12-10-2012

NEW LOGO THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

Your Island - Your Paper

Friday 12 October – Thursday 18 October 2012 thephuketnews.com

facebook.com/ThePhuketNewspaper1 20 Baht www.phuketliveradio.com

► Your Island - Your Station

โรงเรียนสอนภาษากะทูภู้ เก็ต 100 72 0 32

OLD LOGO

P5

Mile-high models stage fashion show in the air

0 100 100 0

P8

Private peek at the lives of the ladyboy dancers

0 35 100 0

KATHU PHUKET LANGUAGE SCHOOL

Learn Thai

L&S 10

A very laid-back escape to an island in the bay

For 200 Hrs. and Get 1 year VISA

Offering German Consulate A1 Course.

Tel.084-0085673 www.phuketacademy.com email:khroojee@gmail.com

NEW GOVERNOR ARRIVES TO A CROWDED WELCOME > P3

‘NO MORE

FLOODS’ 100 100 40 50

0 100 100 0

0 35 100 0

■ New pumps will stop flooding,

says Mayor Pian Keesin ■ Security watchtower a priority ■ Patong ‘will be a great place for tourism’ FULL STORY ON PAGE 2

Pang Muang Sai Kor Rd in Patong after heavy rain earlier this year. On this road is Patong Hospital, often the first place to be hit by flooding. Large pumps installed next to the hospital will solve flooding woes, says Mayor Pian.

thephuketnews.com

2

PHUKET NEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS

NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

Fire drill at Hollywood

Patong disco stages fire drill to assure punters that dancing is still safe > 4

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

Pian’s pumps ‘save Patong’ Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter4@thephuketnews.com

P

ia n Keesi n, newly confirmed as Mayor of Patong, on Monday (October 8) announced a solution to the town’s chronic flooding problems.

Two large pumping stations are to be set up in front of Patong Hospital, next to Pang Muang Sai Kor Rd, one of the areas that sees the deepest flooding.

“We have received budget from the government to solve this problem with pumps. The cost is about B4-5 million. We installed the pumps in front of Patong Hospital about a week ago.”

He made his announcement at a major policy meeting at the Patong Municipality offices which also discussed education, drug abuse, health, traffic and tourism “to be managed according to moral principles”.

Prasan Sutchat, a member

Mayor Pian Keesin shows off designs for his planned security watchtower. of the town council, brought up the problem of vehicles parking on both side of roads in Patong.

He said that this problem

should be solved. Mr Pian gave no answer.

Mr Prasan said he was also concerned about the drug abuse problem in Patong. “We

should unite and support the community, I hope. This will make everyone safer.”

Mr Pian told the meeting, “It will be better if drug ad-

dicts can’t get bail, so that they are afraid of the law.”

He then moved on to some of his pet projects, such as a proposed security tower next to the beach, at the end of Bangla Rd. “This is a project I really want to do. It will cost maybe B10 million for design. It will have a helicopter pad on top.

“Of course, the helicopter should be paid for by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.”

Other projects he wants to see go forward soon are the proposed road tunnel under Patong Hill, and improvements to Pang Muang Sai Kor Rd and Prachanukroh Rd, all of which are already in the planning stage and awaiting approval of Environmental Impact Assessments.

“We have many more plans. They will be selected and considered on a caseby-case basis,” Mr Pian said, adding, “I have a vision that Patong will be a great place for tourism.”

Deet ‘killed Canadians’ K R A BI POLICE H AV E confirmed that two Canadian sisters who died on Phi Phi were poisoned by the insecticide Deet, and have denied news reports that the case has been closed.

Lt Col Jongrak Pimthong, head of the Investigation Department in Krabi, told The

Phuket News last Thursday (October 4) that autopsies on Audrey and Noemi Belanger had revealed “a high dosage” in their bodies of the insecticide Deet.

He added that the case, far from being closed, “was going to court”.

IN BRIEF Russian woman robbed

A 30-year-old Russian woman was robbed in the heart of Phuket Town on Monday afternoon (October 8) while waiting for a friend in front of a shop on Patipat Rd. As A n na Talecheva waited a man suddenly ran up to her, grabbed her handbag, leaped on his bike and roared off. She said the bag contained an iPad tablet computer, B2,500 and and 6,400 rubles in cash, and her passport.

Ms Talecheva said the thief was not wearing a crash helmet when the incident occurred, but could give no further details of what he looked like. – Source: Siang Tai

Rockstar Sek Loso heads concert bill The Phuket Live Music Festival 2012 will kick off in Phuket Town tomorrow night (October 13), with Thai rock star Sek Loso heading the bill.

The concert will be held at the Anuphas Open Space (the former market next to Honda) on Phang Nga Road, starting at 6pm, with Sek Loso and his band scheduled to start at 8:30pm. The concert ends at 11pm.

Tickets are B300 and B500 and are available on the door.

Burglar caught red-handed Police in Chalong were alerted on the evening of October 4 by alert neighbours to the presence of a burglar in the act of breaking into a construction materials shop near Wat Tai. Neighbours spotted him and called police, who surrounded the Sor Napaka Wasadu Korsang Construction Materials shop.

Witnesses told investigators that the man had entered the premises, but was scared off by presence of a sleeping worker.

The burglar, Adul Boonoom, 32, of Nongbualamphu province, tried to lose the police by taking a dark path running beside Wat Tai Buddhist Temple. Officers gave chase, however, and ran him down. He was charged with breaking and entering at night.

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

PHUKET NEWS

Governor flies in

3

M

aitree Intusut, Phu­ ket’s new Governor, landed at Phuket International Airport at midday on Monday (October 8) to a warm and crowded welcome.

Among those at the airport to greet him were all three of Phuket’s vice-governors, the airport director, senior police officers and bureaucrats and local figures, along with vicegovernors and officials from Phayao province, where he was previously posted as governor.

He paid his respects at a variety of places on the is­ land, including the City Pillar Shrine in Baan Muang Mai, the Heroines Monument, and the spirit house at the Governor’s Mansion.

After lunch he paid his respects at the statue of King Rama V at Provincial Hall, Wat Wichit Sangkharam (where he met with the head of the Buddhist faith in Phuket, Pra Wisutthi Thammakanee) and finally Wat Chalong, where he worshipped the image of Luang Poh Cham.

In the evening there was a welcome party at the Gover­ nor’s mansion.

Sasha Monakhova: A lot of help from friends.

Crash victim on road to recovery Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

Gov Maitree Intusut (right) shares a joke with V/Gov Jamroen Tippayapongdara. In between them are the other two vice-governors, Dr Sommai Preechasilpa and Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak.

Before lunch, at the Gov­ ernor’s Mansion, Gov Maitree demonstrated that he had al­ ready done his homework, say­ ing that his policies will focus on preserving nature and the

environment, and also support­ ing quality of life for residents and tourism – he noted that the upcoming Vegetarian Festival will see around 100,000 people coming to Phuket, spending

around B600 million.

He added that he would continue projects run by his predecessor, Tri Augkarada­ cha, including the Safety Zone project and the light rail project.

Security zone ‘cuts crime by 30pc’ KATHU POLICE CALLED a meeting at the Graceland hotel in Patong on October 4, along with police volunteers and the press to raise aware­ ness of security zoning in Patong. Already, the project has cut crime rates by a third, police say.

Police want to persuade

the Patong community and business owners to turn their CCTV cameras away from their premises to face the street so that they can be used to watch the neighbourhood for any suspicious activity.

“Getting extra sets of eyes and ears on the street has al­ ready helped reduce the drug

use and crime rate by 30 per cent,” stated Lt Col Akanit Danpitsat.

People in Patong can bring their laptop computers to Kathu Police Station to get an access code and password set up so that they can log in to the police CCTV cameras as well, he said.

PAY

Worawut Songyot, the Mayor of Srisoontorn (above), and hospital staff and volunteers visited 17 sick and elderly patients in the district on October 4, giving them supplies and providing support.

Volunteers presented towels, soap, adult diapers and other items.

Mr Worawut said, “We are delighted to show care and love to these 17 people, who are paralysed, disabled, elderly, or have been in accidents. Many of these patients need help and encouragement.

“We have a plan to support them further, as part of the “Srisoontorn Care” plan, designed to help patients and caregivers.”

0

Over the past four months Kathu Police have also been enlisting and working with a growing number of volunteers, including tuk-tuk drivers, security guards and small business owners along the beachfront whose sun beds can be used as makeshift stretchers when needed.

THINGS HAVE TAKEN A turn for the better for Alexandra ‘Sasha’ Monakhova, who was hospitalised after a visa-run bus crash in August.

She has been offered a num­ ber of jobs in the past month or so, following the front-page article in The Phuket News (issue of August 31), and is to take a post in guest relations at Cape Panwa.

She will start as soon as her paperwork is in order, probably next month, and when she feels fit enough to remove her back harness, which was put in place to help her spinal injury.

Sasha was grateful to The Phuket News for publicising her problems following the crash, including losing her job. “I’m happy to be starting work,” she

said. “It’s been a long time.”

Sasha remembers the Au­ gust 9 visa run bus crash as though it were yesterday. She was on a visa run to Ranong when the minibus crashed, seriously injuring her and eight of her travelling companions.

It’s been a long and step-bystep recovery, but after a ‘lot of help’ from her friends she is slowly getting back on her feet.

“Now I have a Russian doc­ tor, who treats me free and has actually turned into a friend of mine. She is just one of many Russians who drop in regularly to help me.”

She also has a donated laptop with which to entertain herself during the day.

“People have been so nice.

I’m reluctant to leave Chalong because there are so many Russians in the area who have helped me out.”

% INTEREST



www.hondaanuphas.com

Chao Fah Rd. (HEADQUARTER) Tel: 076 371 888-9 Phang Nga Rd. (PHUKET TOWN) Tel: 076 371 800 Khokkhoy (PHANG NGA) Tel: 076 582 204-10 info@hondaanuphas.com

www.facebook.com/HondaAnuphasPhuket

thephuketnews.com

4

PHUKET NEWS

CONTACT US

0/35/100/0 Email: editor@thephuketnews.com Phone: 076 612 550 100/100/40/50

KODCHANAT THINSEPON Editor

ALARMING THE PHUKET NEWS

0/100/100/0

SIMON OSTHEIMER Managing Editor 083 922 9265 managingeditor@thephuketnews.com From Hong Kong; a decade’s experience as editor of magazines and newspapers in Shanghai (City Weekend, that’s Shanghai), Beijing (tbjhome, Urbane), Hong Kong (Time Out Hong Kong), Kuala Lumpur (Vision KL), Bangkok (Bangkok 101) and Phuket. Journalist for Esquire, Fah Thai, Vacations & Travel, Travel & Leisure, CNNGo, Surface and Dwell.

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

CLAIRE CONNELL Sub Editor editor1@thephuketnews.com From New Zealand; BA (English) from University of Otago; Diploma in Journalism from the University of Canterbury. Five years’ experience at Gisborne Herald and Marlborough Express.

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

Hollywood disco stages fire drill Nattha Thepbamrung reporter2@thephuketnews.com

T

he deadly blaze at the Tiger Disco on Patong’s Bangla Rd on August 17 appears to have raised awareness of the importance of disaster training by at least one other entertainment centre.

On Saturday (October 6) a fire evacuation practice was held at Hollywood – a nightclub in the centre of of Bangla Rd controlled by Prap Keesin, son of the town’s mayor, Pian Keesin.

The exercise, which lasted from 9 am to 4 pm, involved staff of Mr Prap’s Pisona Group and Patong Hollywood Co, along with fire fighters from the Fire Department of Patong Municipality, who lectured the staff first, before conducting a realistic enactment of a fire in the disco.

Staff learned about using fire extinguishers, first aid for burns, and creating and following an evacuation plan.

This was followed by a fullon rehearsal, with some staff playing the role of customers.

The exercise assumed that a fire had broken out in the

To the delight of onlookers, a fireman sprays the street as part of the fire drill at Hollywood disco. area of the DJ booth – a smoke machine belched fumes from then booth, the music stopped and alarms bells rang out.

The disco was evacuated in a couple of minutes. One woman “overcome by smoke” was carried out.

Outside, firemen sprayed the street, to the amusement of tourists gathered outside.

The disco manager, Paolo Giachino, told The Phuket News afterward that he was

very happy with the way it all went, and used the occasion to do a bit of PR. “We have a total of eight big fire doors in the front of the place and also at the back.

All the cabling is in ducts, so if there is a short-circuit, sparks will be contained.

“Our staff check the electrical system every day and we have guards on standby around the clock. The club is never left closed with no-one inside.

J. P. MESTANZA editor2@thephuketnews.com From USA; Degree in Journalism and Media Studies, from Rutgers University. Three years experience at The Jersey Journal, Sports Page Magazine, and My9 News.

TANYALUK ‘MANGO’ SAKOOT Reporter 091 034 2291 reporter4@thephuketnews.com

NATTHA ‘KAMIN’ THEPBAMRUNG Reporter 087 353 9382 reporter2@thephuketnews.com

ISAYA ‘NHOO’ THONGCHUA Reporter

PITAKPONG ‘PAE’ JAI-INANG NISAKORN ‘SAI’ KITTIPRAPANANT Graphic Designers

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK ThePhuketNewspaper1

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @thephuketnews

ADVERTISING

076 612 550-2 ext. 600 Fax: 076 612 553 info@thephuketnews.com www.thephuketnews.com

99/7 Moo 1 (Billion Plaza), T. Kathu, A. Kathu, Phuket 83120

thephuketnews.com

“Our safety system is to European standards. We have large fire exits and also we use European materials because I found some crucial differences between what’s available in Thailand and what can be brought from Europe. It is called ‘Life Saving’, which does not really exist in Thailand.

“Also, we have a Europeanstandard safety certificate – I think we are one of the few in Thailand who have it,” he said.

MPs briefed on Phuket land probe

Sub Editor

086 909 1821 reporter3@thephuketnews.com

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

Hocxsiew Sanjan at Jui Tui shrine: The shrine has a stockpile of 10,000 sacks of rice.

Shrines stock up for Veg Fest CHINESE SHRINES IN Phuket have been stocking up with mountains of food in preparation for the annual Vegetarian Festival which starts on Sunday (October 14), in order to make sure no one goes hungry.

Hocxsiew Sanjan, Vice President of the Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town, said the shrine has ordered in 400 kilos of Chinese snow peas, two tonnes of Chinese noodles, 620 kilos of bok choi, a tonne of

tofu and 10,000 sacks of rice.

The numbers do not take into consideration food stalls located outside the shrine – it is all for the shrine’s 125 volunteer cooks who will supply food to worshippers during the 10 days of the festival.

Mr Hocxsiew added that he has asked a Chinese priest to ensure that all the stalls around the shrine prepare “truly 100-per-cent vegan meals” – no eggs or dairy products.

The vegetarian festival, he told The Phuket News, “allows the body to recuperate from all the toxins we put into it.

It allows our mind and body and soul to relax.”

Meanwhile, hotels across the island are reporting occupancy rates averaging 85 to 90 per cent, mostly thanks to the tourists coming in from China, Malaysia and Singapore for the festival. The TAT says that the majority of these are people of Hokkien descent.

REUNGCHAI PRAYOONvech has stepped up from Deputy Director of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), to temporarily replace former director Damrong “the Demolisher” Pidech as Acting Director of the DNP. Mr Damrong’s permanent replacement has yet to be named.

On Tuesday morning (October 9) Mr Reungchai reported to a parliamentary commission on progress with the investigations into encroachment in Sirinart Marine National Park.

Accompanied by the recently appointed chief of Sirinart Park, Cheewapap Cheewatham, Mr Reungchai explained details of the investigation to the 15 MPs of the Land Environment and Natural Resources Commission.

Before the meeting, Mr Cheewapap told The Phuket News that training for the 366 investigation teams established

by Mr Damrong before he retired would start on Wednesday (October 10).

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

PHUKET NEWS

5

Mile-high models Coconuts Bangkok

The USS John C Stennis anchored off Cape Panwa.

US carrier stops off in Phuket for some R&R Isaya Thongchua reporter3@thephuketnews.com

he American aircraft carrier USS John C Stennis anchored on Sunday (October 7) at Phuket’s deep sea port in Ao Makham.

Capt Ronald Reis, commanding officer of the carrier, said that it had just come from Borneo via the South China Sea. The main purpose of the carrier’s visit to Phuket is to allow the crew to get some rest and relaxation on their four-day stay. The crew take it in relays, with 1,500 to 2,000 sailors going ashore each day.

The Stennis is like a floating town. Weighing in at 97,000 tonnes, it has a post office, a convenience store that sells things the crew might miss from back home, and a Starbucks coffee shop.

The crew are aboard the carrier for six to seven months at a stretch, many with no days ashore – with its nuclearpowered engines, the carrier can theoretically cover a million nautical miles (1.9 million kilometres) without refuelling.

Zachary Harrell, public affairs officer for the carrier, said, “Everybody here misses home but we are out here sacrificing ourselves to try and make a difference.”

To ease the homesickness, the crew organise events on board such as karaoke nights as well as an upcoming themed party for Halloween.

Capt Reis said the carrier “operates similar to the way an industrial enterprise does.

We come into port every five to six weeks.”

He added that he was “de-

T

A MODEL CAT WA LK show was held 35,000 feet above ground on an AirAsia flight from Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport to Phuket last week.

The Elite Model Look Thailand 2012 show featured 25 Thai models between the ages of 15 and 22 who “surprised and caught the eyes” of passengers, Thai daily newspaper Thai Rath reported.

Passengers not only got to look at the models but were also able to vote in the AirAsia Popular Vote for the models on flight FD3029, one of Thai AirAsia’s first flights from the newly refurbished Don Muang airport.

Winners of the contest will represent Thailand at the Elite Model Look World show in Shanghai.

According to well-known TV presenter Nawat Issarakraisri, it was the first ever catwalk show on an airplane in flight.

On arriving in Phuket, the models were whisked away to the Cape Panwa Phuket Hotel where they were introduced to the media.

The models caused camera frenzy on the flight.

Prizes for the contest include B500,000, a Toyota Yaris, (worth B590,000), an exclusive VIP Card from Wuttisak Cosmetics (worth B200,000), Thai Air Asia tickets worth B50,000, and hotel stays at the Summit Windmill Golf Club and

Residence and Cape Panwa Phuket Hotel.

The final vote of the Elite Model Look Thailand 2012 contest will be held at Bangkok Convention Center on Tuesday evening (October 16). It will be broadcast live on the Modern 9 TV channel.

Some crew members did good works while in Phuket. Here they paint the wall at the Soi Dog compound in Mai Khao. lighted to be here for my first time in Phuket”.

The crew of the carrier includes five half-Thai sailors.

The Phuket News was introduced to the Chief of Aviation and Structural Mechanics for aircraft, Chief Petty Officer Brian Connell. His mother is from Satthahip, one of Thailand’s biggest navy bases south of Pattaya.

Although he was unable to converse in Thai he said he was “still proud to be able to

come back and set foot in my homeland”.

CPO Connell has been in the US Navy for more than 17 years but still holds Thailand close to his heart, he said, because he has three uncles who had served in the Royal Thai Navy, and relatives in Pattaya.

Capt Reis said the carrier would be going on patrol in the Middle East before heading back to its homeport, Kitsap Navy Base in Washington State, on the west coast of the US.

thephuketnews.com

6

PHUKET NEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

Phuket Seven Day Weather Forecast 0/35/100/0 The Phuket News 100/100/40/50 offers flexible advertising 0/100/100/0 options both online and in print.

GENERAL MANAGER

Jason Beavan 086 479 7471

gm@thephuketnews.com

PR & MARKETING MANAGER

Tamakorn (Boo) Khowpon 088 766 1615

pr@thephuketnews.com

CLASSIFIED MANAGER Jarunee Phetchmanee 088 754 1372

classified@thephuketnews.com

SALES REPRESENTATIVE Phanita (Kwang) Promsuwan 088 754 1370

listing@thephuketnews.com

SALES REPRESENTATIVE Jantiwa (Tangmo) Jantarattanawong 088 765 5883

salessouth@thephuketnews.com

SALES SUPPORT Siriporn (Nok) Seangmas 086 479 7470

sales@thephuketnews.com

thephuketnews.com

www.foreca.com

FRI OCTOBER 12

SAT OCTOBER 13

SUN OCTOBER 14

MON OCTOBER 15

TUE OCTOBER 16

WED OCTOBER 17

THU OCTOBER 18

High: +32° Low: +25°

High: +31° Low: +24°

High: +31° Low: +24°

High: +32° Low: +24°

High: +32° Low: +24°

High: +31° Low: +24°

High: +31° Low: +24°

Wind 11.0 kmh

Wind 14.0 kmh

Wind 14.0 kmh

Wind 7.0 kmh

Wind 11.0 kmh

Wind 7.0 kmh

Wind 11.0 kmh

Two lucky in pick-up smash near Tesco TR A FFIC CAME TO A standstill near the large TescoLotus intersection at 11am on Wednesday morning (October 10), after the driver of a pickup truck lost control and crashed into another, also wiping out a motorbike.

The pickup was driving east along Phra Phuket Kaew Rd, (the road from Patong to Tesco Lotus) when its driver lost control and crossed the median divider, hitting another pickup truck travelling in the opposite direction and injuring its driver.

The impact rammed the second truck backwards into a

motorbike that was following it, injuring its rider, a Yakult yoghurt drink seller.

Neither was seriously hurt but both were taken to Vachira Hospital.

Orn, the daughter of the motorbike rider, 48-year-old Darat Tengkamnued, said she found out about the crash when her mother called her.

“I came here straight away, and I felt much better after I talked with my mother. She has been taken to Vachira Hospital with pain in her legs and arms.”

Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

Lucky escape: Two people suffered only minor injuries following this crash near Tesco.

Bizarre attack on official A

man claiming that the town clerk, or palad, of Chalong Municipality had “seduced” his niece was arrested on October 3 after dousing the palad with bathroom cleaning fluid and beating him about the head.

The palad’s secretary was also injured in the attack.

Chalong police were alerted to the incident at 10am Wednesday and rushed to the Chalong Municipality offices, where they found a crowd of about 20 people, and the distraught uncle wielding a pair of gardening shears.

On seeing the officers approach, he put aside the shears and surrendered.

Police said the man, identified as Montien Homsanit, 35, of Chantaburi, had snatched the shears from a gardener to protect himself from the crowd, who he feared were intent on lynching him.

Police checked the office of the palad, Wutipong Promtawee, who had been rushed to Phuket International Hospital for treatment.

The office was divided into two rooms: the front one, with the desk of 31-year-old Benjawan Laosuyongk, Wutipong’s secretary, and an interior office belonging to the palad.

Ms Benjawan told police Montien had first stood uncertainly in front of the office

The Chalong Municipality offices, where the attack on Wutipong Promtawee took place. Photo: Google Street View door, before asking, “Is this the palad’s office?”

Benjawan said it was, and Montien then said, “I want to talk to him about some construction plans I submitted for approval. I called for an appointment earlier.”

Montien was then invited in to talk with the palad, with Ms Benjawan still inside.

“As soon as he entered,” she explained, “he walked straight to the palad, who was seated at his desk, head bent down signing documents, and tossed the contents of the container into his face.”

