The Phuket News 15 June 2018

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

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WORLD CUP GAMBLING TIPS TO PAY OFF > PAGE 3

CUT FROM THE WILD CAMPAIGN BEGINS TO MASS NEUTER AND RELOCATE WILD MONKEYS

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Rawai declares war on dengue

LIFE

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Never too early to train your pup

A young monkey stares into the camera at Toh Sae Hill in Phuket Town, one of the sites for mass sterilsation. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

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T

he campaign to mass neuter and relocate troupes of wild monkeys from their native habitats began in earnest on Tuesday (June 12) when wildlife officials started to trap monkeys in Pa Khlok, on Phuket’s east coast, in order have them sterilised.

A total of 34 wild monkeys were caught at Baan Yamu on Tuesday, Day 1 of the campaign, the same day food was placed in cages to trap monkeys at Baan Bang Rong, also in Pa Khlok.

Officials were looking to trap more monkeys on Wednesday, with all monkeys caught taken to a site near the Bang Pae Waterfall where veterinarians from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) were to sterilise them.

The move follows a series of public hearings held over the past month to gain feedback from local residents on what they preferred be done with the wild monkeys in their areas, which have started to prove troublesome while raising public health concerns.

At Baan Yamu on Tuesday, of-

ficials placed food inside cages so that the monkeys, still covered in grey mud from the nearby mangroves, would enter to eat, explained Pongchart Chouehorm, Director of the Khao Phra Thaew Natural and Wildlife Education Centre located just a handful of kilometres down the road.

On site to help carry out the monkey-catching campaign were officials from the Khlong Saeng Wildlife Research Station also located at the Khao Phra Thaew Non-Hunting Area, as well as DNP veterinarians.

The sterilisation of the monkeys

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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was to begin yesterday (June 14).

“The plan is to relieve local residents of the problems they have with these monkeys by sterilising 150 male and female monkeys in Mueang District, and 100 monkeys in Thalang District,” Mr Pongchart said.

Cages were to be placed at Soi Kingkaew, Rassada, yesterday, with mass sterilisations to be conducted at the Phuket City Meeting Hall this Saturday and Sunday (June 16-17).

More cages were also to be placed at Soi Tah Jeen in Rassada yesterday, with the mass sterilisations to also be conducted at the Phuket City...

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Brakes fail as tour bus slams into ditch A TOUR BUS CARRYING 33 Chinese tourists narrowly avoided slamming into a house before plunging into a roadside ditch at the bottom of Kata Hill on Tuesday night (June 12).

The driver told police that the brakes on the bus failed halfway down the hill.

Police and rescue workers from Karon Municipality were called to the scene at about 11pm. No people were injured in the incident, reported Capt Suriyong Buakerdpetch of the Karon Police.

The bus driver, who police did not name, explained that he was taking the tourists to a hotel in Kata when the accident happened.

He said that he realised that the brakes were not responding as he was passing the Karon Electrical Substation, about halfway down the hill.

Faced with a runaway bus, the driver scraped the bus along the roadside barrier to

Governor orders stronger steps for preventing floods > page 4

Dengue bites hard Provincial Health Office calls situation ‘worrying’ The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

The bus ploughed into a pickup truck before plunging into a roadside ditch. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub slow it down. However, the friction was not enough to slow the vehicle to a safe speed.

At the bottom of the hill the driver managed to steer the vehicle across the lane for oncoming traffic, narrowly missing a house and a large power pole, but not without ploughing into a Toyota Hilux pickup parked in front of the house, sending the pickup some 10 metres into watersoaked undergrowth before the bus crashed to a halt in the ditch.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

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huket still has the highest per capital infection rate of dengue fever in the country a report issued by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) last week has confirmed.

From January 1- June 5 this year, 357 people in Phuket had been confirmed by local hospitals as contracting dengue, the same figure revealed in a report posted on the Department of Disease Control website last Tuesday (June 5).

However, the report also confirmed that the island’s death rate from dengue remains at two.

Dr Krit Sakulpead, Deputy Chief of the Phuket Public Health Office, said that there was still a growing concern about the number of people

Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos gets hands-on with a mosquito fogger on Monday (June 11). Photo: Rawai Municipality in Phuket contracting dengue, and called the situation “worrying”.

“Based on recent data, we have found that the campaign to prevent the spread of dengue fever in the area and the outbreak of dengue has not been fully addressed. In addition, some villagers are unaware of the dangers and do not follow anti-mosquito

measures as they should.

“The campaign to prevent the spread of dengue in Phuket isn’t working. Phuket still has the highest patient rate in Thailand. It is important that villagers be more active in protecting themselves and their families from mosquitoes and dengue,” he said.

“Phu ket’s population doesn’t equal that of the people

actually registered here and it is possible that this contributes to the island’s higher patient rate. Anyhow, what we need to focus on is awareness of the dangers.”

Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos on Monday (June 11) surveyed areas under his jurisdiction and carried out fogging in high-risk areas in an effort to quell local mosquito breeding.

Joining Mayor Aroon Solos were officers from the Rawai Health Promoting Hospital, village headmen and health volunteers.

In addition to the surveying and fogging, attendees agreed to organise a cleaning activity and campaign for destroying mosquito breeding areas, which will include local residents and students, to prevent residents contracting dengue fever especially the sea gypsy community.

Wild monkey campaign takes hold

Continued from page 1 ...Meeting Hall next Monday (June 18).

Cages will be placed at Koh Siray to catch monkeys this Saturday and Sunday (June 16-17), with the mass sterilisations at the Phuket City Meeting Hall next Tuesday and Wednesday (June 19-20).

Dates have yet to be announced for catching wild monkeys at Rang Hill and Toh Sae Hill in Phuket Town and the ensuing mass sterilisation of the monkeys caught there.

The campaign sprung to life early Tuesday morning after the results of the public-feedback meetings and surveys were officially delivered to Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong at a meeting at The Governor’s House.

In short, the communities at the monkeyendowed areas of Koh Siray and in the areas around Rang Hill and Toh Sae Hill in Phuket Town all called to allow the wild monkeys to remain in those areas, but be sterilised in order to reduce their numbers from swelling.

However, residents in Soi Tha Jeen and in Soi Kingkaew, both in Rassada, called for the monkeys to be removed.

“The monkeys will be removed from these areas because they create problems for the local residents,” one official explained this week.

The quick start to the campaign this week caught many people off-guard, especially as only last week the budget for the project had not even been confirmed, and that followed nearly a year of slow progress in bringing the campaign forward.

Wildlife officials started the ball rolling last year by inspecting islands off Phuket’s east coast as possible sites for relocating the monkeys to, and only last Wednesday (June 6), Nattawan Jumlongkat, Director of the Phuket Provincial

Monkeys still covered in grey mud from the nearby mangroves sit in the cage at Baan Yamu on Tuesday (June 12). Photo: PR Dept Environment Office, told The Phuket News, “I cannot confirm when we can start the project… as we have to set up a meeting with the Phuket Governor regarding the required budget”, which he confirmed as “approximately B3mn”.

But as of Monday even the islands had already been selected. A senior official involved in the project reported that monkeys in Soi Tha Jeen and in Soi Kingkaew will be relocated to Koh Thanan and another island off Phuket’s east coast yet to be announced, in accordance with the views expressed in the public hearings.

“The monkeys will be removed from these areas because they create problems for the local residents,” the official said.

“They will be moved to separate islands as two different troupes cannot be kept on the same island. The islands selected are not protected by law, but no construction will be allowed,” he added.

Gov Norrapat on Tuesday morning assigned the Phuket office of the Natural Resources and the Environment and relevant agencies to start drafting plans to make sure the island relocation could be done smoothly.

Additional reporting by Chutharat Plerin. thephuketnews

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Ukrainian national Oleksandr Volvach (inset), 38, was arrested after he was identified withdrawing funds from an ATM in Krabi on June 3. Images: Channel 3

Ukrainian held for B18mn skim scam

The gambling crackdown aims to make the World Cup a wholesome, family affair.

Images: Jewel Samada / AFP

Snitches to get paid for World Cup gambling tips The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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eople across Phuket who report any gambling during the upcoming FIFA World Cup stand to receive “incentives’ of half the fines levied on those found guilty.

“With the World Cup to be held from June 14 to July 15, the Ministry of Interior has ordered that no permits be approved* for gambling while the World Cup is on,” Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong explained last Thursday (June 7).

“Those found breaking the law will be fined up to B1,000 or up to one year in jail, or both, as mandated under Section 12(2) of the Gambling Act BE 2478,” Gov Norraphat said.

People who provide information that leads to arrests and subsequent fines of those found guilty stand to receive half of the amount of the fines levied, he added.

“Rewards shall be levied to the persons who give notice of the offences under Section 12(2) and Section 15 of the Gambling Act BE 2478,” Gov Norraphat explained.

Of note, under the Gambling Act, some “predictive” and “guessing” games are permitted, but only with approval from a relevant government office.

Section 15 of the Gambling Act specifically states, “Apart from the penalties already provided in this Act, in the case where there is an informer guiding

Ministry of Interior posters explain the ‘half for you’ incentives for tip-offs. to an arrest of the offender, the Public Prosecutor shall request to the court to grant reward to the informer. And the court shall also order in the judgement that the offender pay the reward to the informer by half of the amount of the fine.

“If the offender does not pay such reward, it shall be deducted from the seized possessions of which the court will issue a confiscation order once the case becomes final, or from a fine paid to the court.”

“Gambling may cause children, youths and other people to become obsessed with gambling, as well as become a source of crime and other social problems,” Gov Norraphat said.

“In response to government policy

and the Ministry of Interior’s policy to suppress influences and also to prevent the problem of football gambling, Phuket requests cooperation from all sectors to help public relations media to inform the public of the legal penalties and consequences of illegal gambling, and to provide a channel to report any tip-offs at Provincial Damronghdama Centres in all districts,” he added.

People can report can instances of gambling to the Phuket Provincial Damrongdhama Centre (Ombudsman’s Office) at Phuket Provincial Hall.

Alternatively, they can report gambling at any of the three local Damrongdhama Centres located at District Offices across the island.

Tourist van slams through power pole

SIX CHINESE TOURISTS and a tour guide escaped serious injury when the passenger van they were travelling in slammed through a roadside power pole on Monday afternoon (June 12). However, the driver suffered what police described as “serious injuries”, but have yet to define what her injuries are.

The force of the impact shattered one power pole and the van came to a stop only when it hit the next power pole.

Police were called to the @thephuketnews

scene of the accident, on the Thepkrasattri-Nai Yang Rd (Route 4031), at 3:20pm, reported Lt Kraisorn Boonprasop of the Thalang Police.

There were ten people in the van: eight Chinese tourists, one tour guide and the driver, Ketsinee Rachana, 36.

“Six Chinese tourists were injured,” Lt Kraisorn explained.

“Five suffered minor injuries and one had a broken arm.”

The van was taking the tourists to Phuket International Airport when the accident

happened, Lt Kraisorn added.

“The two passengers who were not injured were taken to the airport so they could board their flight home,” he said.

Ms Ketsinee, the driver of the van, which was registered in Phang Nga Province, told police that she dozed off at the wheel, Lt Kraisorn noted.

Regardless, she was taken to Thalang Hospital for drugs and alcohol tests, and already faces a charge of reckless driving.

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POLICE HAVE ARRESTED a Ukrainian man for skimming people’s accounts from ATMs in Phuket amounting to an estimated B18 million over the past four years, which police believe was used to buy two mansion villas in Phuket.

The man, Oleksandr Volvach, 38, was arrested after he was identified withdrawing funds from an ATM in Krabi at 10:47pm last Sunday, June 3, Krabi Provincial Police announced on Monday (June 11), as reported by Ch 3 News.

Police in Phuket have yet to reveal any details in the case.

Krabi Police Commander Maj Gen Bunthawee Toraksa on Monday explained the police believe Volvach was working with two other individuals, who police have yet to name or apprehend.

Police were first alerted to the skimming swindle by Siam Commercial Bank head office, which coordinated with inspectors from Krabi Provincial Police to track down and arrest Volvach, Gen Bunthawee said.

Officers then brought Volvach to his house at the high-end Ananda Lake View residential estate in Tambon Thepkrasattri, Thalang, where they seized as evidence 50 fake ATM cards as well as devices for recording and encoding electronic information to and from ATM cards.

Police also seized B7,000 and US$502 dollars in cash, as

well as small denominations in other currencies.

Gen Bunthawee explained that Volvach and his two alleged accomplices came to Thailand four years ago. They later rented land and bought two large houses, together valued at about B18mn.

“These robbers had been stealing information from cards with new and small electronic devices while cameras recorded people entering their PIN codes. These devices were installed on ATMs all over Phuket,” Gen Boonthawee said.

However, it was also not reported exactly which ATMs had the skimming devices fitted to them.

After the information was obtained, it was transferred onto fake cards and withdrawals made by members of the gang, Gen Boonthawee added.

Volvach was charged for making fake electronic cards that caused damage to people, possession of fake electronic cards for use, and using people’s electronic cards improperly.

Gen Boonthawee urged people to beware ATM skimmers by checking ATMs to see if they had unusual devices fitted to them and to take extra precautions while entering their PIN codes to prevent people from seeing the numbers entered in order to make a transaction.

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Encroachment on mangroves THE PHUKET PROVINcial Damrongdhama Centre (Ombudsman’s Office) has been tasked with investigating alleged encroachment in a mangrove forest near Layan Beach in Cherng Talay after local fishermen were blocked off access across land that is now being claimed as private.

Phuket Vice Governor Prakob Wongmaneerung gave the order for the Damrongdhama Centre to cooperate with relevant organisations to investigate and solve the problem as soon as possible at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Monday (June 11).

The order came as fishermen from Ban Layan filed a complaint at the Damrongdhama Centre calling for an investigation into the alleged encroachment, in Moo 6, Cherng Talay.

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Phi Phi crackdown Resorts, tourist businesses face raids The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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rabi officials are investigating a plot of about 40 rai of land where 34 villas and a large swimming pool are being built on Koh Phi Phi Island on suspicion of encroaching on protected forest land.

The news broke after officials began their raids last Monday (June 5), checking hotels, bars and other tourist businesses for any breaches of the law.

Hotels and guesthouses are being checked to ensure the names and nationalities of all guests are reported to Immigration within 24 hours of the guests checking in, while bars and night spots on the island are being inspected for drugs and late trading, reported the Krabi office of the Public Relations Department.

Any illegal modifications made to buildings are being brought to task, including any deviations in construction from

Officials inspect the site of one resort that is suspected of being inside a protected forest area. Photo: Krabi PR Office approved building permits.

Meanwhile, general tourist businesses are being inspected for nominee shareholders and tax infringements.

“All infringements discovered by inspecting officers must be reported to the relevant officials,” the PR report noted.

Specifically three residential projects are under investigation in Moo 7, near the tourist heart of the island, to ensure the land documents being sued to claim the land are genuine,

the report added.

Facebook group Newsroom at Krabi reported that specifically five small hotels and guesthouses, a 50-room resort and a “beach club” had been found in breach of the Immigration requirement to report guests, while the five small hotels and guesthouses and the beach club had illegally modified their buildings.

One dive shop had been caught with an illegal ratio of Thai-to-foreign staff, and

illegally having foreigners selling dive tours, said the report.

The dive shop was ordered closed until its case has been heard by Krabi provincial officials, the report added.

Of note, the Krabi office of the PR Dept reported that one resort project under investigation for encroachment onto protected forest land had presented a NorSor 3 land document issued in 1993 as evidence to its claim to the land the project occupies.

