28-10-2011 by The Phuket News

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BUS HAVOC Nineteen Russian tourists were injured when the tour bus in which they were travelling crashed at the western end of Patong Hill on Wednesday.

Three crashes in four days: One dead, 55 hurt It was an extraordinary week for bus crashes, even on Phuket’s notoriously crashprone roads: In just four days two tour buses slewed off the road after brakes failed, and a minibus carrying tourists smashed into a tree. The first crash was on Saturday (October 22) when a privately-owned six-wheel bus was making its way from Kamala to Rawai. On board was a party of Chinese tourists who were heading for a day out on Koh Hey.

Coming from Kata down the last part of the hill before Chalong, the driver, Sarawut Tonegaew, realised he had no brakes. He told The Phuket News in Vachira Phuket hospital, where he was treated for head and thigh injuries, “I tried to stop the bus by driving it into a drain running along the left side of the road.” Instead of stopping the bus, however, this manoeuvre backfired, sending the bus hurtling out of control. It veered across

the road, snapped a power pole, went through the crash barrier and rolled down the hillside. It came to rest upside down, blocked by trees from falling further. All the 27 Chinese tourists on board, along with Mr Sarawut and a guide, were injured. One of the tourists, Wu Rong, later died of her injuries. It took at least two hours for the electricity company to clear up the mess and make the road safe again for traffic.

Later the same day, three Koreans and thei r T hai driver were injured when the minibus they were in smashed into a tree on Thepkrasattri Rd, on the straight section of highway just north of the Tha Chat Chai check point. All four were rushed to hospital. The driver, Anuchart Lertsiriwongsakul had his leg shat tered in several places, and passenger Don Sik Uyoo, 35, ended up in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Bangkok Hospital.

He is still in the ICU, but the other two passengers, Sun Hee Kim and Sang Moon Lee, were treated for lesser injuries and were due to fly home on Tuesday night (October 26). Police Lt Col Prakob Boonkwan said that the Phuketbased driver – who also owned the minibus – might not have been familiar with the road, but said recent rain was not a factor as the road was dry at the time of the accident. He added that Mr Uyoo, Continued Page 2

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SIMON OSTHEIMER Managing Editor 08 3922 9265 managingeditor@thephuketnews.com From Hong Kong; nearly a decade’s experience as editor of magazines and newspapers in Shanghai (City Weekend, that’s Shanghai), Beijing (Urbane), Hong Kong (Time Out Hong Kong), Kuala Lumpur (Vision KL), Bangkok (Bangkok 101) and Phuket. Travel journalist for Esquire, Vacations & Travel, Travel & Leisure, DestinAsian, and CNNGo.

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

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

‘No money’ left to repair Patong road Traffic jams on Patong Hill look like being a fixture of life for some time to come after the Phuket Highways Department Chief, Aroon Saneeh, admitted that there is no budget to do more than shore up the section of road that collapsed last Wednesday (October 19). Mr Aroon told The Phuket News that all he can do with the money on hand is reinforce the hillside below the collapsed section of road to ensure it does not slip further. “There is no money at the moment to rebuild the road. I have to fix it by making the soil wall stronger before it rains again. “Any steep hill that has been cut into, to build roads

From Australia; Degree in Journalism, Charles Stuart University; Four years’ experience at: The Australian, The Central Western Daily, The Leader, The Canberra Times, The Vientiane Times.

Sub Editor From New Zealand; BA (English), University of Otago; Diploma in Journalism, University of Canterbury; Five years’ experience at Gisborne Herald, and the Marlborough Express.

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

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

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Phuket Highways Dept.: ‘No more money to rebuild road’.

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or buildings, is at risk of collapse,” he added. He warned that a major cause of wrecked roads on the island is vehicles that are loaded beyond their legal limits. “A lot of trucks and trailers use roads in Phuket, and that is the main cause of road damage. Currently, the Highways Department is fixing Thepkrasattri Rd in the Koh Kaew area, damaged by heavy rain and the many trucks using this road. “But we cannot close the road to do the work because this is the main artery link north and south Phuket, so we are doing it piecemeal, some parts in quiet periods in the daytime and some at night,” Mr Aroon said.

Ladawan Wongsriwong, leader of the controversial Women’s Voice Association (WVA), visited Phuket last Sunday (October 23) to call for suppor t f rom local Phu ket women, with the aim of creating a network of women’s groups “aware of their role in democracy”, and to link them to international women’s associations. Est ablished in 2009 by Ms Ladawan, a former People’s Power Party MP who was banned from politics by the courts, the WVA has been focusing on women’s empowerment and relieving victims from human trafficking and prostitution, especially in the north of Thailand. Though Ms Ladawan carefully insists that the principle of WVA is to ensure the rights of women in society, without siding with any particular political party, the WVA is seen by many as being closely allied to the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, better known as the Red Shirts. Others see it as a political moveLadawan Wongsriwong, leader of the WVA. ment having close links with the rul-

ing Pheu Thai Party (which grew out of the People’s Power Party (PPP)). The Constitutional Court in 2006 banned Ms Ladawan from politics for five years in a cull of 111 PPP politicians. Ms Ladawan has set a goal for the WVA to have three million members in 78,517 villages around the country. Last Sunday, more than 100 Phuket women joined in a meeting with Ms Ladawan at Phuket Town Inn in Phuket Town. She urged women to join her in pushing the government to enforce greater equality between men and women, including open registration for nuns to be “legal religious icons like monks”, and serious laws to prevent prostitution. With the government proposing to give B100 million to fund women in each province, Ms Ladawan pointed out that the budget will benefit Phuket women as well. “Phuket women must search for their own strength to increase their potential to live strongly in society,” Ms Ladawan said.

Three tour bus crashes in four days From Page 1 who lives in Phuket, and Mr Anuchart were friends, and the other two Koreans were relatives in Phuket on holiday. Police are waiting for Mr Anuchart to recover enough to be questioned. The third accident came on Wednesday (October 26) when 19 Russian tourists were injured, at least four of them badly enough to be taken to hospital, after the tour bus in which they were travelling

crashed at the western end of Patong Hill at about 1pm. The passengers had just arrived in Phuket for their holiday, and were on their way t o t hei r hot el, t he Duangjit in Patong. The bus, belonging to Phuket Town-based company Je-Siam, was carrying 37 tourists and two guides when it careered across the traffic and plunged off the right side of the road on the final bend before Wat Suwankiriwong.

Pol Col Arayapan Buapukhao, Superintendent of Patong Police, said the driver had told him that although he had stamped on the brake pedal as hard as could, he was unable to slow the bus because the brakes were not working properly. The driver of the bus was taken to Kathu police station for questioning. A spokeswoman for JeSiam, who declined to be named, said that the company

has 15 buses and 10 full-time drivers, all of whom hold the appropriate drivers licences. She said that all the buses are checked by the Phuket Land Transportation Office every six months, and by the company itself every week. The bus in the crash had been checked just the day before, she said. She added that this was the first time any of the company’s buses had been involved in a serious accident.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Solar boat recharges in Phuket It seemed only fitting that Phuket put on a glorious display of sunshine for the arrival of the MS Turanor, the world’s largest solar powered ship, on Sunday. Developed as part of the PlanetSolar project, the Turanor has made the journey to Thailand all the way from Monaco in just over a year using only energy from the sun, docking at Phuket’s Ao Po Grand Marina for a brief four-day visit. On Tuesday, a small group of delegates and curious boat enthusiasts were able to get an up-close tour of the multi-hulled ship. On board the ship itself, the crew are not travelling rough.

With a maximum capacity of 40 people, the current crew of just five men have plenty of room to move, while most visitors were struck with envy by the well-fitted and relatively luxurious interior. But Raphaël Domjan, the Initiator and Expedition Leader of PlanetSolar, said the journey was an important one. “Some people tell you that solar technology is expensive. Yes, but to do nothing will be much more expensive.” T he ship lef t Phu ket waters on Wednesday bound for Sri Lanka. It still has another 10,000 miles or so to go – six more months on the water – until it returns home to glitzy Monte Carlo.

When it arrives back in Monaco, the MS Turanor will be the first solar powered vessel to circumnavigate the globe.

‘No problems yet’ Phuket zoo ‘appalling’: PETA with food supplies The flood crisis in central Thailand has caused some difficulties with deliveries of food and water to Phuket but major supermarkets say that stocks, though depleted, have by no means run out and they are receiving fresh supplies daily. The management of Tesco Lotus in Thalang told The Phuket News that the item most in demand is bottled water, with rice in second place. The store no longer has all the brands it would usually stock, but there is still a good supply. Some water companies are based in southern Thailand, so supplies are still being delivered. Two or three major rice

companies based in Pathum Than i are also still able to deliver to Phuket. Apart from water and rice, the highest demand currently is for instant food and seasoning. Supplies of these, too, are not as plentiful as normally. There are no problems with fresh fruit and vegetables, however, because Tesco orders these from local farms. The store stressed that no prices have been raised. Staff at Big C Phuket reported similar trends but said that fruit and vegetables had been affected because the chain sources some 70 per cent of them from central Thailand.

Phuket Zoo has come under fire from animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for what they say is the mistreatment of the zoo’s animals. PETA has launched an online appeal, titled “Tell Phuket Zoo to Improve the Living Conditions of the Animals!”, urging people to petition Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha about the conditions the zoo’s animals are kept in. “Most people who visit the zoo are appalled by the conditions that the animals are kept in. Animals are housed in barren, cramped, and filthy cages,” the online appeal says. “Some animals, like the

elephants, are kept chained and only released from their constraints to perform in shows. Tigers and apes are reportedly drugged in order to allow patrons to have their photographs taken with them. A s p o ke s p e r s o n fo r Phuket Zoo, who declined to give her name, told The Phuket News that the zoo was not aware of the PETA appeal.

She admitted that the zoo had received complaints from tourists before, usually relating to the size of the zoo’s enclosures. The spokesperson denied that animals were chained while they were inside their enclosures; “The animals are chained only during shows or when they are being transported for safety reasons.”

She also rejected suggestions that the zoo’s animal population was growing. “We have not taken on any new animals for a long time, and are not looking to do so.” The zoo’s manager was not available for comment, nor was Governor Tri. Recent reviews on tourism review site Tripadvisor.com are overwhelmingly negative.

Ex-police officer smuggled marijuana to ‘fix his car’ A retired policeman from Petchaburi, Pol Sub Lt Nattawut Nuangklang, 61, told fellow officers after his arrest yesterday that he needed money to fix his car after being in an accident. Shor t of cash, he explained, he had found salvation in the form of a “Mr Yod”, who said he would pay for the repairs if Lt Nattawut would just carry a package to Phuket for him, and deliver it to him in Patong. Lt Nat t aw ut then set off for Phuket. His car-fixing fund came to an abrupt end, however, when he was stopped and searched at the Tha Chat Chai che ck poi nt i n t he north of the island. In a bag in the car the officers found 4.5 kilos of dried cannabis, with a street value of about B100,000.

Pol Sub Lt Nattawut (left) and his passenger Bancha with the cannabis and the gun that were found in the car. They also arrested a passenger, Bancha Sangsawang, 51. Mr Bancha, who joined Lt Nattawut in Ranong, denied all charges. He swore he knew nothing about the drugs, and was just along as a guide to help Lt Nattawut find his way to Patong. Police also found a nine-

millimetre pistol in a holster on his belt. A check established that Lt Nattawut had a license to own a gun but not to carry it in public. Officers were also a little doubtful about the car repair story. They noted that the pickup Lt Nattawut was driving was his own. www.thephuketnews.com

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Warning over thieves stealing water meters Phuket City Municipality and Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority have warned people to be aware that thieves have been stealing water meters to sell for scrap. This month more than 30 meters have been stolen from different parts of the island. The meters are valued for the fact that they contain brass components. Brass fetches up to B300 a kilo as scrap. Somjai Suwansuppana Phu ket Cit y Mayor told The Phuket News. “Thirteen times this month people have called the municipality complaining about the theft of water meters. The most recent thefts were in Samkong around Phuket Villa 1, on Yaowaraj Rd.” Mayor Somjai added, “We have reported the matter to the police and asked them to arrest the gang – we think it is likely that the thefts are the work of one gang.” She noted that the thieves did not stop at the water meters but had also stolen security grilles and gates from homes in the same places. The municipality plans to get the cooperation of Phuket Police Station to check scrap

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The deadline for giving donations to flood victims has been extended indefinitely, as flood waters inundate central Thailand for longer than expected. The first load of flood-relief items were dispatched from Phuket to stricken areas on October 20, and the second load, valued at B5 million, was sent by a convoy of 18 trucks last Sunday (October 23). Phu ket Gover nor Tr i Augkaradacha and his wife Nalinee Augkaradacha, a president of the Phuket Red Cross, announced that Phuket officials will continue sending supplies to help assist flood victims. Donations of goods can be made at the Thai Red Cross Society Phuket Office (TRCS) on Rattanakosin 200 Pi Road in Phuket City. Cash donations can be made by deposit into the K r ungthai Ban k Phu ket branch, account number 805144-0684, account name Thai Red Cross Society. A third load of flood-relief items will be dispatched soon, as Phuket officials and TRCS continue to receive donations of goods from generous islanders. Vo l u n t e e r s a r e s t i l l needed to help pack goods. For more information, contact TRCS on 076 211 766.

Water meters contain valuable brass components such as the bevel on the face. merchants and ask that when they buy water meters or grilles they should get a copy of the seller’s ID card. Pisak Chonlayut, Manager of Phuket Provincial Water Authority (PWA), told The Phuket News about the highrisk areas for water meter thefts. “The No 1 place is Koh Sireh, followed by Samkong, Patong and Chalong.” In Koh Sireh, more than 20 meters had been reported

stolen, while in Patong about 10 had been taken. Mr Pisak said, “Anyone who has a meter stolen should inform us. Let us know where you are and we will report the matter to your local police station and then check the site before installing a new meter. “The price for a water meter, including VAT, is B684 to B1,600, depending on size, but in the case of theft we will waive the installation charge.

Most of the thefts take place during the night, Mr Pisak said. “Recently someone living near the Makro store called to let me know that a man was spotted in the area around 2 or 3 am looking for water meters. He ran away when he was spotted.” Mr Pisak says anyone may contact him, day or night, by emailing pisakc@pwa.co.th or calling 087 012 0295.

Phuket still fighting for expo centre The Phuket International Convention and Exhibition Centre (ICEC) project is still in limbo because of objections from the Office of Natural Resources & Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) in Bangkok. A second meeting was held last week at Phuket Provincial Hall, to discuss how to unlock the project. Although no one was present from ONEP, the Director of the Bureau of State Property Management, Region 2, Pitak Direksunthorn, was. ONEP has refused to approve the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the basis that the ICEC site is in a natural forest area, that it is close to a protected marine turtle nesting site, and on the grounds that the proposed site is in a tsunami risk zone. But Sompon Boonsri, Policy and Planning Analyst of the Mai Khao OrBorTor,

Donations for flood victims still requested

told the meeting that the location of the project is near a beach that has never been a turtle-nesting site. “It is on Baan Tha Chat Chai Beach, not Mai Khao Beach. Sea turtles don’t lay eggs on this beach. They lay them on Mai Khao Beach, near Sirinart Marine National Park. He added, “When the tsunami came, water flowed ont o t he sit e but t he re were no tsunami waves and no destruction.” An official from the Phuket Provincial Office of Natural Resources & Environment told the meeting, “This area is the most suitable for the ICEC because it is a neglected and unoccupied area. “The site is not in forest. Any trees there were planted by us to make it more green. The rich original forest is a far from there, on the Phra Taew

Pitak Direksunthorn: ‘It’s really good to have more information about location.’ range of hills,” he added. ONEP has also given its opinion that the ICEC is a worthless project that will not work. The Vice-president of the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA), Bhuritt Maswongssa, rebutted this at the meeting. There would be advantages for both Phuket and Phang

Nga people, he said, due to the large numbers of people drawn to the ICEC for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE). “MICE tourists will visit Phuket and Phang Nga and pay more money than other tourists during their time here. Normal tourists pay for food, accommodation and transport, but MICE will pay more for other activities such as playing golf or sailing,” Mr Bhuritt argued. Mr Pitak said that he would collect as much information as possible to overcome the objections, and send it to ONEP next month. “It is really good to have more information about the location of ICEC so that I can explain it to ONEP,” he said. “I hope that this project can be started next April after the EIA process is complete.”

‘Illegal’ canal road under fire Local authorities last week made an inspection of a threestar hotel in Patong after villagers complained the owners had filled in a nearby canal to build an illegal access road. Phuket Vice-Governor Somkiat Sangkaosutthirak told The Phuket News after the inspection that the area in question, APK Resort just off Rachapatanusorn Rd, was built about two years ago. “The villagers complained about the construction of a road over Bangwat canal that runs for around 700 metres. The filling in of the canal to build the road has affected the villagers, causing flooding during heavy rain,” he said.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

GOMs plan charity run to flood area

Phuket’s second incinerator is taking shape. Much needed already, it should be ready to use by March next year.

Incinerator will come not a moment too soon The completion of Phuket’s second incinerator can’t come quick enough for the island’s landfill, which is smelling to high heaven from being so full. So far there have been no formal complaints about the smell and excessive flies, although residents who live

nearby are worried about potential health risks. Phuket generates more than 550 tonnes of waste per day, of which 250 tonnes are burned in the island’s incinerator. The remainder is buried in a landfill south of the incinerator, near the sea. The incinerator is expected

Phuket kids ‘brighter than the average’

Plans to ease Phuket prison overcrowding

The island’s children are brighter than the average Thai child, according to a recent government survey of children’s IQs. The island’s kids ranked 14th in Thailand, and top in the south of the country. However, authorities are concerned that poor diets are already affecting local children physically and may affect their IQs in the future. At a seminar on Thursday (October 20), the Chief Administrative Officer of the province, Chaiwat Taephee, said that a poor nutrition was causing problems in Phuket children, some of whose growth was stunted. Others were underweight or overweight. The meeting heard that the main cause of poor nutrition was the child’s own eating habits, especially when parents allow them to eat whatever they want. Parents, too, are eating unwisely. This is a particular problem in pregnant women, most of whom are unaware that their own poor diet can have a detrimental effect on the learning skills and mental development in their child.

The director of Phuket Prison has sent to the Department of Corrections a choice of plans aimed at easing chronic and increasing overcrowding at the island’s main jail. Phuket Prison was built in 1902 to hold around 700 prisoners. Today it holds 1,579 – 1,390 men and 189 women – all in desperately cramped conditions. T h e d i r e c t o r, R a pi n Nichanon, told The Phuket News, “We have presented two options for solving the overcrowding. “The first is to build a new prison at Baan Bangjo in Thalang District on a 109rai site. The cost of building it would be about B800 million to B1 billion.” The second option, he said, is to expand the existing prison in Phuket Town by adding two buildings with space for 1,000 prisoners. This would cost about B100 million. The prison, which cover just six rai, sits on 47 rai of Treasury land, so there is room for the expansion. Mr Rapin noted that the

to be completed by March, meaning 700 tonnes of rubbish will be able to be burned daily. But for now, the five sites in the landfill are overloaded, meaning the smell of rotting rubbish is prevalent and flies can be seen around the area. A Phuket Incinerator officer said they would spray

enzyme ionic plasma to help speed up the decomposition process, and also to help remove the bad smell. “The amount of garbage in Phuket has sharply increased and now almost all the pits are full. We need the second incinerator in Phuket urgently,” the official said.

Me mb e r s of Phu ket’s Grumpy Old Men’s Society, better known as the GOMS, are collecting relief items to take to the flooded Nakhon Sawan area. GOMS member Paul Newson explained, “The reason for Nakhon Sawan as a destination is that it’s where my family is. I was planning to drive up there with an empty pickup truck and thought that was a wasted resource. “While our family have had their homes flooded, they have the resources that will enable them to get back on their feet. There are so many people worse affected in that area, who can be assisted by us. “Our plan is to give everything to several of the large wats in the surrounding area for final dispersal of the items; to the needy not the greedy.” Mr Newson stressed, “We do not want money. We ask that people buy something useful that we can take with us. “I have been asked by a number of people what to donate. My guess is as good as anyone’s. I try to imagine what people need when they are able to return to what’s left of their homes and find everything ruined. He gave a list of suggestions: “Cooking utensils, sleeping mats, bed linen,

towels, mops and buckets, brooms and shovels for mud removal, rice cookers, charcoal cookers (the ones in buckets), electrical appliances, clothing of all description, old TVs and radios, old computers (for schoolchildren), school materials, books pens etc, basic first aid items, soap, washing detergent … the list goes on.” So far, three pickups are in the convoy. The plan is to leave in a month or so when the f loods have receded enough to allow road travel. Mr Newson said, “We’ll go when the flood waters have subsided and people can return to their homes; my guess is about a month. Too early and we become part of the problem rather than assistance to the folk. This also gives us more time to collect stuff.” Donations can be delivered to Alan’s Bar at Chalong Pier; Safeway Storage on Chao Fa West Rd in Chalong; Safeway Asia Auctions on the airport road just north of Thalang; and Lady Pie in Cherng Talay. ■■ For more information contact Mr Newson by email to paul@thaibondall.com

Other groups collecting aid donations are urged to contact The Phuket News, which will be happy to spread the word. Email editor@thephuketnews.com

Inside the forbidding walls of the prison, more than 1,500 prisoners are jammed into a space designed for half that. plans have been under discussion for some time, and he ha d hoped t o see t hem considered by the previous Democrat government. “Officials from the Department of Corrections have been to inspect both sites. Since then we have been waiting for the options to be considered by Cabinet,” he said.

The Baan Bangjo option is by no means a new idea. In 2002, at the time of the first Thaksin Shinawatra government, Manit Suthaporn, the top official in the Ministry of Justice, announced that the prison would be closed, and inmates moved either to Bangkok or to a new prison to be built at Baan Bangjo.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

–Photo by Sukunya Phoonpong

HAPPINESS IS... B

efore the commencement of the island’s annual Vegetarian Festival, the Phuket Camera shop and Phuket Holiday Tour travel agency announced a joint photo competition with the theme of “Happiness during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2011.” According to the competition rules, photos were allowed to be edited to adjust the colour, contrast, and sharpen the image quality, but not to be edited as untrue. Following judging, the four winners were announced at the Phuket Camera shop on Thalang Rd, in Phuket Town. The list included The Phuket News’

–Photo by Yongyuth Chankol

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own Sukunya Phoonpong, with her black and white photo (above) of bathing rituals taken at Chor Soo Kong Naka shrine. “Those possessed by the spirits, or mah song, have hot water poured on their body in a rite to relieve their sins and allow them to give blessings to people,” says Sukunya. “After that mah songs then give oil massages to people suffering from any pain – men, women, old or young alike. “In this photo, the mah song is blessing a boy and old man at the same time. It is a good moment for these three men.” The original photos are currently on display at Phuket Camera in Phuket Town.

–Photo by Chalong Loysamut

–Photo by Watcharapong Cholchawalit

NATIONALNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Bangkok goes under water Millions of people in Bangkok nervously prepared for advancing and seemingly unstoppable f loodwaters this week after residents in areas deemed most at threat were urged to leave. Ba ng kok aut hor it ie s warned that large volumes of water were flowing towards the low-lying capital and were closing in on six of Bangkok’s 50 districts, including areas just north of the city centre. Adding to concerns was the danger posed by crocodiles, after a number of the reptiles escaped from flooded farms. Some of the animals had been captured in one province north of Bangkok. The World Health Organisation also told people to beware of electrocution and snake bites while warning that infections and water-borne and communicable diseases, such as diarrhoea, were key concerns for flood victims. “If water keeps coming into those six districts the situation may reach dangerous or critical levels,” city Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said in a televised address. His administration called late Sunday on residents in these areas who faced “po-

A man walks past a statue of Ronald McDonald outside the fast-food chain in Bangkok on Monday (October 24). –Photo AFP tential dangers to lives and properties” to evacuate to emergency shelters, with priority given to the young, sick and elderly. The announcement came after the Government said it would set up a distribution centre in the capital to help

replenish empty supermarket shelves in preparation for the floods, which have so far largely spared the city. Other parts of the country have been plagued by three months of heavy monsoon rains that have killed more than 350 people and damaged

the homes and livelihoods of nine million people. The six Bangkok districts now of pressing concern include Jatujak, home to a giant weekend market popular with tourists, and Don Mueang, where the city’s second largest airport is currently doubling

up as a flood refuge centre. “ I f a ny t h i ng a f fe c t s Bangkok it will have an impact on the whole country,” Mr Sukhumbhand said. Hospitals in f lood-risk zones have been instructed by the Public Health Ministry to stockpile medicines and

Eight die in southern violence Suspected Muslim insurgents have killed at least seven people in back-to-back shooting and bomb attacks in Narathiwat over the weekend, while a series of explosions ripped through neighbouring Yala on Tuesday, killing at least one civilian and wounding dozens more. On Sunday evening an unknown number of gunmen, dressed as women and travelling in three pick-up trucks, opened fire on a checkpoint in the main town of Narathiwat Province killing two rangers. Shortly afterward a bomb exploded at a nearby super-

market, followed by a second bomb at another supermarket about 300 metres away, causing fires that spread through shophouses and took three hours to extinguish. Police said they found two charred bodies of the male owner and a female teacher in the first shop, while a young boy and his parents were found dead in the second. Another seven people suffered burns in the attacks, which happened within the space of half an hour – the latest in a series of increasingly brazen attacks by the shadowy militants.

other supplies to last as long as three weeks. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra again rejected criticism that her administration was not keeping the public fully informed, telling reporters there was “no cover-up but new factors arise every day”. In the city centre, residents stocked up on food and bottled water and piles of sandbags were mounting around buildings. “I’m more worried about having enough food,” said advertising executive Benjamas Ngamsuriyaphong, 28, in the upmarket food hall of a department store, complaining that “only the expensive water” was left on the shelves. The Government has said it would on Tuesday discuss economic measures to help flood-affected factories get back on track, with financial aid and tax incentives among the ideas mooted. A major test is expected between October 28 and 30 when seasonal high tides flow up Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river, meeting run-off water from the north. Ms Yingluck warned it could take six weeks for the flooding to recede. –AFP

New Stoc k

Meanwhile in Yala officials said 15 blasts were heard across the town on Tuesday, marking the seventh anniversary of a protest in the insurgency-plagued region in 2004 that left 85 anti-government demonstrators dead. At least one civilian was killed and two rebels died when their explosives were prematurely detonated on Tuesday evening, according to Yala Governor Krisada Boonrach. More than 50 wounded people were treated at a local hospital. –AFP

has

arriv ed!!

