14-07-2017

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FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

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AUSSIE DIES AFTER 70M PARASAIL FALL > PAGE 2

BRAKING DANGER

NEWS

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German charged for murder

LIFE

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Rescue worker on the front line Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup has bypassed calls for driver training and vehicle checks in favour of simply making the Patong Hill road safer. Photos: Eakkapop Thongtub / Patong Municipality

PATONG MAYOR CALLS FOR SAFER ROAD AFTER TOUR BUS CRASH KILLS BOY, 10, AND HIS FATHER The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

P

atong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup this week proposed that officials rework the deadly road descending into Phuket’s key west coast tourist town, instead of ramping up safety checks or attempting to improve bus drivers’ skills.

The proposal came at an emergency meeting of officials led by Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong on Tuesday (July 11) in the aftermath of the tragic accident on

Monday night (July 10) that killed 10-year-old Chinese boy Liu Jierui, and his father, Liu Fei, 36, who died the next day from injuries sustained in the accident.

The two were on a tour bus being taken back to their hotel in Patong when the brakes failed – according to the driver, 36-year-old Krittaporn Nualdua. The bus sped out of control down the hill then flipped onto its side and wiped out the fronts of residents homes as well as live power cables.

The other 22 Chinese tourists on the bus suffered a wide range of

injuries, from sprains and bruises to one woman suffering intracerebral haemorrhaging.

That accident followed another tour bus crash just two weeks ago, when on June 30 a runaway tour bus killed a 40-year-old woman riding a motorcycle in the small street that all runaway tour bus drivers use to avoid slamming into the giant concrete wall installed at the bottom of the hill.

The marathon meeting on Tuesday, held at Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO), was conducted in two sessions, starting in the morning and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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reconvening in the afternoon.

Present among the officials were Phuket Highways Chief Papiwetwoottisak Sookkii and PLTO Chief Banyat Kantha, along with representatives from local tour companies.

“Every official at the meeting knows the main reason for these accidents is the driver and the mechanical condition of the bus, but most importantly is that the drivers do not know the road well and do not know how to drive the buses safely over Patong Hill,” Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup told...

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Aussie, 70, dies after parasail fall PARASAIL OPERATORS at Kata Beach have been charged with recklessness causing death after a 70-year-old Australian tourist died after he became unhooked from his parasail harness and plunged some 70 metres into the water below on Wednesday (July 12).

The tourist, Roger Hussey, was on holiday with his wife Budsabong Thongsangka, who recorded a video of Mr Hussey taking flight. Australian media reported the Mr Hussey was a prominent businessman from Perth, Western Australia.

Emergency workers reported that Mr Hussey was initially conscious and talking, but had difficulty breathing, while in the ambulance en route to Patong Hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival at the facility.

Both the boat driver, Montiean Jandang, 44, and the parasail rider Rungroj Rakcheep, 38, were charged, confirmed Lt Suwisit Keereerak of the Karon Police.

“Mr Rungroj was reckless in checking equipment on the Australian man’s

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Governor urges migrant wokers, employers to ‘hold on’ > page 4

Residents protest over arrest brutality claims Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

A

Mr Hussey before his fatal parasail fall. body before they were on the parasail,” Lt Suwisit told The Phuket News.

“Mr Rungroj told us that before the parasail took off, he told the Australian man to hold the middle of the hooks with the correct method. When the parasail was up, the Australian man let go and held his arms spread out. He then held on again. After that, he fell,” Lt Suwisit explained.

“Mr Rungroj believes that when the Australian man held on after holding his arms out, he might have gripped the clips on the harness, and could have made the clips open a little,” he added.

Mr Hussey and his wife were due to return to Australia today (July 14).

Eakkapop Thongtub

bout 50 local residents from Baan Thasak in Phuket’s Pa Khlok subdistrict massed in front of the Thalang District Office last Wednesday night (June 5) to protest alleged physical abuse by officials.

The crowd, gathered in front of the office at 9pm and called for Somsak Aungkara and his son Autsadawut Deem Aungkara, 20, who had been taken into custody for drugs offences, to be released.

They claimed that officers used excessive physical force in handling the suspects, especially the son, who they said was “not of full sound mind”.

The crowd called for the officers involved to be held responsible.

One protester, a relative of the two suspects, said, “Mr Autsadawut was on a motorbike when a civil defence volunteer stopped him at a checkpoint near Wat Thasak and made him perform a urine drug test.

“The urine sample tested positive, so officers forced him to his family’s home where he lives and claimed that they found one meth pill (ya bah) in the house.

About 50 protesters massed in front of Thalang District Office last Wednesday night (July 5). Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub “Mr Somsak (Mr Autsadawut’s father) who was at the house told officers that he is the owner of the house and the meth belonged to him.

“Officers took them both to Thalang District Office to record their details so that they could send them for treatment,” the relative said.

“We saw officers use physical force in handling them.

Local teenagers and residents are disappointed about this.

That is why they gathered in front of the Thalang District Office,” the relative added.

Police officers were called to the scene after protesters continued their very vocal

protest in front of the gates.

The protesters disbanded after Thalang District Chief Vigrom Charktee spent an hour talking with them.

The Thalang District Office report of the incident noted that senior Thalang District Office officials Siriphong Leeprasit and Danai Jaikheng, who head of the district’s security operations together, along with defence volunteers set up a security checkpoint in Moo 4, Baan Thasak, Pa Khlok, at 5:20pm that day.

“While officers were on their way with them (the suspects) to Thalang District Office, on the road entering Baan

Thasak Moo 4 in Pa Khlok, 18 people who are believed to be their (the suspects’) relatives blocked the road.

“They threw rocks at officers’ vehicles. One defence volunteer, Niyom Nueangubon, suffered an injury to his head. He was taken to hospital.

The person who had his urine tested for drugs tested positive,” the report said.

After the protest, one relative said, “We have not reported this incident to police.

We haven’t decided yet. We have just realised that officers are going to report that we obstructed them in performing their duties.”

Deaths in Patong Hill tour bus crash spur momentum in safety drive Continued from page 1 ...The Phuket News.

Regardless, Mayor Chalermluck believes it is more important to make the road itself safer in order to reduce the number and severity of accidents at the bottom of the hill.

“I presented this option to the Governor. I want the Phuket Highways Chief to revise the bend and improve the road on Patong Hill. This will help drivers’ visibility and reduce the gradient at the bottom of the hill. This is the faster plan,” she said.

Gov Norraphat ordered Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Thawornwat Kongkaew to form and head a committee assigned to tackle the problem.

“The PLTO must present its data on the number, frequency and severity of accidents on Patong Hill at the next meeting, next week,” Mayor Chalermluck said.

After yet another tour-bus accident last year, local residents appealed for Patong Municipality to barricade the entrance to the street to prevent runaway tour buses wiping out the fronts of their homes and killing residents.

To this, Mayor Chalermluck on Tuesday said, “I don’t think this is a good plan. Even if we installed a special wall to absorb the impact energy, I believe this will do more harm than good.”

Before the meeting started on Tuesday, Gov Norraphat told the press that he would push to expedite the construction of the Patong Tunnel through the hills, a concept first floated some 20 years ago and now lost for more than 10 years in the halls of bureaucracy.

“The long-term solution for Patong Hill is the Patong Tunnel.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is finished. The extra budget for the construction

Rescue workers attend to one of the victims of the bus crash in Patong on Monday night. project is available. I will urge this project to start fast as I can. That will definitely solve the accident problem.”

However, Mayor Chalermluck, who herself hails from a local Patong family, discounted the notion of the decades-in-coming Patong Tunnel through the hills of having any positive impact soon.

“I have no hope the tunnel will come anytime soon. I won’t wait for it. Phuket will have to come up with other options to solve

this problem,” she said.

Meanwhile, Patong Police Chief Col Tassanai Orarigadech, who arrived on the island only weeks ago, called for bus operators to share responsibility for such accidents.

“The bus in this accident is from Phang Nga province. The bus is old, and was rented out for only B24,000 per month – that is cheap.

This is almost certainly why the brakes failed,” Col Tassanai told The Phuket News.

“I am deeply saddened for those who lost family members during their travel in Phuket. They did not deserve this. Police have restricted the hours during which large buses can travel over the hill, but it is hasn’t helped. Theses accidents happen so many times outside of these hours,” he said.

“I have presented to the Phuket Governor a request to introduce new regulations to control buses from other provinces through the

PLTO,” Col Tassanai explained.

“First, bus operators must specify the age of the bus’ engine to the PLTO,” he said.

“Second, police must charge the owner of the bus, not just the driver. If the owners are forced to share responsibility for such accidents, they will make sure their buses are good enough to drive in Phuket,” Col Tassanai assured.

PLTO Chief Banyat Kantha, however, wants to focus on driver training.

“The main reason for these accidents is lack of experience among the drivers,” Chief Banyat told The Phuket News.

“So I have drafted a plan to create a course for bus drivers with the training provided by experienced drivers from the Andaman Tour Bus Association (ATBA),” he said.

“Regardless, all ideas will be presented at the meeting next week,” he added. thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

PHUKET NEWS

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German charged for murder

Suspect attempts to slash own throat with box cutter during arrest Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

P

olice this week charged German national Nico Papke, a 35-year-old fitness instructor who lived in Rawai, for the murder of his girlfriend Pischa ‘Lek” Nampadung.

Ms Pischa’s body was found wrapped in blankets and dumped in the jungle in Wichit last Sunday (July 9).

Papke was also charged with concealing her body, an officer from Chalong Police Station confirmed to The Phuket News on Wednesday.

The German this week remained under police guard at Vachira Phuket Hospital after he attempted to slash his own throat with a box cutter when police moved to arrest him at his rented home in Rawai’s Saiyuan area last Sunday evening.

“Of course, I love Lek, she always told me to stay strong,” he told the The Phuket News’ Thai-language sister newspaper Khao Phuket.

Papke, who appeared sullen when interviewed, said that

ABOVE: German Nico Papke was charged while he was still in his hospital bed under guard by police. RIGHT: Pischa ‘Lek’ Nampadung. he and Ms Pischa had been in an “unstable relationship” for “about 3-4 months” and that they had a heated dispute on the night that Ms Pischa disappeared.

“Lek borrowed B20,000 from me and said that it had something to do with a car.

However, she then told me that she no longer had feelings for me and that she missed

her Israeli ex-boyfriend,” Papke said.

Asked if he was responsible for the death of Ms Pischa, Papke refused to answer.

During the course of the interview, police said that they still feared that Papke would try to escape custody.

“Last night, police officers who monitored the accused during the night shift

Van driver shunted off bridge

A PHUKET VAN DRIVER escaped serious injuries last Saturday (July 8) when a BMW sedan slammed into the back of his van, which was parked on the Thao Srisoonthorn Bridge, heading off the island, while he stood in front of the van with his passengers while they took photos of the view.

The force of the impact shunted the van forward, injuring two passengers and shoving the driver, Mana Thaweesapchusri, over the guardrail and plunging into the water about 20 metres below.

Mr Mana told police at the scene that he had parked on the bridge just before 7:30am.

“I was driving 10 passengers to make merit in other provinces for Asarnha Bucha Day,” Mr Mana said, before being taken to hospital.

“I stopped the van on the bridge for passengers to take photos. While they were standing in front of the van, a car hit at the back of the van.

“I fell down from the bridge about 20 meters into the water below. Luckily, a longtail boat was nearby to help me out of the water,” he added.

Mr Mana and one of his passengers, Supamas Kamphiranon, 62, were taken to @thephuketnews

The BMW sedan slammed into the van which was parked on the bridge so that passengers could take photos.

Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Thalang Hospital for treatment of minor injuries Another passenger, Dararat Nanthakitwiboon, 63, was taken to Takua Thung Hospital on the Phang Nga side of the bridge.

“People are not allowed to park on the bridge. It is very dangerous, but people still break the law and now this accident has happened,” said

Capt Terdsak Keawmanee, Deputy Chief Inspector of the Khok Kloy Police.

Capt Terdsak confirmed that he would question the driver of the BMW sedan, which is registered in Phang Nga Province, about the accident.

However, the name of the BMW driver was not disclosed.

Eakkapop Thongtub

recounted that in the middle of the night, Mr Papke got up and just stared into space for a long time,” said Sgt Rashen Chookaew on Tuesday.

“Officers were worried that Papke may attempt to escape during his hospital stay. So fellow police officers in charge of the operation were informed and we have added extra guards,” he said.

Meanwhile, a one-day funeral for Ms Pischa, originally from Kamphaeng Phet province, was held at Chalong Temple on Tuesday with Thai and foreign friends and local residents from Rawai and Chalong paying their respects.

The cremation for Ms Pischa was set to take place the same day.

Ms Pischa’s sister, Bang-

earn Onkorat, 40, said, “We do not want to keep Lek’s body for many days because it is not perfect. We just want to follow a simple religious funeral.

“Some of our relatives from Kamphaeng Phet are not able to come to the funeral, so the funeral is for one day only, this is what our mother requested,” she said.

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Skeleton found ‘might be migrant’ POLICE ARE HOPING to identify human remains found in jungle near the now-closed King Kong Party Club nightlife venue in Kathu on Tuesday afternoon (July 11).

Lt Vichot Meepop, Deputy Chief Inspector of Kathu Police Station, said he was informed of the location of the skeleton by local residents. They told police that they found the skeleton in the jungle near Phra Phuket Keaw Rd in Kathu at 4:20pm.

Kathu Police Chief Col ML Pattanajak Jakkapan examined the scene, located about 50 metres back from the road, with a Kusoldharm Foundation rescue team.

Along with the skeleton, police found a white shirt, a pink bra, blue f lowerpatterned sarong, rubber slippers and a red umbrella.

Nearby, police also found a water bottle, a cloth, a bag, B1,000 in cash, cosmetics, a torch and a packet of medicine with Burmeselanguage writing on it.

Col ML Pattanajak said, “The skeleton appears to be

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Migrant workers urged to ‘hold on’ Premkamon Ketsara thaiassist@classactmedia.co.th

T

The skeletal remains were found just 50 metres from Phra Phuket Kaew Rd in Kathu, near the nowclosed King Kong Party Club. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub that of a female. We believe it might be a homeless migrant woman.”

He added that the condition of the remains led police to believe the woman had died at least a month ago.

“Kathu Police are still working on the investigation. All pieces of the skeleton have been collected and sent to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where police can conduct forensic examination of them,” he added.

Eakkapop Thongtub

he Phuket Governor has pleaded for migrant workers and employers not to panic and the new Phuket Immigration chief has ordered officials not to take any legal action against such people during the six-month moratorium on the current crackdown on illegal workers.

The news was delivered at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall last Saturday (July 8), when Governor Norraphat Plodthong announced that an emergency migrant-worker registration centre will be set up to register such workers.

“A message to all illegal migrant workers and their employers: please hold on,” Gov Norraphat said.

“For all migrants who have illegally entered the country to work and all those who have legally entered the country but their employers have not registered them yet, please don’t leave until the Labour Office sets up a centre for employers to register them to confirm they can work legally,” he added.

News of the emergency migrant worker registration centres to open nationwide followed Phuket construction companies filing a petition for assistance. Photo: PR Dept The emergency migrant worker registration centre will be open at the Phuket Employment Office from July 24 to Aug 7, Gov Norraphat explained.

No mention was made of what hours the centre would be open or any limits on the number of migrant workers to be made legal.

Registration of migrant workers will require nationality verification, Gov Norraphat noted.

