The Phuket News 28 September 2018

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

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Police probed for shooting dead suspect

DROWNING DEATHS DOUBLE IN WAKE OF LIFEGUARD CONTRACT FAILURE

LIFE

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A guiding light for our Myanmar kids

A tattered red ‘no swimming’ flag flies on Patong Beach this week. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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huket Governor Norraphat Plodthong will conclude his term as Governor of Phuket on Sunday (Sept 30), leaving behind a legacy of lifeguard protection failure at the island’s popular tourism beaches.

Incoming Phuket Governor Pakka­ pong Tawipat will officially take up the post as the island’s top-ranking official on Monday (Oct 1) to face a mounting beach drowning death toll double that of last year, when the beaches had comprehensive lifeguard protection by trained lifeguards armed with proper equipment by a single organisation.

This past week alone has seen a flurry of deadly surf-danger incidents,

leaving one tourist dead, another comatose on life support pending a decision by his relatives and one American who entered the surf drunk at night but was later safely recovered.

Japanese tourist 62-year-old Nobuhiko Suzuki drowned at Karon Beach last Saturday (Sept 22), while later that night an American tourist missing after entering the sea at Patong Beach was found angry and drunk, but safe, two hours later.

Meanwhile, Chinese-born Ameri­ can Ding Suli, 56, as of Wednesday remained comatose and on life sup­ port in the ICU at Bangkok Hospital Phuket after he was pulled from the surf unconscious and unresponsive at Mai Khao Beach last Wednesday (Sept 19).

Tha Chatchai Police Chief Col

Prawit Suttiruangarun explained to The Phuket News that Mr Ding had entered the water where red ‘no swimming’ flags were posted.

“There were no lifeguards on duty along that part of the beach,” Col Pra­ wit noted, adding that Mr Ding was rescued from the surf by a foreigner.

“His blood pressure is better, but his brain went without oxygen for too long,” Col Prawit explained.

“Now we are waiting for his rela­ tives to make a decision,” he added.

The day after Mr Ding was pulled from the surf, Sarawut Srisakukam, Chief of the Mai Khao Tambon Ad­ ministration Organisation (OrBorTor), declared Mai Khao Beach not safe for swimming.

“The tourist was swimming in front of a hotel about halfway along

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the beach, near the Pru Jampa Lake area,” Mr Sarawut explained.

Mr Sarawut explained that there are only four lifeguards on Mai Khao Beach – Phuket’s longest beach at just over 10km long.

Mai Khao OrBorTor hired the lifeguards directly after LP Laikhum Co Ltd, which had been granted the government concession to provide lifeguards at several of Phuket’s main beaches, discontinued providing life­ guards, he added.

In May this year, LP Laikhum Managing Director Dr Nutpol Siri­ sawang flamed the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO, or OrBorJor) for not providing the equipment needed as per their agree­ ment under the government contract provided...

SPORT

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Fearless Vettel prepares for final assault

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Turtles washing up on Phuket beaches injured, dead or dying > page 5

Back to the board ‘Phoenix’ salvage halted after tether snaps

Police officers inspect the catamaran docked at Chalong Pier. Photo: Chalong Police

Mechanic killed in boat engine horror A 30-YEAR-OLD BOAT mechanic died on Monday (Sept 24) when his neck became caught in the boat’s engine while carrying out routine maintenance.

Chalong Police were notified at 7:30pm that a body had been found inside the engine compartment of the catamaran Blueket, docked at Chalong Pier.

Lt Col Khanan Somrak from the Chalong Police together with other officers, Phuket Ruamjai Rescue Foundation members and officials from the Tourist Assistance Centre arrived at the scene to find the body of boat mechanic Wanchai Yuttasang, 30, inside the engine compartment with his neck stuck in the boat’s engine.

It took rescue workers about an hour to remove Mr Wanchai’s body from the boat before transferring it to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town.

Upon investigation, the boat’s captain Prasong

Jaruk, 39, said that the boat is used to service foreign tourists. At 4:30pm he and his staff, including Mr Wanchai, departed Racha Island and stopped at Coral Island.

Mr Wanchai went to check in the engine compartment as is usual procedure.

When the boat arrived at Chalong Pier the boat’s passengers disembarked.

It was then realised that Mr Wanchai had not come out from the engine compartment so they went to investigate.

This is when they discovered the body of Mr Wanchai inside the compartment and called police.

Police believe that Mr Wanchai slipped and fell while entering the engine compartment causing him to fall onto the engine and get his neck caught.

However, officers will investigate further, police said.

Eakkapop Thongtub

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he Chief of the Phuket Marine Office on Monday confirmed that the plan to raise the sunken tour boat Phoenix is to be fully revised after one of the tethers broke while the salvage operators were trying to move the boat underwater – but not actually raise it.

The news to temporarily scrap the plan to raise the Phoenix was revealed

by Wiwat Chitchertwong, who is currently the Acting Director of the Phuket Marine Office.

Mr Wiwat was installed as Acting Director of the Phuket Marine Office after the previous director was transferred in the wake of the Phoenix tour boat disaster on July 5 that killed 47 Chinese tourists, sending the Phoenix to the seabed 45 metres below the water’s surface some 1.5 nautical miles off Koh Hei (Coral Island), At last report, last Friday (Sept 21), the salvage team were making the final preparations to raise the Phoenix.

However, Mr Wiwat confirmed to The Phuket News on Monday, “The salvage of the Phoenix boat has been suspended because the rope (sic) that was being used to pull the boat through the water broke while we were moving the boat.

“The rope broke when we were moving the boat about 400 metres from where it sank,” he added.

Mr Wiwat explained that the plan was to lift the Phoenix off the seabed using 200-ton-strong tethers and drag it closer to shore while it was still fully submerged, and then float it to the surface.

However, the plan came apart when

The plan to raise the sunken tour boat ’Phoenix’ has been scrapped temporarily after one of the tethers broke. Photo: PR Dept / file the tether broke while the salvage team were dragging the boat underwater, sometime between last Friday and Monday.

Mr Wiwat on Monday declined to answer when the incident occurred.

“I will not reveal or explain more details,” he said.

However, Mr Wiwat added, “Today I ordered for a new plan from the dive team to salvage the boat, then we will be able to start the process again.”

No deadline for presenting the new plan was revealed.

“I just ordered the dive team to make a new plan today. They will survey the boat again and tomorrow will start to continue with the project,” Mr Wiwat said.

“We will try our best. I believe our work will go well, because there is good weather at this time,” Mr Wiwat added.

Mr Wiwat, however, declined to identify which company had been hired to salvage the vessel.

Marine Department Director-General Jirut Wisanjit, while in Phuket on Aug 8 to announce that the Phoenix will be raised “this week”, explained at the time that the Marine Department on July 11 had ordered the owner of the Phoenix – 26-year-old Phuket resident Woralak Rerkchaikarn – to recover the boat from the bottom of the bay, giving her 20 days to complete the recovery.

“With the deadline passing on July 31 and no action taken to recover the Phoenix, the Marine Department will do it and order the boat owner to pay for the cost of the recovery,” Mr Jirut said.

“The cost is about B10 million, for which we have hired a private company to carry out the salvage,” he added.

Drownings double with lifeguard protection in tatters Continued from page 1 ...Meanwhile, Mr Sarawut on Monday said that red flags have been posted along Mai Khao Beach.

“Mai Khao Beach is not safe right now. The rip currents and the strong waves are too dangerous. We have posted red flags on the beach where we can,” he said.

“I have also asked hotels in the area to warn their own guests about the dangers of entering the water at this time,” he added.

DEATH TOLL The drowning incidents this past week has brought the beach drowning death toll so far this year to 13 plus Mr Ding, who is not expected to survive without life support.

The tally does not including two beach drownings at Koh Racha and another at Koh Hei (Coral

Island) since the start of the year, though both islands are within the administration of Phuket.

The tally also does not include the drowning deaths of two people at Koh Khai Nai, just 7.6km east of Koh Siray on the east side of Phuket Town, but technically located within Phang Nga Province.

In the same period last year (Jan 1-Sept 30) when the Phuket Lifeguard Service provided lifeguards to patrol all the major beaches, Phuket suffered seven drowning deaths: one at a location where lifeguards were on duty; the remaining six where lifeguards were not on duty.

Prathaiyuth Chuayuan, Chief of the Phuket Lifeguard Service (PLS), warned that next month, October, is one of the most dangerous for beach swimmers.

“This is the (southwest) monsoon

season, when the wind and waves are strong,” he said.

“October is ‘double dangerous’ as there are extra tourists from China during their national holidays and it is nearly the beginning of the tourism high season. A lot of Australian and Chinese tourists come at this time, while the weather varies greatly.

“Large numbers of tourists on the beach when the surf is not safe and while there are not many lifeguards – or even skilled, experienced lifeguards – is not a balance we want.

“And all beaches in Phuket are dangerous to swim at in October, especially at Mai Khao and Patong.

These beaches are risky for tourists’ lives,” Mr Prathaiyuth warned.

CRITICAL NEEDS Mr Prathaiyuth pointed out that having trained lifeguards and informing

tourists of the dangers were the top priorities to prevent more deaths.

“The point is tourists don’t know about the surf in Phuket. It is really dangerous. Tourists need to know they must swim only in safe swim zones, but instead they go around unaware of the dangerous surf and they ignore red flags marking dangerous areas,” Mr Prathaiyuth said.

“Communicating the danger to tourists is most important right now.

More warning signs are needed and they must be in multiple languages, especially Chinese, they really need to know about it,” he added.

Trained, experienced lifeguards being properly equipped is also vital, he said.

“And they need the life-saving equipment to support their work.

We need real lifeguards who have skills and experience at Phuket’s

Tourists, especially Chinese, must be made aware of the dangerous surf in Phuket at this time of year.

Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot beaches and understand what is happening and how to respond,” he said.

Lifeguard towers were also essential in spotting swimmers in distress.

“Currently there are no towers at many Phuket beaches or they are broken. At some beaches there are not even tents for the lifeguards to use as a lifeguard station,” Mr Prathaiyuth said. thephuketnews

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Police charged in fatal suspect shooting probe A photo of Chitnupong Kerjan, shot dead by police early last Tuesday, is held up during the protest last Saturday (Sept 22). Photo: PR Dept

The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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ll nine people, including seven police officers, involved in the fatal shooting of a suspect fleeing police early Tuesday last week (Sept 18) have been charged with attempted murder, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Teeraphol Thipjaroen confirmed on Tuesday (Sept 25).

Gen Teeraphol, however, also pointed out that the charges are still pending an investigation into the shooting, which resulted in the death of suspect Chitnupong Kerjan, a 29-year-old resident of Karon, on Phuket’s southwest coast.

In his report addressed to the Commander of the Region 8 Police, Gen Teeraphol named the nine under investigation as: Capt Prechaphat Sangnoi, Sen Sgt Maj Goson Suchart, Cpl Somchai Sarapan and Cpl Ukkrit Phiboon, all of the Phuket City Police; Maj Sanhawit Sanitwong, Capt Jira Churdchai and L/Cpl Thotpon Laongthong, all of the Cherng Talay Police; and Wiroth Boondhet and Pongsak Tongkapong, both Civil Defense Volunteers (OrSor) attached to the Phuket City Police.

Gen Teeraphol also noted that, “This case happened because the suspect tried to kill the officers.”

He later in the same report also said, “He (Chitnupong) used a gun to shoot at police officers.”

The report to Region 8 Police followed Chitnupong’s father, Arun Kerjan, and some 50 friends and relatives staging a protect last Saturday (Sept 22), demanding that the officers involved in the shooting be transferred out of Phuket while the incident is investigated, and calling for a fair investigation.

The nine involved were transferred less than 24 hours after the protest.

“This case is in the public interest. We need to investigate this case carefully and fairly,” Gen Teeraphol said. “We are not investigating this case alone. The Phuket Provincial Prosecutor’s Office is joining the investigation as well.”

Chitnupong was shot dead in his

pickup truck near the Tonhorm Restaurant on Srisoonthon Rd in Cherng Talay at around 1:30am on Sept 18 after a chase by police from Phuket Town after he ran a checkpoint and refused to stop.

Police later that day said that Chitnupong had “raised his gun at police”.

Inside the vehicle on the driver’s seat police found a .357 revolver with six bullets inside. They also found a homemade gun loaded with one .38 calibre bullet as well as 11 other rounds of ammunition.

Chitnupong also rammed three motorbikes waiting at a red traffic light while evading arrest. The families of those injured have said they will pursue legal channels for compensation.

The accident occurred while the students were travelling to Bangkok to take part in a Japanese-language competition. Photo: Supplied

Satree Phuket students injured in highway head-on collision ST U DEN TS FROM SAtree Phuket School are among 10 people who were injured when the van they were travelling in slammed into a car head-on in Surat Thani last Saturday morning (Sept 22).

The van was carrying six students, all female aged 17 and 18, as well as two female teachers when it slammed head-on into the black Toyota Vios on Route 415 in Phanom District, which borders Phang Nga Province.

The students and teachers from Satree Phuket were travelling to Bangkok to take part in a Japanese-language competition.

The accident occurred @thephuketnews

at KM 12 on Route 415, in Tambon Khlong Cha-un, The Phuket News was told.

The driver of the Toyota Vios, registered in Nakhon Nayok, was Thawatchapong Boonma, 25. He was taken to Phanom Hospital for breathing difficulties.

The driver of the van, Bamrung Jansuwaan, 59, was also taken to Phanom Hospital for breathing difficulties.

Of the teachers, Nichapa Tankrailerd, 30, was taken to Phanom Hospital for injuries to her right leg, while Nittaya Duangmanee, 50, was taken to Surat Thani Hospital for more serious injuries to both

her legs.

Of the students, Kudchakorn Boonroi, 17, was taken to Phanom Hospital but later moved to Surat Thani Hospital for a suspected broken left ankle and broken hip.

Tassaya Navee, 17, was taken to Phanom Hospital for head pain and Kanokneat Sonthikiat, 18, was also taken to Phanom Hospital for a gash above her left eye.

Piyarat Ploykaw, 17, was taken to Baan Takhun Hospital for neck pain.

Jinjuta Chuvong, 18, and Borussakorn Leesantiwong, 17, both escaped the accident with only minor scratches.

The Phuket News

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Patong Mayor riled over rumours on felled trees PAT O N G M AYO R Chalermluck Kebsup this week responded to rumours that trees along the Patong beachfront were cut down because they obscured views of the bay from a nearby resort.

Instead, Mayor Chalerm­ luck explained that the trees were cut down for safety after many of them suffered damage by the recent barrage of storm weather that has slammed the west coast.

The buzz began online on monday morning (Sept 24) when social media posts started accusing Patong Municipality of cutting down the trees for the benefit of a resort near the beachfront.

Some people also questioned why the trees, all pines, were cut down considering that they still had many years to live.

“It was necessary for Patong Municipality to cut down these trees because they were broken by the strong wind.

It was for safety,” Mayor Chalermluck said.

The contractor hired to carry out the beachfront lopping is to first remove any dangerous trees from the Loma Park area, then any other areas deemed necessary as Patong

The trees were cut down for safety reasons, explained Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup. Photo: Supplied officials carry out their inspections, she explained.

“We are mainly focusing on the pine trees, but other trees may have to be cut down as well,” Mayor Chalermluck said.

“I have ordered the team to look out for as many dangerous trees as they can,” she added.

“Photos of the trees that have already been cut down may cause many people to be confused because they were cut down so quickly and without notice,” Mayor Chalermluck admitted.

“The municipality will collect all the felled branches later,” she said, adding that the cleaning up operation was expected to be completed by Tuesday (Sept 25).

