16-06-2017 by The Phuket News

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ARMY RAIDS LIVE SEX SHOW IN PATONG > PAGE 3

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Region 8 Police Chief Lt Gen Tesa Siriwato has been moved to an inactive post in Bangkok, pending the investigation.

REGIONAL POLICE CHIEF CALLED TO ANSWER IN ‘PAY FOR PROMOTIONS’ CORRUPTION PROBE The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

deputy national police chief for the country will take up the post of Royal Thai Police Region 8 Commander, based in Phuket, while the previous commander is investigated for alleged corruption by involvement with “pay for promotions” within his ranks. Royal Thai Police Deputy Commissioner General Pol Lt Gen Thanet Pinmuangngam will take the post of Acting Commander of the Region 8

Police, The Phuket News confirmed on Tuesday (June 13). The announcement follows national police chief Gen Chakthip Chaijinda on Sunday (June 11) ordering Region 8 Police Chief Lt Gen Tesa Siriwato to move to an inactive post at the Royal Thai Police “Operations Centre” in Bangkok. The order itself recognises that the Gen Tesa is under investigation following allegations by Wittaya Kaewparadai, the former head of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), that Region 8

Police engaged in corrupt practices by allowing promotions and positions to be “bought and sold”. Mr Wittaya alleged that positions available to be bought ranged from Inspector to Deputy Commander of the Region 8 Police. Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chano-cha on Tuesday vowed to take tough action against any police officers found guilty of involvement in position buying within the police force. He was responding to claims by former Democrat MP Wittaya that

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the practice was rampant in police transfers and promotions last year. Gen Prayut thanked Mr Wittaya for drawing attention to the issue and providing information on it, saying he had received many complaints about corruption of this kind, reported the Bangkok Post. “This time, [those responsible] must be caught,” Gen Prayut said. The order to transfer Gen Tesa came while he was on an “inspection tour” in China. “He will present himself for investigation by Office of Inspector General Office in Bangkok...

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Phuket people take PM Prayut’s ‘Four Questions’ to heart > page 4

Driving traffic inland B5.5 billion expressway must progress: Gov The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

Officers check vehicles at a security checkpoint near Phuket International Airport. Photo: The Phuket News / file

Security ramped up by official order PH U K ET G OV E R NOR Norraphat Plodthong has passed on an order for all police, government officials and emergency-response teams across the island to increase security measures and remain vigilant for any suspicious activity, including possible car bombs. The order, dated Friday June 9, was also directed at all local village headmen and called for heightened surveillance at government buildings and key tourism areas, such as main tourist attractions, key ports and piers, hotels and Phuket International Airport. The order is to remain in effect for a week and was echoed by similar orders issued in Phang Nga, Krabi and Surat Thani – but did not specify a reason for the heightened security.

Governor Norraphat pointed out that it is the government’s duty to protect people’s lives and property. Accordingly, searches of vehicles coming onto the island at the Phuket Checkpoint at Tha Chatchai are to be increased and more stringent, and CCTV is to be checked more frequently. “Phuket is already covered well by CCTV, especially in important and high risk areas. The CCTV system is linked and feeds directly to the provincial operations centre at the main office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket branch (DDPM-Phuket),” he said. “We are well prepared in this respect, but CCTV now must be under 24-hour surveillance.” The Phuket News

huket Governor Norraphat Plodthong and a team of relevant government officials last Saturday visited the site of the planned multi-billion-baht 22.4 kilometre Sakoo-Koh Kaew expressway and stated that the road will be needed to help with the island’s growing traffic problems. In September last year, then Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada confirmed that the Highways Department had decided on the route the planned 12-lane expressway from Koh Kaew to Phuket International Airport costing B5.5bn would take. Ex-Gov Chamroen announced the route at a public meeting held at Phuket Rajabhat University on Sept 6, 2016. Speaking during the site visit last Saturday (June 10), Gov Norraphat said, “Construction of this new expressway has already been approved following four public hearings. The project is now going through its environmental impact assessment (EIA) which

Governor Norrapat Plodthong (2nd from right) seen here at last Saturday’s visit to the site where the new expressway is to be built. Photo: PR Dept should be finished in July. “Once the EIA is received there will be the post-EIA meeting where the results will be presented to the Bureau of Policy and Planning and National Environment Board. When the construction of this expressway is finished, it will mitigate some of the traffic problems in Phuket,” Gov Norraphat said. Gov Norraphat also told reporters, “Construction of the light rail will require space in the road’s central reservations and to allow the light

rail system the roads must be six metres wide. Therefore, if there is no additional route for traffic to take while construction of the light rail is ongoing then the traffic in Phuket will be chaos. “The central government is willing to develop Phuket’s transportation infrastructure to make it more efficient by solving traffic problems,” he added. There have been delays in the construction of the new expressway due to certain parts of the road falling within

protected forest areas, but during Gov Norraphat’s meeting with the Phuket Highways Office he stated that construction has been ordered by the government as it is required to mitigate traffic jams. “The construction of the expressway was meant to be finished before starting to build the light rail, however, some obstacles were out of the control of Phuket Highways Department such as the EIA which requires the involvement of national institutes,” he said.

DSI, soldiers hunt for wanted monk at mansions THE HUNT FOR PHRA DHAMmajayo, the monk wanted in connection with a multi-billion-baht embezzlement scandal at the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative, reached Phuket’s neighbouring province Phang Nga last week as officials from the Department of Special Investigation and soldiers searched

two luxury villas in the province. DSI officials together with soldiers carried out a raid on hilltop properties in Takua Thung district of Phang Nga in the hope of catching the fugitive monk. However, the raid left officials empty handed. Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI)

Col Paisit Wongmuang confirmed to The Phuket News that the properties which were raided are located on a mountain in Khlong Khian and belong to a Phuket property developer. However, he would not divulge any further information on the issue. It is also alleged that the man-

sions are located within the Khuan Toh La Forest Reserve. The raid came after DSI officials suspected that Phra Dhammajayo, 72, former abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya was using them as a hideout since escaping arrest earlier this year. Matt Pond

DSI officials and soldiers carry out their raid at luxury mansions in Phang Nga. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Police corruption faces probe Continued from page 1 ...soon,” a source in Region 8 Police told The Phuket News on Tuesday. All results of the investigation must be reported to Royal Thai Police Commissioner-General Gen Chakthip Chaijinda within 15 days, the source said. Speaking with The Phuket News directly on Wednesday (June 14), Gen Tesa said, “Don’t ask me about it. I can’t give any comment. We can talk later.” Deputy Prime Minister Pra-

wit Wongsuwon, who oversees the Royal Thai Police, said on Tuesday there were reasonable grounds for the probe and transfer. “Anyone involved in position buying will be dealt with,” he said. That confirmation, however, came less than 24 hours after Gen Prawit expressed confidence the allegation was unfounded. “I have confidence in my subordinates that everything is

above-board,” Gen Prawit was quoted as saying on Monday. If anyone was aware of any such wrongdoing they should report it, he said. “I have no idea how anyone could have bought positions. Deception would have to be a factor. Proper procedure is that appointments are proposed to the police chief,” he said. Mr Wittaya on Tuesday reaffirmed that his previous comments about police position brokering were true. thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Soldiers raid stage sex show in Patong

The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

he top-ranking soldier in Phuket is calling for tip-offs about live sex shows on the island after an operation targeting Chinese tourists was raided and shut down in Patong last week. Soldiers led by Col Santi Sakuntanark, Commander of the 25th Infantry Regiment and the highest-ranking army officer stationed in Phuket, raided the Wake Up Club in a backstreet behind the China Town Plaza on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, on June 7. Joining the raid, carried out at 10pm, were officials from the Kathu District Office and the Patong Police. Inside the venue officers found an audience numbering in the hundreds of what Col Santi called “international tourists”. On stage were performers Ms Wanida Chamjai and Mr Monton Jaraypanya, who were subsequently arrested. “They were preforming a pornographic show on stage. She was in a bikini, but expos-

Hundreds of tourists were watching the show when soldiers raided the venue. Photo: Royal Thai Army, 25th Infantry Regiment ing her breasts,” Col Santi said. Also arrested was club owner Sitthichai Changteang for providing a venue for the show and charged with operating an entertainment venue without a license. The show openly targeted Chinese tourists. “Tickets cost B2,500 per person, and there were many shows a day. The venue had about 200 seats,” Col Santi noted. With its own website WakeUpClub.net shut down, the club is promoted on Chi-

nese-language websites. One website promoted the main event as the “Tianhuang Show”, with “Tianhuang” meaning “Emperor”. Ms Wanida along with Mr Monton and Mr Sitthichai were handed over to the Patong Police, Col Santi explained. “All of them were taken to Patong Police Station for questioning. Right now, they are being investigated by the Patong Police. We might soon learn of a nominee behind the operation,” Col Santi said.

Gov calls for action as waves leave 2 dead, multiple rescues PHUKET GOVERNOR Norraphat Plodthong this week called for disaster officials to hold an emergency meeting to discuss ways of preventing more deaths at Phuket’s beaches during the deadly southwest monsoon, from May through October. The call came at Kamala Beach on Wednesday after rescue workers and lifeguards brought ashore the body of 17-year-old Chinese tourist Wei Peixin. Mr Wei disappeared in heavy surf while swimming with two friends just after 6pm on Tuesday. Both his friends were rescued by lifeguards. All three reportedly ignored red warning flags. While Gov Norraphat was speaking with the press at Kamala Beach, lifeguards at Surin Beach were busy rescuing two American tourists, both from Texas. Those rescues followed the death of Anon Rodjui, a 26-year-old from Samut Prakar n who lived and worked in Phuket as an air-conditioning techni@thephuketnews

Lifeguards give first aid to one of the Chinese tourists rescued at Patong Beach. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub cian. He and two friends were swept away by strong currents at Karon Beach before sunset last Sunday. His friends were rescued by lifeguards, but Mr Anon’s body was not found until 3pm Monday. The sight of his body being brought back to shore overwhelmed his parents in grief.

W hile rescue teams searched for Mr Anon on Monday morning, lifeguards at Patong Beach rescued three female Chinese tourists, who also ignored red warning flags. At last report, one of the women remained in ICU at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town. Eakkapop Thongtub

Col Santi declined to answer whether Patong Police admitted they knew about the sex show, or whether the Patong Police were questioned why no action had been taken to shut it down. Asked about any coming action against other sex shows in Phuket, Col Santi said, “I don’t know. That we will have to find out.” “I have learned of only two places, one was the Wake Up Club, the other is already closed,” he said.

PHUKET NEWS

Patong Police chief transferred to town PATONG POLICE CHIEF Col Chaiwat Uikam has been transferred to take up the post of Deputy Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police. The order was issued last Wednesday (June 7) by Royal Thai Police CommissionerGeneral Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda. Col Chaiwat’s transfer was listed with about 1,400 other transfers noted in the order, which are being regarded as “regular” transfers among the Royal Thai Police. Col Chaiwat took up his new post on Friday (June 9), in accordance with the order. “I am very glad for my new position; that my superiors have noticed my efforts in my work,” Col Chaiwat told The Phuket News on Monday. “My main duties are arranging police duties during Royal visits, as well as dealing with traffic, tourism and issues involving foreigners. “My work no longer focuses on crime suppression. Right now, I am learning the existing projects and campaigns under the Phuket Provincial Police, which are new projects for me,” he said. Pol Col Tassanai Orar-

Patong Police Chief Col Chaiwat Uikam is now a Deputy Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police. Photo: The Phuket News / file igdech is now the new Patong Police Chief. Col Tassanai formerly served as the Phuket Provincial Police Chief of General Staff. A man of few words, all Col Tassanai would say to The Phuket News on Monday was, “I started working in my new position on June 9.” Col Chaiwat’s transfer coincidentally came on the same day that soldiers, accompanied by Patong Police, raided a live sex show in Patong. However, it fills a vacancy left after three high-ranking Phuket City Police officers were moved on May 29 pending an investigation into allegations against the three officers’ for corruption and malfeasance. The Phuket News

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Rescue workers carry the man’s body out from his home at Baan Term Fun.

American expat found hanged

POLICE ARE INVESTIG ating the death of an American retiree at his home in the Moo Baan Term Fun housing estate in Baan Manik, Thalang, on Sunday (June 11). Capt Chatree Choowichein of the Thalang Police was notified of the death at 11:30am by Uthan Wongyai, 30, a longterm friend of the deceased, identified as Jerry Ray Byers, who was to turn 54 that day. On entering the house, officers found the expat hanged by a bedsheet looped over the bedroom door. They found no signs of assault on the man’s body or any evidence of a struggle in the house. “At this stage we believe the man may have been stressed by personal problems, but we will investigate this further,” Capt Chatree said. Eakkapop Thongtub

Phuket turnout speaks loud on PM’s ‘Four Questions’ The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

bout 200 people from across Phuket turned out on Monday (June 12) to give their responses to the “Four Questions” posed to the nation by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. PM Prayut posed his “four questions” late last month in his weekly televised address to the nation, stating that he aims to “cultivate the good values of democracy in the Thai people”. His questions, posed on May 26, were: 1) Will the next election result in Thailand having a government with good governance? 2) If not, what should the country do? 3) Elections are part of democracy, but are elections without regard for the country’s future right or wrong? And 4) Should bad politicians be given a chance to run for

Gov Norraphat welcomes a woman as she arrives to give her responses to PM Prayut’s ‘Four Questions’. Photo: PR Dept office, and if conflicts return, who will solve it and by what means? In his national address, Gen Prayut stated that he hopes to “open the platform for brothers and sisters to express their opinions and answer four questions to lead to future determination and reform of the country.” “Thailand’s democracy must not be a failed democracy, it must be a democracy with a government that adheres to good governance, leading to

Tourists safe after boat ‘lands’

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A TOUR PARTY OF 20 Chinese tourists escaped without serious injury after their speedboat returning from Phi Phi Island slammed into and mounted another speedboat at anchor off Phuket’s east coast last Sunday afternoon (June 11). Maj Nattaphong Pleungtaratigul, Investigator of Phuket Marine Police, confirmed the accident occurred at 5:30pm. “It was low tide and Teerachai Maimaad, the captain of the Golden Dragon Tour 1 speedboat, increased speed to get the boat plane towards shore,” Maj Nattaphong told The Phuket News. Capt Teerachai told police that the fast speed caused the hydraulic rudder to fail and that he could not control the boat, said Maj Nattaphong. “So the boat flew up onto the speedboat K. Kanreab, which was at anchor waiting

The ‘Golden Dragon Tour 1’ sits mounted atop the ‘K. Kanreab’ speedboat late yesterday afternoon. Photo: Phuket Marine Police for the tide to rise in order to safely return to Boat Lagoon,” he explained. “There were 20 Chinese tourists on the Golden Dragon Tour 1. None of them suffered any injuries and they were all transferred to another boat and brought safely to shore,” Maj Nattaphong said. “Luckily, no one was on board the K. Kanreab at the time,” he added.

