesses said Manas instructed officers to force back a boat of 265 Rohingya in 2012 – only to covertly re-route the ship to shore and

truck the human cargo south to the jungle prisons.

Manas “had direct responsibility in the push-back mission and must have been part of this human trafficking network, otherwise the Ro-

hingya would not have been able to return to Thailand so quickly,” the verdict read.

The trafficking operation f lourished until the 2015 crackdown, with tens of thousands of victims funneled through a trade worth an estimated $250 million dollars (B8.33 billion).

Many were lured from the Myanmar-Bangladesh border by brokers who promised jobs, while others were violently kidnapped and forced onto the boats.

The big money was made in Thailand, where jungle camp wardens phoned relatives of the weakest migrants and threatened to kill them if they didn’t send more cash.

The young and strong were sold off as labour to Malaysian palm oil plantations or fishing boats, according to Freeland.

All the while, Manas’ seemingly inexorable rise up the army ranks continued, with his command stretching over increasingly large chunks of the south.

Months before his arrest in 2015, he was promoted to Lt

Gen and given the sweeping role of “military advisor”.

It wasn’t the first time the hawkish officer had hurdled controversy.

He was linked to a 2004 raid on a mosque that left more than 30 Muslim rebels dead in Thailand’s far south, one of the early sparks of an insurgency still burning today.

“He had a reputation for often going beyond the law,” said Chambers, adding that he was known as a “big shot” in the region.

Manas was the only military man convicted in the recent trafficking trial, which saw more than 60 people sent to jail.

Rights groups welcomed the verdict but warned that many perpetrators remain at large.

“We know not everyone has been accounted for in this trial,” said Amy Smith from Fortify Rights, which closely tracked the investigation.

“More needs to be done to account for the horrific crimes that took place… and to ensure this never happens again.”

AFP

THAILAND NEWS

8

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Yingluck’s closing statement

‘I did not collude in corruption’ former PM tells Supreme Court BANGKOK Bangkok Post

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ormer prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra told the Supreme Court in her closing statement on Tuesday (Aug 1) that she had done nothing wrong in handling the rice-pledging programme, a core policy she had committed to implementing to help farmers.

The former prime minister insisted she had never ignored calls for investigation and action when problems arose.

She also said she definitely did not collude in or condone corruption involving rice sales.

She said the accusations and charges against her were illegitimate, and gave six reasons.

First, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) had submitted new evidence after it charged her, she said.

“When the NACC first accused me, it submitted 329 pages of documents which took 79 days to look into. It then rushed to charge me one

Yingluck Shinawatra is surrounded by her supporters at the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions. Photo: Patipat Janthong day after the Constitutional Court removed me from office even though the corruption accusations against others involving the rice sales had not been concluded.

“It then brought on another 60,000 pages of documents in the rice sales case and used them as new evidence against me even though they were not there when it charged me.”

Second, rice pledging was a core policy of her government, and had to be implemented.

Third, on the charge of neglect of duty, she had set up committees and subcommittees to handle the programme with checks and balances.

“These committees implement the policy. As prime minister, I could not have intervened and arbitrarily exercised power. I couldn’t just do that when I felt like it, or drop it when I didn’t.”

Fourth, the programme did not cause damages as charged.

“On the contrary, it benefited the economy both directly and indirectly. Farmers had more income and the government could collect more value-added tax [from their increased spending].

The National Economic and Social Development Board also said the programme should continue to 2015, when the Asean Economic Community began.”

Fifth, on the accusation she violated Section 157 on

malfeasance by ignoring the written warnings of the NACC and the Auditor General’s Office, the former prime minister said she forwarded them to responsible committees, appointed Chalerm Yubamrung to chair an audit committee and told provincial agencies to be on alert for rights fraud.

“But since no agency confirmed the wrongdoing, I, as prime minister, had to listen to them as they had expertise on the issue.”

Lastly, she denied she had failed to act on rice sales irregularities.

“The accusation involves the implementation level with a committee taking responsibility for it, as well as the Foreign Trade Department of the Commerce Ministry.

“The cabinet was cautious about rice sales. It set the criteria and tightened preventive measures even before the censure debate on the government-to-government rice sales.”

In conclusion, she repeated the policy aimed to help farmers.

“I did nothing wrong.

What I did was apply my experiences as an ordinary woman born upcountry who is familiar with the misery of farmers – who were once called the spine of the country that deserve to be supported and taken care of. I did just that when I implemented the programme even though the push for the policy for a better life of farmers backfired on me and I had to fight the case with prosecutors who tried to distort the facts and accuse me unfairly.

“Before Your Honour passes judgement, I would like to plead with you to decide the case based on the facts, laws and the witnesses and evidence brought to trial in a legitimate and honest manner. Please don’t listen to anyone who has tried to influence the case, even if he is the chief of the National Council for Peace and Order, who misled the public when he mentioned my case on July 25, saying ‘If it’s not wrong, how could it come to trial?’

“I plead with you to dismiss the case.”

Electricity pole provokes ridicule TRAT HASTY CONSTRUCTION of a small concrete track in Trat has left an electricity pole standing erect in the middle of the single-lane road.

A Facebook user on Monday (July 31) posted pictures of the road, with an electricity pole seen standing almost in the centre, and a sarcastic message that read, “A road in Trat province. What a smart way to reduce car speeds and reduce accidents.”

The reinforced concrete road is three metres wide and 260m long in Soi Loong Pon, tambon Ao Yai of Trat’s Muang district.

Rangwan Khankhaeng, chief of Ao Yai Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor), said the road had followed the blueprint during construction, but it was diverted from its original location to avoid a nearby pond.

“Four people who owned land nearby were concerned about the effect on the road if it was too close to the pond, so they donated their

The original plan would have taken this new road to a Trat village through a pond, so the engineers devised this solution. Photo: Jakkrit Waewklayhong land for construction of the road,” he said, adding his organisation had written to the Trat Provincial Electricity Authority asking it to move the pole.

He said there was urgency in constructing the road because the TAO just received its budget and it wanted the work to be completed while there was no rainfall. If the job had been delayed for too long, the contractor might have refused to start the work as they face fines if they are unable to finish on time.

Wilai Somchit, a villager, said she was afraid soil erosion around the pond

could damage the road.

Trat Provincial Electricity Authority manager Thawatchai Roisri said workers would remove the electricity pole either yesterday (Aug 3) or today (Aug 4), depending on whether the concrete was dry and set.

The cost of removing the pole would be collected from the contractor, he said, adding that normally electricity pole removals are requested and arranged before construction.

T he roa d wa s constructed with a budget of B500,000 by Tiwa Trat Partnership Limited.

Bangkok Post thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

10 WORLD NEWS

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Afghanistan’s stolen boys

‘Bachas’, former child sex slaves finding freedom of sorts AFGHANISTAN

Documented cases of sexual slavery kidnappings are carried out with impunity even often within Western-backed Afghan forces. Photo: AFP

Anuj Chopra

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dorned in make-up, fake breasts and bells, Jawed whirls around middle-aged men at Kabul’s underground bacha bazi, or “boy play” parties, where the former child sex slave finds freedom of sorts as a dancing boy.

Jawed was kidnapped by a former jihadi commander in Shomali, north of Kabul, when he was barely 14, a victim of a hidden epidemic in Afghanistan of culturallysanctioned male rape.

He is one of three former “bachas” who managed to escape their abusers. Their testimonies shed searing light on the stolen lives of boy sex slaves, often seen as caricatures of shame and cast out of their families, with many like Jawed falling prey to a new cycle of abuse.

Four years after he was kidnapped, Jawed’s commander replaced him with a new boy slave, and “gifted” him to another strongman.

The 19-year-old says he escaped one night amid the chaos of a gunfight at a wedding where his new captor took him to entertain guests.

But dancing is the only skill he has that can earn a livelihood, having had no education and with virtually no protection offered in

Afghanistan for bacha bazi survivors.

Now he performs for powerful male patrons at dance parties, where the evening often ends in sex – underlining how, even when they are free, victims struggle to break out of the role that has been forced on them.

“Fights usually break out over who will take me home” after the parties, 19-year-old Jawed said, requesting that his real name not be revealed.

Bacha bazi is not seen as homosexuality in Afghanistan’s gender segregated society – instead the possession of young boys decked out as pretty women symbolises power and primacy. It is carried out with impunity often within Western-backed Afghan forces.

After two failed attempts that resulted in a beating, 15-year-old Gul escaped barefoot at the end of three months of captivity in a police outpost

in Helmand’s Nad Ali district.

But there was no going home again. Gul lives constantly on the move, chased by the paralysing fear he will be kidnapped once more.

His parents and brothers, meanwhile, have been forced to flee their home over fears the powerful commander will come looking for him. “‘Transform yourself into a woman,’ the checkpoint commander would tell me” with make-up and ankle bells, Gul said by telephone from his hiding place.

Gul was one of three bachas at the checkpoint. Troublingly, he said, the policemen prowled for more victims – especially effeminate boys from poor families unable to fight back.

“They tried to outdo each other: ‘My boy is more handsome than yours, my boy is a better dancer’,” he said.

For some the only escape is to forge a secret deal with

Former ‘bacha’ Jawed, now 19 and working as a dancing boy, sits with his face covered at a house in Kabul. Photo: AFP

the Taliban, who have successfully recruited boy sex slaves hungry for revenge to kill their abusers within police ranks, it was revealed last year.

Unlike many other victims, Gul is relatively fortunate in that his family was ready to take him back.

“Family honour is like a glass of water. One speck of dirt ruins it,” said Aimal, a former bacha in his 30s who was abandoned by his parents.

“If I were a woman my family wouldn’t leave me alive.”

The shame also stalks parents who try to help their children, say medical professionals in southern Afghanistan who treat the brutally violated survivors.

“Increasingly parents will bring boys saying they have bowel problems,” said a surgeon in Helmand province, where bacha bazi is widespread, corroborating what two other health officials said.

“But a closer examination shows the boys were raped and need to be stitched up.

The parents break down in tears: ‘We want no publicity, just save my boy.’”

Aimal, who requested his real name be withheld, was discarded after years of enslavement to a jihadi commander in northern Balkh province as he began sprouting a beard.

Now a youth activist in Kabul, he said he did not want to end up the way that many other victims do – becoming predators themselves.

President Ashraf Ghani this year laid out stringent penalties against bacha bazi for the first time in a revised penal code, but the government has given no time frame over when they will be enforced.

Instead, authorities in February launched a massive raid on a bacha bazi party in Kabul, jailing not the organisers but a handful of dancing boys, multiple witnesses said.

“For me dancing is not a crime,” said Aimal. “This culture of victimising the victim must end.”

In a country with little legal protection or psychosocial support, victims might be lucky to escape their abusers but not their past. Almost by default, prostitution has become a common fallback for many abused boys.

