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merican expat Anthony Thomas Granata, 73, and his Filipina secretary, Ressel Alpay, 38, were arrested on Wednesday afternoon on charges of loan sharking.

In an operation mounted

by Phuket Immigration Police, the two were called to the car park of the Tesco-Lotus store in Cherng Talay by a debtor, who was then witnessed by police handing over money to Ms Alpay, who gave the debtor a receipt.

Ms Alpay then walked into the Tesco store, followed by police officers. Sensing she was being tracked, she walked out of the store and got into an Isuzu Mu7 driven by Mr Granata.

Police, meanwhile, had approached Mr Granata and had shown him a search warrant.

He told them to go away and drove off with his door open.

As he did, Pol Maj Kaken Nikornhatsachai, Inspector of the Immigration Police, managed to climb aboard.

What followed was almost farcical.

After passing Surin Beach, Mr Granata turned the car around and went back to Tesco where he again turned around and headed back towards Surin Beach.

Once again he turned the car around and headed back towards Tesco, though this time to the rear of the store, telling Ms Alpay that he would drop

The international news year in review.

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Thrills and controversy in Sydney-Hobart race.

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PLUS Anthony Granata and his secretary, Ressel Alpay, at Thalang Police station on Wednesday. her off and that she should run away.

Maj Kaken, who understands English, waited until this happened and then simply grabbed the car key. When he did so, the other members of the immigration team swooped and arrested the wanted pair.

The couple were then escorted to Mr Granata’s home in Baan Bang Jo where a search was made for evidence. Some 60 loan contracts were seized,

along with a ledger with the names of borrowers and the amounts lent to them.

But police were unable to find the 500-plus passports allegedly held by Mr Granata as security against loans. The Phuket News understands that the loans were made exclusively to foreigners, about 80 per cent of whom were Philippine citizens. Most loans were at least B30,000.

Two passports were found

in Ms Alpay’s handbag.

Mr Granata and Ms Alpay were then taken to the Immigration Police office for paperwork to be completed, and then, because the alleged offences occurred in Thalang District, the two were taken to Thalang Police Station for questioning.

Both were charged with working without work permits and with charging illegally excessive interest rates on

loans. A source told The Phuket News that the alleged interest rate was 10 per cent a month.

Both denied the charges.

They also declined to answer questions about the passports.

Loan sharking is not considered a particularly serious offence in Thai law, usually drawing no more than one year in jail on conviction, so police raised no objection to the pair being freed on bail.

– Apinya Saksri

The Year in Phuket P11 Business P12-14 Arts P16 People P17 Weird World P22 Shopping P23 Dining P24-25 Travel P26 Explore P27 Health P31 Events P32-33 Classifieds P34-38 Sport P39-44

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

NEWS

Remember the tsunami

Sober reflections on the seventh anniversary of the disaster> 4

Island the host for disaster training A training session to develop the skills of disaster relief workers took place in Phuket for Thai and international Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) from across Asia on December 23.

Around 200 people attended the medical rally organised by the Phuket Provincial Health Office and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, with the aim of improving team building and DMAT skills.

Those taking part were grouped into teams of five to assist in 10 different simulated disaster situations

including a bus crash, fire, electrical short circuit and water rescue. The training is not ranked but was evaluated by an expert team.

T he r a l ly at t r a c t e d DMAT teams from as far as Korea, Sri Lanka and Japan, as well as from Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Chiang Rai and Phang Nga in Thailand.

The event was also supported by hospital staff from around Phuket, Disaster Prevention and Relief Municipality Phuket Office and relevant authorities. Teams from Krabi and Nakhon Si Thammarat were observing.

IN BRIEF S African found dead on yacht

A participant in the DMAT rally practices righting an upturned rubber dinghy.

Rumours fly over FC Phuket Phuket faces losing its Division 1 football side unless new sponsors can be found to sort out the embattled club’s finances.

A meeting was held earlier this week to discuss the future of FC Phuket, and while no public statement has yet been made, the club’s future prospects are looking increasingly bleak.

Rumours are flying that FC Phuket chairman Nauruebat “Ko Lek” Ayupong is looking to sell the club’s Division 1 rights to the highest bidder.

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Whoever takes over team would legally be able to relocate, rename and rebrand the team. They would effectively be buying a slot in the Thai Division 1 league, and could choose to do whatever they wanted with it, which could mean the side is moved away from Phuket.

It would not be the first time a move like this has happened – in 2009 Newin Chidchob bought shares in the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) Thai Premier League side, then relocated the team

from Ayutthaya to Buriram amidst protests from fans and PEA employees.

Newin then renamed his new team Buriram PEA and replaced the board of directors and some staff and coaches.

A well-placed source told The Phuket News on condition of anonymity that Ko Lek is currently looking at a similar solution to FC Phuket’s financial woes, and will fly to Bangkok in the coming days to speak to “someone” about the possibility of selling off the side.

But there have also been reports that Ko Lek’s sale conditions are too extreme and may be unattractive to potential buyers.

He reportedly wants to see B40 million up front and also requires reimbursement for the money he has spent on the club in recent years.

He also reportedly wants to stay on and be part of any future decisions made concerning the team, with fans believing he won’t step down unless he has to.

That is on top of an at least B27 million debt that might be inherited by the club’s new owners.

If the sale were to go ahead however, it is likely that Ko Lek himself will build a new Division 2 team based in Phuket and enter it into the Southern competition.

This move would be aided by the promotion of two Southern Division 2 teams this season – Phattalung and Krabi – which leaves only 11 teams in that competition (from 14 teams in 2010).

The source was confident that Ko Lek would be able to get all of this done before the new season begins in late February or early March.

The source also said that most of the current FC Phuket players would remain in the new Division 2 team, with the possible exception of some of the internationals.

In effect, most things at the club would remain the same, except they would be

playing in Division 2.

The source said he strongly believes that with the current crop of footballers, any new Phuket side would be able to comfortably win the Southern Championships and be promoted back to Division 1.

But with Ko Lek complaining that it's too expensive to run a Division 1 side, that could leave them stuck in a Catch 22 where the team would simply have to be sold again.

But the source said he believes next year will be different, because the first team was funded by the OrBorJor and were unable to get as many sponsorship deals as they would have liked.

All of this is dependent on an investor stepping forward and pouring money into the ailing club.

Already there are rumours that several sponsors or buyers are interested, including Yamaha, Thai Tobacco, RS Co, unnamed Polish investors, and a Phuket local politician rumoured to be Chai-anan Sutthikul.

So far though, all of this is speculation. Star goalkeeper Jonathan Matijas said he is still unsure of his future with the club, and may fly home to France before the end of the season if he is not offered a new contract.

Ko Lek has not responded to inquiries from The Phuket News.

–See page 39 for more FC Phuket coverage

A 69-year-old South African expat was found dead on a yacht moored off Chalong Pier on December 23. Police suspect suicide.

The man, whose name is being withheld until his family can be contacted, was found aboard the yacht Scaramouche, with his head covered by a plastic bag.

A tube from the bag was connected to a cooking gas tank. Police believe he had been dead four or five days.

The alert was raised when the owner of the boat, who was overseas, tried for a number of days to get hold of him, but to no avail. The owner then asked a friend to check on the boat, and the friend found the body.

Police, after speaking to to the friend, believe health and financial problems may have prompted the dead man to commit suicide.

Norwegian woman dies in crash A 21-year-old Norwegian woman was killed instantly in a motorbike crash at 3am on Tuesday morning inside the Red Mountain Golf Club, Kathu.

The woman’s Canadian companion, 22, was badly injured in the crash.

Police said the Norwegian was riding the motorbike, with her friend riding pillion. They were heading from the Loch Palm golf course to Red Mountain, when she lost control of the bike on a bend and hit a power pole. Police said speed may have been a factor in the crash.

Pirates jolly well roguered Kathu police raided shops selling pirated goods on Thaweewong Rd in Patong on Christmas Day (December 25).

Three vendors – Itthipan Saetua, 30, Thanachote Preedeepatkul, 32 and Kessarin Saehong, 31 – were arrested and fake brand-name clothes, watches, bags, hats and sunglasses were seized. Police estimated their street value at B500,000.

The seized items are in storage at Kathu Police Station.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

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Disaster system ‘is not a mess’ The National Disaster Centre (NDC) has denied an accusation by tsunami guru Dr Smith Dharmasaroja that Phuket’s disaster warning system is a mess with parts of it not working.

T he den ial ha s been backed up by the Phuket Meteorological Centre (PMC).

Dr Smith told the German news agency DPA, “There was a regional tsunami warning system in place six years ago but now it doesn’t work.”

Dr Smith is the Thai meteorologist who warned the government about the risk of a tsunami striking the country

years before one did. He was appointed chairman of the National Disaster Warning Administration in 2005, after the Asian Tsunami hit, and assigned to put a warning system in place.

But he said on Sunday (December 25) that the system was no longer functioning properly.

Warning buoys placed off Phuket in 2005 have not functioned reliably due to lack of replacement parts, according to experts.

“Don’t worry about the buoys,” said Dr Smith, who was attending a memorial

service in Phuket. “Even some of the warning towers don’t work.

“Just yesterday big waves hit the eastern coast of Thailand, flooding many houses, and there were no warnings of that storm,” Smith said of the high waves that hit other southern provinces on Sunday.

He also told The Phuket News that he had heard from local villagers that the towers gave no warning on December 24 of storm-level winds that hit the west coast of the island.

However, the Director of the PMC, Santat Paanbaanpaew, said that the heavy

weather was simply the tail end of the storms currently afflicting the east coast of the peninsula, along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, as a result of a large depression centred on the South China Sea. “It was not going to have any impact apart from high waves,” he said. There was therefore no need for a warning to be issued.

Dr Smith’s accusation that the tsunami warning towers around Phuket were not working was countered by an official at the NDC in Bangkok, who asked not to

ones that malfunctioned have been replaced.

“Please don’t think that the government is not going to issue warnings of impending disasters,” he said. “After all, we only recently had the tsunami in Japan, so everyone is on high alert.”

He added that Thailand does not rely only on its own warning systems. It also has contacts with other countries around the Indian Ocean, such as Indonesia, and will receive alerts from them of any potential disaster.

Remembering the tsunami: page 4

Ping pong touts terrify tourists

Migrant beggars targeted Local authorities have started taking action to solve the increasing blight of immigrant beggars in the Patong area after the Deputy Mayor of Patong, Chairat Sukkaban, complained that the problem had been ignored for too long.

On December 22, Patong Municipality, Kathu Police, the Social Development and Human Security Office and relevant childcare organisations began a series of surveys in Patong to assess the extent of the problem.

Also arrested were 11 beggars, five of whom were immigrants. The five were sent to the Immigration Police lockup to await deportation.

The number of immigrant beggars has yet to be established, though it is estimated to be around 100.

In stark contrast with the survey findings, the superintendent of the Phuket Immigration Police, Col Panuwat Ruamrak, said his officers have found no illegal immigrants begging during their patrols in Patong.

“It’s not a problem,” he said.

be named. “The entire system is checked every day by a private contractor based in Phuket. They report to us every day.”

Mr Santat added that the NDC had accepted his idea of broadcasting national songs from the towers as a test, and that this is now done every two weeks, in addition to the daily checks.

As to tsunami warning buoys out in the Indian Ocean, which are intended to give 50 minutes’ warning of an approaching tsunami, Mr Santat said that these were also working well. Earlier

Pavel Zhuravlev is questioned after his arrest on robbery and drugs charges.

Not-so-merry Christmas Kamala police raided the home of a 35-year-old Russian, Pavel Zhuravlev, on Christmas Day (December 25) and arrested him on charges of robbery and possession of drugs.

Stolen items found in the Kamala house including a gold necklace, an iPad, several laptop computers, watches, cellphones, rings and a set

of golf clubs, along with 0.8 gram of ya-ice (crystal methamphetamine) and drug paraphernalia.

The raid on Zhuravlev’s home came after four people had reported to Kamala police that their possessions were stolen and the victims suspected Zhuravlev.

Police believe the Russian often invited tourists to

party, or joined them in night clubs. He also went to other people’s parties. Waiting until his victims were drunk, he then stole their belongings.

Police said he was already on a most-wanted list at Chalong police station, as he was suspected of robbing people and selling ya-ice to Russian tourists who visited bars in Rawai and also Patong.

A group of ping pong show touts reportedly attacked a British tourist and his friend on Soi Bangla on Christmas Day (December 25).

The tourists were rescued

by Tourist Police Volunteers but were so terrified by the incident that they asked to be escorted back to their hotel to pack, and from there to the airport to catch the first flight home.

A source told The Phuket News that the incident began when the tourist, whose name is not known, mentioned to other tourists that the sleazy show was “not that good”, and that drinks in the show venue, off Soi Bangla, were expensive.

The tout took offence at the remarks and abruptly knocked the Brit to the ground. He was then joined by 15 to 20 more touts who chased the terrified Brit until he sought sanctuary in a nearby bar.

His friend, meanwhile, sought police help and found a Tourist Police Volunteer patrol.

He asked them to help get the Brit out of the bar, which was being blockaded by the

angry ping pong touts. The Brit and his friend were taken to a police box at the end of Soi Bangla. They declined to file a report, asking instead to be taken to their hotel to pack their bags.

The source told The Phuket News that this is not the first threatening incident involving ping pong show touts.

Another recent case involved an Arab tourist who had gone into a show. Despite being told not to take pictures of the show, he snapped off a couple and then received a thumping.

The deputy superintendent of the police station in Patong, Lt Col Kittipong Kaigaew, said that police have frequent meetings with local business operators in Patong to discuss rules and the law.

However, a police source said that violent episodes continue to be reported, usually involving groups of people who conduct illegal activities, such as the ping pong touts and ladyboys who rob tourists, as well as easily irritated groups of tuk-tuk and taxi drivers.

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

DANE HALPIN Sub Editor editor2@thephuketnews.com From Australia; Degree in Journalism, Charles Sturt University; Four years’ experience at: The Australian, The Central Western Daily, The Leader, The Canberra Times, The Vientiane Times.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

REMEMBERING THE TSUNAMI Locals and tourists paid their respects to victims of the Asian Tsunami in Kamala and Mai Khao on Monday (December 26), the seventh anniversary of the deadly Asian tsunami that hit the region, causing widespread devastation and some 7,000 deaths in Thailand.

In Kamala, people gathered in the morning at the tsunami memorial near the beach, while in Mai Khao a religious service and wreath-laying ceremony took place and the Tsunami Wall of Remembrance.

At Mai Khao, American Cindy Braton said although she did not know anyone killed in the tsunami, she wanted to pay her respects.

“I wanted to be part of this memorial event. This is the fourth time I have attended,” she said.

In the evening, Patong hosted a “Light Up Phuket” event, starting before sundown with a memorial service at Loma Park, followed by a candle-lighting ceremony on Patong Beach, and a Thai classical mask dance from the

Children light candles on Patong Beach to commemorate those who died in the Asian Tsunami there.

Ramayana. Also in Patong on Monday, almost 100 Japanese students and teachers from Yokohama were joined by Japanese Rotary Club members and hotel staff for a beach

cleaning day.

The Japanese Rotary organised the event to give thanks to Thailand for its support following the massive tsunami that hit Japan in March this year.

Yasuhiko Okamura from the Japanese Rotary Club said, “The students who come from Yokohama were not badly affected by the tsunami in March, but they did experience feelings of fear, sorrow and uneasiness just after the disaster.

“As children they are not allowed to go directly to the stricken area, but they still want to feel useful, which is why the Japanese Rotary from Yokohama have supported this event.

“Our intention is to convey encouragement to the Japanese victims affected by the tsunami and of course, to give our thanks to Thailand for its support,” said Mr Yasuhiko.

In Kamala, the Japanese Ambassador to Thailand led a memorial service at the Sunwing Resort.

Around 20 Japanese people attended, along with the counsellor and consul from the Japanese Embassy and Japan Senior Club, in a ceremony to remember those who lost their lives in the disaster.

Sober officials keep Counting down eye on celebrations to the New Year Phuket authorities will be keeping a close eye on revellers at various New Year festivals including those in Patong, Kata and Karon, in an attempt to control the amount of alcohol consumed.

Alcohol may be sold and drunk, but officials may deliver warnings if they see it being drunk to excess, in attempt to prevent road accidents and violence.

Action to curb alcohol abuse began last week when the Chief of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, Dr Sak Tanchaikul, led a team to check whether major retailers were selling New Year gift baskets containing alcoholic beverages, which is considered illegal.

Until January 4, Phuket

police and local authorities will be patrolling major locations for New Year celebrations such as Patong Beach and Soi Bangla, with particular focus on December 31, when bars and night clubs across the island will be permitted to remain open until 6am the following morning.

Officials from the Office of Disease Prevention and Control, and the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco in Nakorn Si Thammarat province will join the patrols.

Phuket is one of five provinces in Thailand – the others are Chiang Mai, Songkla, Koh Samui and Pattaya – where officials are on high alert in an attempt to curb crime and violence during the celebrations.

Peak season booming Phuket is enjoying a period of high tourist levels during this festive season, as visitors flock to many of the island’s beaches to spend their vacation, in particular Patong, Kamala, Karon and Kata beaches.

The majority of holidaymakers have travelled from Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Germany, with their numbers increasing this

year, according to Bangornrat Shinaprayoon, the Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Phuket office.

“There are more tourists from Europe in Phuket this year and also from China, Russia and Australia.

“I expect more than B150 million to be spent by tourists during the Christmas and New Year period,” she said.

Musical shows and fireworks (of course) will be features of the New Year celebratiosn across the island. The three main venues will be in Phuket Town, Karon and Patong.

Phuket Town: On December 29-31, Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation will hold its Colourful Phuket Countdown 2012 every evening at Sanam Chai in Phuket Town, beginning at 6pm.

Top T hai per for mers booked for the extravaganza include Pong Lang Sa-on, Benz Pornchita na Songkhla, Ying Thitikarn, Tai Oratai and Pongpat Wachirabunjong.

On the morning of January 1, at 6 am, people are welcome to joined Phuket Town Municipality officials in offering food for monks at Dragon Park on Thalang Rd. Karon: Karon Municipality will hold a free beach party featuring the Phuket Electronic Music and Dance Festival 2011 and New Year count-down, taking place at Karon Beach on the evenings of December 30 and 31.

The two-day event will showcase more than 20 DJs, both Thai and international, including J Monton, Dom Par-

korn Lam, Mark Brain, Slick, Domination and many more.

In addition, DJs from 10 night venues around Phuket, including Seduction, Sanook Club, White Box and Tiger Group will join the concert which runs from 11.30pm to 6am on December 30 and 7pm to 3am on December 31.

Three large stages will be set up at Karon Beach where a competition called “IP DJ Hunt 2011” will also be held from December 30 from 5pm to 11.30pm, to find the best electronic music artist in Southern Thailand.

Patong: The countdown event in Patong will be held every night from December 28.

From 6pm there will be free concerts on two stages; one in Soi Bangla and the other in front of the Holiday Inn hotel.

On December 30 and 31, there will also be a beach party.

Dazzling fireworks display will light up the night above Patong Beach to usher in the New Year on December 31.

On a less raucous note, people are invited to join Kathu Municipality in offering food to monks in front of the municipality office on Wichitsongkram Rd at 6 am on January 1.

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

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Siam Niramit a hit

Come fly with me: a guest gets some help on the zip line.

Siam Niramit has launched its unique cultural show to Phuket audiences with elephants, classical Thai music and artistic performances.

Crowds of people, both foreigners and Thai, came to watch the opening show of Siam Niramit Phuket on December 22, with the media invited on December 23.

Special promotional tickets priced at just B399 were on sale for the opening four nights (December 22-25), but after they quickly sold out, the promotion was extended until January 2, which again sold out fast.

The award-winning show which has been wowing audiences in Bangkok for many years opened its doors to the Phuket audience with outdoor elephant shows and live traditional music and classic dance.

Visitors can stroll around a Thai style village with a floating market and souvenir

A set piece from the Siam Niramit show, featuring characters from Thai mythology. shops while waiting for the main event to begin at 8.30pm.

Inside the grand theatre is a large stage – 65 metres wide, 40 metres deep and 10 metres high – displaying more than 100 scenes during the evening.

The scenes and performances use a variety of technical special effects throughout the 70 minute programme.

Managing Director of Siam

Niramit Phuket, Pannin Kitiparaporn, said the show is a new way to showcase Thai culture to foreigners visiting Phuket.

“The operations team is the same as Bangkok, so the concept behind the performance is the same; showcasing Thai culture and traditions across the four regions.

The new entertainment complex containing the 1,740

seat theatre is behind the Hino dealer on the bypass road and cost B2 billion to develop.

Siam Niramit Phuket is open daily except Tuesday.

Shows begin at 8.30pm, but gates open at 5.30pm providing access to the restaurant and other facilities.

Renovation began for the new 600-seat theatre and office in August this year and is now 90 per cent complete. Pornthep Rouyrin, Managing Director of Simon Star Show, told The Phuket News, “The Simon Star Show is different from every other cabaret show in Phuket, including the Phuket Simon Cabaret show in Patong.”

However, when pressed for details, he said, “It’s a secret.”

The single-floor theatre, which covers two of the seven rai, will have 300 seats and a

bar. The new show will entertain guests with 16 dance, song and music sets, performed by 70 ladyboys supported by a further 80 service staff.

The show, which will last an hour and 15 minutes, will be performed three times each evening at 6pm, 7.45 pm and 9.30 pm. The location in Phuket Town is targeting both locals and tourists; the hope is that at least 30 per cent of patrons will be residents.

Ticket prices will start from B700 for adults (B800

for VIP seats), and B500 for children (B600 for VIP). After the grand opening, locals from Phuket and Phang Nga can take advantage of a special promotion.

At the end of September Phuket’s second ladyboy extravaganza, Aphrodite, opened in the former Phuket Brewery on the bypass road.

Monkeying about at Flying Hanuman Ladyboy A brand new jungle adventure park Flying Hanuman, with zip lines, abseiling and sky bridges is now open near Kathu waterfall.

The new attraction which cost B10 million to build, is a joint venture between Chiang Mai’s Jungle Flight and a local businessman.

More than 50 people attended the official opening of Flying Hanuman on Tuesday (December 27) at the park, located on approximately 50 rai of land in the Kathu countryside. The adventure park took four months to build, and includes 28 platforms which were erected without sacri-

ficing any trees. The threehour adventure trip includes two sky bridges, three spiral staircases, two abseil points, a sky rail and wilderness walk.