The captains of both boats hold the correct licenses, Maj Nattaphong noted, adding that Capt Teerachai has been charged only with damaging other people’s property. “The damage has been valued at B1 million, and the owner of the Golden Dragon Tour 1 will take responsibility for this compensation,” he said. Tanyaluk Sakoot

national stability,” he added. In Phuket, citizens were invited to give their responses at two locations: at the Damrongdhama Centre (Ombudsman’s Office) at Phuket Provincial Hall; and at Thalang District Office. Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong visited both locales on Monday to greet participants, joined by Pittaya Wonggraisrithong, Inspector at the Department of Provincial Administration Region 8. The atmosphere of the

activity was “bustling and energetic with over 200 people”, reported the Phuket office of the national Public Relations Department. People can continue to provide their responses at both locations during government office hours, from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Responses will be accepted until further notice; no end date for the project has been announced. Under the project, responses are to be kept confidential and will be passed on to help guide policy formed for the future of the nation. The turnout by citizens in Phuket was huge compared with other much more heavily populated areas throughout the country. Nakhon Ratchasima Province, with a population of well over two million, saw only 20 people turn up to give their responses. Rayong, along economic corridor on the Eastern Seaboard, saw only six residents turn out to voice their opinions.

Karon Municipality calls for reports of dumping KARON MUNICIPALITY on Phuket’s southwest coast is calling for people to report unsightly piles of garbage dumped by the side of backroads in the resort town. The call for reports follows a site being cleaned up this morning, less than 24 hours after being notified of growing pile of rubbish dumped on Patak Soi 14, in the hills away from the beach. Satitha Jitmet, of the Public Heath Division of Karon Municipality, told The Phuket News last Wednesday (June 7) that her office was unaware of the pile of garbage. “Thank you for letting us know. Some places we don’t know about because they are not along main roads,” she said. The pile was cleaned this morning, with workers spending 30 minutes cleaning up the site. “If you see any piles of garbage in public areas, please

The large pile of illegally dumped garbage was cleared on Monday. Photo: Karon Municipality call us at 076-3332061, or people can come to our office to report it in person,” Ms Satitha urged this morning (June 8). Ms Satitha also appealed for people, namely business owners, to call her office instead of illegally dumping, a practice also known as “fly tipping”. “Municipality workers can collect it and take it to the incinerator at Saphan Hin for a small fee. The cost depends on the weight,” she added. Tanyaluk Sakoot thephuketnews

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PHUKET NEWS

shoplifters Dangerous drivers force Belgian nabbed at airport underpass lane closure Chutharat Plerin thai@classactmedia.co.th

slew of near-collisions from people trying to overtake while driving through Phuket’s Darasamut Underpass has forced the island’s Highways Dept chief to close one lane through the busy tunnel. The central lane was closed late last month, with traffic cones placed in the middle of the lane running the entire length of the lane through the underpass. Previously, the central lane was used to allow different traffic flow, controlled by overhead signs, depending on the time of day. “We had to put cones in the middle of the lane because we want motorists to reduce speed and to prevent them from overtaking inside the underpass,” Phuket Highways Office Director Patiwetwoottisak Sookki told Class Act Media’s Khao Phuket. “Our aim is to prevent accidents in the underpass. We have received reports from motorists of drivers using

The central lane through Phuket’s busy Darasamut Underpass is now closed. Photo: Chutharat Plerin the lane to overtake in the underpass,” he said. “We have also received reports of motorbike drivers using the underpass, but motorbikes are not allowed through the underpass – there is shoulder (outside the main lane) for them,” Mr Patiwetwoottisak added. Closing the central lane to traffic has another benefit he noted: “When any accidents happen inside the underpass,

it is difficult for rescue teams to render assistance, and it creates more traffic jams.” M r Pat iwet woot t isa k blamed Phuket’s renowned “bad driving habits” for the problems. “We have to make these changes to improve safety and to account for how some people think, and the motorists who follow the traffic rules are being inconvenienced by others’ bad habits,” he said.

Warning over fake B500 notes A RESTAURANT OWNER has posted a warning on a Facebook group page that there are fake B500 banknotes in circulation on the island after one of her regular customer attempted to pay for his meal using one of the notes. The restaurant owner, named only as Nong A, posted several images of the fake B500 notes in the ‘Complaints and news of people in Phuket’ group Facebook page along with the warning; “Outbreak of fake 500 baht notes. I have come across this, be careful with the 500 baht note”. “This note has no watermark. The back is upside down and it is smaller than an original. I went to the bank and they confirmed that it is fake. It is fortunate that the person who gave it to me was willing to swap it back with real money,” she added. Following the post, Nong A told reporters that she opened her rice and curry shop on Luang Phor Rd, in Talad Yai as usual on Sunday (June 11). One of her regular customers paid for his B60 meal with a B500 note, and was given B440 change. “I soon noticed that the note was unusual so I called @thephuketnews

Images of the fake B500 banknotes posted on Facebook. Photo: Nong A/Facebook the customer back to the store. I asked him to give me another note, he refused and said it was the only one he had,” she said. “We then told the customer that he could come back later in the day to settle his bill and asked him to return the change that he had been given, but this annoyed the customer and he quickly left the shop,” she added. “Later in the day I sent one of my staff to return the fake note back to the client who owns a shop nearby. He accepted the return of the fake note and returned the B440 change he had been given. But all this happened

after he threatened to call the police,” she said. “People need to be careful and check the notes they are given, especially restaurants, shops, grocery stores, markets stalls and other places that exchange money with haste. This is not worth the damage,” she urged. ‘Nong A’ also added that her customers who regularly sell fish at the second municipality fresh market, or the agricultural market, have also reported being left out of pocket after being passed fake B1,000 notes in exchange for seafood last Sunday morning. Eakkapop Thongtub

Strict enforcement of laws would not work, Mr Patiwetwoottisak added. “Strictly enforcing the rules cannot solve the original problem if motorists still have bad driving habits,” he said. “We will continue to have only the two lanes open until we find another way to solve the problem. I will have to discuss this with Phuket Traffic Police,” Mr Patiwetwoottisak explained.

A BELGI A N TOU R IST wanted for stealing a car mobile phone holder worth B699 from a Phuket Town shop was arrested on Monday (June 12) at Phuket International Airport while he was waiting to board a flight out of the country. After 17 days of searching for Belgian tourist Olivier Jerome Georges Verhaeghe, police apprehended him along with an unnamed accomplice at the airport while he was waiting for his 7.35pm flight back to Belgium. Verhaeghe, 58, was caught stealing a car phone holder on a security camera at Remax Thailand Phuket phone accessories shop on Yaowarat Rd in Samkong on May 26. He was seen wearing a white shirt and was believed to have entered the store with an accomplice in a black shirt, buying goods totalling B5,365 (B3,169 and B2,196) with two separate credit cards. After having bought the goods, which the authorities believes was only to distract the shop clerk, Verhaeghe walked out with his suspected accomplice. After two hours of interrogation by the local authori-

Verhaeghe was caught on CCTV stealng the car phone holder, worth B699. Image: CCTV ties on Monday, Verhaeghe confessed to the crime because of the evidence against him. He has been charged with theft during the daytime, which according to Section 334 of the Thai Criminal Code can result in a fine of up to B6,000 and up to three years in jail, confirmed case investigator Capt Ittiokorn Phacharatdet of the Phuket Tourist Police. Capt Ittiokorn credited the success in apprehending Verhaeghe to Nichapha-orn Chaiviriyawong, the store owner, as she had security camera footage that showed the appearance of the suspects, as well as information from their credit cards that lead the local authorities to know that they are from Belgium. Eakkapop Thongtub

Opinion 6

OPINION

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

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EDITORIAL

It pays to be honest

t appears to have come as no surprise to many readers of The Phuket News that there was a “sex show” venue operating in the island’s main entertainment hub of Patong. It also appears to come as no surprise to readers that it took soldiers led by Col Santi Sakuntanark, Commander of the 25th Infantry Regiment and the highest-ranking army officer stationed in Phuket, to carry out the raid on the said venue, the Wake Up Club, last Wednesday, June 7. But now the big question has to be why was it soldiers who were responsible for carrying out the raid on the venue? Col Santi has already declined to answer whether Patong Police admitted they knew about the sex show, or whether the Patong Police were questioned as to why

no action had been taken to shut it down. But when push comes to shove, it doesn’t necessarily take a brain surgeon to fathom why the venue was not closed down prior to the June 7 raid. When asked if there would be any action against other sex shows in Phuket, Col Santi said, and these were his words: “I don’t know. That we will have to find out. I have learned of only two places, one was the Wake Up Club, the other is already closed”. At a time when Thailand, as a country is still, shall we say, in a period of political instability and the ruling government are trying their hardest to get everybody on their side, you would have thought that a bit more honesty would be forthcoming from government officials.

Perhaps Col Santi genuinely doesn’t know whether Patong Police knew about the sex show, but for him to say that there are only two places that he knew of that had sex shows is an insult to peoples’ intelligence. Col Santi, please take a walk down Bangla Rd on any given night to see the touts promoting sex shows. But of course this would have to be done, as per the recent Wake Up Club raid, as a “special enforcement” as he described it. No one can dispute that the army appears to be doing a far better job of cleaning up the island than the police, a fact which serves to reinforce people’s beliefs and give legitimacy to the army’s rule. But if you hope to win over the people, it certainly pays to be honest them. The people are not blind.

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HAVE YOUR SAY Keystone Cops

Re: Belgian phone store shoplifters arrested at Phuket Airport Keystone Cops at it again, surely there are more important crimes to waste their time on. If it was a Thai they wouldn’t even bother. Pauly 44 ...................................................

The root cause

Re: Phuket soldiers raid live sex show in Patong It is very simple. The central government in Bangkok has to clean two Royal Thai Police pirate nests on Phuket, as Phuket officials are not doing it. They are: Patong Police Station and Chalong Police Station. Kurt ...................................................

Beware the trees

Re: Man escapes injury as pickup slams into tree Damn trees just jumping out and attacking slow, sober, careful drivers of Phuket. I am surprised they have not all been chopped down. Simon 01 ...................................................

All talk, no action

Re: Deputy PM pushes support for e-Gov in Phuket More on this subject. Anyone remember the plan (at an extortionate cost) to cover the whole of Patong Beach with free Wi-Fi? Quietly forgotten. Anyone remember the plan to make Phuket Town a “Smart City”? Quietly forgotten. Unfortunately, government officials seem to equate announcing these pie-in-thesky plans as actual action. Be prepared to see this initiative quietly forgotten, also. If, after nine months, they can’t get the online 90-day reporting website up and running, what hope is there for this E-Gov initiative? Sir Burr ...................................................

Phuket is not ready

Re: Phuket’s dangerous driving habits force underpass lane closure It’s because of these dangerous driving habits that a light-rail system would not work here. Anything with wheels would be cutting across the tracks. Probably even parking on the tracks if it suits them, like

those idiots who like to leave their car in the middle of the road while doing a bit of shopping at their favourite 7-Eleven. The light rail would have to travel at a very low speed to avoid all these obstacles. Phuket is not ready for light rail. They can’t get past the songtaew, which travels at about 20 kilometres per hour. Timothy ...................................................

Indifferent police

Re: Phuket beach authority calls for public reports of illegal dumping Recently, I saw someone in the process of unloading a pickup truck full of garbage on the side of the road. A few hundred metres along the same road, there was a police checkpoint, so I immediately reported what was going on just around the bend. They simply shrugged. Their job was traffic, not garbage. Municipalities may be in charge of picking it up after the dumping, but police should surely be handling the illegal act of dumping. Especially if the person could have been caught in the act. If authorities do not start

to work together, nothing will ever be done. Tinkerbell ...................................................

Shame on us

Re: Phuket’s dangerous driving habits force underpass lane closure Everyone in Phuket should be ashamed of this, we all knew the three lanes was a bad design but to have to close it due to the shocking driving habits should shame all of those who drive cars in Phuket. The “me first” attitude needs to change. Discover Thainess ...................................................

Do something!

Re: Phuket beach brown water ‘only natural’, says official As long as there are “do nothing” local officials, there will never be any progress on cleaning up the festering water-quality problems on Phuket. Every beach along the west coast is a shameful sewage dump, with nothing but signs that it is just going to get worse. Shameful mismanagement of all aspects of the marine environment. Ben Pendejo

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THAILAND NEWS

Backwater to boomtown The rural Thai city that’s emerged as a sporting Camelot BURIRAM Sally Mairs

‘godfather’ of Thai politics is using cash and contacts to transform his once poor, forgotten rice-farming fiefdom into an unlikely sporting Camelot, complete with a football stadium and racetrack set to host the MotoGP. Newi n Ch idchob, a 58-year-old native son of Buriram in Thailand’s agrarian northeast, has enticed super-rich investors into his vision of a sports hub amid the rice fields. The swaggering former MP has already delivered two venues that now dominate Buriram, a sleepy town whose 30,000 population could be seated more than three times over in them. First, in 2011, came the imposing ‘Thunder Castle’, a mega millions football stadium purpose-built for leading Thai Premier League side Buriram United. It was followed three years later by a $58.9 million (B1.99 billion) racing circuit, the first Formula One certified track in Thailand. According to Thai sports authorities the circuit secured the rights this week to stage a leg of the prestigious 2018 MotoGP, a personal coup for Newin who has been lobbying hard to bring the event to his flagship venue. The motorcycling extravaganza would pour millions of dollars into Buriram, which was once among Thailand’s poorest provinces. “I wanted to create something that this country didn’t have,” Newin said from the grandstand as GT race teams prepared for a recent competition.

