Samui Gazette Edition 38 by Creative Techphoto Co., Ltd.

Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

Vol. 2 No. 11

59 Samui inmates get royal amnesty

By CHERDCHAI TAWEEMUANG FIFTY-NINE inmates of the Koh Samui Prison, including five expats, have been recommended for royal charity amnesty and a “Free the Prisoner” ceremony was performed recently on the island on the occasion of His Majesty King Bhumibol’s 84th birthday celebrations.

ROYAL PARDON - Koh Samui district sheriﬀ Prasert Jitmung (3rd from right), Samui Prison commander Arkom Muanyam (extreme right), and other municipality oﬃcials and community leaders presided over the royal reprieve granted to 59 Samui inmates on the occasion of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 84th birthday celebrations. ose released included a Russian, a Burmese, and three Laotian nationals. Nine of the 59 released inmates were women.

Of the 59 prisoners granted amnesty, 50 are men, nine are women. e freed prisoners included a Russian, a Burmese, and three Laotian nationals. Koh Samui Prison has 400 inmates. It is customary for His Majesty to use his royal grace in granting amnesty to prisoners during his birthday. Prisoners who may be granted amnesty are those who have shown good behavior, with reduced punishment, involved in petty cases, are sick or disabled, under 20 year-olds, first oﬀenders, and old prisoners. ose granted royal amnesty

are then freed and given a chance to reform and prove their worth to the nation. e Department of Corrections has selected the prisoners according to proper regulations. During the ceremony, those selected for royal amnesty took an oath of allegiance to reform and quit their illegal ways. ey also made a promise to do public charity for His Majesty the King. Prasert Jitmung, Koh Samui sheriﬀ, presided over the ceremony, along with Arkom Muanyam, prison commander of the Koh Samui jail, and other community and civic organization leaders.

“A family that deals with drugs together gets jailed together.”

Family of drug dealers nabbed By CHERDCHAI TAWEEMUANG A FAMILY that deals with drugs together gets jailed together – at least that’s how it seems, when members of one local family were arrested by the Koh Samui police in recent drug arrests. Police said they have arrested a family where the father is a drug agent, and his wife and son are drug sellers. e family was arrested recently after a police team headed by Pol.Col.Samran Machareon, Koh Samui Police superintendent, and Pol.Maj.Denduang ongsrisuk, administration and crimes control inspector, arrested a certain Wichan Jeanchohor, 37,

a construction worker in Maenam with two ice drug tablets. Upon investigation, Wichan allegedly confessed that he bought the drugs from a certain Tum (alias), a 16-year-old boy. e police – armed with a search warrant -- went to the alleged drug seller’s place to follow up. When the boy saw the police, he allegedly run to his bedroom but the police followed him. ere, the police found two big bags (200 tablets per bags) of yaba drug, and 157 tablets in other bags. Police also found 60 grams of ice drugs in 55 small plastic bags, hidden in the black

carry bag, cash, and related drug paraphernalia. Tum and another person in the house were brought to the Bophut Police Station for investigation. At the station, Tum admitted that the drugs belong to Chatchana Senanutch, 43, the owner of the house and his stepfather. Chatchana was in jail because the police have just caught him in another drug case just two weeks ago. Chatchana has been charged for selling drugs to Koh Samui teenagers. He allegedly forced Tum and Mrs. Noi (Tum’s mother) to sell yaba at Bt300 per

MINOR PEDDLING DRUG - Tum (not his real name), a 16-year-old minor, was found in possession of drugs (shown in photo) after police, armed with a search warrant, raided his house in Maenam recently. Found were two big bags (200 tablets per bag) of yaba drug and 157 tablets in other bags as well as 60 grams of “ice” drug in 55 small plastic bags hidden in a black carry bag, cash and related drug paraphernalia. He was charged with drug peddling.

tablet and ice drug at Bt5,000. Both Wichan and Tum have also been charged; the former for

illegal drug possession; and the latter for drug selling.

ISLAND NEWS

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

‘Tidal wave’ rumor creates near-panic among residents RUMORS of big, strong waves hitting Samui recently created near-panic among many people on the island but experts have dispelled these rumors immediately – and things are returning to normal. e rumors, according to some, probably started after strong waves and heavy winds lashed the shore in Tambon Maret on Christmas Day damaging some houses and resulting in a traffic jam along the beach road. High waves swooped over at least five houses – mostly of fishermen – but no one was hurt nor any major damage was reported. e waves also affected Tambon Maenam where they destroyed the breakwater and swelled over to a shop on the beach. It also damaged a main road on Baan Nathon, Moo 3, Tambon Angthong, with the water as high as a foot that remained on the road making it impassable by small cars. According to reports, the fishermen had to dock their boats on the canal to avoid damage and tourist boats have to temporarily stop service. Samui sheriff, Prasert Jitmung, ordered a police force led by Poonsak Sophonpratumrak, assistant district officer, to help the people and do initial survey on the affected areas.

ey told the people not to panic and follow the news thoroughly. e ferry service had since returned to normal. According to the rumors, a “storm surge phenomenon” will

flags to warn their guests from swimming. Also the community head of Fisherman Village, Moo 1, Tambon Maret reportedly advised the residents to follow the news and get ready to evacuate if

STRONG WAVES BATTER SAMUI - Strong waves (top photo) and heavy winds lashed the shores in diﬀerent parts of the island sparking fears that a tidal wave is going to hit Koh Samui recently. e rumor, however, was immediately dispelled by experts giving residents a sigh of relief.

aﬀect areas from Prachupkirikan to Narathiwat last Dec. 26. Amith Dhammasaroch, director of National Disaster Warning Council, also reportedly warned about the small storm surge phenomenon happening on said date. Samui Gazette visited the high-risk area reported and found the sea waves and the wind normal, and the people not showing any trace of panicking as reported. High tide was reported around 2-3 meters only. In many areas around Chaweng Beach, many hotels put up red

necessary. Among the houses damaged on Dec. 25 was that of Saman Mayen, 49, of Tambon Maret. A wave around 3-4 meters high attacked the shore, he said, and went on until his house was gone to the sea. Around five to six other houses were damaged but residents were safe although they have to stop fishing for a while. Meanwhile, availability of seafood has returned to Koh Samui, although prices are getting a bit stiﬀ because the fishermen stopped their trade temporarily.

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

ISLAND NEWS

‘Thief of all trades’ arrested SAMUI police recently arrested a thief who steals everything he can get his hands on --- as proven by the gamut of things they found at this house. Police said they found golf clubs, motorcycle, equipment, TV, watches, eyeglasses, and many others in the Tambon Namuang house of Saeree Mornoy, 37. e police found a total of 14 items, valued at around Bt100,000. ey took everything as evidence. e police also allegedly found ‘ice’ drugs and drug paraphernalia. According the police, the suspect confessed that he stole the things. Allegedly, he steals, and then sells them to a junkshop so he can buy drugs. e suspect allegedly admitted to doing it alone and doing it so many times, he cannot remem ber for how long.

CAPTURED - Saeree Mornoy, 37, (in pink shirt) is presented to the media after his arrest. e suspect admitted stealing anything from simple things like eye glasses to watches, golf clubs, to television sets and motorcycles. e police have been investi- of the suspect involved with the gating the rampant cases of case. Saeree is now facing stealing since early last month. charges and prosecution. en, the police found the trail

Red Cross kick starts blood donation drive KOH Samui Red Cross District recently teamed up with Big C (Samui Branch) for the New Year blood donation campaign. anomsri Rattanarak, Koh Samui Red Cross chairman, the Koh Samui Hospital team, and the Bic C (Samui Branch) manager, kickstarted this year’s blood donation campaign on the island. “Lots of accidents happen on the long weekend of the New Year that we now call ‘Seven Days of Living Dangerously’ in Samui,” says Mrs. anomsri. “Blood donations will make sure we have enough stock when emergency knocks.” e blood donations will be kept at the blood bank of Koh Samui Hospital.

Among the first donors were a couple, Triwit Trichum, 35; and

his wife Tassaneeya, 34 of Tambon Namuang.

GAZETTE GIRL # 38 Katarina, a 26-year-old Russian lass enjoys the tropical climate and the warm hospitality of the people of Koh Samui.

THE GAZETTE’S PAGE 3 NEEDS YOU. Because we like to keep things fresh, we invite you to send us your cool photos. Email them to editor@thesamuigazette.com or info@thesamuigazette.com.

ISLAND NEWS

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

Solar solutions for Samui OUR small paradise island is well known for long periods of sunny days. Compared to here, people in western countries like Germany, England or the Netherlands are living on the dark side of the moon – in terms of solar irradiation. Roughly spoken, there is double sunshine in Koh Samui compared to South Germany and three times more than in North England. But why is there so little usage of solar energy on Koh Samui while in Germany almost every farmer has a solar power plant on the roof of his pigpen? Why we cannot see the large roof areas of Tesco, Makro and Big C paved with solar panels? Why the big project developers are not adding solar panels to the villas with their millions of baht worth infinity pools? e first reason is and how should it be diﬀerent - money! In Germany, for example, the government guarantees pretty high solar subsidies for 20 years. As the investment for a small solar power plant has a ROI (return of investment) between 10 to 12 years: It is profitable. Even a private house owner with a small roof will have a guaranteed profit. While in ailand there are only rather small subsidies for only large solar power plants. A private house owner with his 200 sq.m. roof will not get any subsidies. Even the roofs from Makro or Tesco paved with solar panels are too small to apply for government subsidies. e second reason is pretty simple - your project developer – ai or foreigner – might be good in choosing beautiful pool tiles but he will have no idea about this strange solar topic.

