09-12-2011

OWN GOAL Friday, December 9 – Thursday, December 15, 2011

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OLD LOGO Can FC Phuket survive a self-inflicted crisis?

When FC Phuket lost 0-2 to lowly Chanthaburi FC on Sunday (December 4), the story took no time spreading: The Phuket players had not been paid. Demoralised, they were “working to rule” in retaliation. The result was there on the pitch for all to see.

Fierce comments on the FC Phuket Fanclub page on Facebook were divided.

Some accused the players of being unprofessional.

Most of the condemnation, however, was reserved for the Phuket Sports Association (PSA) and its chairman, Chettawit Tantiphanwadee, who were blamed for failing to come up with the players’ pay.

A high-ranking source in the FC Phuket management told The Phuket News bluntly on Monday (December 5), “The PSA is sabotaging us. On Friday I waited all day for the PSA to give me the paycheck, but only on Sunday did they finally hand it over.

“What was I to do then?

It was Sunday! I went to the bank branch at Central Festival and tried to cash the check, but the bank said that because it was Sunday they could only give me B300,000, not the full amount of nearly B1.3 million.

“B300,000? That’s nothing!”

The source also wrote on his personal Facebook page that this was the reason that sports in Phuket never get anywhere. “We should do something. We should come together and try to oust the President of the PSA so that Phuket sports will have a better future.”

Police arrest hundreds in anti-Putin rally

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Where have Patong’s dogs disappeared to?

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Heavyweights drawn together for Euro 2012

P44 Ouch, that hurts – but falling foul of government regulations is likely to result in much greater pain for FC Phuket.

He added, “Every time I go to get the players’ paycheck, I feel like a beggar, pleading for [the PSA’s] money.”

These harsh comments prompted PSA President Chettawit Tantiphanwadee, who is also Phuket’s Chief Prosecutor, to break silence and explain to The Phuket News what has been going on.

He painted a grim scenario that goes much further than Phuket, and could, in the worst-case scenario, see many clubs go bankrupt and, poten-

tially, result in the collapse of the Thai Football League.

“There was no sabotage going on between us [the PSA] and FC Phuket,” he told The Phuket News, handing over some documents with the Garuda emblem at the top – official government papers.

It all began in Ratchaburi.

A letter from the Governor of Ratchaburi to the Department of Local Administration (DLA) asked for guidance on a request from the Ratchaburi Sports Association for

financial support from the provincial administration organisation there, or OrBorJor. The Sports Association wanted B5 million for training facilities, boots, uniforms, signboards and other equipment for Ratchaburi FC. The Governor wanted to know whether Ratchaburi OrBorJor was entitled to give the club financial support.

The Governor’s view was that funding the club could be viewed as promoting sports and encouraging the public to take

part in sporting activities. As such, the funding was within the mandate of the OrBorJor. But, the Governor wrote, he would like a definitive interpretation from the DLA. The answer from the DLA was pointed: No. The money being requested would not benefit the public as a whole.

It would benefit only one organisation: Ratchaburi FC, which is a registered company.

The second document shown to The Phuket News Continued on page 2

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

NEWS

Nasty design

Proud owner paints new car with Nazi flag >5

FC Phuket battles for survival Continued from page 1 was the minutes of a high-level meeting of the Local Administration Committee on March 24 this year.

At the meeting were the Auditor-General of Thailand, the Governor of Bangkok, the Director-General of the DLA, the Director of the Budget Bureau, the Director of the Sports Authority of Thailand, the Mayor of Pattaya, the President of Provincial Administration Office of Thailand, the President of the Municipality Union, the Vice President of the Thai FA, and the OrBorJor presidents from Buriram, Ayutthaya and Chainat.

The meeting addressed the legitimacy of OrBorJor around the country funding professional football in Thailand.

It came to the conclusion that OrBorJor could provide financial support only for government entities organising activities that are educational or in support of public health.

Many teams in the Thai football league are registered under their local Provincial Sports Association, and so can legitimately receive financial support from OrBorJor. However, football clubs registered as “juristic persons” – in other words, companies – are not entitled to receive taxpayers’ money.

The Office of the Auditor -General of Thailand (OAGT) distributed this opinion to OrBorJor nationwide.

PSA President Chettawit asked, “What would you think if the Government took your money and gave it to a business so they can use your money to make a profit?”

He explained that the Football Association of Thailand, adopting the concept from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), had encouraged teams to incorporate so that they could legitimately make a profit.

However, the model has

PSA Pres Chettawit Tantiphanwadee: It’s not our fault. not worked so far in Thailand. Although there has been healthy growth in the popularity of local football, most teams have not been able to earn enough to break even, let alone make a profit.

“If FC Phuket were not a registered business entity, then it would be an entirely different story. They would be entitled to financial support from the OrBorJor and the PSA. No one would be able to object to that,” says Mr Chettawit.

But FC Phuket is a registered business. It was incorporated in January last year as Football Phuket 1688 Co Ltd with three shareholders – Nauruebet Ayupong, Paitoon Chutimagornkul and Eam Thavornwongwong – and registered capital of B1 million.

This has left the OrBorJor and the PSA in a very awkward position.

The OrBorJor has been supporting FC Phuket since 2010 with taxpayers’ money, B1.3 million a month for the salaries of players and staff, and another B130,000 in training allowances.

All of these payments, according to the Office of the Auditor General, have been illegal, and it has been following up.

OAGT officials have already visited Buriram, Chainat, Ratchaburi and Ayutthaya, and on December 1 requested a look at the Phuket OrBorJor records.

This, Mr Chettawit said, was the reason the PSA held back the December paychecks.

He said he had arranged a meeting with Paiboon Upatising, President of the Phuket OrBorJor, to discuss the situation. But the meeting came too late.

By that time the story was out, with furious fans railing at the PSA for damaging players’ morale, which seemingly resulted in the humiliating loss to Chantaburi.

Mr Chettawit sighs. “The PSA has made no gain whatsoever out of any of this. People think we are the bad guys who bullied FC Phuket and sabotaged their beloved team.

But we are just the messenger, the middleman who receives the money with the right hand and pays it out with the left.

“But we can’t stop people from thinking what they think and believing what they hear.”

So if the OAGT pursues the matter to its logical conclusion, what will happen?

“First of all, the OAGT will freeze all financial support: no OrBorJor money for any football teams [registered as companies]. Second, they will demand repayment of all the money paid to teams. The teams will have to repay every single satang – with interest.

“In the case of FC Phuket, I believe it was B10 million in 2010 alone,” says Mr Chettawit.

“Both the OrBorJor and the PSA have tried and are still trying to straighten this out with the OAGT. There is only a month left in the current

season. We are hoping to find a way of settling the matter so that the team can receive money to pay the players until the season ends on January 7.

“I just hope the OAGT will cut us some slack and won’t freeze [FC Phuket’s] funds or demand the return of all funds paid to football teams during the year.

“Both Mr Paiboon and myself hope that the FC Phuket management, players and fans will try to understand that this matter is not in our hands anymore, and that we’re putting all our efforts into addressing this matter.”

OrBorJor President Paiboon is upbeat. He says that some private companies have shown interest in supporting or buying the club. The team may end up with a new name, he told The Phuket News, but he believes it will survive.

However, with a heavy look in his eyes and an invisible but very heavy weight on his shoulders, PSA President Chettawit says, “If things don’t go the way I hope, the worst-case scenario will be that next year we will see many football teams go bankrupt. One of those teams could be FC Phuket.

“I pray that day will never come.”

–Kazira Hans

Lunar eclipse tomorrow Keen astronomers in Phuket will be able to catch a glimpse of a total lunar eclipse tomorrow evening (December 10).

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth blocks the sun’s rays from striking the Moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, with the Earth in the middle.The earth’s shadow is expected to begin creeping www.thephuketnews.com

across the moon at precisely 6.33pm, with the total eclipse occuring between from 9.06pm to 9.57pm. The moon will return to its full shape at 12.30am.

Amateur astronomers are encouraged to meet at Rajabhat Phuket University from 6pm to watch the phenomenon.

This will be the last of four solar eclipses this year.

The previous three, all partial

eclipses, occurred on January 4, June 1 and July 1.

This particular total lunar eclipse will be visible from Asia, Europe, East Africa, Australia, the Pacific and North America, according to veteran NASA expert Fred Espenak.

Every year there are at least two lunar eclipses, but total eclipses are significantly less common.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

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Alien beggars out – Patong

Patong’s Bangla Rd is a favourite target for beggars, who are now a ‘serious problem’.

Patong Municipality has urged Phuket authorities to crack down on immigrant beggars in the town.

Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukkaban told The Phuket News that tourists being disturbed by immigrant beggars has became a serious problem.

Most of them are underage and many are handicapped, he said. They sell garlands or beg for money from tourists around Patong, especially on Bangla Rd, the beach road and Rat U-Thit 200 Pi Rd. None have visas or work permits, he added.

Some of the beggars are grown-ups, usually carry-

Cleaning up the bay

Following on from its very successful first clean-up day on October 15, the Phang Nga Bay Conservancy has organised Day in the Bay 2 for December 13.

The previous clean-up day collected almost one tonne of rubbish from the bay, and the conservancy, an initiative of the International Business Association of Phuket (IBAP), will this time focus on the beach at Ao Mon, to the southwest of Phuket Town, one of the Phuket bays worst affected by rubbish.

With an estimated 10,000 kgs of plastic and other litter trapped there, the conservancy has invited the OrBorTor, and members of the local Koh Yao Yai community to participate in the fun day out.

Local environmental experts John Gray, aka Caveman or Ling Yai, and Brad Kenny will give an hour-long educational talk to the volunteers during the day’s lunch break, aiming to ensure that the clean-up is run in a manner that both educates and entertains young volunteers.

The main objective of the day is to bring together students, health and government administrators, local com-

ing a child, and some are very old. Their countries of origin vary, but most seem to be from Cambodia or Vietnam, Mr Chairat said.

Many tourists and business owners have complained to Patong Municipality that they had been pestered by immigrant beggars. Tourists reported that some beggars were quite aggressive, grabbing passers-by and hanging on in hopes of a handout.

Mr Chairat worries that the situation could ruin Patong’s image and Phuket tourism.

One problem is that tourists misunderstand; they get the

impression that the child beggars are Thai, and are victims of Thai-operated child labour rings.

“We have done several roadshows to foreign countries to promote Phuket,” said Mr Chairat. “But when tourists see these terrible scenes of immigrant beggars, it negates everything we do in the roadshows.”

Mr Chairat said many witnesses have seen the beggars arrive at their pitches and leave again in pick-up trucks, leading to suspicions that there may be human trafficking gangs behind them.

Prison set to release 140 in royal amnesty Phuket Prison was preparing for the release yesterday (December 8) of the first batch of prisoners pardoned in the annual royal amnesty signed by HK the King on Saturday (December 3).

Rapin Nichanon, the director of Phuket Prison, explained, “The royal decree stipulates that the prisoners must be released within 90 days.

“The first batch consists of 143 convicts from the prison in Phuket Town and the facility in Baan Bang Jo in Thalang.”

Those being released in the first batch are people with less than a year re-

maining of their sentences, along with elderly, disabled or chronically ill prisoners.

“There is also a woman who was serving a first-time sentence,” he said.

Mr Rapin added, “We are planning for a second batch of prisoners to be released next month but we don’t know yet how many.”

A special ceremony was due to be held yesterday to mark the release of the first batch, presided over by the Governor of Phuket.

Nationwide, 12,000 prisoners were due to be released yesterday, with another 14,000 in the following three months.

John ‘Ling Yai’ Gray will once again be at the forefront of the Phang Nga Bay clean-up. munities, foreign and Thai businesses, and environmental organisations.

But the effort is also ongoing, trying to spark support for students to share their experiences in school, and for island communities to develop further education, beach-cleaning and

recycling programmes.

As with the Day in the Bay 1, local environmental warrior Caveman Gray, of John Gray’s Sea Canoe, and his crew will pay a central role.

Invitations have gone out to all schools and universities to invite students of at least

10 years old to volunteer, in what promises to be a fun, educational and useful day.

For the latest details, contact the Phang Nga Bay Conservancy on 081 370 2409 (James Firth), info@phangngabayconservancy.org; phangngabayconservancy.org

Arrest over ‘black money’ scam A man from the Ivory Coast was arrested at a hotel in Phuket’s Muang District on December 4 for allegedly running a “black money” scam, duping a Bangkok businesswoman out of B5.3 million.

Crime Suppression Division Deputy Chief Pol Colonel Prasopchok Prommoon said Olalekan Afelumo, 31, was

wanted for fraud while his alleged accomplice from Liberia, Jonathan Sayezee, 44, escaped.

“Black money” is said to be real bank notes that have been withdrawn from circulation by central banks and dyed with black ink to prevent them being used again. The scam involves convincing people to buy dye-removing chemicals

that can supposedly render the notes usable again.

Minimart owner Sasithorn Phulsang, 45, filed a police complaint stating that from May 15 to June 23, Mr Afelumo – also known as Mr Day – and his accomplice befriended her, telling her that they many old euro banknotes that had been dyed black could

still be used as their investment capital for business in Thailand.

Ms Sasithorn said she paid the men for the chemicals, costing B3 million for four litres of high-quality new chemicals and B2.3 million for the same amount of used liquid, but then saw neither the chemicals or the two men again. www.thephuketnews.com

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ALASDAIR FORBES Executive Editor 08 7884 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).

DANE HALPIN Sub Editor editor2@thephuketnews.com From Australia; Degree in Journalism, Charles Sturt University; Four years’ experience at: The Australian, The Central Western Daily, The Leader, The Canberra Times, The Vientiane Times.

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DANIEL OGUNSHAKIN Sports Editor editor@thephuketnews.com From the UK; Sport and Sociology degree from Sheffield Hallam University; Three years’ experience at The Phuket Gazette, Phuket Tatler, Business Traveler Asia Pacific, www.footballworldcupbrazil2014.com

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Big C opens new outlet in Phuket

Big C last Friday (December 2) opened its first Market store in Phuket, on Thepkrasattri Rd near Rajabhat Phuket University.

Smaller than the Big C Superstore on the bypass road, the Market cost more than B125 million to build on a 3,670-square-metre site.

It is the second Big C Market in Southern Thailand (the first was opened in Phang Nga) and the 12th in Thailand. Internal area totals 2,500 square metres, containing more than 15,000 products. Outside, the parking area can manage 130 cars and about 100 motorbikes.

Musa Roungrot, manager of the new store, said the site had been chosen because Thepkrasattri Rd is a hightraffic area and easy to get to.

“Thepkrasattri Rd is a main traffic artery, and this area is near town which has many facilities including universities, hospitals and

Phuket Vice Gov Somkiat Sangkaosuttirak (middle) takes a tour of the Big C. shopping malls, so people can access it easily,” he explained.

“It also provides jobs for local people. More than 90 local staff are working with us.”

Kudatara Nagaviroj, Corporate Public Relations Director of

Big C, said that the new market is similar in concept to the Big C Supercentre, but smaller and with fewer products.

“All product prices here are the same as in the Big C Supercenter on the bypass

road. There is not such a wide selection, but all the essentials are available here – rice, sugar, food, fruit and other day-today requirements,” he said.

The Big C Market is open daily from 8am to 10pm.

IN BRIEF Tourist slashed by boat propeller A 51-year-old Russian tourist, Nikolai Nefedov, was rushed to hospital after his legs were cut by a propeller of a speedboat last Friday (December 2) at Kata Beach.

A spokesman from the Kata and Karon Marine Rescue Team said Mr Nefedov’s right thigh and left calf were seriously injured.

However his tendons were intact and it was believed he would walk again.

It is still not clear how he came into contact with the propeller while swimming in the water.

A witness said Mr Nefedov was snorkeling not far from Kata Beach, where a speed boat was getting ready to leave the bay.

Mr Nefedov was initially taken to Phuket International Hospital, but was later transferred to Vachira.

Tourist, tuk-tuk driver hurt in brawl Russian tourist Vadim Pomogaev, 26, ending up being treated at Patong Hospital for a gashed head after a dispute with a tuk-tuk driver on Saturday (December 3).

Wit ne s s e s s a id M r Pomogaev appeared to be drunk then threw a punch at the tuk-tuk driver.

From left, ya ice, heroin and ganja. Actually deodorant, talcum and a bunch of leaves.

No charges against fake drugs dealer

Police suspected that 20-yearold motorbike taxi driver, Weerapong Sriaurasa, was selling fake drugs. So on Thursday last week (December 1) they sent a fake tourist to catch him.

Weerapong was arrested brief ly on December 1 in Patong after trying to sell fake marijuana and ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) to a Kathu policeman posing as a tourist.

Three small bags of “marijuana” made from dried tobacco mixed with dried plant leaves, and a bag of “ya ice”, made from aluminum sulphate (used by Thais an an underarm deodorant), were seized.

Weerapong told police that tourists often asked him where they could buy marijuana or ya ice. This gave him the idea of producing fake drugs – and it worked, he said. He has been selling them successfully for the past four years.

A small bag of fake marijuana cost his customers around B1,000, he added.

Duty Officer of Kathu Police, Capt Assawin Suktong, noted that Weerapong was not the only one; selling fake drugs was a popular way for locals in the Patong area to earn money, particularly those who worked as motorbike taxi drivers.

He said police at check

points often found motorbike taxi drivers in possession of fake drugs – there have been around 10 similar cases a month in the past few months.

In some cases “heroin”, actually talcum powder, was seized.

Pol ic e c ont e m pl at e d charging Weerapong with ripping off tourists. But with no complaints made against him (“Officer, I tried to buy drugs from this man and he sold me fake ganja!”), that wasn’t going to fly.

And since it is not a crime to be in possession of tobacco, leaves, talc or deodorant – or even all of them – they had no choice. They let him go.

ISLANDNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Eco-award for city Phuket City won an ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable Cities Award 2011, along with other nine cities and municipalities in Southeast Asia.

The award was given

by Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with the intention of promoting environmentally-sustainable practices, as well as monitoring and evaluating progress made towards environmental sustainability in ASEAN cities.

In addition, public authorities, the private sector and nongovernmental organisations are encouraged to promote environmental education and raise awareness of green issues among local communities.

Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwannasupana made the official announcement on December 1 that she had been in Bali on November 23 to receive the award.

There are three main indicators considered for the award: clean water, clean land and clean air. Phuket City was praised for having very clean air when compared with other regional municipalities.

In these recent years, Phuket Municipality had pushed to become a “Low Carbon City”, explained Ms Somjai, detailing the regular reforestation campaigns, as well as the new anti-plastic bags campaign to help the environment.

Health Office denies medicines shortage The Chief of the Phuket Public Health Office (PHO), Sak Tanchaikul, has denied rumours that the floods in Bangkok have caused some medicines in Phuket to run out.

However, he did admit that supplies of some medical products might be slightly decreased, in particular cleansing liquid used for peritoneal dialysis, produced in a flooded industrial district of Bangkok.

Mr Sak said the PHO had always been aware of the possibility of medicines being in short supply, and had made contingency plans.

Last month, he said, plans were laid, with the PHO checking on which medical suppliers would be able to make up shortfalls swiftly, and which hospitals in nearby provinces could be tapped for supplies of which medicines.w

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43 sign ‘no plastic bags’ agreement About 43 representatives of local government and the private sector signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha on Monday (December 5), pledging to join his campaign to rid the island of plastic bags.

Major retailers and distributors of plastic bags were among the signatories, including 7-Eleven, Central Festival, Big C and Tesco-Lotus.

In particular, the appearance at the signing of representatives from 7-Eleven was a big relief – the company was the one remaining major retail chain whose participation was not sure before Monday.

Phuket has taken on the role of guinea pig in what it is hoped will eventually be a nationwide drive to get rid of plastic bags. The signing today was also a part of celebrations of HM the King’s 84th birthday.

In the MoU the signatories have pledged to join the campaign, which will officially begin 84 days from December

Meesak Saekok, Phuket Area Manager of 7-Eleven, signs the MoU, watched by Phuket Gov Tri Augkaradacha, pledging to join his campaign to rid the island of plastic bags.

5, on February 27, when participating department stores and shops will stop handing out plastic bags to customers.

D u r i ng t he 84 d ays, 840,000 free cotton bags, paid for by funding from

both the private and public sectors, will be handed out.

Phuket Energy Office Chief, Jirasak Thammawate, said since the anti-plastic-bag awareness campaign was launched last year, there has

been a 10-tonne reduction in waste.

Authorities hope this year’s campaign will have a much greater effect because of the high number of organisations that have pledged to join it.

NASTY DESIGN Following the outrage over students at Chiang Mai’s Sacred Heart Catholic School parading in Nazi uniforms during a sports day event in September, The Phuket News has discovered the island’s own

four-wheeled Nazi scandal.

The photo was snapped last week at Allamanda in Laguna Phuket, where the unidentified owner of the new Proton Savvy had parked.

The car has also been spot-

ted near the Shell gas station on Chao Fa West Rd. A nyone k nowi ng the owner should probably alert him or her to the distressingly obnoxious nature of the special paint job.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Heated debate over Chalong squatters An intense debate erupted between Phuket authorities on Tuesday (December 6) over the issue of land encroachment in the Nakkerd Forest Preserve in Chalong, and what rights local people have to the land.

The debate revolved around complaints from locals who claimed they, or their families, had been living in the area long before it was declared a forest preserve in 1973.

The Nak kerd Forest Preserve covers 19,000 rai on Khao Nakkerd (the Big Buddha mountain) in the Chalong/Karon area. Occupied land there currently has Sor Por Kor papers, conferring squatters’ rights.

Sor Por Kor papers allow people to farm the land, but not to sell it or lease it. The

only way occupation rights may be transferred is to an heir of the occupier.

But as long ago as 1974, local residents complained to authorities about unfair treatment and there has been extensive conflict between the authorities and locals ever since.

The locals claimed former generations of their families had been living in the forest area for a very long time, and they should be given land papers that allow them greater control over the land, including the rights to sell or lease it.

They asked the Phuket Provincial Land Off ice (PLO) to issue Nor Sor 3 Gor (one step down from a Chanote freehold title). This would give the land occupiers the freedom to pursue

a wide range of activities on the land, and to sell it if they wished.

Their demands have been denied for the past 37 years because officials have said there was not enough evidence to show they had occupied the land for as long as they claimed.

The Chief of the PLO, Sitthichai Promchat, said during the meeting that one of problems was that there was no policy guiding expropriation, so existing occupiers would get no compensation.

He said he was against the residents being given Nor Sor 3 Gor papers because the land belonged to the Government, and issuing such documents would bring never-ending problems and conflict.

However, other members of the committee discussed the potential steps residents could take to better their position.

The PLO was asked to cooperate with the residents, notifying them when to submit evidence relating to their occupation of the land, including statements and photographs, to prove they were living in the preserved forest before it was designated as Government land.

All collected evidence will be sent to the Land Department in Bangkok to see whether the residents are eligible for a Nor Sor 3 Gor, and whether the Government is able to issue it.

As long as a decade ago, the government stopped issuing such papers.

–Paritta Wangkiat

It’s a new kind of magic Phuket’s newest acrobatic and magic show, in a custom-built theatre on Soi Bangla, has officially opened to the public.

The 550-seat Danze Fantasy, situated on the south side of Bangla Rd close to The Pizza Co, will initially house Genesis – The Magic Spectacular, starring Swedish illusionist Joe Labero.

The theatre is part of the Patong Promenade entertainment project, at the intersection of Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd and Soi Bangla.

Altogether, the show has 34 Thai employees and 34 technicians and performers from Australia, the US, Sweden, Russia and other countries.

Danze Fantasy Thailand board director Ton Nilma told The Phuket News, “Altogether we spent about B50 million, and it took five months to build the theatre. It is situated on 1,100 sqm, and has three levels. We expect customers will be 70 per cent tourists and 30 per cent Phuket residents.”

The Genesis show lasts 80 minutes without intermission, and is performed twice a night

IN BRIEF Lifeguard drowns A Thai lifeguard at Centara Grand Beach Resort died on Wednesday (December 7) at Karon Beach while rescuing a resort guest who had got into trouble in the water.

The resort guest managed to get himself safely back to shore using the lifeguard’s rescue board, but then his lifesaver, an unnamed 43 year-old Thai national, himself got into difficulty.

He wa s eve nt u a l ly brought to shore by a different tourist, who spotted him in the water.

A lifeguard from the Phuket Lifeguard Club (PLC) performed CPR on the man but it was unsuccessful. The man later died in Patong Hospital.