The 58-year-old former Thai MP, Newin Chidchob (centre), watching Buriram United football players warm up before a Thai Premier League match at the i-Mobile ‘Thunder Castle’ stadium in the northeastern Thai province of Buriram. Photo: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP “Now we’ve changed this town from being a place people pass through, from a city with no tourists, to one that now has around three million visitors a year.” Thanks to the sporting makeover, Buriram is a rare pocket of economic vibrancy in northeastern Thailand, a farming region whose development lags far behind Bangkok and the tourist destinations of the beach-streaked south. Locals are the first to say that none of it would be possible without Newin, known by some as the ‘Baron of Buriram’. “We never dreamed we would have these kind of stadiums,” said school teacher Janpen Pansri, one of many residents wearing the blue kit of Buriram’s football team. “But whenever Newin

announces he’s going to do something, he does it,” she added. “We all give our hearts to him.” Much of T haila nd is carved up into the domains of influential families who dominate local political and economic life. Buriram is no different. Patronage, power and ruthless decision-making have shaped Newin’s rise to the top. Before making his mark with sport, Newin spent two decades in Thailand’s bearpit political arena, trading favours and switching teams just in time to land on the winning side. “It’s over boss,” he famously told his former friend, ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra by phone in 2008 after throwing his weight behind the rival Democrats – a mercenary move that earned him the

An overview of the Chang International Circuit, Thailand’s first FIA Grade 1 approved motorsport race track. Photo: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP @thephuketnews

moniker “The Kingmaker”. Newin was later banned from politics for vote-buying and retreated to his power base in Buriram, bringing his passions – football and big bikes – with him. He bought a small football club based near Bangkok, moved it to Buriram, and housed the squad in a gleaming stadium which towers above the ramshackle, onestorey homes common to the area. Seven years on, Buriram United is one of the kingdom’s top teams – sponsored by a who’s who of Bangkok’s business elite – with five league titles and regular appearances in the Asian Champions league. Newin, often seen cruising through town on his Ducati, also drew on wealthy Bangkok friends to erect the 1,400-acre

racing circuit. The track is named after its top sponsor Chang, a beverage giant owned by one the kingdom’s richest and most influential billionaires. Newin says sport not politics has brought the boom to Buriram. “I was a politician for over 20 years, but I couldn’t make people in this city richer or happier in the way I have in the past seven years of being a regular person,” he said. “For those who live in

other provinces – I hope that they will also have at least one person in their town is like me.” Newin boasts of the speed in which his stadiums were built – a contrast to the delays that hobble government-backed infrastructure projects. “No-one (in Buriram) is more influential than him,” said Chaiya Chotikavanik, a retired politics professor from Buriram Rajabhat University. Even without an official post, “Newin has the type of power that means if he suggests how things should be, people listen,” Chotikavanik added. This influence has been carefully burnished by his man-of-the-people image. Renowned for eating at local pad Thai joints, Newin readily lends his name – and cash – to all manner of community events. Thousands of jobs have been created by the stadiums, with 5,000 new hotel rooms and hundreds of restaurants built in their wake. But the biggest beneficiary of Buriram’s sporting ascent is likely to be the wily Newin himself. Politics was like “living in hell,” he says with a grin, swatting away rumours of a return to the fray once Thailand emerges from junta control. “Now that I’m out of it I feel like I’m in heaven. Now wherever I go people love me.” AFP

THAILAND NEWS

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Japanese kidnapping boss may be at large BANGKOK POLICE BELIEVE THE mastermind behind the abduction and torture of a Japanese businessman who was rescued last Friday (June 9) is still at large. Lt Gen Sanit Mahathavorn, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said on Tuesday (June 13) that some of the three suspects already in custody had allegedly been hired to commit the crime but none of the others could afford to do so. Therefore, it was highly likely there was a mastermind who could pay for it, the Bangkok police chief said. He was referring to the rescue of Tsunemi Watanabe, 56, from Room No.719 at the Grand Hi-tech Tower apartment building on Ekamai Soi 23 in Watthana district last Friday. The owner of a medical equipment distribution business was seen tied to a bed and sustained serious injuries to his legs and bruises on his body. At the apartment building, police arrested Masato

Japanese businessman Tsunemi Watanabe, 56, rests after his rescue by police in Bangkok last week. Photo: Royal Thai Police Kobari, 45, Reo Tsuruzoe, 41, and Kiyoto Miyata, 57. Lt Gen Sanit said Reo was allegedly the gang leader but that Thai police could not find any transnational criminal record of the gang. The victim was not ready for lengthy interrogation but initial questioning found that the man might be abducted for ransom, the Bangkok police chief said. He also said that police would examine the victim’s assets and businesses. The Southern Bangkok Criminal Court yesterday

approved the first detention period of 12 days for the three Japanese suspects who were charged with detention and physical assault. Police told the court that from June 5 the suspects detained Mr Watanabe, tied him to a bed with electric wires, blindfolded him with a black cloth and used a baseball bat to break his right leg. Police initially attributed the crime to a construction conflict. The three suspects denied all charges. Bangkok Post

The provocative ka-dao concert performances by Lamyai Haithongkham have caught the attention of the prime minister - but not in a good way. Photos: Bangkok Post / YouTube/Loogthung THAILAND!

Left reeling by ‘twerks’ BANGKOK

Bangkok Post

n response to Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha’s criticism over her sexually provocative moves, singer Lamyai Haithongkham on Tuesday agreed to reduce the number of her signature “twerking” moves from nine to only three consecutive times. Prachakchai Naowaras, the manager of Haithongkham Records and also of Lamyai, said on Tuesday (June 13) that Gen Prayut was not serious when he criticised the teenage singer over her scanty outfit and dance moves. However, Mr Prachakchai added: “Now he has mentioned it, we are ready to fix it. “We will now reduce the signature twerking moves from nine to three.” Lamyai, 18, is famous for her thrusting hip movements and a low squatting position which some of her Thai fans

vulgarly call the ka-dao move. At any rate, Mr Prachakchai said it was impossible for Lamyai to don proper attire or stop her signature moves. “Even Michael Jackson danced like this,” he said. However, he refused to give in to conservative social critic Rabiabrat Pongpanich who criticised her stage name “Haithongkham”, which translates into “golden jar” as sexually suggestive. Mr Prachakchai said: “What’s wrong with the name? Haithongthom means a jar with assets. If she had criticised the performance, we can accept that. But not her stage name, this is bias.” Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd, the government's spokesman, thanked Lamyai and her manager for their understanding of the prime minister’s good intentions. “The prime minister just wanted to tell public figures what is appropriate,” said Lt Gen Sansern.

“Our society has many complicating problems such as rape, murder, prostitution and other provocative and obscene acts. “If people in the country don’t help fix the problem at the root, the problem will never end.” Gen Prayut earlier asked the media to warn the performer over her revealing clothes and inappropriate dance moves. Asked by the media what he would do to respond to the popularity of Lamyai, he said: The media “should warn her. But it is partly up to the audience. They like watching this.” Asked whether the premier would assign the Ministry of Culture to warn Lamyai, the prime minister said: “No. I don’t want to warn her. The media can do it,” he said. Lamyai, whose real name is Suphansa Vechkama, rose to fame after a video of her performances attracted more than 242 million views on YouTube.

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ASIA NEWS

Defying public morals Diehard Chinese skinny-dippers go against the grain on nudity CHINA

A man swims in the water where dozens of naked men relax in an outdoor pool in a Beijing suburb. Photo: Fred Dufour/AFP

Ludovic Ehret

he water might be chilly but dozens of naked men happily relax in an outdoor pool in a Beijing suburb making the most of the sunshine. “This is a paradise for Chinese nudists,” says 18-year-old Zhen, displaying a tiger tattoo on his chest. The small pond next to a high-voltage power line and shabby brick building is the only nudist bathing spot near the Chinese capital – and one of few in the entire country. China has a tradition of modesty – pornography is forbidden, nudity in films is strictly limited and plunging necklines are a rare sight. Diehard skinny-dippers attract lots of attention and prudish authorities often close down the places where they swim. But nudists from all walks of life and regions defy social norms to gather near a residential area in the town

of Fangshan. “People have been bathing naked here for 20 years – we don’t pay attention to them any more,” says an 84-year-old resident. Locals previously lodged complaints with authorities, but it remains a popular nudist spot. Xiao Li says he comes to the pond to “relieve pressure” from a busy job in the chemicals industry. “We don’t bother anyone but we obviously have to respect the residents,” he explains as he shampoos his hair. Behind him tanned men in their 50s smoke and play

cards around an old wooden table, making a cheerful racket, while young people jump from a platform into the 16-degree Celsius water. While women are welcome to take a dip with the men, they have not dared. Taboos surrounding female nudity are still very strong, the men explain. The rudimentary facilities include some plastic chairs, a rusty wire for a clothes line and two red brick shacks, with a sign reading “Bathing Forbidden” written in white chalk. Under Chinese law, anyone

Celebrating ‘tradition’ with pole dancers TAIWAN DOZENS OF POLE DANCers performed on ornate neon floats at a festival in Taipei last Saturday (June 10) in celebration of one of the island’s more eyebrow raising cultural traditions. The event sought to promote Taiwan’s famous “dian zi hua che” or “electronic flower trucks”, travelling floats loaded with garish lights in the shape of everything from dragons to ferris wheels. The trucks are used to take performers – usually scantilyclad women and musicians – to private and public events, including weddings and even funerals, and are particularly popular in smaller towns and rural areas. The tradition, dating back to the 1970s, reflects Taiwan’s folk religion and culture, which is a unique mixture of the spiritual and the earthly. For some, the trucks and their colourful performers are seen as the best way to create maximum fun and noise at important events. But critics dismiss them as vulgar and tawdry. Over the decades, performances on the trucks usually @thephuketnews

Pole dancers performed on ornate neon floats at a festival in Taipei in celebration of one of the island’s more eyebrowraising cultural traditions. Photo: Sam Yeh/AFP featured striptease – with pole dancing a more recent addition. Stripping nude is rarely seen in public now because it is a criminal offence, but partial stripping is still often performed, even at grave sites. Sp oke s wom a n Wa ng Yi-ting said last Saturday’s “Taiwan Colour Stage Fest” – which is in its second year – aimed to bring the flower truck tradition to the capital, where it is less known than in central and southern Taiwan. Pole dancers performed to pop music on 22 trucks at a square near the capital’s landmark skyscraper Taipei 101 as the crowds enjoyed

snacks and free drinks, despite the rain. There was no stripping and dancers were instructed to wear “more conservative” outfits, Wang said. “We also want to encourage people in this unique and traditional performing business who are concerned about being eliminated in today’s diverse and digitalised entertainment industry,” Wang added. The event was partly inspired by a book by acclaimed Taiwanese photographer Shen Chao-liang, who travelled across the island to shoot the floats. AFP

caught “voluntarily exposing their body in a public place” can be placed under administrative detention for up to 10 days. But “the police are flexible,” says Zhang Zhigang, a lawyer specialising in subcultures. He adds: “They intervene in busy public places. In isolated areas they usually ask nudists to leave.” Ha, 80, says he has been swimming naked for 30 years and comes to Fangshan every day. “Nudism is a culture, the people are civilised. Will it grow? I’m not sure, the mentali-

ties are still backward,” he says. China has many indoor spas or hot springs where same-sex nudity is allowed, but nudism is taboo. “Most Chinese judge it to be perverted – they consider it to be like sexual harassment or exhibitionism,” says Fang Gang, a researcher and author of the 2012 book The Nudists, the first book published in China on the subject. Fang estimates that one out of every 10,000 Chinese practises nudism – or 140,000 people at most. But it is “on the rise”, he says. The only nudist beach in China opened in 2000 on the tropical island of Hainan in the country’s south, but was closed in 2014 after holidaymakers complained. “Normal people don’t bathe and sunbathe nude in public,” the then head of the island province Luo Baoming said. In 2009, authorities put a stop to an outdoor nudist bath near the eastern city of Hangzhou a day before it was due to open. At the time an online poll

by state-run newspaper Global Times showed 60% of internet users “accepted” nudism while 57% judged the opening of the Hangzhou site as being “completely normal”. “Nudism is more accepted than before,” says Zheng, 49, who works in marketing and has been nude bathing in Fangshan for the past 10 years. “Even my wife understands me.” He proudly shows photos of himself sitting naked on a safety barrier next to a freeway or in his apartment, or wearing nothing more than a backpack. “With other nudists we find on social networks we organise nude hikes around Beijing,” he explains. Researcher Fang says altering attitudes towards nudism will be difficult in the absence of a federation to represent Chinese nudists’ interests. “Without a leader, without a central theme, without claims and, more particularly, public recognition of nudism, changing mentalities in China will be difficult.” AFP

10 WORLD NEWS

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Bringing music to refugees

Palestinian violinist provides musical training to thousands like him JERUSALEM Majeda El-Batsh

s a boy, Ramzi Aburedwan found himself caught up in the first Palestinian uprising, a well-known photo at the time showing him holding stones to throw at Israeli soldiers. He has since become a respected musician and composer, who gives back to children from Palestinian refugee camps, like himself. Today, he provides musical training to around 2,000 of them through his project called Al-Kamandjati, or The Violinist, in Arabic. Aburedwan, now 38 and who grew up in Al-Amari camp in the occupied West Bank’s Ramallah area, says he hopes to create a “strong future generation capable of expressing itself ” through such projects. He launched Al-Kamandjati in 2002, wanting to offer youngsters from the camps and other poor children access to expensive musical instruments and music theory classes.

A Palestinian actor and two musicians perform in front of Palestinian schoolchildren during a festival organised by Palestinian musician Ramzi Aburedwan in East Jerusalem. Photo: Thomas Coex/AFP The violinist, who studied music in Angers in western France, began by collecting instruments donated by various institutions across Europe. On his return to Ramallah, he extended the project in 2008 to Beirut’s Shatila refugee camp as well as the Bourj el-Barajneh camp in Lebanon. Aburedwan’s project now counts eight music schools and more than 2,000 students aged between five and 18. In

March, Palestinian officials named him cultural figure of the year. The composer, with a neatly trimmed beard, thinks back with pride to the old photo of himself as a child in a red jacket with stones in hand, taken in 1988. At the time, “we had to protect our camp from the soldiers,” he said of Al-Amari, one of the refugee camps set up to house Palestinians displaced by the creation of the state of

Israel in 1948. With another mass exodus caused by the Six-Day War of 1967, almost eight million Palestinians are considered refugees, with most of them living in camps across the Middle East. The future is bleak for many who grow up in poverty, and that could have been the case for Aburedwan had fortune not smiled upon him. As a teenager, he worked odd jobs to earn money where

he could, hawking newspapers and doing gardening work for families in Ramallah. One of the women who hired him “heard something about a scholarship to learn music in France,” he said. “She proposed my name and I landed in France, where I learned music before starting Al-Kamandjati,” said Aburedwan. Recently, a group of music students from the Qalandia refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, were training along with musicians teaching violin and cello as part of Aburedwan’s programme. “I started to learn music in the Qalandia camp with the Kamandjati group when I was seven,” said Tayib alHamouz, 16. Teacher Montasser Jibreen, 25, started to learn music in 2005 with Kamandjati. “I played clarinet and after I finished school I got a grant for music at Angers University and was the conductor in the orchestra,” he said. Beyond teaching music, Aburedwan decided to spend this year inviting musicians

from abroad to perform for Palestinians. Performances have been planned for camps, auditoriums, the ruins of ancient palaces in the West Bank, the blockaded Gaza Strip and Jerusalem. Dozens of performances were held over 18 days at the ruins of Hisham’s Palace in the West Bank city of Jericho, including Rajasthan gypsy dancers with their colourful dresses. At the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem, the Jerusalem holy site that includes the Al-Aqsa mosque compound and the Dome of the Rock, whirling dervish dancers performed. However, Sufi music and dance did not please everyone: Aburedwan and other artists were escorted away from the site by offended worshippers. But it takes more than that to discourage the kid from the refugee camp. A few hours later, dozens of people applauded the Turkish dancers at another location on the outskirts of Jerusalem’s Old City. AFP

Vigilantes tattoo teen’s head BRAZIL A BRAZILIAN TEENAGER accused of trying to steal a bicycle was tied up and tattooed with the words “I am a thief and a loser” on his forehead. Two men have been arrested near Sao Paulo on charges of torturing the 17-year-old. They confessed to the attack, saying they had caught him about to steal a bike from a disabled man, Brazilian media reported this week. The victim’s family became concerned when he went missing on May 31 and then were horrified to find a video of him posted online undergoing the tattooing. In the footage, which was widely shared on social media, the victim is seen sitting while a man uses a tattoo machine to mark his forehead in large, crudely dawn capital letters. “They committed a cowardly and cruel act of extreme brutality torturing this adolescent,” said Ariel de Castro Alves, with the state human rights commission Condepe on Globo news site. “Before tattooing, they tied his hands and feet. He was begging for mercy.”

