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Sara Group, CEO named in criminal case over blaze

■ Investigators find enough evidence for

death by negligence charges ■ Maximum penalty: 10 years in jail ■ Tiger lawyer vows to fight in court FULL STORY ON PAGE 2

Tiger CEO Piya Isaramalai speaks at the opening of Tiger Boxing, shortly after the fire.

He also used the occasion to hand out compensation to the families of two of the victims.

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THE PHUKET NEWS

NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

Longer land leases, please

Developer Songkran Issara calls for leases to be doubled in length to 60 years > 6

Alasdair Forbes, Jody Houton & Claire Connell execeditor@thephuketnews.com

Tiger owners charged over deadly blaze Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter4@thephuketnews.com

P

atong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Po c h a n a p h a n h a s announced that Sara Entertainment Co, the operators of Tiger Discotheque, along with chief executive Piya Isaramalai, have been charged with negligence causing death, along with physical and mental injury to other people, and with trading after hours.

This follows the deadly blaze on August 17 in which four people – two Thais and two foreigners – died, and in which a French tourist was severely burned.

Evidence submitted to support the charges includes the architects’ report citing many ways in which the disco broke safety laws, and a separate forensic report that found the fire started inside the building and was not triggered by lightning, as

claimed by Tiger’s lawyer, Tomrongsak Boonyaruk.

Causing death by negligence carries a maximum penalty in Thai law of 10 years in prison and/or a fine of no more than B20,000.

Both Sara and Mr Piya reject the charges. Mr Tomrongsak told The Phuket News, “Sara Entertainment will be ready to fight these charges.”

A report by investigators led by the President of the Safety in Architecture section of the Association of Siamese Architects, Dr Bundit Pradabsook, said investigators found there were no fire alarms in the disco, that fire escape doors were built from highly flammable material and the fire escape ladders did not reach the ground.

It also cited “excessive” use of Styrofoam and other flammable material as contributing to the speed with which the blaze spread.

A separate report by the National Forensics Centre has yet to be released in full, but outgoing police chief Maj Gen Chonasit Wattanavrangkul said last week that the report confirmed that the fire started inside the disco, contradicting Sara’s assertion that the fire started with a lightning strike or from a power transformer outside the building.

As Sara Entertainment has rejected the charges, a long drawn-out legal process is likely to now begin.

In the case of the infamous Santika Pub fire in Bangkok in January 2009, in which 66 people died, it took two and a half years for the courts to reach decisions on the fire.

Both the owners and the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority – responsible for building safety inspections – were found culpable. Both parties have appealed, so that saga is still far from complete.

Officials inspect the shambles left after the Tiger disco fire.

Jet ski problems ‘almost solved’

     

           

                                             

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T H E G OV E R N M E N T, along with Phuket authorities, are now very close to finding a resolution to the jet ski rentals problem.

Puriphat Teerakulpisut, Director of the Marine Department, said each of the five beaches where jet ski rentals are allowed will be divided into six zones.

This would prevent crowds of jet skis in one place on the beach. Jet-ski owners would be required to display clearly the official orange registry number from the Marine Department on their machines.

Registration, he added,

would allow the Phuket Jet Ski Association to monitor the conditions of jet skis to make sure they are in seaworthy condition.

Mr Puriphat added that the jet-ski contracts, to be signed by operators and customers, will be available in the high season in Russian as well as in Thai and English, because there had been a high volume of Russian tourists recently having problems over damage done to jet skis.

Registered jet ski operators must now have insurance, with a deal having been done with Ayutthaya Insurance to

provide policies.

However this covers damage to machine only up to B50,000. For amounts beyond that, the contracts stipulate that the customer pays, not only for the damage but also for lost income while the jet ski is repaired.

The Phuket approach to the jet ski problems is also being seen as a model for solving similar problems in Pattaya.

The Pattaya Mail reports that local officials there regard regard the Phuket plan as a “model solution”.

Comment and cartoon: Page 12

Take the plunge!

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

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Phuket to get free Wi-Fi hotspots

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ree Wi-Fi is on the way for residents and visitors to Thailand with the introduction of the latest government project, ICT Free Wi-Fi for Tourism, TTR Weekly reports.

The project will offer more than 1,600 Wi-Fi hotspots across the country, 323 of them in the south, including Phuket.

Under the ICT project, people must register to gain access, using their ID card numbers or passport numbers in the case of foreigners.

After registration, users will get free access to Wi-Fi hotspots anywhere in the country for up to six months, though sessions will be limited to just 20 minutes online, with a two-hour wait before users are allowed back on again.

Launched late last week, the project is a joint effort of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

The latter claims the project will help the government reach its tourism

PAY

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revenue target of B2.2 trillion in 2015.

In the first phase, ICT Free Wi-Fi for Tourism will cover 1,615 hotspots across Thailand by the end of the year, mostly in tourist destinations.

Apart from the 323 in the South, 253 hotspots will be installed in tourist districts in Bangkok, 446 in the central region, 201 in the eastern region, 325 in the North and 67 in Isarn.

The project will use CAT Telecom as the service provider, offering a speed of 2 megabits per second for downloads.

Details of how the project will be applied in Phuket have yet to emerge.

Chuan Sutontatspidok, CAT’s Phuket director of marketing and service, told The Phuket News that his office had sent a plan for up to 1,000 Wi-Fi hotspots i n Phu ket, half i n t he Patong area and half in Phuket Town. But he had not heard anything back yet.

“The research has been done. The next step will be

the go-ahead from the ICT. I believe we can have all the Wi-Fi points working before 2015,” he said.

Free Wi Fi is part of the Smart Thailand project of the ICT Ministry, which includes a target of highspeed internet for 80 per cent of people living in Thailand by 2015, and 250,000 WiFi hotspots throughout the country by 2017.

This is not the f irst project to offer free Wi-Fi access to tourists. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has already launched Green Bangkok Wi-Fi, which offers around 20,000 hotspots. True Internet is the provider for that project.

Earlier this month, Pattaya announced it will offer free Wi-Fi for tourists covering areas from Na Kluea in north Pattaya, south to Jomtien beach, with a download speed of 2 megabits per second.

In the case of Pattaya, users must register first. Registration lasts three months, with a maximum of five hours’ use per month.

A green turtle with a damaged hind leg recuperates after being rescued.

50 turtles washed up in past three months OVER THE PAST THREE months 50 live turtles – most of them injured – have been found washed up on Nai Yang beach and on the beaches of Phang Nga. Dr Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong, chief of the Rare Marine Animals section at the Phuket Marine Biological Centre, said 70 per cent of the injured animals were green turtles with significant wounds to their shells and fins.

Some had severed limbs,

“a telling sign that they have been caught up in fishermen’s nets”, he said. Of those washed up on shore some 30 per cent seemed to have ingested garbage thrown overboard by passing boats.

When asked if these numbers seemed out of the ordinary, Dr Kongkiat said that due to the increased severity of storms, generating high seas around Phuket, more turtles have washed up.

Adding to the casualties, he added, research showed

that 10 per cent of young turtles hatched on Phuket also get stuck in nets while trying to swim to deep water further north, near Myanmar.

Dr Konkiat added that the public need to be more aware of the effect on marine life of garbage dumped in the water or on the beaches.

Turtles sometimes mistake plastic bags for jellyfish – part of their diet – and eat them, with disastrous, often fatal, results for their digestive system.

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ALASDAIR FORBES Executive Editor 087 884 9964 execeditor@thephuketnews.com From the UK; 40 years as a journalist and editor on magazines and newspapers in the UK, Middle East, Hong Kong and Thailand: Cheshire Observer, Chester Chronicle, Saudi Gazette, Gulf Mirror, Gulf Construction, Gulf News, Hongkong Standard, Asian Business (Editor) and Phuket Gazette (Managing Editor for seven years).

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JODY HOUTON Sub Editor editor3@thephuketnews.com From the UK; Masters Degree in Journalism, Kingston University. Five years’ experience at Groove Magazine, Metropolis, The Western Telegraph, The Mirror and Phuket Post.

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THE BOSS

New Phuket Governor named

M

aitri Intusut, up until now the Governor of Phayao in the north of Thailand, has been named Phuket’s new Governor, replacing Gov Tri Augkaradacha who retired last month.

He will start work on Monday (October 8).

Gov Maitri ser ved in Phayao for just a year, having previously been governor of Trang Province for two years.

The new governor received a BSc and MSc in political science from Thammasat University. In 1989, he attended District Chief School.

In 2,000, he completed a course in Advanced Senior Administration and in 2006-7 he studied at the Kingdom’s Defence College.

He started his career in government at the National Security Council, serving 10 years in policy and planning, eventually becoming Secretary to the Council. He also served in the Secretariat of the Prime Minister’s Office, as chief of the Parliamentary Section, Internal Affairs, and as Chief Secretary.

He then transferred to the Interior Ministry, where he started as secretary to the

Gov Maitri comes to Phuket after running Trang and Phayao. ministry’s Permanent Secretary. He then went on to serve successively as chief of the Provincial Office staff in Ubon Rachathani, Chaiyapoom, and Pitsanulok provinces, all positions attached to the office of the Interior Ministry’s Permanent Secretary.

The new governor has also been Secretary of the Department of Administration and vice chancellor of the Administrative College, Department of Administration; director of Studies and Planning, Administration Department; and director of the Office of Policy and Planning, Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary’s Office.

In 2003 Gov Maitri was appointed vice-governor of Phang-nga, and in 2005, vicegovernor of Nakorn Sri Thammarat. He also was appointed chief of the Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary’s Office to Overcome Drugs, and the Centre to Defeat Poverty.

In 2007, he became vicegovernor first of Lopburi, then of Srisaket Province in the Northeast. In 2008 he was shuffled back to Lopburi as vice-governor, and in 2009 received his first posting as governor, in Trang.

Phuket’s new “provincial father” has been strongly identified with drug interdiction and grassroots development.

New police chief brings lessons from deep South

IN BRIEF 18-wheel truck in hit-and-run The driver of an 18-wheel tractor-trailer rig fled the scene after causing a crash with a pick-up truck on Saturday afternoon (September 29) opposite the Muang Mai marketplace on Thepkrassattri Rd. Witnesses told police that an Isuzu pick-up truck was moving fast along the road when the truck made a U-turn in its way. The Isuzu smashed into the trailer, badly injuring the driver, Ken Patan, 19, of Srisoonthorn. The 18-wheeler driver promptly drove away.

It was later reported that the trailer had been found abandoned near the Airport Rd intersection. So far the driver has not been found.

– Source: Siang Tai

Horror crash splits car in two Three people were severely injured in the early hours of Sunday (September 30) in a high-speed smash in Baan Lipon that resulted in the car they were in being split in two by the impact.

Rescue workers, after rushing all four to hospital then had the grisly task of retrieving the sheered-off leg of the driver from the wreck.

The smash took place at around 2.30 am on Thepkrassattri Rd in the Baan Lipon area, scene of frequent highspeed accidents.

The occupants of the car, one woman and two men, were all critically injured.

– Source: Siang Tai

Crabs go walkabout

Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter4@thephuketnews.com

PHUKET’S NEW POLICE chief, 59-year-old Pol Maj Gen Choti Chavalviwat, says he plans to educate the island’s police force to be more alert and hard-working than they are now.

After four years in the crucible of Yala and Narathiwat, the General knows a thing or two about being alert.

He admits that his heart is still with the officers he worked with in the troubled deep South, but he feels that his experiences there will translate into the creation of a more effective force in Phuket.

“I want the Phuket police to be more smartly dressed and more responsive to orders.

The Phuket police are not in a dangerous situation. I think of my fellow officers in Narathiwat and Yala who faced danger all the time. No one could be absent-minded or inattentive because someone would be shot or would die.

“So, moving to Phuket,

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

Gen Choti wants his men to be much more alert than they are now.

I wonder what [my former colleagues] will think about me, staying in comfort here. I would like them to know that I am not just kicking back in this Phuket ‘Paradise’. As a result, I have to work harder,” he says with a laugh.

“Tourism is an important earner of income for Thailand and in Phuket there are many consulates, which means there is an international focus on tourism in the island.

“So I have to think about what processes are appropriate for keeping tourists safe from

swindlers, mafia and drugs.

“In the case of drugs, my main focus will be more on the distributors than the users.”

Gen Choti said that Phuket police, because they live in a comfortable environment without dangers such as they would face in the deep South, have become complacent, and do not work as hard as they should for the island’s citizens.

With a wicked smile, he warned, “If they don’t work harder, I can always swap them for some of my former colleagues in Yala or Narathiwat.”

An unusual migration of fiddler crabs caused amazement among residents of Rawai and a traffic jam on Sunday evening (September 30) The crabs, described as numbering “in the thousands” seemed to be moving from one section of mangrove to another across the road.

Some local people professed to be amazed, while others were blasé, describing it as an annual phenomenon.

– Source: Siang Tai

Man electrocuted A Nakorn Sri Thammarat man working on the erection of a new giant LED advertising screen just south of the Central Festival mall was electrocuted last Friday (September 28).

Wai Hayang, 32, was working on top of the giant screen when he apparently touched high-voltage cables running above it.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

PHUKET NEWS

Mayor, locals plan strategy to block Tesco from town

FACE-OFF Narit Kamnurak, Chief of the Land Commission, talks with reporters after the meeting.

Graft busters vs land officials Nattha Thepbamrung reporter2@thephuketnews.com

and officers and the adviser to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), which has been rattling skeletons all around Phuket with its land investigation, confronted each other at the Sirinart Marine National Park offices last Friday morning (September 28).

This is the first time that officials from the Land Office – which has come under suspicion for corruptly issuing land titles to chunks of the Sirinart Park – had met with the investigators unerathing bad land titles.

Chairing the meeting was Narit Kamnurak, Chief of the Land Commission, while the DNP was represented by Sunthorn Watcharakuldilok, the adviser to the DNP’s Crime Suppression Section and the Thalang land officials were led by Watchara Buathong.

Mr Watchara made an attempt to explain how the suspect land titles – now numbering 10 – had been issued legally.

He gave as an example the

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case of the Pullman Arcadia Resort, currently under construction at the north end of Naithon Beach. Long before the park was demarcated, he said, this land had been the site of two villages – Moo 3 and Moo 4 – comprising about 100 local people.

He also insisted that “Baan Farang”, Frenchman Bernard Gaulthier’s large villa, was on land that was, according to recent surveys, neither forest nor in a forest reserve.

“Holders of Sor Kor 1 land papers are within their rights to upgrade those papers to full [Chanote] freehold deeds,” he said.

Mr Sunthorn countered that the dodgy papers named by the DNP teams had been issued illegally and that they encroached on the park.

“It is not important whether you have a Sor Kor 1 or not,” he added. “The point is whether your Sor Kor 1 identifies the right piece of land or not.”

Manopat Huamuangkaew, the Assistant Director General of the DNP, poured scorn on the idea that there had been villages on the steep slope now occupied by the Pullman construction site. “It is quite

5

impossible that local people would have preferred to live next to the cliff or somewhere like that,” he said, adding, “We have evidence from both aerial photograph and ground surveys from 30 to 40 years ago.”

Mr Narit urged the working team to finish the investigations into the Malaiwana and Istana property devlopments, along with Mr Gaulthier’s house within a month.

“The investigations into the other 10 sites were completed in a month so these three plots should not take any longer,” he said.

He also spoke about the 366 new investigation teams that are to be formed on the orders of outgoing DNP Director Damrong Pidech, to carry on his work of identifying land cheats.

“These 366 teams will work on the remaining 3,600 rai [of suspect land] in Phuket and then they will work on the rest of Thailand, taking Phuket as their model.

I recommend they start in Chiang Rai, at the royal forest.

A survey team visited there recently and found that only 30 per cent of the forest is left [unencroached],” he said.

LOCAL OFFICIALS MET on Thursday last week (September 27) to discuss ways to block the construction of a large Tesco-Lotus hypermarket on Bangkok Rd in Phuket Town.

Feelings have been running high on the topic, with people arguing that the large store will affect local traders’ livelihoods and cause traffic problems.

A protest march on August 16 drew some 700 protestors.

The meeting was chaired

by Vice-Governor Somkiat Sangkaosutthirak who pointed out that there were many steps to be gone through before the store could be built: complying with building and construction law, public hearings, environmental impact assessment and requirements to address grievances of local people affected should the project receive the go-ahead.

An official from the Department of Public Works said, “The site for the proposed project is in an ‘Orange’ zone, so it is legal to do it. The site is ‘Type 2’ so the size is limited

to 1,000 square metres.” Tesco, it is understood, is looking at 15,000 square metres.

Crucial to the success of the project are the EIA and public hearing which should be organised by a consulting company acting for Tesco-Lotus.

A proposed public hearing set for August 16 was cancelled the day before, and no new date has been set.

V/Gov Somkiat suggested that the Mayor of Phuket City, Somjai Suwansuppana, should “take charge” of the public hearing to make sure that local people are thoroughly briefed on when it will happen, how they can ask questions and how to answer questionnaires and submit their views.

In addition, he urged the municipality to ask Tesco-Lotus what steps they planned to take to compensate local people who will be affected if the project gets the go-ahead.

One such suggestion was that Tesco-Lotus should block off an area in the hypermarket for local traders to sell their

wares. But Mrs Somjai wondered how long it would be kept open, and how many traders could be accommodated.

She also emphasised that priority should be given to the unique Phuket culture and small local retailers rather than large projects.

“If Tesco-Lotus is built on that road, small retailers and a local lifestyle that has been handed down for many generations will end,” she said.

After the meeting, Deputy Mayor Thavorn Jirawattanasophon told The Phuket News that legal action to try to stop the project would be unlikely to succeed.

“If the local retailers take Tesco-Lotus to court, they will probably lose. We have seen this happen in many provinces already.

“The proposed project is not illegal, so the best way to tackle it is to ensure that local people make their voice heard loudly in any public hearing or in any questionnaire that is distributed.”

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S

ongkran Issara, one of Thailand’s most influential property developers and owner of the Sri Panwa complex, has called for land leases to be doubled from the current 30 years to 60. “The 30-year lease is too short,” he said.

Speaking at an executive dinner organised by the Phuket Real Estate Association (PREA) on Saturday (September 29) at the Boat Lagoon, Mr Songkran, CEO of Charn Issara, also backed Phuket’s designation as a special economic zone.

He told The Phuket News that he believes this would be an important driver of growth in tourism and in the economy in general in Phuket.

Mr Songkran addressed the main hurdles to Phuket’s preparedness for the 2015

onset of the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

“There are three main factors Phuket needs to improve to get ready for the AEC. The first thing is security. Phuket should have less crime than it does,” he said.

(Mr Songkran’s son Vorasit was himself a victim of violent crime in January this year, when he was attacked in a late-night pub in Phuket Town by knife- and axe-wielding assailants.)

The other two problems that need addressing, he said, are “the health of the natural environment and the convenience of transportation”.

As to the AEC, Mr Songkran said he believes that Thailand is ahead of its neighbours, leading in hospitality and highend manufacturing such as aviation parts components while its neighbours still rely mainly on lower-end industries – in Myanmar fishery and

Vegetarian Fest events list released A FULL LIST OF EVENTS in this year’s Phuket Vegetarian Festival has been released.

During the colourful and noisy festival, from October 14 to 23, many people in Phuket will dress in white, abstain from having sex, drinking alcohol and eating meat (many will also give up “pungent” vegetables such as garlic, onions and coriander), and will pray at Chinese temples, or San Jao, and perform rituals to cleanse the spirit.

Thousands of people – mostly men, but also some women – become Maa Song, or Horses of the Gods, their bodies being “taken over” by members of the huge Chinese pantheon.

In this state they are able to accomplish remarkable feats – mostly without injury – in-

cluding having objects inserted into cuts through their cheeks, lips or elsewhere on their bodies, climbing ladders made of sharp blades, walking on fire and bathing in near-boiling oil.

A major highlight of the festival is the massive processions, accompanied by drums and huge amounts of fire crackers.

Significant events are listed in the table.

For a fuller explanation of what the festival signifies to adherents, and for a comprehensive programme of all events, see the excellent Tourism Authority of Thailand online at tinyurl. com/vegfest2012 or get a hard copy from the TAT office on Thalang Rd. Note that pregnant or menstruating women should not attend any of the events, nor should anyone in mourning.

forestry, and Malaysia textiles and rubber.

Phuket, being one of the most popular tourism destinations in Thailand, must prepare itself for the AEC, he said.

Local developer and ferry company owner Thanan Tanpaiboon, president of the PREA, warned local developers to be aware of changes in the condo, rental accommodation and villa markets, with the “really awesome” competition coming, not from other countries, but from large Bangkok companies.

“Within the next two years, there will be more than 7,000 condominium units built around Phuket. The growth of tourism will probably not be more than 20 per cent, but the growth in real estate will reach 300 per cent, so competition in the real estate industry will become much more intense,” he said.

Mr Thanan also urged the

Songkran Issara: ‘The 30-year lease is too short.’ government to relax the age rules for foreigners wanting to get one-year permits to stay in Thailand.

Currently, retirement, or “geezer” visas apply only to

people over the age of 50. He pointed out that others below that age who want to live in Thailand without working must leave the country every 90 days in order to renew their stay.

Phuket Vegetarian Festival Highlights Date time Oct 14: Oct 16: Oct 17: Oct 18:

Oct 19:

Oct 20:

Oct 21:

Oct 22:

Oct 23: Oct 24:

Event

Start time

Lantern pole raising at all San Jao in Phuket Choor Su Gong Naka Shrine street procession in Phuket Town Sapam Shrine street procession in Phuket Town Tae Gun Shrine (Baan Nabon), street procession in Chalong, Rawai and Karon Lim Hu Tai Su Shrine street procession in Phuket Town Choor Su Gong Naka Shrine, hot water bathing Gim Tsu Ong Shrine, Ban Don: Oil bathing Jang Ong Shrine, street procession in Sapam Kathu Shrine street procession to Patong Beach Tae Gun Tai Tae Shrine, street procession in Pasak and Baan Don Baan Tha Rua Shrine, street procession in Phuket Town Choor Su Gong Naka Shrine street procession in village Bang Neiow Shrine, street procession in Phuket Town Bangkoo Shrine, bladed ladder climbing Baan Tha Ruea Shrine, fire walking Jang Ong Shrine, fire walking Jui Tui Shrine, fire walking at Saphan Hin Tae Gun Shrine, fire walking Yok Ke Keng Shring, fire walking Sui Boon Tong Shrine, fire walking Sapam Shrine, fire walking Cherng Talay Shrine, bladed ladder climbing Bang Neow Shrine, bladed ladder climbing Lim Hu Tai Su Shrine, bladed ladder climbing Tae Gun Tai Tae Shrine, oil bathing Baan Tha Reua Shrine, oil bathing Bangkoo Shrine, balded ladder climbing Kathu Shrine, procession in Phuket Town Tae Gun Shrine, procession in Phuket Town Yok Ke Keng Shrine, street procession in Phuket Town Baan Tha Reua Shrine, street procession in Thalang Bang Niow Shrine, fire walking Lim Hu Tau Sue Shrine, fire walking Jang Ong Shrine, bladed ladder climbing Tae Gun Tai Tae Shrine, fire walking Gim Tsu Ong Shrine, fire walking Cherng Talay Shrine, fire walking Bangkoo Shrine, fire walking Kathu Shrine, fire walking Lantern pole lowering at all shrines. Times vary, but around 1700.

Saphan Hin, farewell to the Gods, around sunset.

1700 0800 0700 0700 0719 2000 2000 0630 0700 0715 0730 1400 0600 1945 2000 2000 2009 2030 2045 2100 2100 1959 2000 2000 2030 2045 2045 0700 0700 0900 1830 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2009 2030 1500 1700

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

B20m plan to repair collapsed hill road SAMAK LUEDWONGHAD, Director of the Provincial Highways Department has applied to the Transport Department for B20 million for permanent repairs to the Patong Hill road, a section of which, near the top, collapses every time there is heavy rain.

Mr Samak told The Phuket News that he hopes he will receive approval of the budget before December, when he wants to begin repairs.

In the meantime, he said, “We started making temporary repairs on Saturday, using the gabion boxes [mesh structures to contain rocks that will stabilise the hillside beneath the collapsed road].

“This will cost B3 million. I can take that from emergency funding. We have already prepared lanes for traffic while this is done.”

Once the B20 million in funding is acquired, he said permanent repairs will be made using a technique known as soil nailing.