The thrilling high-speed zip lines reach speeds of up to 60 km per hour, the park also features a dual zip line and an extra long 400-metre zip line.

Flying Hanuman opening promotion is valid until January 15 with a package of B3,250, discounted to B2,500.

Regular packages commencing on January 16: B3,250 and B3,490 (with a meal).

The competition in Phuket’s ladyboy entertainment industry is heating up with the launch of Phuket’s third kathoey spectacle, Simon Star Show, due to open on January 19 at what used to be the Thai Village tourist attraction in Phuket town.

The owners of Phuket Simon Cabaret say they have invested more than B100 million creating Simon Star Show, which is on a seven-rai plot, near Phuket Rajabhat University.

For more details visit: siam niramit.com.

show set to open

For more information about Simon Star call 076- 532169 or email ticket@simonstarshow.com.

For more information visit flyinghanuman.com.

Phuket police chief waits for transfer Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Pekad Tantipong will transfer out of Phuket as part of a regular national reshuffle of senior officers in the Royal Thai Police.

Pol Maj Gen Pekad told The Phuket News on Tuesday (December 27) that the transfer does not bother him.

“I have not seen the official assignment yet. I just learned about it from the Thai press, so I don’t know where I am to be transferred to, nor when I will start the new job.

“It is a normal police transfer so there is no reason for me to be sad. I have enjoyed working here in Phuket but I have to follow orders,” he added.

His successor, he said, has

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol Maj-Gen Pekad Tantipong still does not know his next posting. a big job. “Many problems in Phuket need to be solved, including drugs, traffic, murder and corruption.”

Gen Pekad said he did not know who would succeed him. www.thephuketnews.com

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THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Phuket Patrick aims for a Mekong record

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Patrick Gasiglia during Stand Up Paddle River Adventure Tour on the River Kwai in Kanjanaburi Province in 2008.

Phuket resident Patrick Gasiglia will attempt to create a world record for going down the section of Mekong River bordering Thailand on a stand up paddle board.

He will attempt the task in September 2012, in memory of his mother whose ashes were scattered in the Mekong River 15 years ago according to wishes in her will.

“My mother liked this river very much,” said Gasiglia. “She is in there. I’ll paddle with her.”

His journey will be more than 1,000 kilometres long (about a quarter of the more than 4,000km total distance) starting from Chiang Khan City in Loei Province, to Khong Chiam in eastern Ubon Rachathani Province, where the river flows into Laos territory.

The trip will take between two to four weeks, during September, when the rate of flow of the Mekong River is almost at its maximum. This

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The publisher of The Phuket News and owner of Live 89.5 radio, Simon Samaan (right), visited Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha just before Christmas to deliver a gift basket along with compliments of the season.

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staggering 360 kilometres from Cannes to Corsica Island in the Mediterranean Sea. During this amazing two day journey, he witnessed the unforgettable sight of flocks of dolphins travelling alongside his jet-ski. Sponsored by Starboard, he will have his own paddle board designed to suit the river’s challenging conditions.

A support team on board a 4x4 vehicle will follow him by road.

Once his expedition is complete, all of the gear including the board, car and camp equipment will be displayed to the public at Amara Watersports in Pattaya and Jungceylon in Phuket.

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Art festival assembles local creative talents

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will bring a greater challenge to Gasiglia as the current will flow faster and be considerably more dangerous.

Having lived in Phuket for 20 years, Gasiglia has been involved in many different types of water sports. In his daily life, his is mainly involved in PADI diving, windsurfing and catamaran instructing.

In between however, he still finds time to pursue his extreme lifestyle on the water; splashing around on a jet-ski, Hobie Cat (a small catamaran), wake board or stand up paddle board. He also enjoys riding his off road motorcycle. He is a part of the Dream Team, a team of talented world stand up paddle riders supported by Starboard, a leading expert of windsurf and stand up paddle boards. The group participate in competitions and are always trying to create new records.

In 1999, Gasiglia completed a world record by jet-skiing a

John Gray (left) and Tim Laven discuss their intended route along the Chaophraya River.

Since he was 16 years old, kayaking guru and eco-campaigner John Gray has always gone for a paddle in the sea on Christmas Day. But this year he found himself in Bangkok. No problem. Instead of the sea he and close friend Tim Laven took to the waters of the Chaophraya River, dressed appropriately for the day in Santa Claus costumes.

“We were showered with good wishes from everybody who saw us,” said Mr Laven. “A beautiful experience.” His lively blog about Phuket can be read at timinphuket.blogspot.com

The other-worldly wail of the Australian Aboriginal didgeridoo announced the opening of the inaugural Phuket Art Festival in the conference centre at the Royal Phuket Marina at Koh Kaew on Tuesday December 27.

Christopher of the Art is everywhere as artists come together to show Wolves was playing their work at the Phuket Art Festival. the music on stage as visual artists stood in front of displays repairing and customising motorcycles. of their paintings and drawings, chatFor the organisers of the ambiting to viewers browsing their work. tious show, Trisha Miller and Michael Live music, magic shows and Earle of Think Design magazine, it’s Indian dancing also entertained local a satisfying result to see some 100 loart-lovers every night. cal creative people at all the available On until 8pm today (Friday De- spots in the large exhibition space. cember 30), the exhibition features the Some proceeds from art sales go aesthetic recycled sculptures of John to the Phuket Has Been Good To Us Underwood, the large eye-catching and Soi Dog foundations. paintings of Christian Develter and “For me, it’s about the community many works by Phuket painters. coming together,” said Mr Earle.

Chris de Meo is showing his large “If all the exhibitors get to meet canvases, inspired by the drip-paintings one another and can form a future of Jackson Pollock, for the first time, creative network, then most of our turning to painting after previously work would be done.”

www.foreca.com

Seven Day Weather Forecast FRI DECEMBER 30

SAT DECEMBER 31

SUN JANUARY 1

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TUE JANUARY 3

WED JANUARY 4

THU JANUARY 5

High: +29° Low: +25°

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Wind 22 kmh

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NATIONALNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

7

Policeman kills 6 fellow officers A policeman in Phatthalung province, Southern Thailand, shot dead six fellow officers before turning the gun on himself after a drinking session in a police canteen turned sour, local police said on Tuesday (December 27).

The incident, which also left one policeman severely wounded, took place late on Monday in a border patrol police camp in Phatthalung, near the Thailand/Malaysia border. “Seven men were found dead including the gunman and one man has critical injuries,” Phatthalung police investigator Lieutenant Colonel Elephants and children, dressed in Santa Claus costumes, perform for students ahead of the Christmas festival at a school in Ayutthaya province on December 23. The event was held as part of a campaign to promote Christmas in Thailand. –Photo AFP

Row over refugee A leading rights group on Thursday (December 22) criticised Thailand’s “callous disregard” for human rights after it handed a registered refugee back to officials in Laos despite fears of persecution on his return.

Ka Yang and his family, of the Hmong ethnic group, were forcibly handed over at the Thai-Laos border on Saturday (December 24) despite United Nations (UN) recognition of his refugee status, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement.

He was one of 158 registered Hmong refugees who were forcibly repatriated by Thai troops in December 2009, along with more than 4,000 others whose needs for international protection the UN was never allowed to assess.

Thailand said the group were illegal economic migrants but the mass deportation sparked global outrage for

violating international refugee law. Ka Yang, who has been accepted for resettlement in the United States, subsequently fled Laos and returned to Thailand, HRW said, where he was detained with his family earlier this year at Bangkok’s immigration centre.

A senior immigration policeman in the capital denied they were aware of the refugee status of Ka Yang, who was repatriated at the same time as more than 50 Laotians accused of illegal entry.

But the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Bangkok had asked Thailand for the refugee’s release from detention and requested that he not be deported, according to its spokeswoman Kitty McKinsey.

“We have taken a number of steps to try to protect him,” she told AFP. “Since we found out that he was deported we have protested to the Thai Government and

now we’re trying to find out where he is exactly, to find out if there’s anything we can do for him now.” HRW said the US Embassy in Bangkok also asked officials not to return Ka Yang, although no representative there were immediately available for comment.

The Hmong group’s fear of retribution from the Laotian regime is a remnant of the Vietnam War, when members of the ethnic hill tribe fought in a US-funded irregular army as the conflict spilled into Laos.

“The Thai government has

shown callous disregard for the most basic right of refugees not to be returned to face persecution,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of New York-based HRW. “By twice returning Ka Yang to Laos, which has long mistreated its Hmong population, Thailand is saying it cares little about protecting refugees and respecting their basic rights.”

The rights group has been unable to establish the location of Ka Yang and his family in Laos.

–AFP

Prasit Singhapol told AFP by phone. Col Prasit said the motive was still unknown but the eight men had been drinking together in the canteen where six of the bodies were found.

“At this stage we think it’s a personal conflict,” he said.

The gunman’s body was found 200 metres from the scene after he killed himself with the same assault rifle he used against his colleagues, Prasit said.

Police were unable to confirm local media reports that the group was celebrating the promotions of some of the men.

–AFP

Yala bombing kills soldier A roadside bomb exploded early on Tuesday (December 27) in Yala’s Yaha district, killing a soldier and injuring another.

Sergeant Major First Class Pradit Saranatrai, 52, and Private Yutthana Daraporn, 22, were rushed to Somdet Prayupparaj Yaha Hospital, where Sgt Pradit died.

Police suspect separatists, led by Saudi Satapor, were behind the attack.

A five-kilogram bomb exploded at the Ban Kakong Bridge in Tambon Katong when Sgt Pradit

was leading six soldiers on motorcycles escorting teachers from Ban Katong School.

Yaha police say insurgency leader Saudi Satapor, who operates in Yaha and Katong districts, was behind the attack.

The leader is wanted for many national security cases in Yala province, including a bomb attack that killed two monks and injured two soldiers in Tambon Baro in May and another bomb attack that killed nine people in Tambon Katong in January.

Christmas wave About 100 people in the south were evacuated on Christmas Day and several tourists were stranded when a large wave flooded a coastal village, a local official said.

The three-to-four metrehigh wave inundated a shore on the Gulf of Thailand, causing floods of one metre deep and damaging houses in a village in Chumphon province, according to Provincial Governor Pinich Charoenpanich.

He said officials helped evacuate about 100 people to a safe place farther inland, and

were expected to return home when the waters had subsided and the wind dropped. There were no casualties reported.

The country was battered by an Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 that killed an estimated 7,000 people in Thailand alone.

The tsunami, triggered by an earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra, sent giant waves crashing into countries around the Indian Ocean, killing more than 220,000 people.

–AFP

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INTERNATIONALNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

A YEAR IN REVIEW Significant world events that shaped 2011

JANUARY Arizona politician Gabrielle Giffords, a member of the United States House of Representatives, is shot in the head on January 8, during a meeting with constituents.

Jared Lee Loughner is arrested for the shooting, in which six people were killed and 13 injured.

On January 25, the Egyptian revolution begins, with millions of protesters attempting to overthrow the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Violent clashes between security forces and protestors kill at least 840, and injure another 6,000.

The uprising takes place in Cairo, Alexandria, and in other cities in Egypt, following the Tunisian revolution that resulted in the overthrow of the long-time Tunisian president.

FEBRUARY Mubarak resigns as President of Egypt on February 11, following weeks of determined

of Cambridge, and Catherine ‘Kate’ Middleton, capture headlines and hearts around the world. Prince William first met commoner Kate in 2001, and they marry in a lavish ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

Kate becomes Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge.

MAY

Japan tsunami: 40 metre high waves caused destruction after a 8.9 magnitude quake. public protests and pressure.

Vice President Omar Suleiman announces that Mubarak is stepping down as president and turning power over to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

On the 22nd, the Christchurch earthquake, in New Zealand, kills 181 people in the city centre.

The earthquake, of 6.3 magnitude, is the second-deadliest natural disaster recorded in New Zealand. Aftershocks continue to rock the area.

MARCH On March 11 the world is glued to live television footage of Japan’s worst tsunami.

The country’s most power-

ful earthquake since records began strikes the country’s north-east coast, triggering a tsunami with waves up to 40.5 metres high.

Cars, ships and buildings are swept away by the wall of water after the 8.9-magnitude tremor.

More than 15,000 are left dead and thousands more injured and displaced.

A state of emergency is declared at Japan’s Fukushima damaged nuclear power plant.

Legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor, famed for her beauty, charitable efforts and her many marriages, dies on the 23rd from congestive heart failure, aged 79.

Osama bin Laden, founder of the militant Islamist group Al-Qaeda, is shot and killed on May 2, by US Navy Seals and the CIA in a covert operation in Pakistan.

Bin Laden’s group was held responsible for the deadly terrorism attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001.

Much of the world rejoices.

May 14 is a dark day for International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss Kahn, when he faces sexual assault charges after a 32-year-old maid files a complaint after

Mr Strauss Kahn’s hotel stay in New York.

Charges are later dropped after concerns about the maid’s credibility. However Mr Strauss Kahn resigns and is replaced by Christine Lagarde, French Finance Minister.

JUNE June 2 marks the day convicted sex offender Phillip Garrido is sentenced to 431 years imprisonment for kidnapping Californian schoolgirl Jaycee Lee Dugard, age 11.

Jaycee Lee was held hostage in Garrido’s home for 18 years, bearing two daughters to her captor.

Jaycee gives her first television interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer in July.

JULY In the case that grips America, 25-year-old Casey Anthony is found not guilty on July 5 of the murder of her two-year-old daughter Caylee, in Florida.

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INTERNATIONALNEWS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

9

Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is shot dead Thousands in Libya celebrate the death of former dictator Muammar Gad- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il dies in Decem–Photo AFP –Photo AFP ber.

by US agents on May 2.

–Photo AFP dafi.

The jury find Casey not guilty of murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child, but guilty of four misdemeanour counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer.

Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World tabloid newspaper hits the headlines for all the wrong reasons in July when it is revealed that nearly a decade earlier, a private investigator hired by the newspaper had intercepted and deleted the voicemail of missing British teenager Milly Dowler, who was later found murdered.

In what is dubbed the ‘phone hacking scandal’, it is alleged the voicemails of more than 4,000 other people were targeted.

The newspaper closes later that month, with several seniors managers charged as part of a police investigation.

AUGUST Between August 6 and 10 riots spread across London and other parts of England, causing chaos across the country.

Following a march on August 6 in relation to the shooting of Mark Duggan by police officers on August 4, a riot begins in Tottenham, North London.

During the riots 3,100 people are arrested, of whom more than 1,000 are charged.

A total of 3,443 crimes are linked to the disorder.

The Battle of Tripoli begins in Libya on August 20 and lasts for eight days. Libyan rebels take control of the nation’s capital, effectively overthrowing the government of Muammar Gaddafi.

OCTOBER

Americans mourn at the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks.

–Photo AFP two into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.

Another plane crashed into the Pentagon, and another into a field in Pennsylvania.

Around 3,000 people were killed in the attacks.

In September the Occupy Wall Street protest movement begins in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, and spreads worldwide.

People camp in protest against the power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process,

and what they believe is the role of Wall Street in contributing to the economic recession.

America is divided over the execution case of African American man Troy Davis, who has been convicted of the 1989 murder of white police officer Mark MacPhail in Georgia.

Davis is granted various stays before finally being executed on September 21 despite thousands signing a petition to help free the man who always maintained his innocence.

Steve Jobs, founder, chairman and chief executive of Apple Inc dies aged 56 on October 5. Jobs, who suffered from pancreatic cancer, is hailed as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution.

Libya’s former dictator Muammar Gaddafi is killed on October 20 after being captured by fighters who overrun his last bastion, his home town of Sirte.

Gaddafi dies from a bullet wound to the head after supposedly being caught in crossfire between National Transitional Council fighters and his own supporters.

In Tripoli, thousands converge on central Martyrs’ Square for celebrations, hoping that his death will bring security and freedom.

NOVEMBER Late pop star Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, is sentenced to four years in jail on November 7, for his role in Jackson’s death.

Prosecutors say Murray gave Jackson the surgical anesthetic Propofol to help him sleep nearly every night for the last two months of his life.

Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009, was caused by “acute

Propofol intoxication” in combination with two sedatives, a coroner ruled.

DECEMBER North Korean leader Kim Jong-il dies from a suspected heart attack on December 17, aged 60, with third son, Kim Jong-un, becoming his successor.

His death highlights the secrecy that surrounds North Korea, which is often viewed as being a totalitarian dictatorship, and many foreign countries are kept in the dark about his death.

A three-day funeral is held in the capital of Pyongyang.

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10

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

OPINION

2001 in Phuket:

The good, the bad and the ugly in the past year > 11

Editor’s Viewpoint

NORACHAI’S WORLD

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO OUR READERS Every January 1 people around the world vow to improve their lives through New Year’s Resolutions: to eat or drink less, exercise more, quit smoking, spend more time with family members or plan an amazing adventure overseas.

You can guarantee that 99 per cent of these resolutions are broken almost immediately.

So The Phuket News has done in-depth research on the Internet to come up with some simpler and possibly more effective resolutions that might actually stick for more than a couple of days. Here they are: ■■ I will not tell the same story at every get-together.

■■ I will not bore my boss with the same excuse for taking leave. I will think of some more excuses.

■■ I will conserve water by avoiding taking a bath whenever possible.

■■ I will spend less than one hour a day on the Internet.

This, of course, will be hard to estimate since I’m not a clock watcher.

Clean-up crew required.

Letters to the Editor [Re. Drive to speed up big projects] For once can Phuket slow down.

Slow down with its development and its desire to populate and develop the island as fast as possible. But now we have the news that four new road projects and a channel dredging project are on the cards. What about the Patong tunnel? The one way street change in Patong? What about the flyover? Or the light rail?

Will these four “new” projects be added to the ever increasing list of events which are announced in all their glory but never actually happen? I’m guessing so. Why don’t the authorities focus on one thing, do it in a timely fashion and do it well – including consulting residents to get full agreement?

At the moment there seems to be a million projects on the go but nothing really happening. I’m sure I will be reading about all of these in 10 years’ time, when perhaps one of them may get the go-ahead and actually be built.

ACDC

Warning system worries [Re. Disaster warning system a mess - expert] I’m a tech n icia n of 40 yea rs experience....I have never heard the warning system being tested, never heard a song, music, test tone or level check being done. I strongly suspect that the system does not function correctly. I ask your readers, has anyone heard the system being tested?

Laurie Howells

Rebuttal over warnings [Re. Disaster warning system a mess - expert] Yes, Mr Howells, I’ve heard the system being tested, as many others will have done. Admittedly, it was two years ago when I was working in Kata, but the test signals came through loud and clear, and on schedule.

Peter N

An interesting response [Re. Investigation into immigrant

beggars] “In stark contrast with the survey findings, the superintendent of the Phuket Immigration Police, Col Panuwat Ruamrak, said his officers have found no illegal immigrants begging during their patrols in Patong.” Our men in brown never cease to amaze!

Hotelier

much about this topic, but now I do.

It is really sad that Phuket Police do not seem to value children much and don’t do a proper search when they disappear. Maybe things will change after your article.

Alcatraz

High praise

[Re. Phuket remembers seven years on] Seven years ago. I can’t believe it really.

I had just moved to Phuket when the tsunami happened but was fortunate enough not to be directly affected.

My heart goes out to people who lost friends and relatives that fateful day.

I attend the memorial every year and find it a peaceful ceremony, especially with the lighting of the candles on the beach. I encourage more people to attend next year, so that Phuket will never forget what happened in 2004.

Sandy K Rawai

To The Phuket News team, thanks for delivering such a great paper this year. For such a small team you punch above your weight. I have had the pleasure of dealing with many of you personally, and I look forward to reading more in 2011.

George

Filling in the gaps [Re. Missing Link – is the system failing Phuket’s missing children?]

Thanks for a great, although sad, story last week on missing children in Phuket and Thailand. I did not know

Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Email managingeditor@thephuketnews.com or fax 076 612 553.

Please include your full name, address, phone number, and email address. This week, congratulations go to reader Elliot Klein, whose effort is ‘Letter of the Week’, and receives a B500 gift voucher from Asia Books.

www.thephuketnews.com

Reflecting on the past

■■ I will not ring the stewardess button on aeroplanes just to get her phone number.

■■ When I hear a funny joke I will not reply, “LOL” or “555”.

■■ I will use computer passwords other than “password”, “hello”, “1234” or my name.

■■ I will drink more. Wasn’t it Benjamin Franklin who said, beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy? So I’m going to be happy.

■■ I will eat more nice things like candy and Big Macs. I will eat less rubbish such as fresh fruit, vegetables and soy nuts.

■■ I will rename my dog something really strange and long.

■■ I promise to stick to these resolutions for more than a week (even though I never do).

A Happy New Year to all our loyal readers. We’ve enjoyed bringing you up-todate, interesting, amusing and informative news and features this year, and we have made a resolution to continue doing so in the year to come.

Cheers!

This week in history ■■ December 30, 1993: Israel and the Vatican established diplomatic relations.

■■ December 31, 1879: Thomas Edison gave his first public demonstration of incand e s c e nt lighting to an audience in Menlo Park, New Jersey.

■■ January 1, 1808: The importation of slaves into the United States is banned.

■■ January 2, 1959: Luna 1, the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon and to orbit the Sun, is launched by the USSR. ■■ January 3, 1977: Apple Computer is incorporated.

■■ January 4, 1948: Burma gains its independence from the United Kingdom.

■■ January 5, 1933: Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge begins in San Francisco Bay.

PHUKET2011 11

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011 JANUARY: The year opens with two protests against change. On January 21, over 200 bar operators gathered protest against enforcement of midnight closing. A week later, more than 100 tuk-tuk drivers protest at Kathu Police Station over the introduction of a one-way system in Patong.

onto the upmarket L’Orchidée project in Patong, causing its evacuation. Patong Municipality order work on the hill above to be stopped, but it is not. It is not until October that the identity of the mysterious project is revealed.

AUGUST: A month of mobs.

Patong tuk-tuk drivers blockade Rat U Thit 200 Pi Road on August 1. The incident begins with an argument between three tourists and a tuk-tuk driver over alleged damage to his vehicle, and ends with the tourists being assaulted and a policeman drawing his pistol in fear of the mob.

A few days later, German Kurt Trotnow, 53, is beaten into a coma by a mob of tuktuk drivers on Rat U Thit 200 Pi Rd after an argument over B100 turns nasty.