“Copies of workers’ ID cards will be sent to a nationality verification centre in Ranong for confirmation,” he explained.

At the meeting Phuket Im-

migration Chief Col Kathathorn Kumtiang, who arrived on the island two weeks ago, made it plain that no migrant workers or their employers are to be arrested during the six-month reprieve issued by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha last week.

“All officers are not to arrest or fine migrant workers without permits because during this time the government has implemented Section 44 (of the Constitution) to not enforce these regulations for six months,” Col Kathathorn said.

See also “Illegal borker warning issued” on page 7.

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A PRIVATE-SECTOR PLAN TO build a new airport on a 2,000-rai plot of forest reserve land in Phang Nga cannot proceed without proper public hearings, Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon has announced.

The news, announced last Thursday (July 6), is seen to ease growing concern over the project which involves a large-scale land lease in Klong Tung Maprao forest reserve in Tambon Lam Kaen, Thai Muang District.

The Lam Kaen local council on May 13 held a “hearing” on the airport project amid an outcry from local residents who questioned its legitimacy.

Only 115 people reportedly took part in the hearing but there were no representatives from the provincial authorities or the Ministry of National Resources and Environment.

“Local people feel there’s something off about the hearing. Local officials and representatives from the private sector were there but those from the province and national

All plans for a new, private airport on leased public land in Phang Nga province have been put on hold by order of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon. Photo: via Google Maps resource and environment office did not show up,” said a local source.

Addressing the concern, Gen Prawit said the project cannot go ahead without public input and he understands several other people have not had a say in it.

The deputy prime minister said he believes all concerned parties should have a say in the matter.

Bangkok Airways, operator of Samui Airport, has approached provincial authorities with a proposal to lease the 2,000 rai of land in Lam

Kaen. The potential site is said to be “degraded forest land”.

The firm is said to seek a 30-year contract to use the land that can be extended for another 30 years, and has offered to pay rent of B50 per rai each year.

Phang Nga province reportedly approved the project but the Royal Forestry Department (RFD) has yet to follow suit, demanding that it first sees an environmental impact assessment (EIA) study and area inspection.

“The authorities must conduct a proper public hearing before going ahead with the project. Some people have not given their opinion on it [via a public hearing],” Gen Prawit said.

Affected residents oppose the project while provincial business sectors support it.

National Resource and Environment Minister Surasak Karnjanarat yesterday tried to calm those who oppose the controversial project saying it has not yet received the green light.

Gen Surasak said he has ordered

the ministry to set up a fact-finding committee to consider the issue, noting the project needs to be considered from all angles ranging from its impact on the environment, communities and local economy to security concerns.

Certain facts need to be established, such as whether the degraded forest can be rehabilitated, he said, adding that local residents must be allowed to weigh in as it is likely to have an impact on their livelihood.

According to the minister, the plot in question is also located near the Phang Nga naval base, which operates under the Roayl Thai Navy Third Area Command based in Phuket, so security concerns must be assessed.

Moreover, it must seek Cabinet approval because it involves use of state land exceeding 1,000 rai.

He said the project must be confirmed as being in line with the country’s 20-year strategic plan and fall under the Private Investments in State Undertakings Act. Bangkok Post thephuketnews

Opinion 6

OPINION

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EDITORIAL

Reinventing the wheel, again

T

he recent deaths of a 10-year-old boy and his father in an accident on Patong Hill has again highlighted the road’s appalling safety record. In response, our new Governor Norraphat Plodthong called a… yawn… emergency meeting on improving road safety on the hill.

The new Patong Police Chief Col Tassanai Orarigadech has also vowed that a tour company and its driver will face the full force of the law over their negligence which resulted in another fatal crash in the same place just two weeks ago.

At the meeting, held on Tuesday (July 11), Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup called for improvements to the section of the road in question – where the latest, and countless other, heavy vehicle accidents occurred. This despite her acknowledgement that the key causes of the accidents were

lack of vehicle maintenance and poorly trained drivers.

At the meeting Gov Norraphat ordered Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Thawornwat Kongkaew to lead a… even longer yawn… committee to tackle the problem. The last thing we need is another committee to tell us what we already know.

What we need is immediate multi-pronged action to tackle the well-known causes.

The endless merry-go-round of – crash – death – outrage – discussion – inaction – is the result of a total lack of continuity in the governance of Phuket. As each new governor is appointed, along with the new police chiefs and PLTO heads, they all approach the problem as if it had never been identified or discussed before.

Previous attempts to establish check points to inspect heavy vehicles and restrict the

times which they could use the Patong Hill road have never been consistent, and as such, have given no reason for vehicle operators to up their game.

Serious charges are rarely laid (and even more rarely result in actual punishment) against drivers and their companies involved in accidents, fatal or not. Once again, reenforcing the belief that no real consequences will have to be faced for allowing your poorly maintained and poorly driven vehicles in Phuket.

Given she is a Patong local and has been in her role for several years, it is odd that Mayor Chalermluck’s response aims to build an “idiot proof” road instead of hoping the safety checks will be done ad that drivers will be trained – and use their training. But it does bypass the problem of “responsible” officials changing every few months.

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Faced with arrest for Phuket woman’s murder, German man slashes own throat Body found wrapped in blankets, dumped in Phuket jungle Police search for man in missing woman case Governor calls emergency meeting over fatal Patong bus crash Woman driver survives as Phuket crash rips pickup truck apart Samui clinic said to be foreign gangster den Police ID buried body on Samui Phuket Opinion: Leaving it to your imagination Phuket tour bus crash on Patong Hill leaves boy, 12, dead Police clarify seven Koh Tao death cases

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HAVE YOUR SAY How many will die?

Re: Phuket Governor calls emergency meeting over fatal Patong tour bus crash We will hear very soon again about the famous tunnel under Patong Hill, a project which we have spoken about for decades, how many dead before to consider it seriously?

Petermach An emergency meeting to what purpose? These bus death and destruction crashes will continue until local authorities decide to have police along the downside of Patong Hill.

A strong police presence will send a message to the drivers to descend very slowly in low gear. Also, have police technicians stop the buses in Kathu, crawl under them and at least visually inspect the brakes, before the hill. Only by doing this, will the bus operators realise Phuket is taking tourist safety seriously.

Foot ...................................................

Guides need skills

Re: Foreign tour guides under fire As a dive operator, we employ only Thai yellow card guides,

but there are not enough that have the skills to guide diving, some cannot even swim.

The guides need to be trained as dive masters/instructors and the ones that are discussed above have to learn the languages to guide – otherwise, how do they communicate?

RIC 23 ...................................................

National shame

Re: Phuket Opinion: Leaving it to your imagination I am sure most of your readers have similar experiences daily on the roads of Phuket.

It’s such a shame that these people believe this is the way to behave in a civilised society.

Just recently, outside Starbucks on the Patong beach road, I stopped for two minutes to drop my elderly disabled mother off for a coffee and whilst helping her walk across the pavement we were descended on by a pack of what I can only describe as savages, shouting that I couldn’t park there. Even shouting at my elderly mother. It’s an absolute disgrace, certainly the authorities should enforce laws and ensure these taxi drivers cannot do whatever they want,

but also, a civilised society should also not allow these people to behave as they do.

Families, friends, colleagues should all help each other to behave nicely to their fellow man. It should be a national shame to Thai society.

Discover Thainess ...................................................

Clueless driver

Re: Phuket van driver shunted off bridge as BMW slams van parked for photo-op Why the hell was he stopped on the bridge? He should have his license removed for life as that’s just insane – then fined a huge fine and compensation then jailed. He clearly has no clue on road use let alone driving passengers around.

Simon 01 ...................................................

Bad reputation

Re: Charges filed against Samui Times for ‘Death Island’ tag Don’t these officials realise that this action will only give the Samui Times global attention to their story? As for Mayor Chaiyan, doesn’t he realise the island’s reputation was damaged long ago?

Marcher

Support workers

Re: Phuket construction magnate flames government for migrant worker crisis All we hear from these employers is how this affecting their bottom line profits (made by their exploitation workers in contravention of UN resolutions) which is similar to Mr Bhurritt who sits on the Tourism Ministry’s Tourism Development Board.

His concern too is that it will affect production costs, the bottom line, increase costs and inf lation. Never do we hear of the plight of the migrant workers.

“We want migrant workers who have experience for our construction projects”.

How are they going to get that experience if there are not prepared to offer training?

Probably as it is reported, “they do not have the human resources to deal with this.”

Perhaps they should be providing better and safe working conditions with training and investing their profits on equipment to obviate the need for manual labour.

Jor 12

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THAILAND NEWS

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Illegal broker warning issued Dept says businesses could face human trafficking charges BANGKOK Bangkok Post

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he Department of Employment has warned business operators against using services from unregistered brokers to seek illegal migrant workers or risk facing human trafficking charges.

The warning came after Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha last Tuesday (July 6) exercised his special power under Section 44 of the Constitution to allow a 180-day reprieve for people involved in the employment of unregistered migrant workers.

The Section 44 order suspended until Jan 1 next year the enforcement of four sections of an executive decree to regulate the employment of migrant workers. This is to allow employers time to prepare the workers’ registration papers.

The decree has since been passed by the National Legislative Assembly into an act.

Department director-general Waranon Pitiwan said that

Migrant labourers typically find work through job brokers, who are the new target of the Department of Employment for human trafficking. Photo: Assawin Pinitwong during the reprieve, employers from several industries that have a shortage of workers, such as rice mills and farming, may require the services of brokers to bring in migrant workers.

He said some brokers may claim they can help employers with migrant workers’ registration and charge steep brokerage fees for their services.

According to Mr Waranon, only brokers registered with

the department are formally granted the right to import migrant workers.

Anyone who deceives employers into believing they can get undocumented migrant workers or deliver unregistered labourers to them would face charges, punishable by a jail term of between three and 10 years and/or a fine of B600,000-B1 million per worker, said Mr Waranon.

He said there are currently

Teen boxes to support grandma SUKHOTHAI A 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL taught Muay Thai by her father is boxing successfully in competitions in her home province and nearby, helping support her grandmother and pay off the family house.

Wijitra “Ann” Boon-in, a student at Ban Dan Lan Hoi Wittaya School in Baan Dan Lan Hoi district, said on Wednesday (July 12) her late father was a Muay Thai boxer. He had passed his love of the sport on to her and began training her when she was in Grade 6. She started fighting in the ring when she entered secondary school.

“I earn B500-B600 per fight. I have fought 18 bouts with 14 victories, 3 losses and one draw,” Wijitra said.

“I dream of becoming a physical education teacher because I love this field. I think it would be a secure job and I would have a regular income to take good care of my grandmother.”

She said her father died in an accident last year. @thephuketnews

The 14-year-old Wijitra ‘Ann’ Boon-in strikes a martial pose for a photograph at her house in Sukhothai province. Photo: Phubet Faithes Her mother had walked out on them when she was 8 months-old, and he and his mother had raised her.

Wijitra said she would like to meet her mother sometime.

Amporn Boon-in, the 58-year-old paternal grandmother, said that in addition to bringing home money from boxing, Wijitra helped her take care of the house and to sell fruit and vegetables at a wet market.

Grandma Amporn said she earned B180-B200 a

day from selling bananas, salted eggs and pickled bamboo shoots. She gave B30 to her granddaughter each day before she left for school – and she always gave her back B15 when she returned home.

Mrs Amporn said their house was built using money her late son had borrowed.

She and her granddaughter were trying to repay the loan. But the house still lacked a toilet, a kitchen, stairs and a back door.

Bangkok Post

81 brokers nationwide, 38 of them in Bangkok, that are authorised to bring in migrant workers.

Those who act as illegal brokers can be reported to the department’s provincial offices as well as 10 employment offices in Bangkok, and the agency will proceed with legal action against them. According to the department, employers who hire workers through illegal brokers involved in

human trafficking could also face charges of colluding with the trafficking gang.

Meanwhile, transport operators have expressed concerns about the decree, saying the falling number of workers is hurting their businesses.

Thai Transportation Operators Association president Wasuchet Sophonsathein said the decree has led to a shortage of workers in the tourism industry as migrants f led

across the border to return to their home country, and a rise in operating costs. Many migrant workers are employed as luggage handlers, hotel room cleaners and car park attendants.

The government should come up with a contingency plan if unregistered migrant workers continue to return to their countries fearing prosecution here, he said. The law stipulates harsh punishments for both civil and criminal wrongdoings associated with the illegal hiring of undocumented migrant workers, with fines ranging from B400,000B800,000.

Meanwhile, the Super Poll has confirmed many business operators and employers are troubled by the decree. Half of the respondents felt the decree has affected their businesses. A total of 1,150 business operators and people were surveyed from last Thursday to Saturday (July 6-8).

However, the general public said they believed the stringent decree would be a boon for job security for Thai workers.

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THAILAND NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Krabi family massacred Headman slain execution-style by gunmen in camouflage outfits KRABI Bangkok Post

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olice are hunting up to seven suspects believed to be involved in a grisly murder case in which eight members of a family in Krabi’s Ao Luek district were slain execution-style and three others gravely wounded by gunmen wearing army camouflage outfits.

The eight dead comprised three males and five females, police said, adding that three of the five females were children.

The gunmen arrived at the victims’ house in Moo 1 of tambon Baan Klang about 3pm on Monday (July 10), detained everyone in the house and waited until Worrayut Sanglang, a village head and the head of the murdered family, returned home at 8pm, the police investigation found.

The gunmen left the house at around 9pm and also took Mr Worrayut’s Toyota Yaris car. The car they drove to the victims’ house was later identified as a Toyota Fortuner registered in Songkhla province, police said.

Found dead at the scene were four adults – two men, two women – and one girl.

Police identified them as Duangphon Sanglang, Suriya Sanglang, Sutthiphong Phrikdam, Anna Buttoeb and Phetdao Sanglang, aged 4.

Mr Worrayut and another two girls identified as Phraemaithong Sanglang, 13, and Gingthien Sanglang, 8, were later pronounced dead at the hospital where they were taken

Local people are handling bodies of eight victims of a village headman’s family, who were shot dead at home by a group of men wearing camouflage outfits in Ao Luek district, Krabi. Photo: Ao Luek Police after officials arrived at the scene, police said. Phetdao, Phraemaithong and Gingthien were daughters of Mr Worrayut.

Col Kritsana Pattanacharoen, deputy spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, said the gunmen pretended to be security officers, claiming they had to raid the house because there was something illegal inside.

Investigators were gathering evidence including footage from security cameras, fingerprints and other traces left at the scene, he said.

A 30-year-old woman who survived the attack because

she fainted after a gunshot grazed the side of her ear, leading the gunmen to believe she was dead, is now being treated as a key eyewitness in the case, police said.

Police also collected DNA samples taken from food and drinks brought to the crime scene by the suspects while they waited for Mr Worrayut to come home, said an informed source.

The gunmen negotiated with Mr Worrayut about something, but the talks did not seem to go well.

The failed negotiations seemed to lead to their decision to murder him and the rest of

the family members who had already seen the attackers’ faces, said the same source.

Two injured victims were identified as Ranchida Phrikdam and Rayida Phrikdam.

A source close to Provincial Police Region 8’s investigation team said the attackers also took the hard disk drive of the computer linked to 10 security cameras installed at the victims’ house.

“The investigation team is focusing more on personal conflict motives as the attackers appeared to be rather cruel.

They spent hours waiting in the house without worrying that neighbours would

suddenly show up,” said the source.