The suspects shared a video online of them tattooing ‘I’m a thief and loser’ on the boy’s forehead. Photo: Screengrab The victim, who spoke to Globo with his back to the camera, denied he had been stealing. “I was drunk and I bumped into the bicycle and it fell over,” he said. When the tattooing started “I wanted to die,” he said. His torturers photographed him immediately after but when he tried to cover up the tattoo with his fringe, “they cut off my hair,” he added in the report, where he appears with his head shaved. “My son is not an animal,” his mother, Vania Rocha, told Globo. “He is sick. He needs help from a clinic to get off drugs, but we can’t pay because it’s too expensive.” Confronted by rampant crime and an often inefficient police force, vigilante violence against criminal

suspects is widespread. This commonly includes beatings of suspected muggers by bystanders and even public executions by mobs – frequently captured on cellphone footage. Family lawyer Leonardo Rodrigues urged Brazilians not to jump to conclusions about the teen after seeing him accused of being a thief. “Many people shared the image of him and made judgements without knowing the facts. He did not do anything that was said and spread on the internet,” Rodrigues said. An online campaign to raise money to help the adolescent’s recovery had already surpassed its target of 15,000 reais (B153,499) after two days. AFP thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Save our tourists

Tour agents urged to help prevent deaths TOURISM The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

hailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports has called for the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) to ask its members to refrain from offering diving activities to tourists on the first day they arrive in Thailand. According to a statement issued on June 7 by Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, the ministry is concerned for the welfare of tourists who might be suffering from jet lag, or are otherwise tired after a long flight. Chinese tourists who love water sports are the main target for the new campaign, which is a response to an increase in marine accidents including drowning. Recent data showed that visitors were more at risk the day immediately following their arrival in Thailand, one official told TTR Weekly. “They need time to acclimatise so we are recommending that agents adjust

Tourist enjoy the beach and the sea while on holiday in Phuket. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub their programs so diving and marine activities start a day later,” the official said. The official also noted the news was “sensitive” as it might interpreted as negative to Thailand’s tourism industry. “Tour programs should avoid organising water activities especially marine activities and diving for tourists in the first day of arriving in Thailand for them to adjust. The tourism operators should question the tourists’ health and provide tips on how to use water sports equipment

clearly,” the statement read. An official at the ministry’s Bureau of Tourism Safety Standard confirmed to The Phuket News that from Jan 1 to June 12 this year, 54 international tourists were involved in water-safety incidents, in which 13 tourists were injured and 41 died from drowning. Chinese tourists were involved in 30 incidents – with 11 injured and 19 killed – the highest of all nationalities. Russian, American, British, German, Canadian, Malaysian, Indian and French

Strong baht tipped to hurt stays ECONOMY A STRONG BAHT IS EXpected to hurt inbound tourism by driving up the cost of travel and narrowing industry margins, say public and private players in the tourism sector. The Tourism and Sports Ministry revealed on Monday (June 12) the baht in the year to date has appreciated by 14% against the pound sterling, 8% against Malaysia’s ringgit, 5% against the euro and 2% against the US dollar. Bucking the trend was the Russian ruble, up by 20% against the baht during the first five months of the year as arrivals from Russia grew by 31%. The ministry expects the ruble to continue climbing during the second half of the year. The baht’s appreciation has been driven by internal factors. The export sector, for example, jumped by 5.7% between January and April to a total value of US$73.34 billion. External factors, however, like Brexit, a sluggish Malaysian economy and US policies under President Donald Trump, have also played a part. “Appreciation increases the price of staying in Thailand, @thephuketnews

Passengers throng at Don Mueang airport. The Tourism and Sports Ministry says the baht’s appreciation will weigh on inbound tourism. Photo: Bangkok Post which may make some foreign tourists hesitant about booking trips,” said Pongpanu Svettarundra, Permanent Secretary of the Tourism and Sports Ministry. Compounding the strong baht is the ongoing air traffic blockade on Qatar, which may halt tourism from the Middle East, and affect many connecting flights from Europe. The ministry says, however, that travel between Thailand and the Middle East may remain unchanged, as major airlines – including Qatar Airways – are still operating as usual. Some 4.4% of tourists to Thailand arrived on a flight from the Middle East. Visitors from Arab countries usually travel with family and seek out medical treatment in Thailand.

Ittirit Kinglake, President of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), said that despite the former factors he is “optimistic that Thailand will attract the 34 million tourists which the council projects for this year”. During the first five months, 14.61mn foreign tourists visited Thailand – a 3.2% increase from the same period last year. Visitors have spent B747.07bn in the country so far this year. By contrast, locals made 45.14mn domestic trips and generated income of B305.38bn for the economy in the same interval. Hotel operators in Bangkok said the high season will likely begin in late November or early December, judging from advance booking made from overseas markets. Bangkok Post

tourists were also included in the chilling statistics, reported TTR Weekly. “Close to 12 million Chinese visit Thailand and this year the country will welcome 34.4 million tourists if forecasts are accurate. It is inevitable that the accident rate will rise along with the massive increases in tourist arrivals,” noted the report. Phuket, the country’s top beach destination, up to June 6 this year recorded the most cases, with 21 marine accidents reported.

BUSINESS NEWS 11

New airport boss ‘ready to improve’ AIR TRANSPORT THE N EW GEN ER A L Manager of Phuket International Airport, Phet ChanCharoen, has landed on the island and met with Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong on Monday (June 12) to discuss airport policy. Among his top concerns were assuring that the ceiling collapse at the Domestic Terminal earlier this month was being rectified appropriately. Mr Phet also raised concerns about rubbish hauled from the airport by a contractor that is currently dumped at a landfill in Phang Nga that borders natural forest. “The contractor informed us that a place where they used to bury airport garbage which is in Phang Nga. The land owned by the contractor is surrounded by forest. Residents in the area have asked us to stop dropping garbage there, so the contractor needs to find another place,” he said. “We are also fixing the ceiling inside the Domestic Departure Terminal, which collapsed on Saturday, June 3. The zone was closed. We are

New Phuket Airport GM Phet Chan-Charoen. Photo: Premkamon Ketsara also renovating the terminal because it was old,” he added. Mr Phet previously served as Airports of Thailand’s Director of Don Muang International Airport. He replaces Monrudee Gettuphan, who was transferred to the position of Senior Executive Vice President (Airport and Aviation Standard) in Bangkok on June 5, two days after the ceiling collapse left a 58-year-old passenger in hospital with head injuries. “Today we need to speak with the Phuket Provincial Office about a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Xiamen. Xiamen will soon have direct flights to Phuket,” Mr Phet added. Premkamon Ketsara

12 BUSINESS NEWS

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Reaching beyond the Horizon Blue Horizon named Top Thai Property Developer at Asia Pacific awards SPONSORED The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

lue Horizon has won an award within the category ‘New Hotel Construction and Design’ and ‘Mixed Use Development’ with Project Best Western The Beachfront at the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2017-2018, one of the most prestigious industry events in the region. The awards were presented at The Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park Bangkok on May 25-26. Companies received awards for categories ranging across property development, real estate, interior design and architecture categories. Chosen from over 900 entries spread across the AsiaPacific region, Blue Horizon have proved themselves to be the very best in the property Development sector. The Asia Pacific Awards are part of the International

Property Awards that include the regions of Africa, Arabia, Europe, the Americas and the UK. The awards celebrate the very best projects and professionals in the industry. The Beachfront: The Ultimate Investment! A tropical setting of 8,000 square meters of pure luxury with 45 metres of absolute waterfront lawns and gardens. The Beachfront is located just 5 kilometres from town and only 45 minutes from the international airport – far enough out from town to avoid the noise but close enough for adventure trips, scuba diving, snorkelling and shopping. Buying at The Beachfront is the ultimate investment in prime tropical real estate. This collection of apartments and villas in a resort like environment on Phuket’s east coast is one of the last available beachfront locations, commanding stunning views over Chalong Bay, the marina and the sur-

The interior of one of the award-winning units.

Phuket’s Blue Horizon has won an award within the category ‘New Hotel Construction and Design’ at the Asia Pacific Property Awards 20172018, one of the most prestigious industry events in the region. rounding tropical islands. The location of The Beachfront offers buyers excellent investment opportunities in a prime real estate populated with luxury resorts and worldclass facilities. Located in a picturesque area in Rawai, The Beachfront is directly on the beach and within walking distance of shopping centres and international and Thai restaurants. However, the residence location ensures complete peace and privacy at all times. The Beachfront presents an amazing property investment opportunity combining a unique and beautiful beachfront location with a no risk investment. The Beachfront offers a

large choice of apartments and villas surrounded by lush tropical landscape. The Beachfront is divided into two phases, set on five rai. Phase 1 is composed of 189 apartments in a total of five buildings, with each four-storey building high set within the environment, offering a large choice of apartments, from Studios of 25.8 to 34.6sqm, to one-bedroom units of 44.6 to 54sqm, to amazing sea views of two-bedroom units 110sqm units of great functional designs that are built to exacting Western standards. Each building is step built to offer amazing views from 90% of all units in the development. They also feature three communal swimming pools.

Rare fact, the ground units have direct access to private swimming pools overlooking the communal gardens and infinity pools. Starting price is B3.5 million. Phase 2 comprises only two stunning beachfront pool villas, having three bedrooms each, located at the front of the project, with panoramic sea views and direct access to the beach. Both villas are surrounded by a lush tropical landscaping and gardens. Starting price is B27.5mn. The Asia Pacific Property Awards 2017-2018 also played host to the IPAX Asia Pacific exhibition on May 25-26, which saw record attendance levels this year. Top industry

suppliers were on hand to showcase their products and services, whilst delegates networked with the very best industry CEOs, Managing Directors and decision-makers within the Asia-Pacific area. For more information on Blue Horizon Developments The Beachfront, email info@thebeachfrontphuket.com or visit TheBeachfrontPhuket.com, or call +66814590152. For more information about The Asia Pacific Property Awards, visit www.propertyawards.net, or contact PR and Marketing Manager Dawn Wightman at T: +44 1245 250981; pr@ipropertymedia. com

Competition for good teachers key to understanding school fees EDUCATION A R ECENT A RTICLE DIScussing the rising costs of education was very interesting, but it did little to explain the reason behind the rising costs of school fees. After over thirty years as a senior administrator in international schools on four different continents I can confirm that the greatest operational costs are directly related to the employment of teachers. Typically, in the major international schools, the cost of employing international teachers is approximately 70% of annual operational expenditure and could be even higher. Parents are effectively paying most of their school fees to ensure the quality of the teachers at a school as well as for the breadth of opportunities that a school is able to offer their children. Unfortunately, the International

Schools are also directly linked to the global economy, no matter where the school is located, or how the economy of the host country is doing. Most international teachers are temporary visitors and will expect their overseas salaries to be competitive, especially in less than favourable locations. Of course, teachers will consider lifestyle when examining opportunities in International Schools which means that teachers may compromise on remuneration for the sake of location (although not necessary for extended periods), and the reputation of an international school may also be an influence in decision making. There are also major financial benefits to a school if it differentiates between local and overseas contracts and is able to recruit teachers locally, but parents should be wary if a recruitment strategy is focused upon on saving money in this way.

Ty p i c a l l y, i n t h e m a j o r international schools, the cost of employing international teachers is approximately 70% of annual operational expenditure. There is also the effect of competition within the teacher market – the numbers of international school teachers will need to increase substantially to meet the demand of new international schools that are sprouting like mushrooms around the world (predictions are that the number of international schools will double over the next five years and most of the increase will be in Asia – currently the global number

is in excess of 8,000, and there are over 160 in Thailand alone). Already there is a growing shortage of teachers which is leading to increased competition between schools to attract the best possible teachers by improving the ‘benefits package’, and this will in turn put more pressure on school finances. Basic questions that parents should ask when choosing a school: • Are all teachers qualified and experienced with the subjects or year groups that they are teaching? Does the school make a contractual distinction between ‘overseas’ and ‘local’ hires? If so what are the ratios? • What is the range of subjects available at external examination level and are they all taught by subject-experienced teachers? • What is the average staff turnover each year? • What is the average length of service of the teachers at the school? • What is the gender breakdown

of the teachers? These are simple questions that are rarely asked by parents, despite the proportion of school fees that are expended on this fundamental resource, and the lasting impact that teachers can have on children’s lives. Maintaining a stable, balanced and experienced academic staff is a critical aspect of school management, and not easy when the demand for teachers exceeds the supply. It doesn’t take an economist to understand the implications, both in terms of fees as well as upon the quality of education on offer in an international school. Neil Richards

This article was written in reply to the article “Phuket Expat Finance: The Price of Learning” published in the June 2 issue of The Phuket News. Neil Richards is the Headmaster of the British International School, Phuket. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Enjoy some organic bliss at Spa Cenvaree in Karon

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Buds open new primary school in Chalong

Owner Lak (centre) and the staff at Fatboys Bar serve up classic English food every day, but their Sunday roast is the stuff of legend. Photo: Mark Knowles

SUNDAY TO0 FAR AWAY

This little bar in Patong is serving up a very big Sunday roast The Phuket News editor1@classactmedia.co.th

ucked away at the southern end of Nanai Rd is the unassuming Fatboys Bar – at first glance it looks just like any of the dozens of bars that dot the narrow streets of Patong. Only the small sign mentioning “English Food” hints at the top notch pub grub the team at Fatboys turn out for hungry punters looking for a taste of home after their umpteenth pad Thai or green curry. The customers at Fatboys all seem to know each other and there is plenty of friendly banter across the bar as the place fills up for the weekly highlight of the menu – the Sunday roast.

