25-03-2016

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

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SURIN BEACH WASTEWATER CAN WAIT > PAGE 5

PLENTY IN RESERVE

NEWS

PAGE 3

Airport security in full flight

LIFE

PAGE 18

Easter choc fest goes on show

Waterworks official Tumrong Komphet says Bang Wad reservoir is half full.

Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter2@classactmedia.co.th

W

hile drought grips more than half the country, mainly in the Northeast and Central Plains, Phuket has enough water reserves to see the dry spell out until the seasonal rains arrive in May, The Phuket News has been told.

“I am confident that water reserves will be enough from now until May,” Pisak Cholayut, Director of the Phuket

Officials confident water supplies enough until after Songkran

Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) said on Wednesday (Mar 23).

“Bang Wad reservoir is the main water reserve for Phuket. It has a full capacity of about 10.3 million cubic metres, right now it still has 5.52 million cubic meters of water in store,” he said.

Bang Niow Dum reservoir in Tambon Thepkrasattri, which has a full capacity of about 7.2 million cubic metres to serve areas in Thalang, is also in good supply. “It currently has about 5.5 million cubic metres of

water,” said Mr Pisak.

“There are other private individual reserves, such as old tin mine lagoons, from which we buy water, and these currently have a total of nearly 3 million cubic metres of water in store.

“There is no need for people on water supply to take precautions. There will be no cut-offs or water pressure reductions required in order to make reserves last,” he said.

“The only reductions to water pressure will be due to water supply

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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pipes being installed. We expect to complete our current pipe installations by around July,” he added.

But if people are worried about water shortages, Mr Pisak advised them to simply keep an emergency water supply in a tank at their house.

The PWA water supply to Patong, in particular will be fine, said Tumrong Komphet, Head of Water Production and Standards.

“Patong has direct supply from Bang Wad of about 10,000m3 per day...

SPORT

PAGE 40

TCT reach final as Hico hits century

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Drink driving campaign lined up for Songkran holidays > page 6

Life in the fast lane

Navy fires warning shot at taxi cheats Airport taxi kingpin hunted for B10m fraud

A NAVY OFFICER HAS ordered the island’s metered taxi drivers to follow the laws or face consequences following complaints being made by tourists about them being cheated on fares.

Capt Pongjak Uraimarn from the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command, in charge of security operations at Phuket International Airport (PIA), held a meeting on March 16 with officials and metered taxi drivers at the NCPO office at PIA to remind the drivers about the rules and laws regarding operating public transport.

“There are obligations that all public transport drivers must follow including dressing conservatively while on duty, dropping off tourists at the agreed place and avoiding detours and stopping for no reason, using the fare

Darawan Naknakhon editor@classactmedia.co.th

P

Capt Pongjak Uraimarn from the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command (left).

Photo: PR Dept rate by setting the meter for every journey, chartering a taxi to one party is banned with no exception of time and place, and do not take drugs or alcohol while on duty,” he said.

“With regards to the complaints we have already received, officials are investigating the cases to find the drivers involved and they will be brought in for questioning,” Capt Pongjak said.

The Phuket News

olice are currently looking for the owner/s of Royal World Express Co Ltd after minivan and limousine drivers filed complaints against the company with Thalang Police last week accusing them of fraud after it failed to pay the drivers about B10 million for their monthly service fees.

Around 50 drivers, led by Thammarat Maneetrithip and Yenprasit Wanman, on March 17 filed a complaint with Col Boonlert Onklang, asking him to investigate Srisoonthornbased Royal World Express Co, which controlled work for 115 vans and limousines.

“The owner closed the company’s Line account on Wednesday (Mar 16) and also turned off his telephones.

When we went to check the

Representatives for the taxi drivers speak to Col Chanuchan Cholsuwat. company office in Pa Khlok we found it was closed, as in no longer in business, and realised all 115 drivers had been cheated,” said Mr Thammarat.

Mr Yenprasit added, “We have been picking up and dropping off tourists for this company for six months and in the past we never encountered a problem with payment.

“Our monthly payments were deposited direct into our bank accounts after the company deducted their queue fee,” he said.

“In the contract, the company agrees to pay our fee no later than the 15th of the next month. This time the company failed to follow the agreement and the owner is no where to

be found. The company owes the drivers at least B10mn in total,” he added.

“We need to question all drivers affected by this, not only the ones here today,” Col Chanuchan Cholsuwat said.

“Officers are looking for the company owner and will bring him in for questioning as soon as possible,” he added.

Every drop is precious, says Mayor Continued from page 1 …plus about 3,000m3 provided by individual suppliers who we contract water from,” he explained.

Mr Tumrong also foresaw no hiccups with supply to Kata-Karon. “We supply about 8,000m3 per day, and the reverse-osmosis plant there supplies about 8,000m3 per day to people in the Kata and Karon areas,” he said.

Chalong and Rawai stood apart, as there is no mains supply from Bang Wad to the south of the island, explained Mr Tumrong.

“We supply about 3,000m3 per day to those areas, but all from individual suppliers,” he said.

The long-awaited Klong Krata reservoir, still under construction to the west of Chao Fa West Rd, is expected to bring much relief to southern residents, said Mr Pisak.

“When finished, the Klong Krata reservoir will have a capacity of 4.2 million cubic metres of water and supply 500m3 per hour to residents in Chalong, Rawai and the Sakdidet area,” he said.

“This project belongs to the Royal Irrigation Department.

The water-treatment plant is ready, but the actual dam

barrier itself is not complete.

We expect the facility to start providing water by next year,” he added.

However, Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupapana on March 16 told Phuket Town officials to prepare the municipality to handle the hot season and any possible drought.

Mayor Somjai said after the meeting, “I don’t think we will have a water shortage issue with the supply to 70 per cent of the area covered under our municipality because our system, such as the one [reserves] on Damrong Rd and in Samkong, are connected to each other and we can change where the water is released from and direct it to where water is needed the most.”

She continued, “The only location that worries me is the water reserve near Suan Luang Rama 9 which supplies water to Chao Fa East, Bangkok and Poonphol roads.

“This reserve is now quite dry and will give sufficient water supply for about one to two weeks, then it will probably be dried out,” she said.

“We are trying to find solutions to fix this issue such as adding more pipes and water into the reserve. We also will get some water from Bang

Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupapana. Photo: PR Dept Wad Dam, which will help some areas. But if necessary, we will decrease water pressure,” she added.

Mayor Somjai called on everybody to help preserve every drop of water during this hot season. “First, report any water leaks or pipe breakages to the necessary authority so they can fix it to eliminate unnecessary loss of water.

“Second, we must be ready to handle a water supply shortage, store extra water in containers just in case the city water supply to your area stops,” she said.

“If the amount of water held in the reserves does not increase, the city will reduce the pressure, and as a result some areas will have no water at all while others may have low pressure from 10am-4pm and 10pm-4am, until the situation returns to normal. thephuketnews

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PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Security beefed up

Airport ramps up patrols after Belgium attacks Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter2@classactmedia.co.th

Security at Phuket Airport remains at the highest level without closing the facility. Photo: Phuket International Airport The main terminal at the airport already has scanners in place at all entry doorways, Ms Monrudee added.

“We have more patrols throughout the terminal and outside, and security checks on vehicles were stepped up at 8pm last night,” she said.

More officers have been assigned to patrol the entrance and exit to the airport, and of-

ficers are conducting checks on vehicles entering the car park building, she added.

“Security patrols through the departure and arrival halls have been increased and the only vehicles allowed to approach the terminal are those picking up or dropping off passengers,” Ms Monrudee said.

“We have also increased

random checks on baggage passing through the airport, and we have the EOD (bombdisposal) team on 24-hour standby,” she added.

“We have not been informed of changes to any flights departing Phuket. At this stage, all flights inbound and outbound are expected to continue as scheduled,” she said.

“I do not believe that the incident in Brussels will directly affect Phuket. Regardless, if any persons see anything suspicious anywhere near the airport, please report it to the nearest airport staffer as soon as possible,” Ms Monrudee said.

Alternatively, people can inform airport security by calling 076-351 009, she added.

Frenchman stabbed to death in Patong streetfight A F R E NCH M A N WA S killed and one of his friends injured when they were involved in a fight with a Thai motorist who crashed his motorbike into them in the heart of Patong early Wednesday morning (Mar 23).

Lt Sineenart Cherdchootrakulthong from Kathu Police was called to investigate an incident in Soi Sansabai at 4:12am where it was reported a foreign man had been killed and two men had sustained injuries during a fight.

Upon arrival at the scene, Lt Sineenart and rescue workers found the body of a shirtless foreign man, soon identi-

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The plane was grounded until a bomb squad had searched the aircraft.

Plane halts as Russian reveals his flight fright

A

s Belgium police launch a manhunt for key suspects wanted for the terror attacks in Brussels that killed at least 35 people, Phuket International Airport Director Monrudee Gettuphan has reconfirmed the security status for Phuket’s sole flight portal.

No f lights in or out of Phuket have been affected in the outfall of the terror attacks in Belgium on Tuesday (Mar 22), while security at Phuket International Airport remains at “Level 3 Plus”, the highest level without closing the facility.

“At Security Level 4, the airport is closed,” Phuket International Airport Director Monrudee Gettuphan told The Phuket News.

“We have been at Security Level 3 Plus since the Erawan Shrine bombing. Regardless, we are looking at heightening security checks at the vehicle entrance to airport,” she added.

3

Rescue workers attened to one of the men at the scene. fied as Akim Boukheddouma, 24, lying on the road in front of the Orchid Resotel, there were two stab wounds on the man’s chest.

Lt Sineenart explained,

“We were told by the victim’s friend, a 23-year-old Moroccan man named Said Missoury, who also suffered a stab wound, that while he and his friend were walking

down the street to go back to their resort a Thai man, named as 33-year-old Somporn Kakkaew, drove his motorbike into them.

“The three got into an argument and a fight broke out.

Somporn pulled out a knife and stabbed Mr Missoury one time,” she said.

Mr Missoury told police that he ran inside the hotel and heard his friend calling for help.

“I turned around and saw him collapse in the road,” he said.

Lt Sineenart added, “Sompron was taken to Vachira Hospital where he was being

treated for a wrist injury. The deceased and Mr Missoury were also taken there.

“We did not find a knife at the scene, however, officers are looking at CCTV footage from the area,” she said.

The incident occurred near where two German tourists were wounded “accidentally” in 2013 as Australian tattoo parlour owner John Cohen shot at Danish national Dennis Knudsen over a B380,000 debt and a big bike that Knudsen had not returned.

Knudsen was arrested by police in Denmark in June 2014 for the murder of his Danish girlfriend there.

A RU S S I A N M A N whose complaint about feeling unsafe on a Nordwind Airlines PhuketMoscow flight led to the flight being aborted last Sunday (Mar 20) will not face any criminal charges.

Nordwind flight NWS 2478 was grounded at Phuket International Airport at around 10:35am by its captain, who radioed in for a full flight safety inspection after 25-year-old Alexander Nosov told cabin crew that he did not want to travel on the plane because he felt unsafe.

All the passengers were promptly escorted off the plane, which was taxied to a safe distance at the west end of the runway, where a bombinspection team moved into to remove and inspect all of the bags and cargo on the plane.

Mr Nosov will not face any charges because he did not say anything threatening the safety of the flight, said Col Somchai Sanprasert, chief of Tha Chatchai Police.

“In addition, airport officials did not file any complaint against him,” he said.

“He just did not want to be on that plane. I did not ask him the reason why,” Col Somchai added.

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PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM Phuket Seven Day Weather Forecast

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What does compulsory road insurance cover?

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QUESTION I recently went to the Phuket Land Transportation Office (PLTO) to renew the registration for my motorbike.

But when I went to pay, the bill included a fee for compulsory insurance. I was happy to pay this as I did not already have comprehensive insurance for my motorbike.

I am familiar with the compulsory third-party insurance in my home country, but what is the coverage provided by the compulsory car and motorbike insurance required by local transportation office to renew the registration of my motorbike and my car, which I will need to do later this year?

Anton, from St Petersburg ANSWER In 1992, the Thai government passed a law that required all vehicles in the Kingdom of Thailand to have insurance coverage that covers the medical expenses of road-accident victims.

From April 5, 1993, any vehicle owner found guilty

Minimum insurance coverage is compulsory, but which insurer to choose is in your hands. of operating a vehicle on a public road failing to have this insurance faces a fine of B10,000 to B50,000.

You can get compulsory insurance at the Land Transport Office when you come to renew your annual vehicle registration, or you can take out your own policy with a private company. BUT you must have the minimum insurance coverage before your vehicle will be registered – or the registration renewed – at the Land Transport Office.

When registering your car or motorbike, or renewing the registration, you can choose from several insurance companies that offer the compulsory insurance coverage.

Of these policies offered via the PLTO, the compulsory insurance for a motorbike can cost from B300 plus tax (about B323) up to B600 per year. For cars, the compulsory insurance available at the PLTO can cost up to about B900 per year.

The compulsory motor insurance for cars or motorbike covers only bodily injury of road-accident victims. Property damage is not covered.

But it covers all persons involved in an accident, including the driver and the passengers in the vehicle deemed at fault.

The basic coverage for medical expenses of no more than B30,000 per person and B35,000 per person for dis-

memberment. Victims can claim against this insurance immediately at the hospital.

There is no need to prove who is deemed responsible for the accident.

However, people who are deemed not at fault of the accident in which they were injured can claim up to B50,000 person, and in case of loss of life the next-of-kin may receive up to B200,000 per death.

These maximum compensation payments for people who are deemed not at fault in the accidents they were injured in may increase in April.

Saowanee Khewphadee, Chief, Compulsory Insurance Division, PLTO.

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Police have said the accident happened because of bad lighting in the area.

Police officer flips car after crashing into small bridge A PHUKET POLICE OFFIcer was hospitalised after a crash that saw him hit a small bridge in Rassada causing his car to flip last week.

Lt Chatree Waitrangsri of Phuket City Police was called at 4:30am on March 17 to investigate an incident where a car had crashed into a bridge and overturned on Lak Kongsi Rd. It was reported the driver of the vehicle had suffered only minor injuries.

Lt Chatree arrived at the scene with Kusoldharm rescue workers to find a Toyota Altis on its roof in the road.

The victim, Sen Sgt Maj Samreng Pipatworasakul, also from Phuket City Police, had suffered an injury to his nose and had already been taken to Phuket Provincial Hospital.

Lt Chatree said, “We believe that the officer was heading toward Thepkrasattri Rd when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the bridge. We think this happened because it was dark as there is not enough lighting in the area.

“However, the vehicle will be towed to our station and the officer will be questioned,” he added.

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Let the RV tourists roll on in, says Phuket poll IF PHUKET POLLSTERS have their way, recreational vehicle (RV) travellers will be allowed onto Phuket to enjoy the island as a tourist destination, despite concerns by officials that the vehicles and their occupants could cause a slew of problems for local residents.

A total of 70 per cent of respondents to the latest online poll by The Phuket News voted to allow RVs onto Phuket.

Specifically, 42% voted to “Allow RVs on Phuket, but regulate where they can go, tax them and make them

The Chinese RV tourists have Phuket's vote to tour the island. Photo: PR Dept stay in RV parks”.

A further 28% of the respondents taking part in the

poll voted to “Allow RVs to roam free across the island like other private vehicles.”

However, opposition to allowing RVs onto the island, although a clear minority, remained strong, with 30% of respondents voting to “Ban RVs entirely from Phuket.”

The issue made headlines last month, when officials found themselves stumped about what to do with an influx of Chinese travellers arriving on the island in RVs. The news sparked tense online debate about whether or not Phuket should welcome such travellers.

Officials noted that the vehicles, which are technically illegal in Thailand until

they are approved by the Land Transport Department, are being brought into the country through a customs loophole.

Other concerns highlighted by officials ranged from RV travellers parking up illegally, dumping waste and travelling “on the cheap” by avoiding hotel stays and shopping at 7-Eleven and similar stores.

For the full poll results about allowing RVs onto Phuket, visit ThePhuketNews. com and select”Poll” from the “News” menu.

The Phuket News thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Wastewater can wait

PHUKET NEWS

5

Surin Beach demolitions will do the trick, says V/Gov Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter2@classactmedia.co.th

T

he growing pool of black wastewater at Surin Beach can wait until the demolition of beachfront businesses have been carried out, Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Armornwat has told The Phuket News.

The pool of wastewater, exposed through a The Phuket News cover story in January has become even more concentrated during the heat wave and lack of rain in recent months.

Notices have been issued to owners to vacate the buildings along the Surin beachfront, V/Gov Chokdee confirmed.

“The demolitions will begin on April 20,” he said from the city of Boao, in China, where is attending the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2016, which will conclude today (Mar 25).

“Once these building have been demolished, this wastewater will not be an issue,” he added.

The demolitions have been a long time coming, with officials bestowing reprieve after

Officials believe nine people are responsible for setting up the businesses on Mai Khao Beach. Photo: PR Dept

Mai Khao encroachers to face axe in 15 days Demolishing the businesses will rid the beach of the black wastewater, says V/Gov Chokdee. reprieve while they sorted out formalities to ensure any action would be legal.

However, V/Gov Chokdee this week declined to identify which buildings will be demolished.

“All the illegal buildings along the beachfront will have to go,” is all he would say on the matter.

Popular Italian restaurant Cefalu has already closed its doors amid claims that pressure from officials to close and the clearing of beach chairs from the sands as having a devastating effect on trade at Surin Beach.

“In view of the controversial decisions taken by the

Phuket authorities to close down all businesses on Surin Beach, and furthermore forbidding chairs and umbrellas on the beach, the number of tourists has dramatically decreased in this last high season,” restaurant management said in announcing its closure.

V/Gov Chokdee laid the blame for the wastewater on the local municipality.

“I am worried about the polluted water on Surin Beach, but it is the local municipality’s direct responsibility to solve this problem,” he said.

“It’s simple logic to figure out where the wastewater is coming from. So let’s fix that

Acquitted of notorious pub brawl, policeman seeks ‘social justice’ A PHUKET POLICEMAN is seeking to clear his name after being acquitted of taking part in an late-night brawl at a Phuket Town pub in January 2012.

At 1pm last Saturday (Mar 19) Special Chief Petty Officer Sutthinun Khunyong of Tha Chatchai Police filed a complaint to the Phuket Provincial Court, asking for the court to investigate the investigating officer as well as another volunteer police officer involved in the 2012 case, whose names are being withheld by request of the court.

Off icer Sutthinun remarked, “As a result of this ordeal, my reputation was ruined. I initially lost my status as a government officer, I had to sell all my assets to fight this case for three years.”

Officer Sutthinun was acquitted of any wrongdoing at a hearing on August 26, 2015, the ruling of which was made official in writing on January 13 this year.

