ANDAMAN Edition Volume 19 Issue 17 April 28 - May 4, 2012 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht

DOOMSDAY SPECIAL Saving Mt Mayhem Officials race to repair Patong Hill road as heavy rains arrive

By Atchaa Khamlo Shrine) at the top of the hill, where local commuters typically sound THE Highways Department hopes their horn to pay respects to the to begin shoring up one landslide- local spirits that are believed by prone section of the road over some to dwell there. Governor Tri Augkaradacha has Patong Hill in June, but work on The project would cover a 200- promised to resign if the another section of the same road meter stretch of road, extending premonition comes true. will have to wait until at least next 60 meters downslope. Workers year. will bore steel galvanized ‘Phuket will sink’ Sathaporn Sornchana, deputy “soilnails” and install PVC drain- D-Day arrives director of the Highways Depart- pipes into the ground beneath the ment office in Phuket, told the road to prevent further erosion. for rumors Gazette on Tuesday that the plan When completed, the exterior sur- SINCE the massive earthquake to reinforce a section of Phra face would be covered with struck off Sumatra on April 11, Barami Road, on the Patong side “shotcrete” (sprayed concrete), prompting a tsunami warning, of the hill, is still awaiting final with exposed areas further and the 4.3 Richter quake on approval from the Highways De- downslope at lower gradients cov- April 16 and the ensuing partment in Bangkok. ered with anchored erosion control aftershocks, Phuket has been “We are following this project mesh. engulfed by rumors that the island will sink into the sea closely. We hope to gain final ap- During construction, the 200 today, April 28, 2012. proval and begin work as soon as meters of road will be closed to Governor Tri has dismissed possible in this fiscal year,” he said. traffic for about five months, Mr the rumors, and ordered a police Once approved, his office Sathaporn said. investigation into who started would have one month to find a His office is also waiting for an them (see page 3), and the key contractor to undertake the work, Patong Hill Road torn asunder in October last year. Photo: Ulf Mikaelsson additional 5 million baht in fund- people at the center of the rumors have denounced the which would be scheduled for lane of which dramatically slid cause of the slide was hillside de- ing approval to conduct claims as outright bogus (see completion within 150 days, Mr away during heavy rains last Oc- velopment in the area along Soi “permanent” repairs to a section pages 4-5). Sathaporn said. tober. It was subsequently patched Kuan Yang that exposed the base of Phra Barami Road further to Meanwhile, the rumors have Under such a time frame, the with a temporary cover, but fears of the road to erosion. Rubber the west where a large sinkhole scared Thai tourists from visiting work would take place during the of another landslip in the area are plantation and zinc-roofed homes opened up in the middle of a lane Phuket (see page 9), and airlines rainiest months of the year in a major concern, even more so in a temporary workers camp still in August, 2009, he added. have voiced their confidence in Phuket Airport evacuation Phuket and be completed at or after the recent seismic activity in occupy downslope areas. On the Kathu side of Phra procedures (see page 10). around the beginning of the next the area. The site is well known to Barami Road, where a landslide While enjoying such high season for tourism. Funding for repairs will be cov- Phuket commuters as it runs toppled power poles and caused a engrossing reading, the Gazette The project site would be a ered under the government’s along the stretch of road about 100-meter section of road near the wishes one and all a happy, safe stretch of road on Phra Barami budget for emergency repairs for 100 meters west of the San Chao Patong City sign to slump in Oc- weekend. Road eastbound, the breakdown flood damage, although the real Phor Suea (Tiger God Chinese Continued on page 3 Failed tsunami warning towers spark full test By Orawin Narabal that six warning towers failed to sound the be too high for people to hear clearly,” he alarm. added. AFTER two weeks of waiting for official “The Phuket office of Department of As for the warning towers at the remain- requests to inspect tsunami warning tow- Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM- ing locales – Kata Noi, Nai Harn, Chalong ers that failed to sound the alarm on April Phuket) informed me that tsunami warning and Kamala – Mr Chutichart said he will no 11, Chutichart Boonchuwit will bypass the towers at Kata Noi, Chalong, Nai Harn, longer wait for confirmation from the local bureaucratic hurdle and go ahead and have Kamala, Patong and Ao Yon all failed to DDPM officers for those areas that the tow- the towers tested. sound the alarm, or failed to function prop- ers need to be tested. Mr Chutichart, who is the Information erly,” he said. “I will go ahead and make plans for them and Communication Technology (ICT) “On April 19, I inspected the towers at to be checked anyway. Actually, right now Ministry representative tasked with ensur- Patong and at Ao Yon. The tower at Patong I am not sure exactly how many towers xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ing that the tsunami warning towers in worked well, but the tower at Ao Yon did are working or not, so I will have all 19 DEADLY SERIOUS: Mr Chutichart has asked Phuket are operational, told the Gazette on not sound the alarm very loudly. I think it tsunami warning towers in Phuket checked for all 19 tsunami warning towers in Phuket Tuesday that he was notified on April 18 is because the tower is on a hill and might to make sure they are working,” he said. be tested. Photo: Sampawat Wannasangkam 2 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS April 28 - May 4, 2012 Soi Bangla go-go bars

News End of the world? Not void of lewd behavior according to the OFFICERS from the Anti-Human experts. Page 4-5 Trafficking Division (AHTD) of the Royal Thai Police and Internal Security Operations Command Business (ISOC) on April 20 inspected go- Thai customs putting go bars in Soi Sea Dragon, off Soi Bangla in Patong, but failed to the brakes on gray uncover any evidence of lewd imports. Page 11 behavior. Twelve officers from the AHTD Region 5 and ISOC, com- Technology manded by AHTD Region 5 Live Wire: Is the phone Deputy Inspector Pol Lt Anan company loading the Nitirangsan, raided seven go-go bars, including Exotica and the bill? Page 12 Candy Club a-Go-Go at about 10pm. Explore The raid was to target clubs showing “nude shows” and lewd Diving adventures. acts such as “ping-pong shows” Swimming with mantas and to arrest any club operators off Koh Bon. Page 16 allowing such activity. Before the raid commenced, officers asked media in attendance Property to wait at a restaurant on Phra Disaster Insurance. Baramee Road, so that the targeted The raid found nothing illegal in Phuket go-go bars. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo venues remained unaware of the Averting the drama after impending operation. At the scene police were ob- It was evident to the media that a crisis. Page 27 Once the raids started it was served questioning employees the shows were all completely hid- about half an hour before officers outside the bars. Inside, officers den from outside view within the Sport allowed the media onto the scene found only dancing girls on stage, various establishments. at Soi Sea Dragon. dressed respectably in bikinis. – Atchaa Khamlo Buakaw’s last fight? The champ takes on his promoter. Page 45 Seized: B21mn of illegal diesel CUSTOMS officials seized particular, since they look like 47,000 liters of smuggled diesel regular fishing boats with all the hidden on board two Taiwanese necessary fishing equipment,” he New Phuket Bus Terminal opens boats off the east coast of Phuket said. THE Phuket Bus Terminal 2 finally Phuket Bus Terminal 1 on Phang last Sunday. Arrested in the raid were the went into operation on April 21, Nga Road in Phuket Town were Officials estimated the total Ching ChunFa 168 captain Wang more than 28 months after instructed to take the Phuket value of the smuggled diesel seized Yap Yu and his three Indonesian completion of the structure. Provincial Administration Organi- at 21 million baht. crew members, as well as the Chi “I think the first day has gone zation “Pink Bus” or pho thong, The two boats, Ching ChunFa Tsai 16 captain Huang Chiang- well so far,” said Phuket Land which connects the two stations 168 and Chi Tsai 16, were seized Hsieh and his three Taiwanese Transport Office (PLTO) chief at a fare of 10 baht. one to two nautical miles north crew and four Indonesian crew- Teerayut Prasertpol. “The first outbound bus for of Taphao Yai Island, on April 22, men. Mr Teerayut estimated that Trang left at 5am. The first in- said Rakop Srisupa-at, director of “Phuket Customs officials have about 70 per cent of the public is bound coach arrived from the Royal Thai Customs Investi- taken them into custody and they already aware that almost all in- Bangkok early this morning,” Mr gations and Suppression Bureau, will be prosecuted,” Mr Rakop ter-provincial buses will operate Teerayut said. who was in Phuket to announce said. out of the new station, which is He added that measures were the haul. The raid was part of an ongo- He explained that the raid on Rakop Srisupa-at symbolically ing anti-smuggling crackdown located on Thepkrasattri Road in place to get arriving passengers pours some of the smuggled southbound in Rassada. to their final destinations by a va- Sunday followed his office re- diesel. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong ordered by Thai Customs Direc- PLTO officers were posted at riety of public transport options, ceiving a tip-off that fishing tor General Somchai Pulsawas, the station to monitor operations all at fixed prices. boats near Phuket were selling waters off the Andaman coast. Mr Rakop explained. and give information for first-time “All prices are clearly displayed smuggled diesel. “We learned that several boats However, the number of smug- users. on large board, so passengers will “There are about 100 legally in the area had been modified to glers selling illegally imported Passengers unaware of the know they are not being ripped off registered tuna long-line fishing smuggle diesel. It was very diffi- diesel is on the decline, he added. change who arrived at the old and overcharged,” he said. boats operating in Thai territorial cult to spot these two boats in – Kritsada Mueanhawong April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET NEWS PHUKET GAZETTE 3

‘Atlantis of the East’? Not on Home alone: Boy, 12, escapes as blaze engulfs slum A 12-year-old boy escaped from his house on arriving in numbers with firemen, who took Gov Tri’s watch Tuesday morning, as fire broke out in the poor 20 minutes to extinguish the blaze. Soi Kingkaew community in Rassada, destroy- However, ashes and rubble were all that re- ing two homes. mained of Suriya and Ms Gaysorn’s home. Suriya Inkaew was home alone while his Plueng Srisattabun, the 77-year-old owner mother, Gaysorn Yungyeun, was out collect- of the house next door that was also destroyed ing recyclables from trash to make a living. by the fire, said he was not home when the “I woke up to a strange sound, and when I fire broke out. opened my eyes I saw the house was on fire, “I went to temple early this morning, so so I ran out as fast as I could and shouted for there was no one at my home when the fire help,” said Suriya. started,” he said. Soon after he ran out of the house, flames Mr Plueng said he suspected an electrical consumed the building and spread to the house short started the fire. next door. However, police and fire investigators have Officers at Rassada Municipality, notified yet to determine what started the blaze. Ashes and rubble were all that remained of the of the fire at 7:55am, quickly responded, – Kritsada Mueanhawong homes after the blaze. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Wiroj Suwanwong filed the complaint on the behalf of Gov Tri at Phuket City Police Station.

IN THE face of widespread ru- mors of Phuket becoming the Snake show arson attack “Atlantis of the East”, Phuket Gov- ernor Tri Augkaradacha has jok- ingly declared that he would be happy to resign his position if the island sinks into the Andaman Sea. leaves guard comotose “Rumors are rumors,” Gov Tri said. “I don’t think Phuket will By Atchaa Khamlo sink. In fact, I’ll stake my position as a guarantee. If it happens, I will A SECURITY guard at Phuket be happy to resign as governor.” Healthy Nutriment and snake On a more serious note, Gov show in Chalong remains uncon- Tri’s office has filed a police com- scious in hospital after being plaint against any individuals found knocked out by attackers and his to have created doomsday warn- workplace being set afire early ing leaflets or posting internet Monday morning. claims that Phuket will be de- Anuchit Chaithongngarm, 25, stroyed by a natural disaster on was in a coma at Vachira Hospital April 28. Phuket after being hit on the back The complaint was filed at of the head with a heavy object, Phuket City Police Station by Wiroj said Kongpol Phanuek, chief en- Suwanwong, chief of the Depart- gineer at Phuket Healthy Nutriment ment of Disaster Prevention and on Tuesday. Mitigation office in Phuket Town. “The doctor said he has a blood Any person convicted of clot in the brain,” explained Mr spreading rumors or dis- Kongpol. information that cause people to Mr Anuchit was knocked un- panic is in violation of Article 384 conscious at about 1:30am, but The arsonist poured fuel down the hallway and set the shop aflame. Photos: Phuket Healthy Nutriment CCTV of the Criminal Code and can face woke up at about 4am and man- up to one month in prison, a 1,000 aged to use a pair of scissors to “Even though our property wasn’t Police, Tourist Police and offic- Since the attack, four more baht fine, or both. cut the tape that bound his hands seriously damaged, the shop will ers from Region 8 police CCTV cameras were added to the Gov Tri said he was concerned and legs. He then called the po- have to close for a week, which headquarters in Surat Thani. eight already in use. Mr Kongpol that the doomsday prediction had lice, Mr Kongpol said. will cost us about 10 million baht,” “They suspect that the arson was also said that there will now be damaged Phuket’s reputation. Due to the dark windows, it Mr Kongpol said. motivated by business conflicts,” two guards on duty. “These rumors have caused wasn’t known that the Phuket The costs include expected in- Mr Kongpol said. Though the security guard com- panic among the people who live Healthy Nutriment shop on the come, damages, salaries and so However, the company has been pany Mr Anuchit works for will pay in Phuket and it is bad for Phuket’s usually quiet Soi Ta-iad in Chalong on, explained Mr Kongpol. in operation for 20 years and did for his treatment, Phuket Healthy image,” he added. was set fire to until staff arrived The incident was investigated not have any problems with other Nutriment gave some money to his – Kritsada Mueanhawong to open the building at 8:30am. on Monday afternoon by Chalong companies, Mr Kongpol explained family, Kongpol added. Patong Hill Road makeover From page 1 recently assigned the project to Transport Ministry’s Expressway October last year, there seems to Authority of Thailand (EXAT). be little hope that landslide preven- Several groups of foreign in- tion work will begin in fiscal 2012. vestors have shown interest in Mr Sathaporn said responsibil- the project, which EXAT Gover- ity for this section of the road was nor Ayyanat said would take consigned to his office from Kathu about six years and six billion baht Municipality only on April 2. to complete. No project plan for landslide prevention work has yet been drawn up by either Kathu Munici- pality or the Highways Department and the period to apply for fund- ing under the emergency flood repair budget for fiscal 2012 has already closed. Looking to the future, many officials see the long-term solu- tion as tunneling though Patong to create a new four-lane road. An in-depth study was conducted by Patong Municipality and Cabinet 4 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS April 28 - May 4, 2012 Pampered pup feeds Rumors on woman’s breasts RUMORS that the Pearl of the Andaman will be A WOMAN in Lampang province dog starts barking and howling. destroyed in a cataclysmic natural disaster on April hit the headlines after it emerged If Ms Amphwan refuses to she was breastfeeding her pet breastfeed him, the dog continues 28 have spread like wildfire, and local officials have poodle. to carry on – and eventually she responded in classic Phuket style: by planning a Amphawan Bunyarak, 42, told gives in. reporters she had breastfed her Ms Amphawan said that she number of events and parties on that date. two-year-old dog “Makrood”, knows her breasts make The Gazette’s Chutharat Plerin and Kritsada whose name means “Kaffir Lime”, Makrood happy because he wags Mueanhawong report on how it all got this crazy. every day since he was born. every pet as if it were her own his tail while suckling on them. The animal-crazy woman’s child. When one of her animals The pampered poodle then falls house in Sala subdistrict is full of dies, she gives it a full Buddhist asleep in her lap. FOLLOWING widespread reports same day that the first and largest creatures, including chickens, funeral ceremony. A demonstration of the feeding of Phuket’s imminent demise, the of the recent quakes to hit Phuket geese, cats, dogs and birds. But Makrood is her favorite. was shown on several Thai tele- mother of Thailand’s most famous struck. She said she loved each and Every night before he sleeps, the vision channels. transgender celebrity held a press Mrs Suwaphat was purportedly conference last Wednesday (April possessed by the spirit of either 18) to deny that she was possessed Mook or Jan, while the other un- Indecent proposal turns deadly by spirits so that she can warn named woman was possessed by people that Phuket was destined the spirit of the other. The cryptic A MAN in Khon Kaen was kicked to death by his Less than impressed with the proposal, Mr Sathit to sink into the sea on April 28. warnings, which did not specify best friend after making an indecent proposal re- flew into a rage and started punching and kicking his Such rumors which women garding his wife. old friend, then stomped on his head. have been most was possessed On the evening of March 27, Suraphon Rattalat, When the police arrived, they found Mr Sathit widespread in by which spirit, 53, went to the home of 39-year-old Sathit Phonsee waiting to hand himself in beside Mr Suraphon’s body. Srisoonthorn referred to Mrs in Nongko subdistrict. The pair, good friends for Mrs Chamnong was standing nearby, sobbing. subdistrict, be- Suwaphat only seven years, had planned a drinking session. Rescue workers rushed Mr Suraphon to Kranuan neath which a as “the mother After becoming quite drunk, Mr Suraphon leaned Hospital. His injuries were so severe that he was 4.3 Richter of Nong Poy”. over and asked Mr Sathit if he could have sex with transferred to the better equipped Khon Kaen Hospi- earthquake Nong Poy is his 51-year-old wife, Chamnong Siribat, who was tal, where he later died. struck on the Treechada also present. Mr Sathit confessed to an initial charge of assault. afternoon of Petcharat, a April 16. The famous trans- initial jolt was gender actress followed by a and model who series of low- is widely cred- intensity Srisoonthorn Mayor Worawut ited with having tremors that Songyot urged people to heed only changed stereo- stirred a sense information that is released types about of apprehen- through official channels. transgender sion among people in Thai- many residents of the area. land. Born male, the native of The source of the rumor Phang Nga underwent gender re- appears to have been a posting on assignment at age 17, then went Facebook under the name “Chany on two years later to win the Miss Jane”, whose true identity International Queen pageant, the remains unknown. transgender equivalent of Miss The information was quick to Universe, says Wikipedia. jump from the internet to a con- Now 25 years old, Nong Poy siderably less high-tech media: has since gone on to a success- printed leaflets that were widely ful show business career and is distributed in coffee shops and virtually a household name in other local businesses in the Thailand. Srisoonthorn area, which geolo- Her mother, Mrs Suwaphat, gists have pinpointed as the center who appeared at the press con- of the tremors. ference with her husband Akachat Promsri, rejected out- JANE’S WORLD right the information posted on Facebook by Chany Jane. ACCORDING to initial postings She was never possessed by by Chany Jane, the spirits of spirits and wasn’t even at the hos- Phuket’s two famous Heroines pital referenced on the day of her Thao Thepkrasattri (Jan) and Thao alleged possession, she told re- Srisoonthorn (Mook) channeled porters. spirit mediums to implore the pub- lic to vacate Phuket before April CREATIVE WRITING 28, at which time the island would be destroyed by some form of “THIS is total falsehood. Please natural disaster. do not be fooled by these ru- According to Ms Jane’s mors. On April 16, I was home Facebook posting, Mrs Suwaphat in the morning, then I met a cli- Petcharat was one of two middle- ent at midday and went back aged women who began “acting home right after that,” Mrs strangely” at a well-known private Suwaphat explained to reporters hospital in Phuket on April 16, the on April 18.

As this edition goes to print, officials across the island were scrambling to prepare special activities on April 28, including one at Phuket International Airport to welcome the first planeload of passengers from Bangkok on that day. Another large event is also being planned in Baan Bangmakham, Srisoonthorn Village 2, near the center of the seismic activity. Not to be outdone, many bars and nightlife venues were gearing up for a big weekend of partying. For the most up-to-date information, visit PhuketGazette.net April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET NEWS PHUKET GAZETTE 5 of seismic proportions

“In the afternoon, my husband people who heard the rumors and I joined some other friends were not taken in by them, he and went out to have somtam added. [spicy papaya salad] together. It was one of my friend’s birthday,” WORLD GONE MAD she said. “After I heard about the internet SOMSAK Kapapana, owner of the rumor, I called a friend of mine Bang Mad Coffee Shop and also who works at that hospital. No- assistant village headman of body there had a clue about what Srisoonthorn Village 8, told the had been posted,” said Mrs Gazette, “A person came in and Suwaphat. gave me the two leaflets, so I kept “We received many calls from them at my shop. Many people people asking about it. Even our came to read them. Some were relatives were affected by the ru- terrified by the information; oth- mor because people kept calling ers refused to believe it. them to ask about it. “Many elderly women panicked “I did not post anything online after reading it, especially the ref- [that day] to stop the spread of erences to Mook and Jan, the two the rumor because I was busy,” heroines worshiped by many vil- she explained. lagers,” he said, adding that he “I never imagined it would didn’t believe the rumors. spread so quickly and cause so Phuket Vice Governor Cham- many people to panic,” she said. roen Tipayapongtada also advised However, Mr Akachat said the Suwaphat Petcharat (left) and her husband Akachat Promsri, parents of famed transgender celebrity Treechada people to check the source of any family had no intention of trying ‘Nong Poy’ Petcharat, set the record straight at the Phuket Reporters Club on Wednesday, April 18. news and to trust information re- to take legal action against the leased by the government. poster. “We have not considered people for what she has done,” post. The other contained similar to local residents in a matter-of- “No matter what happen, we filing a criminal complaint or any- Mrs Suwaphat added. warnings, allegedly sourced to fact way and encouraged them to can guarantee that we will be there thing like that. We do not know the bodhisattava Mae Guanyin, follow only information released to inform you if something goes the poster. She is just a girl. She OFFICIAL RESPONSE some time last year. The flyers through official channels. Many wrong,” he said. had no way of knowing what did not specify how Guanyin, would ensue after posting those AFTER officers of Srisoonthorn venerated for her compassion, comments,” he said. Municipality heard about the ru- relayed her warning to the world Chany Jane is rumored to be a mor, they checked coffee houses of the unenlightened. student at a local university with and other small businesses in their “I have heard that there are a talent for “creative” writing. jurisdiction and found the flyers many warning leaflets at grocery Mrs Suwaphat and her husband disseminating the doomsday stores and coffee shops, so I de- Akachat, Nong Poy’s father, said claims. cided to go visit local residents they feared the public might think The officials paid a visit to the with my team. I found that many they were trying to draw attention Bang Mad Coffee Shop in Village people were panicked by these to themselves. 8, where they found many local warnings,” said Srisoonthorn “We never tell anyone we are villagers engaged in animated dis- Mayor Worawut Songyot. Poy’s parents. We have never cussions about the leaflets. Some The mention of the highly- sought fame in any way,” Mr were in a state of panic, others revered Phuket heroines and the Akachat said. dismissed the rumors out of hand fact that the subterranean rum- “I would like to tell the poster – some people did not know what blings had persisted were both that she does not have to apolo- to make of them. factors ratcheting up tension gize us. What she should do is to One of the flyers appears to among the locals, he said. apologize to the people of Phuket have been based on Chany Jane’s He tried to explain the situation

“Peacefully but conveniently located on the west coast of the island”

