Volume 11 Issue 12 News Desk - Tel: 076-236555 March 20 - 26, 2004 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 20 Baht The Gazette is published in association with Democrats Property leader in landslide IN THIS ISSUE OrBorJor NEWS: Expo center decision poll victory "up to Phuket people" – slams officials Chavalit; Mayoral candidate By Gategaeo Phetsawang disqualified. Pages 2 & 3 By Dhirarat Boonkongsaen INSIDE STORY: The fight to PHUKET: The ruling Thai Rak build more than sandcastles PHUKET CITY: The President Thai (TRT) party’s attempt to on the beach; Queer News. of the recently formed Phuket become a force in provincial Pages 4 & 5 Real Estate Club (PREC) has politics in Phuket received a slammed bureaucrats for con- major setback in the March 14 AROUND THE ISLAND: The stantly putting obstacles in the elections for the presidency of beach cleanup volunteers. way of the booming property the Provincial Administration Page 6 market. Organization (OrBorJor), with AROUND THE REGION: Second Announcing on March 12 the TRT candidate coming last Samui airport still in holding that the club plans to stage a pub- by a long way. pattern; Bus brigands. lic seminar on April 3 at the The winner, with 52% of Page 8 Royal Phuket City Hotel to ad- all votes, was Democrat candi- dress problems faced by those in date and former member of par- OFF THE WALL: Brucie pro- real estate development, Phum- liament Anchalee Vanich- poses an unusual opera. misak Hongsyok, former Mayor Thepabutr. She polled 59,639 Pages 10 & 11 of Phuket Town, said, “The real votes, followed by independents TALES OF A TRAVELER: Trek- estate market in Phuket has Wisut Santikul (34,505 votes) king among the suburban vol- boomed over the past few and Soratham Jinda (11,106), canoes. Page 14 months because many of the with TRT candidate Pol Col problems that plagued us in the Apirak Hongtong trailing behind DOWNSIDER: How to deal with early closing. Page 17 past are disappearing. with just 4,977 votes. “At the end of last year, The Democrats also man- BUSINESS & MONEY: Black banks started giving greater sup- aged to get 19 of their 20 gold found in Phuket's coffee port to real estate developers, OrBorJor member candidates boom. Page 21 and buyers began to trust the sell- elected, giving them an over- SPORT: Unlocking the secrets ers more. Also, property compa- whelming majority in the 24-seat of golf success; Sailing. nies started to do business prop- council. Pages 22 & 23 erly.” “I’d like to thank all those But bureaucrats are still people who voted for us,” K. GOOD LIVING: Going beyond holding things back, he said. Anchalee told the Gazette, “They bagels, bisque and a Nutty “The most common questions trusted us, so we will do our best Monkey. Page 25 [the club gets from members] are Phummisak Hongsyok: Government officers ‘are making the real to develop Phuket along the lines estate business very difficult’. PROPERTY: Home of the week about the various government we explained [in the election at the Boat Lagoon; Bloomin’ offices that are meant to provide “The shortage of water on academics from Chulalongkorn campaign].” Bert and the idle epiphytes; clear information, perform ad- Phuket is a lingering problem University. She said, “I’ve heard that Graham Doven cautions ministrative functions effi- and [so far] has been solved by “One of the main purposes someone filed a complaint with against becoming eroded. ciently, and offer equal treatment developers taking matters into of the PREC is to discuss and the Provincial Election Commis- Pages 26, 27 & 28 to all people. their own hands, rather than the find solutions to the problems sion (PEC) that I gave calendars “These offices are making government providing a viable faced by all those involved in the to people. PLUS the real estate business very dif- solution.” real estate business. It will assist “tThe PEC will consider if ficult with red tape, unclear in- The April 3 seminar will them in doing real estate busi- there’s anything wrong but we AROUND THE NATION 7; HAP- formation and unnecessary rules. consist entirely of questions and ness properly,” K. Phummisak are confident we have done noth- This blocks development, as the answers. Attempting to provide said. PENINGS 9; HOROSCOPES 12; ing to break the regulations.” real estate business requires or- the answers will be Land De- The seminar will be con- Wisut Santikul, the leader KIDS 15; MOMMA D UCK, YOUTH ganization and accurate informa- partment officers from Phuket ducted primarily in Thai and will of the recently-formed indepen- ’N ASIA 16; EDITORIAL & LET- tion.” and Bangkok, including the Di- cost 300 baht to attend, includ- dent OrBorJor Gao Mai – Khon TERS 18; FIRST PERSON, ISSUES He also called on the au- rector of the Land Department’s