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Authorities set themselves a tough target: reducing the island’s road death toll from 116 last year to 50 by 2014
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NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
Time for a new governor Phuket Gov Tri Augkaradacha retires at the end of this month > 4
Alasdair Forbes, Jody Houton & Claire Connell execeditor@thephuketnews.com
Damrong plans massive expansion of land probe Paritta Wangkiat reporter3@thephuketnews.com
S
ome 400 teams of investigators from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) and related authorities may be set up to investigate land papers for a further 3,000 rai of land suspected of having been illegally taken from the Sirinart Marine National Park. The Director of the DNP, Damrong Pidetch, was in Phuket on Wednesday (September 12) to follow up on the investigations into 12 private properties, property developments and resorts. He said the investigation of land encroachment into the park could be expected to continue on past his retirement at the end of this month. The Sirinart Marine Park covers more than 50,000 rai, about four fifths of which is ocean, the reamining fifth being on land. Of that 10,000 rai, around 3,500 rai is suspected to have been encroached upon, Mr Damrong said. The deadline for completion of the investigations into the 12 sites, totalling around 500 rai, will be extended to September 25, because of a delay in surveying the park
Armed with a pump-action shotgun, one of the security guards who accompany Mr Damrong on his investigations stands atop the unfinished Peninsula Resort at Nai Yang Beach. boundary. Mr Damrong orginally gave his investigators until next Saturday (September 15) to finish their work. But Mr Damrong said he would now extend the investigation to the other 3,000 rai of supposedly encroached land by setting up the 400 teams of officials before his retirement. “I hope that the new Director [of the DNP] will continue the investigation,” said Mr Damrong. “[I am sure] he will because the issue [of land encroachment] is a hot topic
and he must do something about it.” During his discussions with his teams today, it was revealed that only two land owners, Cheuy Petchkul and Lek Sanguanwong, have been confirmed as rightful owners because it had been proved that they had registered land rights before the declaration of the Khao Ruak-Khao Muang forest preserve in 1964. Ms Cheuy is the registered owner of five rai at the south of Nai Yang beach, while Mr Lek owns six rai of land in the north of the Layan area. The two are reported to be dead. However, the investigation teams found that the land papers for three property developments and resorts were issued based on copies of Ms Cheuy’s SorKor 1, which suggested the deeds were not issued legitimately.
Officials are investigating whether Mr Lek’s SorKor1 might have been used in the same way – as a “f lying” SorKor 1. Officials have filed police reports against the owners of a private villa next to Trisara, the Peninsula Spa & Resort, Landstate Co, La Colline and Arcadia Nai Torn Beach for building on land beyond the boundaries of their land papers. Within the coming couple of days, officials are planning to file another complaint against the Three Dolphins Co, whose building is allegedly exceeding their deed for 14 rai of land. In addition, villagers from Saku Moo 5, who earn their lives on Nai Yang Beach, handed a complaint letter to Mr Damrong today (September 12) to urge him to look at the area of Nai Yang Beach. A representative of the villagers, Chaweng Udomlak, claimed that a family of a local politician had built a number of small hotels on Nai Yang beach and had security guards chasing villagers off from the sand in front of his hotels. “They said they have land papers,” said Mr Chaweng. “But we’re not sure if they are legal. So we want the director to help us looking through it.” The hotels were built in 2009, but it was not until this year that the owner had started blocking people other than guests from walking past on the beach. All beaches in Thailand are public property.
Phra-kru Udom Vetchakit was the driving force behind the construction of the distinctive PhramahathatchediJomthaibarameepragat, otherwise known as Mondop.
Abbot of Chalong dies at age 87 PHRA-KRU UDOM VETchakit, the Abbot of Phuket’s premier Buddhist temple, Wat Chalong, died on Tuesday (September 11) in Bangkok Hospital, aged 87. He had been under treatment for a heart ailment for the past eight years. Phra-kru Udom Vetchakit entered the monkhood in 1962 at the age of 37. He became Abbot in 1989. During his time as head monk of Wat Chalong he
Con artists ‘selling non-existent tours’ Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter4@thephuketnews.com
FOREIGN CON ARTISTS have been selling tourists tickets to tours that don’t exist, a meeting on tour guide problems was told on Tuesday (September 11).
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presided over a programme of construction that included the Phramahathatchedi-Jomthaibarameepragat, or Mondop, with its distinctive spire, at a cost of B16 million. The foundation ceremony for that was conducted in 1993 by HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, who returned in 2002 to preside over the installation of a bone from the Buddha in the top of the completed Mondop.
A representative of the island’s freelance Thai tour guides, who gave his name only as Addie, said the con artists – who are “not Asian” – would approach tourists in the street and convince them that they were bona fide representatives of tour companies. If the tourists show interest they would then take them by taxi to somewhere less public where they would sell them tickets for a tour on another day, and make arrangements for pick-up or to meet somewhere for the tour. That would be the last the tourists would see of them, he said. “It might be difficult to catch them because they look like ordinary tourists,” Mr Addie said. “But I think this is bad for the image of Phuket and I would like the public to be aware that these gangs are at work out there.”
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
Teen robbers and ‘Fagin’ are caught red-handed PATONG POLICE ARRESTed a pair of youthful robbers on Sunday evening (September 9). They also arrested a Phuket Town man and charged him with buying stolen goods from the duo. The officers, led by Pol Capt Siritam Nak, deputy inspector of the Kathu Investigations Division, cornered the three on Soi Yai Yui, Sawadiraks Rd, at about 8pm. Arrested were Watana Salipant, 39, and the two boys, aged 15 and 13 who, because they are minors, cannot be named. Seized as evidence were an Apple iPhone 4; a Samsung cellphone; and a purse stolen from a Russian woman. The boys were charged with robbery and Watana with receiving stolen property. Investigations revealed that the two, riding around on a motorbike, made a speciality of targeting foreign women. They would then take the valuables they stole to Watana, who would sell them and give the boys a cut. In a system reminiscent of Fagin’s gang in Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist, unscrupulous Thai criminals often use minors to rob people because, if arrested, the children generally receive light sentences. These sentences are served, not in prison, but in juvenile detention facilities, where reform rather than punishment is stressed. – Source: Siang Tai
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CLEAR AS MUD Owners fear homes may be hit by landslides Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter4@thephuketnews.com
overnment officials, led by Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkhaosuttirak, on September 6 visited a small complex of three houses in Rawai which, its owners worry, is at risk of being buried by landslides. The houses on Soi Na Yang in Rawai belong to Worada ‘Joy’ Amwong. She and her Australian husband live in one house while the other two were built for sale. She said life has become increasingly difficult recently due to constant small landslides and muddy runoff from above. She claims it is caused by a contractor removing soil, for sale, from the hillside above the houses. Drains to carry rain water away from her site have been blocked or damaged by mud and she lives in fear of rocks or trees falling from above, she said. When mud invaded Ms Joy’s home, she built a wall to keep it out, but this has not proved effective. Mud also streams down the road next to the house when it rains heavily. She said she had complained to Rawai Municipality in February, to the the Damrongtham Centre in May and to Provincial Hall three weeks ago, but despite promises from officials nothing had been done.
G
Worada ‘Joy’ Amwong points to rocks on the hillside which, she fears, may come loose and tumble into her home. Now she is very worried because there are large rocks looming over her houses that look likely to fall at any time. She also fears that trees at the top edge of the excavation may topple and fall onto her home. She told V/Gov Somkiet that the owner of the land, Somjai Areerob, had promised to make good any damage caused as a result of the excavation. But she and her husband (who did not want to be named) want preventive action. The husband said, “That’s impossible. We don’t want
him to take care of damage afterwards. We want to make sure there is no damage in the first place.” After the site visit, V/Gov Somkiet convened a meeting at Rawai Municipality at which it was agreed that Mr Somjai should clear the drains. The vice-governor also urged local officials to ensure that the excavations were being done “in the correct way” and to work to solve the problems raised by Ms Joy within 15 days. “This is not a matter of
nationalities,” he stressed. “We must make sure that things are done fairly.” Mr Somjai was in Bangkok at the time of the meeting, but relayed his views through the local kamnan, Saeng Chanalert. He told The Phuket News later, “Fixing the drains is not my responsibility. The drains they installed are too small. I told Ms Joy about this a long time ago.” He disputed Ms Joy’s claim that the hillside was previously covered with trees and
vegetation. “It has always looked like this [bare earth].” He added, “For sure the rocks will not fall on their house. But if they do, I will repair any damage.” He pointed out that he had built a wall at the bottom of his land to contain soil runoff. This was in addition to the wall Ms Joy built. Kamnan Saeng said that when Mr Somjai gets back from Bangkok another piece of wall will be built at the top of the road leading to the homes, to stop run-off there, too.
Blood bank getting short of supplies Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter4@thephuketnews.com
TWO RECENT CASES OF people seriously injured in road accidents have highlighted a shortage of blood supplies in Phuket. After French tourist Jerome Heras, 37, was badly hurt in a bike crash on September 3, Vachira Phuket Hospital had to put out an appeal for A-negative blood, needed so that surgeons could carry out essential operations. It took several days, but the appeal was successful and Mr Heras eventually received six units of donated blood – 2.7 litres – which the hospital says was enough for his case. Sadly, he died on Wednesday morning of brain damage. On Saturday (September 8) Thai teenager Itipon Sailek, 17, was also badly injured in a
motorbike smash. Itipon had multiple breaks in one leg and internal bleeding. Without blood supplies, however, surgeons could not operate to stop the bleeding. Once again, an appeal went out for donations of blood, in this case O-negative. The hospital has also appealed for B-positive and Opositive blood. The former is more common in Asia than in the West, with around 20 per cent of Asians having it, while the latter is the most common blood group worldwide, an indication that local blood supplies are seriously depleted. Blood can be kept for about six weeks, after which it is no longer usable, so constant fresh supplies are always needed. To give blood, either go to the hospital on Yaowarat Rd in Phuket Town, or call 076361-234 ext 0.
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SIMON OSTHEIMER Managing Editor 083 922 9265 managingeditor@thephuketnews.com From Hong Kong; a decade’s experience as editor of magazines and newspapers in Shanghai (City Weekend, that’s Shanghai), Beijing (tbjhome, Urbane), Hong Kong (Time Out Hong Kong), Kuala Lumpur (Vision KL), Bangkok (Bangkok 101) and Phuket. Journalist for Esquire, Fah Thai, Vacations & Travel, Travel & Leisure, CNNGo, Surface and Dwell.
ALASDAIR FORBES Executive Editor 087 884 9964 execeditor@thephuketnews.com From the UK; 40 years as a journalist and editor on magazines and newspapers in the UK, Middle East, Hong Kong and Thailand: Cheshire Observer, Chester Chronicle, Saudi Gazette, Gulf Mirror, Gulf Construction, Gulf News, Hongkong Standard, Asian Business (Editor) and Phuket Gazette (Managing Editor for seven years).
DANE HALPIN Sub Editor editor2@thephuketnews.com From Australia; Degree in Journalism, Charles Sturt University. Four years’ experience at: The Australian, The Central Western Daily, The Leader, The Canberra Times, and The Vientiane Times.
CLAIRE CONNELL Sub Editor editor1@thephuketnews.com From New Zealand; BA (English) from University of Otago; Diploma in Journalism from the University of Canterbury. Five years’ experience at Gisborne Herald and Marlborough Express.
JODY HOUTON Sub Editor
Gov Tri to retire at end of month Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com
P
huket Governor Tri Augkaradacha retires at the end of September after two years in the job. His successor has yet to be named, though political observers will be watching carefully for clues as to which force in politics is behind the new man – or woman. Known as a mild-mannered, soft-spoken manager given to building consensus rather than giving orders (in contrast with his rather more blunt predecessor) Gov Tri is one of two governors of the island to have come “from the ranks” in recent years, having been vice-governor for four years before his promotion. The other was Niran Kalayanimit, who served as vicegovernor for four years and then as governor for another two. Normally, provincial governors – as with other senior provincial officials – serve
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Governor Tri: Consensus builder. for four years before being transferred to a more important province or being promoted to a senior job in the Interior Ministry in Bangkok. Some go into politics. However, Phuket – as one
of the richest provinces in the country – has tended to be used as a proving ground for bureaucrats backed by various powerful forces in politics. As a result, in the past 15 years, Phuket has had eight
governors, none of whom has stayed for more than three years. On average they have been here for less than two. The roll of honour: Chadej Insawang: Oct 1997 to Oct 1999. Transferred to Kanchanaburi. Charnchai Soontaramut: Oct 1999 to Oct 2000. Transferred to Surat Thani. Pongpayome Vasaputi: Oct 2000 to Oct 2003. Promoted to Director-General of the Department of Local Administration. Udomsak Usawarangkul: Oct 2003 to Oct 2006. Retired. Niran Kalayanimit: Oct 2006 to Oct 2008. Promoted to Deputy Director General at the Interior Ministry’s Department of Provincial Administration. Dr Preecha Ruangjan: Oct 2008 to Mar 2009. Transferred abruptly to Phitsanuloke. Wichai Phraisa’ngop: Mar 2009 to Oct 2010. Retired. Tri Augkaradacha: Oct 2010 to Oct 2012. Retiring.
Drug plants destroyed in raid Paritta Wangkiat reporter3@thephuketnews.com
editor3@thephuketnews.com From the UK; Masters Degree in Journalism, Kingston University. Five years’ experience at Groove Magazine, Metropolis, The Western Telegraph, The Mirror and Phuket Post.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
POLICE AND OFFICIALS from Thalang District Office raided Moo 6, Sri Soonthorn, on Friday (September 7) to pull up kratom plants and trees in the area. More than 60 plants were destroyed. During the raid, the officials found several kratom plants behind houses in the area, apparently planted there in a bid to keep them hidden from prying official eyes. Officials reported that the trees were planted for both personal use and for sale as
an ingredient in see koon loy (4x100), a drug cocktail popular among teenagers. A kilogram of Kratom leaves sells for around B1,000. The raid came after complaints from villagers who reported a rise in the numbers of youngsters coming to steal kratom leaves from the plants in the area. No arrests were made. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa to give it it Linnean name) is native to Thailand, though possession of the leaves is illegal; they are classed as a category 5 drug, the same as cannabis and magic mushrooms. In low
Kratom plants can grow into trees as high as 12 metres. doses it has a calming effect, but in higher doses it is a mild stimulant lasting several hours. See koon loy is a cocktail
containing cola, cough mixture, kratom and ice and is particularly popular among teens in the south of Thailand.
Chalong takes steps to end flooding T WO T ROU BLESOM E floods over the past month have convinced the Chalong OrBorTor that major work has to be done to fix the problem. A request has now been made for the national Irrigation Department to put up B300 million to line existing natural water courses with concrete in a bid to prevent sediment and trash build-up. For fiscal 2013, B20 million has been budgeted to begin the project. Chalong OrBorTor chairman Samran Jindapol admitted on Friday (September 7) after inspecting
the problem areas with other members of the council, “The causes of the flooding have never really been addressed.” He said that the focus of action will be the klongs, the capacity of which has been reduced by silting up and by people dumping trash in them. Some have also been closed off by construction. Samran said next year’s B20 million budget will be used for digging out the Bang Kata and Chaofa Rd klongs, the latter of which will emerge in front of Wat Lathiwanaram (Wat Tai) temple, beside the
Land and House development, which has long been prone to flooding. Both klongs run to the sea. Drainage ditches will be widened and new ones dug. “Officials are currently surveying the areas,” said Mr Samran. “Another project involves building large water-gates near the sea to alleviate recurrent flooding on East Chaofa Rd in front of Wat Tai.” This project is budgeted at B15 million. If the Irrigation Department approves the B300million request, Samran says
the flooding problem will be solved within the municipal boundaries “permanently” by lining the now picturesque klongs with concrete to guard against erosion and other impediments. “Without trees or grass to impede its flow, water will flow freely; and when the water flows freely it will solve the problem of flooding,” he said. “Once construction of the Klong Bang Kata reservoir is complete, Chalong’s flooding problem will be permanently solved.” – Source: Manager Online
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
TOUGH TARGET
Authorities aim to cut road deaths to maximum of 50 a year Paritta Wangkiat reporter3@thephuketnews.com
P
huket authorities have set themselves a tough target: reducing the island’s road death toll from 116 dead last year to 50 by 2014. The target, announced at a Road Safety Seminar today (September 10) may not be as difficult to achieve as it may at first seem. In 2007, the death toll was 200, so it has already been brought down by 42 per cent since than. The Deputy Director of the Phuket Public Health Office (PHO), Dr Wiwat Seetamanotch, said a variety of authorities including the PHO, the police, and local governments continued to run campaigns to try to motorbike riders to wear helmets and not to drive drunk. In addition, B84 million is being spent bay various government departments and local authorities to improve roads at 40 black spots around the island. Around half of these have already been fixed or are being fixed. The Lim San bend, just before Soi Tak Dad in Kathu, and Wang Thalang Bend, west of the Heroines Monument, are the two most deadly black spots, the meeting was told. Both are one the list to be fixed. “The death rate has been reduced by 40 per cent from five years ago, from 200 in
The target of no more than 50 road deaths a year is achievable, says Dr Wiwat Seetamanotch. 2007 to 116 last year,” said Dr Wirat. “We’re fairly sure that we can achieve our target [of reducing deaths to 50].” He noted that although southern Thailand as a whole falls behind the rest of the nation in terms of the number of people wearing motorbike helmets, Phuket ranks in the top three provinces in the country for its high use of helmets, with only about 10 per cent of bike users being caught not wearing them.
Tourism adds to the road toll; one in 10 of road accident victims are foreigners. In addition, the large number of bars catering to tourists adds to the amount of drunk driving which, Dr Wirat said, is a major cause of road accidents. “Half of all the victims of road accidents in Phuket have alcohol in their veins,” he said. “[Bars and] entertainment venues are part of tourism, so this is a particular challenge for the authorities in their drive to
reduce the death toll.” To reduce the amount of drunk driving, entertainment venue owners are being encouraged to join a Designated Driver, or DD campaign, which was started in April. The DD campaign goes beyond getting groups of friends to agree that one person will not drink during a night out. It includes getting staff of bars and night clubs to keep a watch over customers and to try to persuade them not to drive drunk, or call taxis for drunk customers or arrange a place where they can rest until they sober up enough to drive. The Kusoldham Foundation, whose volunteers pick up the pieces in the aftermath of drunken smashes, has joined the campaign by offering free lifts home for drunk customers of bars and night clubs who have made a prior arrangement with the foundation. Phuket authorities currently have 30 breathalysers, and hope to get a B7-million-budget for three speed cameras in the 2013 fiscal year to strengthen the road safety campaign and bring deaths down below the target of 50.
PHUKET NEWS
5
Hospital staffers learn best ways to wash hands VACHIRA HOSPITAL’S Team Wisanyi were the big winners in an unusual competition held at the hospital last week to establish who could clean their hands most effectively. The clean team came out of the competition with a prize of B3,000. The hand-cleaning competition was one of the activities in the “Clean Hand Project II by IC”, aimed at making hospital employees and the public in general more aware of how to clean their hands effectively. The hand washing competition was accompanied by a display of pictures and information on how washing of the hands is accomplished. “Washing your hands is easily performed and inexpensive, and it is effective against infection by – and spread of – viruses and bacteria within the hospital. It is frequently found that diseases spread via the hands of individuals,” explained hospital director Dr Jesada Jongpaiboolpatana.
The doctor said effective hand washing depends on a number of related factors: wearing rings and gloves, and using hand lotion. “People who don’t remove bangles, rings and wrist watches cannot completely clean their hands,” he said, adding, “Bacteria accumulate in rings.” As for wearing protective gloves, he noted that hands may be tainted by bacteria when removing the gloves, and that the gloves themselves “may leak.” So, he said, it is essential to wash one’s hands after removing gloves. Besides reducing the spread of disease, said Dr Jesada, washing hands allows the hospital to save money on the use of antiseptic, reduces costs for long-stay patients and “probably results in fewer malpractice suits from patients who contract diseases in the hospital”. The names of the biggest losers in the competition were not announced. – Source: Manager Online
1,000 black-plate taxis sign up to ‘go green’ T H E PROV I NCI A L Transportation Department (PTD) was deluged with paperwork on Monday (September 10) when it opened registration to convert illegal “black-plate” taxis into legal “green registration plate” cabs. The office received 1,048 applications for conversion from drivers on the first day. Drivers will be called back to the department later so that their cars can be inspected to ensure that they are roadworthy and suitable for use as taxis. Somsak Poknuengnong, expert adviser to the Phuket Land Transportation Office, said, “The [black] taxis have 180 days in which to sign up and we expect more to come. As a result, the paperwork will take some time to complete.” In addition to getting a green plate, the converted drivers will be required to charge regulation fares (with
fare tables in every taxi), to dress properly, and to have good manners and a “service mindset”. The drive to legitimise black taxis is the first step in a renewed effort to bring order to the island’s chaotic transport sector, which is dominated by fiercely independent drivers who have rejected all past attempts to bring them to heel. For the PTD, the black taxis
are the low-hanging fruit; many of the estimated 10,000 black taxi drivers on Phuket will be only too happy to become legal, making it relatively easy to organise them. Bringing some kind of order to the mafia-ridden tuktuks and stemming the violence that erupts from time to time over taxi territories are likely to prove less easy to achieve. Cartoon: Page 11
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THE QUIKSILVER OPEN PHUKET THAILAND 2012 surfing competition kicked off on Wednesday morning (September 12) at Patong Beach. It will run until tomorrow (September 15). More than 300 surfers from around the world are expected to take part in the competition, in its fourth year, with prizes totalling B300,000. One of the competitors is Australian surfing champion Stephanie Gilmore, who is also a brand ambassador for Quiksilver. Surachet Muangtong, General Manager of Quiksilver Thailand said, “This year, the competition in Phuket will be the last of a series of seven being held around Asia, so this will be the event at which the champions are decided.” In addition to the surfing events, there will be a surf clinic conducted by professional surfers for anyone interested in learning to surf or to improve their technique, a fashion show, live music and demonstrations of other sports such Top Australian pro surfer Steph Gilmore meets local youngsters. Photo: Phuket Best Group as skateboarding.
BIGGER, BETTER
Alcohol, no. Sexy dancer yes, at food Indoor stadium reopens after B154m revamp fair week Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter4@thephuketnews.com
T
he indoor stadium at Saphan Hin was reopened on Saturday (September 8) after major work was completed to enlarge it from 500 seats to 4,000 and improve facilities to a standard that will allow it to be used as a venue for international sporting events. The B154 million project began in May 2010, and was completed in May this year. The stadium now has a futsal court, a basketball court and facilities for other team and individual sports. The opening ceremony was performed by Demo-
Phuket Mayor Somjai Suwansuppana, and MPs Rewat Areerob and Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr (2nd, 3rd and 4th from left) set off the pyrothechnics that officially open the stadium. crat Party List MP Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr, Phuket MP Rewat Areerob, Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansuppana, the head of the Phuket Sports Association, Chantavit Tanthi-
panwadee and others. The stadium was originally built in 1982 for the 16th Thailand National Games, staged in Phuket. In 2010, under the government of Abhisit
Vejjajiva, plans for its expansion were approved as part of that government’s policy to improve the quality of life for Thai people. Mrs Anchalee said at the colourful opening that the stadium “will support Phuket people’s health and make the Phuket community stronger in resisting drug abuse”. Inbetween the inevitable speeches, youngsters from various schools around Phuket got to be the first to use the new facilities in a series of futsal matches. Already, the first international event is lined up for the expanded stadium – a basketball competition. See Sports page 23 for details.
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Phuket Live Radio 89.5 recently concluded its grand competition in conjunction with Qatar Airways, with a return ticket to any destination in Europe as the prize. The station’s Sara and Steve went to different locations on the island and did live links to the radio station to tell listeners where they would be. They had eight envelopes. Seven contained tickets for small gifts from sponsors, while the eighth contained a voucher for the lucky draw for the big prize. The winner was Brian Murby (centre), seen with DJ Jason Wilder (left) and Patipat Sawasdee, Qatar Airways’ Commercial Manager for Phuket.