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That’s why National Disaster Warning Center Russian is not one of the lan- (NDWC) to add Russian language guages,” he explained. to the spoken messages played by Phuket Tourist Association its 19 warning towers along (PTA) President Somboon Jirayus Phuket’s coast. told the Gazette that the PTA re- Preedee Aengseng, Communi- ceived many complaints that cations Officer at the Phuket tourists were confused by the Mr Lertsin: April 11 was total chaos. office of Department of Disaster warning message. LERTSIN Raksaskulwong, direc- Prevention and Mitigation “What we need is for the siren tor of the Environmental Geology (DDPM-Phuket), told the Gazette to be louder and clearer. This is and Geohazard Bureau under the that the request will be made on much more important than which Department of Mineral Resources, May 16, when NDWC officers languages are used,” he said. on April 23 called for the National come to Phuket to conduct a “Also, there are two recorded Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) training session for local DDPM messages: one announces the to revise its procedure for issuing officers and members of other evacuation order and the other tsunami warnings. emergency-response organiza- rescinds it,” he said. At a meeting to review Phuket’s tions. Currently, both messages are tsunami-response procedures, Mr “This would enable more tour- preceded by similar siren sounds. Lertsin said, “The events of April ists to understand the tsunami “The sirens [used in the warn- 11 were chaos. They asked people warning message, aiding any ing and the cancellation] need to to evacuate tsunami-risk areas im- evacuation required and possibly be different to avoid any confu- mediately after announcing the saving lives in the event of a tsu- “So, just what are we meant to be doing?” was a question on many sion. When tourists hear the first people’s mind following the tsunami warning alert. Photo Atchaa Khamlo earthquake. nami,” Mr Preedee told the alarm, they move away. But when “With any earthquake more Gazette. sounds,” she told the Gazette. time, you have to wait minutes the second message is played to than 7.5 Richter, they need to The request is the result of the Ms Bangornrat pointed out that until the message is replayed in announce that the evacuation or- clearly announce that the earth- confusion that reigned at Phuket Russia was currently Phuket’s your language again,” he said. der has been called off, they think quake has happened before going beaches during the tsunami scare second-largest source for tourists “If this happens, people will it is the first message being played to the next step of announcing a on April 11, when the warning visiting Phuket, second only to waste time standing around and again,” he added. tsunami watch alert and [if nec- towers along the Andaman sea- China. listening, trying to understand The cancellation message lasts essary] an evacuation order,” he board sounded the alarm to “Last year we had 340,000 what the message is saying, in- 2 minutes 44 seconds. As with the added. evacuate. tourists from China visit Phuket, stead of evacuating the area,” he warning alarm, the cancellation Mr Lertsin said that he was In the aftermath of that evacu- and 270,000 tourists from Russia,” told the Gazette. message starts with a siren sound asked previously about the tsu- ation, the Gazette received several she said. “In fact, I am thinking about followed by spoken messages in nami warning buoys. “The reports of large groups of Rus- However the decision whether making the siren sound [that starts Thai, English, German, Chinese tsunami warning buoys are still sian tourists bewildered as many to add Russian rested with the the warning] longer. Whatever lan- and Japanese, all repeated once, working, but people failed to act did not speak English, Thai or any NDWC, she added. guage you speak, when you hear and ending with a repeat of the on them,” he said. of the three other languages the However, NDWC Deputy Di- sirens you know something is siren. The geology expert dismissed warning messages were played in. rector Thavorn Charoendee told wrong and that an evacuation The spoken message in English rumors that an impending earth- Tourism Authority of Thailand the Gazette that he prefers not to might be necessary, especially if reads, “Attention, please! Attention quake, predicted to strike on April (TAT) Phuket office director add any more language segments you see other people leaving,” Mr please! The situation is back to 28, will “sink” Phuket. Bangornrat Shinaprayoon voiced to the existing message, which Thavorn said. normal. Please continue to rescue “The base of the island is solid her support for adding Russian to already takes 3 minutes and 26 The five languages chosen the victims”. granite from hardened lava. It’s the recorded message. seconds per cycle. when the message was prepared Although the duration and tones truly strong. So it is impossible for “Adding Russian would be “It will be too long. I want the in 2005 reflected the the most used in the cancellation siren are an earthquake to sink Phuket,” Mr good because it would help Rus- warning message in Thai and En- common languages spoken by different from those used in the Lertsin said. sian tourists to understand what glish only. If you miss hearing the tourists visiting Phuket at the time, tsunami warning, overall sounds – Atchaa Khamlo is going on when the alarm message in your language the first he said. are very similar. More tremors worry locals THE fourth and largest tremor on epicenter at Baan Lipon and April 20 hit Phuket at 3:10pm; a Bangkham Moo 2 Srisoonthorn, 3.3 magnitude tremor clearly felt Thalang. across the island with a large Chief Naruenart said the earth- sonic boom clearly heard at the quake on April 16 was not just felt offices of the Phuket Gazette, in all six Thalang subdistricts. It about eight kilometers southeast scared many people, but only of the epicenter, near the munici- caused minor damage, he said. pal market in Thalang. Thalang District Office is ac- Three other tremors were re- cepting applications from corded by the Thai Meteorological residents whose houses were Department (TMD) earthquake Mayor Worawut (right) inspecting damaged and want assistance monitoring station that day, how- damage to a villager’s house. from Phuket Province to help ever they were all less powerful. cover the cost of repairs. Srisoonthorn Municipality sent about,” said Mayor Worawut. “So far residents from 104 out a “confidence building” team “Regardless, I will visit villagers homes in the Srisoonthorn area early that morning to calm local with my team to cheer them up and 10 in Pa Khlok have registered. villagers following the 3.2 Rich- and see if any damage occurred,” We are now inspecting other ar- ter event at 2.43am. he added. eas of Thalang, including our own Srisoonthorn Mayor Worawut Thalang District Chief office, which has developed quite Songyot said while the quakes Naruenart Supattaraprateep, the a few cracks,” he said. scared many people, others were previous day, called community Chief Naruenart requested just carrying on with normal life. leaders and village headmen from community leaders to inspect “The aftershock scared many all subdistricts to a meeting at damages in their areas of people, especially the elderly. Thalang District Office to discuss responsibility and submit reports However, the earthquake monitor- how best help to villagers affected back to him for submission to the ing center will watch the situation by the 4.3 Richter scale earth- Phuket Governor. closely. There is nothing to worry quake on April 16, which had its – Kritsada Mueanhawong April 28 - May 4, 2012 NATIONAL NEWS PHUKET GAZETTE 7 ‘House of Porn’ shocks nation pose, appeared on monitors. The session was stopped after an MP complained about the lewd visual. The incident was initially blamed on hackers. However, it turned out that the embarrassing image had appeared THOSE who say politics is a dirty as a result of a technical glitch. business may feel vindicated fol- Technicians accidentally switched lowing events in Thailand’s House to the wrong screen, inadvertently of Representatives during a ses- displaying the pornographic pic- sion earlier this month. ture to the assembled MPs. In the middle of a parliamen- But that wasn’t the only porn tary debate, a pornographic in Parliament that day. Later dur- image suddenly ing the same appeared on a debate, a pho- large screen in Since Mr Chalerm tographer the House of Rep- had not been investi- snapped a photo resentatives, of young MP Nat causing reactions gated... forcing the Bantadtan look- among MPs rang- resignation of Mr Nat ing at another ing from shock to revealing image amusement. would constitute a on his mobile The brouhaha phone. The photo double standard. MP Nat apologized after being caught viewing porn on his phone during a parliamentary debate. Photo: The Nation took place on April taken of the 18, while an MP – MP Jeh-aming naughty MP was trying to delete it. ics should do so. ing a parliamentary session in late was making a speech during a promptly circulated on Facebook. The Pheu Thai Party has called Democrat Party MP Jeh-aming February. debate on constitutional amend- The politician, son of former for Mr Nat to resign. Tohtayong said there should also Since Mr Chalerm had not been ments. Democrat Party leader Banyat, has Democrat Party leader Abhisit be an investigation into the con- investigated over that incident, Suddenly, an image of a young since apologized for his conduct. Vejjajiva said the party would not duct of Deputy Prime Minister forcing the resignation of Mr Nat woman, naked from the waist He claims a friend sent him the investigate the young MP, saying Chalerm Yoobamrung, who has would constitute a double stan- down and sitting in a provocative picture as a prank and that he was that the House committee on eth- been accused of being drunk dur- dard, said Mr Jeh-aming. Meat dogs found alive THAI police have rescued almost 900 dogs from the dinner table in the latest seizure of canines being smuggled abroad to be eaten. On April 21, officers rescued 630 dogs from a warehouse in Mukdahan’s Wan Yai District, later finding another 250 caged dogs in a wooded area of Muang District. After receiving a tip-off that dogs’ wails could be heard com- ing from the warehouse, located on the Mekong riverbank, police found 42 cages, each containing at least 15 dogs. They suspected dog smugglers were keeping them there for transport over the river into Laos. Dog seized by police in previous raids in Thailand. Photo: Soi Dog Foundation Police also received word that caged dogs had been abandoned 11 cages, each containing at least ficking route, but ran into a dead- in a wooded area in Ban Soon Mai. 10 dogs, scattered in the woods. end and abandoned the cages. Along with Mukdahan veteri- Police believe that after being Mukdahan officials, having no narian Narong Rattanatraiwong, alerted to the warehouse seizures, facilities to support the dogs, sent they went to investigate and found dog smugglers changed their traf- them to a center in Buri Ram. Democrat in the red zone THE Democrat Party has won handling of last year’s floods. “On the contrary, Dr Kiatisak control of a parliamentary seat in The party also lost control of has been very diligent in helping the Central province of Pathum the local Provincial Administration people affected by floods even Thani for the first time in years in Organization (OrBorJor) to an in- though he lost in the general elec- a by-election that saw voters dependent candidate. tion. If the Democrats want to desert the ruling Pheu Thai Party. In a Facebook post, Korn beat Pheu Thai, they have to sac- Democrat candidate Kiatisak Chatikavanij, the Democrat former rifice as Kiatisak did. Songsaeng defeated Pheu Thai’s treasury minister, thanked voters “This victory of ours in a ‘red’ Somchai Rangsiwattanasak in for supporting his party and said stronghold is remarkable,” he said. Pathum Thani Constituency 5, the results of the by-election Democrat Party leader Abhisit Lam Luka District, on April 22. should teach a valuable lesson to Vejjajiva thanked voters for the Pheu Thai spokesman the Pheu Thai Party. victory, saying the party had not Prompong Nopparit said his party “This should serve as a signal had an MP in Pathum Thani for a was beaten because only 30 per for the Pheu Thai Party not to be long time. cent of eligible voters voted and obsessed with solving problems He cited the public being fed up public sentiment had turned for Thaksin and ignore addressing with politics as the reason for the against the government for its the plight of the people,” he said. low voter turnout. 8 PHUKET GAZETTE OPINION April 28 - May 4, 2012 Where speculation meets superstition THERE never seems to be a dull moment covering the news in Phuket, and the rumor-mongering that followed the recent seis- mic activity has been particularly captivating. A basic review of facts: an 8.6-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra on April 11 promted the National Disaster Warn- ing Center (NDWC) to issue an evacuation of tsunami-risk areas. A total breakdown in mobile phone networks, coupled with a second quake and the glaring failure of the state-run media to convey timely information led to unnecessary confusion and fear. Despite the chaos, there was only one casualty: a Dutch tour- ist who died of apparent blood loss in his hotel room after refusing to seek medical treatment for a head wound received in a motor- bike accident. On April 16, the first and strongest earthquake struck in Thalang with a magnitude of 4.3 on the Richter scale. Although no evacuation was ordered, this triggered a second “unofficial” evacuation in some areas that put many people at unnecessary risk once again. Still, no loss of life was reported and property damage was relatively minor, even near the epicenter. The series of much smaller tremors that followed continued to keep people on edge. This set the perfect atmosphere for rumors of Phuket’s imminent destruction to spread virally across the internet, eventually finding their way into print in the form of leaflets distributed in Thalang (see pages 4-5). The Phuket Gazette understands the human propensity to fear the unknown and appreciates that the advent of seismic activ- ‘War zone’ blasts in Kamala ity where it has long been dormant is bound create some Re: Phuket Gazette March 24 in a family, but I wouldn’t mind apprehension. issue, Issues & Answers Sounds learning myself – just can’t figure The reality, however, is that no person can accurately predict of FantaSea, March 24 out where to do it. where and when an earthquake will strike – a fact that any seis- The music or bells [at Tina Swift mologist would be quick to confirm. FantaSea] are not the problem. Patong Doomsayers have been part of the lunatic fringe from time Do you have an opinion to voice? The problem is the very loud Email [email protected] immemorial. In this case we suspect their numbers may have and dangerous fireworks almost been supplemented by real estate speculators seeking to cash in Phuket gaydar test every day. Sumatra earthquake, which even on ignorance-based fear. With skyrocketing land prices on the And the sounds are surely more island, and the superstitious nature of many of those who hold it, damaged floor and wall tiles at my Re: Gazette online, Readers’ poll, than 85 decibels. Otherwise, how house. I felt many tremors over the recent tremors may have provided the perfect opportunity can they cause houses to shake April 19 for speculators to spread disinformation in order to snatch up several hours. Very interesting wording with and car alarms to go off? The Atlantis story is a bit far valuable real estate at “clearance” prices. This is unbelievable. the Gazette poll “Overall, how tol- If this were indeed the real motivation, the Gazette finds it away from reality though. Latest erant is Phuket society of LGBT My children get scared and cry science reports show that Atlantis particularly repugnant the bodhisattva Guanyin, venerated by because of it. It sounds like there lifestyles compared to other places many Thai Buddhists as a source of compassion, was named by was built on a volcanic island in you have lived in or visited?” is a war in Kamala. Greece and was destroyed when some of the pamphleteers as the source of the warning. At this time, when people are Asking for what you think oth- One final word of caution for those heading out to enjoy any of the volcano exploded and the ers might think is a topic is a bit scared about tremors and earth- whole island sunk into the ocean. the “end of days” parties taking place this weekend: never for- quakes, I think it is not necessary of cop out. However, in this po- Andy get that our roads are where the real danger lies. to use these loud and surely illegal litically-correct world anyone Gazette forum fireworks. could be forgiven for a similar ap- Rainer Volz proach. Kamala U-can’t-turn there I suppose a few follow-on questions might have been quite revealing. Something like: will you Re: Gazette online, Buses roll out be attending “Phuket Pride” of Phuket Bus Terminal 2, April Glorified tractors, week? Or the “biggie”: how toler- 24 ant would you rate yourself? In threat on the road A lot of traffic now uses the U- an anonymous poll those answers turn opposite the bus station, even could be very revealing about Re: Gazette online, Phuket pickup though it clearly states “No U- Phuket residents. But, perhaps it’s turn”, and the safe U-turn at the crash: Thalang trembles, April 22 best not to incite homophobia. The problem is that these glo- traffic lights is only 50 meters fur- Marianne Aboyne rified tractors (pickups) are being ther on. Kamala marketed as sports cars. I witnessed a very near miss Every commercial featuring yesterday, and it’s only a matter Light doesn’t shine these high cog, ancient spring/sus- of time before something more pension jobs, shows them doing serious happens. on ping-pong shows power slides and uses words like Stuart “power” and “turbo”. Gazette forum Re: Gazette online, Phuket go-go [This is done] so the local hill- bars in Soi Bangla pass the AHTD billies think they can outrun any test, April 23 other car, and that they have a Foldable fronds I can’t admit that I visit ping- sharp handling vehicle. pong shows, but let’s be honest, Christian I am completely taken aback at it’s amazing what a body can hide. Gazette forum every major festival in Thailand by Because the shows are circus- what can be made of banana leaves type endeavors, it doesn’t surprise and palm fronds. The creativity me that there was a disappearance Didn’t Atlantis and elegance of the krathong last act when the police showed up. year stunned me, but even for However, I believe it’s naive to explode? Songkran there were hats woven think that these touts on Soi out of palm fronds, not to men- Bangla, selling ping-pong, swamp Re: Gazette online, Phuket to be tion little two-dimensional animals and fish shows is going to take ‘Atlantis of the East’? Not on Gov and toys. you to a place without the slight- Tri’s watch, April 23 It’s really an amazing feat. I’m est bit of nudity. I am resident in Kamala and we sure that the knack for folding Greg Kilgor faced several aftershocks from the fronds is something passed down Gazette forum April 28 - May 4, 2012 OPINION PHUKET GAZETTE 9 Earthquake aftershock Phuket’s golden rule A GOOD friend of mine, a fellow American who lives in Bangkok, came to visit me in Phuket over shakes up Thai tourists the Songkran holiday. Even though he had lived, studied and worked in Central Thailand for the better Somboon Jirayus, 49, is presi- part of a decade, Phuket was new territory to him. dent of the Phuket Tourist Asso- Due to associations with expen- ciation (PTA), a position he has sive, overcrowded mass tourism THE earthquake and aftershocks held for two terms, totaling four and the infamous reputation of the in Phuket were fairly small. For- years. A Phuket native, he is also so-called tuk-tuk mafia, my friend eign tourists didn’t seem to be had judged Phuket long before the owner of Merlin Group, which Phuket’s special – cringe. Image: worried about the situation. They ever coming here. Fred the Oyster still enjoyed their time here doing has four hotels located in Phuket My friend, who has long been all the usual activities. and Phang Nga. Here, he exam- ingrained and cultured to the There were some hotel book- ines the aftershocks being felt in “Bangkok way”, was a prime can- ing cancellations and early didate for culture shock – one that By Steven Layne check-outs, but only a few. At the the tourism industry following the is specific to the island. moment we don’t really feel that recent earthquake and current In this respect, most expats and Do you have an opinion to voice? there has been a negative impact rumors that Phuket will sink on Thais coming from Bangkok or Email [email protected] in the foreign tourism market. April 28. elsewhere in Thailand are vulner- However, the earthquake seems able to this malady. Phuket culture stop expecting Phuket to be like to have affected Thai tourists and shock can be a miserable experi- any other place – in Thailand or local residents. tourists. Those who had already different provinces and are still ence, and will quickly ruin a elsewhere – you’ll quickly find a The earthquake terrified many booked rooms have cancelled under the care and custody of their perfectly good holiday if you don’t lot of your “culture shock” local residents, as well as Thai their reservations and there are parents or guardians. Their par- nip it in the butt early. troubles disappear. tourists, since this is something almost no new reservations from ents are scared that something bad The most obvious symptom is But of course my friend had to new for us. Phuket has never had Thai or Asian tourists since the will happen to their children, so when one insists on comparing learn the hard way. an earthquake before that I’m rumor began to spread. they asked them to come home, Phuket with “normal Thailand”. After his first day at Nai Harn aware of – and I was born here. Normally, right after Songkran away from Phuket. Examples include: “But in Pattaya Beach, he found himself in a sour Officials need to disseminate is the peak period for Thai and Many of the hotel employees they...”; “In Bangkok, you can…”; mood after paying 500 baht for a information about earthquakes, Asian tourists to come to Phuket. who have been working in Phuket “In Chiang Mai, this would only ride back into town. After all, he and what to do when they occur, However, right now there are 20 for a while and are independent cost…,” and “This would never argued, the same trip in Bangkok to both locals and tourists. to 30 per cent less of them than or married, did not resign. They happen in…” et cetera ad nauseum. would only have cost… cringe. I want everyone to understand last year because of the earth- understand the situation and have Comparing and contrasting is On his second day, he only nar- that the earthquake on Phuket quake and the rumors that the just asked for a one-week holi- not the problem; it is the impos- rowly escaped by his reckoning was very small. Phuket is not lo- island will sink. day at the end of the month, so sible expectations and subsequent being murdered by a Patong tuk- cated along the ring of fire or in This past weekend [April 20 to they can spend time with their cringing forehead lines that arise tuk driver after a dispute … cringe a high-risk area like Sumatra or 22] Phuket held a very big event, families. from doing so. But it is possible again… if only he had remem- Japan. Phuket Bike Week 2012. However, However, if the rumor gains to avoid this misery if you remem- bered the golden rule. It’s important to understand I learned that some tourist had more momentum there is a chance ber Phuket’s golden rule: Phuket I reminded my friend that – that earthquakes happen all over cancelled their trip to Phuket. For that even these people will start to is Phuket. It is not Bangkok, luckily for us Americans – more the world, not just in Phuket. For example, a small hotel with 20 resign. Chiang Mai or Pattaya. Koreans prefer Phuket over instance, Greece, Turkey and Italy rooms was fully booked for Bike I would like the government to Phuket residents, operators and Bangkok. have been having earthquakes for Week 2012, but because of the come up with a good warning officers alike have their own way The result is trans-Pacific many years, yet people there still earthquake and the rumor 12 of system in order to build tourists’ of doing things here, and consid- flights back to the US via Seoul live their lives normally. the rooms were cancelled. confidence in the safety measures ering the amount of money that from Phuket can be up to 10,000 I have heard that the rumors of The rumors have scared some being taken. Once the tourists feel the province generates for the baht cheaper than flying out of Phuket sinking on April 28 have of our hotel employees. They re- confident in our ability to keep country, we in Phuket feel entitled Bangkok, Singapore or anywhere affected tourism a little bit, espe- signed and went back to their them safe, they will start to re- to being “special”, to say the least. else in the region. cially among Thai and other Asian hometowns. Most of them live in turn to Phuket. Once you accept this reality and Indeed, Phuket is special.