Officer Sutthinun, who worked for Phuket City Police at the time of the attack on January 4, 2012, reported that he was on duty in the Saphan Hin area nearby, when the @thephuketnews

attack took place at Ratchada Pub in Phuket’s Poon Phon night entertainment zone.

“When I was alerted by the pub owner… I reported to the scene and was out of uniform so I could observe the scene [inconspicuously] from the front. When someone ran out and yelled that there was an attack, I went in and tried to help the victim [Vorasit “Pla Wan” Issara], who was under the influence [of alcohol], but I ended up being accused as one of the attackers,” said Officer Sutthinun.

“I seek justice from the public for me and my family, because these past three years I’ve been wrongfully accused

Acquitted by court of any involvement in the Ratchada Pub brawl, Special Chief Petty Officer Sutthinun Khunyong of Tha Chatchai Police is seeking to clear his name. by the public, and so I’m here to bring my accusers to account,” he said.

Eakkapop Thongtub

part. No buildings, means no businesses and no polluted water,” he added.

After Surin Beach, illegal businesses at Lay Pang and Layan Beaches will be next, V/Gov Chokdee warned.

“This will start on April 27,” he said.

In related news, V/Gov Chokdee said that a committee had been formed to oversee the building of a museum at Surin Beach to praise HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

“We will meet about this at the end of this month. After a design has been agreed on, just having the plans drawn up will take three months at least,” he said.

SEVERAL SHOPS NEAR the Pru Jason Lake in Mai Khao Beach are to be demolished within 15 days for encroaching on public land.

Officials are investigating more cases of possible land encroachment in the area.

Prapan Kanprasang, Chief of the Damrongdhama Centre (Ombudsman’s Office) last Friday (Mar 18) led officials to investigate the site after the office received several complaints about businesses set up there.

The team arrived at the area with Navy officials and defence volunteers to find temporary structures set up on public land.

“We have been told there are nine people responsible for setting up these shops.

Thalang District Office and Mai Khao Administration Office (OrBorTor) will demolish the shops within 15 days,” said Mr Prapan.

“The village chief (Phu Yai Baan) for Mai Khao Moo 4 came forward and told us that he is the owner.

He said that he asked local officials if he could make use of the area and has paperwork to prove it,” he said.

“I told him he has three days to send a letter explaining the situation to the Thalang District Chief.

My team will investigae, and if there is no proof that these businesses are legal all shops will also be demolished within 15 days.”

The Phuket News

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PHUKET NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Rolling for safety

Motorcade escorts and VIPs get Bike Week priority Supatra Sutham translate@classactmedia.co.th

International DJ Howard Kaii played alongside greats such as Judge Jules, Pete Tong and Paul van Dyk. Photo: Haward Kaii / Facebook

International DJ dies in bike crash THE INTERNATIONAL DJ Howard Kaii of the Netherlands has been confirmed as the man who died in a motorcycle accident near Chalong Circle, in the south of Phuket, last week.

Mr Kaii, 45, was travelling towards Rawai, where he lived, when his motorbike and the motorbike ridden by a Thai man collided, spilling Mr Kaii onto Chao Fa West Rd and into the path of an oncoming bus at about 10:30pm on March 17.

Mr Kaii was well known for his talents as a DJ in a career spanning nearly three decades, during which he played alongside Ministry of Sound greats including Judge Jules and Pete Tong from the UK and Paul Van Dyk from Germany.

He was to launch his Summer Tour 2016 in Phuket. By May he was to perform in his home town of Eindhoven and again in Antwerp, Belgium.

From there, his tour was to take him to St Tropez in France, then Marbella and Ibiza, Spain.

“Howard was a highspirited, gregarious and positive individual who loved Thailand,” said friend Ana Jeffrey.

Lt Chollada Chokdeesrijan of the Chalong Police confirmed that police had yet to conclude their investigation into the accident.

Eakkapop Thongtub and JP Mestanza

nsuring road safety and that VIPs are treated appropriately will be top priorities for officials on the island during Phuket Bike Week 2016, with more than 10,000 motorcycles and over 50,000 visitors from 30 countries expected to take part in the annual event.

Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada gave the directive at a meeting at Provincial Hall last Friday (Mar 18).

“It is great to hear that many people will join the event. I hope all bikers have been warned of the conditions of our roads and the many road construction sites across the island. They need to know which roads they should use, and which ones they should avoid,” Gov Chamroen said.

“Every year, we focus on a road safety campaign again and tell people to keep their helmets on while on riding on Phuket roads.

“We want to push Phuket to be a top-quality tourist spot where everyone respects the law. I think that maybe it is time to take down all the old helmet-education campaign signs and make sure that police fine all people who break traffic laws,” he added.

Governor Chamroen also called on police to co-ordinate resources to ensure that motorcades of motorcycles arriving across Thao Thepkrasattri

E

Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada said ensuring Bike Week riders knew where they could safely ride was among the top priorities. Photo: Thanapong Khao-Amphaiphan Bridge are checked for security reasons, but cleared in an appropriate and timely manner.

“I ask the organisers to please advise all bikers to have their paperwork, such as vehicle registration and proof of insurance, ready when they arrive at the Tha Chatchai Checkpoint,” he said.

“They will be subject to routine searches, including drug checks, but we should have a support vehicle ready for them to lead the motorcade through town, maybe one vehicle in front and another at the back of the group.”

Regarding VIPs joining the motorcades onto the island, Gov Chamroen added, “I ask the Bike Week organisers to give a heads up to officials when the bikers will arrive on the island and to alert them of the VIP guests.

“I understand that sometimes we feel we did not get the service we deserve, especially when travelling to another country. I have experienced this myself sometimes here at the main checkpoint.

We must understand that officers at the checkpoint work on rotation. We see new faces all the time. Our officers must be notified when VIP guests are expected to arrive and briefed on who the VIPs are and where they are heading.

“Communication is the key to keep everything going smoothly. Officers at the checkpoint can inform Traffic Police where the group is going, what route they will take, and where they will be stopping. We must know all this so we can provide security and convenience,” Gov Chamroen said.

“Our majority of bikers will come from Singapore and Indonesia and we are expecting a lot of VIP guests, like last year,” said Wittaya Singkalah, Vice President of the Phuket Riders Club and one of the key organisers of the event.

“Last year our international bikers ran into some issues at Phu ket’s mai n checkpoint and they were not happy about how police conducted searches, so this year I want to get the message out to police to handle them kindly,” he noted.

Regarding the announcement by Land Transport chief Sanit Phromwong last week that his department will crack down on vehicles, including motorcycles, entering the country from the north, Tourism and Sports Phuket Office Director Santi Pawai said, “As

far as I understand, foreign bikers entering Thailand by motorcade for this event will have to clear immigration and customs as usual, but will not have any problems.

“Officials will meet again regarding this, but since this event is special and promotes tourism for the country, I don’t think it will be a problem.

“The new regulations will not be apply to vehicles entering Thailand from Laos, Malaysia and Singapore, with which Thailand has pacts on international car usage and most of the bikers attending the event come from these countries.” he added.

Mr Wittaya, who had just returned from promoting the event in Kuala Lumpur, said that he was told by officials that only motorhomes or recreational vehicles (RVs) were facing restrictions on entering the Kingdom (see page 4), but not motorcycles.

“I was not aware of this, I will check with them again just to be clear,” he told The Phuket News.

Phuket Bike Week, this year celebrating its 22nd edition under the theme “Asean Ride Together”, will be held in two parts: at Loma Park in Patong on April 8-10, and at the “Anuphas Courtyard” in Phuket Town on April 15-16.

This year’s edition is expected to generate B1 billion for the local economy.

Class Act Media is a proud sponsor of Phuket Bike Week.

Police chief levels warning for drink-driving over Songkran THE CHIEF OF THE PHUket Provincial Police, Col Teeraphol Thipjaroen, has warned motorists against drink-driving during the upcoming Thai New Year Songkran holidays.

“Phuket will continue with the campaign against drinkdriving as ordered by the NCPO (National Council for Peace and Order) to enable people to travel safely over Songkran,” he told The Phuket

News on Tuesday (Mar 22).

“Drunk drivers will be arrested and punished in accordance with the law” he added.

However, unlike as announced in the capital Bangkok (see page 10), police in Phuket will not be impounding cars for set periods under their own authority.

“We will carry out our normal procedure in cases of drunk driving here,” Col Teeraphol said.

An officer from the Thung Thong Police in Kathu conducts a roadside breath test for alcohol. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot “Drunk drivers will be arrested if their alcohol level is over the limit. We’ll temporarily seize their vehicles while they are taken to the station.

“But the court will decide how long their vehicles will be impounded and how long their driving licences will be suspended,” he added.

Police have yet to announce the annual Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign for this coming Songkran, which will be celebrated by Thais around the world from Wednesday, April 13 to Friday, April 15.

Last year, Phuket was one of four provinces in the country to record zero road fatalities during the Songkran Seven Days campaign.

The Phuket News

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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

PHUKET NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

7

Busan joins ‘smart city’, spurs B430m ICT budget Bangkok Post

The island where the incident happened is to the east of Koh Yao Yai. Image: Google Maps

P

huket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada and Suh Byung-soo, the Mayor of Busan, early this week signed a letter of intent for cooperation, covering knowledge and technology sharing, in the latest step forward in the government’s push to develop Phuket as a “smart city”.

The letter of intent, signed in Busan on Monday (Mar 21), South Korea, follows the Prince of Songkhla University and Busan University entering a partnership to exchange researchers to support start-up projects, said Information and Communication Technology Minister Uttama Savanayana.

In turn, the Thai government has announced that it will earmark B430 million from the 2016 fiscal budget to pursue its plan to develop Phuket as the first smart city in Thailand.

The fund will be used to finance several projects such as the building of an innovation park to facilitate start-up

Bird’s nest militia ‘usual’ on islands Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada (right) signed a letter of intent with the Mayor of Busan, South Korea, to develop knowledge and technology sharing. Photo: SIPA entrepreneurs as well as training courses as part of a digital entrepreneurship programme.

Phuket is now working on its innovation park, located at the Prince of Songkhla University, in collaboration with CAT Telecom, which will provide the internet infrastructure.

The term “smart city” refers to the use of digital technology to drive urban infrastructure and also promote the island city as a smart living community focusing on safety and security in both land and marine areas.

The Software Industry Promotion Agency will also facilitate matching between start-ups and investors. The government is banking on the project to promote international research grants to developers who will then create innovative products related to the smart city and subsequently match them with investors.

The minister said he expected to see digital investment from Busan investors aiming to capitalise on government incentives for the digital industry

Man stabbed to death over shoes POLICE ARE LOOKING for teenagers who allegedly ganged up on and stabbed to death a man from Phang Nga after one of them attempted to steal the victim’s shoes.

Phuket City Police were called to a home in Soi Koh Kaew 22 in Rassada at 6:15am on March 17.

The victim, Niwat Leenoi, 24, was taken to Vachira Hospital, but died while being treated in the emergency room.

“We were told that the victim was stabbed in his chest, under the armpit and in the head by a group of teenagers during a fight,” Col Suchart said.

“Residents told us that the victim caught one teenager trying to steal his shoes from in front of his house so he

Police arrived at the scene to find blood at the entrance to the victim’s home. @thephuketnews

punched him in the face. The teenager ran off and came back with his friends. They ganged up on the victim and stabbed him.

“At this time we are not sure how many suspects were

involved and whether all of them were carrying a weapon, but our team is investigating so they can find the suspects and bring them in for questioning,” he added.

Darawan Naknakhon

super cluster. Busan is South Korea’s second largest city.

Mr Uttama said Phuket was selected as the pioneer smart city because it is an international destination.

He said safety and security would be beefed up around Phuket with 200 CCTV cameras. The projects will be completed within a year while the government will work to make sure it has sufficient funds to finance tech start-ups that will assist the development of the smart city in three years.

A REPORT BY A LOCAL sailor threatened by a man brandishing an automatic rifle to keep away from Koh Ngang, east of Koh Yao Yai, has prompted only a warning by police for tourists to stay clear of bird-nest operations in Phang Nga Bay. “We were anchored 100m from shore when he brandished a gun. The chief of police from Koh Yao Yai said it was OK and did nothing.

We are anchored now 1km from shore hopefully out of range,” the sailor reported last Saturday (Mar 19).

Koh Yao Police Chief Col Jirasak Siamsak said, “I told the tourist, Mr Tom, that the island was a government concession area for bird nests and that the men in the area

were armed. I advised him, for his own safety, to stay far off or come back to moor at Koh Yao Yai.” Col Jirasak said that such operations were well known among local Thai boatmen, and they knew to keep well clear of islands where bird-nest operations were underway.

“The collectors have an exclusive government concession to collect nests in the area. Bird-nest collecting is a lucrative business and tightly controlled by armed men.

“The guards have permits to carry firearms to protect areas from poachers and they also protect the birds from other predators, such as snakes,” he added.

The Phuket News

Opinion 8

OPINION

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

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EDITORIAL

A trillion litres of ignorance

“D

rought-like conditions” are upon us yet again, and like clockwork around this time every year during the region’s hottest and driest period, queue in the headlines (see page 1) reminding all of the “dire situation”.

In the wake of the monthslong hiatus of sustained showers that we so heavily rely on to replenish our wells, water retention holes and reservoirs, supplies of the precious lifegiving resource are critically limited. So please everyone, conserve water – tis the same, simple message this year as last year, which will likely be echoed again come March and April, 2017.

Though Phuket is not yet among the handful of provinces that have officially been declared by the Royal Thai Government as drought-stricken, many residents across the island need no formalities to confirm that supply at their respective

homes and neighbourhoods is simply insufficient to sustain “usual” comfort.

Crying foul, some report of insufficient water pressure to afford a simple shower; others have shared smartphone pics of brown liquid spewing from their faucets. Indeed, the island’s open-sewer waterways are blackening, their stench growing stronger by the day as the province’s main wastewater treatment plants have been capped on the amount of flushing fluid allocated.

Luckily for Phuket’s tourism image, it is only some residential communities on the fringes who have had to “take one for the team” thus far. For we certainly couldn’t afford guests in any one of the island’s 90,000 accommodation options sharing negative water experiences once they leave paradise.

And we can only encourage the government to continue to crack down on illegal, and

unregistered businesses dodging the tax man. After all, it is these taxes that ultimately fund waterworks and other much-needed infrastructure development to keep up with Phuket’s rapid growth.

Meanwhile, for more than half of the year, this island is blessed with more water than we could ever need. According to statistics from the Thai Meteorological Department, Phuket’s average annual rain-fall (10-years: 2005-2014) stands at 2,357 millimetres.

And since each millimetre of rain can be converted to 1 litre of water per square metre of area, and Phuket spans 543 square kilometres, it can thus be extrapolated that well over a trillion litres of water falls from thin air onto Phuket annually.

And though a tiny bit of this is collected and stored for a dry day, most of it goes to waste. Happy harvesting come the May monsoons!

TOP 10 STORIES ON thephuketnews.com

1 2 3

International DJ confirmed as Phuket motorbike crash victim

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Kids don’t do education visa runs, says Phuket Immigration

Foreigner killed, hits oncoming Phuket tour bus in motorbike crash Nordwind plane full of passengers grounded for emergency inspection at Phuket airport after passenger expresses safety concern

Hotel room-rates slide as tourist arrivals surge Bulgarian man, 33, severely injured in superyacht anchor chain accident off Phuket Killer driver ‘breaching court order’ Phang Nga man stabbed to death after catching Phuket teen stealing his shoes Wrongly-accused cop in 2012 Phuket pub brawl with ‘hi-so’ victim seeks ‘social justice’ Phuket Opinion: Another day in paradise?

Visit thephuketnews.com for all the latest news

HAVE YOUR SAY No confidence in the 'fair society' claims Re: Killer driver ‘breaching court order’ Dear Prime Minister, do you believe justice is the place where everyone is equal? If so why has the Red Bull heir still not been charged 4 years after killing a cop despite admitting guilt. Then there is this disgusting hi-so girl and her family. If you want the rest of us with Thai families to believe in your fair society then these obvious miscarriages of justice must stop.

Benvenuto This irresponsible little t*rd should have all sentences and parole revoked, and be sent to prison for 5 years...no reductions...no nothing, just 5 miserable years. Despicable little wretch she is.

Richard Vickers

Calling for more training of drivers Re: Phuket Opinion: Another day in paradise?

I used to do regular Visa

Runs to Rangon. Eventually I chose to make alternative arrangements as the drivers didn't have the any concept of safe driving? It was ‘foot down’, both there & back regardless of road & weather conditions. It is time the drivers of mini buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles where properly trained and tested.

Equally important is regular testing of the maintenance and road-worthiness of PSVs, Passenger Service Vehicles, as well as HGVs Heavy Goods Vehicles.

Bjay

Not enough resources at Patong Hospital Re: Belgian man, 80, dies of heart attack at Patong Hospital Patong hospital is a government hospital. The nursing staff are fantastic, very much involved. The doctors, though not enough, are mostly young, and the hospital is understaffed, because as a government hospital it has a number of doctors according the of-

ficial figures of people living there. The reality is different, due to many unregistered Thais living in Phuket. And than we not yet count the tourists.The doctors received some financial government support for their studies, and after graduating they're obligated to work a number of (at least four) years in a government hospital, as Patong hospital is. They can handle broken body parts, fever, motorbike accident victims, things like that. With respect for skills of these young doctors, they are not yet fully equipped or experienced to handle heart operations. For that you have to be admitted in one of Phuket international hospitals, were there are specialist doctor.

People living on Phuket should be registered with at least one of these international hospitals, and carry their hospital ID with them. It can be life saving.

Kurt

From Kuwait with heart Re: Phuket FC open season

with scoreless draw C'mon Phuket FC, let's have an awesome season... show fight and heart every minute of every game and we will all be happy with you... can't see any live games here in Kuwait, but I am a true Mushy P! qw80 H Pea

Questioning the legality of Phuket's new party beaches Re: Illegal businesses on Phuket’s Mai Khao Beach to be demolished in 15 days I use this opportunity to highlight what, as a resident, I consider scandalous: the privates beaches where you cannot go at all unless you pay, beaches like all the small beaches south of Patong where you have to pay up to 500 baht (Paradise Beach and Nui beach) and even more. This did not exist few years ago.

Some beaches have now some construction which were not supposed to be allowed. I am wondering if all this business is legal? petermach

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

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

THAILAND NEWS

9

Fight for justice continues BANGKOK

A

mushroom-picker couple who spent 20 months in prison after being convicted for illegal logging visited the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) on Tuesday (Mar 22) to give further interview and evidence aimed at clarifying the false allegation against them.

It was the couple’s second visit to the CSD headquarters in less than a week after they had asked police to put their complaint on daily records that they had received threats from officials involved in the case and urged them to quickly bring the real loggers to justice.

Udom Sirisorn, 53, and his wife Daeng, 50, met with Pol Col Suwat Sangnoom, investigative chief of CSD’s sub-division 1. They were accompanied by rights activist Songkan Achariyasapm and Somchard Matthujad, member of the National Human Rights Commission’s subcommittee.