A check by The Phuket News on the online map created by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to indicate such protected areas showed that the resort is located on land that was not declared a protected forest area until the year 2000.

Under Thai law, owners who can prove their claim to their land predates sweeping declarations of protected forest areas and even national parks are entitled to maintain their full legal rights to their private land.

Slap in face ends in brutal slaying A M YA N M A R M A N outraged by seeing his father slapped in the face stabbed the offender to death with an iron bar last Sunday (June 10).

Police were called to the scene, on the street off Thepprathan Rd leading to the Saphan Pla fishing port on Koh Siray, at 3:15pm.

On arrival at a group of houses officers saw a large crowd of foreign workers and local Thai residents.

In front of the second rented home from the entrance, police saw a man who looked like he was asleep under the shade of the papaya and banana trees. Instead, as onlookers pointed out, the man was dead.

The body was identified as that of a Myanmar national named only as “Mr Lae”, age 37. He had suffered fatal stab wounds to the head and chest.

Waiting for police was

The 4,000 items were destroyed at the Saphan Hin incinerator.

Photo: PR Dept

Police inspect the scene of the deadly stabbing. fellow Myanmar national Chit Toey, 34, who openly confessed to police to killing Mr Lae. Chit explained to officer that he had heard loud voices coming from his home. Inside was his father, Mr Jao, arguing with Mr Lae about repairs to the roof of their home.

After an escalating exchange of unpleasantries, Mr Lae slapped Mr Jao in the face.

Outraged, Chit grabbed a

12-inch long steel bar lying nearby and attacked Mr Lae, he confessed to the officers present.

Asked by police where the murder weapon was, Chit pointed them directly to it lying on the ground just three metres from the house.

Police noted Chit’s confession and placed under arrest for murder before taking him to Phuket City Police Station to be formally charged.

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Customs destroys B2mn of fake copyright goods PI R AT E C O P Y R I G H T goods valued at more than B2 million were destroyed by Customs officials last Thursday (June 7) as the campaign to crack down on fake goods continues throughout the country.

The 4,000 items were destroyed at an event led

by Phuket Customs official Kanjana Suwanicho at the Saphan Hin incinerator at 1pm.

The items destroyed last Thursday were either seized in raids carried out by Customs officials as well as police and relevant agencies, or

seized as forbidden imports.

Among the contraband were clothes, watches, sunglasses, shoes, bags as well as cigarettes and tobacco and other products to be ingested by use of Baraku pipes.

All the copyright items seized were identified as fake by representatives of the genuine copyright owner, Customs officials explained.

Also, all the persons who items seized from them had 30 days to file their claim against the seizure, but failed to do so, the officials added.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Turtles rescued from broken fishing nets

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taff at a hotel in Cherng Talay and local residents down in Kata rescued two turtles from being tangled up in broken fishing nets while heavy surf pounded Phuket’s west coast last Saturday (June 9).

Another turtle was rescued at Kamala Beach at 3:30pm later that day.

Officers at Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC) were called to Leypang Beach at 8:45am after staff at the nearby Dusit Thani Hotel reported that they had found a young turtle caught in a fishing net.

The hotel staff carefully cut away the tangled fishing net and placed the turtle in an open container with water to keep the turtle wet until the marine biologists from the PMBC arrived.

The turtle, weighing 7.4kg with a shell measuring about 41cm across, was estimated to be five to seven years old.

PMBC staff reported that the turtle had minor wounds on its front and back flippers from the fishing net, but otherwise was still in good health. “It is quite strong and can still swim, and needs no support to breath properly,” one staffer said.

The turtle was taken back to the PMBC, located at Cape Panwa on Phuket’s

The motorbike stopped short of entering the 7-Eleven.

Italian tourist injured as motorbike rams 7-Eleven Staff from the Dusit Thani Hotel in Cherng Talay entered the dangerous surf to recover the turtle from tangled fishing net. east coast, where marine biologists can keep on eye on the turtle’s recovery.

However, the PMBC received another call just hours later reporting that another turtle had been safely recovered from being tangled up in a broken fishing net at Kata Beach on Phuket’s southwest coast.

Local residents, including local fishermen, brought the turtle ashore and safely removed the tangled net from the turtle’s flippers.

The turtle was estimated to be just two to five years old. It weighed 2.6kg and its shell measured 30cm long and 28.5cm wide.

The turtle was also reported to be generally in good health with only minor

wounds on its front flippers from the fishing net.

However it had also suffered serious lacerations on its rear flippers, with its rear-right flipper twisted and swollen.

Staff at the PMBC reported they are have treated the wounds but are keeping a close eye on the turtle in case it develops a serious infection.

Officials at the Phuket Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Center (Andaman Sea Division) noted that strong waves during the current gloomy weather last weekend likely broke fishermen’s nets from where they were placed, leaving them to float free and snaring the baby turtles.

Governor orders flood prevention T H E G OV E R N O R O F Phuket held a meeting at Phuket City Hall with various government agencies last Wednesday (June 7) to discuss ways of preventing floods and landslides following torrential downpours just 24 hours earlier.

Governor Norraphat Plodthong said that one of the worst affected areas last Tuesday (June 5) was Kamala, which saw 136 millimetres of rainfall.

However, the highest recorded rainfall was 147mm.

During a visit to Kamala on the Tuesday afternoon, Governor Norraphat was told by local residents that this was the worse flooding they had seen for 20 years.

Governor Norraphat explained that Kamala is one of the worst-affected areas due to it being mountainous and overflow from the Bang Wad canal.

A number of properties in Kamala sustained damage following the floods with some properties being between 3050 centimetres deep in water.

Governor Norraphat urged local government agencies to urgently assist those affected.

“Anyone who has suffered as a result of the floods should contact their local government @thephuketnews

Governor Norraphat Plodthong inspects the flood damage in Kamala last Tuesday (June 5). Screengrab: PR Dept office as soon as possible.

Assistance will also be provided by the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM),” he said.

With regards to landslides, Gov Norraphat said that he has instructed the Phuket office of the Highways Department and Phuket office of the Department of Rural Roads to join together to find solutions to the problem.

“We have also found that in some areas the construction of roads obstructs waterways.

This is especially the case on Thepkrasattri Rd, which has many spots obstructing the waterway. This causes flooding along the roads and also in some agricultural areas,” he said.

“The Phuket office of the

Highways Department must go out and clear these waterways to allow the water to flow. As we saw on Tuesday these blocked waterways cause huge problems for traffic on Thepkrasattri Rd and this is the main route for people travelling to Phuket International Airport.

“In addition, police officers must be on hand to facilitate the traffic and give advice on alternative routes,” he added.

Governor Norraphat also stated that Phuket should install a flood-warning system which should link the 31 rainfall-monitoring gauges installed across the island.

“Residents will then have knowledge about the amount of rainfall and can prepare themselves for any disasters,” he added.

AN ITALIAN TOURIST luckily escaped serious injury after the motorbike she was sitting on rammed through a glass pane at a petrol station 7-Eleven in Chalong last Saturday night (June 9).

The woman, 23-year-old Citracca Ludovica from the Marche Region in Italy, suffered only minor cuts to her right leg.

Police were called to the PTT petrol station on Chao Fa West Rd at 10:15pm.

At the scene, officers led

by Capt Somkiat Sarasit of the Chalong Police found a blue Honda Click motorbike with a red license plate parked halfway through a shattered glass pane beside the 7-Eleven front door, with shattered glass

scattered on the ground.

Ms Ludovica told police that she had come to the store with a friend to buy some items.

Her friend was driving the motorbike and pulled up in front of the store. He dismounted the motorbike and entered the shop while leaving the engine running.

Ms Ludovica remained seated on the bike, which then proceeded across the footpath and into the shopfront glass.

After Ms Ludovica was treated at the scene for her injuries, she and her friend were taken to Chalong Police Station to negotiate the damages to be paid for the breakages.

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Opinion 6

OPINION

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T

Window dressing

his week various Phuket officials took pains to reassure foreign ambassadors and diplomats that everything that can be done to protect tourists, increase road safety and reduce plastic rubbish, is being done. This is a common refrain from the island’s officials whenever concerns are raised by foreign governments about Phuket’s terrible record in these areas.

Sadly, it seems as though many of the measures employed by the local government are merely window dressing that do little to address the root causes of these problems. For example Phuket Provincial Police commander Maj Gen Teeraphol Thipjaroen recently assured Ma Cuihong, the Deputy Consul-General of the Chinese Consulate-General in Songkhla, that Chineselanguage advertising boards, warning signs, guide books

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

He has over eight years experience as a journalist, photographer and editor for several magazines and newspapers.

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were being put in place across the island and that stricter control measures on vehicle rentals have been put in place.

While a necessary measure in any program aimed at reducing tourists deaths and injuries, such warning signs put the onus back on to the tourists and do nothing to improve the general safety standards in the tourism industry. Readers will no doubt remember that there are still no lifeguards stationed on many of the island’s most popular beaches – a situation the government seems unable or unwilling to address.

This fact is surely a major threat to the safety of tourists as we come into the monsoon season of rough seas and the inevitable increase in drowning deaths that accompanies it.

Putting up a few more warning sign will have much less effect than, say, ensuring that beaches are patrolled by lifeguards.

The Dutch Ambassador to Thailand Kees Pieter Rade last Thursday (June 7) met with Phuket Vice Governor Thawornwat Kongkaew to raise his concerns about road safety in Phuket. The vice governor assured him that police are strictly enforcing penalties on tourists who do not have a valid license to ride their hired motorbike.

He also said that rental companies would be under scrutiny for renting bikes to unlicensed tourists. Again, even if they were actively enforced (which is somewhat doubtful) the actions avoid addressing the root causes poor road safety.

It’s time for the government to stop window dressing these serious issues and begin to create effective policies that target their systemic causes.

Sure, it is much more difficult to do this, but with greater effort comes greater reward.

TOP 10 STORIES ON thephuketnews.com

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Phuket remains highest dengue province Phi Phi resorts, tourist businesses face raids Italian tourist injured as motorbike rams 7-Eleven Phuket Opinion: Hitting pay dirt with budgets Excise tax shakes up Phuket wine sales All Clear: Maya Bay ‘zero tolerance’ protection kicks into force New Phuket ferries to include large passenger boat, space for vehicles Dutch A mbassador raises Phuket road safety Migrant workers in Phuket warned of June 30 registration deadline Roof repairs row ends in vicious slaying with iron bar

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HAVE YOUR SAY

MARK KNOWLES

Lifestyle Editor

EDITORIAL

Like a Swiss watch For the third year in a row my family and I have participated in the annual Laguna Phuket Marathon.

This year over 9,000 participants from 50 countries joined the event. As always what is admirable is the way the event is organised. Meticulous planning and the huge turnout of volunteers helps in achieving flawless execution of this event.

How a small township within Phuket manages to host an event of this scale and maintain post event cleanliness is remarkable. A big thanks to the organisers of this event and to the people of Phuket for achieving this remarkable feat.

Nagaraj Prasadh ...................................................

See no evil

Re: Phuket monkeys to be neutered, some to be moved Would like to know how suitable the chosen islands are to sustain monkey populations without totally upsetting the natural environment… or are these just going to turn into new “go see the monkeys” islands where they will survive

from eating junk food brought by tourists. I really don’t see things going smoothly with this program. I’ve never seen wildlife management according to public opinion.

Ben Pendejo ...................................................

hotel construction projects.

Dual pricing for tourists and Thais. All are factors in Westerners going elsewhere where they’re appreciated, welcomed and safer.

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

Project cash cow

Dreaming up excuses for sleep

Re: Phuket Opinion: Hitting pay dirt with budgets All projects such as Phuket light-rail, Patong tunnel will not help local folks much in daily life when they go to work or students when they go to school. It is not even populist projects for winning votes for the coming elections. In the end it looks like some influential groups or individuals will cash in some profits in a legal way with contractors.

Asterix ...................................................

Not appreciated

Re: Dutch Ambassador raises Phuket road safety concerns While Chinese tourism has greatly increased, Western tourism had dropped significantly. Bad beach rules and restrictions. Non-enforcement of traffic laws. Unsafe condo/

Re: Snoozing lawmakers ‘unwell’, says Peerasak What nonsense, who believes this stuff? They were bored and asleep just like they are in governments all over the world Discover Thainess ...................................................

A life of plastic

Re: Dead whale sparks marine fears Many dolphins and f ish die from this plastic rubbish. They just mostly don’t “beach”. But die and are eaten at sea by sharks. All around Thailand we eat plastic, drink plastic and breath plastic. It is the circle of life and we provide it daily with more and more plastic.

Kurt ...................................................

One or the other

Re: Phi Phi resorts, tourist

businesses face sweeping raids Can’t have it both ways. Restrict the number of tourist visits to protect the island or approve building of new tourist amenities and businesses?

Bad plan equals bad results.

Vegasbaby ...................................................

A flood of building

Re: Phuket Governor orders stronger flood-prevention measures No Mr Governor, Kamala was one of the most affected areas due to overbuilding, filling in the natural drainage areas and failing to keep the drains clean. The streets acted as rivers as there was nowhere else for the water to go. A new system of drains in southern Kamala will raise the roadbed about eight inches and the overflow will flood people out, as their properties will be closer than the drains!

Fascinated ...................................................

The real ghost rider

Re: Italian tourist injured as motorbike rams 7-Eleven So now Thai motorbikes take off by themselves!

Gregory JCS

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

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

THAILAND NEWS

7

A loss of innocence

Perpetrators, victims of prostitution, trafficking rings getting younger BANGKOK Bangkok Post

T

he recent arrest of a 17-year-old girl who procured an underage girl for an Indian tourist in Pattaya highlighted the recent crackdown on prostitution and human trafficking rings whose perpetrators and victims are getting younger, according to police.

Police have vowed tough action against both procurers and customers who are increasingly resorting to Facebook and Line to match underaged victims with customers.

“This is our new policy [on solicitation involving minors],” deputy Tourist Police Bureau chief Surachet Hakpan said, urging that people who buy sex services are treated as offenders and also face human trafficking charges.

On June 5, police nabbed a young procurer and an Indian customer in Pattaya. Three days later the investigators traced the gang north to Nakhon Sawan

Police show a flowchart of how a 17-year-old girl lured a 14-year-old native of Ubon Ratchathani into prostitution in Pattaya. Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya where they arrested a pimp and six other customers.

So far, the police have pressed three charges against Parmod Kumar who allegedly paid for sex with a 14-year-old girl. The 47-year-old suspect is charged with depriving the girl of her parental care and raping her.

According to Maj Gen Surachet, Kumar could also face an additional charge of human trafficking.

“Underaged prostitution

and human trafficking-related charges can put offenders behind bars for up to 20 years,” he said.

According to investigators, the 14-year-old victim is a native of the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani. She was lured through a Facebook page by the teenage procurer who ran a sex service ring in Pattaya. The victim was first told to stay with “other girls” at a hotel before she was sent to Kumar.

Turtle death shows ocean in crisis CHANTABURI STARTLI NG IMAGES of plastic shreds, rubber bands and other debris found jammed in the stomach of a green turtle in Chanthaburi province have highlighted the crisis of waste-strewn seas following the widely publicised death of a whale earlier this month.

Thailand is one of the world’s largest consumers of plastic, which kills hundreds of marine mammals and reptiles swimming off its coasts every year.

The problem grabbed public attention in the first week of June when an autopsy of a dead pilot whale found near the border with Malaysia revealed 80 plastic bags inside its stomach.