Wutipong, startled, pushed himself backwards and fell to the floor. “After that, the suspect jumped on him and began pummeling him about the head,” police said. “The secretary, seeing the palad

under attack, ran to his aid.”

Ms Benjawan said, “The suspect then turned on me and hit me hard in the face, knocking me to the floor.”

Montien tried to flee, but Ms Benjawan’s screams had alerted workers, who came up the stairs to see what was happening. Montien ran out of the building and flagged down a passing car.

Municipal workers, however, gave chase and signaled to the driver to stop, apprehending Montien and returning him to the office.

He was arrested without further incident and taken to Chalong station for questioning.

Montien told police he had been in Chantaburi the day before when he received a telephone call from his niece.

“She said the palad had seduced her,” he said, “so I got on a bus and came here to take care of him.”

Montien fully admitted his crime. Interviewed by a reporter later on, Wutipong said the man’s story was nonsense: “I’m a married man; my wife works with me at the Municipal Office.

“I love my family, everyone knows; I don’t know anything about another woman. I have no idea whom he is referring to.

Maybe she doesn’t even exist.”

Wutipong, who said he had worked at the municipality for 10 years, said he detected a more sinister conspiracy; he suspected the attack resulted from disgruntled workers, angry that he had changed their system of organisation.

The palad said he had

already notified the Meuang district chief, and would have his staff write a full report for the Mayor of Chalong explaining what had occurred.

Montien was charged with assault and battery, and causing mental distress.

The following day Mr Wutipong presented a petition at Phuket Provincial Hall calling for an investigation into the bizarre incident and into his on-going dispute with staff at the municipal offices.

To emphasise the point, he filed a libel complaint against Montien with Chalong police and insisted he will sue anyone else who “spreads rumours about my having relations with another woman”.

The palad says he believes the attack may have its origins closer to home, saying that changes he initiated – and warnings issued to those whose performance was “lacking in many areas” – had prompted a violent argument during a meeting of the municipal government’s managers four days before the attack.

Mr Wutipong continued, “For that reason we are requesting a committee be appointed to investigate the dispute.”

That, he said, is only fair to him and the municipal staff, who will otherwise be afraid to continue working.

– Source: Siang Tai

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

Village heads rally in battle of old vs new Nattha Thepbamrung reporter2@thephuketnews.com

M

ore than a hundred village chiefs – kamnan and phu yai baan – gathered at Provincial Hall last Friday morning (October 5) to protest against an attempt by a group of MPs to slash their terms in office from lifetime to just five years.

Currently – under a system that has existed for 98 years – phu yai baan, the elected representatives of villages, and the kamnan, elected by their peers from a group of phu yai baan, and traditionally the bridge between villagers and the district, or amphur, officials, stay in office until retirement at the age of 60.

The draft act to shorten the term in office to just five years, was proposed by a cross-party group of MPs led by Prasert Boonruang of Kalasin, Noppakun Ratpatai of Chiang Mai, Niyom Worapanya of Lop Buri and Ponpen Boonsiriwattanakul of Chaiyapoom (all Pheu Thai MPs) and Sampan Tangbenjapol, a Democrat MP from Sukhotai.

Friday’s protest was led by Komin Nopparat, the chairman of Phuket Kamnan-Phu Yai Baan Association. It was not the first such protest in Thailand; others have already been staged elsewhere in Thailand, demonstrating the power and cohesiveness of the traditional grass-roots politicians.

Mr Komin handed an official protest letter with the signatures of all the village chiefs in Phuket to Deputy Governor (palad) Chaiwat Taepee. In it, they warned the MPs involved, and the government, of action they would consider if the bill goes any further: ■ They will urge local people not to vote for the MPs in any upcoming election or by-election; ■ They will urge local people to vote instead for the candidate for the opposing political party; ■ They will reveal any dirty secrets they know about the MPs to the press or to the opposing political party. These, the letter said, might include instances of corruption related to the establishment of the Fund for Woman’s Development,

the Million Baht Per Village Fund or the Village Development Fund; ■ They will reveal what they know about failures and abuses in the implementation of the government’s showpiece drug suppression policy; ■ If their demands are not met, they will rally at the Parliament and at Government House; ■ The village chiefs of 7,255 tambon around the country will put up defiant posters throughout the areas they represent.

The protestors also handed a copy of their complaint to Jarupong Ruangsuwan, Minister of Transport, who was visiting Phuket. Mr Jarupong promised to hand the letter to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Mr Komin argued that the proposed change would lead to division among local people and would damage the continuity of local developmental projects.

Kamnan, he said, would always be looking to the next election, and would therefore be unable to make decisive decisions on matters under their responsibility.

He noted that if local people feel dissatisfied with their kam-

nan, they could raise a petition to get him or her booted out.

Mr Sampan, one of the MPs promoting the bill, was quoted by Matichon Online on Wednesday (October 3) as saying the threats of protests didn’t frighten him.

“Even if people come out and burn a coffin or shout at us, I’m not worried. I am going to keep on pushing this issue.”

Over the past 20 years local government in Thailand has been going through a transition – often one step forward and two steps back – from heavily top-down centralised government to devolution of power to the provinces.

There is now a dual system, with the government appointing and controlling governors and district officers, but also elected provincial (OrBorJor) and sub-district (OrBorTor) bodies.

Originally, it was intended that OrBorTor would supplant kamnan; there was supposed to be a transitional period in which kamnan would automatically be members of the OrBorTor Council, but would be phased out.

PHUKET NEWS

7

Dressed in their best uniforms, kamnan and phu yai baan rally at Provincial Hall.

Gas tanker catches fire A GAS TAN K ER SHIP caught fire on Sunday morning (October 7) off the deep sea port in Ao Makham.

The liquid pet roleum carrier Kantika was luckily not laden when the alarm was raised at around 8.30am by crew member Panurat Rakchon, who signalled to a nearby Marine Department vessel that he had a fire on board.

The fire on the 80-metrelong Thai-registered ship, which is owned by Ayudhya Public Co, apparently started in the communications room

of the tanker, possibly because of old wiring.

Mr Panuwat told Siang Tai newspaper, “I was working in the aft engine room.

I smelled smoke and saw it was coming from around the communications room.

“I tried to put it out but there was too much smoke, so I ran out on deck to get help.”

With help from the Marine Department and a helicopter from the Royal Thai Navy, Third Division, the fire was extinguished by 11 am.

However, it f lared up

45x90 |

again in the afternoon and once again firefighters had to be called. This time they ensured it had been put out properly.

Just 1,200 metres away from the bur ning tanker was the US aircraft carrier USS John B Stennis, which dropped anchor in Phuket today for a five-day stay, accompanied by the missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay. Sailors aboard the Stennis, though keeping an eye on the tanker, said they did not believe there was any cause for concern.

75x75 | 80x80 |

90x90 | 120x120

www.tile-asia.com info@tile-asia.com | Wana Park, Srisoonthorn Road, Thalang, Phuket 83110 | Tel 076 602 168 | Fax 076 620 169

thephuketnews.com

8

PHUKET FOCUS

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

Above left, the hit K-Pop song Gangnam Style has been included for one month only in Aphrodite’s shows. Right, A dancer shakes hands with an admirer in the audience.

BACKSTAGE ACTION A private glimpse at the life of a ladyboy dancer Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter4@thephuketnews.com

I

t’s 5.30 in the afternoon and heading towards dusk. Spotlights on the roof of the Aphrodite cabaret show on the bypass road are bouncing beams off clouds.

Already more than 200 tourists are milling around in the auditorium.

Backstage, it’s busy, busy, busy. The first of the evening’s three shows begins at 6pm on the dot, so there’s a flurry of activity as the dancers and actors put on make-up, shovel down supper (sometimes both at the same time) and wriggle into tight, spangled dresses.

The dressing room is crammed, with sparkling costumes hanging in profusion, wigs by the dozen, headdresses with huge feath-

Ladyboy dancer Siwanun ‘Yok’ Khanvilaikul is in the Aphrodite show and also runs a shop, says, ‘I’m proud of myself.’ ers, and a happy babel of conversation, squeals and laughter.

Most of the actors are ladyboys, and are proud and happy to be part of the show.

Take the plunge!

Daily Trips to Phuket‘s best dive sites Special packages for Residents Holiday programmes for Kids Unique customer service e-mail: info@sea-bees.com tel: +66 (0)76 381 765

thephuketnews.com

Siwanun “Yok” Khanvilaikul, 29, says, “I’m proud of myself. And, I have never been disappointed in my decision to be a dancer. I know who I am.

“My father passed away

some time ago but my mother is very pleased with me. I take care of her and we spend a lot of time together.

Phu ket-bor n Yok has worked at Aphrodite for five months. “I have my own

business, the White Room fashion shop in Phuket city, but this is fine for me because they pay well – I already had some experience of dancing in a show.

“Work time starts at 6pm and ends at 10.30pm. I get two days off a month. It may sound like hard work, but I love this job.

“I don’t care what people think about me being a ladyboy. I am doing what I love and I am just proud of what I can do for my mother and for Phuket – the show attracts tourists from around the world, so I am part of the machine that can support tourism.

It’s a well-oiled machine.

“Everyday, I have to come to the theatre by 5.30pm and finish my makeup and be dressed by 6pm. Everyone else has to do the same – and all at the same time,” he says.

Managing the machine is “Mother” – otherwise known as Kajohndesh Panawas.

He is off icially Show Manager, taking care of all the players, training them, setting the rules, organising clothing (all created in Bangkok) and ensuring the show goes like clockwork, with everything happening to a precise schedule.

“Everyone has to be on time because the times for all the shows are set,” says Mother. “The show has many acts, and all the players for each act must be ready back-

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

stage before their cue.”

“It’s very important that I look after every detail and remind them of their duties, including meeting the audience after each show.

In Aphrodite all the actors have to know their duties and be nice to each other, and do what I tell them.”

The show keeps up with the times and trends. For example, right now, a Gangnam act has been added. “It is so hot now. So we have introduced a special Gangnam act, just for this month.”

The show is about to begin. Players in the first act bustle through a door from the dressing room, pausing to wai a Thai Khon dance mask – the symbol of traditional Thai dance – before getting ready to go onstage.

Backstage, too, is a flurry of activity as stagehands prepare the backdrops and special effects. They, too, are highly trained, moving at speed to match the songs and dances with sound and lighting effects, smoke and scenery changes.

The audience love it. Acts featuring feathers and sequins follow lip-synch acts (mostly in Korean or Chinese), modern dances and Indian dances.

A big favourite is the “fat lady” – a comedy act by a very chubby ladyboy with a strangely cute voice. The

PHUKET FOCUS

9

Above and foot of the page: Dancers spend a long time getting ready. Below, the comical “fat lady” with a terrified audience member. audience howls with laughter as he jiggles his wobbly body.

He ups the hysteria by dragging male members of the audience onto the stage and trying to get them to touch

him, just oozing desire. His victim is terrified, but the audience are falling about.

After the show finishes, all the actors walk out from the stage to meet the audience.

They love this part. “I love being on stage and I love meeting my audience,” says Yok. “I want the audience to go away with good memories and to come back again. It

makes me feel wonderful.”

T he au d ie nc e c rowd around the actors, wanting to get a close-up look at all the feathers and sequins – and the people inside them – and

have their photos taken (tipping is obligatory).

The audience file out with big grins on their faces. But for the actors, it’s time to get ready for the next show.

thephuketnews.com

10 THAILAND NEWS

Thai man arrested for Japanese murder 19 years ago A THAI MAN WHO WAS arrested in in southern Thailand on October 7 for the murder of a Japanese woman in Tokyo almost two decades ago will be prosecuted in the kingdom’s courts.

Veerasak Iampongsa, 39, was tracked down at a bus terminal after a court issued a warrant for his arrest for the premeditated murder of 33-year-old Megumi Awaji in March 1993.

“The suspect will be prosecuted here in the Thai courts under the joint justice programme between Thailand and Japan,” the deputy head of the Thai Crime Suppression Division, Colonel Prasobchok Prommoon said.

At a news conference in Bangkok on Monday, Veerasak publicly confessed to killing Awaji while he was working in Japan. He said the pair were living together and quarrelled.

He fled the country soon afterwards.

“I never forgot about it.

I’m sorry and apologise to her relatives. I did it due to my short temper,” he said. AFP

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

Bangkok’s sandbags Finnish expat cause controversy stabbed to death

by his girlfriend

Bangkok Post

W

ater expert and former directorge ne r al of t he Royal Irrigation Department Pramote Maiklad has backed the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in the ‘sandbags controversy’.

The Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC) and the BMA are locked in a dispute over the placement of sandbags in the city’s drains.

The WFMC said the sandbags disrupt water drainage, while the BMA claimed it is part of the city’s flood prevention measures.

Mr Pramote, who discussed flood prevention with City Hall officials on October 9 said the WFMC did not understand the BMA’s technique of using sandbags to block the drains.

The WFMC is a national agency and if it interferes too much in the BMA’s flood prevention activities, the measures may not make any headway, Mr Pramote said.

The commission must come up with broad strategies and allow other agencies to help

Pattaya One

Sandbagging in Sai Mai, Bangkok, during the 2011 floods. implement them, he said.

“But the WFMC’s strategies are still vague. It must think more clearly about this [issue],” said Mr Pramote, who earlier questioned WFMC chairman Plodprasop Suraswadi’s water management knowledge.

Mr Plodprasop, who is also the Science and Technology Minister, issued an ultimatum on October 9 to the BMA to remove all the sandbags stuffed in the city’s drains within 15 days.

If the BMA fails to comply, the WFMC will send its own men to remove the sandbags, he said.

Bangkok governor Su­ khum­bhand Paribatra, however, argued that the BMA has the authority to run areas under its jurisdiction according to the BMA Act, and there is no need for City Hall to report the matter to the WFMC. He insisted the sandbags had not blocked waterflow in the drains and that the tech-

nique has long been part of the BMA’s flood prevention measures.

“If anyone wants to know the facts, they should ask the BMA, not remove the sandbags like this,” MR Sukhumbhand said, referring to Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit and his deputy Jirayu Huangsap, who lifted sandbags out of a sewer on Srinakarin Road on Sunday as part of their inspection of the BMA’s dredging work.

FINNISH TOURIST Timo Juhani, 65, was stabbed to death in the middle of a Pattaya street following a quarrel with his 40-year-old Thai girlfriend on Sunday (October 7).

Residents confirmed seeing and hearing the victim and the suspect argue on numerous occasions inside their second floor apartment.

An arrest warrant has now been issued in her name.

Residents at the apartment complex confirmed seeing her, less than one hour before police arrived, selling her mobile phone to the owner of a local convenience store.

Investigators believe she used the money to fund her escape from Pattaya.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

OPINION 11

OPINION editor@thephuketnews.com

Editor’s Viewpoint

Norachai’s World

Keeping those laws shipshape

S

The Patong flash mob strikes again.

ailors from the US Navy left the island yesterday (October 11) after four days of much needed ‘rest’ and ‘recuperation’. They also probably left behind a little less money than they normally do, owing to a more serious enforcement of entertainment closing times.

Many of the bars and nightclubs along the infamous Bangla Road were actually asked by the US Navy to close on time, at the official time of 2am.

In response to this, it was reported that the President of the Entertainment Association of Patong had grumbled about the request saying that such visits were normally times that they made extra money.

He added that despite earning less income from the ‘partying sailors’, the Association still had to pay off all the usual bribes. Extortion, corruption and bribery aside (this is, after all, Patong) isn’t it the point that, regardless of whether the sun is shining or not, businesses and individuals should not have carte blanche to operate outside

of the law. Full stop. No more to be said. Another idiom applies: Two wrongs don’t make a right.

What is also rather telling is that the US Navy felt the need to make the request that bars and nightclubs adhere to the law and close on time. This is like saying to the police when they pull you over for not wearing a helmet, “Now don’t forget to charge me B300-500 for my minor driving violation,” or to a masseuse, “After 60 minutes, please desist in touching me.”

Odd, but perhaps necessary depending on the particular bar, officer and massage therapist.

Laws and regulations are not up for interpretation, nor should they be allowed to differ according to interpretation, persuasion, ethnicity or financial status.

Laws should be absolute, otherwise they are merely guidelines that deserve to be stretched, bent or broken.

So hi-ho sailors, thanks for coming. Hope you enjoyed your time here and thanks for adhering to the laws... Yes we do have them here.

Letters to the editor 150 years and counting...

[Re: A day to never, ever be forgotten] I noted with interest that your esteemed paper had devoted one complete page to the German National Day celebrations. Please allow me to comment.

First of all, by giving such one-page attention to our National Day, a quick prior check on your part with the German Embassy in Bangkok would have given you relevant information on the significance of this year’s German National Day: It was the 150th anniversary of German-Thai relations!

Germany and Thailand have enjoyed a very close relationship, and Germany over these last 150 years has contributed significantly and substantially to Thailand. Let me just mention two examples: much of the railway system here in Thailand was designed, engineered

and co-installed by Germans, also every time you hear the Thai national anthem please be reminded that it was composed and written by a German.

You should also not forget that Germany is a nation state. Prior to 1872’s unification, Germany was a mixture of 11 major monarchies/states and numerous smaller principalities.

The legacy of this is part of the fabric of ‘German’ culture, which still grapples to this day to find a common identity. For example, when you mention ‘Germany’ to most non-Germans the cultural associations are actually from Bavaria, which is the only federal state in Germany with its own true heritage and iconography; Germany per se is thus using the Bavarian identity for lack of its own.

In summary, as a Bavarian resident in Phuket, I thank The Phuket News for this excellent article.

Dr Michael Pohl

No rain! Fun times!

[Re: Hope and fear for Phuket’s art scene] I saw the exhibition this evening and was most impressed! Recognised some of our local talent immediately, no rain in sight (praise Buddha), and some lovely live music. It was lovely.

Janzi Zen

70 pc looms large [Re: Patong security zone ‘cuts crime by 30pc’] I walked this very beach front and was offered drugs four times in a short distance.

Why are the police not there to stop this?

Dec

No repeats please [Re: Tiger group charged over disco fire] It seems to be everyone’s concern that public buildings have minimum safety against fire as we all remember so well the tragedy of the Tiger discotheque in Patong. And indeed,

when looking around us, it is found to be a shared concern indeed by all those involved in building safety, like fire exits or escapes, fire ladders and fireproof doors.

When I looked around in the Makro in Phuket, I found the same safety concern in the fire exits.

As soon as a fire break outs, the well trained Makro staff will have to quickly get the keys from the office for all the padlocks blocking the fire escapes, bring in a ladder (the padlocks are at 2.2m height), open the doors and let people out.

Another Tiger-tragedy is looming. But this time it will be Makro.

Jacques Dezeure Makro Chief of Safety for Phuket, Supalerd Panjalern responds: The Makro building is undergoing a ‘safety system upgrade.’ That particular fire escape door was padlocked since it opened up to a construction site that would be hazardous if people were to go out that way.

This locked door would not slow down the evacuation process in any

way since all the other fire exit doors swing open without requiring any sort of key. The safety of our staff and customers is our number one priority.

The ladder that was stationed next to the door is not for accessing the padlocked door but used for moving shelved items from one area to another. This safety upgrade is scheduled to be completed at the end of the month.

Keep at it [Re: Phuket loris touts arrested] Pleased to see the authorities taking some action – this should be done on a regular basis as they will be back.

Tradexpat

One government [Re: Village heads rally in battle of old vs new] There are too many levels of government in Thailand in my opinion. A district council is enough for many levels of corruption and inefficiency.

LJ

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

thephuketnews.com

12 TOURISM/PROPERTY

THE PHUKET NEWS

BUSINESS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

‘Ultra luxury’ yacht coming

Miami-based luxury cruise line Sea Dream moves yacht to Asia for 2013 season > 14

Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com

Floods ‘to have Korn to speak at awards minimal effect K on tourism’ TTR Weekly

THE TOURISM COUNCIL of Thailand says although f loods have hit provinces across the country they are mostly agricultural regions and the impact on tourism should be minimal.

TCT president, Piyaman Tejapaibul, said there were positive signs that travel bookings would grow during the high season, which could mean the country’s tourism could reach 21.5 million visits by the end of the year.

Last year massive floods hit Bangkok and the central plains, but experts are confident that the country will escape a similar crisis this October and November.

“Floods have not slowed down travel so far. There are still more foreigners visiting Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga and Trang in South Thailand,” Mr Piyaman said.

China’s national holiday from October 1 to 7 was a highlight of the month for travel to Thailand, while around 4,000 Japanese travelled on incentives.

Kasean Wattanachaopisut, president of the Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association, said the China national holiday attracted 150 charter flights and 150,000 to 160,000 Chinese tourists over the week.

“They spent around B8,000 a day, double the B4,000 during the same period last year,” he added.

orn Chatikavanij, former finance minister and current deputy leader of the Democrat Party, will be the VIP guest and keynote speaker at the Thailand Property Awards 2012 gala dinner at the Dusit Thani Hotel tomorrow night (October 13) in Bangkok.

“We are delighted that Khun Korn has agreed to join us,” said Terry Blackburn, CEO of Ensign Media. “He is one of the most respected figures in Thai politics and an internationally recognised statesman.

“He also has a keen interest in real estate and a firm grasp of the issues and challenges facing the industry. We are very much looking forward to hearing his thoughts on these in his address.”

In an interview with En- Korn Chatikavanij: firm grasp of property issues. sign’s Property Report magazine, Mr Korn said, “There has and not so much speculative are a major driver of the sector in Thailand and in Bangkok in been real demand supporting the buying [as in the past]. growth of the property sector “People buying first homes particular.

Veg Fest spending ‘will top B11bn’ MCOT Online

SPE N DI NG ON FO OD nationwide during the Vegetarian Festival is likely to top B11 billion this year, according to the Kasikorn Research Centre (KRC), despite consumers tend-

ing to be more price-conscious as concerns about the rising cost of living and possible flooding in central Thailand weigh on minds and wallets.

The KRC said that consuming vegetarian food has been more popular in recent years,

particularly among younger people, as vegetarian food becomes more fashionable – as fits modest budgets better.

Government measures such as raising the daily minimum wage, controlling agricultural produce prices and fixing con-

We believe that the success of a project is essentially based on a serious management

sumer product prices may help spur purchasing power, but consumers may still spend cautiously due to the higher cost of living which has increased in tandem with higher energy prices, along with worries about future major floods.

liberto@construction-thailand.com

liberto@construction-thailand.com 40 years experience of more than 20 years at your service in Thailand.

Main Contractor:

Study Project Architecture Design Construction & Management

Office 3.L.H & I.C.P. Manufactory 3.L.H & I.C.P.

thephuketnews.com

“With the ongoing loose monetary policies of the US Federal Reserve and elsewhere making interest globally historically low, that will help support [the property sector]. Whether that will eventually lead to an asset price bubble or not, we have to wait and see.

“But so far that doesn’t seem to be a major problem here in Thailand.”

The Thailand Property Awards will be presented at a black-tie dinner at the Dusit Thani Hotel. Among shortlisted resorts and developments in Phuket, or connected to Phuket, are Beyond Resort Khaolak and Beyond Resort Krabi, Exotiq Property, Tropical Homes and CBRE Phuket, Absolute Twin Sands, Bluepoint Condos, The Lofts at Laguna Village, the Nchantra@Sirey Beach, and Absolute World Group.