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Governor Norraphat receives the petition from the ‘Power for the People of Phuket’ on Monday. Photo: PR Dept

Group calls for action G OV E R N O R N O R R Aphat Plodthong on Monday (Sept 24) received a petition from a local action group calling for the Prime Minister to intervene in the concessions being offered to two 'crucial' oil and gas fields in the Gulf of Thailand, and accusing officials of breaching ethics requirements mandated in the Constitution of Thailand.

Somkid Bangtong, President of the ‘Power for the People of Phuket’ community action group, along with about 50 supporters presented the letter to Governor Norraphat at Phuket Provincial Hall.

The petition called for “the government to manage” the TOR (terms of reference of the concessions offered) for the Bongkot and Erawan fields in the Gulf of Thailand.

The Erawan and Bongkot gas fields account for a combined 75% of the Gulf fields’ outputs of natural gas.

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Police neighbourhood raid hits ‘Drug Street’ Police officers stand with just some of the drugs seized in only one week. Photo: Phuket City Police

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huket City Police arrested seven people in one street for drug offences last Wednesday (Sept 19), including a 63-year-old woman.

After receiving a tip-off that a number of drug dealers operated from a street on the outskirts of Phuket Town, a team of officers from Phuket City Police Station led by Col Sompong Thipapakul went to check out the area.

Officers first arrested Sanum Neatsawang, 63, on Anupas Phuket Karn Soi 12 when undercover officers approached her and asked if they could buy three methamphetamine pills (ya bah). She produced the pills and was arrested.

She was then found to be in possession of a further 16 ya bah pills.

Sanum was charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell.

Officers then went to an unnumbered property of Anupas Phuket Karn Soi 12 where they found Kosin Daman, 24, and Virach Nookun, 20, producing kratom juice. They also had in their possession around 150 grams of fresh kratom leaves and bottle of ‘Datissin’ cough syrup.

Kosin and Virach were both charged with producing and being in possession of a Category 5 drug.

Pongsakun Siriluck, 21, and Smai Kanjanachai, 33, were arrested at house No.1 on Anupas Phuket Karn Soi 12

when they were both found in possession of one ya bah pill. They was charged with possession of a Category 1 drug.

Also arrested at this property was Myanmar national Paipai, 22, who was found in possession of four bags of ya bah containing 889 pills in total.

Paipai was charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell.

Finally, at house No.3 on Anupas Phuket Karn Soi 12, Kasem Khamsi, 37, was arrested when he was found in possession of three packs of methamphetamine each containing 30 pills.

Kasem was charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell.

Two days later, last Friday (Sept 21), police arrested three suspects for drugs

in a small sidestreet in Phuket Town, with two of the suspects staying in the same rental room mansion, Thitath Mansion in Soi Kopai, off Phuket Rd. All those arrests followed Border Patrol Police last Tuesday (Sept 18) arresting 39-year-old Jiraporn ‘Sao’ Chauykiet after finding her carrying 400 ya bah pills on her person while riding a motorbike down the road, and a further 20,372 ya bah pills and 73.43g of ya ice at her home in the Chao Fah Garden Home housing estate in Chalong.

Jiraporn told police that she delivered the drugs for a dealer named only as ‘Bang’ and was paid B500 per delivery.

However, she also said she received a monthly salary of B12,000 from Bang.

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Aussies lend a hand for Canadian emergency consular services

CANADIANS LIVING OR TRAVelling in Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga can now contact the Australian Consulate-General in Phuket for emergency assistance services following the addition of the three provinces to the Canada-Australia Shared Consular Services Agreement.

The news was announced at a small ceremony at the Australian Consulate-General in Phuket on the bypass road on Sept 18.

The Shared Consular Services are now found in 30 consular missions around the world.

“The Canada and Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement dates back to the principles that were agreed to by both countries in 1986, recognising the similarities of our philosophies underlying the provision of consular services,” explained a release from the Canadian embassy in Bangkok.

“The agreement means more points of service for Canadians and Aus-

The news was announced at a small ceremony at the Australian Consulate-General in Phuket on the bypass road on Sept 18. Photo: The Phuket News tralians abroad which in turn means quicker and easier access to emergency consular services, as well as more efficient use of public funds,” it added.

Canadians living or travelling in Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga can now contact the Australian ConsulateGeneral in Phuket for emergency assistance services relating to: - Arrest or detention - Crime and/or accidents - International child abduction and custody cases

- Repatriation - Illness and hospitalisation - Lost or stolen property - Crisis management, and many other issues “Notary services and passport services will continue to be provided by the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok. Canadians should continue to consult the Canadian Travel Advice and Advisories and to stay connected through our various tools and channels, including Twitter (@CanadaThailand), Facebook (@CanadainThailand), and our Travel Smart app. Details can be found at travel.gc.ca.,” the release added.

Craig Ferguson, Australian ConsulGeneral for Phuket explained to The Phuket News, “Consular sharing between Australia and Canada is happening right now in places all over the world – and has been that way since the ’80s. For example in Bali or countries in the Pacific Ocean where the Australian government has a

strong diplomatic presence, Canadians can seek consular assistance from our missions there.

“And it works both ways: in places where Australia doesn’t have an Embassy or Consulate like parts of South America or Africa, Aussies can ask for help at the Canadian Embassy in certain countries,” he added.

“Given there was a bilateral agreement already in place between our governments, this was a natural step for us here in Phuket. We’ve got a good relationship with staff at the Canadian Embassy Bangkok and we stand ready to assist Canadians who may find themselves in difficult circumstances,” he said.

However, Mr Ferguson also noted, “Naturally there are limits to what an Embassy or Consulate can do.”

The Phuket News For more information about the program, visit http://smartraveller.gov. au and http://travel.gc.ca thephuketnews

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

PHUKET NEWS

Pollution killing turtles

38 of 42 turtles washed onto beaches dead, injured The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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he Phuket offices of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMRC) will launch a joint campaign in the hope of greatly reducing the number of turtles being washed up on Phuket’s beaches either dead or seriously injured.

The news broke on Tuesday (Sept 25) at a meeting attended by DMCR Phuket office Director Watcharin Thintalang and MNRE Phuket office Director Natawan Jumlongkat.

Presiding over the meeting was Phuket Vice Governor Thawornwat Khongkaew, who made plain his intention that something must be done about turtles being washed up injured or dying at local beaches, mainly Thai Muang Beach in Phang Nga and Mai Khao Beach in northern Phuket.

“The turtles are injured by being tangled up in fishing nets thrown into the sea by fishermen and commercial trawlers, or even direly affected by garbage in the sea such as plastic bags that were thrown away by residents and tourists,” he said.

In response, Mr Watcharin and Mr Natawan agreed to launch a campaign by “establishing a network to share

A turtle rescued at Kamala Beach in Phuket with a debilitating gash caused by a fishing net. Photo: Kamala OrBorTor information in many forms, such as through news, knowledge articles and so forth, with residents and people working in the local fishing industry”.

The campaign is to raise awareness so people don’t throw garbage into the sea, and to ask tour operators to organise activities like the recent underwater cleanup held by Go Eco Phuket.

Operators will also be asked to be more aware of their own activities to make sure that their impact on local marine life is minimal.

Dr Chawanya Chaiakwathanyu of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC) at Cape Panwa confirmed

to The Phuket News that 42 turtles have been found washed up on Phuket beaches in the past three months.

“In total 84 turtles have been found washed ashore along the Andaman coast since July 1. Forty-two of those were in Phuket: seven in July, 13 in August and 22 in September,” she said.

Of the 42 turtles found in Phuket, 38 of them were injured, dead or died soon after, Dr Chawanya explained.

“Most of the ones found in Phuket were Olive Ridley sea turtles found on Mai Khao Beach. They were in really weak condition. Some turtles had infections so severe they later died,” she said.

Larry Amsden (centre) is pictured in May this year at the launch of a 10-week Swim Safe course for children in Patong. The course was sponsored and administrated by the Rotary Club of Patong Beach. Photo: Mark Knowles

Larry Amsden, long-time Phuket philanthropist passes away LONG-TIME PHUK ET expat and philanthropist Larry Amsden, renowned for his deep dedication to his charity work with the Rotary Club of Patong Beach, passed away last Friday (Sept 21).

“The Rotary Club of Patong Beach very sorrowfully announces the passing of Past President Larry Amsden. As the family is getting together to mourn his passing we send our condolences to his family whom he loved,” Club President Karen Eidsvik Moody announced in a statement last Saturday (Sept 22).

“Larry spent a tremen@thephuketnews

dous amount of time supporting his community and he was genuinely respected by all who knew him. We all send our prayers and support to his family at this very difficult time.

“As and when we have details about the funeral service we will inform everyone to pay their respects.

Details regarding services will be available on www. rotarypatong.org,” the statement read.

A fitting tribute in recognition of his life is being collated by the club. Any persons with special remembrances of Mr Amsden

are urged to send them to Kareneidsvik@gmail.com.

Mr Amsden, a past president of the Rotary Club of Patong Beach after he was installed in 2012, continued his deep involvement with his charity work with the club despite his advanced years.

Most recently, Mr Amsden, in his early 80s, played a vital role in 94 children at Baan Sainamyen School in Patong last month celebrating their Swim Safe Graduation on successful completion of a 10-week course sponsored and administrated by the Rotary Club of Patong Beach.

The Phuket News

“One Green turtle found (in Phuket) September was released by the PMBC. He is with us at the centre now. He is one year old. He is just weak without injuries,” she explained.

Dr Chawanya said the very high number of turtles being pushed was due to the strong southwest monsoon this year.

“The turtles are being pushed toward the shore by the weather, and are being caught up in fishing nets along the way. The nets cause serious injuries and the turtles end up overexhausted from trying to free themselves,” she said.

PMBC Director Dr Kongkiet Kittiwattanwong pointed out that fishing nets were the major factor injuring and killing turtles along the entire Andaman seaboard.

“This is the cause of a lot of injuries and deaths of turtles this year in the Andaman area: in Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi Ranong, Trang and Satun provinces,” he said.

Dr Kongkiet added that his team at the PMBC were also working with officers at the Phuket Marine National Park Operation Center 2, based at Sirinath National Park, in the hope that better coordination may lead to a drastic reduction in the number of turtles dying along Phuket’s west coast.

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Tran Dai Quang speaks during an interview at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi in 2016. Photo: AFP / file

Flags flown at half-mast F L AGS AT A LL T H A I government buildings, including state agencies and corporations, were flown at half-mast this week in respect of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, who passed away last Friday (Sept 21) at the age of 61.

The order, issued by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha through the Secretariat of the Cabinet, was for Thailand to formally recognise the threeday national mourning observed in Vietnam for President Quang, who passed away at the 108 Military Hospital in Hanoi after a “prolonged and serious illness”.

Flags at all government buildings were flown at halfmast Monday through Wednesday (Sept 26).

In a public statement PM Prayut expressed his condolences to the Vietnamese people.

The Phuket News

Opinion 6

OPINION

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

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CHRIS HUSTED

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

MATTHEW POND

News & Sports Editor

editor3@classactmedia.co.th Originally from the UK; Has over six years experience as editor and reporter for Phuketindex.com magazine and website, and InPhuket magazine.

A New Hope

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his Sunday (Sept 30) Norraphat Plodthong will conclude his term as Governor of Phuket as he enters his retirement. Stepping in to take his place as the leading government official on the island from Monday (Oct 1) will be Pakkapong Tawipat, who is currently serving as Governor of Phitsanulok.

Governor Norraphat will be concluding only a one-year term as Phuket Governor, just like his predecessors.

The Phuket News recognises that it is challenging to have any real long-term effect with such a short tenure – and we have often questioned the effectiveness of rotating Phuket Governors so often.

Looking back, Governor Norraphat may consider himself unlucky to have the deaths of 47 Chinese tourists, including children, on his hands and during his watch,

editor1@classactmedia.co.th Twenty years experience in the I n t e r n a t i o n a l m e d i a m a r ke t , creating content for Paramount Pictures, Mar vel and the BBC. Having previously lived on the island, David returned to cover regional lifestyle and cultural stories.

He originates from the UK.

TANYALUK ‘MANGO’ SAKOOT Reporter 091 165 0260 reporter2@classactmedia.co.th

NITAD ‘TAE’ MANEE THANAPONG ‘OAK’ KHAO-AMPHAIPHAN NIRAVIT ‘MOS’ VORAVANITCHA Graphic designers

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when on July 5 the Phoenix tour boat sank in Thailand’s worst maritime disaster in modern history. After all, he had done nothing more – or less – than any other governor before him to improve marine tour safety, regardless of constant collisions, sinkings and drownings.

However, to be honest, it has been very difficult to discern whether Governor Norraphat’s presence in Phuket has had any quantifiable positive impact at all.

People are dying on the roads at the same rate as when he arrived; police have openly reported that drugs are getting worse, nothing has changed in stemming rampant development, the island’s government offices have the same lack of transparency, and our lifeguard coverage at the beaches has been left in tatters.

Taking into account that

Patong is still pumping untreated wastewater into Patong Bay, as is done at Surin Beach and elsewhere, and the fact that he has even failed during his term to enforce a Supreme Court order to evict tourism-business squatters from government land, it’s hard not to say that it’s got worse during the past year.

Gov Norraphat has strongly supported high-profile litter cleanups, but even those were introduced by Chockchai Dejamornthan – the Phuket Governor that he replaced.

Yet, as we do each year, we wish the outgoing Governor a fond farewell and look forward to a new governor with a breath of fresh hope.

The odd thing is that in this country, New Year comes slap bang in the middle of a seven ‘Days of Danger’ campaign.

At this stage we’re still hoping that’s just a coincidence.

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HAVE YOUR SAY

DAVID JACKLIN

Lifestyle Editor

EDITORIAL

Phoenix Fiasco

Re: Back to the drawing board for ‘Phoenix’ salvage “He declined to mention what company was hired”.

That’s because it is more than likely a company owned by friends, with absolutely no experience in marine salvage.

They are trying to drag the boat along the bottom (2 miles or so) to shore??? That’s their big plan? What happened to the oil drums and balloons?

What a complete joke.

Timothy Classic!… So the best idea that they all agreed on was to tow it umpteen miles underwater… like a blimp in a Christmas parade. Simply classic… and the fact that they didn’t even get 400 metres before going “kaput” proved what an idiotic idea it was.

Everyone involved in this fiasco has so much **** on their faces that you can’t help but laugh about it. I think Khun Wiwat needs to go.

BenPendejo Not much of a drawing board, ha ha. Wrote yesterday about expecting failure, deliberately or due to foolish-

ness. Small wreck - lift it only vertical by crane and put it straight onto a barge. Dragging it horizontal below the surface calls up an enormous resistance and the Thai slings/ lines will break. Unique ‘salvage attempt’. What are the salvage records of this private company?

Kurt Corruption on top of incompetence...someone will steal the B10 million and the boat will never be raised.

Welcome to Thailand.

Vegasbaby

Gun response

Re: All nine in Phuket suspect shot dead incident charged with attempted murder If you pull a gun on cops, you should be shot, maybe not fatally, but shot. Having several guns in the vehicle made him a dangerous criminal. I’m glad he’s no longer a threat to anyone else. Good job, cops.

Galong If its true that the driver did have a gun with him (there should be witnesses with the time of day & number

of police involved) then he must have been planning to use it. So anyone could have been a potential victim. In my opinion he deserved to die. No sympathy.

SueYu2 And the “victim” sounds like such a pillar of the community. Running through checkpoints. Guns in the vehicle. Multiple criminal charges. Very sad to lose such an upstanding member of society. I say, som nom na… he wanted to live like a gangster.

He died like a gangster.

Timothy

Fortunate fish

Re: An atrocious start to ‘low’ season It is so gratifying to read these game fish are released back into the ocean where they belong, it sickens me to see them on fish stalls, and I love fish, and fishing.

