23-12-2011 by The Phuket News

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Junie ‘Lunatik’ Browning tells police his version of the Battle of the Native Bar American mixed martial arts fighter Junie Allen Browning, 26, accused of hurting five people during a brawl at a Karon bar, turned up at Chalong police station on Wednesday (December 21) to defend himself and give his side of the story. He explained that he had delayed his appearance – it was 10 days after the brawl before he came to the police station – because he had received threats and feared for his life. Mr Browning, who fights cage matches under the name The Lunatik, filed a complaint with police alleging that his opponents had started the fight and had attempted to murder him. He also complained that two diamond earrings he was wearing at the time of the fight had disappeared. His opponents in the ‘Battle of the Native Bar’ previously filed complaints that he started the fight, hitting management and customers of the bar, resulting in five of them being sent to Patong Hospital. They also alleged that he started fighting again in the hospital. And the bar owner, Sukanya Srisomboon, filed a complaint about damage caused to the bar by Mr Browning.

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At Chalong Police Station, Junie Browning displays the knife wound in his arm. Ms Sukanya alleged that Mr Browning also injured some of a group of Thai bystanders who also somehow got into the fight. Police later said these bystanders were local tuk-tuk and taxi drivers.

Browning, who was beaten unconscious and stabbed in the fight, countered last night by insisting that he and his girlfriend, Laura Nissley, were the victims in the brawl, which was started by the others.

stabbed with a knife during the fight. He said he had no idea why the fight had started. “Personally, I thought it’s gonna be one-on-one fight [with bar manager Simon Menzies],” he said. “If that had happened we’d have had a fight, got bruised. That wasn’t a problem until there were weapons and bottles. “At that point, it wasn’t a fight. It’s trying to stay alive.” In talks at Chalong Police Station, it was clear that neither side wants to take the matter to a criminal court, and Pol Capt Chianchai Duangsuwan tried to find a compromise. The bar owner and her friends want compensation for damage to the bar and for medical treatment. Mr Browning wants compensation for hospital costs and for loss of earnings from a match he was due to fight next month in the US, but will now not be able to contest. No deal was reached and Mr Browning flew out again to Bangkok, saying that he no longer feels safe in Phuket. It seems unlikely the full facts of the fight will ever be known. This will not be an easy one for the courts to rule on. –Paritta Wangkiat

He showed up at the police station with stitches in his head, which he said were the result of someone smashing a bottle and a beer mug on his head. He displayed more stitches on his arm where he had been

For US and allies, a risky path on North Korea.

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Bottles and blockades as FC Phuket lose again.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

NEWS

Students’ art will adorn Tesco bags In a drive to reduce the use of plastic bags on the island, Tesco Lotus is producing 30,000 new cotton bags for shoppers in Phuket, which will be printed with artwork created by a local primary student. Tesco Lotus organised a drawing and painting contest for 32 students at The Metropole Hotel, Phuket, on December 14. A Tesco Lotus executive will choose a winning design and display the masterpiece at the Thalang branch. The printed cotton bags, worth B1.2million will be produced to support Phuket’s plastic bag campaign, and will also be available for sale in

branches nationwide. Tesco Lotus Senior Corporate Affairs Manager Charkrit Direkwattanachai said, “The 30,000 cotton bags will be handed out to shoppers around Phuket at the beginning of next year, however, people can come shopping to any of our branches in Phuket with any cotton bag they have and we will reward them with double green points.” Mr Charkrit added, “We are preparing to improve equipment which supports the transition of plastic bags to cotton bags at the cashier check points. The pilot project will start at two check points at the Thalang branch around early next year.”

Working hours cut for air controllers Phuket Air Traffic Control are to reduce staff working hours from 12 hours to eight hours a day, following a recent visit by the Deputy Minister of the Transportation Ministry, Kittisak Hatthasongkroh. Somporn Petprasit, Director of Phuket Air Traffic Control said, “We are now making plans to change the hours of our staff.” A new schedule will be created to ensure the new plan works effectively. Mr Kittisak said he worried about the staff working such long hours and becoming very tired, and thought it would be better for them to work a regular work day. Previously, the air traffic controllers did not work 12 hours straight. They worked for two hours and then rested

for an hour, though they were available to help out anytime during the 12 hours if the situation demanded it. The meeting and inspection with the Transportation Ministry took place on December 16 and discussed future projects, new ideas and current improvement works at the airport. Mr Kittisak also proposed the idea to extend the runway by 500 metres into the sea, which will require an environmental impact feasibility study. The Deputy Director of Phuket International Airport, Suthep Sansiripan, discussed improvements to the taxi way to make it parallel for a more convenient plane take off, and long term solutions to fixing the holes in the runway, which have been temporarily fixed.

Going to church

Russians now have their own church in Phuket >6

‘Not guilty’ say killing case duo Two Swedish men accused of stabbing a Russian-born Swede to death on August 1 have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to murder and are expected to apply for bail this week after appearing in court for the first time last week. Tommy Viktor Söderlund and Johan Sebastian Ljung, both 26, appeared in Phuket Provincial Court on December 14. They are charged with the murder of Maxim Schantz, 25, who was stabbed in the throat outside his home in The Lantern property development in Koh Kaew in August. Five charges were read to the court: possession of a handgun and seven bullets with no permit; possession of a handgun in a public area; threatening use of a knife in a public area; conspiracy to murder; and theft of a

motorcycle. Bot h men den ied all charges except for threatening use of a knife in public. At the time of publication on Wednesday evening, The

Polish woman found hanged

Opinions heard on parks

A 28-year-old Polish expatriate, Monika Jurewicz, was found dead by hanging in her house nearby Ya Nui beach on Monday evening (December 19). Her 52-year-old fiancé discovered her in the bathroom where she was hanging by a scarf from a coat rack. Police believe she probably committed suicide, though a rescue team called to the scene said they found her fingers covered with a slippery liquid, which has yet to be explained.

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Tommy Soderlund (right) and Johan Ljung, pictured at the time of their arrest in August.

Work to build recreational parks around Bang Wad and Bang Niew Dam reservoirs is set to begin in a project costing B356.2 million. Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (OrBorJor) held a second public meeting to discuss ideas for the project on Tuesday (December 20) at the Phuket Merlin Hotel, to give local residents details and to hear their opinions. OrBorJor President Paiboon Upatising said Bang Wad and Bang Niew dams are important catchment areas for Phuket that are also suitable

Phuket News understood the pair were expected to apply for bail within days. Both Söderlund and Ljung were arrested shortly after Mr Schantz’s death. Police said

to develop into community recreation areas and as sites for eco-tourism. Phisut Technology have been commissioned to landscape design the parks around the two reservoirs with planning and design work expected to be completed this month. Phisut Technology’s Managing Director of Technology, Songkrit Sappakit, said work at Bang Wad reservoir would develop in three stages. First will be a construction of service area, viewpoint area, parking space, a sport centre, garden and toilet facilities,

Söderlund and Mr Schantz had previously worked together in an online business, but had a falling out not long before the alleged murder. A love interest may also have been involved.

expecting to cost B57.8 million. The second stage is to construct a recreational area, costing B44.4 million. The final phase is to transform the existing Royal Irrigation Officer’s residence into a 200-seat conference hall, costing B65.2 million. The Bang Niew Dam reservoir park in Thalang will also be developed in three stages, involving the construction of a sports centre and recreation area (B77.5 million), viewpoint areas and facilities (B89.4 million) and a public camping area (B21.9 million).

Port expansion hits brick wall Plans to expand the Phuket Deep Sea Port are on hold after an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was rejected due to environmental concerns. A meeting last Friday (December 16), presided over by Deputy Minister of Transport Kittisak Hattha-songkhro, revealed the latest update on the planned expansion. The port, off the south eastern coast of Phuket, is currently configured for cargo, but with the increasing number

of cruise ships coming to the island, there are queues for ships to dock. The quay is only 360 metres long, which means that two large vessels cannot berth at the same time, resulting in ships having to drop anchor offshore and wait. In addition, the port currently has no passenger facilities such as customs and immigration. For the plans to proceed, more information needs to be submitted to the EIA com-

mittee to outline solutions to the committee’s concerns, resulting, it is hoped, in the committee approving the EIA. Mr Kittisak said he also plans on speaking to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra about the project. After the meeting and site inspection, Mr Kittisak said he wanted the project to go ahead. “This project must be possible, I will present this to Cabinet and support it as much as I can,” he said.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Paiboon leaves FC Phuket Paiboon Upatising, President of the Provincial Administration Organisation (OrBorJor) has resigned as President of FC Phuket after problems funding the club blew up on December 2. He told The Phuket News on December 15 that he was resigning because staying on would cause “bigger problems for the club and the OrBorJor”. The OrBorJor has been funding the football club for the past two years. However, as previously reported by The Phuket News on December 12, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) which monitors the finances of local authorities around the country, has ruled that an OrBorJor may not give taxpayers’ money to a private company. Only a football team registered under the local Provin-

cial Sports Association can legitimately receive financial support from OrBorJor. FC Phuket is incorporated as Football Phuket 1688 Co Ltd, with three shareholders. In addition, the OAG has ruled, any OrBorJor that has funded an incorporated football club must retrieve the money from the club, with interest. In the case of FC Phuket the amount is at least B20 million. “My resignation [from the club] is the best way out for FC Phuket,” Mr Paiboon told The Phuket News. “There’s no point in me staying if I can no longer support them.” Speaking of the debt owed by FC Phuket to the OrBorJor, he said, “This can be solved. There will be no problem about this.” Mr Paiboon said that his resignation would in fact create

an opportunity for FC Phuket. “There are many people who want to support the team. [But] if I’m still president, no one will step in to help,” he said. T he Secret ar y of FC Phuket, Soranan Sanae, told The Phuket News that the team would certainly survive until the end of this season on January 7. There are five matches still to play. Mr Soranan said FC Phuket was receiving financial support from “individuals”, but said their names could not be revealed at the moment. “We have not yet discussed next season,” he said. “But there may be several options for the team to carry on.” Replacing Mr Paiboon as President of the club is Nauruebeth Ayupong, one of the three shareholders of Football Phuket 1688 Co.

Paiboon Upatising: ‘There’s no point in me staying if I can no longer support the club.’

Tourists warned: Beware drinks

Chanchai with his gun collection, from left, the revolver, the shotgun, the air gun and the Thompson submachine gun.

Tourist Police Volunteers (TPV) issued a warning on December 15 to people drinking in bars in Patong that robbers are at work, spiking victims’ drinks before stealing their belongings. “In recent weeks there have been incidents of people having their drinks spiked with substances, including what is suspected to be GBH (Gamma hydroxybutyrate), one of the so-called ‘date rape’ drugs,” the TPV warned. “In two incidents we are aware of, the victims had this odourless, colourless sub-

stance added to their drinks.” After 15 or 20 minutes of downing the spiked drink, victims are rendered “completely helpless”. Both the known victims were robbed. “The purpose of this alert is to let you know that this has been happening. The drug loosens inhibitions and paralyses motor control so if you come across someone who is very impaired and disoriented, they may not necessarily be drunk,” the TVP said. “This drug can have lethal effects, as it can slip a person

into a coma-like state, and medical intervention is required as soon as possible.” The TVP added that there was no suggestion that any of the bars in Patong are involved. It is much more likely, they said, to be the work of an individual who is using bars as a convenient place to target victims. They added, “It is worth reminding ever yone that when they talk to tourists they should warn them not to leave their drinks unattended, should not accept a drink delivered by an individual if

they do not know them well or if they have not seen the drink prepared in front of them.” The TV P might have added that tourists should also not kiss the breasts of women they have just met in bars. At the beginning of November six women were arrested in Patong, and eventually fined and released, after stealing money and belongings from tourists whom they first knocked out with a cocktail of sedatives smeared on their breasts. Cartoon – page 10

Tommy gun seized in police drug raid Several illegal high powered weapons – including a .45 Thomson submachine gun – were seized during a series of police raids last Tuesday (December 20) in Mai Khao, northern Phuket. Tha Chat Chai police first raided the home of 38-yearold Chanchai Khao-ian on suspicion of drug possession, uncovering sixty ya-ba pills stashed under a washing machine. His friends, Samruad Jansida, 35, and Kit, 18, were also arrested after testing positive for narcotics. A second raid on the home of 22-year-old Pornthep Somboon turned out to be the most interesting, however. As well as finding 0.156 grams of ya-ice, officers also found a .45 Thomson submachine gun – a weapon popularised by American Prohibition-era

gangsters and WWII servicemen – with 47 live rounds and a magazine loaded with an additional 30 rounds. They also found an unlicensed short-barrelled pumpaction shotgun, an air rifle, and a .38 revolver with 48 bullets. Pornthep admitted that the drugs and air rifle belonged to him, but claimed the revolver belonged to his brother, who is currently in prison. He claimed someone pawned the Thompson with him for B30,000. In the final raid, 40 plants of kratom (which, when the leaves are chewed, has a mild stimulant effect) and drugtaking paraphernalia were seized. The house dwellers, Chatri Chaidam, 35, Prasert Makaseng, 28, and Abdul Loeouseng, 23, were all arrested. www.thephuketnews.com

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

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ALASDAIR FORBES Executive Editor 08 7884 9964 execeditor@thephuketnews.com From the UK; 40 years as a journalist and editor on magazines and newspapers in the UK, Middle East, Hong Kong and Thailand: Cheshire Observer, Chester Chronicle, Saudi Gazette, Gulf Mirror, Gulf Construction, Gulf News, Hongkong Standard, Asian Business (Editor) and Phuket Gazette (Managing Editor for seven years).

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NORACHAI THAVISIN Sub Editor editor3@thephuketnews.com From Thailand: BA, BFA and Master of Fine Art and Design, University of Tasmania, where he worked as a painter and illustrator. Six years’ experience with the Bangkok Post, Pattaya Mail and Fine Art magazine.

DANIEL OGUNSHAKIN Sports Editor editor@thephuketnews.com From the UK; Sport and Sociology degree from Sheffield Hallam University; Three years’ experience at The Phuket Gazette, Phuket Tatler, Business Traveler Asia Pacific, www.footballworldcupbrazil2014.com

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Tourists and locals dressed up for a unique sightseeing tour of Phuket Old Town, donning traditional clothing as part of learning about Phuket’s rich cultural past. Bangkok Hospital Phuket’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Project Manager, Pareeya Jullaphong, and 15 others took part in the event last Saturday (December 17),

which was organised by the hospital and the Thai Pernarakan Association with the purpose of educating tourists and teenagers about Phuket’s history and culture. The half-day trip started at Phuket Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) office on Thalang Rd, then proceeded along that road and ended at Chinpracha House on Krabi Rd.

Drive to speed up big projects Four Phuket road projects and a channel dredging project in Koh Keaw will be pushed forward by the Senate Transport Committee after years of delays due to complications with their Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). The four road projects – the Samkong Intersection underpass; an overpass crossing Klong Koh Phee at Saphan Hin; a highway running parallel with Thepkrassattri Road; and a new Chalong-Patong road – have been on hold for several years, the Senate Transport Committee heard at a meeting on December 15. The two latter projects are reported to be struggling due to lack of financial support to contribute towards an

Corpse found under Laem Promthep tree The corpse of a Thai man, aged around 50, was discovered under a sugar palm tree by a tourist at Phuket’s famed Laem Promthep sunset viewpoint in the afternoon of December 15. Pol Capt Chainchai Duangsuwan, investigator at Chalong Police Station, said the man had dark skin and was around 165 centimetres tall. Lying next to him was a black bag which contained a bus ticket from Haad Yai to Krabi. It bore the name Tongchai but no surname. The police also found three beer cans, two energy drink cans and a water bottle near the body. Initial inspection showed no obvious wounds. The man was estimated to have died about three hours before the discovery of his body.

EIA, which is a critical step to getting approval from the government. The cost of creating an EIA can be very expensive; for example, B11 million needs to be spent on an EIA for the Chalong-Patong road project alone. The overpass project at Klong Koh Phee has also been suspended because the project failed to pass an EIA, as did a channel dredging project at Royal Phuket Marina and Boat Lagoon at Koh Keaw, despite B18 million already being set aside for its completion. The Chief of Phuket Marine Office, Bhuripat Theerakulpisut, told the Senate Committee that channel dredging should be a high priority,

as Phuket is a major destination for sailors. “Phuket’s development must be based on reality,” he said. “We’ve been following the laws, but now we are struggling.” The Senate Transport Committee, led by Gecha Saksomboon, will now work with relevant government offices, and expect funding to be made available for most of Phuket’s major transport projects by 2013. In addition, a budget of B600 million was recently approved by the Ministry of Transport to build an underpass at the intersection in front of Central Festival. That project is likely to take several years to complete.

Silver lining in B300 day wage Vijit Dasantad, President of the Phuket Hotel and Services Union, says that the introduction of the B300a-day minimum wage may be a blessing for Phuket. He told a meeting on December 15 that the higher day wage would not have much effect on businesses in Phuket. “Moreover, Phuket now has a shortage of labour. [The introduction of the higher wage] should attract more labourers from other provinces,” Mr Vijit added. The Chief of the Provincial Labour Office, Sutthipong Saisakaret, told the meeting that there had been no change in the government’s plans; the B300 wage

for Phuket’s labourers will definitely come into force in Phuket on April 1 next year, and will remain unchanged until 2015 at least. Speaking at a meeting on December 15, he said the B300 wage will be applied on that date in Phuket and six other “guinea pig” provinces. In the rest of the country, it will be brought in on January 1, 2013. The poll from 5,381 business operators has shown that most all agree with the increase in minimum wage. “About 70 per cent agree with this policy and they also want provincial or central government authorities to help train their staff to higher skill levels.” he added.

Officials from the Investigation and Suppression Division 2 of the Customs Department seized around 90 fake handbags and pieces of luggage from the open area at the back of the Kata Expo shopping mall on Saturday (December 17). The items were in eight large plastic bags and had apparently been stored there. The owner was nowhere to be found, so no arrest could be made. The products carried the labels of well known brands such as Prada, Chanel, Gucci and Diesel. The street value of the fakes was estimated at B90,000.

New Year dance extravaganza Phuket is getting ready for a huge free beach party with the Phuket Electronic Music and Dance Festival 2011 and New Year count-down, taking place at Karon Beach from December 30 to 31. The two days of events will showcase more than 20 DJs, both Thai and international, including J Monton, Dom Parkorn Lam, Mark Brain, Slick, Domination and many more. In addition, DJs from 10 night venues around Phuket, including Seduction, Sanook Club, White Box and Tiger Group will join the concert which runs from 11.30pm to 6am on December 30 and 7pm to 3am on December 31. Three large stages will be set up on Karon Beach where a competition called “IP DJ Hunt 2011” will also be held from December 30 from 5pm to 11.30pm.

Rotary members vaccinate kids Members of all six Rotary clubs in Phuket joined with health officials on December 15 to conduct a blitz against polio. Fanning out to a variety of places across the island, the Rotarians vaccinated hundreds of children with oral vaccine to keep them safe from the disease for life. The Rotary campaign follows an award to Rotary International two years ago of a US$255 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Rotary International has committed to raising another US$300 million by June next year in order to achieve the target of its Polio Plus campaign – the complete eradication of polio.

ISLANDNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Hotel offers very fishy evidence

Visitors examine one of the pieces of art made from garbage – a trapped turtle.

Artists’ pick of the litter

The Beach Clean-up Art Exhibition held its grand opening last Saturday evening (December 17) at the Nakonnai Art Museic gallery in Saiyuan Soi 2 in Rawai. The clever idea is that litter collected in a current clean-up drive of the Rawai and Naiharn beaches will be used by local artists to make art to be shown in the gallery from December 17 to January 12, 2012. The opening of the exhibition, sponsored by The Phuket News, was attended by Phumkit Raktae-ngam of Phuket Tourism Association

and 30 guests. Proudly on show in the gallery were 32 pieces by 12 local artists who delighted in recycling bits of materials such as wood, foam, plastic, mirror, discarded by all and sundry in the community and left to wash back to litter Phuket beaches. The refuse now has more value as art that can make money. Montri Thipsak, an artist based at the gallery, said, “Artists will clean up beaches each day and bring the collected garbage back to make art to show and sell.

“We will ask students from Wat Sawang Arom School to join with us soon to clean up Rawai and Ya Nui beaches.” Other local artists involved are Kamon Chookham, Apinan Sarochwong, Romadon Kosanee and Somrak Maneemai, Kittipong Ngowsiri, Saravut Supachaiku and Prayoot Yeesakul. The exhibition is open everyday between 10am to 6pm at Nakonnai Art Museic in Soi Saiyuan 2 in Rawai, opposite Golden Tulip Mangosteen Resort & Ayurveda Spa. Contact 086 683 2188 (Montri).

The bad fish smell in Phuket Town has still not been resolved for the Managing Director of the Silver Hotel Phuket, who recently met again with the Vice Governor and relevant authorities to move forward with his complaint. Monluck Tantipornsawat, the Managing Director at the suffering hotel in Phuket Town made his first complaint to the governor on March 14 about the awful smell and loud noise levels coming from a neighbouring seafood facility. The Governor appointed the Vice Governor

to resolve the problem within three months, but the problem still persists. Mr Monluck said, “We still face these problems despite having asked for a resolution four times with the government authorities.” The director of Silver Hotel Phuket took five video clips which record the everyday reality of the situation and played them in a meeting which confirmed the smell had caused tour groups and customers to cancel, resulting in a loss of income for the hotel.

A representative of Phuket Provincial Industry Office confirmed the seafood factory will be moved to a new site in Rassada soon. The company had already signed a contract with the fish market organisation of Phuket, he said. The draft plans and proposals for the new plant are being prepared for the Rassada Subdistrict Municipality. Mr Monluck requested to the government authorities a firm commitment to the time frame and method of resolution.

Remembering the Tsunami December 26 will mark seven years since the devastating 2004 Asian Tsunami (also called the Boxing Day Tsunami) hit Phuket and surrounding areas. A number of commemoration ceremonies will be held around the island on Monday. Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation and Patong Municipality have organised “Light up Phuket” at Loma Park in Patong. The

event begins at 10am, with a talk at 11am by Meteorologist Dr Smith Dharmasaroja and Rangsit University’s disaster director Dr Seri Supharatid. At 11.45am, Satreemahaprutaram School will present their “tsunami model” to help educate the public on ways to help after a tsunami takes place. At 6.50pm a memorial service will take place, with a candle-lighting ceremony at 7.10pm at Patong Beach, and

a Thai classical mask dance from the Ramayana at 7.35pm. In Kamala, a public exhibition about the tsunami will be open from 9am at the tsunami memorial near the beach. In the north of the island, the Mai Khao Sub-district Administration Organisation has organised a religious service at the tsunami memorial wall in Mai Khao at 9.30am, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at 10.30am.

