The Phuket News 17 May 2019

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FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

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BABY JUMBO IS DEAD

NEWS

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Bangla bar tout charged for fatal street stabbing

LIFE

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Taking steps for the ocean with Subs flip-flops

Three-year-old Jumbo, pictured here at Phuket Zoo, where he was used to dance and perform tricks for tourists, has died. Photo: Moving Animals

INFANT ELEPHANT AMID INTERNATIONAL PLEAS FOR PROTECTION DIES FROM INFECTION Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter2@classactmedia.co.th

T

he Phuket Zoo baby elephant Jumbo, just three years old, has died from a digestive tract infection despite an international campaign calling for him to be taken into care for better protection.

Jumbo was so weak that he collapsed under his own weight and broke both his back legs while trying to lift himself free from mud in a special area created for him where he could recover, explained Zoo Manager Pichai Sakunsorn.

“Veterinarians from the Phuket Provincial Office of the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) advised us to keep a close eye on

his health because he was becoming weak from an infection. The vets came to check on him and provided him medical treatment, but he was not getting better.

“His condition kept deteriorating, so he we had him taken to the Elephant Hospital in Krabi, where he was admitted on April 17,” he said.

A staffer at the Elephant Hospital Southern Thailand in Krabi, operated by the National Elephant Institute, confirmed to The Phuket News this week that Jumbo died three days later.

The staffer, who declined to be named publicly, confirmed that Jumbo was a legally registered elephant carrying microchip number 122767173A, born on Dec 8, 2015 and originally from Hua Hin.

“He was not able to stand and both his back legs showed swelling, so we had a vet x-ray his legs and found that both legs were broken,” the staffer explained.

Jumbo has now been buried on hospital grounds, the staffer added.

Phuket DLD Chief Manas Thepparuk confirmed that Jumbo was the same elephant that had previously been referred to as both ‘Dodo’ and ‘Ping Pong’. He apologised for the confusion.

Suriya Tanthaweewong, the board director of Phuket Zoo Co Ltd involved with zoo operations, emotional on the phone, also confirmed, “We had only one baby elephant here at the zoo.”

Mr Manas, when called by The

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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Phuket News on Tuesday, said he was not aware that Jumbo had died.

“I had been told that he was at the Elephant Hospital, and I thought that I would have been informed if Jumbo had died,” he said.

Zoo Manager Mr Pichai, speaking openly about Jumbo, countered plainly, “I did inform the Phuket DLD about Jumbo’s death.”

Now informed, Mr Manas told The Phuket News on Tuesday that his officers would investigate Jumbo’s death and take any legal action deemed necessary.

A veterinarian at the Elephant Hospital involved in providing care for Jumbo explained that in her opinion Jumbo did not die of abuse or neglect.

The vet also discounted elephant...

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Prisoners released under royal pardon MORE THAN 200 PRISoners were released from Phuket Provincial Prison on Wednesday (May 15) after receiving a royal pardon from His Majesty in honour of his Royal Coronation earlier this month.

Relatives waited expectantly outside the prison gate to welcome their loved ones beyond the prison walls.

In total, 216 inmates, 177 men and 39 women, were granted their freedom on Wednesday morning, Phuket Prison Commissioner Soontorn Dechraksa explained.

All 216 were serving sentences for “small cases”, he said.

“They were all also serving their first jail sentences.

None of the prisoners released were serving sentences for drugs or serious cases,” he added.

Retiree expats face health insurance visa malady > p5

Wastewater on beaches comes under fire, again The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

Relatives wait expectantly outside Phuket Prison on Wednesday morning (May 15). Photo: Waranya Prompinpiras Only one foreigner, a Turkish citizen, was among the 216 inmates freed.

“He had been in prison for many months. He was jailed under the Immigration Act because he lived in Thailand long past his permitted time,” he added.

However, the Turkish man on Wednesday was handed over to Phuket City Police to be processed for deportation, he added.

Waranya Prompinpiras

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

F

ollowing an outbreak of criticism online in response to a video showing wastewater pouring onto Bang Tao Beach, officials last Sunday (May 12) inspected the recently installed wastewater system and collected water samples to test for contaminants.

The initial investigation into the complaints, which included the water spilling onto the beach carrying a foul smell, was carried out by officers from the Damrongtham Center (Ombudsman’s Office), Thalang District Office and Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor) as well as local village headmen and local residents.

Phuket Governor Phaka-

Officials are hoping to prevent more untreated wastewater from pouring onto Bang Tao Beach. Photo: PR Dept phong Tavipatana arrived at 5:30pm to inspect the facilities in person, and ordered for urgent steps to be taken to prevent any more foul water pouring onto the beach.

“This problem affects the beautiful image of our tourist city (sic). We need to urgently find a way to solve this prob-

lem to alleviate the suffering of the people who are being affected by the pollution,” he said.

After decades of foul untreated wastewater pouring onto Bang Tao and Surin beaches, Cherng Talay OrBorTor made history in March this year with the first two

wastewater treatment plants in the area brought online under a project costing B355 million.

However, even Cherng Talay OrBorTor Chief MaAnn Samran admitted to The Phuket News that the wastewater plants will only be as effective as the sewer network that delivers the untreated wastewater to them.

Sewers installed in Cherng Talay Moo 2 and Moo 5 will feed the Bang Tao station, while the waste pipes laid throughout Moo 3 will feed the Surin Beach plant. Other areas where sewers are still being installed will still result in untreated wastewater finding its way into the canal and onto the beach, he said.

Meanwhile, water samples collected from an outf low pipe at Bang Tao Beach will be tested for contaminants.

Baby Jumbo dies from infection Continued from page 1 ...endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), a type of herpesvirus that can cause a highly fatal hemorrhagic disease when transmitted to young Asian elephants.

An associated National Elephant Institute Elephant Hospital in Lampang had a baby elephant die of EEHV only earlier this month.

“Jumbo did not show any signs of EEHV. He had an infection in his digestive tract that resulted in Jumbo suffering constant diarrhea, which caused other health complications, including the fact that his body was not absorbing nutrients as it should, which made him very weak,” the vet explained.

“I believe that the cause of Jumbo’s condition may have resulted from him being born premature. Also, Jumbo liked bananas and other sweet foods. He refused to eat enough fiber-rich food to remain healthy,” she said.

Regarding how Jumbo came to sustain two broken legs, the vet told The Phuket News that the debilitating injuries arose from a “horrible accident”.

“I talked with the mahout who looked after Jumbo. The accident happened on April 13. Jumbo’s front legs became stuck in some mud while he was holding himself up with his back legs on dry ground.

“First, he tried to lift himself out with his back right leg, but the bone was too thin and too brittle, and the stress on it caused it to break.

“So he tried to push himself out of the mud with his back left leg, and that broke, too,” she said.

Mr Manas confirmed that Phuket Zoo under its permit has the right to keep the elephants it already has and uses to perform

Officers last month banned Jumbo from performing in shows at Phuket Zoo until his health had recovered. Photo: DLD Phuket dance shows and tricks for tourists.

Phuket Zoo can even acquire a new baby elephant if they choose to, he added.

“That is up to them. They have the right to do so,” Mr Manas said.

Meanwhile, Zoo Manager Mr Pichai, like Mr Suriya, also appeared to be deeply saddened by Jumbo’s passing. “Nobody wants to lose something they love. We did the best we could do to protect him,” he said.

Mr Pichai denied allegations that Jumbo was being treated inappropriately, Questioning why even unscrupulous elephant owners would abuse an elephant to the point of death, Mr Pichai, still emotional, pointed out, “This elephant baby was worth more than B1 million.”

Jumbo became the focus of a media storm earlier this year when animal welfare group Moving Animals launched an online campaign to have Jumbo – who they nicknamed ‘Dumbo’ – removed from the zoo’s care for better protection. The campign gained international recognition, with stories covered by the UK’s Independent, Daily Mail, Mirror and The Sun, as well as Afton Bladet of Sweden and la Repubblica in Italy. thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Subtle withdrawal

Army scales back direct role in Phuket The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

A

s the Thai military reduces its direct role in local administration within the province, Lt Gen Pornsak Poonsawat, Commander of the Army Region 4, last Friday (May 10) announced that responsibility for several issues in Phuket overseen by the Army will be handed over to the Phuket branch of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) before the end of May. Isoc, of which there is a provincial office in every province in the countr y, serves as the political arm of the Thai military.

Among the issues mentioned as to be handed over to Isoc last Friday were enforcement of Phuket’s beach management rules, which includes the enforcement of the “10% rule”, which allows vendors at selected beaches to operate on only 10% of the total beach area as covered by sand.

Other areas of interest

Lt Gen Pornsak Poonsawat, Commander of the Army Region 4, at the meeting last Friday (May 10). Photo: PR Dept being handed over to Isoc to monitor included Phuket’s ominous “public transport” regime, migrant workers, the fight against drugs and the suppression of human trafficking.

Gen Pornsak Poonsawat, Commander of the Fourth Army Region base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, which is the leading Army base in all of Southern Thailand, delivered

the news at a meeting held Phuket Provincial Hall last Friday. Present to receive the news were Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana and Isoc Phuket branch Director Rear Admiral Therdkiat Onmuang.

Gen Poonsawat explained that the move to hand over responsibility for the “areas of interest” was due to the National Council for Peace

Beachgoers warned of jellyfish CHERNG TALAY TAMBON Administration Organisation (OrBorTor) Chief MaAnn Samran this week urged tourists and other beachgoers to beware swathes of jellyfish that washed up on Bang Tao Beach over last weekend.

“Please keep away from these jellyfish on Bang Tao Beach as at this stage we don’t know what kind of jellyfish they are,” Mr MaAnn said on Monday (May 13).

“We have asked officials f rom the Depar tment of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) to identify what kind

@thephuketnews

Beachgoers were urged to stay away from the jellyfish washed up on the sands.

Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub of jellyfish these are and we are starting to collect them off the beach,” he said.

In the meantime, people have been urged to stay out of the water.

The warning to beware of the jellyfish extends all the way along Layan and Leypang beaches, Mr MaAnn added.

Local residents posted photos online after finding hundreds of the plain, clear jellyfish washed up on the sand. The jellyfish, round in shape and with small tentacles underneath, were found along all seven kilometres of Bang Tao Beach, residents noted.

Reports from readers of The Phuket News noted that jellyfish were also being found washed up on Patong Beach.

Eakkapop Thongtub

and Order (NCPO) having no more authority to issue orders sometime this month.

Gen Poonsawat was not specific in revealing when the NCPO will deem itself as no longer having authority to directly involve itself in local administration.

Rega rd i ng t he beach management issue, of which Phuket is the only province in the country to implement, Gen Pornsak said after the meeting, “In the case of the request by sunbed operators to expand the areas used on the beaches to be more than 10%, I think this should be done only during the [tourism] high season to make a better impression for tourists.

“But when entering the low season, sunbed operators should reduce their operations to the same as usual [back within the 10% zones],” Gen Pornsak added.

“But that depends on the Phuket Gover nor, who is the president of the provincial beach management committee, to decide that they will be allowed to or not,” Gen Pornsak said.

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Bangla Rd bar tout charged with murder A BAR TOUT WORKING on Patong’s Bangla Rd died after being fatally stabbed by another tout after a fight broke out between them on Monday evening (May 13).

The two men were working as freelance hosts on the island’s main nightlife strip, earning commission from various bars that they would take customers to.

“The two men began fighting on Bangla Rd at about 9:49pm when one of them, Pakorn Pongseeda, 32, pulled out a knife and stabbed the other, Anuchet Chanwijit, 42,” Patong Police Chief Col Anotai Jindamanee told The Phuket News.

Col Anotai said that the fatal stabbing was the final episode of a long ongoing spat between the two touts.

“The two men had argued many times in the past. This time the argument escalated into a physical fight and, as Pakorn was subdued, he pulled out a knife and stabbed Anuchet once in the right abdomen,” Col Anotai said.

Mr Anuchet immediately fell to the ground as Mr Pakorn fled.

People rushed over and

Police at the scene of the crime on Bangla Road on Monday night (May 13).

Photo: Patong Police provided first aid before Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers arrived and took Mr Anuchet to Patong Hospital, where he died two hours later.

Witness statements and CCTV footage revealed that Mr Pakorn was headed towards Phang Nga, so Patong Police coordinated with police in Phang Nga which led to the capture and arrest of the suspect, he added.

“As Mr Pakorn approached the mainland, he stopped on Sarasin Bridge and threw the knife in the sea,” Col Anotai said.

“We now have him in custody at Patong Police Station. He has been charged with murder and will be taken to court today.” Col Anotai said on Tuesday.

Waranya Prompinpiras

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Dengue on the decline ahead of rainy season The driver blamed the wet road for causing him to lose control of the truck.

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Driver charged, blames wet road for crash A TRUCK DRIVER HAS been charged with reckless driving after the six-wheeled lor r y sla m med i nto t he concrete stairs to a pedestrian bridge in Thalang early last Saturday morning (May 11).

Police and rescue workers were called to the scene, on Thepkrasattri Rd in front of Muang Thalang School, at 4:10am.

The driver, Sakchai Auppala, 34, was waiting at the scene. His three passengers suffered only minor injuries.

Mr Sakchai told police that he was returning to the PT Transport Co depot on Koh Siray after making a delivery to Songkhla.

The road was wet from rain that had just stopped, causing him to lose control of the truck and hit the concrete footbridge stairs, he said.

Eakkapop Thongtub

Waranya Prompinpiras reporter1@classactmedia.co.th

T

he chief of the Phuket P rov i ncial Healt h Office (PPHO) has confirmed that the number of dengue fever cases in Phuket has decreased year-on-year and that it is a diminishing cause for concern.

Dr Thanit Sermkaew told The Phuket News last Thursday (May 9), “The situation is under control and nothing to worry about as the morbidity rate is not as high as it was last year and is decreasing.”

The Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health reports that Phuket is currently ranked fourth out of the seven upper provinces of Southern Thailand.

A report in June 2018 had Phu ket ran ked f irst nationally with an average of approximately 71 cases per month between January and June 2018.

This year, Phuket has recorded an average of 36 cases per month between January and May. The seven provinces in order of morbidity rates in

One of the methods used to reduce mosquito numbers in populated areas is fogging. Photo: PR Dept descending order are: Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Krabi, Phang Nga, Phuket, Surat Thani, Ranong and Chumphon.

The PPHO reported that from Jan 1, 2019 to May 2, 2019 Phuket recorded 144 cases of dengue fever and no deaths – a morbidity rate of 35.76 per 100,000 based on the official registered population of 402,707.

The national morbidity rate currently stands at 27.41 per 100,000 meaning Phuket has over 30% more cases than the national average.