Soggy test for Premier Thailand’s worst floods in decades are a baptism of fire for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, observers say, as the political novice struggles to get a grip on a disaster that could define her career. The 44-year-old former businesswoman, tapped by her fugitive brother Thaksin Shinawatra to run for office in his place, has been thrust to the forefront of a crisis that has killed hundreds of people and now threatens the capital. At times the mother-of-one has shown signs of strain,

appearing teary-eyed at news conferences and describing the crisis as overwhelming, while her political enemies have sought to use the occasion to undermine her popularity. Her administration has been accused of initially responding too slowly and giving confusing information, although the strongest criticism has so far been directed at other officials rather than Ms Yingluck herself. Now it is the very people who voted for her who are

suffering the most as the Government focuses its efforts on protecting the wealthy capital, the traditional heartland of the rival Democrat Party. At first Ms Yingluck, who has vowed a CEO-style premiership, appeared hesitant about how to deal with the deepening crisis, repeatedly reassuring people in Bangkok that the capital was safe as the waters drew closer. Nonetheless she earned public admiration by spending her weekends visiting floodstricken areas. –AFP

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INTERNATIONALNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Gaddafi’s body buried, Nato asked to stay on Moamer Gaddafi’s body has been buried in secret after being displayed in public for four days, in an ignominious end for Libya’s longtime ruler, as the new regime asked NATO to extend its mission. US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, on a visit to Japan, said meanwhile that a future US military role in the new Libya will hinge on decisions by NATO, whose ambassadors were meeting Wednesday to make a formal decision on plans to end Libya air operations on October 31 And the United Nations urged Libya’s new rulers to respect the rights of all detainees, amid raging controversy over the circumstances of the death of Gaddafi. Meanwhile the last top figures of his ousted regime, Gaddafi’s son Seif al-Islam and former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi were poised to cross the border into Niger, a Tuareg official said. Seif al-Islam was “near the Niger border, he hasn’t entered Niger yet but he’s close,” a local official from the northern Niger Agadez region told AFP on condition of anonymity. A Misrata military council member said Gaddafi was buried overnight Monday in a religious ceremony, along with another of his sons, Mutassim, and former defence minister Abu Bakr Yunis Jaber. The bodies had been put on display in a market freezer on the outskirts of Misrata, a city 215 kilometres east of Tripoli,

with thousands of Libyans queuing up since Friday to view and photograph them. In Benghazi, a senior official of the National Transitional Council said the burial “took some time” to organise due to a “disconnect between the local (Misrata) council and the NTC”. According to guards at the entrance to the market, a convoy of four or five military vehicles took the bodies away to an unknown location, being kept secret to avoid the site turning into a rallying point for Gaddafi supporters. Three Muslim religious figures loyal to the ousted dictator prayed and performed a religious ceremony before the burial, the Misrata council member said. The two sons of the former defence minister, brought straight from prison, and his father were present to witness the bodies being picked up from the market, the source said. The burials come as the circumstances of Gaddafi’s death after he was taken alive last Thursday during the fall of his hometown Sirte – the last holdout after an eightmonth armed revolt – continues to fuel controversy. Libya’s interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil said Monday that a commission of inquiry will probe the killing. Disquiet has grown internationally over how Gaddafi met his end after NTC fighters hauled him out of a culvert where he was hiding following

Libyans celebrate Gaddafi’s death at the Libyan Embassy in Malta. – Photo by Michele, Mic Agius Photography NATO air strikes on the convoy in which he had been trying to flee his falling hometown. Mobile phone videos show him still alive at that point. Libya’s interim premier Mahmud Jibril has said an autopsy report showed Gaddafi was killed in “crossfire from both sides”. On the political and military front, the NTC said it wants NATO to extend its mission in the country. “I ask NATO to remain at least for another month,” said interim oil and finance minister

Ali Tarhuni, four days after the military alliance announced plans to end its seven-month mission on October 31. The US defence secretary said all decisions concerning Libya should rest with NATO. “About looking to the future, I think a lot of that at this point still rests with NATO,” Panetta said. “The decision as to a future security involvement [should be] in the hands of NATO, [which] will give us a basis” to determine any future US role in Libya, he added. –AFP

US dismantles last big Cold War nuclear bomb

Time to tell Dr. Strangelove he can finally stop worrying. Technicians in Texas closed a chapter on the Cold War on Tuesday, dismantling the oldest, biggest and most powerful nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, according to officials. The last B-53 bomb – built in 1962 – was dismantled at the Pantex facility in Amarillo, the only place in the United States that still builds, maintains and dismantles nuclear weapons. www.thephuketnews.com

Grey in colour, weighing 4,500 kilograms, and as big as a small car, it had the power to wipe out an entire metropolitan area with its ninemegaton yield when dropped from a B-52 bomber. By comparison, the atomic bomb that destroyed the Japanese city of Hiroshima in the final days of World War II packed a yield of 12 kilotons, or 0.012 megatons. –AFP

The unstable future in a world of men

As the global population hits seven billion, experts are warning that skewed gender ratios could fuel the emergence of volatile “bachelor nations” driven by an aggressive competition for brides. The precise consequences of what French population expert Christophe Guilmoto calls the “alarming demographic masculinisation” of countries such as India and China as the result of sex-selective abortion remain unclear. But many demographers believe the resulting shortage of adult women over the next 50 years will have as deep and pervasive an impact as climate change. The statistics behind the warnings are grimly compelling. Nature provides an unbending biological standard for the sex ratio at birth of 104-106 males to every 100 females. Any significant divergence from that narrow range can only be explained by abnormal factors. In India and Vietnam the figure is around 112 boys for every 100 girls. In China it is almost 120 to 100 – and in some places higher than 130. And the trend is spreading: to regions like the South Caucasus, where Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia all post birth ratios of more than 115 to 100, and further west to Serbia and Bosnia. Global awareness of the problem was raised back in 1990 with an article by the Nobel prize-winning Indian economist Amartya Sen that carried the now famous title: “More Than 100 Million Women Are Missing”. Demographers say that figure is now more than 160 million – women selected out of existence by the convergence of traditional preferences for sons, declining fertility and, most crucially, the prevalence of cheap prenatal sex-determination technology. A s ma ny a s hal f a million female foetuses are estimated to be aborted each year in India, according to a study by British medical journal The Lancet. “Earlier villagers had to go to the city to get an ultrasound,” said Poonam Muttreja, executive director of the non-profit Population Foundation of India. “Today sonographers are going into the villages to cater to people who want sons.” Even if the sex ratio at birth returned to normal in

India and China within 10 years, Guilmoto says men in both countries would still face a “marriage squeeze” for decades to come. “Not only would these men have to marry significantly older, but this growing marriage imbalance would also lead to a rapid rise in male bachelorhood... an important change in countries where almost everyone used to get married,” he said. How that change might manifest itself is hotly debated, although nearly everyone agrees there is no foreseeable upside. Some forecast an increase in polyandry and sex tourism, while others predict cataclysmic scenarios with the rise of male-surplus societies where sexual predation, violence and conflict are the norm. Mara Hvistendahl, a correspondent for Science magazine and author of the recently published “Unnatural Selection”, says fears of full-scale wars are unfounded, and points out that India remains a thriving democracy, despite its shockingly high gender imbalance. However she does agree with the underlying premise. “Historically, societies in which men substantially outnumber women are not nice places to live. “Often they are unstable. Sometimes they are violent,” she said, adding that leaders in both China and India have spoken of the threat gender imbalance poses to social stability. UN agencies have issued similar warnings about the correlation between a scarcity of women and increases in sex trafficking and marriage migration, albeit with certain caveats. “The data is really limited,” said Nobuko Horibe, Asia-Pacific director of the UN Population Fund. “It is very likely that this marriage squeeze would lead to these phenomena... but it’s very anecdotal at this stage.” But while more and more red flags are being raised over the long-term implication of skewed sex ratios, few solutions are being offered. Sex-selective abortion is illegal in both China and India, but officials say the law is incredibly difficult to enforce. But there is “no silver bullet”, admits Guilmoto, who believes the first priority is to make sure that the problem is properly publicised – and not just in the developing world. –AFP

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

INTERNATIONALNEWS

Joy and despair after quake A

riot erupted at a jail in Turkey’s quakestricken Van province on Wednesday after authorities refused to transfer frightened prisoners to a safer place. Shots rang out from the complex, and smoke billowed into the night sky after prisoners set fire to their blankets in protest. Firemen were called in to put out the blaze. The prison, which can hold around 1,000 detainees, was damaged in Sunday’s 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Relatives gathered outside the jail shouting “Erdogan – assassin” in reference to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The facility is located in the suburbs of Van, capital of the province of the same name where at least 459 people have died in the quake. Some 200 prisoners escaped from the jail after the tremor, but 50 returned after meeting with their relatives, authorities said. News of the riots soured joyful celebrations on Tuesday after rescuers plucked a two-week-old baby girl, her mother and grandmother from the rubble in the eastern town of Ercis. Crowds cheered and applauded as 73-year-old Gulzade Karaduman was carried into an ambulance, hours after her tiny granddaughter Azra and then her daughter Seniha Karaduman were pulled free from the wreckage of the family home. As the death toll climbed and the Red Crescent warned

woman in her 40s, told AFP as she tried to keep warm in front of a makeshift fire in Van city centre. With night-time temperatures dipping to two degrees Celsius, residents took shelter anywhere they could – some in cars or tents and others under just a blanket. One resident, named only as Nebahat, said: “We have no heater, we received no blankets, not even pain killers. “We have been freezing all night, we only had three blankets which I managed to take from my home.” The football pitch in Ercis has been transformed into a sea of tents set up by the Red Crescent as the stadium serves as a makeshift field hospital, with hunreds of units of blood rushed to the region. The government said that numerous search and rescue teams from 45 cities and more than 200 ambulances Rescue workers carry Azra Karaduman, a two-week-old baby pulled from the debris of the October 25 earthquake. were deployed across the – Photo AFP disaster-struck area. Israel said on Tuesday that that hundreds or even thou- Kadir Direk, the smallest – were destroyed during the Tuesday after a well-known Turkey had asked it for caratelevision presenter criticised vans for those made homeless sands of people remained member of the Izmir team, quake. An update from emergency Kurds’ appeals for help. buried under the debris, the who described how he manby the quake and the Jewish Police used pepper gas to state would be sending the first triple rescue provided vital aged to squeeze through the services put the death toll at relief amid the otherwise debris and then scoop her off 459, with more than 1,350 disperse the angry crowd, but mobile homes on Wednesday. the lap of her mother. there were complaints among injured. grim task. The Turkish Red Crescent “I was the happiest person The population of the re- survivors in other areas that has sent some 7,500 tents, “It is priceless to find someone alive and all my in the world when I held her,” gion is mainly Kurdish and soldiers whose barracks had more than 22,000 blankets, exhaustion is over,” said Oy- said the pint-sized 35-year-old. the quake came amid a ma- been damaged were being almost 4,000 heaters and 1,000 tun Gulpinar, the leader of a “When I took her from her jor army operation targeting given preferential treatment body bags to the region. team of rescuers who had ar- mother, she asked me to give the separatist PKK militia in the aid effort. In 1999, two strong quakes rived in Ercis after a 32-hour her a second name.” Residents meanwhile spent in northwest Turkey’s heavily in response to a series of road journey from the western a second night outside in populated and industrialised He cho o s e Ay s e nu r, deadly attacks. city of Izmir. combining the name of the In a sign of the simmer- freezing temperatures. regions left some 20,000 “I got to hold a 16-day-old Prophet Mohammed’s wife ing ethnic tensions, dozens “I am still trembling. ... dead. A powerful earthquake baby, which is utterly price- and the word “light”. of residents of the provincial As long as those aftershocks in the town of Caldiran in The IFRC said that 2,256 capital Van hurled stones go on, we will stay in the Van province killed 3,840 less,” he added. – AFP Azra was brought out by buildings – mostly apartments at journalists and police on street,” Gulizar, a Kurdish people in 1976.

US to withdraw from Iraq Iraq faces a “very critical time” as US forces leave, the United Nations envoy to Baghdad said on Monday, calling on Iraqis to work together to address myriad challenges the country faces. “We are in a very critical time, a very important period and phase of the history of Iraq, after the announcement of President (Barack) Obama ... to withdraw troops completely,” Martin Kobler, the UN secretary general’s special representative for Iraq, told a news conference. Obama said on October 21 that all American troops will leave Iraq by the end of 2011, bringing to a close a war that has stretched for over eight years. “Many are already speculating about what will happen in Iraq come January the

After an eight year war, Iraq will become responsible for its own security when US forces leve by the end of 2011. first,” he said in a speech on Monday at a ceremony marking the 66th anniversary of the UN’s founding. “Yes, [it] may be there will be challenges ahead. But I do

see a tremendous opportunity for Iraqis to prove to the world that they are able to deliver on the commitment they made to themselves and the international community to ensure

a democratic, stable, peaceful and prosperous Iraq.” “It is an opportunity for all Iraqis to come together and build the Iraq they can be proud of,” Kobler said. During the news conference, he emphasised the importance of dialogue between Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region and the central government, which are at odds over control of swathes of north Iraq. “W herever there is a chance to support the dialogue between Baghdad and Arbil, we are doing it,” he said, referring to the capital of the Kurdistan region. “The question of the ... disputed internal boundaries is a very important one,” he said, adding that one of the UN’s main focuses “will be the Baghdad-Arbil relation”.

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10 OPINION

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

NORACHAI’S WORLD

Editor’s Viewpoint

Parents, smarten up

So it’s official, our children are smarter than the average Thai kid, according to a recent government survey of children’s IQ that named the province’s kids as being the highest in southern Thailand. It goes without saying that I already think my own three month old son is a veritable boy genius, but it’s nice to have the folks in Bangkok validate what I already knew in my heart. On a worrying note though, the same report stated concern that poor diets may be affecting the development of the island’s children physically, with possible future repercussions for their intelligence. There was some blame apportioned to poor eating habits among pregnant women, which can have a direct affect on their unborn young, but another part of the survey results made more interesting reading. At a seminar on Thursday (October 20), the Chief Administrative Officer of the province, Chaiwat Taephee, explained that the main cause of poor nutrition was the child’s own eating habits, and parents who allow them to eat whatever they want. Now, no-one wants to eat their greens, but at some point a parent has to lay down the law about what their offspring consume at mealtimes. According to parenting

Ain’t no mountain high enough.

Letters to the Editor

Taming the trash

[Re: Phuket’s landf ill raising a stink] Our company offered the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization an unlimited number of free recycling stations and an educational program for the schools and residents as a first vital step in taming the trash problem here. A lt houg h it wou ld have cost the Province nothing and in fact donated millions of baht to local charities, the Chief Executive turned it down. Without recycling, the island will be plagued by all of the problems the more progressive places in the world have learned to overcome. Elliot

By GOM

[Re: Grumpy Old Men plan flood charity run] I always like to see stories like this, expats putting something back into the community, much better than hearing from the parasites who take everything for granted and give nothing but criticism to those who mean well. Good effort GOMS, once again you set an example that everyone can learn from. Sandy Shores

Mo’ money blues

[Re: ‘No money’ to fix Patong Hill road] Right, after building a fancy sign welcoming folks to Patong, after building a silly footbridge beside the Sarasin Bridge, after spending big baht on a needless fountain in Sapan Hin, and with the need to save up huge amounts of

money to build a convention centre to be used a couple times per year, I can see why there is no money left. Katakayaking

tage town, it would be good to inform about this family and what has been done by them for Phuket. Jutta Blandel

We stand corrected

Seeking zoo-topia

[Re: Preserving the past] The information about the house, where the Blue Elephant resides now – is wrong – the family never sell anything about their property and they did not allow TAT to use the wrong info – ‘Former Governor’s Mansion’. At the Old Phuket Show, you could have seen and heard, as everybody else, to whom belongs this house in question, and be informed about the history of this well-known family in Phuket – Phra Pitak Chimpracha (Tan Ma Seng) Tandananij Family. As Phuket Town wants to take part to be a World Heri-

[Re: Peta decries ‘appalling conditions’ at Phuket Zoo] Considering that the Phuket Zoo is privately-owned and in a developing country I’d say that the animals are taken good care of. They are fed well, their cages are cleaned often and they have proper medical care. The Dusit Zoo in Bangkok, which is extremely well-run, is funded by public funds and run by the Zoological Park Organisation. Maybe PETA could make a donation to the Phuket Zoo if they are overly concerned about the animals well being. Daniel Stebbins

Letters should be limited to 250 words, and may be edited for clarity or length. Email editor@thephuketnews.com or fax your contribution to 076 612 553. Please be sure to include your name, address and contact phone number. The winner of The Phuket News’ ‘Best Letter of the Week’ receives a gift voucher from Asia Books worth B500.

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website ModernMom.com, “Cookies, chips, candy and sodas are all tempting treats, especially for children. These treats are at their disposal at school, at the movies and when they visit their friends’ houses. As a parent, it’s up to you to introduce your child to healthy eating habits.” While it goes on to list a variety of ways you can get them on the right dietary track, the most common message seems to be that it’s up to us – the parents – to set the right example. After all, how can you expect your son or daughter to enjoy a meal of couscous, lean chicken and steamed broccoli, while you chow down on a fast-food meal of burger and fries? Though he’s not even on solids yet, one of my greatest (culinary) fears for my son is that he’ll be conservative when it comes to food. I want him to want a steaming bowl of Hokkien prawn mee for breakfast instead of Coco Pops with milk; to order on his own a plate of Shanghai hairy crabs rather than chicken nuggets; to always choose dim sum over doughnuts; and to never, ever order a plate of French fries (unless, of course, they come served with mayonnaise and a bowl of mussels). Ultimately, a nutritional meal should be as much about having an adventurous palette as an intelligent mind.

This week in history Some time ago, I wrote a piece about Phuket Zoo for the local newspaper. It was never published. But it drew attention to the cramped and antiquated conditions in which most of the animals, reptiles and birds were kept. On the positive side,I remarked how pleasant the leafy grounds were, and how it was a real pity that parts of the area could not be used – suitably fenced – to allow more of the animals to roam with a degree of freedom. An issue in Thailand is that people want to see performing animals, a practice abhorred in most developed countries. More circus than zoological gardens... Furthermore, Phuket Zoo is, I believe, privately-owned, so the profit motive takes precedence over everything else. Dr Patrick Campell

■■ October 28, 1919: The US Congress enacted the National Prohibition Act, a ban on the sale of alcohol. It was repealed in 1933 with the 21st Amendment. ■■ October 29, 1929: America’s Great Depression began with the crash of the Wall Street stock market. ■■ October 30, 1894: The time clock was patented by Daniel M. Cooper of Rochester, New York, USA. ■■ October 31, 1993: River Phoenix died at the age of 23 after collapsing outside The Viper Room in Hollywood. ■■ November 1, 1512: Michelangelo’s paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were shown to the public for the first time. ■■ November 2 , 1963: South Vietnamese President Ngô Ðình Diệm is assassinated following a military coup. ■■ November 3, 1953: Clarence Birdseye marketed the first ever frozen peas.

HOTTOPIC 11

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

WHAT A WASTE “I

was born on rubbish heaps,” said a 22-year-old Jantima, one of 200 scavengers who have permission to collect recyclables from the only landfill on the island, located at Saphan Hin and operated by the Phuket Municipality. Her mother did the same work when the municipality opened the first round of registration for collectors of recyclables in 1992, allowing them to earning their living from picking up reusable garbage such as cans, glass and plastic bottles. When the first municipal incinerator was completed in 1994, her mother thought Jantima would lose her income because tonnes of garbage would be burnt by the plant. But her predication was wrong, as now Jantima has more recyclables than she can handle. Every day some 530 tonnes of garbage, collected from all over the island, are delivered by a fleet of garbage trucks to be disposed of by the Phuket Solid Waste Incinerating Plant (PSWIP) at Saphan Hin. The existing large incinerator can burn half of this amount a day, and the rest, some 265 tonnes, needs to be buried in the 135-rai landfill area set aside between the plant and the nearby sea. The plant estimates that

the volume of Phuket’s refuse will grow seven per cent each year, resulting from the rapid growth of the island’s population that has now reached 600,000 (officially, though that figure is probably much higher). But Phu ket’s cu r rent choices of waste management methods seem confined only to either burning or burying. Moves to find the best disposal method for the environment seems to be blocked by ignorance or indifference. In 2006, for example, a waste classification factory, to separate out reusable materials from the garbage, was closed when the private company could not afford the cost of running it. In 2007, the Phuket Municipality “temporarily” closed a hazardous waste incinerator because it put out pollution above safe levels. There is no indication when it will reopen again. To handle the island’s growing waste, Phuket received budget of B1.3 billion from the central government to commission a new incinerator, scheduled to be completed in March next year. Able to burn 700 tonnes of waste a day, both incinerators will then be able to deal with 1,000 tonnes of trash a day, adequate to handle waste dis-

The incinerator and landfill in Saphan Hin are the only places to dispose of waste. posal for next 10 years, without needing to use landfills. But according to the Phuket Environmental Protection Association and local environmental activist Sirinee Yomana, the new incinerator is not a sustainable process of waste management. “We only think about handling the increasing volume of waste, instead of reducing it,” Ms Sirinee said. She says waste reduction creates a lot more alternatives than waste disposal. According to engineer Pasak Prasongchanya at the PSWIP, 65 per cent of Phuket’s garbage is degradable waste that can, for example, be composted. Twenty per cent is reusable waste of cans and glass bottles that can be recycled. Really then, only 15 per cent of our waste then needs to be incinerated or buried.

Phu ket Mu n icipal it y spends B38 million a year to run its incinerator. So if we can recycle the 85 per cent of degradable and reusable waste, the budget for waste disposal can be reduced by more than B32 million, he said. Pol lu t io n c a u s e d by burning and methane production from landfill will also be reduced. While most of Phuket’s effort has gone into improving tourism, waste reduction has been left behind, said Ms Sirinee. She said it’s common these days to see people carrying throw-away containers instead of reusable ones commonly used by previous generations. Even though waste bins are available in many spots for different types of waste, people still th row thei r trash randomly.

“Enforcement should be considered as an means of waste reducing,” said Ms Sirinee. “For example, increase tax on plastics and disposable goods.” Ms Sirimee suggests that authorities should create a system for garbage trucks to collect different types of waste on different days, such as collect glass on Monday, plastic on Tuesday, and degradable and compostable waste every day. This system will allow residents to sort their trash, allowing the authorities to dispose of it more usefully. Wiroj Kerdpol, a leader of a sustainable village project in Moo 8, Srisoonthorn Subdistrict in Thalang, is one among local environmental activists who has encouraged locals to make organic compost and to use cooking

gas from degradable waste. A recyclable market was first organised on October 15 at the village to encourage locals to recycle. “On the bigger scale, the project hasn’t achieved much,” Mr Wiroj said. “But awareness needs to start from a local level. “To bring this issue to the mainstream needs lots of cooperation,” Ms Sirinee said. The pr ivate sector should get involved in waste management, especially mini marts and department stores that play a main role in modern daily life and are a main source of garbage. “Authorities can work with the private sector then apply good policy to control waste.” The Makro supermarket is not giving plastic bags to customers. The Central Department Store has noplastic-bag day in the middle of each month, and a five per cent discount is offered to customers who refuse plastic bags. Tops Supermarket offers buying points to customers who bring their own bags. These are good starts that create much-needed mainstream awareness. But when some popular mini-marts are still willing to give a plastic bag for a packet of gum, there is still a long way to go. –Paritta Wangkiat

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12 BUSINESS

Confidence index hits two-year low It’s hardly a surprise, but the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has reported that the industry confidence index for September was at 90.7, the lowest in more than two years, due to the flood situation and concerns about the Government’s economic policies. FTI President Payungsak Chartsutipol has reported that the industry confidence index for September is at 90.7, a decrease from 102.5 in August. The main reason behind the lowered index was the floods situation in many parts of the country, which have caused severe damage to agriculture and industry. At the same time, transportation has been disrupted, driving up logistics and raw material costs.

Moreover, the private sector is concerned about some of the Government’s economic policies and reconstruction plans for the post-flood period. Payungsak is predicting that the index may fall even lower as Thai businesses are anticipating fewer orders, along with lower production and revenue across the board, compounded by higher costs. The FTI President added that the Government should aim to raise the minimum wage gradually and roll out assistance measures for small and medium enterprises by offering low-interest loans, addressing the skilled labor shortage, supporting domestic products, and upgrading logistics infrastructure to bring down transport costs. –TAN

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Floods slash GDP growth predictions As the floods in central Thailand continue and water finds its way into more and more parts of the capital, predictions of the effect on the country’s economy have been getting increasingly pessimistic. A couple of weeks ago the Bank of Thailand (BoT), the central bank, was predicting a fall in GDP growth to 3.6 per cent this year. It has now revised that figure downwards, predicting a drop to three per cent growth or less. Independent credit rating agency Moody’s Investors Service, under no pressure to say that the sun is shining when it is not, this week predicted a fall to 2.8 per cent.