Regatta boats damaged Five yachts have been racing in the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta this week despite suffering minor damage from strong winds at Kata Beach on the night of December 1.

Officials from the Third Navy Command were sent to Kata Beach with speedboats last Thursday, to tow the yachts away from shore because the wind was so strong.

One of the boats damaged was the yacht Ichi Ban,which won the IRC 1 title at last year’s Regatta. It was also stranded last year, along with a dozen other boats, on the last night of the regatta.

This year, more than 170 yachts, dinghies and kiteboards from 35 countries around the world are taking part.

Boat goes up in flames

Stay sharp, now: Swedish Illusionist Joe Labero goes under the knives in Genesis.

(7.30pm and 9.30pm) from Wednesday through Sunday.

The talented percussionist/ juggler Romano Frediani performs at the theatre on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

At 11pm every night, the

theatre becomes a 300-seat live music venue named Rock Star that will be managed by the Seduction Group. First up on stage are a Scandinavian band, beginning December 15.

Genesis ticket prices are

B1,500 (adult), B1,300 (child) and B3,300 (VIP); while Romano Frediani tickets are B900 (adult) and B700 (child).

For more information or bookings call 076-342858 or visit danzefantasy.com

A motor yacht went up in flames at Phuket Yacht Haven marina on Tuesday evening (December 6).

The flames were eventually put out by marina staff, with no-one injured.

Tha Chat Chai police, who received a report from the marina staff, said that the fire might have been caused by an electrical surge in the boat’s engine.

The boat’s owner is reported to be currently in the United States.

Seven Day Weather Forecast

www.foreca.com

FRI DECEMBER 9

SAT DECEMBER 10

SUN DECEMBER 11

MON DECEMBER 12

TUE DECEMBER 13

WED DECEMBER 14

THU DECEMBER 15

High: +29° Low: +25°

High: +31° Low: +25°

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High: +29° Low: +25°

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High: +28° Low: +25°

High: +27° Low: +25°

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Wind 22 kmh

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Wind 18 kmh

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Restoring Ayutthaya The Culture Ministry’s proposal for B1.44 billion to restore Ayutthaya’s historical sites, damaged by more than a month of f looding, was approved by Cabinet on Tuesday (December 6).

Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome said that a survey by specialists from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) of historical sites in the 600-year-old former capital had found damage

NATIONALNEWS

7

from flooding such as flaking, mildew stain and efflorescence on murals, particularly at the Choeng Tha Temple which was especially damaged.

The Ministry is also considering digging a moat around the city, as once existed in the past, to act as a flood barrier for the city.

Thai and Japanese experts will conduct another survey to assess the damage to historical sites following the flooding on December 18.

Lampang bus crash kills 8 passengers A Bangkok to Chiang Mai passenger bus crashed in Lampang early on Wednesday mor ning (December 7), k illi ng eig ht people and injuring 50.

Police believe that the driver, who was killed in the accident, fell asleep at the wheel and the bus veered off the highway, overturning and then slamming into an LPG gas station, reported the Chiang Mai Mail.

Police said it was fortunate that the bus did not hit any of the LPG tanks, which could have exploded.

The blue-and-white New Viriya Tour bus veered off the highway around midnight before sliding into a fence and then the LPG gas station at Ban Tha Pha in Lampang.

Rescue officials had to cut passengers out of the bus and survivors were transported to hospital.

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej leaves Siriraj Hospital for the Grand Palace in Bangkok on December 5 on his 84th birthday. His Majesty, the world’s longest reigning monarch, has been staying at the hospital for more than two years and addressed his subjects on his birthday. –Photo AFP

Thaksin passport row The Government will issue a passport for its fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra “very soon,” the Foreign Ministry said on Friday (December 2), angering the controversial ex-leader’s opponents.

Mr Thaksin, who remains a hugely divisive figure, was deposed by the army in 2006 and lives in self-imposed exile overseas to avoid a two-year prison term on a conviction for corruption that he contends is politically-motivated.

He was stripped of his passport by the previous Government but received citizenship from Montenegro last year, allowing him to travel internationally.

“When Thaksin’s passport was cancelled, there was no order from the courts or the police to seize it,” Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said.

“So I will use my authority to do whatever is not illegal under the regulations of the ministry to give the passport to ex-Premier Thaksin,” he said.

“We are checking some more details but it will be

very soon. It will be a normal Thai passport. Let’s make a normal passport legally first. It doesn’t have to be a diplomat passport.”

T he a n nou ncement stoked tensions with Mr Thaksin’s enemies, already irked by recent reports – denied by the Government – of plans to see a royal pardon for the ex-Premier that could allow him to return without serving time.

The opposition Democrat Party said it was not surprised by the decision to issue a new passport for Mr Thaksin, saying that Mr Surapong’s “only duty” as Foreign Minister was to help the fugitive ex-Premier.

“If you look at his background, he has no knowledge of foreign languages, no foreign policy experience,” Democrat Party spokesperson Chavanond Intarakomalyasut told AFP. “He was appoi nted only to help Thaksin. It is the only thing he is good for and his only duty as Foreign Minister.”

Inf luential and antiThaksin Yellow Shirt royalist movement said the

Foreign Minister could be breaking the law by issuing Mr Thaksin a Thai passport as it is illegal for Thais to hold dual nationality.

The Foreign Ministry’s decision is legal and does not break any Thai regulations, Ms Yingluck told reporters at Bangkok’s main airport after returning from a visit to the country’s south.

“This is all the Foreign Ministry’s decision – I’m not involved in issuing passports,” she said, adding that she was sure the decision was based on the merits of the individual case and not done as a favour to Mr Thaksin.

News of Mr Thaksin’s new passport comes at a delicate time for Ms Yingluck as the leader grapples with the fallout from devastating floods.

She was hospitalised earlier this week with fatigue but discharged after an overnight stay.

Ms Yingluck has not yet taken any legal action clearing the path for his return and analysts have warned that it would be risky during the flood crisis.

–AFP

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8

INTERNATIONALNEWS

IN BRIEF Belgium government finally sworn in after 541-day vacuum

Belgium finally swore in a prime minister and cabinet on Tuesday after a recordbreaking 541 days without a government, but they face an uphill battle to tackle problems at the root of the deadlock.

Elio Di Rupo became the new Prime Minister. The ceremony, led by King Albert II at his palace, ends one of Belgium’s bleakest moments, an 18-month marathon of political haggling in which the monarch worked to steer feuding politicians back to the negotiating table.

South Africa: Man fined for soaking Zuma

A man found guilty of assault after spilling a glass of whiskey and water over President Jacob Zuma has been fined 8,000 rand (B30,700).

Daryl Peense, a betting agent, spilled his drink over a balcony and on to the President last year.

Peense claimed he was drunk at the time and only a small quantity of whiskey was spilled on Zuma.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Chaotic Russian rally in Moscow Russian riot police arrested hundreds in Moscow on Tuesday to stop a new protest alleging vote fraud by Vladimir Putin’s ruling party and sparking concern in the European parliament and France.

Helmeted police in green camouf lage and interior ministry troops deployed in force for an event that was organised through the internet after a rare thousands-strong protest on Monday startled the authorities.

Opposition supporters shouted “Shame on you fascists!” and “Russia without Putin” in a tense stand-off with hundreds of pro-Kremlin youth who descended on the site in advance.

Those detained in Moscow included former cabinet minister turned Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov – re-

leased after being booked at a police station – and several other members of opposition groups that were barred from running in the polls.

A Moscow police spokesman said 250 people had been thrown into waiting vans and taken to various police stations about two hours into the event. Interfax cited a security source as saying 300 had been detained.

European Parliament president Jerzy Buzek slammed the “detention of dozens of protesting opposition activists, intimidation against the independent election watchdog Golos and the cyber attacks against leading independent news websites.”

France on Tuesday also expressed concern with foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero underscoring

Riot police detain a Russian opposition activist taking part in an unauthorised rally, on Triumfalnaya Square in central Moscow, late on December 6.

–Photo AFP that Paris “attaches the greatest importance to the right to demonstrate peacefully.”

Europe’s top diplomat Catherine Ashton said in a statement: “Reports of procedural violations, such as lack of media impartiality, lack of separation between party and state, and the harassments of independent monitoring attempts, are ... of serious concern.”

She urged Russian authorities to address the issues

“to allow for smooth and fair presidential elections in the spring.”

The elections Sunday which saw Prime Minister Putin’s ruling party return to power with a sharply reduced majority were marred by “frequent procedural violations and instances of apparent manipulation,” according to the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Police in Putin’s native city of Saint Petersburg re-

ported making around 200 arrests. The private Dozhd (Rain) television station said 50 towns and cities had seen protests in all – most of them in the central Volga region.

Riot police on Monday had also detained 300 people who included prominent activist Ilya Yashin and opposition blogger Alexei Navalny.

A court found both guilty on Tuesday of disobeying police orders and jailed them for 15 days.

–AFP

Obama: ‘Let’s finish the fight’ against global AIDS US President Barack Obama on Thursday added $50 million to fight AIDS in the United States and launched efforts to treat two million more people abroad.

“We can beat this disease,” Obama said at an event to mark World AIDS Day which included speeches by satellite from former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and appearances by U2 singer Bono and pop-soul singer Alicia Keys.

“We have saved so many lives, let’s finish the fight.”

About 1.2 million Americans are among the 34 million people worldwide who were living with HIV/AIDS in 2010, a year when 1.8 million people died, down from a peak of 2.2 million five years earlier.

Despite many advances in treatment and survival since the epidemic first surfaced www.thephuketnews.com

30 years ago, a UN report said this week that funding dropped to $15 billion globally last year, down from $15.9 billion in 2009.

Experts say that is well short of the $24 billion needed by 2015 to mount an effective global response.

As Obama battles Republican lawmakers over US budget priorities amid a mounting deficit, a White House official stressed that the new boost in funds “will all be done within existing resources and not require congressional approval.”

Internationally, Obama said the United States has set “a new target of helping six million people get on treatment by the end of 2013.”

Obama said the United States currently helps four million people around the world get antiretroviral treatment,

and last year gave “600,000 HIV-positive mothers access to drugs so that 200,000 babies could be born HIV-free.”

Obama also appealed to global partners, including China, to step up their efforts to end AIDS. “Here’s my message to everyone out there. To the global community – join us,” he said.

“Countries that have committed to the Global Fund need to give the money that they promised. Countries that haven’t made a pledge, they need to do so. That includes countries that in the past might have been recipients but now are in a position to step up as major donors.

“China and other major economies are in a position now to transition in a way that can help more people.”

–AFP

INTERNATIONALNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

59 dead in Afghan shrine blasts on Shiite holy day Twin blasts at Afghan shrines on the Shiite holy day of Ashura left at least 59 people dead on Tuesday, with most killed in a massive suicide attack in Kabul which ripped through a crowd of worshippers.

The attack in the capital, which killed 55 and wounded 134, plus a second in the northern city of Mazar-iSharif, came the day after an international meeting in Germany on the future of Afghanistan following 10 years of war.

The Kabul blast was the deadliest strike on the capital in three years and President Hamid Karzai said it was the first time insurgents had struck on such an important religious

day. It erupted at the entrance to a riverside shrine in the city centre, where hundreds of singing Shiite Muslims had gathered to mark Ashura along with men whipping their bare backs as part of the traditional mourning ritual.

Men and women at the scene sobbed as they surveyed the aftermath and screamed slogans denouncing Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, an AFP photographer at the scene said.

The Taliban denied responsibility for the “inhumane” attacks in Kabul and Mazar, blaming “the invading enemy” – an apparent reference to the 140,000-strong foreign force in Afghanistan.

The NATO-led Interna-

tional Security Assistance Force declined to address that claim directly but its commander, US General John Allen, condemned the blasts as “an attack against Islam itself”.

Afghan interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi, meanwhile, directly blamed Taliban-led insurgents while confirming the death toll.

In an almost simultaneous blast to the one in Kabul, four people were killed in Mazar-iSharif near the northern city’s landmark Blue Mosque.

The dead people were all Shiites, killed as they walked towards the mosque to carry out mourning rituals, said provincial governor’s spokes-

man Munir Ahmad Farhad.

When the Sunni Taliban ruled in the 1990s before being ousted by a US-led invasion in 2001, minority Shiites suffered brutal persecution, but in recent years sectarian violence has been rare.

During the 10-day Ashura ceremonies, which peaked on Tuesday, Shiites beat themselves with knives and chains in religious fervour as they mark the seventh-century killing of a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.

Shiites were effectively banned from marking Ashura in public under the Taliban.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who was due to arrive in London late Tuesday

for talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron, cancelled his UK visit to return home after the deadly attacks.

Kabul has been hit by an increasing number of spectacular attacks in 2011, including the September assassination of former president Burhanuddin Rabbani at his home, which badly stalled any hopes for Taliban reconciliation.

The blasts came the day after delegates at the Bonn conference agreed to extend international support for Afghanistan to 2024 following the scheduled withdrawal of all foreign combat troops by the end of 2014.

–AFP

China has right to develop military: Pentagon China has the right to develop its military but must heed US calls for full transparency, a Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday.

“With respect to China, they have a right to develop military capabilities and to plan, just as we do,” said spokesman George Little, after Chinese President Hu Jintao urged the country’s navy to prepare for military combat and advance naval modernisation.

But Little added: “We have repeatedly called for transparency from the Chinese and that’s part of the relationship

we’re continuing to build with the Chinese military.”

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said separately: “We want to see stronger military-to-military ties with China and we want to see greater transparency.

That helps answer questions we might have about Chinese intentions.”

The Chinese president said in a speech to the Central Military Commission that the navy needed to transform “and make extended preparations for military combat in order to make greater contributions to safeguard national security

Chinese President Hu Jintao. and world peace.”

“Our work must closely encircle the main theme of national defence and military building,” Hu told the

powerful commission, according to a statement on the government website.

His comments come after China said late last month it would conduct naval exercises in the Pacific Ocean, following a major diplomatic campaign

by President Barack Obama to assert the United States as a Pacific power.

The announcement also comes against a background of growing tensions over maritime disputes in the region, but another Pentagon spokesman, Admiral John Kirby, insisted: “Nobody’s looking for a scrap here.”

“Certainly we wouldn’t begrudge any other nation the opportunity, the right to develop naval forces to be ready. Our naval forces are ready and they’ll stay ready.”

H u’s a n n o u n c e m e n t comes in the wake of trips to Asia by several US administration officials, including Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

All of them stressed the key strategic importance of the Asia-Pacific region, in speeches that were eyed warily by Beijing.

–AFP

9

IN BRIEF Vienna has best living standard in the world, survey finds Vienna has the best living standard in the world – and Baghdad the worst, according to an annual survey.

Mercer consulting group also gave German and Swiss cities top rankings, putting four of them among the first five, and says European cities represent over half of the top 25 municipalities graded.

Chinese outcry over Balkan gift of school buses China’s donation of school buses to Macedonia has provoked an angry response, with Chinese calling the gift ill-considered given their country’s poor safety record and a recent crash that killed 19 children.

The government’s gift of 23 buses was made last week in Macedonia’s capital, Skopje. But the news caused a torrent of criticism, with 500,000 posts by yesterday to Sina Weibo, China’s most popular Twitter-like microblog service.

Bali drugs boy arrives home in Australia A 14-year-old Australian boy convicted of drug possession in Bali arrived back in Sydney on Monday after two months in detention.

The high school student had admitted to carrying marijuana when he was arrested on October 4 in Kuta, on holiday with his parents.

Myanmar media says Shan ceasefire has been reached Myanmar state media on Sunday confirmed an initial ceasefire deal had been reached with one of the country’s major ethnic guerrilla groups.

The pact was signed at a ceremony on Friday by representatives of the Shan State Army South and the local government in the northeastern state, the New Light of Myanmar said, after a mediator told AFP of the pact on Saturday.

The “initial agreement” was designed “in order to build peace at the invitation of the government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar,” and was witnessed by national ministers, the English-language paper said.

The ceasefire, signed in the Shan State capital Taunggyi, was the latest sign that the new army-backed regime is reaching out to its opponents in

Myanmar, which has made a series of reformist moves in the past year.

Civil war has wracked parts of the country since its independence in 1948, and an end to the ongoing conflicts, as well as alleged human rights abuses involving government troops, is a key demand of the international community.

The Shan State Army South has been one of the biggest rebel forces still battling the government, with thousands of guerrilla fighters mostly stationed near the border with Thailand.

Myanmar’s leaders last month held peace talks near the Thai-Myanmar border with several ethnic groups fighting a long-running struggle for autonomy and rights, according to people involved.

“They (the Shan State Army South) are the first group who signed the peace agreement among the five groups that we have met,” Hla Maung Shwe, founder of the civil society group Myanmar Egress, told AFP after witnessing the pact.

Mediators were also trying to reach peace agreements with the Karen National Union, the Kachin Independence Army, the Chin National Front and the Karenni National Progressive Party, he added.

Meanwhile, the United States and China will next week discuss developments in Myanmar after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s landmark visit to the country last week. During her visit, Clinton became the top US official in more than 50 years to visit Myanmar.

– AFP www.thephuketnews.com

10

OPINION

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Patong’s dogs MIA

‘Responses have been conflicting and confusing’ > 11

Editor’s Viewpoint

NORACHAI’S WORLD

Canine confusion The mystery and the emotion surrounding the apparent disappearance of many stray dogs from Patong in recent weeks – no one is quite sure how many – has highlighted a common problem in local government on the island: the lack of reliable information.

Research for our Hot Topic story this week (see facing page) was hampered by red herrings, obfuscation and conflicting stories.

A red herring: Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukkaban was horrified at the suggestion that the Municipality might be killing dogs. “Most officers are Buddhists, so killing is a great sin,” he said.

In 2000, monks came in for severe criticism for asking officials to “remove” dogs from Wat Wichit Sangkharam and Wat Langsarn. The dogs were shot in the temple grounds.

Obfuscation: A Patong Municipality official initially admitted that three dogs were taken to the pound, in the past two months, then raised that to five, and then to 24. These admissions came in the course of a single afternoon.

Race to the finish.

Letters to the Editor A victim of neglect [Re online story Russian man cut by boat propeller] We are the children of Nikolai Nefedov, the Russian tourist, about whom you published an online story on December 2. (Mr Nefedov was run over and injured by a speedboat.)

After reading the article, we would like to ask you to follow the developments in the incident in order to avoid similar accidents.

According to the conversation that we had with our mother, we know that after the incident our Dad was taken to shore, and that local rescuers came to him immediately and took him to the nearest hospital, the Phuket International Hospital, where he received first aid.

Despite his serious condition and a great loss of blood, he was transferred to another hospital, Vachira, where he had surgery and was put on drugs.

Our mother has been with him

constantly but has not been told what is wrong with him, what kind of surgery has been done, what drugs he has been given and how long he will stay in the hospital.

No one seems to know how long our Dad will have to stay in hospital or where our mother is going to stay after December 8, when her tour vouchers run out.

The speedboat driver is not the only one at fault. The island authorities are also to blame because they have not, for some reason, managed to separate jet-skis and speed boats from swimmers near the beaches.

Our aim is not to see the boat driver punished, but to ensure that accidents like this do not recur, and that all people, including tourists, can relax without worrying about threats to their health.

Ilya and Natalia Nefedova, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation

Say no to plastic

Rest in peace

[Re. 43 sign ‘no plastic bags’ agreement] Great news about the wide-ranging embargo on plastic bags.

The problem world-wide is now so acute that an area twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean consists of a floating island of partially degraded plastic.

It has already entered the food chain and threatens the existence of many marine creatures.

Whole beaches in Hawaii now consist of granules of indestructible plastic. Do your bit, Phuket retailers.

Good on you...

Dr Patrick Campbell

[Re. Tommo pal dies in bike smash] Jason was a very decent kind-hearted, fun-loving person, people loved him and will miss him dearly. This is such sad news. RIP dear Jason.

Mike Lewis

Slippery slope [Re. Phuket landslide slope now safe] It seems to me that the hill has been there for hundreds, if not thousands of years, with no sign of landslides – until human intervention. Please don’t blame the rain, we know who the culprit is.

Laurie Howells

Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Email managingeditor@thephuketnews.com or fax 076 612 553.

Please include your full name, address, phone number, and email address. Congratulations go to reader Derek Priest, who was the Dec 2 winner of ‘Letter of the Week’, and received a B500 gift voucher from Asia Books.

www.thephuketnews.com

Begging your honour [Re. Phuket’s immigrant beggars a real problem] “Many tourists and business owners have complained to Patong Municipality that they had been pestered by immigrant beggars.”

I doubt if any tourist can find Patong Municipality to make a complaint. I would like to know how the tourists can tell the difference between an immigrant beggar and a Thai beggar.

Sandy Shores

Fake on the make [Re. Fake drugs seized in Patong] Only in Thailand!

Nick

Conflicting stories: The Municipality said it had taken dogs to the pound in the past two months. Pound staff, when contacted by The Phuket News, said they had received no dogs from Patong in that period.

Deputy Mayor Chairat said that only specific problem dogs were caught and sent to the pound after complaints were received. But an official said that packs of dogs were rounded up because too many in one place caused a mess.

The Soi Dog Foundation thought it had a deal that the dogs would be taken, after sterilisation, back to the areas they had come from.

The Municipal official said no, they were always taken to the pound.

It’s all very murky. Which is the problem. Municipal leaders and officials have a duty to help people understand what they are doing and why.

If they don’t do this, they risk being accused of all sorts of nasty deeds – as has indeed happened in this case.

A word to the wise, ladies and gentlemen of Patong Municipality: Transparency.

This week in history ■■ December 9, 1872: In Louisiana, P.B.S. Pinchback becomes the first serving African-American governor.

■■ December 10, 1868: The first ever traffic lights are installed, outside the Palace of Westminster in London.

Resembling railway signals, they are illuminated at night by red and green gas lamps.

■■ December 11, 1962: Arthur Lucas, convicted of murder, is the last person to be executed in Canada.

■■ December 12, 1991: Russian Federation gains independence from the USSR. ■■ December 13, 2003: Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit.

■■ December 14, 1941: World War II: Japan signs treaty of alliance with Thailand.

■■ December 15, 1970: Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 successfully lands on Venus.

It is the first successful soft landing on another planet.

HOTTOPIC 11

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

WHERE DID PATONG’S MISSING DOGS GO?

Disappearing street dogs

The Soi Dog Foundation (SDF) has closed its mobile sterilisation clinic in Patong in protest against claims that Patong Municipality has broken its deal with the charity and may be killing stray dogs in the area.

Up until recently, SDF explained, it cooperated with Patong Municipality, whose staff would tranquilise stray dogs, bring them to the SDF’s mobile clinic for sterilisation, then return the dogs to where they had been caught.

Recently, however, the dogs have been disappearing after sterilisation. One SDF volunteer said that when the last clinic was held in Patong, from November 28 to 30, six or seven dogs disappeared after being sterilised. They were not returned to their “homes”.

Responses from the Municipality have been conflicting and confusing, giving rise to dark rumours that stray dogs are being rounded up and killed, or even buried alive.

Other rumours are that they have been smuggled to Vietnam for the dog restaurants there, or sold to crocodile farms as food.

The Municipality says it was doing nothing of the sort. Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukkaban said that after sterilisation the dogs were taken to the Government dog pound in Bang Kanoon.

“They are not killed. We just tranquilise them so they won’t bite us, then they are sterilised and we send them to the dog pound.

“We are Thai and most officers are Buddhists, so killing is a great sin,” Mr Chairat said.

“We do not have regular campaigns to hunt down dogs, but if there are complaints from tourists then we try to catch the offending dog.

“The owners must take care of their dogs forever.

Don’t just love them when they are puppies then abandon them when they grow up.”

Change of philosophy Soi Dog spokesman John Dalley announced: “SDF will no longer cooperate with the Patong Municipality. SDF’s policy is to sterilise the dogs and then let them remain in their location because removing them does not solve the problem.”

Street dogs await their fate in a crowded dog pound or for some loving care from potential owners. However many stray canines are now noticeably disappearing from the streets of Patong. What on earth has happened to them?

The SDF argues that if most, but not all, of the dogs in an area are removed (whether shot, poisoned or consigned to the dog pound) the dogs that remain are then in possession of much more food than before.

Fat and sleek, they soon start breeding. In addition, dogs from neighbouring areas, seeing the abundance of food, move in.

Within months, the stray dog population is back to where it was before the cull.