FEBRUARY: The whereabouts of arrested Rohingya refugees spark controversy. Phuket Immigration insist that some of the 68 refugees have been detained at the Immigration Detention Center (IDC) in Phang Nga, but IDC staff refute this.

MARCH: 300 Patong merchants blockade Kathu Police station to protest at the police breaking an agreement to leave them alone in exchange for money. The police, they say have been unfairly raiding them.

Italian expat Luciano Butti is shot to death at the entrance of Bang Pae waterfall in what is seen by police as a business dispute. Four suspects are arrested, including his business partner Denis Cavatassi, who denies any wrongdoing.

APRIL: More than 400 cruise line passengers sail out of Phuket without setting foot on the island after Phuket’s deep sea port is blockaded by 200 angry taxi drivers, claiming that a tour company is “stealing” their clients. A deal is made to share the passengers 50-50.

MAY: Six kilos of cocaine, the largest cocaine bust the island has seen, are seized from two drug mules, a Swiss man and a Thai woman, after they are arrested at Phuket International Airport.

JUNE: The Big Buddha Foun-

dation is ordered to remove a statue of King Rama V and some of the surrounding buildings on the top of Big Buddha Hill, after revelations the foundation has far exceeded its contract provisions for developing the site.

Two men, Urai Chucheun

and Somporn Kamkerd, are murdered in a dispute over payment for drugs. A third person, Sanit Chucheun, plays dead and after his “body” is dumped, alerts police. Two of the killers are arrested.

JULY: Large rocks crash

SEPTEMBER: Unregistered taxi drivers blockade the entrance of the Evason Phuket & Bon Island resort on September 8, after discovering that resort staff have called a non-local taxi to pick up guests.

On September 27, a driver from the Kok Chang elephant trekking company is attacked by a group of taxi drivers in front of the Cape Sienna Hotel in Kamala. The attackers later surrendered to police, explaining that the driver had invaded their turf. A deal is reached.

OCTOBER: Around 400 protesters in Patong threaten

to block the main Phrabaramee Rd if work on the mountain above, which has been raining rocks and mud on them, is not stopped. The falling rocks mystery of July is solved: they are coming from site clearance for the building of a giant jade-covered statue of the goddess Kuan Im. Work is stopped indefinitely.

NOVEMBER: Chalermporn Kaewmanee, 20, calls for justice, claiming he was beaten by up to six Phuket City policemen in order to make him confess he had drugs in his possession.

About 400 villages at Baan Khor Ane, in the north of Phuket, block the main Thepkrasattri Rd, demanding improvements to the road after a crash leaves two villagers dead.

DECEMBER: American Mixed Martial Artist (MMA) Junie Allen Browning, 26, known as The Lunatik, is accused of beating up at least five people in a bar brawl in Karon. He later turns up at Chalong police station to defend himself, showing multiple wounds and claiming that he was the victim.

On December 21, a mob of FC Phuket fans throw bottles and block the exits from Surakul Stadium after a match, in protest at the referee’s perceived bias. The referee is forced to apologise before he is allowed to leave.

But 2011 wasn’t all bad news...

JANUARY: New Year celebrations kick off around Phuket to welcome in 2011, with more than 3000 music fans heading to Famous nightclub in Patong to see French DJ Bob Sinclair, the creator of worldwide hits Love Generation and World, Hold On. Also in January, Vachira Phuket Hospital opens a new outpatient clinic in Phuket Town, to ease the workload at the hospital’s main facility.

FEBRUARY: Ten bands from around the world rock the stage for the sixth annual Phuket International Blues Rock Festival, held at Karon beach, and attracting a record turnout of music lovers.

M A RCH: Phu ket’s new Mining Museum is officially opened by Governor Tri Augkaradacha. The B180-million attraction in Kathu showcases Phuket’s tin mining history and the lives of the Chinese miners of the era through indoor and outdoor exhibits in both English and Thai languages.

APRIL: Thousands of tourists and locals join in the fun for the annual Songkran Festival,

to mark the Thai New Year.

White powder and water guns are the order of the day as people take part in the world’s largest water fight.

At the same time, Bike Week arrives in Patong, with more than 30,000 motorcycle enthusiasts and riders from around the world on 6,000 rare big bikes rumbling around Patong and the roads of Phuket.

MAY: The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan docks in Phuket. Some of its crew take time out from partying to help some needy children on the island, with 20 volunteers painting the gym at Muang Phuket School in Rawai.

JUNE: Supermarket powerhouse Tesco Lotus finally agrees to stop providing free plastic bags for every purchase, falling in line with 23 other retailers to support Phuket’s campaign to put an end to plastic shopping bags and for shoppers to bring re-usable bags with them when they go shopping. The project is expected to be launched in February 2012.

Australian holidaymaker Lou Kesby’s comes back to

the organisation.

AUGUST: The annual Phuket Seafood Festival kicks off this month with many delicious food and beverage creations on show.

More than 60 restaurants in Phuket and Phang Nga take part in the “Good Taste Best Price” event, with many discounts available for customers, to attract tourists to sample Phuket’s seafood.

Lou Kesby and masseuse Aisa, who saved his life.

Phuket to thank beach masseuse Aisa for saving his life.

Aisa, giving him a massage the previous year, discovered a lump in his stomach and pleaded with him to get it checked. Back home, he did, and was diagnosed as having a potentially deadly aortic aneurysm, which was removed immediately.

Lou comes back to Phuket to thank Aisa, and gives her money to help put her daughter through college.

JULY: Two Turkish children holidaying in Thailand are rescued by a New Zealand man visiting Naiharn Beach. Stu Piddington rescues Melisa, 13 and Ilhan, 9, from the water.

The children’s father Ibrahim Kaya, an executive chef in Kata, was very thankful.

The Phuket Sunshine Village Foundation celebrates four years of helping Phuket’s children in need, with one of its main sponsors, Indigo Pearl, presenting B160,200 to

HRH Princess Chulabhorn Valayalaksana visits Phuket to inspect a free mobile medical clinic run by the Princess Mother’s Medical Volunteer Foundation. the clinic gives 117 Phuket people free medical checks.

SEPTEMBER: Ten finalists plus the winner of the Miss Thailand Beach International 2011, Patcharawamorn Singsomboon, 22, arrive in Phuket for a fashion show and calendar photo shoot, all in the name of promoting tourism on the island.

OCTOBER: Phuket Town streets came alive in October for the annual Vegetarian Festival. During the ten days of the

festival, shrines stage various rites including hot oil bathing, bladed ladder climbing, fire walking, and spectacular parades featuring god-possessed mah song marchers.

NOVEMBER: Bangkok’s floods reach peak levels and Phuket rallies to help with donations of food, clothing and money. At the helm of the aid rally were student volunteers at the Phuket Technical College, who rushed to build nearly 200 glass fibre boats to help those affected.

DECEMBER: Thousands of locals around Phuket and wider Thailand celebrate His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 84th birthday on December 5. Thai people visit temples, give offerings to monks, and do other good deeds to celebrate this special day.

Local heroes Jay “Le Shark” Walker and Russell “Sniffer” Russell make headlines for attempting a world record for the longest threelegged race. The pair are forced to retire after 70km with severe blisters, but won the hearts of Phuketians and raise B100,000 for charity. www.thephuketnews.com

12

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

BUSINESS

Industries sentiment index bottoming out The Thai Industries Sentiment Index (TISI) in November slid for the sixth consecutive month to a 29-month low, falling from 89.0 in October to 87.5, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).

It should recover over the coming few months, however.

FTI Chairman Payungsak Chartsuthipol on Thursday said that the index dropped in relation to total orders and sales, production volume, operating costs and turnover, thanks to the country’s worst flooding in decades.

The flood crisis also affected manufacturing and exports of major industrial products, such as autos, auto parts and electronics, as well as related supply chain industries.

A shortage of production parts caused numerous industrial plants to suspend output over the past two months.

Waterlogged roads are also an obstacle to transport of goods. Although the inundation

in some areas has eased since late November, affected operators remain concerned about rehabilitating their factories and businesses.

The November index slipping below the benchmark of 100 reflected operators’ lackluster outlook on overall operations.

However, the index looks like recovering over the coming few months. The TISI for December, January and February is projected to climb to 104.5, up from the previous forecast of 101.3 made in October, the FTI chairman said.

The rise was attributed to growing purchase orders, sales volume, production quantity and turnover, Mr Payungsak said.

Mr Payungsak said that entrepreneurs are worried most about the global economy, followed by oil prices, the domestic political situation, currency exchange rates, loan interest rates.

–MCOT

Road show aims at M East Over 120 tour agents from Dubai and Doha joined a road show organised by the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation to help boost the number of tourists from the Middle East.

Organised with the cooperation of the Phuket Tourism Association and the Thailand Tourism Authorities, the event took place from November 28

to December 1 and welcomed 24 agents from Dubai and 94 from Doha. The visitors had the opportunity to meet with 12 local tourism companies from Phuket and Krabi.

Bhuritt Maswongssa, Vice President of the Phuket Tourist Association said, “We expect Middle East tourist arrivals to increase by around 50 per cent in 2012 from 50,000 this year.”

Lopburi solar farm will help cut Thailand’s carbon emissions > 14

THE POOL GUY SUCCESS

Stor y

Florent Mayard

Managing Director of Navinda Pools When did you arrive in Phuket?

I arrived in Phuket in 1999 after staying in Bangkok for two years.

At that time were you planning to start a business?

Yes, I had worked on this idea for several months already. I was already in contact with Zodiac to be their sole distributor in Thailand.

Was this something you had done before, or did you have to learn from scratch?

No, I had never done this before I had to learn from scratch. On the other hand, I was only 27.

What made you want to start this particular business?

When I was living in Bangkok, I used to visit my friends in Phuket and even though I didn’t know anything about pools, I could feel there was an opportunity for this kind of market – though I never thought it would be so huge.

What was your initial investment?

Around B1 million.

Please list the landmarks (with dates) in the development of the business.

In November 1999, when I

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www.thephuketnews.com

Power from the sun

Florent Mayard with a pool installed by his firm, Navinda. started, I was selling abovethe-ground pools from Zodiac.

Then very quickly in 2001, we switched to in-ground liner pools, still from Zodiac.

These pools came as a kit but soon we stopped working with them because we found that they were not suitable for most of the land in Phuket and also because, at the same time, we were getting more and more demand for concrete pools.

Then in 2005, we started glass fibre pools, as we were looking for a product which could be installed faster because of the growing demand.

We developed a factory to produce our own fibre pools, becoming the first to do so in Thailand.

I would also like to emphasise that Navinda is not only a pool construction company, but also provide equipment, cleaning accessories, chemicals and also maintenance services.

What was easiest to do in developing your business?

The facility with which I could open my company, even though at the beginning my English skills were poor and also the

small amount of money I had to invest at the beginning.

What was most difficult to do in developing your business?

Human resources were, and are still the most difficult in developing my business.

If you were to do this again, what would you do differently?

Nothing, I am satisfied with the way my business has evolved.

How much was culture clash a factor in the way your business developed?

Culture clash has not really been a factor in the way my business developed, I understood very quickly that it was useless to be excitable, and I have learned to calm down.

What do you love/hate most about what you do?

I love being on site working with my team, I love to always try to improve the quality of the work. There is nothing I really hate, more likely there are few things I don’t like much, for example dealing with the office pressure.

How is business right now?

Surprisingly, 2011 is maybe the best year we had since I started.

Have you been affected by increasing competition? How do you counter that?

Our main competitors are the house builders, not the other pool companies. It is true that more and more pool companies have opened; these are not official figures but I have heard that there were now 29 pool companies on the island.

However, the fact that we have been present for 12 years reassures the customers. We also try to give good after-sales service and we advertise on a regular basis so that people keep our name in mind.

Where do you go from here?

I plan to develop my business to other provinces, Krabi first and then Hua Hin and the north of Thailand, maybe Chiang Mai. I have also ordered outdoor furniture to give my customers the opportunity to find all they need in one place.

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs starting up in Phuket?

I think the most important advice when you want to start a business in a foreign country is to take your time.

Come for three or six months, watch and wait instead of trying to apply the same rules that apply in your country of origin.

One more thing is that we now have everything in Phuket and it has become more and more difficult to find a business idea that will allow you to make a decent living.

To contact Navinda Pools, call 076 282 782 or visit phuket-pools.com.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

BUSINESS/TOURISM 13

3G internet auction next year

Airport traffic drops but Phuket shines

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission expects to launch the 3G licence auction by next year.

National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) Chairman, Air Chief Marshal Tharet Punsri reported that officials are working on a master plan for management of the bandwidth, as well as a telecommunications master plan, and a broadcasting and television master plan.

The bandwidth management master plan will pave the way for the auction of the 3G mobile phone licences.

Once approved, the plans will have to undergo a public hearing. The whole process is expected to take three months.

The NBTC hopes to hold such a forum at least once a month.

NBTC member Colonel Set­tapong Malisuwan said he expected the three master plans to be launched by March so that within the third quarter of the year, the NBTC should be able to hold its 3G licence auction on the 2.1 gigahertz bandwidth.

Bickering over the rights to 3G has held up the introduction of fast Internet for years and Thailand is a long way behind much of the world.

Neighbouring Malaysia has 4G, while Japan and South Korea are expected to launch 5G services in 2012.

–TAN Network and The Phuket News

Most of Thailand’s airports showed a performance decline in November, according to the Airports of Thailand’s latest data. Phuket was an outstanding exception to the rule AoT manages six airports in the country, but one of them, Don Muang Airport, was closed in November due to heavy flooding in Bangkok’s northern suburbs.

The drop in both passenger and aircraft movements was blamed on floods in the central provinces.

Overall aircraft movements in November for the six airports stood at 35,375 movements, up by 1.2 per cent from 34,966, while passenger traffic declined slightly by nine per cent from 5,194,525 to 4,728,922 passengers in November 2010.

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport recorded an one per cent increase in aircraft movements from 16,963 to 17,138, while domestic movements were up 45.5 per cent from 6,235 to 9,071.

But international passenger traffic was down 22.5 per cent from 2,981,195 to 2,310,214.

Domestic passenger traffic improved by 38.1 per cent from 838,848 to 1,158,294.

Chiang Mai Airport reported a slight increase both in aircraft movements and

passenger traffic.

International aircraft movements were up 16.8 per cent from 309 to 361 movements.

Domestic movements were up 16.2 per cent from 2,134 to 2,479.

International passenger traffic increased by 51.4 per cent from 26,268 to 39,781, while domestic passenger traffic improved 12.4 per cent from 286,716 to 322,159 passengers.

At Phuket Airport, international aircraft movements rose 20.6 per cent from 2,058 to 2,482, while domestic movements improved marginally by 0.7 per cent from 2,228 to 2,243.

International passenger traffic was up 30.8 per cent from 292,297 to 382,377 passengers, while domestic passengers dropped 0.6 per cent from 315,324 to 313,396.

Chiang Rai Airport saw aircraft movements fall six per cent from 481 to 452, while passengers improved just 0.5 per cent from 70,697 to 71,063.

Hat Yai Airport reported a slight increase in both aircraft movements up 3.1 per cent from 931 to 960, while passenger traffic improved 0.2 per cent from 108,326 to 108,586 passengers.

–TTR Weekly

Troubled Indian carrier Kingfisher Airlines has been forced to ground 15 aircraft because it is unable to pay their maintenance costs, the Economic Times newspaper reported.

The business daily quoted an unnamed executive as saying that the cost of keeping the aircraft at airports around the country was “killing” the company financially.

As if this were not enough, Kingfisher is also about to be pursued by the taxman for failing to pay to the govern-

ment 1.54 billion rupees (B880 million) in tax deducted from its staff.

Minister of State for Finance S.S. Palanimanickam told Parliament that the amount comprised most of the tax deducted from employee salaries over the past two fiscal years.

The carrier has been one of India’s worst-hit airlines in an industry plagued by high jet fuel prices and local sales taxes, fierce competition and inadequate airport infrastructure.

Ministry targets disabled tourists Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism says it will create more facilities for disabled tourists as well as seniors, children and pregnant women.

The ministry’s Department of Tourism director general, Supol Sripan, said there were projects in place to serve niche markets where travellers needed specialised support.

According to research by the UK’s University of Surrey, there are 134 million disabled tourists in Europe who spend B3,910 each on travel, while 267.9 million seniors spend B7,820 per head.

Mr Supol said, “A two-percent expansion of our share in these markets would give us revenue of B78.2 million.”

Destinations such as Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai and Phuket have been identified to start the project.

– TTR Weekly

Banthoon Lamsam: Everyone needs to be prepared for international and domestic risks.

2012 GDP growth Costs force Kingfisher ‘will be 4-5pc’ to ground 15 planes The CEO of Kasikorn Bank Banthoon Lamsam expects the Thai economy to grow by 4 to 5 per cent in 2012 despite various risk factors, including the global economic crisis and natural disasters.

Banthoon also pointed to the Thai political situation as the most important domestic risk factor.

To ensure continuous growth, the Kasikorn Bank CEO is urging all sides to be well prepared for these risks.

As for the banking industry, he expects loans to increase by 9 or 10 per cent if his GDP growth predictions come true.

Banthoon added that, aside from domestic loans, Kasikorn Bank has signed an agreement with the China Development Bank, or CDB, on financial and business cooperation between the two.

Under the agreement, CDB will provide more than 1.5 billion yuan, or about B7.5 billion, in reserves to the Kasikorn Bank’s Shenzhen Branch in southern China.

In return, Kasikorn Bank will provide similar support to CDB to expand its operations in Thailand.

Both banks have also agreed to cooperate on loan

syndications for large infrastructure development projects in Thailand.

This will also facilitate the transfer of knowledge between the two countries.

CDB expects the number of Thai-Chinese joint ventures to grow, financially supported by the cooperation between the two banks.

The partnership will also make it easier for investors to initiate large projects and will strengthen Thai-Chinese relations, he said.

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14 BUSINESS/PROPERTY

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

5,000 hotel rooms in Phuket pipeline The Office of Commercial Affairs Phuket reports a double-digit growth in hotel developments registered on the island during the first 10 months of the year.

The report suggests another 24 hotels will open by 2014 ranging in size from 40 to 150 room units.

According to the report, there were 25 newly-registered hotels in Phuket from January to October, up 13.6 per cent on the previous year.

“New properties are scattered around the island including Karon, Rawai in Muang district and Patong and Kamala Beach in Kathu district,” said the Office of Commercial Affairs Phuket acting Provincial Commercial Officer, Jaras Petchphakdee.

The new properties are a response to growing demand in Phuket mainly from tourism although long-stay visitors are also growing.

For the first 10-months of this year, the average occupancy rate in Phuket stood at 78.5 per cent.

Data from Phuket Airport Immigration checkpoints indicated 2,034,052 international arrivals, up 32 per cent for the first 10 months of 2011.

It breaks down into 1,834,052 arrivals by air and just 200,427 on yachts and cruises.

However, the report says that due to the economic crisis in Europe, tourist arrivals

NO. OF ROOMS

OPENING DATE

Pullman Phuket Acadia Nai Thon Beach

281

Q4 2012

Hotel Indigo Phuket

130

Q3 2014

The 8over8 by Castlewood

HOTEL

150

Q1 2013

The Naka

90

Q2 2012

Novotel Phuket Kamala Bay

168

Q1 2013

The Kamala Resort and Spa

185

Aug 2012

Phuket Graceland Resort and Spa (Expansion)

150

Feb 2012

Novotel Phuket Dahlia Hotel

305

Q1 2012

Tune Hotel Patong

150

Oct 2012

Holiday Inn Express Phuket Patong Beach Central

280

Dec 2012

All Seasons Phuket Patong Beach

350

Q4 2012

The Centara Grand Moringa Resort and Spa

286

Mar 2013

Sleep with Me Hotel

318

Q2 2012

All Seasons Phuket Patong Resort

744

Q3 2013

The Patong Bay Hill Hotel & Resort

290

Jan 2014

Four Points by Sheraton Phuket, Patong

113

Q1 2014

Luxury Resort by New World Group

250

Jul 2014

Mercure Phuket Deevana

508

Q4 2014

Days Inn Phuket Town

129

Apr 2013

U Serene Phuket

140

Aug 2012

The Yamu

102

2013

Marco Polo Resort Phuket

294

Q1 2014

Park Hyatt Phuket

70

2014

Koh Maiton Resort

79

2014 Figures from C9 Hotelworks

from countries like Greece, Portugal, Italy, Spain and France are dipping.

But floods in the central provinces failed to impact on tourism as the province has 11,003 direct flights, a 20.8 per cent increase from 9,107 flights in 2010 and 13 charters from China, India, Russia

and Europe that represent 64 flights a week.

Research by C9 Hotelworks, showed 24 properties with a total of more than 5,000 rooms are in the pipeline and due to open by 2014. The research also shows that 56 per cent of the supply will be midscale hotels, followed

by upscale and budget and economy tiers at 27 per cent and 12 per cent respectively.

Phuket has 43,571 hotel rooms in registered accommodation establishments.

Based on the Registration Department data, the hotels due to open soon are shown in the table. –TTR Weekly

The Lopburi solar farm will reduce Thailand’s carbon emissions by 1.3 million tonnes in the next 25 years.

Lopburi solar farm opens Lopburi solar power plant, about 150km north of Bangkok, one of the world’s largest solar photovoltaic projects, has started commercial operation with a capacity of 73 megawatts.

It will help the country reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by over 1.3 million tonnes throughout the 25-year project period and cut fuel imports by over 35,000 tonnes a year, said Sahust Pratuknukul, Board of Directors’ Chairman of the Natural Energy Development (NED), who is also President of the Electricity Generating Public Company (EGCO).

NED Managing Director Woramol Khamkanist said the project began in July 2010, taking 18 months from beginning of construction to the start of commercial operations.

Second-phase develop-

UAE property investors target Ao Por Two partners from the UAE, Tasweek Real Estate Development and Marketing, and Asset Allocation Advisors (AAA), both part of the Khalid Al Hamed group, are teaming up to launch a high-end development at Ao Por, the AAA Hotel and Resort.

The project will cover 26 rai of prime sloping land facing the sea, and will contain a variety of homes ranging from studio apartments up to luxury pool villas, as well as a resort and spa with 126 pool suites and eight villas.