The couple were charged with illegal logging and were detained at Kalasin provincial prison on April 25, 2012 after forestry officials charged them

Udom Sirisorn, centre, and his wife Daeng, third left, at the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok last week. Photo: Wassayos Ngamkham with felling 700 trees over a 72-rai area of a protected forest during July 12-19, 2010.

Prior to the meeting, Mr Songkan said he had brought a key witness and would submit a satellite image that showed the area had no 700 felled trees as stated in the officials’ daily arrest report, along with findings from the Department of Investigation Department and other concerned agencies.

He would also submit documents from Kalasin hospital

that confirmed Udom had some skull fracture, hearing problems and muscle weakness in the legs resulting from two accidents in 2008 and 2011, not from illegal logging as alleged by the forestry officials.

Mr Songkan said national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda was interested in this case as it involved local influential figures and fabricating of false evidence. The CSD had been instructed to bring the real culprits to justice.

Pol chief wants ‘Red Bull’ case facts BANGKOK NAT IONA L P OL IC E chief Chakthip Chaijinda has ordered Thong Lor police to clarify why the handling of a speeding charge against the heir to the Red Bull energy drink empire was so slow that the statute of limitations on it expired.

Pol Gen Chakthip said the public has a right to know what was slowing the probe at the station, which was responsible for the hit-and-run case involving Vorayudh “Boss” Yoovidhya in 2012.

Mr Vorayudh faced three charges in connection with the fatal incident, in which Snr Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert, a Thong Lor station traffic officer, was killed. However, the speeding charge was dropped because the one-year statute of limitations expired.

The suspect is still wanted on two other charges – reckless driving causing death and failing to stop his car to help a victim, which have a statute of limitations of 15 years and five years respectively.

However, he has reportedly fled the country.

Gen Chakthip said he did not believe police investigators @thephuketnews

Police chief Chakthip Chaijinda claims he wants to know why officers took so long to investigate speeding charges against the Red Bull heir (inset). Photo: Bangkok Post deliberately dragged their feet over the case.

“There are steps involved when police work on a case. We have to find out which of these steps is causing the delay. If it gets stuck at the prosecution stage, it is [their responsibility]. If it gets bogged down at the police investigation stage, we need to speed things up,” he said.

Gen Chakthip said if police are found negligent they will face disciplinary action.

Initially, police investigators agreed to charge Mr Vorayudh with reckless driving causing death and failing to stop his car to help a victim.

However, the prosecution wanted to indict him with speeding as footage from security cameras suggested he

might have been driving at up to 170kph when the accident took place. The case was sent back to police to gather more evidence.

Mr Vorayudh contested the prosecution and asked that police question six witnesses.

The Office of AttorneyGeneral approved his request, which delayed the indictment by almost six months.

The prosecution planned to indict the suspect on Sept 2, 2013, one day after the statute of limitations on the speeding charge expired.

However, Mr Vorayudh failed to show up, and his lawyer, Thanit Buakhiew, claimed his client could not attend because he was in Singapore on a business trip and sick.

Bangkok Post

Mr Somchard, also a former senior forestry official, said the arrest records initially stated that a total of 52 rai of the reserved forest had been encroached and the figures were later changed to 72.

Udom and Daeng were arrested on July 12, 2010 but they were accused of committing the offence during July 12-19.

The couple also possessed only a motorcycle, with no knife or logging equipment, when they were apprehended.

“I’ve never seen a case like this in my entire career of 30 years. The facts were wrong from the bottom up, starting from the arrest report,” Mr Somchard said.

The husband and wife were arrested on July 12, 2010 after they rode their motorcycle to Dong Ranang National Park to collect wild mushrooms.

In the same area, authorities were moving in on a group of illegal loggers, who got away. Udom and Daeng also

fled in fear upon learning of the raid, leaving behind their motorcycle.

Officials found the bike and traced it back to the couple, who were apprehended soon after on charges of illegal logging.

Mr Songkan said they confessed to the charges because they thought they were admitting to illegally foraging for mushrooms on a forest reserve, not to illegal logging.

The Criminal Court sentenced them to 30 years in jail, halving the terms when they confessed. The Appeal Court upheld the ruling.

The couple were released on bail after the Supreme Court accepted Mr Songkan’s petition to re-investigate the case.

The case has drawn much interest as the public are questioning double standards and unfair treatment in law enforcement and the justice system. It comes in stark contrast with other cases in which wealthy or influential people are alleged offenders, including those involving young and reckless drivers from rich families who killed other people on the roads.

Bangkok Post

10 THAILAND NEWS

SCB head office executives last week called in monks to sprinkle holy water on staff and raise morale after the pyrogen gas disaster. Photo: SCB Public Relations

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Strict ‘no drink-driving’ campaign for Songkran NATIONWIDE

Another warrant in A SCB gas leak case BANGKOK

THE CRIMINAL COURT approved an arrest warrant on Monday (Mar 21) for another suspect involved in the deadly chemical leak that killed eight people at Siam Commercial Bank’s (SCB) head office.

The warrant was issued at the request of Phahon Yothin police for Boonserm Krajard, 35, an engineer at Abit Multisystem Co, on a charge of carelessness causing deaths and injuries.

The company is one of the firms subcontracted by the main contractor Mega Planet Co, to upgrade the fire extinguishing system at the SCB Park on March 13.

Mr Boonserm voluntarily came to the Phahon Yothin police station on Monday evening to acknowledge the charge. He denied the allegation during the inquiry which was said to

have lasted about two hours.

The engineer admitted that he supervised workers of Abit Multisystem to install pipes for the building’s fire protection system but left at 4pm before the accident took place.

Police allowed him bail for B200,000.

Pol Maj Gen Charoen Srisasalak, chief of Metropolitan Police Division 2, who questioned Mr Boonserm, said the Phetchabun native was wanted because he had neglected his duty and had not provided sufficient training and knowledge to his subordinates before taking them to work.

Pol Maj Gen Charoen said the suspect’s bail request was approved because he had been cooperating with police since the early days after the incident.

Earlier, police arrested seven people in the case, all of whom reported themselves and have been prosecuted.

Bangkok Post

strict “No drink driving” campaign will be enforced over the Songkran Festival holiday, including temporary seizure of the vehicles and licences of drunk drivers, National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) deputy spokeswoman Col Sirichan Ngathong announced on Monday (Mar 21).

Col Sirichan said the decision to revive the harsh road safety measures used during the New Year holiday was made at Sunday’s (Mar 20) meeting of the NCPO chaired by army chief Gen Theerachai Nakwanich, the NCPO secretary-general, at army headquarters.

She said the aim was to make it safer for people travelling to their home province during celebration next month, and reduce the usual road carnage during the annual water splashing festival.

“Gen Theerachai ordered all agencies to continue with the campaign against drinkdriving under an NCPO order, so people can travel safely over Songkran,” Col Sirichan said.

The order, issued under

Police man a road safety checkpoint during the last New Year holiday, strictly enforcing road safety and “No drink driving” laws. Photo: The Phuket News file photo Section 44 of the interim constitution in December last year, was initially intended for use during the 2015-2016 New Year Festival.

It empowers authorities to seize the licences of drunkdrivers for up to 30 days and impound their vehicles for a minimum of seven days.

Drunk drivers may also be arrested and detained, then sent to attend a behavioural adjustment programme for a maximum of 15 days.

The NCPO ag reed at Sunday’s meeting the same

safety campaign should be implemented for the coming Songkran Festival longweekend holiday. Songkran is officially Wednesday April 13 to Friday April 15.

Soldiers, police and administrative officials will again set up checkpoints to search for illegal items, direct traffic, provide rest areas, provide needed first aid and make sure all motorists obey road safety rules.

During the New Year campaign, from Dec 29, 2015 to Jan 4, 2016, a total of 4,672

vehicles, most of them motorcycles, were temporarily impounded from drunk drivers.

There were a total of 3,379 traffic accidents during that period.

In all, 380 deaths were recorded during the New Year holiday period, with 3,505 people injured.

During the last year’s Songkran holiday, a total of 364 people were killed and 3,559 injured in 3,373 road accidents nationwide, according to the Interior Ministry.

Bangkok Post

Mercedes crash meds ‘belong to Janepob’ BANGKOK POLICE CONFIRMED on Tuesday (Mar 22) that medication found in the MercedesBenz involved in the March 13 high-speed crash in Ayutthaya that killed two post-graduate students belong to the driver, Janepob Veeraporn, 37, who was also confirmed to have a history of depression.

National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda, however, insisted police were not concerned the suspect would claim his mental state as a reason to fight criminal proceedings.

The d r iver has been

charged with drink-driving causing death, driving while unfit, and reckless driving causing death and property damage.

Doctors at Somdet Chaopraya Institute of Psychiatry responded to an inquiry by police investigators saying the medications were stimulants normally prescribed to people with psychological conditions, said Pol Gen Chakthip.

Doctors also confirmed Janepob had been receiving treatment for depression, he said.

Despite speculation on social media that the driver was driving at a speed of around 250kph when he crashed into

the back of a Ford Fiesta, killing the victims, police have yet to verify the actual speed of the Mercedes at that particular moment, said Pol Col Natthaphol Samsen, deputy chief of Scientific Crime Detection Centre 1.

Ayutthaya police chief Sutthi Phuangphikul said Mercedes-Benz Thailand Co on Tuesday began to inspect the engine control unit of the Mercedes to determine its speed at the time of the collision.

Investigators have questioned about 15 witnesses, including eyewitnesses travelling in a car whose front camera captured the crash

and who had posted the video clip of the incident on social media, said Pol Maj Gen Sutthi.

Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, meanwhile, said he had instructed the Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) to formally lodge a complaint with police over a related incident in which Janepob was caught on a security camera driving through an automatic Easy Pass gate at the Rama IV entrance while the automatic barrier arm was still in its down position.

Witnesses say the vehicle crashed through the barrier before hitting the Ford.

The Mercedes-Benz driven by Janepob Veeraporn, 37, turned upside-down in the Ayutthaya crash that killed two students. Photo: Bangkok Post file photo Exat said it was demanding the owner of the Easy Pass device attached to the Mercedes that Janepob was driving pay the B50 express-

way fee which the automatic system failed to automatically charge because the car was travelling too fast.

Bangkok Post

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

ASIA NEWS 11

Matches made in heaven MALAYSIA

L

ooking out nervously from her pink headscarf, Malaysian single Siti Aisha chats with a man she has never met, but who could become her husband following their Islamic speeddating session.

The pair talk shyly for a few minutes under the watchful eyes of Siti’s parents until a bell prompts the dozens of male participants to shift to a new table and a new prospective wife.

The Malaysian concept, staged in a Kuala Lumpur restaurant, is a new twist on Islam’s practice of heavily chaperoned match-making, but aimed at modern singles for whom time is of the essence.

Ms Siti, a 29-year-old graphic designer, has not been in a relationship since her university days.

“I’m here to find someone for marriage because I’m too busy to meet anyone and I spend all my free time with my family,” she said during a break, as her parents eagerly compared notes on the male prospects.

Organisers said more than 2,000 people had applied to

A Muslim couple hold hands as they walk in a park in Kuala Lumpur.

Photo: Mohd Rasfan/AFP take part in the recent session, the second staged so far by “Halal Speed Dating”, which uses the term denoting practices that comply with Islamic rules.

Suitable matches don’t wed immediately.

But unlike Western-style speed dating, which is geared toward matching up people for later dates and courtship on their own, couples in the Islamic version are expected to seek marriage soon after both sides agree, including the parents.

Muslim-majority Malaysia

has long practised a moderate form of Islam. But conservative attitudes are rising, and the speed-dating sessions have been embraced as an alternative to online match-making sites or apps that many Malaysian Muslims view as geared more for Western-style casual flings.

As an added incentive, Malaysian Muslims also face possible fines and jail terms for committing “khalwat”, the Islamic crime of being alone with someone of the opposite sex other than a spouse or close relative.

“A true gentleman would

Clearing wild animals from Sri Lanka’s Mattala airport

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@thephuketnews

dents involving deer or cattle at Mattala, but the first flight to land there was struck by a bird, shattering its wind shield.

AFP

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SRI LANKA THIS WEEK has deployed troops with firecrackers to clear deer and wild buffalo from a sprawling airport, drawing attention to a largely redundant vanity project built by a former president.

Mattala airport, which services just one flight a day, was built in the home district of former strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse, 250 kilometres by road from the capital Colombo, at a cost of $210 million (B8.72 billion).

T h is week some 350 troops, police and volunteers spent a day driving out about 150 deer and 50 buffaloes that had become trapped by an electric fence set up to prevent wild elephants straying into the facility.

An airport official involved in the operation said animals regularly got in the way of flights at the site, which lies in the middle of two wildlife sanctuaries and on an avian migratory path.

“We used fire crackers to scare the animals and push them out of the perimeter, but

it was not very successful,” he said on condition of anonymity, adding that a bigger operation was planned shortly.

There have been no acci-

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The Australian Honorary Consul, Koh Samui

Office : 076 311 379 Eng : 087 061 7631 Thai : 081 539 2031

seek permission from the woman’s father first,” said Zuhri Yuhyi, co-founder of Halal Speed Dating.

“That has been the way for thousands of years and it’s only in the last two or three generations that we have lost this beauty. But we hope to bring it back.”

Mr Zuhri and his wife met at an unrelated match-making event in 2012 and now have a baby boy. But he wanted to create something more in line with Islamic principles.

Promising an Islamic courtship in a “dignified manner,”

Halal Speed Dating requires that women be chaperoned and that all participants ultimately plan to wed.

The weekend round followed an initial instalment in May that Ms Zuhri said resulted in 14 matches that he hopes will soon end in matrimony.

Though 2,000 people applied for the latest session, capacity constraints meant only around 50 could take part, but Mr Zuhri hopes to stage a bigger event soon, with up to 500 couples.

D u r i ng the sessions, Muslim Malay men in Western clothing banter with the women, most of them dressed in conservative Islamic longsleeved blouses, long flowing skirts and headscarves.

Use of personal names is taboo, and participants have numbers pinned to their shirts.

A few participants scribbled notes as they chatted.

Cupid’s work is interrupted every five minutes when Mr Zuhri jingles a hand-held bell to signal it is time for the men to switch tables.

“All right, time to move on everybody. Let’s move it, move it!” he said cheerily into a microphone.

Afterward, organisers no-

tify the women of any interested suitors.

“So far it’s been good,” said one young woman chaperoned by her brother but who, like most participants, declined to give her name.

“I think maybe there’s one or two potentials, but even if it doesn’t work out I get to meet new people,” she said.

Several women said the difficulty finding romance by traditional match-making agencies, websites, or just by chance, had spurred them to take part.

“I have used apps to try and meet Muslim men. But the selection is not varied enough,” she said.

Mr Zuhri warned that popular Western-based websites such as Tinder “can lead to social ills like premarital sex, abandoned babies and extramarital affairs.”

Ms Siti’s father Jamali Kamarudin said they had tried other methods including match-making through friends but “it didn’t work out very well.”

“This is very new and it’s our first time, but hopefully it works out. We should keep an open mind,” he said.

AFP

12 WORLD NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Empowering Jordan’s women Black belt self-defence classes lead her to White House JORDAN

T

aekwondo black belt Lina Khalifeh started teaching self-defence to Jordanian friends in her parents’ basement in 2010 after one of them confided that her father and brother hit her – never expecting it would lead to an invitation to the White House.

Word about her classes quickly spread and two years later, overwhelmed by the demand, Khalifeh opened the country’s first women-only martial arts centre.

At the facility in north Amman, her young students throw fast punches, closely following instructions from their short-haired, 31-year-old coach.

“My aim is to empower women and to make them confident and able to defend themselves,” said the taekwondo athlete who won a gold medal at the 2003 Junior Asian Championships.

“Sexual harassment happens worldwide. It’s not as bad in Jordan as in Egypt for example, but it does exist – especially on public transport and in some neighbourhoods of Amman.”

Since starting SheFighter, Khalifeh says she has trained some 14,000 women and girls aged between four and 75 – including thousands of Syrian refugees and foreign domestic workers through NGOs. In May last year, she was invited to the White House in Washington as one of several inspiring young entrepreneurs from around the world.

“We want to empower leaders of social change like Lina Khalifeh of Jordan,” US President Barack Obama said in his speech, singling her out.

“Women have to be able to defend themselves” since Jordanian law does not provide women with enough protection from harassment, rape or domestic violence, she said.

Over the past few years, rights groups have increas-

ingly denounced violence against women in Jordan and demanded legal amendments to better protect its victims.

The country’s penal code allows a rapist to avoid prison if he marries his victim.

And while murder is punishable by the death penalty, in so-called “honour killings” – the murder of a female relative believed to have “dishonoured” the family – courts usually commute or reduce sentences.

Khalifeh said that some people in the conservative kingdom had opposed her project, but that overall she had received “quite a lot of support”.

“Some women who have signed up for classes at the centre have been the victims of violence, harassment – even rape,” she said.

One of her st udents, 18-year-old Farah Murad, said she joined the classes after a young man harassed her in the street.

“It happened in broad daylight,” she said. “I was walking

Jordanian taekwondo black belt Lina Khalifeh (right) teaches a self-defence class in the Jordanian capital Amman. Photo: Khalil Mazaraawi / AFP down the street when this guy caught me by the shoulder. I pushed him back but then I didn’t know what to do, so I ran all the way home.”

But classes at SheFighter have helped.

“I’m no longer scared,” Murad said. “Now I walk in the street with my head held high. I know how to defend myself,” she added.

In two- to three-month courses for four levels, Khalifeh teaches a mixture of taekwondo and boxing, as well as self-defence tricks like how to escape a strangling hold or hair grab.

Taekwondo, originally developed in Korea more than 2,000 years ago as a form of self-defence, involves using bare hands and feet to repel an

opponent, often with trademark spectacular kicks.

Lujein Darwish, 16, said she fended off a harasser using skills she learnt over six months at the martial arts centre.

“Women need to be strong to defend themselves in these situations, especially when they’re alone in the street,” she said.

AFP

Offering a new take on Chinese instruments UNITED STATES

Pipa player Jiaju Shen (left), composer and pianist Li Zong (centre) and huqin player Feifei Yang pose for a picture before a performance in New York. Photo: AFP

IF JAZZ IS ABOUT FREEflowing expression, do the instruments have to be Western?

In a cross-cultural experiment, a group of young Chinese musicians based in New York is testing the possibilities of fusion by bringing jazz and other Western forms to performances on traditional instruments.

With a concert at Carnegie Hall timed for the Chinese New Year, the artists delved into quintessentially Chinese subject matter but through a markedly modern lens.

On “Vermilion Bird”, a composition named for the

creature of Chinese mythology that represents fire, composer Li Zong offered jazzy progressions building into fierce glissandi.