Ppkiwis

Evil in advertising

Re: Illegal booze ads ‘rampant’ in markets, says DDC All crazy, but notice all the major beer makers also make water. Why? So they can ad-

vertise the brand legally. The signs don’t say “beer” they just say “Chang”. Also try teaching social responsibility instead of these unrealistic prohibitions.

Example, drinking can be fun, but be responsible and never drive. Pie in the sky I know.

CaptainJack69

Shame parade

Re: Phuket police transferred amid extrajudicial killing probe Excessive force or not is for the law to decide. But why these people are proudly claiming to be involved with this low life, parading with the picture and the body of a man who drove around with guns, mowed down three motorbikes and tried to shoot the police, is beyond me.

Tinkerbell

Kill your speed

Re: Man killed in solo Ducati Monster motorbike accident “...his bike slipped...” No, he was going way too fast for the corner. Speed kills.

Foot

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THAILAND NEWS

8

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

A ‘Headache’ for Thai junta

Bangkok’s walls are becoming a canvas for rare political scorn BANGKOK Delphine Thouvenot & Sippachai Kunnuwong

A Thai artist who goes by the name of ‘Headache Stencil’ spray paints graffiti on a fence in Bangkok on Sept 4. Photo: Jiji / AFP

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hailand’s junta chief caricatured as a ‘lucky cat’ with a paw raised to rake in money, or his face crossed out by a thick, red line – daring graffiti is cropping up across Bangkok as the city’s walls become a canvas for rare political scorn.

The pioneer of the new wave of street artists is ‘Headache Stencil’, whose spray cans satirise the powerful.

Dubbed Thailand’s ‘Banksy’, Headache – whose nickname alludes to the pain he hopes to inf lict on the mighty – catapulted to fame in January with a piece mocking junta number two Prawit Wongsuwan, who was struggling to explain his collection of undeclared luxury watches.

The stencil art showing Prawit’s face inside an alarm clock was a jab at the lack of financial transparency by generals who seized power claiming that only they could save the country from untrammelled graft.

It was a bold move in a tightly-controlled country where simply reading George Orwell's 1984 novel in public is deemed defiant and whose well-connected elite are quick to file criminal defamation charges.

Speaking at his Bangkok studio, Headache is unrepentant.

“The root of street art is that people have no rights, no voice,” he said, his face masked as much for a dramatic flourish as protection from authorities.

“The aim is to spread the words we want to say but cannot. So we paint them for those who walk by... for officials or the general public to understand.”

After the clock image went viral, police attempted to monitor the artist and city officials hit the streets to paint over subversive graffiti.

Prawit insists the watches were borrowed from friends,

but nine months later Thailand’s anti-graft body has yet to finish its investigation into the issue.

Headache again stole the spotlight in March – this time with graffiti showing a black panther crying tears of blood.

It was a reference to the case of a Thai constr uction magnate who was later charged with poaching one of the protected cats during an illegal safari hunt in a national park.

Once again, the artwork was a hit online, cheered for its brazen lampooning of another wealthy target.

Much like ‘Banksy’, the British graffiti artist turned multi-millionaire art auction darling, Headache’s carefully maintained mystique adds to the allure of his work.

And it has caught the imagination of a country where an increasing number of people are looking to art to dissect the anti-junta angst that lurks below the surface.

“Street art has a fast life... you can cover it with paint but once it is on social media, it stays,” said Apinan Poshyananda, artistic director of the Bangkok Art Biennale which debuts next month and will

feature other street artists.

Headache now holds workshops across the country including in the northeastern provinces, the political heartland of the toppled civilian government.

Meanwhile a mushrooming number of galleries and studios are hosting dance and art performances addressing the kingdom’s toxic political culture and complex social issues in subtle ways that dodge censure.

Among the Thai artists is Kawita Vatanajyankur, 31, whose video installations allude to the notoriously poor

working conditions in Thailand’s factories and fishing industry.

“It’s such a major issue and it’s something that we need to fix,” she said.

Kawita is part of a wider artistic awakening in Thailand, whose highly-skilled painters, sculptors and performers traditionally took inspiration from the conservative establishment, but who are now confronting different themes.

The launch of the Biennale will display work by headline names such as Marina Abramovic and the late Jean-Michel Basquiat, bolstering Bangkok’s claim to being the art capital of Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile the political winds are slowly changing.

Last week, Thailand’s junta partially lifted a ban on politics, with a long-delayed election next year promising to pit army-aligned and civilian politicians against each other.

That collision of values could provide ample material for street artist rebels like Headache.

His latest work tackles the impact of military spending – which has risen each year since the coup – on Thai society. It depicts a soldier on the heavy end of a see-saw, a young schoolgirl suspended in the air at the other.

“We put more budget towards weapons than brains,” he says.

AFP

Medical marijuana trials to start soon BANGKOK T H E G OV E R N M E N T Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) will start clinical trials of marijuana soon as a preliminary step to producing medicines for four diseases, it said on Tuesday (Sept 25).

It will also build a special greenhouse in which to grow the premium-grade cannabis, it added.

The trial project will use 100 kilograms of confiscated marijuana provided by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), the state agency overseeing the current crackdown on narcotics.

Sophon Mekthon, chairman of the GPO’s board committee, said the research team expects to extract 10-15 litres of pure oil from the supplied plant.

The oil will be used to de-

The government has passed special legislation to legalise research into medicinal uses of marijuana. Photo: Bangkok Post / File velop medicines for the treatment of epilepsy and peripheral nephropathy, and others aimed at reducing the side-effects of chemotherapy and morphine substitutes, according to Mr Sophon.

The first phase of the trial starts this month and will be completed by December, he said.

“This trial is definitely a great leap forward for our country to develop medical

marijuana,” Mr Sophon told media.

The GPO, meanwhile, has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve its plan to build the greenhouse to grow the marijuana. This is expected to produce several tons of the plant every year.

GPO director Withoon Danwiboon said the office has its eyes on a site in Chonburi and it will work with Kasetsart University in developing a premium strain.

“We will then cultivate the plant upstream and send it to our laboratory research centre to get the best by-product for medical treatment so Thai people can have affordable access to good medicine,” Dr Withoon said.

The Ministry of Public Health is also now promoting marijuana as an alternative form of treatment.

A raft of peer-reviewed

studies suggest the plant can help to reduce pain associated with a number of diseases and could also be used by patients afflicted with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

The medical trial and greenhouse project are considered exciting new milestones in Thailand, where the terrain and climate are well-suited to cultivating the plant. However, it has been labelled a Class 5 narcotic since 1979, meaning it is illegal to grow or sell the drug.

In May, the cabinet approved draft legislation permitting more research into the effects of medicinal marijuana.

It can already be legally used for medical purposes in Canada, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic and France, as well as a number of American states.

Bangkok Post thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

ASIA NEWS

9

‘Te reo’ back from brink

A surge in popularity towards a language once on the verge of extinction NEW ZEALAND

A man sits next to a Maori language sign in Wellington. ‘Te reo’ was banned in schools for much of the 20th century which, combined with the urbanisation of rural Maori, meant that by the 1980s, only 20% of indigenous New Zealanders were fluent in the language. Photo: Marty Melville / AFP

Neil Sands

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eneath the car ved timber roof of a traditional ‘marae’ meeting house at Wellington High School, dozens of students watch entranced as a play performed entirely in the Maori language unfolds.

Many only understand a smattering of the indigenous language, but pick up emotional cues from the performers. Some audience members are close to tears as the production in the New Zealand capital ends.

It is a scene that actor Eds Eramiha says would have been difficult to imagine as recently as two decades ago, when te reo Maori was widely regarded as a dying language not worth teaching.

“Attitudes have changed immensely,” he said. “When I was at school, te reo Maori wasn’t held in high value, it wasn’t spoken, it wasn’t as freely available as it is to our kids today.”

Te reo was banned in schools for much of the 20th century which, combined with the urbanisation of rural Maori, meant that by the 1980s, only 20% of indigenous New Zealanders were fluent in the language.

That number was virtually unchanged by 2013, when census figures showed that just 21.3% of the Maori population could converse in te reo.

An official report published in 2010 warned the language was on the verge of extinction.

“Te reo Maori is approaching crisis point,” it said, with older native speakers “simply not being replaced” as they passed away.

The contrast with New Zealand today is striking.

The language is enjoying a

@thephuketnews

surge in popularity among Kiwis – Maori or otherwise – embracing their South Pacific nation’s indigenous culture.

Te reo courses are booked out at community colleges, while bands, poets and rappers perform using the language.

Te reo words such as kai (food), ka pai (congratulations), whanau (family), and mana (prestige) have entered everyday usage.

Even the way Kiwis define themselves has taken on a te reo tone, with an increasing number preferring to use Aotearoa rather than New Zealand.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is a passionate champion of the language, saying one of her great regrets is not being able to converse fluently in it.

“We have a guardianship role, a duty of care to te reo Maori,” she said earlier this month.

“It’s our job to nurture it because it’s about more than a language.”

Ardern chose to give her

daughter Neve a Maori middle name Te Aroha (the love) when she was born in June.

Her government has set a target of having one million fluent te reo speakers by 2040.

With the Maori comprising only about 15% of New Zealand’s 4.5 million population, that would mean many nonMaori adopting the language.

It is a prospect that excites Charles Royal, a Maori academic and storyteller at the national museum Te Papa (Our Place).

“We’ve never had so many te reo speakers as we have now,” he said.

“What te reo enables me to do is articulate who I am in a very particular way...as a New Zealander,” he added.

“It’s the vehicle by which humanity first gained a voice in this part of the world.”

Royal said the earlier rejection of te reo stemmed from a sense of inferiority and a mistaken belief that European history was more important than that of New Zealand.

But he said Kiwis now felt

more positive about their place in the world and the rising popularity of te reo was an expression of this confidence.

As an actor, Eramiha observes that te reo “flies off my tongue a bit better (than English), the flow’s different”.

Head teacher A ngela Fieldes has noticed a similar

phenomenon among toddlers exposed to te reo at the Wellington child care centre she helps run.

“They pick it up really, really quickly, so it just becomes part of their day,” she said after the children performed a waiata (song), reciting Maori colours, numbers and vowels.

“They love the singing and I think a big part of learning te reo is that it’s so rich in the way you can use song.”

Royal said there were still New Zealanders who maintained Maori culture was not valuable, but they were an ageing minority.

He said the fact that so many non-Maori, including pakeha (New Zealanders of European descent) wanted to learn te reo was “absolutely fantastic”.

“It makes me feel proud to be Maori, it’s an act of generosity on both sides,” he said.

Eramiha echoes the sentiment, saying the passion for the language has been evident as his Taki Rua theatre troupe performs in te reo across the country.

He expressed confidence in the language’s future, saying: “People from other cultures come up to me after our shows and say ‘can you teach me how to say hello?’.

“It’s a treasure for us to be able to pass it on and a great gift to see other people wanting to learn it. It’s amazing.”

AFP

10 WORLD NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Venezuela’s ghost properties

Country’s dire economic straits prompts mass exodus VENEZUELA Alex Vasquez

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hree years ago, asphyxiated

by Venezuela’s economic meltdown, Francisco Rojas and his wife Elena packed up four suitcases with the barest of essentials and walked out of their Caracas apartment.

It has remained empty ever since.

Toothbrushes are still perched on the bathroom sink, the refrigerator runs with only ice and tomato sauce inside, and the bar is empty except for a lone bottle of rum.

Deserted homes, desolate apartment blocks and stagnant markets for both renters and buyers are yet another disheartening by-product of the South American country’s dire economic straits, which have prompted a mass exodus.

Elena, 33, was offered a job in Ecuador and there was no looking back. She can now earn as much in one month as she did in four years in Caracas.

When the couple left Venezuela, they simply locked the doors to the apartment rather than selling it, even though the money would have helped. Bought for US$100,000 (B3.24 million) in 2014, their home had already lost half of its value.

“We wanted to see how things would go. Now that we’re established, it would be absurd to sell,” Francisco Rojas, a 28-year-old sports journalist, said from Guayaquil, Ecuador’s most populous city.

In Venezuela, more and more apartment blocks have turned into ghost buildings.

Lights are never turned on, parking spaces remain empty and

People cross a street at a neighbourhood where few apartments have lights turned on, in Caracas, Venezuela.

Due to the exodus, more and more buildings remain empty in Venezuela. Photo: Federico Parra / AFP mailboxes are jammed with letters that are never claimed.

The crisis has sparked a new business – management of deserted homes.

Such services include the payment of public services bills, representation at condo meetings and even the switching on of lights at various times to ward off burglars.

According to the United Nations, some 1.6 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2015 and a total of 2.3mn live abroad – some 7.5% of the total population of 30.6mn.

The Rojases were tired of the insecurity, the lack of food and medicine and the inflation – predicted by the International Monetary Fund to reach a staggering one million percent this year – that rendered their salaries practically worthless.

Hope springs eternal, though, even for those who have already left.

“If the situation improves, we’ll see if we return to Venezuela or sell the apartment,” said Francisco.

Right now, it’s not a sellers’ market.

Roberto Orta, president of the Metropolitan Chamber of Real Estate in Caracas, says properties have lost 70 to 80% of their value over the past five years.

“An apartment that cost $170,000 (B5.51mn) is worth no more than $70,000 (B2.27mn) today. Someone offers $50,000 (B1.62mn) and the owner prefers to leave it locked,” real estate broker Carolina Quintero said.

Mariana Garcia, a 41-year-old accountant who fled in 2017 with her husband and two children, says her house “lost more than half its value” but they held onto it.

“We locked the house, (left it) intact, and left with just two suitcases,” she said from the United States, where her husband accepted a job offer after first emigrating to Ecuador.

“Even if you have money, there’s nothing to buy or there’s no water,” said Garcia, explaining that she and her family took off before it was too late, worried that as international airlines shut down, they could be stranded in Venezuela.

As well as a reluctance to sell, homeowners who have moved abroad don’t want to rent their properties for fear of being unable to reclaim them from tenants, as authorities often prevent evictions, even in the case of rental contract violations.

Rental laws oblige proprietors to sign contracts with their tenants of at least one year that must be extended

for six months to three years.

According to Orta, the rental market is operating at just 5% of its potential.

Carlos Gonzalez, president of the National Real Estate Chamber, said that “hyperinflation means it’s not worth renting in bolivars”, but few people have access to dollars which, since 2003, have only been available on the black market.

Squatters are also a worry for homeowners.

In some condominiums, neighbours have been asked not to answer questions from people asking about unoccupied properties.

“People are walking past and can see apartments with the lights off,” said Quintero.

In Los Palos Grandes, a middleclass neighbourhood on the east side of Caracas, several “squatters have been evicted by police”, Rafael Guerra, from the local neighbourhood watch group, said.

In the capital’s western area of La Florida, squatters settled into a property that has been occupied by a business while the workers were on vacation.

“They stole everything. The police evicted them but they weren’t arrested,” said one of the employees.

Opponents of President Nicolas Maduro blame the invasion of properties on a 2011 law passed by his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, to “rescue urban land”.

Rojas and his wife are among the many who fear they will lose their home to squatters.

“We’re afraid of being invaded – there are many empty apartments.

Our family is always keeping an eye on it,” Rojas said.

AFP

World’s ‘oldest brewery’ found in Israel ISRAEL ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE FOUND what they believe is the world’s oldest site for alcohol production, a recent study said, adding the beer-like beverage may have been served in ceremonies some 13,000 years ago.

The site is located in the Raqefet cave south of Haifa in today’s northern Israel that also served as a burial site for the Natufian people.

“If we’re right, this is the earliest testament in the world to alcohol production of any kind,” Dani Nadel, an archaeology professor at the University of Haifa and one of the authors of the article published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, said.

“We know what the Natufians did in the cave. They buried some of their dead on a platform of flowers and plants, and apparently also produced a soup-like liquid, an alcoholic drink.”