ing lunch. Registration will be at Baan Rao (New Step – Our & ANSWERS 19; COMPUTERS, thorities to take concrete steps Business Property Section, as 8 am. For more information con- People) Party told the Gazette BOOKS 20; MOTORING 24; soon to address water shortages well as a deputy managing di- tact the PREC at Tel: 076- that he believed he had lost be- CLASSIFIEDS 29-35. on Phuket. rector of Bangkok Bank and 218999 or 076-218747. Continued on page 2 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS March 20 - 26, 2004 Phuket people must Landslide win have their say on for Democrats From page 1 cause of the recent steeply rising expo center: Chavalit popularity of the Democrats in Phuket. “Another reason is that By Gategaeo Phetsawang people got the mistaken impres- sion that I was somehow repre- PHUKET TOWN: Phuket and its senting the TRT, even though I tourist trade are essential to kept telling them I was not,” he Thailand’s economy but what said. matters most is that the island’s At least one candidate was inhabitants decide their own fu- not beyond using dirty tricks, he ture, Deputy Prime Minister Gen noted. “A day before the poll a Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said on leaflet was circulated, accusing March 12. me of raping a 13-year-old. The “I’d like to ask if Phuket leaflets were distributed every- people really want to build the where, even to my home.” International Convention and The TRT candidate, Col Exhibition Center (ICEC) or Apirak, declined to comment on THALANG: Phuket Vice-Governor Niran Kalayanamit plants a not,” he said of the controversial his performance, saying that he rare and endangered species of palm tree called Kerriodoxa 2.5-billion-baht project which would wait until after the results elegans Dransfield, more commonly known as the white elephant has yet to get off the drawing have been officially verified. palm. board. “Until the results have been ap- The palm was planted March 11 at the Khao Prateaw “Right now, we have the proved, nobody can draw any Wildlife Conservation Development and Extension Center in budget – but what exactly do Gen Chavalit: ‘If people don’t conclusions,” he explained. Thalang in honor of HM Queen Sirikit’s 72nd birthday, which people want Phuket to be?” he agree, there will be a problem Phuket Election Commis- will take place August 12. asked. “It’s really up to them to later.’ sion (PEC) President Dr Prapa More than 80 students and goverment employees followed decide.” Kayee told the Gazette that the V/Gov Niran’s example and planted another 147 of the rare Observers saw Gen Chava- agree, there will be a problem PEC had received some com- palms. lit’s comment as an attempt to later,” he said. plaints about OrBorJor presi- overcome opposition to the in- Gen Chavalit and govern- dency candidates but none, so far, tended site for the ICEC project ment spokesman Jakraphop Pen- about member candidates. She Love boats on Phang Nga Bay on reclaimed land off Saphan Hin kair visited Phuket to meet me- declined to give further details. PHANG NGA: A day-long “Ro- tour of karsts and hongs, with the in Phuket City. dia from six southern provinces The OrBorJor election cen- mantic Canoe Wedding Project”, emphasis on true love. “Where the ICEC will be – Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, ter said that 114,322 people voted will see 18 couples – either re- Interested couples should built should be discussed with Ranong, Surat Thani and Chum- out of an electorate of 181,806 – cently engaged or newly wed, contact the Phang Nga Chamber local people to see if they agree phon – at a seminar at The a turnout of 63%. There were paddling out into Phang Nga Bay of Commerce at 076-411656 or with it or not. If people don’t Metropole hotel in Phuket City. 4,095 spoiled ballot sheets. on April 14 for an unusual free the TAT at 076-212213. Passion aplenty as ‘Tosca’ plays in Phuket CHERNG TALAY: The opera gods were risked emulating Ophelia – were capti- Tenor Nicholas Ransley made an im- Church of Sant’ Andrea della Valle with smiling on Phuket as the European Cham- vated by a delight that transcended the vi- pressive Caravadossi – his début in the particular charm and wit. For the benefit ber Opera (Echo) brought a dinner-scale sual and aural and became an exchange role – as Tosca’s lover, while Echo direc- of the non-Italian speakers and those new Tosca gloriously to life on March 13 at of energy between tor and baritone Stef- to Tosca, he gave an occasional puckish the Sheraton Grande Laguna. cast and audience. an Sanchez was commentary to the audience. There were, however, few smiles At times, one beastly secret police Mention must also be made of Kevin earlier in the day when rain almost stopped could sense the audi- chief Baron Scarpia.