However, it is openly accepted that after accounting

for the number of Thais living on the island but not registered here, plus the expats living in Phuket and the number of tourists on the island on any given day, the island’s population is very likely to be more than double the official figure. Hence Phuket’s morbidity figures are higher than the actual numbers.

Breaking down the report, Kathu District recorded the highest morbidity rate with 38 cases or 66.78 per 100,000 when the report was compiled. Thalang District had 37 cases (36.23 per 100,000), and Mueang District (Phuket

Town and the southern end of the island) had 68 cases (28.31 per 100,000).

In terms of subdistricts (tambon), Karon had 10 cases (125.55 per 100,000 people), Patong had 21 cases (99.88 per 100,000), Kamala had six cases (87.72 per 100,000), Koh Kaew had nine cases (61.98 per 100,000), and Pa Klok had 10 cases (61.15 per 100,000).

Southern Thailand recorded the highest morbidity rates in the country at 35.56 cases per 100,000 people.

Northern Thailand was lowest at 16.10 per 100,000.

Between Jan 1, 2019 and Apr 30, 2019 there were 18,105 cases of dengue with 24 deaths recorded.

Dr Thanit explained that although the situation in Phuket is improving, the PPHO continues with its intensive measures to control and prevent the virus.

“The measures we implemented last year will continue as we work to reduce the number of mosquitoes and mosquito bites occurring by fogging and eliminating key breeding areas,” he said.

Italian charged for fatal boat collision T H E I TA LI A N E X PAT involved in a boat collision over the Songkran Thai New Year holidays that resulted in the death of a 74-year-old Thai fisherman has been charged with recklessness causing death, police have confirmed.

The Italian, Giorgio Nastri, 64, was involved in the collision between his boat and a longtail being operated by 74-year-old Rawai resident San Malee off Koh Bon, off Phuket’s southeast coast, on the morning of Apr 14.

Mr San was brought ashore and rushed to hospital. However, Capt Somkiet Sarasin of the Chalong Police confirmed to The Phuket News on Apr 17 that Mr San had died in hospital from injuries sustained in the collision.

“Mr Nastri will be charged for recklessness causing death,” Capt Somkiet confirmed to The

Rawai fisherman San Malee, 74, later died from injuries sustained in the collision.

Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Phuket News last Thursday (May 9).

“We believe the collision was the result of his reckless­ ness,” he added.

“I am still waiting for the forensic police to conclude their investigation. That may take about a month. They are very busy but said they would try to complete their investigation as soon as possible,” Capt Somkiet said.

“After all the evidence has been gathered, I will forward the case to the Phuket

Provincial Prosecutor’s Office to proceed with the charge,” he added.

M r Na s t r i h a s b e e n released without bail while the investigation is being conducted, Capt Somkiet said.

“M r Nast r i has paid B100,000 to Mr San’s relatives to cover medical expenses,” Capt Somkiet noted.

“But the deceased’s relatives have demanded an additional B1.5 million in compensation,” he added.

Negotiations over the compensation for Mr San’s death are continuing, Capt Somkiet said.

Both boats involved in the incident have been impounded while the investigation continues, Capt Somkiet confirmed.

“And the incident has been reported to the Phuket Immigration Office,” he said.

Tanyaluk Sakoot thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

PHUKET NEWS

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The health insurance hurdle

Cabinet approves mandatory health insurance for ‘retirement’ visas The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

P

huket Immigration Chief Col Kathathorn Kumthieng this week confirmed to The Phuket News that he has been informed that Cabinet has approved the new mandatory requirement for all applicants of Non-Immigrant O-A “retirement” visas and oneyear permits-to stay to have health insurance.

However, Col Kathathor n also confirmed that he has yet to receive an order for his office to start applying it when processing applications for one-year NonImmigrant O-A permits-to-stay.

Col Kathathorn on Tuesday (May 14) also confirmed that the new insurance requirement applies only to Non-Immigrant O-A “retirement” visas.

The news follows the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) announcing last week that Cabinet had approved mandatory health insurance as a new requirement for all foreigners staying in the country on one-year Non-Immigrant O-A “visas”, or “permits-to-stay” - better known simply as ‘retirement visas’.

Dr Natthawut Prasertsiripong, Chief of the MoPH Department

Phuket Immigration Chief Col Kathathorn Kumthieng confirmed this week that he has not yet received an order to start enforcing the mandatory health insurance requirement for retirement visas. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot / file of Health Service Support, made the announcement last Wednesday (May 8), confirming that Cabinet had approved the new requirement on April 2.

“Cabinet approved an extra health insurance requirement for foreigners applying for one-year

Non-Immigrant O-A visas,” Dr Natthawut said.

The new requirement applies to all foreigners aged 50 or older,” he added.

“The insurance policy must provide up to B40,000 coverage for outpatient treatment and up to

Phuket Airport gets biometric ID POLICE LOGISTICS Office Commissioner Lt Gen Tinaphat Phumarin last Thursday (May 9) unveiled the installation of new biometric screening systems at Phuket International Airport and said they are ready to use.

Gen Tinaphat along with Deputy Police Spokesman Pol Col Krisana Patanacharoen and Gunther Mull, CEO of DERMALOG Identification Systems – the company that supplies the biometric systems – unveiled 76 new systems at Phuket International Airport putting them to the test for the first time.

Gen Tinaphat told The Phuket News, “There are 76 biometric systems at Phuket International Airport now ready to use. There are also four systems installed at Chalong Pier and one at the Phuket Provincial Police Office. All should be fully operational

by July 1.

“The new system will replace the old with modern fingerprint and face-recognition s of t w a r e a n d p a s s p o r t scanners,” he explained.

“All equipment is produced

by Ger man company DERMALOG which supplies 85 countries at present. The systems are being installed @thephuketnews

Police Logistics Office Commissioner Lt Gen Tinaphat Phumarin tests new biometric screening systems installed at Phuket Airport last Thursday (May 9). Photo: Supplied in 170 locations nationwide at land, sea and air por t immigration checkpoints.

“The total cost of the project is B2.1 billion and it will help solve the problem of p e o ple e nt e r i ng t he country with fake documents and transnational terrorist infiltration which paints a bad picture of Thailand and affects foreign investment and tourism,” Gen Tinaphat stressed.

Newly appointed Immigration Bureau (IB) Commissioner, Pol Lt Gen Sompong Chingduang, last month highlighted that IB is ramping up the use of biometric technology at international airports to guard against transnational criminals.

He said that biometric identification, such as retina scans, will play an increasingly important role in preventing the movement of criminals throughout the region.

He told the Bangkok Post that the IB’s job mainly involves safeguarding national se cu r it y a nd prov id i ng assistance to tourists.

“If we focus too much on security, services for tourists will be affected, but if we are lax about security, the country could become a hideout for transnational criminals,” Gen Sompong said.

“We want to assist good tourists who have purchasing power. They bring income to the country,” he added.

Tanyaluk Sakoot

B400,000 for inpatient treatment during their stay in the Kingdom of Thailand,” Dr Nutthawut said.

The requirement applies to all new applicants for one-year nonimmigrant O-A visas, and for those applying to “renew” their one-year permits-to-stay, he said.

Dr Nutthawut explained that the move was a joint policy decision by the MoPH, the Ministry of Foreign Affiars and the Immigration Bureau.

“The Office of the Insurance Com m ission (OIC) ha s also supported the move by working with private insurance providers to develop and offer appropriate policies,” he said.

“The government has found that foreigners who are in their elder years staying on this type of visa have more health issues than other foreigners staying on other types of visas,’ Dr Nutthawut said.

“More than that, this is to protect the Ministry of Public Health, which is forced to pay for medical care for foreigners who do not have the funds to pay for their hospital bills,” he added.

Seven Thai insurance providers are now offering policies to match the new requirement.

The policies are being offered through a special website set up at

longstay.tgia.org.

If a foreigner already has insurance provided by an agent overseas, the policy must provide the same amount of coverage, Dr Nutthawut said.

“I have to talk with consular officials on the process of checking that overseas policies are valid,” he said Dr Nutthawut also explained that consideration is being made for foreigners whose health risks are considered by private insurance companies as too high to offer coverage.

“The relevant authorities might consider requiring them to have higher deposits in bank accounts so as to make sure that they have enough to live on during their stay in the Kingdom of Thailand,” he said.

The news comes as the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) last month signed a memorandum of understanding with three leading insurance companies to provide an insurance policy, Thailand Travel Shield, for foreign tourists.

The insurance plan, an online insurance package, provides coverage of up to B2 million with premiums starting from B400 per trip, up to seven days, and can be bought online by new arrivals to the country.

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

Recalibrating retirement visas

T

he move to ensure retirees staying in Thailand on Non-Immigrant O-A “retirement” visas have health insurance has opened a veritable can of worms.

In announcing the new policy Dr Natthawut Prasertsiripong, Chief of the Ministry of Public Health Department of Health Service Support, pointed out that the government is looking to unload the burden of footing the bill for medical treatment left unpaid by senior expats.

No one is going to argue with any government wanting to rein in that bill. They’ve already taken better steps to provide at least basic insurance coverage for tourists entering the country. Now they’re trying to zero out any other credits in their ledger.

Under the new policy, the insurance coverage for retirement visas must provide

up to B40,000 coverage for outpatient treatment and up to B400,000 for inpatient treatment. That’s not much, but that part is not the problem.

Dr Natthawut got much closer to the point when he admitted that consideration is being made for foreigners whose health risks are considered by private insurance companies as too high to offer coverage. That’s the age bracket we are talking about. Insurance policy prices skyrocket as applicants enter their later years.

The whole idea of an insurance policy is to receive money in the hope that the money does not have to be paid back out.

It’s a business, and older folk are just more likely to draw a claim due to health issues.

That’s why Dr Natthawut added, “The relevant authorities might consider requiring them to have higher deposits in bank accounts so as to make

sure that they have enough to live on during their stay.”

And here’s the issue. These are the same foreigners that Thailand invited to spend their golden years – and their money – in Thailand without having to work. And now it seems that the message is, “You’re welcome to stay while you can spend your money, but if you get too ill you’d better go home.” That’s not exactly a well-thought-out strategy when inviting older people to come.

At this stage we can be grateful that the policy is not yet in force and that there are some other options on the table, such as reciprocal arrangements with foreign governments to provide medical care for their citizens while in Thailand.

Let’s hope they use them. After all, this is a form of long-stay tourism all of its own, with benefits for guests and hosts if managed well.

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Brit expat teacher seriously injured as motorbike hits power pole Bar host stabbed to death on Bangla Road Heavy weather warning ramped up, small boats advised to stay ashore, flash flooding alert issued Wastewater pouring onto Phuket beaches comes under fire, again Italian expat faces recklessness causing death charge over fatal boat collision Italian men, both 70, still behind bars pending trial for fishing in national park Patsada Satthacharoen returns to Dream Phuket Hotel, beach club as MarCom Director Army scales back direct role in Phuket beach management, public transport Cabinet approves mandatory health insurance for longstay visas Woman dies as truck hits motorbike

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HAVE YOUR SAY Managing mozzies

Re: Dengue on the decline in Phuket “This year, Phuket has recorded an average of 36 cases per month between January and May.” Now, here’s my theory: it’s due, not to any prevention programme, but simply because of the “drought” and no water for the mozzies to breed in.

Rorri_2 Providing these poor uneducated pesticide applicators with a simple dust mask is like giving a welder a pair of sunglasses – way inadequate.

For the length and frequency of exposure, these poor guys should be wearing the appropriate respirator with chemical filtration canisters, which should also be changed on a regular basis.

BenPendejo Re: PHUKET XTRA: VIDEO: HIV through blood transfusion? Biometrics at Phuket airport! Dengue on the decline in Phuket Not only is the guy in the video not wearing a respirator, he is shooting pesticide into someone’s living space.

He also sprays the area with foodstuffs. If dengue doesn’t

kill you, the pesticide will. The pest control people rarely wear safety equipment.

Timothy

A two-way street

Re: Police urge safety after Italian cyclist hit by car Funny how we cyclists need to be extra careful. We aren’t the ones switching lanes, overtaking others at dangerously close distances, ghost riding and hitting the roads intoxicated. Even when we mind our business and are extremely careful, big trucks and vans always cut in front of us and make sudden stops.

Fortunately, Phang Nga is nearby and their cycling lanes are fairly respected.

Sari Aquismaia Árab Typical of the police to “urge bicyclists to be careful” when the problem is simply idiot drivers. Frankly, I’m amazed anyone would even consider riding road bikes in Thailand. In fact, I can’t think of a worse place on planet Earth to ride a bicycle on the street. Lawless, impatient and reckless angry fools inhabit the streets here.

BenPendejo

Priorities

Re: Italian men, both 70, still behind bars pending trial for fishing in national park Taxi drivers kill people and are still working having not been charged, but catch some fish and stay in jail. Someone really needs to prioritise things.

Fascinated Totally understand why they are under lock and key. It’s not like they poured gasoline on their wife and lit her on fire. For that: bail. Fishing?

Reprehensible.

MartinK Re: Italian expat faces recklessness causing death charge over fatal boat collision How is this any different than a drunk taxi driver crashing and injuring or killing tourists? Happens every day... vegasbaby

Mixed media

Re: Phuket Media Shuffle Congratulations Jason Beavan [Class Act Media] and Grenville Fordham [Image Asia]. Great move for your business and your advertisers.

Paul Poole

Congrats Grenville and Jason. Huge accomplishment.

Well done!

James Stewart

Health careless

Re: Cabinet approves mandatory health insurance for long-stay visas We should have a choice to have or not have health insurance. Since I’ve been here I have paid for all of my own hospital treatment bills. How many other hoops must we jump through to reside here?

Gary Smith I think they want to get rid of the elder people and the ones without big amounts of money.

Otherwise I can not understand all these changing rules.

Sebastian Von Dacia It’s a bad move. Insurance at my age with the cheapest provider would be B59,000.

In my 32+ years here I have not spent that much total for all my hospital stays.

Richard Reitman How about ensuring hospitals don’t overcharge, especially with insurance claims?

Simon Murray

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

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

THAILAND NEWS

7

Glass ceiling shattered Col Pawina Ekchat first female superintendent in Thai Police BANGKOK Wassayos Ngamkham

G

rowing up, Pol Col Pawina Ekchat never thought she would become a police officer, let alone the first female superintendent in Royal Thai Police history.

As a girl, she always wanted to be a nurse, and realised that dream at Police General Hospital. However, after working on the wards for two years, Col Pawina decided to switch careers and took up a role with the police force.

“I’d met so many police officers during my time nursing that I thought I might be good at the job and enjoy the life,” she said.