Darn that discotheque Police Station? The bar is open seven days a week with live mu- I am a resident of Baan sic and terrible voices screaming Hanging on the line Rungravee, a housing develop- every day until 2am in the morn- Who is responsible when tele- ment just off Airport Road. ing. At the corner of the entrance phone lines are hanging so low that Tonic cars get stuck and are ripping the to our neighborhood and Airport Cherng Talay Road are a few karaoke clubs. The lines down, as is happening in Soi Sermsuk, Rawai all the time? problem is they are outdoors and Sumet Kitvej, Chief of Public play their music very loud late into We been without a telephone Health Department, Cherng connection and internet for four the night. Talay Municipality replies: I have even heard them as late days – bad for our business! Since that area is so close to Horst Lakits as 3:30am. Is there someway the selling alcohol. Although our of- Cherng Talay Police Station, of- sound can be turned down after Rawai ficers do carefully check the ficers generally patrol it, so I dont midnight? area, some places stay under our believe it should be the cause of light sleeper CAT Telecom Customer Ser- radar. We are sorry for any in- too much noise. However, if there Sakoo vice in Phuket, Cable Opera- convenience. is an issue please call or come into tion Manager Peeraphan Please contact us at 089 729- the Cherng Talay Municipality Wisuthwatcharakul replies: Saek Phummarin, Chief of 1045 and tell us the location and Sakoo Patrol Office replies: Public Health Department and give We have not had a report of the names of the disruptive us the name of the karaoke bar this problem – thank you for in- Tah Chat Chai Police Station, karaoke bars so we can investi- and its location. forming us. in corporation with Phuket Inter- gate the matter. national Airport, sends officers to Once a complaint has been I will have our team inspect the patrol around the airport area at filed, we will send staff to inves- low cables in Soi Sermsuk, Rawai. Cables along Dibuk Road, Phuket 12:30am and 1:30am daily. Night bar with a side tigate. If we find that the karaoke If they are CAT cables we will Town. Photo Chutharat Plerin The police officers allow is causing too much noise, we will have them fixed. we cannot check it because this karaoke bars and restaurants in of extra loud music warn them and ask the owner to If not, we will contact either kind of cable does not have a code that area to stay open until 1am. fix the problem. TOT, DTAC or AIS, because written on it. However, after midnight, Where do I file a complaint If the noise continues, we will these companies have their own If you have any problems related those shops must turn down the about a karaoke bar along Baan have to close the bar. You can call code written on the cables. to CAT cable, please contact CAT volume of the music and stop Don Road, close to Cherng Talay us at 084-8502459 or 076-324440. However, if it is a local TV cable Phuket at 076-216 861 ext 4214. 10 PHUKET GAZETTE BUSINESS April 28 - May 4, 2012 HKT part of B4bn upgrade p Commerce ministry to By Atchaa Khamlo better manage air traffic safety. HKT’s sole runway can cur- import tons of palm oil AEROTHAI, the state enterprise rently cope with 30 flights per hour, that operates air traffic control at and on average sees about 200 airports throughout Thailand, in- flights arrive or depart each day. cluding Suvarnabhumi and Phuket However, the number of flights ar- International Airport (HKT), will riving and departing HKT has spend 4 billion baht on upgrading grown dramatically in recent years, its computer and communications from 31,170 in Fiscal 2006 to network. 57,697 in Fiscal 2011. The upgrade to replace outdated READY FOR TAKEOFF: Aerothai’s communications network upgrades will “Many companies in Europe and increase air traffic safety at Phuket Airport. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo equipment will be privately funded, America are interested in the up- said Aphinun Vannangkura, center in Tungmahamek, which will be rolled out to differ- grade project, but it’s not easy for Boonsong Teriyapirom Aerothai Vice President for Air Bangkok, which will relay data to ent divisions over 15 months, we them to meet our tough and com- Traffic Management. and from Aerothai’s major regional should be able to switch to the new plete requirements,” said Phuket TO HELP ease shortages of “The upgrade will introduce centers in Chiang Mai, Haad Yai, system by about October 2014,” Aerothai engineer Wanlop Piromrit. palm oil, 10,000 tons of the more computer systems into the Phitsanulok, Hua Hin and Phuket. Mr Aphinun said. “Once we have the new com- commodity has been ordered process to help guard against any “The most important aspect of The comprehensive upgrade is puter system and our staff are from neighboring countries. human error,” he said. the upgrade is training our offic- expected to allow officers at HKT, trained, our officers will go to Boonsong Teriyapirom The project involves establish- ers to use the high-technology who control air traffic within a 48- train other air traffic control of- Thailand’s Minister of Com- ing a central communications equipment. After the training, kilometer (30-mile) radius, to ficers abroad,” Mr Wanlop added. merce (MoC said that the shipment, set to arrive in May, would help keep the liter price to be steady at 42 baht. Thailand has 150,000 tons ‘Sting operation’ feeds demand of palm oil on reserve now, which cannot meet demand. WHITE jellyfish are the latest cash The imported oil can last for 3 catch being sought off Krabi’s weeks, after which more locally shores as demand swells in the mar- produced palm oil will continue ket for exotic seafood exports. to supply the market, he said. Thai media reported last week Minister Boonsong assured that local merchants had set up farmers that prices will not drop 13 tents along the Nong Talay to the point of causing prob- shore in Krabi to buy catches of lems for local producers. If the Maeng Gaproon Lot Chong initial lot does not cause prob- (Lobonema smithii) a white va- lems for domestic suppliers, riety of jellyfish in high demand the MoC plans import an ad- in overseas markets. ditional 30,000 tons. Larmsak Chanchooklin a 36- Thailand is the world’s third year-old jellyfish merchant from largest producer, following STICKY SITUATION: The local price Indonesia and Malaysia. Ranong said: “This type of jelly of jellyfish is 6 to 7 baht per fish. A TALE IN THE STING: Fishermen in Krabi seeking white jellyfish. fish is found in the waters off – ASTV Manager Online the six Andaman provinces.” “That’s more than a million throughout the year, including in a few thousand baht a day.” “A few days ago I heard they baht a day in circulation. We take China, Japan and Korea. Jelly- “You can only catch jellyfish B2bn approved for caught a lot of jellyfish in the area. the jellyfish to sell at Mahachai fish in Krabi are very big and off the Krabi coast three months farmers’ subsidies When I arrived about 10 merchant market in Samut Sakhon prov- high quality,” he added. of the year from March through tents had already been set up. ince [in Central Thailand],” Mr Fisherman Somsong Sawek, 29, to May and this year there are THE National Farmers Assis- “We pay about six or seven Larmsak explained. said: “I used to catch fish at sea but almost 200 fisherman here. It’s tance Committee this week ap- baht for each jellyfish and each “From there the jellyfish are the income was not so good. a good income to support our proved more than 2 billion baht merchant buys some 2,000 to exported to other Asian countries Since I started catching jelly- families.” Mr Somsong said. in subsidies to shore up the 6,000 jellyfish per day. where they are in demand fish instead of fish I’m earning – Kritsada Mueanhawong prices of certain agricultural goods. The measures will ef- fect pineapples, shrimp, pigs and eggs. The committee also sus- Airlines confident in pended a project to subsidize the falling price of red onions after rotten stockpiles of the com- evacuation measures modity were discovered. Boonsong Teriyaphirom, FOLLOWING the 8.6-Richter earth- deal,” said Mr Prathuang. Commerce Minister, said the quake off Sumatra on April 11, sev- The Phuket Air Catering facility government would set up a spe- eral airlines have expressed satisfac- sits 20 meters above sea level. cial panel to investigate the tion in how officials handled the sub- The evacuation was not with- red-onion case, which resulted sequent emergency evacuation of out problems, however. The in more than 324 million baht in Phuket International Airport (HKT). breakdown in mobile phone net- losses for the country. Thai Airways representative works was identified as the single He said the government Jittrapong Narongwanich said that biggest obstacle, as officials were would not approve a new bud- all airlines that use Phuket Airport re- able to relay information only by get to subsidize red onions, as it main confident in the evacuation two-way radio. The evacuation or- wants a clear explanation of what procedures that were initiated. der set in motion an automatic went wrong with the original Thanaporn Taebunpakul, repre- three-hour closure of the airport, project from the agencies con- senting the Association of European causing a traffic jam at the entrance cerned. Airlines in Phuket, also confirmed as vehicles were not allowed entry. Of the 2bn baht, 1.59bn baht that no scheduled flights from Eu- “We hold an evacuation drill ev- would be for purchasing 200,000 rope had been canceled. ery year. Every airline is confident tons of pineapples at 4 baht per HKT Director Prathuang in our evacuation procedures and kilogram. The pineapples would Sornkham said that about 1,500 pas- no scheduled flights have been can- be used for processing into sengers were evacuated to the celed,” Mr Prathuang said canned pineapple, feed meal and Phuket Air Catering facility, located He added that the main HKT ter- fertilizer. 1,400 meters from the main termi- minal, built 30 years ago, can The government will also pro- nal, which took about 45 minutes. withstand damage in the event of vide soft loans for pineapple “No one was injured and all their an earthquake of up to 5.0 magni- farmers worth 15mn baht. belongings were safe. Our work tude centered under the airfield. – The Nation impressed the passengers a great – Kritsada Mueanhawong April 28 - May 4, 2012 BUSINESS PHUKET GAZETTE 11 Imports face duty scrutiny IMPORTERS of luxury cars, wine, liquor lect more tax a car into the suspected of evading tax by declaring un- and tobacco face heightened financial scru- from these im- country, and then derstated values. tiny with the implementation of a new post- porters, so the assemble the car In response, the department has invested audit system, Thailand’s Customs director- department domestically, in three new patrol boats as it steps up its general has warned. might first let avoiding heavy campaign. As initially reported in The Nation last them gain im- duties. Foreign government subsidies on oil and week, the Customs Department has stepped port clearance. Excise tax on gas make them cheaper in those countries, up its campaign to crack down on tax eva- “We will imports of com- which encourages smuggling, he said. sion of luxury and duty-heavy imports. then implement plete luxury cars Earlier this week, two trawlers carrying Director-General Somchai Poonsawat a post-audit to is between 180 47,000 liters of illegally imported diesel were said that the department planned to audit find irregulari- and 300%. seized by Phuket Customs. The loot was importers of luxury cars to investigate ties,” he said. Previously valued at 21 million baht. whether they paid all due taxes. The move about 800 to 900 In light of recent crackdowns on a num- His department has already audited ap- follows the last HEAVY DUTY: Used spare parts will be a lot harder used-car bodies ber of bars and restaurants in Phuket offering proximately 50 firms, he said. week’s Cabinet to come by with the new ban. Photo: TwoWings were imported Baraku or Sheesha – flavored tobacco smoked Some car importers, particularly in the approval of a every month, but in large water pipe – Phuket Governor Tri gray market (legal but unofficial channels), proposal by the Commerce Ministry to ban recently that number has dropped to about Augkaradacha affirmed that the operators had have declared prices much lower than they the imports of used car bodies and other 200 to 300 per month, Somchai said. imported the tobacco products illegally. actually are in order to evade taxes, accord- used spare parts. Somchai went on to point out that im- These violators will be subject to the ing to the department. The ban was slated as a measure to pre- porters of other products such as wine, maximum penalties as prescribed in the Somchai said authorities had to obtain vent grey-market imports in which liquor and tobacco that are subject to high Tobacco Products Control Act (1992), he substantial evidence before they could col- importers import individual components of import tariffs and excise taxes were also said. – The Nation / Phuket Gazette Auto industry flourishes in Q1 SALES and production records player in the segment, has not yet were set by Thailand’s automobile resumed normal production. Its sector in March, with production flood-affected facility in Ayutthaya output topping out at just under half- was just reopened late March. a-million vehicles, nearly 60% of So far this year, exports of auto- which were reported sold. mobiles, parts and spare parts are Surapong Paisitpatanapong, on the up. Spokesman for the Federation of Mr Surapong said that in March, Thai Industries’ (FTI) Automotive a total of 89,800 Completely Built- Industry Club last week revealed up (CBU) automobiles were sales and production figures for the exported, equating to a combined month and first quarter (Q1). value of 42.1 billion baht. He said that 190,000 new cars He added that there were a total were produced in March, making it of 220,000 CBU automobiles ex- the sector’s highest output in a ported in Q1, a drop of 5% y-o-y, single month since 1961, when the which he attributed to delays caused country first commenced commer- by flooding at the end of last year. cial automobile production. The value of engine exports in The figure equates to an 11% March was 2.43bn baht, new parts jump year on year (y-o-y), and 13% at 14.6 bn baht, and spare parts at increase month on month (m-o-m). 1.51bn baht. BEYOND RECOVERY: Exports of Thai-manufactured automobiles plummeted during the massive flooding All in, the sector output 499,000 Value of all automobile exports catastrophe of late last year, but have since revived above and beyond expectations. IMAGE: Gazette graphic new cars in Q1, an increase of 6% (excluding motorbikes and parts) from Q1, 2011. Of these, 279,000 for the month was 60.7bn baht, and (56% of production) were sold, a about 100bn baht in Q1. 17% increase on year. Q1 engine exports were valued Just in March, 110,000 (60% of at 6.8 billion baht, new parts at 38.4 production) were sold, equating to bn baht and spare parts at 4.6 bn a 21% increase m-o-m, and 19% baht. jump y-o-y. All in, Q1 automobile exports The sector also produced a total were valued at 152bn baht, a 1% y- 283,000 motorbikes or mopeds in o-y increase March, and 823,000 in Q1, an in- Of March’s exports, 68,200 crease of 5% y-o-y. bikes were valued at 2.5bn baht, During March alone, 190,000 while outgoing new parts were val- (67% of production) of new mo- ued at 996mn baht, and spare parts torcycles produced were sold, at 60mn baht. compared with the sale of 519,000 Of Q1’s exports, 228,000 bikes (63% of production) total in Q1. were valued at 7.76bn baht, with According to a report in The exports for new bike parts valued Nation, commercial vehicles which at 3.1 bn baht and spare parts at include one-tonne pickups showed 171mn baht. a 36.7 % increase on year to 70,168 The total value of exports for units. motorbikes, parts and spare parts One-tonne pickups alone showed in Q1 was 11bn baht. a 40 % increase to 61,737 units. Thailand’s Automotive Industry Vudhigorn Suriyachantananont, club predicts that there will be vice president of Toyota Motor 477,000 automobiles produced in Thailand, attributed the improve- the second quarter. Looking for a place to stay? ment to brisk demand and This target would equate to a automakers’ success in boosting 39% increase y-o-y, while the See more classified ads at production capacity. group’s target of producing The passenger car segment 653,000 motorbikes would equate www.phuketgazette.net showed a decrease, as Honda Au- to a 10% increase y-o-y. tomobile (Thailand), the biggest – Phuket Gazette 12 PHUKET GAZETTE TECHNOLOGY April 28 - May 4, 2012 Don’t be evil, AIS this year. There’s no doubt that Google’s helping Thai businesses get their online act together. All of this evolves against a backdrop of continuing problems THIS week I have a bunch of and controversy at “Don’t be evil” news – and a warning or two – headquarters in Menlo Park, Cali- for computer users in Phuket. fornia. Between surreptitious Google’s new Country Manager gathering of personal data and con- for Thailand, Ariya Banomyong, troversial privacy practices, will speak at the next IBAP meet- Google’s come into a lot of fire ing, on May 11. Mr Ariya lately. (Full disclosure: I think at represents the new guard of IT pro- least one of the major complaints fessionals in Thailand. Eminently is completely overblown, see qualified, he speaks four languages infoworld.com/t/internet-privacy/ fluently, holds two master’s de- surprise-google-cookies-behave- grees, one in math and IT from the themselves-unlike-facebooks-174101.) University of Marne-La-Vallée, Of course, Larry and Sergey prob- France, and the other a master’s ably don’t consult Mr Ariya before of science in man- implementing agement from the ‘The Thai Business Go the more contro- London School of versial policies, Economics. He Online project so our speaker’s also knows his in the clear. last year helped YOUR BALANCE IS GETTING LOW: It is a good idea to check your bill for any surprises. Photo: Gail way around a key- You’re all in- board. 50,000 Thai businesses vited. This event being charged 9 baht per minute I looked back at my bill and the first HSPA+ is a “Real Big Deal”. Since taking get on the internet’ should be one of for calls and 9 baht per received month I was charged 500 baht, the They’re using Nokia-Siemens to the job last July, the techy gather- SMS, including the News Plus ad- second month 900 baht. upgrade their towers to HSPA+, Mr Ariya has pre- ings of the year. vertisement. I contacted AIS and they im- and the equipment Nokia- sided over some amazing It’s on Friday, May 11, at A2 Re- At Telewiz in Big C, I was told mediately blocked the service Siemens is installing can be up- Googlifications in Thailand. I sort. (From Central Festival, go I could not get those News Plus and refunded the spent amount graded in place to a technology wrote about Google Street View north on Bypass Road and just calls blocked. At AIS Phuket on my next bill. They said it was called LTE. LTE is a Real Big in last month’s Live Wire. It’s a beyond Keehin make a U-turn. A2 town, I was told I could get them a service mistake, but I wonder Deal – it’s a legitimate “4G” prod- phenomenal tool for everyone in is about 250 meters ahead, on the blocked but it would take two to how it could’ve happened. Can uct that could revolutionize the Phuket. The Google Crisis Re- left. Or use Google Maps for driv- three days. a third party just way we get sponse page for the floods last ing directions. I did.) Registration While there, I was offered a charge my Internet in year came up quickly and stayed is at 6:15, with the program start- promotional plan for pre-paid ac- phone with ‘For the princely fee Phuket. updated accurately. In February, ing at 7:10. There’s a donation at cess of 1.5 baht per minute. something I of 30 baht, I reduced In the States Google launched the “Google the door: IBAP members are 200 Signing up for the plan costs 30 never ordered? my cost per minute there are market- Engage” program, which brings baht, non-members 400 baht, stu- baht. The only downside is that There must’ve ing and BS wars local Google support, seminars dents (age 12-17) 100 baht, which cancellation dates for top-ups on been a security by 7.5 baht.’ about 3G and 4G, and consulting experts to Thai includes a light buffet and bever- the plan are shorter: 300 baht ex- breach at AIS. with lawsuits fly- businesses struggling with ages. Good idea to get there early pires in 45 days, 500 baht in 75 By the way, ing every which AdWords and other Google if you want a seat. days, 1,000 baht in 150 days and this happened immediately after way – but there’s an emerging products. Last month we even 1,500 baht in one year. I switched my account to 3G. And winner. PC World just performed had the first Thai interviewee – Speaking of evil and AIS… So for the princely fee of 30 yes, I’ve had antimalware soft- a nationwide study that showed Bangkok music producer Boyd A friend of mine – one of the baht, I reduced my cost per ware installed on my phone since that AT&T’s “4G” LTE service has Kosiyabong – for a Google+ Sunday morning computer clinic minute by 7.5 baht.” day one.” the fastest wireless internet access Hangouts session known as crowd – sends an interesting tale Mobile phone companies in A word to the wise: check your in the US, with average download Think Digital 2012. about his pre-paid AIS account: Thailand have promotions all the phone bill! speeds of 9 Mbps. Yes, that’s the Google Thailand, cooperating “I recently went through 300 time. Remarkably, some of those average. Yes, that’s three or four with the government’s Office of baht of phone service in 10 days. promotions apply to pre-paid ac- 4G coming to Thailand? times faster than our fastest inter- SME Promotion and Kasikorn- 300 baht usually takes me over a counts, as well – which means The Nation reports that TOT national download speeds in bank, rolled out a “Thai Business month. Couldn’t figure out why. you qualify for the promotion even is upgrading its wireless system Phuket. Yes, that’s for a wireless Go Online” project last year, which I routinely receive a “News if you don’t have a work permit from HSPA to HSPA+. That may service. helped 50,000 Thai businesses get Plus” SMS message, in Thai, or retirement visa. sound like alphabet soup, but it’s Several industry observers feel on the internet – 40,000 of them from AIS. I delete it – I don’t read Here’s another friend with a dif- a very good sign – and not be- that LTE is so fast it’s going to dis- with their own, free, websites and Thai and even if I did, I’m not ferent trick, for extending cause of the claimed speed place wired ADSL, just as mobile 3,000 baht of AdWords credit, interested in AIS promotions. Af- cancellation dates: advantages. “This upgrade will phones displaced land lines years free, as well. Google’s predicting ter a visit to the AIS office in “I just checked my pre-paid bal- improve mobile broadband ser- ago. Based on the numbers I’ve 100,000 participants by the end of Phuket Town, I learned that I’m ance at DTAC and had 117 baht vices for the 7.2 million TOT seen, that could happen. Maybe. with 208 days validity. With DTAC, customers and increase down- you can buy time - that is, you can load speeds to even 42 megabits Seth Bareiss holds computer ses- pay to increase the number of days per second (Mbps) compared to sions on every-other Wednesday of validity, up to a maximum of 365 the current 7.2 Mbps,” says afternoon, from 1 to 3pm. If you days. I tried to buy 180 days for TOT. have a Windows problem that 12 baht, but I couldn’t as that Yeah, sure. HSPA+ is definitely needs to be solved, drop by one of would take me over the maximum better than HSPA, TOT’s old net- Seth’s free afternoon sessions, or of one year of validity. work technology, but the new come to one of our free Sunday So I bought 90 days for 6 baht, network won’t be six times faster, morning roundtables at Sandwich then 30 days for 2 baht and fi- I guarantee. Shoppe Chalong. Details in the nally another 30 days for 2 baht. If you’ve been following my Events Calendar. Sponsored by the My balance now is now 107 baht, columns on 3G, you know that Phuket Gazette and Khun Woody’s with 358 days validity.” CAT already has an HSPA+ net- Sandwich Shoppes. work. Since both TrueMove-H Live Wire is Phuket Gazette columnist And one more: and DTAC use the CAT network, Woody Leonhard’s weekly snapshot of “My AIS account was charged they have HSPA+ too. So in some all things internet in Phuket. Shoot him for MP3 music downloads from a respects TOT and AIS (AIS uses mail at [email protected], Thai website. I’m very sure I never the TOT network) are just play- follow him on Twitter@PhuketLiveWire, downloaded any MP3 songs and ing technological catch-up. or “Like” his page at Facebook.com/ absolutely not from a Thai website. Here’s why TOT’s move to SandwichShoppe. April 28 - May 4, 2012 BUSINESS PHUKET GAZETTE 13 Eurozone: bond yields tells the story towards bad news for Europe. Going forward, Europe will no doubt continue in its current trend and the problems Spain is now facing means that this whole ONCE again the woes of Europe saga will continue for the next 12 have given the financial markets a months at least. bit of a battering. The good news is that if we I can remember a time when look at the broader picture, Latin you could wake up, turn on the America and Asia remain an at- news and listen to happier bulle- tractive investment proposition tins. First Greece, Portugal, Ireland, and with continuing reliance on Italy and now Spain. Where is all oil and gas there are some growth this going to end? I fear this could areas that can still be identified if be here for the long haul, so we you have the stomach for mar- pose the question of whether the ket volatility. Euro will survive at all. No doubt many investment Recently there has been more talk The same conclusions could be ing once again. The idea was that The ECB cannot be seen to be funds and pension funds will have drawn for Brazil and India. How- the ECB would allow banks across printing money so they lend Span- of, instead of bailing countries out, risk exposure in Europe and, as I ever there could not be a larger Europe to borrow as much as they ish banks money at rock-bottom whether it would be more prudent always say, these need to be re- if these countries were not mem- contrast between the growing econo- wanted over a three-year period at prices so that they can buy Gov- viewed as often as possible as you mies of Brazil and India and the a knock-down rate of 1%. ernment debt, which in turn brings bers of the Euro at all. I mentioned would not want your portfolio struggling economies of the The unspoken deal was that down bond yields. Still with me? several weeks ago that one of the pulled down with the European main ways to observe a particular Eurozone. Brazil remains an attrac- they would re-invest this money What has recently happened, financial woes. tive proposition moving forward as in the bonds of troubled coun- however, is that while it is all economy’s financial security is to A rebalancing act of existing does India. tries: Spain and Italy in particular. well and good that Spanish banks view the country’s government investments could be needed and bond yields. Back to Europe, the signs are not So if you are able to borrow are buying this debt, no-one else there is no time like the present looking too good for the foreseeable money at 1% and re-invest it at is! If we take the recent Span- A typical bond yield of around to look at what you have. Finan- future and the problems Spain is now 5%, this would seem a good deal ish bond auction failure this 7% is deemed to be the dreaded cial advice is readily available and “straw that breaks the camel’s facing will no doubt have a domino right? shows it put into action. Another a review of what you have could effect and pull world markets down What investors see is that the problem is that the ECB loans are back”. However anything near prove to be very beneficial over further. So why has this happened? Spanish Banking and property sec- not free. Spanish banks have to the 6% region means you are in the long term. serious trouble. So let us take a The main factor behind this seems tor is in dire straits and that these pledge assets to get this. glance at some of the current to be the European Central Banks banks must be sitting on huge They do not have to hand these Anthony Lyman is a Senior bond yields of the Euro Zone (ECB) version of Quantitative eas- amounts of unrealized losses. over but the ECB has a claim over Financial Consultant for the compared to the rest of the world ing, otherwise known as the Long However, the Spanish Govern- the assets which doesn’t leave much Montpelier Group. For more at the time of writing. Term Refinancing Operation ment will probably bail these banks left for creditors should a bank find information on the UK budget or Upon first view, the signs do not (LTRO). out, should push comes to shove, itself in deep water. This means rais- UK pension plan reviews contact look too promising for the Eurozone This came in response to last so investors stop lending to the ing money from other sources [email protected] or countries as the yields keep edging year’s Eurozone panic when bond Spanish Government, meaning bond becomes more expensive. It’s a follow him on twitter @ closer and closer to the 7% level. yields of Spain and Italy were climb- yields start to rise. merry go round which all points AnthonyLyman.

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Sales Financing and Rentals are available. www.baanmandala.com sales: +66 (0) 87 034 2090 [email protected] 14 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012 April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 15 China leads the way domestically driven, and there are signs that it is slowing as the Civil Aviation Administration of China [CAAC] is reviewing its forecast of 10 per cent growth in 2012. CHINA, like elswhere in the China’s international travel world these days, looms as a large market to places like Phuket is still influence on Phuket’s future in its infancy, but growing aviation and tourism growth be- quickly. One forecast, by re- cause of increased wealth in spected Australian aviation China, the island’s attractiveness analyst Center for Asia Pacific and the explosion of China’s air- Aviation (CAPA), said there could line industry in recent years. be 77 million international passen- Within five years Chinese tour- gers by 2020, 32.3 million more ists could be arriving on Chinese than in 2010. designed and built aircraft. That’s a lot of Chinese tourists But first, the current situation. heading our way over the next A recent Phuket Gazette poll eight years or so. that asked the question: “Which China’s commercial aircraft of the following inbound markets fleet continues to grow to meet holds the highest growth poten- the demand. In 2011 there were tial for the Phuket tourism 1,745 commercial aircraft flying industry?” tells the story. The re- in China, with 148 new aircraft sults showed 48 being added. per cent of re- ‘Within five years Most of these spondentsChinese tourists could are single aisle thought it was and domestically China, followed also be arriving on focused, but in- MADE IN CHINA: Analysts predict as many as 77 million international passengers by 2020. Pictured is a model by Russia with Chinese designed and creasingly, interior of the Chinese built Comac 919. Photo: Stéphane De Wolf 24.9 per cent and Chinese airlines ASEAN coun- built aircraft.’ Alastair Carthew are being en- tries, India, Eastern Europe and the couraged to purchase larger, Middle East making up the rest. double aisle aircraft such as the Of the 44 airlines servicing new Boeing B787 “Dreamliner” Phuket, four are from mainland and Airbus A380 double decked China (China Eastern Airlines, Jumbo, to meet the international Hainan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, travel demands. Sichuan Airlines) one is from Tai- There is now also the distinct wan, China Airlines and one from prospect of China producing its Hong Kong, Dragonair. own domestic commercial air- In 2011 Phuket had 227,431 ar- craft. The Comac C919 (pictured rivals from China, a 112 per cent below) is a planned 168-190 seat increase. Counting the 40,438 narrow- body airliner with its first Hong Kong visitors (Hong Kong flight expected to take place in is, after all, part of China) the visi- 2014 and deliveries scheduled for tor arrivals from this area dwarfs 2016. It is intended to compete the next biggest groups by nation- with the Airbus A320 and Boeing’s ality, Australians (172,000) and B737 aircraft, as it could easily fly Air China hostesses primping for inspection at Beijing airport. Photo: Cory Doctorow Russians (160,000). direct from Beijing to Phuket. Cur- China has already appointed a rently, the B737-800, operated by consul to Phuket to handle these Hainan Airlines, flies to Phuket di- numbers which begs the ques- rectly from Beijing, and has a tion: how will the Chinese airline maximum range of 5,765 kilome- industry meet increased demands ters, whereas the distances put on it, not only to popular between the two destinations is tourist destinations like Phuket, 3,996 kilometers. but world-wide? So by 2016, the Year of the If the past 30 years of year-on- Monkey in the Chinese calendar, year double digit growth (apart we could not only see a huge in- from two years) in China’s avia- crease in Chinese visitors to tion industry is any indication the Phuket, but they could well be answer is, easily. arriving on a Chinese designed This growth has been mainly and built aircraft. 16 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012 Making a manta-stic dive