And you as a house owner on Koh Samui are just overwhelmed with this question. is is enough for bad input. Solar energy can be quite useful on Koh Samui, even without subsidies and legal backup. First of all, here nobody cares about if your roof is paved with solar panels and you are the owner of all small power plant. It just means that this solar array will provide enough power to supply the constant daily loads like pool pumps and refrigerators. If the solar energy is bigger than your load, your electric meter will just turn backwards and hence reduce your energy bill. Second, if you pay your bill not to the electricity oﬃce Nathon but to a greedy landlord asking you twice or more the standard rate, solar energy is not only a “feel-good-product” but it will be your piggy bank in the longer term – and it will drive your greedy landlord really mad.

ird, if you built far away from the next power pole and the electrical oﬃce is asking you a fortune to be connected to the local grid, it is possible to be completely “oﬀ-grid.” As solar panels are pretty cheap these days the additional investment for a huge battery setup and a battery inverter is reasonable. ose systems are working fine on Samui and on the neighboring islands. To cut down the investment for the solar system you must rely on low energy solutions for pumps, lighting and air conditioners. All of those are meanwhile available in ailand. Although there are no subsidies it makes sense to think about solar energy on Koh Samui. Considering that there are areas with very high energy costs solar energy is more than a “feel-goodproduct.” ere are useful solar solutions for Samui.

A private house with solar panels

Workers (top and bottom photos ) installing solar panels.

ISLAND NEWS

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

Pharmacist, boyfriend arrested for drugs By CHERDCHAI TAWEEMUANG THE continuing eﬀort to rid Koh Samui of illicit drugs before the New Year yielded another arrest, this time including a pharmacist. Pol. Col. Samran Machareon, Koh Samui Police superintendent, Pol. Lt. Col. Kappanart Nirattanatimanont, deputy superintendent; and Pol. Maj. Denduang ongsrisuk, administration and crimes control inspector led a police team in another a search and arrest operation warrant. With a search warrant, they checked out a house in Tambon Taling-ngam, reported to be the house of a drug seller.

A certain Noppadol (Chon) Choopong, 26, owns the house and he lives with his girlfriend, Rangsiya Chaopitakkul, 25, who allegedly works in a pharmacy. According to the police, Noppadol admitted to owning the drugs. He allegedly said they bought the drugs from a certain Mr. O (surname unknown) for selling to Samui teenagers. When the police check out the records of Rangsiya, they found that she has record of taking drug and has been arrested before. e police alleged that she has been long involved with a drug agent

and has been selling drug before. e police found ice drugs loaded in four white bags with 10 small bags inside each, totaling 62 grams in all. ey also found and confiscated alleged drug paraphernalia including drug-taking equipment, six cell phones, a stash of cash and a digital scale. ey were brought to the Koh Samui Police Station. e recent arrest is part of a police eﬀort to wipe-out drug plans before the New Year. e police said Noppadol has been under surveillance for some time for alleged

drug involvement.

SELLING LEGAL, ILLEGAL DRUGS - Police present to the media a pharmacist, Ms.Rangsiya (left, seated) and her boyfriend Mr.Noppadol (beside her) along with the evidence after both were arrested for allegedly dealing with illegal drugs.

Another dead body found floating By CHERDCHAI TAWEEMUANG

NOW! AN ADDITIONAL STORE AT BEAUTIFUL WORLD FURNITURE STORE IN MAENAM Address: 69/35 Moo 5 Ring Road Maenam, Koh Samui Suratthani Thailand and At Nikki Beach 96/3 Moo2 Lipa Noi, Koh Samui Suratthani Thailand

ANOTHER dead body, with distinguishing tiger tattoos on the chest, was recently found floating on the sea. e body sustained four bullet wounds, making the police suspect that the victim was killed before his dead body was thrown into the sea. Pol. Lt. Col. Sirichai Kerdsri, investigation inspector (Chief of Marine Police), learned of the dead body from a Samui-Koh Phangan tour boat staﬀ who reported seeing a dead body floating on the sea around seven miles from the mainland. e rescue team found the dead body and brought it to the shore at Baan Nathon Port, Moo 3, Tambon Angthong for investigation. e victim has a big body, around 165-170cm tall, and estimated to be just around 30-35years-old. He has tiger tattoos on his left chest, carries a Nokia cellphone, and looks well-dressed police said. e victim suﬀered a bullet on the left chest through the back, a bullet on the costa border, another bullet on occipital bone and still another bullet on the left temple. He died three days ago before he was found, the police presumed. e police sent the still unidentified dead body – as of presstime -- to the Koh Samui Hospital, and prepared to follow up the case.

FLOATING DEAD BODY - Photo shows another dead body found in the sea recently.

ISLAND NEWS

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

Foreigner proxy firms face crackdown THE Department of Special Investigation has announced it will crack down on foreigners who illegally exploit loopholes in the law to operate businesses which are normally oﬀ-limits to them, Bangkok-based media reported. According to various media reports quoting DSI chief arit Pengdit, the agency has been given the authority by the Cabinet to investigate nine more categories of special cases including human traﬃcking, computer crime and foreign businesses. Mr. arit was quoted saying executives were deciding how to crack down on criminals this year. e DSI chief said prime target of the crackdown are transnational criminals who have exploited loopholes in the legal system to use ai nominees to run businesses not open to foreigners, as their influence was expanding. A statement attributed to him said the state was losing huge amounts of taxes and revenues as a result of such schemes.

Under the Foreign Business Act 1999, businesses such as newspaper publishing, radio broadcasting, television, logging, rice farming and land trading are oﬀlimits to foreigners. Other businesses covered by the law such as sugar-making or mining must be majority-owned by ais. e law, however, has a loophole in that it does not forbid foreigners from holding a majority on the board of directors or having control over voting rights, the reports say. According to Mr. arit, many foreigners have sought to invest in prohibited businesses by using ai proxies to operate on their behalf. e reports said some of the businesses which foreigners have entered include rock-blasting and crushing, sugar mills, tourism, engineering and architecture. He said foreigners are behind the operations of many of these reserved businesses in Koh Samui and Phuket and several other

tourist provinces. Previously, many of these foreigners held land through ai nominees for their own use, but now they are expanding their influence into new sectors such as real estate, land development and building condominiums, Mr. arit said. e DSI had also heard reports of a group of foreign gangsters extorting protection fees from other foreigners. Mr. arit was quoted saying some of these foreigners had used ai nominees to set up shell companies and used them as a front to launder money and transfer the laundered money overseas. Others are involved in passport forgery and human traﬃcking, he said. e DSI chief added his agency would have to take an aggressive approach to cracking down on these activities before ailand enters the Asean Economic Community in 2015.

Teen irritated by loud noise shoots at crowd A TEEN AGER, whom police presumes just want to show oﬀ and take revenge after being annoyed by loud sounds, recently shot a drug-suppression volunteer at a local “car audio exhibition” then drove away. e incident happened at the car park of car accessory shop on aweerajpakdee Road, Tambon Maenam. Police responding to the incident found groups of teenager enjoying car audio that one enthusiast brought to the show. ere were more than 10 cars and they were dancing to loud music “coyote” style. e injured man was identified as Samruay Tontan, 41, from Tambon Angthong. e drug suppression volunteer was groaning in pain when the rescue team arrived. Police said the bullet went through his right neck but he was still conscious when they arrived. He was brought to Koh Samui Hospital.

Boontham said he ran to help Upon investigation, Boontham the victim and called the police. Boonsa, 47, friend of the victim, He said the victim has no quarrel said he and the victim as well as with any one. other volunteers often come in e police presumed the gunthe area to holds a “car audio exhibition” of sorts to the delight of man must either be one of those their audience. ey we’re playing teenagers living near the area who became irritated with the loud loud music. noise and big crowd; or he is out He said he saw a teenager (17 to 20-year-old) parked a motorcy- for revenge. Investigation on the case concle across the exhibition area. tinues. en, he continued, the teenager shot at the exhibition crowd and a bullet hit the victim. en, he rode away heading to the police booth of Baan SHOOTING VICTIM - Samruay, the shooting victim. Maenam.

Myanmar baby born inside taxi A MYANMAR woman gave birth on a taxi while on the way to the hospital on New Year’s Eve. e taxi driver, food seller and the rescue team helped deliver the baby boy. e mother was identified as a 20-year-old Myanmar girl, known only as So. e baby was born inside the taxi with the driver, Kullanat Chalatkitsirikul; the food seller, Chutamat Phonyai; and the rescue team acting as midwife. e boy weighed around 2.70kg. Both the baby and the mother are now safe. So and her husband works as laborer at a local construction.