Now, 30 years later at the age of 50, Col Pawina has been promoted to Acting Superintendent of Talat Phlu Police Station in Bangkok, where she will supervise an area of 2.7 square kilometres on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River.

Even though the position is technically temporary for now, Col Pawina’s promotion made headlines and caught the attention of the public.

It is the first time a female police officer has taken the top job at a rong phak – the informal name for a police station.

Her rise to power marks a welcome change of direction for the male-dominated RTP, and also brings hopes of a more sensitive approach to the management of complex criminal cases.

As Col Pawina says herself: “Policemen are more reliable in jobs that need physical exertion. But women are more understanding of people’s feelings, especially women and children.

“I think my style will be an asset in complicated cases involving a wide cast of characters,” Col Pawina told the Bangkok Post.

Long-term RTP studies have highlighted the benefits of reforming what has often been seen as “an old boys’ club” and opening up the higher echelons of the force to women.

Col Pawina was previously working as a chief inquiry officer at Metropolitan Police Division 8 before being assigned to replace Pol Col Banyong Daengmankhong, chief of the Talat Phlu station.

Her superior, Pol Maj Gen Samrit Tongtao, picked Col @thephuketnews

Pol Col Pawina Ekchat.

Photo: Bangkok Post Pawina, after demoting Pol Col Banyong, along with his two deputies and two police inspectors, following a raid on an illegal pub in their area.

There are 38 suspects in this case and all of them teenagers. “We need a female superintendent to complete the investigation and Col Pawina is the right person to handle it,” Pol Maj Gen Samrit, chief of Metropolitan Police Division 8, said.

“At first, I didn’t think my boss would tr ust me enough to appoint me to be in charge of a rong phak,” Col Pawina said.

“Many police officers dream of being a chief, so I thought ‘why shouldn’t I give it a go?’ It’s quite literally a once in a lifetime experience,” she said with a smile.

Two years ago, former Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Sanit Mahathavorn nominated her, together with two other senior female officers, to be police station chiefs.

“Pol Lt Gen Sanit has given me a lot of encouragement and told me to view this as an opportunity to prove myself,” she said.

Pol Lt Gen Sanit has been adamant that equal rights between female and male police should be a priority for the force and has often championed the knowledge and capabilities of policewomen under his command.

However, Col Pawina was not promoted to chief of Somdet Chao Phraya Police Station as planned and her two colleagues also did not get jobs at the Makkasan

and Phahonyothin police stations. Their promotions appear to have been stalled due to a failure to get a final sign-off on the moves.

Many have speculated that this was a result of the force’s highly conservative nature, something that Col Pawina hopes to challenge through her performance on the job.

Indeed, colleagues interviewed by the Bangkok Post have nothing but praise for Col Pawina’s ability having worked with her closely for three decades now.

She started her police career handling cases involving women, teenagers and families at Rat Burana station, before being promoted to lead a team of inquiry officers at the Somdet Chao Phraya station.

She has gradually sharpened her skills over the years to reach a point where many now regard her as one of the city’s top police officers.

During this time, she also ear ned a bachelor’s degree in law from Sukhothai Open University and a master’s degree in liberal arts from Dhonburi Rajabhat University.

Looking back at the path she has taken in life, Col Pawina admits she could never have imagined herself as a renowned police officer, especially having begun her career as a nurse.

“But I’ve never forgotten the knowledge and skills I picked up during my time as a nurse,” Col Pawina said.

In fact, she believes some of the things she learnt in

her previous role have been invaluable to her police work.

She has an understanding of medical test results that many of her colleagues do not share, making her an asset to the force during

investigations into violent crimes.

And she was also given specific training in how to deal with traumatised individuals, families in particular.

“This skill is particularly useful during interrogations where I need to find out key details from the victims of serious crimes,” she said.

Col Pawina says her detail-oriented nature helps her coordinate with state agencies, and also keep on top of difficult cases, which is why she feels ready for the challenge of supervising Talat Phlu station.

Besides the case involving underage revellers, other common problems in the area are drugs and robberies, but the numbers are usually low.

She admits that she wonders what criminals will make of her appointment.

“It’s possible some gangsters may want to challenge me,” she laughed.

However, she did not foresee any resistance from male police.

“Police are trained to follow rules and orders,” she said.

“Every police officer at the RTF has his and her own duty and rules to follow, and we’re all trained to respect the chain of command.”

THAILAND NEWS

8

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

June 3 now national holiday BANGKOK THE CABINET HAS DECLARED June 3 a national holiday because it is the birthday of Her Majesty the Queen.

Assistant government spokesman Taksada Sangkhajan said after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (May

14) that the Cabinet had approved the national holiday declaration as proposed by the Cabinet secretariat.

His Majesty the King named Gen Suthida Vajiralongkorn na Ayudhya the new queen on May 1 and conferred upon Queen Suthida the formal title of Her Majesty the Queen on May 4.

Bangkok Post

ABOVE: Their Majesties the King and Queen on the royal balcony. Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill.

RIGHT: The King and Queen during the Royal Coronation ceremony in Bangkok. Photo: AFP

Senators seen as PM puppets BANGKOK

Bangkok Post

A

t least 160 or twothirds of the 250 newly appoi nt ed senators are close associates of the regime with military or police backgrounds, sparking criticism that the Upper House is a tool to extend the regime’s rule, which critics say would inevitably renew political conflict and create a fresh impasse.

The opinions were voiced on Tuesday (May 14) at a seminar titled “A way out for Thailand and the people’s desirable new government” by a support group for relatives of victims of the 1992 Black May violence at the October 14 Memorial on Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue.

The Royal Gazette on Tuesday published an announcement on the royally approved list of 250 senators, including 101 generals from both the army and the police force.

Under the current constitution, the 250 senators

This 2018 photo shows the senator selection process at Impact Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi province. Over 2,700 candidates were shortlisted to 200 for the junta to handpick to 50. Photo: Bangkok Post appointed by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will serve during a so-called five-year transitional period after the March 24 election.

During this period, the regime-appointed Senate will be allowed to join the House of Representatives to vote for a prime minister from prime ministerial candidate lists submitted by parties.

For mer f inance min-

ister Thirachai Phuvanat­nara­nubala said the fact that the constitution allows senators to join MPs in voting for a prime minister is unusual and undemocratic.

“It is like an exchange of favours. The prospects for the country of finding a way out of problems are not so bright,” Mr Thirachai said.

He added that the number of senators and MPs from the alliance led by the Palang

Pracharath Party (PPRP) would be enough to keep Prime Minister Prayut Chano-cha in power.

However, with a marginal majority in the House, the new government will be plagued with instability and it is only a matter of time before problems erupt, Mr Thirachai said.

The PPRP-led alliance is expected to garner 253 of 500 House seats to form a

coalition government.

“As as result, the new government will have to draw ‘cobra’ MPs to join it. This means reforms have made no progress after five years of the regime being in power,” Mr Thirachai said, adding the senators should vote for a prime minister independently of those who appointed them.

The term “cobra”, or ngu hao in Thai, refers to renegade politicians who jump ship and vote in favour of the opposing side.

Yutthaporn Isarachai, a political scientist from Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, said the chances of the country finding a way out of its current problems seem limited now it has become clear who the appointed senators are.

“A desirable government must have legitimacy and gain acceptance from the public. Even though the new government has not yet been formed, doubt has already been cast on how long it will survive,” he said.

Former member of the 2007 charter-drafting assem-

bly, Pichian Amnartworaprasert, said it was not legitimate for the senators to join MPs in choosing a prime minister, adding the constitution must be amended to solve the political deadlock this creates.

Thammasat University vice-rector Prinya Thaewana­ rumitkul said Gen Prayut was not a good choice to serve as prime minister during this transitional period because the PPRP-led alliance, which supports his candidacy, lacks a decisive majority.

Gen Prayut would become embroiled in more political conflict when he returns, Mr Prinya said.

Future Forward Party secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul said the Upper House will be a tool to extend the regime’s time in power. If the 250 senators all vote for Gen Prayut, it would insult the public, he said.

The Senate list includes 101 people with military or police ranks such as Gen Preecha Chan-o-cha, Gen Prayut’s brother, and Adm Sitthawat Wongsuwon, Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon’s brother.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

BUSINESS NEWS

9

Class Act, IMAGE asia Reliving the Dream in powerhouse merger HOSPITALITY

MEDIA

The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

I

n the biggest transformation yet for Phuket’s media business, the island’s two leading publishers of print and online media, Class Act Media and Image Asia, have joined forces.

Image Asia was founded 20 years ago and targets visitors with invaluable information on where to eat, where to go, what to do, and what property to buy, in Phuket. Class Act Media is pre-eminent in the delivery of local news to its key target readership of island residents.

“Both our companies have come through some very stimulating times for the media industry, and there are still plenty of exhilarating challenges ahead,” Jason Beavan, Class Act Media’s General Manager, said in a statement announcing the merger issued last Friday (May 10).

“By joining forces, not only can we now offer something that will work for every Phuket advertiser, but we benefit from economies of scale that will allow us to ramp up our investment in the digital future.”

Class Act Media was founded in 2009 and is the sole survivor of the intense competition between Phuket’s foreign language newspapers. The company’s portfolio encompasses The Phuket News

Image Asia founder Grenville Fordham (left) with Class Act Media General Manager Jason Beavan. (in English, Thai and Russian), Phuket News TV and Live 89.5 Radio.

Established in 1999 and well known as the creator of leading yacht racing event, Phuket Raceweek, and Thailand’s first international boat show, PIMEX, Image Asia’s core business has always been its print and online publishing, including Where to Eat in Phuket, Window on Phuket and The Map of Phuket (English, Chinese and Russian).

Image Asia has relocated its base to Class Act Media’s offices near the Samkong (Tesco-Lotus) intersection, but its print and online media will continue to

appear under its own identity, created by the same editorial team and overseen by Image Asia’s founder, Grenville Fordham.

“After an exciting 20-year rollercoaster ride in Phuket’s media and events industries, I’m looking forward to a change of focus and devoting more time to exploring the region,” said Grenville, who will continue to publish the internationally acclaimed yachting guide, Southeast Asia Pilot, under a separate entity.

For more information contact Jason Beavan at gm@classactmedia.co.th or Grenville Fordham at gren@image-asia.com

Wyndham flags Layan condo hotel HOSPITALITY A NEW WYNDHAM MANaged condominium hotel is rising in the Layan Beach area of Phuket. Named the Laya Resort Phuket, the first phase of the project is 300 units of studio and one-bedroom configuration, reports Bill Barnett of hospitality consultancy C9 Hotelworks.

Pr icing st ar ts f rom B150,000 per square metre and a 15-year guaranteed return promoted with the first five years at 7% per annum, Mr Barnett noted in his report on Monday (May 13).

The project is a joint venture between the Chinese group Delsk and Nusasiri (PLC), he added.

“Completion or Phase 1 is expected in first quarter of 2021. A second phase of the project is currently under planning which will reportedly be larger than the first,” Mr Barnett noted.

Although the Wyndham Hotel Group has yet to post its own news release on its main or corporate portals, the Group is one of the largest in the world and includes the Ramada and Days Inn brands, already with marked presence @thephuketnews

The Nusa Laya Condominium project in Cherng Talay as projected to be launched in 2017. Image: via Bangkok Post on the island.

The Laya Resort Phuket originated as a development

by SET-listed Nusasiri Plc announced as to be completed in 2017 as part of the company’s strategy to fend off intense competition and risks from high mortgage-rejection rates.

The firm planned to launch 10 new sites worth a combined B13 billion baht in 2017, Chief Executive Visanu Thepcharoen said at the time.

“The new business model will target upper-end buyers who are much more concerned about health and wellness,” he said. “These people have high purchasing power and no problem with mortgage loan rejections,” he added.

Phuket was to see three projects launched, including Nusa Pakok Hotel worth B1.3 billion located on a 60.5-rai site in Pa Khlok, and comprising 120 hotel rooms and 71 villas.

Phuket will see three projects launched, including Nusa Pakok Hotel worth B1.3 billion located on a 60.5-rai site in Pakok and comprising 120 hotel rooms and 71 villas.

In Cherng Talay, there were be two projects – the Nusa Laya Hotel with 300 rooms worth B1.65bn and the Nusa Laya Condominium with three low-rise buildings and a total of 170 units worth B1.6bn, Mr Visanu explained.

The Phuket News

PATSADA SATTHACHAroen has retur ned to the Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa and Dream Beach Club as Director of Marketing Communications. Ms Patsada took up her post on May 2 and is now overseeing all marketing communication activities for both the hotel and beach club.

This is Ms Patsada’s second spell with Dream Phuket, having previously played a foremost role in the successful pre-opening and launch of the hotel and beach club in 2016.

During her previous tenure, Ms Patsada held the position of Director of Marketing Communications and Public Relations with the remit of handling all marketing communications, public relations and branding, including the design concept of all collaterals from the hotel signage and its amenities to staff uniforms, the properties’ websites and social media presence.

Having overseen nine openings and 10 rebranding projects during a 16-year career spent almost exclusively in the hotel and hospitality industry, Ms Patsada has a reputation as a specialist in this field, said a release is-

Patsada Satthacharoen. sued last week. Her in-depth experience includes working on the opening or rebranding of hotels for various international five-star chains in Australia, Thailand, Singapore and the Middle East, the release noted.

Away from hospitality, Ms Patsada played a key role in the highly successful launch of the Virgin Active brand in Thailand, before going on to break the sales record among eight regional countries in her role as Head of Marketing at Virgin Active Thailand.

“We have some exciting plans for 2019 and 2020. I think with Dream Beach Club’s position as the largest beach club in Phuket and the ‘Level One’ nightclub’s role as the most famous nightclub in the Bang Tao and Layan Beach area, we have a chance to really create something very special and unique here,” she said.

The Phuket News

10 BUSINESS NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Rawai top Airbnb growth area Southern Phuket leads country with 92% growth year-on-year PROPERTY The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

P

huket’s Rawai area, at the southern end of the island, has recorded the fastest growth in Airbnb guest arrivals than anywhere else in Thailand, according to an Airbnb release issued on Monday (May 13).

“New data released highlights how the Airbnb community is helping grow tourism in off-the-beatentrack destinations across Thailand and the Asia-Pacific, and helping spread the benefits of tourism beyond big cities and major tourism hotspots,” said the release.

“Similar to other countries in the Asia Pacific, the Airbnb community is growing rapidly in offthe-beaten-track destinations in Thailand. This growth is powered by travellers increasingly seeking more local, unique and authentic experiences,” it added.