“Dancing has become too risky” since the raid, Jawed said before he sidled back into his underground life. “Now I might only do sex work.”

AFP thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

BUSINESS NEWS 11

Eyes on the wedding prize Marriott ramps up presence to attract ‘dream weddings’ source markets WEDDINGS The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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huket Marriott Resort and Spa at Nai Yang Beach has ramped up its presence in the weddings sector with a campaign to attract couples to hold their “dream weddings” at the resort.

Since opening in 2016, Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach has developed a strong standing in the wedding sector. To date, the resort has successfully hosted 10 weddings, building a reputation for exceeding the expectations of discerning couples.

David Ippersiel, General Manager of the Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach, said that his goal is to become the wedding destination of choice for couples from across the world.

“Nai Yang Beach is an idyllic destination for all types of wedding,” Mr Ippersiel said. “But spectacular scenery alone is not enough to

@thephuketnews

The Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa at Nai Yang Beach recently showcased the range of services and packages it has on offer for wedding planners to include in their packages. ensure an unforgettable ‘big day’. At Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach, we provide the support and service to ensure that every wedding runs seamlessly.

“From diverse dining fa-

cilities, including authentic Thai dishes, fresh seafood and excellent international cuisine, to a choice of different venues, our expert team of professional event planners will make sure that all your

wedding dreams come true.

Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach really is a one-stop service for your big day,” Mr Ippersiel added.

Mr Ippersiel and Francois Poletti, Director of Opera-

tions at the resort, recently showcased the range of services and packages it offers to wedding planners.

Attendees were given the chance to experience various aspects of the wedding day experience, including flower-arranging activities, a wedding cake display by Chef Supolwat Eua-umakul and to see a mock-up of the wedding day set-up.

T he g lob a l we d d i ng organiser spotlight shone brightly on Phuket in May when the island hosted the Destination Wedding Planners (DWP) Congress 2017 at the Banyan Tree Laguna Phuket, with 450 global wedding planners from 65 countries landing on the island to take part.

T h e DW P C o n g r e s s brought together high-end destination wedding planners to do business with the most unique destinations, extravagant hotels, resorts, and venues along with leading wedding suppliers and creative partners; such as, couture designers, photography partners, furniture

rentals, jewellery partners, cake designers and more.

The event also included groundbreaking conference sessions, networking functions, ritzy cocktail receptions, lavish luncheons and themed gala dinners, all designed to help participants capitalise on the multi-billiondollar industry.

Tanes Petsuwan, TAT deputy governor for international markets (Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas), earlier this year said that on average, foreign couples who celebrate their weddings in Thailand spent B5-12 million, depending on the number of guests.

Brides and bridegrooms from mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Britain, France, the Czech Republic, Australia, the United States and Brazil in particular showed express interest in holding wedding ceremonies in four key locations – Phuket, Koh Samui, Krabi and Sukhothai – with such ceremonies likely to be held in both traditional Thai and Western styles, depending on the locality, Mr Tanes said.

12 BUSINESS NEWS

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Contract law for all seasons

Legal pitfalls of hiring and firing for the tourism high season LAW Jerrold Kippen Tax & Law Expert Duensing Kippen

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hailand’s tourism and hospitality industry is among the most important contributors to the country’s economy. Anyone familiar with those industries knows that it’s dictated by high and low “seasons”. Business peaks during the European winter holidays and dips during the northern hemisphere’s spring and fall.

Thus, if you are running a business in the Thai tourism or hospitality sector, you need more staff during the peaks and less during the dips. As a result, we are often asked about “seasonal employees”.

Are there any legal issues with hiring people for just the peak season and then letting them go if – from a business perspective – the following dip does not justify keeping them on? Are there any legal issues with, for example: A. hiring someone from November 1 to April 30 next year and then letting them go; or, if business warrants B. hiring them again by en-

tering under a new employment contract running from May 1 to October 31 the next year, and then letting them go; or C. hiring them a third time for the next high season from November 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018?

The short answer is: “yes, there are” and perhaps the most significant is severance pay liability.

Employment matters are generally governed by the Labour Protection Act 1998 (“LPA”). The LPA was largely enacted to protect employees on the assumption that employees are in the weaker of the two positions in their relationship with their employer and, therefore, in need of such protection.

This also means that, in any dispute with an employer, Thai labour courts are supposed to interpret the LPA in the light most favourable to the employee.

One of the most significant rights that the LPA provides to employees is the severance pay that is due to the employee should he or she be terminated for any reason other than the rather limited “termination for cause” reasons defined by the LPA. The amount of severance that is payable to an employee

Job-seekers scour the boards at a job fair held at Central Festival Phuket East earlier this year. Photo: Supplied terminated without such cause increases the longer the employee is employed.

The only way for a worker’s employment to come to an end without terminating them for cause and without paying severance is to hire that employee under a “fixed-term” contract.

But Section 118 of the LPA significantly curtails who can qualify as a “fixed-term” employee as follows: a. employment in a specific project, which is not the normal business or trade of the employer and requires a definite date to commence and end the work; or b. work which is occasional with a definite ending or completion; or c. work which is seasonal and the employment is made

during the season Important to note is that regardless whether the employment is under (a), (b) or (c) above, such work must be completed within a period not exceeding two years and the employer must make a written contract with the employee at the beginning of the employment.

Furthermore, although it is recommended, Thai employment contracts generally do not need to be written. However, in order to be qualified as a fixed-term employment exemptible from severance payment, the said contract must be a “written contract”.

So what about (c)? Are high and low tourism season employees, “seasonal” employees?

There is no definition of

“seasonal employment” under the LPA. Thai courts’ interpretation of seasonal employment is still based on Thailand being an agriculture-based country. Therefore, as far as we are aware, the meaning of “seasonal employment” as interpreted by Thai courts has been limited to agricultural seasons, not high or low seasons in the sense of tourism, hotel, or any other businesses.

Accordingly, Thai courts do not interpret tourism and hospitality “seasonal” employment contracts as “seasonal employment” under the LPA. Thus, such employees would be entitled to severance pay upon termination pursuant to the LPA. What about at least limiting the amount of severance payable by entering successive employment contracts so that severance liability would only apply to the period covered by the most recent contract?

The LPA does not allow for that either.

Section 20 of the LPA provides that if the employee has not worked continuously because the employer intended to deprive an employee of any right under the LPA, all such employment periods will be considered cumulative in determining what rights the

employee is entitled to.

Thus, when there are successive fixed-term employment contracts they are most likely to be interpreted under the LPA as the employer’s attempt to deprive the employee’s right to severance pay for the cumulative term of employment.

In other words, our employee in our example above would have the rights of a standard 18-month employee (not a six-month employee).

Therefore, that employee would be entitled to severance pay equivalent of three months’ salary (rather than one month) if terminated “without cause” as defined by the LPA. This is true even if the employment agreement provides for reducing or extending the duration of the employment, or details the “motive” for the employment as “due to seasonal business fluctuations”.

The employer under Section 118 of the LPA and its “pro-employee” perspective would still owe severance payment for the cumulative employment period.

DUENSING KIPPEN is an international law firm with offices in Bangkok and Phuket, Thailand and affiliated offices in over 50 other countries. Visit them at: duensingkippen.com

Kata Rocks’ view tops World Luxury Awards TOURISM THE KATA ROCKS OCEANfront Restaurant has won best “Luxury Scenic Setting in Asia” at this year’s World Luxury Restaurant Awards 2017.

Meanwhile, Kata Rocks’ Infinite Luxury Spa also received the prestigious honour of “Luxury Boutique Spa: Global Winner” at the World Luxury Spa Awards 2017.

The latest awards boost Kata Rocks’ total to over 45 international awards and regional accolades since 2010. These have been bestowed by some of the most reputable awards bodies and respected publications in the world for excellence in luxury hospitality; for Kata Rocks’ exceptional design and architecture, trendsetting spa and culinary excellence.

Scott Toon, Kata Rocks’ General Manager, reported that his whole team was especially proud

of the Oceanfront Restaurant and The Infinite Luxury Spa received recognition.

“We are honoured to be recognised most recently by voters of The World Luxury Spa and Restaurant Awards 2017. These awards are a true testament not only to the service excellence our Resort and Phuket offers, but also speaks to our colleagues who warmly share their island home, ‘the land of smiles’ and signature Thai hospitality with our

guests. We are delighted to know our guests enjoy and embrace our oceanfront restaurant and innovative spa,” he said.

The Infinite Luxury Spa proudly received an award for a third consecutive year, having also taken home World Luxury Spa honours in both 2015 and 2016 respectively.

“This only fuels our desire to never become complacent and always strive for excellence,” Mr Toon added.

Winners at the awards were se-

The genuinely award-winning view from Kata Rocks. Photo: Supplied lected from more than 1,000 entrants in a public tally that saw more than 100,000 votes cast, with all votes are garnered through various marketing channels from guests.

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Porsche’s new Panamera gets a hybrid makeover

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

14

Jamie Monk checks out Phuket Botanic Garden

16

DINING DEEP The awe-inspiring Jeff’s Cellar, a magnificent subterranean cave chamber integrated into a 260-million-year-old limestone hill.

This Malaysian resort offers a truly unique dining experience – for those willing to take the plunge Mark Knowles editor1@classactmedia.co.th

C

radled in a valley swathed in lush tropical rainforest and hidden geothermal hot springs, natural caves, cascading waterfalls and magical 260-million-year-old Paleozoic limestone hills is the unique and spectacular Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat.

The retreat is a 15-minute drive from Ipoh City, in the northern Malaysian state of Perak; and two hour drive north of the capital Kuala Lumpur. It can also be reached by car from Phuket in a 10-hour journey that crosses the Malaysian border.

The Banjaran features a host of natural features including geothermal hotspring dipping pools, a thermal steam cave, meditation cave, crystal cave, doctor fish pool, a naturallyheated swimming pool, a yoga pavilion and more. The spa and wellness centre offers over 40 authentic Asianinspired treatments and can cater to anyone’s tastes.

But for those more into dining than spa treatments, one of the most notable adaptations of the spectacu@thephuketnews

lar natural surrounding’s is Jeff’s Cellar, an ethereal cave chamber which is arguably one of the most unique dining venues in the world.

To showcase its incredibly scenic dining venues the Banjaran is offering four distinctive dining experiences as part of what it calls its “Dine and Dream Food Journey”.

Drawing inspiration from the mesmerising beauty of the destination’s natural surroundings, the menus are rooted in strong culinary sensibilities and highlight ingenuity and variety.

Locally-sourced ingredients are cleverly used to titillate the palate with delicate flavours.

They are hoping to lure discerning food and travel adventurers to visit their experiential and ethereal culinary destination and build on Ipoh’s recent recognition by Lonely Planet as “Asia’s top destination for food”.