Road damage ‘around B25bn’ While many roads in Phuket have been damaged as the result of rains and landslips in the past month, that’s nothing compared with the damage in flood-hit parts of central Thailand. The Ministry of Transport has predicted that as much as B25 billion may be needed for

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the repair of flood-damaged roads and highways there. According to Permanent Secretary for Transport Supoj Saplom, 80 roads under the supervision of the Department of Highways have been reported damage by the floods, and 200 mote that come under under the supervision of the

Department of Rural Roads. He said repair work would be begin immediately after the floods had subsided. An initial budget of B1 billion is expected to be spent on reopening the flooded roads for traffic, while a further B20-25 billion may be required for their complete restoration. – NNT

BoT Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul predicted that the floods would cost the production sector around B100 billion in the fourth quarter this year and the first quarter next year. This amount does not include damage to public consumption, property, or infrastructure. The central bank, which before the f looding began was predicting growth of 4.1 per cent for this year, warned that the extensive economic damage caused by floods could slash this year’s GDP by at least one per cent, meaning the GDP would drop to three per cent or lower.

Mr Prasan also said the BOT was keeping a close watch on the situation and would hold an urgent meeting to come up with proper financial and interest policies if the country’s economy was in any way at risk. Meanwhile Moody’s predicted a sharp fall in growth to 2.8 per cent for 2011. However, analyst Christian de Guzman said be believes the crisis should not hurt the government’s creditworthiness. In a separate report, which highlights the risks facing Japanese car and electronics manufacturers in Thailand, Moody’s speculated that Honda Motor Co could see a drop in

profit of 10 per cent after the floods stopped the company’s Thai operations. Sharing this same situation could be Isuzu Motors, which has just launched a new model commercial vehicle. Most of its production is in Thailand. However, the Moody’s report said, Nissan Motor and Toyota Motor should not be greatly affected if they are able to source automotive parts elsewhere. Camera maker Canon should get market share from Nikon Corp and Sony Corp, both of which produce highend DSLR cameras in Thailand, Moody’s added. –NNT

Flood claims are ‘covered’ The Insurance Commission has confirmed that insurance companies have enough reserves to make payouts to cover flood damage. So far, the value of filed claims has already reached B100 billion, with most of the claims being made by businesses in submerged industrial complexes. Secretary-General of the Insurance Commission, Chantra Purnariksha, has reported that the total value of insurance coverage in

the areas affected by the flood is around B500 billion. Chantra said all claims can be covered because the insurance companies are re-insured with domestic and international firms. In addition, these companies have combined reserves of B1.14 trillion, which are enough to cover the payouts. For the six industrial estates flooded, there are a total of 820 insured businesses with coverage of B376 billion. – TAN

BUSINESS/TOURISM 13

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Govt’s handling of floods angers Japanese The Capital Market Research Institute (CMRI) at the Stock Exchange of Thailand has warned that the government must come up with effective disaster management systems for the future or risk losing foreign investment. Already, major Japanese investors have expressed anger at the government’s fumbling of the crisis and misleading assurances that “everything will be alright”. The Director of the CMRI, Tientip Subhanij, said the f loods would unavoidably affect foreign investors’ views towards the country “to a certain degree”. She also warned that the prolonged flood crisis could scare existing foreign investors away and that they could invest instead in other countries. In order to restore foreign investors’ confidence in the Thai stock market, Mrs Tientip said “systematic disaster prevention measures” are necessary. Citing the CMRI’s previous studies, she also recommended that natural disaster be included as one of the risk factors that the government needs to consider before launching investment campaigns. Major Japanese investors aired their anger on a CNBC broadcast, saying that the Thai government has failed to tackle the ravaging flood, which has caused significant damage to the business sector. Horoshi Minami, President of Rohm Integrated, one of the largest Japanese semiconductor manufacturers, said the government kept telling the company the situation was going to be fine. However, Navanakorn industrial estate was inundated, and Rohm’s production has been suspended for nearly a week, with the first floor of its plant submerged. JP Morgan auto analyst Kohei Takahashi predicted that the main Honda Motor assembly plant will be closed for at least three months with an accompanying operating loss of 15 billion yen (B6 billion). Hundreds of new cars are underwater. Yasunari Kuwano, General Manager of high-quality ball bearing maker Minebea, one of the longest-established Japanese investors in Thailand, said company officials are unable to get into the factory to inspect the damage. – NNT/TAN

Thailand 19th in ease of business survey The 2012 Ease of Doing Business Survey rates Thailand 19th out of 183 countries, and fourth in Asia, behind Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea. The survey, compiled by the World Bank and its subsidiary, the International Finance Corporation, looks at local firms’ ability to do business, looking at factors affecting everything from start-up to handling insolvency. Ease of business for foreign firms is not covered by the survey. The repor t’s f indings were collated by collecting information on changes in legal frameworks, administrative procedures and technical obstructions to starting or growing a business. The Bank also gathered information from public institutions, universities, legal experts and entrepreneurs to measure trading conditions. A release from the bank noted that the business environment worldwide has been improving. “The global report shows governments in 125 economies out of 183 measured implemented a total of 245 business regulatory reforms – 13 per cent more reforms than

E. ASIAN COUNTRIES/ CITIES IN THE SURVEY

Asia World Rank Rank

Sing 1 1 HK 2 2 S. Kor 3 8 Thail’d 4 17 Mal 5 18 Jpn 6 20 T’wan 7 25 Brunei 8 83 China 9 91 V’nam 10 98 Indo 11 129 Phil 12 136 Camb 13 138 Laos 14 165 Source: World Bank

in the previous year. “Over the past six years, 163 economies have made their regulatory environment more business-friendly. China, India, and the Russian Federation are among the 30 economies that improved the most over time.” That said, the statement admitted that the survey “does not measure all aspects of the business environment that matter to firms and investors.

“For example, it does not measure security, macroeconomic stability, corruption, the level of skills, or the strength of financial systems.” Nor does it cover the current problem of flooding. It added, however, “Its findings have stimulated policy debates in more than 80 economies and enabled a growing body of research on how firm-level regulation

relates to economic outcomes across economies.” Thailand excelled in four areas in the 2012 survey: It was 14th overall in terms of dealing with construction permits; ninth for getting electricity; 13th in terms of protecting investors; and 17th for ease of trade across borders. But comparison with last year’s scores shows that in almost all aspects Thailand

has become less businessfriendly than last year, when it placed 16th – one place higher in the overall rankings. It dropped a few points in terms of getting electricity, getting credit, protecting investors and resolving insolvency. It fell six places in its score for paying taxes and 10 places for ease of registering property. The saving grace was a 19-place jump for ease of starting a business. The full results can be seen at doingbusiness.org/rankings

Apple app points to green destinations

A new application for Apple iPads, iPhones and iPods points the way to the future of sustainable tourism, with users able to search for “green” resorts, hotels, conference centres, attractions, tour experiences and wedding options. The Green Globe App delivers photos and descriptions of sustainable businesses, with direct links to booking options, views in Google Earth and YouTube videos. The app can be downloaded free of charge from the Apple App Store. The app is based on sustainable tourism certification from two leaders in the industry, Green Globe and Green Key. Green Globe Certification CEO, Guido Bauer, said, “We

are proud to include Green Key and its global membership in the app. This greatly expands the number of accommodation and meeting options across a diverse range of the world’s most sustainable hotel and resorts. “I am also very excited about our new marketing agreement with Green Key Global. Both our organisations are committed to expanding marketing efforts that link travellers to sustainable holiday and business travel options.” His counterpart at Green Key Global, Managing Director Tony Pollard, said, “The opportunity to work with Green Globe is a perfect fit with Green Key’s ongoing mission. This

partnership fosters greater consumer education as well as further encouraging the lodging industry to improve on its sustainable practices. “In a mobile media world, the Green Globe App is the next logical step for connecting the consumer with green lodging options. We’re excited to be working with Green Globe in this respect.” Green Globe Certification, which is based in California and is represented in over 83 countries, is the only certification brand to be an affiliate member of the UN’s

World Tourism Organization. It is partly owned by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Green Globe members in the Phuket area include Aleenta in Phang Nga, Anantara in Mai Khao and the Movenpick in Karon. For information visit greenglobe.com The Green Key Eco-Rating Program ranks, certifies and inspects hotels and resorts based on their commitment to sustainable “green” operations. Designed specifically for hotel operations, Green Key

is an environmental audit that allows each participating property to benefit on several fronts – cost savings, increased bookings from environmentally-conscious consumers and meeting planners and responsible corporate citizenry. The Green Key Program has more than 2,700 members in more than 20 countries. Currently, the only property in Thailand with Green Key certification is the Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort. For more information visit greenkeyglobal.com.

We believe that the success of a project is essentially based on a serious management

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14 BUSINESS/PROPERTY

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Changing the use of a building: Not easy, but possible

Apart from cargo ships and cruise liners, Phuket’s Deep Sea Port is also seeing large numbers of US Navy personnel arriving for R&R on the island. –Photo US Navy

B176m expansion for Deep Sea Port The Phuket Deep Sea Port is to receive a B176-million expansion to allow it to take more ships and to provide a classier entry for passengers on cruise liners. The port is currently configured for cargo, but with the increasing number of cruise ships coming to the island, there are queues for ships to dock. The quay is only 360 metres long, which means that two large vessels cannot berth at the same time, resulting in ships having to drop anchor offshore and wait. I n addition, the por t currently has no passenger

facilities such as customs and immigration. The project envisages the addition of two berthing dolphins with access bridges, increasing total quay length to 420 metres, and adding a single-storey 900-squaremetre passenger terminal that would have a duty free store, toilets, an Immigration, Customs and Quarantine area, restaurants and shops. The plan also includes improvement of the road into the port, enlargement of the car park to accommodate 45 cars and 40 buses, and dredging to deepen the water

around the dolphins. A public hearing to listen to the views of local people was held recently at the Katina Hotel. Points aired included worries about dust during t he const r uct ion phase, traffic jams caused by trucks coming in and out of the site, a nd sed i ment at ion from the dredging damaging local fisheries. Consultants on the project agreed to come up with responses to these concerns, which they will present in a report expected to be completed next month.

Phuket resorts in Condé list Three of Phuket’s leading resorts have made it into this year’s Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, one of the most respected annual surveys in the travel industry. The three that made it into the list of 20 top-ranked resorts in Asia are Amanpuri in sixth place, Banyan Tree Phuket in 11th place and the JW Marriott

Phuket Resort & Spa in 12th place. All three have made regular appearances in the list. Phu ket it self r a n ked third in the “Islands” list, behind the Maldives and traditional rival Bali. Koh Samui was a distant 10th. Phuket does not, however, feature in the Top 100 “experiences” – the ultimate

accolade in the survey. The only Thai entries in that list are the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok (8th), the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi in Chiang Mai (42nd) and the Four Seasons in Chiang Mai (72nd). The results of the survey are based on responses from some 25,000 readers, according to the magazine’s publisher.

There are those who would argue that it is environmentally and economically unwise to build more condominiums and hotels when there are, in both Bangkok and Phuket, office and apartment buildings that are unused or underused and which could be converted. Often the reason this does not happen is a common misconception that such conversions are not possible under Thai law. What if the owner of an office or apartment building decided he could have a much more lucrative asset by changing it into a condominium and selling the units, or into a hotel? Is this doable in Thailand? The answer is a qualified “Yes.” The Building Control Act (1979) (“BCA”) generally regulates the construction and use of buildings in Thailand. Unless the BCA states otherwise, any construction of any building must be permitted by the relevant Local Administrative Office (Tessabaan or OrBorTor, depending on where you are located) that oversees such matters. In order to obtain the building permit, the applicant must, among other things, state the planned use for the building. The intended use will be stated on a building permit. Section 32 of the BCA and the 2009 Ministerial Regulation state that the following buildings are subject to control over their use – they are known as “Use Controlled Buildings” (UCBs): Hotel; Condominium; Warehouse; Hospital; Hazardous goods storage building; Dormitory or common residential building (e.g. an apartment) that is a “Large Building”. The law defines a

Weeraya Imchai Associate Partner, Duensing Kippen.

large building as a building with a floor area of over 2,000 sqm or a building 15 metres tall or more and having a total floor area of more than 1,000 sqm, but under 2,000 sqm; Convention hall or office building having a total floor area of 300 square metres or more; Any building used for any commercial purpose and having a total floor area of 300 square metres or more; or Any building used for any industrial or educational purpose. Section 32 of the BCA prescribes that, on completion of construction of a UCB, the Local Administrative Office must be notified so that it can inspect the structure. After inspection, if the Local Administrative Office determines that the construction was completed in accordance with the building permit, a Certificate of Use – for the purpose applied for – will be issued. If, however, the Local Administrative Office does not inspect the building within 30 days of being notified of its completion, the owner or possessor of the building may use or allow others to use the building for the purpose stated in the building permit. Note that any change of use of a building to a noncontrolled use, does not require official permission. However, this does not work the other way round. Section 33 of the BCA stipulates that the owner or possessor of a non-UCB must not use or allow others to use it for any purpose specifically reserved for UCBs. Nor may a UCB be used for any purpose other than

the purpose for which it was originally granted permission. However, permission for a change of use may be granted by the Local Administrative Office. Here’s how. To change any non-UCB to a UCB or one type of UCB to another type of UCB (regardless of whether or not construction has yet to start, or is underway, or is complete) the following steps must be taken: First, the following documents must be submitted to the appropriate Local Administrative Office: An application to change the use of the building (the form for this is called “Khor 3”); A copy of any document that demonstrates who legally owns or possesses the building; A consent letter from the owner of the building (if the applicant is the possessor but not the owner); Any previous permit issued allowing a change in use; If the applicant is a firm, a signed copy of the corporate documents no older than six months, along with the authorised director’s ID card and house registration, or passport; Five copies of the plans of the building; An engineer’s report on the building’s structure (if the change of purpose of use might decrease the building’s load-bearing capacity); A letter of approval and certification of the calculating engineer and a copy of the engineer’s Thai engineering license (if, pursuant to the BCA, the building requires engineering control); and Any other supporting documents required by the Local Administrative Office. Following this, the Local Administrative Office must then either issue a permit to change the use of the building (using a form called the “Or 5”) or deny permission for the change of use. Duensing Kippen is a multiservice boutique law firm specialising in real estate and corporate/commercial transactional matters as well as arbitration proceedings. It is the only such firm in Thailand that also complements its transactional expertise with a core tax law practice. The company can be reached by email at contact@ dktaxandlaw.com. For more information see their website at dktaxandlaw.com

www.thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

BUSINESS/PROPERTY 15

Promenade to open on Dec 1 Following the recent announcement of plans to build Banana Walk, a shopping, dining and entertainment mall on the beach road in Patong, five local businesses have announced they will open a rival, Patong Promenade, on December 1 at the intersection of Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd and Soi Bangla. The companies involved are Baan Sukhothai at Patong Beach Co, the Tiger Group, the Seduction Group, The Sixth Phuket, and Summer Wind Phuket. Pattanapong Aikwanich, Managing Director of Baan Sukhothai, explained: “Phuket is a worldclass tou r ist destination and a dream for tourists from all over the world, who want to visit the Pearl of the Andaman. “We realised the potential and are improving the availability of entertainment in Patong and Phuket. “We are confident that 2011 is the best time to develop a large project on Patong Beach to meet the needs of a diverse group of tourists.” The site is a nine-rai plot, for the past 30 years the home

CG-generated conceptual art showing part of the Patong Promenade, with the mushroom-shaped membranes that will keep shoppers dry. of the Baan Sukhothai Hotel & Spa. The hotel has been swept away to make room for the B700 million Patong Promenade. Construction is already 80 per cent complete. Each partner is building its own distinctive section of

the project. Baan Sukhothai’s complex will have more than 150 retail stores covering a total of 40,000 square metres of floor space in two glass buildings, one three floors and the other four, connected by a “sky walk”.

The Sixth Phuket area will consist of three-storey shophouse-styled buildings designed along Sino-Portuguese lines to create spaces for restaurants, cafés and shops. Tiger Group is building a four-storey structure with

Chiang Mai expo hall almost ready While Phuket battles against environmental concerns to get its International Convention & Exhibition Centre off the ground, Chiang Mai’s is just about ready to open. Minister of Tourism and Sports Chumpol Silpa-archa believes his mega project to give Chiang Mai a B1.8 billion convention centre will be ready by January. At a site inspection late last week, Mr Chumpol confirmed the completion date was set for January 25. The latest data shows the

project is 80 per cent complete. However, the contractor is not a happy man. He is a around three months behind schedule and that is costing him B186,715 per day, or B5,601,450 a month in fines. Besides construction delays, no decision has been made on assigning a management contract to r un the centre. There are two options – contract it out to a p r iv a t e c o m p a ny, o r manage it in-house. Usually, the marketing and sales of a major conventions

centre is up and running two years before an opening. The original project was first mooted in 2006 and has faced delays at every stage. Costs escalated from B1.2 billion, to B1.8 billion and then required another B450 million last year to take the project to the last phase. The construction was supposed to be completed by September 30. –TTR Weekly Project fact file: Contractor: EMC Plc

and Power Line Engineering plc. Timetable: October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2011 (730 days). Property: 326-rai site Investment: A total of B1,867,150,000. Facilities: Plenary hall capacity 3,000 people; 32 meeting rooms; space for 475 exhibition booths. Location: Nong Hor, Chang Puak, Muang district in Chiang Mai close to the 700th Anniversary Stadium and Chiang Mai University.

restaurants and bars, along with what it promises will be Phuket’s biggest discotheque, capable of holding up to 1,200 people. Summer Wind and Margarita Phuket will pitch in with a reggae pub and restaurant. Eccentrically, this will be decorated in a Latin American style rather than Caribbean, and will feature live bands performing not just reggae but “all genres”. Seduction Entertainment will build a three-storey building in “a European style”, housing its Factory night club, and a four-storey building called Rock Star, with a rooftop club, restaurant, disco and magic show.

In between these structures will be a large, open, pedestrians-only area covered with mushroom-shaped membranes so that it can be used in all weathers. There will be five entrances to Patong Promenade, two from Soi Bangla and three from Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, opposite Jungceylon. Underground there will be a car park able to accommodate 700 cars and motorbikes. Mr Pattanapong added “We believe Patong Promenade will open up business opportunities for people.” For more information contact 076 340 195-6 or email fun@patongpromenade.com

Silk Air wins CAPA award

SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, has been awarded the Regional Airline of the Year 2011 by CAPA – the Centre for Aviation, a leading aviation research body. Every year, CAPA awards outstanding performance in various sectors of the aviation industry. The CAPA regional airline of the year is awarded to a regional airline that had the most significant impact, shown strategic leadership and demonstrated innovation in regional aviation. Commenting on the win, SilkAir’s Chief Executive Marvin Tan said, “This award and

the airline’s success validate our belief that the increasingly sophisticated and well informed traveller seeks value and good customer service, which SilkAir is constantly striving to enhance. “We have also maintained a clear focus on our role within the greater Singapore Airlines network, as a full-service regional feeder providing seamless connectivity with our parent airline,” he said. According to CAPA Chairman Peter Harbison, the body considered SilkAir deserving of the award for the role it has played as an effective regional feeder to its parent company,

Singapore Airlines, over a period when new competitive threats have abounded. “In a very crowded marketplace, SilkAir continued effectively to exploit its market niche. At the same time SilkAir delivered its Singapore Airline parent important traffic feed, as well as a substantially enhanced profit. “As other airlines in the region explore suitable models to remain competitive in the future, SilkAir offers a valuable precedent,” said Mr Harbison. The award was presented to Mr Tan at a gala dinner held in conjunction with the Aviation Outlook Summit in Singapore

last Sunday evening. A full-service premium airline, SilkAir currently flies to 37 destinations across 11 countries. This year, the airline was ranked second in the Best Regional Airline (Asia) category in the 2011 Skytrax World Airline Awards. Last year, the airline was inducted into TTG Asia’s Travel Hall of Fame, following its 10th win as best regional airline in the TTG Travel Awards 2009. SilkAir was also ranked among the top 10 airlines for best cabin service worldwide 2011, 2010 and 2009 by Hong Kong-based online travel magazine, Smart Travel Asia.

www.thephuketnews.com

16 ARTS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Lovers’ glow “It’s always a romantic moment when lovers walk along Naiharn beach at sunset,” says Phuket photographer Anat Phoomkliang, who took this week’s Random View. T he set ting su n usually mesmerises couples and friends alike, as can be seen every fine evening on the many western beaches of this blessed isle. It makes one feel more mellow and grateful for the day in our life that has just passed. The golden sunlight is now only touching and lighting up our skin, with no damaging and burning heat to accompany it. During these peaceful moments, one is instinctively linked to humanity’s ancient connection with the sun, which has been worshiped throughout the ages as the god that sustains life.

Random view

Photographers of course love the wondrous changes the sunset causes in the colours of the landscape, from the rich yellow, magenta and reds of the last rays, to the green, blue and purple of the fading light after the glowing orb has finally disappeared below the horizon.

Each month the best image – as chosen by The Phuket News – will win a B500 gift voucher courtesy of Photo Hut (www. photohutgroup.com). At the end of 2011, the ‘Photo of the Year’, chosen from all entrants, receives a voucher for B5,000. All photographs must have a Phuket theme, and be at least 1MB and 300dpi in size. Email to: editor@thephuketnews.com

Phuket Galleries Ceramics of Phuket

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

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Chatriya Gallery

2/18 Limelight Ave, Dibuk Rd, Phuket Town, 076 225 284, chariyagallery@gmail.com.

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

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Gallery Café

106 Rassada Rd, Phuket Town, 076 223677, gallerycafe-phuket.com. Open daily 8am-10pm.

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I Mon Art Gallery

29/2 Phang Nga Rd, Phuket Town, montien_29@live.com. Open daily 8am-7.30pm.

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King Art Studio

Suburban fantasy A sign at the door to painter Veerachan Usahanun’s The Miracles of Ganesha Gallery and Studio, warns visitors the contents within could offend. Indeed, crossing the threshold is akin to stepping into the Asian version of a large painting of Hieronymus Bosch, the Dutch painter of the 15th century. One is enveloped on all sides by large oil paintings of a dark and enticing world, dominated by the ever present Hindu god Ganesha, who oversees and controls a world full of struggling naked males, females, strange animals and plants. All can seem disturbing and frightening, but the polished, skillful artistic rendering of these entwining figures creates a powerful, fascinating erotic beauty that grabs hold of the viewer, and does not let go. When we visited, softlyspoken Veerachan – a contrast www.thephuketnews.com

Gallery

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Lat Design and Art Garden

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

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Little Monk Gallery

95/33 Sai Yuan Rd, Naiharn, 086 294 3971.

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Phuket Modern Art

focus

to the loudness of his work – is working quietly in the corner, dressed in a T-shirt printed with a detail of his work, and Chinese silk pants. He is currently painting a series of large commissions in the lounge of his small suburban house, a room that has become his studio. One overseas buyer is patiently waiting for a fantasy portrait of himself and his dog – a work underway that is the man’s only Christmas present this year. Veerachan’s main projects are 15 large fantasy paintings for exhibitions organised by a collector for private showings in Vienna and Switzerland, as soon as the painter can complete the work. The artist was trained in “fantastic realism”

21 & 50 Soi Bangla, Patong, 086 682 9130, info@kingsartstudio.com; kingartstudio.com.

5/28 Haad Patong Rd, Patong, 089 646 8838, info@phuketmodernart; comphuketmodernart.com.

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Red Gallery

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

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Sarasil Art Galllery

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

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Siam Gallery

73/66 Kamala-Patong Rd, Kamala, 089 586 4133, siamgallery.phuket@hotmail.co.th.

--------------------------------------------------------------Veerachan wears his work on his sleeve (quite literally). at an art school in Vienna ran by the Ernst Fuchs. Veerachan says his paintings sell for an average of B1 million, but that their European prices are likely to be three or four times more, to make profit for the organiser and to cover higher costs there. Veerachan came to Phuket

a decade ago when he was invited to exhibit at Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong. His work’s latent and explicit eroticism would have given nearby Bangla Road a run for its money. –Norachai Thavisin ■■ See listings for full details of Veerachan’s gallery.

Soul of Asia

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

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The Miracles of Ganesha Gallery and Studio 110/34 Cherg Talay, Bang Tao Beach, 081 490 4359, usahanun@live.com; veerachanusahanun.com

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Wua Gallery and Studio

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

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99 Art Studio

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

PEOPLE 17

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Friend of man’s best friend

Russell Distance Russell Senior Trainer at the Thailand Canine Academy

S o we h e a r y o u’r e the “dog whisperer”? I’m a fully-certified caninet r ai n i ng a nd behav iou r specialist. My job is training dogs, and helping owners to better understand their pets. I also train dogs across all levels from basic obedience through to search and rescue dogs, and scent detection dogs. I’ve t rained my German shepherd in narcotics detection as well as search and rescue and my border collie mix is my agility dog. Why did you move here? Back in early 2005 I was looking at some possibilities of private security work in Iraq with a friend of mine. In April 2005 I came to Phuket for a holiday, and was offered a job here as well. So I thought it might be a good time for a change, accepted the job and moved here two months later. What were were doing before you moved here? Despite having a hotel management honours degree, most

of my background has been in the security and training industries. I worked in numerous establishments across the south of the UK and worked closely with local police. Most of our work was based around identifying narcotics dealers and passing information on. What is the best thing about living here? There’s a lot of great things about living here. But the same is true for anywhere else. No matter where you live, there are good things and bad things, its what you do with your environment, the people you surround yourself with, and how you decide to live that determines whether you enjoy it or not. What do you do to relax? I love taking the pack for a walk in the jungle or down to the beach. Watching the dogs run free, chase a ball, or swim is just great. Other than that, just chilling out on the sofa with a good movie or watching some football on the tele.