SDF’s approach is to neuter the animals and leave them in place. Sterilised and with any diseases attended to, they are healthy but cannot breed.

Their numbers deter other strays from nearby areas invading their territory.

Over the years, as the policy is applied also to neighbouring areas, the dog population stabilises and then gradually declines as dogs die of old age.

Generally the SDF philosophy has prevailed, which is a great improvement on what was happening 12 years ago.

At that time stray dogs were routinely culled, often just before the high season.

Either poison bait was left out for them, or municipal officials would go out onto the streets and beaches and simply shoot them, sometimes in front of

horrified tourists.

In September 2000, opinion was galvanised when monks in two temples complained that the number of dogs was disrupting their contemplative life, barking, howling and fighting, and fouling even the most sacred parts of the temples.

Officials went into the wat grounds and slaughtered all the strays.

Widespread hor ror at published photographs of blood-smeared dead animals being dragged through temple grounds – the one place where animals should normally be assumed to be safe – prompted

the then-Governor of Phuket, Charnchai Soontharamut, to order an immediate and complete halt to all culls of strays.

Since then, that order has generally been obeyed, with a few stark exceptions that always drew condemnation which generally prevented a recurrence.

But this week things blew up again. Where did Patong’s missing dogs go to?

Questions without answers Follow-up questions by The Phuket News to Siwarachchapon Boonkaew, Director of the Municipal Public Health

& Environmental Department at first elicited a sigh. “There must be a misunderstanding,” he said. “We took three dogs to the pound two months ago. That’s all.”

Later he revised that number: three dogs two months ago and another two in November.

Later yet, after checking paperwork, he admitted that 18 dogs were taken to the pound in October and six in November – a total of 24.

He said that it was Municipality policy to send dogs to the pound after sterilisation, an assertion that stands in stark contradiction of the deal SDF believed they had with the Municipality.

So are the dogs being taken to the pound? Even this is not clear. The Municipality says they are, but a pound worker who would give her name only as Nid, said that although “more than 10” dogs had been delivered there from Patong “a few months ago” none had been received recently.

Repeated attempts to get comment from the Livestock Department, which is responsible for the pound, were unsuccessful.

A Patong resident, who asked not to be named, said she had noticed the number of stray dogs in Patong had decreased.

“I never ask the municipality about the disappeared dogs, but when they plan to round up dogs they will put up a big warning sign so I will know from that,” she said.

Indeed, Mr Siwarachchapon rather confirmed the mass roundup theory when he remarked, “We have to do this. When there are too many dogs in one place they get aggressive and they make a lot of mess.”

None of this, of course, answers the question, “What has happened to the dogs?”

Dogs are clearly disappearing.

The Municipality says it sent 24 of them to the pound in the past two months. Pound staff say that it did not.

One can come up with theories as to why either side, or both, are possibly being economical with the truth.

But one thing is crystal clear: In this sensitive and highly emotive situation, staff at the Patong Municipality either don’t know what has been happening, or they do know, but don’t want that information to be public.

www.thephuketnews.com

12

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

BUSINESS

CPI figures show inflation of 4.19pc Prices in Thailand in November were 4.19 per cent higher than in November 2010 due to flooding in Thailand’s central provinces, said Yangyong Puangrach, permanent secretary for commerce.

The flood crisis in many provinces destroyed crops, halted industrial production, and obstructed transportation and distribution, forcing some commodity prices to rise in early November.

Flooding also impacted consumer spending and reduced the purchasing power of flood victims, who lost income from not working.

Inflation in the Consumer Price Index from January to November stood at an average of 3.83 per cent, but the ministry is confident that the figure for the year will be around 3.8 per cent because inflation is likely to drop this month.

The ministry says it expects the rate will continue to fall in the first quarter of 2012, to 3.6 per cent, thanks to a projected drop in international oil prices, a strengthening of the baht and the beginnings of recovery from the flooding.

Once the flooding is over, the lower cost of transportation will also help reduce prices of consumer goods The ministry predicts inflation in 2012 will be between 3.3 and 3.8 per cent.

Meanwhile, economic growth in 2011 is projected to be 1.7 to two per cent, lower than the previous forecast of 2.6 per cent. An official figure will be announced this month, said Somchai Sajjaponse, Director-General of the Fiscal Policy Office.

Floods in several areas severely impacted the economy in October, with car sales plummeting 38.8 per cent, compared with 13.3 per cent growth in September.

Thailand’s industrial index shrank 34.5 per cent due to flooding, but some factories resumed production in midNovember, so the index is likely to improve in November and December, Mr Somchai said.

The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has offered rather different GDP growth projections, putting the figure for 2011 at 1.5 per cent. However, it predicts that in 2012 the economy will recover, seeing expansion of five per cent.

Significant factors in next year’s growth, the NESDB predicted, will be the government’s plan to inject large amounts of funding into the development of basic infrastructure to prevent floods and by the B320 billion in credit to be offered by government to entrepreneurs and the public.

– MCOT

Political weight

Richard Li’s huge Phang Nga project gets Pheu Thai support > 14

The taste of success SUCCESS

Stor y

SIMON CALLEBERT FARANG FOOD PARADISE When did you arrive in Phuket?

About eight years ago, after having lived for two years on Phi Phi Island.

What made you think of starting a business in Phuket?

I was working as a dive instructor, but I wasn’t making enough money to support my family.

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

My father has been an entrepreneur for over 35 years in the organic food business. But he has not really been involved in Farang Food Paradise (FFP) so basically I started from scratch.

Of course, it’s always good to be able to have a second opinion on important decisions.

What made you want to start this particular business?

Being able to buy a business that wasn’t another bar, restaurant or guest house seemed the right way to go.

What was your initial investment?

B10 million.

Landmarks in the development of the business?

Moving from our old location in Kathu to our new tailor-made office-cum-warehouse three years ago.

On a scale of 1 for “not at all” to 10 for “absolutely”, how has your business developed compared with your initial expectations?

In Phuket a 10 for sure. For our branches elsewhere in the south it’s taken more effort to get a bigger share of the market.

Former dive instructor Simon Callebert gives a 10 out of 10 for his business in Phuket.

What was easiest to do in developing your business?

Selling has always been the easy part of the business.

Importing, supplies, red tape and staff management is what we have to spend most of our attention on.

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

I would have built a new tailormade warehouse and office; the one we’re in now is getting close to capacity. But with land prices in Phuket and restrictions on land ownership in Thailand that’s always a difficult decision to make.

How much was culture clash a factor in the way your business developed?

Luckily I had been living in Thailand for quite a few years before, which meant I had some idea of which things had to be dealt with in the Thai way.

But at the end of the day, if you approached difficulties

with patience and humor, it will almost always turn out the way you want. Speaking and understanding the Thai language and culture helps a lot as well.

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

Selling good food will always be more exciting than selling, let’s say, building supplies. Almost all the food professionals I work with are surprisingly easygoing people, which makes the social aspect of the job really enjoyable.

Being obliged to go and dine at the restaurants we supply isn’t too much of a chore either.

I have no problems with the long days we all work during the high season, though I regret not being able to spend more time with my kids and my girlfriend during that period.

How is business right now?

Business is still booming as it has done ever since I bought

it. It’s looking like another busy high season. We’re well prepared for it and I’m feeling optimistic.

Are you affected much by local/national/international economic issues?

It seems as if there is at least one serious issue affecting the Phuket tourist industry every year. We get affected by them, but not to an extent that it’s keeping me awake at night.

The airport closures in Phuket and especially in Bangkok two years ago were probably the most worrying as they affected tourist confidence a lot. Who would want to come here if they couldn’t be sure they could fly back?

Have you been affected by increasing competition? How do you counter that?

There will always be more competitors, which is good as it keeps us on our game.

Being competitive in quality, service and price keeps us growing rapidly.

Where do you intend to go from here?

Pretty simple: Keep on doing what we are doing now and trying to improve where needed.

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

The previous owner of FFP gave me the best advice for doing business in Phuket: Keep a low profile. Being patient and not expecting everything to go smoothly can make a big difference, too.

www.thephuketnews.com

BUSINESS/TOURISM 13

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Brand Phuket in trouble – Keen Brand guru David Keen of Bangkok-based Quo Keen, has thrown out a challenge to Phuket: create a true brand strategy for the island.

“The Phuket brand is being driven by the market, not by a strategy,” he told a gathering organised by the Phuket chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce on November 30.

“You need a strategy.”

He also asked a simple question that left the audience at the Anantara Resort in Mai Khao speechless: “What is Phuket?”

“Is southern Phang Nga Phuket? Is Phang Nga Bay or Phi Phi?” he asked. No one stuck up a hand to try to answer.

“We have to define what Phuket is. If we can’t answer that question we have a problem. Otherwise there will be confusion, which dilutes the brand.”

Brand guru David Keen: ‘The brand is being driven by the market, not by a strategy.’

He argued that this was already the case, that the brand was already fragmented by opposing views from the east and west of the island, and by “complex messaging” from big tourism players on the island

First car programme may include imports The Finance Ministry is to ask the Excise Department to consider allowing vehicles imported by the carmakers affected by floods to be included in the First Car Program.

Deputy Finance Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom said the Cabinet has approved tariff exemption on imported cars and parts for carmakers affected by the floods in central Thailand, provided that the vehicles and parts are of the same models already produced in Thailand but hit by the floods.

Now, the minister says, he will ask the Excise Department to allow these imported vehicles to be included in the First Car Program, from which they were

originally excluded.

The ministr y has also calculated that the government will lose about B100 billion in tax revenue if the diesel fuel subsidy, due to expire at the end of this year, is extended.

Mr Boonsong said that the ministry has yet to reach an agreement with the Energy Ministry on whether the measure will be extended, but he said he was concerned that the government will lose revenue totalling about B100 billion a year, or B8 billion a month, if the subsidy is renewed.

He added that the Finance Ministry is considering overhauling the entire tax structure next year.

such as Royal Phuket Marina and Laguna Phuket. It was no good looking for guidance from Bangkok, he added, describing Brand Thailand as “mismanaged” and suffering from “multiple crises”.

“We’re at a crossroads.

Do we allow market forces to continue driving development or do we define a strategy to create a sustainable brand and environment?”

As an example of the lack

of a strategy that involved all the stakeholders who should be involved in driving the brand, he pointed to the growing but generally under-promoted industry of cruising the seas around the island.

This, he theorised, was because the powerful hotel lobby did not want people out cruising around on boats instead of staying in hotel rooms. Market forces were driving the brand, or at least excluding cruising from it.

He also felt that Phuket was missing a key element that had been used with “stunning” success in branding Bali: culture.

“Culture equals brand equals culture,” he said, explaining that by culture he meant people, language, spaces, fashion, food, geography, values and much more. “You need to think about this and

harness it for Phuket.

“I believe the future of Phuket is really strong but it needs to be clarified and the culture harnessed.

“No single body is taking responsibility for harnessing Brand Phuket. It’s fragmented.

There is no cohesive strategy.”

He noted that Bali’s cultural pre-eminence was maintained and driven by a speciallyestablished authority.

“We need a unified body to drive consolidated action.

This is your issue.”

At the bar afterwards, members of the audience contemplated his message and everyone, weighing up the island’s fractured and often fractious business community, was asking, “Yes, but who can drive this?”

Again, no one stuck up a hand to try to answer. But at least a seed was planted.

Corruption in the spotlight

Thailand’s Anti-Corruption Network (ACN) has kicked off a campaign to raise public awareness of the problem of corruption in the country.

ACN Chairman Pramon Sutivong said the group has an action plan for next year, focusing on monitoring, encouraging positive change, and collaborating with the state sector to tackle corruption.

At the moment the network is closely following two specific allegations, one of mismanagement of floodrelief bags by the Government, and one surrounding former Transport Ministry Permanent Secretary Supoj Saplom after his home was burgled.

The burglars have alleged that many tens, possibly hundreds of millions of baht in cash were stashed in the house.

He promised that the net work would act as a watchdog to follow up on these allegations.

Mr Pramon said that, apart

from this, many activities will be held to boost public awareness about the cases and the ACN will collaborate with the Press Club of Thailand to organise a training program to mobilise public support against corruption.

The network is inviting volunteers to join its “Clean Thailand DIY” campaign, a pilot project to get the private sector and the man in the street to monitor the Government’s spending of B800 billion for flood rehabilitation efforts.

The ACN will launch the campaign officially on December 14 at the Thailand Chamber of Commerce.

The network says action against corruption has been spurred by the results of two surveys showing that Thailand is becoming more corrupt.

The independent organisation Transparency International downgraded Thailand, in its annual Corruption Perceptions Index, from 78th place

out of 183 countries in 2010 to 80th this year. The Vice President of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Saowanee Thairungroj, announced that the Thailand Corruption Perceptions Index slipped from 65.4 points in October, to 64.4 in December.

She added that in a corruption survey, compiled from interviews with 1,200 people in November, 72.4 per cent of respondents said corruption is one of the most serious issues in the country, and 63.1 per cent believe the problem will worsen in the coming year.

In the survey, 69.8 per cent said they believe corruption is widespread in the Government’s flood relief operations both during the floods and afterwards.

In an effort to curb corruption, the ACN and the National Counter-Corruption Commission (NCCC) are promoting an initiative whereby

companies that are awarded government contracts worth more than B2 million are required to open their books to public scrutiny.

They propose that the new rule take effect in April next year. Just how seriously their proposal will be taken remains to be seen.

The Secretar y of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Vichai Assarasakorn, noted that in August the NCCC had proposed to the Government a revision of the anticorruption law.

The amendment covers graft suppression, witness protection, rewards for informant and more transparent procurement processes.

However, the Government has yet to take action on the recommendation.

But Mr Vichai stressed that corruption is now widespread and only a toughening of the laws could deter potential offenders.

www.thephuketnews.com

14 BUSINESS/PROPERTY

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Li project gets political clout One of Thailand’s Trade Representatives (TTR), Pichet Satirachawan, on Sunday (December 4) voiced his support for the massive Andaman Bay project at Thai Muang in Phang Nga Province, an hour’s drive north of Phuket.

The post of TTR is a political appointment. Mr Pichet acts outside the Trade Ministry, as one of a large group of assistants and advisers to PM Yingluck Shinawatra.

Plans for the multi-billionbaht Andaman Bay project, which has been a decade in gestation, include a marina, the existing Thai Muang Golf Course (which will be completely redesigned), a huge shopping mall, hotels and homes on a 1,000-rai piece of land along the beach facing the Andaman Sea. The project has been held up for 10 years as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the original design failed to get approval and the project did not conform to the development strategy of Phang Nga at the time, which focused on eco-tourism.

Mr Pichet told media that he had recently met with

the Andaman Bay investors from Hong Kong to discuss the project.

The lead investor is Richard Li Tzar Kai, currently estimated by Forbes magazine to be Hong Kong’s 16th richest individual with a net worth of close to B30 billion. He is the son of Hong Kong’s richest man, Li Ka Shing, whose wealth is estimated by the magazine at close to B500 billion.

Mr Picher said he was impressed with the master plan for the two-kilometerlong project parallel to the seafront, and said he could envision the project creating more potential for jobs and revenue for Phang Nga and surrounded provinces, including Phuket.

More jobs would be created for locals, he said, and visitors to it would bring money into Thailand.

“As a Trade Representative, I will support this project as much as I can,” he said. “I think this project will massively enhance tourism in the Andaman coast provinces.”

He mentioned that the investors might consider sub-

Richard Li, son of Hong Kong’s richest man, Li Ka Shing, is principal investor in Andaman Bay. mitting a new EIA report to Planning Office in Bangkok News, the local managers of the project, Pinetree Develthe Natural Resources and for reconsideration.

Contacted by The Phuket opment Services declined to Environmental Policy and

comment at this point, as did Original Vision, the architects drawing up the master plan.

BoT cuts interest rate to 3.25pc The Bank of Thailand has cut the policy interest rate by 0.25 points, the first cut in two years, to support economic restoration and investment.

At a meeting in November, the BoT’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by 5 to 2 to reduce the annual interest rate by 0.25 points, from 3.50 per cent to 3.25 per cent per annum.

The MPC said it would remain vigilant in monitoring developments in the global economy as well as progress on domestic restoration efforts and would be ready to take appropriate policy actions.

It also warned that inflation-

www.thephuketnews.com

–Photo AFP

ary pressure persists due to government stimulus measures and an anticipated pickup in private sector demand from restoration spending.

The weakening of the global economy should curtail price pressure to some extent, it added.

At the same time, price increases driven by flood-related shortages, which have only affected a limited number of goods in certain areas, were expected to be temporary.

The risk of inflation accelerating to the point where it would threaten economic stability thus remains contained, the MPC argues. –MCOT

Kingfisher in talks with white knight Faltering Indian airline Kingfisher is currently in negotiations with a white knight it hopes will help it out of its severe cash flow problem.

Vijay Mallya, the airline’s chairman, said negotiations are taking place with “a local investor” who may put up the money to get the airline out of trouble.

Mr Mallya, who declined to name the potential white knight, was also cagey about how long the negotiations would take. “Things take time, particularly negotiations,” Mallya told reporters after meeting with India’s Finance Minister Kingfisher Airlines has recently suspended its lowcost wing, Kingfisher Red, cancelled many flights and put employee salaries on hold.

Several airports have demanded that Kingfisher pay landing fees it owes immediately. Mumbai Airport alone says it is owed Rs 900 million (about B540 million).

Kingfisher reportedly owes more than Rs70 billion (B42 billion) to banks and needs Rs 10 billion (B600 million) in working capital to get it past the crisis.

– The Phuket News

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011 The Naka, Phuket

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16

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

CULTURE

BIG LIST: Radical Revenge > 21

When water falls A

f t e r at t e nd i ng t he spectacular release of 4,000 butterflies at the Ba ng Pae Water fall i n Thalang recently, Phuket amatuer photographer Gerry Cummings writes: “As the day wore on and tiredness set in, I decided to take a stroll up the trail to the Bang Pae Waterfall and saw this opportunity to photograph the waterfall and surroundings, using a slow

RANDOM view

shutter speed which gives the water the creamy, soft look and makes it appear to be moving.

“The tranquillity of this scene was in stark contrast to what was going on lower down the trail, and it energised me to go back and partake in the activities.”

Each month the best ‘Random View’ wins a B500 gift voucher courtesy of Photo Hut (see www.photohutgroup.com).

At the end of 2011, The Phuket News and Photo Hut’s ‘Photo of the Year’, chosen from all the competition entrants, receives a grand voucher for a total of B5,000.

Photos must have a Phuket theme, and be at least 1MB and 300dpi in size. Email entries to: managingeditor@thephuketnews.com

Painting the kitchen red GALLERY focus

Wine we know complements food. But can art complement food and vice versa?

That question was asked by the editors of Think Design magazine, Michael Earle and Trisha Miller.

Centara Grand Mare Restaurant’s Italian Chef Sandro Aguilera, and Thai artist Mr Zen, of Wua Studio Gallery in Phuket Town (as featured in these pages), were invited to supply the answers during the recent Think Design Art Dinner held at the restaurant on Wednesday November 30.

Six of Mr Zen’s interesting minimalist paintings were placed around the corners of the restaurant, with Chef Aguilera creating dishes in response to each work: Snail with garlic and cheese, onion, potato, poached egg and truffle meringue, “tradito” raw tuna, white snapper, pork belly and grilled pear rolled out with a flourish on plates from the open kitchen.

Clinking wine glasses held six different red and white wines, chosen to complement the dishes.

Modest as ever, Mr Zen was rather overwhelmed by the attention. Another Phuketbased artist and designer Australian John Underwood was at the same table, and no doubt gave some encouragement to the Thai artist.

Lively Chef Aquilera www.thephuketnews.com

Phuket galleries Ceramics of Phuket:

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

Chang Art Gallery

12/25 Moo 1, Vised Rd, Rawai (on the way to Rawai Beach, continuing from Saiyuan Rd), 081 693 5021 and 086 691 8217. Open daily.

Designed by Woulfe Studio

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

I Mon Art Gallery:

29/2 Phang Nga Rd, Phuket Town, 086 961 8968, montian_29@live.com. Open daily 8am-7.30pm.

King Art Studio:

21 & 50 Soi Bangla, Patong, 086 682 9130, info@kingartstudio.com; kingartstudio.com. Open daily 10am-midnight.

Lat Design and Art Garden:

95/33 Sai Yuan Rd, Naiharn, 086 294 3971, ja_rassri@hotmail.com.

Little Monk Gallery:

95/33 Saiyuan Rd, Naiharn, 086 294 3971.

Above: Trisha Miller, left, and Michael Earle, middle, of organisers Think Design magazine.

99 Art Studio:

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

Phuket Modern Art:

5/28 Haad Patong Rd, Patong, 089 646 8838, phuketmodernart.com.

Red Gallery:

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

Sarasil Art Galllery:

121 Phang Nga Rd, Phuket Town, 076 224 532, somkiatkaewnok@yahoo.com; oilpaintingsphuket.com.

Open daily 8pm-9pm.

Soul of Asia:

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

The Love Art Studio: The two artists: Chef Sandro Aguilera of Centara Grand Mare Restaurant, middle left, and Thai painter Mr Zen. dashed in from his busy kitchen to introduce each dish, relating it to the artwork with some very creative interpretations of his own.

As part of its promotion of Phuket’s art and culture, the magazine plans to hold one art dinner every month

at different restaurants on t he isla nd , i nt roduci ng artist, chef and restaurant in the same evening.

Think Design is also inviting artists, designers, performers and all creative people to the first Thinking Design Phuket Art Festival, to be held

at the Royal Phuket Marina from December 27-30, with some proceeds going to Soi Dog and Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation.

– Norachai Thavisin 088 446 3188, info@thinkdesignmagazine.com; thinkdesignmagazine.com

28/13 Soi Naya 2, Naiharn, 089 471 5653, pui.t.l.a.s.@hotmail.com; theloveartstudio.com.

The One Gallery:

53 Srisoonthorn Rd, Cherng Talay, 083 634 6840, inone_111@yahoo.com. Open daily 11am-9pm.

Veerachan Usahanun:

110/34 Cherng Talay, Bang Tao Beach Rd, 081 490 4359, usahanun@live.com; veerachanusahanun.com.

Watcharin Art Studio:

27 Yaowaraj Rd, Phuket Town, 088 386 1449, watcharintinorodnit@hotmail.com, rindamagicalart.com.

Wua Gallery and Studio:

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

PEOPLE 17

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Guitarist finds home in Phuket Neil McCartney

Guitarist, singer, and fiddler at Scruffy Murphy’s Irish pub What were you doing 10 years ago?

Ten years ago I had just arrived in Phuket for a 12-week contract to play in the island’s Irish pubs. Before that I was touring the world with my original band, supporting acts like Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, and Bryan Adams.

My original band was called Big Geraniums. We were regular drinking buddys with bands like the Pouges and the Saw Doctors. We were based in Ireland but toured the States and Europe regularly. We also toured Australia.

What is the best thing about living here?

You can eat out so cheap! In Europe I would never be able to live the lifestyle I do here.

What do you do to relax?

Go to the sauna. There are some great little saunas around the island. Not expensive, and they put in the Thai herbs.

What hobbies or sports are you interested in?

Photography. I’ve got a great full frame Canon camera with loads of cool lenses. Love

taking pictures and working in Photoshop, making art. I also keep up with the English Premiership football.

What is your favourite childhood memory?

Camping and fell-walking in the Lake District in North England with my family. If there is anything I miss, its hiking in the fells. Nobody walks here, too hot I guess.

Favourite food or dish?

I love Thai food, particularly a good Thai feast with som tam, tom yam, a big fish, strips of pork and sticky rice. I love it all.

What kind of music are you into?

All kinds: classical, folk, jazz and 1970s rock. Some of my favourite artists are Nick Drake, John Martin, Sandy Denny. I love that English folk scene of the 70s, I guess I am a 70s kind of guy. Funny, my son is getting into the 70s. It started from that movie Super 8. Now he is YouTubing all things 70s.

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

Accept the differences in the

Exposed culture. No matter how infuriating it becomes, we are guests here. We have a tendency to want to get things done quickly.

The pace is a lot slower here, maybe because of the heat, so we have to learn to live with this pace of life.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you while living on the island?

Having a son, he constantly makes me smile. We have our own little language, which is English but with lots of Thai words thrown in. It makes us laugh a lot. I am homeschooling him and so we spend lots of time together.

The person you admire the most and why?

My mother, because she was a simple, hard-working woman with a great heart!

