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Russian diver’s leg severed by speedboat prop
LIFE
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Enter the Year of the Monkey
Handing over your passport to settle a vehicle damages claim can cause far more problems than foreseen. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot
POLICE CONFIRM WILL HOLD PASSPORTS AS THEY SEE FIT Tanyaluk Sakoot rep orter2 @classactmedia.co.th
P
O LICE in Phuket will continue to hold onto foreigners’ passports as long as they see fit while carrying out an investigation – even if for nothing more than dealing with private negotiations for damages arising from a minor car accident, T h e Ph u k e t N e w s confirmed this week. The issue of Thai authorities
holding passports resurfaced after T h e Ph u k e t N e w s recently followed up on a report that police in Patong had held onto a British national’s passport for more than three weeks, without pressing any charges. Eventually, after several phone calls by T h e Ph u k e t N e w s , the claim was quickly settled, and the foreigner was allowed to conduct a visa run so that he may legally continue to stay in the country and work. After initially declining to an-
swer any questions regarding one of his o cers retaining a passport for such a long period without taking any legal action, K athu Police Chief Col Chaiwat Uykam focused his explanation on foreigners facing criminal charges. A passport is the most important document that police can obtain as evidence when a foreigner is suspected or involved in a crime in the ingdom, he said. Depending on the severity of the
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case, police may withhold a passport until the official investigation is concluded and the passport holder is handed over to the court, then the foreigner can get his or her passport back, Col Chaiwat e plained. Col Chaiwat declined to define how long his o cers will hold onto a passport before charges are pressed. We cannot put a time frame on it. It depends on each case, he said. Lt en Tesa Siriwato, Commander of the R egion 8 Police, supported...
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Hammers forge ahead with local academy
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Workers race to repair collapsed road at underpass site > page 5
Chinese death spurs probe Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th
T
he chief of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MoTS Phuket o ce has ordered his sta to investigate a local tour company after a Chinese tourist died after he was pulled from the water unconscious during a day trip to oh Racha Yai on Tuesday (Feb 2 . The tourist, 5 -year-old Lu Weidong, died whilst being transferred to achira Phuket Hospital after he was pulled from the water unconscious whilst swimming at Batok Bay around midday. “ We were told that the man was rescued from the sea by a beach guard stationed at K oh Racha and immediately given CPR, said Lt Watcharawit raisook of the Tourist Police. Tour boat sta said that
Rescue workers bring the body of Lu Weidong ashore at Laem Ka in Rawai. His death will e in esti ated the local ou ism and po ts o fice Photo: Phuket Rescue the victim had come with a group of 33 tourists, including four family members, with the onthasak Marine Company. The group were led by two foreign women, who held only a job order. There was no Thai tour guide with them,” he said. The victim was staying
at Club Med in ata with his family. He arrived on anuary 31 and was due to leave the country on February , he added. Phuket MoTS Chief Santi Pawai said, I have ordered my o ce to investigate onthasak Marine, and also sent them to
the hospital to meet with the victim’s relatives. If we find that onthasak Marine provided a tour without a tour guide they will face legal action and be held responsible for the incident, he said. A representative of Club Med told police that the hotel
had hired a boat from onthasak Marine, who provided the boat and its captain, Lt Watcharawit said. The two foreign women on the boat were hotel sta , including 23-year-old Ms uo Yi Chun, who was there to lead and take care of the group, he added. Lt Watcharawit noted that Club Med is taking care of the victim’s family’s e penses while onthasak Marine contact their insurance company. The Chinese embassy has been notified of the incident, he said. The death of Mr Lu followed that of 2 -year-old female Chinese tourist Zhong O ak, who was found unconscious in the sea while on a trip to Ao oh Hong on anuary 2 . Ms hong died whilst being transported to hospital. She was swimming with
her friends at Ao oh Hong, an island located northwest of Ao Nang in K rabi, when she disappeared at around 3pm. Later that same day, five Chinese tourists were injured, one seriously, when two speedboats collided o Pilae Bay, oh Phi Phi Lei, around 6pm. The speedboat B a n t i t a 9 , carrying about Chinese tourists, had ust left Phi Phi Lei en route to Phuket when it was rear-ended by another speedboat, the L e e l u 3 , carrying tourists to Maya Bay, the B a n t i t a 9 skipper, Suwit Saithong, 25, told police. He said five passengers on the B a n t i t a 9 were injured, all Chinese. ne of them was seriously hurt, but no one fell into the sea. The rear of the boat was damaged. Police were investigating who was at fault. The two drivers accused each other.
Speedboat prop severs diver’s leg Passports held as collateral
A RUSSIA DI ER HAD his right leg slashed nearly right through by a speedboat propeller while another R ussian diver su ered lesser, but serious, deep cuts during a dive tour trip at Phi Phi Lei Island on Wednesday (Feb 3 . Sergei Dmitriev, 3 , and Dmitry uryanov, , were struck by the propeller of the speedboat S u n s a n 2 when they resurfaced from their dive at Maya Bay at about 1 3 am. The captain of the dive boat the two men were with said he let the divers into the water in pairs,” said Nitiphat Mongkolpradit of the rabi Tourist R escue Centre. The divers oated buoys to warn people that they were
One of the divers had his right leg nearly severed entirely by the propeller blade. Photo: Krabi Tourist Rescue Centre surfacing, but when the two men f loated their buoy, a speedboat came into the area to check what was going on. “ That was when the two divers came up and were hit by the propeller, he said. M r Dm it r iev and M r uryanov were rushed to Phi Phi Hospital, then to K rabi
Hospital on the mainland. Somchai itlang, owner of the S u n s a n 2 , has presented himself to rabi Police for uestioning. Adisorn Benma, 22, who was driving the S u n s a n 2 when the propeller slashed the divers, was taken to Phi Phi Police Station for uestioning. E a k k a p o p T h o n g t u b
C o n t i n u e df r o m p a g e 1 ...Col Chaiwat’s position on holding passports indefinitely – but only in investigations that lead to criminal charges. Region Police oversees police operations in seven Southern Thailand provinces R anong, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, K rabi, Phang Nga and Phuket. ur policy regarding withholding passports is that we do so only in order to properly identify its holder and that the details in the passport match those recorded in the Immigration database,” he told T h e Ph u k e t N e w s this week. However, it is standard procedure to retain the passports of any foreigners facing any criminal charge, but after the matter has been settled in court and damages have been paid, we have no reason to hold the foreigner’s passport. The issue of police in Phuket holding foreigners’ passports has been raised by diplomats for decades, with little to no result, despite even car and motorbike rental operators in Patong moving over to a system whereby they upload only photos of passports to a police database for safe keeping. That system was launched
in 2 1 , oddly, at the behest of the Patong Police – and even then because they were about to crack down on ensuring foreigners were carrying their passports at all times as re uired by Thai law. Contacted by T h e Ph u k e t N e w s this week about their position on handing passports over, the British embassy in Bangkok noted, It is a valuable document and remains the property of the British overnment. It should not be used as a guarantee or deposit for anything with a third party. However, the embassy also recognised, “ As part of Court proceedings and on the basis of legal advice, you may decide to surrender your passport as part of bail conditions.” Similarly, the US embassy in Bangkok noted, We encourage US citi ens to comply with local law enforcement re uests and instructions.” However, the embassy also noted, Assisting US citi ens in need is our highest priority and an individuals should contact the US Embassy if he or she has any concerns or if any assistance is re uired. Information about services provided
to US citi ens in Thailand can be found at the following link http bangkok.us embassy.gov service.html. The US embassy specifically warned American nationals against scams by car, motorbike and jet-ski operators falsely claiming e orbitant amounts of money for damages to their vehicles, but added, “ Note that the Embassy cannot intervene in personal financial disputes however, you can apply for a new passport at the US Embassy or Consulate eneral if you have not recovered your passport. http travel. state.gov content passports en country thailand.html The Australian embassy in Bangkok noted, Passports are valuable documents that should be appropriately protected… Australians should not provide passports as deposits or guarantees under any circumstances. Specifically regarding rental operators, the embassy said, Protect your passport perators may re uest your passport as a deposit or guarantee before hiring et-skis or motorbikes. If there is a dispute about damage to a rented jet-ski or motorbike, rental operators may try to keep your passport until they receive compensation.
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SPECIAL REPORT
SEA GYPSY STAND-OFF
Phuket’s sea-faring indigenous people refuse to move sacred site to appease developer.
F
ollowing the violent clashes between the R awai sea gypsy community and workers of developer Baron World Trade Co Ltd last week, the sea gypsies this week turned down an o er to move their scared site to 800 square metres of land donated by Baron World Trade so that the company may build a 33-rai villa project where the villagers once prayed. Instead, the sea gypsies will take their title fight to court in the belief that the land titles being used to claim ownership of the land in dispute were issued illegally. Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada relayed the news after a closed-door meeting at Provincial Hall on Tuesday (Feb 2). “ Chatree M adsatun, the legal representative of Baron World Trade Co Ltd, said at the meeting that the Baron World Trade Co Ltd had proposed a solution by o ering 2 ngan (800sqm) of land for villagers to use as a new ceremony site and asked that the villagers move their ceremonial sala, or Balai table’, to this new site, Gov Chamroen told reporters after the meeting. “ But the majority of the villagers refused to relocate their ancestral place of worship, so we asked the company to reconsider the plan, he added. Another sticking point that became evident at the meeting was that the C h a n o t e land title used by Baron World Trade Co Ltd to claim the beachfront plot of the development did not mark that the actual foreshore was public land. “ When we examined the C h a n o t e , we discovered that the adjacent public land was not marked on it, so V ice Governor Dr Prajiad Aksornthammakul will take care of this issue and
The crowd of sea gypsy villagers outside Provincial Hall on Tuesday were faced with military personnel as a security measure. Photos: Ph ket P o n al fi e
Governor Chamroen points to an area on a map marking out the sea gypsy village and the disputed land claimed by developer Baron World Trade Co Ltd. we will get a proper document issued for public land, ov Chamroen said. “ We have informed the sea gypsies that they will be allowed to use this public land to access their boats, he added. M eanwhile, the sea gypsies will take their fight to court, said Gov Chamroen. “ The sea gypsies insist they want to be near their ceremonial site and said that they believe that the land titles were issued illegally and attempted to claim public land, he said. “ Also, the land owner (sic) also proposed that the government buy the land on behalf of the sea gypsies, which we will take into consideration if we can get the budget from the central government to pay for it. “ We would really like to do this as it helps to promote good living among the people, said Gov Chamroen. “ Either way, both parties have a legal right to seek justice over this issue if they still not pleased with our decision, he added.
PRESSURE
The meeting on Tuesday followed Prime M inister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha calling for o cials to uickly find an ap-
Sea gypsies perform a cermony at the ‘Balai’ spirit house that sits on the disptde land. Photo: Suthicha Sirirat @thephuketnews
propriate solution to the dispute. It also followed Deputy Prime M inister Prawit Wongsuwan ordering state agencies to find a solution. Deputy PM Prawit said the sea gypsies have been on the land for a long time so authorities must look into the legality of the company’s land deeds. “ There must not be any violence any more. The wrongdoers must be arrested, he said. “ The company claims they have land documents. We must talk and pass through this problem.
DSI SUPPORT
Pol Lt Col Prawut Wongseenin, chief of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) Bureau of Consumer Protection and Environment Crime, went public with a press conference at the Channel 11 TV station in Phuket last Friday (Jan 29) to reiterate his o ce’s stance that land title documents presented by developers to claim the disputed land were not issued lawfully, and that sea gypsies’ claims to the land are legitimate. The DSI in July and O ctober of 2014 had previously cited DNA and aerial photography evidence to legitimise sea gypsies’ claims to the disputed land.
It has been estimated that the sea gypsies involved in ongoing eviction disputes number about 2,000 residents in 300 households. Developers are looking to develop villas on plots of land which carry three C h a n o t e land titles, previously upgraded from S o r K o r 1 titles, he explained. Col Prawut reiterated that evidence showed that the three land titles had been issued illegally. The land titles had been issued over 6 0 years ago, but sea gypsies had lost legal disputes over the land because they did not have o cial evidence and did not know how to acquire it, he said. Even the DSI had to seek help from experts in many fields, he added. Col Prawut said that sea gypsies had lived in the area for a century and the bones of their ancestors buried there were evidence because the people traditionally buried bodies near their houses. He sought a court order to assign archaeologists from the Fine Arts Department to examine the bones. Another important piece
of evidence comes from the Wat Sawang Arom School, where he pointed out that 10 sea gypsies who had studied there – and who bear surnames bestowed by HR H the late Princess M other – are still alive, Col Prawut said. M oreover, he pointed out that one of the C h a n o t e titles was fraudulently issued on the basis of boats being anchored in the same place over decades and coconut trees being planted no less than 30 years ago; however, based on aerial photography, said coconut trees had been there no less than 10 years and thus said the claim was fraudulent. “ I believe that what we have found for sea gypsies to present to the court will help them reclaim their rights, he said. The DSI had similarly helped sea gypsies in other areas including Phang Nga province, as well as Lipe and Phi Phi islands, Col Prawut said.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Among those present at the meeting was General Surin Pikulthong, former president of Institute for the Development
of Community O rganisations, and National Human R ights Commissioner Tianjai Deetas, who visited the sea gypsy village on M onday. “ I was heartbroken after leaning that the the dispute between the group escalated into violence last week, she said. “ I don’t understand why the business owner would want to bully villagers who already have poor living conditions. There are more than 200 families living in this tiny area and they constantly face water and electricity shortages. “ I believe the Sophonpanich family knew the situation well and should consider offer a helping hand to the villagers and promote a better quality of life for them instead, she said. Chali Sophonpanich and other family members are directors of Baron World Trade Co Ltd. M r Chali is the President of Asia Investment. Bangkok Bank is his family’s business. R e p o r tin g b y E a k k a p o p T h o n g tu b , D a r a w a n N a n a k h o n , S u th ic h a S ir ir a t a n d T a n y a lu k S a k o o t.
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GENERAL MANAGER
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Ariana Brown was killed in a motorbike crash last Saturday (Jan 23).
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The party’s over
‘Party ladyboy’ CCTV hunch leads Kamala police to two local burglars, stolen booty The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th
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amala police have made two arrests, and recovered more than 70 items thought to have been stolen from the residences of several foreigners over the past two months. The two suspects were named as Boonsit Unchaisri, a 28-year-old transgender resident of K alasin province, and Tirawat Boonumphol, a 29-year-old man from Uthai Thani. The suspects were presented to the press at the K amala
an foun
he a ests followed office s having a 'hunch that one of the suspects seen in CCTV was a ladyboy.’ Police Station at 4 : 30pm on January 29. Presented along with the suspects were doz ens
of smartphones and digital cameras, which police believed had been stolen from various houses in Thalang and K athu. M oreover, police said they had also seiz ed from the suspects one Yamaha M io motorbike registered in Phuket, as well as a blue Ford Fiesta car with Bangkok plates. Police said that the two suspects were tracked down in Phuket’s party scene, after o cers had a hunch that one of the suspects seen in CCTV was a ladyboy. The arrests follow a string of burglaries reported in Tha-
lang and K athu over the past two months. The suspects had allegedly confessed to taking part in doz ens of burglaries, specifically targeting unlocked homes of foreign residents and tourists. According to police, the suspects claimed they had sold most of the items they stole in order to pay for drugs, partying and to afford the B18,000 monthly rent for their Srisoonthorn villa. The suspects were charged with burglary, at night and using a vehicle to commit said crimes.
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THE BO DY O F A FO R EIGN M AN found on New Zealand registered yacht on January 23 has still not been formally identified by family members. The true cause of death has also yet to be confirmed say police. M aj Thada Sodarat of the Chalong Police told T h e Ph u k e t N e w s on January 29 that he is still waiting for the deceased’s family to confirm the identity of the body. “ Family members have not yet arrived to identify the body, but the Embassy has been notified, he said. “ Workers will clean the yacht at Chalong Pier today now that we have taken all relevant evidence. “ We are now waiting for doctors to confirm the cause of death, and following
The body of the man was discovered on board the ‘Waitane II’, anchored off Nai Harn Beach. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub that we will conclude our investigation if the man’s family do not want us to investigate further, he added. M aj Thada and his team on January 23 responded to a call to investigate the body
of a foreign man found on the W a i t a n e I I , anchored o ai Harn Beach. The body was only discovered after sta from a nearby hotel noticed that the boat had not moved for a week
Family of NZ mum Ariana Brown calls for support THE FA M ILY O F N EW Zealand mum Ariana Brown, killed in a motorbike crash on January 23, has called for donations in order to repatriate M s Brown’s body home for proper burial. M s Brown was returning from her first fight victory when the motorbike she was riding hit a roadside tree in Soi Ta-iad, Chalong, an area renowned for its many M uay Thai and M M A gyms and training centres. Since then, tributes have owed for the much-loved mum. New Zealand’s national Channel 3 News paid tribute to M s Brown with a report on her passing. “ Any donation will be incredibly appreciated during this very di cult time, notes the family on the Give A Little support page. (V isit https: / / givealittle.co.nz / cause/ arianabrown# ) “ This page is for those who wish to help out Ariana’s family in bringing her home from Thailand and with the funeral costs… “ Ariana touched the lives of many and a number of people have been wanting to help out her family so we thought we would set this page up. “ We, Ariana’s family, have decided to make this page to allow family, friends and anyone else who wishes to help out to do just that. Whether it’s to send love and appreciation for having known her or simply to help a good cause, we are very grateful for any contribution, said Liam Brown. “ Ari was a beautiful and inspiring soul. It’s wonderful to see everyone coming together to support her whanau, particularly her two sons, and to celebrate the life she had. thephuketnews
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Rains wreak havoc elu es ip
Eakkapop Thongtub and Supatra Sutham editor@classactmedia.co.th
A
50-metre section of road beside the Sam K ong Unde r pa ss construction site reopened on Monday (Feb 1 after it collapsed days earlier from ooding. The Phuket o ce of the Highways Department assured that the road is safe to drive over after it underwent emergency repairs last weekend. The repaired road reopened at 7: 30pm last Sunday night ( an 31 . Workers repaired the road over the weekend and it is now safe for vehicles to drive over as usual on both lanes,” Project Engineer Chalermpon Wongkietkun said on Monday. “ The road works will not delay the completion of the project, which is now hoped to be completed by May. Workers have now returned to focusing their e orts on completing the tunnel, he said.
eput
The emergency road works were ordered after a huge rift opened after heavy rains ooded the site Thursday night last week ( an 2 , bringing tra c to a standstill. The rift measured 30 metres long, one metre wide and 1.5m deep. A smaller section alongside Yaowarat R d, near the entrance to the Tesco Lotus shopping centre, also subsided. Tra c police were forced to direct motorists away from the danger z one, with smaller vehicles mainly diverted through Phuket Town. By 3: 30am, Phuket City Police warned bus and truck drivers to avoid the area entirely. The heavy rains also affected Pra Phuket K aew R d, on the west side of the junction, with f loodwaters reaching knee deep by 6 3 pm. Many motorists were left stranded while big and small vehicles moved slowly through the area amid heavy rain. Some people in the area waited after 9pm for the rain to stop to leave o ces or home.