Feifei Yang added a more Chinese touch on the huqin, the two-stringed bowed fiddle, while also complementing the jazz feel by playing pizzicato.

The music turned bleaker on “1966”, also composed by Zong, a reference to the start of the Cultural Revolution.

With Zong on piano and Jiaju Shen on the pipa, a plucked lute, “1966” opens minimally but advances with a sense of dread.

Incorporating a musical allusion to a tune from the era, “1966” crescendos into

violent territory as Shen hits the body of the pipa.

Zong, a 27-year-old graduate of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, said he was driven to write “1966” after moving to New York and learning about the brutality of the Cultural Revolution, the bloody 10-year campaign

by Mao Zedong to transform China from its roots.

“I was shocked when I first saw the images and videos, so I wanted to express that feeling to the audience,” he said.

“Most of the audience my age didn’t see these images and videos. We hardly get this information in detail. So I hope the music can express

that emotion and that mood,” he said.

Fusion is hardly rare for jazz, with legendary saxophonist John Coltrane experimenting with Indian ragas.

For the Carnegie Hall show, the artists played different genres while building off Chinese musical scales.

Other compositions incorporated the yangqin, a form of dulcimer, and guzheng, which is a zither, as well as an array of Western instruments and the human voice.

Zong again showed the influence of jazz on “Potalaka”, a reference to the mountain protected by the Buddha, as Yang and Shen jammed on huqin and pipa, alternating between senses of darkness and light.

Yang, who was also the artistic director of the concert, said that the music reflected the dual education of Chinese artists living in the cultural melting pot of New York.

“We thought, why don’t we do something fusion, to let Westerners understand more about Chinese instruments.

Then they might become interested in the culture and traditional stuff instead of us just saying that we will never change,” she said.

‘Now is the time for Chinese instruments to get out of their comfort zone,” she said.

AFP thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

BUSINESS NEWS 13

Get personal, hotels warned TOURISM The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

A

s the International Hotel Investment Forum in Berlin (IHIF) took place last week, Grant Thornton’s latest report indicates an urgent need for hotels to leverage cuttingedge technology in order to personalise the customer experience, but always in balance with the traditional human touch.

While high-profile disruptor Airbnb expects to break the US$1 billion (B34.95 billion) profit mark in 2016, Grant Thornton warns that firms who fail to act on personalisation enabled through technology risk being cut adrift and growth could suffer as a result.

The new report from Grant Thornton, “The power of personal: Hotels’ roadmap to 2020”, highlights a number of key pressures facing hotels today including the growth of sharing economy providers, the increasing influence

Providing guests that special touch improves the bottom line. Image: Grant Thornton of online travel agents in the booking process, and the rapidly evolving needs and expectations of guests.

The report argues that mastering “Big Data” and harnessing its potential in order to provide the personalisation that guests will expect and demand is fundamental to addressing these challenges.

Despite this, separate research

from Grant Thornton’s International Business Report finds that only 10 per cent of tourism companies globally plan to increase R&D expenditure in 2016.

“Technology is a major driver in our hotel industry today,” explained Tom Sorensen, Partner and hospitality and tourism leader of Grant Thornton in Thailand.

“In particular, the Internet of Things and Big Data helps us to accurately understand and predict guests’ behaviour.

Too many hoteliers are yet to fully embrace Big Data.

“Without analytics technology and sufficiently trained staff to make sense of the noise, they can’t plot how to enrich guest experiences from pre-arrival to post-departure.

“At the same time, the new tools that allow for more targeted services risk diverting attention from the very skill on which the hotel industry was built – human interaction.”

“With disruptors threatening the very fabric of the sector, these are crucial months and years ahead for hotel brands. Greater investment in technology and in training staff must be a priority if they are to keep pace.”

Grant Thornton’s report provides examples of hotel brands already making innovative use of data to personalise the experiences their guests receive. They include Starwood Hotels, where guests can bypass check-in and unlock their rooms with their smartphones; and the Bratislava Sheraton’s use of guests’ social media “Likes” to present tailored gifts upon check-in.

The report offers seven areas where hotels can deploy technological and human innovations to improve the customer experience. They include understanding that the guest journey begins long before they arrive in reception, and using ad-content algorithms

to show customised offers to customers based on searches.

At the hotel, technology can be developed to let customers check in, control their room temperature and even customise the room layout. And once guests leave, recording individual preferences can ensure a smoother and more enjoyable repeat experience.

“Technology is reshaping the world we live in and the hotel industry is not – and should not – be immune to that,” Mr Sorensen noted.

“But hotel brands must ensure that if they invest in better data management technology, they can measure its impact on guest satisfaction…

Or, that they are getting the balance right between data harvesting and respecting customer privacy. To do this, hiring new staff or retaining existing employees with the right skills will be critical.”

“The most innovative hotels are already responding to these challenges. Those brands that are slowest to react to the demand for greater innovation will increasingly find themselves cut adrift,” he warned.

Starwood swings back to Marriott in bid battle HOSPITALITY

Hilton Worldwide has made Fortune’s 100 list of ‘great employers’.

Hilton makes Fortune

FOR THE FIRST TIME, Hilton Worldwide has been selected as one of the 2016 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, by global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and Fortune Magazine.

“Our Team Members are the heart and soul of our business,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president & CEO of Hilton Worldwide.

“We succeed when they succeed. Respecting, recognising and rewarding them creates an environment where – together – we have created the world’s best hospitality company.”

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

MAR RIOTT INTERNAtional on Monday (Mar 21) made a roaring comeback in its battle to build the world’s biggest hotel group, winning Starwood Hotels’ green light for an improved bid and pushing Chinese rival Anbang to the sidelines.

Only days after Starwood dumped Marriott as a merger partner in favour of an Anbangled consortium, Starwood’s board endorsed a higher Marriott offer, both hotel companies said in a joint statement.

Starwood’s board decided that the revised terms “constitute a superior proposal” to the Anbang bid.

The revised Marriott cash-

Marriott raised its bid for Starwood Hotel. Photo: AFP and-stock bid values Starwood at US$13.6 billion (B475,35 billion), compared to US$13.2 billion (B461.373 billion) in Anbang’s latest bid.

Marriott is offering 0.8 per cent of its stock for each Starwood share plus US$21 (B734) in cash per share.

“The companies have

signed an amendment to their definitive merger agreement that creates the world’s largest hotel company,” they said.

Only on Friday (Mar 18),

Starwood had announced that it favoured the Anbang-led bid over an earlier deal with Marriott.

But on Monday, the joint statement said that Marriott’s revised bid “offers superior value for Starwood’s shareholders, the ability to close quickly, and provides value creation potential that will allow both sets of shareholders to benefit from improved financial performance”.

China’s Anbang Insurance is on a shopping spree in the US hotel sector which includes the Starwood bid, but also the US$6.5 billion (B227.19 billion)

purchase of 16 luxury properties from Blackstone.

Starwood, the owner of the Westin and W brands among others, has some 1,270 properties in 100 countries.

Marriott has more than 4,400 properties in 87 countries and territories, with a portfolio of brands including The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott and Gaylord Hotels.

Marriott and Starwood said they had already cleared major regulatory hurdles for the deal, but also still require approval from both hotel chains’ shareholders.

AFP

14 BUSINESS NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Tax break to boost Songkran LEISURE Bangkok Post editor@classactmedia.co.th

o heat up local dining and travel during the sweltering Thai New Year season, the government plans to roll out a new tax incentive scheme aimed at sparking a Songkran spending spree amid the languid economic recovery.

The tax measure is intended to entice people to spend the long public holiday – and baht – at home rather than travelling abroad, Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong said.

Like last December’s temporary shopping tax relief, to take advantage of the scheme, people have to dine at or otherwise shell out at, restaurants, hotels and travel-related companies which can issue tax invoices allowing them to deduct a certain amount from taxable income, said Mr Apisak, without elaborating further.

The measure will be forwarded for the Cabinet’s approval in the coming weeks.

The government late last

T

Revellers celebrate Songkran in Phuket. Travel deals to domestic tourist destinations throughout the country offer holiday-makers tax refunds as well. Photo: Suthicha Sirirat year launched a special tax break allowing individuals to deduct up to B15,000 on purchases made during the year-end festive season to spur holiday spending. Taxpayers capitalising on the break raked in B4 billion in deductions.

Though the scheme resulted in some state revenue losses, it helped stimulate domestic consumption, with the Revenue Department receiving more in value-added

tax (VAT).

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yutthasak Supasorn said the latest tax break would help boost spending and drive domestic tourism during the Songkran festival.

He would like to see similar schemes implemented during the low tourist season to boost travel.

Those in the private sector have also shown their support

for the measure.

Paisarn Aowsathaporn, executive vice-president for food at Oishi Group Plc, said the government was on the right track to stimulate consumption. “We will increase our food stock by 30% during the Songkran festival and increase store management efficiency,” he said.

Surapong Techaruvichit, president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), has rec-

ommended that the government publicise the tax measure so that people understand and capitalise on it.

Apart from the year-end shopping tax incentive, the Revenue Department had also sought to boost consumption last year with a B15,000 travel tax break. The scheme has been extended for another two years.

The measures are aimed at the lower and middle classes, whose spending has not grown over the past five to six months due to economic sluggishness.

In another development, Mr Apisak said the Fiscal Policy Office might need to revise its economic growth forecast to 3.7% this year with the slow global economic recovery, as evidenced by the 11% and 25% contractions of China’s shipments in January and February, respectively.

T h e 3.7 % e c o n o m i c growth estimate is based on a 0.1% export expansion rate. Mr Apisak is confident, however, that Thai economic growth this year will exceed 3%, compared with last years’ growth-rate of 2.8%.

The Bank of Thailand is

set to revise the country’s economic growth projection this year due to heightening downside risks. The new figure will be released at the end of the month.

The central bank in December cut 2016 growth projection to 3.5% from 3.7% due to a regional economic slowdown, adverse effects from geopolitical conflicts affecting both global demand and tourist confidence and the worse-than-expected local drought, which is taking a toll on agricultural and industrial production.

Mr Apisak said the government had introduced both short and long-term measures to ward off the greater risks of the global slowdown. The long-term measures include big-ticket infrastructure investments – a set of investment promotion packages and tax incentives for 10 targeted industries – which are expected to be drivers for the country’s S-curve economy.

“The economic foundation this government lays down under the new S-curve model will push Thai economic growth to 4-5% in the next 3-4 years,” he said.

Passenger traffic sky high: AoT TOURISM THAILAND’S SIX MAIN airports kicked off the New Year with passenger traffic continuing on an upward trajectory of robust growth.

Combined passenger traffic surged 14.7 per cent in January year on year to 10.9 million, while aircraft movements soared 10.1% to 67,690, according to Airport of Thailand Plc (AoT) statistics.

The record passenger numbers in January show that the growth trend from last year has continued into 2016.

The figures further indicate that AoT-operated airports, including the gateway Suvarnabhumi and low-cost carrier hub Don Mueang, are on course to surpass the conservative 120-million-passenger mark projected for this year.

Last year, those airports together handled 110 million passengers (up 21.3% year on year) and 727,750 aircraft movements in terms of takeoffs and landings (up 16.6% year on year).

Budget airlines continue to be a major driver for total traffic growth in January, with related passenger numbers surging 24.3% to 4.62 million.

While airport passenger traffic rises, the TAT earlier this month pushed for quality tourism at ITB Berlin. Photo: TAT Budget carriers’ aircraft movements increased 13.2% in January to 29,405, representing 43.4% of total take-offs and landings.

Don Mueang recorded the highest overall passenger traffic growth rate in January, seeing a 28.6% surge to 2.99 million.

Phuket ranked second with an 18.1% increase to 1.42 million, followed by Chiang Mai, up 15.7% to 888,827, Chiang Rai, 15.4% (187,727), Suvarnabhumi, 7.34% (5.11 million) and Hat Yai, 6.67% (305,581).

Overall international passenger traffic rose 13.8% to 6.22 million in January while domestic traffic grew 15.9% to 4.69 million.

Speaking at ITB Berlin

earlier this month, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said, “Thailand’s focus now is on enhancing the image of Thailand to be a ‘Quality Leisure Destination through Thainess’.

At the same time, we need to ensure a balance between tourism growth and its social and environmental impact.”

Reviewing the country’ tourism performance in 2015, Thailand received 35.2 billion euros in tourism-related revenue from all international market a growth of 23% over 2014. Visits reached 29.8 million, up 20% over 2014.

In 2015, European visitor arrivals totalled 5.6 million generating 10.3 billion euros in revenue.

Bangkok Post / TAT thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Deck the halls with bars of chocolate

18

Ranel gets ready for Intl Jazz Day show

21

PIZZA PERFETTA!

Chalong’s new Italian joint, pizza champ ready to serve up some fine favourites > Page 19

Chef Danilo, a former pizza champion doing what he does best, pizza acrobatics. Photo: JP Mestenza

@thephuketnews

16 COMMUNITY

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Empowering the island’s future

T

The Phuket International Women’s Club was founded in 1989 by a small group of women to foster friendship.

Since then it has morphed into a much bigger entity where members get together to meet other women and also to raise funds for scholarships. The club currently has 125 members from 27 different countries.

For enquiries on how to join or our activities please visit our website www. piwc-phuket.com

he third Thursday of March each year is always important for the Phuket International Women’s Club because it is when the club has its Annual General Meeting to review the achievements of the previous year and also to begin planning for the year ahead.

This year over 30 members came to the meeting on March 17 and over 50 members attended the lunch that followed. Le Meridian Phuket Beach Resort hosted both events and did a wonderful job.

A new committee was elected comprising Lyn Carthew (president), Maggy Wigman (vice-president and head of social events and fundraising), Marianne Zaffaroni (vice-president and secretary), Wipa Tanmanaragul and Jureewan Smulders-Wongprom (scholarships), Sue Arnulphy (treasurer), Dianne Buerger (membership), Carole Dux, Valerie Dobson, Nittaya Darroch, Erna Pieterse, Athena Cant and Marion Tideman (general committee).

The club has a lot to be proud of.

Substantial funds were raised last year to enable the club to continue to sponsor students through their education. The club has now provided finances for over 1,000 Thai children, whose families have limited means, to be educated.

This year the members will continue to raise money and have fun at the same time. The next fundraiser,

FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH: The new PIWC committee, from left to right, includes: Marion Tideman, Jureewan Smulders-Wongprom, Sue Arnulphy, Carole Dux, Lyn Carthew, Marianne Zaffaroni, Maggy Wigman, Nittaya Darroch, Dianne Buerger, Erna Pieterse, Valerie Dobson.

“Treasures and Treats” is to be held at Lady Pie’s premises in Cherng Talay on Saturday April 23 between 11am and 2pm. Circle the date in your calendar! It will be a jumble sale of used quality items and also baked goods.

Any donations to this sale will be greatly appreciated. Used quality clothing and other goods can be

dropped off at Lady Pie’s premises from the April 16 onwards, and the baked goods should be dropped off from 9am on April 23. All funds from the sale of these items will go to the scholarship fund. Valerie will be taking calls if anyone has any queries or questions. She can be reached on 084 1892281.

Hard Rock Patong sponsors Phuket Bike Week

H

ard Rock Café Phuket (HRCP) is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Phuket Bike Week 2016, with the iconic Patong restaurant planning to launch a special menu and merchandise and clothing line to mark the occasion.

This year’s Phuket Bike Week represents the 22nd edition of the annual event, and is expected to attract some 10,000 motorcycles and over 50,000

visitors from 30 countries. (See story on page 6 for more details about this year’s event.)

“We’re pleased to partner and collaborate with the worldfamous Hard Rock brand this year, as it will definitely help us spread the buzz worldwide, and help to attract more international customers,” exclaimed Wittaya “Sumon” Singkalah, Managing Director of West Coast – Ride Thailand, Vice President of the Phuket Riders Club and one of the key organisers of the event.

HRCP General Manager, Roberto Pettinau was elated about finalising the sponsorship of the event, which will be held in two parts – first at Patong’s Loma Park from April 8-10 and at the Anupas Courtyard in Phuket Town April 15-16.

“Rock and Roll and motorcycles go together hand in hand, so it’s only natural that we sponsor Phuket Bike Week!

We are ready to help promote the event worldwide through our vast network of cafes. This event is certainly a signature of this city. If you’re talking about famous Phuket events and attractions, Phuket Bike Week must be included in the conversation and we are very proud to be part of it,” Roberto remarked.

Roberto went on to outline some of the activities HRCP is

Roberto (centre) is excited for Hard Rock Cafe Phuket to sponsor the annual Phuket Bike Week. looking forward to as part of the sponsorship deal.

“At the main event at Loma park, we’ll have a few booths set up, including one for our F&B activities, as well as one for our retail and merchandise, where we’ll showcase some of our exclusive merchandise.

“We’ll have T-shirts to give away too,” he said.

“In addition, we’re looking forward to formally debuting our new house band, Naqita, and we’re also planning to organise a charity bike wash. Be sure to register with us to get some special offers and discounts at HRCP,” he added.

About Hard Rock International

With a total of 212 venues in 68 countries, including 162 cafes, 23 hotels and 11 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognised companies.

Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website. HRI owns the global trademark for all Hard Rock brands. The company owns, operates and franchises Cafes in iconic cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney and Dubai. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit hardrock.com. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

MOTORING 17

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Patriotic, elite like an elephant

Bespoke toys unveiled at BKK motor show

R

olls-Royce Motor Cars presented a specially designed super-luxury car, the KoChaMongkol car, for the first time at the 37th Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS) on Wednesday (Mar 22) (press day).

The KoChaMongkol Extended Wheelbase Ghost is

Million-baht cocktail Hamper

inspired by an important symbol of the Thai nation – the elephant. Throughout the history of Thailand, the revered elephant has played a very significant role, economically, socially and in the defence of the country. Throughout the wider region of Asia, the elephant is also a central icon in the religious and cultural aspects of the continent. The unique, Bespoke car will incorporate motifs of the revered elephant on the exterior and interior of the car.

In addition, Rolls-Royce will have Bespoke team representatives on hand to demonstrate the company’s capability to personalise its motorcars and lifestyle accessories where “the only limit is your imagination”.

Rolls-Royce Bespoke accesso-

Elephant inlay ries will include luggage and a US$ 46,000 (B1,676,328) cocktail hamper, of which there are only 15 in the world.

For the first time in Thailand, Rolls-Royce will debut the new two-door super-luxury convertible, Dawn, which promises a pivotal moment in open top motoring. The superlative engineering for Dawn results in motor car which is as quiet as Rolls-Royce’s Wraith with the hood closed, and a roof mechanism that opens in

Learning the ropes of the MG 5

O

n the surface of things, MG’s product strategy in Thailand can sometimes appear a little vague, which could possibly be the result of limited models the Chinese-owned British brand has to offer on a global basis.