“They could have simply ambushed Mr Worrayut outside the house but they did not.

It is believed they wanted to negotiate with Mr Worrayut and find something in the house before they shot him.”

Another police source said the attackers appeared to have planned the killings in advance as they collected all the spent bullet shells and took the hard disk drive to prevent the police from tracking them.

National police chief Gen Chakthip Chaijinda, who on Tuesday (July 11) travelled to Krabi to direct the investiga-

tion himself, earlier in the day ordered a team from the Crime Suppression Division to Krabi to work together with the local police investigating the case.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon urged the public to wait for the police probe into the case, and not jump to the conclusion the gunmen are soldiers simply because they were seen in militarylike outfits.

“Several cases have happened lately and involved soldiers,” said Gen Prawit.

“Sometimes it was a personal conflict … and if that is the case, it would be incorrect to say any particular case concerns the army [before it is proved to be so].”

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was waiting to receive a formal report about the murders.

The police are investigating four possible motives for the massacre: a personal conflict with a local politician who is the president of a tambon administration organisation; a conf lict linked with the construction of a stone mill; another conf lict involving land encroachment; and the illegal drug trade, said another informed source.

Mr Worrayut had also led efforts seeking to evict eight villagers from encroached land.

Investigators also learned Mr Worrayut led a group of villagers to protest against a teacher found to have committed inappropriate behaviour, forcing the teacher to leave the community, said the source.

Ringgit tea money stopped at Sadao immigration booths SONGKHLA THE IMMIGRATION POLICE chief has ordered an end to accepting ringgit tea money at the Sadao border crossing, ending a 20-year tradition on arrival from Malaysia.

Six immigration officers were transferred from the main southern border checkpoint pending investigation.

Immigration police commissioner Natthathorn Prohsunthorn arrived at the border crossing on Tuesday (July 11) following reports that visitors from Malaysia had to insert two ringgit, about B16, in their passports before presenting the documents to immigration of-

ficers for stamps.

He told subordinates not to take the tea money and vowed to punish those who defied his order.

He said the payment was valid if visitors arrived outside official work hours, between 6am and 9am and between 6pm and 11pm. The Interior Ministry set the rate to pay for the overtime of officers during such hours.

The extra payment rule remained unless the ministry changed it, he said. However, some officers demanded the payment even during official work hours.

Big signs were already erected at the checkpoint: “No fee is charged when passing this border during office hours”.

Six immigration officers were transferred from the Sadao border crossing to the Immigration Bureau 6 of Songkhla pending investigation into the tea money issue. Some officers sought the transfer themselves.

According to sources, tea money inserted in the passports of Thai and Malaysian people entering Thailand from Malaysia through Sadao was a normal practice for about two decades. It became a tradition among frequent travellers including Thai people working in Malaysia. The rate for a one-month visa stamp stood at 10 ringgits or about B79. As at least 5,000 people entered Sadao each day, the tea money amounted to B80,000-B100,000 daily.

Bangkok Post

Immigration police commissioner Natthathorn Prohsunthorn (centre) announces his policy at the Sadao border crossing in Songkhla province on Tuesday (July 11). Photo: Suwit Kaewhorthong thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

@thephuketnews

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

10 WORLD NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Makwatsha a tourism draw

Chinese tourists attracted to DR Congo village by painted huts DR CONGO Agnes Bun

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here’s no electricity and only 500 residents in the Congolese village of Makwatsha, but a long-standing tradition by its womenfolk has turned it almost by accident into a star attraction for Chinese tourists.

The outside walls of the huts are decorated with paintings of local life, flowers and butterflies, making “the village of the women painters” a draw also for tourists from France and Belgium.

“For the colour, we use only the earth,” says Prosperine Mwelma, 60, dressed in a bright blue and yellow wrap and holding a paint brush.

“We dig to find the pink colour,” she says, her hands covered with the village’s ochre clay soil.

The murals of daily village life, painted by the women during the dry season and using only natural pigments, caught the eye of the director of the local French cultural institute when he passed through on holiday – and he decided to let the world know.

Not only did he contact a local travel agency to try to put the village on the tourism map but he also organised for some of the women to be invited to

Paris in 2014 to exhibit their paintings.

For the Paris trip the villagers painted their works onto canvas and sold eight of them for a total of $60,000 (B2.04 million).

“On our own, we couldn’t have done it,” says Jean-Pierre Kabaso, chief of the village some 40 kilometres south of Lubumbashi, the capital of Haut-Katanga province in the southeast of Democratic Republic of Congo.

Now on tourist itineraries, the village’s painting tradition could become an important source of income in the future, the 52-year-old chief says.

When tourists come to the village on a day trip, they walk around, see the huts, discover how the villagers collect clay nearby to make the colours and are able to talk to them.

“There are other projects in the works, including plans for an exhibition in Washington,” Kabaso says.

In Lubumbashi, the only tour operator in the region sits in the dark in his office – there’s electricity here but many power cuts.

Isaac Sumba Maly, who runs the Palma Okapi Tours travel agency, says he is preparing for a visit by Chinese tourists.

The Chinese have been coming to DR Congo in in-

Villagers Josephine Muloba (left) and Prosperine Mwelwa after they painted a hut in Makwatsha, DR Congo. Photo: Agnes Bun/AFP creasing numbers for business, especially to Katanga province where Lubumbashi is located, because of its mining activities.

Most want to fit in a tour or buy souvenirs during their free time, boosting tourism and sales.

China, together with Belgium and France, are the main sources for the trickle of tourists – about 100 each year – who venture to this remote corner of DR Congo.

To attract more travellers, the tour operator has

launched a festival of painting at Makwatsha, teaming up with tourism and hotel schools and local media to showcase the women’s work once a year.

He’s also planning a trip to China this year to negotiate a tourism contract with a private company looking to send its employees on holiday to Lubumbashi.

But it’s a tough job selling tours to DR Congo.

“The Congo has a bad image overseas due to insecurity, war,” says Maly, dressed

impeccably in a suit despite the heat.

For the past several years, DR Congo has been mired in a political crisis, which has worsened since President Joseph Kabila refused to step aside when his mandate expired in December. Elections are supposed to take place by the end of this year.

And in several regions, armed militias battle against government troops, creating a plague of violence that makes foreign visitors fearful of

venturing into the huge central African nation – around two-thirds the size of western Europe.

“The Congo is vast,” says Maly, arguing that size is an advantage.

“If there is war in the north, that’s thousands of kilometres from here! In Israel, there are attacks, bombs, but nevertheless thousands go there for tourism,” he says.

In Lubumbashi’s old town, another artistic venture can be found in ateliers where, to the deafening sound of electric saws, workers sculpt statues out of malachite – the green mineral found throughout the region.

Green stone statues of rhinos, lions or even larger animals are coveted by the Chinese tourists.

“They come with their orders for big pieces like crocodiles several metres long that they take back to China,” says Stanis Chansa, who has been a sculptor for 45 years.

The intrepid travellers who do manage the journey to HautKatanga leave an impression on local residents.

“The international tourists often make the Congolese realise the beauty of their homeland,” says Eric Monga, a local official of the Federation of Congolese Business.

AFP

Scampering dogs in Chile help restore burnt forests Chilean Francisca Torres (left), dog trainer and member of animal activism group Pewos, prepares her trained border collies’ special backpacks, filling them with tree seeds in Talca. Photo: AFP

CHILE FOREST FIRES IN CHILE ravaged vast swathes of land this year, leaving patches once thick with sturdy old trees reduced to burnt landscapes.

Now, three plucky dogs are helping replant it all.

The blazes blackened the El Maule region of central Chile as part of a series of fires that claimed 11 lives and charred a total of 457,000 hectares.

But since March three Border Collies have been scampering through the charred remains with special satchels that spread seeds as they run to sow seedlings, grass and flowers.

A major goal is for animals that fled the fires to come back.

“The main thing is for the fauna to be able to live,” said Francisca Torres, the owner

of the three dogs tasked with this big mission.

The female dogs are named Das, Olivia and Summer.

They jump out of Torres’ truck and run into the forest they are charged with bringing back to life by spreading seeds from the satchels, happily oblivious to the benefit they are providing.

When the job is finished they get treats from Torres, 32, who also trains dogs to work with people with disabilities.

Then she fills their satchels up with more seeds and sends them out again.

Torres, who runs an environmental NGO, says these dogs – bred to herd sheep – are smart, vibrant and fast and therefore just right for the job.

In any case, they are better than humans, she said.

The dogs can cover a range of 30 kilometres in a day and sow up to 10 kilograms of

seeds, whereas a person could only do three kilometres in a day.

This work has been under way for nearly four months now in 15 forests of the El Maule region. In some of them, grass is back and seedlings, vines and mushrooms have pushed through the blackened earth, thanks to the moisture that comes with the winter of the southern hemisphere.

“We have seen some fields that are now totally green thanks to the work of Summer, Olivia and Das,” said Torres.

She pays for this work largely out of her own pocket, and with some donations.

Torres expressed hope that this summer the seeds will have germinated and some animals like foxes, hares and lizards will have returned to the forest.

AFP thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

BUSINESS NEWS 11

Old habits die hard New reruns, different sideburns as Time Lords teach us a lesson FINANCE The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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ruth is always revealed to the righteous – so the saying goes – and yet most people only recognise that truth when it’s too late.

Put another way: hindsight is 20/20, but wouldn’t it be nice if people also had a little foresight?

While historians warn each generation not to ignore history, people continue to repeat their mistakes time and time again. In no area is this more true than investments, where the average person’s foray into the financial world seems to be plagued by emotion and myopia.

But even a cursory glance at the collective history of human decision making turns up clues left for us by prior generations – clues as to when we might anticipate a “rerun” of an event from a bygone era.

And watching a new mania unfold is like watching a “reboot” of an old series with new characters, aimed at a younger generation who will think they’re seeing something new.

Consider Doctor Who – a familiar old series, with a constantly evolving cast of new characters. When the actor portraying The Doctor leaves the show, a new actor takes his place, which is explained to the audience as the Time Lord’s unique ability to “regenerate”. So why is it that people can follow a television programme for 50 years and recognise when 30-year old plot devices are repeated, but when real-world financial plots are repeated, people are unable to acknowledge that they have seen it all before?

Bubbles and busts have a

The S&P 500 has not had a ‘correction’ for 99 months. Photo: AFP few things in common with Time Lords: they have been around for centuries, they pop up in every country in the world, and they “regenerate”; that is to say, they take on a superficially different appearance, but deep down they are exactly the same creature. Humanity, however, is nothing like a Time Lord because it never learns from history, and instead carries on repeating the same old mistakes.

It is frustrating to hear the same four-word mantra repeated every time stock markets hit dizzying new heights: “This time it’s different.” No! It’s never different. Same story, new cast. The fundamental reason why most investors lose money is they bought an overpriced asset class at the top an investment cycle, then

rode it almost to the bottom before selling. They are probably aware on an intellectual level that it is the wrong time to sell, and that the bottom of the market actually represents an incredible buying opportunity, but emotionally they ignore it because of the pain of their loss.

Sometimes mistakes are caused by good old-fashioned forgetfulness. People forget about the last banking crisis, unless it directly affected them. They forget that house prices do crash, as well as rise, even though the cycle is repeated on average four or five times in each lifetime.

And even the most discerning investor forgets that the stock markets move from expensive to cheap to expensive again continually over hundreds of years. They also

Hainan Airlines launches direct flights AIRLINES HAINAN AIRLINES ON July 6 launched new flights, served by Boeing 737 aircraft, from Haikou, the capital city of Hainan Province, to Phuket.

“The new Haikou-Phuket route aims to develop the network of direct flights throughout Southeast Asia under as part of the Chinese Government’s Silk Road Economic Belt initiative. It is a challenge and an opportunity,” said @thephuketnews

The new flights, which began on (July 6), are served by Hainan Airlines 737 fleet.

Hainan Airlines Thailand Region Office General Manager Wu Congye.

Flights depart Haikou Meilan International Airport Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30am and on Saturdays at

6:20am – and touch down in Phuket at 8:20am.

Flights depart Phuket Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 9:50am, and arrive in Haikou at 1:40pm.

Zhong Wenhui

forget that the stock market crashes frequently, even though they get reminded of this, on average, every four and a half years.

At the time of writing, the S&P 500 has gone 99 months without a correction (defined as a 20% drop in the market). Barring what would be a shock summer correction, it will be 100 months as you read this. This is already the second-longest uninterrupted upward surge in history, and nearly four years longer than the historical average, and people are still optimistic about equities.

Bull markets inexplicably make people complacent. Any cricket supporter knows to be anxious when their batsman is on 111 (a “Nelson” in cricketing parlance), and any football fan gets a knot in

their stomach when a rival’s player receives a pass and the commentator says, “He’s not scored a goal in 56 matches.”

Why do these events make us nervous? Because fate is being tempted.

As the old saying goes, investors climb a wall of worry, then slide down a slope of hope. In other words, they are tempting fate as the market gets higher, but hope that history won’t repeat itself as it turns downward. But history is cruel that way. Sideburns come and go; neckties get wide then thin; wire rims give way to tortoise shells; bull markets crash.

The current corporatedebt-to-GDP ratio is over 45%, which is almost the same record amount of leverage seen before the three previous recessions. The S&P 500 index

has a Price/Earnings ratio of 24.15 – it was 30 when the dot com bubble burst.

Those two numbers are worthy enough of attention on their own, but combined with the Federal Reserve relaxing the very stimulus which has driven the markets so high in the first place, well, let’s just say our batsman is currently on a “Nelson”. It doesn’t mean he’ll be out next ball, but it is reason enough to make you sweat.

US stock markets are at alltime highs. Global interest rates are at historic lows.

And the threat of higher rates will put pressure on both of these markets. You need stable alternatives, and we can help you find them. Email us today: chatwithus@PhuketExpatFinance

12 BUSINESS NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

BHM takes flight

Alliance to bolster regional presence

The Baan Rim Pa team has for the third year been bestowed Wine Spectator’s ‘Best of Award’, or ‘Two Glass’, accolade.

Phuket venues awash in Wine Spectator awards RESTAURANTS PHUKET VENUES HAVE gained ground in world recognition in the vintner industry with a host of venues across the island receiving recognition from Wine Spectator, one world’s most prestigious wine magazines.

Each year thousands of restaurants from around the world apply to receive an award in the different categories.

“The criteria are very strict and the awards are judged on different levels of the wine menus in each restaurant,” explained Sue Ultmann, Executive Manager & Marketing Director at the Baan Rim Pa Group, which this year have improved on their exclusive award status.

Since 2002 Baan Rim

Pa, Joe’s Downstairs and Da Maurizio has received the “Award of Excellence”, or “One Glass” award. In 20I5 and 2016 – and now 2017 – the group has been honoured with the “Best of Award”, better known in the industry as the “Two Glass” award.

“Only about a dozen restaurants in Thailand have received this award and Phuket has the honour of seven restaurants receiving it in 2017,” Ms Ultmann pointed out, among them Baan Rim Pa’s three restaurants and the Boathouse Wine & Grill.

Three venues recognised with the “Two Glass” award this year for the first time are Acqua in Kalim, Mom Tri’s Wok Pagoda in Rawai and The Siam Supper Club at Tinlay Place in Cherng Talay.

The Phuket News

HOSPITALITY The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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merging Asia-based hotel management compa ny Bespoke Hospitality Management Asia (BHMAsia) has entered an agreement for its acquisition

by The Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT).