The soil will be compacted and then the outside covered with reinforced concrete or shotcrete. “Nails” – effectively large expansion bolts – will then be driven through the concrete and deep into the soil to contain it.

Provided that the budget is received, he said, work will start in December and will take about four months to complete.

Pian back in power in Patong PIAN K EESI N IS NOW officially back on the Mayor’s throne after his reelection on September 2, following the confirmation of election results by the the National Election Commission.

Working under him as deputy mayors are Chairat Sukbal, Somchai Burarak and Prasan Yodtor, along with secretary Uthumporn Chugaew and two advisers, Boon rawd Piang noi and Amarin Saranyasakul.

On Tuesday (October 2), following confirmation of his election, the 18 members of the Patong Municipal Council voted for their leaders.

Elected were Thanin Auttasap as president, Manit Yooyen as vice president and Choosak Narksena as secretary.

PHUKET NEWS

LIFE ON PAUSE 7

Teacher battles aftermath of Phuket crash Claire Connell editor1@thephuketnews.com

A

you ng A me r ica n woman has described her horrific ordeal following a motorbike crash in Phuket, in which she broke her right leg in four places and shattered her right ankle.

Liberty Jefferson, 29, who was teaching in Phuket at the time, says that the whole experience was made considerably worse by a 13-hour wait for treatment at Vachira Hospital after the accident.

She says she was simply put in a room with many other people and left there, without enough pain killers or water.

Now back in her home state of Oregon, Liberty faces more operations and a long recovery from the severe injuries she sustained when her bike was hit in March by a pickup truck that ran a red light.

Liberty, then a teacher at Kajonkietsuksa School, had her right fibula broken in two places, just above the ankle and just below the knee. Both lower leg bones (the tibia and fibula) were also broken where they meet the ankle, and her inner right ankle was shattered.

Following the crash she had her first surgery at Vachira Hospital, where doctors inserted a metal contraption onto her leg.

“The surgery outcome was not a good one. My foot is clearly in the wrong place.

I am not sure that this was the outcome of the surgery, but this is what has happened. I think it was sub-par surgery and an unfortunate outcome,” she told The Phuket News.

The second surgery, in May, was at the Mission Hospital, where Liberty had a metal plate inserted in her leg.

Mission Hospital surgeon Dr Samaroj Tiankingkaew performed the second operation on Liberty’s leg, which he says was done correctly.

“When Liberty arrived at the Mission for the second surgery, her leg bones were not set in the right place. It was a difficult operation because the bones had already started to heal. I had to reset her leg bones and put in a metal splint.”

She then made the decision to return home to Oregon in America to recover with the support of her family and friends. It was here doctors discovered her leg and ankle were still not aligned properly.

“Once I returned home, I had more xrays done. Those

Happier days: Liberty was an English teacher in Phuket before the crash. Insert: Her right ankle after her first operation at Vachira Hospital. xrays have determined that my leg is still in pretty bad shape, and I still need three more procedures.

“I have two breaks in my fibula that should have healed naturally – but that has not happened.

“Also my foot was not set in the right place, so they have to go in and removed the metal and screws that are in there now, reset the foot, and put the metal back in.

“I have a metal plate and I think about seven screws just in the ankle alone. The two breaks on the fibula are still broken, so I am walking on those breaks.

“As far as what the doctors have said here, they just said the foot was not put on the right place … and the other two breaks have not been able to heal because of that misplacement. It could also just be my bones and they way the healed.

“So I would not say a blatant case of botching but surely an unfortunate outcome. I don’t want to place any blame on anyway – I am just happy it was not any worse. Thankfully I never hit my head or spine.

I am really lucky to be alive.”

The whole experience was made considerably worse by the 13-hour wait for treatment at Vachira after the accident.

Liberty says she was simply put in a cramped room with many other people and left there, without pain killers or water despite very hot temperatures.

Contacted by The Phuket News, a Vachira Hospital representative said Liberty spent only 11 hours waiting according to their records. She was given first aid and her leg put in a splint, and she was put on a saline IV drip.

The same source said, “She came in for first aid treatment on March 16 at 3am. She had open wounds. The surgeon and his team prepared everything for the operation to repair her leg. The surgery happened at

2pm the following day.”

Liberty and her friends and family are now holding fundraisers in America to raise money for the required surgery, as Liberty is not covered by insurance.

“I had insurance in Phuket, and the surgeries were paid for through the insurance. That is the main reason I did not go back to America after the first emergency surgery. Since I had insurance in Phuket, and I have known many people have positive outcomes with the health care in Phuket, I figured that made the most financial sense.

“If you don’t have insurance in America, you are looking at taking on a very big debt. I have applied for and been denied hep from two government programmes, but we are hoping the media coverage will help get the word out to doctors and maybe work something out.

“I can walk, but it is on two breaks in my fibula and with a limp. It is always painful, and the cold makes it worse. This has impacted my life entirely.

I have been unable to work, drive or do much for the past six months.

“My life has just been on pause. Not having full function of a leg is an insane burden.”

You can donate money to Liberty via Paypal using her email, Libuofo06@msn.com and her full name “Liberty Jefferson.”.

Daily baked Italian Breads and Italian Pastries, from our Executive Pastry Chef Francesco Giordano.

Wide selection of Italian cold cuts and cheeses, delicatessen, fruit and vegetables, pasta, fine extra virgin olive oils, and special gourmet products.

Enjoy our Illy coffee at the coffee bar, or a nice lunch from our carte of Italian traditional specialty.

thephuketnews.com

8

PHUKET FOCUS

THE PHUKET NEWS

THAI TIME

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

Three foreigners speak to Claire Connell about how they successfully became fluent in Thai language Marque Rome

Freelance journalist

I

arrived in Thailand from America in October 1988.

I first worked for Siangtai (a Southern Thai newspaper) in 2000. I called up the editor and pointed out that he knew no foreigner so fluent in both languages and thus needed to know me. He agreed.

I’ve worked for Siangtai’s English publication off and on since then. For Siangtai, I generally have used their original Thai copy. When that’s wrong (it usually is) I try to correct it. When it lacks important detail, I find that.

How do I go about translating? I usually open one text editor with the Thai copy, and another with my English translation, the two editors splitting the screen roughly 50/50, one atop the other. I then read the Thai, think about how to phrase it in English, and write.

On route to Penang while living in Pattaya was where I first started learning Thai, with my Thai girlfriend.

Being bookish I had, while still in Bangkok, picked up a number of dictionaries and phrase books. We took the train down to Penang and, as Boom (my girlfriend) spoke little English, we had great opportunity, sitting opposite each other about forty hours, to converse in Thai.

It was, of necessity, slow, each of us taking turns searching through the dictionaries and phrase books so that one might know what the other was talking about. But by the time I got back to Pattaya, I could – with patient interlocutors – make my way in Thai conversation.

I avoided the alphabet for a few months, till I got a job teaching English in 1989 at

thephuketnews.com

Marque Rome first arrived in Thailand in 1988, and has long been fluent in Thai. what was then the Pansea hotel in Phuket (then the Chedi, and now The Surin). It was most embarrassing, for when called upon to translate any part of the English text into Thai, or to use the dictionary, I quickly showed myself illiterate.

So, about a month after embarking on my new career, after a frustrating morning, I went to my room during lunch and memorised what I could of the alphabet.

Some time later, as I was in my bath, a man walked into the shower and asked, did I speak Thai? I asked in reply whether it was his normal habit to survey language skills in the toilets of complete strangers.

He said he had been informed I read Thai and he needed someone capable thereof to translate, then make English voice-overs for his Thai classical dance troupe.

That afternoon I went to a studio in Phuket Town and was confronted with short descriptions of Thai classical

dance prepared by the Fine Arts Department of Silapakorn University.

I finished the voice-overs and the engineer asked, “You ever consider doing radio?” I modestly allowed that I knew the use of a microphone but had never done radio.

That evening he brought me to a station at the top of Khao Rang hill in Phuket Town, introducing me to a rather drunken millionaire, in a satin bathrobe, glass of Ballantine’s in one hand, cigarette holder in the other.

“Go read this into the mic,” he said, handing me the Bangkok Post.

I did radio most of the next decade – FM 89’s Late Show.

It was a three-hour slot, the end of an otherwise all-Thai broadcast day. It was daring when we started – 1990 – to have so much English air-time.

I was fired several times for commentary deemed too political; but they always hired me back. Not many other

foreigners read Thai well enough to readily translate government documents, advertising, notices and so on.

Speaking Thai was not automatic. I have no gift for languages, so it took study.

But persistence pays off. Some may disagree, but I am convinced most foreigners living here fail learning Thai well because they never translate.

Any curriculum mainly of Thai phrases transliterated into Latin alphabet is of minimal worth to those seriously interested in study. You’ll miss most of the language. Courses concentrating on conversation are similarly worthless: what you need to know is not contained in conversation.

W hat do you need to know? The spelling. When you can spell, you can use the dictionary, learn new words and translate. Translating will quickly get one reading, opening a window on the culture.

You’ll understand not just Thai, but Thais – who are

otherwise inscrutable to untutored Occidentals.

Fluency in Thai can open doors. Conversation improves dramatically. You’re no longer condemned to converse mostly about food, supernatural phenomena and local gossip with folks whose formal education ceased after fourth grade.

Besides doing radio, I’ve written news for the Bangkok Post, and various other publications – interviewing governors, MPs, senior business figures, entertainers and quite common people, oft-times getting the interview just because it’s so novel to be interviewed in Thai by a farang.

In 1996, together with the TAT, I organised the threeprovince, 15-day Jazz and Blues Festival in Honour of H.M. the King’s 50th Anniversary Since Accession to the Throne, involving some 45 musicians, mostly from the US. The government granted us B3.5 million to stage the event.

I couldn’t have done it if I didn’t know Thai. Likewise, lacking f luency I couldn’t

translate in the provincial court – occasional, yet enormously interesting, work.

A word about Thai tones: Some say it isn’t necessary to learn the tones, that context is everything, as may easily be inferred from the fact that Thais understand each other while speaking different dialects with incompatible tone systems.

Stuff and nonsense, I say.

Thais have a keen ear for tones.

They are deaf to differences between some consonants (think ‘R’ and ‘L’; ‘F’ and ‘Kw’, ‘D’ and ‘L’). Their focus is clearly tonal, with well-known standardised deviations prevailing among the regional dialects.

Foreigners’ deviations from standard tone rules are unpredictable, their concepts and topics of conversation frequently alien – you cannot therefore expect to have mutually satisfactory interchanges without a good grasp of the tones.

You must learn the system.

If I did it in half-an-hour during lunch, you can too.

Top: gor gai (chicken); kor khai (egg), kor kwai (water buffalo); ngor ngoo (snake); chor ching (cymbals) and tor patak (javelin).

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

Tim Markin

Translator and production manager

A

merican Tim Markin credits k nowi ng f luent Thai as the key to successfully finding employment in the country, a nd i n t u r n, forg i ng a completely new career.

Tim f i rst ar r ived in Thailand 10 years ago, finding himself placed with a local family in a village in Ratchaburi province, west of Bangkok. He was 22 yearsold, fresh out of university and on a two year volunteer placement with the Peace Corps. No local people spoke English in the area.

“The Peace Corps had a great language programme.

There was one Thai teacher and four of us volunteers, and we weren’t allowed to speak any English during the lessons, which were four hours a day for three months.

“We weren’t allowed to take notes, which was the most frustrating part – we couldn’t

write anything until the end of the class. But it was good because we were forced to understand as many concepts as possible before trying to write them.

“I was introduced to the alphabet and the general rules too, and basically from there I started carrying around a notebook. Any new word I would write in a phonetic version of the Thai word.

“I started with a very simple word I heard often, such as dog, cat, or eat. I would look it up in the dictionary and find the word, see how it was spelt, and tried to write it. I did that for the first two years, and my reading became fluent after three or four years.”

Fast forward 10 years (Tim spent six years on Koh Yao Noi and has been in Phuket for one year) and he is now fluent in spoken and written Thai, and can write at a primary level.

He now work s a s a translator and production manager for an Italian graphic design company, as the “go between” between the Phuket

Do you know what Stefano’s hand written sign says?

Stefano Colombo

Events, Sales and Marketing Manager for Events Thailand

S

tefano Colombo only moved to Thailand two and a half years ago, but has already mastered speaking Thai to a level that most foreigners would be envious of.

Even more remarkable is the fact that he has taught himself how to read and write in just six months, using books, the internet, and Thai friends.

“I’m somewhere between a good speaker and fluent. I can have a good conversation with a Thai person, maybe not about political science, but about regular and complex things.

“I can read and write, but

both are quite slow. I read like a four year-old learning a new language. But I’m sure in six months I will be able to read and write perfectly, that’s my goal.

For Stefano, 27, the biggest challenge has been the tones in the Thai language, and the fact the alphabet has 44 consonants, 15 vowel symbols that combine into at least 28 vowel forms, and four tone marks.

“Speaking Thai is quite easy, because of the simple grammar. One of the difficult things that Thai people always forgive you for is saying the correct tones.

“One word in Thai can mean five different things depending on the accent. When you go to the night market and try to buy a T-shirt, you can easily ask to buy a tiger

PHUKET FOCUS

Thai staff, and the customers who mainly live in Europe.

“The company outsources the making of catalogues and magazines to the office here in Phuket, and I manage the production. I translate the orders and show the Thai staff what to do, and explain it to them. I was just lucky I can speak Thai because I didn’t know how to use a computer at all.

“I had never used a Mac before, or any of the Adobe programmes they used at the company. But during the interview my boss said to me ‘If you can learn Thai like this, then you can learn computers no problem.’

“And now it’s been a year and I’ve got InDesign completely down, and I don’t just do translation. I do quality control and check the final

pages and check the staff have followed the directions.”

Not only has knowing Thai provided employment options for Tim, it’s also helped him considerably in his personal life. Tim married Fon five years ago, and the couple have two children, Hana, aged four, and Sophia, 9 months.

He says dealing with government officials, running errands, and even the birth of his two daughters was made significantly easier by being able to understand and communicate in fluent Thai.

“I don’t think I would have got married and had children had I not had that level of fluency. My wife can learn a lot about what it’s like to be American (the couple speak Thai to each other) and I can explain a lot of things to her, and vice versa.

“Any time you translate something it can be lost, but we don’t have that. I also can get a real insight into how the Thai people think and what they talk about, by understanding conversations, and finding a lot more out

if you’re not careful with the accent you use. And most of the time the Thai people just laugh.

“They appreciate the fact you speak Thai – and by the way you get great discounts, 50 per cent off the price most of the time.”

Another perk is obvious – knowing what Thai people are talking about, something which Stefano says has provided him a lot of enjoyment and fun in the social scene.

“As I’m a foreigner, Thai people never expect me to speak Thai. So if I’m in a restaurant or bar and I see other people, I understand them. For example if they are talking about me or the group I am in.

“Very often I play a game – I order my drink in English and then listen to the conversation, then sometimes approach them after. You can have a bit of fun.

“Most of the Thai people are quite shocked I speak it.

It’s not common for foreigners to speak Thai, which is a pity because it is quite helpful.”

While he claims learning Thai is easy, he admits has has an affinity for languages.

Stefano is already a fluent speaker in French, German, English and Italian, and has a decent grasp of Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, and of course, Thai.

While he doesn’t believe he got his job at Events Thailand because of his Thai skills, he says that knowing Thai definitely does help in the business world.

“We have a Thai assistant anyway, but the fact that I know how to speak Thai and people

not knowing actually gives us some competitive advantages.

I can say to my boss “They just said that, what should we do?”.

It does help us sometimes.

“The easiest way for people to learn Thai is to get out of

their comfort zone, to meet new people and socialise with Thai people. Most Thai people are more than happy to teach you a few words.

“If you’re going to be here a while, I think it’s a matter of

Tim Markin has lived in Thailand for 10 years.

9

about the culture and religion.

“If you didn’t know the language you would only be reading or hearing what someone else had to say about it, you wouldn’t really know for yourself.”

Tim says he initially learnt the central dialect when he moved to Thailand, but now understands and speaks the southern one too.

“I don’t have a gift for language, it’s just I’ve been here 10 years and I’ve been in areas that were an all-Thai environment, so I was forced to. If I was living in Phuket for the same period of time, I would still be at a beginner level – guaranteed.”

H is a dv ic e for new learners? “Watch the way Thai people move their mouth, and ask them how to move their tongue and how to breathe, that will help with the pronunciation.

“Volunteering is a good idea too – go for a week to Phang Nga and usually the projects are in places where there isn’t so much English, so you will pick up a lot of Thai.”

New Stoc k

respect to learn the language.

They aren’t the ones who are supposed to be like you, you’re supposed to be like them because at some stage you decided to be in Thailand, in their country.”

has

arriv ed!!

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thephuketnews.com

10 THAILAND NEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS

Cosmetic injection woman dies Bangkok Post

A

REMEMBERING: Thai government officials pour water onto the hand of a teacher killed a day before by suspected separatist militants during his funeral ceremony in the southern province of Narathiwat on October 2. A complex insurgency calling for greater autonomy has plagued Thailand’s far south near the border with Malaysia since 2004, claiming more than 5,300 lives, both Buddhist and Muslim, with near daily bomb or gun attacks.

Photo: AFP

33-year-old woman who lost consciousness and fell into a coma after an unlicensed cosmetic clinician injected filler material into her buttocks died on Tuesday.

Suwinai Bussarakamwong, a director at Kluaynamthai Hospital, where Athitiya Eiamyai had been treated since Sept 18, said the woman had been relying on a ventilator to breathe. Her condition had steadily deteriorated over the past two weeks.

He said Athitiya’s blood pressure dropped rapidly on Tuesday morning, and she did not respond to medication.

With the consent of Athitiya’s parents, doctors turned

Dams emptied as Gaemi nears Bangkok Post

OFFICIALS ARE RUSHING to discharge water from major dams so they can handle new inflows from tropical storm Gaemi which is expected to batter Thailand from today.

The release was ordered

by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra after the weather office forecast heavy rainfall in the northeastern, eastern and central regions.

The National Water and Flood Management Policy Office predicted the Northeast, especially Ubon Ratchathani, would be hit by heavy downpours brought by Gaemi.

The storm would then travel past lower northeastern and eastern provinces before hammering the Central region on Sunday and Monday with heavy rain expected in Bangkok and Pathum Thani.

Gaemi, which has recently developed from a depression system, was about 750km east of Da Nang, Vietnam, on Tuesday and packing winds of up to 65kph, the Meteorology Department said.

Heavy rainfall in the Central region is expected to increase the water level in the Pasak Jolasid dam where the water volume reached 79 per cent of its capacity on Monday,

according the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute.

The reservoir, located in Lop Buri and Saraburi, blocks runoff in the Pasak River, which merges with the Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya.

For the Bhumibol dam in Tak, which Gaemi is also expected to pass before entering Myanmar, the reservoir reached 60 per cent of its capacity on Monday while the Sirikit dam in Uttaradit was at 67 per cent of its capacity.

The Royal Irrigation Department is also bracing for heavy rainfall by preparing 665 pumps for areas at risk of flooding.

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thephuketnews.com

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

off the ventilator. The woman, who worked as a product presenter, was declared dead at 10:35am.

On September 16, Thanat Natveerakul, who calls himself Dr Pop, injected a substance into Athitiya’s buttocks at a condominium in Lat Phrao as part of a procedure to make her figure more curvaceous.

Within minutes she lost consciousness. Doctors said later that her heart stopped beating and her brain was starved of oxygen for at least four minutes.

Mr Thanat, 24, turned himself in to police and admitted that he is not licensed to perform the procedure. Police are waiting for autopsy results before filing murder charges.

Magician makes bag disappear, with knife Pattaya One

Bid to add Thai temple to World Heritage list TTR

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT province and Fine Arts Department officials are hastily preparing a nomination profile to inscribe Wat Phrathat, the most revered Buddhist temple in this history-rich southern province, in the Unesco World Heritage list.

A meeting was held at Nakhon Si Thammarat town hall, Wednesday (September 26), to discuss details of the nomination

to be submitted to the World Heritage secretariat in Paris.

The province’s governor, Viroj Jiwarangsan, said an application to have the temple listed as a World Heritage Site was accepted at the preliminary stage after which a nomination dossier will be required for the World Heritage Committee to make a final decision.

Thailand has five world heritage sites — three in the cultural category and two in nature categories.

A MAGICIAN WHO USED to entertain tourists on Pattaya’s Walking Street was arrested early on Wednesday (October 3) morning, accused of stealing a handbag at knife-point from a clothes shop owner.

The victim, Patida, 30, explained that the incident began in Soi 11 off the South Pattaya Road when she was approached by a man who had a distinctive tattoo on his left arm.

He produced a knife and ordered her to hand over her bag which contained two mobile phones, a digital camera and some personal documents.

She complied and the suspect escaped.

Police were given a good description of the man who was spotted in front of the Grand Hall Market in Soi Baukao, the police gave chase and the man attempted to discard some of the stolen items including a phone and the knife.

The suspect, who was soon captured and arrested, was named as Waroon aged 20 who previously worked with his uncle as a street magician on Walking Street until he was arrested and convicted of drug offences and sent to prison.

Upon his release he was unable to find employment and split from his long-term girlfriend then apparently spiralled into a life of crime.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

ASIA NEWS 11

Ferry crash raises Hong Kong harbour questions H

ong Kong has thrived as Asia’s throbbing transport hub, but a deadly ferry accident on the busy National Day holiday has raised questions about safety on the city’s frenetic harbour.

At least 38 people were killed and scores injured near Lamma island when a passenger ferry was in collision with a vessel carrying company employees from Hong Kong Electric on a pleasure cruise to watch holiday fireworks on Monday evening.

Hong Kong Electric is owned by Li Ka-shing, Asia’s richest man. On Tuesday his son, Victor Li, said the company would make a payment of HK$200,000 (B792,000) to the family of each person killed.

His father told reporters on his way to visit a hospital on Tuesday (October 2) that he was “very sorry”, but did not want to say too much.

More than 100 people were injured. The number of people missing is unknown.

Seven crew members have

now been arrested from the two boats that collided.

Those held on suspicion they did not “exercise the care required of them by law” include the captains of the two vessels – a public ferry and a company boat, the BBC reported.

It was the deadliest maritime accident in the territory since 1971, when 88 people were killed as a Hong KongMacau ferry sank during a typhoon.

The Asian financial centre is one of the world’s busiest ports, with more than 425,000 vessels arriving and departing in 2010, according to official figures.

On any given day, scores of cargo ships can be seen moored in clusters around the port, and at night the horns of passing leviathan container vessels echo towards the city.

But fatal accidents are rare on Victoria Harbour’s crowded waters, despite high-speed hydrofoils vying for space with red-sailed tourist junks, luxury private yachts and

The half-sunk pleasure craft after the collision. Photo: AFP the 100-year-old Star Ferries that connect Hong Kong to Kowloon.

Researchers say that while it remains one of the world’s safest ports, increased vessel traffic and risks associated with land reclamation works along the harbour front call for urgent government attention.

“People will start querying whether Hong Kong’s marine traffic management has been kept up to pace,” Albert Lai, the founding chairman of

think-tank The Professional Commons and a trained civil engineer told AFP. “It certainly affects Hong Kong’s international reputation as a shipping hub,” he added, calling for a review of marine traffic systems in the former British colony.

Despite the importance of marine transport to the city’s seven million population, passengers said the ferry crew involved in Monday night’s incident appeared to have no

training on how to respond to such an emergency.

“The crew was terrible, useless. They just stood around as we were putting the life jackets on... The crew didn’t seem to know what was going on,” Clare Kirkman, a 43-year-old Briton who has lived on Lamma for 10 years.

Residents of Lamma – a sleepy, car-free island to the east of Hong Kong which is inundated with thousands of day trippers on weekends – expressed anger at the number of ferries put on to cater for the holiday crowds.

“I have seen ferries backto-back but this was just ridiculous. I don’t think they should be able to bring so many people to the island,” said Kay Travers, a Lamma resident of 18 years.

Officials said the incident was still under investigation and have refused to speculate about the cause of the accident.

Shipping experts say that given the intensity of traffic, the rate of fatal incidents in Hong Kong is low.

But the territory’s security chief Lai Tung-kwok pointed out that water traffic had risen significantly in recent years as soaring accommodation prices on Hong Kong drove more and more people to live on outlying islands such as Lamma.

He said the hundreds of hectares (acres) of land reclaimed along Victoria Harbour over the past decade made journeys on small boats more perilous, as they were pushed into lanes used by powerful high-speed ferries.