If you could come back as any other person who would it be and why?

Saint Francis of Assisi, because he grasped the true meaning of life, and he lived as he preached. The problem today in the world is greed and materialism. If we could all be a

Multi-talented Neil McCartney is a musician at Scruffy Murphy’s Irish pub in Patong. little more like Saint Francis, and realise that there is enough if we would all, including the wealthy one per cent, share the resources of the planet.

Is there anything you don’t like about living here?

The way people drive and the different prices for Westerners. See a Westerner, double the price. Tuk-tuks and touts

Journeys to treasure are always meant to be shared.

have also become a problem, they can be rude and abrasive and scare tourists away. I would love to see the day when taxi meters are the norm around the island.

Favourite place on the island, and why?

I like a little beach on the Ao Makham peninsular, it’s quiet and there aren’t any tourists

around. It’s not that I have anything against tourists, they are our bread and butter, but when you have lived here for many years, it’s nice to find a peaceful place away from it all. I like to take the dogs and stroll along the beach.

What would you choose to be your final meal?

Cheesy beans with toast.

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18 MOTORING

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Aiming for realism MY CAR

Pusit ‘Dum’ Tortid turns heads and even sends people running for cover when he drives through town in his jeep with its .50-calibre machine gun mounted on a pole between the front seats.

Happily, the gun is a nonfunctioning replica. Strictly for show. But apart from that and the Toyota engine, the jeep is as close to the original as it’s possible to make it.

Mr Pusit, who owns the Black Army Shop, which sells military vehicle parts and accessories and does repairs, bought the 1965 jeep, or rather, the remnants of it, in 2001 from a shop in Hua Hin. He paid B10,000 for it and then spent two years and another B200,000 restoring it to its current condition.

The vehicle – technically an M151A2 quarter-tonne utility truck – was the last in the long line of four-wheel-drive vehicles commonly called jeeps that goes back to 1941.

The originals were made by Willys but Mr Pusit’s version was manufactured to a Ford

Pusit Tortid at the wheel of his carefully restored 1965 jeep, one of three he owns design which came into use in 1951 and was used by the US military in the Vietnam War. Although mostly replaced by more sophisticated vehicles in the early 1980s, some M151A2s remained in military service right up until 1999, making the model by far the longest-serving in the US Army.

The M151 saw service in hotspots such as Kosovo, with

the US Marines, and is still used by many countries.

The original M151 was powered by a 71 hp 4-cylinder in-line engine. But Mr Pusit replaced it with a 4-cylinder Toyota, giving him a maximum speed of 100 kph. It’s reliable, too. On a trip with the Phuket Classic Jeep Club, he drove it without incident from Phuket to Sra Kaew on the

Cambodian border.

The machine gun was installed because he wanted this jeep (he has two others) to look like the Military Fast Attack Vehicle (FAV) variant.

Reactions are varied. Some people give the vehicle a wide berth while others walk up to him and ask him if the gun works. He just smiles.

–Kazira Hans

From top, two more views of the jeep with its attentiongetting replica machine gun. Above, the original engine was replaced with a more powerful one from Toyota.

HEALTH

The astonishing power of a dream

I

am reasonably sure that she wasn’t singing about the week that was the Laguna Tri Fest with the Laguna Phuket Triathlon and the Ironman 70.3, but in her song ‘Reach’ Gloria Estafan sang: “Some days are meant to be remembered/ those days we rise above the stars/ so I’ll go the distance this time/ seeing more the higher I climb/ that the more I believe/ all the more that this dream will be mine/ if I can reach higher...”

Music has the ability to lift our spirits and create dreams that were not there before, and embed them in our soul so that they become a part of

www.thephuketnews.com

us... and then so do actions!

I watched athletes in the LPT (Laguna Phuket Triathlon) two weeks ago and in Sunday’s Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships lay their heart and soul on the line, and push their body and mind to the brink of where they thought was impossible.

I was in awe of the power and resilience of the human soul, and how we are able to achieve far more than we ever thought we could if only given the opportunity.

Whether we think we can, or whether we think we can’t, we are right either way.

I am sure that everyone who stood at the start line

on either Sunday morning at Laguna beach, thought that maybe, they could.

As time tick­ed on during the LPT, and athletes from all walks of life came running through the finish chutes, I was fortunate enough to be there when two very good friends of mine crossed the line in their first ever triathlons, and the emotions ran high...very high.

Six months ago, this was just a dream for them both, something that had been implanted into their brain, but seeped into their soul and answered that craving that they had held onto for so very long.

Despite crossing the finish line long after the winners had, and long after many people had gone home and were showering and eating to recover, my two amazing friends crossed the finish line and became triathletes.

On that day of Sunday, November 27, 2011, they definitely answered the calling of their soul, to do something that matters... they touched more than a few hearts, saved a few lives, including their

A dream does not guarantee you’ll win. But not having one will guarantee you won’t. own, and stamped their mark on this world and left nothing less that said, ‘I was here!’

A dream may start like a single drop of water on a dry rock bed, but has the power to become an ocean surging

through this world changing landscapes but can also surge through your heart, mind, body and soul, evoking actions that will leave your mark on this world.

What’s your dream?

■ Darren Hancock is the General Manager of Royal Phuket Marina Health Club, and Exercise and Lifestyle Coach.

Contact him at darren@ rpmhealthclub.com

ENVIRONMENT 19

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

A breath of fresh air GREEN thumb

Have you ever had a whiff of fresh air when near a waterfall, or after rainfall?

This “fresh air’ you experience is negative ions being released from running water into the air, which helps remove toxins and purify it.

Now try standing next to a water garden. Your nose will tell you that the water garden is having a positive impact on the environment, by the amount of fresh air you will be able to smell.

When creating a healthy water garden, a good mantra is perhaps “not too abundant, not too deficient”; a natural balance where flora and fauna are not too close together or too sparse.

A common mistake by many garden owners is being concerned about widespreading algae and other aquatic plants looking untidy, so they only plan blooming water plants such as water lilies.

A water garden that has only a few species of plants will decrease water quality. For example, blooming plants con-

It is important that plants in a water garden should be varied in species and height. sume large amounts of nitrates from a pond’s ecosystem, but don’t put much oxygen back into the water.

The result is that blooming plants soon die, and you are also left with an added cost of having to improve the water quality in your pond. To bring balance into your pond, you

need to plant various types and sizes of vegetation.

A pond needs algae under the water to continue the food chain, however having too much algae will lower the water clarity.

That’s why we need to add aquatic plants in water ecosystem to control algae

Adopt a dog

MEET “NOI”... SHE’S SUPER FRIENDLY AND EAGER TO PLEASE! Noi is a small, friendly dog who just adores human company. She’s approx 5 1/2 years old and has lived at the Soi Dog Shelter since 2008. She’d make a wonderful addition to a family & we’d love to see her placed in a caring home. Noi enjoys going for walks, loves affection and has the most beautiful nature.

If you can give her a good home please call Soi Dog today on 0817884222. For more information regarding adoptions please email cindy@soidog.org. You can also visit our website www.soidog.org or follow us on Facebook!

If you are interested in adopting a dog please do not buy from the markets. Soi Dog Foundation has over 200 dogs and puppies available for adoption at any time. For more information on how to adopt visit soidog.org. All animals are fully vaccinated and desexed. Young puppies will be desexed free of charge as soon as old enough.

growth. Aquatic plants consume the same nutrients as algae, which means there is less for the algae.

Consider planting aquatic plants in different layers also.

Submerged aquatic plants, such as hydrilla and eelgrass, create habitats and food sources for aquatic life.

The Cyperus papyrus plant belongs to the sedge family.

Water lettuce provides shade for fish and all marine life.

The percentage of submerged plants shouldn’t be extended past 20 per cent.

If it’s too dense, it will decrease water clarity – the same result as having too much algae in the water.

Adding floating plants is another option. Water lettuce and water chestnuts can provide shade for fish and other aquatic life. Keep floating plants at coverage not more than 20 per cent of the water’s surface.

Don’t forget to plant emerged plants in your pond either. The water lily, sedge and hardy canna are capable of absorbing carbon diox-

ide from the air to help their photosynthesis, then they release oxygen into the water.

Many species of aquatic plants are pervasive so their population needs to be controlled. The easiest is to plant them in submerged pots or tie their stems together.

Use a rope to keep floating plants separate.

Finally, to achieve a healthy water garden, you must view the water garden as a complete system of its own. Sustainable water gardens will bring you long-lived aesthetic pleasure, as well as fresh air and clean water in a good environment.

Pet of the Week

This pug dog, aptly named Puggy, belongs to friends of Tamakorn Khowpon, Lars and Panatchakorn Robat. Puggy is pictured here with Elize Robat.

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

20 EDUCATION

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

After class fun

Classes are over for the day at the large governmentr u n R a ch a p r a ch nu k r oh School, on the esplanade on Kamala beach. Students are streaming into the school’s big central hall, where there are sounds of music and singing in rehearsal for an event.

It’s Thursday afternoon, and the meeting of the Coconut Club, the after-school activity group. On an upper f loor in the big multistorey building, young student members are gathering with most of the girls dressed in their smart dark-green scout uniforms.

Many of the club members don’t need to make a trip home later, as they are some of the 160 boarders who live in student accommodation on the school ground.

English-teacher Tina Hall and two other foreign volunteer teachers are there to open up the big classroom, filled with art materials and other equipment that had been mostly donated to the club by the community.

Ms Hall, from England, used to work as a volunteer teaching English, until she was employed as the Director of Operations at the Phuket Has

Tina Hall, above right, teaches at the Coconut Club.

Been Good For Us Foundation, a local charitable body that pays the salaries of all English-teachers working at this school of 770 students.

Ms Hall has been working for the foundation for three years.

She now runs the Coconut Club and works very actively to raise money for the foundation.

Ms Hall, two English teachers and volunteers also run an art club in the public school in Kalim, which meets once a week also for an hour or so when all 120 students are invited to drop in after school hours.

Asked what they are choosing to do today, skate-

boarding or art, five Coconut Club boys immediately grab skateboards and disappear downstairs, accompanied by a male teacher.

Other boys stayed with the girls to make art, and they do that quickly with ease. One boy builds his house with Lego pieces. Another girl finds herself a quiet desk apart to spend the hour drawing a cute dog from a library book. All are absorbed in their work: fruits are being drawn today.

The teachers speak to the artists in English and students manage to converse back.

A family from England calls in, with a baby in arm.

It is quite moving to see the

Kamala school students enjoy making art in the English-speaking after-school club. nine underprivileged Thai students there at one stage being surrounded as many Western teachers and visitors who are so clearly dedicated to helping them. There are loving faces all around.

“The club is a voluntary activity,” says Ms Hall. “It’s good to see that many are consistently choosing to come each week.”

Before dispersing, many to head for the school dinner being served soon, Ms Hall and her students sit down on the shiny tile floor in a big circle.

The drawings on paper that the children have made, so quickly and very well, are

shown to the group. Another loving afternoon has come to an end for the members of the Coconut Club.

–Norachai Thavisin

Donations and volunteers always welcome. Contact Tina Hall, 080 143 9554, tina@ phukethasbeen goodtous.org; phukethas beengoodtous.org

World AIDS day at BIS Dressed in red T-shirts, students and staff at the British International School Phuket marked the World AIDS Day last Thursday December 1 by organising events at the school to raise money for the Life Home Project Foundation, which helps women and children living with HIV/AIDS in Phuket.

Students sold red ribbons and baked goods to raise about B6,730.

Students in red shirts then arranged themselves to form the AIDS symbol on the school’s football field for an aerial photograph.

In addition, a dress made out of conwww.thephuketnews.com

doms, designed by Isabelle Becker (recently named ‘Top of the World’ for IGSCE Art and Design, as reported in The Phuket News), spelled out a stylish safe-sex message.

“It was very challenging to make the dress, as the material was difficult to work with. Despite the hard work and time put into it, I enjoyed contributing to World AIDS day,” said Ms Becker.

Contact the Life Home Project Foundation: 076 614 060, info@lifehomeproject.org; lifehomeproject.org

DOWNTIME 21

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011 BOOK

MUSIC

FILM Twilight: Breaking Dawn Pt 1 117 minutes Rating: 15+

The Third Reich

by Roberto Bolaño Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 288 pages Udo Berger is champion of ‘The Third Reich’, a tactical WWII-themed board game seemingly designed to reveal the worst in self-absorbed obsessives like Udo. Even while on vacation on Spain’s Costa Brava, Udo is unable to tear himself away from a game he’s begun with a beach worker.

It may not be the best introduction for new readers of the late Chilean author Roberto Bolano, but fans of his biggest works, such as his international breakout The Savage Detectives or the posthumous five-volume epic 2666, will see familiar elements and themes in The Third Reich.

Bolano draws a fine line between memory and reality, but blurs them in the final pages, as the novel slowly drifts from realism to a nightmarish fever dream – leaving readers with an ending that is ambiguous yet haunting.

Director: Bill Condon Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner

Bruiser

The Duke Spirit Shangri-La Music On their third album Bruiser, London-based band The Duke Spirit have raised their game with something a whole lot more classy, salvaging them from the landfill indie chute.

There’s a distinct sense of menace in the execution, driven by some threatening bass lines and delivered by lead singer Liela Moss’ trademark snarl.

But there are more refined moments too, with the sensitive ‘De Lux’ and, in ‘Sweet Bitter Sweet’, the band have produced arguably their finest moment to date, even if Moss’ vocals come off like a bloodless impersonation of PJ Harvey, a comparison that’s often dogged her and the band.

At times though, Bruiser – produced by Andrew Scheps – feels oddly restrained, as the band sounds caught between the duelling desires to hold onto its grit-rock roots and to make its sound more sophisticated.

Two-part finales seem to have become a go-to approach for studios in a bid to milk a cashcow for every last penny it’s worth – and arguably a way to give lengthier final book installments a bit more room to wrap everything up.

While audiences were initially skeptical of the idea when it was introduced with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, the success of the final two Potter films (both commercially and critically) seemingly justified the extra trip to the theatre.

That success does not translate to Twilight. Breaking Dawn instead commits the one cardinal sin that fans,

who have to date unflaggingly forgiven excess angst, curious casting and daft dialogue, cannot overlook: It’s really boring.

Where the first three films had many flaws, they also had plots, while Breaking Dawn shows that it wasn’t a novel that needed to be – or had enough substance that it even could be – broken up into two parts.

The three phases of the film are Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) get married, Bella and Edward go on a honeymoon, Bella gets pregnant. But these are three distinct, and nearly unrelated segments.

The wedding, complete with ‘amusing’ speeches and a tense dance between Bella and Jacob, is sentimental and executed fairly well. But the two week honeymoon feels like it’s being played out in real time, as it is stretched out to cover the entire second act without having anything actually happen – only heightening the awful lack of chemistry between husband and wife.

By the time the couple return home to face the pregnancy, the film is in desperate need of a villain. However, with the volturi relegated to a single appearance during the credits

(no doubt in order to keep them for the finale), the filmmakers were forced to concoct a toothless wolf versus vampire standoff that takes too long to set up, before being resolved with a whimper.

The pregnancy story is the strongest, creating real emotion and tension, but it is all too little too late, and the main problem with Breaking Dawn is that it simply doesn’t offer enough to be a standalone film.

Fans of the vampire series will still be able to get their fix of awkward sexual tension and Jacob (Taylor Lautner) with his shirt off moping around, but new entrants to the saga will find almost nothing of any interest by watching this film thanks to what can only be labelled as incredibly uninspired filmmaking.

At least, given the utter lack of content in this film, fans of the series can probably expect a much stronger final installment.

–Dane Halpin

As some movies and movie times change every Thursday morning, after The Phuket News has gone to press, the accuracy of the following information cannot be guaranteed. For up-to-date information, visit sfcinemacity.com, or phone the cinemas directly: SFX Coliseum Phuket 076 209 000 and SFC Jungceylon Phuket 076 600 555.

SFX COLISEUM PHUKET (CENTRAL FESTIVAL)

SFC JUNGCEYLON PHUKET (PATONG)

Headshot (T/E.SUB) [18+]: 11:20, 13:30, 15:40, 20:00 Puss in Boots (E/D3D) [G]: 12:15, 14:15, 16:15, 18:15, 20:15, 22:15 The Thing (E) [15+]: 17:50, 22:10 Twilight: Breaking Dawn Pt 1 (E) [15+]: 14:00, 14:50, 16:30, 19:00,

19:50, 21:30, 22:20 Twilight: Breaking Dawn Pt 1 (E/F) [15+]: 13:10, 15:40, 18:10, 20:40 Twilight: Breaking Dawn Pt 1 (T) [15+]: 13:30, 14:30, 16:00, 17:00,

18:30, 19:30, 21:00, 22:00

In Time (E) [13+]: 17:05, 22:00 Killer Elite (E) [18+]: 12:00, 17:50 Melancholia (E) [13+]: 14:25, 19:20 Puss in Boots (E) [G]: 12:10, 14:10, 16:10, 18:10, 20:10, 22:10 The Thing (E) [15+]: 11:20, 15:40, 20:15 Tower Heist (E) [13+]: 13:30, 22:25 Twilight: Breaking Dawn Pt 1 (E) [15+] 11:15, 12:30, 13:45, 15:00,

16:15, 17:30, 18:45, 20:00, 21:15, 22:30

STRETCH YOUR BRAIN Across

Solutions to last week’s

herditary units, broadly speaking. (9) 20. Muscles support 1. Reef material about right for holding with a couple of directions. (5) horses. (6) 22. I’ll be heard in the 4. Punish for being supermarket. (5) pure – is in. (8) 23. Charms WWW 8. Beginner takes back, but also irritates. direction to no fight, (9) we hear. (8) 9. Abduct child, then 25. Part of foot to move slowly. (4) sleep. (6) 27. Half a rig. (4) 13. 50 songs for 28. Spice from South hideaways. (5) America? (5) 14. Times belong to us. 30. Relative sound of (4) relief after born. (6) 15. Key in “O”?

32. Sell, and French Mistake! (4) give thanks for feud.

17. Assembly of (8) 33. Uncivilized couple puzzles of music pieces in charge. (8) 34. In Acre, check for foundlings’ hospital.

(6) Down 1. Against national symbol share? Fire!

(13) 2. Turns about East and South. (9) 3. Like, he’s making remains of 1 dn. (5)

5. Part of leg from part of exile. (4) 6. Where to get massage in Space. (3) 7. Southern fish walk slowly. (6) 10. Initially No and Yes? No! (3) 11. Foretelling of strange octopi. (13) 12. Three pips: try to put note in. (4) 16. Assist a wager. (4) 18. Regretted seeming boorish. (4) 19. Fib about where

golf ball is. (3) 21. I teach it’s wrong to have no faith. (9) 23. Gave birth to money, so to speak. (4) 24. Banshee following Marley? (6) 26. Limit headgear. (3) 28. 101 with the German drink. (5) 29. Exist, thanks to trial version. (4) 31. Are back in time.

(3) www.thephuketnews.com

22 WEIRDWORLD

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Dog shoots owner

All this little boy wants for Christmas is an assault rifle.

With a best friend like this, who needs enemies? A Utah hunter is recovering from a birdshot wound in his buttocks caused when his dog stepped on his shotgun on Sunday.

The unnamed man from Brigham City was duck hunting with a buddy at the Great Salt Lake. He laid his 12-gauge shotgun on a boat’s bow when he got out of the craft. His dog jumped on the bow, causing the weapon to discharge a burst of fire that punctured the man’s posterior.

The hapless hunter was setting up decoys in the water when the mishap occurred, according to media reports.

Doctors at a nearby hos-

pital reportedly dislodged 27 pellets from the 46-year-old man’s buttocks.

Box Elder County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Potter said the man stood about 10 feet from his hound when he got hit, and said he wasn’t seriously injured perhaps because he wore waders.

He didn’t know what breed of dog shot its master. The accident recalled the infamous 2006 misfire by then-Vice President Dick Cheney who unloaded birdshot into a campaign donor’s face while quail hunting on a friend’s Texas ranch, probably not the first time Mr Cheney has been compared to a dog.

Revenge of the poo tattoo a steaming pile of hoax?

A boyfriend’s spiteful but terrifically original act of revenge on his cheating girlfriend – tattooing a steaming pile of poo on her back – has been branded a hoax after the picture went viral.

Tattoo artist Ryan Fitzjerald allegedly ‘tricked’ Rossie Brovent into getting the body art after discovering she had been playing away with his best friend.

Rossie, from Dayton, Ohio, is reportedly suing her ex for US$100,000 (B3 million), claiming he got her drunk on cheap wine and tequila before she signed the consent form.

She had apparently asked her artist lover for a scene from the Narnia films but her hopes were dashed spectacularly when Fitzjerald started with the ink needle.

She reportedly said: “Actually I was passed out for most of the time, and woke

All thanks to her stinker of a boyfriend. up to this horrible image on my back.”

Rossie also allegedly tried to have her former boyfriend charged with assault, however, internet users are

not convinced by the story. After the image of the tattoo went viral, it emerged that the picture appears to have been sourced from Polish social network site Nasza-klasa.

Some suspicious bloggers also dug deeper to dispel the myth by tracking down court records.

It now appears that no such civil complaint was ever filed by anyone of the name Brovent, or that such a person even exists in Dayton.

US website, The Smoking Gun, also reported that James Druber, administrator of the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, had heard nothing about the purported tattoo lawsuit.

Still, we like to think it’s true, because otherwise the person in that photo actually had that tattoo done of their own free will.

women accused CHRISTMAS DAY Zimbabwe 3 COURSE DINNER of raping men ‘for rituals’

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www.thephuketnews.com

Zimbabwean police believe there is a nationwide syndicate of women raping men, possibly to use their semen for use in rituals that claim to make people wealthy.

It has taken more than a year for any arrests to be made, and in late November three women went on trial in the capital, Harare, over the allegations which have shocked the country.

One alleged victim, who wished to remain anonymous, gave an account on national television in July of his experience which happened after he was offered a lift by a group of three women in Harare.

Continue reading the main story “One of the women threw water in my face and they injected me with something that gave me a strong sexual desire,” he said.

“They stopped the car

It's a wrap for Zim women. and made me have sex with each of them several times, using condoms. When they had finished they left me in the bush totally naked.

“Some people gathering grass [called] the police, who took me to hospital.”

The women were charged on 17 counts of aggravated indecent assault – as Zimbabwean law does not recognise the act of a woman raping a man. They were detained in Gweru, 275km south-west of Harare, after officers found 31 used condoms in the car that they were travelling in.

THE BIG LIST Radical Revenge We all have fantasies of getting even with people who annoy us, maybe even tattooing poo on their back (see left), but we seldom actually go through with it. Here are some examples of what could happen if we actually did: Arrogance surcharge: In early 2002, New Zealander James Storrie called New Zealand Telecom Corporation to complain that his cell phone had been disconnected.

The mistake was cleared up, but the representative was apparently offended by Storrie’s attitude. When Storrie received his next phone bill, he found that he’d been charged an extra NZ$140. What for? The explanation was printed right on the bill: “penalty for being an arrogant bastard”.

Sizzling service: One evening in June 2003, Wayne and Darlene Keller of Corona, California, took their two children to a local Sizzler restaurant. Mrs Keller apparently offended the waiter when she told him she couldn’t eat potatoes, and later didn’t leave a tip – the waiter later had his girlfriend follow the Kellers home to get their address. Then he, his girlfriend, and his brother doused their house, yard, and mailbox with a gallon of maple syrup, smashed eggs, toilet paper, duct tape, and plastic wrap. They might have gotten away with it, but in a state of heightened stupidity, Voeltner rang the doorbell. Then he hid in the bushes and waited to see their reaction. Their reaction: They called the police.

Pissed-off postie: On October 17, 2001, 62-year-old James Beal was fired from his job as relief postmaster in Empire, Michigan. The next day, Beal showed up at the post office carrying two five-gallon buckets full of worms, grubs, and porcupine faeces (you have to wonder where did he even get that from?). He proceeded to splatter several of his former co-workers with the putrid concoction, completely saturating two of them. He was on his way to his car to collect another bucket when police arrived.

You’ve got spam: Alan Ralsky had become a multimillionaire through marketing spam (not the canned variety) on the Internet. How much spam? His company sent up to 250 million e-mails a day. The spammer even bragged that one entire wing of his 8,000-square-foot, US$740,000 home house was paid for by a single weight-loss e-mail. A group of spam haters subsequently decided to give Ralsky a dose of his own medicine. They posted his home address on hundreds of websites, and Ralsky started getting tonnes – literally – of junk mail. Then they posted his e-mail address and his phone number, and the mega-junkmailer got inundated with the very thing he had made his millions from.