Young Pin still missing

Twelve-year-old school girl, Samudchaya “Pin” Yanpunya, missing since December 6, has not yet contacted her very worried mother. Pin’s last Facebook posting was about noon on the day that she disappeared. Ms Samr uay told The Phuket News on Wednesday (December 21) that she had not heard from Pin. “I checked with Phuket police on Tuesday but there is no update from them. I’m so upset.” Ms Samruay believes that Pin may have been abducted by someone she was in contact with through Facebook. Anyone knowing Pin’s whereabouts should call Phuket City Police on 076 212 115 or Ms Samruay 087 284 8380. The missing children: See page 11 www.thephuketnews.com

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Floods may drive more house sales in Phuket The floods in central Thailand may be a boon for Phuket, a Chulalongkorn University professor said this week. Professor Manop Pongsatat, property expert and architecture professor at Thailand’s top university, held a seminar on Saturday (December 17) at the Royal Phuket City Hotel, saying he believed Bangkok people will buy more real estate in Phuket after experiencing the floods in Bangkok, even though Phuket prices are relatively high. “The real estate market in Phuket and other tourism towns including Pakchong, Pattaya, Hua Hin or Chaam will be busier because Bangkok people will buy a small house elsewhere that they can move to if there is another great flood or any other disaster,” he said. “I don’t think this will happen immediately, but I believe that we will see the number of real estate sales to Thais increased three to six months from now.” Prof Manop warned, however, that campaigns to educate foreign tourists are essential to counter misconceptions over the extent of flooding in Bangkok and the rest of Thailand. “Tou r ists f rom other countries may be under the misunderstanding that all the tourism centres of Thailand

are suffering from flooding, so tourism organisations need to educate those people,” he added. However, the Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) office in Phuket, Bangornrat Shinaprayoon, said the flood had not affected Phuket tourism. “The number of tourists has been increasing since October. Because there are direct flights from various countries in Asia and Europe to Phuket, tourists do not have to go to Bangkok before coming here,” she said. “In October and November, the number of visitors to Phuket was up by about 20-30 per cent compared with the same period last year.” Kevalin Wangpichayasuk, Financial Manger of the Kasikorn Research Centre, believes real estate buyers will now think more carefully about property location. “Many investors are still coming to Phuket because Phuket is a high-profit place to invest. But property investors will select locations more carefully, in order to avoid areas that may suffer from disasters,” she said. She added, “The impact from the bad economic situation in Europe is likely to affect Phuket’s tourism because fewer tourists will come to Phuket.”

Father Oleg delivers his sermon during the first service of the Church of the Holy Trinity.

First service in Russian Church Some 50 members of the Russian community in Phuket attended the first service on Sunday (December 18), held in the recently dedicated Russian Orthodox Church, just north of Thalang Town. The Church of the Holy Trinity, built to the classic cross-shaped plan and topped with a gold onion-shaped dome, sits among rubber plan-

sive video rooms, and some art will be accompanied by special performances. Phuket favourite Marilyn Band is one artist who will be displaying her paintings. She said: “I am pleased to have been invited to join Phuket’s first arts festival together with fellow foreign and Thai artists. I hope it will turn into an annual event.” A Spanish artist living in Los Angeles, Gomez Bueno, said: “It will be my first time

by the representative in Thailand of the Russian Orthodox Church, Father Superior Oleg, assisted by Father Danai, the first Thai to be ordained a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church. There are already Russian Orthodox churches in Bangkok and Pattaya, and there are plans for two more, in Ratchaburi and on Koh Samui.

Frank Tomenson (pictured second from right), group leader of the Phuket Tourist Police Foreign Volunteers, was awarded the Volunteer of the Year award at the Tourist Police end of year Christmas party, held at the Royal Phawadee Village, Patong Beach, on Sunday night (December 18). The award is given in recognition of outstanding service, loyalty and devotion to the Phuket Tourist Police Volunteers.

An outburst of creativity

The Think Design Art Festival, at the Royal Phuket Marina from Tuesday to Friday (December 27 to 30) from 11 am to 8 pm each day, promises to be a diverse celebration of creativity. The festival will present artists from all over the world, showing their work and their ideas. Artists will be teaching children and inspiring the next generation. Video art will be presented in two mas-

tations to the southwest of Thanyapura. Inside, the entire east wall is taken up with images of Christ and orthodox saints set in a gold wall. The church completed recently after some two years in construction, funded almost entirely by donations from the Russian community in Thailand. The service was led

exhibiting in Thailand and I am very excited about this festival. The list of artists looks great.” Another prominent Phuket artist, John Underwood, will also be presenting a variety of his work, ranging from sculpture to installation and painting. A percentage of the proceeds of sales of art will go directly to the Phuket Has Been Good to Us and Soi Dog foundations.

Jordanian held for alleged extortion A Jordanian restaurant owner in Patong was arrested early this week accused of extortion after allegedly demanding money from an estranged business partner. Police arrested Naser Amim Mohammad Mansour, 45, at about 7pm on Monday (December 19) at Patong’s Orient Palace restaurant. “A restaurant owner in Patong told us that Mr Naser

and six Thai bodyguards came to his home to demand B7 million from him. After initial investigations, we found there was enough evidence to issue a warrant for Mr Naser’s arrest,” Pol Lt Col Thummasan Boonsong said. Patong police have so far brought no charges, but will continue to investigate. Mr Naser was released on bail on Tuesday (December 20). www.foreca.com

Seven Day Weather Forecast FRI DECEMBER 23

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NATIONALNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Laotian women rescued

Police in Narathiwat said they had rescued 41 women from Laos on Wednesday (December 14) who had been forced to work as prostitutes in a southern border town. The 45-year-old owner of a karaoke parlour was arrested on charges of human trafficking and detention of persons under the age of 18, following a tip-off from a relative of one of the victims. “She called her parents and asked for help. After investigation, we obtained a search warrant and raided the place. We found and rescued 41 women,” said Pol Lt Komvich Padhanarath. The women, who were working in the tourist town of Sungai Golok near the border with Malaysia, were aged between 16 and 23 years. “They said they were told by the broker that they would come to work as waitresses with a high salary but they ended up being forced into prostitution. Their passports were seized by the owner,” Komvich said. Sungai Golok is one of the main human trafficking destinations with more than 100 brothels, police said. –AFP

Army firm on lèse majesté A powerful army chief expressed opposition on Tuesday (December 20) to amending the country’s lèse majesté law, recently criticised by the West, saying those who opposed it should move abroad. Critics say that Thailand has suppressed freedom of expression with stepped up use of the legislation, under which anyone convicted of insulting the King, Queen, heir or regent faces up to 15 years in prison on each count. “It is not appropriate to discuss this. Personally I will do my part for national security in protecting (the monarchy),” General Prayut Chan-O-Cha said. When asked about activists calling for reform of the law, he said they “must go and live in foreign countries”. “Although we are a democracy, don’t go too far,” he added. The United States, the European Union and the United Nations have expressed concern over recent convictions, which have also sparked small protests both for and against the law in Bangkok. A 61-year-old Thai man was jailed last month for 20 years for sending text messages deemed insulting to the monarchy, while a US citizen

Royalist protesters wear masks and hold signs as one holds a crossed picture of US Ambassador Kristie Kenny during a protest outside the US embassy in Bangkok on Friday December 16. About 100 royalist protesters gathered in front of the embassy to support the kingdom’s tough laws against insulting the monarchy following recent criticism from Washington. The US earlier this month urged Thailand to ensure freedom of expression and voiced alarm over a series of lèse majesté cases. –Photo AFP has since been handed twoand-a-half years in prison for defaming the King. The convictions intensified debates on the issue on social media websites, although a committee was set up earlier this month to clamp down on online insults to the monarchy. Despite mounting rights

concerns, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung was also on the defensive when asked about the law on Tuesday. “I think there is no need for any changes. Why do we need change when the law is already good?,” he said. “I don’t want to comment on this issue, but whoever

wants to amend this law, their lives will not be prosperous,” he said at Government House. Last week, the US embassy in Bangkok requested users on its Facebook page to refrain from abusive language, after a torrent of angry messages from Thais defending the law and the monarchy. About 100

royalists also gathered in front of the US embassy on Friday in support of law following the criticism from Washington. Last week a Red Shirt activist was sentenced to 15 years in jail accused of defaming the royals during speeches at political rallies in 2008. –AFP

www.thephuketnews.com

INTERNATIONALNEWS

IN BRIEF Australian held in Belarus

An Australian film maker has vowed never to visit Belarus again after being arrested by the KGB while covering a topless protest. Kitty Green, 27, was detained during the protest on December 12 outside the offices of the Belarussian KGB security services. Green had been in the country working on a documentary on the Femen organisation, a feisty feminist group based in Ukraine known for staging protests that frequently see members strip to the waist in public places.

First Earth-sized planets found

Nasa is reporting the discovery of the first Earth-size planets orbiting a sun-like star outside our solar system, but the newly found worlds are far too hot to live on. They are in a five-planet system called Kepler-20, about 1000 light years away. Nasa said the two planets were too close to their star to be in the so-called habitable zone where liquid water could exist on a planet’s surface

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Flood toll tops 1,000 after Typhoon Washi hits region Philippines authorities on Tuesday began burying the dead from flash floods that have left more than 1,000 dead or missing, as President Benigno Aquino declared a national disaster. Aquino flew to Mindanao island to inspect the ports of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan – choked with drying mud, crumpled homes, and hundreds of decomposing corpses after being struck by tropical storm Washi on the weekend. Two dump trucks arrived at the public cemetery in Iligan at dusk, with soldiers unloading 38 coffins of victims who have been identified and claimed by relatives, who cried and lit candles as they witnessed the burial. On Monday as health fears rose, local authorities had announced plans for burials in mass graves but after intense criticism they hastily arranged individual tombs. Cruz said that forensics experts were taking fingerprints and DNA samples of the many other unidentified bodies at overflowing local mortuaries.

A resident walks away from her house swept away at the height of the devastating floods in Iligan City, in the southern Philippines island of Mindanao on December 19, two days day after Typhoon Washi wrought havoc in the city. –Photo AFP Aquino pledged aid to the slum communities hit by the disaster, which the government has said left 957 people dead and 49 others missing – a toll they fear could rise as bodies swept out to sea begin to surface. “I assure you the government will help you rebuild your homes. But in return we expect you to refrain from

moving back to those places that put your lives at constant risk,” Aquino said in a speech at an evacuation centre. The president pledged to repair damaged roads and water systems, mass housing units in safe relocation areas, and water level sensors for all major river basins across the country to help communities avoid similar disasters.

Aquino said he would sign an order declaring a national “State of Calamity” to make the necessary funds available. Officials and experts said many of the dead were informal settlers living in shanty towns built on river sand bars made up of soft and unstable sediment. But Cagayan de Oro Mayor Vicente Emano said that despite the president’s words, he would

be unable to stop survivors returning unless the government can offer them homes elsewhere. “These people will insist on going back because they have no other place to go back to. Are you going to shoot them?” he said on ABS-CBN television. Washi brought heavy rains that swelled rivers, unleashing flash floods and landslides that struck in the dead of night. The death toll rose sharply Tuesday as the bodies of people who were swept out to sea were recovered. “It (the death toll) is still going up and it will reach a thousand. There are still cadavers floating at sea,” Benito Ramos, the civil defence office chief told AFP. A British national was among those killed by the storm, Britain’s Foreign Office said. More than 284,000 people have been displaced by the storm with over 42,000 huddled in crowded, makeshift government evacuation centres. –AFP

Hopes fade for Russians Hopes are fading for 39 men still missing after a drilling rig sank off the coast of Russia with 67 people on board. Rescuers believe it would be a miracle if they found anyone else alive after the disaster in the icy seas off Russia’s far eastern coast. The Kolskaya rig, working for a unit of state-controlled gas export monopoly Gazprom, sank 200km off Russia’s Sakhalin island, sending a distress signal at 5am Sunday (December 11) Thai time. Four lifeboats and an inflatable raft were found empty in frigid waters, it was reported by rescuers on Tuesday, as

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hopes faded of rescuing the 39 men alive. The Kolskaya floating platform was being towed back to a Sakhalin Island port in a fierce storm when a strong wave broke some of its equipment and portholes, and it capsized in the choppy water. The survivors suffered from exposure and bruising, but doctors said they were most in need of psychological treatment after the trauma. The Emergencies Ministry, which usually co-ordinates rescue operations, declined to confirm a raft had been spotted and it was unclear whether anyone could still be

alive after so long adrift in the depths of winter. Of the 67 people on the rig, 14 were saved by vessels accompanying the rig, but six-metre high waves and temperatures of minus 7 degrees Celsius hindered rescue efforts. Rescuers said 14 bodies had been found. That left 39 people unaccounted for in the Sea of Okhotsk, water more than twice the size of France. The rescue operation began only two hours after the rig sent an SOS, and investigators were looking into whether more could have been done to save the crew.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Survivors recall horror of Indonesia boat disaster From their hospital beds, shocked migrants on Tuesday (December 20) recounted the horror of clinging to wreckage for three days in violent seas after their overloaded boat sank off Indonesia en route to Australia. Meanwhile, Indonesian coastal police said they had found the capsized boat and were hauling it to shore in hopes of retrieving bodies believed to be trapped inside. Seventeen-year-old Afghan student Samin Gul Afghani broke down in tears as he described seeing his uncle and two younger brothers sink exhausted under the waves after Saturday’s sinking. Afghani, one of 13 survivors found Monday 100 kilometres from the capsize, recalled seeing dozens of fellow migrants drowning as they waited in vain to be rescued. Afghani was one of a handful of survivors receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Lumajang city in Indonesia’s East Java province. They said that most of the roughly 250 migrants on the doomed boat were Afghans or Iranians. So far, 47 survivors have been rescued after the vessel, which had a capacity of only 100, sank 40 nautical miles off eastern Java. Thirty-four people were plucked from shark-infested waters by fishermen on Saturday (December 17), six hours after the sinking. Off icials said they were trying to establish whether two Indonesians found Monday near eastern Java’s Malang city were crew members. One of the Indonesians told AFP he was a fisherman. Search operations resumed Tuesday despite only slim chances of finding anyone else alive, East Java provincial Disaster Management Agency chief Siswanto told AFP. Jember city coastal police chief Nur Mahfud said that the wrecked boat was found by fishermen at around 9am on Tuesday near Nusa Barong, where the 13 survivors were rescued, and was being hauled to shore. Survivors said they were heading to Australia’s Christmas Island, a favoured destination for people-smugglers lying closer to Indonesia than Australia. –AFP

INTERNATIONALNEWS

For US and allies, a risky path ahead on N Korea The failure of foreign intelligence to detect Kim Jong-Il’s death shows just how little is known about nuclear-armed North Korea, but moves by the outside world to gain influence are also fraught with risk. All countries including China, North Korea’s primary ally, appeared to have been in the dark until a tearful television presenter made the announcement on Monday (December 12), two days after the 69-year-old Dear Leader was said to have died. North Korea’s neighbours and the United States, which is treaty-bound to defend South Korea and Japan, are watching warily as the impoverished, isolated and heavily armed nation comes under the rule of his young son Kim Jong-Un. Victor Cha, who was a top adviser on Korea to former president George W. Bush, said that virtually nothing was known about Kim Jong-Un and that any US effort to reach out to him came with the risk of undermining him. “It’s like a fishbowl. We’re all kind of looking in and we’re

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, pictured at a military parade to celebrate the 63rd founding anniversary of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in Pyongyang on September 9. –Photo AFP trying to figure out how things are happening,” said Cha, now a scholar at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies and Georgetown University. Just as Kim’s death was announced, President Barack Obama’s administration was finalising details on potential

food aid to North Korea, part of a strategy of keeping low-level ties to avoid a worsening crisis. Jack Pritchard, a former US negotiator with North Korea, expected initial calm, but doubted that the North’s all-powerful military would respect the young Kim, even

if he is officially a four-star general. Pritchard said the late Kim was aware of the problem and hence tried to elevate the role of his Workers’ Party, but with uncertain results. “The idea that Kim JongUn is going to come in with a new slogan and say ‘Military, Second!’ is probably not going to go over well,” said Pritchard. The military “will become the dominant force, at the forefront or certainly behind pulling the strings, of – for a short period of time – the face of North Korea, a chubby 28-year-old,” Pritchard said. But Pritchard said the United States should at least try to seek smoother relations through efforts such as food aid. The Obama administration has been cautious in its approach. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has consulted North Korea’s neighbours and asked the younger Kim to embrace the “path of peace” in a careful statement that avoided direct condolences. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said

that the United States cannot decide on food aid “until we can have some more engagement, which we don’t anticipate being able to do until after the new year.” But some experts doubted how much the United States can do. James Kelly, a diplomat who led the US side at now-moribund six-nation denuclearisation talks with North Korea, warned that the United States has limited influence and that Pyongyang would not give up its nuclear weapons even if negotiations resume. “The US will not be able to do very much in the near future, as North Korea will be sorting out its leadership questions – about which we know little – for at least some months,” said Kelly. “The US needs to understand that China and even South Korea are the real players with the DPRK, and the US is often used as a distraction by the DPRK to avoid coming to grips with serious issues with South Korea,” he said. –AFP

China in ‘gutter’ cooking oil scandal Chinese police have arrested 52 people for making and selling cooking oil dredged up from restaurant gutters. Investigators found that a company in the southern

province of Jiangxi had made more than 2000 tonnes of “gutter oil” since 2010, which it sold to a feed-processing firm. The oil was then sold to restaurants around the region.

www.thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

OPINION

MISSING LINK:

Are a lack of systems failing our missing children? > 11

Editor’s Viewpoint

NORACHAI’S WORLD

TIME FOR ACTION ON MISSING KIDS

Santa forgets that you should never accept a glass of beer from a stranger.

In August the Royal Thai Police opened its Missing Persons Management Center (MPMC), in hope of creating some sort of system for many missing children and adults in Thailand. But the MPMC faces some big hurdles before it can become effective, not least the fact that someone going missing is not a crime. Particularly in the case of adults, where many are not actually ‘missing’, just choosing not to stay in the same place. As a result, authorities are often slow to take serious action, or they may take action only when they suspect that a missing person may be the victim of a crime. But the real issue here is the children under 18, of which there is no record of how many go missing per year. Our investigation (see facing page) suggests that no urgency is given to finding these young people, who may become victims of crimes. Having children under 18

Letters to the Editor Environmental concern [Re. Port expansion hits brick wall] So much for the environment: Mr Kittisak states, “This project must be possible, I will present this to Cabinet and support it as much as I can.” Why have an environmental study, if fools reject it, simply because they don’t agree with it? Recently we have seen, in Phuket, landslides and floods caused by neglect of the environment and Thailand is still recovering from extensive floods. Mr Kittisak, it is about time you and your government departments realised you have an obligation to the Thai people to protect the environment. Laurie Howells

Get on the bus

Prisoners beware

[Re. Drive to move major projects forward] How many public buses could be bought for 600 million baht? Reduce the volume of traffic and these disruptive, on-going projects wouldn’t be necessary. agogohome

[Re. ‘Lunatik’ sought after bar brawl] Severely deficient social skills aside, if [Junie Browning] does end up in prison in Phuket, whoever messes with him will be in for a very, very rude awakening, as the boy can really fight. I also think there could be another side to the story. This article makes it seem very one-sided. From what I heard there were several people with weapons fighting just him. Dave

Welcome change at the airport

[Re. Phuket air traffic staff to reduce working hours] Surely, anything that may help reduce the chances of an accident are to be welcomed. I just hope there will continue to be the same number of staff ‘at the controls’ as there are currently. A good initiative by the Deputy Minister of Transport. Peter N in Chalong

One less on the island

should not be allowed back in Thailand. It sounds like he has a nasty track record if what I read in the newspaper is true. I did have to laugh, though, when I saw he had updated his Facebook status while on the run. Surely he would have had more important things to do rather than inform the world on his (very public) Facebook page of events while swearing and cursing. There are already many loonies living and causing trouble on this island. Let’s hope there is one less now. Mr Junie, you are not welcome in Phuket any longer. Avatar

[Re. ‘Lunatik’ sought after bar brawl] An age old debate I hope this Mr Junie Browning [Re. Prisoners walk free] has left Phuket, and will not I am in two minds about this return. After reading about his whole prison amnesty idea. For one, I am happy that escapades, I firmly believe he

Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Email managingeditor@thephuketnews.com or fax 076 612 553. Please include your full name, address, phone number, and email address. This week, congratulations go to reader Elliot Klein, whose effort is ‘Letter of the Week’, and receives a B500 gift voucher from Asia Books.

www.thephuketnews.com

roaming alone on the streets of Phuket is a dangerous situation, let alone when it is not known if the authorities are actively looking for them. Royal Thai Police records show that 1,168 people, in the whole of Thailand, have disappeared since 2002. Clearly these records do not tell the full story. In the US, the National Crime Information Center lists 85,820 people missing and not found last year alone. Of these, about half were young people. The best solution is for authorities to get their act together about missing people, particularly children. In Phuket, there is no clear system for dealing with such cases, of which, as the last week has shown, there are plenty. The police need to create a system that works quickly and efficiently. Every second the authorities spend filing documents or wondering what they should do next is potentially another second that child is on the streets and possibly in grave danger.

This week in history people who have committed rather stupid crimes or are old and sick are given another chance, if it makes their last few months/years more pleasant than sitting in a jail cell. However, I was horrified to read also that the killer of medical student Janejira Ployanjoonsri, Serm Sakornrat, who shot Janejira and cut her up into small pieces, including some he flushed down the toilet, was also freed [in Bangkok]. The poor family of that young girl who will now find their daughter’s killer has been perhaps rewarded for best behaviour. Let’s hope he was released because of health problems instead. If you do the crime you should do the time, and this doesn’t mean getting out early. I don’t care how well-behaved he was in prison. Amelia

■■ December 23, 1970 – The North Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York City is topped out at 1,368 feet (417 m), making it the tallest building in the world. ■■ December 24, 1865 – The Ku Klux Klan is formed by veterans of the Confederate Army. ■■ December 25, 1977 – Charlie Chaplin, English actor and film director, dies, aged 88. ■■ December 26, 1982 – Time Magazine’s Man of the Year is for the first time a non-human; the personal computer. ■■ December 27, 1978 – Spain becomes a democracy after 40 years of dictatorship. ■■ December 28, 1065 – Westminster Abbey is consecrated. ■■ December 29, 2003 – The last known speaker of Akkala Sami dies, rendering the language extinct.

HOTTOPIC 11

MISSING LINK THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Is the system failing Phuket’s missing children?

ast week The Phuket Ne ws ca r r ied t wo stories about missing children. One had a happy ending – a 12-year-old French girl was found in Patong after being missing for four months. The other was not so encouraging: Smatchaya “Pin” Yanpanya disappeared after walking out of an Internet café on December 6. She has not been seen since. These are by no means the only children currently missing from Phuket. How many are there? No one, apparently, can say – the structure does not yet exist in Thailand to track the numbers. But things are moving – albeit at a glacial pace – to a more effective approach to missing persons. The spark for this gradual process was the murder, in 1998, of medical student Janejira Ployanjoonsri. In January of that year, Janejira, who was in her early 20s, was reported missing in Bangkok. Two months later chunks of her body were found in a cesspit. The investigation homed in on her boyfriend and fellow medical student Serm Sakornrat, who eventually confessed that he had shot Janejira in a fury after she broke up with him. After killing her, he sliced her body into small pieces and flushed the bits down the toilet. He dumped her head and other parts in various locations. Her head was recovered from the Bangpakong river. Serm was jailed, but has just been released as part of this year’s Royal Amnesty. Media coverage of the case had the whole country riveted. It also had two effects on police work in Thailand: discussion of the need for a structured approach to forensic science, and discussion of the management of missing persons. Four years after Janejira’s murder, the Justice Ministry established a forensic science department, which soon found itself heavily involved in identifying dead people when the 2004 Asian Tsunami scattered bodies all over the Andaman coastline. Identifying the thousands of bodies was slow and painstaking, not to say horrific, job. It was more than a year later that the final identification was made.