“The harbour has become smaller, making the waves generated by ferries crossing the harbour higher and making the water more choppy,” he said.

Asked if the accident damaged the port’s reputation, Hong Kong’s chief executive Leung Chun-ying told AFP: “This is definitely an isolated incident. The marine territory of Hong Kong is safe.”

AFP/BBC

thephuketnews.com

12 LETTERS/VIEWPOINT

THE PHUKET NEWS

OPINION

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

editor@thephuketnews.com

Editor’s Viewpoint

Norachai’s World

Learning the same mistakes

I

Man, I hope these guys have insurance...

n the same week that Pattaya officials have pledged to use the Phuket insurance programme as a model to resolve their own jet ski scams, the island has introduced new measures to ensure fewer tourists are hoodwinked.

From this week, as well as all ‘registered’ jet skis in Phuket having insurance, operators are also able to hand out contracts to that effect in Thai, English and, by high season, Russian.

The contract stipulates that all damage to a machine is covered for up to B50,000.

For amounts beyond that, the customer pays, not only for the damage but also for lost income while the jet ski is repaired.

How long the jet ski lies in repair is, by and large, determined by the jet ski operators themselves.

Until this monopoly on cost estimates no longer exists, the problems will continue and remain the same, regardless of whether in Thai,

English or Russian.

However, we mustn’t forget that the situation regarding jet skis has improved and although a long way from being resolved, it is without doubt much better than it was.

Just three years ago, no jet skis in Phuket had insurance and chancing upon a beach scene which involved a tourist being extorted for huge amounts of money for often non-existent damage was as common as being offered a pair of sunglasses.

Jet ski scams have reduced since those ‘lawless’ and ‘insurance-free’ days, but they still exist, albeit in a differently executed way. So before Pattaya officials adopt the Phuket model, perhaps it might be better to become aware of the loopholes to learn of ways to fill them, before official implementation.

After Pattaya adopts the Phuket insurance programme, perhaps the officials might also want to visit Bangla Road to see how we have tackled prostitution.

Letters to the editor A poetic response

[Re: Phuket jet ski problems almost resolved] Jet-ski person, selfish fink, May your silly jet-ski sink, May you hit a pile of rocks, Oh Hoonish, summer, coastal pox.

Noisy, smoking, d***head fool On your loathsome leisure tool, Give us all a jolly lark, And sink beside a hungry shark.

Scream as in its fangs you go, Your last attention-seeking show, While on the beach we all join in With ‘Three cheers for the dorsal fin!’

- Michael Leunig Ode To A Jet-Ski Person was written

by Michael Leunig and comes from Poems 1972-2002.

Nathan

Just called to say...

[Re: AirAsia cancels Phuket-Bali flights] My friends and I will fly to Phuket. We have been trying to contact the office for

many days but still no answer! So how to solve this? We still get the same answer, “we are still processing this” but until when?

Jakeangga

Not too comfy [Re: Gov says goodbye] The reason why we have such a quick turn-around of senior civil servants, police etc is that Phuket has been and continues to be the stepping stone for bigger things in Bangkok. That is also the reason why they do not want to do much to change the status quo here. They just bide their time and wait for the next move.

Michael

Tale too tall [Re: British woman tells of ‘horrific’ Phuket jellyfish stings] Terrible thing to have happened yes, most unfortunate. The Daily Mail story is just a joke, whether it was her exaggerating the story or that of the reporter who wrote it up they should be ashamed, just scare mongering.

“Warn others travelling in Thailand”. What about all the other countries who have poisonous jellyfish off their coast lines? Will she be warning travellers to these countries too? Or should we be wary of Thai people dumping poisonous jellyfish in their seas to sting tourists?

Concerned

Stop! Start again

[Re: Graft busters spar with land officials] All illegal buildings constructed within national parks or on agricultural land should be razed and the land replanted for future generations. That’s it.

Whistle-Blower

Agreement in dissent

[Re: Phuket Muslims protest at anti-Islam film] Thank you for being peaceful. There is really no need to try and convince ‘foreign tourists’ that this is a bad movie. We already know. I dare say that other than a handful of fanatics in the non-Muslim world, we all

strongly disagree with this movie.

It was the fault of the producer, not the entire United States.

Dave

Clickable islands [Re: Google Street View goes diving on the Great Barrier Reef ] I hope it doesn’t come to Phuket and environs. Our declining reef habitats pale into insignificance compared to the diversity of the Great Barrier Reef and its management system.

Would be interested to hear from local dive operators their feelings on the availability of a comparison a mere mouse click away from each other which could clearly tip the scales to those basing a decision on where to take their dive vacation...

Innocent Bystander

Where are the Europeans?

[Re: Phuket FC hire new coach amid 5-1 loss to Saraburi] Three coaches in a season, you don’t even get that in amateur football back

in England! I went to a pre-season to try and play for FC Phuket. They are crazy picking just African players and small Thai lads instead of looking at European players who are stronger, bigger and have more of a brain to play football. Phuket will be relegated 100 per cent and I said that before the season started.

It’s all run wrong.

Matty Clayden

Judge not, lest thou also be judged

[Re: Filipinos robbed of B75,000 worth of jewellery] I am really sad for the couple. I hope that the police will find the suspect very soon. It is really dangerous to visit Patong.

To all the people who don’t care, please read more details about the news before you say something. To Kabayan, thanks for the concern.

Appreciated. Above all, thank God they are safe.

Princess

Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Email editor@thephuketnews.com. Please include your full name, phone number, and email address.

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

ECONOMY/TOURISM 13

BUSINESS

The Kangaroo hops no more

New columnist Alastair Carthew looks at a radical change in Qantas’ routing > 14

Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com

PATONG LANDING

Only 8pc of SMEs are ready High-flying Rosewood heads for Phuket for AEC – survey results R Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com

MCOT Online

THE LATEST SURVEY BY the Center for International Trade Studies of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) indicated that a tiny 8 per cent of Thai smalland medium-sized entreprises (SMEs) are prepared for the onset of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) which takes effect in 2015.

Centre director Aat Pisanwanich said the opinion poll on “How Thai SMEs Adjust for the AEC” was conducted among 1,000 entrepreneurs nationwide in 19 agricultural and industrial sectors.

Of these, 32 per cent said they are making adjustments, while 60 per cent said they have done nothing so far.

All are waiting for clear government guidelines as to how it will support small companies. They said they want more information on the AEC, and would like the government to set up a fund for SMEs in order to prepare for the AEC. SME exporters want the government to find market channels for them, and to organise seminars on the AEC. They also want the government to help with production costs, improve labour effectiveness, find sources of low interest or interest-free funds, and reduce red tape.

Mr Aat, a master of understatement, said Thai entrepreneurs’ awareness of AEC is “quite low”.

With the AEC coming into being in just over two years, Thai SMEs should have adjusted over halfway already, he said, devising marketing strategies, developing and standardising products, and putting up websites in the various languages of Asean.

The Center for International Trade Studies director also advised Thai SMEs to find allies in other Asean countries in order to expand their businesses and find more market channels in those countries.

osewood Hotels & Resorts of Dallas, Texas, makes its entry into Southeast Asia at the end of 2014 when it will begin managing the Rosewood Phuket.

The five-star resort, with 87 villas, 20 residences and five “hideaway homes”, will be on Tri Trang Beach (referred to by Rosewood as “Emerald Bay”), just to the north of the Merlin Beach Resort.

Although construction has not yet begun, Rosewood already knows what it will be like: “All private and public areas will blend interiors and exteriors with retractable glass walls. Cantilevered structures will meld with the landscape.

“Green rooftops of living plants will not only provide energy conservation but uninterrupted sightlines to the Andaman Sea.” Little hard information is available yet.

The land and the proper-

CG concept showing the pool and the beach at the Rosewood. ties to be built on it are owned

by Thai companies Emerald Bay Resort Co and Emerald Bay Villas Co. The Phuket News asked Maggie Leung of New World how much the resort will cost and what the room rates are likely to be. She replied, “The budget is in the process of development,” and “We will set a room rate which is competitive with high-end resorts in the marketplace.”

The architects are Singapore-based WOHA, with

Melbourne-based Bar Studio handling four of the six F&B outlets and the hideaway homes.

The 20 “tropical mansion residences”, ranging from two to nine bedrooms will be on large plots, each with “panoramic views of Emerald Bay” a private gymnasium, and a 20-metre lap pool.

“Within this very special environment, Rosewood Phuket guests will feel ‘at one’ with the land and sea,” says Radha Arora, president

of Rosewood.

The resort will also have The Pavilion, “a new concept of residential-style meeting and function venue” for corporate retreats and social events of up to 300 for cocktail parties.

Founded in 1979 and sold to New World just over a year ago, Rosewood manages 19 resorts in the US and Canada, the Caribbean and the Middle East, and is due to open its first property in Asia, in Beijing, very soon.

Kevin Furrer

Swissotel appoints resort GM K EV I N F U R R ER H AS been appointed General Manager at Swissôtel Resort Phuket.

Mr Furrer has been with the company since 2004, most recently as Acting GM at the Swissôtel Nai Lert Park in Bangkok. Before that he was Director of F&B at the Swissôtel Nankai Osaka in Japan.

In Osaka, he was responsible for seven Food & Beverage outlets and managed more than 250 staff.

He holds a BSc in international hospitality management from the Lausanne Hotel School.

Travellers ‘going mobile’ Inflation prediction downgraded T R AV ELLERS TODAY crease,” Mr Varley said. AWD demand convenience and connectivity “as mobile penetration grows rapidly in Asia and around the world”, according to Matthew Varley, executive general manager for Asia with Phuket-based hotel booking website AsiaWebDirect.com (AWD).

The company says that it has witnessed mobile user access more than double in the year to August 2012, from 8.5 per cent in August 2011 to almost 20 per cent in August this year.

“We expect that this percentage will continue to in-

recently launched a new app for the iPhone.

“People want greater personalisation, more flexibility and more speed in a travel app to support their journeys around Asia – even in areas without internet access,” Mr Varley said.

At the other end of the business, Travelport-registered travel agents can service their clients anytime via Apple devices, using the recently launched Travelport Mobile Agent (TMA) applicatoion, also available for free download.

MCOT Online

THE THAI COMMERCE MINISTRY HAS adjusted its prediction for this year’s inflation rate from an earlier projected range of 3.33.8 per cent to 3.0-3.4 per cent, thanks – it says – to the government’s measures to fx prices on goods and diesel fuel, along with free public buses, economy-class train fares and educational equipment for students.

Vatchari Vimooktayon, permanent secretary for commerce, said the final

quarter’s inflation rate will be between 3.2 and 3.5 per cent.

She said higher prices of rice, flour, processed flour products, seafood, vegetables, fruits and processed food contributed to an increase in the inflation rate in the first nine months of this year, compared with the same period last year.

The fundamental consumer price index in September was 1.89 points higher, year-on-year, and 0.23 of a point higher in September than in August, she reported.

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14 AVIATION/TOURISM

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

Cambodia and Thailand close to dual visa TTR Weekly

A SINGLE VISA FOR tourists to visit both Thailand and Cambodia will be the test phase of a wider project that will offer a single visa for five of the Asean nations – Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.

Tourism Council of Thailand vice president, Thanate Vorasaran says that a single visa for travel between Thailand and Cambodia was part of an agreement signed five years ago and was specifically identified as a pilot for the wider project – contradicting reports that Thailand had bowed out of that.

According to the plan, a tourist will obtain a visa at either the Thai consulate or the Cambodian consulate, whichever is first port of call, and the visa is then valid for visits to both countries.

The scheme is of course irrelevant to nationalities who already have visa-free entry for both countries, but it will assist those who would normally need to apply for visas at both embassies before starting a trip to Southeast Asia.

“Once the project is launched, it will make it more convenient for tourists to travel between two countries,” Mr Thanate explained.

“However, tourists will have to pay a fee that covers entry into both countries.”

No decision has been made yet on the mechanics or processing for the much wider single visa covering all five countries. Mr Thanate explained, “It was decided that the bilateral agreement on a single visa between Thailand and Cambodia was the first step and that would

be the pilot for further study.

“The other countries will see how the visa for Thailand and Cambodia goes, and will assess the results for the first two countries before proceeding to the next level.

“The Thai-Cambodia single visa is only waiting for the two governments to give the green light. It should be implemented by the end of this year,” he added.

Security, rather than visa revenue, is the main concern that is slowing the process at government level.

Each country has its own priorities, watch lists and nationalities that are subject to a higher level of scrutiny.

The five countries allow visa-free entry for certain nationalities, but the lists differ from one country to another and this complicates the single visa process.

Thailand allows as many as 45 nationalities visa-free entry. Vietnam is adding nations to its visa-free entry list, while Myanmar has the strictest policy requiring visas by all nationalities.

Laos and Cambodia are both freeing up their visa requirements.

But all the five nations are worried about terrorism and security issues have heightened in recent years.

This gives Immigration bureaux ammunition to call for stricter visa rules or voice objections to schemes that make entry easier, such as the multi-country visa plan.

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Thai-Cambodia single visa has been processed, but needs the green light from both governments before it can be implemented even in a test phase. That green light has not yet come on.

45x90 |

Qantas’ Airbus A380 will now land in Dubai to connect with Emirates’ flight on to London.

HISTORY DUMPED

Qantas drops 65yo Kangaroo Route Alastair Carthew Up In The Air

T

he “Kangaroo Route” featuring the iconic Flying Kangaroo of Qantas Airlines, will no longer be hopping its way between Britain and Australia.

Qantas has f lown the famed Kangaroo Route between Australia and Britain via Singapore for 65 years.

But now it’s goodbye Singapore and hello Dubai with Qantas, in financial meltdown on its long haul routes, announcing that it’s teamed up with Emirates Airlines to fly return flights from Melbourne and Sydney to Dubai, connecting with Emirates flights to and from London.

Qantas will continue to focus heavily on Asia – though Thailand is not in its plans at the moment. Indeed, Qantas downgraded its Bangkok operation in favour of Singapore several years ago and binned the Bangkok-London route in March this year.

However, its low cost carrier, Jetstar, services Phuket via Singapore and Qantas will retime direct flights to Singapore and Hong Kong.

Its new partnership [no

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equity stake either side] represents a painful but necessary break from a 17-year joint-venture with British Airways on the “Kangaroo Route,” between London and Australia via Singapore.

The break with Singapore will be particularly poignant for Qantas. The connection goes back to 1935 when the Australian flag carrier made its first international flight to the Lion City from Brisbane, to connect with Imperial Airways’ service to London.

Qantas and Emirates are a study in contrasts. Qantas is a national icon, embodied in the Peter Allen song I Still Call Australia Home. It is the world’s oldest continuously operated airline and, at 92 years, the second oldest [Holland’s KLM is the oldest, but disappeared briefly during Germany’s World War II occuipation of the Netherlands].

Emirates is only 27 years old. Originally backed by the Sheikhs of Dubai in 1985 it has, after making a profit in its first nine months, rapidly expanded to become one of the world’s premier airlines.

The Kangaroo Route was first flown by Qantas in 1947, with a Lockheed Constellation taking 29 passengers and crew

from Sydney to London with stopovers in Darwin, Singapore, Kolkota, Karachi, Cairo and Tripoli for £585 [around B300,000 in today’s money].

Qantas seems to like giving names to its routes to London.

It has had the “Southern Cross Route”, via the United States and the Pacific, and the “Fiesta Route” via Tahiti, Mexico and the Caribbean.

The route via Dubai – the “Oil Route”? – will have the advantage to Qantas of docking its giant Airbus A380 aircraft at a dedicated concourse in Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport, which has up to now been for Emirates’ exclusive use.

Qantas will be the only other airline using Terminal 3 which, at almost 2 million square metres, is the the third largest building by area in the world.

The new deal aligns ticket prices and schedules on the two airlines between Europe and Australia and, as such, is a step beyond the traditional code-sharing arrangement which involves cross-selling of seats on aircraft with which an airline has a code-share agreement.

Oneworld, the alliance to which Qantas belongs, will

be watching closely. Emirates is on record as opposing alliances, with its President, Tim Clark, describing them as “an anachronism”.

Qantas says it will remain in Oneworld which, in turn, says it is “flexible” enough to accommodate the new partnership.

For Emirates the deal is a significant departure from its previous policy of shunning closer commercial ties with its rivals – a policy that seems to have worked well; Emirates is now one of the largest international passenger carriers in the world.

Singapore Airlines will be hit hard by the new arrangement. It has derived as much as a quarter of its revenue from the Kangaroo Route by offering more than 40,000 weekly outbound seats to hubs in Asia and the Middle East. British Airways will not be so badly hit, though the Kangaroo Route was still lucrative for it.

Alastair Carthew is a Phuket-based journalist and public relations professional with extensive experience in the aviation industry. alastair@phuketpublicrelations.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

02

Abstract art show an important milestone for Phuket painters

09

Top Bangkok burger joint sets up shop on Bangla Road, Patong

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

POWERED BY

Just keep on going One man’s epic journey on wheels through snowfields and deserts to raise money for children with cancer > Travel, page 10

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2 ART

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, 5, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 5,

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Living and still art intermingle.

The piece that music and art made: Khun Teung with Watcharin.

Hope and fear for Phuket’s painters Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

It was a show with a difference – namely that the long-haired artist created the piece alongside, in harmony and in response to a stunning live guitar performance.

thephuketnews.com

F

or many of the 10 members of the Chino Art Group, the opening night of the Abstract Art exhibition held at Jungceylon on September 29 was a night full of emotions – pride, recognition, trepidation and in particular for its one foreign member, anxiety.

Phuket resident of 11 years, Joe Delaney said it was great that the Chino Art Group finally had an exhibition space to show off their work, but that it was tempered somewhat by the particular location.

“As soon as the exhibition started I just wanted to go and take all of my paintings down, it’s ridiculous we’re out here.”

Joe was referring to the exterior location of the Spring Water Zone in Jungceylon and in particular its exposure to the elements.

“If it rains, I’m just so scared that my art will get damaged.

This is a great first step for us, but I just wish it was indoors,” said Joe. He said he was and still is extremely proud to have been asked to become a member of the

Chino Art Group by its president Watcharin “Nui” Rodnit when it was started last year.

As well as delivering the opening speech Nui treated crowds of onlookers, tourist passerbys and, hopefully most importantly, Prasam Prateep Na Talang, a representative of the Provincial Administration Organisation (OrBorJor) to an incredible live art show.

It was a show with a difference – namely that the long-haired artist created the piece alongside, in harmony and in response to a stunning live performance by Huthanrat, alias Khun Teung, ace exponent of Santana covers.

Although it sounds gimmicky, it was a sight to behold as Nui applied paint in scratches, dollops and flicks in tandem with the screeching and melodic solo of the guitarist. It was captivating, exciting, electric and enthralling.

For every single tourist, art enthusiast and even Mr Prasam, it was something that was hard to take your eyes or ears from.

Nui, Joe and the Chino Art Group are therefore very hopeful that Mr Prasam, and by extension the OrBorJor, will see something in the performance and in the

artists themeselves, and support the group and other artists on the island by opening an art museum in Phuket.

Nui said, “I think the government could help a lot more and promote local arts more.

Krabi has its own museum even though it is tiny compared to Phuket.”

Joe agrees and said, “This Abstract Art exhibition in Jungceylon is a great idea, but it needs more planning. Phuket should have its own museum.

There are lots of brilliant artists on the island, but where can people go to see their work?”

One of the main aims of the Chino Art Group is to create a cultural centre to exhibit different works of art.

“Art needs to be encouraged,” says Joe, “This is important for the next generation of artists.”

Speaking to The Phuket News in an interview last month, Nui said that it was important for Phuket and its visitors.

“It’s good to show something different to the tourists. In Phuket Town, there are so many talented artists, it would be good to be able to show them off and show what we can really do.”

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EDUCATION 3

THE PHUKET NEWS 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER

Looking at the low-tech approach to creating successful classrooms Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

A

Jason Stanley believes that everybody should be able to benefit from studies into neuroeducation, not just those who know what it is.

A PEACEFUL FUTURE Children at The Rawai Progressive International School, Phuket, recently celebrated the International Day of Peace, sometimes unofficially known as World Peace Day, which is observed annually on September 21.

pproaches to education have changed quite dramatically in the past 60 years. Being able to recite your 23-times tables, reel off capitals of obscure countries like Kiribati (Tarawa) and generally recall endless lists of facts was once seen by many as indicative of a ‘man of letters’.

Nowadays, however, modern approaches to learning incorporates everything from knowledge of brain anatomy to studies in holding attention spans based on approaches learned from video games and keeping classrooms at ideal temperatures.

Jason Stanley, arrived on the island five months ago after a six-year stint as Head Principal for Asia Pacific College in Vietnam, to settle and write books on learning. He is aware of all such theories but believes that what is ideal and what is achievable, especially in South East Asia, are unfortunately quite far apart.

Mr Stanley says that his interest in ‘alternative approaches in education’ and a different way of teaching was sparked by his years in the Vietnamese education sector where rote learning and the very regimented curriculum is very much the norm. There, he often tried to introduce elements of critical thinking, but says that it was “difficult” at best.

“There’s a common way of thinking now in the UK that says that critical thinking is king and that to a certain extent it doesn’t matter what is being taught, it’s more about how you learn it. It’s believed that the majority of the content is not really useful in the long-term working environment.”

Mr Stanley says that he agrees with that up to a certain extent, but added: “I think content is extremely important and is necessary in order to

progress to the next level. You are building a foundation on which to proceed.”

He also adds that more modern-day theories of neuroeducation also had to be kept in perspective. “I recognise the benefits of brain-based learning and am aware of the benefits of the correct classroom environment, including proper light, air and ventilation, but again one has to be realistic and allow a teacher to be a teacher and not a counsellor or nutritionist. That is not their job.”

Mr Stanley refers to a study that says it’s good for learning retention to burn vanilla-scented candles. “Sure,” he says, “It’s good in theory, but not in practice. It’s dangerous and expensive. It’s not fair to ask a teacher to do this.”

He also says that it’s not realistic either, especially not in Phuket.

“It’s great that certain international schools have small class sizes and great teaching facilities etc, but what about the rest of the world and the rest of the kids?”

Mr Stanley adds that as education budgets are universally being cut, now it is even more imperative to add brain-based teaching and actually become more ‘low tech’.

It is for this reason that he is cur-

rently working on a series of eBooks that introduce the concept of these theories and the scientific background of their application. He also draws upon two popular current ideologies of educative practices: First, there are different learning styles. For example, people are primarily either visual or auditory learners.

Second, an ideology that was popular in the 1980s that there are multiple intelligences – interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal and even physical intelligences.

Once teachers are aware of the ‘knowledge’, they will be able to adopt which aspects of the programme or theory they feel will work best for their particular classroom environment.

“An example of neuroeducation learning is to recognise that things are remembered often in different sections of the brain – visual, auditory etc.

Knowing this, teachers should plan a lesson like that, get the students talking about the topic, so that they are talking and listening. This will increase the chances of remembering it.”

The first two eBooks will become available in December and will be for sale through Amazon.com. The Phuket News will be publishing exclusive excerpts of the books in the near future.

"It's about making it your culture not just training"

Educating all food handlers to understand the importance of food safety standards.

Our training is highly interactive. info@foodhygieneasia.com 076 617 692, 081 862 4439 www.foodhygieneasia.com

thephuketnews.com

4 ENVIRONMENT

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, 5, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 5,

Feeling the need to clean Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

‘The total debris we collected was 15 tons.

This included one large fishing net off the East Coast of Racha Noi which was 4 tons alone – the retrieval of this particular item was started by a team of divers from the various participating dive centres and then continued with the help of the Royal Thai Navy Thai Navy Seals, Department of Marine & Coastal Resources and a local fishing boat that happened to be close by.’

I

t is highly likely that after the September 30 ‘Dive For Debris’ event, followed by the October 1 ‘Island Wide Beach Clean’ event, the island has never been cleaner – especially for October.

One of the organisers of what was billed as the biggest reef cleanup of any kind in the world, Kerry Leach, Dive Centre Manager of Sub Aqua Centre, told The Phuket News that despite all belief to the contrary, the impetus of the event was not for the island’s divers to make amends.

“People often blame divers for the disappearance and damage of coral reefs, but let me tell you that I’ve just come back from Komodo in Indonesia where they have more beginner divers than us over here and less experienced schools, and their corals are fine – perfect. The only difference between us and them is the size of the fishing boats. They have small boats and we have huge trawlers.”