The bypass road has re-opened and workers have resumed full efforts on completing the underpass tunnel, hopefully in time to open in April. Photo: Booncho Homgbuth Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada and Phuket Provincial Police Chief Commander Col Teeraphol Thipjaroen inspected the site in person Friday morning (Jan 29 , when tra c was allowed to resume driving past the rift, though safety barriers were placed to keep vehicles away from damaged section of road. By Friday afternoon, how-
ever, the 50-metre section of the southbound side of the bypass road, starting from the Sam K ong Intersection, was closed so that the emergency repairs could begin, causing tra c pandemonium at the site. Southbound tra c on the bypass road was forced to either turn left toward Phuket Town or right toward K athu, and westbound traffic on
Yaowarart R d was detoured through the parking lot of the Tesco Lotus shopping centre. Tra c Police were immediately posted to direct tra c at the busy intersection, but were unable to prevent huge tra c tailbacks from ensuing. “ The road was to be remade as part of completing the project anyway, but now we have to remake it earlier in
order to fi the damage right away, Mr Samak said. V ivat Construction Project Engineer Jirawut Thaenkum admitted that the oods presented yet another setback. The underpass construction has already su ered a slew of delays, resulting in contractor V ivat Construction Co Ltd being granted repeated extended deadlines for completing the pro ect, with the final deadline passing on anuary 22. The company now faces fines of B2 million a day for failing to complete the pro ect on time. Heavy criticism of the continuing delays resluted in an inspection visit by the ce of the O mbudsman, just hours before the deluges devastated the surrounding roads. R egardless, M r Jirawut remained confident that the pro ect will soon be complete. “ Despite the delays, which are very stressful, we are confident that the underpass will be open by end of April, he said. Ad d i t i o n a l r e p o r t i n g b y T a n y a lu k S a k o o t
calls for hu et officials to tow national econo ic polic line
Deputy Prime Minister Admiral Narong Pipatanasai (right) walks with Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada (left) during the tour of the island. Photo: Phuket PR Dept
@thephuketnews
m ift in unde pass su face oad spu t affic chaos
DEPUTY PR IM E M INISTER Admiral Narong Pipatanasai has called for Phuket o cials to take heed of the “ Pracharat” economic policy when making budget allocations to projects to ensure the best projects for the greater public good get budget support first. Deputy PM Adm Narong called for local o cials to heed the new economic policy at a meeting during his inspection tour of the island on anuary 2 . His call for local o cials to follow the policy follows Prime M inister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha announcing the Pracharat policy
during his weekly address to the nation on September 25 last year. At the meeting in Phuket were also the Governors of the Andaman coast provinces of K rabi, Trang, Phang ga and Ranong. “ Governors have been informed to follow the new economic policy Pracharat, which calls for all levels of government to exercise its power for the benefit of the people,” Deputy PM Adm Narong told T h e Ph u k e t N e w s . “ The new policy will help solve problems e ectively by having the people and the government working collaboratively. This way we
are moving together in the same direction in solving any issues. Deputy PM Adm Narong also promoted the role of the Damrongdhama Centre (O mbudsman’s ce . “ The Damrongdhama Centre is crucial for the people and helps the government to provide better assistance to those who need it and help them resolve their issues uickly and e ectively, he said. “ The Damrongdhama Centre in each province should operate at the provincial level and must improve how e ectively it serves the people. In providing assistance,
each issue must be solved quickly and the centre must follow up to keep people satisfied. However, Deputy PM Adm Narong noted that land issues, especially the likes of which that have plagued Phuket for decades, will take time and the support of the central government to resolve. “ There are problems, mostly dealing with land, that the Darongdhama Centre and provincial Governors won’t be able to solve on their own because these issues fall under central government policy, he said. S u th ic h a S r ir a t
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PHUKET NEWS
Darawan Naknakhon editor@classactmedia.co.th
a tra fi te at
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i ri et ort
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M yanmar woman was arre ed in Phuket for assi ing her husband detain 32 migrants at a fishing pier on oh Sirey. Her husband escaped arre . The 32 men, all M yanmar nationals, are believed to be the victims of human tra cking and were taken to Phuket City Police to be ue ioned. Phuket City Police led by Lt Col K hunnadet Na Nongkhai together with human tra c crime suppression police, M r K o Tee from the Myanmar Embassy Thailand and o cials from the Labour R ight Promotion Network (LP on anuary 2 arre ed 3 -year-old Ma Yo at a shelter at the entrance to the fishing pier in Rassada. cials rescued the 32 men, who all claimed to have been tricked into coming to Phuket to work as fishermen and have since been forced into the fishing indu ry by Ma Yo and her husband.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Prasop Ketkaeo said he was walking along the street when he was attacked.
Man arrested for Kathu street slash attack
anma national a o faces cha es of assistin he husband detain people against their will. Col K hunnadet said that the arre came after one M yanmar migrant named ai escaped from a fishing boat and managed to borrow a mobile phone from a local resident. He immediately called his family in M yanmar and re ue ed they alert the embassy about the group’s situation. According to Nai, he and the other 32 men had been
forced to work in the fishing indu ry. He also claimed the men had been abused and assaulted, did not receive any pay, and were locked in a shelter until they were sent out to work. This led police to raid the shelter where Nai alleged the men had been kept, and upon doing so they discovered the 32 men inside and were able to arre Ma Yo. However, her
husband, 36-year-old Arpad, or o Pae , got away. M a Yo wa s t a ken to Phuket City Police Station, where she admitted that her husband is an agent who provides migrant workers for the fishing indu ry. She also told police that he would trick the workers into working in the fishing indu ry. It was alleged that Arpad gets the workers from another
agent in Prachuap K hiri K han before handing them over to people involved in the fishing indu ry in Phuket once a price for the men has been agreed. M a Yo claims that she is only involved in her husband’s accounts and cooking for the migrants. M a Yo now faces charges of assi ing her husband to detain people again their will.
THUNG THO NG PO LICE this week revealed that at 4 : 4 5pm on January 27, M r Prasop K etkaeo was admitted to V achira Phuket Hospital for ab wounds to his torso, collarbone, elbow and face. M r Prasop named his attacker as Mr Songyot Saekoi., and told police that at the time of the incident, he was walking on the reet in front of his house, holding his niece [ or nephew] , when M r Songyot allegedly approached and attacked him, before eeing the scene. Mr Songyot was arre ed on January 30 and now faces attempted murder charges. Police have not released any atement from the suspect or provided any other details about the attack. D a r a w a nN a k n a k h o n
he two hai tuna essels in iolation of fishin we e app ehended b off huket last atu da an . Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub
hai
fishin boats sei ed b
THE R O YAL THAI NAV Y Third Area Command la weekend apprehended two illegal Thai fishing vessels o Phuket, whose captains failed to comply with a new tracking protocol aimed at curbing illegal, unreported and unregi ered (IUU fishing. The R TN pursued the two boats la Saturday ( an 3 after their captains failed to comply with Port-In, Port-O ut (PIP reporting protocol as ipulated by the new essel Monitoring Sy em ( MS re uirements. The V M S tracking and reporting requirements are part of the Thai government’s late e orts to crack down on IUU fishing practices, which has tainted Thailand’s human tra cking and seafood e port market record. The two vessels, which failed to report to one of
a
office s
a
he captains and c ews of the two fishin boats we e app ehended within hou s. hoto akkapop hon tub Phuket’s si PIP centres, were named as M o o k An d a m a n 0 1 8 and M o o k An d a m a n 0 2 8 , and were initially tracked to a location about nautical miles from Phuket, before their signals were lo , prompting the R TN to send out sea and air patrols. The two ships were finally located about 5 nautical miles we of Phuket, where
they were apprehended and escorted back to the Phuket Deep Sea Port, arriving by 6pm. The crew is being detained and the inve igation is ongoing, whereas the captain and vessel owner(s will likely be charged for failing to comply with said regulations, said a navy spokesman. E a k k a p o p T h o n g tu b thephuketnews
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
PHUKET NEWS
7
Phuket lights up for Chinese New Year Suthicha Sirirat editor@classactmedia.co.th
Darren Paul Chapman, 49, (standing) from Epsom, England was charged with theft. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub
Brit arrested for cash take-off at airport A BR ITISH M AN WAS AR rested for theft at Phuket International Airport on M onday (Feb 1) when he took cash from a cash-filled envelope left on a AirAsia check-in counter. Tha Chatchai Police and Tourist Police arrested 4 9-yearold Darren Paul Chapman from Epsom, England at 1: 4 5pm as he was checking in his bag at a Bangkok Airways counter. Police seiz ed from Chapman $ 320 in US banknotes and $ 100 in Canadian. The arrest of Chapman came after a Tunisian man, Issam Barhoumi, 4 0, reported the money missing. M r Issam told police that he had gone to the AirAsia counter to ask where he could exchange
the money. However, he left the envelope on the counter when he walked away. “ I realised that I had left the envelope on the counter so I went back to get it. All I found when I returned was the empty envelope, said Mr Issam. After checking CCTV footage, police found that Chapman had gone to the counter not long after. They managed to find him at the Bangkok Airways counter and found the money in his possession. Chapman was taken to Tha Chatchai Police Station where he was charged with theft. The money has since been returned to M r Issam.
Officials target Chinese New Year price gougers TR ADE O FFICIALS HAV E begun inspections nationwide to ensure retail prices of groceries do not skyrocket ahead of the Chinese ew Year festival. Department of Internal Trade (DIT) Director-General Wiboonlak R uamraksa said the DIT has surveyed markets across Thailand regarding basic items such as pork, chicken, eggs and vegetables. She said the prices of some items had increased, but remain in relation to market demand. The central market will be working to prevent price rises caused by product distribution being directed to specific areas where demand is high, thus causing shortages elsewhere, she said.
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Department of Internal Trade (DIT) Director-General Wiboonlak Ruamraksa “ The public can be assured that the volume of items in demand for Chinese New Year celebrations will be su cient this year, and price changes will be more stable next week once the market is restocked, she added. The public can report any overpriced sale of groceries or insu cient supply to the DIT’s 156 9 Hotline. N N T
T
raditional Chinese lanterns now line the streets from the heart of Phuket O ld Town all the way south to the Wichit M unicipality main o ce on Chao Fa East Rd after the o cial launch of the Lantern Festival on Tuesday night (Feb 2). The festival, to be held until February 22 as part of the island’s Chinese New Year festivities, got underway at 7: 4 5pm with the official opening ceremony at Surin Circle (Clock Tower Circle) in Phuket Town. The Lantern Festival is being held to revive the charm of Chinese New Year and to reintroduce residents and tourists to Phuket’s Thai-Chinese cultural heritage, said Phuket overnor Chamroen Tipayapongtada. To mark the festival, selected areas in all three districts in Phuket will be lit up with the traditional lanterns, he added. “ In addition to the Lantern Festival, Phuket will also host a special food festival in Phuket O ld Town during Chinese New Year to celebrate the island recently winning recognition as a ‘ City of Gastronomy’ from Unesco, ov Chamroen said. During this food festival, we will take this opportunity to showcase more than 300
Traditional Chinese lanterns adorn homes and streets through Phuket Town as part of the Chinese New Year Lantern Festival, which runs until February 22. Photo: Suthicha Sirirat dishes of popular Phuket cuisine, he added. Chinese New Year this year will be celebrated around the world on February 8, marking the beginning of the Year of the M onkey. Festivities to be held in Phuket Town on February 1315 include musical and dance performances from Beijing and kung fu performances from Tianjin, as well as cultural processions, parades featuring local ways of life, ceremonies to pay homage to the Chinese goddess Guan Yin, Chinese cultural performances, traditional folk dance performances, youth concerts and much more. (See page 19.) In Bangkok, the o cial opening ceremony of the Yaowarat Chinese New Year 2016 will be graciously presided over by HRH Princess
M aha Chakri Sirindhorn on February 8 at Bangkok’s China Town on Yaowarat R d. V isanu Jaroensilp, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Deputy overnor for Tourism Products and Business said, “ Thailand’s celebrations to mark the 2016 Chinese New Year will be even more special, as this is a significant year for the country. This year marks His M ajesty K ing Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 70th anniversary of accession to the throne and the 88th birthday anniversary, as well as Her M ajesty Q ueen Sirikit’s seventh cycle or th birthday anniversary. “ This year also marks the 4 1st year of Sino-Thai diplomatic relations, and the 12th anniversary of cooperation between TAT and the Chinese M inistry of Culture in co-hosting the Chinese New
Year celebrations in Thailand. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) estimates that the myriad of tourist activities held throughout the country from February 5-15 as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations will help generate B2.35 billion for the Thai economy. The TAT expects to attract more than one million international visitor arrivals from February 6 -14 and generate approximately B29.92 billion tourism revenue, representing a year-on-year increase of 19 per cent and 32 per cent, respectively. O f the totals, Thailand’s five main markets with large Chinese communities – China, Hong K ong, Taiwan, Singapore, and M alaysia – are expected to contribute 4 76 ,000 visitors (up 2 and B15.2 billion revenue (up 32 .
Opinion 8
OPINION
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EDITORIAL
Not much, if any, safety assurances out at sea 1
TOP 10 STORIES ON thephuketnews.com
I
n virtually every statement made by government officials about making Phuket more tourist friendly, safety and security is regularly emphasiz ed as a key priority. It is clear that much has been done by government officials in tightening security across the country, by installing more CCTV s in Phuket, or ramping up inspections at the airport, for example. However, there is one area where safety and security appears to be severely lacking, and this is in one area that Phuket and Thailand is particularly famous for: the water. Yes, it is true that CCTV at all Phuket piers can monitor those arriving and departing the island. However, what is being done to ensure tourists’ safety when they go out on a
boat for what is supposed to be a fun excursion? Not a week goes by when T h e Ph u k e t N e w s doesn’t have to report about a tourist drowning, a boat capsiz ing or colliding into another. Where is the safety and security here, and who is responsible? As one commenter wrote on a recent Facbook post about the drowning of a Chinese Tourist: The di erence between life and death can be B200300. When you pay the extra then you will get a trip with fully trained professionals who watch everyone all the time. No one gets lost or is left alone in the water. A fully trained Emergency First response instructor and rescue diver who can teach you as well as take care of your safety can cost as little as an extra B1,000. That
between four people is B250 baht for your life. They are in the water with you at all times. So sad that another life is lost for the sake of a couple of hundred baht.” The writer has a very good point, but is it fair that the tourists need to pay extra so they are safe? Should it not be the responsibility of the tour operator to ensure they have ualified instructors on their boats who are Emergency First response instructors? In short, there is one particular o cial who is responsible for the safety of all people in the waters o Phuket, whose name we shall not say. And it is he who should be held accountable for any accidents that occur in the sea and in ensuring that they are stopped, or at least drastically reduced.