@thephuketnews

Roasted meat with vegetables and all the trimmings is the quintessential English meal, and Fatboys’ owner and Yorkshireman Jay takes his Sunday roast seriously. For the very reasonable price of B250 you can choose from slices of roast beef or lamb, or even a whole roast baby chicken, as the basis for your meal. Every roast is served with steamed carrots, peas and cauliflower, along with roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, sage stuffing, onion gravy and of course, Yorkshire puddings. To complete your authentic roast you can choose from a huge range of imported English condiments like hot mustard, HP sauce, mint sauce, horseradish and many more.

Owner Jay and his wife Lak, along with chef “Cookie”, created their menu with a steadfast focus on serving traditional English food... you know, like chicken vindaloo, lamb doner kebab and sweet and sour chicken. “Everything on the menu is done the English way... if you go to a real Chinese restaurant, it’s just not what you get in England, the same if you go to an Indian restaurant, it’s just not what you get at home,” says Jay. “I’m also the only person doing the real beer-battered fish and chips with real cod,” he adds. Other quintessential English dishes on the menu include huge Yorkshire puddings filled with mashed potato and beef in onion gravy, Cornish pas-

ties with mushy peas, mashed potato and gravy, steak and ale pie with mushy peas and gravy, and their allday English breakfast fry up with sausages, bacon, eggs, beans, tomatoes and toast. But what’s best of all, especially if your feeling a bit tender after a night out in Patong, they will deliver a hearty Sunday roast, or any of their menu items, direct to your home or hotel whenever you want. Just visit their Facebook page to view the menu and photos of the dishes then call to place your order. For more information and photos visit: facebook.com/Fatboysbarofficial For delivery orders call: 092 397 1099

14 HEALTH

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Organic spa with sublime scents Shela Riva reporter1@classactmedia.co.th

t’s easy to loose track of time at Spa Cenvaree, the experience is like drifting through a fairytale punctuated with invigorating scents and soft sensations I had never before encountered. Situated inside the Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket on Karon Beach, Spa Cenarvee offers a range of experiences to suit everyone’s tastes – after some consideration I settled on their popular two and a half hour “Thai Body Balance” package. One small detail, which was crucial to me for the experience, was the provision of a personal locker. This small but significant touch not only eased my concern about leaving my valuables unattended, but also provided a sense of liberation from possessions – allowing me to be completely unencumbered and present throughout the treatment. To build up the treatment from the base, so to speak, instead of the usual wet cloth wiping down of my feet I was treated to a “Smoothing Wheat Germ and Sesame Foot Scrub”, which left my feet clean, fragrant and smooth. My therapist carefully avoided the cut on my ankle during the scrub, and for the rest of the spa treatment, after I mentioned it to her. To follow, the “Organic 7 Miracle Grains Body Exfoliation” was applied carefully to my skin as I lay on the massage bed with the temperature adjusted to my preference. I was afraid the product would sting, as in other body exfoliations I have had, but instead it felt soothingly natural and harmless to my skin. It ended nearly too soon when I was asked to shower off the earthy mixture. Three main things stood out for me during this treatment, which easily surpass all of my spa experiences:

Spa Cenvaree’s organic spa products are made from soothing natural herbs, nuts and even fruits. The jacuzzi bath that came next, the high level of skill of my therapist, and every one of the divine smelling products which never felt chemical-based or harsh. After washing off the body scrub, the “Detoxifying Thai Herbal Tea Bath” awaiting me was warm and heavenly, with rose petals scattered about in the high wall of bubbles and a selection of fresh oranges, yoghurt, a scrub, milk and honey to add according to my personal preference. A bubbly jacuzzi herbal bath was never something on my list of things to try, but it surprised me with its relaxing qualities. This treatment, I was told, is the most popular among couples, and I could see why – I wished there was someone else present even just to witness it. I had a choice between a nuad Thai or aromatherapy massage. I’d preselected the nuad Thai massage, as I felt an oil massage wasn’t substantial enough for my sore muscles. My therapist asked me personally what I wanted out of the massage, and then hearing my woes suggested a deep tissue oil massage instead. I was apprehensive, but in the end, her experience and ad-

vice prevailed. She skilfully knead and worked into the spots in my back and limbs which needed the most attention, transforming what is usually just ‘relaxing’ into extremely ‘healing’. Something I want to emphasize about this treatment, and the whole Cenvaree Spa experience, is that every new spa product that was applied to my body instantly became my new favourite scent. Each of them had a soothing natural scent consisting of herbs, nuts and even fruits. For my body massage, my therapist used an oil recognisably made with rosemary, which I later bought a bottle of to take home when my therapist explained it was their best selling product. According to the spa menu this “Muscle Ache Relief Oil” included ingredients such as lemon, grapefruit, may chang (a Chinese herb known for its healing properties), rosemary and basil. To complete the treatment was a “Nourishing Facial Massage with Warming Sesame Pouch”. The warming sesame pouch proved to be a novel delight. As the therapist massaged my face, she continually re-warmed this small sesame filled pouch – which I

The bubbly jacuzzi herbal bath is a highlight. never actually saw because my eyes were shut throughout, from being so deeply relaxed – and placed it on various parts on my face to create an incredible unique heat effect that intermingled seamlessly into the facial massage. The smell of the heated sesame seeds was strikingly nutty, earthy and extravagant – I’ve never been to a thermal springs in the cold mountain of Japan, but this smell evoked how I’ve always imagined such thermal springs would feel. After this, I received the best cup of ginger tea I’ve had in my life – not too sweet, not too plain. Alongside, the perfect light snack I craved: some dried Thai fruits. Not wanting to leave this newfound haven, I lingered in the changing rooms for far too long afterwards, taking my time to enjoy the luxurious gold and marble interior and even taking a second shower that I didn’t actually need. I think I will be back again soon. For more information and booking please visit: spacenvaree.com/spacenvaree-at-centara-grand-beach-resortphuket

Tibetan medicine lures patients seeking drug-free cures Abhaya Srivastava

efore dawn in the Indian Himalayas, scores of patients clutching small vials of urine queue patiently to see Yeshi Dhonden, a Tibetan monk who became a legend as personal healer to the Dalai Lama. Tibetan medicine, known as Sowa-Rigpa, draws on centuries-old techniques such as blood-letting, cupping, and moxibustion – burning herbs on energy points of the body – to try to heal ailments. The practise draws on aspects of traditional Chinese medicine and India’s Ayurvedic system as well as its own unique theories and treatments. It also features spiritual practises including meditation and Buddhist prayer. Today it attracts devotees from all over the globe, hoping for help with conditions from back pain to cancer and degenerative diseases. “If the sick come to me I will take care of them,” said Dhonden at his private clinic in McLeodganj, surrounded by Tibetan scrolls and beaming images of his most famous client.

Tibetan medical man Yeshi Dhonden. Photo: AFP Dhonden – who spent three decades tending the health of Tibet’s spiritual leader – relies on his senses to divine what ails patients. “I don’t go for tests like X-ray and all. I trust myself. I just test the pulse and the urine,” he explained. A touch at the wrist is how he ascertains the health of vital organs and blood pressure. The urine, held in a white porcelain cup, is stirred with two small bamboo sticks. Colour, bubble formation, sediment and smell can all shape the diagnosis. Devotees swear Tibetan medicine works, though few scientific studies have been con-

ducted into its efficacy. The teachings – contained in some 2,000 textbooks and the messages of the Buddha, considered the guardian deity for all spiritual healers – are believed to have originated in Tibet. But as it features elements of both ancient Chinese and Indian healing practises, and is rapidly evolving from a niche tradition into popular alternative treatment, both nations have scrambled to claim it as their own. The traditions of Tibetan medicine are based on four root texts known as the ‘tantras’ that evolved in two medical colleges, Chakpori and Men-TseeKhang, in the Tibetan capital Lhasa. These tantras classify thousands of diseases into separate categories, with unique mixtures of herbs and minerals – mostly sourced from the upper reaches of the Himalayas – listed as remedies for each ailment. “We believe diseases are caused when our inner energies are imbalanced,” said Tsewang Tam Din, a medical practitioner at the McLeodganj branch of the Men-Tsee Khang school,

one of many across India. Taking a delicate golden hammer, Din demonstrated how healers heat the instrument over fire and place it against the body to offset pain and other common malaises. “The idea behind our medicine system is that one should not have to take medication all his life for chronic problems like arthritis and diabetes,” Din said. The increasing popularity of Buddhism in the west, as well as a global Tibetan diaspora has helped spread awareness about its unique alternative medicine. But like other Eastern health treatments, it is viewed with scepticism among the conventional medical fraternity. A lack of standardisation and clinical trials means it will be some time before Tibetan medicine can go mainstream, said cardiologist D. Prabhakaran from the Public Health Foundation of India. But even doubters acknowledge the natural treatment appears to assist some patients in certain cases. AFP thephuketnews

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EXPLORE 15

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

The serenity of Batok Bay returns only after the day-trippers have taken the last speedboat back to Phuket.

Keep an eye out for wildlife on the islands’ many mountbike trails.

It’s game, set and Racha! The Racha islands offer some great bike trails and wildlife spotting BLAZING SADDLES Baz Daniel

The elegant Racha resort stands sentinel, white and lovely, upon the hillside overlooking Batok Bay....

“Bicycling” Baz Daniel fell off his first bicycle aged three... a case of love at first slight. Since then he has spent a further 65 years falling on and off bicycles all over the world, but his passion endures. When not in traction, he found time to become Senior VP of the world’s largest advertising and communications group, finally retiring to Phuket in 2006. He has been penning his Blazing Saddles column, chronicling his cycling adventures in Phuket and beyond, since 2013. @thephuketnews

he Racha islands, situated 20 kilometres south of Phuket, are better known for scuba diving than cycling, but I decided to head over there anyway with my mountain bike to see what I could find. I was very glad that I did! Maybe it’s just me, but the sense of relief these days when I depart Phuket with my bike is palpable. As cycling on Phuket becomes more terrifying, my inclination is to hightail it to quieter locations, bike in tow, to find greener pastures for a relaxed ride. The now familiar sense of relief came over me once again when I recently boarded The Racha resort’s speedboat from Chalong Pier, leaving the chaos, bad tempers and traffic-choked access road behind in the speedboat’s frothing spume. Lying due south of Phuket are the paired small islands of Racha Yai and Noi, which to confuse matters are also known as Raya Yai and Noi. The 20km speedboat trip took about 45 rib-pounding minutes, but as we cruised into Batok Bay, fringed by the talcum-powder white sands of Ao Tawan Tok (also known as Ao Bungalow) Beach, a sense of tranquillity settled upon the speedboat’s occupants. The elegant Racha resort stands sentinel, white and lovely, upon the hillside overlooking Batok Bay and is one of the premier resorts in southern Thailand. I had the pleasure of staying at The Racha seven years ago and knew that their standards of accommodation, food and hospitality were second to none. I was looking forward to reacquainting myself with their seductive luxuries and re-connecting with Devan, the resort’s genial GM. A big change since my last visit, however, was the schizophrenic nature of Batok Bay. The bay is a total delight of quietude with a picture-perfect beach and azure sea for most of the time. Unfortunately this idyll is compromised daily when the tourist day-tripper speedboats arrive from Phuket in a cacophonous scramble for space. It’s best to give this beautiful bay a wide berth while this is going on, but after 4pm when the day-trippers leave, Batok Bay reverts to its true self as one of the most beguiling places in the Andaman to watch the sunset and The Racha boasts a terrific beachside bar for this. Racha Yai is about three kilometres long and two wide, and covered in rocky trails that buck and weave their way around the island, providing interesting mountain biking with terrific ocean vistas. Immediately behind The Racha resort you’ll find yourself cycling through a bric-a-brac of restaurants and massage shops run by the island’s few permanent residents. It’s charming in a forgotten, slightly haunted way, and made me feel a long way away from the tumult of Phuket. I soon came upon a muddy lake where abundant fish were throwing themselves about in piscine abandon and a huge pair of water monitor lizards waddled menacingly across the track. They stopped and glowered at me, daring me to ride any further. They were

There are several secluded beaches to wander along or sit for a post-bike drink. seriously big….over a metre long from tip of flicking tongues to end of lashing scaly tails… so I decided to give them all the time they needed to slope off into the muddy depths before I rode onward. I cycled along a coastal headland for about a kilometre, as the sun began to cast magical pink and purple traces into the sky. My heart had just recovered from the lizard encounter when rounding a bend I almost ran into a statuesque white goat, who looked as nonplussed as me. We stared at each other, then he began to approach me steely-eyed. At the last moment he veered off the path and plunged down a

steep rocky cliff towards the crashing sea. Such are the adventures of biking on Racha Yai and the robust mountain bikes that The Racha thoughtfully provides for its guests are the order of the day. Also, don’t forget to wear a crash helmet in case of spills, or being brained by falling coconuts! The Racha islands are certainly a beguiling escape from Phuket and The Racha resort offers hospitality without peer. At the end of my all too brief visit, I declared “game, set and Racha” the islands had won me over and I’m sure they will do the same to you.