Mrs Leach said she was very happy with the turnout: over 450 people and 14 dive boats.

“The total debris we collected was 15

tons. This included one large fishing net off the East Coast of Racha Noi which was 4 tons alone – the retrieval of this particular item was started by a team of divers from the various participating dive centres and then continued with the help of the Royal Thai Navy, Thai Navy Seals, Department of Marine & Coastal Resources and a local fishing boat that happened to be close by.”

The day after the the event, Phuket-based environmental organisation Seek organised an ‘Island Wide Beach Clean.’

Nick Anthony, one of the founding members of Seek and an organiser of the event, said of its significance. “We wanted to coincide with the ‘Dive For Debris’ event and also [with the departure of] Govenor Tri Augkaradacha to say thank you to him and his governance, and for making Phuket much more environmentally aware of late.”

Around 50 hotels and businesses were involved, mostly from the west coast of the island, but marinas along with hotels near Chalong also got involved.

“We mainly concentrated on the west coast as these are the areas that are most likely to be affected by the westerly winds that blow in trash during the monsoon season,” Mr Anthony said.

Despite the previous day’s event most of the trash that was collected was still what he considers “fishing debris”, he said.

“There were not so many plastic bags or so much household garbage, which was a good thing. This is as a result of people becoming more aware and the support from the government.”

He explained that local government had become more ‘aggressive’ recently in keeping towns, and more importantly, gutters clean.

He said he delighted so many people were involved, but admitted it was only necessary to do clean-ups do often because of a lack of proper waste management and fishing regulations.

“We’ll have to keep on doing this until December as that is when the wind changes direction and blows the trash outwards.”

Pets “Meow, I’m Groovy and I belong to Sylvie, the founder of Good Karma Online heath food store.” Sylvie says, “Groovy found me. I was home one day and heard a kitten crying and there he was. I gave him some food and woke up to find him on my front terrace. Initially I wanted to find a home for him but now am so glad I kept him. This photo shows him in a drawer with a cloth because I got tired of him laying on my keyboard when I was trying to work. I made him his space and he loves it and even sleeps there at night now. The strangest thing he does is he loves to knead my arms, even grabbing them when I try to move away. Also, in the morning when he is hungry, he will knock everything off the headboard of my bed. Groovy is about one year old. I feed him raw fish from the market and he loves it.”

These beautiful cats belong to Ian and Mam. Woody (on the left) is two years and two months, and his sister Nina (right) is two years and five months old.

Want to see your pet here? Email your photos to editor1@thephuketnews.com thephuketnews.com

Every month, the best pet wins a B500 voucher from:

HEALTH 5

THE PHUKET NEWS 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER

Nurse loses first Muay Thai fight Caroline Davey editor3@thephuketnews.com

Caroline Davey, a 52year old paediatric nurse from Australia moved to Phuket last month to complete a month-long Muay Thai course. Half way through it she decided she wanted to get in the ring. Here she recounts her experience...

O

n Friday September 28, at the age of 52 years I stepped into the ring at Bangla Boxing stadium to take part in my first Muay Thai fight.

My opponent was in her twenties, taller and heavier than me. I asked myself ,“How the heck did I end up here?”

Back in 2006 I separated amicably from my husband of two decades. As we were packing up the family home in preparation for sale I pulled a suitcase from a top shelf of the wardrobe and accidentally knocked out one of my central upper incisors.

Caroline Davey (left) shies from a right to the kisser from Nicole at Bangla Boxing stadium.

There was no possibility of repair. The dentist told me that I had a choice between a plate or a dental implant. The thought of wearing a dental plate was unbearable. The cost of an implant was over $5000. I didn’t bat an eyelid and paid the money for an implant.

That got me thinking. If I was happy to pay $5000 for one tooth, what else could I have got done for the same amount of money, and what would I fix?

New boobs, liposuction, tummy tuck?

What I really wanted was a whole body makeover. That got me thinking about a personal trainer. And so it began.

Eight months later I ran my first marathon. In 2010 I completed a half Ironman and then the full Ironman in 2011.

After the Ironman I hit a mental wall. I had lost my drive. I gained a few kilos and was becoming tired and lethargic. At the beginning of September I decided to heal my body and soul by coming to Sumalee Boxing Gym for 28 days. The mission was to get physically and mentally rejuvenated, and to be in the best possible shape by the end.

Two weeks into the camp the mission changed. After consultation with Oron, the head trainer, I had decided to fight.

I had never even watched a live fight before but it just seemed like a natural conclusion to this challenge.

On the night I entered the ring I was physically totally prepared, I had been trained hard. I had lost almost 10 per cent body fat and gained significant amounts of muscle. I did not feel nervous

or scared. I just wanted to do well for my trainer and for the gym.

I don’t remember too much about the actual fight. It was stopped before the end of the first round. My only real memory is of kicking my opponent and hearing the sound of flesh on flesh. It was shocking to me. At that moment I froze. I didn’t defend myself at all. I haven’t seen the video yet but I have been told that I pretty much just closed my eyes and stood there. I could feel the kicks to my body, the knees to my abdomen and the gloves to my head and face, but I was frozen in time.

When the ref eventually broke us apart and led me to my corner I didn’t realise the fight had been stopped. I thought the bell must have gone. My trainers were telling me not to worry, I couldn’t understand why they weren’t putting the stool out for me to sit on.

I wasn’t out of breath, I didn’t and still don’t have any bruises or pain. I have no idea why I couldn’t fight. It has been suggested that I was scared of getting hurt. I can honestly say that that never entered my mind. It is as if at the moment I landed that first kick I realised that I didn’t want to do this.

Now that I have had more time to reflect I realise that it takes an awful lot more than strength and fitness to be a fighter, and I did and do not have what it takes. I have no regrets at all. I put my heart and soul into the training as did my trainer. I am in the best physical shape I have been in for decades. I feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

A woman’s right to choose (to bleach her private parts) Coconuts Bangkok

T

here’s been heated debate over vagina whitening since feminine bleaching product Clean and Dry Intimate Wash hit the Indian market earlier this year. Now the issue has hit closer to home with the launch of Lactacyd White Intimate in Thailand.

The Bangkok Post reported that Sanofi Aventis (Thailand), the French company behind the whitening feminine wash product revealed “that the value of the feminine wash product market in Thailand is growing by around 10 to 15 per cent a year, and will reach B500 million this year.”

As a young woman who is active in all areas of life, I really don’t see what the big deal is.

After all, anal bleaching has been around for ages and it’s not just for porn stars.

If we can accept one sex organ getting the

Michael Jackson colour treatment, then why not vaginas too?

Sanofi Aventis has allocated B80 million on TV and radio commercials and

marketing campaigns to persuade women across Thailand that their genitalia need to be fixed and that perfection is just four weeks away.

– Yvonne Liang

thephuketnews.com

6 DESIGN

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, 5, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 5,

A hotel with Spanish flair Claire Connell editor1@thephuketnews.com

Casa Blanca has been designed like a Spanish colonial bed and breakfast, complete with a small inside garden like many Spanish properties. There’s an old-style elevator which requires the steel concertina door to be closed before it will move (remember the elevators in the movie Titanic?), and a skylight above the garden.

The hotel is decorated with a lot of Spanish art pieces and other items, most of which come from Giorgi’s personal collection.

thephuketnews.com

B

uilding the distinctive Casa Blanca hotel has been a way for general manager Yodying “Giorgi” Viprakasit to introduce a touch of Spain to Phuket’s Old Town.

Fluent in Spanish and a lover of Spain, Giorgi moved to Phuket around six years ago, after living abroad for a large part of her life.

When her parents, who live in Trang, became majority shareholders in Phuket Provincial Trading Co Ltd in Phuket Town, this gave her family the option of taking over two buildings.

Part of the company’s building on Phang Nga Road was turned into the family’s cafe – Cafe y Té, a delightful Mediterranean-style coffee and cake house. The nearby warehouse on Phuket Rd, used by the company to keep rice, sugar and other goods, became vacant, and the family realised the potential of the site.

“It is very near to the old buildings and the old museums in Phuket Town, and since we are not local, we wanted to contribute to improving the Old Town. We wanted to put some value into the town, so we decided to build a hotel,” Giorgi says.

But the building on Phuket Rd was run down, and pretty ruined, and definitely not suitable for their dreams of a hotel. So they decided a complete rebuild was necessary, and four years ago, the warehouse was pulled down and rebuilding began.

The family were then approached by Somjai Suwannasupana, the Mayor of Phuket Town, who said that if they were going to rebuild, would they consider rebuilding in Sino-Portuguese style? The family agreed.

Fast forward four years, and the three-storey hotel, which is still not completely finished, comprises 17 rooms, and an impressive swimming pool area. When driving past Casa Blanca from the road, it’s impossible to realise the full size of the building. You can appreciate that only when you are inside the hotel.

Giorgi’s older sister Waluree designed the exterior, keeping true to the original style of shop houses in the Old Town, while Giorgi designed the interior.

Casa Blanca has been designed like a Spanish colonial bed and breakfast, complete with a small inside garden like many Spanish properties. There’s an old-style elevator which requires the steel concertina door to be closed before it will move (remember the elevators in the movie Titanic?), and there’s a skylight above the garden.

The hotel is decorated with a lot of Spanish art pieces and other items, most of which come from Giorgi’s personal collection.

“I used to go to Spain during my summer holidays when I lived in England, and my godmother is Spanish and she’s

Above, the reception area. Left, a placemat from “Els 4 Gats” restaurant in Barcelona where artist Pablo Picasso used to dine. Far left, Managing Director Yodying “Giorgi” Viprakasit. like a mum to me. That’s how I absorbed the culture, and developed my love for Spain.

“I love the culture, the food and the passion, and Flamenco is my favourite music. A lot of people say I’m Spanish by nature too – I’m happy and warm, but I also have a hot temper.”

Born in Trang, Giorgi was raised in Bangkok. At age 14, she moved to England to attend school, before moving to Texas to attend university, followed by San Francisco. While in the States she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in business and Spanish language. She has lived in Spain, and studied cooking in Italy (hence, she bakes all the cakes fresh for her café).

While she has not run a hotel before, Giorgi does have management experience. She used to be the general manager of Nakarin Hospital, in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, which her family owns.

“Running a hotel and hospital are kind of similar, except in the hotel people are a lot happier. Being in the hotel should make you happy, so I have designed it with lots of white and green, relaxing colours. My aim is to make every guest have a good time while they are in Phuket Town.”

Casa Blanca, 26 Phuket Rd, Phuket Town. www.casablancaphuket.com

A day to never, ever, be forgotten PHUKET COMMUNITY Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

Germany’s National Day was on Wednresday (October 3). There are approximately 1,400 expat German residents who live on the island.

For many of them National Day fell on a completely different day when they were growing up and meant a completely different thing. Most do not celebrate their national day, but all recognise its significance to Germany’s history and most importantly their future.

Photo: Arne Müseler / arne-mueseler.de

COMMUNITY 7

THE PHUKET NEWS 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER

M

any of Germany’s most famous brands from BMW to Sennheiser, from Nivea to Jagermeister are powerhouses in their respective industries; quick, sleek, clean and powerful. All adjectives also rather interestingly reserved for the German character. But apart from crude outdated stereotypes, what exactly is the German identity? Is it even acceptable nowadays to say there is one?

What is not up for debate however are the statistics of this super power. Europe’s second most populous country is the fifth largest economy in the world and the first in Europe. This it owes to being a leading exporter of machinery, vehicles, chemicals and household equipment.

The 20th century saw Germany engaged in two devastating World Wars that resulted in the country being occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945.

With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949, with the latter occupying the East and the others the West.

All four countries formally relinquished occupied control in 1991, a year after the unification of Germany and the symbolic tearing down of the Berlin Wall on October 3, and from then the date became Germany’s new national day.

For many of the 1,400 of Phuket’s German community however, national day is not necessarily seen as an occasion to celebrate. To remember yes, but perhaps not for the reason that many nationals of other countries remember their national day.

Owner of the Kokosnuss Kamala Restaurant and German bakery, Thomas Moog from Nürnberg said, “These days it usually reminds me of how Germans acted in the past and in the present what wars we are involved in and how stupid they are.”

He added though that he did think the unification of Germany was a good thing and was in itself a good reason to celebrate.

But while others may feel pride on such days, Thomas most certainly will not.

“I believe one thing we can be proud of

Dirk Naumann, Hamburg

Helga Langer, Wemding, Bavaria

is the awareness of the wrong doing of our forefathers which doesn’t concern the young generation but it’s good for them to know what it takes to **** up a country.”

For Thomas and many Germans of a certain generation, feeling pride in one’s own country and more importantly being able to express it is fraught with ‘problems’.

German honorary consul for Phuket, Dirk Naumann, who was born in Hamburg during World War II and was 50 years old when the Berlin Wall fell, admits he has mixed emotions at such times of the year.

“I have lived most of my life coming from a divided country and rejoiced when Germany was re-united. I cannot find a rational reason for my happiness but it was so unbelievable and thus to me so emotional.”

Despite feeling this way Dirk did not celebrate the recent German National Day, but puts that down as much to his nonpartying ways as anything else.

He also admits that, as a German, he feels a moral dilemma in expressing such pride. “I find national pride expressed publicly as uncalled for and unpleasant (also in Thailand, by the way). However, the generations after me seem to have a much more relaxed attitude towards national pride as evidenced during the World Cup held in Germany in 2006.”

Indeed, it is not just the younger generations of Germans who believe that as well as acknowledging the negative past, they should feel proud of the present and the future of Germany.

Rene Kropp, Stadtlohn

Thomas Moog, Nürnberg

“Our generation is allowed to be proud to be German,” believes Bavarian-born Helga Langer, who now owns Sea Bees Diving, “It is astonishing what our fathers and grandfathers achieved after the war. We have so many good things in our country of which we can be proud of, including inventions and technologies.”

“When we hosted the World Cup, for the first in a long time, Germans raised their flags and showed their pride. Since then, most Germans own a flag.”

Production Manager for Prepress International, Rene Kropp, believes that with each passing year it is becoming less and less of a dilemma to express pride. “It is still a problem sometimes, but... [it] is getting better and better. Anyhow I think if I feel pride or not has nothing to do with my nationality.”

He believes that German National Day is not a very important holiday and is only celebrated and marketed by people of the government as a “symbol” of the reunification of Germany.

So whether celebrated with a stein of beer and a wave of the flag or not, the reunification of Germany and what it symbolises and reminds many German Phuket residents of, is as important as how it is or isn’t commemorated.

“No German will ever forget that part of our history (WW2) but it’s time to move on from the feeling of shame and guilt, our future generations should not have to feel this,” says Helga.

Property Sales, Rentals Real Estate Investments Holiday Villas, Land for Sale Property Management

Phone... 0822-737 880 www.REALphuket.net thephuketnews.com

8 DINING

FRIDAY, 5, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 5,

THE PHUKET NEWS

Pizzeria Agli Amici da Michele e Jimmy, in Chalong, has been dubbed one of Phuket’s best Italian restaurants.

When Jimmy met Michele Simon Ostheimer editor@thephuketnews.com

After about three years in Patong, Michele was growing tired of the heady nightlife in the area, and especially the type of tourist it brought through his door.

One late evening, while Jimmy was in town, after all the customers had gone home, they talked about opening a pizzeria together. They both agreed they wanted to be in a more ‘local’ area, and decided upon Chalong, naming their new restaurant Pizzeria Agli Amici da Michele e Jimmy – Pizzeria by friends Michele and Jimmy.

I

’m sticking my neck out here, but allow me to introduce what I think may be one of Phuket’s best Italian restaurants.

Sure, it’s a little short on atmosphere, the décor is basic, and the location – down a side soi off Chaofa East in Chalong – could be better, but oh the food. But before we get ahead of ourselves, a little back story.

Michele is from Udine, a small town in the Italian northeast, while Gimmi, or Jimmy, as he goes by in Phuket, hails from the Adriatic city of Cesenatico. Before he relocated to the quieter climes of Chalong, Michele once had a pizzeria in Patong.

Jimmy used to visit Phuket every year on holiday from December to March, as he worked in one of his home town’s best pizzerias, which was closed every winter. By chance, he came across Michele’s place, was impressed by the food, and the two became friends, with Jimmy dropping by every year for a little taste of home.

After about three years in Patong, Michele was growing tired of the heady nightlife in the area, and especially the type of tourist it brought through his door.

One late evening while Jimmy was in town, after all the customers had gone home, they talked about opening a pizzeria together.

They both agreed they wanted to be in a more ‘local’ area, and decided upon Chalong, naming their new restaurant Pizzeria Agli Amici da Michele e Jimmy – Pizzeria by friends of Michele and Jimmy.

Delicious pasta on the menu at Agli Amici’s.

And so to the food. With almost all ingredients purchased locally – mainly though distributors, or in the case of the pasta, from an elderly Italian man who makes it at his home in Kamala – or produced in-house (they have their own line of balsamic vinegar), the emphasis is on traditional Italian cooking with the occasional localised flavour.

This is demonstrated with their weekly pasta specials, which are revealed on their Facebook fan page (tinyurl.com/8uf3roq).

Recent dishes have been tagliatelle with cuttlefish and peas, tagliolini with asparagus and bacon, and gnocchi with gorgonzola and bacon, with prices in a very reasonable B120-B240 range.

We were fortunate enough to visit when the latter was on the menu. All too often, gnocchi in Thailand is heavy and chewy, but these were the complete opposite. Jimmy revealed to us this was due to the use of Italian not Thai flour. Then there are the pizzas (it is a pizzeria after all). On the Saturday night we visited, the place was a

hive of activity as people came to dine in, and order takeaway pizzas. We heard at least three people ordering in Italian while we were there – always a good sign.

Coming in small, regular and big sizes, toppings are simple and light, with a thin, slightly crispy crust. The signature ‘Jimmy’ pizza (B360 small, B380 regular, B740 big), for instance, comes with rocket salad, buffalo mozzarella and cherry tomato; while the ‘Amici’ (B260 small, B280 regular, B540 big) has mozzarella, blue cheese, onion and walnuts.

Before you order, you’re advised first to check out the pizzas being prepared to go in the wood fire oven – it’ll give you an idea as to what size you really need, as the big are honestly large enough for a small family, or a hungry Muay Thai fighter.

With all these pizzas in sight, it’s a good thing there’s not a long wait between ordering and the dish being served to your table. Once you’ve had your fill – and appreciated the amazing quality of the food – see if you can squeeze in Jimmy’s homemade tiramisu, chased down with an Italian espresso.

So there you have it, the secret’s out. Here’s to good friends, and great food. Salute amici.

Agli Amici da Michele & Jimmy, 40/24 Moo 9, Sukee Road 39 (back road to The Lighthouse and Chalong Pier), Chalong, 076-282-172, agliamici.phuket@gmail.com. Open Tue-Sun noon-midnight (closed Monday).

k Meinds ù

Weekly SET MENU, 2 courses with a glass of wine or soft drink @ 375 Baht After 2-course-dinner, free limoncello A bottle of Chianti, 990 Baht only

*AUTHENTIC ITALIAN, GREAT ATMOSPHERE*

thephuketnews.com

DINING 9

THE PHUKET NEWS 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER

New burger joint takes a big bite out of Bangla

A

Claire Connell editor1@thephuketnews.com

Priced around the B300 mark, the best-sellers at Bangkok Burger are the Bacon Cheese, the Yankee (bacon, cheese, onion ring and barbecue sauce), and the Aussie burger – the biggest on the menu, it includes bacon, pineapple, beetroot, egg, and Vegemite mayo, which Paul admits is an “acquired taste”.

Top, the Aussie Burger, and above, operations manager Paul O’Carroll.

fter successfully establishing itself in the capital in early 2011, Bangkok Burger Co arrived in Phuket in early April this year, setting up shop on Bangla Rd in Patong.

Running the Phuket branch is Irishman Paul O’Carroll, who says the company specialises in home-made Western-style burgers, aiming to capture the local and tourist market on the island.

“We speak burger” is the tagline, and on the menu is a range of around 25 varieties, including a “design your own” option.

Priced around the B300 mark, the best-sellers are the Bacon Cheese, the Yankee (bacon, cheese, onion ring and barbecue sauce), and the Aussie burger – the biggest on the menu – which includes bacon, pineapple, beetroot, egg, and Vegemite mayo (which Paul admits is an “acquired taste”).

Most of the burgers are made with imported beef or local pork, but there are also a couple of chicken options, and two vegetarian burgers.

As well as the regular staples, more unusual options include the ‘Bangkok Dangerous’ burger, which comes with a beef or pork patty, bacon, fried egg, Thai green curry sauce and jalapeños.

There’s also the ‘Gastro’, made from a beef or pork patty, blue cheese, a jumbo onion ring, mushrooms and red wine sauce.

The man behind Bangkok Burger is Jim Moroney, a British expat who lives in Bangkok. “When it was first launched there was nothing like this in Thailand, no one was doing a good quality burger,” Paul says. “What attracted me was that it is a young company, but it has expanded incredibly quickly. In just under a year there are now four outlets.

“We aren’t cheap like McDonald’s or Burger King, but once people taste the burger they realise it is value for money.”

Bangkok Burger Co is located in Bangla Mall, Bangla Rd, at the Jungceylon end, opposite the Danze Fantasy Theatre. Open daily 11am until 3am, 076-292-348; bangkokburgercompany.com

Beervana bringing craft beer to Bangkok Coconuts Bangkok

T

he story of the microbrew revolution in Thailand is quite a sad one. As the rest of Asia experienced a new dawn of interest in small-time craft beers about three years ago, Thailand was left mostly in the dark due to asinine import duties assessed on imported brew.

People simply didn’t have access to the good stuff because of the high costs associated with importing it. Distributors only brought in the moneymaking big brands and skipped over the small guys. For a long time, Thailand has had such limited exposure to microbrews that the nation’s beer tasting palate hasn’t yet had the chance to evolve. While the wine bar craze came and went, the interest in beer has been steadily growing. Craft beer bars are popping up all over Bangkok, but the problem remains: They source their booze (which is good, don’t get me wrong) from only a few distributors in Bangkok, so most end up having the same selection

of Belgians and a few German brews. Oh yea, and you can buy some Australian suds at Villa market as well.

But what about the rest of the beer-producing world? Why skip over what they have to offer?

Well, it looks like things are about to change. Beervana, a “curator” of sorts has finally entered the Kingdom and vows to bring us some of the world’s most distinct microbrews.

Aaron Grieser and Brian Bartusch, two ambitious microbrewloving Americans are the men behind the operation. The name? “My home town is actually

nicknamed Beervana,” says Aaron Grieser. The place he’s referring to is truly the mecca of brewing beer: Oregon, in the US Pacific Northwest.

Bangkok is in dire need of a few beer geeks to spearhead the revolution, and these guys plan to search the world and handpick the best beers to bring into Thailand. The beers were due to become available on October 3 at 24 locations in Bangkok, starting with the debut of Rogue Ales at Brew Beers & Ciders in Thonglor.

Their first shipment also included Anderson Valley’s lineup, a brewery in California. It looks like Bangkok’s beer scene is finally coming of age.

thephuketnews.com

10 TRAVEL

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, 5, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 5,

The ultimate ride Intrepid biker lays it on the line for charity Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com

“The Khyber Pass had been closed to foreigners since 2007. But this pass has history. Alexander the Great passed through there – everybody [in ancient times] going to India passed through there. I would be the first foreigner in five years, which was exciting,” says Wissam Al Jayyoussi.

It was also pretty spooky, with gun-toting tribals, incredulous US soldiers and the threat of snipers.

B

y the time you read this, Wissam Al Jayyoussi should be in Singapore. With a bit of luck.

On Sunday (September 30) he was stuck in Malaysia waiting for all the paperwork that will allow him to ride his battle-weary BMW bike “Aseel” into the Lion City, the finish line for his epic four-and-a-half-month journey from Dubai, all for charity.

The Jordanian started out from Dubai in mid-May, crossing through neighboring Oman, by boat across to Iran, then on to Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kirgizstan, Kazakhstan, and Russia.

After that the roads, such as they are, took him up to Mongolia (“There are no roads in Mongolia. None.”), China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and finally Singapore.

Getting into Singapore is a matter of bureaucracy, not one of life or death, like going through the Khyber Pass and Afghanistan in the middle of June.

“The Khyber Pass had been closed to foreigners since 2007. But this pass has history. Alexander the Great

passed through there – everybody [in ancient times] going to India passed through there. I would be the first foreigner in five years, which was exciting.”