The Phuket News and Phuket Live 89.5 radio are media partners for the event.

250,000 free Wi-Fi hotspots next year MCOT Online

FIRST IT WAS 20,000, THEN it was 70,000. Now, the government says, free Wi-Fi service will be accessible in 250,000 hotspots throughout Thailand next year.

Information and Communications Technology Minister Anudit Nakornthap said True Corporation became the latest private company to offer free Wi-Fi service for internet users

at 50,000 locations, in addition to 50,000 spots earlier promised

by Advanced Info Service (AIS) and 20,000 sites by the state telecom enterprise TOT. The mathematics of the 250,000 hotspots is not quite clear.

Internet users wishing to use free Wi-Fi service need to register using a 13-digit code for a 30-minute to two-hour service, for a valid period of three to six months.

AMENDMENT

Following our report in the issue of last Friday (October 5) on the Rosewood Resort, construction of which will begin soon at Tri Trang Beach at the south end of Patong Bay, we have been asked to point out that the lead architect “is Phuket-based PMC, which is working closely with both Singapore-based WOHA and Melbourne-based Bar Studio.”

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

IN BRIEF Bangkok ready to be regional bourse Thailand’s capital market regulator has investment vehicles ready to facilitate the connectivity of stock markets in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) SecretaryGeneral Vorapol Socatiyanurak told participants at a Thailand investment conference that as the GMS develops and evolves, Bangkok can become a centre connecting bourses in GMS countries with growth potential.

The GMS comprises Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and China’s Yunnan province.

Rail extension speeded up Thailand’s Ministry of Transport is speeding up an Airport Link route extension, to be completed within three years at an investment of over B30 billion.

Deput y Mi n ister of Transport Pol Lt Gen Chat Kuldiloke said the ministry is extending the route from Phayathai to Don Muang station after Don Muang Airport resumed full commercial services on October 1.

Suvarnabhumi numbers ‘will rise’ Suvarnabhumi International Airport is anticipating an increase of 8 or 9 per cent in passenger movements next year, despite Thai Air Asia moving to Don Muang.

Once Thai Air Asia has moved out, Suvarnabhumi Airport Director Somchai Sawasdipol says he expects the final number of passengers going through the airport to fall from the predicted 52 million for this year to 42 million.

However, for next year, he said there will be an 8-9 per cent rise, boosting passenger numbers to 46 million.

A380s ‘will boost THAI efficiency’ The Acting President of Thai Airways International (THAI), Chokchai Panyayong, has predicted that the carrier’s purchase of new double-decker Airbus 380800 aircraft will boost the airline’s efficiency and revenue.

Mr Chokchai made his assertion after THAI’s first of six A380s arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Saturday (October 6). A second will arrive in December, the third and fourth early next year and the remaining two by the end of 2013.

ECONOMY/TOURISM 13

STORM CLOUDS ADB, World Bank predict Asia slowdown MCOT Online/ Agence France-Presse

T

he Asian Development Bank (ADB) has cut its growth forecast for Thailand from 5.5 to 5.2 per cent this year and from 5.5 to 5 per cent next year, and has warned that economic slowdowns in China and India will ripple across the region.

This opinion is reflected in a forecast from the World Bank on Monday (October 8), slashing its 2012 growth forecast for developing countries in East Asia and the Pacific to 7.2 per cent, down from 8.3 per cent in 2011, “due to the fragile global economy”.

Luxmon Attapich, ADB senior economist for Thailand, predicted on Monday that the economic growth of Asia’s developing countries will also be lower than the estimated 6.9 to 6.1 per cent.

Thailand’s declining export of industrial products such as hard disk drives and circuits in July reflected a diminishing demand in the global market while the kingdom’s export growth for this year is expected to be 5 per cent, she said.

She said the higher prices of Thai rice compared with competing countries is one of the factors in the export decline, adding that electronics products, electrical appliances, rubber and textile are also affected by the diminishing export trend.

Ms Luxmon said the ADB believes that the government’s rice pledging scheme is misguided.

She pointed out that the government wanted to help increase farmers’ income but lacks development of paddy seeds to boost yield per rai.

“If Thai paddy is improved and superior to competitors, the price of Thai rice will automatically increase,” she said. “It is not surprising that the government’s rice policy is criticised.”

Local consumption will

Flagged: Spain, dogged by demonstrations (above), insists it does not need a bailout. But the markets have their doubts.

Photo: Brocco be on the rise in the next two years thanks to the increase in the daily minimum wage, the government’s first-car taxation policy, the rice pledging scheme and low interest rate, she said.

The ADB has adjusted Thailand’s projected inflation rate to 3 per cent this year and 3.2 per cent next year and hopes that, given the global economic weakness and reasonable inflation rate, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will continue with its relaxed monetary policy.

She said the ADB hopes that the MPC will cut its key interest rate, if necessary, to stimulate the economy.

It is expected that the Thai government will continue its fiscal policy to revitalise the economy next year by adopting a B300 billion budget deficit in the 2013 fiscal year, she said.

Citing a B300 billion loan for countrywide water management and a B2 trillion loan for infrastructure investment, Ms Luxmon admitted the loans are large but said the ADB believes

they will not contribute to the problem of public debt which, it estimates, will not exceed 50 per cent of GDP in the next three years.

But the ADB warned that Thailand’s economy will be at risk if the European and Chinese economies weaken and oil prices rise.

The ADB also called on Asian developing countries to give more emphasis to the service sector to offset declining exports.

It indicated that the service sector, which currently represents 34 per cent of the total labour force in Asia, could contribute to much more employment.

Meanwhile, World Bank chief regional economist Bert Hofman noted that its prediction of 7.2 per cent growth for Asia as a whole will be the slowest growth rate for the region since 2001, even slower

than at the peak of the current financial crisis, in 2009.

Gross domestic product growth should rebound to 7.6 per cent in 2013, driven by domestic demand, but a worsening of the Eurozone debt crisis, problems in the United States and a further slowdown in China are major risks, the bank warned.

“In a fragile external environment, the economy in the East Asia-Pacific region continues to slow,” the bank said in its latest East Asia and Pacific Data Monitor.

“Should conditions in Europe deteriorate sharply, no developing region would be spared,” the World Bank warned. “With a ‘major’ crisis, GDP growth could drop by more than two percentage points in 2013.”

The European Central Bank’s pledge to vigorously defend the euro, along with

a massive bond-buying programme, have brought some calm to the markets, but the World Bank said the situation could still worsen.

Debt-stricken Spain and Greece have been wracked with violent protests against austerity measures imposed by their governments.

Spain, the Eurozone’s fourth largest economy, has insisted it does not need a financial bailout, raising concerns in international markets over whether it can continue to function without an injection of funds.

Greece, in contrast, has said it needs another financial injection, and fast. Prime Minister Antonis Samaras warned that his country would run out of funds in November if there is no fresh infusion of finance, and that his people cannot accept further belttightening.

thephuketnews.com

14 TOURISM/PROPERTY

THE PHUKET NEWS

Thailand ‘a hot target’ for hotel investors

SeaDream II, here pictured cruising up the Amazon, will be coming to Asia next year.

‘Ultra-luxury’ cruises head for Phuket

M

iami-based “ultra luxury” cruising company SeaDream Yacht Club has released details of its first ever season sailing in Asia and northern Australia, which will include a stop in Phuket.

Following the completion of its 2013 Mediterranean season, the company’s SeaDream II mega-yacht will sail to Asia.

The transition cruise will leave Athens in October next year, sailing through the Suez Canal to Mumbai and then on to Singapore.

thephuketnews.com

From Singapore, SeaDream II will operate a season of seven- to 15-day voyages to a range of Asian destinations including Northern Australia, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

“Virtually every country in the region is accessible by water and SeaDream’s yachting itineraries include an mix of commercial cities, beaches and historical sites.

“We’ve planned very unique calls, such

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

as the little-visited islands of the Burmese Mergui Archipelago in the Andaman Sea and Sanya, on Hainan Island in China,” said SeaDream’s President, Bob Lepisto.

SeaDream II is a 56-cabin mega-yacht offering a range of onboard amenities, including two restaurants, a library, piano bar, casino, fitness centre, beauty salon, golf simulator and watersports centre.

Asian itineraries will include a New Year cruise, spending New Year’s Eve in Phuket.

JONES LANG LASALLE Hotels (JLLH) are tipping Thailand as a hotel investment market to watch.

“We are seeing fantastic potential coming out of Thailand … backed by rising revenue per available room (RevPAR), healthy investor interest and solid travel demand.

“While hotel transactions in Asia and globally have slowed in the past year, investor sentiment remains strong for the right prospects, and [Thailand is] showing great opportunity for capital value growth,” said Tom Oakden, JLLH’s Executive Vice President of Investment Sales.

With 20.5 million foreign arrivals expected for 2012, Thailand is arguably Asia’s most resilient market, having bounced back from a number of natural disasters and political disturbances.

Most importantly, JLLH points out, where the market was once dominated by domestic players, Thailand is becoming increasingly attractive to overseas investors – with greater liquidity as a result.

For example, Thailand has seen five major hotel deals in the past 18 months – including the Mövenpick Phuket, sold for US90 million (about B2.7 billion) which was the country’s biggest open market hotel transaction to date (brokered

by JLLH, of course).

Neighbouring Indonesia is also tipped by JLLH, which says the country is seeing strong demand, with a tourism base of around 17.5 million domestic visitors and 5.2 million international visitors across its major airports (as of June 2012, year-to-date).

Bali and Jakarta have traditionally dominated foreign investor interest, but this is diversifying to other regions, with overseas investors looking at more unique opportunities.

The Maldives, too, has broadened its appeal beyond honeymooners with a healthy number of Chinese visitors arriving in the island destination in the past three years.

From an investment perspective, the Maldives commands one of the highest average daily rates globally.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

09

Meet Alex Bitterling of Aleenta

17

Boy George and Marc Vedo rock Phuket’s Bliss Beach Club

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

POWERED BY

Island escape Jamie Monk visits Phang Nga Bay and discovers the delights of Koh Yao Noi > Travel, page 10

Photo: Jamie Monk

thephuketnews.com

2 ART

THE PHUKET NEWS

China auction house holds first ever sale in Hong Kong

C

hina’s oldest auction house held its first sale in Hong Kong (October 7), underscoring intensified competition between Chinese auctioneers and their foreign rivals in the booming art market.

Over 300 collectors packed the auction hall for the one-day sale

by China Guardian, which offered more than 300 Chinese paintings and pieces of calligraphy, including works by renowned artists Zhang Daqian and Qi Baishi.

The sale, expected to fetch nearly US$24 million (B720 million), was the firm’s first auction outside of mainland China since it was set up in 1993.

“This is our first step to go global. We want to be a part of the global art market,” said China Guardian marketing director Jay Sun. “We believe there is plenty of room for the Chinese art market to develop,” he said at the sidelines of the sale, which drew fierce bidding from collectors in the room and by phone.

The star lot at the auction was a 1922 landscape series from Qi, in coloured inks, titled Album of Mountains and Rivers, which fetched HK$46 million (B1.8 billion), nearly doubled its pre-sale estimate.

Qi – who is now ranked as the world’s second-highest-valued artist by auction revenue, ahead of Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso – spent seven years travelling the

thephuketnews.com

FRIDAY, 12, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 12,

PHUKET GALLERIES

Designed by Woulfe Studio

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

Drawing Room China is bursting with art and antiques – and many rich people who want to collect both. mountains and rivers of the country for the work.

The sale signifies Chinese company’s efforts to tap into foreign markets and compete with more established European auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s, which each hold at least two sales a year in Hong Kong.

Chinese auction houses were almost unheard of just a decade ago but they now account for five of the world’s top 10 by revenue, according to a report earlier this year by the France-based industry association Conseil des Ventes.

Their rise has been fuelled by wealthy Chinese collectors’ appetite for art and antiques, and aided by regulations that had

locked overseas competitors out of mainland China.

But Sotheby’s last month signed a deal with state-owned Beijing GeHua Art Co to create a joint venture, in a landmark move that gives it a foothold in China and overcomes the legal hurdles.

A week after their deal a Sotherby’s sale – the first work of art to go under hammer through an international auction house in mainland China’s history – saw a sculpture by the Chinese artist Wang Huaiqing sold for 1.4 million yuan (B6 million).

China is the world’s biggest art market, with 27 per cent of global auction revenues, according to France-based art market data provider Art Price. AFP

56 Phang Nga Road, Talad Yai, Muang, Phuket Town 086 899 4888

Red Gallery

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

If you would like to see your studio featured on this page, contact: editor3@ thephuketnews.com

EDUCATION 3

THE PHUKET NEWS 12,FRIDAY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2012 OCTOBER 12, 2012

Meditation in the classroom

“These meditation techniques were originally developed as foundational components of ancient Asian contemplative practices, but today these techniques taught in conjunction with social/emotional learning are being widely explored in schools and educational systems worldwide,” Mr Lawrence says.

C

hildren of the internet and gaming age can overcome short attention spans and significantly improve learning and retention through classroom meditation sessions, according to research that will come under the spotlight at a seminar at the Thanyapura Mind Centre later this month.

The same research also suggests that in some cases drugs such as Ritalin, often prescribed by doctors for children with attention deficit disorder, can be augmented or possibly even replaced; evidence is mounting to support the effectiveness of meditation as a tool to increase attention span and focus.

Mindfulness in education has become a hot topic in global education circles as recent studies point to a strong link between meditation practices and improved concentration and academic performance by students.

Mindfulness in Education is also the name of the seminar at Thanyapura Mind Centre from October 19-21.

The seminar will be the first major event at the Mind Centre since the recent appoint-

ment of James Lawrence as its director.

Mr Lawrence says that Thanyapura has assembled an impressive array of global experts on the subject to deliver keynote speeches and workshop sessions at the event.

“These meditation techniques were originally developed as foundational components of ancient Asian contemplative practices, but today these techniques taught in conjunction with social/emotional learning are being widely explored in schools and educational systems worldwide,” Mr Lawrence says.

“Research continues to show that mind-

Indigo Pearl shepherd island’s youth

DIDGERIDOO KAJONKIET:

In the final week of Sep tember, Year 4 students at Kajonkiet International School learned about Australian Aboriginal culture. The international school is currently offering a ‘no entrance fee’ promotion and free trial week.

Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

T

he Indigo Pearl Resort donated a total of B150,000 to the Good Shepherd Learning Centre on October 2, as part of its continued commitment to social and environmental development.

The money was raised through a series of fundraising events, including staff garage sales and a silent auction that included stays at the resort’s Presidential Bensley Suite.

Most of the money will go to provide food, shelter and education facilities for many of the Burmese children staying at Blue House – a project of the Good Shepherd Learning Centre.

“Regardless of nationality, compassion to humanity is the most significant way in which we would like to offer our continuous support,” Kerry Lewis, the General Manager of Indigo Pearl said.

When the Good Shepherd Learning Centre was set up in late 2010, it consisted of just three concrete blocks with fencing around it and a roof.

There were no tables or chairs, just a blackboard and a committed teacher.

The centre was set up to teach English and Thai to Burmese children – many of whom are orphans – so that they could eventually make the transition into the Thai education

fulness practices help to decrease stress, attention deficit issues, depression, anxiety, and hostility in children, and at the same time benefit health, well-being, social relations, and academic performance.”

“Numerous studies show that teaching these techniques is profoundly beneficial for the development of children in grades K-12.

When learned at a young age, these become lifelong tools supporting awareness, empathy and emotional resilience.

“How often do we tell our children to ‘pay attention’? Now, evidence-based programs are proving that it is possible, in fact, to train and improve this critical faculty of attention.’’

The seminars will offer an overview of the field, experiential mindfulness training and practical tools to implement mindfulness in schools.

Mr Lawrence adds: “Participants can expect to leave this training with the inspiration, necessary instruction, and practical tools for bringing these transformative practices back to their schools to foster calm, compassionate, and creative classrooms.”

Mr Lewis presents a cheque for B94,000 to Sister Lakkana. system. Eighty children from ages three to 14 are now enrolled for classes.

Mr Lewis said, “As the number of children grows, the school provides a much safer environment for many who are currently at significant risk, especially of human trafficking.”

To learn more about the Good Shepherd Sisters and their work in Phuket, visit thegoodshepherd.info

THAI START: HeadStart students from a variety of backgrounds and cultures enjoyed an especially ‘Thai’ Saturday on September 29 as they learned about ‘Thai Culture and Manners’ through games, activities and the practicing of socially acceptable graces.

"It's about making it your culture not just training" Educating all food handlers to understand the importance of food safety standards.

Our training is highly interactive.

info@foodhygieneasia.com 076 617 692, 081 862 4439 www.foodhygieneasia.com thephuketnews.com

4 PETS

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, 12, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 12,

A popular Thailand pet YOUR BREED Jackie Perry editor@thephuketnews.com

The French Bulldog is normally a well behaved, adaptable and easy companion. Affectionate, alert and playful, it has found great popularity here in Thailand and there are many fine examples exhibited at the shows and to be seen walking in the streets and parks.

T

he French Bulldog was developed in France from Miniature English Bulldogs which were exported due to their unpopularity in England around the 1860s. The breed took some time to develop into its present day form but with the addition of a few other breeds (unknown) it has become very distinctive with its large bat ears set atop its head.

Initially the breed had basically the English Bulldog “rose ears” but it was in America that the “bat” ear was fully developed.

The “Frenchie” as it is fondly called is a delightful small, smooth coated dog. Friendly, playful and not prone to noise making, although it is a good watchdog, it does not bark unnecessarily.

In appearance it is an active, intelligent, muscular dog of heavy bone, smooth coat and is compactly built. The head is large and square. Eyes are dark in colour and set wide apart and low down in the skull, as far from the ears as possible. The ears are broad at the base, elongated and with rounded tops, set high on the head but not too close togetherv. The top of the skull between the ears should be flat. The muzzle is broad and deep. The cheeks are well developed. There will be heavy wrinkles over the short wellset-back nose.

The neck is thick, the topline roached over the loins as in the English Bulldog. The body tapers towards the loins from broad shoulders.

The body should be short; the chest broad, deep and well ribbed. The hindquarters must be strong and never over-angulated. The coat

is fine in texture and, for show dogs, may be any colour except solid black, black and white, black and tan, liver and mouse colour, which are disqualifying colours.

The French Bulldog is normally a wellbehaved, adaptable and easy companion. Affectionate, alert and playful, it has found great

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

“Woof woof, I’m Jessie, a beautiful Schnauzer. I may be old (14 years old in fact) but I’m still young at heart and love to go surfing with my Dad, Danny Hyams, every day at Kamala Beach.”

popularity here in Thailand and there are many fine examples exhibited at the shows and to be seen in the streets and parks.

Jackie Perry is based in Phuket but travels to judge dog shows all over the world. She is happy to answer any questions from dog lovers.

Pets

“Meow meow, I’m Sosapyl (Sosa), and I’m three years old. Three years ago, my owner Angelina Bratukhina found five kittens in a plastic bag, one of them was me.

Someone had thrown my brothers and sisters away to die, but luckily Angelina rescued me.

When Angelina moved to Thailand I went with her, travelling all the way from Russia, via Beijing and Bangkok, to Phuket (two planes and one bus).

I am very friendly and I have made friends with the Thai cats living around my area.”

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

HEALTH 5

THE PHUKET NEWS 12,FRIDAY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2012 OCTOBER 12, 2012

The bells!

The bells!

Coping with that ringing in the ears

T

i n n it u s i s of t en described as buzzing, ringing, hissing, humming, roaring, or whistling that someone hears in the absence of any real external sound.

Developing tinnitus can be more than just bothersome. Individuals’ reactions to the tinnitus perception can include mild annoyance, anxiety, depression, insomnia and other serious medical and mental issues.

As with many health conditions, finding appropriate support can be essential to a tinnitus sufferer’s quality of life, says Curtis Amann, vice president of marketing and sales for Neuromonics Inc. He makes six suggestions to help tinnitus sufferers get the support they need: • Be good to yourself.

Tinnitus has auditory, neurological and emotional elements that can affect many areas of life.

• E d u c a t e yo u r s e l f.

Tinnitus has several causes, and affects each person differently. The more a tinnitus sufferer understands, the greater the chances of making the tinnitus less bothersome.

• E d u c a t e o t h e r s .

Fa m i l y m e m b e r s , friends, co-workers and associates can be more supportive if they understand the conditions that are difficult for a tinnitus sufferer.

• Seek out support. A few individuals who understand the daily trials of tinnitus can be invaluable.

• Consider a group. A formal support group, face to face or online, can offer compassion, companionship and coping strategies. A group also can provide information and resources.

Physicians, audiologists or other professionals often facilitate groups.

Above: The gates of the private rehabilitation sanctuary of Bhavana. Above right: Bhavana founder and CEO, Dr Kai Goh.

Internationally-accredited rehab centre opens in Phuket

A

fter a year-long soft-opening period, Asia’s first internationally-accredited rehabilitation and medical detox centre, Bhavana Phuket, has been officially launched.

Bhavana, which is in the Panwa area, is the only rehab and detox centre in Asia to receive an official Thai Government hospital license.

Bhavana Founder and CEO, Dr Kai Goh, who has worked at The Priory in London and Singapore-based Promises, said the unusual length of the soft opening was to ensure that the facility was operating at a world-class level.

“Bhavana came about from my observations that addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling and sex were increasing on a vast scale throughout South East Asia,” Dr Goh said. “Addiction isn’t just the popular image of a strung-out heroin user or burned-out cocaine abuser.

“In today’s stressed and hectic Asian cities, alcohol is one of the biggest problems. We are also in the grip of an epidemic of sleeping pill addiction. It’s a massive problem in Asia. They are perhaps prescribed too freely, and it’s a tough addiction to overcome.”

Bhavana’s treatment programmes have been designed and created by addiction specialists, one of the reasons that Dr Goh believes Bhavana Phuket is in a class of its own, not only in Asia, but the rest of the world.

Dr Goh said, “There are several other facilities around Thailand and the region claiming to offer qualified rehab and detox services. What you will find in some of these places is well-intentioned ex-addicts counselling the patients.

“Bhavana, on the other hand, is staffed by Masters-level Hazelden-trained multilingual therapists who have practised at many of the world’s top institutions. Our counsellors have years of experience at the very highest level both in a local and international context with a wide range of patients from every demographic.

Dr Goh said Bhavana is owned and operated by international addiction treatment professionals and offers programmes to treat all levels and types of substance abuse and compulsive behaviour, including alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex and internet addiction.

It is believed that the ‘serene and private beach front estate’ in southern Phuket will be the ideal location for each individual patient’s journey back to health and well-being.

Dr Goh said, “You can get back to

health by strolling on the beach at sunrise, walking the winding paths through tropical gardens of bamboo and palm trees, relaxing at poolside, or gazing across the bay at Phuket’s Big Buddha shrine.”