It is estimated the project will cost around US$60 million (B1.8 billion), and will be sold at B120,000 to B150,000 per sqm.

The CEO of AAA, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Hamed, visited Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha on Monday (December 26) to inform him of the progress with the project.

www.thephuketnews.com

ment to expand capacity to 84 megawatts will be completed in June, while an on-site learning centre is being built on 760 square metres as a knowledge transfer site on natural energy and sustainable energy use.

The museum will be opened for free public use in mid-2012.

NED is an equal joint venture in which CLP Thailand Renewables, Diamond Generating Asia, a whollyowned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation and EGCO, each holding one-third ownership.

The Asian Development Bank granted a loan of US$70 million (B2.1 billion) for construction of the power plant.

It is the first project for which ADB has given support under its plan to promote alternative energy consumption around the region in a bid to help reduce global warming.

–MCOT

Mr Al Hamed said AAA had already bought the site for the project. It is currently is in the process of attracting investors before the construction and sales phases can begin.

An opening tranche of US$20 million (B600 million) in equity capital will be directed to the resort's development, with the partners seeding the equity while also allocating a portion for a select group of investors to join in.

Interviewed by zawya.com, a business website focusing on the Middle East and North Africa, the CEO of Tasweek, Masood Al Awar, said the project will be built with the preservation of local culture and natural resources in mind.

In his meeting with AAA, Gov Tri showed his support for the project. It would benefit Phuket’s tourism, he said, as well as contribute to the island’s economy.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

OUTDOOR&PASSDOOR

Flat design Mario Ruiz DESIGNED BY WOULFE STUDIO Baan Wana Park, Phuket.

BRIAN WOULFE

brian@designedbywoulfe.com | designedbywoulfe.com | th mob. +66 (0) 86 275 3267 | studio +66 (0) 7662 0071 | uk fax +44 (0) 207 7859 295 | baan wana park, 177/22 moo.4, srisoonthorn road, thalang, phuket, 83110, thailand

www.thephuketnews.com

16

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

CULTURE

BIG LIST: Crazy facts about Kim Jong-Il > 22

Time to remember Phuket photographer Teerapat Pattanasoponpong says the white rose in the middle of his image reminds us of lives that were cut short by the tsunami of 2004.

He took this poignant photo on Patong Beach last Monday (December 26), the memorial day for the disaster

RANDOM view

victims. Candles were lit and stuck in the sand, as was the long stem of the white rose next to it, to remember lives that were lost in the sand and sea on that fateful Boxing Day, seven years ago.

www.photohutgroup.com

Each month the best ‘Random View’ wins a B500 gift voucher courtesy of Photo Hut (see www.photohutgroup.com).

At the end of 2011, The Phuket News and Photo Hut’s ‘Photo of the Year’, chosen from all the competition entrants, receives a grand voucher for a total of B5,000.

Photos must have a Phuket theme, and be at least 1MB and 300dpi in size. Email entries to: managingeditor@ thephuketnews.com

Three fine art views GALLERY

www.thephuketnews.com

Ceramics of Phuket:

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

Designed by Woulfe Studio

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

focus

The Vichen Gallery, just behind the Da Vinci Restaurant on Saiyuan Road in Rawai on the way to Naiharn Beach, is showing different perceptions of three Thai artists.

Greeting the viewer at the door is a vast, perfectly-painted ear by Anusorn Siripin, on which the magic monkey in Chinese folklore and a companion are travelling, like on their usual journey through arid desert.

Deeper in the room are the broodingly poetic images of Ditapong Bunsanong, who paints shophouses and other city scenes on metal and scrapes back the layers of paint to expose the hard and shiny surface underneath.

Local painter Somrak Maneemai, of the Red Gallery in the nearby Artists’ Village in Soi Saiyuan 2, offers another of his cool dream-like visions, filled with a large animal, floating children, eyes and stars, that tell a story in the same way as a children’s picture book does.

The viewer can happily enjoy the images that, from time to time, magically reveal just a little more of their content.

Artist and art teacher, Ditapong graduated with a master degree in fine art from the Silpakorn University in Bangkok, where he lives and obviously enjoys painting the

Phuket galleries

Dream Gallery

Boat Lagoon, 23/122 Thepkasattri Rd, Koh Kaew, 076 273 487, gallery@asiansourcingallery.com, thedreamgallery.asia.

I Mon Art Gallery:

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

King Art Studio:

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

Lat Design and Art Garden:

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

Little Monk Gallery:

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

99 Art Studio:

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

Phuket Modern Art:

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

Red Gallery:

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

Sarasil Art Galllery:

121 Phang Nga Rd, Phuket Town, 076 224 532, somkiatkaewnok@yahoo.com; oilpaintingsphuket.com.

Open daily 8pm-9pm.

The Love Art Studio:

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

The One Gallery:

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

Veerachan Usahanun:

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

Vichen Gallery Bzenter more contemplative corners of that crowded metropolis.

Both Bangkok-based Anu­ sorn and Somrak are also pro­ ducts of the same university, both also holding masters degrees in fine art.

Somrak is very active in the art scene in Phuket, exhibiting frequently and teaching students. He works away in his very pleasant studio, sometimes in earshot of the roaring surf of Naiharn beach.

The art village around his gallery, where other artists are building their work places, is a growing hub of creative industry near the bustling Saiyuan tourist road.

–Norachai Thavisin

Behind Da Vinci Restaurant, Saiyuan Rd, Rawai, 087 8903722.

Open daily 3-9 pm. (Telephone to view before 3 pm.)

Watcharin Art Studio:

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

Wua Gallery and Studio:

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

PEOPLE 17

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

A year of highs and lows Phuket skipper reflects after being detained in east Africa

S

uperyacht skipper Adrian Troy has had a lifechanging year, beginning on December 23, 2010, when he was detained in east Africa on charges of espionage and terrorism.

Having been locked up for six months in Eritrea, in the horn of Africa, the British seaman was suddenly released in June, as previously reported

by The Phuket News, and is now back sailing Southeast Asian seas with a whole new outlook on life.

Adrian, based in Phuket, is a very positive and personable man who has always been full of life; an adventurer who has travelled across the globe working as a pearl diver and pearl boat skipper in Australia, Myanmar and Phuket, the last of which he now considers his second home. It was when he took a temporary position for a ‘Private Security Company’ that his dark story began.

“I took on a temporary position as a captain last year for a security company operating in the Red Sea. I did this while waiting for one of my contracted vessels to finish a refit in Phuket.

“Four days after joining the vessel Sea Scorpion I was detained in Eritrea with three other crew members.”

He was skippering for Protection Vessel International (PVI), a company supposedly working to protect vessels against piracy, but the mission came to a quick halt after

Above: Adrian Troy’s capture made headlines in Australia.

Below left: Adrian Troy and the buddha he credits for helping him get through tough times while in prison.

SAUDI ARABIA

Red Sea

SUDAN

ERITREA

YEMEN

ETHIOPIA weapons illegally stashed by PVI weapons were found on Romiya Island by local authorities. Mr Troy was arrested in Massawa, Eritrea.

While incarcerated, he was denied consulate access, so it was difficult for anyone to know the true conditions that he faced inside the prison. In the days that followed, Adrian

took solace from the only personal item he was allowed, a small Buddha statue.

“I was given my first Buddha in exchange for a pearl I had on. I used this wooden Buddha as my focus and it gave me a lot of inspiration.

“I never asked or pleaded for anything, but talked to the Buddha as a calming and

accepting influence,” he says.

While Mr Troy doesn’t claim to be religious, he confesses that the Buddha statue, “gave me a real sense of release and helped me immeasurably.”

True to his friendly nature, Adrian built up a good rapport with the prison guards, who bought a small mirror for him

with what little money he had.

“By coincidence the mirror had an illustration of Bangkok temples and landmarks on the reverse side. This was pure coincidence as the guards knew nothing of my Thailand connection. I took this as an omen that I would once again see my home in Phuket,” Adrian said.

After his surprise release,

Adrian discovered just how much support he had from close ones. “My friends and family were very active in their support, especially in Australia, the UK and Phuket.

“One of my friends started to lobby UN delegates in his home town of New York, my brother-in-law actually received a letter of acknowledgement and support from Buckingham Palace and the Governor General of Australia.”

Following his release, Adrian needed closure from the whole event, which had tarnished his previously clean record.

“Since my release, my main objective has been under­ standing and reconciliation. I met the Eritrean Ambassador to the UK and also was invited to dinner by the Eritrean Consul-General to Australia in August.

“This was after I came forward to apologise to the Eritreans. My reception by the officials has been very humbling. They have been very understanding and also reciprocal in their expressions of reconciliation.”

Adrian is now happily settled back in Rawai and reflects on his remarkable year. “My life and awareness have changed quite considerably. I make very regular trips to the Big Buddha and Wat Chalong in the early mornings and I believe now it is an incredible gift to consider Phuket home.”

All things colourful Chalee Chaitong was paying close attention to a boy sitting on a low stool, painting a little toy figure made from white plaster of Paris, showing his student little tricks of the trade.

All around them at the stall at the Thanyapura Christmas fair in Thalang on December 9 were displayed cloth slippers and tables full of plaster masks that he had carefully and intricately handpainted for sale.

Chalee normally has his art shop (tel 081 797 3813) at the Dusit Laguna Resort where Chalee Chaitong creates cloth slippers and plaster masks. he sells these handiworks and All is bright and beautiOn his cellphone, he also keeps young children of ic wall painting, all material resort guests entertained with painting, art for kids and showed a mural of a dancer ful at Chalee’s place on the painting shows for events,” he painted for an Indian island. hands sticky with paint.

–Norachai Thavisin restaurant in Phuket.

“Basic art teaching, acryl- are his jobs on the list. www.thephuketnews.com

18 ISLANDLIFE

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Monkeys and mangroves

Koh Siray’s caring little island community VILLAGE of the week

K

oh Siray may not seem like an island – it’s separated from Phuket only by a short 200m bridge over the Tha Jeen canal. Indeed, despite the Koh (island) in its name, modern day Koh Siray is actually deemed part of Phuket Town as it’s only around 4km from the heart of the city.

Much of Koh Siray is covered in a natural landscape of lush mountains and rich mangrove forests that Rassada Tambon Administration and proud villagers help to preserve.

Village head, Mr Maitree Duangjan, describes the island’s topography as mostly mountains, with about 30 per cent flat land near the canal, and some muddy, stony beaches on the east side.

Just one village, Baan Moo 1 Koh Siray, covers the whole island, except for the little Morgans Village situated in Laem Tukkae, where residents have their own separate area.

The main village houses a wide range of inhabitants attracted to the island’s fishing industry. The 20 sq km area covering Koh Siray Moo 1 starts at Tha Jeen bridge and has a registered population of almost 3,500.

However, Mr Maitree believes this number is much higher. “It could be nearly 4,500, as many people live in the village even though they are registered as living elsewhere. But if you count labourers that work on fishing boats and piers, for example, I believe the number could reach 10,000,” he said.

Such large numbers stay on this small island because it’s the biggest fishing port in this part of the country. Visitors will see the many fishing boats bobbing in the water at Phuket Fishing Port in Koh Siray, only a few hundred metres from the bridge.

“Major businesses here are all related to the fishing industry. There are two large shipyards, many repair and hardware shops, cold storage for fishing and a few cruise ship piers, as this spot is probably the easiest way to get to Phi Phi island from the east side of Phuket,” Mr Maitree said.

Eighty-five per cent of the island’s inhabitants are Buddhist. Their most sacred temple is Wat Koh Siray atop Siray www.thephuketnews.com

Most of the inhabitants of Koh Sirah – officially 3,500 but rumoured to be three times that – are involved in the fishing industry.

Hill, that was built by Luang Pu Supha Kantaseelo in 1960. A year later he spearheaded the project to have an 18.5 metre Reclining Buddha built, which was completed in 1963. Then the beautiful Ubosot (chapel) was erected a few years later to house the Buddha.

The Ubosot sits on top of the mountain where visitors are welcome to enjoy the magnificent views over Koh Siray, Phuket City, Saphan Hin, Phuket Fishing Port, and Laem Tukkae.

The temple has always been at the centre of the local community, playing an important role in religious activities.

Each year the villagers come together at the end of Buddhist Lent for their annual blessings and Chak Phra ceremony.

Chak Phra literally means “pulling of the Buddhist monks” and is celebrated in many southern provinces. At Wat Koh Siray, a beautifully adorned carriage with a Buddha statue is pulled across town by monks and participants to make merit. At the end of the ceremony the monks bless the village and villagers.

Mr Maitree has been the village head for two years, and at 33 years old, he is a young leader determined to bring more development to the village, yet preserve it’s natural beauty.

He helps promote a better quality of life for the people of Koh Siray. He encouraged villagers to come together to form a community watch to keep an eye drug use and to prevent

A view from the top: Looking out from Wat Koh Siray, situated atop Siray Hill.

Village head Maitree Duangjan. children from going off on the wrong path. The community watch have regular meetings to discuss various matters in the village and how they can work towards resolving issues.

They organise sports like football and sepak-takraw, and encourage the youth in the village to participate to give them a shared activity and focus. In August this year, Baan Koh Siray Moo 1 football team joined Rassada Municipality football tournament and finished in a respectable fourth place.

One of Koh Siray’s monkey viewing platforms.

Mr Maitree and the community also helped develop the monkey viewing platforms for visitors. Before there was just mangrove forests where monkeys came from each evening to search for food from nearby houses.

After submitting an application on behalf of the villagers to Rassada Municipality, the roadside development now includes a platform for monkey watching near the forest.

Also look out for the unique road signs that you won’t see very often saying: “Monkey

on road.” the Koh Siray monkey viewing platforms have become very popular among villagers and tourists. Each day in the late afternoon, at 5 or 6pm, families and tourists arrive with some food, bananas, sometimes peanuts and different kinds of fruits to throw to the monkeys, who will come out from the mangrove forest.

But Koh Siray has more than just fishing boats, mangrove forests and monkeys. The village is the home of many charity projects and shelters.

There are shelters like the government’s Home for Children and Mothers, Phuket Sunshine Village home for children and Life Home Project, home for HIV positive mothers and children.

In past years, Koh Siray has never been viewed as a tourist destination, but new developments are bringing changes. The luxury hotel, The Westin Siray Bay Resort and Spa, recently opened its doors to tourists seeking a sanctuary on the quieter side of Phuket, far from the busy streets, parties and night life of the west coast.

Being on the east coast, Koh Siray’s beaches are often muddy, stony and sometimes have cloudy water, but the island’s appeal is as a natural getaway, where visitors can appreciate the unspoilt environment and escape the crowds.

Koh Siray has seen more activities in recent years, but Mr Maitree and his community are determined to keep their island peaceful and quiet.

“It is clear that Phuket depends a lot on tourism, and in the past year we see more tourists visit Koh Siray; some to stay at The Westin, some to take boat trips to the islands around Phuket, some just happen to drive by. But we will try our best to accommodate tourists and keep our home in good order, as it is what we are, it’s our own identity as villagers who have lived here for a long time and will continue living here for years to come.”

–Kazira Hanshanasattru

ENVIRONMENT 19

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Above left: First Lady Michelle Obama works with kids from Washington’s Bancroft Elementary School to break ground for a White House garden. Above centre: Students from Hartranft Elementary School in Philadelphia learn about nature in a garden. Above right: Colourful flowers attract children to observe a garden.

Let your child’s imagination grow

Point Blank, Dot A, Counter Strike, TW2, Skyrim, Facebook, Blackberry.

Have you come across these modern-day terms before? Do you know what they mean? I bet your children do, even the younger ones.

These names seem to have a strong influence on childrens’ imagination today. They entertain very well, but also fill their world with shooting, blood, war, chat boxes and online society.

I n 2010, there was a shocking case where a Korean couple were arrested for

GREEN thumb

neglecting their child. They both spent up to 12 hours a day on online games. Their habit caused their three-year-old daughter to starve to death.

To prevent such a tragic incident, perhaps some old fashioned terms need to be repeated to the younger generation; words like “nourishing, patience and growing” that they can grasp in a simple garden environment.

Instead of handing your kid

the latest electronic gadget like an iPod, perhaps you should consider providing them with a “learning garden” instead, where you can share the experience creating life together.

The philosophy of a learning garden is simple; to observe while preparing and nurturing to make things grow.

A learning garden can comprise of different components such as vegetable and flower plots, blooming plants and plants with varied texture.

The first step is to find a space where you can set up a plot, then let your children join

Adopt a dog

you seeding and nourishing plants until they grow into flowers and vegetables.

By allowing your children to set up a learning garden, it gives them a sense of ownership and pride as they see the garden develop from soil and seedlings to shooting plants that they started with their own little green fingers.

Tending plants teaches them to be patient while observing the growth of their plants.

The bright colours and shapes of blooming plants attract youngsters. They also

bring butterflies and bugs to a garden giving you the opportunity to teach them about nature’s process. Some recommended plant varieties you can use include ixora, sunflower and sage rose, for their vivid colours and beautiful shape.

Plants with varied texture amuse younger ones as they enjoy the different feelings from touching their leaves.

Kids just love touching and being hands on. Try matching plants that have fine and rough leaves, for example hibicus and duranta, cayenne jasmine and natal plum. But do

avoid plants that have poison or thorns.

To develop a sense of exploration, mix the layers and heights of plant species at different corners of a garden.

The results of spending time in a learning garden can be seen in many areas of a child’s life as they are encouraged to make contact with nature and people. Allow their mind and imagination to grow while observing the growth of their learning garden.

Perhaps a bright future begins in a garden.

–Paritta Wangkiat

Pet of the Week

ADOPT FLUFFY!

Fluffy is a friendly girl who’s lived at the Soi Dog shelter since April 2010. She was found in Mai Khao as a young puppy with her sister Fleck. Fleck was adopted, but Fluffy remains. She’d make a wonderful addition to a family and we’d love to see her placed in a caring home. Fluffy is female, approx 20 months old, sterilised and vaccinated. She enjoys going for walks, loves affection and has the most beautiful nature. If you can give her a good home please call Soi Dog today on 0817884222. For more information regarding adoptions please email cindy@soidog.org. You can also visit our website www.soidog.org or follow us on Facebook!

If you are interested in adopting a dog please do not buy from the markets. Soi Dog Foundation has over 200 dogs and puppies available for adoption at any time. For more information on how to adopt visit soidog.org. All animals are fully vaccinated and desexed. Young puppies will be desexed free of charge as soon as old enough.

These cute bunnies, Pepsi and Snowball, belong to Jen who lives in Kathu.

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

20 EDUCATION

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Kids’ art winners Once again The Phuket News is very pleased to have received many art works, emailed in this month by many of our young artists.

Please keep them coming in. The work of four winners chosen for December can be seen here. It’s always good to see the variety

Tap-dancing angels

The first nativity production at the Kajonkiet International School Phuket last week contained all the ingredients of an educational presentation of the original Christmas story.

Saints Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Gabriel, Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar all featured.

Lines were remembered

and performed by students with superb annunciation in front of a backdrop featuring the Bethlehem roads and desert sands that were crossed by the Magi following the star of Bethlehem.

Of course beloved traditional carols, such as Away in a Manger, were sang, but also

Great Fire of London by Holly (Year 2).

the Spanish Feliz Navidad.

Tee (Year 4) made a very convincing King Herod, followed by tap-dancing angels and a graceful interpretation of the Archangel Gabriel.

The school meeting hall was full of teachers and parents who clapped and swayed from beginning to end of the show.

Fahsai Sirianan (Year 1 Kajonkietsuksa).

Alicia Xian (M1 Kajonkietsuksa). www.thephuketnews.com

of approaches being taken to draw and paint people, animals, plants and buildings.

This month’s winning pictures are added to this year’s total, from which one winner will be announced in the next issue of the newspaper for the para-gliding first prize.

Lika (Year 6).

TIMEOUT 21

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011 BOOK

MUSIC

FILM Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 129 minutes Rating: 13+

Hedy’s Folly

by Richard Rhodes Doubleday, 272 pages Hedy Lamarr is one of the unsung heroes of twentieth century technological progress.

An opportunistic Austrian immigrant driven by curiosity and a desire to make it as a Hollywood actress in the early years of WWII, she worked with avant-garde composer George Antheil to create the technology that we depend upon today for cell phones and GPS: frequency hopping, originally intended to make radio-guided torpedoes harder for enemies to detect or jam .

Rhodes skilfully weaves together all the disparate parts of the story, from how Hedy learned about Nazi torpedoes to why George’s knowledge of player pianos was key to the invention.

In its juxtaposition of Hollywood glamour with the reality of a brutal war, Hedy’s Folly is a riveting book about unlikely amateur inventors collaborating to change the world.

Lioness: Hidden Treasures Amy Winehouse Island

Although it is great to remember such a wonderful talent, Lioness doesn’t have much ‘hidden’ about it. Most of the tracks on the album, like ‘Tears Dry’, ‘Valerie (68 Version)’ and ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ are either remakes of her older songs or covers of classic jazz songs.

But that’s not to say it’s bad, and the album does have some gems. Some tracks are a fresh change of pace and shed light on a different part of Winehouse that have not been heard before.

‘Like Smoke’, for example, is a conversion of jazz, pop and hip-hop that will definitely have fans hitting repeat.

Perhaps more than anything, instead of adding anything concrete to her legacy, Lioness only reaffirms what we already knew about Amy, and hopefully why she deserves to be remembered as an artist rather than a media circus.

Director: Guy Ritchie Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Stephen Fry, Rachel McAdams First of all, a disclaimer: Ignore the title of this film.

It bears little resemblance to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous works, nor does it do them any justice.

But looked at as an independent entity, Guy Ritchie’s second incantation of Sherlock Holmes is a tremendously fun and entertaining action adventure that is, as any sequel should be, bigger and better than the first.

More than any other modern filmmaker, Ritchie has the ability to switch from slapstick silly to adrenaline pumping special effects action in a heartbeat, and in the Sherlock Holmes universe

he’s created, he wilfully skips back and forth between the two with fantastically fun results.

Game of Shadows is a direct sequel to Ritchie’s first Holmes instalment, and while it assumes you have seen that film, it is certainly not required viewing to be able to appreciate the latest offering.

Diving straight back into the plot as Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris) and Holmes (Robert Downey Jr) square off across Europe in an effort to prevent war between Germany and France, this is true edge of your seat stuff, full of explosions, chases and slow motion fight scenes (though the latter is unfortunately overused).