Just some of the missing children in Phuket – a notice board in one of Phuket’s police stations. Matters were also complicated by arguments between the Justice Ministry’s forensics team, headed by the outspoken Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand and the Royal Thai Police forensics team. The police had always resented the Justice Ministry butting into the forensics business, which they saw as a police function. Dr Pornthip’s forthright public opinions did nothing to heal the rift, though they did make her the darling of the public who saw her – still see her – as a beacon of honesty in a bureaucracy that can often not be trusted. Notwithstanding the arguments, in the tsunami's aftermath, Thai pathologists learned huge amounts about techniques for identifying dead people. A structured approach to missing persons still did not really exist. Finally, in August this year – more than 13 years after Janejira’s murder – the Royal Thai Police launched its Missing Persons Management Center (MPMC). The aim of the MPMC is to be a centre for sharing information on missing persons and on unidentified bodies, and also to collaborate with other authorities on investigating missing persons cases. But the MPMC faces some

big hurdles before it can become effective, not least the fact that someone going missing is not a crime. “An investigation of a missing person seems to struggle from a lack of definition”, explained Eaklak Loomchomkae, Chief of the Anti-Human Trafficking Operation Centre of the Mirror Foundation. As a result, authorities are often slow to take serious action, or they may take action only when they suspect that a missing person may be the victim of a crime. Based in Bangkok, the Mirror Foundation has a Missing Persons Center which collects and analyses data, and collaborates with the authorities to try to get investigations underway to have missing people found. It receives about 30 missing persons reports a month, and 70 per cent of these are solved, one way or another. But the 360 or so cases it handles in a year can only be the tiniest tip of the iceberg. Compare that number with statistics from other countries. In the US, the National Crime Information Center lists 85,820 people missing and not found last year. Of these, about half were under the age of 18. In Britain, which has a similar population to Thailand,

Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand, outspoken head of the Justice Ministry’s forensics team. the Home Office (interior ministry) says that 200,000 missing persons reports are filed each year. The “vast majority” are found, it notes. Compare this with the Royal Thai Police records that show that 1,168 people have disappeared since 2002. Only 138 have been found. Thai regulations don’t specify a waiting period before a person should be reported missing but police seem to have latched onto a concept prevalent in other countries that they should wait for 24 hours before accepting a report from frantic family or friends. “We should break this tra-

dition of waiting 24 hours,” Mr Eaklak said. “In the case of a missing child, the quicker you report, the greater the chances of finding him or her.” Mr Eaklak, an acknowledged authority on human trafficking, believes another hurdle that stands in the way of missing people being found is the way the authorities go about things. Often, their first action is to provide the media with photos and hold press conferences with the family of the missing person. Mr Eaklak believes this approach is completely backwards, especially in the case of

missing children – the highest proportion is between 11 and 15 years old. Controlling the rate of missing persons needs action at all levels of society, from families right up to nationallevel authorities. But currently, there is a great deal of confusion. For example, there are currently two separate databases of missing persons and unidentified bodies. One is the four-month-old MPMC, which comes under the Royal Thai Police. The other comes under Dr Porthip’s Central Institution of Forensic Science (CIFS), under the control of Ministry of Justice. The two databases are not linked. Dr Pornthip has been trying to establish a specific body – under the Justice Ministry – to keep records of missing persons and unidentified bodies, and to handle examinations of bodies. This was discussed and approved in principle by Cabinet last year but appears not to have moved any further. The Police argue that investigations into missing persons cases and unidentified bodies should be in police hands, with the CIFS acting in a supporting role. The turf war has resulted in zero cooperation, which explains why the two databases have almost no overlap, even though their purposes are almost identical. The MPMC wants to set up a National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and a specialised investigation team. In the meantime, ask the Phuket Police for statistics, and they can tell you the number of murders, thefts or rapes in the month or year. But an enquiry about the number for missing persons receives the response, “We’ll check and get back to you.” They don’t. In the end, it seems the advice that Mr Eaklak gives to families – communicate with your children – should also be heeded by the police and other authorities: Communicate with one another. Until that happens, missing people are likely to be low on anyone’s list of priorities, and the families of the missing will continue to search desperately for answers that may never come. –Paritta Wangkiat www.thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

BUSINESS

Floating your boat

Developers of Boat Plaza ‘community link’ reveal details > 14

When bureaucrats override the law In Thailand government officials are generally considered much more powerful and worthy of respect in day-to-day life than in western countries. Thai culture also considers non-conflict to be a particularly important virtue. Thus, government officials’ opinions are often given what some might consider to be a peculiarly high degree of deference. This can sometimes lead to difficulties for potential investors if an official’s opinion is not consistent with the law, or logic. To illustrate, we offer here some examples drawn from our own experience during our years of practicing law in Thailand. Building Permit: Suppose your investment is a villa. You hire a construction contractor to build it for you. For the sake of convenience the contractor applies for the building permit so that the building complies with land use and building laws. Once it is built, you go to register your rights to your villa at the Land Department. In our frequent and consistent experience, the official will refuse to do so because the building permit is not in your name. Why? Good question! The official’s reasoning is that because you did not receive the administrative permission to build, they do not consider you the owner of your villa even though the law very clearly states otherwise. As bizarre as it may seem, according to this reasoning, having legal permission to carry out an activity actually

Jerrold Kippen Tax & Law Expert Duensing Kippen

creates rights of ownership over the property where the activity takes place. Land Registration: Longterm land leases are a common investment component for foreigners in Thailand but discrepancies between the relevant law and officials’ interpretation of the law are common. For example, even though the law clearly allows for an optional renewal of up to 30 years in the lease term, current administrative practice generally refuses to allow any clause providing for these terms to be included if you want your lease registered (and you must register it in Thailand in order for the lease to be enforceable beyond the first three years). Similarly, it is generally not possible to register a lease that contains a clause providing for an option for the lessee to buy the land, even though Thai Supreme Court precedent has clearly ruled that a foreigner may enter a stand-alone legally enforceable land purchase contact. In any event, the Land Code specifically states that land officials are not allowed to refuse such registrations based merely on their concern that the action might later be challenged and voided. Indeed, the law provides that the official must proceed with the registration. The reasoning for this is clear: It is supposed to be the role of the courts, not bureaucrats, to rule on points of law.

In Thailand, however, we find the role of the courts is often usurped by officials. Obviously, allowing the official’s interpretation to win the day in such case is not at all ideal or even acceptable for the potential investor. In Thai culture, however, officials are considered by many people to be almost omniscient. Contradicting an official is virtually taboo for anyone, including many Thai lawyers. However, such difficulties are not always, or even usually, insurmountable. In many cases, through patient, culturally sensitive and legally knowledgeable negotiations, the officials can be convinced of what the law says even if it is different from what the official thought before such discussions. This is an indispensable role of competent legal counsel for the investor and the investor should keep firmly in forefront of mind that having such competent counsel is perhaps all the more important when the investment is not in his or her home country.

Duensing Kippen is a multiservice boutique law firm specialising in real estate and corporate/commercial transactional matters as well as arbitration proceedings arising therefrom. It is the only such firm in Thailand that also complements its transactional expertise with a core tax law practice. Duensing Kippen can be emailed at: phuket@dktaxandlaw. com or for more information visit dktaxandlaw.com

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US Airways A320-232. US Airways has the world’s largest fleet of Airbuses.

Airbus delivers 7,000th plane Airbus has achieved another milestone in its history by delivering its 7,000th jet liner, a single-aisle A321 to US Airways, which currently operates the world’s largest fleet of Airbus jet liners. The A321 which was delivered on December 12, will join a fleet of A319s,

A320s, A321s and A330s. The company has an additional 88 aircraft on order including the next generation A350 XWB. The 7,000th delivery is a tribute to the firm’s best-selling A320 family, more than 4,900 of which are in service with more than 340 airlines and other customers worldwide.

Foreign bank rules eased The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has announced that foreign banks already operating in Thailand are to be allowed to expand their branches and their ATM networks in the country. Thongurai Limpiti, the BoT’s Assistant Governor on the Financial Institutes Policy Group, gave a press conference at the weekend on the guidelines for foreign banks to apply to establish a subsidiary in Thailand. The policy enables foreign banks that already have branches in Thailand to expand their networks to as many as 20 branches and 20 off-premise ATMs, without limitation on location. The Cabinet approved the notification last Friday (December 16).

Ms Thongurai noted that the policy aims to expand the financial intermediary role played by existing foreign banks, which will increase competition and enhance efficiency of the financial system. She said this would also help strengthen financial services to serve the needs of local clients, foreign investors and businesses, and facilitate Thailand’s growing international trade and investment. The branch of the applicant bank operating in Thailand must maintain a capital adequacy ratio of no less than 12 per cent; have a non-performing loan ratio not exceeding 3.5 per cent; have a good rating under the Board of Trade’s rating assessment, and have a good risk management system.

The subsidiary in Thailand must have paid-up capital of at least B10 billion. Currently, there are 15 major foreign bank branches and one foreign bank subsidiary, the Mega International Commercial Bank, operating in Thailand. Any foreign bank branch that meets the criteria can apply to convert into a subsidiary between January 4 and December 28 next year. Foreign banks currently operating in Thailand include the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Mizuho Corporate Bank, Deutsche Bank, Citibank, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp, BNP Paribas, Bank of America, Bank of China, Indian Oversea Bank and Mega International Commercial Bank. –TAN

BUSINESS/TOURISM 13

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Insurance money pours into Thailand Thailand saw a huge inflow of US$2 billion (B60 billion) last week, but the central bank said the surge will not cause the baht to strengthen as its impact will likely be offset by a large outflow due to overseas investment by Thai investors and the withdrawal of funds by foreign investors. Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatworakul said most of the money surge consists of insurance payments following the central Thailand and Bangkok floods. Mr Prasarn said the capital inflow will be offset by a significant outflow due to the withdrawal of funds by foreign investors who are concerned about the debt crisis in Europe and are inclined to sell assets in immature markets in order to hold more US dollars. Prasarn added that Thai companies were allowed to keep insurance claims or funds in Foreign Currency Deposit accounts. These accounts have no deposit limit and will help companies if repairs or purchases of new machinery have to be paid for in foreign currencies. –TAN

PTT boosts oil stocks for New Year Thailand’s state oil conglomerate, PTT, has increased its total oil reserves by 20 per cent in order to meet expected high demand during the New Year. Senior Executive Vice President of Oil Business Unit at PTT, Suran Rangkasiri said the company has increased its oil reserve by 20 per cent to meet the high demand expected during the New Year’s holiday. Current oil consumption is about 20 million litres a day. During October and November, there was a drop in oil consumption due to the impact of floods. The pump price for diesel was cut by 30 satang a litre on Saturday (December 17) following falling crude oil prices in world markets. The price of all other fuels, including gas and gasohol, remain unchanged. The reduction of domestic oil prices is the direct result of falling crude oil prices in world markets. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, the price of crude oil contracts went down US$1.08 a barrel to US$93.87. –TAN

Cheap air travel ‘killing domestic tourism in Aus’ Australian domestic tourism is suffering due to budget airlines offering cheap packages to Asia, says a leading Australian travel agent. Alan Dodson, Managing Director of Holiday Planet, was quoted in a report on the website News.com.au as saying that low-cost carriers (LCCs) such as Jetstar and AirAsia offer such cheap packages to Asia that they are slowly killing Australia’s tourism industry. Mr Dodson said, “If the low-cost carriers continue to grow I think Australia is going to struggle more and more to fill leisure beds.” Despite advertising domestic packages, Mr Dodson said he struggles to compete with deals advertised by AirAsia such as fares to Kuala Lumpur from Perth, Melbourne and the Gold Coast from only $199 (B5,970) one way. “You can get four nights accommodation on the Gold Coast for $250 to $300, but for not a lot more than that you can get a cheap package

More bang for your buck: Tourists climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, something that cannot be done anywhere but Sydney. –Photo by D. Coetzee deal overseas,” he told News. com.au. “We’re persisting with it because we think there are some people who definitely prefer to travel domestically but if anybody is looking at a budget it’s very difficult to

Accor appoints new chief for East Asia Accor has appointed Robert Murray to be responsible for Accor’s business portfolio in Southeast and Northeast Asia, the group announced on Monday (December 12). Mr Murray will oversee Accor’s business in Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, where Accor has 141 hotels with 32,000 rooms. The group plans to open another 82 hotels over the next four

years, all management deals secured with hotel investors. Mr Murray, who joined Accor in 1993, was previously Senior Vice-President for Accor Greater China. He was also Chief Operating Officer for Accor Greater China, in charge of 110 hotels. This role now goes to Sam Shih. Accor manages or franchises 4,200 hotels and more than 500,000 rooms. –TTR Weekly

justify paying so much more to travel domestically. “Unless somebody looking at the dollars and cents hates Asia, it makes it hard to add up – especially if you have a couple of kids.” Mr Dodson is originally

from the UK, and said he could see in Australia a similar trend to the one that killed traditional holiday hotspots in England such as Blackpool. “You go back 15 to 20 years ago, when the likes of EasyJet and Ryanair launched,

it encouraged more people to travel,” he explained. “There used to be 16 million people a year holidaying within their own country and Blackpool had thousands of hotels. It’s now given over to workers coming over from Eastern Europe renting accommodation. “It’s the same problem that’s starting to happen here.” John Lee, Tourism and Transport Forum Chief Executive, was more optimistic and said that the budget airlines provide access to new international markets and that domestic fares are more affordable than 10 years ago. “The key for Australian tourism operators is to know what those markets want and ensure we are marketing ourselves effectively,” he said. “Australia can’t compete on price alone, so we need to offer value instead – that doesn’t mean cheap, it means bang for your buck, with great accommodation, unique and authentic experiences, great locations and high service standards,” he told News. com.au

TAT welcome back mat The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has revealed its latest programme, Thailand Welcomes the World, which aims to rebuild travel confidence after the flood in Central Thailand and Bangkok. TAT Deputy Governor of Marketing Communications, Prakit Piyakiat, laid out the programme, which includes an attempt to make the sometimes dour experience of going through immigration a rather happier one. The project will recruit 70 staff who will be trained to assist visitors at immigration counters at the country’s

international airports. To be eligible the staff will need to be fluent in Chinese, Japanese or English. Their main task will be to explain the visa process to visitors and ease them through immigration. A frequent complaint by visitors is that immigration officers lack skills in welcoming people and presenting a positive image. The most frequent complaint is that immigration officials are poor ambassadors for the so called “Land of Smiles,” as they rarely smile. The welcome staff will have access to computers

with internet connections and telephones near the immigration checkpoints. They will also have 10 golf carts to ease transfers for elderly or physically challenged passengers. The service is already available for passengers who pay a fee to the Airports of Thailand, or travel first class with certain airlines. It was also offered to Thailand Elite card holders but that privilege has been suspended. “We hope to create a great impression, a warm and helpful welcome,” said TAT governor Suraphon Svetasreni. –TTR Weekly

www.thephuketnews.com

14 BUSINESS/PROPERTY

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Boat Plaza taking shape

Light from the offices at Boat Plaza is reflected off the central pond.

Boat Development, the property development arm of Phuket Boat Lagoon, has completed 30 per cent of its Boat Plaza, a 56-rai, B100 million “community link” near the Phuket Juvenile and Family Court in Sam Kong, Phuket Town. The Plaza is aimed at providing shopping, entertainment, sports and other lifestyle facilities for people living in the surrounding completed developments – Sam Kong Park, Sam Kong Town and Riverside (also built by Boat Development) and others in the neighbourhood.

Tropical town homes ‘a success’

Developer Living Vis Co is to build Phase 2 of its Baan Takr-Kard “tropical town homes” near Layan Beach after 70 per cent of the first phase sold out within six months of the project’s launch. The company says all 59 units are expected to be complete and occupied by December 2012. Priced from B2.69 million, the two- and three-bedroom tropical town house concept in Thalang District on the west coast of Phuket has found a ready market among both Thai and foreign low-range home

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buyers, many of whom took advantage of easy payment plans offered by the Siam Commercial Bank. Another special sales promotion is planned for early next year, which is expected to see the remaining units sold out by mid 2012. “We are moving full-speed ahead to complete construction of the entire Baan Tak-r-Kard development comprising two home types: Emotion One and Emotion Two,” said Living Vis Co-Director Sunchai Nuengsit. Project Director Torsak Jaichuen said that early buyers

saw the opportunity to invest in a high-quality home designed “with a variety of innovative features that maximise space, privacy and convenience, offering luxurious tropical lifestyles at affordable prices. “By taking a low-density approach that doesn’t focus on maximising profits, we have been able to offer 30 corner units with large gardens, more communal green space and wider roads for convenient parking, all for reasonable prices,” said Mr Torsak. ■■ For more information visit www.baan-tak-r-kard.com.

Boat Development expects some 5,000 households in the area will be attracted to use the facilities at Boat Plaza. Panupong Kritchanarat, Managing Director of Boat Development, told The Phuket News, “Initially we are planning for four phases, but there will be more in the future. First we built a road across the site, connecting Pracha Samakkee Rd and Pracha-UThit Rd, installed all utilities and prepared the ground for a car care centre.” The second phase, which is 80 per cent complete, includes a

running track around an existing pond, waterside offices for rent and an area for a flower market. The units, already 100 per cent booked by lessees, will be completed in the first quarter of next year. The third phase will see the construction of an education and sports zone. This will have seven futsal fields and a multi-purpose stadium which, Mr Panupong said, will be one of the most modern sport complexes in Phuket. Boat Development has signed Grand Arena Co to build this phase. Phase 3 will also include

construction of more office space and and a sauna centre covering one rai. Completion of this phase is scheduled for the second quarter of next year. The fourth phase will be the construction of the entrance into a new property development of more than 500 houses which is expected to be built within the coming two years. Businesses that have already booked space in the new Plaza include coffee shops and restaurants, an art school, a yoga centre, and a sticker shop. For more information visit boatdevelopment.com

Relaxed living with spectacular views Phase 2 of Sunrise Ocean Villas at Ao Por has begun after the completion and sale of the first five stand-alone homes. Work on the site, which looks out across Ao Por Bay towards Koh Yao Yai, began in February and is scheduled for completion in August next year. Phase 1 sold within three months, and the 10 pool villas of Phase 2 are now under construction. The boundary of the development is just 60 metres from the beach, giving spectacular views of many surrounding islands and, for early risers, the breathtaking sunrise. The homes are specially designed to guarantee privacy but also to have open panoramic views. Each has an internal area of more than 300sqm, with a 10x4m swimming pool, three sea-view bedrooms, five bathrooms and covered parking for two cars. The homes have two and a half floors, with the master bedroom on the top floor, the other two bedrooms on the lower floor, and the living room on the mezzanine floor. With homes priced from B17.9 million, the development

CG image of a villa in Phase 2 of Sunrise Ocean Villas.

Advertorial quickly became "the insider tip" for those seeking privacy and tranquility in an environment with no traffic, no pollution and no mass tourism; in short, a truly idyllic setting. The Managing Director of Sunrise Ocean Villas, Montha Thongsong, said that Ao Por is a perfect site, rich in nature and local culture. “Phuket has slowly become overcrowded so eight years ago my husband and I decided to move from Surin Beach to Ao Por where there are many unspoiled islands with white

beaches and turquoise water. “We have had a lot of enquiries from expats working in Hong Kong and Singapore because Phuket airport and the Phuket International Academy are just 15 minutes away. “We have also had a lot of enquiries from boat lovers because the Ao Por Grand Marina is less than three minutes away. “Sunrise Ocean Villas is aimed at everyone seeking a relaxed lifestyle and a good investment. The food, the landscape, the local people and the smiles are more genuine than you will find anywhere else in Phuket.” Ms Montha said.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

www.thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

CULTURE

BIG LIST: Ridiculous Robberies > 22

RANDOM view

“After spending over an hour in the Phuket Aquarium this morning, I emerged into the late-morning daylight to this view across the sea towards Chalong,” says Phuket-based amateur photographer Simon O’Herlihy, who sent this photo in to Random View. “The overhanging branches and shrubs provided foreground, the fishing boats provided middle ground and the sea and the mountains the background, all you need for a landscape photograph. “I used fill-in flash to ensure the greenery was not lost against the brilliant background.”

www.photohutgroup.com

Each month the best ‘Random View’ wins a B500 gift voucher courtesy of Photo Hut (see www.photohutgroup.com). At the end of 2011, The Phuket News and Photo Hut’s ‘Photo of the Year’, chosen from all the competition entrants, receives a grand voucher for a total of B5,000. Photos must have a Phuket theme, and be at least 1MB and 300dpi in size. Email entries to: managingeditor@ thephuketnews.com

Phuket galleries Ceramics of Phuket:

71/3 Vichitsongkram Rd, Kathu; 185/6-7 Srisoonthorn Rd, Cherng Talay, 076 326 870, info@ceramicsofphuket.com; ceramicsofphuket.com.

Chang Art Gallery

12/25 Moo 1, Vised Rd, Rawai (on the way to Rawai Beach, continuing from Saiyuan Rd), 081 693 5021 and 086 691 8217. Open daily.

Baan Wana Park, 177/22 Moo.4, Srisoonthorn Road, Thalang, 076 620 071, designedbywoulfe.com.

I Mon Art Gallery:

29/2 Phang Nga Rd, Phuket Town, 086 961 8968, montian_29@live.com. Open daily 8am-7.30pm.

King Art Studio:

21 & 50 Soi Bangla, Patong, 086 682 9130, info@kingartstudio.com; kingartstudio.com. Open daily 10am-midnight.

A Hindu priest chants prayers to the god Ganesha, left, and a dancer performs in front of an altar for the deity.

ALL FOR GANESHA GALLERY focus

December 18 was the birthday of the fantasy artist Veerachan Usahanun. So, as he does every year, the painter prayed to the Hindu deity Ganesha, inviting his many friends to join him to also celebrate the birthday in the same evening. With his wife Kai no doubt praying to the god also that the recent evening downpours would spare them this night, the small lawn of their house and studio in the holiday suburb, just back from Bang Tao beach northwest of Phuket Town, was ready for the open-air ceremony. The elephant god must have heard her prayer, as rains stayed away. A strong incense fragrance wafted up into the night and out into the street to greet arriving guests and puzzled www.thephuketnews.com

Birthday artist Veerachan Usahanun. passers-by. Rows of plastic chairs were placed on the lawn facing an altar set up under Veerachan’s huge and detailed painting of Ganesha playing a saxophone that grew from his trunk.

A Nepalese priest from the Hindu temple in Patong, dressed in white, chanted long meditative prayers surrounded by the congregation sitting on mats on the ground, hands held up in a wai.

Indian and Nepalese dancers later perfomed gracefully in front of the small audience. Then came the mountain of vegetarian and meaty food on a long groaning buffet table, enough to feed many more worshippers. The artist was beaming. “I always do this every year, even in Bangkok,” he said. Clearly he was happy to have given thanks to Ganesha who is central in all his imagery. Detailed and sumptuouslypainted canvases, filled with naked bodies, glowed from every available space in his small wooden house, with price tags in the hundreds of thousands of baht. A European customer asked to buy a painting and went into the house with Veerachan, who may have appreciated that particular birthday gift from Ganesha. –Norachai Thavisin

Lat Design and Art Garden:

95/33 Sai Yuan Rd, Naiharn, 086 294 3971, ja_rassri@hotmail.com.

Little Monk Gallery:

95/33 Saiyuan Rd, Naiharn, 086 294 3971.

99 Art Studio:

23 Lagoon Rd, 076 270 845, s.niamkhuntod99@gmail.com.

Phuket Modern Art:

5/28 Haad Patong Rd, Patong, 089 646 8838, phuketmodernart.com.

Red Gallery:

Phuket Art Village, Soi Naya 2, Rawai, 087 323 321, redgallerythai@yahoo.com; phuketredgallery.com.

Sarasil Art Galllery:

121 Phang Nga Rd, Phuket Town, 076 224 532, somkiatkaewnok@yahoo.com; oilpaintingsphuket.com. Open daily 8pm-9pm.

Soul of Asia:

5/50, 2/F, The Plaza Surin, Surin, info@soulofasia.com; soulofasia.com.

The Love Art Studio:

28/13 Soi Naya 2, Naiharn, 089 471 5653, pui.t.l.a.s.@hotmail.com; theloveartstudio.com.