DIVE companies like Sea Bees can guarantee a lot of aspects of their trips. They can guarantee a high- quality breakfast, good equipment and knowledgeable staff, but what they cannot guarantee are those precious and glorious sightings of roaming mega-fauna, like manta rays. Every diver last week may have spotted the sweeping black wings of a manta ray in the distance or the iconic dorsal fin of a prowling shark, but even that is no assur- ance that either would be spotted the next day. On board Sea Bees’ futuristic looking and custom built catama- ran, MV Stingray, I try not to think about the mantas as we pull away from the dock and head towards Koh Bon. Koh Bon, renown for its char- ismatic mega-fauna, is part of the Similan Islands National Park, de- spite being almost 20 kilometers north of Island Nine. After a 55-minute first dive, I’m unsure of the need for a sec- ond. We had spotted ornate Blue Dragon nudibranches, a white- tipped reef shark and two manta rays. Admittedly, the mantas had kept their distance, but the dive had been a text book checklist of CLOSE ENCOUNTER: A school of corbia follow in the wake of a large manta ray in the waters off Koh Bon, Similan National Park. Photo: Andrea Filippozzi what to see. We splash in for our second der its ‘wings’ (pectoral fins). awestruck. We’re like a school of tures mostly feeds on plankton, For the better part dive, and follow the vertical wall The manta makes one pass, lame corbia, too slow to do any- but because of its eyes. of forty minutes the to the step-down ridge of the is- then elegantly turns back towards thing but fantasize about There is an intelligence in its mantas stayed with land, searching for nudibranches us, this time being on the massive wings of the eyes, a playfulness as it us. and other small mov- mantas. comes within three Now, floating in the delights. They are playing. open blue, away from the It sails in ing step-down ridge we wait to out of the blue. up, closer to surface, the whole time peek- Manta rays us. After sev- ing down, still searching for don’t swim, eral passes it them. they glide disappears. They “The best dive of the sea- through water Stunned by sweep, below son!” exclaimed Andrea on their mas- the close en- our fins, their great wings Photo: Andrea Filippozzi, our instructor, as sive “wing counter and outstretched. I spin as it passes Filippozzi we hit the surface. span”, averag- desperately just five meters below me. On the dive boat, even Sea Bees’ custom built catamaran, ing six meters. MV Stingray. Photo: Sea Bees wanting more, I turn and one of the manta meters away from the customers, I It swoops we swim on. rays flies out of the abysse at me. of me and can see the instructors’ smiles in below us, like the shadow of a Suddenly, there are two man- I can see between its gently then turns glowing, as they publicly and pri- giant bird. An entire school of tas, one following the other. They curled cephalic lobes to its mouth, away. vately gloat about having just corbia, groupies to the rock-star turn together chasing each other, where imperceptibly small teeth It’s time to go. The partaken in the best dive of the sea- manta, cluster and cling to the like children playing tag. are hidden. There is no fear, not mantas are still putting on a show son – something that’s never alien-looking life form and hide un- All the divers floating there are only because this harmless crea- as we ascend for our safety-stop. guaranteed. Manta facts: • There are two typesof manta rays: Reef Manta Ray and Giant Oceanic Manta Ray. • Largest recorded manta was 7.6 meters across. • They feed on plankton and fish larvae. • They have the largest brain- to-body ratio of their closest relatives: sharks, rays and skates. • They frequent “cleaning sta- tions”, where small fish clean away parasites and dead tissue. • Mantas are known to occa- sionally jump completely out of the water, possibly as a way of communicating or playing. April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 17 Friday night is curry night There are some things about an braising where the meat is slowly Indian buffet that other buffets just simmered with saffron, cinnamon can’t match when it comes to fla- and other spices, giving it a com- vors, variety and – let’s face it – the plex flavor and rich texture. This NAMASTE: Chef Paddam and Murat with their all-you-can-eat Indian buffet. sheer quantity of delicious food is slow-cooked but quickly eaten. ALTHOUGH Thailand has some of available. As this was a buffet, my plate also the best curries in the world, there Phuket is now fortunate to have contained a large dollop of Murgh is another land of fiery curries that such a buffet every Friday makhani (butter chicken) which is is guarenteed to bring a tear to the evening, at a very reasonable 449 not to be confused with Chicken eye and water to the mouth – the baht per person. Tikka masala, which looks similar great subcontinent of India. The buffet in question takes place but is a totally different dish hailing Words like Masala, Tandoori, at “Les Anges” at the Royal Phuket from the UK. Dal and Gosht conjure up images Marina, which has already estab- This dish has Punjabi origins, of steaming bowls of saffron lished itself as one of the finest dining and, of all the spices added to the colored, aromatic, spicy curries, establishments on the island, with its dish, it is the dried fenugreek smothering generous chunks of spectacular location right in the cen- leaves that give the characteristic potatoes and meat, which can be ter of a fleet of gorgeous yachts. flavor. Also on the long table were poured over rice or mopped up Les Anges has featured Curry appetizers such as Onion Bhajia, with warm Naan bread. You see Evenings before, but now has two Vegetable Pakora, Saffron Pullao what I mean about making the new chefs and a new menu, which Rice, Aloo Gobhi, Aloo Masala, mouth water? will be launched on May 4. Papadams, Cucumber Raita and This is a suprisingly delicate Chef Paddam and Chef Ron are Mixed Pickles. cuisine and is almost impossible of Indian and Nepalese descent and For dessert we had a few balls DAL-IGHTFUL: A rich and creamy lentil soup. to recreate at home, unless you the authenticity of the cuisine is ap- of Gulab Jamu (an Indian dessert are native to these lands. The only parent with the first mouthful, of solid milk balls soaked in rose way to fully appreciate the food which happened to be a soup of water syrup). Sweet! is either to visit an Indian restau- sorts when we visited. The dish, As all dyed-in-the-wool expats rant or home, or book a flight to which goes by the name Aaj Ki know, the best beverage with a curry India. Dal (fresh lentils of the day), was is ice-cold beer, and Les Anges has Even then, once you’re there, not too spicy, not too salty, not too extended its Happy Hour from 5pm you will only be able to order a few thick but bursting with flavor. to 9pm for diners who take part in of the main dishes and end up won- Next up we tried the Bhuna the Indian Buffet. This means two- dering if the lamb would have been Gosht (braised lamb), which is a for-one, or fifty per cent off, drinks – a better idea than the chicken – personal favorite. Bhuna is not a yet another reason to make Friday night unless of course it’s a buffet. recipe but a process similar to Curry night!

Les Anges Curry Nights are from 7pm to 10 pm every Friday at RPM. Call Murat on 081-797 3364 or visit royalphuketmarina.com. Note that special discounts are available for large groups. To make your own butter chicken you’d need all these spices. 18 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012 Teachers too tested to teach Course, as well as having at least one year of teaching experience. The third requirement is am- biguous because the ‘prohibited ANYONE who intends to teach characteristics’ are defined as, in Thailand’s primary and sec- having improper behavior or im- ondary schools long-term bet- morality, being an incompetent or ter be aware of the Teachers’ quasi-incompetent person, or Council of Thailand (TCT) and having been sentenced to impris- their requirements for obtain- onment which may bring ing a teaching licence. dishonor upon the profession. While it’s possible to teach for Clear as mud? a few years on a temporary Without defining what consti- teahing permit to teach, don’t ex- tutes improper behavior, pect to teach legally for much immorality, incompetence and longer while relying only on your dishonor, teachers are left hop- TESOL certificate and your ing that common notions Western looks. regarding these In 2006, the issues overlap Teachers’ ‘In light of so those held by Council of the TCT. Thailand many reports of Ambiguity (Khurusapah) exams riddled with aside, it’s the passed their second require- OUTCLASSED: Foreign teachers are finding it difficult to remain in Thailand after a few years because of the latest set of re- repeated ment that Teachers’ Council of Thailand’s ambiguous testing procedure. Photo: Vistare Foundation quirements for ambiguities, deserves the obtaining a most attention requirements they are exempt (b) father (c) parents (d) both a such poor results, test writers teaching li- grammatically and can be from taking the TCT’s Profes- and b (e) the village head. would consider the necessity of cense. incorrect questions viewed as an is- sional Knowledge Tests (PKT). Surely answer (c) should read revision, yet no indication of The decree sue of the haves However, if the applicant simply “guardian”, otherwise answers such action has ever been noted. states that and duplicate and the have- holds an accredited degree, life (c) and (d) are exactly the same. Of course the tests aren’t free teachers must answers, it doesn’t nots. is not so simple and will require This is but one example of a test and sitting each section costs be at least 20 In order to the teacher to take the PKTs. taker’s pain when deciphering 1,030 baht. Total revenue from years old, hold take an Einstein to automatically The tests are comprised of nine what the TCT deems a “correct” the last tests administered was a degree in edu- understand why so qualify for the disciplines, which are spread out answer. nearly 500,000 baht (nearly 1 mil- cation or in teaching license, over four distinct sections. Each In light of so many reports of lion annually). With more and other related many test takers an applicant section, taken separately, contains exams riddled with repeated am- more schools coming into com- fields accred- fail.’ must fit into one 150 multiple-choice questions biguities, grammatically incorrect pliance with licensing for foreign ited by the of the following with five possible answers and questions and duplicate answers, teachers, TCT’s revenue from TCT, not possess any of the pro- categories, hold an accredited de- must be passed with a mark of it doesn’t take Einstein to under- these tests is bound to rise. hibited characteristics pursuant gree in education or a related field, 50 per cent or higher. Tests have stand why so many takers fail. Hubris, ineptitude, greed, what to section 44 of the Teachers and hold any accredited degree and a typically been held twice a year The TCT recently published ever, the reasons for the tests’ dif- Educational Personnel Council post-graduate diploma in educa- across Thailand. the results of their ninth round ficulty matter not. Act B.E. 2003 and possess pro- tion with at least one year of While 50 per cent seems a low of testing and the numbers are What does matter is a timely fessional standards of knowledge study, or hold a degree and a benchmark, one must consider fairly alarming, none more so revision of the tests so that and experience. teaching license from abroad, the ambiguity of the questions than only three of 127 persons well-meaning, hard-working The first requirement is straight hold a teaching licence from asked. Here’s a question from passing Test II. These numbers teachers spend less time wor- forward and the fourth require- abroad without a degree but sub- Section 4 of the PKT: Who is re- are similar to previous pass rates rying about their PKT scores ment pertains to the Thai mit proof of teaching experience. sponsible for ensuring that for this test. One would think and more time educating their Language, Culture and Ethics If the applicant fits one of these children attend school? (a) mother that after having repeatedly seen students. New Uni Scholarships FOR the first time, the renowned Stenden strives to make high- double degree with a study abroad Stenden Rangsit University has in- quality, international education at Stenden campus in the Neth- troduced a unique scholarship pro- more accessible to Thai stu- erlands. gram to Thailand. dents,” General Manager “As the industry expands, The full or partial academic Maureen van der Meché ex- graduates are working in a wider scholarships are open to outstand- plained. spectrum of positions than ever be- ing Thai students to help reduce With all subjects being taught fore. Not only hotels, resorts or the financial burden and give stu- in English and professors from convention centers, but also retail, dents a chance to join the around the world, Stenden offers banks or consultancy agencies International Hotel Management an international standard of edu- await the skills from graduates of program in Bangkok with a Double cation. Students come from all Hotel Management studies,” said Bachelor’s degree upon gradua- over the world to study Interna- Maureen van der Meché. tion (Thai and Dutch Bachelor of tional Hotel Management in Stenden Rangsit University’s Business Administration). Bangkok. International Hotel Management Students who meet all criteria Stenden Rangsit University is program offers four intakes per can apply for the scholarship pro- part of a global network with year. The scholarship program is gram starting in September 2012. campus sites in The Netherlands, open for the September admis- To be eligible for the scholar- South Africa, Qatar and Bali. With sion only. The application ship, applicants should be identical curricula of International deadline for the scholarship pro- students in their last year of high Hotel Management at any of these gram is July 1, 2012. school with exceptional study re- campus sites, Stenden students sults and a strong motivation to are can conveniently study abroad For more information contact: study International Hotel Man- and gain even broader international Jorrit van der Woude at agement. The scholarship can last experience. [email protected] for the entire period of school- With global industrial net- M: +66 (0)863 580 694 ing, depending on the study works, students can also do their www.stendenrangsit.com results. “With this initiative internship abroad and achieve a – Phuket Gazette April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 19 Local gurus get in on the Fitness Fest THE Phuket Health & Fitness Fes- emy in the USA, the only classi- Ms Yaffe discovered that there tival, from May 11-13, is certainly cally structured raw and living are, in fact, a lot of great prod- in good shape with even more foods educational centre in the ucts here in Thailand. They are speakers confirmed for presenta- world. Her aim is to educate just spread out and not central- tions in the last week. people about the importance of ized, including such specialties The festival program includes making healthier food choices, as organic soy sauce, sugar free three concurrent seminars, Satur- and paying attention to ingredi- dried fruit, petroleum free day morning, Saturday afternoon ents. shower gel, trendy new grains and Sunday morning, as well the “Because of my own relation- and raw nuts and seeds. Good keynote presentation by Dr John ship with food, I’ve always been Karma All Natural has unified Hinwood on Sunday afternoon. Be- interested in health and nutrition. them into one location and added tween seminar I eat an 80 per the convenience of online shop- presentations, a cent vegetarian ping. number of health ‘Most Phuket diet, and about Canadian born athlete Ocean and fitness re- residents are not 50 per cent raw Bloom will lead morning group lated activities food, which is a yoga sessions at the festival, on and displays will aware of the plant-based diet both Saturday and Sunday. She be hosted at impressive array consisting of brings a refreshingly sensible, Serenity Terraces of world-class health nuts, seeds, holistic and personalized ap- Resort & Spa, fruit and veg- proach to total health and fitness. Mangosteen and fitness etables, with Her programs have produced Resort & practitioners that nothing cooked many athletic champions and Ayurvedic Spa, over 42 degrees supported countless individuals and Atmanjai are right on their Celsius. It is in accomplishing their personal Wellness Center. doorstep.’ guilt-free and health and fitness goals. Tim Robins is Thailand's only certified Neuro Linguistic Programming “Most Phuket every ingredient After winning several world (NLP) and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) therapist. residents are not – Michael Massey has nutritional championship fitness competi- tation and Retreat Center. He has est contemporary masters of Ti- aware of the im- value.” tions, Ms Bloom traveled to Asia taught meditation in Phuket on a betan Buddhism. He continues pressive array of world-class In 2010 she hosted a standing to study Yoga, Ayurveda, Mar- daily basis since August 2009. his studies under them today. health and fitness practitioners that room only workshop with celeb- tial Arts, Meditation and Thai He also works as a spiritual con- During the festival Mr are right on their doorstep,” rity raw food chef, Ani Phyo, in Yoga Massage in order to design sultant and life coach for spas Warzineck will present a class dis- Michael Massey, the spokesman Phuket. It was so popular, she her signature “boot camps.” She and detox centers, such as the cussing the Theory of Meditation. for event organizers, the Rawai recognized the need for an eas- has over 25 years of experience Evason Six Senses Spa and the NaiHarn group, told the Phuket ily accessible health food store in theater, film, dance, yoga, Atmanjai Wellness Center. Tickets for the festival are available Gazette. “We are very happy that in Thailand and so opened the gymnastics, martial arts, and He began his spiritual path in from the following local businesses; Phuket-based experts, Tim Rob- Good Karma All Natural online over 14 years as a fitness com- 2002, when he entered the Cen- 91.5FM, Serenity Terraces, Vijitt ins, Sylvie Yaffe, Ocean Bloom and store. petitor, fitness model, nutritional ter of Higher Tibetan Studies in Resort, Mangosteen Resort, Tobi Warzineck, have committed It is generally believed that consultant and international Switzerland. He spent nearly 7 Friendship Beach Resort. The to this festival.” Thailand does not have the same speaker. years in and close to an authen- regular ticket price is 2,200 baht for Tim Robins, who lives in types of products as those found In addition to the morning tic monastic environment admission to presentations and Phuket, is Thailand's only at health food shops overseas. yoga classes she will also studying Tibetan Meditation, seminars and the festival party at certified Neuro Linguistic Local products are often labeled present a seminar on Hard Core Language, Philosophy and de- Serenity Terraces on Saturday Programming (NLP) and as healthy and nutritious, but still Training during the festival. bate as well as Rituals. During evening. The early bird ticket price is Emotional Freedom Technique contain sugar, high levels of so- Tobi Warzineck is a spiritual this time he also undertook sev- 1,900 baht. For more information, (EFT) therapist. He has been dium or worse still, MSG, she consultant and counselor and is eral meditation retreats under the contact Michael Massey on 08 1412 using NLP and EFT for over 9 says. the founder of the Phuket Medi- guidance of some of the great- 5652, or visit rawainaiharn.com. years, working with members of royal families, celebrities and business leaders from around the world. Mr Robins believes that NLP and EFT differ from counseling and psychotherapy, which he says focus on judging and analyzing the past, because they focus on making real-time changes within each session. “By working with the uncon- scious mind and with the body’s meridian energy system it is pos- sible to let go of dysfunctional and unsupportive thoughts and feelings in a very short period of time, in a pain-free and ‘effort- less’ way. So, for example, if you know you need to exercise and you want to start to exer- cise, but you don’t, then a session of EFT can cut through the underlying beliefs and thoughts that are preventing you from making the changes you wish to make.’ Raw food consultant, Sylvie Yaffe, has lived in Phuket for the last 11 years and is a consultant at Good Karma Thailand Health Food Store. Passionate about healthy eating, she is a graduate of the Matthew Kenney Acad- 20 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012 Murder among the witless oafs

AMBER Dermont’s The Star- hangs a pair of Fred Astaire’s board Sea (St Martin’s Press, dancing shoes and one of her three New York, 2012, 308pp) is proof prospective fathers was the actor positive that you can cobble to- Robert Mitchum. She, too, has gether a first novel about a hand- transferred from a more presti- some, rich, brooding teenage culus exam. The real reason was gious school and Prosper’s hero and his glamorous friends a scandal, which Prosper spends friends warn him that she is “dam- in a posh WASP boarding school 40 pages coyly brooding about be- aged goods” after the violent and throw in a suicide, a mur- fore letting the reader in on his conclusion to a lesbian romance der, sailboat races and a hurri- secret. His roommate Cal had with her married art teacher. She cane and still be boring. committed suicide by hanging is tall and thin, sharp-featured, The year is 1986, the boarding himself. Cal was his best friend with a mop of curly red hair, an school is since the age of eccentric dress sense, a mordant Bellingham ‘Because the school four. The two of wit and a secretive air. Academy on the them were fur- The two find a sanctuary Massachusetts catered to thieves, ther linked by a from the rest of the school in a coast and the sluts, and dope fiends, passion for sail- locked reading room where narrator is Jason it was understood ing. Prosper plays the piano for Aidan Prosper, scion of The problem and she teaches him about old wealth. He that additional was their friend- poetry. Slowly they reveal more has been transgressions would ship turned and more about themselves, cul- expelled from the physical and they minating in their confessions one elite Kensington be overlooked.’ were in bed to- night aboard a yacht that has School and con- gether in their been hauled ashore before a fore- signed in his senior year to room, when who should walk in casted hurricane. Bellingham. but Prosper’s father. After that, There is supposed to be a hur- “Most of us who found our- Prosper gives Cal the mean and si- ricane party the next night at selves in Bellingham had been lent treatment. After that, Cal Race’s beachfront mansion but kicked out of better schools for commits suicide. Prosper sleeps through the ALL A’BORED: Amber Dermont’s witless WASPs fail to ethuse, despite stealing, or having sex, or smok- At Bellingham, Prosper’s new storm. Four days later, he is on murder, suicide and a spot of iffy weather. ing weed. Rich kids who’d gotten set of rich friends - Race, Taze, the beach watching Sikorsky they were like a pair of binary shattered constellation. Aidan caught, had been given a second Kriffo, Stuyvie - are witless oafs. helicopters winch away three stars, two lights so close and so and Cal, my fellow privateers. chance, only to be caught again Race, the son of marina owners, stranded yachts. Pinned beneath bright they blended into one.” The two of them giving off more then finally expelled... Because has the saving grace of being one is Aidan’s crushed But it slowly dawns on Pros- light, more warmth than I de- the school catered to thieves, keen about sailing. The sole bright body. The official cause of per, through clumsy clues that served.” sluts, and dope fiends, it was un- point about Bellingham is that death is ruled suicide. his friends drop, that Aidan had In her Acknowledgements at derstood that additional four years ago the academy The dean and headmaster pro- met her death at the hurricane the end of the book, Amber transgressions would be over- turned co-ed and Prosper soon duce a suicide note for Aidan’s party at Race’s house. Prosper Dermont thanks all the writer’s looked. If you could pay, you encounters the novel’s sole in- mother who arrives from Califor- resigns himself to the fact that workshops she’s attended, along could stay.” triguing character: Aidan. nia. Prosper falls into more the rich never pay and ends his with 56 individuals. This is the Prosper’s ostensible crime at Her Californian mother had been brooding again. tale with more sloppy senti- equivalent of a playwright tak- Kensington was breaking the an “orange grove heiress” and Hol- “I couldn’t help but compare mentality about stars: ing multiple curtain calls honor code by cheating on a cal- lywood insider. In Aidan’s room Cal’s and Aidan’s deaths. Together “I wanted to sail under our after a lousy play.

Whedon, who also took the scriptwriting lead on The Aveng- ers, has a fairly hefty following of his own, built on such suc- The Avengers cesses and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly. It seemed un- Director: Joss Whedon likely he would be able to screw Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., up something as by-the-num- Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, bers as The Avengers. Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett But as wham-bam and Johansson, Jeremy Renner, wonderous as the movie’s set Samuel L. Jackson pieces are, Whedon takes one Genre: Action easy path too many by resurrect- Phuket Release Date: May 1 ing Loki – Thor’s nemesis – as this outing’s principal baddie. SUPERHERO origin stories tend Didn’t Thor dispatch that to tread a ponderous path, espe- naughty fellow last year without cially when the hero or heroine even breaking a sweat? Why on in question has a vast and de- earth would it take a whole bunch voted following. Should the di- of the world’s top heroes to deal rector dare to step an inch away with him this time around? cursions of Messrs Bat, Spider, from the well-trodden canon, he Only Jeremy Renner, in an un- Iron, and their ilk, not only be- can be assured the sufferance of derstated performance as the cause we enjoy our heroes, but ten thousand sharpened blogs marksman, Hawkeye, brings any- to see how they are challenged prodding at his posterity. thing new to the ensemble cast. by a new panoply of baddies Joss Whedon may have actu- But, really, do “understated” and with a fresh range of nefarious ally found the formula to avoid “Marvel superhero” belong in a abilities. such a painful ride: let a bunch of sentence together, let alone a The Avengers is fun and other directors do the origin sto- multi-million dollar movie? Downey jr gets all the best lines, ries then pick up the baton once Note to Mr. Whedon: We go but isn’t that what we have come the heroes reach team-up time. back to watch the repeated ex- to expect? No surprises here. April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 21 Saksri Kerdphol YOU may have seen her photos in tim. I would sport anything from a the society and lifestyle pages of Twiggy to an Afro hairstyle and local papers and magazines, and learned to rock ‘n’ roll and got away she is indeed known for her sense with dressing up wildly. I was defi- of style and fashion. nitely part of the swinging Bangkok Having had a long and estab- scene then,” recalls Saksri. lished career in the hospitality Her marriage to a Dutch hote- business, Saksri Kerdphol now lier brought her to Phuket where brings her expertise and grace to of ‘national artist’ for his services she raised four children and entered bear on the island’s new automo- to the music tradition and is an a hospitality career working for top bile enterprise. As general manager iconic folk singer, well-known hotels on the island. Being a people of Autoexpress Dot Com, Saksri throughout the country. Her grand- person, Saksri enjoyed relating to explains that her role includes run- father, Gen Saiyud Kerdphol, was clients and the glitz and glamor that ning PR events, taking care of the Supreme Commander of the comes with the hotel business. It publicity and heading what she re- Royal Thai Army in the early 1980s. suits her personality, she says. fers to as a “formidable sales team”. Part of Saksri’s childhood was After a period of following her Therefore it comes as no surprise spent in Ayudhya where she grew ex-husband on his work assign- to learn that since its opening, in up with the tunes of traditional mu- ments to various parts of the world, December last year, this dealer and sic being played and rehearsed most she came back to Phuket to start a importer of top-of-the-range Euro- of the day. The annual family cel- wine dealership. Today, apart from pean cars, has already sold 170 cars. ebrations would be graced by folk being GM at Autoexpress, she When asked if the sales spikes opera (likae) and Thai musical en- heads California Wine, a company were due to her flamboyant and semble (pipat) competitions. In this dealing in international labels, and magnetic personality, she answers: atmosphere, Saksri learned to dance is, according to Saksri, the largest “I don’t think so, but I do make and fostered a love for music. distributor in the region. people feel at home and treat cus- In contrast to this background, Yet, she refutes loudly the sug- tomers as friends. Apart from that steeped in tradition and heritage, gestion of being a Phuket socialite. I know very little about the tech- Saksri was sent to a Christian “I got where I am today because nical specifications of a car!” school in Bangkok at a time when of honesty and modesty. To quote Saksri, who was born in Western culture, notably of the US my friend, what you see is what About Thai Gallery Ayudhya, hails from an illustrious kind brought over by the presence you get with me. I am very down The individuals profiled in “Thai Gallery” are chosen on the basis of family of renowned professional of the American soldiers during to earth and just an ordinary their contributions to Phuket as an international community, and, of- musicians and entertainers, and the Vietnam War, was making a working mum.” ten, for having made those contributions through successful social and/ statesmen. Her father heads a mu- presence in Thailand. Saksri’s Today, Saksri still practices her or working relationships with foreigners. This implies some foreign sical ensemble patronized by HRH sense of style and fashion seems lifelong passion of dancing and language skills and an interest in interacting with different cultures. They Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, to have stemmed from that period. music to relax and unwind. She lives are people who in our experience help make the lives of expats far more who occasionally plays with the “In my teens I loved clothes and in Rawai with three of her children, enjoyable here than might be the case without them. band. An uncle was bestowed a title in some way I was a fashion vic- is single, but ‘in a relationship.’ 22 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012 April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 23 Columbia Trail Masters Phuket This event marks a new sports experience for Phuket – trail running. The Columbia Trail Masters Phuket is the second episode of the 2012 Columbia Trail Masters Thailand Championships. The first occurred in January in Kao Mai Keaw forest in Chonburi, and the third will take place in July in Kao Kieaw, Phitsanoulok. The Phuket event, based at the magnificent new Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club, will comprise of a 21 km half marathon, a 10km run and a 3km fun run for children and adults who would just like to be with them for the enjoyment of it. A post-race lunch will follow the trophy presentation April 23 - 29, 6:30-10pm: workshops for school children ceremony at about 10:30am. If taking in the stunning green scenery off-road on soft- Phuket Fish Market at DiVine around Phuket and teaches adults earthen trails and making new friends appeals, then this is an event you should not miss. Restaurant Thanyapura and children privately. Thanyapura’s DiVine Restaurant gets adventurous by setting up April 28, 5-10:30pm: Seafood Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club the first indoor fresh fish mar- Chill and Grill at RE KÁ TA ket. This month Chef Moo fea- Seafood Beachfront Restaurant May 6, 6:30am-12:30pm tures the best fresh fish from the Every Saturday a seafood chill and Phuket sea. Choose your favor- grill. Enjoy a succulent seafood ite fish and have our experienced BBQ while listening to DJs spin- Organized by AMA Events and hosted at Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club, this chefs prepare them as you wish; ning cracker tunes. 1,500++ baht event is proudly sponsored by the Phuket Gazette, The Nation, and PGTV. grilled, steamed or fried to your per person for food only and delight with your favorite 1,800++ baht per person includ- sauces. Available for dinner from ing one bottle of wine for two. expanding extensive variety of listening to the tunes from our in- Les Anges Royal Phuket Marina 6.30-10pm daily. goods, food, etc. Or simply re- house DJ and relaxing over a glass Phuket’s best Indian buffet is For reservations, please call DiVine April 28, 8:30pm: Salsa Night lax and enjoy the vast assortment of sparkling wine. 1,200++ baht back with a new chef and a new Restaurant at 076 336000, ext 5070. at Royal Phuket Marina of other fun stuff we are putting per person for food only, and menu. Every Friday, starting on Email: [email protected] or After the overwhelming success together for all ages. Nobody has 1,500++ baht per person with a May 4. Special promotion at just visit www.thanyapura.com. of our Salsa Evening and by more fun than at the soon to be bottle of wine for two. Come with 449 baht net with a 10 per cent popular demand, we are de- number one Weekend Market & 4-7 diners and pay 1 less; come discount on drinks! Reservations April 28 to June 9, 7-8pm: New lighted to invite you to our next Meeting Place in Phuket! Located with 8-10 diners and pay 2 less are recommended. Call Mr Murat Exhibits by Somrak Maneemai Salsa Event at the Royal Phuket within the conveniently situated and so on. at 081-797 3364. Mom Tri’s Villa Royale Gallery Marina. Dance the Cha-cha, Boat Lagoon, with easy access, New work from famed Thai art- Bachata, Samba & Rumba with Toilet facilities and lots of free May 1, Labor Day May 5, Coronation Day ist Somrak Maneemai. Somrak’s the sound of DJ live on the parking. Individual cover boot Public holiday. Public Holiday latest work “Lost in the Clouds” boardwalk outside “Les Anges”. (2x2m) with power facility avail- will be exhibited at the gallery. Entrance is free and the dress is able for rent in dedicated zone May 2, 6pm-1am: Tex-Mex at May 5, 12-3pm: Saturday Brunch Somrak, who has a Masters in colorful. For all reservations and areas, 100 baht per day introduc- Two Chefs Karon at Two Chefs Kata Center Fine Art from Silpakorn Univer- inquiries please contact Anna & tion rate. Contact 088-7680471 Now we start with our very Every Saturday we are setting up sity, has had his work displayed Didier on 084 051 7455 or Mr popular weekly Tex-Mex again. our brunch buffet, filled to the limits in Australia, Thailand and in pri- Murat (Events & Group Man- April 29, 10am-3pm: Every Wednesday we present for with home made delights. In our vate collections worldwide. His ager) on 081 797 3364. Beachfront Brunch at RE KÁ you the biggest Tex-Mex buffet smoke house, we smoke all of our previous work “Red Gallery” was TA Seafood Beachfront Restau- on this island. This year we also fish and meats by ourselves, and praised by the New York Times, April 28 - 29, 5-9pm: Weekend rant have a free flow option for you. in the bakery we we bake all our which also commended his Rawai Market Phuket Boat Lagoon Every Sunday a Beachfront As every night, our Two Chefs bread. With very well trained chefs Art Village’s work for its original- Marina, Koh Kaew Brunch. Enjoy a decadent house band will be there to enter- and a Swedish head chef, we can ity. Somrak also runs frequent art Buy, sell and barter on an ever beachfront brunch buffet while tain us. All this for only 495 baht, promise you that you won’t leave and for 795 baht you can drink hungry or thirsty. All this for only May 1, Labor Day as much as you want from our 395 baht, and if you add an extra PhuketPhuket AfternoonAfternoon ComputerComputerPublic ClinicClinic Holiday free flow options. For more info, 300 baht you can choose to drink please visit us on the web. what you want from our free flow Is Windows driving you nuts? Looking for a good internet connection? Need to know alternatives. For more information how and where to get your PC repaired, or your confounding questions answered? Drop May 4, 7-10pm: Indian Night at please visit TwoChefs.com. by the new Afternoon Computer Clinics, hosted by Woody Leonhard and Seth Bareiss. Bring your computer. Bring your questions. Bring your sense of humor and let’s see if we can solve your PC problems. Second and fourth Wednesday of every month, 1-3pm, at the Sandwich Shoppe Chalong. Sponsored by Woody’s Sandwich Shoppes and the Phuket Gazette. Free Computer Clinics at Sandwich Shoppe Chalong - May 9, 16, 1-3pm Sandwich Shoppe Patong - May 2, 1-3pam