It was also pretty spooky. The crossing is over a very big bridge, with people going in both directions, most on foot, some in carts pulled by other people. “It’s dusty, it’s chaotic. You can’t understand what’s going on.

“Once you get into Afghanistan the first people you meet are the Americans. They control the borders, not the Pakistanis.

“One soldier took my papers and said, ‘What the **** are you doing here? You got a death wish?’ They wanted to stop me but I had a visa, so they had to let me go through.”

But the American officer gave him a thorough briefing on safety: “Don’t go too fast because the roads are bad and you will crash. Don’t go too slow or you will be an easy target for snipers. And you don’t stop for anything,” the soldier said.

“He explained to me how to tell a real US checkpoint from people masquerading as Americans – look at their weapons, their vehicles, their uniforms.”

So Wissam is not too stressed about the problems getting into Singapore. He’s even a little amused. He’s certainly getting used to it; immigration matters have been the hardest thing about his 22-country odyssey.

It wasn’t the terrible food in some countries, not the falls (at least 50), the crashes (three), not the roads, not the weather that caused the greatest grief, but border crossings, with officials who rejected his visas, demanded extra paperwork that could only be obtained by backtracking hundreds of kilometres, or simply said no.

On a visit to The Phuket News office he explained, “The biggest problem was not the machine or the animals or the terrain. It was the humans. That was the only problem I had. It started with the visas. For this trip, for 22 countries I needed 23 visas.

“When I applied I explained this was a charity trip, and I got declined, declined, declined.

“The Tajik Consul was a very nice guy. He said, ‘I can’t give you a visa for a charity trip. You tell me you are going clubbing, for the nightlife, I can give you a visa. But charity, no.’ So I took all the papers back [from the various consulates] and applied as a tourist. So I got 19 visas before the trip. It took six months.”

The cost was enormous. “Just entering China cost me $16,000 [B480,000] non-refundable, because China is still Communist and I was coming in on a bike so I had to be monitored on the entire trip by a car following me, with a driver and a translator on board. For 53 days I had to pay for all of that.

Wissam is bearing the entire cost of the trip. His budget for the ride itself was about B3,000 a day. Luckily, he is well-off. His IT company in Dubai is successful and he has, he explains, good people working for him.

Above, Wissam Al Jayyoussi is close to the end of a four-and-a-halfmonth motorbike journey from Dubai to Singapore for charity.

Below, left, Wissam outside The Phuket News offices with his travelweary bike, Aseel.

Facing page, top, the Gobi Desert is not a friendly place. This section was dry, but a lot of it was mud.

Facing page, lower, heading into Tibet in August. ‘I prayed for no rain,’ Wassim recalls. ‘So instead I got snow. I need to be more careful what I pray for.’ The picture was taken by his wife Gorana from the Chinese government car that monitored his every move.

Where the money is going

T

he Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) is a non-religious, non-political charity based in Ohio in the US. It was founded in 1991 by freelance writer Steve Sosebee, who was brought up in the Roman Catholic faith, though he now regards himself as “agnostic”.

The PCRF’s stated mission is to help Palestinian children suffering from injuries or medical disorders, either by flying them out for treatment in Europe or Dubai, or by funding visits by volunteer doctors to refugee camps in and around Palestine, along with medical equipment and supplies.

Although some right-wing groups in the US have attempted to link the PCRF to groups funding terrorism, the US government regards it as innocent.

The PCRF website points out, “The PCRF was one of the first organisations working in Palestine to be given a license by the US Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, to continue our humanitarian work there after new restrictions were put in place for all US charities working in Palestine.”

It has received endorsement for its activities from former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, along with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan.

To learn more, visit pcrf.net/get-involved/donate/

thephuketnews.com

TRAVEL 11

THE PHUKET NEWS 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER

Thanks to one of the sponsors he had a satellite phone and satellite internet connection so, even in the middle of the Gobi Desert he was still connected.

Even with visas, crossing borders in some places was not easy. Some visas allowed entry only on a specific day, so there was constant stress to be on time, whatever happened. Some days he would ride 14 hours just to make the deadline.

The hardest sector for riding was through Mongolia.

“Mongolia has no roads. At all. Through the Gobi Desert it took me 11 days to do 2,000 kilometres. Normally I do 2,000 in three days.

“A lot of it was mud, and I kept falling. Lifting the bike, which was 350 kilos, was very difficult.

Other places were not so hard physically, but were just plain dangerous. “Out of Iran I went out into Pakistan through an area that is very troubled because you have Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran on the same border. This area is known as Baluchistan, which is a tribal area and frankly, scary.”

It’s a brutal area. Terrorists come in from Afghanistan and kill tribespeople, and tribespeople kill each other. They also kill NGO workers and tourists to embarrass the government.

In Pakistan there are police inside the cities, he explains. Outside there are tribal police, then between the provinces there are Frontier Police and then there are border patrols. None have communication devices and in any case they don’t talk to each other.

At one point in Baluchistan the bike broke down. A truck full of armed men insisted that he allow himself to be towed to the nearest town, about three kilometres.

“On the way, they dropped me and I broke three ribs. I was screaming from the pain and all these people were standing there looking down at me and laughing.”

The police arrived and found that Wissam did not have a special permit to go through Baluchistan, so they heaved him into jail. Friends worked successfully to free him but the bike was still not working. So he took out his tent and camped with his broken ribs in the prison yard while the same friends worked to get the necessary parts to him from Lahore.

A truck arrived and they drove three days to the border to get out of Baluchistan into Pakistan proper.

But at the frontier he was told that because he had no a pass to enter Baluchistan he would have to go back to Quetta to get one before he could leave.

Wissam went on hunger strike. News organisations got hold of the story and the government relented. “I stopped eating for four days, and I was close to collapse.

They started to get nervous.”

Eventually he and the bike were rescued by fellow bikers. He’d never met any of them, but they passed him along from friend to friend until he reached Lahore, with the bike, and the trip was on again. Next stop the Khyber Pass. That was the scariest time, but the adventures did not stop there.

In Nepal he twice nearly ran over people lying in dark roads, apparently the favoured form of suicide.

He crossed most of Vietnam with no suspension or brakes because there was no one who could fix them.

In Tajikistan all the food seemed to be horse – “horse meat, horse milk, horse cheese”. In Vietnam he got into a fist fight with dog meat traders (he loves dogs). There is really no justice: on the Pamir Highway

in Central Asia he was attacked by wild dogs.

Why does he do it? It is, he says, all about charity.

The aim was to raise money and awareness for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund [see facing page].

“This is about children, to raise awareness about children in Palestine. Children are always the ones who get hit the worst in a war.

“For me there is no point in this trip without this. If it were not for this I would not do this trip.”

He has paid for the entire journey himself – fuel, food, visas – “because I don’t want anyone to say that I am having fun with the sponsors’ money. So all the money from the sponsors will go the PCRF. “I ride 14 hours a day. I don’t do any sightseeing. If I did, this trip would take at least three years.”

Why does he really do it? After all, this is not his first mega-trip. He already rode from Dubai to London to raise money for the PCRF. Is he addicted to huge and difficult road trips?

There’s a silence while Wissam considers this. “Probably. I’ve never really thought about it this way. At this point I just want to go home. You miss your family, your friends. You just want to wake up in the morning and say, ‘I don’t have to ride today. I can stay in bed.’

“But after five or six months you forget about the bad parts and you want to do it again.”

He is already planning is next trip, from the tip of South America to Alaska. For charity, of course.

For more on Wissam Al Jayyoussi’s journey visit goodwilljourney.org or facebook.com/GoodwillJourney

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12 WEIRD WORLD

THE PHUKET NEWS

France immortalises Zidane headbutt with 5-metre statue

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Agence France-Presse

he infamous headbutt that French football legend Zinedine Zidane landed on an Italian during a World Cup final has been transformed into a giant statue and displayed in front of the Pompidou Centre in Paris.

The bronze work of art, simply titled Headbutt, was Wednesday attracting crowds of tourists and locals who jostled to have their photos taken in front of the five-metre statue.

The sculpture is by Algerian artist Adel Abdessemed, subject of a retrospective exhibition in the Pompidou from

October 3 until next January.

“This statue goes against the tradition of making statues in honour of victories. It is an ode to defeat,” said exhibition

New beer from the brewmaster’s beard

A

n American brewery is testing out samples of a new beer using bits of their brewmaster’s beard.

Rogue Ales, a brewery and pub based in Newport, Oregon, sent in hair follicles from brewmaster John Maier’s beard as a goof to a local lab. To their amazement, the yeast strain from the beard were said to be perfect for brewing.

Maier, who has been growing his beard since

organiser Alain Michaud.

A much smaller version of the statue - which shows the two football players in the seconds after the headbutt, with the Italian player reeling after the

Company to use whiskey waste as car biofuel

T

1978, has dubbed the brew “New Crustacean”.

It is expected to be released early next year.

attack - was previously exhibited by a New York art gallery.

Zidane, who holds legendary status in France as a member of the national teams that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, was sent off in the 2006 World Cup final for headbutting Italian player Marco Materazzi in the chest.

That was the last professional match played by the then-captain of France. He later claimed he had reacted to slurs the Italian directed against his sister and mother.

The statue will stay in its spot in front of the Pompidou till the end of the Abdessemed exhibition in January.

he gas in your car, or motorbike, may one day be made from waste collected from a whiskey distillery.

Scottish company Celtic Renewables have signed an agreement with whiskey distillery Tullibardine to do just that. The companies say that 90 per cent of what comes out of the distillery is not whiskey

and have already won a government grant to move the project forward.

The plan calls for scientists to mix the waste with a unique bacteria to create butanol which, in turn, can be used to fuel cars.

The attempt is the latest attempt to come up with an alternative fuel that will cut down on harmful emissions.

Third baby, third lottery win. Oohooh

F

or some reason, every time 29-year-old Norwegian mother Hege Jeanette Oksnes has a child, her family wins the lottery.

The father of Mrs Oksnes won 4.2 million Norwegian Crowns (B22.5 million) the day before she gave birth to her first child in 2006.

Just three years later, Mrs. Oksnes, who serves hot dogs at a petrol station on Austevoll Island just off the coast of Norway, won 8.2 million Crowns (B44 million) herself. Again, it happened one day before her child was born – the second one in her family.

After another three years, Mrs Oksnes’s 18-year-old brother

thephuketnews.com

Tord won the very same national lottery, taking home 12.2 million Crowns (B65.6 million).

This time, it was just months after her third child was born.

“This is completely insane... we don’t even play the lottery that often,” Mrs Oksnes told Reuters after the family won their third lottery in six years. “My husband thinks we have enough money now,” adding that she will save a majority of her portion of the winnings to buy property.

FRIDAY, 5, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 5,

THE BIG LIST Disgusting body art They say the human body is a canvas ready for its closeup, but I’m not sure if they meant it this way. Beautification hurts, and hurts to look at. Don’t underestimate the miracle of modern insanity.

Extraocular implant: For just €750 (B30,000) you can have a small piece of jewelry stuck on your eyeball, for the rest of your life. Created in the Netherlands in 2002, the procedure is currently only available in medical clinics, and scientists say the longterm effects are unknown. Those who are brave enough to have their eye anesthetised for the procedure, can choose from 15 different symbols including a Euro sign, a star, or a heart.

Genital beading: This involves putting a large needle into your you-know-what and inserting balls of silicone, titanium, or any other substance that shouldn’t be there, then closing up the incision. For women, the needle makes incisions onto the labia. We assume the result is what the Devil must look like down there.

Some say they do it to enhance sexual pleasure.

Others, like the Yakuza prison inmates in Japan, add one bead to mark each year in clink.

T o n g u e bi f u r - c ation : More commonly known as tongue s p l it t i n g, t h e practice has become pretty common among body modification enthusiasts in recent yea rs.

There are a variety of ways to get this done (using fishing line, laser, or a scalpel), though it can take anywhere from several months to days just to get the desired result. It is reversible, but the reversal is rumoured to be more painful than the actual splitting.

Rectal tattoo: There are people out there willing to put themselves through the pain of having a needle circle, in and around, the anus.

Maria Louise Del Rosario got the procedure done earlier this year in Florida, recorded it, and put it online. Now she’s famous, sort of. Any way you slice it, the 999 or 666 tattoo in ‘that’ area seems a bit, er, extreme.

Bagel Head: Essentially you stick a needle into your forehead and allow 400 cc of saline solution to drip between your skull and skin for two hours. The area becomes very swollen and ends when the practitioner creates an indentation in the middle with his finger. The bagel lasts around 24 hours before the saline is absorbed by your body. We support anything that makes you look like a Klingon.

FILM 13

THE PHUKET NEWS 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey signs on for Dumb and Dumber To

J End of Watch

End of Watch keeps it real FILM REVIEW J.P. Mestanza editor2@thephuketnews.com

Approx. 109 minutes Rating: R Director: David Ayer Starring: Jake Gyllen-

haal, Michael Pena, and Anna Kendrick

M

any of the reviews out there have pegged End of Watch as a movie similar in tone as that of Training Day, starring Denzel Washington. It’s completely different.

Yes, they are both gritty cop films where drugs play a role and have the same director. But the similarities end there.

It’s a film that sets a very good pace and develops its characters in a way that makes sense.

The movie is about two cops who patrol one of the roughest neighborhoods in present-day South Central Los Angeles, California, where violence is always just around the corner.

Officer Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Officer Mike Zevalla (Michael Pena) are longtime friends and partners who have seen everything in this gangland.

Taylor is filming their patrols for a college elective course documenting a day in the life of a cop. This explains the movie’s shaky, realistic camerawork. The same can be said for the villains of the movie, some of the gangsters, who also happen to videotheir rides.

Several busts lead the officers squarely into the cross hairs of a Mexican drug cartel. They somehow

have to manage to come away unscathed.

Both lead actors do an amazing job of creating a genuine kinship in the film, with their humorous banter and brotherly treatment. Members of the audience could easily end up in tears near the end.

The scene that sets the tone is when Pena’s character, instead of arresting a man who seems to deserve it, gets into a fistfight with him after insults are traded. The law of the street prevails over the rule of law, and though the cops end up putting handcuffs on the man, he eventually becomes a friend, giving the boys in blue street cred.

Most of the film is shown as a docu-drama, using several different types of video footage, out of focus camerawork, and realistic visuals. Not once does the story stop moving along (unlike many recent Hollywood films), always pushing us along and keeping us on our toes.

David Ayers has given us another great cop film, this one with a different take on the thought-provoking role of the police in the on-going war against drugs and the kinship that comes from fighting in such a losing venture.

Amid tension, Chinese film pulled from festival in Japan

A

fter violent anti-Japanese protests broke out across China last week, organisers of the Tokyo International Film Festival announced that the Hong-Kong Chinese film Floating City has been withdrawn.

The movie was a drama chronicling the rise of an illiterate man (Aaron Kwok) from a poor village to a big time corporate

figure in Hong Kong. The Cantonese-language film was set to be screened at the festival next month.

Festival organisers say they “strongly requested” that the producers not back away from the event, but calls went unheeded.

Protests took place all across China after the Japanese government bought the Senkaku islands in the East China

SFX Coliseum Phuket (Central Festival) Dredd (E) [18+]: Dredd (T/D3D) [18+]: End Of Watch (E) [18+]: Jan Dara (T/E.SUB) [18+]: Resident Evil : Retribution (E) [18+]: Resident Evil: Retribution (T/D3D) [18+]: Stolen (E) [15+]: Stolen (E/F) [15+]:

11:20, 13:25, 15:30, 17:35, 19:40, 21:45 12:20, 14:25, 16:30, 21:00 11:15, 13:15, 15:30, 17:45, 20:00, 22:15 14:40, 18:35 11:45, 13:50, 15:55, 18:00, 20:05, 22:10 12:30, 17:05, 19:15, 21:25 11:20, 13:10, 15:20, 17:30, 19:40, 21:50 12:00, 14:10, 16:20, 20:40

Sea from a private Japanese owner. The islands, rich in gas, are known in China as the Diaoyu islands and have been claimed by both countries.

During the protests, festival chairman Tom Yoda said political tensions would not affect the festival. The 25th Tokyo International Film Festival will take place October 20-28.

US BOX OFFICE TOP 10 Film

Weekend gross

Gross

1

Hotel Transylvania

$42.5M

$42.5M

2

Looper

$20.8M

$20.8M

3

End of Watch

$7.81M

$26M

4

Trouble with the Curve

$7.28M

$23.5M

5

House at the End of the Street

$7.12M

$22.2M

6

Pitch Perfect

$5.15M

$5.15M

7

Finding Nemo

$4.04M

$36.4M

8

Resident Evil: Retribution

$2.99M

$38.7M

9

The Master

$2.68M

$9.57M

10 Won’t Back Down

$2.6M

$2.6M

SFC Jungceylon Phuket (Patong) The Dark Knight Rises (E) [G]: Dredd (E) [18+]: End of Watch (E) [18+]: The Expendable 2 (E) [15+]: Resident Evil: Retribution (E/3D) [18+]: Stolen (E) [15+]: To Rome With Love (E) [13+]::

im Carrey says he will be in the sequel to the cult classic, dubbed Dumb and Dumber To (yes, that’s how it’s spelled), slated for a 2014 release.

The Farrelly brothers, who directed the first movie, said the script for the film is almost finished and centres around either Harry or Lloyd finding out they have a child.

The duo set out to find him and ask for his kidney, according to Digital Spy, because one of the characters is sick and needs a transplant.

Co-star Jeff Daniels, who played ‘Harry’ in the original film, has already signed on for the sequel.

The prequel, titled Dumb and Dumberer, did not involve the original directors, Carrey, or Daniels.

Filming for the sequel is expected to start early next year.

John Morris and Sean Anders, who co-wrote the script for Hot Tub Time Machine are reportedly penning the script for Dumb and Dumber To.

14:35 12:15, 14:15, 16:15, 18:15, 20:15, 22:15 12:10, 14:30, 16:50, 19:10, 21:30 12:25, 20:00 11:25, 13:35, 15:45, 17:55, 20:05, 22:05 11:30, 13:40, 15:50, 18:00, 20:10, 22:20 17:45, 22:10, 17:45, 22:10

As some movies and movie times change every Thursday morning, after The Phuket News has gone to press, the accuracy of the following information cannot be guaranteed.

For up-to-date information, visit sfcinemacity.com, or call the cinemas directly: SFX Coliseum Phuket 076-209000 and SFC Jungceylon Phuket 076-600-555.

thephuketnews.com

14 ISLAND SCENE

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, 5, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 5,

Pol, Dan, Gary, Anan, Sara and Jay Jay (in front).

Miss Thailand World 2012 Vanessa “Na-Chatra” Muangkod, right, and O2 CEO Pisarn Trangkasombat.

A BIG BREATH OF O2 A large crowd attending the soft opening of the new O2 Beach Club, in Chalong, last Friday. Entertainment included a fire show, fashion show and hip hop performances. Miss Thailand World 2012 Vanessa “Na-Chatra” Muangkod was the event’s special guest.

David, Mon and Louis.

Maggie, Koi, Best, May and Lek.

Geti and Shuyin.

Freddi, Jif, Oil, Pim and Jo Jo.

James Hendy, Ripcurl Marketing Manager S.E. Asia; Vorasit Issara, Managing Director Sri Panwa; Joe, Ripcurl Thailand GM; and Jeffry Anderson, Ripcurl CEO SE Asia.

SURF’S UP

Rip Curl launched the inaugural Girls Go Surfing Day last weekend at Kata Beach.

Parties were held at Sri Panwa and Ska Bar. The Phuket News/Live 89.5 were proud media sponsors of this event.

thephuketnews.com

Kul, Ripcurl’s Thailand Marketing Manager.

ISLAND SCENE 15

THE PHUKET NEWS 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER

Nikorn gets into the disco zone.

The Good Shepherd team: From left, Jade and Martin from Taste, Donna, Kaye, Ryanne, Vivienne, Vicky, Adriano and Regina.

Lena, Christine and James.

Evan, Claire, Stephen, Dylan and Cassie.

GROOVING ALL NIGHT Around 100 people attended the Good Shepherd “Disco Fever” charity fundraiser at Taste Restaurant in Surin on Saturday evening.

From left, Ken and Map Abday, Martin Holmes and his cardboard cutout lookalike, and his wife Oraphan Holmes.

MARTIN’S BIG DAY Popular local marine industry figure Martin Holmes, of Lee Marine, celebrated his 40th birthday on Saturday night at Watermark.

PHUKET LEGENDS PERFORM AGAIN Around 100 people turned up for the Lost Legends performance from Colin “Illy” Hill, Jimmy Fame aka Jim Newport, and Pjae Stanley, held at the Underwood Factory on the Bypass Road on Friday night.

The idea of the Lost Legends came out of John Underwood’s designer imagination a few months ago to help local Phuket musicians. From next Friday the Lost Legends will perform weekly at the Factory.

thephuketnews.com

16 ISLAND SCENE

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, 5, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 5,

Riz, Yin and Zahara.

Billy and Krister from Two Chefs.

SUNDAY BRUNCH

Two Chefs celebrated the opening of their new bistro on Patak Road in Karon on Sunday, with an opening party.

The bistro is open daily from 7am to 10pm.

MEET AND GREET FINE WINES

Around 40 people attended a Spanish tapas and wine pairing evening at Phuket Brasserie with wine from Bodegas Valdemar Rioja, held on Sunday evening.

Manager Angon and Bakery and Catering Manager Joanna.

SALA Phuket Resort and Spa held a cocktail party on Friday evening at the resort in Mai Khao.

Brasserie owner Alain Tabruyn, centre, with winemakers Cristina and Carlos.

Brasserie owner Lin with Ann, Dang and Rose.

CORRECTION

In last week’s issue Island Scene pages, the new Yxaiio drink was described as an alcohol drink.

It has been pointed out that Yxaiio is a non-alcoholic aphrodisiac beverage. The Phuket News regrets the error.

thephuketnews.com

Victoria, Michaela, Martin, Clare and Minnie.

Black Forest Distribution GM Tobias Lauinger and Dewa operations manager, food and beverage, Michel Bachmann.

ENTERTAINMENT 17

THE PHUKET NEWS 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER

Barefoot bowling comes to Phuket

L

ocal charity The Phuket Has Been Good to Us Foundation will host a ‘Barefoot Bowls’ event to benefit the children in its English language and after school programmes.

The event will be on Sunday (October 7) from 3pm to 5pm, at the Kamala Lawn Bowls Club (the only one in Phuket). The cost is B350 for bowling only, or B500 for bowling and a barbecue.

For more information or to

book your spot, email info@ phukethasbeengoodtous.org or call 076 278 146.

Bring along a few friends and help make a difference in the lives of local children. To find out more about the work the foundation’s teachers and volunteers are doing please visit the website www.phukethasbeengoodtous. org or ‘like’ the Phuket Has Been Good to Us Facebook page at www.facebook.com/phukethas beengoodtous.

And all that Jazz Samui International Jazz Music Festival swings into action

T

he third week-long Samui International Jazz Music Festival opens on Sunday, October 14, at the Amari Palm Reef in Chaweng.

Starting off the festival on October 14 will be a preview concert by the Beets Brothers featuring Paulette McWilliams, a Chicago native who has been on stage and performed with artists such as Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Luther Vandross.

Returning to the festival are Susan Harmer and her band Tropic Green, which consists of seven band members of four different nationalities, hailing from Japan, Singapore, Cuba and the US. Performing original tunes, you can hear their energetic performance on the opening night.

Taking to the stage on Monday, October 15, are the Cathrine Legardh Quartet featuring Eddie C. A sensual voice with dead-sure phrasing, Cathrine’s album was nominated Jazz Album of the Year at the Music Awards 2011 in both Denmark and Iceland.

This year’s line-up is truly international, with CaboCubaJazz featuring Melissa Fortes and Yerman Aponte from Cape Verde and Venezuela, performing Latin jazz, while from South Africa comes the Karen Devroop Jazz Quartet. Last but not least, it’s no jazz festival without Koh Mr Saxman, who will take to the stage on Friday, October 19.

For more information and a full schedule, see samuijazz.com or facebook.com/SamuiJazzFestival2012

Left, Paulette McWilliams of the Beets Brothers will perform at the Samui International Jazz Festival.

Below, Susan Harmer and her band Tropic Green, which has seven band members from four different countries.

