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Long wait for repairs to hill road

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OLD LOGO Commuters should get used to delays along the collapsed section of the Patong Hill – it could be more than a year before it is properly fixed.

Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukkabaan told The Phuket News that, at this stage, Patong Municipality can only put warning signs and flashing lights along the damaged stretch.

The section of road, towards the top of the hill on the Patong side, gave way last month after heavy rain, causing part of one lane to slide down the hill.

“We are doing the best we can,” Mr Chairat said.

“If there was only a little bit of damage we could fix it ourselves... [but] rebuilding it is the responsibility of the Highways Department.”

Phuket Highways Department Chief, Aroon Saneeh, told The Phuket News that he is doing all he can with the money on hand – apparently just B50,000. He said the department is working to reinforce the hill below the collapsed section of road to ensure it does not slip further.

Then the department must wait for additional funds to complete the repairs and reseal the road, he added.

“There is no money at the moment to rebuild the road. We have to fix it temporarily.”

An additional B8 million has been requested from the Government and Transport Ministry. That money will not become available until at least October next year.

That additional money will form part of a B284 million package Mr Aroon has requested to fix various roads around the island that are in need of repair.

Poor planning gets gold robber nicked.

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Flood anger in capital.

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The six accused, with their leader Kemporn ‘Da’ Phusidin, top right.

–Photos by Supachai Tong-oon

SPIKE GIRLS Gang admit drugging and robbing tourists Six Thai women were arrested on Monday (October 31) in Patong, accused of drugging foreign tourists and expats with spiked drinks and then robbing them.

Police said members of the gang would target new faces in Patong, befriend them, and then take them to the beach or a local karaoke bar.

There, they would offer them drinks into which they

had mixed their own specially devised soporific drug, the main ingredient being Alpha Solam, a cough syrup supposedly available only on prescription.

“Kathu police have been looking for this gang for a long time,” said Kathu police Pol Capt Rattaket Munmuang.

“We’ve had many complaints about this kind of robbery.”

All the women had crimi-

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nal records, the captain added.

“Last night (October 31), we found one of them and arrested her. She led us to the others. All six women are from Isarn.”

Among those arrested was the leader of the gang, 45-year-old Kemporn ‘Da’ Phusidin. “After the members of the gang robbed a victim of anything they could take – money, phones or jewellery

– they would take them to Da, who would sell the stolen items and divide the proceeds between the gang members,” Capt Rattaket explained.

The six women admitted to committing the robberies and were sent on Wednesday to the cells at the Phuket Provincial Court to await judgement.

Police believe more gang members are still out there.

–Sukunya Phoonpong

Still no NBA games.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Poor planning gets gold robber nicked Police have arrested one of two robbers who grabbed 11 gold necklaces wor th B850,000 from a gold shop in Phuket City yesterday.

His partner in crime is still on the run.

Taechin Gongsinon, 22, admitted to Phuket City Police that he and his partner had robbed the Tanet One gold shop on Dilok U-Thit 2 Rd, near Robinson department store on Friday October 28.

However, he claimed he didn’t know the name of his henchman as they had met just before agreeing to rob the gold shop together.

After grabbing the gold the two f led on a rented motorbike, which was later found abandoned at the Post Office on Montri Rd. Police identified Taechin because he had used a copy of his ID card to rent the bike from a rental shop not far from the post office.

Last Saturday October 29 police raided Taechin’s parents’ home in Phuket Garden View village in Rassada subdistrict. Two necklaces stolen

Taechin Gongsinon with some of the gold chains recovered from his house. from the gold shop were found in the house.

Six more necklaces, along with a key of the rented bike and the clothes Taechin wore during the robbery were found in Taechin’s house in the same development.

Taechin told police he had

taken part in the robbery because he had run up debts of B200,000 gambling on soccer.

He told police that another three gold necklaces were with his confederate. Police said that, having looked at CCTV footage, they were confident they would soon identify the

second robber. By Wednesday, however, they had not yet identified him.

Tanet One gold shop is connected with Tanet Two on Patipat Rd, which was robbed in June. Police are still hunting those involved in that robbery, so far without success.

Couple missing after ‘suicide’ A young couple are missing after apparently leaping off the Thepkrasattri Bridge between Phuket and Phang Nga on October 27.

Their families believe that the supposed suicide by Nattapon Sitthiyanon, 25, and his girlfriend Chanokporn Iamaugsorn, 27 – who both worked at the Blue Canyon Country Club – was motivated by romantic problems.

A local fisherman, whose boat was anchored close to the bridge, called police to say that he had seen something fall from the bridge, possibly

a person, and had heard a splash. Police discovered Mr Nattapon’s rented car parked on the bridge, its doors open.

Police are mystified, however. At time of going to press no bodies had been found, which is unusual in a case like this; police had expected the bodies of the couple to surface within 10 hours or so, close to Phuket.

Tha Chat Chai police are now mulling three possible scenarios: double suicide, murder-suicide, and no deaths at all, with the fisherman mistaken as to what he saw.

Whichever scenario turns out to be the truth, Mr Nattapon’s family knew there were romantic problems.

Chaitat Sitthiyanon, 48, father of Mr Nattapon, said that his son had discovered that Ms Chanokporn had gone to a practice graduation ceremony for a “secret” boyfriend.

He left a message with his mother that he was going to pick up Ms Chanokporn to try to sort out their differences.

The double suicide – if that is what it was – echoes a famous one in the late 1960s, when a Rajabhat Phuket stu-

dent and her bus-driver boyfriend, forbidden by their parents from seeing each other, tied their hands together and jumped to their deaths off the old Sarasin Bridge.

A ballad written about that suicide, and then a 1987 movie called Sarasin Bridge, led to the bridge becoming a “must see” for Thai tourists.

There have been other suicide attempts from the bridge since then, some successful.

The Sarasin Bridge is no longer used for traffic, having been replaced by the Thepkrassatri and Srisoonthron bridges.

Insurance scam backfires Kathu police arrested an Australian couple on Sunday (October 30) over an attempted insurance fraud scheme.

Pol Capt Teerasak Boonsang from Kathu police station said the two tourists, Abdul Karim Al-Rajab, 31, and Zeidan Nouha, 30, had been in Phuket almost a week.

The couple went to police claiming they had all of their belongings stolen from a McDonald’s restaurant near Soi Bangla, Patong.

Police went to the area to

Abdul Karim Al-Rajab (left) and Zeidan Nouha.

–Photo by Kathu Police talk with potential witnesses, but no one could recall seeing

any incidents.

The officers, suspecting

something was awry, then went to the couple’s hotel room, where they found all of the belongings that had supposedly been ‘stolen’.

The couple admitted to making the whole thing up in an attempt to file a fake insurance claim.

They appeared in court on Monday (October 31), charged with deliberately providing false information to police.

They were held at the Immigration Detention Centre and were due to be deported to Australia on Wednesday.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

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Students construct boats for Bangkok

Two of the students put the finishing touches to one of the boats to be sent to Bangkok.

Student volunteers at the Phuket Technical College are rushing to build at least 200 glass fibre boats that will be sent to central Thailand for use by flood victims. Each boat can take about six people.

Supported by the Ministry of Education, the project, called “Donate Boat [sic] for Flood Victims”, was started in mid-October.

According to the leader of the project, Karan Panitpichetwong, boat makers from

Then, they said, he denied that he had come to pick up guests, turned his vehicle around and stopped about 100 metres away from the resort.

Suspecting he had called the guests to come and meet him, they kept watch and soon saw two Russians leave the resort in the direction of the minibus.

The quick-thinking local drivers then swiftly surrounded the minibus and, said Mr Sompong, told him to go away in language that cannot be repeated here.

The two guests turned back to the resort.

The incident was reported to Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha, prompting him to

guests who book tours with these companies.

The minibus involved in today’s dispute was not in this list of tour companies.

Mr Buri was quick to play down any talk of violence.

“When it comes to taxi violence, Nai Thon Beach is the calmest beach in Phuket. We don’t usually have this sort of problem,” he said.

He agreed with the local drivers that today’s dispute had been caused by the minibus driver who had not followed Phuket’s unofficial but rigidly enforced taxi zoning rule.

There are currently about 30 taxis based on Nai Thon beach. Some of them are not licensed.

Taxi ‘disagreement’ at Nai Thon Beach Local taxi drivers on Nai Thon Beach got into a confrontation on Tuesday (November 1) with a driver who they believed was hired by an unregistered Russian tour company to sneak in and pick up two guests at Naithonburi Beach Resort.

The village headman of Sakoo Moo 4, Sompong Panyawai, said people believed this was the case because the minibus did not display a tour company logo, only the name of the vehicle owner, “Sudarat”, on the side.

Local taxi drivers said they set a “temporary checkpoint” to stop the minibus entering the resort, and found the driver could not produce a voucher from the tour company.

order the Clerk of Thalang district, Buri Thammarak, and the Superintendent of Tha Chat Chai police to investigate.

Mr Sompong insisted that there had been no fight. “It’s not a big deal. We just had a little disagreement,” he said.

Mr Buri said he had confirmed – by talking to the locals drivers – that the minibus had been hired by an unregistered Russian company.

“We also received information that these two guests might have bought a tour from a small booth, which might itself be illegal,” said Mr Buri.

He added that about 20 legal tour companies have an agreement with local taxi drivers in Nai Thon to pick up

TV starlet alleges American charged assault in Phuket with robberies American reality television star Tonya Cooley is claiming she was sexually assaulted while in Phuket competing on a game show in 2009.

In a lawsuit Cooley filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last Thursday (October 27), the reality TV star alleged that she passed out drunk during filming of The Ruins season of MTV’s The Challenge series.

She alleges she woke up with lacerations and abrasions on her genital area, which she later learned were caused by two male cast members inserting a toothbrush into her vagina while she was unconscious, E! News reported.

Cooley, who reportedly claimed she was completely unaware of the sexual assault until told, alleges that she subsequently learned about it from cast mates who had witnessed the incident.

MTV have hit back at the claims, claiming the accusations are “completely baseless”, according to celebrity news site tmz.com.

In the lawsuit, Cooley reportedly alleges her assailants were Kenneth Santucci and Evan Starkman, and that The Ruins’ producers never punished the men or notified her of the alleged assault.

Cooley claims the show’s producers did offer the men a new toothbrush the following morning, however.

Cooley also claims The Ruins’ male contestants were encouraged to treat the women on the show badly.

According to her lawsuit the show’s male cast members took off women’s bathing suits without permission, used derogatory and offensive terms, and inappropriately touched the female contestants.

A man who identified himself as American Jake Bordes, 27, was arrested in Karon on October 26 after allegedly robbing two women tourists.

An Australian woman, Amanda Jo Reed, told police that Bordes pulled his motorcycle alongside her while she was walking on the footpath along Ketkwan Rd in Kata.

She said Bordes threatened her before snatching her bag.

About 30 minutes later, Ritua Walli from Finland was robbed on the same street. She said the robber stole her bag, before fleeing on a motorbike.

The two women later reported to Chalong police and provided similar descriptions of the offender.

Bordes was arrested half an hour later in Karon. The passports of the two victims were found under the seat of his motorbike.

Police also found gold

watches, a Nokia mobile telephone, a camera, cash, a tablet computer, an Acer notebook and a knife.

Bordes denied robbing the two women. A US Embassy official was due to visit him on Wednesday.

Phuket Fibreglass Shipyard and professors from Phuket Technical College took two weeks to develop a new design for the donated glass fibre boat, which is lighter than a standard boat made from the same material.

The shape of the boat has also been specially designed to be ultra-stable, to make it easier for people with no previous experience of using boats to handle.

Since October 27, about

20 third-year students studying ship construction as their major have been turning out at least 20 boats a day.

The f irst shipment of 100 completed boats was trucked on Tuesday (November 1), to Bangkok where they were to be distributed by the Ministry. A hundred more are due to be delivered on Sunday (November 6).

After that they will review the situation to see whether more boats are needed.

Creative director Charlene Tay took her bike-riding seriously.

Photo from her Facebook page.

Singaporean dies in Phang Nga smash

A top creative director with advertising agency McCann Worldwide in Singapore died instantly last Friday (October 28) when her BMW motorbike was hit by a car in Phang Nga. Charlene Jade Tay was in a group of six bikers who left Singapore on Wednesday heading for Phuket.

The New Paper reported that Ms Tay, who had worked with McCann for four years, died at the scene.

Antony Chaw of Singapore

bike dealer BMW Motorrad, who was following her, was injured in the crash. He is now at Phuket International Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery for broken bones in both hands and a broken right leg.

The driver of the car was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and was later released on bail.

Arrangements are being made for Ms Tay’s body to be taken back to Singapore.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

The Big Push into Phuket They may have been weary, but nothing could have wiped the smiles off the faces of 10 cyclists who arrived in Phuket on October 27 after an epic journey from Bangkok.

The group from the Royal British Legion (RBL) Big Push covered 855km in just eight days to raise money for t he R BL Ba ng kok , finishing with a grueling 110km day from Khao Lak to the Westin Siray Bay Resort and Spa, in Phuket.

The most common complaint upon arrival: a sore backside.

What day was the most challenging? “Every day,” according to Peter Werby, 44.

“Every day was hills and heat.

Every day was difficult, but it was also very exciting.”

“Four tyres, six inners tubes, a brake cable, bad knees, a fall, torrential rain; we’ve had a bit of everything,” Antony Bell, secretary of the RBL Bangkok, said.

“But we also took in some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable. The only way to see it is on a bike.”

The group – all RBL members from Bangkok – was made

In Phuket at last: the pedallers assemble with sore backsides for a ‘done it’ photo. up of a mix of age groups, with the youngest being Thai rider Nattapongpan “Chang” Ponphol, 17, and the oldest Tony Margetts, 65.

“On a very long bike ride, it’s a lot of sore backsides, so getting here [to Phuket] feels really great,” Mr Margetts said.

Not far behind him in age was Dave Haddon, 63, who said: “The London Marathon was definitely easier.”

By all accounts though, Mr Haddon had a particularly tough time of it, having one nasty fall and being attacked by a street dog on his way into Phuket, much to the amuse-

ment of the other riders.

Though he couldn’t give an exact figure, Mr Bell said the ride had raised more than the target of B500,000, which will go to the RBL Bangkok to help support British exservicemen and women.

British Honorary Consul Martin Carpenter, who was present to greet the team on their arrival at the Westin, said: “The Royal British Legion is such a wonderful organisation, especially with the support it provides to ex-servicemen and the activities it gets involved in.

“With probably hundreds of ex-servicemen and women

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pany PP Island. On the way back, at about 5pm, the engines stopped working and the crew were unable to restart them.

The boat with its load of tourists wallowed off Koh Dok Mai, about 19 kilometres from Phuket, until Marine Police launch Tor552 arrived at 9pm for aid and took the Kamiga

in tow. The Kamiga was towed to Koh Ta Pao Noi where the tourists and crew were transferred to a patrol boat and taken to Rassada Pier, finally arriving just before midnight.

T he c o m p a ny l a t e r sent a mechanic to fix the problem, which is believed to have been a blocked fuel line.

Mother dies in bike smash SALES SUPPORT

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A German woman died after crashing her motorbike on October 26 near the Laguna Beach Resort. Her son, who was riding pillion, was severely injured in the accident.

Cher ng Talay Police said the crash happened as 47-year-old Nicole Wittig and her family were riding

their rented motorbikes back to their rooms at the resort.

Her son Mark, 17, was riding on the back of her bike, while her husband and another son were riding on another bike.

The four were reportedly not wearing helmets.

Ms Wittig apparently

For readers feeling inspired by the RBL Big Push crew, it’s not too late to jump on board a similar adventure – the Tour de Thailand.

The Tour de Thailand is an annual charity bike ride from Chiang Mai to Phuket.

To make things less daunting,

Bangkok expands price control list

70 rescued from broken-down boat Phuket Marine Police were called out to rescue 66 tourists, a guide and the three crew of the speedboat Kamiga after it broke down last Friday on the way from Phi Phi to Phuket.

The tourists, from a variety of countries, were on a day trip package from Phuket to Phi Phi and back again with speedboat com-

on the island, I also think it would be truly wonderful progress for the Royal British Legion in Thailand if a Phuket sub-branch was set up.”

Anyone interested in helping set up a Phuket sub-branch should contact Mr Carpenter on 076 318 188.

the journey is broken into three legs, and people are free to join any or all of them.

The adventure will kick off this Sunday with the Chiang Mai-Kanchanburi leg (890 kms, November 6-16), followed

by Kanchanaburi-Hua Hin (440 kms, November 15-24), and Bangkok-Phuket (760 kms, November 23-December 4).

It’s not too late to join any of the legs – organiser Christopher Byrd says he is flexible with slotting people in. The route may have to be altered because of the flooding in central Thailand, he added, but the ride will definitely go ahead.

Riders are required to pay a registration fee, and also to raise a minimum of B15,000 in donations, which will go to Operation Smile Thailand, a volunteer organisation that repairs facial deformities in children.

During the tour, all accommodation and most meals are included. A full fleet of support vehicles is also provided.

For more information, or to sign up for the tour, visit tourdethailand.com

lost control of her bike on a curve. The bike crossed the road and collided with an oncoming car. She died at Thalang Hospital from severe chest injuries.

Mark Wittig was transferred to Bangkok Hospital with multiple broken bones and concussion.

The Government has added 16 items to its price control list.

The 16 new items are facial tissues, bedclothes, water pumps, buckets, dry batteries, sandbags, candles, bottled water, toothbrushes and toothpaste, flashlights, sealants, rubber boots, small boats (seating up to 15 people), life jackets and bricks.

Manufacturers of these items are required to declare production costs and the prices of raw materials used in manufacturing the products.

Retail prices are then set by an independent board which hands the list to the Commerce Ministry to enforce.

People found selling these items at prices higher than the official price face a maximum five-year jail sentence, a fine of up to B100,000, or both.

The 16 items bring to 55 the number of products whose prices are controlled.

The other 39, announced

in January last year, are: ■■ Corrugated cardboard, writing and printer paper, and Kraft paper; ■■ Motorbikes, cars, trucks, tyres and car batteries; ■■ Gasoline and LPG gas; ■■ Drip-grind coffee and sweetened condensed milk; ■■ Paddy rice, corn, eggs, garlic, cassava and cassava products, wheat flour, yoghurt, powdered and fresh milk, sugar, vegetable and animal oils, pork, instant food in sealed containers and food in reclosable containers; ■■ Animal feed, fertilisers and herbicides; ■■ Cement; electric cable, steel rod and iron plate; ■■ School uniforms; ■■ Detergents, washing powder and dishwashing products; ■■ Soap and sanitary napkins; ■■ Low-density polyethylene (mostly use for plastic bags); ■■ Medicines; ■■ Paper pulp.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

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New dialysis centre opens

Bangkok Hospital Phuket has opened a new dialysis centre for kidney patients.

Phuket Provincial Administration Office Chief Chaiwat Tephee, Phuket MP Tossaporn Theppabut, and Dr Prayuth Somprakit, CEO Bangkok Eastern and Southern Hospital Group, attended the opening of the “Phuket Holiday Dialysis Centre” at the hospital.

The new centre, to be operated by the hospital, replaces an existing service previously provided at the hospital by another company. With the addition of four new dialysis machines to the existing four, the hospital is able to offer new kidney treatment technology.

Charges for the new hemodiafiltration service are B3,000 per single session of two to three hours, and B2,200 for the existing service using the older equipment.

The new centre can accommodate patients in two VIP rooms and in a 10-bed shared ward.

The centre is open every day 8am9pm. For more information call 1719.

Dr Prayuth Somprakit (fourth from left), Phuket Provincial Administration Office Chief Chaiwat Tephee (fifth left), and MP Tossaporn Theppabut (fifth from right), at the grand opening.

Showbiz help for flood victims Three of Phuket’s biggest entertainment venues have briefly cast rivalry aside in the name of Thailand’s flood victims.

Phuket Fantasea, Simon Cabaret and Aphrodite Cabaret have all donated tickets to help Phuket Rotary Club in their latest project – ‘1 Million Bottles: Drinking Water

to Thai Flood’ – which aims to send one million bottles of drinking water to drought affected areas.

Dr Sanguan Kunaporn, Rotary’s District Disaster Relief Committee Chair, said: “We asked whether the three companies would help us raise money for flood victims by

donating tickets to their shows, and all of them agreed to do so.

“In the past two months, we have managed to raise more than B800,000, but people require ongoing help and assistance with basic amenities, which is why we are now leading this million water bottle project.”

Sirikun Amaraporn, Director of Public Relations at Phuket Fantasea, said: “Despite Safari World’s [owners of Phuket Fantasea] head office being in Bangkok and being hit by flooding, we are glad to help affected people by giving 100 tickets valued at B190,000.”

Pornthep Ruayrin, Vice-

President of Simon Cabaret said: “We have also donated 500 tickets to our show to Phuket Rotary – valued at B250,000 – for a special show being launched on November 19.”

Meanwhile, Aphrodite Cabaret Show gave 100 tickets worth B800 each.

Rotary will now sell off

the tickets and use the money to help send one millions bottles of clean drinking water to flood affected areas.

If you would like to buy a ticket to any of these shows and benefit flood victims at the same time, contact Dr Sanguan on 08 1891 7300; or email: sanguan@phuket.ksc.co.th.

Phuket study places for flood victims Phuket Rajabhat University (PKRU) and Phuket Tourist Association (PIA) are both looking to provide practical assistance to students affected by floods, enabling them to continue their study and recover their finances in Phuket.

About 1,000 jobs in the hospitality industry will be made available for them this coming high season, as well as about 150 seats in PKRU’s Tourism and Hospitality major.

PKRU is considering increasing those seats to 240.

The priority will be given to first- or second-year students from the Rajabhat University network across Thailand whose families have been affected by floods.

Eligible students can transfer their credits to PKRU and study while working on the island in the hospitality industry as a receptionist, housekeeper, or any positions which fit their

skills and abilities.

They will receive the same salary as permanent staff while they work during the week, and can then study at PKRU on the weekend.

Tuition will cost B9,500 per semester for flood victims, compared to the usual B20,000.

The positions aim to simultaneously provide good education and work experience to flood victims, helping them recover as well as helping to fill a shortage of skilled hospitality workers on Phuket.

While the seats in the study programme are currently limited, the PIA and PKRU are considering whether to recruit students to start working in Phuket immediately and apply for the study programme next semester.

A Vice President of PIA, Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, suggested other flood victims

contact the Office of Tourism and Sport to find jobs, who are also giving priority to flood victims.

Applications are open from now until the end of November. For more details, visit mspkru.com.

Soi Dog appeals for rescue boat With thousands of Bangkok residents fleeing the rising flood waters, little thought has been given to the helpless animals being left behind.

Phuket’s Soi Dog Foundation (SDF) has been active in the capital helping rescue stranded animals, but says it now desperately needs a large boat with a powerful engine to ferry them to safety.

The small boat currently being used by SDF to rescue pets is not big enough, according to a statement from the foundation.

SDF’s John Dalley, a co-ordinator of the rescue efforts, said: “We desperately need one, or more, larger boats otherwise we will not be able to rescue as many dogs as we would like. If anyone can help please contact us immediately.”

Anyone able to donate, lend or sell a large boat to SDF should contact John Dalley by emailing john@ soidog.org.

Donations to help rescue the pets can be made through the website at soidog.org. www.thephuketnews.com

6

ISLANDNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Phuket gets ready for Loy Krathong

Central to the festival is the launching of kratong to carry away the bad things in life.

The Loy Kratong Festival may have been cancelled in Bangkok because of the floods, but Phuket will still be celebrating this gentlest of Thai festivals.

Loy Kratong takes place on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the Thai lunar calendar, which this year falls on Thursday, November 10.

During the festival, Thais f loat krathong – small lotus-shaped boats traditionally made from banana laves pinned to a slice of banana trunk, on a river, canal or lake.

Floating krathong is an ancient practice of paying respect to the spirit of the waters, going back to the Sukhothai era.

Today, the Loy Kratong Festival is more about hav-

ing fun, and includes local fairs and various stage performances. The highlight is the Miss Noppamas Contest, with the most beautiful contestant selected to represent the Festival.

Covering several days, it culminates on Loy Krathong Day when the krathong are floated. In many cases, too, hundreds of kom fai, or “sky lanterns” are released, making new, temporary constellations in the night sky.

The main festival events in Phuket this year are: Phuket City: at Sapan Hin from November 1 to 10, 7pm to midnight.

Wichit Sub-district: at Klong Mudong in Moo 6 on November 10, 5pm onwards.

Rawai: at a lagoon behind

Nai Harn Beach from November 8 to 10, 6pm to 10pm.

Kata-Karon: at Nong Harn Lagoon next to Karon beach on November 10, 5pm onwards.

Patong: on Soi Bangla on the evenings of November 9 and 10. There will be a parade on November 10 starting from Pang Muang Sai Kor Road at 5.30pm.

Cherng Talay: at the junction at the entrance of Laguna Beach Resort on November 10, 5pm onwards.

Kamala: at Kamala public park, opposite the Kamala Public Health Center on November 10, 4pm onwards.

Most hotels also hold small Loy Kratong festivals for their guests, usually around the swimming pool or on the nearby beach.

Blood needed for flood region The Thai Red Cross Society is appealing for urgent donations of blood from people outside the flood stricken areas of central Thailand, as many hospitals in that region are running short of blood for transfusions.

The shortages have been exacerbated because the

flooding has prevented the use of mobile donation units.

Donors can give blood at the Red Cross headquarters on Rattanakosin 200 Pi Road in Phuket City, or at any Red Cross mobile clinic.

The donation centre at the Red Cross offices is open from 8.30am to 4.30pm on

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; from 8.30am to 8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays; and from 9am to 3pm at the weekend.

For a mobile clinic schedule, see: blooddonationthai.com/region/phuket/ lang_eng/newsevent.php or call 076 251 178, ext 2.

Travel booking site digs deep to give rice for flood victims Phuket-based international travel website HotelTravel. com has pitched in to assist provinces cu r rently affected by flooding, sending 250 kilogrammes of rice north to Bangkok.

T he site’s employees have also pitched in with cash donations to purchase food, household goods, water, clothes and personal hygiene items, as well as personally donating used clothing, shoes, travel and shopping bags among other items.