According to new data released from an Airbnb survey carried out last year, the number of Airbnb guest arrivals visiting off-the-beaten-path destinations in Thailand grew by 53% year-on-year and some areas with the fastest growth included: 1. Rawai - 92% 2. Chiang Rai - 90%

Phuket’s Rawai area is the fastest-growing area for Airbnb arrivals in the country, reports Airbnb. Photo: Airbnb 3. Hat Yai - 214% 4. Saladan - 71% “By helping spread tourism across Thailand, Airbnb is bringing the economic benefits of tourism to local communities that haven’t shared in these benefits in the past.

With up to 97% of the listing price going directly to Airbnb hospitality entrepreneurs, and almost 50% of guests’ spending occurring within the neighborhoods where they stay, the financial benefits of tourism can be significant for travel destinations,” noted the release.

Airbnb’s Head of Public Policy Southeast Asia Mich Goh said the data reinforced how Airbnb was

helping grow tourism right across Thailand.

“Just as important as growing tourism is making sure that the benefits of tourism are dispersed beyond big cities and major tourism destinations. This new data shows that Airbnb is not only growing local tourism – but spreading this growth all across Thailand. With Airbnb, more people and places share in the enormous benefits of tourism.

More Airbnb guests going off the beaten track means more income and jobs in local communities,” Ms Goh said.

The data also revealed more hospitality entrepreneurs in off-the-

beaten-track destinations – home sharers, and small, independent, and boutique hotel owners – are turning to the Airbnb platform as a way to promote their unique listings to travellers from Thailand and the world. In 2018, some of the areas with the highest year-on-year growth in active listings in Thailand included: 1. Nakhon Sawan - 167% 2. Trang - 84% 3. Hat Yai - 65% 4. Ayutthaya - 66% 5. Chumphon - 61% Airbnb also shared new data this week at Airbnb’s first ‘New Destinations Summit’ in Igualada (Barcelona, Spain), highlighting the Airbnb community model’s positive impact on communities in Europe with no – or few – hotels.

“Around half of municipalities in Catalonia, for example, have no hotels or other traditional accommodation options. But in almost 120 communities with no hotels in Catalonia, travel on Airbnb platform has helped boost the economy by €1.5 million,” the release added.

Of note, local authorities in Barcelona, which is heavily dependent on tourism, initially banned all Airbnb listings in the city outright as they were deemed illegal due to the properties listed not being registered as accommodation venues.

City officials, however, later allowed the listings, but only after launching its #fairtourism campaign, under which tourists can check online in English whether or not a property was legally registered.

In July last year, Barcelona officials posted on the city’s official Twitter account, “We’ve closed down over 2,000 illegal tourist lets in Barcelona. Before you rent accommodation, check it’s legal at http://fairtourism.barcelona . #fairtourismBCN” The Barcelona government’s fairtourism website explained the government’s stance: “Unfortunately, for all its legal accommodation available, Barcelona also has a range of illegal accommodation that harms not just the people who rent it – depriving them of their right to complain about any incidents and denying them the supplementary services they are otherwise entitled to – but also the city itself, as it creates speculation and illicit economies and its activities leave nothing positive for local neighbors, causing nuisance and complaints.

“If you are visiting Barcelona, we need your commitment and cooperation to prevent the proliferation of this illicit economy in our city and the irresponsible, economically unsustainable and environmentally unfriendly tourism it encourages.”

New property tax regime questioned over desired impact PROPERTY TWO TA X MEASU R ES were recently approved to resuscitate the housing sector, but they are unlikely to have much effect as mortgage rejections remain a major problem, say local developers.

Prasert Taedullayasatit, president for premium business at residential developer Pruksa Real Estate, a subsidiary of SET-listed Pruksa Holding Plc, has suggested that the

government revise Board of Investment (BoI) promotional policies for developers to help build more affordable residential units for low- and middleincome earners.

“The prices of BoI-sponsored houses should be increased up to B2 million to keep current with rising costs,” he said. “Condo unit sizes should also be decreased from 28 square metres, as land costs have risen.”

Regulations for BoI-sponsored homes – the promotions

for which ended in 2014 but which developers winning promotions are still building – call for single detached houses and townhouses to have a usable area of at least 70sqm, with units priced no higher than B1.2mn. The price ceiling for condos was B1mn per unit.

To help boost the housing market and overall economy, Mr Prasert suggested a reduction of transfer and mortgage fees lasting at least one year, with no pricing limits.

Last Tuesday (May 7), the Cabinet approved additional tax perks, cutting both the housing transfer and mortgage fees to 0.01% for 12 months, from 2% and 1% respectively.

The government hopes to revive buying after critics said the previous measure to offer tax deductions of up to B200,000 for buyers of homes and condos worth up to B5mn would have a minimal impact on the market.

The fee cuts will come into force after publication in the Royal Gazette and will run until May 31, 2020.

“Residential supply in Greater Bangkok for units priced lower than B1mn represents only 0.08% of the total housing market each year,” Mr Prasert. “The impact [of the recent tax measures] will be minimal.”

He said residences priced at less than B5mn are the majority of the market, making up 60-70% with a value of B300 billion. The total market value is about B520bn a year.

The tax deductions the Cabinet approved last month of up to B200,000 for buyers of homes and condos worth up to B5mn are part of new stimulus

People browse housing models offered by the National Housing Authority. The NHA’s low-priced housing projects will get a boost from the recently approved tax perks.

Photo: Apichit Jinakul / Bangkok Post measures worth B21.83bn. The stimulus package includes spending of B13.2bn on public welfare benefits for low-income earners, plus tax measures worth B8.62bn.

The government is projected to lose B1.7bn in revenue from the fee cuts, which will apply to low- and middleincome earners who buy houses or condos of up to B1mn a unit.

There are 2.87 million families classed as low- and middleincome households that have yet to own their own home. The measure is expected to help 58,340 families own their own home, helping 175,020 people.

The measures should help stimulate the domestic prop-

erty business, said Nathporn Chatusripitak, spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak. There is a glut of houses and condos worth less than B1mn, he said.

Issara Boonyoung, managing director of low-rise developer Kanda Property Co, disagreed. “At a minimum, the measures can help boost condo sales priced lower than B1mn in Bangkok’s outskirts, as well as townhouses in the provinces and government housing projects like Baan Pracha Rat and the National Housing Authority’s Baan Ua-arthorn low-priced housing projects,” he said.

Bangkok Post thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Burning rubber with Phuket’s downhillers

12

Luxury imports versus local Phuket produce

14

STEPS FOR THE OCEAN

Repurposed plastic flip-flops launch in Phuket Amy Bryant editor1@classactmedia.co.th

T

here’s a new range of flip-flops in Phuket and they’re a load of rubbish. No, really.

Subs sandals are made entirely of recycled plastic sourced from beach and ocean cleanups, landfill, factory waste and general recycling. And for every pair sold, the company pledges to remove half a kilogram – or 1.16 pounds – of debris from the sea.

Plastic waste is everywhere and it seems that Subs are too. There’s the headquarters in New Zealand, where brothers and company founders Andrew and Justin Lambie hail from, and Taiwan, where the flipflops are manufactured and where the brothers now call home. Then there’s their retail outlets on New Zealand’s North and South Islands, in Western Australia, the Maldives, the United States, Taiwan and now Phuket. And on top of that, they manage and sponsor clean-ups in each of these destinations and more, removing 150,834 kilograms – or 332,532 pounds – of waste from the ocean since their inception in 2016.

Having grown up in the coastal Pendarves area of Canterbury, New Zealand, the Lambie brothers’ childhoods are peppered with memories of littered shorelines and seabirds tangled in fishing nets. Similarly, when Justin moved to South Korea and then Taiwan to teach, he witnessed waste from China turn the adjacent seas into plastic soup. And so Subs was born from a fierce determination to turn the tide of plastic pollution by two men who’d seen too much.

Approximately 29 600ml plastic bottles go into each pair of Subs flip-flops, and even the cardboard box, shop hangers, tags and string are made of recycled material. But what exactly is the journey from junk to jandal? The plastic in Taiwan is taken to a recycling facility, cleaned, cut down, mixed with other plastics in the facility and made into pellets which are then moulded into flip-flops. And when customers have worn them to the ground, they can send them back to Subs who will cut them down into pellets and repeat the manufacturing process again.

All’s quiet in the Subs’ upcycling team though; they can count the amount of returns they’ve received on one hand. The footwear is so durable that it’s seen Andrew safely up and down a Taiwanese mountain and remained intact.

It’s at this juncture that we introduce Dan Evilsizer.

Alongside possessing a fantastic surname fit for a comic book villain, Dan is also a diving instructor and former combat engineer for the US Marine Corps who brought Subs to Thailand late last year. (Plot twist, he is in fact the good guy in this story.) Dan re-established contact with Justin, an old friend he taught with in Busan, South Korea, after seeing the success of Subs and its potential in Phuket.

“As a diver, the Subs concept was really interesting to me. You don’t really know how bad it is until you get in the water and see the garbage everywhere,” Dan explains from a restaurant on Sunrise Rd, a stone’s throw from Chalong Pier. Never far from the water is Dan. While the Subs Thailand wing finds its feet, the flip-flops are shipped in from Taiwan and Dan runs the company from his home in his spare time. Long @thephuketnews

Dan the underwater man diving near Koh Phi Phi. Subs led a clean-up of Yanui Beach late last year.

Poolside in Taiwan. term, however, he has plans to manufacture them in Phuket using plastic sourced from clean-ups on and around the island, and set up a search-and-rescuestyle service for fishermen to report lost nets.

In line with the company’s clean-up commitment for each pair sold, Dan organises beach and ocean cleans in his free time, but he also sees each work dive as an opportunity to pick up plastic and encourages his students to do the same.

“You have surface plastic and plastic that sinks to the bottom, and then there’s plastic, like plastic bags, that floats in the middle. That’s what turtles and whale sharks end up eating. And you can see it clearly when diving.

“We see trash from other countries too. I’ve found bottles from the US, Singapore, Malaysia… Some have barnacles on, so they’ve been floating for a long, long time. We see a lot of fishing materials too. I find nets, bulbs, fishing gear…”

Asked what the challenges are in Phuket’s battle against plastic, without hesitation Dan cites styrofoam,

which breaks down into tiny pieces, and other microplastics which are difficult to extract from the water.

These fragments are often ingested by marine animals, and have even started to make their way into our food.

“Plastic waste on land is an issue too that’s not talked about as much,” Dan adds, “It’s got plenty of time to find its way to the sea through floods, strong winds, rivers…”

With an estimated eight million tonnes of plastic entering our ocean each year, joining the 150 million tonnes already there, the challenge of saving our seas can feel overwhelming. However, small lifestyle choices and changes can help us move past those feelings of eco-apathy and hopelessness. Subs gives us an important opportunity to help – two steps at a time.

Subs are available at AOK Diving, Chao Fah Variety Market, Aussie Divers Phuket, The Reiki Shack, Sea Bees Diving and through Lazada. www.stepsfortheocean.com www.facebook.com/substhailand

12 EXPLORE

Along for the ride THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Off-road biking with DirtBoy Downhill Phuket Pongpet Mekloy

I must admit I wasn’t aware that the Pearl of the Andaman is home to an active community of downhillers. Where’s their training ground?

D

uring one of last year’s downhill mountain biking competitions, there was a new team participating. The group was made up of skilled riders I had never met before. They were from Phuket. I must admit I wasn’t aware that the Pearl of the Andaman is home to an active community of downhillers.

Where’s their training ground?

During my recent visit to the southern island, I got the answer to that question. And I was awed.

According to the location and direction provided

by Chalermpon Tubkeaw, a core member of the DirtBoy Downhill Phuket team, the local riders’ regular track is located on Soi Phatthana Uthit 1, just 7.5 kilometres south of Phuket Town. The term “soi” normally refers to a lane in an urban area, but from the satellite view on Google Maps, I saw just a few small buildings in the area. Both sides of the lane were dominated by green patches of trees. Yes, rubber plantations. What a weird soi, I thought.

The real thing is even weirder. As the pickup carrying my friends and I entered the soi, we were stunned by what we saw. The 400-metre-or-so stretch of road before us was so steep. I would call it a mountain road rather than a soi. Then again, despite the misleading word, the fact remains that this road was taking us to the start point of a downhill track on the hilltop.

We soon reached our destination. Chalermpon, aka Ko Sit, and other riders were waiting for us near a massive wall ride.

Photo: Kajondej Thongmee “This track welcomes every rider,” said Ko Sit, “But we rarely have somebody from another part of the country travelling this far to ride with us”.

The start point, Ko Sit explained, is in the rubber plantation further uphill.

“From there you have to do a small jump and maintain the speed to clear the wall ride.”

Almost immediately after the end of the wooden wall ride, I saw two jumps (one of them a huge tabletop) waiting.

After that, the riders need to cross the road to the scenic lookout point called Phu Chomdaw where there is another tabletop, followed by a ramp that shoots them up in the air to land on the steep downslope, which sends them into another plot of rubber plantation where the other sections of the track are located. Many sets of banked turns, drops, a narrow and off-camber bridge and gap jumps of different sizes, from moderate to humongous, await along the length of the snaky trail.

Asked whether the land where the track was built belongs to one of the downhillers, Ko Sit shook his head.

“The owner of the plantations – his name is Tavee Songmuang – occasionally does cross-country mountain biking but he was kind enough to let us build a downhill track on his land for nothing.

“We are so lucky,” Ko Sit beamed.

“One great thing about this track is you don’t always have to ride all the way down to the finish point. You can stay on the hilltop section and enjoy the jumps and the wall ride. You can do as many runs as you want without the need for a shuttle vehicle.”

The friendly Phuket downhillers come to ride the track every weekend in the late afternoon. So pick the right time if you wish to join them. It’s wise to contact the local riders in advance.

GPS coordinates: 7˚50’00.45” N 98˚23’24.16” E Trail condition: Downhill single track with several intimidating manmade obstacles.

Distance: About a kilometre.

Getting there: The start point is lo-

Photo: Kajondej Thongmee cated in Soi Phatthana Uthit 1 which splits westwards off Road 4023 (the road to Cape Panwa) about 900m further down the road from Ban Ao Nam Bo School.

Parking: There’s space for a few cars near the start point.

Food and drinks: No shop is available in the immediate vicinity. Bring your own water and snacks, and make sure you bring the rubbish back out.

What your family can enjoy while waiting: Watching you jump and crash, and taking in the view.

Local contact: You can get in touch with the downhillers via the DirtBoy Downhill Phuket Facebook page.

Pongpet Mekloy is the Bangkok Post’s travel editor and a mountain bike freak.

Photo: Kajondej Thongmee thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

COMMUNITY 13

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Personnel received a warm welcome on the beach.

Thumbs up and smiles all round.