Bhavana, he explains, is Sanskrit for ‘spiritual cultivation’, while in Thai it denotes prayers for a new and better life. “Recovery is a journey,” he says. “Now, that journey can be made safely, on a paradise island at a very private and beautiful location.” www.bhavanahealing.com/

• Get counselling. For some individuals, a licensed therapist or counsellor can make tinnitus symptoms less bothersome, and tackle side-effects of tinnitus such as anxiety and depression.

thephuketnews.com

6 PEOPLE

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, 12, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 12,

Mixing business with pleasure Whether it’s fashion or design, food or wine, ‘Lek’ always approaches it with an abundance of fun Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

C

hawalit ‘Lek’ Ratanachinakorn has wanted to entertain, to have restaurants and to design women’s clothes since before he could cook, legally drink or sketch an idea. He has followed each particular path and each aspiration with a dogged determination mostly because he simply likes doing them.

Although these initial impetuses for his career aspirations may not seem to be the most business-minded, they do at least come from an honest and innocent place and this focus on ‘fun’ and enjoyment has actually proved rather successful.

“I opened my first restaurant in Bangkok about 15 years ago,” he said. “Everyone – all my family – was so surprised because I couldn’t cook. My mum is an excellent cook, but I can’t cook.”

Lek explains that he wanted to have a restaurant because that was simply his ‘dream’.

“This was mainly so my friends and I could have somewhere to meet and hang out, and back then the design crowd – models, designers and artists – started to come out because there wasn’t anywhere else to go and so this also attracted other people.”

It is this ethos of sanook that runs through Lek’s work and which has stood him in good stead in being able to start so many ‘active projects’; another is designing clothes for his own brand, Century 22.

Bangkok-born Lek is probably best known, at least on Phuket, as the owner of the hugely popular Sanaeha bar/restaurant in Phuket Town. He’s there most nights, because, well, he wants to be and also because it’s good for business.

“I really like the style of Sanaeha and it’s somewhere that I want to be, so I don’t mind being there every night. People know that I will be there if they decide to come down.”

Lek believes that Phuket nightlife is not comparable with Bangkok, where it’s quite acceptable for people to go out on their own, so Sanaeha offers an alternative for the solo socialite.

“People in Phuket normally have to go out with friends, or they can just go down to Sanaeha and meet me, and I will connect them with other people, because everybody knows someone else here.”

Sanaeha is indeed a fun, vibrant and

thephuketnews.com

friendly place. Lek likes being there, which is good on a personal and business level for a multitude of reasons.

“It’s a lot of different things that make it so popular; the design of the place is very nice but also very casual and the food is very good. We also have no complaints with the drinks – cocktails, wine, champagne and expensive brands of whisky...”.

He’s also the owner of Pimento restaurant in Central Festival and also regularly puts on themed evenings, like the recently Snow White night, in collaboration with Phuket-based designer Brian Woulfe.

Lek says he enjoys staging such nights because it allows people to get involved, remember the event and talk about it.

Lek himself dressed up as a bunny rabbit.

Although Sanaeha attracts members from both the straight and gay community, he attributes much of its success to the regular attendance of the latter group.

“Gay people are fun. They have good taste and a great lifestyle. People, especially Thai people, think it must be a fun place if gay people go there, because they dress up. It’s fun.”

Although Phuket Town and Yaowarat Rd now has quite a bustling nightlife and looks set to grow further, it never used to be like that.

“I always believed in Phuket Town. When I first arrived, the town and everything used to close down at 6pm. It became like a ghost town. But I always said that I believed in Phuket Town, with its beautiful heritage buildings. Why couldn’t we do something else?”

Much like Watcharin Rodnit, the PhuketTown-based artist, Lek believes the area could benefit from a major facelift, the promoting of local talent and bringing something genuinely different and cultural to the island.

“There should be a whole mix in the Old Town – museums, restaurants, nightlife. We only have three streets! It would be so easy... But everybody needs to do it together. I think the TAT needs to lead this.

“I predict Phuket Town will become the hippest part of Phuket in the next few years. This is, of course, if local people support it.”

He believes that with local help, or even at a stretch, national help, there is no reason that the historical area of Phuket Town couldn’t thrive like Penang’s Georgetown does.

“It’s funny, some think that people like me – Bangkok people – are coming to Phuket and destroying it or changing it. But that’s just not true. I have four buildings but I’ve made them all with great design. I think the locals need to take care of their own buildings before they worry about anything else.

“Then Phuket Town could come alive with lots of businesses and bring the town back to life. I always laugh when I see them promoting ‘walking street’.

How can they promote that?

“People want to see life and culture. It’s too hot to walk around all day, plus they’re done in 30 mins.

What are they supposed to do then? Just go home?”

Thankfully there are at least a few bars and restaurants to go to now in the evenings. But Lek believes there could be more, along with museums, theatres, cafes and cultural centres. He’s not the only one...

SHOPPING 7

THE PHUKET NEWS 12,FRIDAY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2012 OCTOBER 12, 2012

► Top/Sara/ Central Festival Phuket/ B400

► Bag/Mango/ Central Festival Phuket/ B1,400.

► Skirt/Expo/ Phuket Town/B380

BEEVER SHOP

Trendy chick

Jiraporn Kaewsuk, 23 years old, student chef ►

► Shirt/ Street road shop/ Patthani/ B250

Snake Bracelet/ B359

► Scarf/ Second hand street shop, Chiang Rai/ B60

Glamour girl

◄ Jaratporn Khachonchit, 24 years old, sales coordinator at Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club.

Shoes/ Manwood Band at Siam Square/ B1,290 ►

Star Bracelet/ B359

◄ Pants/ Sampeng, Bangkok/ B120

Pearl necklace/ B299 Shoes/Bata/Robinson Phuket/ B600 ►

ACCESSORIES

FASHION FILE

Vintage hat/ B399

Crown Earrings/ B359

274/24, Yaowarat St., Mueang Phuket.

Tel: 081-894-9600

thephuketnews.com

8 DINING

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, 12, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 12,

Is Thai food really that healthy?

KARMIC EATS Sylvie Yaffe editor@thephuketnews.com

Soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauces all have high amounts sodium, additives, preservatives including MSG and other artificial flavourings. If you ever feel very thirsty after eating Thai food that is mostly likely from the MSG.

T

hai food is like a party in your mouth. There is such an array of f lavours that are beautifully balanced. I do not think I have met anyone who does not like Thai food.

A trip to the local market never fails to impress me with the rows and rows of colourful and exotic produce, and abundance of vibrant herbs and handmade curry pastes.

Thai food is fresh and herbs used in dishes also boast medicinal qualities.

But is Thai food healthy? It can be but there are many other factors to take into consideration.

Sauces have become industrialised and

easily bought in a bottle or pack. Surely the original ingredients of sweet and sour sauce did not contain corn syrup as is the case now.

Soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauces all have high amounts of sodium, additives, preservatives including MSG and other artificial f lavourings. If you ever feel very thirsty after eating Thai food that is mostly likely from the MSG. Also, powdered chicken stock’s main ingredients are sugar, MSG and salt, and is often used for f lavouring in sauces and curries.

Consider that the cheaper the Thai food is, the cheaper the oil is likely to be, with palm oil being at the top of that

WHEN YOU’RE SICK OF GIRLIE FOOD JOIN US FOR A JUICY STEAK Great steaks, burgers and salads.

Happy hour drinks and live sports in the heart of Patong.

Cold beers, cocktails, smoothies and a good selection of Australian wine.

list. Palm oil is high in saturated fat and processed at very high temperates.

Ricebran oil would be a better alternative.

Refined sugar is also added to a lot of Thai dishes. Thailand has a large and growing number of diabetics. It is difficult to find sugar-free products in the market as most attempts to make something healthier end up being low-sugar.

When ordering Thai food it is easy enough to request no MSG (pong chu rote) and no sugar (namtaan).

As the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is quickly approaching it must be mentioned, too, that the faux meat in the dishes is anything but healthy. TVP – textured vegetable protein – is the main ingredient in many of the dishes. To create TVP soy beans are defatted and heated to very high temperatures killing most of their nutrients in the process. Artificial f lavours, emulsifiers and thickening agents are also added As a general rule of thumb food that looks nothing like its original state should be consumed with caution.

There are healthy choices for Thai food and it is much easier to make those choices once you know what to avoid.

Sylvie Yaffe is the founder of Good Karma Online Health Food Store and consults about vegan raw cuisine and health food, as well as writing a regular column for The Phuket News. For more information, visit healthfoodthailand.com

Winner StJohn McKay, left, and substitute convener Bill O’Leary.

The ultimate drinking test

S

tJohn McKay won the revived Phuket International Beer Fest, held at the Quarterdeck restaurant at Ao Po Grand Marina on Saturday (October 6).

Twelve serious beer gourmands each presented a beer, arguing its merits on the grounds of taste, presentation, history and other obscure points.

OPEN LUNCH TIME UNTIL LATE

Patong Promenade Rooftop. Corner of Bangla and Rat- U- Tit Rd. Patong.

thephuketnews.com

Bangkok Beer & Beverages, island's largest wholesaler of 500+ premium wines from 12 countries, beer and coffee. Ask for our extensive portfolio: bart@bbb.co.th and visit www.bbb.co.th for more info.

Tel: 076-200751-3, Fax: 076-200754

The other 11 scored each beer and its presenter in a complex system that required half a dozen accountants to figure out.

Things got simpler as the evening wore on and the gourmands relaxed – and especially after convener Ian Hewitt disappeared (later discovered suffering from gastric distress), leaving the organisation to the alwayssober Bill O’Leary.

He declared StJohn McKay the winner, though not without commenting on the “moral turpitude” of some of the entrants in their scoring of others’ beers.

THE PHUKET NEWS 12,FRIDAY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2012 OCTOBER 12, 2012

DINING 9

Bhutan aims to be first 100pc organic nation

T

he Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, famed for seeking “happiness” for its citizens, is aiming to become the first nation in the world to turn its home-grown food and farmers 100 per cent organic.

The tiny Buddhistmajority nation wedged between China and India has an unusual and some say enviable approach to economic development, centred on protecting the environment and focusing on mental well-being.

Its determination to chart a different path can be seen in its new policy to phase out artificial chemicals in farming in the next 10 years, making its staple foods of wheat and potatoes, as well as its fruits, 100 per cent organic.

“Bhutan has decided to go for a green economy in light of the tremendous pressure we are exerting on the planet,” Agriculture Minister Pema Gyamtsho told AFP in an interview by telephone from the capital Thimphu.

“If you go for very intensive agriculture it would imply the use of so many chemicals, which is not in keeping with our belief in Buddhism, which calls for us to live in harmony with nature.”

Bhutan has a population of just over 700,000, two-thirds of whom depend on farming in villages dotted around fertile southern plains near India and the soaring Himalayan peaks and deep valleys to the north.

Overwhelmingly forested, no more than three percent of the country’s land area is used for growing crops, says Gyamtsho, with the majority of farmers already organic and reliant on rotting leaves or compost as a natural fertiliser.

“We have developed a strategy that is stepby-step. We cannot go organic overnight,” Gyamtsho said, describing a policy and roadmap which were formally adopted by the government last year. AFP

Tasty bites a world away from Phuket Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com

T

he biggest challenge that Jean Louis Leon, the Director of Food and Beverage at Aleenta Resort & Spa Phuket faces is not to convince customers of the quality of its amazing food, or of the wonderful peaceful, beachfront location but rather to encourage Phuketians to drive a little further across to Phang Nga when their stomachs start to rumble.

“Half of the battle for Aleenta is convincing people that it really is not as far away as they think it is. If you are a foodie come and try,” said Chef Jean.

“It’s a mere 20 minutes more down the road. It will be well worth it.” Indeed, despite its short distance from Phuket, once you cross over Sarasin Bridge, the traffic, the car horns, bill boards and buildings seem a world away.

The resort itself is located on a long secluded stretch of Natai beach. There are two main dining areas at Aleenta. The first is the curiously-named 33Mu5 which provides both traditional and contemporary Thai cuisine. For those seeking true world class European cuisine however, ‘Level 3’, on the third floor of the resort, is sure to please.

As The Phuket News sat down to the first

course of Foie Gras of the set menu, Chef Jean said that Aleenta would soon be reverting to an à la carte menu. “We are always changing, to see what works and doesn’t work. Our new chef, Alex Bitterling, is from Germany and has a wide background of cuisine, so he will be bringing all that expertise together and combining it to make something truly different.”

As the fabulous course of Aerated Goat’s Cheese was replaced with Monkfish Cheek and then with a Spice Crusted Duck dish, the wine flowed and the peaceful and serene environment and sublime tastes combined to make for a wonderfully relaxing, indulgent and pleasant atmosphere that is indeed rather difficult to find on the island.

For more information, visit: www.aleenta.com/phuket

Above left, Director of Food and Beverage at Aleenta Resort & Spa Phuket, Jean Louis Leon, seated, with Chef Alex Bitterling.

Above right, the delicious Red Mullet dish, with sprinkles of cereal, cauliflower, saffron caviarand velouté foam.

thephuketnews.com

10 TRAVEL

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, 12, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 12,

Above, pad ped pladook (catfish). Below, an island ferry.

A village mosque on Koh Yao Noi.

A great day out at Koh Yao Noi JAMIE’S PHUKET Jamie Monk editor@thephuketnews.com

Read the full version at Jamie’s Phuket Blog, jamie-monk. blogspot.com/.

Jamie works at liveaboard dive specialists Sunrise Divers in Karon, 084-626-4646, sunrise-divers. com

thephuketnews.com

K

oh Yao Noi island is found in Phang Nga Bay to the northeast of Phuket, and is home to a Muslim population of maybe 4,000 people. The main source of income is fishing, prawn and shell farms and rubber.

The large scale tourism of Phuket, Phi Phi and Krabi is not (yet) to be found on Koh Yao Noi. There are a couple of expensive resorts such as Paradise Koh Yao, and a number of smaller bungalow operations, but the island is still mostly rural. We first went in 2006 on a day trip, but I did not go again until I did a cycling tour in 2010. Then in April 2011 we did a family trip, getting the ferry over and hiring mopeds for the day. Was such a great day out that we decided to do it again.

So this time, we drove up to Bang Rong (near Bang Pae Waterfall) to get the boat.

Bang Rong is a Muslim village on the north east coast of Phuket, and from there there are boats to both Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai. There are speedboats (B200 each way per person) or you can get a big longtail boat for B120 each way. When we arrived at the pier, the next boat set to depart was a speedboat. Kids – no charge, by the way.

We had a wait of about 30 minutes before departure; there is some kind of boat going a couple of times per hour.

The speedboat takes just over 30 minutes, and stopped off first at a small jetty on the north of Koh Yao Yai, the larger island to the south of Koh Yao Noi. Arriving at Koh Yao Noi, we asked around for mopeds for rent – we needed three altogether, two for us and one for a friend who’d come with her two small kids. It may sound a bit cavalier or unsafe hiring mopeds and riding around

with the kids, but Koh Yao Noi is so quiet, and there is very little traffic on the roads, and mostly we’d be driving along no faster than 30km per hour. No rush at all. A guy gave us a lift into the main town and then organised three mopeds for us – B200 rental per moped.

We’d not made a really early start to the day (we got the boat over around 10.30am), so by the time we’d sorted out the mopeds, some stomachs were thinking of an early lunch.

We knew already of places to eat on the east coast, but did not want to rush over there, and so we just stopped near the main town, which is not much more than a couple of hundred meters of shops and a little market.

And a 7-Eleven of course.

We decided upon a small local roadside restaurant where some locals were already eating – always a good sign. It was certainly nothing fancy, but my eyes noticed some yummy looking pad ped pladook (spicy fried catfish). And they did a decent fried rice with prawns to go with it.

After lunch we rode over to the east coast. There are not many roads on the island, but we still managed a small wrong turn, following a road to Laem Sai which is the southeast corner of Koh Yao Noi, and I figured the road would carry on to the main east coast road.

It didn’t, but it was only a 10-minute detour. We were soon on the beautiful east coast and stopped to let the kids run around on the beach in front of the very nice looking Villaguna resort. There are several small scale resorts on this east coast, but so far nothing big and ugly and I hope the Koh Yao Noi people can keep it that way.

As the east coast road heads north, it

Above and below, the locals are friendly.

TRAVEL 11

THE PHUKET NEWS 12,FRIDAY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2012 OCTOBER 12, 2012

The east coast of Koh Yoi Noi has stunning views of the islands of Phang Nga Bay. turns inland for about 2km and then back to the coast, where we found one of my favourite views. There’s a sandy football pitch here just over the road from the small Suntisook Resort, consisting of some little bungalows with an attached restaurant. We downed several cold cokes here – it was a hot day. The kids of course went off to explore and kick a ball around.

The scenery away from the beach is very green, but largely cultivated. We saw rice paddies, rubber plantations and coconut trees. Rubber is still an important product in southern Thailand. Even in touristy Phuket

there are huge areas of rubber trees.

Indeed, Thailand is one of the world’s leading producers of natural rubber.

On Koh Yao Noi the population is almost all Muslim, as is much of Phang Nga, and about 30 per cent of the population of Phuket too.

We were back at the main pier before 4pm, and it took a bit more than one hour to get from Koh Yao Noi back to Bang Rong, and it’s a 25km trip. There were only a few other passengers so we could spread out and enjoy the ride and the views in the afternoon sun. A great day out for the family, and we’ll do it again for sure.

There are no fancy gas stations on the island.

Our very own pyramids THAILAND SIGHTINGS

O

n the way into Bangkok from the south, along the side of the road in Samut Songkhram province, are what look like rather dead rice fields, separated by small dykes.

Try growing rice in these and you’d fail massively, for these are salt pans.

Sea water is pumped into the shallow pans using crude windmills with cloth sails. These are surpris-

ingly effective – the water travels several kilometres to the most inland pans.

The brine is then left in the sun, which does all the work, evaporating the water and leaving the salt behind.

Well, not all the work – the salt then has to be gathered up and cleaned, not a lot of fun in the blazing sun.

The results of this industry can be bought from stands along the road.

– Alasdair Forbes

thephuketnews.com

12 WEIRD WORLD

THE PHUKET NEWS

Girl has 1.8 kg of hair removed from stomach

FRIDAY, 12, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 12,

THE BIG LIST Full Stomachs

D

octors in a government hospital in India removed 1.8 kg of hair from the stomach of a 19-year-old girl last month.

The girl was admitted to the Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital in central India last month after complaining of not being able to eat or drink for a few days.

A team of gastro-surgeons removed the 1.8 kg hardened ball of hair that was lodged between her stomach and small intestine during a surgery.

It was discovered that the girl had a bad habit of eating her hair and chalk while in class.

The odd mix literally stuffed her and obstructed food intake. News reports said the girl has made a full recovery.

Produce to serve a whole restaurant can be found inside stomachs around the world.

The X-rays of the following people must be talked about constantly at hospital Christmas parties.

To the doctors playing stomach detectives: we salute you.

University professor strips naked in front of

Scissor me timbers: Anne, a French woman in her 30s, decided to get a tummy tuck procedure last year. All was fine for five months until, after having a coughing fit, she found part of the four-inch-long surgical scissors used in the procedure protruding from her belly button. When she went to the original surgeon, he offered to take it out for free as a “Valentine’s Day present”.

class

A

university Maths professor in America had a mental breakdown, stripped down naked in front of his students and then screamed “there is no God.” Students from the calculus 1 class at Michigan State University posted information about the incident on the social media site reddit, and said he was ranting about computers, Steve Jobs, and then ran out of the classroom.

He put his face up against the window from the hallway repeatedly yelling “I’m not yelling” before coming back inside crying, pulling out a dollar bill, and then stripping down to his socks, local news reports said.

Campus police arrived 15 minutes later and found the professor walking up and down the hallway screaming profanities and ranting.

He was sent to the hospital to undergo mental evaluation.

thephuketnews.com

Ballsiest beer in the world

W

hat started as an April Fool’s Day joke has become a brand-new beer, straight from the bull’s testicles.

The Wynkoop Brewing Company in Denver, Colorado has unveiled its latest beer made with real bull’s testicles.

Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout beer contains seven per cent alcohol-by-vol-

ume and is said to have “deep flavours of chocolate syrup, kahlua, and espresso” with a “dry and roasted” finish, according to the brewery’s website.

The beer makers were stirred by fans to create the beer after the company “unveiled” a release of their “new” bull’s testicle brew as an April Fool’s Day joke earlier this year.

Japanese cartoons come to life

A

Ukrainian teenager has transformed herself into a real-life anime girl.

The daily ritual of 19-year-old Anastasiya Shpagina is to painstakingly apply enough make-up to make her look exactly like a character from Japanese cartoons or Manga comics.

The young woman, who has even changed her name to Fukkacumi, has the tiny waist and shiny hair that is the signature of the Japanese characters.

The process of putting on the necessary makeup takes about 30-minutes, she says, creating the ‘big eye’ feature that is a hallmark of anime figures.

“I am not like a doll, a doll is like

Magnets and such: Overnight surgery was needed for an eight-year-old girl who swallowed 10 magnets and 20 steel balls from a toy set (see photo above). Doctors attempted to repair eight holes that were made in her intestines. The Indiana girl said she ate the magnets and steel balls because they “looked like candy.”

Felt-tipped pen: Doctors found a felttipped pen that had been inside the stomach of a 76-year-old British woman for 25 years. The woman went in for a checkup on an unrelated problem when they found the object. She recalled accidentally swallowing the pen years earlier.

When it was removed, they found that it still wrote clearly.

Brotherly love: In 1999, a 36-year-old man from Nagpur, India, was rushed to the hospital and was shocked to discover a half-formed human with hands and feet in his stomach. The man was found to have suffered from a rare medical condition in which the foetus of his twin was trapped inside him while they were in the mum’s womb. It survived as a parasite by leaching blood from its ‘normal’ human brother.

Dinner for 78: There were 78 different items of cutlery found inside the stomach of a 52-year-old Dutch woman. Doctors removed 26 forks and 52 spoons. The woman suffered from a personality disorder that gave her an urge to eat cutlery. The obsession, known as pica, is when individuals crave and eat non-food substances.

The woman has made a full recovery.

me,” Ms Shpagina, an aspiring hairdresser, said in a TV interview.

Interestingly enough, she comes from the same hometown, Odessa, Ukraine, as the ‘real-life’ Barbie doll Valeria Lukyanova –the two are even best friends.

With over 14,000 fans on Facebook and over 900,000 views on her YouTube channel, Ms Shpagina also posts instructional videos on how others can achieve the look.

FILM 13

THE PHUKET NEWS 12,FRIDAY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2012 OCTOBER 12, 2012

Daniel Craig has played 007 since Casino Royale in 2006.

007 marks 50 years

F Yak

New laughs with old characters in Yak FILM REVIEW J.P. Mestanza editor2@thephuketnews.com

Approx. 98 minutes Rating: G Director: Prapas Chonsaranon Starring: Kietisak Udomnak, Pawanrat Naksuriya, Santisuk Promsiri, and Udom Taepanitch

W

ith so many Hollywood animated films filling screens across the globe, it’s refreshing whenever studios outside of the mainstream take on the task. Thailand’s recent success with animated features (Khan Kluay; Echo Planet) has brought high expectations for its newest film, Yak: The Giant King.

Loosely based on the Thai epic Ramakien, itself inspired by the Indian epic poem Ramayana, the movie deals with the title character Yak, a robot king, waking up a million years after a war that he had led.

Yak finds himself tied by a magical chain to a small robot named Peak.

In terms of the epic that inspired the film, Yak represents Tosakan (the Demon King) while Peak is the embodiment of the famous Monkey King Hanuman. Neither character remembers that they were once enemies leading large robot armies against one another in the preceding war.