The acquisition will be FLT’s first investment in the accommodation sector and will strengthen its rapidly expanding in-destination travel experiences division, currently being the company’s third core business pillar, alongside its extensive leisure and corporate travel operations.

FLT is one of the world’s largest travel agency groups; it has company-owned operations in 14 countries and a corporate travel management network that spans more than 75 countries.

It employs more than 19,000 people globally and has a total of 3,000 stores, with annual group revenues in excess of USD$14 billion (B477.68bn).

Slated to open this year also at Bang Tao is the X2 Vibe Phuket Bangtao Residence, an eight-story residence to include 84 freehold condominiums.

BHM Chief Executive Officer Anthony McDonald said the acquisition would help fast-track BHMAsia’s growth.

“Strategically, this is a perfect fit – Flight Centre has customers that need hotels and BHMAsia has hotels that need customers. By leveraging FLT’s global distribution network, BHMAsia-managed hotels can deliver improved returns to their owners and an end-to-end experience for FLT customers,” he said.

Mr McDonald, who founded BHMAsia in 2013, will remain in the business as CEO, along with other key BHMAsia executives, as it continues its expansion throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Full details of the transaction and the strategic plans for the group will be released shortly, after the formal completion of the deal, noted a release issued earlier this week.

BHMAsia’s current management portfolio includes

properties in Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya and Chiang Mai. Properties range from individual villas and apartments to hotels and resorts.

The company is taking on larger properties, including the recently opened 266-room X2 Vibe Sukhumvit Hotel in Bangkok, and has taken on its sixth property in Vietnam (Hoi An and Danang).

BHMAsia’s brands include the luxury X2 (Cross To); the mid-scale X2 Vibe; and the casual Away Resorts and Villas.

In Phuket, BHM-Asia operates the X2 Phuket Oasis Villa, a luxury villa located just behind Bang Tao Beach.

Slated to open this year also at Bang Tao is the X2 Vibe Phuket Bangtao Residence, an eight-story residence to include 84 freehold condominiums with one and two-bedroom units in 11 different configurations.

Slated to open in 2018 is the X2 Vibe Phuket Patong Hotel, and further north BHMAsia operates the X2 Khao Lak Anda Mani Resort.

SilkAir celebrates 737 Max 8 fleet ADVERTORIAL SILKAIR, THE REGIONAL wing of Singapore Airlines, is offering customers exceptional return airfares as well as a chance to win Business Class tickets to its extensive network of 53 destinations, in celebration of the upcoming arrival of its new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, which is slated for October this year.

Held from July 3-30, 2017* only, the promotional sale features attractive discounts for both Business and Economy Class airfares. In addition, customers who purchase any SilkAir ticket in the same period are instantly entered into a lucky draw, where eight lucky winners will each win a pair of return Business Class tickets to any of SilkAir’s 53 destinations in Asia Pacific.

For flights departing from Phuket, round-trip fares for as low as B6,508 can whisk one away to the island-nation brimming with exciting experiences – from food to shopping and family-friendly attractions of Singapore; for B9,108 passengers can travel to the white sandy beaches and crystal waters at Kalibo, Philippines; for B16,668 pas-

SilkAir’s Max 8 fleet is to arrive in October. Image: Boeing sengers can travel to Kochi, India, a major port city that was once the centre of ancient spice trade. Centuries of trading and migration have given Kochi a unique culture and architecture that fascinate many tourists.

Colonial churches and forts, lush backwaters, scenic hills and tranquil beaches are just a few of Kochi’s many appeals.

These fares, which can be purchased on silkair.com and all SilkAir authorised agents, are inclusive of the full-service carrier’s many comforts and conveniences including 30 kilograms and 40kg check-in baggage allowance for Economy and Business class respectively, inflight meals, complimentary wireless streaming of inflight entertainment via the SilkAir Studio app, and the chance to earn miles on the KrisFlyer frequent flyer programme.

Codeshare flights, chartered flights and tickets issued by

other airlines are not eligible for this promotion.

“SilkAir is excited to welcome the first of our new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft to our fleet towards the end of this year, which marks another milestone in our commitment to constantly improve the travel experience for passengers,” said Ahmad Zuhri, Manager Thailand, SilkAir. “We are pleased to offer these special fares to thank and reward our customers for their enduring support as well as welcome travellers who are new to SilkAir. Additionally, we are presenting an opportunity to eight lucky winners and their partners to experience our Business Class product, which we trust they will fully enjoy.” * Outbound travel must be fulfilled on or before 31 October 2017. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Phuket Lifeguard Service to get expert training

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

14

La Boucherie serves up French bistro classics

15

ON THE FRONT LINE Premkamon Ketsara thaiassist@classactmedia.co.th

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he shockingly high number of road deaths in Thailand is an all to familiar topic of discussion among the country’s expat community. Global statistics rank Thailand’s roads as among the most dangerous in the world and Phuket regularly reports the highest number of road deaths of any province in the country.

Shocking as they may be, these dry statistics do little to convey the gruesome reality for the emergency workers on the front line who face the daily carnage on our roads.

One such person is Pasathorn “Bomb” Suwanphahu, who has been a rescue worker for Phuket’s Kusoldharm Rescue Foundation since he was 16 years old. The Phuket News spoke to Bomb about how he came to be a rescue worker, what it involves, and how it has affected his life and outlook.

For Bomb it was a tumultuous period in his own life that led him to the path he now follows. After the breakdown of a youthful love affair left him heartbroken and depressed, Bomb found himself searching for something he could throw himself into to take his mind off the past and decided to apply for the job as a Kusoldharm rescue worker.

Once he started, Bomb felt like he had found his calling in helping others and giving back to the community, but despite its many rewarding aspects, the job certainly has a dark side which Bomb says has given him a new perspective on life.

“Not many people know what rescue workers have to do and face every day. Many people think that we rescue workers are apathetic to horror and death. But that is not true,” says Bomb.

“I have been working in this field for seven years and even though I have seen so many accidents and deaths, I never escape that feeling of loss. When I saw a child die, I felt it was too early for them. Their life should have been longer. They should have had more chances to do many things.

“I came back my home and cried. I felt blue for many days. My heart was broken. Many people who are good rescue workers resign because they cannot handle this feeling. For me, I still want to do this. I can still handle this. I do not want to stop doing this,” he adds.

We asked Bomb to take us through the process of responding to an emergency and some of the dangers and @thephuketnews

Pasathorn ‘Bomb’ Suwanphahu has been a rescue worker for the Kusoldharm Foundation since he was 16. unexpected problems that can arise in the confusion and distress of an accident scene.

“In an emergency people can call us directly at 1669. You can call the police 191 hotline, but they will just call us anyway,” he said. (English speakers are recommended to call the Tourist Police 1155 hotline.)

“Our work starts when we receive a report from the radio centre. After we receive the report we go straight to the scene. When we arrive, our first concern is for the safety of rescue workers, if we get injured then nobody is helped, so we have to think of our own lives first. If an accident scene is at a blind curve, we will park the ambulance carefully and turn on the lights and siren so other drivers can see us working.

“When we examine people for injuries, the first thing we check is their state of consciousness. We have to quickly assess on the risk to their life and decide what equipment we should use and what is a priority. Our ambulance is equipped for basic life support, we are first responders and we do not have all the equipment a full medical ambulance has.

“If their injures are bleeding and blocking their respiratory system, we will put small pipe to suck the blood from their respiratory system first so they can breath. After that we will

take them to a hospital. If their injures are more severe, we can do CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to try to revive them and prevent brain injuries from lack of blood, while we wait for medical staff to arrive at the scene.

“Sometimes the injured person’s relatives are distressed that we take a long time to do CPR. They wonder why we don’t transfer them immediately to a hospital. The truth is that it is the only thing we can do, by law we have to wait for medical teams who have more capability to assist them.

“Many relatives expect the ambulance to take the injured to a doctor as fast as possible. So they try to rush rescue workers while we are treating the injured. They think it is better if they take them to a hospital by themselves. The truth is that we are giving essential primary medical assistance that could save their lives,” adds Bomb.

Bomb says misunderstandings like this are a common problem faced by emergency workers and at times they are even actively prevented from doing their job.

“An ambulance has priority on the road when transporting injured people, but in Phuket only about 60% of vehicles get out of the way for an ambulance. The others are in shock or they don’t know what to do and don’t

know which way they have to move.

Some of them do not respond at all or give any cooperation,” he says.

“Many times vehicles follow an ambulance when it runs through red lights. Once a taxi hit the back of our ambulance, so we had to call another ambulance to help the injured. Then the process starts again from the beginning and the injured have to wait.

“Sometimes we receive a report of people injured from fighting. When we get the injured people in the ambulance, their enemies will follow and block the ambulance and continue to fight. Once my shirt was cut by a man with a knife,” recalls Bomb Despite the many frustrations and dangers he faces on the job, Bomb has managed to take many positives and is determined to continue his work.

“Working in this field makes me more aware of life. We do not know when our last minute of life might come, our last minute to see our loved ones. I see the value of my life and of other people’s lives. It makes my family bond become stronger. The dark side of this job can also give me a bad perspective on people, but I also feel that I understand the world more through the various kinds of people I meet.

“Many people have a bad attitude towards rescue workers. I have heard rumours that some rescue workers steal injured people’s property. I don’t have any reaction or feeling toward these rumours. I believe that every occupations has both good people and bad people. Rescue workers have to be very aware and careful when they are working. To touch injured an person’s property is very dangerous. We try to avoid this and let police or nurses take care of it,” he says.

The selfless work of Bomb and his colleagues is even more incredible when you realise that it is funded entirely by donations from the public.

“We do not receive much income from this job, but we can still survive.

Our salaries come from the interest on money that people donate to the shrine. Some of the donated money is also used for buying emergency equipment. It all goes to give good things back to society.

“I am happy to help people. I don’t know if others believe the same thing as me. When people are going to die the only thing they hope for is a miracle to stay alive and return back to their family. I want to be part of the miracles that can save people’s lives.

In the past I was happy to do things for my family. Now, I also feel happy in helping people even if I do not know them. It is like being a person who puts gold leaf on the back of the Buddha image,” says Bomb.

14 COMMUNITY

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Lifeguards to train with the best Australian experts set to give Phuket’s lifeguards professional training

The Phuket News editor1@classactmedia.co.th

A

team of 10 senior Australian lifesavers (volunteers) and lifeguards (professionals) will be in Phuket on Tuesday (July 18) to conduct beach safety audits, skills training and skill assessments for the Phuket Lifeguard Service (PLS), and the head of PLS has put out a call for all Thai people working in the tourism sector – including speedboat and jet-ski operators, tour guides and hotel staff – to take part in the rescue training exer-

cise in order to help save lives.

“We are so happy that they are coming to update all our staff on the latest techniques, and they usually conduct the training in a realistic way that our lifeguards enjoy,” said Chief of the PLS Prathaiyut Chuayuan.

He added that the training session is an excellent opportunity for all people working in the tourism sector to improve their skills and knowledge around water safety, rescue techniques and first aid.

In the 1990s Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) began coming to Phuket to train hotel staff and “beachguards”

to patrol the island’s public beaches, and since then they have had a close relationship with their counterparts here in Phuket.

Back then, Phuket’s beaches were often guarded by people untrained in beach management, ocean rescue techniques, or CPR, many were even nonswimmers and their rescue equipment was of poor quality.

Today, as head of the PLS Mr Prathaiyut looks back on his days as a young lifeguard working at Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort in Karon and reflects on how far Phuket has come.

“We have learned how to bring our standards up to world standards. My managers are all Australian-trained and we have also travelled to several world lifesaving conferences and events since 2012 to increase our expertise in aquatic safety in our own right.

“Last year PLS was gained membership to the International Life Saving Federation and we are very proud of this achievement,” he said.

Tuesday’s training will be the sixth such training activity undertaken by SLSA in conjunction with PLS. “We are not perfect but are learning quickly,” said Mr Prathaiyut.

“This August we will launch the first ever surf life-saving manual in Thai. The Australian government has helped fund this project because we identified a need for a standard approach to lifesaving training,” he added.

The problems confronting the PLS as it strives for safer beaches is similar to those faced by other lifeguard services across the globe.

“If people obey our lifeguards, and follow the multi-language signage and flag system used on Phuket’s beaches, there should be no problem. However, if people get drunk and take drugs before entering the sea, or swim at night, or enter the sea during high surf, then problems can and do happen,” noted Mr Prathaiyut.

“We have come a long way in a short time and we are still improving. Our partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia and with individual surf clubs in Australia will only strengthen us further,” he added.

This December PLS we will be holding its sixth annual Phuket Surf Carnival and this year it will be hosting Thailand’s first National Surf Life Saving Championships.

The Championships form part of

Chief of the Phuket Lifeguard Service Prathaiyut Chuayuan

David Field will lead the tour of Phuket by expert Australian lifeguards this month.

Phuket Swim Week, a seven-day event combining ocean swimming events with children’s water safety activities that the PLS is staging in cooperation with the Thailand Amateur Swimming Association and Australia surf life savers.

“We have a strategy to use competition and water safety activities to attract people to Phuket who can enjoy the sea and contribute to better water safety for Thai people and our international visitors,” said Mr Prathaiyut.

The training to be conducted by the team of Australians this month will focus on skills assessment for Phuket Lifeguards in order to gauge their rescue readiness and beach management practices.

Mr Prathaiyut has invited all Thai people working in tourism who work near the water in any capacity to take part in the rescue training. People interested in joining the training can contact the PLS on 081-8925549. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

DINING 15

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

The incredibly tender slow-cooked Lamb Shank Confit.

Steak La Boucherie with French fries, salad, seasonal vegetables, stuffed tomato and blue cheese sauce.

Haute cuisine for the rest of us La Boucherie serves up classic French cuisine without breaking the bank

J

acques Salmon started La Boucherie French Steakhouse in 1974. Salmon was a butcher by trade and sought to afford diners not just good steaks but the ambiance of a butcher shop. His concept proved popular. The chain now includes Geudin more than 150 branches in 11 countries, a numis a ‘gasber projected to reach two hundred in 2018. tronomic I suppose in France they do things differently than where I come from, because La Boucherie is chef’ whose like is heavy on red leather and wood whereas butcher shops usually confined in my experience are all white and project an atmosto Guide Michelin phere antiseptic rather than romantic. But then, butcher shops in my experience were not restaurants, and star-restaurants.

La Boucherie emphatically is, serving breakfast, lunch He’s spent most of and dinner and featuring an interesting wine list. his 30-year career Chain restaurants sporting ‘happy cow’ logos are not usually identified with haute cuisine, but in this cooking for heads of also La Boucherie, notably the franchise in Chalong, state, ambassadors, differs. Since entering Phuket in 1998, the brand has four-star generals, allowed its franchisee unusual leeway. At the head of the Chalong branch is former Bangkok French Emprinces and bassy chef Pascal Geudin. princesses.

To me, this is simply amazing: Geudin is a ‘gastronomic chef’ whose like is usually confined to Guide Michelin star-restaurants. He’s spent most of his 30year career cooking for heads of state, ambassadors, four-star generals, princes and princesses, the noblesse of finance and the silver screen. At the embassy in Bangkok, he was loaned to other embassies when they needed dishes with more éclat than their usual fare.

Geudin makes the sort of food most of us read about but never eat – face it, when was the last time you dined at La Tour d’Argent? Anyway, you probably wouldn’t take the kids to such places, perhaps to puzzle over ordering dessert or paying next month’s rent, but you would take them to La Boucherie Chalong; and they’d love it.