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2
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‘Party ladyboy’ CCTV hunch leads Kamala police to two burglars, stolen booty
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Family of NZ mum Ariana Brown calls for support
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Military called in as Phuket sea gypsies injured in land claim clash
8 9
Emergency road works begin at Phuket underpass site
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Chinese tourist drowns during swimming trip off Phuket Ladyboy jailed 2 months for launching dog from condo
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HAVE YOUR SAY No sunbeds = empty seats
R e : B e a c h s u n b e dr e g u l a tio n s We have been coming to Phuket for 16 years, we have seen a lot of changes in K aron and the surrounding area, like the big market, or the new apartments. Before it was just open land. The beach has always had the sunbeds on it, it’s a big part of the attraction, to visitors to K aron, for a day on the beach and a nice sunbed to lie on. The big fall of tourism to Thailand and Phuket is that people looking at coming here are told there are no sunbeds on the beaches so they are put o , as they are advised by travel agents of the problems on the beaches. At present we are in Bang Tao beach as we have found a small amount of beds there. As I am 77 years old and my wife 6 9 years old, we are not able to get down and up o the sand. So the authority with in the Government should sort this problem out before the tourists stop coming here as we have noticed on the ights coming here the empty seats have increased over the last two years. With a lot of very good memories of Phuket and
all of Thailand. P ete Tho ma s f r o m the U K
Sea gypsies in Rawai are Thai
R e : P h u k e t O p i ni o n : F i g h t i n gf o r abi r th r ig h t This is an excellent article on the problem of land rights specifically for the Urak Lawoi at R awai at this time. O ur family has a long history with these people. M y parents were the first outsiders to start learning their language in the late 196 0’s. M y father David Hogan devised a way of writing it down for the first time using the Thai script. Please note they are Thai citiz ens, most of them since the early 196 0’s. The M oken people (a minority of the Sea People population in R awai) received citiz enship about 15 years ago. R a ew yn P a ttemo r e
Good to know there’s still good
R e :E v id e n c e s h o w s s e a g y p s y l a n dc l a i m s l e g i t ,d e v e l o p e r ’ s l a n dt i t l e s i s s u e d u nl a w f u l l y : D S I I am very glad to read that there are high ranking Govern-
ment o cials who really care about the sea gypsy people, as it cultural heritage. Previously I asked myself in this paper how it was possible outsiders got chanotes on that land. I hope a deep and true government investigation on how chanotes could be given by a Phuket Land O ffice on gypsy land that had previously no ownership at all. This looks like a very large past corruption deal. I hope the present government looks at this until the bottom and punish the government o cers who did act corrupt. Also the military Commander who sent 4 0 soldiers to back up that investor and hurt gypsies (some needed hospital treatment) should be investigated. If corruption, than he should be stripped of his rank, and go to prison. The army is not for use by private investors! Let that be clear to the present government. K u r t Good. Its nice to see the system working for the real people. If HR H was happy, plus the old photos then that should be it. Good luck to the families who have made that area their home for the last
hundred years or more. simo n0 1
Be wary of who you let inside
R e : ‘ Pa r t y l a d y b oy ’ C C T V h u n c hl e a d s K a m a l ap o l i c e t ot w ob u r g l a r s ,s t o l e n b o ot y Congratulations to the K amala police and all those who assisted in the arrest of the thieves. I just installed CCTV and am now careful to lock all doors and windows because of these thefts. Nobody likes to think of people coming into their homes to steal from them but unfortunately that is the situation these days. We all need to be more careful and assist the police in capturing thieves. r ea lity c hec k
Clueless Chinese
R e : C h i n e s e d r o w ni n gs p u r s i n v e s t i g a t i o ni n t oP h u k e t to u r c o m p a n y This is sad, but a lot of Chinese have never even seen the sea before visiting here, let alone swim in it. It is no wonder they drown when in the sea and can’t touch the bottom, when they have no idea what they are doing.. ma r k lo u isw
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10 THAILAND NEWS
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
LUCKY OR CHUCKY? Thai spirit dolls delight and disturb D
riving to a Buddhist temple on the northern fringes of Bangkok, beauty salon owner Natsuda Jantaptim is running through her youngest daughter’s likes and dislikes. “ We sleep in the same bed together, she has her own pillow and blankets,” she said, her daughter sitting quietly in the front passenger seat. “ We didn’t switch the aircon on two nights ago because she was cold. In the morning, she likes to drink strawberry milk,” she added. O n first reckoning, it sounds like the everyday observations of a dedicated mother. Except the daughter Natsuda refers to isn’t real. Certainly not in the living, breathing esh and blood sense. She is a meticulously groomed plastic doll, part of the latest celebrity-fuelled superstitious craz e that has swept the country – much to the dismay of the kingdom’s conservative military rulers. K nown in Thai as “ l u u k t h e p ” (child angels), the pricey
dolls, which can cost up to $ 6 00 (B21,36 3), were first popularised a little over a year ago by celebrities who claimed dressing up and feeding the dolls had brought them professional success. Believers say the dolls – many of which are blessed and have sacred scripts drawn on them by a monk – contain the spirit of a real child and must be treated as a living being. The theory runs that those who look after their dolls like members of the family will see good fortune returned to them. As a result, plastic dolls are now taking their seats at restaurant tables, cinemas and even on airplanes. Natsuda, 4 5, lives with her very real 21-year-old daughter. But that has not dimmed her a ection for the doll, auspiciously named ‘ R uay Jang’ (So R ich). “ Since I got ‘ R uay Jang’ my life has really changed. For example I won the lottery which I had never won before,” she explained. After praying for help from
Doll collector, producer and trader, Mananya Boonmee (right) and friend Natsuda Jantaptim perform a traditional religious ceremony with their 'luuk thep' (child angel) dolls. Photo: Christophe Archambault/AFP her doll, she added, a friend paid back a significant loan after years of fruitless e orts to chase it down. Asked what she would say to those who think her credulous she replied: “ It’s a personal belief, I cannot blame those who don’t believe in it but
I believe in what I worship.” In many ways Thailand’s child angel craz e is simply the latest manifestation of a deeply superstitious society that places enormous emphasis on warding away bad luck and making good merit. M ore than 90 per cent of Thais identify themselves as Buddhist. But the country’s Buddhism is known for its syncretism, comfortably blending many animist and Hindu traditions into daily worship. M any Thais fervently believe in good and malevolent spirits – and that o erings or the latest lucky charm will ward o bad karma. In the late 2000s a style of
large amulet became the latest “ must have” item – often selling for thousands of dollars each – following the death of a popular police o cer who claimed the charms helped him solve a murder case. The l u u k t h e p craz e appears to have divided Thais. Some see it as a natural extension of their merit-making traditions while others deride it as a commercial ruse and symbol of the dumbing down of Buddhism. “ I freak out sometimes when I see them on the train,” admitted Lakkhana O le, a 31-year-old graphic designer from Bangkok who says she spots dolls increasingly often
around the city. A poll this week by Bangkok’s Suan Dusit R ajabhat University found two thirds of Thais saw the dolls as something positive if it gave them direction or helped alleviate loneliness. But the same poll also found that 72% of respondents dismissed them as the hocuspocus of overly superstitious people. It re ects that society is perverse,” Phra Buddha Issara, a conservative nationalist monk, famous for his fiery denunciations of commercialism with mainstream Thai Buddhism said. “ If you’re lonely... you can just go out and talk to your neighbours, interact more with others, do good things for public, help the blind, sweep oors or grow plants,” he added. Asked if he would he bless someone’s doll he replied: “ The only thing they would receive from me is: ‘ Damn you, you idiot’.” Issara’s criticism has been matched by Thailand’s justice minister, a former general, and the country’s top police o cer, both of whom have publicly fretted that the craz e is getting out of control. Phra Ajar n Supachai, a mon k in Nonthaburi’s Bangchak temple has no such qualms. He regularly conducts prayer sessions for l u u k t h e p dolls and their owners – for a donation. “ People began turning up with the dolls about three years ago,” he said. “ Now we get around ten people a week.” Natsuda’s friend M ae Ning is a regular. Last week she took Natsuda to chant prayers as the sa ron-robed Supachai anointed all those present, dolls included, with a stick soaked in sacred water. M ae Ning, an avid collector and trader in l u u k t h e p dolls, believes many Thais are looking for comfort in uncertain times. “ Some people are stressed about Thailand’s bad economy, its politics, their obs and finances, so they want something to attach to,” she explained. “ When people have the dolls, they feel that they are happy just like they are in another world.” atsuda, admits many find her attachment to R uay Jang unusual. “ " But honestly I don’t care because what I do doesn’t cause anyone trouble,” she said. AFP thephuketnews
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
ASIA NEWS 11
A glowing New Year
China’s ‘lantern capital’ illuminates the ‘Spring Festival’
C
CHINA
arefully steadying the gleaming red lantern between her knees, a worker applied the Chinese character for “wealth” in golden glitter – one of the millions that will illuminate the forthcoming L unar New Y ear. A high wooden arch at the entrance to the snowy village of Tuntou, in H ebei province southwest of Beij ing, proclaims it the “lantern capital” of the People’ s R epublic. Bai L iwei, the village’ s Communist Party leader, said proudly: “8 0 to 9 0 per cent of the lanterns used in China come from here.” For the past two months, the town has been churning out the pumpkinshaped lamps in preparation for the biggest holiday of the year in the world’ s most populous country. Known as the “Spring Festival” in China, the holiday, which falls on February 8 on this occasion, compares in importance to Christmas in the W est, and marks a time when home for merriment and meals – according to tradition, they must
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Workers make red lanterns at a factory in the village of Tuntou, in Hebei province southwest of Beijing, for the up coming Lunar New Year celebrations on Feb 8. Photo: AFP be back by midnight on the eve of the new year. Tuntou village has specialised in artisanal lantern-making for nearly 4 0 years. It is not the site of enormous factories, instead the industry is driven by a number of private workshops in which fami-
lies concentrate on the production of a single lantern element – their spindly metal frames, the exterior “skin” of fabric or silk, the decorative inscriptions. At the back of one assembly unit, high piles of nearly completed lanterns awaited processing, while
workers wielded wooden canes to lift others high off the ground to dangle delicately from the ceiling. The colour red symbolises luck and happiness in Chinese culture, and the lanterns are omnipresent throughout towns and countryside, trotted out at most important occa-
sions: marriages, business openings, and most of all the L unar New Y ear, which generally falls in late J anuary or early to mid February. “O utside of the peak holiday season, we also receive special requests: giant models, for example, or orders to decorate the Forbidden City in Beij ing,” explained Bai. “Tens of millions of lanterns are produced each year and all or almost all of them are sold. A portion is exported to Southeast Asia, the US or J apan. It’ s become an economic pillar for the village.” Traditionally, positive Chinese characters such as “happiness”, “peace”, and “family” are painted on their sides. But in recent years the lantern’ s inscriptions have become increasingly political. “The maj ority of these lanterns are decorated with one of the twelve ‘ socialist core values’ promoted by President X i J inping,” said Bai. In Chinese homes across the country, this new year will be ushered in by concepts including “democracy”, “freedom”, “equality”, “rule of law”, and “patriotism”. A F P
12 WORLD NEWS
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Cooking up a rarity
A pharmacist serves up a cookbook in a Khartoum kitchen SUDAN
P
reparing vegetables in a quiet K hartoum neighbourhood, pharmacist O mer Eltigani hopes not just to serve up the dish an aunt is teaching him, but also the first cookbook to bring Sudanese cuisine to the rest of the world. Straddling Africa and the Arab world, Sudan’s cooking has not tickled foodies’ palates as much as its Ethiopian neighbours or Levantine rivals. But with his aunt Salwa watching on from the corner of the kitchen in his grandparents’ house as he stu ed courgettes, aubergines and tomatoes, Eltigani said he hopes to change this with his cookbook, the country’s first not written in Arabic and aimed at foreign diners. The project – dubbed Sudanese K itchen – was originally born of his homesickness. Eltigani was born in Dublin, then lived in K hartoum until he was seven, when he moved to Britain. Wherever the family went he had his mother’s home cooking until he went to
M anchester to study pharmacy. “ I was living at uni and I really missed my M um’s food, so I would go home and ask her for recipes that were my favourite things,” the lean, unshaven 31-year-old said, taking a break in the kitchen. “ I just got the idea of writing down what I was taking with me and making it while I was at uni.” He learned to cook from scratch, starting with the dish he missed the most – the local variant of lamb meatballs popular across the region, served in a thick Sudanese tomato and garlic sauce. He started sharing his recipes with cousins, eventually setting up a website (www. sudanesekitchen.com) and found people from all over the world were interested in trying his recipes. In O ctober, he decided to dedicate himself to writing the book, quitting his job and travelling to K hartoum in January for a 10-day research visit. From his aunts’ house, he has been collecting family recipes, cooking with his two
Omer Eltigani, a young British Sudanese pharmacist, prepares Sudanese “Mahshi” (stuffed vegetables) with his aunt at her house in Khartoum. Photo: Ashraf Shazly/AFP aunts, and visiting restaurants, markets and museums to gather background he hopes to include in the book. “ It’s about placing the food in its context,” Eltigani said. The book will include around 4 0 recipes and is aimed at foreigners and also Sudanese looking to learn more about their country’s cooking. But his insistence on tying cooking to Sudan’s turbulent history has made di culties in finding publishers in Britain,
who would prefer just a book of plain recipes, he said. “ You can’t really not talk about politics and talk about Sudan,” he shrugged. M ixing Arab and African in uences, Sudan was colonised in the 19th century by the O ttomans and then by Britain and Egypt jointly until 1956 . Its post-independence history has been blighted by civil war, military dictatorship, unrest and poverty. Each period has a ected
the way Sudanese people eat, Eltigani said, a fact he wants to be central to his book. But he also hopes the richness of Sudan’s cuisine will win it fans around the world. “ What grows in the area, that definitely shapes what is made here,” Eltigani said, as he headed back to the kitchen in his aunts’ house. In the troubled Darfur region, the locally grown sorghum grain is milled to form assida, a porridge-like lump served with stews, while groups living along the Nile eat tilapia and Nile perch caught from the river, marinated and often served with a rocket salad. The importance of cooking with his family is that Sudan’s best food is not to be found in restaurants or at food stalls lining the capital’s streets. “ For me Sudanese cooking is from the home,” Eltigani said after he had finished stu ing the vegetables with rice, minced meat, dried coriander and raisins. Foreigners in K hartoum can en oy delicious ile fish or fuul – cooked fava beans avoured
with cumin and olive oil – in restaurants but they will never try the best unless they eat with a family, he says. Eltigani’s aunt Salwa, dressed in bright traditional robes, has been happy to help out, and thinks the project is “ excellent” . “ It’s a strange thing, something nice,” she smiled. With the stu ed vegetables cooked, Eltigani carried them on a tin dish to his young cousins and aunts sitting round a table in the house’s communal courtyard in the early evening light. They helped themselves to the dish in appreciative silence, as Eltigani said he hopes to finish the book around April. As the family ate from the shared tin tray, he admitted that his favourite part of Sudanese cooking will be hard to convey in his book. “ The dishes made are made for sharing,” he said, wiping his fingers after taking a bite from a stu ed potato dripping with red sauce. “ When you’re eating together you feel like you’re part of a community.” AFP
Homeless Gazans struggle during the harsh winter PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES AZZA AL-NAJJAR STR UGGLES IN vain to keep her two-year-old warm by wrapping him in blankets in her prefabricated metal home as a winter storm lashes the war-torn Gaz a Strip. The cold increases the su ering of people here,” the 24 -year-old mother says. “ M y son has breathing problems and with the weather his condition has worsened.” The family have been staying in the temporary home in the city of K han Yunis in southern Gaz a since theirs was destroyed in the 2014 war between Israel and Palestinian militants in the enclave. But recent rains battering the besieged Strip have seen schools and roads closed, while families like Najjar’s have watched water and mud seep through the doorway into their homes. She, her husband and two children – the youngest of whom is just six months old – live in a tiny metal bo measuring ust five metres by three metres. It includes just one bedroom, a small corner for cooking and a bathroom. “ There is no electricity, water, food or gas, she says. We don’t even have firewood. Israel has for nearly a decade imposed a blockade on around 1.8 million people living in Gaz a. “ O ur life here is poverty, worries, blockade and homelessness.” Her husband Samir, bundled up under
“We live – but that’s only because we”re not dead,” says Samir al-Najjar, who became wheelchair-bound after being shot by Israeli forces in 2008. Photo: Said Khatib/AFP blankets, watches helplessly as water gushes past their home. “ We live – but that’s only because we’re not dead,” says the 30-year-old, who became wheelchair-bound after being shot by Israeli forces in 2008. The family survives on donations from charities that “ are not enough” , he adds. Their home is one of around 100 that an NGO from the United Arab Emirates built as a temporary measure after the war, but that are woefully inadequate for the winter rains. Some families have stretched plastic sheeting over their roofs in a bid to prevent leaks. With UN schools closed by the weather, older kids play idly in the rain. Three huddle around a small fire in a desperate bid to warm froz en bones. AFP thephuketnews
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
BUSINESS NEWS 13
As January Goes‌ PHUKET EXPAT FINANCE
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A trader at the New York Stock Exchange covers his face. Trading in January was among the worst ever Photo: AFP
I f y ou w oul d l ike t o l earn m ore ab out s t ock m arket in v es t in g , pl eas e f eel f ree t o con t act us at : ch at w it h us @ ph uket ex pat finance.com
ea leases onl fo state a encies cla ifies inance Bangkok Post
DEPUTY
FINANCE MINISTER
A large plot of SRT land in the heart of the capital is likely to be transferred to the Treasury Department. Photo: Bangkok Post / file
@thephuketnews
inist
14 BUSINESS NEWS
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Rich shift B80bn to beat death tax rush Bangkok Post
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hares worth nearly B8 0 billion
The opening of Terminal 2 at Don Mueang airport (above) could allow an even greater number of passengers this year. Photo: Bangkok Post / Wisit Thamngern
Thais to their heirs before the introduction of inheritance and gift taxes on Monday ( Feb 1) . Executives and maj or shareholders of more than 16 0 listed companies transferred their shares to children, spouses, parents, siblings, cousins and holding companies from J uly 20 14 to Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC) reports on changes of executives’ securities holdings. The Finance Ministry’ s serious effort to push the inheritance and gift taxes – a levy on assets passed by donors when they are still alive – was apparently anticipated since J uly 20 14 and triggered a wave of wealth transfers. Under the law, inheritors of a legacy will be taxed 10 % of the amount exceeding B10 0 million, though the tax rate donors’ direct ascendants or descendants. If the person who created the will is still alive when a bequest worth over B20 million a year is made to heirs who have a direct blood relationship, recipients will be liable to 5% tax for the amount exceeding B20 million. Inheritors with no direct blood line a legacy worth over B10 million a year. Spouses are exempt from inheritance and gift taxes. Taxable assets include property, securities such as treasury bills, bonds, shares and debentures as well as investment units, deposits, registered vehicles royal decrees. Inheritors liable to pay inheritance tax will be charged interest of 0 .5%
AoT airports set new record in passenger throughput TH AIL AND’ S SIX MAIN airports saw robust growth in 20 15, setting a new record of j ust under 110 million. Such impressive growth largely in Thailand’ s tourism industry, said industry experts. “The private sector is leading the way,” said Bill Barnett, CEO of hospitality consulting
per month in cases where they request taking more than two years to pay their tax bill in instalments. Prasert Prasarttong-O soth, the founder of Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Plc ( BDMS) and Bangkok Airways Plc, transferred his stakes in both listed companies with a combined worth of over B10 billion to his wife and children, the SEC report said. Mr Prasert, the richest businessman on the Thai stock market last year, transhis wife and children and another B8 6 8 million in Bangkok Airways shares to a daughter. W ichai Thongtang, dubbed the his children. BDMS vice-chairman Chuladej
Y ossundharakul also passed his shareholding in the luxury hospital chain worth B4 .16 billion to his family, the report said. Ichitan G roup Plc president and chief executive Tan Passakornnatee combined value of B1.1 billion to his three children, while his wife, Ing Passakornnatee, also gave 6 0 million shares valued at nearly B1 billion to her two children. Financial planner Teera Phutrakul said transferring property and assets to a company can help slim down costs because the transaction will be taxed only one time but transferring wealth directly to heirs in each generation will be taxed every time. Shifting assets to a company will cost 5% of asset value, he said.