The green turtle, a protected species, suffered a similar fate after washing up on a beach in the eastern province of Chanthaburi on June 4, Weerapong Laovechprasit, a veterinarian at the Eastern Marine and Coastal Resource Research and Development Centre, said. @thephuketnews

Plastic, rubber bands, pieces of balloon and other rubbish had filled the turtle’s intestinal track, leaving it unable to eat. Photo: Eastern Marine and Coastal Resource Research and Development Centre Plastic, rubber bands, pieces of balloon and other rubbish had filled the turtle’s intestinal tract, leaving it unable to eat and causing its death two days later.

“It was feeling weak and couldn’t swim,” Mr Weerapong said. “The main cause of death is the sea trash.”

Veterinarians discovered the blockage using X-rays and tried to save the turtle by feeding it intravenously, but were only able to extract the garbage after its death.

Mr Weerapong said that in the past about 10% of

the green turtles stranded on beaches in the area had ingested plastic or suffered infections after coming into contact with the waste, but this year about 50% of the incidents were trash-related.

More than half of the eight million tons of plastic waste dumped into the world’s oceans every year comes from five Asian countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand, according to a 2015 Ocean Conservancy report.

Bangkok Post

The Indian tourist paid the girl B5,000 and the procurer took a B1,000 cut.

The victim later made an escape and returned to her home province, but the procurer went after her and demanded she return to Pattaya. She accused the victim of stealing her money, prompting the victim’s family to file a police complaint which eventually led to the arrest of the procurer and the Indian customer.

Maj Gen Surachet said many victims of the underage prostitution rings based in tourist cities come from the Northeast.

These cities include Songkhla’s Hat Yai district, Koh Samui in Surat Thani and Phuket where many nightlife venues and illegal brothels are common.

In another underage prostitution case, police found eight young victims, including a 13-year-old student, offering sex services in Nakhon Sawan. This came after the arrest of a teenage boy who procured underage girls for six customers – Kwanchai Phromthong, 30, Yingsak Prasoetsang, 61, Parinthon Sirichoi, 31, Suphot Wgongdi 44, Winai Buawat, 34, and Anek Butsing, 34.

T he c u st ome r s we r e charged with raping minors in addition to charges, including human trafficking, which were also pressed against the teenage boy.

The crime was exposed after police obtained infor-

mation about the suspicious behaviour of some junior high school students in Nakhon Sawan.

The teenage st udents skipped classes often and indulged in lavish lifestyles, Maj Gen Surachet said.

A police investigation led to the discovery of the 13-year-old girl who had been lured into providing the illegal sex services.

It is unclear if the high school and the Pattaya cases were linked.

Police later expanded the investigation which also led to the arrest of a male suspect who procured eight teenage boys for prostitution. The procurer and the boys came into contact through Facebook and Line.

An initial check found at least six people had bought sex from the boys, Maj Gen Surachet said.

“We’ve sought court warrants for the arrest [of the procurer and the customers] on human trafficking charges,” he said.

8

THAILAND NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Driver nabbed with 15 tons of drug precursor BANGKOK Bangkok Post

American tourist A found dead in dam A rescue team search for missing American tourist at the Ratchaprapa dam. Photo: Supapong Chaolan

SURAT THANI THE BODY OF A MISSING American tourist was found floating near a privately-run raft resort at the Ratchaprapa dam on Monday (June 11), three days after he disappeared while swimming in the reservoir.

The body of Jordan William Scott, 30, was found near Ploenprai floating raft resort at the dam, said Viroj Rojjanajinda, head of the Khao Sok National Park.

The American tourist went missing while swimming with five friends in the dam reservoir in Ban Ta Khun district last Friday (June 8). After jumping into the water for the second time, his friends said, he did not resurface.

Divers began the search last Friday but did not locate his body until Monday night.

The body was sent to Ban Ta Khun hospital for a postmortem examination before being collected by relatives for funeral rites.

The operator of Ploenprai resort had reportedly taken out accident insurance of B1 million per customer, and planned to give that amount to the dead man’s family.

The Khao Sok National Park, which supervises the Ratchaprapa dam, on Tuesday (June 12) was to hold a meeting with operators of floating raft bungalows and resorts at the dam, reminding them to take all safety precautions for their guests.

Bangkok Post

Thai lorry driver has been arrested in Myanmar for transporting 15 tons of sodium cyanide, which can be used as a precursor for making drugs. The arrest was made under the Thai-Myanmar drug suppression cooperation, authorities said.

Sawat Kaewda was arrested in Tachileik, a Myanmar border town opposite Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai province, last Saturday (June 9). His arrest was announced last Sunday (June 10) by Sirinya Sitdhichai, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB).

Mr Sirinya said the compound was shipped to Thailand at Laem Chabang port in Chonburi before being transported to the North.

Chiangsaen Customs denied the shipment of the compound to Myanmar by boat along the Mekong River as it is regarded as a hazardous chemical so it was carried across the border to Myanmar by a lorry instead, he said.

Thai authorities found that permission was sought to export the compound to Myanmar, with a clear destination given, so they let the lorry cross the border.

Surveillance and post-arrest photos show the tale of the 15 tons of precursors seized in a Thai-Myanmar operation. Sirinya Sitdhichai, (right) secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board). Photo: Apichit Jinakul However, due to the size of the shipment, Myanmar authorities were contacted to check the cargo, which was said to be intended for the mining industry, Mr Sirinya said, adding sodium cyanide can also be used as a precursor for making crystal meth (ya ice), as well as methamphetamine pills (ya bah).

After the lorry crossed the border, Myanmar authorities uncovered the intended destination did not comply with what was stipulated in the permit document.

Sawat said he would deliver the cargo to a receiver in Yangon, Mr

Sirinya said.

The driver was apprehended on charges of illegal entry and importing sodium cyanide into the country without a permit, he said.

He said Thai authorities would check legal elements to determine whether the driver should be brought back to Thailand to face prosecution.

“Fairness must be extended to the suspect as he was simply the driver,” said Mr Sirinya.

Mr Sirinya added that the 15 tons of sodium cyanide could be used to produce 5,900 kilograms of ya ice or 295 million pills of ya bah.

Seven heroin mules busted BANGKOK

SI X N EPA LESE A N D one Indian national were arrested in a crackdown on a gang smuggling heroin from Myanmar to Hong Kong via Thailand, the Immigration Bureau (IB) said on Monday (June 11).

The suspects were identified as Bir Gongbotamang Singh, 50, Sudarshan Thapa, 50, Bir Prasad Gurung, 51, Tamang Suresh, 36, Abashesh Gurung, 37, Kare Gurung, 62, and Lal Gurung, 49. Lal Gurung is Indian and the rest are Nepalese, said Chuchat Tharichat, chief of the IB’s investigation division.

Singh was arrested on June 6 while attempting to board a plane from Chiang Mai to Bangkok with 40 packets of heroin weighing a total of 15.5 kilograms stashed in his luggage, said Maj Gen Chuchat.

The next day police raided a condominium in Soi Sukhumvit 77 in Suan Luang district of Bangkok and detained Lal Gurung and Thapa along with 1.45kg

A police officer shows heroin in a capsule-like plastic wrap seized in the one of the busts of a transnational gang. Photo: Apichart Jinakul of heroin found in their possession, he said.

The drug was found in plastic bags containing a logo of two lions standing on a globe and small plastic wraps that looked like capsules containing the drugs.

They were believed to have been prepared for the two suspected traffickers to swallow before they travelled to Hong Kong to deliver the drugs to customers there, he said.

The other four suspects were detained in a separate raid carried out at an apart-

ment also in Soi Sukhumvit 77 last Friday (June 8).

Police learned after arresting the first three suspects that the other four would be hired to smuggle heroin to Hong Kong by each swallowing at least 50 capsule-like wraps, police said.

The suspects were found to have been hired for at least B100,000 each to smuggle the drugs to Hong Kong for the gang whose leader is being tracked down by police, he said.

Bangkok Post thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

ASIA NEWS

9

Reviving a declining industry

As demand for kimonos declines, artisans try to revive them JAPAN Natsuko Fukue

A

t a century-old workshop in a quiet Tokyo neighbourhood, craftsman Yuichi Hirose brushes dye across meticulously hand-cut stencils laid on fabric, using a traditional technique to produce contemporary kimono patterns.

Demand for the elaborate, elegant centrepiece of the Japanese wardrobe is in decline, but a handful of artisans and entrepreneurs like Hirose, 39, are trying to revive it.

“The kimono has become something that is very far removed from our daily lives,” said Hirose, who joined his family business after university.

He specialises in “Edo Komon” – a kimono pattern hand-dyed with a Japanese washi paper stencil, which dates back to the Edo period between the 17th and late 19th centuries.

It’s a deeply traditional craft that requires great skill to master, he said, “but we need to create something that is accepted in this modern time”.

Hirose’s innovations include developing new designs to adorn the kimono, including tiny sharks or even skull motifs.

Once a standard of the Japanese wardrobe, the kimono is now often a garment reserved for special occasions, such as weddings and coming-of-age ceremonies, and is mostly worn by women.

They can be hugely expensive and women often hire experts to dress them because the outfit requires seemingly endless nipping, tucking and strapping.

The modern kimono industry peaked in 1975 with a market size of 1.8 trillion yen (B523.013 billion), according

Yuichi Hirose, a craftsman who dyes white fabrics with meticulously hand-cut stencils for a kimono, works at a century-old workshop in Tokyo. Photo: Jiji / AFP to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

But by 2008 it had shrunk to 406.5bn yen (B118.125bn) and further to just 278.5bn yen (B80.930bn) in 2016, according to a survey conducted

by Yano Research Institute.

“There are many hurdles” to buying a kimono, said Takatoshi Yajima, vice chairman of the Japan kimono promotion association, and a kimono manufacturer.

“It’s expensive. It’s difficult to wear. It’s too delicate to wash at home,” he said.

“We need to make kimonos that are affordable and wearable. If we do that, I believe more young consumers will buy kimonos.”

He has nearly doubled his number of customers in the past 15 years by selling more kimonos under the 100,000yen (B29,059) price tag, well below the many thousands of dollars a high-end piece can cost.

“The industry will grow if we can create a market in which as many people as

Kahori Ochi (left), owner and operator of the Sakae-ya kimono rental shop in the Harajuku district in Tokyo, and an assistant fit Dutch tourist Ruby Francisco. Photo: Jiji / AFP @thephuketnews

possible will buy a kimono,” he said.

A complete kimono outfit starts with an undergarment known as a nagajuban, over which the kimono is layered, held in place with a thick obi belt and string.

The outfit is completed with tabi, ankle-high white socks divided at the big toe to allow feet to slip into thicksoled sandals called zori.

But beyond the basic framework, designer Jotaro Saito says there should be room for experimentation.

“What’s fabulous, what’s unfashionable and what’s cool changes every year. It’s wrong that kimonos don’t change even if everything else is changing,” said the Kyoto-based designer, whose work has been worn by American singer Lady Gaga.

“Kimonos are not something old. Wearing a kimono is the coolest and the most fun thing.”

At Tokyo fashion week in March, Saito, who calls himself “a risk taker”, showcased kimonos for men and women, mixing traditional and unconventional motifs and colours.

“I want to present kimonos as a wardrobe in which people can truly feel joy,” he said.

And while demand for kimonos is falling among Japanese, services renting the garments to foreign visitors are booming.

Interest is expected to expand, according to the Yano Research Institute, with more tourists visiting Japan and looking for cultural experiences.

Kahori Ochi serves around 500 foreign tourists a year at her kimono rental store in the

trendy Harajuku area of Tokyo.

They pay around 9,000 yen (B2,615) to be dressed in a kimono worth about 300,000 yen (B87,177).

“Kimono is a piece of Japanese culture. I really wanted to experience that,” said Ruby Francisco, a Dutch tourist who

rented a pale green kimono at Ochi’s shop.

“It’s special. It’s like an honour to wear,” the 33-yearold said, adding that she would post photos of herself in the kimono on social media to show her friends.

Ochi’s mother ran a shop

selling high-end kimonos, but she didn’t expect to follow in her footsteps.

“My mother told me the kimono business is risky and volatile,” she said, adding that her mother’s shop struggled after the bubble economy ended in the early 1990s.

“I used to think kimonos were not cool and practical.”

But Ochi changed her mind after spending a summer in Norway, where people complimented her kimono.

She decided to join her mother’s shop, but being the owner’s daughter came with no privileges.

“She said ‘no salary for you,’” Ochi laughed, recalling her mother’s surprise at her sudden interest in the industry.

But now, she says, business is booming and she expects the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will drive new demand as tourists flock to Japan.

“But my goal is not to expand the business,” she added.

“I hope to meet more people who want to understand Japanese culture.”

AFP

10 WORLD NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

The ‘Cat Man’ of Aleppo

In war-torn Syria, one man starts animal clinic for feline friends SYRIA Omar Haj Kadour

A

t an u nlikely cat shelter in rebel-held northern Syria, Mohammed Alaa al-Jaleel gently holds a feline patient on her back as an ultrasound probe is rolled across her pregnant belly.

In a time of war, she is one of hundreds to have received medical attention at the makeshift animal clinic in Kafr Naha, an opposition-held town in Aleppo province.

“If you want to show mercy to people, start by showing mercy to everything else,” says Jaleel, who runs Ernesto’s Cat Sanctuary – named after his favourite furry friend.

The 43-year-old, who grew up in Syria’s second city Aleppo, has been mad about cats since he was a boy.

As a young adult in the city, he would drop by the butchers on his way home from work as an electrician to ask for scraps to feed street cats in his neighbourhood.

When war broke out in 2011, he put down his tools to become an ambulance driver to help ferry the wounded – but never stopped bringing food to his feline friends.

As the war raged on and cat lovers fled the city, Jaleel was left with 170 cats to feed

Mohammed Alaa al-Jaleel carries a cat on his shoulder at Ernesto’s Cat Sanctuary that he runs in Kfar Naha, an oppositionheld town in Aleppo province. Photo: Omar Haj Kadour / AFP and a new nickname: the Cat Man of Aleppo.

With the help of donations from friends and social media fans, he set up his first cat sanctuary in the city.

But in late 2016, the regime ramped up its deadly bombardment of Aleppo’s opposition-held neighbourhoods as it sought to regain control of the whole city.

“We started fleeing from neighbourhood to neighbourhood until, in the end, we escaped the city altogether,” Jaleel recalls.

Determined not to leave them behind, he and fellow feline fans managed to save 22 of the city’s cats.

“We gave each family two

cats in a plastic vegetable basket,” Jaleel says.

Among them was Sukhoi, named after the stealth fighter jets of regime ally Russia.

“He would zip in and grab food from right under the noses of the other cats, just like a Sukhoi jet,” he said.

Syria’s war has killed more than 350,000 people and displaced more than half its prewar human population, as well as many of its domestic animals.

After fleeing Aleppo, Jaleel set up his second shelter – named after Ernesto – in early 2017 and housed 18 of the 22 smuggled cats in the animal oasis.

“The cats don’t just stay in

just one house. They swap with each other and sleep in all of them,” Jaleel says, referring to rows of marble cubes with catsized entrances, engraved with names like Pouncer and Rose.

Nearby, a grinder churns out streams of bright pink mincemeat that is then scooped out onto plates spread out on the ground for lunchtime.

Eyes closed, a cat with a stripy, light ash coat dips its snow-white nose in, nibbling away.

But the shelter, financed by online crowdfunding campaigns, does more than provide twice-daily meals: it also serves as an animal clinic with its in-house vet.

“We treat all sorts of ani-

mals here for free: horses, cows and even chickens,” Jaleel says.

During an inventory in January, he and his colleagues discovered they had handed out 7,000 medical prescriptions for free in less than a year.