According to Nadel, the liquid was

Archaeologists search for evidence of beer brewing in a Natufian burial cave dating back 13,000 years ago – possibly the earliest alcohol production known – in the Carmel Mountains near the northern Israeli city of Haifa.

Photo: Jiji / AFP “different than today’s beer” and probably much weaker, “but fermented”.

Three small pits, or mortars, were discovered that had been carved into the surface of the Raqefet cave.

Two of the small stone mortars were for storing grains, and the third for pounding and brewing grains ahead of

fermentation, the study found.

The mortars were some 40-60 centimetres deep.

The location of the mortars in the burial caves implies the drink was “apparently connected to the ceremonies, or some sort of social event”, Nadel said.

According to the article, published with researchers from Stanford University in the United States, the beer-making innovations “predated the appearance of domesticated cereals by several millennia in the Near East”.

The Natufians were hunter-gatherers who lived in the eastern Mediterranean region 15,000 to 11,500 years ago, and began settling down rather than roving from place to place.

They were “the last in the region who lived in a different way than the villages we’re familiar with”, Nadel said.

The efforts put into producing the alcoholic beverage showed the importance of the drink in the Natufian culture, he noted.

AFP thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

BUSINESS NEWS 11

Angsana held high for HR HUMAN RESOURCES

Chris Husted execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

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he Angsana Laguna Phuket in Cherng Talay, on Phuket’s west coast, has been recognised with a national award commending the resort for its excellence in human resources practices.

The resort was bestowed the ‘Thailand Labour Management Excellence Award 2018’ by the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare at an awards event in Bangkok late last month.

Michal Zitek, Area General Manager at Angsana, explained that in allocating the award the adjudicators reviewed the wide range of pro-staff policy mandates in action at the resort.

The human resources assessed included the firm’s provident fund; good environment in working areas; health insurance; social security; savings and credit cooperatives; training and career development, as the hotel invited speakers to share knowledge of interest to the staff and management; the resort’s labour welfare protection and labour welfare committee; recreation and health, such as the hotel’s annual sports day and a running club supported by the company’s CSR campaign; and

The Angsana mangement received the human resources award late last month. the welfare of the resort associates’ families, such as free schooling for associates’ children, cash support for funerals, maternity allowance, among others.

“Further to basic provisions, the hotel arranges annual activities as rewards such as the Associates Party as well as outings, team-building exercises and CSR activities that makes associates become supportive members of the community,” Mr Zitek said.

“In short, we have managed to achieve good standards in our human resources systems. These raise the working efficiency and the standard of living of workers, in accordance with Thailand’s national strategy policy,” he added.

The award-winning ensemble

of human resources practices have been a long time in development, with many practices being in use at the resort for many years, Mr Zitek noted.

“To have happy associates working with us is a large part of driving the company’s success,” he said.

“The company has had many of these practices for many years.

We actually already met the entry qualifications for the award, but we didn’t register for it. This year our Human Resources set clear objectives and made a special effort to receive the award,” Mr Zitek explained.

“As this is a national level award, we can physically show it to people to prove that we don’t just say that we do things… We actually do

August tourist arrivals up 3% TOURISM THAILAND’S TOURISM market remains strong, with more than 3.2 million foreigners travelling to the Kingdom in August, rising 3% yearon-year.

The growth comes despite arrivals from China plunging 11.77% in August, with 867,461 arrivals. August last year saw 983,212 arrivals from China.

Revenues from Chinese arrivals also dropped for the month, falling 7.21% year-onyear, from B56.226 billion in August last year to B52.175bn this year. However, the figures still indicate higher spending per Chinese tourist, with the average Chinese tourist now spending more than B60,000 per person per trip.

The top 10 arrival markets for August were China, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, India, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore and Britain, reported the Bangkok Post.

International tourists generated tourism income of B168bn in August, up 2.7% year-on-year. The top spenders were from China, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea and Britain, Tourism and Sports @thephuketnews

Tourists at Patong Beach.

Photo: The Phuket News / file Permanent Secretary Pongpanu Svetarundra announced last week.

Cumulative foreign arrivals for the first eight months this year totalled 25.8mn, up 9.9% year-on-year. Foreign tourists contributed B1.3 trillion, a gain of 12.8%.

For the domestic market, local residents made 13.1mn trips in July this year, up 2.3% year-on-year, and generated income of B86.1bn, up 6.6% from the same month last year.

To assure foreign tourists of safety while travelling in Thailand, the Tourism Department has been carrying out a series of training courses for tour guides to boost sea travel safety, it was explained.

The department is giving lifesaving, first aid and emer-

gency care training to more than 1,000 tourist guides and tourism personnel across the country to strengthen marine safety.

Director-General Anan Wongbenjarat said precautions taken systematically on marine safety are among the policies mandated to maintain Thailand’s tourism competitiveness and strengthen tourist confidence.

Intensive training courses on safety issues have been carried out for more than 1,000 tour guides, tourism workers and volunteers in Bangkok, Chonburi, Kanchanaburi, Songkhla, Satun, Chumphon and Phuket as part of precautionary safety measures, Mr Anan said.

The Phuket News

them, guaranteed.

“Also, the award shows the commitment from our company to our associates that we are continuing to provide the best for them,” he said.

In appraising the effectiveness of the resort’s existing human resources practices, the management turned to clear feedback from guests and associates in order to identify which areas needed improvement.

“From customers, feedback is always returned via social media platforms, such as through Facebook comments and feedback posted on TripAdvisor,” Mr Zitek explained.

“As for feedback from associates, we have ‘Comments’ boxes in which they can anonymously leave their comments and suggestions for the company.”

A special development is ‘WOW’ cards through which guests can directly identify which staff members or services impressed them.

“WOW cards are counted and used in assessing ‘Staff of the Month’,” Mr Zitek said, highlighting the positive reinforcement among their peers such direct-feedback mechanisms can have on staff performance.

“As mentioned before, we have found that many areas are met with satisfaction, and there are still a few areas to be improved,” he said.

“For what we were missing, this feedback provides good guidance and the opportunity to improve from the right angles and/or in the right areas,” he added.

“Just a few points have helped the company to improve, leading to more staff being proud to be part of a successful company. It has created motivation and improved work efficiency with good mindset.

“The end result is that treating people well is rewarded with loyalty to the company, and with good service to customers,” Mr Zitek said.

Meanwhile, the resort is heading for further expansion. People looking to join the team of associates are invited to call 076-324101 or email: careers-lagunaphuket@ angsana.com

12 BUSINESS NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Phuket’s new Indian express GoAir to launch India’s first direct flights to Phuket in October TOURISM The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

G

oAir, one of India’s fastest growing airlines, will launch its international flight operations on Oct 11 with India’s first-ever direct service to Phuket, flying from Delhi and Mumbai.

The launch will mark GoAir’s first foray into international skies after more than a decade of domestic operations, and will use its A320 aircraft to provide the new service.

“With the introduction of these flights, the airline will increase its operations by 28 flights to a total of 1,680 flights per week. GoAir aims to amplify and replicate its domestic success story, redefining its fly smart experience and value proposition in the aviation industry,” the airline announced last week.

GoAir will operate three direct flights per week between Mumbai and Phuket, and two direct flights per week between Delhi and Phuket.

Return fares on both routes for the launch will start from an all-inclusive INR18,999 (B8,480).

The launch of the Phuket flights will be followed with the launch on Oct 14 of three GoAir direct flights per week between Mumbai and the Maldives capital Malé and two direct flights per week between Delhi and Malé.

“It is with great pride that we announce the commencement of our maiden international operations.

Phuket and Malé are key tourist destination and hold a lot of promise,” GoAir CEO Cornelis Vrieswijk said.

“As an LCC, we have always strived to offer the best value for

Attendees at one of the Phuket tourism road shows in India last month. The Indian tourism source market generated B62 billion for Thailand last year. Photo: Phuket Reporters Association money to our customers and now we extend this proposition to the international traveller as well. The international schedules have been planned to allow quick and convenient connections for customers and is a reflection of our continued journey towards excellence.”

A delegation of representatives from Phuket held a tourism trade ‘roadshow’ in Kolkata on Aug 31 and in Chennai on Sept 3.

The roadshow was organised by the Phuket Tourist Association and supported by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO, or OrBorJor) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Leading the delegation was Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) Vice President Sarayuth Mallam, joined by Dr Vallee Laksanapayak, TAT’s Regional Director, Asean, South and South Pacific, and Kul-

prapha Wanthana of TAT’s Asean Tourism Division.

The Phuket delegation, representing 30 tour operators and airlines, was welcomed at the Kolkata event

by Isra Stapanaseth, Director of the TAT New Delhi office, and at the Chennai event by Pakvipa Ahviphan, the Deputy Consul-General of the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai.

Over the two days the Phuket delegates met representatives from 120 leading travel agents in India.

PTA Vice President Rangsiman Kingkaew noted, “Kolkata and Chennai are India’s major business cities, and visitors from India are more likely to come to Phuket.

The Indian market is a “new market and a secondary market” after China, Mr Rangsiman said.

“So this is a great opportunity for operators, and it adds diversity to

Phuket’s source markets for tourism.

This trip brings operators to meet the buyers directly and will result in more Indian tourists coming to Phuket,” he added.

TAT New Delhi office Director Mr Isra pointed out that according to statistics of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Indian tourists to Thailand reached 1,411,942 people last year – an increase of 18.2% compared with 2016 and generating more than B62 billion in revenue for the Thai tourism industry.

“The Indian market is an interesting group that has a high growth rate and high spending rate (per person).

The target group is a high-end tourists,” he said.

“The Amazing Thailand Road Show was held in India this time in order to provide Thai operators the opportunity to visit Indian travel agencies directly as part of

the campaign ‘Open to the New Shades’, which aims to highlight the unique identity of Thai people, especially the culture, traditions, food as well as Thai cultural tourism destinations that are waiting to welcome tourists from around the world, especially wedding groups, wellness tourists, honeymooners, shopping tourists, family groups and new tourist groups, such as the golf tourism and business traveller (MICE) segments,” he added.

“Tour operators who joined this roadshow said that tourism products have always been interesting to the Indian market, and that they expect to receive a boost in profits of more than 10% on last year due to the new Mumbai to Phuket flights. This is a good sign for every operator,” Mr Isra said.

PPAO Deputy Chief Administrator (Deputy Palad) Satien Kaewpraprab noted that the PPAO had been supporting such roadshows for more than 10 years by funding the trade expeditions.

“The PPAO recognises the importance of the development of Phuket, and has been supporting the budget through the Phuket Tourist Association for over 10 years to help the Phuket economy to grow.

“I hope that the entrepreneurs who attend roadshows abroad serve as a ‘cultural tourism ambassadors’ and attract tourists to Phuket. After completing the mission in India. We will travel to a roadshow in Guangzhou, China, in January,” he added.

The PPAO also funded the Phuket tourism roadshow to Russia in August, visiting Moscow, Kazan and St Petersburg, and engaging in trade talks with 181 representatives from 125 businesses.

Speculative condo promotions come under scrutiny PROPERTY THE BANK OF THAILAND WILL hold a consultation to discuss the ‘searchfor-yield’ behaviour prevalent in the property sector with relevant parties because it could lead to higher risk of default in mortgage loans.

The central bank found the behaviour is widespread, especially in high-rise condominium projects, said BoT Governor Veerathai Santiprabhob.

Such behaviour reflects an oversupply in some condo areas, resulting in artificial demand and higher non-performing loans (NPLs) in the mortgage segment, said Mr Veerathai.

“We also found several marketing campaigns for residential projects are promising cashback, high rental yields or other [incentives that create artificial demand]. These are search-for-yield and speculative behaviours, and the central bank will discuss controlling risk with related parties,” he said.

“If a macro-prudential measure is

A high-rise condominium model is exhibited at a housing fair. The central bank says search-for-yield behaviour is rampant in the property sector. Photo: Bangkok Post / Jiraporn Kuhakan needed to supervise mortgages and control search-for yield behaviour, we will announce it officially.”

Mortgage NPLs rose to 3.39% in the second quarter, up from 3.38% registered in the previous quarter, according to central bank data.

The central bank has used a microprudential measure by informing financial institutions to tighten mortgage loan approvals under the basis of good risk management.

Earlier, the central bank raised concerns over higher competition in the housing loan market, especially higher loan-to-value (LTV) offered for mortgage loans.

The central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee and Financial Institutions Policy Committee previously reported after a joint meeting that there was a higher ratio of new mortgages, with LTV rates exceeding 90%.

The increasing loan-to-income proportion and deteriorating mortgage loans all point toward fragility in the residential property market. Under the financial regulator’s guidance, the LTV ratio is set at 90% for low-rise residential projects and 95% for high-rise projects.

Separately, Nathapol Luepromchai, executive vice-president and head of mortgage loans at Bank of Ayudhya, said banks have discussed and shared infor mation about the search-foryield behaviour during meetings at the Thai Institute of Banking Finance Association.

Bangkok Post thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Who’s taking who for daily walks

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

14

Beacon of hope for Myanmar children

16

ADVENTURE AT CAPE SIENNA

A narative journey into fine dining with Chef Francesco Greco David Jacklin editor1@classactmedia.co.th

S

tormy evenings are perfect for sitting around and telling tall tales to entertain your house­ bound guests, as the rain and wind swirls about the gather­ ing.

On such a night I was in­ vited over to the Cape Sienna Phuket Hotel, Kamala. With an in­ creasingly tempestuous backdrop, dis­ tinguished guests plus little ol’ me were being presented with a pairing dinner from the Executive Chef, Francesco Greco, Treasury Wine Estates and the Independent Wine and Spirit company.

The plan had been to sit outside on the terrace, with the hotel’s beautiful views across Kamala and the surround­ ing Andaman Sea. But Typhoon Mang­ khut had other ideas, and Giuseppe Viva, the Food and Beverage Manager, seamlessly moved the medley of pro­ ceedings and servings inside.

So we gathered in the cosy Plum Prime Steakhouse restaurant, and were seated for the evening’s tales. But these were not oratory stories, but rather rich narratives played out for different senses.

Chef Francesco had created a culi­ nary tale to introduce each of the seven courses. Whilst being an entertaining and playful approach to imagining the meal, it also provided an intriguing backdrop to the chef’s craft and the complexity behind each dish.

“I have a visual mind, and design menus by picture,” explains Francesco.

“All food has a history. There is a story to each drama. For tonight, this menu is inspired by scenes of 1930s Havana, there are Cuban themes and imagery across each dish.”

Are we sitting comfortably? Then the chef shall begin.

Prologue: A French Marriage Fine De Claire No. 3 oysters were brought on for the opening scene, ac­ companied with the unusual choice of a bubbly drinking partner. A smart opener, with the more delicate oyster chosen to ensure it did not outshine its sidekick. Canapés were also brought around for the gathering crowd, includ­ ing Yellowfin Tuna.

Preface: The sea and the rising sun As the guests were seated for the main acts, the narrator’s team brought out a cold smoked blue crab quenelle, sitting on a celeriac julienne sur­ rounded by a moat of tomato water. The Alaskan crab, which was smoked over applewood, provided the flavour of the @thephuketnews

Plum Prime Steakhouse on calmer days.

Chapter One.

Chapter Two.

sea, the celeriac added a crispy texture, whilst the clear, pristine tomato water brought a burst of the sunlit vine.

sunflower whose make up as a root veg­ etable enables it to be served comfort­ ably with the hard-hitting beverage.

Chapter One: The wild goose, the Apple of Discord and the blackbird Now the scene was set, we were all ready to tuck in to a meaty tale. A dou­ ble-smoked goose breast was served on an apple salad with raspberry dressing.

The salad, crisp and acidic to compen­ sate the sealed-in fatty goodness from the breast meat. The paired beverage’s name in French translates as the black­ bird.