Diners have four choices, each themed to heighten the experience of the dining venue in which it is set, they include “Star Struck”, “Secret Escape”, “Sizzle and Flames” and “In-Private”.

One of the most sought after experiences is “Star Struck” which sees you ushered to a private deck

overlooking the hot springs lake, set against a breathtaking backdrop of towering limestone hills. A leisurely seven-course set dinner menu is served as you dine under the stars, complete with a telescope to catch a glimpse of the heavens.

For an ethereal dining experience, the “Secret Escape” takes diners into the awe-inspiring Jeff’s Cellar, a magnificent subterranean cave chamber integrated into a 260 million-year old limestone hill – it’s certainly not your average dining room.

Diners can choose from a selection of seven-course set dinner menus.

“Sizzle and Flames” cocoons diners in The Balcony, a private cave chamber that overlooks the retreat’s hot springs lake. The lantern-lit cave is tucked away in the verdant tropical gardens offering guests an enchanting private dining experience with a dash of sparkle. It features a barbecue menu of premium meats and seafood, marinated to perfection served by an attending personal chef.

“In-Private” takes dining-in to a new level of privacy. At a chosen area in the villa, guests are able to sizzle their own barbecue selections from a selection menu of premium meats and

seafood; complemented by salad and dessert bars. “In-Private” is available for lunch and dinner and ideal for guests staying at the hotel.

The Banjaran’s “Dine and Dream” culinary brigade is led by Malaysianborn Head Chef Lee Choon Boon.

Chef Boon brings over 15 years of regional culinary experiences with several international hotel brands and award-winning independent restaurants.

Castaldi Alex Rosario, General Manager of The Banjaran said, “Dine and Dream brings together food and destination as a cohesive recipe. With food pilgrims visiting Ipoh City and it being on the radar of many food adventurers, we believe ‘Dine and Dream’ creates another reason for locals and tourists alike to visit this part of Malaysia and to experience The Banjaran, which has become one of Ipoh’s most experiential culinary destination in its own right.”

The Banjaran’s “Dine & Dream” is also open to external guests but advanced reservations are required. The Banjaran is reserved exclusively for guests above the age of 12 years old. For more information visit: thebanjaran.com

14 MOTORING

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Porsche’s Panamera goes hybrid Mark Knowles editor1@classactmedia.co.th

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he 2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is the next logical step along the premium automaker’s path, which began in 2013 with the 918 Spyder, to marry hybrid technology to its high performance cars.

At Porsche, the term “hybrid” is synonymous with not only sustainable mobility, but performance too – a fact proven not least by the victory of the 919 Hybrid in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2015 and 2016. This philosophy is now also defining Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid.

Porsche is introducing a plug-in hybrid as the flagship of the model line for the first time. Combining the 4.0-litre V8 engine from the Panamera Turbo with an electric motor, the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid delivers a total output of 680hp and 626 lb.-ft. of torque.

Only the aforementioned limited production 918 Spyder has ever had more power. The Panamera Turbo S EHybrid accelerates from 0 to 60mph in 3.2 seconds (3.3 seconds for the Execu-

tive model) and has a top track speed of 309km/h and average fuel consumption is just 2.9 litres per 100 kilometres.

What’s more, it can drive on fully electric power for up to 50km.

The new Panamera Turbo S EHybrid utilises a boost strategy derived from the 918 Spyder and combines a 136hp electric motor with a 550hp twin-turbo V8 engine. The decoupler installed in the Porsche hybrid module is actuated electro-mechanically by an electric clutch actuator (ECA), ensuring quick response. Like other Panamera models, the quick-shifting eight-speed Porsche dual-clutch transmission sends power to the standard active all-wheel drive system.

The electric motor is powered via a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery with an energy capacity of 14.1kWh. The highvoltage battery takes 12 hours to fully charge, or if the optional 7.2kW on-board charger is utilised, the charging time decreases to less than three hours.

The car is also is fitted with auxiliary air conditioning to cool or heat the passenger compartment prior to driving. The high-end car management system is controlled via a console between

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

The 2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid packs a hefty 680 horsepower. the driver and the front passenger, dominated by a 12.3-inch touchscreen.

The driver and front passenger can set the configuration individually.

It also comes with air suspension as standard and offers a unique balance in this segment: the comfort of a luxury sedan paired with the performance of a sports car. The Panamera Turbo S EHybrid starts in the purely electric “EPower” mode, and is capable of covering up to 50km on pure electric power, but when a specific pressure point on the accelerator pedal is reached, or when the battery charge drops below a minimum level, the Panamera switches to “Hybrid Auto” mode, at which point the total system is available.

Celebrating its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show (March 7 to 19, 2017), the 2018 Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is expected to reach US dealers by the end of 2017, but because the

Turbo S E-Hybrid can’t attract hybrid taxes in Thailand it will face the 50% maximum rate and be priced in B20 million-plus territory.

It will also be offered in an Executive version with a 5.9 inch longer wheelbase. Standard equipment on the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid includes Ceramic Composite Brakes, Dynamic Chassis Control Sport including Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, Power Steering Plus and Sport Chrono Package. Auxiliary air-conditioning, adaptive aerodynamic elements and a three-chamber air suspension including Porsche Active Suspension Management are also standard. The Executive version is additionally equipped with rear axle steering, eight-way power rear seats with comfort head rests, and four-zone climate control.

Both models are equipped with 21-inch 911 Turbo Design Wheels.

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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

DINING 15

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Brunching with Bogie Sunday at Metzo’s: Mediterranean brunching like no other Baz Daniel

B

runching is one of the great pleasures of life in Phuket, when at last lazy Sunday rolls around and you can sidestep the frenetic tumult of weekday deadlines, kick back with friends and family, and indulge in a long, languorous meal, maybe a little music and a glassbound bubble or two and even a dip in an inviting aquamarine pool.

All this is without doubt the stock in trade of Metzo’s Mediterranean-inspired Sunday Brunch at the Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort. But there’s far more to this beguiling Sunday event, bringing an additional magic to this particular experience that is unique in all of Phuket. Brunches at Metzo’s are exotic and fun in ways that are truly like no other on our island.

Firstly, there’s the cuisine. The rather inexact descriptor “Mediterranean” hardly does justice to the kaleidoscope of tastes, flavours, ingredients and colours that are about to seduce your palette when you enter the welcoming portals of Metzo’s close to the resort’s huge swimming pool. In truth we are talking here, not about generalised ‘Mediterranean’ cuisine, but specifically about the north coast of Africa… of Morocco, with a pinch of Alexandria, Greece and Turkey thrown into the exotica of gustatory creation.

As soon as you are seated your taste buds go into overdrive as you can see and smell the dishes the chefs are preparing in the open-plan kitchen. To start the brunch a friendly waitress brings a range of tapas-style Middle Eastern favourites to your table, 19 in total, ranging from dips of hummus, moutabal and mouhamara (mixed crushed nuts, tomato, chilli paste and spices), to Moroccan chicken salad, Lebanese cauliflower salad, zucchini and tomato frittata, beef carpaccio and Serrano ham and chorizo.

The very names of this opening salvo of mezze and tapas are magical and evoke the scents, sounds and mystery of the North Africa and the Levant.

You have entered an enchanted a world of souks, labyrinthine kasbahs, camel-

@thephuketnews

Succulent shish kebabs with Moroccan rice and fresh vegetables.

trains, Bedouin tent encampments in desert wadis and all the exotic cuisine that exemplifies this realm.

Labneh (Greek yogurt, mint and garlic), falafel (crispy chickpeas, and Lebanese spices), fatouch (assorted vegetables, lemon, olive oil and sumac) and tabouleh (parsley, bourghul, tomato, onions, olive oil and lemons). It’s as though Lawrence Durrell had been let loose in the kitchen conjuring Arabic magic through exotic vocabulary, not so much the Alexandria Quartet as the Moroccan Cornucopia.

Five mains courses then await you, each one great to share with friends and family. A mixed grill including shish taouk (chicken), shish kebab (beef), lamb kofta, grilled pork neck, royal couscous, roasted new potatoes, and also a seafood mixed grill including tiger prawn, rock lobster, Andaman tuna, squid, royal couscous and roasted new potatoes are hard to resist. Or there’s the chicken shawarma, surf & turf and the vegetable tajine, baked in the eponymous traditional Moroccan clay pot.

As I sat revelling in this seduction of my senses, a vision of loveliness stood up to the microphone and started crooning a forgotten love song. So redolent was all this of Casablanca that

I looked around half expecting Bogie to saunter in, wearing his trademark white dinner jacket, sidle up to the demur chanteuse and drawl, “Play it again Sam-antha”. * Finally, it was dessert time in the desert!

My salivating taste buds were sated with apple cobbler, fudge brownies,

mixed fruit and coffee. And while ‘apple cobbler’ may owe more to the Vale of Evesham than the Kasbah, by then I was past caring!

At Metzo’s your whole family will be happy. While you indulge your inner Bogie, they can enjoy the free Wi-Fi, the kiddies’ food corner with free access to Koh Kids Club, and there’s freeflow beverages for the adults. And as all this bounty is brought to your table you may well have energy for a postprandial dip in the pool and 55-metre slide after brunch is over. *This is possibly the most famous mis-quote in all filmography. Bogie never actually said this. What he did say was, “Play it Sam” referring to Herman Hupfeld’s incomparable number As Time Goes By. Metzo’s Sunday Brunch - held every Sunday at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort from 11.30 am to 3.30 pm. B990++ per person including the first drink. B2,290++ per person (includes free-flow selected beverages).

Half price for children aged 4 to 12.

For reservation, please call Metzo’s at +66 (0)76 360 600 or email: metzos@ outrigger.co.th Facebook.com/MetzosBistroandBar

16 EXPLORE

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

The Phuket Botanic Garden is surprisingly impressive and contains some unusual plants.

Down the garden path JAMIE’S PHUKET

Jamie Monk

T

he Phuket Botanic Garden opened in 2012 and for a while, I was reluctant to visit obvious tourist attractions (call me a cynic). I mean… we have plenty of plants in our garden and we don’t have to pay to see them!

I was not sure the botanic garden would be that great and I normally only have one day off work every

week, so there’s limited time to explore.

Some days we just like to be lazy or I stay home and take care of my own garden. However, our daughter went on a school trip and enjoyed it, plus I got the thumbs up from a couple of friends, so we added it to our to-do list.

Saturday is normally the one day I can spend with the family, but often the kids have things to do like some extra school or their music class or Taekwondo. So we finally decided to drag ourselves out of the house on a hot afternoon and visit the botanic garden. I was not expecting Kew Gardens, in fact I was prepared to be disappointed, but

actually I was impressed. Read on!