Mohammad Watar was blown away when he brought in his cat for treatment after food poisoning.

“There are no vets where I live. I asked people and they pointed me to the sanctuary,” he says.

“I was so surprised to find this kind of thing existed during this war we’re all living,” says Watar.

“I saw them treating all sorts of animals. It’s really beautiful.”

Still, war is never far away: the sanctuary’s main building bears the marks of gun fire.

Last month, it cancelled a children’s party after a young boy was shot near the shelter, according to its English-language Facebook page.

Footage posted online depicted a man in a cat sanctuary T-shirt carrying a child with blood streaming down his calf.

Even the shelter’s cats are treated for war wounds, says the centre’s vet, Mohammed Yusuf.

“Just like many people are wounded by all the different weapons in the area, animals too suffer the same injuries,” he says.

Some stay under observation at his clinic for weeks, but not all get the treatment they need.

“We’re living in a war and facing severe shortages of veterinary medicines for wounds as well as vaccines,” Yusuf says.

In a time of death and destruction, the pride of the sanctuary is its ability to carry out sonograms of animal mothers-to-be.

“We examine them and diagnose how many foetuses there are and when they are due, and we prepare to welcome the new births,” Yusuf says.

AFP

South Korean hiker shares tale of survival in Australia bush AUSTRALIA A YOU NG SOUTH KOrean hiker lost in dense Australian absente for six days without food and in nearfreezing temperatures has spoken about how dreams of

a warm bed and her parents kept her alive.

Joohee Han, a 25-year-old tourist, shared her improbable tale of survival after she fell into a deep ravine while taking photos from a mountaintop south of Cairns in northern Queensland state.

Rescuers had said her chances of staying alive in the rugged terrain, where temperatures dropped to 9°C (48°F), had been “near zero”.

She disappeared on June 1 after telling friends she was going to climb Mount Tyson, but was only reported

missing last Wednesday (June 6) with rescuers eventually finding her last Thursday (June 7).

Han told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation last Saturday (June 9) that she was knocked unconscious for several hours after falling, and woke up at night on the side of a steep slope.

“I pretty much didn’t move from where I fell from because it was so steep. Even putting a foot wrong would’ve been instant death,” Han said.

“It still makes me teary thinking about that, thinking, ‘Am I going to die?’ But there was so much I still wanted to do, food I wanted to eat, and people I wanted to see again.

“I thought of my parents so much.”

Despite the fall of what she thought was about threestoreys high, Han only suffered a broken tooth, some bruises and cuts.

Thoughts of her family

South Korean hiker Joohee Han, 25, was lost in bushland for six days. Photo: Screengrab via news.com.au and food kept her going as she struggled with the cold each night, she added.

“I just craved the stuff I normally ate, mee goreng, cereal, bananas,” Han said.

“I thought so much about the things I wanted to do when I got out of here and stepped on solid ground, but then I’d get sad again because I knew I could only do those things if I stayed alive, they

were things I couldn’t do if I died.”

Han eventually was able to make it to a ledge near a waterfall, where she drank water and screamed for help until a nearby hiker heard her and alerted police.

“I didn’t realise how happy I could be just standing on the ground until then,” she added of her rescue.

AFP thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

BUSINESS NEWS 11

To the water borne

New Phuket ferries to include vehicle, large passenger boats TRANSPORT The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

T

he Marine Department will open bids for six ferry routes today (June 15) under the “Andaman Ring” project linking Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi to promote tourism.

The new routes open to bids include providing a large passenger ferry operating from the Phuket Deep Sea Port and a new ferry to carry passengers and vehicles operating from Ao Po. The news was announced at an event at Cape Panwa last week, where Marine Department Deputy Chief Nat Japjai explained the ferry routes to potential bidders.

Speaking at the Cape Panwa Hotel last Tuesday (June 5), Mr Nat explained that bids will open for six routes, while a seventh route remains under consideration by marine officials.

The first route will operate

@thephuketnews

Marine Department Deputy Chief Nat Japjai explained the ferry routes to potential bidders at the Cape Panwa Hotel in Phuket last Tuesday (June 5). Photo: Marine Dept a large passenger ferry between Phuket’s Deep Sea Port and a pier at Pak Klong Ji Lat in Krabi operated by the Krabi Provincial Administration Organisation (OrBorJor), Mr Nat explained.

The second route will link Ao Po in Phuket, Chong Lad pier in Phang Nga and Tha Len pier in Krabi.

The third route will connect Chong Lad pier, Koh Yao Yai and Ma Noh pier to Koh Yao

Noi, all in Phang Nga. Mr Nat explained that this route will be presented at a public hearing for consideration again and will be reviewed for approval

by Aug 31.

The fourth route will be

for travel between Ban Hua Hin pier and Ban Klong Mak, both in Krabi’s Lanta district.

The fifth route will link Ao Thong Lang pier on Koh Lanta to Koh Jum and Koh Phu in Krabi.

The sixth route will connect Koh Lanta Yai to Koh Po in Krabi.

The seventh route will link Saladan pier on Koh Lanta to Ao Po Pier in Phuket.

The new routes offered this week revise the five routes announced by the Marine Department in March, with the highly debated proposed ferry route down Phuket’s west coast from Phuket International Airport to Patong still under review.

Phuket Marine Office Chief Surat Sirisaiyat confirmed to The Phuket News on Mar 30 that the project to build a pier near Phuket International Airport as a base point for a ferry service had not yet been approved.

“The concept is still being researched and senior officials at the Marine Department head office in Bangkok are

considering what is possible,” Mr Surat said.

“The Marine Department in Bangkok is responsible for this project. There have been no updates yet,” he added.

Of the new routes across Phang Nga Bay and further south to Koh Lanta, Phuket Marine Office Chief Mr Surat made plain on Mar 30 that whether or not the new ferry services are actually launched depends on private investors.

“It is not easy for companies to invest in such projects.

Private investors have to do their own research and calculate the tourism capacity.

There are lots of details to consider. We cannot confirm if any of the five ferry services will actually be launched until an investor confirms with us,” he said.

“Now we are open to any investors interested in these water transport routes. Any investor can go to talk about these at any local Marine Office in the region (Phang Nga, Krabi and Phuket),” Mr Surat added.

12 BUSINESS NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Thailand leads MICE surge MICE

The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

T

he Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has released the results of its recent market survey conducted in 20 countries showing that Thailand has been rated the most preferred MICE destination which the survey participants would like to revisit for their future business/MICE trips.

Thailand secured the top spot with the delight factors in hospitality, value for money, good variety of international and local cuisine and MICE activities.

Meanwhile, TCEB also announced that Thailand is chosen to be the host country for international conferences organised by the world’s leading associations in events and travel incentive industries, namely UFI and SITE. These events, to take place in Bangkok next year, will be emphasising Thailand’s potential and the position as leading MICE destination in the region.

The news also follows Thailand maintaining its title as the top conference destination of the Asean region for the second year in a row.

According to the latest International

Sukit Tanskul, CEO of Custom Asia Co Ltd, said that the survey also shows interesting results about the main criteria in selecting MICE destinations. Photo: TCEB Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Country and City Rankings Report 2017 released last month, Thailand hosted a total of 163 conferences in 2017, the highest among the countries in the Asean region. Singapore came second with 160 conferences, Malaysia third 112 conferences, Indonesia fourth 89 conferences, Vietnam fifth 64 conference and the Philippines sixth

56 conferences.

TCEB President Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya explained that with the TCEB tasked with promoting and developing business events in Thailand, the bureau has been working toward establishing Thailand as premier MICE destination and elevating the country to be the Top of Mind Destination for MICE.

“In order to identify the strengths of Thailand to better attract the overseas MICE markets, the TCEB needs to study key factors that influence the destination choice, evaluate Thailand’s MICE destination image, and measure the competitiveness of Thailand when compared to other MICE destinations,” he said.

To this end, the TCEB recently commissioned Custom Asia Co Ltd – a member of the Global Market Research Association, which has a network in 39 countries – to conduct a market survey on Thailand’s brand image as a Destination for MICE. The research, which took place in 20 countries, focused on global MICE professionals and their outlooks on Thailand’s MICE brand.

A total of 40 MICE professionals participated in the online bulletin board, and 649 took part in the online survey. These survey participants comprised of four segments: 1) MICE Players; 2) Business Travellers; 3) MICE Visitors; and 4) Association and Organisation related to MICE. “Thailand is ranked a top list as a preferred destination which more than 85% of the survey participants who have travelled to Thailand on business/MICE trips would like to revisit for their business/MICE trips in the future,” said TCEB President

Mr Chiruit.

“Meanwhile, the participants see that when comparing Thailand against the other MICE destinations, Thailand’s delights factors are great hospitality, value for money, and a good variety of international and local cuisine,” he added.

“In addition, the result shows that Thailand secured the first rank as the choice for MICE destination,” Mr Chiruit said.

According to the survey, the “Top 10 Preferred Choices for Revisit MICE Destination” were: 1 Thailand; 2) Japan; 3) Singapore; 4) Hong Kong; 5) Australia; 6) United States; 7) Germany; 8) Switzerland; 9) United Kingdom; and 10) China.

Sukit Tanskul, CEO of Custom Asia Co Ltd, noted that the survey also showed interesting results about the main criteria in selecting MICE destinations.

“These criteria can be considered as important factors which MICE destination needs: value for money, international standard accommodation, good accessibility, English proficiency, and compliance with corporate governance,” he said.

When analysing the criteria by segments, the survey showed that MICE players look for ease of travel within the country, he added.

Migrant workers face new deadline LABOUR THE MINISTER OF LAbour has reiterated that all workers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, including those in Phuket, must be registered to work by June 30.

After June 30 those caught working illegally in Thailand will be fined between B5,000 and B50,000, deported and banned from re-applying for a work permit in Thailand for two years.

Employers found hiring illegal workers will be fined between B10,000-B100,000 per worker. If employers repeat

T he Phuket Provinc ial Employment Office. Photo: Mark Knowles the offence, they will be fined between B50,000-B200,000 or face no more than one year in jail, or both, and can’t employ workers for three years according to the Royal Ordinance on foreign migrant workers 2560.

Labour Minister Gen Adul Sangsingkaew said that 37,414

have already registered themselves to work and that 98,478 have yet to do so.

Under the Cabinet’s Jan 16 resolution, later extended from Mar 31 until June 30, a total of 1.32 million migrant workers living and working in Thailand are required to register to ensure their employment is in line with Thailand’s migrant labour law, and so they can receive all the work benefits they are owed.

When the first deadline passed on Mar 31, only 961,946 workers had completed their registration in time, prompting the Cabinet to extend it to June 30.

The Phuket News

Phuket’s fishing fleet is to get updated maps clearly showing protected areas where commercial fishing is not allowed. Photo: The Phuket News / file

Fishing zone maps get overhaul AQUACULTURE M A PS SHOW I NG coastal fishing-exclusion zones are being updated to accurately show areas where it is illegally to fish commercially to prevent trawlers from Phuket’s fishing fleet from plying waters in protected areas.

Existing maps provided to commercial fishing boats all along the Andaman coast are confusing with borders incorrectly marked, the Phuket office of the Fisheries Department explained at a meeting held last Wednesday (June 6).

At the meeting to discuss

the issue were Phuket Vice Governor Prakob Wongmaneerung, Phuket Provincial Commercial Office Chief Decha Phetwong and Phuket Fisheries Chief Kowit Kaoian.

“The Ministerial Regulation on Coastal Zones issued in May 2017 shows the fishing exclusion zones in Chonburi, Trat, Phang Nga, Ranong, Satun, Surat Thani and Phuket provinces,” V/ Gov Prakob said.

“However, the maps do not clearly show exactly where the borders for these zones are, which is resulting in fishermen being confused and fishing in areas where they think they are allowed,

all because the maps say so.

This creates confusion and fishermen cannot follow the law if it is not clear,” he said.

Department of Fisheries officials in Bangkok have been tasked with updating the maps for fishingexclusion zones around Phuket with the correct information, V/Gov Prakob explained.

Once the maps have been updated, public meetings will be held to inform the public, he added.

“When the time comes, we will announce to the public when and where the public meetings will be held,” V/Gov Prakob said.

The Phuket News

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Instilling a lifelong love of reading

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

A wary baby macaque sticks close to its mother as they venture to the edge of the mangrove forest at Bang Rong Pier. Photo: Mark Knowles

Karnjana Karnjanatawe

E

ven though Phuket is well known for clear water and sandy beaches, the island also has alternatives for those who want to know more about local communities. To promote local experiences, the Phuket Provincial Office of Tourism and Sports Ministry selected Ban Bang Rong and Ban Khanaen in Thalang district as the role models of communitybased tourism this year. Both villages have a variety of activities to encourage visitors to learn about their way of life. They expect that visitors will see another side of Phuket or extend their holiday on the resort island to visit their communities.

Stay close to nature Located in the northeastern part of the island, Ban Bang Rong is an old community with a history that dates back more than two centuries. Accord@thephuketnews

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Proper puppy training starts early

LIVING ON THE EDGE

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This macaque’s home was almost destroyed, it took one man on a mission to bring it back ing to Prasert Ritraksa, president of Ban Bang Rong Community Based Tourism Club, the community was a transportation and trading hub where people from other countries loaded their goods to be transported from Thalang to elsewhere.

“Our Bang Rong pier was a large busy port. Although it is no longer a transportation hub, the pier is still in use until today, particularly as a shelter for boats during storms,” he said.

The pier is located on a mouth of the Bang Rong River, which also has a large mangrove forest. The pier is well known for transporting visitors via speedboat from mainland Phuket to Ko Yao Noi or Ko Yao Yai. Often, Ban Bang Rong is overlooked by tourists.

“Our community is the rural area of Phuket,” he said, adding: “We do not have beaches, but we have one of the largest mangrove forests on the island.”

Most of the people living in the community are Muslim fishermen and farmers.

The idea of introducing tourism

came after the community faced a critical situation more than 20 years ago.

The area’s fish population disappeared along with the mangrove forest, which was devastated by the now-defunct government policy that offered concessions for people to cut mangrove trees to produce charcoal.

“It was a great sorrow to me to see the deforestation,” recalled Prasert. He realised that he had to help try to bring back the marine habitat, which he and other fishermen regard as their “natural supermarket”.

In 1996, he initiated a reforestation project to bring back the mangrove forest. To his surprise, he didn’t have much support at the start. This was because not all fishermen understood the benefits the mangrove forest offered the marine ecosystem.

With determination, he planted mangrove trees with the support of a small group of people. A few years later, more people noticed the benefits of the forest and joined the group. Prasert had more followers when people realised

that they were able to catch more fish.

“Today we have 3,000 rai of healthy mangrove forest. We have plenty of fish, crab and shrimp. We no longer need to ride our boats far from our homes to find food, as we did in the past,” he said.

After the reforestation project became a success, the community had visitors who came to learn from the community’s experience. In response, Prasert set up the tourism club more than a decade ago to manage tourism activities.

Today they offer kayaking tours for visitors to paddle along the coast of mangrove forests and also offer farm tours where visitors can try to retrieve latex from rubber trees, feed goats and taste durians, pineapples, mangosteens and longans from the local orchards.

The club also offers boat rides to bring visitors to fish pens and to Koh Phae to see the so-called thale waek, a sandbar that comes into view at low tide.

Continued on page 14

14 TRAVEL

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

One of the several ornate structures at the historic Khanaeng Temple in Phuket’s Thalang sub-district. Photo: Mark Knowles

A temple steeped in history

Its old prayer hall used to be a military command centre for Thalang troops during the BurmeseSiamese War more than 200 years ago.