Marching orders: The Queen’s Royal Guards are a British institution charged with playing for dignitaries from around the world. But sometimes the band doesn’t want to play, because sometimes the person of notable importance is a douche.

The band faced just such a dilemma when Saudi King Abdullah came to Britain. The band finally agreed to go with tradition and play for the king, choosing a song that represented how they felt about him: ‘The Imperial March’ (aka Darth Vader’s theme song). King Abdullah hung out with the Queen for a while, then left, completely oblivious that the band tasked with heralding his arrival just called him a d**khead while the entire nation was watching.

Rocknrolla: When the Canadian folk-pop group Sons of Maxwell began their tour of Nebraska in 2008, they were disheartened to find baggage handlers heavily tossing their guitars onto the plane, destroying a $3,500 Taylor guitar. So guitarist Dave Carroll decided that he would exact revenge by recording a series of songs, which came to be called the ‘United Breaks Guitars’ trilogy. He uploaded them onto YouTube, where they went viral and racked up more than 4 million views in less than a month.

Within four days of the first video’s launch, United’s stock dropped in value by US$180 million. Bob Taylor, owner of Taylor Guitars, immediately offered Carroll two guitars.

23

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

LIFE&STYLE Rose Sathaporn Freelancer

She picked up her handbag (B3,500) on holiday in the US.

Her pants (B150) were found on a shopping trip to Samui.

The shoes (B150) were bought at the Platinum Mall in Bangkok.

street fashion

Chinpracha House Exploring Phuket with blogger Jamie Monk > 26

ACCESSORIES

Thirapan Narongkool

Hard Rock sales and marketing manager

1

Her Gucci sunglasses (B10,000) are from Jungceylon.

The earrings (B49) were bought from a stall on Soi Bangla.

Her bracelets (total B149) were found in Lotus Samkong.

The black and white stripe dress (B399) was bought at Platinum Mall in Bangkok.

She bought her bright yellow shoes (B600) at a shop in Jungceylon.

2

Red Coral

3 1. Shell bracelets B250 each 2. Stone rings B190 each 3. Handmade bag B2,200

Shop 889, 1/F, Turtle Village, Mai Kao. 076 314 898. Open daily 8am-10pm.

www.thephuketnews.com

24 DINING

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Nothing to wine about Kathrin Puff, the young Ge r ma n w i nema ke r for Thailand’s Monsoon Valley Wine, is a remarkable woman, to say the least.

Her blonde good looks complement her nat u ral friendly PR and marketing ability, on top of being able to consistently produce surprisingly good awardwinning Thai wines.

The other surprise is that these excellent white and red wines were produced from the large Monsoon Valley wineyard of Siam Winery, located in the very low hills near the seaside town of Hua Hin, not previously known for producing any wine at all – only mostly coconuts and pineapples.

I met Ms Puff at the recent Thai wine and Thai cuisine tryst held at the Ruen Thai Restaurant, Dusit Thani Laguna Resort in Cherng Thalay in the evening of Thursday December 1.

Upon arrival, the restau-

Above left: Staff at the Ruen Thai Restaurant with winemaker Kathrin Puff, middle. Above right: the marinated and grilled Australian lamb chop. rant appeared resplendent in dark timber that reflected the abundant candlelight.

Serving gourmet Thai food, it has tables on a deck right by a large lake.

However, right on cue when guests were just arriving, the stormy heavens opened up and rain lashed hard at defensive plastic screens. Still,

it just made the atmosphere inside all the more cosy.

Wi ne a nd good food complement one another.

But sometimes it becomes a friendly battle for attention – as with the evening’s encounter between winemaker Puff and Italian Executive Chef Silvano Amolini, who had actually changed the menu

from pure Thai to fusion at very short notice.

There were some raised eyebrows whe n t he t he sliced breast of grilled duck, with a Mekong-enhanced mushroom straw sauce, was served underdone like medium-rare beef fillets. It tasted good nevertheless.

My favourite dish though

was the marinated and grilled Australian lamb chop: so tender and favourful with elusive hints of herbs and spices. That came with a red wine that was fruity and well-oaked.

European oak bar rels sitting in the tropics crafting fine Thai wines? It seems that life is changing indeed.

The selection of five wines,

especially cool white ones, probably convinced many doubters. A well-travelled German visiting couple was so impressed by the surprising quality of the Monsoon Valley wine that they urged me to share this pleasant discovery of theirs, and mine.

And so I have.

–Norachai Thavisin

Betting on the Boathouse Boathouse Phuket, on Kata Beach, has launched a spectacular new four course degustation menu for both Thai and French cuisine, with wine pairings by Wine Director George Ciret.

Chef Jean-Noel Lumineau has prepared the menus, which for the French menu include dishes such as pan-seared duck foie gras and chanterelle mushrooms in vintage port wine sauce, open ravioli with

rock lobster, shellfish and morel sauce lamb loin, green asparagus, cepes mushrooms, celery mash and zucchini mousse and almond Napoleon cake, sultana grapes and green apple sherbet.

The Thai menu includes prawns coated with spicy green curry, plum and sweet chilli dip, pan-grilled seabass filled with lemongrass, chilli and lime, lamb massaman curry slow cooked, with shal-

lots, potatoes and cashew nuts and mango coconut ice cream, Malibu cream and passion fruit sauce.

The French Degustation menu is priced at B3,400++ per person including a glass of wine per course and B1,600++ per person for food only.

Alternatively, visitors to Phuket might want to consider the Food Lovers Gastronomy Package. Priced from B50,000, this offer includes round trip airport limousine transfers, three nights accommodation, daily breakfast for two, and the Degustation menu (French cuisine) with wine.

For reservations phone 076 330 015-7 or visit www. boathousephuket.com

www.thephuketnews.com

Traditional khanom krok, as pictured Modern khanom krok, above, is far here, is soft and often served with sugar. crispier than its traditional counterpart.

Taste of the tropics Khanom krok is a popular coconut dessert found on the streets. It is a mixture of rice flour, rice and coconut milk, which is then cooked in a pan over a charcoal fire.

It is very popular with both locals and foreigners.

There are two main types of khanom krok; one is the traditional recipe, which is softer than the more modern

STREET EATS version which is quite crispy.

The traditional khanom krok is a dessert for royalty and the recipe is more complicated. The cook boils uncooked rice, cooked rice, coconut milk and salt, then mills the ingredients with a millstone.

After that, the runny mixture is poured into a special khanom krok pan, with several small cup-shaped indentions in it. When it is almost cooked, the chef drops sweet and salty coconut milk into the pan or garnishes with sliced spring onions on top before serving.

The traditional soft khanom krok tastes both salty and sweet, and normally more sugar is sprinkled on top for added sweetness.

For the more modern version, a cook uses either no rice, or a smaller amount, to make the dessert crispier.

Various toppings for this type of khanom krok include taro, sweet corn, pumpkin or sliced spring onion. It tastes sweet and crispy.

Local vendor Pattama Phoomkaew moved from Phang Nga province to Phuket more than 10 years ago.

Her stall is open every day from 5pm daily until the treat is sold out. You can find her stall on Chao Fa East Rd, in front of Suang Luang Park.

DINING 25

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Slice of life

Above left: owner Khun Ploy outside Spoonful of Sugar cafe in Nai Harn. Below left: A selection of scrummy cakes available. Below right: Signs mark the entrance.

Lofty ambition IndoChine in Kalim have launched a “Brunch with Altitude” on Sundays at their St Tropez Beach Club roof top pool bar.

Last weekend’s brunch, priced at B700, featured lobster, salads, prawns, roast lamb and delicious sweet treats. According to IndoChine, the cuisine will alternate weekly between specially themed international dishes.

DJs Phil Drummond (Ministry of Sound) and Jon-Jak (Luna) provide the soundtrack for the event, which runs from 11am to 4pm every Sunday.

For more information or to RSVP please contact

Phuket local Siraprapa ‘Ploy’ Tavaranan made an unusual career change when she decided to open up A Spoonful of Sugar cafe in Nai Harn.

Ploy, who has a degree in commerce and accounting, worked at an accounting firm in Bangkok for two years before deciding she wanted a more exciting career.

She then moved to the United States, where she worked for three years as a chef’s assistant in a Thai restaurant, before coming back home to Phuket to open her own cafe.

Working in America made her realise how hard it was to run a restaurant, so she decided to start off with a cafe to see how she went. “When I was in Bangkok there were plenty of cake and tea places, and I thought it was a great idea for Phuket.”

She soon found the perfect location at an old wooden house her father owned in Nai Harn, which she began slowly renovating into a retro-style cafe – now a thriving hub of the community.

The charming little white house stands on a small plot of land, sheltered by large trees

The interior of the chic cafe is full of cool retro furniture. and featuring a wraparound veranda that offers a wonderful place to sit back with a pot of tea and a slice of cake.

Inside, A Spoonful of Sugar is home to an eclectic mix of furniture bought from second hand stores, a popular style in retro-mad Thailand, plus a wooden chair that belonged to her late grandmother.

Today, though her new business is a great success, her talent in accounting has not been lost, Ploy says her financial acumen skills come in handy when she needs to work on the business records.

Apa r t f rom t a k i ng a 52-hour baking course in Bangkok, Ploy, 29, has virtually no experience in baking but it doesn’t show. Her

homemade cakes and other dessert treats taste superb.

“I love cooking, but when I started baking I found it a lot easier than cooking.”

Cakes, pastries, sandwiches, breakfast snacks, smoothies and other yummy treats fill the cabinets inside the cafe – a recommended drink is the Mocca Magic, coffee with steamed coconut milk, and the cafe’s protein shakes; which are hugely popular with the local Muay Thai fighters in the area.

A Spoonful of Sugar 30/10 1. 1 Wiset Rd, Rawai (near Da Vinci), 076 388432, a _ spoonful_of _ sugar @ hotmail.com; facebook.com/ spoonfulof sugar

Khun Kittisak on kittisak@ indochinephuket.com

www.thephuketnews.com

26 EXPLORE

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

The walls inside Baan Chinpracha are full of old photos of the immigrant family, who also had dealings in Penang.

Chinpracha House, Phuket Town P

huket Town is full of gems. Much as I love looking at beaches and sea views, over the years it’s the culture and history of Phuket which has fascinated me more.

I guess most visitors don’t realise that Phuket has a history, and think of Phuket as just a holiday island that didn’t have much going on until tourism arrived 30 or so years ago.

I also never thought about it for the first few years I was living here, mainly because I was too busy diving.

www.thephuketnews.com

JAMIE’S PHUKET Nowadays, I admit that I’d rather go for a walk in old Phuket Town than on the beach. Always something new to find and it’s a great area for photography. There are loads of old buildings – much of the old town was built about 100 years ago in the days before tourism, when Phuket was making it’s money from the huge tin mining industry.

The mining attracted work-

ers and traders from China – many Chinese moved to Phuket during the 19th century and some of them got rich from mining. Many of the “big” families in Phuket trace their family back a few generations to Chinese immigrants.

Such is the case with the Chinpracha family. Prapitak Chinpracha was born in Phuket in 1883, son of a Chinese family who had moved to Phuket in 1854 and who also had business dealings in Penang, Malaysia.

Baan Chinpracha (Baan is the Thai word for house or home) was built in 1903 – at the time the house/mansion was on the edge of Phuket Town.

The house is still owned by the same family several generations later. A very nice lady called Khun Daeng still lives there. Her husband passed away a few years ago which caused a problem, as he left the house to her, but part of the land to another family member, who promptly sold the land to a developer who built some new shophouses right in front of the old house.

Apparently, a legal case is still in progress. There is talk that the shophouses might have to be removed. I do hope so!

Chinpracha House is located on Krabi road, just a block west of Thalang Road, and is open to the public, or at least part of the house is open (not all, since people do still live here!). The entry fee is B200.

I had been once before while on a Phuket Town tour with Phuket Heritage Trails,

and I wanted to go again to take more photos, and this time with my wife and kids.

You can’t get a great view of the front of the mansion due to the shophouses, and the garden to the side is a bit overgrown. It’s quite a big house, but is actually dwarfed by a mansion next door that was originally built a few years later by the same family and is now the very expensive Blue Elephant restaurant.

I love these old buildings, the way they are built so that inside the house you still have a bright outdoor feel – the main room has a large skylight and an indoor pond with fish, and the water is kept decorated with fresh flowers. I also love the old inlaid floor tiles.

The whole ground floor is

open to the public, including bedrooms, kitchen and dining room. The walls are full of old photos of the family, the rooms are filled with old furniture, much of it original Chinese.

My son tried to have a quick play on the piano – this seems to be purely decorational, as it was totally out of tune.

Also visiting the house – a happy couple who were having wedding photos taken. This is a real slice of Phuket’s history.

The photos on the wall are worth a close look, check out the faces, the clothes and the family portraits.

When Baan Chinpracha was built, no foreigners were coming to Phuket looking for beaches and massages. The house was built with money that came from tin mining,

which made Phuket into a relatively wealthy province.

For sure tourism is now Phuket’s big earner – there is no tin mining now, but rubber is still a big money maker, so is fishing, prawn farming, pineapples and cashew nuts. More than just beaches and hotels. We like to explore and learn, and always enjoy a walk in old Phuket Town.

Read more of Jamie’s posts at jamie-monk.blogspot.com.

When he’s not writing about his explorations across Phuket, Jamie can be found working at liveaboard dive specialists Sunrise Divers in Karon. More info: +66 84 626 4646, info@sunrise-divers. com; sunrise-divers.com

TRAVEL 27

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

AF sells Europe specials Air France launches an online deal, Europe Winter Special, for travel to 19 key European cities during February next year.

This early bird promotion is bookable online only until December 15, while departures from Bangkok are allowed, February 1 to 28, next year.

All inclusive promotional fares are: B30,515 to Madrid; B30,760 to Venice; B33,305, Manchester; B33,360, Birmingham; B35,120 to Barcelona; B35,360, Milan; B35,405, Rome; B36,290, Paris; B36,550, Nice; B31,905, Brussels; B32,590, Vienna; B33,285, Frankfurt; B35,375, Oslo; B35,470, Stockholm; B35,600, Copenhagen; B36,155, Zurich; B37,365, Stuttgart; B39,030, London and B39,955, Amsterdam.

Earlier the airline rolled out business class web fares to Paris and Nice at B104,555, available until December 3 for departure from Bangkok by 31 March 2012. –TTR Weekly

THAI AirAsia to serve Trang Thai AirAsia will start a daily service to Trang on the Thailand’s Andaman coast on January 15.

Thai AirAsia is the third airline to serve the southern resort after Orient Thai Airlines and Nok Air. THAI gave up its rights to Trang handing the route over to Nok Air three years ago.

Unlike the other t wo airlines, Thai AirAsia will be the only airline serving the destination from Suvarnabhumi Air port (the other two are based at Don Mueang Airport).

Howeve r, u nt i l t he floodwaters recede the two airlines are also using Suvarnahbumi Airport.

Thai AirAsia’s daily service will depart Suvarnabhunmi Airport at 9.20am and arrive in Trang at 10.40am.

The flight will return at 11.25am and land in Bangkok at 12.45pm.

Thai AirAsia CEO, Tassapon Bijleveld said: “AirAsia’s involvement with the local Trang community such as sponsorship of the Trang Football Club is part of our sports marketing focus which has proved very successful.”

To introduce the new

flight, the carrier will offer a B690 promotional fare available online until December 7.

The deal is all inclusive for one sector. Travel period

r uns from Januar y 15 to June 30, 2012. Orient Thai operates one daily flight to Trang departing Bangkok at 7.30am and returns from

Trang at 9.20am. The regular fares start from B2,700 all-in roundtrip.

Nok Air operates a twice daily service at 7.30am and

another at 3.10pm. The return flights leave Trang at 9.20am and 5pm. Standard fares start from B3,180.

–TTR Weekly

www.thephuketnews.com

28 ONCAMERA

CAN YOU KICK IT?

The Andaman International Soccer 7s were held at the Thanyapura Sport and Leisure Club on Saturday and Sunday (December 3 and 4). Like the Phuket 7s, 40 teams battled it out for glory over the two days with 24 teams taking part in the Open category and 16 in the Masters age group.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Theodore Lewand of Americana, one of the many international performers.

WORLD MUSIQ FEST A HIT Many Thais, expats and tourists joined in the fun of the World Musiq Festival, held at Saphan Hin from December 2-5.

The free live music festival was held in honour of HM King Bhumibol’s 84th birthday.

The festival featured music from Thailand, plus international acts including Americana, the Batucada drums of Brazil, Hassan Hakmoun from the Middle East, and Todd Tongdee’s World Musiq and Dance show. Many in attendance hoped it would become an annual event.

Performer Eric Theox of Americana.

Phuket’s Longest Table

Cooking With Coffee Lots of fun was had at the Boncafe and Lagritta Coffee Dinner, held at La Gritta Restaurant at the Amari Coral Beach Phuket resort, Patong.

The event was held on November 30 and guests enjoyed a selection of food and coffee matches. Everyone enjoyed the Cooking with Coffee evening at Amari. www.thephuketnews.com

The weather was fine, the sunset was spectacular and the food was delicious as the three-day North Phuket Culinary Arts Festival 2011 kicked off last Friday (December 2) with Phuket’s Longest Table, stretching under fairy lights more than 300 metres from the Renaissance Resort to SALA Phuket.

On the lawns between the resorts and Mai Khao Beach, diners enjoyed buffet food from stalls set up by the hotels, plenty of drinks with cocktails from a bar made entirely of ice just for the event, and a party SALA Phuket Resort and Spa GM Jon Ashenden. atmosphere with DJ vibes.

ONCAMERA 29

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Sweat and smiles

There was plenty of sweat and smiles at the Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club (TSLC) IronKids Phuket 2011 event held last Saturday (December 3).

The fun-filled community event attracted a large number of entries from children of all ages and abilities. The athletes, who competed in a swim, bike ride and run, were divided into three age-groups Junior (6-8 years), Intermediate (9-11 years) and Senior (12-15 years) and a team in each age group.

While the top three winners in each age group were awarded trophies, every child walked away with a T-shirt, water bottle, swim- Finished at last! Anan Dobbs, junior competitor, crosses the finish line. ming cap and medal.

Khun Narong Pattamasaevi, the owner of Boathouse (third from left), and Boathouse GM Marie Fleury (far right), presided over the celebrations at Kata Beach.

CELEBRATING THE REGATTA The sandy beach in front of the Boathouse on the night of December 5 was packed with hundreds of yachtsmen and others associated with the current annual 2011 Phuket

King's Cup Regatta for the prizegiving and party at the end of Race Day One. Candles were dist r ibuted to the large crowd and these are lit around 8pm at the same

time as they would have been by millions around the country, to celebrate the 84th birthday of His Majesty the King.

Celebratory birthday songs were sung on the stage then fireworks exploded in the sky.

Nine year-old medallists, Chloe and Maxime Schrijnemaekers and Eloise De Perthuis

BIRTHDAY WISHES

Phuketians, authorities, and members of various clubs and associations gathered at Saphan Hin on the evening of December 5 to light candles in celebration of HM the King’s 84th birthday. Phuketians turned out in traditional dress at Saphan Hin.

Happy Birthday HM the King Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket celebrated the 84th birthday of His Majesty The King Bhumibol Adulyadej by holding a

candle ceremony and singing the Thailand National Anthem.

The group were led by Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket

General Manager Peter Komposch (fourth from left).

Guests and staffs were invited to join the celebration. www.thephuketnews.com

30 ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF Kanye gets close to Olsen twin Rapper Kanye West has been romantically linked to Mary-Kate Olsen.

The American musician has reportedly been spotted “hooking up” with the star.

Kanye was celebrating his 34th birthday at the Submercer Nightclub in New York City on Wednesday night, when an onlooker saw him getting close to the famous twin, 24.

Rihanna on ‘24hour health watch’ Rihanna is apparently being watched around the clock to remain in great shape for the remainder of her tour.

The 23-year-old singer has had to cancel dates due to illness in recent weeks and is said to be extremely exhausted.

Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper now claims that the Barbadian starlet has been put under 24-hour surveillance and given a curfew by her record label ahead of this weekend’s Capital Jingle Bell Ball event.

Clarkson rants against rail suicide British Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson is embroiled

www.thephuketnews.com

in further controversy after branding people who throw themselves under trains ‘selfish’.

The 51-year-old, who was forced to apologise last week after saying all striking workers should be shot, reiterated his view that those who commit suicide at railway stations cause ‘immense’ disruption for commuters.

The comments in his weekly column have already sparked criticism from suicide and mental health charities.

Tyra’s ‘burrito soup’ disgusts staff

Tyra Banks microwaves burritos until they are like soup before eating them.

The supermodel has publicly battled her weight in the past but is now happy with her body.

“She sends a staffer to the Taco Bell drive-through for two big burritos with extra sauce, cheese and sour cream – then plops them into a big bowl. Microwaves them then ... scarfs down what [insiders] call Tyra soup,” reports National Enquirer.

“It’s so gross. Tyra says it’s her favourite meal, but the rest of us just want to gag,” a source complained.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Having a laugh A word of warning: Listening to Live89.5 could trigger uncontrollable euphoric flashbacks and fits of laughter.

In a bid to keep things interesting and bring unique content to the island, the team at Phuket’s newest radio station have dusted off some classic radio comedy gold, and are also generating some fresh new ones themselves.

Created in the mid 1960s

by American Dick Orkin, Chickenman was loosely patterned after the Batman television show, though with a pretty major twist.

In the series, the superhero known as Chickenman is Benton Harbor, a shoe salesman at a large Midland City department store. Because of his Monday to Friday working hours, Chickenman can only fight crime on weekends – the burden of any wage-slave parttime crimefighter.

Chickenman roams Midland City seeking criminals in his yellow crime-fighting car, appropriately known as the Chicken Coupe, and his adventures are now roaming across the Phuket airwaves with new episodes every day.

If that’s not enough though,

Captain Elvis Brandenburg Kremmen of the Star Corps is the creation of Kenny Everett. you could always get stuck into Captain Kremmen, a science fiction radio serial set in the early 21st Century.

Written and performed for Capital Radio by the late, great Kenny Everett, it features the eponymous vain and dimwitted spaceship captain Kremmin and his crew in X-104, taking listeners on wacky adventures in, well, space.

Or, if your insatiable appetite for classic comedy still isn’t satisfied, Live89.5 is also

broadcasting The Tooth Fairy, the wacky tales of Newton J. Snookers, a student of dentistry looking to fulfill this great and noble duty as a bringer of joy – and money – to children.

Rounding out Live 89.5’s comedy lineup is Dane’s World, original comedy genius inspired by weird and wonderf ul facts, stor ies and tidbits from around the world, and maybe just a few from Phuket too.

The Breakfast Club host DJ

Ryan Dunn the radio comedies are a “bit of a laugh”. “ Be cau se t he se pro grammes have been around for decades, those that are familiar with them will enjoy reliving the classic days of radio, while those that haven’t heard them before should still find them pretty interesting.

“The shows are timeless, so it’s a great point of difference for us, plus we’re working on some more original stuff inhouse, so stay tuned for that.”

LUXURY 31

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

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Email phuketstretchlimo@gmail. com, visit phuketstretchlimo.com, or call 085 311 1211.

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Email phuketstretchlimo@gmail. com, visit phuketstretchlimo.com, or call 085 311 1211.

LUXURY PHUKET

The dictionary defines luxury as “a material object, or service conducive to sumptuous living”, while Wikpedia states: “Luxury goods are products and services not considered essential but are associated with affluence. The concept of luxury has been present in various forms since the beginning of civilisation. Its role was just as important in ancient western and eastern empires as it is in modern societies.”

On this new page, we’ll promote the very best in luxury living on Phuket, whether it be a yacht, jet, car, watch, fashion, or jewellery – so read on, and enjoy the Phuket luxe life.

Wahoo Luxury Yacht Charters T her e i s no b et ter way to appreciate the Andaman Sea, with its crystal clear waters and some of the most stunning scenery in the world than on a private charter yacht with Wahoo Luxury Yacht Charters.

Wahoo - Phuket’s favorite private yacht charter company offers

an unforgettable cruising, game fishing or diving experience in Phi Phi, Phang Nga, Krabi and beyond Your magical day begins with a warm Thai welcome from their on-board service team, who will ensure you are pampered to the fullest extent throughout the day, leaving you to relax, enjoy a

refreshing swim or explore on the Jet Ski and Sea Canoes.