Broadcaster axes panda TV Agence France-Presse

A

fter three years of following her every move, Thai broadcaster TrueVisions has pulled the plug on one of the kingdom’s most-loved but lethargic reality TV celebrities – a giant panda.

Linping, Thailand’s first giant panda cub, has won millions of fans since her birth in 2009, becoming the star of a live feed from a zoo in northern Chiang Mai dubbed the “Panda Channel”.

But the show ended on Sunday after satellite-cable broadcaster TrueVisions axed the programme as part of its plans to introduce new channels, to the dismay of her legion of fans.

“I’m really sad about this decision,” said Supornthip Bunlased, 54, who

was a regular viewer. “The programme is relaxing, particularly for people who are stressed about their work.”

While no official viewing figures are available, national “panda-mania” is believed to have waned somewhat since the initial excitement over Linping’s birth.

Fans can still watch Linping on the internet for another month, said the director of the zoo’s panda programme, Prasertsak Buntragulpoontawee.

Giant pandas, notorious for their low sex drive in captivity, are among the planet’s most endangered animals.

Linping was conceived by artificial insemination after years of unsuccessful efforts to encourage her parents – loaned by China – to mate. Linping also officially belongs to Beijing.

Fine Indian Cuisine • • • •

Finest Indian Food Air-conditioned Restaurant Indian Takeaway / Delivery Service Open Daily From 12 noon Until 10.30pm

For menu and more details visit:

www.deepavaliphuket.com

• Live Sports on five 55' TV's

• International And Thai Food

• Food Takeaway / Delivery Service

• FREE Wifi

• Regular Happy Hour: 4pm-7pm

• Cocktail Happy Hour: 10pm-11pm

• Chilled-out Sounds All Day/Evening • Club/Dance Hits From 10pm

Open Daily: 11am - Last Orders: 12.30am

For menu and more details visit: www.loungephuket.com

Deepavali Restaurant / The Lounge 123/24 Bangtao Place, Phuket, Thailand

0807 223377

thephuketnews.com

18 EVENTS

FRIDAY SEP 28 - OCT 17

THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, 5, 2012 2012 List your event for FREE at thephuketnews.com/events.php FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 5,

authentic Indian. Special promotion at B449 per person. Happy hour drinks from 6pm-9pm buy one get one free. Reservation recommended call Anges 076 360 803 or Mr Murat 081 797 3364. “Mention The Phuket News or Live 89.5FM and get a 20% discount on food”

Pool Competition at 9pm. Expat Sports Bar, Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www. expatsportsbar.com.

Two Chefs Saturday Brunch

Special Friday at Hogs Breath

Friday night at Sugar Reef DJ Makito and DJ Carlito playing from 9pm and special guest MC and free buffet, Opposite Tescos Cherngtalay. See sugarreefbar.com.

Sunday Brunch at Hilton Phuket

Pool Competition at Expat Hotel

FRIDAY OCT 5

Friday DJ Night at Sugar Reef

Special Saturday at Hogs Breath B99 pints during live sports coverage.

Locate at Patong Promenade, www.hogs breath.co.th.

New Exhibit - Gomez Bueno Original art work by international artist Bueno Gomez. The Spaniard continues his run in Asia. Gomez has been living in Los Angeles since 1988. He has become a well-known and celebrated artist, with a passion for love of the underground, graffiti and protest. His work has been displayed in galleries in Los Angeles, New York and Spain. Contact Mom Tri’s VR Gallery in Kata Noi, 076 333 568. See momtriphuket.com.

B600++ per person. Every Sunday 9am to noon. Call 076 302 000.

Live acoustic band. B99 pints during live sports coverage. Located at Patong Promenade, www.hogsbreath.co.th.

Curry Fridays at Navrang Mahal

Every first and third Friday a month, allyou-can-eat authentic Indian curry buffet, 7pm-11.30pm. Call 076 286 464.

SATURDAY OCT 6

At Two Chefs Kata Centre. Every Saturday 12pm-3pm. You can enjoy a big delicious buffet with a touch of Scandinavia, and listen to our live music. For example smoked fish or seafood from our smoke house roasted pork tenderloin, pickled Herring, different meat and poultry cold cuts, salads, homemade bread and dessert from our bakery. ONLY B395. www. twochefs.com, 076 330 065, katacenter@ twochefs.com.

Enjoy our lavish international buffet with friends and family each Sunday at Sails – a Hilton experience. Our jazz band sets the mood for relaxing afternoon with delicious food, live cooking stations, refreshing drinks, and good company. Balloon artists entertain the little ones with face painting and kids’ activities. Every Sunday at 12pm3pm. B1,400++ per adult (includes bottle of house wine per couple). B1,100++ per adult (without wine), B700++ per child (Ages 5-12). Make your reservations at phuket. sales@hilton.com.

SUNDAY OCT 7

Come Hear The Loving Words of Jesus Special Sunday at Hogs Breath Kids eat free when adults buy main courses. B99 pints during live sports coverage.

Located at Patong Promenade, www.hogs breath.co.th.

Steak Night Buffet at Centra Ashlee Hotel Patong Char-grilled and delicious. Tender cuts of quality meats cooked to perfection. Tasty side dishes, selection of fine sauces and a deliciously fresh salad bar. Start from 6.30pm-10pm. Contact 076 349 800-7, email chp@chr.co.th.

BBQ Dinner Bufffet with Live Music Every Saturday at 7.30pm onwards. Venue RPM Yacht Club. For all reservation and enquiries please contact: Khun Mai 084 306 6729 or Murat 081 797 3364, email events@royalphuketnmarina.com. “Mention The Phuket News or Live 89.5FM and get a 20% discount on food”

At The Seed Church in Cherngtalay. Enjoy a great fellowship, practical preaching, contemporary music and free snacks in one of the fastest growing churches in Thailand! English services every Sunday at 2pm in Cherngtalay. Visit our website for directions or call for more information. See www.seedchurchthailand.com. Call 098 764 5353, 084 056 7027, 081 891 2503.

Lazy Sunday Jazz Morning at Paresa Authentic Indian Buffet at RPM

BBQ at Expat Hotel

Phuket’s best Indian buffet is back with a new chef and new menu. Homemade

8pm, Expat Sports Bar, Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www.expatsportsbar.com.

thephuketnews.com

Kick back and enjoy a lazy Sunday breakfast at Paresa with jazz music, free flow sparkling wine and stunning selection of breakfast dishes. Spend the rest of the day at Paresa’s Infinity Pool or Beach Club.

Sunday Session at Ao Chalong Yacht Club Every Sunday. Live music and roast day.

Call 090 890 8993.

THE PHUKET NEWS 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012List your event for FREE at thephuketnews.com/events.php FRIDAY, OCTOBER

EVENTS 19

Ao Chalong Yacht Club

WAHOO THAILAND 2013 SPORT FISHING TOURNAMENT

Everyone welcome

Offshore The Similan Islands

19th - 21st February 2013

Proudly organised by the Rawai Beach Fishing Club, (RBFC) Phuket, Thailand.

57 hours of non - Stop fishing!

Huge media coverage!

CASH AND PRIZES TOTALING OVER APPROX. 3,000,000 BAHT ($100,000) For further details please contact Warren Crowe or Andy Bright info@rawaibeachfishingclub.com Warren tel: +66 (0) 812604291 Andy tel: +66 (0) 862739948 Website: www.rawaibeachfishingclub.com RAWAI BEACH FISHING CLUB IS AN OFFICIAL SPONSOR CLUB OF THE INTERNATIONAL GAME FISHING ASSOCIATION. RBFC SUPPORTS IGFA’S STANDARDS OF GOOD SPORTMANSHIP IN RECREATIONAL FISHING

Summer Promotions!

Best mini golf in Phuket! Phuket Adventure Mini Golf – fun for everyone! A challenging 18 holes miniature classic championship golf course surrounded by palm trees, stones, water, bamboo and bushes. Designed and built together with Scandinavian Adventure Golf. Whether living close by or here on a fabulous holiday, this is the place for the whole family, friends and couples to enjoy at all times. Contact 076 314 345, 080 147 2468, www.phuketadventuremi nigolf.com.

live music. B495 or B795 include free flow Chang draught and Sangria. See www. twochefs.com, call 076 286 479, karon@ twochefs.com.

Sunday Roast Pork Sunday Roast Pork or Beef Dinner every Sunday 2pm onwards Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. B290 per person. See www. expathotel.com.

MONDAY OCT 8

Wicked Wednesdays Ladies day, buy one cocktail get one free.

Located at Patong Promenade, www.hogs breath.co.th.

Two Chefs Surf Night At Two Chefs Kata Beach. Every Monday from 6pm-12am. You can enjoy our big BBQ Buffet with Blackened red snapper, beef burgers, Chicken Fajitas, Tacos, Chimi-Churri marinated chicken, desserts from our bakery and much more. One member from our house band will sing pleasant music during the night. Only B495. See www.twochefs.com, 076 284 155, kata@ twochefs.com.

TUESDAY OCT 9

Pool Competition: Meet The Best Players in Town Designed and built by Thai-Canadian family in 2011, The Plaza is a very fine sculpture and wall relief garden and entertainment centre. Artist’s pictures can be seen at the plaza walls all year around. The art pieces are donated by “The Unique One” rare selection of art by Khun Manop and Mike.

Pool competition is sponsored by Komodo Bar at 9pm. Entry fee B100 plus one free local beer. Come on everybody-let’s party.

Call 082 280 3282.

THURSDAY OCT 11 Pool Competition at Expat Guesthouse Pool Competition every Tuesday 9pm Expat Guesthouse Sports Bar, Patong. See map at www.expatguesthouse.com.

WEDNESDAY OCT 10

Schnitzel Day Kokosnuss Restaurant - Every Thursday, Schnitzel, fried potatoes and salad buffet B190 per person. Starts 5.30pm. For more info please visit phuketkokosnuss.com.

FRIDAY OCT 12

“Award winning chef from Airlie Beach, Australia.

Fabulous breakfast, and authentic western Sunday roast from 12 - 4pm - just like home! Home made desserts eg. cheesecake, bread & butter pudding, apple pie made fresh every day.”

There is parking on site, cool breezes and a beautiful view.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 8.00am 7 days per week.

Tel: 090 890 8993 email: amandaleehay@bigbond.com

entertainment by Boathouse Jazz Band.

The evening will commence at 7pm with a Champagne cocktail followed by dinner at Boathouse’s iconic Wine & Grill restaurant with pairings of four Champagnes, including the Grand Siècle and Brut Millesime 2000. Cocktails at 7 pm followed by dinner at 7.45pm. B3,200 ++ per person. For reservations and enquiries, please contact at fb@boathousephuket.com or fboffice@ boathousephuket.com.

SATURDAY OCT 13 Thailand Property Awards 2012 Join the industry leaders in celebrating the highest achievements in Thailand’s real estate. Visit www.ThailandPropertyAwards. com today. The shortlist of nominees for the 2012 Thailand Property Awards has been revealed. The 37 winners will be announced and receive their much coveted awards trophies at the Gala Dinner on Saturday October 13 at Napalai Hall, Dusit Thani Hotel, Bangkok. Don’t miss a chance to be part of the Kindom’s biggest real estate event of the year. Only limited tickets remaining. Book now! Contact 02 662 5195.

Email: info@thailandpropertyawards.com.

SATURDAY OCT 27

Asia Center Foundation 10 Years Celebration The Asia Center Foundation (ACF) will host a celebration and fund raising dinner to celebrate the work they have done amongst disadvantaged families and children-atrisk in the local community for the past 10 years. The event will raise support for the work that ACF is doing through five different projects and the Youth Sport Development program. Ticket price: B2,500. Contact the Director, Mrs. Roelien Muller for more information at 081 895 7016 or email roemuthai@gmail.com.

SATURDAY OCT 27-29 Sapai Klong Tong Koh Yao Season 2 Two Chefs Tex Mex Night At Two Chefs Karon 6pm-1am. Every Wednesday you can enjoy Phuket’s best Mexican food. Chili con carne, Mexican rice, Mexican springrolls, nachos, pork fillet skewers, salmon quesadillas, grilled corn cob, desserts from our bakery and much more. Our house band will be here to play

Laurent-Perrier Champagne and Jazz evening Boathouse on Kata Beach will host a night of fabulous Laurent-Perrier Champagnes complemented by a four course dinner, with

photography ideas with three professional photographers.

Tourism Authority of Thailand, together with Koh Yao Yai Village, would like to invite you to join “Sapai Klong Tong Koh Yao Season 2”. Discover the charm of new destination Koh Yao Yai and experience the local way of life, the beauty of nature and mangrove forest. Visit Koh Hong, Pile Bay and Koh Lao Gudu. Experience and exchange

Enjoy three days two nights package only B5,500 per person, group rate (Three people up) at B5,200 per person, include accommodation, full board, coffee break and return transfer from Phuket by our resort boat. More information please contact 076 363 700 ext. 1431, email kandarat@ kohyaoyaivillage.com.

EVERY DAY

Double Happy Hours At end of the Rawai beach strip, Rawai Plaza is the best entertainment venue for those who seek a bit more fun after a good meal. Listen to good music, enjoy sport on large TV. Play pool or dart games or just enjoy the unique surroundings. Selected cocktails B90, bottled beer: Singha, Heineken, San Miguel B60 Tiger Leo, Chang B50. House Liqueurs: Vodka, Gin, Rum, Wine B70, Scotch B70, Sangsom B60. At 4pm-8pm and midnight till late. Plus free pool sponsored by Komodo Bar. From 8pm- 9.30pm. Come on everybody - Let’s party. Call 082 280 3282.

Going to Surin Beach?

If you have time this week head to Sea Breeze Surin Beach for a great lunch time offer. We are doing any of our burgers with homecut fries for only B175 and cold beers from only B50 per bottle between 12pm and 5pm every day. For expats we are also offering B20 off beers all day, every day ask a manager when you arrive. Live sport every day including our 100” HD screen.

Ask about our new Pool Club, plus kids and adults parties planned and catered for. Call 076 270 399, www.thebestbeachclub.com, info@theburgerbarandbeachclub.com.

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

20 TIME OUT GUESS WHERE THIS IS AND WIN!

GOT YOUR NUMBER

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

GERRY’S VIEW THIS WEEK’S HINT:

200,000

“This Buddhist Wat (temple) is one of the most sacred and revered on the island as it is claimed that a bone that was placed in the mondop of the temple in 2002 is that of Buddha himself.

Glasses of milk produced by the average cow during her lifetime.

“Every day hundreds of Thais and foreigners visit the temple and its grounds, on the east side of the island, to admire the beautiful architecture of the buildings or to find comfort in the ancient rituals.

40

Percentage of women who admit to having hurled footwear at their partners.

“It is well worth the effort to get there to take in a truly cultural and spiritual experience.”

–Gerry Cummings

35

T he p er c ent age of people posting personal ads for dating who are already married.

editor@thephuketnews.com

4

www.photohutgroup.com

Average life expectancy (in seconds) of an enemy soldier in a Chuck Norris movie.

thephuketnews.com/ login-game-view.php

GUESS THE CORRECT LOCATION AND WIN A B500 GIFT VOUCHER FROM PHOTO HUT

Congratulations to Mike Archer, who correctly identified last week’s photo as being of a paraglider over Nai Harn Beach.

This week in history ■■ October 5, 1962 “Dr. No,” the first installment of the James Bond film series, is released, starring Sean Connery.

■■ October 6, 1889 The first motion picture is shown by American inventor Thomas Edison at Menlo Park, NJ.

1. In which country is Transylvania?

2. Which animal follows the Rat in the Chinese zodiac?

3. If A is Alpha and B is Bravo, what is V? 4. Which element has the Atomic number 1?

5. If you cross a raspberry plant with a blackberry plant, what fruit do you get?

Answers at the foot of the page.

■■ October 7, 2003 Actor and former body builder Arnold Schwarz­ enegger is elected Governor of California.

■■ October 8, 2004 Two Russian cosmonauts make the first spacewalk outside the International Space Station.

■■ October 9, 1930 Laura Ingalls lands in California after making the first solo transcontinental flight by a woman.

Across

Down

2. Plead: “Frosted, grubby.”

(8) 6. Goes out – direction to bulletin board. (4) 10. Stone head south of capital. (3,3) 11. Barnum & Bailey buyers circle fish. (8) 13. Smashes ship with crazy person inside. (8) 14. Ancient law for inlaid design. (6) 16. Panache of lotus? (4) 17. I back bro or sis to get bird. (4) 18. With commercial it makes way in for 20 down. (4) 21. In the past, no going back to church. (4) 23. Albert to make singer. (4) 24. Portent of women only.

(4) 28. Latin sun takes spies to informal do. (6) 29. Turns away in confusion, sect fled. (8) 31. Having a bent, writer may recite. (8) 32. Season sees cardinal with Milan team. (6) 34. Drunk back in? Yes, for playthings. (4) 35. Don’t cable so much radio. (8)

1. About runners, go over it again! (6) 2. Tool for father in fight. (7) 3. Note: Lends and ear and shines. (8) 4. Four drip. (1,1) 5. Spooky lake? (4) 7. Jail and bandit. (7) 8. Long tale, large town.

Wisdom? (8) 9. Encourage Mr Ronay to take note. (3,2) 12. Flying brother or French town? (7) 15. Figure of speech when phone company was caught in lies. (7) 19. Animal companion to give home to teacher’s favorite.

(5,3) 20. Pit company against Al – belongs to me! (8) 22. Rooster and French marshal from East London? (7) 25. Cite sex, perhaps?

Stimulates, certainly. (7) 26. Asian airline loses a girl. (5) 27. Mixed tripes connected to 16 across. (6) 30. Relatively against? (4) 33. Medical examiner for first person. (2)

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers Answers to to this this week’s week’s Pop Pop Quiz: Quiz: 1. Romania; 2. The 3. Victor; 4.Hydrogen; 5. Flax.

Loganberry.

1. Eight; 2. Ox; Potatoes; 3. Dolly; 4.Two; 5.

thephuketnews.com

■■ October 10, 1959 Pan American World Airways is the first to begin regular non-stop flights around the world.

SUDOKU

■■ October 11, 1902 International cricket rivalry begins with the first test match between South Africa and Australia.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

thephuketnews.com

16 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS

JOBS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

Patong condo for sale Two bedroom, freehold. B7.5m > 20

classifieds@thephuketnews.com

Administrative As- Executive Chef Want- development and distribu- designing and maintainsistant: Thai, Degree ed: Minimum 4-5 years tion of high quality beverag- ing websites. Photoshop,

Class Act Media is Phuket's leading media company - publishing The Phuket News , Phuket's leading weekly English Newspaper and broadcasting Live 89.5 – Phuket's premier English radio station. Class Act Media also has other publications and a host of other products in Phuket and Samui.

Due to recent expansions we are seeking the following position

Sales Manager Thai or Foreigner (Located in Phuket) Responsibilities : - Managing the sales team (including responsibility for recruitment of new sales staff when needed) - Weekly & monthly sales budget meetings and reporting - Developing and following up new sales leads - Reaching own personal sales targets and responsibility for reaching team targets We offer: - Competitive salary, bonuses and travel expenses - Friendly work environment - Social security (10%) paid by the company - Excellent career progress opportunity ***The company may offer accommodation plus local transportation costs to successful candidates.***

Interested candidates are invited to send application with full resume in English indicating qualifications, experience, expected salary with recent photo via email to adminmgr@the phuketnews.com

Please email full resume in English indicating expected salary with recent photo to

adminmgr@thephuketnews.com or call 076 612 550-2 for more info.

in Admin or equivalent, good written and spoken English, basic accounting, experience a must. Salary based on qualifications.

Send resume to: officemanager@techworx.asia or call 081 080 3773.

experience, must have experience in food quality and cost control, developing menus and recipes. Please send CV and references in Thai or English to jazon@ headstartphuket.com.

Administrative EmClaims & Suppor t- ployee: Responsible for ing Admin: Claims and relations with our agents Supporting administration, male/female, age 22- 45 years old. Experience in position will be advantage.

Good command, written and spoken English. Well organised, self-motivated. Email info@lamber t brothers.co.th.

Administrative Assistant: Thai, Degree in Admin or equivalent, good written and spoken English, basic accounting, experience a must. Salary based on qualifications.

Send resume to: officemanager@techworx.asia or call 081 080 3773.

(tour agents & hotels) Assist with day-to-day operations of our company.

Must speak English. 5 days a week. info@phuket phototours.com

es. Please send your most recent resume, picture, and cover letter to: hr@ premiumthaibrands.com.

Dreamweaver, CSS,HTML/ DHTML & Design Principals. Email: jobs@hotel travel.com.

Marcom and E-Com- Sales Staff Wanted: merce Manager: Pro- English-speaking female. motes a positive image of the hotel in the community and abroad through public relations and promotion activities. Communicates and submits appropriate materials to all marketing channels. Email your CV and photo to hrmgr@ millenniumpatong.com.

Thai with previous selling experience with own car, outgoing personality with ability to sell to farangs, flexible hours. Retainer, fuel, phone and commission. Call Khun Nam: 076 272 702. Island Curtains.

Cook/ kitchen cleanAir Con/Refrig Tech- er: Another Thai national IT/AV Engineer: Thai, nician: Looking for a tech- cook required for expanding AV or IT Engineer, basic English, experience in programming and installation, can drive. Salary based on Experience. Send resume to: office-manager@tech worx.asia or call 081 978 2725 for more details.

nician with experience in electrics, air or refrig (compressors), for servicing, repairing and maintaining equipment. Competitive salary and bonuses. Call 084 915 9507.

Web/Graphic DesignS a l e s R e p r e s e n - ers Wanted: Degree in t at ive: O ur c ompany Arts Graphic Design. Provsp e c iali se s in p r o duc t

en experience in creating,

boat charter company. Thai and farang food. Cooking experience a must. Call 086 011 5340.

Office Staff Wanted: Female, English-speaking staff to work in nice environment with outgoing personality and basic bookkeeping skills. Call K. Nam 076 272 702. Island Curtains.

One thousand candidates from outside Phuket will be brought to the venue for exclusive interviews!

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS 17

List your ad for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

We are a newly built boutique hotel which is located in the heart of Patong Beach right next to the Patong Police Station. Blue Sky Patong is surrounded by all the main tourist centres such as the sophisticated shopping centre Junceylon, a colourful nightlife along Bangla Road, or even a short distance to explore many activities along the beachfront area. As a newly built 4 star hotel, we are looking for team members who are service minded and who are willing to act with the organisation’s best interests at all times; if you think you are the one with a strong will to achieve the same goals with us, then please do not hesitate to apply. Arrive as a guest, live as a family.

Newly Renovated Hotel Opening: CC Bloom’s a boutique hotel located in the lush hills of Kata/Karon is looking for dynamic English speaking Thai nationals to join our expanding team as bookkeeper, wait staff, engineer, receptionist, bartender, driver, housekeeping and cooks. For more information, please contact 076 333 222 or submit your CV together with recent photo and expected salary to sales@ccbloomshotel.com. We welcome walk-in candidates.

LE D n o l o g y. LE D syst ems supply: Fast growing c ompa ny in Chalong is looking for dynamic, easy going persons to pro mote our products and establish c ommercial relationships with important customers. Good salary and commision.

Contact Francisco de Miguel at 081 139 4774, email: boost@aboranet. com.

Pizza Maker / Cook: Full time! (only Thai applicants) www.phuketadventureminigolf.com, contact Khun Decha 080 548 3345, email: manager@phuketad ventureminigolf.com.

Two Technicians Wanted: Technic al Certificate, ages 25-50.

Two years experience, s alar y, c o mp etencybased pay, full time/part time, be able to work at up-country. Call 076 323 0 43, email: juicy f x@ yahoo.com.

Reser vation and Operation: Able to speak English - Experience in tour operator/reservation would be a benefit but not necessary Able to work on shift.

Able to use Microsoft Outlook. Contact 076 381 703.

Plumbers Required: Piano Instrumental Plumbers/Labourers want- Teacher: PIADS is seeked, Thai or Expat (must have work permit). Total Water Solutions are a small plumbing/construction company based in Chalong we are urgently seeking workers. Khun Aoy at 086 940 7205.

Administrative Assistant: Thai nation-

ing a qualified piano teacher

ACCOUNTANT

Business Coordinator Hotel: Urgently want-

We offer:-

Staff Wanted - Health Camp!: Personal trainer or yoga teacher to run classes and manage office/shop. info@thailandcamp.com.