“People can talk about the push for ‘ quality tourists’ over quantity, but the market will determine it. In short, with the baht down, there is value in the tourist arrivals are expected. “Despite all economic gyrations, the reality is that demand remains strong for Thailand and it’ s a volume model… so this is the new norm,” he added. Aircraft movements – takeoffs and landings – surged in tandem by 16 .6 % from the previous year to 727,750 , acAirports of Thailand Plc ( AoT) . The overcrowded Phuket passengers, 12.8 % more than 20 14 , with international num-
lion and domestic up 18 .6 % ments grew 11.6 %
to to 8 4 ,758 ,
( up 16 .1% ) . AoT-operated airports – Chiang Mai, Chiang R ai and H at Y ai – also showed double-digit 20 14 , consistent with the overall national pattern. The growth momentum is expected to continue through 20 16 with AoT, the state operator of the six airports, conservatively proj ecting an 11% increase in combined passenger throughput. Such growth is partly made possible with the expansion at Bangkok’ s Don Mueang in Bangkok and Phuket airports. Don Mueang’ s renovated Terminal 2 is due to start full operation next month, ramping year from 18 .5 million. Also next month, the longdelayed expansion of Phuket airport should be completed, doubling its annual passenger capacity to 12.5 million from the current 6 .5 million.
X2 multiplies in Phuket The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th
CR O SSTO , W EL L KNO W N by its brand logo X 2, announced the pre-launch of the 8 4 -unit residence X 2 Vibe Phuket Bangtao on J anuary 21. The proj ect is set for a 20 17 opening. “W e are so excited to see
this proj ect come together. The brand has gathered so much trust in the market and has become very well respected among investors and consumers,” said Anthony McDonald, CEO and founder of the CrossTo brand. The eight-story property will feature 8 4 freehold condominiums, artfully arranged
studies to spacious one- and two-bedroom units in 11 styles, each fully furnished with custom-made furniture, high ceilings, and private balconies. Among the facilities will be a rooftop swimming pool and sundeck, a second swimming pool located amid gardens, a 4 K restaurant, to offer Thai fusion and W estern dishes in upscale ambience. R esidences are selling from B2.77 million, including a full, modern furniture package and a guaranteed 7% rental yield for three years. W ith manage-
ment by the X 2 R esidences G roup, the luxury design condominiums of the X 2 Vibe Phuket Bangtao qualify for the X 2 O wnership and R ental Program. X 2 Vibe is the younger star luxury brand. Both brands focus on “luxury by design”, with X 2 Vibe focusing on a fresh, fun, and more lighthearted approach to Phuket life. The X 2 brand is operated by hotel management, development and consulting group Bespoke H ospitality Management Asia ( BH MAsia) . thephuketnews
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Visit to the recycling depot for some cash
18
Southern spicy: fresh shrimp chili paste
21
‘GONG XI FA CAI’
Chinese New Year, among other local celebrations, to make for a fun, festive February > Page 19
Chinese cultural performance. Photo: Phuket City Municipality
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16 KIDS
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EDUCATION 17
NO HOLDS BARRED THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
A look at the ‘ism’ status quo of Thailand teacher recruitment ASK THE AJARN Eric Haeg info@teflcampus.com
Surprising, many teachers affected by discrimination report a preference for the Thai approach...
A teacher trainer at TEFL Campus and Phuket resident since 2004, Eric welcomes all questions regarding teaching English in Phuket at: info@ te a o
T
eaching English in Thailand means experiencing beautiful scenery at the weekend and eating delicious cuisine every night. It also means reading ugly, discriminatory job ads that leave a bad taste in the mouth. Just as some tourists boldly bare their bosoms without fear of offending locals, many Thai employers blatantly boast their racist, sexist and otherwise dubiousat-best job requirements without a thought to foreigners’ interpretations. Being fair, TEFL teachers are guest workers; we can leave if we don’t like it. But cultural relativism needn’t be a one-way street and advertising repugnant requirements isn’t exactly a great way to attract conscientious teachers. So what are the ugliest “isms” and how do they relate to job requirements? • Sexism mostly relates to teaching young learners. Gender roles are still clearly defined here. Because mothers take care of children, females take better care of young students. Thais see younger males and those with experience teaching kids as the best alternative. • Ageism also relates teaching to young learners but it can have an impact in other areas too. Your average Thai associates youth with energy, being tech savvy and generally cooler in every way. Ageism also works the other way, with employers demanding teachers be of a certain age for fear a young twenty something is too immature. The silver lining here is that of all the prejudices, age is the easiest to overcome. • Nationalism is a barrier to employment as it relates to who is and who isn’t a “na-
tive” speaker of English (NES). According to the Teachers Council of Thailand (TCT), only passports holders from the UK, Ireland, the US, CanaJust because she's a young da, Austrafemale doesn't automatically lia and New make her the best teacher. Zealand are native speakers – nothing else matters. Due to pure ignorance, many feel only native speakers should be teaching EFL, worse yet, some native speakers still do too. Nationalism also plays a role in setting they’re never going to pass. Perhaps that’s salaries. While South Africans and Euroa silver lining on a dark cloud looming over peans can find teaching jobs in Thailand TEFL employment but that’s no reason to that pay the same as NES teachers, other accept it. nationals, such as Filipinos, tend to earn Discrimination from Thais themselves far less. is one thing and there’s not much that can • Racism is as much a part of Thailand as is phad thai. Schools want white teachers done about it in our lifetime. But discrimination from Western employers is repugnant standing at their gates and Caucasians (faon any level – not just a politically correct rang) obviously fit the bill. Teachers of Afrilevel either. can and Asian descent have a tougher time Thailand’s foreign teacher community but compared to years past, this seems to be ought to be calling out Westerners who post improving – particularly for NES teachers. Racism is particularly troublesome for those discriminatory job ads. If we can’t fight Thai culture, at least we can fight those who of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent. ought to know better. Surprising, perhaps understandably, many teachers affected by discrimination To read and extended version of this article, report a preference for the Thai approach. please visit: www.teflcampus.com/teachingThey’d rather know who and what they’re dealing with instead of attending interviews English-in-Thailand-racism.
Thais head Down Under on Endeavour scholarships The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th
N
ineteen Thai recipients have been awarded merit-based Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships to undertake studies in Australia in 2016. The recipients will undertake study, research and professional development in Australia in a range of disciplines including public policy, logistics, medicine, physiotherapy, marine biology, renewable energy, law and fashion design. Since 2007, the Endeavour programme has supported 174 Thais to study or undertake research or professional development programmes in Australia. Australian Ambassador to Thailand, HE Mr Paul Robilliard, hosted a @thephuketnews
Paul Robilliard (front, centre), Australia’s Ambassador to Thailand, on January 21 congratulated 19 Thai recipients of the Australian Government’s Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships for 2016. reception on January 21 to congratulate the winners. “Our latest talented recipients will bring the benefits of knowledge and networks gained in Australia back home to Thailand, to contribute to their careers and communities,” Amb Robilliard said. Supicha Sawongkhan, recipient of Endeavour Postgraduate Scholarship, will undertake master’s degree study at Monash University.
“ My goal is to gain knowledge in public policy development to support my current career as an analyst at the Bank of Thailand,” she said. “I chose to apply for this scholarship because the Australian economy is one of the world’s strongest economies in terms of GDP, making it a great example to learn from.” There are four categories of Endeavour Scholarships
and Fellowships: Postgraduate and Postdoctoral Scholarships, Research Fellowships, Vocational Education and Training Scholarships and Executive Fellowships. Awards range in length from one month to four years and are open to all fields of study. Applications are open from April to June each year. For further information, visit InternationalEducation.gov. au/endeavour
18 ENVIRONMENT
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Striving for zero waste How to recycle 100% of your consumer waste in Phuket HAPPY HABITAT Steven Layne editor@classactmedia.co.th
I
n previous columns, I have covered several “how to” aspects of waste management in Phuket, including recycling and proper disposal of garbage at the incinerator. Today, I want to share my most recent trip to the local recycling depot. Unlike previous trips, this time I was able to sell all – 100 per cent – of my solid waste, accumulated and separated from the past three months or so. This time I took a few lead-acid batteries that were past their time, a few bags of aluminium cans, several bags of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, another few bags of mixed paper and cardboard, and another few bags of miscellaneous plastic, which included PE (Polyethylene), PP (Polypropylene) and general wrapping and plastic bags. If you’ve got the time and can be bothered, you can separate your plastics precisely and get better prices for some of the plastic, but I was happy to accept the lower price for mixed plastic and let the depot worry about separating it. No matter what recyclable waste you bring, though, most important is that it is separated “like with like”, so tin should be separated from aluminium, plastic from paper, copper from steel, and so forth. And just as important is to ensure that your recyclables are all dry, not wet and mixed with organics. A lot of this goes back to your consumer habits, and ensuring that when you produce organic waste, that it doesn’t end up with other solid wastes,
From top left, going clockwise: Colour-coded bins are becoming more common these days; Be sure you separate tin from aluminium for the best price at the depot; Roadside dumps are commonplace in Phuket. whether you plan to sell it or pay to dispose of it through your municipality or directly at the landfill. Most consumers are lazy and just throw it all in the same trash bag and throw it “away” – but remember, it doesn’t “go away”, it just becomes somebody else’s problem, which ultimately is your problem… Yes, bad karma will follow you, I promise! Indeed, good consumer habits is key. So, I was able to recycle and sell all of my solid waste from the past three months, and I owe much of this accomplishment to conscious consumer decisions and following a few guidelines that I’m going to share with you right now. In Phuket, there are about four types of items that the local depots want nothing to do with, and hence will not buy it back from you.
These are: 1. Old wood: probably because it’s prone to termites; 2. Used polystyrene food containers: while I heard you might be able to recycle clean polystyrene containers in Central Thailand, where most such products are made, the price isn’t high enough here to justify resell and transport, and besides, much of it is very dirty, tainted from the food it once stored. By the way, styrene is a known carcinogen that multiple studies show leaches into food; 3. Snack packaging, and wrappers, like the foil plastic bags potato chips and cookies are sold in: again, probably because of the likelihood it will be tainted with organic waste; 4. Mirrors, particularly broken mirrors: while I was surprised to learn
they’ll buy back broken glass, broken mirrors are associated with superstitions. In sum, if you can avoid consuming the above items, then you will never have to worry about disposing them, never mind recycling them. I didn’t consume any of the above, and thus all the solid waste I did use over the past several months were recyclable. Another key element is to “REUSE” waste items. This is particularly true for organic and wet waste, which can be great for the garden – coffee grounds and sunflower seed shells, for example. More on this another time. Happy Recycling! To learn more about recycling in Phuket, be sure to check out previous articles on ThePhuketNews.com by searching they keywords “recycling” and “dump”.
Saving the spiky, red-headed bulbul MEET
the natives Steven Layne editor@classactmedia.co.th
L
ast Saturday, my family spontaneously decided to take a brief trip to the popular Bang Pae Waterfall, in northern Phuket. It was a typical weekend scene, crowded with local teens and tourists out for a hike or swim in the stream. We managed to find a quiet spot aside the stream and as we were relaxing, splashing about, I spotted a little bird out the corner of my eye, or perhaps I heard him first. It was quite surprising to see wildlife at such a busy “nature site” dominated by loud groups of teenagers and tourists
stomping up and down the stream-side path. I grabbed my camera and started snapping this rare sighting, and then out of nowhere came this teen male, 17, maybe 18 years old I reckon, prowling quietly and proceeding to catch
the small bird with his bare hands with a single swoop. He then casually walked away with the bird, rejoining his friends on the path above. In hindsight, I suppose it was his own domesticated bird, and perhaps he had
lost it and came to collect it when he saw me snapping away. Regardless, it’s his now. After I posted the photos on Facebook, a friend pointed out that the bird was a bulbul, the kind that locals use in bird-singing contests. A google search verified that the bird was indeed a Red-whiskered Bulbul, or Pycnonotus iocosus – in Thai, Nok Prod Hua Khon Krao Daeng or Nok Hua Jook – names which help identify the bird easily by its red face patch (Hua Khon Krao Daeng) and/or its spiked head (Hua Jook). And yes, it’s one of the most popular caged songbirds in South and Southeast Asia. So I feel very blessed to have seen it in the wild, even if only for a minute. thephuketnews
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CULTURE 19
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
FIERY FEBRUARY FESTIVALS Phuket readies to celebrate 2016 Chinese New Year The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th
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hinese New Year is just around the corner, so get ready for noisy firecrackers, colourful processions and all sorts of entertainment as Phuket welcomes the Year of the “Fire Monkey”. Like every year throughout Asia and in China Towns the world over, this month will see lots of colourful lanterns decorate the streets, shops and houses – from the Clock Tower and all along Phang Nga Rd in Phuket’s Old Town quarters.
The Fire Monkey
Each Chinese New Year is represented by one of 12 zodiac animals; 2016 (according to the Chinese lunarbased calendar) is a year of the Monkey, starting from February 8, and will end on January 27, 2017. In Phuket, the Chinese New Year festivities will be preceded by the 17th Phuket Old Town Festival and the annual Wat Chalong Fair. On Chinese New Year, many Chinese descendants visit their close family to celebrate the holiday in close company. Across the island, the Chinese New Year festival and celebration will be held mainly on three days, from
February 13-15 in conjunction with the Phuket Old Town Festival which is celebrated in Old Town, the SinoPortuguese quarter of Phuket Town each year. Entertainment and highlights like the dragon procession will fill the streets with dazzling colours throughout the three days, all along Krabi, Thepkassattri and Phang Nga Roads, and on Soi Rominee and around the Thai Hua Museum. The entrances of many shops and houses will be festooned with red banners, lanterns and decorations to encourage luck and happiness during the coming year. For Chinese, red symbolises luck and fortune. The four festive Old Phuket Town streets – Thalang, Krabi, Dibuk and Phang Nga roads – will be closed to motorised traffic for three evenings of the pedestrian celebrations. On the first day of the event, Saturday (Feb 13) the colourful parade will start at 5pm from Surin Rd and enter Surin Circle to Thalang Rd and end at Queen Sirikit Park, where the opening ceremony will be held at 7pm, presided by Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupapana. The ceremony will be followed by Chinese music and performances from professional entertainers from Beijing, as well as kung fu performances from Tianjin. On February 14, the fun kicks off on stage at 5pm at Thai Hua Museum on Krabi Rd with concerts featuring SKRU Pop Orchestra, Gam Vitchayanee The Star, KoKai, Nook The Voice, Su Boonleng and Watchara Pan-eim, to name a few On the final day of the festival, Monday (Feb 15), revellers will honour and pay respect to the gods by gathering at the golden sea dragon square at Queen Sirikit park at 10pm to take part in the closing ceremony.
Itinerary for the Wat Chalong Fair •February 7: Concert by Takkatan Chollda, Tulu-Phan Maitongkham and Luk-Tan R-Siam; Thai shadow puppet show (Nung Ta Loong) by Ajarn Narong. •February 8: Concert by Dech Issara, Lamyong Yonghinhau and Leethang Maithongkham; Nung Ta Loong by Ajarn Narong. •February 9: Concert by Ja R-Siam, Nuch Willawan R-Siam and Nat-Nai Maithongkham; Nung Ta Loong by Kainui S Bundit. •February 10: Concert by Ying-Lee Srichumpon,
@thephuketnews
Senlek R-Siam and Baifern Maithongkham; Nung Ta Loong by Kainui S Bundit. •February 11: Concert by Bao Wi R-Siam, Super Valentine Girls and Joi Maithongkham; Nung Ta Loong by Kainui S Bundit. •February 12: Concert by Wong Skypass, Job-Joy Morlampanlai and Arm-Pupa Chingchasawan; Nung Ta Loong by Eiat-Nui. •February 13: Concert by P-Saderd, Jinthala Poonlap and A Maithongkham; Nung Ta Loong by Eiat-Nui.
Temple Fair
Another exciting event taking place this month is the Wat Chalong temple fair which will take place at the famous temple on Chao Fah West Rd. It is the most famous of all temple fairs on the island, a week-long festival (see itinerary below) that takes place around the same time as Chinese New Year every year. It features crowds, lights, food, shopping, fun, games galore and live entertainment from mini concerts to Nora Dance and musical folk drama.
20 HEALTH
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
All you need is love Kim White kim@mindbodyyogasystem.com
Kim White is the owner of Sala Samadhi. She offers authentic Hatha yoga instruction for private and group sessions. Contact: www. mindbodyyogasystem. com or 086 276 9174. The opinions and advice contained in this column are those of the author only. The Phuket News is not responsible for the outcome or results of following any advice in any situation.
H
ello and welcome to February. This month is all about love! I don’t really believe in one single day being THE day to celebrate the one you love. I believe every day should be like that, but it is good inspiration for this month’s article. This month I would like to talk about a technique that I use in every single asana that I practise and teach. I am hoping that you will also practise your yoga this way from now on. This technique is literally called “Love”, but to be very precise, it is actually the practise of Metta, a Pali (Buddhist language) word that describes unconditional love and kindness. Let me explain. You know when you have to take medicine that you already know tastes yucky? Your face screws up and the body is all tense and before you have even taken the medicine, you can already taste its awful flavour in your mouth? Well, this is how a lot of people go through their yoga practise. Scared of the stretch, tense and afraid before they have even started, frightened of being an embarrassment and of course not in the best frame of mind to practise yoga. Let’s flip this idea on its head. When yoga time arrives, view your body and YOUR practise of yoga with unconditional loving kindness, allow yourself to accept your limitations but understand that with time and patience, there will be change.