During my visit, the experience (how better to describe it?) began with a zesty, picturesque Escalope of Foie Gras (B450): 70-gram pats of Perigord foie gras atop sliced mango and sprinkled with balsamic cream of vinegar, honey, sugar and mango reduced over low flame. Liver and mango? “Oh yes!” said Pascal, when I exclaimed at fruit and foie gras, “I put it with pineapple or mango; in Phuket I like it better with mango.”

Next up was the Carpaccio of thinly sliced ScalA light and fruity mango mousse. lops St. Jacques with an emulsion of Passion Fruit and Lemon: “My arm,” said the chef, “gets so tired from whipping” the emulsion. Pascal makes a point of using lemon because “it is not the same flavour as lime,” and calls this one of his favourite dishes for a hot day.

My attention shifted back to food when the Tuna Tartare (B350) arrived: decorated in pomegranate seeds and delightThe Strawberry Soup with Spiced fully fresh, it is accompanied by Red Wine is a popular dessert choice. capers, small cucumbers, tiny Marque A. Rome editor1@classactmedia.co.th

@thephuketnews

yellow tomatoes and dark balsamic with olive oil. It is crunchy, full-flavoured, visually multi-faceted, aromatically complex and I like it a lot.

As a main course, Pascal recommends the chateaubriand, here called Steak La Boucherie (B550). I order it rare, and it arrives – voila! – blood rare, which is hard to get in Thailand. It is an inch-and-a-half thick, delicately charred outside, a deep red inside, and deliciously aromatic.

Cups of Black Pepper and Wine, and Bearnaise sauce are provided, and a fine Ratatouille is on the side with Potatoes Dauphinois.

The Australian beef is well-marbled yet tender and juicy.

Excellent. Pascal, I should add, also makes some tasty hamburgers.

Finally, came a unique creation: layered Passion Fruit and Pistachio Nut Mousse flanked by English Cream (one side strawberry-flavoured, the other mango). It is a study in contrasts: crunchy and creamy; room temperature and icy cold; vibrant fragrances – together forming a wonderful and distinct chefd’oeuvre.

Traditional French cuisine is beyond the pocketbooks of most, but at La Boucherie Chalong they are engaged in a noble attempt to bring us the kind of food I, for one, might hitherto only watch as others ate.

For more information and bookings call: 0948 07 6831, email: laboucherie@thai-bd.com or visit: laboucherie-chalong.com

Former Chef of the French Embassy in Bangkok Pascal Geudin.

16 EXPLORE

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

In a departure from his usual cycling adventures around the island, Baz heads to Bangkok Hospital Phuket for some hi-tech testing.

The science of cycling BLAZING SADDLES

S

Baz Daniel

o, there I was, early on a Thursday morning, kitted out like Darth Vader with a breathing mask strapped to my face, a heart monitor wrapped around my chest and my feet poised to start pumping the pedals of a stationary bike inside the Bike Unit at Bangkok Hospital Phuket in Phuket Town.

That’s right. Phuket now has its very own Bike Unit, where assessments can be made about the metabolic health and fitness of riders and anyone else who wants to learn a little more about the arcane workings of their heart, lungs, circulatory system and metabolism.

The main measurement this equipment generates has the unwieldy name of VO2 Max connoting the maximum volume of oxygen that the subject can use when involved in intense exercise. This is essentially a metric used to measure an athlete’s level of cardiovascular (heart) fitness. In the world of endurance sports like cycling, VO2 Max is the king of physiological data, and confers bragging rights upon the athletes with the highest number.

The test is performed on a treadmill, or on a stationary bike, as I did it, the resistance of which is

progressively increased until you simply cannot push the pedals any longer. My torturer in this masochistic endeavour was a charming young man named Namajanaga “Suli” Sihayatra who has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Sport Science Faculty of Chulalongkorn University and is Certified as a Personal Trainer by the National Academy of Sport Medicine. He is overseen by my old friend Doctor Sayam Hanpipat, who has previously featured in this column and is himself a very fit and accomplished cyclist.

The VO2 Max Test The complex computer system controlling all this is runs Cyclus Two software which regulates your exercise intensity so that gear changes are not necessary. In my case this was a jolly good thing, as it meant that I could just concentrate on pumping the pedals without any distractions. My initial heart rate and oxygen values were recorded at resting levels and then I started cycling at 50 watts for three minutes. Then the computer system gradually increased the exercise intensity by 20 watts per minute until I simply could not pedal any longer.

The first few minutes felt like a gentle pootle through inviting countryside, nice and easy, as my heart rate gradually increased and the computer created a graph of my data. However, by 300 watts intensity, I was struggling and my breathing was getting increasingly fast and intense. I looked around for some sort of divine intervention which failed to materialise, as I kept on pedalling and the intensity continued to rise. Now my body was struggling for oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide as fast as it could, as it madly tried to maintain the ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide in my bloodstream.

I struggled to keep my cadence and I could feel that the end was near. Exhaustion was around the corner as my heart rate climbed to almost three times its resting rate. At this point, my body was no longer able to absorb enough oxygen to sustain the exercise, as it moved into anaerobic (no free oxygen) metabolism, which fatigued

Namajanaga ‘Suli’ Sihayatra welcomes Baz to the hospital’s Bike Unit. me even faster. My legs turned to jelly as I tried to pump the pedals a few more times, then I collapsed into a rather dishevelled heap over the handlebars.

Khun Suli produced reams of printed out graphs and data showing every aspect of my performance and underlying cardiovascular fitness and metabolic health.

For the record, my fitness rated pretty well for an old codger of 68 and Khun Suli even spotted my heart’s prolapsed mitral valve’s inability to completely close. Despite this, he gave me the green light to keep pounding on the pedals and enjoying my cycling.

Doctor Sayam, the extremely youthful-looking Head of Cardiac Rehabilitation at Bangkok Phuket Hospital said, “Regular cycling is one of the best ways to effectively boost your cardiovascular and overall health and I urge everyone to get out there pedalling and enjoying it as much as I do myself.”

May the VO2 Max Force be with you.

The test revealed a range of fitness indicators.

“Bicycling” Baz Daniel fell off his first bicycle aged three... a case of love at first slight. Since then he has spent a further 65 years falling on and off bicycles all over the world, but his passion endures. When not in traction, he found time to become Senior VP of the world’s largest advertising and communications group, finally retiring to Phuket in 2006.

He has been penning his Blazing Saddles column, chronicling his cycling adventures in Phuket and beyond, since 2013. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

TECHNOLOGY 17

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Go vegan with these handy apps Eating ethically is easy with these apps to guide you to animal-free food APPLICATION

ABCs

Amy Bensema bensema.amy@gmail.com

With this app, it is possible to get basic phrases translated in a variety of languages to help you order a vegan dish.

A

re you interested in eating vegan, but don’t know where to begin? It doesn’t matter if you are vegan curious, a brand new vegan, have been a vegan for the past 20 years or just flirting with the idea of eating vegan, these apps will be helpful.

HappyCow HappyCow is an online service that lists sources of vegan, vegetarian and healthy food. The app is fantastic for travellers, because no matter where you are in the world, HappyCow will help you find the perfect place to eat. HappyCow features helpful reviews and photos from other users near your location, which makes finding delicious, healthy food anywhere so much easier! Their website is also chock full of great information: www. happycow.net HappyCow is available for both iOS and Android.

Bunny Free The Bunny Free app allows users to check if a company is cruelty-free. Search by name to see if your favourite products are tested on animals. The Bunny Free database is expansive and it is easy to search using the in-app browse tab.

It is important to note, that although Bunny Free tells users if a company is cruelty-free, it does not mention if specific items are vegan. If you are using this as more of a vegan search app, it is best to

Instagram enlists AI to filter internet trolls

I

nstagram has announced that it is using artificial intelligence to filter nasty comments and spam at the popular Facebookowned photo-sharing service.

The move comes as Facebook and other internet companies work to curb trolls, hate speech and the spread of violent ideology on their platforms.

“Many of you have told us that toxic comments discourage you from enjoying Instagram and expressing yourself freely,” co-founder and CEO Kevin Systrom said in a blog post.

“To help, we’ve developed a filter that will block certain offensive comments on posts and in live video.”

Written remarks will otherwise appear as usual and users can opt to turn @thephuketnews

Instagram is owned by Facebook. off the new filters.

The offensive-comment filter will launch first in English, with other languages eventually added, according to Systrom.

“Our team has been training our systems for some time to recognise certain types of offensive and spammy comments so you never have to see them,” Systrom said.

Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube this week announced the launch of an anti-terror partnership aimed at thwarting the spread of extremist content online.

AFP

check the labels of the specific items you are searching for.

Bunny Free is available for both iOS and Android.

Vegaholic Are you a vegan that likes to drink?

You might not have realised yet that not all alcohol is veganfriendly. While some cocktails have obvious no-no’s such as cream, milk or egg whites added, it’s not always obvious if a drink is vegan or not. For example, some wine can be filtered with egg and certain brands of beer can contain fish bladders (Isinglass – a gelatin made using fish bladders – has been used since the 19th century as a fining agent to make beer clear, bright and more attractive to drinkers, the odourless added extra is used widely by brewers).

The Vegaholic app makes it easy to look up whatever your favourite beverage is and see if it is vegan-friendly or not.

Vegaholic is available for both iOS and Android.

Is It Vegan?

This is a great app for determining if packaged food is vegan. If you have the app, it is possible to scan the barcode of almost any item, or enter it manually, to determine if it is vegan. The app is brilliant because it also tells you what the non-vegan ingredients are. Interestingly enough, if you are looking for junk food, this app will also be able to let you know which of your favourite treats are vegan-friendly.

Is It Vegan? is available for both iOS and Android.

Veganagogo Veganagogo is a clever app for those who travel all over the world. With this app, it is possible to get basic phrases translated in a variety of languages to help you order a vegan dish. Try your luck by reading out the sentence translation, or show it to the staff at the restaurant. The app also translates variations of “thank you” which no doubt is appreciated in any country.

Veganagogo is available for both iOS and Android.

21-Day Vegan Kickstart It’s been said that it takes just 21 days to make a new habit.

If you are interested in giving veganism a try this app can help you plan your meals and make the transition easier. It provides many simple recipes as well as an overall understanding on how to balance a day’s vegan meals. It also has plenty of little tips and nuggets of information that appear each day to help you on your journey.

So even if you are not a vegan, these vegan-friendly apps can help you be a more conscious consumer – which in this day and age is much needed and appreciated. Download these apps today and start eating more animal-friendly food. 21-Day Vegan Kickstart is only available on iOS. Amy Bensema is a long-term Phuket expat with a keen interest in social media and technology. Email bensema.amy@gmail.com

18 ISLAND SCENE

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

From left: Kittipong Porjai, Seenyoh Khakhuen, JP, Best Wanamakok, Gary Player, Vivien Player, Raghu R and A Mann.

SOUTH AFRICAN GOLFING GREAT GARY PLAYER DROPS IN TO SKYE LAKE CLUB Golfing legend Gary Player recently visited Phuket to conduct training sessions at Laguna golf. While he was here he helped celebrate his granddaughter's birthday with family and friends at Skye Lake Club.

Skye prepared a special cake and flowers for Gary Player’s granddaughter’s birthday party.

Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong presides over the opening ceremony.

Photo: PR Dept

JP, Best Wanamakok and Gary Player.

Scores of prominent hotel and tourism operators from Phuket took part in the annual fair for 2017.

PHUKET PLAYS HOST TO 2017 ANDAMAN HOTELIER AND TOURISM FAIR The biggest hotel worker fair in southern Thailand, the Andaman Hotelier and Tourism Fair 2017, commenced on July 5 and was officially opened by Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong. The fair, which was held July 5-7 at Central Festival East, featured booths selling hotel and tourism products, specially priced tours and spa packages, house and kitchenware, and food-and-beverage products.

Club members and friends gather at the West Coast Service Centre.

Club members pose with West Coast staff.

THE AMERICAN CAR CLUB OF SOUTHERN THAILAND ROLLS INTO PHUKET Members of the American Car Club of Southern Thailand recently visited Phuket to display their retro American roadsters and enjoy each other’s company. They displayed their cars for the public at the West Coast Service Centre in the North of the island. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

ISLAND SCENE 19

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Members of Phuket’s Biker community took part in the charity fundraising event.

ANNUAL HOOTERS PHUKET BIKE WASH CHARITY EVENT A SUCCESS Another donation by a local bike club boosted fundraising efforts.

The Hooters Phuket Bike Wash charity event held on Friday, July 7, came on the heels of the celebrations for Hooters Phuket’s third anniversary. The annual Bike Wash was held in cooperation with several global and local organisations including Harley-Davison, Nicky’s Handlebar, WeConnect Events, Friendship Leather Patong and the Phuket biker community. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Baan Dek Holland.

The Hooters girls broke out the sponges to clean some nice bikes.

Guests take part in a free Zumba class.

One customer happy with a job well done.

Sofitel staff worked up a sweat for Global Wellness Day.

SOFITEL KRABI PHOKEETHRA RESORT HOSTS GLOBAL WELLNESS DAY EVENTS On Saturday June 10, Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort participated in Global Wellness Day, an inspiring initiative created to encourage people to live a healthy lifestyle. As part of the Global Wellness Day celebrations guests were invited to take part in a variety of activities including a live demonstration of healthy cooking. Guests also enjoyed free Tai Chi and Zumba dance classes

From left: Um, Aomsin and Tiya.

THE NAI H A R N PHUK ET UNVEILS ITS HAN-SHA ROOFTOP SUSHI & SASHIMI BAR From June 19 onwards, The Nai Harn beach hotel is further enhancing the unique by-thesea experience it offers guests and visitors with the launch of Han-Sha,the island’s first rooftop sea view Sushi & Sashimi Bar. @thephuketnews

The JW Marriott team celebrate their award.

JW MARRIOTT PHUKET RESORT & SPA CELEBRATES TRIPADVISOR WIN JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa on Mai Khao Beach, recently announced that they were awarded a 2017 Certificate of Excellence, by the world’s largest travel site, TripAdvisor.

20 EVENTS

FRI

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

MON

14 JUL

17 JUL PIWC Luncheon July The July Lunch will be a “High Tea” styled at Les Diables at Boat Lagoon on the 20th July. Registration starts at 11.30 am followed by Lunch at 12.15 pm.

Please send reservations to info@piwc-phuket.com attn. Maggy Wigman.

Kids Summer Bash Pool Competition at Expat Sports Bar

Kids eat free when order any entree. Face painting & Balloon making. Reservations, Hard Rock Cafe Phuket. sales1@phuket-hrc.com 076 366 381

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

Live Sports at Expat Hotel Mussels night @ Shakers 1.2kg mussels served with French fries, your choice, your style: nature, marnière, Provençale, garlic & cream or Thai style. Reservations recommended 295 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

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

SUN

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

WED

19 JUL

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

All you can eat! Grilled Australian rib-eye steak, teriyaki marinated chicken and grilled tiger prawns with BBQ sauce, red wine sauce and Bearnaise sauce, Caesar salad and herb-sauteed potatoes.

Only 495 baht. Two Chefs Live Band on stage from 8 pm until late. www.twochefs.com Karon 076-286479, Patong 076-344-914, Kata Beach 076-333370, Kata Center 076-330-065 COME FOR THE FOOD | STAY FOR THE FUN!