What hobbies or sports are you interested in? Pretty much all sports. Am a keen rugby fan and player – I play in the Phuket Rugby 10’s competition every year for the Phuket Vagabonds but I also love football and tennis, canine agility and schutzhund [dog agility testing]. A friend and I are looking to set a new Guinness World Record in December. We need to cover a minimum of 101km in 24 hours in a three-legged walk. What is your favourite childhood memory? Got lots, most of them revolve around me doing something naughty, but I have a lot of really fond memories of one of our Great Danes: Blu. She was just an awesome dog. We had her mated and she had 14 puppies, which was remarkable. Not to mention a bit of a shock as the vet told us to expect about three. My bedroom was gutted and remodelled into a makeshift kennel and we spent the next few weeks looking after them

Exposed and feeding them. I say we, but it was largely my folks as I was five at the time. Favourite food or dish? Here in Phuket, it would probably be a green curry. But if we’re talking overall you can’t beat Cadbury cream eggs. W hat k i nd of music are you into? For better or worse, I am permanently stuck in the 1980s. Def Leppard, Whitesnake, AC/DC, Bon Jovi. We’re talking real music here, people. That said, I’m a huge Elton John fan and generally listen to most things, depending on my mood. What is the best advise you have for people moving to Phuket? Don’t hire a motorbike or jet ski. Period. The person you admire the most and why? Difficult question, that. There are lots of people, but two I guess that stand out would be Elton John and Temple

Russell D Russell playing in the pool with his dog Kay. now is probably a night in.

Grandin. Elton for his dedication to music, to charitable causes and for just being an all round awesome person. And Temple for her sheer determination, for all that she has achieved and for taking the establishment head on despite being autistic.

Where in Phuket would you take someone on a first date? Somewhere cheap and basic, thereby saving the expensive stuff for when you know she’s actually worth it.

What’s your favourite night out? Maybe I’m just getting old, but my favourite night out

What would you choose to be your final meal? Cadbury cream egg. Did I not make that clear already?

STREET PEOPLE

From left: Yuthanakorn “Ouan” Thongnophakun with his two children, Ong and Bam.

Cock of the roost

“Come up to my bungalow on the hillside,” invites Yuthanakorn “Ouan” Thongnophakun. It’s quite an impressive bungalow indeed, complete with a separate open kitchen, and entirely hand-made by Ouan from found timber and rusty iron roofing. From the front stoop, there is a grand view of Kalim bay through trees bordering the main road that hugs the sea, a vista that many of the

neighbouring luxury resorts and villas would be envious of. I’m immediately surrounded and warmly greeted by Ouan’s large menagerie of free-range ducks, chickens and geese. Fighting roosters in their coops flap their wings and crow, triumphant. Ouan has lived here with his wife Yuphin and children for many years as a caretaker for the owner of this prime part of undeveloped hillside.

T h e p o u lt r y i s ke p t mainly for food, but there is space in the back of the home, which we speculate might be for the occasional cock-fighting match. Not content to rest on his laurels, Ouan has recently been selling his proud, strong fighting roosters to a local buyer, and may soon branch out into the export market to fulfill an order from Dubai. –Norachai Thavisin

www.thephuketnews.com

18 HEALTH

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Swinging the correct way

I love to play golf, but over the years I’ve had my fair share of injuries. When I first began playing, I took a few lessons and then proceeded with knowledge in hand to dedicate my spare time to hitting countless buckets of balls, hoping to perfect my swing. The only problem: my swing got worse – the opposite of what I expected – and I also had back pain to boot. Not only could I not play golf, but I couldn’t sleep or sit without having excruciating pain that led later on to anxiety. I had to repeatedly change my position and stretch constantly. As a chiropractor, this was totally unacceptable. I remember languishing on my bedroom floor late at night, rolling over the top of a tennis ball to get relief. I got a bunch of chiropractic adjustments and massage but still no relief. I wasn’t until I finally started reading up on golf bio-mechanics and videotaping my swing that I figured out what the heck I was doing wrong. Essentially, what I discovered is that I was over rotating my back on the back swing, and then overly twisting and bending sideways in a forward

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direction on the down swing. This awkward motion compressed my ribs and strained the back joints, causing pain to radiate from the back along the ribs to front of my chest and up and down the back. I also noticed I had very little hip rotation, poor posture and an unbalanced weight distribution when transferring weight from one foot to other. Most of the weight was on the outside of my heels. On further reading I realised I wasn’t alone. Excessive rotation of the spine or big turn while holding a stationary hip position at the top of the back swing is very common. This swing habit has been taught to many golfers on the false belief that it engages the “big” muscles of the back creating a slingshot effect for more head club speed and ball distance. This belief is a myth and causes significant back stress especially during the top of the back swing and during hyper-extension in the down-swing and follow through. Current research has demonstrated that a short back swing achieves the same club

speed at ball impact as long back swings. Secondly, the low back muscles only provide five per cent of torque, whereas the oblique stomach muscles do most of the work. The truth is that most of the power during the swing comes from exerting a short quick stretch to the muscles that surround the shoulder joint during back swing without the help of any spinal rotation. The only purpose for pelvic and spinal

rotation in the backswing is to achieve a body position that allows for effective club head delivery at ball impact. To minimise injury, perform a three-part warm up before playing. This consists of a heart-raiser to get you pulse up, a series of static stretches and then a further series of dynamic stretches (stretches done while moving). Proper equipment is an important key in preventing injury. A club too long or

short, too stiff or flexible, or too many different makes of clubs in your bag can result in frequent alterations of posture at ball address and inconsistent tempo. It’s very important to see a fitting specialist. Stay energised by frequently drinking water and eating energy snacks. Fatigue causes injuries because it’s more difficult for the body to protect itself. Stopping an activity at the first sign of fatigue can prevent sports related injuries. Naturally, being a chiropractor, it’s a good idea to get ongoing chiropractic to help keep the joints mobile, pain free and performing well. I can’t think of any other healthcare approach that closely relates to the needs of the sports participant. Most sports involve body contact, fast starts and stops, and positioning that places an unusual amount of strain on the back and structural system. As a chiropractor, I consider a person as an integrated being, giving special attention to the spine, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. For example over-rotation of the foot, a collapse of inner arch during running or walking can affect not only the joints

in the foot but also in the neck and back leading to headaches, neck and lower back pain. Chiropractics stresses the importance of keeping all the systems of the body functioning efficiently so the player enjoys peak performance, at minimum injury risk, and fast recuperative powers. The beauty of chiropractics is not only drug-free and surgery-free care, but also preventative and performance enhancing care. Maintaining proper alignment will allow athletes to be prepared for their sport. Many of the greatest athletes in the world are adjusted before competition as a “tune-up” in an effort to place their bodies in a state of peak efficiency. –Dr Anthony Kell Chiropractic Health Consultant Dr Kell’s chiropractic clinic is located at 27/14 Moo 4 Chao Fa Rd, just south of the Central Festival intersection. To contact him call 08 0530 3376 or email contactus@ phuket-chiropractic.com. For more information visit phuket-chiropractic.com.

ENVIRONMENT 19

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

President Barack Obama and his advisors sit in the White House Rose Garden after moving their meeting outdoors.

An apartment terrace garden in the heart of New York City.

Out into the great outdoors Even though 3G internet now is available outdoors across much of Phuket, on a sunny, blue sky day people still prefer to go online sitting in an airconditioned cafe instead of in the shade of a leafy tree. The reason can be attributed to the lack of good, government-provided communal areas. Existing outdoor spaces are often not attractive, sheltered, or comfortable enough. In 1999, a young Norwegian decided to move his father’s sofa out from his house to the side of a small road called Vikedalsgata, in the city of Stavanger. A neighbour followed and brought out indoor furniture including sofas, tables, plant

GREEN thumb

pots, and an internet connected computer (remember, this is long before WiFi) were then placed on the street to imitate a very comfortable living room. The sole outdoor addition to the setup was a flagpole that wasn’t used to hoist the Norwegian flag, but instead to display a specially designed ‘celebration’ flag every time it was the birthday of someone in the area. The local community atmosphere was greatly improved because of this small bright idea. More residents came to enjoy outdoor life, and the street was filled every

night with neighbours talking. The Vikedalsgata initiative illustrates a very important function of public outdoor space or a private garden in enhancing the quality of life of those who use it. Although an area may be beautiful and scenic, it is in many ways a failure if people can’t or won’t take the time to really enjoy it. So when designing your garden, add a small gathering space with tables and chairs for your family and visitors. If you live in a housing complex, ask management to build a small communal garden amid the houses to give residents a break from the otherwise cement forest. And take your laptop with you, if you must. –Paritta Wangkiat

Residents enjoy outdoor dining in Davie Street community garden in Vancouver, Canada.

Marine life fund-raiser

Earth to earth, dust to dust “It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowlyorganised creatures,” wrote Charles Darwin in 1881, about earthworms. Gardeners and farmers the world over agree with the renowned naturalist. The ‘humble’ earthworm is not at all that, but instead a mighty worker for the benefit of any patch of earth it lives in, with hundreds of species

Meet

the natives of it found just about everywhere across the globe. As earthworms eat organic materials like rotting leaves, its digestive system excretes brown worm casts behind it, which has 40 per cent more humus content than the topsoil in which it lives, thus improving soil fertility. Its tunneling effectively aerates and improves the structure of

the soil all the time. The wiser organic gardeners among us know to keep small earthworm farms in layered containers, in which the animals can breed, and are fed a steady diet of household kitchen vegetable scraps. Watered by the resultant dark rich fertiliser liquid mixed from worm cast, organic vegetables in the back garden grow at a quick rate and, some argue, taste much better than without their input.

Aleenta Phuket-Phang Nga Resort hosts the ‘Help Save Marine Life’ event on Saturday November 19. Tickets for the evening cost B2,900 net per person and include dinner and free-flowing drinks. All funds raised on the night will go to the Pure Blue Foundation, which rebuilds damaged coral reefs off the coast of the resort. To date, almost 25 coral species have been created in the park, in addition to substantial growth in the fish population in the surrounding waters. Proceedings start at 7pm with the release of indigenous leatherback turtles back into the sea –– followed by cocktails, dinner and entertainment including a fire show and music spun by DJ Me.

To reserve tickets, email help@purebluefoundation.com or call 076 580 333. www.thephuketnews.com

20 EDUCATION

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Rainbow brights Once again The Phuket News is happy to announce the four monthly winners of its Kids Art competition. These four young

artists – winner Amelie is only five and a half years old – are in the running for the annual prize to be announced in December.

Three of the deserving winners, Ploy, Pim and Asee, made their masterpieces at the Phuket Has Been Good to Us Foundation.

From left: Deserving winners Pim, Asee, and Ploy made their colourful works of art at the Phuket Has Been Good to Us Foundation (www.phukethasbeengoodtous.org).

Palmy weather Year 1 and 2 students of the Palm House School on Viset Road in Rawai, located south of Phuket Town, gather under a coconut tree on the school’s big green lawn that overlooks Chalong Bay. The British-curriculum primary school teaches students between ages of five and 11.

Amelie’s winning work entitled “The flamingos in love”.

www.thephuketnews.com

21/1 Moo 2, Soi Salika Viset Rd, 076 288630; palmhouseprimaryschool.com.

SHOPPING 21

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Street fashion Chayanee Chaiprasit Assistant manager.

Ms Chayanee bought her vintage dress (B150) from Ratchada market and her bag (B100) from Sanam Luang market, both in Bangkok. However, her Rocket Dog Hard Copy shoes (B1,600) were bought at Robinson Phuket.

Must haves

Accessories all from the Century 22 stall located on the second floor, Central Festival.

1. Flower band B190. 2. Necklace B250. 3. Brooch B190.

Moriya Polovinke

Tourist.

Ms Polovinkeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yellow string shirt (B600), sunglasses, and shorts (B1,000) were all bought in Russia, but her Bata shoes (B600) are from a store in Central Festival. Her chic necklace and handbag were gifts from friends.

www.thephuketnews.com

22 DINING

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

He’s got skills When Duangjitt Resort & Spa sous chef Subin Prongtong was growing up in Phetchaburi, near Bangkok, helping out in his parent’s makeshift Thai restaurant, he never expected to be returning to the province years later to teach his parents new cooking tricks. But that’s exactly what he does once a year – returning home to his family and passing on valuable chef’s skills he has learnt while living in Phuket. Mr Subin moved to Phuket more than 20 years ago to gain experience in the food industry. Armed with basic cooking skills from his parents, his first stint was at The Boathouse restaurant, followed by time at the Phuket Arcadia (now the Phuket Hilton), the Patong Resort Hotel, Absolute, and Burasari. Now based at the Duangjitt Resort & Spa, Mr Subin is the sous chef, but

has sole charge at the moment while the restaurant advertises for an executive chef. As such, he is responsible for the entire kitchen, and 40 or so staff, across the resort’s three restaurants. All the meals have to be given the tick of approval by him before being served. “It’s a lot of responsibility and hard work, but I enjoy my job,” he says. Mr Subin is being helped in his work by by Piyarat 'Mickey' Mouensunkha, the Food and Beverage Director. This has been a great help for Mr Subin, and Mr Piyarat has been helping Mr Subin to improve his English skills too. The next step is to become an executive chef, something Mr Subin hopes to do in the next few years once he has a bit more experience at the head of a kitchen. Mr Subin is also a qualified schoolteacher, something he trained in before realising

that his real love was in the kitchen. His parents, both cooks, had instilled a love of cooking in him and passed on valuable Thai recipes and cooking tips and styles, which now help him in his own kitchen. H is favou r it e d ishe s to cook include European (particularly Scandinavian food) and Thai food, but his favourite dish of all is Thai salad, because he just loves chillies and spicy food. “I like preparing salad, it’s healthy and it tastes good. I li ke being in the kitchen, and I like to check on the customers to ensure they are happy with their meals, seeing if they are enjoying the food.” When he’s not at work Mr Subin enjoys taking time out with his family – wife Viparat, daughter Orawan, 18 and son Bordindetch, 12, at their Phuket Town home. –Claire Connell

Duangjitt Resort & Spa sous chef Subin Prongtong with a prawn and fish dish.

Enjoy curry in a hurry

According to legend, the origin of this tasy pastry goes back to Marie Guimar de Pinha (also called Tao Tong Keeb Ma in Thai), a 17th century Portuguese resident of Ayutthaya.

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It sounds obvious when you read it, but kareepub is Thai pronunciation for curry puff, a deep-fried pastry filled with curried meat or vegetables that is sold nationwide, and in neighbouring Malaysia. According to legend, the origin of this tasy pastry goes back to Marie Guimar de Pinha (also called Tao Tong Keeb Ma in Thai), a 17th century Portuguese resident of Ayutthaya, which may help explain the snack’s Eu ropean layered pastry covering. However, the true origins are as hazy as the snack is delicious. The curry puff is not difficult to make. The usual ingredients are wheat flour, chicken, curry powder, potato, onion, black pepper, vegetable oil and seasoning; though nowadays beans,

taro, pineapple, and shredded dried pork with chilly paste are also common varieties. Traditionally curry puffs are a semi-circular shape with the edge pinched decoratively together, then deep-fried in hot oil until golden brown. To offset its fried oiliness, kareepub can be served with arjad, a tasty condiment made from cucumber, vinegar, shallot, syrup, chilly and salt. This tasty savoury snack is readily available across Phuket, though we are fans of one pa r t icula r st all i n Saphan Hin, south of Phuket Town. Here, a small kareepub st a l l ne a r t he ba sket ba l l court sells piping-hot puffs every day from 4pm to 8pm. A serving of three kareepub with arjad costs B25. –Apinya Saksri

Recipe • To make the pastry dough, sift wheat flour and set aside. • Dissolve sugar and salt water, then pour the liquid into the flour. • Add lime water and vegetable oil then knead the dough – don’t let it become too wet – and then set aside for half an hour. • As two layers of pastry are needed to be combined later to make the final more puffy and light pastry, separate the dough into two big portions. • For the filling, first boil potatoes in water, then fry together chopped onions, diced chicken and cooked potato, seasoning to taste with curry powder, black pepper, sugar and salt. • Reduce any cooking juices until the mixture is nicely dry. Leave the filling aside to cool. • Roll out two thin layers of f lour. Place one on top of the other, and combine into a single roll. • Cut the desired portions of pastry from that roll, enough to cover the filling for each puff.

DINING 23

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Leading the pink revolution L

ast week some 180 hoteliers, restaurateurs and assorted freeloaders descended on Andara for the Phuket launch of a worldwide phenomenon: drinking rosé. Happily picking up the bill was Sacha Lichine, master of Château d’Esclans and creator of four rosé wines that have stood the perceptions of oenophiles on their head. As long ago as 2008, the magazine Wine Spectator – the wine drinker’s bible – described Lichine’s wines a s “ t h e w o r l d ’s m o s t exclusive rosés”. For decades, rosés have been considered cheap and not for the serious drinker (and, because of the pink colour, not something that real men would touch with a three-metre disinfected bargepole). Mateus from Portugal was probably the most recognisable because of its chubby bottle, which turned up on restaurant tables everywhere in the 1970s, with a candle stuck in it. It earned a certain cachet when Jimi Hendrix was pictured slugging it straight from the bottle, but apart from that, the main reason people bought it was for the bottle rather than the content. Recently, however, a new wave of rosé drinking has swept the world. Some very fine wines are being made, and restaurants from the French Riviera to New York serve as many as eight or nine rosés, not just by the bottle but by the glass. Lichine was in a swanky New York restaurant recently and expressed surprise at the range of rosés available. The staff were nonplussed. “Where the hell have you been?” one asked. Lichine’s timing has been impeccable. The son of a much admired Bordeaux winemaker (“He knew a lot and he was a hard taskmaster”), Lichine realised that he would have difficulty doing anything in that region that would truly stand

This B1.6 billion property in Provence comes with 300 hectares of chalky-clay slopes.

A nose for fine rosé: Sacha Lichine at the Chateau d’Esclans.

out, and so sold the family’s Château Prieure de Lichine and began a near decade-long search for something different. After eight years and having looked at 32 properties, he shelled out €40 million (B1.6 billion) for the Château d’Esclans in Provence. The Château came with 300 hectares of chalky-clay slopes, much of it planted with vines, including 80-year-old Grenache and more recently added Rolle grapes. “T hei r potent ial was quite extraordinary,” Lichine recalls. And so it has been; these two form the basis of his four remarkable rosés. The other significant ingredient was Patrick Leon, an old friend who had worked with the Lichine family in the ’70s and then for Baron Philippe de Rothschild for 20 years. Lichine knew where his future lay. “I said to him, ‘We’re going to make rosé.’ He said, ‘Okay.’” The trend at the time – and still now – was for rosés to be pale in colour – the paler the better. The colour comes from the skin, so to achieve a paler rosé, most wine-makers were picking the grapes early. Lichine and Leon felt this was the wrong way to go about things. They wanted to use

crisis. “Champagne sales went down 20-25 per cent but rosé sales went up.” Partly this was a function of price – US$200 a bottle for good Champagne against US$50 for fine rosé – but the additional element, Lichine says, was that rosé has the same “festive connotation” as Champagne. Now Lichine is driving hard to bring the rosé wave to Asia. He currently bases himself in Singapore, which he considers the most sophisticated wine market in the

the ripe fruit for a much fuller flavour. “But how do you pick the ripe fruit yet keep most of the colour out? What we did was pick the grapes then pack them in dry ice to stop the skin bleeding into the juice. “We spent close to €1 million (B40 million) on cooling systems. We use a little bit of press but basically it’s free-run juice. There is no maceration.” The wine is fermented very slowly for at least four months in cooled Burgundy barrels. Bâtonage adds to the flavour. A decision was made early on to create not one, but four rosés. “One product is not interesting for distributors,” Lichine explains. From the first vintage, all four – Whispering Angel, Château d’Esclans, Le Clans and Garrus – have received highly favourable reviews. Output has grown from 120,000 bottles in the first year to 780,000 this year, and Lich i ne’s rosés a re now sold – and often sell out – in 57 countries. For now, the winemaker says he has no plans for anything new. He and Leon and the team are still learning. “Little by little, we’ve found that rosés are the most difficult to make. The vintages are getting better; as you understand

it better, the wine gets better. “It’s rewarding intellectually, though not yet financially.” The big financial rewards can’t be far off. The rich have taken his rosés to their hearts. “We knew we were having a success when a yacht designer called up to ask us for the dimensions of the three-litre bottle so he could design the fridge on a yacht to accommodate it.” Nor did rosé suffer from the recent global financial

region, and also a convenient geographic location from which to visit target markets such as Langkawi, Malaysia, Indonesia and Phuket. As a potential market, the 180 guests at Andara for the launch certainly seemed to like the product. Between them they swilled down 110 litres of rosé. What would his father have thought of all this? Lichine smiles. “He would probably have criticisms.” –Alasdair Forbes

www.thephuketnews.com

24 LOCALTRAVEL

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

TRAVEL DEALS

Jetstar announces start of ‘Asia Sale’ Experiencing Asia is now so much easier with Jetstar. Fly to Singapore on sale then choose a great sale fare to one of their other Asian destinations. Sale ends 26 October 2011 (22:59) unless sold out prior. Sale fares are one way, all-inclusive Economy Starter fares, carry on baggage only. For an additional B350B2200 per passenger, you can

All on the buses

r e nch m a n Nic ola s Rendu’s friends and family often say he’s crazy, after deciding to travel from Singapore to Luxembourg in an 11-metre-long converted bus with his wife and four young children. But those who know him aren’t surprised about his latest attempt at doing something unusual. “You do need some craziness to do this type of thing. But I’ve done many other crazy, fun things. My parents say I am crazy, but I say no, this time my wife is here too,” he says laughing. Nicolas, wife Isabelle, and four children, Augustin, 9, Louis-Malo, 7, Emilion, 3 and Amycie, 2, who have been on the road for two months,

www.thephuketnews.com

Rendu is taking his family of four on the road to adventure. arrived in Phuket on October 10. They plan to move on to Bangkok, flooding pending. But for the moment they are enjoying being hooked up to Le Winch Restaurant at Boat Lagoon, taking in the sights and enjoying having their air-con

going at last. After initially wanting to travel in a double decker bus, Nicolas decided an old Par is public bus would be the way to go, complete with destination sign. The Renault-built buses were popular in the 1960s, until they were taken out of business decades later and replaced by more modern technology. With only five or six left in the world, Nicolas was fortunate to get his hands on one. He spent six or so months getting the bus transformed and then shipping it to Singapore where the family’s journey began. Seats were taken out and bunk beds put in, as well as installing fans, air-con, a kitchen and bathroom. When the family park up for the night, the hope is to be able to hook themselves up to electricity to use the air-con. But lately these mod cons are becoming a bit of a headache, and regularly the family have had to go to bed at night without air-con or fans, suffering in 35-degree centigrade heat. Isabelle says at first it was hard having the kids in the same room as them all the time, and it was important to make sure that both her and Nicolas had a little ‘time out’. Several weeks on, the family are already much

more settled, and the kids seem to realise that this is home for a while, she says. Travelling around the world with their children is something the couple have dreamed of for years. Initially planning to live abroad, Nicolas, a telecommunications legal counsel, found it hard to come across work elsewhere, so instead decided to take a year off to fulfil the family dream. “I wanted to do a world tour before I was in my 40s, and I’m 37 now, so we just decided to go for it.” The first plan was to spend two years travelling through Asia, Africa and South America, but the costs and hassle of shipping the bus over water meant they were suddenly limited to Asia and Europe. This week, while the older children are studying by correspondence, Nicolas is attempting to f ix the generator and batteries to make things a bit more comfortable for the family. “It’s easy to drive except there’s no power steering. And the U-turns are a bit difficult!” Difficulties aside, the family are having a great time on their adventure, meeting plenty of new people who enquire about the bus. They even managed to catch the last day of the Vegetarian Festival. The bus is nicknamed the “Shadobus” because the family are preparing a shadow puppet show to perform to underprivileged kids on their travels. After Thailand, the Rendus plan to travel through Laos, Vietnam, China, Myanmar, Bangladesh or Bhutan, India, Iran, Turkey and then home. –Claire Connell Follow their adventures at shadobus.com (French only).

choose between 15kg-40kg checked baggage. Business Class sale fare includes 30kg checked baggage allowance. Economy Starter Sale Fares from Phuket to Singapore start from B888 per person. Dates are Feb 7-Mar 7, 2012; Mar 20-Apr 3, 2012; and Apr 11-May 23, 2012. See www.jetstar.com/th/ en/home for more details.