Above, Aree Nilma, Executive Director of B-Lay Tong Phuket (left), and Wesley Hayden, the new General Manager of the hotel. Below, Victor Pang (left), Accor’s Vice President of Development, Asia Pacific, and Kanmongkol Kamolratanapiboon, owner of B-Lay Tong.

B-Lay Tong celebrates Around 200 guests enjoyed cocktails and a buffet dinner on Tuesday (November 1) to mark the soft re-opening and re-branding of B-Lay Tong Phuket as a member of the Accor MGallery Collection. www.thephuketnews.com

Located at the northern end of Patong Beach, the latest hotel to be managed by the Accor Chain offers a radio station, guest-only nightclub and swimming pool. For details of the deal with Accor see page 13.

NATIONALNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

7

Flood anger in capital Bangkok authorities insisted on Tuesday they could not ease the flooding crisis for everyone in the city, as anger and misery grew in inundated areas over the lack of assistance from officials.

Although inner areas of the capital have remained dry, the situation is critical in several outlying districts, where residents have protested that their homes are being sacrificed to save central parts of the city.

But Bangkok authorities justified efforts to spare the glitzy downtown area as much as possible by diverting the brunt of the water to other neighbourhoods.

“Bangkok is the heart, you can cut your hand but you have to save your heart, because if your heart fails, everything fails,” Jate Sopitpongstorn, a spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) told AFP. Thailand’s worst flooding in decades, triggered by unusually heavy monsoon rains that began three months ago, has claimed more than 380 lives and affected the homes and livelihoods of millions across the kingdom.

Inflation rose in October

A policeman uses a microphone and a loudspeaker to direct traffic through floodwaters on the main road through Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, on October 29.

–Photo AFP as flood damage to farmland forced up food prices, according to government data released on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Bangkok officials have clashed over

how much water should be let through certain sluice gates to the north of the city centre to ease the pressure on inundated communities.

On Monday, Yingluck caved in to protesters and or-

planted in front of convenience stores or telephone booths and lightly injured several people,” said provincial police chief Major General Chaithat Intanuthip.

Earlier on Sunday unknown gunmen shot dead three people, including a 75-year-old man, at a petrol station in the same province.

The latest blasts came less than a week after 15 explosions, blamed on suspected

Muslim rebels, ripped through a town in neighbouring Yala province, killing at least one civilian and wounding dozens more.

That attack coincided with the seventh anniversary of a protest in the region that left 85 anti-government demonstrators dead, most of whom suffocated or were crushed to death while being transported to a detention centre.

–AFP

Three shot in south A dozen small explosions shook the deep south last Sunday, hours after gunmen shot dead three Buddhists at a petrol station in the restive region, police said.

There were no immediate reports of serious injuries or deaths from the blasts, which struck five districts of Narathiwat Province bordering Malaysia, officials said.

“Most of the explosions were from hand-made devices

dered a gate in the northeastern district of Khlong Sam Wa to be raised to one metre to allow more water through and relieve those in the immediate vicinity.

But Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra on

Tuesday warned the move could put other areas of the city, including industrial estates, at risk of flooding if other gates further north were not closed.

“I love the people, as do other elected politicians, but

sometimes I have to be tough with the demands of the minority for the sake of the majority,” Sukhumbhand said in a televised press briefing.

“I cannot yield to every demand,” he said, adding that city authorities and the Government should try “to find a common position”.

Cent ral Bangkok has largely been spared from major inundation after barriers along Bangkok’s swollen Chao Phraya River prevented a major overflow during a spring high tide over the weekend.

But in districts such as western Bang Phlat, just five kilometres from downtown Bangkok, homes were badly damaged and streets turned into deep canals of filthy water, with no official help in sight.

Bangkok’s main international air hub Suvarnabhumi is operating as normal but Don Mueang airport, the city’s second largest which lies to the north, has been shut for a week.

“I have assigned the air force chief to pump out water from Don Mueang’s runways before Friday,” Defence Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapa said.

–AFP

Soldiers held for Chinese deaths

Police have detained nine soldiers suspected of killing 13 Chinese sailors on the Mekong river in early October, authorities in the kingdom said last Saturday (October 29).

T he T hai t roops a re thought to have links to a Myanmar drug kingpin.

The soldiers surrendered on Friday in northern Chiang Rai province, Lieutenant General

Wut Liptapanlop said, declining to give more details because the investigation was ongoing.

National police chief General Priewpan Damapong promised a full investigation into the deadly raid on two Chinese vessels on October 5, saying the military was fully-cooperating.

“Police will prosecute all nine soldiers,” he said. “Their

actions have nothing to do with the Thai army.”

China summoned diplomatic envoys from Thailand, Laos and Myanmar in the wake of the attack and asked them to speed up investigations.

Beijing also sent patrol boats down the Mekong to escort 164 stranded Chinese sailors and 28 cargo ships back home.

–AFP

Red Shirts given 20 years for arson A court on October 27 sentenced 13 Red Shirt supporters of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra to 20 years each in prison for setting fire to a provincial hall during political unrest last year.

The court in northeast

Mukdahan made its ruling based on photos showing the accused standing near or throwing burning tyres at the local government building in the province in May 2010, their lawyer Anon Numpa said.

Sixteen other suspects were

acquitted for lack of evidence.

Mr Anon said he would appeal against the convictions and would ask for the 13 to be released in the meantime.

He said he considered the sentence “moderate”, considering the charges.

–AFP

www.thephuketnews.com

8

INTERNATIONALNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Pizza tycoon’s presidency bid derailed by sex scandal After travelling at lightning speed from being the clown in the tent to becoming its potential ringmaster, Herman Cain, the former pizza tycoon turned presidential hopeful, was this week fighting off reports that he was the subject of serious sexual harassment allegations more than a decade ago.

Mr Cain conceded that a woman who accused him of sexual harassment received a paid settlement in the 1990s, as apparent changes in his story threatened to derail his White House bid.

Countering earlier claims of ignorance, the surprise Republican contender acknowledged that one of two alleged accusers received a financial settlement from the trade association that he ran and where she was an employee.

“I am not trying to hide anything. I am trying to put it all out there for people to see,” the former pizza company executive told CNN affiliate HLN, restating his rejection of what he described

as “ridiculous” allegations.

“I absolutely believe this is an intended smear campaign,” he said, portraying the unearthing of claims from more than a decade ago as a calculated move by political opponents to end his steady rise in the opinion polls.

“Someone does not like the fact that we’re doing so well in this campaign and that I’m at or near the top of the polls consistently,” said Cain, who along with former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, is heading most surveys.

Cain’s account of the scandal has shifted over the past two days – he says he has remembered more as he has gone along – but he has consistently denied sexually harassing anyone at any point during his 40-year business career.

He boasted Tuesday that those who intended to hurt him by resurrecting the case would be vexed to discover that conservatives had rallied and were sending in ever greater campaign donations.

There’s no topping the confidence of Presidential contender Herman Cain.

-Photo by Gage Skidmore “Most of our supporters have not been shaken by this whatsoever,” Cain told CNN. “Yesterday online, we had one of our highest fundraising days in the campaign – one of the highest ever.

“I believe it has backfired on those that are trying to put a cloud over my campaign, because they can’t shoot down my ideals.”

But his position faced a challenge from a lawyer for one of the two women at the centre of the case, who urged the lobbying group then run by Cain to lift a legal order that bars her from publicly discussing the harassment allegations.

“It is just frustrating that Herman Cain is going around bad-mouthing the

two complainants, and my client is blocked by a confidentiality agreement,” the attorney, Joel Bennett, told The Washington Post.

“The National Restaurant Association ought to release them and allow them to respond,” he said.

Bennett later told CNN that his client, who is a career civil servant, had made a “good faith, honest complaint of sexual harassment.”

US media, meanwhile, reported that Cain’s wife of more than 40 years was planning a television interview to address the scandal.

The New York Times said that Gloria Cain, until now all but absent from the campaign trail, would appear late Friday on Fox News to come to her beleaguered husband’s defense.

The 65-year-old former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza is by some metrics a frontrunner for the Republican nomination after winning a string of straw polls and topping various national polls of the GOP field. Cain’s campaign

was rocked by the Politico. com article late Sunday that said the restaurant association had reached financial settlements with two women who accused him of sexually inappropriate behaviour.

Prominent conservatives though have thrown their support behind Cain.

Inf luential radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh was among the first to come to his defence, decrying the “gutter partisan politics” that the revelations represented.

And prominent right wing pundit Ann Coulter stirred racial sensitivities by calling Cain’s treatment “another high-tech lynching” by a liberal media that she said was particularly averse to prominent black conservative politicians.

Coulter and others likened Cain’s plight to that of African-American Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas who, while a nominee, faced sexual harassment allegations that threatened to derail his confirmation.

–AFP

Iranian hero pilot rewarded with fly ban Rather than being hailed as a hero, an Iranian pilot who pulled off a spectacular emergency landing has been rewarded by Iranian authorities with a flying ban.

When the Iran Air flight

from Moscow to Tehran came in to land in the Iranian capital last month, the front landing gear of the Boeing 727 would not extend.

In an extraordinary manoeuvre that was captured on

video, pilot Hooshang Shahbazi managed to bring the plane in to land at Mehrabad Airport with the nose pointing slightly in the air.

The plane glided across the runway balanced on the rear wheels only, before the nose hit the tarmac with a thud when the plane had already slowed down considerably.

On internet forums, there

has been nothing but admiration for the professionalism involved in landing the plane, which was 40 years old and was carrying 94 passengers and 19 crew, all of whom escaped unharmed.

In his homeland, however, instead of being feted as a hero, Mr Shahbazi has been suspended from flying for two months while authorities investigate the incident.

The 40-year-old plane, belonging to national carrier Iran Air, had been banned from flying in the EU, but was put to use on the Moscow route.

The pilot complained about his treatment to the newspaper Etemaad.

“They have not even called to say thank you,” he said.

A spokesperson for Iran Air said that the plane had suffered

only superficial damage, and will be put back into service after repairs are carried out.

Iran has one of the worst air safety records of any country.

Earlier this year, another Boeing 727 belonging to Iran Air travelling the internal route from Tehran to the city of Urmia crashed when coming in to land in bad weather, killing 77 people.

FBI releases Russian ‘ghost’ intel The FBI has released declassified photos, videos and other documents collected during the decade-long surveillance of 10 Russian “deep cover” spies who were arrested and deported last year.

One video showed Anna Chapman, a 28-year-old spy whose nude pictures and racy romances made her an instant tabloid sensation, meeting in a New York coffee shop in June 2010 with an undercover US agent.

A second video shows Chapman browsing in a department store while a “Russian government official” waits for her outside, the FBI said. Other videos show three other agents arrested along with Chapman. www.thephuketnews.com

on US soil did not disappear when the Cold War ended,” the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.

Though the spies “never got their hands on any classified documents, their intent from the start was serious, wellfunded... and far-ranging,” the FBI said.

Dated October 25, the release also included documents but most of those were entirely censored or had been previStills from video of meeting between Michael Zottoli ously released. and Richard Murphy (with green backpack), in Brooklyn.

The spies were arrested –Photos by FBI June 26, 2010 after a decadeThe surveillance photos and one of them at their Har- long investigation code named showed other members of the vard graduation ceremony.

“Ghost Stories” and deportring in various public places, “The arrests of 10 Russian ed nearly two weeks later meeting other members, walk- spies last year provided a chill- after pleading guilty to espioing through the streets alone, ing reminder that espionage nage charges.

–AFP

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

INTERNATIONALNEWS

Cheers and fears as global population hits seven billion The world welcomed its symbolic “seven billionth” baby on Monday, but celebrations were tempered by worries over the strain that humanity’s population explosion is putting on a fragile planet.

The United Nations said that by its best estimates the seven billionth baby would be born on October 31, and countries around the world have been marking the demographic milestone in a variety of ways.

Russian authorities showered gifts on newborns, while Papua New Guinea handed out special “goody bags” for new mothers.

The Philippines was the first country to declare a seven billionth baby, a little girl named Danica May Camacho.

Weighing 2.5 kilograms, Danica was delivered just before midnight Sunday under a blitz of media camera flashes at Manila’s Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital.

“She looks so lovely,” her mother, Camille Dalura, whispered as she cradled her baby girl. “I can’t believe she is the world’s seven billionth.”

UN rights chief Navi Pillay

number of births were being marked throughout the day.

In Bangladesh, authorities named another baby girl the world’s seven billionth child.

Weighing 2.75 kilograms and named Oishee, she arrived a minute after midnight at a hospital in the capital Dhaka.

“I’m so happy. I’ve become the father of a baby girl at a historic moment,” her father Mohsin Hossain said.

In Cambodia the honour fell to a baby girl who has yet to be named. Weighing three kilograms, she was born in the southern province of Preah Sihanouk.

However Indian Health World population from 1800 to 2100, based on UN 2004 projections and US Census Bureau historical estimates. Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad –Graphic by Loren Cobb said the birth of the seven billionth child was “not a matter said in a statement marking the a Bosnian child, Adnan Mevic, of joy but a great worry.” seven billion milestone: “From as the Earth’s six billionth in“We shouldn’t be celebratthe moment the child was born, habitant on October 12, 1999, ing,” he said Sunday in an he or she – like every other when then-secretary general interview with The Times child born today or any other Kofi Annan was pictured in of India. “For us a matter day – should be guaranteed a Sarajevo hospital with the of joy will be when the freedom from fear and want, child in his arms. population stabilises.” protection from discrimination The Mevic family is now India’s population, the and abuse, and equal access to living in poverty – which is one world’s second biggest at 1.2 security, justice and respect as a reason why no one baby was billion, is set to surpass China’s member of the human family.” being singled out for the global by 2025, according to the The United Nations named spotlight this time. Instead a US census bureau.

The world has added a billion babies – or almost another China – since Adnan Mevic was born. Having taken millennia to pass the one-billion mark, the world’s population has now doubled in 50 years.

Mounting concern over humanity’s environmental impact and fears that we may not be able to feed ourselves 100 years from now cast a cautionary tone over the buildup to Monday’s milestone.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon told students at a New York school last week: “Seven billion people who need enough food. Enough energy. Good opportunities in life for jobs and education. Rights and freedoms. The freedom to speak. The freedom to raise their own children in peace and security.

“Everything you want for yourself – seven billion times over.”

With about two babies being born every second, the figure can only go up and up in the decades to come – to more than 10 billion by 2100, according to UN estimates.

–AFP

9

IN BRIEF Pakistan to get Sesame Street The latest US plan to win over the hearts and minds of Pakistan’s youth involves a little less politics, and a few more cuddly puppets.

There will be the familiar tips on reading and writing and messages about health and hygiene. But gone are Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, the two stalwarts having been replaced by Pakistani characters such as Baily, a kind donkey who loves to sing, and Haseen O Jameel, a vain crocodile who lives at the bottom of a well.

The f irst episode is scheduled to be broadcast later this month.

Conjoined twins separated in US US surgeons on Tuesday successfully separated conjoined two-year-old girls born in the Philippines.

A team of 20 doctors helped by 15-20 operating staff at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital worked for 10 hours to separate Angelina and Angelica Sabuco, who had spent all of their lives so far joined at the chest and abdomen.

www.thephuketnews.com

10 OPINION

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

NORACHAI’S WORLD

Editor’s Viewpoint

Bus blundering

Loy Kratong on Phang Nga Bay.

You’ll see them climbing the hills around Phuket: big shiny buses with intricate airbrushed graphics showing the glories of the island – coral reefs, beaches, and birds.

The paintwork is always spotless. It seems they are cleaned from top to bottom every day. Yet, as they toil up the steep slopes, all too often they belch black diesel smoke.

The pollution is unpleasant to see and smell, but more seriously, it is also a sign of a cynical frame of mind that argues, “Appearance is everything. Make the bus look good.

To hell with maintenance; that costs money. Use it till it breaks down, then fix it.”

As was seen last week, when two buses carrying tourists hurtled off the road, one landing upside down and killing a passenger, this frame of mind is not only cynical but can be deadly.

This is not to say that the bus owners involved in these two cases were guilty of such cynicism; one of them told The Phuket News that the bus had been checked just the day before.

But yet the crashes keep on happening.

In the first case last week, involving a small six-wheel bus, the brakes simply didn’t work. This suggests the brake pads were worn away to nothing. No surprise there. On larger buses with air brakes,

Letters to the Editor Radio ga-ga Enjoying what I’ve heard so far, but I live in the north of the island, so cannot take full advantage of the radio unless I am in the Phuket area, as the reception is very poor until I reach the bypass road.

Good chat shows, easy to listen to music, so well done, it’s so good to have more choice.

I have The Phuket News delivered to my door every Friday – just great! It’s full of interesting news and your ‘What’s on in Phuket’ got me and four other friends to enjoy the Photographic Weekend at Koh Yao Yai on November 22-24, sponsored by TAT – it was great to meet other like minded Thais with whom we could all have a chat, and enjoy a part of our local area none of us had visited before – simply the best good value weekend that we’ve ever had here in Phuket!

Valerie Dobson

To the boats

[Re: Phuket students build boats for Bangkok] This is great news. At last we can read something that is positive for a change other than the usual doom and gloom which all seems so prevalent in the news and associated forums these days.

Congratulations to the organisers and the students involved. I’m sure your efforts will be appreciated by those in need.

Concerned

Island of plenty [Re: Rationing arrives in Phuket] Honestly, I see absolutely no reason for the ‘Chicken Little’ talk. There is plenty of food available on Phuket. If someone here is slightly inconvenienced by having to stop at more than one shop to get what they want, then so be it. It’s not that big of a drama. All of the essentials are available, period.

Bottled water: simply buy the big white recyclable water bottles that cost next to nothing... problem solved. Plus,

this is more environmentally responsible Bus bust (as if most people really care about that). [Re: Third bus crash in a week] Katakayaking Again, fading and/or overheated brakes. Stupid drivers that don’t know what they’re doing. It will happen Tooth decay [Re: TV star alleges toothbrush rape] every week, again and again.

They take old frames and put a Exciting news. Sounds like it was new chassis on, and do not update quite a party, however without phothe brake system, and for sure are tographic evidence it can possibly be poorly maintaned. Just need pay off taken with a grain of salt. the police and continue...

Two years seems like an inordiTommy nately long amount of time to bring it to the surface. Methinks this is typical Bad press Hollywood tabloid reporting.

[Re: Third bus crash in a week]

Just Curious The ‘quality’ tourists have been driven out by the constant bad publicity Phuket deservedly gets from international [Re: American charged with robbing media regarding the antics of tuk-tuk drivers, jet ski operators and so on. tourists] Sandy Shores This American is my baby brother and they are making him look like a monster. There are several stories going Lover’s leap around and we will get to the bottom [Re: Couple missing after Phuket of it. If anyone sees this and talks to bridge leap] him... please tell him I love him.

Love can be fatal. I hope you found peace.

Meahill Craig

Baby face bandit

Letters should be limited to 250 words, and may be edited for clarity or length. Email editor@thephuketnews.com or fax your contribution to 076 612 553. Please be sure to include your name, address and contact phone number.

The winner of The Phuket News’ ‘Best Letter of the Week’ receives a gift voucher from Asia Books worth B500.

www.thephuketnews.com

however, a failure of the air pressure system should trigger an automatic emergency braking system; the technology has been around for decades.

Another factor may be driver training. Driving a 15-ton bus down a steep hill and slowing it only with the brakes is a recipe for disaster.

It’s quite possible to slow any vehicle to a near stop by using the gears.

Finally, the Transport Department has confessed that its machinery for checking brakes is not working (see page 11).

Granted, checks are done only once every six months, and much can go wrong in that length of time, but this is still surely a failure by the department whose job it is to keep buses and trucks safe.

What can be done? A lot: Signs on all steep roads urging drivers to change to a lower gear; an education campaign to get bus and truck drivers to use their gears more; improvements at the Transport Department to ensure heavy vehicles are checked properly; spot checks on bus companies to see what they are actually doing; and an assurance for all drivers that if they feel a vehicle is unsafe and refuse to drive it, they may not be penalised by their bosses.

Finally, heavy penalties for owners of buses found to be in dangerous condition

This week in history ■■ November 4, 1922: In Egypt, Howard Carter discovered the lost tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen.

■■ November 5, 1605: Guy Fawkes “Gunpowder Plot” failed before he could blow up the English Parliament.

■■ November 6, 1952: The first hydrogen bomb was exploded at Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

■■ November 7, 1944: US President Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first to win a fourth term as president.

■■ November 8, 1923: Adolf Hitler made his first attempt at seizing power in Germany with a failed coup in Munich that came to be known as the “BeerHall Putsch”.

■■ November 9, 1961: The Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA) eliminated its “Caucasians only” rule.

■■ November 10, 2001: The World Trade Organisation (WTO) approved China’s membership.

HOTTOPIC 11

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

ROAD TO NOWHERE A truck rolls in for its six-monthly safety inspection at the Phuket Land Transportation Office, which is currently the only place on the island that performs such checks.

T

he two bus crashes in Kathu and Patong last week, caused by apparent brake failure, have raised serious concern about the safety of tour buses, and other vehicles, operating in Phuket.

Are adequate safety checks being made? To find out, The Phuket News asked Director of the Phuket Land Transportation Office Teerayuth Prasertphol.

The Department of Land Transport legally requires all buses, minibuses, taxis and trucks to undergo safety checks every six months.

Tuk-tuks are checked once a year, along with private cars.

Chanchai Chardsiri, head of the office’s checking section, said there is a comprehensive list of checks for noise and exhaust measurement, brakes, wheel-balancing, undercarriage and correct speedometer reading.

He said that the full set of machinery needed for comprehensive checks of buses and trucks is not available in all provinces.

Some private companies in Phuket are also interested in providing safety checks on heavy public vehicles, but none have so far come up with the roughly B10 million investment needed to set up such a service.

Speaking about the bus accident on Patak Rd that killed one Chinese tourist, Mr Chanchai said the rented

To pass inspections, heavy public vehicles need to undergo safety checks at the Phuket Land Transportation Office. bus underwent a safety test on October 13, but failed because of an incorrect licence, the wrong tyre size and incorrect light colours.

He added the bus that crashed on Patong Hill, carrying 37 Russian tourists, was checked on September 26 and passed all safety checks.

“It was lucky that the bus had a safety air brake system that helped to lock the wheels to slow the bus down. But the condition of the road and the

action of the driver also played their part.”

Fines of B1,000 for a car not over 20 seats, and B2,000 for more than 20 seats are levied for vehicles that miss their six-monthly safety checks.

Any vehicle that fails part of the safety test needs to return to the department within 15 days to show that the faults have been rectified and carry out a new check. If the time period has exceeded 15 days, the vehicle will have to un-

dergo the entire test again.

Mr Chanchai said that some Phuket bus companies have ordered retarder auxiliary brake systems, which are more expensive but much safer.

He also mentioned one particular company, Rungkit Tour, as setting a good model on the island, as its buses are always checked regularly and on time.

The manager of Rungkit Tour Nisanart Boonnaganoon told The Phuket News:

“We have 14 buses which we always send to the Phuket Land Transportation Office for checking, according to schedule.

“In addition, we have regular specified dates for checking brake systems, oil, and the entire engine. For instance, we change the oil of any bus that has run 20 times.

“The strict safety policy of Rungkit means we will not retread tyres, instead we will change them. When this

happens, the mechanic will also check the brake pads.”

Rungkit has chosen to install the retarder auxiliary brake system on its buses because of the road conditions on the way from Phuket to Ranong, which the company’s vehicles frequently travel.

“Because the hilly route has many curves, we believe that the retarder system will make for a safer journey for our passengers, and at the same time save costs for maintenance.”

Rungkit’s commitment to safety is commendable.

But even a company’s best intentions can go to waste when the Government’s own equipment is faulty – or, as is the case, out of order.

Shockingly, Director Teerayuth has admitted that the office’s specific machinery for checking the effectiveness of the braking systems of large public vehicles had been out of order since mid August.

While the office has been waiting for a budget allocation to replace the machinery, staff can only currently check brakes visually for wear and tear and fluid leaks.

With the department unable to say when the replacement machinery will be ready as it needs to come from overseas, the safety of vehicles on our roads continues to go unchecked. As the saying goes – it’s an accident just waiting to happen.

–Apinya Saksri

www.thephuketnews.com

12 BUSINESS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

A cool business Success

Stor y

SHADES

I

n t h i s ne w s e r i e s , The Phuket News asks successful entrepreneurs in Phuket to reveal the secrets of their success.

Our first target is Graeme Chuck, who started his company Shades five years ago, providing custom-made shade structures.

The company recently scored a big win when it received an Award of Excellence from the US-based Industrial Fabrics Association International (ifai.com) for a fabric sala it created for a private home in Phuket. This was the second IFAI award Shades has received.

When did you arrive in Phuket?

I first came to Phuket for the 1999 King’s Cup, and again in 2001. Moving here permanently was a gradual process, but by the time of the tsunami, I was well and truly settled with wife, kids and pet goldfish.

At that time were you planning to start a business?

Nothing specific, although I wasn’t planning on sitting under a palm tree with a piña colada for too long. I’d been sitting in a jungle camp for a while reading all those “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” books and they inspired me to think about building a business.

Was this something you had done before, or did you have to learn from scratch?

I’d spent the previous 25 years working in the mining industry as an exploration geologist.

I had my own business in Indonesia, in mining, but it was a totally different kettle of fish from what I embarked on with Shades.

What we do as a business now was all learned from absolute scratch, not just by

Graeme Chuck (left) and staff put the finishing touches to a free-standing fabric sala similar to the one that recently won the company an international award. me, but by the entire Shades team. A lot of the things we do weren’t even thought of when I was kicking rocks in the jungle.

It is tremendously rewarding to us that starting from zero we now have a group of people who consistently produce designs and products which are recognised by our international peers as “the best”.

It’s truly amazing, and a huge statement about the capabilities of our Phuket staff.

What made you want to start this particular business?

In this case a mate of mine and I simply needed covers made for our boats, so Shades was born.

But as it developed, the real game ended up nothing to do with the initial concept as it became clear to us that the “new” building market here did not have access to decent shade products, let alone what we call “world class” product.

What was your initial investment?

Just under B4 million, between two major and two minor shareholders. One is my brother, and we now have new shareholders as well, including some of our senior staff.

On a scale of 1 for “not at

all” to 10 for “absolutely”, how has your business developed compared with your initial expectations?

For the sheer scope of the business – close to 10. For the financial returns – quite a distant second, but we’re working on it! It’s very easy to judge a business – success without financial success is not yet success.