When the heart and mind are soft and focussed on love and kindness, the physical body will follow in kind. Soft minds will create soft bodies, on the same token that frustrated and fearful minds will create frustrated, fearful bodies. The habit of practising patience and loving kindness to release physically tight and tense situations on the yoga mat will also
follow you into tight and tense situations in everyday life. You will find you have a better tolerance and a happier outlook in stressful situations. So, please for the rest of the year, let us practise yoga with metta and enjoy a happier and stress-free year. Metta, Kim oxo
Health ministry employs measures to be malaria-free in three years
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he Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has enhanced diseasecontrol measures for malaria, aiming to maintain malaria-free areas for at least three years while eliminating drug-resisting vitiates in border provinces. MOPH Permanent-Secretary Sopon Mekthon recently revealed the progress of malaria-control measures in Thailand, and that the MOPH has shifted focus from controlling the disease to elimination, which is hoped to be achieved within the next 10 years. Four strategies will be executed to achieve the malaria-free goal, namely the urgent control of outbreaks, the development of technology and innovation, heightened cooperation, and the promotion of self-prevention capability among the general public. The MOPH is now aiming to create a malaria-free environment throughout
the entire nation for at least three years. According to Department of Disease Control (DDC) Director-General Amnuay Gajeena, Thailand has achieved a satisfactory outcome on malaria control with 36 per cent fewer patients from January 1, 2015 to January 7, 2016, compared with the same period a year earlier. However, authorities must now focus on the elimination of drug-resistant malaria commonly found in six border provinces, namely Tak, Kanchanaburi, Rayong, Surin, Sisaket, and Trat, which costs up to eight times more for effective treatment. Decisive elimination of malaria will differ according to each specific area, while the focus remains on quickly identifying infections and providing immediate treatment to cut off the infection circuit, said DDC DirectorGeneral Amnuay. NNT thephuketnews
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Craving Nam Prik
DINING 21
Fresh shrimp chili paste, Southern style STREET EATS Supatra Sutham translator@classactmedia.co.th
T
hai chili dip, or Nam Prik (น ้ �ำ พร กิ ) is a very popular dish throughout Thailand, with many variations in the secondary or complementary ingredients. My favourite version is called Nam Prik Goong Sod (น ้ �ำ พร กิ ก งุ ้ สด) or literally “fresh shrimp chili paste”, which is particularly spicy and packed with Omega 3. Known to many Westerners simply as chili dip, Nam Prik is typically served with fresh and steamed vegetables, grilled fish or a Thai-style omelette (Kai Jeaw) and rice. Its many versions differ in colour, flavour and taste. Nam Prik Goong Sod is a favourite in the South and it is known mostly for its rich taste and texture. It is quite similar to another popular variation, Nam Prik Krapi (Shrimp paste chili dip) but loaded with shrimps to give it its dominant flavour and also protein. Aside from the shrimp paste, it also contains fresh chili, lemon juice, garlic and fish sauce. Nam Prik Goong Sod is very easy to make at home. Aside from the basic ingredients mentioned
FEBRUARY FOOD FEST
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o add to all the February festive f lair, Phuket will be hosting a special food festival in Phuket Old Town throughout the Chinese New Year and Old Town Festival period to celebrate the island recently winning recognition as a ‘City of Gastronomy’ from Unesco. The food fair was announced recently by Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada, “During this food festival, we will take this opportunity to showcase more than 300 dishes of popular Phuket cuisine,” he told The Phuket News. In January, Phuket was one of 47 cities from 33 countries included as new members of the Unesco Creative Cities Network, categorised in seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, @thephuketnews
Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music. L au nched i n 2 0 0 4 and now comprising 116 Member Cities, the Unesco Creative Cities Network aims to foster international cooperation with and between cities committed to investing in creativity as a driver for sustainable urban development, social
inclusion and cultural vibrancy. The Phuket News would like to point out that cheap, tasty and colourful culinary delights are avaialable island wide, year round on nearly every corner of the island. Bringing them all together to the festive streets this month is only a bonus!
previously, you will need fresh shrimps. First, peel then boil the shrimps until they are tender, then set aside. Keep the water boiling for later. Roast the desired portion of shrimp paste in a pan along with garlic and shallots, preferably on banana leaves for an exotic aroma. Or you can fry it in a sauce pan quickly and easily. Grind the roasted shrimp paste, shallots and garlic until mixed finely, then add fresh chili. Mix the paste with boiled shrimps and turkey berry, which is called Ma Keua Puang (มะเข อื พวง) in Thai. The turkey berry is optional. Do not smash too much. Next, add lemon juice, palm sugar and a bit of boiled water so the mixture is not too thick and the spice of the chili is lessened. Dash some fish sauce or salt for taste. Serve with any steamed vegetables like green beans,
carrots, pumpkin or cabbage and pair it with boiled or fried eggs, a grilled fish such as mackerel, and of course, steamed jasmine rice. There you have it! Meaty shrimps bathed in a light purple paste that brings just enough sweet hints of garlic, lemon juice and shrimp paste without overpowering one another, bringing a tender bite, firm with a delightful aroma. Most local restaurants will have Nam Prik Goog Sod on their menu, but don’t be intimidated by the sound of it – chili paste – as this dish will certainly leave you wanting more. And don’t be afraid to ask for a milder version should you desire.
22 ISLAND SCENE
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
E AT , C H I L L , S H O P & L O V E @ T H E L I G H T H O U S E M AR K E T Dubbed 'Phuket's most stylish market at the island's liveliest marina,' the Boat Lagoon Lighthouse Market was held to the delight of shoppers, diners, family and friends on January 29 and 30, from 6-10pm. The event also featured a fantastic fi ewo ks displa en o ed b spectato s who ou ne ed f om all pa ts of the island. Look out for the next edition, planned to be held in early March.
X AN A B R U N C H P L E AS E S L I V E 89. 5 Host of Live 89.5's 'Good Morning Phuket' Chris and host of “Drive on Live' Jason made special appearances at Xana's Sunday Brunch last Sunday, January 31, to en o the most desired brunch experience by the beach', featuring a buffet with the largest number of live stations on the island, plenty of beach and pool fun; this is one Sunday brunch you should not miss this season. Chris, Jason and the latter's parents Bazza and Maggie
H E I N E C K E FO U N DAT I O N G I V E S S C H O L AR S H I P S T O S T U DE N T S The Heinecke Foundation, named after CEO and Chairman of Minor International and owner of Anantara, supports less fortunate children of all ages throughout Thailand who have outstanding records of performance. Each year, the foundation gives scholarships to 449 students to help support their education from early learning stages through to graduation. This year's event was held last Thursday (Jan 28) at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket.
DAL AY A B O T IQ U E G R AN D O P E N IN G O F L O C AL B R AN C H Christophe Le Chenadec (c), the owner with business partners.
On January 23, Dalaya Boutique held its Grand Opening for its Phuket branch at Boat Avenue, providing a line-up of boutique and fashionable items to the island's classy dressers. thephuketnews
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
ISLAND SCENE 23
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
M AK I N G T H E R O U N DS Each New Year, The Phuket News is bombarded with thank you baskets full of goodies for our staff, and each year, we also like to give back, saying thanks to the man public offices and officials fo all the hard work and cooperation they’ve shown to us.
Kamala Police Chief Pol. Col. ML. Pattanachak Chakrabandhu (left) and Pichsinee Pomnoi
From left: Nicole Bravata, Gulu Lalvani & Ender Turkyilmaz
N AI Y AN G ’ S N E W
W
E L L N E S S S P O T
The LifeCo hosted a select number of local personalities and media last Friday (Jan 29) for a walk around and explanation of their new wellness centre in Nai Yang.
Pol Col Chaowalit Petch-Sribia of Thung Thong Police
i ecto of the
inist
of ou ism huket ffice
anti awai
The winners Daniel, Donna and James (Tennis Coach )
A R AC Q U E T AT O U T R I G G E R
Last Saturday (Jan 30) Outrigger Laguna Beach Resort hosted an Aussie Tennis Tournament, which facilitated lots of fun for all participants.
athu hief ist ict ffice Barry, Fred, Denise and Charlie @thephuketnews
a an hanachaiwon
l
24 EVENTS
FRI
5 FEB
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
SAT
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Peas, Carrots, Fried mushrooms, Grilled Tomatoes – Yorkshire pudding – Roasted Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes – Gravey, Mushroom sauce, Mint Sauce. Reservation Recommended 350 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.
6 FEB
MON
Whose line? Improv Comedy Show Featuring multi award-winning improviser Drew McCreadie and featuring the best of Bangkok’s improv comedy community. “It’s like making comedy gold right before your very eyes!” Just THB500 in advance or THB750 at the door. ComedyClubBangkok.com and RoyalPhuketMarina.com Advance bookings email jayw@ royalphuketmarina.com or call 086 943 7840.
Friday BBQ Buffet at SKYE Beach Club Price at THB799++ RSVP, SKYE Beach Club at Naiyang Beach, 093 582 7700.
Japanese Sunday Brunch Every bite ra te it air Phuket’s most elaborate and well-known weekly Japanese Sunday Brunch rolls back at the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa. Kabuki Japanese Cuisine Theatre launched the event on Sunday the 13th of December. Enjoy artfully crafted Japanese cuisine and take advantage of JW Marriott’s facilities including swimming pools and Kid’s Pavilion. Priced at THB 2,000++ per person which includes food and free flow soft drinks, with 50% off for children aged 7-12.
8 FEB
All you can eat BBQ night 6pm – 11pm: beef, pork, chicken, burgers, sausages, prawns & squids, salad buffet, choice of potatoes & sauces, bread, buns & garlic bread Reservation recommended 350 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.
WED
9 FEB
BBQ at Expat Hotel Time 8pm, Expat Sports Bar, Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www.expatsportsbar.com
Traditional Sunday Roast Angus O’Tool’s Karon Beach Indian Curry Night on Fridays Come to Navrang Mahal in Karon Sea Sands Resort & Spa for an authentic Indian Feast every Friday in Karon Beach. Try out our delicious Aloo Tikki, Samosas, Chicken Tandoori, Aloo Gobi, Navrang Korma, Butter Chicken, Lamb Vindaloo, Naan, Rice, Salads, Chutneys / Achars, Pistachio Ice Cream, Gulah Jamun, Fruits. For only 499/- nett and special reduced prices on drinks. Contact: : 076 286 464 Ext 4.
Bollywood Phuket’s Weekend Special Indian Lunch Set Come and enjoy the authentic flavour of India by indulging in our weekend ‘s special lunch set for only B399++ per person between 11am-3pm. Menu includes 3 staters, 4 main course and dessert served with Gulab Jamun/Phirni Vanilla Custard/Ice Cream (choose 1). All for just B399++ per person. For more info please call 076 304 034.
SUN
Lunch or dinner served from 2pm. Your choice of either roast beef, chicken, loin of pork or leg of lamb served with roast and boiled potatoes, three fresh vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. Only B320 per person which includes a free glass of house red or white. Opposite Centara Karon Resort. See otools-phuket.com.
7 FEB
VNEA Pool Leagues Season 3 If you like playing pool, meeting new people and looking to sharpen your 8 ball skills. Then this is your opportunity to be a part of the biggest & most exciting pool league in the world. Winning team wins a trip to Vegas to play at the VNEA Las Vegas. All expenses paid. If you have any questions contact us on www.facebook.com/ vnea phuket, Tel : 085 797 0202 (Thai), 085 797 0002 (English). Email: info@thailandpooltables. com. Proundly supported by Live 89.5.
Pool Competition at Expat Sports Bar The competition at 9pm Expat Sports Bar at the Expat Hotel Soi Taipan Patong. See map at www.expathotel.com.
Sunday roast at Gallery Cafe By Pinky @ new Chalong branch
Lazy Sunday Brunch
Mussels night @ Shakers 1.2kg mussels served with french fries your choice, your style: nature, mariniere, provencale, garlic & cream or Thai style reservations recommended B295 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.
Indulge yourself in a culinary experience like no other at DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Phuket - Surin Beach; a wide selection of Thai delicacies alongside sushi platter, pasta, pizza, meat carving station and a variety of desserts you can’t miss! It also includes free flow of soft drinks! Only THB 399++ per person. Children aged 4-12 receive 50% discount off. This includes free access to our swimming pools, water slides and Kids Club.” RSVP 076 303 300.
Every Sunday from 12pm and all-day brunch and dinner every day from 7am-10pm. 0891037000 FB : Gallerycafe by Pinky, thegallerycafe@yahoo.com, 089 103 7000.
All you can eat BBQ Ribs night 6pm – 11pm: All you can eat BBQ ribs served with salad buffet, potato salad & choice of sauces. Reservations recommended THB295 P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.
daily event updates on All you can eat Sunday Roast Buffet Beef, Pork & Lamb – Cauliflower, Broccoli,
thephuketnews
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
EVENTS 25
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
SUN
14 FEB
TUE
1 MAR
PGFC Thailand 2016 “Classic” Sport Fishing Tournament
You’re invited to the 1st Wedding Show
u e ic te te m i e on h n to ns e n of ou uestions n sho ou h eent eso t p huket h ng g is the pe fect enue fo ou e speci . n intim te se ection of top supp ie s hi iting fo ou on the . ee mission. i e ings@ eent .com .
hou s of non stop spo t fishing he o sho e oun the imi n s n s. s s the p i e monies o e e e the gest in si . i es inc u e fishing t ips t ck e imite e ition p ints n much mo e. n o ts e confi me inc u ing te ms f om ust i n em n ong ong the n ing po e. o fu the et i s p e se cont ct en o e o n ight info@phuketg mefishingc u . com ou suppo te he huket e s.
TUE
Kids Dance Contest
et s nce e ti e in ites chi en ge to e s to p ticip te in the i s nce ontest . ou i get f ee nce essons in ou p ofession stu io unfo gett e time he e ot of ne f ien s n esome p i es he contest i e he on ch in o t goon. ign in to in ou g oup on ce ook contest o c ti n est @gm i .com. ou suppo te i e . .
ar-
FRI
his is the secon e th t this uni ue ce i st t n finish in h n pu huket. u-
f ou h e time this month get o n to e ee e oc te in o huket in . pen m to pm e e se ing home m e me ic n speci ties me g i e u ge s n h i speci s spo t i e sho n i e ont ct ese tions info@se ee e pm.com .
Weekends Special Lunch Menu at TEXTURE Café & Restaurant
InterBike Hash #4
Supersports 10 Mile International Run 2016
Great Mexican, Thai and Flamegrilled Burgers in a beautiful setting!
29 APR
13 MAR
The Bay Regatta 2016
@thephuketnews
et ilfiel la i ity Golf Tournament
his is n i e oppo tunit fo oc comp nies to t p into m ket segment i n s ecuti es not e c te e fo in huket. o th t this is e fi tu e it is inten e th t huket se h it i e suppo te on n nnu sis fo the chi en s ch it chosen is nhem. f ou nt to p ticip te in this e s e ent p e se isit si ngo fe ents. com. ou suppo te he huket e s i e . n huket e s .
SUN
he th e of he eg tt is e pecte to e the iggest et n i fi m st n out s one of outh st si s finest chting e ents. king p ce in some of the most e utifu scene the egion h s to o e the fou s cing n te night p t ing i ing u of e citement to huket h ng g n i. o fu the et i s p e se go to https .f ce ook.com eg tt . eg tt .com. ou suppo te ss ct e i he huket e s o osti huket i e . he huket e s . hun e tt n eg tt s si k e@ eg tt s. si .
EVERY DAY t
e t ou s eethe t t speci p ce fo ou of o e oin ou entine s om ntic set inne egue . ht nett p e inc u ing speci eco tions . ht net p p um@c pesienn .com o c oo i k . m thu huket.
WED
THU
7 APR
8 MAR
VALENTINE’S DAY SET DINNER @ PLUM RESTAURANT
17 FEB
pe spo ts i e nte n tion un p esente h n pu i e he on un ch f om . m . m. he unning oute is speci esigne oun e utifu scene ies of the h o h e tion k n the u e p nt tions. ist nces ent fee mi e mi e mi e i s ist nce . egiste no ch t .thn pu .com e ents .supe spo ts.co.th o c . ou suppo te i e . io. ont ct th ph t s th n ch t h n pu po ts eisu e u huket n th ph t. @th n pu .com t. .
huket ount in ike sh i e hosting the nte ike sh et een pi ing she s f om o e n eon . n o the ush t opics of the n m n e ith s of gui e o o i es fo st ong i e n meeke he ts. n u ge in huket s histo fo k o e n h sh festi ities. e p omise inks et te n hot e the . ong ith ou f o ite fo get me not sou eni s. egist tion e ui e n imite to . peci o ging ngements fin et i s on ou e site http phuketinte ikeh sh.com.
e e este n fusion c f est u nt in the he t of huket o n o e ing fine ining e pe iences in the e ing contempo e n k n c f tmosphe e. he est u nt opens i f om pm c ose e e e nes . om o em e on s e e open fo unch u ing eeken s f om m pm ith iet of ne mouthte ing unch menu. info@te tu ephuket. com .
26 TIME OUT
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York Across
62. Well-known “Service” 1. “The Boy Who Cried 65. Disapprove Wolf” writer 66. Capital on a 1. Saloth Sar, born 19 May 1925, is better known by what name? fjord 6. Shower or pond 2. Whose fourth novel featuring Robert Langdon, is a mystery thriller topping 67. Fancy tie called Inferno? 10. Bowlers 68. Disney dog 3. Which city was the imperial capital of Japan before Tokyo? 14. Brunch serving 69. Difficult 15. ___ sandwich situation 4. Which pop band feature Sharleen Spiteri on lead vocals? 16. Passing mention? 70. Narc’s find 5. Which American news anchorman of the 1960s and 1970s was 17. Across the globe often cited as ‘the most trusted man in America’? 20. Student overseer Down Answers below, centre. 21. Pelvic bones 22. Certain ridge 1. Litmus reddener 23. Complete halts 2. Marine flier 26. Insect genus 3. ___ good 29. Depletes example 33. Bad looks 4. Start shooting 34. Fraternity letters 5. Price word 37. Gasteyer of 6. Play for time “Saturday Night 7. Skin Live” 38. Wartime prisons 8. Eastern Christian church member 42. Bearded antelope 9. ___ Zedong 43. Of long duration, 10. Raspy in Scotland 11. Equipped 44. Comet’s path 12. Knight fight 45. Certain Asian 48. Ivory’s partner in 13. Eye sore 18. Naught song 19. Is off guard 49. Direct popular votes 24. Cold war initials 54. Enough! (Spanish) 25. Give the heave57. Profligate ho 58. Tops 26. Adjust, in a way
SUDOKU
27. Tubular pasta 28. In a lather 30. Martial art 31. Remove a brooch 32. Hardly ruddy 34. Low-fat meat 35. Old addr. book entry 36. Conjunction 39. Artless one 40. Open to all 41. Medieval missile launcher 46. Angioplasty target 47. Cordelia’s father 50. Clear the boards 51. Dinner sides 52. Continental money 53. Known formerly as 54. Tab 55. Small bovid 56. Style of poker 59. Copacati worshipper 60. Pairs 61. The third son of Adam 63. ___ de guerre 64. Anatomical duct
Solutions to last week’s puzzles:
Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) Pol Pot; 2) Dan Brown; 3) Kyoto; 4) Texas; 5) Walter Cronkite.