Continued from page 13 ...The tourism club also joined hands with the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Development and Conservation Promotion Station to guide visitors to Bang Pae and Ton Sai waterfalls as well as to visit the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project, which was established in 1992 by Noppadol Preuksawan, the chief of the Forest Department in Phuket, and the Asian Wildlife Fund. Today the project is operated under the Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand.

The aim is to rescue captive gibbons and release them back to their habitat after they regain their survival instinct, and to educate the public to have a better understanding of the plight of gibbons in captivity.

“Visitors to Ban Bang Rong will experience the way of life of fishermen, and will also have fresh seafood and an opportunity to stay close to nature,” Prasert said.

Gastronomic tourism Located about 20 minute drive from Ban Bang Rong, Ban Khanaen is another old community and was established in the Ayutthaya period, said Tribunyat Jariyalerpong, 59, president of the Thalang Cultural Village of Ban Khanaen.

From Ban Bang Rong, you can take a 20-minute boat ride to see thalae waek at Koh Phae.

“We have old temples like Wat Phra Nang Sang. Its old prayer hall used to be a military command centre for Thalang troops during the Burmese-Siamese War more than 200 years ago. We also have Wat Khanaen, which was built 180 years ago,” he said.

The idea to introduce tourism occurred accidentally. It started when Tribunyat quit his political life and returned to his home in Thalang in the early 90s.

He later found that Wat Khanaen was abandoned. In 1994, he started to renovate the temple with the support of villagers. They spent about seven years on the renovations.

“During the period, we loosely formed a club that had many activities we hosted on the temple grounds such as traditional dances and drum performances.

We sometimes had student visitors who want to know about our food,” he said.

Chaiya Anafarang represents the second generation of his family that runs the goat farm in Ban Bang Rong. He has about 40 goats that he raises for meat and milk. He also opens his farm to visitors who feed the young goats and offers pasteurised goat milk for sale.

When the temple was completed in 2001, locals still wanted to have a centre for them to meet and to hold activities. Tribunyat offered his six rai plot of land, which was a rubber plantation, to be the centre.

They built an open-air meeting hall with a kitchen at the back, a traditional house and pavilions for hosting activities in a rustic garden. The centre is named the Thalang Cultural Village of Ban Khanaen.

“We didn’t have the intention of opening our centre for tourists, but our food drew the attention of others.

Bang Rong pier hosts traditional fishermen as well as tourist speedboats. Photo: Mark Knowles By the power of word of mouth, tourists came to our village,” he said.

Opened for 17 years, the centre today offers a series of cooking activities.

Visitors to Ban Khanaen are welcomed by a warm-up aerobic session.

They call it “norabic” in which they combine the movement of nora dance (a traditional dance from the South) with aerobics. Everyone is encouraged to join the exercise to break the ice.

Then comes the highlights. Temporary cooking stations are set up at different corners of the meeting hall. Most of the visitors usually gather around the Som Tam Thalang station in order to taste the hot and spicy dish with black pepper and shrimp paste.

Som Tum Thalang is the local variation of papaya salad, it doesn’t use fish sauce or preserved fish, but uses shrimp paste instead. In addition to chilli, Som Tam Thalang must also have black peppers, which are said to help ease the flatulence caused by raw papaya. Also added are small dried fish that are softened after being soaked in water for a while. Once the ingredients are pounded in the mortar the sliced papaya is added.

Finally, a sprinkle of deep fried small fish is added on top of the som tum and it is served with raw vegetables such as young leaves of cassava plants, star gooseberries and betel leaves.

Other local dishes include Tomsom Som Phrom (the sour and spicy soup with local vegetables), Kleu Koei (spicy and salty dip made of shrimp paste for eating with sour fruits) and Namchub Khayam (chilli dip) for eating with rice.

Visitors can try cooking those dishes for

their lunch.

“We gather in the meeting hall only when we have visitors or special events.

For other normal days, we have our own jobs to do,” said Lanthom Kaewkaemsri, who is in charge of the food preparation.

“I like being here because it is fun to teach visitors how to make our food and see how much they like the hot and spicy Som Tam Thalang,” she said.

Both communities are friendly while their activities are also enjoyable. They offer an alternative for visitors who want to have more memorable experiences while visiting Phuket.

Travel Info Ban Bang Rong is about 20 minutes drive from Phuket International Airport. You can take a taxi to the village (about B700 for a one-way trip). The community offers one-day to three-day trips with homestay service. The Bang Rong Community Based Tourism Club also works with local resorts to offer more comfortable accommodation. Call Prasert Ritraksa on 084 309 9131 or visit its Facebook page at goo.gl/4F4sgJ. The Thalang Cultural Village of Ban Khanaen can be visited anytime, but visitors need to make advance booking by calling Thanyarak Jariyalerpong at 081 895 6864. Visit its Facebook page at goo.gl/kepCaq. For more information, visit the website of Phuket Provincial Office of Tourism and Sports Ministry at phuket.mots. go.th and amazingthailand.go.th or call 076 217 054.

Bangkok Post thephuketnews

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TECHNOLOGY 15

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Enthralled by virtual violence Deadly battles and death-matches continue to power hit video games AFP

There was no shortage of bloody battle in games spotlighted at media events hosted by video game industry titans....

@thephuketnews

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andits, soldiers, demons, zombies, aliens and other enemies will be shot, stabbed, bludgeoned, incinerated, or even blown up on the show floor of the Electronic Entertainment Expo that opened in Los Angeles on Tuesday (June 12).

Deadly conflicts played out with stunning arsenals in creative fictional settings remain at the heart of blockbuster action video games, with imagery getting richer and fight mechanics smoother due to improving technology.

There was no shortage of bloody battle in games spotlighted at media events hosted by video game industry titans in the days leading up to E3 showcase.

And a hot video game trend now is “Battle Royale” death-match games such as “Fortnite” and “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” in which players vie against one another to be the sole survivor.

Shooting and swordplay have long been staples in a global video game industry that the Entertainment Software Association said took in a total of US$116 billion (B3.7 trillion) worldwide last year.

Violence in games has the trade group working to make sure politicians including US President Donald Trump understand that there is no link between that kind of play and what people do in the real world, ESA chief executive Michael Gallagher said on Monday (June 11).

Trump and the ESA met earlier this year after a slaughter at a US high school. Some blamed violence in media such as video games, not access to guns, for such shootings.

“One thing that has sunk in to a great degree is the truth that video game violence has nothing to do with real-world violence,” Gallagher said of meetings

In this stock photo gamers test new video games at the 2015 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Photo: AFP with politicians on federal and state levels.

“There are 2.6 billion gamers around the world, yet these outbreaks are uniquely American. It has got to be something else.”

A growing number of policy numbers are “rejecting the notion outright” that video games cause people to commit actual violence, according to Gallagher.

“The tide has turned significantly,”

he added.

In the US, 22 states offer video game companies economic incentives to set up shops and create jobs, according to Gallagher.

Some 45,000 industry members are expected to attend E3, along with 15,000 gamers who bought tickets to get access to the show floor and its more than 200 exhibitors, the ESA said.

16 EDUCATION

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Fostering a love of reading QSIP teachers strive to instil a passion for reading in all their students Rebecca Pera Cole

One of the greatest gifts adults can give to their society is to read to children.”

– Carl Sagan

Rebecca Pera Cole is the Head of Elementary at QSIP.

“T

here are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived so fully as those we spent with a favourite book.” – Marcel Proust.

Indeed, fostering a love of reading is one of the most important things parents and teachers can do, as reading supports all aspects of language

development.

But how do we as educators instil in our students this passion for reading, writing, and sharing stories?

At the Quality Schools International, Phuket (QSIP) elementary school, we accomplish this through many critical components of our robust balanced literacy program: Most importantly, we surround our students with engaging books and a text-rich environment in our elementary classrooms.

When we immerse our students in texts, we demonstrate that reading is something important, that it fills our lives, and can be something that is done throughout the day in many different environments. At QSIP, our elementary classroom libraries have appealing books at appropriate levels for all students in class. Our teachers guide students to choose appropriate books so that reading is joyful, and we then extend their learning by explicitly teaching reading strategies that will help them become more powerful and independent readers.

Our elementary educators differentiate instruction by allowing student choice in reading and also by ensuring that all students are reading “just right” books. The best way for students to grow as readers is for them to voraciously read books of their own choosing and books that they can read with high success (accuracy, smooth processing, and good comprehension). Our elementary team also encourages students to read for pleasure, embedding activities such as DEAR (Drop Everything And Read), an elementary read-a-thon, and a book character parade into our annual literacy plan.

We understand the importance of reading books aloud with students. Reading aloud to students has tremendous benefits. Above all, it demonstrates that reading is enjoyable and beneficial to our development as caring, empathetic human beings. It promotes a nurturing environment for students to explore story elements and comprehension strategies.

During read alouds, our elementary teachers model reading fluency, new vocabulary, and a variety of read-

QSIP elementary students at are surrounded with engaging books and a text-rich environment. Photos: QSIP ing strategies that effective readers utilize when they read independently.

Reading aloud with younger learners helps them establish the relationship between the printed word and meaning – students gain an understanding that print tells a story or conveys information. Older elementary students also model reading aloud to younger students through activities such as reading buddies and Read to Someone (from the Daily Five framework, an element in our QSIP literacy curriculum). These opportunities increase students’ reading involvement, collaboration using texts and attention span. Our students love reading aloud to partners and readily engage with books of their choosing.

We implement interactive writing and writers’ and readers’ workshops so all students are authors and illustrators.

By implementing interactive writing and writers’ workshops in our elementary classrooms, we offer students the opportunity to experience writing as a process. Through these daily procedures, children gain insights into how letters and words are put together to form messages, they learn “Concepts of Print”, and they craft meaningful reading material for the classroom by publishing collaborative classroom books and poems for sharing during our annual Writer’s Café.

At QSIP, our elementary teachers do everything we can to ensure our students develop a love of reading and writing. After all, as the Great Carl Sagan said: “One of the greatest gifts adults can give to their society is to read to children.”

QSIP

HeadStart students enjoy graduation camp

L

ast Thursday (May 31) and Friday (June 1), Year 6 students from HeadStart International School Phuket embarked on their first-ever school camp, staying overnight at the lush Adventure Mountain Club in Phang Nga to celebrate their primary school graduation.

“It was fun to share rooms with others to get to know them better,” said 6Y student Dylan.

The Adventure Mountain Club is situated atop a Phang Nga mountain. It has panoramic views of Phuket and Phang Nga and is surrounded by mountainous ranges. The club provides a wide range of facilities, entertainment and sporting activities which the students took part in. Lots of fun and enjoyment was had by all. The range of activities included: swimming, table tennis, pool, team games and artistic performances.

“I liked the singing!” said Theo, a 6B student.

The highlight for many of the

The recently graduated HeadStart Year 6 students get ready for zip-lining. Photos: Headstart students was zip-lining! At a height of 100 metres, the lengthiest zip-line is almost 150 metres.

Students swung from the tip of a mountain to another and thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the zip-line adventure. Everybody had a go on at least one of the five zip-lines that passed over the swimming pool and ravine many feet below.

“The zip-line was fun!” said Emily, a 6B student.

All in all this was a great way for the children to mark the end of their primary schooling.

“The best field trip I’ve been on in my time at HeadStart,” said 6Y student Lucky.

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PETS 17

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Puppies learn social behaviour from their litter-mates and other dogs early in their life.

Socialising your puppy

It’s never too early to begin training your dog to develop good behaviour UNLEASHED Russell D Russell russelldrussell@gmail.com

By the time your pup has reached six months, habits, both good and bad, have begun to take hold.

Off-leash training is essential. @thephuketnews

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any people, and vets, will tell you that training your puppy should not begin until after six months of age. This is utter nonsense and what’s worse, by the time your pup has reached six months, many of the primary developmental stages have long passed and habits, both good and bad, have begun to take hold. It is the early training, and indeed socialising, that are massively important factors in producing a well-rounded dog.

Early Socialising Puppies are born into this world deaf and blind, yet their learning and socialising begins immediately. During their first 16 weeks, all of their experience and interactions will shape the nature of the dog they will grow to become. Litter-mates, its mother, strangers, other dogs – all of them will make an impression.

From his mother, the puppy will learn crucial social skills and how to interact with others, skills which he will practice with his litter-mates. Pups that are removed from their mothers and litters too early in life (eight weeks or younger) are very often socially inept with people and other dogs. Socialising should start with a reputable breeder. So if you’re looking for a puppy, you need to vet your breeder as much as their puppies. Imprinting and social exercises can allow puppies to experience various situations they will encounter later in life in a safe and positive environment. The more diverse experiences the puppies can be positively exposed too early in life will help be more confident and better equipped to deal with stress and problem solving as an adult.

Getting your puppy home This early life socialisation doesn’t stop when you bring your new puppy home – it continues in earnest. Expose your pup to safe, new situations in a calm, confident and rewarding manner for desired behaviours.

One of the most important times in a pup’s life is between the ages of eight to 11 weeks where they go through what is called a “fear period”, which typically lasts for a couple of weeks. During this time, puppies may appear to be fearful of stimuli which they have previously been comfortable with and it’s important not to respond to this with coddling or attention, or you will reinforce the new reaction. Instead, remain confident in yourself and go on with calm praise for the correct reaction. Meeting new dogs, is often a scary time for new owners, let alone the puppy but it doesn’t need to be stressful and can be controlled. It is important that your puppy have good experiences early, so try and pick the dogs you work with. Signing up for group classes is always a good bet as it teaches your dog to pay attention to you in a variety of distracting scenarios with the added benefit of some doggie interaction too.

On-leash and off-leash is often of concern to owners – whilst off-leash allows your pup the freedom

to roam and investigate, having them on-leash gives the owner more confidence and control. However, tension on the leash will lead to tension in the dog, and can actually cause more problems. The best thing to do is do lots of focus work with your pup to get them responding to you. So when you’re out and about you can practice this, even in the presence of other unknown dogs.

Regardless of future plans for your puppy, it is important to remember that he is still a puppy and should not

be pushed harder than he can handle.

Any socialisation or training should be a good experience to maintain interest and make it fun for you both. Though dogs go through several life stages before they reach maturity, a strong foundation from the start makes all the difference.

If you would like more information on canine training, or behavioural issues, please contact us on 091 654 1960, email info@k9pointacademy.com, or check our website k9pointacademy.com

18 ISLAND SCENE

Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong and other officials welcome the Princess.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Airport staff offer ceremonial gifts to the Princess on her arrival in Phuket.

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS UBOL RATANA WELCOMED TO PHUKET On Monday (June 11) Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong together with members of the island’s business community and high-ranking government officials welcomed Her Royal Highness Princess Ubol Ratana. The Princess arrived in Phuket and travelled to Surat Thani and Phang Nga to promote the “TO BE NUMBER ONE” program. Phuket International Airport General Manager Phet Chan-charoen led the welcoming committee.

The Angsana team and hotel guests took part in planting 1,600 trees around the resort.

Angsana staff marked World Environment Day with a range of initiatives.

ANGSANA LAGUNA PHUKET MARKS WORLD’S ENVIRONMENT DAY 2018 To mark World Environment Day for 2018 last Tuesday (June 5), Angsana Laguna Phuket rolled out its annual “Stay for Good” and “Greening Communities Together” programs for the month of June. A total of 50 Angsana staff members and 12 guests volunteered to take part in planting 1,600 trees around the resort. Cleaning communities will continue to be a core component of the Greening Communities Together, program as well as awareness campaigns and social/environmental guest engagement activities.