What was easiest to do in developing your business?

I think the easiest task was assembling a competent workforce. There is a wonderful local grapevine in Phuket which works far better than any staffing agency, and there is a huge pool of people here with broad skills that can be honed to suit the needs of a business.

What was most difficult to do in developing your bu­si­ness?

Certainly the most difficult aspect of our business has been perfecting the process of delivering world class product – remembering that we start product on a clean piece of paper, and develop the design concept, the working designs, the fabrication and installation processes, and the maintenance programs. All from a base position of close to nil experience and knowledge!

If you were to do this again, what would you do differently?

One thing only would have made a huge impact on how well and how quickly the business developed: a start-up based on a really solid business plan backed by a well-structured and -funded corporate vehicle.

That’s obvious enough, but of course life’s not always that well structured, thank God. How much was culture clash a factor in the way your business developed?

Huge, and after almost seven years it is still huge. And I’m sure Thai heads shake in bewilderment at least as often as the non-Thai ones in our team.

But the wonderful thing is that despite all the issues surrounding culture clash and language difficulties we still are able to get on with it, run a business, and deliver what we think is a great product.

What do you love and hate most about what you do?

Everyone in Team Shades loves to see beautiful product go out the door or rise in the sky. Not all jobs have moments when you can stand back and go “Aah”, but in this one you get that chance.

As for what we hate most, we try very hard to view negatives as opportunities for improvements. Sometimes it even works.

What’s next for Shades?

Our strategy is to continue to develop and produce world class product, not just for Phuket, but for the world. Our goal is to make and market our own designs to serve clients anywhere, either by direct export or by assisting partners to work with our product.

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs starting up in Phuket?

Do your homework, stick to your dream, and don’t try to take short cuts.

www.thephuketnews.com

Bangkok’s hotels show solid figures – for September

According to data compiled

by STR Global, Bangkok hotels outstripped all others in the region in September with the greatest rise in occupancy, and the second-highest rise in revenue per available room night (RevPAR).

In year-on-year measurements, the Asia Pacific region’s occupancy ended the month virtually f lat with a 0.4 per cent increase to 68.1 per cent, but ADR increased 6.6 per cent to US$140.06 while RevPAR rose 7.1 per cent to $95.34.

Howeve r, Ba ng kok achieved an occupancy increase of 26.5 per cent, to 68.5 per cent, followed

by Ja k a r t a , I ndone sia (+24.7 per cent to 71.2 per cent), and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (+21.7 per cent to 77 per cent).

Jakar ta showed the greatest increase in RevPAR, climbing 47.1 per cent to R603,282, but Bangkok was in second place, up 36.8 per cent to B2,068.

Highlights from key market performers for September 2011 in local currency (yearon-year comparisons): Shanghai reported the

largest decrease in all three key performance metrics.

The market’s occupancy fell 16.5 per cent to 62.7 per cent, its ADR was down 12.5 per cent to 804.56 yuan, and its RevPAR decreased 27 per cent to 504.39 yuan.

Hong Kong posted the largest ADR increase, rising 24 per cent to HK$1,985.22, followed by Jakarta with a 17.9 per cent increase to R847,074.

Highlights from key market performers for September 2011 in US Dollars (year-onyear comparisons): Three markets reported ADR increases of 20 per cent or more: Hong Kong (+23.5 per cent to US$254.73); Osaka (+20.8 per cent to US$141.53); and Jakarta (+20 per cent to US$94.79).

Three markets achieved RevPAR increases of more than 25 per cent: Jakarta (+49.6 per cent to US$67.51); Bangkok (+34.1 per cent to US$66.25); and Beijing (+25.7 per cent to US$80.32).

Next month’s figures for Bangkok from STR will naturally be very different, revealing the full extent of the damage wrought by the flooding in the capital.

TAT counts up losses

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has estimated the cost of damage from the flood to the tourism sector will be as much as B25 billion, with the number of foreign visitors falling to 19.1 million this year.

TAT Governor Surapol Svetasreni said that the impact could be divided into three scenarios, from mildest to severest.

The severest scenario is that the flood will last until December, causing the numbers of domestic and foreign

travellers to drop by six million and 300,000 respectively.

A total of B25 billion in tourism income could be lost while the total of foreign tourist arrivals for 2011 would be reduced from the estimated 19.5 million to 19.1 million.

Mr Surapol expected the disaster would be over in November, adding that tourist arrivals at Suvarnabhumi International Airport had increased 23 per cent in October to 780,000, compared with 690,000 during the same period last year.

Tourists desert river Prasit Vichaisuchat, Secretary of the Thai Boat Association (TBA) and Assistant Managing Director of the River Side Bangkok Hotel, said this week that the occupancy rate of the 250 rooms in his hotel had dropped from an average of 70-75 per cent to zero, due to booking cancellations.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has cancelled Bangkok’s “Colour of the River” Loy Krathong Festival 2011 and all related festivities along the Chao Phraya River, resulting in the loss of more

than B56 million of income expected to be earned by some 30 dinner cruises on the night.

The TBA will propose to Minister of Tourism and Sports, Chumpol Silpa-archa, that he set up a post-flood tourism rehabilitation strategy to meet the Government’s aim to attract 30 million foreign tourists in 2015.

The proposal suggests three key elements: improvement and development of tourist attractions, development of human resources, and low-interest loans for tourism entrepreneurs.

–NNT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Pata in row over London ‘junket’ The 60-year-old Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata), has been slammed by a vocal trade magazine and some of its own members over a plan to spend B1 million or more sending top executives to the World Travel Market (WTM) in London next month.

Since the row broke out, the plan has been downsized, though a spokesman stressed that the change was “an internal decision” not related to the row.

The Bangkok-headquartered Association describes itself as “the leading voice and authority on travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region” but has faced financial difficulties in the past year, having trouble convincing members to pay their dues. Twenty per cent of the dues are reportedly unpaid.

This shortfall led to former CEO Greg Duffell introducing austerity measures in an attempt to balance the books.

The measures included redun-

Heading for London: Hiran Cooray (left) and Martin Craigs. dancies and an increased use of outsourcing, along with heavy cuts in executive travel.

The plan to send Mr Duffell’s successor, Martin Craigs, and the interim CEO, Bill Calderwood, along with recently appointed Senior Director for Marketing & Membership Services Stu Lloyd, sparked an acid story in the travel industry’s respected TTR Weekly (ttrweekly.com).

TTR remarked, “The decision to send two CEOs to one of the world most expensive

trade shows, breaks with austerity measures introduced by former CEO, Greg Duffell, who reduced executive travel to balance the books.

“The two CEOs will justify the double billing by claiming it is part of the association’s plans to crank up its advocacy role, which was placed on the back burner for the last three years.

“Members may have more to say when the two CEOs deliver their November travel expenses and the financial director totals the debits column.”

B-Lay Tong joins Accors collection of ‘upscale hotels notable for their personalities’.

Accor takes on B-Lay Tong Joining the ever-increasing wave of management deals with international hotel chains, Patong’s B-Lay Tong hotel on Tuesday celebrated joining the Accor Group’s MGallery Collection, giving it access to the group’s international marketing might.

Wesley Hayden, previously general manager of the Pullman Bangkok King Power, has been appointed GM. The 123-room hotel on the beach road, now known as the B-Lay Tong Phuket, MGallery, has austere minimalist lines on the outside but rooms “exude modern playfulness and funky vibes while blending the concept of feng shui colour schemes: red (fire),

blue (water), green (earth) and gold (wind) to ensure a f low of positive energy throughout the hotel.”

The Deluxe rooms offer either an outdoor Jacuzzi or direct lap pool access, while the suites offer view of the Andaman Sea. It has five food and beverage outlets, a spa and a club, the Beat Club, featuring an in-house DJ. Accor is present in 90 countries with 4,200 hotels and more than 500,000 rooms. It has a wide portfolio of 13 brands.

MGallery is in the four-star range. Accor describes it as “a collection of upscale hotels notable for their personalities,

which will appeal to individual travellers seeking distinctive services or looking for a place with more soul.”

Launched three years ago, MGallery includes hotels on five continents, including two in Bangkok and one in Chiang Mai. Accor aims to grow the MGallery portfolio to more than 150 locations by late 2015.

Meanwhile, the management relationship between Accor and the Panwa Beach Resort has ended.

The 75-room hotel was branded as a Novotel but is now being managed independently while the owners search for another international chain to step in.

One angry commentator on the TTR story wrote, “The members have only themselves to blame for letting this … happen, but then maybe that is why there are fewer than 500 paid up.”

Another described the decision as “another slap in the face for the paying members as the Pata gravy train rolls on.

“Explain please how the expense can be justified. Will the arrogance and greed of the Pata Executives never cease?”

Ken Scott of ScottAsia Communications, who acts as special adviser on communications to Pata, told The Phuket News that Mr Calderwood would not now be going to London, but that this was an “internal decision”, not a result of the TTR story.

He declined to comment on the TTR story directly, but said, “Pata is very economical and responsible about all budgetary matters on behalf of its members.”

He noted that three people from Pata would still be going to London, the third being Pata Chairman Hiran Cooray. Asked whether Pata would be paying Mr Cooray’s expenses, he said, “I wouldn’t comment on who’s paying for him,” but added, “Pata will be using barter for many of the expenses, so it’s by no means all cash.”

He said that Pata felt it was essential to have a high-level presence at WTM. “It’s one of the top three travel shows in the world. It’s particularly useful to Pata for meeting existing members and attracting new ones; it’s very good for recruitment and retention.

“It’s also the best show in the world for media access.

Pata will be there explaining [to the press] about the floods in Bangkok and tourism in Thailand in general.”

BUSINESS/TOURISM 13

David Seet, SAVP and Executive Director of Banyan Tree Spa (centre) collects Banyan Tree’s TTG Asia award.

Thai firms score at TTG awards For Thai Airways International, faced with cancellations due to the floods in Bangkok, there was a bit of good cheer this week when it was named Best Southeast Asian Airline and Best Business Class Airline in the annual Travel Trade Gazette Asia awards.

Adding to a cabinet already groaning with accolades, AirAsia was named Best Asian Low-Cost Carrier.

There were slim pickings

for Phuket, however. The closest the island came to glory was the Best Spa Operator award that went to Banyan Tree Spa, which started in Phuket but now has spas in six countries.

The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau and the Tourism Authority of Thailand came top of their classes.

Asian Trails was named best Travel Agency in Indochina, while World Travel picked up the award for Thailand.

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14 BUSINESS/PROPERTY

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Developers ‘face B18bn in losses from Thai floods’

The low-down on bass HomeTech by Ben Hobbs Advertorial Low-frequency sound is on the lower range of our audible spectrum, considered to be from 20Hz to around 300Hz. This sound is split up into sub bass (below 50Hz) – which sounds like rumbling or a deep thud, gives music a sense of power and is often unheard but felt in the chest and stomach, and bass (50Hz to 300Hz) – which gives us notes that can be described as punchy and warm.

Bass can have a direct effect on listening, or feeling, a song.

Music can be a ver y emotional experience, some people go to great lengths to reproduce music as perfectly as possible, for just this very reason.

Bass is traditionally quite hard to produce, especially the lower frequencies. One of the ways that the very low frequencies of bass can be reproduced in the listening environment is to use a specialised speaker known as a subwoofer.

Subwoofers are designed to only reproduce the lowest of audible frequencies and use a crossover to turn off the higher frequencies, so that the subwoofer can concentrate on producing bass.

Subwoofers generally feature woofers (the speaker cone that produces bass) be-

Real estate consultancy the Agency for Real Estate Affairs (Area) has estimated that severe flooding in the outskirts of Bangkok could cost property developers more than B18 billion.

At t he beg i n n i ng of this week Sophon Pornchokchai, Chairman of Area, said floods had affected 311 new residential projects worth a total of B98 billion.

Some 226 others, with a combined value of B76 billion, were at risk of flooding, he said.

and financial institutions are likely to remain intact, he said.

But if Bangkok’s central business district is flooded, all economic activities could be brought to a standstill, which would shrink economic output and reduce consumer buying power as well as the demand for new homes.

Mr Sophon expects the property sector will head into a decline due to lack of buyers, and real estate stocks will also inevitably be affected.

–TAN

Govt to spend B900bn on flooding recovery Ben Hobbs. tween 8 inches and 21 inches in diameter, although in the home they are more likely to be 10, 12 or 15 inches.

Because such large speaker cones are required to produce these low frequencies, most often the subwoofers will have an amplifier bolted onto the enclosure to power them. These are sometimes referred to as active subwoofers.

Most people will be familiar with subwoofers for home theatre use where they add impact, boom and an explosive quality to movie sound effects.

But they can also be used in a very positive manner for listening to music, adding subtle warmth, greater range and a more dynamicallycontrolled sound to music.

Ben Hobbs is the Managing Director of H3 Digital who provide custom design and installation for lighting control, home cinema and multi-room audio systems.

The Cabinet on Sunday (October 30) discussed the “New Thailand” project in which a budget of up to B900 billion would be spent on flood recovery.

After the special Cabinet session, Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said the project was discussed as the main national post-flood strategy by relevant ministries including Commerce, Justice and Transport.

Divided into two major phases, the first is a short-term rehabilitation strategy requiring a budget of approximately B100 billion, to be implemented in the first year.

Input from local agencies and proposals from other countries, such as the United States, the Netherlands and Japan, will be taken into account in this rehabilitation plan, he said.

The longer-term plan involves the recovery of floodravaged industrial estates to restore employment and stabilise the economy.

Mr Pichai has called on vocational students to help inspect flooded equipment, machinery and cars. The Energy Ministry also plans to reduce oil price

www.ayudhya.net Tel: 0 7 6 3 8 4 6 6 4 -

www.thephuketnews.com

He added that developers may have to refund downpayments for approximately 20 per cent of the units already sold to buyers who have decided to opt out because of flooding.

Sophon estimates that the initial damage could amount to B18 billion, and could be higher if the situation worsens.

Considering the current damage and the fact that downtown Bangkok had so far been spared the worst of the floods, the property market

by 50 per cent and to subsidise electricity costs for residents of flood-hit areas.

The plan calls for workers to be re-employed on infrastructure repair work, using a budget of some B600-800 billion.

Mr Pichai said that the large budget was not a problem as the Government had adequate reserve capital and several overseas countries had shown willingness to help with Thailand’s flood relief effort.

Finance Minister Thirchai Phuvanantaranubala said B65 billion will be lent to largescale businesses, including those owned by foreigners hard-hit by the present floods.

Mr Thirachai said some B15 billion of the fund will be set aside for government flood prevention projects, which should be completed prior to the rainy-season next year.

He said the Government will seek loans from the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation and financial institutions in the country.

The minister said small and medium businesses will be offered a total of B170 billion in loans.

info@ayudhya.net Mob: 087 898 8647

Roughly B120 billion will be used to improve cash flow, and the Small Credit Business Guarantee Corporation will insure 30 per cent of their loan amount.

He said that a total of B90 billion in loans will be provided for vendors and people in general.

Some B20 billion will be lent by the Government Savings Bank to vendors aiming to revive their businesses and the Government Housing Bank will provide a combined B20 billion in loans to repair floodhit homes.

Mr Thirachai said that the Bank for Agricultural and Agricultural Cooperatives will provide total loans worth B10 billion to affected farmers and the Government has arranged an additional B10 billion for companies affected by floods.

The rest of the B8 billion will go to workers who have been suspended from their jobs.

Industry Minister Wannarat Charnnukul said small and medium businesses will receive extra assistance in the form of soft loans, with an annual interest rate of three per cent and three-year repayment terms.

Wannarat said import tariffs on raw materials and machines used in the industrial sector will be waived to make it easy for investors not to have to withdraw their investments from the country.

The ministry then said the rules for work permits will be eased for foreign specialists visiting flood-affected areas so that there might be a speedy resolution of the problems.

– NNT/TAN

Economist warns Govt against borrowing A prominent economist says severe flooding could cost Thailand’s economic growth at least two percentage points, and said he opposes seeking more loans for flood relief, beacuse it would put the country deeper in debt.

Professor Dr Teerana Pongmakapat, Dean of the Faculty of Economics at Chulalongkorn University, estimated the floods have caused economic losses of over B500 billion and will reduce GDP growth by two per cent.

Damage to households accounts for B300 billion while damage to industrial estates is estimated at B200 billion.

Dr Teerana warned that issuing an emergency decree to seek B300-400 billion in loans will only lead to more problems as the Government is already running a budget deficit of B400 billion.

He added that populist pro­ jects such as the rice-pledging scheme could put more strain on the state’s coffers and increase national debt to as much as a trillion baht.

Thailand is also still vulnerable to impact from global economic problems and natural disasters, he warned.

The professor suggested that instead of handing out cash the Government should concentrate on providing the 10 million flood-affected people giving flood victims with shelter, jobs and health care services.

Nearly 10,000 factories hit by flood damage Thailand’s worst flooding in memory has caused damage to almost 10,000 factories, leaving some 660,000 employees temporarily jobless, according to Deputy Industry Minister Suphap Kleekachai.

Mr Suphap said that a total of 9,859 factories have closed – both inside and outside the industrial estates affected by the worst flooding – while the disaster has affected at least short-term and perhaps longer-term unemployment for 660,000 workers who were employed by the factories.

Seven industrial estates in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani – Saha Rattana Nakhon, Bang Pa-in, Rojana, Hi-Tech, Factory Land, Nava Nakorn and Bangkadi – were earlier forced to close due to the deep floodwater. Some of the largest factories are in these areas.

– MCOT

15

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Rawai-Nai Harn South Coast Experience

www.rawainaiharn.com Seeking enlightenment Anna Wasin, owner of Atsumi Healing Wellness Retreat in Sai Yuan, Rawai.

What is your background?

I moved to Phuket 22 years ago to advance my career in the hospitality industry. I am certified in spa management and am also a qualified beautician. I have embraced a complete holistic lifestyle and am now a certified Reiki practitioner. Here at Atsumi, we’re one big family – literally, as many of our staff are related, and spiritually, as our lives are all certainly interconnected.

When you come to Atsumi, we take you into our care as if you were a part of our family.

Why do people need to detox?

In this modern world of fastpaced living and stress, we need to bring balance into our lives by taking time to rest and recharge our batteries.

Compare it to getting your car serviced so that it performs better. It’s the same with our bodies, the precious vehicle that is designed to carry us through our entire lives – we have to clean out our filters and remove built-up waste, fungus, parasites, bacteria and toxins so we can function with optimal energy.

Atsumi owner Anna Wasin What is included?

Atsumi achieves this using well-proven, safe and effective cleansing programs using highquality natural organic herbs, raw and living foods, fibre cleansing shakes, daily massages and twice daily coloncleansing. During your stay you can enjoy many healthy pursuits including Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi, Thai boxing, and mountain and beach walks. Or you can choose to reward your efforts by indulging in some of the detoxifying spa treatments.

How old is the company?

Atsumi Healing Wellness

Retreat is Phuket’s original fasting and detox centre, and was founded in 2002 by my late husband John Chatteris.

John had a vision about a place that offered spiritual and personal development combined with alternative and holistic therapies to improve overall health and well-being.

Tragically, he passed on in July 2007 in a swimming accident, but his knowledge and vision lives on.

Our Manager, Michelle Cooper, who was originally trained by John, has continued to inspire thousands of people using her knowledge of alternative therapies, her unquestionable passion, endless wisdom and “unconditional love” approach to each and every individual.

What makes Atsumi Healing so unique?

The retreat invites you to enter a physical, mental and emotional transformation that promises to be a lifechanging experience that will improve every aspect of your health and vitality. The centre places high emphasis on the benefits of retreat, providing a tranquil escape from the stresses of everyday life; a place to embrace holistic change,

replenish your body’s precious energy and a chance to move away from emotional suffering and towards the “enlightened state of being”.

Who can benefit from detoxification?

Everyone. If you are overweight, have medical problems or are experiencing symptoms such as stress, obesity, cellulite, acne, digestive problems, bloating, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, lack of life direction, addictions, emotional reactiveness, anger, worry, fear, guilt, or restlessness, then cleansing could be the solution you are looking for.

What does the future hold for Atsumi?

The last few years have been amazing for Atsumi. Before John passed on, he left behind a “to do” list detailing his visions for Atsumi, and I have managed to tick all items off that list. Since the retreat started we have built an additional 15 guest rooms, 10 colonic rooms, two swimming pools, and onsite gym and steam sauna, and extended the size of our yoga sala four times to accommodate our growth and expansion. And we are certainly not finished yet.

Holders of the Rawai Nai-Harn Benefits card are entitled to a 15 per cent discount at all member businesses. For details, visit rawainaiharn.com To Phuket Town

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16 ARTS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Gritty reality อนิจจา ร่อนเร่ พเนจร สุดอาวร หาหนึ่ง ซึ่งที่พัก

(Rough translation: Sorrowful wandering, desperately searching for a place to ่ เดินมานาน กร้านแดด ทีแผดหนัก live, long journey under the sun, looking for love, and เดินหารัก มาแสนนาน ขอทานใจ any alms from the heart.)

Random view

Early morning art Gallery

focus

It’s 7 in the morning, and the approach to the Art Space gallery, near Saiyuan Village, just after the turn from Saiyuan Road onto Route 4233 to Kata Beach, is completely deserted.

Recycled timber sculptures stand everywhere, spilling out onto the edge of the road, while numerous large paintings are en plein air (in the open air), seemingly in the same place they were painted.

Approaching the gallery, I pass a blond foreign woman and young Thai men jogging out of the big muay Thai boxing camp on the hill on the opposite side of the highway.

While the entrance to the gallery is open, the door to the artist’s shady house, set back from the roadside among the trees, is shut. It’s obviously far

Art is everywhere at the Art Space Gallery in Saiyuan. too early for any self-respecting artist to be awake, especially when he needs to summon up all his creative energy for the day’s work ahead.

Painter and sculptor Niran Chanhom, the resident artist of the Art Space gallery, has left his name and mobile phone number near a painting, on a sign with a list of prices that says he also does portraits.

Rather than disturb his creative slumber, it becomes apparent that viewing unaccompanied is a very good way to look at someone’s art, which can now speak for itself, uninterrupted.

Later, when he stirs, I ask him about his art: Niran came to Phuket from Chiang Mai some 10 years ago. His studio and house belong to Niwat

Buathong, who also owns the Art Space Gallery and Bar in Kata, who uses this more spacious gallery to exhibit mostly Niran’s work and that of other artists.

From the work on display for sale, it is clear that Niran freely experiments with different art styles, but is inspired mostly by nature, he says. His sculptures and paintings sell for thousands of baht.

From the volume of work around, it is clear that the artist works steadily throughout his usual work day, making use of his large pile of recycled timber collected from wrecked fishing boats, to craft painted sculptures, and to draw and paint, whenever the mood takes him to do a particular kind of work.

–Norachai Thavisin See gallery listings for more details on Art Space.

Phuket photographer Tinnatat Putta, was moved to write a beautiful poem to accompany this week’s Random View, taken at the Phuket Municipality central market.

This spontaneous snap, made in the long tradition of gritty social documentary photography, succeeds in capturing the pathos of the moment in a way that cannot fail to move the viewer.

The contrasting black-andwhite offers no visual escape

from the plight of the old beggar, while the rough surface of the street, wire fence and the blur of people walking past, all serve to focus attention on a man who is in need of help.

Each month the best image – as chosen by The Phuket News – will win a B500 gift voucher courtesy of Photo Hut (www. photohutgroup.com). At the end of 2011, the ‘Photo of the Year’, chosen from all entrants, receives a voucher for B5,000.

All photographs must have a Phuket theme, and be at least 1MB and 300dpi in size. Email to: editor@thephuketnews.com

Phuket Galleries Art Space Gallery

Near Saiyuan village, on Route 4033 going over the hill to Kata Beach, 081 289 6415.

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Ceramics of Phuket

71/3 Vichitsongkram Rd, Kathu; 185/6-7 Srisoonthorn Rd, Cherng Talay, 076 326 870, ceramicsofphuket.com.

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Chatriya Gallery

2/18 Limelight Ave, Dibuk Rd, Phuket Town, 076 225 284, chariyagallery@gmail.com.

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Designed by Woulfe

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

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Gallery Café

106 Rassada Rd, Phuket Town, 076 223677, gallerycafe-phuket.com. Open daily 8am-10pm.

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I Mon Art Gallery

29/2 Phang Nga Rd, Phuket Town, montien_29@live.com. Open daily 8am-7.30pm.

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King Art Studio

21 & 50 Soi Bangla, Patong, 086 682 9130, info@kingsartstudio.com; kingartstudio.com.

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Little Monk Gallery

95/33 Sai Yuan Rd, Naiharn, 086 294 3971.

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Phuket Modern Art

5/28 Haad Patong Rd, Patong, 089 646 8838, info@phuketmodernart; comphuketmodernart.com.

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Red Gallery

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

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Sarasil Art Galllery

121 Phang Nga Rd, Phuket Town, 076 224 532, somkiatkaewnok@yahoo.com; oilpaintingsphuket.com. Open daily 8pm-9pm.

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Siam Gallery

73/66 Kamala-Patong Rd, Kamala, 089 586 4133, siamgallery.phuket@hotmail.co.th.

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Soul of Asia

5/50, 2/F, The Plaza Surin, Surin, info@soulofasia.com; soulofasia.com.

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The Miracles of Ganesha Gallery and Studio 110/34 Cherg Talay, Bang Tao Beach, 081 490 4359, usahanun@live.com; veerachanusahanun.com

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Wua Gallery and Studio

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

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99 Art Studio Enjoying the shape of recycled objects. www.thephuketnews.com

A painting hangs en plein air near the road.

23 Lagoon Rd, 076 270 845, s.niamkhuntod99@gmail.com.

PEOPLE 17

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

When life is an amazing ride James Hembrow Managing Director of Amazing Bike Tours What do you do in Phuket?

Originally from Somerset, England, I am here running Amazing Bike Tours, a mountain bike tour operator offering trips of various durations in Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi.

How long have you lived on the island?

I arrived in Phuket in December 2002. Apart from a period of six months when I went travelling, I have been living in Thailand since then.

So about eight and half years living in Phuket, Koh Tao, Khao Lak and Koh Samui.

After training to be a dive instructor in Australia I was planning to move to the Caribbean. I had a job lined up in the Grand Caymans, but after the events of 9-11 that fell through. So I spent some time back in the UK before making the move to Thailand to continue working as a dive instructor.

