09-12-2016

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

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LIFEGUARDS IN DANGER

BUDGET SLASHED, OFFICIALS SAY LIFEGUARDS ‘NOT WORTH’ THEIR SERVICES Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter2@classactmedia.co.th

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provincial council resolution to slash the Phuket lifeguards’ funding by 10 per cent threatens to cut the number of lifeguards patrolling the beaches.

The council resolution, voted in August and effective from October, saw 19 council members voting to reduce the funding. Two council members abstained.

The budget cut, down to B19.8 million per year, is to remain in effect annually for three years.

“It is not worth paying B22mn for Phuket lifeguards,” PPAO Acting Chief Watcharin Patomwatthanapong told The Phuket News this week.

“We planned to reduce the budget by cutting unnecessary things out.

We will also give hotels the chance to support the lifeguards in providing beach safety,” he said.

However, Mr Watcharin gave

no definition of what was deemed “unnecessary”.

According to the announcement on the PPAO website, “The purpose of this project is to boost people’s confidence in safety, defence and to protect tourists from loss or death.”

“I believe hotels will provide staff to support lifeguards on the beaches.

Then we will have extra staff for tourists’ safety,” Mr Watcharin explained.

“It is a chance for hotels to be responsible and take care of their

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own guests as we join together to provide for their safety,” he added.

However, the PPAO has yet to clarify why the hotels would pay out of pocket to support lifeguards further when they already funded the lifeguard budget through the “Hotel tax” of 1 per cent of each room rate charged at every registered hotel in the province.

As far back as 2004, the PPAO raked in B44mn in hotel tax collections, with only 214 hotels on...

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Tirade of abuse at Traffic Police earns driver defamation charge > page 4

Land, exit plane and wait

Patience frays as arriving tourists wait hours to clear immigration Supatra Sutham translate@classactmedia.co.th

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ourists ar riving at Phuket International Airport are still forced to wait hours to clear immigration, despite Immigration officials saying they have more officers on duty during peak times.

Capt Watchawuth Kitiatsawong, a senior-ranking officer at Phuket Airport Immigration, told The Phuket News this week that enough officers have been moved to Phuket Airport to cope with the heavy peak periods, but that the key problem was that there are not enough computer terminals available to process tourist arrivals.

“If all counters were open, it would help shorten the queues, but some counters still have no computer terminals

Tourists arriving at Phuket International Airport have to waits hours to clear immigration during peak periods before they can begin their holiday on the island. installed,” he explained.

“We have enough officials to fill all the processing stations once they do open, but at this time we can only do our best to get the lines moving,” he added.

The immigration desks are overloaded when more than one flight land at the same time, Capt Watchawuth admitted.

“During this time we have

more staff at the available counters to help get the lines moving as quickly as possible,” he added.

“Normally we get about 300 passengers per flight, and this takes us only half an hour to clear them.

“The heavy load periods though are from midnight to 4am, when flights come from China and Russia, so we add more staff during these hours,”

Capt Watchawuth reiterated.

The current wait to clear immigration during peak periods is about 2½ hours, travellers have consistently reported to The Phuket News.

“First time back in a year.

What a ridiculous situation!” reported one visitor from the UK who landed at the airport early last Saturday (Dec 3) to rest in Phuket in recovery after surgery.

“The f light landed at 6:50am. It took 2½ hours to show a passport and then 32 minutes to get out the airport after baggage check,” he wrote.

“I’ve travelled the world and this has to be the worst airport in the entire world. My partner landed a week before at 21:55 – it took her 2 hrs 15 mins to clear Immigration,” he added.

The pandemonium leads to frayed patience and irate travellers in the Arrivals Hall.

“There was no queueing system. Everyone was allowed to push in. A national from an eastern bloc area wouldn’t wait… I came here for R&R to stand watching as they wouldn’t queue and walked up the ‘officials’ lane and were served – in my total amazement – by the immigration officer.

“The officer allowed over

30 people through right next to me. Shocking was understatement. I won’t be rushing back here!”

In open acknowledgement of the lengthy delays tourists must suffer before they can begin their holiday in Phuket, Transport Minister Lt Gen Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, less than a week after the official opening on Sept 16, “confirmed” more officers had been posted and that new immigration-processing computer terminals were on their way in a public declaration that the problem had been solved.

Meanwhile, only last Thursday (Dec 1), was Immigration Bureau Chief Maj Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn in Phuket in person to warn Immigration officials to “be prepared” for a busy influx of tourists this tourism high season. (See page 6.)

Budget cut puts lifeguard patrols in jeopardy Continued from page 1 ...the island paying contributions – far fewer than half the number of hotels in Phuket even at that time.

Worse still, only last month Russian tourist Petr Agapov, 57, drowned at a section of Bang Tao Beach where lifeguards are not allowed to patrol because a hotel has its own staff looking after water safety.

In August, French national Anne Sophie Faisant Torrijos, 23, drowned at a small beach south of Nai Thon where lifeguards are asked not to patrol the waters to keep tourists safe.

As is government protocol, the contract of B19.8mn to provide lifeguard services will be offered for public tender. However, so far no organisation other than the Phuket Lifeguard Service

Patong Mayor Chalermluk Kebsup said her office is considering funding their own lifeguards. has even deemed the previous budget of B22mn worth even submitting a bid for.

With the budget slashed, PLS President Prathaiyut Chuayuan this week told The Phuket News that he was uncertain whether his lifeguards will want to bid for the contract, a decision that would throw into jeopardy having any lifeguards posted at 38 watch stations on 13 beaches

where they patrol now.

“I was surprised to learn that the PPAO cut the budget by 10%, and I didn’t know until I heard it on the radio,” he said.

“I have no idea what made them cut the budget, and we have to consider whether or not to bid for the contract at all,” he added.

Although some hotels already support lifeguards, the budget also pays for the watchtowers, such as the one that collapsed on Karon Beach earlier this year, and for free surf survival training for children.

Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup said that she is taking the news very seriously.

“We are really concerned about tourist safety. I will be raising this issue with my staff this week,” she told

The Phuket News on Tuesday (Dec 6).

“Patong Beach is more than three kilometres long and there are only three lifeguard stations now, but there are easily more than 1,000 tourists on the beach. During the high season, the number of tourists on the beach is much higher than that,” she said.

“We must come up with a solution, even if we need to find another way to come up with the budget needed ourselves,” Mayor Chalermluck said.

Meanwhile, Ma-ann Samran, Chief of the Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor), which is responsible for Surin Beach, a deadly surf spot in the low season, declined to comment.

“It is not my responsibility to comment,” he said.

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

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Flight grounded after engine takeoff ‘bangs’ The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

Officers from the Royal Thai Navy speak to Ms Beata before taking her to Patong Hospital. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Polish woman, 30, rescued after passing out while snorkelling ROYAL THAI NAVY SEA rescue officers safely recovered a 30-year-old Polish woman who passed out while snorkelling at Koh Pu off Kata Beach on Monday afternoon (Dec 5).

The officers from the Royal Thai Navy Third Naval Area Command were alerted to her predicament while on patrol for the annual King’s Cup Regatta event.

It was reported that two tourists had been spotted floating in the water at Koh Pu off the coast of Kata Beach waving a piece of fabric and calling for help.

One officer who was in-

volved in the rescue said, “A Polish woman, Ms Splawska Beata, 30, and her boyfriend had been to Koh Pu for a snorkeling trip when Ms Beata suddenly became tired and passed out.

“Her boyfriend found a piece of fabric which he used as a flag and was also shouting for help.

“It was lucky that Navy officers were in the area as they managed to find the couple and bring them to safety,” he said.

Ms Beata was taken to Patong Hospital where she is currently recovering.

Eakkapop Thongtub

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hai Airways has refused to comment on a flight from Phuket to Bangkok being cancelled after loud bangs were reported coming from one of the plane’s engines while accelerating for takeoff from Phuket International Airport on Nov 29.

The aircraft, an Airbus A330-300 with registration HS-TEJ, was performing flight TG-206 from Phuket to Bangkok, reported global aviation safety website The Aviation Herald.

The aircraft “was accelerating for takeoff from runway 09 when the crew rejected takeoff after the right hand engine (PW4168) emitted a loud bang” said the report.

“Ground observers reported there had been a huge bang, the aircraft shuddered, the aircraft began to slow when two more bangs occurred from the right hand engine,” the report added.

A representative of Airports of Thailand (AoT), which

Rusty rods removed from beach OFFICIALS FROM K Amala Tambon Administration Office (OrBorTor) have removed seven rusty steel rods that were buried in the sand at Kamala Beach.

Kamala OrBorTor Chief Administration Officer (Palad) Kitikraisri Khaewwan told The Phuket News on Dec 1 that all the steel rods discovered at the beach had been removed and that beachgoers should now be safe on the beach.

However, he did advise beachgoers to still be vigilant because he is not sure if more undetected rusty steel rods are

@thephuketnews

Officials tried to remove the rods by hand but were unsuccessful. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub still buried in the sand.

“The steel bars were left from a former shrimp farm.

These were buried very deep in the sand and were hard

to pull out by hand because some were attached to cement blocks,” he explained.

“We have checked the area and do not believe there are any more rods in the sand,” he said.

“We are not sure where the owner of this old shrimp farm is now so we are unsure if this is all the rods “We have not received reports of more rods being found, but lifeguards have been advised to report to us if they find anything during low tide,” he added.

Supatra Sutham

The Thai Airways takeoff from Phuket was aborted after loud bangs reportedly came from one of the aircraft’s engines. Photo: The Phuket News/file operates Phuket International Airport, told The Phuket News, “We were alerted to an incident at 11:20pm that the Airbus was having a technical problem and unable to take off. No injuries were reported.

“The plane returned to the apron and unloaded pas-

sengers to another plane to their destination,” said the representative, who asked not to be named.

“We provided a space for the Airbus and it will remain here until it is inspected. For other details of the incident, including the damages, please

contact Thai Airways,” he said.

However, staff at the Thai Airways office at Phuket Airport declined to comment and referred enquiries to their Bangkok office.

The Thai Airways main office in Bangkok also declined to comment on the incident.

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

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Ticked off, charged Tirade of abuse at Traffic Police earns defamation charge GENERAL MANAGER

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The body of Dr Faupel arrives at Chalong Pier.

Austrian, 75, dies on trip

SALES MANAGER Jittiya (Tiya) Rakdej 088 754 1371

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AN AUSTRIAN TOURIST, 75, died after going into shock during a snorkelling trip at Koh Rok in Krabi province on Monday (Dec 5).

The tourist, Dr Klaus Faupel, died at about 4pm while on a snorkeling trip with his friends at Koh Rok, Krabi, said Phuket Tourist Police Chief Lt Col Naruewat Puttawiro.

“The group took the victim to hospital but it was too late,” Col Naruewat said.

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motorist in Phuket Tow n who railed against a traffic police officer for issuing him a parking ticket because the man had blocked a driveway in a red-and-white zone now faces a defamation charge for a tirade he later posted on Facebook.

The incident went viral online overnight last Thursday (Dec 1) after a video was posted showing the man, who police declined to name, verbally abusing a Phuket City Traffic Police officer for locking the man’s pickup truck with a chain around the front-right wheel and issuing him a parking ticket.

In the video, the officer

The man was seen on video hurling abuse at a Traffic Police officer. Photo: Eakkapop Thontub explained that the man had parked in a red-and-white noparking zone, on Yaowarat Rd near Vachira Phuket Hospital.

The man reacted claiming that he had only parked across a driveway to a worksite, hence

he had not parked literally alongside the red-and-white painted curb.

He also argued that the driveway was already blocked by a green-mesh screen, indicating that it was not in use.

Regardless, the officer issued the ticket, prompting the angry motorist to unleash a hail of abuse at the officer.

Lt Col Theerawat Liamsuwan, Deputy Superintendent, Phuket City Traffic Police Division told The Phuket News the next day that after speaking with both parties at Phuket City Police Station, he had decided to cancel the parking ticket.

“I cancelled the parking ticket for him, but warned him that he would be charged if he did it again,” Col Theerawat said last Friday (Dec 2).

“However, he has now been charged with defamation for using such words toward an officer who was just doing his duty and for posting such a video for people to share,” he added.

Two arrested for snatch theft SALES SUPPORT Siriporn (Nok) Seangmas 086 479 7470 sales@classactmedia.co.th

PR MANAGER Natchaya (Nat) Sittiprasert 088 765 5881 pr@classactmedia.co.th

T WO M E N W ER E A Rrested on Nov 30 for a snatchand-grab theft in Patong that left three people, including two Chinese tourists, injured.

Patong Police arrested Sarawuth Rattanaprasert, 21, and Tharawuth Hirankhakorn, 19, at about 8:30pm after they were found in possession of a stolen iPhone 6.

Police seized the phone together with a Trang-registered Honda Wave as evidence of the crime.

The snatch-and-grab occurred on Sai Namyen Rd at 7:15pm, said a police ress release.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers found Chinese tourists, Yu Sun, 32, and Jiang Yimeng, 31, running down the road chasing the suspected thieves.

They told police that three people on a motorbike drove next to them and suddenly one of the passengers snatched the iPhone from Ms Yu’s hand, which caused them to crash the motorbike they were on and collide into another motorbike belonging to Wassana Sareepae.

Ms Yu suffered an injury to her knee, Mr Jiang injuries to his knee and right foot, and Ms Wassana an injury to her right arm.

Sarawuth and Tharawuth admitted to the theft and have been charged with theft at night using a getaway vehicle. Photo: Patong Police Ms Yu and Mr Jaing were taken to Patong Hospital while Ms Wassana was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital.

Police said they quickly apprehended Mr Sarawuth on Sai Namyen Rd, and later apprehended Tharawuth and Armin Longklang while they were driving against the flow of traffic Sawasdirak Rd. In his statement, Tharawuth told police that Armin, who was sitting in the middle, had no part in the theft and had told them not to do it.

However, Sarawuth and Tharawuth admitted to the theft and have been charged with theft at night using a getaway vehicle.

Darawan Naknakhon thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Florida man extradited from US for kidnapping

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Darawan Naknakhon editor@classactmedia.co.th

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Florida man was taken into custody upon his arrival in Bangkok last Friday (Dec 2) after being extradited from the US on charges issued in Phuket back in 2014 for the kidnapping of a fellow American in 2013.

In February 2015, Shawn Abraham Shaw, 43, was fighting extradition to Thailand on kidnapping and extortion charges brought by another American said to have strong ties to senior Thai officials.

Shaw, 43, denied the charges, saying the alleged victim laid a complaint with Thai authorities after the pair had a falling-out in Phuket over a business deal.

Then one month later, in March 2015, Shaw maintained his innocence of the charges brought against him by Thai authorities. His defence lawyer says the charges were laid after a business deal went sour.

At 8am last Friday, Kamala Police Inspector Lt Col Asol Jiraksa and his team escorted Shaw to Kamala Police Station

The Toyota Vios had sustained major damage as a result of the collision. Photo: Darawan Naknakhon

Two foreigners dead in head-on collision

Shawn Abraham Shaw, 43, is escorted through Suwanaphumi Airport by immigration officials this morning. Photo: Darawan Naknakhon in Phuket after he arrived at Suwanaphumi Airport on the warrant of arrest issued on February 13, 2014.

On December 14, 2013, Shaw allegedly kidnapped fellow American Mr Antonio M Accornero and demanded a B30,000 ransom from the victim.

Mr Accornero also said that Shaw took cash and assets from him with an estimated value of more than US$2 million.

After the incident, a police investigation revealed that Shaw was in the US, so they contacted Royal Thai Police for help. Thai authorities sent

Son did not attack elderly woman THE ELDERLY WOMAN who was talked down from jumping from a bridge in Phuket Town on November 24 was not attacked by her son as earlier suspected, she is actually suffering the early stages of Alzheimer’s dementia, a staffer at the Phuket Protection Centre for the Destitute has confirmed.

Police and technical college students talked the elderly woman out of jumping off a bridge in Phuket Town on (Nov 24) after her son allegedly verbally and physically abused her.

Speaking to The Phuket News last Friday (Dec 2), Miss Tanyaporn Aoonsian, Director of Phuket Protection Centre for the Destitute, said, “Doctors have told us that the woman (named only as Ms Lai) was suffering confusion at the time of the incident because her brain is starting to show the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

“At the time of the incident it was alleged that Ms Lai’s son had punched her several times in the eyes and face, but I can confirm that this is not true,” Miss Tanyaporn said.

“After being checked thoroughly at Vachira Phuket Hospital, doctors confirmed @thephuketnews

Vocational College students assist Ms Lai at the time of the incident. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub that Ms Lai had in fact slipped and fallen. Along with the bruising on her face, she also had many scrapes on her body,” she added.

In addition, Lt Col Chalaew Taihu of the Phuket City Police Station said, “After investigating the incident we can confirm that no charges are to be brought against Ms Lai’s son as he did not assault her. The wounds Ms Lai suffered were caused by her slipping and falling to the ground.

“Ms Lai’s son told Ms Tanyaporn that for the past five years he has been taking him mum to many hospitals for treatment because doctors

have been unable to find out what has been causing her behaviour.

“She has been suffering various problems depression, anger and forgetfulness,” he said.

“It wasn’t until thorough checks were performed on Ms Lai at Vachira Phuket Hospital that it was found that she is starting to show the first signs of Alzheimer’s,” he added.

Ms Lai is now in the temporary care of the Phuket social welfare development centre for older persons and once her condition is under control she will be allowed to return home.

Yuthawat Lekmak

a provisional arrest warrant to the United States in October 2014 asking authority to extradite the wanted man to face his charge in the Kingdom.

Shaw is now being held at Kamala Police Station to face his charge, however, at this time he is still denying all allegations.

TWO FOREIGNERS DIED early Tuesday morning (Dec 6) when the motorbike they were travelling on was involved in a head-on collision with a car on Chao Fa West Rd in Wichit.

Lt Khwansirinart Thairat of the Wichit Police was notified of the accident, in front of the Leelawadee Restaurant near Dibuk Hospital, at 2:55am.

Police and Ruamjai rescue workers at the scene, on Chao Fa West northbound, found a wrecked Toyota Vios and Honda Click motorbike.

Nearby was the body of an unidentified foreign man and badly injured man, also

unidentified. The driver of the Vios, Korean national Ms Lee Hyemi, 38, was also at the scene.

The unidentified injured man was taken to Dibuk Hospital with severe head injuries where he was later pronounced dead.