F R I D AY S E E S T H E opening of a culinary event aimed at attracting families by being alcohol-free. The emphasis of the zippilynamed ‘Tasty Food Fair Without Alcohol Phuket Town’ will be on “tastiness, convenience, safety – and absence of liquor or beer,” said Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansuppana. The annual fair is the 15th organised by the municipality at Saphan Hin, on the southern edge of Phuket Town, but is the first to be completely teetotal. Booths will be operated by members of the Phuket Food Vendors Association. “The association this year proposed that no alcohol be allowed,” the Mayor explained, “to encourage children and young people to avoid alcohol and beer and turn instead to healthy foods.” Plastic food containers are banned and vendors are also being encouraged to use no monosodium glutamate, ascorbic acid or food preservatives. Entertainment will include demonstrations of how local Phuket dishes are made and stage performances by students from local schools. Later in the evening performances by “top Thai pop stars” are also promised, including the sexy Dear Ti Sip, O Para, Dalah Sao Satul and Zuzu, along with the comedy troupe Teng Noi Copy Show. – Source: Manager Online
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
PHUKET FOCUS
7
Will the AEC really change anything? He added that Phuket, as a “world-class international tourist destination” will inevitably be a target for their depredations and that thus the island’s police must be consulted on establishing guidelines to deal with them. Pol Gen Jet’s comments above apparently envision handling an influx only of petty criminals – pickpockets, burglars, forgers, small-time drug dealers and con artists; more, in other words, of what we already have.
Marque Rome editor@thephuketnews.com
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n three years the Asean Economic Community will become fully operational, removing impediments to travel and commerce between the 13 member countries. Borders are expected to be much easier to cross, and thus the issue of how to deal with international criminal operations has come to the fore. Since September 3, more than 50 representatives from the Asean states and Australia have been meeting at the Hilton Arcadia hotel in Karon to discuss intelligence gathering, sharing, and procedures. The meeting is hosted by Thailand, and participants include immigration, consular and intelligence chiefs from the various countries. Decisions made during this conference will have a direct bearing on how immigration matters are handled with regard to tracking transnational criminals and preventing their activities after 2015. MAKING PREPARATIONS Pol Gen Jet Mongkolhatti, one of Thailand’s assistant national police chiefs, noted in remarks to the press that this is the 16th such meeting and the eighth covering intelligence gathering, adding that: “We’ve met 15 times before, seven times including intelligence matters.” He also said that this time Australia and Asean would consult on a variety of matters including training and operations and sharing experience in working together. “Thailand has learned the future plans or projects of individual members, and these can be adapted to our own immigration and consular activities,” he said. “Sharing information will allow us to know the regional situation in timely fashion. It can be brought to bear on development of our working units
With three years to go, is the AEC already flying into a storm cloud of trouble? and the ability of officials to keep up-to-date on types of organised criminal operations or groups plotting against the world community.” Pol Gen Jet said good relations among those attending the meeting would bear fruit as they become “an effective co-operative network”, with Thailand, other member states, Australia and the Asean Secretariat Office “working together to provide the greatest security and safety benefits for Thailand and the world community.” It is remarkable that the general made no talk of policy, of probable changes, of sticking points that could lead to future disputes or intractable immigration control problems. No talk of how deep intelligence gathering and sharing will go, and no talk of issues: is this what we should expect in discussing matters – immigration and related issues – of vital importance to Thailand’s security and prosperity? Perhaps Pol Gen Jet regards it as impolitic to discuss such matters with the press. Or perhaps he is simply ignorant of what the important issues are: it would not be the first time Thailand was caught sleeping owing to a lack of
useful intelligence, which is notoriously difficult to gather in Southeast Asia. INTELLIGENCE MATTERS The country often appears to rely on intelligence gathering by United States agencies, which is sometimes flawed or wrongly interpreted, leading to fiascoes such as the Vietnam War, and subsequent regional polarisation; and the dubious War on Terror, which has fanned the flames of Muslim militancy rather than doused them. This region, with its many language groups, tribal, religious and cultural divisions, and long-standing animosities, was formed into nation-states in the 1950s, but several are yet only barely united. Insurgencies exist in several. Government control shows an absence of uniformity in several countries. How many areas in Burma alone, for example, are still off-limits to the central government? What is Thailand to do about, say, the Rohingya, a Muslim group on the Bengal border whose neighbours hate them and who, to escape dire poverty, undefined citizenship status and frequent massacre, make their way in rickety
Illustration: Norachai Thavisin
open boats across the sea to what they hope will prove a better fate? Thus far Thailand has no clear policy. Or will the actions here of some local officials and naval personnel – dragging those who wash up back to sea and uncertain survival – become Asean policy? On this and similar matters Pol Gen Jet was silent, but the fact is that intelligence gathering and application to immigration control in this region is problematic. He did have something to say about human trafficking, the poster child for a number of influential NGOs. But on this he was less than refulgent, saying merely that planning was underway to track suspects. On the more edifying issue of whether general agreement exists among the member states as to what precisely constitutes human trafficking, he said nothing. THE ECONOMICS Desperate economic refugees, ready to run any risk for the chance to work, are a major economic and political concern. Their numbers are legion and their arrival en masse can
transform the economics of a state or region, depressing wages and putting natives out of work. It is a matter of no small concern that their influx be regulated – and, officially, it is – but agents can get round those regulations via official corruption. Are Thailand and Asean moving to address the issue of official connivance in this form of human trafficking? Not if the general’s comments on tracking organised crime are any indicator: “This matter [organised crime] has been assigned to the Immigration Office chief, who will oversee collection of information and creation of a blacklist of foreign groups with criminal backgrounds. I expect some will escape detection and filter through when the Asean Economic Community opens, and that will have an impact on individual countries. “Thailand is likely to have a deal of trouble with this. Detailed guidelines must be established capable of coping with as many eventualities as possible. Whether statistics on crime perpetrated by international criminals will go up or down is impossible at this point to say.”
TACKLING CORRUPTION Nowhere is there mention of initiatives to uncover the rotten apples in Thailand’s civil servant corps; nowhere any sense of worry that a system already fraught with corruption will not succumb to it completely when the borders open. Official corruption is to organised crime as one’s hand is to a glove. Where officials are yet uncorrupted, such crime is minimal (think Finland). Where corruption is rife, criminal organisations pursue their activities without hindrance (think Russia). With no plans in place to rein in official corruption – indeed, no idea that the need to do so exists – Asean’s member states may find themselves quickly overwhelmed by criminal gangs and hordes of economic refugees, their citizens unprotected by constabularies and civil servants on the criminals’ payroll. Official corruption is an urgent problem – perhaps the single greatest problem facing this region, for it seems to adumbrate all else – yet officialdom is loath to attempt anything more than windowdressing and face-saving. It’s time citizens ask themselves why. The views expressed here are those of the author only and in no way represent the opinion of The Phuket News.
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THAILAND NEWS
THE PHUKET NEWS
Drive-by in Trang T
Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the arrival ceremony for the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Vladivostok on September 8. Photo: AFP
rang municipal police were called in the early hours of Sunday (September 9) to the scene of a drive-by shooting in which two people were badly injured. The victims were named as Mrs Somporn Kaewket, 41, owner of Ke Kaew Ket Karaoke, and Nantapongs Wanbuan, 18, a friend of Somporn’s 16-year-old son, Chaitawach. Both were hit by pellets from a single shotgun shell fired from a home-made “Thai Pradit” gun. Chaitawach explained what happened. “After closing [the bar] my mother invited us to sit and chat on a bench out in front. As we were talking, a motorcycle with three teenagers drove by. About 20 minutes later they came back and one
Bounty hunter killed over copyright THE AGENT OF A FIRM TRYING TO uncover violators of copyright law – a copyright bounty hunter – was shot three times in the head on Monday, September 10 in a Karaoke bar in the Meuang district of Surat Thani. The body has been identified as Tanakorn Petchchent, a representative of KT Publishing Co. Ltd. Tanakorn, like other copyright bounty hunters, was authorised to enter shops
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
where music or videos are played for the amusement of customers, and demand owners pay for the right to do so. Such copyright bounty hunters typically demand between B3,000 and B5,000 for a year’s right to play music. This ‘industry’ has come under scrutiny and several found to be frauds. Police said Tanakorn had driven to the shop in a Surat-registered Honda car, parking in front. “We expect he made an
appointment with the person involved to clear copyright problems,” police told the press, “but seeing no agreement was forthcoming, that person decided the issue with his gun and fled before anyone saw him.” In July, earlier this year The Department of Intellectual Property held a seminar on ‘avoiding international music copyright infringement’ in Patong. – Source: Manager Online
of the passengers fired at us.” He said the suspects were riding on a red Suzuki Smash motorbike, with a red licence plate, but he did not catch the number. “My mother was hit, and so was a friend of mine. We were sitting pretty close together; I only narrowly escaped being shot, as did others sitting on the footpath in front of the bar. “I don’t think either my mother or Nantapongs were the target. I think they were aiming for me but missed.” Chaitawach explained to police that he had not long ago broken up with his girlfriend. “She’s just 16 but has a number of nasty habits. I told her to straighten up but she paid no attention, I couldn’t stand it so I moved back home.” About three days after
leaving his lover, who was not identified, Chaitawach received a call from her. “She said she had a new guy, and that she was going to have him shoot me. But I ignored her threats. “Then tonight, before the shooting, as my mother, my friend and I were talking, I saw the new boyfriend riding pillion as an old boyfriend of hers drove. They went past the karaoke.” Shortly after that the shooting occurred, though it was not clear from the news report whether the girl’s new boyfriend was suspected of being the pillion rider who fired on the karaoke. Police said that he, along with Chaitawach’s ex-girlfriend, would be called for questioning. – Source: Manager Online
11 Lao girls held in karaoke raids IMMIGRATION POLICE in Krabi Town were contacted on September 5 and advised that foreign nationals were being illegally employed at two karaoke bars. The informant described the illegals’ employer as “a locally influential figure”, adding that “police know of his operations and protect
him”. He added that the karaokes had been in operation a long time and stayed open after official closing. A complaint has been filed charging the karaoke owner with human trafficking and employing foreign nationals without work permits. – Source: Siang Thai
Pattaya threesome goes awry Pattaya Today
A DA N ISH TOU R IST thought he had agreed to take two women to his hotel room but was taken aback when he later discovered his potential lovers were men. Alexander Sandberg, 19, told police he did not know the two were katoey until they removed their underwear, at which point he reportedly asked them to leave without payment. The ladyboys, Sathit and Mongkhol, agreed to leave the premises but had already
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Alexander, right, takes his grievance to the authorities. collected their fees plus a mobile phone taken from the naïve visitor. Police later arrested the duo and charged
them with theft. It transpired that one of them was carrying an ID card of a ‘real’ woman.
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
ASIA NEWS
9
Removing the dead to make a living on Mumbai’s railway Rachel O’Brien / AFP
avi was seven when he ran away from home, taking a train from north India to the fabled metropolis of Mumbai. More than 25 years later he is still at the platform, his life far from what he had in mind when he arrived: dealing with the dead as a way to make a living. Removing bodies from the city’s creaking rail network, his is a gruesome task but he is desperate enough to do it. Most are killed trying to cross the tracks – 6,000 a year die this way in Mumbai, according to one government study. A few commit suicide or fall onto the rails, others are hit by trackside poles as they hang out of overloaded trains. The bodies can be so badly mutilated that it helps to get high first, explained Ravi. “We sniff before we pick up the bodies, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to do it,” said the slight 35-year-old, who inhaled on a tatty cloth doused in addictive cleaning fluid even while he talked to AFP. Sitting in an empty train coach within the grand neoGothic CST station, Ravi said
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figures show more than 2,310 deaths on the tracks so far this year. The statistics show that willing body movers across the city are crucial. In return for their help, officials “turn a blind eye to youth on the railways and they get to live on the premises,” Rao said. Life is not what Ravi envisaged when, like countless other runaway children with small change and big dreams, he arrived in India’s financial capital and the home of Bollywood. Surviving on leftover scraps at the station, he was picked up by police and put into a children’s home. A year later his brother came and took him out, and he lived in other parts These three men make a living from removing bodies from India’s railtracks. Photo: AFP of Mumbai before returning to he sniffed through three small station officials alert them to the to 150 rupees (two to three ary estimated that almost 15,000 life by the tracks. “My addictions, my friends people are killed every year as bottles of the fluid every day, unenviable task that can double dollars). Such arrangements exist in they trespass unlawfully on and my habits made me come each costing three US cents their meagre daily income. and meant for cleaning office The men explained how various parts of the country, in India’s rail tracks, which lack back,” he said. Thousands of children still equipment. they move victims from the “almost a symbiotic relation- proper safety and fencing – a Other platform dwellers tracks by stretcher, sometimes ship” between railway authori- figure the government described arrive at the city’s stations every year, although figures are hard drifted past as he spoke, also carrying them as far as a local ties and platform dwellers, said as a “massacre”. About 6,000 of the deaths to record. Rao estimates 10 to seemingly intoxicated. hospital for inspection before Mrinalini Rao, former head of Day-to-day they live off their final journey to the mortu- the Railway Children charity occur on Mumbai’s suburban 20 reach Mumbai every day, network alone, the report said, with girls often quickly swalunofficial porter work, scraping ary – aside from those still alive. in India. An official report in Febru- while the city’s railway police lowed into trafficking rings. by on passengers’ tips and do“I used to get scared but ing odd jobs for the authorities. now it’s a kind of habit,” Ravi But on occasions when a said. body or wounded person is In return, these “stretcher spotted on the tracks near CST, coolies” each get around 100
Red-carpet welcome for William and Kate’s arrival in Singapore Agence France-Presse
BR I TA I N’S PR I NC E William and his wife Catherine were greeted by cheering well-wishers Tuesday as they started an Asia-Pacific tour in Singapore to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 60-year reign. The glamorous royal couple went from the airport to the leafy city-state’s Botanic Gardens for the first engagement of their nine-day visit, which will also take in Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. William, wearing a dark blue suit and light blue tie, and Catherine, in a cream dress with orchid prints, were presented with a specially-bred orchid named in their honour. They were then taken to Singapore’s grand, British colonial-era Raffles Hotel, where more than 100 people lined the gravel driveway and took pictures as the couple emerged from their car before stepping on to the red carpet. The young royals are tour-
ing the globe this year as part of celebrations marking the diamond jubilee of William’s grandmother the queen. They also played a prominent role during the London Olympics, but the family suffered a public relations hiccup when William’s younger brother Harry was photographed nude with a female friend at a Las Vegas hotel. William and Catherine, who were married in April last year, stayed in Singapore until Thursday, when they headed to Malaysia. There, they will
tour the capital Kuala Lumpur and Borneo’s Sabah state from September 13-15. The pair will then f ly to the Solomon Islands, an impoverished former British protectorate north-east of Australia, and stay from September 16-18, before a final stop in the tiny nation of Tuvalu until September 19. Queen Elizabeth is head of state in the Solomons and Tuvalu, both of which are members of the Commonwealth, as are Singapore and Malaysia.
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10 WORLD NEWS
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
Tensions surround 9/11 memorial on anniversary Agence France-Presse
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ensions over how to pay proper respect to the dead are overshadowing New York’s memorial at Ground Zero as a gap widens between survivors and the general, more forgetful public 11 years after 9/11. Just days before the latest annual remembrance of the cataclysm that saw hijacked airliners flown into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers, the once overwhelming sense of national solidarity appears to have faded. At the sombre site, which only opened last year to mark the spot where over 2,600 people were killed on September 11, 2001, out of a total of nearly 3,000 dead, police, private security guards and volunteer guides are enforcing strict rules on decorum. The measures are aimed at curbing what some relatives of victims see as rising disrespect, ranging from picnics under the newly planted oak trees to an incident in June
Shauna Camp and Anthony Camp, who lost their uncle, Faustino Apostol Jr. in the 9/11 attacks, view the panel containing his name on September 11, 2011. Photo: AFP when visiting high school students threw trash into one of the black pools marking the footprints of the fallen towers. Signs insisting on good behaviour are everywhere around the huge pools and bronze panels inscribed with the names of the dead. “If you see anyone scratching, sitting on or otherwise
damaging the names panel, please alert memorial staff,” reads one such notice. Nothing like serious vandalism has occurred, but even the most seemingly benign activities, such as thousands of tourists snapping photos of each other in front of the monument, are too much for relatives who refer to the site
as “sacred ground.” “People laughed and took pictures smiling, and so many people leaned on the tablets with all my friends’ names engraved in them, holding Starbucks cups, like it was a kitchen table,” complained Marianne Pizzitola, head of a fire department retirees group, in a widely published letter to
the memorial’s president Joe Daniels. Those tensions are part of a broader shift as the raw horrors of 9/11, which also saw the hijackers crash a third plane into the Pentagon while a fourth plummeted into a Pennsylvania field, become less salient for most people. On the anniversary, relatives again went through the heart-rending Ground Zero ceremony where the names of all 2,753 people killed there are read out. When New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg last year brought up the possibility of scaling down the lengthy ritual, he immediately prompted a backlash from some victims’ families. Throw in the politicised furore over plans for a nearby Islamic cultural centre and a lawsuit filed by atheists against a steel cross in the Memorial Museum and Ground Zero can sometimes seem less than the peaceful place for remembrance that it is meant to be. And for those who want the
eight-acre memorial to remain a restricted zone for ticket holders, things are only going to get more uncomfortable. When the surrounding skyscrapers of the new World Trade Center are finished and leased, the memorial is designed to become fully open. At that point, the shaded plaza around the fountains won’t just make a perfect spot for the odd tourist picnic but a likely destination for thousands of office workers on a lunch break. Lauren Lent, who was across the street when the planes struck on 9/11 and who now volunteers at the memorial, says she dreads the potential security problems and the inevitable lowering of tone. “I like it the way it is. I like that it’s structured and organised. I’m a little leery about the day when we will open it up. I’m very frightened,” she said, standing by the fountain at the old North Tower.
Jordan king warns of ‘looming’ spillover from Syrian violence Agence France-Presse
JORDAN’S KING ABDULlah II on Wednesday warned of a spillover of the Syrian turmoil into the countries it neighbours, saying the risk is “looming closer,” in an exclusive interview with AFP. “I am extremely worried about the risk of a fragmentation of Syria. Over the past few months we have witnessed an increase in sectarian violence,” the king said. “This not only endangers the unity of Syria, but it could also be a prelude to a spillover of the conflict, into neighbouring countries with similar sectarian composition. We have already seen signals that this risk is looming closer.” UN investigators have said that growing numbers of victims of the conflict in Syria are being targeted because of their religion, while gross violations of human rights are occurring on a regular basis. More than 27,000 people have been killed since the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad broke out in March 2011, according to rights monitors’ figures.
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During the interview at his palace in Amman, the king called for “a formula for a political transition where all components of Syrian society, including the Alawites, feel that they have a stake in the country’s future.” “An inclusive transition process is the only way to stop the escalation in sectarian violence,” he said. “It is in the best interest of the Syrian people, as it would preserve the territorial integrity and unity of Syria, and it is in the best interest of regional stability and the international community.” Jordan currently hosts more than 200,000 Syrians who have fled the bloodletting. “I have been saying all along that the issue is not the individual, but the system. If President Bashar were to leave tomorrow, but the system stayed, then what would the Syrian people have achieved?” the king said. The king said that not all Syrians who came to Jordan were seeking safe haven. “We have discovered that a few came here, not to seek
safe haven, but to carry out other missions – intelligence gathering on refugees, or schemes to target Jordan’s stability and security,” he added. “Let me simply say, the way Syria deals with its neighbours is one of the potential escalations that we are watching closely.” Jordan has said it needs US$700 million in international aid to cope with the influx of refugees. “You heard that six UN agencies joined Jordan last week in a joint appeal to the international community for immediate assistance. This is urgently needed, to give these suffering families just the basics of life. My country has already crossed its absorption capacity,” he said. UN figures show that 85,197 refugees are already registered in Jordan, with a further 35,961 awaiting processing. Jordanian officials say almost 30,000 refugees live in Zaatari refugee camp, 85 kilometres north of Amman in a desert area near the border with Syria.
THE PHUKET NEWS
LETTERS/VIEWPOINT 11
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
OPINION editor@thephuketnews.com
Editor’s Viewpoint
Norachai’s World
Legal taxi?
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A change of colour. A change of attitude?
or many years now, horror stories about illegal taxi and tuk-tuk drivers have haunted front pages of newspapers as well as other news sites on the island and around the kingdom. For too long, residents and tourists alike have bemoaned the existence of unscrupulous operators – tales of overcharging, violence, and intimidatory techniques are unfortunately all too commonly reported – and have suggested that a simple solution to the island’s woes would be to force the taxis to comply with regulations, to register and to become part of the legal ‘above board’ society. Well folks, it looks like it’s actually now going to happen and, contrary to popular belief, hell has not frozen over. On the first day that the Provincial Transportation Department (PTD) opened registration to convert illegal “black-plate” taxis into legal “green registration plate” cabs, they received 1,048 applications. The drivers will be called back to the department at a later date so that their cars
can be inspected to ensure that they are roadworthy and suitable for use as taxis. Sounds absolutely fantastic, right? It’s what Phuket residents have all been waiting all along for right? Well, actually no, not all. A few weeks ago one reader wrote in to point out that ‘regulations’ would not in fact help the drivers or even the customers. He believed that, much as in his native Australia, the regulators would demand higher licensing fees which would lead to higher fares and eliminate the need to keep fares low for competition’s sake. It was for this reason, among may others, that he stated rather proudly that he used an illegal taxi. Will enforced regulations force the taxi fraternity to clean up its act? Or will it merely allow others to get their hands legally dirty? But one thing’s for sure. After the past few decades or so of dealing with the shambolic situation, most in Phuket will be ready to see a new approach tried.
Letters to the editor Who gives a damn about a dam? [Re: Dam threatens Thai tigers] he question has to be asked as to who will profit from the Mae Wong dam proposal which will flood part of a protected National Park which also happens to be an integral part of Thailand’s remaining Western Forest Complex? Certain nameless people have tried several times over the years to destroy parts of the largest system of protected rain forest left in mainland Southeast Asia (eg. Nam Chon Dam proposal – first proposed in 1966 and finally abandoned on March 18, 1998) and all credit to the Thai people that this important reserve of 17 protected areas covering 18,000 square kilometres along the border with Myanmar is still protected. However, these nameless people seem determined to try and destroy parts of this important Western Forest reserve again, so let’s start asking the hard questions: “Who will profit from flooding parts of this reserve?” “Who will move in and ‘remove’ the valuable trees before the land is flooded?” Once we know that we can see who is responsible for the continual onslaught against the Thai people’s natural heritage – the rainforest. So can I suggest that once we know which people want to destroy parts of this heritage site that we insist that they are transferred to another department where they can do no harm or resign immediately and never again hold public office ? Sebastian
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There’s no value in development
Missing the point entirely
[Re. Green Lessons] We are fed up with people ruining our landscape. And especially when they are the local farang exploiters trying to drive up the market on no basis whatsoever. It’s a huge con trick. Believe me, I have two properties here. You want to know the truth about the property market here? I will tell it to you for free: Nothing, nothing, is going up in value. It’s the biggest con in the Far East. I have a guy from China coming to see my ocean-front property but I will tell him the truth – buy it if you want to live or spend time here, otherwise forget it – the financial gains are not realistic. In fact they are unrealistic. Can we please stop the bulls***?! Andrew Whitecross
[Re. Singled out for special attention] There are no excuses for staying single for long in Asia, full stop. Waste of money. If you want a more classy lady take a walk to the international hospital, laywer’s office, 5 star hotel etc. Micky
Technology is indeed useful [Re. Its all about using your brain] Your story on September 7 aptly conveyed the excitement felt by the Focus Education Asia team to be sharing advances in Neuroeducation here in Phuket. It was unfortunate, however, that my comments about tablet computers were taken out of context. I believe the initiative by Prime Minister Shinawatra
to supply tablet computers is a very valuable one for all students, not the view that is expressed in the article. Educational advance needs to be approached from many angles, and technology is an important part of this. Dr Kery O’Neill, Focus Education Asia
Making sure you’re insured [Re. The importance of insurance] Incredible timing of this article. I was having this discussion over the weekend after visiting Kasikorn bank. I was offered insurance there for accident cover. I have lived here on and off for the last five years and the stories from friends and aquaintances that I have heard over the years are truly frightening. If anyone can recommend good reputable and afford-
able motorbike insurance and personal liability, I am all ears. Concerned expat
What am I? [Re. Appeal for A-negative blood] After reading this article I felt a bit guilty, but my problem is I’m not even aware which blood type I have. I asked some friends and they had the same lack of knowledge about their own blood type. So please inform us where we best can go for a safe check-up to find out what blood type we are. PhuketExpat Most doctors’ clinics on the island can take a small blood sample from your finger and tell you your blood group in 15 minutes, along with letting you know about any diseases you may have picked up. – Editor
Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Email editor@thephuketnews.com. Please include your full name, phone number, and email address.