335 New Year deaths THE seven dangerous day period of the 2011 New Year Festival has seen a decrease in road casualties and accidents compared to last year, with 335 deaths and 3,375 injuries in 3,093 accidents, the Road Safety Center reported. Most accidents resulted from drunk driving, the report says. From December 29, 2011 to January 4, 2012, there were 3,093 accidents (404 cases or 11.55 percent fewer than last year), killing 335 persons (23 persons or 6.42 percent less than last year), and wounding 3,375 persons (375 persons or 10 percent less than last year). Chiang Rai had the most cumulative injuries at 121 persons and the most accidents at 115 cases. Most accidents resulted from drunk driving (37.28 percent) and speeding beyond legal limit (20.63 percent). Most accidents involved motorcycles at 81.47 per cent followed by pick-up trucks at 9.34 percent. Over half (62.30 percent) of the accidents took place on straight stretches of road and the period from 4pm to 8pm saw the most accidents occurring at 28.87 percent. About 54 percent of road casualties were of working age. e nationwide checkpoints stopped 4,797,164 vehicles and punished 643,445 law-breaking motorists, mostly for not wearing helmets (200,909 cases) and not carrying driver's license (185,856 cases). Although the accidents were lower than last year, the rate of major accidents causing the death of many remained high, Yongyuth said. Four risk factors were involved: drivers speeding beyond legal limit, drivers dozing oﬀ behind wheel, bikers failing to wear helmets, and truck passengers failing to fasten seatbelts or riding in the truck's open part in the back. In a related news, Metropolitan Police deputy chief Turn to page 15

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

ISLAND NEWS

"Ladyboy" airline takes to the skies

PC AIR hired four of "Ladyboy" flight attendants, some of whom were among the crew when the airline made its debut trip between Bangkok and the southern city of Suratthani last month. e start-up airline decided to set itself apart from its competitors by hiring "katoeys" – as transsexuals are know in ailand – when it received more than 100 applicants from "ladyboys" for the jobs. ailand has one of the world's largest populations of "ladyboys" and ai doctors are pioneers in gender reassignment because of the high demand from men wishing to become women in the country. "Ladyboys" are widely accepted in socially conservative though tolerant ailand, often working in the cosmetics shops and health stores. Some only chose to dress and make-up as women rather than having a sex change operation that can be fraught with compli-

cations. But the four "ladyboy" hostesses hired by PC Air in February – along with 19 female and seven male cabin crew – have all had sex change operations. PC Air's chairman, Peter Chan, said he wanted to expand the opportunities open to "katoeys", but

also believed they would be a boon to his airline because of they are service-minded. e "ladyboy" flight attendants were picked on the basis that they moved like women and spoke with feminine voices. ey have undergone training in airline security and safety, make-up and

flight service. Chayathisa Nakmai, who made her inaugural flight from Bangkok to Vientiane in neighboring Laos on Christmas Eve, said it had been her lifelong ambition to become an air hostess. "It's always been my dream since I was little to work as a flight attendant," she said. "I feel glad and proud. My parents are proud of me too. It's more diﬃcult for transgender people to be flight attendants because it's the first chance we've had to do this job." e "ladyboy" stewardesses wear special goldcoloured "third sex" name tags to distinguish them, but few on the flight to Vientiane were able to tell them apart from the female crew. "I still don't know who is a 'ladyboy'," said Anut Pruksuwat. "I think they're all very friendly. ey provide great service to the passengers."(Source: elegraph.co.uk)

Niche markets focus to highlight Thailand’s top travel show in 2012 BANGKOK — Four of ailand’s top niche-market tourism segments will be featured prominently at the 2012 ailand Travel Mart Plus Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+2012) to be held between June 6-8 at Impact Muang ong ani Exhibition Centre. Organized by the Tourism Authority of ailand (TAT) together with the ai tourism industry, the TTM will feature products and services related to ecotourism, golf, health and wellness, and wedding and honeymoon in a special dedicated pavilion. In addition to the four mentioned categories, which have always been ailand’s strong points, there will also be a category focusing on general leisure. e TTM+ is the country’s premier annual trade event designed to promote travel and tourism to ailand and its neighbors in the Greater Mekong Subregion. One of its primary objectives is to provide a platform for the region’s small and medium sized en-

trepreneurs (SMEs) to cost-eﬀectively promote their products and services, especially as many of them cannot aﬀord to go to foreign trade shows. is year, over 400 booths are available for travel operators and service businesses across ailand and the GMS countries. e business categories arranged for the event are accommodation, entertainment, tourism organization / association, tour operator / travel agent, transportation and other travel services. Buyers are sourced from the major markets such as Europe, South East Asia, Eastern Asia, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as emerging ones like the CIS countries, Eastern Europe, Middle East, South America, and South Africa. TAT governor Suraphon Svetasreni said, “e focus on the four niche-market segments is based on the global trend for more experiential tourism, especially among repeat travellers seeking to spend more focussed time on a particular activity. “ere is direct benefit for both buyers and sellers in this product based category. It will open up opportunities for doing more business, understanding each other’s needs and improving the creativity and quality of services. is is because the buyers and the sellers could directly relate to each other’s field of expertise”. Ecotourism: e ai travel and tourism industry is becoming increasingly conscious of its environmental responsibilities. According to TAT governor Suraphon Svetasreni, “e need to reconcile the economic and ecological impact of travel and tourism is critical to the balanced strategy that we are pursuing as part of our tourism development policies.” e governor pointed out that the TAT has for years been undertaking environmental protection activities and projects such as the Green Leaf Certification Program, the ailand Tourism Awards program and the 7 Greens Concept, with an aim to promote environmentally-friendly tourism. Golf: ailand boasts over 200 Turn to page 15

NATION

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

Climate activists sue PM, execs for flood mismanagement BANGKOK - Climate change activists from the Stop Global Warming Association recently led 300 flood victims in suing Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and 10 other government agencies for their inadequate response and mismanagement during the recent flood crisis. Environmentalist Srisuwan Janya, who heads the anti-global warming group, representing 352 plaintiﬀ was first flood victims plaintiﬀs jointly filing suit in ailand’s Administrative Court, demanding that the defendants financially compensate those affected by the flood for the actual cost of damages. Stop Global Warming also demanded the government to ready a Bt2 billion budget annually for

a flood victims' rehabilitation fund. e fund would be increased by the 5 percent annually or in accordance with inflation. e 11 defendants were the Prime Minister, the Flood Relief Operations Centre (FROC) chief, the Agriculture and Cooperatives ministers, the Interior minister, the director-general of the Royal Irrigation Department, the director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, the director-general of the Water Resources Department, the director-general of the Pollution Control Department, the director of the National Disaster Warning Center, the director-general of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning and the Gov-

ernor of Bangkok. e petition was filed with the environment section of the Central Administrative Court. Mr. Srisuwan said the group was only the first batch of the flood victims demanding the government to accept responsibility and he believe similar lawsuits would follow. He said the complaint was filed on grounds of negligence, delayed delivery of services and committing acts damaging to the public. is was the first 'class action' case involving hundreds of people taking legal action against relevant authorities and oﬃcials, including the prime minister, over the flood crisis. (MCOT online news)

Cabinet reshuffle is due - Suan Dusit Poll BANGKOK - Most poll respondents said it was time for a Cabinet reshuffle with most of them wanting to see a change in the Interior Ministry, according to the latest Suan Dusit poll. e survey was conducted among 1,827 people in Bangkok and surrounding provinces from December 13 to 17. Most of respondents of the poll said it was time for the Cabinet reshuffle because they clearly saw no results from the government's performance with the performance of some ministers particularly underwhelming. A minority, or 19.59 percent, that it was viewed too soon for a Cabinet reshuffle because the government has been working to tackle the flood crisis after it took

power and has yet to do other work as stated in its elected policies. e highest number of respondents, or 29.23 percent, thought that the Interior Minister should be changed, followed by the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives at 20.12 percent. Asked if a Cabinet reshuﬄe will help stabilize the government, most respondents, or 57.89 percent, said they were not sure, while 34.64 percent believed it will make the government more stable. A plurality of 42.59 percent said only some ministers should be removed while 36.56 percent

said all ministers should be changed. Most of the people surveyed or 44.91 percent said the Cabinet reshuﬄe should be done in midJanuary while 29.47 percent said that it should wait until six months after Ms. Yingluck's government took oﬃce in August 2011. (MCOT online news)

Songkhla warned of landslides due to rains SONGKHLA - e Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department warned 10 districts in Songkhla to beware of possible landslides following continuous heavy rain for several days. So Hemsakul, head of the Songkhla Disaster Prevention and Mitiga-

tion Oﬃce, issued a warning for possible landslides in 10 districts. Local authorities reported a landslide in Maepru Forest Reserve in Rattaphum District.Local residents along the southeastern coast from Surat thani southward were warned of torrential rains

and flash floods triggered by the strengthened northeast monsoon over the Gulf of ailand. All ships at sea are warned to proceed with caution and small boats advised to stay ashore during the next 2-3 days. (MCOT online news)

Yingluck meets Myanmar’s Suu Kyi YANGON, Burma - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra recently met Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, saying she supported the neighboring country's democratic process. After attending the 4th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit 2011 in the Myanmar capital, Naypyidaw, Ms. Yingluck flew to Yangon to meet Aung San Suu Kyi at the ai ambassador's residence at around 5.30pm. itima Chaisaeng, government

spokesman, said Ms. Yingluck praised Ms. Suu Kyi's spirit and strong determination to boost democratic development in Myanmar constructively, particularly the decision of her party the National League for Democracy (NLD) - to join the upcoming by-elections. e NLD registered as a party again after boycotting last year's parliamentary poll. Ms. Yingluck reiterated that ailand was an ally and a close neighboring country of Myanmar and wants to see its

neighbor's development in every field. Myanmar's stability and prosperity are also seen as ai stability and prosperity. Asia is ready to cooperate with Myanmar for further progress, the government spokesman said. e Premier also gave emotional support to Ms. Suu Kyi and the people of Myanmar to succeed in developing a strong and sustainable democracy as well as a society and economy concretely beneficial to the Myanmar people. (MCOT online news