What is the best thing about living here?

Tropical weather, great food and friendly people.

What hobbies or sports are you interested in?

When I am not biking I love to surf and wakeboard. Still very much a beginner at both

Exposed sports, but I love spending time on the water on a board of some sort.

What is your favourite childhood memory?

Discovering my Christmas present on Christmas Eve. Of course in the UK, we don’t normally open presents until Christmas Day. It was a Raleigh Ultra Burner BMX in black and gold. I thought I was so cool biking around the neighbourhood on my Ultra Burner!

What were you doing 10 years ago?

In 2001 I spent a year in Queensland, Australia. I was doing all the courses to become a scuba dive instructor.

Once I became an instructor I was working out of Cairns and Port Douglas teaching students to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef.

What do you do to relax?

Running the company is keeping me pretty busy. As any small business owner knows, there are always a million things to do so you need to wear many hats, to use an old expression.

Freewheeler: James Hembrow and his bike on the east coast of Koh Yao Noi with views across the bay towards Krabi.

My life is definitely lacking enough time to relax, but when I do get the chance, it is nice to kick back and read a book, watch a good movie or enjoy a nice meal with family or friends.

Where in Phuket would you take someone on a first date?

There are many fantastic restaurants in Phuket with romantic settings. I took my girlfriend on a first date to Jazztri overlooking Kata. That was over five years ago and we are still together so I

could say that was a successful first date location.

Favou r i t e pl ac e on the island?

I guess one of my favourite places is our home. We look out from our house and can see coconut trees and water buffaloes. It is a great spot to relax.

What is the best tip you have for people moving to Phuket?

Come with an open mind and plenty of patience. Things can take a lot longer here than what

you’re used to back home.

The person you admire the most and why?

That would have to be Gandhi or Mandela. Both overcame massive difficulties to change the lives of their fellow citizens and future generations for the better, never giving up on their goals regardless of how bleak their circumstances were.

Favourite food or dish?

I love so many different types of cuisine it is hard to pick a favourite. Indian curries, Japanese

sushi, Italian pasa... mmm… this is making me hungry.

What kind of music are you into?

Cold Play, James Blunt, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Massive Attack, Louis Armstrong… the list goes on. Many different types of music depending on my mood or the atmosphere.

What’s your idea of a perfect night out?

Going out for a nice meal with some good wine and great company.

STREET PEOPLE

Cleaning other people’s mess It’s early on a fine morning, but street cleaner Taew is already hard at work sweeping up around the rubbish bins in between rows of office buildings opposite Tesco Lotus on the bypass road.

Because the usual cleaner has gone back home to Myanmar for a short holiday, Taew is filling in, having pedalled here to work on her bicycle from her house in Kathu.

Taew moved from Khon Kaen in the northeast to Phuket only three months ago, and likes it here. “There is plenty of work if you don’t mind what you do,” she says.

It’s not the municipality but the owner of the office buildings who pays her to Taew keeps the streets close to Tesco Lotus clean. clean the streets in this area.

She arrives at 7am and works dozen overflowing rubbish Taew herself has collectuntil about 4pm, when she bins and shakes her head. ed her pick of plastic bottles “The recycling people usu- and cans in bags that she will says she needs to rush home, to avoid the heavy peak-hour ally leave a big mess here when need to balance on her bike rummaging through the rub- to take home to resell. traffic on the big road.

She points to the half a bish for things they can sell.”

–Norachai Thavisin

www.thephuketnews.com

18 HEALTH

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Bike for health I

Get fit and reduce mental stress by cycling around this beautiful island.

–Photo by RBL Big Push

t’s not just about the bike.

We live on an island that for the most part is warm and sunny year round, which is fantastic for those of us who enjoy exploring new parts of the island on our old favourite bikes.

In the western world, where people are time-poor and spend a majority of their time indoors working, the Sunday morning bike ride has become a ritual among the super fit, and it seems to have bled down the line to those of us who are not so fit-looking, to get the same benefits.

Across the seas in my home country of Australia you can see numerous groups at the weekend enjoying getting out and pushing the envelope of their bodies and mind, as they race through the small suburban streets, beach roads, and mountains.

All in an effort to get fitter, leaner, healthier, and to reduce their physical and mental stress, catch up with friends, solving work and relationship issues with their most trusted counsellors, and providing the balance and sometimes more meaning to their life.

In Phuket similar groups are out and about on the road, finding and then pushing their limits, on the highway, in the mountains, or cruising down the flat beach roads, taking in the amazing scenery and reminding ourselves and our bike buddies why we have chosen to call this place home.

Whether you ride the mountain bike you bought when you first came to the island many moons ago, or have upgraded to a new road bike or are sporting a super tri-specific machine, the benefits are the same.

If it’s a nice moderate to long easy ride, we improve our heart’s health by increasing the amount of good cholesterol in our arteries and the all important ratio of “bad to good” cholesterol.

If it’s a moderately hard ride, we improve our hearts’ capacity to be more efficient and to pump out more blood per beat – stroke volume – which has the ability to decrease our beats per minute when we are at rest.

In a medium to hard ride we can improve our body’s

ability to deal with lactic acid production (the breakdown of carbohydrate with limited oxygen available in the muscles) and at the same time also increase the number of aerobic enzymes in our muscles, which can in turn increase the amount of fat that we can use for fuel at rest.

Given all this, as well as improving the muscle tone in our lower body without the stress on our joints, cycling is clearly an activity for all ages and abilities.

Whatever the reason, combine this healthy activity with a great group of friends, a touch of caffeine or a fresh juice, a huge dose of laughter and positive mind set, and you have the unbeatable recipe for a long happy life, or least for the rest of the weekend.

Ride safe folks, and see you out there on the road.

■■ Darren Hancock, General Manager of Royal Phuket Marina Health Club, and Exercise and Lifestyle Coach, can be contacted at darren@ rpmhealthclub.com. See rpmhealthclub.com for more.

Multipurpose marvel As you’re driving along in Phuket, you may notice enterprising women picking the tips of the dark-green vines of the ivy gourd (Coccinia grandis) and collecting them in bags carried on a motorcycle sidecar.

Known as tam leung in Thai, the plant is a handy vegetable, best steamed lightly to eat with nam prik, the favourite fiery chili shrimp-paste sauce, or boiled in a delicious clear soup with minced pork. www.thephuketnews.com

Healthy Herbs

As the parasite ivy can grow rampant, as much as 12 centimetres per day, sometimes killing other vegetation by robbing it of sunlight, this native of Africa and Asia can become an invasive weed.

Islanders, and Thais in general, use its leaves to make a tonic to relieve fever and diarrhoea, while juice

squeezed from the vine stalks is a common treatment for eye infections. Ivy gourd extract, meanwhile, is available in western health food stores, claiming to help regulate blood sugar levels.

Research is currently being conducted on the plant’s properties as an anti-oxidant and an immune system modulator, but there’s no doubting that the ivy gourd is already a multipurpose marvel.

ENVIRONMENT 19

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Saving nature

Assorted rubbish collected from under the waves.

Children visit a diving stand.

Following very soon after the recent successful “A Day In The Bay” clean-up, organised by the International Business Assocation of Phuket (IBAP)-led Phang Nga Bay Conservancy, last Saturday (October 29) it was the turn of the Save The Nature @ Phuket campaign to head to Phang Nga Bay, where they carried out more much-needed cleanup work, this time mostly underneath the waves.

In the morning on October 29, President of Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation Phiboon Upatising;

Poramet Amatayakul, Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) Southern Region Director; and Bang-ornrat Shinnaprayoon, TAT Phuket Director waved off sea clean-up crews on boats provided by the All 4 Diving company. Some 100 Thai and foreign volunteers headed for Koh Hey (Coral Island).

Altogether, 30 divers from the Thai Diving Association and 20 divers from Phuket Marine and Coastal Conservation Centre and officers from the Third Naval Command collected some 100 kilogrammes of sea litter, including plenty

Divers all set for the undersea clean-up.

of glass, plastic, and rusted metal, to be weighed at the end of the clean-up.

While they were out at sea, many other of the island’s green-minded souls visited the Phuket Marine Aquarium from October 28-30, where a three day environmental awareness and tourism event featured a seminar and saw visits by busloads of school children who enjoyed the excellent collection of sea life.

Phuket Governor Tri Angarachacha opened the seminar entitled “Sustainable tourism on the Andaman Sea”

on Friday morning at the Aquarium, while students collected information and played educational games at tent stalls set up outside on the picturesque sea esplanade, and bands played in the evenings.

Official representatives from national parks, government departments and scientific researchers from the Phuket Marine Biological Centre spent the morning discussing a range of topics on the environmental aspects of diving, fishing and general tourism in the sea around Phuket island.

A ‘treasure’ retrieved from the depths.

For this group, the more EM positive balls made the better.

Positive actions

Fighting the horn Coconut rhinoceros beetles (Oryctes rhinoceros) seem to be everywhere right now, buzzing clumsily about and banging into things.

Often seen flat on its back with legs waving, as if not able to flip back over again to right itself, the insect resembles a lumbering jumbo jet when it tries to take off.

This rather comical and fascinating beetle, with the little “rhinoceros” horn that

Meet

the natives gives it its name, and hard shiny black wings, is considered quite a pest for Phuket’s coconut growers. Common across Southeast Asia, the beetle feeds on the young leaves of coconut, betel nut, sago palm and date.

An adult female beetle can live for six months and lay up to 100 eggs in rotting

stumps, standing palms and rubbish piles. After 8 to 12 days, white grubs hatch out into young adults that fly about at night and burrow destructively into the young coconut branches and leaves on which it feeds.

Farmers of coconuts hit back, though, by collecting the grubs, but not the adults, to be deep-fried as snacks, a favoured delicacy especially in northeastern Thailand.

Put your hands together, it’s time to make EM balls again.

Standing for ‘Effective Microorganisms’, EM were developed by Japanese horticulturist Teruo Higa in the 1980s. Made mainly from lactic acid bacteria, purple bacteria and yeast, Professor Higa found that a combination of approximately 80 different microorganisms is capable of positively influencing decomposing organic matter to start a new life-promoting process.

By adding positive microorganisms to polluted water or soil, he discovered that the natural beneficial balance can be recovered. In his homeland, they have been a great success, notably helping to revive the

EM positive balls are life-promoting wonders. ecosystem of the country’s Seto Inland Sea. As usual the Bangkok Hospital Phuket is taking the local lead in bringing together some 100 volunteers who will for one week, from October 31 to November 6, make some 20,000 balls of the highly beneficial mixture, to help with water pollution problems in flooded areas of Thailand.

Pareeya Jullapong, the hospital’s Corporate Social Responsibility Project Manager, and Nontalee Makkawanich, Head of Makkawanich Foundation, are leading the charge.

The balls will be dropped into stagnant flooded areas in the ancient capital of Ayutthaya on November 10 to help reduce the effects of water pollution there. www.thephuketnews.com

20 EDUCATION

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Members of the Press Gang colour a cartoon on Photoshop.

The Press Gang are all smiles following their morning of learning.

Joining the press gang As editor of the education page, I was very happy to receive an invite to visit the Press Gang, the after-school activity group of the British International School Phuket, last Thursday (October 27).

While many of the older students of the group were

busy tackling High Maths, some very keen younger girls had a good morning listening to my talk about newspaper work and the way I draw my weekly car toon for the paper’s Opinion page (Norachai’s World), before doing some

cartoon work themselves.

As the colouring for the cartoon is done on Photoshop, the girls lost no time in jumping on to their individual PCs in the well-equipped IT room to try their hand at it.

And, as many of the students knew more about Photoshop

than me, I was actually learning from them rather than the other way around.

The Press Gang teacher, Alison Tokley, said the main work of the group, numbering some 30 students who meet for a couple of hours after school each week, is

to prepare the school’s yearbook. The older students also write press reports on various community activities that the school’s students are involved, such as spending a day out learning about the workings of a local hospital.

Following our success-

ful visit, The Phuket News has invited the Press Gang to pay a visit to our office to see the work of the editorial department and the new Live89.5 radio station.

We look forward to reading their filed reports.

–Norachai Thavisin

BIS football tournament kicks off Some 850 young footballers from 25 schools from around Southeast Asia are set to take to the fields at the British International School Phuket (BIS) in Kaw Kaew today a nd tomor row ( November 4-5) to compete in the

school’s annual seven-a-side football tournament.

While the young student players from Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Taiwan, Indonesia, South Korea and elsewhere in Thailand enjoy pitching their football finesse

against each other, spectators will also enjoy the games and the carnival atmosphere on the school grounds.

The matches kick off on both days from 8am and end with an award ceremony at 4pm on Saturday.

The participating schools: Alice Smith School (Malaysia), Bangkok Patana School, British International School Vietnam, BIS Phuket, Dulwich College Seoul, Headstart Phuket, Harrow International School, International School Kuala Lumpur, JSSL Arsenal, Singapore JSSL, KIS International

School Phuket, Shrewsbury International School Bangkok, St Andrew’s School Bangkok, Tanglin Trust School (Singapore), Taipei European School, Youth Football Home Phuket, Phuket International Academy, Grace International School (Chiang Mai), GIS (Chiang Mai), Jerudong International School, International Community School Bangkok, Quality Schools International Phuket, The Regent’s School (Thailand), Regents British International School Jakarta, United World College (Singapore) and International School Penang.

Scare tactics These students and staff from the Phuket International Kindergarden and School in Chalong look suspect enough in the daylight, but probably should be wellavoided after night fall.

T hey a re d re sse d of course for Halloween last Monday (October 31), when many things tended to go bump in the night.

The school is a not-for-profit international school where the teaching is in English.

The school says that all profits are re-invested into facilities, toys, teaching aids and food to ensure the highest standards.

www.thephuketnews.com

SHOPPING 21

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Street fashion

1

Jeanette Icelly

General Manager of Cape Yamu.

She bought her ZARA shirt (B2,000) and her pants (B2,000) from Central Festival. Her Nine West Shoes (B6,000) were bought at Siam Paragon in Bangkok.

Vacharee Sittisak Student.

Her blue shirt (B60) was bought at Wang Lang Market, while her yellow skirt (B199) and bag (B69) were bought in Bangkok’s Sapan Put market. She bought her bracelets (B200) from Platinum Mall, also in the capital, while her shoes (B300) are from the Phuket Indy market. Her glasses (B60) came from a small market in front of Central Festival, and her watch was a gift from her aunt.

Must haves Ac c e s s ori e s fr o m Island Paradise, Shop 889, 1/F, Turtle Village, Mai Kao, 076 314 898.

2

1. R in g B 3 , 5 5 0, necklace B2,100, earring B1,450 2. Silver ring B3,350 3. Earring B1,450

3

The Beagle This jolly little dog is very popular for its size, clean lines and short coat.

The medium sized hound has gained in popularity here in Thailand over the past ten years, and there are some good breeders now well established with their lines in the country.

It is thought the animal originates in Britain, although there have been writings of a breed of similar proportions which was used for hunting during Roman times.

It is a dog that hunts by scent, and therefore belongs to the “Scenthound” group of canines. It is rather like a small version of the well known Foxhound, which follows the prey by nose.

Beagles were primarily used for hare hunting in Britain, and have a very strong instinct to follow a scent, making them sometimes a little difficult to control when loose and not contained in a fenced-in or walled compound.

They will stick their noses down and be gone in a trice, ignoring all calls to return.

As puppies Beagles can

Your Breed

by Jackie Perry

be very destructive. They will chew everything in your home to pieces if you do not control them adequately. However, as a breed to live with humans they are generally fun for children to play with, and have the most appealing eyes in the business.

The breed standard calls for the Beagle to be square in appearance with a well developed body, looking quite solid on its legs for its height.

The head has a slightly domed appearance at the rear and the forehead is slightly broad with a distinct furrow through it.

The ears are set on reasonably low, fine in texture, not too small, sitting close to the head.

The eyes are large and set wide apart and have a lovely gentle expression. The muzzle is of medium length, and straight.

The lips are not pendulous, and nostrils large and wide open to allow for good scenting.

The shoulders are well set back, strong but not too heavy.

Short muscular back with well sprung ribs. Front and back

legs are straight with good close, firm feet. The tail is set fairly high on the back end of the spine and always carries a white tip which is how the huntsman can see the dog when it is running through undergrowth.

The coat is close, hard and shortish. All true hound colours apply. Mainly the beagle is found in tri-colour, i.e. brown, black and white; orange or yellow with white patches or background.

This is a breed which requires a fair amount of exercise but will do quite a bit for itself if given a ball to play with and have one thrown for it in the garden. The breed is fairly healthy and normally has a good appetite.

As previously stated – a fun breed for the whole family.

■■ Jackie Perry is an international dog show judge.

Based in Phuket, she travels to judge shows all over the world. If you have questions about dogs, you can email her at yourbreed@the phuketnews.com www.thephuketnews.com

22 DINING

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

The true measure of any Italian restaurant. Half of Cefalù is located indoors, while the outdoor seating is right on the sands of Surin Beach.

Pizzas are crafted in full view of patrons.

A slice of Sicily on the sand

“Our food is so authentic, that by the time you finish your meal, you may end up speaking Italian.”

It’s a bold claim that appears on the cover of the menu at Cefalù, an Italian restaurant on the sands of Surin Beach.

After eating there, I have to admit my Italian is still terrible, but there is still only one word to describe the food: delizioso.

The owner of Cefalù, Duilio Lazzara, has run restaurants in Thailand for the past 17 years, including in Pattaya and Bangkok.

Cefalù has been open for just over a year, but has recently shifted location, bringing it closer to the main car park.

The new venue opened only last month, so the finishing touches are still being applied, but Mr Lazzara seems particularly excited about the new wood fire pizza oven that will be finished by December.

Walking along the beach to Cefalù, it is impossible not to spot other pizza and pasta shops in the immediate vicinity, but Mr Lazzara says they are of little concern to him.

“For original Italian, I am the only one. Everyone else is just a copy,” he boasts.

“We have 17 years experience [in Italian dining]. We are very proud of our pizza and pasta, and also now our range of steaks which are proving very popular.”

But enough of Mr Lazzara’s claims, it was time to put the food to the test.

I let Mr Lazzara select from the menu, and he brought out the Duilio’s Special (rigatoni) pasta (B300) and the Pizza Bosciaola (B320). Both dishes were presented – as would be expected of an authentic Italian restaurant – with minimal fuss and a lot of love.

The rigatoni was perfectly al dente, and the freshness of the bolognese sauce, cream, mozzarella, ham and mushroom made it a decadent and deliciously rich pasta dish.

The pizza was also up there with the best Phuket has to offer. The base was light and airy inside with a slightly crusty

outer. The tomato sauce was rich and aromatic, without overpowering the flavours of the mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, and Italian sausage.

The serving sizes of both were generous, without going overboard.

Both the drinks and food menu featured the standard Italian fare. Mr Lazzara stressed his restaurant provides: “Original home cooked food. We don’t do fusion. We don’t do nouvelle cuisine.

When you eat our dishes you will taste 100 per cent the flavours you would taste in Italy.”

And he’s not lying – almost all of the original ingredients used by Cefalù are imported

all the way from the mother land, and it is definitely possible to taste the difference, particularly in the cheeses.

The prices are on the reasonable side for food of this quality, particularly given the stunning setting. For unbeatable value though, early diners can also make the most of Cefalù’s lunch special: any salad B99; any pasta B149; any pizza B169.

But while the food is the obvious attraction, the ambiance of Celafu is perhaps the greater draw-card. Half of the restaurant is located indoors, while half sits literally on the sand at Surin Beach.

Cefalù is named after a small tourist town on the north

coast of Sicily. Surin may lack the rich history of that Mediterranean location, but the food and the atmosphere, the simple smells of fresh tomato, garlic and pesto wafting from the oven, mixed with the gentle ambiance of the lapping waters of Surin Beach make Cefalù probably the closest you could get to Sicily without leaving Thailand.

– Dane Halpin Celafu Italian Restaurant and Pub, Surin Beach, Phuket, 076 621 709, 08 1820 6923; pizza-bangkok.com.

Open 11.30am–11.30pm.

Pizza: B250–350, Pasta: 200350, Steaks: around B650.

Man thip and kluay tab

Man thip – grilled cassava balls.

www.thephuketnews.com

Kluay tab – grilled flat banana.

A pair of delicious desserts, man thip (grilled cassava balls) and kluay tab (grilled flat banana) are normally prepared together at small stalls across the island.

One of the best makers of them is Sarawut “Wut” Boonterm, who decided to start up his own business eight years ago, after becoming bored in his office job.

Mr Wut’s stall is located in Soi Surin 2, Phuket Town, where he opens around noon every day. However, if he can-

Street eats not order cassava or banana from the local market, he will not open his stall.

“The big floods in central and northern Thailand have really affected me. The price of my ingredients has become quite expensive, but I cannot charge a higher price to my customers,” he says.

To make man thip, Mr Wut steams cassava with sugar

Wut preparing man thip and kluay tab for his customers. and salt, then crushes it and molds it into a ball. After that, he grills it on charcoal until cooked. Sometimes, he will use taro instead of cassava.

For kluay tab, he will use both ripe and half-ripe cultivated banana, which he pricks with sticks before grilling it and then using a clamp to flatten it before serving.

True afficionados know to eat these snacks with sweet coconut sauce, washed down with iced coffee.

A ball of man thip is B5 and a stick of kluay tab is B10.

–Sukunya Phoonpong

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

DINING 23

Perfect balance at Nai Yang Last month, the island’s famished foodies will be glad to hear, the famous Indigo Pearl Sunday Brunch, with a reputation as one of Phuket’s best, was back on the provincial menu.

Located close to Phuket Airport, this award-winning boutique hotel built on a former tin mine has earned itself global renown for its unique design, excellent service, and imaginative concept.

As with much of Phuket, the area where the hotel now stands was once a tin mine.

However, as the industry’s profits waned over the years, it became apparent that a new use was needed for this land.

Hotel architect Bill Bensley drew on the machinations of the past, by introducing a new level of industrial chic that incorporated polished-concrete floors,

steel beams, and machineryinspired sculptures. The theme even extends to the names of the hotel’s F&B outlets, which includes the Tonkah Tin Syndicate snooker hall, the al fresco Tin Mine restaurant, the Underground Cafe poolside eatery, and the Rivet Grill and Rebar. The brunch spreads across the latter three venues.

The most impressive part about brunch is how it offers up a smorgasbord of excellent flavours and cuisines, without being overwhelming – or indeed wasteful, as some brunches frequently are.

It feels like the management have gotten it just right in terms of balancing supply and demand, with a stellar line-up of global cuisine that includes seafood, grill, sushi, Chinese and Indian stations – plus a dessert bar, which features row

upon row of tempting sweets behind a glass counter.

Drinks are ordered from the prompt and attentive wait staff, with a variety of global wines to select from.

If you’re reluctant to leave after finishing brunch, you can always relocate to the upstairs Rebar, which shows live sporting events on TV. In sum, we’re very glad the Indigo Pearl Sunday brunch is back – long may it shine.

Every Sunday 12pm-3pm with free flow house wine, draft beer and Bloody Marys B1,890++; B1,690++ with soft drinks and juices; 50 per cent off for children 5-12; free for children under 5.

The sushi station at Indigo Pearl brunch, above, and a selection of the delicious desserts.

Indigo Pearl, 076 327 006; info@ indigo-pearl .com; indigo-pearl.com

Members of the Phuket chapter of the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rotisseurs.

Chaine reaction: Excellent!

Da Maurizio, Patong’s famed Italian restaurant on the rocks, recently hosted a highly successful dinner for that most discerning group of eaters, the Phuket chapter of the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rotisseurs. Chef Paolo Fadda pulled out all the stops, treating members of the Chaîne to an extravagance gastronomique that included veal tenderloin with tuna sauce, beetroot agnolotti pasta

filled with mascarpone, ham and spinach, duck breast with pesto polenta almonds, and chocolate soufflé.

The wines – all Italian, naturally – were supplied by Bangkok importers GDS and began with a Prosecco, followed by a Pinot Bianco, a Sardinian Vermentino, a big Nebbiolo from Piedmont, and a Moscato to go with the dessert.

www.thephuketnews.com

24 NATIONALTRAVEL

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Head in the trees M uch as they have always done, the residents of Bang Ka Chao live in quiet, semi-rural solitude, making a living from farming and ferrying people across the river. In recent years, however, a number of homestays have sprung up that offer weary Bangkokians a weekend respite from the hectic city.

These are mostly simple affairs: basic wooden Aframes built on former farming land, though the better ones come equipped with modern conveniences such as air-conditioning and flat screen TVs. However there are no true hotels on Bang Ka Chao – until now, that is. Though the Bangkok Tree House is seemingly rising from nothing (built on tidal land, water flows under its lengthy foundations twice daily), the owner Jirayu ‘Joey’ Tulyanond comes from a solid hospitality background. His mother runs the Old Bangkok Inn, a n a c cl a i m e d 10 - r o o m boutique property located in the heart of the city’s historic Rattanakosin quarter.

The land on which it sits has been in the family for seven generations, and was originally a palace bestowed on them by

www.thephuketnews.com

Bangkok Treehouse owner Jirayu Tulyanond.

King Rama V. Operated for a while as a noodle restaurant, the former shophouse was opened as a hotel in 2005 to instant acclaim by the likes of Time, Conde Nast Traveler, The New York Times, and The Independent. Reviewers raved about its superb location, homely feel, attention to detail, and winning mother and son team. Indeed, when it comes to hospitality, Jirayu couldn’t have a much

The environmentally-minded property sits next to the flowing waters of the Chao Phraya river.

better teacher than his mother, Nantiya Tulyanond, who for a while – to make sure they were done properly – insisted on personally washing the Inn’s bed sheets. “I just hope guests don’t compare me to her though,” jokes the son.

As a committed environmentalist, or “treehugger,” as he puts it, Tulyanond has injected many of his own values into the Old Bangkok Inn,

promoting a green ethos that includes solar powered airconditioning and showers, use of reclaimed wood for doors, windows, and furniture, and energy-saving appliances and light bulbs throughout. Guests are even invited to donate to local community projects when they check-in. It is these values that are most apparent with the Bangkok Tree House.