The duo go on an adventure to find something that could break the chain

that holds them together. Once they find out who they really are and what happened, they must make a choice between staying friends or becoming enemies once again.

The movie is laden with jokes about their size difference and, save for the occasional hint of silliness, produces lots of quick-witted laughs throughout.

One of the movie’s memorable characters is Kumphakan, a red robot who drools when he speaks, runs a small shop and is known for his silly antics.

The comedy derived from him trying to help out Peak and Yak, who he is a giant fan of, brings a lot of laughs.

Made by by Prapas Chonsaranon – a co-founder of the Thai production company Work Point Entertainment – and US-trained animator Chaiporn Panichrutiwong, the film is not a retelling but an entirely new story that uses characters from the Ramakien epic.

Children will love the film because of its humour; parents will love it because of its take on traditional characters and lessons of friendship over conflict.

SFX Coliseum Phuket (Central Festival) Dredd (E) [18+] 16:45, 21:15 End Of Watch (E) [18+] 13:30, 17:55, 22:20 Finding Nemo 3D (E/3D) [G] 11:40, 14:00, 16:20, 18:40, 21:00 Resident Evil: Retribution (E) [18+] 11:25, 15:50, 20:15 Stolen (E) [15+] 11:35, 13:40, 15:45, 17:50, 19:55, 22:00 Taken 2 (E) [15+] 11:50, 13:55, 16:00, 18:05, 20:10, 22:15 Taken 2 (E/F) [15+] 12:50, 14:55, 17:00, 19:05, 21:10 Yak (T) [G] 11:15, 12:15, 13:15, 14:30, 15:30, 17:45, 19:00, 20:00, 22:10

ans of 007 celebrated 50 years of the suave British spy’s adventures on the silver screen with a day of themed events around the world.

Bond strode stylishly into a film for the first time in the now classic Dr No, released on October 5, 1962, introducing himself with the immortal line, “Bond. James Bond,” over a high-stakes game of baccarat.

To mark Global Bond Day, British diva Adele released a clip of the theme song for Skyfall, the 23rd and newest Bond film, on her website as anticipation built for its premiere on October 23.

The rugged Daniel Craig is the latest of six actors to play Bond, but some things have stayed the same – 007’s taste for fast cars, beautiful women, high-tech gadgets and vodka Martinis.

A collection of cars from the films, including the iconic Aston Martins, were gathered at Pinewood Studios near London where the movies are made.

In New York, the Museum of Modern Art unveiled an installation dedicated to the title sequence of 1964’s Goldfinger which it said “captures the sexual suggestiveness and wry humor of the James Bond mythos”.

Another key feature of the films, the music, was being celebrated at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, which was hosting an evening of “memorable title songs and indelible scores” from the films.

In Washington, the International Spy Museum staged an interactive exhibition, Exquisitely Evil, which pays homage to Bond’s adversaries with more than 100 artefacts from the Bond movies as well.

A new feature documentary, Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007, will be released this month, focusing on producers Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and 007 author Ian Fleming, the three men most responsible for building the brand. AFP

US BOX OFFICE TOP 10 Film

End Of Watch (E) [18+] Resident Evil: Retribution (E) [18+] Stolen (E) [15+]

Gross

$50M

$50M

$26.3M

$76M

1

Taken 2

2

Hotel Transylvania

3

Pitch Perfect

$14.7M

$21.6M

4

Looper (2012)

$12.2M

$40.3M

5

Frankenweenie

$11.5M

$11.5M

6

Trouble with the Curve

$3.87M

$29.8M

7

House at the End of the Street

$3.7M

$27.5M

8

The Master

$1.84M

$12.3M

9

Finding Nemo

$1.55M

$39M

10 Won’t Back Down

$1.52M

$3.3M

SFC Jungceylon Phuket (Patong) Dredd (E) [18+]

Weekend gross

12:00, 16:15, 20:30 14:00, 18:15, 22:30 12:30, 14:40, 16:50, 19:00, 21:10 12:25, 20:00

Taken 2 (E) [15+]

11:50, 13:55, 16:00, 18:05, 20:05, 22:05

Yak (T/E.SUB) [G]

11:15, 13:30, 15:45, 18:00, 20:15, 22:25

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

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

thephuketnews.com

14 ISLAND SCENE

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, 12, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 12,

From top left clockwise, Lynne, Sam, Jackie, Lisa and Linda.

Marissa, Louise, May and Julie.

BLAST FROM THE PAST AT BLISS

There was a big turnout when international pop icon Boy George and DJ Marc Vedo performed at Bliss Beach Club on Friday (October 5). See interview with Boy George on page 17.

From top left clockwise, Kwan, Franz, Natalia, Kant, Lisa, Ivan, Fa and Ranee.

Jeff and Ruth.

Da, Osvaldo, Giuseppe, Jeab and Fabrice.

Grant and Goi.

ROCKING THE NIGHT AWAY

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket team had a wild night at the “Oscar Red Carpet Staff Party 2012” at Sofa Boutique Pub. There was even a special guest appearance by General Manager Hansruedi Frutiger, who dressed up as Gene Simmons of Kiss and won the prize for best costume of the night.

thephuketnews.com

GOOD KITCHEN SKILLS The kitchen and F&B team at Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao enjoyed their food safety workshop with Food Hygiene Asia (Phuket).

ISLAND SCENE 15

THE PHUKET NEWS 12,FRIDAY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2012 OCTOBER 12, 2012

A WALK THROUGH HISTORY The Phuket PR Network and Amcham held another collaborative event, ‘Culture & Heritage’, in the ‘Identifying and Marketing ‘Brand Phuket’ series.

This event was designed to create awareness about Phuket’s diverse history, mainly its Peranakan roots and ‘shop house’ communities. The event was held at the Blue Elephant on Friday evening.

Guest speaker Dr Yongtanit Pimonsathean from the Faculty of Architecture and Planning at Thammasat University, Bangkok.

Mint and Mio.

Bill Barnett and Natasha Eldred.

Ajarn Pranee Sakulpipatana, centre, gives an entertaining speech at the event.

DIVA NIGHT O2 Beach Club in Chalong hosted the “Charity Diva” launch party for the 2013 Charity Calendar by Ariz events on Saturday (October 6). The calendars are B199 each, with funds going to needy children. They are available by calling Riz on 0874 665 140.

Charm, Miss Thailand World 2006.

Event organiser Riz with members of her organising team.

Henrik and daughter Olivia, 3.

Saimai and Nani.

thephuketnews.com

16 ISLAND SCENE

AHOY THERE

THE PHUKET NEWS

Sailors of the visiting USS John C Stennis and USS Mobile Bay attended a special welcome dinner at IndoChine in Kalim on Sunday night. Photos: Dan Miles

FRIDAY, 12, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 12,

Rear Admiral Charles Gaouette, commander of Carrier Strike Group 3 (left) and President of Phuket Navy League David Rucker.

Capt Ronald Reis, Commanding Officer of the USS John C Stennis (left), and Denny Bowman.

Some of the sailors are pretty darn glamorous.

James Hamshire and Pornthip Sao. Nid and Natalia Tiscornia.

From left, Kanakorn Sagarik, Pailin Chomchalao, Bussarin Janthakul, Wanpen Boonsiw and Surapong Sarttrapai.

FINE WINES

Austro-Thai Consultant Co held a wine tasting event at the Vijitt Resort in Rawai on Friday (October 5) organised by Bussarin Janthakul, Sales and Marketing Director of the company. Many guests from hotels and F&B departments attended the event.

thephuketnews.com

BOWLING FOR CHARITY The Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation held a Barefoot Bowling event at the Kamala Lawn Bowls Club on Sunday (October 7) to raise money for the foundation.

ENTERTAINMENT 17

THE PHUKET NEWS 12,FRIDAY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2012 OCTOBER 12, 2012

Phuket hotel flash mob dance a total hit

S

Above left, Live 89.5 DJ Jason Wilder with Boy George, and right, DJ Marc Vedo.

Boy George rocks Bliss Claire Connell editor1@thephuketnews.com

L

egendary pop icon and DJ Boy George performed last Friday night (October 5) at Bliss Beach Club in Bang Tao and revealed he is working on a new album with his former group Culture Club.

“We are working on a new record. We will probably do a greatest hits with five new tracks, and remixes of some classic songs. We can’t just put another compilation out, this will be different. We are writing the five new songs, and will do a new album without a label, so that will be interesting.

“Myself and Mikey [Culture Club bass guitarist Mikey Craig] started writing and it’s going very well. There’s a bit of dance party music in there. I think you have to be what you are – what we won’t be trying to do is make a pop record.”

The former Culture Club singer turned DJ George arrived in Phuket on Monday. He is on tour with international DJ Marc Vedo, and the pair flew to Bangkok last Saturday to perform together. After that they went to Australia as part of their Asia/Pacific part of their worldwide tour.

Having sold over 100 million singles

and 50 million albums as lead singer and songwriter of Culture Club, George has also been one of the most successful DJs since the late 1970s and continues to be in demand across the globe.

Since early 2010, George has rolled out a slew of new studio releases that include Amazing Grace, Sunshine Into My Life featuring Shalene Hector of Basement Jaxx fame, Brand New and Turn 2 Dust.

Asked whether it was hard for him to shake the hype around his Culture Club past, George said it depended on what country he was in.

“I’m going to Argentina and Mexico. It will be interesting to see if they’ve got their heads around my deejaying. I go to Italy a lot but for many years they could not accept me as a DJ. Now they don’t know me as a singer at all, but it took a long time.

“It depends on how many times I’ve been to the country since the ’80s. When you’ve been as successful as I was, people hold you in a certain place. I’m not a big fan of nostalgia. I try to say to the fans if you don’t like house music don’t come to the DJ gigs because you won’t enjoy it, and you’ll piss me off, by standing there waving at me. It’s like, ‘Go away, wrong decade.’ I try to be nice to people but if you come to a DJ gig you’ve got to dance. If I play [Culture Club] I do, but

there’s no obligation.

“I’m really grateful for everything I have. I wouldn’t be here without the rest of Culture Club and what I achieved in the ’80s. I think of myself as a progressive artist. When I do the Culture Club thing next year it will be new music as well. I’m an artist, I’m not someone stuck in the past,” he told The Phuket News.

“One of the great things about dance music is that it’s kept me progressive, and I’m not going to let anyone take that away from me. I really just try to play what I like, I’m not a juke box DJ.” George said he and Vedo arrived Monday (the pair are touring together) and have been doing “absolutely nothing except eating, relaxing and going to the gym”.

The pair are staying are Sri Panwa, which George described as “beautiful – absolutely”. “I got upgraded to this amazing room with an infinity pool, it is so lovely.”

Last Friday he and Vedo (the pair are good friends and George is the godfather to Vedo’s child) went out and did some shopping, and ate in a local street food area in Phuket Town.

“I like Phuket, and I really like the Thai people. They are so chilled and so friendly.”

George said he plans to return to Phuket on holiday next year with his family.

taff and professional dancers performed a flash mob dance at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket on September 28.

Director of Marketing Communications Nampetch Tipaxsorn said staff practised the routine, which features the hit song Gangnam Style, twice a week for two months at the Phuket Danz Step Studio, with choreographer Jarvey Dela Paz. Most of the people who were involved were hotel staff, plus a few hired dancers who posed as tourists and bell boys.

The dance also features hotel General Manager Hansruedi Frutiger, who gets involved at the end of the video.

“We did this as a surprise for our guests, and to do something different in Phuket,” Ms Nampetch said.

A flash mob is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a place, perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then disperse. Famous flash mob dances on YouTube include ones performed at Liverpool Street Station in London, and Grand Central Terminal in New York.

By Tuesday this week the video had 14,300 views on YouTube. View the video at tinyurl.com/movenpickmob

Trick or treat for a good cause T To learn more about the Good Shepherd projects in Phuket visit their website, thegoodshepherd.info or the merchandise shop every Saturday from 10-2pm in Plaza Del Mar, Laguna, behind Bake.

rick or treat on the beach with cocktails!

Put on your best costume and come down to Bliss Beach Club on Surin Beach for a Halloween Party. It’s on Saturday (October 27), tickets are B3,000, 50 per cent of which is donated directly to the Good Shepherd Charity in Phuket.

Tickets include an all inclusive buffet dinner and an open bar from 7pm-midnight. There are many exclusive rewards to be given away for the raffle, best costume prize and a lucky door prize.

There will be a live band, followed by DJ James spinning the night away and a special spooky Zumba performance to get

the party rocking. Contact Carol (081 978 0090) or Bliss (076 510 150) to buy tickets.

The proceeds raised from this event will go towards the Good Shepherd Phuket’s Mon-Burmese School in Bang Jo. Currently this school supports children from the local Burmese worker camps where over 100 poor families are living in a crowded and insanitary community.

Approximately 50 children living in this camp cannot attend the Bang Jo school due to lack of transportation. This fundraiser will assist this need by providing a large bus which the headmaster can rent to transport the children. The school

provides English, Thai and Burmese language education with the goal that students can eventually transfer over into the Thai education system. Currently the building is unfinished; there are no chairs or tables nor basic learning materials.

Only two teachers teach three classes and there is no library or canteen.

The Good Shepherd Sisters and their lay-partners work in direct service with women, children, families and victims of human trafficking to improve dignity, support self-sufficiency, and enhance the quality of life to those who have been excluded from the benefits of society.

thephuketnews.com

18 EVENTS

THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, 12, 2012 2012 List your event for FREE at thephuketnews.com/events.php FRIDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER 12,

Asia Center Foundation invites you to celebrate a decade of hope Date Time Venue Dress

: �� October ���� : ��h�� for ��h�� : Phuket Orchid Resort Ballroom, Karon, Phuket : Smart Casual

If you want to support ACF's work, please contact Roelien Muller at ���-������� or roemuthai@gmail.com for a ticket to the event.

Tickets :

B�,���perperson FRIDAY OCT 12 - 17

B600++ per person. Every Sunday 9am to noon. Call 076 302 000.

6pm-9pm buy one get one free. Reservation recommended call Anges 076 360 803 or Mr Murat 081 797 3364. “Mention The Phuket News or Live 89.5FM and get a 20% discount on food”

New Exhibit - Gomez Bueno Original art work by international artist Bueno Gomez. The Spaniard continues his run in Asia. Gomez has been living in Los Angeles since 1988. He has become a well-known and celebrated artist, with a passion for love of the underground, graffiti and protest. His work has been displayed in galleries in Los Angeles, New York and Spain. Contact Mom Tri’s VR Gallery in Kata Noi, 076 333 568. See momtriphuket.com.

BBQ Dinner Bufffet with Live Music Every Saturday at 7.30pm onwards. Venue RPM Yacht Club. For all reservation and enquiries please contact: Khun Mai 084 306 6729 or Murat 081 797 3364, email events@royalphuketmarina.com. “Mention The Phuket News or Live 89.5FM and get a 20% discount on food”

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

FRIDAY OCT 12 IBAP program-Property Issues Anant Akanisthaphichat, from THAI LAW FIRM, is a well-known attorney with approx 8 years experience in Phuket. He specializes in property issues and litigation. In his own words, “My personal opinion is quite conservative about the property issues in Phuket and may be quite discouraging to people considering real estate here in Phuket.” Held at URBAN Food Restaurant Central from 6pm. http://ibap-phuket.org.

Special Friday at Hogs Breath Live acoustic band. B99 pints during live sports coverage. Located at Patong Promenade, www.hogsbreath.co.th.

SATURDAY OCT 13

Sunday Brunch at Hilton Phuket Enjoy our lavish international buffet with friends and family each Sunday at Sails – a Hilton experience. Our jazz band sets the mood for relaxing afternoon with delicious food, live cooking stations, refreshing drinks, and good company. Balloon artists entertain the little ones with face painting and kids’ activities. Every Sunday at 12pm3pm. B1,400++ per adult (includes bottle of house wine per couple). B1,100++ per adult (without wine), B700++ per child (Ages 5-12). Make your reservations at phuket. sales@hilton.com.

Two Chefs Saturday Brunch

At Two Chefs Kata Centre. Every Saturday 12pm-3pm. You can enjoy a big delicious buffet with a touch of Scandinavia, and listen Don't miss to our live music. For example smoked fish Book now! or seafood from our smoke house roasted Join the industry leaders in celebrating pork tenderloin, pickled Herring, different the highest achievements in Thailand’s real estate. meat and poultry cold cuts, salads, homeVisit www.ThailandPropertyAwards.com today made bread and dessert from our bakery.

ONLY B395. www.twochefs.com, 076 330 Thailand Property 2012 The shortlist of nominees for the 2012 ThailandAwards Property Awards has been revealed.

The 37 winners will be announced and receive their much coveted awards trophies 065, katacenter@twochefs.com.

Join the industry leaders in celebrating the at the Gala Dinner on Saturday 13 October at Napalai Hall, Dusit Thani Hotel, Bangkok. highest achievements in biggest Thailand’s real Don't miss a chance to be part of the Kindom's real estate event of the year.

Onlywww.ThailandPropertyAwards. limited tickets remaining. Book now! estate. Visit SUNDAY OCT 14 com today. The shortlist of nominees for the For more information: 2012 Thailand Property Awards has been revealed. The 37 winners will be announced and receive their much coveted awards trophies at the Gala Dinner on Saturday October 13 at Napalai Hall, Dusit Thani Hotel, Bangkok. Only limited tickets remainSpecial Sunday at Hogs Breath ing. Book now! Contact 02 662 5195. Email: Kids eat free when adults buy main courses. info@thailandpropertyawards.com.

B99 pints during live sports coverage.

Located at Patong Promenade, www.hogs breath.co.th.

Join the industry leaders in celebrating the highest achievements in Thailand’s real estate.

Visit www.ThailandPropertyAwards.com today

The shortlist of nominees for the 2012 Thailand Property Awards has been revealed.

The 37 winners will be announced and receive their much coveted awards trophies

at the Gala Dinner on Saturday 13 October at Napalai Hall, Dusit Thani Hotel, Bangkok.

a chance to be part of the Kindom's biggest real estate event of the year.

Only limited tickets remaining.

For more information:

Judging Supervised By:

Tel: +66 2662 5195

Fax: +66 2662 5198

Email: info@thailandpropertyawards.com

International Media Partner:

Media Partners:

Official Supplier:

Co-Sponsors:

Tel: +66 2662 5195

Judging Supervised By:

Official Supplier:

Organised By:

Fax: +66 2662 5198

Email: info@thailandpropertyawards.com

International Media Partner:

Media Partners:

Co-Sponsors:

Steak Night Buffet at Centra Ashlee Hotel Patong Char-grilled and delicious. Tender cuts of quality meats cooked to perfection. Tasty side dishes, selection of fine sauces and a deliciously fresh salad bar. Start from 6.30pm-10pm. Contact 076 349 800-7, email chp@chr.co.th.

Come hear the loving words of Jesus At The Seed Church in Cherngtalay. Enjoy a great fellowship, practical preaching, contemporary music and free snacks in one of the fastest growing churches in Thailand!

English services every Sunday at 2pm in Cherngtalay. Visit our website for directions or call for more information. See www.seed churchthailand.com. Call 098 764 5353, 084 056 7027, 081 891 2503.

Organised By:

Sunday Session at Ao Chalong Yacht Club BBQ at Expat Hotel

Every Sunday. Live music and roast day.

Call 090 890 8993.

8pm, Expat Sports Bar, Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www.expatsportsbar.com.

Lazy Sunday Jazz Morning at Paresa Authentic Indian Buffet at RPM Phuket’s best Indian buffet is back with a new chef and new menu. Homemade authentic Indian. Special promotion at B449 per person. Happy hour drinks from

thephuketnews.com

Special Saturday at Hogs Breath B99 pints during live sports coverage.

Locate at Patong Promenade, www.hogs breath.co.th.

Kick back and enjoy a lazy Sunday breakfast at Paresa with jazz music, free flow sparkling wine and stunning selection of breakfast dishes. Spend the rest of the day at Paresa’s Infinity Pool or Beach Club.

Sunday Roast Pork Sunday Roast Pork or Beef Dinner every Sunday 2pm onwards Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. B290 per person. See www. expathotel.com.

THE PHUKET NEWS 12,FRIDAY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2012 OCTOBER 12, 2012List your event for FREE at thephuketnews.com/events.php

EVENTS 19

Ao Chalong Yacht Club Everyone welcome

Summer Promotions!

Best mini golf in Phuket! Phuket Adventure Mini Golf – fun for everyone! A challenging 18 holes miniature classic championship golf course surrounded by palm trees, stones, water, bamboo and bushes. Designed and built together with Scandinavian Adventure Golf. Whether living close by or here on a fabulous holiday, this is the place for the whole family, friends and couples to enjoy at all times. Contact 076 314 345, 080 147 2468, www.phuketadventuremi nigolf.com.

MONDAY OCT 15

Two Chefs Surf Night At Two Chefs Kata Beach. Every Monday from 6pm-12am. You can enjoy our big BBQ Buffet with Blackened red snapper, beef burgers, Chicken Fajitas, Tacos, Chimi-Churri marinated chicken, desserts from our bakery and much more. One member from our house band will sing pleasant music during the night.

Only B495. See www.twochefs.com, 076 284 155, kata@twochefs.com.

TUESDAY OCT 16

by Khun Manop and Mike. Pool competition is sponsored by Komodo Bar at 9pm. Entry fee B100 plus one free local beer. Come on everybody-let’s party. Call 082 280 3282.

WEDNESDAY OCT 17

There is parking on site, cool breezes and a beautiful view.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 8.00am 7 days per week.

Tel: 090 890 8993 email: amandaleehay@bigbond.com

‘Meet & Greet’ session: 3.40-4pm. Non-BIS swimmers are welcome, tickets B850 per person. Email: hsweeney@bisphuket.ac.th.

please visit the PCG website or the Phuket Cricket Group Facebook page. See phuket cricketgroup.com.

SATURDAY OCT 27-29

EVERY DAY

Wicked Wednesdays

Your New Meeting Place

Ladies day, buy one cocktail get one free.

Located at Patong Promenade, www.hogs breath.co.th.

THURSDAY OCT 18 Sapai Klong Tong Koh Yao Season 2 Schnitzel Day Kokosnuss Restaurant - Every Thursday, Schnitzel, fried potatoes and salad buffet B190 per person. Starts 5.30pm. For more info please visit phuketkokosnuss.com.

Pool Competition at Expat Guesthouse Pool Competition every Tuesday 9pm Expat Guesthouse Sports Bar, Patong. See map at www.expatguesthouse.com.

“Award winning chef from Airlie Beach, Australia.

Fabulous breakfast, and authentic western Sunday roast from 12 - 4pm - just like home! Home made desserts eg. cheesecake, bread & butter pudding, apple pie made fresh every day.”

Martini Manicure Ladies Night Phuket: Free express manicure for ladies.

Free martini for ladies on arrival, 50% off drink list for everyone all night long. From 6pm to midnight - DJ tunes till late. RE KA TA Beach Club at Boathouse.