The special effects silliness of Ritchie’s film is masterfully

inhabited by Downey Jr and Jude Law, who continue their partnership as Holmes and Watson to wonderful effect.

Within the first act of the film however, a shining beacon appears in the form of Harris as Moriarty, and all of the best scenes in the film are when he and Downey Jr are pitching against each other onscreen in a battle of wit and cunning.

There is a sense of calm and concentration as the pair are simply indulging the audience in an acting master class, and it serves as a very welcome relief from the overblown nature of some of the other scenes.

Stephen Fry acts also as an element of more traditional comic relief as Holmes’ older brother Mycroft, although at

times he feels a little underused, with the script not really doing Fry’s brand of intelligent and subtle humour justice.

In the end, it comes down to a fairly simple summary: If you liked the first film, you will love A Game of Shadows.

If you didn’t, you won’t. In fact, the main issue really is that the latest film just doesn’t feel like it is doing anything that different, or that it’s in any way moved on from the first film.

Still, the detective story at its heart is strong, and once the comedy elements have found a more even pace towards the latter part of the film, it’s very funny. It’s a movie you almost want to hate simply because of the sheer creative licence it takes to some of the greatest crime fiction literature ever produced. But try as you might, it is almost impossible not to find Sherlock Holmes explosively entertaining.

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)

Immortals (E/3D) [15+]: 15:00, 22:15 The Kick (T/E.SUB) [15+]: 11:15, 13:30, 15:45, 18:00, 20:15, 22:30 Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (E): 11:50, 13:45, 15:35, 17:25, 19:15, 21:05 Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (T) [13+]: 11:15, 12:45, 14:35, 16:30,

18:20, 20:05, 22:00 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (E): 11:30, 14:10, 16:50, 19:30, 22:10 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (E/F) [13+]: 12:50, 15:30, 18:10, 20:50 Twilight: Breaking Dawn (E) [15+]: 17:20 Twilight: Breaking Dawn (T) [15+]: 12:30, 19:45

Immortals (E) [15+]: 13:50, 16:10, 18:30, 21:00 The Kick (T/E.SUB) [15+]: 11:15, 13:30, 15:45, 18:00, 20:15, 22:25 Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (E) [13+]: 11:30, 14:15,

17:00, 19:40, 22:20 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (E) [13+]: 11:10, 12:00, 14:40,

17:20, 20:00, 22:35 Twilight: Breaking Dawn (E) [15+]: 12:30, 15:00, 17:30, 20:05, 22:30

BRAIN TEASERS Across 1. Anna cheated her, they say. The snake!

(8) 5. Andre appeared as I swallowed gas. (6) 10. Inclination toward non-fatty meat? (7) 11. Disease? I’ll take Scottish lake. (7) 12. Lubricant nothing to Japanese city. (5) 13. Shooter and dry snow – an explosive combination. (9) 15. Blurt tune, chaotic, tumultuous. (9)

Solutions to last week’s puzzles

17. Play guitar in street of drink. (5) 20. Big hit for Simpson. (5) 23. Refereeing contemplation without shirt. (9) 24. In Los Angeles, study reverse, twist at night. (9) 25. Runs away from pests, we hear. (5) 28. Dodged note, negated. (7) 29. Nonpareil rubber gone with no cardinal.

(7) 30. Mongrel short Mexican pet, freed from obligation. (6) 31. Confront – and allow jewelry. (8) Down 2. Require? Yes! Poor. (5) 3. British policeman and painter. (9) 4. Nothing. No point.

(4) 6. Gravity permits execution equipment.

(7) 7. Slim student in emitter. (7) 8. Surgeon’s tools in 17d sent badly(11) 19. Ring for young swan, so to speak. (6) 12. What to put on for cooking? (11) 14. Virus took to the air, we’re told. (3) 16. Three cardinals born. (3) 18. Tickle bird sick, consumed. (9)

19. Groovy joint. (3) 21. Microphone and clothing for tiny being.

(7) 22. Summary gathering of cattle. (7) 23. Day with no day without a sad poem.

(6) 26. Point to particle to show feelings. (5) 27. Mother’s noodles.

(4) www.thephuketnews.com

22 WEIRDWORLD

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

TV hosts eat each other A Dutch television show is set to push the boundaries of acceptable viewing by broadcasting a footage of the hosts eating each other.

TV presenters Dennis Storm and Valerio Zeno both had a small piece of their own flesh removed – then cooked and ate the other’s in front of a studio audience.

Zeno, 27, had a chunk of muscle removed from his abdomen, while Storm, 26, opted to have flesh removed from his buttock.

The gruesome stunt was filmed for TV show Proefkonijnen, meaning ‘Guinea Pigs’,

An ordinary dinner for two – dining on each other's flesh. which is broadcast on Dutch channel BNN. The bizarre show sees the presenters answer “stupid questions” by performing extreme

challenges.

Footage from the show sees the men sniffing each other’s flesh before a chef fries the meat, unseasoned, in oil.

The men then sit down to a macabre meal at a dining table complete with candles.

Mr Storm told ABC News that it was “weird to look into the eyes of a friend when you are chewing on his belly,” but claimed he did not regret the decision.

He added, “it was just a few centimetres of meat – and now I have a good story about that scar.”

However, reports have suggested that, while cannibalism is not itself against the law, the presenters and the surgeon who operated on them could face legal difficulties over the stunt.

Japanese man boasts handy talent World champion pud-puller Masanobu Sato isn’t shy. In fact he’s anything but – he’s pleasured himself in front of crowds at San Francisco’s annual Masturbate-a-thon (an actual thing), and has even talked to the press about his handy, award-winning techniques.

But now the Japanese sex toy representative and his girlfriend are opening up about one of Sato’s favourite pastimes for an online video series on the solo pastime produced by Metropolis.

The video reveals the twotime champion begins bashing

Give him a hand. Actually, maybe don't. his bishop for two hours every morning as his girlfriend goes about her daily routine.

But the woman isn’t phased by her boyfriend’s unusual actions, and sometimes she even helps out by timing his

performances.

“He puts a lot of effort in it, and I just have my own hobbies,” she explains in the video clip while somehow managing to keep a straight face.

In 2009, Sato broke his own record by jerkin’ the gherkin for an impressive 9 hours and 58 minutes at the Masturbate-a-thon, the San Francisco Weekly reports. His previous record was 9 hours and 33 minutes.

But self-gratification isn’t all fun and games. It’s a serious business, and there’s some actual training involved when preparing to go the distance.

“I swam twice a week and gained about 5kgs in muscle,” he said. “That helped me a lot, too, in terms of stamina.”

The Masturbate-a-thon is an annual affair sponsored by the Centre for Sex and Culture in San Francisco, where events are held in a place appropriately titled the “masturbatorium”.

If a man is taking part in a competition, he must stay aroused without climaxing for as long as possible. At times, the event attracts more males than females, which makes the whole thing just that much creepier.

German institute at the Wishing all a fore of skin research you very sexy

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute in Stuttgart, Germany, recently created the ‘Skin Factory’, and if that name doesn’t alarm you, the details of it probably will.

The ‘Skin Factory’ is an advanced piece of lab equipment designed to use foreskin taken from babies to grow patches of human skin used in the place of animals to test products, according to the German Herald.

A spokesman for the Institute said the ground breaking equipment may be able to eliminate animal testing altogether and, if developed on a larger scale, could be useful in developing treatments for cancer, pigmentation diseases, and certain skin allergies.

So how does the miracle machine work? Just to reiterate, it runs on baby foreskins.

First, the foreskins are heated to roughly 37°C. Next, robotic hands meticulously extract cells from the now human body-temperature foreskins, all samples of which must come from boys aged four-and-under. www.thephuketnews.com

Christmas

He's obviously not too happy about providing the ingredients for the 'Skin Factory'.

“The older the skin is, the worse the cells function,” Andreas Traube, an engineer at the institute, said.

Scientists then take the cells extracted from the foreskin and incubate them inside tubes, where they multiply hundreds of times. The cells are then mixed with collagen and connective tissue to create

skin about 5 millimetres thick.

The whole process takes about six weeks.

European authorities have yet to authorise the Skin Factory for use in product testing.

In the meantime, scientists are continuing to develop the machine and are producing skin at a rate of 5,000 samples per month.

They say honesty is the best policy, but sometimes even the most genuine well-wishers should keep their thoughts to themselves.

Take one Portuguese police chief, for example, whose career is in peril after wishing his staff “incredible sexual relations” over the Christmas break.

Euclides Santos, police chief in the city of Coimbra, was suspended after an x-rated power point presentation was emailed out to all municipal staff in place of a wholesome festive message.

The presentation, featured on Portuguese TV, included images of scantily clad women and was rounded off by Mr Santos wishing the 15,000 recipients success in the bedroom.

“Enough with insincere and useless words. What I wish you from the bottom of my heart, is that you have incredible sexual relations, live a merry and happy life, work hard and get well paid,” the slide said.

THE BIG LIST

Crazy Kim He may have been one of the most ruthless dictators in modern history, but the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il was also an endless source of entertainment and an international laughing stock for his unusual antics.

Here are some of the more amusing ‘facts’ about his life: He kidnapped little people: Kim reportedly used pamphlets advertising wonder-growth drugs to lure “small people” into traps, from where they would be deported to “uninhabited islands” to remove their “substandard” stock from the gene pool. It turns out height was a bit of a sensitive spot for old Kim – no official records list his height, however estimates have him measuring in at only about 5’3”.

He was born under a double rainbow: According to Kim Jong Il’s official biography, he was born in a secret military camp on Baekdu Mountain during North Korea’s Japanese occupation, and his arrival was prophesied by a double rainbow and marked by the sight of a new star and a swallow in the sky.

He was the world’s greatest sportsman: According to national media, in 1994 Kim Jong Il shot a record-breaking round of golf in which he achieved 11 holes-in-one, and a total score of 38 – by far the greatest score in history. Even more amazing was that it was the first time he had even touched a club, having never before played the game before. No other media organisation picked up this amazing feat however, but it’s not like North Korean media ever lies, right?

He was God: According to reports, the former leader could make it rain or directly control the weather on demand, depending on his mood.

He kidnapped two directors to remake Godzilla: Kim kidnapped two respected South Korean directors in 1978 (Shin Sang Ok and Choi Eun Hee) and forced them to remake Godzilla. (That’s right, of all the movies this supposed ‘film buff’ could have picked, it was a cheesy Japanese monster flick). Their movie, Pulgasari, only emerged after the couple were forced to remarry in 1983 having spent years inside labour camps. They eventually escaped on a trip to Vienna, where they fled to the US embassy in 1986.

He liked the creature comforts...: According to Russian emissary Konstantin Pulikovsky, who travelled with Kim by train across Eastern Europe, Kim had live lobsters air-lifted to the train every day which he ate with silver chopsticks.

He drank $700k worth of cognac a year: According to a study by Dr Jerold Post, a former CIA psychologist, Kim loved Hennessey cognac – which sells for around US$630 a bottle in North Korea, or just under the average annual income (US$900). According to the study, he averaged around US$650,000 to US$720,000 of cognac a year.

He did not use toilets – because he didn’t need to: According to an official biography posted on the North Korean state web site, that has since been removed, Kim Jong-il did not defecate. Ever. Which begs the question as to where all that rabbit, lobster and cognac went after it entered his mouth.

He was a rice obsessive: According to a nephew of Kim's first wife, Lee Young Nam, the leader had female staff inspect each grain of rice he ate to make sure it adhered to strict standards of length, weight and colour.

He was the hamburglar: North Korean newspaper Minju Joson once reported that Kim Jong-Il had invented something called the “double bread with meat” and created factories to produce them in order to feed his students and teachers. Kim's great invention looked remarkably like the humble hamburger.

23

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

LIFE&STYLE Darunee Parkpoom Sales office assistant

fashion file

Splashing Around

Exploring Phuket with blogger Jamie Monk > 27

ACCESSORIES 1

Jurairat Ruampatarasin Stylist

Her animal print scarf (B390) is from Uniqlo at Central World.

She bought her pink Hardrock Tshirt (B1,499) and head band (B699) at Hardrock Cafe in Patong.

Her necklace is a gift from her friend.

She got her denim jeans (B2,300) from Central Festival.

Her shoes (B599) are from Jungceylon.

Her Bershka black top (B990) is from Central World in Bangkok.

She bought her pink maxi skirt (B500) and her pink and yellow bracelets (B270) from Jatujak Market.

Her Casio watch (B3,200) is from Japan.

Her red high heels (B2,790) are from Bershka as well.

Live Present Moment 1. Balinese scarf 2. Bracelet

B650 B300

2

16/15, Moo6, Rim-Hard Kamala, 076 279 654.

Open daily 8.30am-8pm.

www.thephuketnews.com

24 DINING

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Creating treasure from trash

Across a small bridge from the main road in Rawai, a little Thai restaurant filled with creativity is tucked away.

The Recycle is so busy during high season it’s essential to book – its seven tables are regularly full of diners eager to have a rather different dining experience.

Different because when you eat at the environmentallyfriendly restaurant, you are also eating alongside an eclectic mix of recycled items owner Poonsin “Ott” Kamlai has collected over the years.

The restaurant was opened a year ago, several years after Khun Ott closed his restaurant on Koh Hae (Coral Island).

His wife Saijit helps out in the kitchen and the couple’s daughters work there when they have free time.

The restaurant is surrounded by trees, driftwood, knicknacks and a small garden, and overlooks a small stream.

Khun Ott’s love for the environment and nature is reflected, with all chairs and tables made from wood, and many natural art pieces, antiques, and recycled decorations adorning the walls and tables.

It is an ideal place for nature lovers, he says.

“When I first opened the restaurant in Koh Hae, there

The Recycle team: From left, Poosin ‘Ott’ Kamlai, his wife Saijit, and their oldest daughter Pathumwana.

The Recycle, a popular Thai restaurant in Rawai. were many unused cans and bottles left lying around. I did not want them to be trash so I started remaking them as decorations, including chandeliers and mobiles, instead of leaving them as rubbish.

I also have a discarded buoy which I turned into a doll.”

“I think that many of our customers are environmentalists who want to stay close to nature. I do not want to expand the restaurant, I just want to keep it personal – this is a family business.”

The Recycle sells both Western and Thai food. Food starts at around B80. Signature

Chicken massaman curry with rice, B150.

Inside the restaurant.

dishes include shark or chicken massaman curry, or shark or barracuda steaks.

“We do not have high pric-

taste is not too spicy, and not too greasy.”

The Recycle is located on Viset Rd (Rawai beach road),

es because I want customers to come again and again. Our main customers are foreign tourists and expats, so the food

Festive Food Seafood, glazed ham and other meats, salads, plus plenty of desserts were available at the Christmas Eve dinner at the Millennium Resort, Patong.

Pictured from far left are: Niennipa ‘Koh’ Juttasing; Sharon Sparks from Canberra enjoys her seafood; Pop Thadajandang poses with his bakery creations;.

Below, Sven Agten and Hattie Han from Beijing celebrate with their two year old son Lucas.

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opposite Rawai Municipality.

It is open daily from 11am to 11pm. For reservations phone 089 729 5199 (limited English).

DINING 25

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Pure Bliss ‘Vintage meets modern’ is how the Bliss Beach Club, the newest hangout right on Bang Tao Beach, has been designed.

Giuseppe ‘Pepe’ Viva, the General Manager at Bliss Beach Club, says the venue was designed by Stem Design in Bangkok. The venue features a wooden bar (complete with backdrop from collected wood around Phuket), vintage lamps, canvas fans, private dining areas, indoor and outdoor areas, garden and lawn only metres from the sand, as well an extensive drinks menu. “Bang Tao is one of the biggest beaches in Phuket, and it’s very understated and not so many people know about it.”

This means, he says, it is the perfect location for a place like Bliss.

Pepe says the club has 120 different wine labels, with 25 by the glass from Australia, Chile, Spain, South Africa and more.

Heading the bar is chief cocktail maker Rom, a Thai national who has previously

Bliss Beach Club is on Bang Tao Beach.

What’s your order? Cocktail maker Rom, left, with GM Giuseppe ‘Pepe’ Viva.

worked at highly-rated Q Bar in Bangkok and Samui.

His signature cocktail is the Tom Yum Iced Tea (B220), where vodka is infused with kaffir lime leaves, chilli, lemongrass and ginger. It is one of about 70 cocktail choices.

Pepe says the unique thing about Bliss Beach Club is that Rom can virtually come up with any cocktail you like. Another talent of Rom’s is Irish Coffee, where he entertains customers while creating it,

Australia, and has worked extensively on the international food menu, full of salads, seafood, and other lighter food options. Appetisers start at B160 and mains at B240.

Fish is around B550, lamb B750 and pasta B300.

The menu is full of interesting adaptations and new creations, such as the fried tofu, taro and pumpkin dish (B200), the grilled eggplant and shrimp salad (B220), soft shell crab sandwich (B280) and

turning the whole procedure into a show. Chef Alexander Oddy hails from Melbourne,

the zucchini penne (B320).

But Pepe says the beach club is far from high end, with a real mixture of clients so far, including both Thais and local expats, as well as guests from nearby Andara, Dusit and Amanpuri.

“You can come here and have a bottle of wine for B13,700 (Château Lafite for the record) or you can come for a beer for B100.”

The draft beer – Stella Artois and Hoegaarden – is

also proving popular with customers.

Entertainment wise the bar holds Sound Wave Sundays, from 3pm every week.

Music is “chillout” by Texas DJ PJ Stanley, as well as a kids playground to make it a family place too.

Bliss Beach Club, 202/88 Mo o 2 , Che r ng Ta l a y, Thalang District. For more information visit blissbeachclub.com

All dressed up for Christmas at the Vijitt Resort

Stocking up on Christmas food at the Vijitt Resort’s Christmas Eve dinner are, from far left, Sriporn and Pattinee, Catherine Dixon from the UK, and Vitalina from Russia.

www.thephuketnews.com

26 TRAVEL

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Luxury in the jungle F

or those in Phuket who yearn occasionally for something other than gorgeous sunsets, powdery sand and sea as azure as a property developer’s brochure, Khao Sok National Park comes as a welcome relief.

No more the sound of waves on the shore, karaokes and beach discos. Here the sound effects are provided in the morning by gibbons, their whoops echoing around the hills, or by troops of macaques crashing carelessly through the trees, and in the evening by the millions of cicadas in the forest, each triggered by the next, combining into an eerie wail that goes on for minutes at a time.

The best place to appreciate this has to be Thanyamundra, one of Thailand’s smallest (nine rooms) yet most luxurious resorts.

Part of the Thanyapura group that includes the complex surrounding the Phuket International Academy, Thanyamundra sits at the high end of a valley, looking down on its own 60-rai organic farm and surrounded on three sides

by Khao Sok National Park.

Wake up early and the place is swirled in mist. As the sun climbs at the far end of the valley, the hills smoke with clouds in creation, until finally, an hour or so after sunrise, the sun breaks through.

And then it’s time for breakfast. It’s all ready and waiting – your own personal butler knocked on your door the evening before and discussed the menu with you, as he does for every meal.

Wherever possible, the food comes from the organic farm, so it’s fresh and tasty.

The organic chicken is a special treat, and the cellar, though not enormous, is well stocked with very good wines.

The butler comes and goes quietly and gently in an

Above, the mists rise every morning with the dawn. Below, staff lay the table for breakfast in the very pleasant upstairs living area.

electric golf cart – your car is parked next to the entrance, half a kilometre away, and stays there unless you summon up the energy to go outside the resort, not easy to do when waited on hand and foot and

pretty much every other part.

There are no rooms at Thanyamundra. They’re all suites – bedroom, living room and two bathrooms, at the very least, with French windows in the bedroom leading to a

verandah just outside.

Impor tant: each suite comes with a Nespresso machine, one of the great inventions of our age.

The service is impeccable: efficient, low-key, super-polite

and solicitous without being obsequious, friendly when you feel like a chat, waiting quietly when you don’t.

There’s a spa, a gym and a swimming pool that’s nearly as big as the hotel but, when

it comes down to it, the winning feature of the resort is that view. It’s good for the eye, the heart and the soul.

Thanyamundra is the place to get away from the getaway.

To get to Thanyamundra, head north through Khao Lak and then Takua Pa. Keep right, following the road to Surat Thani. After about 60 km, the park entrance is on your left. Turn in and the entrance to Thanyamundra is about a kilometre down, on your left.

For more information visit Thanyamundra.com.

Thanyamundra recently placed third in Agoda’s new list of the To p 10 Eco-Boutiques in Asia 2011. It was also named one of Thailand’s “Big Six Chic Thai Retreats’’ by leading British newspaper The Independent.

–Alasdair Forbes

TRAVEL DEALS ■■ Singapore five star package Travellers seeking a five-star hotel and spa experience will be delighted to check into the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore.

The Mandarin Oriental is the only hotel in Singapore to receive the prestigious Forbes five-star designation in the hotel category, and one of only two hotels in the city to be honoured in the spa category for 2012.

In recognition of its Forbes five-star award, the hotel is www.thephuketnews.com

offering the Perfect Five Star package, with room rates from SGD1,800 (B43,200) per person. The star-studded package allows guests to enjoy luxury accommodation in a suite with panoramic views of Marina Bay and exclusive Oriental Club privileges, as well as dining and spa treats.

The Perfect Five Star package includes: • Round-trip limousine transfers • Two nights accommodation in an exclusive Club

Harbour Suite • A welcome bottle of Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut NV Champagne served in-room • A Perfect Five Star wine pairing dinner at awardwinning Dolce Vita • A revitalising Mandarin Oriental Signature Spa Therapy experience (two hours 50 minutes) inclusive of a private therapist consultation • A take-home gift from The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore

Room r at e s st a r t at SGD1,800 for one person and SGD2,200 (B52,800) for two people and requires a minimum two-nights stay.

The Perfect Five Star package is available from December 19 to February 20. Rates are subject to 10 per cent service charge and prevailing government taxes.

For reservations visit mandarinoriental.com.

■■ THAI domestic promotion Thai Airways International has

rolled out a new online promotion, Travel Around Thailand, to reclaim lost bookings due to recent floods.

This domestic campaign, Travel Around Thailand, follows Travel with Dad, a promotion that will end December 31 for both booking and departure dates. It was linked to Father’s Day 5 December.