We are currently recruiting for the following positions: ► General Manager ► Front Office Manager ► Front Desk Agents ► Accounts Payable Staff/ Account Receivable Staff ► Sales/Marketing Coordinator ► Restaurant Manager ► Sou Chef /Team Leader

► Cafe Service Crew ► Maintainance Technician ► Waiter/Waitress ► Bar Waiter/Waitress ► Bar Bartender ► Executive Housekeeper ► Housekeeping

All potential staff are expected to be fluent in English accordingly to the positions that they have applied. We offer a competitive salary and benefits to the suitable candidates; please send appplication letters with a detailed resume, recent photograph to

jayeng89@hotmail.com 084 849 5293, 081 270 7619 to join our Music Department. Qualifications: Able to work 2.30-5pm - Strong experience in teaching piano - Ability to communicate in English. Contact 076 336 000. Email: tanyaporn.p@ pia.ac.th.

Please send CV to phuke twakepark1@gmail.com.

Classroom Teacher Needed: For nurser y school. Qualified, patient, dedicated teacher needed

to teach children aged between 1-5 years. 3 positions available. Please send cv and recent photo to info@ smiley-kidz.com.

Coffee Shop Manager - Thalang: Manager and

waitress required for a new coffee and ice cream parlour in Thalang. Top wages for a bright and attractive personality and useful experience. Accommodation is available. 081 989 3295.

Instructor for a Wake Park: Wanted a wakeboarding/ water ski instructor. Male/female. Native Russian language speaker.

Fluent English. Permanent location at Phuket.

THE PHUKET NEWS is Phuket's leading weekly English Newspaper. Our mission is to serve the Expat community, tourists and residents of Phuket by publishing an independent, comprehensive and informative community newspaper on a weekly basis.

ality. Excellent English is a must. Computer literate (Office, Excel, Word, Internet). Please send CV in English. Email: lola2605@ gmail.com.

ed. Responsible for hotel relationship management and optimisation, as well as new account acquisition in order to expand our room supply network. Send CV jobs@hoteltravel.com.

JOBS IN PHUKET

Experience in accounting system with international company is a plus ● Good command of English ● Knowledge of Taxation/VAT/PND/Social Security ● Service-Minded ●

Monday-Friday (8.30 am – 6.00 pm.)

Friendly work environment ● Excellent progress opportunity and job security ● ●

Interested candidates are invited to send application with full resume in English indicating qualifications, experience, expected salary with recent photo via email to adminmgr@thephuketnews.com or post to below address.

Class Act Media Co., Ltd.

99/7 Moo 1 T. Kathu A. Kathu Phuket 83120 Tel: 076 612 550-2 ext 100 Fax: 076 612 553 adminmgr@thephuketnews.com

thephuketnews.com

18 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS

BUY&SELL

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

Looking for a new dog?

Please consider adopting instead > 19

โรงเรียนสอนภาษากะทูภู้ เก็ต KATHU PHUKET LANGUAGE SCHOOL

Learn Thai For 200 Hrs. and Get 1 year VISA Offering German Consulate A1 Course.

Tel.084-0085673 www.phuketacademy.com email:khroojee@gmail.com

BOAT & YACHT

opposite Tesco Lotus. Contact: 076 612 733, 076 248 900. www.phuketfood.com.

BUSINESS SERVICES Tile It: Thalang. Wana Park on Srisoonthorn Rd. Phuket’s quality tile boutique. Tiles for interior, exterior, residential, commercial. Contact 076 620 168 or 081 424 2828. Email info@ tile-asia.com.

Timber boat for sale: 14m. traditional timber boat for sale. Extensive work has already been c om pleted with the hull. Needs further work for installing, engine, fuel / water tanks, decking and upper deck.

The owner has invested B800,000 in construction and is selling due to other more urgent business projects. Genuine enquiries only. The boat is located near Sarasin bridge. For inspection, please contact for an appointment. All reasonable offers will be considered. Contact 084 294 6039, sladepeter@yahoo. com.

BUSINESSES FOR SALE Sell Freelance Company: Sell freelance (Diver.OK) company B40,000.

Call 086 280 9282 Marc.

Choochuay Trading Group: Specialized in designing, sales, installing and repairing large commercial cooling systems and heating systems and small residential air-conditioning systems. Contact 076 319 406-8, see choochuay.com.

Indo Construction: 40 years’ experience and more than 20 years at your service in Thailand. Main contractor: study project, architecture design and construction and management. Please contact 076 381 895.

CHILDCARE Buds Nursery: Phuket’s oldest bilingual international childcare facility. High-quality, time-proven schedule and curriculum. Now in brand new purpose-built school.

Experienced native English teachers to teach ages 1.5-8. Monday-Friday. 8am - 5pm. Bus ser vice available from Patong, Karon, Kata, Phuket, Rawai a n d C h a l o n g . We b s i t e: www.buds-phuket.com.

CHILDREN’S CLUB Funstart: Family sports and leisure club. Swimming/ golf/playcentre/gaming arcade. Contact 076 203 185, 087 882 5544. See funstartphuket.com.

Get ahead on

Kathu Phuket Language School: Enjoy living in Thailand for one year or more. Get the most out of your stay here by learning Thai for 200 hrs and get a VISA for FREE. Contact person: Khun Jirancha Khongsuk. 9/4 Moo 6 Wichitsongkram Road, K a t h u , K a t h u , P h u ke t 83120 Thailand. Please contact 076 323 201, 084 304 6521, 081 417 0478.

Email: khroojee@gmail. com, www.visathaiphuket. com.

children starting to forget Russian? Sign up to our Russian Language For Kids program.

Visit http://PhuketRussian School.com.

Your specialist of imported food and drinks in Phuket. Visit our shop at the Billion Plaza,

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS FOR SALE

Your Digital Solution Experts

thephuketnews.com

COOKING CLASS

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for a FREE website assessment.

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Of fers Zumba /LesMills classes/ weight training/ s a u n a /s te a m /s w i m m i n g pool, all inclusive. For a free trial workout, come along and join the action. Tel 076 35 4 027, 087 275 3614. www.clubasiaphuket.com.

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EDUCATION

Club Asia Fitness:

CLUBS & MEMBERSHIPS

Natural Mountain Stone: Original from ancient time. Shaped by expert craftsman. Unique with its texture and colours. Harmony with traditional and contemporary. Commit to best and always available to our valued customers. Call +66 (08) 1719 6930. Email: info@maxxnova.com

gaporeans in Phuket to join Singapore Club Phuket. Contact Robin on 081 803 7189.

www.cybernok.com info@cybernok.com

Phuket Cooking Academy: Offers many

SK A L I nt e r na t i onal Phuket: Skål is a professional organisation of leaders from all branches of the travel and tourism industry. www. skalphuket.org.

Singapore Club Phuket: Calling all Sin-

cooking and baking classes in our top-class pro fessional facilities. Come to learn how to cook with our professional chefs and discover the art of bakery, and Thai and European cuisines. Open to all from the age of 12 years old and without any prior cooking experience. For more info visit us at: www.phuketcooking-academy.com or call 081 821 40 64.

Sales Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Free tablet case/ Keyboard c ase.Insuranc e for 1 year,can be negotiated.

Please email: singhon.p@ gmail.com.

Health Food : Online health food in Thailand. Good Karma, all natural healthy, natural and organic products.

Please contact 082 276 1675, w w w.g o o dkar m at hailan d. com.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS 19

List your advert for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php MOTORBIKE SERVICES Dynamic Tyre Balancing: Dynamically balance

Havana Cigar Shop: Opposite HomePro Village Chalong. Contact 081 956 2024. Email: vinoltds@hotmail.com.

Playgroup Open 09:00-21:00 Mon-Sat Play Park Open 16:00-21:00 Mon-Sat

your motorcycle tyres for a smoother ride with DYNA BEADS! Available at West Coast Service Center Phuket, your big bike specialist on the bypass road. Contact 085 785 4440.

MOVING & STORAGE Safeway Storage: Self storage from B800/M. Container rental B3,000/M. Sales/ Site of fice A /C B6,000/M. Mobile toilets B2,80 0/M month. Chalong, opposite Wat Chalong. Thalang, main highway. Please contact 076 313 235 or 081 125 1873.

BUY & SELL IN PHUKET

Birthday Parties, Educational Games Etc.

Sound Engineer! AV Home system! : We’re exper ts in systems and control designs of highest quality Home Automation, AV, Cinema Room, Lighting Control. Professional services certified by CEDIA. English speaking call +66 (08) 1719 6930. Email: i n f o @ m a x x n ova . c o m , www.maxxnova.com

Fisherman Way

Viset Road, Chalong, Rawai Phuket Tel : 088 819 2526 all major brands. Contact 076 355 600-1.

wor ld t raveler now living Patong Beach. Email: pen thouse2102@gmail.com.

management. For a free consultation. Contact Sarah on 084 985 8161, email: sarah@ one2one -fitness.net.

Why buy a pet?: Soi Dog Foundation have over 300 beautiful dogs and puppies available for adoption. Fully vaccinated and sterilised. Contact 085 574 4258 or email cindy@ soidog.org.

Backgammon: Players Wanted. Tel: 081 577 8443, email: phuketconnection@ yahoo.com

Haris & Hawr yluck Attorneys at Law: Unit

PET HOSPITAL

6D CCM Complex. Call 076 510 111, email: info@hhlegal advisors.com, www.hhlegal advisors.com.

Chaofah Pet Hospital: Baan Cananga Spa Products: We using traditional organic Thai herbs and make quality home made spa products, cosmetic and OTOP products for health and beauty. Shop: Kata Night Plaza and Raya Beauty Rawai Sai Yuan.

Call 081 979 3504 Khun Wan.

Atmanjai: World’s best natural health programmes to improve health, reduce stress, weight loss, detox, rejuvenation, vitality and overcome disease. See atmanjai.com.

We Sell Boxes & Moving Supplies: At MY STORAGE Self Storage you can buy quality moving and packing supplies like individual boxes, bubble wrap, packing tapes & knives plus secure padlocks. We also help you to move and store.

Call 076 292 909.

PERSONAL SERVICES Pro t e c t Your H o m e w i t h C C T V: C C T V & alarm service. Protect your home with high-quality CCTV camera,and GSM alarm. Free survey and quote. Please call 086 105 8144 or click www. huketechnology.com.

Phuket Visa: Offers consulting and services on company registration, work permit, visa, accounting, auditor, legal advice. Contact 081 892 9960.

• Movement • Stillness • Balance M obile:0 81-728 - 9 9 8 0 Email: Serenethai@yahoo.com

Buon A pp et i to: D e li mar ket and bi st r o. N um ber one supplier of Italian Deli in Phuket. Call 076 384 273 , e m ai l i nf o @ b u o n a p petitogroup.com, www.buon appetito group.com.

Bon Café Phuket: A producer of premium coffee blends and powdered mixes as well as selling, maintaining, servicing and repairing

PET ADOPTION

Ghost Writer: For life stor y of suc c essful busi ness man.Gambler, playboy,

8/28–29 Moo 9, Chaofah East Road. Contact 076 283 365.

POOL TABLES Phuket Pool Tables: www. phuketpooltables.com. Your number one billiard and snooker supplier in Phuket.

Sales, rent and profit-sharing.

All accessories and services.

Call 081 823 4627.

Friends Band Music Entertainment & show: Our services: Live band, music system rental, Thai classical dance, Thai folk band, MC and DJ. Call Khun Sathit on 080 524 1698, email: sathit@friends b a n d m u s i c .c o m . w w w. friendsbandmusic.com.

Personal Trainer: Fully-qualified female personal trainer from the UK. With guaranteed results and over 10 years of experience in men and women’s health and fitness. Pre- and post-natal exercise. Nutrition and weight

Are You Thinking Of Getting A New Dog Or Puppy?: Please consider adopting a homeless dog, rather than buying from a pet shop or puppy mill. Contact: Gone2thedoggies@gmail.com

If your interested in seeing some of the many dogs looking for a new home.

Techworx: Custom design & installation. Professional service and support. Premium service: home cinema, home automation, marine AV and IT, lighting control and multiroom audio-video. Call 084 443 9863.

Live Music By Colin Hill: Popular expat pro musician (guitar/vocals) with work permit. Can perform solo, duo or band. www.play-guitar.net, 089 777 3063.

thephuketnews.com

20 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS

PROPERTY House For Rent

Golf view villa for sale

Near BIS, 4 bedroom, B28 million > 21

contact : 081 787 9191, 083 391 7556

U RG E NT L a n d for sale: Plot for

Bali modern style, fully furnish, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room, hot water, cable TV. Housekeeper service every week

sale in Cherng Thalay.

Just 3km to blue flag Surin Beach, total 14 rai (22400sqm) Chonote title, land suitable for apar tment complex contruction up to 3 floors or private big villa. Land for sale is located in prestigious region nearby hotel, resort, spa and shopping areas. Call 081 619 9501.

Email: limraksasins@gmail.com.

Located at West-Chaofah Rd. 25,000 THB/month

Kata Beach For Rent:

PROPERTY FOR RENT Loft Style Flats: Central location with easy access to main roads, near Bang Wat dam Country Park in the middle of the island. The area is quiet, minimal traffic, great walking and running around the dam. Call 086 664 5575.

House for Rent-Kathu: Two bedrooms/two bathrooms.

Calm and clean area. Built in early 2012, first occupant.

Aircon in all rooms. Floor area 120m2 + back and front yard, furnished. Call 091 034 0035.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

5 star apartment, stunning seaviews with all mod cons, pool, gym, restaurant. A must see, call James 090 864 4519.

Well worth viewing.

Chom Tawan Penthouse - Rental: B12,000

Private Pool Villa For Rent: Three bedrooms,

- B25,000 per night. Unit Size: 246 - 572sq metre.

Just 25 minutes from Phuket International Airport, luxury area location, only two minutes from Bang Tao beach.

Contact Ms.Laddawan - CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) 076 239 967/085 661 0623.

three bathrooms, fully furnished. Five minutes to Chalong centre, 10 minutes to Rawai Beach. Please contact Khun Poy for more details: 089 472 9870 or 086 471 522.

with large pool in quiet area.

Price: B5.5 million or minimum three-month rental. Call 081 496 9070 (Eng/Swedish) or 081 719 1175 (Thai).

rooms each with shower/bathroom, roof terrace. Longterm rent or sale. 081 737 0365, utaipan@yahoo.com.

Nice House for Long Term Rent: Just a few minutes walk to Nai Harn beach.

Two-three bedroom, aircon. two bathroom, kitchen, garden.

Minimum one year B15,000.

Call 081 397 1835.

PROPERTY FOR SALE Furnished House for Sale/Rent in Kathu: Land size 153.85 sq metre.

Furnished, garden, swimming pool. For sale B17,000,000 or rent plus Honda civic B65,000 per month. Please contact: ket.phuket@hotmail.com.

WRITE YOUR CLASSIFIED

Kamala Two Brand New Villas: Two bedrooms, two

FREE ONLINE: 189 CHARACTERS + 1 PICTURE

bathrooms, Western kitchen, 130 sq metre. Nice garden

Hill Land for Sale: Very Condominium in Patong for Sale: Less than 1 Km from the beach, large 2-bedroom apartment with communal swimming pool and balcony. FREEHOLD (can be foreign owned).

7.5MB. Contact owner 089 724 7211 or julien@phuke timmo.com.

nice location hill land by the Bangwat Dam, All total 60 Rai, 96,000 square meter. Contact: Attapong 081 892 0610 (Thai), Jantiwa 081 890 8268 (Eng). e-mail: jantiwa_ j@hotmail.com.

Allamanda (Laguna) Residences/Phuket: One condo unit, half of a deluxe twin house, fully furnished and equipped, set direct on the picturesque lagoon with balcony right over it. 3 bed-

Headline: ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......

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Rawa i B e a c hf ro n t Pool Villa Rent/Sale: Rawai Beach front pool villa for rent/sale. 3 bedrooms, furnished. Contact Siriporn on 089 649 9939.

...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......

Online upgrades:

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DEADLINE: MONDAY 11.59PM (MIDNIGHT) FOR THAT FRIDAY’S ISSUE Hand this in at agent shops, our office or fax: 076 612 553

thephuketnews.com

Phuket Villa Resale (PKS0161) - The White Villa: Bang Tao. Unit size: 267.75sq.metre, land area: 299.60sq.metre, for sale B7,500,000. Ms. Prakaipeth - CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) 076 239 967/081 538 6879.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS 21

List your advert for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

PROPERTY IN PHUKET

Phuket Cottages

Near British International School, pool-villas starting from THB 8,800,000.

www.phuket-cottages.com

Call: 089-724-7211 house 212 sq metre. Unfurnished, full aircon. two bed, two bath, big garden for pool/ extentions. 10 minutes from Heroines Monument. Priced to sell, offers. Call 081 737 0722.

PROPERTY FOR SALE CONT.

Land At Kathu For Sale: Only 15 minutes to Golf View Villa For Sale: Near British International School, state-ofthe-art villa overlooking the Loch Palm Golf Course: 4 bedrooms + maid’s room; 485 m2 built on 1,860 m2 land. B28million. Contact owner 089 724 7211.

Phuket-Surin Beach Area for Sale: Chanote title at Manik-township.

20x25 metre in natural surrounding, B2.6 million. Free design+construction permit.

Phone 087 275 9621, email nuttapol_trateng@yahoo. com.

400sq metre Beautiful Land for Sale: In Soi

Condominium At The Point: Condo for sale, The Point opposite Big C, freehold, chanote, studio 36sq metre. Fully furnished include AW fitings and inventory. Nice views from 6th floor, close to Lotus, Big C, Central Festival Etc. Only B2,695,000 negotiable. Call 087 889 3838, Skype: davidpaul49, email: davidgem98@hotmail.com.

Three bedroom house for sale: O n Land and House Park, Chalong. Gym, swimming pool and nice restaurant on site. Price reduced to sell quickly. Furnished or unfurnished. Call 089 291

3 Bedroom house with furniture, close to Kajonkiet School. Secure area, Cul De Sag, nice gardens, two bathrooms. B3,500,000 negotiable. Details 081 370 8114 (Thai) 087 889 3838 (Eng), email:davidgem98@ hotmail.com.

Pool Villa in Chalong: 3 0 0sq metre. Three bed rooms, four bathrooms, one western kitchen, one living room, private pool, two car parking, electric gate, fully furnished. Price: B10 million / Rent: B50,000. Call 081 539 7311 Th/Eng.

Two Bed Villa 1/2 Rai B7.2m: Gated community, Pa Klok, land 832 sq metre,

Commercial Building For Sale: 5 metre x 7.5 M House and Pool Bypass Road: Ver y clean 5 bedroom, 3 bath house with 5 x 10 meter pool, 10 minutes south of Central Festival, walking distance to Kajonkiet Bilingual School. To see: 083 301 3470, email: wpdrake@ hotmail.com.

18.30 metre, three floors, located close by Condo at Saiyuan, two big halls, two bedrooms, four bathrooms, clean and new building. Negotiable price. For more details please call 087 881 7979, 081 472 0770, email: ss.kijr ungr uang@gmail. com.

Phuket Villa Resale (PKS0778): B oat L a Golf Course Land For Sale: Near British Inter

one bed, fully-furnished, WiFi, maid service, sea view. Call 081 893 5188.

Furnished House for Sale Phuket Villa 5:

7078.

Suksan, the land has views of the Nai Harn and Rawai mountains, and would be ideal for a family home. Ready to build. Quality western villas on the same soi. Contact 089 973 1180.

Condo in Phuket Town for Sale/Rent: New condo,

Patong and only 10 minutes to Phuket Town, located at Kathu, total 141 SquareWah or 564 SquareMeter with ready Public utility. Call 081 892 0610,081 472 0770, tan_ohio@hotmail.com.

School, 17 Rai with public road access. Suitable for resort or housing project.

Can be divided. Price: B4 MB per Rai. Contact owner 089 724 7211 julien@phuke timmo.com

goon Marina Residence.

B 9 , 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 . U n i t S i z e: 250sq metre. Only t wo minutes from the British International School, and 20 minutes from Phuket International Airport. Contact Ms.Prakaipeth 076 239 967/081 538 6879.

House in Phuket Town / Samkong 3 bedroom, 3 bathrooms: Semi detached house with large 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, large open living/dining area and entertainment deck outside. Large western kitchen with all appliances.

Commercial Building for sale: Prime location in The Billion Plaza and main road to Patong. Building 80sqm + 6m of patio behind.

4 storey, 4 bathroom, chanote title. Sale by owner, price B13.8m. Email aew28325@ gmail.com, 081 807 9914.

Great area very conveniently located 5 minutes from all amenities including both international hospitals, Central Festival, international schools and the centre of town. Selling due to relocation.

Priced to sell at B4.3M including 4 air cons. and all modern style furniture. Nothing more to spend. Contact (English): 084 768 0536 or (Thai): 085 888 0502.

thephuketnews.com

22 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

EQUIPMENT SALES & RENTAL

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Secure, Clean & Cost Effective Self Storage

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w w w. e m

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1,800 baht pool service

for the first 20 customers (standard size pool)

19/43, 19/45 Moo 7, Srisoontorn Rd, T. Srisoontorn, A. Thalang, Phuket 83110.

Tel: 076-620113 or 084-8506140 Fax: 076-620015

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012 Paresa Resort Phuket

IN HOTEL ROOMS ALL ACROSS THE ISLAND

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FULL STORY ON PAGE 2

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s.com

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SOUTH Avista Resort and Spa Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket Centara Karon Resort Phuket Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa Katathani Phuket Beach Resort Serenity Resort & Residences Woraburi Phuket Resort & Spa

and many more....

PHUKET'S BEST NEWSPAPER IS IN PHUKET'S BEST HOTELS thephuketnews.com

24 PHUKET SPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

Phuket FC captain in doubt for next match FOOTBALL Jean-Pierre Mestanza editor2@thephuketnews.com

F

A sporty day out The Thanyapura Open Day on September 30 gave people a chance to try the club’s facilities free while enjoying fun games and activities throughout the day. Live entertainment included local bands and school acts, as many world class trainers on-hand to give professional tips to improve techniques. Triathlon training, muay Thai, aquatics, and spinning were just a taste of Thanyapura’s offerings, while several other programmes were available to the public.

From left, Director of Sports Academies, Craig Johns; Director of Triathlon Academy, Juergen Zack; Swim Head Coach, Raul Bernal; President of Thanyapura, Robert Hauck; Director of Aquatics Academy, Simon Jones; Head Coach of Phuket Soccer Schools, Martin Hill; and Director of Tennis, Roger Cochrane.

Starting 14th October

thephuketnews.com

ollowing a car crash in which his vehicle flipped on its side on September 30, it is still unclear if Phuket FC alternate captain Watcharapong “Pae” Jun-ngam will be fit to play against Suphanburi tomorrow (October 6).

Mr Watcharapong walked away almost unscathed after his car flipped over on his way home to Thung Yi District, in Nakhon Sri Thammarat province, according to assistant coach Choochai Angkabaew.

The 27-year-old was driving home from Phuket after the team’s 1-0 loss to Sriracha FC last week, when the car flipped over on its side after he reportedly fell asleep at the wheel and hit a tree, Mr Angkabaew said.

“After dinner in Phuket Town, he drove his car back to his house and fell asleep and crashed into a tree beside the road.”

The crash occurred near his home a little after 3am, Mr Angkabaew said, adding that the player got out of the car by himself and phoned his wife

and mother for help.

“He’s really lucky he only got a minor shoulder injury, when you see how badly the car was damaged.”

Phuket FC are one spot away from the relegation zone with five games left in the season, including the away game this weekend.

Thai Division 1 D

L

F

A Pts

1

Team Muang Thong United

MP W 28

21

7

0

61

26

2

Chonburi

27

17

6

4

50

24

57

3

Buriram United

29

13

10

6

51

32

49

4

BEC Tero Sasana

29

13

7

9

39

38

46

5

Esan United

29

9

13

7

36

35

40

6

Bangkok Glass

29

9

13

7

46

33

40

7

Army United

29

9

11

9

28

31

38

8

TOT

29

9

11

9

37

37

38

9

Samut Songkhram

29

10

7

12

32

37

37

10

Osotspa

28

11

4

13

44

41

37

11

Pattaya United

29

9

9

11

31

35

36

12

Wuachon United

28

8

12

8

37

39

36

13

Chiangrai United

29

8

11

10

34

41

35

14

Chainat

29

6

12

11

48

63

30

15

Police United

29

6

11

12

26

34

29

16

Thai Port

29

6

9

14

23

41

27

17

BBCU

28

4

11

13

27

44

23

18

TTM Chiangmai

29

2

12

15

20

39

18

70

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

PHUKET SPORT 25

Bob Dwyer, from Australia, at Thanyapura in March.