Chapter Three: Max flies to Piedmont and finds the goose The mid section was completed with a Castelmagno cheese risotto, flavoured with a handcrafted goose sausage and topped with crispy fried leek. The Castelmagno was described by the chef as “parmesan on steroids”, and this rare cheese from the Piedmont region certainly packs a punch. ‘Max’ refers to the name of the full-bodied paired red.

Chapter Two: The shepherd of Jerusalem and the President The big gun flavours now roll into the story, with a 120 days’ grain-fed Australian Wagyu sirloin, served with a mash of Jerusalem artichoke to compli­ ment the beef, and finished with black truffle warm espuma to take on the ‘President’, a big complex red in the ac­ companying glass. An interesting aside from Francesco informed us all that the Jerusalem artichoke is not related to its namesake, but is in fact a species of

Chapter Four: The hunter, the safari and the flowers The end-game was reserved for a red deer filet mignon’s fight with the big boss of red beverages. The hunt was on.

Fortunately the venison was accompa­ nied for the duel with a chocolate and Riviera Dei Fiori emulsion, Ethiopian timiz pepper and black carrot sous-vide.

Enough to distract the hunter from each bout with its juicy prey. The timiz pepper is dried beside the fire in the Ethiopian desert, and this long pepper

Chapter Four. is not spicy, but has citrus flavours that balance with the game. The chocolate emulsion makes this a complex conflict, but their skills are matched, and ulti­ mately the flavours win through.

Chapter Five: The wolf, the shepherdess and the beekeeper After the storm, quite literally, peace was restored with the delicate Beppino Occelli’s Tuma Dla Paja. It’s an ending with a surprise, because whilst this warmed, soft cheese has a strong and pungent smell, the taste is a but­ ter and milky cream affair. This was accompanied with honey and salish, which is an intensely sweet and smokey salt originating from the state of Wash­ ington, in the Pacific Northwest.

But the story was not yet over, as the Australian ‘wolf’ loitered in the back­ ground to give a lifting finish, with its pale straw eyes and elegant pose.

All-in-all an intense drama full of complex characters and global back­ drops, and Executive Chef Francesco Greco and his sparring partners prove themselves to be master storytellers.

14 PETS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

I need my arms!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Don’t be dragged down the road by your dog UNLEASHED Russell D Russell info@k9pointacademy.com

The reality can sometimes be that we’re being dragged down the road at a rate of knots.

M

ost of us have this idea of going for a walk with our dog, where our dog is walking calmly by our side, enjoying the walk as much as we are. The reality can sometimes be that we’re being dragged down the road at a rate of knots, with zero enjoyment for us as owners in this seemingly one-sided game of tug of war.

Dogs usually pull on their lead because they are curious, and they want to explore. Perhaps they are excited by something they have seen, or attracted by a scent in their nose. But often it is the royal WE, as owners, that are reinforcing this unruly behaviour without realising it. If you study yourself, you may find that the harder you pull back on the lead, the harder your dog pulls away.

The common mistake people make is to purchase a body harness for their dog. This way, there is no pressure on the collar and neck, and the dog no longer “chokes himself blue” when going for a walk. The problem is, this exacerbates the problem, because firstly the harness encourages the dog to pull, and secondly, we allow them to do so because we know they are not being choked. But ultimately, the dog is only learning to pull away, and drive forward, not to walk calmly with you.

So what do we do?

The best way to stop your dog pulling is to prevent the pulling from becoming a habit in the first place. Even a young puppy can learn to walk calmly on a lead. Take him out for a walk, in a distraction free environment to start with, and as soon as he

Who’s taking who for a walk?

Photo: Dane Deaner, Unsplash forges ahead and the lead becomes tight you stop and let him come back to you. When he does, you reward with praise and treats. Continue walking when the lead is loose, and also reward any attention your puppy gives you.

But if the lead goes tight… you stop.

It’s important to praise and reward the coming back to you, but equally to praise and reward walking calmly next to you.

Once your pup starts to get the idea, you can gradually increase the levels of environmental distraction so that he learns to walk with you, regardless of what is happening around him. It takes time, and also patience, and your early walks may be rather stop-start affairs, but it’s worth putting in the time now, so that your dog learns that calm walking is what gets him rewarded.

Clicker Training is a hugely powerful technique that works wonders with such behaviours – not just with puppies, but adult dogs too. In addition, its also a good idea to wait in a specific area at the start of your walk to let your dog relieve himself. Over time, he’ll learn that the walk only begins once he’s been, which will make him eliminate faster.

If you’re really struggling with a super strong, pulling dog, there are several training aids which may be useful.

The head collar, which loops around the dogs neck and jaw, works on the principle that where the head goes, the body will follow. If your dog pulls, the head collar will turn his head to the side so that he cannot pull forward.

The dogs soon learn that pulling does not allow them to go where they want to go.

Other training collars are available that have been specially designed to compress gently around the dogs neck when they pull, simulating a ‘nip’ that the dog’s mother may give him. Any

This probably isn’t going to work out. Photo: Xiang Gao, Unsplash

That’s more like it! Photo: Wolfblur, Pixabay training aid is designed to make it clear to our dogs that certain behaviours don’t work, but others, such as walking calmly next to us, is super rewarding and fun!

If you would like some more information on canine training, or behavioural issues, then please contact us on 091 654 1960, email info@k9pointacademy.com, or check our website www. k9pointacademy.com. CPA is the only K9 organisation in Thailand accredited with the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), and as an American Kennel Club (AKC) Evaluator. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT 15

Dua with her female dance crew. Photo: BEC Tero

DUA LIPA

Dark-pop delight Chris Ayre Bangkok Post

L

ondon has always been a fertile ground for female popstrels. In recent years we’ve seen Amy Winehouse, Adele and Rita Ora rise up, crack America and then take on the world. And after Monday night’s show at GMM Live House in CentralWorld, Bangkok, it looks like Dua Lipa has a firm grasp on England’s Queen of Pop crown.

The 3,000-capacity venue was pretty intimate for a multi-billion-view YouTube sensation and someone who’s been rocking the European and US summer festival circuit. But if Dua Lipa’s trajectory carries on as it has been, it’s probably one of the last times anyone will see her so up-close. From start to finish she was amped up to 11, moving, shaking, jumping, kicking and even headbanging. And that’s exactly what Dua Lipa’s brand of “dark pop” calls for. The sound from her three-piece band was nothing short of immense.

The drummer had to be hooked up to electronic pads because his huge, booming chops would have made Wagner’s hair stand on end. The guitarist and bassist were doubling up with a pair of keyboards each (plus accessories), and, oh man, did they have some seriously big sounds wired into them.

Dua Lipa on stage at GMM Live House. Photo: BEC Tero @thephuketnews

But Dua Lipa’s voice was big and strong and up to the task as it soared over this barrage of basslines and grooves. She was confident, she was sexy, and she was thrilled to be in Bangkok.

When the curtain dropped and she began striding to the front of the stage wearing oversized checked silk pants and sequinned, strappy crop-top, the crowd was right up for the infectious beat of Blow Your Mind.

And without giving the audience a chance to catch its breath, Dua Lipa, ably supported by her two dancers and two backing singers, had barrelled high-speed through Dreams/No Lie, My Love, Lost In Your Light, High and Garden.

Each tune upped the ante and Dua never stopped giving her all. It was pretty impressive to watch somebody so athletic maintain such a powerful presence with her voice.

That alone sets her apart from so many other female performers. Her fans get the lowdown moves and the high-up notes. And audience participation was great from beginning to end, everyone singing along with Dua, as well as some great back-and-forth moments.

Perhaps the edgiest crowd interaction came at the penultimate number: IDGAF. The huge screen for visuals was “interrupted” with a warning about “explicit language and behaviour”.

The next song was for all the “**** boys who have done you wrong”. And anyone who wanted to join in had to “put your middle finger up”. It was really something, to see hundreds and hundreds of 15-year-old (and younger) girls raise the rigid-digit salute and sing “I don’t give a ****” at the top of their lungs.

Adult chaperones everywhere were raising their eyebrows, and I’m pretty sure that ultimate arbiter of Thainess, Gen Prayut, felt a shiver run down his spine, wherever he was.

Please, kids. Can we have some more?

After that shocking display of teenage rebellion, the beat kicked in for

Her look and style embody the now. Photo: BEC Tero Dua’s global smash, New Rules, and once again she had the crowd in her hand, urging them to get low and bounce up. And they obliged, so much so that the concrete floor of the hall began to flex and move in a huge, euphoric high-energy climax.

We were treated to 19 perfectly timed songs in 90 minutes, reflecting the pitch-perfect pop coming out of London at the moment, and delivered by an on-fire Dua Lipa, whose look and style embody the now. I think we’ll be seeing more of her.

16 COMMUNITY

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Appreciation is shown by the happy children in the classroom.

Lessons in love Good Shepherd Centre, Phuket Town David Jacklin editor1@classactmedia.co.th

G

ood Shepherd Centre, located in the southern district of Phuket Town near Rassada Pier, is a solitary beacon of hope for the socially impoverished and politically displaced Myanmar communities living in squalid encampments within the surrounding areas.

The centre was set up by Sister Lakana to provide a safe haven for the children living in the area, and to offer the chance of a better future via education and the learning of employable skills. Incredibly the centre and its dedicated staff and supporters manage to provide a place of learning for 247 registered students between the ages of five to 16.

The centre has three clear humanitarian objectives: To provide a chance in life for the poor or destitute; To create a place for learning, as every child should have the right to education; To be open to anyone who is in need.

From the early experiences and charitable efforts of Sister Lakana in the work slums at Rassada Pier, that ‘need’ focused heavily on the Myanmar destitute. In particular the children, who are refused official recognition from the Thai authorities, and as unregistered, stateless individuals are at risk from labour and sexual exploitation.

The history of the school began in 2010 when Sister Lakana placed herself in the fishing village near the pier, where the Myanmar people work for a minimal wage and make a home from whatever they can find. The Sister’s first objective was simply to provide care and protection to the growing homeless.

There was an evident need to provide the means of an educational environment to the children in the camp, so

The centre also supports the local Myanmar community with home visits and donated food.

Good Shepherd Centre in Phuket Town.

Sister Lakana made a space using corrugated iron and chicken wire, which housed a blackboard and one committed teacher. Within a few months the tiny school had over 100 children attending, and the parents knew it was a safe and nurturing base for their young children.

Over the next three years, Sister Lakana and a growing number of supporters raised funds and were given a significant donation to build a more permanent educational setting.

Since 2013 the new centre, built just a few miles away, provides a free and critical centre in order to teach the children English, Myanmarese and Thai to help them integrate into the Thai workforce and become productive, educated members of society.

It caters to children from just five years old at the kindergarten through to 16 years of age. The centre has eight teachers from Thailand and Myanmar.

The Myanmar curriculum is upheld so that if the children ever return they can integrate back into their cultural system, and Thai is taught in the hope that the children also have the opportunity to enter local schools.

As a charitable organisation the cen-

tre relies on the support of volunteers to teach English as well as local expats to drive awareness and donations. As example, there are currently three international teachers from Denmark at the centre. With Sister Lakana for guidance and inspiration, these dedicated volunteers and the staff selflessly provide both their time and skills to the welfare of the children, who are in desperate need of both care and the encouragement to believe in a better future.

The work does not stop in the classroom. As well as transporting the children to and from the centre, the Good Shepherd centre also provides home visits, health clinic days and distribution of donated food to the community. Such work is essential to the welfare of these vulnerable people, who themselves give back to the centre, despite their desperate position, wherever possible.

The great work of Sister Lakana and the team is sadly under threat. The dayto-day running costs for the provision of community services from the centre has to date been generously funded by a charitable organisation. But this sup-

port is coming to an end. The volunteer group are urgently finding ways to fundraise and promote awareness to their worthy cause.

Whilst giving their service so selflessly, the Good Shepherd Centre must also rely on the kind hearts of our island community to support their work with teaching and administrative volunteers, and monetary donations to cover the cost of running such a critical life-line to the most needy on our island.

The first step to all kindness is positive action. In the words of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

Good Shepherd Centre, Phuket Town Call +66(0) 085 908 6560 Website: www.GoodShepherdCentrePhuket.com Facebook: GoodShepherdLearning Center.phuket The centre will be holding a number of fun community events in the coming months to raise funds, starting on Sunday Nov 4 with an ‘Inter Schools Quiz Challenge’. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

How to love

DINING 17

October ‘Feastival of Indulgence’ at The Boathouse Baz Daniel baz_gunner2000@yahoo.com.au

I

t’s 7am on a dark, drizzling London morn. I scurry, beetle-like, head bowed, through the traffic to the tube station. Jammed into the narrow confines of the hurtling cylinder on the Piccadilly Line my bleary eye catches sight of an advertisement.

“Sober October is coming” it tells me and implores me to give up all thoughts of fun and good times for a month so that I can, well, soberly contemplate my navel I presume. Cold, wet and rather depressed I can hardly think of anything worse.

Then my thoughts drift back to my home in Phuket and the glorious colours and contours of the iconic Boathouse Resort and Restaurant on the golden sands of Kata Beach and its upcoming October-long ‘Feastival of Indulgence’ and I realise that is exactly where I want to be and what I want to do throughout October!

The Boathouse is the perfect venue for a Feastival dedicated to the pleasures of wonderful food, drink, music, friendship, conversation, happiness and laughter. Its 30-year history celebrating the finest things in life with discerning guests from all over the world, makes The Boathouse an expert in the gracious art of fine living, indulgence and epicureanism.

Such famous names as Peter Ustinov, Rudolf Nureyev and a glittering cast of royalty and heads of state have graced its glorious portals through the years, enjoying the world-famous hospitality, so this October’s celebrations are simply a glorious continuation of that happy tradition.

What exactly is a “Feastival of Indulgence”, and how does one go about enjoying it to the full? Well, the month-long programme of delights on offer runs the gamut from gourmet lunches and dinners featuring fabulous cuisine, world-class beverages with pairings and tastings and lucky draws, to celebrity chef events, to cooking classes, cigar events, Piper Heidseick Sunday brunch, charity events, mixologist’s classes and much more… all accompanied by music, fun, friendship and laughter.

An international cast of hosts, celebrity chefs, fine beverage and pairings experts and presenters, musicians and of course all The Boathouse’s superbly knowledgeable and @thephuketnews

welcoming staff, will be on hand to make October’s Feastival superb.

Genial General Manager Max Chin supported by Executive Chef Jonathan Bruell, resident Sommelier Khun Pinyo, and the full retinue of Boathouse food and beverage staff will be on hand to welcome you and ensure that whichever of the many events you choose to attend leaves you happily feasted and thoroughly indulged!

Throughout October there’ll be special highlight events for you to savour such as the Magnum Dinner on Oct 5. Taking inspiration from Winston Churchill’s fabulous quote: “A Magnum is the perfect size for two gentlemen over a meal, especially if one isn’t drinking”, the evening will feature amazing cuisine expertly paired with a range of fine libations… all in Magnum sizes!

On Oct 12 there’ll be a rather decadent evening focusing on France’s Champagne region with Nicholas Feuillatte’s bubbly libations paired with Chef Jonathan’s wondrous oceanic “Caviar Variations”.

On Oct 19 sees an evening sampling the ample pleasures of a clean white libation famously labelled “Mother’s Ruin” and exploring its immaculate flavour and ingredients. And throughout the month, every evening in the Dining Room will have a variety of aged examples of Scotland’s finest export – after bagpipes and haggis of course!

You can explore the secrets of cocktails prepared with the Mekong’s finest libation as The Boathouse’s award-winning mixologists teach you how to create exotic innovations for yourself, and every day the restaurant will present exciting gourmet set menus with pairings, and simply by enjoying this heady fusion, you stand a chance of winning a two-nights’ stay in any of The Boathouse’s HPL Group affiliated hotels.