Tourism Authority of Thailand, together with Koh Yao Yai Village, would like to invite you to join “Sapai Klong Tong Koh Yao Season 2”. Discover the charm of new destination Koh Yao Yai and experience the local way of life, the beauty of nature and mangrove forest. Visit Koh Hong, Pile Bay and Koh Lao Gudu. Experience and exchange photography ideas with three professional photographers. Enjoy three days two nights package only B5,500 per person, group rate (Three people up) at B5,200 per person, include accommodation, full board, coffee break and return transfer from Phuket by our resort boat. Contact 076 363 700 ext. 1431, email kandarat@kohyaoyaivillage.com.

Double Happy Hours

University and Higher Education Two Chefs Tex Mex Night Romadon - Live at VR Gallery

Thailand’s Got Talent semi-finalist artist Romadon Suriyan will be performing, creating and exhibiting exclusively at VR Gallery on October 20, 7pm. Works of art will be created during the exhibition with intensity and passion. A special studio area will be set up and guests can watch the creations as they happen. The paintings will be mostly acrylic on canvas and on display until November 27.

25+ colleges/universities (UK, US, Australia, Thailand, Europe) will be showcasing their further education offerings for students and parents. Lots of research is needed to find the right College/University after Secondary School - the BIS University and Higher Education Fair is a great place to start or continue your research. Students from neighboring schools are welcome.

Email: bclark@bisphuket.ac.th.

Designed and built by Thai-Canadian family in 2011, The Plaza is a very fine sculpture and wall relief garden and entertainment centre.

Artist’s pictures can be seen at the plaza walls all year around. The art pieces are donated by “The Unique One” rare selection of art

Olympian David Davies BIS Flying Fish swim team welcomes David Davies, two-time Olympic medal swimmer from the UK. He is running two swim clinics: 2.30-3.30pm ‘9 & Under’ for swimmers wanting to learn elite level techniques.

4.15-5.15pm ‘10 & Over’ focusing on stroke development, techniques and training skills.

At end of the Rawai beach strip, Rawai Plaza is the best entertainment venue for those who seek a bit more fun after a good meal.

Listen to good music, enjoy sport on large TV. Play pool or dart games or just enjoy the unique surroundings. Selected cocktails B90, bottled beer: Singha, Heineken, San Miguel B60 Tiger Leo, Chang B50. House Liqueurs: Vodka, Gin, Rum, Wine B70, Scotch B70, Sangsom B60. At 4-8pm and midnight till late. Plus free pool sponsored

by Komodo Bar. From 8- 9.30pm. Come on everybody - Let’s party. Call 082 280 3282.

SUNDAY NOV 4

MONDAY OCT 22

Pool Competition: Meet The Best Players in Town

Traditional Home Cooked Food Also special club membership for expats entitling members to discounts on food and drink. Ask Jamie for details. All major sporting events shown live on big screen.

Sugar Reef opposite Tesco Cherngtalay. www.sugarreefbar.com.

TUESDAY OCT 30

SATURDAY OCT 20

At Two Chefs Karon 6pm-1am. Every Wednesday you can enjoy Phuket’s best Mexican food. Chili con carne, Mexican rice, Mexican springrolls, nachos, pork fillet skewers, salmon quesadillas, grilled corn cob, desserts from our bakery and much more. Our house band will be here to play live music. B495 or B795 include free flow Chang draught and Sangria. See www. twochefs.com, call 076 286 479, karon@ twochefs.com.

Meet up with your friends to enjoy good drinks and food at Allstar Restaurant & Sports Bar. Burgers, Pasta, Steaks, Ribbs, Thai Food and much more. Our kitchen is open 12pm untill late. Dagens Husman (Swedish specialty). Every day 12-5pm watch games from all international football, F1, Golf and much more or just come for for a cocktail, B99 or an ice cold beer B79!

We also show live sport from Sweden. Call 091 159 01 22.

Going to Surin Beach?

Phuket Cricket Group season opening day 10 over Triangular Exhibition Tournament.

Be treated to a fast-paced hard hitting regional derby between teams representing Northern/Southern Hemispheres and Central region. Fun filled family day with heaps of entertainment and activities for all. Starts at 9am. Location: Allen Cooke Ground Baan Lipon, Thalang. For more information

If you have time this week head to Sea Breeze Surin Beach for a great lunch time offer. We are doing any of our burgers with homecut fries for only B175 and cold beers from only B50 per bottle between 12pm and 5pm every day. For expats we are also offering B20 off beers all day, every day ask a manager when you arrive. Live sport every day including our 100” HD screen.

Ask about our new Pool Club, plus kids and adults parties planned and catered for. Call 076 270 399, www.thebestbeachclub.com, info@theburgerbarandbeachclub.com.

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

20 TIME OUT GOT YOUR NUMBER

GUESS WHERE THIS IS AND WIN!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

GERRY’S VIEW

50,000

THIS WEEK’S HINT: “This large bay on the eastern shore of Phuket Island is home to a sea gypsy floating village and fish farm and a restaurant where visitors can enjoy a seafood meal.

“Short boat trips into some of the small rivers emptying into the bay can be arranged to see monkeys living in the area, and during the monsoon season many Phuket sailors anchor their boats in the bay as it is sheltered from the violent storms by several offshore islands.”

The approximate number of earthquakes a year, worldwide.

100

The number of people who choke to death on ballpoint pens in an average year.

–Gerry Cummings

85

T he p er c ent age of women who wear the wrong size of brassière.

editor@thephuketnews.com

28

Percentage of people who confess to having peed in a swimming pool at some time.

www.photohutgroup.com

thephuketnews.com/ login-game-view.php

GUESS THE CORRECT LOCATION AND WIN A B500 GIFT VOUCHER FROM PHOTO HUT

Congratulations again to Mike Archer, who correctly identified last week’s photo as being of Wat Chalong.

This week in history ■■ October 12, 1492 Christopher Columbus lands in the Americas for first time, specifically the Bahamas, and believes he has reached India.

■■ October 13, 54 Nero becomes Roman Emperor at 17 years old when his stepfather Claudius dies after being mysteriously poisoned.

■■ October 14, 1973 Over 100,000 people protest the military government in Bangkok. Seventy-seven are killed and 857 are injured by soldiers.

1. By what name is Van Diemen’s Land now known?

2. What is an autoclave used for?

3. What comes between India and Kilo?

4. Which is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature?

5. Which is Switzerland’s most populated city?

Answers at the foot of the page.

■■ October 15, 1793 Queen Marie Antoinette of France is tried and convicted in Paris and condemned to death by guillotine the following day.

■■ October 16, 1834 Much of the ancient structure of the Palace of Westminster is destroyed by fire, along with historic documents.

Across

Down

1. Depending on temporary military unit. (10) 6. Irritating meat. (4) 10. Uncooked, first class village. (5) 11. Eat flexible prayer.

(9) 12. Hostility for cardinal in time reverse?

Yes. (6) 13. Deceleration of rather dim feathers.

(8) 15. Set up in booth. (7) 17. Gravity and distance of outlying farm. (6) 20. You lasso continent, we hear. (6) 22. Fat man’s walk after junction?

Rubbish! (7) 26. Din rap, or odd sky faller. (8) 27. Arab city wine. (6) 30. Please for small French particles. (9) 31. That woman there, on a bird. (5) 32. Acidic dessert. (4) 33. Policeman for each boss snake. (10)

1. Dog a handful – time to be in.

(6) 2. Four points to chap in media.

(7) 3. Fool it around Diana ring. (5) 4. Blow to bend in gut. (4) 5. North American tree weapon.

(6) 7. Plan, too, in part of company.

(7) 8. True mien of confused rebel.

(8) 9. Stared angrily; shine point to commie. (8) 14. Get ill, it’s said, from beer. (3) 16. Record it in tidy warmth. (8) 18. Broken down of the French, I crept about… (8) 19. …or, they say, feeling of wonder. (3) 21. I got in list of names to have a lot of fun. (7) 23. Fodder city. (7) 24. Excessively ornamented, or back to two firms. (6) 25. Having taken drugs, delivered biblical punishment. (6) 28. Guide us to her. (5) 29. Senior back to vice president – please reply. (1,1,1,1)

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz:

1. Tasmania; 2. Sterilising equipment with high-pressure steam; 3. Juliet; 1. Eight; 2. Potatoes; 3. Dolly; 4.Two; 5. Flax.

4.Mercury; 5. Zurich.

thephuketnews.com

■■ October 17, 1814 I n London, two homes are destroyed and eight people drown in the London Beer Flood, when beer vats rupture in a nearby brewery.

SUDOKU

■■ October 18, 1922 Britain’s BBC founded and establishes a network of radio transmitters to provide a national broadcasting service.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012 Paresa Resort Phuket

IN HOTEL ROOMS ALL ACROSS THE ISLAND

NEW LOG

O

NEW LOGO THE PHUKET NEWS

THE PHUKET

NEWS

FRIDAY, OCT

OBER 5, 201

2

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Your Island - Your Paper Your Isla nd -

Friday 21 - Thursday 27 September, 2012

Friday 5 October - Thursday 11 Octobe r 2012 thephuketne 20 Baht facebook.com/ThePhuketNewspaper1 ws.com thephuketnews.com facebook.co m/ThePhuk www.phuketliveradio.c om etNewsp aper1

Ĺš Your Is Ĺš Your Island - Your Station land - Your

St

www.phu ketli

at£ŸÊ io Ă Â„ĂˆÂ˜n ĂƒÂŚÂŠĂ ÂŚÂ¸ÂĽÂœÂ­Â°ÂœÂŁÂľÂŹÂľÂ„ÂłÂšÂź

OLD LOGO

P2

72 0 32 OLD LO100 GO

0 100 100 0

0 0 35 100 72100 0 32

P4

The Boss: starts wo New govern rk on Mo P7or nday This teenage boy could die without your help

L&S 10 P11

Deadly col lisionarai question photo calling: ses Calcutta s over HK city safety tour of the teeming

Your Pap er

20 Baht vera dio.c

om

KATHU PHUKET LANGUAGE SCHOOL

0 100Thai Learn 100 0 0 35

For 200 Hrs.

ĂƒÂŚÂŠĂ ÂŚÂ¸ÂĽÂœÂ­Â°ÂœÂŁÂľÂŹÂľÂ„

³šŸ£Ÿ 100 0 KATHU PHUKET LANGUAGE ĂŠ Ă Â„ĂˆÂ˜ SCHOOL

Learn For 20 Thai

and Get 1 year VISA Offering German Consulate A1 Course.

L&S 10 A man and and Get 1 yea 0 Hrs. A LIFE O Wissam’s a motorbike: r VISA amazing N PAUSE: trip TEACHER P6 > DISASTER SS GEOLOGIST WARNS OF CENTRAL UNDERPA BATTLES BIKE SMASH IN JURY > P7

Oh Boy! Phuket welcomes the Karma Chameleon

Tel.084-0085673

Tiger cha rged www.phuketacademy.com email:khroojee@gmail.com

R.I.P. 100 100 40 50

Offering

German

Con

sulate A1 Tel.0 Course.

84-00 www.phuketa 8567 3 cademy.com email:khroo jee@gmail.c om

100 0 40 0 35 100 0 0 100 100100 50 0 100 100

0

0 35 100

0

Tragic car crash claims life of popular Phuket personality ara Gboss ChristianSRoth, roupof, the EO name crim Club, Xana Beach inalat ageC30 d Ç— ,QYHVW

case ove r blaze in

LJ death byDWRUV ÀQG HQRX JK HYLGH negligen Ǘ Maxim QFH IRU ce charge um pena s lty Ǘ 7LJHU O DZ\HU YRZ : 10 years in jail V WR ÀJK W L Q FRXUW FULL STO RY

FULL STORY ON PAGE 2

ON PAG E2

This photo of Christian was taken for an August 10 interview, in which he told The Phuket News about his Tige r CEO plans for the future. speaks at Piya Isar ama lai the open %R[LQJ VKRU ing WO\ DIWHU of Tiger He also WKH ÀUH used the hand out occasion families compensation to to of two of the the victims.

thephuketnews.com thephuketnew

s.com

and many more....

PHUKET'S BEST NEWSPAPER IS IN PHUKET'S BEST HOTELS thephuketnews.com

16 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS

JOBS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

Retail Space Opportunity

Large International Resort in Karon > 20

classifieds@thephuketnews.com

Pizza Maker / Cook: to work 2.30-5pm, strong

Class Act Media is Phuket's leading media company - publishing The Phuket News , Phuket's leading weekly English Newspaper and broadcasting Live 89.5 – Phuket's premier English radio station. Class Act Media also has other publications and a host of other products in Phuket and Samui.

THE PHUKET NEWS is Phuket's leading weekly English Newspaper. Our mission is to serve the Expat community, tourists and residents of Phuket by publishing an independent, comprehensive and informative community newspaper on a weekly basis.

Due to recent expansions we are seeking the following position

Sales Manager Thai or Foreigner (Located in Phuket) Responsibilities : - Managing the sales team (including responsibility for recruitment of new sales staff when needed) - Weekly & monthly sales budget meetings and reporting - Developing and following up new sales leads - Reaching own personal sales targets and responsibility for reaching team targets We offer: - Competitive salary, bonuses and travel expenses - Friendly work environment - Social security (10%) paid by the company - Excellent career progress opportunity

JUNIOR ACCOUNTANT Experience in accounting system with international company is a plus ● Good command of English ● Knowledge of Taxation/VAT/PND/Social Security ● Service-Minded ●

We offer:-

Please email full resume in English indicating expected salary with recent photo to

adminmgr@thephuketnews.com or call 076 612 550-2 for more info.

experience in teaching piano and ability to communicate in English. Contact 076 336 000. Email: tanyaporn.p@ pia.ac.th.

IT/AV Engineer: Thai, AV or IT Engineer, basic

Administrative As- English, experience in prosistant: Thai, Degree in gramming and installation,

Admin or equivalent, good written and spoken English, basic accounting, experience a must. Salary based on qualifications.

Send resume to: officemanager@techworx.asia or call 081 080 3773.

can drive. Salary based on experience. Send resume to: office-manager@tech worx.asia or call 081 978 2725 for more details.

Sales Representative: O ur c ompany sp e c ialise s in p r o duc t

Monday-Friday (8.30 am – 6.00 pm.)

Friendly work environment ● Excellent progress opportunity and job security ● ●

***The company may offer accommodation plus local transportation costs to successful candidates.***

Interested candidates are invited to send application with full resume in English indicating qualifications, experience, expected salary with recent photo via email to adminmgr@the phuketnews.com

Full time! (only Thai applicants) www.phuketadventureminigolf.com, contact Khun Decha 080 548 3345, email: manager@phuketad ventureminigolf.com.

Interested candidates are invited to send application with full resume in English indicating qualifications, experience, expected salary with recent photo via email to adminmgr@thephuketnews.com or post to below address.

Class Act Media Co., Ltd.

99/7 Moo 1 T. Kathu A. Kathu Phuket 83120 Tel: 076 612 550-2 ext 100 Fax: 076 612 553 adminmgr@thephuketnews.com

Executive Chef Want- development and distribued: Minimum 4-5 years ex- tion of high quality beverperience, must have experience in food quality and cost control, developing menus and recipes. Please send CV and references in Thai or English to jazon@headstartphuket.com.

Piano Instrumental Teacher: PIADS is seeking a qualified piano teacher to join our Music Department. Qualifications: Able

ages. Please send your most recent resume, picture, and cover letter to: hr@ premiumthaibrands.com.

Office Staff Wanted: Female, English-speaking staff to work in nice environment with outgoing personality and basic bookkeeping skills. Call K. Nam 076 272 702. Island Curtains.

One thousand candidates from outside Phuket will be brought to the venue for exclusive interviews!

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS 17

List your ad for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

We are a newly built boutique hotel which is located in the heart of Patong Beach right next to the Patong Police Station. Blue Sky Patong is surrounded by all the main tourist centres such as the sophisticated shopping centre Junceylon, a colourful nightlife along Bangla Road, or even a short distance to explore many activities along the beachfront area. As a newly built 4 star hotel, we are looking for team members who are service minded and who are willing to act with the organisation’s best interests at all times; if you think you are the one with a strong will to achieve the same goals with us, then please do not hesitate to apply. Arrive as a guest, live as a family.

Newly Renovated Hotel Opening: CC Bloom’s a boutique hotel located in the lush hills of Kata/Karon is looking for dynamic English speaking Thai nationals to join our expanding team as bookkeeper, wait staff, engineer, receptionist, bartender, driver, housekeeping and cooks. For more information, please contact 076 333 222 or submit your CV together with recent photo and expected salary to sales@ccbloomshotel.com. We welcome walk-in candidates.

Bartender and waitress needed: Lounge Bar opening in November: 2 Bartenders, 2 Waitress, 1 Maid/ helper English speaking, some experience, good looking and good attitude to service. Better if from hotel industry. Offering: salary according with experience, good tips, one meal, uniform, one day off/day. Email: laterrazzaphuket@hotmail.com. 084 509 1975.

Two Graphic Designers wanted: SPIKEMEDIA is a crea t i ve m e d i a a g e n c y based in Phuket working for a variety of national and international clients.

We are seeking full-time Graphic Designers, to work on a diverse range of print and web design projects. Salar y de pending on experience and talent level. Please send CVs and some s amp l e s of wo r k to: info@spikemediagroup. com.

JOBS IN PHUKET

We are currently recruiting for the following positions: ► General Manager ► Front Desk Agents ► Accounts Payable Staff/ Account Receivable Staff ► Sales/Marketing Coordinator ► Restaurant Manager ► Sou Chef /Team Leader

► Cafe Service Crew ► Maintainance Technician ► Waiter/Waitress ► Bar Waiter/Waitress ► Bar Bartender ► Executive Housekeeper ► Housekeeping

All potential staff are expected to be fluent in English accordingly to the positions that they have applied. We offer a competitive salary and benefits to the suitable candidates; please send appplication letters with a detailed resume, recent photograph to

jayeng89@hotmail.com 084 849 5293, 081 270 7619

Air Con/Refrig Tech- salary and bonuses. Call en experience in creating, ible hours. Retainer, fuel, designing and maintain- phone and commission. Call nician: Looking for a 084 915 9507. technician with experience in electrics, air or refrig (compressors), for servicing, repairing and maintaining equipment. Competitive

Tw o Te c h n i c i a n s Wanted: Technical Certificate, ages 25-50. Two years experience, salary, competency-based pay, full time/part time, be able to work at up-country. Call 076 323 043, email: juicyfx@ yahoo.com.

Business Coordinator Hotel: Urgently wanted.

Responsible for hotel relationship management and optimisation, as well as new account acquisition in order to expand our room supply network. Send CV to jobs@ hoteltravel.com.

LE D n o l o g y. LE D syst ems supply: Fast growing c ompa ny in Chalong is looking for dynamic, easy going persons to pro mote our products and establish c ommercial relationships with important customers. Good salary and commision.

Contact Francisco de Miguel at 081 139 4774, email: boost@aboranet. com.

Web/Graphic Designers Wanted: Degree in Arts Graphic Design. Prov-

ing websites. Photoshop, Dreamweaver, CSS,HTML/ DHTML & Design Principals.

Email: jobs@hoteltravel. com.

Managers Position at Rollerball: Experienced manager required for Rollerball. Applicant must be fluent in Thai and speak/write English and also have experience with dealing with Thai staff. Send CV to: robinson_wells@hotmail. com.

Khun Nam: 076 272 702.

Island Curtains.

Instructor for a Wake Park: Wanted a wakeboarding/ water ski instructor. Male/female. Native Russian language speaker.

Fluent English. Permanent location at Phuket.

Please send CV to phuke twakepark1@gmail.com.

Plumbers Required:

Russian Guest Relation: Russian Guest

Plumbers/Labourers wanted, Thai or expat (must have work permit). Total Water Solutions are a small plumbing/construction company based in Chalong we are urgently seeking workers.

Khun Aoy at 086 940 7205.

Relation is needed at The Imperial Adamas Beach Resort, Phuket.

The position is available now. Please send your CV and actual photo to elyes.b@imperialad amas.com.

Marcom and E-Commerce Manager: Pro- Claims & Supporting motes a positive image of Admin: Claims and supthe hotel in the community and abroad through public relations and promotion activities. Communicates and submits appropriate materials to all marketing channels. Email your CV and photo to hrmgr@ millenniumpatong.com.

porting administration, male/ female, age 22-45 years old.

Experience in position will be advantage. Good command, written and spoken English.

Well organised, self-motivated. Email info@lambert brothers.co.th.

Administrative AssisSales Staff Wanted: tant: Thai nationality. ExEnglish-speaking female.

Thai with previous selling experience with own car, outgoing personality with ability to sell to farangs, flex-

cellent English is a must.

Computer literate (Office, Excel, Word, Internet). Please send CV in English. Email: lola2605@gmail.com.

thephuketnews.com

18 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS

BUY&SELL

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

Isukoshi Massage Chair

Priced at only B25,000 > 19

โรงเรียนสอนภาษากะทูภู้ เก็ต KATHU PHUKET LANGUAGE SCHOOL

Learn Thai For 200 Hrs. and Get 1 year VISA Offering German Consulate A1 Course.

Tel.084-0085673 www.phuketacademy.com email:khroojee@gmail.com

BOAT & YACHT

opposite Tesco Lotus. Contact: 076 612 733, 076 248 900. www.phuketfood.com.

BUSINESS SERVICES

CHILDCARE Tile It: Thalang. Wana Park on Srisoonthorn Rd. Phuket’s quality tile boutique. Tiles for interior, exterior, residential, commercial. Contact 076 620 168 or 081 424 2828. Email info@ tile-asia.com.

Timber boat for sale: 14m. traditional timber boat for sale. Extensive work has already been c om pleted with the hull. Needs further work for installing, engine, fuel / water tanks, decking and upper deck.

The owner has invested B800,000 in construction and is selling due to other more urgent business projects. Genuine enquiries only. The boat is located near Sarasin bridge. For inspection, please contact for an appointment. All reasonable offers will be considered. Contact 084 294 6039, sladepeter@yahoo. com.

BUSINESSES FOR SALE Sell Freelance Company: Sell freelance (Diver.OK) company B40,000.

Call 086 280 9282 Marc.

Choochuay Trading Group: Specialized in designing, sales, installing and repairing large commercial cooling systems and heating systems and small residential air-conditioning systems. Contact 076 319 406-8, see choochuay.com.

Buds

Nursery:

CLUBS & MEMBERSHIPS

Phuket’s oldest bilingual international childcare facility. High-quality, timeproven schedule and curriculum. Now in brand new purpose-built school.

Experienced native English teachers to teach ages 1.5-8. Monday-Friday. 8am -5pm. Bus service available from Patong, Karon, Kata, Phuket, Rawai and Chal o ng. Website: www.buds-phuket.com.

Funstart: Family sports

Indo Construction: 40 Natural Mountain Stone: Original from ancient time. Shaped by expert craftsman. Unique with its texture and colours. Harmony with traditional and contemporary. Commit to best and always available to our valued customers. Call +66 (08) 1719 6930. Email: info@maxxnova.com

years’ experience and more than 20 years at your service in Thailand. Main contractor: study project, architecture design and construction and management. Please contact 076 381 895.

Calling all Singaporeans in Phuket to join Singapore Club Phuket. Contact Robin on 081 803 7189.