Bangkok Air winter deals Bangkok Airways (BA) has launched its latest online sales campaign, dubbed “winter escapes”, fo c u s i n g o n P h u k e t and Sukhothai. The airline offers a 17per cent discount off its lowest web fare to Phuket, while the discount is 22.5 per cent off for Sukhothai. Winter Escapes is good to go until the end of November, while the travel period ends on December 15. Maximum stay is one month. The promotional fare to Phuket is quoted at B3,980 all inclusive with the airline operates six flights daily to the island. Compared with its full-service peer, Thai Airways International, BA’s offer is a substantial 31 per cent lower than THAI’s lowest regular fare category, Hot Deal, which offers a fare o f B 5 ,7 6 0 w i t h 10 flights daily. The B3,980-fare is very close to the fares of budget airlines outside the promotional zones and this makes BA an attractive choice because it offers a bigger baggage allowance, lounge access and in-flight catering. Nok A i r s el l s it s best fare at B3,580 with three flights daily from Don Mueang Airport, while T hai Ai rAsia sells at B3,650 with nine flights daily from Suvarnabhumi Airport. The lowest fare on the Bangkok-Phuket route is offered by the Don Mueang-based Orient Thai Airlines, at B2,798. The airline flies just twice daily but offers a

20-kg baggage allowance instead of 15 kg. To Su k hothai, the promotional roundtrip fare is B3,480 all-in, but it is impossible to book during the second week of November as the province will host the Loy Krathong festival and flights are packed. BA in the only airline operating services to Sukhothai (twice daily). BA also offers a Yangon deal available for booking also until November 30 with a travel period ending December 15. The promotion quotes a roundtrip fare at B7,220, flyng to Yangon twice daily. The deal to Samui is B6,520 roundtrip, available until further notice, with 13 flights daily. Another promotion is its Namaste India, celebrating the launch of BA’s second Indian destination – Bangalore – that commenced on September 26. The carrier started its Bang kok-Mu mbai route last March. The Namaste India fares are B10,935 to Bangalore in economy class and B27,245 in business class. Fares to Mumbai are B10,220 for economy class and B23,900, business class. The booking period runs to October 31, while the travel period ends December 15. The ticket has a onemonth validity. Ba ng kok A i r ways flies five times a week to Bangalore and daily to Mumbai. –TTR Weekly

NATIONALTRAVEL 25

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

All the way to market B

y comparison to the pressing crowds, oppressive heat and manic feel of Bangkok’s shopping mecca of Jatujak, Chiang Mai’s open-air Sunday market is an easy stroll in the park. Not that there isn’t a crowd here too. In fact, Rajdamnern Road, which traverses the city’s old town and along which the market opens, becomes a packed stream carrying happy shoppers along. However, with all vehicles banned from the network of old leafy streets for the day (unlike JJ, where cars still squeeze along), the already-leisurely pace of the northern capital slows down even further. It’s a day for country artisans to bring into town their week’s work of wooden carvings, painted decorations, handcrafted textiles, and musical instruments, usually arriving early to take up their favourite selling spots, sometimes under the bows of a spreading tree or against an old temple wall. As evening approaches, local artists spread out their gaudy, slap-dashed canvases, and musicians strum their guitars, next to a table full of CDs of their music for sale – if

we’d like to think so) on the banks of the Seine in Paris. Others happily knock shiny metal pétanque balls around on the shaded gravel ground of the Alliance Française, as the nearby wide Ping River flows on its relaxed way. –Norachai Thavisin

Mime means money, at least along Rajdamnern it does. you like what you hear. Indeed, as the unofficial book capital of Thailand, with its streets full of secondhand bookshops, there is clearly no shortage of creative people in Chiang Mai. Music students from the large school for the blind sit in a row in the middle of the street, one behind the other, singing, strumming and hitting a drum, collecting money to fund their studies. Two lone young girls, glittering in their Thai dance costumes, dance abstractedly by themselves in different parts of the main street to recorded music, as passing shoppers drop coins in their bowls. A big band of white-haired traditional musicians, sitting

on a platform near the brick Ta Pae gate, saw away with whining notes and clink in time on little brass cymbals, playing music older than they are. In the middle of an intersection, a mime artist, covered with white plaster, imitates a stone statue. He bows his head and smiles when someone drops a coin in his plastic bucket, then ‘freezes’ again. When lumyai (longan) and linjee (lychee) are in season, these delicious native northern fruits, sold in large piles here, are just about given away, so cheap are their prices. And as in all Thai markets, there is food galore of all sorts at all times, the air full of the smoke and aroma of barbecued meat. Ancient temples on either

There’s a wealth of things to choose from at the market.

A little girl that is hopefully not singing for her supper. side of the main street even join in the commerce for the day, putting tables and chairs in their shady courtyards and letting vendors sell food and drink to crowds of diners. Among the happy foreigners, with bags full of

handicrafts, French phrases are heard in the cool evening air. Many visitors to and residents of Chiang Mai are indeed from France, content to strolling sedately along the moat that encircles the old city, as they no doubt did (at least,

How to get there Thai AirAsia (airasia.com), Bangkok Airways (bangkokair.com) and Thai Airways (thaiairways.com) all offer daily direct f lights bet ween Phu ket ai r por t (HKT) and Chiang Mai airport (CNX) for around B9,000 to B15,000 return. Check websites for current deals. Where to stay Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai ( fourseasons.com/ chiangmai) offers spacious Lanna-style pavilions overlooking terraced rice fields and the mountains in Mae Rim Valley, minutes from the artistic and cultural heritage of Thailand’s northern capital. Alternatively, the award-winning guesthouse Secret Garden Chiang Mai (secretgardenchiangmai.com) offers reasonably priced rooms in a great location.

www.thephuketnews.com

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

At home in his studio, interior designer Brian Woulfe.

The spacious Designed by Woulfe Studio in Baan Wana Park Phuket, was crafted from eight shipping containers.

Ahead of the Woulfe-pack

Sitting on comfortable, chic outdoor furniture, interior designer Brian Woulfe is full of enthusiasm and energy. He’s just returned from a long haul flight back from Europe, but he’s fresh, trendy, dressed well, and the epitome of a professional businessman. And he’s got every reason to be smiling. His interior design and furniture supply business in Phuket, Designed by Woulfe, is booming, and he’s on the verge of opening up a new branch in Bangkok. His business specialises in high-end, bespoke luxury design, and his main clients include private villa and home owners. As well as being a project manager for design projects and an interior designer, the company also can source and supply luxury furniture and other homeware products. Nearly two years ago Brian opened the business in Phuket, after operating out of London for a number of years. After working out of a Kamala Beach home for a while, he recently moved to Wana Park, not far from the Heroines’ Monument in Thalang. His trendy studio is made from eight shipping containers, which have been cut and shaped accordingly to create his spacious work area. “I didn’t want some commercial, impersonal box. I wanted somewhere where clients could come in and feel relaxed and inspired. We have a lot of very flexible space and we are a flexible company, so that’s very important to us.” Furniture pieces from highly regarded brands such as P.Tendercool, and Gandia www.thephuketnews.com

Modern art on display.

Customers browsing through pattern and material samples at the Designed by Woulfe Studio.

Gandia Blasco outdoor furniture available at the Studio.

Hand-welded brass tables with glass and bronze tops.

Blasco fill his studio, as well as artwork from Christian Develter, a European artist now based in Thailand. A lot of the furniture is unique, custom made, and made in Thailand. Brian is listed in the 2011 Thailand Tatler Expat Society List, containing the top nonThai “movers and shakers” in the Kingdom, and will later in the year feature in Esquire and Phuket Tatler magazines.

such as Brian who has worked hard to build his international company, with many clients not only based in Phuket, but also Bangkok, Hong Kong, Germany and London. He is regularly jetsetting around the world to visit trade shows and meet with clients and suppliers. His unique style and forward thinking means he is constantly introducing new cutting-edge technology and

Another highlight for the year includes being appointed interior designer for one of the Club Penthouses at Kata Rocks in Phuket. The Kata Rocks Penthouses were awarded the prestigious accolades of “Best Apartment in Thailand and South East Asia” and “Best Apartment in the World” for 2010 by The International Property Awards in London. Only natural for someone

furniture to Asia, in particular a resin floor which will require labourers to be brought in from the UK to install it. “We are bringing in the items that no one else is – someone has to push the boundaries a little.” Brian says the business has been so successful because of his unique approach to design and his communication with customers.

“It’s the level of detail, we offer a tailored, bespoke service. We get to know our clients’ needs and what their real style is. People remember the design result, but mostly they remember the level of service they received.” Brian says he can tailor design packages to suit all types, from a full scale interior design project to a one-off consultation for those who want to pick his brain for inspiration and advice. Designed by Woulfe’s vision is simple – to provide clients with unique interior design solutions, fresh ideas that are crafted with equal measures of creativity, form and function and bespoke interior design that is tailored to each client’s brief and needs. D e s igne d by Woulfe studio, Wana Park, Thalang, is open from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 6pm, and closed at lunchtime. To make an appointment with Brian, contact Jariya ‘Apple’ Chuayboonchu on 076 620 071 or at apple@designedbywoulfe.com, www.designedbywoulfe.com

ONCAMERA 27

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

PRETTY IN PINK

Silk restaurant at Anadra Resort and Villas in Kamala was the venue for an angelic ‘In the Pink’ party last Wednesday (October 19) as a number of the island’s wellknown expatriate residents and locals descended for an evening of fine food and wine. Hosted by Bart Duykers of Bangkok Beer and Beverage, famed wine maker Sacha Lichine unveiled his much-talked about Chateau D’Esclans Whispering Angel which was enjoyed along with a number of treats from the Silk kitchens. Partygoers were entertained by music from a five-piece jazz band, sipping back a seemingly endless From left, Andara Resort and Villas’ Executive Assistant Manager Grace supply of Whispering Angel. Solomon, and General Manager Daniel Meury, enjoy the night with guests.

Compassionate view A gentle crowd of about 200 attended a talk by visiting French Tibetan monk, Venerable Matthieu Ricard, on Sunday night (October 23) at the Thanyapura Mind Centre. “Towards an education based on co-operation and the cultivation of fundamental human values,” was the monk’s topic. He showed slides of scientific results that demonstrate that meditative state of mind, along with feeling of

NEW URBAN FOOD OPENS AT CENTRAL FESTIVAL PHUKET

compassion, significantly increase our ability to focus and learn. Monsieur Ricard also talked about his charity Karuna-Shechen, which runs many humanitarian aid projects in India, Nepal and Tibet. Ricard left a scientific career in 1972 to become a monk in the Himalayas. When he is not travelling as a translator for the Dalai Lama, he lives in a simple hermitage in Nepal. See www.karuna-shechen.org

Urban Food opened its doors last Friday (October 21) at Central Festival Phuket. After successfully launching their first branch in Patong four months ago, Urban Food has now arrived in Phuket Town with their second branch at Central Festival Phuket. Urban Food is open daily 10am to 11pm at Lan Lom, Central Festival Phuket, 076 307 155.

Above from left, Property Acquisition Vice President of Central Retail Coporation Lertvit Pumipitak, General Manager of Central Festival Phuket Wilaiporn Pitimanaaree, Jean Francois Verdon and Frederic Garnier, Managing Director of Urban Food.

Kee anniversary 50,000 More than 100 people turned out to the Kee Resort and Spa, Patong, on Saturday night (October 22) for the resort’s first birthday celebrations. Agents, clients, and visitors at the Kee were at the event, including popular Thai singer Lula, who performed for the crowd. Kee Resort and Spa staff Nam, from reservations department, and Aon, assistant personal manager.

donation On Thursday, October 20, the “Rh-” group of Phuket Red Cross handed over B50,000 worth of food and clothes donations to Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha, to go to flood victims nationwide.

www.thephuketnews.com

28 WEIRDWORLD

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

US man needs B30m to fix giant testicles A US man is trying to raise over $1 million (B30 million) for surgery to correct a medical condition that has left him with a 45-kilogramme scrotum. Wesley War ren Jr developed the rare condition, scrotal elephantiasis, about three years ago and has no medical insurance to get the necessary treatment. He decided to go public because he is desperate to try and raise the cash for the operation. M r War ren’s scrot u m is now so large that he has trouble walking and using the bathroom and he says he suffers regular bouts of depression. “It’s not easy to get around,” Contrary to what most men might think, having he said. “It makes me stay in huge balls will not make you popular with the ladies. most of the time.”

“I want to have real friends and a relationship with a woman.” Although he knew some people would laugh at his condition, Mr Warren decided to go public to raise awareness of his plight. His condition is rarely seen outside of the tropical areas of Africa and Asia and is usually caused by a mosquito-spread parasitic infection. But Mr Warren said he had never travelled to tropical areas and believes the condition is down to an accident in 2008, when he caught his testicles with his leg while twisting in bed. The next day Mr Warren said his scrotum had grown to “the size of a soccer ball” and continued growing.

Freaky cyclops shark ‘not a hoax’ In case sharks weren’t already the stuff of nightmares for most people, they’ve now officially joined forces with mythical mutant monsters. Scie nt ist s have confirmed that a one-eyed albino “cyclops” shark discovered earlier this year is indeed real. The shark was found to have only one eye in the middle of its face and lacking the usual grey colour, after it was removed from the womb of its mother, a dusky shark. Shocked fisherman Enrique Lucero León caught the female dusky shark earlier this year. To his amazement, he found the deformed shark embryo along with its nine

It’s actually kind of cute, for a deformed man-eating monster of the deep. –Photo by Pisces Fleet Sportfishing regularly-developed siblings. “This is extremely rare,” said biologist Felipe Galván-

Magaña, of the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine Sciences in La Paz, Mexico.

“As far as I know, less than 50 examples of an abnormality like this have been recorded.” Scientists thoroughly examined the shark, confirming that it was a genuine birth deformity as the embryo suffered cyclopia, a condition also found in several mammals including humans. This meant that the shark did not survive for long outside of the womb. Galván-Magaña and his colleagues have come across many other “different” looking shark embryos during their years of research. The team discovered a two-headed shark that had failed to develop separately.

Irish Pubs • Restaurant • Guest Houses

Toto to the rescue as you ride and ‘refuel’ simultaneously.

The power of poo Draft Beer Great Food Cool Rooms Good Music Live Sport

www.thephuketnews.com

A motorbike has been kicking up a stink across Japan, powered entirely by the rider’s poo. The Toilet Bike Neo is made by toilet firm Toto, which hopes it will help reduce CO2 emissions by 50 per cent within six years. The three-wheeled vehicle, which uses a modified lavatory and a mobile laboratory for processing, can reach a maximum speed of 80kph.

If that wasn’t high-tech enough, the travelling toilet can also talk and write messages in the air using residual light imagery – just in case you feel the need to draw attention to yourself while on the can. It is currently being driven on a 1,000km-tour of Japan and is set to arrive in Tokyo on November 2. The tour includes a pit stop at a bum-shaped boulder in Nakatsu.

THE BIG LIST Fuel’s Gold

The future is safe – no longer do we need to rely on dirty, smelly fossil fuels when we can simply poo into our motorbike (see bottom left). Or, alternatively, we can use any of the following equally unusual energy sources. Diaper drive: Adult diapers – they’re more common than you think, especially in Japan where the average population is aging rapidly and the national output of used adult diapers has soared past the 5 billion per annum mark. Naturally, Japanese company Super Faiths has taken to pulverising and sterilising the used poo catchers, forming them into pellets that are suitable for fueling large biomass boilers. Useful urine: Proving that poo is not the only excrement capable of powering our energy needs, a team of British researchers is also working with urine as a medium, extracting the nitrogen, urea, chloride, potassium and bilirubin, and converting it to fuel. It’s already being trialled by NASA for use in space – remember that the next time you wish upon a shooting star. Booze bus: You’ve heard that drinking and driving doesn’t mix, but don’t tell Svensk Biogas AB. The Swedish biogas company has partnered with the Scandinavian nation’s customs service to process seized smuggled alcohol into fuel to power buses and trucks – even a train. People power: Power to the people? How about power from the people? A number of initiatives being pursued look to harness the kinetic energy created – and wasted – by groups of people performing energetic tasks. One project already in place in Tokyo, Japan, uses piezoelectric floor pads positioned where pedestrian commuters are more likely to tread: outside train stations and beneath ticket turnstiles, for instance. Patong’s ‘massage’ parlours could be next – we all know how much kinetic energy is ‘wasted’ there. Guts for glory: There’s a way to turn previously useless agricultural by-products into clear, clean, fuel oil – if, that is, you’ve got the guts. Turkey guts, in this case. The recipe may sound disgusting but it works: grind poultry heads, feathers and innards finely and mix with water, and heat to 260°C at 600 psi. Cook for about an hour, or until the complex polymers in the offal mix start to break down. A little distillation and what was once garbage is now as good as gold… albeit black sludgy turkey innards gold. Fart fuel: A single 550 kg cow produces 800 to 1,000 litres of methane emissions each day – and let’s be frank, by “emissions” we don’t mean evaporating sweat. Nope, it’s cow farts. Cow burps too; these multi-stomached ruminants emit copious clouds of methane from both ends. Methane is a much more reactive greenhouse gas compared to carbon dioxide, and unlike CO2, it burns fairly well. The only problem is devising a practical method of capturing these methane clouds. Caffeine hit: Next to oil, coffee is the most traded commodity on the planet. Unlike oil, coffee production and preparation creates a lot of waste. Now it seems that this so-called waste – coffee grounds in particular – can be put to good use as a fuel. Not only can the oil found in coffee grounds be used as biofuel, but the leftover grounds can be compacted and burnt as a pellet fuel. That means a cup of coffee may be able to kick start you motorbike and brain on a Monday morning. Biggest loser: Solving obesity and global warming – someone should give that guy a medal. Or maybe send him to jail – its difficult to decide. Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr Alan Bittner took things a bit too far when he admitted to running his Ford SUV on his patients’ liposuction fat. Unfortunately (for him) his commitment to recycling far from impressed authorities, who began an investigation into his practice. He later left the country to take up “volunteer work” in Brazil.

DOWNTIME 29

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011 BOOK

MUSIC

The Cat’s Table

High Flying Birds

The f inely wrought new novel from Michael Ondaatje (author of The English Patient, which won the Booker Prize and was an Academy Award-winning film; and Anil’s Ghost. Born in Sri Lanka, Ondaatje now lives in Toronto) chronicles a young boy’s passage from Sri Lanka to London on board the SS Oronsay, both as it unfolds and in hindsight. Glancing off the author’s own biography, the story follows 11-year-old Michael as he immerses himself in the hidden corners and relationships of a temporary floating world, overcoming its physical boundaries with the expanse of his imagination. The boy’s companions at the so-called Cat’s Table, where the ship’s unconnected strays dine together, become his friends and teachers, each leading him closer to the key that unlocks the Oronsay’s mystery decades later.

With his somewhat daring new album, Noel Gallagher has liberated himself from the shackles of Oasis and made the record he always intended to. At least that’s what his fans are hoping for. Unfortunately for Noel, he is always going to be compared to the Oasis records of past fame, and while this is a more enjoyable album than the band’s latter day catalogue, it’s unlikely that buskers will be swapping these tracks for the likes of ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’. Founding High Flying Birds on pretty much the same musical territory as his old band – where Liam’s snide yowl always wins out over Noel’s pedestrian voice – is the album’s critical flaw. Gallagher feels like he’s biding his time for the third act reunion rather than breaking from the well-trodden path. Interestingly, the same thing could be said about Liam’s Beady Eye project.

Michael Ondaatje Knopf, 288 pages

Noel Gallagher Sour Mash

FILM Dream House

92 minutes, Universal Rating: 15+ It might boast an impressive cast and a few twists and turns, but Dream House, ironically enough, needed a little work before being put on the market. The film stars Daniel Craig as a writer who settles into a quaint home with his wife (Rachel Weisz) and two daughters, only to learn that their house was the scene of a horrific crime five years earlier. When strange things start going bump in the night, Craig’s character starts to uncover a connection to the tragic murders and his neighbour (Naomi Watts). That’s about as much of the plot as can really be revealed, as this is a hard movie to review – or even describe – without revealing too many of its twists and turns (that is of course, unless you’ve already seen the trailer, which gives away most of them).

Technically-speaking, Dream House is visually sound and richly textured in its disparity between the warm hues of the family home and the harsh, snowridden world outside – or, at times, the grit and grime of

homes that have been overrun with rot and despair. The film’s cast is its principle strength though. Craig, Weisz and Watts are all skilled actors and keep a lot of the more ridiculous aspects of the story grounded in

believable performances. Craig – often stone-faced and grim, as is his way – even manages to display some warmth and smiles in his role as a loving father, though he gets ample time to stone-face it as well. Weisz is good as always, making her character stand out as a unique and fullyformed person, while Watts is given a harder task, playing a pivotal character that has to be balanced just right to be believable at all. She almost pulls of that impressive balancing act, but not quite. But there are also a truckload of logical flaws, and plot holes so wide they are nearly impossible not to fall into, reducing Dream House to a movie that is hard to get into – and stay into – despite the talented actors and director working to keep it grounded and engaging. –Dane Halpin

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

SFX COLISEUM PHUKET (CENTRAL FESTIVAL)

SFC JUNGCEYLON PHUKET (PATONG)

30+ Sode on Sale (T/E.SUB) [G]: 11:15, 12:15, 13:30, 14:45, 16:00, 17:15, 18:30, 19:45, 21:00, 22:15 Dream House (E) [15+]: 12:10, 14:15, 16:20, 18:25, 20:30, 22:30 Dream House (E/F) [15+]: 13:10, 15:15, 17:20, 19:25, 21:30 The Smurfs (E/3D) [G]: 11:30, 13:40, 15:50, 18:05, 20:15, 22:25 Top Secret Wai Roon Pun Laan (T/E.SUB) [15+]: 11:20, 12:40, 14:00, 15:20, 16:40, 18:00, 19:20, 20:40, 22:00

30+ Sode on Sale (T/E.SUB) [G]: 12:20, 14:45, 17:10, 19:35, 22:00 Dream House (E) [15+]: 12:00, 14:05, 16:10, 18:15, 20:20, 22:25 Friends with Benefits (E) [18+]: 13:30, 18:00, 20:15 The Sorcerer and the White Snake (T) [15+]: 12:45, 15:00, 17:15, 19:30, 21:45 The Three Musketeers (E) [15+]: 11:15, 15:45, 22:30 Top Secret Wai Roon Pun Laan (T/E.SUB) [15+]: 11:40, 14:20, 17:00, 19:40, 22:15

STRETCH YOUR BRAIN Across 1. Inert crabs scramble to rewrite (10). 6. Indian dish I make for artist. (4) 10. Gas mob – I have student. (5) 11. French rebel may love 2,000 and 1 in heart, maybe. (9) 12. Groom no saint for the French river. (6) 13. Having ambition, I take painkiller with note. (8) 15. Piece of film in mobile home. (7)

Solutions to last week’s puzzles

17. Bounce off Ann in study. (6) 20. United? Not quite undone. (6) 22. Plastic part of bird on part of floor (7) 26. Plants this shirt on Les. (8) 27. On the tip of the tongue, Al holds 12 points. (6) 30. Declaration is obvious to none. (9) 31. Knock out rodent in city. (5) 32. Used a horse in cowboy event, nearly. (4) 33. Equals take right form for actors. (10) Down 1. Two boys make drum. (3-3) 2. Judge rare bit badly. (7) 3. Five in successful pitch for ointment. (5) 4. Compete in swift water. (4) 5. Be inspiration to

bewilder. (6) 7. Cajun current commercial for Ian. (7) 8. In 501, gentleman is poor fellow. (8) 9. Contemplating cow. (8) 14. We, quietly, back into church seat. (3) 16. I make depression. If yes, give it a name. (8) 18. Practice with queen for client. (8)

19. Either way you look at it, it doesn’t work. (3) 21. Diluted skinny Edward. (7) 23. Crop from Swiss lake? (7) 24. Tenant minus a couple of points. (6) 25. Music makers for Champagne vessels. (6) 28. Mean fellow – fish, right? (5) 29. Bark texture. (4) www.thephuketnews.com

30 ENTERTAINMENT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

The other Ryan Dunn

Ryan Dunn, the star of TV show Jackass, died earlier this year in a high speed car crash. Contrary to popular belief, Ryan Dunn the Phuket radio DJ, is not the same person. This Ryan has instead made the journey over to Phuket in the last few weeks, leaving behind his job as an Executive Producer at SYN Media, a youth radio network in Melbourne, Australia. He is now fronting the breakfast programme on Live 89.5 FM, the newest addition to Phuket’s radio airwaves. “The idea is that people are hating life [early in the morning], so it’s my job to cheer them up,” he says. And he seems fairly well equipped to do just that. Ryan has worked previously in promotions for DMG Radio Australia and wrote and produced the comedic short film, Customer Service, which premiered at the 2011 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. But at only 24, he says turning his many talents to Phuket is a welcome opportunity. “I was doing bits and pieces in radio before, so having the chance to do my own show

is pretty cool. Plus being in Phuket just made it that bit more enticing.” The show itself, suitably named ‘The Breakfast Club’, will be “using the news as a context for entertainment. I hesitate to use the word comedy, because that’s too much pressure on me to be funny, so let’s just call it entertainment. “We’ll also have people calling in from all over the world doing segments.” Ryan will also be hosting ‘Sports Talk’ on Saturday mornings, which he says will balance local and international sports analysis with a touch of comedy (sorry, entertainment). But Ryan’s background has not always been about broadcasting – in fact, it’s been anything but. Ryan has completed a Bachelor Of Commerce (Honours), and did a brief stint in the finance industry, working in private wealth as well as completing Catch the other Ryan Dunn on the airwaves at Live 89.5FM. an internship as a business Ryan is also a former ■■ You can catch Ryan on journalist in Australia. He also recently worked semi-professional volleyball Live 89.5FM from 7am with Nickelodeon on the player, which means it won’t until 11am Monday to Friday Aust ralian K ids Choice be long before we see him with The Breakfast Club, Awards, and was the edi- on the beaches donning his and again from 9am to midtor of Upstart magazine, an very tight speedos. Then day on Saturday. You can online student publication at again, maybe that’s an image also stream his show live by La Trobe University. best saved for radio. visiting phuketliveradio.com.

IN BRIEF Former Malcom in the Middle star gets engaged

Frankie Muniz and now fiance Elycia Turnbow are engaged. The actor popped the question to his longtime girlfriend, who’s also his publicist, over the weekend. “After four years together, I’m just so happy to be ENGAGED to the love of my life @ElyciaMarie!!!” the for mer Malcolm in the Middle star, 25, tweeted.

Robin Williams marries again Robin Williams and his partner Susan Schneider were married at the luxurious Meadow Wood Resort in the Napa Valley town of St. Helena, California on Sunday. It’s the third marriage for the Good Morning Vietnam star, who finalised his divorce with second wife Marsha last year.