Lt Khwansirinart was told that the motorbike was heading north at high speed when it collided head-on with the car, heading southbound.

Police confirmed that their investigation into the incident was ongoing.

The bodies of the two victims were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital.

Darawan Naknakhon

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Brace for influx

Immigration boss tells underlings ‘get ready’ Eakkapop Thongtub reporter2@classactmedia.co.th

The money was reportedly stolen from a draw, and was not kept locked away in a safe. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Canadian tourist loses B130k to Patong sleep thief PATONG POLICE A R E looking for a woman, believed to be Thai, who is alleged to have stolen more than B130,000 from a Canadian tourist while spending time with him in his hotel room.

Patong Police were alerted of an incident at 2pm on Nov 30, when it was alleged that a female had stolen cash from 32-year-old Canadian tourist Ryan Alexander Sheridan while spending time with him at his room at the Holiday Inn Hotel on Ruamjai Rd. Mr Sheridan told police that the cash stolen from him included B85,000 in Thai currency, Canadian $1,000 and US$350.

Police confirmed that after checking CCTV footage they managed to identify the suspect and a warrant has been issued for her arrest.

Lt Col Somsak Thongkleang said, “We are looking for her now. We have also put out a warning to other hotels in the area to keep an eye out for any suspicious person, Thai or foreigner, that comes in to their area because it is high season now and theft can happen at any time.

“Business operators have also been advised to warn tourists about theft and to lock theirs room and keep their belongings safe.”

Eakkapop Thongtub

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he chief of the Immigration Bureau for Thailand, Maj Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn, arrived in Phuket last Thursday (Dec 1) and urged officials to prepare for a busy influx of tourists over the coming months.

Gen Nathathorn landed last Thursday morning. On hand to welcome him at the Phuket Immigration Office in Phuket Town were Immigration Division 6 Chief Maj Gen Jessada Yaisuin, Immmigration Division 6 Deputy Chief Col Nattapakin Kwanchaiyapruk, Phuket Immigration Chief Col Kantawat Pongsathabodi and the contingent of officers stationed there.

Gen Nathathorn warned the officers that he expected the move to waive singleentry tourist visa fees and to half the fee for visas on arrival (see story below) to boost the number of tourist arrivals greatly.

“Officers must be ready to serve a high volume of tourists and provide conveniences

Immigration Bureau Commander Pol Maj Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn speaks to the press at Phuket Immigration Office in Phuket Town. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub for them while they are in Phuket,” Gen Nathathorn said.

“We also will ask the foreign volunteers who already assist Immigration officers to help out by assisting tourists with filing out immigration forms or to help with translations for us,” he added.

While immigration officers are to process applications as quickly and effectively as possible, Gen Nathathorn noted that security would remain their top priority.

“We are trying to find a solution to solve the issue of people using fake passports or

using other people’s passports because they have similar facial features.

“Most of the time we cannot detect such small differences between facial features visually, but need technology or expert help. In the near future, the central government will grant the budget for us to invest in a biometric system to scan fingerprints, facial features, pupils to prevent such fraud,” he said.

However, regarding the ongoing issue of diabolical delays at the Immigration arrivals hall at Phuket airport,

Gen Nathathorn had no immediate solution.

“We will increase the number of officers to accommodate the number of tourists after checking the number of flights,” Gen Nathathorn said “We cannot have full staff 24 hours because some flights do not have a lot of passengers.

If a lot of passengers are due to arrive then more staff will be put on duty.

“We are trying to avoid long lines and inconvenience to tourists, but at the same time we must check their documents thoroughly,” he said.

Government waives, discounts tourist visa fees for all countries

T H E T H A I G OV E R Nment has waived for three months the B1,000 fee for single-entry tourist visas for tourists from all countries – not just the 19 countries as announced by Cabinet last month.

Similarly, the B2,000 fee for a visa on arrival for the same period – from Dec 1, 2016 to Feb 28, 2017 – has been halved to B1,000 for all applicants, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced

through an official notice posted through its Consular Services website last Thursday (Dec 1).

The notice read: A temporary tourist visa fee exemption scheme and a Visa on Arrival (VoA) fee reduction scheme.

By the Order of the Ministry of Interior dated 30 November B.E. 2559 (2016), starting from 1 December 2016 until 28 February 2017, Thailand will launch a tempo-

rary tourist visa fee exemption scheme and a temporary Visa on Arrival (VoA) fee reduction scheme. Details are as follows: 1. All applicants applying for Tourist Visa (single entry) to Thailand during the aforementioned period will be exempted from the visa fee.

2. During the aforementioned period, Visa on Arrival (VoA) fee will be decreased from 2,000 THB to 1,000

THB for applicants of the nationalities which are entitled to apply for the VoA at the designated immigration checkpoints.

The move to expand the discounted and waived tourist visa fees follows Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office Col Apisit Chaiyanuwat on Nov 22 announcing that the campaign to encourage more tourists to visit Thailand was to target 19 countries only. The Phuket News

The official notice posted last Thursday (Dec 1) revealed that the waived and discounted tourist visa fees apply to nationals from all countries. Image: Screengrab

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Pedals by the thousands to honour late monarch

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Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

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ore than 3,000 people turned out to honour the late HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Monday (Dec 5) by taking part in the “Bike for Dad” event from Nai Harn to Phuket Town.

As part of the event, more than one million marine animals were released in honour of the late monarch, who died on October 13.

December 5 marked the late King Bhumibol’s birthday.

The monarch was to turn 89 years old on Monday.

The day is also celebrated throughout the country as Father’s Day, in honour of the late HM King Bhumibol, widely regarded as the “Father of the Nation”.

The event on Monday began at 6am with Royal Thai Navy Third Area Commander Vice Admiral Surapol Kuptaphan, Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos and officials leading cyclists from the start line at Nai Harn lake.

“December 5 is the birthday anniversary of the late HM

@thephuketnews

Matthias Jaeckel.

Appeal launched for resort manager Thousands of people turned out for the Bike for dad event on Dec 5 to honour the late King Bhumibol. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub King Bhumibol. As a way to express our loyalty and gratitude, Rawai Municipality, Royal Thai Navy Third Area of Command and Andaman Rotary is holding this Father’s Day event,” Mayor Aroon said during his opening address.

“As part of this event, people can enjoy an exhibition of the late King’s life and achievements and have the chance to express their condolences.”

After the official ceremonies, the crowd released 1.1 millions marine animals into the lake, which runs to the sea via nearby Nai Harn beach, to

honour the late King.

Then thousands of cyclists pedalled off to conclude the 42km route from Nai Harn Lake in Rawai to Laem Promthep, Phuket’s iconic and tourist-popular southernmost tip, and on to Saphan Hin on the outskirts of Phuket Town, where people gathered to make merit and give alms to monks.

The severe weather last weekend also failed to dampen the spirits of 40 Phuketians who set off to cycle to the capital to honour the late HM King Bhumibol.

The 40 cyclists set off from the island last Saturday (Dec 3) after having taken their oath to accomplish the task in front of Phuket Vice Governor Thavorn Kongkeaw. At the time of leaving, they were expected to arrive in Bangkok on Wednesday (Dec 7).

“We are representatives of Phuket. With our hearts filled with bravery and confidence, we want to cycle from Phuket to Bangkok in five days. It may be raining on the way, but it does not matter,” said Teerapong Metha, one of the 40 cyclists on the quest.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY of well-known resort manager Matthias Jaeckel are appealing for donations to help cover mounting medical bills after Mr Jaeckel suffered a cardiac arrest last on Nov 22.

Mr Jaeckel, Hotel Manager at the Aleenta Phuket Resort in Khok Kloi, Phang Nga, just north of Phuket, was rushed to Bangkok Hospital Phuket after the attack, but has remained comatose since, Angelika Ilter reported on her Facebook page.

“The Thai insurance does not pay any more and every day it adds up another B100,000,” Ms Ilter said in her appeal launch via Facebook.

“Also, we are trying to collect money for a possible evacuation flight. Costs will be around 70,000 euros,” she added.

Ms Ilter and Oliver Horn, General Manager at InterContinental Hotels Group, have set up two accounts for donations.

“We are grateful for any help,” Ms Ilter said.

To make a donation through the Paypal account set up by Mr Horn, visit Paypal.me/olihorn Friend Gerdy Muller has also set up a GoFundMe page titled “Help For Matthias”.

To pledge a donation, visit Gofundme.com/help-formatthias The Phuket News

Opinion 8

OPINION

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

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CHRIS HUSTED

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

MATTHEW POND

News & Sports Editor

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

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Lifestyle Editor

editor1@classactmedia.co.th From Melbourne, Australia, Mark holds a BA from La Trobe University where he completed a double major in Anthropology and Media Studies.

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I

EDITORIAL

Lights out again in Phuket

t’s 10pm and the The Phuket News’ editorial office is still abuzz with activity as we try to close an issue of the paper a day earlier than usual. Why you might ask? Well, because at lunchtime today, after hearing the jack-hammering of a construction crew a few doors down, a friendly announcement from our venerable electricity supplier blared out of a passing pick up truck’s loudspeakers.

The announcement was something to the effect of, “Your power will be out tomorrow from 9am until 4pm.”

It makes one wonder how long the boffins at the electricity company have been planning this little bit of work. Did they just wake up this morning and proclaim, “Tomorrow we are going to install those new power lines in Kathu.” It certainly seems like this must be the case, otherwise, surely they

would have given businesses affected by the outage several days, if not weeks, to prepare?

Almost the exact same thing happened not two weeks ago with our internet provider.

With these examples to go on, one can only take with a rather large grain of salt announcements about Phuket being tapped on the shoulder to be the next regional “Smart City”. What international IT company is going to be beating a path to our island’s door to set up their next regional hub if such un-notified outages of essential services are a routine occurrence?

Year after year The Phuket News reports on water shortages in the dry season, attempts to cut lifeguard funding and government construction projects going years over budget.

And year after year we hear whimsical proclamations of new infrastructure projects

and creating “Smart Cities”.

Do these officials even live on the same island as us? Do they not see that even the very basic existing infrastructure of the island is woefully inadequate to deal with our ever-expanding urban footprint and population increase?

We need to encourage our government to get back to basics, to put a moratorium on building new condos, hotels and housing developments.

Then look closely at the existing infrastructure of the island and start planning for the future.

It seems this kind of thinking should be native to island communities, who can see only too well the limited space and resources they have to exploit.

Sadly, the idea of rationally planning for the future and laying the groundwork for future success is all but absent from Phuket.

TOP 10 STORIES ON thephuketnews.com

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Phuket traffic fines in clear view Weather warning issued for Phuket Police hunt Thai woman accused of stealing B130,000 from Phuket tourist Appeal launched for Phuket resort manager Matthias Jaeckel Phuket Governor declares war on motorbike-riders without helmets T h a i A i r w a y s f l ig h t grounded after engine ‘bangs’ during Phuket takeoff Tourist visa fees discounted, waived for all countries Southern flooding turns fatal Crown Prince becomes King Florida man taken into custody in Bangkok for 2013 Phuket kidnapping charge

Visit thephuketnews.com for all the latest news

HAVE YOUR SAY Find two locals and you’ll get three opinions

Re: Phuket Opinion: No more beating about the bush Aw, come on. Seeing what people have to say is half the fun, especially the muppets, their comments can be the most entertaining of all.

Seriously though, the news is important because it affects people. So it follows that it’s important to see how people feel about it. We all exist in a society together (even though some of us seem to wish otherwise) so we need to try and understand each other.

Sometimes smart people say stupid things, and sometimes stupid people say smart things, but everyone deserves a chance to say something.

I would suggest that the only time you need to intervene is when two posters take over a comments section with endless insults aimed at each other.

Maybe limit it to three posts per subject? Other than that, just let it be.

CaptainJack69 ...................................................

I don’t know about the technical limitations or imple-

mentation but, what if the commenting was done through Facebook ID/Login. Would be posting under real name? I appreciate the comments and thank you for the work you do in policing them. It’s no easy task. Thank you Phuket News ozymandious

don’t have the time or energy to burn on such action.” No easy answer.

Andy

...................................................

I like the ideas in your final paragraph, it is, as I am sure you are aware, a problem all over the internet, people say things that they would never dream of saying to someone’s face in a bar.

However, since all comments have to be approved before appearing surely it is a simple matter of not approving the entire comments you deem inappropriate. It is your website and in this respect you are entitled to do as you please. You have published comments where one poster calls another “an idiot”, should this have been approved?

Quite some time ago I once posted a comment that was not published and queried this whereupon the then editor emailed me and put me right quite brusquely but he was in fact correct. I appreciate, however, that you “simply

...................................................

.....................................................

I have always enjoyed most of the responses from readers & the opinion polls you carry out.

Bjay

To little, too late

Re: Brace for influx, Thai Immigration boss tells Phuket officers If Immigration believes tourist numbers will rise dramatically because of a B1,000 (US$28) saving, they are obviously not aware of the root cause of the drop in Phuket’s tourism.

Phuketians are too busy fighting over the corruption and rip-off money and have forgotten about looking after the tourist. Sustainable and profitable tourism died in Phuket three years ago.

Phuket has been resting on its laurels of many-a-year ago and even that is wearing thin.

The quality and affordability expected by tourists just isn’t here any more.

Phuket needs to step up its game and step into the 21st century with its tourism tech-

niques. That will never happen whilst uneducated inexperienced cronies are running the facade.

The beaches are a mess both aesthetically and logistically, without a leader who knows what tourists want. Tourists are dying left, right and centre from water-related accidents and on the buses.

The transport industry is exorbitantly over-priced with unsafe vehicles and unregulated unqualified drivers (the rest of the world will not accept Thai driving licences) and after sitting all the tests I know why. The infrastructure of Phuket is 25 years behind where it should be, the typical smell of Phuket is a mixture of diesel, food and excrement – and I wouldn’t live anywhere else :-) skip

Laughable notion

Re: Phuket Governor declares war on motorbikeriders without helmets It’s true they cannot be responsible for what their subordinates get up to after hours but to suggest a law-enforcement officer would discipline another for not wearing his helmet in LOS is simply laughable!

Pauly44

Have an opinion? Comment on stories at thephuketnews.com thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

THAILAND NEWS

9

Number of poor Thais shrinks, says survey Mirabel Misori (seated) is at a briefing at the immigration police office at Suvarnabhumi airport on Monday (Dec 5) after being detained for using a passport with a fake visa.

Photo: Suthiwit Chaiyutvorakan

NATIONWIDE

Cameroonian with T fake visa arrested BANGKOK A CAMEROON WOMAN has been arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport on Monday (Dec 5) when trying to enter the country with a counterfeit tourist visa.

Immigration police ordered a thorough check on the travelling document of Mirabel Misori when she presented her passport at immigration at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

The police suspected the visitor was using a fake visa and their suspicion turned out to be true after using a detector to verify it.

Ms Misori, 26, said she had paid US$800 (B28,487) to a man in her country for a fake

visa to enter the country as a tourist with a plan to find a job in Thailand, Col Paritthipong Prayoonsiri, the Deputy Superintendent of the immigration office at Suvarnabhumi, said.

Information on the fake visa showed it was issued by the Thai embassy in Cameroon.

The Cameroonian came to Thailand on Kenya Airways flight KQ886 from Nairobi, Kenya.

Visitors from South Asia and Africa are on the target list of the immigration police at the airport on the possible use of forged visa in search of job opportunities.

She was handed over to the Suvarnabhumi airport police station for legal action.

Bangkok Post

he number of poor in Thailand fell to 4.9 million last year from 7.1mn in 2014 as the country’s economic growth and myriad state policies helped raise incomes, says the government’s planning unit.

The “Poverty and Inequality in Thailand” survey by the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) reported the proportion of poor fell to 7.2 per cent of the population in 2015 from 10.5% in 2014.

Thailand’s poverty line was B2,575 per person per month in 2013, B2,647 in 2014 and B2,644 in 2015, the NESDB said.

NESDB secretary-general Porametee Vimolsiri said Thailand’s economic growth rose to 2.8% in 2015 from 0.8% in 2014 as the government introduced a number of policies to tackle poverty and inequality.

Bangkokians register for the government’s welfare scheme. Photo: Weerawong Wongpreedee But despite the improvement in income inequality, the gap remains considerably high, he said. Problems persist because of a concentration of financial assets and land among the rich and unequal access to quality services across the income spectrum.

These problems could be further aggravated by technological advancement, global warming and the country’s ageing population, said Mr Porametee.

He said the richest 10%

of Thais enjoyed 35% of the country’s income in 2015 and 61.5% of the land plots.

In a related development, the NESDB reported last Friday (Dec 2) that the country’s unemployment rate fell in the third quarter as working hours, wages and labour productivity rose. The rate was 0.94% of the workforce in the period, down from 1.08% in the second quarter and 0.97% in the first quarter.

The total labour force in the third quarter stood

unchanged from 38.7mn yearon-year, but it rose from 38.2mn in the second quarter.

The NESDB reported employment in the farm sector declined for a sixth straight quarter because of a decline in agricultural activity and flood damage to farmlands, while it rose in the nonagricultural sector for a sixth straight quarter, as the construction, retail/wholesale, hotel and restaurant sectors added jobs.

Bangkok Post

Lion Air passenger denies making bomb remark SONGKHLA P OL IC E C H A RGE D A government official for allegedly making a bomb remark that delayed a domestic flight last Sunday (Dec 4). She was released on bail and denied making the explosive threat.

Waewwadee Phuttaraksa, 28, who works at Department of Agricultural Extension in Chonburi, and five of her colleagues were taken to the Khlong Hoi Kong Police Station for questioning on Saturday (Dec 3) after flight attendants of Thai Lion Air Flight SL703 reportedly heard the group talk among themselves that there was a bomb in the plane’s luggage compartment.

@thephuketnews

The flight departed for Don Mueang from Hat Yai airport in Songkhla province at 12:30pm after a delay of about two and a half hours after the incident.

Col Saksit Meesang, chief of Khlong Hoi Kong Police Station, said on Monday (Dec 5) that police investigators charged Ms Waewwadee with committing an act that causes disorder inside an aircraft. The offence carried a maximum 10-year prison term and a maximum B200,000 fine.

Ms Waewwadee denied the charge and the police allowed her bail on a B100,000 surety late on Sunday. Her colleagues were being treated as witnesses and were freed on the same day.

The six civil officials came to attend a funeral in Songkhla’s Sathing Phra district.