Club Asia Fitness:

CHILDREN’S CLUB and leisure club. Swimming/ golf/playcentre/gaming arcade. Contact 076 203 185, 087 882 5544. See funstartphuket.com.

Singapore Club Phuket:

SK A L I nt e r nat ional Phuket: Skål is a professional organisation of leaders from all branches of the travel and tourism industry. www. skalphuket.org.

Royal Phuket City Hotel.

Of fers Zumba /LesMills classes/ weight training/ s a u n a /s te a m /s w i m m i n g pool, all inclusive. For a free trial workout, come along and join the action. Tel 076 35 4 027, 087 275 3614. www.clubasiaphuket.com.

COOKING CLASS

Farang Food Paradise: Your specialist of imported food and drinks in Phuket. Visit our shop at the Billion Plaza,

Phuket Cooking Academy: Offers many cooking and baking classes in our top-class pro fessional facilities. Come to learn how to cook with our professional chefs and discover the art of bakery, and Thai and European cuisines. Open to all from the age of 12 years old and without any prior cooking experience. For more info visit us at: www.phuketcooking-academy.com or call 081 821 40 64.

thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS 19

List your advert for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

BUY & SELL IN PHUKET

EDUCATION

Playgroup Open 09:00-21:00 Mon-Sat Play Park Open 16:00-21:00 Mon-Sat

Birthday Parties, Educational Games Etc.

Kathu Phuket Language School: Enjoy

I sukoshi Massage Chair: Isukoshi IS5000

living in Thailand for one year or more. Get the most out of your stay here by learning Thai for 200 hrs and get a VISA for FREE. Contact person: Khun Jirancha Khongsuk. 9/4 Moo 6 Wichitsongkram Road, K a t h u , K a t h u , P h u ke t 83120 Thailand. Please contact 076 323 201, 084 304 6521, 081 417 0478.

Email: khroojee@gmail. com, www.visathaiphuket. com.

massage chair for sale. Cost over B60,000. Only B25,000 negotiable. 081 370 8114 or 087 889 3838. Email: davidgem98@hotmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS FOR SALE H e a l t h Fo o d: O n l i n e health food in Thailand. Good Karma, all natural healthy, natural and organic products.

Please contact 082 276 1675, w w w.g o o dkar mat hailand. com.

Fisherman Way

Viset Road, Chalong, Rawai Phuket Tel : 088 819 2526 Site office A/C B6,000/M. Mobile toilets B2,800/M month.

Chalong, opposite Wat Chalong. Thalang, main highway. Contact 076 313 235 or 081 125 1873.

MOTORBIKE SERVICES

PERSONAL SERVICES Phuket Visa: Offers consulting and services on company registration, work permit, visa, accounting, auditor, legal advice. Contact 081 892 9960.

MOVING & STORAGE Safeway Storage: Self storage from B800/M. Container rental B3,000/M. Sales/

adopting a homeless dog, rather than buying from a pet shop or puppy mill.

Contact: Gone2thedoggies@gmail.com If you’re interested in seeing some of the many dogs looking for a new home.

Ghost Writer: For life story Backgammon: Players Wanted. Tel: 081 577 8443, email: phuketconnection@ yahoo.com

of successful business man.

Gambler, playboy, world traveler now living Patong Beach.

Email: pen thouse2102@ gmail.com.

Haris & Hawr yluck Attorneys at Law: Unit

Dynamic Tyre Balancing: Dynamically balance your motorcycle tyres for a smoother ride with DYNA BEADS! Available at West Coast Service Center Phuket, your big bike specialist on the bypass road. Contact 085 785 4440.

Are You Thinking Of Getting A New Dog Or Puppy?: Please consider

Techworx: Custom design

We Sell Boxes & Moving Supplies: At MY STORAGE Self Storage you can buy quality moving and packing supplies like individual boxes, bubble wrap, packing tapes & knives plus secure padlocks. We also help you to move and store.

Call 076 292 909.

& installation. Professional service and support. Premium service: home cinema, home automation, marine AV and IT, lighting control and multiroom audio-video. Call 084 443 9863.

6D CCM Complex. Call 076 510 111, email: info@hhlegal advisors.com, www.hhlegal advisors.com.

• Movement • Stillness • Balance M obile:0 81-728 - 9 9 8 0 Email: Serenethai@yahoo.com

Sound Engineer! AV Home system! : We’re exper ts in systems and control designs of highest quality Home Automation, AV, Cinema Room, Lighting Control. Professional services certified by CEDIA. English speaking call +66 (08) 1719 6930. Email: i n f o @ m a x x n ova . c o m , www.maxxnova.com

Bon Café Phuket: A producer of premium coffee blends and powdered mixes as well as selling, maintaining, servicing and repairing all major brands. Contact: 076 355 600-1.

PET ADOPTION Atmanjai: World’s best natural health programmes to improve health, reduce stress, weight loss, detox, rejuvenation, vitality and overcome disease. See atmanjai.com.

Buon A p p et i to: D e li m a r ket an d b i st r o. N um ber one supplier of Italian Deli in Phuket. Call 076 384 273 , e m a i l i nf o @ b u o n a p petitogroup.com, www.buon appetito group.com.

Why buy a pet?: Soi Dog Foundation have over 300 beautiful dogs and puppies available for adoption. Fully vaccinated and sterilised. Contact 085 574 4258 or email cindy@ soidog.org.

PET HOSPITAL Chaofah Pet Hospital: 8/28–29 Moo 9, Chaofah East Road. Contact 076 283 365.

thephuketnews.com

20 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS

PROPERTY House For Rent

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

House in quiet spot for sale Three bedrooms > 21

U RG E NT L a n d for sale: Plot for

contact : 081 787 9191, 083 391 7556

sale in Cherng Thalay.

Just 3km to blue flag Surin Beach, total 14 rai (22400sqm) Chonote title, land suitable for apar tment complex contruction up to 3 floors or private big

Bali modern style, fully furnish, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room, hot water, cable TV. Housekeeper service every week

villa. Land for sale is located in prestigious region nearby hotel, resort, spa and shopping areas. Call 081 619 9501.

Email: limraksasins@gmail.com.

Located at West-Chaofah Rd. 25,000 THB/month

Calm and clean area. Built in early 2012, first occupant.

Aircon in all rooms. Floor area 120m2 + back and front yard, furnished. Call 091 034 0035.

PROPERTY FOR RENT

496 9070 (Eng/Swedish) or 081 719 1175 (Thai).

Kata Beach For Rent:

Chom Tawan Penthouse - Rental: B12,000 The Heights - Rental:

B7,500 – B15,000 per night.

Two bedrooms, two bathrooms. Facilities: Fitness centre and swimming pool.

Ms.Laddawan - CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) 076 239 967/085 661 0623.

Ret ail Spac e O p portunity: Large inter-

- B25,000 per night. Unit Size: 246 - 572sq metre.

Just 25 minutes from Phuket International Airport, luxury area location, only two minutes from Bang Tao beach.

Contact Ms.Laddawan - CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) 076 239 967/085 661 0623.

national resort in Karon seeks retail tenant. Excellent year round occupancy.

Flexible rental terms. Must sell quality merchandise.

Khun Boonchu call 076 396 200–5, emial: fcckr@ chr.co.th.

WRITE YOUR CLASSIFIED FREE ONLINE: 189 CHARACTERS + 1 PICTURE Headline: ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......

Body:

Shop Front for Rent:

The Royal Phuket Yacht Club shop front space for rent 4.34 M. x 4.37 M. located on the first floor of a great looking area for retail shop,boutique etc. Call 076 380 200 ext. 601 Khun Naphat.

Loft Style Flats: Central location with easy access to main roads, near Bang Wat dam Country Park in the middle of the island. The area is quiet, minimal traffic, great walking and running around the dam. Call 086 664 5575.

House for Rent-Kathu: Two bedrooms/two bathrooms.

5 star apartment, stunning seaviews with all mod cons, pool, gym, restaurant. A must see, call James 090 864 4519.

Well worth viewing.

PROPERTY FOR SALE Furnished House for Sale/Rent in Kathu: Land size 153.85 sq metre.

Furnished, garden, swimming pool. For sale B17,000,000 or rent plus Honda civic B65,000 per month. Please contact: ket.phuket@hotmail.com.

Kamala Two Brand New Villas: Two bedrooms, two

bathrooms, Western kitchen, 130 sq metre. Nice garden with large pool in quiet area.

Price: B5.5 million or minimum three-month rental. Call 081

Happy Home Apartment for sale: Nice

apartment, fully furnished at Rawai. The apartment is set in a private compound with communal gardens and pool.

It is located only 5 minutes from Rawai Beach and convenient to Phuket Town. Only B15 million. Please contact 081 893 2165. www.happyhomeapartmentphuket. webiz.co.th.

Allamanda (Laguna) Residences/Phuket:

One condo unit, half of a deluxe twin house, fully furnished and equipped, set direct on the picturesque lagoon with balcony right over it. 3 bedrooms each with shower/bathroom, roof terrace. Longterm rent or sale. 081 737 0365, utaipan@yahoo.com.

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

189 CHARACTERS

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

Online upgrades:

Website link B199

Urgent banner B199

UPGRADE TO PREMIUM

FOR JUST B1,099 GET AN ADDITIONAL 9 PICTURES

PLUS 1 ISSUE IN THE PRINT COPY OF THE PHUKET NEWS Print upgrades:

Box B199

Colour Background B199

Colour Headline B199

DEADLINE: MONDAY 11.59PM (MIDNIGHT) FOR THAT FRIDAY’S ISSUE Hand this in at agent shops, our office or fax: 076 612 553

thephuketnews.com

Rawa i B e a c hf ro n t Pool Villa Rent/Sale:

Rawai Beach front pool villa for rent/sale. 3 bedrooms, furnished. Contact Siriporn on 089 649 9939.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS 21

List your advert for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

PROPERTY IN PHUKET

Phuket Cottages

Near British International School, pool-villas starting from THB 8,800,000.

www.phuket-cottages.com

Call: 089-724-7211

PROPERTY FOR SALE CONT.

Suksan, the land has views of the Nai Harn and Rawai mountains, and would be ideal for a family home. Ready to build. Quality western villas on the same soi. Contact 089 973 1180.

Land At Kathu For Sale: Only 15 minutes to Patong and only 10 minutes to Phuket Town, located at Kathu, total 141 SquareWah or 564 SquareMeter with ready Public utility. Call 081 892 0610,081 472 0770, tan_ohio@hotmail.com.

Three bedroom house for sale: Quiet location and only 50 0m from the main road. Thepkrasattri, Heroines Monument. 70sqw x 280sqm, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, big living room with open-plan kitchen (9x9m), 1 separated kitchen, carpark for 3 cars and a small storehouse, 2 aircons, cable TV, 1 phone line TT&T. Price: B3.5 million including furnitures.

Excl. furnitures B2,995,000.

Must See! Email: jochenschmitz16@gmail. com.

ote title at Manik-township.

20x25 metre in natural surrounding, B2.6 million. Free design+construction permit.

Phone 087 275 9621, email nuttapol_trateng@yahoo. com.

one bed, fully-furnished, WiFi, maid service, sea view. Call 081 893 5188.

Furnished House for Sale Phuket Villa 5:

The Point opposite Big C, freehold, chanote, studio 36sq metre. Fully furnished include AW fittings and inventory. Nice views from 6th floor, close to Lotus, Big C, Central Festival Etc. Only B2,695,000 negotiable. Call 087 889 3838, Skype: davidpaul49, email: davidgem98@hotmail.com.

400sq metre Beautiful Land for Sale: In Soi

nice location hill land by the Bangwat Dam, All total 60 Rai, 96,000 square meter. Contact: Attapong 081 892 0610 (Thai), Jantiwa 081 890 8268 (Eng). e-mail: jantiwa_ j@hotmail.com.

Three bedrooms, three Bathrooms. Unit size: 256sq metre. Facilities: swimming pool, pool bar, putting green and chipping area and BarB - Q pits with adjoining salas. Ms.Prakaipeth - CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) 076 239 967/081 538 6879.

Condo in Phuket Town for Sale/Rent: New condo,

Condominium At The Point: Condo for sale,

Hill Land for Sale: Very

Phuket Apar tment Resale: B12,500,000.

Phuket-Surin Beach Area for Sale: Chan-

3 Bedroom house with furniture, close to Kajonkiet School. Secure area, Cul De Sac, nice gardens, two bathrooms. B3,500,000 negotiable. Details 081 370 8114 (Thai) 087 889 3838 (Eng), email:davidgem98@ hotmail.com.

Three bedroom house for sale: In Land and House Park, Chalong. Gym, swimming pool and nice restaurant on site. Price reduced to sell quickly. Furnished or unfu nished. Call 089 291 7078.

Golf View Villa For Sale: Near British Inter-

Phuket Villa Resale (PKS0778): B oat L a -

Condominium in Patong for Sale: Less than

goon Marina Residence.

B 9 , 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 . U n i t S i z e: 250sq metre. Only t wo minutes from the British International School, and 20 minutes from Phuket International Airport. Contact Ms.Prakaipeth 076 239 967/081 538 6879.

1 Km from the beach, large 2-bedroom apartment with communal swimming pool and balcony. FREEHOLD (can be foreign owned).

7.5MB. Contact owner 089 724 7211 or julien@phuke timmo.com.

Pool Villa in Chalong:

Two Bed Villa 1/2 Rai B7.2m: Gated community,

3 0 0sq metre. Three bed rooms, four bathrooms, one western kitchen, one living room, private pool, two car parking, electric gate, fully furnished. Price: B10 million / Rent: B50,000. Call 081 539 7311 Th/Eng.

Pa Klok, land 832 sq metre, house 212 sq metre. Unfurnished, full aircon. two bed, two bath, big garden for pool/ extentions. 10 minutes from Heroines Monument. Priced to sell, offers. Call 081 737 0722.

Commercial Building For Sale: 5 metre x 18.30 metre, three floors, located close by Condo at Saiyuan, two big halls, two bedrooms, four bathrooms, clean and new building.

Negotiable price. For more details please call 087 881 7979, 081 472 0770, email: ss.kijr ungr uang@gmail. com.

Golf Course Land For Sale: Near British Inter School, 17 Rai with public road access. Suitable for resort or housing project.

Can be divided. Price: B4 MB per Rai. Contact owner 089 724 7211 julien@phuke timmo.com

national School, state-ofthe-art villa overlooking the Loch Palm Golf Course: 4 bedrooms + maid’s room; 485 m2 built on 1,860 m2 land. B28million. Contact owner 089 724 7211.

7.5 M House and Pool Bypass Rd: Very clean 5 bedroom, 3 bath house with 5 x 10 meter pool 10 minutes south of Central Festival, walking distance to Kajonkiet Bilingual School.

To see: 083 301 3470, email: wpdrake@hotmail.com.

House in Phuket Town / Samkong 3 bedroom, 3 bathrooms: Semi detached house with large 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, large open living/dining area and entertainment deck outside. Large western kitchen with all appliances.

Great area very conveniently located 5 minutes from all amenities including both international hospitals, Central Festival, international schools and the centre of town. Selling due to relocation.

Priced to sell at B4.3M including 4 air cons. and all modern style furniture. Nothing more to spend. Contact (English): 084 768 0536 or (Thai): 085 888 0502.

thephuketnews.com

22 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS

EQUIPMENT SALES & RENTAL

HOME IMPROVEMENT

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

HOME IMPROVEMENT

P.S.C PEST MANAGEMENT CO.,LTD. Pest Control And Hygiene Service.

Termites Treatment.

- Bait System.

- Pipe System.

- Chemical. ● Pest Control : - Ants, Cockroaches, Rodents and Mosquitoes etc. ● Hygienic Machine Service : Insect & Fly Killer. ●

Phuket Branch ● Krabi Branch ● Samui Branch Contact : Khun Kwanchanok - 081 537 7328 pcs_pkt@hotmail.com Tel : 076 263 427-9 Fax:076 263 726

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

REMOVALS

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

STORAGE

We believe that the success of a project is essentially based on a serious management liberto@construction-thailand.com

liberto@construction-thailand.com 40 years experience of more than 20 years at your service in Thailand.

Main Contractor:

Study Project Architecture Design Construction & Management

Office 3.L.H & I.C.P. Manufactory 3.L.H & I.C.P.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

MARINE SERVICES

SWIMMING POOLS

w w w. e m

p ir e p o o ls p h u k e t . c o m

1,800 baht pool service

for the first 20 customers (standard size pool)

19/43, 19/45 Moo 7,Srisoontorn Rd, T. Srisoontorn, A. Thalang, Phuket 83110.

Tel: 076-620113 or 084-8506140 Fax: 076-620015

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Specialized in large commercial and small residential cooling & heating systems.

076 319406-8 086 4702026-7 www.choochuay.com

thephuketnews.com

MARINE SERVICES

SPACE AVAILABLE

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

PHUKET SPORT 23

Laguna claims inaugural cricket Outrigger T20 title tiyaz Mushtaq was scoring freely, his team mates were less nimble between the wickets. Mr Mushtaq played a vital role for ICC, scoring 61.

The match’s outcome was still in doubt right up to the final over.

Laguna showed the composure of champions and secured the win with ICC falling five runs short of victory, scoring 139/5.

Neil Culpan was named Bowler of the Series and Anand Chand won Batsman of the Series honours.

In the third-place match, Patong defeated The Village in a low-scoring affair. The Village only managed to score 87 runs.

A united effort by Patong kept the scoring at bay with spin bowlers Dave Thomas going two for six and Thai youngster Jay Letingoo going two for nine. Richard Desmond contributed a fiery spell of one for 13.

The 40-over league will start on November 18. Any-

CRICKET Burger Marx

L

aguna added more silverware to their collection after they took care of Island Cricket Club in the first Outrigger T20 Finals at the Alan Cooke Ground in northern Phuket last weekend.

The inaugural Outrigger T20 League has delivered many close-matched encounters and the Cup Final was no exception. Laguna’s Neil Culpan set the scoring pace from the start and in the process notched up 50 off 44 balls before being caught short of his ground.

ICC, through some accurate bowling, kept the rest of the Laguna line at bay. After 20 overs, Laguna had posted a respectable score of 145/6.

Island Cricket had secured their final’s berth through solid batting performances.

Although a confident Im-

Division 1

Team

P

W

D

L Goals GD

1

Morning Star

9

7

1

1

39

2

Shakers FC

9

4

2

3

27

2

14

3

Joy Dive FC

8

4

1

3

37

16

13

4

Sweet Lemon FC

8

3

3

2

29

1

12

5

Nanai Boys

9

3

2

4

34

1

11

6

Phuket Condos & Homes

9

3

2

4

37

-2

11

7

The Hulk

9

2

3

4

21

-11

9

8

PSU Alumni FC

9

2

0

7

23

-20

6

Team

P

W

D

L Goals GD

1

Pita Bar Phuketeers

9

9

0

0

58

36

2

Puensil FC

10

9

0

1

63

32

27

3

Mr. Moo

9

6

0

3

45

14

18

4

Phuket Serenity Villas

10

5

2

3

41

10

17

5

Shambhala FC

10

5

2

3

54

9

17

6

Seduction

10

3

1

6

52

-8

10

7

Vanilla FC

10

3

0

7

27

-14

9

8

Pluto Italian Ice Cream

10

3

0

7

44

-19

9

9

Atmanjai

10

2

1

7

34

-22

7

10

Thai Nee FC

10

1

0

9

29

-38

3

13

Pts 22

Division 2

Pts 27

Southern Phuket Pool Team Ranking

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

Pita Bar Shaggys Bar Australia Bar & Grill JT’s Bar Walkabout Bar Office Bar Micks Aussie Bar Solutions Bar

2 2 1 2 2 2 2 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0

1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1

11 13 6 10 10 7 9 4

9 7 0 10 10 13 11 6

4 3 3 3 3 3 1 0

Team

P

W

D

L

F

A

Legs

Shaggys Bar Micks Aussie Bar Australia Bar & Grill Office Bar Walkabout Bar Solutions Bar JT’s Bar Pita Bar

2 2 1 2 2 1 2 2

2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1

4 4 2 3 2 1 1 1

1 2 0 2 3 3 4 4

2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0

Beer Monster 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

one interested in joining a team or entering a full team should contact Martin Foster

at clubaffairs@phuketcricketgroup.com.

The PCG Open event will

be at the Alan Cooke Ground on November 4, starting at 9am. It will include family

Photo: Martin Foster events and cricket matches.

For more information visit Phuketcricketgroup.com.

Super Six heats up

SUPER SIX SOCCER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Outrigger T20 champions Laguna defeated Island Cricket Club last week.

FOOTBALL L E AGU E L E A DE R S Morning Star took on Shakers FC in a highly anticipated matchup, with Morning Star coming away winners 4-2.

The result of the hightempo game meant Morning Star pulled away from the pack and become clear leaders on the competition table.

In other games, Phuket Condos & Homes defeated PSU Alumni 6-2 while Sweet Lemon FC and Joy Dive played to a 4-4 draw.

Pool league commences THE SOUTHERN PHUKET Pool league kicked off early this month and will continue until January.

Eight teams will compete with a beer league taking place at the same time to create more competition.

All matches will take place every Thursday at 8pm at both Angus O’Tool’s Bar in Karon and Shaggy’s Bar in Rawai.

The Phuket News is a sponsor and will print the tables each week. For more information, visit Southernphuketpool.com

thephuketnews.com

24 PHUKET SPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

Phuket FC battling relegation FOOTBALL

Thai Division 1

Jean-Pierre Mestanza editor2@thephuketnews.com

his has been a difficult final stretch to the season for Phuket FC as it seems everything has been thrown at them: a new head coach, their captain’s car accident, a goalkeeper suspended, and three straight losses.

On top of that, the Islanders face a three-game road trip before closing out the season at home against bottom-placed Rangsit JW on October 27.

Though the games are against lower-half teams, Phuket FC have lost five of their last seven and have yet to gain points under new head coach Anurak Srikerd, who took control of the team on September 26 following a 5-1 loss against Saraburi.

At the moment Phuket FC are sitting at 15th place out of 18 in the standings with 31 points, and they are only one point into the relegation zone. Though the Islanders can escape relegation with victories, they have only been able to score 26 times this season – the second-worst

Team

T

Ibrahim Kanoute chases after the ball in Phuket FC’s 2-0 loss against Suphanburi FC. Photo: Narong Chidprang. record in the league.

Wednesday’s do-or-die match against 13th place Khon Kaen FC will have made it clearer whether the Islanders

can stay in Thai Division 1.

As the paper went to press, Phuket FC had yet to take on Khon Kaen FC. The implications of the

match are enormous as a win could keep the Islanders afloat for another week.

A loss puts the team further behind and will almost cer-

D

L

F

A Pts

1

Ratchaburi

MP W 30

22

5

3

76

28

71

2

Suphanburi

30

20

5

5

53

16

65

3

Bangkok United

30

20

4

6

48

27

64

4

Sriracha

30

19

4

7

60

34

61

5

PTT Rayong

31

18

4

9

59

30

58

6

Krabi

30

15

6

9

41

24

51

7

Nakhon Ratchasima

30

11

10

9

34

38

43

8

Siam Navy

30

11

9

10

44

36

42

9

Air Force United

30

11

7

12

39

38

40

10

Saraburi

30

10

7

13

43

46

37

11

Bangkok

30

9

7

14

52

49

34

12

Phattalung

30

7

13

10

35

46

34

13

Khonkaen

30

9

6

15

29

44

33

14

Songkhla

30

8

8

14

32

45

32

15

Phuket

30

7

10

13

26

43

31

16

Rangsit JW

31

7

7

17

32

57

28

17

Raj Pracha

30

6

7

17

29

49

25

18

Chanthaburi

30

0

3

27

21

103

3

tainly spell doom for Phuket FC. A draw would not be enough to stave off relegation.