A tonne of trash in 30 minutes

The start of change at Koh Siray Dr Peter W Harris

A

s part of the Royal Australian Navy’s Indo-Pacific Endeavour, military personnel engaged in a range of high-profile training and community activities across Phuket last month, including a simulated search-and-rescue, the construction of the Asia Centre Foundation Early Learning Centre and a clean-up of Koh Siray. It was hard not to be impressed by the lifeguard and disaster relief programmes on Patong Beach too, which involved so many members of the local community.

After months of organisation and hard work, the long-awaited Koh Siray clean-up day finally arrived on Apr 29, and what a day it was. Arriving in two speed boats, 60 personnel were welcomed on the beach by 30 students from the Sunshine Village Foundation waving Thai and Australian flags, a fancy dress kangaroo and clown, local villagers, keen volunteers and 200 staff from Rassada Municipality led by Rassada Deputy Mayor Pawat Supasuwan.

The visit was supported by the Direct Aid Program of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which awarded the Asia Pacific Environmental Network a small grant to encourage collaboration for waste reduction in the area. At the suggestion of the Australian Consul-General in Phuket, Craig Ferguson, the visit also strengthened the commitment for water sanitation which began last year at Koh Siray primary school, enhanced by a visit from Australian Ambassador Allan McKinnon.

Both these high-profile visits certainly caught the attention of the Rassada officials who declared Apr 29 as a clean-up day. The council staff were there in full force and took over the organisation of the clean-up. They were strongly supported by the Moken village council and the sea gypsy community as well as members of the Thai community,

including the famous local banana lady who provided a free fresh banana to every participant.

Volunteers were broken into groups and, armed with gloves, litter pickers, bags and determination, set off to clean the beach and village. The mixed groups saw personnel joking with wide-eyed local children and giggling Thai ladies taking photos with the men in uniform.

A fun morning with a real purpose.

Very quickly the squalid conditions of the area started to transform. The collected waste was then weighed and it was revealed that a staggering 1,017 kilos had been collected in only 30 minutes. The accomplished volunteers then headed for lunch, which was provided by the Australian government, while 11 members of the lively Defence Forces Band provided the entertainment.

The visit was also designed to establish the local kindergarten as a sustainable centre. The kindergarten, which lies adjacent to the village, is wellplaced to play a key role in improving both the health and economic circumstances of the Koh Siray community.

Four centres will be established across the area which will focus on water and waste management. The Australian government donated five compost bins, an organic garden, a new playground and some soap dispensers. The longer-term aim is to encourage the local community to find ways to turn waste into an income generating activity by creating products to sell in local markets. The equipment used in the clean-up was stored for future use with this in mind.

What the day clearly showed was the organisational capacity of the Rassada officials to manage such an important project. However, it’s only the beginning.

The volunteers have left but the appalling state of water, waste and sanitation remains. The community knows it’s there, and in spite of whatever sensitivities are involved, the health and lives of children are at risk and serious pollution

Teamwork in action.

All hands were on deck. @thephuketnews

Putting the cycle in recycling. of the sea through plastic continues.

What has begun needs to be followed through in a determined and forceful way through the combined efforts of the local community, the Rassada officials, provincial officials and local and commercial interests. A long-term strategy

Turning over a new leaf. for the whole of Koh Siray will be discussed at a forum in July which will engage members of the local community, experts and any other interested parties.

The area has the potential to become a real model for change across the whole of Koh Siray, Phuket and beyond.

14 DINING

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Mark Jones with Rangers Valley black market sirloin.

Imported vs local Alessandro Frau’s imported ingredients.

Is Thailand finally able to compete with imported food products?

THE CULINARY DETECTIVE Chris Watson chriswatsonth@gmail.com

We must respect both chefs who challenge themselves with locally sourcing the best that Thailand has to offer and those who strictly maintain integrity of concept.

M

any of you who over the past decade have lived in Phuket, and indeed across Thailand, cannot fail to have noticed the everincreasing range of local food products now on offer in our supermarkets and even the upsurge in artisanal grocers.

Despite Thailand being an agriculturebased economy, many products end up exported and quality has never been comparable to the imported variety – that is until today.

Emerging from these improvements has been a restaurant movement focusing on local, artisanal offerings of the highest quality with many garnering Michelin stars and other accolades for their efforts.

Combined with this has been a focus on organic, sustainable farming with a goal to minimise carbon footprint. Inevitably this has placed question marks around those restaurants which only feature imported products. But are these questions really fair?

Considering the question of whether to import or not, clearly if one is dining at an Italian restaurant, one’s expectation is to eat parmesan cheese on one’s spaghetti carbonara. So integrity of concept must be preserved. However, where there is the possibility of using local produce, why do chefs continue to use the imported offering?

Perhaps the single largest area of improvement in Thai-raised protein has been in that of beef. Whilst Thais have not traditionally had an appetite for this particular meat, for obvious reasons, the younger generation are now gradually shunning their parents’ beliefs, and as a direct result of this, a plethora of premium steakhouses have successfully sprouted across the country. The recently opened Prime at The Nai Harn, Phuket offers up an extensive range of worldrenowned, imported Stanbroke and Rangers Valley wagyu from Australia, and their Executive Chef Mark Marco Jones holds the view that Thai beef is not quite yet at the level insisted on by his discerning diners.

Mark describes the Rangers Valley black market sirloin, 30-day dry-aged with Himalayan sea salt and a marble score of six, as “truly incredible” in terms of both flavour and texture.

Focusing on the other side of the coin with a local offering, Chalee Kader, chef/proprietor at 100 Mahaseth in Bangkok, the receiver of a Bib Gourmand award for his Isaan-themed restaurant, provides a menu entirely devoted to Thai beef, and to a certain extent challenges that view. He receives his beef from Korat, and whilst embracing a nose-to-tail philosophy, offers lesser-seen cuts of bavette and oyster blade in addition to his prized fillet and rib-eye. He believes that in a blind tasting, his local beef, cross-bred for the past 15 years, would come out on top.

Chalee does, however, somewhat amusingly comment that Thai diners quite often query why this local beef is so expensive, almost the same price as imported Aussie or US wagyu. Interestingly, despite this, he

tells me proudly that the premium cuts always sell out first.

Whilst chefs may debate whether Thai wagyu can truly sit alongside the Australian or American variety, most chefs concur that it cannot yet compare with Japanese wagyu such as the gold medal-winning Miyazaki, the accepted champion of the wagyu Olympics.

In Bangkok, Ryuki Kawasaki, chef at the two-Michelin-starred contemporary European Mezzaluna, imports almost 80% from Japan including his signature beef, Niigata Murakami wagyu beef A5, which he serves grilled over Binchotan charcoal. The quality of this beef, he believes, is unrivalled.

This perfectly meets his diner expectations for luxury proteins.

Back in Phuket, our only Michelinstarred restaurant on the island, PRU, located at Trisara, is proud of its 100% local commitment. Head Chef Jimmy Ophorst can frequently be found nearby the restaurant at his dedicated farm, Pru Jumpa. On his seasonally-inspired menus, he currently offers Thai beef from Nakhon Phanom alongside locally grown vegetables. In fact, he informs me that the key to his signature carrot dish – unsurprisingly, the carrot – is the intense sweetness, largely due to the influence of the much warmer climate. His locally grown beetroot, which features unusually in a dessert, is also an opinion-altering surprise. One of Jimmy’s aims is to stimulate the diner through his innovative combinations to rethink their view of these humble vegetables.

Continuing with this theme, Alessandro Frau, chef and owner of Phuket’s temple to Italian gastronomy, Acqua, recently awarded a Michelin Plate, has discovered a fellow Italian in Khao Yai who using Italian seeds is growing many Italian vegetable varieties here in Thailand, which are now reaching his required standard. He does, however, still import many Italian products as his diners expect when they ask the provenance of, say, the asparagus or the tomato for it to be 100% Italian.

A fellow Phuket restaurateur, Jamie Wakeford, chef/partner of Bampot Kitchen & Bar, also a recipient of the Michelin Plate, recently branched out with a second restaurant, Olta in Bangkok, and reflects that when he opened Bampot in

Jamie Wakeford holding up a ruby fish landed off Koh Lanta 24 hours earlier.

Laguna in 2015, sourcing quality, local products at that time was a daily challenge. He agrees that the local scene has improved considerably with the upsurge in artisanal producers. He is currently featuring on his Bangkok menu recently discovered Chiang Mai heirloom tomatoes which I have been fortunate to experience; sweet and juicy!

However, for chefs to be able to offer their diners a choice of local products, they need to have access to growers who share their philosophy of cooking the seasons and the drive for the zero-mile vegetable. James Noble, a former starstudded British chef, has established his farm in Pranburi. Boutique Farmers, located south of Hua Hin in Pak Nam Pran, specialises in organic and sustainable growing, providing vegetables to many of the Michelin-starred restaurants in Thailand. One can also experience dishes created from “plant to plate” as James likes to say at his farm restaurant, open for dinner at the weekend and Sunday brunch. You can even homestay for a very nominal price, provided you help out around the farm!

Fish and seafood in particular surprisingly pose yet another dilemma. Regarding lobster, Mark comments that it’s extremely difficult to source a consistent supplier of local lobster, it’s often up to three times the price of imported Boston lobster and, sadly, despite the freshness of the former, it’s not necessarily a more superior end product. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Chalee Kader’s Korat wagyu.

Scallops offer up an equally challenging issue; the local queenies just cannot compare with the deep, icy water, hand-dived Hokkaido scallops on Mark’s menu.

Jimmy has had some success with a painstaking but ultimately worthwhile search for Phang Nga crab and river prawns from Surat Thani which are both truly exceptional. Alessandro’s diners, however, have an expectation of the vibrant, red Sicilian prawns which reflect his Italian heritage. As for local fish, most chefs agree that they would love to offer them up, but there are very few that meet their exacting standards due to the warm, muddy waters affecting the flesh and ultimately the taste. Jimmy features on his latest menu an innovative cobia and sturgeon dish, but most except for the truly brave prefer to import.

Butter and cheese have also presented chefs with a further headache with many importing both from France and Italy. Alessandro even serves up the stellar Beppino Occelli wrapped in parchment, a multi-award winner in

@thephuketnews

DINING 15

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Jimmy Ophorst of PRU (Plant, Raise, Understand). blind tastings. Jimmy, strictly adhering to the PRU philosophy, churns his own with a high fat content local milk to ensure the end result delivers the rich and creamy taste and texture we love. PRU also leads the field in Phuket and I believe even in Thailand with a world-class range of Thai cheeses from cow, sheep and goat, mostly from the north of the country and certainly worthy of comparison with those from France and Italy.

So, having chatted with this group of culinary magicians, let’s acknowledge that this drive for culinary excellence is not solely driven by chefs themselves; it is also catering to diner demand as they seek ever more exceptional culinary experiences. The demand for premium products is as high as it has ever been.

Diners still seek luxury imported produce and are apparently willing to pay the price associated with the unique flavour profiles offered. Sustainability is of course moving up the league table and we must respect both chefs who challenge themselves with locally sourc-

ing the best that Thailand has to offer and also those who strictly maintain their integrity of concept.

Whether it’s local or imported, providing it for our dining pleasure at its peak is a far from easy task. In my discussions with these incredibly talented cooks, several also raised the customer value perception; diners, be they Thai or non-Thai, will always sadly be more willing to pay a higher price for an imported product, rather than a product from “up the road”, although this may indeed change with time.

But Thailand’s wealth of high quality products does not end with proteins and vegetables. Whilst many of you reading this article will have undoubtedly sampled local wagyu and vegetables, I want to share with you a further artisan product you may well be less aware of. I wonder how many of you have sampled the ever-widening range of artisan bean-to-bar local Thai chocolate on offer, particularly at the premium end of the market. If I was to ask you, “Where does the best chocolate

Xoconat Thai chocolate. originate from?”, perhaps you would say Belgium, Switzerland or France with beans from South America. However, Thailand is now competing on the global stage. The cacao bean is now grown across Thailand in Chanthaburi, Nan, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Chumphon.

Growers such as Kad Kokoa are leading the field with award-winning chocolate bars. Other artisan chocolate makers such as Xoconat are specialising in small batch production that in blind tastings is beating competitors.

In conclusion, there is an old Thai saying, “Nai nam mee pla nai na mee khao” – “there are fish in the waters, there is rice in the fields.” It seems that now there is much more than just fish and rice; Thailand is indeed a land of plenty and now premium plenty!

Chris is a former Michelin Guide Inspector who, following an international career in hospitality spanning 30 years in both the Middle East and Asia, has now settled in Thailand and contributes a monthly restaurant column.

18 ISLAND SCENE

Goran and Joe.

JP, Andrew and Gren.

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Dan, Mike and James.

Eddy and Deb.

PHUKET BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENT RETURNS AFTER HIGH SEASON After a break for high season, the popular monthly Phuket Business Networking event returned on May 10 at Ramada Plaza Phuket Chao Fah and welcomed over 45 business owners. The relaxed and informal networking meeting is held on the second Friday of every month.

Reuben (2nd from right) with the comedian extraordinaires.

Ta, Wirat, comedian Andrew Netto, Nicky and Andy.

LAUGHS ALL ROUND AT MONTHLY MARRIOTT STAND-UP COMEDY NIGHT StandUp Asia continues to bring some of the best international comedic talent on the circuit to Phuket. On May 11, it was Andrew Netto from Malaysia, Brian Aylward from Canada and Umar Rana from Pakistan who took to the stage at Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach, and had audiences in pieces.

The resort and spa officially started operating on June 1, 2016.

MARRIOTT RESORT AND SPA, NAI YANG BEACH MARKS THREE YEARS Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach celebrated its third anniversary on May 5 with a Buddhist blessing ceremony at the Paksasawan Ballroom. Nine monks from Nai Yang Temple were invited to the resort to take part in a meritmaking and blessing ceremony in the company of the resort’s management team and associates. Alms were presented to the monks and the team members took part in prayers for good fortune.

Frank Grassmann (3rd from right), GM of The Nai Harn, and his team.

THE NAI HARN AWARDED THE FULL THAILAND MICE VENUE STANDARD Following a detailed submission and official on-site inspections, The Nai Harn Phuket has been recognised by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) for their outstanding services in providing meeting rooms of the highest standard. The TCEB has awarded the resort with full Thailand MICE Venue Standard accreditation.

Congratulations to all involved. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Wilder, Jason Wilder and Bond girl Lada.

007 glamour at the 003 PHAB event.

ISLAND SCENE 19

Dressed to impress.

From Phuket with Love.