The Phuket Botanic Garden is in the Chalong area of Phuket not far from Chalong Temple and covers a big area, bigger than I was expecting. It’s open daily except Wednesday. The entry fee for non-locals is B500 for adults and B300 for kids. The rate for Thais is considerably less.

The entrance is quite grand, but we came here to see interesting plants. So we continued on to the a herb garden with various herbal and medicinal plants. One of them caught my eye. I recalled the plant name from my studies in forensic science… Erythroxylum coca?

Surely not legal! I’ve not seen this since travelling years ago in South America where I drank coca tea to lessen the effects of altitude.

Next was a rice paddy and a bamboo house with an attached garden, meant to show how the poor farmers live. My wife liked the house. I said we could build one in our garden. Yes, sometimes simple is good. You could probably get Wi-Fi installed too.

After we’d been there about 20 minutes my daughter read off the list of zones/gardens from the map we were given at the entrance. It’s a long list!

We’d only seen a fraction so far. The next in line was an orchid garden with a very nice lily pond outside.

The botanic garden is very well signposted and also very well kept. We saw numerous gardeners at work during our visit – more gardeners than visitors it seemed. It can be hard to convince sunseeking tourists to get off the beach, but really, come on... Phuket has so much more, so much more. That’s exactly why I write my blog!

There was a fair sized pond in the middle of the gardens, with what must be the owner’s house on one side. Fish food is B20 per packet and of course our kids wanted to feed the fish. Next stop was a cactus garden, covered with a roof to keep the rain off. I like cacti, they are tough but they have a rough beauty. After the cactus garden, the opposite… the rainforest garden which includes a waterfall. The entrance is along a walkway with aerial roots hanging down in your face.

Well, the climate is wrong, but they even have an English Garden here. Did not seem too English except I was convinced this statue on a bench was meant to be Christopher Robin from Winnie the Pooh. Then, hurrah! A cafe, very

The entrance to the rainforerest garden. nice place actually with lots of shady seating and another pond full of fish, some of them were big koi carp. Another chance for fish feeding after a nice cold coke. We’d been there about an hour and a half already when we left the cafe.

Next was an indoor, air-conditioned garden. They called it the Winter Garden, which I have read houses plants from north Thailand. The air-con was most welcome. I am used to the hot weather after so many years, but if the average temperature in Phuket was a few degrees lower I would not complain.

The winter garden is attached to a small butterfly garden, that did have some butterflies but was no competition to the former Phuket Butterfly Garden.

Right before the souvenir shop was a lady with some tropical birds, a promotion for the Phuket Bird Park. Me and the kids played with the birds. She had a sign “Take Photo With Birds 150 Baht”, well we didn’t pay anything, but took photos and fed the birds and she chatted with the kids. One of them climbed on me and (it was a hot afternoon) hopped on my shoulder and licked the sweat off my cheek!

We were there for nearly two hours and could have spent longer. So I am happy to say the Phuket Botanic Garden is worth a visit, certainly if you are at all interested in plants or want to do something different. We might well go again sometime.

Jamie Monk blogs about all things Phuket.

For more great local information visit his website: jamiesphuket.com thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT 17

Native music influence revealed New film uncovers Native Americans’ role in shaping US music styles Thomas Urbain

A

merican music took shape and went global thanks to the country’s melting pot of influences. Yet one of the most important sources of the sound often goes forgotten – American Indians.

A new documentary, Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World, shines a new light on the history and traces how indigenous people’s rhythms, singing and dancing helped set the course of American music.

“I started, just out of curiosity, to look around for more people like myself. Are there other Native American people doing what I do?” said Stevie Salas, the guitarist of Apache origin who is the executive producer of the film, which is screening in New York before its broadcast in December on Arte, the French-German cultural channel which coproduced it.

“It seemed like I couldn’t find any.

But then as I would start to dig I started to realise: there were a lot, it’s just people didn’t know it,” he said.

Indigenous Americans, decimated by invasion, were not considered US citizens until 1924 – more than 50 years after African Americans – and continue to lag behind in social indicators.

In one of the final but most notori-

Executive Producer of ‘Rumble’ Stevie Salas. Photo: AFP

ous acts of the conquest of the West, US troops shot dead 300 men, women and children at Wounded Knee in South Dakota in 1890 as they crushed the burgeoning “Ghost Dance” musical and spiritual movement.

The blues, one of the defining US genres which helped shape rock, was born in the Deep South among African Americans who had been freed from slavery only to discover more hardship.

Charley Patton, often considered the father of the blues as he honed his guitar style in early 20th-century Mississippi, was believed to be at least par-

Netflix announces new show from creator of ‘The Simpsons’

N

etflix has ordered a new animated adult comedy from The Simpsons mastermind Matt Groening, the streaming service announced last week.

Disenchantment will take viewers to the crumbling medieval kingdom of Dreamland, where they follow the misadventures of harddrinking princess Bean, her feisty elf companion Elfo and her personal demon Luci. Along the way, the trio encounter ogres, sprites, harpies, imps, trolls, walruses, and lots of human fools.

“Ultimately, ‘Disenchantment’ will be about life and death, love and sex, and how to keep laughing in a world full of suffering and idiots, despite what the elders and wizards and other jerks tell you,” Groening said in a statement issued

by Netflix.

The voices will be provided by Abbi Jacobson (The Lego Ninjago Movie), Nat Faxon (Sex Tape) and Eric Andre (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping), with animation from Rough Draft, the studio behind Fox’s Futurama, also created

by Groening.

Netflix has ordered 20 episodes, the first half of which will premiere next year. Groening’s The Simpsons, also on Fox, is the longest-running comedy in US television history, be@thephuketnews

Creator of ‘The Simpsons’ Matt Groening. Photo: AFP ginning its 29th season in the fall.

“Matt Groening’s brilliant work has resonated with generations around the world and we couldn’t be happier to work with him on “Disenchantment,” said Cindy Holland, vice president in charge of original content for Netflix.

“The series will bear his trademark animation style and biting wit, and we think it’s a perfect fit for our many Netflix animation fans.”

Netflix describes itself as the world’s leading internet television network, with 104 million members in more than 190 countries.

AFP

tially of Choctaw heritage.

His ancestry is traced in Encylopedia of Native Music by Canadian scholar Brian Wright-McLeod, which forms the basis of the documentary. The film shows that the Native American ancestry is more than a footnote, with Patton’s rhythms and singing owing both to African and indigenous roots. Other key musicians of Native American origin include Link Wray, whose distorted guitar was a major influence on the development of rock – and whose song “Rumble” provides the film’s title.

Rumble is driven by interviews by

an impressive array of stars – a deliberate move, Salas said, to give credibility for viewers unfamiliar with Native Americans’ impact.

“Rumble had the power to push me over the edge,” punk icon Iggy Pop says.

“And it did help me say: F#*k it, I’m going to be a musician.”

By the 1960s, major artists began to celebrate their Native American heritage openly including Canadian folk singer Buffy Sainte-Marie and Jesse Ed Davis, a guitarist who recorded with members of The Beatles and Eric Clapton.

Other artists who were partially of Native American origin included Jimi Hendrix, who grew up hearing stories from his part-Cherokee grandmother, and possibly Elvis Presley.

Country great Johnny Cash was convinced of his indigenous roots, releasing an album of Native American-inspired songs in 1964. Cash, who died in 2003, is heard saying in the film that DJs would not play songs from the album because it made them “feel guilty”.

But broader recognition of American Indian contributions has taken longer.

Native American fashion came to represent freedom and rebellion for the hippies of the 1960s, but Salas said that few drew the connection to indigenous culture.

AFP

18 ISLAND SCENE

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

There was an excellent turnout for this important water safety event.

Members of the Phuket Lifeguard Service and some of their young students get ready for the training session.

MONTAZURE JOIN FORCES TO HOST KID’S WATER SAFETY TRAINING AT KAMALA BEACH

From left: Jayne MacDougall and Natchaya (Nat) Sittiprasert.

From left: David Field and Setthaphol Boottho.

MontAzure, the expansive mixed-use resort residential community at Kamala Beach, on Phuket’s west coast, joined forces with Phuket Life Saving Club and Surf Life Saving Australia to hold a Phuket Kid’s Water Safety Training Program event at MontAzure Beachfront Sales Gallery and HQ Beach Lounge on July 22. More than 50 Thai and international children joined the event and the training sessions included basic water safety principals, the role of a lifeguard, basic CPR, and understanding tides and surf conditions. To find out more about the safety initiative, email thailifeguard@gmail.com. The Kid’s Water Safety Training was proudly sponsored by The Phuket News.

INSPIRED PHUKETIAN ALAN YIP TALKS ABOUT MASTERING YOUR MIND FOR SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS AT SKYE LAKE CLUB Performance coach, international speaker and bestselling author Alan Yip recently spoke to a full house at the Skye Lake Club about his philosophy of mastering your mind to create happiness. The talk was part of the Inspired Phuketians series hosted monthly by the Skye Lake Club in Cherng Talay. Inspired Phuketians is proudly sponsored by The Phuket News.

From left: Paolo Randone, Able Wannamakok and Alan Yip.

Staff and management from Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach.

PHUKET MARRIOTT RESORT NAI YANG JOINS MANGROVE PLANTING Associates from Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach, recently joined their colleagues from Marriott Hotels in Phuket to support a mangrove planting initiative. The Marriott volunteers teamed up with a local environmental group to help plant 2,000 young mangrove tree saplings in coastal areas of Phang Nga Province, which neighbours Phuket in southern of Thailand. Supported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), this project aims to plant 20,000 mangrove saplings in 2017. The participation of Marriott Hotels forms part of the company’s ongoing “Spirit to Serve” CSR program.

From left: Sawaeng Yiti, Chansupa Suanya, Katapunyo Songkhun and Kritsada Ketphu.

AMARI PHUKET HAT-TRICK AT ANDAMAN HOTELIER AND TOURISM FAIR 2017 Amari Phuket recently took home three awards from the Andaman Hotelier and Tourism Fair 2017, the biggest event for the hotel industry in Phuket. Representatives from Amari’s kitchen and housekeeping departments participated in the competitions. Katapunyo Songkhun won the silver medal for the live cooking event of the Phuket Lobster Culinary Freestyle Challenge Individual Junior Category. Kritsada Ketphu won the bronze medal for the live cooking event in the Individual Professional Category. Sawaeng Yiti and Chansupa Suanya were both second runners-up in the event for making flower arrangements from banana leaves. Congratulation to all the winners. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

ISLAND SCENE 19

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Hospital management and staff in front of the Garuda statue before it was raised.

From left: Dr Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth and Dr Pichit Kangwolkij.