UNESCO supports government in recovery of Ayutthaya Heritage site BANGKOK - e United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) affirmed its commitment to cooperate closely with the government in restoring the Ayutthaya World Heritage site after the disastrous the 2011 floods. UNESCO is Mobilizing world-class expertise and facilitating international collaboration to support the Ministry of Culture's Fine Arts Department in the recovery effort. "UNESCO is concerned about the recovery of Ayutthaya in both the short-term and the long-term," says Gwang-Jo Kim, director of the UNESCO Bangkok office. "A multi-disciplinary effort will be needed to ensure that the historic site and its larger urban and natural context will be sustainably managed in the future." Experts mobilized by UNESCO are formulating recommendations for the restoration of the monuments and decorative features, especially murals, along with the overall conservation of Ayutthaya as a living

urban landscape as well as comprehensive water management measures to mitigate future flooding impacts. e international expertise is designed to complement advice from specialists at the Asian Institute of Technology, the Association of Siamese Architects, the Department of Public Works and Town Planning, the Engineering Institute of ailand, the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute and ICOMOS ailand who have also been cooperating with UNESCO and the Fine Arts Department. e entire historic island of Ayutthaya and its surrounding area was submerged for over a month starting in early October. A total of 157 historic monuments in and around the Ayutthaya World Heritage site have been aﬀected by the floods. Ayutthaya was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1991. (MCOT online news, UNESCO)

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

BUSINESS

3-M tons of rice mortgaged under gov’t plan BANGKOK - ailand’s farmers have mortgaged over three million tons of unmilled rice since the Oct. 7 startup of the government's rice mortgage scheme. Deputy Commerce Minister Poom Sarapol made the announcement after a Rice Mortgage Subcommittee meeting recently due to the flood crisis. Covering more than 20 provinces nationwide, he said the amount of rice mortgaged was less than expected, while some

farmers sold their harvest to middlemen oﬀering a better price. Whether many farmers will bring their rice under the mortgage scheme will depend on market prices. e rice pledging program will end on Feb. 29 and will not be extended, Mr. Poom said. e government may start a mortgage scheme for oﬀ-season rice in the future if farmers still have unmilled rice in their stocks. e subcommittee's meeting

assigned related agencies to speed up the processes for payment to farmers after complaints they had not received their money. Mr. Poom said claims have been made by some false rice farmers seeking mortgages, particularly in ailand’s border areas. Legal action will be taken against those found to be attempting to defraud the system.(MCOT online news)

Unmilled rice

Possible Cabinet reshuﬄe unlikely PTTEP wins concession to negatively aﬀect 2012 economy for 2 Myanmar oil fields

BANGKOK - Bank of ailand (BOT) governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul says he believe the possible Cabinet reshuffle, which may occur in January 2012, is not likely to have any negative impact on the overall economy. According to Mr. Prasarn, the government may want to implement some changes in the Cabinet in order to improve the government's overall performance. However, the reshuffle will not negatively affect the 2012 economy, which was projected to grow by 8.4 percent, the governor said. He added that next year's exports were forecast to expand by the eighth percent. Regarding bombs found and

defused at several locations in the capital during the past week, Mr. Prasarn believed that relevant agencies have suﬃcient information to resolve the problem. He personally called on everybody to perform their duties as

best as possible, aiming to restore confidence among foreigners. If the country is peaceful, then national development can move forward, he said.(MCOT online news)

Bank of ailand Gov. Prasarn Trairatvorakul

Don Mueang Airport to reopen Apr 1 BANGKOK - Don Mueang Airport is to reopen on April after the flood crisis but whether airlines will resume services there depends on their company decisions. Flying Oﬃcer Anirut anomkulbutra, Airports of ailand (AOT) president, spoke recently on the airport's rehabilitation after it had been hit by flooding for almost two months. Two airlines, Nok Air and Orient operated commercially at Don Mueang before the flood crisis. Both carriers are temporarily running their service from Suvarnabhumi Airport. e president said the surface of both the Eastern and the Western runways have not been damaged and are still strong, as verified by the Department of Highways. AOT will repair the infrastructure at the airport, at an estimated cost of Bt20 million for repairs and maintenance.

A new problem at Don Mueang is the great number of birds now living in the vicinity of the airport, causing a possible danger to aviation. Fish, as the birds' source of food, arrived with the floodwaters during the flood. ailand is searching for airports of technology, used internationally by other

airports, to chase oﬀ birds, Flying Oﬃcer Anirut said. Once such obstacle occurred at Suvarnabhumi Airport. AOT recently held a Big Cleaning Day event at its headquarters in Don Mueang after the district had been under water area for about six weeks. (MCOT online news)

BANGKOK - PTT Exploration and Production Plc, (PTTEP) has won its bids for two onshore oil blocks in Myanmar, Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said last Dec. 21 after he met his Myanmar counterpart U an Htay the day before. Mr. Pichai accompanied Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to Myanmar as she attended the Regional Summit in Naypyidaw. e energy minister said his Myanmar counterpart informed him that PTTEP, subsidiary of PTT Plc, ailand’s largest oil conglomerate, won its bid for two Myanmar oil onshore blocks. Myanmar also indicated support of the PTTEP proposal to seek petroleum in the Andaman Sea in two oﬀshore petroleum blocks - MD7 and MD8 - but more details must be considered and discussed. Myanmar wanted to see investment in a gas separation plant in Myanmar after the PTTEP's exploration

found wet gas in the M9 gas field, which will be ready for use in 2016. e M9 Field is Myanmar's first field of wet gas, suitable for petrochemical production, he said. e PTT group is ready to invest more and Myanmar can also invest by granting ailand further petroleum concession, the Minister said. He invited Myanmar's Energy Minister to visit petrochemical investment in ailand’s Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in the Eastern Province of Rayong. e invitation was welcomed by his Myanmar counterpart, who will attend the International Petroleum Technology Conference to be held in ailand Feb 7-9, 2012. (MCOT online news)

Now at new location just across Farmer’s Restaurant

OPINION

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

Editorial

Encouraging signs THE last quarter of 2011 saw signs of another discouraging prospect for Koh Samui in terms of tourism as flooded streets of Bangkok, the capital, hugged the news headlines around the world for weeks, making tourists think of spending their holidays some place else. ere was also the economic problems being encountered by some European nations, traditional source of travelers to ailand and stakeholders in the tourism industry on the island are wary of the negative eﬀect these events may have on Samui’s major economic livelihood - tourism. e later half of December 2011 and the first week of 2012, however, showed healthy signs that the island may enjoy a good season after all. Tourists have begun flocking in good numbers and have been keeping most businesses busy with the souvenir shops and bars as well as the hotels and resorts humming and bustling with activity. Perhaps the best gauge Samui tourism is really enjoying good days again are the many people (tourists) who can be seen walking on the streets of Chaweng, Lamai, Maenam and Bangrak and of course the wide smile seen on the faces of busy taxi drivers these days. Mother Nature seems to have given her blessing as well as Samui has been enjoying good weather for weeks so far unlike in the same period in 2010 when heavy rains and floods wreaked havoc on the island’s tourism industry that lasted for days. Of course, who would forget the March 2011 floods resulting in knee-deep to waist high floodwaters inside hotels and resorts that drove tourists out of Samui. e bad experienced was worsened by the closure of the aiport and the suspension of ferry services to Donsak that left most stranded travelers thinking twice before returning to Koh Samui. ese days seem a lot better with workers in the tourism industry making more income and businesses recovering from previous losses and beginning to generate profits. We can just hope these positive things happening on this tourism-dependent community will continue on and not lost again over some disaster, man-made or natural. But with tourists back again and the weather but cooperating, there is still the need for the people on the island to make sure they really make the guests’ stay as safe, as hasslee-free and as enjoyable so that they will think of coming back again and again. e kind of service - caring, smiling, attentive, courteous - that ailand has been known for, is still the best way to win the hearts of discerning tourists. It is a formula that’s been tested and definitely will work for all involved in the tourism industry.