Contact at 076-282403, [email protected] or visit KhunWoody.com 24 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012

IT’S IN THE BAG: Actress ‘Bowie’ Atthama Chiwanichphum was in town to help launch Tesco Lotus’s cloth bags. From left: Actress ‘Bowie’ Atthama Chiwanichphum; Charkrit Direkwattanachai, HOSPITAL TRENDS: The International Conference on Trends in Emergency, Trauma, and Head of Public Affairs Tesco Lotus; Deputy gov Boonchai Cheepanarai; and the Operations Director. Disaster Nursing was held at Bangkok Phuket Hospital on April 25.

GREEN DAY: The Imperial Adamas Beach Resort, Phuket organized a green event on April 22 called “The Imperial Serve the Earth” General Manager Mr Elyes Ben Brahim and his Management team organized the beach cleaning day together with hotel guests.

SIXES MIXES: Phuket Sixes after party at St George’s River included Mark Dowsing, Matthew Devlin, Anthony Sinclair, Jacquii Breen, Rebecca Gray, Daniel Brightwell and Emily Arthur all from Sidney. April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 25

Phuket Big Bike Week 2012 roars 26 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012

Across 1. Colleen 5. Playwright Henley 9. Melts together 14. Baseball family name 15. Mogul capital until 1658 A Gazette staff member completed this 16. Beethoven dedicatee maze in 17 seconds. Can you can beat their 17. Diamond cover time? Make your way out of the maze. 18. Fly 19. Book of maps 20. URL starter 21. Ill-omened 23. Authenticating mark 24. CIA forerunner 25. Code-breaking org 26. Blue books? 29. Overlay with wood 33. Pollen producer 36. Pull laboriously 37. Opposite of ecto- 38. British buddy 39. Cheer for Manolete 40. Computer key 41. Atop 42. Bearded beast 43. Boards 44. Bloke A 31. Logical beginning? B 45. Climbing rose 32. Bereft 47. Big brute 33. Complacent 49. Acknowledgment of debt 34. Record with a VCR 50. Res ___ loquitur 35. Lots and lots 54. Luminiferous 39. ___ roll 58. Stupid person 40. Extra-wide shoe size 59. Russian revolutionary leader 42. Diver Louganis 60. Le Roi d’Ys composer 43. Sugar 61. Forearm bone 5. Large woodwind instrument 6. Self-centered person 46. Hot water tank 62. Ready ___… 48. Florence’s ___ Vecchio 63. French summers 7. Cause light to pass through 8. Last name in spydom 51. Like some bears and icecaps 64. Jokes 52. Pop pieces 65. Honeybee 9. Exploits 10. High-speed separator 53. As ___ resort 66. Nothing more than 54. Trudge 67. Formerly, formerly 11. Farm structure 12. Biblical birthright seller 55. German Mister 56. ___ account (never) Down 13. Cong. meeting 57. K-6 1. Wood strips 22. Glitch Provided by Puzzlemaker.com 2. Having wings 27. Actor Fernando Provided by BestCrosswords.com Used with permission. 3. A bit, colloquially 28. Billiards rod Used with permission. 4. Adding vitamins, say 30. Tolkien tree creatures Crossword answers on page 41

TAURUS (April 21-May 21): be called for. May will be a month SAGITTARIUS (November 23-De- advise that heightened emotions A productive end to the to take some calculated risks, cember 21): Things may cloud your judgment where month is forecast for and the stars promise to back aren’t quite what they an earth sign is concerned. Wear those born under the your moves. Hot days for ro- seem for Sagittarians the color charcoal gray to encour- end of Taurus. The stars indicate mance are Wednesday and this week. Where work is con- age a more down to earth outlook. that a burst of fresh energy will Thursday. The number two looks cerned, this is not the right time Aquarians lucky number this make it possible to accomplish all promising this week. to stray from a trusted path. The week is five. that you set out to do this week. stars also advise that financial Those celebrating a birthday dur- LEO (July 24-August 22): LIBRA (September 24-October 23): transactions are subject to mis- PISCES (February 20-March 20): ing the coming days will become The stars suggest that Where finances are con- takes being made midweek. False The wind of change is more grounded in the year ahead. your initial reaction to cerned, a wake-up call flattery from a water sign should forecast to blow your Sunday is a glowing day for ro- news received this is forecast for those be simple to spot and will make way during the month mance. Your lucky number this week may be the wrong one. born under the sign of Libra at the you wary of this person. Number of May – Pisceans should culti- week is three. Another person’s loss should end of April. A quick response three is lucky at the end of April. vate a more open-minded attitude prove to be your gain by the middle should ensure that you keep your to take advantage of opportunities GEMINI (May 22-June 21): of May. Leos who have recently head above water – Tuesday is the CAPRICORN (December 22-Janu- that will be available. Sizzling days Geminis should find it fallen in love with an earth sign most auspicious day to take care ary 20): The area of for romance are Monday and easier to see what is re- are advised not to make commit- of business. A romantic relationship finances stays well- Tuesday when your way with ally going on in their ments too quickly, as infatuation with another air sign needs your starred until the middle words leaves an air sign keen to lives this week. Your tendency to can get in the way of seeing what attention this weekend. The stars of May, but hard work could be hear more. Wear the color scarlet sweep the truth under the carpet is really happening. Number seven show that number one can be im- taking its toll, both mentally and to encourage prosperity. Number has been preventing progress, but is special for Leos this week. portant for Librans. physically. Capricorns who have four has good luck written on it the month of May will bring a re- been feeling out of sorts could plan this week. ality check. A power struggle with VIRGO (August 23-September 23): SCORPIO (October 24-November a getaway after an invitation comes a fire sign midweek will leave you Virgoans are likely to 22): Those Scorpios from another earth sign. Where ARIES (March 21-April 20): both with better understanding in make a promise they who have been preoc- affairs of the heart are concerned, The stars suggest that the world of work. Number eight won’t be able to keep cupied with a health is- a fire sign starts to give you a warm too many irons in the fire can bring good fortune for this week. If this is concerned sue will be glad of advice from a feeling. The number six can bring could cramp your style. Geminis at the end of April. with work, the stars show that fire sign this week. The stars ad- good fortune this week. It would be sensible to streamline you will find it difficult to wriggle vise that May is an ideal time to work projects and concentrate on CANCER (June 22-July 23): out of the situation without los- make changes to your lifestyle, AQUARIUS (January 21-February those showing most promise. Col- This is an auspicious ing face. Fortunate days for with focus on more exercise. Your 19): Personal relation- laboration with an earth sign can lead week for Cancerians to money matters are Sunday and luck in love remains high – ships fall under the to success, but you will have to show what they know Monday. In the realm of ro- expect to be showered with spotlight as April gives adjust your pace. Where affairs of where work is concerned. An- mance, playing it cool may not compliments from another water way to May. Allowing sour grapes the heart are concerned, an earth other water sign is forecast to be the best approach with a wa- sign this weekend. Scorpios are to disturb a friendship with a fire sign falls under your spell this suggest a scheme that could float ter sign. Your lucky number this forecast to see that number four sign will be cause for regret. In weekend. Number nine shines for your boat, but a quick answer will week is nine. is fortunate this week. the realm of romance, the stars Arians this week. April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 27 Disaster insurance

By Chris Hudon be of a magnitude of at least 7 on the Richter scale. In the case IN ORDER to make disaster insurance of a windstorm, the wind speed policies available, the Thai government has to be 120 kilometers per hour has created the National Catastrophe or greater. Insurance Fund (NCIF), underwritten If you own a home or have a with 5 billion baht. mortgage, you are eligible for an For an NCIF policy holder to make NCIF policy as an addition to a claim, the damaged property must your primary insurance. be in an area declared a disaster by the The minimum amount in- Department of Disaster Prevention and sured for all home-owners, Mitigation (DDPM). If the DDPM does regardless of home value, is not declare a disaster where your home 100,000 baht, with a premium or business is, no claim can be made. of 500 baht per year. Although Different properties have different inexpensive, this is not likely to premiums, calculated as a percentage of cover all the damage to a home the total coverage (sum insured), following a major flood. increasing from the lowest (for Earthquake and windstorm INSPECTION: Officials survey a house in Thalang following the recent earthquake. Photo: Kritsada Mueanwong homeowners) at 0.5 per cent, to the high- damage can be claimed based on est (large scale industry) at 1.5 per cent. actual damages not exceeding down is as follows: for business claims are based on SME to the sub-limit, your yearly NCIF policies are purchased 100,000 baht. That means, if you All flooding below 50 centime- actual damage as reported by an premium would be 500,000 baht. through private insurers. have damage as the result of an ters will pay 30 per cent of the insurance surveyor. There is no cap on the amount Private homes have no deductible, earthquake or windstorm you amount covered, so 30,000 baht. Depending on the insurance of insurance that can be taken out but businesses may have a deductible would have to produce an item- Reimbursement for flooding to a company involved, small to me- by industry but premiums rise with of up to 5 per cent depending on the ized list with the estimated value water level of 50 cm and above can dium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can the total amount of insurance. plan and insurance company involved. of all damages. be calculated by simply adding the take out multiple packages of up To qualify for purchasing the Ca- A deductible is the amount the policy You would be reimbursed term ‘per cent’ to the water level to 50 million baht but will not be tastrophe Insurance Policy, holder is required to pay before an in- based on an insurance adjuster’s measurement. paid more than 30 per cent of the businesses must first possess a fire surer validates a claim. All NCIF assessment of that damage. Therefore if the water level in your sum insured. insurance policy or an industrial-all- policies cover earthquakes, wind- Flood damage is calculated home is 87.5cm, you would be en- SMEs will have a premium risk insurance policy. storms and floods. separately for homeowners and titled to 87.5 per cent of the 100,000 equal to 1 per cent of the sum in- A list of insurance providers that offer If not otherwise declared a disas- depends on the high-water mark baht policy limit, 87,500 baht. sured up to 50mn baht. NCIF policies can be found here: ter, to be covered an earthquake has to in a flooded home. The break- As a general rule, NCIF policies Therefore, if you insure an www.ncif.or.th/en/ceding.html 28 PHUKET GAZETTE PROPERTY April 28 - May 4, 2012 What do you do when a property deal goes bad? ers, contracts broken, money unreturned and often little to show for paid up property, except for some rusting metal rebars in de- caying concrete. WE DO not live in a perfect As I sit and listen, my mind flicks world. If we did, I would not over to what we can term the first bother writing this column, and deadly sin. would endlessly shuttle between My mouth lets out the words: my vineyard in the South of “So who was your lawyer who France and a ranch in the high handled the due diligence and ne- plains of New Zealand. gotiated the contract?” But I would stop off in Phuket Often times the silence is so still for breaks at my villa on the beach I can hear my dog barking at home in Natai, when time allowed, and which is about three kilometers pick up a box full of mangoes for away. the road. Buzz, wrong answer. But there is no such perfection. Still an amazing number did For many property buyers who have some sort of legal advice, but come to this island’s shores what in the wacky world of Phuket was expected to be their own per- property, where for a decade for- sonal heaven, turns out into a eign buyers ruled the market, journey into hell. No ordinary some deals have come unhinged. flaming down under for these In the boom days, condos were folks – and yes, it’s worse than few and far between, and the gray being jumped by a gang of tuk- shroud of foreign ownership as tuk drivers hopped-up on M150 well as the relatively unrestricted with a very bad attitudes. leasehold structures created a TOO LATE: Hindsight is a good thing, but it is best to get lawyer to handle the paperwork. Photo: Marko Marila Over the past three or four plethora of ownership hybrids. years, rarely does a month passes Many developers did the best and left with little but a bad taste Act (both from 2008) have techni- has met with more success. by without an email, call or some- they could under the legal limita- of Phuket’s brand of paradise. cally provided a clearer solution for The bottom line at present is that one dropping into the office with tions, and there remains for the For some who contact me (and property buyers. But in actual fact, the aggrieved property buyers a woeful tale about a tragic prop- most part many satisfied buyers. after hearing their stories and see- as in many cases with government best obtain competent legal coun- erty transaction. Lately, there have But this article is meant to address ing the documents) I can’t help regulations, implementation on the cil because the method of doing it been more than I can remember. the other side, those who have been but feel a certain amount of loath- ground has been spotty. yourself with the consumer Failed launches, errant develop- ripped off or taken advantage of, ing for the failure of some to Many things in Thailand are mechanism is not overly compe- simply stand and deliver what was neither black nor white but falls tent at present. That given, things promised. Goods in return for somewhere in between. are changing and consumer rights money paid. Long time legal personality Sam are moving ahead in the country I spoke to the legal advisor Fauma said that in many cases his at a certain pace. Desmond Hughes about how buy- clients had seen little action by the As for the search for a perfect ers could address defaults. He Consumer Board, but suggested world, if things don’t work out cited the Office of Consumer Pro- that the most effective course was the way you expected, the next tection Board (OCPB) in Bangkok often to file a civil court case cit- best step is to get the best legal which covers consumers and ing the Act itself. This seemingly advice possible. non-commercial investments in cases such as condos, leasehold apartments and villas. Standing in the corrected line Bangkok only covers the Met- ropolitan area, so in Phuket there is a local office at the Provincial This week finds me at the front of the “stand cor- Hall. Complaints can be filed by rected line”. In last week’s Property Watch Column individuals whether legal advice has been obtained or not. “Just Another 48 Hours” I referred to last year’s In the case of properties that summer camp shooting in Sweden. Of course, as have guaranteed returns, it re- mains subject to interpretation we know this was Norway. My apologies go out to whether these are property own- any aggrieved Swedish readers. It’s a country I like, ership or investment issues and if the latter, then in many cases these and I even used to own the world’s safest car – a are referred to civil action. Volvo. There was a reader’s comment about a ref- Another legal eagle, Jerrold erence to a careless Greek cruise-ship captain, which Kippen, suggests a practical solu- tion for new buyers; that contracts was assumed to have been the Italian master of di- should include a binding arbitra- saster of the Costa Concordia. My point of reference tion clause. This allows for unbiased resolution. Having per- was actually in 1991, with the Greek liner Yiannis sonally attended cases in Bangkok Avranas. He was condemned around the world for at the Thai Arbitration Institute I’ve been suitably impressed that the leaving his passengers behind in a sinking ship. Yes, venue provides an equitable forum despite the Swedish gaff, Greece and Italy are not for buyer and developer disputes. Kippen adds that both the Con- bedfellows in this turn of events. My number has dominium Juristic Act (revised in just been called, so pardon me, I must be going… 2008) and the Consumer Case Pro- tection Act and Product Liability April 28 - May 4, 2012 PROPERTY PHUKET GAZETTE 29 Quakes did not shake the market By Orawin Narabal evacuation plans, traffic system coordination, and so on. THE Phuket-centered earthquake “I personally believe that the on April 16 and its associated af- earthquake situation will not affect tershocks will not have a negative real estate investment in Phuket,” impact on real estate investment in he said. Phuket, the head of Phuket Real “However, raising standards of Estate Association (P-REA) has construction in order to be more affirmed. prepared for future earthquakes is P-REA President Tanan an important thing that property Tanphaibul told the Phuket Ga- owners need to take into consider- zette that the 4.3 Richter ation,” Mr Thanun added. earthquake on April 16 and the Thanusak Puengdetch, a com- numerous aftershocks that shook mittee member of the Phuket parts of the island for the week Chamber of Commerce said that after, did not cause any signifi- the number of foreign investors cant property damage. deciding to start businesses in “The quakes were minor and Phuket is constant, despite the based on small fault lines, so the disaster scare. damage was minimal. The quake doesn’t play an im- “According to information from portant role in their decision the Phuket Tourist Association, the making, he said. earthquake has not had negative “However, we can only see the impacts on foreign [sourced] tour- [lack of]impacts in the short term. ism,” Mr Tanan said. But if quakes keep occurring and “They will continue to visit don’t seem to be stop, the invest- Phuket since they understand that ment trends might change,” he said. the earthquake is a natural disaster Speaking with the Gazette, that can occur anywhere,” he added. Rachen Chokprasert, Officer of The thing they are more con- Phuket Land Department echoed cerned about is the earthquake other officials: “The earthquake readiness-plan of various organiza- hasn’t affected selling or buying tions in the province, such as property in Phuket.” SHAKEN: Some house escaped with only minor damage and others had cracks. Novotel’s newest hotel is now open NOVOTEL, a leading international and Thai cuisine at The Square hotel operator in Thailand and the Restaurant, cocktails and snacks Asia-Pacific region, has announced at The Lobby Lounge or fresh the opening of Novotel Phuket Vin- fruit juices and light refresh- tage Park, a newly built resort lo- ments while dipping their feet at cated in the heart of Patong Beach, the Velvet Pool Bar. just three minutes walk from the To accommodate meetings Andaman Sea. Novotel Phuket Vintage Park In one of Phuket’s premier lo- provides three meeting rooms cations, Novotel Phuket Vintage and a pillar-less ballroom, which Park is not far from the island’s can cater up to over 300 del- major shopping centers as well egates and is equipped with as the lively nightlife of Bangla state-of-the-art audio-visual sys- Road in Patong. tems. Other hotel services Hervé Duprat, General Man- include: a Kids Club, babysitting ager (GM) of Novotel Phuket services and an iMac internet Vintage Park said: “Featuring corner. contemporary Southeast Asian Novotel Phuket Vintage Park architecture and modern design, is the 11th Novotel hotel in Thai- this resort will appeal to guests land and the second Novotel who seek comfort and serene re- hotel in Phuket. ',6&29(5/8;85<,1$5$5(/2&$7,21 laxation while just steps away The Novotel brand has estab- from the lively activities of the lished itself as the leading 4-star )ODQNHGE\½YHVWXQQLQJEHDFKHVDQGRYHUORRNLQJJOLWWHULQJ3DWRQJ%D\ Patong area, making it a perfect brand in Thailand, offering the DQGWKH$QGDPDQ6HD%OXHSRLQWRIIHUVDWRXFKRIVHUHQLW\LQRQHRIWKHODVW choice for leisure travellers”. perfect combination of relax- The newly built 303-room re- ation, modernity and efficiency. DYDLODEOHVHDYLHZSORWVRQ3KXNHWµVGHVLUDEOHZHVWFRDVW%OXHSRLQWLV sort has a spacious, modern, FRPSULVHGRIIUHHKROGDQGOHDVHKROGFRQGRVDOOVRSKLVWLFDWHGLQVW\OH colourful design, while maintain- For more information visit the ing relaxation and comfort website novotel.com. ZLWKHQYLURQPHQWDOSUHVHUYDWLRQLQPLQG&KRRVH%OXHSRLQWDQG through services and facilities. LQYHVWLQDQXQULYDOOHGOLIHVW\OHFKRLFHLQDWUXO\PDJLFDOORFDWLRQ All rooms are fully equipped with a flat screen TV and free %/8(32,17 /289(5)$d$'( Wi-Fi internet access for guests 6<67(0 who plan to work in their rooms. 5$,& ,1129$7,21,1 Leisure guests can enjoy the $5&+,7(&785( 2,000-square-meter swimming $:$5' pool, or indulge in a well-being break for massages, face and body treatments, or the steam    room at Novotel’s signature spa and fitness centre “In Balance”. FRQWDFW#EOXHSRLQWFRQGRVFRPZZZEOXHSRLQWFRQGRVFRPSJ Guests can enjoy the simple 7HUPV &RQGLWLRQV 2IIHUH[SLUHV$SULO7KHGHYHORSHUUHVHUYHVWKHULJKWDWDQ\WLPHWRPDNHFKDQJHV WRWKHSURMHFWDWLWVRZQGLVFUHWLRQ,PDJHVDUHFRPSXWHUJHQHUDWHGDQGIRUYLVXDOUHIHUHQFHRQO\ pleasures of all-day international 30 PHUKET GAZETTE PROPERTY April 28 - May 4, 2012 Plumeria detective work