Having fallen in love with the rural beauty of Bang Ka Chao, his first step was to find a suitable site to build on. He spent months going door-to-door, asking if anyone was willing to sell their land. Eventually, his persistence paid off, and he found a medium-sized riverside plot almost directly opposite the Sanphawut ferry pier. The owner, a businesswoman from the city, was eager to sell – her dream of buying out the neighbours and building a large country home having come to naught. With the land secured, he then set about wooing the neighbours, assuaging their fears that he was just another Bangkokian come to disturb their quiet idyll. After a few years had passed, he put his plans into motion, and giant steel cubes began to rise from the soft tidal shore.

“The neighbours always ask me, ‘What is it?’”, says Tulyanond of his admittedly unique construction. What it is is a 12-suite property, which guests will arrive at by way of a dedicated shuttle boat across the Chao Phraya, disembarking onto a floating pontoon overlooked by the hotel’s gourmet organic restaurant. Each standard suite is separated over three levels (living room, bedroom, and roof deck), offering views of the surrounding river, mangroves, and coconut plantations. Inside, the rooms are comfortable if cozy, with all the expected mod-cons

Initial conceptural drawing of the innovative project.

(TV, DVD, Wi-Fi), and optional air-con – though guests will be encouraged to instead rely on the natural breeze.

Out the back, towering over the natural swimming pool (more on which later), is the Tree House itself, a towering twin structure built around the site’s largest tree, and designed to resemble a swallow’s nest – though judging from the initial conceptual drawings, it could just as easily have been inspired by the tree villages of Avatar.

One imagines the green message central to James Cameron’s 2009 blockbuster was not lost on Tulyanond. Indeed, to encapsulate his environmental initiatives for the hotel, the hotelier has created his own ‘Green Alphabet’.

For instance, ‘A’ stands for “A kilo of trash removed from the river for every booking you make with us”; ‘F’ for “Food at the Bangkok Tree House is organic, fresh and 100% ‘artificial anything’ free”; and ‘Z’ for “Zero waste goal. We follow the ‘6 Rs’ of sustainable living: Refuse, Refuse, Refuse, then Reduce, Reuse & Recycle.”

Other initiatives include using only biological filters and hydroponically-rooted plants

to naturally purify the water in the swimming pool, meaning no chemicals such as chlorine that can harm the human body and the local ecology.

It all adds up to one of Bangkok’s most unique and innovative hotel projects – but can it succeed? The main appeal of Bang Ka Chao is also its biggest drawback, namely poor accessibility and a complete lack of shopping and other infrastructure. However, Tulyanond is confident that the property’s eco-credentials, association with the Old Bangkok Inn, and high-end offerings in an area that has none, are a recipe for success.

It’s certainly a bold plan, albeit one backed up by green credentials and an impressive track record. But according to Jirayu, there’s one final reason why the project is destined to be a success. “I’ve already promised my girlfriend that we will get engaged here in 2012.

If it’s not finished by then, the wedding could be off!”

–Simon Ostheimer The Bangkok Treehouse opens in 2012: 081 453 1100, info@bangkoktreehouse.com; bangkoktreehouse.com

NATIONALTRAVEL 25

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Jewel of the forest Thung Tieo-Sa Morakot trail, passing through forest.

Freshwater in the Emerald Pool travels through forest and cracks in the rocks down to Emerald Pool from a hot spring known as Blue Pool, which is warmed by sulphur and lava.

If one weekend you decide to jump into your car and head to Krabi, make sure that the Emerald Pool is included in your list of must-visit attractions.

The Emerald Pool is famous for its aquamarine-coloured water surrounded by thick lowland forest, and is located on the boundary of Khao Pra Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary.

The freshwater in the pool travels here from a hot spring on the hill above known as the Blue Pool, which is warmed by sulphur and lava beneath the earth, before making its way down to the Emerald Pool.

It owes its glassy waters to the high level of calcium carbonate in the water, which restricts algae from growing in the pool, as well as making

all suspended particles settle at the bottom.

Eco-tourism is the main drawcard of this area. You may not to use your vehicles to reach the pool, and are asked not to make loud noise that could disturb the many wild animals and birds.

More than 100 species of birds have been found here, including several endangered species such as Gurney’s Pitta (once believed extinct), Rufous-collared Kingfishers and Black Hornbills.

To get to the pool, you need to hike along a 800-metre path through thick forest, from which you can sometime hear the coo of various birds if you’re quiet enough.

A small trail called Thung

Tieo-Sa Morakot leads from the Emerald Pool to the Blue Pool, with a round-trip covering approximately 1.4 kilometres, and taking about 30 minutes.

Don’t be in a rush. The most interesting part of the trail is watching the forest change around you.

The trail starts with lowland forest covered with limestone outcrops and small green bushes, before transforming into dense tropical jungle filled with tall trees and palms.

For anyone who really wants to enjoy a true forest experience, try the 2.7-kilometre Jolliffe trail.

The walk is named after British naturalist Tina Jolliffe, who pushed for the establishment of the Khao Pra Bang

Khram Wildlife Sanctuary in 1993, in order to protect the forest and local wildlife.

This longer hike may take as much as three hours, passing through a variety of habitats, limestone rocks, forest pools, before also ending back at the Emerald Pool.

At day’s end, make sure you reward your efforts with a dip in the emerald waters.

How to get there: The Emerald Pool is in Klong Thom District, 45 kilometres south of Krabi Town. Take the KrabiTrang highway and turn left at Road 4038, then follow the signs to the parking area.

Admission: Thai: B10 children, B20 for adults. Foreign: B100 children, B200 for adults.

www.thephuketnews.com

26 ONCAMERA

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Above Ben (Sakda) Kammungkun digs deep as he crosses the finish line. Left: Natalya Dougall picks up some speed on the cycling course.

KIDS OF IRON T Above: Cameron Gracia opens the training race.

he Iron Kids Phuket Triathlon Training Race was held at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club last Sunday (October 30). Almost one hundred children from across Phuket joined in the training session, a practice run for the official race day on December 3. See www. ironkidsphuket.com for more.

Left (l-r): Debbie Dionysius, Sanna Erichsen and Alexandria Erichsen.

Right: Jack Briet enjoys the spoils of victory.

Andre Kluyver puts in a big effort in the pool.

Above: Benjamin McMillan replenishes his sugar levels. www.thephuketnews.com

Noah Saponara finishes the swim leg.

Above: Sophia Netboot and Maxime Schrijnemaekers stand high on the winners’ podium. Left: Eloïse de Perthuis on the cycling leg.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

ISLAND SCENE

ONCAMERA 27

ALL PHUKET'S BEST EVENTS ARE HERE

Sexy LEO Girl Season 6 Party Where: Royal Phuket Marina When: Sat, October 29

Rocking Halloween Party Where: Hard Rock Cafe Phuket When: Mon, October 31

Blu Night Party Where: Radisson Blu Plaza Resort Phuket Panwa Beach When: Fri, October 28

Halloween Haunted House Weekend Where: Famous Night Club, Patong When: Mon, October 31

Save The Nature @ Phuket Where: Phang Nga Bay When: Mon, October 31

Oktoberfest Where: @Beach Bar, Kata Beach Resort and Spa When: Sat, October 29

www.thephuketnews.com

28 WEIRDWORLD

THE BIG LIST Malevolent Monikers Your name, apart from your physical body, is one of the few things you are stuck with for life. So there’s really no worse way for a parent to send their child out into the big bad world than by naming them something ridiculous, just as in Johnny Cash’s 1969 tune, A Boy Named Sue.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Terrified man alerts police to huge UFO A British man called the emergency police line recently, telling the operator he had seen a UFO-like mysterious object hovering above his house.

Call handlers at the Hertfordshire police department received a call from a resident claiming to have seen a UFO with blazing lights, visible from his window.

The genuine panic from the man led to the call handlers treating the sighting as a serious matter.

When asked if the object was making any recognisable engine noises, the caller sa id he c ou ld not he a r anything like that.

Pilot Inspektor (Child of: Jason Lee): Jason Lee, star of My Name is Earl, is a pretty funny guy. But maybe, sometimes, he should stop trying to be so funny. Why Pilot?

Because he heard a song by the band Grandaddy (called He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot). If he had just waited for eight more tracks on the same album he could have named him E. Knievel Interlude, which is equally ridiculous, but in a far more awesome way.

Fifi Trixibelle (Child of: Bob Geldof and Paula Yates): The Irish singer and songwriter Bob Geldof named his daughter Fifi after his aunt, and his wife was fascinated with the lifestyles of southern belles, hence the last part. But Trixi? Maybe they just decided to throw in as many dog names as they could.

Apple (Child of: Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin): Gwyneth explained the unusual choice of name to Oprah: “Right, well, um, basically it was because when we were first pregnant, her daddy said one day ‘If it’s a girl I think her name should be Apple’. It sounded so sweet, and it conjures such a lovely picture for me, you know apples are so sweet and they’re wholesome, and it’s biblical and I just thought it sounded so lovely and...”. A rough translation of that is “I have no freaking idea why we named our child after an inanimate piece of fruit. Mind, you, in Thailand, where there are thousands of girls called Apple and Cherry, this is no problem.

Sage Moonblood (Son of: Sylvester Stallone): With big Rambo for a father, young Sage should just count himself lucky he didn’t wind up with a name like Steroid McStabblood, or Rookie (think about it).

Memphis Eve: (Child of: Bono) A pretentious baby name from this star shouldn’t be much of a surprise. The man does call himself Bono, after all (real name Paul David Hewson). This is also the same person that bought a firstclass plane ticket to transport his favourite hat. That said, bandmate The Edge has him beat for true awesomeness.

Ocean (Son of: Forest Whitaker): The last King of Scotland has clearly explained why he chose to name his son Ocean: “I want those names to be their destiny, for my daughter [True Whitaker] to be honest and my son to be expansive.” Presumably that’s instead of becoming huge, salty and reeking of fish.

Audio Science (Child Of: Actress Shannyn Sossamon): It’s true that Shannyn Sossamon (A Knight’s Tale) just barely qualifies as a celebrity, but she forces her way onto this list with this exceptionally bizarre name. We learn with this entry that the only thing sadder than a pretentious baby name is a failed attempt at a pretentious baby name that ends up sounding like the name of a 101 class at a local community college. We give this an F for fail.

Batman Bin Suparman (Son of: The most awesome parents in the world): Batman Bin Suparman is from Singapore, and boasts probably the coolest name in the history of people having names (Homer Simpson’s alter ego Max Power, aside). Mind you, he would probably need the power of both superheroes to deal with explaining his moniker every time someone asks for his details.

Dick Assman (Son of: The cruelest parents in the world): Richard Assman is German Canadian, so his name is actually pronounced “uzman”, but people never pronounce it that way. He was discovered in 1995 by David Letterman and subsequently became a celebrity. A survey proved that 49 per cent of Canadian people had heard about him in 1995. Some of his fans even referred to themselves as “assmaniacs”, with Mr Assman takingit all in good spirit.

Jejomar (Son of: Religious zealots): Jejomar sounds like a perfectly reasonable name for a Filipino. But if you know that his super religious parents derived the name from the first syllables of Jesus, Joseph and Mary, then it actually becomes very weird. Ny the way, Jejomar went on to become mayor of Makati, the financial district of Manila. www.thephuketnews.com

The man, who remains anonymous, called back about t wo minutes later though, and spoke to the same police operator.

Laughing nervously, he said: “I made a mistake. I thought I saw something really strange, but I didn’t. You won’t believe this, you won’t believe it. It’s the moon.”

The police decided to release the audio of the phone call online, not only making people aware of the silliness of potential prank calls but also as a means of informing call handlers and the police force of what to expect during Halloween.

Adolf Hitler’s parents lose custody of three children There are stupid names, and then there are just the downright cruel (see The Big List)..

So it comes as no real surprise that parents Heath and Deborah Campbell have lost custody of their children, named Adolf Hitler, Joycelynn Aryan Nation and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie – they pretty much had it coming.

The kids were originally taken into foster care in January 2009, shortly after a local shop in Flemington, New Jersey, refused to decorate a birthday cake with three-

year-old Adolf’s name.

Last year, a New Jersey court ruled that there was sufficient evidence of neglect and abuse to take the kids into care.

However, the Campbells are now claiming that New Jersey’s Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) and the presiding judge have admitted that the sole reason their kids are being kept from them is their unusual monikers.

“Actually, the judge and DYFS told us that there was

no evidence of abuse and that it was the names. They were taken over the children’s names,” said Mr Campbell.

The couple now expect their children to be returned to them, accusing the state of New Jersey of unlawfully holding them.

“I don’t sleep, I don’t eat much. I miss my kids. Miss their pitter patters on the floor. It’s hard. I fall asleep with their pictures,” said mum Deborah. Pictures of Adolf Hitler and young Aryan Nation, that is.

The couple admit they are aware of the names’ race hate association but believe that, as Americans, they should be free to call their children what they like.

However, it is unlikely such names would have been allowed in Sweden. The country’s legislation, enforced by the tax authority, has in recent years rejected requests to call offspring Superman, Elvis, Metallica and Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116 – that’s pronounced Albin.

Man claims prostitute ‘turned into’ donkey

We’ve all been there before; tiality offence, aca perfectly innocent night cording to the New out picking up a lady of the Zimbabwe news night, only to wake up and website, but prorealise she has magically ceeded to tell the transformed in the night into magistrates his coa four-legged equine. lourful tale: “Your So we can probably all worsh ip, I on ly spare some sympathy for a came to know that man in Zimbabwe who claims I was being intimate the prostitute he visited turned with a donkey when into a donkey overnight and I got arrested.

“I had hired a now he is “seriously in love” prostitute and paid with the animal. $20 for the service Sunday Moyo, who has a t D ow n Tow n been charged with bestiality, n ig htclub a nd I told a court in Zvishavane It probably looked like a hot piece of ass the night before. last Monday that his donkey don’t know how she lover was in fact a hooker stumbled upon the 28-year- The animal was lying on then became a donkey... but I whose services he procured old, from Mandava township, the ground with its neck am seriously in love.” performing a “sex act” on tied to a tree. from a nightclub.

Moyo has been ordered Moyo admitted the bes- to undergo psychiatric tests.

Police on routine patrol had the donkey inside his yard.

DOWNTIME 29

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011 BOOK

MUSIC

The Dovekeepers Mylo Xyloto Alice Hoffman Scribner, 512 pages

Coldplay Capitol

In 70 CE, 900 Jews held out for months against a siege by the armies of Rome on Masada, a mountain in the Judean desert.

Only two women and five children survived its eventual capture.

Based on t h is t rag ic event, Alice Hoffman weaves a spellbinding tale of four extraordinary bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom comes to Masada by a different path.

The lives of these four women intersect in the desperate days of the siege. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secrets – about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and who they love.

A story of sacrifice, endurance, and above all, survival, The Dovekeepers is homage to anyone who’s ever held fast to their beliefs in the face of nearly insurmountable adversity.

Coldplay have always wanted it both ways. Since they arrived on the scene almost a decade ago, they’ve tried to balanced two aspirations: being mega-pop titans and the next great art-rock band – with mixed success.

On 2008’s Viva La Vida they were both of those things simultaneously – filling stadiums, dominating radio, and still managing to push their music forward into unexpected places. Equally important, not a single note felt forced or out-of-place.

Mylo Xyloto, their fifth studio album, clearly has those same dual ambitions, and in fact, they’ve aimed even higher in both directions – attempting to out-art themselves with a concept album and nudging their sound toward mainstream R&B and all its neon-glow synths, sub-bass, and programmed beats. Sounds reasonably intriguing on paper, but the reality falls a little short.

FILM In Time

115 minutes.

Rating: 13+ It’s ironic that director Andrew Niccol’s (Gattaca) new film centres on the concept of trading time – you may just want someone to refund you the two hours wasted by watching it.

In Time is a film with a fantastic premise – a world operating under Ben Franklin’s adage of “Time is money”. People are bioengineered to stop aging at 25, at which point their implanted digital clocks count down whatever time is afforded them.

The rich get wealthy by hording years in their vaults – effectively becoming immortal if they take no risks – while the poor cheat, steal or kill just to last another 24 hours. Once your clock runs out, you die.

That interesting concept, though, is unfortunately unable to corral into a quality

story. By a chance encounter, our protagonist Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) is gifted more than a century to spend as he pleases. And so the stage is set for him to correct the social injustices that exist in this dystopian future, through a fairly generic, muddled and downright boring script.

Niccol has an obvious talent for blending sci-fi elements with human drama in order to raise larger philosophical points about our society. In Time attempts to follow that trend, only it is unable to synthesise any strong points or conclusions from

the socio-economic issues it so clearly (and heav y handedly) touches on.

The idea of time as currency has huge thematic potential, and in the first act it seems as though the film will utilise this by exploring issues such as what it is to ‘live’ versus ‘exist’.

However, once the formulaic action-movie tropes work their way into the second act, the whole “time is money” metaphor deflates into shallow word substitution. (Lines like “Clean your clocks”, “don’t waste my time”, “Can you give me a minute’’ are used to the point where they could spawn their own drinking game.)

Much of what occurs with both the plot and characters during the latter part of the film feels cobbled together and confused, and sucks whatever momentum the premise had right out of the film.

At times (see, it’s contagious), it feels like there are three or four plots going that could have made great films in their own right. Instead,

they become jumbled, and the film loses track of the unique sci-fi concept that really is the best thing it had going for it.

Even Cillian Murphy’s character as a gruff Timekeeper (a police force created to “keep time”) is only half-explored, and the end of his arc feels wa st e d a nd r e du nd a nt compared to the amount of screen time he eats up, especially given his potential as by far the most interesting character in the film.

In Time is frustrating not because it’s an awful movie, but because it misses so many opportunities to be a good one. The pieces are there for it to succeed, but each passing scene just can’t connect together.

In sum, the last thing a movie like this should do is have you checking your watch the way the characters check theirs.

–Dane Halpin

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

SFX COLISEUM PHUKET (CENTRAL FESTIVAL)

SFC JUNGCEYLON PHUKET (PATONG)

30+ Sode on Sale (T/E.SUB) [G]: 11:20, 12:40, 13:45, 16:10, 17:50,

18:40, 21:15 Dream House (E) [15+]: 12:00, 14:05, 16:10, 18:15, 20:15, 22:20 In Time (E) [13+]: 11:15, 13:20, 15:40, 18:00, 20:20, 22:35 In Time (E/F) [13+]: 12:10, 14:30, 16:50, 19:10, 21:30 The Smurfs (E/3D) [G]: 12:00, 14:15, 16:30, 18:45, 21:00 Top Secret Wai Roon Pun Laan (T/E.SUB) [15+]: 11:30, 14:10, 15:15,

16:45, 19:30, 20:25, 22:10

30+ Sode on Sale (T/E.SUB) [G]: 12:40, 17:20, 22:00 Dream House (E) [15+]: 13:40, 15:45, 17:50, 20:00, 22:05 Friends with Benefits (E) [18+]: 19:45 In Time (E) [13+]:: 11:20, 12:30, 14:50, 17:10, 19:30, 21:50 Spy Kids 4 (E) [G]: 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30, 22:30 The Three Musketeers (E) [15+]: 15:05 Top Secret Wai Roon Pun Laan (T/E.SUB) [15+]: 11:30, 14:10, 16:50,

19:40, 22:20

STRETCH YOUR BRAIN Across 1. Ill-informed people – I note neither partner entertains. (11) 7. Eccentric Scot returns. (3) 9. Set boundaries and timed back around 51.

(7) 10. Hairy bruin almost dead. (&0 11. Make aunt face rum, in a way. (11) 13. Thanks, I create language group. (3) 14. Vehicle’s in California, right? (3) 15. From the French I get a garland. (3)

Solutions to last week’s puzzles

16. Take away the food?

Merit. (7) 17. Gain release if loud court official. (7) 20. Cockneys have road. (3) 21. Make a bow to equal score. (3) 23. Knight and I take direction at both ends.

(3) 24. Here and capable, and looks smart too. (11) 26. Pin ’em to cook spice. (7) 28. Everything you and Des refers to. (7) 30. Arrest and reverse prohibition. (3) 31. Self-penned vehicle is vivid. (11) Down 1. Owing rumpled bed I dent. (8) 2. Bit of a pain I’ll have? It’s nothing. (3) 3. Aide-memoir regarding tender. (8) 4. Little Maurice to fit back into theme. (5) 5. Sign up for underwater writer? (9) 6. Irish feller may

embarrass us, we’re told.

(6) 7. Disc about you gives something to chew on.

(3) 8. Crazier color! (6) 11. Young lady takes pet back? That’s a blunder.

(7) 12. Cuts in two ways when sun disappears. (7) 15. Omits tree bits not inside. (6,3) 18. I label as “twisted

queen”. (8) 19. In favor of English exactly quoted, appropriate for court. (8) 21. Canvas on fish. (6) 22. Point to Internal Affairs after her ailment.

(6) 25. A shirt called city.

(5) 27. Just the cap for protesting! (3) 29. Scuttle back to Simpson cry. (3) www.thephuketnews.com

30 ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF Jessica Simpson is a Mummy Apparently the r umou r mill has been spinning for some time about Jessica Simpson’s pregnancy.

The story broke in late September, and photos taken this past weekend showing her baby bump (and her flipping off the cameras) made it increasingly obvious.

Now, any doubt has been erased, since she confirmed it on Twitter: “It’s true... I’m going to be a mummy!” Jessica wrote, posting a picture of herself in a Halloween mummy costume (get it?).

This will be the first child for Jessica Simpson and fiance Eric Johnson.

Kim Kardashian files for divorce The fairytale ‘romance’ is over. On Monday, after just over two months of marriage under her belt, Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from her basketballer hubby Kris Humphries, citing irreconcilable differences.

Humphries, who’s currently with family in Minnesota, is apparently struggling with the breakup – he was photographed on Tuesday still

www.thephuketnews.com

wearing his wedding ring.

“I love my wife and am devastated to learn she filed for divorce,” he said in a statement. “I’m committed to this marriage and everything this covenant represents.

I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it work.”

William and Kate stay in touch How popular are the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge?

That question probably doesn’t even need an answer.

Prince William and Catherine Middleton have received nearly 60,000 letters and cards of goodwill from members of the public since their engagement nearly a year ago.

The number of messages peaked again around the time of the royal wedding in April – and the coolest thing about it is that a return address guarantees a reply.

“It will take quite a while for the small team to get to answer them all, but everyone gets a reply if there is a return address,” a palace aide said.

You can send your own mail to: HRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Clarence House, London SW1A 1BA, United Kingdom.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Who is ‘The Wizeman’?

‘The Wizeman’ didn’t choose his nickname – it found him.

And, as he says, “If the hat fits, wear it.”

Wearing it he is, but does that make him wise? Well, that’s up to his listeners to decide.

The Wizeman is one of the talented new DJs manning Live 89.5FM, Phuket’s latest addition to the radio airwaves.

He packed his life into a suitcase and made the journey over from Melbourne, Australia for the gig, “for the challenge of starting a radio station from scratch”.

So far, he’s relishing that challenge.

“What I saw was an opportunity to reflect life on the island through radio.

“I want to hear about local issues, I want to talk about local topics. It’s a vehicle for people living here to interact with other people living here.”

The Wizeman is not a newcomer to the airwaves though – more of an old hand.

“I didn’t fall into radio. I was always going to be in it.” And, as a veteran of more than 20 years, he has spent most of his life in it, working for Australia’s FIVE AA, BayFM, SPORT 927am, as well as London Radio, to cut short a long list.

‘The Wizeman’ truly has a face for radio.

Today, he is the voice of the appropriately named ‘Mornings with The Wizeman’ show on Live 89.5.

He describes himself as having a “bourbon soaked vocal timbre”, and maintains his show “is conversational, lifestyle, interactive”.

The main aim is to slowly build the audience interaction with the show, giving Phuket a

“real” radio station which delivers what they are asking for.

“It’s basically a yardstick of what’s going on around the island,” he says.

“It’s not my programme, it’s the listeners’ programme, so it’s only as good as them, and there’s plenty of amazing people out there on Phuket.”

The Wizeman says his favourite saying in Thailand is

‘sabai sabai’ (no worries), and his laid-back on-air persona seems to reflect that.

■■ You can catch The Wizeman and his torrents of wisdom on Live 89.5FM, Phuket’s newest radio station, weekdays from 11am – 3pm. Alternatively, you can stream his show live by visiting phuketliveradio.com.

EVENTS 31

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET UNTIL DECEMBER

NOVEMBER 19

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

DECEMBER 3-10 Phuket King’s Cup Regatta 2011 The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is Asia’s largest regatta, comprising five days of competitive racing in the tropics, with six nights of some of the best regatta parties to be found anywhere.

TSLC Ironkids TSLC Ironkids Phuket Triathlon after- school training sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3.45pm to 4.45pm. Open to all children from six to 15 years old. Priced at B350 per person.

Tuesdays: Swim and bike and Thursdays: Bike and run. Pre-book sessions by email activities@thanyapura.co.th. Bikes available for rent at B100 per session.

More info at www.ironkidsphuket.com.

NOVEMBER 4-5

Help Us Save The Marine Life Guest Chef Laurent Révéillac specialises in molecular cuisine and will showcase some of his renowned creations using liquid nitrogen in the name of charity to raise funds for the Pure Blue Foundation (www.purebluefoundation.com), which is committed to the regeneration and sustainability or marine environments.

Live cooking stations will be set up on Aleenta Phuket-Phang Nga beach where guests will savour some of Chef Révéillac’s specialties.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the regatta regularly attracts over 100 boats and 1,000+ participants from all corners of the globe.

The jewel in the crown of the Asian Yachting Circuit, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta has become “the one to win”. kingscup.com.

DECEMBER 5 HM the King’s Birthday A public holiday celebrating the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). Also observed as National Day and National Father’s Day.

BIS Phuket is proud to host its 10th International 7-a-side Football Tournament on November 4 and 5 (Friday to Saturday) 2011.

Last year’s tournament saw 25 school teams from within Thailand as well as from Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore visiting the BIS Phuket campus.

For more information visit their website at www.bisphuket.ac.th. Call 076 335 555.

NOVEMBER 10 Loi Krathong Festival Loi Krathong is one of the most beautiful festivals in Thailand. The event occurs on the full-moon night of the 12th lunar month. The festival originates from Sukhothai Province.

Loy means to float and Krathong is a lotus-shaped boat made from banana leaves. The festival is of Brahmin origin to honour Mae Khongkha, the Mother Goddess of the Waters.

Before people float their krathong, they make a wish. It is believed that the krathongs carry away sins and bad luck.

Today it is simply also a time to have fun.