Karaoke: Oh what a night! By STEPHEN LARKIN THE Italians gave us pizza and beautiful women, the Australians gave us didgeridoos and Crocodile Dundee, the Germans gave us Knockwursts and Speedos, and the Japanese … well, the Japanese of course gave us Karaoke. Yes indeed, thanks to the Japanese, people the world over can live their Pop Idol dreams. In a Karaoke bar, for a few precious minutes, men can stand in the spotlight and pretend to be Frank Sinatra; women can pout their lips, adopt a sultry stance and pretend to be Whitney Houston. Unfortunately the reality is that men, while certainly doing it their way, don’t sound remotely like Frank Sinatra, and only Whitney Houston sounds like Whitney Houston, and even she can’t belt out a tune like she used to. Like Pizza and Speedos, Karaoke bars can be found all over Samui. You only have to ride the ring road from Wat Lamai to Hin Ta Hin Yai and you will pass by half a dozen. ey are recognizable by the neon signs saying, surprisingly, Karaoke, and by the cluster of young ai girls sitting outside looking miserable and pretty in equal measures. Some say they are the go go

bars for the ai men, but being such an upstanding member of society I wouldn’t know about all that. As far as I’m concerned what happens in the Karaoke bars stays in the Karaoke bars …. Or does it? ose of you not living in my immediate vicinity may be unaware that there is a new genuine Karaoke bar in the Lamai Food Court (now the Lamai Food and Karaoke court) near the petrol station, and what goes on in that Karaoke bar, ie. the music, travels hundreds of meters, especially if the wind speed and direction aren’t in your favor. And I use the term ‘music’ in its loosest sense. e vast majority of the songs are bad to start with, but when coupled with the average semi drunken ai person trying in vain to hold a single note, music seems to take on a whole new meaning. And this screeching and wailing goes on until two in the morning, seven nights a week. As you can imagine, some of us in the neighborhood are rather nonplussed. So, I hear you ask with baited breath, how has this aﬀected me personally? Well, when I arrived here last month, blissfully unaware of the

verbal diarrhea that would be resonating from across the road during the nocturnal hours, I paid for three month’s rent up front, so I’m kind of stuck with it for the time being. Between the hours of twelve and two on my first few nights I could be found in bed smothering my face with a pillow and shouting obscenities, which my dear girlfriend Dow would answer by way of a swift elbow to the ribs and a call for me to be ‘jai yen yen’. She somehow manages to sleep throughout, until I wake her up that is with my foul language. I decided I had to do something so I started using the foam earplugs given to me on the flight from England, but they were about as much use against the ‘music’ as a sex tourist’s willpower is against the urge to sleep with a bar girl. en I bought some ear putty from the pharmacy, which is slightly more eﬀective but still doesn’t quite do the job. I stumbled on the answer to my woes by accident. Soon after I arrived here the weather improved and the nights became warmer so I turned the fan up a couple of notches, and what do you know? - a creaking fan plus ear putty equals a good night’s sleep for Turn to page 11

Samui Gazette

A publication of YuCiNo Enterprises Co., Ltd. with office at 124/524 Moo 3, Lamai Centre Unit 61/2, Lamai Beach Road, Koh Samui Telefax: 077-430789 | Email: info@thesamuigazette.com | www.thesamuigazette.com

Editorial

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Managing Editor: Patrick T. Roxas Editor: P. Meepien Reporters: Cherdchai Taweemuang, Atthasith Khupratakul Contributors: Alister Bredee, Suzanne Buchanan, John Greenwood, Des Gillet, Rob Newman, Jo Rowkins,Rosanne Turner, Geoff Whitlie, TAN Network

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YuCiNo Enterprises Co. Ltd. Directors: P. Meepien, Joseph A. Noble Publication Information: YuCiNo Enterprises Co. Ltd. publishes Samui Gazette. All content of this issue is © Copyright 2010 by YuCiNo Enterprises Co. Ltd. and may not be reprinted or re-transmitted without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Samui Gazette is available all over Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

OPINION

Tips for senior living on a fixed income

DIVER IN LAMAI The new Bangkok TODAY I am reflecting on a brief visit to Bangkok and thinking how much I prefer to be in Lamai. One warm afternoon there in the City of Angels I went into the Morning Night Bar, near my hotel, for a beer. It was then that I experienced a situation I had not encountered before. When the waitress brought my beer she said a woman had told her she was interested in me and would I mind her sitting with me? Naturally I doubted what she said but I politely agreed. A young woman came over. The waitress hovered while the girl and I exchanged names and then th e w a i t r e s s asked if I would like to buy t h e g i r l a drink. She was surprised when I replied honestly, no. I had only met her. I had no idea what interested her or might interest me for us to have a conversation together. Suspecting now that this was simply a ruse to sell more beer, I was soon proved right. When I had answered the question from the waitress the girl went away, no explanation offered. T.I.B. This Is Bangkok my friends. The new Bangkok. Very expensive and the leisure facilities are as businesslike and a rip-off as they can be. There is none of the philosophy of former years when the girls would just bring you a beer with a smile and check if you were fine. If you are happy, I am happy, they would say then. In this new year, when I

consider life in Thailand I see far fewer signs of a service being provided in the service industry. The unique attraction that Thailand used to have is now sometimes hard to find. You get a facility rather than a service, especially in Bangkok, except on occasions when you are paying out really large sums of money. But fortunately Lamai is still, on the whole, a little bit different. And so is the Philippines. A week’s diving there this year was most enjoyable and not too expensive although just over a thousand baht for a fun dive not far off shore, inlcuding hire of equipment, may now be a bit pricey for some people who are having to watch the price of things. Times have certainly changed for most westerners in Asia. But of course it was going to be expensive at the most dive site, perhaps, in the Philippines. While there I was told an interesting story by someone wo is learning the English language. For his 75th birthday, a man got a gift voucher from his wife. The voucher could only be used to pay for a visit to a witch doctor living in the jungle nearbywho was rumored to have a wonderful cure for erectile dysfunction. After some persuasion the man went to see the doctor, showed the voucher and wondered what he was in for. (I hope my editor will not be too dismayed with my English there, as I finished that sentence with a preposition.) The old witch doctor

Karaoke .. truly. But I’m not sure the same can be said for some of my neighbors. I like to keep an open mind, and I can tell from the atmosphere in the Karaoke bar (and from the sound of splintering wine glasses) that they are simply having fun; and what is life without being able to enjoy oneself? is isn’t a plea for some-

slowly, mysteriously and methodically peoduced a potion, handed it over in return for the gift voucher and with a grip on the man’s shoulder,warned, “This is a powerful medicine. It must be respected. You can only take a teaspoonful and then say “one, two, three.” When you do that, you will become more virile than you ever have been and you can make love as long as you want to.” (Sorry Ed, I did it again.) The man was encouraged. As he walked away, worried a little about his failing strength, he turned and asked the witch doctor “How do I stop the medicine from working?” Your partner must say 12-3-4,” was the answer. “But when she does that, however, much of the medicine you take after that, the medicine will not work again until the next full moon.” The old gent was very eager to see if it works so he hurried home, showered, shaved, took a spoonful of medicine and then invited his wife to join him in the bedroom. when she came in, he took off his clothes and said, “1-2-3!” Immediately, the effect of the medicine was manifest. His wife, excited, began throwing off her clothes His wife, excited, began throwing off her clothes but asked him, Darling, what was the 1-23 for?” . . . And that, my friends, is why we should never end our sentences with a preposition. If we do, we could find that we end up with a dangling participle.

From Page 10

one to go to work on the place with a blow torch; more a polite request that the ‘music’ be turned down a decibel or eighty. If this request falls on deaf ears then I recommend for those of you who are affected by the noise, splashing out a hundred baht on some ear putty and three hundred baht or so on a creaky fan. Or of course

you could move to Nathon, where, unless the wind is blowing from the south east, you should be well out of earshot. As for me, I just hope my rusty old fan doesn’t conk out any time soon, because if it does I’ll have to resort to drinking myself to oblivion every night. Happy New Year everyone.

WITH retirement accounts and real estate values still recovering from the recession, and living costs on the rise, many retired seniors are struggling to pay their bills. According to the National Council on Aging, 20 million Americans, 60 years of age or older, are economically insecure. But experts say that with the right tools and planning, you can avoid money woes. “e first step is to get a handle on your finances,” advises Aaron Forth, Vice President and General Manager of Intuit Personal Finance Group. “Knowing more about your current financial situation means you can more eﬀectively stick to a budget.” Luckily, new tools are helping seniors on a fixed income to do just that. ere are many things you can do to help make ends meet in an uncertain economy: Work From Home If inflation is causing your living expenses to rise, but you’re on a fixed-income, you may want to consider taking on some part-time work to supplement your funds. Working from home is becoming an increasingly easy option for seniors who may be less mobile than during their younger days. Many companies hire part-time freelancers to complete work remotely. From tutoring to transcription services, you can earn extra dollars without getting oﬀ the couch. Budget Online If you’re still squinting over your checkbook ledger, it’s time to try something new.

“Let software do the heavy lifting for you,” advises Aaron Forth, Vice President and General Manager of Intuit Personal Finance Group. “It’s easy to make costly mistakes like missing bill payments when you’re doing it all by hand.” Take advantage of free services on the Internet like Mint.com. For those who prefer managing money on the desktop, purchase financial software like Quicken to help you manage your finances, create a budget, and meet financial goals. Cut Expenses You may be familiar with traditional coupon clipping, but online sites like LivingSocial and Groupon can help you find helpful local deals on the things you need, such as medical exams and food, or the things you want, like birthday presents for your grandchildren. Just be careful to not get carried away on purchases. e best way to do this is to stick to goods and services that you would have bought at full cost anyway. And, of course, trim back on unnecessary expenditures. For example, many television programs are available for free online, making your cable bill a redundant expense. Likewise, if you use a mobile phone, consider eliminating your landline. Even if you’re living on a fixed income there’s no need to go into debt. By tracking your sources of income and your expenditures, you can achieve your financial goals and avoid debt.