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12 TOURISM/PROPERTY
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
BUSINESS
Tomorrow’s crowded skies
Airbus launches latest brainstorming paper on ways to make aviation more sustainable > 14
Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com
New flagship to visit Phuket
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ong Kong cr uise line Star Cruises is to take delivery of a 1,532-passenger ship early next year, and put it to work straight away on a cruise from Penang that will stop at Phuket and Krabi. The Star Gemini was built 20 years ago, and was most recently in operation with Norwegian Cruise Line as the Norwegian Dream. It is to undergo a US$50 million (B1.5 billion) refit, before joining the Star fleet as the flagship. The vessel replaces an earlier Star Gemini, a 916-passenger ship that was sold in 2009 to the now defunct Spanish line Quail Cruises. The Gemini will get upgraded navigational systems, a new hull design and revamped onboard facilities, including cabins, restaurants, entertainment and recreational venues, retail and bodycare outlets. This is not the first time the ship has had radical surgery. In 1998, it was cut in two and
The SuperStar Gemini in its previous incarnation, as the Norwegian Dream. lengthened by 40 metres. Star promises sailing on the Gemini will be “an allencompassing holiday experience” that will “immerse guests in a resort-at-sea environment with an edge – a shopping haven that promises a broad range of upmarket duty-free wristwatches, jewellery and handbags amidst idyllic and blissful cruise voyages”. The acquisition brings the Star Cruises flight to five ships.
Gemini will begin service with an inaugural cruise from Penang from January 2 to 24. William Ng, Chief Operating Officer of the cruise line, said, “SuperStar Gemini is a testament to our ongoing effort to expand our footprint in the region from our wellestablished key markets in Hong Kong, Penang, Sanya, Singapore and Taiwan. “With the strengthened fleet, we are well-positioned to
further develop the Asia-Pacific cruise market by introducing world-class cruising experience as a holiday option to the growing North Asia holidaymakers.” Three of the line’s other ships, the SuperStar Virgo, SuperStar Aquarius and Star Pisces all underwent refurbishment last year at a total cost of more than US$38 million (B1.1 billion). The fifth, SuperStar Libra, will go into dock for a makeover early next year.
Seven Phuket entries in awards finals THREE PHUKET REAL estate agents, two Phuketowned hotels and two Phuket condo developments are through to the finals of the Thailand Property Awards, organised by Ensign Media.
The two hotels up for Best Hotel Architectural Design awards are Beyond Khaolak and Beyond Krabi, both owned by Phuket’s Kata Group. The real estate agents in the Phuket finals are Exotiq
Phuket, Tropical Homes and CB Richard Ellis, while the two developments up for Best Boutique Condo Development in Phuket are Absolute Twin Sands Resort & Spa, and Bluepoint Condos.
We believe that the success of a project is essentially based on a serious management
The short list was announced on September 10. The ultimate winners will be named at the annual gala dinner on October 13 in the Napalai Hall of the Dusit Thani Hotel in Bangkok.
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The Thavorn Beach Village on Nakalay Bay.
Thavorn to spend B500m revamping two beach resorts THE LOCALLY OWNED Thavorn Hotels & Resorts is spending B500 million renovating its two beachfront resorts in Phuket, the Thavorn Palm Beach Resort in Karon and the Thavorn Beach Village & Spa at Nakalay Bay. The renovations are scheduled for completion by this year’s high season. At the Thavor n Palm Beach, all 209 rooms will be refurbished in a “blend of colonial and contemporary Thai,” the company says, adding that all will have “a spacious bathroom with glass panel to provide natural light and views over the private terrace and tropical gardens”. At the Thavorn Beach Village, the existing bungalows will be converted into “luxury, air-conditioned villas” featuring “soft colours and wooden furniture for a cosy, warm and relaxed ambiance”. Each will have a private terrace and “semi-outdoor bathroom” with clear panelled roof. K ai rop Suwa n se ne e, Vice President of Marketing,
Thavorn Hotels and Resorts, said, “The newly renovated rooms are a redefining of luxury and style in our exotic beachfront garden settings. “In-house guests and former guests of the resorts will be invited to enjoy special promotional rates of 30 per cent off our best available rates for a limited period only, with newly renovated rooms available from November onwards.” The promotional rates are valid for occupation between November 1 this year and October 31, 2013, with bookings made before October 31 this year. Various terms will apply. For more information, visit thavornpalmbeach.com and thavornbeachvillage.com The Thavorn group also owns the Thavorn Hotel on Rassada Rd, Phuket Town, and formerly owned the 17-floor Thavorn Grand, also in Phuket Town, which was acquired by Bangkok-based investment company ACAP Advisory a year ago and has been up for sale since then.
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
TOURISM/AVIATION 13
MUST TRY HARDER
Ecotourism ‘is way for Govt ‘has failed to stamp on corruption’ Krabi to An overwhelming stand out’ majority of people MCOT Online
TTR Weekly
KRABI NEEDS TO DEMONstrate caution in adopting the right tourism model and learn from the mistakes of popular destinations, one of the province’s vice-governors told travel agents attending a seminar earlier this week. Speaking at an Association of Thai Travel Agents seminar, ‘AEC 2015: Opportunity or Threat for Krabi Tourism’, on Sunday (September 9), V/Gov Weera Chantaratipparak, said the province had to fully embrace ecotourism to distinguish it from major destinations such as Phuket and Pattaya. “Due to its abundance of land and marine natural resources, the province can become a nature and ecotourism destination. However, we have to be wary as we can see how tourism impacted on Pattaya, Phuket and Samui and caused serious damage to culture and environment. “If we adopt fully a commercial tourism model without direction or controls, the influx of business and tourism will damage the province socially, destroy culture and compromise our environment,” he told agents at the seminar. The deputy governor called on tour operators and related tourism handlers to be responsible and accept that Krabi province must safeguard its nature and resources and they should gear their tour programmes accordingly. Association of Domestic Travel president, Yutthachai Soonthronrattanavate, said although Krabi is a fast becoming a must-see destination for international travellers, it attracts only 15 per cent of all domestic travel. “Krabi, Phuket and Samui are popular with foreigners, but Krabi’s appeal for domestic travel is much lower.” Mr Yutthachai suggested that to welcome Thais, the province needs to expand transportation and improve airline services and road links. “There has to be more airline services and the province must recognise the need to attract airlines to the airport through incentives.” Association of Thai Travel Agents president, Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, said convenience, hygiene and safety were key factors to develop the province’s tourism particularly as Asean markets open up. “Besides the airport and hotels that are in a good shape, convenience, hygiene and safety needs to be addressed.”
in the Turakij Pundit University poll said they believe corruption is a serious problem for Thailand (left). Below left and right, politicians are seen as the most corrupt sector, and likely to continue being so.
S
eptember 8 was National Anti-Corruption Day in Thailand, and to mark the occasion, Bangkok’s Turakij Pundit University (TPU) handed the government of Yingluck Shinawatra a poor scorecard for its efforts to deliver its promised crackdown on corruption. TPU research centre director Kiatanan Luankaew conducted a poll that he said gave the government’s anticorruption performance 4.6 of a possible 10 points, and described corruption as a deep-rooted culture in Thai society, particularly in the political and public sectors. He said the only anticorr uption solution is to strengthen the public sector, in cooperation with the media, to strictly monitor the performance of politicians and government officials while educating the public on the “cancerous nature” of corruption. “Lessons learned from Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong prove that [corruption] is a curable problem if we persistently fight against it,” he said. The survey on corruption
in Thailand was conducted between August 26 and Tuesday last week (September 4). A total of 1,028 people in 20 provinces were questioned in the poll. Asked if corruption is a vital problem for Thailand, 88.3 per cent of the respon-
dents agreed that it was serious while 7.2 per cent said it was not and 4.5 per cent said they were not sure. Dividing graft into three categories – political, state and private sectors – the poll found that 81.9 per cent, 72.5 per cent and 54.7 per cent of
respondents said corruption has increased in those sectors respectively. In addition, 72.2 per cent, 65.5 per cent and 50.1 per cent of respondents believed that next year will see corruption increase in, respectively, the political, state and private sectors.
Park fee hikes postponed TTR Weekly
FOLLOWING FURIOUS complaints from tour operators, the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has decided to postpone huge admission fee increases at 29 popular national parks for three months. They will now come into force on January 1 next year. After tour operators raised a hue and cry following the announcement that entrance fees would be raised by as much as 150 per cent, the Association of Thai Travel Agents as well as Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association
submitted letters to the DNP as well as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment demanding a review. They complained that not enough advanced notice was given and that the department should have explained why it needed to make such hefty increases. ATTA also filed complaints to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and Parliamentary Standing Committee on Tourism and Sports. ATTA secretary-general Charoen Wangananont said after the meeting with Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Preecha Rengsom-
boonsuk, “The Minister understands the tour operators’ point and agreed to postpone the rise. “The hiked fees are not reasonable and our fees would then be far more expensive than other parks in the region. Also, the private sector should be included in discussions when fee raises are on the table.” Despite the request by tour operators that the DNP postpone the rise until October 2013, when new contracts with tour companies overseas begin,
the DNP gave them until just January 1. However, a reliable source at the DNP said that another postponement might follow after further discussions. The national park announcement came at very short notice, on August 20, with the new fees to take effect from October 1, which was not enough time for tour operators to renegotiate rates with overseas partners that include in packages the cost of national park fees.
45x90 |
Thai Smile launches Phuket services TTR Weekly
THAI AIRWAYS’ ALMOSTbut-not-quite-budget airline, Thai Smile, will begin daily flights between Phuket and Chiang Mai, Phuket and Bangkok, and Chiang Mai and Bang kok f rom next month. The Bangkok-Chiang Mai service will be increased to twice daily at the end of next month. Early next year, when it receives two more A320 Airbuses, Thai Smile plans a daily flight between Phuket and Singapore, a move which will see them competing head-on with other budget carriers Thai AirAsia, Jetstar and Tiger Airways. The new “lite” airline has already replaced its parent with two daily flights from Bangkok to Surat Thani and four to Krabi. In April next year it will replace Thai on services between Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani (twice a day) and Udon Thani (three times a day). Apart from its domestic routes, Thai Smile currently has one regional service, from Bangkok to Macau. It is not clear at the moment what other longer-haul services will be launched. The new airline’s managing director, Woranate Laprabang, said that a service between Phuket and Mumbai in India was considered, but the management believes there is not enough traffic year-round to justify the route. Also dropped was a plan to fly between Bangkok and Hyderabad, because of lack of cargo space on the A320. Thai Smile currently has three 174-seat A320-200 aircraft, with eight more on order.
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www.tile-asia.com info@tile-asia.com | Wana Park, Srisoonthorn Road, Thalang, Phuket 83110 | Tel 076 602 168 | Fax 076 620 169
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FUTURE SHOCK 14 AVIATION/MEDIA
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
Airbus paints picture of crowded, ‘smarter’ skies to come
A
irbus has released the latest installment of the Future by Airbus, its vision for sustainable aviation in 2050 and beyond. For the first time the vision looks beyond aircraft design to how aircraft will be operated both on the ground and in the air in order to meet the expected growth in air travel in a sustainable way. Charles Champion, Executive Vice President Engineering at Airbus, said, “Our engineers are continuously encouraged to think widely and come up with ‘disruptive’ ideas which will assist our industry in meeting the 2050 targets we have signed up to. “These and the other tough environmental targets will be met only by a combination of investment in smarter aircraft design and optimising the environment in which the aircraft operates. That is why our latest Future by Airbus Smarter Skies concepts focus on not just what we fly but how we may fly in 2050 and beyond.” Already today, if the Air Traffic Management (ATM) system and technology on board aircraft were optimised, Airbus research based on recent research suggests that flights in Europe and the US could on average be around 13 minutes shorter. Assuming around 30 million flights a year, this would save around 9 million tonnes
of excess fuel annually, which equates to over 28 million tonnes of avoidable CO2 emissions and a saving of 5 million hours of excess flight time. Add to this new aircraft design, alternative energy sources and new ways of flying and the world could see even more significant improvements, Airbus predicts. The Future by Airbus concentrates on just that and the Smarter Skies vision consists of five concepts which could
be implemented across all the stages of an aircraft’s operation to reduce waste in the system (waste in time, waste in fuel, reduction of CO2). These are: Aircraft take-off in continuous ‘eco-climb’: Aircraft launched through assisted takeoffs using renewably powered, propelled acceleration, allowing steeper climb from airports to minimise noise and reach efficient cruise altitudes quicker. As space becomes a premium and mega-cities become
a reality, this approach could also minimise land use, as shorter runways could be used. Aircraft in free flight and formation along “express skyways”: “Highly intelligent” aircraft would be able to “selforganise” and select the most efficient and environmentally friendly routes (free flight), making the optimum use of prevailing weather and atmospheric conditions. High-frequency routes would also allow aircraft to
benefit from flying in formation during cruise, like flocks of birds, bringing efficiency improvements due to drag reduction and lower energy use. Low-noise, free-glide approaches and landings: Aircraft taking free glide approaches into airports, reducing emissions during the overall descent and reducing noise during the steeper approach as there is no need for engine thrust or air braking. Such approaches would also
reduce the landing speed earlier, which would make shorter landing distances achievable and therefore less runway. Low emission ground operations: On landing, if aircraft engines could be switched off sooner and runways cleared faster, thereby cutting ground handling emissions. Technology could optimise an aircraft’s landing position with enough accuracy for an autonomous renewablypowered taxiing carriage to be ready, so that aircraft could be towed away from runways faster, optimising terminal space, and removing runway and gate limitations. Powering future aircraft and infrastructure: The use of sustainable biofuels and other potential alternative energy sources (such as electricity, hydrogen, solar etc) will be necessary to secure supply and further reduce aviation’s environmental footprint in the long term. This will allow the introduction of regionally-sourced renewable energy close to airports, feeding both aircraft and infrastructure sustainably. Airbus has also just released its latest Global Market Forecast, predicting just how much the aviation industry will grow in the next 20 years. It forecasts that the world fleet will more than double, growing to 32,550 aircraft by 2031.
Film shoots bring in record money TTR Weekly
THE MINISTRY OF TOURism and Sports’ Thailand Film Office Department reported, earlier this week, that Thailand earned a record B1.7 billion from location film shoots in Thailand in the first half of this year. The department said that 375 films, documentaries, advertisements, TV series and music videos were filmed on location in Thailand, generating B1,731 million in revenue. Though the number of productions was lower than last year’s 401, the revenue was more than double the B771 million in the same period of last year. Of 375 productions, 63 were documentaries, 206 were advertisements, 51 TV programmes, 23 music video productions, and 32 feature films.
thephuketnews.com
Indian film makers topped the list in the first seven months of the year with 80 productions followed by 79 from Japan, 57 from Europe, 23 from Hong Kong, 22 from South Korea, 17 from the United States, 12 from China, four from Australia, and 81 more from elsewhere. In July, 40 productions generated B180 million compared with 47 productions and B94 million during the same month last year. Of those 40 productions, seven were documentaries, 22 advertisements, two TV programmes, five music videos, and four were feature films. Indian production teams also led the field in July with 16 productions followed by seven from Japan, four from Europe, three from China, two each from US and Hong Kong, and six from elsewhere.
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
11
A taste of something a little different with Bangkok Food Tours
17
The Sanaeha boys talk about facing the music on a daily basis
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
POWERED BY
Rethinking the Thai house > Books, Page 10
Dama Zamya eco-villa in Phuket Photo by Albert Lim Koon Seng
WEEKDAYS
SATURDAYS
SUNDAYS
Breakfast
Sam & Natasha
7am-11am
Weekend Brunch
Jay Le Shark
10am - 1pm
Weekend Brunch
Jay Le Shark
10am – 1pm
The Power Hour with Radenska Natural Water
Live 89.5
11am-12pm
Phuket News Radio
Live 89.5
1pm - 2pm
The Spin
Tim Newton
1pm - 4pm
Jason Wilder
4pm - 7pm
Live 89.5
7pm - 8pm
Live 89.5
8pm – 11pm
Lifestyle
Steve Johnston
12pm-3pm
Saturday Sport
Sam Clarke
2pm - 5pm
Drive
Jason Wilder
3pm-7pm
Going Green
Nick Anthony
5pm – 7pm
Lazy Sunday Afternoon Phuket News Radio (repeat)
Non Stop Music
Live 89.5
7pm-7am
Saturday Night Fever
Live 89.5
7pm – 11pm
Sunday Night Chill
thephuketnews.com
2 ART
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, 14, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 14,
Memories of China L
ADVERTORIAL There is no room that couldn’t benefit from a touch of ‘Chinese styling’ according to Marc de Champeaux, owner of The Gallery Phuket in Thalang. With up to 50 per cent off goods until October 15, now is the time to buy that Chinese chair, cabinet or that war propaganda art work.
thephuketnews.com
ooking to redecorate your house? There is no room that couldn’t benefit from a touch of ‘Chinese styling’ according to Marc de Champeaux, owner of The Gallery Phuket in Thalang. Now is the time to purchase that Chinese chair, cabinet or that war propaganda art work, as from September 15 – October 15, the Gallery will be hosting its first ever sale, with items discounted as much as 20-50 per cent off. “This is our first sale in five years,” Marc, “and we have some great items that are going to become available at a wonderful price.” Marc has quite an eye and affinity for Chinese art and China in general. “China has a special place in my heart. I lived there for 25 years and still have a factory there, where I manufacture garments.” Everything in Gallery is Chinese, but it is Chinese with a difference – often coming with a contemporary sprucing. “We get reclaimed wood and antique furniture and restore them and often paint them to give them a more modern feel. “Chinese furniture is often black or red but we give them vibrant colours, like greens, turquoise, yellow and pink . I think it goes very well with contemporary furniture, one or two pieces combined with contemporary
furniture works well.” As well as selling to villa owners and art enthusiasts on the island, The Gallery also exports to Australia, Singapore,Greece, Germany, France and America. Much of the furniture is between 60 and 90 years old, however there are also faithfully reproduced pieces, with each one clearly labelled. The Gallery also has an extensive collection of huge reproductions of Chinese propaganda artwork. Marc has a special fondness for these, he has a huge 7.5 x 2.2 metre reproduction of an original 1.5 x 2 metre piece in his living room. The image shows Chinese soldiers with machine guns and the ‘Treasured Red Book’ held aloft. It really sets off the room, and gives it an edge. It is the art work and its origin and not necessarily the political overtones that interest and excites Marc, “Yes, I have always liked China, since before I lived there, I like the culture. They are extremely hard workers, I respect that.” But is more than just that, Marc also feels rather an affinity. For stylish, chic, antique and modern pieces of Chinese furniture, and to see how a cabinet, table, chair or painting could add something extra to your room, visit: The Gallery – Phuket, 249/17 Moo 8, Tambon Thepkasattri, Amphur Thalang, www.nwe-thegallery.com 076 512 585
Clockwise from above: 6ft high resin warriors. A beautiful ornate cabinet. Two ‘maximised’ propaganda posters and a chest of drawers, tables and cabinets with Chinese decorative items, all available at the Gallery in Thalang. All available at a great discount.
EDUCATION 3
THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
Hong Kong chief backs down in education row Agence France Presse
H
ong Kong voted September 9 in legislative elections seen as a test for the pro-Beijing government, after it was forced to scrap mandatory Chinese patriotism classes in the face of escalating protests. The government has been besieged by protests since it took office in July with support from Beijing, and a strong vote for democratic parties will be seen as a rejection of the mainland’s growing influence in the former British colony. Tens of thousands of student-led demonstrators surrounded government headquarters for a second consecutive night on Saturday, calling for the withdrawal of the unpopular plan to introduce Chinese patriotism classes in schools. The rallies, which waxed and waned for 10 days straight and included hunger strikes and a Tiananmen Square-style democracy statue, became a rallying cry for democratic parties. Critics of the policy said it amounted to Chinese Communist Party brainwashing. In an election-eve policy reversal, the city’s leader Leung Chun-ying dropped the 2016 deadline for the classes to be introduced and said they would no longer be mandatory. Besides the protests over education policy, tensions have been brewing over corruption, the yawning gap between rich and poor, soaring property prices and the strains of coping with an influx of millions of mainland tourists. Surveys show dissatisfaction with mainland rule is rising, especially among the young, while satisfaction with the Communist Party’s performance in governing China is at its lowest point since the 1997 handover from Britain. Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule under the principle of “One Country, Two Systems”, which guarantees a degree of democracy and freedoms not tolerated on the mainland.
Kajonkiet celebrates its day of diversity
T
he children from international schools are often from wide and varied backgrounds. This diversity – of which they are probably unaware and therefore all the more poignant – represents a future where all, no matter colour or nationality, can live, work and ‘be’ together. It also throws up random opportunities where kids can dress up in their various national costumes. For Justine Broadhurst-Bristow, the Head English teacher at Kajonkiet Kindergarten English Programme at the Kathu Campus, such events are both incredibly fun and beneficial. Speaking at the school’s second annual Heritage Day on September 7, South African-born Mrs Broadhurst-Bristow said, in-between serving sausage rolls and samosas, “We came up with this because at one point we had many South African teachers, and we celebrate a Heritage Day there.” She explained that, much like the purpose it serves in her homeland, Heritage Day encourages South Africa’s people to celebrate their unique cultural heritage and diversity of beliefs and traditions. Throughout the day at Kajonkiet, little stalls were set out representing a multitude of countries, and visiting guests and parents enjoyed all manner of cuisine and foods, from sushi to pasta. Mrs Broadhurst-Bristow said that the ‘food fair’ was merely a culmination of the past two weeks. “Each class has been learning about a country, to show and find similarities between it and Thailand.” “What we are trying to show is that all these kids from other countries are the same as them, they may look slightly different and have different languages but they are essentially the same.” To achieve this goal, the children, aged from 2-6 years old, have been doing various projects, learning a little of different languages and also picking up traditional dance moves. Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com
Kajonkiet’s Heritage Day was also held as a fund-raising event, she said. “We’ve managed to raise B54,000. Next month we are sending two teachers (one Thai, one foreign) to the Coleridge school in England. They’ll be working with the kids and teachers there to learn more about British culture and children and bring back what they learn.” This inter-school initiative was launched and funded by the British government up until 2010. However, this year – not surprisingly given the harsh economic climate in the UK – the funding ended. Recognising the mutual benefits that children from both schools were getting from the experience, Kajonkiet set about saving and raising the money to pay for the costs themselves. “We’ve been doing a lot of Skype chatting recently,” said Mrs Broadhurst-Bristow. “It’s so cute. The children are often so excited when they do that, that they can hardly talk.”
Clockwise from left: A Kajonkiet youngster holds The Phuket Colouring Book, parents crowd around the American stall; Justine Broadhurst-Bristow and Roxy Hichens.
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4 ENVIRONMENT
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, 14, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 14,
Environment and the media Alastair Carthew editor3@thephuketnews.com
Alastair Carthew is the co-editor of the book Environmental Journalism in AsiaPacific. It is available online at kas.de/ medien-asien/en/ publications/31797/ and will be available in hard copy from midSeptember. For more information, email: alastair@phuket publicrelations.com
M
ay 24, 2006 was the day Al Gore’s Academy Awardwinning documentary An Inconvenient Truth was first aired, awakening millions of hitherto blissfully unaware people to the stark reality of the impact of global warming. It was also a cathartic experience for the world’s environmental media. At last the message had cut through all the other news ‘noise’ to become mainstream. Although An Inconvenient Truth was considered a major milestone for the environmental media, it merely focused on global warming. In fact, the 1992 Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro also sparked heightened interest in reporting the wider subject of sustainable development and its triple bottom line agenda of economic, social and environmental values. Despite such huge game changers, however, here in the Asia-Pacific environmental issues and the media remain, as they have for decades, uneasy bedfellows. There are some valid reasons for this relating to economics, culture, geography and politics. In the Asia-Pacific region it usually takes catastrophic events – last year’s Thailand floods, violent clashes over deforestation in the Philippines, the economic and personal toll from the ravages of drought on agriculture in Australia – for the environment to become frontpage news, to lead the television and radio bulletins or to go viral across the internet.