Police would submit their

investigation report to the prosecutors within three months,Col Saksit said.

Ms Waewwadee was accused of uttering ra-berd (bomb) after other passengers were already seated and the

plane was about to move to the runway, according to a police blotter. Flight crew claimed they heard the word clearly as the cabin was quiet at that time.

Bangkok Post

The flight departed for Don Mueang from Hat Yai airport in Songkhla province at 12:30pm after a delay of about two and a half hours. Photo: Nutjaru/Wikipedia

10 THAILAND NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Floods spread to 11 provinces

Damaged tracks leave train services across the south suspended SOUTH Bangkok Post editor@classactmedia.co.th

H

ouseholds and businesses in the South have been hit hard by flooding while all train services heading to the lower part of the region are suspended after tracks were damaged by floodwater.

At least 11 provinces in the South have been affected by flooding which began last Thursday (Dec 1). The provinces are Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Krabi, Trang and Satun, with tens of thousands of residents affected.

According to authorities, at least 11 people have been killed in the flooding.

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced on Monday (Dec 5) that it had temporarily halted the operation of the new Thaksinarat Special Express Train No. 31/32, running from Bangkok to Hat Yai in Songkhla.

The move came after several

A locomotive was stuck on a southern track between Phatthalung’s Khuan Khanun district and Nakhon Sri Thammarat’s Cha-Uat on Monday as parts of the track were submerged under floodwater. Photo: State Railway of Thailand southern railway tracks subsided when the areas were submerged under floodwater, said SRT Governor Wuthichart Kalyanamitra.

Mr Wuthichart said trains on the southern line cannot go beyond Thung Song station and the SRT is providing buses from the station to take passengers to their destinations.

The services affected by the floods include all express and rapid trains from Bangkok to Trang, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Hat Yai, Yala and Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat, as well as all local services from Thung Song.

The SRT decided to suspend services from Thung Song due to the flooding situ-

ation and concerns about the safety of passengers.

According to the Thai Meteorological Department, an active low pressure zone remains over Sumatra and a strong northeast monsoon across the Gulf and the South of Thailand led to torrential rain over much of Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat

Thani, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Ranong and Krabi.

“People should beware of severe weather and possible flash floods, and all transport should proceed with caution,” it said.

Army spokesman Col Winthai Suvaree said Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed the 4th Army Region to provide assistance to residents in the 11 southern flood-affected provinces.

Soldiers will work closely with local administrative officials to help evacuate villagers to safe areas, build sandbag barriers and provide maintenance to public properties damaged by floods as well as give away flood-relief bags to flood victims.

In Nakhon Sri Thammarat, five people have died and over 260,000 residents in 161 tambons of 23 districts have been affected by floodwater, Provincial Governor Chamreon Tipayapongtada said.

Nakhon Sri Thammarat Mayor Chaowawat Saenpong said floodwater levels in the city have rapidly in-

creased due to high seawater levels and flash floods from the mountains, even though pumps had been deployed to help discharge water.

In Surat Thani, more than 87,000 villagers were affected by floodwater while 16 out of 19 districts were declared flood-affected zones.

The 16 districts were Muang, Chai Buri, Tha Chana, Tha Chang, Koh Samui, Ban Na San, Phrasaeng, Ban Na Doem, Chaiya, Khiri Ratthanikhom, Kanchanadit, Don Sak, Phunphin, Wiang Sa, Koh Pha Ngan and Khian Sa. On Koh Pha Ngan, electricity was cut off after a landslide caused by heavy rain knocked down four electricity poles, obstructing traffic on the island.

A backhoe was deployed to remove the poles. Several roads on Koh Samui also were submerged under floodwater.

Water levels between Ban Dara Hotel and Bo Phut junction stood at 30 centimetres, one metre in front of Wat Bo Phut, 50cm at Samui town centre, and 1.50m in front of the Big C on the island.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

ASIA NEWS 11

‘Rent-a-womb’shut down Government mulls closing multi-million dollar surrogacy industry INDIA

A

t a hostel for dozens of pregnant women, impoverished widow Sharmila Mackwan weighs up her decision to carry twins for another couple – her only ticket out of poverty – as the government moves to close India’s multi-million dollar surrogacy industry.

She has left her own children at an orphanage for the whole nine months of her pregnancy because her contract stipulates she has to stay at the housing facility, which is attached to the hospital she will deliver at in western Gujarat state.

Sh e a l s o k n ow s t h e 400,000 rupees (B207,918) she will eventually earn for safely giving birth to the twins will change her family’s fortunes.

But authorities are planning to ban the controversial commercial practice – dubbed rent-a-womb – due to concerns women are being exploited.

“Surrogacy should stay as otherwise I would have never been able to save so much money even if I had slogged all my life,” said Mackwan, who plans to use the money to send her sons, aged 9 and 12, to school and to build a small house.

“I am quite scared as I am carrying twins for the first time. But what can I do? I am just hoping God will take care of me,” the 31-year-old added, as she eased into a chair at the hostel’s dormitory, where some 60 women sleep in beds side by side in spacious rooms.

Mackwan, who is six months’ pregnant, is among about 2,000 mainly poor Indian women who earn a relative fortune every year carrying babies for others.

After opening up to sur-

@thephuketnews

An Indian infant sleeps inside the Neonatal ICU at the Akanksha Hospital. Photo: AFP rogacy in 2002, India became a world leader in the multimillion dollar industry, with hundreds of foreign couples flocking for cheap and safe services.

India tightened rules surrounding the industry in 2012 by barring gay couples and single people from using such services. Last November authorities instructed surrogacy clinics to stop accepting overseas clients.

India’s 2,000-odd clinics charge couples between $20,000 (B693,060) and $30,000 (B1.03mn), a fraction of the price in the US and other Western countries, while offering modern technology, skilled doctors and a steady supply of surrogates.

But Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said such services were being misused, with the proposed new law aimed at protecting the welfare of the women.

“Many so-called childless couples were misusing the

wombs of poor women. It was a matter of great worry because there were instances where a girl child or disabled child have been abandoned soon after birth,” she said.

The proposed law, which still has to be passed by parliament, sparked an outcry among couples desperate for a family, along with heated debate in India about the ethics of hiring out a women’s body.

At a busy private hospital in Gujarat’s Anand town, which has become India’s surrogacy capital, fertility specialist Nayana Patel warned of the dangers of banning, instead of regulating, the industry.

“Anything you try to ban totally will happen underground. People will find other ways and means and that would be even worse,” said Patel who has helped deliver 1,124 babies over the years at Akanksha hospital.

Patel also said the ban would deny scores of poor

women “a lifetime opportunity” to financially improve their lives.

“She is not doing anything immoral. She is not breaking a family, she is making a family and when she is doing such a noble deed who are we to

point a finger at her and say you are selling your womb,” Patel said.

At the hostel attached to the hospital, Mackwan can rest and her diet and health are monitored to ensure a safe birth. The stay away from her home town also offers a reprieve from the social stigma of being a surrogate.

She concedes she is concerned about her sons in the orphanage but feels she made the right decision to carry twins for an Indian couple.

“My drunkard husband killed himself just before I delivered my [own] second baby. My in-laws threw me out and I had no one else to turn to,” said Mackwan, who normally earns a pittance undertaking odd jobs.

Health experts say many that choose to become surrogates lack basic safeguards – such as medical insurance if something goes wrong during pregnancy.

There have been reports of illiterate women being pressured into signing contracts they don’t understand.

Sutapa B. Neogi said sur-

rogates are often impregnated with multiple fertilised eggs to increase the chances of pregnancy. Abortions are performed if more than one pregnancy takes hold.

“Every abortion poses a health risk to the mother besides obviously the psychological trauma,” said Neogi, an additional professor at the Delhi-based Indian Institute of Public Health.

Under the new law, only married Indian couples will be allowed to opt for surrogacy and only then by using an unpaid close relative, said Swaraj.

But 26-year-old surrogate Jagruti Bhoi and others at the hostel criticised the government, saying it knew little of the decisions facing poor women.

“It is easy for the ministers to sit in their plush offices and make decisions for us poor,” Bhoi said.

“In our hearts we know we are doing something that will help our families and also those sisters longing to have babies of their own.”

AFP

12 WORLD NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Dreams of the Bolshoi Tradition reigns at Russia’s legendary ballet school RUSSIA

I

n a vast, light-filled room, a dozen girls in identical lavender leotards, hair in tight chignons, all strike an arabesque pose and share the same dream: joining Russia’s legendary Bolshoi Ballet.

Others chatter, legs impossibly splayed in full splits, in the building’s endless corridors.

Welcome to the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, churning out talent for one of the world’s leading dance companies.

“Our school is the keeper of great traditions,” said instructor Valery Anisimov, watching a class of eight gifted students.

Located in south Moscow far from the gilded splendour of the historic Bolshoi theatre, the academy has produced some of the world’s most celebrated ballerinas including Maya Plisetskaya and Maris Liepa.

“We train our dancers for the world of classical theatre,” said Anisimov. “We teach them the little secrets of Russian ballet, the most rigorous technique there is.”

The Bolshoi Ballet Academy was founded in 1773 by Empress Catherine the Great. Photo: Yuri Kadobnov/AFP Founded in the 1770s like the Bolshoi theatre, the academy, also called the Moscow State School of Choreography, today has 721 students from 10 to 19 years old. They attend classes from 9am to 6pm, then end the day with solo practice.

While the younger students follow both dance and regular school curriculums, the focus narrows almost exclusively to ballet after the age of 15.

“We don’t have the right to make mistakes, we can never slack off,” said 15-year-old Liza, who has been dancing for 10 years.

“Sometimes in the evening

I just want to plop down on the couch and snack in front of the telly, but instead I have to do homework for the next day,” she said.

“It’s not easy,” chimed in 17-year-old Mikhail. “Since it’s our profession, it’s all right, but there is a lot of work.”

At the final exam, the academy invites recruiters from the world’s top ballet companies to watch the graduating talent. And scouts from Russia’s legendary Bolshoi theatre are in the front row.

“Everyone would love to go on to the Bolshoi, to become a star,” gasped 15-year-old

Harper Ortlieb, an American attending the school.

She left her small Oregon home-town to study in Moscow after the Bolshoi academy discovered her via Youtube videos.

“This is the best school in the world. The teachers and their level of involvement in the courses is incredible,” she said.

Ortlieb, whose mother moved with her to Moscow, is one of 84 foreign students from all corners of the world, here to pursue the Russian classical technique – characterised by a bold, dramatic, almost athletic approach.

“I am the only foreigner in my class, but other students are helping me a lot,” she said.

The Bolshoi suffered a blow to its image when the ballet troupe’s artistic director Sergei Filin was maimed by a horrific acid attack in 2013, orchestrated by one of its own soloists.

The ensuing criminal case and courtroom drama exposed the ferocious competition, and allegations of corruption and favouritism behind the scenes still weigh on the company.

Filin was replaced by Makhar Vaziev, a veteran of both the rival Saint Petersburg school – where the ballet greats Vaslav Nijinksi and Rudolf Nureyev studied – today called the Vaganova Academy, and the rival Mariinsky theatre.

Vaziev, who quit the post of ballet chief at La Scala to come to the Bolshoi at a difficult time, however promised to uphold the theatre’s tradition to recruit dancers “mostly from the Moscow school”.

“There should be a close link between the Bolshoi theatre and the Moscow school,” he

said in his first interview on the job, aired on state television.

For the young dancers, transitioning from the academy into the professional world is a change of pace.

The school was “like a family”, said one former student.

“We all lived together in the dorm, three people to a room. We all shared the same fears and the same dreams,” said the dancer, now 22.

But such a closed environment has its downfalls, she added, asking not to be named because she feared her comments could lead to reprisals.

She once hoped for a dancing career abroad but said that was difficult after a “purely Russian” dance education.

“We didn’t even learn English,” she said.

“When you are a student, the whole world stops at the doors of the academy, of Russia, of dance,” the young dancer said.

“It’s only now I am discovering that there may be other things to live for.”

AFP

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

BUSINESS NEWS 13

It’s your reputation online Experts unravel the mystery of successful online campaigns MARKETING Chris Husted execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

T

hose savvy enough to front up at the British Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (BCCT) Business Dinner seminar on digital marketing at the Amari Phuket in Patong last week were treated to some expert advice on why just engaging in social media does not automatically mean the business miracle will happen.

The panel of expert speakers featured no less than David Barrett, CEO of Hype Global; professor and digital marketing guru Dr Ian Fenwick; and Jon Cannon, Executive Assistant Manager at the Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach and a board member of the Phuket Hotels Association marketing committee.

The event*, held last Thursday (Dec 1), was moderated by BCCT Board member David Cumming, VP and Area General Manager for Onyx Hospitality Group.

Of all the basic concepts that needed a reminder, noted Mr Barrett, was that just having a website is not enough in today’s fast-paced world of interaction. Websites must be 1) regularly updated; 2) have relevant content; and 3) be “reachable” on a variety of devices (phone, tablets, PCs).

Without this triumvirate, even the simplest forms of web presence will fail as without the regular updates they will fall on search-engine rankings, leaving them invisible to potential customers, guests and clients, and without relevant content, visitors to the website will simply click somewhere else, he explained.

“Know your audience,” Mr Barrett said plainly. “You need to audit your content,

@thephuketnews

Novotel Phuket Kamala EAM, Jon Cannon highlighted tech challenges facing hoteliers.

David Barrett, CEO of Hype Global, pointed out that your entire business’ reputation hinges on what you do online, through your website, Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere. define your user experience and plan the timing of your content delivery.”

Looking at the high-end of intelligent digital marketing, Mr Barrett also pointed out that data from users was rarely integrated into operations.

“Every time a person accesses the internet, there is so much information available that is not used. We know what device they are using, where they are, how they reached the website, and all this is available to be properly used in creating a digital marketing strategy,” he said.

Regardless of which forms of online presence a business chooses, whether it be a website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter – they all boiled to one critical concept, he added.

“Put simply, everything you do becomes your reputation online. It is as simple as that,” Mr Barrett said.

Dr Ian Fenwick, Visiting Professor of Marketing at the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration at Chulalongkorn University, focused on dodging disappointments, and how simply launching online advertisements were unlikely to suc-

ceed if they did not satisfy key core requirements.

First, was “Not a dash of digital”. “Do not just create a website or start a social media account and expect it to start getting good results. It must have a consistent useful presence.

“Also, remember that the people you are marketing to are participants – not an audience. You need to engage them, inspire them to take action of their own, even if it is sharing a post or clicking through to your website all the way to actually buying your product or service,” he said.

Dr Fenwick pointed out how the nature of interruption – the traditional basis of nearly all advertisements over radio, TV and now even online – was changing into extreme segmentation.

Marketing campaigns, and advertisements alone, now need to be highly engaging – or at the very least very informative or entertaining, but best both – in order to be even accepted by a viewer.

This was best achieved through stories and theatre, he noted.

“Don’t forget that boredom and irrelevance is only one click away,” he cautioned.

A successful advertisement or campaign was also no justification for a victory parade, he added.

“Test. Improve. Repeat – this must be done over and over again to make sure that all the good hard work does not go to waste,” he said.

Jon Cannon, EAM at the Novotel Phuket at Kamala, noted how the current explosion in online marketing poses key challenges to the hospitality industry.

“There are new competitors (to the accommodations market), such as Airbnb, also new technology alone is posing serious challenges,” he said.

Citing a recent industry survey, Mr Cannon pointed out that 76 per cent of Millennials use friend’s recommendations when looking into booking a hotel, only 15% used travel agents – but 95% of travellers read peer reviews.

“And 65% of people overall used smart phones to research or book their hotel,” he said.

To keep pace with the digital revolution, hotel franchises have responded with expert diversification of managerial roles in hotel

franchises, Mr Cannon noted.

“There used to be Sales & Marketing Managers, now there are Sales Managers and Marketing Managers, and now even Content Managers,” he said.

On the ground, technology was also a key factor for guests’ experience, Mr Cannon said, pointing out that of all modern conveniences offered at hotels, Wi-Fi speeds were critical.

“As soon as a guest checks in, they’re on their phones connecting to the internet.

If you have just one guy who starts using large amounts of bandwidth, that can cause problems for other guests and not such a nice experience for guests who see Wi-Fi as a basic service at their hotel while they’re on holiday,” he added.

Increasing bandwidth was often not as simple as flicking a switch, and takes planning, budget and commitment to ensure it meets guests’ needs, Mr Cannon explained.

While the challenges are presumed to keep coming, Mr Barrett wrapped up the point during the Question & Answer session after the panel presentation that: “Now doubt that digital marketing benefits the customers.”

“You don’t need to be an

expert, but you must be a storyteller – as people expect content to be regular and engaging,” he surmised. * The event, part of the BCCT’s renowned Phuket Business Dinner series, was organised in collaboration with French, German and Netherlands-Thai Chambers of Commerce.

Dr Ian Fenwick

Dodging Disappointment 1. Not a dash of digital 2. Consistent useful presence 3. Participants – not audience 4. Extreme segmentation 5. Stories and theatre 6. Test. Improve. Repeat – Dr Ian Fenwick, Visiting Professor of Marketing at the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration at Chulalongkorn University

14 BUSINESS NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Illegal ‘hotels’ face deadline

Campaign launched to bring illegal rental operators into the fold PROPERTY

A

ll accommodation properties operating illegally in breach of the Hotel Act by providing rentals of 30 days or less have until Jan 31 to register with authorities, Phuket Governor Chockchai Dejamornthan has announced.

There are currently 424 hotels, comprising 45,740 guestrooms, legally registered and operating on the island, Governor Chockchai recently told a meeting of relevant officials at Provincial Hall.

In total, there are 204 hotels with 19,395 rooms in Muang District (including Phuket Town, Chalong and Rawai); 148 hotels with 18,839 rooms in Kathu District (including Patong); and 72 hotels with 7,506 rooms in Thalang (including Surin, Cherng Talay and Mai Khao).

Yet the officials found a further 1,366 properties illegally offering rental accommodation for 30 days or less.

“The Phuket Provincial Office has ordered all 1,366

Properties in Phuket offering rental accommodation for 30 days or less have until Jan 31 to register, warned Governor Chockchai Dejamornthan.

Photo: Phuket PR Office places to register correctly from December 29, 2016 to January 31, 2017,” Gov Chockchai said.

However, as of Tuesday (Dec 6), global hotel booking site Agoda alone had 1,806 properties in Phuket listed as available for rent.