A highlight of the Feastival will certainly be on October 26th and 27th when award-winning Chef Evert Onderbeke from Soleil Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur will present a fabulous European culinary exploration in a five-course degustation menu paired with refreshments from Les Domaines Barons de Rothchild.

Finally, Chef Jonathan’s famous Sunday brunch will return on October 28th featuring gastronomic delicacies ranging from a selection of oysters, Maine lobsters, foie gras, charcutier

The perfect venue for a ‘Feastival’.

platter, prime beef, great French cheeses, accompanied by fabulous views, great service and Piper Heidseick’s libations.

And shell-shocked and dis­ hevelled from my nightmare on the Piccadilly Line, I am overjoyed to say that I fully intend to be there!

For full details of the October Feastival of Indulgence please see: www.boathouse-phuket.com Tel: +66 76 330 015- 7 Fax: +66 76 330 561 Email: info@boathouse-phuket.com

Guest Chef Evert Onderbeke of Soleil restaurant, Kuala Lumpur.

18 ISLAND SCENE

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

From left: Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi (Thai Hotels Association), Bernhard Bohnenberger (Six Senses Hotels), Wilaiporn Pitimanaaree, (Central Pattana Public Company) and Anthony Lark (Phuket Hotels Association).

From left: Maggie Lee (WWF), Dr Marissa Jablonski (US Embassy), Dr Steve Newman (Banyan Tree) and Anshuman Saikia (IUCN).

The next generation campaigning for an environmentally friendly future.

There was a massive turn out in support of sustainability on the island.

KEY TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS COMMIT TO A PLASTIC FREE FUTURE Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism (PHIST) held a major event on environmental sustainability and community benefit within the tourism industry on Monday (Sept 25). Held at the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, 550 hoteliers, government sector, corporates, academia and NGO’s gathered to apply best practices and opportunities to contribute to sustainable development, environmental protection and collective impact on local communities. Leading hotels and tourism groups have signed the “Phuket Pledge”, establishing a model for the future development of islands throughout Asia that embraces sustainability as a core and sets urgent goals for long-term change.

Member of PIWC, IWF and SKAL attend the scholarship event.

Students awarded scholarships receive their certificates.

PHUKET INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S CLUB AWARD 142 SCHOLARSHIPS Last Wednesday (Sept 19), the Phuket International Women’s Club (PIWC), together with their foundation, teh International Women’s Foundation (IWF), handed out 142 scholarships to the students they are currently supporting. The students, coming from different colleges and universities in Phuket, all gathered at the auditorium of Satree Phuket School to receive their certificates. Amongst the teachers, members and donors of PIWC was also Robert de Graaff, the President of SKAL who suppor eight students through PIWC. Mr De Graaff held an encouraging and enthusiastic speech that brought big smiles to the students’ faces.

Josh Pond (right) with 15-year-old Thai Toyota Vios driver Sunhawat 'Folky' Wongjaran.

It's a dirty job for Japanese Toyota Corolla Altis driver, Kentaro Chiba.

TOYOTA MOTORSPORT 2018 ‘DARE TO RACE’ AROUND SAPHAN HIN PARK Last Saturday (Sept 22) and Sunday (Sept 23), Toyota Motor Thailand Co Ltd held their annual Toyota Motorsport event at Saphan Hin Park, this year under the theme ‘Dare to Race’. Attendees were able to closely spectate Toyota cars perform in four categories of professional racing series; Corolla Altis One Make Race, Vios One Make Race, Vios One Make Race Lady Cup and Hilux Revo One Make Race. In addition, there were car performance shows such as Live Alive C-HR Show, Hilux Revo Drift Show and Toyota Team Thailand Show. The event closed with mini-concerts from BNK48 and Twopee Southside. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

ISLAND SCENE 19

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Outgoing manager Ahmad Zuhri (centre) welcomes incoming Hanafee Rahman (left).

The SlikAir team saying a fond farewell and a warm welcome.

SILKAIR PARTY FOR THE AIRLINE’S OUTGOING AND INCOMING MANAGER Staff from the SilkAir Phuket contact office last Wednesday (Sept 19) held a party to bid a fond farewell to outgoing manager Ahmad Zuhri and give a warm welcome to incoming manager Hanafee Rahman at The Boathouse Restaurant at Kata Beach.

Heike and Andrew at September’s SKAL meeting.

The staff at Portofino, Le Meridien with SKAL Phuket President Robert De Graaff.

SEPTEMBER SKAL DINNER HELD AT PORTOFINO RESTAURANT, LE MERIDIEN Phuket’s chapter of SKAL, the organisation uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry, held its monthly dinner event at Le Meridien last Thursday (Sept 20).

The group’s Phuket President, Robert De Graaff, presented a certificate of appreciation to the staff at the resort.

Sandy Rivera delights the crowd with his classic tracks.

Ring the bell, ring the bell!

DREAM BEACH CLUB’S INTIMATE DANCE EVENING WITH SANDY RIVERA Over 150 Phuket party people danced the night away to the music of Sandy Rivera last Thursday (Sept 20). Dream Beach Club held the intimate event featuring an exclusive DJ set by one of the most highly regarded DJs & producers of his generation. Sandy Rivera will be best known for the seminal classic ‘Finally’ by Kings of Tomorrow.

Charlie Hussey, Aidan Darr and Oliver Toon happy with their day’s workout.

It was a close call at the finish line.

RELAY TRIATHLON PARTICIPANTS SWIM, RIDE AND RUN TO THE FINISH Last Saturday (Sept 23) saw the Relay Triathlon event held at the Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort. Teams of up to four people had to finish the same distance of race that included a 300m swim, 8km bike ride and 2km run. There was no age group restrictions at the event – it was all about the best times athletes and their teammates could achieve together. Congratulations to all who took part. @thephuketnews

20 EVENTS

FRI

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

28 SEP

broiler with the unique sear and smokiness only charcoal could deliver. Starting from THB 1,200++. Reservations, Bodega & Grill, Angsana Laguna Phuket, fbreservation-lagunaphuket@angsana.com, 076 358 500.

SAT

TwoChefsReservations Check out more details on our website at bit.ly/TwoChefsEvents Reservation, Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong.

Kata Beach 076-333-370 Kata Center 076-330-065 Karon 076-286-479 Patong 076-344-914.

29 SEP

All you can eat BBQ night

All you can eat Sunday Roast Buffet

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

All you can eat BBQ Ribs night

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

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

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

WED

3 OCT

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

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

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

Japanese Autumn Food Festival

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

SUN

30 SEP

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

Premium barbecue main course, including imported Australian Rib Eye, full rack of Lamb or whole Phuket Lobster accompanied by buffet of delicious appetizers.

Live music from 6.30pm. Premium BBQ. 1,700*Baht.

Reservations, Sala Phuket, events@salaphuket.com 076 338 888.

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

MON

1 OCT

Fans of creative Japanese cuisine are in for special treat as Latest Recipe hosts a one-night only buffet and sake pairing event. The special menu crafted by Executive Chef Hans Kahrs and resident chefs of Ariake Japanese restaurant features signature sushi and sashimi treats, Oyster tempura, sumptuous Wagyu Beef Tappan Batayaki, Kakoshima Pork Kakuni, and a delectable Japanese dessert selection including Sake ice cream with red bean soup. Reservations, Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, 076 370 100 ext. 5307.

Sala Wednesday nights: Ribs, beats, brews Devour our succulent pork rib set complete with sweet corn chowder, blue cheese salad, moist cornbread and finish it off with a bread and butter pudding. DJ Q will keep the soul flowing and your toes tapping as you wash down those tender ribs with a bucket of craft brews. Full Rack set B1,600, Half Rack set B1,200, bucket of craft brews B800. Reservations, SALA Phuket Resort and Spa. Email: events@sala phuket. com or call 076 338 888.

Sunday Roast All Day, All Night

Charcoal Friday Charcoal BBQ at Bodega, featuring premium beef cuts, cooked live in the dining room on our charcoal

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

Featuring: Roast Aussie Beef, Pork Loin and Chicken.

Roasted or Mashed Potatoes. Roasted Mixed Vegetables Flavored with Thyme and Garlic. Yorkshire Pudding and Red Wine Gravy. Enjoy Live Music from 8-late performed by our famous Two Chefs Band! Come for the FOOD - RESERVE your table now online at bit.ly/

Simmer & Spice Curry buffet, great variety, vibrant flavours. Every Monday from 18.30 - 21.30. Reservations, SALA Phuket, events@salaphuket.com, 076 338 888.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

THU

EVENTS 21

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

4 OCT

ages paired with a selection of Kiwi cuisine. 6.30 PM - 8.30 PM. Firefly Pool & Restaurant at The Pavilions Phuket, firefly.phuket@pavilionshotels.com, 076 317 600.

SAT

6 OCT

RETRO NIGHT – BACK TO THE 70S & 80S Don’t miss out on our newest, exciting weekly event at Two Chefs. Come and join us for our special Flambé 300g Australian grass-fed rib eye steak served with a creamy peppercorn sauce, roasted vegetable medley and potato gratin for ONLY B495. Have a sweet tooth? Treat yourself to the Two Chefs banana flambé served with vanilla ice cream for ONLY B95. Sit back and enjoy one of our drink specials as you listen to the famous Two Chefs band performing all your favorite retro hits and more! Live music starts from 8pm and goes late at all of our Two Chefs locations. Reservations are highly recommended. You can book on our website at www.TwoChefs.com or find us on Facebook at Facebook/TwoChefsThailand. Come for the food, stay for the fun! Reservations: Call us directly at Two Chefs Kata Center 076 330 065, Kata Beach 076 333 370, Karon 076 286 479 or Patong 076 344 914.

PHUKET BRIEFING & BUSINESS NETWORKING BCCT, in collaboration with AustCham, EABC, FTCC and NTCC, cordially invites you to Phuket Briefing on Thursday, 4th October 2018 at Thanyapura Health and Sports Resort. The Briefing, led by Hughes Krupica Consulting, will cover important information and updates on “Thai Company Nominees: What are they, allegedly?” with a panel discussion. After the briefing, join us for great food and drinks in a relaxing Thanyapura. Drop in to meet and network in Phuket! For booking, please email Khun Urosesri at urosesri@ bccthai.com or call 02-651-5350. Urosesri, Thanya­ pura Health and Sports Resort.

FRI

5 OCT

TUE

6 NOV

tiles. Hotel supplies and home decoration items.

See the latest breakthroughs in construction technology, interior design and building maintenance.

Learn how to design a smarthome for multi-milliondollar project IPTV, 4G Internet, IP Phone, Mobile phone, CCTV and other high-tech devices. PIC Phuket, 076 217199.

FRI

7 DEC

Melbourne Cup 2018 Brunch

Oktoberfest 2018 The German Festival. Saturday 6th October 2018, from 3 pm. - 9 pm. Drinks + Food + Music Festival. Free Entry.Phuket Boat Lagoon, Phuket Boat Lagoon, events@phuketboatlagoon.com, 076 239 888 ext. 318.

SUN

21 OCT

On Tuesday 6th November watch The Race That Stops The Nation at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort. From 9am to 2pm enjoy this elegant fundraiser with five hours of free flow food and beverages, Fashions on the Field, amazing prizes and much more.

Book now with Donna Toon at lunch@classactmedia. co.th Tel: 0812 702 180. Donna Toon, Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort, lunch@classactmedia. co.th, 081-2702180.

SAT

10 NOV Christmas Market Date: 7th & 8th December 2018 from 6 pm. - 10 pm.

“Booths available” rate 2 days/1,000 THB.phuket Boat Lagoon, phuket Boat Lagoon, events@phuketboatlagoon.com, 076 239 888 ext 318.

EVERY DAY

The 14th Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run The 14th Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run and Half Marathon 2018 The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation will host its annual fundraising sports event which will be taking place on Sunday, October 21, 5.30 am – 8.30 am, Phuket Gateway. There are a 3km family run, a 5km fun run, a 10km mini marathon, a 21km half marathon; and a VIP run for all distance. Walk-in registration at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, October 1-10, from 10am to 5pm. Follow us on the social media channel https://www.facebook.com/maikhaomarineturtle­ foundation Contact Aorn Silla­pasathit­­wong at: info@ maikhaomarineturtlefoundation.org, Tel: 076 338 040.

SAT

27 OCT

2018 Colour Fun Run Gather up your friends or gear up solo for this vibrant race. The Colour Fun Run takes place annually and combines sport with family fun, encouraging people of all ages and abilities to join in on this fantastic and colourful day out. Tickets for this event sell very fast, so book now to avoid disappointment. Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort, events@thanyapura.com, 076 336 000.

WED

28 NOV

All you can eat Thai Tapas menu New Zealand Cuisine Showcase Celebrate the arrival of New Zealand’s award-wining 2016 Schubert vintages in collaboration with Global Wines paired with exotic native cuisine prepared by new Executive Chef Ryan Arboleda. Price at THB 1,000 Net per person, includes free flow grape bever-

@thephuketnews

Better Together 2018 Fun Run 6km and Mini-Marathon 12km on October 27, 5.30 - 11.00am at Bang Ward Dam. Register online now! Bang Ward Dam, 083-505-5235.

18th Architect & Hotelex Construction Materials & Hotel Supplies Exhibition.

All types of construction materials from floors to roof

An array of unlimited tapas-size table serving of travelers’ and locals’ favorite Thai dishes, Kantok is the perfect place to devour the best of the best Thai cuisine at once, from mouth-watering appetizers and savor soup of Phuket specialties and soul satisfying desserts. Only THB 750-net per person. Serving daily from 11am-11pm. Reservations, Kantok Restaurant, Burasari Phuket, 076 292 929.

22 TIME OUT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York 1. Acrophobia is the fear of what?

2. The Great Red Spot is a huge storm that has raged on which planet for at least 350 years?

3. “The lady’s not for turning,” was said by which British Prime Minister?

4. The Romans built the 39-mile-long, turf-and wood Antonine Wall in which country?

5. Which John Wyndham science fiction novel has been filmed twice (in 1960 and 1995) as Village of the Damned?

Answers below, centre

SUDOKU

Easy

Across 1. Borecole 5. Accomplishment 9. Awry 14. “That’s a ___!”

15. Earthen pot 16. Small part 17. “God’s Little ___” 18. ___ cutlets 19. Varnish resin 20. Cheddar shredder 23. Holed up 24. “Uh-uh” 25. Like some mushrooms 29. ___ Bowl 31. “___ #1!”

33. Handwoven Norse carpet 34. Ref’s call 37. A real scream 38. Baker’s scoops 42. “If all ___ fails ...”

43. Makes beloved 44. Reggae relative 45. Panhandles 46. What a pirate might say 50. Pa. city 52. Came in first 54. Time to remember 55. Spud squasher 59. Disorder 62. Flimsy, as an excuse

63. Get better 64. One way to be taken 65. Toot one’s horn 66. Deftness 67. Trails 68. “Black Beauty” author Sewell 69. Goblet feature

27. Capital of Rhône 28. Vittles 30. Fireman’s equipment 31. Orchestra section 32. Brink 35. Not enslaved 36. Emulate Frank Sinatra 37. ___ Parks (civilDown rights activist) 1. Coin of Zambia 38. Phoenix neighbor 2. Color obtained from lichens (var,) 39. Moose 40. “Hurry!”

3. City on the Rio 41. Breath control in Grande yoga 4. Fencing sword 5. Depression in a 45. Brit. badgers bone 47. Fix, as leftovers 6. Funeral song 48. 1978 Travolta 7. Controversial flick orchard spray 49. Globetrotter’s 8. Monetary unit of home Western Samoa 51. Geologic period 9. Bow 52. Eve was the first 10. All Black 53. Alpha’s opposite member 56. White matter 11. Little 57. Mountain pool troublemaker 58. The Beatles’ “___ 12. Lloyd Bridges’s Leaving Home” series, with Hunt 59. Accident 13. Costa del ___ 60. Lawyer’s group 21. Big mess (abr.)