PICK A FLOWER: Plumeria or Frangipani come in many hues and some are more fragrant than others. Photos: Forest and Kim Starr, Atamari, Craig.photog and Yimhafiz. row flight at the end. It is quite gardeners, and does well in a con- different from the normal plumeria tainer. I am currently growing (or frangipani), which has much two new acquisitions, one installed larger oval-shaped leaves, but to- in a pot and the other in open day, I discovered that it does have ground. It will be interesting to see TRACKING down a plant can a botanical name as well – which fares better. sometimes take you on a wild- plumeria pudica. Scarce in plant centers, there goose chase. Plants may lack the Pudica is unique in other ways. is a plentiful supply of healthy aerial acrobatics of a goose in Young plants have an erect habit: specimens in a small nursery near flight, but they have their own the leaves grow in alternate spi- the end of Soi Samakee Two – if ways of proving elusive. rals up straight, green stems you happen to live in the Chalong Take one species of plumeria. which bear no resemblance to the or Rawai area. Pudica is, more- This particular variety has been in open, grey-branched form of over, easy to grow, the blooms last my garden for some time, not only plumeria obtusa or rubra, the two a long time and the leaves are ev- safely grounded, but displaying its most common species. ergreen. There is even a new pink plumage. But what was elusive However, what does mark the cultivar on the market – or so my about this shrub was shrub as a member of secret informant tells me... its correct name. ‘But what was the family is the inflo- It seems I am unable to take None of my books, elusive about this rescence, a large flight from plumerias today. Kars and nothing on the cluster of white flow- recently wrote to me to describe web, definitively shrub was its ers with creamy a disease which is currently af- identified it. But correct name...’ centers, which ap- flicting his own frangipanis. He today, I finally got pears at the top of the says that the undersides of the there. At least I think so… main stems. leaves are discoloring and turning I had known for some time that There is another similarity. brown before dropping off. the local name was leelawadee Break off one of the leaves (the The problem, I’m afraid, is a look-sorn. Look-sorn means ar- shrub exhibits the same brittleness world-wide one, and seems to af- row, and certainly the foliage is as its relatives), and it will exude flict plumeria rubra more severely arrow-like, with bright green, a toxic, milky sap, characteristic than plumeria obtusa. Red, pink and wavy edged leaves, very narrow of the genus. multi-colored cultivars are derived at the stem joint (axil), which Is it worth growing? Certainly. from this latter species, so I imag- broadens out to resemble an ar- It is deservedly popular with Thai ine these are what Kars has in his garden. Rubra is also more prone to leaf-drop than obtusa, which has more rounded leaves and normally produces only white flowers. Plants are like people, in that their immune systems work SHOOTING STRAIGHT UP: A young leelawadee look-sorn also known as more effectively when they are Plumeria pudica which has finally been identified. Photo: Webbaliah healthy. Indeed, prevention, not that specializes in such products, ber that plumerias do lose their cure, is always a maxim worth situated on the old airport road a leaves and cease blooming during observing. few hundred meters south of Su- periods of dormancy, and that Try feeding your plants with a per-Cheap. The proprietor may rubra is especially prone to go phosphate rich fertilizer – say 10- have in stock a liquid with a cop- quiet for a while. 20-10 – which can be obtained per sulphate base, which can be It has not taken flight, it’s from the only retail outlet I know applied immediately. But remem- merely taking a break. Tip of the week A little more on pruning your bush

SINCE we are considering small to increase flowers or fruit or to flowering. ornamental trees, it seems create hedges or topiary. With shrubs or trees that fea- appropriate to review the topic of Always cut back to a part that ture alternate buds, make a pruning. will continue to grow – in the diagonal cut with secateurs 1 to 2 With trees or shrubs, the pro- case of a tree, normally to a main centimeters above a single bud. cess will generally help to maintain branch. In the case of plants that But if there are pairs of shoots or plant health (removal of diseased send up stems from the roots buds on either side of the stems, or dead branches), to direct growth (cannas, heliconias,), cut right make a straight cut across and (pruning out wayward branches), back to the root stock after above the two buds. April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 31 32 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012

HOUSE & FURNITURE GREAT YAMU HILLS Properties Single house, 60sqm. 2 floors, TOP SEAVIEW ONE-BEDROOM Sea view land, Chanote, 1.35 For Sale 3 bedrooms and 3 toilets. In NAI HARN SEAVIEW CONDO rai. Price: 4.5 million baht per rai. Chaiyapruek Village at Land & Reply to [email protected] Houses Park, Chalong. Good location and entrance from by- KATA BEACH HOUSE MODERN POOL pass road. Built 2 years ago. Tel: VILLA 3 level, 4 or more bedrooms 084-627 7001. must sell, quick moving. 3.3 million baht. Tel: 081-303 2202. LAND NEAR KATA CENTER LAYAN 4 BEDROOM Great location, road access, 5 Fully developed, 1,250sqm, Unity 2 on the hill, 500m from POOL VILLA mins to Kata Beach and main 40m above sea level, beach, 4.35 million baht, 1.1 Furnished, modern style villa on road, 1,450sqm with title deed. Chanote, additional avail- million baht down, take over 900m2 plot, available April, long Contact Lychee. Tel: 081-891 able, construction permits. construction progress pay- term only. Tel: 076-391445, 084- 3048 (Eng & German). Private more information. Tel: ments. Email: keithb025@ 305 4333 (English), 087-386 3388 Stunning 3-bedroom pool 087-298 0200. Email: rwber gmail.com (English & Thai). Fax: 076- villa, 5 mins from Laguna. LAND FOR SALE [email protected] 391445. Email: shanya.arman@ 600sqm plot in peaceful lo- Near the main road to Baan Website: www.phuket-sea MAGNIFICENT THAI gmail.com For further details, cation. Finished to a very Don-Cherng Talay. 68sq wah. view-land.com RESORT please see our website at www. high specification. Must 1.1 million baht. Tel: 089-472 property for sale on Koh facebook.com/media/set/ see. Selling price: 12.9 9118. Email: honda.1437@ Maphrao, Phuket. Stunning, ?set=a.137135652995390.121 million baht. Tel: 084-994 PRIVATE SALE OF yahoo.co.th HALF A RAI NAI HARN LUXURY rarely-found plot of land for sale 64.137133126328976&type=1 9303. Email: phuketpool CONDO located on Maphrao Island, [email protected] At Ao Makham. Land is located opposite Port of Phuket and Phuket, from where you, in 30 RAI IN TOWN next to Bel Air Cape Panwa clear weather, can see the PHUKET VILLA MODERN HOUSE 3 OR Flat land near Dowroong Resort. Price 4.2 million. Tel: lovely islands of Koh Yao Yai CONDO PATONG 4 BR IN KATA School in Phuket Town. Tel: 081-891 5932, 089-035 6702. and Koh Phi Phi. Fantastic Good location with seaview and 081-691 2526. piece of real estate for sale in good Feng Shui. Private house, VILLA PATONG Phuket. Thailand. Ideal prop- erty for investment or a secret big swimming pool, near fruit Super seaview villa in Patong HOUSE FOR SALE IN retirement plan. The land prop- market, supermarket, restaurant, with 4 bedrooms and 4 bath- BAAN PROMPHAN erty for sale has a total area of club bar and 7 minute drive to Kata rooms. Freehold. Comes with 2.5 floors, 5 mins to town, 2 90,000sqm with TorBor 5 and and Karon Beach. Tel: 086-783 Chanote title. 23.5 million baht bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Good main services (road, water 7873 (English & Thai). Email: or rent US$500 per night. Tel: for stay! 2.85 million baht. Tel: and electricity). Stunning Thai [email protected] 086-982 2888 (English & Thai). 083-506 9155. Email: sumitra. beach property in Phuket for New condo. 1km to beach, Fax: 076-374882. Email: prim_ [email protected] sale at 5 million baht per rai. near Bangla Rd and Jung- UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY [email protected] Website: Tel: 080-691 9094. Email: ceylon, 1 bed, 1 bath, fully A 2-bed villa in Royal Estate offer- www.youtube.com/watch?v 2 bedrooms, 2 bath- ing the security of a small, private, [email protected] furnished. 3.9 million baht for =RS1z9EB7ii0 rooms, 111sqm. From 4.5 42sqm and 3.8 million baht gated community complete with HOUSE IN PATONG million baht. Must see. 2-BUNGALOW for 44.5sqm Tel:081-541 club house and swimming pool all RAWAI POOL VILLA For further details, please beautifully maintained and well COMPLEX 2025. Email: c.junlarat@ 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 see our website at www. managed. Tel: 076-288560, 085- 2 bedrooms to each bungalow gmail.com aircons, 8x4m pool, 400sqm amphaiseabreeze.com 021 9536 (English). Email: mike. and all bedrooms ensuite, land, furnished. Price: 5.5 mil- Tel: 084-993 7308. [email protected] Pool, fully secured electrified lion baht. Contact Hockey wall. Viewing strictly by ap- 3 RAI LAND IN TRANG (owner). Tel: 084-852 4091. LAND FOR QUICK SALE LAND AT pointment. Tel: 076-315216, Yamu 0.75 rai (x2) Mission Hills 081-187 6940 (English). Email: CHERNG TALAY 1 Rai. Offers invited. Tel: 081- 390sq wah, nice flat land, quiet PHUKET VILLA [email protected] 087 9237 (English & Thai), 086- area, Chanote. In Pasak Soi 5 SUAN LUANG 270 8727 (English). Email: near Laguna Home. Price: 6 mil- Urgent sale. 65/474, 67.5sq [email protected] For more lion baht. Tel: 089-472 9118, 086- wah, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, LAND NEAR info visit http://phuketland 709 2933. living room, kitchen, car park. MISSION HILLS Price: 4.9 million baht. Tel: 081- forsale.net Newly built 40sqwah, near 536 5755, 089-729 6244. KAMALA HOUSE Sea Pearl project, Patong. HOUSE FOR SALE LEASEHOLD 2 stories, 3 beds, 2 bath- AT CHERNG TALAY 18 years left, 300sqm, 3 bed- rooms, fully furnished, 2 TOWNHOUSE Permsap Villa, 4 bedrooms and rooms, 3 bathrooms, aircon, aircons, kitchen with hood, IN KOH KAEW 3 bathrooms. Fully furnished furnished, sundeck, carport, refrigerator, dining room, liv- with big lawn and sports club. photos available. Price: 3.75 ing room, hot water, cable Price 8.9 million baht. Tel: 02-585 million baht. Rent 32,000 baht TV and internet. Tel: 089- 5086, 085-515 6714 (English & For sale. 3 rai in Baan Po, per month for 6 months rent. 469 1813. Pa Khlok. 2 rai 32sq wah, Thai), 082-457 4051 (English & Muang, Trang. Very good lo- Tel: 084-716 0502. 60m wide. Chanote. Located Thai). Email: roxern@yahoo. cation for business, suitable on Tha Ruea-Pa Khlok- com for house projects. Electricity, CONDO IN Muang Mai Rd. 11 km from access road. Sale by owner. CONDO AT SUPALAI PARK Heroines' Monument. Price: With Chanote. Price: 9 mil- ROYAL PLACE OCEAN VIEW LAND 7.8 million baht. Tel: 089-472 BANG TAO lion baht ono. No agents 9118. Email: honda.1437@ please! Tel: 075-210646, Over 1,000sqm, road, utilities, hotmail.com 087-270 9093. river, waterfall. 4.9 million baht. Tel: +1-509-561-0055. Email: [email protected]

ROOM FOR SALE for sale. Near Seng Ho 620,000 baht. Fully fur- Bookstore in Phuket nished, ready to move in, Town. Studio 30sqm, Chao Fa Road, only 15 floor 15,seaview, aircon, minute to Central Festival, furnished. Price: 1.9 mil- Corner unit, 3 bedrooms, 3 10 minutes to Chalong and lion baht. Ready to move bathrooms, fully furnished. Rawai. Tel: 086-329 0705. in July 2012. Tel: 089- 3.5 million baht. Tel: 089- Email: pisceanmark@ Condo at Royal Place 472 9118. 472 9118. hotmail.com Project, bypass road, oppo- site Tesco Lotus. 37sqm, 2fl, 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, kitchen, fully furnished (2 aircons, washing machine, refrigerator, TV, microwave, Looking for land to buy? cable TV, 24 security with key card etc). Pls contact See more classified ads for more details. Tel: 089- 469 1813, 086-476 9612. at www.phuketgazette.net April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 33

MODERN-STYLE HOUSE SALE SEAVIEW LAND NICE AND SINGLE HOUSE NICE HOUSE VILLA IN KATHU IN AO MAKHAM SPACIOUS HOUSE FOR SALE 88SQ WAH

Nai Harn. 3 bedrooms, 4 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, In Thanapa Park View vil- 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, bathrooms. Quick sale, 290sqm. Good location In Heritage project, Kathu. lage in Koh Kaew. 57sq 3 aircons, sofa, cable TV. we are moving July 1. near Lotus and Patong. 2 floors, fully furnished, 3 wah, with 2 bedrooms, 2 Near Jomthong Village on Priced for quick sale, only Fixed price: 4.9 million baht. bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 1 bathrooms, a kitchen, a Khwang Rd. 6.5 million baht. 8.5 million baht. Tel: 089- Tel: 086-037 0751. maid room. 234sq wah. 18 carpark and a garden. Tel: 086-774 2034. Email: 811 5017, 086-691 9047. million baht. Tel: 081-892 Price: 2.4 million baht. Con- [email protected] 4.9 MILLION POOL 0190 (Warit), 089-646 tact owner. Tel: 083-180 HOUSE 4823 (Rattana). Email: 2143. Email: nana1225@ SEAVIEW HOUSES EXCEPTIONAL with 2 bedrooms, located Rawai. [email protected] gmail.com WITH POOL VALUE IN BKK Land 272sqm, 2 storey, modern Luxurious 600sqm build, 250 style, 3 bathrooms, fully fur- SPACIOUS AND IN internal, 3 storeys with lift. From nished, high wall camera. Email: GREAT LOCATION TOWNHOUSE 12.5 million baht. Tel: 081-968 [email protected] Lovely, 4 beds, 4 baths, with pool IN PATONG 4230 (English & Thai), 081-968 and sala, located in Baan Suan 4807 (English & Thai). Email: BEACHFRONT For sale. Chanote title, easy Loch Palm, 5 mins to golf [email protected] FOR SALE access in and out with con- courses, 10 mins to Interna- For further details, please see 3 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, crete road. Price: 12 million tional schools and 15 mins to our website at www.chalong private pool, big sala on the baht per rai. No agents! Tel: Patong & Central. Asking price residences.com Large house in Sukhumvit beach. Great price. Tel: 088-168 087-270 9093. 15.9 million baht. Contact Jen. Soi 54. 24 million baht. 104 5032. Tel: +61-8-6161 2691, +61-4- BEACHFRONT FOR SALE sq wah, 6 bedrooms, 5 bath- SOI SANSABAI 592 2900 (English), +61-46- rooms, 2 kitchens, 2 living 831 5377 (English & Thai). 3 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, 2-BED CONDO private pool, big sala on the areas, office, conference HOUSE IN KAMALA Outstanding location, G/F, Email: [email protected] room, fitness room, large beach. Great price. Tel: 088-168 Foreign freehold, 80sqm. 4.25 5032. storeroom, laundry room. million baht. Tel: 086-075 6715. KOH YAO NOI Quality fixtures & fittings. Email: [email protected] 11rai 78sq wah, waterfront, un- OCEAN VIEW LAND Space: 600sqm. Parking for For further details, please see obstructed seaview, Chanote. 5 cars. Flood free. Email: BANG TAO our website at http://bjpark Tel: 080-144 7801. Email: Over 1,000sqm, road, utilities, [email protected] condo.weebly.com/ [email protected] river, waterfall. 4.9 million baht. Tel: +1-509-561-0055. Email: PRIVATE POOL VILLAS VIEW POINT KRABI LAND [email protected] 6.5MB 29 rai, Chanote, view point land AND HOUSE Limited offer from developer - 4 on Lone Island, Phuket for sale. 1 rai, 2 bedrooms good location On Nanai Road. 2 storeys, CHALONG NEW HOUSE plots for sale 6.5 million and Seaview to Chalong, Ao for 3.2 million baht. Tel: 084-056 112.5sqm, 2 bedrooms, 2 Sale 2.2 million baht or rent 7.5 million. 3 bedrooms, private Makham, Nai Thon, Phi Phi, 6067. bathrooms, bathtub, built-in 12,000 baht/month. Contact pool, 500m to Rawai Beach, Coral and Racha Islands. Tel. cabinets, kitchen, aircon and Jai on 089-817 4864. gated project. Tel: 085-575 090-493 8719. BARGAIN LAND RAWAI car park. 1km to Patong 3300, 086-574 2815. Email: Walled level, plot 620sqm. 4.3 beach, near Bangla Road [email protected] For further de- million baht. 100m from Nai and Jungceylon. Price 5.5 PA KHLOK HOUSE For sale. 2 houses on land. million baht or nearest offer. FOR SALE tails, please see our website 1 ngan 89sq wah. Chanote CHEAP LAND FOR SALE Harn Rd. Tel: 085-782 7551. at http://phuket9.com Close to Phuket Interna- No agents! Tel: 087-270 title, near mountain, peace- 9093. ful and safe, 10 minutes tional Airport. 4 rai, Chanote HOUSE FOR SALE from the beach. 7.5 million title. 3.8 million baht per rai. 2-STOREY HOUSE Near British International School. baht direct from owner. Tel: Tel: 081-868 7676. Email: IN PATONG APARTMENT WITH CAR 5-bedroom pool villa, 600/ 083-180 2143. Email: yaris. phuketann @gmail.com AND MOTORBIKES 1,000sqm. 22 million baht ono. [email protected] 2 bedrooms, fully furnished, Tel: 084-185 4746. hot shower, aircon, satellite TV, internet, car park. For sale: furni- ture and car (Daihatsu Mira) & 2 59sq wah, 3 bedrooms, 1 Classified Advertisements motorbikes (Honda) 100,000 bathroom, European kit- baht. Tel: 087-265 0652 (En- chen. Fully furnished, with Please use this form to write your classified advertisement. glish). Email: [email protected] common pool. Price: 2.9 Then hand it to any of our agents. million baht. Tel: 081-719 PATONG CONDO 1041. Email: teddykong Furnished living room, 1 bed- [email protected] |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| (heading) room, kitchen, pool, fitness. 50 sqm x 70,000 baht = 3.5 million baht. Tel: 081-817 HOUSE IN PHUKET |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| 7886 (English & Thai). Email: VILLA 5 FOR SALE [email protected]

|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| CHARMING HOME AND POOL Private hillside, 15m pool, lush |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| garden, 3 bedrooms, 4 bath- Sea view. 50 Pi Road, 49sq room, office, full kitchen. New wah. 4 bedrooms with bal- condition with quality furniture. |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| conies, 2 bathroom, aircon, Freehold, secure and nice. Tel: 46sq wah, furnished, 3 bed- fully furnished. Chanote. 076-388 236, 089-727 5407 rooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 Price: 17 million baht ono. (English). Email: cosmocamp aircons, carpark. Only 3.5 Tel: 087-270 9093. Email: [email protected] For further million baht. Tel: 081-787 [email protected] details, please see our website 7675. |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| at www.villa-sale-phuket.com Classified ads are charged per line. Each line is 120 baht, with a minimum of 4 lines (heading included) per ad. All advertising must be paid for in advance. Looking for land to buy? Deadline for Property Gazette page: Friday 3 pm. See more classified ads Deadline for all other ads: Saturday 12 noon. at www.phuketgazette.net 34 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012

PA KHLOK Properties BUNGALOWS 2-BEDROOM PATONG CONDO For Rent 2 bathrooms, fully furnished, HOUSE, BANG TAO PRIVATE RENTAL com pool. Please call for more informations. Tel: 081- 079 7121, 086-268 8926. KAMALA APARTMENT LUXURY CONDO ROYAL PLACE CONDO PATONG HOUSE IN PATONG 2-bedrooms, 2-bathrooms, fully 1 bedroom, fully furnished, park- nd furnished condo, overlooks ing, swimming pool, 2 floor, swimming pool. Prefer long 2 bedrooms, 2 bath- peaceful. Tel: 085-069 0938. 1 and 2 bed available, 800m term tenant. Available now.Tel: rooms, kitchen, terrace, Email: [email protected] to beach, fully furnished, 084-523 1714 (English). Email: living room, parking, fully swimming pool, gym, park- [email protected] furnished, cable TV, APARTMENT FOR ing, WiFi, cable TV, parking. Fully furnished with kitchen, internet, aircons, hot wa- RENT Tel: 085-069 0938. Email: ready to move in. Starts at KATHU CONDO ter. Only 5 mins to Surin Patong Condotel, 1-year con- [email protected] 18,000 baht/month. Con- 58sqm, fully furnished, aircon, Beach, Bang Tao Beach tract, 14,000 baht per month. 1 tact Mr Joke. 088-751 3066. internet, cable TV. 9,000 baht/ and Lotus Cherng Talay. bedroon, 1 living room, dining room with kitchen, fully fur- Email: handyman@phuket month. Tel: 081-891 3740. Tel: 089-470 7488. Email: KATA PHUKET plus.co.th [email protected] nished. Tel: 081-536 7985. PATONG 1+2 BEDROOM APTS KATA SEAFRONT ROOM FOR RENT Newly built 40sq wah, near 20,000 baht monthly long-term. FULLY FURNISHED Luxury apartments with free LUXURY APT Sea Pearl project, Patong. basis, fully furnished, TV, aircon, HOUSE WiFi, maid, big pool, security, 1 bedroom, 5-star, spa, gym, 2 stories, 3 beds, 2 bath- fridge, toilet. Other facilities: cable TV. Close to town. 22,000 ADSL, quiet with views. Great rooms, fully furnished, 2 swimming pool, pool table, bar, baht per month and up. Tel: 080- price! Email: asiasail@yahoo. aircons, kitchen with hood, restaurant. Patong, Phuket. Call 052 8082 (English). Email: com For further details, please refrigerator, dining room, liv- Carla. Tel: 081-968 5963. [email protected] see our website at www. ing room, hot water, cable Apts & pool penthouses. katasala.com TV and internet. Tel: 089- CHEAP KAMALA 1, 2, 3-bedrooms, few mins 469 1813. walk to 2 beaches, free CONDO AT B.L. APARTMENT 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, terrace, fully furnished, WiFi. Email: resortgm@ ROYAL PLACE New in Kathu. Big rooms, 1 bed- gmail.com room, 1 living room, aircon, cable LONG-TERM RENT free cable TV and internet, 2 2-storey house 3 bed, 3 bath aircons. Long-term rent: 15,000 near Ao Makham. Tel: 081-892 TV, ADSL, hot shower, garden, 1-2 bedroom, furnished and car park. Rent: 7,000 baht baht/month. Email: sak.shet APARTMENT 4311. 20,000 baht/month. For houses, beautiful garden, [email protected] further details, please see our per month. Tel: 081-692 3163. Chalong area 10,000 baht per ON THE BEACH website at http://panwagreen. month. Tel: 081-892 4311. Paradise location ,1-bedroom, weebly.com BUNGALOW, RAWAI THAI VILLA AND POOL ground floor,Thai style with mod 9,000 baht, fully furnished, Nai Harn, low season. 40,000 cons, just south of airport. Even kitchen, WiFi, TV. Tel: 086-279 ONE UNIT PATONG baht per month. Tel: 081-270 has a real tree in the livingroom. CONDO PATONG 0837. Email: bricothailand@ One bedroom unit Patong. 5126. Email: mervyn.crocker@ Can be yours from 11 April to Studios and one-bedroom hotmail.com Fully furnished, aircon, cable yahoo.com end December. Think sunrise apartments for rent at Phuket TV, WiFi and power topview walks/sunset strolls/swimming/ Place and Patong Tower. Tel: and quite 20,000 baht per LUXURY POOL VILLA seafood restaurants with your month. Contact Phtam 082- 081-892 1621. HOUSE AT PRIME Designed for comfort, has ev- feet in the sand. All for 20,000 271 4487. PLACE VILLAGE erything. Near Laguna. Lease baht per month. Call now 087- POOL VILLA CHALONG 267 5376 (English). Email: Condo at Royal Place 22,000 baht/month. Tel: 089- Fully furnished, private pool, 3 KATA HILL HOUSE 594 4067. [email protected] beds/baths. Tel: 089-729 1968, Project, Bypass Road, op- FOR RENT 081-970 5940 (English). Email: posite Tesco Lotus. 37sqm, Fully-furnished 2 bedrooms, 2 2fl, 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, LAYAN 4-BEDROOM [email protected] For further bathrooms, aircon, living, din- HOUSE PHUKET POOL VILLA details, please see our website kitchen, fully furnished (2 ing, kitchen, car park, internet aircons, washing machine, TOWN Furnished, modern-style villa on at www.villaprana.com and cable TV. Price16,000 900sqm plot, available April, refrigerator, TV, microwave, baht per month. Tel: 081-606 cable TV, 24 security with long term only. Tel: 076-391445, PATONG CONDO 2827 (English & Thai). Email: 084-305 4333 (English), 087- key card etc). Pls contact near Heroine Monument. fur- [email protected] 58sqm, fully furnished, aircon, for more details. Tel: 089- nished, cable TV, kitchen. 386 3388 (English & Thai). Fax: internet, cable TV. 16,000 baht/ 469 1813, 086-476 9612. Tel. 086-607 7493. 076-391445. Email: shanya. month. Tel: 081-891 3740. CHEAP KAMALA [email protected] For further 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, details, please see our website kitchen, terrace, fully furnished, at www.facebook.com/media/ free cable TV and internet, 2 set/?set=a.137135652995390. aircons. Long-term rent: 15,000 Dowroong Villa, Chao Fa 12164.137133126328976&type=1 baht/month. Email: sak.shet East Rd. 2 bedrooms, 2 bath- [email protected] rooms, living room, West- BEAUTIFUL RAWAI ern-style kitchen, air condi- VILLA tioning, furnished, internet, Luxury two bedroom, two bath- sala, parking. Clubhouse with TOWNHOUSE room pool villa in quiet inland retreat pool and tennis, garden for IN KOH KAEW near Rawai and Nai Harn. Dis- children. Security guard. counted from 9.5 million to 8.25 12,500 baht per month. 1 million baht for quick sale. Avail- year minimum rental. 2 able for rent at 55,000 per month months deposit required. Tel: includes hi-speed internet. Tel: 086-271 0557. Email: poca. 084-837 9403. Email: Craighoy@ [email protected] hotmail.com