Rental accommodation operators are asked to register at their local District Office, he added.

“If they can’t make it in

time, we will consider extending the registration period, but it must not be more than six months,” Gov Chockchai said.

Short-term rental operators who failed to register would face legal action, Gov Chockchai warned.

The huge number of properties in Phuket illegally providing short-term rentals was having a drastic effect on hotel bookings, Gov Chockchai noted.

“Bringing these ‘hotels’ (sic) under regulation also helps to reduce the likelihood of corruption,” he said.

Phuket Vice Governor Snith Sriwihok, added, “Tackling this issue will increase tourists’ confidence in Phuket as a tourist destination, and helps to ensure they will stay in a good-quality hotel during their holiday to Phuket.”

The deadline to register properties as hotels follows the

Ministry of Interior on August 19 issuing a new regulation to make it easier for more property owners to obtain a hotel licence.

The regulation – called the Ministerial Regulation Prescribing Descriptions of Other Types of Building Used for a Hotel Business Operation 2016 under the Building Control Act (1979) – will remain in effect for five years.

However, it applies only to buildings that existed before it came into force and whose owners desire to use the property as “Hotel” as defined by the Hotel Act. Deputy Prime Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn also revealed on Tuesday that around 60 per cent of hotel rooms throughout the country are operating illegally.

The government plans to bring them all into the legal system within five years, he said.

Gen Tanasak said a survey by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports found 400,000 to 450,000 hotel rooms, about 60% of the total, were in violation of the Hotel Act of 2004.

The ministry has been instructed to work with the Ministry of the Interior’s Provincial Administration Department. With cooperation from provincial governors, the ministry would crack down on illegal hotels, aiming to bring them into the system within five years.

Bhuritt Maswongssa, who heads the Phuket chapter of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), called for a proper survey to be conducted to determine the number of hotels with a proper operating licence, hotels for which operators have applied for a construction permit but not obtained approval, and hotels which have been modified from commercial buildings and are operating without a licence.

According to Mr Bhuritt, of about 2,700 hotels in Phuket, only about 900 had a proper licence. About 1,000 were open for business although still without a construction permit, while the others were commercial buildings modified for use as hotels and operating with a permit.

Laguna scoops major CSR awards CORPORATE L AGU NA R ESORTS & Hotels PLC, better known on the island simply as Laguna Phuket, has won three prestigious awards bestowed by the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) in Thailand in appreciation of the resort’s long-term contribution in CSR and community development.

The awards were handed out by US Ambassador to Thailand Glyn T Davies at the 2016 Amcham CSR Excellence (ACE) Award event in Bangkok on Nov 22.

Highlighting the resort’s long-term contribution in CSR and community development, Laguna Phuket received the ACE Recognition Award, the Thai-US Creative Partnership Designation Award and the US Ambassador’s Award.

Amcham’s ACE Recognition honours member organisations that create long-term economic and social benefits in their communities.

Laguna Phuket was awarded the ACE recognition in 2015 for its Seedlings Internship Program for marginalised local young adults, and ACE 2016 for its Greening Community Initiative that

US Ambassador to Thailand Glyn T Davies (left) hands the US Ambassador’s Award to Peera Pomsook (right), CSR Manager representing Laguna Resorts & Hotels PLC (Laguna Phuket) at the 2016 AMCHAM CSR Excellence (ACE) Award in Bangkok. resulted in 25,000 mangrove saplings planted by the resort, participated by more than 1,000 associates and 450 community members, over the course of 10 years.

The Thai-US Creative Par t nership Designation Award is bestowed to qualifying member companies.

Laguna Phuket is one of the final 62 qualifying members who were appointed partnership from more than 1,000 corporate members.

The US Ambassador’s Award is a special and additional award created this year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Amcham Thailand.

The top three finalists were IBM, Dow and Laguna Phuket. Laguna Phuket pitched for the award with its Seedlings Internship Program, which showcases the resort’s policy and view on the Inclusion of LGBTQ and Equality.

The Phuket News thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

A new Disney Princess enters the Pantheon

21

Phuket students take on the world at Yale

16

MYSTICAL MAGIC

From the distant past to the modern age, animal deities roam the Thai imagination > P17

The graceful bird-man hybrid Kinnara is just one of many Thai mythical creatures. Photo: Michael Janich

@thephuketnews

16 EDUCATION

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Local students take on the world HeadStart pupils head to Yale University for World Scholar’s Cup to all the HeadStart Scholars! Next year’s theme has been announced as “An Unlikely World” and the Global Round destinations will be in Hanoi, Vietnam and Cape Town, South Africa. An overview of the students’ successes is as follows:

Miki Edouard editor1@classactmedia.co.th

O

n November 15, nine HeadStart International School students and two staff members departed the shores of Phuket for New York and then on to New Haven, Connecticut.

The students had qualified for the prestigious World Scholar’s Cup Tournament of Champions at the world-famous Yale University. Just to actually qualify for the Tournament of Champions is a significant success in itself, however, to qualify, participate and win medals is a phenomenal achievement.

The World Scholar’s Cup is a celebration of learning which provides participating students with wide ranging learning opportunities that stretch far beyond any traditional examination syllabus. The competition has an over-arching theme every year. This year, the students worked with content related to the theme of “An Imperfect World”.

They studied Art, Literature, Science, History, Social Studies and the special area of Crime and Justice. The knowledge and understanding that the students gained was then tested during the competition by their ability to debate, write analytical essays, complete

Debating Denalyn: Silver medal.

Eve: Gold medal (ranked 35th).

Denalyn, Eve and Marco: Gold medal.

For Top Junior Team (ranked 38th).

The Headstart Scholars in New York. a multiple choice exam and work as a team under intense pressure in the “Scholar’s Bowl”.

The nine students: Marco David Bokoksa De La Rosa, Phet Frederiksen, Lisa Kim, Denalyn Kwok, Elliott Lovotti, Jean Phaisamran, Hayeon Song, Albert Tandivit and Eve Whittaker were all extremely successful at each stage of the world-wide competition.

HeadStart teams initially participated in a Regional Round in Bangkok, from which they qualified to take part in the Global Round. Around the world, in over 40 countries, 20,000 students participated in numerous Regional Rounds, to qualify for the final stage of the competition.

The Global Round was also hosted in Bangkok this year, where 3,500 students from around the world competed, with around 1,000 of the highest achievers qualifying for the Tournament of Champions at Yale University.

This places HeadStart students in the top five per cent of all participants world-wide.

The students acquitted themselves admirably, with every single HeadStart student being awarded with a medal for different competition disciplines, demonstrating what a wide range of talent the HeadStart students have. The student’s individual successes, as well as their team successes are celebrated. Congratulations

Writing Jean, Phet, Elliott, Albert: Silver medals.

Jean, Phet, Hayeon: Silver medal for Top Collaborative Writing Team (ranked 66th).

Albert, Elliott, Lisa: Silver medal for Top Collaborative Writing Team (ranked 67th).

Scholar’s Challenge Albert: Social Studies (ranked 5th).

Marco: Special Area (ranked 19th).

Eve: History – Gold (ranked 28th).

Top School Scholars Eve: Junior.

Albert: Senior.

Top Overall Scholars at the Tournament of Champions Eve: Junior (ranked 100th).

Full scholarship on offer at UWCT

U

nited World College Thailand (UWCT) has announced it will be offering a full three-year scholarship for one underprivileged Thai student to join Grade 10 in August 2017. To be eligible the prospective student must be aged between 14 and 16 and residing in Phuket.

This opportunity will enable the selected student to work towards gaining an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, widely recognised as the “gold standard” in education.

The scholarship recipient will be eligible for the following: full tuition, full boarding for the duration of the scholarship, monthly allowance for living expenses and English language support.

Applicants must be Thai nationals studying at a local Phuket school, born between September 1, 2000 and August 31, 2002.

UWCT will accept candidates on the basis of merit. After a candidate is con-

The UWCT scholarship is a fantastic opportunity. sidered qualified, their financial status is assessed in order to determine whether they have a demonstrated need for full scholarship.

The UWCT Scholarship Selection Committee started accepting applications this month.

Applicants should apply directly to UWCT for this particular scholarship in Phuket. Applicants will be assessed on their social competence, intellectual curiosity and motivation, resilience, personal responsibility and integrity, active commitment to the UWC mission and values.

Applicants who are successful in the preliminary selection will be called for an interview. These interviews will be held at UWCT, Phuket on February 12 and 13, 2017. The student selected should be prepared to join UWCT by August 7, 2017.

The deadline for application will be January 16, 2017 and the scholarship recipient will be announced on February 20, 2017. Apply, online at: uwcthailand.net/scholarship thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

CULTURE 17

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Thai mythical creatures

Thais revere many mythical beings that were first described in ancient holy texts Garuda is a mythical bird-man hybrid and is a national symbol of Thailand. Photo: Supercarwaar

SIRINYA’S WORLD Dr Sirinya Pakditawan pakditawan@googlemail.com

I

f you’ve spent any time in Thailand, or even just visited on holiday, you’ve certainly come across representations of mythical creatures in Thai temples and other religious sites. These beings are said to reside in the Himaphan Forest on the slopes of the mythical Mount Meru, which is considered to be the centre of the Buddhist and Hindu cosmos.

The forest, and the creatures that dwell there, are described in the sacred Thai Buddhist text the Ramakien, which itself is derived from the ancient Hindu text the Ramayana. There are dozens of these mythical creatures that reside in the forest and some of the most commonly depicted in Thai art and architecture include the mythical snake, the mythical lion, crocodiles and swans. Many of these creatures share features from several different real animals and sometimes have human features as well. There are far too many to list here, but let’s take a look at some of the more common ones.

Naga is a semi-divine serpent who is associated with water and is often enlisted as a guardian for temples. As a being of the water and the underworld, Naga is often used as a decoration on barge boards, eave brackets, windows, doors, gates and arches.

Legend says that Naga can also transform into a human being. In addition to this, Naga can control the rain and thus affect the prosperity of a region’s crops and livelihood. It also guards the hidden wealth of the earth and is

Kinnara is often found in Thai art. Photo: M Janich @thephuketnews

a protector of Buddhism.

On balustrades, Naga is often combined with the Makara, which is a crocodile-like being. It is interesting to note that the open mouth of the Makara often disgorges an angry Naga. The head of the Makara frequently resembles an elephant trunk, while the neck is encircled by three ruffs.

In addition to Naga and Makara, there is another similar creature called Mom which is a mighty aquatic creature with scales and four legs, whose representations can be occasionally spotted at the entrance of temples in Northern Thailand.

Another common guardian is the mythical lion, referred to as Singh or Singha. These lion figures usually comes in pairs and are place at the entrance to a temples, large buildings, or even houses. Representation of Singha owe a lot to its Chinese cousin, in the popular Chinese style, two lions are placed in front of a building to guard its entry – the female on the left side with her cub and the male lion on the right with a ball under his paw.

The Khochasi is a composite of a lion with an elephant’s trunk, ears and tusks. It guards sacred places, and in particular, portals in the North of Thailand. Another elephant being is Erawan, known as the ‘elephant of the clouds’ the three headed elephant Erawan is also the mount of the Hindu God Indra.

Hong (or Hamsa) is a celestial swan with a long and graceful neck, an extended beak, wings, and a gorgeous flowing tail. Many Thais believe that when the lotus-leaf clapper of the bell (which is often held on a long string from its beak) is moved by the breeze, prayers are lifted to heaven. The celestial swan often occurs on the roof ridges of temples but can also be seen adorning more mundane things like street lamps.

The mythical hybrid creature the Kinnari (female) or Kinnara (male), whose top half is a celestial human-like dancer and bottom half a celestial swan (Hong) is also quite common to see in temples.

They occur widely in architectural decoration and mural paintings. The female Kinnari symbolises feminine beauty, grace and cultural accomplishment in singing and dancing. The Thai Yai birddance between the Kinnari and Kinnara is also often depicted.

Finally, the Garuda – a mythical bird-man hybrid who serves as a national symbol of Thailand and is often depicted on government buildings and logos. Garuda is the fearsome king of the birds and the natural enemy of Naga. It has a human body, but the wings, legs and beak of a bird. It is also

the vehicle of the Hindu God Vishnu.

So to sum up, we can say that Thai mythical creatures show how intricately the strands of Buddhism, Hinduism and animism are intertwined within Thai culture and tradition. There are many more which we have not discussed here, so I suggest you do some research online to discover more and learn about their symbolic meanings.

What is more, mythical beings are also a popular subject in classical Thai art and painting. A popularity that continues to the present day.

For instance, well-know Thai Artist Chakrabhand Posayakrit has created amazing pictures of the Kinnari and other artists are still regularly inventing more of these hybrid creature to depict in their art.

Naga often guards temple entrances. Photo: S Alpha

18 DINING

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Sunset Grill’s signature seafood platter.

Open-air grilled Australian rack of lamb.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Chiang Mai rhubarb and raspberry crumble.

Dining with a view @ Sunset Grill Anton Makhrov news@novostiphuketa.com

I

f you are one of those gourmands who prefer to dine with a view, then Sunset Grill is a must-visit place. The name tells you pretty much all you need to know: the view is breathtaking and the food is delicious. Frankly, that's the bottom line and I should stop right here, but would you trust me then?

Located at the Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort in Kamala, Sunset Grill can boast one of the best panoramic views of the Andaman sunset in Phuket. The restaurant nests high on the hill, towering above the resort and the surroundings. Don't hesitate to take a shuttle from the lobby, because an ascent on your own feet would be a challenging affair.

The prize that awaits you at the top is well worth the effort though. With an open kitchen on the left and a seascape view on the right, Sunset Grill enchants you from the very moment you walk in. Coming by 6pm really is a must so you can get a drink and enjoy the beautiful orange and fiery red hues of a stunning sunset while picking your preferred treats from the menu.

The person in charge of the kitchen is Alessandro Martinelli, an Italian chef with over 15 years of experience at top level venues in Europe and Asia alike. The chef treats his guests to the best open-air grilled seafood, meat and vegetables plus some resort-style comfort food, signature Western desserts and local Thai specialities. While waiting for the food, guests can either watch the kitchen team at work or enjoy the panoramic view of the Andaman sea, both are enthralling.

Sunset Grill: The name says it all.

For the start I took one of the most simple yet incredibly delicious Mediterranean appetisers: tomatoes with anchovy, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Cube-shaped peeled tomatoes soon arrived, together with a compliment of fresh baked bread, which in the traditional Italian way, you dip in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Each time I try something like this it amazes me how such a simple combination of ingredients can result in such a perfect combination of flavours.

I barely finished my starter when the second course arrived: an open-air grilled Australian rack of lamb with shallots and a sweet tangy sauce. I ordered my lamb cooked up to medium so it was juicy and just mouth-watering.

Barbecue marinated pork ribs also rank high on the list of Sunset Grill's signature dishes, but lamb is something you don't come across often enough in Phuket, so I just couldn't help ordering it. The meat was packed with its natural flavour and the very first bite brought me back to my childhood when on special occasions we would eat exactly the same style of rack of lamb.

Sweet and smokey shallots turned out to be a perfect side-dish as well as grilled local asparagus with Parmesan cheese and mashed potatoes with garlic chips. I must admit that the Sunset Grill is one of those venues where sidedishes are not looked down on by the chef. Alessandro and his team must be paying equal attention to lobsters on the one hand and mashed potatoes on the other. This results in even the most simple things tasting Michelin quality or close.

It would have been a crime not to try any seafood at a sea-view venue, so my third choice was the Sunset Grill's signature seafood platter. The plate arrived loaded with all of the best the Andaman Sea has to offer: mussels,

Classic Italian staples are the foundation. squid, octopus, fish and even a lobster.

I was lucky indeed to have a companion to cope with this gorgeous treat.

Complete with a choice of European and Thai sauces, the platter was a real protein feast.

What struck me most though, was the distinct smokey flavour of the seafood and fish. Being a fast-cooking ingredient, seafoods often don't spend enough time on the grill get this aroma, but chef Alessandro managed to solve this issue somehow. Every bite was infused with the distinct smell of food cooked on open fire. Hats off to the chef and his team.

As for desserts, two options are strongly recommended. First is the Chiang Mai rhubarb and raspberry crumble with vanilla ice cream. Last time I had rhubarb was over 20 years ago and the person to cook it (and to grow it actually) was my great-grand mother, so please let me know if there is another place in Phuket serving rhubarb! Second is the mango ice cream which not only tastes and smells like mango (which is obvious) but also looks like a real mango fruit. A really nice redesign of mother-nature's creation.

Sunset Grill is open from 12 to 3pm every day except Tuesdays and Sundays and from 6pm till 10pm every day except Tuesdays. For more information, please call 076 231 234 or email: phuket.regency@hyatt.com thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

PEOPLE 19

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

A chip off the old block

Anton Makhrov news@novostiphuketa.com

W

henever you read about a new general manager taking over a hotel in Phuket, it’s common to see a paragraph stating that the newly appointed GM graduated from some hospitality school and later joined this or that company. The further biography can have plenty of information, but the often grueling initial steps of their entry into the industry are usually skimmed over with just a few words. To fill this gap in knowledge, The Phuket News sat down with Sergey Nesterenko Jr, who has just finished six months of his on-the-job training as a Food & Beverage Management Trainee at the Novotel Phuket Karon Beach Resort and Spa. The Nesterenko name might ring a bell with quite a few Phuket expats.

Sergey’s father, Sergey A. Nesterenko, is the man behind Vista del Mar and several other projects here on the island. Sergey Jr says that was these examples from his father that inspired him to choose his path and go into the service sphere.

“He’s always been a very hospitality oriented man, very gentle, nice to talk to, a man in a fine suit who helps you to achieve success. An entrepreneur,” Sergey Jr recalls. Another point, he singles out, was his own passion for the culinary arts.

“I loved to cook from an early age but never believed this trade could bring a good income. Only some really talented chefs get to that high level,” he says.

Yielding to pragmatism, Sergey Jr earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and management, and only after that, came back to his initial idea and suggested to his father to co-invest in a restaurant.

“My father said he would think about it, but in time, decided to invest this money in his son’s education – learning from a school first, rather than from my own inevitable mistakes,” he says.

The choice fell on Les Roches, one of the world’s highest-ranked international hospitality schools located in the Swiss Alpine village of Bluche.