Jirayut Sarsut (Toe) with former New Zealand national team player Byron Kelleher.

Photo: Pat Cotter

Aspiring architect wins rugby scholarship Phuket Lomas Youth Development Rugby ‘player of the year 2011,’ Jirayut ‘Toe’ Sarsut, was awarded a rugby scholarship to the prestigious Kasetsart University in Bangkok.

He will study to become an architect as well as continue to be a member of the Thai National Under 19 training squad.

Congratulations to ‘Toe’ for the award. The Phuket News is a media sponsor.

Bob Dwyer to run rugby workshop in Phuket RUGBY

R

ugby World Cup winning coach Bob Dwyer is coming back to the island to host another coaching workshop from October 26-28 at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club.

The workshops, the second of three planned for this year in Phuket, will include the assistance of Mike Penistone, who has coached extensively in England and Australia. The legendary coach last visited the island back in March.

Dwyer will also be a guest speaker at the 10th annual Asia Centre Foundation dinner on October 27. The B2,500 a ticket dinner will help raise funds for the ACF scholarship and Phuket Lomas Rugby Youth Development programs.

The Phuket Lomas were set up to help orphaned and disadvantaged Thai children from the 2004 tsunami, with an emphasis on education as well as sport.

For more information or to register for the event please contact Pat Cotter at phuketrugby@gmail.com.

Dinghy Series sets sail SAILING Surf’s up for the girls Rip Curl came out

to Phuket last weekend for their annual “Girls Go Surfing” event where they give surfing lessons to female beginners. For B300, aspiring female surfers got a chance to take part in any one of their five sessions, which included a competition, T-shirt, and goodie bags. Families made a day of the event as more than 70 people took part. This was the first time the event took place in Thailand – it usually happens in Bali, Indonesia.

W I T H T H E PH U K ET King’s Cup Regatta set for December, the three event lead up to the competition is back as the Phuket Dingy Series took off from Nai Yang Beach the last weekend of September.

According to Santi Kanchanbandhu, a member of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising Committee, the series provides “a variety of

sailing conditions at different locations, giving youngsters a mix of experiences and testing their sailing skills.”

The Phuket Dinghy Series holds events on three separate weekends leading up to the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta on December 3. The next series will take place October 27-28 on Bang Tao Beach with the final Series taking place off Cape Panwa the weekend of November 24-25.

thephuketnews.com

26 WORLD/PHUKET SPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS

PREMIER LEAGUE PREDICTIONS: ROUND 6

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

THIS YEAR’S GRAND PRIZE IS SPONSORED BY:

Everton take over the second spot while London derby is all Blue FOOTBALL

T

he last of week of September brought us some exciting matchups, including a heart-stopping London derby and a historic win at Old Trafford. But one of the biggest stories is about the second place spot.

Everton have secured themselves a spot just under the table leaders Chelsea after their decisive 3-1 win against Southampton. Everton fell behind early but managed to score three goals, all within six minutes of each other, in the first half.

The London derby brought together an intriguing matchup between two undefeated teams, Arsenal and Chelsea, with the latter sitting pretty atop the standings. Fernando Torres put the Blues up early with a beautiful volley off of a Juan Mata free kick in the 20th minute.

The Gunners tied it up just before the half when Gervinho put one past Petr Cech into the upper 90. Not to be outdone, Mata came up once again for the Blues, this time scoring one

Manchester Cty v Sunderland draw Chelsea v Norwich home win Swansea v Reading home win West Brom v QPR home win Wigan v Everton away win West Ham Utd v Arsenal away win Southampton v Fulham draw Liverpool v Stoke Cty draw Tottenham v Aston Villa home win Newcastle Utd v Manchester Utd

away win MONTHLY STANDINGS

THE SECOND HALF OF THE Super Six Soccer League got underway last week with Division 2 grabbing the headlines.

Pita Bar Phuketeers and Puensil FC clashed for the top spot in Division 2. The Phuketeers came out on top 5-2 and passed Puensil FC on the table.

Pita Bar Phuketeers claim the top spot on goal differential.

In an impressive performance, Sadulla Saipov of Seduction scored six goals to put

Chelsea’s Juan Mata scored the game winner against cross-town rivals Arsenal off another well-placed free kick that skipped pass the scrum and into the net.

Both top spots are now held by boys in blue.

After 23 years of losing at Old Trafford, all Tottenham Hotspur had to do was acquire Clint Dempsey. The American

Due to a computer glitch, the match between QPR and West Ham was listed in the wrong week. In the interests of fairness, any predictions for this game will be erased and will not count towards the results of The Phuket News English Premier League

striker scored what became the game-winner in front of over 75,000 stunned Red Devils fans.

The 3-2 win over Manchester United shot Tottenham up to the fifth spot. An early season injury to United captain Nemanja Vidic is proving tougher to overcome than

his squad on top of Thai Nee FC in a 10-5 goal fest. The win put Seduction over Vanilla FC in the table, which lost against Shambhala FC 2-0.

In Division 1 action, Morning Star attempted to keep their momentum at the top of the table against The Hulk. After an early lead, Morning Star tied things up with a penalty goal.

Morning Star were given the upper hand after a player from The Hulk was dismissed.

But the team could not hold on to a 2-1 lead with 10 minutes

left as a slippery shot from midfield made it a 2-2 final.

Looking to continue their recent form after a superb win last week, Nanai Boys took on PSU Alumni FC. However the Alumni University Boys slotted 5 goals to grab a 5-2 win.

Next up, Shakers tried keeping pressure on the top spot against Sweet Lemon FC. All started well, as Shakers found themselves deservingly up 3-0 after the first half. Second half, Sweet Lemon came back like a missile and punched 5 consecu-

Over 90 Cities, One Perfect Gateway.

SilkAir and Singapore Airlines Connecting you to Places.

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OVERALL STANDINGS

1. apollo131 2. toptipster 3. A1CR 4. Paul614724 5. suncat100 6. scottkip 7. diggersd 8. tim at acorn 9. Campanil 10. alanphuket

initially thought.

In The Phuket News tipping competition, apollo131 came up from the seventh spot and take home this month’s prize.

After a close first month of action, apollo131 will take home a B3,000 voucher to spend at Angus O’Tool’s.

A shakeup in Division 2 while upsets keep top flight close FOOTBALL

THIS MONTH'S COMPETITION IS SUPPORTED BY:

JP’S TIPS ROUND 7

tive goals past a shaken Shakers team to win the game.

To round out Division 1, Phuket Condos & Homes defeated Joy Dive FC 5-4.

Other Division 2 games included Mr Moo beating Serenity Villas 3-2, Pluto Italian Ice Cream coming out on top 4-3 against Atmanji, and Shambhala FC winning 2-0 against Vanilla FC. For more information on the Super Six League, visit phuketfootball.com. The Phuket News is a competition sponsor.

123 121 118 118 118 115 115 115 115 112

1. apollo131 2. toptipster 3. A1CR 4. Paul614724 5. suncat100 6. scottkip 7. diggersd 8. tim at acorn 9. Campanil 10. alanphuket

123 121 118 118 118 115 115 115 115 112

Predictions Competition.

The winners of this month’s competition will win a B3,000 voucher to spend at Angus O’Tool’s. The overall winner at the end of the year will win a brand new Honda Scoopy motorbike, courtesy of AP Honda.

SUPER SIX SOCCER Division 1

Team

P

W

D

L Goals GD

1

Morning Star

8

6

1

1

35

11

Pts

2

Shakers FC

8

4

2

2

25

4

14

3

Joy Dive FC

6

4

0

2

29

17

12

4

Sweet Lemon FC

7

3

2

2

25

1

11

5

The Hulk

8

2

3

3

19

-6

9

6

Nanai Boys

8

2

2

4

27

-4

8

7

Phuket Condos & Homes

8

2

2

4

31

-6

8

8

PSU Alumni FC

8

2

0

6

21

-16

6

Team

P

W

D

L Goals GD

1

Pita Bar Phuketeers

7

7

0

0

42

24

2

Puensil FC

8

7

0

1

47

19

21

3

Phuket Serenity Villas

8

4

2

2

37

14

14

4

Shambhala FC

8

4

2

2

43

8

14

5

Mr. Moo

7

4

0

3

29

7

12

6

Seduction

8

3

1

4

41

-1

10

7

Vanilla FC

8

3

0

5

24

-9

9

8

Pluto Italian Ice Cream

8

3

0

5

39

-11

9

9

Thai Nee FC

8

1

0

7

26

-26

3

10

Atmanjai

8

0

1

7

25

-25

1

19

Division 2

Pts 21

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

THE PHUKET NEWS

WORLD SPORT 27

Bayern Munich lose to BATE package of this season’s tournament with two wins from two to top Group F. Celtic for their first win in 21 away Champions League games by beating Spartak Moscow 3-2. It was their first away win in Europe’s premier club competition since beating Shamrock Rovers in 1986.

Down 2-1 at the half, the Russian side had defender Juan Insaurralde sent off and shifted momentum to the Scottish team, allowing for a last minute

FOOTBALL

B

ayern Munich suffered a stunning loss while all three British clubs enjoyed what could be invaluable away wins in their second batch of Champions League group matches last week.

Bayern, who lost last year’s finals on penalties, suffered a stunning 3-1 away defeat at BATE Borisov, the Belarus side proving to be the surprise

English Premier League Team

as Lionel Messi created both their goals, one for Alexis Sanchez and the other for Cesc Fabregas, in the 2-0 win over Benfica in Lisbon.

Victory extended the 2011 champions’ winning streak in all competitions this season to eight and kept them two points clear of Celtic in the group ahead of their forthcoming double header.

The only blip on the landscape for Barca was another injury to iconic central defender

French Ligue 1

cated an elbow shortly after coming on as a substitute.

AFP

Carles Puyol, who had made a remarkably quick recovery from a knee injury but dislo-

Spanish Primera Liga

D

L

F

A

Pts

D

L

F

A

Pts

D

L

F

A

Pts

Chelsea

6

5

1

0

11

3

16

1

OlympiqueMarseille

7

6

0

1

10

5

18

1

Barcelona

6

6

0

0

17

5

18

2

Everton

6

4

1

1

12

6

13

2

PSG

7

4

3

0

12

3

15

2

Atlético Madrid

6

5

1

0

16

7

16

3

Manchester United

6

4

0

2

14

9

12

3

Olympique Lyonnais

7

4

2

1

12

7

14

3

Málaga

6

4

2

0

10

2

14

4

Manchester City

6

3

3

0

12

8

12

4

Lorient

7

3

4

0

13

8

13

4

Sevilla

6

3

2

1

8

5

11

5

Tottenham Hotspur

6

3

2

1

11

8

11

5

Bordeaux

7

3

4

0

9

5

13

5

Mallorca

6

3

2

1

7

4

11

6

West Bromwich

6

3

2

1

8

5

11

6

Toulouse

7

3

3

1

9

7

12

6

Real Madrid

6

3

1

2

12

5

10

7

West Ham United

6

3

2

1

7

5

11

7

Valenciennes

7

3

2

2

11

6

11

7

Real Valladolid

6

3

0

3

10

6

9

8

Arsenal

6

2

3

1

10

4

9

8

Reims

7

3

2

2

8

5

11

8

Real Sociedad

6

3

0

3

8

9

9

9

Fulham

6

3

0

3

13

9

9

9

Ajaccio

7

3

2

2

6

7

9

9

Real Betis

6

3

0

3

10

13

9

10

Newcastle United

6

2

3

1

8

8

9

10

Brest

7

3

0

4

7

12

9

10

Valencia

6

2

2

2

8

8

8

11

Swansea City

6

2

1

3

10

9

7

11

Saint-Étienne

7

2

2

3

10

6

8

11

Getafe

6

2

1

3

7

10

7

12

Stoke City

6

1

4

1

6

5

7

12

Nice

7

1

5

1

10

9

8

12

Levante

6

2

1

3

7

13

7

13

Sunderland

5

1

4

0

5

4

7

13

Montpellier

7

2

2

3

9

9

8

13

Rayo Vallecano

6

2

1

3

7

13

7

14

Liverpool

6

1

2

3

9

12

5

14

Rennes

7

2

1

4

9

11

7

14

Celta de Vigo

6

2

0

4

7

8

6

15

Aston Villa

6

1

2

3

6

10

5

15

Lille

7

1

4

2

8

10

7

15

Real Zaragoza

6

2

0

4

5

8

6

16

Wigan Athletic

6

1

1

4

5

11

4

16

Bastia

7

2

1

4

9

18

7

16

Deportivo

6

1

3

2

8

12

6

17

Southampton

6

1

0

5

10

18

3

17

Sochaux

7

2

0

5

7

12

6

17

Granada

6

1

2

3

4

9

5

18

Norwich City

6

0

3

3

4

13

3

18

Evian TG

7

1

2

4

7

9

5

18

Athletic Club

6

1

2

3

8

14

5

19

Reading

5

0

2

3

6

11

2

19

Nancy

7

1

1

5

2

10

4

19

Osasuna

6

1

1

4

7

10

4

20

Queens Park Rangers

6

0

2

4

4

13

2

20

Troyes

7

0

2

5

6

15

2

20

Espanyol

6

0

1

5

7

12

1

1 – 2 3–1 1–2 2–5 2–2

Chelsea Southampton Manchester Cty Liverpool Newcastle Utd

Stoke Cty Sunderland Manchester Utd Aston Villa QPR

2–0 1–0 2–3 1–1 1–2

Swansea Cty Wigan Tottenham West Brom West Ham

Live Sports TV Schedule SPORT

EVENT

TEAMS / INFO

Friday, October 5 816, 104

11:30

20:00

Tennis

ATP Tour

Beijing Quarter Finals

816, 107

13:30

15:30

Rugby Union

ITM Cup

Northland v. Canterbury

815, 111

19:30

00:00

Golf

Dunhill Open

St. Andrews

29

20:45

00:00

Cricket

World Twenty20 – SF2

Australia v. West Indies

Saturday, October 6 816, 107

22:00

00:00

Rugby Union

RESULTS Rennes PSG Ajaccio Nancy Troyes

MP W

2–0 2–0 1–0 0–2 0–2

Italian Serie A

*Times may be subject to change

CHANNEL START END

Team

A stunned Ribery reacts to Bayern Munich’s loss to BATE.

1

RESULTS Arsenal Everton Fulham Norwich Cty Reading

MP W

goal by Giorgios Samaras.

Titleholders Chelsea ended a two-year winless away streak with a 4-0 win over Danish team FC Nordsjaelland The Blues scored three goals in the last 10 minutes.

Manchester United also claimed the three points away from home with a 2-1 victory at Cluj – both goals coming from Robin van Persie.

Barcelona, beaten in the semi-finals by Chelsea, didn’t need to worry about an upset

Rugby Championship

South Africa v. New Zealand

1

Team

Juventus

Lille Sochaux Brest Montpellier Toulouse

Evian TG Nice Valenciennes Saint-Étienne Olympique Lyonnais

MP W 6

5

D 1

1–1 2–2 4–1 0–0 0–2

L

0

Lorient Bastia Olympique Marseille Reims Bordeaux

F

15

0

2

9

6

12

2

1

8

6

10

4

Schalke 04

6

3

2

1

12

7

11

6

Torino

6

2

3

1

9

4

8

5

Hannover 96

6

3

1

2

14

9

10

7

Roma

6

2

2

2

12

11

8

6

Fortuna Düsseldorf

6

2

4

0

6

2

10

8

Fiorentina

6

2

2

2

7

6

8

7

Bayer Leverkusen

6

3

1

2

9

7

10

9

Genoa

6

2

2

2

7

7

8

Werder Bremen

6

2

1

3

9

10

7

10

Catania

6

2

2

2

7

11

8

8

11

Milan

6

2

1

3

7

6

7

9

Hoffenheim

6

2

1

3

10

12

7

12

Bologna

6

2

1

3

9

9

7

13

Pescara

6

2

1

3

6

11

7

14

Parma

6

1

3

2

6

8

6

15

Udinese

6

1

3

2

6

9

St. Andrews, Day 3

16

Atalanta

6

2

1

3

5

Ipswich v. Cardiff

17

Palermo

6

1

1

4

5

18

Chievo

6

1

0

5

4

19

Siena

6

2

2

2

20

Cagliari

6

0

2

4

EPL

West Bromwich v. QPR

103

21:00

23:00

Soccer

EPL

Wigan v. Everton

06:00

08:00

Rugby Union

Rugby Championship

Argentina v. Australia

10:30

12:30

Rugby Union

ITM Cup

20:10

22:00

Rugby Union

Aviva Premiership

12:00

12:45

Motor Racing

Formula 1

Suzuka Raceday

12:45

15:00

Motor Racing

Formula 1

Japan Grand Prix

19:30

21:30

Soccer

EPL

Southampton v. Fulham

22:00

00:00

Soccer

EPL

Newcastle v. Man United

11

3

Alfred Dunhill Open

Soccer

16

8

4

Golf

23:00

8

16

6

00:30

21:00

16

1

6

19:30

813

0

2

Sampdoria

Beijing Semi Final 2

West Ham v. Arsenal

1

3

Lazio

ATP Tour

EPL

5

6

5

Tennis

Soccer

6

Borussia Dortmund

4

20:30

01:30

Eintracht Frankfurt

3

18:30

23:30

2

18

12

Beijing Semi Final 1

817, 101

2

6

ATP Tour

Chelsea v. Norwich

A Pts

10

Tennis

EPL

19

2

14:00

Soccer

0

0

11:30

23:00

0

4

816, 104

21:00

F

6

6

Suzuka Qualifying

Man City v. Sunderland

L

6

Internazionale

Formula 1

EPL

MP W

3

Motor Racing

Soccer

D

Bayern München

16

13:30

20:45

Team 1

2

11:50

18:45

German Bundesliga

12

813, 109

812, 101

Rayo Vallecano Levante Deportivo Atlético Madrid Mallorca

0

Biarritz v. Toulon

NPower League

6–1 4–0 5–1 0–1 1–0

1

French Top 14

Soccer

Real Valladolid Osasuna Real Madrid Espanyol Getafe

5

Rugby Union

01:15

Real Zaragoza Real Betis Athletic Club Barcelona Celta de Vigo

6

21:45

23:15

16

2–0 4–0 2–0 2–3 2–1

Napoli

20:00

811

3

RESULTS Valencia Málaga Real Sociedad Sevilla Granada

MP W

2

814

815, 111

A Pts

Team

RESULTS Siena Parma Juventus Udinese Atalanta Bologna

1–0 1–1 4–1 0–0 1–5 4–0

Bologna Milan Roma Genoa Torino Catania

Cagliari Lazio Palermo Sampdoria Internazionale

1–2 2–1 4–1 0–1 2–1

10

Hamburger SV

6

2

1

3

8

10

7

11

Mainz 05

6

2

1

3

6

8

7

12

Nürnberg

6

2

1

3

7

11

7

6

13

Borussia M’gladbach

6

1

3

2

7

12

6

9

5

14

Freiburg

6

1

2

3

8

10

5

10

4

15

Stuttgart

6

1

2

3

5

12

5

13

3

16

Wolfsburg

6

1

2

3

2

10

5

7

6

2

17

Greuther Fürth

6

1

1

4

2

10

4

3

11

2

18

Augsburg

6

0

2

4

2

10

2

Pescara Siena Chievo Napoli Fiorentina

RESULTS Borussia M’gladbach Fortuna Düsseldorf Bayer Leverkusen Werder Bremen Nürnberg

2–2 2–2 2–0 0–2 0–2

Hamburger SV Schalke 04 Greuther Fürth Bayern München Stuttgart

Hoffenheim Hamburger SV Borussia Dortmund Eintracht Frankfurt Wolfsburg

0–0 1–0 5–0 2–1 0–2

Augsburg Hannover 96 Borussia M’gladbach Freiburg Mainz 05

Sunday, October 7 816, 107

813, 109

812, 101

North Harbour v.

Auckland London Welsh v.

Saracens

102

21:00

23:00

Soccer

EPL

Liverpool v. Stoke

817, 103

22:00

00:00

Soccer

EPL

Tottenham v. Aston Villa

815,111

18:30

00:00

Golf

29

20:45

00:00

Cricket

816, 104

15:00

17:00

Tennis

Alfred Dunhill Open ICC World Twenty20 ATP Tour

St. Andrews, Day 4 Final Beijing Final

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

SPORT

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012

Uncertainty

Following crash, Phuket FC unsure if captain will play next game > 24

J. P. Mestanza editor2@thephuketnews.com

NO MERCY RUGBY

N

ew Zealand proved they are worthy champions by overwhelming Argentina in this coastal city to win the maiden Four Nation Rugby Championship, skipper Richie McCaw said last week.

The All Blacks recovered from conceding an early try by running in seven to triumph 5415 at Estadio Ciudad de La Plata and take an unassailable nine-point lead over second-place South Africa with one round to go.

A surprisingly easy victory stretched the winning run of New Zealand to 15 matches – three short of the record held by Lithuania – with Tests in South Africa and Australia next month before a November tour of Europe.

“It was one of our best performances this

season,” flanker and long-time captain McCaw said of the record win by the All Blacks in seven Tests on Argentine soil.

“When we started out in the Championship the goal was to put last year behind us. We have got the tag of world champions and we needed to play like them,” he told a media conference.

“To secure the Rugby Championship was obviously the big goal and it is nice to be able to do that. We gave a performance the guys are pretty happy with. It is the manner in which we did it that was so satisfying.”

McCaw, 31, from the Canterbury-based Super 15 outfit Crusaders takes a long break after the Rugby Championship – renamed when Argentina joined the former Tri-Nations this season – to try and prolong his international career.

Coach Steve Hansen, a 53-year-old who suc-

America’s Cup World Series begins SAILING THE FIRST TWO FLEET races in the America’s Cup World Series set sail on October 4, with the fleet race championship taking place on October 7 in San Francisco.

Teams from the eight different nations that competed in the first regattas in August will compete.

The ACWS is a series of races that lead up to the prestigious America’s Cup finals, which will take place in September 2013.

Two more ACWS events are planned for April and May 2013.

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ceeded Graham Henry after hosts New Zealand edged France 8-7 last October to lift the World Cup a second time, said his team still needed to improve after its pace and power pummeled the Pumas.

“We can pat ourselves on the back and enjoy the moment, but there are still areas to improve on and one of them in the connection between the forwards and the backs.

“To be able to attack like that you must have a platform to work off so the forwards can be very proud. Our rucking was also much better than against South Africa.”

Argentina coach Santiago Phelan said his team made too many defensive errors as they conceded only one try less in La Plata than they did in four previous Championship Tests in Cape Town, Mendoza, Wellington and on

Despite win, India are out of World Twenty20 CRICKET

All 11 teams from eight nations will compete in the races.

the Gold Coast.

“We set out to try and do things better with the ball, but took a step back in our defensive organisation. Some of the tries stemmed from our mistakes – others from the effectiveness of the All Blacks.”

Martin Landajo, an impressive scrum-half who scored the brilliant opening try of the game, said New Zealand defended and attacked so well, but believes a first Championship win is possible when they host Australia in Rosario.

The Springboks square up against the All Blacks October 6 at the 90,000-seat Soccer City stadium in Soweto, hoping to exact revenge for a 21-11 loss in Dunedin this month when they fluffed seven of nine kicks at goal. AFP

FOR MER CHAMPIONS India beat South Africa by one run last week but still crashed out of the World Twenty20 as their rival Pakistan went through to the semi-finals by virtue of a higher run rate.

India’s one-run win over South Africa was not enough to keep them in the World Twenty20 Tuesday (October

2) as the former champions were beaten to the semi-finals by arch-rivals Pakistan, who had a better net run rate.

India made 152-6 in their 20 overs and needed to restrict South Africa to 121 runs or less to reach the last four at Pakistan’s expense. In the event they bowled their opponents out for 151 in a narrow but academic victory.

Australia also qualified for

the semi-finals despite losing their Super Eights group two match to Pakistan by 32 runs last week. Sri Lanka and the West Indies reached the last four from group one as well.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka met in the first semi-final in Colombo on Thursday while Australia, who went through on run rate despite losing to Pakistan play West Indies today (October 5).

Photo: NZRU Media

All Blacks prove their might with maiden Four Nations title victory