PHUKET HOTELS ASSOCIATION HOSTS ‘SHAKEN NOT STIRRED’ BENEFIT To raise funds for more than 10 fully-paid hospitality scholarships and traineeships for local residents, the Phuket Hotels Association held a benefit gala dinner on May 3. The James Bond themed “Shaken Not Stirred” event took place at the Latitude Marquee Laguna. Hundreds of guests enjoyed live music by The Young Musicians Collective and UK X Factor 2013 winner Sam Bailey, lively MCs, a silent auction, an elaborate international buffet dinner featuring live cooking stations by some of the top chefs from Phuket’s best hotels and drinks prepared by the island’s most creative mixologists.

Every secret agent needs a Bond girl or two...

WCGC 2019 champions.

Blue Tree on theme.

News & Sports Editor Poria with winner Chris.

TEAM ALVO TAKE FIRST PRIZE AT THE BLUE HORIZON WCGC 2019

CHRIS GOODHAND SCORES APRIL PREMIER LEAGUE PREDICTION WIN

The Blue Horizon World Corporate Golf Challenge 2019 final took place on Apr 27 at Laguna Golf Phuket after fierce but fun qualifying rounds on courses across the island. Winners Team Alvo came away with an all-expenses paid trip to the World Final at Oitavoss Dunes in Cascais, Portugal later this year.

Congratulations to Chris Goodhand who came joint top of the leaderboard for The Phuket News’ Premier League predictions competition in April. Chris popped in to the Class Act Media and IMAGE asia office on May 9 to collect his prize of a B1,500 food and beverage voucher for Islander Sports Bar & Restaurant.

@thephuketnews

20 EVENTS

FRI

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM and sauces, bread, buns and garlic bread. Reservation recommended. B395 P/P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

17 MAY

WED

22 MAY

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

SAT

25 MAY

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

The Watercourt is presenting a line of tasty Italian Cold Cut, Gourmet Salads, Hearty Soup, Flavourful Desserts and Seasonal Fruit. From THB 1,200 net per guest (Choice of Meat & Seafood grilled - Additional). Banyan Tree, The Watercourt, fb-phuket@banyantree.com, 076 372 400.

SUN

PIWC May Dinner Come join us either with your partner, friends or by yourself to meet new friends. Cost: 1000 Baht Time: 6:30 Registration for 7 pm start. We are limited to 40 guests so first in first served.

Please don’t miss out on this fabulous evening of scrumptious food, stunning views and great company. Also please note there is limited parking so please carpool or arrange a minivan where possible.

19 MAY

SUN Ribs, beats, brews - Wednesday

ALL YOU CAN EAT BBQ RIBS Come join us for our WEEKLY BBQ EVERY FRIDAY served ALL DAY & ALL NIGHT at Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong. Indulge in All You Can Eat BBQ Pork Ribs, Chicken and Sides for ONLY 495 BAHT! Our BBQ is famous at Two Chefs! Come try us out and enjoy our mouthwatering pork ribs, flavor-bursting chicken and more! Join us for Live Music from 8-Late Performed by Our Famous Two Chefs Band! Come for the FOOD - Stay for the Fun. www. twochefs.com Kata Beach 076-333-370 Kata Center 076-330065 Karon 076-286-479 Patong 076-344-914.

SAT

26 MAY

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

18 MAY

Devour our succulent pork rib set complete with sweet corn chowder, blue cheese salad, moist cornbread and finished off with a bread and butter pudding. DJ Q will keep the soul flowing and your toes tapping as you wash down those tender ribs with a bucket of craft brews. Full Rack set 1,400 Baht, half Rack set 1,100 Baht. Reservations, SALA Phuket, events@ salaphuket.com, 076-338-888

FRI

24 MAY

BANG WAD A THON Community Ride / Scoot / Walk A Thon at Bang Wad Dam. Minimum donation of 200 baht per person. Snacks and Drinks available for purchase. Sausage sizzle. All proceeds to benefit RIDE 4 KIDS V3.0.

Sunday Roast All Day, All Night

Saturday Brunch & Bar From Grilled Seafood - Premium Meats - Sushi Corner Salad Bar Appetizers and Delectable Desserts to all time favorite Free-Flow Beverages. Treat your Saturday to the fullest. Let’s Brunch! *THB 2.399++ per person (including free-flow beverages) *THB 1,699++ per person (including soft drinks). *50& off for children aged from 6-12 years old.

Reservation, Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, dtlpfb@dusit.com, 076 362 999 ext.7310

Come enjoy a Traditional Sunday Roast EVERY SUNDAY at Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong. Indulge in our Traditional Sunday Roast ALL DAY & ALL NIGHT for ONLY 445 Baht! Enjoy a Large ALL YOU CAN EAT selection of your favorites! Featuring: Roast Aussie Beef, Pork Loin and Chicken. Roasted or Mashed Potatoes. Roasted Mixed Vegetables Flavored with Thyme and Garlic. Yorkshire Pudding and Gravy. Enjoy Live Music from 8-Late Performed by Our Famous Two Chefs Band! Come for the FOOD - Stay for the Fun. RESERVE Your Table Now Online at bit.ly/TwoChefsReservations Check out more details on our website at bit.ly/TwoChefsEvents Reservations, Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong., Kata Beach 076-333-370 Kata Center 076-330-065 Karon 076-286-479 Patong 076-344-914.

MON

21st Phuket International Rugby 10s The Aussie Bar Phuket International Rugby Tens 2019 will be hosted at Thanyapura Sports Club over the weekend of May 24-26. Teams in the men’s & women’s open along with the Athena Siam Coffin Dodgers vets tournaments will be vying for honours come the finals on Sunday. Entry is free so come on down and enjoy a weekend of fun & excitement and help us raise funds for the Asia Center Foundation.

MON

27 MAY

20 MAY

Ride 4 Kids 2019 Phuket Sundowners - May 24, 2019 All you can eat BBQ Ribs night 6PM – 11PM: All you can eat BBQ Ribs served with salad buffet, potato salad & choice of sauces. Reservation recommended. 295 baht P.P. shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

All you can eat BBQ night 6pm – 11pm: Beef, Pork, Chicken, Burgers, Sausages, Prawns and Squid, Salad buffet, Choice of potatoes

AustCham Thailand is delighted to invite members and guests from AustCham and partner chambers to join our Phuket Sundowners to be held on Friday 24th May, 2019, at Le Méridien Phuket Beach Resort. Price: Baht 500 for AustCham members, partner Chambers’ members, and Australian Alumni Members. Baht 900 for non-members.

Ride 4 Kids V3.0 is in full swing, riders will be cycling 700 kms from Phuket on the 27th May – 1st June 2019, all to raise money for The Good Shepherd, PHBGTU and Outrigger’s Share4Change. Join the coming home party at Metzos on 1st June and meet the team, tickets available for 2500 thb per ticket, please email organizer and LIVE 89.5fm host Donna Toon lunch@classactmedia.co.th and visit www.ride4kids.co for more information.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

THU

EVENTS 21

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

30 MAY

EVERY DAY

We hope to see you at The Speakeasy Yacht Club, Royal Phuket Marina from 5pm. The Grow Boating Networking Evening is proud to support the Thai Yachting Business Association https://www.facebook.com/groups/491098897758155/

SAT

8 JUN BCCT Multi-Chamber Phuket Networking & Briefing

Farewell Craig Ferguson - Australian Consul-General On behalf of Australians in Phuket, we shall be hosting an informal farewell dinner to celebrate the efforts Craig Ferguson contributed to the local Australian community, from 6.15pm.

990 THB p.p. Starters & nibbles from 6.15pm, Squires Famous Pork Ribs, Mini Aussie Burgers & Arancini Balls with a selected drink on arrival. Main Course a choice of: Australian Premium Sirloin Steak 300gm Or Crispy skinned Tasmanian Salmon fillet. RSVP by 27th May to Sharon Joyner Ph. 0935 782 282.

SAT

1 JUN

Laguna Phuket Marathon 2019 Laguna Phuket Marathon has helped to put Phuket on the map as a running mecca, delivering an event to the highest international standards that is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, is professionally timed by Sportstats Asia, and is certified

by AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races). Laguna Phuket Marathon 2019 offers six distances: 2 km Kids Run, 5 km and 10.5 km will take place on Saturday 8th June in the afternoon while the Half Marathon (21.0975 km), Marathon (42.195 km) and Marathon Relay (42.195 km) will take place on Sunday 9th June in the morning. For the full schedule, visit http://www.phuketmarathon.com/raceschedule

British, together with American, Australian, European Association, German, Netherlands, Singapore and Swedish Chamber of Commerce Thailand, cordially invites you to BCCT MultiChambers Phuket Briefing & Networking on Thursday 13th June at X2 Vibe Phuket Patong from 5 – 9 pm. The briefing by Grant Thornton Chairman, Chris Cracknell, will cover current global economy updates, followed by networking. For booking, please call 02-651-5350 or e-mail Urosesri at urosesri@ bccthai.com

SUN

30 JUN

Prime at Rock Salt Prime at Rock Salt is the home of smoke and fire at Naiharn Beach. An exclusive eatery, Prime offers a collection of roasted, smoked and chargrilled creations from its custom-designed kitchen. The al fresco dining experience is completed with panoramic ocean views across Naiharn Beach. Open Daily 6.00 – 10.00 pm at Naiharn Beach For more information and bookings, please call +66 76 380 200 or rocksalt@ thenaiharn.com

2 Major Freshwater Fishing Events

Filipino Fiesta at Two Chefs Bar & Grill

The Phuket News - Match Play Starting June 1st. All proceeds to go to Phuket Has Been Good to Us. Open to all players with a recognized Handicap* Each round to be played at a course where one player is a member. If both players are members the higher handicapper choses the course. Laguna GC to offer special price to any pairs matched against each other where neither golfer is a member at Phuket Club. To be played from white Tees unless agreed by both players. 500thb entry fee / 300thb fee per round. All losers in round one to play in ‘PLATE’ Competition. Standard match play, FULL difference of handicaps to be given. Trophies for winner and Runner both main event and plate. Vouchers for all semi finalists. *All club handicaps recognized – Society handicaps accepted but may be adjusted.

Email queries to matchplay@classactmedia.co.th Entry fees paid via phuketticketmaster.com

FRI

7 JUN

In celebration of the Philippine Independence Day, Two Chefs Bar & Grill is having its annual Filipino Fiesta on June 8, 2019 at Two Chefs Karon. Feast on your favourite Filipino dishes and jam along with our awesome Filipino Two Chefs House Band all night long!! For more information, you may visit our website www.twochefs.com or follow us on Facebook www. facebook.com/twochefsthailand. Get festive! Book your tables NOW! Two Chefs Bar & Grill.

From Apr 19 till May 19, 2019 Crest Resort & Pool Villas presents So What, Latitudes 2 year anniversary exhibition. On display: all the artists who made the covers of the magazine since its beginning. 7-10 pm at Atmos Restaurant. For more info - www.facebook.com/events/354307668523902/

The Elton John tribute show

by Tim Hedges Experience the ultimate Elton John tribute act performed by Tom Hedges (colleague and approved tribute artist by Sir Elton John himself) accompanied by the famous Dream Beach Club fresh seafood buffet! Buffet and Show priced at THB 2,200 nett per person. Dinner starts from 7.00PM and show starts at 8.30PM. Dream Beach Club, reservations@dreambeachclub.com, 098 048 3500.

13 JUN

Grow Boating Networking Evening - Jun 2019

@thephuketnews

FRI

9 AUG Crest Resort & Pool Villas - Art Exhibition

THU This month’s Grow Boating we are delighted to announce that Asteri, a sister company to Asia Yacht Agency, will be our drinks sponsors. Asteri is the official distributor for Thailand for Zodiac, Bombard and Avon RIB’s. www.asiayachtagency. com/ There will be a light buffet sponsored by the Speakeasy Yacht Club and special prices on your favourite local drinks.

Come and join in the fun, everyone is welcome. There is no entry fee, just drop your business card or register at the bar.

June 30th and July 6th. 2 Major Freshwater Fishing Events at the amazing Exotic Fishing Thailand. Huge prizes valued at 1 million Thai Baht. Free entry for spectators, great afternoon out for the family. Exotic Fishing Thailand, Exotic Fishing Thailand, Phang Nga, exoticfishingthailand@gmail.com, English 088 379 9377 and Thai 081 199 5922.

Phuket Wellness Connection 2019 Before April 15, 2019 - 8,000 baht (registration free is 12,000 baht) Free Oligoscan testing (8,000 baht value). Novotel Phokeethra Hotel Phuket, heatantiaging@gmail.com, 061 401 0345

PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards 2019 Celebrate Thailand’s finest developers by nominating them for the industry’s most prestigious awards. With a professionally run judging system supervised by the award-winning team of BDO, one of the world’s largest auditing and accountancy firms, the Asia Property Awards is the gold standard in real estate. Gala Dinner & Awards on 9 August 2019 at The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok.

DAILY EVENT UPDATES ON

22 TIME OUT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York 1. How many days are in a true Earth year (to at least two decimal places)?

2. The islands named by Christopher Columbus in 1503 as Las Tortugas are now better known as what?

3. How old was Louis XIV when he became King of France?

4. Which British monarch was the first to address the US Congress?

5. Are avocados a whole fruit or a berry?

Answers below, centre

SUDOKU

Easy

Across 1. “O Sole ___” 4. Tie tightly 8. Italian dishes 14. Annual meeting 15. Tennis great, Arthur 16. Familiar things 17. Article in Hoy 18. Journey by water 19. Soda pop container 20. Go see a Pacific islands capital 23. One with notions 24. Give ___ for one’s money 25. Not quite majorleague 29. “Child’s play!”

34. Modern-day money 36. ___ to greatness 37. Relax at a German resort 44. Mary in the White House 45. Island near Kauai 46. Strips 50. Overcoats 55. Hit the bottle 57. Orsk river 58. Have a ball at a Pacific island 63. Considerable amount 65. Stain 66. House room 67. Wagner opera

30. Period of time 31. Stand by 32. Compass point 33. Desire 35. Lead-in to meter 37. Criterion, abbr.

38. Luau food 39. Thesaurus abbr.

40. Chemical ending Down 41. ___ minérale 1. Purples 42. Ice hockey org.

2. Set fire to 43. Jerome Bettis’ 3. Third stomach of a nickname ruminant 47. Children’s hospital 4. Hold up founded by Danny 5. “Stat!”

Thomas 6. Islamic division 48. Shop worker 7. Andrew Wyeth 49. Keep watch model 8. Small gas engine 51. Butter holder 52. Rusts (sl.)

53. Most exquisite 9. Chinese and 54. Biased viewpoints Japanese 10. Has put words to 56. Went out 58. Austrian music Expressionist 11. Goes with Bell Schiele 12. ___ maison 59. Can. province (indoors): Fr. 60. Four-time 13. ID theft datum gymnastics gold 21. Third in line in a medalist Korbut family 61. Throughway 22. Tolkien dwarf 62. ___ extra cost 26. Ballpoint, e.g.