Sergey Jr explains that the school has both postgraduate and undergraduate Hospitality Management programs but that the educational process is more or less the same. The programs comprise theoretical and craft-based classes, live practice at the school’s venues and internships at world-leading hotels.

When asked about what it takes to make a top student, Sergey Jr puts soft skills on top of the list of priorities.

“Plus a natural service mind,” he adds. @thephuketnews

Language skills are also essential and open-mindedness is also crucial as well as being ready to work hard, he adds.

Learning hospitality skills presupposes starting from zero: washing dishes in a restaurant kitchen, serving food, doing the very basic jobs at the front desk. There is also much to learn with cleaning science and stewarding, executive housekeeping and banquet operations – these are things that cannot be learned from books only.

“For undergraduates from well-off families to do something with their own hands can be challenging,” Sergey Jr warns, adding that studies also include more pleasant things such as visiting Michelin restaurants or exploring the world of fine wines. But even these things are first and foremost an investment in a long-lasting future career.

“You have to go through these hard times,” Sergey says, adding that it will be even harder later.

For this “later” stage he chose the 224-room Novotel Phuket Karon Beach Resort and Spa which he joined as an F&B Management Trainee earlier this year.

Sergey explains that he wanted to join a big hotel which would be different from his experience at Vista del Mar. Still, he picked Phuket, with more personal connections and a chance to work closely with top management. It turned out to be a reasonable assumption – for instance Sergey managed to contribute into the creation of the “a la carte buffet” concept along with other managerial tasks. But it all started with manual work at the hotel’s breakfast service.

“So it takes a degree in economics and postgraduate diploma from Les Roches – just in order to wash dishes in Phuket?” I ask him straight out.

“Not exactly. To carry plates,” he answers with a smile and in a habitual way adjusts the position of cutlery in front of him and moves a glass to where

Sergey Nesterenko Jr it should be according to hotel standards. “It’s essential. You won’t find a good chef who hasn’t been a dishwasher, or a restaurant manager who hasn’t carried plates,” Sergey explains.

To those thinking about a career in hospitality Sergey recommends asking themselves twice whether they really want this (and what specifically) and whether they are ready to work really hard and almost all-around-the-clock.

“Just to make it clear. A hotel breakfast means 400 guests and six staff,” he

says citing his Novotel experience. And it looks like hotel guests were happy with Sergey’s service and expressed their gratitude on Facebook and in personal letters to the hotel management.

Finally, Sergey’s passion and involvement brought him a special award from the hotel, for providing an excellent guest experience, and eventually job offers from Bangkok, Moscow and Singapore. Though his immediate plan is to enjoy his well-deserved New Year’s vacation.

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Moana is the latest Disney princess. Photo: Disney Kanin Srimaneekulroj editor@classactmedia.co.th

L

ast Thursday, Thai audiences were finally introduced to the latest member to join Disney’s immortal pantheon of princesses – Moana, the titular character of Walt Disney Pictures’ latest feature film.

Unlike her fellow damsels, however, Moana’s brand of “happily ever after” doesn’t involve a prince charming or a posse of magical, singing animals who make her look pretty for a ball.

“This is very much a heroine’s journey kind of story,” said Ron Clements, one of the film’s directors.

“Moana’s journey, her quest, takes her from one part of her world to faraway lands to visit territories that have never been explored before, in order to save her people and the world. Instead of the romance we see in every other film, here we have a character who just isn’t interested in romance.”

Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker (both of whom are responsible for such iconic Disney films as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Hercules), Moana’s story takes place 2,000 years ago, during

A voyage of discovery a time period in which the famous and skilled navigators of the Pacific Islands mysteriously gave up their proud legacy.

The titular character, Moana (whose name means ocean), a fiery, 16-year-old daughter of a village chief, sets out on a quest to discover the reasons behind this predicament in order to save her people.

Meeting the demi-god Maui along the way, the two set out on a journey to save Moana’s people, and ultimately the world.

“A lot of it is the same; the writing, scripting, storyboarding and voice recording is really no different, but the production process is different,” said Musker, who – along with his co-director Clements – will be making the leap from 2D, handdrawn animation to fully CGI for the first time in Moana.

“Some of the jobs that are crucial in 2D animation aren’t present in 3D, and likewise, there are parts of 3D animation that aren’t present in 2D, hand-drawn animation as well. Generally, it takes a lot to set up in a 3D animation. 2D, hand-drawn animation can be done really with a pencil and a piece of paper, but in 3D, you have to build everything piece by piece, from the rocks to the trees and the clouds. So there is a difference in the

Clancy’s clone a bit far-fetched

T

hree decades ago, Baltimore, Maryland, insurance man Tom Clancy entered the literary world with The Hunt For Red October. Acclaimed critically and popularly, he never looked back. Never in the military, his interest and research in the weapons of war elevated him to the rank of military analyst.

A number of his novels were successfully filmed. His focus was on the Cold War. His 2013 death brought cries of anguish from his numerous fans.

His estate sought a replacement, or was Clancy one of a kind? Happily they found another author able to step into his shoes.

Mark Greaney has penned three Clancy-like thrillers to date, with carry-on characters, some changes, some additions. To be sure the Cold War ended, yet the sore points between the US and the Russian Federation continues in Commander In Chief.

Its major drawback is it’s overlong.

Filling 758 pages isn’t difficult for a scribe, but why does he want to? For what he has to say, half the space would suffice. Greaney’s premise is that US sanctions are ruining the Russian economy. Freezing its money is impoverishing the populace, not least the billionaires.

Lights burn late in the Kremlin to find a solution to this sad state of affairs, the war hawks straining at the bit for action. The Federation president agrees, but attack whom? Russia is pretty much surrounded by Nato countries. One of the most vulnerable is Lithuania.

Surely the US will lift sanctions if the Russians agree to evacuate it.

Many of the book’s 80 chapters are devoted to conferences called by US President Jack Ryan Sr, to how the West should react to the aggression.

Both sides prepare for battle on land, @thephuketnews

ENTERTAINMENT 21

sea and in the air.

One cause of this lengthy volume is that a group of ecological terrorists is added to the mix, opposing Earthdisfiguring oil and gas digging. The president’s son, Jack Ryan Jr, leads the fight against them. The venue moves to Luxembourg, where Jr has a girlfriend.

All’s well that ends well. War is averted. Commander In Chief is farfetched, a stretch. Nevertheless, Tom Clancy’s aficionados will go for it.

Is Russia America’s only enemy, I wonder?

Bangkok Post

set up, but the production for 3D animation – once everything is built – tends to go faster, and you can do more iterations of the same scene. Things like the waves crashing on the beach or the palm trees swaying can be done much more easily and at lower cost than 2D animation.”

Considering the tropical setting of Moana, the ability to create realistic physical effects can be a great boon. According to Musker, the inspiration for the exotic setting came about when he came upon the stories of the demi-god Maui, which prompted a three-week research trip to the Pacific Islands (Tahiti, Samoa, Fiji etc) where he learned of the legends and legacy of navigation from the local people, as well as archaeologists.

“One of the things we kept hearing over and over again on our trip was the Pacific Islands’ legacy of navigation,” said Musker.

“These people were the world’s greatest navigators, way before the European explorers or even the Vikings. We learned about the concept of Dead Reckoning, where they were able to find their way through the Pacific Ocean based on the stars and the current of the water.

“These were all sources of great pride

for them, especially if you understood what they accomplished, but it was mysteriously gone for a long time. We wanted to make a story centred around this theme, to explore in our own way what may have caused the navigators to stop, and why they began to do it again after 1,000 years.”

“Clements also added that the theme of navigation also applies to the comingof-age element to the story, acting as a metaphor for the search for identity.

“This story is very much Moana’s voyage of finding out who she is, and where she’s going. But you can’t really do that unless you know where you’ve been before. In her case, it’s about her people’s legacy of navigation and how it’s suddenly disappeared, which is actually a metaphor for losing your way and trying to find the right course.”

“There’s a saying that before you can set out to find a new island, you must first find the island within yourself,” added Musker.

“The theme of navigation ties into that of identity, that we must first know ourselves before we can set out to accomplish great things.”

Bangkok Post

22 ISLAND SCENE

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

The ‘Linens for Life’ launch follows that of ‘Soap for Hope’ and involves the same four partners.

Ghislaine Bovy, Marcus Vogt and Rene Schillings

DIGITAL MARKETING DEMYSTIFIED AT BCCT BUSINESS DINNER

LINENS FOR LIFE: TURNING OLD SHEETS INTO FABULOUS NEW FASHIONS

An expert panel of speakers visited Phuket last week to demystify the world of digital marketing at a business dinner seminar organised by the British Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (BCCT). The speakers were Jon Cannon, David Barrett, Ian Fenwick and David Cumming. The event was held Amari Phuket, on December 1.

The Phuket Community Foundation (PCF) launched its latest cooperative project, ‘Linens for Life’, last Saturday, December 3. The project, in association with the Accor Group of hotels, Sealed Air/Diversey of Singapore and the Kankaeha Rassada Credit Union (CU), takes used linens such as sheets, towels and uniforms from the hotels and converts them into clothing and bags to sell and to raise money for local communities.

A Christmas feeling was definitely in the air on the night.

The gents joined in the fun with the PIWC ladies.

PIWC COUPLES EVENING BRINGS OUT THE BLOKES FOR A GOOD CAUSE The annual Phuket international Women's Club Couples Evening was a night of fun and laughter in the tranquil setting of Ceramic Kitchen Phuket Bar and Restaurant.

There were plenty fund-rasing of raffles and the huge Christmas tree lent a festive air to the evening.

SRI PANWA WELCOMES MICHELIN-STARRED CHEF STEFANO BAIOCCO AND THE VILLA FELTRINELLI TEAM Acclaimed Executive Chef Stefano Baiocco from Grand Hotel A Villa Feltrinelli showcased his unique cooking style in a bespoke eight-course dinner during a seven-day collaboration with the Sri panwa resort last week from December 1-7. Chef Stefano scoured the island's markets for local specialities to include is his unique menu. The Phuket News was lucky enough to attend the luxurious Sri panwa event and can confirm that Chef Stefano and his team are truly leading the world with their unparalleled skill, refinement and attention to detail.

UWCT Communications Manager Natalie Weeks is interviewed by Live 89.5's Jason Wilder.

Guests were wowed by the world-class dining experience.

Chef Stefano worked closely with team at Sri panwa.

UWCT students selling self-grown vegetables at the Christmas market.

UWCT AND THANYAPURA CHRISTMAS FAIR BRINGS A FESTIVE SPIRIT United World College Thailand and Thanyapura combined forces to hold a Christmas Fair last Friday, December 2. There were activities aplenty including arts and crafts, and cookie decorating. As well as Santa's Grotto, performances, baked goods, food stalls, carol singing and a Christmas market. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

ISLAND SCENE 23

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

From left: Daojai Tanommuang, Sharon Joyner, Pete Joyner, Khun Golfie and Roland Bleszynski. Bottom row from left: Jaime Fabregat, Khun Ann, Asya Stuart, Timothy Stuart, Matt W

Jacinta Teo, Mark Simmons, Shelley Clowes and Joy Zuo.

Guests were dressed to the nines for a night of action at Outrigger.

The fun vibe made for a fantastic night.

THE GLOVES WERE OFF AT OUTRIGGER’S BLACK TIE MUAY THAI EVENT A bumper crowd of well-dressed ladies and gentleman turned out for the Third annual Black Tie Muay Thai Event at Outrigger Phuket Resort. There was plenty of action both inside and outside the ring, with several intense bouts featuring local fighters and silent auctions for fantastic prizes from scores of businesses across Phuket.

DIPLOMÁTICO DISCOVERS PHUKETS BEST BARTENDERS

Stefano Rossini (left) from Iniala and Arron Grendon from Trisara.

On Sunday, December 4, 12 b ar te n d e r s f r o m S o u th e r n Thailand took par t in the Diplomático World Tournament 3rd Edition Qualifying Round.

Competitors came from Phuket and Koh Samui to compete for the chance at winning two coveted places for the Thailand finals in Bangkok, to be held in January 2017. The location of the event was the newly opened Cariocas Bistro & Lounge in Phuket Town.

The Centara team prepares for a busy day cleaning Karon Beach.

CENTARA GRAND BEACH RESORT PHUKET STAFF JOINED IN THE ACTION FOR THAI ENVIRONMENTAL DAY Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket joined in the activities for Thailand’s National Environmental Day with staff from Karon Municipality and conducted a cleaning day on Karon Beach last Friday, December 2.

FIRST TRASH HERO STUDENT CHALLENGE WINNER TAKES HOME A PRIZE First Place Instrumentalist Chanon Cserepy.

First Place Senior Vocalist Kusum Basnet.

Budding environmentalist Hank, from QSI School Phuket, was the first winner of Sustainable Siam’s Trash Hero Student Challenge.

Hank took home two tickets to Surf House, a Trash Hero T-shirt and bottle. You can follow this e nv ir onme nt al ini ti ati ve at: Facebook.com/sustainablesiam

BUDDING STARS BATTLE IT OUT AT YOUTH TALENT COMPETITION The Phuket Youth Talent Competition took place at Boat Lagoon on Sunday, December 4.

Forty contestants entered the competition this year, which was judged by an independent panel of local and international judges including Michael McCormick (Rockschool UK), Colin Hill (Colin Illy Hill Band, and music teacher), Gig Suwannurak (Thailand’s Got Talent finalist), George Cordeiro (American touring musician and music teacher). @thephuketnews

Hank from QSI School Phuket.

24 EVENTS

FRI

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

9 DEC

SAT

10 DEC

lot vinegar and a plethora of other dishes including cheeses, cold-cuts and barbequed lobster. Free-flow drinks packages from 2,050THB++ Kids get 50% off food, play in the family pool, joy in Coliseum Garden’s Bouncy Castle & inflatable water balls. For bookings call: +66(0)76 327 006.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

and Chicken. Roasted or Mashed Potatoes. Roasted Mixed Vegetables Flavoured with Thyme and Garlic.

Yorkshire Pudding and Red Wine Gravy. Come for the FOOD - Stay for the FUN! www.twochefs.com.

Kata Rocks Superyacht Rendezvous

The Taste Of Korea Experience the Authentic taste of Korean Cuisine at Laguna Cafe with Master Chef Kim Sang Tae – honorary chef in charge of the G20 Conference in Korea.

Reservations, dtlpfb@dusit.com or 076 362 999.

The Kata Rocks Superyacht Rendezvous (KRSR) from 10 to 12 December 2016, sponsored by Infinite Luxury & Kata Rocks, brings together superyacht owners, industry partners and luxury lifestyle media for three days of celebration in a relaxed social environment. The KRSR is by invitation only and open to both sailing and motor yachts measuring over 24 metres in length katarockssuperyachtrendezvous.com. Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News and Live89.5.

Sunday Brunch Every Sunday from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM Enjoy an exquisite Sunday Brunch with a variety of seafood selection on ice such as crab, oysters, king prawns and more wide variety of cuisine available from classic dishes to signatures. Prices starting from 1,200++ Baht for buffet and free flow soft drinks. Reservations, HYATT REGENCY PHUKET RESORT, fnb.phuhr@ hyatt.com, 076 231 234.

Go Live Sunday Seafood Brunch The Banyan Tree Seafood Brunch experience returns with a generous selection of live fresh, local and imported seafood with exception Lobster dished, Japanese starters, mouth-watering meats, Asia wok and Western grill treats. Gourmet cuisine, exceptional service, Live Jazz and tranquil surroundings, The Banyan Tree has something for everyone! Every Sunday 12.00-15.30, price start from 2,800net per person.

Reservations, Banyan Tree Phuket, fb-phuket@banyantree.com, 076 372 400.

MON BBQ Buffet on Saturday Night WEEKLY BBQ EVERY FRIDAY Come join us for our WEEKLY BBQ EVERY FRIDAY at Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong from 12-6pm! Indulge in All You Can Eat BBQ Pork Ribs, Cajun Chicken and Sides for ONLY 395 BAHT! Our BBQ is famous at Two Chefs! Come try us out and enjoy our mouthwatering pork ribs, flavorbursting chicken and more! Come for the FOOD Stay for the FUN at Two Chefs!!! www.twochefs.com.

Come and join us along the shores of the Andaman sea for an unforgettable experience of freshest seafood, generous selection of BBQ items, tempting desserts and delicious drinks. At Cosmo Restaurant.

Everyday from 6.30pm until 10.00pm. 1,950 THB for adults, 975 THB for children under 12. Reservations, Cosmo Restaurant at The Nai Harn Phuket, fbreservation@thenaiharn.com, 076 380 200.

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

Saturday Live Music

All Day Breakfast at Cafe Siam

Sunday Fun Brunch

Public Speaking made easier Looking to develop your public speaking and leadership skills? Ignite your career? Join Toastmasters Phuket and start making yourself a leader today! Invitation only. Contact Jason on 086 479 7471 for more info.

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

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

13 DEC

Phuket’s most popular brunch experience. Seafood, live station, entertainment, kid’s corner and massage corner. From 1,650++ THB. 12.00 - 15.30. Reservation: info@xanabeachclub.com 076 358 500.

Aussie bacon & egg rolls NOW at Cafe Siam. All day breakfast, just like mum makes. Lavazza Coffee, healthy snacks & salads. Find us at the Entrance of The Royal Paradise Complex, Patong. Mon - Sat 8.30am - 4.00pm. Facebook: CafeSiamGuesthousePhuket 081 676 9411.

Pool Competition at Expat Sports Bar

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

TUE Every Saturday live music by the Soulcoustics, 9pm til late. Cariocas Bistro & Lounge Phuket Town, near BKK Hospital.