SAT

15 JUL

All you can eat BBQ Ribs night Sunday Brunch It’s Sunday, Enjoy the most family friendly brunch of the island !! Wide selection of Thai & international dishes - Foam party for the kids – All sports events covered at Champions and more for the parents!

Only 499 THB! Served From 12.00 until 15.00 Booking strongly advised. Tel: (0) 76 303 300. Reservations, Novotel Phuket Surin Beach Resort.

All you can eat Sunday Roast Buffet Steak Night Delicious special cuts of beef are offered especially for meat lover. Reservations, HYATT REGENCY PHUKET RESORT, fnb.phuhr@hyatt.com, 076 231 234 # 5106.

22 JUL

Sunset Matinee From 5 PM onward. With Dermudos exclusive sound

by DJ Wayu & DJ Dassana. Free Entry. Reservations, XANA Beach Club, info@xanabeachclub.com, 076 358 500.

Phuket Kids Water Safety Program

Architect & Engineering Exhibition 2017 Welcome to the best exhibition in Phuket and Andaman coastline for construction tools and materials and architectural design & décor items comprising a wide range of products and technology. This is a great opporturnity to introduce construction materials and decorative items to the Phuket and Andaman area.

Venue: Second floor, Royal Phuket City Hotel. More information please visit www.pic-phuket.com or info@ pic-phuket.com. Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News and Khao Phuket.

RETRO NIGHT The Two Chefs band will take you back to the ’70s & ’80s with some old goodies and take requests! Every Thursday @ Two Chefs Karon – Patong – Kata Center.

Chef’s Retro Special: Flambeed Rib-eye Steak 300g Only 495 Baht. Banana Flambe - Only 95 Baht. www. twochefs.com Karon 076-286-479, Patong 076-344914, Kata Center 076-330-065 COME FOR THE FOOD | STAY FOR THE FUN!

SAT

16 JUL

Meeting - Rotary Club Patong The Rotary Club of Patong Beach cordially invites guests and prospective members to attend its regular meetings. The cost for non-members is THB 500 and includes lunch. The meeting begins at 12 p.m. at the Days Inn in Patong. The guest speaker will be René Blattmann, a former judge of the International Criminal Court. Please visit www.rotarypatong.org for additional information.

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

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

6PM – 11PM: All you can eat BBQ ribs served with salad buffet, potato salad & choice of sauces.

Reservation recommended. 350 baht P.P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

THU

20 JUL

Bilingual session from qualified Australian and Phuket Life Guards. Open to ages 7-15 The Kids Water Safety Program is about having fun while learning to stay safe at the beach. The education component of the program includes beach safety, sun safety, what a lifesaver is and what they do. Register Email : thailifeguard@gmail. com Tel: 081–797-4775 Venue : MontAzure Beachfront, Kamala, Phuket Please bring swimming suits, sunblock, hats, goggles, towels and smiles. Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News.

TUE

25 JUL

Afraid of public speaking?

Toastmasters can help!

Chalong Bay Experience by Marriott Resort Phuket Merlin 1,950 THB net price per person. 3 PM - 5 PM leaving at 2 PM. Including transportation, distillery tour, cocktail class and Thai pantry dinner with Chalong Bay. Reservation at 076 335 300.

Looking to develop your public speaking and leadership skills? Ignite your career? Join Toastmasters Phuket and start making yourself a leader today!

Meetings held the 2nd and 4th Tue of every month at Mövenpick Resort Bangtao Beach Phuket. Contact Jason on 086 479 7471 for more info. phuketprofessionals.toastmastersclubs.org

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SAT

29 JUL

JIMMY FAME & FRIENDS Blues Shouter Jimmy Fame will perform with the Colin Hill Band and guest artists Jeffery Sevilla and Patrick Chua at the New Roadhouse in Karon. The evening will bring together Blues, Jazz and Rock ‘n’ Roll under one roof in a benefit for HELMETS FOR KIDS charity - Rotary Club Of Patong Beach. Doors open 7:30 PM. Music from 9:00. Tickets 850 THB (includes BBQ buffet and 2 drinks) Tickets: phuketticketmaster.com Info: www.rotarypatong.org or kareneidsvik@gmail.com or Khun Bier 081-691-3285. Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News and Live 89.5

SUN

EVENTS 21

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

30 JUL

THU

3 AUG

2 Star Michelin Chef at Banyan Tree Phuket For a limited time in August, join us for a week of culinary delights with German born Chef Stefan of ECCO Restaurant where diners will experience the Michelin-starred cooking mastery of “Brutally Seductive” and “Dishes of the Gods” cooking. Date: 3-8 August 2017. Seats are limited. Email Food and Beverage at: fb-phuket@banyantree.com or call +66 76 372 400 ext. 5463 for more information.

THU

10 AUG

Phuket’s 23 sq km rainforest. Bikers can test their endurance in four distances: the 4km fun race, the 9km, the 18-km (two loops of 9-km laps) or the 27 km (three loops of 9-km laps). Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News and Khao Phuket.

King of the Mountain Trail Run 2017 King of the Mountain Phuket Trail Run, one of Thanyapura’s most popular races, returns on September 3 2017. Beginner and experienced trail runners can compete in three distances: the 4-kilometre fun run, the 8 kilometres and the 15 kilometres along steep hilly terrain amid beautiful waterfalls of Khao Phra Thaeo National Park. Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News and Khao Phuket.

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

Phuket Business Dinner INSPIRED PHUKETIANS Mr Alan Yip - Master your mind for success and happiness Held monthly, and open to the public, this event gives an opportunity for well-lived people to share their life experiences. Inspired by the famous TED Talks, it’s a great way for people to really connect with authentic ideas that will benefit their well-being and happiness in general. All of the speakers are chosen because of their ability to share an idea that connects with and inspires people. Limited to 55 seats only and priced at B350/pax/net including one drink and pass around canapé. Register now by email to sales@skyelakeclub.com. Skye Lake Club, Cherng Talay.

BCCT, in collaboration with NTCC and AustCham, cordially invites you to a Phuket Business Dinner on Thursday August 10, 2017 from 6.30-9.00pm. This August’s session will be led by John Christie, CEO of Ek-Chai Distribution System (TESCO LOTUS) to tell the Tesco Lotus story in expanding their footprint across Thailand and how they engage with local partners. Venue: Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort. Cost and Payment: THB 975 including inter-buffet and soft drinks. For tickets and info visit: members.bccthai.com Proundly sponsored by The Phuket News and Khao Phuket.

SUN

Splash Jungle Water Park is Bigger, Better, and Wetter than Ever! Starting Now! Our gates open with new rides: Family Raft Ride, The Whizzard, Aqua Spray Park and new restaurants designed to make certain our guests never want to leave.

And when you get hungry, or need a few minutes to relax, our Island Bar sits in the center of the park, offering a 360 degree view of the rides and the most tantalizing pizza available on the Island. Booking and pay online at www.splashjungle.com to enjoy 15% discount from now to 31 July 2017. Phakwipoo, Splash Jungle Water Park, dosm@splashjungle.com, 076-372111.

3 SEP

7 Nights 7 Themed Dinners at Rim Talay Make each night unique! Enjoy our themed dinners with the cool sea breeze. World of Curries @790 THB++, Thai & International Buffet @790 THB++, Seafood Night @980 THB++, Ribs, Wings & Rings @770 THB++, Butchers Night @market price, Surf & Turf @950 THB++, Thai Seafood Gala @980 THB++. The terms and conditions are subject to change without prior notice. For reservations, rimtalay@amari. com or 076 340106-14 #8027.

TWO CHEFS ROCK NIGHT IS BACK!

The Phuket Drum Circle 5th Year Anniversary!

The Phuket Drum Circle will celebrate the 5th year anniversary on Sunday, July 30 at Naiharn Beach from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm. This event is always free and open to the public. Participants can drum, dance, or enjoy the scenery and good vibes. Join this golden opportunity. For updates and videos visit the Facebook page: Phuket Drum Circle. This event is sponsored by The Phuket News and Khao Phuket.

@thephuketnews

Cooking Classes Every Day Mountain Bike Classic 2017 A new mountain bike race through Khao Phra Thaeo National Park highlighting ecological tourist destinations comes to the island on September 3 2017, following the highly-popular King of the Mountain Trail Run on the same day. The Thanyapura Mountain Bike Classic features a new route through Northern

Do an afternoon cooking class with Nan and discover why the Halfway Inn has been rated in the Top 10 Thai restaurants in Patong on TripAdvisor for the last 4 years running. Classes can be booked any time between 2pm till 6pm any day of the week. Google Halfway Inn, Patong’ for more details or call Nan to arrange a very fun and unique Thai culinary experience. Line:+66(0)852533278. Khun Nan, Halfway Inn Patong, halfwayinnpatong@hotmail. co.uk, 085-2533278.

Enjoy an amazing night at our Kata Center location with our very own Two Chefs Band playing the best rock hits all night long. We will be doing a very special family style sharing menu. Dig in to a whole spit roasted pig while enjoying a variety of dishes including, Caesar salad, pesto pasta salad with grilled vegetables, prawn ceviche, truffle mashed potatoes, lemon and garlic baby potatoes, roasted vegetable medley and much more! Included in the price of only 795 THB will be a tasting menu for special adult beverages. Reservations are needed, for more information please contact our staff: Email: katacenter@ twochefs.com or give us a call at 076 330 065 reservations can also be made online at Twochefs.com or Facebook.com/twochefsthailand

22 TIME OUT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York 1. US Army virologist Robert Neville was the main character in which film?

2. What is the collective noun for a group of Rhino?

3. What is famous actor Will Smith’s real first name?

4. Which planet in the solar system is the hottest?

5. What does the Japanese word “sushi” mean?

Answers below, centre

SUDOKU

Hard

Across 1. Eureka!

4. End of Kobe’s nickname 9. Face up to 14. Small-government proponent Paul 15. Opinion, as it were 16. Kind of eclipse or module 17. Astronomical Beethoven work?

20. Spherical hairdo 21. Dryer remains 22. Lacks 26. Budget reduction 31. Craft measured in cubits 32. Atomic physicist Niels 34. Inlaid furniture decoration 35. More tainted 37. Mast support 38. Astronomical sight on Broadway?

42. Ka-blam!

43. Pact 44. Has words (with) 47. English river to the Wash 48. Chew it over 51. Word with space or gas 53. Marsh gas 55. Choice on “Let’s Make a Deal”

57. Google users seek it 58. Street for stars 65. Weeping willow 66. Olympic sledder 67. It kept a princess up 68. Conjures up spells 69. Chloroform cousin 70. Suffix for command

27. Shaggy 28. Lowest female voice 29. Cat’s scratcher 30. Lock’s partner?

33. Fashionably in 35. Full range 36. Eye discharge 38. Put first things first 39. Cloak for Claudius 40. Informality 41. Editor’s ‘’keep’’ Down 42. Relief may follow it 1. Fleet of warships 45. Duck downs 2. Professional dancer 46. What a 3. Fur-lined jacket chimneysweep 4. ‘Cool’ cash amount sweeps 5. Black tropical bird 48. Appetizer 6. Auto dealer datum: 49. Locked up Abbr.

50. Hindu’s “tree of the 7. Decorative inlay gods” 8. Storage story 52.

Well-bred 9. Inebriated 54. Target of lots of 10. Vie for office vaccine research 11. Collector’s suffix 56. Win in a walk 12. Winery sight 58. Fifth note in a 13. MLB figure musical scale 18. Negative 59. ‘’For Official ___ alternative Only’’ 19. Turn a cold 60. Nothing doing shoulder to 61. Use the peepers 23. Bunny slope lift 62. ‘’How revolting!’’

24. Prefix meaning 63. 1965 Oscar winner “same” Marvin 25. Leave first or 64. Get it wrong second, say

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) I Am Legend; 2) A crash or a stubbornness (of rhinoceros); 3) Willard; 4) Venus; 5) Sour rice.

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW

This week in history July 14, 1789 French Revolution: Citizens of Paris storm the Bastille.

1

July 15, 2006 Twitter is launched, becoming one of the largest social media platforms in the world.

in 10 Europeans were conceived in IKEA beds.

9

July 16, 1935 The world’s first parking meter is installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

July 17, 2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, a Boeing 777, crashes near the border of Ukraine and Russia after being shot down. All 298 people on board are killed.

days is how long it would take to binge-watch every episode of The Simpsons without sleeping.

75

July 18, 64 AD The Great Fire of Rome causes widespread devastation and rages on for six days, destroying half of the city.

per cent of people with IQs over 160 are introverts, a factor that strongly associates creativity with intelligence.

26,171

is how many bombs the United States dropped during 2016, an average of three bombs every hour, 24 hours a day.

July 19, 1545 The Tudor warship Mary Rose sinks off Portsmouth; in 1982 the wreck is salvaged in one of the most complex and expensive projects in the history of maritime archaeology.

2.5 trillion US dollars is the GDP of the state of California, the sixth largest economy in the world.

Source: Uberfacts

Sunrise, westward view. Photo by Trevor Stuart-Dent Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket?

Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

July 20, 1969 Apollo program: Apollo 11’s crew successfully makes the first manned landing on the Moon in the Sea of Tranquility. Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon (July 21 UTC).

Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Jobs

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CLASSIFIEDS 23 The Phuket News @thephuketnews

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Jobs

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FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

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CLASSIFIEDS 25

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Trades & Services

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

ADVERTISING SERVICES

CLEANING SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

FISHING CHARTERS

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

MARINE SERVICES

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Trades & Services

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

classifieds@thephuketnews.com

MOVING SERVICES

MARINE SERVICES

STORAGE Reserve Your Storage Space

Call 076 29 29 09

or visit mystorageasia.com

 Sizes to Suit all Budgets  Personal & Business Storage  Motorcycle Storage  Left Luggage Service  We Sell Boxes  Storage Insurance Inclusive

Secure, Clean & Cost Effective Self Storage Jungceylon Shopping Center, Patong, Phuket

TRAINING

HOME DECORATION

ADVERTISE HERE

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CLASSIFIEDS 27

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Buy & Sell

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

JOBS MASSEUR WITH ENGLISH QUALS

Experienced masseur with qualification work/live in Australia. Must pass IELTS English Test for Australia. Interview Patong 20-25July 50-70,000 THB month, George Rimbas, 2 Hospital Avenue Manjimup Western Australia, mysticgeobird@amnet.net.au, +61468326011.

BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE 20m berth at Royal Phuket Marina

Private owner offers 20m, front line, E dock berth for rent or sale at the Royal Phuket Marina. Berth will accommodate yachts of up to 20m L.O.A. and significant discounts are available for a long term agreement. Contact for further information. james@ shayler.co

For Sale: 1-, 2,- 3-engine speedboats

3-engine speedboat: Length 13.5m; Width 3.4 m; Capacity 45 passengers + 3 crew. Front seats. 2-engine speedboat: Length 11.6 m; Width 2.83 m; Capacity 32 passengers + 3 crew. Front seats. 1-engine speedboat: Length 8.1m; Width 2.40 m; Capacity 15 passengers + 3 crew. All boats are in good condition. Prices start at 600,000 THB. Vladimir, sales@ joydive.asia, 084 182 8685.

Long Tail Boat For Sale

Ready to go “Long Tail Boat” with or Without Captain (Thai) Get special price, please call 085 781 9167 (English) Bangtao Beach, Phuket, B275,000, giorgionaef@aol.com 085 781 9167.