The One Gallery:

53 Srisoonthorn Rd, Cherng Talay, 083 634 6840, inone_111@yahoo.com. Open daily 11am-9pm.

Veerachan Usahanun:

110/34 Cherng Talay, Bang Tao Beach Rd, 081 490 4359, usahanun@live.com; veerachanusahanun.com.

Watcharin Art Studio:

27 Yaowaraj Rd, Phuket Town, 088 386 1449, watcharintinorodnit@hotmail.com, rindamagicalart.com.

Wua Gallery and Studio:

1 Phang Nga Rd, Phuket Town, 076 258 208, wua.artgallery@gmail.com; wua-artgallery.blogspot.com.

PEOPLE 17

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

You better not cry, better not pout… you in Phuket, or Burmese workers? It will be elves this year. Last year I had a nightmare at immigration and ended up having to leave all my helpers there and hand over half of all my presents in lieu of some kind of fee I never understood…

Exposed

Santa Claus Les Vorosmarthy prapares for take-off at the Air Park.

Down to earth? Not exactly Les Vorosmarthy is pleased. He points to one of the many dials on the dashboard of his aircraft. “Proof,” he says. “I pulled plus eight Gs and minus four.” For the uninitiated, that means he experienced eight times normal gravity when pulling out of a dive or in a tight turn, and one fourth normal gravity when, for example, switching from a steep climb into a dive. How come he isn’t wearing a G suit to counter the effects? “I’m not experiencing extra Gs for long enough for it to give me a blackout. Well not much, anyway.” Les has just landed back at the Phuket Airpark after a 15-minute display of spectacular aerobatics above (sometimes mere metres above) the waters of Patong Bay as part of the Phuket Carnival. It’s not the first time he’s done it – he also flew over Patong at Songkran. This time, he says, it was good. There were no parasailers. “Those things can just pop up out of nowhere.” Someone in Patong must have had a quiet word in the right ears. A spry 56-year-old, Les has led a life of extreme adventure, starting in the early 1980s when he snuck out of his native country, Hungary, which was then in the dour depths of Communist rule, made his way right across Russia, thence to Japan and Mexico and into the US, where he arrived “with a couple of bags and eight dollars”. He had a skill that was in high demand, however: computer programming, and in no time he was making good money. He had to reconcile himself to the fact that he might never see his family again, but the inspiration of his parents’ skills in ophthalmology (his father ministered to the President of Hungary) stayed with him and

led him soon enough to found his own company, making a gel implant for use in eye surgery. He now exports to 36 countries. And since the collapse of the Soviet Union, he has been reunited with his family and has a Hungarian passport to add to his American one. Pressure from his Chinese wife to live in China – a concept he admits he did not relish – led to compromise and the couple now live with their three children in Kuala Lumpur – a place with plenty of Chinese culture, yet international enough to keep Les happy, too. He enjoys his flying visits to Phuket, however, and likes flying in and out of the Airpark, especially when he lands back from Patong drenched in sweat and is handed a cold beer as soon as he gets out of the cockpit. “That’s great service,” he grins.

Jolly fellow with white beard and large girth stuffed into red suit. Need we say more?

What do the tuk-tuk and taxi drivers say about you parking your sleigh in their territory? Oh, I don’t have any problems because I had my sleigh manufactured by Harley Davidson... Respect! Plus Rudolf bites. You don’t want to be bitten by a reindeer. Worse than a pit bull.

How are your Christmas preparations going his year? Things are going fine except for my head elf who is feeling a bit tired and emotional. A bit too much of the Christmas spirits a bit much but I am sure he’ll recover in time. How do you survive the heat in Phuket when you’re dressed in your Santa suit? I’ve got these new solar-powered, climate-controlled long johns. And when I’m working indoors I can plug them into the mains power. They work great so long as no one trips over the power cord! How does Santa deliver the presents to children in Phuket when they have no fireplaces? Magic, my friend! Seriously, take a look at my picture. I could never come down a chimney anyway. Even if you had a really big chimney, I wouldn’t want to get my suit all covered in soot. I don’t know who started this myth about chimneys.

Ho ho ho! It’s that jolly fellow in red (and nothing to do with Thai politics). you like the children of Phuket to leave out for you? Anything from Dad’s special cabinet will do. The cabinet with all those bottles in it.

red suit may give Thais the wrong impression about your politics? No. Santa is beyond politics. And this is a suit, not a shirt.

Are you worried that your

Do you have elves to help

Why is Rudolph’s nose so red? Poor Rudolph suffers from really bad eyesight. He’s always running nose-first into things. I’m thinking of having him go through that popular laser treatment while we are here. I saw they have a Christmas special. Our thanks to Teddy Fagerstrom for the introduction to Santa.

What sort of treats would

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18 HEALTH

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

The secrets of Tiger Woods Yes, we all know Tiger’ Woods is an extraorinary golfer, a superb ball striker who is totally dedicated to perfecting his game including a physical training program that’s on par with that of a Navy Seal. But did you know he also receives Chiropractic Care to help him keep on the top of his game, pain free and performing well. Here’s one of Tiger’s quotes: “Being a chiropractor patient has really helped me immensely. I’ve been going to chiropractors for as long as I can remember. It’s as important to my training as practicing my swing. Lifting weights and seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis has made me a better golfer.” Having had my own fair share of injuries I know far too well how frustrating it is to be sidelined with an injury that could have been easily avoided. It sucks to sit on the bench because your injury is not responding to treatment or popping pain numbing pills that merely cover up the symptoms, deceiving you into actions which could make the

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injury become more serious. So why is chiropractic health different? I can’t think of any other healthcare approach that more closely relates to the needs of the sports participant. Most sports involve body contact, fast starts and stops, and positioning that places an unusual amount of strain on the back and structural system. As a chiropractor, I consider a person as an integrated being, giving special attention to the spine, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. For example over pronation of the foot, a collapse of inner arch during running or walking can affect not only the joints in the foot but also in the neck and back leading to headaches, neck and low back pain. Chiropractic health stresses the importance of keeping all the systems of the body functioning efficiently so the player enjoys peak performance, at minimum injury risk, and fast recuperative powers. Chiropractic is a science

and art, based on the premise that good health depends, in part, upon a normally functioning nervous system. When there is interference in the nervous system caused by a misaligned or malfunctioning spine, tissues and organs may not function properly. Detection of these problem areas (“subluxations”) and their correction by spinal manipulation will relieve nerve interference and allow the spine and nervous system to return to a healthy state. Correction of the problem and maintaining good health is the goal of chiropractic care. Who uses chiropractic care? Chiropractic is now popular worldwide and is the treatment of choice for many amateur and professional athletes, teams, and coaches. Many world class and Olympic athletes, as well as professional stars and teams, have retained sports chiropractors to provide care. Jerry Rice, NFL Hall of Fame player, Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Mr Universe, actor and former governor of California, Kobe Bryant, NBA all star and cur-

Tiger Woods: “Being a chiropractor patient has really helped me immensely.” rent NBA Champion and Carl Lewis, Olympic Gold Medalist and former world record holder all use chiropractic care. The Players Association of the NFL has incorporated sports chiropractors as a regular part of care. AC Milan has a full time staff chiropractor. Chiropractors have been selected as attending doctors at the Olympic Games and at national and world championships in track and field, cycling, volleyball, power lifting, aerobics, and triathlons. What can be treated with chiropractic care?

The primary treatment I perform is manipulation (an “adjustment”) to those areas of the spine or surrounding joints which are slightly displaced and fail to function normally. Given by hand (the word chiropractic means “done by hand”), the adjustment will restore proper alignment and function to the spinal joints, thereby restoring the normal nerve transmission and healing potential to the vital structures of the body. Dr Anthony Kell, Chiropractic Health Consultant

phuket@searasports.com 66 (0) 7630 4307

www.thephuketnews.com

Dr Kell’s clinic is at 27/14 Moo 4 Chao Fa Rd, just south of the Central Festival intersection. 08 05303376, contactus@ phuket-chiropractic. com, phuketchiropractic.com The opinions and advice contained in this column are those of the author only. The Phuket News is not responsible for the outcome or results of following any advice in any given situation.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Bay clean-up Round Two Over a hundred youngsters from Phuket took part in the second Day in the Bay, organised by Phang Nga Bay Conservancy, to clean Phang Nga Bay and Koh Yao Yai island in the southwest of sea litter. On Tuesday December 13, local school and university students, aged between 6 and 20, collected over half a tonne of plastic, metal, polystyrene and glass washed up on the beach and brought it back to Phuket for separation and disposal. And the message they took home was clear – the younger generation will need to make a better job of looking after the planet than the older generation. During the day-long effort last week, members of the conservancy, which is an initiative by the International Business Association of Phuket (IBAP), were on hand to help in the clean-up and to explain the dangers of careless disposal of refuse on the environment. Conservancy member and environmental activist John “Lingyai” Gray told his young audience that discarding rubbish into the sea was affecting some

of their parents’ ability to earn a living as fishing is a vital local industry. Sea litter also affects tourism, he said. Mr Gray encouraged the youngsters to pass on the message to their parents. From local schools of Aokapor, Baantarua, Baanrunai as well as Prince of Songkhla University, the students saw for themselves how badly Phang Nga Bay had been polluted. Only eight weeks ago, the conservancy’s first Day in the Bay clean-up gathered nearly a tonne of sea rubbish. District chief Amnaj Peinbumyad and village head Umard Boonlab praised the clean-up initiative. Other officials joining included President of Baan Prunai OrBorTor Montree Benahmard. Initially Mr Gray asked IBAP if it could back his bay clean-up efforts and a committee was formed in July to organise events, promote the conservancy. Additional sponsorship came from Sea Bees Diving and Sunsail who supplied the boats to transport the students to the island.

IBAP President James Firth said: “The group has been formed with the intention of holding events and helping those who are already performing environmental management programmes to find support and resources – like a clearing house for green events. Hence our motto: Projects needing resources, resources needing projects. “The inaugural bay clean-up was organised for October 15th and was a great success. As well as holding regular events on both land and sea in the Phang Nga Bay region, we will try to pull together all the various efforts currently going on independently throughout the region and also develop an online resource management system through the conservancy’s website. “This will hopefully allow us to pull together all the various efforts currently going on independently throughout the region,” he said. ■■ Contact 081 370 2409 (James Firth), info@phangnabayconservancy.org and phangnabayconservancy.org. –John Higgs

Adopt a dog

ENVIRONMENT 19

Above: Students and other clean-up vounteers hear a lunch-break talk on the benefits of keeping the sea clean of litter. Below: Half a tonne of rubbish was collected that day.

Pet of the Week

MEET SABAI, RESCUED FROM THE VIETNAMESE DOG MEAT TRADE!

Sabai was rescued from a truck carrying hundreds of dogs destined for the restaurants of Vietnam. The truck was intercepted by Thai authorities and the dogs were taken to temporary shelters in Northern Bangkok. The cage Sabai was travelling in was thrown off the truck and her back legs were injured in the fall. She’s spent the last few months at the Soi Dog Shelter recovering and now she’s fully-recovered and ready for a new home. Sabai is super friendly and loves everyone. She’s approx three years old. If you can give Sabai the home she’s always dreamed of please contact cindy@soidog.org or phone the Soi Dog shelter on 081 788 4222. You can also visit our website www.soidog.org or follow us on Facebook. If you are interested in adopting a dog please do not buy from the markets. Soi Dog Foundation has over 200 dogs and puppies available for adoption at any time. For more information on how to adopt visit soidog.org. All animals are fully vaccinated and desexed. Young puppies will be desexed free of charge as soon as old enough.

This gorgeous kitten belongs to Hina who lives in Kamala. Her much loved pet, aptly named ‘Kitty’, was a stray found under a car bonnet.

Want to see your pet here? Email your photos to: editor1@thephuketnews.com www.thephuketnews.com

20 EDUCATION

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

LONG ROAD TO ENGLISH “In Thailand, a lot of students do very well with written English and grammar, but when it comes to speaking English in conversation, many find it difficult,” says Stephen Brady, Head of English Programme (EP) at Darasamuth Phuket School. We walked along later to make brief visits to a couple of spacious classrooms where there definitely was no hesitation in speaking English. Thai students wanting to learn English at the primary Darasamut school have a choice. They can enrol in the Thailanguage programme, along with the the majority of the 3,000 or so students attending the school, and join the Intensive English Teaching programme to learn a few hours of English a week. Or they can enroll in the bilingual EP, at a higher fee, already available from kindergarten at the age of five. In that programme, they are led through the joys of the new language by 12 foreign native English-speaking

Teacher Stephen Brady. teachers, and four Filipino teachers in the intensiveteaching classes, attending 66 per cent of their lessons a week in English, including some one-on-one teaching if required. Students learn to read and write in English through “a structured and cumulative multi-sensory synthetic phonics programme”. Mathematics, science, health, sport and art are the other subjects taught in English.

As the other classes are in Thai, a good knowledge of Thai is also required. Mr Brady says that after a few years of this style of learning, student of the EP are confident to speak or make mistakes. Newcomers joining the programme later are often shy and do not want to lose face by making mistakes in front of the class. But they soon see that they learn from making mistakes, Mr Brady said. As there are foreign nationalities among the 160 students in the EP, learning lessons both in Thai and English, the students invariably practice both languages with one another. By the time the students are ready to graduate from school at 12 or 13, they need to pass the internal English exams and others are also tested in the external Cambridge University exams. “The majority of our students score the highest grade that they can get in those exams,” says Mr Brady.

Darasamuth School English Programme students at work in class.

“By the end of it they have a good level of English.” The Darasamuth school, opposite Central Festival in Phuket Town, is part of the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and

the EP started there in 2002-3. The EP follows the Thai Ministry of Education curriculum for all subject areas, enriched with an EP syllabus influenced by the British school curriculum. Thai values

and morals are taught and upheld by all teachers. –Norachai Thavisin ■■ Contact 076 21 2392, darasamuth@yahoo.com and darasamuth.com.

These Montessori kindergarten students at the Rawai Progressive International School are looking very much the part for Christmas.

www.thephuketnews.com

TIMEOUT 21

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011 BOOK

MUSIC

FILM Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

The Leopard by Jo Nesbø Knopf, 528 pages

Two young women are found murdered in Oslo. The crime scenes offer no coherent clues, the police investigation is stalled, and the one man who might be able to help doesn’t want to be found. Traumatised by his last case, Inspector Harry Hole has lost himself in the squalor of Hong Kong’s opium dens. Yet when he is compelled, at last, to return to Norway, Hole’s buried instincts begin to take over. As with Nesbø’s other books, all the characters, both heroes and villains, are toting personal baggage, none more so than Hole himself. Nesbø deploys all the key ingredients of a cracking thriller with expertise and verve. The ticking clock, the tension expertly ratcheted ever upwards, the changing scenery, the constantly shifting goalposts and his effortless, triumphant outpacing of the reader’s ability to guess what’s going to happen.

El Camino

The Black Keys Nonesuch The Ohio-bred pair who are The Black Keys — Patrick Carney on drums and Dan Auerbach on guitars and vocals — have for the past decade tapped into the rich, deep well of American roots music with their eclectic mix of rock ’n’ roll, blues, C&W and R&B. In a way though, you could categorise El Camino (The Road) as a minor leap backwards, full of the spirit of the band’s early period, but retooled and souped-up with an ear for the bigger spaces. In revving so hard, though, The Black Keys have perhaps left behind in the dust the subtleties that made their previous hit album, Brothers, such an intriguing ride. At the same time, their faith in their own ability to master anything is apparent, and they sound like a band who think they’ve made the year’s best rock ’n’ roll album, which is probably pretty close to the truth.

132 minutes Rating: 13+ Director: Brad Bird Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg

Nearly 15 years after the original Mission: Impossible film debuted (and 45 years after the TV series began), we are once again presented with another franchise offering of what arguably should have been limited to a single installment. But, more than six years after the rock-solid mediocrity of Mission Impossible III, Brad Bird has succeeded in his mission to bring a fresh and stylish M:I installment to the big screen. While Ghost Protocol doesn’t hit the mark in every scene or character interaction, the majority of the film is an in-your-face action adventure

with a number of enjoyable performances and exciting set pieces. Unlike previous entries, the story in Ghost Protocol is pretty straightforward, with a linear race against time to stop a nuclear war. Tom Cruise once again returns as series lead, Ethan Hunt, who is incarcerated in a Russian prison at the opening of the film. When Hunt is sprung from jail, it’s only a matter of time before he’s caught in a shadowy conspiracy – one that doesn’t just result in the destruction of the Kremlin, but also the dissolution of the entire Impossible

Missions Force (aka IMF); that is, with the exception of Hunt and his newlyformed team, which includes Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), and Jane Carter (Paula Patton). W h i le some franchise fans might wish for a few more twists and turns, Bird’s installment in the series works largely because it keeps the focus grounded in the moment on a number of eye-popping action set-pieces, as well as tense, and interesting, character interactions. But the trimmed-down plot in Ghost Protocol is by no means thin, and successfully provides a sharp and believable globe-trotting James Bond-like adventure, leaving room for plenty of Bird’s style and humour. Despite the high stakes, the film manages to find an enjoyable balance between tongue-in-cheek absurdity in the

onscreen hijinks, and a tense and relatively realistic tone. While Cruise has always carried the M:I movies, his performance this round is particularly in sync with Bird’s tone and style. Ethan Hunt’s personality, despite being an action hero stereotype on principle, has been somewhat amorphous from film to film. But in Ghost Protocol, the story humanises Hunt: we’re privy to moments of him struggling with loss, frustration, and even his sense of humour. Regardless of which director is at the helm, the M:I series has always been about action and spy/infiltration scenarios, and there’s no doubt Ghost Protocol delivers on those points. Bird takes the series up a notch with enjoyable performances and character dynamics (even if a few fall flat), as well as a straightforward but still intriguing story that keeps the action moving at a steady clip.

As some movies and movie times change every Thursday morning, after The Phuket News has gone to press, the accuracy of the following information cannot be guaranteed. For up-to-date information, visit sfcinemacity.com, or phone the cinemas directly: SFX Coliseum Phuket 076 209 000 and SFC Jungceylon Phuket 076 600 555.

SFX COLISEUM PHUKET (CENTRAL FESTIVAL)

SFC JUNGCEYLON PHUKET (PATONG)

Happy Feet 2 (E) [G]: 12:30 Immortals (E/3D) [15+]: 11:30, 13:45, 16:00, 18:15, 20:30, 22:40 Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (E) [13+]: 12:00, 13:50, 14:45, 16:35, 17:30, 19:20, 20:15, 22:05 Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (E/F) [13+]: 13:00, 15:45, 18:30, 21:15 Puss in Boots (E) [G]: 11:50 Twilight: Breaking Dawn (E) [15+]: 17:10, 22:10 Twilight: Breaking Dawn (T) [15+]: 14:40, 19:40

Immortals (E) [15+]: 11:15, 13:30, 15:45, 18:00, 20:15, 22:30 In Time (E) [13+]: 16:30, 21:00 Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (E) [13+]: 11:15, 12:15, 13:45, 15:00, 16:30, 17:45, 19:15, 20:30, 22:00 Texas Killing Fields (E) [18+]: 12:00, 14:15, 18:45 Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (E) [15+]: 12:15, 14:45, 17:15, 19:50, 22:20

BRAIN TEASERS Across 1. Down-payment Ed put in bank. (9) 6. It’s right, they say, or could have been. (5) 9. Con trick takes it brooding. (7) 10. Public speaking, or a Conservative. (7) 11. Virginia is after no eggs. (3) 12. Agreement to make new village. (10) 14. City in California with most of iron. (5) 15. Hotel gets court orders, they say. (4)

Solutions to last week’s puzzles

17. Employed secondhand. (4) 19. Was carried along the road, so to speak. (4) 21. Assist a wager. (4) 24. Help to feel poorly in Virginia. (5) 27. Agree with tenancy payment at the same time. (10) 28. Edible, but in the sky it’s a fantasy. (3) 30. Red tape reversed and got slimmer. (7) 31. Mother’s auto a make-up. (7) 32. King is sad I’m 4. Drunker and back. (5) meaner. (7) 33. Poorly manage Delhi man’s tangle. (9) 5. Lord! Pet chewed up a little bit of liquid. (7) Down 6. Siam Ma mistook for poisonous cloud. (6) 1. Disturb 7. Bans from flying – composure of Diana’s for good reasons. (7) performance. (10) 2. Down south, gently 8. Small dogs’ tap shirt and a leg joint, playthings. (4) 13. Pollute grown-up – say. (7) point to speed. (10) 3. Wearing shoes 16. Freeze drug. (3) after mistake, poorly made. (8) 18. Phuket City

nightspot in Disney movie? (8) 20. Let go actor Johnny – with no road back. (7) 22. Boom about Communist tedium. (7) 23. Mother’s wrecked the insulator. (7) 25. Show approval: a very quiet praise. (7) 26. As in cereal, nuts. (6) 29. Tiny bit of a male cat. (4) www.thephuketnews.com

22 WEIRDWORLD

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Here’s a clue, and one more, and another… A blundering thief left British police a long line of clues after stealing Christmas trees from a nursery – a trail of pine needles leading straight to his location. Officers simply followed the fallen green spikes for a bit over a kilometre and found the loot dumped in a garden. They were joined by the nursery’s boss John Dacre, 65. Mr Dacre said: “It happened in the early hours. I got up to find the Christmas trees had gone, along with wrought iron tree stands, holly wreaths, some little conifer trees decorated with ‘snow’, and bird tables. “I called the police, they were here within minutes and we found this trail of pine needles. “The funny thing is that they were supposed to be low-needle-drop trees which don’t shed so easily, but thankfully they dropped enough for us to follow.

“All the time I was thinking the trail would end, but while the needles got less and less, it just carried on. The police were brilliant. “We walked together following this trail through the pouring rain and I joked that all we needed was a big magnifying glass and then we’d be real super sleuths.” And the trail of pines led not only to the five trees that were stolen from Park House Nurseries in Spenborough, West Yorks. Officers also discovered drugs growing at the address. A police spokesman said: “The foliage led officers to a house where the stolen trees were found and recovered. “As an extra present, officers also found a cannabis farm at the address.” A 17-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and cultivating cannabis and is currently on bail pending further inquiries.

Woman pleads not guilty to killing by penis injection US authorities say a New Jersey man who died after having his penis injected with silicone was trying to get it enlarged. The woman who police say gave the injection, resulting in his death, has been charged with manslaughter. She made her first court appearance last week. The Essex County prosecutor’s office said 34-year-old Kasia Rivera gave 22-year-old Justin Street the injection in May. She has pleaded not guilty but remains in prison, having failed to come up with the required US$75,000 (B2.25 million) bail money. Street died the day after his injection. His death was ruled a homicide following an

Needle wielder Kasia Rivera. investigation and a medical examiner’s determination he died of a silicone embolism. Rivera is also accused of the unauthorised practice of medicine out of her East Orange apartment. Authorities say they’re investigating whether she gave other people similar injections.

Have no truck with this Santa. Brooke thinks he’s naughty.

Bad Santa and the Naughty List

The magic of Christmas was ruined for one little girl in the US – after Santa Claus told her she was on his “Naughty List”. Four-year-old Brooke Rarity was thrilled to be meeting Father Christmas on the famous Coca-Cola truck and was going to ask him for “anything pink”. But instead she was reduced to tears. Santa told the youngster: “I recognise you. Are you www.thephuketnews.com

Brooke? I hear you’re on the Naughty List.” The girl’s mother, Kellie, 32, said: “Whoever this Santa is he’s definitely in the wrong job. “He had absolutely no Christmas cheer at all. Brooke was heartbroken. “She was really teary all day and she kept asking if she wasn’t getting any presents. She even told her pals at nursery about it the next day.”