12 DEC

SUN

11 DEC

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

WED

14 DEC

Dine 4 Pay 3 Oriental Buffet Dinner Extravaganza

Mussels night @ Shakers

The Sunday Brunch tradition in Phuket continues at The Slate

1.2kg mussels served with french fries, your choice, your style: nature, marnière, provençale, garlic & cream or Thai style. Reservations recommended B295 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

Phuket’s most renowned Sunday Brunch with a fantastic assortment of some of the world’s favourite cuisines. Also featuring creative cuts straight off the hot charcoal grill to freshly sliced sashimi and maki rolls, oysters served with your choice of lemon or shal-

Sunday Roast EVERY SUNDAY Come enjoy a Traditional Sunday Roast EVERY SUNDAY at Two Chefs Kata Beach, Kata Center, Karon and Patong for Only 395 Baht! Enjoy a Large ALL YOU CAN EAT selection of your favorites from 12-6pm! Featuring: Roast Aussie Beef, Pork Loin

Embark on a journey to the four corners of Asia and enjoy a lavish array of Thai, Chinese, Japanese and other Oriental recipes. Develop your taste buds and experience new flavours; ranging from spicy curries to barbecued meats and local noodle plates, while watching our Chefs work their magic in the lively kitchen every Wednesday from 18:00 – 22:00 for THB 999 per person at Bubbles Restaurant, Grand Mercure Phuket Patong Resort & Villas. Reservations, Bubbles Restaurant, Grand Mercure Phuket Patong Resort & Villas, h8109@accor.com, 076 231 999.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

WED

EVENTS 25

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

14 DEC

Every Wednesday! All-you-can-eat Pasta and Pizza at Bellini Every Wednesday Eat all you can Pizza and Pasta for only 500 Baht. Drink all you can for only 450 Baht – or BOTH eat and drink all you can FOR ONLY 890 Baht with DOUBLE EXPRESSIONS LIVE! Wednesdays 6pm to 11pm at Bellini. info@pastabellini.com.

Located at Chalong Circle, Chao-Fa East.

SAT

24 DEC

WED

28 DEC

GRAND OPENING!

Chirstmas Dinner 2,800 Baht per person - including a glass of selected beverage or 6,800 Baht for 2 people - including a bottle of selected beverage. Kids set menu price per person (Age up to 12-years-old) 1,500 Baht - including a welcome drink. Reservations, Leonardo Davinci, Karon, Phuket, reservationa@leonardodavinci.asia, 076 604 296.

First Açai Bar opening in Thailand! Come and try some of our Açai Bowls and Superfoods. Açai berries from the Amazon forest are full of antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamins! Most of all it’s delicious... We are offering 50% discount on opening day with this ad. See you soon! Facebook: /acaiheaven Acai Heaven, Soi Ta-ied, Across Dragon Muai Thai Chalong, Phuket, 093 920 3491.

THU

29 DEC

All you can eat BBQ Ribs night 6PM – 11PM: All you can eat BBQ Ribs served with salad buffet, potato salad & choice of sauces. Reservation recommended. 350 baht P.P. shakersphuket@ gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

THU

15 DEC

PIWC Christmas Lunch Price for members is 600 THB and for guests 750 THB. Registration starts at 11.30 am and lunch begins at 12.15. RSVP REQUIRED! Send email to info@ piwc-phuket.com, attention Maggy Wigman. NOTE for cancellations and no-shows: If you are a no-show and/or do not provide 24-hour cancellation notice, you will be responsible for the lunch fee. Thank you for your understanding as we need to provide the venue with a confirmed headcount in advance. All proceeds from our monthly lunches support the PIWC scholarship fund.

FRI

16 DEC

Traditional Christmas Buffet Join us on Saturday Dec 24th for a Traditional Christmas Buffet at Two Chefs Kata Beach. Enjoy your holiday celebration with us. We are offering an early buffet at 6pm and a late buffet at 9pm. Including: Cold Smoked Salmon, Roast Beef, Christmas Ham, Pickled Herring, Swedish Meatballs with Cream Sauce, “Jansons Frestelse” Potato Gratin Flavoured with Scandinavian Anchovy, Ginger & Honey Marinated Pork Ribs, Chocolate Mousse, Gingerbread Cookies, Rice à la Malta with Strawberry Sauce and Much More! 1,450 Baht for Adults, 750 Baht for Kids Under 12. Reservations, kata@twochefs.com, 076 333 370.

SUN

25 DEC

GRAND OPENING! New vegan restaurant with creative food opening in Chalong. Come see our awesome menu with choices of only plant based creative food. Most of our items are allergen-free. We strive away from gluten as well with many desserts gluten-free. Get 30% off on opening day! Facebook: /pureveganheaven Pure Vegan Heaven, Soi Ta-ied, Next to Dragon Muai Thai, Chalong, Phuket, 093 920 3491.

SAT

31 DEC

Phuket International Boatshow PIMEX 2017 The 14th edition of PIMEX will take place at the award-winning Royal Phuket Marina on Phuket’s east coast. The 2016 show attracted over 5,000 quality visitors. An annual event since 2003, the show is firmly fixed on the calendar as Phuket’s biggest trade show.

Broadcasting Live89.5 FM live from the show each day. Entry is free. Come along and register and get a chance to win prizes. Not to be missed! For more details visit www.phuketboatshow.com Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News.

EVERY DAY

New Year Sensation 2017 At Grand Mercure Phuket Patong Resort & Villas O’Tools - Traditional Christmas Lunch & Dinner Will be served from 1pm on Christmas Day. Xmas Menu Starter: Prawn Cocktail or Melon with Port. Main Courses: Roast Turkey with Stuffing, Roast Potatoes, Fresh Seasonal Vegetables & Yorkshire Pudding (please ask). Dessert: Christmas Pudding wih Brandy sauce. Only 740 Baht inclusive per person. Free Christmas Present for the kids (0-16 Years). Book Now. Reservations, 093 696 1178.

TUE

27 DEC

Feast on sumptuous salad, a fresh seafood, BBQ and carving stations, mouthwatering Western dishes and authentic Thai cuisine, including Phuket favourites, followed by local Thai dessert temptations while guests will be entertained with Thai classical performances and lucky draws for only THB 4,999 per person and THB 1,999 per person for free-flow beverages throughout the night. For more information and reservation, call +66 76 231 999 or email h8109@accor.com

THU

5 JAN

7 Nights, 7 Themed Dinners at Rim Talay Make each night unique! Enjoy our themed dinners with the cool sea breeze. World of Curries @790THB++, Thai & International Buffet @790THB++, Seafood Night @980THB++, Ribs Wing Rings @770 THB++, Butchers Night @market price, Surf & Turf @950 THB++, Thai Seafood Gala @980 THB++ Only in December (except 24 and 31 December), show the promo code: PMRTPN2016/2 to receive a 10% discount! For reservations, email rimtalay@amari.com or call 076 340106-14 #8027.

co-located:

www.veryinternationalphuket.com

Indian Curry Night on Fridays Come to Navrang Mahal in Karon Sea Sands Resort & Spa for an authentic Indian Feast First Week Friday and the Third Week Friday, in Karon Beach. Try out our delicious Aloo Tikki, Samosas, Chicken Tandoori, Aloo Gobi, Navrang Korma, Butter Chicken, Lamb Vindaloo, Naan, Rice, Salads, Chutneys / Achars, Pistachio Ice Cream, Gulah Jamun, Fruits. And extra dishes on the menu: ONIONBHAJI, BOMBAY ALOO, DAL MAKHINI, VANILLA ICE-CREAM. For only 499/nett and special reduced prices on drinks. 076-286464 Ext 4.

@thephuketnews

HEALTHY MEXICAN RESTAURANT Taco Tuesday!

Create your own food at our new Mexican-inspired restaurant, authentic food with a healthy mindset.

Soft corn tacos, rice bowls, salads, burritos and much more… Get one free selected beverage with your tacos order this Tuesday! Facebook: Mexican Corner Phuket Mexican Corner Phuket, 093 920 3491.

Very International Phuket 2017 - Live the Island Life!

Save the dates! Luxury & Lifestyle goods & services to be showcased at Royal Phuket Marina, alongside the successful Boat Show PIMEX. Meet the exhibitors during the day then be entertained by special shows at the outside venue in the evening. All global and local brands are waiting for you to visit. Keep up to date with what’s on, follow our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and register now!.

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

26 TIME OUT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York Across

1. Who is Robyn Fenty better known as?

2. The Baltic People come from which two countries?

3. Charlene, Princess of Monaco represented which country at the 2000 Sydney Olympics?

4. Whose fourth novel featuring Robert Langdon, is a mystery thriller called Inferno?

5. Who was the first monarch to live in Buckingham Palace?

Answers below, centre

SUDOKU

54. Picnic dish 56. Kind of income 1. ___ Four 57. Very generous 4. Earl of Gloucester’s 59. Give a buzz son, in “King Lear” 61. Possessing 10. Sandwich filler advanced skills 14. Fertility clinic 66. “Buddenbrooks” stock author 15. Marketplace 67. Straw hat 16. “The Last of the 68. Cat’s-___ Mohicans” girl 69. In the present 17. Cheating, in a way month 20. Chimera 70. Imitation gold 21. It contains rods 71. Some forensic and cones evidence 22. Isaac’s eldest 24. Smoother Down 27. Suitable for a certain noble 1. Watch chain 28. Chair crosspieces 2. Fifth, e.g.: abbr.

30. Immaculate 3. Kerchief 32. City in Arizona 4. Keystone State 33. Ornamental port Chinese tree 5. Void 35. Resting on 6. Molten rocks 37. Remained 7. Last: abbr. knowledgeable 8. Maximum 43. Prefix with scope 9. No layabout or meter 10. Small 44. Cassandra, e.g. constellation 45. Water collector 11. “___ Academy” 49. Exude 12. Combat zones 51. ___ Sam 13. Garam ___ 52. In any way (Indian spice

mixture) 18. Addict 19. Sunburned 22. Work units 23. Something to follow 25. Sporting dog 26. Big East team 29. Wicker basket 31. Small salmon 34. Keatsian works 36. Lima’s land 38. Chafes 39. Covered carriage 40. Took place 41. Pot over a fire 42. Rind 45. Tubular food 46. Jazz fan, most likely 47. Hotshots 48. Flexible 50. Iranian language 53. Hallucinogen 55. Cart part 58. King of the road 60. Neutral shade 62. Part of FWIW 63. Topper 64. Johnson or Morrison 65. Prohibition ___

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) 1) Rihanna; 2) Latvia and Lithuania; 3) South Africa. Swimming (4 × 100 metre medley relay); 4) Dan Brown; 5) Queen Victoria

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW

■■ Dec 9, 536 Gothic War: The Byzantine general Belisarius enters Rome unopposed; the Gothic garrison flee the capital.

6

people die from alcohol poisoning in the US every day.

■■ Dec 10, 1932 Thailand becomes a constitutional monarchy.

8

■■ Dec 11, 2008 Bernard Madoff is arrested and charged with securities fraud in a US$50 billion Ponzi scheme.

vacation days a year is the average taken by South Koreans, despite being given 15; the least among the 28 countries surveyed.

14,000

McDonald’s restaurants in the US are slated to soon have table service.

■■ Dec 12, 1098 First Crusade: Siege of Ma’arrat al-Numan – Crusaders breach the town’s walls and massacre about 20,000 inhabitants. After finding themselves with insufficient food, they reportedly resort to cannibalism.

90,000 hours is spent at work by the average person during their lifetime.

■■ Dec 13, 1577 Sir Francis Drake sets sail from Plymouth, England, on his roundthe-world voyage.

0770870870 is the hotline for women in Sweden to call for advice about or to complain about “mansplaining” in the workplace.

Source: Uberfacts

This week in history

■■ Dec 14, 1994 Construction begins on the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze river.

Boats of two eras. Photo by Mark Knowles Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket?

Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

■■ Dec 15, 2010 A boat carrying 90 asylum seekers crashes into rocks off the coast of Christmas Island, Australia, killing 48 people.

Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

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STORAGE Reserve Your Storage Space

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or visit mystorageasia.com

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ACTIVITIES, GROUPS Sign up today for a discount code

The new website for Tiya’s hammocks is ready! Visit now at: native-habitat.com and subscribe for a discount code to use for online shopping. Tiya: hammockphuket@yahoo.com, 076 631 841.

BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE Boating deal of the year: 7.5m baht (reduced from 10m baht)

Due to serious health reasons, the owner must part with his beloved 80’ tour boat. New wiring throughout, power outlets, transformer and voltage meters. New upholstery throughout bar and entertainment area. Engines & generator fully reconditioned & serviced. All maintained to European standards. Ideal boat for quality day trip business. beachsando1@gmail. com, 080 695 3933.

Steel boat for sale

32 metre steel boat for sale.

Built 2012, 2 x Cummings engines, 10hrs work only. International REG. Excellent for live-aboard or ferry. Price 6MB. Contact: call Joe 087 8918912 or email joe@similan-divers.com.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Business for sale

Phuket Car Rentals and Internet Shop is for sale as the owner has to return to his country to obtain a pension. The cost is US $27,000 and includes 4 cars, 2 scooters, 1 motorbike and 8 computers. Rawai is a pleasant area to live. The shop has pleasant accommodation upstairs. Ownership allows a work permit and 1 year visas. 0987075945, bobskibarnett@gmail.com

Beauty Salon with Equipment

For Sale, Nai Harn Beauty Salon with Equipment & lease, B290,000. Salon Equipment replacement cost is more than B300,000. All equipment shown as new. Must view to see excellent opportunity to purchase Salon for extremely good price in prime location. Call Nok for details 098 017 8818.

REST-BAR-LOUNGE RAWAI BEACH

Beautiful decoration - Private terrace - Seaview - Sound system - Led lights - Air conditioned - Fully equipped - 400sqm - 2 levels - Parking - Ready for work: superstaronthebeach@ hotmail.com, 092 526 0222.

Looking for investor / partner

Looking for investor / partnership for Patong beach front location to start with Japanese and Indian restaurant.

Narin, narinpga@gmail.com, 081 826 9390.

Price reduced for quick sale

No, not a bar or guesthouse, but a manufacturing business for wooden window blinds. All the machinery and inventory of parts to be up and running in a matter of days. A very successful business in Phuket for over eight years. Price reduced to 2 mil Baht. Owner will partially finance. lamsden@ phuketemail.com, 081 487 4812. @thephuketnews

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Restaurant for sale in Rawai

All new equipment, air conditioned, private terrace, unlimited parking. All offers considered. optispa@gmail. com, 088 386 9132, 063 067 4498.

Looking for a Partner Investor

I am looking for a Partner/Investor to expand my Dive business. Anyone interested please email me to discuss the proposal. rwhi690169@bigpond.com

Restaurant set up for sale

A fully equipped restaurant in the highly sought after Boat Avenue mall in Laguna.

Stainless steel kitchen, Wi-Fi, bar counter, service area. Ready to go in days. Email: jukeboxphuket@gmail.com, 081 090 1608.

CAR FOR SALE BMW 323i

323i. One owner since new. No accidents; excellent condition. 105,000km; cared for with BMW service. Full history available. 395,000THB, Thalang, Phuket, jrh1@me.com, 086 989 0919.

Convertible

Mercedes CLK 200 Cabriolet W-209 Brabus Package - seat 4.

Excellent condition and fun to drive.

37,400km. 1,199,000 Bht. Eng - Thai 094 695 3536 / 063 992 3226.

Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8G VVTI

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

CAR FOR SALE n r ge

U

t sa

le

Honda Jazz 2009 1500cc Auto

57,000km. One owner since new.

Regularly serviced by Honda. Tax and Insurance until the end of June and available now at right offer. Reduced by 40,000 bht, REDUCED to 330,000bht o.n.o, Andy +66846909144, andysmalster@gmail.com

MEMBERSHIPS Life Time Family Membership

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

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

Tanita, 094 695 3536 / 063 992 3226

Loch Palm Golf Membership

Lifetime Loch Palm Golf membership for sale. ฿485,000, the Loch Palm transfer fee of ฿72,000 will be shared equally between the buyer and seller. Contact J. Trenton Early, jtrenton.early@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE New loft trailer

Fully welded steel construction. Proper fenders springs, hitch, lights, toungue jack, alu deck. Fits M/C, ATY, const, landscape. 1700 lb. cap. 65,000 THB, 081 693 8214.

MOVING SERVICES Looking for Moving Company?

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

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REAL ESTATE SERVICES Phuket real estate tour

Real estate investment tours are specially designed to help you to achieve your investment goals with the right property in the right location. You will get advice on the multitude of lucrative investment opportunities in Phuket. md@ tourasian.com, 080 826 4665.

WEBSITES, IT For Sale: hoteldealsphuket.com

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

PROPERTY FOR SALE X2 Vibe Phuket Bangtao

The designed for astute buyers who appreciate the luxury of space with functionality and the enjoyment of modern tropical lifestyles 4.59 m. Hot deal Pro,Full Fur, Irene, 139 Soi Cherngtalay 16,Srisoonthron Rd.,Cherngtalay,Thalang,Phuket, sales@ oceanstone-phuket.com, 095 037 8150.

Condominium for sale

Foreign Freehold 150 SQM Huge Ground Floor 2 Bed 2 Bath condo.

150m to Nai Harn Beach. 8.2M THB. paulover@hotmail.com, 089 875 4173.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Apartment Country Golf Club House

One room with kitchen in main house Country Club. 6th floor with balcony 75sqm. Membership in Country Club included. Price 3.3 Million THB. Contact pzw@gmx.at Per Dompert, 086 043 4315 (English and German)

Luxury 4 bed Villa ‘Price Reduced’

Opportunity for small Resort. Luxury 4 BDR Villa + 3 Bungalows + Land Plot, must see. (Price reduced, 19,990,000 baht, 3 Chanotes, 1075 sq m.), (4 BDR Villa, pool, gym, steam room + 1 x 2 BDR Bungalow), (Price reduced, 7,990,000 baht, 3 chantes, 792 sq m.), ( 2 Bungalows & Land Plot, 2-BDR + 1-BDR). www. phuketvilla.asia. Location - 7°47’23.1”N 98°18’53.4”E (call to view). Contact Chris 087 884 8972.

HERE IS THE FUTURE. 17 RAI FOR SALE

Between Kok Loi and Thai Muang, 38 km from the airport, we are selling a beautiful peice of land with 2 new houses. A perfect place for artists or a sport resort.

The land is more than 17 Rai, full of old trees, with a big private lake and located directly behind the river. Chanote title. With a canoe it takes 20 min to paddle to the sea.

A great opportunity for a fair price. Price 9.5M, Yupin, residler@gmail.com, 081 817 4805 Thai, Eng, Deutsch.

Beautiful Land in Rawai For Sale

Beautiful mountain view with option of sea view land of 742m2 for sale in Rawai with chanote title. For more information contact 085 790 2021.

Prime Land near Natai Beach

13 Rai. Prime flat land, Full Chanote. 5 mins to beautiful Natai Beach, 5 mins to Khok Kloi, 20 mins from Phuket Airport.