HOUSE FOR RENT HOUSE FOR RENT IN CHALONG IN CHALONG

Longterm 10,000 baht per Longterm 6,000 baht per month. 1 beroom, 1bath- month. 1 beroom, 1bath- Corner unit, 3 bedrooms, 3 room, kitchen, carpark. room, kitchen, carpark. bathrooms, fully furnished. Contact Nina. Tel: 089-729 Contact Nina. Tel: 089-729 3.5 million baht. Tel: 089- 6244. Email: ninaphuket@ 6244. Email: ninaphuket@ 472 9118. hotmail.com hotmail.com April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 35

LAGUNA CONDO FOR SALE KATHU GOLF COURSE NEW SAMSUNG Property Looking to buy a property within OR RENT CONDO VILLA FOR RENT FRIDGE Services Laguna, minimum 3 bedrooms. 1-bedroom condo at The 62sqm, bedroom, bathroom, Never used. Model RT45TSRS2. Cash buyer ready to buy now. Trees Residence Kamala. 2 kitchen, balcony, quiet and Sells for 18,000 baht at Home- Email: Thaitraveller62@gmail. years old, modern furniture, green, long term. Tel: 081-824 Works. Will sell for 15,000. Does com excellent facilities. Rent long 1385 (English). Email: jbiwo@ not fit built-in cabinetry space in RENOVATION & term: 18,000 baht per month. csloxinfo.com kitchen. Email: donn_is@yahoo. HOUSE REPAIRS For short term and holiday com Renovations. House re- Accommodation rental contact owner. For EASTER AT MARRIOTT pairs. Construction. Mold Available sale: 4 million baht. Tel: 076- VILLA TUMBLE DRYER decontamination. English, 529082, 086-280 3118 (Thai). For rent: Easter week starting Long-term rental of a 5- 17KG LOAD Swedish, German and Thai- Email: paulajlaydon@hot for 7 days at US$120 per day. bedroom, 5-bathroom, Excellent condition. Ideal for large speaking personnel. We al- mail.com 2-bedroom villa in 5-star resort Mediterranean-style, 2- family, guesthouse or laundry. ways offer free quotations LONG-TERM at Marriott Beach Club Mai storey villa set on 1,920 Price: 25,000 baht ono. Email: and warranty on work per- NANAI, PATONG HOUSE FOR RENT Khao. Try after Saturday for re- sqm. Living area 472 [email protected] formed. Tel: 083-394 8337 Brand new rooms. Nanai/ PATONG, PHUKET maining time as due to late ad, sqm with saltwater pool. (English), 080-141 4577 Patong. Aircon/TV. Free 2 bedrooms with quiet loca- it might not be taken. Tel: +852- Location: Cherng Talay. (English & Thai). Email: LG 9.5 KGS WiFi. Long/short-term. Tel: tion. Tel: 089-650 5135 (En- 96-670611. Email: ekw60@ 90,000 baht per month for [email protected] Top loader, 8 months old, motor 085-667 2658 (Thai), 081- glish & Thai). Email: kalayap netvigator.com 1 year. Tel: 076-651739, warranty 9 years and 4 months. 415 1245 (English). Email: @hotmail.com 081-597 6911 (English & Price new: 14,999 baht, best of- PRO SERVICE [email protected] Thai). Fax: 076-238493. fer near 10,000 baht. Front Email: damian@electrical- AND RENOVATE PATONG BEACH Accommodation loader wanted. Tel: 086-273 - Water leaks marine.com KATA BEACH CENTER SEAVIEW CONDO Wanted 3095 (English & Thai). Email: - Sanitation [email protected] Luxury service apartments for 125sqm, 2 beds, 2 bathrooms, THE POINT CONDO - Sinks big living room,fully furnished, 3 rent. Short or long term. Suites LOOKING TO BUY Daily/monthly, loft, 2 bedrooms, - Grease Tanks and two bedrooms from 60- LCD TVs, laundry, terrace,11th Looking to buy beachfront 2 bathrooms, fully furnished, 130sqm. Fully furnished, 10 floor, pool, car park. Long-term Household - Water Heaters house with Chanote. Email: pool, fitness. Rent: 30,000 baht/ minutes walk from Kata beach. rental at 35-50,000 baht. Tel: 081- Services - Sprinkler Systems [email protected] month. Tel: 089-795 6363. Special rates. Tel: 081-828 0972. 824 1385 (English). Email: - Pressure pumps For more information email: [email protected] - Water Treatment [email protected] Household Holiday RENOVATION & - Piping SEAVIEW/MOUNTAIN Items HOUSE REPAIRS CONDOS FOR RENT -Deep wells SEAVIEW NEW Homes & Villa Renovations. House re- 1/2 bed/bath, furnished, West- Data Water Work Ltd., Part. APARTMENTS Rentals pairs. Construction. Mold ern kitchen, com pool, short or Tel: 081-396 5050. 1 and 2-bedroom new apart- decontamination. English, long term. Tel: 087-998 2590, ments. Long and short term. Swedish, German and Thai- 087-393 5462 (English & Thai). Sea view, huge balcony, TV BEAUTIFUL speaking personnel. We al- Email: [email protected] Property panels, WiFi, free parking. A POOL VILLAS ways offer free quotations few with pools, gym and ex- Great selection of stunning and warranty on work per- Wanted pensive furniture. The best ROOM TO RENT holiday villas. Tel: 087-823 formed. Tel: 083-394 8337 choice for living. Tel: 082-807 LONG TERM 7371 (English). Email: holger (English), 080-141 4577 RENTALS WANTED 4944. Email: osa.com@me. Pra Baramee, close to school, [email protected] For (English & Thai). Email: com We have a large number of cli- large room, kids bedroom, further details, please see our [email protected] ents looking for rental proper- bath, toilet, hot water, kitchen. website at www.phuket- ties in the Rawai, Nai Harn area. APARTMENT FOR 6,000 baht per month incl elec, beachvillas.com If you have a property for rent, SALE/RENT water, gas, cable TV. Tel: 087- PHUKET HOME please contact us today on Patong, new condo, pool, 265 4565 (English), 084-841 KAMALA BEACH MAINTENANCE 087-620 8420. PI Rentals. 24hr security, 7.46sqm, fur- 3153 (Thai). Email: waz1944@ HOUSE OR APARTMENT nished. Special price. Tel: yahoo.com.au Renovations, house re- Private, quiet, guesthouse. 2- LG WASHING MACHINE pairs, painters, tilers, elec- NICE STUDIO 089-7284005. Email: thamad bedroom apartment, 2,600 baht LG WF-T655LTD washing [email protected] tricians, plumbers, car- APARTMENT KATHU GOLF COURSE per night. 1-bedroom house. machine. Just 4 months old. penters, construction. I am interested in buying a studio CONDO 1,800 baht per night. Kitchen, Eu- For sale due to moving abroad. Fluent English-speaking unit around Kata or Karon beach 2-BEDROOM HOUSE 62sqm, bedroom, bathroom, ropean bathroom, aircon, TV, Price new: 5,990 baht. Now boss. Free quotes given. area. The unit should be relatively Aircon, fully furnished, TV, kitchen, balcony, quiet and DVD, ADSL, parking, swimming 3,500 baht or best offer. Call Contact Rin. Tel: 084-193 new or less than 10 years internet. June to end of August. green, long term. Tel: 081-824 pool. Tel: 076-385909, 087-277 Erik in English or Scandinavian. 5124. Email: phukethome old. Email: quentin@acetone- Chalong. 10,000 baht per 1385 (English). Email: jbiwo@ 5216. Email: curlyphyl@yahoo. Tel: 089-291 2782. Email: [email protected] solutions.com month. Tel: 087-280 1721. csloxinfo.com com [email protected]

Classified Advertisements Please use this form to write your classified advertisement. Then hand it to any of our agents.

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Classified ads are charged per line. Each line is 120 baht, with a minimum of 4 lines (heading included) per ad. All advertising must be paid for in advance. Deadline for Property Gazette page: Friday 3 pm. Looking for land to buy? Deadline for all other ads: Saturday 12 noon. See more classified ads at www.phuketgazette.net 36 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012

THAI STAFF WANTED RECEPTION STAFF Work on shifting schedule, can Responsible Thai female REAL-ESTATE speak English, customer ser- needed for reception at Patong STAFF WANTED vice. Good salary with bonus. hotel. Monthly salary: 12,000 Patong. Contact Carla. Tel: 081- baht. Tel: 081-892 1621. 968 5963. SALES OFFICER Looking for full-time young FEMALE AND MALE Required: bachlor's degree, fe- CREW WANTED Thai staff, fluent in spoken male, good written and spo- and written English with on live-aboard 60ft yacht ken English. Computer liter- real estate business expe- based at Phi Phi. Tel: 081- ate. Tel. 076-244491. Email: rience. Tel: 084-060 7050. 891 9726 (Thai), 082-839 [email protected] Please send an email with 7701 (Eng). Website: www.layantara.com a photo to info@moloko phuket.com For further details, please see our website at http://moloko phuket.com

ACCOUNTANT Elite Yachting in Boat Lagoon Marina Phuket is looking for a Thai accountant with a bach- elor degree and min 3-5 years experience. Good knowledge of Quickbooks, well organized and fluent in spoken & written English. Responsible for in- voicing, payments, VAT, w/t, salaries, income/expense statements for yacht ac- counts etc. Interested. Tel: 081-978 6086 (English). Please send your CV to jurg @phuket-yachts.com

MOUNTAIN BIKE TOUR LEADER Seeking more bike guides to join our growing team. Must speak good English, be pas- sionate about biking, and be a Thai national. Tel: 087-263 2031. Email: info@amazing biketoursthailand.asia

Looking for a job? Looking for a better candidate? Find more Recruitment Classifieds at www.PhuketGazette.Net! April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 37

SALES MANAGER Property Sales Consultant. Thai national, 3-5 years experience. Good Thai and English, proactive and organized. Computer liter- ate, have own car and laptop. The Charm residence. Tel: 076- 344499. Email: info@the charmphuket.com

SUCCESSFUL SALES&MARKETING Company requires enthusias- tic, motivated individuals to join our well-established and suc- cessful team. English speak- ing. Full training, great commis- sions & startup / entry pack- ages available. Email: jengore @hotmail.com

NATIVE ENGLISH TEACHERS Brainy House is a private En- glish-language school. We are looking for native English teachers to start ASAP. For children 6-8 years old. We offer an excellent compensation. Please send a cover letter and CV to:info@brainy- house.com Tel: 080-907 7466 (contact Sasi).

JOBS FOR HOTEL WORKERS Hiring reception & housekeep- SENIOR ACCOUNTANT ing positions now. Experience KAMALA preferred. Tel: 085-159 7400 For trading company in Kamala. (English), 086-902 8566 (En- We seek an experienced Senior glish & Thai). Email: dshumny Accountant. Must know Ex- @yahoo.com press software, English, and understand the import busi- RECEPTIONIST KATA ness. Salary starts at 25,000 baht + transportation+ accom- Hotel needs reliable Thai fe- modation+ BUPA health insur- male. Salary: 12,000 baht per ance. Work 6 days a week. Tel: month. 2 days off a week. Tel: 076-322663, 086-773 4538 (En- 081-892 1621. glish). Fax: 076-322664. Email: KINDERGARTEN skgf@skgf. asia TEACHER WANTED We are looking for a native En- glish kindergarten teacher to join our team to teach 10 -12 children aged 3-6 years. Must have a minimum Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent. Tel: 076- 383150, 084-520 4978. Fax: 076-383150. Email: info@cra vensnurseryphuket.com

Gazette Online Classifieds – 10,000 readers every day! 38 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012

HIX HEAT PRESS Articles DUAL PADS Audio/Video Bar & Business COMMERCIAL For Sale I am selling my Heat Press Equipment Restaurant Opportunities BUILDINGS RENT Made in USA, very little used (about 60 t-shirts), like new. I Equipment FREEZER, FUGE TABLE bought it in Bangkok. Paid SOKEN SURROUND CO LTD, 2 WP, TAT, Sanden freezer, excl cond, 125,000 baht, selling 60,000 SYSTEM FOR SALE baht. Tel: 076-283004, 086- PRIME LOCATION 8,500 baht. Fugeball soccer Amp + 5 powerful speakers, IN RAWAI Company for sale with 2 wp 742 3437. Email: joelvdo@ crisp treble & solid bass. Paid table, as new, 10 baht per Refurbished for 170,000 baht. and TAT. 50,000 baht + costs of hotmail.com 15,000 baht, sell 7,500 baht. game, 35,000 baht. Tel. 086- Nice bar and 5 bedrooms on changing. Tel: 087-980 7570 Tel: 082-283 8902. Email: 283 9100. three floors. Includes a lot of (English). Email: malbab@ Chalong Pier Road. Tel: [email protected] 7KW. 3-PHASE furniture and music systems. gazeta.pl 081-891 6143 (English), 081-894 4343. NEW INVICTA WATER PUMP Tel: 087-474 0169. Email: WATCH HI-DEFINITION [email protected] FOR QUICK SALE FOR SALE MEDIA PLAYER Bar lounge & restaurant with OFFICE, BUSINESS SPACE Very large Invicta Men's Digital home entertain- attached house. 8 years on Bulletins for rent on 5th floor of Patong 6913 Corduba Collection In- ment just took a giant leap lease. Very cheap rent. In Tower. Please contact for terceptor Chronograph Blue forward. Internet, Android Rawai. 1 million baht. Please more information. Tel: 076- Polyurethane watch, comes and a Media Streamer on contact for more information. 341370. Email: i_am_krittapak with box and guarantee. Tel: your TV. Bursting with Tel: 086-084 9793. Email: @hotmail.com 076-319699. Email: sun Barely used (10 hours). features that allow you to [email protected] [email protected] Have 2 units for sale. Price: engage with social me- 15,000 baht each. Contact dia, Android apps, online BAR FOR SALE OTOP Margy on 089-908 7486. streaming, and casual PATONG BAR Brand-new bar for sale in FURNITURE AND MORE games, movies and mu- FOR SALE OTOP market. Fully furnished Furniture, sofa, TV and book- sic. Tel: 076-248698, Popular bar, open air. Beer bar to very high standard, 2 40" case, chairs, lamps and more. CHINESE TEA 081-895 7097 (English & in busy tourist area, fully fur- TV's, fridge, freeezers, stock, All in good condition. Please Quality Chinese tea for sale. Thai). Email: hdmedia nished. Urgent sale: 1.8 million sound system, etc. Great lo- call or email for photos. Khun Contact Peter to arrange a free [email protected] baht. Tel: 081-550 7379. cation with huge potential. Arno. Tel: 087-827 4991 (En- tea tasting. Tel: 082-278 1575. Genuine reason for sale. Tel: glish). Email: arnyfirst@ PRIME LOCATION 084-445 2042. Email: ian_ hotmail.com IN RAWAI [email protected] Articles GERMAN STEREO Refurbished for 170,000 baht. COFFEE TABLE Wanted SYSTEM Nice bar and 5 bedrooms on Bamboo coffee table for sale. three floors. Includes a lot of GOLF BUSINESS- Soken AMP & 5 Speaker PARTNER Excellent condition. 110cm Surround Sound, Solid furniture and music systems. Unique opp, 15 years square with inset in center (for FULL-SIZED USED Bass. Cost 16, sell 8000. Please contact for more infor- trade, repeat customers, flower decoration, etc). 10,000 BATH WANTED Tel: 082-283 8902. Email: mation. Tel: 087-474 0169. unlimited potential in Asia. baht ono. Email: beijingmar Looking to find an old plastic or [email protected] Email: [email protected] [email protected] stone full-sized bath to use in a Looking for partner. Tel: pet washing parlor - something PATONG GUESTHOUSE 087-078 9707. FURNITURE AND large enough to put big dogs in STAGE-SOUND / LIVE SPONSOR A CHILD 8 rooms apartment internet OTHER ITEMS the wash them. Please email MUSIC cafe sale 1.2 million baht. Tel: Wooden frame "L" sofa with [email protected] Stage-Sound system (Live Mu- The Phuket International 085-794 6530. BAR/RESTAURANT IN mustard color upholstery. with photo sic) for sale Incl. All audio com- Women’s Club is a PATONG volunteer organization for sale. Nanai Rd 231, fully 16k. Modern glass chandelier ponents, made by Behringer. SUPER BUSINESS 5k. Huge silver candelabra EXTENSION LADDER Please contact for more infor- raising funds for educa- furnished. Price: 180,000 baht tional scholarships. We DEAL or rent 13,000 baht/month. Tel: 5k. All in excellent condition. WANTED mation. Tel: 076-486118, 086- Prime real estate liquidation Standard Lamp 1,500. All re- Used 20 to 24 foot (6 to 7 meter) 942 5244. Fax: 076-443137. rely on the goodwill of 085-477 5935. donors and sponsors – Kata beach center. Super busi- duced for quick sale. Email for ladder wanted to either rent or Email: [email protected] ness deal for sale. Penthouse photos at beijingmarcher@ purchase. Tel: 081-797 2110. Website: www.siam-interact. small and large. If you RESTAURANT FOR would like to put some- of 300sqm on 7th floor includes yahoo.com Email: [email protected] com/soundsystem/ building, 1 Luxury, fully fur- SALE, CHALONG AREA thing back into the on Chao Fa Road, 700m north community in which you nished, 2 bedroom apartment 130sqm; plus 2 luxury suites of Chalong Circle. Low price for live, contact us to find quick sale. Tel: 080-711 5265. out more about giving a each 60sqm. Also has pool, prize or being a sponsor. parking, restaurant and Please contact K. Carol chanote title. 10 minute walk OWNER PLANS FOR (Tel: 087-417 8860) or K. from Kata beach. Total pack- RETIREMENT Sue (Tel: 087-277 6948). age price 29.5 million baht Well established tourist maga- Email: (720,000 Euro). Legal Liquida- zines for sale. Owner planning [email protected] tor. Tel: 081-828 0972. Email: for retirement. Interested? Tel: [email protected] 081-806 2946. April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 39

ENGLISH BEACH Business Products & Services COMPUTERMAN RESTAURANT Sales, service, repairs, up- BUSINESS grades & accessories in Due to owner's ill health Chalong. Tel: 076-384259, we reluctantly have for 084-625 7744 (English). Fax: sale a successful beach 076-384259. Email: computer restaurant located on [email protected] one of Phuket's most scenic beaches. Serving Thai & Euro cuisine we Fitness have seating for 100 per- Equipment sons (inside 50,outdside 50). Plenty of scope for chef/owner to exploit this unique location nestled ELLIPTICAL CROSS amongst some of the best BUDS NURSERY Club TRAINER 5-star resorts on the Is- Phuket's oldest bi-lingual Memberships land. Own website and international child care good TripAdvisor com- facility. High-quality, time- Available ments. Although the proven schedule and beach is seasonal, we curriculum. Now in brand- believe with the right new purpose-built school. LOCH PALM GOLF owner (Chef Owner) all- Experienced native MEMBERSHIP year-round business can English teachers to teach 585,000 baht. Tel: 081-270 be generated. Good turn- ages 1½ - 8. Mon-Fri 5609. over and well equipped. 8am-5pm. Bus service New with LCD display of Lease and restaurant fur- available from Patong, PCC GOLF time, distance, speed, nishings and fittings in- Karon, Kata, Phuket, MEMBERSHIP RPM and energy con- cluded in the package. Rawai and Chalong. Tel: 550,000 baht, not including sumption. Handle with Extendable lease period 076-384638, 080-624 transfer fee. Tel: 081-270 pulse meter. 12,000 baht. by negotiation. Priced to 7060. Website: 2045. Email: nongnut100@ Tel: 089-729 1113. Email: sell. For further details www.buds-phuket.com hotmail.com send your initial inquiry to: [email protected] sundownersphuket@ yahoo.com Immediate WEBSITE FOR SALE BLUE CANYON Response/Reply Highly professional property GOLF SHARE Golf Stuff website for sale. Launch ready. Blue Canyon Family Multi-lingual (UK, RU, DE). Can Golf Share. 900,000 be used as real-estate-agent site RESORT FOR SALE baht. Please contact for GOLF CLUBS or as (Phuket/Samui) portal site. more information. Tel: Full set, Ping rapture, very good Only 180,000 baht. Tel: 081-077 +46-7063-28320. Email: condition. 30,000 baht ono. Tel: 3548. Email: mz5005@gmail. [email protected] com 084-838 8878.

GM CURTAIN Computers Television Sells curtains, upholstery, and accessories domesti- Sets Well-established resort cally and internationally. We between Nai Harn and offer design and an outdoor USED COMPUTER Rawai, 2 rai in a presti- service installation in all prov- FOR SALE gaious area among villas. SATELLITE TV inces around the country. Second hand desktop Priced upwards of 50 mil- THAILAND We also give advice on the se- computer for sale. It's in lion baht. Two 2-story, 3- Satellite TV Thailand provide lection of material, equipment good condition like new. bedroom villas, 21 bunga- all sorts of Satellite TV ac- and all types of installation CPU AMD Brisbane lows, sauna, extra large cessories including HD work by a well-experienced 4000+ 2.1GHZ (Dual pool, office, 2 bars, restau- systems. We ship all and capable team. Curtains, Core), RAM: DDR2 2GH rant, laundry room, fully fur- goods cash on delivery any- sofa clothes, roller blinds, DD: 160GB, ODD: DVD- nished band stand with in- where in Thailand. Tel: 080- wallpapers, accessories. RW, O/S: Windows XP struments. Annual income 694 0663 (English & Thai), Address: 128/124 and Microsoft office pack- 089-821 3772 (English). is 6.5 million baht and up. age installed. Good for of- Price: 27.5 million baht. A Topland (Radsada) Email: sales@thailand Prachautid Rd., fice and internet user. propertys.com For further portion can be financed. 5,800 baht. Tel: 080-533 Please contact for more Muang Phuket. Tel: details, please see our 076-610072, 5674 (English). Email: website at www.satellite information. Tel: 087-275 [email protected] 1700 (English). 081-891 8148. tvthailand.net 40 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012

TOYOTA VIOS J AT Saloon Cars TOYOTA MRS 4 x 4s 07-2010,new, many extras, YAMAHA Rentals CONVERTIBLE-05 32,000km, insurance. Last MAJESTY 400 price: 475,000 baht. Tel: 083- PROTON EXORA TOYOTA FORTUNER 645 3317 (English). NEW JAZZ 2007 V 3.0 FOR RENT 1985 JEEP CJ7 USA Extremely rare rebuilt 4WD V8. Tel: 089-999 7597. Email: [email protected] For further details, please see our website: classifieds.russbo.com/ 82,000km. Perfect condi- index.php 2008 model, only 23,000 tion 1.3 million baht. Tel: km, green book, excellent 089-932 5175. Email: wojid MITSUBISHI LANCER condition. Price: 190,000 October 2011 (6 months) [email protected] baht. Tel: 087-893 1753. only 6,000km. 7/8 seats, for sale. 77,000km. Auto, 75,000 BAHT Short- or long-term with in- automatic, many options 4x4. In excellent condi- 5-speed, mint condition, runs surance and delivery ser- (GPS, spoilers, wheels). TOYOTA WISH 2.0 Q tion. Serviced by Toyota great, tax and insurance vice. Tel: 081-607 8567. Price new: 920,000 baht. VSC LTD Pearl. Price: 920,000 paid. For further details, SUZUKI GSXR600 Email: suksavat@hotmail. Now: 750,000 baht. Tel: 2007 Full option, 21,000km, full baht. Tel: 086-942 2007. please contact Sunny on com For further details, 081-788 8280. Toyota service history. Any 083-252 5509. please see our website at www.phuketcarsrent.com Toyota inspection welcomed. TOYOTA VIGO 2008 VW VENTO 1.8 - Tel: 086-032 0263. Email: 4 wheel drive, automatic, die- Motorbikes 133,000 BAHT [email protected] sel, 4 door, 4x4,ETCi VSC & CAR RENT Volkwagen Vento 1997,very cruise control, clear blue me- New model Honda Jazz for tallic, excellent condition, one HONDA STEED rent. 12,000 baht/month. Kois good condition.Pics/infos MERCEDES 2009 OCT FOR SALE C kompressor, 1 owner. careful owner. 65,000km. car rent. Tel: 080-891 7899. please call. Tel: 076-388478, Honda Steed 400cc, 23,000km 6,000km. Sunroof. 2 million 720,000 baht. Tel: 089-474 084-065 8036 (English & Thai). from new, good condition, regu- 2007, excellent condition. WHITE TOYOTA YARIS Email: [email protected] baht. Tel: 087-840 8163. 0543, 081-271 9050. larly serviced, 145,000 baht or 23,000km. Price: 270,000 For rent. 2 years old, 14,500 nearest offer. Tel: 081-294 9232 baht. Tel: 086-476 7856 baht per month. For rent 3 CITROEN AND AUDI 80 HONDA ACC JEEP WRANGLER 4.0 L (Thai), 086-639 7984, 085- (REAL ONE) (English). Email: steen.khao month to 6 month maximum. FOR SALE 3.0 VTEC 0 [email protected] 975 8960 (English). Jeep Wrangler, 4L automatic. Tel: 076-328218,K. Jens 085- Audi 80, automatic, silver. Jubilee model, 1 owner. Original import from Japan. 472 1506 (German),K. Bow Citroen Xantia automatic. 820,000 baht. Reply to nok Black label, full registration, 084-445 4654 (Eng & Thai). Cheap cars, all papers. Tel: [email protected] VESPA LXI25I 2012 BMW R1200GS firstclass insurance. Soft top 076-281196, 086-637 5003, Excl cond. 2007. Cost new: and hard top. Tel: 086-783 YAMAHA NOUVO 086-045 3139. Email: roger_ 1993 MAZDA MX5 1.1mn baht. Now: 645,000 baht. 135CC 7873, 086-316 6976 (English & Also BMW F650GS Excl cond. [email protected] FOR SALE 7 months old, 5,500km, re- Thai). Email: thornchaya444 3 years old. Cost new: 700,000 Convertible, hard top. Good cently serviced, green book, @yahoo.com baht. Now: 345,000 baht. Call condition. Tel: 076-222856, excellent condition. Price: 2011 FORD FIESTA Mike at 081-787 1752. Email: 089-866 4023. Email: manager TOYOTA VIOS 1.5 G A/T 39,000 baht. Email: gphol 1.6L @artandcultureasia.com [email protected] Black, perfect condition, [email protected] 10,000km only, 13 months old 2009 FORD FOCUS 610,000 baht neg. Please con- As new, only 2,300km, HONDA CLICK CAR FOR RENT 2.0 TDCI tact for more information. Tel: white. Cost new: 98,000, 9 months old, 9,201km, ser- Short or long-term rent. Good 36,000km, 2 years of warranty 084-144 3756, 084-041 1884 must sell - now only 78,000 viced regularly. Automatic, condition, discount rate. Tel: left. excellent in & out. Manual. (English & Thai). Email: marc. baht. Tel: 087-893 1753. white, alloy wheels. 38,000 086-690 6007, 080-521 7370. Leather, 18" org Ford alloys. [email protected] baht or near offer. Tel: 082-812 Price: 680,000 baht. Tel: 089- 3610 (English). Email: turne 866 3756 (English & Thai). [email protected] BRAND-NEW 2005 YAMAHA FINO MAZDA 2 FOR RENT 170,000 baht with car in- Email: frank@capesienna. TOYOTA FORTUNER FOR SALE surance. Paid 16 months com Metallic blue . Good condition KAWASAKI BOSS 175 of installments, buyer to and well maintained by one 9 years old, used daily, in- pay the balance to fi- HONDA JAZZ careful owner. 580,000 baht. cludes solid sidecar (now de- nance. Car used only FOR SALE Tel: 089-474 0543 (English & tached). Good condition. 27,600km. Perfect condi- Low mileage, like new, car. Thai), 081-271 9050 (English). Price: 29,000 baht. Tel: 082- tion. Tel: 080-520 2989. 550,000 baht. Must sell quickly. Email: maj-britt@lantadiver. 283 8902. Email: IIBC.Web Offers. Tel: 081-303 2202. com @gmail.com Short & long term with full insurance cover and de- 2008. Lady owner, ridden HONDA PHANTOM livery service. Tel: 076- Wheels & Motors only in Phuket Town, with 48,000km, good condition, 2- 289576 (Thai), 087-804 green book. Asking price stroke, runs good, green 4014 (Eng), 087-885 23,000 baht. Tel: 084-889 book. Price: 19,000 baht. 5765 (Thai & DK). Email: 2676. Please contact for more infor- info@kb-realestate. com mation. Tel: 080-320 0426. Please use this form to write your classified advertisement.