BANGKOK HOSPITAL PHUKET RAISES MASSIVE STATUE OF GARUDA Last Friday (July 28), Bangkok Hospital Phuket was crammed with BDMS group management, local dignitaries and members of the media. They were invited to witness one of the hospital’s most momentous occasions when Dr Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth, Group Chief Executive Officer, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services PLC (BDMS), came to preside over the Garuda sculpture mounting ceremony. Upon a Royal bestowal from the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX), the Garuda emblem fostered growing pride among hospital management and personnel as well as ensuring righteousness and integrity in their operations. Receiving the Royal warrant is considered a great honour and a mark of distinction for any Thai company.

Jimmy Fame rocked the stage with Colin Hill on lead guitar.

Guests enjoyed a evening of rocking live music.

From left: Radoslava and Richard Jones with Mantarin Klinjun.

The New Roadhouse is a big supporter of live music on the island.

JIMMY FAME AND FRIENDS ROCK THE NEW ROADHOUSE IN KARON Last Saturday (July 29), Blues singer Jimmy Fame got together with the Colin Hill Band and guest artists Jeffery Sevilla and Patrick Chua to perform at the New Roadhouse in Karon.

The evening brought together Blues, Jazz and Rock ‘n’ Roll under one roof to benefit the Helmets for Kids Charity organised by the Rotary Club Of Patong Beach. This event was Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News and Live 89.5

Drummers soaked up the sun rays on Nai Harn Beach.

The Phuket Drum Circle celebrated five years of feeling the rhythm.

PHUKET DRUM CIRCLE CELEBRATES FIFTH ANNIVERSARY AT NAI HARN BEACH The Phuket Drum Circle celebrated its 5th anniversary last Sunday (July 30) at Nai Harn Beach. The drum circle event is always free and open to the public. Participants drummed, danced and enjoyed the scenery and good vibes. For more information visit the Facebook page: Phuket Drum Circle @thephuketnews

20 EVENTS

FRI

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

4 AUG SURF & TURF NIGHT EVERY WEDNESDAY @ TWO CHEFS

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

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

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

SUN

6 AUG

Sunday Brunch It’s Sunday, Enjoy the most family friendly brunch of the island !! Wide selection of Thai & international dishes - Foam party for the kids – All sports events covered at Champions and more for the parents!

Only 499 THB! Served From 12.00 until 15.00 Booking strongly advised. Tel: (0) 76 303 300. Reservations, Novotel Phuket Surin Beach Resort.

All you can eat! Grilled Australian rib-eye steak, teriyaki marinated chicken and grilled tiger prawns with BBQ sauce, red wine sauce and Bearnaise sauce, Caesar salad and herb-sauteed potatoes.

Only 495 baht. Two Chefs Live Band on stage from 8 pm until late. www.twochefs.com Karon 076-286479, Patong 076-344-914, Kata Beach 076-333370, Kata Center 076-330-065 COME FOR THE FOOD | STAY FOR THE FUN!

THU

10 AUG

All you can eat Sunday Roast Buffet Sunday Brunch Continuing a proud tradition with one of the most renowned brunches on the island – enjoy delectable delights with packages covering free-flow drinks or pre-brunch massages at our award-winning Coqoon Spa. 50% discount for children 7-14. Reservations, The Slate Phuket, contactfb@theslatephuket.com, 076 327 006.

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

MON

7 AUG

Chalong Bay Experience by Marriott Resort Phuket Merlin 1,950 THB net price per person. 3 PM - 5 PM leaving at 2 PM. Including transportation, distillery tour, cocktail class and Thai pantry dinner with Chalong Bay. Reservation at 076 335 300.

2 Star Michelin Chef at Banyan Tree Phuket For a limited time in August, join us for a week of culinary delights with German born Chef Stefan of ECCO Restaurant where diners will experience the Michelin-starred cooking mastery of “Brutally Seductive” and “Dishes of the Gods” cooking. Date: 3-8 August 2017. Seats are limited. Email Food and Beverage at: fb-phuket@banyantree.com or call +66 76 372 400 ext. 5463 for more information.

SAT

5 AUG

RETRO NIGHT

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

All you can eat BBQ night 6PM – 11PM: Beef, Pork, Chicken, Burgers, Sausages, Prawns & Squids, salad buffet, Choice of potatoes and sauces, bread, buns and garlic bread. Reservation recommended. 395 baht P.P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

WED

The Two Chefs band will take you back to the ’70s & ’80s with some old goodies and take requests! Every Thursday @ Two Chefs Karon – Patong – Kata Center.

Chef’s Retro Special: Flambeed Rib-eye Steak 300g Only 495 Baht. Banana Flambe - Only 95 Baht. www. twochefs.com Karon 076-286-479, Patong 076-344914, Kata Center 076-330-065 COME FOR THE FOOD | STAY FOR THE FUN!

9 AUG Phuket Business Dinner

Steak Night Delicious special cuts of beef are offered especially for meat lovers. Reservations, HYATT REGENCY PHUKET RESORT, fnb.phuhr@hyatt.com, 076 231 234 # 5106.

Kids Summer Bash Kids eat free when order any entree. Face painting and Balloon making. Reservations, Hard Rock Cafe Phuket. sales1@phuket-hrc.com 076 366 381

All you can eat BBQ Ribs night 6PM – 11PM: All you can eat BBQ ribs served with salad buffet, potato salad & choice of sauces.

Reservation recommended. 350 baht P.P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

BCCT, in collaboration with NTCC and AustCham, cordially invites you to a Phuket Business Dinner on Thursday August 10, 2017 from 6.30-9pm. This August’s session will be led by John Christie, CEO of Ek-Chai Distribution System (TESCO LOTUS) to tell the Tesco Lotus story in expanding their footprint across Thailand and how they engage with local partners. Venue: Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort. Cost and Payment: THB 975 including inter-buffet and soft drinks. For tickets and info visit: members.bccthai.com Proundly sponsored by The Phuket News and Khao Phuket.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

THU

EVENTS 21

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

10 AUG

SUN

27 AUG

EVERY DAY

SEE-FOOD Eat It! Seafood Promotion for THB 250 / dish: Seafood Basket, Fish Fillet “Parmigina”, Fish Kebab, Salmon Croquettes.

Mixed Drinks for THB 150 / drink with any of the dishes *from selected crafty beverages. The Drunken Leprechaun Irish Pub Phuket, Swissôtel Resort Phuket Patong Beach. For reservations: Priyagrn.Suwanphanya@swissotel.com, 076 337 000

PIWC Meet & Greet Coffee August New members are encouraged to join our monthly Meet & Greet Coffee Morning to find out more about our organization. It’s also a great opportunity to chat with a few members in a more casual setting over a cup of coffee. For more info, please contact Joan Watson – imm@loxinfo.co.th or Renate Hirte – hirtefamily@hotmail.com. From 10.30-12pm @Starbucks Central Festival.

FRI

11 AUG

INSPIRED PHUKETIANS

Jay Jay Yankomut: Confidence, Speech and Presentation = Success Held monthly, and open to the public, this event gives an opportunity for well-lived people to share their life experiences. Inspired by the famous TED Talks, it’s a great way for people to really connect with authentic ideas that will benefit their well-being and happiness in general. All of the speakers are chosen because of their ability to share an idea that connects with and inspires people. Limited to 55 seats only and priced at B350/pax/net including one drink and pass around canapé. Register now by email to sales@skyelakeclub.com. Skye Lake Club, Cherng TalaySponsored by The Phuket News and Live89.5. *The presentation will be in Thai with PowerPoint in English.

SUN

3 SEP

The Joint Mexican Food Bar & Lounge Welcome to THE JOINT PHUKET! Floor 1: plays the latest in movies & TV shows while providing you with the only authentic Mexican food on the island. Floor 2: provides a full spectrum of music in our bar & night lounge area, bringing a bit of Patong to Chalong. Floor 3: is a rooftop, where you can smoke, mingle, and take in the beautiful sights that is Phuket. Please Follow @thejointphuket & @fallenangel510 on Instagram & Facebook for all updates, parties, events, and weekly specials as we look to unify people through food, fun, and music by providing you what you asked for! 11/64 Moo 5, Chaofah road, Chalong, Phuket, Thailand. 096 858 4848.

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

Meeting - Rotary Club Patong The Rotary Club of Patong Beach cordially invites guests and prospective members to attend its regular meetings. The cost for non-members is THB 500 and includes lunch. The meeting begins at 12pm at the Days Inn in Patong. Please visit www. rotarypatong.org for additional information.

THU

17 AUG

7 Nights 7 Themed Dinners at Rim Talay Mountain Bike Classic 2017 A new mountain bike race through Khao Phra Thaeo nature reserve highlighting ecological tourist destinations comes to the island on September 3 2017, following the highly-popular King of the Mountain Trail Run on the same day. The Thanyapura Mountain Bike Classic features a new route through Northern Phuket’s 23 sq km rainforest. Bikers can test their endurance in four distances: the 4km fun race, the 9km, the 18-km (two loops of 9-km laps) or the 27 km (three loops of 9-km laps). Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News and Khao Phuket.

Shot Lounge Bar Food Buffet New lounge bar in Rawai where you will spend hours relaxing in our lounge area in the company of classy appetizers expertly prepared by our bartenders. Or if you are a billiard fan we have many professional tables available to help you in challenges or tournaments organized by us and all immersed in a truly exclusive environment. Promotion from July 21 until August 21. Food Buffet at 200 THB from 18.30 to 20:00 (all u can eat) Beverages excluded. Francesco, Shot Lounge Bar Phuket, shotloungebarphuket@gmail. com, 061-718-8781.

Make each night unique! Enjoy our themed dinners with the cool sea breeze. World of Curries @790 THB++, Thai & International Buffet @790 THB++, Seafood Night @980 THB++, Ribs, Wings & Rings @770 THB++, Butchers Night @market price, Surf & Turf @950 THB++, Thai Seafood Gala @980 THB++. The terms and conditions are subject to change without prior notice. For reservations, rimtalay@amari. com or 076 340106-14 #8027.

TWO CHEFS ROCK NIGHT IS BACK!

King of the Mountain Trail Run 2017 PIWC Luncheon August The July Lunch will be at Tawai Restaurant in Chern Talay on the 17th August. Registration starts at 11.30 am followed by Lunch at 12.15 pm. Please send reservations to info@piwc-phuket.com attn. Maggy Wigman.

@thephuketnews

King of the Mountain Phuket Trail Run, one of Thanyapura’s most popular races, returns on September 3 2017. Beginner and experienced trail runners can compete in three distances: the 4-kilometre fun run, the 8 kilometres and the 15 kilometres along steep hilly terrain amid beautiful waterfalls of Khao Phra Thaeo National Park. Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News and Khao Phuket.

Cooking Classes Every Day Do an afternoon cooking class with Nan and discover why the Halfway Inn has been rated in the Top 10 Thai restaurants in Patong on TripAdvisor for the last 4 years running. Classes can be booked any time between 2pm till 6pm any day of the week. Google Halfway Inn, Patong’ for more details or call Nan to arrange a very fun and unique Thai culinary experience. Line:+66(0)852533278. Khun Nan, Halfway Inn Patong, halfwayinnpatong@hotmail. co.uk, 085-2533278.