63. Food catcher 27. Polish 64. ‘’Just ___ 28. Tuscan time thought!’ period heroine 68. Archbishop of New York 69. Body shop fig.

70. Paper holder 71. Carpenter’s groove 72. They cross aves

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) 365.2422, 2) The Cayman Islands; 3) Four years old; 4) Queen Elizabeth II (in 1991); 5) Berries, very large berries.

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW

3

days is how long George Washington’s body was laid out after his death before he was buried. It was at his request. He was terrified of being buried alive.

16

hours a day hippos spend in water, but they can’t swim because they’re too muscular and sink. Instead, they walk around under the surface.

254

break-ins were carried out by a thief finally caught by Japanese police in 2017. He was a 74-yearold ninja who had stolen more than US$260,000 in items throughout his career.

30,000

Milky Way night sky over Koh Yao Noi. Photo: Patrick Brown Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket? Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

This week in history

US dollars a month is how much Johnny Depp spends on wine.

30 million comments, 7 million photos and 453 years of video footage are posted on social media every hour.

Source: Uberfacts

May 17, 1980 Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington, United States, killing 57 people and causing $3 billion in damage.

May 18, 1962 A birthday salute to US President John F. Kennedy takes place at Madison Square Garden, New York City. The highlight is Hollywood starlett Marilyn Monroe’s sultry, intimate rendition of “Happy Birthday, Mr President”.

May 19, 1570 Cartographer Abraham Ortelius issues Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first modern atlas, comprising 53 maps created by other masters, all credited for their works.

May 20, 1871 French troops invade the Paris Commune and engage its residents in street fighting. By the end of “Bloody Week”, 20,000 communards had been killed and 38,000 arrested.

Richard, Duke of York, defeats and captures King Henry VI of England.

May 22, 2017 Twenty-two people are killed at an Ariana Grande concert in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.

Ortelius World Map, 1570.

May 21, 1455 Start of the Wars of the Roses: At the First Battle of St Albans,

May 23, 1934 Infamous American bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde are ambushed by police and killed in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

CLASSIFIEDS 23

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Jobs

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

International Sales Support

APR is an international company dealing with customers in Asia and Australia, as well as decorative surface suppliers from Europe. Asia Pacific Representatives Ltd. are looking for: Support staff for our sales team Age: 20-35 years Thai National Excellent English language skills required Knowledge of Microsoft office Comprehensive understanding of Microsoft Excel Office location: Phuket – Chalong Tasks will include: - Project tracking and follow up - Communication with international suppliers and customers - Understanding of our products and services Please submit your resume and recent photo jobs@apr-pfleiderer.com

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Personal Assistant

For retired UK/CAD businessman in high end resort. Good English, some driving, shopping etc. Part Time OK. Brian 089 054 4354.

@thephuketnews

Art House Real Estate company

Looking for Thai Marketing manager at the property booth, Patong Area, for more detail please contact: info@arthouse.asia

Thai Yoga Instructor

Position available now - Full Time Position - 24 Yoga Classes per month. Wellness Skills - Certificated to teach various Yoga Styles.

Additional Health Skills i.e. Aerial Yoga, Acro Yoga, etc. - Assist with Yoga Class inquires and Retreat health consultations. English Speaking - Thai National only 25,000 to 30,000. Kenneth Miller 0866041333. www.ccshideaway.com/wellness.htm

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

CLASSIFIEDS 25

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Trades & Services

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

ADVERTISING SERVICES

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CORPORATE SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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Trades & Services

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

classifieds@thephuketnews.com

MARINE SERVICES

OTHER

PROPERTY SERVICES

PERSONAL SERVICES

TRAINING

ADVERTISE HERE

thephuketnews

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CLASSIFIEDS 27

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Buy & Sell BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE 42ft Sport Yacht, Reduced Price

Monterey 415SY. Perfect condition. 1 owner. Regular maintenance in authorised centers. Twin Volvo IPS600 435hp, joystick control, Engine Hours: 670. Furuno radar. GPS. B6,900,000. 0878970501.

FOR SALE AIR BERTH M320

250,000THB incl VAT. For boat up to 32 feet / 9.5 metres. Contact: Asia Yacht Agency Co., Ltd. Contact@AsiaYacht Agency. com, 081-894 -3234 (French/ English), 086-269-0808 (Thai/ English).

BUSINESSES FOR SALE UR

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Refurbished Restaurant & Bar

Recently refurbished restaurant & bar for sale in Karon, Phuket, with accom located above. CCTV fitted throughout the building. The business is up for sale for 1.9MB or near offer and includes all fixtures, fittings and stock at point of sale. 062 210 1368. newconceptbars.thailand@ gmail.com

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Golden Business Opportunity

Brand new two story massage shop for sale with high end furniture. 10 Beds, 6 chairs and nail Salon. Great opportunity for high season. B900,000 ono, Lek, Soi Post Office, Patong Beach Road, sweet_ lek55@hotmail.com, 099 362 7979

@thephuketnews

The Phuket News @thephuketnews MEMBERSHIPS

CARS, TRUCKS FOR RENT G UR

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Car rental @ fair prices

We offer car rentals at affordable prices. Monthly from 10,000 Baht. Daily from 400 Baht. Call us to find out what we offer.

10,000 Monthly. Stig Johansson, 110/78 Moo 2 T Paklok A Thalang 83110 Phuket, stigisaan@gmail. com, 0848474377.

CARS, TRUCKS FOR SALE Car for sale

Chevrolet Trailblazer LTZ 2.8 CC. 4X4 For sale English 095 420 9662 Thai 082 629 1419 janthisa jaikwang, 199/14 หม ู ่ 5 ตำ�บล ศร สี นุ ทร อำ�เภอถลาง จังหวัด ภ เู ก ็ต, info@lifestyleinthailand.com, B 725,000

Car For Sale

Ford Fiesta 2012 For sale English 095 420 9662 Thai 082 629 1419 Janthisa Jaikwang, 199/14 หม ู ่ 5 ตำ�บลศร ี ส นุ ทร อำ�เภอถลาง จังหวัดภ เู ก ็ต, B 250,000 info@lifestyleinthailand.com, 0826291419

Subaru XV

Cross trek bought new 2013. Well maintained, glass coating, rust proofing, new tires, single owner. Must see! Nicha Residence, 0892873128.

BLUE CANYON GOLF MEMBERSHIP

425,000 THB and Seller pays the transfer fee. For more information call 098 946 0709. Rob George.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

BABY GRAND w/ DISC PLAYER

“Classic” Baby Grand Piano with “Disc Player”. In perfect condition. 7 years old. Original price 428,000 THB. 170,000, Phuket Town, daryldavies9@gmail. com, 080 159 5239

PROPERTY WANTED The Chava Surin - Freehold

Hi, Am looking for a Freehold Condominium Unit at The Chava in Surin. Please email details to mick11468@@gmail.com . Many thanks! Michael

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3 Bedroom Condo Wanted

Looking for 3 Bed Condo/Apartment any area of Phuket for 3million Thai Baht or thereabouts. Please email mick11468@gmail.com. Thanks! B3,000,000, Mike

Mandala Condo Freehold Wanted

Foreign Freehold Wanted for Mandala Condominium in Kamala. Please email details to mick11468@gmail.com.

28 CLASSIFIEDS

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Buy & Sell

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

SPORTING GOODS, EXERCISE GYM EQUIPMENT TREADMILL

LIFE FITNESS F1 TREADMILL - FOLDABLE Brand new: THB 35,000+(VAT) from retail price of 188,000 Compact foldable treadmill. 35000, carolinelaleta@gmail.com, +66869504961

PROPERTY FOR SALE Apartment Block in Soi Ta-Eiad

Amazing residential block for sale comprising of 5 x 190sqm fully furnished 3 Bedroom Units. Highest quality fixtures and finishing’s with exceptional build quality. All units have internal surround sound systems and wireless internet routed in the walls.

Full Western kitchen in all units. Rooftop Salt Water Swimming Pool with 8 person Jacuzzi and bar. Spectacular panoramic views. Units currently being rented out with almost 100% occupancy, so fantastic investment opportunity. Potential returns of 9% per annum. B61,500,000, Tina, phuket@ thairesidential.com

Karon 1 Bed Condo for Sale

Karon Butterfly hillside condo for sale just 800m from beach. Amenities close by. Fully furnished and condo facilities. Great investment in great area of Phuket. Shuttle Bus to Beach and Rental Program. A must see!!!! B4,300,000, Dmitry , phuket@thairesidential.com

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PROPERTY FOR SALE 2-Bed Furnished Kathu House for Rent

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Phuket Town 1 Bed Condo

Wonderful 1 Bedroom Condo near Central Festival area. Just 10 minutes to Panwa Beach.

A must see!!! Fully furnished and conveniently located. Amenities close by as well as tourist attractions. Full condo facilities. B2,500,000, Tina, phuket@thairesidential. com, 0948411918.

Rawai 1 Bed Seaview Condo Sale

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RPM by owner

Unique luxury condo 2 bed, 2 bath, 155sqm. Foreign FREE HOLD. Architect remodel in tropical white. Jacuzzi. All round beautiful views. Completely furnished to a high standard. Very motivated owner leaving Thailand. Available to agents. Priced just REDUCED to 15MB or offers. Contact Brian (Owner) 089 054 4354, 076 360 943. bggvirgo@gmail.com

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PROPERTY FOR RENT Property for rent YAMU

Very big house. 400sqm, Land 4400sqm. Available 1st May. 4 bedrooms- 4 bathrooms , swimming pool. Close BIS, UWCT. Must see. Long term lease 110,000 baht/month including pool+ garden service. Khun DIDIER, aouichedidier@ hotmail.com, 093 717 9343 (English+French)/ 089 552 9303 (Thai)

Shop for rent at Amari Phuket, Patong Beach

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Located at Amari Phuket's lobby building. Size: 33 sqm. Partly furnished: shelves, counter, airconditioner and telephone line. 40,000 THB/ month (negotiation available). Khun Mallika, mallika.t@amari.com, 076 340106 #8006

1 Bed Condo in Kamala

Great 1 Bed Condo just 200m fromKamala Beach. Comes with pool and on- site restaurant. Fantastic location and not to be missed. Fully furnished with appliances. Homestay or investment. B5,417,000. Call Andy. 083 800 1888

Fantastic seaviews. Fully furnished. Condo facilities including pool and gym. Close to amenities. This 53sqm condo at Babylon Sky Garden is a great buy. B4,297,277, Andy, phuket@ thairesidential.com

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2bd/2bth furnished house for rent in Kathu near Loch Palm Golf Course. See link for more photos and details. www.kathuhouseforrent.com B13,500, May or Wes, wes@pillarmarketing.com, 0899733276

PROPERTY FOR RENT

COMMUNITY

Paul MOORHOUSE

‘Frontline’ sea view villa overlooking Ao Yon Bay and the southern islands.

Magnificent property with private elevator, 4 bedroom suites/6 bathrooms as well as 2 living areas, European design kitchen, games room, bar, sauna, steam room and wonderful pool deck with in-ground jacuzzi, infinity pool and waterfall. Fabulous property reduced to 65 million Baht for quick sale. 0898737075.

1 Bedroom Condo Kata Sale

1 Bed Condo Sale Rawai

Saturdays Residence beautiful condo in Rawai. Tastefully decorated with class. Short drive to beach. All condo amenities. Looks so good that you do need to see to believe. You will fall in love at first sight. B6,300,000, Dimitry, phuket@thairesidential.com, 082 030 7199

1 Bed Condo in Kamala

Lovely condo at Utopia Kata for Sale. Completed in 2017 and close to Kata Beach. Fully furnished. Close to restaurants and amenities. Great views. Rental programme. Full facilities. Dimtry, 082 030 7199. B7,100,000

MontAzure Twinpalms Residence-Great condo located in Kamala. The ultimate in luxury.

Has got to be seen to be believed. Fantastic facilities in this resort condo. B15,800,000, Tina, 0872699206.

Mai Khao 1 bed condo for sale

Mai Khao beach condo. Great new condohotel. 470 meters from the sea. 36 sqm.

Wonderful place in Phuket. B3.5mn, +66812958526, Victoria.

2 Bed Condo Bangtao Phuket

Mandala Condominium - Wonderful spacious condo. Great location near Bangtao beach and Laguna. 184sqm with private pool and tropical gardens. B15,900,000, Andy, 083 800 1888

Dream Village Phuket house

2bed 2bath 295sqm land 100sqm living + veranda, compl. renovated: new water, electric., tiles, paint in/out, windows, 3A/C, built in kitchen. 0870608400 English/German. Email: picharly@gmail.com, B4.9mill.

Royal Phuket Marina 2 Bed

2-Bedroom Royal Phuket Marina Condo. Seen to be believed. 195m2 Stylish, Tastefully-Decorated Condominium Fully Furnished Overlooking Yacht Marina an absolute bargain @ 13.5 Million BahtTina, phuket@thairesidential.com, 948411918.

PASAK LAND 3.9MB 510 sq.m. Chanote

PASAK LAND 3.9MB 510 sq.m.

Chanote

Private location in prestige area.

Outstanding Value. Call owner (Alan): 084 0657590.

Renovated 3bed Home Boat Lagoon

AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY: Beautifully renovated & decorated 3bed+mezzanine, 250 sqm contemporary house featuring: boat berth, rooftop jacuzzi, open kitchen, wine cooler, 2 parkings, storage & laundry area. B 75,000 per month, Henry Cumberlege, hcumberlege@gmail.com

Stunning Ocean Views!

4 bed/bath large pool villa. Privately located in Cape Heights Cape Yamu.

Furnished. Gardens. Fiber WiFi. 80,000/rent long term or 30 million to sell. Richard, Cape Yamu, Phuket, richarddesmondcapeheights@yahoo. co.uk, +66824203270, WhatsApp

Villa in Patong prime location

One of the last Villas available in Patong. in top condition. 24 hour security. 3 bed, 3 bath, 160sqm living. Fully furnished, garden.

Ms. Manatchanok, 0800409411.

Villa Mission Heights Big Pool

3bed, 3 1/2 bath, 330sqm living, 900 sqm land, very quiet area, 2 km mission hill golf, 6km UWC, 8 km airport. owner finance. 0870608400 engl/ german 12.9MB, picharly@gmail. com

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

SPORT 29

More than 50 nationalities are expected to take part this year. Photo: Laguna Phuket

Runners pose for the camera at the 2018 marathon. Photo: Laguna Phuket

Setting the running standard

Laguna Phuket Marathon SE Asia’s leading destination marathon RUNNING The Phuket News editor3@thephuketnews.com

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he award-winning Laguna Phuket Marathon returns for it’s 14th year to the “Best Sport Event Venue In Thailand”* and organisers are expecting a bumper field of more over 13,000 participants from more than 50 countries.