It will take more than a bit of holy water to wash the sin off these floors. –Photo by Durand Patrick

Pastor plans to strip away club’s seedy past When the Pink Pony strip club in West Virginia, USA, gets its next makeover, the dollar bills won’t be going in dancers’ garter belts. Rather they will be put into collection plates as a minister turns the former house of sin into a house of worship. Pastor Art Hage is spearheading what he hopes will be the adult entertainment bar’s unlikely transformation. “It has such a bad reputation and we feel like we could make it good,” Pastor Hage told the Charleston Gazette. In addition to its reputation as one of Cross Lanes’ seedier establishments, the

Pink Pony is also infamous for being the location where 2003 Powerball lottery winner Jack Whittaker was drugged and robbed of US$500,000 in cash. The club lost its liquor licence in 2003 and has been vacant since last year. As a church, in addition to serving 200 to 300 families, “it basically will be a rehabilitation centre to help people that have been on gambling, dope, drug addiction, all kinds of immorality, and our goal is to help them,” Pastor Hage said. The reverend says he needs to raise US$795,000 (B24 million) to repurpose the building.

The great grain robbery Police in Brazil’s southeastern Sao Paulo state are investigating the theft of 50 tonnes of corn – from a moving train. A police report says the thieves greased the train tracks, making the wheels of the 54-wagon locomotive skid and slow down,

before using a tow truck with a hook to remove the corn-filled containers. The report says the theft occurred as the train travelled through a rural area about 300 kilometres north of the capital. The train was headed to the southeastern port of Santos.

THE BIG LIST Ridiculous Robberies Most normal criminals rob banks, steal cars, or maybe just take your wallet. But where’s the fun in being normal? Over the years creative crooks have entered the spotlight for targeting much less conventional goodies – Christmas trees, grain (see opposite), or any of the following: Burning bridges: If someone offered to sell you the Golden Gate Bridge, you’d probably have the good sense to know it was a scam. But if someone in Khabarovsk, Russia, were to offer you a 200-tonne steel bridge, they might actually deliver. In January 2008, employees on their way to a remote heating plant were forced to find an alternate route after the 15-metre-long steel bridge they crossed the day before vanished. While the workers slept, scrap metal thieves dismantled the span and supports and loaded it all onto trucks for a quick getaway. At the time, the plant’s owners estimated it would cost around US$40,000 to build a new bridge. This time, though, they will use concrete. Lifting lingerie: During the 1992 LA riots, while some looters were busy stealing TVs and VCRs, others broke into Frederick’s of Hollywood and made off with around US$200,000 in women’s undergarments. The company also suffered the loss of a few one-of-a-kind items from the store’s lingerie museum – a bustier with gold tassels that Madonna wore in the music video for Open Your Heart, a pair of Ava Gardner’s bloomers, and a push-up bra worn by Katey Sagal as Married…With Children’s Peg Bundy. A few days later, a man known only as Jim B came forward to return Peg’s push-up and Ava’s undies. Madonna’s bustier was never recovered, despite a US$1,000 reward from the company. We like to think it made someone very happy though. A deer friend: Escaped psychiatric patient Leon Hollimon stole an ambulance in Lexington, North Carolina, and led police on a cat-and-mouse chase for hours, travelling through four different counties in two states. One of the cops likened the chase to an episode of Dukes of Hazzard. Eventually, the culprit ran off the road and was apprehended wearing a stethoscope, carrying latex gloves, and sporting a mohawk. It was an odd enough crime, but it got really weird when authorities found, splayed in the back, a dead deer with an IV stuck into its body. There was also evidence that Hollimon had tried using a defibrillator on the animal. Hollimon was taken to a nearby mental health facility for evaluation. Ashes to ashes: After Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994, most of his ashes were spread over the grounds of a Buddhist temple in New York and in the Wishkash River in Washington state. His wife, Courtney Love, kept what was left inside a pink, bear-shaped handbag, hidden in a closet at her Hollywood home. In June 2008, Love said that a former friend had broken in and stolen the bag. The ashes’ whereabouts were unknown until a few months later, when German performance artist Natascha Stellmach claimed she acquired them, mixed them with marijuana, and planned to smoke the whole thing as part of an art installation entitled Set Me Free. Of course, no one is able to substantiate whether Cobain’s remains were in the joint or if it was just a publicity stunt. Either way, the ashes were never recovered. Full Nelson: Shawn Nelson was a typical man whose life got a little tough, so he decided to steal a 57-tonne M60 Patton Tank from his local National Guard armoury. As it turns out, tanks don’t require keys to start. Yes, the hatches were locked, but police theorised he used a crowbar to break into three different tanks before finding one that would start. (Yup, the only thing stopping Al Qaeda from taking over an armoured division was that they didn’t know about the crowbar thing.) The ensuing 23 minute chase ended only when Nelson managed to get the tank stuck on a barrier. At that point, the cops jumped on the war machine, opened the hatch and shot Shawn to death.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

LIFE&STYLE Thanapon Churod

fashion file

College student

Coconut Island

Exploring Phuket with blogger Jamie Monk > 27

ACCESSORIES 1

Krissana Rodden Designer

Her necklace (B25) is from Naka weekend market. He got his T-shirt (B250), and glasses (B100) from Bangkok. His leather bag (B350) is from JJ market in Bangkok. His jeans (B750) and his shoes (B250) were bought at Naka weekend market.

Her white shirt (B690) was bought at The Mall Bangkapi in Bangkok.

She bought her IPOD watch (B8,000) in the US. She got her CCOO blue skirt (B1,500) from Central Festival. Her shoes (B499) were bought at Siam Square in Bangkok

Gallery

1. Earrings B100 2. Necklace B150 3. Necklace B399 4. Antique necklaces (from top) B35,000, B15,000, B6,000.

108/1 Rassada Road, Phuket Town. Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm. 076 223 677.

Journeys to treasure are always meant to be shared.

All-in one-way fare from

THB

5,420

Singapore

All-in return fare from

THB

7,820

Singapore

All-in return fare from

THB Europe*

37,545

facebook.com/SilkAir

Exclusive MasterCard Privilege Book now and enjoy exclusive preview booking from 05 to 13 December 11. In addition, all MasterCard payments from 05 to 31 December 11 are eligible to enter a lucky draw to win Central Gift Vouchers worth THB 8,000, THB 5,000 and THB 3,000. Visit mcshopathon.com/silkair

Fares quoted are for one-way and return trip on Economy Class per person, for flights originating out of Phuket only. All advertised fares are inclusive of associated taxes and surcharges only. Fares quoted are subject to change due to currency fluctuation. Bookings are to be made online via mcshopathon.com/silkair from 05 to 31 December 11 for travel between 21 December 11 to 31 March 12. (Black out date from Singapore to Phuket from 21 to 30 December 11 and from Phuket to Singapore from 01 to 15 January 12) Subject to seat availability. Tickets are strictly not refundable, and change of flight, date or passenger name is not permitted. Other terms and conditions apply. *Europe: Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London, Milan, Rome, Paris and Zurich. www.thephuketnews.com

24 DINING

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

FRENCH FIRST-TIMERS S

t e ph a n ie a nd Be n Anglade from France took over fine dining Naiharn restaurant, L’Orfeo, in 2009 and since then have updated and improved the popular place, as well as increasing the clientèle. A lifestyle change brought the husband and wife team to Phuket, but they had absolutely no experience in running a restaurant. But that didn’t matter, with them both growing up in food-loving France, and armed with a lot of enthusiasm for their new project. Stephanie has a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and while in France worked for an HR consulting firm, while Ben spent 10 years working for a web-marketing agency in Paris. They decided to move to Phuket for a career change and Ben began an internet search for possible jobs. They spotted the ad looking for new owners of the restaurant, situated on Soi Saiyuan in Naiharn. On arrival, both were filled with apprehension but also excitement for the new challenge ahead. The first few months were tough, with the couple learning the ropes. They redecorated the interior with a French touch, and spiced up the menu.

Above: L’Orfeo restaurant in Naiharn. Below left, Australian Angus beef tenderloin, cooked to perfection. Below right, French owners Stephanie and Ben Anglade have made Phuket their new home.

Ben, who runs the kitchen, took a cooking class in France where he found working in a kitchen was “not too difficult” and realised it came naturally.

Ben works alongside Chef Oh, and the sous chef Apple, both Thai nationals. They teach him how to do things like filleting fish, and he trains them how to improve their

technique and make sure the Western meals are top-notch. The restaurant is a cosy, romantic place with lovely lighting and a colour scheme in reds, oranges, yellows and

tasteful browns, giving a real Oriental/French feel. The tables are set perfectly with unique table settings and gleaming silverware. The place attracts lots of

couples for “romantic evenings”, as well as groups of friends, plus families with young children as there is a children’s play area. The menu includes salads, pasta, seafood and a range of meat dishes using high-quality imported meat from Australia and New Zealand. Popular items on the European menu include Beef Rossini (seared foie gras on top of Australian Angus beef tenderloin, with mushrooms, potatoes and madeira sauce) B750, the Australian Angus beef tartar (B610), and the foie gras dish for B630. Desserts are around B200 and include crème brulée, sorbet, and a yummy lemon tart. L’Orfeo was named in the Thailand Tatler list of best restaurants in 2011, and earlier in 2007 with previous owners, with its European wine list and food menu. Stephanie says, “If you had told me five years ago we would be running a restaurant in Phuket I would have said “Yeah right”. But we just followed the opportunities. It was a challenge and we felt like taking it.” ■■ L’Orfeo, 95/13 Moo 7 Saiyuan Rd, Rawai-Naiharn, Phuket, 076288935, orfeo@ phuket@yahoo.com, and orfeo-phuket.com.

Thai soul food at Sri Panwa Sri Panwa’s new Thai restaurant Baba Soul Food opened last weekend, (right) serving authentic Thai food. The

restaurant is open daily from 5pm to 10.30pm. For more information see babaphuket.com.

Sue Ultmann of the Baan Rim Pa Restaurant Group, centre, with GH Mumm champagne girls.

Mumm’s the word GH Mumm champagne and Da Maurizio Bar Ristorante paired up to host a wine dinner on December 9. The dinner was created by award-winning chef Paolo Faddo, who recently won several awards at the HAPA (Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards) held in Singapore. www.thephuketnews.com

DINING 25

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Hard Christmas work

‘It’s just manic.’ Susan with some of the 4,000 mince pies she’s baked this year.

On Christmas Day when the rest of you will be relaxing and enjoying a festive season drink, spare a thought for Lady Pie, also known as Susan Usher. The Australian, famous for her meat pies and other treats, will be up at 4am on Sunday to cook around 60 hams and turkeys for the people of Phuket. She won’t be alone; she’ll will have her six staff members helping her load the turkeys and hams into the oven 10 at a time, to ensure they are delivered freshly-cooked in time for the Christmas Day meals. “It is one of our busiest

Festive food from Lady Pie. times of year, and the week before Christmas is just manic,” Susan says. She opened her famous Lady Pie store and cafe in Cherng Talay six years

ago, but last Christmas was her first at testing the market for turkeys and hams. Last year she cooked 10 hams and 18 turkeys, and this year it has risen to 30 of each. She also sells steamed puddings and Christmas fruit mince pies. About 4,000 fruit mince pies and around 500 puddings have been ordered this year. Susan’s business also does a lot of catering around the Christmas season, including one event last Saturday which involved cooking a roast dinner for 50 people. Also available

from the cafe are home-made Christmas-themed gifts from the Good Shepherd charity foundation. Susan’s own Christmas with husband Harry is held later in the evening on December 25, once all the orders for Christmas lunch and dinner have gone out. Then the couple sit down and relax, knowing all the hard work is over for now. “But there’s no way we eat turkey for dinner,” Susan jokes. Orders for the Christmas items can be made through www.ladypie.com or by calling the shop on 076271049.

A traditionally festive feast Maurice Deveney will be delivering a feast of traditional Christmas food on Sunday to customers at Angus O’Tool’s Irish pub in Karon, just as he has the past nine years. “I get into the Christmas spirit and I enjoy the buzz – it’s busy and there’s a bit of pressure, which I like.” Englishman Maurice is the head chef and co-owner at the Irish pub, and the Christmas Day menu will include either a prawn cocktail or melon with port as starters, followed by the traditional roast turkey complete with vegetables, stuffing and brussels sprouts. Dessert consists of Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, and the whole meal costs B595.

“It’s very relaxed. People come here because they know this place has a good reputation.” In preparation for the 100 or so customers Maurice expects on Christmas Day, he will have to cook 15 turkeys. He first takes all the turkey meat off the bone, and “boil roasts” it (roasting it in a pan with water at the bottom). This ensures the cooking time is kept to a minimum and the meat comes out tender and moist. The experienced chef, originally from Birmingham, has been in Thailand for 12 years, and Angus O’Tools in Karon has

been open for nine years. He began his first cooking job as a way to make money to pay for tickets to football matches, but discovered a talent. These days has a raft of experience as head chef behind his name. He has worked at large hotels and restaurants in the United Kingdom and has even cooked for the Queen Mother – so his Christmas Day feast is guaranteed to be delicious.

Angus O’Tool’s Irish Pub, 516/20 Patak Rd, Soi Islandia, Karon. Reservations are recommended for the Christmas Day event though walk-ins may also be possible. Angus O’Tool’s head chef Maurice Deveney.

Pizza, pasta and more Pizza maker Danilo Sangrigoli’s new restaurant, Bellini, has opened up next door to HeadStart International School. The restaurant

specialises in pizza and pasta, and also does home deliveries. For more information see pastabellini.com

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26 TRAVEL

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

TRAVEL DEALS ■■ MH sells Big Bang fares Malaysia Airlines has rolled out a new online discount campaign, called Big Bang Deals, valid for booking only until 30 December, but good for travel through 31 March. The promotion features 15 destinations in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and Europe. Besides ex-Bangkok fares, Malaysia Airlines also quotes fares ex-Phuket as it operates twice daily flights to Kuala Lumpur. There are three to four flights a day from Bangkok. The fares must be purchased at least seven days before departure and tickets are valid for just one month. Sample economy deals are: B7,080, Malaysia; B14,280, Bali; B22,515, Maldives; B26,685, Sydney; B26,110, Melbourne; B34,945, Auckland; B36,620, London; B33,560, Paris and B32,695, Amsterdam. ■■ TK discounts comfort class Turkish Airlines’ Comfort Class or premium economy class is on sale until March 31. The promotion is applicable to Asian cities on routes to Istanbul. Ex-Bangkok, the fare is B45,635 all-inclusive, roundtrip. The last ticketing and travel ex-Bangkok date is March 31

2012. Fares have a 12-month validity. The Comfort Class promotion is available on only three f lights a week – TK69 on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday departing Bangkok at 23.45 and the return flight, TK68 on Monday, Thursday and Saturday departing Istanbul at 23.40. ■■ Qatar dumps Hanoi fare Qatar Airways rolls out a discounted economy class fare to Hanoi valid for travel until March 15 next year. The Hanoi promotional fare is B6,230 for bookings made until January 31, 2012 and for travel not later than March 15. Blackout periods are December 27 to 31 and January 2 to 31. Earlier in the year, Qatar Airways had launched promotional business class fares to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City at B12,170 and B12,230. Bookings can also be made until January 15, 2012 with a travel period until March 15. QR’s HCMC fares start from B5,815. However, the deal is not the cheapest available. Lufthansa corners the market by slashing the economy class fare to B4,895 and business class to B12,020. –TTR Weekly

A good look around Just inside Phang Nga province, off the main road to Khao Lak, is the 360º Restaurant. At first you might think that the name is not quite accurate. Yes, there are fine views across the peninsula to the Andaman, but it’s more like 180º. Not to worry. The food is excellent – try the penang curry, for example. And to finish off the meal, or as a quick pitstop on the way to or from Phuket, spend time trying to decide which of the 20 cakes on the menu is yours. A warning – these are not your chi-chi hi-so bites. They’re family-size slices guaranteed to stick to your ribs. Wash them down with kafé boran or any of the other excellent coffees. 360º is a great place for children, too, with seesaws and giant swings. There are plenty of examples of classic Thai creative eccentricity, such as the plaster frogs lurking in the cascade that falls to the pool below, where a bar is currently under construction, or the brightly painted inner tube plonked on the fountain. But the highlight, at weekends when the restaurant is packed with families, is the ride up into the air. This consists of a large crane that hauls

LUXURY PHUKET

A new angle on the world: looking down at the fountain from 360’s gondola. a custom-made gondola 30 metres into the air, giving credence to the restaurant’s name. From up there the view is truly 360º. It costs B40 a person, and it’s not for the faint of heart, but

www.thephuketnews.com

an unforgettable cruising, game fishing or diving experience in Phi Phi, Phang Nga, Krabi and beyond Your magical day begins with a warm Thai welcome from their on-board service team, who will ensure you are pampered to the fullest extent throughout the day, leaving you to relax, enjoy a

tion where there is a choice of heading for Kokkloy or Krabi. Make a U-turn and head back to Phuket. After about 500 metres you’ll see a weighbridge on you left. The entrance to the restaurant is just after this.

The dictionary defines luxury as “a material object, or service conducive to sumptuous living”, while Wikpedia states: “Luxury goods are products and services not considered essential but are associated with affluence. The concept of luxury has been present in various forms since the beginning of civilisation. Its role was just as important in ancient western and eastern empires as it is in modern societies.” On this new page, we’ll promote the very best in luxury living on Phuket, whether it be a yacht, jet, car, watch, fashion, or jewellery – so read on, and enjoy the Phuket luxe life.

Wahoo Luxury Yacht Charters T her e i s no b et ter way to appreciate the Andaman Sea, with its crystal clear waters and some of the most stunning scenery in the world than on a private charter yacht with Wahoo Luxury Yacht Charters. Wahoo - Phuket’s favorite private yacht charter company offers

there’s not another restaurant we know of that does this. Note to mums and dads: feed the children after they’ve been for the ride. Just in case. Getting there: Coming from Phuket, go to the junc-

refreshing swim or explore on the Jet Ski and Sea Canoes. Their sumptuous food menus are all freshly prepared on board, allowing you to dine al fresco in beautiful surroundings, with every possible luxury taken care of. Email info@wahoo.ws, visit www. wahoo.ws or call 076 281 510,

EXPLORE 27

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Floating restaurants off Coconut Island JAMIE’S PHUKET

If you head north from Phuket Town on the main airport road there is a small side road to the right (you’ll ned to do a U-turn) leading to Laem Hin, a fishing community where you find the very popular Laem Hin Seafood restaurant. A new jetty was built at Laem Hin a few years ago to serve Koh Maphrao – Coconut Island – and allow larger boats to dock in the area. In the water just off the island, there are several floating restaurants to choose from, among them Kruvit, Bang Mud and Kru Suwit. To reach them, you need to get a longtail boat from Laem Hin – boats leave from a wooden jetty with shallow muddy water all around, and longtails jammed in like sardines in a can. The deal with the boats is that if you spend a certain amount at the restaurant you don’t have to pay the boat. While I don’t know the exact amount, don’t be worried – I

The bay is dotted with fish and shellfish farms - really fresh food for the restaurants think the idea is just to stop people trying to get free rides to drink a coke. On the way out to Koh Maphrao (the ride takes only five minutes) there are fishermen’s huts floating in the water too. Is this the same Phuket you see on the west coast? I think not. Things tend to be more traditional here. We chose to eat at Kruvit restaurant (full name ‘Kruvit Raft’). Even on a grey day, quite a few tables were occupied (all local people, although I did see one farang arrive later with a Thai woman). We were met by a friendly

boatman who held the longtail steady so we (especially my mum, who cracked a rib on a longtail last year) could step off easily. Nothing to worry about really; the sea over here is calm as it’s very sheltered. Kruvit has space for a couple of hundred people. We found our table near the fish tanks. Live seafood is kept in large enclosed keep-ponds built into the raft. We ate very well too, but with a restaurant like this, eating is only part of the experience. The boat ride, the view, the fresh air, getting away from the crowds... good food

is almost a bonus. The bill was very reasonable (we don’t do expensive). We do eat at Laem Hin Seafood now and then and maybe the food there is better, but hey, you don’t get that floating feeling or the boat ride... Read more of Jamie’s posts at jamie-monk.blogspot.com. When he’s not writing about his explorations across Phuket, Jamie can be found working at liveaboard dive specialists Sunrise Divers in Karon. For more info: +66 84 626 4646, info@sunrise-divers. com; sunrise-divers.com

FOR WET DAYS Chinpracha House This elegant colonial-style mansion was completed in 1907 by a wealthy Chinese immigrant named Tan Ma Siang. Chinpracha House is one of the most integral old structures on the island. Old photographs, Italian floor tiles, imported furniture from China and old utensils are well-maintained in the house’s interior. 98 K rabi Rd, Phuket Town, 076 211 281. Open daily 8am-4pm. B100.

Kathu Mining Museum Built in Sino-colonial architectural style imitating a mansion of a tin miner, the museum shows the origins of Phuket’s culture and history especially during the tin-mining era. Several indoor exhibition rooms display different themes such as Phuket architecture, mining, the Thai-Chinese way of life, Chinese immigrants’ life, a Baba marriage and the solar system. The outdoor exhibition displays a dredge and hydraulic mining equipment.

Muang Thoa Sung Rd (near Loch Palm Golf Club), Kathu, 088 766 0962. Open daily 9am-4pm. B50 for Thais, B100 for foreigners, children half-price.

Philatelic Museum The museum is in the restored original post office and houses old equipment such as telegraph tickers, telephones, parcel-weighing machines and a collections of Thai stamps issued since 1951. There is also a small library and a souvenir room. Phuket Post Office, Montri Rd, Phuket Town, 076 224 883. Open Mon-Fri 8.30am4.30pm. Sat 9am-12pm. Entrance free.

Seashell Museum More than 2,000 species of sea shells were collected by the Patamakanthin family are displayed in this museum. The collection includes fossils dating back 380 million years, golden pearls, giant clams and other rarities. 2/2 Moo 2, Viset Rd, Rawai, 076 613 666; www. phuketseashell.com. Open daily 8.30am-5.30pm. B100 for Thais, B200 for foreigners, children half-price.

www.thephuketnews.com

28 ISLANDSCENE

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

DESIGNED BY WOULFE: The Living Art Cocktail Party by Brian Woulfe and the Designed by Woulfe team was held on December 17. Pictured clockwise, from above, are Leo Zhang, Daniel Meury, Brian Woulfe and Andor; Angkana Jamsrikaew, George Poquet and Kathy Davies; Anthony and Sawanya Lark with Brian Woulfe; and Chanakan and Wathinee Panthawathanon.

ALL SHADES OF BLUE: Left, aqua, navy, turquoise and white were on show at the Blue Party 2011 by Andaman Cruises at Ao Po Grand Marina on Saturday. From left are Thibault Salaun, GM of Andaman Cruises, pictured with Bengt Wojidkow and his wife.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: From left, Jet Hammons, Manager Khamsing ‘Kai’ Kaychat, Owner Karen Ellison and Jack Hammons enjoy Duke’s Big Board Bar second anniversary celebrations on Sunday night in Kata. www.thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

ISLANDSCENE 29

WELCOMING IN HIGH SEASON: The six-day Phuket Carnival opened on December 15 with a parade down Thaweewong Rd (the beach road).