CLASSIFIED

REAL ESTATE

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

MISCELLANEOUS

MORNING YOGA

SAMUI TATTOO STUDIO

In front of the New KC-Beach hotel on T-days (Tuesday and ursday) from 9 till 10. Come and join Serge and connect with the elements : Fire/sun, Mineral/earth, Air/ guaranteed not conditioned, and Water: and after float in the Sea and relax Watsu-style. So bring nothing but decent swim attire and 400 baht. No mats no props. Fellow teachers welcome at half-price. If you bring a new friend after two classes, get your one class free.

AMAZON KINDLE Read thousands of books Chris 084 054 5510 Learn to dance to the sensual rhythms of Salsa, Bachata, Merengue Every Saturday 2.00pm or 3.30 pm at Big C, ai Dancing Studio. Bring socks or dance shoes. Beginners welcome. Call for more information: 08-36330365 or visit www.salsasamui.com

THAI LESSONS

ai lessons for foreigners. All levels. One to one instruction. Bt200/hour. Located between Hua anon/Tiger Zoo. Call Kaew 081-19289146.

SAMUI SOUND & LIGHT Musical instruments, small to medium-sized sound and lighting for rent. High quality equipment & friendly professional service 087-5050354

CATERING Nigel's Catering, BBQ's Canapés and Cocktails Weddings Call 081 676 7754 www.samui-catering.com

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Soi Solo, behind Starbucks Chaweng Beach samuitattoostudio@hotmail.com Tel: 087-3811 137, 086-992 4772 Call 089-588 1249 or 081-569 5033

DANCE CLASSES IN ARGENTINE TANGO & SALSA Argentine Tango, the most sensual dance around Salsa, it’s fun, it’s “inClasses and workshops with international instructor in your area limited time. Ongoing weekly follow thru/practices/dances arranged Call: 089-9960406 furyusfeet@hotmail.com

APARTMENT IN MAENAM With fridge, tv, dvd, fan, fully furnished. Monthly Bt8,000 (including electricity and laundry service). Contact: 089-7255610.

ORIGINAL MARKETING CONCEPT Promote your business or special event with our attention grabbing Post Card Puzzles. Parties, product marketing, greetings, etc. Hotels, resorts, real estate, bars, restaurants..... find out how puzzles can promote your business. Cost eﬀective, Unique and original Call: 089-2887294 for quote www.jigsawsthailand.com

GARDEN VILLA Stunning house, peaceful & serene, set in 1 rai tropical garden. 2 Bed. High standard, fully furnished. South of Samui, Laem Sor. Monthly 25,000 Bht. Contact jo.reynolds8@gmail.com. 087 385 1663

Planning a PARTY? Call the Party Divas! for decorations, catering, music, venues. contact 084 8506220 or 081 8951978 FAH KITCHEN RESTAURANT ai, European and vegetarian foodGreat taste and friendly staﬀ Maenam, opposite hot pot Tel: 077-247-541

Professional Hypnotherapist Available now on Koh Samui Quit Smoking-Lose WeightFears-Phobias-Panic Attacks Anxiety-Stress-Depression and many more treated Quickly and Eﬀectively! Contact 084-931 3546 for more info ;

COMMERCIAL SPACE No key money. Bt12,000/month including water, toilet. Located in Chaweng. Near all amenities and top tourist destinations. Call 077-601072.

www.samuihypnotherapy.com Because it works!

LIFE COACHING & HYPNOSIS: Reach your goals and clear your life. English and French speaking, 081 749 35 09

OFFICE/CLASSROOM CONFERENCE ROOM

www.samuilifecoaching.com Dtus Professional Massage

Massage, beauty and nail care Home or resorts We will come to you

COOPERATION

Call 0862374655

DANY LOPEZ PROFESSIONAL HAIRSTYLE. FEMALE MASTER STYLIST. 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH VIDAL SASSOON LONDON/ MUNICH. HOME AND HOTEL SERVICE.

CALL 081 7874893

Koh Samui Chiropractor 30 years experience, house/resort calls available. Phone: 0828058195

FOR RENT

FOR SALE Panasonic TV + DVD player Surround Sound, Subwoofer and high quality 3 tier wood stand

FullCapacity of 10 persons, Air conditioned, wifi, with projector located at Chaweng (near Boonchoo Ceramic) For info, please call 077-425-480

Do you live on Koh Samui? You could take over the local branch of a growing real estate portal enterprise. We want your commitment not your money. Franchise like, we will provide all the infrastructure, the know-how and the contacts and will help you to establish your local real estate business. Should you be prepared for a long term engagement, we look forward to hear from you. Please e-mail to: stefan@ailand-Property-Gate.com

Sell for 7,000 Baht Tel: 0881788443

Baan Arisara Bophut 1-2 bedrooms luxury Fully Furnished Fully Equipped Apartments for rent with Free Wifi swimming pool, fitness, car parking, security 16000 to 30000 Baht PM call: 0871050841

CLASSIFIED DISCLAIMER/CONDITIONS

All advertisements are published by the advertiser that the advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents, and subject matter thereof, that the contents are not unlawful and do not infringe the rights of any person or entity and that the advertiser has obtained all necessary permissions or releases. In consideration of the publication of advertisements, the advertiser will indemnify and save Samui Gazette from and against any loss or expenses arising from publication of such advertisements. e publisher reserves the right to revise, reject or omit without notice any advertisement at any time. Samui Gazette accepts no liability for its failure, for any cause, to insert an advertisement. Liability for any error appearing in an advertisement is limited to the cost of the space occupied. To qualify for an adjustment, an error must be reported within 10 days of publication date. Drawings, artwork, and articles for reproduction are accepted at the advertiser’s risk and should be clearly marked to facilitate their return. Samui Gazette reserves the right to revise the advertising rates at any time. Announcement of an increase shall be made at least two weeks in advance. No verbal agreement altering the rates and/or the terms shall be recognized.

CLASSIFIED

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

BUSINESS

AUTO WANTED

BUSINESS FOR SALE BAR RESTAURANT & 5STOREY GUEST HOUSE

THAI SALES EXECUTIVE

Located in central Chaweng. 9 rooms w/ AC, bathroom, cable TV, big ref; 9 rooms w/ fan, bathroom, ref. Durther 2 AC rooms on top floor of the 5-storey building w/large terrace area w/ nice overview of Chaweng. Busy Irish Pub and Restaurant. Call 081 892 1990 for details and pricing.

Good English level, outgoing & positive personality. Have own transport, Good computer knowledge. Base Salary of 12,000 THB, and very exciting commission & bonus structure. Contact us: 088 530 2828 or 088 530 2929 Email CV to samui@thailandpooltables.com

FOR SALE

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

FOR SALE Beautiful range of colorful beach bags and home design (basket set, pouf, table mat) for wholesalers and hotels for further information: coteouest@ymail.com mobile: 0895 893 507/ 0854 786 494

INTERNET CAFE Small investment, low risk! Fully fitted coﬀeeshop and internet , good location, 2 bedrooms, 1 year left on the contract, low rent, good opportunity to start your own business. 0862680548 LOOKING TO SELL YOUR BUSINESS? We place your business on a global market place via the internet. We take the photos, write the ads and market to pre-qualified clientele. See immediate results. Call 089 589 3907

LAMAI BEACH RESIDENCE 18 luxury apartments for rent daily or monthly. Special rate starts at Bt990. 100 meters from the beach and town center. Walking distance to all amenities in Lamai. Call 077458314. BEACH FRONT SPA & RESTAURANT Fisherman’s Village, beach front hotel location with beds and furnishing for rent 3 years. Start at 25,000 rent plus key money. Call 085-0328122.

RESTAURANT FOR RENT

Fully functional kitchen oﬀered at a very low rent (no key money). Business needs a self motivated experienced professional to take over a prime location within the very busy Fisherman’s Village 0896491971

PLACE YOUR AD HERE

FOR SALE WANTED RECEPTION/SALE STAFF For luxury Spa in Chaweng Good English, Basic computer Contact 084-7701777

ROOM FOR RENT BIG ROOM 64qm, Maenam town, 150m from the beach, 3BR, fridge, DVD, sofa & fan. Incl laundry service. MONTHLY-7500 B, WEEKLY-2500 B, DAILY-500 B. CALL 089-7255610

CLASSIFIED ADS HOTLINE: 077-430789

SWIMMING POOL TECHNICIAN 2 AND SWIMMING POOL CLEANER 2

CLASSIFIED RATES: 25 THB PER LINE (all categories) / BOXED ADS quote available upon request SEND TO: Clip this classified coupon and send to: Samui Gazette, 187/1 T. Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 or Email: info@thesamuigazette.com or call 077-430789

FEATURES Samui Mala: Run away with the circus!