Welcoming runners from as young as three years old (competing in the 2 km Kids Run) up to more than 70 years old, Laguna Phuket

@thephuketnews

Marathon is a key event on Phuket’s annual sporting calendar and the largest mass participation event in Phuket, and will again shine the light on the island’s sports and tourism credentials on June 8-9 at Laguna Phuket.

Phuket is a world-class tourism destination welcoming millions of passengers passing through Phuket International Airport in 2018, and as the island’s appeal continues to grow, sports tourism has become one of the fastest growing tourism sectors.

Laguna Phuket Marathon has

been at the front of that growth and has helped to put Phuket on the map as a premier running destination, delivering an event to the highest international standards that is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, is professionally timed by Sportstats Asia, and is certified by AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races).

With the largest international fields of any running event in Thailand, and the attraction to “Run Paradise”, Laguna Phuket Marathon has become a leading destination marathon in Southeast Asia and a

significant revenue generator for the local economy.

Laguna Phuket Marathon is more than a sports event, it is part of the local community. In addition to supporting Laguna Phuket Foundation’s Children First Fund, this year the event is supporting the UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) and their efforts to build a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.

Laguna Phuket Marathon 2019 offers six distances: 2 km Kids Run, 5 km and 10.5 km will take

place on Saturday, June 8 in the afternoon while the Half Marathon (21.0975km), Marathon (42.195km) and Marathon Relay (42.195km) will take place on Sunday, June 9 in the morning.

For more information, visit www. phuketmarathon.com or www. facebook.com/phuketmarathon. * Laguna Phuket was awarded Gold for “Best Sport Event Venue In Thailand” at the 2018 SPIA Asia – Asia’s Sports Industry Awards & Conference.

30 SPORT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Can anyone stop Mercedes?

Ferrari has no answers as Mercedes secures 5th one-two finish BOX OF NEUTRALS Michael Lamonato michael@boxofneutrals.com

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he Spanish Grand Prix was a test of Ferrari’s championship resolve, and the Italians failed miserably.

Just 10 weeks have passed since trackside observers and rival teams alike judged the Ferrari SF90 to be the car to beat after two weeks of preseason testing. Had you suggested then, in the optimistic early weeks of March, that Mercedes would dominate the first five rounds of the year, finishing one-two in each, you’d have been laughed out of the paddock.

Yet that unprecedented streak of early-season supremacy is exactly what Formula One is facing after Lewis Hamilton led Valtteri Bottas home to an easy one-two finish in Barcelona, and with each passing round Ferrari has grown only weaker rather than stronger.

The Scuderia knew the Spanish Grand Prix was a must-win race.

Held around the same circuit that hosts preseason testing, victory would validate the car as fundamentally competitive and provide

Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas celebrate with head of MercedesBenz, Dieter Zetsche. Photo: Lluis Gene / AFP succour after a lacklustre opening four weekends.

But not only did Ferrari not win, it couldn’t even muster a podium finish. A perfectly judged piece of driving had Max Verstappen navigate his way past both Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc on the

first lap, and his Red Bull Racing car was quick enough to keep both at arm’s length for the race, relegating the red pair to fourth and fifth.

The sheer ineffectiveness of the Ferrari car mere months after this same circuit rewarded it is cause for serious concern.

“We’re losing a lot in each single corner,” Ferrari boss Binotto said after his team’s latest disappointment. “It’s something which we really need to analyse. “[It could be] a matter of balance, a matter of downforce – maybe even car concept. I think we do not have an answer.”

To bring the fundamental matter of car concept into the equation would be devastating for Ferrari’s campaign given the time required to change aerodynamic philosophy.

It could add months to the team’s development time line, allowing a further ballooning of Mercedes’s already demoralising 96-point championship lead.

“How long it will take is difficult to answer,” Binotto said, trying to remain optimistic. “I think more important for us is to understand how to address them, and then I’m pretty sure we can do it quickly.”

But it’s unlikely to be quick enough. Mercedes, criticised during the preseason for adopting a design philosophy distinct from Ferrari’s, has all the development momentum – whereas Maranello has already added a major bodywork upgrade and an entire new power unit to the car to limited effect, Brackley is sticking with

its plan of incremental updates and has made enormous strides forward.

Indeed, the Mercedes machine is so powerful that Lewis Hamilton has hailed it as “the best car we’ve made”, an assessment sure to strike fear into the hearts of rival constructors and fans alike considering the vice-like grip the Silver Arrows had on the sport in 2014-16, when it won 51 of 59 grands prix.

The paddock is now talking openly about the prospect of Mercedes imposing on it the most onesided season to date, breaking the record set in 1988 when McLaren won all but one race.

“I think you need to stay humble and keep both feet on the ground,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff responded. “We’ve had five fantastic performances now, and five one-twos, but we don’t take it for granted.”

But with Ferrari at a loss to understand its lack of performance and Red Bull Racing already discounting its victory chances, Mercedes may find the path to a record-breaking sixth consecutive constructors championship and a new level of dominance completely unobstructed.

Collins prepares for two world titles Continued from page 32 ...Fisher is confident that his fighter will bring home the belts. “Chadd has everything he needs to succeed. Here at The Revolution Gym we have advanced facilities that cater to the highest level athletes. We have world-renown trainers, dedicated strength and conditioning and dietary professionals, advanced fitness facilities and even Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.”

The fighter now embarks on the toughest and most important two months of his life. Living at the gym with his girlfriend Kirstie and their dog Bella, he trains several hours a day, six days a week, “Digging so deep just to get through each and every session,” as he describes.

Collins’ achievements have been nothing short of exceptional and his supporters around the world will Chadd Collins celebrates as Sakmongbe watching on June 18 confident that the fighter will kol is stretchered off at Rajadamnern go down in history nine days after his 24th birthday. Stadium. Photo: ig/muaythaigalaxy

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

SPORT 31

Guardiola’s ‘obsessive’ genius behind success FOOTBALL

SPORT

START STOP

EVENT

TEAMS / INFO

Rugby Union 14:30 16:30

Super XV

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Kieran Canning

e p G u a rd iola wa s eulogised on Monday ( M a y 13) f o r h i s relentless hunger for success that propelled Manchester City to a second consecutive Premier League title after a titanic battle with Liverpool.

Guardiola claimed his eighth league title in 10 seasons as a coach in charge of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City as the English champions followed up their record 100-point campaign last season with another stunning 98-point season thanks to a 4-1 victory at Brighton.

That meant Liverpool’s long wait for a first league title since 1990 continued despite the Reds posting the third-highest Premier League points tally ever with 97 after they beat Wolves 2-0 on Sunday.

“Pep’s party,” ran the headline in the Guardian newspaper. “The only real world star in this set-up is the manager.

“They didn’t go for (Cristiano) Ronaldo or (Lionel) Messi but invested in fine young players, almost all of whom have been pushed to the outer levels of their talent.”

City became the first side in a decade to retain the title as Guardiola’s demands ensured there was no drop-off at the Etihad as has happened in the seasons that followed title wins under Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini.

“Manchester City could buy g reat players, good enough to take them up the mountain, but they could never stay there. Because you cannot buy hunger, the sustaining daily hunger that drove the greatest teams of

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Team effort: Pep Guardiola has ensured there has been no drop in Manchester City’s standards from last season. Photo: Glyn Kirk other eras,” wrote the Independent.

“Senior officials at City say that they have never seen as much focus and character from a City side in the modern era as what they have seen this season.

“This is the opposite of what we have come to expect from champion City sides.

And it is a vindication of the daily intensity and demands of their obsessive manager.”

Liverpool, whose season could still end in glory if they win the Champions League next month, were also praised for the contribution they made to a thrilling race.

“Nothing underscores the brilliance of Pep Guardiola’s team more than the presence of Liverpool a short neck behind. Liverpool are, without doubt, one of the greatest teams the competition has ever seen,” said the Daily Mail.

“Encapsulating this campaign is a battle of superlatives. Liverpool were amaz-

ingly good. Incredibly, City were even better.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said this season is just the beginning of a journey for his side, but in their threedecade wait to win the league, the Reds have finished second before and failed to build on it the following season.

“They’re entitled to wonder, given that they’ve pulled one of the most stupendous league campaigns in history and still fallen short, what more can be done?” added the Independent.

Klopp pointed to City’s financial power, backed by the club’s Abu Dhabi owners, as a principal reason why they will not be easy to overhaul.

However, unlike Manchester United, who ended the season as close to the relegation zone as they were to City, 32 points behind the champions in sixth, City have invested their money wisely.

“More than half a billion pounds (B20.4 billion) lavished on one of the most

expensive and brilliant squads ever assembled. But we only have to look down the road at Manchester United to know that you can pour millions down the drain,” said The Times.

“The danger, when City have smashed so many records

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in two years of domestic domination – 198 league points from a possible 228, 19 domestic cup ties won out of 20 – is that it is regarded as easy, normal, expected. Those figures suggest a relentless machine.

“It is in watching Guar-

diola on the sidelines that we see the stress, the agony, the pressure that has been relentless since setting out last August, requiring 18 wins out of 19 since Christmas to stay ahead of Jurgen Klopp’s brilliant Liverpool,” the Times added. AFP

Sport MAKING HISTORY THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

editor3@classactmedia.co.th

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2019

Laguna Phuket Marathon sets standard > p29

Phuket-based fighter first Aussie ever to fight for Lumpinee title MUAY THAI

Poria Mermand editor3@classactmedia.co.th

O

n June 18, Chadd Collins will become the first Australian ever to fight for a Lumpinee Stadium title.

Five weeks later he fights for the WBC Muaythai welterweight title.

“This is my dream. I’ve been working towards this for 20 years,” says the 23-yearold.

The Phuket-based fighter has fought and beaten the world’s best to bring him to this – the pinnacle of the sport.

Today Collins has an impressive record of 60 fights with 46 wins, 12 losses and two draws. He was left little choice in terms of career path as the son of a former professional boxer and Muay Thai gym owner. He began training with his father in Australia’s Gold Coast aged just three and had his inaugural fight eight years later. “A memory I’ll never forget,” he recalls.

Aged 16 with a promising youth career, Collins f lew to Phuket in 2012 for his first “elbow fight” at Bangla Stadium aged 16. Although it wasn’t until 2016 that he landed a key sponsor in Qest Environments and was able to move to Thailand to train at the gym of the legendary Sangtiennoi – a former Lumpinee, Rajadamnern and WBC champion himself.

Collins hit the ground running as a Thailand resident, beating former Lumpinee and Rajadamnern champion, Pakorn P.K. on the televised MX MUAY XTREME on December 23, 2016.

In August 2017, he made his debut at Bangkok’s prestigious Rajadamnern Stadium in which he bagged an unexpected win over the highly regarded Rajadamnern and WBC champion, Seksan Or. Kwanmuang – a fight he describes as one of his most memorable to date.

That win raised the fighter’s profile and placed him firmly onto the radar of the

Chadd Collins lands a piercing knee to the body of Seksan Or. Kwanmuang at Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok. Photo: ig/muaythaigalaxy sport’s top brass.

Collins was then invited to fight at Rajadamnern again with only a month to recover and train for what would be a defining moment in his career.

He was set to fight the 147lbs Rajadamnern champion at the time, Sakmongkol Sor Sommai, but the title was not at stake.

Nevertheless, Collins went in guns blazing, relentlessly pressing forward until the third round when a perfectly placed elbow had the revered champion stretchered out of the ring.

The Aussie’s push for a title shot was now hard to ignore after putting to sleep the man of the moment regarded

as the best 147-pounder on the planet.

However, fight matching in Muay Thai is a very complex business and the best fighters don’t always get the top fights; especially when they’re foreign.

Scores of world-class foreign fighters have travelled far and wide to prove themselves worthy of challenging for arguably the two most prestigious belts in the sport – those of Lumpinee and Rajadamnern stadiums.

Only a handful have been given the opportunity and only three foreign fighters have ever won the coveted Lumpinee Stadium belt.

With no excuse left to deny

him a title shot, Collins was finally given the opportunity to fight for the Lumpinee belt three months later on Boxing Day (Dec 26) 2017, against world champion French fighter, Rafi Bohic.

But fate had other plans for Collins as he developed a blood infection and had to fly to Australia for treatment, nullifying what was to be the fight he had worked towards his whole career.

In combat sports such as Muay Thai, relevance is vital, and to remain relevant one must fight consistently, taking every opportunity as it comes. Thus Collins had to prove himself again upon his return to good health, and

prove himself he did.

He moved to Phuket to train at the respected Sitsongpeenong gym. Having grown up on the Gold Coast, his main hobbies other than Muay Thai were spear fishing and surfing – hobbies he is delighted to be able to resume on the tropical island.

His acclaimed win over Sakmongkol may have been regarded as a fluke by some as after several impressive comeback performances the two were matched again at Rajadamnern Stadium in August 2018, again with no title on the line.

A fluke it most certainly was not, as the Aussie almost replicated his first perfor-

mance against the champion with another third-round knockout, this time through a flurry of punches that left Sakmongkol lying on the canvas that he reigned over.

Surely another title fight had been earned, or not yet.

Collins pressed on. Two big wins in Tokyo this year, first against Japanese Muay Thai champion Fukashi Mizutani, and the second, a shoot boxing fight against Japan’s shoot boxing world champion, Kaito Ono, had him become somewhat a celebrity in Tokyo.

Finally, the inevitable knock on the door came again from 2018 promoter of the year at Lumpinee Stadium – Suk Petch Numnoi promotions – as Collins was handed another title shot at Lumpinee.

On Tuesday, June 18, he is set to fight Brazilian Luis Cajaiba for the vacant 154lbs belt in what will be the first time two foreign fighters have ever fought for a Lumpinee title. Five weeks later he will fight in Australia for the WBC Muaythai 147lbs crown.

“Training is starting to get intense now,” he says.

O n ly t h is week , Sit­ songpeenong Phuket boss Tim Fisher released a statement announcing the gym’s separation from the Sitsongpeenong brand that originates from the Bangkok gym – a gym that has had great success with world number one ranked fighter, Glory Kickboxing champion, Sittichai.

After a six successful years as ambassadors of the brand – starting from humble beginnings in a friend’s backyard in Kamala, Phuket, the gym has rebranded as The Revolution Gym Phuket, with their vast array of world class fighters joining the Revolution Fight Team.

“Training here enables me to learn from the best. My pad holder is the legendary Sagadpet, a two-time Lum­pinee champion and Rajadamnern champion who was known as the hardest kicker in Muay Thai. All of the trainers at the gym are former world champions,” Collins says.

Continued on page 30 thephuketnews