Winehouse death report ends up at wrong address Amy Winehouse’s official death report, containing both highly personal and confidential information, was mailed to a random stranger

instead of her family. It must have been quite a surprise for the London resident who, as far as anybody can tell, has no connection to the late singer, who died earlier this year. At least this stranger seems to have been an honest one – the material was turned in to a London police station. A spokesman for the Metropolitan police explained the mix-up, saying that the paperwork was simply delivered to the wrong address.

Lindsay Lohan to spread all for Playboy spread Lindsay Lohan is shooting nude photos for Playboy, according to TMZ, and she won’t be stripping for peanuts – the spread will earn her almost a million dollars. Sources apparently told TMZ the deal has been in the works for months, and that Lindsay balked at an initial $750,000 offer because she wanted the big million. Hugh Hefner’s famous company apparently came back to Lindsay with an offer still less than her asking price, but close enough for her to sign on the dotted line.

PETS

Pet of the Week

www.thephuketnews.com

Mark Tiddy, from Patong, is pictured with his Chihuahua, Mr Chips. He is three years old and was bought in Acapulco, Mexico. To be in the draw for the monthly Pet of the Week prize, send photos of your pet for publication in The Phuket News to editor1@thephuketnews.com

Tasting of Prestige Austrian Wines Experience truly precious and exceptional wines event 1 November 2011

EVENTS 31

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket in cooperation with the Austrian Embassy and an exclusive Austrian wine importers proudly presents an award winning Austrian wine-tasting Set al fresco in La Trattoria restaurant. Overlooking the Andaman sunset while enjoying impeccable wines from Austria, matched well with Austrian Hors D’Oeuvre. Our team will surely delight you throughout the evening.

WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET OCTOBER 30

List your events here for as low as B49 per line, or online for free at www.thephuketnews.com

For reservations, please call (0) 7636 2999 Ext. 7303 or E-mail: dtlpfb@dusit.com

NOVEMBER 26-27

NOVEMBER 5

The wine tasting commences at 7pm THB 600 ++ per person

Tasting of Prestige Austrian Wines Experience truly precious and exceptional wines event 1 November 2011

Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, 390 Moo 1, Srisoonthorn Road, Cherngtalay, Talang, Phuket 83110 Thailand

9th Phuket International Soccer 7s 2011

Tasting of Prestige Austrian Wines Experience truly precious and exceptional wines event

The one and only Phuket Soccer 7s will celebrate its ninth anniversary this year. Also with the 6th Andaman International Soccer 7s on December 3-4 there is a lot to look forward to this year. Register your team now on info@Thai7s.com, www.Thai7s.com.

NOVEMBER 5 The Thailand Property Awards 2011 TSLC Ironkids Training Race TSLC IronKids Phuket Training Race. A practice triathlon race for children ages six to 15 years old. Registration is at www. ironkidsphuket.com.

NOVEMBER 1-7

Now in their sixth year, the Thailand Property Awards are widely-recognised as a benchmark of excellence in the residential real estate industry. At Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok. Limited number of tickets still available at B5,000 per person or B50,000 per table. For more information and reservation, contact 02 662 5195, or info@thailandpro pertyawards.com.

NOVEMBER 10 NOVEMBERÊ1 STÊÐÊ7TH Ê 6.00ÊPMÊÐÊ10.00ÊPM.

Crab Festival 2011 Get in on some dinner and some crab -cracking fun. Pick up a bib and mallet and a basket brimming with the very best crabs. The price is B1,350 per person (exclusive of service charge and tax). At DiVine Restaurant, Thanyapura. Contact 076 336 000, Email: divine@than yapura.co.th.www.thanyapura.com.

NOVEMBER 4-5

BIS Phuket’s 10th International Football Tournament BIS Phuket is proud to host its 10th International 7-a-side Football Tournament on November 4 and 5 (Friday to Saturday) 2011. For more information visit their website at www.bisphuket.ac.th. Call 076 335 555.

Loi Krathong Festival Loi Krathong is one of the most beautiful festivals in Thailand. The event occurs on the full-moon night of the 12th lunar month. The festival originates from Sukhothai Province. Loy means to float and Krathong is a lotus-shaped boat made from banana leaves. The festival is of Brahmin origin to honour Mae Khongkha, the Mother Goddess of the Waters.

NOVEMBER 27

NOVEMBER 1 Tasting of Prestige Austrian Wines Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket in cooperation with the Austrian Embassy and an exclusive Austrian wine importers proudly presents an award winning Austrian wine-tasting Set al fresco in La Trattoria restaurant. Overlooking the Andaman sunset while enjoying impeccable wines from Austria, matched well with Austrian Hors D’Oeuvre. Our team will surely delight you throughout the evening.

Experience an exceptional wine event. Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket in cooperation The wine tasting and commences at 7pm Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket in cooperation with the Austrian Embassy with Embassy THB 600 ++ per personand an exclusive an exclusivethe AustrianAustrian wine importers proudly presents an award winning Austrian wine-tasting reservations, pleaseimporter call (0) 7636 2999 Ext. 7303 or E-mail: dtlpfb@dusit.com Austrian wine proudly presents an Set al fresco For in La Trattoria restaurant. Overlooking the Andaman sunset while enjoying impeccable wines from Austria, matched well with Austrian Hors D’Oeuvre. award-winning Austrian wine-tasting. Our team will surely delight you throughout the evening. Set al fresco in La Trattoria restaurant. The wine tasting commences at 7pm THB 600 ++ per person Overlooking the Andaman sunset while enjoyFor reservations, please call (0) 7636 2999 Ext. 7303 or E-mail: dtlpfb@dusit.com ing impeccable wines from Austria, matched well with Austrian hors d’oeuvre. Our team will delight you throughout the evening. 076 362 999 ext. 7303 Email: dtlpfb@ dusit.com. Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, 390 Moo 1, Srisoonthorn Road, Cherngtalay, Talang, Phuket 83110 Thailand

Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, 390 Moo 1, Srisoonthorn Road, Cherngtalay, Talang, Phuket 83110 Thailand

Laguna Phuket 2011 Double Triathlon Festival The Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) is on November 27 and Ironman 70.3 AsiaPacific Championship is on December 4. Hundreds of athletes from around the world will arrive for a week-long Tri-Fest of training and social events with top triathlon professionals, in the lush tropical surroundings of the beachfront Laguna Phuket resort.

Before people float their krathong, they make a wish.It is believed that the krathongs carry away sins and bad luck. Today it is simply also a time to have fun.

LPT involves a 1.8km swim; 55km bike ride and 12km run; Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship has a 1.9km swim; 90.1km bike ride and 21.1km run. Laguna Phuket is using the events to raise funds for its community project to give survival swim lessons to local youngsters. Online registrations at lagunaphukettriathlon.com and ironmanphuket.com.

NOVEMBER 17

DECEMBER 3

NOVEMBER 18-20 Foundations of Ashtanga Yoga Weekend Workshop at Thanyapura with Kimberly Roberts Learn or deepen your practice of Ashtanga yoga with Kimberly Roberts. The practice will be adjusted to the appropriate level for each student. No prior experience necessary. All levels of students are welcome. Non-residential: B3,300 per day. Residential 3 day/2 night packages include yoga, meals, access to fitness club, pool, and a complimentary spa massage. For reservations, please contact Khun Napapen, 076 336 000, ext. 3354. Email: napapen.k@thanyapura.co.th; thanyapura. co.th/yoga-retreat.

University & Higher Education Fair

  



U – BBA IGCSE andArt and IBChulalongkorn students please stop by  Design Academy Italy  Glion and Les Roches and talk to us about your future. Parents and Dusit Thani College  Success Canada     staff very welcome. From 12pm to 4.30pm.  Sino-British College    IDP – Australia Rangsit University   Venue: MTB Foyer.  HOC Info AVSS Studywiz 

Blue Mountain School of Hospitality  Please contact 555 ext. 1103. Nuffic NESO Thailand Netherlands076 Education335 Support Office See  Northumbria Stamford University www.bisphuket.ac.th. CP International Education University of San Francisco Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology Academy of Art, Thailand King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi

Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality SHML/ Swiss College of Hospitality Management Lenk

Mahidol University, Dept of Math

Kata Beach Resort & Spa

TSLC Ironkids Phuket Triathlon for kids 6-15 years old. Registration is open until November 27. More information and registration forms at ironkidsphuket.com.

DECEMBER 3-10 Phuket King’s Cup Regatta 2011 The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is Asia’s largest regatta comprising five days of competitive racing in the tropics, with six nights of some of the best regatta parties to be found anywhere. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the regatta regularly attracts over 100 boats and 1,000+ participants from all corners of the globe. The jewel in the crown of the Asian Yachting Circuit, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta has become “the one to win”. kingscup.com.

OCTOBER 29. 2011 12noon till 4:00 pm Buﬀet 299B free one Phuket beer, Beer drinking contest Open to Age 21 up MUSIC, FUN & EXCITEMENT LIVE BAND & DJ

Sponsored by

1 November 2011

In cooperation with

FEBRUARY 2-4 2012 Thailand 2012 Sport Fishing Tournament (Phuket). This is Thailand's largest-ever international sport fishing tournament. Prize monies totalling over B3,000,000 ($100,000 USD). Boats and teams are filling fast. For further information, please contact Warren Crowe on 081 270 4291 or email: info@rawaibeachfishingclub.com.

UNTIL DECEMBER TSLC Ironkids TSLC Ironkids Phuket Triathlon afterschool training sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3.45pm to 4.45pm. Open to all children from six to 15 years old. Priced at B350 per person. Tuesdays: Swim and bike and Thursdays: Bike and run. Pre-book sessions by email activities@thanyapura.co.th. Bikes available for rent at B100 per session. More info at www.ironkidsphuket.com. Asian Hospitality & Travel Show Be seen...

18TH - 20TH NOVEMBER 2011 @

LESS THAN 30% OF THE SPACE AVAILABLE. Phuket’s biggest ‘trade show’ for organisations whithin the Hospitality & Travel industry Hosted Buyer programme - buyers from Asia, Australia, India and more. For Exhibiting opportunities Contact: info@eventsthailand.net Mobile: 089 725 6994 www.eventsthailand.net

www.thephuketnews.com

32 EVENTS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

REGULAR EVENTS

List your events here for as low as B49 per line, or online for free at www.thephuketnews.com

FRIDAY BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat O nly B29 5 per per son at Shaker s. Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim. For reservations call on 081 891 4381.

Phuket Brasserie Eat, drink, look and party. Every Friday and Saturday from 10pm till late live band, Dj and dancers. All welcome. Call us on 076 210 511 for more information or look on our website: www.brasseriephuket.com. New on Monday : Russian Night with Russian Dj, Saxophone player and a special shooter menu + Special surprise act.

Best Sunday Carvery in Phuket

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

Sunday Brunch

THURSDAY

Enjoy the original Sunday brunch in Phuket at Twinpalms, Surin Beach. 123pm (from B1,190++ per person). Reservations please call 076 316 577.

Only B325 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Free pickup Patong and Kalim. Reservations 081 891 4381.

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Tapas Tree

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Near Peppers Bar Laguna. Buy- one -get-one-free cocktails. Resident DJ, ’70s to now. Great tapas. Please call 088 443 4166.

Half-Chicken Spit Roast

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

50% Off All Drinks From 10pm to midnight with live music, Roaring Bhoys. Every Friday. Irish Times Irish pub, Jungceylon, Patong.

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SATURDAY

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

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Colin Hill

O nly B2 25 per per son at Shaker s. Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim area. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

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

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Champagne Brunch at Trisara Ever y Sunday, the beachfront bar becomes a celebration of fine wines, exquisite tapas, live cooking stations and Phuket’s best dessert, featuring the cool sounds of a jazz trio. Come and indulge in Roederer Champagne or a wide variety of wines. Kids club welcome all children with complimentary snacks. Advance reservations recommended on 076 310 100 or guest@trisara.com.

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

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BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat

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

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

Champagne Brunch at Trisara

Half-Chicken Spit Roast

TUESDAY

Every Sunday, the beachfront bar becomes a celebration of fine wines, exquisite tapas, live cooking stations and Phuket’s best dessert, featuring the cool sounds of a jazz trio. Come and indulge in Roederer Champagne or a wide variety of wines. Kids club welcome all children with complimentary snacks. Advance reservations recommended on 076 310 100 or guest@trisara.com.

O nly B2 25 per per son at Shaker s. Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim area. Reservations c all 081 891 4381.

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TapasTree TapasTree (Near Peppers Bar Laguna). Resident DJ, ’70s to date. Great tapas. Contact 088 443 4166.

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AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM

O nly B2 25 per per son at Shaker s. Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim area. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

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

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All Major Sports Live

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

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www.thephuketnews.com

Half-Chicken Spit Roast

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

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Phuket’s one and only small batch handcraft beer. Happy hour daily from 4pm to 7pm. Draf t beer B110/pint, cock tails two for B220. Live music at 7.30pm onwards. Behind the ship, the port zone at Jungceylon. Call 076 3667 753.

BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat

Phuket Brasserie

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Brew Great Beer

................................................................................ O nly B29 5 per per son at Shaker s. Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim. Reservations call on 081 891 4381.

Alternate Fridays, all-you-can-eat authentic Indian curry buffet, B449 net per person. Draught beer B50. 7pm-11.30pm. Reservations please call 076 286 464.

From 10pm to midnight with live music, Roaring Bhoys. Every Friday. Irish Times Irish pub, Jungceylon, Patong.

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na from 7.30 -9pm. For more info on www.phuket-dance.com.

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

Curry Fridays at Navrang Mahal

50% Off All Drinks

wine, 50 per cent discount. Children under 12 eat for free. Call for reservations on 076 360 803.

20% off all Pizzas At Shakers. Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road, Pa t o n g . Fr e e p i c k u p Pa t o n g a n d Kalim areas. Reservations please call 081 891 4381.

SUNDAY Family Brunch on The Boardwalk Les Anges at RPM. From 11am to 3pm. B795++ adults, include one glass of house

BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat

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

DAILY Sam’s Steaks & Grill Patong’s finest steaks. Special offer: Caesar salad, fillet steak with you choice of sauce and a glass of Shiraz or Cabernet. Only B999++ per person. Reservations pleasecall on 076 370 200.

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Charm Thai Don’t leave Phuket before you’ve tried our lobster. Serves a daily selection of great value Thai sets for two. From B599++ - B699 ++ per person or simply tr y wonder ful creations of amazing Thai cuisine by Chef Wisuth. Call 076 370 200.

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

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Grizzly’s Sports Bar & Restaurant Watch all the sport that is on TV this weekend with us. Located bet ween Loc h Palm G olf C our se and Kathu Waterfall. Call 087 471 8747.

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

Rotary Club of Patong Beach

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Weekly meeting in English. Dinner out on first Tuesday of the month. rotarypatong. org.

3-Hour Happy Hour

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

WEDNESDAY Interactive Pub Q uiz night. St ar ts from 8 pm ever y Wednesday night. The largest selection of draught beer in Phuket. Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

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Salsa Class At RPM Salsa c lass at Royal Phuket M ar i -

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

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Duke’s Sports Bar at Kata Watch your favourite sports and enjoy a cold beer at the best little sports bar in Phuket. Special “drink of the day” B110, all day - every day. Visit our website at www.dukesbigboard.com.

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Peppers Quiz Night Peppers Sports Bar. Daily happy hour, great food, full English breakfast. Open from 8.30am. All sports shown. Laguna area. Please call 088 443 4166.

JOBS 33

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

VACANCIES IN PHUKET Sales Executive

- Male/Female, 25 - 35 years. -Bachelor’s degree or higher in marketing or related field. Thai nationality with an excellent command of written and spoken in English. (Be ing able to speak French is an advantage). -At least two years sales experience in Phuket’s real estate field. -Detail-oriented, highly -organised, multitasking capacity. -Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point etc.) -Requires an energetic strategically-focused and creative sales achiever who enjoys the latitude of working independently and effectively using their time-management skills. -Highly-motivated and well-presented. -Having own car and valid driving licence. Pl e a s e s e n d CV and expected salary to kate@century21a n d a m a n .c o m . C e n tury 21 Andaman Ltd. Mobile: 080 696 2064.

Sales Job Available at MAGpal MAGpal imports interna-

tional magazines for rent. We provided rental service of 1000++ titles of magazines from all over the world. Please visit our website w w w.magpalthailand.com. Job available: Sales representative. English f l u e n c y, e n t h u s i a s m , sales skills, punctual, responsible. karita@mag palthailand.com.

Travelling Salesman Sale represent ative available to travel around Thailand for our range of fast-moving consumer products. Thai national, English-speaking, computer skills, driving licence and proven experience of sales to minimart, supermarket. We already have more than 500 customers in Thailand. Salary B15K plus commission. Contact via email skgf@skgf.asia.

Driver

PEXGO Courier requires driver for pick up and deliveries in Phuket. Must be able to work at night. Must speak some English, basic use of computer. Contact Meaw on 076 322 663 or email phuket@pexgo.com.

To advertise here visit: www.thephuketnews.com shell@atsumihealing.com.

Hotel Receptionist Required

English-speaking Thai national with good computer skills required for reception, restaurant and bar work in Kamala. Salary and hours negotiable based on experience. To apply phone 086 941 8880 or send CV to phil@royalembas syresortphuket.com.

Native English Speaking Teacher Need native English -speaking teacher with ability to speak, read and write Thai. Call Robin on 081 803 7189.

PA to GM Wanted Pe r s o n a l a s s i s t a n t t o general manager of trading company in Kamala. Only Thai national, must speak English 100% and have driving licence. Salar y star t at B25,000 per month. Send resume to email only giovanni@skgf.asia.

Waitress Needed

One position available. Very good money. Patong area, night time work, good s alar y,t ips,c o mmi si o n and a m e a l d a i l y. D y namic and f r i endly team. English necessary. Nice presence preferred. carlopatong@gmail.com.

Health Consultant www.atsumihealing.com is seeking a Thai national to join our detox team. Excellent English required.

Sales Assistant Urgently Needed Fluent in spoken and written English,assist man-

ager on a daily basis dealing with clients & office duties,effective interpersonal skills, creative and result-oriented. Experience in interior design will be advan tage. Good compensation to the right candidate. Send CV to abfabsales@ gmail.com.

816 0126 or info@food servicesth.com.

going personality. Salary

Office Boy

Contact Phuket Pool Ta-

Office boy for company in Kamala with driving licence for deliveries in Phuket, must speak some English. Only Thai national. salary B12,000 per month. Call 076 322 663.

Thai Teacher & Nanny Wanted

Thai Staff Wanted

Two Thai staff wanted for new sandwich shop “Delicious” in Patong. B10,000 per month. Contact ram bomuis@hotmail.com or call 083 738 7139.

Waitress/Waiter and Receptionist

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

Accountant Wanted Accountant wanted for cooking school and food services business. Thai national. Call 082

Thai teacher and nanny for children aged 18 months to three years, must possess good English skills, able to work as a team with other staff members, enthusiastic, energetic and a genuine love of children is a must. Please send your CV to info@cravensnurs eryphuket.com.

Thai Housemaid Wanted Live in. B9,000 per month. Cherng Talay area. Contact 085 790 2241.

Sales Staff for Cherng Talay Good English, positive attitude, good in sales, out-

We are currently seeking To handle:

- PR and marketing of our publications & radio station - Identifying sponsorship opportunities & liaising with event organizers - General marketing & PR projects - Building relationships with government and private companies

bles 085 782 1200.

Looking for a Team-Member

Sea B ee s D iving is looking for a reliable and responsible person (Western or Thai) for our Office in Chalong. Applicants need to be completely fluent in English and other languages (German preferred) with good communication, sales skills and willing to work in a highly-professional & diverse team. Flexible, able to work under pressure and being serviceorientated is a must. This position is for a long-term & full-time contract.Please send your CV & photo to: of fice@sea-bees.com.

CAD Technician

The Phuket News is looking to add to its ever growing team of professionals and seeks: Sales Representatives Qualifications:

- Thai or Expat. - Excellent communication and negotiation skills in Thai and English. - Highly motivated self-starter with a positive attitude. - Works well under pressure and has a will to succeed.

Class Act Media publishes The Phuket News - Phuket’s leading English language newspaper. We will also soon be launching Phuket’s most vibrant and coolest English language Radio station – Live 89.5 FM

B12,000 plus commission.

We offer:  Competitive

salary, bonuses and travel expenses. friendly work environment.  Social security paid by the company.  Excellent career progress opportunities. A

Please email full resume in English indicating expected salary with recent photo to

adminmgr@thephuketnews.com or call 076 6212 550-2 for mor info.

To work in new office Phuket. Proficient in AutoCAD (2004 or higher) for 2D drawing. Experience of 3D AutoCAD, Google SketchUp, Adobe Photoshop or Adobe InDesign would be a bonus. Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook. Thai national, good s p o ke n a n d w r i t t e n English, send CV indicating qualifications and experience, expected salary and recent photo to: david@yes.co.th. V i s i t w w w. s o u n d ideas.co.uk to see the type of work we do.

Applicants must have: - Excellent personal relationship skills - Excellent command of English and Thai (written & spoken) - Experience in PR/Marketing in print media or radio would be an advantage but is not essential - Lived in Phuket for at least two years - Own car

We offer:

- Competitive salary & bonuses depending on experience - Monday - Friday (8.30 am – 6 pm) - Friendly work environment - Excellent job progress opportunity and job security

Interested applicants are invited to apply by sending a full resumé in English with a recent photo & expected salary to: Class Act Media Co., Ltd. 99/7, Moo 1, T. Kathu, Phuket 83120 Tel: 076 612 550-2 Fax: 076 612 553 E-mail: info@thephuketnews.com

www.thephuketnews.com www.thephuketnews.com

34 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

BUY & SELL IN PHUKET

To advertise in our classifieds visit: www.thephuketnews.com discretion guaranteed. Contact thai landall.tech.investment@ gmail.com. Call 081 080 0265 Pascal.

35ft Bayliner Flagship: Twin 260 HP Mekcruisers, fully loaded with Aircon. sound system, T V/ DVD, vacuum toilet, premium Navigation, coffee machine, full bimini enclosure, gas oven, blue hull. A bargain at B3.99 million. Contact eddyelan@ yahoo.com, 089 971 0278.

Propul sion Engine: Vetus 52 Horsepower diesel marine engine four cylinder turbo. Heat exchange cooling. Brand new, five year warranty. B349,990 plus VAT. Contact 076 239 112, www.electricalmarine.com.

BOATS & YACHTS SPEED BOAT FOR S A L E : N a m e:“ B & B BOAT ”.Building: Pattaya,Thailand.Length: 27 Ft. Year: 2007 Hull GPR: Fiberglass. MAX Capacity: 10 Person’s. MAX Velocity: 35 Knot’s. Marine MP3 stereo player. Shower. Two places for trolling ENGINE: Honda four stroke.Power: 225 H.P. Model: BF 225 A6. PRICE: From B760,000. CONTACT: Mobile 087 518 1347 Mr.Stan. E-mail: sss_ box01@yahoo.com.

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

Kamala Bar for Sale: Large bar on main road, with separate bedroom and toilet, pool table, furn. stock, 3 FS TVs. Good takings. Owner returning to Australia. B900k ono. Contact Chompoo on 084 844 3504 or 087 898 0508.

GROUND FLOOR MLM OPENING!: Wonderful opportunity...right place, right time. Looking for a motivated, energetic, experienced networker for a once in a lifetime opportunity! Help me build USA #1 Nutritional MLM company opening in Thailand very soon. Must speak English & Thai. If you are interested in making money and improving your life, then please pay careful attention to this! I have 25 years experience in mentoring and encouraging individuals for success. Email: ronmac2810@gmail. com. Do IT!

Laundry To Let: Lease B220,000 plus B8,500 monthly rent. Pisitkoranee Road, Patong. Fully-furnished. Contact Khun Lek, call 089 232 9807.

SERVICES

Business Opportunities: Factory company Hon-

Please contact 085 654 2244.

CARS FOR RENT A1 Car Rentals: Fully insured start B12,000 to B18,000 per month. Please call 089 831 4703. Email for more info: a1car rent@ gmail.com.

FOR SALE Mazda Familia: Pick-up Manual Excellent condition, engine rebuilt, brakes, battery, body and paint excellent. Must see. Price B85,000. Mobile 086 270 5462.

Farang Food Paradise: Your specialist of imported food and drinks in Phuket. Visit our shop at the Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco Lotus. Contact 076 612 733, 076 248 900. Fax 076 612 734. And now new branch in Samui. See our website phuketfood.com.

Phuket Consult Services: Insurance, personal assistance, legal assistance, police and emergency assistance, propety management sales and rentals, company registration, visa and work permit and accounting. 081 691 9679.

Kiddies Home Nursery: Award for top Nursery

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

www.thephuketnews.com

and diving trips. Boat charter and individual tours. www.dive -paradise.com. es and diving trips. Boat

EDUCATION

Dos & Don’ts of Thai Culture: Learn Thai and Thai culture that is necessary for enjoying life in Thailand. Group classes three days per week learning about the real dos and don’ts of Thailand. Free English-Thai dictionary for the first 10 students for enrolments until October 20, 2011. The Genius Language School, c 089 203 9270 (Aooddy). Visit www. thegeniuslanguageschool. net.

Native German Teacher: Native German TEFL

dren 18 months to six years old with experienced native English teachers following the UK EYFS curriculum. 089 971 1813.

teacher is teaching German and English to single students at home or small groups in C h a l o n g . C o n t a c t (G e rman/English) 080 778 1220, (Thai)081 810 9115.

COMPUTERS English Computer man: Sales (New and Used), Service and Repairs, WLAN a speciality. Free telephone advice.