GOT YOUR NUMBER
ISLAND VIEW
12
This week in history ■ February 5, 62 AD
Earthquake in Pompeii, Italy. ■ February 6, 1958
metres is the minimum height of power lines in Mozambique, so giraffes may pass beneath.
Eight Manchester United F.C. players and 15 other passengers are killed in the Munich air disaster.
68
■ February 7, 1990
Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party agrees to give up its monopoly on power.
per cent of the words spoken in The Little Mermaid are said by men, despite the movie bein a isne incess film.
■ February 8, 1587
Mary, Queen of Scots, is executed on suspicion of having been involved in the Babington Plot to murder her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.
60,000 music industry employees are in Nashville, Tennessee – the world’s highest concentration.
750,000
The Beatles with Ed Sullivan, 1964. Image: CBS
■ February 9, 1964
pounds sterling (B38.49 million) is how much celebrity portrait photographer Kevin Abosch was paid for a photo of a potato.
3.5 million
days of each year are, collectively, spent hunting by the population of Oklahoma. Source: Uberfacts
The Beatles make their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing before a “record-busting” audience of 73 million viewers across the USA. ■ February 10, 2009
The communications satellites Iridium 33 and Kosmos 2251 collide in orbit, destroying both. ■ February 11, 1990
Banana Beach at Phuket near Nai Thon. Photo by Paola Vignati Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket? Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th
Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa after 27 years as a political prisoner. Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews
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PETS
BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE 40 ft long tail
Horse and Dog Vet Hospital
1 8 mon th old, licen ce to carry 1 5 p assen ge s. iss n moto . ht. 0 9 9 1 1 8 8 5 4 0 .
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Yacht Chartering and Resort
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ACTIVITIES, GROUPS
Pets Magic Planet
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Roof top Patong Mini Golf
T he b est sea ie o es oof top ini o f. oc te on the th oo of n n k in tong 2 6 2 8 , http : / / p aton g min ig olf .com
Free Tiya’ s Hammocks campaign
W in F ree hammock f rom T iy a’ s H ammock s P hu k et. W in n er w ill get e e h mmock h n m e f rom N orth of T hailan d, w eig ht cap cit kgs. ue . o e et i s isit ce ook i s h mmocks ont ct i ti @ tiy ashammock s.com, 0 8 9 6 0 0 0 0 4 1 .
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I NEED A NEW OWNER
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A lready serv e more than 4 0 0 hotel rooms. I n come u p to 1 0 , 0 0 0 b aht/ day du rin g hig h season . 8 0 sq m. R en t 2 5 , 0 0 0 b aht in c. w ater su p p ly p lu s a tru ck . 2 M B , J eep p y , the_ p romen ade@hotmail.com, 0 9 3 1 6 0 6 5 6 6
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F ast f ood & K eb ab shop f or sale I n the b est location 5 0 meter f rom B an g la road. P aton g F ree ren t u n til A P R 2 0 1 6 . 1 .5 M B , mak ry n o@g mail.com, 0 8 1 0 8 8 1 4 5 1 .
Restaurant on Main Street
ge t stefu eco te est u nt in he ngt . u fitte n e uippe kitchen seats, b ar. W alk in an d start b u sin ess. N ow on ly B 7 9 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 8 9 4 0 0 5 9 0 7 .
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U
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5 7 , 0 0 0 k ms. O n e ow n er sin ce n ew serv iced b y H on da. T ax an d I n su the en d of J u n e an d av ailab le n o e . e uce ht to 330 , 0 0 0 b ht o.n .o, A n dy + 6 6 8
W e clean o y u r car at yo u r p lace - at yo u r time. N o.1 car w ash deliv ery in P hu k et. o go to e n .me f or more details.
PERSONAL SERVICES De Laguna By Dr.J aQ
. R eg u larly ran ce u n til ow at rig ht
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4 6 9 0 9 1 4 4 ,
FURNITURE FOR SALE
Honda J azz 20 0 9 15 0 0 cc Auto
Newly renovated hotel for rent
N ew ly ren ov ated hotel/ g u est hou se in P aton g ’ s heart f or ren t f rom ow n er. 1 2 rooms, 2 shop s to b u sy street, man y f acilities. M ore details check thep hu k etn ew s.com, search isting o c .
CAR WASH DELIVERY
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20 12 Toyota Fortuner 24, 0 0 0 km
Commercial laundry in Patong
Swinging Sun Loungers For Sale
inging sun ounge s n ne it ht on ont ct y ahoo.com, 0 8 9 9 7 1 0 2 7 8 .
MOTORBIKES FOR SALE Kawasaki Versys 65 0 ABS 20 12
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oom con ition ne f om s ki huket km epco ecke ngine B ars & R ear- rack , K aw asak i H an dg u ards an d P y ramid H u g g er., 2 2 0 , 0 0 0 T H B , P au l, 0 8 4 1 30 3 2 34 , P lon g more@hotmail.com
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MEMBERSHIPS Blue Canyon Membership
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CAR FOR SALE Chevy Captiva LT 20 0 8
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e km e fect con ition e t s. me ne ice . 1 1 33, 0 6 8 1 1 33@g mail.com
TOYOTA Fortuner 20 0 9
se ts i e i eo mi c iese cc ue ook e ice histo o ot e kms. t nsmission g olf g u ru 2 0 0 5 @y ahoo.co.u k , 0 7 6 6 1 5 8 2 7 .
B u sin ess req u ires added f u n din g .5 - 7 million b ht. I n v estmen t ex chan g ed f or comp an y shares. omp n is st te of the t ith e ception R O I . I n v estmen t rep aid ov er 5 y ears an d an nu i i en s. cti e i ent p tne . e ious in ui ies on . u info m tion to u ifie in esto s. ng T hai 0 8 8 7 5 3 6 8 9 7 . 2 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 T H B .
deli &
Sale Ducati Monster 796 ABS
mm cu te uto. enuine 36 , 0 0 0 k ms. 1 8 in ch w heels, metallic b lack , c ss m. enuine in e e impo t red/ b lack leather in terior, 8 sp eak er stereo, p e ious o ne f cto sun oof. tunning c n e h to fin in h i n in such goo con ition. . o es c ose to. ont ct u .
Looking for Partners/Investors
German bakery &
MOTORBIKES FOR SALE
CAR FOR SALE
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES on tou ist e te usiness fo s e e tu no e of 0 8 7 2 7 6 0 5 2 9 or 0 8 1 9 6 8 6 0 5 1 f or more details.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
ht u o iese u o cci ents st .
Two cute Poodles
W e are 2 cu te P oodles, b oth u n der 5 k g s & the est of f ien s ish to fin ne o ing home tog ether, b oth of u s are steriliz ed, v accin ated & he th . e se cont ct he in.pe ce@gm i .com f or adop tion en q u ires.
OTHER For Sale
I n du strial ov er lock er. W hitehou se B ran d. 3 T hread. B ran d n ew n ev er u sed. u too kit. g in t ht. n i .
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Buy&Sell
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OTHER RESORT FOR SALE/LEASE
eso t fo s e e se n o e consi e ess oi e msuk i huket C on tact + 6 6 ( 0 ) 8 6 9 4 0 1 8 6 0 .
ce p ce uite p us o
nt go s i ing g in ig s i @s m t.co.th
Office Space Laguna
gun e u u nishe o ces oom ent enti e unit o in i i u o ce
ce .
PROPERTY FOR SALE House for sale
P riv ate p ool v illa w ith lov ely g arden Q u ite an d saf e area. 3 b edroom 2 op en k itchen . 1 6 0 m2 S itu ated in B 1 2 min u tes to P I A , P hu k et A irp ort, b each, an d B lu e C an yo n G olf cou rse. 2 min to M ission H ill G P rice 8 million b aht, 2 2 5 0 0 0 eu ro, b erg sstig en @telia.com, 0 9 0
half a rai. b athroom an P ahra. N ay Y an g olf cou rse. 7 0 1 4 2 0 4 .
PROPERTY FOR SALE
SMALL RESORT BY LAGUNA
Grand Boat Plaza – House for Sale/Rent
u u i s o ce poo s i h note. ecu e in estment p ice b elow rep lacemen t cost, mon ey mak er. O w n er 8 2 retirin g . 30 M il B aht. L ets talk . O w n er, 0 8 9 5 9 4 4 0 6 7 .
N ew detached v illa w ith modern sty le in H eart of P hu k et T ow n w ith 3 b edrooms, 3 b athrooms an d 2 car p ark s. S p aciou s op en liv in g an d din in g areas w ith hig h ceilin g s. Q u iet location su rrou n din g w ith n atu re, secu re w ith C C T V an d 2 4 hrs secu rity serv ice, larg e commu n al sw immin g p ool an d clu b hou se. C losed to maj or dep artmen t stores su ch as C en tral F estiv al‚ T esco L otu s, B ig C , I n tern ation al schools an d hosp itals. C on tact 0 9 5 2 5 7 7 9 9 8 , allab ou thk t@g mail.com
For Sale or Rent
4 b edroom 3 b ath room ex cellen t v iew C halon g b ay 3 storag e, F u lly f u rn ished all n ew sw immin g p ool in q u iet area R aw ai b each. A ll in q u ires. T idarat, 0 8 7 4 6 6 5 6 35 .
Alexander Kolesnikov
L an d & 4 storey C ommercial b u ildin g f or sell.P aton g . J u st 6 0 m f rom the b each. G u esthou se 6 lu x u ry rooms + restau ran t 4 0 seats. 1 7 M B , C on tact A lex an der, alex k olin z @g mail.com, 0 8 9 6 5 1 32 5 0 .
Alexander Kolesnikov
3 B edroom V illa f or sale. B u ildin g 32 0 s.m. L an d 9 0 0 s.m. N ice g arden , 2 cars g arag e, stu dy . J u st 3 min u tes f rom B I S . 1 5 M B , C on tact A lex an der, alex k olin z @g mail.com, 0 8 9 6 5 1 32 5 0 .
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PROPERTY FOR SALE
PROPERTY FOR SALE
Phuket Beach Front Land
1 4 R A I B each f ron t P hu k et, P hu n g n g a 5 - 7 * hote, C han ode title, 9 0 meters of f ron tag e M ore than 1 0 0 m w ide b each& p iece of lan d close to the b each 2 5 M B M s.P am, p hu k etmy hou se@g mail.com, 0 8 9 8 6 8 8 6 6 8 .
C lose w ater small /R A I,
Chalong Villa for sale
i ing e s .m n s .m. st oo L iv in g room, M aster b dr w ith en - su ite b th, K itchen e ie te ce oo p k. n oo ith th n i ing oom ce. . oliv er@thu rman n g rou p .com, 0 8 7 8 7 7 2 32 0 .
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
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PROPERTY FOR SALE Fire sale
7 shop hou ses f or sale, 2 0 meters f rom C halon g rou n d ab ou t. O n the w ay to p ier f or S ale. 2 5 M illion , k ieran p madden @hotmail.com, 0 9 6 9 2 4 4 6 6 1 .
House for sale
oo oc tion in h ong e e oom throom, 2 0 0 sq m H ou se on 8 0 0 sq m p lot I n clu din g f u rn itu re, 0 8 4 7 4 5 5 5 4 6 .
The Base Downtown - Sale/Rent
ment . n
1 B ed ( 35 sq m) & 2 B ed ( 6 0 sq m) , f u lly f u rn ished, p ool v iew . N ear C en tral, B I S , B ig C , L otu s, S iriroj hosp ital, D arasamu t S chool, T hai H u a S chool ( C lose to n ew C en tral E mb assy - g ood in v estimming poo fitness i . ent month month. n tt po n.c@gm i .com .
Ocean Front Villa
an teed ren tal 8 %
B ran d n ew , f u lly f u rn ished, ooms mete infinit s ie . o uick s e on p er y ear. M on tha, 0 8 1 34 3 0 7 7 7
3- 4 b edrooms, 5 b athimming poo e utifu . mi ion ht. u .
Land For Sale 3 Mil Baht
n h ng e . i e utifu t n ith access road, C han ote title, on ly 5 min u tes f rom T han y ap u ra ( P I A I n tern ation al school) . sk .than y a@ g mail.com, 0 8 1 7 37 8 6 2 4 .
Brand new 3 bed villa Onyx
L iv in g area 1 6 0 sq lu x u ry f u rn ished. O k itchen , P riv ate & P est te m. . com, 0 8 7 8 7 7 2 32 0
.m. L an d 2 0 0 sq .m. F u lly p en p lan liv in g room w ith eacef u l area, S ecu rity g ate o i e @thu m nng oup. .
Villa for sale
ge i ith oo n en n huket i i n n si e m ui up area 4 0 0 m2 . P riv ate sale, n o ag en ts p lease. 36 M B , J asmin C on su ltin g @g mx .n et.
Partner for resort wanted
5 R ai. hillside M aik hao b each. M ain b u idin g finishe . ice sunset se ie J u liu s_ schu ster2 0 0 1 @y ahoo.de
House For Sale
L ocated in R aw ai soi S amak i3 2 b edroom 2 b athroom 1 L au n dry room 1 storag e room L iv in g area 1 6 0 sq .m, C han ot title 2 8 0 sq .m. 3.2 M B ., R ico9 9 6 3@hotmail.com, 0 8 3 6 4 0 9 0 4 1
Outstanding Villa for sale
e th i ing e sq .m. L ocated at the 4 S ciou s liv in g q u arters, op areas, g ou rmet k itchen , oliv er@thu rman n g rou p .com, + 6 6 ( 0 ) 8 7 8 7 7 2 32 0
PROPERTY FOR SALE Make money NOW - Kata Beach House for sale
est co st huket e t oc tion p e room, 7 B athroom, all w ith k itchen s. R en t or liv e w ith g ood in come. 5 min u tes w alk to K ata b each. ขายของได้ o e hun ee t k t i@ y ahoo.com, 0 8 6 5 9 5 8 5 1 2 , 0 8 1 9 7 0 4 6 38 .
OCEAN VIEW LAND HALF RAI 797 Sqm.
T his b eau tif u l b lock is ready to b u ild on .I t has a sealed en try on a sealed road. I t has po e connecte . te i e n saf e title.K amala 6 .7 5 million B aht. C all ou r rep on 0 9 3 5 7 8 2 2 8 1 or con tact ow n er direct v ia email y oty 30 @hotmail.com.
Ocean Front Land
3.5 R ai w ith 9 0 meter of w ater f ron tag e, op p osite of Y acht H av en marin a, 8 0 0 meter aw ay on P han g n g a side. P u b lic road, electricity , w ater an d ready to b u ild. F or sale direct f rom ow n er, on ly 1 9 .5 mill B aht. M on tha , 0 8 1 34 3 0 7 7 7 .
SPACIOUS 4-BED RAWAI VILLA
B eau tif u l home in 1 , 0 38 su ite b eds, g u est hou se, L iv in g sp ace 32 0 sq m. P riv ate access. E mail : P hon e : 0 8 7 2 7 3 0 1 4 1 .
Kata Seaview Condo For Sale
N ew 1 b edroom w ith g reat sea an d su n set v iew s! 4 4 sq m. L easehold w ith f orieg n f reehold av ailab le. S w immin g p ool, sau n a an d clu b house. e i e fu nitu e options. e t m nag emen t an d ren tal p rog ram, 0 8 2 2 5 4 0 7 6 0 .
Townhouse for sale. Chalong.
T ow n hou se 1 5 0 sq .m, 2 storey , 2 b edroom, liv in g oom kitchen con th oom o ce p ark in g . F u lly f u rn itu red. C halon g circle, P rice: 37 0 0 0 0 0 , C on tact: M ariy a, mv s9 7 @y an dex .ru , 0 8 2 2 7 5 1 1 4 6 , F ax : 0 9 1 8 0 5 37 2 5 .
Villa for sale North Chalong area
B eau tif u l q u iet location close to I n tern ation al schools an d other amen ities. R edu ced f rom 7 .9 m to 7 .2 m. P rice in clu des f u rn itu re. C all 0 8 9 8 6 8 5 1 4 3.
House in Karon for Sale. Hard
to fin e oom th oom the p erf ect location n ear K ata & K main tain ed w ith a salt w ater p ool, P is ic t k oi hotmail.com, 0 9 9 1 6 4 2 9 9 1 .
s .m n tar R esiden ce. S p aen p lan liv in g , din in g p riv ate p ool. 1 4 .9 M , .
Sale. Semi detached house
i ing oom ou e e ooms fitte fu nitu e n en suite fitte kitchen o ce th oom carp ort g arden L an d 1 8 8 sq m, hou se 7 5 sq m. 2 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 , K hu n P eter, B aan P leu n j an 2 , P ak lok , ng o p ofi e@m i .com .
Anuphas Golfville House- Kathu
n s . ge oo cu i e th ce to ge ui ing m stem an d mu ch more. R edu ced 2 2 M B to 1 8 M B f or uick e. m geo cu @ hoo.com i eo .
sq m g arden s.T hree en 9 x 4 m p ool, maid’ s room. P rice 1 2 , 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 T H B . alan g ath@g mail.com ,
house fo s e in aron b each, w ell rice : 1 6 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 , on g co tes@
Sea view land in Patong
g mail.com, 0 8 9 9 6 7 5 37 3.