When the MG 6 made its foray into the Thai passenger car market two years ago, it was positioned in the 800,000-1.2 million baht price bracket where most of the C-segment saloons and hatchbacks slug it out.

A year later, the MG 3 rolled onto the scene to take on B-segment hatchbacks in the 500,000-700,000 baht range. And now there’s the MG 5 saloon for this same particular segment albeit at a slightly higher 550,000750,000 baht scope.

The reason for the MG 5’s price premium is its size, which is nearly the size of a typical C-segment car like the Toyota Corolla.

Yet, the MG 5’s technical credentials revolve around a B-segment player such as the Vios, albeit with some small differences.

Having said that, it’s almost safe to assume that the MG 5 is great value in range-topping form powered by a 129hp 1.5-litre petrolturbo engine. Established rivals like the Vios and Honda City have less fancy non-turbo engines. The only player in Thailand to play a similar ball game as the MG 5 is the Proton Preve, which also has a turbo motor to choose from and big body (but weak brand credentials, like MG).

Driving cockpit mixes @thephuketnews

nice materials and tacky plastics at the same time.

While we’re on the topic of drivetrain, it’s also interesting to note MG’s inconsistent use of automatic transmissions. While the MG 6 has the dual-clutch type, the MG 3 has received an automated manual, also referred to as single-clutch.

The MG 5 has neither of them and sees the more common torque-converter genre, which sounds good news because it doesn’t have the inherent jerky gear changes of that used in the MG 3. The presence of forced induction helps

overcome the car’s portly 1.3-tonne weight and makes performance more effortless in a straight line. Yes, it feels quicker than in a Vios or City.

But like in the Preve, the MG 5 somehow lacks some mechanical refinement and still feels like some old tech.

The Ford Fiesta Ecoboost, with its excellent 1.0-litre three-pot turbo engine, is more resolved in all aspects, be it oomph, frugality and smoothness.

Bangkok Post Read full story: bangkokpost.com/print/871972/

KoChaMongkol’s car at BIMS 2016 around 20 seconds by means of a movement that has been coined as ‘The Silent Ballet’.

Rolls-Royce assembles its handcrafted super-luxury cars at the Home of Rolls-Royce, which is located on the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, England. Last year, the company delivered 3,785 cars globally, with the highest growth in the Asia-Pacific region. Nearly every customer specified spe-

cially commissioned Bespoke design elements. This reaffirmed the marque’s status as the only authentic purveyor of hand-crafted super-luxury motor cars.

The authorised Rolls-Royce Motor Cars dealer in Thailand is operated by Millionaire Auto (Thailand) Company Limited, under the Holding company, Master Group Corporation (Asia).

18 DINING

Tiramisu

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Seared Scallop

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Lucky and Formaggi

Get Lucky in Chalong at Bellini’s JP Mestanza sales3@classactmedia.co.th

W

hen Italian chef Danilo “Lucky” Sangrigoli finally opened his Phuket restaurant Bellini’s, some were skeptical about the choice for Chalong Circle as the location.

But Danilo sees the nearby construction of the Chalong Underpass as a welcome challenge, that he believes, like all his other ventures, will be conquered with delicious food and a great service.

“I think it’s a good op-

portunity if people stop and see the pizza,” he says.

While stuck in traffic, cars will see him spinning dough, flipping it in the air and twirling it like a basketball. Pizza acrobatics he calls it, and it’s the reason, starting in 1996, he won the Pizza World Cup in Las Vegas three years in a row in three different categories (tricks, speed and quality) – the first person to complete the feat.

Before the pizza, a dinner at Bellini’s has to start with buratta, a simple dish of mozzarella and cream, with chopped tomatoes, onions and olive

oil. This is what freshness tastes like and its silky texture goes perfectly with warm bread.

Being an Italian restaurant, the service goes a long way. Throughout the dinner, attentive staff fill your glasses and pull seats as Chef Danilo greets and chats with customers between meals.

Bellini’s makes great use of Phuket’s abundance of fresh seafood with two standout dishes: black mussels in spicy tomato sauce and seared scallop with white bean cream sauce. The mussels were cooked so well they were falling out of their shells, and were light

with a small kick.

Meanwhile, the scallop’s texture was great, but the white bean sauce could be a dish on its own with its savoury, complex flavour.

These are dishes that Chef Danilo has made throughout his career.

He opened his first restaurant at 19 years old in Switzerland near the Austrian border after a few years of working in Southern Italy. Growing up in a food-loving family, becoming a chef was a nobrainer.

“We were always talking about food, even at night we would ask what to eat tomorrow,” he says

while placing a pasta dish on our table.

Bellini’s is the place to get your pasta fix, especially if you’re a cheese fan! The trio of pasta we ate included gnocchi in gorgonzola sauce, ravioli (filled with pork and mozzarella) in Alfredo sauce, and chicken cannelloni in tomato and cream sauce.

The gnocchi was light but packed a powerful flavour thanks to the gorgonzola. The ravioli was divine. The showstopper, however, was the cannelloni as Chef Danilo squeezes a bit of lemon on top which gives the dish a whole new layer of taste that now makes me want

to do that to every tomato and cream sauce!

A trip to Bellini’s has to include a pizza, and the “Lucky Luciano” comes highly-recommended with toppings that include gorgonzola, spinach, mushroom and ham. It’s a must-have when dining here.

If you’re someone who finds it difficult to choose between pizza and pasta, you’re in luck! Bellini’s runs a special every Wednesday with all-youcan-eat pizza and pasta for B450, and B990 with free flow drinks.

Now, there’s a great reason to head to Chalong Circle!

Chef Danilo is a Pizza World Cup Champion.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

DINING 19

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Easter Feaster!

A chocolate fantasy world of nursery rhymes Chris Husted execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

By the time we have completed all the scenes, there will be about 100 kilogrammes of chocolate and about 45kg of royal icing on the table.

@thephuketnews

C

hocolate lovers and fans of Easter treats are in for a double helping this week as Easter Brunch at Banyan Tree Phuket on Sunday (Mar 27) features a special addition this year: The Chocolate Room by Chef Peter Webber, the former Pastry Chef from the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.

Peter’s stunning creations are already well known across the island, as is the impressive range of literally tasteful goodies available through his bakery café Les Diables, but this year he has magically pulled the Easter bunny out of a hat to create four scenes of his favourite nursery rhymes made entirely out of chocolate with fantastic decorations crafted from royal icing.

Among the main feature pieces is a brown chocolate grandfather clock from the Hickory Dickory Dock rhyme to Humpy Dumpty sitting on his wall to Jack and Jill, and even the well they fetched their pails of water from, to a scene from Goosey Goosey Gander.

The display opened to the public for the Banyan Tree Sunday Brunch last weekend, one week before the world celebrates Easter this coming Sunday.

“We still have some finishing touches to complete,” says Peter, “But by the time we have completed all the scenes, there will be about 100 kilogrammes of chocolate and about 45kg of royal icing on the table.”

As of Monday (Mar 21), the scenes had already taken more than 70 hours to complete, with more to do before Easter Sunday, Peter notes.

“This Easter display is probably my best work,” Peter says. “Even better than my Willy Wonka a few years ago. I have done about six or seven of these feature displays, and each time you do one, they just get better and better.”

Sriram Kailasam, Senior Assistant Vice President and General Manager of Banyan Tree Phuket, the flagship property of the Banyan Tree group, explains that the inspiration for the special theme display presented itself through the bookings made at the resort at this time of year.

“Easter is always an important time of the year for the resort given the high demand from families as well as couples who wish to take advantage of the week long Easter holidays. Our two-bedroom villas are particularly in high demand by families from all around the world. Easter has become such a universal celebration for children and adults alike and we chose to interpret it in our unique way; with nursery rhymes!” Sriram says.

Peter agrees. “Easter and nursery rhymes go to-

gether so naturally. Together they fire children’s imaginations and adults love them as well,” he says.

The host venue for the displays will be the Wine Rack room.

“We thought our Wine Rack would be an idyllic venue due to the ideal size and temperature control. It is always a popular private area for intimate dinners or special displays. It houses the hotel’s wine cellar and makes for a comfortable and versatile space. The timber paneled doors will allow natural sunlight to highlight the displays,” explains Sriram.

Yet the challenge will be ensuring the room temperature does not rise beyond 23ºC. “Ideally, couverture chocolate should be kept at 18ºC, but it’s getting hot here in Phuket and we have to make sure the room temperature does not rise

above 22ºC,” says Peter.

Also on display are arrays of accompanying figurines, including bunny rabbits, ducks and, of course Easter eggs. The eggs are chocolate with royal icing emblazoned with handmade motifs.

“The motifs will of course primarily be Easter themes, such as flowers and bunnies, and some of these will be for display only, but some will be for sale,” says Peter.

Prices for the Easter eggs and figurines are as varied as those on show, ranging from B20 for a figurine containing about 15g of chocolate, all they way up to a specially crafted item costing about B1,000.

“But people can order custom designs. That way, they can have names or other designs to make their Easter eggs all that more special,” Peter adds.

20 EDUCATION

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Thailand’s United World College

P

huket International Academy is due to join the United World College (UWC) movement, a worldwide network of 15 prestigious schools and colleges.

And so from August this year, the school will be known as “United World College Thailand” (UWCT), becoming the first and only UWC in the country.

Nelson Mandela, the late honorary President of UWC said; “The striking feature of the UWCs is that they embrace the entire world .. They are unique and they are conscious of their responsibilities.”

Founded in 1962 in the United Kingdom, the aim of the UWC movement was to bring together young people from areas of post-war conflict

Julian Whiteley Former UWCSEA Head and Chief Executive of UWC Thailand

to act as champions of peace through an education based on shared learning, collaboration and understanding.

Through its innovative and challenging programmes, UWC aims to inspire students to create a more peaceful and sustainable future.

To quote Her Majesty, Queen Noor of Jordan, current President of the UWC movement; “The goal of our educational movement is not simply to produce educated young people but also to nurture activists for peace and future leaders who can help resolve the challenges within their own societies and contribute to building bridges between communities and cultures within their regions and throughout the world.”

Phuket Governor, Chamroen Tipayapongtada remarked: “I am very proud on behalf of Thailand that Phuket has been selected as the location for the UWCT ... We look forward to welcoming hundreds of international students and visitors who will make a tremendous impact on our local and national community.”

Every year in excess of 1,000 students are selected by UWC National Committees based in over 150 countries and awarded scholarships to attend one of the schools or colleges.

Scholarships have been offered to Thai students since 1976 during the term of then prime minister MR Kukrit Pramoj, who recognised the benefits and importance to Thailand of being part of UWC and appointed the first

National Committee of Thailand.

By bringing together such a diverse group of engaged and motivated young people from across the globe, UWC is able to provide a transformational educational experience that no other school can provide. UWCT will accept 25 scholars into Grade 11 this August.

The UWC movement has long been at the forefront of international education and over the years has played a significant part in the development of the world-renowned IB Diploma Programme. With service at the heart of its Mission, UWC empowers students to become aware, able and active change agents in their communities; locally, regionally and globally. Through meaningful action, students are able to put their ideals and values into practice,

cultivating their compassion and serving others.

Julian Whiteley, formerly Head of the United World College of South East Asia, and now Chief Executive at Phuket International Academy said, “Having worked at UWCSEA, I am enormously proud of the fact that PIA will become only the second UWC in South East Asia, it is a very special place. The staff, supported by the school community, have worked incredibly hard over the last two years to achieve this.”

UWC Thailand is due to officially open in August 2016, and is now accepting enrollments. For more information: www.pia.ac.th, www.uwc.org and www. ibo.org

HeadStart impresses at ‘Tournament of Minds’

I

t was with nervous excitement that HeadStart International School (HIS) Phuket’s two mixed aged teams, comprising of Year 7 and Year 8 students, set off for Bangkok on Saturday, March 5, to participate in the 5th annual Tournament of Minds (ToM) Competition.

Tournament of Minds originates in Australia and is a problem-solving program for teams of up to seven students. ToM is an opportunity for students with a passion for learning and problem-solving to demonstrate their creative skills and talents in an exciting, vibrant and public way.

Students were required to solve demanding open-ended challenges from one of the following disciplines: Language Literature; Maths Engineering or Social Sciences.

One of the HIS teams elected the Maths Engineering discipline where their challenge was to build a vehicle that rolled and could be steered, to transport a cargo along a specified path to its destination using only nearly invisible rods with appropriate attachments.

The other HIS team selected the Social Sciences discipline. Their challenge was to select three people from the following list: Marie Curie, Florence Nightingale, Shakespeare, Beethoven, Henry VIII, Julius Caesar, Leonardo da Vinci, Cleopatra and JRR Tolkien.

These famous historical figures were selected to compete in a reality TV survivor-style challenge. The team had to outline each of their selected character’s contribution to society and the possible consequences of his/her

deletion from history. They also had to decide who would stay, who would be voted out and what the actual impact of their extraction from history would be.

The teams had six weeks to work on these long term challenges without direct input or assistance from teachers, parents or peers. On Tournament Day, the students had to present their solution to the challenge to a panel of judges and an audience. They had ten minutes to present their solution and their presentation had to be carried out within a 3 x 3 metre performance area.

In addition to this, the students also had to participate in a previously unseen Spontaneous Challenge.

“We are extremely proud to announce that our two teams competed with some of the biggest and most renown schools in Bangkok and acquit-

ted themselves admirably, with our Secondary Social Sciences team being placed 1st and our Maths Engineering Team being placed 2nd,” remarked Mrs Marie Beanland, Head of Faculty for English and Humanities at HIS. Both teams will now be invited to attend the 2016 Australasian Pacific Final which will be held on the Gold Coast of Australia.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Intnl Jazz Day Profile: Ranel Marque Rome editor@classactmedia.co.th

P

ianist Ranel Sarmiento’s favourite line-up on stage is a simple three-piece – piano, bass, drums: “That’s what I’m doing on Jazz Day,” he averred during an interview in January. “I decided not to be a slave anymore to these frontliners.

This time I want to fly with my rhythm section.”

Trouble is, the ‘frontliners’ won’t let him.

Come Jazz Day, on April 30, he’s scheduled to play with a duo out of Japan and a guitarist out of New York, in addition to his rhythm section, bassist Kasemsmai Wongchysilpa and drummer Nut Glomchum. The reason: Sarmiento long has been one of Phuket’s most esteemed accompanists and a star in his own right as interpreter, arranger, conductor and composer.

He didn’t set out to be any of those; he wanted to be a guitar player.

Sarmiento, 57, from Bacolod, a city of half a million on the island of Negros, in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, started playing aged 5: “I would watch my father’s trio at our house,” he said, “Bill Evans music, all acoustic.” His father was rarely at home, dividing his time between gigs in Manila and Japan – a path his son would later follow. So Ranel was raised by his grandfather, a local lawyer and political figure. His first and last piano lessons were five songs from his father’s repertoire: “He pushed me into it.”

“I played piano because that was an introduction to music for me, but I loved playing the guitar – till high school. I was kicked out of five schools. I’m proud to say I’m a high school drop-out.”

Job offers for drop-outs are not plentiful, however, so at 14, Sarmiento got a job playing piano in a ‘goody-goody cocktail lounge’. “All the older kids and pros had gone overseas, so there were many bars and jazz clubs needing pianists.” He earned 14 pesos nightly “when a pack of Marlboros cost 45 centavos. One dollar was two pesos.”

“The goody-goody part of the lounge was the girls, the bar hostesses. They earned five times as much as I did.”

“Did you get laid?”

“Yeah. The girls bribed me – took me for a night at the beach cottage, gave me a cheeseburger and Chinese fried noodles, which was very popular then.

Maybe it was curiosity.” In 1978, aged 20, he left for the bright lights of Ma@thephuketnews

nila and was soon hired for a steady gig in Japan; but immigration rules there mandated he play four months then leave the country one month. So for the next ten years he divided his time between Japan, arranging and conducting for a 16-piece band, and Manila, “where the jazz is hot”.

In 1988 he was summoned back to the Philippines, serving as an apparatchik to a locally influential person: “I made lots of money, but things got hot politically with the transition from Marcos to Cory Aquino.” Feeling the heat, he hastened to go abroad: “As it happened, I was hanging out at a recording studio and met a childhood friend; we used to play bossa together.

She was making a demo for Phuket Yacht Club and asked me to sit in – but then the agent said he’d take her only if she teamed with me. That’s how I came to Phuket.”

He played Yacht Club and later Katathani, but in 1993 moved for two years to Christchurch, New Zealand, to the Chateau on the Park hotel, a local landmark, with a band comprising members of the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology’s jazz faculty: “They were purists, only played swing, no fusion or electronics.”

Since returning to Thailand in 1995, he has played at leading hotels in Phuket, Bangkok and Pattaya. Great musicians such as bassist Kiko Bona (whose band will also be performing Jazz Day in Phuket) and guitarist Laserne Dixon have teamed with him for performances and recordings. He’s played jazz festivals in Stockholm and Hua Hin (with a steel drum player) and generally cut a name for himself among jazz circles in the country.

Though he likes living in Phuket, Sarmiento says there’s no place like Bangkok for playing: “It’s a big challenge. The competition is tough. You face musicians from all quarters of the globe and you don’t know what their abilities are. It’s not like Phuket.”

Admittedly, the population of Phuket is rather less than that of the capital.

But on Jazz Day, April 30, more than 50 musicians from Thailand, the Philippines, Sweden, Canada, the US, Great Britain, Australia, France, Ukraine, Japan and Russia will be joining Sarmiento on stage – the biggest such event in Thailand and one that is sure to test his mettle.

Phuket UNESCO International Jazz Day, “the 5th Edition”, is proudly sponsored by Phuket City Municipality and The Phuket News. Admission is free.

ENTERTAINMENT 21

22 ISLAND SCENE

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Iconic cultural dress from the Far East.

Neil Richards, BISP headmaster backed by the united nations.

A delegation from Sweden.

The Live89.5 team was on site to lure the little ones.

INTERNATIONAL DAY @ BISP Last Friday (Mar 18), students at British International School Phuket celebrated diversity and culture, with the school's student body representing Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bahrain, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, China, Congo, Costa Rica, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Laos, Luxembourg, Mexico, Republic of Moldova, Myanmar, Malaysia, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Singapore, Sweden, South Africa, Turkey, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland), United States, Vietnam, Zimbabwe and Thailand. The event included The Parade of Nations, which was followed by performances showcasing traditional dances from Japan, New Zealand, Spain, France, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Russia, Ukraine, America, United Kingdom, Scotland and France.

PIWC members Debra Mierczak & Lorna Schroeder attending the lunch.

Outgoing PIWC president Jureewan Smulders Wongprom.

LADIES FIRST WITH PIWC PIWC members Orowan Eichborn and Maria Barriques attending the PIWC monthly lunch at Le Meriden Phuket Beach Resort.

Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort Food and Beverage staff members at the PIWC monthly lunch.