22. Mother ___ 26. Vivacity 61. Frying vessel

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 1) Heights; 2); Jupiter; 3) Margaret Thatcher; 4) Scotland; 5) The Midwich Cuckoos

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW

5

minutes is how long female mayflies live for at most – just long enough to mate and lay eggs.

40

percent of the world’s population contracted the Spanish Flu In 1918, which killed more people than World War I.

66

percent of all the people who have ever lived past age 65 in the entire history of the world are alive today.

65,500

Phuket Town. Photo: Michael Rafael Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket? Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

adopted children, over 4% of all adopted children in the US, have lesbian, gay or bi parents.

4.9 million people have been banned from flying on planes in China because of their poor ‘social credit’ scores.

Source: Uberfacts

This week in history Sept 28, 2014 Hong Kong protests: Benny Tai announces that Occupy Central is launched as Hong Kong’s government headquarters is being occupied by thousands of protesters. Hong Kong police resort to tear gas to disperse protesters but thousands remain.

Canterbury, as a prisoner.

Sept 29, 1011 Danish Viking raiders capture Canterbury after laying siege, taking Ælf heah, archbishop of

Oct 1, 1964 Japanese Shinkansen (bullet trains) begin high-speed rail service from Tokyo to Osaka.

Sept 30, 2009 A 7.6 Mw earthquake shakes Sumatra with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). The dip-slip earthquake kills 1,115 people, and is followed days later by a 6.6 Mw strike-slip event.

(The United States Bill of Rights) to the States for ratification.

Photo: Roger Wollstadt (See photo for ‘0’ series in 1967.)

Oct 2, 1789 George Washington sends proposed Constitutional amendments

Oct 3, 1849 American author Edgar Allan Poe is found delirious in a gutter in Baltimore under mysterious circumstances; it is the last time he is seen in public before his death.

Oct 4, 1997 WikiLeaks is launched by Julian Assange.

Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Jobs

@thephuketnews

CLASSIFIEDS 23 The Phuket News @thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

CLASSIFIEDS 25

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Trades & Services

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

ADVERTISING SERVICES

CLEANING SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

MARINE SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENT

MARINE SERVICES

MARINE SERVICES

MARINE SERVICES

@thephuketnews

26 CLASSIFIEDS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Trades & Services

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

classifieds@thephuketnews.com

MOVING SERVICES

POOL SERVICES

PROPERTY SERVICES

OTHER

TRAINING

ADVERTISE HERE

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

CLASSIFIEDS 27

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Buy & Sell

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

JOBS

Website operator

Female website operator capable of building a shopping site and driving traffic to the site via Google, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, blogs and other systems. Will work a flexible 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. Fixed salary B20,000 + 5% commision on sales generated by the site.

20,000 + commision. Contact Ron via: Siam.serenity.th@gmail.com, 0874178715.

Teacher wanted for child

Native English qualified teacher needed for child 5yo with autism. Speech, ABA, occupational therapists will have priority.

High salary, flexible working hours. European nations only. ksenia, dcondosale@ gmail.com GE UR

NT

Live-in housekeeper wanted

Live-in housekeep wanted for house in Kata.

Must understand English and love dogs.

Excellent conditions. 31/3 Soi Plukjae Kata Phuket. Contact: Lillian Dinic: lil@ladolcevitare.com.au or call 080 690 5248.

G UR

Bar staff wanted

T EN

Blondie Bar 2 at Otop Market Patong requires Bar Staff.

Thai nationals only. Good salary and room provided.

Phone Mick: 081 087 6114.

BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE

Riviera sport fishing boat

Perfectly maintained and cared for, this boat is in excellent condition and will provide great enjoyment for the next owner. Powered by twin 660hp Caterpillar diesel engines and fitted with every conceivable optional extra including True Visions satellite connection through a 42’ Smart TV, Raymarine navigation system, Dive Compressor, powerful stereo system and extensive fishing equipment. Selling to upgrade to a larger vessel. 9,000,000, Phuket Yacht Haven, sc@crone.net.au

FOR SALE AIR BERTH M320

250,000THB INC.VAT FOR BOAT UP TO 32 FEET/ 9.5 METRES. CONTACT: ASIA YACHT AGENCY CO.,LTD VIA CONTACT@ASIAYACHTAGENCY. COM, 081-894 -3234- FRENCH / ENGLISH — 086-269-0808 THAI / ENGLISH. @thephuketnews

BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE UR

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BUSINESS FOR SALE

Boat For Sale

72’(22m) Thai Trawler partially-converted as Tour Boat Business. Rebuilt from top to bottom 3 years ago (spent just over 1MB) including engine as was planned to use for a tour business, owner had to return to the UK unable to return (very ill son). Some weather damage and need some repairs. Engine has only done only 6 hours, has new 12 kua generator. Currently in Hua Hin. Viewing can be arranged. Must sell within the next few months. Offers over THB 500,000. Contact Shayne on 0934 189 529 or shayne.inbox@gmail.com

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Chalong Boatbuilding Business

Boatbuilding business with 300sqm Office + 300sqm Workshop/Store. Chanote 0.5rai.

30ft Speedboat plus moulds for more production. 16,000,000, Simon Jupe, 29/4 Soi Nayai, Chalong, Phuket 83130, simonj@ cscoms.com, +66878832542.

CARS, TRUCKS FOR SALE

Hyundai Veloster TURBO

Hyundai Veloster Turbo 39,000 km, Price from new RARE BUSINESS 1,749,000THB, full service OPPORTUNITY book, 4 original rims with tires, all options.

Working Shareholder req. for a Now just 850,000THB. m.arnskjold@gmail. unique Phuket Business Opp. com, 0836351440 ENG / 0843058363 TH USD$75,000 (12.50% Co. Shares). ZERO Debts/Leases/ Amazing Deal!

Loans etc. Low Overheads, Hi2016 Toyota Vios Model E Margins, Hi-Vol. Sales (7 Day Sales). Long with only 35,000 km on it. est. comp. industry. 4-Us: ZERO COMPEIs an automatic, with fog TITION … ROI: Monthly Mngmt Fee. (Job lights, windows are tinted already, has the Pymt 20-30hpw) + Monthly Royalty Pymt. + Twice-Yrly. Co. Profits Dist. Genuine + plastic insert for the trunk, rubber floor mats Rare business opp – serious enquiries only for all seats, rain shields on all windows. Only please. 2.5mTHB (USD$75,000), Phillip driven locally in Phuket. It is kept in great Frankston, PHUKET, MvJHKT@Gmail.com, condition and is available to view in Chalong.

Only 495,000 THB. Adam 091 016 1167. +61 8001-6402 (Anytime).

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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Buy & Sell CARS, TRUCKS FOR SALE

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The Phuket News @thephuketnews

SERVICES

One to one and family therapy 2012 Ford Ranger Young Minds Phuket is now fully set up and 2.2 Open Cab is offering one to one therapy, family and

78,000km.

Six-gear parenting support and support to schools. manual transmission. www.youngmindsphuket.com 0992382783.

Looks and feels like a new car, treated like a baby by its single owner. Engine clean Property Phuket Law as. Full set of new tyres. B500,000. Call Properties hot deal for sell 081 427 5168. & buy, legal Advisor & Litigation Nationwide, accountCARS, TRUCKS FOR SALE ing, visa, work permit, 083 599 4514, 087 014 9736,095 325 5654.

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CARS FOR RENT

We offer car rental at affordable prices. Monthly from B10,000. Daily from B400. Call us and find out what we offer. B10,000 monthly. Stig Johansson, 110/78 Moo 2, T Paklok, A Thalang, 83110 Phuket. Contact: stigisaan@gmail.com, 084 847 4377.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Flat roof waterproofing

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Dream Village Phuket house

2bed 2bath 295sqm land 100sqm living + veranda, compl. renovated.: new water, electric., tiles, paint in/out, windows, 3A/C, built in kitchen. contact only via email picharly@gmail.com

Villa Mission Heights Big Pool

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Unique Investment Opportunity

Unique investment opportunity not to be missed: 5 pool villas, big land, large entertaiment areas, parking garages and private gates. More info www.thegardenkptphuket.com www.thegardenkptphuket.com

House for rent

A sea view house in the garden on the mountain at Ao Makham. 2 bedrooms. Porntip, piranunt@icloud.com, 086 996 7535.

3 bed, 31/2 bath, 330 sqm living, We do flat roof waterproof- 900 sqm land, very quite area, 2km Mission ing with 20 year warranty Hills golf, 6km UWC, 8km airport. owner fiby installing quality four layer slate spotted nance. Only email please: picharly@gmail.com bitumen torch foil + crack repair! Andreas Ruthe, 22/5 Moo1 Kamala Kathu, office@ Penthouse for Sale Land & House for sale tcm-asia.com, 086-9439834,076-385081.

432.44 SQM Penthouse Villa 225sqm. incl. 75sqm terracfor sale: 320 Degree view MOTORBIKES FOR SALE es on Freehold Chanote Land: of Patong bay and city.

1 to 6 rai on SUKORN ISLAND, Ducati Private pool. 22nd floor Trang province. Price THB 7,150,000 - THB (top floor) at the Anda15,250,000. Owner, Koh Sukorn, Trang provMultistrada 2012 man Beach Condomin2012 Model Multistrada. Per- ince, ddsukorn@gmail.com, 081 537 1957. ium, Patong, Phuket, Thailand. fect condition. Only 23,000 Condo Facilities: Two tennis courts, 10 x kms. Faithfully maintained. Have panniers House Lots on Coconut Island! 24-metre swimming pool, fitness & game and 15 liter tank bag. Steve, ducphuket@ 230-300 sq.m. 1.4-1.9 million baht. New Charoom, restaurant, parking. 60 Million Baht gmail.com, 081-734-8309. note titles. Government road. Electricity. 200 O.N.O., Songpan, songpanpirom@hotmail.

METRES TO OCEAN !! Financing available. com, 081 737 8662.

OTHER Tel. 095-068-1672chrisfisherii@gmail.com

Hotel Laundry Sevices

Exceptional commercial laundry services in Patong. increased capabilities are allowing us to expand to support 500 additional rooms.

Competitive, Chonticha, Patong. candk servicespatong@gmail.com, 0991658538.

COMMUNITY

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Like new English Riley Pool Table for sale.

Measures 320cm long by 170cm, comes with six pool cues and cue rack as well as game counter. Pick up in Chalong no delivery. Only 50,000 THB. Adam 091 016 1167.

ENDLESS POTENTIAL

12.5 rai walled w/ auto gate, water pond & transformer. 4,200m2 slab, 9 bed, 11 bath, swimming pool, ideal for school, detox, sport center 300,000 baht per month. 081 821 4064.

PROPERTY WANTED

POOL TABLES

AMAZING DEAL NOT TO BE MISSED!

PROPERTY FOR RENT

Luxury Villa

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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

SPORT 29

Birds fly out for AFL final Magpies to take on Eagles for Australia’s highest sports award AFL

Panoramic view of the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the national anthem prior to the AFL Grand Final on September 30, 2017. Photo: Flickerd / wikipedia.org

Peter Bricknell

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ustralia’s sports mad public are gearing up for tomorrow when nearly 100,000 will be in attendance at the world-renowned Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known simply as ‘The G’.

But will the Magpies down the Eagles?

Yes, the AFL Grand Final kicks off tomorrow (Sept 29) amongst the hype and sensationalism that always accompanies this great game.

This year has the added bonus of interstate rivalry with the West Coast Eagles targeting the Victorian-based Collingwood Football Club (Magpies).

The Eagles last played in an AFL Grand Final in 2015, and lost. Collingwood last won in 2010… so one could say the stakes are very high.

Everyone talks about the professionalism of the West Coast Eagles and at the same time the collie-wobbles for their competitor, but what will happen in 2018? Skill is the name of the game and both teams have plenty.

West Coast have beaten Collingwood in each game this year including the first final, but both teams had emphatic wins in the preliminary final making the choice of a winner as difficult as predicting the toss of a coin… it really is 50/50.

There is great respect amongst the two camps, but that goes out the door tomorrow with the highest award in the land going to the winner.

Both teams list magnificent superstars, some earned by years of diligent work ethic and others by instant stardom bought about by gut-wrenching performances of speed and

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firebrand muscle.

Let’s have a look at some of the stars of both teams: Collingwood have come from a previous year of turmoil finishing 13th of 18 teams in 2017 with much criticism of their performance and their coach, Nathan Buckley, nearly dumped as controversy raged.

A proud club with many raging questions. In 2018 they lost the first two games of the season but then what a turn around.

Steele Sidebottom – Master class performance all year and a star of the finals series, can play anywhere and on anyone.

His class alone can win the game for the Maggies. Clearly their best player.

Scott Pendlebury – Captain courageous and Norm Smith medallist when the ‘Pies’ won in 2010. Untouchable in defence and sensational in attack, just an extraordinary performer.

Mason Cox – All 211cm of him. The American Eagle who plays for the Magpies.

Funny that, yes USA born and only playing Australian football for a short time, but given his height no one can touch him and he comes off a best on-ground performance from the previous week. Can he repeat it?

Gordon Degoey – Full forward firebrand with speed,

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If you’re going out, make your way to the ACG for a fun -filled family atmosphere! Photo: Michael Way @thephuketnews

agility, toughness and wonderful kicking skills. He can be the man of the day but pressure comes in big doses from the Eagles.

Tyson Goldsack – An inspiration from oblivion because of injury, but what a role he has been playing during the finals. A critical defender and has experience from when the Pies won in 2010.

Brodie Grundy – Is he the best ruckman in the AFL? Some would say definitely yes and this is hard to argue with.

A wonderful distributor of the ball and a huge man with the heart to go with it.

Travis Varcoe – The Speedster, the Bolt of Australian football who overcame personal tragedy to play magnificently through the finals.

And the list goes on for a very hard working and talented team. Too many great players to mention!

The West Coast Eagles have the horsepower and leadership to beat any team They are superbly led by supercoach Adam Simpson and have a history that suggests success in any finals campaign. Their backline has some of the best and they apply manic pressure leading to perhaps the best forward line in the competition.

Willie Rioli – The Rioli name is enough to terrify the

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opposition. What a family and what a wonderful young player who sets the Eagles alight.

Mark Lecras – Forwarder, follower, goal sneak… you name it he has it. In the twilight of his career so no one deserves a premiership more.

Josh Kennedy – The bearded wonder, captain, the Eagles leading goal kicker and as tough as nails.

Jack Darling – A huge man at full forward and a wonderful year in 2018. Look out for Jack.

Luke Shuey – Fast, durable and a wonderful team man.

Steady as a rock.

Jeremy McGovern – In my mind the best (for many seasons) back man in the game.

A tower of strength, a wonderful kicker and can thwart so many Magpie attacks.

Elliot Yeo – As good as McGovern and that means a very strong back line, a great mark and as tough as they come.

Like the Magpies the team in total is tough and talented so what a game heading our way!

Bangla bars will be alive with emotion come tomorrow and crowds will be attracted regardless of whether you

are a skilled commentator on the game or a new comer interested in what all the noise is about.

Australians think the world stops for the Australian Rules Grand Final and so it may come Saturday September 29.

Some 100,000 people packed into the MCG and millions watching or listening wherever they may be.

The start will be determined by the toss of a coin and in the minds of many the result could fall the same way.

So let the war begin and let us all pay homage to these superb athletes who put their bodies on the line, who play the game they love and entertain us to such a high degree for six months of the year.

I for one will be watching and enjoying every minute of what will be a wonderful exhibition of Australian Rules Football.

No doubt half time will be the calm before the storm.

So up there Cazaly, in there and fight, fly like an angel, fight like the devil, you’re out there to win!

Good luck to both teams!