Starting at 7pm, the charity evening costs B2,900 net per person and includes the dining experience and free flow of drinks.

To reserve email : help@purebluefounda tion.com or call 076 580 333.

NOVEMBER 26-27 9th Phuket International Soccer 7s 2011 The one and only Phuket Soccer 7s will celebrate its ninth anniversary this year.

Also with the 6th Andaman International Soccer 7s on December 3-4 there is a lot to look forward to this year.

Register your team now by emailing info@Thai7s.com, www.Thai7s.com.

NOVEMBER 27

  

Chulalongkorn U – BBA



 IGCSE andArtIB students stop by and Design Academy Italy please Glion and Les Roches and talk to us about future. Parents and Dusityour Thani College Success Canada  staff very welcome.

From 12pm to4.30pm.  Sino-British College   IDP – Australia Rangsit University    Venue: MTB Foyer.

HOC Info AVSS Studywiz  Blue Mountain School of Hospitality  335 Nuffic NESO Thailand Netherlands Education Support Office For more information contact 076  Northumbria Stamford University CP International Education 555 ext. 1103.

See www.bisphuket.ac.th.

University of San Francisco Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology Academy of Art, Thailand King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi

Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality SHML/ Swiss College of Hospitality Management Lenk

Mahidol University, Dept of Math

DECEMBER 6 The Thailand Property Awards 2011 Now in their sixth year, The Thailand Property Awards are widely recognised as a benchmark for excellence in Thailand’s residential real estate industry.

Over a thousand developers, property agents, architects and real estate companies are represented on the submitted list of entries, including many of Bangkok’s top residential developers, plus stand-out projects and real estate firms based in Thailand’s most popular resort destinations, with Phuket well represented. For more infomation See thailand propertyawards.com. Contact 02 662 5195.

Commemorates the anniversary of the first permanent constitution in 1932.

Laguna Phuket 2011 Double Triathlon Festival The Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) is on November 27 and Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship is on December 4.

Hundreds of athletes from around the world will arrive for a week-long Tri-Fest of training and social events with top triathlon professionals, in the lush surroundings of the beachfront Laguna Phuket resort.

LPT involves a 1.8km swim; 55km bike ride and 12km run; Ironman 70.3 AsiaPacific Championship has a 1.9km swim; 90.1km bike ride and 21.1km run.

Laguna Phuket is using the events to raise funds for its community project to give survival swim lessons to local youngsters. Online registrations at lagunaphuket triathlon.com and ironmanphuket.com.

Learn or deepen your practice of Ashtanga yoga with Kimberly Roberts. The practice will be adjusted to the appropriate level for each student. No prior experience necessary. All levels of students are welcome. Non-residential: B3,300 per day. Residential 3 day/2 night packages include yoga, meals, access to fitness club, pool, and a complimentary spa massage.

For reservations, please contact Khun Napapen, 076 336 000, ext. 3354. Email: napapen.k@thanyapura.co.th; thanyapura. co.th/yoga-retreat.

The Gala Award ceremony will take place at the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok on November 5th, and with many of the tables already reserved, the event is expected to attract more than 600 leading figures from the Kingdom’s property sector.

Constitution Day

University & Higher Education Fair

Get in on some dinner and some crab -cracking fun. Pick up a bib and mallet and a basket brimming with the very best crabs. The price is B1,350 per person (exclusive of service charge and tax).

At DiVine Restaurant, Thanyapura.

Contact 076 336 000, Email: divine@than yapura.co.th.www.thanyapura.com.

NOVEMBER 18-20 Foundations of Ashtanga Yoga Weekend Workshop at Thanyapura with Kimberly Roberts

DECEMBER 10

NOVEMBER 17

UNTIL NOVEMBER 7 Crab Festival 2011

DECEMBER 6

The evening will start with the release of leatherback turtles into the sea, followed by an exclusive cocktail dinner which will be accompanied by entertainment and music spun by DJ Me.

BIS Phuket’s 10th International Football Tournament

NOVEMBERÊ1 STÊÐÊ7TH Ê 6.00ÊPMÊÐÊ10.00ÊPM.

DECEMBER 3 TSLC Ironkids Phuket Triathlon for kids 6-15 years old.

Registration is open until November 27.

More information and registration forms at ironkidsphuket.com.

Asian Hospitality & Travel Show Be seen...

FEBRUARY 2-4 2012 Thailand 2012 Sport Fishing Tournament (Phuket).

This is Thailand's largest-ever international sport fishing tournament. Prize monies totalling over B3,000,000 ($100,000 USD).

Boats and teams are filling fast. For further information, please contact Warren Crowe on 081 270 4291 or email: info@ rawaibeachfishingclub.com.

18TH - 20TH NOVEMBER 2011 @

NOW FULLY BOOKED! Phuket’s biggest ‘trade show’ for organisations whithin the Hospitality & Travel industry Hosted Buyer programme - buyers from Asia, Australia, India and more.

For more information Contact: info@eventsthailand.net Mobile: 089 725 6994 www.eventsthailand.net

www.thephuketnews.com

32 EVENTS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET

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

FRIDAY BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat O nly B29 5 per per son at Shaker s.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim. For reservations call on 081 891 4381.

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Phuket Brasserie Eat, drink, look and party. Live band, Dj and dancers from 10pm till late. All welcome. Call 076 210 511 for more information or look on www.brasseriephuket.com

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Best Sunday Carvery in Phuket

THURSDAY

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

Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

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Sunday Brunch Enjoy the original Sunday brunch in Phuket at Twinpalms, Surin Beach. 123pm (from B1,190++ per person). Reservations please call 076 316 577.

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Near Peppers Bar Laguna. Buy- one -get-one-free cocktails. Resident DJ, ’70s to now. Great tapas. Please call 088 443 4166.

Half-Chicken Spit Roast

Curry Fridays at Navrang Mahal

Quiz Night every Wednesday at Peppers Sports Bar near Laguna.

-Great food -Great music -Great beer.

Contact 081 728 1010. Facebook Peppers Sports Bar.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim. Reservations call on 081 891 4381.

Tapas Tree

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Tapas & Wine Night O rder t apas, as muc h as you like, plus one bottle of wine. B1,200 net per person. 6 -11pm at White Box Kalim.

Call 076 346 271. ................................................................................

Wednesday Quiz Night @ Peppers

wine, 50 per cent discount. Children under 12 eat for free. Call for reservations on 076 360 803.

Start November 2011-January 2012. Alternate Fridays, all-you-can-eat authentic Indian curry buffet, B449 net per person.

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

O nly B2 25 per per son at Shaker s.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim area. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

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Champagne Brunch at Trisara

Phuket Brasserie

MONDAY

From 10pm to midnight with live music, Roaring Bhoys. Every Friday. Irish Times Irish pub, Jungceylon, Patong.

SATURDAY

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AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub 82/15 Moo 4 Patak Road, one km from Chalong circle.

Contact for details on 081 895 4763.

DAILY

Sunday Family Brunch At Club Yamu by Twinpalms. Noon till 3pm.

Enjoy delicious pasta, BBQ, Thai home cooking. Call 076 310 557.

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50% Off All Drinks

Only B325 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Free pickup Patong and Kalim. Reservations 081 891 4381.

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Ever y Sunday, the beachfront bar becomes a celebration of fine wines, exquisite tapas, live cooking stations and Phuket’s best dessert, featuring the cool sounds of a jazz trio.

Come and indulge in Roederer Champagne or a wide variety of wines.

Kids club welcome all children with complimentary snacks. Advance reservations recommended on 076 310 100 or guest@trisara.com.

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BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat

Brew Great Beer Phuket’s one and only small batch handcraft beer. Happy hour daily from 4pm to 7pm. Draft beer B110/pint, cocktails two for B220. Live music at 7.30pm onwards. Behind the ship, the port zone at Jungceylon. Call 076 3667 753.

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Sam’s Steaks & Grill Patong’s finest steaks. Special offer: Caesar salad, fillet steak with you choice of sauce and a glass of Shiraz or Cabernet.

Only B999++ per person. Reservations pleasecall on 076 370 200.

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Eat, drink, look and party. Live band, Dj and dancers from 10pm till late. All welcome. Call 076 210 511 for more information or look on www.brasseriephuket.com.

Roaring Bhoys

Charm Thai

Live Music every Monday night. The largest selection of draught beer in Phuket.

Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

Don’t leave Phuket before you’ve tried our lobster. We serve a daily selection of great value Thai sets for two.

Colin Hill

BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat

Colin Hill performs (duo) now every second Saturday at Legends Bar in Kamala, with local guitarist Florian. 081 079 1069.

Only B325 per person at Shakers. RatU-Thit Road, Patong. Free pickup Patong and Kalim. Reservations 081 891 4381.

From B599++ - B699 ++ per person or simply try the wonderful creations of amazing Thai cuisine by Chef Wisuth.

Call 076 370 200.

Champagne Brunch at Trisara

Half-Chicken Spit Roast

TUESDAY

Every Sunday, the beachfront bar becomes a celebration of fine wines, exquisite tapas, live cooking stations and Phuket’s best dessert, featuring the cool sounds of a jazz trio.

Come and indulge in Roederer Champagne or a wide variety of wines.

Kids club welcome all children with complimentary snacks. Advance reservations recommended on 076 310 100 or guest@trisara.com.

O nly B2 25 per per son at Shaker s.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim area. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

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TapasTree TapasTree (Near Peppers Bar Laguna).

Resident DJ, ’70s to date. Great tapas.

Contact 088 443 4166.

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AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub, 82/15 Moo 4 Patak Road, one km from Chalong circle. Contact 081 895 4763.

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All Major Sports Live Phuket Brasserie Eat, drink, look and party.

Every Friday and Saturday from 10pm till late live band, Dj and dancers. All welcome.

Call us on 076 210 511 for more information or visit our website: www.brasseriephuket.com.

New on Monday : Russian Night with Russian Dj, Saxophone player and a special shooter menu + Special surprise act.

www.thephuketnews.com

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

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20% off all Pizzas At Shakers. Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road, Pa t o n g . Fr e e p i c k u p Pa t o n g a n d Kalim areas. Reservations please call 081 891 4381.

SUNDAY Family Brunch on The Boardwalk Les Anges at RPM. From 11am to 3pm.

B795++ adults, include one glass of house

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Half-Chicken Spit Roast O nly B2 25 per per son at Shaker s.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim area. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

................................................................................

AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub, 82/15 Moo 4, Patak Road, one km from Chalong circle. Contact 081 895 4763.

................................................................................

Beach BBQ Enjoy a beach BBQ at Catch Beach Club (from B1,190++ per person). 7pm-10pm.

Call 076 316 567

WEDNESDAY Interactive Pub Q uiz night. St ar ts from 8 pm ever y Wednesday night. The largest selection of draught beer in Phuket. Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

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Salsa Class At RPM Salsa c lass at Royal Phuket M ar i na from 7.30 -9pm. For more info on www.phuket-dance.com.

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BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat O nly B29 5 per per son at Shaker s.

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Grizzly’s Sports Bar & Restaurant Watch all the sport that is on TV this weekend with us. Located bet ween Loc h Palm G olf C our se and Kathu Waterfall. Call 087 471 8747.

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Sunset Happy Hours & Ninjazz Don’t miss the Sunset happy hours.

Between 5pm and 7pm. “Buy one get the same one free” promotion. The Luna Bar, Centara Grand Beach Resor t.

076 201 234.

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3-Hour Happy Hour Three-hour Happy Hour Monday-Friday, 4pm-7pm. Beer from B50. House spirits B90. Australia Bar & Grill, Kata Beach.

089 226 2878.

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Duke’s Sports Bar at Kata Watch your favourite sports and enjoy a cold beer at the best little sports bar in Phuket. Special “drink of the day” B110, all day - every day. Visit our website at www.dukesbigboard.com.

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Peppers Quiz Night Peppers Sports Bar. Daily happy hour, great food, full English breakfast. Open from 8.30am. All sports shown. Laguna area. Please call 088 443 4166.

JOBS 33

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

VACANCIES IN PHUKET Sales Executive

- Male/Female, 25 - 35 years.

-Bachelor’s degree or higher in marketing or related field. Thai nationality with an excellent command of written and spoken in English. (Be ing able to speak French is an advantage).

-At least two years sales experience in Phuket’s real estate field.

-Detail-oriented, highly -organised, multitasking capacity.

-Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point etc.)

-Requires an energetic strategically-focused and creative sales achiever who enjoys the latitude of working independently and effectively using their time-management skills.

-Highly-motivated and well-presented.

-Having own car and valid driving licence.

Pl e a s e s e n d CV and expected salary to kate@century21a n d a m a n .c o m . C e n tury 21 Andaman Ltd. Mobile: 080 696 2064.

Sales Job Available at MAGpal MAGpal imports interna-

tional magazines for rent.

We provided rental service of 1,000++ titles of magazines from all over the world. Please visit our website w w w.magpalthailand.com.

Job available: Sales representative. English f l u e n c y, e n t h u s i a s m , sales skills, punctual, responsible. karita@mag palthailand.com.

Travelling Salesman

Sale represent ative available to travel around Thailand for our range of fast-moving consumer products.

Thai national, English-speaking, computer skills, driving licence and proven experience of sales to minimart, supermarket.

We already have more than 500 customers in Thailand. Salary B15K plus commission. Contact via email skgf@skgf.asia.

Driver

PEXGO courier requires driver for pick up and deliveries in Phuket. Must be able to work at night. Must speak some English, basic use of computer. Contact Meaw on 076 322 663 or email phuket@pexgo.com.

Health Consultant www.atsumihealing.com is seeking a Thai national to join our detox team. Excellent English required.

To advertise here visit www.thephuketnews.com shell@atsumihealing.com.

Native English Speaking Teacher Need native English -speaking teacher with ability to speak, read and write Thai. Call Robin on 081 803 7189.

Waitress Needed

One position available.

Very good money. Patong area, night time work, good salar y,tips,commission and a m e a l d a i l y.

D y namic and f r i endly team. English necessary.

Nice presence preferred. carlopatong@gmail.com.

Hotel Receptionist Required

English-speaking Thai national with good computer skills required for reception, restaurant and bar work in Kamala.

Salary and hours negotiable based on experience. To apply phone 086 941 8880 or send CV to phil@royalembas syresortphuket.com.

Waitress/Waiter and Receptionist

Urgently required for Sensive Hill in Kathu. Similar background and experience required, excellent salar y on of fer. Please contact K.Rin at 076 203 012 or send CV to guy@ sensivehill.com.

Office Boy Office boy for company in Kamala with driving licence for deliveries in Phuket, must speak some English.

Only Thai national. salary B12,000 per month. Call 076 322 663.

Two Thai staff wanted for new sandwich shop “Delicious” in Patong. B10,000 per month. Contact ram bomuis@hotmail.com or call 083 738 7139.

on a daily basis dealing with clients & office duties, effective interpersonal skills, creative and resultoriented.

Experience in interior design will be advan tage. Good compensation to the right candidate.

Send CV to abfabsales@ gmail.com.

New Italian Bakery & Supermart

Sales Staff for Cherng Talay

Thai Staff Wanted

New Italian bakery & supermarket in Surin Beach.

Kitchen (basic English required): Pastry/baking kitchen sous chef, chef de partie/commis, steward service (good English required), waitress/waiter, bartendy/bartender, supermarket assistant and cashier.

Send CV by email marcellamocci@gmail. com, by fax 076 618 130 or contact 087 270 5806 or 076 618 127.

Good English, positive attitude, good in sales, outgoing personality. Salary B12,000 plus commission.

Contact Phuket Pool Tables 085 782 1200.

Personal Assistant

Full time. Western.

Must have excellent organisational/nego tiation/computer skills, self motivated /go o d communicator. Home based. Send CV/salary to admin@esxoasia. com.

Sales Assistant Urgently Needed

Accountant Wanted

Fluent in spoken and written English,assist manager

Accountant wanted for cooking school and

We are currently seeking To handle:

- PR and marketing of our publications & radio station - Identifying sponsorship opportunities & liaising with event organizers - General marketing & PR projects - Building relationships with government and private companies

Applicants must have:

CAD Technician

To work in new office Phuket. Proficient in AutoCAD (2004 or higher) for 2D drawing. Experience of 3D AutoCAD, Google SketchUp, Adobe Photoshop or Adobe InDesign would be a bonus.

Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook.

Thai national, good s p o ke n an d w r i t te n English, send CV indicating qualifications and experience, expected salary and recent photo to: david@yes.co.th.

V i s i t w w w. s o u n d ideas.co.uk to see the type of work we do.

Looking for a Team-Member

The Phuket News is looking to add to its ever growing team of professionals and seeks: Sales Representatives Qualifications:

- Thai or Expat.

- Excellent communication and negotiation skills in Thai and English.

- Highly motivated self-starter with a positive attitude.

- Works well under pressure and has a will to succeed.

Class Act Media publishes The Phuket News - Phuket’s leading English language newspaper. We will also soon be launching Phuket’s most vibrant and coolest English language Radio station – Live 89.5 FM

food services business.

Thai national. Cont a c t 0 8 2 816 012 6 o r send CV to info@food servicesth.com.

We offer:  Competitive

salary, bonuses and travel expenses. friendly work environment.  Social security paid by the company.  Excellent career progress opportunities. A

Please email full resume in English indicating expected salary with recent photo to

adminmgr@thephuketnews.com or call 076 6212 550-2 for mor info.

Sea B ee s D iving is looking for a reliable and responsible person (Western or Thai) for our Office in Chalong.

Applicants need to be completely fluent in English and other languages (German preferred) with good communication, sales skills and willing to work in a highly-professional & diverse team. Flexible, able to work under pressure and being serviceorientated is a must.

This position is for a long-term & full-time contract.Please send your CV & photo to: of fice@sea-bees.com.

- Excellent personal relationship skills - Excellent command of English and Thai (written & spoken) - Experience in PR/Marketing in print media or radio would be an advantage but is not essential - Lived in Phuket for at least two years - Own car

We offer:

- Competitive salary & bonuses depending on experience - Monday - Friday (8.30 am – 6 pm) - Friendly work environment - Excellent job progress opportunity and job security

Interested applicants are invited to apply by sending a full resumé in English with a recent photo & expected salary to: Class Act Media Co., Ltd. 99/7, Moo 1, T. Kathu, Phuket 83120 Tel: 076 612 550-2 Fax: 076 612 553 E-mail: info@thephuketnews.com

www.thephuketnews.com www.thephuketnews.com

34 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

BUY & SELL IN PHUKET

To advertise in our classifieds visit www.thephuketnews.com

35ft Bayliner Flagship: Twin 260 HP Mekcruisers, fully loaded with Aircon. sound system, T V/ DVD, vacuum toilet, premium Navigation, coffee machine, full bimini enclosure, gas oven, blue hull. A bargain at B3.99 million. Contact eddyelan@ yahoo.com, 089 971 0278.

Propul sion Engine: Vetus 52 Horsepower diesel marine engine four cylinder turbo. Heat exchange cooling.

Brand new, five year warranty.

B349,990 plus VAT. Contact 076 239 112, www.electricalmarine.com.

BOATS & YACHTS SPEED BOAT FOR S A L E : N a m e:“ B & B BOAT ”.Building: Pattaya,Thailand.Length: 27 ft. Year: 2007 Hull GPR: Fiberglass. MAX Capacity: 10 person’s. MAX Velocity: 35 Knot’s.

Marine MP3 stereo player.

Shower. Two places for trol. ENGINE: Honda four stroke.Power: 225 H.P. Model: BF 225 A6.

PRICE: From B760,000.

CONTACT: Mobile 087 518 1347 Mr.Stan. E-mail: sss_ box01@yahoo.com.

BUSINESS FOR SALE Digifox Marine: Marine inboard engines, hydraulic and mechanical equipment service, repairs and spare parts. MAN, Arneson, ZF, Rolls Royce and others. Professional team of engineers, high quality, personal approach guaranteed. Contact 076 336 221, 083 171 4141.

Email info@digifoxmarine. com.

of money in, Euro or dollar, within Asia. Security and discretion guaranteed. Contact thailandall.tech.investment@ gmail.com for more details or call 081 080 0265 Pascal.

Green House: Construc-

GROUND FLOOR MLM OPENING!: Won-

A1 Car Rentals: Fully insured start B12,000 to B18,000 per month. Please call 089 831 4703. Email for more info: a1car rent@ gmail.com.

derful opportunity...right place, right time. Looking for a motivated, energetic, experienced networker for a once in a lifetime opportunity!

Help me build USA #1 Nutritional MLM company opening in Thailand very soon.

Must speak English & Thai.

If you are interested in making money and improving your life, then please pay careful attention to this!

I have 25 years experience in mentoring and encouraging individuals for success.

Email: ronmac2810@gmail. com. Do IT!

CARS FOR RENT

CARS FOR SALE Mazda Familia: Pick-up Manual Excellent condition, engine rebuilt, brakes, battery, body and paint excellent. Must see. Price B85,000. Mobile 086 270 5462.

Laundry To Let: Lease B220,000 plus B8,500 monthly rent. Pisitkoranee Road, Patong. Fully-furnished. Contact Khun Lek, call 089 232 9807.

BUSINESS SERVICES

Business Opportunities: Hong Kong based com-

Kiddies Home Nursery: Award for top Nursery

for Phuket Province 2011.

Ages 3 months to 4 years.

Open 7 days a week and from 6.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. Rock Garden Village, call 076 528 862, mobile 082 539 8252 or kiddies home nursery @ gmail.com.

Buds Nursery: Phuket’s oldest bi-lingual international child care facility. High quality time proven schedule and curriculum. Experienced native English teachers to teach ages 1½ -6. Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. Bus service available. 076 282 232.

pany able to assist transfer

ABC International Nursery: Education for chil-

Farang Food Paradise: Your specialist of imported food and drinks in Phuket. Visit our shop at the Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco Lotus. Contact 076 612 733, 076 248 900.

Fax 076 612 734. And now new branch in Samui. See our website phuketfood.com.

COMPUTERS English Computer man: Sales (New and Used), Service and Repairs, WLAN a speciality. Free telephone advice.

CLUBS

assistance, legal assistance, police and emergency assistance, property management sales and rentals, company registration, visa and work permit and accounting. 081 691 9679.

Phuket G ol f & C.C. M e m b e r s h i p: Fo u n d -

on Srisoonthorn Rd. Phuket’s Quality Tile Boutique. Tiles for interior, exterior, residential, commercial. Contact 076 620 168 or 081 424 2828.

Email info@tile-asia.com.

Indo Construction: 40 years experience of more than 20 years at your service in Thailand. Main contractor: study project, architecture design and construction and management. 076 381 895. www.thephuketnews.com

dren 18 months to six years old with experienced native English teachers following the UK EYFS curriculum. 089 971 1813.

Phuket Consult Services: Insurance, personal

Tile It: Thalang. Wana Park

Boat charter and individual tours. www.dive -paradise.com.

Phuket Scuba Club: PADI 5 Star Centre. Half day, daytrips, live-aboards and diver education. Phuket’s only dive club! Contact 076 284 026. All 4 Diving 5/4 Sawatdirak Road, Patong Beach. For more info call 076 344 611. only dive club! Contact 076 284 026. All

Diving Asia: All courses and diving trips. Boat charter and individual tours. www.dive -paradise.com. es and diving trips. Boat

EDUCATION

Toyota Pickup 4: Turbo diesel auto. 148,130 km, year 1992. Price B195,000. Call 089 822 7547 (Thai and English).

CHILDCARE

Bar for Sale-Kamala: Chickys Bar on main road.

Has B/R with ensuite, pool table, stock furniture, fridges, motorbike. Good takings and ready for high season. Owner returning to Australia. Best offer accepted. Call Chompoo 084 844 3504.

tion, renovation, electric, metal work, wood work, shop fitting.

Please contact 085 654 2244.

e r m e m b e r s h i p f o r s a l e.

B600,000 include transfer fee.

Call 084 839 4868.

Dos & Don’ts of Thai Culture: Learn Thai and Thai culture that is necessary for enjoying life in Thailand. Group classes three days per week learning about the real dos and don’ts of Thailand.

Free English-Thai dictionary for the first 10 students for enrolments until October 20, 2011. The Genius Language School, c 089 203 9270 (Aooddy). Visit www. thegeniuslanguageschool. net.

Native German Teacher: Native German TEFL teacher is teaching German and English to single students at home or small groups in C h a l o n g . C o n t a c t (G e rman/English) 080 778 1220, (Thai)081 810 9115.

Learn Thai at Home: Thai woman teacher with 8-9 years’ experience gives Thai and English lessons for company/hotel staff and Thai cooking at your home. Full course with conversation practise and home study material. Both at beginner and more advanced levels. Call 081 797 1497 or Email teacherjoy _phuket@ hotmail.com.

Guitar Lesson By Pro Player: Guitar/bass lessons

SK A L I nt e r na t i onal Phuket: Skål is a profes-

beginner to advanced. Personal one-on-one or by DVD. Diploma of Teaching (Aust) degree. Call 089 777 3063.

sional organisation of leaders from all branches of the travel and tourism industry.

See www.skalphuket.org.

TTT Language School Chalong: Ministry of Edu-

Singapore Club Phuket: Calling all Singaporeans in Phuket to join “Singapore Club Phuket”. Contact Robin on 081 803 7189, 076 303 500.

DIVING Paradise Diving Asia:

All courses and diving trips.

cation ED Visa - Learn Thai TEFL/TESOL Teacher Training. Stay in Thailand! FREE English test! Many languages with Native Teachers.

Teacher Training. Stay in Thailand! FREE English test! www.ttttefl.com, info@ttttefl.com Contact 076 280 869 087 467 8719

CLASSIFIEDS/PROPERTY 35

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

BUY & SELL IN PHUKET

To advertise in our classifieds visit www.thephuketnews.com

2.4 x 1.35 x .82 High. Both as new and little used. Cover, full set of cues, pool balls and snooker balls with each. Cost new B65,000.

MOTORBIKES FOR RENT Honda Click for Rent: Short- and long-term available, no scams, honest good value.

Free delivery for hires over one week. Call 087 188 9047.

Near Laguna. Villas have everything. Call 089 594 4067.

Price B30,000 Each. Football Classic Game 1.5 x .76 x .97 High. Up to six players. Also little used cost new B55,000.

Price B25,000. Call English 080 409 1898 Thai 081 538 0685.

MOTORBIKES FOR SALE

Beautiful New Condo in Patong: ART@patong.