The new promotional fares are about 15 per cent more expensive, but available for bookings until March 31 and travel from January 1 to March

31 with 30-day validity. The roundtrip fares from Bangkok are: B4,470 to Chiang Mai; B5,230 to Chiang Rai; B3,910 to Khon Kaen; B4,070 to Udon Thani; B4,290 to Ubon Ratchathani; B5,100 to Krabi; B5,360 to Phuket; B4,870 to Surat Thani and B5,910 to Hat Yai. One-way fare from Chiang Mai to Phuket is B4,060.

One-way fares are also available for ex-Bangkok fares at half price excluding airport tax. Visit www.thaiairways. com for more details.

EXPLORE 27

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

The green chute is fast, but it’s not the scariest, by any means.

Definitely more scary: the Boomerango - can you slide right off the left hand end?

Making a splash in Mai Khao The Splash Jungle Water Park opened in early 2010. I think everyone agreed that Phuket needed a waterpark. Ideal for tourists, for family fun in the sun.

However, not everyone was so enthusiastic when it opened. Most of the tourists in Phuket stay at the main beaches – Patong, Karon and Kata. Splash Jungle opened as part of the West Sands Resort at Mai Khao Beach, just north of Phuket Airport, and that’s 40-45km from the main beaches. Location.

And then the price. Full rate is B1,495 for adults and B750 for kids. In other words, for our family of four we’d pay B4,490.

It’s not cheap, although they had a “local price” for a while, and also have a membership package which works well for people like us who are likely to be back.

So we drove up on a Saturday, the car park was packed with about four minibuses and 10 cars. To be clear – it was not very busy. Now that’s my kind

JAMIE’S PHUKET

of place – a tourist attraction without the tourists!

OK, it was low season and the weather was not perfect (though I ended the day with my usual mild sunburn), but I thought there would be more people here.

I know it’s not “Thailand” – this place is pure watery fun, and due to the combination of price and location, I had not been there.

My wife and kids had been once on Thai national Children’s Day – there was a special promotion for the day with kids getting in for free. This time we paid up for membership, so now we are sure to go again!

Inside, you have changing rooms with hundreds of lockers, then you cross a bridge over the “lazy river” which runs around the whole complex – you can drift around with or without an inflatable ring (the “river” is shallow enough for

even our 6-year-old to stand up in).

We drifted around it a few times, passing under bridges and waterfalls. The river would be the least adrenaline-fueled attraction! We found a chair to dump our stuff – the open areas are filled with beach chairs all shaded with umbrellas.

Don’t leave valuables on the chair unattended, but towels and clothes and sandals are not likely to go astray.

So the idea is to bag a chair, then go and have fun!

The kids all started at the kids’ play area, but that area really is for little tiny kids. So we progressed to the slides.

There are many different waterslides – 3 of them head down to the same splash pool – the green slide was pretty scary! My son went down countless times, I went twice.

The first time I went down I shocked the lifeguard at the bottom by shooting off the end at full speed, 110 kilos of speeding fat panda coming down! I’m generally not into adrenaline rushes, I prefer nice

and easy scuba diving or a gentle bike ride. The waterslide called “Boomerango” seemed to be beyond me.

Boomerango works like this: You shoot off the highest point of the slide tower down a steep ramp, shoot up the other side and then off to the splashdown pool. I was worried that someone my size might go too fast and shoot right off the top of the ramp.

My kids both went on it – they kind of wandered off without Mum and Dad for a while, they had found some school friends and did the rides with them on rings for

two. Next to the Boomerango is the Super Bowl – again you launch from the top of the tower down a tube and then into this huge bowl which you spin around several times and then out and down another tube in the center. Not too scary!

We were impressed by the safety at Splash Jungle.

There are loads of staff, there are people to help you onto the rides and people in the splashdown pools to catch you.

There are lifeguards all over the place, so we weren’t too concerned about the kids going off and doing their own thing.

After a few hours we were getting hungry. We decided not to eat at the park restaurants – there are three of them, and they are not that cheap.

But I enjoyed the day. Fun for me, and a lot of fun for the kids.

Read more of Jamie’s posts at jamie-monk.blogspot.com.

When he’s not writing about his explorations across Phuket, Jamie can be found working at liveaboard dive specialists Sunrise Divers in Karon.

For more info: +66 84 626 4646, info@sunrise-divers. com; sunrise-divers.com

www.thephuketnews.com

28 ISLANDSCENE

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

AN IRISH CHRISTMAS: Pictured at the Irish Times pub in Jungceylon on Christmas Day are, from above, a group of friends and family from Australia; Below, Melissa, Daniel, Leah and Adam from Australia; Alan Finnegan, Alan O’Sullivan and Bryan Glynn from Ireland.

RE KA TA OPENS: At the opening of the Boathouse’s RE KA TA beach club on December 22 are from top, from left, Edith Eadsforth, Isa Ogilvie, and Boathouse front of office manager Jarinee; Boathouse public relations officer Annie, and Image Asia’s Peter Smith and Yin; Ed Lewis and Harvey and June Silver.

CELEBRATING ONE YEAR: Famous Discotheque & Rooftop Beachclub held its first anniversary on December 23. At the event are, from above left, Famous floor manager Sila, Tiya, and Famous marketing manager Wandee Deeraksa.

Right, from left, Steve Isin, Violeta Kirchner, Heidi Jauch and Famous marketing manager Arwhin Harie. www.thephuketnews.com

ISLANDSCENE 29

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES: Celebrities and performers were at the Ray of Happiness Christmas Party at Jungceylon, Patong, held on Christmas evening. Above, from left, Pianist Saksit Vejsupaporn, Executive Board Vice President of Phuket Square Co. Ltd Prawit Janyasitthikul and actress Supannee “Diana” Jongjintanakarn. Right, performers impress the crowd.

LAW OFFICE OPENS: Haris & Hawryluk “Attorneys at Law” company held its official opening on December 21, organised by owners/partners Michelle Hawryluk, far left, and Haris Boonsop, far right. The office is located on the sixth floor of the CCM building on Chalermprakiat Rama 9 Rd (the bypass road).

END OF YEAR CATCH UP: A group of Phuket businesspeople enjoy a Christmas drink in Patong over the weekend.

CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND: Pictured at the Thanyapura ‘Wonderland’ Christmas Fete, held at DiVine Restaurant, are from left, the Thanyapura team in their costumes; Italian performance artist Greta Caponnetto; Nisa from Thanyapura presents the food. www.thephuketnews.com

30 ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF Matthew McConaughey engaged Matthew McConaughey has finally gotten engaged to girlfriend Camila Alves in a romantic Christmas Day proposal.

The 42-year-old actor and the Brazilian model, 29, have been dating for five years and have two children together; Levi, three and 23-month-old Vida.

“Just asked Camila to marry me,’’ Matthew wrote on his Who Say account yesterday and posted a picture of him sealing the deal with a kiss from his sweetheart.

Michael ‘new man’ after health battle

A gaunt and breathless George Michael tearfully thanked his doctors and fans for seeing him through a “touch and go” battle with pneumonia.

A thin and visibly weak Michael told reporters outside his home in north London last Friday that he was recovering from a tracheotomy, after contracting a severe form of

www.thephuketnews.com

pneumonia.

The 48-year-old former Wham! frontman fell ill while in Austria last month.

Gibson’s ex awarded half his fortune

Mel Gibson will transfer half of his assets to his newly divorced wife in what may be the biggest Hollywood divorce payout in history.

Mel’s divorce from ex-wife Robyn Gibson became official after a Los Angeles Superior Court judge signed off on their settlement.

People magazine repor ts that Robyn will receive half of Mel’s estimated US$850 mill io n fo r t u n e a s p a r t of the divorce decree.

De Niro welcomes a new daughter

Robert De Niro, 68, and his wife Grace Hightower, 56, have welcomed their second child together.

The couple’s daughter Helen Grace was born via a surrogate mother.

The couple also have a 13-year-old son, Elliott.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Ryan finds his dream American Ryan Doran, Live 89.5’s newest DJ, has finally got his dream job and he couldn’t be happier about it.

Ryan, also known as ‘Baba Fats’, hosts the lunchtime show on Phuket’s new radio station from 11am to 3pm on weekdays, and 12 to 3pm on Saturdays.

Ever since he was a little kid Ryan has wanted to be on the radio, and says when he was young he would listen to his favourite radio stations “all night long”.

The former GM of Coconut Head Entertainment in Patong began working at Live 89.5 only weeks ago, but says it really is his dream job.

“I’m still trying to find my radio personality, but at the moment I’m having fun screwing around, telling jokes and keeping things light hearted.

I’m keen for people to call in, it gives me someone to talk to, and something to bounce off.”

The music Ryan plays on the show is a “complete mixture” and includes a lot of classic rock tunes.

Ryan moved to Thailand in 2004 and found himself living in Pathum Thani, not far from Bangkok. Here he ran a wake boarding and waterskiing school in where he

Ryan Doran is Live 89.5’s newest radio DJ. calls the “middle of nowhere”, surrounded by Thais using their national language. Most could not speak English, so Ryan picked up the language quickly through copying what

the Thais said, and watching karaoke videos. “It’s actually a pretty simple language, as soon as you get the tones down.

“I don’t use it yet in the radio show, I’m still trying to

work out how to incorporate it.”

Being a family man also keeps him busy – he is a dad to newborn baby son Ty, with wife Sathiya, but Ryan wouldn’t have it any other way.

HEALTH 31

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

1

2

3

The standing forward fold: Practising this for just 30 seconds a day can bring numerous health benefits.

The benefits of forward bending sana), and we are going to break it down into levels.

LEVEL ONE: Last month I mentioned practising the sort of yoga that can be achieved and practised by anyone. Well this month we start on improving your everyday life, with our first posture.

I feel I have to point out here that this really is a posture that anyone can do, with easy steps to follow. You can thank me later when you can pick something up off the floor easily, put on your shoes while standing up, and touch your toes!

So the asana (yoga posture) I am talking about is called the standing forward fold (uttana-

Face a wall and stand with your feet together, legs straight.

Breathe in and raise your hands above your head like you are trying to reach for something high above you.

Breathe out and bend at the hips with your arms straight, rest your hands on the wall in front of you. Keep your legs straight and your back and arms long.

Hold this position for about 30 seconds while taking nice easy inhalations and exhalations preferably through the nose.

Gradually you will be able to walk your hands to a 90 degree positions to the hips so

your arms are parallel to the floor. Congratulations, you can progress to the next level!

LEVEL TWO: Stand with your feet together and legs straight.

Breathe in and raise your hands above your head like you are trying to reach for something high above you.

Breathe out and bend at the hips with your arms straight, drop your hands to rest on your thighs, knees, shins or ankles.

Rest your hands anywhere you can comfortably while keeping your legs straight.

Relax you head and neck to look at your feet.

Keep your legs straight and hold this position for about 30

seconds while taking nice easy inhalations and exhalations, preferably through the nose.

When you can comfortably touch your ankle your are ready for level three.

LEVEL THREE: Stand with your feet together and legs straight.

Breathe in and raise your hands above your head like you are trying to reach for something high above you.

Breathe out and bend at the hips with your arms straight, drop your hands to rest on the floor on either side of the feet.

Relax your head and neck to look at your feet and keep your legs straight.

Hold this position for about

30 seconds while taking nice easy inhalations and exhalations, preferably through the nose.

And there you have it – wasn’t too bad now was it?

I can hear you asking, so Kim, tell me again why am I doing this? For starters, it can help correct your posture, relieve stress and improve digestion.

We spend so much time sitting – at the computer; watching TV; eating meals: driving a car – that sometimes it is a miracle our bodies are not fused into the sitting position. If nothing else, practising the standing forward fold will allow you to sit in your chair comfortably for longer.

Thirty seconds is nothing and can be part of your daily routine. You will feel so good

after it you will want to forward fold many times a day!

Happy forward folding! See you next month.

Metta, Kim Kim White is the owner of Sala Suddhavasa, an internal arts centre in Rawai offering private and group sessions in taiji, yoga and meditation; suddhavasa.com; 08 6276 9174; info@suddhavasa.com The opinions and advice contained in this column are those of the author only. The Phuket News is not responsible for the outcome or results of following any advice in any given situation.

A soothing friendship The mint (Mentha) herbal plant immediately conjures up feeling of comfort and coolness. Its light green colour and the attractive crinkly leaves, which easily grow wild in your vegetable garden, are a pleasing sight.

Then the breeze brings its familiar aroma, clearing the head and seeming to bring with it an immediate feeling of wellness.

Vietnamese mint (Persicaria odorata) is more familiar in a Thai kitchen, and is indispensable in a Vietnamese

HEALTHY herbs

restaurant, especially if it serves the national dish of Pho noodle soup.

Likewise the cooling Touareg tea, popularly drunk in the dry heat of Northern African and Arab countries, is made with bunches of the welcoming green mint leaves.

And we all know that mint jelly goes wonderfully well with roast lamb.

Essential oil and menthol

extracted from the herb are found in everything from toothpaste and antiseptic mouth rinses, to candies.

Mint tea has long been used to help digestion and is also a natural diuretic. Mint oil can be used for insect bites, relieving symptoms of cold and flu, and to help with nasal allergies.

This perennial herb, that spreads by underground shoots, is a native of Asia and the Mediterranean area.

In short, it’s simply a longtime friend in the garden.

www.thephuketnews.com

32 EVENTS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET UNTIL December 30

Think Design Phuket Art Festival UNTIL JANUARY 12, 2012 Beach Clean Up Art Exhibitions

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

DECEMBER 31 New Year's Eve Gala Dinner "Island Fever"

Bid farewell to 2011. We will serve up a storm of culinary delights to herald in the New Year. The fun-fulled exotic garden gala event features: Grand Thai folk dance show- Polynesian dance show - Thai modern dance show - International live band.

A grandiose fireworks display at the strike of midnight will ring in the promise of an exciting New Year. B 5,800* per adult, B2,900* per child. For reservations please call 076 396 433 or email: phuket.sales@ hilton.com. * All prices are subject to 10% sevice charge and 7% VAT.

Phuket will get a real jolt of culture this December with the first Think Design Art Festival taking place at Royal Phuket Marina. The Festival is focused on promoting local art in its many and various forms.

At the Festival a variety of artists will exhibit paintings, sculptures, performances, video art, music, spoken word, art teaching for kids and many special events. A portion of the proceeds will benefit two Phuket charities: Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation and Soi Dog Foundation.

Contact 087 281 0994, email: cha@ thinkdesignmagazine.com. See think designmagazine.com.

UNTIL DECEMBER 31 Colourful Phuket Countdown 2012 On December 29-31, Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation will hold Colourful Phuket Countdown 2012 at Sanam Chai (Narissorn Road) in Phuket Town, beginning each night at 6pm.

Top Thai performers booked for the extravaganza include Pong Lang Saon, Benz Pornchita na Songkhla, Ying Thitikarn, Tai Oratai and Pongpat Wachirabunjong.

DECEMBER 31 New Year’s Eve Ice Party at RE KÁ TA

Grey Goose cocktail 7-8pm, Tapas pass around 8pm. Dj superstar and Dj Ekanan 10.30pm-2pm. Party entrance only after 10.30pm at B2,012 for two. Private cabanas- gourmet hamper experience and champagne on ice B9,500 for two and B15,500 for four. All prices are subject to 10% service charge and 7% Vat. Contact 076 330 421.

DECEMBER 31 New Year’s Eve Celebration

FEBUARY 2-4, 2012 Wahoo Thailand 2012 Sport Fishing Tournament This is Thailand’s largest-ever international sport fishing tournament. Prize money totalling over B3,000,000 (US$100,000).

Boats and teams are filling fast. For further information, please contact Warren Crowe on 081 270 4291 or email: info@rawaibeachfishingclub.com. www.thephuketnews.com

The celebration will start at sunset with our iconic cocktail party at the Lobby Bar overlooking the Andaman Sea and will continue with a fabulous buffet dinner followed by a fabulous party, countdown and fireworks display at the Beach Club.

Cocktail party at the Lobby Bar: 6-7pm.

Gala dinner at the Terrace Restaurant: 7-10pm. New Year’s celebration at the Beach Club up to 1am. B5,500 net per adult, B2,750 net per child (6-12 years old). Reservation highly recommended. please contact 076 316 000, email: res ervations@imperialadamas.com.

DECEMBER 31 New Years Eve Dinner Buffet and Party @ Friendship Beach This year we are presenting a variety of wonderful entertainment. Live music with Maa Baan (funky, jazzy world beat) and a special opera performance by Andrew Snape (9-10pm).

Then dance the night away with DJ

List your events here for as low as B99 per line, or online at www.thephuketnews.com/events.php Bobby D. Spectacular fireworks display, free champagne at midnight, party favors and of course our fabulous holiday buffet featuring imported filet of beef, grilled salmon filet, award-winning BBQ ribs and a large assortment of appetizers, sides and desserts.

Adults: B1,600++. Children under 12: B450++. Contact Charlie 089 728 5304.

invites children to go and explore the aircraft. And also there are activities around Phuket on that day.

JANUARY 23

DECEMBER 31

Chinese New Year

CARNIV ALNight NIGHT Carnival

Welcome 2012 in style at Millennium Resort Patong. A New Year’s Eve gala dinner at Lakeside wing. B5,900++ per adult, B2,950++ per child. Dress code: Smart casual. No shorts, flip flops or T-shirts. For more information or booking please call our hot line number at 076 601 999 or email: fnb@millenniumpatong.com.

Colourful dragon processions take place all over Phuket City, culminating in a popular and large fireworks display.

FEBRUARY 14

DECEMBER 31 Pirates of The Vijitt

Celebrate Your Festive Seasons at The Vijitt Resort. Pirates of The Vijitt on December 31. Price at B7,000 net per adult.

Information and reservation call 076 363 600, email: info@vijittresort.com.

UNTIL JANUARY 1 Patong Countdown 2012 Thai Beverage Public Co., Ltd will hold the countdown event at Patong on December 28 to January 1.

There are many vendors selling local products each day, and in the evening from 6pm there will be a free concert at two stages; one in Soi Bangla and another in front of the Holiday Inn. On December 30 and 31, there is also a beach party. Enjoy the dazzling fireworks display on December 31 from the evening until the new day of January 1 at Patong beach.

JANUARY TBC

Old Phuket Festival

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

JANUARY 14 Thailand National Children’s Day

It is celebrated on the second Saturday in January. Children are considered as the most valuable resource of the country.

Many organisations from both government and commercial sectors have celebration activities for children.

The Prime Minister usually gives each Children’s Day a theme that can be summarised by its motto.

Many Government offices are open to children and their family. In Bangkok: this includes the Government House, the Parliament House Complex and various Military installations. A notable example is the guided tour at the Government House, where children have an opportunity to view the Prime Minister’s office and sit at the bureau. The Royal Thai Air Force usually

Record Breaking Mass Wedding at Promthep Cape The island is aiming to break the national record for the ����������������� biggest mass wedding on Valentine’s Day next year. The Thai traditional style mass wedding for 108 couples at Laem Promthep, the best sunset in Thailand. Other activities include offering alms to 99 Buddhist monks and planting trees as part of a schedule running from February 12-15, 2012. Contact Suanluang Inter Wedding 076 221 976, email: info@interwedding phuket.com. See interweddingphuket.com.

MARCH 7 Makhabucha Day This is a Buddhist holiday that takes place annually on the night of the full moon during the third lunar month of the year. Makhabucha is a day to remind all Buddhists of the event when 1,250 monks, all of whom were ordained by Lord Buddha himself, decided to come back to see Lord Buddha, without prior appointment, after traveling around teaching Buddhism.

This significant event took place over 2500 years ago. Because it was the first assembly of a large group of Buddhist monks, the Lord Buddha handed down to them the Owata Patimok, considered the first constitution containing all the laws that Buddhist monks have followed from that day until now.

The activities include merit-making ceremonies at temples in the morning. At night people walk with lighted candles in hand around the main building in each temple.

EVENTS 33

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET FRIDAY

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

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

Exclusive Dining at Paresa Recipe by Ryan is an innovative culinary dining venture. Indulge in intricate dishes created by Paresa’s Executive Chef Ryan Arboleda, featuring a six-course set menu prepared in a live cooking environment.

Time: 6pm to 10pm. Call 076 302 000, email: dining@paresaresorts.com.

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

SUNDAY

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

Family Brunch on The Boardwalk

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Les Anges at RPM. From 11am to 3pm.

B795++ adults, includes one glass of house wine, 50 per cent discount. Children under 12 eat for free. Call for reservations on 076 360 803.

Salsa Class At RPM

Special Friday @ Indian Feast

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

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

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

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BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat

Best Sunday Carvery in Phuket

O nly B29 5 per person at Shakers.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Reservations call on 081 891 4381.

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

Irish Times, Jungceylon, Patong.

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THURSDAY

BBQ Ribs All You Can Eat

Sunday Brunch

Lose Weight Now

O nly B29 5 per person at Shakers.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. For reservations call on 081 891 4381.

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

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

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Curry Fridays at Navrang Mahal

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Half-Chicken Spit Roast

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

Only B225 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Reservations pleasecall 081 891 4381.

SATURDAY

MONDAY

Exclusive Dining at Paresa

Roaring Bhoys

Recipe by Ryan is an innovative culinary dining venture. Indulge in intricate dishes created by Paresa’s Executive Chef Ryan Arboleda, featuring a six-course set menu prepared in a live cooking environment.

Time: 6pm to 10pm. Call 076 302 000, email: dining@paresaresorts.com.

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

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

Contact 081 895 4763 for details.

BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat

DAILY

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

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

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

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Half-Chicken Spit Roast O nly B2 25 per person at Shakers.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

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

Only B325 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Reservations please call 081 891 4381.

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

BBQ Buffet All You Can Eat Only B325 per person at Shakers. Rat-UThit Road, Patong. Reservations please call 081 891 4381.

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

AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM

Lunch & Dinner Buffet Come and join our delicious daily Catch Brunch (12-3pm from B610 per person) and Luxury Buffet Dinner (7-10pm from B990 per person). Call 076 316 567.

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Brew Great Beer

Salsa Class Rawai

Phuket’s one and only small batch handcraft beer. Open everyday for lunch and dinner 11am until midnight. Live music at 7.30pm onwards. Behind the ship, the port zone at Jungceylon. Reservations 076 3667 753. Facebook.com/fullmoon brewwork.

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

December Promotion Discount 50% Hong Kong Beef

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

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

AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM

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.

O nly B2 25 per person at Shakers.

Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong. Reservations call 081 891 4381.

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

Grizzly’s Sports Bar & Restaurant

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

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

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Watch all the sport that is on TV this weekend with us. Located between Loch Palm Golf Course and Kathu Waterfall.

Call 087 471 8747.

20% Off All Pizzas

Rotary Club of Patong Beach

Sunset Happy Hours & Ninjazz

Weekly meeting in English. Dinner out on first Tuesday of the month. See more info at rotarypatong.org.

Don’t miss the Sunset happy hours.

Between 5pm and 7pm. “Buy one get the same one free” promotion. The Luna Bar, Centara Grand Beach Resort.

Contact 076 201 234.

All Major Sports Live

At Shakers. Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road, Patong. Free pick up Patong and Kalim areas.

Reservations call 081 891 4381.

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Saturday Brunch The B-Lay Tong Saturday brunch will be held every Saturday until January 7, 2012, from 11.30am to 3pm. B1,200 net per person. Two people receive one bottle of house wine between them. For reservations please

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday Quiz Night @ Peppers Quiz Night every Wednesday at Peppers Sports Bar near Laguna.

-Great food -Great music -Great beer.

Contact 081 728 1010.

Facebook: Peppers Sports Bar.

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AA Phuket Meetings @ TGM

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

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Quiz Night @ Peppers

3-Hour Happy Hour

Quiz Night every Wednesday at Peppers Sports Bar near Laguna. Great food, great music, great beer. Contact 081 728 1010.

Facebook Peppers Sports Bar.

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

Contact 089 226 2878.

Brew Great Beer Phuket’s one and only small batch handcraft beer. Open every day for lunch and dinner 11am until midnight.

Live music from 7.30pm onwards.

Behind the ship, the port zone at Jung­c eylon. For reservations call 076 3667 753.

Facebook.com/fullmoonbrewwork.

www.thephuketnews.com

34

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

CLASSIFIEDS JOBS IN PHUKET

Portfolio Analyst (full time)

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

Teak wood floors, stairs, walls > 36

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

Please contact info@thinkdesignmagazine.com or 087 281 0994.

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

Thai Style House for Sale

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

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

speak, read and write Thai.

Call 081 803 7189.

Companion/Social Secretary: Single female 20-32. Good English, slim and very atractive only. Live in separate high-end condo accommodation. Able to travel internationally. Position requires day-to-day activities of semi-retired English/Canadian businessman. Can be part time. Superior package.

Photo application to bggvirgo@gmail.com. Call 089 054 4354

Please send your curriculum vitae to: Jaruwan Naksalab, assistant to Managing Director: jaruwan@securewm.com www.secure-wealthmanagement.com "in dependent adv i ce for the new fi na nci a l er a "

Apple Mac Support: Apple Mac technical support needed to help with computer issues in Surin area. Please email admin@ esxoasia.com.

Looking for a Team-Member

Employment - Scuba Diving: Urgently seeking two instructors to run a small dive shop in Phuket. SSI Instructor is a big plus, good English a must. Please send CV to office@sea-bees.com or call 076 381 765.

Expanding Our Team: Looking for Finnish or Swedish speaking Instructor to join our existing team in secluded but busy location. Please send your CV to office@ sea-bees.com or call 076 381 765.

Native English Teacher: Chalong Kindergarten is looking for experienced teacher for class of 10-12 children ages 3-7 www.thephuketnews.com

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

years old. Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm. Start January 4. Call 080 624 7060.

Resume to phuketpre school@yahoo.com.

Staf f Needed: Bliss Boutique hotel is looking for reception and kitchen staff. Are you interested or want to know more info?

Salary starting at B7,000 per month. Give us a call at 085 619 4963.

Sales Executive: Experienced sales executive needed to join expanding publication. Candi date must be focused, disciplined and organised.

Native EnglishSpeaking Teacher: Need native English-speaking teacher with ability to

recent photo to: david@ yes.co.th. Visit www.sound ideas.co.uk to see the type of work we do.

Hotel Receptionist Required: Englishspeaking Thai national

Qualified Personal with good computer skills Assistant: We are look- required for rec eption,

The role consists of: investment portfolio performance analysis and reporting; investment product analysis and new product research; regular client contact, including new client account opening and ongoing account administration; liaison with our trading platforms and banking partners.

en experience of sales to minimart, supermarket.

We already have more than 500 customers in Thailand. Salar y B15K plus commission. Contact via email skgf@skgf.asia.

Talent/Performer for Event company: Event Company is looking for bands, singers, dancers & any kind of single or group performers. hr@phuketeventcompany.

Travelling Salesman: Sale representative available to travel around Thailand for our range of fastmoving consumer products.

Thai national, English speaking, computer skills, driving licence and prov-

ing for a personal assistant for the CEO of an important events company. Conditions: Must speak read and write French, English and Thai languages with administrative and computer skills. We offer a salary of B20,000 plus accomodation included. CV and reference required, email to ynahabed@hotmail.com.

CAD Technician : 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.

T hai nat i o nal, g o o d spoken and written English, send CV indicating qualifications and experience, expected salary and

restaurant and bar work in Kamala. Salar y and hours negotiable based on experience. To apply phone 086 941 8880 or send CV to phil@royalembassyresort phuket.com.

English- Sp eaking Waitresses: Deepaval Restaurant/The Lounge bar in Bang Tao requires three English-speaking waitresses. 080 722 3377.

New Italian Bakery & Supermart: In Surin

Beach. Kitchen (basic English required): Pastry/baking kitchen sous chef. Chef de partie/commis, steward service (good English required). Waitress/waiter.

Bartender. Supermarket assistant and cashier. Send CV by email marcellamocci@gmail.com.

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

We are currently seeking

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

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

www.thephuketnews.com

CLASSIFIEDS 35

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

BUY & SELL IN PHUKET BOATS & YACHTS

FS TV’s, pool table, stock, furniture. etc. Price negotiable.

Call Chompoo 084 844 3504.

B u s i n e s s f o r S a l e: Phuket slingsshot, Thailand’s only, and bumper cars. Call 082 419 0742.

Private Luxury Yacht Charters: Luxury day

BUSINESS SERVICES

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

vice. Contact 086 690 6007, email: k.niwatt@hotmail. com.

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

CARS FOR SALE

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

Inflatable tubes. Rigid hull and cover. Used only in fresh water.

B65,000. (new B100,000) 081 728 0140 or email milou2612@ gmail.com.

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

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.

BUSINESSES FOR SALE Bar Bangla Road for Sale: In popular Soi Crocodile. Three years lease paid.

Price B2.7 million only. Contact tomarell@hotmail.com for more info.

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

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

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

Toursys: Tour operator software. Presented by Blue D Zine Co., Ltd. See bluedzine. com.

Jeep Wrangler 2.0 Litre Manual: B300,000.

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

Paradise Diving Asia: 1943 Model Jeep (Ford) for Sale: Well-maintained,

All courses and diving trips.

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

PADI 5 Star Centre. Half-day, day-trips, live-aboards and diver education. Phuket’s only dive club! 076 284 026.

Under Water Video Package For Sale: S o ny CX15 0 H D V i d.

Camera with Equinox HD6 housing-40,000bt.

Optional Asus Lap Top with one Gig video card B20,000. 084 630 2165.

Cooking School: Fire up your creative flare with Food Services Cooking School. Italian, Western and Thai cuisine.

Try our famous pizza school.

Call 082 816 0126, email: info@food servicesth.com.

runs well B190,000 or nearest offer. Call 081 728 0140 or milou2612@gmail.com.

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

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

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

Contact 076 282 232.

ABC International Nursery: Education for chil-

CARS FOR RENT

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

Car for Rent: Car in good

CLUBS

condition, short and longterm rental with first class insurance and delivery ser-

Boat charter and individual tours. w w w.dive-paradise. com.

Phuket Scuba Club:

Protect your home with CCT V: CCT V & Alarm service. Prote c t yo u r h o m e w i t h high-quality CCT V camera,and GSM alarm.

Free survey and quote.

Please call 086 105 8144 or click www.huketechnology.com.

service and repairs, WLAN a speciality. Free telephone advice. Contact 0846 257 744, computermanphuket@ gmail.com.

DIVING

C a l l 0 8 6 2 6 8 8 7 0 1.

Tile It: Thalang. Wana Park

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.

COMPANION WANTED

English Computer man: Sales (new and used),

Phuket Consult Services: Insurance, personal

Dinghy Size 2.45 metre:

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

COMPUTERS

brake, power-steering.

B440,000. 086 268 8701.

260HP Mercruisers, Aircon. Navigation, TV/DVD/ surround, fridge/freezer, coffee machine, vacuum, flush, full bimini enclosure, many other options. Immaculate condition, a steal at B3.99m. eddyelan@ yahoo.com, call 089 971 0278.

Singapore Club Phuket:

Please see job’s section page 34.

Jeep Wrangler 2.0 Litre Auto: Stainless, disc-

35ft Bay Liner Motor Yacht: Year 2009, twin

sional organisation of leaders from all branches of the travel and tourism industry. www. skal phuket.org.

SK A L I nt er nat ional Phuket: Skål is a profeswww.thephuketnews.com

36 CLASSIFIEDS

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

BUY & SELL/HOMES IN PHUKET Safeway Clearance Sale * Cold pan was 66,000B Now 20,000B

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

PERSONAL SERVICES

* 3 forklifts 140,000-195,000-200,000B * Boat trailer 30,000B * Floor slabs (2 metre) 50B each

Phuket Pool Tables:

* 2010 Yamaha motorbike 26,000B

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.

Tel. 081 892 4804, 081 125 1873

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

Co m p l et e B e d ro o m Suite: Out of RPM, must sell this week. Call 089 054 4354

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

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.

The Genius Language School, call 089 203 9270 (Aooddy).

Visit www.the geniuslanguageschool.net.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS FOR SALE Moving Sale: Sign frame and alluminium C slats s i z e, 10 m x 3 m . A i r- c o n .

(1)40,000BTU, (2)20,000BTU. Shop glass front. All going cheap, call 087 276 0529.

Health Food Store: Online health food store in Thailand. Good karma, all natural healthy, natural and organic products. 0822761675.

Why buy a pet?: Soi Dog

POOL TABLES

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

Guitar Lesson By Pro Player: Guitar/bass lessons

Mali Massage :Mali Massage,100 9-10 Soi Post Office Patong Beach Phuket Kathu 83150 The most beautiful, serene and tranquil facilities in Patong Beach.

This is an all inclusive original Thai massage shop.

Original Thai massage, Deep Thai, Swedish, foot massage and many more. Facial, aroma therapy full service manicure, pedicure including acrylics. Hair-braiding, waxing. Fish spa too. w w w.malimas sage.c om.

Open Daily 10 am - midnight.

Call 081 087 2460.

Harley Davidson Soft Tail for Sale: Call for more details on 083 456 2185.

THE SUNRISE OCEAN VILLAS

PROPERTY CONCIERGE Rawai Beach Front House: Rawai beach front house for sale/long term rent. Three beds, three baths with three air-con.

Cable TV, ADSL on area 1600 sq metre. Call 089 649 9939.

Selling Your Property?

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

PROPERTY FOR SALE

MOTORBIKE SERVICES Dynamic Tyre Balancing: Dynamically balance your motorcycle tyres for a smoother ride with DYNA BEADS! Available at West Coast Service Center Phuket.

Your big bike specialist on the bypass road. 085 785 4440.

After a great success of the first phase, the Sunrise Ocean Villas is now starting to build the 8 other villas of "Phase2". The price of 17.9 million Baht makes the project one of the most compettitive on the island for being only 60m from the beach.

Each villa has an living area of over 300 sqm, has 3 spacious bedrooms, all sea views, 5 bathrooms, a 10x4m infinity pool, maid's quarter and a covered 2 car-parking. The houses are specially designed to guarantee a complete privacy, with an open panoramic view of the sea.

PROPERTY FOR RENT

Thai Style House for Sale: Teak wood floors, stairs, walls, 2 bedroom.

Land 330 sq metre, peaceful location, five minutes to Patong, Chanot title. B5.8 million. 086 268 8701, email: f430spiderf1@hotmail.com.

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

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

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: Chiropractic spinal adjustment with an experienced chiropractor can take away the pain almost as quickly as it began.

Call 076 612 707.

www.thephuketnews.com

with swimming pool & office.

Contract 081 893 2165.

Foundation have over 300 beautiful dogs and puppies available for adoption. Fully-vaccinated and sterilised.

Contact 087 050 8688, email: john@soidog.org.

* Baine marie was 36,000B Now 10,000B

EDUCATION

PET ADOPTION

Apartment for Rent in Patong: New condo with swimming pool, security 24/7. 46sq metre, furnished.

Daily/monthly. Please contact 089 728 4005 or email: t h a m a d 1 7@ y a h o o . c o m .

Luxur y Villa, Phuket Loch Palm: Plot: 650 m², own Water, Solar, Living-A:280 m², furnished, Carport, 80 m² Pool, four bedrms, four bathrooms, 5 flat tv, ADSL, Cable TV. 19.5 million Thai Baht. +66 (0) 88 381 0012, email: office@ palm-beach-entertainment. com.

Nice Three Bed House for Sale: Three-bedroom Rent Kata One-Three Bed Apartments: Superb apartments and pool penthouses 115-375 sq metre, less than five minutes walk to two beaches (Kata and Kata Noi) Call 081 078 1246.

house in Moobaan Tarn Thong Villa opposit Moobaan Chao fa California. B3.1 million. Contact Lee on 081 803 7189.

Seaview Land Ao Makham for Sale: 33 rai land upon hill with seaview.

Apar tment for Rent Very easy access from road. in Rawai: Business nine B5 million per rai. Email: apartments, fully-furnished

wapeebow@gmail.com.

Come visit the villas and you will be wonderfully surprised by the quality of the project as well as the quality of life you can find here.

For appointment or more details, contact the project director Khun Monta at 081 343 0777 (Thai, English & German) Email: thesunrise villas@yahoo.com.

www.thesunrisevillas.com

JINDARIN BE ACH CLUB & RESORT: 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.

Hurry, 26 plots already sold.

Call 083 520 0020 or 076 238 732. Web: jindarin.com.

CLASSIFIEDS 37

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

HOMES IN PHUKET view. B4.2 million per rai. Contact Stan on 087 978 5804-3.

townhouse. The owner wants quick sale hence below market price asking B4.85 million.

Contact 081 396 0880.

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

Nice One Rai Chalong B7m: 200 metre off main

SA

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

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

Sea front villas From 32.6m THB

PATONG: 2-bed/2 bath apartment, Spacious 110 sqm

of living space; fully fitted and equipped kitchen. Large common swimming pool, 24 h security and a shuttle service to the beach. Fully furnished & foreign freehold!

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

Bargain

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

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

15m THB

FO

seaview Patong-Karon villa, four bedrooms, private pool.

Sell for B22 million, and also available rental daily and monthy basis. Please check more info at www.awphuket.com.

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

Sea view apartment

road. In great location. Full chanote title. 089 651 3479.

Freehold studio

2.3m THB

PATONG: Spacious re-sale studio-apartment of 55

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

Sea view apartment

ocean views from this spacious, modern unit is stunning.

It’s part of a development which provides an excellent range of facilities. Ready to move in, fully furnished and equipped. Only 1 km to the beach!

Bargain

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13.5m THB

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

LE

Best Offer B4.85 million Townhouse: Two bedroom

Sea view villa: Luxury

5.79m THB

SA

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

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, non-negotiable. Contact 089 652 1951 or email phuket.pn@gmail.com.

New townhomes

R

Modern Pool Villa:

Perfect Land for Villa:

HOT!

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

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

LE

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

NEW

LE

Sale or Rent: Spacious

Two Rai Beachfront Land Khao Lak: Free-

 FO R

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

SA

New Apartment for Sale Patong: Condo: swimming

SA

150 metres from the sea.

Three rai and one ngan plot.

Chanote title. Price: B20 million per rai. No agent. Call 087 278 7206

R

SEAVIEW LAND FOR SALE: Near Chalong pier,

R

one kilometre from Naiyang beach. B6.5 millions per rai.

Please call : Siriporn +66 (0) 896 499 939.

Representing the Best Real Estate in Phuket!

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Land for Sale: 11 rai,

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PROPERTY FOR SALE CONT.

บริษัท ดี ดี เอ็ม เรียลเอสเตท จำกัด

Boat Lagoon Pool Villa: Modern four-bed-

By Mission Hills Golf Course.

-1/2 rai of land (Chanote) B1.6 million. -6 rai, sea/mountain

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

Bangla Road

200 metres

ad -Thit Ro

URGENT Land for Sale:

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

Rat-U

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

Mountain view penthouse 9.5m THB

Patong Beach Road

room, four-bathroom villa with 8x4 metre pool for sale freehold with chanote title or leasehold. Newly-built, 316 sq metre internal area.

In beautiful marina complex, just 5 minutes drive to British International School.

Soi Sans Sabai Jungceylon

Freehold condominium 8.75m THB KAMALA: 2-bed/2 bath apartment, 125 sqm of living space; kitchen fully fitted and equipped with high quality utilities. Spacious & modern! Large common swimming pool, well equipped gym, restaurant, 24 h security and a shuttle service to the beach. Fully furnished & foreign freehold!

Contact:

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

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

www.phuket-tropical-realestate.com

www.thephuketnews.com

38 CLASSIFIEDS TRADES IN PHUKET

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

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

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ISLANDSPORT 39

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Victory eludes Phuket Coming off the back of a horror couple of weeks, FC Phuket entered Sunday’s match against Air Force United (Eagles) with a point to prove.

But with the Southern Sea Kirin missing head coach Somphong Wattana due to an untimely case of the flu, it was up to ‘Coach Mo’ Apichart Mosika – assistant to the head coach – to run the show.

Forward Poramut Krongborisut was also confined to the bench after collecting yellow cards in last week’s match, but Coach Mo still had key players Sarach Yooyen, Nirun Panthong and Watcharapong Jan-ngam at his disposal.

In an unexpected move however, he decided to rest star striker Kone Adama – who has been prolific at the front for Phuket this season – for the match.

The game began with both teams employing a strong attack, but it was Air Force that created the first real opportunity after 11 minutes of play as defender Michael Dixon beat the Phuket defence to find himself one-on-one with ’keeper Jonathan Matijas, but found his gloves instead of the net.

FOOTBALL A few minutes later Phuket were forced to make an abrupt substitution when left back Ronnachai Jinaket was injured in a heavy tackle, replacing him with Ossien Nissim.

Seeming to be in high spirit, The Kirin played with conviction and dedication, despite being firmly entrenched in the middle of the league table and having no chance of promotion or relegation next season.

They fought back against a spirited Air Force attack, with Abdoul Coulibaly creating an opportunity for teammate Nirun Panthong, who curled the ball in towards the Eagles’ goal only to have goalkeeper Divala Gorrick stretch out and clear the ball with a fingertip save.

The all-out assault by the home team continued until Air Force finally found their tempo midway through the first half, and a shot from Air Force FW Jakkripan Kessandinalmost very nearly cost Phuket an own goal.

Air Force kept pounding at the hosts. Their game was fast and packed with threat, and the Kirin had no choice but to cut

Tameezee Hayeeyousoh (left) finds space down the wing.

the play with strong tackles that led Phuket midfielder Sarach Yooyen into his first yellow card of the game.

Half time: FC Phuket 0-0 Air Force United.

The second half began with Coach Mo pulling out Jongrak Pakdee and sending in Kornprom Jaroonpong to the midfield.

Not long after, a free kick from Nirun from outside penalty box almost put the home side ahead, but the Air Force goalie once again made a scrambling effort to guide the ball over the crossbar.

Ten minutes into the second

half game, Sarach Yooyen was fouled inside the box and Phuket was awarded a penalty.

Fans roared with delight when Nirun Panthong took the penalty duty confidently and sent the home side into the lead.

With nothing to lose, Air Force turned around and put ’keeper Matijas – who was playing his final game of the season – under some pressure. The Frenchman dutifully responded with several competent saves.

As the game proceeded into four minutes of stoppage time, it appeared as though Phuket would claim their first victory

in more than five matches until a defensive lapse gifted Air Force striker Thanat Jantaya a golden opportunity, which he eagerly took, and the game finished with the scores level 1-1.

Despite their obvious disbelief, the home fans appeared pleased with the performance of their side.

‘Coach Mo’ said after that game, “both teams performed very well today. Our footballers seemed to have played their best in this game. But one mistake at the end led us to a draw, this I believe was from them being unable to stretch their concentration throughout the game. They will also have to work on their final scoring attempts as we had many wasted opportunities.”

AF United’s assistant coach Worawich Rakiti said: “We are happy to get one point out of Surakul. We dropped a few key players because we have three games left to play in two weeks time and rotation is needed, so overall, I’m happy.” Following the match, FC Phuket continued their downhill slide into eight position on the ladder, while Air Force climb to 11th and are now safely clear of the relegation zone.

FC Phuket handed home lockout Following last weeks ugly incident at Surakul Stadium, in which FC Phuket fans hurled bottles onto the pitch before refusing to let the match referee leave the ground, a meeting was held on Tuesday night by league officials to decide an appropriate disciplinary response.

As a result, FC Phuket will not be allowed to play at Surakul for their final home game of the season. They were also fined B20,000.

The game against Bangkok FC, scheduled for January 7, will be played either at a neutral ground or at Bangkok FC field, though it is still not clear exactly where the match will be played.

It is another blow for the local side who have had a tumultuous year both on and off the field, and whose finances now threaten to end their once promising future.

FC Phuket’s future in doubt: see page 5

Dan O, signing off After a little more than three years living and working in Phuket, The Phuket News’ Sports Editor Dan Ogunshakin is leaving the Pearl of the Andaman bound for Singapore.

There he will take up a new position with Asian broadcasting giant ESPN STAR Sports as a member of its 24-hour sports news service, ESPNews.

In his role as Senior News Assistant, Dan will be helping with production of content used on a daily basis and will provide voiceovers as commentary on key sporting issues of the day.

“It’s a dream move for me,” said Dan. “It’s where I’ve want-

Dan Ogunshakin. ed to go ever since I arrived in Phuket, determined to make my mark as a broadcaster.”

Dan joined The Phuket News shortly after its launch in March, helping develop the paper’s sporting content. He oversaw the expansion of the sports section from four pages

to six and helped launched the weekly tipping competition, the first of its kind in Phuket.