Their sumptuous food menus are all freshly prepared on board, allowing you to dine al fresco in beautiful surroundings, with every possible luxury taken care of.

Email info@wahoo.ws, visit www. wahoo.ws or call 076 281 510, www.thephuketnews.com

32 EVENTS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET DECEMBER 9

9

December

Thanyapura Holiday Night Market and Festival of Lights

Begin the holidays with brilliance as Thanyapura lights up in anticipation of the coming holidays. Wander over to our holiday market, which brings together artistry, face painting, and other great activities for kids.

Performances from Phuket International Academy Day School's student and teacher choirs will charm you with familiar holiday tunes in the tropics.

Thanyapura Holiday Night Market and Festival of Lights

Begin the holidays with brilliance as ThanTree Lighting Ceremony: 7:00pm Happy Hour - half price on selected beverages: 5:00pm - 8:00pm Canapé: 350 THB*/person yapuraBuffet lights up in anticipation of the comVenue: DiVine Restaurant ing holidays.

Wander over to our holiday Plus: Santa's Tropical Visit Callingwhich all kids; bringbrings your letters and wishes to Thanyapura as market, together artistry, face Santa Claus pays us a visit in the tropics! painting, and other great activities for kids.

For more information, reservations and ticket sales, please contact F&B reservations desk.

Performances from Phuket InternaTel: +66 (0)76 336 000 ext. 3302, Email: divine@thanyapura.com tional Academy Day School’s student and teacher choirs will charm you with familiar holiday tunes in the tropics. Tree Lighting Ceremony: 7pm. Happy Hour - half price on selected beverages: 5pm to 8pm. Buffet Canapé: B350++ per person. Venue: DiVine Restaurant Thanyapura Holiday Night Market and Festival of Lights Calling all kids; bring your letters and wishes to Thanyapura as Santa Claus pays us a visit in the tropics! Plus: Santa’s Tropical Visit. Contact F&B reservation desk 076 336 000 ext.3302.

List your events here for as low as B99 per line, or online at www.thephuketnews.com/events.php Biggest fish (released) caught B5,000.

“PROUDLY SPONSORED BY THE RBFC” (Rawai Beach Fishing Club). To participate you only need to pay B2,000 where you will have access to the fishing rod, bait, free food and of course the chance to take home the big prizes!

The contest begins 10 am and runs until 5pm, after we hold a little party at our fine restaurant where you can stay and enjoy the rest of the evening.

Please contact us for more info and reservation: 081 459 0152. Address 48/3 Moo 4, Thepkrassatri Road, Tambon Koh Keaw, Ampur Muang 83000, opposite Isuzu show room. www.phuketfishpark. com, www.rawaibeachfishingclub.com.

Bellini Restaurant’s Grand Opening.

- Pizza Day December 16 From 11am till 11pm, all Pizza B99.

- Pasta Day on 17 December from 5 to 11pm all Pasta B99.

Near to Headstart International School.

Lots of parking. For more information please call 076 304 420 or 082 816 0126.

DECEMBER 10 Constitution Day The anniversary of the first permanent constitution in 1932. It is a public holiday.

Boats and teams are filling fast. For further information, please contact Warren Crowe on 081 270 4291 or email: info@rawaibeachfishingclub.com.

FEBUARY 14, 2012

FEBUARY 2-4, 2012

Wahoo Thailand 2012

*Price is subject to 10% service charge and 7% government tax.

DECEMBER 16-17 Grand Opening - Bellini

al sport fishing tournament. Prize money totalling over B3,000,000 ($100,000 USD).

Sport Fishing Tournament The Similan Islands 2nd - 4th February 2012

Record Breaking Mass Wedding Proudly organized by theThe Rawaiisland Beach Fishing Club (RBFC), Phuket,the Thailand is aiming to break national

record for the biggest mass wedding on Cash and Prizes totaling over 3,000,000 Baht Valentine’s (US$ 100,000) Day to benext wonyear. The Thai traditional style mass wedding for 108 couples at Laem Promthep, the best sunset in Thailand. Other activities include offering alms to 99 Buddhist monks and planting trees as part of a schedule running from February 12-15, 2012.

Wahoo Thailand 2012 Sport Fishing Tournament This is Thailand’s largest-ever internation-

Contact Suanluang Inter Wedding 076 221 976, email: info@interwedding phuket.com. interweddingphuketcom.

DECEMBER 17 DECEMBER 25 Christmas Day Dinner @ Stan By The Lake Book Now To Avoid Disppointment.

Starter : Prawn Cocktail -Roast Turkey & Stuffing -Gammon Ham -Roast Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes -Bacon & Sausage Rolls -Vegetables & Red Wine Gravy -Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce -Mince Pies & Coffee Price B750 Children (under 10 year old) B300. Start 3 pm. Stan By The Lake.

Please call Stan and Gail 087 978 5803-4.

For further details please contact Warren Crowe or Andy Bright info@rawaibeachfishingclub.com Warren tel: +66 (0) 812704291 Andy tel: +66 (0) 862739948 Website: www.rawaibeachfishingclub.com Rawai Beach Fishing Club is an official member and Sponsor Club of the International Game Fishing Association. RBFC supports IGFA’s standards of good sportsmanship in recreational fishing.

www.iretrading.com

Ac´s Phuket Fishing Park Fishing Competition Prizes: Most fish (released) caught B20,000.

www.thephuketnews.com

Karon, Phuket

EVENTS 33

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET

List your events here for as low as B99 per line, or online at www.thephuketnews.com/events.php

Family Brunch on The Boardwalk

music, great beer. Contact 081 728 1010.

Facebook Peppers Sports Bar.

Les Anges at RPM. From 11am to 3pm.

B795++ adults, includes one glass of house wine, 50 per cent discount. Children under 12 eat for free. Call for reservations on 076 360 803.

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IBAP - Christmas Networking

Best Sunday Carvery in Phuket

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Bring the kids to meet Santa and his helpers. Full Moon Brewwork, JungCeylon, from 6.30pm, December 09, all welcome.

More info at http://ibap-phuket.org.

Roast beef, BBQ ham, chicken, pork and Yorkshire pudding. All you can eat B399.

Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

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Sunday Brunch

Thai BBQ

Enjoy the original Sunday brunch in Phuket at Twinpalms, Surin Beach. 12-3pm (from B1,190++ per person). Reser vations please call 076 316 577.

FRIDAY

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B230 per person. 6-10pm, free Karaoke from 7-10pm. CC Bloom’s Hotel. Call 076 333 222, www.ccbloomshotel.com.

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BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat

Half-Chicken Spit Roast

O nly B29 5 per person at Shakers.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim. For reservations call on 081 891 4381.

O nly B2 25 per person at Shakers.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim area. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

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Phuket Brasserie

Sunday Family Brunch

Eat, drink, look and party. Live band, DJ and dancers from 10pm till late. All welcome. Call 076 210 511 for more information or look on www.brasseriephuket.com

At Club Yamu by Twinpalms. Noon till 3pm.

Enjoy delicious pasta, BBQ, Thai home cooking. Call 076 310 557.

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Tapas & Wine Night O rder tapas, as much as you like, plus one bottle of wine. B1,200 net per person. 6 -11pm at White Box Kalim.

Call 076 346 271. ................................................................................

Curry Fridays at Navrang Mahal Start November 2011-January 2012. Every Fridays, all-you-can-eat authentic Indian curry buffet, B449 net per person. Draught beer B50. 7pm-11.30pm. Call 076 286 464.

SATURDAY Colin Hill Colin Hill performs (duo) now every second Saturday at Legends Bar in Kamala, with local guitarist Florian. 081 079 1069.

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Half-Chicken Spit Roast

MONDAY Roaring Bhoys Live Music every Monday night. The largest selection of draught beer in Phuket. Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

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BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat Only B325 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Free pickup Patong and Kalim. Reservations 081 891 4381.

Ask Thai Weight Loss how! Take advantage of our free weight loss seminar from 7.15pm. Contact Michael 087 897 8997, 076 304 108, www.thailandweightloss. com.

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Salsa Class Rawai

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AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM

Half-Chicken Spit Roast

All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub, 82/15 Moo 4 Patak Road, one km from Chalong circle. Contact 081 895 4763.

O nly B2 25 per person at Shakers.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim area. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

All Major Sports Live

AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM

On the big screen. F1, MotoGP, Tennis, Golf, AFL, NRL. Irish Times Irish Pub, Jungceylon, Patong.

All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub, 82/15 Moo 4, Patak Road, one km from Chalong circle. Contact 081 895 4763.

20% Off All Pizzas At Shakers. Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim areas.

Reservations call 081 891 4381.

SUNDAY Saturday Brunch The B-Lay Tong Saturday brunch will be held every Saturday starting from December 10, 2011 until January 7, 2012, from 11.30am to 3pm. B1,200 net per person.

Two people receive one bottle of house wine between them.

For reservations please contact +66(0) 76 344 999 and +66(0) 76 680 666 or e-mail rsvn@b-laytong.com.

Salsa Class At RPM Salsa class at Royal Phuket Marina from 7.30pm-9pm. www.phuket-dance.com.

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BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat O nly B29 5 per person at Shakers.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim. Reservations call on 081 891 4381.

THURSDAY

Saturday Brunch The B-Lay Tong Saturday brunch will be held every Saturday starting from December 10, 2011 until January 7, 2012, from 11.30am – 3pm. B1,200 net per person. Two people receive one bottle of house wine. For reservations please contact +66(0) 76 344 999 and +66(0) 76 680 666 or e-mail rsvn@b-laytong.com.

Lose Weight Now Ask Thai Weight Loss how! Take advantage of our free weight loss seminar from 7.15pm. Contact Michael 087 897 8997, 076 304 108, www.thailandweightloss. com.

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BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat Only B325 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Free pickup Patong and Kalim. Reservations 081 891 4381.

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AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub 82/15 Moo 4 Patak Road, one km from Chalong circle.Contact for details on 081 895 4763.

DAILY

Wednesday Quiz Night @ Peppers Quiz Night every Wednesday at Peppers Sports Bar near Laguna.

-Great food -Great music -Great beer.

Contact 081 728 1010.

Facebook: Peppers Sports Bar.

Lose Weight Now

Salsa Class in Green Man Studio from 6.30 to 9 pm, more information on phuketdance.com.

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Q uiz ni ght . Star ts from 8pm ever y Wednesday night. The largest selection of draught beer in Phuket. Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

TUESDAY

O nly B2 25 per person at Shakers.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim area. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

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Interactive Pub

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Beach BBQ Enjoy a beach BBQ at Catch Beach Club (from B1,190++ per person). 7pm-10pm.

Call 076 316 567.

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Rotary Club of Patong Beach Weekly meeting in English. Dinner out on first Tuesday of the month. rotarypatong. org.

WEDNESDAY Quiz Night @ Peppers Quiz Night every Wednesday at Peppers Sports Bar near Laguna. Great food, great

Brew Great Beer Phuket’s one and only small batch handcraft beer. Happy hour daily from 4pm to 7pm. Draft beer B110/pint, cocktails two for B220. Live music at 7.30pm onwards. Behind the ship, the port zone at Jungceylon. Call 076 3667 753.

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December Promotion Discount 50% Hong Kong Beef Special promotion only B450 (normal price B900). At The Royal Kitchen, Chinese food (Cantonese) 25th floor. The Royal Paradise Hotel and Spa. Call 076 340 666 ext. 2406. www.royalparadise.com.

Special Friday @ Indian Feast Royal Phuket Marina is pleased to introduce you to our new “Special Friday for Indian Feast” We are delighted to offer 25% discount on the indian buffet and 10% on the listed menu from December 02 and other every Friday night from 7-10 pm. This Authentic Home-Made Indian Buffet will be prepared and served by our very own in-house Indian Chef Padum Kahtri.

Grizzly’s Sports Bar& Restaurant

Reservations are recommended, so please call “Les Anges” on 076-360-803 or call Mr. Murat (Events & Group Manager )on 081 797 3364. Only B495++ per person.

Watch all the sport that is on TV this weekend with us. Located between Loch Palm Golf Course and Kathu Waterfall.

Call 087 471 8747.

DECEMBER 24 X’mas Eve Menu & Salsa Party

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Sunset Happy Hours & Ninjazz Don’t miss the Sunset happy hours. Between 5pm and 7pm. “Buy one get the same one free” promotion. The Luna Bar, Centara Grand Beach Resort. 076 201 234.

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3-Hour Happy Hour Three-hour Happy Hour Monday-Friday, 4pm-7pm. Beer from B50. House spirits B90. Australia Bar & Grill, Kata Beach.

Contact 089 226 2878.

8pm onwards. Les Anges is delighted to invite you to our X’mas Eve & Salsa Party. Dance A Cha-cha, Bachata, Samba and Rumba to the sounds of DJ’sand enjoy your christmas eve on the boardwalk of Les Anges. Xmas Menu is B1400++ per person and reservation are recommended due to limited seats.

For all enquiries and reservations please contact : Murat Can Sakarya, Events & Group Manager: Call 076 360 811–2, 081 797 3364 or e-mail : muratc@royalphuketmarina.com

www.thephuketnews.com

34

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

CLASSIFIEDS JOBS IN PHUKET lish and Thai languages with administrative and computer skills.

Rental Assistant & Listing: Must have good knowledge of English written and spoken, be able to work with Microsoft Office and know how to use the internet.

The candidate must have good social skills, be a team player and be able to work independant.

Interested in this job with growth potential?

Call 087 882 2856 or e-mail to luc@phukettropical-realestate.com.

Sales Executive: Experienced sales executive needed to join expanding public ation. Candidate must be focused, discip l i n e d a n d o r g a n i s e d.

English fundamental.

Please contact info@thinkdesignmagazine.com or 087 281 0994.

Qualified Personal Assistant: We are looking for a personal assistant for the CEO of an important events company.

Conditions: Must speak read and write French, Eng-

Staff Wanted For Bellini Restaurant: - One person in the kitchen, Thai speaking, no experience required, we will show you how! Salary B9,000 +Bonus+Service charge and insurance per month.

- One person in service, speaks Thai and English. No experience needed. Salary B9,000 +bonus+service charge and insurance per month.

- One person to make deliveries. Driving licence. Salar y B9,000 +bonus+service charge and insurance per month.

Contact Jackye 082 424 1145. www.thephuketnews.com

We of fer a salar y of B20,000 plus accomodation included. CV and reference required. yna habed@ hotmail.com.

English Speaking Waitresses: Deepaval Restaurant/The Lounge bar in Bang Tao requires 3 English speaking waitresses. Call for more info 080 722 3377.

To work in new office Phuket. Proficient in AutoCAD (2004 or higher) for 2D drawing. Experience of 3D AutoCAD, Google SketchUp, Adobe Photoshop or Adobe InDesign would be a bonus. Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook.

Thai national, good s p o ke n a n d w r i t te n English, send CV indicating qualifications and experience, expected salary and recent photo to: david@yes.co.th.

V i s i t w w w. s o u n d ideas.co.uk to see the type of work we do.

Just minutes to the beach > 36

To advertise here visit: thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php W a i t r e s s / W a i t e r rience. To apply phone 086 for our range of fast-moving other languages (German and Recept ionist: 941 8880 or send CV to consumer products. Thai preferred) with good comUrgently required for Sensive Hill in Kathu. Similar background and experience required, excellent salar y on of fer. Please contact K. Rin at 076 203 012 or send CV to guy@ sensivehill.com.

Sales Genius Wanted: International operating company is building a Google-like street tour.

Apply at max@panomat ics.com.

Promot ional St af f Wanted: English-speakCAD Technician :

Grand three-bed pool villa

ing Thai, full training given, airport and Patong locations. Basic plus commission. 087 105 4566. Immediate start.

phil@royalembassyresort phuket.com.

New Italian Bakery & Supermart: New Italian bakery & supermarket in Surin Beach.

Kitchen (basic English required): - Pastry/baking kitchen sous chef.

- Chef de partie/commis, steward service (good English required) - Waitress/waiter - Bartender - Supermarket assistant and cashier.

Send CV by email marcellamocci@gmail. com, by fax 076 618 130 or contact 087 270 5806 or 076 618 127.

Hotel Receptionist Requir e d: Englishspeaking Thai national with good computer skills required for reception, restaurant and bar work in Kamala. Salary and hours negotiable based on expe-

Driver: PEXGO courier requires driver for pick up and deliveries in Phuket.

Must be able to work at night. Must speak some English, basic use of computer. Contact Meaw on 076 322 663 or email phuket@pexgo.com.

munication, sales skills and willing to work in a highly-professional & diverse team.

Flexible, able to work under pressure and being serviceorientated is a must. This position is for a long-term & full-time contract.Please send your CV & photo to: of fice@sea-bees.com.

Wai t ress Want ed: Waitress wanted in patong beach small restaurant six tables family run great tips, please call Eed 076 342 378, 081 892 0796.

Bliss Boutique HoLooking for a Team- tel Staff Needed: Bliss Member: Sea Bees Div- Boutique hotel is looking

Travelling Salesman:

ing is looking for a reliable and responsible person (Western or Thai) for our office in Chalong.

Sale representative available to travel around Thailand

Applicants need to be completely fluent in English and

Office Boy: Office boy for company in Kamala with driving licence for deliveries in Phuket, must speak some English. Only Thai national. Salary B12,000 per month. Call 076 322 663.

national, English-speaking, computer skills, driving licence and proven experience of sales to minimart, supermarket.

We already have more than 500 customers in Thailand. Salar y B15K plus commission. Contact via email skgf@skgf.asia.

for reception and kitchen staff. Are you interested or want to know more info?

Salary starting at B7,000 per month. Give us a call at 085 619 4963.

CLASSIFIEDS 35

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

BUY & SELL IN PHUKET BOATS & YACHTS

Indo Construction: 40 years experience of more than 20 years at your service in Thailand. Main contractor: study project, architecture design and construction and management. Contact 076 381 895.

Digifox Marine: Marine inboard engines, hydraulic and mechanical equipment service, repairs and spare parts. MAN, Arneson, ZF, Rolls Royce and others. Professional team of engineers, high quality, personal approach guaranteed. Contact 076 336 221, 083 171 4141.

Email info@digifoxmarine. com.

BUSINESSES FOR SALE B u s i n e s s f o r S a l e: Phuket slingsshot, Thailand’s only and bumper cars. Call 082 419 0742.

Very profitable bar on main road. Owner returning to Australia in high season. Has 1 B/R with ensuite, three FS TV’s, pool table, stock, furniture. etc. Price negotiable.

Call Chompoo 084 844 3504.

Sales (new and used), service and repairs, WLAN a speciality. Free telephone advice.

DIVING Paradise Diving Asia: All courses and diving trips.

Boat charter and individual tours. w w w.dive-paradise. com.

automatic engine 400,000 thb 0878871292 or drewjoy27@yahoo.com.

PADI 5 Star Centre. Half-day, daytrips, live-aboards and diver education. Phuket’s only dive club! 076 284 026.

All 4 Diving: 5/4 Sawatdirak Road, Patong Beach. Call 076 344 611. only dive club!

EDUCATION 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.

Your specialist of imported food and drinks in Phuket. Visit our shop at the Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco Lotus. Contact 076 612 733, 076 248 900. Fax 076 612 734. See our website phuketfood.com.

Toursys: Tour operator software. Presented by Blue D Zine Co., Ltd. See bluedzine. com.

Office For Rent: In middle

Green House: Construc-

BUSINESS SERVICES

English Computer man:

Phuket Scuba Club:

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES of Patong, new office for long term rent. Quiet area. 28 sq metre and 56 sq metre. Parking avail. For more info: con tact@roomsatthe9th.com.

km. Sell B1,240,000. Please call for more details on 087 276 0529.

Jeep Wrangler: 3-litre

Farang Food Paradise: Kamala Bar for SALE!:

To advertise here visit: thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

tion, renovation, electric, metal work, wood work, shop fitting.

Please contact 085 654 2244.

CARS FOR RENT A1 Ca r Re n t a l s: Fully-insured. Starts at B12,000 to B18,000 per month. Please call 089 831 4703. Email for more info: a1carrent@gmail.com.

CARS FOR SALE

man/English) 080 778 1220, (Thai) 081 810 9115.

Learn Thai at Home:

Economical Car for Sale: Ford Aspire, female owner, manual runs very well and very economical. Power steering, new parts, for sale B120,000. Call: 084 188 8445.

CHILDCARE

Female Thai teacher with 8-9 years experience gives Thai and English lessons for company/hotel staff and Thai cooking at your home.

Full course with conversation practise and home study material. Both at beginner and more advanced levels. Call 081 797 1497 or Email teacher joy_phuket@hotmail.com.

Native German Teacher: Native German TEFL

Kiddies Home Nurs- teacher is teaching German ery: Award for top Nursery and English to single students for Phuket Province 2011. Ages 3 months to 4 years. Open 7 days a week and from 6.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. Rock Garden Village, call 076 528 862, mobile 082 539 8252 or kiddies home nursery@gmail.com.

at home or small groups in Chalong. Please contact (Ger-

Guitar Lesson By Pro Player: Guitar/bass lessons beginner to advanced. Personal one-on-one or by DVD. Diploma of Teaching (Aust) degree. Call 089 777 3063.

Cooking School: Fire up your creative flare with Food Services Cooking School. Italian, Western and Thai cuisine.

Try our famous pizza school.

Call 082 816 0126, info@food servicesth.com.

International Kindegarten: International Kindergar-

ten. Native English teachers, UK and Singapore curriculum, small class sizes. The best choice. Call 082 323 1188.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS FOR SALE Moving Sale: Sign frame and alluminium C slats size, 10m x3m. Air Cond.

(1)40,000BTU, (2)20,000BTU. Shop glass front. All going cheap, call 087 276 0529.

Health Food Store: Online Health Food Store in Thailand Good Karma All Natural Healthy, natural and organic products. 0822761675

Buds Nursery: Phuket’s oldest bi-lingual international child care facility. High quality time proven schedule and curriculum. Experienced native English teachers to teach ages 1½ -6. Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. Bus service available. Contact 076 282 232.

ABC International Nursery: Education for children 18 months to six years old with experienced native English teachers following the UK EYFS curriculum. Contact 089 971 1813.

CLUBS Protect your home with CCTV: CCTV & Alarm Service, Protect your home with high quality CCTV Camera,and GSM Alarm. Free survey and quote. Please call 086 105 8144 or click w w w.huketechnology. com.

Phuket Consult Services: Insurance, personal assistance, legal assistance, police and emergency assistance, property management sales and rentals, company registration, visa and work permit and accounting. Call 081 691 9679.

Stunning Mazda 2.0 Litre Auto: Six-year-old Mazda 2000cc GT. Good condition, full ser vice history, 17-inch wheels, remote alarm/locking, cloth interior, Kenwood 7 speakers, 2 amps system, Sony bluetooth hands free, only serviced by Mazda, 170,000 km and runs really well. B425,000-00.

No money has ever been spared keeping this car in good condition. Call 081 747 3000.

Car for Sale: Teana top model 2010. Travelled 22,000

SK A L I nt er nat ional Phuket: Skål is a professional organisation of leaders from all branches of the travel and tourism industry. Please see more info at www.skalphuket.org.

Singapore Club Phuket: Calling all Singaporeans in Phuket to join “Singapore Club Phuket”. Contact Robin on 081 803 7189, 076 303 500.

COMPUTERS Apple Mac Suppor t: Apple Mac technical support needed to help with computer issues in Surin Area. Please email admin@esxoasia.com.

www.thephuketnews.com

36 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

BUY & SELL/HOMES IN PHUKET MOTORBIKES FOR SALE

PET HOSPITAL Chaofah Pet Hospital: 8/28–29 Moo 9, Chaofah East Road. Contact 076 283 365.

POOL TABLES

To advertise here visit: thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

Chalong temple. Sea views from top of land. Good road access and electricity. Perfect for development. Only B5 million per rai. Contact Peter on 089 652 1951 or email phuket.pn@ gmail.com.

view. B4.2 million per rai. Contact Stan on 087 978 5804-3.

THE SUNRISE OCEAN VILLAS

Gorgeous Beachfront Land: With or without house in very quiet, well-maintained, safe bungalow-village on Ko Siboya, Krabi for sale. See picture at www.sackenheim.net.

Phuket Pool Tables:

Harley Davidson Soft Tail for Sale: Call for more details on 083 456 2185.