Boating deal of the year: 7.5m baht (reduced from 10m baht)

Due to serious health reasons, the owner must part with his beloved 80’ tour boat.

New wiring throughout, power outlets, transformer and voltage meters. New upholstery throughout bar and entertainment area. Engines & generator fully reconditioned & serviced. All maintained to European standards. Ideal boat for quality day trip business. beachsando1@gmail.com 080 695 3933.

Steel boat for sale

CAR FOR SALE 2014 Nissan Juke For Sale

2014 Nissan Juke, one owner, full history, leather interior, rear sensors, climate control. Perfect Phuket runabout, only 82000km. 530,000, soiana56030@gmail. com, 0950 924 729

Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8G VVTI

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

32 metre steel boat for sale.

Honda Jazz 2009 nt Built 2012, 2 x Cummings en- Urge 1500cc Auto gines, 10hrs work only. International REG. Excellent 57,000km. One owner since new. for live-aboard or ferry. Price 6MB. Contact: call Regularly serviced by Honda. Tax and Joe 087 8918912 or email joe@similan-divers.com Insurance until the end of June and available now at right offer. Reduced by 40,000 bht, REDUCED to 330,000bht CABLE TV o.n.o, Andy +66846909144, andysmalster@gmail.com

PULSE TV. ASIA’S No.1 EXPAT TV

140 channels (HD & SD) in English, French, German & Thai. All Premiership & Euro Leagues live plus all your favorite Soaps & Series from back home. ON-Demand Movie/TV Series library with over 700 of the latest titles, more added daily & with our CATCH-UP Facility (Records all Channels for instant Playback) you’ll never miss a show. This is not kodi – Our high quality set-top boxes come pre-loaded with our own in-house developed App backed up by our own high-speed Asia based Servers & Online Support Network. PULSE TV, sales@ pulse-tv.net +66(0) 99 316 6212.

CAR FOR SALE Car for sale

BMW X5, Gasoline, Year 2003, 195,000 km. Full options. 499,000 Baht only. First to see will buy. Owner: 093 584 1213. @thephuketnews

Convertible

Mercedes CLK 200 Cabriolet W-209 Brabus Package - seat 4. Excellent condition and fun to drive. 37,400km.

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

CUSTOMER SERVICE Sales Support Agent - 50K+ THB per month

Sales Support Agent required in Phuket to join FazWaz Real Estate’s Kamala branch. This role is helping our nationwide real estate business deal with property buyers in both Thai and English who are looking at purchasing a new property across all of the six major locations we cover in Thailand.

You should have great writing and speaking skills and some experience in customer service or sales. Any other languages are a massive benefit but must be fluent in both English and Thai. Aphida, 73/142-143 Moo 3 Tambon Kamala, Amphur Kathu, Phuket. aphida@fazwaz.com, 098 742 6687.

FINANCIAL, LEGAL Bangkok law firm in Phuket

The Bangkok law firm PUGNATORIUS Ltd. provides its foreigner-focussed legal support and assistance through a trusted partner law firm in Phuket. For a protected corporate structure in full compliance with the law. For a comprehensive due diligence which truly lives up to its name. For a most efficient hotel business licensing process. For a more competitive design of the property development. The PUGNATORIUS advantage is badly needed at a place where foreign investments are typically built on sand. Protect your investment in paradise.phuket@pugnatorius.com, (00) +66 22 072 647

GARDEN, PATIO ITEMS Tiya’s Hammocks & Swing seats

Native Habitat Phuket - Tiya’s Hammocks’ shop opposite Tesco Lotus Extra Kathu - Samkong, Phuket Town near Fascino Pharmacy. Provides handmade luxury and colorful hammocks and swing seats. Perfect for a gift, souvenir for your own home, or for your guests at villas, resorts and beach clubs. Open Tue-Sun, 10am-7pm. Mention this advertisement to get an extra 5% discount on top of our standard discount table. hammockphuket@yahoo.com 089 600 0041.

MEMBERSHIPS Life Time Family Membership

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

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

Tanita, 094 695 3536 / 063 992 3226.

Loch Palm Golf Membership

Lifetime Loch Palm Golf membership for sale. 400,000 baht, the Loch Palm transfer fee of 72,000 baht will be shared equally between the buyer and seller. sales@ joydive.asia

Phuket Country Club Golf Membership

Golf membership for sale, includes transfer fee of 60,000 THB. 450,000, David, dsgrabham@yahoo.co.uk 087 881 7545.

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Buy & Sell

MOVING SERVICES

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Looking for Moving Company?

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

MOTORBIKES FOR SALE Honda Tena 110cc two-stroke

New rims, tyres, brakes, fork seals, head stem bearings, headlight and more.

4-speed clutchless semi-auto. Green book. 098 705 2706. B15,000 ONO.

MUSICAL

PROPERTY FOR SALE 4 bedroom house in Chalong

Colin Hill is now offering:

Live Music: Solo, acoustic, easy listening, to full event band. Professional, quality, legal live music for any budget. Guitar lessons: Beginner to very advanced. Guaranteed fast results.

Also bass lessons to intermediate level. Home School tuition: English, Geography, History, Social Studies grades 7-10. Qualified Secondary School Teacher with Diploma of Teaching. English language tuition: For Thai students or adults. www.colinillyhill.com / 089 777 3063 / illy@3bbmail.com

PUBLIC NOTICES Relocation of Major Office

Phuket Plus Co.,Ltd, Corporate Registration Number 0105549008784 has relocated its head office, originally located at 580/123, Moo 2, Saimai Sub-district, Saimai District, Bangkok, Thailand. The company’s head office is now located at 45/11, Moo 4, Kamala Sub-district, Kathu District, Phuket, Thailand. This announcement is on behalf of Mr Manusanan of Phuket Plus Co., Ltd. 45/11 Moo 4 Kamala, Kathu, Phuket 83120. Contact: rattana65992@ gmail.com, 076-525-848, 076-525-715

REAL ESTATE SERVICES Chatta Real Estate

PROPERTY FOR SALE

4 king bedrooms (one with ensuite, the others with dedicated bathrooms), 5 bathrooms (1 with a bath, the other showers), Living room, Morning room (lounge/diner), 2 studies, Home cinema, 7 seater, DVD/CD library, 2 carports, 3 separate entrances (+ 5 French windows, a total of 8 exits). Property is at the end of a quiet soi near Big Buddha, no passing traffic. It overlooks a stream and jungle. The garden is 12 years old with bananas, papayas, mulberry bushes, cherry bushes, flowering plants and shrubs and several palm trees. There are frequent bird visitors…2 birdbaths. Just a few minutes drive from Tesco and Villa/Home Pro on Chao Fa West. Only 12 min drive to Central or big Tesco/Big C/Makro. 16.9MB (negotiable). Area of the site: 137.9 square wah (approx 560 square metres). To view, call 081 415 5522 or email m.allen. phuket@gmail.com

COMMUNITY

LAND NEAR WATERFALL FOR SALE

Prime Kathu land with panoramic views and quiet location. Star ts from 400sqm. Perfect for private Villa. Close waterfall with more land plots and different beach!!! Start from 2.5 MB, K. Pam, Phuketmyhouse@gmail.com +66 (0) 94 829 3619.

House For Sale Land & Houses Park Chalong, Phuket

House For Sale In Land & House Park Chalong Large house and land block 330sqm in size. With three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Price is negotiable. B5.9 million. Call Ken on 081 968 6552.

PROPERTY FOR RENT Shop for rent at Amari Phuket

Located in Amari Phuket’s lobby building. Size: 33 sqm. Partly furnished: shelves, counter, air-conditioner and telephone line.

40,000/month (negotiable), K. Wannisa, Patong Beach, wannisa.p@ amari.com, 076 340 106 #8006.

Rawai Naiharn with spa pool

Chatta Real Estate Management and Investment. Specialists in rental property management and guaranteed rental.

Inquire Now ! Chanapa, Chatta Real Estate Management and Investment, info@chattha.asia, 076 636 244, 090 179 6635

Unique Thai style home, open plan, close to beach and shops, AC, 3-bedroom 2-bathroom with spa pool, must see! Eng: 090 867 4849 Thai: 081 081 9875.

WEBSITES, IT

To rent: 1800 m2 of concrete slab with 5m high walls + 500 m2 of parking. Heroines Monument area. Roofing may be arranged, long term and serious interest only. Open to ideas, Leo: 081 821 4064.

For Sale: hoteldealsphuket.com

PHD has 125,000 pages indexed in Google and an average of 22,000 page views per month!

See stats image. Also see the selling points on the link below. Quick sale: 33.000B!, Mark, mr.m.hopkins@gmail.com

To rent: 1800 m2

Long term luxury Villa

Luxury 2 bed villa available for long term rental 10 minutes from Patong with outstanding sea views from B95,000 per month. We have other villas available for shorter rentals. Contact Justin 084 242 6952 (Eng) or Tan 094 596 2558 (Thai). thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

SPORT 29

Bottas enters title fight

Mercedes driver set to go head-to-head with Vettel, Hamilton BOX OF NEUTRALS

Mercedes’ driver Valtteri Bottas drives during the Formula One Austria Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg last Sunday (July 9). Photo: Joe Klamar/AFP

Michael Lamonato michael@boxofneutrals.com

“I

t was like the perf e c t w e e k e n d ,” Mercedes’s Valtteri Bottas said after the Austrian Grand Prix. “Pole position and a win.”

In a season thus far dominated by the titanic duel between teammate Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, Bottas’s lights-to-flag victory in the Styrian mountains was much needed elixir for his maiden campaign in a championship-winning car.

In a sedate grand prix Bottas’s performance featured everything. He was comfortably faster than Hamilton in qualifying, he executed a launch so precise that the stewards briefly investigated him for jumping the start and he absorbed relentless pressure from a resurgent Vettel in the final stint of the race while nursing blistered tyres.

It was a complete per-

@thephuketnews

formance by the Finn, who has been improving incrementally since debuting for reigning champion Mercedes this season, and though few doubted he was capable of such comprehensive weekends on occasion, his consistency over the first nine rounds has forced a re-evaluation of his position in the 2017 title race.

Formerly considered alongside Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen, his once-great compatriot who

has long lost his lustre, Bottas is now just 15 points behind Hamilton and 35 points behind leader Vettel in the championship standings.

With a smaller gap to teammate Hamilton than Hamilton’s gap to Vettel, Bottas has forced himself into the 2017 championship equation.

“We’re not even at the halfway mark of the year, so I definitely believe and the team believes,” he said. “With

this team developing so much every single race, I feel like I’m really getting better all the time.

“Since the day I signed with Mercedes what else can you put as a target? It has always been the target, but I don’t want to shout about it too much.”

In second place on the podium stood Sebastian Vettel, who was able to extend his championship lead over the field to 20 points on a day

Lewis Hamilton finished fourth after starting eighth with a gearbox change penalty.

The pair struggled all weekend to put their controversial on-track spat at the previous round in Baku behind them – Vettel was investigated by the FIA for whacking into the side of Hamilton in Azerbaijan and an at times tense press conference in Austria illustrated the damage done to their relationship.

But perhaps most intriguing of the results was Daniel Ricciardo’s third-place finish, which demonstrated Red Bull Racing’s RB13 has recovered from its difficult start to the season to be thereabouts on pace relative to Ferrari and Mercedes.

“I think that’s probably the biggest satisfaction with today,” the Australian said at the Red Bull-owned circuit that has never suited any of Red Bull’s cars. “I’d say the biggest happiness for today is that we had raw pace.

“The car is certainly getting there and it’s all I can ask for.”

It bodes well for this week-

end’s British Grand Prix on Sunday (July 16). The famous Silverstone circuit has long suited Red Bull Racing’s design philosophy, with the car almost untouchable in Britain at the height of the team’s powers at the turn of the decade.

The circuit is expected to bring out the best of 2017’s new regulations, with more of the circuit than ever being close to flat-out, including the daunting Maggotts-Becketts sequence of corners.

“That’s already enough to get me excited!” Ricciardo said, foreshadowing his excitement.

“I’ll try not to say something too dirty or disgusting here – but it’ll be romantic!”

It may have taken the 2017 season time to deliver, but with a three-driver title fight on the cards and three teams in contention for victory, in the European summer the Formula One season is beginning to reach full bloom.

Don’t forget to tune in to Live89.5 each and every Saturday from 9am for the Box of Neutrals radio show.

30 SPORT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

Surfing fitness and flow

Local lad Sebastian Karasek talks Phuket and all things surf The best advice is to improve your paddle fitness and paddling technique – you will catch SO MANY more waves.

Paddle fast into approaching waves to duck-dive… look for rip currents to help you paddle out in… and paddle fast to get through the break line after each wave.

L

et us introduce you to Sebastian Karasek, he likes to call himself a local to Phuket as he, along with an older sister, was born and raised here to Thai/Austrian parents.

His “old man”, as he calls him, was travelling around the Middle East when he suddenly fell ill and was flown to Thailand for treatment.

Not long after, Sebastian’s father decided to set up a small hotel in Patong, this was around 40 years ago, and at the same time met Sebastian’s mother.

Here Sebastian tells The Phuket News about his life on the island, surfing, and how fitness and surfing go hand-in-hand.

What got you into surfing?

We used to have swim training twice a day, so it was inevitable we would become water babies. After school

Thai national Sebastian Karasek grew up in Phuket with a passion for the ocean, surfing and fitness. we’d spend the afternoons at the beach – our father always taught us to see how important nature is, how beautiful it is when pristine.

This was back when leatherback turtles called the beach in Patong their nesting site and the bay was regularly visited by whale sharks to feed on plankton. I love the ocean and

the day I saw someone surfing it was just another excuse to spend more time at the beach.

Starting out on an island with small gutless waves – how did you improve your surfing performance?

Initially it was difficult – learning to get up on a board and learning how the ocean

is always moving. I made a deal with my parents though; good grades in exchange for Indonesia Surf Trips for two months during the summer holidays. This allowed me to improve quickly as I got to visit many parts of Indonesia; Bali, Mentawai, Nias, Hinakos.

What does surfing offer, give and teach you?

I am not religious but surfing is like going to church for me. As much as it’s a physical activity – you are also always in the moment, observing the ocean, how the water moves, where to go to increase your chances of catching a good wave.

Surfing allows me to enter the ocean in a variety of conditions with confidence and respect for mother nature.

But most importantly it keeps me humble – I am always a better person when I come in after surfing.

Hayden talks about surfing being our medicine and it is true – surfing commands respect and positively impacts all areas of my life.

What’s your best advice for swell-starved surfers and maintaining surfing fitness?

Challenge yourself, travel, explore other islands around South East Asia, and if you can’t get any waves spend time in the ocean regardless.

Swimming helps a lot, flexibility helps a lot, using surfing exercises to stay in shape is a good idea.

How did you develop your mind and body so that when bigger, heavier surf arrives you can handle it?

I feel there’s a fair balance of physical and mental

training involved. Knowing your limit is most important.

Being aware of what you can and can’t do and knowing when to push it that little bit further is very important.

Sometimes you just have to go and find out.

One thing I’ve learned in surfing is that when I doubt myself or my ability to make it (a wave) – it does not end well.

Obviously having great surfing fitness and being in the water as often as possible is a game changer.

Maintaining surf fitness is vital when you live in a spot with a long flat seasons – how do you stay surf fit and ready for bigger waves?

Bigger waves means more energy in the ocean and usually that means longer wipe outs and heavier hold downs.

Being in top physical surf fitness is huge when catching big waves, especially when needing that extra speed to get into the wave early.