All Year 1, 2 and 3 students took part in the fun.

Climats du Monde staff cut the 25th anniversary cake.

CLIMATS DU MONDE HOLDS 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Over 50 staff members from the French travel company Climats du Monde gathered in Phuket last Wednesday (June 6) to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary. The event feature delicious local food and drink as well as live music performances and cultural activities.

Students donned colourful costumes for the play.

BISP MARKS THE END OF YEAR WITH FUN-FILLED SCHOOL PLAY All BISP students in Years 1, 2 and 3 (over 150 of them!) entertained both their parents and fellow students with their delightful performance of The Litter Muncher.

The story of a village that slowly learned to take care of their rubbish and dispose of it responsibly fits in with BISP’s environmental awareness program.

Climats du Monde staff cellebrate the company's quarter century of operations. thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

ISLAND SCENE 19

9,000 RUNNERS TAKE TO THE COURSE FOR THE 2018 LAGUNA MARATHON More than 9,000 runners from more than 50 countries took to the start line of the 2018 Laguna Phuket Marathon last weekend (June 9-10), and even before the first start, records had been smashed. This year’s event attracted the largest field of runners ever (9,000); the largest number of international participants (1,300), the largest ever Marathon participation (2,000), largest ever Half Marathon participation (3,000), and the largest ever 10.5km participation (2,000). The Phuket News is a proud media sponsor of this event. Photos courtesy of Naratip ‘Golf’ Srisupab of SEALs Sports Image.

Two very tired runners celebrate at the finish line.

The Laguna Marathon is definitely a family affair.

There were happy faces all round for the Ride-A-Thon.

There was an excellent turnout for this month’s Business Sundowners.

PHUKET BUSINESS SUNDOWNERS NUMBER TWO HELD AT GRIZZLY’S Phuket Business Sundowners (PBS) is a relaxed and informal networking meeting held the second Friday of every month. The small entry fee of B500 per person, includes the first two drinks and a light buffet. Make sure to bring lots of business cards, as getting to know each other is what PBS is all about.

Students watch their friends ride the course.

KAJONKIET INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HOSTS RIDE-A-THON From left: Freddy, Annie, Stefano and Kamin.

SIS Kata celebrated its first anniversary.

Last Thursday (June 7) Kajonkiet International School Phuket hosted a “Ride-AThon” fundraising event to support the efforts of the Ride 4 Kids Version 2.0. Well done to all the students, teachers, parents who all jumped on bikes and scooters to raise much needed funds for three important children’s charities here in Phuket.

SIS Kata staff take to the stage for a group photo.

SIS KATA CELEBRATES 1ST ANNIVERSARY WITH THOMPSONS HOLIDAYS SIS Kata celebrated their 1st anniversary and welcomed 60 top-selling agents from Thompsons Holidays from South Africa. The joint celebration included delicious food and drinks as well as fun social activities throughout the night. @thephuketnews

20 EVENTS

FRI

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SUN

15 JUN

An Italian Evening Mussels night @ Shakers 1.2kg mussels served with French fries, your choice, your style: natural, marnière, Provençale, garlic and cream or Thai style. Reservations recommended B295 P/P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

ALL YOU CAN EAT BBQ RIBS Come join us for our WEEKLY BBQ EVERY FRIDAY served ALL DAY & ALL NIGHT at Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong. Indulge in All You Can Eat BBQ Pork Ribs, Chicken and Sides for ONLY 445 BAHT! Our BBQ is famous at Two Chefs!

Come try us out and enjoy our mouthwatering pork ribs, flavor-bursting chicken and more! Join us for Live Music from 8-Late Performed by Our Famous Two Chefs Band! Come for the FOOD - Stay for the Fun. www.twochefs.com

Hospitality Golf Challenge 2018 The Third Laguna Phuket Hospitality Challenge charity golf tournament will take place on the June 15, with an amazing day of gourmet golf at Laguna Golf Phuket Course all in aid of The Children First Fund.

Why not come and join the event with some great local hole sponsors treating all the golfers to some fun challenges and exciting Food and Beverage service. We are proud to have Live 89.5FM and Phuket News TV as our Media Partner and Sponsor. Visit www.aseanevents.com or email mark@asean-events.com Laguna Golf Phuket Course, golf@lagunaphuket.com, 076 324350.

Enjoy a selection of Italian antipasti, cold cuts, premium cheese, marinated olives, grill vegetables, homemade pickles, caprese skewers, bruschetta and homemade breads - all complemented by free-flow Italian beverages. B1,999 net per person for antipasti buffet and free-flow Italian beverages. Enjoy 25% OFF when you dine with four persons or more. Reservations at Dusit Thani, Laguna, Phuket: dtlpfb@dusit. com or call 076 362 999 ext.7303.

Jazz Night

Ride 4 Kids Ride 4 Kids V2.0 is in full swing, 20 riders will be cycling 700kms from Phuket from June 11 to 16, 2018.

All to raise money for The Good Shepherd, PHBGTU and Outrigger’s Share4Change. Join the coming home party at Metzos on June 16 and meet the team, tickets available for B2500 per ticket, please email donna.thethaiger@gmail.com and visit www. ride4kids.co for more information.

Healthy Vegan Buffet at DiLite Restaurant Come to Thanyapura’s DiLite Restaurant to enjoy a healthy vegan buffet every Monday to Saturday. Lunch: 12pm to 3pm Dinner: 6pm to 8:30pm. Price: Lunch B350 and Dinner B550. Information and bookings call 076 336 000 or visit: thanyapura.com/hotel/dining/

SAT

Jazz Night at Mom Tri’s Wok Pagoda Kitchen, Every Saturday night from 18:00 - 20:00 with Canape & Cocktail. For more infomation & reservation please contact 076-333-568 or fb@villaroyalephuket.com THB 850 per person. Mom Tri’s Wok Pagoda, fb@villaroyalephuket.com, 076-333-568.

17 JUN

Sunday Roast All Day, All Night Come enjoy a Traditional Sunday Roast EVERY SUNDAY at Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong. Indulge in our Traditional Sunday Roast ALL DAY & ALL NIGHT for ONLY 445 Baht! Enjoy a Large ALL YOU CAN EAT selection of your favorites!

Featuring: Roast Aussie Beef, Pork Loin and Chicken.

Roasted or Mashed Potatoes. Roasted Mixed Vegetables Flavored with Thyme and Garlic. Yorkshire Pudding and Red Wine Gravy. Enjoy Live Music from 8-Late Performed by Our Famous Two Chefs Band!

Come for the FOOD - RESERVE Your Table Now Online at bit.ly/TwoChefsReservations Check out more details on our website at bit.ly/TwoChefsEvents Reservation, Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong. Kata Beach 076-333-370 Kata Center 076330-065 Karon 076-286-479 Patong 076-344-914.

All you can eat Sunday Roast Buffet Beef, Pork and Lamb – Cauliflower, Broccoli, Peas, Carrots, fried mushrooms, grilled tomatoes – Yorkshire pudding – roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes – gravy, mushroom sauce, mint sauce. Reservations recommended. B350 P/P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

16 JUN

World Cup League @ BISP Term 3 Meeting - Rotary Club Patong The Rotary Club of Patong Beach cordially invites guests and prospective members to attend its regular meetings. The cost for non-members is B500 and includes lunch. The meeting begins at 12pm at the Millennium Resort in Patong. For additional information please visit: www.rotarypatong.org

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

All you can eat BBQ Ribs night 6PM – 11PM: All you can eat BBQ Ribs served with salad buffet, potato salad & choice of sauces. Reservation recommended. 295 baht P.P. shakersphuket@ gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

Dates: May 12, May 19, May 26, June 2, June 9 and June 16, 2018. Age / Time U9: 9:30-10:30; U11: 10:3011:30; U15: 11:30-12:30 *Girls may play down one age group. Package Includes – World Cup Team Kit, Participation Medal and Seven Saturdays of Matches.

Price: B3,000 if you register and pay before April 8, B3,500 if you register any time after April 8, 2018. To register for the World Cup League please contact: infobisp@cruzeirothailand.com

Go Live Sunday Seafood Brunch The Banyan Tree Brunch experience offers a generous selection of live fresh, local and imported seafood with exceptional lobster dishes, Japanese starters, mouth-watering meats, Asian wok and Western grill treats. Gourmet cuisine, exceptional service, live jazz and tranquil surroundings, The Banyan Tree Brunch has something for everyone! Every Sunday 12pm 3:30pm, Prices start from B2,800 net per person. For reservations email: fb-phuket@banyantree.com or call 076 372 400.

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SUN

EVENTS 21

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

17 JUN

THU

21 JUN

Traditional Sunday Roast at O’Tool’s Served from 2pm. Your Choice of either Roast Beef, Chicken, Loin of Pork or Leg of Lamb Served with Roast & Boiled Potatoes, 3 Fresh Vegetables, Yorkshire Pudding & Gravy. Only 350 Baht. Includes a Free Glass of House Red or White. See: www.otools-phuket.com

MON

FRI

22 JUN

KIS End of Year Show PIWC Luncheon – June 2018 Etho’s at Kalim Bay - B700 for members and B850 for guests. Arrive at 11:30am for registration for the 12pm lunch. Please book at: info@PIWC-Phuket.com

18 JUN

Each June since opening in 2011, Kajonkiet International School, Phuket has hosted an end of academic year theatre production. This June, our End of Year Show is Dr.Dolittle JR. The production will be held at Kajonkiet International School, Phuket, 125/1 Soi The Valley 1, Praphuketkaew Road Kathu, Phuket on Friday 22 June and Saturday 23 June. This exciting production, filled with unforgettable songs and characters is a fun-filled presentation of music and drama by KIS students to be enjoyed by both the school and the wider community. We warmly invite you to participate in this particular event!

6pm – 11pm: Beef, Pork, Chicken, Burgers, Sausages, Prawns and Squid, Salad buffet, Choice of potatoes and sauces, bread, buns and garlic bread. Reservation recommended. B395 P/P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

WED

20 JUN

Don’t miss out on our newest, exciting weekly event at Two Chefs. Come and join us for our special Flambé 300g Australian grass-fed rib eye steak served with a creamy peppercorn sauce, roasted vegetable medley and potato gratin for ONLY B495. Have a sweet tooth? Treat yourself to the Two Chefs banana flambé served with vanilla ice cream for ONLY B95. Sit back and enjoy one of our drink specials as you listen to the famous Two Chefs band performing all your favorite retro hits and more! Live music starts from 8pm and goes late at all of our Two Chefs locations. Reservations are highly recommended. You can book on our website at www.TwoChefs.com or find us on Facebook at Facebook/TwoChefsThailand. Come for the food, stay for the fun! Reservations: Call us directly at Two Chefs Kata Center 076 330 065, Kata Beach 076 333 370, Karon 076 286 479 or Patong 076 344 914.

See the creative ideas to help improve the skills that our world needs. You will see the combination of hotel people and touring people going head to head in “World Love” , competition, such as bartending, barista, towels folding, flowers arrangement, bed making and more. Come and cheer the winner of Mister & Miss Andaman Hotelier 2018. For more special promotion such as discounted hotel rooms, come and see us at HomeWorks on June 22-24 from 10am till 9pm. To register please contact; Facebook – Andaman Hotelier or call 095 234 2451. Supported by Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai Beverage Public Company limited.

MIDSUMMER ABBA PARTY!

Devour our succulent pork rib set complete with sweet corn chowder, blue cheese salad, moist cornbread and finished it off with a bread and butter pudding.

DJQ will keep the soul flowing and your toes tapping as you wash down those tender ribs with a bucket of craft brews. Full Rack set B1,600, Half Rack set B1,200, bucket of craft brews B800. Reservations, SALA Phuket Resort and Spa. Email: events@sala phuket.com or call 076 338 888.

On Friday the June 22 we are serving up our large Swedish Smorgasbord again! This year we are combining Midsummer celebrations with a Tribute to the awesome band ABBA. The buffet is served at 7pm and the Two Chef’s house band will start the show at around 8:30pm. The all you can eat-buffet is ONLY B795 (B395 for children) For more information or reservations please contact us at: katacenter@twochefs.com or call 076 330 065.

@thephuketnews

Colin illy Hill Band, every Thursday from 9pm till midnight @ Expat Sports Bar. No cover charge, Car parking available. Visit: facebook.com/ExpatSportsBar

Raising funds for medical equipment for Thalang Hospital. Teams of 4 - B11,000, individuals - B2,900 includes Green fees, T-shirt, cap, dinner, drinks, prizes, awards and more. Carts - advance booking - B700 shared. Rego - 10:30am, Shotgun start - 12:29pm, Dinner 6:30pm. Hole in One - Volvo V60 (B1.9M) from Stockholm Auto. prea.news@gmail.com, 086 471 4874, 081 982 9208 (Sam).

19 JUL

Andaman Hotelier and Tourism Fair 2018

Sala Wednesday nights ribs, beats, brews.

Live Organic Blues Rock

P-REA Charity Golf 2018

THU

RETRO NIGHT – BACK TO THE 70S & 80S

All you can eat BBQ night

SAT

23 JUN

PIWC Luncheon – July 2018 The July Lunch will be held at Mom Tri’s Villa Royale. B700 for members and B850 for guests. Arrive at 11:30am for registration for the 12pm lunch. Please book at: info@PIWC-Phuket.com.

DAILY EVENT UPDATES ON

22 TIME OUT

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York 1. In Norse mythology, name the enormous magnificent hall in Asgard ruled over by the god Odin.

2. What word do the Scottish people give for the last day of the year and its celebration?

3. Which Art Deco-style skyscraper was the world’s tallest building for 11 months before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building in 1931?

4. Which Nobel Laureate wrote the four-volume history of Britain and its former colonies entitled ‘A History of the English-Speaking Peoples’?

5. How many counties make up Northern Ireland? Can you name them?

Answers below, centre

SUDOKU

Easy

Across 1. Soften 5. Check 9. Brothers’ keeper?

14. Relaxation 15. Affix 16. Enraged 17. Highlight of an opera 18. Mimic 19. Crimefighting sidekick 20. Champagne and cava, for example 23. Barbecue site, often 24. Curse 25. Head guy 29. That girl 30. Churchill’s “so few,” (abbr.)

33. Depth charge target 34. Churn 36. Pepsi or RC 37. Popular reds 40. Spread 41. African plant 42. Sweetly, in music 43. “Thar ___ blows!”

44. Picasso output 45. Most mature 46. Times Square features

treaty 22. Cover completely 25. Small hills 26. Voodoo relative 27. Maison entrance 28. Chip’s partner 29. Mask 30. California white oak 31. Baldwin, and others 32. Aspect 34. ___ liquor 35. Beatle wife Down 36. Blockhead 1. After-dinner 38. Ankle connecting selection bones 2. String instrument 39.

Go off script 3. Part of SEATO 44.

Counsel 4. Become tiresome 45.

Proprietors 5. Ice formation, with 46. Prophesy mite 6. Three-toed animal 47. Cutting equipment 7. Capsize 48. Little pieces 8. Ice block 49. Dirty coat 9. Less dense 50. Mythological ship 10. New York 51. Metric unit borough 52. Wrangler rival 11. Ruth of the 53. Rah-rah diamond 54. Campbell of 12. Mayberry man ‘’Scream’’ 13. Word that ends 55. Stuff many fights 21. Environmental 56. Fox rival 47. Green fruit 49. Well-known white 56. Dog 57. Ceremony 58. Unending 59. Fake 60. Not even close 61. Mexican cheer starter 62. Mall 63. Predicament 64. As above

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) Valhalla; 2) Hogmanay; 3) The Chrysler Building; 4) Sir Winston Churchill; 5) Six (Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone)

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW

1

day on Mars is 39 minutes and 35 seconds longer than one day on Earth.