A FEW PINTS ALL ROUND: At the opening night on Saturday of the new Irish pub, The Craic, from the top, from left, Maria Ostic, Spanna Nest and Sharon Martin. Middle from left, The Craic manager Derek Lynch and owner Claire Cookson. Bottom from left, Jackie Bradley, Shelby Wilde, Miles Wilde, Sonia Thompson and Geoff Brown. DINING OUT: At the Italthai and Sileni Wine Dinner at Amari Coral Beach Phuket, held on December 17, are, from left, Klaus Hoerschgen and son Matthias from Palma de Mallorca, pictured with Alexander Mack of Amari Phuket in centre. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Photos by Andy A. Helbling, www. andyhelbling.ch

www.thephuketnews.com

30 ENTERTAINMENT

Saxy guys: Tanit Sriklindee (left) and Jacon Dinesen.

Jazz takes centre stage at Central More than 1,000 jazz lovers attended the Phuket International Jazz Festival which took place from December 16-18 at Central Festival. The three day event followed different themes each evening, with ‘trendy jazz’ perfo9rmances on December 16, ‘classic jazz’ on the 17th

www.thephuketnews.com

and ‘pure jazz’ on the 18th. The festival featured renowned Thai jazz musicians such as Koh Mr Saxman, as well as a number of international acts including ETC Band, Jacob Dinesen (Denmark), Tran Manh Tuan (Vietnam), Steve Cannon (US), and Jeniece (Philippines).

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

A rocking New Year Hard Rock Café Phuket, in Patong, presents the annual New Year’s Eve Guitar Drop Countdown Party, to be held from 8pm on December 31. The event will include over three hours of live entertainment including performances by Asia music divas Da Endorphin, Katreeya English & Brazia, fireworks and the famous guitar drop at midnight. Many ticket package deals are available including the following: ■■ VIP + set dinner + after party (B4,999) which includes a VIP five-course gala dinner at Hard Rock Café, invitation to exclusive after party with the stars, front-row seating in VIP section, 20 cl liquor bottle of your choice (from available selection), Hard Rock Café souvenir lanyard and autographed hang tag, and limited-edition guitar drop pin (B799 value). ■■ VIP + set dinner (B3,999) which includes VIP five-course gala dinner at Hard Rock Café, reserved seating in the VIP section, 20 cl liquor bottle of your choice (from available selection), Hard Rock Café souvenir lanyard and autographed hang tag, and limited edition guitar drop pin. ■■ VIP + after party (B3,999)

which includes invitation to exclusive after party with the stars, reserved seating in VIP section, 20 cl liquor bottle of your choice (from available selection), Hard Rock Café souvenir lanyard, autographed hang tag, and limited-edition guitar drop pin. ■■ VIP (B2,999) which includes reserved seating in VIP section, 20 cl liquor bottle of your choice (from available selection), Hard Rock Café souvenir lan- Above: Performers in last year’s Hard Rock Café New yard, autographed hang tag and Year party. Below: It’s midnight and the guitar drops! limited-edition guitar drop pin. ■■ Centre Stage (B1,499) which includes best grandstand seating section, two drinks (from available selection) Hard Rock Café souvenir lanyard and autographed hang tag. ■■ Corner Stage (B499) which includes grandstand seats and Hard Rock Café souvenir lanyard. ■■ General admission (B99). Contact Hard Rock Café Phuket on 080 887 6879 or csr @ phuket-hrc.com. Hard Rock Café Phuket @ the Courtyard by Marriott, across from the OTOP market, Patong. The New Year’s Eve Guitar Drop is sponsored by The Phuket News and Live 89.5 Radio.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

www.thephuketnews.com

32 EVENTS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET DECEMBER 24

List your events here for as low as B99 per line, or online at www.thephuketnews.com/events.php

DECEMBER 26

Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet and Party

UNTIL JANUARY 12, 2012 Beach Clean Up Art Exhibitions This exhibition is a great way to raise awareness of sea pollution to younger generations and to help them appreciate the value of the sea. The event begins at 6 pm at “Nakonnai Art Music” 84/34 Saiyuan Soi 2, Viset Road, Rawai. Contact 086 683 2188.

DECEMBER 25 Christmas Day Dinner @ Stan By The Lake Book Now To Avoid Disppointment. Starter : Prawn Cocktail -Roast Turkey & Stuffing -Gammon Ham -Roast Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes -Bacon & Sausage Rolls -Vegetables & Red Wine Gravy -Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce -Mince Pies & Coffee

Live Music with the Fabulous Big Bamboo Band featuring a Delightful Holiday Buffet with imported roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry and all the trimmings, filet of salmon, roast duck curry, and a large selection of appetizers, salads and desserts. Welcome glass of holiday punch. Adults: B1,200++; children under 12: B350++. Contact Charlie on 089 728 5304 or Kartoon, 087 419 0239.

DECEMBER 24

Celebrate Your Festive Seasons at The Vijitt Resort. Be my Christmas on December 24. Price at B3,500 net per adult. 50% discount for children between the age of 4-12. Dress code: dark red or black semiformal preferred. Information and reservation call 076 363 600, email: info@vijittresort.com.

DECEMBER 25

A Thanyapura Wonderland

Radio

DECEMBER 31 Pirates of The Vijitt Celebrate Your Festive Seasons at The Vijitt Resort. Pirates of The Vijitt on December 31. Price at B7,000 net per adult. Information and reservation call 076 363 600, email: info@vijittresort.com.

Boxing Day Family-Fun Run Work off the Christmas festivities by jumping right back into action; bring your family out for Thanyapura’s Boxing Day fun run and brunch. Venue: Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club. Time: 8am onwards. Distance: 2km, 5km, 8km. For more information, please contact Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club, +66 (0)76 336 000, tslc@thanyapura.co.th.

Come through the looking glass and join the Thanyapura fête on Christmas Day. The Mad Hatter will preside over this festival of fun, surprising you at every turn with the aura of magic, music and madness. The sumptuous buffet spread includes such familiar holiday treats as roasted turkey, grilled beef tenderloin and much much more. Venue: DiVine Restaurant Time: 11am – 3pm. Cost: B2,000* per person. For more information, reservations and ticket sales, please contact F&B reservations desk. Tel: 076 336 000 ext. 3302, Email: divine@thanyapura.com *Price is subject to 10% service charge and 7% government tax.

DECEMBER 25

DECEMBER 27-30

Think Design Phuket Art Festival Phuket will get a real jolt of culture this December with the first Think Design Art Festival taking place at Royal Phuket Marina. The Festival is focused on promoting local art in its many and various forms. At the Festival a variety of artists will exhibit paintings, sculptures, performances, video art, music, spoken word, art teaching for kids and many special events. A portion of the proceeds will benefit two Phuket charities: Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation and Soi Dog Foundation. Contact 087 281 0994, email: cha@ thinkdesignmagazine.com. See think designmagazine.com.

DECEMBER 31 New Years Eve Dinner Buffet and Party @ Friendship Beach

This is Thailand’s largest-ever international sport fishing tournament. Prize money totalling over B3,000,000 (US$100,000). Boats and teams are filling fast. For further information, please contact Warren Crowe on 081 270 4291 or email: info@rawaibeachfishingclub.com. www.thephuketnews.com

Old Phuket Festival This year’s event will be the 13th anniversary of the popular Old Phuket Town Festival, held in collaboration with Chinese New Year. Contact: TAT on 076 212 213

JANUARY 14

Chrismas Eve Dinner Join us for a romantic candlelit 6 course dinner, including traditional Asian, seafood and mediterranean dishes. Includes a bottle of wine for two persons, a Chrismas gift, live entertainment and a visit from “Santa Clause”. Venue: Ryu, sushi bar & steak house. Best Western Allamanda Laguna Phuket. Reservation: 076 362 700 ext. 7 or 087 797 1567.

It is celebrated on the second Saturday in January. Children are considered as the most valuable resource of the country. Many organisations from both government and commercial sectors have celebration activities for children. The Prime Minister usually gives each Children’s Day a theme that can be summarised by its motto. Many Government offices are open to children and their family. In Bangkok: this includes the Government House, the Parliament House Complex and various Military installations. A notable example is the guided tour at the Government House, where children have an opportunity to view the Prime Minister’s office and sit at the bureau. The Royal Thai Air Force usually invites children to go and explore the aircraft. And also there are activities around Phuket on that day.

JANUARY 23 Chinese New Year Colourful dragon processions take place all over Phuket City, culminating in a popular and large fireworks display.

FEBRUARY 14

This year we are presenting a variety of wonderful entertainment. Live music with Maa Baan (funky, jazzy world beat) and a special opera performance by Andrew Snape (9-10pm). Then dance the night away with DJ Bobby D. Spectacular fireworks display, free champagne at midnight, party favors and of course our fabulous holiday buffet featuring imported filet of beef, grilled salmon filet, award-winning BBQ ribs and a large assortment of appetizers, sides and desserts. Adults: B1,600++. Children under 12: B450++. Contact Charlie 089 728 5304.

DECEMBER 31 FEBUARY 2-4, 2012 Wahoo Thailand 2012 Sport Fishing Tournament

JANUARY TBC

Thailand National Children’s Day Be my Christmas

Price: B750, Children (under 10 year old): B300. Start 3pm. Stan By The Lake. Please call Stan and Gail 087 978 5803-4.

recommended. please contact 076 316 000, email: reservations@imperialad amas.com.

New Year’s Eve Celebration

Record Breaking Mass Wedding at Promthep Cape

The celebration will start at sun set with our iconic cocktail party at the Lobby Bar overlooking the Andaman Sea and will continue with a fabulous buffet dinner followed by a fabulous party, countdown and fireworks display at the Beach Club. Cocktail party at the Lobby Bar: 6-7pm. Gala dinner at the Terrace Restaurant: 7-10pm. New Year’s celebration at the Beach Club up to 1am. B5,500 net per adult, B2,750 net per child (6-12 years old). Reservation highly

The island is aiming to break the national record for the biggest mass wedding on Valentine’s Day next year. The Thai traditional style mass wedding for 108 couples at Laem Promthep, the best sunset in Thailand. Other activities include offering alms to 99 Buddhist monks and planting trees as part of a schedule running from February 1215, 2012. Contact Suanluang Inter Wedding 076 221 976, email: info@interwedding phuket.com. See interweddingphuket.com.

EVENTS 33

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET FRIDAY

344 999 and +66(0) 76 680 666 or e-mail rsvn@b-laytong.com.

Exclusive Dining at Paresa

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Recipe by Ryan is an innovative culinary dining venture, indulge in intricate dishes created by Paresa’s Executive Chef Ryan Arboleda, featuring a six-course set menu prepared in a live cooking environment. Time: 6pm to 10pm. Call 076 302 000.

Family Brunch on The Boardwalk

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Thai BBQ B230 per person. 6-10pm, free Karaoke from 7-10pm. CC Bloom’s Hotel. Call 076 333 222, www.ccbloomshotel.com.

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Les Anges at RPM. From 11am to 3pm. B795++ adults, includes one glass of house wine, 50 per cent discount. Children under 12 eat for free. Call for reservations on 076 360 803.

Curry Fridays at Navrang Mahal

Q uiz ni ght . Star ts from 8pm ever y Wednesday night. The largest selection of draught beer in Phuket. Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

................................................................................ Salsa class at Royal Phuket Marina from 7.30pm-9pm. www.phuket-dance.com.

Roast beef, BBQ ham, chicken, pork and Yorkshire pudding. All you can eat B399. Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

................................................................................ Enjoy the original Sunday brunch in Phuket at Twinpalms, Surin Beach. 12-3pm (from B1,190++ per person). Reser vations please call 076 316 577.

................................................................................ Tapas & Wine Night O rder tapas, as much as you like, plus one bottle of wine. B1,200 net per person. 6 -11pm at White Box Kalim. Call 076 346 271. ................................................................................

Interactive Pub

Best Sunday Carvery in Phuket

O nly B29 5 per person at Shakers. Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. For reservations call on 081 891 4381.

Eat, drink, look and party. Live band, DJ and dancers from 10pm till late. All welcome. Call 076 210 511 for more information or look on www.brasseriephuket.com

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Salsa Class At RPM

Sunday Brunch

Phuket Brasserie

music, great beer. Contact 081 728 1010. Facebook Peppers Sports Bar.

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BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat

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List your events here for as low as B99 per line, or online at www.thephuketnews.com/events.php

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Half-Chicken Spit Roast O nly B2 25 per person at Shakers. Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

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BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat O nly B29 5 per person at Shakers. Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Reservations call on 081 891 4381.

THURSDAY Lose Weight Now Ask Thai Weight Loss how! Take advantage of our free weight loss seminar from 7.15pm. Contact Michael 087 897 8997, 076 304 108, www.thailandweightloss. com.

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Sunday Family Brunch

BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat

At Club Yamu by Twinpalms. Noon till 3pm. Enjoy delicious pasta, BBQ, Thai home cooking. Call 076 310 557.

Only B325 per person at Shakers. RatU-Thit Road, Patong. Reservations 081 891 4381.

MONDAY Roaring Bhoys

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AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM

Start November 2011-January 2012. Every Fridays, all-you-can-eat authentic Indian curry buffet, B449 net per person. Draught beer B50. 7pm-11.30pm. Call 076 286 464.

Live Music every Monday night. The largest selection of draught beer in Phuket. Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub 82/15 Moo 4 Patak Road, one km from Chalong circle.Contact for details on 081 895 4763.

SATURDAY

BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat

DAILY

Exclusive Dining at Paresa Recipe by Ryan is an innovative culinary dining venture, indulge in intricate dishes created by Paresa’s Executive Chef Ryan Arboleda, featuring a six-course set menu prepared in a live cooking environment. Time: 6pm to 10pm. Call 076 302 000.

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Colin Hill Colin Hill performs (duo) now every second Saturday at Legends Bar in Kamala, with local guitarist Florian. 081 079 1069.

................................................................................ Only B325 per person at Shakers. RatU-Thit Road, Patong. Reservations 081 891 4381.

Ask Thai Weight Loss how! Take advantage of our free weight loss seminar from 7.15pm. Contact Michael 087 897 8997, 076 304 108, www.thailandweightloss. com.

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Half-Chicken Spit Roast

Salsa Class in Green Man Studio from 6.30 to 9 pm, more information on phuketdance.com.

AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub, 82/15 Moo 4 Patak Road, one km from Chalong circle. Contact 081 895 4763.

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All Major Sports Live On the big screen. F1, MotoGP, Tennis, Golf, AFL, NRL. Irish Times Irish Pub, Jungceylon, Patong.

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20% Off All Pizzas At Shakers. Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim areas. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

SUNDAY Saturday Brunch The B-Lay Tong Saturday brunch will be held every Saturday starting from December 10, 2011 until January 7, 2012, from 11.30am to 3pm. B1,200 net per person. Two people receive one bottle of house wine between them. For reservations please contact +66(0) 76

Reservations are recommended, so please call “Les Anges” on 076-360-803 or call Mr. Murat (Events & Group Manager )on 081 797 3364. Only B495++ per person.

DECEMBER 24 X’mas Eve Menu & Salsa Party 8pm onwards. Les Anges is delighted to invite you to our X’mas Eve & Salsa Party. Dance A Cha-cha, Bachata, Samba and Rumba to the sounds of DJ’sand enjoy your christmas eve on the boardwalk of Les Anges. Xmas Menu is B1400++ per person and reservation are recommended due to limited seats. For all enquiries and reservations please contact : Murat Can Sakarya, Events & Group Manager: Call 076 360 811–2, 081 797 3364 or e-mail : muratc@roy alphuketmarina.com

Lose Weight Now

Salsa Class Rawai

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Royal Phuket Marina is pleased to introduce you to our new “Special Friday for Indian Feast” We are delighted to offer 25% discount on the indian buffet and 10% on the listed menu from December 02 and other every Friday night from 7-10 pm. This Authentic Home-Made Indian Buffet will be prepared and served by our very own in-house Indian Chef Padum Kahtri.

TUESDAY

................................................................................ O nly B2 25 per person at Shakers. Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

Special Friday @ Indian Feast

................................................................................

Half-Chicken Spit Roast O nly B2 25 per person at Shakers. Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

................................................................................

AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM All meetings are one hour long and held in English at The Green Man Pub, 82/15 Moo 4, Patak Road, one km from Chalong circle. Contact 081 895 4763.

................................................................................

Beach BBQ Enjoy a beach BBQ at Catch Beach Club (from B1,190++ per person). 7pm-10pm. Call 076 316 567.

................................................................................

Rotary Club of Patong Beach Weekly meeting in English. Dinner out on first Tuesday of the month. rotarypatong. org.

WEDNESDAY Quiz Night @ Peppers Quiz Night every Wednesday at Peppers Sports Bar near Laguna. Great food, great

Brew Great Beer Phuket’s one and only small batch handcraft beer. Happy hour daily from 4pm to 7pm. Draft beer B110/pint, cocktails two for B220. Live music at 7.30pm onwards. Behind the ship, the port zone at Jungceylon. Call 076 3667 753.

................................................................................

December Promotion Discount 50% Hong Kong Beef Special promotion only B450 (normal price B900). At The Royal Kitchen, Chinese food (Cantonese) 25th floor. The Royal Paradise Hotel and Spa. Call 076 340 666 ext. 2406. www.royalparadise.com.

Saturday Brunch The B-Lay Tong Saturday brunch will be held every Saturday starting from December 10, 2011 until January 7, 2012, from 11.30am – 3pm. B1,200 net per person. Two people receive one bottle of house wine. For reservations please contact +66(0) 76 344 999 and +66(0) 76 680 666 or e-mail rsvn@b-laytong.com.

................................................................................

Grizzly’s Sports Bar& Restaurant Watch all the sport that is on TV this weekend with us. Located between Loch Palm Golf Course and Kathu Waterfall. Call 087 471 8747.

................................................................................

Sunset Happy Hours & Ninjazz Don’t miss the Sunset happy hours. Between 5pm and 7pm. “Buy one get the same one free” promotion. The Luna Bar, Centara Grand Beach Resort. 076 201 234.

................................................................................

3-Hour Happy Hour Three-hour Happy Hour Monday-Friday, 4pm-7pm. Beer from B50. House spirits B90. Australia Bar & Grill, Kata Beach. Contact 089 226 2878.

Wednesday Quiz Night @ Peppers Quiz Night every Wednesday at Peppers Sports Bar near Laguna. -Great food -Great music -Great beer. Contact 081 728 1010. Facebook: Peppers Sports Bar. www.thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

CLASSIFIEDS JOBS IN PHUKET

A unique opportunity to join this pioneering wealth management boutique in Phuket. We are looking for a highly-motivated employee, who has a passion for client service and for the investment profession. Candidates will grow with our company and must be able to multi-task numerous projects. The role involves regular contact with our high net-worth clients around the world.

Remuneration: thb 30k - 35k / month + annual bonus Working Place : Office in Phuket Boat Lagoon Applicants must: be female and of Thai nationality; speak and write excellent English; have a university degree in finance or business; have a minimum of three years' experience in finance or business; have strong PC skills, in particular MS Excel.

The role consists of: investment portfolio performance analysis and reporting; investment product analysis and new product research; regular client contact, including new client account opening and ongoing account administration; liaison with our trading platforms and banking partners. Please send your curriculum vitae to: Jaruwan Naksalab, assistant to Managing Director: jaruwan@securewm.com www.secure-wealthmanagement.com "independe nt a d v i ce for the new fi na nc i a l e r a "

Companion/Social Secretary: Single female 20-32. Good English, slim and very atractive only. Live in separate high-end condo accommadation. Able to travel internationally. Position requires day to day activities of semi-retired English/Canadian businessman. Superior package. Photo application to bggvirgo@gmail.com.

Travelling Salesman: Sale representative available to travel around Thailand for our range of fast-moving consumer products. Thai national, English-speaking, computer skills, driving licence and proven experience of sales to minimart, supermarket. We already have more than 500 customers in

11 rai, 1km from Naiyang beach > 36

To advertise here visit: thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php Thailand. Salar y B15K plus commission. Contact via email skgf@skgf.asia.

Portfolio Analyst (full time)

Land for Sale

Waitress/ Waiter and Recept ionist: Urgently required for Sensive Hill in Kathu. Similar background and experience required, excellent salar y on of fer. Please contact K. Rin at 076 203 012 or send CV to guy@ sensivehill.com.

Sales Genius Wanted: International operating company is building a Google-like street tour. Apply at max@panomat ics.com.

Qualified Personal Assistant: We are look-

for reception and kitchen staff. Are you interested or want to know more info? Salary starting at B7,000 per month. Give us a call at 085 619 4963.

Rental & Listing Assistant : Must have good knowledge of English written and spoken, be able to work with Microsoft Office and know how to use the internet.

Personal Assistant: Full-time. Western. Must have excellent organisational/negotiation/computer skills, self-motivated/good communicator. Home-based. Send CV/ salary to admin@esxoa sia.com.

The candidate must have good social skills, be a team player and be able to work independently.

Native EnglishSpeaking Teacher: Need native Englishspeaking teacher with ability to speak, read and write Thai. Call 081 803 7189.

Interested in this job with growth potential? Call 087 882 2856 or e-mail to luc@phukettropical-realestate.com.

lish, send CV indicating qualifications and experience, expected salary and recent photo to: david@ yes.co.th. Visit www.sound ideas.co.uk to see the type of work we do.

English Speaking Waitresses: Deepaval Restaurant/The Lounge bar in Bang Tao requires three English speaking waitresses. Call for more info 080 722 3377.

Talent/Performer for Event company: Event Company is looking for Bands, Singers, Dancers & any kind of single or group performers. hr@phuketeventcompany.

ing for a personal assistant for the CEO of an important events company.

New Italian Bakery & H o t e l R e c e p t i o n - CAD Technician : To Supermart: New Italist Required: English- work in new office Phuket. ian bakery & supermarket

Conditions: Must speak read and write French, English and Thai languages with administrative and computer skills.

speaking Thai national with good computer skills required for rec eption, restaurant and bar work in Kamala. Salar y and hours negotiable based on experience. To apply phone 086 941 8880 or send CV to phil@royalembassyresort phuket.com.

We of fer a salar y of B20,000 plus accomodation included. CV and reference required. ynahabed@ hotmail.com.

Pr of i c i e nt in Auto CA D (2004 or higher) for 2D drawing. Experience of 3D AutoCAD, Google SketchUp, Adobe Photoshop or Adobe InDesign would be a bonus. Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook. Thai natio n a l, g o o d spoken and written Eng-

in Surin Beach. Kitchen (basic English required): Pastry/baking kitchen sous chef. Chef de partie/commis, steward service (good English required). Waitress/ waiter. Bartender. Supermarket assistant and cashier. Send CV by email marcellamocci@gmail.com.

Staff Needed: Bliss Boutique hotel is looking

Class Act Media publishes The Phuket News – Phuket’s leading English language newspaper – and broadcasts Phuket's most vibrant and coolest English language radio station – Live 89.5 FM.

We are currently seeking Driver Wanted: For private car, good English, part time. Call 089 054 4354.

Native English Teacher: Chalong Kindergarten is looking for experienced teacher for class of 10-12 children ages 3-7 year old. Monday-Friday, 8am- 4pm. Star t January 4. Call 080 624 7060. Resume to phuketpre school@yahoo.com.

Sales Executive: Experienced sales executive needed to join expanding public ation. Candidate must be focused, discip l i n e d a n d o r g a n i s e d. English fundamental. Please contact info@thinkdesignmagazine.com or 087 281 0994. www.thephuketnews.com

SALES MANAGER (THAI OR FOREIGNER) Responsibilities: - Reaching sales target - Developing and following up new sales leads - Self discipline in developing and managing sales volumes - Preparing regular sales activities reports to the General Manager - Excellent communication and negotiation skills - Self driven and motivated with a positive attitude - Work well under pressure and achievement oriented

Competitive salary, bonuses and travel expenses, Friendly work environment, social security (10%) paid by the company, excellent career progress opportunity INTERESTED APPLICANTS ARE INVITED TO APPLY BY SENDING A FULL RESUMÉ IN ENGLISH WITH A RECENT PHOTO & EXPECTED SALARY TO: Class Act Media Co., Ltd. 99/7, Moo 1, T. Kathu, Phuket 83120 Tel: 076 612 550-2 Fax: 076 612 553 E-mail: gm@thephuketnews.com

www.thephuketnews.com

CLASSIFIEDS 35

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

BUY & SELL IN PHUKET BOATS & YACHTS Dinghy Size 2.45 metre:

Inflatable tubes. Rigid hull and cover. Used only in fresh water. B65,000. (new B100,000) 081 728 0140 or email milou2612@ gmail.com.