Pets
The environment should feature much more prominently in the region’s mainstream and online media. Asia-Pacific’s greenhouse emissions are increasing twice as fast as the global average (5.4 per cent change per annum: 2.8 per cent global average), with China the biggest single emitter; its agriculturebased economies produce 43 per cent of global N20 (nitrous oxide) emissions; it has the highest annual water withdrawal of all the world’s regions; in the last 20 years Southeast Asia has lost 13 per cent of its forests; and it is the region most affected by natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes, drought, storm surges and tsunamis. Of these Phuket has been directly impacted by tsunamis, flooding, forest encroachment and even earthquakes. All of these events were more than adequately covered by The Phuket News. Phuket also has its own weekly environmental radio programme, hosted by prominent local environmentalist Nick Anthony on Live 89.5. Unfortunately, this amount of coverage tends to be the exception to the rule, and in the wider Asia-Pacific environmental media scene, it needs self examination and much improvement. Why does the environment more often than not get relegated to the inside pages or down the bulletin? In general it is not considered news-worthy to editors unless it has huge immediate impact on the population. Environmental reporting requires a knowledge of journalism, science, the en-
vironment and even sociology. It is slow moving compared to crime, entertainment, sport and so on. Environmental issues such as sustainable development are not necessarily something journalistic decision-makers readily relate to, thus leading to a vicious cycle of negative reinforcement – if it is not newsworthy then it does not get wider coverage, and, if it is not reported, then it is not newsworthy. Another issue is that much environmental reporting is locally based. Therefore journalists covering an environmental story must deal with often overcautious, protective, and, in some cases, incompetent local authorities who make access to information difficult. The relationship between environmental journalism and authorities is therefore often fraught. Indeed, in places like the Philippines where illegal logging is rife, reporters have paid with their lives for exposing corruption. Within the region there are myriad environmental journalism organisations. But many of them are voluntary, often disjointed, can require fees that poorly paid journalists in many Asian countries cannot afford, and are seldom transboundary. No overarching organisation that pulls all of the relevant and credible organisations under one cross border umbrella exists. To hope for one may be a bit ‘pie in the sky,’ but up until Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, many people thought the same of global warming. In fact some do.
Every month, the best pet wins a B500 voucher from:
“Hello my name is Teddy and I’m a gorgeous Siberian Husky dog. I belong to Salisa Limsakul and I’m one year old. My favourite activity is playing in any type of water – especially the rain!”
“Meow m I’m Yujin a eow, years old, nd I’m nine a 9kgs too! nd a whopping I Baker who belong to Cristy favourite b named me after h er ar Australia a in Tokyo. I was born since I wa nd I’ve been with Cri in sa sty eye (I had kitten. I only have on to have th e other on e removed a e fte I’m still ad r an accident) but orab rule the ho le! I definitely use an other pets d the .”
Want to see your pet here? Email your photos to editor1@thephuketnews.com thephuketnews.com
HEALTH 5
THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
Wonder why I Zumba? Jody Houton editor3@thephuketnews.com
“I have a dream that one day men and women regardless of sexual persuasion will be able to exercise in whatever method they want. Where women can weightlift and men can ‘spin’. Where the gender of a person has no more bearing than the colour of his or her leotard!”
I
had to take a few breaths to keep my hands steady before I wrote this: I am a heterosexual man and I did a Zumba class and I liked it. For those uninitiated in the latest dance and workout craze, Zumba is a Colombian Dance Fitness programme that was actually created way back in the 1990s. It combines aerobic and dance elements that form a rather unique, high-octane work-out. The choreography incorporates hip-hop, salsa, merengue, belly dancing and martial arts movements. I like to finish the list of influences with martial arts, as even for my liberated metrosexual self, this goes some way to redeem my ‘challenged’ masculinity. Ridiculous yes, but absolutely necessary. Upon telling my work colleagues what I did last Tuesday night I suddenly felt like Billy Elliot, and although my dance moves are currently less Ricky Martin and more Ricky Gervais, I wanted to jump on the table and shimmy my hips in defiance. But I didn’t, because that would have actually been weird as hell and a blatant disregard of health and safety measures. Instead I tried to justify what I did. “Guys,” I said in a gruff and suddenly confrontational manner, “Bruce Lee was a Cha Cha champion before he became a martial arts champion.” Yet sniggers and smirks continued unabated, I pressed on, “It’s an awesome work out!” Indeed it is, with the average Zumba dancer burning over 800 calories per hour. It is also great for working every part of your body as, whether the attendees know it or not, the movements incorporate traditional squats and lunge movements, which means that every part of your body benefits.
Sensing that I was not succeeding in allaying their blatant homophobia grounded in archaic notions of gender-based sports and exercises, I gave up and just said, which is perhaps the most relevant, “It was fun.” And it was... I like dancing and consider myself a pretty good mover (in the David Brent style) and so I had a great time. It was good music; hip hop, reggaeton, salsa; and I genuinely enjoyed dancing to it. Nobody takes it too seriously and people move with smiles on their faces. Despite a colleague thinking that I had to wear a leotard, no particular clothes are required. It’s all relaxed, good clean fun. Now that I think about it, it’s a hell of a lot less homoerotic than a bunch of guys in singlets dripping in sweat, grunting their way around the gym and ‘spotting’ each other. I’m a Zumba man, and proud of it.
Hard times for Viagra on the way MCOT Online
T
hai men with erectile dysfunction have good news to brighten their day. Thailand’s Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) will launch its own brand of Viagra-equivalent pills under the trade name Silagra in the domestic market on October 15 after being registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). GPO managing director Witit Artavatkun said the drug will be cheaper than the imported Viagra and its availability will counter the spread of counterfeit products in the market. Silagra will be on sale in two sizes – 50mg and 100mg. A 50mg Silagra pill will be retailed at B25 while imported drugs are sold at B200 each, Dr Witit said. He said the GPO has improved its drug manufacturing plant in Rangsit to meet the standards of other ASEAN countries with a capacity of 5 billion tablets per year. “We plan to produce more drugs for treatment
of diabetes, high blood pressure and AIDS in order to expand our market to Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia,” he said.
Above: A packet of Viagra soon to be facing some stiff competition in Southeast Asia in the form of ‘Silagra’.
thephuketnews.com
6 MOTORING
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, 14, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 14,
DAD Yontrakit is the Thailand agent for the Dutch-built Spyker C8, which has a top speed of more than 300 kmh.
New kit in town Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com
The Yontrakit badge on a car will be familiar to people who know that it stands for special tuning and customisation. Up until this point it’s been an agency in Phuket but now, with the growing numbers of high-end cars on the island, parent company DAD Yontrakit has opened a local branch – and is bringing a lot more than tuning.
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ar dealer DAD Yontrakit from Bangkok opened its new showroom in Phuket yesterday (September 13), adding one more element to the island’s imported car scene. DAD is the Thailand agent for Citroen and Skoda vehicles, Deva trucks, Germany’s MTM car tuning and customisation and – most exotic of all – Dutch supercar maker Spyker. To mark the launch of the new branch company on Thepkrassattri Rd, opposite Mission Hospital, the company has brought B100 million worth of cars to Phuket. They are now on temporary display in Central Festival. Among the vehicles are two Spykers – the C8 Double 12 and the C8 Spyder – along with three Citroens, four Skodas and two MTM-tuned Audis. Also on display is DAD’s special project, the fourwheel Deva Hercules truck. The Hercules is currently manufactured by China’s third-largest truck maker, Kama, to DAD’s specifications. But DAD, which has been selling vehicles for 60 years, plans to open its own production plant in Rayong next year. Phuket Branch Manager, Yusof Dajponrungruang, explained, “Thailand is one of the world’s biggest exporters of cars and trucks, but there is no Thai brand of vehicle. Deva will be the first.” This will be no screwdriver plant, he said. “We will have to import the raw materials, but all the components will be made in Thailand.” Vitchuda Leenutapong, vice president of DAD Yontrakit, was in Phuket for the opening of the showroom and service facility on Thepkrassattri Rd.
She said the company had recognised the importance of potential customers in the south of Thailand with their high purchasing power, and the need for the highest service levels for existing customers. DAD technicians are trained to strict European standards, she said, ensuring excellence of service. To mark the opening of the new branch, Ms Vitchuda said, the company is offering a cash discount of B50,000 off the price of any vehicle bought.
Vitchuda Leenutapong (centre), Vice President, is a member of DAD’s third generation of owners. She is pictured with Piravit Noppakhun, southern sales promtion manager (left) and Phuket branch manager Yusof Dajponrungruang.
No pick-up trucks, please
A
s part of its 8th anniversary celebrations, Central Festival Phuket has reserved a part of its underground parking for supercars only. The special area, with spaces painted bright red with yellow stripes, “aims to serve Phuket’s fast-growing high-end supercar market”. General Manager Wilaiporn Pitimanaaree called up a load of her superfriends to come and park there for the official opening of the superparking area, giving car fans a chance to gawk at Lambos, Ferraris, Porsches, a Nissan GTR and a rather special Peugeot, along with some BMWs and Mercs that just scraped through the qualifications. All were suitably draped for the occasion with Pretty Girls. Superlatives were, frankly, superfluous.
thephuketnews.com
THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
PEOPLE 7
Crossing the cultural divide Claire Connell speaks to well known Phuket singer and writer Karen Beresford about her new book project, which tackles the thorny subject of Thai man-Western woman relationships There were many cultural differences in cross cultural relationships, such as the issue of Thais “saving face” says Karen. “A high proportion of the guys who lied about things, they don’t believe it’s a nasty thing. They do it to avoid conflict, and save face.”
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ong term Phuket resident Karen Beresford is writing a book about Western women and their relationships with Thai men, in the hope of dispelling some of the many myths and stereotypes. In the course of her research, Karen has already interviewed six Western women for the book, with each interview taking around five hours, as the women discuss 150 or so different questions relating to all aspects of their past or present relationships with Thai men – everything from financial issues, culture, stereotypes, advice, social aspects, family, and even their sex life. Karen, originally from England, has been living in Phuket for more than a decade. Formerly a social science lecturer in England, she has worked in the education sector for 25 years, including 12 years teaching in Thailand. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Social Science and Drama, and also a PGCE teaching qualification, which means she’s a licensed UK teacher. Not just a matter of scholarly interest, Karen has firsthand experience herself in relationships with Thai men, having previously been married to a local Muslim man (the couple have since separated but remain good friends), and she’s currently in a relationship with a Thai man. “There is so much literature out there written by guys, mainly about being shafted by Thai women, but there really is nothing written about, or by, Western women in relationships with Thai men. “I thought of the idea of writing a book about the subject a couple of years ago, but I didn’t really know how to start it.” Of the women she’s interviewed so far, three are happily married, and three are divorced or separated. All come from Western countries, are in their mid 40s to 50s, are educated, have lived in Phuket for at least 15 years, and some have children with their Thai partner. Based on case studies of each of the 15 women Karen plans to interview, the book will first take the form of an ebook, before hopefully being published at a later date. She stresses
that there won’t be any analysis or conclusions drawn from the women’s accounts; instead each chapter will simply allow them to tell their own stories, and readers can take whatever they want from them. According to Karen, all the women interviewed so far revealed their Thai partners knew English, to varying degrees, and all held down jobs and made a financial contribution to the household. Unlike common assumptions, “There was no ya ba or weed or drug dealing or otherwise. This may surprise some people. The guys seem to be regular Thai guys, and have no connections to the underground in anyway. It’s a stereotype that they’re all drug dealers and in and out of prison.” And as for between the sheets action, Karen says that most of the women were incredibly forthcoming about what went on in the bedroom. “Some have had very good sex lives, and it was a very strong part of their relationship. All said their husbands were good lovers, but then again they might not say otherwise.” There were many cultural differences in cross cultural relationships, such as the issue of Thais “saving face” says Karen. “A high proportion of the guys who lied about things, they don’t believe it’s a nasty thing. They do it to avoid conflict, and save face.” The Western women also seemed to have a stronger sense of family, and usually took a leading role in their child’s education and upbringing. Interestingly, the women told Karen it was usually them who initiated regular contact with the Thai side of the family, rather than their husband. With the three relationships that did break down, money seemed to be a major issue, with many of the men, despite having permanent jobs, seeming to have no concept of saving money. Many did not have bank accounts either. One woman said trust was lost when her partner started taking money from her, while the other two seemed to drift apart from their partners once they had children. So for the three women who remain in successful relationships, what are their secrets? Karen says all had a strong sense of who they were, and were strong in their views of what they wanted out of the relationship. They didn’t let issues fester, and if they had something to say they would say it. All women also reported that strong female friendships were vital. “There is the perception that Phuket is very much a man’s island,” says Karen. “But these are regular women with Thai men, working, raising children, and living their lives here. They go through the same relationship issues that everyone else does. “This book will hopefully provide an insight into Thai men, and shed some light on cross culture relationships. Being forewarned is forearmed, as they say.” And as for the day the book will be on the shelves? “I’m turning 50 next year and I want this book in print,” Karen says with a laugh. Karen is eager to talk to more Western women about their relationships with Thai men, so if you are interested please contact her at thegroovygoddess@hotmail.com. All interviews are confidential and names can be replaced/left out if the person wishes. Follow her blog at mygroovyphuket.com
thephuketnews.com
8 DINING
Isberg floats in for dinner at Twinpalms A new series of twice-monthly Chef’s Dinners hosted at Twinpalms’ Oriental Spoon restaurant by jet-setting chef Daniel Isberg gets off to a fine start, with excellent food and wine at a reasonable price
WHEN YOU’RE SICK OF GIRLIE FOOD JOIN US FOR A JUICY STEAK Great steaks, burgers and salads. Happy hour drinks and live sports in the heart of Patong. Cold beers, cocktails, smoothies and a good selection of Australian wine.
THE PHUKET NEWS
Alasdair Forbes execeditor@thephuketnews.com
A
ccording to his CV, Daniel Isberg has cooked up food for actors Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith and Isabella Rossellini, for rock stars Bono and Bruce Springsteen, fashion giant Calvin Klein and politicians Hillary Clinton and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Of course, the fact that they are big names does not guarantee they know the first thing about good food, but plainly Daniel does – he’s spent the past few years making a good living out of skipping around the world cooking private dinners for the rich and famous, and the not-so-famous. Now, he says, he is settled in Phuket, though he’ll fly out from time to time to whip up a dinner or two for anyone who can afford his costs. When he’s not doing that, people on the island who do know about food can get a regular culinary fix at Twinpalms, where Daniel has committed himself to a series of Chef’s Table dinners, on the first and last Thursday of every month. For the first of these, on September 6, he laid on a four-course dinner, with wine, that amply demonstrated why his services are in such demand around the world. The opening course was just a couple of mouthfuls, but mouthfuls to savour: wild mushroom and truffle cappuccino with melted Brie toast and fig marmalade – a delicious exercise in contrasts, with a glass of prosecco on the side. This was followed by king scallop carpaccio with a ginger and coriander dressing, accompanied by a delicate cucumber sorbet and a dry Chardonnay from Chile. The main course was unusual on an island where steak is king and most
people wouldn’t know any other cut of beef if you slapped them with it. Daniel’s choice was beef short rib so soft that knives were really not necessary. This came with sautéed pak choi, Sichuan pepper and shallots cooked in balsamic honey plus an enormous potato “cigar”. To go with this was a 2008 Down Under Shiraz, the latest offering from Fred Franzia, maker of Two Buck Chuck, a wine that’s been taking Australia by storm. Down Under, too, has been receiving rave reviews, not because it’s the best wine in Aus, but because it’s very drinkable at a fifth of the price of comparable wines. Worth grabbing a case or two if you come across them. Daniel wrapped up the meal with a dark chocolate lava cake with cherries cooked in red wine and a spoonful of white espresso foam. This was a cleverly thought-out meal, with a fine balance of flavours. If the rest of the Chef’s Table series is as good, people will be queuing up to get in. The price tag is a very reasonable B1,490++, including the wines and a welcome drink. Book by calling 076 316 500 or by emailing book@twinpalmsphuket.com
Top left, king scallop carpaccio with ginger and coriander dressing and cucumber sorbet.
OPEN LUNCH TIME UNTIL LATE
Patong Promenade Rooftop. Corner of Bangla and Rat- U- Tit Rd. Patong.
thephuketnews.com
FRIDAY, 14, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 14,
Bangkok Beer & Beverages, island's largest wholesaler of 500+ premium wines from 12 countries, beer and coffee. Ask for our extensive portfolio: bart@bbb.co.th and visit www.bbb.co.th for more info. Tel: 076-200751-3, Fax: 076-200754
Top right, Chef Daniel Isberg in the Oriental Spoon kitchen. Above, dark chocolate lava cake with cherries in red wine and white espresso foam.
DINING 9
THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
Centara hosts Grand Chef’s Table Charity 2012 dinner
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entara Grand Beach Resort Phuket will host the Centara Grand Chef’s Table Charity 2012 on Friday, September 21, in Mare Restaurant to raise money for charity. A five-course menu will be prepared by five Centara chefs, namely Chef Sandro Aguilera, Chef David Inglada I Burgos, Chef Matteo Verini, Chef Piti Pulivekhin, and Chef Phubase Chuprakrong. The concept of the dishes is to use the best ingredients relating to fire, wood, earth, water and metal, with wine pairing. The dinner is priced at B1,990++ per person. There are 40 seats available for Centara Grand Resident Privilege Card members. All profits will be donated to Karon community to help needy children. For more information and dinner reservations, please contact Khun Cherry at 076 201 234 or send an email to asstprcpbr@chr.co.th
G-M-O-phobia KARMIC EATS Sylvie Yaffe editor@thephuketnews.com
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gnorance may be bliss, yet I am always surprised when people seem to not care nor want to know about the food that they eat. When you think of the words ‘bioengineering’ or ‘biotechnology’, does the produce section or cereal isle of your grocery store come to mind? It should, as these are terms referring to GMO, or Genetically Modified Organisms. GMO foods are those that have had their genetic make-up, their very DNA, altered to become a scientific creation. The expanding list includes fruits, vegetables, sugar cane, soy beans and seeds. The reasons for their creation vary, but can come down to maximising profit with little regard to human health – and they have already infiltrated the global food supply. One example is a variety of corn, the second largest GMO crop, which has been modified to withstand a toxic chemical pesticide developed by the same company who has a patent on the corn, and who is also responsible for making the Vietnam Warera Agent Orange. If you think you don’t eat much corn, you probably eat more than you think.
Corn, in the form of corn syrup, is the main ingredient in nearly all processed food – that’s basically anything in a crinkly wrapper. This includes your favourite cereal, candy bar, ketchup, crackers, cookies, sodas and even in baby formulas. Read the ingredient label and see for yourself. What is wrong with a little bit of DNA tampering, you say? Is this just all treehugging nonsense? Well if there was nothing to worry about, would the EU have a mandatory labelling law? (Tellingly, GMO-friendly America has none). Many scientific studies have been carried out linking GMO food with health
problems, not to mention the longterm unknown factors. For example: a study by the International Journal of Biological Sciences found a link between GMO corn and organ damage. So what is next on the GMO menu after corn? That would be the ‘Frankenfish’ – a GMO salmon currently awaiting FDA approval in the US that is nearly twice the size of its wild cousin. Sylvie Yaffe is the founder of Good Karma Online Health Food Store and consults about vegan raw cuisine and health food, as well as writing a regular column for The Phuket News. For more information, visit healthfoodthailand.com
thephuketnews.com
10 BOOKS
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, 14, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 14,
The way home A new book covering contemporary Thai dwellings shines a spotlight on an architecture that is at once modern in appearance, yet traditional in attitude
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Simon Ostheimer editor@thephuketnews.com
thephuketnews.com
or architect Robert Powell, the author of new book Modern Thai House, Southeast Asia is his second home. “I lived in Singapore for 17 years and I am married to a Malaysian. I have great affection for this part of the world, and the people,” he says. That much is apparent: he is the author of 10 books on the region, including Singapore Architecture (2003), The New Malaysian House (2008), Singapore Houses (2009) and The New Indonesian House (2010). “The design of houses in monsoon Asia is fascinating,” says Powell, for whom homes are an expression of culture. According to the architect, house owners in tropical Asia have a closer relationship with nature than is the case with owners in temperate climates. “In the tropics one lives in the ‘in-between’ space between the interior and the outdoor space. That struck me forcibly when I first moved into a house in Singapore, where I spent most evenings sitting on a verandah or dining beneath a ceiling fan with windows open.” Featuring three Greater Phuket properties; Villa Noi in Phang Nga, Laemsingh Villa in Surin, and Dama Zamya in Thalang; Modern Thai House highlights the work of exciting young Thai architects, including Kanika R’kul, Duangrit Bunnag, Boonlert Hemvijitraphran, Tanit Choomsang, Pirast Pacharaswate, and Kwanchai Suthamsao. “It is really exciting to talk to this younger generation and hear their ideas – it sustains me and keeps me young. And I love to promote the work of the best young talent,” says Powell. Most of the architects featured in Modern Thai House were trained overseas, and the author sees the influence of prominent Western architects in their designs, particularly the theoretical ideas of Peter Zumthor, Rem Koolhaas, Coop Himmelblau, Luis Barragan, Morphosis and Ken Yeang, while Japanese architects Tadao Ando, Kazuo Shinohara, Toyo Ito, Kengo Kuma and Kazuyo Sejima have
also been influential. Powell feels that the current generation of Thai architects draw upon their knowledge of global ideas, but are also deeply aware of Thai culture. When these converge, modern Thai style is the result. “There is tremendous spirit among younger Thai architects to test the boundaries, to try new ideas, to take risks. This inventiveness can only be a good thing. It will ensure the continuing development of Thai architecture. And it is matched by the willingness of an increasing number of architectural patrons to commission these adventurous designers,” says Powell. The practising architect feels that modern Thai residential architecture is not necessarily defined by its location, but rather by the way traditional ways of living and features are integrated into modern dwellings. He also doesn’t think this is confined to one particular area of Thailand. “Some of the most exciting new work is in the northern city of Chiang Mai, while Bangkok has many creative young designers.” For Powell, there is so much meaning embedded in the design of a house: “The design informs you about the owner and the architect in a way that an office block or an institutional building can never do.”
Clockwise from top: Laemsingh Villa in Surin; Villa Noi in Phang Nga; author Robert Powell. Modern Thai House highlights the work of young Thai architects, including Kanika R’kul, Duangrit Bunnag, Boonlert Hemvijitraphran, Tanit Choomsang, Pirast Pacharaswate, and Kwanchai Suthamsao. With photographs by Albert Lim Koon Seng, Modern Thai House costs B1,395. tuttlepublishing.com
TRAVEL 11
THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
A tasty idea Simon Ostheimer takes a calorie-filled walk through the capital with Bangkok Food Tours. Photos by Kiri Heald
The Historic Bangrak Food Tasting & Culture Tour costs B950 per person, children age 12 and under are B750. It takes around three hours, and is restricted to a maximum of 14 people. Tours take place no matter rain or shine. For more information on this and other tours, contact Bangkok Food Tours: 089 126 3657; bangkok foodtours.com
Thai green curry served with roti.