The Islanders take on 11th place Bangkok United on the road tomorrow (October 13) before taking on Raj Pracha FC in Phuket the week after.

The Islanders’ last win was a 1-0 squeaker against Bangkok United on August 19 and a duplicate victory is not out of the question.

Last week’s 2-0 loss at

Suphanburi showed an aggressive Phuket FC side that failed to take advantage of opportunities. This has been the hallmark of the team all year.

The next few games are vital to Phuket FC – win and live to fight another day; lose and relegation becomes certain.

Tickets to the final season match against Rangsit JW on October 27 at Surakul Stadium are B80 for adults and B20 for students. Kickoff at 6pm.

Football camp Two rugby events for island for kids on tap RUGBY

FOOTBALL PHUKET SOCCER SCHOOL is hosting three soccer camps this month, from October 15 to 19.

The PSS Camps will consist of daily training with professional coaches where players will work on individual skills.

Each day concludes with a small-sided tournament and awards will be given. Designed for students aged six to 12.

Priced at 900 per day or B4000 for the week, the programme runs from 9am to 1 pm.

Meanwhile, the PSS Beginners Camp will concentrate on creating enjoyable football

thephuketnews.com

games and challenges in a fun setting. This camp will focus on training techniques. Designed for students aged four, five, and six. It’s priced at B600 a day or B5,000 for the week and runs from 8.30 to 10.30am.

In addition, the PSS Strikers Camp concentrates on players’ finishing and goal scoring ability with emphasis on 1-on-1 breakaways and advanced offensive techniques. Designed for students aged seven to 16, it costs B600 per day or B2,500 for the week and runs from 4pm to 6pm.

For more information or to register phone Martin on 085-331-0295.

A PRO GR A M M E FOR young Phuket rugby players starts tomorrow (October 13) at 9am at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG).

The programme will include seven-a-side touch rugby for young players, through to full 15-a-side contact rugby for high-schoollevel teams.

Minimal equipment is required. Mini rugby will be held for ages five to seven; Midi rugby for ages eight to 11, and junior rugby for ages 12 and 13. To register contact alan@acgphuket.com.

Meanwhile, for those a bit older, touch rugby is relaunch-

There are three separate age groups for the youth rugby programme. ing for adults at the ACG. Interested players are encouraged to attend the Wednesday night matches at 6pm. Input on es-

tablishing a regular Wednesday night competition with various teams will be solicited from participants. No boots needed

Photo: Pladys

as people can play with trainers.

For more information contact Craig Murphy at craig@maxmarine.asia.

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

PHUKET/WORLD SPORT 25

Phuketian completes 1000 km trip down the mighty Mekong I

t took long-time Phuket resident Patrick Gasiglia 18 days to complete his 1000 kilometre stand up paddle (SUP) board adventure down the Mekong River.

The journey started at Chiang Khan on September 5 and ended at Khong Chiam near the most eastern point of Thailand. Two friends followed the Frenchman in a truck and the team slept in tents or guesthouses each night before heading out at 7am everyday.

Twice, Mr Gasiglia’s SUP board got caught in a whirlpool, spun around three times, and was spat back out into the river. The whirlpools can be as deep as 30 metres in some places.

His epic mission ended on September 23 after he landed in Khong Chiam and was embraced by a group of locals.

The Phuket News was a sponsor for this journey.

For more information on the trip and pictures, visit sup mekong1000.wordpress.com.

Birmingham City in talks over club sale FOOTBALL

Thongchai Jaidee will try to match countryman Thaworn Wiratchant’s record 14 career titles. Photo: An An S. Arto

Thongchai targets title at Macau Open GOLF THAI STAR THONGCHAI Jaidee is hoping to add the Venetian Macau Open to his 13 Asian tour victories.

The three-time Asian Tour number one last competed in Macau some 11 years ago when he finished tied fourth.

“It’s nice to be back... the course is very challenging.

When it is windy, it will be difficult to play,” said Mr Thongchai, who is the top earner on the Asian Tour, winning over US$4 million (B122 million).

He has enjoyed an im-

pressive season so far this year, winning a first title on European soil in Wales in June and finishing tied 15th in Scotland two weeks ago.

A series of nagging injuries have kept him from a full playing schedule this season but Mr Thonchai said the break has given him enough rest time.

The $750,000 tournament will also feature former Masters Tournament champion, Welshman Ian Woosnam, two-time Macau Open winner Zhang Lian-weir of China and title holder Yih-shin of Taiwan. AFP

THE COMPANY BEHIND Birmingham City, chaired by embattled Hong Kong tycoon Carson Yeung, said it is in talks with two potential buyers of the English football club.

Discussions are still in the early stages and all parties have signed confidentiality agreements, said the club’s parent company Birmingham International Holdings in a filing to the city’s stock exchange last week.

The latest talks come a month after the Hong Kongbased company rejected an offer which it deemed as “not attractive”.

The South China Morning

Post named the failed buyer as an Italian consortium led by Gianni Paladini, the former chairman of Premier League club Queens Park Rangers, which had offered £12 million (B590 million).

Birmingham City – which was relegated from the Premiership last year, three months after winning the League Cup – is owned by hairdresser-turned-football tycoon Yeung, who has been charged with money laundering in Hong Kong.

Yeung was arrested on five counts of offences in June last year after investigations revealed around US$93 million (B2.8 brillion) had passed through his accounts, but the exact nature of the allegations

Supporters of Birmingham City during a match earlier in 2012. Photo: Liz Callan remains unclear.

Little known before his emergence in English football, Yeung took control of Birmingham in October 2009

in an £81 million (B4 billion) takeover from David Sullivan and David Gold, now the co-owners of West Ham United. AFP

thephuketnews.com

26 WORLD SPORT

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

THE PHUKET NEWS

PREMIER LEAGUE PREDICTIONS: ROUND 7

Competition heats up in Tipster standings

THIS YEAR’S GRAND PRIZE IS SPONSORED BY:

FOOTBALL

E

verton could only keep the second-place spot for one week, as wins by both Manchester teams put them just behind Chelsea in the top of the standings heading into the bye week.

Chelsea ran over a helpless Norwich team 4-1 with contributions by Fernando Torres and Branislav Ivanovic. The Blues have a comfortable four point lead against new number two Manchester United, and are off to their best start since the 2005-06 season when they won the title.

Meanwhile, the maligned defence of Manchester United came through and game the Red Devils a 3-0 win over Newcastle.

After losing to Newcastle by the same score last year, there were fears that the Nemanja Vidic-less United could stop Newcastle’s Papiss Cisse.

Patrice Evra and Jonny Evans opened the scoring with

JP’S TIPS ROUND 8 Tottenham V Chelsea Draw Fulham v Aston Villa Draw Liverpool v Reading Win Manchester Utd v Stoke Win Swansea Cty v Wigan Draw West Brom v Manchester Cty Draw West Ham Utd v Southampton Lose Norwich v Arsenal Lose Sunderland v Newcastle Draw QPR v Everton Lose MONTHLY STANDINGS

Patrice Evra celebrates the first goal in Manchester United’s win against Newcastle. two goals from corner kicks in the first fifteen minutes of the match. Tom Cleverley came from the back-line to score an impressive long-range curler in the 71st minute at St. James Park putting United one spot behind Chelsea.

Similarly impressive was third place Manchester City’s

3-0 drubbing of Sunderland, their first clean sheet of the season. In the fifth minute at the Etihad Stadium, Aleksander Kolarov scored off a set-piece.

The win gave Sunderland its first notch in the loss column for the season.

Meanwhile, Tottenham took on Aston Villa in a game that

would propel them to the fifth spot, behind Everton. Before the game, American goalkeeper Brad Friedel was benched which ended his record run of 320 Premier League starts in a row dating back to May 2004.

His replacement, Hugo Lloris, earned a clean sheet in his debut with the 2-0 win against Villa.

1. Tempestuous Strike 2. Blackrosebar 3. strummerville 4. alanphuket 5. aory 6. AuPaddy 7. Campanil 8. chasman 9. choochoo 10. Cybernok

THIS MONTH'S COMPETITION IS SUPPORTED BY:

OVERALL STANDINGS 32 29 29 21 21 21 21 21 21 21

In The Phuket News tipping competition, Tempestuous Strike leads the October scoring table while last month’s winner, apollo131, still finds himself atop the overall standings. There are eight people tied for third place in the overall standings, each with

1. apollo131 2. Campanil 3. alanphuket 4. Blackrosebar 5. diggersd 6. Paul614724 7. scottkip 8. suncat100 9. tim at acorn 10. toptipster

141 136 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133

133 points.

The winners of this month’s (October) competition will win a B3,000 voucher to spend at Angus O’Tool’s. The overall winner at the end of the year will win a brand new Honda Scoopy courtesy of AP Honda.

Umpires suspended in match fixing probe CRICKET

Players from West Indies celebrate after winning the World Twenty20 Tournament against Sri Lanka last week.

Photo: Fatty87

Over 90 Cities, One Perfect Gateway.

SilkAir and Singapore Airlines Connecting you to Places.

thephuketnews.com

CRICKET AUTHORITIES on Wednesday (October 10) suspended six umpires at the centre of claims by an Indian television programme that they could be bribed to make favourable decisions during games.

An undercover investigation by the private India TV channel allegedly found that the umpires, including one on the international circuit, were willing to give biased decisions or provide inside information in return for payment.

“The International Cricket Council and its relevant Full Member Boards have agreed not to appoint any of the umpires named in a sting operation recently conducted by India TV to any domestic or international cricket matches,” the ICC said in a statement.

The accusations were broadcast only a day after the West Indies’ victory over hosts Sri Lanka in the final of the World Twenty20 tour-

nament, quickly souring the atmosphere after one of the game’s premier events.

None of the umpires officiated at the tournament.

The International Cricket Council called on India TV to turn over any incriminating evidence.

Three of those named were Sri Lankan, while two were Pakistani. The sixth was Nadir Shah, one of two Bangladeshi members of the ICC’s international panel which officiates in matches around the world.

Grainy footage appeared to show Mr Shah, who has umpired in 40 one-day internationals and a number of Twenty20 internationals, say he was willing to give decisions on demand.

The video did not show any cash exchange nor did the channel broadcast any proof of the umpires delivering decisions or information.

“If the umpire is shown a favour, the umpire can do anything,” Mr Shah was said in a transcript of the show.

Mr Shah said any sugges-

tion he was open to bribery was “absolutely rubbish”.

“If I am going to fix a match, I will be caught some day by the ICC... no umpire fixes matches,” Mr Shah told the Press Trust of India news agency.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board said it was gathering information and was in contact with the ICC. We have zero tolerance towards corruption,” said spokesman Nadeem Sarwar.

Sri Lanka’s cricket board pledged to help the ICC investigation although one official rejected the allegations as a smear.

“There is a lot of negative stuff coming out of India after we hosted a very successful Twenty20 World Cup,” a top board official said, “these allegations are part of a smear campaign.”

India TV chairman Rajat Sharma brushed off critics.

“Of course, we stand by our story because we have everything on tape and we have the proof,” Mr Sharma said. AFP

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

WORLD SPORT 27

Alonso leads by just 4 points going into Korean GP swept to pole position in Japan last week, and then dominated the race as Ferrari’s Alonso was eliminated in the first corner.

Vettel’s imperious performance, following his impressive win in Singapore, saw the German jump to within four points of Alonso, the championship leader since June, with five races to go.

Ferrari have been bullish about their title chances since the Suzuka fiasco, where Alonso’s Japanese Grand Prix lasted just seconds

FORMULA ONE Continued from back page

F

lying German Sebastian Vettel will look to seize control of the Formula One title race at the Korean Grand Prix on Sunday (October 14) after two straight wins left him breathing down Fernando Alonso’s neck.

Red Bull’s double defending world champion proved he’s finding form when it counts when he

English Premier League Team

who is quitting for Mercedes next year, is fighting to stay in contention after his challenge faltered in Singapore and Japan, mainly due to mechanical problems.

Meanwhile Raikkonen is third in the drivers’ standings, 37 points off the lead and five ahead of fourthplaced Hamilton, in his first season back after a stint in rallying. Next in the table lie Red Bull’s Mark Webber, and Jenson Button.

The Korean Grand Prix is in only its third edition, and has

French Ligue 1

Spanish Primera Liga

D

L

F

A

Pts

D

L

F

A

Pts

D

L

F

A

Pts

Chelsea

7

6

1

0

15

4

19

1

Marseille

8

6

1

1

12

7

19

1

Barcelona

7

6

1

0

19

7

19

2

Manchester United

7

5

0

2

17

9

15

2

PSG

8

4

4

0

14

5

16

2

Atlético Madrid

7

6

1

0

18

8

19

3

Manchester City

7

4

3

0

15

8

15

3

Olympique Lyonnais

8

4

3

1

13

8

15

3

Málaga

7

4

2

1

11

4

14

4

Everton

7

4

2

1

14

8

14

4

L’Orient

8

3

5

0

14

9

14

4

Real Betis

7

4

0

3

12

13

12

5

Tottenham Hotspur

7

4

2

1

13

8

14

5

Reims

8

4

2

2

11

6

14

5

Sevilla

7

3

2

2

8

7

11

6

West Brom

7

4

2

1

11

7

14

6

Bordeaux

8

3

5

0

10

6

14

6

Mallorca

7

3

2

2

8

6

11

7

Arsenal

7

3

3

1

13

5

12

7

Toulouse

8

3

4

1

11

9

13

7

Real Madrid

7

3

2

2

14

7

11

8

West Ham United

7

3

2

2

8

8

11

8

Valenciennes

8

3

3

2

13

8

12

8

Real Valladolid

7

3

1

3

11

7

10

9

Fulham

7

3

1

3

15

11

10

9

Saint-Étienne

8

3

2

3

14

6

11

9

Getafe

7

3

1

3

8

10

10

10

Newcastle United

7

2

3

2

8

11

9

10

Lille

8

2

4

2

10

10

10

10

Levante

7

3

1

3

8

13

10

11

Swansea City

7

2

2

3

12

11

8

11

Rennes

8

3

1

4

10

11

10

11

Rayo Vallecano

7

3

1

3

9

14

10

12

Stoke City

7

1

5

1

6

5

8

12

Brest

8

3

1

4

8

13

10

12

Real Sociedad

7

3

0

4

8

11

9

13

Sunderland

6

1

4

1

5

7

7

13

Bastia

8

3

1

4

12

20

10

13

Celta de Vigo

7

3

0

4

9

8

9

14

Liverpool

7

1

3

3

9

12

6

14

Ajaccio

8

3

2

3

6

9

9

14

Valencia

7

2

2

3

8

9

8

15

Wigan Athletic

7

1

2

4

7

13

5

15

Montpellier

8

2

2

4

11

12

8

15

Granada

7

2

2

3

6

10

8

16

Aston Villa

7

1

2

4

6

12

5

16

Nice

8

1

5

2

11

12

8

16

Athletic Club

7

2

2

3

9

14

8

17

Southampton

7

1

1

5

12

20

4

17

Evian TG

8

2

2

4

10

11

8

17

Real Zaragoza

7

2

0

5

5

9

6

18

Reading

6

0

3

3

8

13

3

18

Sochaux

8

2

0

6

7

13

6

18

Deportivo

7

1

3

3

9

14

6

19

Norwich City

7

0

3

4

5

17

3

19

Nancy

8

1

1

6

2

14

4

19

Osasuna

7

1

1

5

7

11

4

20

Queens Park Rangers

7

0

2

5

6

16

2

20

Troyes

8

0

2

6

8

18

2

20

Espanyol

7

0

2

5

8

13

2

3 – 0 4 – 1 2 – 2 3 – 2 2 – 2

Sunderland Norwich Cty Reading QPR Everton

West Ham Utd Southampton Liverpool Tottenham Newcastle Utd

1 – 3 2 – 2 0 – 0 2 – 0 0 – 3

Arsenal Fulham Stoke Cty Aston Villa Manchester Utd

Live Sports TV Schedule END

SPORT

EVENT

TEAMS / INFO

Friday, October 12 13:00

21:00

Tennis

ATP Masters

00:00

02:00

Soccer

European U21 Qualifier

20:00

00:00

Golf

22:35

00:30

Cricket

Portugal Masters

Shanghai Quarter Finals England v. Serbia Vilamoura

SA Champions T20 NSW v. Trinidad & Tobago

Saturday, October 13 02:00

04:00

Soccer

WC 2014 Qualifier England v. San Marino

15:25

17:30

Rugby

League

00:00

02:00

Rugby

Union

22:00

00:00

Rugby

Union

00:00

02:00

Rugby

Union

11:50

13:30

Racing

Formula 1

RESULTS Saint-Étienne Montpellier Sochaux Lille Bastia

MP W

4 – 0 2 – 3 0 – 1 2 – 0 3 – 2

Italian Serie A

*Times may be subject to change

START

Team

suffered teething problems with heavy rain and patchy local interest. Alonso won here in 2010 and Vettel took the honours in 2011.

Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher, who has announced his return to retirement, said: “Korea is one of the more recent additions to the Formula One calendar, and that’s still reflected in the fact that we don’t get too many fans at the race.”

Psy, the Korean superstar behind global hit Gangnam Style, is to perform at the grand prix. AFP

1

RESULTS Manchester Cty Chelsea Swansea Cty West Bromwich Wigan

MP W

before he was nudged out by Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus.

But the famed Italian team, in an official release, also noted that Japan had left Alonso with a “bitter taste in his mouth”. With their campaign in the balance, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo issued a rallying cry.

“It’s at times like these that I want to see the Ferrari I know” said di Montezemolo. “A team that is focused and that holds its nerve.”

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton,

Trans-Tasman Test Heineken Cup Currie Cup Currie Cup Korean GP Qualifying

15:30

18:00

Tennis

ATP Masters

Shanghai Semi Final 1

19:00

21:30

Tennis

ATP Masters

Shanghai Semi Final 2

22:00

02:30

Golf

Portugal Masters

18:30

21:30

Cricket

SA Champions T20 Perth v. Titans

22:35

00:30

Cricket

SA Champions T20 Kolkata v. Delhi

Vilamoura

1

Team

Juventus

Nancy Evian TG Rennes Ajaccio Troyes

Reims Toulouse Brest Lorient Marseille

MP W 7

6

3 – 1 2 – 2 1 – 1 1 – 1 2–2

D 1

L

0

Nice Valenciennes Bordeaux Olympique Lyonnais PSG

F

17

A Pts 4

19

Team

RESULTS Celta de Vigo Rayo Vallecano Real Zaragoza Real Valladolid Real Betis

MP W

2 – 0 2 – 1 0 – 1 1 – 1 2 – 0

Sevilla Deportivo Getafe Espanyol Real Sociedad

Levante Mallorca Athletic Club Barcelona Atlético Madrid

1 – 0 1 – 2 1 – 0 2 – 2 2 – 1

Valencia Granada Osasuna Real Madrid Málaga

German Bundesliga Team

D

L

F

1

Bayern München

MP W 7

7

0

0

21

A Pts 2

2

Eintracht Frankfurt

7

5

1

1

16

10

16

Schalke 04

7

4

2

1

15

7

14

21

2

Napoli

7

6

1

0

14

3

19

3

Lazio

7

5

0

2

12

6

15

4

Internazionale

7

5

0

2

11

6

15

3

5

Roma

7

3

2

2

14

11

11

4

Borussia Dortmund

7

3

3

1

17

9

12

6

Fiorentina

7

3

2

2

8

6

11

5

Hannover 96

7

3

2

2

15

10

11

7

Catania

7

3

2

2

9

11

11

6

Bayer Leverkusen

7

3

2

2

11

9

11

8

Sampdoria

7

3

2

2

9

8

10

7

Fortuna Düsseldorf

7

2

4

1

6

3

10

9

Genoa

7

2

3

2

8

8

9

10

Torino

7

2

3

2

9

5

8

8

Hamburger SV

7

3

1

3

9

10

10

11

Milan

7

2

1

4

7

7

7

9

Mainz 05

7

3

1

3

7

8

10

12

Bologna

7

2

1

4

9

10

7

13

Pescara

7

2

1

4

6

14

7

14

Udinese

7

1

3

3

7

11

6

15

Parma

7

1

3

3

6

10

10

Borussia M’gladbach

7

2

3

2

9

12

9

11

Freiburg

7

2

2

3

11

10

8

12

Werder Bremen

7

2

1

4

10

13

7

6

13

Hoffenheim

7

2

1

4

10

14

7

Nürnberg

7

2

1

4

7

14

7

16

Chievo

7

2

0

5

6

14

6

14

17

Palermo

7

1

2

4

6

11

5

15

Stuttgart

7

1

3

3

7

14

6

18

Atalanta

7

2

1

4

5

11

5

16

Augsburg

7

1

2

4

5

11

5

19

Cagliari

7

1

2

4

4

11

5

17

Wolfsburg

7

1

2

4

2

13

5

20

Siena

7

2

2

3

8

8

2

18

Greuther Fürth

7

1

1

5

2

11

4

RESULTS Chievo Genoa Roma Catania Fiorentina

2 – 1 1 – 1 2 – 0 2 – 0 1 – 0

Sampdoria Palermo Atalanta Parma Bologna

Pescara Siena Torino Milan Napoli

0 – 3 1 – 2 0 – 1 0 – 1 2 – 1

Lazio Juventus Cagliari Internazionale Udinese

RESULTS Wolfsburg Augsburg Bayern München Schalke 04 Freiburg

0 – 2 3 – 1 2 – 0 3 – 0 3 – 0

Mainz 05 Werder Bremen Hoffenheim Wolfsburg Nürnberg

Mainz 05 Greuther Fürth Borussia M’gladbach Stuttgart Hannover 96

1 – 0 0 – 1 2 – 0 2 – 2 1 – 1

Fortuna Düsseldorf Hamburger SV Eintracht Frankfurt Bayer Leverkusen Borussia Dortmund

Sunday, October 14 21:00

23:00

Rugby

Union

Heineken Cup

15:00

17:00

Rugby Union

HSBC Sevens

Gold Coast, Australia

12:00

12:45

Racing

Formula 1

Korean GP Raceday

12:45

15:00

Racing

Formula 1

Korean Grand Prix

18:30

21:30

Cricket

SA Champions T20 Chennai v. Sydney

22:35

00:30

Cricket

SA Champions T20 Highveld v. Mumbai

20:00

00:00

Golf

Portugal Masters

15:30

17:00

Tennis

ATP Masters

Vilamoura Day 4 Shanghai Final

thephuketnews.com

SPORT J. P. Mestanza editor2@thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012

River odyssey

Phuketian returns after 18 days paddling down the Mekong river > 25

NECK AND NECK

FULL STORY ON P27

thephuketnews.com

Photo: sensen54

Korean Grand Prix to shake up Formula One standings