Enjoy an amazing night at our Kata Center location with our very own Two Chefs Band playing the best rock hits all night long. We will be doing a very special family style sharing menu. Dig in to a whole spit roasted pig while enjoying a variety of dishes including, Caesar salad, pesto pasta salad with grilled vegetables, prawn ceviche, truffle mashed potatoes, lemon and garlic baby potatoes, roasted vegetable medley and much more! Included in the price of only 795 THB will be a tasting menu for special adult beverages. Reservations are needed, for more information please contact our staff: Email: katacenter@ twochefs.com or give us a call at 076 330 065 reservations can also be made online at Twochefs.com or Facebook.com/twochefsthailand

22 TIME OUT

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York 1. How many stars are there on the New Zealand flag?

2. What is the world’s tallest grass which can grow up to 90cm in a day?

3. Who wrote the classic novel The Mayor of Casterbridge?

4. How many bones does an adult human have?

5. In which country was the world’s first female Prime Minister elected in 1960?

Answers below, centre

SUDOKU

Hard

Across 62. Derivative 1. Award from a sports of abstract cable network expressionism 5. Gibson garnish 63. Nefarious 10. “While You ___ 64. Semicircular Sleeping” recess 14. Big bash 65. A Fla. key 15. Former MBA 66. Wife of a Rajah pitcher, Carlos 67. Pre-1917 ruler 16. Mosque V.I.P. 68. Vintage 17. OPEC nation 69. Female singing 18. Less friendly voice 19. Phoenix squad 20. Got it done all by Down oneself 1. Sponsorship: Var. 23. “___ we having fun 2. Goa dress yet?”

3. Get ready (for) 24. Maps for hikers 4. Yin and ___ 28. Prevents free 5. Types of willows movement 6. Pigeonhole 32. Goat hair 7. Pelvic bones 35. Aspirations 8. Convection __ 36. Per 9. Novelist Jones 37. Kicker’s aid 10. Knowledge 38. Really solitary 11. Bird that doesn’t’t 42. In poor health fly 43. Cartoonist Roy 12. Hurried 44. Too much fast food? 13. German river 45. Brit. pudding 21. Run out, as a 48. Made a happy face subscription 49. High-hat type 22. Numerical ending 50. Loser’s place?

25. Tube-nosed 51. The Man from seabird U.N.C.L.E. character 26. End of a threat 59. Too noisy 27. Started

28. Kitchen furnishings 29. Deodorant type 30. Olympian god 31. Fraternity members 32. Unkind 33. Bruised 34. Seaman’s reference 36. Hydroxyl, carbon compound 39. Wedding words 40. “Pretty ____” movie starring Richard Gere 41. Sapporo sash 46. Over there 47. Mom and Dad org.

48. Exactly on target 50. Durable fabric 52. Palm Beach sport 53. Irridescent stone 54. Enrich, in a way 55. Inoculation liquids 56. Track 57. Unwanted buildup 58. Hodge-podge 59. Back muscle 60. Intelligence projects, for short 61. BET alternative

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) Four; 2) Bamboo; 3) Thomas Hardy; 4) 206; 5) Sri Lanka

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW

Aug 4, 1975 The Japanese Red Army takes more than 50 hostages at the AIA Building housing several embassies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The hostages include the US consul and the Swedish Chargé d’affaires. The gunmen win the release of five imprisoned comrades and fly with them to Libya.

0.05

seconds is all it takes for a person to recognise a sound.

Aug 5, 1981 President Ronald Reagan fires 11,359 striking air-traffic controllers who ignored his order for them to return to work.

20

Aug 6, 1991 Tim Berners-Lee releases files describing his idea for the World Wide Web. WWW debuts as a publicly available service on the Internet.

per cent of teens experience depression before they reach adulthood.

30

Aug 7, 1858 The first Australian rules football match is played bet ween Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College. After three days, the match was declared a 1-1 draw.

per cent of people get their news from Facebook.

4,575

years is how long it would

Aug 8, 870 AD Treaty of Meerssen: King Louis the German and his half-brother Charles the Bald partition the Middle Frankish Kingdom into two larger east and west divisions.

take for a snail nearly to circle the Earth.

33,000 Americans die and a further 81,000 Americans are injured by gun violence every year.

Source: Uberfacts

This week in history

Aug 9, 1965 Singapore is expelled from Malaysia and becomes the only country to date to gain independence unwillingly.

Nai Yang Beach low water. Photo by Valerie Dobson Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket?

Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

Aug 10, 1948 Candid Camera makes its television debut after being on radio for a year as Candid Microphone.

Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

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Jobs

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Trades & Services

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ADVERTISING SERVICES

CLEANING SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

FISHING CHARTERS

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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MARINE SERVICES

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classifieds@thephuketnews.com

MARINE SERVICES

PERSONAL SERVICES

STORAGE Reserve Your Storage Space

Call 076 29 29 09

or visit mystorageasia.com

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

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

TRAINING

HOME DECORATION

ADVERTISE HERE

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Buy & Sell

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

JOBS MASSEUR WITH ENGLISH QUALS

Experienced masseur with qualification work/live in Australia. Must pass IELTS English Test for Australia. Interview Patong 20-25July 50-70,000 THB month, George Rimbas, 2 Hospital Avenue Manjimup Western Australia, mysticgeobird@amnet.net.au, +61468326011.

BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE For Sale: 1-, 2,- 3-engine speedboats

3-engine speedboat: Length 13.5m; Width 3.4 m; Capacity 45 passengers + 3 crew. Front seats. 2-engine speedboat: Length 11.6 m; Width 2.83 m; Capacity 32 passengers + 3 crew. Front seats. 1-engine speedboat: Length 8.1m; Width 2.40 m; Capacity 15 passengers + 3 crew. All boats are in good condition. Prices start at 600,000 THB. Vladimir, sales@ joydive.asia, 084 182 8685.

Long Tail Boat For Sale

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

Boating deal of the year: 7.5m baht (reduced from 10m baht)

Due to serious health reasons, the owner must part with his beloved 80’ tour boat.

New wiring throughout, power outlets, transformer and voltage meters. New upholstery throughout bar and entertainment area. Engines & generator fully reconditioned & serviced. All maintained to le t sa n European standards. Ideal boat for quality day trip e rg business. beachsando1@gmail.com 080 695 3933. U

CABLE TV PULSE TV. ASIA’S No.1 EXPAT TV

140 channels (HD & SD) in English, French, German & Thai. All Premiership & Euro Leagues live plus all your favorite Soaps & Series from back home. ONDemand Movie/TV Series library with over 700 of the latest titles, more added daily & with our CATCH-UP Facility (Records all Channels for instant Playback) you’ll never miss a show. This is not kodi – Our high quality set-top boxes come pre-loaded with our own in-house developed App backed up by our own highspeed Asia based Servers & Online Support Network.

PULSE TV, sales@pulse-tv.net +66(0) 99 316 6212.

CAR FOR SALE Convertible

Mercedes CLK 200 Cabriolet W-209 Brabus Package - seat 4. Excellent condition and fun to drive. 37,400km. 1,199,000 Bht. Eng - Thai 094 695 3536 / 063 992 3226.

Car for sale

BMW X5, Gasoline, Year 2003, 195,000 km. Full options. 475,000 Baht only. First to see will buy. Owner: 093 584 1213.

Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8G VVTI

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

2014 Nissan Juke For Sale

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

CAR FOR SALE Honda Jazz 2009 1500cc Auto

57,000km. One owner since new.

Regularly serviced by Honda. Tax and Insurance until the end of June and available now at right offer. Reduced by 40,000 bht, REDUCED to 330,000bht o.n.o, Andy +6684 690 9144, andysmalster@gmail.com

CUSTOMER SERVICE Sales Support Agent - 50K+ THB per month

Sales Support Agent required in Phuket to join FazWaz Real Estate’s Kamala branch. This role is helping our nationwide real estate business deal with property buyers in both Thai and English who are looking at purchasing a new property across all of the six major locations we cover in Thailand.

You should have great writing and speaking skills and some experience in customer service or sales. Any other languages are a massive benefit but must be fluent in both English and Thai. Aphida, 73/142-143 Moo 3 Tambon Kamala, Amphur Kathu, Phuket. aphida@fazwaz.com, 098 742 6687.

FINANCIAL, LEGAL Bangkok law firm in Phuket

The Bangkok law firm PUGNATORIUS Ltd. provides its foreignerfocussed legal support and assistance through a trusted partner law firm in Phuket. For a protected corporate structure in full compliance with the law. For a comprehensive due diligence which truly lives up to its name. For a most efficient hotel business licensing process.

For a more competitive design of the property development. The PUGNATORIUS advantage is badly needed at a place where foreign investments are typically built on sand. Protect your investment in paradise.phuket@pugnatorius.com, (00) +66 22 072 647

HOME IMPROVEMENT TechWorX Projects

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

MEMBERSHIPS Life Time Family Membership

Blue Canyon: 750,000 THB includes 140,000 transfer fee.

Loch Palms: 425,000 THB includes 72,000 transfer fee.

Tanita, 094 695 3536 / 063 992 3226.

Phuket Country Club Golf Membership

Golf membership for sale, includes transfer fee of 60,000 THB. 450,000, David, dsgrabham@yahoo.co.uk 087 881 7545.

Loch Palm Golf Membership

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

MOVING SERVICES Looking for a Moving Company?

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

PERSONAL SERVICES Rawai Custom Tailor store

Rawai Tailor – Ladies and Gents custom Tailor Store. Serving local and international clients for the past 10 years, get a free shirt for each suit ordered, fully air conditioned, clean environment, friendly staff, parking space, quality materials, good workmanship and money back guarantee. Located within walking distance from major hotels in Rawai, opposite Sea Shell Museum on Viset road in Rawai. Visit us for free consultation, no obligation to buy. www.RawaiTailor.com Thomas Ghimiray, 158/2, Moo 2, Viset Road, Rawai, Phuket. info@ RawaiTailor.com, +6681-415-4883.

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The Phuket News @thephuketnews

PUBLIC NOTICES Relocation of Major Office

Phuket Plus Co.,Ltd, Corporate Registration Number 0105549008784 has relocated its head office, originally located at 580/123, Moo 2, Saimai Sub-district, Saimai District, Bangkok, Thailand. The company’s head office is now located at 45/11, Moo 4, Kamala Sub-district, Kathu District, Phuket, Thailand. This announcement is on behalf of Mr Manusanan of Phuket Plus Co., Ltd. 45/11 Moo 4 Kamala, Kathu, Phuket 83120. Contact: rattana65992@ gmail.com, 076-525-848, 076-525-715.