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|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| Classified ads are charged per line. Each line is 120 baht, with a minimum of 4 lines (heading included) per ad. All advertising must be paid for in advance. April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 41

SPEEDBOAT 21ft speedboat with 85Hp REDUCED PRICE Yamaha uutboard. Ideal for fish- ing, diving, skiing etc. Includes fishfinder & Plotter. Excellent condition throughout. 280,000 baht. Tel: 087-274 2601 (En- glish & Thai). Email: frank [email protected] Pegasus 8.2m. Built late 85FT FAST 2006, Suzuki 140hp 4- CRUISING SLOOP stroke. Approx 350 hours. Fully equipped mooring at Unfinished project. Fa- Boat Lagoon. Price: mous designer. US$4mn 550,000 baht. Contact: yacht for US$2.4mn fin- Martin 086-2687901 or ished. Tel: 081-865 0610 Pelle 081-8932575. Email: (English). Email: island [email protected], [email protected] [email protected]

RUBBER BOAT 3.8 METER JOTUN SEAFORCE 30 Yamaha, 30hp. 10 driving New 20 liter pail bought in hours. Price: 240,000 baht. Singapore @ S$23/ltr. Offers Please contact for more infor- invited. Please contact for more mation. Tel: 087-270 0941 information. Tel: +65-9-781 7508 (Thai). Email: tiinapaa vola@ (English). Email: my.lady.jo. medullaris.fi [email protected]

SOLUTIONS TO THIS WEEK’S PUZZLES Crossword puzzle: 2ND HAND SOLAR 9.4M LONGTAIL BOAT LAST CHANCE PANEL Recently painted, overhauled at Absolute bargain. 36-foot power SPEEDBOAT FOR New and secondhand solar boatyard in Chalong. Sale due to catamaran. Flybridge, fiberglass. SALE PV panels for sale. Siemens owner moving north. Offers over New and available now. Genuine 50W made in USA and 45,000 baht. Tel: 083-726 6951. interest only. No time wasters. Solarex 53W made in Austra- Email: [email protected] lia. Tel: 084-711 2744 (English LIFTING KEEL YACHT & Thai). Email: phuketgreen 1983 French steel sailing yacht, URGENT SALE @yahoo.com completely equipped and in the 5.6m Hypalon Rib (never water at Langkawi, Malaysia. At used) with new galvanized 43-FOOT CATAMARAN the giveaway price of €28,000 or trailer. Must sell. 400,000 11m custom-built diving/ 4 double cabins, not finished, in 1.2 million baht as our sabbatical baht. Tel: 080-595 4247 (En- snorkeling speedboat. composite. Must sell! Price: sailing year comes to its end. glish). Email: brad_urq@ 2x200cc Yamaha en- 550,000 baht. Tel: 087-461 8089. Email: [email protected] hotmail.com gines. Radio, GPS, all- inclusive. 900,000 baht. Also available; Bauer compressor, 40 tanks, nitrox filling station, Looking for boat & marine? BCDs and regulators. Contact Khun Joe. Tel: See more classified ads 087- 891 8912. Email: joe@similan-diving- at www.phuketgazette.net safaris.com 42 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012

ROCKWELL TECNAM P-92 CESSNA 172P YOUR HELICOPTER HAVE A PASSION Aircraft COMMANDER 114 -Price: 1.5 million baht With full IFR for 3 million baht. Flying and owning your FOR AVIATION? For Sale HS-AWS. Year: 1976. Operated -Registration: U-B08 Everything on the aircraft is own helicopter has just If you have an aircraft for sale or new, including Garmin Aera become possible. Free an interest in aviation and wish in Thailand for 6 years. Engine: -Year of Manufacturie: 2002 Lycoming IO-540T4B5D. 500. Interior and exterior was complete flight instruction to learn how to fly or buy an air- AIRPLAY ALTIS 1,300hrs and 700hrs until TBO. -Equipment: Full standard redone in 2010. The engine has course with your craft or arrange a private flight, MICROLIGHT Garmin and King radios. Autopi- equipment 700hours with TBO at 2,000. purchase.Please etc. Please see our website: Superb trike with Konig radial en- lot and Stormscope. Price: 3.75 -Engine: Rotax 912-80HP Cost: 2.8 million baht. Email : contactvia by email: www.aeropromgr.com/newslet- gine. Great economical fun. Little million baht. Located at Thai Fly- 350hrs. [email protected] [email protected] ter used. Tel: 089-111 6457, 081-397 ing Club, Bang Phra. Contact Please contact for more infor- 7598 (English & Thai). Email: Tony Scragg at mobile 081-906 mation. Aircraft is based at [email protected] 3250. Klong 15. Tel: 081-840 8418.

General Aviation • Aircraft for Sale • Aircraft Sharing • Aircraft Wanted • Aircraft Charter • Aviation Services • Flying Lessons

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Classified ads are charged per line. Each line is 120 baht, with a minimum of 4 lines (heading included) per ad. All advertising must be paid for in advance. April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 43 All change again in Bahrain By The Digby early season advantage, as every defending tactics. team now has the chance, within Michael Schumacher looked un- THIS season seems to be a battle the FIA rules, to test an upgrade impressive and came in 10th for the of the pit-lanes, with McLaren before the next race. last point. He would not have got leading the pit-boo-boo stakes, but Bahrain was dreadful for Will- that, but Sauber messed-up Perez’s several other teams are trying hard iams too. Pastor Maldonaldo spun pit stop and lost them the place. for this inglorious title. off with a blow-out, and teammate Ferrari was mediocre as ex- However, McLaren kept pected, with Fernando ahead in Bahrain. Alonso getting 7th place. The wear on tyres was At least Felipe Massa anticipated, though some got 9th place, his first teams, and in particular points of the season and Mercedes, did better than enough to keep his seat, expected. That is some- at least for now. thing to watch during the Red Bull became the rest of the season. fourth team in four races Bahrain was a nightmare to win. Sebastian Vettel for McLaren. Lewis won and Mark Webber Hamilton suffered two hor- came in 4th. It was almost rible pit stops, which cost a perfect day. might even have challenged for the son are now Vettel, Hamilton, him thirteen seconds and Vettel was firmly in- win if he had not lost so much Webber, Button and Alonso. But eight places, and robbed structed by his engineer time fighting team-mate Romain four or five others are snapping VERY BUNNY: Vettel celebrates win in classic style. Photo: AFP him of his podium points to park immediately after Grosjean, who came in third. Kimi at their heels. coming home in 8th place. Bruno Senna finally parked his car the chequered flag, and walk back benefited from not making Q3, and In the Constructors Champi- Jensen Button had an exhaust with severe vibrations, though he to the paddock, so clearly the car thereby saving an extra set of onship Red Bull and McLaren are failure, a puncture before finally a was never in the points. had given everything it could. Sev- tyres for the race. well clear of the others, for now. differential failure caused him to Mercedes faded back from the eral cars were in similar condition. Paul di Resta two-stopped to We now have six teams in the retire. So McLaren slumped, not limelight. Nico Rosberg came 5th Lotus had a dream day too, tak- come 6th for Force India, managing running, and a chance to test new on the track, but in the garage. and was lucky to avoid the cen- ing both 2nd and 3rd places. Kimi to hold off the attentions of Alonso. equipment before the Catalunya Their pits have squandered their sure of the stewards over his Räikkönen took second place and The leading drivers of the sea- Grand Prix on May 13. The business end of the season MANCHESTER is the place to be Monday night as City and United go head to head to decide the Premiership title. Roberto Mancini was right in his pre- diction, though anything less than a win for the Blues will leave them still without the top tier’s honors since 1968. Alex Ferguson still cannot believe that Everton managed to gain a draw 4-a-piece in a thriller at Old Trafford last Sunday, de- spite Wayne Rooney surpassing George Best in United’s all-time scoring list. The Red Devils will travel to the Ethihad as favorites, though a resurgent City will certainly fancy their chances on the back of recent results. City’s two-nil away win dropped Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Champi- onship next season, who should never have sacked manager Mick McCarthy mid-season. PAYBACK: Torres scores to send Chelsea into the Champions League final. Photo: AFP Tottenham have a chance to go above fixture list after. see what will be required of themselves later Newcastle if they beat Blackburn Rovers at The Gunners play against a “Premiership on in the week against Chelsea. home, and pressure on Arsenal, though Spurs’ safe” Stoke. Arsene Wenger knows it’s a Congratulations to Chelsea, and in par- challenge for a top four finish has not just must-win match, having played more games ticular Fernando Torres, after securing a had brakes applied, it has slipped into reverse. than their rivals, to keep up their impres- place in the Champion League’s final with Rovers need to take advantage of the sive drive for that precious Champions a brilliant 3-2 aggregate win against argu- situation, else relegation will be a certainty League football next season. ably the best team in the World, Barcelona . with only Wigan and Chelsea left on their Newcastle can relax this weekend and – Dean Noble

TENNIS: Rafael Nadal took the STRANGE SPORTS: Paul Roberts OLYMPICS: Mashable, the so- Monte Carlo Masters title for the 8th took “extreme ironing” to a new cial media news website, has re- year in a row 6-3 6-1, finally break- level recently by completing the ported athletes and spectators ing Novak Djokovic’s winning streak. Marathon des Sables, held in the visiting the London Games may Nadal’s display of precision tim- Moroccan Sahara, with an iron- violate legislation passed to pro- ing left Djokovic being pushed board strapped to his back. tect the event’s branding, should around the court, though the death Roberts completed the 155-mile they post ther own photos online. of his grandfather earlier in the race over six days in searing tem- A legal expert said this would week had taken its toll. peratures, finishing in a respectable cover athletes posting media of “I definitely don’t want to take 364th place out of 860 runners. themselves with products that are away anything from Rafa’s win. He The venture, which raised not Olympics sponsors, fans up- was a better player,” Djokovic said. £5,000 in aid of a hospice char- loading their own photos or video “But it’s a fact that I just didn’t have ity, was inspired by friends who of the games, and businesses at- any emotional energy left in me. saw the ExtremeIroning.com tracting customers with official Nadal completed the victory in website, showing people ironing Olympics nomenclature, like one hour 19 minutes, with an ace. clothes in remote places. “2012 Games”. 44 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012 April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 45 Putting on PowerPlay THE PowerPlay Golf format is the brain- child of two Britons; Peter McEvoy and David Piggins. Piggins is an entrepreneur, while McEvoy’s name will be recognized by many readers who are fans of amateur golf. McEvoy was a 5-time member of the Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team and a 2-time winner of the British Amateur Championship. How do you play PowerPlay Golf? First, start by re- membering that you’re still playing golf: tee off from the teeing ground, play down the fair- POWER PLAY: This dynamic new form of golf will hit the island on June 17 at the Laguna Golf I SURRENDER: A player targets the easier way, reach the putting Club with a chance to qualify for the National Finals being held in Hua Hin on October 6. “white flag” in a round of PowerPlay Golf. green, sink the ball into The biggest difference is the fact that there play” holes, but the harder hole locations fying Event. The top ten golfers, after two the hole. are two flagsticks on each green. One hole presumably make higher stroke totals more demanding rounds of PowerPlay golf, will earn A round of location on the green is “easy” (marked with likely.) the right to compete in the Thailand Finals in PowerPlay Golf is a white flag), and the other is “hard” (marked So that’s the first eight holes, but what Hua Hin, on October 6. played over nine with a black flag). about the ninth and final hole of a PowerPlay There, if victorious, golfers will have holes, rather than 18; Here’s the crux of PowerPlay Golf: Golf round? a chance to represent Thailand at the with scoring kept under Three times in the first eight holes, the On the ninth hole, all golfers have PowerPlay Golf World Championship. the Stableford points golfer must choose to play the more dif- the option to attempt another “power play”. Even if you are not one of the lucky ten system, each green hav- ficult hole location. The decision has to Making birdie or better again doubles the who wil progress, there are further op- ing two flagsticks rather be announced by the golfer on the teeing golfer’s Stableford points, but making portunities to win prizes in the “nearest than one. ground before striking the ball towards bogey or worse on a ninth-hole “power the pin” and “longest drive”competitions, The goal of any given hole. Doing so is called “mak- play” will lead to a points deduction. and goody bags ensure that nobody goes PowerPlay Golf is ing a power play,” hence the name of the So the optional ninth-hole power play is home empty-handed. to provide a faster game. riskier than the mandatory power plays over This Phuket Gazette and PGTV are the way to play golf, and If the golfer scores a birdie or better on a the first eight holes, but it presents the possibil- sponsors of this event. to introduce a more risk-reward strategy “power play” hole, his Stableford points are ity of a major leap forward by a trailing golfer. (which the game’s creators feel bumps up doubled. (Stableford points remain the same The renowned Laguna Phuket Golf Club is To register, visit asiangolfevents.com. Or call the excitement level). for pars or worse on those three “power the host of the June 17 PowerPlay Golf Quali- 081-988 0600 for more information. Phuket cricket sixes

SMASHING TIME: Southern Star batsman has his furniture rearranged.

BEST BUDDIES: Seemant Raju, General Manager of the Karon Sea Sands Resort & Spa donned his whites with friends Kishore, Richard Folds and Anthony De Blerk to provide entertainment for the crowd at last weekend’s ACST Cricket 6’s competition. While they failed to take home the spoon, their cup did run over. Photos: Dean Noble 46 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012

FIGHT ON: Buakaw signs autographs for fans. Photos: Yokkao Boxing HOMETOWN HERO: Buakaw started the Banchamek Gym for the children of his home village in Surin Province. Banned champion gets restart By Chris Hudon At the latest Thai Fight event “I can stand tough training, but not Buakaw knocked out Russian poor treatment. It is about mind, SOMBAT ‘Buakaw’ Banchamek, Rustem Zaripov with quick hand not the body.” Thai Fight Tournament winner and and elbow work, two minutes and Given the attention surrounding Walailak Games two-time former K-1 World Max fifty seconds into the second ‘Thai Fight’ and its bouts that pit Champion (70kg), has broken his round, in his first matchup repre- the champ against almost any for- contract with Por Pramuk gym and senting newly created Banchamek eign competitor, one thing’s for faces legal action after returning Gym. certain – a lot of money is at stake. strike back home to Surin province in early Since that fight, according to an Some have speculated that Thai law March. interview with Thai Media, Por won’t be enforced abroad, leaving Known to most by his fight name Pramuk camp plans to take legal promoters in the West looking to ‘Buakaw Por Pramuk’ (in Thailand, action against Thai Fight organiz- bill Buakaw for international fights. its common practice for fighters ers and the Sports Authority of Buakaw started his fighting ca- to take on the name of the gym Thailand (SAT) for not stopping reer at the age of eight in his home they train for), the aging legend Buakaw from entering the ring. province of Surin, in northeastern turns 30 years old next month with As of March 30 Buakaw has Thailand, where he has returned to a record of 204 wins; 52 KOs, 21 been officially banned from fight- construct the Banchamek Gym, losses and 12 draws. ing until he files a complaint with made possible through his longtime Under Thai law, because of the the SAT and is proven correct sponsor Yokkao. contract breach, Buakaw (whose about his claims of being “unfairly name means white lotus in Thai, treated” by Por Pramuk gym. For more info on Buakaw and to see ironic given his dark skin color) is Buakaw alleges that Por Pramuk his new gym visit: www.facebook.com/ no longer legally allowed to fight repeatedly mistreated him during yokkaoboxing and click on ‘Buakaw in Thailand, despite fighting in training, saying in an interview Banhamek training @ Banchamek Pattaya on April 17. with Thai Media in mid-March that, Gym’ photo album.

THE WINNERS PODIUM: From left, student representatives of Chiang Mai, Mahidol and Songkhla Nakkarin Universities. Photo: Walailak U

NINE gold medals were con- and Design at Walailak Univer- tested in a Phuket bowling sity presided over the opening showdown on April 19 as part ceremony for the Bowling com- of Wilailak University’s annual petition. sports games. Competing were more than The 31st edition of the Wilailak 100 students from 17 institu- Games was held from April 18 tions. to 25 in Nakhon Sri Thammarat Nutthannop Sooksai, bowling and Phuket. competition board secretary About 5,000 students from said, “Bowling is a very impor- more than 45 educational insti- tant sport, as it can strengthen tutions competed in the games, and improve health...this activ- which features 17 categories of ity can can bring unity and help sport, awarding a total 393 gold [athletes] become more familiar medals. with each other. The nine gold medals were Assistant Prof Ekapong contested at CS Bowl, Phuket, Junsenee said, “In the past 31 the bowling alley on the top floor years, Walailak University has of Big C Supercenter shopping had the chance to organize this complex along the Bypass Road activity [bowling] twice. The in Phuket Town. first time was in 2006, and this Assistant Professor Ekapong is the 2nd time. Julasenee, Dean of Architecture – Siangthai April 28 - May 4, 2012 PHUKET GAZETTE 47 Phuket repel cavalry charge By S Fein and S Layne Asian players in addition to one non-Thai Asian (the “3+1 rule”) FC PHUKET held Suphanburi FC on the pitch at the same time, to a scoreless draw on a water- while the rest must be Thai. logged pitch at Surakul Stadium Phuket’s Brazilian goalkeeper April 21. Alonso Jose Carvalho da Silva Just over 1,700 paying spec- was kept on his toes for a ma- tators turned up for the match, jority of the contest as including a bus load of orange- Suphanburi tried in vain to break clad “Suphanburi Blood” the ice with dozens of charges. supporters who made the 12- The visitors’ well-coordinated hour trip to Phuket to cheer on lines allowed for few counter at- their beloved “Elephant Cavalry”. tacks by Phuket, whose best Considering the superior attack- chance of the match came at 13 ing game and dominance of minutes. possession throughout the bulk of An on-target free kick from 22 the match, most of “The Hulk”, yards out by the home side’s Phuket’s main supporters group, Niran Phanthong was narrowly were content with the goalless re- denied by a diving punch from sult and its point awarded. Suphanburi keeper Prasit After all, Suphanburi boasts Nuamsala. DEAD END: Phuket’s Poramat Krongborisut is brought to his knees in a the highest budget of all 18 teams There were seven yellow challenge for posession in Saturday’s match. Photo: Pimwara Choksakulpan in the Yamaha 1 league, reported cards handed out in the scrappy, to have as much as 50 million defensive struggle, with Phuket’s next match will be an baht to spend this season. Phuket’s Nene Bi, Suwit away fixture on April 29 against Much of this is tied into its Najamroern, Marcio Santos and Sriracha Suzuki FC at Suzuki Sta- deadly arsenal which includes two Withipong Sittitanyakit among dium in Chonburi province. Brits, two Japanese, an Ivorian, a the recipients. Their opponents, the “Blue Mar- Korean and a Cameroonian. The even result of the sixth lin”, were relegated from the Thai In contrast, Phuket’s pro- fixture for the 2012 season Premier League and are currently jected budget is only 20mn baht, drops Phuket into 11th place of in 5th place with three wins, a mostly to cover the salaries of the 18-team Thai Yamaha 1 draw and two losses. its three Ivorians, two Brazilians league with a win, four draws Phuket are then set to return and two Koreans. and a loss. home to play a special friendly According to Thai Premier Meanwhile Suphanburi re- match against Myanmar league League regulations, each team is main in 9th place from two leaders Yadarbon FC on May 2. allowed to field only three non- wins, three draws and a loss. See the Gazette online for updates. 48 PHUKET GAZETTE April 28 - May 4, 2012 IronKids can do it all

FUTURE STARS: IronKids cut through the water before getting on their bikes in last weekend’s trial race held at the Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club. Photo: Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai By Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai Phuket, explained how the sport was growing Paradorn Mohr was the fastest of the swim, 6km bike and a 1.5km run; and the quickly and had captured the imagination of chil- juniors to complete the 50 meter swim leg seniors distances are a 300m swim, 12km THE Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club dren and parents alike. of the race, and, combined with his 3km bike, and a 3km run. (TSLC) IronKids Phuket 2012 series was “We had several adults join the seniors bike and 500m run, he crossed the finish Ms Ratcliffe said children from launched last weekend with 79 children from division which is a great way for beginner line in 12min, 51sec. Anuban Phuket were sponsored by kindergarten to high school seniors taking adult triathletes to join in the fun of racing “I am very happy to be the first to Advanced Info Service PLC, with part. They gave their all to make it to the and get a taste for it. The kids love it – cross the finish-line,” said Paradorn. training sessions prior to the race to finish line, as the sport continues to go and we have fantastic facilities for the “This is the second time for me; last help them become familiar with the from strength to strength. races, thanks to the help of TSLC. time I came in 6th place. I kept practic- course and the skills required for Sakda “Ben” Kammungkan and “After the race we will have little ing and improving, and I finally made it successful triathlon racing. Annalis Johnson mini kids events so they can try riding to first place today,” he said. “This is a good way for us to were the Senior around the track on the bikes and do a “The hardest part of the race was encourage the Thai children to par- winners (13-17 little bit of the run. It is one of my pas- the 500m run. I slowed down a little bit ticipate. Normally, they prefer to years old). sions to get kids to be part of the because I couldn't catch my breath, but I do it in a team, so one can do the The intermediate races to keep them healthy with kept telling myself ‘I can do this’, and I swim, another can do the run, and age group (9-11 years) cycling, running, and swimming,” did,” he explained. so on. This time we have five that was the largest field, with 37 par- she added. Winning the Juniors’ female category with did the race individually,” said Ms ticipants seeing Chris Thomson, a regular “It is going to grow bigger every a time of 14min, 25sec was Nanako McIn- Ratcliffe. IronKids Phuket first-placer, taking a strong year. Last year, the April race was tosh in her strongest finish since her first race TSLC’s partnership with lead to win the age group overall. Maxime our first and we had over 100 chil- last December. IronKids will include training camps and Chloe Schrijnemaekers led the girls, dren attend, and for the December race The Juniors’ course (6-8 years old) is throughout the year. finishing just a minute apart in first and sec- we had more than 200 children. I hope this comprised of a 50m swim and a 3km bike, The IronKids races in Phuket are ond place respectively. year the December meet we will have more followed by a 500m run. sponsored by the Phuket Gazette Claire Ratcliffe, Race Director of IronKids than 300 children,” she said. The intermediate distances are a 150m The Nation and PGTV.