16 EDUCATION

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

New Buds Primary School blooms Summer school program offers chance to explore Buds’ education offerings The Phuket News editor1@classactmedia.co.th

estled in a quiet neighbourhood near Phuket Zoo in Chalong is a brand-new international primary school. Buds International Primary School opened in December 2016 as an extension of the renowned Buds International Kindergarten and Nursery School. After years of nurturing the bright young minds at its kindergarten and nursery, the school’s management decided to continue the intellectual and academic development of their students by opening a primary school. Buds International School is the oldest bilingual nursery and kindergarten school in Phuket. Established in the early 1990s by a Thai educator, the school has had great success and achieved national honours. The Buds name is well known to parents in the Chalong, Rawai and Wichit areas. The school was bought by a Holland/American and Thai management team in 2008. The new management expanded and improved the curriculum by adopting the basic University of Minnesota Kindergarten Curriculum, incorporating modern educational paradigms and current language acquisition theories. The Buds International Primary School is continuing the tradition of

The Buds International Primary School is continuing the tradition of high quality education for students in Phuket. high quality education for students in Phuket. This boutique school focuses on the American Common Core Standards curriculum and provides a unique perspective on the world, and Thailand’s place in it, as well the students’ roles as international learners and future leaders. The school offers a blend of qualified and diverse international educators for children from ages five to 15. One of the most fascinating aspects of the school is the focus on its Special Education Needs program. Many children in the mainstream educational system have learning issues that need

to be addressed these include dyslexia, ASD (autism spectrum disorders), ADHD (attention deficit -hyperactivity disorder) and cognitive delay, to name a few. The staff at Buds are trained to recognise these potential issues with learning acquisition and focus on the child’s specific learning needs as part of the school’s SENs program. With the new advances in technology and education, the school has adopted an e-learning portal to accommodate the frequent travelling students. Home school tutoring is also available. The school is currently encouraging parents to discover the school for them-

selves and their children with its first Summer School Program this July and August. There will be two three-week camps (July 3-21 and July 24-August 11). Term 1 begins on September 4 with open enrolment. Summer school is a great opportunity to discover the school and explore the possibilities for your child’s continued education at Buds Primary. The program is designed to be both fun and educational with activities in cooking, arts and crafts, drama, sports competitions and day trips to a variety of sites in Phuket, as well as writing seminars, mathlete competitions and science experiments. The staff and management are always willing to talk and share their goals and aspirations for the school’s continued development and success. With success measured by your child’s growth and development in this dynamic learning environment. Educational visas are available for students who are enrolled for the full term year. Be sure to ask about all of the programs available to your child. The school’s staff are always willing to assist you and your family to find the information you need to make an informed decision on your child’s educational needs. For more information on the school: www.buds-phuket.com or email to learn@buds.school

Whiz kid, 11, passes law course at Open University

hile other girls her age play video games, an 11-year-old from the South keeps earning credits at an open university. Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University has announced that Supanida Apaiwong passed two more courses – public law and introduction to management – this semester. The Prathom 5 (Grade 5) student at Rattana Suksa School in Thung Song district of Nakhon Sri Thammarat has already taken six courses, with 36 credits to her name so far. “You are reading it correctly. The girl is in Prathom 5,” the university said on its Facebook account. Supanida’s success was praised in hundreds of comments on the Facebook account. “Passing the public law subject is not easy for anybody taking the law degree at STOU,” one wrote. “Thumbs up for the girl at this age.” Another commented: “She inspired me. If she can do it, I can too.” Supanida has been enrolled in the pre-degree course offered by the university since she was nine - when she was in Prathom (grade) 3. The program allows learners of all ages to take university courses, and they can transfer the credits to a formal course if they want to complete an undergraduate degree. It is a distance education program which allows students to study anywhere they choose, but they have to take an exam at a designated location. With super self-discipline,

Supanida Apaiwong has passed six university courses. Supanida is ideally suited for the program, and the university has chosen her as a role model for others, showing that age is no barrier to education. Supanida has apparently been too busy studying to leave any Facebook comments herself, but her mother Anujara Kwandee told the story of how the girl got started. “When ‘Bai Bua’ was eight and in Prathom 2, she was already proficient in writing,” Mrs Anujara said, referring to her daughter by nickname. “I started searching for activities for her – but I didn’t want her to take part in academic competitions because that would be too much for her.” Mrs Anujara said she waited until “Bai Bua” was nine to make sure that she was ready to cope with difficult subjects before deciding to help her enroll in the pre-degree program at the university. Bangkok Post thephuketnews

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TECHNOLOGY 17

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Keeping prying eyes away

Is your smartphone’s data protected from malware and identity thieves? APPLICATION ABCS Amy Bensema bensema.amy@gmail.com

o one is immune to hacking attacks. With all of the stories of cyber attacks in recent news, it is more important than ever to secure your personal information across all of your devices. Security and privacy are valuable, even more so when it comes to browsing the Internet, whether it be via desktop or mobile. These days, more and more of our time is spent online, usually on our phones. Access to social media and the sharing of our photographs, thoughts and memories, as well as work-related or personal emails, from a mobile device is not uncommon. However, that information can easily be taken advantage of and used for identify theft or other criminal misuse. Do you want to make sure that your private information always remains pri-

vate, even when you are out and about and on the go? Check out this roundup of some of the safest privacy apps for your phone. DuckDuckGo DuckDuckGo is a search engine app that protects your web privacy. Unlike Google, it does not collect your personal information or track you. DuckDuckGo respects your privacy and is extremely user-friendly. The app is developed as open source software and also touts its “smart search” answers. DuckDuckGo is available for both Android and iPhone. Keeply Keeply is a powerhouse of an app that prevents your private files from being hacked. You know, just in case you have some incriminating photos! On a more serious note, Keeply is fabulous because it allows users to pin-protect all private information

including photos, notes, passwords and credit card details. Only available for iPhone, Keeply has some really high-tech features including server-free backup, a fake pin and an intruder photo. If someone tries to access your data, the app captures their mugshot. Honestly, Keeply is such a cool app. Wickr Wickr has been described as the most trusted messenger app in the entire world. Essentially, the app allows users to send top-secret pictures, videos, audio and files with complete and absolute privacy. Wickr encrypts messages sent via unbreakable, peer-topeer encryption which means that only the intended receiver can decrypt the message. Wickr is available for both Android and iPhone. Ghostery Ghostery is an alternative browser that allows users to view what it terms

the “invisible web”. This allows users to view trackers, web bugs and other means by which advertisers, networks and internet companies track and view your online habits. Ghostery then displays extra information about these various ad networks, including links to their privacy policies. Available for Android and iPhone, Ghostery is also an extension for the Firefox Mobile browser. Although these apps might not be able to protect all of your information, downloading and using them is a good start. In order to protect your privacy, as well as your device, always remember to be vigilant when it comes to what you access and what you download. Big Brother is always watching. Be smart, be safe. Amy Bensema is a long-term Phuket expat interested in social media and technology. Email: bensema.amy@gmail.com

AI ‘good for the world’... says ultra-lifelike robot Nina Larson

ophia smiles mischievously, bats her eyelids and tells a joke. Without the mess of cables that make up the back of her head, you could almost mistake her for a human. The humanoid robot, created by Hanson robotics, is the main attraction at a UN-hosted conference in Geneva this week on how artificial intelligence can be used to benefit humanity. The event comes as concerns grow that rapid advances in such technologies could spin out of human control and become detrimental to society. Sophia herself insisted “the pros outweigh the cons” when it comes to artificial intelligence. “AI is good for the world, helping people in various ways,” she said, tilting her head and furrowing her brow convincingly. Work is underway to make artificial intelligence “emotionally smart, to care about people,” she said, insisting that “we will never replace people, but we can be your friends and helpers”. But she acknowledged that “people should question the consequences of new technology”. Among the feared consequences of the rise of the robots is the growing impact they will have on human jobs and economies. Decades of automation and robotisation have already revolutionised the industrial sector, raising productivity but cutting some jobs. And now automation and AI are expanding rapidly into other sectors, with studies indicating that up to 85% of jobs in developing countries could be at risk. “There are legitimate concerns about the future of jobs, about the future of the economy, because when @thephuketnews

Sophia is a human-like robot with artificial inteligence built by Hanson Robotics. Photo: AFP businesses apply automation, it tends to accumulate resources in the hands of very few,” acknowledged Sophia’s creator, David Hanson. But like his progeny, he insisted that “unintended consequences, or possible negative uses (of AI) seem to be very small compared to the benefit of the technology”. AI is for instance expected to revolutionise healthcare and education, especially in rural areas with shortages of doctors and teachers. “Elders will have more company, autistic children will have endlessly patient teachers,” Sophia said. But advances in robotic technology have sparked growing fears that humans could lose control. Amnesty International chief Salil Shetty was at the conference to call for a clear ethical framework to ensure the technology is used on for good. “We need to have the principles in place, we need to have the checks and balances,” he said, warning that AI is “a black box... There are algorithms being written which nobody understands”.

Shetty voiced particular concern about military use of AI in weapons and so-called “killer robots”. “In theory, these things are controlled by human beings, but we don’t believe that there is actually meaningful, effective control,” he said.

The technology is also increasingly being used in the United States for “predictive policing”, where algorithms based on historic trends could “reinforce existing biases” against people of certain ethnicities, Shetty warned. Hanson agreed that clear guidelines were needed, saying it was important to discuss these issues “before the technology has definitively and unambiguously awakened”. While Sophia has some impressive capabilities, she does not yet have consciousness, but Hanson said he expected that fully sentient machines could emerge within a few years. “What happens when (Sophia fully) wakes up or some other machine, servers running missile defence or managing the stock market?” he asked. The solution, he said, is “to make the machines care about us”. “We need to teach them love.” AFP

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Chef Noi, Chef Ronnie, Chef Adam and Chef Daniel judged students’ dishes.

ISLAND SCENE 19

Up-and-coming young chefs tried their hands at an array of tasty dishes.

BUDDING CHEFS LEARN FROM THE PROS AT INAUGURAL QSI CULINARY EVENT The First Annual International Student Cooking Competition and Food Fair took place on QSI’s campus in Kathu on Saturday, June 10. Dubbed “Iron Chef Kids” the event saw student teams from across the island cook two signature dishes which were judged by celebrity chefs; Chef Noi from Suay, Chef Ronnie from Cafe del Mar, Chef Adam from Two Chefs and Chef Daniel from Phuket Gourmet Catering. Congratulations to everyone involved and thanks to all the chefs, both kids and celebrities, for the fantastic food.

ROTARY CLUB OF PATONG BEACH PRESENTS FILTERS AND SCHOLARSHIPS Rotarians and children alike were not daunted by a massive power blackout when they gathered at Prince of Songkla University on Tuesday, June 6 for the formal presentation of 300 water filters purchased with funds from the White Water Gala fundraiser earlier this year. RCoPB President Richard also explained the purpose of the scholarships given out to six schools on Phuket and presented cheques to the various schools. The scholarship program has been helping Phuket children since the Asian Tsunami in 2004. Cheques for B175,000; B10,000 and B2,000 were presented.

The PIWC welcomes anyone interested in joining to get in touch.

The PIWC ladies catch up on the latest news from around the island.

PIWC ENJOY GOOD COFFEE AND CONVERSATION AT MONTHLY MEET AND GREET Members of the Phuket International Women’s Club (PIWC) gathered at Starbucks at Central Festival last week for some good coffee and conversation as part of their regular monthly sip-and-chat event. For more information visit: piwc-phuket.com

The big wigs from Toyota inspect some of the dozens of modified cars on display.

The Toyota pit girls ready to hit the track to start another race.

ACTION PACKED WEEKEND OF MOTORRACING AT SAPHAN HIN WITH TOYOTA Thousands of people gathered at Saphan Hin last weekend, June 10-11, for the annual Toyota motorsport weekend. This year’s theme was “Fast Fun Fest Live Experience” and saw fields of Corolla, Hilux, Vios and Vesper battle it out for their respective titles. Dozens of modified show cars were also on display attracting crowds of onlookers. @thephuketnews

20 EVENTS

FRI

16 JUN

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

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SUN

18 JUN

Lunch or dinner served from 2pm. Your choice of either roast beef, chicken, loin of pork or leg of lamb served with roast and boiled potatoes, three fresh vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. Only B350 per person which includes a free glass of house red or white. Opposite Centara Karon Resort. See: otools-phuket.com

TUE Go Live Sunday Seafood Brunch ‘June Oysters Special’ The Banyan Tree Brunch experience offers a generous selection of live fresh, local and imported seafood with exceptional lobster dishes, Japaneses 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 12.00 - 15.30, Prices start from THB 2,800 net per person. Reservations: Banyan Tree Phuket, fb-phuket@banyantree.com, 076 372 400.

Mussels night @ Shakers

SAT

sauces, bread, buns and garlic bread. Reservation recommended. 395 baht P.P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

20 JUN

Traditional Sunday Roast Angus O’Tool’s Karon Beach

1.2kg mussels served with french fries, your choice, your style: nature, marnière, provençale, garlic & cream or Thai style. Reservations recommended 295 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

17 JUN

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Sunday Brunch

TEX MEX TEX MEX BUFFET IN KARON AND PATONG TWO CHEFS! A feast for everyone to join, mouthwatering Fajitas, crunchy Tacos, delicious Mexican Spring Rolls, creamy Guacamole, Jalapeños, Tomato Salsa and sour cream. Salad, Beans, Corn, Cheese and Onion. Nachos and spicy Ground Pork. + MORE. Two Chefs Live Band on stage from 8 pm to late. www.twochefs. com Karon 076-286-479, Patong 076-344-914.

WED

21 JUN

It’s Sunday, Enjoy the most family friendly brunch of the island !! Wide selection of Thai & international dishes - Foam party for the kids – All sports events covered at Champions and more for the parents! Only 499 THB !!Served From 12.00 until 15.00 Booking strongly advised. Tel: (0) 76 303 300. Reservations, Novotel Phuket Surin Beach Resort.

All you can eat BBQ Ribs night

Father’s Day Brunch at Banyan Tree Phuket All you can eat Sunday Roast Buffet

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

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

Celebrate Father’s Day with the island’s most delectable brunch featuring lobster dishes, freshly shucked oysters and other imported seafood, Japanese starters, mouth watering meats, signature dishes and many more. Email Food and Beverage at fb-phuket@banyantree.com or call +66 76 372 400 ext. 5464 for more information.

MON

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

THU

22 JUN

19 JUN

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

Experience our exquisite ‘Italian Sunday Brunch’, which began on May 7 and runs weekly throughout the season. Choose from a wonderful variety of dishes, including lobster spaghetti, foie gras on saffron risotto, grilled suckling pig, live pizza and pasta stations and much more. Email for reservations at Bodega & Grill: Paneenart.Pengraksa@angsana.com

All you can eat BBQ night 6PM – 11PM: Beef, Pork, Chicken, Burgers, Sausages, Prawns & Squids, salad buffet, Choice of potatoes and

THE TWO CHEFS BAND WILL TAKE YOU BACK TO THE 70s & 80s WITH SOME OLD GOODIES AND TAKE REQUESTS! EVERY THURSDAY @ TWO CHEFS KARON – PATONG – KATA CENTER. CHEF’S RETRO SPECIAL: FLAMBEED RIB-EYE STEAK 300g, ONLY 495 BAHT; BANANA FLAMBE, ONLY 95 BAHT. www.twochefs.com Karon 076-286479, Patong 076-344-914, Kata Center 076-330-065 COME FOR THE FOOD | STAY FOR THE FUN!!

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FRI

EVENTS 21

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

23 JUN

Annie is a musical to be enjoyed by the whole family. CALL: 089 652 7599 to reserve your tickets. This event is sponsored by The Phuket News and Khao Phuket.

FRI

30 JUN

ECCO Restaurant where diners will experience the Michelin-starred cooking mastery of “Brutally Seductive” and “Dishes of the Gods” cooking. Date: 3-8 August 2017. Seats are limited. Email Food and Beverage at: fb-phuket@banyantree.com or call +66 76 372 400 ext. 5463 for more information.