30 SPORT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Patong White take title C&C Marine league won after epic 80 overs worth of cricket at ACG CRICKET Neil Quail

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rowned C&C Marine league champions last Sunday (Sept 23), Patong White first defeated Kashmiri CC in their semifinal and then Goan Panthers in the final following an epic 80 overs worth of cricket at the ACG. Patong opened batting proceedings against Kashmiri with Michael Flowers and JG De Swart, the latter hitting 31 off 21 before being bowled

by Waseem in the sixth over.

Stuart Hamilton and Flowers (13) pushed the score to 95 in the 10th over, when Flowers was bowled by Ahmed. After the break, Ike Bekker (1) and Tyler Whatley (9) both fell victim to run outs, before captain, Anthony Van Blerk joined Hamilton with the score on 122.

Passing 150 in the 17th over, Kashmiri’s captain Iqbal Malik took the wicket of Hamilton (35), caught

by Prasant and then demolished Patong’s rear guard, taking just three deliveries in the 19th over to dismiss Van Blerk (12), Shivam Bhattacharya (0) and Jason Robertson (5), in a devastating spell that concluded Patong’s scoring on 155 all out.

Patong hit Kashmir early with the score on just 12, when Khan was trapped LBW by Hamilton, before

C&C Marine final top scorer and Man of the Match, Michael Flowers on his way to 45 in helping Patong White to victory against the Goan Panthers. Photo: Suthida Huadkham Arif Mushtaq was caught by Flowers off Bhattacharya’s bowling in the very next over, with Kashmir’s score on 24.

With Waseem and Prasant leading the charge, by the 14th over and the score on 108, the match was on a knife-edge, when Prasant (41) was caught by Hamilton off a delivery

by Flowers.

Waseem was then undone by the pace of Robertson and a superb catch

by Van Blerk with the score on 137.

Adding 15 runs for the loss of

Musa and then Iqbal’s wicket meant Ahmed was left to find four runs off two overs for victory as last man standing. Unfortunately, the batsman decided to scamper for a single in the 19th over allowing Van Blerk to have the batsman run out at the opposite end... the error handing a dramatic three-run victory to Patong and a place in the Grand Final.

The Goan Panthers would have fancied their chances against a weary Patong side, who were given just 30 minutes to prepare before the start

of the final.

Patong innings began with Flowers in the opening slot partnered by Van Blerk. A patient start from the pair had the score on just 10 after four overs, but they soon opened up taking the total to 76 at the 10over break.

Fatigue was evident in both batsmen when play resumed, resulting in Van Blerk being run out on 31 in the 11th over, but Flowers, now joined by Bekker, thrust the total to 120 in the 16th over when Pranesh

Kinlekar ousted Flowers, with the opener registering a score of 45.

Kinlekar struck again three balls later as Hamilton’s shot deflected off his pads and onto his stumps.

Adam Drew (10) and Bekker (22) withstood the final four overs, taking Patong’s total to 154.

The Panthers were impacted in just their second over, with Naik stumped off Hamilton’s bowling, while Mayur Denskar lasted only another four balls, given out LBW off Bhattacharya.

Elevating the score to 32, Dessai and Vijay Salekneni raised the score to 32 before Robertson upended Dessai’s wicket, bringing Virdikar to the crease, but he was soon given out caught behind by Van Blerk off a Bekker delivery. Robertson then claimed the wicket of Salekneni with the Panthers on 57 for 5 at the break.

The Panthers played out their full 20 overs losing only Abhinav Kalakar to a catch by Whattley for Robertson’s third wicket, while Lucky Singh (30 not out), assisted

by Kinlekar (12 not out), helped Panthers to a total of 108 for 6.

Man of the match was awarded to Michael Flowers, while Muhammed Aa’rif from Kashmiri CC took batsman of the series with an average of 108.7 from six innings. Bowler of the series went to Patong White’s Jason Robertson.

Black Sheep romp to victory in top of the table clash POOL T H E R AW A I P O O L League resumed on Monday (Sept 24) with the big game in Division A a clash between Shot Bar and Black Sheep.

Most expected this to be a tight game but that wasn’t to be the case as Black Sheep romped to 1-6 victory. Only Shot’s Pan managed to get a point on the board for the home side.

Mango Bar moved into second in the table with a win away to Spot Bar. Mango had the game won at the end of the singles, then they won their first doubles to give them a 0-5 lead. Eddy and Dao got a point on the board for Spot Bar and they won the beerleg to earn a 2-5 scoreline.

White Hart are still in the race to retain their title after a win at home to Black Pearl. After Jig’s early defeat to Tommy, Rob and both Bens

put White Hart in a strong position after the singles.

But Black Pearl’s Dave and Tar managed to bring it back to 3-2, but Rob and Ben W’s clever play in the last doubles against Tommy and Bang put White Hart’s victory in no doubt. Black Pearl performed admirably in the beerleg to give a 4-3 scoreline.

Future Bar played bottom of the table Orange Bar. Future’s Chaiya won against Bibi, luckily managing to

avoid defeat by an inch when he nearly potted the black out of turn. Julien and Tong both played well to put the visitors in a 1-2 lead. Barry started the turnaround for the home side, who went on to win all the remaining legs to get a 5-2 victory.

Pita Bar stay in seventh after a home defeat to Freedom Bar. It was a close game full of mistakes. Freedom’s Popeye played his best to beat Grant, leaving it 2-2 after the singles.

This and two doubles victories for the away side gave them a 3-4 victory.

The remaining Division A match was won 6-1 by Masaya Bar who entertained Tropical Sands. Masaya Bar are looking stronger with the addition of Michi, and with both Marcus and Rainier on form they will surely start to move up the table soon.

The big game in Division B was Roses Bar against White Hart BBQ. Sergey and Eric had a close game where the black was missed countless times, but Roses’ Sergey came through at the end. Mike managed to put the home side 2-0 in front, but

Eric Colombo playing for White Hart BBQ at Roses Bar. Photo: Philipp at Roses Bar Friedhelm produced a superb performance for the visitors and Gero tied the game at 2-2 when Roses’ Kevin managed to foul three times to provide opportunities for Gero to see out the game. In the doubles the league leaders dominated but great play by White Hart BBQ in the beerleg left the scoreline at 4-3.

An emotional night at Black Bull saw them win 5-2 against second place Stor Bar and move to third in the table.

Moonlight Bar beat fifth placed Kilt’n Haggis with fine play by Moonlight’s Nonny and

Patrick ensuring a 3-4 win.

O’s Bar hosted Islander A. Bruce, making his Rawai Pool League debut, and Uncle John were the only winners for the home team while Andy M put in a great performance in his team’s 2-5 victory.

Islander B suffered a 2-5 defeat to Stoned Crab. Despite being 2-1 ahead, Islander B lost the four remaining legs.

The final fixture of the night was the Baroque Bar against Pink Sheep. All the girls had a good time with Pink Sheep winning 3-4.

Barrie Craig thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

SPORT 31

PREMIER PREDICTIONS: ENTER NOW AT THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Vettel prepares for final title assault BOX OF NEUTRALS

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giggs 19 jaysinky 19 AAY 18 Fitz 18 Pugwash 18

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Smiley Bar 40 Fitz 39 giggs 38 Ajax Amsterdam 37 Gracie 37

English Premier League 2017 - 2018 Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Sebastian Vettel gets ready to drive at the Marina Bay Street Circuit during the first practice session ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. Photo: Manan Vatsyayana / AFP his fifth championship, but letting slip even one grand prix to his rival would allow the Briton to cruise home in second place for the rest of the season and maintain a points buffer.

“I think it's pretty straightforward,” Vettel said, reflecting on his lot. “If we win every race from now, we are safe, so that is what we need to aim for.”

There have been few comparable comebacks in the history of the sport, though Vettel can claim one of them – in 2012 he recovered from a 39-point deficit with seven rounds remaining to overcome Fernando Alonso by three points.

The Spaniard, however, was in a markedly inferior car, and he was forced into retirement at the Japanese Grand Prix after he was crashed into

on the first lap, costing him 25 points to race-winner Vettel.

In 2007 Kimi Raikkonen recovered from a points deficit worth two race wins to claim his sole championship, but the Finn was aided by his two rivals, teammates Hamilton and Alonso, taking points off each other in an acrimonious McLaren civil war.

But in 2018 the battle for Vettel is harder still. His Ferrari car is only marginally faster than the Mercedes machine and he’s in a straight fight against an indomitable Lewis Hamilton, who’s racing in perhaps the best form of his life.

Worse is that his fight must start in Russia, where Mercedes has claimed victory at every race since Sochi’s addition to the calendar in 2014.

But faced with no choice but to win – or to pray for a

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EPL PREDICTIONS

Michael Lamonato michael@boxofneutrals.com

f Sebastian Vettel still dreams of securing the 2018 Formula One championship, his fightback against runaway title leader Lewis Hamilton must start at this weekend’s Russian Grand Prix.

Only victory will do for Vettel, who trails his rival by a season-high 40 points heading into the Sochi race on Sunday (Sept 30) – but if only it were so simple for the Ferrari driver.

Vettel’s last victory at August’s Belgian Grand Prix feels like a lifetime ago. At the historic Circuit de SpaFrancorchamps, for so long dominated by Mercedes, the German landed a stirring blow against Hamilton’s title campaign with an untouchable charge to the flag.

But that memorable weekend has been followed by only forgettable results for the famous Italian team and its star driver.

Costly losses to Hamilton in Italy and Singapore have dramatically swung the momentum and the points standings in the Briton’s favour, leaving that happy memory in Belgium looking less like the beginning of a fightback and more like a flash in the pan – it remains, after all, one of only two wins for the reds since June’s Canadian Grand Prix.

The climb back into title contention is now as simple as it is strenuous: Vettel has to win, and he has to win a lot.

Only victory at all six remaining races can deliver him

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technical failure on Hamilton’s car – Vettel is remaining steely eyed ahead of the potentially make-or-break test of his title mettle.

“Russia, I think, has been getting better the last years for us, so it should suit our car as well,” he said. “I don't think we have any tracks to fear that are coming. I think our car is working pretty much everywhere.

“No need to be afraid of what's coming.”

But with Hamilton and Mercedes in perfect harmony at their powerful best, fear will be the least of Vettel’s problems in Russia as he seeks to kick-start the most unlikely of championship comebacks.

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

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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

editor3@classactmedia.co.th

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Black Sheep gets better of Shot Bar as RPL resumes > p30

THE 42 RYDER CUP ND

Europe’s English golfer Tyrell Hatton plays a tee shot during a practice session ahead of the 42nd Ryder Cup at Le Golf National Course at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, southwest of Paris on Tuesday (Sept 25). Photo: Eric Feferberg / AFP

GOLF Martin Platts

O

ver the next three days, golfers from team America and team Europe will play match play in three different golfing formats. The first two days being in the morning foursomes (alternate shots) while in the afternoon four ball better ball.

Only eight players from each side play in this format (leaving four players out from each side on each match) and 12 singles on the last day.

There will be 28 points up for grabs with the winning team from the last match retaining the Ryder Cup with 14 points. But to win outright one team needs 14½ points.

Note: On the first two days, eight players are selected from both teams of the 12 players, playing together as a team of two in these four matches. Therefore, the captain from each team must carefully select his combination of his two-man team, creating many permutations over the first two days.

The Ryder Cup is a biennial team event between an America team playing against a Europe team. Last played in America, the Americans won. This time it will be played in France at the Club De National, Guyancourt, Lie-de-France par 71 course.

This course has been purpose built for the French Golf Federation as has been their headquarters for 30 years. When building the course they created a natural amphitheatre

so that golf fans can watch the golf from all holes on the course.

If some of the matches go to the last hole, the second shot on that hole to the green is over water, so this should provide for some exciting finishes.

The History of the Ryder Cup Although it is often stated that the Ryder Cup began in 1921, the Ryder Cup officially started in 1927.

Two unofficial matches were played between golf professionals from Great Britain and the United States, with the first occurring at Gleneagles Golf Club, Scotland in 1921, and the second hosted by Wentworth Golf Club, England.

An English seed merchant called Samuel Ryder watched the second match and, having recently taken up golf, was delighted by the event.

Ryder was so moved by the competition that he donated a small gold cup, with a small golfing figure at the top as a lasting memorial to a popular golfer, and Ryder’s personal tutor, Abe Mitchell. This cup is still used as the Ryder Cup trophy.

The biggest change to the Ryder Cup format was in 1979 when European golfers were allowed to play in the event in the hope it would make it a more competitive match with the American players having won almost all Ryder Cup matches to that point.

The allure of the Ryder Cup, apart from America playing against Europe in a team event, has always been that the players from both sides do not receive any prize money for this prestigious event. So they are

playing for the pride of their team and of course the bragging rights of winning the Ryder Cup. (My understanding now is that the American golfers receive around US$200,000 (B6.49 million) for playing in the Ryder Cup. Fortunately this money goes to a college development education program and charities that the players choose.)

By the way, don’t feel too sorry for the players not receiving direct money, the Ryder Cup is an allexpenses paid affair with the players receiving Ryder Cup mementos that only go to the players playing in the Ryder Cup of 2018.

Also, being a Ryder Cup player creates more kudos for that player.

Their value goes up, which is reflected in better endorsements and contracts for that player having played in the Ryder Cup. Is the Ryder cup competitive?

Snippets from previous Ryder cups: 1969: Nicklaus vs Jacklin Nicklaus of America gave Jacklin of Europe a putt on the last to tie the Ryder Cup in gentlemanly fashion; the American team though thought that it should have been holed.

1989: Azinger and Ballesteros Ballesteros had a scuff mark on his golf ball and his opponent Azinger said, “It’s still payable.”

The referee decided it was playable as well and that certainly got Ballesteros’ blood up. After the game Ballestros said that there are 11 good players on the American side and Azinger.

1991: ‘The War by the Shore’

One of the American players wore a baseball cap from desert storm!

In America this did seem to create more interest in the Ryder Cup. 1999: ‘Battle of Brookline’ The Americans on the 17th green celebrated after holing their putt, running all over Europe’s line on the greens, ‘just not etiquette’.

Team America, at the time, were down 10–6 points at the start of the final day. The Americans defeated Europe 8½–3½ in the singles matches to seal the first American victory since 1993.

2012: ‘Miracle at Medinah’ Europe seemed to have no chance of winning but won the singles 8½ v 3½ to win the Ryder cup that year.

Will there be a new title to go with the Ryder cup 2018?

Looking at both teams on paper, as always the Americans seem to have a little more fire power than Europe. However, this is a team game for the Ryder Cup and players from both teams will need to be bring their ‘A’ games into this very special team environment.

Europe in the past seem to jell as a team better than the American players, even though both teams have all the latest technologies at their fingertips. This time the American team are holders of the Ryder Cup and seem to be more prepared under the Captaincy of Jim Furyk, and with Tiger Woods comeback complete, they are in control of their own destiny.

However, will the gritty European side have what it takes to bring the Ryder Cup home? We will see!

American Team Captain: Jim Furyk Brooks Koepka (US Open, PGA championship holder) Dustin Johnson Justin Thomas Patrick Reed (Masters holder) Bubba Watson Jordan Spieth Rickie Fowler Webb Simpson Bryson DeChambeau Phil Mickelson Tiger Woods Tony Finau

Europe Team Captain: Thomas Bjorn Francesco Molinari (British Open holder) Justin Rose Jon Rahm Rory McIlroy Tommy Fleetwood Tyrrell Hatton Alex Norén Thorbjørn Olesen Ian Poulter Paul Casey Sergio García Henrik Stenson Martin Platts (British) P.G.A., Director of the Golf Guru International Golf Academy, has been involved in competitive golf for 40 years, 30 as a professional. He has coached players of all levels from beginners to Ryder Cup tour professionals.

Visit TheGolfGuru.com thephuketnews