To advertise here visit: thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

FS TV’s, pool table, stock, furniture. etc. Price negotiable. Call Chompoo 084 844 3504.

Toursys: Tour operator soft-

B u s i n e s s f o r S a l e:

CARS FOR RENT

Phuket slingsshot, Thailand’s only, and bumper cars. Call 082 419 0742.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

ware. Presented by Blue D Zine Co., Ltd. See bluedzine. com.

Car for Rent: Car in good condition, short and longterm rental with first class insurance and delivery service. Contact 086 690 6007, email: k.niwatt@hotmail. com.

Office For Rent: In middle

Private Luxury Yacht Charters: Luxury day and overnight yacht charters with crew and chef on board. Rates from B49,000 per day. Contact 089 971 0278, Visit our website at www.yacht-char ter-thai land.com.

of Patong, new office for long term rent. Quiet area. 28 sq metre and 56 sq metre. Parking avail. For more info: con tact@roomsatthe9th.com.

BUSINESS SERVICES

A1 Ca r Re n t a l s: Fully-insured. Starts at B12,000 to B18,000 per month. Please call 089 831 4703. Email for more info: a1carrent@gmail.com.

CARS FOR SALE 1943 Model Jeep (Ford) for Sale: Well maintained, runs well B190,000 or nearest offer. Call 081 728 0140 or milou2612@gmail.com.

Car for Sale: Teana top

35ft Bay Liner Motor Yacht: Year 2009, twin 260HP Mercruisers, Aircon. Navigation, TV/DVD/ surround, fridge/freezer, coffee machine, vacuum, flush, full bimini enclosure, many other options. Immaculate condition, a steal at B3.99m. eddyelan@ yahoo.com, call 089 971 0278.

model 2010. Travelled 22,000 km. Sell B1,240,000. Please call for more details on 087 276 0529.

Phuket Consult Services: Insurance, personal

Digifox Marine: Marine inboard engines, hydraulic and mechanical equipment service, repairs and spare parts. MAN, Arneson, ZF, Rolls Royce and others. Professional team of engineers, high quality, personal approach guaranteed. Contact 076 336 221, 083 171 4141. Email info@digifoxmarine. com.

BUSINESSES FOR SALE Bar Bangla Road for Sale: In popular Soi Crocodile. Three years lease payed. Price B2.7 million only. Contact tomarell@hotmail.com for more info.

Kamala Bar for SALE!: Very profitable bar on main road. Owner returning to Australia in high season. Has one bedroom with ensuite, three

Alarm Service, Protect your home with high quality CCTV Camera,and GSM Alarm. Free survey and quote. Please call 086 105 8144 or click w w w.huketechnology. com.

Tile It: Thalang. Wana Park on Srisoonthorn Rd. Phuket’s Quality Tile Boutique. Tiles for interior, exterior, residential, commercial. Contact 076 620 168 or 081 424 2828. Email info@tile-asia.com.

Indo Construction: 40 years experience of more than 20 years at your service in Thailand. Main contractor: study project, architecture design and construction and management. Contact 076 381 895.

Farang Food Paradise: Your specialist of imported food and drinks in Phuket. Visit our shop at the Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco Lotus. Contact 076 612 733, 076 248 900. www.phuketfood.com.

SK A L I nt e r na t i onal Phuket: Skål is a professional organisation of leaders from all branches of the travel and tourism industry. www. skal phuket.org.

Singapore Club Phuket: Calling all Singaporeans in Phuket to join “Singapore Club Phuket”. Contact Robin on 081 803 7189, 076 303 500.

Phuket G ol f & C.C. M e m b e r s h i p: Fo u n d e r m e m b e r s h i p f o r s a l e. B600,000 include transfer fee. Call 084 839 4868.

COMPANION WANTED

diver education. Phuket’s only dive club! 076 284 026.

Please see job’s section page 34.

All courses and diving trips. Boat charter and individual tours. w w w.dive-paradise. com.

English Computer man: Sales (new and used), service and repairs, WLAN a speciality. Free telephone advice. Contact 0846 257 744, computermanphuket@ gmail.com.

DIVING PADI 5 Star Centre. Half-day, daytrips, live-aboards and

All 4 Diving: 5/4 Sawatdirak Road, Patong Beach. Call 076 344 611. only dive club! Paradise Diving Asia:

COMPUTERS

Phuket Scuba Club:

assistance, legal assistance, police and emergency assistance, property management sales and rentals, company registration, visa and work permit and accounting. Call 081 691 9679.

Protect your home with CCTV: CCTV &

CLUBS

Under Water Video Package For Sale: S o ny CX15 0 H D V i d. Camera with Equinox HD6 housing-40,000bt. Optional Asus Lap Top with one Gig video card B20,000. 084 630 2165.

EDUCATION Native German Teacher: Native German TEFL teacher is teaching German and English to single students at home or small groups in Chalong. Please contact (German/English) 080 778 1220, (Thai) 081 810 9115.

Economical Car for Sale: Ford Aspire, female owner, manual, runs very well and very economical. Power steering, new parts, for sale B120,000. Call: 084 188 8445.

CHILDCARE Kiddies Home Nursery: Award for top Nursery for Phuket Province 2011. Ages 3 months to 4 years. Open 7 days a week and from 6.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. Rock Garden Village, call 076 528 862, mobile 082 539 8252 or kiddies home nursery@gmail.com.

Buds Nursery: Phuket’s oldest bi-lingual international child care facility. High quality time proven schedule and curriculum. Experienced native English teachers to teach ages 1½ -6. Monday to Friday, 8am5pm. Bus service available. Contact 076 282 232.

ABC International Nursery: Education for children 18 months to six years old with experienced native English teachers following the UK EYFS curriculum. Contact 089 971 1813.

www.thephuketnews.com

36 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

BUY & SELL/HOMES IN PHUKET

To advertise here visit: thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

PROPERTY CONCIERGE

Safeway Clearance Sale * Gold pan was 66,000B Now 20,000B

houses 115-375 sq metre, less than five minutes walk to two beaches (Kata and Kata Noi) Call 081 078 1246.

THE SUNRISE OCEAN VILLAS

* Baine marie was 36,000B Now 10,000B Apar tment for Rent in Rawai: Business nine

* Boat trailer 30,000B * 400 Litres paint (The lot) 3,000B

Selling Your Property?

* 2010 Yamaha motorbike 26,000B

Guitar Lesson By Pro Player: Guitar/bass lessons

PERSONAL SERVICES

PROPERTY FOR RENT

your creative flare with Food Ser vices Cooking School. Italian, Western and Thai cuisine. Try our famous pizza school. Call 082 816 0126, info@food servicesth.com.

Health Food Store: On-

line health food store in Thailand. Good karma, all natural healthy, natural and organic products. 0822761675.

MOTORBIKES FOR SALE Honda 25 0 D egre e: 250cc trail bike B62,000. Call 081 087 2560.

Land for Sale: 11 rai,

one kilometre from Naiyang beach. B6.5 millions per rai. Please call : Siriporn +66 (0) 896 499 939.

Daily, Monthly rates Sea views, Mountain views Sauna, Gym, Swimming pool Located in Kamala Beach Shuttle service to the beach Wi-fi available Surrounded by nature

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS FOR SALE Moving Sale: Sign frame and alluminium C slats size, 10m x3m. Air Cond. (1)40,000BTU, (2)20,000BTU. Shop glass front. All going cheap, call 087 276 0529.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Get maximum exposure on our top ranked website. Call 080 143 2929 or visit realestate.phuket.net.

beginner to advanced. Personal one-on-one or by DVD. Diploma of Teaching (Aust) degree. Call for details on 089 777 3063.

Cooking School: Fire up

Co m p l e t e B e d ro o m Suite: Out of RPM, must sell

this week. Call 089 054 4354

English-Thai Law Office: Visa, work permit, company formation, property transfer etc. Please telephone for advice. Contact 084 063 9223.

Beach Frontage: One

bedroom self-contained holiday villa Rawai. Rental Day/Week Call 081 677 1641.

Live Music By Colin Hill: Popular expat pro musi-

cian (guitar/vocals) with work permit. Can perform solo, duo or band. www.play-guitar.net, please call on 089 777 3063.

Thai Style House for Sale: Teak wood floors,

stairs, walls, 2 bedroom. Land 78 sq metre, five minutes to Patong and Chanot tille. B5.8 million. Call Peter on 086 268 8701, email: f4305spiderf1@hotmail.com.

Luxur y Villa, Phuket Loch Palm: Plot: 650 m²,

own Water, Solar, Living-A:280 m², furnished, Carport, 80 m² Pool, four bedrms, four bathrooms, 5 flat tv, ADSL, Cable TV. 19.5 million Thai Baht. +66 (0) 88 381 0012, office@palmbeach-entertainment.com.

American Health Clinic:

Chiropractic spinal adjustment with an experienced chiropractor can take away the pain almost as quickly as it began. Call 076 612 707.

Adopt a Pet: I am a three -year-old dog; sterilised, vaccinated and healthy. I like to play. Call and visit me. Please take me home and care for me, contact 087 279 3477.

Call for more details on 083 456 2185.

MOTORBIKE SERVICES Dynamic Tyre Balancing: Dynamically balance your motorcycle tyres for a smoother ride with DYNA BEADS! Available at West Coast Service Center Phuket. Your big bike specialist on the bypass road. Call for more info on 085 785 4440.

www.thephuketnews.com

complete overview of Phuket’s property market. Professional advice.

You should not buy property in Phuket without consulting with us first!

After a great success of the first phase, the Sunrise Ocean Villas is now starting to build the 8 other villas of "Phase2". The price of 17.9 million Baht makes the project one of the most compettitive on the island for being only 60m from the beach. Each villa has an living area of over 300 sqm, has 3 spacious bedrooms, all sea views, 5 bathrooms, a 10x4m infinity pool, maid's quarter and a covered 2 car-parking. The houses are specially designed to guarantee a complete privacy, with an open panoramic view of the sea.

Contact ben at 084- 305 4953 to book an appointment.

Kata House for Sale: B5.7 million, five minutes to Kata Beach, three-storey,fully furnished, ready to move in. Approx:160 sq metre land, 180 sq metre living area, garage with overhead storage, security on all doors/ windows. Two -three bed rooms with aircon. Two full bathrooms. Garden, covered patios. Spacious living room, television/water/electricity ready. B5.7million plus 1/2 land/transfer taxes. Call 081 131 5751, seadog5000@yahoo.com.

Contact ben at 084- 305 4953 benjamin@propertyasia.co.th www.propertyasia.co.th

PET ADOPTION

Harley Davidson Soft Tail for Sale:

Property for your budget.

apartments, fully-furnished with swimming pool & office. Contract 081 893 2165.

* Floor slabs (2 metre) 0.50 satang each

EDUCATION

We provide the following:

* 3 forklifts 140,000-195,000-200,000B

Tel. 081 892 4804, 081 125 1873

Considering buying property in phuket?

Why buy a pet?: Soi Dog

Foundation have over 300 beautiful dogs and puppies available for adoption. Fully-vaccinated and sterilised. Contact 087 050 8688, email: john@soidog.org.

POOL TABLES Phuket Pool Tables:

www.phuketpooltables.com. Your number one billiard and snooker supplier in Phuket. Sales, rent and profit-sharing. All accessories and services. Call 081 823 4627.

Rawai Beach Front House: Rawai beach front house for sale/long term rent. Three beds, three baths with three aircon. Cable TV, ADSL on area 1600 sq metre. Call 089 649 9939.

Apartment for Rent in Patong: New condo

with swimming pool, security 24/7. 46sq metre, furnished. Daily/monthly. Please contact 089 728 4005 or email: t h a m a d 1 7@ y a h o o . c o m .

Rent Kata One-Three Bed Apartments: Superb apartments and pool pent-

New Apar tment for Sale Patong: Condo:

swimming pool, securit y 24/7. Furnished, 46sq metre, freehold: B2.9 million. Contact 089 728 4005 or email: thamad17@yahoo.com.

Nice Three Bed House for Sale: Three-bedroom house in Moobaan Tarn Thong Villa opposit Moobaan Chao fa California. B3.1 million. Contact Lee for more details on 081 803 7189.

Come visit the villas and you will be wonderfully surprised by the quality of the project as well as the quality of life you can find here. For appointment or more details, contact the project director Khun Monta at 081 343 0777 (Thai, English & German) Email: thesunrise villas@yahoo.com.

www.thesunrisevillas.com

SEAVIEW LAND FOR SALE: Near Chalong pier, 150 metres from the sea. Three rai and one ngan plot. Chanote title. Price: B20 million per rai. No agent. Call 087 278 7206

CLASSIFIEDS 37

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011 บริษัท ดี ดี เอ็ม เรียลเอสเตท จำกัด

HOMES IN PHUKET PROPERTY FOR SALE

cottages. Coconut Island is only 20 minutes from Central Festival shopping. Plots start at B1.5 million, cottage and plot start at B3 million. Hurry, 26 plots already sold. Call 083 520 0020 or 076 238 732. Web: jindarin.com.

Private Pool Villas: Intira

HOT!

KAMALA: New quality development with semi-detached modern style houses with perfect mountain view. 2 storey + private rooftop on 231 m2 with 3 bed/3 bath. Optional private jacuzzi on rooftop. Under construction!

Freehold condominium 8.75m THB KAMALA: 2-bed/2 bath apartment, 125 sqm of living

space; kitchen fully fitted and equipped with high quality utilities. Spacious & modern! Large common swimming pool, well equipped gym, restaurant, 24 h security and a shuttle service to the beach. Fully furnished & foreign freehold!

Bargain

Bargain R

Freehold studio

sqm, including good size balcony with nice ocean view; partly furnished. Nice & large swimming pool, 24h reception, shuttle service and two elevators. Foreign freehold! 1km from the beach.

R FO

HOT!

2.3m THB

PATONG: Spacious re-sale studio-apartment of 55

Important Notice Mr. Rangsan Ruangnam (Nickname Boy) Has been terminated of his employment at Phuket Pool Tables. Phuket Pool Tables is not responsible for any damage caused by this behaviour or actions.

5.79m THB

m2 with extended terraces & large private deck area with private plunge pool and jacuzzi. It comes fully furnished and contains many up-grades giving this property a tasteful and stylish feel. Ready to move in!

Sea front villas From 32.6m THB

RAWAI: Set at only 40 meters from the sea front, this

development benefits from beautiful and unobstructed island views. 3 bedrooms private estates offering attractive, modern yet tropical environments. Land plots between 170 & 324 m2 with a built up area from 485 up to 596 m2.

200 metres

ad -Thit Ro

Patong Beach Road

Rat-U

Bangla Road

seaview Patong-Karon villa, four bedrooms, private pool. Sell for B22 million, and also available rental daily and monthy basis. Please check more info at www.awphuket.com.

ocean views from this spacious, modern unit is stunning. It’s part of a development which provides an excellent range of facilities. Ready to move in, fully furnished and equipped. Only 1 km to the beach!

SA R

New townhomes

Mountain view penthouse 9.5m THB

Sea view villa: Luxury

LAYAN: 3 bed/3 bath apartment on 228 m2. The

NEW

KAMALA: 2 bed/2 bath top-floor apartment on 184

Sale B15.9 million negotiable! Rent B75,000 per month, owner pays common area and garden. Minimum 12 months lease. Contact Jen 083 967 5777.

13.5m THB

hold Chanote land at Khao Lak Beach, 3,312m2, price only B5,500,000 a rai. Call 081 651 9687.

Eco Resort on Coconut Island (three minutes off shore from Phuket). Private pier, private boat taxi, beach, beach pool, spa, sunset restaurant, elegant

four beds/ four baths home in secure estate, fully furnished inc 50” plasma TV. Pool & Sala, 10 minutes to BIS, HSI, central and three golf courses.

Sea view apartment

Two Rai Beachfront Land Khao Lak: Free-

JINDARIN BEACH CLUB & RESORT: Oceanfront

Sale or Rent: Spacious

LE SA FO R

KALIM: 2-bed/2 bath condominium on 3 levels with 178 m2. It comes with fully fitted kitchen, sundecks & uninterrupted sea view from all rooms. As part of a fully operational resort, this apartment is foreign freehold and fully furnished. Ready to move in!

tact Stan on 087 978 5804-3.

15m THB

URGENT Land for Sale: By Mission Hills Golf Course. -1/2 rai of land (Chanote) B1.6 million. -6 rai, sea/mountain view. B4.2 million per rai. Con-

Sea view apartment

Villas is a development of 15 boutique villas in the heart of Rawai. Second phase open now! Only a few villas available. 083 594 9279.

Bargain

PUBLIC NOTICE

HOT!

1,600 sq metre land, 240sq metre living area. Located in a quiet area. Check out webpage at www.villa-sophiaphuket.com. Call 087 823 7371 (Deutsch and English).



Photos and price online: See www.thevillaphuket.com.Contact owners to view: 081 270 1970 (Josh) and 081 270 2070 (Michi). Agents welcome.

Nice Garden Villa in Nai Harn: Private sale. Must see.

Perfect land for villa. Approx three rai, with chanote title, 2 km south of Thai Muang town centre. Just 24 km north of Sarasin Bridge. Good road access and electricity. Very quiet, green area. Urgent sale for just B5 million total, nonnegotiable. Contact Peter on 089 652 1951 or email phuket. pn@gmail.com.

room, four-bathroom villa with 8x4 metre pool for sale freehold with chanote title or leasehold. Newly-built, 316 sq metre internal area. In beautiful marina complex, just 5 minutes drive to British International School.

Perfect Land for Villa:

Boat Lagoon Pool Villa: Modern four-bed-

land upon hill with seaview. Very easy access from road. B5 million per rai. Email: wapeebow@gmail.com.

Representing the Best Real Estate in Phuket!

Stunning three bedroom pool villa, five minutes from Laguna 600 sq metre plot in peaceful location. Finished to a very high specification “MUST SEE” Selling price B12.9 million. Please contact 084 994 9303 or email phuketpoolvilla.info@ gmail.com.

Seaview Land Ao Makham for Sale: 33 rai

Modern Pool Villa:

townhouse. The owner wants quick sale hence below market price asking B4.85 million. Contact 081 396 0880.

FO R

Best Offer B4.85 million Townhouse: Two bedroom

Soi Sans Sabai Jungceylon

Sea view apartment

6.5m THB

PATONG: Recently refurbished with great views over

city and mountains. With 70 m2 there are 1 bed/1 bath, open plan living, kitchenette & good size balcony. Beachfront unit ready to move in!

Contact:

081 88 22 856 (English) 081 95 85 414 (Thai)

204/16-17 Rat-U-Thit 200 Years Rd., Patong, Kathu, Phuket, 83150, Thailand

www.phuket-tropical-realestate.com

www.thephuketnews.com

38 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

TRADES IN PHUKET

To advertise here visit: thephuketnews.com/classifieds.php

HOME IMPROVEMENT

COURIER

HOME IMPROVEMENT

REMOVALS

HOME IMPROVEMENT

STORAGE

Wana Park, Srisoonthron Road, Thalang, Phuket 83110 Tel 076 620168 info@tile-asia.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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ISLANDSPORT 39

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Winning like Flynn P

huket surf prodigy Annissa Flynn recently returned to the island after competing in three surf carnivals around Asia in November and December, winning three finals and finishing second in the other. Two of the carnivals were part of the inaugural Asian Surfing Competition Pro Tour (ASC Tour), and the points gained there by Flynn, along with points she received from the Quicksilver Best Event held at Phuket’s own Patong Beach, saw her finish in second place overall – an outstanding result for a 13-year-old competing against women twice her age. On November 27-28 Hong Kong staged the Reef Cup 2011 at Big Wave Bay in China’s New Territories. Flynn entered the both boy’s junior and open women’s divisions, winning both, even though it meant surfing backto-back heats and finals in the chilly water of the South China Sea. On December 2 to 4 at Terengganu, Malaysia, Flynn competed in the Quiksilver Best Event Surf Contest at Batu Burok Beach on the

SURFING monsoonal east coast of Thailand’s neighbour to the south. On the morning of the final, the surf proved to be a real handful and the women struggled to get past the foaming one-and-a-half metre swells that were rolling in, creating shifting rips on the moving sandbar. Flynn, undeterred by the difficult sea and despite her tender years, produced an outstanding performance to beat four-time Indonesian surfing champion Yasnyiar Gea to seal her third straight win, claiming the Women’s Open Division. “I didn’t think I had a much of a chance to win because I’m the smallest and youngest of the girls, and with the conditions today it was really hard,” Flynn said when reflecting on her victory. “But I’m so happy to have won this, really happy, and I’m very thankful to my Dad and Mum, and to Quiksilver and Ark surfboards for supporting me so I could come here and compete.” A week later Flynn trav-

elled to Cherating in Malaysia, to take on one of the longest surf rides in Asia – the famed “Cherating Express” that rolls off the east pointing peninsula and goes due west for the entire 2km ride into the bay. On a good day, surfers can jump on a wave and ride it for around three minutes, or until their legs get tired. They can even take a break before re-catching the wave or walking back to the point. Having grown up on the more spartan waves in Phuket, Flynn spent a day getting used to the unfamiliar feel of the long break, catching some of the best waves of her life. The following day saw Billabong put on their Cherating Pro Event – the final ASC Tour event for 2011. Flush with confidence from her three straight victories, Flynn won her first heat and then came second in her semi final to progress to her fourth straight final. There she endured another battle with Gea, who she had beaten the previous week, but was unable to repeat the trick as Indonesia’s champion surfer pushed Flynn

Another day, another win. –Photos by Tim Hain, ASC Tour into second place by just 0.7 points after pulling off two of her trademark lay-back re-entry manoeuvres on her last wave, in the last minute of the 25-minute final. It was a nail-biting end to the year’s surfing, and one that

will spur Flynn on the next time the two meet. That is likely to be sooner rather than later as the 2012 surf season gets underway in just two weeks as the Southeast Asian surf community gather for the Big Foot Mon-

soon Mayhem event at Desaru, Malaysia. Joining Flynn in Malaysia will be the first Thai international surfing champion – Phuket local Decha Sithidej – who was crowned Master’s Division champion (35+) at the 2011 Asian Surfing Championships in Singapore. It has only been in the last several years that Thailand has been recognised for having a surfing community, and it has grown rapidly as a result. In his acceptance speech at the Wave House on Sentosa Island in Singapore, Decha was liberal in his praise of the ASC for their support of surfing in Thailand, saying: “Thanks to Tipi Jabrik and Tim Hain at the ASC for helping and supporting us in Thailand: without them this wouldn’t be possible. “Also big thanks to the crew at Quiksilver Thailand and to Khun Joob at Surfing Thailand for their dedication and support. “This award is only possible because of all of you, and I’m so proud to represent Thailand as our first surfing champion.”