The Phuket International Women's Club recently elected a new committee, and is looking forward to another year of fun, fund-raising luncheons and events to help support the club's charitable initiatives in creating opportunities for thousands of students. For more information, see Life, page 16

From left: Jens Frank-Mikkelson – Hilton Karon Director of Business Development; Anna Zwartjes – Hilton Worldwide Sales, Thailand and Peter Simpson, General Manager at Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa.

LIGHTS OUT @ HILTON FOR AN HOUR In celebration of Earth Hour 2016, last Saturday (Mar 19), many hotels around the world, including Hilton Arcadia Resort & Spa in Karon, shut out their lights and air conditioners for one hour, between 8.30 and 9.30pm. Hilton held a fabulous seafood, candlelight barbeque to mark the occasion.

From Left: Buthsaya Jaipiem, Chalermluck Kepsap, Amarin Saranyakul, Chamroen Tipayapongtada, Peerawut Piemploy, Saranyu Saema, Jason Beavan and Wittaya Singkalah.

PHUKET BIKE WEEK 2016 Details have been finalised for the 22nd Phuket Bike Week, which will be held from April 8-10, and April 15-16. For more details, see stories on News page 6 and Life page 16. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

ISLAND SCENE 23

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

From Left: Aniphon ‘Nat’ Chaloemburanawong, Miss Thailand Universe 2015; Khun Oran Rochrungrangsee; Khun Chartchai Rochrungrangsee; Khun Wasurat Rochrungrangsee and Pooklook, Fonthip Watcharatrakul, Miss Thailand Universe 2010

From left: Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada; Prof. Apinan Posayanon, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture; Khun Nisa Rochrungrangsee, Vice-President Royal Gems International Groups; Khun Thongchai Rochrungrangsee, President Royal Gems International Groups; Khun Peerasak Phorjit, second vice president of Thailand National Legislative Assembly; M.L.Panadda Diskul, Minister of Prime Minister’s Office; Dr Atchaka Sibunruang, Minister of Industry; Khun Chartsiri Soponpanich, Managing Director of Bangkok Bank, Co and Lt Gen Theppong Tipchan member of Thailand National Assembly 1st Army Area.

NEW GEMS SUPERCENTRE EXTAVAGANZA Last Saturday (Mar 19), esteemed guests from all over the kingdom bestowed on Phuket for the grand opening of the new Royal Gems Pavillion in Tha Reua of Thalang, which specialises in the dealing of luxurious, precious stones, including diamonds and other fancy gems.

Year 13 student artist Jina Park (centre).

From left: Secondary School Principal Simon Meredith; student artists Taarika, Demi, Priyani, Grace and Pang; Goldie; student artists Ekaterina, Diana, Melody, and Jina; Art Director Claire Lester and Headmaster Neil Richards.

MAD AS A HATTER

Claire Lester, Art Coordinator, Art and Design Academy Director; Goldie and Kathy Coulson, Art Teacher.

Goldie cuts the ribbon to launch the exhibition.

The ribbon is cut to mark the start of the bowling event which raised more than B100,00 for charity.

BOWLING FOR CHARITY

From Left: Sam Sirawat, June Kallayavee, Pui Kanittha, Bella and Jeab Orasa. @thephuketnews

Last Saturday (Mar 19), Hotel Chain ACCOR organised the “1st CSR Bowling Charity 2016 by Southern ACCOR HOTELS”, which had an objective of raising funds for “Yim Kids”, an initiative to bring smiles to children, by helping poor children and needy schools in Phuket and to strengthen the relationship between the hotel staff. The bowling event had 64 teams participate, and each team donated B2,000 to the cause, bringing the final charity pot up to more than B100,000.

British artist Goldie MBE took part in the opening of a visual art exhibition at BISP entitled The Mad Artists Tea Party on Monday (Mar 21). A total of 99 original artworks are on display from nine different student artists. The exhibition also includes artwork by Goldie from his art collection Lostribes. The Mad Artists Tea Party runs until May 27.

MARRIOTT PLANTS MANGROVES Four hotels under the Marriott International brand in Phuket recently got together in Thap Pla Village of Phang Nga province to plant around 2,700 mangrove pods as part of their year-long plan CSR project.

The hotels included Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa, JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort and Spa and the upcoming Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach. Stay tuned for more pics and a more comprehensive story in next week’s Environment section.

24 EVENTS

FRI

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM @Bollywood Phuket. Snack & Buffet 599B(nett).

Screening Ram-Leela a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet @21.00.

Theme: Bold & Vibrant. Different people, different colors, one celebration!samsphuket@gmail. com, 076 304 034.

25 MAR

Sunday roast at Gallery Cafe By Pinky @ new Chalong branch

Weekends Special Lunch Menu at TEXTURE Café & Restaurant

Friday BBQ Buffet at SKYE Beach Club

We are a Western & fusion café & restaurant in the heart of Old Phuket Town, offering fine dining experiences in the relaxing contemporary Peranakan café atmosphere. The restaurant opens daily from 4:00–11:00 pm, closed every Wednesday. From we are open for lunch during weekends from 11:00 am–11:00 pm with variety of new mouthwatering lunch menu. info@ texturephuket.com, 081 916 1430.

Price at 799++, RSVP, SKYE Beach Club at Naiyang Beach, 093 582 7700.

Biggest and Coolest Full Moon Paradise on the island

Indian Curry Night on Fridays Come to Navrang Mahal in Karon Sea Sands Resort & Spa for an authentic Indian Feast every Friday in Karon Beach. Try out our delicious Aloo Tikki, Samosas, Chicken Tandoori, Aloo Gobi, Navrang Korma, Butter Chicken, Lamb Vindaloo, Naan, Rice, Salads, Chutneys / Achars, Pistachio Ice Cream, Gulah Jamun, Fruits. For only 499/- nett and special reduced prices on drinks. Contact: : 076 286 464 Ext 4.

With the Professional open air beach SUPER PARTY production VS the International famous DJs. Come with us, taking a great music journey to Paradise together. Surprise guest DJs “Line UP coming SOON....”RSVP, Paradise Beach, Patong, beekwang@paradisebeachphuket.com, 076 609 609

Every Sunday from 12pm and all-day brunch and dinner every day from 7am-10pm.

0891037000 FB : Gallerycafe by Pinky, thegallerycafe@yahoo.com, 089 103 7000.

BBQ at Expat Hotel Time 8pm, Expat Sports Bar, Expat Hotel, Soi Taipan, Patong. www.expatsportsbar.com

SUN

27 MAR

BISP Art exhibition - The Mad Artists Tea Party

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

British artist Goldie MBE will open ‘The Mad Artists Tea Party’ on Monday 21 March at 3pm in the main lobby at BISP. The Grand Opening is open to the general public, and the exhibition runs until 27 May 2016. For more information about visual art at BISP, please visit bisphuket. ac.th/visual-arts.

SAT

Easter Jazz Brunch at The Nai Harn Phuket

Let’s Celebrate Holi By the vibrant festival of colors and togetherness

Gather with friends and family and enjoy a special brunch menu filled with a delectable assortment of traditional Easter dishes with a few culinary surprises enhanced with an incredible seaview over The Nai Harn beach and a live Jazz performance. Sunday, March 27th at Cosmo Restaurant • 2,700 THB net for Adults • 1,350 THB net for Kids under 12 year old Easter activities for our young guests: • Eggs coloring • Easter Egg Hunt • Photoshoot with Easter bunny Reservations, The Nai Harn Phuket, easter@thenaiharn.com, 076 380 200.

Indulge yourself in a culinary experience like no other at DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Phuket Surin Beach; a wide selection of Thai delicacies alongside sushi platter, pasta, pizza, meat carving station and a variety of desserts you can’t miss! It also includes free flow of soft drinks! Only THB 399++ per person. Children aged 4-12 receive 50% discount off. This includes free access to our swimming pools, water slides and Kids Club.” RSVP 076 303 300.

26 MAR

Mussels night @ Shakers

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

Phuket FC vs HatYai FC

2nd Laguna Phuket Junior Golf Tournament 2016

All you can eat Sunday Roast Buffet 1.2kg mussels served with french fries your choice, your style: nature, mariniere, provencale, garlic & cream or Thai style reservations recommended B295 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

Traditional Sunday Roast Angus O’Tool’s Karon Beach

At Surakul Stadium. Kick-off 7pm. Admission B50 adults Free for children with school ID Card. Proudly supported by Class Act Media.

Lazy Sunday Brunch

Pool Competition at Expat Sports Bar

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Beef, Pork & Lamb – Cauliflower, Broccoli, Peas, Carrots, Fried mushrooms, Grilled Tomatoes – Yorkshire pudding – Roasted Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes – Gravey, Mushroom sauce, Mint Sauce. Reservation Recommended 350 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

Laguna Golf Phuket and the British International School Phuket are teaming up again to organize the 2nd Laguna Phuket Junior Golf Tournament! Aimed at getting juniors to have fun while enjoying the game of golf, the event will be held on 27th March 2016 including an exciting 18 holes golf competition around the award winning golf course, plus goodie bags, on-course refreshments and prize giving presentation following play. Entry is just THB 1,750.

Open to juniors aged 6 – 18. For more information please contact 076 270 991 or golf@lagunaphuket.com. Proudly supported by Live 89.5.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

EVENTS 25

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

MON

28 MAR

SAT

2 APR

All you can eat BBQ night

6pm – 11pm: beef, pork, chicken, burgers, sausages, prawns & squids, salad buffet, choice of potatoes & sauces, bread, buns & garlic bread Reservation recommended 350 baht P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

WED

30 MAR

Every Wednesday! All-you-caneat Pasta and Pizza Every Wednesday Eat all you can for Pizza and Pasta only for 500 Baht. Drink all you can Peroni & Belleville only for 450 Baht or Both EAT DRINK ALL YOU CAN ONLY FOR 890 Bath with DOUBLE EXPRESSIONS LIVE! Wednesdays 6pm to 11pm. info@pastabellini.com. Located at Chalong Circle, Chao-Fa East.

8th Phuket Oilfield Classic Charity Golf Tournament Miss Hooters Swimsuit Pageant - 2016

Hooters Asia invites all to this FREE ENTRY event, to discover which one of the beautiful Hooters girls will win the opportunity to represent Thailand at the Miss Hooters International Pageant. For more information please call Hooters on 076 349 850.

This is an ideal opportunity for local companies to tap into a market segment (Oil and Gas Executives) not really catered for in Phuket. Now that this is a yearly fixture it is intended that a Phuket based Charity will be supported on an annual basis, for 2016 the children’s charity chosen is Barnhem. If you want to participate in this year’s event, please visit asiangolfevents. com. Proudly supported by The Phuket News, Live 89.5 and Phuket News TV.

MON

16 APR

Asialife Radio Music Festival

In the park at the Royal Phuket Marina, Phuket.

Earli-bird tickets B800 per adult or B1,200 at the gate. Students with ID get in at half price, Kids under 12 get in FREE. From 1pm. The Bands: The Pjae Stanley Band, Legends of Siam, Black & Blue, The Moody Band, Dtach, Curious Itch, The Fuzztones, Cotton Mouth, The Bangkok Travelers, Go Bai Bai, Happy Snappers. For more information visit AsiaLifeRadio.Com

MON

4 APR

All you can eat BBQ Ribs night

6pm – 11pm: All you can eat BBQ ribs served with salad buffet, potato salad & choice of sauces. Reservations recommended THB295 P.P., shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

FRI

THU

7 APR

Free Football Trials PHUKET BIKE WEEK 2016 ‘ASEAN RIDE TOGETHER

PHUKET BIKE WEEK 2016 “ASEAN RIDE TOGETHER” The biggest motorcycle event in Asia.

Celebrating the 22nd anniversary. This event expects to gather over 10,000 motorcyclists and 50,000 visitors from 30 countries. Which will be held on 8-10 April 2016 at Loma Park in Patong and 15 -16 April 2016 at Anuphas courtyard, Phuket Town, Phuket province. Visit our website http://www.phuketbikeweek.com/ or call 076 352 069.Proudly supported by The Phuket News Khun Wittaya Singkalah, ridethailandtour@hotmail.com

FRI

29 APR

1 APR InterBike Hash #4

Light House Market at Boat Lagoon Phukets best Chefs, live cooking shows, free tastings and Fireworks. For more info visit www.facebook.com/lighthousemarketphuket

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Beach Party with ROBIN SCHULZ

Pre-purchase tickets for THB 690 @ robinschulz.com or tickets at the door for THB 750 (cash only)..

SUN

30 APR

Phuket Mountain Bike Hash will be hosting the InterBike Hash #4 between 29 April & 1 May, drawing Hashers from all over SEA and beyond.

Enjoy the lush tropics of the Andaman Sea, with 3 days of guided off-road rides for strong-willed and meeker hearts. Indulge in Phuket’s history, folklore, and hash festivities. We promise COLD drinks, wet water, and hot weather….along with your favorite ‘forget-me-not’ souvenirs. Registration required and limited to 200. Special lodging arrangements, find all details on our website - http://phuketinterbikehash.com.

This is your chance to join The HeadStart Football Academy. Saturday, March 19th 10:30 - 12:00 pm. Open to player from 12-15 years of age.JR, jr@headstartphuket.com, 076 612 875-6

EVERY DAY Great Mexican, Thai and Flamegrilled Burgers in a beautiful setting!

If you have time this month get down to Sea Breeze located in Royal Phuket Marina. Open 9am to 10pm everyday serving home-made mexican specialties, flame grilled burgers and Thai specials! All sport available shown live, Contact: Reservations, info@seabreezerpm.com, 076 360 806.

26 TIME OUT

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FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York Across

1. Which book was published in London on April 25, 1719?

2. Which British electronic music duo are composed of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons?

3. Complete the 1997 television series title: ‘Full Circle with ...’?

4. Frankie Fredericks represented which African country in athletics?

5. Is a ‘jaffa cake’ a cake or a biscuit?

Answers below, centre.

SUDOKU

25. “Little Women” woman 1. Mideast port 26. European coal 5. Mea ___ area 10. Breakfast, lunch 27. Mine finds or dinner 29. Chivalrous 14. The “C” in U.P.C. 30. Emphasize 15. Foreign 31. Norse thunder 16. Anise-flavored god liqueur 33.

Fiber source 17. Old Glory colors 34. Sweet cherry 20. Desk item Down 35. Middle Earth 21. Robbers creatures 22. South African 1. “God’s Little ___” 36. Pale monetary unit 2. Active one 24. Shipping weights 3. Old literary work 38. Punish with an arbitrary penalty 25. Sulk 4. Hub of activity 28. Foot part 5. ___ terrier 39. Gives hope 32. Continental 6. Final: abbr.

43. Attacks currency 7. Willingly, in olden 44. Keyed up 33. Diner features times 45. Terra ___ 34. Former 8. Resound 46. Different Portuguese colony 9. Author Rice 47. Beat in India 10. Frilly hat of 49. Verse 37. Gummo et al. olden days 51. Gulf sultanate 40. 3,600 secs.

11. Swedish 41. Circular physiologist Ulf 52. 100% 53. Latin 101 word 42. A shot __ 55. Everglades 12. Blue hue 43. Sesames deposit 13. Fertile soil 44. Eurasian herb 56. ___ Major 18. Top dog 45. Show fear (constellation) 19. Can’t stand 48. Quarrel 57. Nicholas I or II 23. Agent Orange, 50. Device for for one examining the ear 59. Little butter?

54. Production 58. Dumas novel 60. Dry run 61. Upbeat 62. Astronaut’s insignia 63. PBS matters 64. Disadvantaged 65. Christmas tree topper

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) 1. Robinson Crusoe; 2. The Chemical Brothers; 3. Michael Palin; 4. Namibia; 5. A cake (as established at a 1991 VAT tribunal)

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW

This week in history ■■ March 25, 421 AD

8

Venice is founded at 12 o’clock noon, according to legend..

■■ March 26, 1934 The United Kingdom driving test is introduced.

per cent of people in China reportedly eat dog meat.

15

per cent of people believe the world will end in their lifetime, according to a Reuters poll.

1,088

■■ March 27, 1998

The US Food and Drug Administration approves Viagra for use as a treatment for male impotence.

(Photo: S Elefant)

Is the record for most passengers on an airplane, set in 1991 when 1086 Ethiopian Jews were evacuated on a Boeing 747 to Israel. Two babies were born during the flight.

■■ March 28, 2005

A Sumatra earthquake rocks Indonesia.

At magnitude 8.7, the earthquake is the region’s fourth strongest since 1965.

9,999

■■ March 29, 1973

Operation Barrel Roll, a covert US bombing campaign in Laos to stop communist infiltration of South Vietnam, ends.

red roses were used to make a dress for Chinese man Xiao Fan’s girlfriend, Yin Mi, so he could propose to her.

434 million dollars is the estimated cost of the US changing their clocks to calibrate for daylight saving.

Source: Uberfacts

■■ March 30, 1981

US President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington, DC, hotel by John Hinckley, Jr. ■■ March 31, 1959

Karon Beach sunset. Photo by Stephen Dodsworth Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket?

Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

The 14th Dalai Lama, crosses the border into India and is granted political asylum.

Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

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EDUCATION

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MARINE SERVICES

MARINE SERVICES

MARINE SERVICES

MOVING SERVICES

PROPERTY SERVICES

STORAGE Reserve Your Storage Space

Call 076 29 29 09

or visit mystorageasia.com

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

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

TRAINING

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

TRAVEL GUIDE

FOOD SERVICES

HOME DECORATION

VILLA RENTALS

ADVERTISE HERE

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES Building Renovation Engineering Maintenance

T: 094-546 0422 (Eng-Thai)

Huge Work Reference www.tularuxa.com thephuketnews

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Buy&Sell BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE Dive boat for sale Dive boat Asian Adventure, Length–18m, Width– 4.6m, Depth–1.7m, 1 Eng–315 H.P. capasity 40 passengers +3 crew. Located in Chalong, sales@ joydive.asia, 084 182 8685.

1 engine speedboat for sale Honda 250 H.P. 15 passengers+3 crew, Length–8.10m, Width–2.40, Depth-1.6. Excellent conditions, sound system Located in Chalong. Vladimir, sales@joydive.asia, 0841828685.

Boston Whaler conquest 255 Immaculate condition, Mercury 150hp x 2 very low hours, Thai registered. This boat comes with full inventory. Lying AoPo marina Phuket. mikehigh1@gmail. com Mike, mikehigh1@gmail.com, 088 768 4701.

Yacht Chartering and Resort Big A Swan 55 Yacht Chartering and Resort in Phuket Thailand Sailing : Big A Swan 55, Accommodation: Big A Resort 076-383080 Email: bigasail@samart.co.th.