37

years old is all it takes to be officially older than half the people in the US.

4,604

dollars is the median credit card debt owed by people with MBA degrees – the highest median credit card debt of any degree type in the US.

525,000

Visitors drop in at Cape Panwa. Photo: John Pond Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket? Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

children under five die of diarrhea every day, according to the World Health Organisation.

10 billion

peanut butter and jelly sandwiches could be made by the peanut butter eaten by Americans in year alone.

Source: Uberfacts

This week in history June 15, 1978 King Hussein of Jordan marries American Lisa Halaby, who takes the name Queen Noor.

June 16, 1944 At age 14, George Junius Stinney Jr, an African-American wrongfully convicted of murder in less than 10 minutes, during a one-day trial by an all-white jury, becomes the youngest person executed in the United States in the 20th century.

June 17, 1631 Mumtaz Mahal dies during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, will spend the next 17 years building her mausoleum, the Taj Mahal.

June 18, 1815 Duke of Wellington and Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher defeat Napoleon Bonaparte in the Battle of Waterloo, forcing him to abdicate the throne of France for the second and last time.

comic strip, makes its debut.

June 20, 1837 Queen Victoria succeeds to the British throne.

June 19, 1978 Garfield, the long-term holder of the Guinness World Record for the world’s most widely syndicated

June 21, 2012 A boat carrying more than 200 refugees capsized in the Indian Ocean between the Indonesian island of Java and Christmas Island, killing 17 people and leaving 70 others missing.

Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Jobs

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Trades & Services

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

ADVERTISING SERVICES

CLEANING SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

MARINE SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENT

MARINE SERVICES

MARINE SERVICES

MARINE SERVICES

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Trades & Services

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

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classifieds@thephuketnews.com

MARINE SERVICES

MOVING SERVICES

POOL SERVICES

PROPERTY SERVICES

OTHER

ADVERTISE HERE

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Buy & Sell

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

JOBS T EN Live-in housekeeper wanted G R ULive-in housekeep wanted for house in Kata. Must understand English and love dogs. Excellent conditions. 31/3 Soi Plukjae Kata Phuket. Contact: Lillian Dinic: lil@ladolcevitare. com.au or call 080 690 5248.

GE UR

NT

Bar staff wanted

Blondie Bar 2 at Otop Market Patong requires Bar Staff. Thai nationals only. Good salary and room provided. Phone Mick: 081 087 6114.

BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE T EN

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FOR SALE SILVERCRAFT 31

ALMOST NEW 35 HOURS ONLY, STILL UNDER WARRANTY EXTRAS GRAB RAILS COVERS. AVAILABLE NOW THAI REGISTERED AND TAX PAID SEA TRIAL AT SHORT NOTICE OK, new price inc reg & extras B4,863,000 offers over B4.6 million considered. Please contact William at: wfphelps@me.com or call 00 44 11 89 841 627.

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Boat For Sale

72’(22m) Thai Trawler partially-converted as Tour Boat Business. Rebuilt from top to bottom 3 years ago (spent just over 1MB) including engine as was planned to use for a tour business, owner had to return to the UK unable to return (very ill son).

Some weather damage and need some repairs. Engine has only done only 6 hours, has new 12 kua generator. Currently in Hua Hin. Viewing can be arrange. Must sell within the next few months. Offers over THB 500,000. Contact Shayne on 0934 189 529 or shayne.inbox@gmail.com

BUSINESSES FOR SALE MINI RESORT - Near Laguna

Luxury Villas, 4- and 3-bedroom, pool, office/Apt, 1/2 Rai, well furnished – tropical garden setting. Now on vacation rentals, a money maker. Only B13.5mn - 089 594 4067.

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SURIN: LUXURIOUS BAR-RESTAURANT SALE

Totally renovated, Italian design and furniture, all-new imported kitchen and bar equipment, ready to operate. Large Bar, DJ booth, garden lounge, rooftop. Seats 50 indoors, 50 in garden and 40 rooftop. Pablo: 080 143 5541. info@dedos-restaurant.com

CARS, TRUCKS FOR SALE Chevrolet Cruze

As new, only 27,000km, one owner, service history, GPS, front and rear cameras, tinted windows, four new tyres, new battery, new rear shockers, 2011 model. B385,000. Call John in Kathu on: 082 278 4521.

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2012 Ford Ranger 2.2 Open Cab

78,000km. Six-gear manual transmission.

Looks and feels like a new car, treated like a baby by its single owner. Engine clean as. Full set of new tyres. B500,000. Call 081 427 5168.

CARS, TRUCKS FOR RENT GE

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CARS FOR RENT

We offer car rental at affordable prices.

Monthly from B10,000. Daily from B400.

Call us and find out what we offer. B10,000 monthly. Stig Johansson, 110/78 Moo 2, T Paklok, A Thalang, 83110 Phuket. Contact: stigisaan@gmail.com, 084 847 4377.

UR

@thephuketnews

HOME IMPROVEMENT Flat roof waterproofing

We do flat roof waterproofing with a 20year warranty by installing quality four layer slate spotted bitumen torch foil + crack repair! Andreas Ruthe, 22/5 Moo1 Kamala, Kathu. Contact: office@tcm-asia.com, 086 943 9834 or 076 385 081.

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE For Sale

New set of Kasco G7 golf clubs RH R FLEX. Driver 10.5°, 3 Wood 15°, U4 Hybrid 19°, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, P, S irons.

Milled head putter. 11 clubs, 4 head covers, graphite shafts except putter. B25,000. Bob Mather, Kathu.

Contact: bobmather_4@hotmail.com, 095 549 2748.

OTHER Accountancy,Bookkeeping,Tax

Accountancy, Bookkeeping, Australian Taxation, GST, VAT, Business Advisory Anabel Da Silva, PO Box 161, Palmyra, Western Australia, 6957, anabel@dasilva-accounting.com, +61 40 400 6236.

POOL TABLES Rasson Victory 2 Pro Tounament

Style is forever! The Victory Tournament 9 ft. pool table is a tournament-style, highquality pool table designed with commercial and private use in mind, slate bed. B228,000.

REAL ESTATE SERVICES CHATTHA Property and Rental Management Service in Phuket

Our services: Housekeeping, Garden, Swimming Pool, Maintenance and Repair. www.chatthamanagement. com office: 076 636 244 or mobile: 090 179 6635.

Chattha Management.

PROPERTY FOR SALE 80m2 freehold condo in Patong

Freehold 80m2, 2-bedroom apartment in quiet condo with swimming pool in Patong. Ideal investment in most active tourist area in Phuket. B5.9 million. Contact Michel GUILLIEN, Andaman Beach Suites, Unit 1604, Patong, Phuket. Email: mguillien@gmail.com or call 097 920 2339.

Luxury Villa

With private boat morning and jacuzzi.

Email paradise11@mac.com for pictures, plans and price.

Nicklas Klodner

Two-storey villa in a gated community @ Pruksa The Plant, Kathu. Corner land plot 170 sqm, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Indoors 140 sqm. With furniture ready to move in B8,100,000, Nicklas Klodner, The Plant 144/15. Email: nicklas.klodner@gmail.com or call +66 80 519 7719.

RPM owner direct

Unique luxury condo 2 bed, 2 bath, 155sqm. Foreign FREEHOLD. Architect remodel. New Jacuzzi. Views to lake, mountain, marina, pool, etc. Completely furnished to a high standard, toothbrush only required. Owner leaving Thailand. Priced at 16MB for quick sale.

Contact Brian (Owner): 089 054 4354, 076 360 943. bggvirgo@gmail.com RoyalPhuketMarina Condos.com

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FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

PROPERTY FOR SALE Amazing 1-bedroom house in great area

Brand-new one bedroom house with full kitchen and car parking and ready to move in, right in the heart of Rawai. Perfectly priced home on the most desirable street of Rawai, so don’t miss out! B2.9M for quick sale. Contact Benni by email at: b_gholami@ hotmail.com or call 088 168 5032.

New Modern Villa – 5 Mins to Ao Po Grand Marina

200 sqm, land 500 sqm, 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, swimming pool, close to UWCT school. Including: pool/garden/wifi/TV.SAT/services. Google map: tiny.cc/deltaho. Contact owner (Alain): mrdupouy@yahoo.fr. 65,000/ month, Alain, 57/3 Moo 3 Soi Ban Bang Pae, T. Pa Khlok, T. Thalang, Phuket 83110. Email: mrdupouy@yahoo.fr or call 081 893 5270.

Building for Sale

One-unit building for sale in business area Boat Avenue near Villa Market Laguna. Three and a halfstorey, 24 square wah. Khun Mhee (owner), 49/23, Cherng Talay. Email: anmehee@hotmail.com or call 095 545 0017 or 086 346 2622.

Unique Investment Opportunity

Unique investment opportunity Not to be missed: 5 pool villas, big land, large entertaiment areas, parking garages and private gates.

More info www.thegardenkptphuket.com www.thegardenkptphuket.com

5-bed pool villa, 1.2 Rai

3 detached buildings, L-shaped open plan living, Western kitchen, guest suite, pool 11mx5m, quiet residential area. 1.2 rai plot. THB19,750,000. Contact Mrs Simpson by email: thaivillaonline@gmail.com or call 084 447 7248. More info at: thaivillaonline.com

Chalong Office, Workshop/Store

300sqm office on 2 floors with all services incl.3 phone lines + 300sqm undercover workshop/store with 4m ht & 3 phase. Chanote 0.5rai.

B12,000,000, Simon Jupe, 29/4 Soi Nayai, Chalong, Phuket 83130. Email: simonj@cscoms.com or call +66 (0)87 883 2542

Single house for sale

Located the way to Yamu Pa Khlok, from the main road 500m, 55 SQW, 3 bedrooms, 2 restrooms, with modern kitchen, 2 cars parking, free space 140 SQM. 3.5 Million Baht, K. Suwit: suwitlap5@gmail.com, 081 895 6969.

PROPERTY FOR SALE Penthouse for Sale

432.44 Sqm.Penthouse for sale: 320 Degree view of Patong bay and city. Private pool. 22nd floor (top floor) at Andaman Beach Condominium, Patong, Phuket, Thailand. Condo Facilities : Two tennis courts, 10 x 24 Meters swimming pool , fitness & game room,restaurant, parking. 60 Million Baht O.N.O., Songpan, songpanpirom@hotmail.com, 081 737 8662.

PROPERTY FOR RENT Ready 01/07/2018

Rent. The Heritages Suites, nice 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Jacuzzi, 160sqm.

Modern furnished. Lease long term (minimum 1 year). Parking, pool, fitness. Close KIS, Lotus.

39,000, Aouiche, Kathu, Thai 089 552 9303/Eng 093 717 9343.

Pool Villa For Rent PhangNga

4-Bed Pool villa nearby Natai beach.

Surrounded by nature. North of Phuket, 25 mins from airport. Idea for retired/long term stay family. Yupadee: miakcg@yahoo.com, 081 926 3286.

COMMUNITY

PROPERTY FOR RENT

Property 5 Mins to Ao Po Grand Marina

Very big house 750sqm, Land 4,000sqm, available 15 June, 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, swimming pool, jacuzzi, close to UWCT school, including pool, garden, service, wifi-tv/sat.

Google map: tiny.cc/deltaho, Contact owner (Alain): mrdupouy@yahoo.fr. Long term 145,000/Month, Email Alain: mrdupouy@yahoo.fr or call 081 893 5270.

PROPERTY FOR RENT 3-Bedroom Western Villa

Near Laguna, has all, full kitchen, quality furniture.

Live in tropical garden, good security, secluded.

6/M lease: B20,000/M. Call 089 594 4067.

For Rent Kata Beach

Nice one-bedroom apartment, modern furnished, 68sqm first floor close to indoor pool-saunaelevator. B25,000 per month.

Exclusive electric, minimum rental period 6 months. Tel: English 064 532 3637, Thai 094 803 5944. Email English: villaonroof@gmail.com or Thai: maliwan_kaewmeesri@ yahoo.com

New Rawai Villa Rent & Sale

PuriAnda Villa: 2 Bed, Furnished, Kitchen, Private Pool, Sala, Land 350m2, House 165m2, 2km to Nai Harn. Short or Long Term Rent Only B60,000, Sale: 8.9m. info@purimasproperty.com, 0815384588

PROPERTY WANTED Looking for property in Laguna

Willing to sell or rent your property in the Laguna area? Please contact me: raisa@ rl-property.com or +66(0) 81 737 1687 (you can use Viber, Whats App or Line) raisa@rl-property.com thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

SPORT 29

Ferrari cruise in Canada Vettel’s win from pole at Canadian GP a wake up call for Mercedes BOX OF NEUTRALS Michael Lamonato michael@boxofneutrals.com

S

ebastian Vettel’s lightsto-flag victory from pole position at the Canadian Grand Prix was a shot in the arm for Ferrari’s title ambitions, but for Mercedes boss Toto Wolff it sounded alarm bells.

Mercedes was the pre-race favourite for the Canadian Grand Prix, and for good reason. Since the introduction of the turbo-hybrid power unit in 2014 the German marque has had a distinct advantage at the power-sensitive Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, combined with Lewis Hamilton, the second most successful driver at the North American race, the Silver Arrows have been unstoppable every year bar 2014, when brake failure cruelled a certain Hamilton victory.

But in 2018 Mercedes’s engine dominance has begun unravelling at the hands of a rejuvenated Ferrari team, and there are fewer places

Race winner Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Ferrari celebrates after winning the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal last Sunday (June 10). It was Vettel’s 50th career Formula One victory. Photo: Mark Thompson /AFP for the reigning constructors champion to hide.

Pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, another power-sensitive track, was initial conf ir mation, but Hamilton’s fortuitous victory after a safety car and late-race puncture for teammate Valtteri Bottas dulled the significance of what for most of the race looked like

a sure-fire Vettel win.

In Canada, however, there were scarce few places for the team to hide, with Bottas finishing an inoffensive second behind an unreachable Vettel and Hamilton fifth after being jumped by Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo.

The result returned Sebastian Vettel to the top of the drivers championship table

Taekwondo siblings:

Brother and sister Rainer and Anna from British International School, Phuket (BISP) recently participated in the 3rd Phuket International Taekwondo Championship 2018 with both performing very well; Anna (5-6 years old age group, 22-24 kilograms, Class B) won the Silver medal, while Rainer (13-14 years old age group, 45-49 kilograms, Class A) won the Bronze medal.

“It is wonderful to see our students participating in sports outside the school arena. Congratulations to both Rainer and Anna for their hard work and effort in Taekwondo we are very proud of their achievements,” commented BISP Director of Athletics Jeff LaMantia.

HASH HOUSE HARRIERS

Run #1689: Saturday June 16 Run Start Time: 4pm Hares: Murkurky, J.C., Rampant Rabbit Location: Kathu - Tessaban One School nearby Phuket Tin Mine Museum Directions: From Patong go over the hill to Kathu and turn left at the Caltex traffic lights. Follow the road and turn left after passing the traffic lights to Kathu Waterfall. Follow the road around LPGC, the school/ laager site is on the right (HHH) before you get to the Tin Mine Museum. From the southern part of the island head north and after the bypass road turn left towards British International School, Phuket (BISP). Go past BIS on your right and follow the road towards LPGC. The school/laager site is on the left just after the Tin Mine Museum. Permission has been granted to use the car parking area only, not any buildings.

Anyone littering will be hung drawn and quartered.