Luxur y Five Bedroom: Luxur y five

Phuket Pool Tables:

Honda CB 750 Chopper for Sale: Recently had major overhaul and re-spray black, kick and electric start. This bike is a real head tur ne r. N i c e and loud. Has green book so all legal. Get ready for Bike Week 2012. Only B9 5,0 0 0. Call 0 87 267 8602.

H o n d a Cl i c k: H o n d a Click excellent condition only 8,000km B32,000. Patong, 088 440 9324.

Southern Big Bike Chopper Shop: All your chopper needs. Located on the hill before Safari heading south from Patong. Get ready for Bike Week 2012. Please contact 076 292 079 or Khun Bang on 087 382 2494.

MOTORBIKE SERVICES Dynamic Tire Balancing: Dynamically balance your motorcycle tires for a smoother ride with DYNA BEADS! Available at West Coast Service Center Phuket.

Your big bike specialist on the bypass road. Call for more info on 085 785 4440.

Southern Big Bike Chopper Shop: All your chopper needs. Located on the hill before Safari heading south from Patong. Get ready for Bike Week 2012. Please contact 076 292 079 or Khun Bang on 087 382 2494.

PERSONAL SERVICES English-Thai Law Office: Visa, work permit, company formation, property transfer etc. Please telephone for advice. Contact for more info on 084 063 9223.

Phuket Visa: Offers consulting and services on company registration, work permit, visa, accounting, auditor, legal advic e. Please c all 081 892 9960.

Kata Hot Yoga: The most popular Yoga for men and women in Phuket. Four classes every day. Kata yoga, it works! www.katahotyoga.com, Contact 076 605 950.

Live Music By Colin Hill: Popular expat pro musi-

PROPERTY CONCIERGE Selling Your Property?

American Health Clinic:

& installation. Professional service and support. Premium service: home cinema, home automation, marine AV and IT, lighting control and multiroom audio-video. Call 084 443 9863.

R AWAI BE ACHFRONT HOUSE: Please call for more info on 089 649 9939.

Chiropractic spinal adjustment with an experienced chiropractor can take away the pain almost as quickly as it began.

Call 076 612 707, 080 530 3376.

Techworx: Custom design

bedrooms all with ensuite, pool villa set in large garden 1.2 rai huge 472 sq metre living area near Laguna.Fully-furnished from Island Furniture with mode r n Eu r o p e a n k i t c h e n , movie room, kids room or office phone line and WiFi, cable TV and maid room.

www.phuketpooltables.com.

Your number one billiard and snooker supplier in Phuket.

Sales, rent and profit-sharing.

All accessories and services.

Call 081 823 4627.

cian (guitar/vocals) with work permit. Can perform solo, duo or band. www.play-guitar.net, please call on 089 777 3063.

Contact 081 397 1835.

Asking B20 million for sale, or B9 0,000 per month re nt al. Pl e as e c all 0 81 597 6911. Email: niny@ electrical- marine.com.

brand new fully-furnished, one bedroom, balcony, 200 metres to Jungceylon shopping. Huge pool and gym.

24-hour security. B22,000 per month, long-term required. Enquire to mark louisw@hotmail.com.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

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Considering buying property in phuket?

We provide the following:

Property for your budget. complete overview of Phuket’s property market.

Get maximum exposure on our top ranked website. Call 080 143 2929 or visit realestate.phuket.net.

PROPERTY FOR RENT

Comfor table Private and Quiet: Three bedroom

One Bedroom House, Kata: Fully-furnished, one

townhouse, just a few minutes to Karon Beach. B25,000 per month, long term rent required.

Call 081 396 0880.

bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, terrace, WiFi and cable TV. Price B9,000 per month. Located in Kata. Contact 081 606 2827.

Luxury Villa Rawai-Naiharn Beach: For long-term

Gorgeous Beachfront Terrace House: At Phuket Land: With or without House

rent. Four bedrooms, four bathrooms, maid rooms, big swimming pool. B40,000 per month. Minimum one year.

City Home, three storeys, good for home office. B12,000 per month plus bond. Contact owner on 081 978 6700.

Professional advice.

You should not buy property in Phuket without consulting with us first!

Contact ben at 084- 305 4953 to book an appointment.

in very quiet, well maintained, safe Bungalow-Village on Ko Siboya, Krabi for sale. www. sackenheim.net.

Bon Café Phuket: A producer of premium coffee blends and powdered mixes as well as selling, maintaining, servicing and repairing all major brands. 076 355 600-1.

Havana Cigar Shop: Opposite HomePro Village Chalong. Contact 081 956 2024. vinoltds@hotmail.com.

Atmanjai: World’s best natural health programmes to improve health, reduce stress, weight loss, detox, rejuvenation, vitality and overcome disease. www.atmanjai.com.

081 272 0571.

PET HOSPITAL Chaofah Pet Hospital: 8/28–29 Moo 9, Chaofah East Road. Contact 076 283 365, 083 501 8488.

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Daily, Monthly rates Sea views, Mountain views Sauna, Gym, Swimming pool Located in Kamala Beach Shuttle service to the beach Wi-fi available Surrounded by nature

Heading Contact ben at 084- 305 4953 benjamin@propertyasia.co.th www.propertyasia.co.th

Townhouse for Rent Ao Makham: Newly-renovated. 2 bedrooms, parking.

B8,000 per month, minimum 6 months. Call 081 895 4318 (Thai). Email: wapeebow@ gmail.com.

Pool Tables and Classic Football: Two Pool Tables

...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B99 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B198

...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B396 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B495

Foundation have over 300 beautiful dogs and puppies available for adoption. Fully-vaccinated and sterilised.

Contact 087 050 8688, john@ soidog.org.

POOL TABLES

Body

...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B297

Why buy a pet?: Soi Dog

land. Last two puppies left.

Pedigree parent dogs from champions of Europe. For more information, please call Elena on 089 8712744.

...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......

PETS FOR SALE

Rhodesian Ridgeback Pupies: First time in Thai-

Write your classified advertisement

...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B594 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B693 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B792

Houses for Rent Long Term: Chalong,

...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B891

very private with mountain views, two bedrooms, kitchen, fully-furnished, Sat TV, ADSL, UBC and common swimming pool.

Contact 089 724 3669.

...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... B990

Super Pool Villas: Low

Please hand this form to our office or Fax to: 076 612 553

rates, monthly and weekly.

Box B200

Colour Background B200

Colour Headline B200

Colour Picture B395

Deadline: Monday 12Noon for that Friday’s issue

www.thephuketnews.com

36 PROPERTY HOMES IN PHUKET PROPERTY FOR SALE

access and electricity. Very quiet, green area. Urgent sale for just B5 million total, nonnegotiable. Contact Peter on 089 652 1951 or email phuket. pn@gmail.com.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

To advertise in our classifieds visit www.thephuketnews.com Phuket Paradise Property

Private Pool Villa In Centre of Nai Harn

Kata – Sea View Apartment

Cozy Villa Near Kata Beach

Land for Sale Rawai: Soi Saliga, Rawai. 1,908 sqm, clean ready to build, Chanote Title. Next to Eva Beach and Palm H ouse Sc hool.

Sell by owner. 084 745 4132.

Chalong Land: Land in SEAVIEW LAND FOR SALE: Near Chalong pier, 150 metres from the sea.

Three rai and one ngan plot. Chanote title. Price: B2 0 milli o n p e r r ai. N o agent. Call 087 278 7206

Chalong. 15 rai of gently sloping land, with full Chanote, near Chalong temple. Sea views from top of land. Good road access and electricity.

Perfect for development. Only B5 million per rai. Contact Peter on 089 652 1951 or email phuket.pn@gmail.com.

House for Sale in Baan Suan Lochpalm: Secure

sale. Must see. 1,600 sq metre land, 240sq metre living area. Located in a quiet area. Check out webpage at www.villa-sophiaphuket.com. Call Johny on 087 823 7371 (Deutsch and English).

Coconut Island is only 20 minutes from Central Festival shopping. Plots start at B1.5 million, cottage and plot start at B3 million. Hurry... 26 Plots already sold.

Call 083 520 0020 or 076 238 732 Web: jindarin.com.

5 Minutes From Laguna!

For sale or rent (short and long-term). Four bedroom.

Family pool home. 1,000sq metre land, 330sq metre builtup area. Agents welcome.

Contact for details. (Thai) 087 418 5924 (English) 089 875 9609, claudebaltes@gmail. com.

Two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. Guest toilet. Total 161-212sq metre. Very nice view, large balcony, common facilities pool/gym. 086 268 7901 (English), martin@per tinax.asia.

Two Rai Beachfront Land Khao Lak: Freehold Chanote land at Khao Lak Beach, 3,312m2, price only B5,500,000 a rai. Call 081 651 9687.

Seaview Land AoMakham for Sale: 33 rai land upon hill with seaview. Very easy access from road. B5 million per rai. Contact for details on 081 895 4318 (Thai).

Email: wapeebow@gmail.com.

Perfect Land for Villa: Perfect Land for Villa. Approx three rai, with Chanote title, 2 km south of Thai Muang town centre. Just 24 km north of Sarasin Bridge. Good road

Visit our website www.

PhuketParadiseProperty. com. Please contact 083 595 6733.

PRICE: 9.9m. THB TYPE: Condo BEDROOM: 2 PRICE: 9.9m. THB TYPE: Villa BEDROOMS: 2 REF.: MS-003 Stunning two bedrooms villa with big pool. Big modern kitchen and living room.

2 minutes walk from Tesco Lotus Express. Call 083 595 6733. Visit us at www.

PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

3 Bedroom Pool Villa in Rawai

REF.: AB-001 Modern furnished two bedroom apartment in Kata.

Western kitchen. Balcony on 21 sq metre with sea view. Two big c ommon po ols. Please c all 083 595 6733. Visit us at www.

PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

Rawai Two bedroom on 180 Sqm. With Sea View now 3.0 million

Price : 5.7 m. THB Type: Villa Bedroom : 2 Ref. : MS-008 Cozy villa near Kata Beach.

Huge living room with open kitchen. Extra outdoor kitchen. Two large bedrooms.

The villa is located within walking distance from Kata Beach. Contact 083 595 6733. Visit us at www.

PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

Villa 300 metres from Kata Beach

Luxury Condo Central Kathu: For sale or rent.

Nice Garden Villa in Nai Harn: Private

Oceanfront Eco Resort on Coconut Island (Three minutes off shore from Phuket).

Private Pier, Private Boat Taxi, Beach, Beach Pool, Spa, Sunset Restaurant, Elegant Cottages.

-Promotional booths with fully trained staff through out Phuket.

-Five International offices supplying customers direct.

-Nine sales staff all nationalities.

“Phuket Paradise Property” A Step In The Right Resale Direction.

phase open now! Only a few villas available. www.intiravillas.com, call 083 594 9279.

spacious family home. 4 beds 4 baths. Lovely garden 10 minutes to golf clubs asking B18.2 million. Fully furnished. B17.5 unfurnished. Contact Jen on 083 967 5777 Thai/English.

JI NDA R I N BE ACH CLUB & R ESORT:

3 Steps to Re-sale 1.Valuation.

2.List your property. 3.Sale.

Private Pool Villas from B4.9M: Intira Villas is a development of 15 boutique villas in the heart of Rawai. Second

Sea view villa: Luxury seaview Patong-Karon villa, four bedrooms, private pool.

Sell for B22 million, and also available rental daily and monthy basis. Please check more info at www. awphuket.com.

PRICE: 3.0m. THB Price : 9.5 m. THB

TYPE: Condo

Type: Villa

BEDROOM: 2

Bedroom : 3

REF.: MS-006

Ref. : JP-005

TYPE: Villa

Big living room and kitchen.

Two bedroom and bathroom. Two minutes walk to the beach. Common pool.

Call 083 595 6733. www.

PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

BEDROOM: 2

Property is directly opposite Suksan Villa. Has electric gates to off road parking for one, possibly two, cars. The garden around the villa is mature and decorative. The house has a large lounge area directly overlooking the 8x4 metre pool.

There are two large bedrooms. The master bedroom has a shower and large decor, bath, and both have pool view. Third bedroom is slightly smaller with a double bed and fitted wardrobes.

This property has a European fitted kitchen and dining area . Please contact 083 595 6733. Visit us at www.

PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

3 Bedroom Pool Villa in Chalong

PRICE: 9.9m. THB

REF.: JP-001 Fantastic oppor tunity in the heart of Kata Phuket, Detached family home set on its own plot of fering convenient access to Kata beach 300 mtrs away and all surrounding facilities.

Call 083 595 6733. www.

PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

New Price 2.5 m Apartment With Seaview in Rawai

Price : 5.8 m. THB Type: Villa Bedroom : 3

Sunset Plaza in Kata Two Bedroom with Seaview

PRICE: 8.3m. THB TYPE: Condo

Ref. : MS-009 Cozy pool villa near Chalong circle. The villa has a very large living room with view over the large garden.

There is direct access from living room to the swimming pool. Three large bedrooms and bathrooms.

The villa is situated on a closed road. Close to beach and Phuket Town. Call 083 595 6733. www.PhuketParadiseProperty.com.

PRICE: 2.5m. THB TYPE: Condo BEDROOM: 1 REF.: MS-002 Modern one bedroom apartment. With pool. New kitchen. Bathroom with spa. Big living room and balcony. Fully-furnished.

Contact 083 595 6733.

Visit us at www.PhuketParadiseProperty.com.

BEDROOM: 2 REF.: AB-002 Modern furnished two bedroom. Apartment in Kata.

Western kitchen. Balcony with sea view. Two big common pools. Call 083 595 6733. Visit us at www.

PhuketParadiseProperty. com. www.thephuketnews.com

Singapore Property for Sale: Luxury property of Singapore for rent sale. Help with loan from 1% per year. Russian speaking. Call +65 9144 0268. www.sourceinvestsing.com.

PROPERTY WANTED Villa for Rent Wanted: 3 or 4 bedroom villa for rent in Cherng Talay area or near. With pool or without pool, furnished and garden preferred. Contact Nataliya on 083 645 5321.

SERVICES 37

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

TRADES IN PHUKET

To advertise in our classifieds visit www.thephuketnews.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

COURIER

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

REMOVALS

HOME IMPROVEMENT

STORAGE

Wana Park, Srisoonthron Road, Thalang, Phuket 83110 Tel 076 620168 info@tile-asia.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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

WE'RE NOW AVAILABLE AT ALL OUTLETS IN PHUKET

This is in addition to 400+ locations including all 7-Eleven, Big One Supermarkets, Se-ed book stores and all major shopping outlets.

For full list of outlets please visit www.thephuketnews.com/distributionlists.php

Te l : 0 7 6 6 1 2 5 5 0 - 2

www.thephuketnews.com

38 ISLANDSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

All to play for this weekend on Karon sand Fans of volleyball are in for a treat this weekend as Karon Beach plays host to the finals of the FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour Phuket Thailand Open, the last stop on the 15-event volleyball calendar.

The annual event began on Tuesday, November 1, and many of the world’s top female pairings have made the trip to Phuket despite the problems affecting other parts of the country.

Saturday will see the conclusion of the main draw, while Sunday will play host to the semi-finals and finals, which will be aired to an international TV audience.

A total of 54 teams from 27 countries entered the competition, but only one pairing will walk away with the $30,000 (B900,000) prize

VOLLEYBALL

awarded to the winners, part of a total prize purse of $190,000 (B5.7 million).

Former champions Jen Kessy and April Ross from the US have returned to try and reclaim the title they won in 2008 and 2009, but they will be pushed all the way by the high class field which includes the rated Chinese pairing of Chen Xue and Xi Zhang, who lifted the title at the inaugural event back in 2006.

Thailand entered three teams into this year’s event, and local fans will hope that the pairings of Kamoltip Kulna and Varapatsorn Radarong, Jarunee Sannok and Usa Tenpaksee, and Tanarattha Udomchavee and Rumpaipruet Numwong will still be in the

competition this weekend.

The FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour Phuket Thailand Open was officially opened on Monday

by Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha, who welcomed the world volleyball tour back to Phuket.

“Phuket is very happy to host such an important event as the Phuket Thailand Open, because international sporting events support the island’s tourist industry by promoting a positive image of Phuket worldwide,” he said.

“On behalf of Phuket province, I would like to welcome all the beach volley teams a nd t hei r suppor t e r s to Phuket, and I hope that everyone will enjoy both the action on the courts and the many other attractions that Phuket has to offer visitors.”

Kazakhstan’s Irina Tsimbalova smacks the ‘mikasa’ as Australia’s Claire Kelly blocks.

handed catch by Simon Samaan who dived to his right to take the ball inches off the ground off the bowling of Jayasuriya.

A change of bowling by captain Barrie Buck brought new recruit Valentin Guiraud and The Phuket News sports editor Dan Og u nsha k i n into the attack.

With his smooth run up, excellent technique and decent pace Guiraud proved too hot to handle, picking up a wicket in his first spell before returning later in the game to obliterate the stumps with a delivery that swung in the humid conditions.

A wicket for Ogunshakin in his first over left the Village reeling at 16-4 from six overs, but they recovered well to post a total of 139.

Having been skittled out for less than 40 in their first game against Patong CC, TNTCC produced a much better batting performance and raced to 52

without loss from eight overs at the first drinks break.

Martin Hill, who also took a couple of wickets with the ball, and Dan Smith played smart cricket, mixing some intelligent stroke play and running with attacking intent before they retired to allow others a chance.

Joseph Nagy and Dunn, a DJ on Live 89.5 radio, were the next men in and they carried on from where Smith and Hill had previously left off, with Nagy smashing three boundaries from the one over.

Nag y was then clean bowled which brought Guiraud to the crease, and he and Dunn sealed victory for TNTCC by an emphatic margin.

D u n n top scored for TNTCC with 40 not out which included a monstrous six smashed over square leg that cleared the boundary by good 10 metres.

ground TNT register first win Cricket ready for play The newly-formed Thanyapura News Tigers Cricket Club (TNTCC) registered its first win at the second time of asking, thanks to a comfortable 12-wicket victory in a 13-a-side match against The Village.

It was TNTCC’s final warm up match before their season gets underway on November 20 at the brand new Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) on

CRICKET

Sunday, November 20.

After winning the toss and electing to field, TNTCC made early inroads into The Village batting line up with Ryan Dunn and Roshan Jayasuriya causing a number of problems in the opening four overs.

The highlight of the early exchanges was a stunning one-

The brand new Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) in Thalang will celebrate its soft opening this weekend with two days of cricket at the island’s first purpose-built cricket ground.

The Phuket Allstars, made up of the island’s best cricketers from the Island Furniture League, will take on the Singapore Cricket Club in a 35-over match on Saturday, before a Twenty20 match on Sunday.

Saturday’s match gets underway at 9.30am, while Sunday’s game will begin at 12 pm.

The Phuket Cricket Group (PCG) is extending the welcome to everyone and will have music and family fun including a bouncy castle for the kids, plus free food.

Finding the ACG From Heroines’ Monument: Head north for 2.2 km and look for Soi 3032 with a

CRICKET

telephone box on the corner.

Turn left and follow the road through village for about 1km.

Look for a white painted ‘container’ office on your right, and then turn right. The ACG is at the end of the concrete road.

From Cherng Talay Police Station: Head east for 3.4 km towards Heroines’ Monument, and then at Baan Manik look for a small unbranded petrol station on your right.

On the left on the corner is a small government health clinic, turn left at that corner.

Follow the 3032 road for a just over 1km. Pass the Government Roads Dept office on your left, followed by Government Clinic Regional offices until the area has lakes to your left and right.

Take the next right turn, then first left and the ACG is at the end of the concrete road.

Bangkok college win rugby at Thanyapura

30/11/2011

www.thephuketnews.com

The rugby playing students from King’s College Bangkok gave themselves something to smile about as they were crowned winners of the inaugural Phuket Lomas International Youth Rugby Tournament at Thanyapura Sport and Leisure Club (TSLC) on Saturday.

The Bangkok school ran out 12-0 winners in the Cup final against the Singaporean Centaurs RFC, after running in two unanswered tries in the match,

RUGBY one of which was converted.

King’s College almost withdrew from the tournament because of the flooding in Bangkok, but the students, teachers and coaches made the most of being away from the troubled capital to return home as winners.

In the Plate final, Ta’Moko, also of Singapore, ended hopes of any local

silverware as they beat the Phuket Lomas 10-0, while the Bowl final between Krabi and Surat Thani saw the former win by three tries to nil.

Prior to the finals, every team played against each other in a six-team roundrobin format that produced some big hits, attacking rugby and several fantastic tries.

It was a doubly good day for King’s College, as their under-13 team got the better of their Phuket Lomas equivalent.

ISLANDSPORT 39

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Chinese sailors eye King’s Cup Recognised as the premier sailing event of its kind, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta (PKCR) will again present a spectacular display of Asia’s finest sailing talent when they compete here from December 3 to 10.

Regular Chinese competitor and renowned sailing bellwether, Frank Pong, spoke of this year’s event, and also of the wave of interest that surrounds PKCR in China.

“The Phuket King’s Cup is very well known in China. In 2005, a team from Shenzhen chartered a J-105 based in Thailand and joined the event for the first time,” he said.

“Since then, increasing numbers of Chinese sailors have taken part. Last year, the PKCR was announced ‘Asian Regatta of the Year’ at the inaugural Asia Marine & Boating Awards, held in Shanghai, China.”

Renowned Chinese Olympian dinghy sailor, Song Xiaqun, was skipper of Frank’s all-Chinese-crewed boat last year.

Her Jelik V boat placed fifth, just behind Frank’s own Jelik III entry.

China’s CCTV1 national television network covered the competitive progress of both of the boats, and was broadcast to an audience of several hundred million

SAILING people in China.

“The sport of sailing is definitely growing in China. There is a lot of keen interest; people have more leisure time, berthing facilities are improving and becoming more numerous, and personal resources are allowing for new competitors to explore the sport,” said Pong.

“All of the pieces are in place, and now all that’s needed are competent crew teams to take part.

The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is one of the highlights of the sailing season in Asia. Thailand, along with Malaysia and the Philippines, are amongst the best sailing areas in the world, in every respect.”

The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is now in its Quarter Centenary year, after first sailing in 1987 to celebrate His Majesty the King of Thailand’s 60th birthday.

With the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King, the Regatta is organised by the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising Committee under the auspices of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, in conjunction with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Royal Thai Navy and the Frank Pong’s Jelik (left) challenges HiFi in last year’s King’s Cup. Province of Phuket.

–Photo by Helicam.

Sports Editor races for kids

A player warms up on court.

Practice makes perfect TENNIS Ahead of the main draw for the Chang ITF Pro Circuit tournament currently taking place at Thanyapura Sport and Leisure Club – the first to be held in Phuket – players took the opportunity to do some last-minute fine tuning on the world-class plexicushion surface courts.

The star attraction of the two-week tournament is the presence of Thailand’s Danai Udomchoke, the world number 224, who is seeded No 1 here and was in action on Monday in the men’s doubles.

The tournament ends on Saturday, November 12.

With a little over three weeks to go until the 18th Laguna Phuket Triathlon, The Phuket News’ Sports Editor Dan Ogushakin is once again preparing to tackle the challenging 1.8km swim, 55km bike and 12km run course.

It will be the second time that Dan has attempted the “Race of Legends” after making his debut in the event last year. In the 2010 race he was able to drag himself around the course in 3hrs 53min, a time he is hoping to beat this year.

“My bike [performance] is much better this year than it was last year, and I’m hoping that I won’t cramp up like I did last year during the run,” he said.

“Hopefully I can manage around three hours 45 minutes.” Just as with last year, Dan is raising funds for the Laguna Phuket charity project, the soon-to-be-launched Survival Swim programme.

The program hopes to teach around 3,000 Thai

TRIATHLON

children under the age of 15 to swim in the next 12 months to lower the number of lives lost through drowning.

Drowning is the highest cause of death among children under the age of 15 in Thailand, and it is hoped the the program will be able reduce the number of fatalities that occur each year.

“I learned to swim at a young age and I think it’s something a lot of people take for granted,” said Dan. “I think it’s an excellent project and I hope I can help.” Dan has set himself a target of B75,000 which will match the amount he raised last year. With your help he can reach it.

If you would like to sponsor Dan, and help support the Survival Swim programme, donate at www.justgiving. com/Daniel-Ogunshakin0, or donate cash directly at The Phuket News office in Billion Plaza opposite Tesco-Lotus.

The Phuket News’ Dan Ogunshakin in action during last year’s Laguna Triathlon.

Som Tam Express shows turn of speed Scott Duncanson’s Som Tam Express took the honours in round six of the Ao Chalong Yacht Club’s (ACYC) Irish Times Series on Sunday (October 30) on a day that saw three of the seven boats that took to the water fail to finish the race.

Racing got underway amid

SAILING perfect conditions and the field consisted of two boats in the multihull class and five in the racing class.

Race six of seven saw the f leet sail around Koh Lon and compete for the Joanne Cooney Cup, dedicated to

the memory of Jo Cooney, a long-standing and ardent supporter and active participant in Phuket’s yachting scene, who died earlier this year.

Up against Linda, Remington, Windstar and Dreamtime, Som Tam Express got off to a strong start and never looked back.

Linda encountered prob-

lems with her foresail at the start but once under way she began to close in on the field and passed Remington, Windstar and Dreamtime to clinch second.

Jim Ellis’ Remington held off Windstar to complete the podium places, while Dreamtime failed to finish the race.

Neither of the two mulithulls – Moto Inzi and Miss Saigon – scored any points in race six. Moto Inzi failed to complete the course and Miss Saigon had to withdraw after sustaining damage.

The final race of the ACYC Irish Times Series takes place this Sunday (November 6). www.thephuketnews.com

40 INTERNATIONALSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

THE PHUKET NEWS TIPPING COMPETITION: 11

This month's competition is supported by:

Van the man torments Chelsea With 18 points from the final round of fixtures last month ‘The Lunchroom Kathu’ (TLK) scooped the B3,000 voucher for Peppers Bar and Restaurant, Phuket’s premier sports bar, in The Phuket News’ tipping competition for the month of October.

TLK scored a total of 71 points for the month to take top spot ahead of Andrew Scott in second and ‘alanphuket’ in third after a weekend with some highscoring matches.

Arsenal’s Robin Van Persie was the star performer in round 10 of the 2011/12 Barclay’s Premier League as his hat-trick helped the Gunners to a stunning 5-3 win over London rivals Chelsea.