I aim to get in the water as often as possible and also use surfing exercises to keep my confidence high.

Surfing paddle fitness – what’s your take on it ?

In short – if you don’t have good paddle fitness surfing is a lot less fun. Without good paddle fitness you catch less waves and your shoulders just don’t seem to work the way you want them too.

Paddling fitness is key to any surfing exercise program, so during the flat season I aim to swim, paddle and of course explore other islands with great surf.

How about duck diving and just catching loads of waves – any tricks or techniques?

Any surfing injuries and your favourite wave?

Injuries suck yet they are a part of any sport – especially if you push yourself. Flexibility is really important both for performance and when taking a beating… so is strength come to think of it. I hit the reef on a boat trip in Indonesia and now I’m left with a lovely “surf tattoo”.

Best wave I’ve ever ridden occurred in Asu (Hinako Islands), biggest and longest barrel ever with picture evidence, it lifts me up just thinking about it.

Leaving Phuket for threefour years inland studying at university – how did that feel?

Oh man it was so tough.

Surfing fitness went straight downhill once I left for Europe. I was super happy to come back to an island with the ocean, and in preparation for my return I did a few sessions at the gym just to activate my muscles and get in the right head space.

Phuket is a pretty amazing place – I was psyched to be coming back.

Any future surfing dreams?

I’m looking into learning how to shape – not necessarily to sell but I’m interested in making my own surf board – and obviously continue to surf around the world.

Hayden Rhodes (Club Manager of Phukets Finest Health Club - RPM Health Club) is the creator of Surf Training Secrets.com and is known for his enthusiasm and lifelong love of health, fitness, personal development and surfing. He has been helping people improve their surfing and snowboarding around the world for more then 20 years.

Hayden believes everyone has the ability to improve their lives and promotes health as much as he promotes fitness.

He continues to study, surf and snowboard around the world and looks forward to helping you up grade your lifestyle.

Visit SurfTrainingSecrets.com thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

SPORT 31

Expletives and insults Mayweather, McGregor turn the air blue as circus kicks off BOXING Rob Woollard

F

loyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor lit the touchpaper for their cross-combat superfight on Tuesday (July 11), turning the air blue in an expletive-laden face-to-face meeting to launch their global promotional tour for the bout.

More than 11,000 fans crowded into Los Angeles’s Staples Center for a raucous first live showdown between former boxing world champion Mayweather and Irishman McGregor, one of the biggest stars of mixed martial arts.

The two men are set to face each other in Las Vegas on August 26 in what could be the richest fight in history after finally agreeing to climb into a boxing ring following a year-long guessing game over whether they would ever do battle.

Tuesday’s fiery face-off saw the swaggering, cocksure

McGregor strut onto stage confidently in a three-piece suit featuring pinstripes made up of an offensive two-word insult.

The immaculately tailored profanity set the tone for a spectacle shot through with an endless torrent of abuse from both fighters, no doubt delighting promoters as they drum up hype for a bout which will demand $10,000 (B340,000) for ringside seats.

The suited McGregor was the first to take the microphone, mocking Mayweather’s decision to show up wearing a Stars and Stripes tracksuit, suggesting it was linked to the American’s reported tax difficulties.

“He’s in a tracksuit, he can’t even afford a suit anymore!” McGregor declared to roars of laughter from the massed ranks of his greenshirted fans crammed into the lower tiers of the famous basketball arena.

McGregor, who will start as an overwhelming underdog

HASH HOUSE HARRIERS Run #1641: Saturday July 15 Run Start Time: 4PM Hares: The Mighty Quim, Fungus Location: East of Heroines monument Directions: At Heroines Monument head East towards Pa Khlok [4027] for 1.9 kilometres and then turn left. Permission has been granted to park at the far end of the bus parking lot. Orderly parking please. Vehicles will be directed to proper area.

Bus pick-up: Patong @ Expat Hotel: 2:30pm Kamala @ Black Cat’s Bar: 3pm More info: phuket-hhh.com

Live Sports TV Schedule *Times may be subject to change

SPORT START STOP Friday July 14

Rugby Union 14:30 23:55 Cricket 17:00 Tennis 17:30 Aussie Rules 16:30 Cycling 19:30 Saturday July 15 Rugby Union 12:10 14:30 16:45 22:10 00:25 Tennis 17:30 Cycling 18:00 Cricket 17:00 Motor Racing 18:30 Aussie Rules 10:30 13:30 16:30 Sunday July 16 Aussie Rules 10:00 13:30 Rugby League 11:00 13:00 Cycling 18:00 Tennis 19:30 Cricket 17:00 Motor Racing 18:00 18:45

EVENT

TEAMS / INFO

16:30 02:00 01:00 01:30 19:30 23:00

Super Rugby Super Rugby Match 2 – Trent Bridge Wimbledon AFL Tour de France – St 13

Highlanders v. Reds Kings v. Cheetahs England v. South Africa, Day 1 Men’s Semi-Finals St Kilda v. Essendon Saint-Girons / Foix

14:00 16:30 18:40 00:00 02:30 01:30 23:00 01:00 21:00 13:30 16:30 19:30

Super Rugby Super Rugby Super Rugby Super Rugby Super Rugby Wimbledon Tour de France- St 14 Match 2 – Trent Bridge Formula 1 AFL AFL AFL

Chiefs v. Brumbies Hurricanes v. Crusaders Western Force v. Waratahs Sharks v. Lions Bulls v Stormers Women’s Final Blagnac / Rodez England v. South Africa, Day 2 Qualifying, Silverstone Geelong Cats v. Hawthorn Gold Coast SUNS v. Collingwood GWS Giants v. Sydney Swans

13:00 16:30 13:00 15:00 23:00 00:30 01:00 18:45 21:30

AFL Richmond v. Brisbane Lions AFL Fremantle v. West Coast Eagles NRL Sea Eagles v. Tigers NRL Rabbitohs v. Cowboys Tour de France – St 15 Laissac-Severac / Le Puy-en-Velay Wimbledon Men’s Final Match 2 – Trent Bridge England v. South Africa, Day 3 Formula 1 Raceday, Silverstone Formula 1 British Grand Prix

@thephuketnews

Harry How Floyd Mayweather (left) and Conor McGregor stand face to face at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday (July 11). Photo: AFP against one of the most accomplished defensive fighters in history, was bullish about his prospects of victory. “The 0 has got to go,” McGregor declared, referring to Mayweather’s perfect 49-0 record.

“I’m going to knock him out inside four rounds, mark my words,” McGregor said, to more roars. “On August 26, this man will be unconscious,

he’s too small, he’s too frail.

“I will come out and paint many pictures. I can fight in my styles. I can dazzle him.”

A stony-faced Mayweather meanwhile bided his time before taking the microphone and uncorking his own cascade of expletives.

“I’m goi ng to k nock this bitch out,” Mayweather said, to boos from the crowd.

McGregor shot back: “You haven’t knocked anyone out for 20 years!”

Mayweather meanwhile responded to the jibes about his finances – he recently filed for an extension to pay his 2015 tax bill – by producing an uncashed check for $100 million (B3.4 billion) from an assistant’s rucksack.

McGregor was again ready with a riposte: “Give it to the taxman!”

Mayweather, 40, was unruffled, vowing to administer a comprehensive victory over the 28-year-old Irishman despite giving away 12 years to his younger opponent.

“I’m not the same fighter I was 10 years ago. Or 5 years ago. Or 2 years ago,” Mayweather said.

“But I’ve got enough to beat you. He can choose which way he wants to go. Either on his back or on his face.”

Mayweather later appeared relaxed during a briefing with print reporters, suggesting his snarling braggadocio on

stage had been solely for the benefit of the fans who had flocked to the arena.

“We have to give people what they want to see,” the former welterweight king said.

“That’s what the people wanted to see. To have a soldout arena like today and give these fans something real smooth and calm? They don’t want that. That’s not what they wanted. These fans want entertainment. They got entertained today by both competitors.”

Unsurprisingly Mayweather declared himself the victor in the verbal sparring, saying McGregor’s incessant trashtalking indicated he had rattled the Irish fighter.

“He’s got to realise, I’ve been here before,” Mayweather said. “He just started this.

I’ve been doing this for years.

Years after years. He’s upset.

He’s ready to kill me now. He’s mad. I was calm, cool.

“I gave him a little bit of his own medicine and he didn’t like it.”

AFP

Thanyapura launches Mountain Bike Classic MOUNTAIN BIKING A NEW MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE through the Khao Phra Thaeo nature reserve which will highlight ecological tourist destinations comes to the island on September 3 following the highly-popular King of the Mountain Trail Run on the same day.

The Thanyapura Mountain Bike Classic features a route through northern Phuket’s 23sq kilometre rainforest.

Bikers can test their endurance in four distances: the 4-kilometre fun race, the 9km and 18km (two laps of the 9km course) or the 27km (three laps of the 9km course).

The Khao Phra Thaeo nature reserve has attained royal status, making it more protected than Thai national parks. The wildlife and forest reserve is a conservation space for Phuket’s wild animals and vegetation. Bikers will pass along roads surrounded by towering evergreen

The Thanyapura Mountain Bike Classic features a route through northern Phuket’s 23sq kilometre rainforest.

Photo: Rino Peroni/Flickr trees and rugged terrains.

David Escolar Ballesteros, promountain biker and Thanyapura’s swimming and triathlon coach, said, “The course is designed to include a little bit of everything – flat sections, uphill climbs, downhill descents, normal roads, and technical sections.

“I recommend beginners start with the 9km while intermediate and advanced cyclists can race either the 18km or 27km distance.

“However, what I can guarantee is that the course will be challenging for everyone,” he said.

The “fun” mountain bike competition begins at Gate 3, in front of Thanyapura at 11am with the other distances following shortly after.

The first male and female overall winners will receive a B3,000 cash prize and trophies. The top three finishers in the 9km, 18km and 27km categories are awarded trophies.

The minimum age to participate is 10-14 years for the 4km fun race, 15+ for the 9km and 18+ for other distances.

The race is limited to 100 participants.

Race registration fees are as follows: B450 for the 4km and 9km races, B550 for the 18km and B650 for the 27km (with B100 discount for registrations before 1 August 2017). Participants who sign up for both King of the Mountain Trail Run and the Thanyapura Mountain Bike Classic will also receive a B100 discount.

Sport

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2017

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

editor3@classactmedia.co.th

Local lad Sebastian Karasek talks all things surf > p30

RISE IN THE RANKS Phuket FC go 2nd after toppling league leaders 1-0

Natthapoom Maya slots the ball home from the penalty spot in last Saturday’s action against Satun. Photo: Screengrab

FOOTBALL Matt Pond editor3@classactmedia.co.th

Team

P

huket FC are now 2nd in the Euro Cake Thai League 4, albeit equal on points with Pattani FC, following a good 1-0 win at home against league leaders Satun United last Saturday night (July 8).

Going into the game, Phuket’s 13th of the season, the Andaman Dragon were positioned at joint 3rd in the table alongside Pattani, both on 21 points, while Satun were a comfor table nine points in the lead (30), but having played one more game than their nearest rivals.

C h u m p h o n FC , w h o Phuket FC beat 1-2 away from home last weekend, were in 2nd place overall on 23 points.

However, it was discovered just this week that the league isn’t a 16-game affair as previously believed, it is in fact a 24-game affair following the addition of a “third leg”. So Phuket still have a few more games to go before their final position in the league table is settled.

It is believed that the new third leg for the lower division teams has been added due to low league team members – Phu ket FC’s Euro Cake Thai League 4 southern region has only

All members of the team celebrate following last Saturday’s win. Photo: Phuket FC nine competing teams.

In this recently added third leg; each team gets to play all the other teams one more time, with the team victorious on aggregate over the previous two encounters getting the home ground advantage for the third round match against that same team.

For example, Phuket FC played Sungaipadee FC away from home in the opening game of the season and won 0-5. In Phuket’s home leg the game finished goalless (0-0).

On aggregate, Phuket FC over the two matches defeated Sungaipadee 5-0, therefore Phuket FC get a third game against Sungaipadee at home, and so forth.

If the head-to-head results are tied, the team to play at home will be decided by the away goal ruling. If the head-to-head is still tied then a penalty shoot-out will be played at the end of the sec-

ond fixture to decide on the team that will play at home.

So in reality, Phuket FC along with all teams in all six Thai League 4 regional divisions will play another half-season of fixtures. In the case of Phuket FC, a further eight games.

With three games still remaining before Phuket finish the full second leg of the league they are currently set to play five of the eight third-round games at home; against Sungaipadee FC, Yala United, Pattani FC, Chumphon FC and Satun United.

T he remai n i ng t h ree games yet to decide the thirdround fixtures are Hat Yai FC on Saturday (July 15) (Hat Yai currently ahead 3-2 on aggregate), Surat Thani City FC on July 19 (Phuket currently ahead 3-1 on aggregate), and Phatthalung FC on July 23 (currently equal 1-1 on aggregate).

Fixture dates already set

for the third round so far are Phuket FC versus Sungaipadee FC at 6pm on July 29, and Phuket FC versus Yala United at 6pm on August 2.

The Phuket News will update on remaining fixtures once they are announced.

With that matter out of the way, let’s return to the action against Satun.

In the away leg played on March 23, Phuket were unlucky to come away with a 2-1 loss but they were certainly hoping for better result at home, and it was a single goal that brought them that result.

Phuket were certainly the better team for the entire 90 minutes, and they were rewarded in the 66th minute with a penalty when Satun United’s defender Sakareya Kolae (23) was deemed to have brought down Phuket’s forward Aphichat Denman (10) inside the penalty box, much to the disgust of the

P

W

D

L

GD Pts

1

Satun United

14

9

3

2

13

30

2

Phuket FC

13

7

5

2

10

24

3

Pattani FC

13

7

3

3

7

24

4

Chumphon FC

13

6

5

2

5

23

5

Phatthalung FC

13

4

6

3

1

18

6

Hat Yai FC

14

4

5

5

-2

17

7

Yala United

13

3

3

7

-7

12

8

Surat Thani City

14

2

2

10

-15

8

9

Sungaipadee FC

13

1

4

8

-12

7

Date

Time

Match

Home/Away

Sat July 15

6pm

Phuket FC vs Hat Yai FC

Home

Wed July 19

4pm

Surat Thani City vs Phuket FC

Away

Sun July 23

6pm

Phuket FC vs Phatthalung FC

Home

Sat July 29

6pm

Phuket FC vs Sungaipadee FC

Home

Wed Aug 2

6pm

Phuket FC vs Yala United

Home

Please note that Phuket FC's home game fixtures are all 6pm kick-offs unless otherwise stated.

Satun United team.

The league’s and Phuket FC’s top-scorer Natthapoom Maya stepped up and comfortably slotted the ball home into the top-right corner of Satun’s goal from the spot.

That was really it as far as action was concerned, but it was the final result that was important, and a 1-0 win against a team that has sat at the top of the table pretty much all season was a great result for the Andaman Dragon and should boost their confidence for the remaining games, especially

with the majority set to be played at Phuket’s home ground Surakul Stadium.

Phuket play the first of their remaining three secondround games at home this coming Saturday against Hat Yai FC, who currently sit at 6th in the table on 17 points.

Should Phuket walk away with a win against Hat Yai, that will leave them just three points off of league leaders Satun who will not play this weekend as they have already played one game more than all teams in the league bar Surat Thani City FC. thephuketnews