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

SK A L I nt e r na t i onal Phuket: Skål is a profes-

Indo Construction: 40

Singapore Club Phuket:

tion, renovation, electric, metal work, wood work, shop fitting.

Diving Asia: All courses

ABC International Nursery: Education for chil-

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

Green House: Construc-

PADI 5 Star Centre. Half day, daytrips, live-aboards and diver education. Phuket’s only dive club! Contact 076 284 026. All 4 Diving 5/4 Sawatdirak Road, Patong Beach. For more info call 076 344 611. only dive club! Contact 076 284 026. All

CHILD CARE

Tile It: Thalang. Wana Park

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

Phuket Scuba Club:

Toyota Pickup 4: Turbo diesel auto. 148,130 km, year 1992. Price B195,000. Call 089 822 7547 (Thai and English).

Buds Nursery: Phuket’s oldest bi-lingual international child care facility. High quality time proven schedule and curriculum. Experienced native English teachers to teach ages 1½ -6. Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. Bus service available. 076 282 232.

gkong realize transfer money all in Asia Euro, Dollar security

tours. www.dive -paradise. com.

sional organisation of leaders from all branches of the travel and tourism industry. See www.skalphuket.org.

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

DIVING Paradise Diving Asia:

All courses and diving trips. Boat charter and individual

Learn Thai at Home: Thai woman teacher with 8-9 years’ experience gives Thai and English lessons for company/hotel staff and Thai cooking at your home. Full course with conversation practise and home study material. Both at beginner and more advanced levels. Call 081 797 1497 or Email teacherjoy _phuket@ hotmail.com.

Guitar Lesson By Pro Player: Guitar/bass lessons

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

TTT Language School Chalong: Ministry of Education ED Visa - Learn Thai TEFL/TESOL Teacher Training. Stay in Thailand! FREE English test! Many languages with Native Teachers. Teacher Training. Stay in Thailand! FREE English test! www. ttttefl.com, info@ttt-tefl.com Contact 076 280 869 087 467 8719

CLASSIFIEDS/PROPERTY 35

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

BUY & SELL IN PHUKET ITEMS FOR SALE Leaving Items for Sale: Last 2 items for sale: LG DVD receiver system Home Theatre. New condition, old price B15,000 now B8,000 only. Philips DVD player. Old price B8,000 now B4,000 only. With excellent condition. Contact 083 645 5321(Nataliya) Russian and English speaking, or Email: natadubai@inbox.ru.

Phuket Visa: Offers consulting and services on company registration, work permit, visa, accounting, auditor, legal advic e. Please c all 081 892 9960.

K a t a H o t Yo g a: T h e most popular Yoga for men and women in Phuket. Four classes every day. Kata yoga, it works! www.katahotyoga. com, Contact 076 605 950.

To advertise in our classifieds visit: www.thephuketnews.com

Rhodesian Ridgeback Pupies: First time in Thai-

FOR SALE

land. Last two puppies left. Pedigree parent dogs from champions of Europe.

Gorgeous Beachfront Land: With or without House

CARE 8/28–29 Moo 9, Chaofah East Road. Contact 076 283 365, 083 501 8488.

POOL TABLES

FOR RENT

Pool Tables and Classic Football: Two Pool Tables 2.4 x 1.35 x .82 High. Both as new and little used. Cover, full set of cues, pool balls and snooker balls with each. Cost new B65,000.

Short- and long-term available, no scams, honest good value. Free delivery for hires over one week. Call 087 188 9047.

FOR SALE

Honda CB 750 Chopper for Sale: Recently had major overhaul and re-spray black, kick and electric start. This bike is a real head tur ne r. N i c e and loud. Has green book so all legal. Get ready for Bike Week 2012. Only B9 5,0 0 0. Call 0 87 267 8602.

H o n d a Cl i c k: H o n d a Click excellent condition only 8,000km B32,000. Patong, 088 440 9324. Southern Big Bike Chopper Shop: All your chopper needs. Located on the hill before Safari heading south from Patong. Get ready for Bike Week 2012. Please contact 076 292 079 or Khun Bang on 087 382 2494.

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

Southern Big Bike Chopper Shop: All your chopper needs. Located on the hill before Safari heading south from Patong. Get ready for Bike Week 2012. Please contact 076 292 079 or Khun Bang on 087 382 2494.

Price B30,000 Each. Football Classic Game 1.5 x .76 x .97 High. Up to six players. Also little used cost new B55,000. Price B25,000. Call English 080 409 1898 Thai 081 538 0685.

Live Music By Colin Hill: Popular expat pro musician (guitar/vocals) with work permit. Can perform solo, duo or band. www.play-guitar.net, please call on 089 777 3063.

American Health Clinic:

PROPERTY

Bon Café Phuket: A producer of premium coffee blends and powdered mixes as well as selling, maintaining, servicing and repairing all major brands. 076 355 600-1.

Havana Cigar Shop: Opposite HomePro Village Chalong. Khun Vasanh 081 956 2024. vinoltds@hotmail. com.

Atmanjai: World’s best natural health programmes to improve health, reduce stress, weight loss, detox, rejuvenation, vitality and overcome disease. www.atmanjai.com. 081 272 0571.

PETS

PERSONAL

FOR SALE

SERVICES

Why buy a pet?: Soi Dog

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

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

patong. brand new fullyfurnished, one bedroom, balc ony, 20 0 metres to Jungceylon shopping. Huge pool and gym. 24h our se c ur it y. B2 2,0 0 0 per month, long-term required. Enquire to mark louisw@hotmail.com.

R AWAI BE ACHFRONT HOUSE: Please call for more info on 089 649 9939.

Luxury Villa Rawai-Naiharn Beach: For long-term rent. Four bedrooms, four bathrooms, maid rooms, big swimming pool. B40,000 per month. Minimum one year. Contact 081 397 1835.

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

Chalong Land: Land in Chalong. 15 rai of gently sloping land, with full Chanote, near Chalong temple. Sea views from top of land. Good road access and electricity. Perfect for development. Only B5 million per rai. Contact Peter on 089 652 1951 or email phuket.pn@gmail.com.

5 Minutes From Laguna!: For sale or rent (short Luxur y Five Bedroom: Luxur y five

WEBSITE Selling Your Property?

Techworx: Custom design & installation. Professional service and support. Premium service: home cinema, home automation, marine AV and IT, lighting control and multiroom audio-video. Call 084 443 9863.

Beautiful New Condo in Patong: ART@

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

Chiropractic spinal adjustment with an experienced chiropractor can take away the pain almost as quickly as it began. Call 076 612 707, 080 530 3376.

Perfect Land for Villa:

Chaofah Pet Hospital:

MOTORBIKES Honda Click for Rent:

in very quiet, well maintained, save Bungalow-Village on Ko Siboya, Krabi for sale. www. sackenheim.net.

For more information, please call Elena on 089 8712744.

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

FOR RENT Townhouse for Rent Ao Makham: Newly-renovated. 2 bedrooms, parking. B8,000 per month, minimum 6 months. Please call 081 895 4318 (Thai). Email: wapeebow@gmail.com.

Super Pool Villas: Low

Houses for Rent Long Term: Chalong, very private with mountain views, two bedrooms, kitchen, fully-furnished, Sat TV, ADSL, UBC and common swimming pool. Contact 089 724 3669.

bedrooms all with ensuite, pool villa set in large garden 1.2 rai huge 472 sq metre living area near Laguna,. Fully-furnished from Island Furniture with modern European kitchen, movie room, kids room or office phone line and WiFi, cable TV and maid room. Asking B20 million for sale, or B90,000 per month rental. Please call 081 597 6911. Email: niny@ electricalmarine.com.

and long-term). Four bedroom. Family pool home. 1,000sq metre land, 330sq metre built-up area. Agents welcome. Contact for details. (Thai) 087 418 5924 (English) 089 875 9609, claudebaltes@gmail.com.

Luxury Condo Central Kathu: For sale or rent. Two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. Guest toilet. Total 161212sq metre. Very nice view, large balcony, common facilities pool/gym. 086 268 7901 (English), martin@pertinax. asia.

Write your classified advertisement Heading ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......

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rates, monthly and weekly. Near Laguna. Villas have everything. Call 089 594 4067.

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townhouse, just a few minutes to Karon Beach. B25,000 per month, long term rent required. Call 081 396 0880.

One Bedroom House, Kata: Fully-furnished, one bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, terrace, WiFi and cable TV. Price B9,000 per month. Located in Kata.081 606 2827.

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Box B100

Colour Background B100

Colour Headline B100

Colour Picture B197

50% discount until 30 October 2011 ONLY B49 per line. Deadline: Monday 12Noon for that Friday’s issue

Please hand this form to our office or Fax to: 076 612 553 www.thephuketnews.com

36 PROPERTY

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

HOMES IN PHUKET PROPERTY FOR SALE

JINDARIN BEACH CLUB & RESORT

To advertise in our classifieds visit: www.thephuketnews.com Phuket Paradise Property

Private Pool Villa In Centre of Nai Harn

Kata – Sea View Apartment

Cozy Villa Near Kata Beach

House for Sale in Baan Suan Lochpalm: Secure spacious family home 4 beds 4 baths lovely garden 10 minutes to golf clubs asking B18.2 million. Fully furnished. B17.5 unfurnished. Contact Jen on 083 967 5777 Thai/English.

L AND FOR SALE R AWA I: Soi Saliga, Rawai. 1,908 sqm, clean ready to build, Chanote Title. Next to Eva Beach and Palm House School. Sell by owner. 084 745 4132.

Nice Garden Villa in Nai Harn

Oceanfront Eco Resort on Coconut Island (Three minutes off shore from Phuket). Private Pier, Private Boat Taxi, Beach, Beach Pool, Spa, Sunset Restaurant, Elegant Cottages. Coconut Island is only 20 minutes from Central Festival shopping. Plots start at B1.5 million cottage and plot start at B3 million. Hurry... 26 Plots already sold. Call 083 520 0020 or 076 238 732 Web: www.jindarin. com.

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

33 rai land upon hill with seaview. Very easy access from road. B5 million per rai. Contact for details on 081 895 4318(Thai). Email: wapeebow@gmail.c om.

TYPE: Condo

1.Valuation.

BEDROOM: 2 PRICE: 9.9m. THB

2.List your property. 3.Sale. -Promotional booths with

TYPE: Villa BEDROOM: 2 REF.: MS-003

fully trained staff through out Phuket. -Five International offices supplying customers direct. -Nine sales staff all

Seaview Land AoMakham for Sale:

PRICE: 9.9m. THB

3 Steps to Re-sale

Stunning two bedrooms villa with big pool. Big modern kitchen and living room. 2 minutes walk from Tesco Lotus Express. Call 083 595 6733. Visit us at www. PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

nationalities. “Phuket Paradise Property”

3 Bedroom Pool Villa in Rawai

REF.: AB-001 Modern furnished two bedroom. Apartment in Kata. Western kitchen. Balcony on 21 sq metre with sea view. Two big c ommon po ols. Please c all 083 595 6733. Visit us at www. PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

Rawai Two bedroom on 180 Sqm. With Sea View now 3.0 million

Price : 5.7 m. THB Type: Villa Bedroom : 2 Ref. : MS-008 Cozy villa near Kata Beach. Huge living room with open kitchen. Extra outdoor kitchen. Two large bedrooms. The villa is located within walking distance from Kata Beach. Contact 083 595 6733. Visit us at www. PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

Villa 300 metres from Kata Beach

A Step In The Right Resale Direction. Visit our website www.

Nice One Rai Chalong B7m: 200 metre off main road. In great location. Full Chanote title. Contact for more details on 089 651 3479.

PhuketParadiseProperty. com. Please contact 083 595 6733.

PRICE: 3.0m. THB Price : 9.5 m. THB

TYPE: Condo

Type: Villa

BEDROOM: 2

Bedroom : 3

REF.: MS-006

Ref. : JP-005

TYPE: Villa

Big living room and kitchen. Two bedroom and bathroom. Two minutes walk to the beach. Common pool. Call 083 595 6733. www. PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

BEDROOM: 2

Property is directly opposite Suksan Villa. Has electric gates to off road parking for one, possibly two, cars. The garden around the villa is mature and decorative. The house has a large lounge area directly overlooking the 8x4 metre pool. There are two large bedrooms. The master bedroom has a shower and large decor, bath, and both have pool view. Third bedroom is slightly smaller with a double bed and fitted wardrobes. This property has a European fitted kitchen and dining area . Please contact 083 595 6733. Visit us at www. PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

3 Bedroom Pool Villa in Chalong

PRICE: 9.9m. THB

REF.: JP-001 Fantastic oppor tunity in the heart of Kata Phuket, Detached family home set on its own plot of fering convenient access to Kata beach 300 mtrs away and all surrounding facilities. Call 083 595 6733. www. PhuketParadiseProperty. com.

New Price 2.5 m Apartment With Seaview in Rawai

Price : 5.8 m. THB Type: Villa Bedroom : 3

Sunset Plaza in Kata Two Bedroom with Seaview

PRICE: 8.3m. THB TYPE: Condo

Ref. : MS-009 Cozy pool villa near Chalong circle. The villa has a very large living room with view over the large garden. There is direct access from living room to the swimming pool. Three large bedrooms and bathrooms. The villa is situated on a closed road. Close to beach and Phuket Town. Call 083 595 6733. www.PhuketParadiseProperty.com.

PRICE: 2.5m. THB TYPE: Condo BEDROOM: 1 REF.: MS-002 Modern one bedroom apartment. With pool. New kitchen. Bathroom with spa. Big living room and balcony. Fully-furnished. Contact 083 595 6733. Visit us at www.PhuketParadiseProperty.com.

BEDROOM: 2 REF.: AB-002 Modern furnished two bedroom. Apartment in Kata. Western kitchen. Balcony with sea view. Two big common pools. Call 083 595 6733. Visit us at www. PhuketParadiseProperty. com. www.thephuketnews.com

Singapore Property for Sale: Luxury property of Singapore for rent sale. Help with loan from 1% per year. Russian speaking. Call +65 9144 0268. www.sourceinvestsing.com.

WANTED Villa for Rent Wanted: 3 or 4 bedroom villa for rent in Cherng Talay area or near. With pool or without pool, furnished and garden preferred. Contact Nataliya on 083 645 5321.

SERVICES 37

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

TRADES IN PHUKET

To advertise in our classifieds visit: www.thephuketnews.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT

COURIER

HOME IMPROVEMENT

REMOVALS

HOME IMPROVEMENT

STORAGE

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

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Reserve Your Storage Space

Call 076 29 29 09

or visit mystorageasia.com

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

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

www.thephuketnews.com

ISLANDSPORT 39

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

TrueVisions backs IronKids Patong CC draws blood as official sponsor for 2011 first in league TRIATHLON

Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club (TSLC) has engaged Thailand’s leading cable satellite operator TrueVisions as the official sponsor for its second 2011 IronKids Phuket Triathlon event. TrueVisions will feature special footage of the previous IronKids race throughout November in the lead up to the IronKids competition on December 3. To have access to the widespread audience that tunes into TrueVision is a broadcasting coup for TSLC, which hopes to build on the success of the first IronKids Phuket held in April this year. The inaugural event attracted 113 children from Phuket, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Malaysia, and TSLC hopes TrueVisions’ sponsorship will help that number increase significantly. Forming part of the Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest along with the 18th Laguna Phuket Triathlon on November 27 and the second Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship on December 4, the Ironkids

CRICKET

Mia O’Leary crosses the line to take first place in the junior female category at the inaugural IronKids event in April. Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club hopes the new partnership will encourage more children to take part in December. Phuket Triathlon demonstrates TSLC’s dedication to cater for active families. The two major triathlons of varied distances for adults and the IronKids race for children, plus a line-up of smaller triathlon-related competitions, training camps, social activi-

ties and retail options, means entire families can be involved in sporting activities together. In addition to the children’s triathlon, TSLC will launch its IronKids Phuket School Cup during the event, which will be presented by The Phuket News. Each school enters their

fastest six participants and points will be calculated from the children’s finishing places within their age category; the school with the highest number of top-six finishers takes home the cup. I r on m a n lege nd a nd world champion triathlete

Jürgen Zack is back at TSLC and is continuing training sessions with adults and children at the Thanyapura Triathlon Academy. Detailed infor mation on training schedules and prices can be found at the website: ironkidsphuket.com.

Delighted to be in the black The Phuket News’ Sports Editor Dan Ogunshakin donned his All Black Sunday best and joined members and friends of the newly-established Kiwiana group at The Lounge Bar in Bang Tao for last Sunday’s Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and France. After a tension-filled 80 minutes the Kiwiana members were finally able to relax and smile when referee Craig Joubert blew for full time to seal the All Blacks’ second World Cup win.

FIVB volleyball tournament is still on The Phuket Thailand Open powered by PTT, the last stop on t he 2011 FI V B Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour, is still going ahead on the sand in Karon from November 1 to 6, organisers confirmed last week. Tournament director Geoffrey Rowe advised that despite the adverse conditions affecting many parts of the

country, very few teams have withdrawn from the tournament, and that the traditional powerhouses of the sport, Australia, Austria, Brazil, China, Greece, Great Britain, Japan, Russia, Netherlands and the USA, have all confirmed their flights and their hotel bookings. Early arrivals are set to include the current world

VOLLEYBALL

champions and world number one ranked team of Juliana Felisberta and Larissa França, who are hoping to be the first Brazilian team to finish on top of the podium in Phuket. In addition to the main competition, the Phuket Thailand Open powered by PTT is also providing the opportunity for

Thai youngsters to learn about and get involved in the sport. PTT Public Co Ltd is organising a beach volleyball clinic for kids from around the country to learn the basic skill and techniques of the game on Saturday November 5. They are also staging the PTT School Cup on finals weekend, where teams from Phuket-based schools will

compete against one another. O t he r at t r a c t io n s at the tournament include a large sponsor activity zone featuring booths; a beer garden; plus games and competitions for beach volleyball fans of all ages. Admission to the tournament is free for the public. ■■ For more information, visit pentanglepromotions.com.

Patong and Laguna, last season’s Island Furniture League 35-over and Twenty20 champions respectively, met in a pre-season friendly T20 match last Sunday (October 23) at Cherng Talay School, with the former emerging as narrow winners in the final over of the match thanks largely to an unbeaten 45 by South African Anthony Van Blerk. Both sides were missing some of their regular players due to the holiday weekend, but a close match was anticipated, as is usually the case when these two rivals meet on the field. Laguna went into bat first with Lijo Hose and Val Guiraud as opening pair. They looked very much in control until Guiraud popped one up in the air and was caught on 18. Sami Ullah then provided some good support with 19 as Lijo went onto to make an unbeaten 33 before retiring to the pavilion to pave the way for some of the other Laguna players to get in some muchneeded batting practice. Rishor looked dangerous for Patong with some good fast-medium bowling, picking up three wickets, while Mike Feroz also took a couple of quick wickets. Laguna managed to see out their full allocation of 20 overs and finished with a respectable 137. The Patong innings was opened by Vicky and Dean Noble, but Laguna speedsters Sami and Guiraud soon saw the pair back in the pavilion. The loss of two quick wickets might have left lesser teams reeling, but the Patong ship was steadied by a good partnership by Dave Thomas (28) and Anthony Van Blerk, the latter cheekily dispatching Lijo back over his head for a towering six f rom the first ball he faced. Despite that setback, Lijo finally got his reward when Thomas was caught at backward point by Laguna captain Stuart Reading. Rishor and Richie Desmond were next to go, giving Laguna a sniff of landing a psychological blow ahead of t he new sea son , but Patong skipper Richard Folds (21 not out) and Van Blerk had other ideas. It was fitting that Van Blerk dispatched the winning runs in the final over to finish on 45 not out and set his side up nicely for the season. www.thephuketnews.com

40 ISLANDSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Kiteboarding to make debut in 2011 King’s Cup To mark the 25th anniversary of the Phuket King’s Cup, one of the region’s most prestigious sailing events, the Kiteboard Tour Asia (KTA) will host an invitation-only event at this year’s regatta. As many as 20 riders are expected to take part in this exhibition event, with a roster made up of a mix of talented Asian kiteboarders and international pro riders from the World Tour. The high-class field is set to feature the likes of Narapichit “Yo” Pudla, the two-time Asian champion from Thailand; Aya Oshima, two-time Asia Freestyle/Race champion and two-time Japanese Freestyle champion; Ken Nacor, Philippines champion and Asia

KING’S CUP number two; 2008 Beijing Olympics windsurfing silver medallist Ho Chi Ho from Hong Kong; Turkish KTA Champion Taner Aykurt; and Kathryn Bogwardt, 2010 and 2011 KTA Ladies Champion. The sport already has a strong following in parts of Thailand; Hua Hin has played host to the international tour for the last two seasons, and Pranburi is the venue for the Thailand stop on the Kiteboard Tour Asia. Willy Kerr, KTA tour director, said, “This year’s Phuket King’s Cup Regatta will feature a thrilling KTA race event which will be a unique addition to the Phuket King’s Cup.

“There is a growing interest in the sport across much of Southeast Asia and we’re very excited to be able to bring this spectacle to people who may not be familiar with the stylish, cool fun of the professional kiteboarding scene.” Kevin Whitcraft, president of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising Committee, added, “We’re delighted to welcome an exhibition event by the KTA at this year’s Phuket King’s Cup. “This is a bold step for us in terms of broadening the King’s Cup Regatta and we hope this new element will appeal strongly to kiteboarding enthusiasts and a younger sailing audience. “Kiteboarding continues

to grow in popularity in Asia, and Thailand offers accessible and exciting opportunities for anyone who wishes to see pro kiteboarding events.” The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is now in its 25th year, after first sailing in 1987 to celebrate His Majesty the King of Thailand’s 60th birthday. With the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King, the Regatta is organised by the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising Committee under the auspices of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, and in conjunction with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Royal Thai Navy and the Province of Phuket. ■■ For more information, please visit kingscup.com.

Pro riders from the World Tour are expected to take part.

The action on the water off Nai Yang Beach came thick and fast as 33 sailors contested round two of the 2011 Phuket Dinghy Series, established to encourage local sailing.

Thirteen-time world motorcycle roadracing champion Angel Nieto – considered by many to be among the finest riders ever to have graced the sport – was in Phuket recently enjoying a little rest and relaxation before heading down to Sepang for the ill-fated Malaysian MotoGP which cost Italian rider Marco Simoncelli his life (see page 42 for details). Nieto’s run of championships spanned 15 years; he won his first championship in the 50cc class in 1969 and his last, in the 125cc class in 1984. He is pictured with staff at La Gritta restaurant at the Amari Coral Phuket.

Denis Thouvard, (right), General Manager of Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, recently organised a “Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket Sports Day” for all the resort’s staff. Part of the resort’s “Centara Cares” campaign, it was rated by staff as a hugely successful day, with a lot of fun had by all. Here, everyone’s a winner. www.thephuketnews.com

Testing time at Nai Yang A total of 33 sailors took to the water off Nai Yang Beach two weekends ago under sunny, clear skies for the second event in the 2011 Phuket Dinghy Series (PDS). The two-day event marked the first time the PDS has been held in Nai Yang; organisers of the series have selected three different racing areas this year, allowing sailors to experience different sailing conditions and ensuring seamanship is tested over the three-event series. Nai Yang Beach, a popular spot for kiteboarding in Phuket’s low season, proved a challenge for participating sailors from Phuket, southern Thailand and Sattahip, as unexpected light winds for

SAILING the f irst race eventually gave way to a steady breeze, allowing three races to be completed each day. In the Optimist Class, Sattahip-native Anapat Ngarmdee continued his winning ways from the first event at Sarasin Bridge, taking five wins from six races and only slipping up in race three where he finished a respectable third. A t ig ht bat tle then ensued for second and third places between Sukanya Saimarn and Akapoj Kankeaw, but it was the former’s consistency that pushed Akapoj down into third. In the Laser Class, Trirat Manthong scored three wins

from six to take first overall from Chut Dawruang and Jittawat Boonrat in second and third respectively. The PDS was established by the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta in 2010 to promote and encourage sailing in Thailand through the involvement of young people in the sport, and is supported by the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Royal Thai Navy and the Province of Phuket. The final round of the 2011 series will take place on the weekend of November 19 and 20. With six races to go Anapat holds a huge 13 point lead in the overall Optimist standings, while Trirat is eight points clear in the Laser class.