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ike all great ideas, Bangkok Food Tours was started by a passion – for food and travelling. When they were studying in the United States, Thai natives Chinawut Chinaprayoon, Kit Siraprapanurat, and Jan Phumchusri would frequently bring Thai dishes to a party, and introduce them to their new acquaintances from all over the world. “Each time, our friends were interested not only in the taste of our food, but also the story that lay behind each dish,” says Chinaprayoon. It was this experience that made them realise that, although elements of Thai food have become famous around the world, such as the ubiquitous pad Thai, green curry, and tom yum goong, there was a need for someone able to break the ice and help visitors to the Kingdom to get
to know Thai food in a local, authentic, and fun way. And so the trio established Bangkok Food Tours as a “means to showcase the true taste of Thai food, as well as the roots and cultural aspects of Thai cuisine,” says Chinaprayoon. Their ultimate goal is to have guests eat like a Thai while here. So for the true Thai-food novice, what tour would they recommend? “Visitors new to Thai cuisine should definitely try our signature Historic Bangrak Food Tasting & Cultural Walking Tour,” says Chinaprayoon. As he points out, despite being just steps away from many major hotels, the area is off the radar of most tourists. “On this tour, we take guests to sample authentic dishes from a variety of regions, with each restaurant visited run by the second, third, or even fourth generation. As well trying some amazing food, guests also learn how this fascinating neighbourhood has evolved.”
Spicy sour noodles with fish balls.
Where to stay
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T
he Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit 15 is an up-scale Bangkok hotel with easy access to the capital’s business district and the city’s major shopping and entertainment areas. The property is conveniently located in the heart of Bangkok just off the main Sukhumvit Road, and only 5 minutes walking distance from Asok Station, the interchange station for the city’s BTS skytrain and MRT subway. The hotel’s current Sweet Escapes weekend special includes the following: complimentary breakfast for two, kids dine free, 3pm late checkout (subject to availability), and free internet. Rates are from B2,900++ for weekends stays from now until December 22, 2012. A minimum stay of 2 nights is required. Bookings must be made by September 30, 2012. Four Points by Sheraton, Sukhumvit Soi 15, Bangkok; 02 309 3000; fourpoints.sukhumvit15@ fourpoints.com; fourpoints.com/bangkoksukhumvit15
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facebook.com/SilkAir Fares quoted are for return trip on Economy Class per person, for flights originating out of Phuket only, unless otherwise stated. All advertised fares are inclusive of associated taxes and surcharges only. Fares quoted are subject to change due to currency fluctuation. Bookings to be made online via silkair.com or through authorised SilkAir agents from 19 August to 19 October 2012 for travel between 02 September 2012 to 31 January 2013. Black-out travel dates apply. Subject to seat availability. Tickets are strictly not refundable, and change of flight, date or passenger name is not permitted. Other terms and conditions apply. The products and services offered under this promotion are provided solely by Merchant, under such terms and conditions as determined by such Merchant, and MasterCard accepts no liability whatsoever in connection with such product and services. **Please email Phuket_Sales@singaporeair.com.sg within 30 days of your ticket purchase to arrange for the collection of the giveaways.
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12 DANE’S WORLD
THE BIG LIST Baby Blues So maybe the fact that guys can get ‘pregnant’ too came as a bit of a surprise. Well, here are a few more things you might not have known (or wish you didn’t) about pregnancy. Long on the tooth: There’s an old wives’ tale that says, “For every pregnancy, a woman loses a tooth”. It turns out that’s actually kind of true, because researchers at New York University have found that, on average, women who have kids have less teeth than women without. They reckon it has something to do with estrogen and progesterone levels, which climb higher as pregnancy progresses, causing gums to become more sensitive and often swell. They also bleed more easily, and apparently up to 75 per cent of women suffer from gingivitis during their pregnancies. Basically, their mouth will look like Michael Myers and Freddy Kruger had a party in there, only with more blood. Fries with that? Cheeseburgers and female genitalia. They’re probably in the top two on every man’s list of favourite things ever, and we’re about to spoil both of them. Basically, having a living thing feeding off your insides involves a lot of blood, so much in fact that the amount of blood in a woman’s body increases by up to 50 per cent during pregnancy. More fluid and more weight which leads to the unfortunate little situation of external vaginal swelling, affectionately known as ‘cheeseburger crotch’. Why cheeseburger crotch? Well, picture a sideways cheeseburger, and, yeah, there you go. Enjoy. Final Cut: The word episiotomy comes from the Greek ‘epison’, meaning ‘pubic region’, and ‘-tomy’ which, according to our translations, must mean ‘to butcher mercilessly’. An episiotomy is a procedure during which a scalpel is used to slice from the bottom of a woman’s special zone down towards the outof-bounds special zone. All of this is done while the baby’s head is poking through and catching its first glimpse of this cruel, twisted world. So why would anyone do such a horrific thing? To keep the vagina from tearing, of course, which follows a similar logic to shooting yourself in the face just to stop someone else from doing it. Fresh Prince of Down There: Relaxin sounds like a pretty cool thing to do for nine months while a baby grows inside your belly. But unfortunately, relaxin doesn’t involve long days at the beach sipping cocktails. Instead, it’s a hormone that helps you squeeze a whole person out of a fist-sized hole. So it’s still a good thing, right? Wrong. Because the hormone doesn’t just confine itself to the nether regions, it also causes women’s feet to grow by up to a shoe size, and extends to their esophagus, meaning there’s nothing to stop stomach acid climbing up into the throat. So next time you hear a pregnant woman let out a murmuring gurgle sound, relax; that’s just her stomach contents relaxin’ their way up into her mouth. Hair on End: Hairs on the human body usually grow about a centimetre or so each month for several years, then they take it easy and rest for a while before casually dropping out. Then, if you’re not Wayne Rooney, the circle of life starts all over again. But when a woman gets pregnant, she gets hairy. Specifically, that little resting phase that hair goes through before falling out is gone, and the hair just keeps growing. But apart from thick, luxurious locks, pregnant women also find individual hairs in places where individual hairs have never dared grow before. Like the upper lip, chin, back, belly and, yes, nipples.
thephuketnews.com
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, 14, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 14,
‘Pregnant’ man ‘a bit of a girl’
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t’s something women have long held over the heads of men in any gender battle. Apart from Arnold Schwarzenegger in Junior, men simply can’t know what it’s like to be pregnant. Not true, as it turns out. British man Mike Dowdall, 25, suffers from morning sickness, food cravings, hot flushes and even a swollen belly – just like his pregnant girlfriend Amanda Bennett. The phantom pregnancy is apparently the result of Couvade syndrome, a rare condition which causes men to experience some of the same symptoms as their pregnant partners. Amanda, also 25, thought her boyfriend of three years was simply being facetious until his symptoms became increasingly severe, The Sun newspaper reported. After weeks of suffering from morning sickness on a daily basis, tattooist Mike finally went to the doctor where he was told he had an extreme case of Couvade syndrome. Now, at 33 weeks, Mike has gained 12 kilograms and suffers from headaches, exhaustion, back ache and water retention. Mike told The Sun: “Anything Amanda’s body does pregnancy-wise, mine does too. “I’ve never felt so rough.” The precise cause of Couvade syndrome is not
Chinese bacteria to take the edge off ‘sweaty feet’ soybeans
known although some experts believe it is a psychosomatic condition caused by factors such as anxiety about fatherhood or closeness to a partner. Others believe the symptoms are the result of a high level of female hormone in the dad-to-be’s body. In extreme cases, men can even experience labour pains, nosebleeds and postpartum depression although in most cases symptoms disappear once their partner has given birth. Amanda, who is expecting a baby boy in October, added: “Mike is being a bit of a girl over it all.”
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atto, the delightful Japanese breakfast dish of fermented soybeans, has a smell commonly likened to sweaty feet. But researchers have come up with an unlikely way of making it a little less on the nose – using bacteria from Chinese dust clouds. Microscopic organisms found in the yellow fug that drifts over Japan from China every year are apparently almost identical to the reagent usually added to the beans to start the decomposition process, said Teruya Maki, an assistant professor at Kanazawa University. Almost identical, but not quite: the result, labelled “Sky Natto”, tastes like normal natto but doesn’t have the overpowering smell that puts off so many first-timers and divides Japan into those who love the proteinrich dish and those who hate it. Maki, who was studying the
organisms in the Chinese dust cloud for their potential risks to human health, said, “We spotted this bacterium which is the same as that used for making natto.” After a test batch, Maki and his team persuaded a local natto manufacturer to adopt the recipe and produce Sky Natto for sale at the university, with an eye on cracking the local market. Sky Natto has a much less overwhelming smell than regular natto and has greater nutritional value because it contains more magnesium and calcium, he said. At the same time, it’s still a dish made from decomposing soy beans which uses smug bacteria to mask the smell of sweaty feet, so we’ll still probably pass. Clouds of yellow dust travel from northern China during Spring when winds whip up sand and transport it thousands of kilometres, sometimes shrouding parts of Japan and the Korean peninsula.
‘Prostitute party’ worker wins damages
Y
ou can’t help but feel sorry for a man who’s job is to spend time partying with prostitutes. Honestly, imagine being dragged away from spending those long hours at your computer reading report after report, and forced into that horrible situation of having hours of fun with loose-moraled women. In Brazil, that kind of ordeal will bag you nearly B1 million. The damages will be paid by Brazilian beverage giant Ambev to an employee who said he had been
pressured to attend meetings where prostitutes entertained salesmen. The Superior Labor Court announced on Monday it had decided to uphold a regional court’s finding that the employee had been subjected to moral harassment and confirmed the damages it ordered. The employee, who is married and an evangelical Christian, charged that Ambev salesmen were forced to take part in parties held with prostitutes, to promote sales. The court said the employee alleged that at one point “he was
tied up and forced to watch pornographic movies, and there was a situation in which a woman who did stripteases was taken to his room to undress herself.” It said the incidents occurred on more than 10 occasions in 2003 and 2004. Ambev said in a statement “the company, which has more than 30,000 employees in Brazil, does not practice or tolerate any undue practice with its employees. Old and isolated cases do not reflect the dayto-day of the company.”
FILM 13
THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
The Possession
Iran escape film coincides with closure of Canada embassy
No reason to be scared B
Agence France-Presse
Dane Halpin editor2@thephuketnews.com
91 minutes Rating: 15+ Director: Ole Bornedal Starring: Natasha Calis,
Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kyra Sedgwick
A
fter countless films featuring zombies, vampires and ghosts, how refreshing it is to finally see a dybbuk – the Judaic version of the possessive demon – crack the big time and make it to the silver screen. Of course, in reality, The Possession is little more than a Jewish-themed Exorcist that, if nothing else, will have you thinking twice about buying strange wooden boxes from garage sales. In the scare department though, it’s severely lacking, and is only rescued by strong performances from the film’s leads. The film’s producer, Sam Raimi, is probably best known for helming Toby Maguire’s blockbuster Spider-Man trilogy but, for horror movie buffs, the filmmaker also directed cult hits like Army of Darkness, the Evil Dead films, and most recently Drag Me to Hell. For The Possession, Raimi has handed over the director’s duties to Danish filmmaker Ole Bornedal (Nightwatch), with a fairly tight cast that includes Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen), Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer), as well as the reggae-rapping rabbi recording artist Matisyahu (seemingly cast for his facial hair rather than his acting talent). Based on a true story (if by “true”, you mean there really is a wooden box out there, somewhere, that may of may not contain some scary stuff), The Possession follows a family who stumble
upon a box containing a dybbuk, and things proceed to get about as messed up as you would expect with an angry Jewish demon running amok. Yet while the ‘box’ element of the plot definitely adds a level of mystery and intrigue, at least in the film’s first act, many of the twists, turns, and scares are easily predictable (and given away in the trailer – so don’t watch it if you want to see this film) despite the core premise actually being quite strong. Unlike the often lighthearted approach of some of Raimi’s previous horror works, The Possession also takes itself a little too seriously, and without too many scares to break the rhythm, many will feel ultimately underwhelmed. Morgan’s performance is notably strong though, and the dynamics between him and his daughters succeed in adding a grounded, and relatable, layer of family drama that is uncommon in similar exorcism films. It’s almost like someone told him he was in an indie-drama, and he plays his character with so much heart that it’s impossible not to be drawn into the family relationship. But at the end of the day, this is a horror film, and the film is let down by offering far more subdued scares than similar offerings. There is always a place for subtlety in horror, but a complete absence of genuine scares in inexcusable, and the film suffers grossly as a result.
‘Anna Karenina’ impresses on opening Agence France-Presse
L
eo Tolstoy’s masterpiece Anna Karenina has been adapted for the silver screen more than a dozen times, but British filmmaker Joe Wright’s latest movie version arguably tops them all.
Starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law, the 130-minute film premiered internationally this week at the Toronto International Film Festival, which runs through until Sunday (September 16). Knightley, who follows some greats in the title role, including
Greta Garbo, Vivien Leigh and Sophie Marceau, said the self-destructive Anna is “such a strange character”. “She is the heroine and the anti-heroine. She is the perfect narcissist. She hates herself and she loves herself.”
en Affleck last week unveiled his new film Argo chronicling the 1979 escape, with Canada’s help, of American diplomats from Iran, as rising tensions forced Canada just days later to close its embassy in Tehran. “I was quite struck by” the timing of the Canadian embassy closure, Affleck said at the Toronto International Film Festival. The coincidence of the embassy closure on the same weekend that the film premiered in Toronto shows “that while the movie is 30 years old it really is still relevant both in the sense that it’s about the unintended consequences of revolution and in the sense that we’re dealing with exactly the same issues that we were then,” he said. “There’s some real parallels going on with the Arab Spring, from Tunisia to Egypt to Syria, places where the unintended conse-
US BOX OFFICE TOP 10 Film
Brave (E/3D) [G]: The Dictator (E/F) [18+]: The Expendables 2 (E/F) [15+]: The Expendables 2 (T) [15+]: Jan Dara (T/E.SUB) [18+]: The Possession (E) [15+]: Shambhala (T/E.SUB) [15+]: Ted (E) [18+]:
13:45, 17:50 14:40, 19:00 16:35, 21:00 11:20, 13:30, 15:40, 17:50, 20:00, 22:10 12:00, 13:30, 14:30, 16:00, 17:00, 18:30, 19:30, 21:00, 22:00 11:45, 15:50, 20:00, 22:05 11:50, 16:35, 21:30 11:40, 13:50, 16:00, 18:10, 20:20, 22:30
Gross
$9.5m
$33.3m
$6m
$23.5m
The Possession
2
Lawless
3
The Words
4
The Expendables 2
5
The Bourne Legacy
$4.04m
$104m
6
ParaNorman
$3.83m
$45.1m
7
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
$3.7M
$43m
8
The Campaign
$3.53m
$79.8m
9
The Dark Knight Rises
$3.29m
$438m
$3.28m
$26.1m
SFC Jungceylon Phuket (Patong) The Bourne Legacy (E) [15+]: Brave (E/3D) [G]: The Dark Knight Rises (E) [G]: The Expendables 2 (E) [15+]: Jan Dara (T/E.SUB) [18+]: The Possession (E) [15+]: Ted (E) [18+]: Total Recall (E) [13+]:
Weekend gross
1
10 2016: Obama’s America
SFX Coliseum Phuket (Central Festival)
quences of revolution are playing out and where the West... is having to examine what our role has been historically, what the result has been of our involvement and what the benefits are of getting (involved). It’s definitely relevant at a global political level.” Canada did not cite a specific incident that caused the breakdown in diplomatic relations, but issued a strongly worded attack on Tehran’s support for Syrian President Bashar alAssad’s pariah regime and Iran’s “incitement to genocide” against Israel. In announcing the action Friday, Ottawa also cited concerns for the safety of its staff at the diplomatic mission in Tehran and also attacked the failure of Iran’s rulers to account for the nation’s disputed nuclear program. Affleck’s film was inspired by a recently declassified account of a joint operation between the CIA and Canadian authorities to smuggle six Americans out of Tehran in the wake of the Iran hostage crisis.
12:30, 18:20 15:55 15:10, 21:30 11:15, 15:40, 20:15, 22:25 12:00, 14:30, 17:00, 19:30, 22:00 11:50, 13:50, 15:50, 17:50, 19:50, 21:50 11:35, 13:45, 18:00, 20:10, 22:20 13:15, 17:50
$5m
$5m
$4.75m
$75.4m
As some movies and movie times change every Thursday morning, after The Phuket News has gone to press, the accuracy of the following information cannot be guaranteed. For up-to-date information, visit sfcinemacity.com, or call the cinemas directly: SFX Coliseum Phuket 076-209000 and SFC Jungceylon Phuket 076-600-555.
thephuketnews.com
14 ISLAND SCENE
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, 14, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 14,
Performing students from the British International School Phuket (BIS), from left, Gift Benjamin Boonyasit, Polina Tureac, Olivia De Perthuis, Hannah Willoch, Harry O’Brien, Bao Han Tran Le, BIS Head of the Arts Neill Thacker, Carl Ydmark and Jack O’Brien.
IT’S BUSINESS TIME Events Thailand and the International Business Association of Phuket (IBAP) would like to thank all its exhibitors, sponsors and visitors who supported the 2012 IBAP Business Fair in Jungceylon on the weekend of September 8/9.
Ben Martin from Mid Air Circus Arts and Tim Pearson from the British International School Phuket, with Tim’s son Matthew, age five.
Dr. Sommai Preechasil, Phuket Vice-Governor; Somjit Limphatanawong, Patong Deputy Chief; BIS Head of the Arts Neill Thacker and Olaf Duensing, IBAP board member.
Bangkok model Xanny Disjad and Phuket photographer Michael Spigarolo.
Events Thailand MD Jorge De La Torre and Marketing and Events Manager Stefano Colombo.
From Bon Cafe: Linla, Gai and Lek.
thephuketnews.com
Phon and Panda from Zorbing at Rollerball. Below, Chaz Insurance Brokers manager Krisanapat Watthanasursiri.
ISLAND SCENE 15
THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
MAKING A POINT The much eagerly awaited preview of Bluepoint Condo’s show home was unveiled on Wednesday (September 5). Developed by Bluepoint Developments Co Ltd with development management by Abode Developments Co Ltd, and designed by Paul Raff Architects, the Bluepoint development comprises 20 freehold and leasehold condominiums of one, two and three bedrooms. All units have a variation of private rooftop gardens and are located at the southern headland of Patong.
From left, Bluepoint sales manager Kit Jamrasmee, Bluepoint Director Kjetil Horgen Øiseth, Tam Amodio, Bluepoint Managing Director Arnfinn Engeset and Claes Svensson.
Tamsin Edenbrow, PR Director at Yacht Solutions, Andrew Jauncey, Creative Director Bang Ideas and Abode’s Sarawut Treesirirat.
Raisa Sheludkina from Railand Real Zest Real Estate’s Mark Lightfoot and Ralph McMillan, MD of Estate and Alex Turner. CPS.
Natalia Petrikova and Kaye Smith.
Hi.So owner Marc Guede and Khomfire bar co-owner Somechit ‘Noi’ Somesanit.
Kung, Vita and Patty.
IT’S JUST SO HI-SO The Hi.So furniture and decorations shop on Yaowarat Road in Phuket Town, owned by Frenchman Marc Guede, celebrated the opening of its new Khomfire Bar and Restaurant on September 6. The shop is now a cafe during the day and a restaurant from 5pm.
Thanakrit “Wow” Anuphunt, Khunthi “Bon” Pruttipathum, Pond, and Kanakorn “Top” Kamjatpai.
thephuketnews.com
16 ISLAND SCENE
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, 14, 2012 2012 FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 14,
GOING GREEN
Phanason Beyond The Home launched the Presale Building A, Phase 2 of Phanason The Green Place Condominiums on August 25 at Central Festival Phuket.
MANY HAPPY RETURNS
Hundreds crowded into Central Festival on Saturday and Sunday as the mall celebrated its eighth anniversary with cooking shows, games, a fashion show, music and free food from some of the island’s top restaurants.
BABAS ENJOY BIG DAY The sizeable Phuket Baba community convened at various historical SinoPortuguese buildings in Phuket Town on Sunday, (September 9) to celebrate the union of nine couples. As part of the annual Baba Wedding festivities, the Baba community also paraded down Thalang Road, complete with a brass band accompaniment.
thephuketnews.com
THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
ENTERTAINMENT 17
The stars of
Sanaeha Claire Connell editor1@thephuketnews.com
Joob and the Gang perform every evening at Sanaeha except Sundays and Mondays, from 9.30pm to midnight. They are extremely popular, playing hits from the likes of Michael Jackson, Adele, Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Nirvana. They specialise in covers, many of them acoustic, and mainly rock, ‘80s, ‘90s, plus “oldies”, and attract a large crowd of regular customers.
W
hen Sanaeha in Phuket Town celebrated its three year anniversary in July, no one was more pleased about the milestone than the band that has been playing there since the bar opened. Joob and the Gang is made up of lead singer Itsari “Joob” Mingkamonset and her husband Tuay who plays the acoustic guitar, plus drummer Ton and saxophonist Koh. The band have been together around eight years now, with the last three of those spent in Phuket. All four band members used to live in Bangkok, performing regularly at About Hip bar, and Indy Trees bar. They also played at the New Stories bar and restaurant on Phatthanakan Road, Suan Luang, which is where they were spotted by Sanaeha owner Chawalit ‘Lek’ Ratanachinakorn. Lek, who is well known in Phuket circles, spends his time between Bangkok and Phuket. Joob says that after he saw the band perform, Lek asked them to perform at his birthday in Bangkok. Then, when he decided to open Sanaeha more than three years ago, Lek called them up and asked if they were interested in moving to Phuket to work at the his new bar. These days Joob and the Gang perform every evening except Sundays and Mondays, from 9.30pm to midnight. They are extremely popular, playing hits from the likes of Michael Jackson, Adele, Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Nirvana. They specialise in covers, many of them acoustic, and mainly rock, ‘80s, ‘90s, plus “oldies”, and attract a large crowd of regular customers. “I love rock, jazz, country... I love U2, Stevie Wonder, Sting, that kind of music,” Joob says. But little time to practice (Joob has a 15-year-old son, Toy, and Ton and Koh play at Catch Beach Club during the day) means the band often have to practice new songs individually, and hope it comes together on the night when they all play the song together for the first time. Most of the time it works, but Joob says if it doesn’t work the first time, they usually nail it on the second go. Joob has been singing for the last 12 or so years, after falling into the music scene when she was asked to step in to sing with her brother, when his wife was sick and unable to perform. Discovering a natural talent – she realised she could sing well – she has been entertaining ever since. Her voice is incredibly easy to listen to, and has attracted a real following across the island. But it has been a lot of hard work learning how to
copy the songs exactly, in a language that is not her mother tongue. “I want to sing to farang and I want to understand what I sing, and the only way to do that is to practice. If there are some words I don’t know, I use the dictionary, and it really helps my English. I want to make it perfect so farang can understand.” Talking about her place of work, she says: “I love the mood at Sanaeha. It is a beautiful bar, and when I come to work I know almost every customer – they are like my family.” As well as rocking the stage at Sanaeha, Joob and the Gang also play at the Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, and the Radisson Blu Plaza Resort Phuket Panwa Beach every Thursday from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
Joob and the Gang: From left, Ton, Joob, Koh and Tuay perform regularly at Sanaeha on Yaowarat Road in Phuket Old Town.
Controversy clouds Kim’s Venice victory
T
he Venice film festival wrapped up in controversy on Sunday after Kim Ki-duk took the Golden Lion with his Korean morality tale Pieta amid reports the jury had wanted a different winner. The Hollywood Reporter said the jury had been prevented from choosing US director Paul Thomas Anderson for the Scientology-inspired The Master because the film was already picking up the best director and best actor awards. Festival rules state that no one film can win more than two awards and the reports said the jury was therefore forced to consult again and settled on
Kim’s Pieta, a gut-wrenching condemnation of money-grabbing capitalism. In an unusual career with no film training that has taken him from being a manual labourer, street artist and trainee preacher to art house master, Kim said he was elated after becoming the first Korean to win the festival. “I am not trying to earn money with my films. I shot Pieta with the equivalent of $100,000” said the pony-tailed Kim, who is known for shooting quickly and on low budgets with Pieta being his 18th film. “My aim is to take the temperature of the world from time to time,” he said. Kim also explained the significance of the Korean folk song Arirang which
he unexpectedly belted out from the stage after collecting his award to the delight of an audience used to predictable thank-you speeches from winners. “We Koreans sing it when we feel lonely or abandoned but also when we are happy. It symbolises the many hills we have to cross – from sadness to joy – the meanders of life,” said Kim, speaking in Korean with English translation. The South Korean’s film is a bleak story about a brutal loan shark who preys on the clapped-out workshops of a district of Seoul that is quickly being redeveloped, until a woman claiming to be his mother suddenly appears in his life. The character’s gradual struggle
for redemption is played out in an emotional crescendo of violence and revenge as well as an unhealthy Oedipal tie between hero and heroine that concludes with an almost religious ending. Italian newspapers meanwhile homed in on a major gaffe at the ceremony in which organisers at first confused the winners of the best director and special jury prizes, leading to an embarrassing handover of prizes on stage. The reports also commented on the fact that few stars were present, with Philip Seymour Hoffman having to pick up the best director award for Anderson and the best actor prize he jointly won with Joaquin Phoenix for The Master.
thephuketnews.com
18 EVENTS
THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, 14, 2012 2012 List your event for FREE at thephuketnews.com/events.php FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 14,
WAHOO THAILAND 2013 SPORT FISHING TOURNAMENT Offshore The Similan Islands
19th - 21st February 2013
Proudly organised by the Rawai Beach Fishing Club, (RBFC) Phuket, Thailand.