Close to temples, beach & mountain views, perfect for large property or subdivide for development. B13,500,000, Antoine (Thai & English), 081 979 9307, dannyred@hotmail.com

Kay McDonnell

I have a number of FIRE SALE PROPERTIES from 1.5 MTB to 47MTB. Condos/Houses/Villas Please contact me if you are looking for bargains in the south of the island.080 124 1245, kay@pare.com

PROPERTY FOR SALE Ten Room Villa for sale

With 5 Rai land. 5 sleeping rooms, 5 bathrooms, 5 balcony, 2 kitchens, big living room, play room, lobby, car port. Hillside Maikhao Beach sunset seaview. Asking price 24 MB. julius_schuster2001@ yahoo.de, 087 267 1192.

House for Sale

3 bed, 2 bath, living/dining, Farang & Thai kitchens. Back/both sides under cover. Water fall/relax area.

BBQ area under cover/car port. 4 aircons/7 fans. Very private, close to all services, 500 meters from Heroines Monument. 4.9 mil. o.n.o. Contact Randy. Email randyalltime@gmail.com

Waterfront Condominium

The Cleat Condo, residence project in Krabi Boat Lagoon Marina. Price 3-9MB, size 37-119 Sq.M., 1 or 2 bedroom, marina view. For rent/sale. marketing@phuketpropertytrip.com

COMMUNITY

Land For Sale

Land for sale. Anuphas Golf Ville, Kathu. 81 sq wah. Golf course view of Phuket CC. Quiet village, convenient location. E-mail for details Contact David, d1jarvis@hotmail.com

Outstanding Beach Front Pool Villa

A rare opportunity to purchase a 4 bedroom beachfront villa in a 5* resort at The Village Coconut Island.

A “snip” at 22m THB. Contact email aadmo@btinternet. com, Somjit, aadmo@btinternet.com, 081 9791945. thephuketnews

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PROPERTY FOR RENT 2 BDR Bungalow, Nai Harn Beach

For rent with “Free UBC Platinum cable TV”, security, air-con, fridge, stove, quiet area, at end of cul-de-sac, 12,500 per month. Call 098 017 8818 or 087 884 8972.

Two condos for sale/rent

PROPERTY FOR SALE LAND NEAR WATERFALL FOR SALE

Beautiful, gently sloping land for sale near Bang Pae waterfall. Good road, 3-phase power. NS3 paper (upgrade applied for). 7 rai, B4m/rai. 087 884 9964 (En) or 087 272 5594 (Th). alasdair.phuket@gmail.com

Modern home office for sale

Modern home office for sale located 400 m fr Central Intersection. 1 Unit has 1 commercial, 1 living space, 4 bedrooms & built-in bathrooms. Owner, thip_june19@yahoo.com, 087 543 4716.

House for Sale

House at Land and House for sale. 2-storey with 3 bedrooms, living room, kitchen, balcony, jacuzzi, library, laundry. Near to kid playground, two swimming pools, sauna, gym. Enough land to build a second house on the same plot. Ekaterina Oseledets, 095 861 7571.

MAI KHAO LAND

Beachfront land in Mai Khao. East coast. 3 rai 2 ngan 24sqw. For sale: 45 million baht. 45 million.

Sale by owner Apartment ‘The Pearl of Naithon’ Leasehold

Total area 226,66 SQM including terrace 41,25 Sqm, 50 meters from the beach, 3 bedrooms with 3 bathrooms, Owner purchased at THB 22.5 million, now reduced to only THB 11.5 million for quick sales. MP + 66 (0) 89 814 1458.

PROPERTY FOR RENT Large apartment for rent

For family 130 spm. in Rawai. 2 Bedrooms, 1 bathroom, kitchen, fully furnished. Available from Dec 2016. For 1 year contract 29,000Baht/month. Contact Duangjai, 080 146 1393.

Bedroom in shared house-Kathu

Near Kajonkiet Inter school, Loch Palm, close to Central, Big C, Tesco. Inclusive:WiFi, water, electricity, use of kitchen, washing machine. Month by month agreement with some deposit. Bedsheet + pillows provided.

4000 THB/month, 089 600 0041.

PRIME LAND+BLDG @CHALONG PIER

Seaview Building with land 50m to Chalong Pier for Rent/Long Term Lease.

1.5Rai+bldg. Ideal for Hotel, Community Mall, Restaurants Wirote, 081 931 5189. @thephuketnews

PROPERTY FOR RENT House For sale or rent Baan Manik (Cherngtalay)

Attractive 3 bed, 2 bathroom detached house for sale or rent. Set in quiet surroundings but with easy access to Laguna, Boat avenue, PIA, airport, Surin, Bangtao and Layan beaches. The property boasts many additional features including, Auto-gate, Western styled kitchen, security system, natural stone floors, imported ceiling fans, 12volt LED Garden Lighting and air-con throughout.

Asking 4.5 Million Negotiable Rent 25K Per Month Fully furnished or 20K per month unfurnished. 081 9686 051.

CHALONG BEACH FRONT LAND

Beach Front 40m. Long and short term. 1 and half rai(600sq.m.) Mr. Narin, narinpga@gmail.com, 081 826 9390.

Family Pool Villa Rawai

4 Bedroom 4 bathroom 5,000 Baht per night/3 bedroom 3 bathroom 4,000 Baht per night. Quality Furnishings. Contact: rawaihillvillasphuket @gmail.com or 091 654 6249.

Apartment for rent

Quality 1 Bedroom serviced apartment 65sqm for rent. Central Patong.

Short or long term. For details email ianscondo21@gmail.com

Vassana Residence. Rawai

Fully furnished 2 Bedroom 2 Bathroom. WiFi and cable TV included in price. 160M.S. in size. Jacuzzi in each Apartments. BBQ area on the roof. Contact vassana.residence@gmail.com Art, Rawai / NaiHarn, Eng.087 882 9604.

Kata Western Apartment

1 and 2 115M2 furnished apartments, full kitchen, huge covered terraces, mountain and seaview.

1 month minimum, 1 year lease starting 20,000/month. gordy240@hotmail.com, 084 840 1262.

Kathu Condo forSale/Rent

36 Sqm Fully Furnished with Pool & Fitness. Rent start 9,000 monthly.

Close to Patong, Central Festival Phuket and Prince of Songkla University. Lily Line ID: 0841094466, flyfreelily@gmail. com, 084 109 4466.

Office/Shop for Rent

Ground Floor space with excellent positioning on Chalong Pier Road.

For more information, please call 081 416 4177 or 076 381 341.

2 condos for sale 48 sqm. - sale price $60,000 (developer’s price $116,000) & 54,5 sqm. - sale price $70,000 (developer’s price $128,000). Fully furnished, near Central, Big C, BIS, Lotus, hospitals, schools. Communal pool and gym. Short & long time rent available 48 sqm. – THB 10000-15000 per month; 54,5 sqm. – THB 15000-20000 per month + electricity&water, Ekaterina Oseledets, 095 861 7571.

ROOM FOR RENT

Room for rent in attractive house Baan Manik (not far from Anthem wakeboard park). Convenient location for access to Laguna, Boat avenue, Airport and PIA. House is equipped with, Air-con, Internet, Expat-TV, foreign kitchen, washing machine, fridge ect ect. 8000 Baht PCM + Share of Bills. Please email bluebeyond@me.com or call 081 968 6051 for a viewing.

Kamala Villa for rent

5 Bedrooms Villa available for long term, normally 10,000 Baht Nightly price Long lease 70,000 Baht monthly for 1 year minimum, Include pool, garden, courtyard maintenance. Suitable for large or two families. Wanphen, kamalagym2@gmail. com, 080 697 7729.

Villas & Apts Rent-Chalong

2- and 3-bedroom pool villas, 2-bedroom townhouses & studio apartments. Special prices from 700/night or 8,000/month. Rates include WiFi, maid service, cable TV, furnishings. Great location near Big Buddha. info@chalongapartment.com, 086 282 6221, www.chalongapartment.com

34 PROPERTY

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

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FREEHOLD APARTMENT IN PRIME LOCATION, Nai Harn 2, bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 141 sqm

8,500,000 THB

Nestled next to the lake just a few hundred meters from Nai Harn Beach, location does not get much better. Completed in 1999 this complex offers a quiet and private communal swimming pool.

SPACIOUS STUDIO OVEROOKING POOL, Layan Studio, 1 bathroom, 57 sqm

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 210 sqm

Well-appointed villa in a gated community. Ideal location near shops and restaurants and a 5 minute drive from Nai Harn Beach. Good potential for a high rental return.

7,400,000 THB

REFURBISHED FREEHOLD CONDO, Kamala 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 99 sqm

This leasehold studio offers a spacious terrace, open and bright. The colonial style development is very well maintained with lots of greenery, swimming pool, kid’s pool and outdoor seating areas. Must-see development.

Located hillside in Kamala with good common areas including 2 pools, reception and gym. With furniture included this apartment represents one of the best valued freehold properties on the West Coast.

LUXURY OCEANFRONT VILLA, Cape Yamu

LAKEFRONT VILLA IN GREAT CONDITION, Laguna

4,900,000 THB

N M ew ar to ke t

2,500,000 THB

WELL MAINTAINED POOL VILLA, Nai Harn

95,000,000 THB

Exclusive to fazwaz.com this beautiful pool villa is set on a 4000 sqm land plot and located in one of Phuket’s most exclusive areas. Sold unfurnished enabling a new owner to out their final touch on the finishing.

to se h lo ac C Be

FREEHOLD 2-BEDROOM APARTMENT, Karon 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 156 sqm

10,700,000 THB

On offer is a spacious 2-bedroom apartment. Just a few minutes from the sandy Karon Beach, this property is ideal both for residential use and a as holiday home. Excellent location at 68,000 THB per SQM

4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 490 sqm

Situated on a lake front corner plot of 1200 sqm, this classic Laguna has recently undergone full cosmetic repair. Terrific location near Boat Avenue and the Bang Tao Bay. Must-See property!

35,000,000 THB

re Pr du ice ce d

6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 1343 sqm

TOP FLOOR SPACIOUS APARTMENT, Kamala 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 115 sqm

Surrounded by jungle and a waterfall 100 meters away, this apartment features vaulted ceilings with skylight windows. Wonderful of the common area pool and mountains. Reduced from 4.5m THB to facilitate a quick sale.

3,200,000 THB

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

PROPERTY 35

S th tep e s be fro ac m h

Call us today to schedule a viewing or visit Thailand’s leading online marketplace to seach 1000’s of properties in Phuket and all other major locations across Thailand - go to FazWaz.com

SEAVIEW CONDO NEAR COMPLETION, Patong 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 32 sqm

2,700,000 THB

Hotel operated investment condo offering a 7 % net guarantee for 15 years 4 weeks free owners use. Construction well under way, there are limited sea view units available at this time.

SEAVIEW 6-BEDROOM POOL VILLA, Layan 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 1003 sqm

A unique 6-bedroom with an ideal location with Layan Beach right across the quiet road. Successful rental property and maintained to a very high standard

45,000,000 THB

e ic ed Pr uc d re

FREEHOLD SEAVIEW PENTHOUSE, Surin 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 262 sqm

11,500,000 THB

2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom. 87 sqm

Measuring 162 sqm internally with a wonderful roof terrace with Jacuzzi, BBQ and seating area. Just a short walk from Bang Tao and Surin Beach, the condominium has a proven track-record of netting 1.1m THB through rentals.

Excellent location between Kalim and Patong Beach, the spacious apartment was recently renovated to a high standard.

Rents out at a high occupancy rate.

BRAND-NEW FREEHOLD STUDIO, Surin

HIGH QUALITY POOL VILLA, Cherng Talay

1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 30 sqm

2,700,000 THB

FREEHOLD APARTMENT NEAR OCEAN, Patong

Prime location in walking distance to Bang Tao and Surin Beach.

Completed beginning of 2016, the complex provides a communal rooftop pool with sea views and state of the art gym facilities.

8,900,000 THB

3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 235 sqm

Situated within a gated community of 15 villas with full management services available. Large open living/dining room, spacious salt water pool and lovely sala which provides a hide away from the dazzling sun.

14,000,000 THB

nt lle e ce lu Ex Va

FREEHOLD 3-BED DUPLEX, Bang Tao

3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 216 sqm

9,800,000 THB

@thephuketnews

Unique opportunity to own a townhouse style condominium under a freehold title. Great location by between main shopping amenities and Bang Tao Beach with the new Catch Beach Club a few minutes away.

GOLF COURSE POOL VILLA, Kathu 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 256 sqm

Well-priced pool villa with views of Loch Palm golf course. Open plan living area and 3 well-appointed bedrooms, two of which are facing the pool deck.

9,900,000 THB

36 SPORT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Nine students swim for five different countries

I

SWIMMING

n a vibrant display of the multinational student body at British International School, Phuket (BISP), over the past week nine members of the BISP Swim Academy swam internationally representing five different nations.

2016 Rio Olympian Kimiko Raheem of Sri Lanka and Samuele Rossi (Seychelles) competed at the World Short Course Championships, which are being held December 6-11 at the WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

“Kimiko has more than two years experience competing at this level, but this will be Samuele’s first taste of major international competition, and at only 15 years of age it will be a great learning experience for him,” says BISP Swim Academy Head Coach Colin Braund.

Both swimmers are in action on the first day, with Kimiko entered in the 200 metre freestyle and 100m backstroke and Samuele racing his main event, the 100m breaststroke.

Dan from Wet Dreams in action against Green Mango. Photo: Richard Blowers

Title holders 1Bar score big in first week of PPL POOL

From left: Raissa Gavino, Roman Gavino, Samuele Rossi, Siew Hui Yap, Wern Rui Koay, Eric Tan, Est Sangowarawong, Fame Sridlok and Kimiko Raheem.

Seven other academy swimmers will be competing at the 40th South East Asian Age Group Championships, which are being held in Bangkok from December 9-12.

Filipino siblings Raissa and Roman Gavino will race for the first time together at this meet for the Philippines, while Est Sangowarawong and

HASH HOUSE HARRIERS Run #1610 Saturday December 10 Run Start Time: 3:30pm Hares: Murkury, Dr F Jekyll Location: Cape Yamu Directions: From Heroines Monument go for East 4.2 kilometres, make a U-turn and go 300 meters, turn left just after 7-Eleven and this road goes to Cape Yamu.

After 700m make the left turn then carry on another 1.3km, turn left at T-junction to Laager site by the sea.

Please note: There are goats, chickens and ducks/geese at the local houses near the Laager site so please keep your dogs under control.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Bus pick-up: Patong @ Expat Hotel: 2pm Kamala @ Black Cat’s Bar: 2:30pm More info: phuket-hhh. com

Fame Sridlok will be representing their home country of Thailand.

Meanwhile, two swimmers from Malaysia, Eric Tan and Siew Hui Yap will be representing their country for the last time at age group level while introducing their new BISP Swim Academy teammate – and Malaysian

debutante at only 13 years-old – Wern Rui Koay to international competition.

Learn more about the BISP Swim Academy at www.bisphuket.ac.th/swimming, follow them on Facebook at www. facebook.com/swimphuket or email Head Coach Colin Braund: cbraund@bisphuket. ac.th.

REIGNING CHAMPIONS 1Bar started the new season of the Patong Pool League where they left off last season, scoring an impressive 11-0 victory over Champs Bar last Thursday (Dec 1).

The result shows they are still the team to beat in the league, but once again Wet Dreams are not far behind.

Wet Dreams could have also walked away with an 11-0 win had it not been for Pui nominating the black pocket and then sinking it in the wrong one!

Pui’s error meant that Wet Dreams went home with a 10-1 win over Green Mango.

Elsewhere, Ting Tong beat Caddyshack 6-5, Genius took a 7-4 win over Simon and Oils, Cool Hand Lukes beat Dirty Nellies 6-5, while Happy End Bar were 6-5 victors over San

Sabai Sports Bar. Min Bar were unable to fulfill their obligations to play in the league so each week the team set to play them in theory misses a week's action and scores no points.

It was Martin Swiss who were set to play Min Bar last week so they are sitting on zero points in the league table.

League Standings 1Bar

11

Wet Dreams

10

Genius

7

Ting Tong

6

Happy End

6

Cool Hand Lukes

6

Caddyshack

5

Dirty Nellies

5

San Sabai Sports Bar

5

Simon & Oils

4

Green Mango

1

Champs Bar

0

Martin Swiss

0

Southerns take 2016 ‘Pryder Cup’ title BOWLS

THE SECOND OF THIS year’s “majors” took place at the Kamala Lawn Bowls Club on Nov 30, as the “Northern Hemisphere” team took on the “Southern Hemisphere” in the “Pryder Cup”, the Northerns were hoping to defend the cup they have held for the past two years.

This year, however, the favourites were the “Southerns”, who boasted three recent winners of prestigious individual events, including newly-crowned Kamala Open

Northern Captain Ulf Egerstad (left) hands over the ‘Pryder Cup’ to victorious Southern Captain Brendan Marshall.

Champion, Brendan Marshall.

After the fours, honours were even at 1-1, but in the pairs the Southerns were threeand-a-half to half winners leaving the Northerners with a mountain to climb.

They were mindful of the fact that if they somehow

snatched a 7-7 draw, under Pryder Cup rules, they would retain the cup.

As always, the order of play and lane draw – done in secret – would test the opposing skippers. The Northerns were hoping to somehow scrape a draw or slight win in the first

round of singles matches and pull the cat out of the bag in the final four singles matches.

However, that strategy backfired as the Southerns were comprehensive winners by 3-1 in the first group of singles giving them an insurmountable lead of 7.5 points to 2.5 points heading into the last four games, and the Northerns now hoping to just salvage some pride.

A 2-2 draw in the last pairings, with two matches being narrowly lost by the Northerns, meant the Southerns were comprehensive victors by an overall score of 9.5 to 4.5.

Phuket Power:

A “motley crew” of mature adults from across the island thought it would be a great idea to play touch rugby. Enthusiastic kiwis, Grant and Justine Olsen, decided to take action and start a rigorous four week training regime in preparation for the annual Bangkok social touch rugby tournament. The tournament was held at Patana International School in very hot conditions and it was obvious at times that celebrations the night before was not a good idea. The “Phuket Power” won and lost a few closely contested games. A big thank you to Peppers Sports Bar for their financial support and to Sutai Muay Thai for supplying playing vests and shirts. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

SPORT 37

Kiatisak vows to win Suzuki Cup for Kings FOOTBALL

T

hailand coach Kiatisak Senamuang is rallying his troops to win the Southeast Asian title for His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun and his late father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Defending champions Thailand moved closer to reaching the Suzuki Cup Final after beating Myanmar 2-0 in Yangon in the semi-final first leg last Sunday (Dec 4).