Laguna hammer Leopards Laguna Cricket Club recorded an emphatic second win of the season as they thrashed the young Phuket Leopards by a massive 290 runs at the Alan Cooke Ground (ACG) last Sunday (December 18). Batting first, the Laguna batsmen, led by Andrew Cole, who hit an unbeaten 84, posted an ACG record 329 runs from their allotted 40 overs before turning in a ruthless performance with the ball, dismissing their shell-shocked opponents for just 39 runs inside 11 overs. Sami Ullah (5-2) and Val

CRICKET Giraud (2-4) ripped the heart out of the aspiring Thai cricket team’s batting line up and at one stage the scoreboard read seven wickets down for just seven runs before the defending Twenty20 champions took their foot off the gas. As Island Furniture League runners up and the favourites to lift the title this year, Laguna went into the match against Phuket’s young Thai cricketers as overwhelming favourites. Missing a number of first

team players, Laguna won the toss, elected to bat and despite a poor start losing Bill Stahmer second ball, went on to post a very impressive 329 with the PGC’s 2010 joint player of the year Andrew Cole leading the way. In their response the Phuket Leopards were in all sorts of trouble right from the off as Ullah and Giraud left them reeling at seven for seven before the were eventually skittled for 39 from 10.3 overs. Andrew Cole was named man of the match for his 84. www.thephuketnews.com

40 ISLANDSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

FC Phuket stall against Honda FC Phuket’s winless r un stretched to four matches as the Southern Sea Kirin were held 2-2 away against bottom of the league Thai Honda FC on Saturday, December 17. FC Phuket’s last victory – a 1-0 win over Customs United – came more than two months ago, and since then they have lost twice and drawn twice as the season draws to a close. With nothing to play for but pride now that a promotion to the Thai Premier League is out of reach, FC Phuket took the lead twice in the first half with goals from Poramut Krongborisut and Niran Panthong, but were pegged back twice in the same period by a Thai Honda team fighting for their Division One lives. In the end, a point was enough to condemn Thai Honda to relegation with two games remaining. In the previous encounter between the two sides at Surakul Stadium earlier this year, Thai Honda were thrashed by an inspired FC Phuket side in a 6-1 rout in a game that was otherwise notable for a horrific injury to striker Thawin Butrasombat. In build up to the match, Thai Honda’s hopes of staying up were dealt an early blow as head coach Krongphol Daoraung was still in hospital recovering from an appendectomy, while three players were serving suspensions. FC Phuket on the other hand were able to field virtually a full-strength team as they looked to finish the season with a flourish.

www.thephuketnews.com

FOOTBALL Knowing they needed to win to have any hope of staying up the Eagles started brightly and fashioned a couple of chances just two minutes into the game. First of all Chainarong Samutta picked up the ball in the FC Phuket penalty box only to see his effort saved by the ever-alert Jonathan Matijas, and then moments later Wirat Nakpan sailed past the visiting defence into the box before blazing over the crossbar. It took a while for FC Phuket to find their rhythm but when they did they started to control the match and almost broke the deadlock when Watcharapong Jan-ngam’s right foot shot bounced off the post, falling to Niran who put the rebound over the crossbar. Abdoul Coulibaly was next to try his luck, shooting straight at the goalkeeper from 30 yards before Poramut was guilty of poor finishing when one on one with the ’keeper midway through the first half, dragging his effort wide. With the visitors creating all the running, a goal seemed inevitable, and so it proved when Poramut and Watcharapong played a delightful one-two, which the former collected and slotted home for a 1-0 lead. Sarach Yooyen, Watcharapong and Seksit Srisai all had opportunities to extend the Kirin’s lead but couldn’t capitalise and, like it has for much of the season, FC

Division 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Nrian Phantong scored FC Phuket’s second goal. Phuket’s profligacy in front of goal cost them dearly. The visitors lost the ball in midfield thanks to a stray pass, handing Thai Honda possession. The ball found it’s way to Sutin Anugul who hit the ball on the volley from 25 yards to grab a stunning equaliser for the home team. As the half drew to a close, the small handful of fans at the ground were treated to a flurry of activity as first FC Phuket regained the lead via a Niran penalty, only to be pegged back a second and final time when Sutin bagged his second of the match. The second half began with FC Phuket pressing for a

third goal and the Kirin went close with a Nene Bi header right after the break, and then missed another gilt-edged chance on 58 minutes when Watcharapong also couldn’t keep his headed effort down. With time dwindling, the home side launched a desperate series of attacks on the FC Phuket goal trying to find a winner, but found Matijas in no mood to concede further as the game finished two apiece. Their efforts would have been in vain anyhow as Customs FC had managed a 2-2 draw against Suphanburi, condemning Thai Honda to life in Division Two next year. –Kazi Hans

Team Buriram FC Chainat BBCU PTT Rayong United Songkhla Phuket Saraburi Raj Pracha Rangsit JW Air Force United Chanthaburi Suphanburi Bangkok Customs United Chiangmai RBAC Mittraphap Thai Honda

P 31 31 32 31 31 30 30 31 29 31

W 23 20 17 15 14 13 11 10 12 9

D 7 3 9 8 6 9 11 13 6 9

L 1 8 6 8 11 8 8 8 11 13

F 76 64 38 49 47 45 43 34 33 29

A 16 34 23 25 42 32 38 27 43 39

Pts 76 63 60 53 48 48 44 43 42 36

32 31 30

9 7 11

8 14 2

15 10 17

31 34 47

47 37 57

35 35 35

The 2011 league table doesn’t make overly happy reading for FC Phuket fans. The Southern Sea Kirin will now spend at least another year in Division One.

Phuket start to focus on 2012 Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Thai Honda eliminated any hope FC Phuket players, officials and fans had of reaching the Thai Premier League next season, and with just a few games left the club’s focus is already on 2012 and another attempt at reaching the top flight. The Southern Sea Kirin have three matches remaining this season after last Wednesday’s match against Suphanburi – December 25 v Air Force United (h), December 30 v Bangkok FC (h) and the final game on January 7, away to Chainat FC – and will use the fixtures to take a close look at some fringe players. With contracts due to expire on December 31 and new ones up for grabs, it is a good opportunity for those players who have enjoyed limited playing time this year and other local Phuket footballers to stake a claim for inclusion in the 2012 FC Phuket squad. One player who is unlikely to appear again this season is French goalkeeper Jonathan Matijas after the club officials elected to give local stopper Luercha Jantawong a run out until the end of the season. The popular French goalkeeper, who arrived midway through the season, should have done more than enough to convince the club’s owners of his worth and it is likely that Luercha will only

FOOTBALL

be playing for a place on the bench in 2012. Should FC Phuket not snap Matijas up then it is rumoured that Chainat FC – who are TPL bound – are ready to offer him a contract. Once the season draws to a conclusion in January, FC Phuket will host a series of trials for Thai and international players as the club looks to bring in talent that will be able to help achieve the fans’ the dream of playing in the TPL in 2013. The biggest problem facing the club at the moment is a lack of money available as there has been no confirmed sponsors for the 2012 season. There are rumours that Coca Cola might step up and sponsor the club as well as Yahama – sponsors of sister club Muang Thong United. There has also been a suggestion that a local business might be ready to take over the ownership of the club. Joining FC Phuket in Division One next year will be southern rivals Krabi FC and Phattalung FC after they were both promoted from Division Two South. Joining the two southern clubs are Nakhornratchasima FC and Ratchaburi FC, who will contest the Division Two championship match in Ayutthaya on Christmas Eve.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

INTERNATIONALSPORT 41

Bryant set to divorce The wife of Kobe Bryant has filed for divorce after more than a decade of marriage to the NBA superstar. Vanessa Bryant filed papers in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, California citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the divorce from the LA Lakers player. The couple have t wo daughters, Natalia, eight, and Gianna, five, and have been married for 10 and a half years. “The Bryants have resolved all issues incident to their divorce privately with the assistance of counsel and a judgement dissolving their marital status will be entered in 2012,” a representative said. In court documents, Vanessa asked for spousal support and joint custody that gives Kobe visitation rights with the two children. The couple also asked for privacy in a statement released by their lawyers. “In the interest of our young children and in light of the upcoming holiday season [we ask that] the public respect our privacy during this difficult time,” it said.

BASKETBALL

Vanessa stood by her husband after he was charged with sexually assaulting a Colorado woman eight years ago. They appeared side by side at a news conference at the time in which Vanessa expressed support for her husband as he admitted to being guilty of adultery. The Colorado case against Bryant was dismissed. “I know that my husband has made a mistake – the mistake of adultery,” she said at the time. “He and I will have to deal with that within our marriage, and we will do so. ” In 2010, the Bryants settled a litigation case with a former domestic helper, Maria Jimenez, who accused Vanessa of harassment. Vanessa and Kobe then counter-sued the maid for breaking their confidentiality contract. In other NBA news, Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green will miss the 2011-12 NBA season because of a problem with his heart that will require surgery to repair, the team announced. The 25-year-old Green will have surgery to fix an aortic

LA Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant’s wife has filed for divorce citing “irreconcilable differences”. The couple had been married for 10 and a half years. –Photo by Keith Allison aneurysm. “While we are saddened that Jeff will not be able to play this season, the most important thing is his health,” Celtics president Danny Ainge said.

“We were fortunate to have access to an amazing team of specialists to evaluate Jeff’s case.” An aortic aneurysm is a ballooning of the wall of the

aorta, the major artery that carries the blood from the heart to the remainder of the body. Meanwhile, Chuck Hayes, who was found to have a heart abnormality in a recent stress

test, had his NBA contract terminated by the Sacramento Kings this week after failing a team physical. Hayes, who played his first six NBA seasons with the Houston Rockets, signed a four-year free agent deal worth US$21.3 million (B667 million) with the Kings 10 days ago. “This morning [Monday December 19], in one of the most heartbreaking moments of my professional or personal life, Chuck Hayes was notified that he failed his physical exam with the Sacramento Kings,” Kings general manager Geoff Petrie said. “Subsequent to that, the contract signed on December 9 has been voided.” Bismack Biyombo, a teen forward from the Democratic Republic of Congo, signed with the NBA Charlotte Bobcats on Monday after buying out his contract with Spain’s Fuenlabrada. The Bobcats said Biyombo had signed a rookie contract and that they would pay half of the $1.5 million (B47 million) buyout fee that Biyombo was required to pay the Spanish side so he could play in the NBA this season. –AFP

Djokovic fighting fit TENNIS World number one Novak Djokovic proclaimed himself fighting fit this week and insisted there was no reason why he cannot repeat his sensational 2011 season next year. Djokovic won three of the four Grand Slams, five Masters events, became world number one, had a 70-6 winning record and banked a season record cash haul of US$12.6 million (B395 million). “This year’s success gives me a reason to believe that I can win again. Why not?,” said the Serb, who will be based in Abu Dhabi until the end of the year. “I think it doesn’t make any sense to be anything other than optimistic. I need to believe in my qualities and my abilities and I need to believe that I can repeat the success. “Of course it is going to be an incredibly difficult task to achieve, but you never know, nothing is really impossible.” Djokovic’s landmark season eventually took its toll with a combination of back and shoulder trouble condemning him to four defeats in the year’s closing stages. “Injuries are past at this

Djokovic believes he can repeat his incredible year in the upcoming tennis season. moment,” the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open champion told the Gulf News. “I am happy to say that it has been a couple of weeks since my last match and I have had enough time to recover physically and mentally and to get back into shape.” While Djokovic is fighting fit and raring to go, former women’s world number one and seven-time Grand Slam

winner Venus Williams is a doubt for the Australian Open after she withdrew from the Auckland Classic which gets under way on January 2. Williams, who is suffering from Sjorgen’s syndrome – an autoimmune disease which causes joint pain and fatigue – withdrew from the New Zealand event, a warm-up tournament ahead of the season’s first Grand Slam. www.thephuketnews.com

42 INTERNATIONALSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

THE PHUKET NEWS TIPPING COMPETITION: 18

This month's competition is supported by:

Gomez halts Chelsea revival FOOTBALL

An 88th minute equaliser for Wigan’s Jordi Gomez gave the Spaniard’s side a share of the points as Wigan came back from a goal down to derail Chelsea’s mini revival. In recent weeks Chelsea had shown a return to winning ways with wins against Newcastle and Manchester City in the league either side of a comfortable victory against Valencia in Europe which assured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League. The Blues looked to be heading for a fourth straight win after taking the lead in the 59th minute through Daniel Sturridge before faltering once again Manchester City finished the weekend at the top of the league, having been replaced temporarily by their city rivals United. City overcame Arsenal 1-0 in a close-fought encounter at the Etihad Stadium just a few hours after United proved too strong for QPR. Spurs continued their title bid with a narrow 1-0 win at home to Sunderland, while Liverpool registered a fifth league away win against a

WEEK 18 Home Team W D W Away Team i r i n a n w 26/12/2011 Chelsea Arsenal Bolton Liverpool Man Utd Sunderland West Brom Stoke 27/12/2011 Swansea Norwich

Fulham Wolves Newcastle Blackburn Wigan Everton Man City Aston Villa QPR Tottenham

Please fax this form to 076 612 553 or hand it in at The Phuket News office before Friday 2pm. Alternatively, visit our website www.thephuketnews.com to enter the competition online.

Chelsea’s Petr Cech admitted that he was at fault for Wigan’s equaliser against the Blues on Saturday. The goal ended Chelsea’s recent winning run. poor Aston Villa side. Newcastle’s slump in form continued for another week as the Magpies were held 0-0 at home against Swansea, while there was another draw in the match between Everton and Norwich at Goodison Park. Down at the bottom of the league there were damaging losses for Bolton and Blackburn who occupy the bottom two places on the table, while Wolves’ slide

toward the relegation zone continued with a 1-2 home defeat by Stoke. In round 16, The Phuket News’ Dan Ogunshakin scored another 10 points as his average month shows no signs of abating. The top points scorer for the month of December will win themselves a B3,000 voucher to be spent at the Peppers Bar & Restaurant, Phuket’s premier sports bar.

Topping December’s table after round 16 was ‘gafferworld’, who had 51 points after three rounds of matches in December. The overall winner will win a return flight to the UK come the end of the season; currently the overall lead also belongs to ‘gafferworld’ who leads the way with 264 points. The fixtures continue to come thick and fast over the festive period with round 18 taking place on Boxing Day and on December 27. League leaders City travel to West Brom the day after Christmas, while Manchester United are at home against third from bottom Wigan. Chelsea host West Lon-

don neighbours Fulham at Stamford Bridge, while the remaining teams in the top six – Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs – have fixtures against Wolves (h), Blackburn (h) and Norwich (a) respectively. In the remaining matches Bolton are at home against Newcastle, Sunderland host Everton, Aston Villa travel to Stoke and Swansea welcome QPR to Liberty Stadium. You can now enter your predictions for round 18. Either enter them online by 23:59 on December 23 at thephuketnews.com, fax them to the office on 076 612 553 or hand them to us in Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco-Lotus before 2pm on the 23rd.

ROUND 16 RESULTS: Blackburn 1-2 West Brom Everton 1-1 Norwich Fulham 2-0 Bolton Newcastle 0-0 Swansea Wolverhampton 1-2 Stoke Wigan 1-1 Chelsea QPR 0-2 Man Utd Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool Tottenham 1-0 Sunderland Man City 1-0 Arsenal DAN’S TIPS ROUND 18 Chelsea v Fulham: home win Arsenal v Wolves: home win Bolton v Newcastle: draw Liverpool v Blackburn: home win Man Utd v Wigan: home win Sunderland v Everton: home win West Brom v Man City: away win Stoke v Aston Villa: home win Swansea v QPR: home win Norwich v Tottenham: draw TOP 10 PERFORMERS (DECEMBER): 1. gafferworld 51 2. The Lunchroom Kathu 46 3. aom 44 4. dcoutts 42 4. zestrealestate 42 6. alanphuket 38 6. Jauntingjason 38 6. scottkip 38 9. apollo131 37 10. stegee 35 TOP 10 DECEMBER (OVERALL): 1. gafferworld 264 2. alanphuket 234 3. chasman 225 4. apollo131 222 4. dcoutts 222 6. MRB 218 7. MAMCHAM 216 8. Mal Kenyon 214 9. zestrealestate 210 10. Allard 205

Germany gunning for Euro 2012 After a hugely impressive couple of years, Germany have set their sights on going all the way at next year’s Euro 2012 finals and winning a record fourth crown. The three-time champions finished as runners-up behind Spain in 2008 in Austria and Sweden as a goal from Fernando Torres gave Spain its first trophy in 44 years. The Germans followed that with a third-placed finish at the 2010 World Cup, and then completed their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with

FOOTBALL a perfect 10 wins from 10, while claiming the impressive scalps of Brazil and Holland in friendlies in the process. Having taken over as head coach after the 2006 World Cup, Joachim Loew has utilised the youthful talent of fleet-footed midfielders Mario Goetze, Mesut Ozil and Thomas Mueller to inject pace into the German attack. “This Germany team is the strongest in Europe,” said veteran striker Miroslav

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Klose, the oldest member of the squad at 33. “We can win the European Championships next summer without any doubt.” But with the start of the tournament – to be hosted by Poland and the Ukraine – still more than six months away, Germany’s coach has played down growing expectations. Hav i ng t r a d it ionally been k now n for t hei r highly-effective football, the Germans are forging a reputation as a fast-paced cou nter-at tack ing team, however, question mark stills linger over their defence. Loew has yet to decide on a settled back four with capt ain Philipp Lah m and Per Mertesacker first choice alongside two from Dortmund’s Mats Hummels, Bayer n Munich’s Holger Ba d st uber a nd Jerome Boateng, a nd Schal ke’s Benedikt Hoewdes. Of the current crop of rising German stars, the silky skills of Marco Reus have been a feature of Borussia

Mesut Ozil is just one of a number of young stars that have helped Germany become one of the best teams again. M o e n c h e n g l a d b a c h’s rise toward the top of the Bundesliga having narrowly avoided relegation in May. Dortmund’s Goetze is also starting to realise his potential and the 19-year-old ran the German attack in the 3-2 win over Brazil in August. Having drawn with Italy in a friendly in February and hammered Kazakhstan

4-0 in a Euro 2012 qualifier, a weakened Germany were caught out when Australia beat them in March. But they ret u r ned to winning ways in qualifiers, before a full-strength team d a z z le d a g a i n s t Br a z i l with the Germans taking a 3-1 lead before a late goal gave the score-line some respectability for the south

Americans. A 6-2 victory over Austria in September secured the Germans’ Euro 2012 berth, before the draw for the finals pitted them in Group B alongside Holland, Portugal and Denmark. The Germans finished the year by forcing Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk to admit he was “embarrassed” by the Oranje’s 3-0 away defeat. In their defence, it was a Holland team missing Arsenal striker Robin van Persie and Tottenham midfielder Raphael van der Vaart, but the Germans were without broken collarbone-victim Bastian Schweinsteiger, while Lahm was rested. Even without Schweinsteiger, Germany were solid in midfield with Ozil and Mueller linking with Klose. The Lazio hot-shot now has 63 goals for his country in 113 appearances and is closing in on Gerd Mueller’s 37-year-old record of 68 goals in 63 games as Germany’s all-time top scorer.

INTERNATIONALSPORT 43

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

Ligue 1, France

Premier League 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Team ManCity Man United Tottenham Chelsea Arsenal Liverpool Newcastle Utd Stoke City Norwich City Aston Villa Fulham Swansea City West Brom Everton QPR Wolves Sunderland Wigan Bolton Blackburn

P 16 16 15 16 16 16 16 16 17 16 16 16 16 15 16 17 16 16 17 17

W 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 7 5 4 4 4 5 5 4 4 3 3 4 2

D 2 3 1 2 2 5 6 3 6 7 6 6 3 2 4 3 5 4 0 4

L 1 1 3 4 5 3 3 6 6 5 6 6 8 8 8 10 8 9 13 11

F 50 37 31 34 31 20 21 18 27 18 18 16 16 16 15 19 18 15 22 24

A 15 14 18 19 24 13 19 25 31 21 18 20 24 19 28 32 19 30 39 38

Pts 41 39 34 32 29 29 27 24 21 19 18 18 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 10

Bundesliga, Germany 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Team Bayern Dortmund Schalke B’sia M’bach Bremen Leverkusen Hannover Stuttgart Hoffenheim FC Köln Hertha Wolfsburg Hamburg FSV Mainz Nuremberg K’slautern Augsburg Freiburg

P 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17

W 12 10 11 10 9 7 5 6 6 6 4 6 4 4 5 3 3 3

D 1 4 1 3 2 5 8 4 4 3 8 2 7 6 3 7 6 4

L 4 3 5 4 6 5 4 7 7 8 5 9 6 7 9 7 8 10

F 43 35 38 25 30 22 20 23 19 27 24 23 21 22 17 13 15 21

A 10 12 22 11 31 22 24 20 19 35 26 34 27 29 28 21 28 39

Pts 37 34 34 33 29 26 23 22 22 21 20 20 19 18 18 16 15 13

D 6 4 4 5 2 6 3 3 6 2 4 6 3 8 5 3 5 3 5 3

L 0 2 2 2 6 4 6 6 4 7 6 5 7 2 6 8 7 9 8 10

F 27 33 20 24 18 23 19 18 17 16 13 12 18 19 15 14 14 7 15 16

A 11 16 9 13 18 17 19 18 20 18 18 15 23 18 15 22 16 16 27 29

Pts 33 31 31 29 23 21 21 21 21 20 19 18 18 17 17 15 14 12 11 9

Serie A, Italy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Team Juventus Milan Udinese Lazio Inter Napoli Roma Genoa Catania Palermo Chievo Cagliari Parma Atalanta Fiorentina Bologna Siena Cesena Novara Lecce

P 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15

W 9 9 9 8 7 5 6 6 5 6 5 4 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2

Pts

Montpellier

Team

PSG

Lille

Lyon

Saint-Étienne

Toulouse

Rennes

Marseille

Bordeaux

Lorient

Brest

Evian

Caen

Auxerre

Nancy

Sochaux

Dijon

Nice

Valenciennes

Ajaccio

Coming up this week Barclay’s Premier League Fixtures

Barclay’s Premier League Fixtures

(Times in Thailand)

Monday December 26 Chelsea v Fulham 13:00 Arsenal v Wolves 15:00 Bolton v Newcastle 15:00 Liverpool v Blackburn 15:00 Man Utd v Wigan 15:00 Sunderland v Everton 15:00 West Brom v Man City 22:00

Saturday December 31 Liverpool v Newcastle 02:30 Man Utd v Blackburn 19:45 Arsenal v QPR 22:00 Bolton v Wolves 22:00 Chelsea v Aston Villa 22:00 Norwich v Fulham 22:00 Stoke v Wigan 22:00 Swansea v Tottenham 22:00

Tuesday December 27 Stoke v Aston Villa 02:45 Wednesday, December 28 Swansea v QPR, 00:00 Norwich v Tottenham 02:30

Sunday January 1 West Brom v Everton 19:30 Sunderland v Man City 22:00

Sport on TV: Times in Thailand Monday December 26 EVENT NBA: Heat v Mavericks NBA: Bulls v Lakers NFL: Bears v Packers Football: Chelsea v Fulham Football: Man Utd v Wigan Football: Arsenal v Wolves Football: West Brom v Man City Football: Liverpool v Blackburn

TIME

CHANNEL

02:30 04:55 08:20 15:00 22:00 22:00 22:00 22:00

Astro Supersport 3 Astro Supersport 3 Astro Supersport 2 TrueSport 1 TrueSport 1 TrueSport 2 TrueSport 3 STAR Sports

Tuesday December 27 NBA: Spurs v Grizzlies 08:30 Astro Supersport 3 NFL: Falcons v Saints 08:30 Astro Supersport 2 Rugby: Aviva Premiership 20:55 Astro Supersport 2 Ice Hockey: Spengler Cup 20:55 Eurosport

Wednesday December 28 NHL: St. Louis v Detroit 07:25 Astro Supersport 2 NBA: Heat v Celtics