57 hours of non - Stop fishing!
Huge media coverage!
CASH AND PRIZES TOTALING OVER APPROX. 3,000,000 BAHT ($100,000) For further details please contact Warren Crowe or Andy Bright info@rawaibeachfishingclub.com Warren tel: +66 (0) 812604291 Andy tel: +66 (0) 862739948 Website: www.rawaibeachfishingclub.com RAWAI BEACH FISHING CLUB IS AN OFFICIAL SPONSOR CLUB OF THE INTERNATIONAL GAME FISHING ASSOCIATION. RBFC SUPPORTS IGFA’S STANDARDS OF GOOD SPORTMANSHIP IN RECREATIONAL FISHING
FRIDAY SEP 14 - OCT 17
FRIDAY SEP 14
Bar, Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www. expatsportsbar.com.
SATURDAY SEP 15
leisurely stroll a 5 km course. The price for registration for the mini marathon is B300 per runner and the charity walk is priced at B250 per person.
New Exhibit - Gomez Bueno Original art work by international artist Bueno Gomez. The Spaniard continues his run in Asia. Gomez has been living in Los Angeles since 1988. He has become a well-known and celebrated artist, with a passion for love of the underground, graffiti and protest. His work has been displayed in galleries in Los Angeles, New York and Spain. Contact Mom Tri’s VR Gallery in Kata Noi, 076 333 568, www.momtriphuket.com.
FRIDAY SEP 14-28
Special Saturday at Hogs Breath Authentic Indian Buffet at RPM Phuket’s best Indian buffet is back with a new chef and new menu. Homemade authentic Indian. Special promotion at B449 per person. Happy hour drinks from 6pm-9pm buy one get one free. reservation recommended call Anges 076 360 803 or Mr Murat 081 797 3364.
B99 pints during live sports coverage. Locate at Patong Promenade, www.hogsbreath.co.th
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Trivia Night at Ao Chalong Yacht Club Trivia night from 7pm. Call 090 890 8993.
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Participants can also take part in a charitable lucky draw for a chance to win over 60 fantastic prizes. Tickets are available for purchase up until and on the day of the event for B100 each. Participation packs and lucky draw tickets are available for purchase at The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa, Phuket. To register call 076 335 600.
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BBQ at Expat Hotel Special Friday at Hogs Breath Live acoustic band. B99 pints during live sports coverage. Located at Patong Promenade, www.hogsbreath.co.th
Time 8pm, Expat Sports Bar, Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www.expatsportsbar. com.
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Pizza & Pasta Feast Back again for your dining pleasure! All you can eat Pizza and Pasta served hot from the stove DiVine style. Enjoy a la minute cooked on order of Pizza, Pasta and Salad. The cost is B550 per person for food only. It is B650 per person with one glass of Italian wine. Food with free flow of Italian wine is B850 per person. Monday - Friday at 5pm - 9pm. For reservations, please contact DiVine Restaurant call 076 336 000.
FRIDAY SEP 14-30
Wine & Cheese Pairing Time for a wine and cheese boost. Relax with a glass of wine from our extensive cellar and a cheese platter while being entertained by a wide variety of sports on our big screen. The cost is B380 per person. It is B650 for two persons. Prices subject to 10% service charge and 7% applicable government tax. For reservations, please contact DiVine restaurant. Call 076 336 000, www.thanyapura.com.
thephuketnews.com
Special Sunday at Hogs Breath Kids eat free when adults buy main courses. B99 pints during live sports coverage. Located at Patong Promenade, www.hogsbreath.co.th.
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Sunday Session at Ao Chalong Yacht Club Two Chefs Saturday Brunch
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At Two Chefs Kata Centre. Every Saturday 12pm-3pm, you can enjoy a big delicious buffet with a touch of Scandinavia, and listen to our live music. For example: Our home-smoked salmon, smoked prawns, Swedish meatballs, roasted porkloin, home-made bread, delicious desserts and much more. B395 or B695 include free flow of Chang draught, wine, Sangria. See www. twochefs.com, 076 330 065, katacenter@ twochefs.com.
Live Music at Ao Chalong Yacht Club
SUNDAY SEP 16
Steak Night Buffet at Centra Ashlee Hotel Patong Char-grilled and delicious. Tender cuts of quality meats cooked to perfection. Tasty side dishes, selection of fine sauces and a deliciously fresh salad bar. Start from 6.30pm-10pm. Contact 076 349 800-7, email chp@chr.co.th.
Colin Hill will be playing from 7pm. Call 090 890 8993.
Pool Competition at Expat Hotel Pool Competition at 9pm. Expat Sports
Starwood Mini Marathon for Charity at Koh Siray Starwood hotels and resorts is set to host its inaugural charity mini marathon on Koh Siray (Siray Island) to raise funds for UNICEF and local Phuket charities such as the Good Shepherd and Koh Siray School. Start at 6.15am. The mini marathon route is 10.5 km while the charity walkers will
Every Sunday. Live music and roast day. Call 090 890 8993.
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Come Hear The Loving Words of Jesus At The Seed Church in Cherngtalay. Enjoy a great fellowship, practical preaching, contemporary music and free snacks in one of the fastest growing churches in Thailand! English services every Sunday at 2pm in Cherngtalay. Visit our website for directions or call for more information. See www.seedchurchthailand.com. Call 098 764 5353, 084 056 7027, 081 891 2503.
THE PHUKET NEWS FRIDAY, List your event for FREE at thephuketnews.com/events.php FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
EVENTS 19
Ao Chalong Yacht Club Everyone welcome
“Award winning chef from Airlie Beach, Australia. Fabulous breakfast, and authentic western Sunday roast from 12 - 4pm - just like home! Home made desserts eg. cheesecake, bread & butter pudding, apple pie made fresh every day.”
Summer Promotions! Best mini golf in Phuket! Phuket Adventure Mini Golf – fun for everyone! A challenging 18 holes miniature classic championship golf course surrounded by palm trees, stones, water, bamboo and bushes. Designed and built together with Scandinavian Adventure Golf. Whether living close by or here on a fabulous holiday, this is the place for the whole family, friends and couples to enjoy at all times. Contact 076 314 345, 080 147 2468, www.phuketadventuremi nigolf.com.
There is parking on site, cool breezes and a beautiful view. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 8.00am 7 days per week. Tel: 090 890 8993 email: amandaleehay@bigbond.com
WEDNESDAY SEP 19
Sunday Roast Pork Sunday Roast Pork or Beef Dinner every Sunday 2pm onwards Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. B290 per person. See www. expathotel.com.
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Lazy Sunday Jazz Morning at Paresa Kick back and enjoy a lazy Sunday breakfast at Paresa with jazz music, free flow sparkling wine and stunning selection of breakfast dishes. Spend the rest of the day at Paresa’s Infinity Pool or Beach Club. B600++ per person. Every Sunday 9am to noon. Call 076 302 000.
.
MONDAY SEP 17
pleased to announce a four-day retreat in September with our friend Kim Roberts on our beautiful sustainable farm. This is an excellent chance to learn with a truly inspiring and experienced yoga instructor and meditation teacher. Single room/twin share room B6,500 per person. Please contact us at: retreats@newlifethaifoundation.com.
FRIDAY SEP 21 Pool Competition: Meet The Best Players in Town
Centara Grand Chef’s Table Charity 2012
Designed and built by Thai-Canadian family in 2011, The Plaza is a very fine sculpture and wall relief garden and entertainment centre. Artist’s pictures can be seen at the plaza walls all year around. The art pieces are donated by “The Unique One” rare selection of art by Khun Manop and Mike. Pool competition is sponsored by Komodo Bar at 9pm. Entry fee B100 plus one free local beer. Come on everybody-let’s party. Call 082 280 3282.
In Mare Restaurant at the Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket. A five-course menu will be prepared by five Centara chefs. The concept of the dishes is to use the best ingredients relating to the sky, ocean, mountain, and forest. Each course of the sumptuous menu will be paired with a fine wine from the Central Wine Cellar. Price at B1,990++ per person. All proceeds from this dinner after deducting expenses will be donated to Karon community to help needy children. For more information and reservations, please contact Khun Cherry at 076 201 234 or email: asstprcpbr@chr.co.th.
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SATURDAY SEP 22-28 Wicked Wednesdays Ladies day, buy one cocktail get one free. Located at Patong Promenade, www.hogs breath.co.th.
A night of charity and celebrations. Dress to D.I.S.C.O the night away to the tunes of DJ Jay Le Shark, as you swing back your free shots on arrival and dig into your very favourite BBQ buffet. All this and more for a great cause as all proceeds go to The Good Shepherd Charity. Ticket B1,200 (all tickets have to be prepaid). Venue: Taste restaurant, Surin Beach. Bar opens 7.30pm till late night. Contact 087 886 6401.
EVERY DAY
Double Happy Hours At end of the Rawai beach strip, Rawai Plaza is the best entertainment venue for those who seek a bit more fun after a good meal. Listen to good music, enjoy sport on large TV. Play pool or dart games or just enjoy the unique surroundings. Selected cocktails B90, bottled beer: Singha, Heineken, San Miguel B60 Tiger Leo, Chang B50. House Liqueurs: Vodka, Gin, Rum, Wine B70, Scotch B70, Sangsom B60. At 4pm-8pm and midnight till late. Plus free pool sponsored by Komodo Bar. From 8pm- 9.30pm. Come on everybody - Let’s party. Call 082 280 3282.
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Traditional Home Cooked Food Polaris ATV Phuket brand launch Two Chefs Surf Night At Two Chefs Kata Beach. Every Monday from 6pm-12am. You can enjoy our big BBQ Buffet with Blackened red snapper, beef burgers, Chicken Fajitas, Tacos, Chimi-Churri marinated chicken, desserts from our bakery and much more. One member from our house band will sing pleasant music during the night. Only B495. See www.twochefs.com, 076 284 155, kata@ twochefs.com.
TUESDAY SEP 18
Two Chefs Tex Mex Night At Two Chefs Karon 6pm-1am. Every Wednesday you can enjoy Phuket’s best Mexican food. Chili con carne, Mexican rice, Mexican springrolls, nachos, pork fillet skewers, salmon quesadillas, grilled corn cob, desserts from our bakery and much more. Our house band will be here to play live music. B495 or B795 include free flow Chang draught and Sangria. See www. twochefs.com, call 076 286 479, karon@ twochefs.com.
WEDNESDAY SEP 19-23
The Grand Opening for the new Polaris ATV will be held at the Home Pro Village, Chalong from September 22 – 28. The Polaris ATV Motor Show will be held every day, from 10am – 8pm. Customers will have the opportunity of speaking with professional mechanics and technicians throughout the day to ask advice. Bookings for vehicles and individual parts can be made on the day. For more details, please contact Khun Noon : call 089 473 0551 or email polaris_phuket@hotmail.com.
SATURDAY SEP 29
Pool Competition at Expat Guesthouse Pool Competition every Tuesday 9pm Expat Guesthouse Sports Bar, Patong. See map at www.expatguesthouse.com.
A Mindful Weekend Yoga Retreat New Life Foundation in Chiang Rai is
Disco Fever at Taste Surin
Traditional homecooked food, also special club membership for expats entitling members to discounts on food and drink. Ask Jamie for details. All major sporting events shown live on big screen. Sugar Reef opposite Tescos Cherngtalay. www. sugarreefbar.com.
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Going to Surin Beach? If you have time this week head to Sea Breeze Surin Beach for a great lunch time offer. We are doing any of our burgers with home cut fries for only B175 and cold beers from only B50 per bottle between 12pm and 5pm every day. For Expats we are also offering B20 off beers all day every day ask a manager when you arrive. Live sport every day including our 100” HD screen. Ask about our new Pool Club, plus kids and adults parties planned and catered for. Call 076 270 399, www.thebestbeachclub.com, info@theburgerbarandbeachclub.com.
thephuketnews.com
THE PHUKET NEWS
20 TIME OUT KNOW WHERE THIS IS? GUESS RIGHT AND WIN!
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
GERRY’S VIEW THIS WEEK’S HINT: This week I thought I would try to find something in the Laguna area on the West coast, as I haven’t included anything in this column from that part of the island. No museums to report on, but I happened to stop for a coffee and some delicious pasta at a very upscale restaurant in the area that obviously caters to the large expatriate community. This place serves great sandwiches in the main building, and also has excellent BBQ chicken. It’s hard to miss at a Y intersection.
–Gerry Cummings
editor@thephuketnews.com
www.photohutgroup.com
thephuketnews.com/ login-game-view.php
GUESS THE CORRECT LOCATION AND WIN A B500 GIFT VOUCHER FROM PHOTO HUT
Congratulations go to Mark Tjhung and Michael Wester, who both correctly guessed that last week’s picture was taken on the second floor at the Central Festival shopping mall, where the shops sell everything imaginable in the technology line.
This week in history ■■ September 14, 1985 Penang Bridge, the longest bridge in Malaysia, opens, connecting the island of Penang to the mainland.
■■ September 15, 1916 Tanks are used for the first time in battle, at the Battle of the Somme during World War One.
1. How many zeroes are there in one hundred million when it is written out in numerical form? 2. Adirondack Blue, Fingerling and Vivaldi are all varieties of what? 3. What was the name of the world’s first cloned sheep? 4. How many Oscars has Tom Hanks won? 5. Which plant is used to make linen? Answers at the foot of the page.
■■ September 16, 1959 The first successful photocopier, the Xerox 914, is introduced in a demonstration on live television.
■■ September 17, 1908 Lt. Thomas Selfridge becomes the first ever aeroplane fatality when the Wright Flyer crashes.
■■ September 18, 1977 American spacecraft Voyager I takes first photograph of the Earth and the Moon together.
Across
Down
1. Imposter a mesh change. (13) 9. Grown incorrect? Incorrect. (5) 10. The Italian in abstract with dispatch. (9) 11. Coffee remnants in the garden? (7) 12. A little science with ship or snip. (7) 15. Exist in reverse – that’s bad. (4) 16. I got in, took off and reared in fright. (5) 17. North I go to the French river. (4) 20. Can’t stand taking exam. (4) 23. Practice to make holes. (5) 24. Pace turns 26d. (4) 26. Pennies contain an act of contrition. (7) 27. Gave protection to limb – or Ed. (7) 28. Accoutrements to catch Asdic noises. (9) 29. Minister to special delight. (5) 30. Predict poorly – gotta conspire. (13)
2. A little ecology with no fog – he knows money! (9) 3. Anna took in soldier? Heartache! (6) 4. Kicks out, with saints mixed in. (5) 5. Claim, “Oh, I’d become murderous.” (9) 6. Sara’s in bridge. (7) 7. Loot German cardinal – and brags. (8) 8. The German’s about? Yes, old craftsman. (4) 13. Ouch! Left bird. (3) 14. I take a bit back before bone. (5) 16. Enticing Ed to get into vacuum cleaner action. (9) 18. Burying intent, take in right – and me. (9) 19. Former spouse quietly edit the point – get it done! (8) 21. Anger is most of fire. (3) 22. Cleaner is fake – what a smell! (7) 25. Cardinal and me have twitch – it makes you sick. (6) 26. Strokes favorites. (4) 27. Possession, as matching group. (5)
Solutions to last week’s puzzles:
Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1. Eight; 2. Potatoes; 3. Dolly; 4.Two; 5. Flax.
thephuketnews.com
■■ September 19, 1982 Scott Fahlman posts first emoticons :-) and :-( on the Carnegie Mellon University Bulletin Board system.
SUDOKU
■■ September 20, 1893 Charles Duryea and his brother road-test the first American-made gasolinepowered automobile.
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
thephuketnews.com
16 CLASSIFIEDS
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
JOBS
Land for sale
Cherng Talay, 14 rai with chanote title > 20
classifieds@thephuketnews.com
san Development. Full time. 6 days. Good English written and spoken. Contact Kay, email: sales@villasuk san.com.
Office Staff Wanted:
Accountants/ Bookkeepers: Experienced Thai staff for immediate openings. English, written and verbal, are essential. Salary based on qualifications. Email resume to hr@ freshgardenfarms.com.
Immediate Primary EP Vacancy: We are looking to appoint a qualif ied teacher to star t at PPAO Ban Maireab School in Kathu as soon as possible. Applicants must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and a TEFL certificate. 087 815 3518.
Shop Assistant Required: Paul Ropp Thailand Co.,Ltd. is now looking for shop assistants to join our team at Laguna and Surin beach store. We offer good salary and commission. Please send your CV to pandhaj@paulropp.com.
Office Assistant: Office Assistant for Villa Suk-
in English to General Manager: Jeanette@thecape -residences.com.
Female, English-speaking staff to work in nice environment with outgoing personality and basic bookkeeping skills. Call K. Nam 076 272 702. Island Curtains.
Real- Estate Staff Wanted: Looking for full time Thai staff, fluent spoken/written English and real estate business exper ienc e required. Please send an e-mail with a photo to info@ molokophuket.com.
Sales and Admin Assistant Wanted: We are looking for a passionate sales person to join the team at Oriental Living Interior Showroom in Bangtao. Do you have experience in sales and admin in a retail business? Call us today! 081 400 4678.
Swimming Pool Industr y: Wanted: an electrician with electronics and pump motor repair experience, part time leading to full time .Ideal for semi retiree. Please contact 076 620 193, 081 797 5545, Email info@ mobilepooldoctor.com.
Chief Accountant: Pizza Maker / Cook: The successful candidate will receive a competitive salary and benefit package. Please email resume
Full time! (only Thai applicants) see www.phuketad ventureminigolf.com or call 080 548 3345.
cook required for expanding boat charter company. Thai and farang food. Cooking experience a must. Call 086 011 5340.
Sales & Marketing Manager: We are look-
Assistant Hotel Manager: Assistant
Marcom and E-Commerce Manager: Pro-
ing for: *Thai individual who possesses experience in sales and marketing or as a sales/marketing manager. *This individual must be very responsible, and must be able to lead a team. *Can converse in English (speak/read/write) with ease, and can work with different types of media. *Has strong computer skills, (Microsoft Office, Photoshop etc). *Is outgoing, comfortable with people, clean and presentable to the public. *Have good social connections around Phuket. Duties include taking care of new marketing projects, recruiting sales, attending PR functions, maintaining monthly budgets and reports, as well as business proposals. Must be willing to learn about all aspects of the Two Chefs company and services. Please apply by email: billy@twochefs. com.
Hotel Manager to assist GM in maintaining a successful and profitable Hotel - 42 room Boutique Hotel in Karon. - Bachelor’s degree in Sales or Hotel Management or at least two years management experience - Managing 32 staff - Thai national, fluent in English - Knowledgeable in MS Word, Excel, Photo Shop - S a l a r y B18 , 0 0 0 per month plus service charge - Email CV to sales@ ccbloomshotel.com.
motes a positive image of the hotel in the community and abroad through public relations and promotion activities. Communicates and submits appropriate materials to all marketing channel. Email: hrmgr@ millenniumpatong.com.
Kindergarten Teacher: Female caucasian native English speaking teacher with experience to teach class of 10-12 children ages 2-6, Mon-Fri, 8am - 4pm, Chalong. Please contact 080 624 7060. www.budsphuket.com, email buds. span@yahoo.com.
Cook/ kitchen cleaner: Another Thai national Class Act Media is Phuket's leading media company - publishing The Phuket News , Phuket's leading weekly English Newspaper and broadcasting Live 89.5 – Phuket's premier English radio station. Class Act Media also has other publications and a host of other products in Phuket and Samui. Due to recent expansions we are seeking the following position
Sales Manager Thai or Foreigner (Located in Phuket) Responsibilities : - Managing the sales team (including responsibility for recruitment of new sales staff when needed) - Weekly & monthly sales budget meetings and reporting - Developing and following up new sales leads - Reaching own personal sales targets and responsibility for reaching team targets We offer: - Competitive salary, bonuses and travel expenses - Friendly work environment - Social security (10%) paid by the company - Excellent career progress opportunity ***The company may offer accommodation plus local transportation costs to successful candidates.***
Interested candidates are invited to send application with full resume in English indicating qualifications, experience, expected salary with recent photo via email to adminmgr@the phuketnews.com
Please email full resume in English indicating expected salary with recent photo to
adminmgr@thephuketnews.com or call 076 612 550-2 for more info.
thephuketnews.com
Class Act Media is Phuket's leading media company, publishing The Phuket News, Phuket's leading weekly English Newspaper, and broadcasting Live 89.5, Phuket's premier English radio station. Due to recent expansions we are seeking the following position:
Sub-Editor/Sports Editor (Thai or Expat) Responsibilities: Oversee local and international sport section Sourcing and writing story material Rewriting and proofing articles for online and print Final page proofs Uploading web content
Qualifications: University degree in Journalism or similar Three years’ editorial experience. Online editing experience preferable. A keen eye for detail, an inexhaustible passion for words and innate feel for the English language Passion for sport an advantage but not essential
Please send your resume, relevant writing clippings and salary expectations to:
managingeditor@thephuketnews.com or call 076 612 550-2 for more info.
Two Native English Teachers: For two - five+ year old pre-school children. For more information call, text or email to +66(0)82 812 3610, email turnery5@gmail.com.
Air Con/Refrig Technician: Looking for a technician has experience electric, air or refrig (compressors), for servicing, repairing and maintaining equipment. Competitive salary and bonuses. Call 084 915 9507.
Web/Graphic Designers Wanted: Degree in Arts Graphic Design. Proven experience in creating, designing and maintaining websites. Photoshop, Dreamweaver, CSS,HTML/ DHTML & Design Principals. Email jobs@hotel travel.com.
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
CLASSIFIEDS 17
List your ad for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php sist with day-to-day operations of our company. Must speak English. 5 days a week. info@phuket phototours.com
Business Assistant For expat couple from NZ operating multiple businesses What you need Must be fluent in English and Thai Basic Book keeping skills High level of organisation Initiative to tackle new challenges (Most important) Ability to deal with Thai contractors, service providers and investigate suppliers General administrative tasks including typing, filing, internet research and preparation of Power Point presentations Friendly outgoing “Can Do” attitude required Your own Transportation
What we offer Varied and interesting work Relaxed and motivating employers A high level of remuneration (Discussed at interview) Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm Normal hours Work from employers home Work from your home Laptop and Mobile provide
Newly Renovated Hotel Opening: CC Bloom’s a Boutique Hotel located in the lush hills of Kata/Karon is looking for dynamic English speaking Thai nationals to join our expanding team as bookkeeper, wait staff, engineer, receptionist, bartender, driver, housekeeping and cooks. For more information, please contact 076 333 222 or submit your CV together with recent photo and expected salary to sales@ ccbloomshotel.com. We welcome walk-in candidates.
Bar Staff with basic cooking: Experienced bar tender/barstaf f, with good command of English and basic food cooking and preparation skills (bistro food). Must have 1 year experience. Some overtime required. Call 080 143 3660.
Drama Teacher Needed: HeadStart International School is looking for a certified native English speaker to teach Drama for after school activities to kids ages 5-teenage. Call 081 968 1562.
Semi-retired UK/Canadian businessman seeks Companion: English speaking female only. Free high end separate accommodation. All expenses paid. Call 089 054 4354.
Pharmacist: Position as licensed pharmacist in Rawai, Phuket available valid lic ense required; English language skills a plus competitive salary++; accommodation available, contact us now: 076 344 531.