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

TWENTY spectacular international circus performers on a special mission will be on Samui in late January to teach children, showcase their talent and share their unusual story. “Spark” is a group of dedicated volunteer performers who have come together for the last seven years to bring joy to disadvantaged children in refugee camps, migrant schools, hospitals and orphanages along the ai Burmese border. Spark will offer free workshops on Samui for children, and a fundraising show for the Samui community. e show will be held at Bandara Beach Resort and Spa, Samui on January 27 starting at 18:30 p.m. and will include a finger buffet and a unique circus performance. ere will be food and drinks, and music into the night, as well as a silent auction with great prizes to raise funds. is is a great opportunity to meet these dedicated and energetic young performers and be part of the community who support their efforts. Bt500 includes welcome

drink reception, dinner and a raﬄe ticket for a lucky draw. ere will be a cash bar and wines available at special rates. Please note places are limited. You can preregister before Jan. 24 by sending your name, number of tickets you’d like to book by sms to +66818921180 to ensure your attendance. You can also email to samuimala@gmail.com. ank you to John MacNeill, general manager of Bandara Resort and Spa, Samui and Tim Cooke, group director for operations of Bandara Hotels and Resorts for hosting the event and to Michael Howard of Melati Beach Resort and Spa and Chaweng Regent Beach Resort for helping to accommodate the performers on Samui. Spark’s mission every year is to lighten the days of over 4,000 children with magic and wonder, laughter and smiles with circus-style fire show, playshops and donations of toys, art supplies, and creative tools. Spark is completely volunteer-based, and is funded entirely by donation and community support. Many of

Andrea (shown playing with children), has been the director and ringmaster of Spark Circus for about five years. She spins poi, and also performs with palm candles and fans, though as ringmistress she considers herself far more of a behind the scenes organizer than a true performer. the performers pay for their own expenses, and raise funds in their own communities for equipment. Your contribution will help provide the spark of life for these children in ailand. Your donations will go towards school/art supplies, toys and other essentials that the children need. Every baht helps! Every donor company or organization, is acknowledged in all Spark’s media. Both individual private donors and public companies will receive photos and email updates from the performers as the project is

YELLOW HUT PUB FOR SALE For Sale Restaurant and Pizzeria with Wood Oven, the ONLY ONE in Lamai Beach, Koh Samui Thailand. Attractive Price, for more details, CONTACT MY E-MAIL mocellincristina@gmail.com, or Facebook. PHONE 0066(0)844557528 OR RAYMOND 0066(0)878844166 THANKYOU VENDESI RISTORANTE PIZZERIA CON FORNO A LEGNA , L'UNICO A LAMAI BEACH, KOH SAMUI THAILANDIA. PREZZO INTERESSANTE, CONTATATE LA MIA E-MAIL MOCELLINCRISTINA@GMAIL.COM, O IN FACEBOOK. TELEFONO 0066(0)844557528 OR RAYMOND 0066(0)878844166 GRAZIE. РЕСТОРАН НА ПРОДАЖУ пиццерии с духовкой, только в Самуи, СамуиТаиланд. ЦЕНА интересное, МОЙ E-MAILMOCELLINCRISTINA@GMAIL.COM ИЛИ Facebook. Телефон 0066 (0) 844 557 528 0066 или

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happening. You will have the opportunity to see exactly how dramatically your donation has helped brighten their world. Over 200,000 refugees line the borders of ailand and Burma, held in refugee camps that can barely manage to provide for basic necessities. Tens of thousands of these refugees are children - children who have been traumatized by the ongoing war waged by the Burmese military dictatorship against the regions hill-tribes. Here they end up in the camps or living illegally along the border regions,at huge risk of being taken into the sex trade, suﬀering malnourishment and other ongoing threats to their well being and lives. In addition to basic necessities like shelter, clothes, food and education, children also need hope, joy and play. Your donation will help light the Spark is project is designed to develop the children’s creativity, physical fitness, communication skills, teamwork, confidence and cultural awareness. Play is a fundamental part of children’s development and this will bring a big spark of happiness, love, amusement and entertainment into these children's lives and the lives of those who work with them in the camps and orphanages.

Your participation and generous involvement will help spread the joy and ignite the imagination! You can: * Attend the fundraiser * Oﬀer us a prize for the silent auction * Buy tickets for others if you can’t attend * Help us with spreading the word * Donate circus skill toys * Oﬀer help with logistics (vehicles to move the performers to and from the shows on 26th and 27th) * Make a direct financial donation to Spark! * Help us organize the fundraiser * Run away with the circus! You can become a volunteer performer/teacher Spark workshops for children will be held at a temple school on 26th January. More details to follow on www.samuimala.org/spark.htm Contact Samui Spark! team to participate or make a donation: Shelley samuimala@gmail.com Lorraine islandholidayrentals@gmail.com Amy amyverysharpe@gmail.com Contact Spark directly for more information website: www.sparkcircus.com email: Andrea Russell, at sparkcircus@gmail.com

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

ISLAND NEWS

Britain looks east: UK - Asean relations for the 21st century By British Foreign Secretary William Hague (First of two parts)

TODAY the idea of a developed West and developing rest is all but irrelevant. Put simply, the world has changed and Britain must too, if we are to prevent our role and influence in international aﬀairs from declining. Key to this challenge will be making the most of the opportunities presented by a new international paradigm in which economic power and influence is moving east and south. Britain is doing this by shifting our diplomatic weight to reflect these changes and by working hard to build up significantly our relationships with the emerging powers. We know that these relationships will be increasingly vital both for forging important agreements on the international stage and for boosting trade and investment that will support Britain's prosperity. Southeast Asia epitomises the rationale for this approach. e 10 countries of the Associa-

tion of Southeast Asian Nations are already more populous than the European Union or the Arab world, have a larger economy than India and absorb more UK exports than China. ey hold substantial geopolitical significance, with important influence on neighbouring major powers China, India and Japan. is means that they should be, and are, key partners for Britain on issues ranging from climate change to non-proliferation. eir considerable prosperity and significant future economic potential is also vital to our interests. Average growth forecasts for Asean members over the next four years are around 6% and plans to establish an economic community by 2015 hold even further promise. We know full well from our own experiences of the European Single Market the benefits market integration can bring. e region therefore deserves se-

rious attention from global partners. e United Kingdom is fortunate to be able to draw on a foundation of existing relationships and we already enjoy multi-billion-pound trade and investment links with the Asean countries; our largest businesses in finance, energy, life sciences, food and drink are establishing a regional foothold and more of our retailers, such as Boots and Tesco, are becoming household names, especially in ailand. Furthermore, every year over 30,000 students from these countries choose to study in Britain. ese students often return home to positions of influence and are part of the rich tapestry of people-to-people links between our countries.We are building on these links all the time. Last year we signed a Strategic Partnership with Vietnam covering a wide range of fields

during the period, higher than last year by 2,300 cases. Most accidents resulted from drunk driving at 37.28 percent and speeding beyond legal limit at 20.63 percent. Most accidents involved motorcycles at 81.47 percent followed by pick-up trucks at 9.34 percent. Over half (62.30 percent) of the accidents took place at the straight stretch of road and the time period from 4pm to 8pm saw the most accidents occurred at 28.87 percent. About 54 per cent of road casualties were of working age. e nationwide checkpoints stopped 4,797,164 vehicles and

punished 643,445 law-breaking motorists, mostly for not wearing helmets at 200,909 cases and not carrying driver's licence at 185,856 cases. Although the accidents were lowered than last year, the rate of major accidents killing many people remained high, Yongyuth said, there were four risk factors; drivers speeding beyond legal limit, drivers dozing oﬀ behind wheel, bikers failing to wear helmets, and truck passengers failing to fasten seatbelt or riding in the truck's open part in the back.

335 New Year. . . From Page 6

Pol. Maj. Gen Worasak Noppasitthiporn gave a report on the city traﬃc situation from December 29, 2011 to January 4, 2012, saying that Bangkok City had witnessed 34 accidents (15 percent down from last year), killing 12 people (five people more than last year) and injuring 31 others (17 persons less than last year). Most accidents involved motorcycles and resulted from drunk driving, failure to wear helmets, speeding beyond legal limit and sudden overtaking of other vehicles. City police also arrested 5,133 law-violating motorists

including trade, political relations, security and development. On his visit to Indonesia last November, the Business Secretary, Vince Cable, launched the new UK-Asean Business Council to strengthen further the UK's commercial engagement with the region, focusing on its emerging powers. e British government's private-public partnership expert body, Infrastructure UK, is already working in the Philippines sharing expertise and we will look to do this more widely across the region, something which will be extremely useful in sourcing the capital to meet the

insatiable need for infrastructure development. At the same time we will continue to support development, democratic freedoms and transparency in these countries, through initiatives such as our projects in the Philippines promoting transparency in local government. ere is more we can do. We need to diversify our engagement. Our commercial relationships in the region are strongest with our Commonwealth partners, Singapore and Malaysia who between them account for a commanding majority of our bilateral trade in goods. To be continued...