REAL ESTATE SERVICES Property in Phuket!

Looking to buy property in Phuket?

International Property Advisory (IPA) can help! Give us a call today on 098-064-4408/Email: info@ipa.black/Website: ipaphuket.com K.Pat Nongnut, International Property Advisory, utopia@ipa.black, 076-604-260, 098-064-4480.

Chatta Real Estate

REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Chattha Real Estate and Professional Rental Management in Phuket. SELL-BUY-RENT-MANAGEMENT-MAINTENACE-GAURANTEED RENTAL. Inquire NOW! www.chattha.asia, 076-636-244, 090-179-6635.

Chanapa, Chattha Real Estate Co., Ltd., info@chattha. asia 076 636 244, 090 179 6635.

PROPERTY FOR SALE House for Sale/Rent

Locate Baan Saun Loch Palm Kathu.

Fully furniture with swimming pool, 3 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms + maid room, 2 living rooms. Large entertainment area. Very convenient location. Close to BIS, Headstart School, shopping centre, Central, Tesco Lotus, 10 min to Patong beach. Easy access to the Airport. Long term lease 65,000/month including pool + garden service. Sale 13.5 millions baht (negotiable). Khun Bea, Loch Palm Kathu, I.thumwong@gmail.com 098 194 9351.

PROPERTY FOR SALE 4 bedroom house in Chalong

4 king bedrooms (one with ensuite, the others with dedicated bathrooms), 5 bathrooms (1 with a bath, the other showers), Living room, Morning room (lounge/diner), 2 studies, Home cinema, 7 seater, DVD/CD library, 2 carports, 3 separate entrances (+ 5 French windows, a total of 8 exits). Property is at the end of a quiet soi near Big Buddha, no passing traffic. It overlooks a stream and jungle. The garden is 12 years old with bananas, papayas, mulberry bushes, cherry bushes, flowering plants and shrubs and several palm trees. There are frequent bird visitors…2 birdbaths. Just a few minutes drive from Tesco and Villa/Home Pro on Chao Fa West. Only 12 min drive to Central or big Tesco/Big C/Makro. 16.9MB (negotiable). Area of the site: 137.9 square wah (approx 560 square metres). To view, call 081 415 5522 or email m.allen.phuket@gmail.com

COMMUNITY

PROPERTY FOR RENT Rawai Naiharn with spa pool

Unique Thai style home, open plan, close to beach and shops, AC, 3-bedroom 2-bathroom with spa pool, must see! Eng: 090 867 4849 Thai: 081 081 9875.

To rent: 1800 m2

To rent: 1800 m2 of concrete slab with 5m high walls + 500 m2 of parking. Heroines Monument area. Roofing may be arranged, long term and serious interest only. Open to ideas, Leo: 081 821 4064.

Long term luxury Villa

Luxury 2 bed villa available for long term rental 10 minutes from Patong with outstanding sea views from B95,000 per month. We have other villas available for shorter rentals. Contact Justin 084 242 6952 (Eng) or Tan 094 596 2558 (Thai).

WEBSITES, IT For Sale: hoteldealsphuket.com

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

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

SPORT 29

Vettel limps to victory

Ferrari driver nurses damaged car to win at Hungarian GP BOX OF NEUTRALS Michael Lamonato michael@boxofneutrals.com

S

ebastian Vettel nursed his damaged Ferrari car to a championship-stabilising victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The race should have been a breeze for the Scuderia, with both Vettel and teammate Kimi Räikkönen pulling away cleanly from the front row of the grid and building a small lead in the first stint.

Behind the red cars, however, was a rush at the first two turns.

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo tussled with the slowstarting Mercedes into turn one, but the pair ended up colliding at turn two.

Verstappen locked up in the braking zone, knocking teammate Daniel Ricciardo off the circuit.

The whack was enough to spring a hydraulic leak in the Australian’s RB13, putting him

@thephuketnews

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel races at the Hungaroring circuit in Budapest during the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix. Photo: Peter Kohalmi / AFP. Photo: AFP out of the race.

It immediately prompted a safety car to collect the stricken machine and clean the fluid from the track. Verstappen was handed a 10-second time penalty for the overreach.

The safety car restart offered little in the way of position changes amongst the five remaining front-runners.

Lewis Hamilton attempted to challenge Verstappen for his fourth place, but the Brit backed off, noting any move on the Dutchman would be too

risky for his race.

Bottas and Hamilton, then Vettel and Räikkönen, stopped one at a time between laps 31 and 34, with Räikkönen, feeling switched on in the car, attempting to “overcut” Vettel by closing up on the German before the window and aceing his in-lap.

The Finn’s plan almost worked, falling short by a few fractions of a second, and he noted on team radio that he had the pace to stay out and take the lead.

This simmering tension was brought to boil on lap 40 when it became obvious Sebastian Vettel was suffering handling problems. Räikkönen complained as much over team radio, noting that Bottas and Hamilton were catching up from behind.

Neither Ferrari was able to use the kerbs, and the Mercedes drivers smelt blood – but both were suffering from radio issues that meant the team couldn’t coordinate their attack until lap 45, when communica-

tion was restored.

Mercedes’s first order of business was to order Bottas aside on lap 46 to Hamilton’s advantage, allowing the Brit a chance to attack Räikkönen and chief title rival Vettel for the lead.

Hamilton was immediately one second per lap faster than the Ferraris and 0.7 seconds quicker than his teammate, and by lap 53 the gap to Räikkönen was down to 1.5 seconds.

Hamilton harried Räikkönen for the five laps he was allotted by his team before he would be asked to switch back with Bottas, with Räikkönen badgering the Ferrari pit wall that his race was being ruined bottled behind Vettel.

Though his pleas fell on deaf ears, Ferrari’s gambling of its one-two for Vettel’s victory worked. Though Hamilton was granted an additional five laps, he was unable to find a way past on the difficult-to-overtake circuit, securing Ferrari its one-two finish.

“It was a really difficult race,” Vettel said relievedly.

“Maybe it didn’t look like it,

but I had my hands full from three or four laps after the safety car.

“The steering started going sideways. I stayed off the kerbs to save the car.

“Towards the end it did come back a bit, but I really had to stay focussed the whole race.”

The German acknowledged that he had made life difficult for Räikkönen, who, with a 79-point championship deficit, would never have been allowed make a pass for the lead lest he affect Vettel’s title chances.

“I didn’t do a favour for Kimi. I couldn’t go faster [but] to be honest it doesn’t matter now, because we won the race.”

Sebastian Vettel carries an increased 14-point lead over Lewis Hamilton into the midseason break, with Bottas 32 points behind in the standings, and Ferrari has closed its gap to Mercedes in the constructors standings to 39 points.

Don’t forget to tune in to Live89.5 each and every Saturday from 9am to hear the Box of Neutrals radio show.

30 SPORT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Paris celebrates 2024 win LA to host the 2028 event instead in return for financial sweeteners OLYPMICS Françoise Chaptal

P

aris was celebrating victory on Tuesday (Aug 1) in its bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games after Los Angeles announced its intention to host the 2028 event instead in return for financial sweeteners.

Officially, French President Emmanuel Macron gave Monday’s (July 31) announcement

by Los Angeles a cautious welcome, hailing a “very important step” on the road to hosting the Games.

The deal was described by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach as a “win-win-win” agreement for both cities and the Olympic movement.

But despite the fact that Paris is now effectively the only remaining candidate to host the 2024 Summer Games, Macron and other bid leaders shied away from overt triumphalism until an official announcement.

“France notes the decision of Los Angeles to put forward

A giant banner with the logo of the Paris bid for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, taken from a 15-metre high platform set up on the Alexandre III bridge, with the Invalides building in background, in a bid to promote the candidacy of the city of Paris for the Summer Olympics Games in 2024. Photo: Jean-Baptiste Gurliat/AFP its candidature for 2028 and to reach an agreement with the IOC and Paris,” a statement from Macron’s office said.

Macron spoke to Bach following Los Angeles’ announcement and was “delighted by this very important step towards France obtaining the Games in 2024”.

Announcing the decision on Monday, Los Angeles May-

or Eric Garcetti said “this deal was too good to pass up”.

French newspapers celebrated on Tuesday, with a headline on the front page of Le Parisien declaring: “This time we’ve won it.”

Tony Estanguet, a threetime Olympic canoe slalom champion and the Paris bid co-leader, refused to get quite so carried away, saying: “We

have been in this competition with the objective of getting the 2024 Games and we closed in on that last night.

“We can feel that there is a lot of satisfaction and enthusiasm. We feel that it is happening and it’s great.”

Paris, which will host the Games for a third time, endured the disappointment of failed bids in 1992, 2008 and 2012.

Both Paris and Los Angeles had wanted to host the 2024 Olympics, with the winner to be officially named by the IOC on September 13 in the Peruvian capital Lima.

But the possibility that Los Angeles would abandon a 2024 bid and instead accept the 2028 Games has been growing since the IOC decided in July that it would attempt to award both Games at its Lima meeting.

The French capital insisted it only wanted to host the Games in 2024, on the 100th anniversary of the city’s 1924 Olympics, prompting Los Angeles to soften its stance and consider hosting the 2028 Games.

And confirmation of the decision everyone was expecting came on Monday night.

“I am proud to announce the Olympic Games are coming back to the United States of America,” Mayor Garcetti said at a ceremony at the StubHub Center stadium.

“In 2028, we are bringing the Games back to LA, one of the great capitals of the Olympic movement. A city that has always been a Games changer

and will be again in 2028.”

LA officials, who had put forward a $5.3 billion (B176.331bn) bid for 2024, said an agreement had been reached with the IOC on financial considerations that would make waiting an extra four years feasible.

Bid chief Casey Wasserman said the IOC had waived various fees and payments that could ultimately save LA organisers millions.

The IOC will also advance $180 million (B5.99bn) to LA organisers to lessen the impact of the longer lead-up time, money that normally would not be disbursed until closer to the Games kick-off.

“The IOC contribution as stipulated by the HCC (Host City Contract) is $1.8bn (B59.886bn) and has the potential to exceed $2 billion (B66.440bn) according to the evaluation of the LA bid committee when taking into account the estimated value of existing sponsor agreements to be renewed and potential new marketing deals,” the bid committee said in a statement.

AFP

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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

SPORT 31

Where did it all go wrong?

Andaman Dragon downed by bottom of the league Sungaipadee FOOTBALL Matt Pond editor1@classactmedia.co.th

H

aving had a successful unbeaten run of six consecutive games, Phuket FC suffered their first defeat since the beginning of May last Saturday (July 26), but sadly, and also surprisingly, it was at the hands of the then bottom of the league side Sungaipadee FC. Sungaipadee FC, also known as the “Budo Tiger”, is a Narathiwat based club which was formed in 2016, and their win last Saturday was just their second of the 2017 Euro Cake Thai League 4 season.