INTERNATIONALSPORT 41

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

THE PHUKET NEWS TIPPING COMPETITION: 10

This month's competition is supported by:

City hit United for six

There are some weekends when predicting the outcome of the Barclay’s Premier League’s 10 fixtures proves to be straightforward, and times when it is nigh on impossible. Round nine of the 2011/12 season proved to be the latter for many, as the world’s most exciting league threw up a number of surprise results. The biggest came at Old Trafford where Manchester City ruthlessly exposed gaps in the Manchester United defence to thump their city rivals 6-1, United’s biggest home loss for almost 60 years. Ardent City fans might have hoped their side could sneak a win, but how many thought they would hit United for six? Ten? Half a dozen? No; three to be precise. Three lucky punters in England placed bets on a 6-1 City win, but even they weren’t that confident; the largest stake placed on the result happening was just three pounds (B150). Elsewhere Liverpool were held at home against Norwich despite creating 29 chances,

Chelsea were beaten away at QPR, Aston Villa lost at home to Midlands rivals West Brom, and Fulham lost to Everton. Of the results that went according to the form book only Newcastle, Spurs and Arsenal secured w i n s agai n st Wigan, Blackburn and Stoke r e s p e c t ively, there was a win for Sunderland at Bolton and a point apiece Mario Balotelli celebrates his second goal for Wolves and in City’s shock 6-1 win. –Photo AFP Swansea. The Phuket News’ tipster Peppers Bar and Restaurant, Dan Ogunshakin failed to Phuket’s premier sports bar. With 53 points from Octomaintain his decent October form last week, scoring just ber’s three rounds of matches six points to take his October so far ‘The Lunchroom Kathu’ is in pole position. tally to 33. The overall lead belongs This weekend will deter mine the destination to ‘gafferworld’ who tops the of October’s pr ize: the table with 144 points. B3,000-voucher to be used at This weekend’s biggest

WEEK 10 Home Team W D W Away Team i r i n a n w 29/10/2011 Everton Man Utd Chelsea Arsenal Man City Wolves Norwich Blackburn Sunderland Aston Villa Swansea Bolton Wigan Fulham West Brom Liverpool 30/10/2011 Tottenham QPR 31/10/2011 Stoke Newcastle

ROUND NINE RESULTS Wolves 2-2 Swansea Aston Villa 1-2 West Brom Bolton 0-2 Sunderland Newcastle 1-0 Wigan Liverpool 1-1 Norwich Arsenal 3-1 Stoke Fulham 1-3 Everton Man Utd 1-6 Man City Blackburn 1-2 Tottenham QPR 1-0 Chelsea

Please fax this form to us at 076 612 553 or hand it in directly at The Phuket News office in Billion Plaza before Friday 2pm. Or visit our website www.thephuketnews.com to enter online.

match is between Andre Villas-Boas’ Chelsea and Arsene Wenger’s recovering Arsenal. Manchester United will be keen to bounce back after Sunday’s humiliation and again make the short journey down the East Lancashire Road to face Everton. Top of the league City will expect another win when Wolves visit the Etihad Stadium, while Norwich, Sunderland, Swansea and Wigan will all want three points against Blackburn, Villa, Bolton and Fulham respectively.

Liverpool have a tricky assignment at the Hawthorns against West Brom, Spurs will be expected to beat QPR at White Hart Lane, while Newcastle put their unbeaten start on the line at Stoke. You can now enter your predictions for round 10. Either enter them online by 23:59 on October 28 at thephuketnews.com, fax them to the office on 076 612 553 or hand them to us personally here in Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco-Lotus before 2pm on the 28th.

ROUND TEN FIXTURES DAN’S TIPS: Everton v Man Utd: draw Chelsea v Arsenal: home win Man City v Wolves: home win Norwich v Blackburn: home win Sunderland v Aston Villa: home win Swansea v Bolton: home win Wigan v Fulham: home win West Brom v Liverpool: away win Tottenham v QPR: home win Stoke v Newcastle: draw TOP 10 PERFORMERS (OCTOBER): 1. The Lunchroom Kathu 53 2. Andrew Scott 48 3. alanphuket 47 4. BallBoy 46 4. Farang2005 46 6. Eak 44 6. Phuket1 44 8. gafferworld 41 9. Clare Bolzon 40 9. mickyleeds 40 TOP 10 PERFORMERS (OVERALL): 1. gafferworld 144 2. alanphuket 138 3. MRB 137 4. dcoutts 133 5. apollo131 126 5. MAMCHAM 126 7. chasman 124 8. Mal Kenyon 123 9. BallBoy 122 10. Allard 119

Wenger feels Terry to be investigated - FA for Ferguson Alex Ferguson found an unlikely ally in the form of Arsene Wenger this week, as the Arsenal coach sought to downplay the significance of Manchester United’s 6-1 drubbing by title rivals Manchester City. Sunday’s defeat was United’s heaviest in the history of the Premier League since it began in 1992, and their worst loss at Old Trafford since a 5-0 reverse against the same opponents some 56 years ago in 1955. It was also the first time the 19-time English champions had conceded six goals at home since losing 7-4 to Newcastle United in 1930. Even more damagingly, the result proved that City are the favourites to take United’s league crown this season after years of living in the shadow of the Red Devils. United coach Sir Alex Ferguson described the scoreline as “the worst result in my history,” as he watched City pull five points clear at the Premier League summit. Ferguson’s side’s domi-

FOOTBALL nance of the Premier League era meant their humiliation at City’s hands felt pregnant with symbolism, but Wenger warned not to read too much into the result. Arsenal were humiliated 8-2 by United in August but have since won six games out of seven to re-kindle their push for a Champions League place, and Wenger backed United to react in similar fashion. “It’s a surprise,” he said. “But France nearly beat New Zealand in the rugby [World Cup final] and that was a surprise. “Like when we lost 8-2, the big scores have no special meaning. It only means something special happened in the game. “When you are in a position where you have to attack with 10 men against a good side, you are vulnerable. “It’s not that you lost three points, but the emotional aspect of a result like that remains in your head.”

England and Chelsea captain John Terry is to face an investigation by the English Football Association (FA) over claims he racially abused QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, authorities confirmed. An FA statement said the organisation had received a complaint of “alleged racist abuse” stemming from an incident in Sunday’s stormy west London derby which QPR won 1-0. “The FA will now begin to make enquiries into this matter. The FA takes seriously any allegations of discrimination and abuse of this type,” the statement said. Although the wording of the FA statement did not name Terry, the Internet address bar accompanying the release on the organisation’s website did carry the defender’s name. QPR owner, Malaysian mogul Tony Fernandes, said in a separate statement the club stood squarely behind Ferdinand, the younger brother of Terry’s England team-mate and United star Rio. “Q ueen s Pa rk R a ngers Football Club does not condone racism in any way shape or form. As a club, we will provide our players with our unequivocal

FOOTBALL

support when alleged incidents like this occur.” Terry later said he was confident the probe would clear him. “I welcome the FA enquiry and look forward to clearing my name as soon as possible,” the 30-year-old defender said. Confirmation of the probe gives English authorities a potentially massive headache, coming only seven months after Terry regained the England captaincy after it was stripped from him in 2010 following revelations about his relationship with the ex-girlfriend of a team-mate. The English FA has also backed several anti-racism initiatives, most notably the Kick It Out campaign, and has regularly lodged complaints whenever the country’s players have been the subject of racial abuse in international football, most recently during a September qualifier with Bulgaria. The dual FA and QPR statements followed a day of intense speculation over whether Ferdinand would choose to back Terry’s version of what took place. Video footage posted

on the Internet following Sunday’s game appeared to show Terry shouting a racist slur, apparently towards Ferdinand. Terry issued a statement strongly denying he had abused the player. In subsequent interviews published on Tuesday, Terry again angrily rejected the allegations, saying that the footage had instead caught him asking Ferdinand if he mistakenly believed he had racially abused him. “I thought Anton was accusing me of using a racist slur against him. I responded aggressively that I never used that,” Terry was quoted as saying. Ferdinand had reportedly decided to sleep on the

matter before holding talks with QPR officials to discuss whether he wished to make a formal complaint. The QPR and FA statements indicated Ferdinand has chosen not to back Terry’s portrayal of the incident as a “misunderstanding”. On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police also confirmed they were “assessing” a complaint from a member of the public concerning the Terry incident. “We can confirm that police have been notified of an incident on Sunday 23 October involving alleged racial abuse,” a statement said. “This is currently being assessed by officers from Hammersmith and Fulham.”

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42 INTERNATIONALSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

Before the crash: Marco Simoncelli in fourth place as the riders hurtle around the Sapang track.

–Photo Glenn Johns

Tributes pour in for Simoncelli Seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi saluted his close friend Marco Simoncelli, who was killed in Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix, describing his fellow Italian as a “younger brother.” Simoncelli, 24, lost his life after coming off his Gresini Honda and falling into the path of American Colin Edwards and Rossi just minutes after the start of the race at the Sepang track. Rossi, 32, and Simoncelli were known to be close and the Italian icon took to Twitter to express his sorrow at the death of his friend, who he referred to using Simoncelli’s popular

nickname, Sic. “For me Sic was like a younger brother, as tough on the track as he was gentle in life,” said Rossi. “I still can’t believe it, I miss him so much.” Rossi was reported to have been in tears after the race when he heard the news. All sports events that took place in Italy on Sunday observed a minute’s silence in honour of Simoncelli. “Today is one of the saddest days of my presidency. The tragic death of Marco Simoncelli has left me profoundly upset and devastated,” said Italian Olympic Committee (Coni) president Gianni Pe-

MOTOGP

trucci on Sunday. “Life is sacred and one can’t die at 24 for a race. Today we’re all in tears for him and we gather around his family who are crying over the death of a champion. “It’s an inconceivable death that has left the whole of Italian sport dumbfounded.” Italian football giants Inter and AC Milan were among the first clubs to offer their sympathies. “AC Milan offers an embrace to the family of Marco, a huge rossonero fan, and we want to offer the most sincere

and heartfelt condolences in this sad moment,” said a Milan statement on their website. Inter added: “The president Massimo Moratti and everyone at Inter Milan, together with [coach] Claudio Ranieri and the team, share in the pain of the Italian sports world and indeed the [entire] sports world at the loss of the rider Marco Simoncelli. “Remembering a young and passionate champion Inter offers a hug to the family and friends of Marco Simoncelli.” Inter fans unveiled a banner ahead of their match against Chievo that read: “There’s a new star [in the sky].”

MotoGP team Ducati described Simoncelli as one of their own. “Ducati, its team and its riders are united in the pain which has hit the whole of MotoGP and we gather around Marco Simoncelli’s family, friends and team,” they said. “We will always remember Marco for his smile, his availability, his big heart and the emotions he gave us these last few years. He was one of us.” There were also words from Ferrari Formula One team principal Stefano Domenicali. “In these moments it’s difficult to express with words the pain for the death of a lad

as sunny as Marco,” he said. “Events like this and the equally tragic accident eight days ago that saw Dan Wheldon die in the Indy Car race in Las Vegas reminds us that all racers in motorsport are exposed to risk. “We must never lower our guard but must always be aware that you can do nothing against death.” Simoncelli’s team Gresini Honda have withdrawn from November’s Valencia MotoGP following the 24-year-old’s tragic death. “The only certainty is that my team won’t participate,” said Team boss Fausto Gresini.

F1 debut fuels India’s sporting ambitions If India can pull off a successful Grand Prix on Sunday, the winning driver will not be the only person celebrating a major victory. The country’s inaugural Formula One race, being held at a new track outside the capital New Delhi, is seen as a key test of India’s ability to organise and deliver international sporting events. After last year’s chaotic Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Formula One bosses are hoping the hosts will live up to their pledge to hold a smoothly-run weekend for the world’s top drivers and up to 100,000 spectators. Confidence is high despite the daunting logistical challenges and fears of massive congestion as fans battle to get into the $400 million (B12.3 billion) Buddh International Circuit near the New Delhi satellite town of Noida. Organisers say the race surface and crowd facilities have all been finished in the nick of time, and that Formula One’s global experience, financial muscle and professional approach are paying dividends. www.thephuketnews.com

FORMULA 1

If such claims are proven on the day, it would be a long way from the bureaucratic apathy that beset the Commonwealth Games, remembered today for their shabby venues and corruption allegations rather than the sporting action. The Jaypee group, which has built the new track, is bullish about putting on a show to make fast-developing India proud. “We wanted to do something which nobody could point a finger at,” the group’s 81-year-old founder Jaiprakash Gaur told reporters on a site visit. “With this event, we hope to repair the damage India’s reputation suffered during the [Commonwealth] Games.” Jaypee, whose motto is “No Dream Too Big”, is a huge infrastructure conglomerate with businesses in real estate, engineering and road construction. For many observers, the contrast between the privatelyrun Formula One race and the Commonwealth Games – which

Paul Di Resta has enjoyed an excellent first season with the England-based, Indianowned Force India F1 team. The 25-year-old Scot will take his place on the starting grid at this weekend’s inaugural Indian Grand Prix, being run just outside of New Delhi. were overseen by the government – is an insight into the strengths and weaknesses of India’s economy. Veteran columnist Ayaz Memon, who has followed India’s ambitions over three decades, said a well-received Grand Prix would send a message about the nation’s future as the sporting hub of south Asia. “The perception that the private sector does a better job is not misplaced,” Memon said. “The government messed up

the Commonwealth Games. That won’t be the case with Formula One. People are more accountable in the private sector.” The publicity machine has been in overdrive ahead of the race, with television channels and newspapers hailing the arrival of Formula One as a sign of the nation’s emerging role on the world stage. At least 80,000 tickets have already been sold, and many international sports bodies

and potential foreign business investors will be watching as closely as the fans. The 5.14-kilometre track, designed by German architect Hermann Tilke, has been widely welcomed by competing teams, and the setting is ready to enhance India’s sporting image – if the bureaucratic machinery will play along. Veteran Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello, who races for Williams, recently told the Hindustan Times that it took

him three months to secure a visa for the Grand Prix. And just last week the Supreme Court ordered organisers to freeze 25 per cent of revenues from ticket sales until a tax dispute is resolved. Officialdom and heavyhanded security can also cause problems at Indian sports events – endless checkpoints and a fierce military presence crushed much of the spirit out of the Commonwealth Games. But the potential is clear as the Indian economy booms; the country is attracting not just Formula One but also increasing interest from foreign football clubs keen to tap into a market of 1.2 billion people. The lucrative IPL cricket tournament, with its mix of international players and show business glamour, has shown that there are big rewards for putting on worldclass sport in the country. But with frenzied preparations still under way at the track, the jury is still out on whether India can look forward to a glitch-free weekend of noisy Formula One drama. –AFP

INTERNATIONALSPORT 43

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

English Premier Team Manchester City Manchester Utd Chelsea Newcastle Utd Tottenham Liverpool Arsenal Norwich City Stoke City QPR Aston Villa West Brom Everton Sunderland Swansea City Wolverhampton Fulham Bolton Wigan Athletic Blackburn

P 9 9 9 9 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

W 8 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 1 2 1 1

D 1 2 1 4 1 3 1 3 3 3 5 2 1 3 3 2 4 0 2 2

Ligue 1, France L 0 1 2 0 2 2 4 3 3 3 2 4 4 4 4 5 4 7 6 6

F 33 26 20 12 15 12 15 11 7 7 11 9 10 12 9 8 11 12 6 10

A 7 12 10 6 13 10 18 12 11 14 11 11 12 10 14 14 12 24 15 20

Pts 25 20 19 19 16 15 13 12 12 12 11 11 10 9 9 8 7 6 5 5

Bundesliga, Germany Team Bayern Dortmund Schalke Hannover Stuttgart Werder Bremen B’sia M’bach Hoffenheim Leverkusen Hertha VfL Wolfsburg Köln Nuremberg Kaiserslautern Mainz Augsburg Hamburg Freiburg

Pts

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

7 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 4 3 4 4 3 3 2 1 2 2

1 1 0 3 2 2 2 1 2 4 1 1 3 2 3 5 2 1

2 3 4 2 3 3 3 4 4 3 5 5 4 5 5 4 6 7

26 20 19 13 16 17 11 13 12 12 12 15 12 8 12 8 12 14

3 7 15 13 8 13 7 9 14 13 17 23 14 13 19 17 22 25

22 19 18 18 17 17 17 16 14 13 13 13 12 11 9 8 8 7

Serie A, Italy Team Udinese Lazio Juventus Cagliari Napoli Roma Milan Palermo Catania Fiorentina Siena Genoa Chievo Parma Atalanta Internazionale Novara Bologna Lecce Cesena

Pts

7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 2 1 1 1 0

3 2 4 3 2 2 2 1 4 3 3 3 3 0 2 1 2 1 1 2

0 1 0 1 2 2 2 3 1 2 2 2 2 4 1 4 4 5 5 5

10 11 11 8 10 8 12 9 9 8 6 11 6 9 10 9 10 4 6 2

1 7 5 5 5 6 11 10 10 6 4 10 6 13 8 13 15 12 13 9

15 14 13 12 11 11 11 10 10 9 9 9 9 9 8 7 5 4 4 2

Team PSG Montpellier Lille Rennes Lyon Toulouse Lorient Saint-Étienne Caen Sochaux Auxerre Marseille Dijon Nice Valenciennes Brest Evian Bordeaux Nancy Ajaccio

Pts

11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11

8 7 6 6 6 5 4 4 4 3 2 2 3 2 2 0 1 1 1 1

2 2 4 3 2 4 5 4 3 4 6 6 2 4 3 9 6 6 5 4

1 2 1 2 3 2 2 3 4 4 3 3 6 5 6 2 4 4 5 6

21 25 21 21 18 12 12 11 15 17 16 12 11 11 12 9 11 12 8 10

8 15 12 14 13 10 9 13 15 23 15 12 22 11 13 11 16 18 13 22

26 23 22 21 20 19 17 16 15 13 12 12 11 10 9 9 9 9 8 7

Coming up this week

Formula 1 Team standings after S. Korea

(Times in Thailand)

1. RBR Renault (2011 champions) 558; 2. McLaren Mercedes 418; 3. Ferrari 310; 4. Petronas Mercedes 127; 5. Renault 72; 6. Force India Mercedes 49; 7. Sauber-Ferrari 40; 8. Scuderia Toro Rosso-Ferrari 37; 9. Williams-Cosworth 5; 10= Lotus Renault, HRT-Cosworth, Virgin-Cosworth, 0

Saturday October 29 Qualifying 15:30 Sunday October 30 Race 16:30

Formula 1 Driver Standings after S. Korea 1. S. Vettel 349 (2011 champion); 2. J. Button 222; 3. F. Alonso 212; 4. M. Webber 209; 5. L. Hamilton 196; 6. F. Massa 98; 7. N. Rosberg 67; 8. M. Schumacher 60; 9. V. Petrov 36; 10. N. Heidfeld 34; 11. A. Sutil 28; 12. K. Kobayashi 27; 13. J. Alguesuari 22; 14. P. di Resta 21; 15. S. Buemi 15; 16. S. Perez 13; 17. R. Barichello 4; 18. B. Senna 2; 19. P. Maldonado 1. All others 0.

Dusautoir IRB player of year

France captain Thierry Dusautoir was named the International Rugby Board (IRB) player of the year for 2011 English Premier Bundesliga at a ceremony in Auckland League Fixtures Fixtures on Monday. (Times in Thailand) (Times in Thailand) Dusautoir received his Saturday October 29 award the day after leading Saturday October 29 Everton v Man Utd 18:00 France in their nail-biting Freiburg v Leverkusen 00:30 Chelsea v Arsenal 18:45 Bayern v Nuremberg 19:30 8-7 World Cup final defeat by Man City v Wolves 21:00 M’gladbach v Hannover 19:30 New Zealand at Eden Park, Swansea v Bolton 21:00 Schalke v Hoffenheim 19:30 where he scored his side’s West Brom v Liverpool 23:30 Stuttgart v Dortmund 19:30 only tr y and was named Sunday October 30 Wolfsburg v Hertha 19:30 man-of-the-match despite beTottenham v QPR 23:00 Mainz v Werder Bremen 22:30 ing on the losing side. Tuesday November 1 Not surprisingly, New Sunday October 30 Stoke v Newcastle 03:00 Zealand were named team of Cologne v Augsburg 20:30 Blackburn v Tottenham 21:00 the year, with All Blacks boss QPR v Chelsea 22:00 Hamburg v K’lautern 22:30 Graham Henry awarded coach the year for the fifth time, Sport on TV: Times in Thailand of after guiding the side to only Friday, October 28 their second World Cup title EVENT TIME CHANNEL and first for 24 years. There was also some longGolf: USPGA Classic Malaysia 12:00 Golf Channel F1: Indian Grand Prix Practice 15:25 STAR Sports awaited positive news for fans of English rugby, as England Saturday, October 29 under-20 fly-half George Ford 12:00 Golf Channel of the Leicester Tigers was Golf: USPGA Classic Malaysia F1: Indian Grand Prix Practice 12:25 STAR Sports named young player of the year F1: Indian Grand Prix Qualifying 15:20 STAR Sports after his performances at the Tennis: WTA Championships 19:00 Eurosport Junior World Championship EPL: Everton v Man Utd 18:00 STAR Sports in Italy earlier in the year. EPL: Chelsea v Arsenal 21:00 TrueSport 1 Flank forward Dusautoir EPL: Man City v Wolves 21:00 TrueSport 1 saw off competition for the EPL: Swansea v Bolton 21:00 TrueSport 2 EPL: Wigan v Fulham 21:30 Astro Supersport 3 award from the All Blacks EPL: West Brom v Liverpool 23:30 Astro Supersport 3 trio of rival flanker Jerome Kaino, centre Ma’a Nonu Sunday, October 30 and scrum-half Piri Weepu, Serie A: Inter v Juventus 01:40 Astro Supersport 2 who all played against him La Liga: R Sociedad v R Madrid 02:55 Astro Supersport in Sunday’s final. Golf: USPGA Classic Malaysia 12:00 Golf Channel Also on the shortlist were F1: Indian Grand Prix 16:15 STAR Sport the Australia duo of flanker Tennis: WTA Championships 22:00 Eurosport David Pocock and scrum-half Serie A: Udinese v Palermo 20:55 Astro Supersport 2 Will Genia, members of the EPL: Spurs v QPR 23:00 TrueSport 1 Wallabies side who finished

Formula 1: Indian Grand Prix Friday October 28 Practice 1 11:30 Practice 2 15:30 Saturday October 29 Practice 3 12:30

Thierry Dusautoir has been named IRB player of the year.

RUGBY third at the World Cup. Dusautoir, the second French player to win the award after scrum-half Fabien Galthie in 2002, succeeds World Cup-winning New Zealand captain Richie McCaw, winner for the past two years as well as in 2006, as player of the year. South Africa’s Cecil Afrika was named as the IRB sevens player of the year, while giant Wallaby number eight Radike Samo won the try of the year award for his 60m rampage in the final 2011 Tri-Nations match between Australia and New Zealand. Former Australia captain John Eales, a World Cup winner in 1991 and 1999, chaired an award panel made up of several ex-internationals including Springbok World Cup-winning skipper Francois Pienaar, France’s Rapahael Ibanez, Scotland great Gavin Hastings and New Zealand’s Tana Umaga. Previous IRB Players of the Year: 2001: Keith Wood (IRL) 2002: Fabien Galthie (FRA) 2003: Jonny Wilkinson (ENG) 2004: Schalk Burger (RSA) 2005: Dan Carter (NZL) 2006: Richie McCaw (NZL) 2007: Bryan Habana (RSA) 2008: Shane Williams (WAL) 2009: Richie McCaw (NZL) 2010: Richie McCaw (NZL)

Hash House Harriers Run 1338: Saturday October 29 at 4pm. Hares: Swolon Colon and Figjam Directions: Go up to Manik reservoir (coming from Heroines’ Monument the turn off is on your left in Manik; from Cherngtalay it’s on your right – HHH signs will be out). Go up towards the reservoir but don’t turn right and go up the hill to the normal place. Go straight on then take the road to the left below the reservoir and follow to laarger. There will be signs. Bus: Leaves the Expat Hotel, Patong at 14:30 and Baan Rim Klong, Kamala at 15:00. www.thephuketnews.com

44 INTERNATIONALSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011

CHAMPIONS AGAIN

Champions again, at last. New Zealand captain Richie McCaw holds the William Webb-Ellis cup aloft, banishing 24 years of World Cup misery for the All Blacks. They gave their adoring fans an almighty scare last Sunday (October 23), but after 24 long, painful years the All Blacks were crowned World Champions at Auckland’s Eden Park, the venue of their first World Cup triumph. Few gave Marc Lievremont’s side a hope before the final, but inspired by captain Thierry Dusautoir, who was named man-of-the-match after the game and International Rugby Board player of the year the day after (see page 43), France came close to creating the biggest upset in Rugby World Cup history. An expectant crowd of 60,000 piled into Eden Park, with the majority were desperate to see an All Black victory, while the small band of France supporters hoped their side wouldn’t be embarrassed. But from the moment the French marched on the haka in an arrow formation led by Dusautoir (something they were later fined B124,000 by the IRB for) you sensed that they might be more of a match than was first thought. And so it proved. Tony Woodcock gave the All Blacks the lead with a rare try, before Stephen Donald, a man who was fishing for whitebait just two weeks prior to the final as fourth-choice fly-half, kicked a penalty to www.thephuketnews.com

RUGBY put the home side up 8-0. Despite the scoreline, France were still in the match and Les Bleus sent a shiver down the collective spines of Kiwis everywhere when Dusautoir scored beneath the posts, which was duly converted by Francois Trinh-Duc. The French tails were up and Trinh-Duc missed a long range penalty which could have sealed the win before some dogged defending by the home side was just enough to see them to victory by the narrowest of margins, 8-7. When Craig Joubert blew for full time all the tension inside Eden Park was replaced first by relief and then unbridled joy as the world’s most rugby-mad country was on top of the pile once again. Speaking after the match captain Richie McCaw said the feeling was “hard to describe”. “The guys dug as deep as they’ve ever dug before, I’m just so proud of everyone,” he said. “We couldn’t have been under more pressure but we stuck to our guns and got there in the end.” Sunday’s win was redemption for All Blacks coach Graham Henry who was controversially retained after the quarter-final loss to France in

–Photo AFP

Cardiff in 2007. “Marvellous. The people have been have been outstanding in support of the team and the Rugby World Cup. I’m so proud to be a New Zealander standing here,” he said. “There was a bit of turmoil up there in the coaching box. Richie and the boys just hanging in there right through 80 minutes to win is superb. “This is something we’ve dreamed of for a while, we can rest in peace.” France coach Lievremont said he felt “immensely sad and immensely proud at the same time” as his reign as coach came to an end. “People have always said and thought that the All Blacks were the greatest team of all time,” he said. “But tonight I think it’s France that was great, and even immense. It’s tough to take, we needed a little bit more.” After seven weeks few would argue that New Zealand deserved their victory as the stand out team of the tournament, but it would be hard not to feel for France after they pushed the favourites so close. In 2015 the Rugby World Cup heads to England; let’s hope they can put on a similar show to the one gloriously witnessed in the ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’ over the past few weeks.