Bus pick-up: Kamala @ Black Cat’s Bar: 2:45pm Patong @ Expat Hotel: 3:15pm More info: phuket-hhh.com

@thephuketnews

with a one-point advantage over Hamilton and closed Mercedes’s lead over Ferrari in the constructors standings to just 16 points.

The relative anonymity of the result, outraced and outfoxed by both its championship rivals, left the team feeling “the opposite of confident”, according to Wolff, who told Austrian TV station ORF that

his team needed to “wake up”.

“We have fallen behind in every respect,” he said. “This is a track where we should have maximised points.

“It is a strong track for us, but all weekend long we did little mistakes, from the beginning on.”

The trouble started on the Wednesday before the race, when Mercedes discovered a “quality issue” that forced it to delay the introduction of its latest-specification power unit, which was due to debut in Canada.

It left Mercedes as the only engine manufacturer without an upgrade on Montreal, putting it immediately on the back foot.

“I think you need to get the right balance between pushing the development very hard, adding performance to the car, and at the same time keeping reliability,” Wolff said, but he refused to put his team’s poor performance down to the engine.

“It is more that we have seen today a Ferrari that has been the stronger car,” he said. “Stronger in qualifying,

stronger in the race, and at no time did we have a real chance to fight for the win.

“I think this is – and we’ve had it in the past – a major wake-up call for every single member of the team.

“Everybody needs to assess how to improve performance in order to optimise on those marginal gains because those marginal gains are going to make all the difference.”

Speaking after his win last Sunday (June 10), Vettel said, “Perfect is probably a good way to describe it. To have a race like we had today is unbelievable.

“I said yesterday how much this place means for Ferrari … I think after a long stretch Ferrari didn’t win here – I saw people around and they were super happy. I’m sure they had a blast.

“To have a Ferrari winning today and me driving it makes me very proud.

“Grazie alla squadra.”

Don’t forget to listen to listen to Live89.5 each and every Saturday at 9am and 5pm for the Box of Neutrals radio show.

30 SPORT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

TOP THREE RESULTS FOR EACH DISTANCE

Runners line up for the start of the 13th Laguna Phuket Marathon. Photo: Supplied

Marathon (42.195km) – Male Koji Nishizawa (JPN), 02:44:16 Supit Chantharat (THA), 02:54:52 Jaray Jearanai (THA), 02:59:37 Marathon (42.195km) – Female Sabrina Polito (ITA), 03:30:27 Asuka Nakajima (JPN), 03:38:36 Sabine Claudia Egger-Weickhardt (AUS), 03:41:55 Marathon Team Relay – Male Team Kratingpleaw (THA), 04:27:36 Team Bigbang (THA), 05:24:29 Marathon Team Relay – Female Team HSIS Just Run (THA), 06:13:54 Marathon Team Relay – Mixed Team UA Team 2 (THA), 03:43:54 Team UA Team 1 (THA), 04:44:02 Team WAIT ME PLEASE (THA), 04:59:12 Half Marathon (21.097km) – Male Boonthung Srisung (THA), 01:13:08 Hiroki Nakajima (JPN), 01:13:41 Wai Tim Chu (CHN), 01:22:45 Half Marathon (21.097km) – Female Natthaya Thanaronnawat (THA), 01:27:02 Maire Nic Amhlaoibh (IRL), 01:28:59 Tomomi Nakajima (JPN), 01:31:52

10.5km – Male Hiroki Nakajima (JPN), 00:34:25 Kisi Koniti Gerba (ETH), 00:36:32 Matthew Hobbs (GBR), 00:36:38 10.5km – Female Tomomi Nakajima (JPN), 00:41:49 Surakarn Wanna (THA), 00:43:33 Natcha Bunta (THA), 00:49:31 5km – Male Koji Nishizawa (JPN), 00:17:09 Rattakarn Lamanee (THA), 00:17:39 Christopher Strom (AUS), 00:17:52 5km – Female Hayley Newman (AUS), 00:19:46 Sam McInnes (GBR), 00:20:16 Patcharin Kritsan (THA), 00:21:15 2km – Men Masaya Yokoyama (JPN), 00:08:26 Conor Walby (GBR), 00:08:37 Siravich Sirisakulsombut (THA), 00:08:57 2km – Women Sienna Hunt (GBR), 00:08:34 Ruby Vidotto (THA), 00:09:53 Yui Yokoyama JPN), 00:09:55

Thai, Japanese domination Continued from page 32 ...and Natthaya Thanaronnawat.

Boonthung was the runaway winner in the Male division in a time of 01:13:08, six minutes faster than last year’s winner while in the Women’s division Natthaya Thanaronnawat claimed the title in a time of 01:27:02 ahead of Maire Nic Amhlaoibh (IRL) in second.

In a packed 10.5km field, last year’s power couple Hiroki Nakajima (JPN) and Tomomi Nakajima

(JPN), on honeymoon at the 2017 race and overall winners in the Marathon Male and Female divisions respectively, returned this year to take out the 10.5km Male and Female divisions in times of 00:34:25 (two minutes faster than the 2017 winner) and 00:41:49 respectively, and then went on to race the Half-Marathon the following day finishing second and third.

Joining the 2,000 10.5km runners was Phuket Governor Norapat

Plodthong and Vice Governor Sanith Sriwihok.

While Koji Nishizawa completed the 5km and Marathon double for the Men, in the Women’s 5km it was Hayley Newman of Australia who three-peated in a time of 00:19:46 and went on to finish fourth in the Half-Marathon.

Following this year’s record breaking , it was announced earlier this week that the 14th Laguna Phuket Marathon will take place on Saturday June 8

and Sunday June 9, 2019.

As with the 2018 event, the 2019 event will see the 10.5km run, 5km run and 2km kids run held on the Saturday afternoon and the Half-Marathon and Marathon on the Sunday morning.

The super early bird entry period has now stared and ends on June 30 with savings of up to 25% cent on the early bird entry fees and up to 50% on the regular entry fees.

Entries for the 2019 event are limited to 10,000 runners and the event

is expected to be another sell-out.

Register at www.gotorace.com/ laguna-phuket-marathon-2019/ now to secure your entry slot for next year and save big on your entry fee.

Organised by leading event organiser Go Adventure Asia, Laguna Phuket Marathon is certified by AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) for a 13th consecutive year and remains a qualifying event for the Boston Marathon.

Caddy Shack take early lead in Patong Pool League POOL THE SECOND ROUND OF Patong Pool League (PPL), sponsored by Thailand Pool Tables, Genius 2 Garden and Restaurant and Tualek Whisky, was played last Thursday (June 7) with results leaving Caddy Shack one ahead at the top of the table.

Caddy Shack took top spot following a 7-5 win

over Kwan Team (formally Hole in One Bar) in what in league terms is seen as the “Battle of Kathu” – the location of both bars.

Unusually for him, Kwan Team’s captain Goh had a difficult time handling his opponent from Caddy Shack while Davy and Lee from Caddy Shack and Ricky from Kwan Team won both their singles and doubles games.

The game all came down to the beerleg and this put a

lot pressure on both teams.

However, it was Caddy Shack who managed to keep their cool and won the beerleg in three sets giving them the 7-5 win.

Back in Patong, Happy End played a home game against Simon and Oils, and Bruno from Pattaya, a regular guest player for Happy End, managed to pot seven balls at the break. However, unfortunately the balls were from different species (four

stripes and three spots).

But there was somewhat of a miracle in this game as Happy End owner Robbie won his singles and doubles.

Who said miracles don’t happen?

The final result was a fair outcome for the evening with the score being 6-6.

Elsewhere, Ting Tong played at home against Martin Swiss. Cory, Nick and Johnny all had a good day winning their singles and doubles games. However, Martin Swiss managed to pick up points in the beerleg and limited the score to a 7-4 win for Ting Tong.

Meanwhile, Genius played at home against Natalie Bar in what was expected to be an exciting match with both teams having some real talented players.

It was clear that Genius boss Bam Bam was back to form and she set the standard winning her singles and doubles games. Luckily Bam Bam’s teammates Tommy and Ken followed her example.

However, Natalie team had no intention in giving the match away and Nui and

Genuis and Natalie had a great evening together with both showing some excellent pool skills. Photo: Supplied Peter also won their singles and doubles meaning the game could only be settled in the beerleg.

The beerleg also proved to be a tough match up which was eventually won by Natalie in three sets. The end result was a 6-6 draw, a score that both teams were happy with.

Finally, Wombat was playing a home game against Kiki Sports Bar. Brett from Wombat and Jack from Kiki put in strong performances winning their singles and doubles games.

It was another very close match which went down to the beerleg and Kiki Sports Bar took this in two sets giving them a 6-5 victory.

League Standings Caddy Shack Natalie Simon Oil Ting Tong Genius Kiki Sports Kwan Team Martin Swiss Wombat Red Light Happy End

14 13 13 12 10 10 10 10 10 7 6

Any people interested in playing in the Patong Pool League as well as visitors are all welcome to attend one of the 11 participating bars. You can also visit the Patong Friendly Pool League Facebook page.

Matt Pond thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

SPORT 31

‘Niru’ swims to success

Thanyapura swimmer breaks Para Swimming Asian record SWIMMING Matt Pond editor3@classactmedia.co.th

T

hanyapura scholarship swimmer Niranjan “Niru” Mukund, 23, last Thursday broke the Asian record at the 2018 World Para Swimming World Series “Internationale Deutsche Meisterschaften Swimming Berlin”, in Germany.

Mu k und f inished the 200-metre backstroke in 03:16:01, setting a new Asia record in this category. However, he also managed to pick up a bronze medal in the 50m butterfly and a bronze in the 50M fly at the event.

Posting on his Facebook page last Thursday (June 7), Mukund, said, “Racing after an year, back to back injuries and surgeries last year kept me out of the sport for a long time... Hoping for some good performance here at the World Series 2018.”

Later the same day he post-

Thanyapura scholarship swimmer Niranjan “Niru” Mukund broke the Asian record for the 200-metre backstroke at the 2018 World Para Swimming World Series in Berlin on Thursday (June 7). Photo: Supplied ed, “My comeback couldn’t get more sweeter than creating a new “ASIAN RECORD” In 200m backstroke, erasing a fifteen year old record created in 2003... few more races to go and this is definitely a sweet start.”

Last Sunday (June 10) he

posted, “Just the way I wanted to finish the World Series. A bronze in 50 fly!!! One of the best ways to comeback, Wrapping up the World Series with a new Asian record in 200m backstroke and a bronze in 50m butterfly... with some good performances and close races!!!

Big shout out to my support system @gosportsvoices @ speedoindia @meraki_connect @thanyapuraphuket @ werakesh and PCI...Injuries definitely make us stronger and better!!! Thank you all for your love and support...”

Mukund was born with

spina bifida and clubbed feet.

As a result, he has muscle weakness in his legs and throughout his life he has so far undergone 16 surgeries.

From Bangalore, India, Mukund started his swimming journey in 2003 at the Jayanagar Swimming Pool following his doctor’s advice that he should do sports, such as horse riding and swimming, to strengthen his legs.

From a hobby to get healthier and stronger, swimming has become his routine and career.

He swims for six hours and does two hours of gym work and conditioning each day because he believes that “dedication, determination and hard work are the keys to success”.

His strong commitment has built him a path to the world leagues. He won 10 medals in 10 events at the 2015 IWAS World Junior Games in Stadskanaal, Holland, and claimed bronze in the 4x100m medley relay at the 2014 Asian Para Games in Incheon, South Korea.

Gearing up for green-season regatta favourite SAILING MORE THAN 20 YACHTS and around 80 sailors are expected to compete in the 2018 Multihull Solutions Regatta, to be held on Chalong Bay on Phuket’s east coast from July 12-15, reports Phuket Yacht Club Commodore Scott Duncanson.

“Entries are already flowing in,” Mr Duncanson said.

“This is the ninth running of the event and on the back of a surge in multihull popularity globally has grown to become Asia’s largest multihull-only Regatta.

@thephuketnews

The Multihull Solutions Regatta is contested in four divisions: Ocean Multihull, Firefly 850, Corsair Pulse and Cruising Multihull. Photo: Scott Murray “This regatta has become many a sailor’s ‘green season’ favourite [in Phuket] due to the more consistent southwesterly monsoon winds and cooler temperatures.

“With participants from

Singapore, Japan, Australia and as far away as the United Kingdom its reputation as a truly international event continues to grow,” he added.

The Multihull Solutions Regatta is contested in four divisions: Ocean Multihull, Firefly 850, Corsair Pulse and Cruising Multihull.

This year Twin Sharks returns to defend the Firefly champion’s title while the absence of Henry Kaye’s Thor, winner of last year’s Racing Multihull Class, throw the doors wide open in the Ocean Multihull division.

Principal Race Officer Simon James, fresh from a very

successful Koh Samui Regatta, returns to manage the racing while an exciting social program is being planned by the Phuket Yacht Club organising committee, Mr Duncanson noted.

“The increasing popularity of multihull sailing is evident by the many local and offshore supporters including Phuket Boat Lagoon, Octopus Electrical, East Marine, Java Yachting and Corsair Marine,” he said.

The Phuket News

Named the 2016 Sportsman of the Year by the Sports Writers Association of Bangalore [SWAB], in 2016 Mukund also received the Ekalavya Award from the state of Karnataka in India in recognition of his performances in Para swimming and was also awarded the National Award for Best Para Sportsperson of the Year in 2015 by the Government of India.

Recently, he received a scholarship from Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort, where he met his mentor, Miguel Lopez Alvarado, Head Coach of the aquatics academy, who has gained more than 20 years of experience as a swimming coach at an elite level, steering able-bodied and disabled swimmers to great heights.

Miguel’s career is expansive. He has trained Olympians and Paralympians, but at heart it is his pure love for the sport that motivates him each day; a motivation that he passes on his swimmers.

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editor3@classactmedia.co.th

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

‘Niru’ breaks Para Swimming Asian record > p31

RECORDS SET 9,000 runners set new record for Laguna Phuket Marathon MARATHON The Phuket News editor3@classactmedia.co.th

N

ine thousand runners from more than 50 countries took to the start line of the 2018 Laguna Phuket Marathon last Saturday (June 9) and Sunday (June 10) and even before the first start, records had been smashed: Largest field of runners ever (9,000); the largest number of international participants (1,300), the largest ever Marathon participation (2,000), largest ever Half-Marathon participation (3,000), and the largest

ever 10.5km participation (2,000).

In the iconic Marathon distance it was 2016 winner Koji Nishizawa (winner of the 5km distance the day before in a time of 00:17:09) who at the 10km check point was in the lead group consisting of Ethiopian Kisi Koniti Gerba (second in the 10.5km the day before) and Thai national team runner Supit Chantharat.

After a tough battle over the first half of the course, Nishizawa broke away to claim the Men’s title in a time of 02:44:16 ahead of Chantharat in second with local favourite Jaray Jearanai (THA) finishing fast to take third.

In the Women’s division it was Sabrina Polito (ITA) who got the better of a strong field of Thai and international runners to cross the line first in a time of 03:30:27.

Following his record-breaking 2,215km charity run in 2017, Thai rockstar/celebrity Artiwara “Toon” Khongmalai, was back competing at the Laguna Phuket Marathon, and for the first time Thai running idol and author of “Homo Finishers”, Sarawut Hengsawad.

A top-class Half-Marathon field included Thai national team runners, Olympians Boonthung Srisung...

Continued on page 30

Japanese athlete Koji Nishizawa celebrates his Marathon win. Photo: Naratip ‘Golf’ Srisupab - SEALs Sports Images

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