His time on the island has seen him work for two newspapers and two radio stations and the move to Singapore will see him make the step up to TV. Dan’s position will be filled

by Australian Dane Halpin.

Should you have any sporting events that you feel are worthy of coverage please contact Dane by emailing: sports@ thephuketnews.com.

The Phuket News team are sad to see Dan go, but wish him all the best in his exciting new venture.

www.thephuketnews.com

40 ISLANDSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Former LA Laker Ike Nwankwo visited Phuket in November to host a two-part coaching clinic with students at the British International School (BIS).

The 2011 FOBISSEA Games were held in June at the British International School, bringing together students from British-style international schools across Asia.

THE YEAR IN

LOCAL SPORT It’s been a bumper year for sport in Phuket, with the island playing host to numerous international and local events.

Whether your interest is in football, rugby, cricket, motorsport, tennis, surfing or volleyball, or all of the above, there has been something for everyone in the past year.

The Phuket News brings you a selection of the best images taken from the island’s sporting fields this year.

Yachts of all sizes battle for position in 25th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta in December. Photo by Rolien Photography.

Former Australian international cricketer Karen ‘Rolts’ Rolton faces up at the 2011 Phuket Cricket Sixes Cup.

Phuket resident Dylan Young had a frustrating year trying to secure the funding necessary for him to take the track. Despite the setbacks, he secured a creditable sixth in race two of the JK Racing Asia Series event in Singapore in September. www.thephuketnews.com

Malaysia-based Australian Zoe Bowden, 12, scorched her way to victory at the second IronKids event held at Thanyapura Sport and Leisure Club on December 3.

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

41

In June, the Royal Thai Police won the Overgaard Heineken Phuket 10s Cup final against defending champions Kriel Roosters of South Africa by 31 points to five.

FC Phuket rode the highs and lows of professional football in their first season in Division 1. Here, Niran Panthong is on the receiving end of a heavy tackle.

Kazakhstan’s Irina Tsimbalova smacks the ‘mikasa’ as Australia’s Claire Kelly blocks during the finals of the FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour Phuket Thailand Open at Karon Beach in November.

Phuket’s young golfing star, 14 -year- old Pariwat Pinsa was, came joint second in the 13-14-year-old group at the Callaway World Junior Golf Championships, in San Diego, California in July.

More than a thousand people turned out to watch the Honda Racing Fest 2011 in July, held at the specially created race track at Saphan Hin.

Italy’s Massimo Cigana carved his name into the history books of the Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) with a hardfought victory in sweltering conditions.

Phuket surfing prodigy Annissa Flynn recently returned to the island after competing in three surf carnivals around Asia in November and December, winning three finals and finishing second in another.

Australia’s reigning Ironman 70.3 world champion Melissa Rollison after powering to victory in recordbreaking fashion in the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship race at Laguna Phuket.

Moto Inzia came second in this year’s ACYC multihull class. She looked particularly good from the top of the mast.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Phuket King’s Cup, the Kiteboard Tour Asia (KTA) hosted an invitation-only event at this year’s regatta. www.thephuketnews.com

42 INTERNATIONALSPORT

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

THE PHUKET NEWS TIPPING COMPETITION: 19

This month's competition is supported by:

Man U close in, Arsenal falter FOOTBALL

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will be left ruing his side’s missed opportunity to draw level on points with third-place Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and climb back into the Champions League places after being held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Wolves at Emirates Stadium.

The result left Arsenal in fifth place, two points behind their north London rivals ahead of Spurs’ match at Norwich later Tuesday, and 12 points behind top two, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Gareth Bale scored both goals in Tottenham’s 2-0 win at Norwich on Tuesday which tightened their hold on third place in the Premier League.

Victory saw Harry Redknapp’s men go four points clear of fourth-placed capital foes Chelsea and five in front of north London rivals Arsenal.

Stoke came closest to winning a dour 0-0 draw against Aston Villa as Marc Wilson hit the bar in the second half at the Britannia Stadium on Monday.

Liver pool’s top -fou r

WEEK 19 Home Team W D W Away Team

i r i

n a n w 30/12/2011 Liverpool Newcastle 31/12/2011 Man Utd Blackburn Arsenal QPR Bolton Wolves Chelsea Aston Villa Norwich Fulham Stoke Wigan Swansea Tottenham 1/1/2012 West Brom Everton Sunderland Man City

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

still continue to play, but given his woeful form so Wolves’ goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey makes a save far this year, poses no threat against Arsenal.

–Photo AFP to the likes of ‘gafferworld’ charge faltered despite Maxi over 10-man Wigan.

(290), ‘alanphuket’ (260) or Chelsea blew a chance ‘MRB’ (250) who are curRodriguez’s equaliser and Steven Gerrard’s return from to move into third place in rently topping the cumulainjury as the Reds were held the Premier League after the tive table. to a 1-1 draw by struggling spluttering Blues were held Aside from leading the to a 1-1 draw by Fulham at overall competition, ‘gafferBlackburn on Monday.

Man City’s Premier Stamford Bridge. world’ also takes out the prize The Phuket News’ Dan for the month of December League title challenge suffered a significant setback Ogunshakin will sadly be with a score of 77 and will after the leaders were held departing Phuket to move on receive a B3,000 voucher to a 0-0 draw at West Brom- to bigger and better things to be spent at the Peppers wich Albion. (see page 39) next year, with Bar & Restaurant, Phuket’s Dimitar Berbatov took the new resident ‘expert’, and premier sports bar. full advantage of that, firing man to beat for the remainder The overall winner will Manchester United level of the competition, being win a return flight to the UK on points with City as his Australian Dane Halpin. come the end of the season. hat-trick inspired a 5-0 win Ogunshakin will hopefully It’s a new month, so there

IN BRIEF Mayweather jailed for hitting girlfriend

MotoGP season to start early

US boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr has been jailed for 90 days by a Las Vegas court after pleading guilty to assaulting his exgirlfriend, Josie Harris, in 2010.

He was also ordered to pay a fine of US$2,500 (B75,000) and complete 100 hours of community service.

Mayweather, 34, agreed to a plea deal, meaning he will not have to answer felony charges of beating Ms Harris and threatening two of their children.

The 2012 MotoGP season will begin a week earlier than originally planned.

The first race of the season will now take place at the desert circuit of Losail in Qatar on April 8, 2012.

The Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez has been confirmed for the weekend of April 29, while races at the Sachsenring and Estoril remain subject to contract.

Westwood wins in Thailand Lee Westwood ended 2011 on a high with a seven-shot win over Charl Schwartzel at the Thailand Golf Championship.

The 38-year-old Englishman fired a closing 69 to end 22 under and move above Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlory into second in the world rankings.

Westwood made a stunning start to the Asian Tour event and was a record 18 under par after 36 holes. www.thephuketnews.com

Nadal looks to regain spark Rafael Nadal says his game this year has been too predictable and he has sometimes lacked drive on court – weaknesses he plans to overcome for Wimbledon and the 2012 Olympics.

The 25-year-old world number two led Spain to a fifth Davis Cup title in December and won the French Open this year, but lost in the Wimbledon and US Open finals to Novak Djokovic, surrendering his number one spot to the Serb as a result.

is a new prize up for grabs – January will see another B3,000 voucher up for grabs from Australia Bar and Grill in Kata where you can watch all the international sport on 50’’ plasma screen TVs or on the big screen.

You can now enter your predictions for round 19, which despite holding no News Year blockbusters, could see a few upsets on the cards.

Enter your tips online by 23:59 on December 30 at thephuketnews.com, fax them to the office on 076 612 553 or hand them to us in Billion Plaza, opposite Tesco-Lotus before 2pm on the 30th.

ROUND 18 RESULTS: Norwich 0-2 Tottenham Swansea 1-1 QPR Arsenal 1-1 Wolves Stoke 0-0 Aston Villa Bolton 0-2 Newcastle Liverpool 1-1 Blackburn Man Utd 5-0 Wigan Sunderland 1 - 1 Everton West Brom 0-0 Man City Chelsea 1 - 1 Fulham DANE’S TIPS ROUND 19 Liverpool v Newcastle home win Man U v Blackburn home win Arsenal FC v QPR home win Bolton v Wolves draw Chelsea v Aston Villa home win Norwich v Fulham draw Stoke v Wigan draw Swansea v Tottenham away win West Brom v Everton away win Sunderland v Man City away win TOP 10 PERFORMERS (DECEMBER): 1. gafferworld 77 2. The Lunchroom Kathu 71 3. dcoutts 68 4. s4599088 67 5. MRB 66 6. zestrealestate 65 7. alanphuket 64 8. apollo131 64 9. scottkip 61 10. Farang2005 58 TOP 10 DECEMBER (OVERALL): 1. gafferworld 290 2. alanphuket 260 3. MRB 250 4. apollo131 249 5. dcoutts 248 6. chasman 247 7. Mal Kenyon 240 8. MAMCHAM 237 9. zestrealestate 233 10. Allard 230

United ready for 2012 title charge FOOTBALL Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United will be ideally-placed to retain their Premier League title if they reach New Year’s Day alongside Manchester City at the top of the table.

Ferguson, who turns 70 on New Year’s Eve when his team entertain struggling Blackburn, saw United draw level with City on points after an emphatic 5-0 victory over Wigan at Old Trafford on Boxing Day. It marked a remarkable recovery from United who, as recently as December 10, trailed City by five points and 17 goals prior to a 4-1 victory over Wolves.

Now, following consecutive 5-0 victories, all that separates United from the current league leaders are five goals in the goal difference column – the margin of defeat which United suffered to City in their historic 6-1 home loss to Roberto Mancini’s side in October.

“As I say, it’s a long season,” said Ferguson. “If we get to New Year’s Day top,

Sir Alex Ferguson: ‘Man Utd ideally placed to retain title’. or joint top with City, then I will be happy.

“I’ve been saying for a few weeks that somebody was going to suffer against us and we’ve really hit good form now and got a goal threat from all departments.

“The clean sheet was a good part of the game for us and the consistency of the team is very good now.

“But the inju r ies are mounting up for us now – Phil Jones was down ill, Chris Smalling was ill, Rio Ferdinand called off with a back injury and Jonny Evans came off injured at half-time. We’re

getting our fair share.”

Those injuries will severely test United with Ferguson confirming that a calf strain will keep Evans on the sidelines for two weeks.

“We will just have to wait and see,” added Ferguson, with an eye on his team selection for the Blackburn game. “I’m hoping Smalling and Jones will recover. That will make a difference.”

A single point against Blackburn will take United to solitary ownership of first place at the top of the table and place intense pressure on City, who visit Sunderland 24

hours later on New Year’s Day. However, for all their defensive injury concerns, there is no doubt that United seem to have found the answer to their goalscoring problems with Bulgarian forward Dimitar Berbatov, starting just his second league game of the season, claiming a hat-trick against Wigan.

Berbatov, joint leading scorer in the Premier League last season with Carlos Tevez, now has four goals to his name this term and Ferguson said, “it was the right game for him.

“We needed his height to defend against set pieces. It helps his confidence. He has not had the best of starts to the season in terms of selection, with the options I have in (Danny) Welbeck, (Wayne) Rooney and Chicharito (Javier Hernandez).”

United were also aided, in small part, by referee Phil Dowd, who harshly dismissed the Wigan forward Conor Sammon after 38 minutes, with the score 1-0, when he caught defender Carrick in the face with a flailing arm.

–AFP

INTERNATIONALSPORT 43

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Ligue 1, France

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

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

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

18 18 17 18 18 18 18 18 18 17 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18

14 14 12 10 10 8 8 7 6 6 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 2

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

1 1 3 4 5 3 4 7 8 8 7 6 7 7 8 9 10 10 14 11

53 47 34 36 34 21 25 18 19 18 27 19 19 17 22 18 20 15 22 25

15 14 19 21 26 14 22 28 26 20 33 23 24 22 22 32 33 35 41 39

45 45 38 34 33 31 30 25 22 21 21 20 19 19 18 17 16 14 12 11

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

Team

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

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

17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17

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

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

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

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

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

37 34 34 33 29 26 23 22 22

21 20 20 19 18 18 16 15 13

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

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

Team

D

L

F

A

Pts

19

12

4

3

31

17

40

2

Montpellier

19

11

4

4

39

23

37

3

Lille

19

9

9

1

33

19

36

4

Lyon

19

11

2

6

31

21

35

5

Rennes

19

9

5

5

29

23

32

6

Marseille

19

8

7

4

27

18

31

7

Toulouse

19

8

7

4

20

17

31

8

Saint-Étienne

19

8

6

5

23

21

30

9

Lorient

19

6

6

7

18

21

24

10

Bordeaux

19

5

8

6

20

22

23

11

Evian

19

5

7

7

27

29

22

12

Brest

19

3

12

4

19

19

21

13

Valenciennes

19

5

5

9

18

21

20

14

Caen

19

5

5

9

24

29

20

15

Auxerre

19

4

7

8

26

30

19

16

Dijon

19

5

4

10

20

35

19

17

Nice

19

4

6

9

21

23

18

18

Nancy

19

4

6

9

17

26

18

19

Sochaux

19

4

6

9

21

34

18

20

Ajaccio

19

3

6

10

20

36

15

Barclay’s Premier League Fixtures

Barclay’s Premier League Fixtures

(Times in Thailand)

(Times in Thailand)

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

Monday January 2 Aston Villa v Swansea 22:00 Blackburn v Stoke 22:00 QPR v Norwich 22:00 Wolves v Chelsea 22:00 Tuesday January 3 Fulham v Arsenal 02:30 Wednesday January 4 T’ham v WBrom 02:45 Wigan v Sunderland 02:45 Man City v Liverpool 03:00 Thursday January 5 Everton v Bolton 03:00

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

Sport on TV: Times in Thailand Saturday December 31 EVENT

Serie A, Italy Team

W

Paris St-G

Coming up this week

Bundesliga, Germany 1

P

1

TIME CHANNEL

Football: Liverpool v Newcastle 02:45

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16

10 9 9 8 8 6 7 5 6 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 4 2 3 2

4 7 5 6 2 6 3 7 3 3 8 5 4 6 6 6 3 6 3 3

2 0 2 2 6 4 6 4 7 7 2 6 7 6 6 7 9 8 10 11

35 27 20 24 22 29 21 20 18 19 23 13 21 15 12 15 14 18 8 17

16 11 9 13 19 18 19 23 20 24 19 18 26 15 17 17 24 30 20 33

34 34 32 30 26 24 24 22 21 21 20 20 19 18 18 15 15 12 12 9

Football: Man U v Blackburn

Astro Supersport 3

19.40

ESPN

NBA: Chicago Bulls v LA Clippers 21:00

Astro Supersport 3

Football: Swansea v Tottenham 22:00

Astro Supersport 3

Football: Stoke v Wigan

22:00

Astro Supersport 1

Football: Chelsea v Aston Villa 22:00

ESPN

Football: Arsenal v QPR

22:00

Star Sports

Sunday January 1 Football: West Brom v Everton 19:15

ESPN

Football: Man City v Sunderland 17.30

TrueSport 1

Football: West Brom v Everton 22:00

TrueSport 1

Monday January 2 Football: Wolves v Chelsea

22:00

ESPN

Football: QPR v Norwich

22:00

Star Sports

12:00

TrueSport 1

Wednesday January 4 Football: Man City v Liverpool 03:00

India’s review refusal slammed CRICKET The Indian cricket board’s move to scuttle the decision review system (DRS) cast a controversial pall over the Boxing Day Test against Australia.

Australia appeared well placed at 205 for three against India on the first day of the hotly anticipated Test, but lost two wickets in as many balls and a third three overs later with replays showing that debutant opener Ed Cowan (68) and embattled senior batsman Mike Hussey (0) were not out.

The Australian press coverage of Monday’s opening day’s play was dominated by reaction to the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision not to use the review system in the four-Test Australia series.

The Daily Telegraph said Cowan was robbed when given out caught behind for 68, while “India’s stone-age attitude to technology may have also cost Hussey his career.” That latter comment proved to be a touch premature, as, at the time of publication, Hussey was steadying a rapidly sinking Australian second innings at stumps on the third day, unbeaten on 79.

The Sydney Morning Herald said India’s “stubborn rejec-

tion” of state-of-the-art decision review technology took just hours to cause a storm.

“There was trepidation before this Test series about the potential for umpires to be embarrassed by (Channel) Nine’s use of their ball-tracking and Hot Spot devices in its coverage after India once again refused a DRS despite the pleas of Cricket Australia,” the Herald said.

Former Australia Test captain and one-time India coach Greg Chappell said cricket must embrace technology after the Boxing Day howlers.

“If you are going to use it then you have got to use it everywhere,” Chappell told Fox Sports.

Australia were eventually dismissed for 333 in their first innings (Ricky Ponting 62, Peter Siddle 41), before India replied with 282 after squandering a strong start. At stumps on day three, Australia were 8/179 (M Hussey 79*, J Pattinson 3*) for a lead of 230 runs.

In the other Test this week, Sri Lanka were in a dominant position over South Africa, posting 338 (TT Samaraweera 102) in the first innings before dismissing the Proteas for just 168 (HM Amla 58) at press time on Wednesday.

–AFP/The Phuket News

Hash House Harriers Run 1347: Saturday December 31 at 3:30pm.

“A drinking club with a running problem.”

Tuesday January 3 Football: Fulham v Arsenal

Mike Hussey, left, redeemed his first innings golden duck to be unbeaten on 79 at stumps on Day 3. –Photo AFP

Truesport 1

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www.thephuketnews.com

44

THE PHUKET NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

SPORT

The year in local sport The best images from 2011 > 40-41

THRILLING SYDNEY-HOBART RACE ENDS IN CONTROVERSY SAILING Supermaxi Investec Loyal’s thrilling win in the Sydney to Hobart ocean race was immediately cast into doubt on Wednesday, with organisers declaring an immediate inquiry into claims it received unauthorised assistance.

Garry Linacre, commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, said an international jury would on Thursday examine claims Investec Loyal asked a media helicopter crew what kind of sails rival Wild Oats XI was using.

“It’s against a racing rule of sailing, number 41,” Linacre told reporters, adding the official challenge was probably “as much of a shock to them as it is to me”.

Possible punishments include a time penalty or a range of other sanctions, and when asked whether Investec could be disqualified if found guilty Linacre said: “I would say that the answer to that question would have to be yes.”

“It’s a disappointing situation for me,” he added.

Investec crossed the line three minutes and eight seconds ahead of five-time winner and current record holder Wild Oats XI, but its line honours

Australian supermaxi Investec Loyal passes the Organ Pipes on Tasman Island on the final leg of the 67th Sydney to Hobart yacht race. –Photo AFP victory was, as of press time on Wednesday evening, deemed provisional.

Linacre said the committee had decided to lodge a protest against Investec late on Wednesday afternoon and a panel of judges from four countries would hear evidence and arguments from both sides.

It mars a thrilling finish to what was one of the closest finishes in the ocean classic’s history.

Thousands of onlookers cheered at Hobart’s Constitution dock as the 2010 runner-up beat the five-time winner and current record-holder across the line.

“Investec Loyal first boat home, time of two days, six hours, 14 minutes and 18 seconds,” race organisers said.

It was a maiden win for the 100-foot Investec Loyal, which was never far from Wild Oats XI’s tail on the 628-nautical mile dash down Australia’s east coast.

The supermaxis had battled it out from the starting gun on Monday, and Investec Loyal’s patience finally paid off Tuesday night when it overtook Wild Oats XI for the first time.

A cat-and-mouse game ensued throughout Wednesday’s gripping final day, culminating in a Hobart finish described by

organisers as one of the closest in years.

The tightest finish in the race’s history was in 1982 when Condor of Bermuda beat Apollo by a mere seven seconds. The 2003 race was another close run for line honours with Skandia beating Zana by 14 minutes 24 seconds.

–AFP

Rose lifts Bulls over Lakers in NBA season opener Derrick Rose scored the goahead basket with 4.8 seconds remaining as the Chicago Bulls opened their new NBA season with an 88-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday (December 25).

While Rose provided the finishing scoring touch, team mate Luol Deng gave the Bulls the fourth-quarter spark they needed to come from behind in front of a Christmas Day crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center arena.

Deng scored nine points in the final quarter and intercepted a Kobe Bryant pass then quickly got the ball to Rose who drove to the basket before pulling up and draining a short one-handed lob.

Bryant had a chance to put the Lakers back in front but his jumper from in close was blocked by Deng at the buzzer. www.thephuketnews.com

BASKETBALL Rose finished with 22 points and five assists and Deng had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Bulls who moved to 7-7 in their last 14 season openers.

Bryant, who is playing with a bandaged wrist to protect a torn tendon, scored a game high 28 points and Pau Gasol had 14 points for the Lakers who have a 36-16 record in season openers in franchise history.

This was the first time since the start of the 2008-09 season that the Lakers haven’t begun their home schedule with a championship ring ceremony at centre court.

Instead Lakers guard and president of the players union, Derek Fisher, took the microphone before the game to talk about the new collective

and players union agreed on a last-minute labour deal which resulted in a compressed 66game schedule, beginning with five games on Christmas Day. Because of the lockout teams have had a little more than two weeks and just two exhibition games to get ready for the season.

Dallas caught fire last year and beat the Miami Heat for the NBA title but the Heat earned a measure of revenge Sunday by holding on to beat the Mavericks 105-94.

In another opening-day game, the New York Knicks edged the Boston Celtics 106Derrick Rose (right) of the Chicago Bulls drives against 104.

In later games, Oklahoma Kobe Bryant of the LA Lakers.

–Photo AFP City hosts Orlando and the bargaining agreement. support and patience,” Fisher Los Angeles Clippers visit “Everybody wasn’t happy told the crowd.

Golden State. with the process or the finished After almost having to The Lakers are one of the product but thanks for your cancel the season, the league NBA’s most storied franchises

but they enter the season with plenty of uncertainty. The biggest concern being the absence of legendary coach Phil Jackson who retired with 11 championship rings.

Fragile centre Andrew Bynum is suspended for the first four games of the season, Bryant is playing with a torn tendon in his right wrist which he has decided not to have surgery on and Lamar Odom is gone to rival Dallas after demanding a trade during the pre-season.

The Bulls have now taken the last two meetings in the series after dropping seven straight to the Lakers.

Chicago are one of the preseason favourites to win the championship after making it to the league semi-finals last year before losing to Miami in five games.

–AFP