ACTIVITIES, GROUPS Roof top Patong Mini Golf

The best sea view 18 Holes, roof top Mini Golf. Located on the 4th floor of Banana Walk Plaza in Patong, 091 762 2628, http:// patongminigolf.com

Free Tiya’s Hammocks campaign Win Free hammock from Tiya’s Hammocks Phuket. Winner will get V Weave hammock, handmade from North of Thailand, weight capacity 250 kgs. Value 5,200 THB. More details visit Facebook: Tiya’s hammocks, Contact: Tiya, tiya@ tiyashammocks.com, 089 600 0041.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

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PETS

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Bangla agogo club for sale

A newly refurbished bar/club with great returns is for sale. Fully fitted out over 2 floors. Very cheap and very low rent. Reliable landlord.

Steve, stevepearcergj@hotmail.co.uk, 089 587 0819.

Unique Stretch Limo Business Only available Stretch Limo in Thailand. 9 meters long 8 pax, in good condition with all documents and green plates. Turn key business incl. website just to take over and start to make money! 2,500,000.-, Patitta Apichotjarus, Patong, phuketstretchlimo@gmail.com, 080 145 0082.

Horse and Dog Vet Hospital Open from 10am. – 8pm.*Service all types of animals. * Experienced professionals.Contact: 076 620 136 /084 210 6868 and contact@horsedogvet.com www.horsedogvet.com

Pets Magic Planet

Business for Sale

Open from 9am. - 7pm. *The best international brands. * The ultimate choice. * Luxury accessries & jewels.

Contact: 076 620 106 / 091 040 4000 and contact@petsmagicplanet.com

Non tourist/bar related business for sale, yearly turnover of 15MB. Call 087 276 0529 or 081 968 6051 for more details.

Newly renovated hotel for rent Newly renovated hotel/guest house in Patong’s heart for rent from owner. 12 rooms, 2 shops to busy street, many facilities. More details check thephuketnews.com, search Listing ID 55398 or call +66(0)81 538 1399.

Restaurant on Main Street Large, tastefully decorated restaurant in Cherngtalay. Fully fitted and equipped kitchen, 100 seats, bar. Walk in and start business. Now only B790,000, 089 400 5907.

German bakery & deli & snack Main road, 8 years clientele, take over + incl. training complete equipment, staff room, 3 or 5 years leasing contract. Yearly volume 4 mio. hansibakery@gmail.com, Price: 3.5 million, Contact Mr. Stark.

Best Deal Rawai business for sale. Area approx 2Rai, can do restaurant or other business.Five mins from beach. Long term lease, yearly rent B200,000. 4 bedrooms house included. Reduce from B980,000 to B520,000. Contact Khun Asoke at 089 646 7176 / big_redchili@yahoo.com

CAR FOR SALE TOYOTA CORALLA ALTIS TRD Sept. 2011. 57000 km. 1 farang owner no accident.

Toyota service. Top condition. Tel: 086 043 4315 (English and German). 440,000, Per Dompert, Phuket, perdompert@hotmail.com, 086 043 4315.

TOYOTA ALTIS 1.6G AT

2008. 62K kms. White. Usual G refinements.

Insurance, FSH, Lady driver 395K baht ono 395K, Clive Roberts, crob58@gmail.com, 081 087 9237 or 086 270 8727.

Chevy Captiva LT 2008 Chevrolet Captiva LT 2008, 499,000 Baht, 62.000 KM, 1 Owner, 2.0L Turbo Diesel, Full Chevy Service History, No Accidents, 1st Class Insurance. Tel. 082 804 1742.

TOYOTA Fortuner 2009 7 seats, Silver, GPS video, Family car Diesel 2,694cc, Blue book Service history Toyota Pearl 78,000kms. AUTOMATIC transmission, golfguru2005@yahoo.co.uk, 076 615 827.

Nissan Teana 2.5Lt Model 2014 17,000km. New price 1.7Mln NOW 1,050,000Baht Eng: 081 788 8280 Thai: 090 163 2140, Contact Maurice, maurice.phuket@gmail. com , 090 163 2140.

n r ge

t sa

le

Honda Jazz 2009 1500cc Auto

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

CARS WANTED

CAR WASH DELIVERY

MEMBERSHIPS Blue Canyon Membership

Tired Of Waiting?

We clean your car at your place - at your time. No.1 car wash delivery in Phuket.

Call 076-355-042 or go to CleanCar.me for more details.

PERSONAL SERVICES De Laguna By Dr.JaQ

Blue Canyon Membership for sale. 1 corporate nominee for sale THB 630,000 inc transfer fee. grahamhaslam@hotmail.com.

PUBLIC NOTICES Notice In June 2016, Bangkok Hospital Phuket will have to destroy patient records being inactive for over 10 years. For assistance & information, call 1719 or e-mail us at info@phukethospital.com.

OTHER

International Clinic English Speaking Doctor By Appointment 095 0851188 FB: DrJaq Warnnissorn Providing Anti-Aging (Botox, Filler, Live Cell Therapy, Alternative Cancer Treatment, Chelation Medical, House Call).

Integrative and Advancement in Medicine for individualized treatment programs for patients of all ages and with various disorders, Email: tosawcute@gmail.com.

Industrial over locker. Whitehouse Brand. 3 Thread. Brand new never used.

Full tool kit. Bargain at 12,000 Baht. Call Sandi 087 264 0778.

FURNITURE FOR SALE

Resort for sale lease any offer consider! I want go sailing again!!, Address : 67/18 Soi Sermsuk Rawai Phuket, bigasail@samart.co.th, Contact +66 (0)86 9401860.

Swinging Sun Loungers For Sale Swinging, sun loungers, brand new, excellent quality- 6,000 baht only, Contact: Eddy, eddyelan@ yahoo.com, 0899710278.

MOVING SERVICES Looking for Moving Company?

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

PETS FOR ADOPTION Two cute Poodles We are 2 cute Poodles, both under 5kgs & the best of friends & wish to find a new loving home together, both of us are sterilized, vaccinated & healthy. Please contact Sherin.peace@gmail. com for adoption enquires.

COMMUNITY

For Sale

RESORT FOR SALE/LEASE

Office Space Laguna

Office Space Laguna - Plaza del Mar Fully Furnished offices 4 Office Suite plus boardroom Rent entire unit or individual office 080 045 4474.

PROPERTY FOR SALE 2 New Resale Condos 3.9 MB. 7%net ROI 1 bed condos on the market 7%net ROI for 14 years! Rare Pool access modern hilltop unit.

Panoramic views of Andaman Bay & city lights of Patong. Also 1 bed city & ocean views, fully furnished & professionally managed. You just collect 7% net/year hassle free. Contact phuketjon@gmail.com, 094 320 1475.

Sea View Land 265 Met. Pub.Rd. Great investment. 3/5 Rai Plots. NSG3 Titles.

Price start 4 M/Rai. Full infra. 265 Pub. Rd. Frontage. Located on Koh Yao Yai resort area, just 25 min. speed boat from Phuket. We can make easy half day trip 10am-2pm. Call Charlie /more info, Koh Yao Yai, charlieraines@hotmail.com, 062 069 1965.

Laguna - Luxury 1 Bed & Golf Membership For Sale

Totally renovated: new kitchen, wood floors, furnished, sound system. Price includes Laguna Golf Membership and Privilege Card. THB 6.9M. Owner 084 247 1632 - E-Mail: phuket3203@gmail.com.

Patong Tower and Andaman Beach suite for sale Mountains and Sea Views, Call David 080 692 6114, email: patongrealestate@gmail.com.

Urgent need Toyota hilux vigo

Luxury Apartment hotel in Kata

Want to sell your Toyota hilux vigo Champ ? vigo4u is the best palace to sell your Toyota.

Vigo4u now in Phuket, Pataya and Bangkok also. 084 344 3444, 02 810 8117.

Luxury Apartment hotel for sale in Kata beach.

356sqm, 3 floors. 12 rooms, all have sea view, kitchen, Thai chanote or 90 years lease. 30 MB., Noi (Thai & EN), Kata Beach, t_senrum@live. com.au, 083 391 5525.

MOTORBIKES FOR SALE Kawasaki Versys 650 ABS 2012

Karon Beach New House For Sale/Rent

Showroom condition, new from Kawasaki Phuket May 2012, 2,000km, Hepco & Becker Engine Bars & Rear-rack, Kawasaki Handguards and Pyramid Hugger., 220,000 THB, Paul, 084 1 303 234, Plongmore@hotmail.com.

80 Sqm. 2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom, Terrace carport. Nice Sea view.

Sale 5.8 MB. Rent long term 18,000 per month. Gunter Kraus, Phuket, naruchai@gmx.de, 091 040 2471.

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Buy&Sell

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PROPERTY FOR SALE Villa For Sale / Rent Located at Naiharn beach Soi Naya 3, Mountain view, Swimming pool, Balcony, 2 floor, 4 bed room. Total 92 sq.m. Thai 081 958 0542 ENG 081 956 6813.

Owner Sales Appartment “ The Pearl of Naithon “ Leasehold Total area 226,66 SQM including terrace 41,25 Sqm. 3 bedrooms with 3 bathrooms Price THB 13.5 million. MP: 089 814 1458.

House for sale Private pool villa with lovely garden half a rai.

Quite and safe area. 3 bedroom 2 bathroom open kitchen. 160 m2 Situated in Ban Pahra.

12 minutes to PIA, Phuket Airport, Nay Yang beach, and Blue Canyon Golf course. 2 min to Mission Hill Golf course.Price 8 million baht, 225 000 euro, bergsstigen@ telia.com, 090 701 4204.

Chalong Villa for sale

Living area 450 sq.m, Land 800 sq.m. 1st floor: Living room, Master bdr with en-suite bth, Kitchen, Seaview terrace, Pool, Carpark. 2nd floor: 4 bdr with bth, 2nd living room, Office. 19.5M, oliver@thurmanngroup.com, 087 877 2320.

SPACIOUS 4-BED RAWAI VILLA Beautiful home in 1,038sqm gardens.Three en suite beds, guest house, 9x4m pool, maid’s room. Living space 320sqm. Private access.

Reduced to 12,000,000THB, alangath@ gmail.com, 087 273 0141.

PROPERTY FOR SALE New Sea View Villa Premium villa 8B in the prestiques Sunrise Ocean Villas developement is now for sale.

Being built on the highest point in the estate, only 80 meters from the ocean and located 3 mins away from Grand AoPor Marina, 10 mins from golf course, 20 mins from the airport,, shopping centers, schools and hospitals, this villa is a perfect place to live with no traffic, no pollution and no mass tourism..., Over than 600 Sqm usable building area, 3 bedrooms, guest apartment, maid quarters, games room, 10 meter infinity swimming pool, roof terrace and breath taking views. Can be ready to move in within 8 weeks and still can be customized to the wishes of new owner. For sale at only 24.9 mill Baht. For viewing or more information please contact our sales director, Khun Montha 081 343 0777 Email : montha_phuket@yahoo.com.

Two-story house in Phuket City Land 400 sq. m, living area 344 sq.m, 6 rooms, 3 bathrooms, maid’s room with bath. Fully furnished. Very good for living and business.

15,000,000.-, Pauline Haldemann, haldemwa@ hotmail.com, 081 895 0038.

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Land for sale - Mission Height NICE LAND FOR SALE AT MISSION HEIGHT, JUST OVER ONE RAI. Phone 093 629 4400 English, 082 421 4842 Thai.

Alexander Kolesnikov 3 Bedroom Villa for sale. Building 320 s.m. Land 900 s.m. Nice garden, 2 cars garage, study. Just 3 minutes from BIS. 15 MB, Contact Alexander, alexkolinz@gmail.com, 089 651 3250.

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PROPERTY FOR SALE

PROPERTY FOR SALE

For Sale or Rent 4 bedroom 3 bath room excellent view Chalong bay 3 storage,Fully furnished all new swimming pool in quiet area Rawai beach. All inquires. Tidarat, 087 466 5635.

House For Rent at tennis club

Partner for resort wanted

5 Rai. hillside Maikhao beach. Main buiding finished. Nice sunset seaview, 087 267 1192, Julius_schuster2001@yahoo.de

2 bedrooms,1 en suite bedroom,2 bathroom, living area and big veranda. Idea for tennis Coach. Prefer long term rent. Viewing by appointment only. Patra, patbittersweet@gmail. com , 081 607 2805.

House For Sale

Alexander Kolesnikov

Land & 4 storey Commercial building for sell.Patong. Just 60 m from the beach. Guesthouse 6 luxury rooms + restaurant 40 seats. 17 MB, Contact Alexander, alexkolinz@gmail.com, 089 651 3250.

PROPERTY FOR RENT

Located in Rawai soi Samaki3 2 bedroom 2 bathroom 1 Laundry room 1 storage room Living area 160 sq.m, Chanot title 280 sq.m. 3.2 MB., Rico9963@hotmail.com, 083 640 9041

D Condo Creek Short term offer

Sale. Semi detached house

1-6 months offer. Free stay 2 week on conditions. Fully furnished w washing machine.

Mountains view, 5th fl. Bike rental. See room from Mar 12, move in from 15 Mar. Tiya, lodchong77th@yahoo.com, 089 600 0041.

Anuphas Golfville House- Kathu

Fully furnished 2 Bedroom 2 Bathroom.

Swimming pool on ground. WiFi and cable TV included in price. 160M.S. in size. long term only. 35,000, Art, Rawai / NaiHarn, vassana. residence@gmail.com, Eng.087 882 9604.

SMALL RESORT BY LAGUNA

4 Luxury villas, office, 2 pools, 1 Rai - Chanote. Secure investment, price below replacement cost, money maker. Owner 82 retiring. 30 Mil Baht.

Lets talk. Owner, 089 594 4067.

Phuket Beach Front Land 14 RAI Beach front Phuket,Phungnga Close 5-7*hote,Chanode title,90 meters of water frontage More than 100 m wide beach&small piece of land close to the beach 25MB/RAI, Ms.Pam, phuketmyhouse@gmail.com, 089 868 8668.

Fire sale 7 shop houses for sale, 20 meters from Chalong round about. On the way to pier for Sale. 25 Million, kieranpmadden@hotmail.com, 096 924 4661.

Brand new 3 bed villa Onyx Living area 160 sq.m. Land 200 sq.m. Fully luxury furnished. Open plan living room with kitchen, Private & Peaceful area, Security gate estate, Gym. 8.9M, oliver@thurmanngroup. com, 087 877 2320.

Villa for sale

Exclusive Villa with Pool and Garden In Phuket, Rawai/Nai Harn, Land size: 1’700 m2, build up area 400m2. Private sale, no agents please.

36 MB, JasminConsulting@gmx.net.

The Base Downtown - Sale/Rent 1 Bed (35sqm) & 2 Bed (60sqm), fully furnished, pool view. Near Central, BIS, Big C, Lotus, Siriroj hospital, Darasamut School, Thai Hua School (Close to new Central Embassy- good investment). Swimming pool, fitness & library. Rent:15,000-25,000 THB/month and 35,000-45,000 THB/month. Panattaporn.c@gmail.com, 093 639 4654.

Make money NOW - Kata Beach House for sale

West coast Phuket Great Location, Spa, 7 Bedroom, 7 Bathroom, all with kitchens. Rent or live with good income. 5 minutes walk to Kata beach. ขายของได้ 9 MB or Offer, Khun Arreerat, kataari@ yahoo.com, 086 595 8512, 081 970 4638.

Living room 2 double bedrooms 1 fitted furniture and en-suite fitted kitchen office bathroom carport garden Land 188sqm, house 75sqm.

2,000,000, Khun Peter, Baan Pleunjan 2, Paklok, Talang, lowprofile@mail.com, 086 905 1406.

Land 162 sqwa. Large Pool/Jacuzzi-3 Bed-4 Bath-Office-2 Storage Building-Alarm System and much more. Reduced 22MB to 18 MB for Quick Sale. mrgeoffcurry@yahoo.com, Si +6681 970 8896 TH/ENG, Geoff+6681 854 0061 ENG.

Waterfront Condominium The Cleat Condo, residence project in Krabi Boat Lagoon Marina. Price 3-9MB, size 37119 Sq.M., 1 or 2 bedroom, marina view. For rent/sale. marketing@phuketpropertytrip.com

Ocean View Land Kamala Half rai 797sq.m. cleared and leveled, power connected, sealed road, MUST SELL 6.75million. For ENG 090 492 3101 THA 093 768 6694.

For Sale/Rent (5 Days - 6 Months) 4 Floors, 6 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms. Fully furnished. Kuku, Phuket Town. Contact Joy, 093 596 2757, joyfulphuket@gmail.com.

Land For Sale 3 Mil Baht

In Thalang area 2.5 Rai beautiful, flat land with access road, Chanote title, only 5 minutes from Thanyapura (PIA International school). sk.thanya@ gmail.com, 081 737 8624.

LUXURY POOL VILLA

BY LAGUNA Has everything, comfort, security, live in a small resort - lush tropical garden. 35,000 Baht per month. Long lease. Owner, 089 594 4067.

Kata Seaview Condo For Sale New 1 bedroom with great sea and sunset views! 44sqm. Leasehold with foriegn freehold available. Swimming pool, sauna and clubhouse. Flexible furniture options. Great management and rental program, 082 254 0760.

Retail space for rent

Retail space available in the Ocean Plaza Patong for massage, beauty, coffee, souvenir shops etc. Low rent contracts for up to 12 yrs. For info call Natty at 086 281 8883 or 076 343 506. 3632, Nattida Thaboondee, g.cummings@hotmail.com, 086 281 8883.

Townhouse for sale. Chalong.

Chalong Villa for rent

Townhouse 150sq.m, 2 storey, 2 bedroom, living room, kitchen, 2 balcony, 2 bathroom, office, parking. Fully furnitured. Chalong circle, Price: 3700000, Contact: Mariya, mvs97@yandex.ru, 0822751146, Fax: 0918053725.

Living area 450 sq.m, Land: 800 sq.m. 1st floor: Living room, Master bdr with en-suite bth, Kitchen, Sea view terrace, Pool, 2nd floor: 4 bdr with bth, 2nd living room, Office.

90,000/month/year., oliver@thurmanngroup.

House in Karon for Sale. Hard

to find 3 bed room , 3 bath room house for sale in the perfect location near Kata & Karon beach, well maintained with a salt water pool, Price : 16,000,000, Narrisara (Tic), 7/8 Patak Soi 10, Karon, g-a-coates@ hotmail.com, 0991642991.

Sea view land in Patong The Last Piece of Sea View Land on Prime Location in Patong, just 500 m. from Patong beach, 1.3 KM. to Jungceylon Shopping Mall, Contact: Karuna, kpattarawalee@

Beachfront House 4-Bedroom house on semiprivate beach available for sale and rent. Can easily be divided into two separate and identical properties. The rental/sale can also include a self-contained 1-bedroom bungalow, Price: 18.2 MB, Rent 110,000 THB, Alex Seago, home@thaivillaboutique.com, 087-8923876.

Vassana Residence. Rawai

gmail.com, 089 967 5373.