Going into last Saturday’s game the Andaman Dragon sat at 3rd in the nine-side league table on 31 points, the Budo Tiger sat at 9th on just seven points.

From the off you could see that Phuket were expecting the game to be somewhat of a walk in the park, how wrong they were.

Sungaipadee clearly had one thing on their mind last Saturday and that was walking away from Surakul Stadium with the full three points.

Phuket, however, well who knows what they had on their minds, but to the fans it certainly didn’t appear to be winning the game.

Throughout the first 45, although Phuket did have goal-scoring chances, not one of the team’s strike force, including the club and league’s top scorer Nattapoom Maya (7) were able to find the net.

The ball went wide, over and pretty much everywhere else except in Sungaipadee’s goal.

Yes, Nattapoom has had a good season as far as goalscoring is concerned, however, he is a temperamental player and he either has a good game or a bad. Sorry Nattapoom, but last Saturday was the latter.

Let’s just say the teams played out a dry first half with neither side getting on the score sheet.

Phuket’s fans, who are slowly dwindling away as the season goes on despite their run of good form – there were just 590 in the 15,000 capacity stadium last Saturday – were expecting Phuket to up the anti in the second 45, but that wasn’t to be the case.

They played an impressive passing style of football, but most of that was conducted in their own half. To put it more precisely, around their own penalty area.

But surprisingly it was Phuket who opened the scoring in the 60th minute of play.

But that was only down to a lucky goal.

A clearance from the centre of Phuket’s half caught Sugapipadee’s goalkeeper, Muhammad Yumree Hayeehama (1) totally off guard.

Muhammad was some 10 yards out of his box when the clearance was made, at first he went to catch the ball then realised his positioning, the ball then bounced over his head and Phuket’s Porncha Rodnakkaret (25) made the most of the mistake and walked the ball into the back of the net.

But 14 minutes later was the big turnaround in the game, well from Sungaipadee’s side of things anyway.

A nice pass forward from Issah Adamu (20) on the halfway line found Daniel Omaboey (17), and he skil-

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Team

Phuket’s Porncha Rodnakkaret (25), who scored Phuket's goal last Saturday, is seen here in action against Phatthalung FC on July 23. Photo: Phuket FC Facebook fully dodged two Phuket defenders and then beautifully chipped the ball over the head of Phuket’s keeper Jirasak Kunnapan (69).

But then came the most confusing aspect of the game as far, as Phuket were concerned, and it was down to the coaching staff.

Soon after play had resumed a Phuket player went down with an injury, while he was being treated another Phuket FC player, Tevarit Junsom (26), also received treatment for a problem with his ankle.

Soon after, and following his first kick of the ball from when play had resumed again, Tevarit went down due to a problem with the same ankle.

Most fans could see he was in trouble, but as the physio gave him treatment he made an X signal with his arms.

Not sure if this meant that the player could not continue or whether it meant not to make a substitution.

However, after five minutes of the player being on the sideline, and still receiving treatment, fans were calling for a substitution to be made as the team was down to 10

men and the Budo Tiger were taking this opportunity to pile on the pressure.

Somehow Phuket’s coaching staff seemed oblivious to the situation and still didn’t make the change, and during that time, close to 10 minutes in total with Tevarit being off the pitch, a poor clearance by Jirasak found a Sungaipadee player, he passed the ball to Omaboey who took it to the left of Phuket’s goal along the touch line and from a very difficult angle slotted the ball home to give the visitors the three points.

Last Saturday’s result means that Phuket (31 points) have now moved down to 3rd in the league table after Pattani FC (33) beat Yala United 1-0 last Friday night (July 28). They are also now some eight points adrift of Satun United (39) after they beat Hat Yai FC 2-0.

Phuket were set to play Yala United on Wednesday night (Aug 2) when The Phuket News went to press. They still have four games remaining this season, the first of which will be played on Sunday (Aug 6) with kick-off set for 6pm (please see fixtures table).

HASH HOUSE HARRIERS Run #1644: Saturday August 5 Run Start Time: 4PM Hares: Fungus, Once Weekly, Twice nightly Location: Patong Viewpoint Directions: At the south end of Nanai Rd by the bridge turn up the hill (HHH sign) and head up 50 Pi Rd for approximately 300 metres. Turn right up the small concrete road (HHH sign) and drive up to the Viewpoint. Park to one side of the road. HHH truck will be signed.

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P

W

D

L

GD Pts

1

Satun United

17

12

3

2

17

39

2

Pattani FC

17

10

3

4

9

33

3

Phuket FC

17

9

4

4

8

31

4

Chumphon FC

17

8

5

4

5

29

5

Phatthalung FC

16

5

7

4

1

22

6

Yala United

17

6

3

8

-3

21

7

Hat Yai FC

17

4

5

8

-6

17

8

Sungaipadee FC

17

2

4

11

-16

10

9

Surat Thani City FC

17

2

2

13

-18

8

Date

Time

Match

Home/Away

Sun Aug 6

6pm

Phuket FC vs Pattani FC

Surakul Stadium

Wed Aug 16 6pm

Phuket FC vs Chumphon FC

Surakul Stadium

Sun Aug 20

6pm

Phuket FC vs Satun United

Surakul Stadium

Sun Aug 27

6pm

Phuket FC vs Hat Yai FC

Surakul Stadium

Sat Sept 2

6pm Phuket FC vs Surat Thani City FC

Sat Sept 9

4pm

Phatthalung FC vs Phuket FC

Surakul Stadium Phattalung Provincial Stadium

Please note that Phuket FC's home game fixtures are all set for 6pm kick-offs.

Still climbing the ranks:

Young Phuket golfer Louise Landgraf has just returned from playing in California where she achieved some great results.

Louise placed 5th at the IMG Golf Junior World Championship in Sycuan Golf Club in San Diego (held from July 10-12) in the Girls 7-8 years age category. She gained automatic qualification for next year’s event.

In addition, she placed 3rd at the FCG Callaway Junior World Championship in Westin Mission Hills Golf Club, Palm Springs held from July 17-19, also in the Girls 7-8 years age category. Congratulations Louise and keep playing strong.

Sport

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

editor3@classactmedia.co.th

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2017

Phuket drop after suffering first defeat in six games > p31

IT’S SURREAL

English rugby centre tells of his ‘haka’ experience RUGBY Matt Pond editor3@classactmedia.co.th

H

aving seen it countless times on the television, and even having witnessed it being performed live right in front of my face at the Phuket International Rugby 10s, for me personally the only way to describe the feeling one gets when watching a performance of the “haka” is one of complete intimidation.

But one person who has been on the receiving end of a haka, up close and personal, is England, British and Irish Lions and Bath Rugby team member Jonathan Joseph who was recently catching up on some much needed rest and relaxation time here in Phuket.

Joseph was kind enough to spend a little time talking to The Phuket News about his experiences as an international rugby player, and he said that facing a haka is “surreal”.

The haka, for those who don’t know, and I’m sure that is very few, is a traditional war cry, war dance, or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand – and a tradition car-

ried on by the New Zealand national rugby union team, the “All Blacks”, since 1905.

It is now regularly performed by the All Blacks before their international matches – making the unique cultural practice much more widely known around the world.

Born on May 21, 1991, 26-year-old Joseph began his rugby career at Derby RFC. He came through the London Irish academy after spending his teenage years playing at Newbury RFC. At club level, his first senior rugby came on loan to Barnes RFC, but his breakthrough season was for London Irish in 2010-11 where he played in 13 premiership games and scored five tries.

He left London Irish at the end of the 2012-13 season having made 44 appearances and scored 13 tries. Joseph joined Bath at the start of the 2013-14 season and quickly forged a successful midfield partnership with inside centre Kyle Eastmond.

In addition, Joseph progressed through the England age-grade ranks, appearing for England U20s in the 2011 Junior World Championships and playing off the bench in the final against New Zealand.

Kieran Reid of New Zealand leads the ’haka‘ prior to kickoff during a match between Ireland and New Zealand in Chicago, United States. Photo: Phil Walter/AFP

Jonathan Joseph seen here during his sports clinic with the kids from the Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation. Photo: Matt Pond

He started for England in the 2015 Six Nations tournament, as a result of other players being benched with injuries, and scored three tries in the opening two matches, against Wales then Italy, and was named man of the match in the latter.

On 14 May 2015, it was announced Joseph had won the Rugby Players’ Association “Player’s Player of the Year” and “England Player of the Year” for his outstanding performances for both club and country during the 2014/15 season. Joseph was the highest try scorer of the year out of all of England’s players, scoring eight tries throughout 2016. This included

a hat-trick against Italy during England’s grand slam at the 2016 Six Nations.

Joseph was also recently selected as one of the 41 British and Irish Lions to tour New Zealand this summer, but despite not getting to play against the All Blacks, he relived his experience facing the haka on a previous occasion against the rugby giants.

“When you face a haka for the first time it’s kind of crazy. You’ve gown up watching it on TV and as a kid you think ‘wow this is awesome’, but once you’re there and you’re actually facing it, it’s one of those moments being a rugby player that you know you’ll always remember.

“But even after facing it more than once it’s still a surreal experience,” Joseph said.

Speaking about the recent British and Irish Lions to tour itself, Joseph said, “It was an amazing experience as I got to play alongside some unbelievable and world class players.

There was so much I learned and took away from that tour, it’s certainly something I’m going to remember forever.”

But being a member of the tour side wasn’t the only highlight of Joseph’s career so far, he explains, “It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly has been the highlight of my career, being selected for the Lions was certainly up there, but making my debut for England was huge. I’ve also [had other] moments which I will cherish and always remember.”

But it wasn’t only rest and relaxation that brought Joseph to Phuket – on July 23 he held a sports clinic for the children of the Barnhem Thai-Swedish Foundation in Muang Mai, Thalang.

Established in February 2005 following the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the Barnhem ThaiSwedish Foundation initially

focused on homing orphans and disadvantaged children who were victims of the disaster.

But today, it is home to over 30 children between five and 18 years old who have either lost their parents or lack a family member to care for them.

Speaking to The Phuket News following the clinic, and in between different groups of the kids taking his attention, Joseph said, “What they have done for the kids here at Barnhem is absolutely amazing, the kids are happy, they’re fantastic and I’m glad that I could come here to add a little something.

“I haven’t been able to add anything dramatic to what they already have here, but just to be able to play with the kids and donate some kit has been a real pleasure. I have thoroughly enjoyed the day,” Joseph said.

But Joseph was already aware of Barnhem prior to his arrival in Phuket and he explained, “I was aware of the facility and what everybody does here so I’m really happy that I could come down here myself and see it all in person.” thephuketnews