The Bangkok took place yesterday (Dec 8) at Rajamangala National Stadium.

The winners will meet Vietnam or Indonesia in the final, which will also be played over two legs.

Indonesia recorded a 2-1 win over the Vietnamese in last Saturday’s (Dec 3) home leg.

“Our aim is to win the title for King Rama IX [King Bhumibol] who is watching us from the heavens,” Kiatisak said on Monday (Dec 5).

“I have also told my players

@thephuketnews

Pavarisa during a recent tournament. Photo: Bangkok Post

Tour card sealed GOLF

Thailand Teerasil Dangda, No.10, in action during the match against Myanmar. Photo: PR to win the title for King Rama X [King Maha Vajiralongkorn].

The players understand this and know what they have to do to achieve this.”

King Bhumibol passed away on Oct 13 and was succeeded by his son, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn last week.

Monday was King Bhumibol’s birthday.

King Bhumibol played a key role in Thailand’s Suzuki Cup-winning campaign two

years ago and watched both legs of the final against Malaysia.

Thailand won 2-0 in the first leg in Bangkok. However, the Malaysians raced to a 2-0 lead at half-time in the second leg prompting King Bhumibol to ask his secretary to phone the team and tell them that he was watching them on TV. His message spurred Kiatisak’s men to fight back to lose 3-2 on the night for a 4-3 aggregate win which ended the Kingdom’s 12-year title drought in the

biennial championship.

His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn often played football when he was younger.

He was a fine footballer and was dubbed the “Football Prince”.

After last Sunday’s defeat, Myanmar coach Gerd Zeise said his team will do their best in the second leg.

“Thailand is the top team in Southeast Asia. It will be very hard to beat them but we will try,” he said.

Bangkok Post

PAVA R ISA YOKT UA N has become the latest Thai to earn an LPGA Tour card for the 2017 season.

The Nakhon Sri Thammarat native shot a final-round 68 to finish tied for 19th place on four-under-par 356 with amateur Karen Chung of the US in the five-day Q-school, which ended last Sunday (Dec 4) in Florida.

Pavarisa and Chung secured the last spots as full members of the elite circuit for the next season.

Pavirisa, 21, will be the ninth Thai golfer on the Tour.

The other Thai players on the tour are Ariya Jutanugarn, Moriya Jutanugarn, Pornanong Phatlum, Patcharajutar Kongkraphan, Nontaya Srisawang, Thidapa Suwannapura, Wichanee Meechai and Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong.

Wichanee and Sherman

secured their cards through the Symetra Tour recently.

Budsabakorn Sukapan, Benyapa Niphatsophon and Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras failed in their attempts to regain full memberships as they could not finish in the top 20 at the Q-school.

However, Budsabakorn, Benyapa and Prima Thammaraks were granted limited LPGA rights and are eligible to play on the Symetra Tour and in some of the LPGA Tour events.

American Jaye Marie Green won the qualifying tournament after shooting a 13-under 347 at the LPGA International.

Olafia Kristinsdottir finished second to become the first player from Iceland to earn an LPGA card.

The 2017 LPGA Tour will start with the US$1.4 million (B49.8mn) Bahamas LPGA Classic on Jan 28-31.

Bangkok Post

38 SPORT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Honey Badgers on notice No one owns an England shirt, warns coach Eddie Jones RUGBY UNION

E

ddie Jones put his England players on notice by warning none of them “owned” a Test shirt after a perfect first year as Red Rose boss ended with victory over his native Australia.

England’s 37-21 defeat of the Wallabies at Twickenham last Saturday (Dec 3) saw them equal their national record of 14 successive Test victories set by Clive Woodward’s World Cup winners in 2002-03.

It also meant Australian coach Jones’s first year as England boss finished with a perfect played 13, won 13 record.

England won last Saturday despite the absence of injured first-choice forwards, Billy Vunipola, James Haskell and Maro Itoje.

But Jones warned that no one “owned” an England shirt.

“If you don’t keep performing, you won’t be in the team,” he said.

England rugby coach Eddie Jones chats with player George Ford during the team’s captain’s run, in Sydney on June 24. Photo: William West/AFP “If players aren’t hungry and you see it in their performance straight away, then they won’t be here.

“We have enough depth to change the squad if we need to,” added Jones as he looked ahead to the defence of a Six Nations title his England

side won with a Grand Slam in 2016.

“No one owns an English jersey, you borrow the jersey for 80 minutes. You’re lucky to get it again, you have to work hard to get it and if you don’t have the right attitude, then you won’t get it.”

But only injury is likely to deny Owen Farrell a place in the side after Jones labelled the inside centre as England’s “standard bearer”.

Last Saturday saw Farrell land all his six goal-kicks against the Wallabies despite not being fully fit in the view

of his coach. “Owen is the spirit of the team. He’s an absolute competitor,” Jones said.

“He hasn’t been at his best this autumn – it’s quite clear he’s still recovering from his back injury. I’d say he’s probably been at 80 per cent of his total fitness.

“To win those four Tests when your inside centre is nowhere near his best is a pretty good effort. He’s enormous for us. He’s the standard bearer.”

Jones has known of Farrell’s ability since the midfielder was a teenager.

“He’s always been a fantastic player,” he said. “I knew him from when I was at Saracens. I signed him to the academy there, because I knew he had a massive potential and a competitive desire – like his dad (dual code international Andy).

“He played a trial against Toulon when he was only about 16 and nine months and Sonny Bill Williams was making his debut for Toulon.

“Owen got the ball and Sonny Bill Williams whacked him and stood over the top

of him.

“He just bounced up on his feet and continued on like nothing had happened. You could tell he was going to be a good player.”

Ben Youngs is another back who appears to have strengthened his place in the team after Jones told the scrum-half he needed to get fitter.

Youngs, who scored the third of England’s four tries last Saturday with a quicklytaken tap penalty where he dummied opposing No 9 Nick Phipps, said: “I am really enjoying my rugby and that’s credit to Eddie.

“He’s not letting me have any chocolate!

“When I first turned up he said I needed to be lighter and leaner.

“The way the game is going, it is quicker and faster and he needed me to operate at a higher level.

“When a coach tells you to lose a couple of kilos there could be a lot worse things to work on.”

AFP

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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

SPORT 39

PREMIER PREDICTIONS: ENTER NOW AT THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Four things we learnt in the Premier League I n last weekend’s Premier League action, week 14 of the season, Manchester City lost their cool in a damaging defeat against title

FOOTBALL

Fellaini blunder adds to Mourinho woe Just when Jose Mourinho must have thought Manchester United’s luck was turning for the better, the Old Trafford chief was undone by his decision to turn to the error-prone Marouane Fellaini in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Everton. United had taken a first-half lead through Zlatan Ibrahimovic when the Swede punished a mistake by Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg and enjoyed more good fortune when Marcos Rojo escaped a red card for a terrible tackle. Yet United were still frustrated in the 89th minute when

Everton’s Leighton Baines (left) scores his penalty past diving Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea. Photo: Paul Ellis/AFP Fellaini, who had only just been sent on by Mourinho, gave away the penalty that Leighton Baines converted to rescue a point.

Live Sports TV Schedule *Times may be subject to change

SPORT

START STOP

EVENT

TEAMS / INFO

Friday December 9 Cricket

11:00

18:00

Test Match 4, Mumbai

Day 2, India v. England

18:00

00:00

ODI3 - MCG

Australia v. New Zealand

Saturday December 10 Rugby Union 19:55

22:00

Champions Cup

Ulster v. Clermont

22:10

00:00

Champions Cup

Munster v. Leicester

00:25

02:15

Champions Cup

Saracens v. Sale

Rugby Union 18:30

00:00

HSBC Sevens

Day 1, Cape Town

Soccer

Cricket

19:30

21:30

EPL

Watford v. Everton

22:00

00:00

EPL

Arsenal v, Stoke

22:00

00:00

EPL

Burnley v. Bournemouth

22:00

00:00

EPL

Hull v. Crystal Palace

00:30

02:30

EPL

Leicester v. Man City

11:00

18:00

Test Match 4, Mumbai

Day 3, India v. England

Sunday December 11 Rugby Union 19:55

21:55

Champions Cup

Wasps v. Connacht

22:10

00:00

Champions Cup

Toulon v. Scarlets

Rugby Union 18:30

00:00

HSBC Sevens

Day 2, Cape Town Chelsea v. West Bromwich

Soccer

Cricket

19:00

21:00

EPL

21:15

23:15

EPL

Man United v. Tottenham

21:15

23:15

EPL

Southampton v. Middlesbrough

11:00

18:00

Test Match 4, Mumbai

Day 4, India v. England

@thephuketnews

rivals Chelsea, Liverpool surrendered ground on the leaders after an incredible collapse at Bournemouth, while Alexis Sanchez kept

Arsenal firmly in the hunt with a stunning hat-trick.

Here are four things we learnt in the Premier League last weekend:

Sanchez swaggers for stylish Gunners When Alexis Sanchez posed for a selfie with a group of ball-boys after his hat-trick in Arsenal’s 5-1 win at West Ham on Saturday (Dec 3), it was the closest anyone connected to the Hammers had managed to get to the Chile forward all evening.

Sanchez was at his majestic best with a 14-minute treble in the second half, leaving West Ham boss Slaven Bilic to admit he felt humiliated.

The former Barcelona star underlined his value to Arsenal by setting up Mesut Ozil’s opener in opportunistic style, then scored in the

The overall competition winner receives a two day/one night private fishing charter to Racha Island on board Wahoo Yacht Charters Phuket’s Reel Blue. Total prize value: B180,000 The monthly competition winner for December 2016 will receive a B3,000 voucher to spend at any of the island's Two Chefs outlets.

EPL PREDICTIONS MONTHLY STANDINGS (SEPT) 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

MRB Aays AORYS BAR bazerb China Bear

OVERALL STANDINGS

8 7 7 7 7

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

scottkip TC adamrosindale carst The Red Card Gang

82 81 80 80 80

English Premier League 2016 - 2017

Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring their third goal against West Ham United. Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP 72nd, 80th and 86th minute, the last of the hat-trick a fittingly show-stopping number as he deftly clipped the ball over West Ham goalkeeper Darren Randolph.

Man City need to regain composure It is saying something when the calmest person in the vicinity of a touchline shoving match is Diego Costa, but that was the situation Manchester City found themselves in at the end of their ill-tempered 3-1 home defeat

by Chelsea. City dominated the game, took the lead and might have had three penalties, but Chelsea’s clinical counter-attacking – and a healthy dose of good fortune – ensured it was Antonio Conte’s side who prevailed, safeguarding their position at the league summit. City’s frustrations told in stoppage time when Sergio Aguero’s brainless lunge on David Luiz and Fernandinho’s angry shove on Cesc Fabregas earned both players red cards that will keep them out for four and three games

MONTHLY SPONSOR

MAIN SPONSOR

Team

MP W

D

L

F

A GD Pts

1

Chelsea

14

11

1

2

32

11

21

34

2

Arsenal

14

9

4

1

33

14

19

31

3

Liverpool

14

9

3

2

35

18

17

30

4

Manchester City

14

9

3

2

30

15

15

30

5

Tottenham Hotspur

14

7

6

1

24

10

14

27

6

Manchester United

14

5

6

3

19

16

3

21

7

West Brom

14

5

5

4

20

17

3

20

8

Everton

14

5

5

4

17

16

1

20

9

Stoke City

14

5

4

5

16

19

-3

19

10

Bournemouth

14

5

3

6

19

22

-3

18

11

Watford

14

5

3

6

18

24

-6

18

12

Southampton

14

4

5

5

13

15

-2

17

13

Middlesbrough

14

3

6

5

13

15

-2

15

14

Crystal Palace

14

4

2

8

24

26

-2

14

15

Burnley

14

4

2

8

12

23 -11

14

16

Leicester City

14

3

4

7

17

24

-7

13

17

West Ham United

14

3

3

8

15

29 -14

12

18

Sunderland

14

3

2

9

14

24 -10

11

19

Hull City

14

3

2

9

11

29 -18

11

20

Swansea City

14

2

3

9

16

31 -15

9

Liverpool tripped up by Achilles heel

Manchester City’s Fernandinho (right) fights with Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas during last Saturday’s match. Photo: Paul Ellis/AFP respectively, obliging the fiery Costa to assume the unfamiliar role of peacemaker.

City manager Pep Guardiola apologised for his side’s behaviour and most now make sure his players get the defeat – and the nervous tension it engendered – out of their systems as quickly as possible.

If ever a game highlighted Liverpool’s Achilles heel is their defence and endangers their title hopes this one will be it. Credit to substitute Ryan Fraser and his Bournemouth team-mates for the gutsy fightback but an absent left-back in James Milner twice allowed them to get behind the defence and led to goals.

The positive is that even without Philippe Coutinho Liverpool are as entertaining and ruthless up front though Reds boss Jurgen Klopp may rue taking Sadio Mane off

Liverpool players react to their defeat on the pitch after their game against Bournemouth. Photo: Glyn Kirk/AFP as early as he did after his team conceded three goals in the last 14 minutes of their stunning 4-3 defeat.

AFP

Sport

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

editor3@classactmedia.co.th

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Thailand hopeful of retaining Suzuki Cup title > page 37

ROSBERG RETIRES F1 World Champion drops bombshell after claiming maiden crown It was a desire to prioritise his loved ones that motivated Nico Rosberg’s shock resignation. Photo: Sacha Schuermann/AFP

FORMULA ONE BOX OF NEUTRALS Michael Lamonato michael@boxofneutrals.com

N

ico Rosberg chose the moment Formula One was finally winding down from its longest-ever season to inject a final burst of freneticism into 2016: he announced his immediate retirement.

Barely five days after he had claimed his maiden crown, choosing the evening of the FIA’s prize-giving gala in Vienna as his venue, Rosberg confirmed his racing days were done.

“I want to take the opportunity to announce that

I’ve decided to end my Formula One career,” he told a pre-event press conference, to audible gasps from the audience.

The decision, he said, had been partly taken in October, when he won enough points at the Japanese Grand Prix to finish second at the remaining four races without losing the lead. His crowning on November 27 in Abu Dhabi only confirmed his thinking.

“This season, I tell you, it was so damn tough,” he explained. “I pushed like crazy in every area after the disappointments of the last two years; they fuelled my motivation to levels I had never experienced before, and of course that had an impact on the ones I love.”

It was a desire to prioritise

his loved ones – wife Vivian and one-year-old daughter Alaïa – that motivated his shock resignation. After 11 years in F1 Rosberg admitted he was not willing to sacrifice another year to the all-consuming world of motor racing.

“This is a brave decision

by Nico and testament to the strength of his character,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who Rosberg told his intentions the Monday after Abu Dhabi. “He has chosen to leave at the pinnacle of his career, as world champion, having achieved his childhood dream.”

The German joined Mercedes in 2010 after four years of midfield toil with Williams.

To the surprise of some he effortlessly dispatched returning seven-time champions

Michael Schumacher, and in 2013 Hamilton replaced the elder German as Mercedes prepared for a title assault under new regulations in 2014.

The scale of Mercedes’s dominance that year, however, meant Rosberg and Hamilton battled exclusively for the title.

Hamilton won the title narrowly at the final round, but in 2015 he mopped the floor with his friend-turned-rival to claim his win again, three rounds from the finish.

But this year Rosberg capitalised on Hamilton’s costly errors and benefitted from superior reliability to become only the second driver to outscore the Briton in an F1 season.

“I have climbed my mountain, I am on the peak, so this feels right,” Rosberg said. “I

am just following my heart.

My heart is telling me to do this.”

But while Rosberg settles into a serene European winter, Mercedes’s 2017 preparations have been thrown into disarray by the search for his replacement.

“Rosberg’s decision has left us disorientated and unprepared,” said non-executive chairman Niki Lauda. “We have lost a champion, the best driver of 2016. It won’t be easy to replace him because all the drivers of a certain standard have contracts with other teams.”

Close at hand is out-ofcontract Mercedes protégé Pascal Wehrlein – but with only one year of racing at backmarker Manor, handing him a lead role in Mercedes’s

title defence could prove a risk.

The financial strength and political clout of Mercedes, however, could yet open doors to contracted drivers at affiliated teams, and Valtteri Bottas at Williams is high on the poaching shortlist.

Without a say is triple world champion Lewis Hamilton, amongst the generation’s fiercest drivers, but he did impart a piece of advice to any prospective teammates.

“If you can’t stand the heat, don’t come.”

A tricky prospect for Mercedes, but one sure to enliven the traditionally quiet Christmas break.

Don’t forget to tune in to Live89.5 this Saturday from 9am to hear Box of Neutrals talk F1 and a whole lot more.

Pounding conditions dismast boats in Phuket King’s Cup Regatta SAILING Chris Husted execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

STRONG WINDS AND POUNDING seas has forced at least three Phuket boats out of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta on the first day of racing on Monday (Dec 5).

Stealth catamarans Hurricane and Java, both well known in Phuket as contenders for their class, both lost their masts in the strong conditions, confirmed Roger Digglemann of Phuket boatbuilder Asia Catamarans.

“Everyone is safe. It’s a big disappoint-

ment, but what can you do,” he told The Phuket News on Tuesday morning (Dec 6).

“It was more the sea than the wind. A rigging fitting broke and that brought the masts down,” he said.

Well-known trimaran Adrenaline is also out of the King’s Cup regatta after suffering damage to her aft, Mr Diggelmann confirmed.

“She (the boat) suffered damaged to her aft and she’s back in the yard now,” he said.

All three boats are under repair, but they will not be ready in time to return racing in the regatta, he added.

“I also heard that 3-Itch (trimaran)

suffered some damage, but made repairs and should be out racing again today,” Mr Diggelmann noted.

Hopes are high that Phuket boats will take honours in the Multihull Racing class in the prestigious regatta.

Three other Stealth cats, all built in Phuket by Asia Catamarans, are still racing.

“Phantom V, Top Cat and Galeforce are all okay and still racing, “Mr Diggelmann said.

Phantom V was launched only two weeks ago, while Top Cat is well-known in Phuket racing circles as one of the fastest cats in the fleet.

Kiril Stashevsky’s ‘Galeforce’ (left) has been improving on performance and Galeforce is currently third overall in the class. Photo: Ghislaine Bovy/GiGi

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