Outstanding Villa for sale 3 bed/3 bath, Living area 370 sq.m, Land 600 sq.m. Located at the 4 Star Residence. Spacious living quarters, open plan living, dining areas, gourmet kitchen, private pool. 14.9M, oliver@thurmanngroup.com, +66 (0)87 877 2320.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

SPORT 35

Phuket sees 0-0 in opener FOOTBALL

Matt Pond editor3@classactmedia.co.th

A

round 50 travelling away fans made the 12-hour-return journey between Phuket and Satun to watch Phuket FC in their long-awaited season opener against Satun United last Sunday (Mar 20).

Knowing full well they were up against a very strong Satun team, winners of Southern Region Division 2 last season, Phuket’s main hope was that they came away from the game with at least a point, and with the final score at 0-0 their target was achieved.

With kick off at 4pm, the game was played in sweltering conditions, but the Andaman Dragon were unfazed by the weather conditions, and set off strongly in the first 45.

They had much of the possession and were certainly the stronger team. The only thing lacking was the ability to score.

With injuries to two key Phuket players coming late in the first half, Phuket FC’s Coach Pittaya ‘Odd’ Phimarnman was forced to make changes for the second half and knew it would be a tougher 45 than the first.

However, Phuket held their own, and in the 80th minute came the closest of the two teams to scoring. A long ball in from the right found an unmarked Sarod Jitsanor inside Satun’s penalty area. He took the ball well, but his attempt

Phuket’s Sarod Jitsanor came the closest to scoring in last Sunday’s (Mar 20) game against Satun United. Photo: Phuket FC 2016 Facebook on goal was saved by Satun’s keeper.

Speaking to The Phuket News after the game, Phuket FC’s Coach Odd said that he was really happy with how the team performed.

“We were strong mentally and physically and the team played just as we had set out,” he said.

“We created a lot of chances and the only thing we lacked was a goal, but we can work on that in training,” he added.

Coach Odd went on to say that the team he has built stands a good chance in the league, their main focus for the 2016 season, and that the Andaman Dragon is certainly well prepared for the long

League Table Position

Team

G/D

Points

1

Pattani FC

2

3

2

Ranong Utd

2

3

3

Hatyai FC

1

3

4

Phangnga FC

0

1

5

Phatthalung FC

0

1

6

Nara Utd

0

1

7

Trang FC

0

1

8

Satun Utd

0

1

9

Phuket FC

0

1

10

Yala Utd

-1

0

11

Nakhon Si Heritage

-2

0

12

Suratthani FC

-2

0

@thephuketnews

battle ahead.

“I have built a good team and the moral and atmosphere amongst the players is magnificent,” Coach Odd said.

“We are certainly ready to play in this division,” he added.

Meanwhile, President MaAnn Samran, who was more than thankful for the fans that made the journey down south and braved the heat, also reiterated Coach Odd’s remarks about the performance.

“We were the stronger team by far,” he said.

“It’s just a shame that we could not score,” he added.

“We are a team with very little money, but I think we are strong enough to compete against the other teams in the

division. We can build on this and become a success,” he concluded.

Next up for Phuket is their first home game of the season to be played against Hatyai FC

at Surakul Stadium on Sunday (Mar 27).

With the injuries picked up in last Sunday’s game, Coach Odd is likely to have to make changes to the starting 11 and

says that this is a good time to bring some of the local young blood into the team.

“Two players injured against Satun are not likely to be able to play on Sunday.

However, we have some good young talent in our squad and this will be the perfect opportunity for them to get a game.

“Yes, they’re not the most experienced of players, but they have to start playing sooner or later,” he said.

Phuket also played in a Toyota League Cup game on Wednesday (when The Phuket News goes to print) against Ranong Utd who the Dragon drew against in an earlier pre-season friendly. However, Coach Odd is more focused on the league at this stage.

“Yes, it would obviously be nice to get a win [in the cup match], but my main focus for this season is the league.

With the team we have I’m hopeful that we will have a good season, and we certainly have as good a chance as any of getting promotion,” he said.

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

SPORT 37

TCT secure their place in PCL finale CRICKET

Continued from Page 40 ...After a few minutes in the shade and some water, TCT’s bowlers found a better line and length to stem Laguna’s flow or runs.

Only 22 runs came off the next 6 overs. Pressure built and Reading was caught behind

by Rehman off the bowling of McMillan for 42 (36). Laguna’s middle order lacked polish without M.Sadarangani and Ali Khan.

McMillan broke through for two more wickets in his next two overs, and the flight of Martin Hill dragged Sameer Khan out of his crease, stumped for 19 (38).

Laguna’s Platts and 15-yearold Satyam Sachdeva were the last of the batsmen and helped their side to another 15 runs before Platts was also stumped

by Rehman after misjudging the flight of spinner Hill.

Laguna 9/209 (31.1 overs).

Mushtaq 43 (32), Reading 42 (36), McMillan 3/30, Hill 2/11.

Bill Stahmer and Hico McDonald started TCT’s run

@thephuketnews

Nicholle Toh was within 0.6 of the Olympic ‘B’ qualifyiing standard in the LCM 100m Butterfly.

BISP swimmer flies high in Singapore

and was within 0.6 of the Olympic ‘B’ standard.

In the 200m Fly and BR I T I SH I N T E R NA- 50m, 100m, 200m and 400m tional School, Phuket (BISP) Freestyle events, Nicholle swimmer Nicholle Toh, also challenged the Pan 14, rose through the ranks Pacific Games A cuts, and of world age group swim- will be hoping to achieve ming with a 1.01.44 LCM these at the Singapore Open 100m Butterfly race at the later in the year.

2016 Singapore National In the 200m Butterfly, Age Group Champion- Nicholle paid for a fast early ships (SNAGS) held from pace whilst taking on the March 16-21, which should two Japanese international be enough to book her place juniors in the middle lanes, on the Singapore Junior to race to a new best time Pan Pacific Games Team of 2min 19. 49. bound for Hawaii in August In the 50m Free she was this year. again the fastest in her age The BISP JSA Swim posting a 26.76 in the A Academy scholarship swim- Final, following up with a mer smashed the Pan Pacific 58.84 for the 100m, 2min Games ‘A’ qualifying stan- 08.62 for the 200m and 4min dard by over 1.5 seconds 29.90 for the 400m event.

POOL

Sunday’s result means Thalang have assured themselves a spot in the final to be held on May 1. chase with a bang. Stahmer drove Iqbal Malik through mid-off for four and McDonald finished the untidy over with another two boundaries.

Erratic bowling helped TCT to 17 runs from the second over and captain Malik replaced both opening bowlers. Legspinner Platts bowled with plenty of variety from the lake end but with only 10 Laguna players on the ground and a fast outfield there was plenty of easy runs taken.

Platts dropped McDonald on an easy caught and bowled chance then redeemed himself

in the 10th over by turning one past Stahmers bat and he was stumped for 25 (28). TCT were 1/93 at drinks with the clean hitting McDonald 59* (26).

After the break McDonald went on the charge, striking many leg-side boundaries to bring up his second Phuket Cricket League century in just 48 balls. Paddy Ledeboer chipped in with 36 (26) before Sameer Khan took his wicket and the wicket of Anthony Dupont in the same over.

TCT needed just 42 to win with seven batsmen remaining, and further reduced the

target to 16 runs at the 20 over drinks break.

TCT reached the target three down in 22 overs.

Hico McDonald finished on 122 not out from 60 balls.

His innings included six x 6s and 13 x 4s.

The big win for Thalang has insured that they will finish on the top of the Phuket Cricket League table and play in their third consecutive PCL final on May 1.

The big hit to Laguna’s percentage has now left the door ajar for Patong if they are able to win their last 3 matches.

38 SPORT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

Small promise, big delivery BOX OF NEUTRALS Michael Lamonato michael@boxofneutrals.com

F

ormula One has a habit of rebounding strongly on the weekends it shoots itself in the foot, and the 2016 Australian Grand Prix marked a recovery for the ages.

Heads hung low last Sunday morning (Mar 20), weighed down by the previous evening's incensing spectacle of an empty track at what should have been the climax of qualifying, all in the name of a new format designed to spice up the show.

The result was both a predictable gird and grandstands that quickly emptied themselves of fans. The sport had much for which to feel ashamed.

But later Sunday it put on a show that not only rectified Saturday’s sorry sight but went some way to ameliorating 2015’s at times soporific season – it put on a race.

Though the results – a Rosberg-Hamilton-Vettel podium – suggested more of the same, in truth Mercedes was lucky to come away with maximum points.

It was Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari who led much of the Australian Grand Prix after

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team's German driver Nico Rosberg celebrates his victory as Ferrari's German driver Sebastian Vettel (C) and former British driver Sir Jackie Stewart (R) applaud on the podium at the end of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne . Photo: Saeed Khan/AFP rocketing from the line in a masterclass of clutch control under the new single-paddle regulations.

The German and his Finnish teammate Kimi Räikkönen caught pole sitter Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg napping, seizing first and second and demoting Rosberg to third and Hamilton to sixth by the first turn, skyrocketing enthusiasm levels at Melbourne’s Albert

Park.

Indeed, Ferrari was not only leading, but also controlling the race. The first pit stop window came and went, and though Rosberg attempted to undercut Vettel’s strategy with an earlier tyre change, the four-time world champion put the Mercedes driver back in his place.

But the red flag period changed everything. While marshals cleared the circuit of

debris from Fernando Alonso and Esteban Gutierrez’s horrifying crash, both Mercedes drivers put on medium tyres, while Vettel stuck with the supersofts.

When the teams unwrapped the rubber from their tyre blankets, the error became obvious: neither Mercedes would have to stop again, but Vettel would require one more change. The race, which Ferrari temporar-

ily held so tightly, was lost in an instant.

“We didn’t expect what both of them did, going on the hardest compound and going to the end,” said Vettel after the race, confirming the mistake.

“Maybe we could have done something else, but I’m not willing to blame anything or anyone. We are a team, and I think today we won 15 points.”

Indeed, Ferrari wasn’t en-

tertaining any talk of massive tactical blunders or missed opportunities. The only thing worth talking about at the Scuderia was that, for precious 18 laps before the interruption, Ferrari was back.

“If you want to look at the glass not half-empty, we were there [ahead of Mercedes],” said team principal Maurizio Arrivabene. “This is the news.”

News it most certainly is.

The 9.6 seconds Vettel finished behind Rosberg is less than the 24 seconds required for his additional pit stop. Ferrari was most certainly there.

While Mercedes still holds a slender pace advantage, it is nowhere near the almost onesecond buffer established in qualifying, in which Ferrari only did one lap and which was on a far cooler circuit.

On Sunday, in representative conditions and in a straight fight, Ferrari is perhaps 0.2 seconds off the pace – easily close enough to ensure that Mercedes can no longer have things its own way.

By Sunday evening chests were puffed out and shoulders thrown back – Formula One was back in business, and it has a fight for the ages on its hands.

Listen to Box of Neutrals live each and every Saturday from 9am on Live98.5.

English young guns seal Grand Slam RUGBY BASK I NG I N T H E glory of delivering England a Six Nations Grand Slam, Eddie Jones hailed his band of young guns as a squad that will conquer the mighty All Blacks in a couple of years.

What Jones has achieved in little more than 100 days in charge of the Red Rose outfit is nothing less than astonishing.

Most of the team played at

the World Cup, when England failed to get out of the pool in a miserable display under Jones’ predecessor Stuart Lancaster.

But how things change, Jones overseeing a first Grand Slam in 13 years with five straight wins over Scotland (15-9), Italy (40-9), Ireland (21-10), Wales (25-21) and finally France (31-21).

That last Six Nations sweep came back in 2003 when England went on to win the World Cup, with

Jones then the coach of losing finalists Australia.

“To win a Grand Slam without lighting up the sky is, in a way, a compliment,” ex-Wales No 8 and captain Eddie Butler wrote in The Guardian after watching England ease past France.

“This was not like the team of 2003 approaching a zenith; this was a team in the throes of rediscovery and reconstruction. They have been uplifted by Eddie Jones, led intelligently – yes, exactly

that – by Dylan Hartley and they have sold themselves to the task of making their nation proud of them.

“The overall standard of the championship was far from inspired,” Butler said.

“To go unbeaten is so very difficult, and to find fault would be churlish.”

Next up will be Australia, one of many steps Jones sees as a route to beating double defending World Cup champions New Zealand.

AFP

England captain Dylan Hartley (centre) holds the trophy as England celebrate winning the Six Nations after beating France at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, last Saturday (Mar 19). Photo: Luke Phillips/AFP

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

SPORT 39

PREMIER PREDICTIONS: ENTER NOW AT THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

City fans ready to stage ticket prices walkout FOOTBALL

M

anchester City supporters are considering walkout protests after criticising the club’s ticket prices for the forthcoming Champions League quarter-final showdown against Paris St Germain.

Cit y clai m t he £60 (B2,982) cost of top-priced tickets is a “fair reflection of the profile of the game”, with the cheapest seats available for £45 ((B2,236).

However, City fans angry at the large increase on prices from the previous round against Dynamo Kiev last week (B1,491-B1,988), and from the group stage matches against Juventus, Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach (B994-B1,988).

The 1894 Group claim the situation has so alienated fans that even if the club were ever to sign Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, many supporters would not attend if tickets were not priced realistically.

And they have now been asked to organise a walkout protest in a repeat of the tactic which last month was hugely successful in forcing Liverpool’s owners into a U-turn over new season ticket prices.

“We have had a huge amount of correspondence from City supporters who feel the pricing policy for the PSG game has gone over a line,” said a statement from the fans’ group.

“We have been asked to organise walkouts and to try and reverse the club’s decisions on ticket prices.

“The prices were too high for too long. Our view is that even if the club signed Messi, Pogba and Neymar but the prices were too high fans just would not go.

“It’s likely that a lot of

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English Premier League 2015 - 2016 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Man City supporters hold up blue and white cards at the English League Cup final between Liverpool and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium. Photo: Glyn Kirk/AFP

10

ter-final of Europe’s biggest cup competition and the first time the club has progressed to this stage we believe the ticket prices are a fair reflection of the profile of the game.”

Meanwhile, Leicester City will take on French side Paris Saint-Germain in Los Angeles in July as part of the International Champions Cup exhibition event, it was confirmed on Tuesday (Mar 22).

The Premier League leaders, who are closing in on a fairytale title victory which would be arguably the greatest upset in English football history, will face the Ligue 1 champions on July 30.

The match in California will come three days after another ICC game in Los Angeles, when Liverpool take on Chelsea at the Pasadena Rose Bowl on July 27.

It is the third year in a row that the Rose Bowl has hosted pre-season exhibition matches featuring European clubs.

Manchester United played

13

fans will wait and see what happens in the first leg (in Paris) before purchasing a ticket for the return – then there’s a concern of higher prices in the event of us reaching a semi-final.

“We feel the club need to really listen to the fans now on ticket prices.”

With Premier League clubs recently agreeing to cap all away tickets at £30, and Liverpool’s turnaround on their pricing plans, the mood domestically appears to be being more considerate of supporters but that has so far not applied to European tickets.

City defended their pricing structure, insisting the calibre of opposition and the club’s progress in the competition makes increases inevitable.

“Pricing for each match is reviewed on an individual basis, based on factors such as the opposition and stage of competition,” said a club statement.

“As this match is the quar-

the Los Angeles Galaxy at the venue in 2014 before a crowd of more than 90,000 flocked to see Spanish giants Barcelona play the Major League Soccer side at the arena last year.

O rga n i se r s Releve nt Sports also announced a match between Liverpool and Italian side AC Milan at San Francisco’s Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, on July 30.

Last year Manchester United played Barcelona at the same venue before a sell-out crowd of more than 68,000.

The 2016 International Champions Cup will run from July 23 to August 13 and will see matches played across the United States and other parts of the world.

A total of 10 international teams will take part, including Liverpool, Chelsea, Leicester, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Celtic.

AFP

11 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Team

MP W

D

L

F

A GD Pts

Leicester Tottenham Arsenal Man City West Ham Man Utd Southampton Stoke Liverpool Chelsea West Brom Everton Bournemouth Watford Swansea Crystal Palace Norwich Sunderland Newcastle Aston Villa

31 31 30 30 30 30 31 31 29 30 30 29 31 30 31 30 31 30 30 31

9 10 7 6 11 8 8 7 8 11 9 11 8 7 9 6 7 8 7 7

3 4 7 9 6 8 10 11 9 9 11 9 13 13 13 15 17 16 17 21

54 56 48 52 47 38 41 34 45 45 30 51 38 30 31 32 32 36 29 22

31 24 30 32 35 27 32 37 40 41 37 41 50 32 40 40 54 55 55 58

19 17 16 15 13 14 13 13 12 10 10 9 10 10 9 9 7 6 6 3

23 32 18 20 12 11 9 -3 5 4 -7 10 -12 -2 -9 -8 -22 -19 -26 -36

66 61 55 51 50 50 47 46 44 41 39 38 38 37 36 33 28 26 25 16

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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

editor3@classactmedia.co.th

Phuket FC earn point in season opener > page 35

122 NOT OUT CRICKET

A

Hico McDonald finished on 122 not out from 60 balls. Photo: Michael Way

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016

blistering undefeated century from Hico McDonald last Sunday (Mar 20) helped the Thalang Cricket Team (TCT) to a seven wicket win against the Laguna Cricket Club at the Alan Cooke Ground.

What was expected to be a preview of the Phuket Cricket League grand final wasn’t to be with both sides turning up without some of their key players. TCT were without their opening bowling pair of Alex Runhaar and Hossain Sylar. Laguna were without allrounder Manish Sadarangani and hard hitter Ali Khan.

The coin toss was won by Laguna who choose to bat first

with only nine players present at the ground. TCT weren’t much better off, unavailability causing the top side to walk onto the sunburnt ACG with one ill player, an injured player, and 9-year-old sub fielder Alex Dupont.

His father Anthony took the new ball and struck in the third over with the wicket of Damien Clowes. The next seven overs didn’t yield a wicket. Some quality stroke play from Arif Mushtaq helped Laguna to 1/70 at drinks. The old adage that a wicket can fall straight after a break was proven true once again when Laguna’s captain Iqbal Malik mistimed the first ball of the 11th over and was caught for 25 runs. Moomin Sanga and Mushtaq exposed TCT’s lack of bowling depth

crunching 42 runs in the next 4.4 overs before Sanga’s luck ran out 21 (17).

Two balls later Laguna were 3/113 when Mushtaq 43 (32) threw away a half century attempting to clear the infield only to find the big mitts of Carl Baxter at mid-on. Cool heads Stuart Reading and Sameer Khan steered Laguna to 143 runs off 19 overs.

TCT’s captain Andrew McMillan turned to his off spinner to bowl the last over before the break only to have Reading plunder 14 runs off the first 3 leg side deliveries.

At drinks Laguna were 4/158 and may have considered that they could set a total above 300 runs with Martin Platts still to bat.

Continued on page 37

thephuketnews