T he L ast P iece of S ea V iew L an d on P rime L ocation in P aton g , j u st 5 0 0 m. f rom P aton g b each, 1 .3 K M . to J u n g cey lon S hop p in g M all, C on tact: K aru n a, k p attaraw alee@
Waterfront Condominium
T he C leat C on do, residen ce p roj ect in K rab i B oat L ag oon M arin a. P rice 3- 9 M B , siz e 37 1 1 9 S q .M ., 1 or 2 b edroom, marin a v iew . F or ent s e. m keting@phuketp ope t t ip.com
Ocean View Land Kamala
H alf rai 7 9 7 sq .m. cleared an d lev eled, p ow er con n ected, sealed road, M U S T S E L L . mi ion. o 0 9 37 6 8 6 6 9 4 .
PROPERTY FOR SALE Beachfront House
4 - B edroom hou se on semip riv ate b each av ailab le f or sale an d ren t. C an easily b e div ided in to tw o sep arate an d iden tical p rop e ties. he ent s e c n so inc u e self - con tain ed 1 - b edroom b u n g alow , P rice: 1 8 .2 M B , R en t 1 1 0 , 0 0 0 T H B , A lex S eag o, home@thaiv illab ou tiq u e.com, 0 8 7 - 8 9 2 38 7 6 .
Pool Villa Patong 7.6MB
e utifu eeho e m n ui t et che home. b ed, 3 b ath, E u ro K itchen , op en p lan , + g arag e. F u ll f u rn . C lose b each & S hop p in g C tre, K hu n O scar, E mail: oz osk r@hotmail.com , P hon e: 0 8 7 - 8 9 31 7 5 3.
PROPERTY FOR RENT LUXURY POOL VILLA BY LAGUNA
H as ev ery thin g , comf ort, secu rity , liv e in a small resort - lu sh trop ical g arden . 35 , 0 0 0 B aht p er mon th. L on g lease. O w n er, 0 8 9 5 9 4 4 0 6 7 .
Retail space for rent
R etail sp ace av ailab le in the O cean P laz a P aton g f or massag e, b eau ty , co ee sou eni shops etc. o ent cont cts fo up to s. o info call N atty at 0 8 6 2 8 1 8 8 8 3 or 0 7 6 34 3 5 0 6 . 36 32 , N attida T hab oon dee, g .cu mmin g s@hotmail.com, 0 8 6 2 8 1 8 8 8 3.
Chalong Villa for rent
i ing e s .m n s .m. st oo L iv in g room, M aster b dr w ith en - su ite b th, K itchen , e ie te ce oo n oo ith th n i ing oom ce. month e . oliv er@thu rman n g rou p .com, 0 8 7 8 7 7 2 32 0 .
Amazing Sea view Penthouse in Rawai
F O R R E N T A maz in g S ea v iew P en thou se in R aw ai. 36 0 pํ an oramic b reathtak in g v iew s of C halon g b ay , mou n tain v iew an d b ig B u ddha. T w o b edrooms, 31 0 sq .m of sp aciou s liv in g area an d b alcon ies. P lease con tact I z z y 0 8 6 - 2 7 8 8 30 0 or D an ai 0 9 0 1 7 0 0 4 2 9 . p rop erty sales@seren ity p hu k et.com.
Spectacular sea view Penthouse
L ocated in S eren ity R esort, tw o b edrooms 31 8 sq .m of p riv ate roof top .C on tact D seren ity p hu k et.com, 0 9 0 1 7
R sp an 0
aw ai. F u lly f u rn ished aciou s liv in g area & ai, p rop erty sales@ 0 4 2 9 .
Surin Andaman Apt - 2 beds
1 0 0 sq m w 2 b eds, close to S u rin & B an g tao b eaches. C ommon P ool. F u lly f u rn ished w ith A C , f an s, in tern et, cab le T V . S hort term p ossib le. 2 4 ,0 0 0 T H B , 0 8 1 2 7 31 7 4 0 .
House for rent - Near Pah-klok
L on g term, q u ality f u rn ishin g s, n ear H eroin es M on u men t, 3 b ed, 2 b aths p us o ce. oo g en. pe month. .
PATONG: 1 and 2 Bed Apartments
e th tu io fo ent. con . u . este n itchen. o e n fu nishe . t s. st f ee. uiet oc tion e m int ine . E mail : k hu n rei@g mail.com, 0 8 4 1 8 5 8 5 36 .
CHALONG BEACH FRONT LAND
D irect b each f ron t lan d f or ren t. L on g an d short term. A rea 2 4 0 0 sq meter w ith b each f ron t of 4 0 meter, C on tact: M r. N arin , n arin p g a@ g mail.com, 0 8 1 8 2 6 9 39 0 .
thephuketnews
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
SPORT 35
Phuket friendly cancelled FOOTBALL
2016 SOUTHERN DIVISION 2 FIXTURES
Matt Pond editor@classactmedia.co.th
FIRST HALF MATCHES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
C
oming off the back of a draw and win in previous pre-season friendlies, the island’s Phuket FC should have had a chance to show what they are really capable of this Sunday (Feb 7) when they were to take on Thai Premier League (TPL) side Nakhonratchasima M az da Football Club, also in a friendly. However, for reasons undisclosed to T h e Ph u k e t N e w s , the game has been cancelled. However, T h e Ph u k e t N e w s has learned that the cancelled game against the Swat Cats will be replaced with a friendly against another TPL side, Siam Navy, which is set to be played next Saturday (Feb 13) at Surakul Stadium, kick o time has yet to be announced. In their first friendly, played against M alaysian side K edah FC, the new Andaman Dragon outfit impressed the fans that turned out to Surakul Stadium to see what their new-look club had in their arsenal. A goal in the early stages
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Date
The new look Phuket FC in action in their friendly game against Kedah FC on Jan 23. Photo: Steve W Layne of the second half of the game from K edah’s M uhammad Syafi Ahmad didn’t deter the hosts, and they managed to pull the goal back with a fine finish from local striker J a y pan Sae-ung (transliterated). The game finished 1-1. In the second friendly, against Division 2 rivals and neighbours Phang Nga FC at the Phang Nga Provincial Stadium, a late goal by Phuket’s K orean forward Beck Yong Soon (transliterated) gave the Andaman Dragon their first
win under their new set up, and the result will certainly be a positive indication of what the team can do in the coming season.
M eanwhile, last week, the draw was made for the Yamaha League Cup 2016 Play-o Round Division 2 and Phuket FC have been drawn against Yala FC in a game to be played on Wednesday (Feb 10) at the province’s Ja r o o S t a d i u m , kick off is scheduled for 3: 30pm. In addition, earlier this week, the o cial fi tures for the coming Southern Division 2 were announced and all the details are provided in the accompanying table.
Team
Stadium
Time
Sunday February 28
Pattani FC
Surakul
7pm
Saturday March 12
Chumphon FC
Institute of Physical Education Chumphon
5pm
Sunday March 20
Suratthani FC
Surakul
7pm
Sunday March 27
Ranong United
Ranong Provincial Stadium
6pm
Saturday April 2
Nara United
Surakul
7pm
Sunday April 24
Nakorn Sri Heritage
Surakul
7pm
Sunday May 1
Trang FC
Trang Municipality Stadium
6pm
Sunday May 8
Phang Nga FC
Surakul
7pm
Hatyai FC
Jiranakorn
4pm
Yala United
Yala Municipality Stadium
4pm
Saturday May 14 Saturday May 28
SECOND HALF MATCHES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE) Date Saturday July 16 Sunday July 31
Team
Stadium
Time
Yala United
Surakul
7pm
Hatyai FC
Surakul
7pm
Saturday August 6
Phang Nga FC
Phang Nga Provincial 4:30pm
Sunday August 14
Trang FC
Sunday August 21
Nakorn Sri Heritage
Sunday August 28
Nara United
Naratiwat OrBorJor Stadium
4:30pm
Sunday September 4
Ranong United
Surakul
7pm
Sunday September 11
Surat Thani FC
Surat Provincial Stadium
4:30pm
Saturday September 17
Chumphon FC
Surakul
7pm
Saturday September 24
Pattani FC
Pattani OrBorJor Stadium
4pm
Surakul
7pm
Nakorn Sri 4:30pm Municipality Stadium
36 SPORT
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Swimmers hard at it Things we can learn from Olympic Champions T
SWIMMING
his high season, Asia’s leading sports resort, and one of the finest a uatics facilities in the world, has been the training site for a number of international swimming teams. Between December and February, several National – Cz ech, Hungarian, Dutch, German, and French – as well as British National Paralympics Swim Team and Canadian National Youth Swimming Team have been kick starting the R io 2016 O lympics season here in Phuket. For some of the teams, training camps in Phuket at this time of the year have already become a tradition. This is the fourth year at Thanyapura for the R oyal Dutch National Team whose coaches have recommended it to their German colleagues who are now here for the first time – and they all love it. According to Henning Lambertz , head coach of the German Swimming Federation, Thanyapura is “ the best place to be for the moment.” All swimmers and coaches mention excellent swimming conditions
Several swim teams, including the British National Paralympics Swim Team and Canadian National Youth Swimming Team have been kick starting the Rio 2016 Olympics season at Thanyapura. and facilities as their main reason for coming to Thanyapura. Taking advantage of the superb swimming pools, hotel and exercise facilities – all in close proximity to one another – makes their days full of hard work that much easier. Additionally, the coaches explain that sun exposure helps their swimmers gain strength, as sun in Europe is scarce this time of the year. During winter months swimmers tend to get ill due to low temperatures and being in and out of water, which can disrupt the preparation period. Here,
CAST AWAY metres past the PTT station and turn right onto Chao Fa Soi 57. Follow HHH signs up Soi 57 to laager and parking sites. Please DO NOT PARK ON THE MAIN ROAD...there is plenty of parking off the main road. Hash Bus Pickup Schedule: Kamala @ Black Cat’s Bar: 2:15pm, Patong @ Expat Hotel: 2:45pm
More info: phuket-hhh.com
keeps herself motivated not only by doing what she loves, but also by visualising her past victories and reminding herself what it felt like on the winning podium. She believes that there is always a way to achieve something and that if we are able to figure it out, nothing can stop us from realising our dreams. She also recognises that it was swimming that has given her the confidence to go after her desires. In her view, limits don’t exist as everyone sets their own. “ Any training is a mind game,”
Flying mantas, whales and El Nino
HASH HOUSE HARRIERS Run #1566: Saturday 6 February 2016 Run Start Time: 15:30 PM Hares: Nothing, TOTF, Black Hole Driller (VH), Baldylocks (VH) Location: Chao Fa West - Soi 57 Directions: From Chalong circle, take Chao Fa West Rd west towards Central Plaza 1.8km and turn left Chao Fa Soi 57. From the north take Chao Fa Road West Rd towards Chalong watching for the PTT station on your right a bit beyond Wat Chalong on your left. Continue 500
they not only get that extra vitamin D but they also get used to swimming in hot conditions, which later helps them during worldwide competitions. For Ellie Simmonds, Paralympic swimmer from the UK who won her first lympic gold medal at the age of 13, training side by side with other renowned swimmers keeps her motivated. “ I’ve achieved my dreams,” she says, “ but being able to come away on a training camp like this is what I enjoy doing.” As a professional swimmer, Ellie
says M artin Truijens, one of the coaches from the R oyal Dutch National Team. Everything swimmers do in the pool or gym has a strong mental component to it; therefore, training strategies he and his team implement are highly customised to suit each player’s abilities. M artin stresses that relaxation is as important as the technical side of swimming, and his advice to novices is to learn how to relax. In his view, many inexperienced swimmers focus on the techniques and try too hard, instead of simply learning to communicate with the water. His advice to them is to experience what the water does with them, instead of the other way around. According to M artin, one can be talented in many ways both physically and mentally, and a high standard in every one of those areas is a prerequisite for becoming a champion. But being an elite swimmer also requires dedication, discipline and motivation to stretch their talent as far as they can go – as possibilities, M artin agrees with Ellie, truly are unlimited.
Proud to be the appointed supplier of windows and doors to: The British Ambassador to Thailand Bangkok. The German Honorary Consul, Phuket. The Australian Honorary Consul, Koh Samui
Office : 076 311 379 Eng : 087 061 7631 Thai : 081 539 2031
Jimmy Stewart info@fishinginphuket.com
WELL M E HEAR TIES, ALL the best for 2016 and hope you’ve all recovered from the festivities. Last month I wrote about Flying Fish, and not to be outdone, this month, M ad M ohally, Barry and the crew of M e n a 1 reported numerous sightings of ying Manta Rays, huge rays 4 / 5 metres across leaping out of the water in what they assumed is part of their mating ritual. M eanwhile, further down the coast, people were taking photographs of a K iller Whale (O rca) cruising in our waters, and the last time I saw one of them was about 10 years ago, coincidently another El Nino year. A few days later, around the middle of the month (Jan 18), a “ very rare” O muras Whale was spotted, although I don’t believe whoever defined the species as O muras, as according to the Japanese (who catch them for scientific purposes they only grow to about 11/ 12 metres and this one was estimated at between 18-20 metres, which would mean the lucky people most probably saw its cousin a Blue “ Pigmy” Whale, found more commonly, although still
The killer wale spotted off the coast of southern Phuket last month. Photo: Madeleine Tisell rare, in the Indian O cean. So big game fishing is not always about catching, but sometimes just experiencing these magnificent sights which can often be much more memorable than a screaming reel. As all the boats are also reporting superb fishing, I feel it begs the question: are all these things related and if so, what’s the connection? No doubt the Thai Fisheries Dept, probably the same guys who said they will be looking at ways to protect the O rca, (pause for a chuckle), will claim their implementation of the illegal / unregulated fishing regulations has worked wonders since it was introduced a few months ago. While this is undoubtedly a factor, I seriously doubt if fish stocks can recover so dramatically in such a short space of time. This brings me back to the whale sightings which last occurred at the time of El Nino this was, as I remember, also an e cellent fishing season.
So is El Nino and the associated global warming part of the equation? Well arrrgh, as any good pirate will tell ya, the El Nino weakens the South Pacific trade winds and often sends them east causing a fall in air pressure, while creating a rise in surface pressure in Australia, the Indian O cean and here in Phuket. For many, El Nino (and its cooler sister La Nina) periods, at their extremes, often create natural disasters, such as the droughts and famines in Africa and uncontrollable fires in America and Australia, while poor old Europe gets ooded and orthern Asia’s got brass monkeys, so if my theory has any substance: here in paradise, for us fishermen, it could prove the old adage; “ that it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good,” For this is the second REAT fishing month in a row. El Nino (Spanish) for Child Jesus because it was usually
warmest at CHR ISTM AS, not holiday season, because then it would have been called El Piss-up. Politically correct swabs, arrrgh. And now on to the catch of the month: O n Jan 12, Q u e e n M a r l i n , skippered by Captain Bow, reported plucking a Chinese woman from the sea approximately 6 miles south of R acha Noi island Apparently, the unfortunate woman had been in the water for some considerable time after falling, “ unnoticed” , from a speed boat out of R acha Yai. A subsequent search of the area by long-tail boats had proved futile as the prevailing winds and tide had taken the ill-fated woman well on her way towards the Indian O cean and most likely oblivion. Well done Q .M . And finally this month’s howler: A well-known young lady of South African extraction when discussing the Scottish “ haggis” in a bar, explained. “ It was about this time last year when I was invited by a M asonic friend to a “ John R oberts” night, where they actually did a “ prayer” to the haggis.” Priceless! ! ! Please keep your comments, reports and tall stories coming in, anything fishy. Tight lines Jimmy thephuketnews
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
SPORT 37
Seven Thais set for big meet GOLF
L
PGA Tour rookies Budsabakorn Sukapan and Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras have been granted exemptions to play at the Honda LPGA Thailand 2016 in Chonburi later this month, organisers of the event said on Tuesday (Feb 2). Teenagers Budsabakorn and Pannarat, who turned professionals less than a year ago, join 10 players who have been invited to take part in the US$ 1.6 million at the Siam Country Club O ld Course in Pattaya from Feb 25-28. O ther invited players are Thailand’s Thidapa Suwannapura, M oriya Jutanugarn and amateur Papangkorn Tawatthanakit, 2010 Honda LPGA Thailand winner Ai M iyaz ato
of Japan, JLPGA’s No.1 Shiho O yama, South K orea’s Lee Bo-M ee and Chun In-Gee, and Spain’s Beatriz R ecari. The announcement has risen the number of Thai players in the 10th edition of the tournament to seven as LPGA members Pornanong Phatlum and Ariya Jutanugarn had already ualified through their money list rankings. Budsabakorn and Pannarat are among four Thais to have earned LPGA Tour cards for this season through the Q -school. “ I am very excited to join the tournament again after playing as an amateur last year,” said Chiang R ai native Budsabakorn, who has won two titles in her short professional career. “ I thank all the sponsors for their support. Playing in
Super Seven Round 11 RESULT Daohang FC – Blue Horizon
1–5
Pita Bar – Naraya United
7–0
Kanchana Flying – Phuket Condos and Homes
3–5
Black Pearl FC – Dolphins Bay FC
5–4
Division 2 Charoenchai Foods FC – Thailand Weightloss
2–8
KB FC – KTEC FC
5–4
Almali FC – The Sky FC
3–3
Friends FC – Samkong FC
Super #
TEAM
PP
TEFL Campus – Jumbo United
2–3
The Routes FC – The Hulks by Power En Shambala United – RT Chalong Tower Condo PWK. 108 – Phuket Condos and Homes B
4–4 5–4 1–5
Se7en
DIVISION 1 PLD
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1 Kanchana Flying
9
7
0
2
29
10
21
2 Pita Bar
7
5
1
1
38
26
16
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PTS
3 Daohang FC
9
5
0
4
34
3
15
4 Naraya United
10
4
3
3
22
-2
15
5 Black Pearl FC
9
3
2
4
24
-7
11
6 Phuket Condos and Homes
7
2
1
4
17
-3
7
7 Dolphins Bay FC
8
2
1
5
17
-6
7
9
2
0
7
16
-21
6
8 Blue Horizon
DIVISION 2 #
TEAM
PLD
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1 Jumbo United
9
9
0
0
51
39
27
2 Phuket Condos and Homes B
10
7
1
2
39
20
22
GOALS DIFF
PTS
3 TEFL Campus
8
7
0
1
47
37
21
4 The Hulks by Power En
10
6
2
2
48
21
20
5 Thailand Weightloss
9
6
1
2
31
16
19
6 The Sky FC
10
3
5
2
18
5
14
7 Shambala United
8
4
1
3
22
-2
13
8 KB FC
10
4
0
6
28
-20
12
9 Samkong FC
8
3
2
3
21
3
11
10 PWK. 108
10
3
2
5
24
-12
11
11 Almali FC
9
2
3
4
25
-14
9
12 The Routes FC
8
2
2
4
21
-5
8
13 Charoenchai Foods FC
9
2
1
6
20
-19
7
14 RT Chalong Tower Condo
10
1
3
6
30
-17
6
15 KTEC FC
10
1
1
8
26
-22
4
16 Friends FC
8
0
2
6
9
-30
2
@thephuketnews
front of the local fans, I will give it my best shot.” Pannarat, who turned 18 last month, said it is like a dream come true.