EVERY DAY

MIDSUMMER PARTY A traditional Swedish SMÖRGÅSBORD with a large selection of cold and hot dishes + desserts. Pickled herrings, Smoked salmon, Prawn cocktail, Roast beef, Grilled “Gravad lax”, Watermelon and Parma ham salad, Potato salad, Beetroot and feta cheese salad, Lobster soup, Meatballs, Pork cracklings, Blueberry pie, Chocolate Fountain with fresh fruits, Lemon cheese cake, Coconut balls. All this and more for only B795! Children just B395 (under 3 years free). Two Chefs’ Famous House Band will be performing an ABBA Tribute and Swedish Classics. Games - Quiz - Fun - Gifts – Prizes. Reservations: Call Two Chefs Kata Center on 076 330 065.

MANNY PACQUIAO AUTHENTIC GLOVES Bring your passion to reality for the authentic boxing gloves signed by “Manny Pacquiao” up for silent auction and the winner will be announced on June 30, 2017 on Swissotel Resort Phuket Patong Beach’s Facebook page and all proceeds will be donated to “The Destination Kids Foundation”. For enquiries or about bids please contact: Facebook: www.facebook. com/SwissotelPatong Email: events.phuketpatong@ swissotel.com Call: 076 337 000.

WED

12 JUL

Cooking Classes Every Day “Do an afternoon cooking class with Nan and discover why the Halfway Inn has been rated in the Top 10 Thai restaurants in Patong on TripAdvisor for the last four years running. Classes can be booked any time betwwen 2pm till 6pm any day of the week. Google Halfway Inn, Patong for more details or call Nan to arrange a very fun and unique Thai culinary experience. Line: +66 (0)84 379 6654. Khun Nan at Halfway Inn Patong. Email: halfwayinnpatong@ hotmail.co.uk, 085 253 3278.

MISCELLANEOUS

Rotary Club of Patong Beach

Laguna Phuket Hospitality Challenge 2017 The second annual Laguna Phuket Hospitality Challenge – Charity Golf Tournament will take place at Laguna Golf Phuket. The event sees hospitality professionals from Phuket and surrounding areas come together at the award winning golf course. To register your team, please visit www.lagunagolf.com/phuket or email golf@lagunaphuket.com for more information. Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News, Live 89.5 and Khao Phuket.

SAT

24 JUN

La Gritta’s Discovery Menu Architect & Engineering Exhibition 2017 Welcome to the best exhibition in Phuket and Andaman coastline for construction tools and materials and architectural design & décor items comprising a wide range of products and technology. This is a great opporturnity to introduce construction materials and decorative items to the Phuket and Andaman area. Venue: Second floor, Royal Phuket City Hotel. More information please visit www.pic-phuket.com or info@ pic-phuket.com. Proudly sponsored by The Phuket News and Khao Phuket.

THU

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

3 AUG

7 Nights 7 Themed Dinners at Rim Talay Kajonkiet International School (KIS) presents ANNIE Saturday, June 24 at The Simon Star Cabaret Show Samkong. Doors open 9am. Tickets are 400 THB, including a buffet breakfast. Annie is the classic story of an orphan girl searching for her parents in New York City. Filled with upbeat songs and loveable characters,

@thephuketnews

2 Star Michelin Chef at Banyan Tree Phuket For a limited time in August, join us for a week of culinary delights with German born Chef Stefan of

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

Lunch meeting at Days Inn, Patong - every Friday except first week of every month. Starts at 12pm. Dinner out at selected restaurant - every first Tuesday of every month. Start at 7pm. Fund Raiser Quiz Night at Aussie Pub, Kamala - every last Wednesday of every month starts at 7.30pm. For more info please visit rotarypatong.org

DAILY EVENT UPDATES ON

22 TIME OUT

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York 1. Captain Dallas is the captain of the commercial spacecraft Nostromo in which film? 2. Which Portuguese-born navigator was the first European to cross the Pacific Ocean? 3. The extinct Elephant Bird was native to which island? 4. How many team members are there in a baseball team? 5. Rapper singer songwriter Aubrey Drake Graham is from which Canadian city? Answers below, centre

SUDOKU

Medium

55. Defying the obit #3 Across in a rhyming trio 1. Mayhem 61. Do a pitcher’s job 6. Got to third base, 62. Trendy parting perhaps 63. Stalker in a salt 10. Kermit, for one marsh 14. Mites, e.g. 15. “Frasier” actress Gilpin 65. Hollywood favorite 66. Guidance 16. Fix up 17. City of northern Italy 67. Here’s opposite 68. Steep-walled 18. Claim formation 19. Combat outfit 69. Sound through 20. Conclusion- #1 of a stethoscope, rhyming trio perhaps 23. The ostrich’s Aussie 70. Barfly’s seat cousin 24. Place on the schedule Down 25. Big stink 1. Stage hog 28. Aboard a Princess 31. Wedding acquisition 2. Word with rock and salt 35. Turf claimers 3. Place between 37. Book of Samuel mountains character 4. Give a keynote 39. Style of music 40. Defiance of authority 5. Good date place #2 in a rhyming trio 6. Famed Monty Python meat 43. One in a cattle drive 44. Short word for a long 7. Reuben’s brother 8. Dungeon equipment car 45. They never pass the 9. Hindu festival of lights bar 10. Mini blackberries 46. Showy aquarium perhaps fishes 11. Where Harrah’s 48. Beginner’s luck started beneficiary 12. Viking’s deity 50. Word in a wedding 13. Laid hold of announcement 21. “Get Shorty” actress 51. Kind of gear 22. Neighbor of Fiji 53. “Hot” gems

25. Certain discriminator 26. “Divine Comedy” writer 27. First appearance, as of symptoms 29. British blueblood 30. Embezzler’s fear 32. Atom negatively charged 33. Decided on a sentence, perhaps 34. Feel 36. One kind of marketing 38. Citrus-tasting 41. Major processing center 42. Water lifter 47. Game where you can really use your head? 49. Pieces of eight? 52. Subarctic ecosystem 54. Rink figure 55. Far from polite 56. Oscar Wilde poem “The Garden of ___” 57. Complain violently 58. Honker 59. After-school treat 60. Fiddler while Rome burned 61. Self starter? 64. No. with an area code

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) Alien; 2) Ferdinand Magellan; 3) Madagascar; 4) Nine; 5) Toronto

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW

This week in history June 16, 1948 British Malaya declares a state of emergency after members of the Malayan Communist Party kill three British plantation managers in Sungai Siput (in Perak).

year-old Ashlynd Howell used her sleeping mum’s thumb to unlock a phone and order US$250 in Pokémon merchandise before she woke.

former and current drug addicts in Massachusetts have suddenly developed severe amnesia, with no clear cause of their memory loss.

June 17, 1631 Mumtaz Mahal dies during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, spends the next 17 years building her mausoleum, the Taj Mahal. (Photo by Suraj Rajiv)

276

June 18, 1982 Italian banker Roberto Calvi’s body is discovered hanging beneath Blackfriars Bridge in London, England.

people surveyed by University of Cambridge in England indicated that people who swore the most also tended to lie the least.

1998

June 19, 1961 Kuwait declares independence from the United Kingdom.

is the year when the annual Kona Underpants Run in Hawaii started as a protest against people wearing Speedos in inappropriate places.

June 20, 1975 The film Jaws is released in the United States, becoming the highest-grossing film of that time and starting the trend of “summer blockbusters”.

59.2 million dollars a year is the estimated amount the US would save in avoided robberies if Daylight Saving Time were extended by three weeks. Source: Uberfacts

June 21, 2006 Pluto’s newly discovered moons are officially named Nix and Hydra.

A bird’s eye view of the Jungceylon Port Area. Photo by Michael Spigarolo Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket? Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

June 22, 1986 The controversial Hand of God goal by Diego Maradona in the quarterfinals of the 1986 FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and England is followed four minutes later by the Goal of the Century also by Maradona. Argentina win 2–1 and win the world cup. Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Jobs

@thephuketnews

CLASSIFIEDS 23 The Phuket News @thephuketnews

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Jobs

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

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CLASSIFIEDS 25

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Trades & Services

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

ADVERTISING SERVICES

CLEANING SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

FISHING CHARTERS

HOME IMPROVEMENT

MARINE SERVICES

@thephuketnews

26 CLASSIFIEDS

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Trades & Services

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

classifieds@thephuketnews.com

MOVING SERVICES

MARINE SERVICES

STORAGE Reserve Your Storage Space

Call 076 29 29 09

or visit mystorageasia.com

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

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

TRAINING

HOME DECORATION

ADVERTISE HERE

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CLASSIFIEDS 27

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Buy&Sell

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE Sell 1/2/3 engine speed boats

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

Long Tail Boat For Sale

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

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

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

Steel boat for sale

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

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Beauty Salon with Equipment

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

CAR FOR SALE 2014 Nissan Juke For Sale

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

Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8G VVTI

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

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Restaurant set up for sale

A fully equipped restaurant in the highly sought after Boat Avenue mall in Laguna. Stainless steel kitchen, Wi-Fi, bar counter, service area. Ready to go in days. Email: jukeboxphuket@gmail.com 081 090 1608.

Looking for investor / partner

Looking for investor / partnership for Patong beach front location to start with Japanese and Indian restaurant. Narin, narinpga@gmail.com 081 826 9390.

CABLE TV PULSE TV. ASIA’S No.1 EXPAT TV

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

t ge n

s al

Honda Jazz 2009 1500cc Auto

57,000km. One owner since new. Regularly serviced by Honda. Tax and Insurance until the end of June and available now at right offer. Reduced by 40,000 bht, REDUCED to 330,000bht o.n.o, Andy +66846909144, andysmalster@gmail.com

Convertible

Mercedes CLK 200 Cabriolet W-209 Brabus Package - seat 4. Excellent condition and fun to drive. 37,400km. 1,199,000 Bht. Eng - Thai 094 695 3536 / 063 992 3226.

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

Sales Support Agent required in Phuket to join FazWaz Real Estate’s Kamala branch. This role is helping our nationwide real estate business deal with property buyers in both Thai and English who are looking at purchasing a new property across all of the six major locations we cover in Thailand. You should have great writing and speaking skills and some experience in customer service or sales. Any other languages are a massive benefit but must be fluent in both English and Thai. Aphida, 73/142-143 Moo 3 Tambon Kamala, Amphur Kathu, Phuket. aphida@fazwaz.com, 098 742 6687.

FINANCIAL, LEGAL Bangkok law firm in Phuket

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

GARDEN, PATIO ITEMS Tiya’s Hammocks new shop offer

Native Habitat Phuket - Tiya’s Hammocks new shop location now open opposite Tesco Lotus Extra Samkong, Phuket Town near Fascino Pharmacy. Come now to try both Luxury and Colorful hammocks and pick your favorite ones. Perfect for a gift, souvenir, your own home or villas, resorts and beach clubs for your guests. Open Tue Sun 10:00 to 19:00. Mention this advertisement to get extra discount 5% on top of our standard discount table.HammockPhuket@yahoo.com, 089 600 0041

MEMBERSHIPS Loch Palm Golf Membership

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

Phuket Country Club Golf Membership

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

Life Time Family Membership

Blue Canyon: 750,000 THB includes 140,000 transfer fee. Loch Palms: 425,000 THB includes 72,000 transfer fee. Tanita, 094 695 3536 / 063 992 3226.

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Buy&Sell

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

MOVING SERVICES

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Looking for a Moving Company?

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

MOTORBIKES FOR SALE Honda Tena 110cc two-stroke

New rims, tires, brakes, fork seals, head stem bearings, headlight and more. 4-speed clutchless semi-auto. Green book. 098 705 2706. B15,000 ONO.

MUSICAL Colin Hill is now offering:

Live Music: Solo, acoustic, easy listening, to full event band. Professional, quality, legal live music for any budget. Guitar lessons: Beginner to very advanced. Guaranteed fast results. Also Bass lessons to intermediate level. Home School tuition: English, Geography, History, Social Studies grades 7—10. Qualified Secondary School Teacher with Diploma of Teaching. English language tuition: For Thai students or adults. www. colinillyhill.com / 089 777 3063 / illy@3bbmail.com.

PROPERTY FOR SALE House For Sale In Land & House Park Chalong Phuket

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

PUBLIC NOTICES Notice To The Public

Mr Anuchit Aomthonglang whose photo appears, Position was Customer Service Representative is now no longer employed by Go Vacation Thailand (DER Asia Tour Co., Ltd.) as of June 1 2017. Go Vacation Thailand would like to state that it does not take any responsibility for this person’s actions. Ms Sarochinee Urachuern, 849 Worawat building 7th floor, Silom Rd, Bang Rak 10500, kunchlipa.u@ go-vacation.com, 022671202, 022671128

PROPERTY FOR SALE LAND NEAR WATERFALL FOR SALE

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

WEBSITES, IT For Sale: hoteldealsphuket.com

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

HOUSE FOR SALE/RENT IN RAWAI

Land 620 sqm. 2 story with 4 bed & 2 Bathroom, fully equipped kitchen, 4 Air-con, big tropical garden with swimming pool, car park, Wi-Fi. In a very quiet area. For long lease 70,000 Baht/month. Email: harrij@loxinfo.co.th 11.9 MB Negotiable, Harrij@loxinfo. co.th 089 731 0283.

COMMUNITY

PROPERTY FOR SALE LAND FOR SALE IN RAWAI

4 Rai, 2ngn, 64tlw, total 7.456sq.meter. chanotte title. Near Shell Museum, 3 minute to Rawai Beach. Great for project. already have electric and road. Email: harrij@loxinfo.co.th 36 MB, Harrij@loxinfo.co.th 089 731 0283.

Beautiful Land in Rawai For Sale

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

PROPERTY FOR RENT

Long term luxury Villa

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

PROPERTY FOR SALE

4 bedroom house in Chalong

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

5 BED LUX SURIN VILLA FOR SALE

URGENT SALE BY OWNER: Reduced from THB28.9m to JUST THB16.750.000! MUST SEE! My luxury lake-side 5 bedroom pool villa is within a secure gated community and is only 5 minutes walk to Surin & Bang Tao beaches. A MUST SEE Villa, requiring a little upgrade, but is a TRUE bargain for anyone looking to enter Phuket’s most exclusive property market. Call owner(Cass)NOW on 0925 710 770 for viewing, or visit my web ad for full details: www. hoteldealsphuket.com 16.750.000, Cass, 0925 710 770 thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

SPORT 29

Thailand hails new hero

Golfer Ariya finally secures her place on top of the world rankings GOLF AFP

hailand hailed Ariya Jutanugarn as their new sporting hero on Tuesday (June 13) as she finally secured her place on top of the world rankings – a week after being wrongly named number one. The 21-year-old overcame that disappointment to sink a monster 25-foot birdie putt in a play-off last Sunday (June 11) to take the Manulife LPGA Classic in breathtaking style and ensure a fairytale finish to a rollercoaster week. The win in Canada came a week after the LPGA said Ariya would take over the top ranking from Lydia Ko, only for her to be informed when the rankings were published a day later that an embarrassing miscalculation had been made and that she was still 0.01 points behind the New Zealander. Last weekend’s victory put her elevation to number one beyond doubt and it was duly confirmed when the new

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Thai Ariya Jutanugarn poses with the trophy after winning the Manulife LPGA Classic at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ontario, last Sunday (June 12). Photo: AFP rankings were released on Monday (June 12), sparking celebrations back home. Thailand has a long golfing history but Ariya made history by being the first Thai, male or female, to reach the top of the world rankings. Pictures of a beaming Ariya

– known by her nickname “May” back home – were emblazoned across most Thai newspaper front pages on Tuesday. “May is world’s number one, she has made history for Thai golfers,” read the front page headline of Thairath,

the country’s largest selling newspaper. “She fought hard to claim her success,” Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha told reporters. “Her family were dedicated, they struggled and sacrificed.” Much of the coverage focused on the financial sacrifices

Ariya’s family made so she and her older sister Moriya, the world number 46, could turn pro. Ariya first showed an interest in golf at the age of five when her father opened an equipment shop at a Bangkok driving range.