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.

PROPERTY CONCIERGE

MOTORBIKE SERVICES

PERSONAL SERVICES

Get maximum exposure on our top ranked website. Call 080 143 2929 or visit realestate.phuket.net.

PROPERTY FOR RENT

Rawai Beach Front House: Rawai beach front house for sale/long term rent. Three beds , three baths with three aircon.

Cable TV, ADSL on area 1600 sq metre. Call 089 649 9939.

Each villa has an living area of over 300 sqm, has 3 spacious bedrooms, all sea views, 5 bathrooms, a 10x4m infinity pool, maid's quarter and a covered 2 car-parking. The houses are specially designed to guarantee a complete privacy, with an open panoramic view of the sea.

Apartment for Rent in Rawai: Business nine apartments, Fully furnished with swimming pool & office. Contract 081 893 2165.

,

,

,

,

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Daily, Monthly rates Sea views, Mountain views Sauna, Gym, Swimming pool Located in Kamala Beach Shuttle service to the beach Wi-fi available Surrounded by nature

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Considering buying property in phuket?

English-Thai Law Off ice: Visa, work per mit, company formation, property transfer etc. Please telephone for advice. Contact for more info on 084 063 9223.

Contact ben at 084- 305 4953 benjamin@propertyasia.co.th www.propertyasia.co.th

We provide the following:

Property for your budget. complete overview of Phuket’s property market.

Professional advice.

Beach Frontage: One bedroom self-contained holiday villa Rawai. Rental Day/Week Call 081 677 1641.

room, four-bathroom villa with 8x4 metre pool for sale freehold with chanote title or leasehold. Newly-built, 316 sq metre internal area.

In beautiful marina complex, just 5 minutes drive to British International School.

After a great success of the first phase, the Sunrise Ocean Villas is now starting to build the 8 other villas of "Phase2". The price of 17.9 million Baht makes the project one of the most compettitive on the island for being only 60m from the beach.

Selling Your Property?

Dynamic Tire Balancing: Dynamically balance your motorcycle tires for a smoother ride with DYNA BEADS! Available at West Coast Service Center Phuket.

Your big bike specialist on the bypass road. Call for more info on 085 785 4440.

Boat Lagoon Pool Villa: Modern four-bed-

You should not buy property in Phuket without consulting with us first!

Come visit the villas and you will be wonderfully surprised by the quality of the project as well as the quality of life you can find here.

For appointment or more details, contact the project director Khun Montra at 081 343 0777 (Thai, English & German) Email: thesunrise villas@yahoo.com.

Photos and price online: See www.thevillaphuket.com.Contact owners to view: 081 270 1970 (Josh) and 081 270 2070 (Michi). Agents welcome.

Perfect Land for Villa: Stunning 3 Bedroom Pool Villa: in Kamala.

Large living entertainment area. Western style kitchen, built in bar, airconditioning, laundr y. 20 metre resor t style pool, beautiful established garden additional land with garden suitable for another villa or units total land 2,264 sq metre. Five minutes to beach and main street well below replacement cost B24.6m. Call 086 269 5108 English or 080 744 7625 English/Thai.

Perfect land for villa. Approx three rai, with chanote title, 2 km south of Thai Muang town centre. Just 24 km north of Sarasin Bridge. Good road access and electricity. Very quiet, green area. Urgent sale for just B5 million total, nonnegotiable. Contact Peter on 089 652 1951 or email phuket. pn@gmail.com.

Nice One Rai Chalong B7m: 200 metre off main road. In great location. Full chanote title. Call 089 651 3479.

Land for Sale Rawai: Soi Saliga, Rawai. 1,9 0 8 sqm, clean ready to build, Chanote Title. Sell by owner. Contact 084 745 4132.

www.thesunrisevillas.com

SEAVIEW LAND FOR SALE: Near Chalong pier, 150 metres from the sea.

Three rai and one ngan plot. Chanote title. Price: B20 milli on p er r ai. N o agent. Call 087 278 7206

Contact ben at 084- 305 4953 to book an appointment.

Live Music By Colin Hill: Popular expat pro musi-

5 Minutes From Laguna

cian (guitar/vocals) with work permit. Can perform solo, duo or band. www.play-guitar.net, please call on 089 777 3063.

American Health Clinic: Chiropractic spinal adjustment with an experienced chiropractor can take away the pain almost as quickly as it began.

Call 076 612 707.

PET ADOPTION

Apartment for Rent in Patong: New condo with swimming pool, security 24/7. 46sq metre, furnished.

Daily/monthly. Please contact 089 728 4005 or email: t h a m a d17@ y a h o o . c o m .

Pet Adopted: I am over 3 year old and steried, vaccinated and healthy, I like to play, jump. Call and visit me, Please take me home and care about me, 087 279 3477.

Why buy a pet?: Soi Dog Foundation have over 300 beautiful dogs and puppies available for adoption. Fully-vaccinated and sterilised.

Contact 087 050 8688, john@ soidog.org.

www.thephuketnews.com

For sale or rent. Four bedroom.

Family pool home. 1,000 sq metre land, 330sq metre builtup area. Agents welcome.

Contact (Thai) 087 418 5924 (English) 089 875 9609.

Kata House for Sale: B5.7 million, five minutes to Kata Beach, three-storey,fully furnished,ready to move in.

Approx:160 sq metre land, 180 sq metre living area, garage with overhead storage, security on all doors/windows. Twothree bedrooms with aircon. two full bathrooms. Garden, covered patios. Spacious living room, television/water/electricity ready. B5.7million plus 1/2 land/transfer taxes. Call 081 131 5751, seadog5000@ yahoo.com.

New Apar tment for Sale Patong: Condo: swimming pool, securit y 24/7. Furnished, 46sq metre, freehold: B2.9 million. Contact 089 728 4005 or email: thamad17@yahoo.com.

Sea view villa: Luxury Rent Kata One-Three Bed Apartments: Superb apartments and pool penthouses 115-375 sq metre, less than five minutes walk to two beaches (Kata and Kata Noi) Still some availability for King’s Cup period. Call 081 078 1246.

Nice Three Bed House for Sale: Three-bedroom house in Moobaan Tarn Thong Villa opposit Moobaan Chao fa California. B3.1 million. Contact Lee for more details on 081 803 7189.

URGENT Land for Sale: Chalong Land: Land in Chalong. 15 rai of gently sloping land, with full chanote, near

By Mission Hills Golf Course.

-1/2 rai of land (Chanote) B1.6 million. -6 rai, sea/mountain

Sale or Rent: Spacious four beds/ four baths home in secure estate, fully furnished inc 50” plasma TV. Pool & Sala, 10 minutes to BIS, HSI, central and three golf courses. Sale B15.9 million negotiable! Rent B75,000 per month, owner pays common area and garden.

Minimum 12 months lease.

Contact Jen 083 967 5777.

seaview Patong-Karon villa, four bedrooms, private pool.

Sell for B22 million, and also available rental daily and monthy basis. Please check more info at www.awphuket.com.

Land for Sale Rawai: Soi Saliga, Rawai. 1,9 0 8 sqm, clean ready to build, Chanote Title. Sell by owner. Contact 084 745 4132.

Modern Pool Villa: Stunning three bedroom pool villa, five minutes from Laguna 600 sq metre plot in peaceful location. Finished to a very high specification “MUST SEE” Selling price B12.9 million. Please contact 084 994 9303 or email phuketpoolvilla.info@gmail. com.

CLASSIFIEDS 37

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011 บริษัท ดี ดี เอ็ม เรียลเอสเตท จำกัด

HOMES IN PHUKET PROPERTY FOR SALE

3 Bedroom Pool Villa in Chalong

Sunset Plaza in Kata Two Bedroom with Seaview

Phuket Paradise Property

15m THB

Bedroom : 3 Ref. : JP-005

Cozy Villa Near Kata Beach

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5.79m THB

KAMALA: New quality development with

semi-detached modern style houses with perfect mountain view. 2 storey + private rooftop on 231 m2 with 3 bed/3 bath. Optional private jacuzzi on rooftop. Under construction!

Freehold condominium 8.75m THB KAMALA: 2-bed/2 bath apartment, 125 sqm of living space; kitchen fully fitted and equipped with high quality utilities. Spacious & modern! Large common swimming pool, well equipped gym, restaurant, 24 h security and a shuttle service to the beach. Fully furnished & foreign freehold!

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New townhomes

Mountain view penthouse 9.5m THB

Freehold studio

KAMALA: 2 bed/2 bath top-floor apartment on 184 m2 with extended terraces & large private deck area with private plunge pool and jacuzzi. It comes fully furnished and contains many up-grades giving this property a tasteful and stylish feel. Ready to move in!

2.3m THB

PATONG: Spacious re-sale studio-apartment of 55

sqm, including good size balcony with nice ocean view; partly furnished. Nice & large swimming pool, 24h reception, shuttle service and two elevators. Foreign freehold! 1km from the beach.

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Villa 300 metres from Kata Beach

PRICE: 9.9m. THB TYPE: Condo BEDROOM: 2 REF.: AB-001 Modern furnished two bedroom apartment in Kata.

Western kitchen. Balcony on 21 sq metre with sea view. Two big c ommon pools. Call 083 595 6733, www.PhuketParadiseProp erty.com.

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REF.: MS-002 Modern one bedroom apartment. With pool. New kitchen. Bathroom with spa. Big living room and balcony. Fully-furnished.

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ocean views from this spacious, modern unit is stunning.

It’s part of a development which provides an excellent range of facilities. Ready to move in, fully furnished and equipped. Only 1 km to the beach!

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BEDROOM: 1

Kata – Sea View Apartment

13.5m THB

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TYPE: Condo

Sea view apartment

LAYAN: 3 bed/3 bath apartment on 228 m2. The

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PRICE: 2.5m. THB

PRICE: 9.9m. THB TYPE: Villa BEDROOMS: 2 REF.: MS-003 Stunning two bedrooms villa with big pool. Big modern kitchen and living room. 2 minutes walk from Tesco Lotus Express. Call 083 595 6733, www. PhuketParadis eProperty.com.

178 m2. It comes with fully fitted kitchen, sundecks & uninterrupted sea view from all rooms. As part of a fully operational resort, this apartment is foreign freehold and fully furnished. Ready to move in!

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New Price 2.5 m Apartment With Seaview in Rawai

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Sea view apartment

KALIM: 2-bed/2 bath condominium on 3 levels with

Type: Villa

Sea front villas From 32.6m THB

RAWAI: Set at only 40 meters from the sea front, this PRICE: 9.9m. THB TYPE: Villa BEDROOM: 2 REF.: JP-001

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Fantastic oppor tunity in the heart of Kata Phuket, Detached family home set on its own plot of fering convenient access to Kata beach 300 mtrs away and all surrounding facilities.

Call 083 595 6733. www.

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Price : 5.7 m. THB Type: Villa Bedroom : 2 Ref. : MS-008 Cozy villa near Kata Beach.

Huge living room with open kitchen. Extra outdoor kitchen. Two large bedrooms.

The villa is located within walking distance from Kata Beach. Call 083 595 6733, www. PhuketParadiseProp erty.com.

development benefits from beautiful and unobstructed island views. 3 bedrooms private estates offering attractive, modern yet tropical environments. Land plots between 170 & 324 m2 with a built up area from 485 up to 596 m2.

Rat-U

Property is directly opposite Suksan Villa. Has electric gates to off road parking for one, possibly two, cars. The garden around the villa is mature and decorative. The house has a large lounge area directly overlooking the 8x4 metre pool.

There are two large bedrooms. The master bedroom has a shower and large decor, bath, and both have pool view. Third bedroom is slightly smaller with a double bed and fitted wardrobes.

This property has a European fitted kitchen and dining area . Please contact 083 595 6733. Visit us at www.

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Private Pool Villa In Centre of Nai Harn

Bargain

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Price : 9.5 m. THB

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3 Bedroom Pool Villa in Rawai

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SA

PRICE: 3.0m. THB TYPE: Condo BEDROOM: 2 REF.: MS-006 Big living room and kitchen.

Two bedroom and bathroom.

Two minutes walk to the beach. Common pool. Call 083 595 6733. Visit our web ite at www. PhuketParadis eProperty.com.

Ref. : MS-009 Cozy pool villa near Chalong circle. The villa has a very large living room with view over the large garden.

There is direct access from living room to the swimming pool. Three large bedrooms and bathrooms.

The villa is situated on a closed road. Close to beach and Phuket Town. Call 083 595 6733. Visit us at www.

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REF.: AB-002 Modern furnished two bedroom. Apartment in Kata.

Western kitchen. Balcony with sea view. Two big common pools. Call 083 595 673 3. V isit us at w w w.

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Rawai Two bedroom on 180 Sqm. With Sea View now 3.0 million

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Type: Villa

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Soi Sans Sabai Jungceylon

Sea view apartment

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PATONG: Recently refurbished with great views over

city and mountains. With 70 m2 there are 1 bed/1 bath, open plan living, kitchenette & good size balcony.

Beachfront unit ready to move in!

Contact:

081 88 22 856 (English) 081 95 85 414 (Thai)

204/16-17 Rat-U-Thit 200 Years Rd., Patong, Kathu, Phuket, 83150, Thailand

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www.thephuketnews.com

38 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

TRADES IN PHUKET

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ISLANDSPORT 39

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

TPL DREAMS ALL BUT OVER FOR PHUKET

FC Phu ket’s hopes of reaching the Thai Premier League were dealt a crushing blow last Sunday as the Southern Sea Kirin slumped to a 2-0 home defeat against Chantaburi.

Goals either side of half time by Rattaporn and Labi Aymard, plus a missed penalty by Wirajrot Janteng were enough to condemn coach Somphong Wattana’s side to a third home defeat of the season and leave FC Phuket with a near impossible task of catching BBCU FC in the third and final promotion place.

With just six games remaining in the season, FC Phuket trail BBCU by 16 points and their promotion-chasing rivals need just one more win from their remaining fixtures to ensure the Kirin will be playing first division football again next season.

When FC Phuket and Chantaburi met earlier in the year the game finished 2-2 so home fans headed to Surakul with hopes of another home win.

Somphong was still unable to select his strongest 11 and was forced to send his side out without striker Watcharapong Jan-ngam and midfielder Abdoul Coulibaly as they were both just one yellow card away from a suspension and were left on the bench.

Determined to win the game, Somphong fielded four attacking players in Boubacar Issoufou, Jongrak Pakdee, Tameezee Hayeeyusoh and Kone Adama as he hoped his side would take the game to the visitors.

And it was the home team that made the brightest start, creating a chance with just two minutes gone; Adama took the ball from a throw and managed to pass to Issoufou who stretched out his left foot only to send the ball high over the crossbar.

Both sides began to create openings but poor finishing from Jirawat Kaewboraan and Rattaporn for Chantaburi and a top class save by Pichet Triphoom from Tameezee’s goal-bound header kept the match goalless.

A few minutes later The Rabbits countered down the left before Jirawat lofted the ball over Nene Bi towards

FOOTBALL

his waiting team-mate who wasted the opportunity, shooting wide of the far post.

With a little over 30 minutes gone the visiting side stunned the Surakul crowd by taking the lead.

Aymard ghosted past Nirun Panthong and his through ball wasn’t cleared by Wirajrot. The ball fell kindly for Rattaporn who fired past Jonathan Matijas to put Chantaburi 1-0 up.

After that setback, FC Phuket started to gain the upperhand in terms of possession and territory but were particularly wasteful in front of goal as the visitors took a precious one-goal lead into half time.

Somphong replaced Issoufou with Poramut Krongborisut at the interval and FC Phuket almost grabbed an immediate equaliser only for Tameezee to drag his shot wide.

FC Phuket kept pouring forward in search of a way back into the match but almost conceded a second goal after hesitation by Ronnachai Jinaket turned possession over and Rattaporn sent a shot just inches over the crossbar.

Seeing that his side didn’t look likely to score Somphong switched to an unfamiliar 3-5-2 formation with Seksit Srisai on for Ronnachai.

The switch failed to have the desired effect as Chantaburi started to dominate and seemed to be on the brink of killing the game off when FC Phuket were handed a lifeline with 10 minutes remaining.

Poramut was brought down in the box and the referee awarded a penalty only for Wirajrot to step up and miss the spot kick, after presumably pulling rank on regular taker Nene Bi. The home side’s heads dropped following the miss and two minutes into injury time Aymard sealed their fate to secure a welldeserved three points for the away side.

Any hopes FC Phuket have of playing in the TPL next year could be well and truly extinguished this weekend as they travel to play champions-elect Buriram FC on December 11.

Above: Azzuri FC celebrate winning the Open Cup, while their Masters equivalents Bangkok Airways (below) do likewise.

Azzuri take win with Italian job Hong Kong-based Italian side Azzuri FC were crowned Andaman International Soccer 7s champions on Sunday afternoon (December 4) after a narrow victory over Aioli in the final of the Open Cup. In the sixth edition of the annual tournament, which followed hot on the heels of the Phuket International Soccer 7s the previous weekend, Azzuri overcame Aioli by one goal to nil to bring two days of football action at Thanyapura Sport and Leisure Club (TSLC) to a close.

In the other categories, there were wins for the HK All Stars and British Hotspurs in the Open Plate and Open Bowl finals respectively, while in the Masters’ event Bangkok Airways, Charmant Gulf and KL Misfits took the honours in the Masters’ Cup, Plate and Bowl.

A total of 281 goals were scored in 90 games – an average of more than three per game over the course of the two-day tournament – as a total of 33 teams contested the sixth staging of the popular event.

In a quirky twist of fate,

FOOTBALL

the two teams that began the tournament also brought it to a finish as Azzuri and Aioli got the Andaman 7s underway on Saturday morning, with the eventual champions prevailing by three goals to one.

The team made up of Italians based in Hong Kong went through the entire tournament without losing a single match and, in true Italian style, kept five consecutive clean sheets, conceding just the one goal in the opening match.

Azzuri progressed to the final thanks to a 1-0 win against Finexsys and were joined in the final by Aioli who overcame the tournament’s first ever Russian side – Russia United – 3-2 in the other semi.

The Azzuri’s miserly defence ensured that their opponents were kept at bay in the final match and a solitary strike was enough to secure victory.

In the Open Bowl, British Hotspurs beat PMFC 2-0 to end the tournament on a high, while the HK All Stars eased to a 3-1 victory over INSEAD FC in the Plate final.

In the Masters over-35s finals, the KL Misfits thrashed the Northern Lions 4-0 to win the Bowl, Charmant Gulf overcame local side Than-

yapura VSL 2-1 in a closely fought Plate encounter, before Bangkok Airways lifted the Masters’ Cup after beating Hanoi Drink Team in the final.

31/12/2011

www.thephuketnews.com

40 ISLANDSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Champion Zoe Bowden (left) and other finishers are all smiles after completing the course.

Bowden blitzes Ironkids Australian Zoe Bowden, 12, scorched her way to victory at the second IronKids event held at Thanyapura Sport and Leisure Club (TSLC) last Saturday, December 3.

Bowden, who lives in Kuala Lumpur, completed the course in 39:23 to seal her second title after she won the inaugural event back in April and was pleased to see that her hard work in training had paid off.

“I just love to compete but it’s a great feeling to win because it means that all my training has paid off,” she said.

Despite being three years younger than some of the other competitors, Bowden was the fastest triathlete on the day.

“Because the age groups went off at different times it’s hard to know until all the times are officially in as to how well you go. I just run to my own watch and only worry

TRIATHLON

about the overall results at the end,” she said.

Such is her talent, it is highly likely that Phuket will see Bowden contesting the age-group categories in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon and the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship Race in a few years time once she is old enough to compete.

“Yes, I would love to do

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Cash and Prizes totaling over 3,000,000 Baht (US$ 100,000) to be won For further details please contact Warren Crowe or Andy Bright info@rawaibeachfishingclub.com Warren tel: +66 (0) 812704291 Andy tel: +66 (0) 862739948 Website: www.rawaibeachfishingclub.com Rawai Beach Fishing Club is an official member and Sponsor Club of the International Game Fishing Association. RBFC supports IGFA’s standards of good sportsmanship in recreational fishing.

that but I have a long way to go until then,” she said.

“This means lots more hard training but if that’s what I have to do, then I will just have to do it. One day I would like to be up there with the best in the world.”

It was a doubly successful day for Kuala Lumpur as Edward Thiang, took the honours for the boys in a time of 40:36.

A total of 228 children registered for the second running of IronKids Phuket, as 126 individuals and 102 kids in 34 relay teams tackled the swim, bike and run course.

As well as individual and relay races, there was also the inaugural TSLC IronKids Phuket School Cup up for grabs.

Athletes were awarded points for their school depending on where they finished in their races and the school that collected the most points won the cup.

After a morning of exciting racing it was the British International School that came out on top and the team was presented the cup by The Phuket News’ very own Simon Samaan.

There was also a corporate team event, where eight teams of 12-14 triathletes were sponsored by local businesses.

First place in the corporate event went to Team Quest and the children from Ban Manik School, second place went to

Winner in the 14 year-old boys category Dylan Nyerges. the children of Ban Bang Tao School, sponsored by Lee Marine, and Team Anantara Club from the Anuban Phuket School finished third.

Race Director Claire Radcliffe was delighted with how the second IronKids event had gone.

“I am so happy with the event, mostly because so many more children participated this time,” she said.

“I am glad that many of

the children from the Thai local schools also came to the event and did their best in a sport that most have never tried before.

“This would not have been possible without the help of eight local businesses supporting their entry fees.

“I am hoping that this will encourage them to take part again in all our events and thus help to grow the sport of triathlon in Thailand.”

FIRST-PLACE FINISHERS IN EACH AGE GROUP:

www.iretrading.com

www.thephuketnews.com

JUNIORS: Boys, girls – six years: Denis Parkinson, Katie Thomson Boys, girls – seven years: Siam Yapp, Sophia Jelfs Boys, girls – eight years: Muhammad Safiy, Isabella Hoskings Junior relay Team: Matthew Diamond, Jeremy

Jacklin, Tom Crowe INTERMEDIATES: Boys, girls – nine years: Ben Mcmillan, Chloe Schrijnemaekers Boys, girls – 10 years: Muhammad Shafriz, Mayumi Shinozuka Boys, girls – 11 years: Max Luer, Chelsea Smith

SENIORS: Boys, girls – 12 years: Dorian Gombos, Zoe Bowden (fastest overall) Boys, girls – 13 years: Ben Kammungkun, Nuraliah Shamsir Boys – 14 years: Dylan Nyerges (no 14 year-old girls took part) Boys, girls – 15 years: Edwin Thiang, Sian Wilson

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

INTERNATIONALSPORT 41

Champions show their class TRIATHLON

Two-time World Ironman 70.3 champion Michael Raelert of Germany and Australia’s reigning Ironman 70.3 world champion Melissa Rollison powered to victory in recordbreaking fashion to win last Sunday’s Ironman 70.3 AsiaPacific Championship race at Laguna Phuket.

Despite tricky bike conditions, where rain forced all the riders to drop their pace for fear of crashing, Raelert slashed more than eight minutes off Tim O’Donnell’s winning time from 2010, completing the 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run course in 03:51:36 to win the race.

Raelert, who was forced to abandon his 70.3 world title defence in September due to injury, was followed home some six minutes later by 2008 Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) champion Richie Cunningham of Australia, who came in second ahead of compatriot Paul Matthews, both of whom dipped below the former course record.

“The conditions out on the bike course were incredible, it was dark with torrential rain,” Raelert said. “We had to slow

Raelert (middle) with Cunningham (left) and Matthews.

2011 Ironman 70.3 world champion Melissa Rollison celebrates with a Laguna elephant.

down but that meant I could relax a bit and prepare for the run.

“This is just a fantastic event. Even when the rain was coming down the people were still lining the roads cheering us on. It really encouraged all of us.

“After the setbacks of this season it’s great to end on a high note with a good win and I’m sure this will be a springboard for my next season.”

Rollison, who finished as runner up in last year’s inaugural race behind Switzerland’s Caroline Steffen, took control of the women’s race on the bike course and never looked back.

The Australian star, who hasn’t lost a single race since

Cloudy and rain-laden skies greeted the record-breaking crowd of more than 1,000 individual athletes and relay teams as they gathered on the beach ahead of the race start.

British athlete Daniel Hawksworth was the first athlete to exit the water but he was soon passed by a group that contained Raelert, Cunningham, Matthews, Jason McHugh of Australia and Americans Chris Lieto and Matty Reid.