“ I used to follow this tournament every single year but had never thought that one day I would actually be playing in it,” said Pannarat.
Ariya blew a big lead to finish runner-up after picking up a triple bogey on the last hole. A total of 70 players will be competing at the no-cut Honda LPGA Thailand 2016 , featuring big names like former champions Park In-Bee (2013), Tseng Yani (2011-2012), Anna Nordqvist (2014 ) and defending champion Amy Yang. M ajor w i n ne r s L ex i Thompson, Stacy Lewis, M ichelle Wie, Paula Creamer have also confirmed their participation. Pitak Pruittisarikorn, Chief perating cer of Honda Automobile (Thailand), said it was the 10th consecutive year for Honda to be the title sponsor of the tournament. He said, “ The previous editions were very successful and this year’s edition promises to be even better.” B a n g k o k Po s t
18-team TPL approved as BEC demoted FOOTBALL
Division 1
Black Pearl (yellow) remain mid-table after a narrow 5-4 win against Dolphin Bay (blue).
Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras (right) and Papangkorn Tawatthanakit (centre) are interviewed at Tuesday’s press conference. Photo Bangkok Post
“ I am preparing hard to get on with the LPGA Tour season and also to play in front of the Thai fans at this tournament. “ I want to prove that Thai players have the potential to win titles at big events.” Amateur Papangkorn, who will be taking part in the tournament for the second year in a row, said she has learned a lot from last year’s event and “ I’ll be better this time around.” She added, “ It is tough to perform consistently over four rounds and keep hitting good shots. I am better prepared this year to cope with the demands of the event. “ I am targeting a better result this year after sharing 4 3rd place last year.” Thailand has yet to win an LPGA title and its best chance came in the 2013 edition when
WITH NO END IN SIGHT to the on-going legal wrangling, the Thai Premier League has decided against expanding the competition and opted to continue with the current 18team set-up. The decision has ended the uncertainty hanging over the future of BEC Tero Sasana, Port FC and TO T, who have all been now sentenced to a life in second-tier League 1 for a year at the least. Last month, the TPL executive board announced the
expansion of the league to 20 teams this year. However, this was greeted with protests and giants Buriram United and Chonburi gave up their seats on the committee. Following a two-hour TPL
meeting at the Football Association of Thailand headquarters on M onday (Feb 1), FAT lawyer Narinpong Jinapak said, “ The meeting has agreed to keep the league to 18 teams for the new TPL season.” The decision came a few days after BEC Tero Sasana chairman Brian L M arcar announced the sale of his club for B300 million to an undisclosed new owner. BEC Tero have filed a lawsuit with the Administrative Court seeking three points from a controversial match which they lost 1-0 to Bangkok United but then claimed
their opponents had exceeded their allotted uota of on-field foreign players. Narinpong said, “ BEC Tero Sasana have been relegated to League O ne with Port FC and TO T SC. “ Although BEC Tero have lodged a case with the Administrative Court, they have not been granted an injunction and the team did not use their right to file a case in the CAS Court of Arbitration for Sport] . “ I think the Administrative Court may take more than six months before making a decision, so BEC will have to play in League O ne.” B a n g k o k Po s t
38 SPORT
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
SUPER HEROES AND BEAUTY QUEENS
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach and TV personality Jeff Sutphen at the Super Bowl Opening Night at SAP Center on Monday (Feb 1). Photo: Thearon W Henderson/AFP
O
What else could possibly launch Super Bowl week? AMERICAN FOOTBALL ne journalist arrived clad in a sparkling gold superhero cost u me. A nother f ired off questions to athletes via a glove puppet. Elsewhere in the cavernous indoor expanse of San Jose’s SAP Center – popular nickname: “ The Shark Tank” – selfie stick-wielding reporters posed for snaps with M iss Universe, Pia Wurtz bach, hired by a US television enter tainment show as an interviewer for the occasion. “ Go over there,” a television producer instructed a camera operator looking for the best vantage point to capture the occasion. “ We kind of want the look of, like, you know, chaos,” the producer added. The final countdown to the 50th edition of the Super Bowl, the biggest, brashest, loudest event in America’s sporting landscape, cranked into overdrive here. Lau nching a week of festivities leading up to the
Denver Bronco’s practice squad safety Ryan Murphy. Photo: Screenshot from sportingnews.com show-piece was M onday’s opening night launch, two hours of organised chaos that saw several hundred jour nalists engaged in a tumultuous scrimmage for interviews and sound bites. At the center of the scrum were the two men whose duel will quite possibly shape the weekend’s contest – Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton M anning and Carolina
Panthers counterpart Cam Newton. M anning, playing in his fourth – and possibly final – Super Bowl at the age of 39, has seen it all before. “ " It’s fun for me,” M anning said when asked about the hoopla that surrounds the National Football League’s globally televised spectacular. “ It’s exciting for first
year players. Seeing other people enjoying the moment reminds me that I ought to be enjoying the moment as well. It’s important to enjoy it and not just view it as something to get through before the game. It’s a unique week to be part of. “ " Coach [ Gary] K ubiak has encouraged us to soak it up – don’t just rush to Sunday, enjoy it. Sunday is why we’re here, of course, but you’re part of something pretty unique here so it’s important to soak it up.” Fielding questions from journalists for around an hour, virtually no stone was left unturned. M anning spoke at length about tactics, the qualities of Denver’s formidable defence and his relationship with younger brother Eli, the two-time Super Bowlwinning quarterback of the New York Giants. He was also asked to wish his fans in China a Happy Lunar New Year, to disclose which actor he would most like to play him
in a film of his life [ “ M aybe a young R obert R edford” ] and to reveal his favourite song by Super Bowl halftime show artists Coldplay [ “ I don’t have one, but I’m looking forward to hearing them.” ] O ne reporter wanted to know his views on the R epublican presidential nomination race in Iowa. “ I’ve met Donald Trump a couple of times,” M anning replied of the billionaire candidate in the running. “ The times I’ve been around him he’s been nice to me.” Asked who he was rooting for in the vote, he replied: “ I' m rooting for the Denver Broncos ... I’m a meathead football player.” When M anning departed it was Newton’s turn to take to the podium. The 26 -year-old Carolina star has been the outstanding player of the season, and was happy to be told he was M anning’s pick as the M ost V aluable Player of 2015. “ Anything the Sheriff has to say, you can probably ink it in gold,” Newton said with a smile, referring to M anning by his nickname. M anning had also tipped Newton as the face of the NFL for the next eight to 10 years. “ It’s just a tremendous honour to be even mentioned and affiliated with the face of the league, but yet I think I have bigger fish to fry on Sunday, and then we’ll worry about the rest of the eight to 10 years after that.” New t on , me a nwh i le, admitted the sheer scale of M onday’s media event had taken him aback. “ The game preparation is not different at all, it’s just the media. It’s bigger than I expected. But it’s the Super Bowl – the most impactful
game in all of sport,” he said. M e a nwh i le, Bronc os practice squad safety R yan M urphy was sent home from Super Bowl week on Tuesday (Feb 2) after he was detained by police during a prostitution sting operation. Broncos head coach Gary K ubiak released a statement Tuesday evening confirming M urphy had been sent back to Denver. “ Although practice squad safety R yan M urphy was not cited by police, we decided it was best for the team if we continued our preparations for Super Bowl 50 without him,” K ubiak said. “ R yan is returning to Denver but his status as a practice squad player has not changed at this time.” Television station K PIX 5 in San Jose, California, reported M urphy was questioned by Santa Clara County deputies and later released when police determined he had not solicited a prostitute. M urphy’s brother and a suspected prostitute received citations in the police operation in a motel parking lot. Broncos players were off Tuesday as they prepare for Sunday’s Super Bowl showdown with the Carolina Panthers for the National Football League crown. Broncos practice squad players traveled with the team and are scheduled to serve as scout-team players during three practices starting Wednesday. M urphy has never played in an NFL game. K eeping players focused amid the hype and hoopla of Super Bowl week was a concern of both head coaches. Panthers coach R on R ivera also gave his team Tuesday off, with players due back at their hotel in San Jose by midnight. AFP thephuketnews
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
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EPL PREDICTIONS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
MONTHLY LEADERS Allard danielgoodchild Aays jeltanic zighead
22 21 20 20 19
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
OVERALL LEADERS graeme64 hairynutbagz sam3838 scottkip celticpride
103 103 103 102 100
English Premier League 2015 - 2016 Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
MP W
Leicester Man City Arsenal Tottenham Man Utd West Ham Liverpool Southampton Stoke Watford Crystal Palace Everton Chelsea West Brom Swansea Bournemouth Norwich Newcastle Sunderland Aston Villa
23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23
13 13 13 11 10 9 9 9 9 9 9 6 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 2
D
8 5 5 9 7 9 7 6 6 5 4 11 7 7 7 7 5 6 4 7
L
2 5 5 3 6 5 7 8 8 9 10 6 9 9 10 10 12 12 14 14
F
A GD Pts
42 45 37 41 28 36 30 32 24 27 24 40 32 22 22 27 28 25 28 18
26 23 22 19 21 28 32 24 25 26 27 34 34 30 31 38 43 41 46 38
16 22 15 22 7 8 -2 8 -1 1 -3 6 -2 -8 -9 -11 -15 -16 -18 -20
47 44 44 42 37 36 34 33 33 32 31 29 28 28 25 25 23 21 19 13
Live Sports TV Schedule *Times may be subject to change
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ODI2 - Wellington
New Zealand v. Australia
Saturday 13 February Cricket
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15:00
15:00
22:00
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South Africa v. England
Rugby Union 15:55
18:00
Rugby Union - Tour Match
Racing 92 v. Highlanders
23:10
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23:50
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19:45
21:30
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Man City v. Leicester
22:00
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EPL
Tottenham v. Watford
22:00
00:00
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Liverpool v. Sunderland
22:00
00:00
EPL
Stoke v. Everton
00:30
02:15
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Aston Villa v. Norwich
Sunday 14 February Soccer
20:30
22:30
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Bournemouth v. Arsenal
23:00
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Chelsea v. Man United
Rugby Union 19:55
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Guardiola won’t distract City, says Pellegrini FOOTBALL
A
dream four years in the making was finally realised when Pep uardiola was announced as Manchester City’s ne t manager, a development the club’s billionaire owners hope will transform world football on and o the field. n it , t he re s p e ct e d -year-old, currently seeing out his final season with Bayern Munich, will be handed the simple target of winning the Champions League within the three-year contract he has agreed, and which will pay him a reported 2 million euros a season. ff the field, and into the realm of football finance and commercialisation, City believe uardiola will eventually help elevate them to the level of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona, not only because of his own profile and standing in the sports world but because of the uality of player he will be able to attract to Eastlands, armed with the bottomless wealth of their Abu Dhabi royal family ownership. A mooted attempt to sign Barcelona’s star striker Lionel Messi has long since been back page gossip for English tabloid newspapers but now, with the world’s wealthiest club having signed, arguably, the world’s best manager, such a move no longer sounds uite so fanciful. It is precisely that kind of signing City will be hoping to pull o this year, in an attempt to improve on their displays in Europe which have so far seen them fail to progress beyond the last 16 of the Champions League. But, of more far-reaching importance, the arrival of a global footballing icon like Messi would help City
Bayern Munich’s head coach Pep Guardiola (left) and Manchester City’s manager Manuel Pellegrini gesturing during football matches. Photo: Christof Stache/AFP in their aim to become the most famous and successful football club on the planet, instead of ust the wealthiest. Signings such as David Silva and Sergio Aguero rank among the greatest talent ever seen in the Premier League but those players, and the rest of the current City s uad, lack the commercial clout and presence carried by a Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or eymar. A deal late last year saw Chinese consortium CMC invest 265 million pound sterling for a stake in City, leading to reports the club will tour China later this year, where uardiola may be unveiled for the first time. In such relatively new’ football markets, uardiola will carry far more impact than his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini and the level of high-class superstar City could now attract will lift the
club even higher in terms of their global presence. This was the vision City had in 2 12 when they first approached uardiola before being rebu ed and turning to Pellegrini as a distant second choice a year later. City’s Spanish e ecutives Ferran Soriano and T iki Begiristain continued to drive the courtship, with uardiola’s move eventually developing into the worst-kept secret in the industry. The team is going to play way better football and that is some statement because they already play some great football at times, said former Barcelona forward, now T pundit Thierry Henry. They will play better under him. He will come in and some guys are going to have to leave the place, trust me. When he came to Barcelona he wanted some play-
ers out. He did the same to Bayern Munich. He will do the same in Manchester. The one thing you can be sure of – he wants to dominate. That will be music to the ears of City e ecutives and one thing appears guaranteed about the new regime at the club – there will be plenty of activity in the close-season transfer window. uardiola must determine whether in ury-prone club captain incent ompany is the man around whom he can build his defence. It would also appear to be the end of the road for fans’ favourite Yaya Toure who fell out of favour in their time at the ou Camp. f course, it is the incomings that will make for greater interest and a number of his former stars at Bayern and Barcelona will inevitably be linked with City. AFP
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editor3@classactmedia.co.th
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Let the festival begin, it’s the Super Bowl > page 38
IT’S HAMMERS TIME
West Ham Utd bring training academy to Phuket Matt Pond editor3@classactmedia.co.th
T
he island’s budding football stars of tomorrow will have a massive chance to improve their skills and knowledge in the great game next month, when, for the very first time, English Premier League side’s West Ham United Academy hold a Player Development Camp at the Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club. And if that wasn’t enough, at the end of the camp, and at the discretion of the West Ham coaches, standout performance players will be invited to go to London and spend 8-10 days training at the West Ham United Academy. Being held in conjunction with the island’s Phuket Soccer Schools and US based Global Image Sports (GIS), this unique development camp will give enthusiastic
young football lovers, who are committed to developing their technical skills and willing to work hard to realise their full playing potential, an opportunity to take their game to the next level. Any football stars of the future need to have a good attitude to playing the game in terms of commitment, desire to listen, learn, practice and work hard to improve, and this camp is aimed helping players in all of these areas. Students of the game need regular and repetetive exposure to the best teachers of the game. To that end, Phuket Soccer Schools is inviting young players to take up one of just 32 places at the upcoming West Ham United Academy Camp which will take place over five days – March 5th-9th, at Thanyapura. This five day camp will comprise superb on-pitch learning opportunities delivered by two best-in-class
experienced youth coaches from their London-based academy. Each daily session will encompass a mix of up-tempo football coaching crammed full of technical developmental experiences, together with a good measure of fun and sport education. Head Coach of Phuket Soccer Schools – Martin Hill is confident the young player’s game will benefit from this camp and they will have a superb fun five days. West Ham United Football Club has one of the most respected youth academies in world football. Under the direction of academy director Tony Carr, the West Ham United Academy has produced players such as Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Jermain Defoe who have gone on to play at the very top level of professional football.
Eligibility: Boys & girls aged 8-13 Dates: Saturday March 5 – Wednesday March 9 Session times : Saturday - 3:30pm - 6pm : Sun - Wed 4:30pm – 6:30pm Cost: B9,000 (PSS Player) : B10,000 (Non PSS Player) What’s included: • 5 days Category 1 youth player coaching • Expert technical/tactical development • FREE Bus pick-up and drop service to/from South & Middle Island • Branded training t-shirt • Branded leisure polo shirt • Access to WHU academy resources • 10+ hours of great fun, new friendships and player development
For more information please contact: +66 (0) 85-331-0295 or email: info@phuketsoccerschools.com
THE COACHES Ian Yuill
Former West Ham United Schoolboy and Youth Team Player
Job positions at West Ham United FC
• Pre-Academy Coach – West Ham United • Academy Coach West Ham United • West Ham United Academy Lead Coach U10s, U11s, U13s, • West Ham United Academy Assistant Coach U10s, U13s, U15s • West Ham United Technical Skills Coach – all academy age groups
Coaching Highlights & Achievements
• Led West Ham United U13’s to Premier League Cup Final glory at St Georges Park v Manchester City • Developed & coached players with international recognition • Created and delivered an age appropriate Technical Syllabus for all West Ham United Academy age groups – specifically U9 to U16 age groups • Implemented & delivered position specific practices U15 & U16 – Hybrid Schoolboy Programme • Introduced & deployed Academy Soccer Coach software for the Academy to assist with the Premier League audit 2012 • Gaining Category 1 Premier League Academy status
Qualifications
UEFA B,(working towards UEFA A, FA Youth Modules 1,2,& 3, Talent ID Certified, Child protection & Best practice, FA Emergency Aid, Full FACA membership, League Managers Association full membership.
Ross Klinefelter
Job Positions at West Ham United FC
• Head Coach U12s • 7 years at West Ham United FC Academy • Coaching Highlights & Achievements • Coached and scouted throughout North and Central America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and • Singapore. Previously at Crystal Palace Football Club.
Qualifications UEFA B Licence, FA Youth Licence 1, 2 & 3
thephuketnews