In a result that few would have predicted, A rsene Wenger’s men inf licted a second straight defeat on Andre Villas-Boas’ side to close the gap between themselves and the fourth Champions League spot currently occupied by the Blues.

Meanwhile, Newcastle, thanks to a Demba Ba treble, continued their stunning start to the season with a 3-1 win away at Stoke, who hadn’t lost at home in the league this season.

Newcastle and Manchester

WEEK 11 Home Team W D W Away Team

i r i

n a n w 5/11/2011 Newcastle Everton Arsenal West Brom Aston Villa Norwich Blackburn Chelsea Liverpool Swansea Man Utd Sunderland QPR Man City 6/11/2011 Wolverhampton Wigan Bolton Stoke Fulham Tottenham

Please fax this form to 076 612 553 or hand it in at The Phuket News office before Friday 2pm. Alternatively, visit our website www.thephuketnews.com to enter the competition online.

Arsenal’s Robin Van Persie was the star performer in round 10 of the 2011/12 Barclay’s Premier League as his hat trick helped the Gunners to a stunning 5-3 win over London rivals Chelsea.

City – who beat Wolves 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium – are the league’s only unbeaten sides, with City five points clear at the top.

Manchester Un ited bounced back from their humilating 6-1 loss at home to City with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Everton, where Wayne Rooney was once again booed by the home fans throughout the match.

Elsewhere there were wins for Liverpool against

Stoke, Swansea over Bolton, Fulham away at Wigan, and Spurs against QPR. The matches between Norwich and Blackburn and Sunderland and Aston Villa both ended as draws.

The Phuket News’ tipster Dan Ogunshakin had another average week as his decent early October form deserted him. Last week he scored eight points for correctly predicting the results of the Liverpool, Man City, Swansea

and Spurs matches to take his October tally to 41.

The top points scorer for the month of November will win themselves a B3,000 voucher to be spent at the Australia Bar & Grill in Kata where you can watch all the international sport on 50” plasma screen TVs or on the big screen.

The overall winner will win a return flight to the UK come the end of the season; currently the overall lead belongs to ‘gafferworld’ who tops the table with 162 points.

This weekend sees the last Premier League action for two weeks as players head off on international duty.

The most interesting fixture takes place at St. James’

Park, where third-placed Newcastle put their unbeaten start to the season on the line against Everton.

In other fixtures, there are home matches for Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Blackburn, Aston Villa and QPR on Saturday, while Wigan, Stoke and Spurs all have away games against Wolves, Bolton and Fulham respectively on Sunday.

You can now enter your predictions for round 11.

Either enter them online by 23:59 on November 4 at thephuketnews.com, fax them to the office on 076 612 553, or hand them to us personally here in Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco-Lotus before 2pm on the 4th.

ROUND TEN RESULTS DAN’S TIPS: Everton Chelsea Man City Norwich Sunderland Swansea Wigan West Brom Tottenham Stoke

0-1 3-5 3-1 3-3 2-2 3-1 3-1 0-2 3-1 1-3

Man Utd Arsenal Wolves Blackburn Aston Villa Bolton Fulham Liverpool QPR Newcastle

ROUND 11 FIXTURES DAN’S TIPS: Newcastle v Everton: home win Arsenal v West Brom: home win Aston Villa v Norwich: home win Blackburn v Chelsea: away win Liverpool v Swansea: hoe win Man Utd v Sunderland: home win QPR v Man City: away win Wolverhampton v Wigan: home win Bolton v Stoke: draw Fulham v Tottenham: draw TOP 10 PERFORMERS (OCTOBER): 1. The Lunchroom Kathu 2. Andrew Scott 3. alanphuket 4. Phuket1 5. Eak 5. gafferworld 7. mickyleeds 8. dcoutts 8. Paul614724 8. scottkip

71 68 67 62 59 59 56 55 55 55

TOP 10 PERFORMERS (OVERALL): 1. gafferworld 2. alanphuket 3. MRB 4. dcoutts 5. Mal Kenyon 5. MAMCHAM 7. apollo131 7. chasman 9. Allard 10. keefers

162 158 152 149 144 144 142 142 140 131

Police launch Terry racism investigation British police have launched an investigation into claims that Chelsea and England captain John Terry racially abused QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.

Terry has strongly denied hurling a racist slur at Ferdinand during the stormy west London derby at QPR’s Loftus Road on October 23.

“Police were notified of an incident on Sunday, October 23 involving alleged racial abuse,” a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

“This is currently being investigated by officers from Hammersmith and Fulham.”

Police had earlier said only that they were assessing a complaint from a member of the public.

T he clai ms agai nst Ter r y emerged after video footage circulated on the internet appearing to show the England star using racist language.

Terry denied abusing Ferdinand, saying the footage had been misconstrued.

Ferdinand spoke out for the first time about the row this week, saying he had “very strong feelings” about the incident, which is also the subject of a Football Association (FA) investigation.

The ongoing saga presents Engwww.thephuketnews.com

FOOTBALL

lish authorities with a potentially huge problem, coming only seven months after Terry regained the England captaincy after it was stripped from him in 2010 following revelations about his relationship with the ex-girlfriend of a team-mate.

The FA has also backed several anti-racism initiatives, most notably the Kick It Out campaign, and has regularly lodged complaints whenever the country’s players have been the subject of racist abuse in international football, the most recent case coming during a September qualifier with Bulgaria.

Terry believes he has no case to answer for and said he welcomed the FA investigation as it would allow him to clear his name.

The Chelsea defender claims that footage had caught him asking Ferdinand if he mistakenly believed he had racially abused him.

“I thought Anton was accusing me of using a racist slur against him. I responded aggressively that I never used that,” Terry said.

Terry had also insisted he regarded the incident closed after he had spoken to Ferdinand in the dressing room following the game. Unwanted spotlight. Chelsea’s John Terry is under investigation by police and the FA. –Photo by Brian Minkoff

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

INTERNATIONALSPORT 41

Cardinals refused to give up With no NBA team in town and an NFL club mired in last place in the standings, St Louis sports fans can once again hang their hats on their Cardinals baseball team.

The Cardinals proved t hem selves i n t he 2011 post-season to be a resilient group that became quite comfortable playing with their backs to the wall.

They finished off the Texas Rangers 6-2 in game seven of the World Series at home, having fought back from 3-2 down in the series.

“This is definitely a dream come true,” said World Series MVP David Freese, who grew up a Cardinals fan.

“This whole ride. This team deserves it. This organisation is top-notch and we have the best fans in baseball.”

The Cardinals’ two improbable runs to World Series titles in the past six years have given the franchise 11 championships. Only the iconic New York Yankees have more Major League Baseball titles with 27.

As tens of thousands of fans stood outside Busch Stadium watching the decisive game on a giant video screen or portable satellite hook-ups,

BASEBALL

the gates opened in the ninth inning and fans from outside streamed into the stadium and joined in the celebration.

“The numbers don’t matter, the records don’t matter, the money you make doesn’t matter. What matters is to raise that trophy and to be able to bring that smile to the city of St Louis,” said Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, who can become a free agent now that the season is over.

St Louis has not had an NBA team since 1968, when owner Ben Kerner sold the Hawks to two Georgia businessmen who moved the club to Atlanta.

The NFL St Louis Rams, meanwhile, are off to an 0-6 start, giving them the worst record in the league.

Ice hockey team the NHL Blues are off to a 5-5 start to the season. The Blues have gone longer than any other team in the league without making it to the finals and have never won the Stanley Cup in their 44 years of existence.

Many baseball experts wrote the Cardinals off in February when their 20-game winning pitcher Adam Wain-

The Cardinals celebrate after winning their 11th World Series. wright underwent reconstructive elbow surgery.

They also looked out of it on August 25 when they trailed the Atlanta Braves by 10 1/2 games for the National League wild card.

But Atlanta’s stunning collapse, combined with St. Louis’ late-season charge, had the Cardinals feeling confident heading into the post-season.

“I still can’t believe we actually did this,” said Freese.

“I keep thinking about mid-August, the mood of this team and the disappointment

of what was going down.”

The Cardinals become just the fifth wild card team to win the World Series, and the first in seven years.

They join the 1997 Marlins, 2002 Angels, 2003 Marlins and 2004 Red Sox as wild-card winners.

At one point in the season, even the league commissioner Bud Selig had written off the Cardinals.

St. Louis manager Tony La Russa remembers seeing Selig in August and the commissioner talking to him like

–Photo AFP

the Cardinals’ season was winding down.

“If you watch the history of baseball, teams come back, and sometimes they could have come back but they give in or give up.” La Russa said.

“And I knew the character on our team, the coaches knew the character.

“We just challenged them to not give up. We started winning some games so we can regain some respect, and then it got better and they just grabbed that play every game like it’s the last game

mentality and were relentless until the end.”

The biggest task for management over the next few months is to try and re-sign Pujols, who is free agent.

Pujols did not want to talk about his future plans immediately after the win.

He had a night for the ages in game three, matching two World Series single-game records for most home runs (three) and most hits (five).

“Right now I am just enjoying the moment,” he said.

“I was sitting at first base with three outs left and just thinking through all the things that we went through this year as a group, just how special this group of guys are.

“To be able to do that and bring another championship title to the city of St. Louis, it’s just amazing.”

La Russa, who won his 68th career post-season game in game three of the World Series to surpass Bobby Cox for second most play-off wins by a manager, said he hopes the club can re-sign Pujols.

“He’s a g reat player.

They’re going to try like heck to make it work,” La Russa said. “Albert wants to stay.”

–AFP

No November NBA games BASKETBALL

NBA commissioner David Stern called off 121 more games of the 2011-2012 season as contract talks between club owners and locked-out players broke down, ending all hope of a full schedule.

Stern had already wiped out the first 100 games of a season that was to have started on Tuesday November 1.

He added all games from November 15-30 after three days of meetings ended in failure with no new bargaining sessions scheduled.

Billionaire owners and millionaire players remained deadlocked on how to divide annual revenues of about $4 billion (B120 billion) nearly four months after the old deal expired, prompting owners to shut down the league.

Day 120 of the lockout began with talk of progress and optimism that a full 82-game season might be possible, however, it ended with ow ners assu red of television revenue and ticket income losses and players certain of lost paychecks.

“In light of the breakdown of talks, there will not be a full NBA season under any circumstances,” Stern said.

Kobe won’t play in November.

“It’s not practical, possible or prudent to have a full season now.

“We’re going to have to recalculate how bad the damage is.”

Among games lost are Boston at Miami on November 16, the Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City on November 23, Portland at Dallas on November 28 and Miami at Cleveland – LeBron James against his former club – on November 18.

Stern says it will take a month between the completion of a deal and the opening tipoff of an abbreviated season, so December games will be in jeopardy as early as the middle of next week.

“Today wasn’t the day to try and finish this out,” said

union president Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers.

“We didn’t want to rush through this today just to close out a deal that’s going to impact our members for the next 10 years.”

As a result, the NBA is assured of having its first shortened season since a similar spat over money cut the 1998-99 season to 50 games per team – provided, that is, there is an NBA season at all.

Neither side budged in a six-hour meeting after progress had been made on salary cap and luxury tax issues in a 15-hour session the previous Wednesday and a meeting half that length the following day.

“We made a lot of concessions but unfortunately at this time it’s not enough,” NBA players union executive director Billy Hunter said.

Owners demand a 50-50 split of basketball-related income but players, who had 57 per cent under the old deal, want no less than 52.5 per cent.

That gap is a $100 million (B3 billion) annual divide over a planned 10-year deal.

“Derek and I made it clear that we could not sell the 50-50 deal to our membership, not with all the concessions that we’ve granted,” Hunter said. www.thephuketnews.com

42 INTERNATIONALSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Butt and Asif found guilty Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif face jail after they were found guilty of fixing parts of a Test match against England in a case that has rocked the international game.

Young Pakistan bowler Mohammad Amir had admitted the same charges two weeks before the trial of his teammates, it emerged after the verdicts were handed down by a jury at a packed Southwark Crown Court in London.

The trio were convicted of deliberately bowling three no-balls during the Lord’s Test in August 2010 as part of a “spot-fixing” betting scam uncovered by Rupert Murdoch’s now-defunct News of the World tabloid.

Prosecutors said Butt, Asif and Amir conspired with British agent Mazher Majeed to bowl the no-balls as part of a plot that revealed “rampant corruption” at the heart of international cricket.

The world of cricket reacted with dismay to the worst fixing scandal since South Africa captain Hanse Cronje in 2000, but said the verdicts would send an important message that cheats would not be tolerated.

CRICKET I nter national Cr icket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat said the organisation “takes no pleasure from the fact that these players stepped outside not only the laws of the game but also of the country in which they were participating.”

Butt, 27, and Asif, 28, were each convicted of conspiracy to obtain or accept corrupt payments, and conspiracy to cheat at gambling. They had denied the charges.

They and Amir, 19, all face up to seven years in jail when they are sentenced.

The jury deliberated for nearly 17 hours to reach verdicts on both charges against Butt and the cheating charge against Asif, then needed three more hours to convict Asif on the corrupt payments charge.

The ICC has al ready banned Butt for 10 years with five suspended, Asif for seven years with two suspended, and Amir for five years straight after finding them guilty of corruption in February.

Lorgat confirmed that Tuesday’s decision would not affect the existing bans.

Salman Butt (left) and Mohammad Asif were found guilty of ‘spot-fixing’. –AFP Photo In a twist for Butt, his wife gave birth to a baby boy just 30 minutes before the verdict was delivered, his father said by telephone from Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore.

But t already has one daughter.

“It’s a matter of great grief for us that Butt has been found guilty. We hope the Almighty will bring him out of this trouble because these are very difficult times for him and the

family,” Zulfiqar Butt said.

During the three-week trial the jury heard that vast sums of money could be made by rigging games for betting syndicates, particularly in South Asia, and that the problem was threatening the game of cricket.

Mazher Mahmood, the News of the World’s former investigations editor, known as the “fake sheikh” for his disguises, told the court he had

approached Majeed pretending to be an Indian businessman.

Mahmood said the verdict represented a “sad day for cricket”, but was optimistic it would encourage authorities to clean up the game.

Majeed, 36, has also been charged with the same offences but was not standing trial.

Majeed claimed he had at least six Pakistani players working for him and that it would cost between £50,000

and £80,000 (B2.5 million and B4 million) to fix a “bracket”, where bets are made on incidents during a given period of play, according to Mahmood’s evidence to the court.

But the cost of rigging a whole result was far more: £400,000 (B20 million) for a Twenty20, £450,000 (B22.5 million) for a one-day international, and £1 million (B50 million) for Test matches, Majeed allegedly said.

The agent was secretly filmed accepting £150,000 (B7.5 million) in cash from the journalist as part of an arrangement to bowl the no-balls, and recorded making arrangements with Butt for the no balls.

Butt told the court he had ignored his agent’s alleged requests to fix matches and had no knowledge of the plan to bowl no balls, while admitting that he had failed in his duty to inform cricketing authorities of Majeed’s approach.

The verdict was a scalp from beyond the grave for the News of the World, which was shut down by owner Rupert Murdoch in July due to a scandal over the illegal hacking of voicemails.

–AFP

Simoncelli’s team to compete in Valencia

Marco Simoncelli’s Gresini Racing team have had a change of heart and will compete in this weekend’s season-ending Valencia Grand Prix as a tribute to the Italian who died last month.

“The decision to participate was not an easy one, but we have made this choice as it is what Marco would have wanted,” team owner Fausto Gresini told the sport’s official website motogp.com.

Initially Simoncelli’s team had been due to miss Valencia – as reported in The Phuket News last week – following the tragedy in Sepang on October 23.

“Going out on track at Valencia is definitely the best way to honour him by doing

MOTOGP

what he most loved to do: ride and experience the world of MotoGP,” said Gresini.

“This is why I believe that the best show of affection that we can make to Marco is by lining up our teams and riders for this race.”

Japanese rider Hiroshi Aoyama will start in the MotoGP race with Michele Pirro and Yuki Takahashi competing in Moto2. “‘Super Sic’ will be present in the hearts of Hiroshi Aoyama, Michele Pirro and Yuki Takahashi, and I am sure that they will give him a most fitting tribute with their performances on Sunday,” Gresini concluded.

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Simoncelli lost his life when crashing on the second lap at the Sepang circuit where he had clinched the 2008 Moto2 title.

His team’s presence on the grid in Spain promises to serve up a hugely poignant conclusion to the 2011 season.

One rider who will not be competing in Valencia is American Colin Edwards, who broke his arm in the incident with Simoncelli at Sepang.

Edwards, 37, will be out of action for around four weeks and recently spoke about the events of October 23.

“I have asked myself a thousand questions since the crash. What might have happened if I had reacted differently? Could I have done anything else?

“But I’ve watched the footage again and I know there is absolutely nothing I could have done to avoid Marco,” Edwards said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“And Valentino [Rossi] could do nothing either.

“It is hard to lose a friend.

We lost a shining star. Marco was loved by all the supporters for his personality, his character, his charisma,” Edwards added.

Simoncelli in action in the Australian MotoGP just one week before he died.

INTERNATIONALSPORT 43

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

English Premier Team Manchester City Man United Newcastle United Chelsea Spurs Liverpool Arsenal Norwich City Aston Villa Swansea City Stoke City QPR West Brom Sunderland Fulham Everton Wolves Blackburn Rovers Bolton Wigan Athletic

P 10 10 10 10 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 10 10 10 10

W 9 7 6 6 6 5 5 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 2 1 2 1

Ligue 1, France

D 1 2 4 1 1 3 1 4 6 3 3 3 2 4 4 1 2 3 0 2

L 0 1 0 3 2 2 4 3 2 4 4 4 5 4 4 5 6 6 8 7

F 36 27 15 23 18 14 20 14 13 12 8 8 9 14 13 10 9 13 13 6

A 8 12 7 15 14 10 21 15 13 15 14 17 13 12 12 13 17 23 27 17

Pts 28 23 22 19 19 18 16 13 12 12 12 12 11 10 10 10 8 6 6 5

Pts 25 21 20 20 20 18 18 17 16 16 16 13 12 12 9 9 8 7

Bundesliga, Germany Team

P

W

D

L

F

A

Bayern Munich Schalke 04 B Dortmund W Bremen B M’gladbach Stuttgart Hannover B Leverkusen Hoffenheim Hertha Berlin Köln Wolfsburg Kaiserslautern Nürnberg FSV Mainz Hamburg Augsburg SC Freiburg

11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11

8 7 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 4 5 4 3 3 2 2 1 2

1 0 2 2 2 3 3 2 1 4 1 1 3 3 3 3 5 1

2 4 3 3 3 3 3 4 5 3 5 6 5 5 6 6 5 8

30 22 21 20 13 17 14 13 14 15 18 14 9 12 13 13 8 14

3 16 8 14 8 9 15 14 12 15 23 20 14 18 22 23 20 26

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

PSG

Team

12

9

2

1

25

10

29

Montpellier Lille Lyon

12 12 12

8 6 7

2 5 2

2 1 3

27 21 20

15 12 13

26 23 23

Toulouse

12

6

4

2

13

10

22

Rennes

12

6

3

3

21

15

21

L’Orient

12

4

5

3

13

12

17

Saint-Etienne

12

4

4

4

11

15

16

Marseille

12

3

6

3

15

14

15

Caen

12

4

3

5

17

19

15

Sochaux

12

3

5

4

18

24

14

Brest

12

1

9

2

12

12

12

Auxerre

12

2

6

4

17

18

12

Évian

12

2

6

4

14

17

12

Bordeaux

12

2

6

4

Nice Dijon

12 12

2 3

5 2

5 7

14 12

18 12

12 11

13

25

11

Valenciennes

12

2

4

6

12

13

0

Nancy

12

1

5

6

8

15

8

Ajaccio

12

1

4

7

10

24

7

Coming up this week English Premier League Fixtures

Bundesliga Fixtures

(Times in Thailand)

(Times in Thailand)

Saturday November 5 Newcastle v Everton Arsenal v West Brom Aston Villa v Norwich Blackburn v Chelsea Liverpool v Swansea Man Utd v Sunderland

19:45 22:00 22:00 22:00 22:00 2200

Sunday November 6 QPR v Man City Wolves v Wigan Bolton v Stoke Fulham v Spurs

00:30 20:30 22:00 23:00

Saturday November 5 Mainz v VfB Stuttgart 01:30 Dortmund v Wolfsburg 20:30 Hertha Berlin v B M’bach 20:30 Nuremberg v Freiburg 20:30 Hoffenheim v K’slautern 20:30 Bremen v Cologne 20:30 Leverkusen v Hamburg, 23:30 Sunday November 6 Hannover v Schalke 20:30 Augsburg v Bayern 22:30

Sport on TV: Times in Thailand Friday, November 4

Serie A, Italy Team

P

W

D

L

F

A

Juventus

9

5

4

0

15

7

Pts 19

Udinese

9

5

3

1

11

3

18

Lazio

9

5

3

1

15

8

18

Milan

9

5

2

2

19

14

17

Napoli

9

4

2

3

13

7

14

Catania

9

3

5

1

12

12

4

Siena

9

3

4

2

11

6

13

Palermo

9

4

1

4

11

11

13

Cagliari

9

3

4

2

9

9

13

Fiorentina

9

3

3

3

10

8

12

Genoa

9

3

3

3

12

12

12

Parma

9

4

0

5

12

17

12

Roma

9

3

2

4

11

11

11

Bologna

9

3

1

5

8

13

10

Atalanta

9

4

3

2

12

12

91

Chievo

9

2

3

4

7

11

9

Internazionale

9

2

2

5

11

16

8

Novara

9

1

4

4

12

17

7

Lecce

9

1

2

6

7

16

5

Cesena

9

0

3

6

3

12

3

EVENT TIME CHANNEL

Rallying: FXPro Cyprus Rally 17:00 Eurosport Tennis: Swiss Indoors Basel 20:00 Astro Supersport 2

Saturday, November 5 Golf: Charles Schwab Cup Golf:WGC-HSBC Champions Rallying: FXPro Cyprus Rally Football: AFC CL final MotoGP: Valencia Qualifying EPL: Newcastle v Everton EPL: Man Utd v Sunderland EPL: Aston Villa v Norwich EPL: Liverpool v Swansea EPL: Blackburn v Chelsea

06:00 10:00 17:00 17:00 20-:00 19:45 22:00 22:00 22:00 22:00

Golf Channel ESPN Eurosport STAR Sports STAR Sports TrueSport 1 TrueSport 1 TrueSport 2 TrueSport 3 Astro Supersport 3

Sunday, November 6 EPL: QPR v Man City

00:30

TrueSport 3

Tennis: Swiss Indoors Basel 20:00 Astro Supersport 2 Rallying: FXPro Cyprus Rally MotoGP: Valencia Grand Prix EPL: Wolves v Wigan EPL: Bolton v Stoke EPL: Fulham v Spurs

17:00 17:00 20:30 22:00 23:00

Eurosport STAR Sports TrueSport 1 Astro Supersport 2 TrueSport 1

Henry steps down as All Blacks coach All Blacks coach Graham Henry, one of the world’s most successful, announced this week that he is stepping down after guiding the team to victory at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Hen r y said that after eight years and 103 Tests in charge of the All Blacks, with a remarkable winning average of 85.4 per cent, he had “had enough”, with no desire to coach again.

The 65-year-old, affectionately known as “Ted”, said he had turned down offers to join overseas clubs and would stay in New Zealand to help develop local coaches.

“It’s been an enormous privilege to coach the All Blacks and I am exceptionally proud of how the team has added to the All Blacks legacy over the last eight years,” he said.

“I am also exceptionally proud of how they have developed an extremely professional and enjoyable culture and environment, and how they have reached out to people of all ages and put a smile on their faces, both here in New Zealand and overseas.

“So I want to say a special thank you and congratulations to all the players who have played during this time, especially to Tana Umaga and Richie McCaw, the two long-term captains.”

Throughout Henry’s tenure the All Blacks have predominantly been the world’s top-ranked rugby side, but he was the target of considerable anger in New Zealand four years ago when they suffered a shock loss in the quarter-finals of the last World Cup. Now, he bows out a happy

After 103 Tests in charge of the All Blacks, Graham Henry has left his post as coach of the world champions. During his eight-year spell the All Blacks won an incredible 88 matches with a win ratio of more than 85 per cent.

–Photo by Luton Anderson. man after coaching the team to a cliff-hanger 8-7 win over France in the final of the latest edition of rugby’s show-piece tournament, and said he had at last found “inner peace”.

Coaching “does take its toll,” he said, adding: “I didn’t particularly enjoy the last 10 minutes of the game against the French in the final of the Rugby World Cup” when the All Blacks were up 8-7.

Of the 103 Tests the All Blacks played under Henry, they won 88 including 48 of 51 home Tests.

They have won the TriNations tournament with Australia and South Africa five times, achieved three Grand Slams against the northern hemisphere Home Unions and have held the Bledisloe Cup, contested annually with Australia, since 2003.

“He leaves the All Blacks job as one of the greatest coaches in the game,” New Zealand Rugby Union CEO Steve Tew said.

–AFP

Hash House Harriers Run 1339: Saturday November 5 at 4pm.

Hares: Julie Andrews Directions: Drive to Cherng Talay and turn into Soi 1, opposite the temple where a hash sign will be set.

Follow the road to the laager and have fun!!

Bus: Leaves the Expat Hotel, Patong at 14:30 and Baan Rim Klong, Kamala at 15:00.

Formula 1: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Times in Thailand) Friday November 11 Practice 1 16:00 Practice 2 20:00 Saturday November 12 Practice 3 17:00

Saturday November 12 Qualifying 20:00 Sunday November 13 Race 20:00

Formula 1 Driver Standings after Indian GP 1. S. Vettel 374 (2011 champion); 2. J. Button 240; 3. F. Alonso 227; 4. M. Webber 221; 5. L. Hamilton 202; 6. F. Massa 98; 7.

N. Rosberg 75; 8. M. Schumacher 70; 9. V. Petrov 36; 10. N. Heidfeld 34; 11. A. Sutil 30; 12. K. Kobayashi 27; 13. J. Alguesuari 26; 14. P. di Resta 21; 15. S. Buemi 15; 16. S. Perez 14; 17. R. Barichello 4; 18. B. Senna 2; 19. P. Maldonado 1. All others 0. www.thephuketnews.com

www.thephuketnews.com