Lieto, runner up to Craig Alexander in Vegas and biking specialist, was expected to push Raelert all the way to the finish but crashed out in the rain just 20km into the 90km bike course.

that defeat by Steffen in 2010, powered away from the chasing pack to finish in 04:17:01, two minutes faster than the time posted by Steffen the previous year.

Rollison, who won her first world title in Las Vegas in September, finished more than 13 minutes ahead of six-time Kona Ironman world champion Natascha Badmann, who in turn finished more than four minutes clear of Radka Vodickova of the Czech Republic in third.

The podium place concluded an excellent week for Vodickova after she took first place in the LPT just one week earlier.

With Lieto out and conditions preventing the triathletes going flat out, Raelert was able to conserve some energy and eased into the lead towards the end of the bike race.

The German star then produced a blistering run of 01:11:15 to break away from his opponents and take the win and with it a cheque for US$12,000 (B371,000).

Rollison had things her own way for the majority of the women’s race and once she pulled away on the bike only a fall, injury or mechanical failure would stop her.

Unfortunately for her opponents the remainder of her race was trouble free as she

confirmed her status as one of the world’s leading triathletes in only her second year of competition.

Rising star Jaray Jearanai was the first Thai finisher, breaking the tape in a new personal best of 04:38:38 to qualify for next year’s world championships in Vegas, while Nampetch Porntharuckcharoen was the fastest Thai female, finishing in 06:22:28.

At the awards ceremony held later that night, the biggest cheer of the day was reserved for 79-year-old Hiromu Inada of Japan – the oldest competitor in the field – who completed the 70.3-mile course in 06:42:01.

PATONG HAMMER ICC IN MATCH FOUR Patong Cricket Club rebounded from their opening day loss to Laguna Cricket Club with a resounding ninewicket win over the Island Cricket Club (ICC).

Seemant Raju was the star of the show, taking four wickets for just seven runs as the ICC were skittled for 125 from 32 overs. He then went on to score 44 not out to see Patong home with more than 12 overs to spare, winning himself the man-of-the-match award.

The fourth match of the Island Furniture League 20112012 season saw last year’s champions Patong take on former champions ICC on Sunday, December 4 at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG).

Patong were looking to regain some confidence after their opening day defeat, while ICC were looking to show they were a force to be reckoned once again with after a lackluster effort last season.

There had been some heavy rain overnight and the start of match was delayed by almost half and hour. The

CRICKET

skies eventually cleared up and the umpires deemed the ground fit for play.

Upon winning the toss, Patong put the ICC into bat, hoping to take advantage of the ball skidding through off the pitch and the slow outfield.

This decision proved to be correct following the early dismissal of A. Khan for seven with the score on just 15.

Opener Anand Chand (23) and I Kahn (12) moved the score along to 46 before Khan was dismissed, and then wicketkeeper D. Mehtra (6) and Chand nudged the score up to 67 before Mehtra was given lbw off the bowling of Manish Sadarangani.

Chand, the only batsmen showing some semblance of resistance, was soon dismissed after a dogged captain’s knock, and his dismissal triggered an alarming ICC collapse as the last five wickets fell for a meager 24 runs.

An excellent performance

with the ball from Seemant Raju (4-7) and Manish Sadarangani (4-27) ensured that Patong had a very chaseable total within their sights.

After the lunch break, Patong openers Richard Desmond (54) and Seemant Raju (44 not out) strode out into the middle, hoping to make short work of the run chase.

After a cautious and steady start they took P. Borkar to task, hitting him for 16 runs in the fifth over.

From that point onward, runs came freely to both openers as Patong reached 49 without loss at the 10-over mark and 91 without loss after 20.

Desmond was eventually dismissed with the score on 111, a superstitious number for Englishmen known as Nelson, however, this proved to be a mere hiccup for Patong who cruised to victory in only 27 overs.

Man of the match was Seemant Raju with a bag of wickets and runs, with Richard Desmond and Manish Sadarangai second and third pick respectively.

www.thephuketnews.com

42 INTERNATIONALSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

THE PHUKET NEWS TIPPING COMPETITION: 15

This month's competition is supported by:

Yakubu lifts pressure on Kean Nigerian striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni scored four times for Blackburn to ease some of the pressure on manager Steve Kean at the end of a week when the Scot admitted his side forfeited their Carling Cup quarter-final match against Cardiff City to instead concentrate on achieving Premier League survival.

Yakubu, a regular scorer in the Premier League since joining Portsmouth in 2003, scored all of his side’s goals as the 1994-95 champions secured only their second win of the season, beating Swansea 4-2 at Ewood Park.

There was also a welcome 3-0 victory for Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas, whose Chelsea team became the first side to win at St James’ Park this season courtesy of goals from Didier Drogba, Soloman Kalou and Daniel Sturridge.

Chelsea were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Liverpool but the Reds endured a miserable end to the week as they lost key midfielder Lucas Leiva for the remainder of the season and then slumped to a 1-0 loss at Fulham.

It was a bad round for both Merseyside clubs as Everton were beaten 1-0 at home by Stoke but there was good news

WEEK 15 Home Team W D W Away Team

i r i

n a n w 10/12/2011 Arsenal Bolton Liverpool Man Utd Norwich Swansea West Brom 11/12/2011 Sunderland Stoke 13/12/2011 Chelsea

Everton Aston Villa QPR Wolves Newcastle Fulham Wigan Blackburn Tottenham Man City

Please fax this form to 076 612 553 or hand it in at The Phuket News office before Friday 2pm. Alternatively, visit our website www.thephuketnews.com to enter the competition online.

November’s winner ‘Rutherman’ poses for a picture with her B3,000 voucher to be used at the Australia Bar & Grill in Kata after finishing top of the pile for the month. for the clubs at the opposite end of the East Lancashire Road as Manchester City and Man United beat Norwich and Aston Villa respectively.

The excellent form of Spurs and Arsenal continued for another week as the north London rivals scored seven goals without conceding; Spurs beat Bolton 3-0 and Arsenal hit four past Wigan.

In other fixtures, QPR were held at home by West Brom, while Wolves notched up a win against Sunderland.

The Phuket News’ Dan Ogunshakin had another average week, scoring 10 points after correctly predicting the outcome of five matches.

The top points scorer for the month of December will win themselves a B3,000 voucher to be spent at Peppers Bar & Restaurant, Phuket’s premier sports bar.

Currently topping December’s table is ‘Chaochao’, who scored 22 points in round 14.

The overall winner will win a return flight to the UK

come the end of the season; currently the overall lead still belongs to ‘gafferworld’ who tops the table with 230 points.

The biggest match of round 15 takes place at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday morning, where two of the world’s richest clubs – Chelsea and Manchester City go head-to-head.

Despite being at home, Chelsea are likely to start the match as the underdogs, highlighting just how far Roberto Mancini’s side has come in the past few months, and how far the Blues have fallen since Jose Mourinho left.

In matches on Saturday, Arsenal host Everton, Bolton face Aston Villa at the Reebok Stadium, QPR travel to Liver-

pool, Manchester United host Wolves, Norwich welcome Newcastle to Carrow Road, Swansea are at home to Fulham, while Wigan are away at West Brom.

On Sunday, Martin O’Neill begins his career as Sunderland boss with a match against Blackburn, before secondplaced Spurs tackle Stoke at the Britannia Stadium.

You can now enter your predictions for round 15.

Either enter them online by 23:59 on December 9 at thephuketnews.com, fax them to the office on 076 612 553 or hand them to us personally here in Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco-Lotus before 2pm on the 9th.

ROUND 14 RESULTS: Newcastle 3-0 Chelsea Blackburn 4-2 Swansea Man City 5-1 Norwich QPR 1-1 West Brom Tottenham 3-0 Bolton Wigan 0-4 Arsenal Aston Villa 0-1 Man Utd Everton 0-1 Stoke Wolves 2-1 Sunderland Fulham 1-0 Liverpool DAN’S TIPS ROUND 15 Arsenal v Everton: home win Bolton v Aston Villa: draw Liverpool v QPR: home win Man Utd v Wolves: home win Norwich v Newcastle: draw Swansea v Fulham: home win West Brom v Wigan: home win Sunderland v Blackburn: home win Stoke v Tottenham: draw Chelsea v Man City: away win TOP 10 PERFORMERS (DECEMBER): 1. Chaochao 22 2. scottkip 20 3. Allard 19 3. apollo131 19 3. Jauntingjason 19 3. The Lunchroom Kathu 19 7. dcoutts 18 7. MRB 18 7. Paul614724 18 7. s4599088 18 TOP 10 PERFORMERS (OVERALL): 1. gafferworld 230 2. alanphuket 204 2. apollo131 204 2. MAMCHAM 204 5. MRB 202 6. chasman 199 7. dcoutts 198 8. Allard 197 9. Mal Kenyon 196 10. rutherman 191

MANCHESTER UNITED BY CUP DRAW Manchester United were handed a chance to exact revenge over neighbours Manchester City for last season’s 1-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat – and this season’s harrowing 6-1 thumping in the league – when the pair were drawn against one another in the third round of the FA Cup. City will host the match at the Etihad Stadium in the biggest match of the third round, the stage of the competition where the Premier League and Championship sides join the world’s longest running cup knockout competition.

Yaya Toure scored the only

FOOTBALL

goal of the game at Wembley in last season’s semi, and the Red Devils will be keen to atone for that loss and the humiliating defeat in October.

Roberto Mancini’s side, who beat Stoke in the final in May to claim their first trophy in 35 years, are currently five points clear of reigning champions United in the Premier League as they seek to snatch the title away from Old Trafford.

United defender Rio Ferdinand played in the October rout and tweeted his reaction

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to the draw: “3rd round FA cup game vs mancity..great game to kick off this yrs (sic) FA cup, can’t wait.”

The tie was one of only two all-Premier League encounters in the third round draw, with Newcastle hosting Blackburn in the other.

Chelsea take on Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge in a rematch of the 2010 FA Cup final which the west London club won 1-0 to complete their first ever league and cup double.

Arsenal will host Championship side Leeds, while Liverpool are at home to either Southend or Oldham.

Tottenham take on League Two club Cheltenham and Everton host National Conference outfit Tamworth.

Tamwor th goalkeeper Jonathan Hedge said: “It’s what dreams are made of, we’ll go there full of confidence.”

Martin O’Neill’s first FA Cup tie in charge of Sunderland will come at Championship club Peterborough, while Stoke manager Tony Pulis returns to one of his former clubs at League Two

Draw for the English FA Cup third round:

The FA Cup is one of the world’s most coveted trophies.

Gillingham.

Aston Villa face a trip to League Two Bristol Rovers, who earned their place in the third round with a 6-1 demolition of Southern Premier Division AFC Totton at Test-

wood Park on Sunday.

Craven Cottage will stage a London derby as Fulham take on League One leaders Charlton, while midlands rivals Birmingham and Wolves will meet at St Andrew’s.

Middlesbrough v Shrewsbury Nottingham Forest v Leicester Manchester City v Man United Dagenham and Redbridge /Walsall v Millwall Crawley v Bristol City Doncaster v Notts County Bristol Rovers v Aston Villa Tottenham v Cheltenham Sheffield Weds v West Ham Milton Keynes Dons v QPR Hull v Ipswich Coventry v Southampton Brighton v Wrexham Fulham v Charlton Birmingham v Wolves Norwich v Burnley Arsenal v Leeds Derby v Crystal Palace Fleetwood/Yeovil v Blackpool Swindon v Wigan Barnsley v Swansea Chelmsford/Macclesfield v Bolton Newcastle v Blackburn Everton v Tamworth Sheffield United v Salisbury/Grimsby Liverpool v Southend/Oldham Gillingham v Stoke Chelsea v Portsmouth Watford v Bradford Peterborough v Sunderland West Brom v Cardiff Reading v Stevenage

Ties to be played on the weekend of January 7/8.

INTERNATIONALSPORT 43

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

Ligue 1, France

English Premier Team Man City Man United Tottenham Chelsea Arsenal Newcastle United Liverpool Stoke City Aston Villa Everton Norwich City QPR Fulham West Brom Swansea City Wolves Sunderland Blackburn Bolton Wigan

P 14 14 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14

W 12 10 10 9 8 7 6 5 3 5 4 4 3 4 3 4 2 2 3 2

D 2 3 1 1 2 5 5 3 7 1 4 4 6 3 5 2 5 4 0 3

L 0 1 2 4 4 2 3 6 4 7 6 6 5 7 6 8 7 8 11 9

F 48 31 29 31 30 19 17 14 16 15 20 15 16 13 14 15 16 21 19 12

A 13 13 16 17 23 15 13 23 18 17 26 25 16 21 20 24 17 32 34 28

Pts 38 33 31 28 26 26 23 18 16 16 16 16 15 15 14 14 11 10 9 9

Bundesliga, Germany Team Bayern Dortmund B’sia M’bach Schalke Bremen Leverkusen Stuttgart Hannover Hertha Hoffenheim Hamburg FC Köln Wolfsburg Mainz Nuremberg K’slautern Freiburg Augsburg

P 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 14 15 14 15 15 15 15

W 10 9 9 9 8 7 6 5 4 5 4 5 5 4 4 3 3 2

D 1 3 3 1 2 4 4 6 7 3 5 2 2 4 3 5 4 5

L 4 3 3 5 5 4 5 4 4 7 6 7 8 6 8 7 8 8

F 38 30 24 31 26 22 22 19 22 16 20 22 21 21 14 11 20 13

A 9 10 10 21 25 19 17 23 23 18 26 31 30 27 26 19 31 27

Pts 31 30 30 28 26 25 22 21 19 18 17 17 17 16 15 14 13 11

D 5 3 3 4 5 2 5 2 5 4 1 4 6 3 5 2 2 4 3 2

L 0 2 2 2 3 5 4 6 4 5 7 5 2 5 5 6 7 7 8 9

F 24 29 16 19 21 16 12 15 14 13 15 10 16 14 14 14 11 14 6 11

A 10 14 6 9 13 15 13 17 19 11 20 16 15 16 12 18 18 24 15 23

Pts 29 27 27 25 20 20 17 17 17 16 16 16 15 15 14 14 14 10 9 8

Serie A, Italy Team Juventus Milan Udinese Lazio Napoli Palermo Cagliari Roma Catania Fiorentina Parma Chievo Atalanta Genoa Siena Inter Bologna Novara Cesena Lecce

P 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 12 13 12 13 13 13 13

W 8 8 8 7 5 6 4 5 4 4 5 4 5 4 3 4 4 2 2 2

Team

P

W

D

L

F

A

16

11

3

2

36

17

36

Paris Saint-Germain 16 Lille 16 Lyon 16

10 8 9

3 7 2

3 1 5

29 27 28

17 15 19

33 31 29

Rennes

16

8

4

4

27

21

28

Toulouse

16

7

5

4

17

15

26

Marseille

16

6

6

4

22

16

24

Saint-Étienne

16

6

6

4

19

19

24

Lorient

16

6

5

5

17

18

23

Caen

16

5

4

7

23

25

19

Evian

16

4

7

5

21

23

19

Bordeaux

16

4

7

5

19

21

19

Sochaux

16

4

6

6

21

30

18

Dijon

16

5

3

8

17

29

18

17 22

18 26

16 15

Montpellier

Pts

Brest

16

2

10

4

Auxerre Valenciennes

16 16

3 3

6 5

7 8

16

19

14

Nice

16

3

5

8

14

17

14

Nancy

16

3

5

8

12

20

14

Ajaccio

16

1

5

10

15

34

8

Coming up this week

Victory meant a lot to Woods after a two-year gap. –Photo AFP

Woods wins at long last

Two years after his own indiscretions sent his life into English Premier Bundesliga turmoil, Tiger Woods returned to the winner’s circle on SunLeague Fixtures Fixtures day and found it felt just as it (Times in Thailand) (Times in Thailand) always had.

Saturday December 10 Saturday December 10 “It feels g reat,” said Arsenal v Everton 225:00 Hertha v Schalke 01:30 Woods, the 14-time major Bolton v Aston Villa 22:00 Augsburg v B M’gbach 20:30 champion who had not won a Liverpool v QPR, 22:00 Cologne v Freiburg 20:30 tournament since 2009 until Man Utd v Wolves 22:00 Mainz v Hamburg 20:30 capturing the $5 million (B154 Norwich v Newcastle 22:00 Nuremberg v Hof’heim 20:30 Swansea v Fulham 22:00 million) Chevron World ChalBremen v Wolfsburg 20:30 lenge last Sunday.

Sunday December 11 Hannover v Leverkusen 23:30 Woods had been suffering Sunderland v Blackburn 20:30 Stoke v Tottenham 23:00 a win drought since revelations Sunday December 11 of his secret sex life came to Dortmund v K’lautern 20:30 Tuesday December 13 light in November of 2009 and Chelsea v Man City 03:00 Stuttgart v Bayern 22:30 left his reputation in tatters, put his marriage on the path Sport on TV: Times in Thailand to an expensive divorce and Friday December 9 sent sponsors fleeing.

EVENT TIME CHANNEL Amid the uproar, Woods’

Golf: Dubai World Championship 15:00 Golf Channel game suffered and his strugBiathlon: World Cup 20:30 Eurosport gles continued in 2011 as he battled to cement swing Saturday December 10 changes despite injuries that Rugby: Heineken Cup 03:00 Eurosport limited his playing time.

Hockey: Champions Trophy 06:00 Astro Supersport “I know it has been a Golf: Dubai World Championship 15:00 Golf Channel while, but also for some reaSkiing: World Cup 19:15 Eurosport son it feels like it hasn’t,” Rugby: Heineken Cup 20:30 Eurosport Woods said. “Because when I Rugby: Heineken Cup 22:40 Eurosport was coming down the stretch TrueSport 1 Football: Man Utd v Wolves 22:00 there, I felt so comfortable.

Football: Bolton v Aston Villa 22:00 TrueSport 2 “Was I nervous? AbsoFootball: Arsenal v Everton 22:00 Astro Supersport 3 Football: Celtic v Hearts 22:00 Astro Supersport 2 lutely,” Woods added. “[I’m] always nervous in that posiSunday December 11 Rugby: Heineken Cup 00:55 Eurosport tion. But it’s a comfortable Football: Inter v Fiorentina 02:40 Eurosport feeling and I enjoy being in that position. For some reason, Boxing: Khan v Peterson 09:30 Astro Supersport 2 it is kind of a comfort to be in Golf: Dubai World Championship 15:00 Golf Channel there with a chance to win.”

Football: Fifa Club World Cup 17:25 Astro Supersport 3 Woods said he had felt it Football: Sunderland v B’burn 20:30 TrueSport 1 building as he took an early Football: Stoke v Spurs 23:00 TrueSport 1 lead in the Australian Open

GOLF last month. He finished third, but it was a solid prelude to a strong performance in America’s Presidents Cup match-play triumph.

Woods, host of the 18man Challenge event for the benefit of his charitable foundation, had led the field after 36 holes on Friday at Sherwood Country Club.

After he slipped one behind Zach Johnson in a windwhipped third round, all eyes were on Woods to see if he could finally see out victory in the style that once made him a cross-cultural superstar.

Woods duly delivered, with a birdie-birdie finish that erased a one-shot deficit and sealed the victory.

A year ago, Woods held a four-shot lead over Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell after the second and third rounds here, but finished runner-up in a playoff.

“Last year I was very one dimensional how I played,” Woods said. “I played only right to left. I did not have the swing of position where I could get a left-to-right ball at all.”

He and coach Sean Foley had been working to change that, but progress was slowed when Woods injured his left knee and Achilles tendon en route to a share of fourth place at the Masters last April.

Hash House Harriers Run 1344: Saturday December 10 at 3:30pm.

Hares: No Hope, Apeman and Singha Directions: By the power lines next to Phuket International Academy (PIA). Head north up Thepkasattri Road. At the old airport road junction continue north until the first u-turn and come back to the lights.

Continue south for approx 750m and take the turn to PIA (HHH sign).

Travel for 2km and turn right into the laager site just after PIA. Bus: Expat Hotel, Patong: 14:00 and Baan Rim Klong, Kamala: 14:30.

www.thephuketnews.com

44

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011

SPORT

Tiger roars once again Woods wins first event in two years > 43

Heavyweights drawn together for Euro 2012

Defending champions Spain and 1968 winners Italy will clash in Group C of Euro 2012 after the draw for next year’s finals in Poland and the Ukraine was made.

The Republic of Ireland and Croatia make up the pool, with the top two sides progressing to the quarter-finals.

England were d raw n in Group D with co-hosts Ukraine, Sweden and two-time winners France.

“It’s not easy,” said England coach Fabio Capello.

“Obviously the most difficult match is against France. We lost to them at Wembley [in a friendly last year] and they’re very good.

“I have faith in my team and my players. They’re all young, I think they can give a lot.”

FOOTBALL

In a mouth-watering Group B, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Portugal were all drawn together, while cohosts Poland will face Greece, Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A. World and European champions Spain will tackle Italy in their opening group game in the Polish city of Gdansk on June 10, as they begin their bid to become the first side in history to win three consecutive international tournaments.

Vicente del Bosque’s side overcame the Italians on their way to victory at Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland, with Cesc Fabregas netting the winning penalty in a quarter-final shoot-out following a 0-0 draw.

L-R: Germany’s Joachim Low, Morten Olsen of Denmark, Portugal’s Paolo Bento and Holland’s Bert van Marwijk pose after their teams were drawn in Group B –AFP Photo.

Del Bosque said he would love to see Spain tackle Germany – who they beat 1-0 in the 2008 final – in the title match

again. “That is something that would be great and I hope it does happen – it would be a fantastic final,” he told Cuatro television.

Group B appears to be the most finely balanced on paper.

Portugal and the Netherlands famously shared an illtempered round of 16 match at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, which Portugal won 1-0 and featured a record 16 yellow cards and four dismissals.

“It’s a difficult draw but a great draw,” Netherlands and Inter Milan playmaker Wesley

Sneijder told Dutch television.

“We know our three opponents very well. If we manage to beat them and get out of the group, we’ll be well placed to win the tournament.”

Ireland’s Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni had hoped to avoid his home country.

“Italy were the one team we wanted to avoid for many reasons. They’re mentally strong and obviously I know them well,” said Trapattoni.

“Given where we are in the world rankings, being drawn against Italy and Spain, we

know it’s tough but we just have to play them.”

Denmark, champions in 1992, last crossed swords with Portugal in qualifying, with their 2-1 victory in Copenhagen in October forcing Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates to qualify through the play-offs.

The opening Group D clash between England and France at Donetsk’s Donbass Arena on June 11 will probably go a long way towards determining which side finishes top of their pool.

The teams previously met in their opening group match at Euro 2004, when two late strikes from Zinedine Zidane gave France a 2-1 victory after Frank Lampard had headed England in front.

“England are one of the biggest nations in football,” France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris told Tele Lyon Metropole.

“They’ll start as favourites in the group... Behind England, the Ukraine, Sweden and France will fight for second place.”

The tournament kicks off on June 8, when Poland take on 2004 champions Greece at the National Stadium in Warsaw, with the final taking place at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium on July 1.

Joao Havelange quits before ethics inquest OLYMPIC The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed Joao Havelange’s resignation as an IOC member this week just days before an ethics hearing into allegations of corruption.

The 95-year-old, who had been an IOC member for 48 years, was under investigation for his links with Fifa’s former marketing agency, International Sport and Leisure (ISL), which went bankrupt in 2001 with debts of around $300 million (B9.26 billion).

His resignation as the longest serving member of the IOC means escaped any punishment he would have faced had he been found guilty at the hearing which took place www.thephuketnews.com

Havelange has stepped down. in in Lausanne on Thursday.

“We have received Joao Havelange’s resignation letter,” an IOC spokesperson said.

Havelange was accused by a BBC documentary in 2010 of kickbacks totaling B30.9 million from ISL for granting lucrative World Cup contracts.

Havelange, who became an IOC member in 1963, was

FIFA president between 197498 before he was replaced by his long-time FIFA secretary general Sepp Blatter.

The Brazilian, who competed at two Olympic Games – in 1936 in Berlin as a swimmer and then in the 1952 edition in Helsinki as a member of the water polo team – is credited with modernising football into what it is today.

He was also instrumental in bringing the 2016 Olympics to Rio de Janeiro and to South America for the first time.

He gave a rousing address at the final presentations in front of his fellow IOC members saying that should Rio win the Games then everyone would be invited to his 100th birthday on the Copacabana Beach.

–AFP