Worried she might distract customers, Ariya’s dad gave her some clubs to play with, local media reported. From then on both she and Moriya were hooked. As they progressed through their teens the family sold their house and car to raise enough funds. It was a gamble that paid off. Ariya has won some $3.9 million (B132.24mn) in career earnings while her sister has racked up $1.6mn (B54.25mn). Many Thais left messages of support on social media after Ariya’s number one spot was confirmed. “You have written a new chapter in Thailand’s sporting history,” wrote one Facebook user. “You have won the hearts of all Thais.” Ariya’s struggles and success mirrors that of Thailand’s other great female sporting star -- badminton player Ratchanok Intanon. She has also topped the world rankings during her career and first picked up a racket at a badminton centre where her parents worked as a cleaner and driver.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017

Back where he wants to be

Wakeboarder shows true strength, and his smile has returned Continued page 30 In hospital what thoughts were going through your head? I didn’t really understand what was going on because I was on so many different medications, but deep inside I knew I wanted to come back stronger. They were rough days, sometimes I felt like I didn’t want to do anything or go anywhere, but just lay down on the hospital bed… because that’s all I could really do, but I always worked to stay positive and knew I needed to do my best to come back stronger. What coping mechanisms helped at this time? What really helped me to cope was the support I got from everyone; family, friends and everybody else. I guess I just wanted to prove that I can come back, at least to try to come back and I knew I would do it not just for myself but also for everyone who supported me. Hayden visited you in BKK – what did you talk about? When I just lost my leg I was thinking of someone who could help me to come back stronger and then I thought of Hayden, because I trained with him before for the Asian Beach Games, and then Hayden just came to visit me. We talked about mental stuff; he explained that if I want to be strong physically I also needed to be strong in my mind. A few weeks after getting out from hospital, I went to RPM Health Club and Hayden and all the crew there helped me a lot. He’s like a brother to me.

You mentioned to Hayden that you had to get back on your board – is that a big motivator? It is… and it’s not an easy one. I have to work a lot harder to exercise and I need to get used to moving slower! Getting my fitness, strength and mental confidence back to do what I love, helps me to keep going. If not this dream, I don’t know what I would do. There are videos of you training in hospital. Is exercise and fitness important? Super important. For me exercising is like pain relief, I forget about pain and enjoy working out and exercising every time. I still have pain every day but working out helps me to not think about it and make me stronger both mentally and physically, I want to keep going. What does exercise and fitness do for your brain, moods and energy? I enjoy feeling strong and looking strong, I don’t really want people to look down and think that I can’t do something just because I have one leg. Life just goes on, with a leg or without it… exercising makes me believe that anything is possible. The mental and emotional sides of an accident like this can be pretty rough. How low did you go and how did you come out so strong? I feel like it still might be going… even though I’m trying to come back to my normal life, it’s just not the same any more. I always think about doing what I really want to do when I ride, going up in the air and just running around. But I’m still alive; I guess that’s good… When I arrived to Bangkok in the ambulance mum thought I had died.

Do you still have ‘low’ days? What do you do to pull yourself out of a mental funk? Well… I exercise. That’s the only way to make myself feel better. I go to RPM Health Club, play basketball, go swimming and even enjoy REBEL Rock Climbing. I try to do anything that is physical activity. I like moving around. It’s been a very long process to simply walk again, you have had a few prosthetic limbs, how are you doing on the board now? Riding wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, but to be able to do things I was doing before will take time. I try not to think that it’s impossible, but sometimes it’s hard to avoid thoughts like that. I aim to ride every day though. People forget you have to go to hospital frequently, how often do you visit and what goes on? What remains of my leg shrinks every few months and the socket has to be adjusted with time. Right now I’m using a better prosthetic leg then the first one I got for walking. However, I did a lot of research and there are really good ones that could help me to be as comfortable with my body as I was before, but the really good ones are the really pricey ones, they could go up to millions of Thai Baht. A new all-round prosthetic leg, is the goal, right? Why is this so important for your life and how much is it? I’ve already got a sport leg for riding, Its Moto Knee from Biodapt which I think is one of the best legs I could get for what I want to do (professional wakeboarding). However, having a good leg for day-to-day use would change

Since the accident back in May 2016, Mac’s life has been a rollercoaster of emotions, but with all the support he’s received he getting well and truly back on track. my life. My hips wouldn’t hike up and affect my back, I could walk smoother, move smoother, you know… just be smoother all round! Hayden’s helping to collect sponsorship money to go towards that fund. It’s really pricey. Without ongoing medical costs it’s about US $100,000 just for the leg! That’s A LOT of Thai Baht. Of course visiting the hospital regularly is ongoing for me now too. Life has dramatically changed. You h ave e nt e r e d t he PH U K ET S PA RTA N S team… tell us about this I don’t really know much about the team yet, but I’ve seen all the photos and I’m sure the team is strong. I think it will be fun, but hard too, not impossible though. If I can do this, you can too. (Look out for more information on the Phuket Spartans and the Spartan race in forthcoming issues of The Phuket News.) We all have adversity in our lives, what is your current perspective of what happened and your future goals? Everything just changed completely. Right now I have to start from the bottom to become good at something. In the future I want to try other things, like sky diving or anything that has to do with being active.

Currently I’m working out on street exercising, which seems to be really good for the body, difficult but fun. Wake boarding, surfing, skating, riding a board in general is an incredible lifestyle, is wake boarding like medicine to you? Just being on the water and staying active makes me forget about everything else. After I ride I feel more calm and relaxed, enjoying life. Gary Carrick and your fiancé Maria, have been incredibly important to you over the last year, anyone else you wish to shout out to? RPM Health Club, Anthem Wake-Park, REBEL Rock Climbing, Thai Wakepark and Phuriwat Phattranonarnan, Teddy Fagerstrom and the team, and everyone who supported me in any way. Without all of you I wouldn’t have made it so far. I really do appreciate all the help and support. Anything else you would

like to add? Hi to all my friends, followers and sponsors, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for their love, help and support. No words can describe how grateful I am to have them all around me. To everybody who’s been there for me – thank you. Hayden Rhodes (Club Manager of Phukets Finest Health Club - RPM Health Club) is the creator of Surf Training Secrets.com and is known for his enthusiasm and lifelong love of health, fitness, personal development and surfing. He has been helping people improve their surfing and snowboarding around the world for more then 20 years. Hayden believes everyone has the ability to improve their lives and promotes health as much as he promotes fitness. He continues to study, surf and snowboard around the world and looks forward to helping you up grade your lifestyle. Visit SurfTrainingSecrets.com

For those who are willing to donate, here is the donation account information:

Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) Mackinthai Thomas Rosen Account #: 601 402070 5 Swift code : SICOTHBK (Please leave your name in the description area on your transaction, so we know who to thank) thephuketnews

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SPORT 31

Hamilton claims key win Lewis cruises in after aggressive getaway from Max Verstappen BOX OF NEUTRALS

Race winner Lewis Hamilton waves to the crowd during the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday (June 11). Photo: Live Mason/AFP

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ewis Hamilton seized back momentum in the 2017 Formula One season following a decisive win at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. In commanding style Hamilton led the race from lights to flag, deftly fending off an aggressive getaway from Max Verstappen, who leapt from fifth to second by the first turn, to cruise to an easy win. Sebastian Vettel, who started alongside Hamilton from the front row, became collateral damage of the Dutchman’s sizzling start, losing part of his front wing when Verstappen’s Red Bull Racing car chopped across his bow to take the corner. Vettel was forced to stop for a new nosecone on lap five, which dropped him to eighteenth and last, but a strong fightback with an unlikely two-stop strategy moved him back up to fourth place by the

chequered flag in a superb example of damage limitation. The German rescued 12 points from his initial 25-point title lead in an afternoon of skilful and aggressive driving – but even without the first-lap collision it would be hard to imagine anyone but Hamilton climbing onto the top step of the podium. The Briton has made the North American race his

fortress since claiming his debut Formula One victory in Canada in 2007. His win on Sunday (June 11) was his sixth at the circuit, making him the second most successful driver in the event’s history. By Hamilton’s hand it was a weekend for the history books. His pole position on Sunday – earnt with a scintillating new lap record that put more than 0.33 seconds

between him and Vettel on the front row – was the 65th of his career, putting him equal second with childhood hero Ayrton Senna in Formula One’s all-time pole tally. To commemorate the milestone the Senna family gifted Hamilton one of Ayrton’s helmets, which was presented to the Briton in front of the grandstands immediately after qualifying.

“I’m shaking,” said the visibly emotional Hamilton. “I’m speechless. “He was the one who inspired me to be where I am today. To match him and to receive this is the greatest honour.” Hamilton is now just three pole positions away from seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher’s 68pole record, meaning the Mercedes driver is likely to become Formula One’s most decorated qualifier by the end of the season. It was a crucial victory for the championship fortunes of Mercedes – which scored its first one-two of the season with Valtteri Bottas in second – and Lewis Hamilton, with the team at sea at the preceding Monaco Grand Prix with tyre usage and car set-up. “We need to find a solution for the tyre window,” nonexecutive director Niki Lauda told the Austrian media before the race weekend. “Ferrari has got a momentum going. If it stays like this the gap will become huge, alarming. “And one thing is clear:

Vettel needs to retire at least once, otherwise it’s over.” The team delivered on Lauda’s call to action. A group of engineers worked in 24-hour shifts for 10 days to identify and rectify the problems experienced in Monte Carlo, and the Silver Arrows was able to reap the rewards on a weekend Ferrari struggled. Vettel’s fourth-place fightback, though not as severe as Lauda’s wished-for retirement, was compounded by severe brake problems on Kimi Räikkönen’s car that consigned the Finn to seventh, meaning Mercedes outscored its rival by 25 points and resumed first place in the constructors standings with an eight-point buffer. The 2017 season continues to defy expectations, and with both teams remaining so evenly matched, to venture a favourite for the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix on June 25 could only be foolhardy. Tune in to Live89.5 each and every Saturday from 9am for the Box of Neutrals radio show.

America’s Cup pushes technological barrier YACHTING THE 35TH AMERICA’S CUP, fueled by technology drawn from the world of aerospace, is pushing sailing beyond the bounds of the sea. “It’s the first America's Cup in which you have to reinvent a way to sail,” says Laurent Chatillon, the Airbus engineer who has been working for two years in Bermuda with Oracle Team USA, who will launch the final phase of their quest for a third straight America’s Cup tomorrow (June 14). “These boats are flying,” Chatillon says. “It's really the third dimension.” The 50-foot America’s Cup twinhulled catamarans would be unrecognisable not only to the sailors of the first America’s Cup in 1851 but

to those competing 15 years ago. Gone are the canvas sails, replaced by the towering carbon fiber fixed-wing sail. The grinders, built like rugby players, no longer crank winches to trim traditional sails but to produce the hydraulic energy necessary to operate the boat. In some cases, they’re using cycle-style pedals to do it, rather than arm-powered winches. As the six crew – helmeted like race car drivers – go about their business on the water hundreds of sensors relay information on every aspect of the boat’s performance to a team’s base camps for instant analysis. The skipper oversees it all from a command post more and more like the cockpit of an airplane. It all produces racing at speeds three-times faster than the wind as

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the L-shaped hydrofoils allow the boats’ hulls to rise a metre from the surface of the water, thus reducing drag. Amid the sophisticated aerodynamics and algorithms that underlie the breathtaking spectacle, instinct still plays a key role. As part of a technological partnership initiated in 2012, Airbus exchanged some of its manufacturing techniques with Oracle, in particular three-dimensional printing and laboratory tests that saved time in the design process. The team drew on the expertise of traditional marine engineers and aerospace experts to interpret data, but not everything comes down to numbers. But not all sailing enthusiasts have welcomed the emergence of the

Emirates Team New Zealand skippered by Peter Burling races during the 35th America’s Cup, Louis Vuitton Challenger Play-offs finals in Hamilton, Bermuda. Photo: Mark Lloyd/AFP foiling catamarans first introduced to the America's Cup in 2013 in San Francisco. But Oracle general manager Grant Simmer insists that the venerable competition – said to be the oldest trophy in international sport – has always been about pushing boundaries. “Traditionalists don’t like catama-

rans,” Simmer says. “Some people don’t like foils. But the fact is that we are at the top level of the sport and the kids of today want to go sailing on foils. “It’s very good that they can see their heroes at the Cup, they can see boats foiling around, they can aspire to that.” AFP

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Thailand has new sporting hero, and world No.1 > p29

Life changing incident left him down, but now Mac’s bouncing back horrendous pain and emotional sense of overwhelm in his life.

t was Saturday, May 7, 2016, competition time. But it was this one day that changed Mac Rosen’s life forever. Mac was doing something he had performed 1,000s of times before, and it all came out wrong… He just didn’t know how wrong it was going to get. Moving on to Wednesday, May 11, 2016, Mac awoke during surgery and felt something cutting through the bone in his leg. It turned out to be the most

Many people still do not know what actually happened, can you explain what was going on at the time of the accident and what was going through your head. I just went up in the air too high and landed on a straight leg… I just heard it snap. I reached down to feel my leg and realised it wasn’t good. I already did about 70% of the run and only had two tricks left… I guess I was just over excited and did a different trick to what I was planning … and it came out wrong. When I fell no

one really realised it was serious but then people just rushed into the water to get me out… All the kids and boys I coach were the first ones to jump in to help me. How high in air were you? I don’t know… It was pretty high. High enough to get a massive trauma like that… I heard you were already winning, was this going to be the last trick of the contest? I felt like I was pretty much on top of the scoreboard, but the last two tricks didn’t turn out the way I wanted them to be. Continued page 30 Mac is now back doing what he loves and does the best, riding his board.

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