Sales Staff Wanted:
Ms Janette Dixon janette.d@xtra.co.nz
English-speaking female. Thai with previous selling experience with own car, outgoing personality with ability to sell to farangs, flexible hours. Retainer, fuel, phone and commission. Call Khun Nam: 076 272 702. Island Curtains.
specialized in product development and distribution of high quality beverages. Please send your most recent resume, picture, and cover letter to hr@ premiumthaibrands.com.
For our offshore software development company Nobuzane Ltd. based in Phuket, Thailand we are looking for:
4 (four) medior level Software Developers Young growing international software company looking for intelligent, English speaking Software Developers to join our team. Your main responsibility will be to work with the chief software architect to design and develop web based custom business applications.
►
General skills: ► Good communication skills (English) for information exchange and technical documentation ► Experience diagnosing & debugging problems
Please send applications in writing with your CV to;
Claims &Suppor t- Sales Representaing Admin: Claims and tive: O ur c ompany is Supporting administration, male/female, age 22- 45 years old. Experience in position will be advantage. Good command, written and spoken English. Well organized,self- motivated. Email info@lamber t brothers.co.th.
ket research, and working with the F&B service staff. Call: 081 893 4122.
JOBS IN PHUKET
Free Security Training Course: Free secu-
Job specific skills: ► 2 to 5 years experience with ASP.NET/C# ► 2 to 5 years experience with MS Visual Studio development environment ► Skill considered an advantage: ► Knowledge/experience with SQL Server ► Knowledge/exprience with Javascript For enquiries and/or job applications please contact nobuzane@live.nl.
rity training course open to all Thai nationals over the age of 24. You must have a basic command of English and be physically fit. Please email info@ securitysafestop.com for details. 076 620 010.
Wanted Admin Assistant Part Time: One or two days plus one evening per week to start. Must be fluent in English and Thai. Call Larry on 081 487 4812 or email: lamsden@phuket. ksc.co.th.
Wanted: Female Driver Want- Maid/Nanny We would like a Maid/Nanny ed: Semi-retired UK/Ca- to join our family in Chalong. nadian businessman seeks English speaking female driver. High-end separate accommodation available. Call 089 054 4354.
Either live in or out. Duties include mainly housekeeping with light nanny duties. English speaking preferable. 088 826 1680.
Catering and Events Intern: Intern is required
Administrative Em- to work closely with our ployee: Responsible for team with tasks including:
relations with our agents (tour agents & hotels) As-
develop/budget catering and event packages, mar-
THE PHUKET NEWS is Phuket's leading weekly English News-paper. Our mission is to serve the Expat community, tourists and residents of Phuket by publishing an independent, comprehensive and informative community newspaper on a weekly basis. We are seeking a dynamic Admin/PR assistant to support Admin & PR tasks in PR planning & promoting, customer services, social network updating & general administrative responsibilities.
ADMINISTRATIVE/PR ASSISTANT Responsibilities:● Answering/forwarding the incomng calls to relevant staff ● Welcoming guests/visitors of Phuket News & LIVE 89.5 FM ● Providing customer services via emails & face to face ● Managing inventory/stock of stationery including purchasing ● Providing administrative support to Admin & PR including faxing, filing, copying etc. ● Assisting PR Manager on promoting company’s products & services ● Assisting on translation from Thai to English & English to Thai
Qualifications :-
● Thai nationality ● Bachelor Degree in related field ● Excellent communication in English ● Has excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to handle multi-tasks ● Proactive, detailed-oriented & work well in a fast-paced environment ● New graduated students with excellent English are welcomed to apply!
We offer:-
Head of English Department: We are looking fo r a T hai Female Nationality with teaching skills to handle four English teachers to teach English to our Security Guards. Contact 081 607 6637.
● Working 5 days a week/Monday-Friday (8.30 am - 6.00 pm.) ● Friendly work environment ● Social security (10%) paid by the company ● Excellent career progress opportunity Interested candidates are invited to send application with full resume in English indicating qualifications, experience, expected salary with recent photo via email to adminmgr@thephuketnews.com or fax your resume to 076 612 553.
Contact telephone number: 076 612 550-2 ext 101 - Khun Jariya
thephuketnews.com
18 CLASSIFIEDS
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
BUY&SELL
Phuket condo up for sale
242 sqm, B16.9m > 21
โรงเรียนสอนภาษากะทูภู้ เก็ต KATHU PHUKET LANGUAGE SCHOOL
Learn Thai For 200 Hrs. and Get 1 year VISA Offering German Consulate A1 Course. Tel.084-0085673 www.phuketacademy.com email:khroojee@gmail.com
ART & COLLECTIBLES
to teach ages 1 1/2-8. Mon-Fri 8am -5pm. Bus service available from Patong, Karon, Kata, Phuket, Rawai and Chalong. Website: www.buds-phuket. com.
Charter Fishing Business: Owner is changing Fi shin g Ya c h t f o r S a l e: F o r s a l e 19 9 1 Tairia sport fishing yacht USD275,000. Please email mar tin@phuketfishboat. com.
Wooden Ship/Boat/ Yacht Models: We are a Bangkok based company specialising in wide variety of wooden ship/boat and yacht models and display cases. Our models are safely packed and shipped within Thailand or worldwide. Contact 083 886 1668. www.globalchannel.com
BOATS & YACHTS
BUSINESS SERVICES Tile It: Thalang. Wana Near New Inflatable Tender: West Mar ine hypalon RIB 3.5 metre including all accessories. Plus SAIL (made by Yamaha) 15 HP four stroke outboard. One month old. B175,000 negotiable. Call 08 7388 3090.
BUSINESSES FOR SALE L u x u r y Ya c h t f o r Sale: For sale 2002 Bertram 510 Flybridge luxury yacht. USD825,000. Email mar tin@phuket fishboat. com.
business disciplines and wants to exit the charter fishing business. For sale ‘02 Bertram 510 Flybridge and ‘91 Tairia sport fishing yacht. Plus website and all past customers. www. phuketfishboat.com, email mar tin@phuketfishboat. com.
Park on Srisoonthorn Rd. Phuket’s quality tile boutique. Tiles for interior, exterior, residential, commercial. Contact 076 620 168 or 081 424 2828. Email info@ tile-asia.com.
CHILDREN’S CLUB Funstart: Family sports and leisure club. Swimming/golf/ playcentre/gaming arcade. Call 076 203 185, 087 882 5544. See funstartphuket.com.
CLUBS & MEMBERSHIPS Natural Mountain Stone: Original from ancient time. Shaped by expert craftsman. Unique with its texture and colors. Harmony with traditional and contemporary. Commit to best and always available to our valued customers. Call +66 (08) 1719 6930. Email: info@maxxnova.com
SK A L I nt e r na t i onal Phuket: Skål is a professional organisation of leaders from all branches of the travel and tourism industry. www.skalphuket.org.
Singapore Club Phuket: Calling all Singaporeans in Phuket to join Singapore Club Phuket. Contact Robin on 081 803 7189.
Farang Food Paradise: Your specialist of imported food and drinks in Phuket. Visit our shop at the Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco Lotus. Contact: 076 612 733, 076 248 900. www.phuketfood.com.
Sell Freelance Company: Sell freelance (Diver.OK) company B40,000. Call 086 280 9282 Marc.
in Thailand. Main contractor: study project, architecture design and construction and management. 076 381 895.
Indo Construction: 40 years’ experience and more than 20 years at your service
COOKING CLASS
CARS FOR RENT Car for rent: Car in good condition, short and long-term rental with first-class insurance and delivery service. 086 690 6007, email: k.niwatt@hotmail. com.
CHILDCARE Buds Nursery: Phuket’s oldest bi-lingual international childcare facility. High-quality, time-proven schedule and curriculum. Now in brand new purpose-built school. Experienced native English teachers
Phuket Cooking Academy: Offers many cooking and baking classes in our top-class professional facilities. Come to learn how to cook with our professional chefs and discover the art of bakery, and Thai and European cuisines. Open to all from the age of 12 years old and without any prior cooking experience. For more info visit us at: www. phuket-cooking-academy. com or call 081 821 40 64.
EDUCATION Club Asia Fitness: Royal Phuket City Hotel. Of fers Zumba /LesMills classes/ weight training/ s a u n a /s te a m /s w i m m i n g pool, all inclusive. For a free trial workout, come along and join the action. Tel 076 35 4 027, 087 275 3614. www.clubasiaphuket.com.
Kathu Phuket Language School: Enjoy living in Thailand for one year or more. Get the most out of your stay here by learning Thai for 200 hrs. and get a VISA for FREE. Contact person: Khun Jirancha Khongsuk. 9/4 Moo 6 Wichitsongkram Road, Kathu, Kathu, Phuket 83120 Thailand. 076 323 201, 084 304 6521, 081 417 0478. Email: khroojee@gmail.com, www. visathaiphuket.com.
thephuketnews.com
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
CLASSIFIEDS 19
List your advert for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS FOR SALE
highway. Please contact 076 313 235 or 081 125 1873.
Sales Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Free Tablet case / Keyboard case Insurance for 1 year can be negotiate Please email: singhon.p@gmail.com.
BUY & SELL IN PHUKET
men and women’s health and fitness. Pre- and post-natal exercise. Nutrition and weight management. For a free consultation. Contact Sarah on 084 985 8161, email: sarah@ one2one-fitness.net.
Health Food : Online health food in Thailand. Good Karma, all natural healthy, natural and organic products. Please contact 082 276 1675, www.goodkarmathailand.com.
MOTORBIKE SERVICES Dynamic Tyre Balancing: Dynamically balance your motorcycle tyres for a smoother ride with DYNA BEADS! Available at West Coast Service Center Phuket, your big bike specialist on the bypass road. Contact 085 785 4440.
MOVING & STORAGE Safeway Storage: Self storage from B800/M. Container rental B3,000/M. Sales/ Site of fice A /C B6,000/M. Mobile toilets B2,80 0/M month. Chalong, opposite Wat Chalong. Thalang, main
We Sell Boxes & Moving Supplies: At MY STORAGE Self Storage you can buy quality moving and packing supplies like individual boxes, bubble wrap, packing tapes & knives plus secure padlocks. We also help you to move and store. Call 076 292 909.
PERSONAL SERVICES
Sound Engineer! AV Home system! : We’re exper ts in systems and control designs of highest quality Home Automation, AV, Cinema Room, Lighting Control. Professional services certified by CEDIA. English speaking call +66 (08) 1719 6930. Email: i n f o @ m a x x n ova . c o m , www.maxxnova.com
in translation of contracts and agreements in real estate field, web sites and tourist information. Email malaikaya@ yahoo.com for more info.
Backgammon: Players Wanted. Tel: 081 577 8443, email: phuketconnection@ yahoo.com
Bon Café Phuket: A producer of premium coffee blends and powdered mixes as well as selling, maintaining, servicing and repairing all major brands. Contact 076 355 600-1.
Prot ec t Your Ho m e w i t h CC T V: C C T V & alarm service. Protect your home with high-quality CCTV camera,and GSM alarm. Free survey and quote. Please call 086 105 8144 or click www. huketechnology.com.
Personal Trainer: Ful-
ly-qualified female personal trainer from the UK. With guaranteed results and over 10 years of experience in
English-Russian Translations: Profes sional translator specialised
Haris & Hawr yluck Attorneys at Law: Unit 6D CCM Complex. Call 076 510 111, email info@hhlegal advisors.com, www.hhlegal advisors.com.
Atmanjai: World’s best natural health programmes to improve health, reduce stress, weight loss, detox, rejuvenation, vitality and overcome disease. See atmanjai.com.
Buon Appetito: Deli mar-
ket and bistro. Number one supplier of Italian Deli in Phuket. Call 076 384 273, email info@ buonappetitogroup.com, www. buonappetito group.com.
• Movement • Stillness • Balance Email: Serenethai@yahoo.com
Are You Thinking Of Getting A New Dog O r Puppy ?: Please
Ghost Writer: For life story
consider adopting a homeless dog, rather than buying from a pet shop or puppy mill. Contact:
M obile:0 81-728 - 9 9 8 0
of successful business man. Gambler, playboy, world traveler now living Patong Beach. Email: pent house2102@gmail. com.
PET ADOPTION Why buy a pet?: Soi Dog Foundation have over 300 beautiful dogs and puppies available for adoption. Fully vaccinated and sterilised. Contact 085 574 4258 or email cindy@soidog.org.
Gone2thedoggies@gmail.com
If your interested in seeing some of the many dogs looking for a new home.
POOL TABLES Phuket Pool Tables: www. phuketpooltables.com. Your number one billiard and snooker supplier in Phuket. Sales, rent and profit-sharing. All accessories and services. Call 081 823 4627.
thephuketnews.com
20 CLASSIFIEDS
THE PHUKET NEWS
PROPERTY House For Rent
Bali modern style, fully furnish, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room, hot water, cable TV. Housekeeper service every week
utes walk to Naiharn beach. Two-three bedroom, aircon. two bathroom, kitchen, garden. Minimum one year B15,000. Call 081 397 1835.
House for Rent-Kathu:
three bathrooms, fully furnished. Five minutes to Chalong centre, 10 minutes to Rawai Beach. Please contact Khun Poy for more details: 089 472 9870 or 086 471 522.
Phuket Cottages
Near British International School, pool-villas starting from THB 8,800,000.
www.phuket-cottages.com
Call: 089-724-7211
Land size 153.85 sq met re. Fur ni sh e d, gar den, swimming pool. For sale B17,000,000 or rent plus Honda civic B65,000 per month. Contact ket.phuket@ hotmail.com.
PROPERTY FOR SALE
Nice House for Long Term Rent: Just a few min-
Private Pool Villa For Rent: Three bedrooms,
Pool villas start from B8.8 million > 21
Two b e dr o o ms / t wo bat h rooms. Calm and clean area. Built in early 2012, first occupant. Aircon in all rooms. Floor area 120m2 + back and front yard, furnished. Call 091 034 0035.
Loft Style Flats: Central location with easy access to
Ayara Surin - Villa 22 - Rental: Phuket West. B15,000 - B30,000 per night. The villa is located in one of the most convenient locations on the island being walking distance to Surin Beach within 20 minutes driving distance of the airport, four golf courses including Blue Canyon), Laguna Phuket, home of The Banyan Tree Hotel & Spa, The Amanpuri and Chedi Hotels and numerous superb restaurants and shops. Contact 076 239 967, see www.cbre.co.th.
Mission Heights Residence
Designed specially for families, the Mission Heights Residence offer very spacious 540 sqm houses, all with 12 metre long swimming pool, 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, guest bungalow, maid quarter and a nice garden in a very secure, children friendly environment only couple of minutes from Phuket International Academy.
WRITE YOUR CLASSIFIED FREE ONLINE: 189 CHARACTERS + 1 PICTURE Headline: ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
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189 CHARACTERS
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Located only 10 minutes from airport, Grand Ao Por Marina, new Tesco Shopping center, 2 golf courses, Naiyang Beach, Thanyapura Sport & Leisure Center and international school, the Mission Heights Residence is a perfect place to live for families without traffic in a very peaceful, secure and natural surrounding.
U RG E NT L a n d for sale: Plot for sale in Cherng Thalay. Just 3km to blue flag Surin Beach, total 14 rai (22400sqm) Chonote title, land suit for apar tment complex contruction up to 3 floors or private big
Furnished House for Sale/Rent in Kathu:
Located at West-Chaofah Rd. 25,000 THB/month
PROPERTY FOR RENT
Phuket Cottages
main roads, near Bang Wat dam Country Park in the middle of the island. The area is quiet, minimal traffic, great walking and running around the dam. Call 086 664 5575.
contact : 081 787 9191, 083 391 7556
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
villa. Land for sale is located in prestigious region nearby hotel, resort, spa and shopping areas. Call 081 619 9501. Email: limraksasins@gmail.com.
Rawai Beachfront Pool Villa: Rawai Beach front pool villa for rent/sale.3 bedrooms,furnished. Contact Siriporn on 089 649 9939.
THE SUNRISE OCEAN VILLAS
Allamanda (Laguna) Residences/Phuket:
After a great success of the first phase, the Sunrise Ocean Villas is now starting to build the 8 other villas of "Phase2". The price of 17.9 million baht makes the project one of the most competitive on the island for being only 60m from the beach. Each villa has a living area of over 300 sqm, has 3 spacious bedrooms, all sea views, 5 bathrooms, a 10x4m infinity pool, maid's quar ter and a covered 2-car parking. The houses are specially designed to guarantee complete privacy, with an open panoramic view of the sea.
One Condo Unit, half of a deluxe twin house, fully furnished and equipped, set direct on the picturesque lagoon with balcony right over it. 3 bedrooms each w i t h s h owe r/ b at h r o o m, r o of te r r ac e. Lo ngte r m rent or sale. 081 737 0365, utaipan@yahoo.com.
Kamala Two Brand New Villas: Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, Western kitchen, 130 sq metre. Nice garden with large pool in quiet area. Price: B5.5 million or minimum three-month rental. Call 081 496 9070 (Eng/Swedish) or 081 719 1175 (Thai).
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The Villas currently under construction being built to highest western standard and are launched at only 13.9 million Baht for the first 3 houses. For appointment or more details contact project director, Khun Montha at 088 751 1750 or email mission_ heights@yahoo.com.
Come visit the villas and you will be wonder fully surprised by the quality of the project as well as the quality of life you can find here. For appointment or more details, contact the project director Khun Montha at 081 343 0777 (Thai, English & German) Email: thesunrisevillas@yahoo. com.
www.thesunrisevillas.com
S e avi ew L a n d Fo r Sale: Near Chalong Pier, 150 metres from the sea. Three rai and one ngan plot. Chanote title. Price: B25 million per rai. No agent. Call 087 278 7206
Villa Resort Style: Villa resort style six bedroom. Loc ated in peac eful area South of Phuket, Rawai. This villa has been designed and furnished to the highest standards. Email mintra99@gmail. com.
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
CLASSIFIEDS 21
List your advert for FREE at thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php
PROPERTY IN PHUKET
Phuket Cottages
Near British International School, pool-villas starting from THB 8,800,000.
www.phuket-cottages.com
Call: 089-724-7211 crete access road and electric. Ready for building project. Call 087 888 4770.
PROPERTY FOR SALE CONT.
House in Phuket Town / Samkong 3 bedroom, 3 bathrooms: Semi detached house with large 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, large open living/dining area and entertainment deck outside. Large western kitchen with all appliances.
Rawai Pool Villa: Phuket Condominium Resale (PKS0280): The 6.1 Rai Land for Sale: 6.1 rai (10,000sq metre). B2,500,000 per rai. Total price: B15,600,000. - 5 minutes to Naithon Beach. -10 minutes to Naiyang Beach. -10 minutes to Airport. -7 minutes to New Tesco Lotus. - Roadside land and Chanote title. Call 085 793 2718.
Plantation, Phuket - West, B16,9 0 0,0 0 0. Unit size: 241.8sq metre. Legal ownership: Leasehold. Contact 076 239 967, see www.cbre.co.th.
Unique three bedroom pool villa “off the plan�. In Rawai. Three easy payments over eight months build time. Over looking a peac eful, fish-filled lake. Valued at B12 million on completion. Save MILLIONS!! Contact 081 270 4291, email: thai landmls@gmail.com.
Pool Villa in Chalong: 3 0 0sq metre. Three bed rooms, four bathrooms, one western kitchen, one living room, private pool, two car parking. electric gate, fully furnished. Price: B10 million / Rent: B50,000. Call 081 539 7311 Th/Eng.
Phuket-Surin Beach Area for Sale: Chanote title at Manik-township. 20x25 metre in natural surrounding, B2.6 million. Free design+construction permit. Phone 087 275 9621, email nuttapol_trateng@yahoo. com.
Beach Front Plots: Located opposite Yacht Haven Marina in a very peaceful, natural environment. Ready to build, electricity and water on site, road and boat access. 2 Rai plots each with 60 metre of ocean frontage, perfect for living as well as investment. For sale direct from owner, price only B12 million. Call 081 343 0777.
to sell, offers. Call 081 737 0722.
Kathu : Ser viced Land for Sale: Near the
front pool villa for rent/sale.3 bedrooms, furnished. Contact Siriporn on 089 649 9939.
The Billion Plaza and main road to Patong. Building 80sqm + 6m of patio behind. 4 storey, 4 bathroom, chanote title. Sale by owner, price B13.8m. Email aew28325@ gmail.com, 081 807 9914.
Priced to sell at B4.3M including 4 air cons. and all modern style furniture. Nothing more to spend. Contact (English): 084 768 0536 or (Thai): 085 888 0502.
Luxury Private Pool Villas: Brand new Bali
British International School, 500 sq. m. including road, water, electricity and security. B3 million. Call 089 724 7211. E-mail julien@ phuketimmo.com.
Rawai B eachf ront Pool Villa: Rawai Beach
Commercial Building for sale: Prime location in
Great area very conveniently located 5 minutes from all amenities including both international hospitals, Central festival, international schools and the centre of town. Selling due to relocation.
Three bedroom house for sale: O n Land and House Park, Chalong. Gym, swimming pool and nice restaurant on site. Price reduced to sell quickly. Furnished or unfurnished. Call 089 291
Land for sale: 6 rai beautiful hilltop land near Mission Hills golf club, was 4.2million baht per rai now drastically reduced to *B3.2 million per rai* for very quick sale. Full chanote, water/electric, office, sea/mountain views. Call 087 978 5804(Eng), stanjsmith25@yahoo.com
7078.
Land for Sale at Loch Palm Kathu: 20 Rai overlooking golf course with con-
style three and four bed villas, one km to Nai Harn Beach. High rental guaranteed investment. Prices from B12.9 million (include full furniture pkg). Enquiries sakt27@gmail.com, call +66 (0)87 897 4421.
Land for Sale at Loch Palm Kathu: 20 Rai overlooking golf course with concrete access road and electric. Ready for building project. Call 087 888 4770.
Two Bed Villa 1/2 Rai B7.2m: Gated community, Pa Klok, land 832 sq metre, house 212 sq metre. Unfurnished, full aircon. two bed, two bath, big garden for pool/ extentions. 10 minutes from Heroines Monument. Priced
400sq metre Beautiful Land for Sale: In Soi Suksan, the land has views of the Nai Harn and Rawai mountains, and would be ideal for a family home. Ready to build. Quality western villas on the same soi. Contact 089 973 1180.
Condo in Phuket Town for Sale/Rent: New condo, one bed, fully-furnished, WiFi, maid service, sea view. Call 081 893 5188.
Villa for Sale at Kathu: Overlooking golf course. Fully furnished. Land size 800sq metre. Living area 487sq metre. Large pool. four beds, four baths. Fully-fitted Western kitchen. Lifetime membership. B20 million. Call 087 222 4770.
Land for sale near Golf Course: Near British International School, 18 Rai with public road access. Suitable for resort or housing project. Can be divided. Price B80 million. Contact owner at 089 724 7211.
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22 CLASSIFIEDS
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
EQUIPMENT SALES & RENTAL
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THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
Islanders grounded by Air Force fly-by FOOTBALL Kazira Hans editor2@thephuketnews.com
huket FC are now firmly back in relegation contention after being crushed by a well drilled Air Force United outfit on Saturday (September 8) evening at North Bangkok University stadium. Aside from valuable Division 1 points, there was added incentives for both sides to win this match – Air Force coach Ajarn Songngamsub was the man who led Phuket FC to the Division 2 Southern Championship in 2010. As the game kicked off, Niran Panthong almost put the
P
Islanders into the lead early in the game as Phuket went on the attack, but his shot from left of the post went inches over the crossbar. Air Force, meanwhile, started off slowly, but took the early lead as Phuket’s Nontapan Jeansatawong failed to properly clear a shot out of Phuket’s danger zone. His clearing header bounced off the ground, and straight to the feet of Air Force’s Kouassi Yao Hermann, who wasted no time in sending his eight-yard shot in just under the crossbar. Rattled by the early goal, Phuket’s game plan seemed to fall apart as they instead sat back and allowed Air Force to control the game while they
looked for counter-attacking opportunities. Half time: 0-1. In the second half, both teams upped the pace, but Phuket were outplayed by their opponents, and failed to find an equaliser as the game approached stoppage time. When Herrman scored his second from the penalty spot in the final minute of regular time, the game was all but sealed. Another goal immediately after put the nail in the coffin, as Air Force wrapped up a comprehensive 3-0 win. After the game, Phuket coach Narong Arjarayuth said he was hoping to get one point out of Air Force, but not the Islander’s lack of potency up front.
“After Air Force’s early lead in the first half, I decided to adopt a more attacking formation in a bid to equalise,” he said. “But unfortunately, Air Force played a very good defensive game. “As we sent more players up front to attack, our defence was weakened, which explains why the scoreline was wider than the game reflected.” The loss pushed Phuket down to twelfth on the Division 1 table, and they are now just five points clear of the relegation zone with eight games remaining this season. The Islanders return to Surakul Stadium on Sunday (September 16), hosting Phattalung FC. Kickoff 6.30pm.
PSS take third in Patong comp FOOTBALL PLAY ER S F ROM T H E newly-formed Phuket Soccer Schools (PSS) played in their first ever event last Sunday (September 9), as an Under-10 team played in a tournament
at Patong Football Club. The format saw PSS play Patong in the first semi-final, with PSS starting well in the hot conditions. In the second half, Patong played a more direct style of football which PSS struggled to deal with, the long balls
seeing Patong eventually run out 6-3 winners. PSS went on to beat a team from Kathu 5-3 to claim the third place trophy. Goalscorers were: Bobby Small (2), Joe Hunter (2), Siam Yapp (2), Ivan Emelianova and Micah Dochovny (1 each).
PHUKET SPORT 23
IN BRIEF Shine on Starwood Koh Siray run The Starwood Hotels and Resorts charity mini marathon will take place on Koh Siray this Sunday (September 16) to raise funds for Unicef and local Phuket charities. The price for registration for the mini marathon is B300 per runner and the charity walk is priced at B250 per person. Prizes for the winner include accommodation at
all three Starwood Phuket properties; The Naka Island A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort and The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa, Phuket. The mini marathon starts at 6.30am while the walkers will set off at 7am. It’s not too late to register, for more information call 076 335 600.
Junior tennis comp makes racquet The seventh Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT) Southern Zone junior tournament is being held at Thanyapura from September 29 to October 1. The tournament will comprise of singles categories for boys and girls aged Under 8, Under 10, Under 12, Under 14, Under 16 and Under 18.
Players will be entitled to receive LTAT youth ranking points. All interested participants must directly contact LTAT representative Arkom Anantakul (tennis84th@ gmail.com; 086 619 0009) before tournament day with their full name, date of birth, home address, chosen categories and contact number.
Ballers fly in for basket case Phuket will host the TOA Thailand Open Phuket Championship basketball competition from today (September 14) until next Saturday (September 22). Teams from Australia, Egypt, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Brunei and the UAE will compete in the competition,
with a total prize pool of B1 million. Speaking last week at the opening of Saphan Hin’s revamped indoor stadium, Phuket Democrat MP Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr said: “We are confident that Phuket is ready to host this competition.” Call 076 217 054 for more details.
thephuketnews.com
24 PHUKET SPORT
THE PHUKET NEWS
SUPER SIX SOCCER Division 1
Team
P
W
D
L Goals GD
Pts
1
Morning Star
5
4
0
1
20
7
12
2
Shakers FC
5
4
0
1
16
6
12
3
Joy Dive FC
4
3
0
1
19
12
9
4
Sweet Lemon FC
4
2
1
1
16
1
7
5
Nanai Boys
5
1
1
3
19
-2
4
6
Ristorante Rugantino
5
1
1
3
16
-5
4
7
The Hulk
5
1
1
3
12
-9
4
8
PSU Alumni FC
5
1
0
4
14
-10
3
Division 2
Team
P
W
D
L Goals GD
1
Puensil FC
5
5
0
0
37
18
Pts 15
2
Phuket Serenity Villas
5
4
1
0
28
16
13
3
Pita Bar Phuketeers
4
4
0
0
25
12
12
4
Shambhala FC
5
2
1
2
29
3
7
5
Mr. Moo
4
2
0
2
18
6
6
6
Vanilla FC
5
2
0
3
18
-6
6
7
Seduction
5
1
1
3
20
-6
4
8
Pluto Italian Ice Cream
5
1
0
4
25
-12
3
9
Thai Nee FC
5
1
0
4
18
-15
3
10
Atmanjai
5
0
1
4
19
-16
1
Pts
Thai Division 1 D
L
F
A
1
Team Ratchaburi
MP W 26
19
4
3
63
22
61
2
Bangkok United
26
17
4
5
43
26
55
3
Suphanburi
26
16
5
5
45
15
53
4
Sriracha
26
16
4
6
52
31
52
5
PTT Rayong
26
15
4
7
53
26
49
6
Krabi
26
14
5
7
38
20
47
7
Siam Navy
26
10
9
7
39
31
39
8
Air Force United
26
11
6
9
35
30
39
9
Nakhon Ratchasima
26
10
7
9
30
35
37
10
Saraburi
26
8
6
12
35
39
30
11
Khonkaen
26
8
6
12
26
35
30
12
Phuket
26
7
9
10
24
34
30
13
Phattalung
26
6
11
9
27
37
29
14
Songkhla
26
7
7
12
27
36
28
15
Bangkok
26
6
7
13
43
43
25
16
Rangsit JW
26
5
6
15
25
50
21
17
Raj Pracha
26
4
7
15
25
45
19
18
Chanthaburi
26
0
3
23
19
94
3
Triple-title up for grabs TRIATHLON
T
his year’s Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) will see a fierce battle as two athletes face off to become the first-ever women’s triple champion. Australian Belinda Granger and Czech Radka Vodickova are among the first pro registrations for LPT 2012, being held on Sunday, November 25. Laguna veteran Granger, LPT champion in 2008 and 2010, will again find her bid to lift a unique third title threatened by the younger Vodickova, who beat her into second place last year by just over three minutes. And Vodickova, still buzzing from her London Olympic Games experience with the Czech triathlon team, is keen to repeat her 2009 and 2011
CRICKET ISLAND CRICKET CLUB (ICC) and the Village met in their second round match in the Outrigger T20 league on Sunday (September 9), with ICC looking to join Laguna on
For Charity at Koh Siray
Photo : ANP
Sunday 16 September 2012 06:30am Mini Marathon (10.5 km) and 07:00am Charity Walk (5 km) The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa, Phuket
visit http://www.facebook.com/starwoodminimarathon.phuket
thephuketnews.com
Belinda Granger, pictured after winning the 2010 LPT, will return this year aiming for a record third women’s title. wins to crown a memorable season and become LPT’s first three-time women’s champion, a year after Italian Massimo Cigana achieved that feat in the men’s race. “To compete for this honour against the legendary Belinda Granger will make it a fantastic race,” she said. “Belinda was a big part of
my first LPT victory – I was inexperienced with the distance and unsure on the bike course, so I just tried to follow Belinda and hoped I could survive her pace.” Granger, a multiple Ironman champion, said: “It’s going to be a tough ask to beat Radka – she’s coming off an amazing season of racing, including
the London Olympics – but I’m looking forward to the challenge. “For the past two years I’ve used LPT as a warm-up for the 70.3 a week later, but this year I’m changing things around and LPT will be my key race. I love the distance and the course really suits my strengths.” Meanwhile, in the Ironman 70.3 Laguna Phuket, held a week after the LPT on December 2, 2011 Champion Melissa Rollison of Australia – now racing under her married name of Melissa Hauschildt – has registered to return to defend her title. She’s set to face strong challenges from a field that will include Vodickova and Granger, who finished third and eighth respectively last year. For more information, visit lagunaphukettriathlon.com
Village too big for Island in T20 comp
Starwood Mini Marathon
Mini Marathon THB 300 per person Charity Walk THB 250 per person
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
Contact : 076-335-600
top of the table and the Village looking to secure their first win in the chase for a finals spot. Batting first, Village showing some of the form that took them to the senior league final, scoring an impressive 157-5 wickets from their 20 overs. This was largely due to a
match-winning 98 run partnership between Divan Mydeen (71) and Craig Murphy (41). In reply, ICC could only manage 98 runs before running out of batsmen in the 16th over. With each team having two matches remaining, the results in their next match will
prove crucial to their claim for a finals berth. Next weekend’s action in the Outrigger T20 league will see Patong take on ICC at the ACG on Sunday September 16. For more information and the full T20 league schedule visit phuketcricketgroup.com
Morning Star shine bright in heavy rain FOOTBALL HEAVY RAIN COULDN’T stop play in round five of the Super Six Soccer League last week, with plenty of close results in the top flight, and the field starting to spread out in Division 2. Morning Star desperately needed a win against a strong Nanai Boys outfit to stay on top of the table in Division 1. The wind was blowing in the right direction after the first 10 minutes, as Morning Star deservedly went up 2-0. However, Nanai Boys pulled back a goal through fast-footed Ryan Adekoya, and then a
precise thunder-strike by Sasha Wondrushka made it 2-2. In a dramatic turn, the Nanai Boys’ goalkeeper was redcarded with 10 minutes to go, after handling the ball outside the box, and Morning Star gained the advantage. A late strike by James Nakornpanom was deflected by Nanai Boys’ makeshift keeper Ryan Adekoya, and Karl Ward was in the right position to tap in the winning goal. In other results, Sweet Lemon FC took on struggling Ristorante Rugantino, with the Italians searching for just their second win of the season. They looked like they might
just claim it, going up 2-0, but a strong finish from Sweet Lemon saw them claw back the deficit for a 4-4 draw. Meanwhile, Shakers FC had to fight back against PSU to record a 2-1 win, and Joy Dive FC demolished The Hulk 8-1. In Division 2, top-placed Puensil FC remain unbeaten after dominating a hapless Seduction side 10-5; Phuket Serenity Villas beat Atmanjai 7-2; Pluto Italian Ice Cream picked up their first win of the season against Mr Moo 4-3; Shambhala FC beat Thai Nee FC 6-2; and Pita Bar Phuketeers registered a solid win over Vanilla FC, 8-3
THE PHUKET NEWS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
WORLD SPORT
Eyes on future as London 2012 ends PARALYMPICS LONDON 2012 Agence France-Presse
W
ith the London Paralympics now over, and following record ticket sales, bumper crowds and the highest profile in the Games’ history, talk has again turned to merging the two events. But any joint competition is unlikely to happen soon, as the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and International Olympic Committee (IOC) governing bodies recently signed an agreement to keep the current system until 2020. “That (holding an integrated Olympics and Paralympics) is something that we’ve not discussed either internally or with the IOC at this stage,” IPC president Philip Craven said in a recent interview. The Briton, in office until 2017 and then hoping for a fourth and final term, did not rule out integration but predicted that it would be “way into the future” and “definitely not before 2028”. Certainly, talent is no longer a factor when it comes to elite athletes
Sarah Storey (pictured) just missed out on the Olympics and set a Paralympic time in London that would have won her a non-disabled World Championship silver. Photo: AFP with a disability competing against their non-disabled counterparts at the Olympics and other events. Gold medal-winning cyclist Victoria Pendleton said team-mate Sarah Storey proved the point, after she just missed out on the Olympics and set a Paralympic time in London that would have won her a non-disabled World Championship silver. “She competed for Team GB as an able-bodied athlete at the World Championships and in the Paralympics
and there’s no reason she couldn’t compete as part of the Olympic team,” the British rider said this week. “She proved she can compete as an Paralympian and an able-bodied Olympian.” This year, South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius – a 4x100m relay World Championship silver medallist in 2011 – made history by becoming the first double-amputee to run in the Olympics, making the 400m semi-final and relay final.
Polish table tennis player Natalia Partyka, born without a right hand and forearm, also played in both events, while Pistorius’ compatriot Natalie Du Toit, a single below-the-knee amputee, competed in the 10km open water swim in Beijing. But having the cream of Paralympic athletes at the Olympics is one thing. Opponents of integration have said that combining the world’s two biggest sporting events in terms of participation would be even more of a logistical headache for organisers – and make it difficult to sustain public interest. A record 4,200 athletes from 165 nations took part in this year’s Paralympics, with 503 gold medal events across 21 disciplines in 20 sports. In the Olympics, there were some 10,500 athletes from over 200 countries and more than 300 finals in 39 disciplines across 26 sports. Opponents maintain that combining both events would mean a larger athletes’ village and more venues, with the distinct categories in Paralympic sport to group athletes with similar impairments likely to cause scheduling problems.
Windies wary of World Title race is wide open, admits Ferrari FORMULA 1 T20 favourites tag CRICKET Agence France-Presse
IT IS NOT OFTEN IN recent years that the West Indies have been billed as favourites to win a major cricket title, but skipper Darren Sammy is cautious of the tag ahead of the World Twenty20. “The favourite tag line does not guarantee us a place in the final,” Sammy said ahead of the fourth edition of the tournament, which starts in Sri Lanka on Tuesday. “You have to go out there and play good cricket. We may have the best side on paper, but we have to pull all the resources together and win.” The West Indies have struggled to match their overwhelming success of the 1970s and 1980s when their fast bowlers and aggressive batsmen dominated world cricket. With young men in the Caribbean turning to American sports like basketball and baseball, it’s been hard to find replacements for the likes of Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, Clive Lloyd and Vivian Richards.
But Sammy’s men go into the World Twenty20 as the team to beat, looking for their first major title since 2004 when they won the Champions Trophy in England. The presence of explosive batsmen suited to the slambang T20 format like Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, combined with the guile of prolific spinner Sunil Narine, delighted the skipper. “We have the best spinner right now in T20 cricket in our side and he’s been doing really well for us,” Sammy told reporters in Colombo on Tuesday night. “The pitches in Sri Lanka will help him and I see him playing a very big role. “Chris brings a lot of experience in batting, and we have Pollard, Darren Bravo and others who have done so well in the IPL [Indian Premier League].” The West Indies are drawn with Australia and Ireland in group B of the preliminary league, with two teams advancing to the Super Eights round. They play their first game against Australia in Colombo on September 22.
Agence France-Presse
FERRARI TEAM CHIEF Stefano Domenicali believes Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen are now a major threat to Fernando Alonso’s hopes of winning a third world championship. Although Spaniard Alonso of Ferrari extended his lead in the drivers’ title race after finishing third in Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, Domenicali admitted he was wary of the threat posed by both drivers. Briton Hamilton, champion in 2008, secured McLaren’s third win on the bounce moving him to second in the standings, while Finn Raikkonen of Lotus finished fifth
Alonso of Ferrari (pictured) leads the drivers’ title race, but Hamilton remains a threat. Photo: Nic Redhead bumping him up to third. That meant Hamilton is now just 37 points behind Alonso in the drivers’ title race with Raikkkonen just one point further adrift despite having not won a race. “I have to respect all of them,” said Domenicali, “I always said Kimi step-by-step
is a dangerous driver, and he is getting closer and closer. “All the drivers that are in the top five/six I think need to be taken very seriously. “We need to see race-byrace what is the competitive situation of the car that they are driving. That is the only thing we have to do now.”
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IN BRIEF Australia PM backs Sydney’s gay rugby bid Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard has endorsed a bid to bring the global gay rugby championships to Sydney in 2014, offering “strong” support despite her opposition to same-sex marriage. Gillard, Australia’s first female, unmarried and atheist leader, gave the Sydney Convicts gay rugby club’s campaign to host the seventh biennial Bingham Cup her backing with a video message published online Tuesday.
Armadillo to be 2014 World Cup mascot: report At the last World Cup, in 2010 in South Africa, it was Zakumi the green-haired leopard.Four years earlier it was a lion named Goleo. Now, Brazil has reportedly picked an armadillo. Press reports said world football governing body FIFA on Tuesday registered with the European Patent Office the next playful symbol of the world’s supreme sporting event: a smiling armadillo whose name will be picked through an Internet vote. FIFA would not confirm the reports, but said that the design will be unveiled on Brazilian television Sunday.
New Zealand ruin Yuvraj’s comeback New Zealand pipped India by one run in a thrilling T20 international in Chennai on Tuesday to ruin cancer survivor Yuvraj Singh’s return to big-time cricket. Brendon McCullu m smashed 91 off 55 balls as the Kiwis posted 167-5 and then restricted the hosts to 166-4 despite Virat Kohli’s 70 from 41 deliveries and a valiant 34 from Yuvraj. Yuvraj, who was treated for a rare germ-cell tumour between his lungs earlier this year, bowled two wicketless overs for 14 runs, took a catch and hit one four and two sixes.
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Young lions give England bright future: Hodgson FOOTBALL Agence France-Presse
oy Hodgson insists England’s lacklustre 1-1 draw against Ukraine shouldn’t be allowed to obscure the promise of a brighter future as his young stars helped preserve their side’s unbeaten start to the World Cup qualifying campaign. Hodgson’s team were on the verge of a shock defeat at Wembley on Tuesday as they laboured to recover from Yevhen Konoplyanka’s stunning first half strike. But Engla nd f i nally sparked into life after Hodgson threw on Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck and Chelsea duo Daniel Sturridge and Ryan Bertrand in the second half. The youthful trio gave the hosts more pace and energy after a painfully low-tempo first hour and it was Welbeck who won the
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Youngster Danny Welbeck (white) was crucial in salvaging a point for England. Photo: AFP penalty that Frank Lampard converted five minutes from full-time to salvage a point. England ended an underwhelming night with 10 men after captain Steven Gerrard was sent off for a second booking in the closing moments and the Liverpool midfielder will
be suspended for the next qualifier against minnows San Marino in October. But Hodgson is convinced the performances of his young substitutes show England, who were without the injured Wayne Rooney, John Terry and Ashley Cole against Ukraine, can cope in
the absence of their top stars. “I’m not sure I’m prepared to accept it was a bad performance, although I suppose people will always say that when we draw at home,” Hodgson said. “We did miss a lot of players but the ones that came in, including the three
youngsters who came on, acquitted themselves well. “It shows we aren’t totally reliant on the old guard. Welbeck had a good impact and Bertrand was excellent as well.” Hodgson was adamant England were worthy of at least a point, even though Ukraine often looked the more incisive outfit. “I suppose you are relieved when you are losing 1-0 and get a late equaliser but I didn’t think we did that badly,” Hodgson said. “We started very poorly in the first 10 minutes, but once we got into our stride we did well. “We went 1-0 down to a wonder strike and of course against a good Uk raine side you are going to be up against it. “But I was pleased with the way we kept probing and with the way our players went about the task.” England’s next qualifier is against San Marino on October 12.
Hillsborough disaster papers are published THOUSANDS OF OFFICIAL documents relating to the 1989 Hillsborough football disaster, in which 96 Liverpool fans died, were due to be published for the first time in Britain on Wednesday, after The Phuket News went to press. The papers come from the files of 80 organisations including the British government, South Yorkshire Police, Sheffield City Council, the South Yorkshire coroner and the fire and ambulance services. Government papers are not usually published in Britain until 30 years after they have
been written, but lawmakers agreed to the full, uncensored disclosure of all papers relating to the 1989 tragedy in August last year. The decision came after more than 100,000 people signed an online government petition to trigger a parliamentary debate on the issue. The e-petition currently has more than 156,000 signatures. Ninety-six Liverpool fans died after a crush on the terraces of Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium during an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest in April 1989.
IN BRIEF Wallaby Genia out for six months Australian rugby officials have confirmed that stand-in captain Will Genia will be out for six months after surgery for a knee injury suffered in the Rugby Championship win over the Springboks. The Wallabies rallied from behind to beat South Africa 26-19 in Perth on Saturday, drawing a line under their humiliating 22-0 drubbing by the All Blacks in the second game of the four-nations Championship. Genia is the third Australian skipper to be felled by injury this year.
AFL star dies after jumping on palm An Australian Rules footballer who died while on holiday in Las Vegas had jumped onto a palm tree from the roof of a four-storey building, witnesses have told authorities. Port Adelaide midfielder John McCarthy, 22, died in what appeared to be a tragic accident on the weekend in the United States where he was on an end-of-season holiday. Officials said that McCarthy had ended up at the Flamingo casino very early in the morning alone and in a disoriented state after leaving a nightclub.
Australia coach laments costly loss to Jordan Australia football coach Holger Osieck has hinted at changes after his side’s damaging defeat to Jordan, which leaves their 2014 World Cup qualifying hopes hanging in the balance. Already under pressure after draws against Group B rivals Oman and Japan, the Socceroos now face an uphill battle to reach their third straight World Cup after Tuesday’s disappointing 2-1 loss in Amman.
Over 90 Cities, One Perfect Gateway. SilkAir and Singapore Airlines Connecting you to Places.
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Fear of record 5th loss drove Murray to victory TENNIS
Agence France-Presse
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Andy Murray celebrates during his US Open final victory against defending champion Novak Djokovic.
Photo: AFP
ndy Murray admitted that even with a confidence-boosting Olympic gold medal, he was nagged by doubts ahead of his US Open final triumph on Monday after having lost four prior Grand Slam finals. “The Olympics was huge for me. It was the biggest week of my life,” Murray said. “But still, when I was sitting in the locker room beforehand, there were doubts. “You are still thinking, ‘If I lose this one, no one has ever lost their first five finals.’ I just didn’t really want to be that person.” Murray is not that person. And as a result, a 76-year Grand Slam title drought for British men since Fred Perry’s 1936 US championships was forever consigned to the scrap heap of tennis history. Murray defeated World No. 2 and defending champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (12/10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 in blustery
conditions at Arthur Ashe Stadium to claim his first Grand Slam title. “It was a struggle for both of us to deal with the conditions,” Djokovic said. “At times we made a lot of unforced errors. At times we played some great points. I congratulate him because he came up with big serves when he needed to.” Djokovic had a five-setters win streak of eight in a row snapped by Murray, who had not gone such a distance since losing to Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals earlier this year. “It was obviously a very tough match,” Murray said. “When the conditions have been like they have been, you need to focus so hard on almost every shot because the ball is very hard to control. “So it was an incredibly tough match and obviously it felt great at the end. Relief is probably the best word I would use to describe how I’m feeling. “Very happy that I managed to come through because if I had lost this one from two sets up, that would have been a tough one to take.”
Boks name injured Du Plessis to face All Blacks RUGBY Agence France-Presse
PROP JA N N I E DU Plessis has been included in the South African team to play the rampant All Blacks in Dunedin tomorrow (September 15) despite struggling with a hamstring injury. Coach Heyneke Meyer has made just two changes to the side that lost to Australia last weekend, with Flip van der Merwe coming in for suspended lock Eben Etzebeth and Francois Louw replacing Marcell Coetzee on the flank. “New Zealand are best in contesting at the breakdown.
We decided to go with Flo (Louw) because he’s a specialist. It’s a horses for courses approach,” Meyer said. “Marcell has been very good this season and has played a lot of rugby but in this match we feel he will be more useful as an impact option.” Meyer is confident Du Plessis, who has until Friday to prove his fitness, will take the field. The Springboks are limited in the props they can call on with Pat Cilliers suffering from an elbow strain. Dean Greyling has been named on the bench but is a preferred loosehead, “If Dean comes on it will
be a huge, huge test, especially against the best loosehead (Tony Woodcock) in world rugby. But Dean has impact and he’s fresh,” said Meyer. The 20-year-old Etzebeth was suspended for two weeks for headbutting Wallaby lock Nathan Sharpe during the Springboks’ 26-19 defeat but Meyer said the experience of 17-Test van der Merwe would
be important against the world champion All Blacks. “Even having an experienced pack is a tough challenge against the All Blacks but we are excited,” he said. “I know people don’t give us a chance but I believe this team is growing. They will have to step up. I have confidence in the pack.” The All Blacks lead the
Rugby Championship with 12 points after three wins while South Africa are second on seven points followed by Australia (four points) and Argentina (two). The New Zealand team was to be named yesterday (September 13). South Africa: Zane Kirchner, Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers (c), Frans
Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Morne Steyn, Ruan Pienaar, Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Francois Louw, Juandre Kruger, Flip van der Merwe, Jannie du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Tiaan Liebenberg, Dean Greyling, Andries Bekker, Marcell Coetzee, Johan Goosen, Juan de Jongh, Patrick Lambie.
Due to international fixtures over the past week, no matches were played in any of the major national football leagues. Full football tables and our tipping competition roundup will return in next week’s edition of The Phuket News.
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