Niche markets focus. . . From Page 7

high standard golf courses nationwide. Many of them have been designed and created by some of the game’s best-known players such as Nick Faldo, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Steve Ballesteros, Gary Player, and Greg Norman. In recent years, ailand has hosted many major golf events such as the ailand Golf Championship, Asia Pacific Golf Summit, PGA Conference of Asia, Honda LPGA ailand, the 30th tournament on the tour's annual roster and the 3rd Golf PGA Royal Trophy 2009. Health & Wellness: A surge in health and wellness visitors is driven by the fact that ailand is an excellent place for both preventive and curative forms of therapies and treatments. ailand has over 200 international-standard hospitals and clinics, state-of-the-art medical technology, reasonable medical costs and excellent hospitality. It is also a perfect place for posttreatment convalescence and recovery. Both patients and members of their family can enjoy a good post-treatment holiday in ailand at excellent value-formoney prices. ailand is estimated to have attracted 1.8 million foreign visitors seeking medical treatment in 2010. It is also an excellent locale for people seeking to learn how to meditate and massage, based on the country’s long-standing Buddhist traditions. Wedding & Honeymoon: In recent years, ailand has become increasingly popular among wedding couples and honeymooners from India, China and

France. Many Indian couples choose ailand because they wish to tie the knot in a land renowned for its sense of grace and style, following customs and ceremonies with rich roots in Buddhist culture. e secluded, all-inclusive resorts are perfect for honeymoons. Invited media and buyers will be able to avail of a range of post tours that will showcase these products as well as ailand’s world-renowned natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. Last year, TTM Plus welcomed a total of more than 1,000 participants, including 150 members of the media, from 30 countries. e 368 seller organizations included 78 agencies who were first-time sellers at this event. e 425 buyers from 54 countries included 120 firsttime buyers. Application forms for buyers and sellers and other related information are now available on the website and need to be submitted before the March 16, 2012 deadline:http://thailandtravelmartplus.com. Also sellers can also get the benefit of the early bird price until January 31, 2012. Contact information: International Public Relations Division Tourism Authority of ailand Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4544-48 Fax: +66 (0) 2253 7419 E-mail: prdiv3@tat.or.th Web site: www.tatnews.org For the latest updates, please visit www.TATnews.org

LIFE

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

Are mobile phones really safe? Rosanne Turner relocated to Koh Samui from Africa, a year ago, and is relishing the adventure. She is a trainer at Samui TEFL, as well as being a travel writer for several international publications. Share Rosanne’s discoveries of all things Eastern, curious and extraordinary.

Discovering Koh Phangan:

e best of ong Nai Pan Yai Beach

STRICTLY speaking this column is about discovering Samui, but let’s face it, one can get cabin fever on this island sometimes, and the urge to stretch our wings a little. Travelling 20km to Koh Phangan is often far enough for a change of scenery – surprisingly one palm-fringed beach is not the same as the next palm-fringed beach. With this mind thought, we recently sailed to Koh Phangan’s ong Nai Pan Yai beach for a relaxing weekend break from all the stresses of island life – well that’s what we tell everyone ‘back home’ right? Located on Koh Phangan’s east coast, ong Nai Pan Yai beach is far from the party revellers of Had Rin Beach, as it is not as easy to access. e resorts on this beach will collect guests daily from the ferry pier, or sail in as we did. is good swimming beach offers the perfect mix of laid back bars, inexpensive but good accommodation and a taste of ai island life. Here are some suggestions to make the best of a visit to Koh Phangan’s bay with a tongue-twister name. We chose to stay at Dreamland Resort as it has an ideal setting for families. Kids love the pool, and if the kids are happy, it means mum and dad can relax. e pool is huge, with a swim-up bar, waterfall, Jacuzzi pool and surrounded by pool loungers. It is located next to the beach and restaurant, making it easy to keep an eye on little ones who will not want to get out of the pool for the entire stay. e accommodation is not fancy, but bungalows are clean and most have air-con. e restaurant serves good value ai and Western fare, with tables set under expansive trees adorned with fairy lights, next to the beach. Dolphin is a short walk along the beach from Dreamland Resort and is best known for its food. Several stand alone salas are dotted on the beachfront, and under huge shady trees. ese salas are decked out with low tables, pyramid cushions and bean bags for a truly relaxed dining experience. e food is outstanding – Western, well-priced with a Mediterranean twist and good vegetarian options. We arrived for breakfast around 8:30am, taking over a large beach sala while the kids played at the water’s edge. Not wanting to leave, we ordered coffee after coffee, and ending up staying for lunch and afternoon drinks. e place is so chilled out, you cannot help but relaxed, this even reflects in the resident cats that occupy any empty sala. Even the bathrooms are so pretty you just want to sit awhile longer than necessary, which is saying something considering the view outside! Flip Flop Pharmacy Bar is located midway along the beach, painted bright yellow, and the name certainly starts conversations. Great music, beer on tap and a pool table make this a popular hangout. ong Nai Pan Yai Beach transforms at night as resorts and bars turn on the fairy lights, and fire dancers put on shows to end another spectacular day on a perfect beach. So Samui residents, those of you who are not participating in the great ‘trek’ back to the relatives this year, but are in need of a quick escape from the hoard of tourists invading our island during the peak season, try out our neighboring island’s quieter coast. For the record: We welcome the invasion dear tourists, and particularly your Dollars, Euros and Pounds that enrich our local economy. Sawasdee Ka! Welcome.

ON the 26th of June 1996, Irish investigative journalist, Veronica Guerin was fatally shot as her car paused at a red traffic light on Dublin’s Naas Road. Guerin, one time personal assistant to Irish Prime Minister Charlie Haughey had trained as an accountant before entering journalism, so she was well qualified to research the dealings of the drug gangs who had a fearsome reputation in Dublin’s inner city. At her post-mortem they found severe burns in the region of Guerin’s right ear. As a journalist she was a heavy user of the mobile phone. is posed some momentary questions about the safety of these devices. e technology that made hand help mobiles possible was developed in the 1970s. Commercialization of the technology appeared in the 1980s and the expectation in the United Kingdom was skeptical with an anticipation of 10,000 of the devices selling worldwide. is figure was way off the mark. In 2006 worldwide shipments exceeded one billion; it was estimated in 2010 that there were 5.2 billion cell phones in operation on planet Earth. e calculated world population is just over 7 billion. It would therefore be safe to postulate that market penetration has been enormously successful. In some countries it exceeds 100 percent! A mobile or cell phone is a small radio. ey are called cell phones because for the radio to operate it has to broadcast its signal to cell towers. Most of the planet has been divided up into cells of approximately 10 square miles in radius. e different phone companies all have a “Mobile Telephone Switching Office” in every population area. It is from here the signal is fed to the numerous transmission towers that dot the landscape. e system works because every phone company has a specific five figure identification number called a SID. When a device is turned on regardless of whether you are making a call or not it is constantly picking up the SID that is being beamed from the nearest tower. e mobile phone company is also transmitting to your phone a signal on specific channels that it is programmed to tune into. In ailand the situation is relatively lax but in some countries you have to register the phone with your personal details. at means the whereabouts of the user can be tracked. With five billion sets worldwide; the mobile phone as an electrical device; emits photons creating an electromagnetic field. e electronic radiation is in the high frequency microwave

range. In effect the caller is holding the equivalent of a microwave oven to the ear whilst chatting. No wonder Veronica Guerin had burn marks on the right side of her brain! Numerous studies have produced contradictory results. but many experts consider the risks related to phone usage to be very real indeed! e World Health Organization has categorized mobile phones into group 2b on the IRAC scale. is gives them the dubious tag of being “possibly carcinogenic”. e report continued by saying that further research was required. We live in a wireless saturated environment surrounded by modulated frequencies that are growing ever more complex due to the information that is being transmitted to mobile and smart phones as well as the all pervasive Wi-Fi network. e ensuing EMFs are largely untested, and nobody really knows what the effect of all this electronic smog is having on the human population. Olle Johannson of Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute claims we are in the midst of “the largest full scale experiment ever.” e question that remains to be answered is what happens when we allow ourselves to be whole body irradiated by new EMFS, 24 hours per day for the rest of our lives? Published media reviews are contradictory. Much of the research is carried out by the mobile phone industry and not surprisingly the results are skewed in their favor. Already we know that the risk of getting a brain tumor on the side of the head where the phone is placed increases by 40 percent for adults. Even more disturbing data calculates the rate of getting a cancer increase fivefold for those who started using mobiles before the age of 20. In order to protect ourselves a little, it is better to limit cell phone use. Keep conversations brief and to the point. You can always use a landline for the longer and more personal calls. Or a better idea is to use a hands free connection, which means you do not have to hold a microwave device next to the head. Have you ever asked yourself why your ear grows hot after a long chat? As far as the ever growing waves that penetrate our bodies, you can protect yourself by buying Q link pendants or orgonite protectors that are available locally. Oh, be sure to switch the Wi-Fi off overnight!

HEALTH

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

THE FLYING DOCTOR Dr. Chris Hertzog

Soft lights in Samui FOR years now, I have been wondering why Samui in particular, and indeed most of ailand, use soft yellow headlights on cars, trucks and motorbikes. Is it out of courtesy to other road users, or is it to save battery life, or what? e mind boggles! Only occasionally does one find a car coming with bright white lights, who can actually see where they are going. Given that the number of accidents on Samui, especially with motorbikes and scooters, is disproportionately high compared with the rest of ailand, one would have thought that this one single safety measure could so easily be addressed and remedied. e basic fact is that drivers cannot see properly. is must be dangerous. I have driven at night or in the early morning around various parts of the island, particularly on minor roads, and been totally in fear of hitting another car with feeble headlights, a scooter with no lights on at all, or a stray dog, of which there are so many, that suddenly darts out into the road without warning, or even hitting a large pothole and damaging the car unnecessarily. A friend of mine was recently driving back from Phuket, and needed to catch the last ferry back to the island, leaving Donsak at 7:30 p.m.

He allowed five hours for the journey, which would have been ample in daylight, but at night with yellow lights, he finally arrived at Donsak after 11 p.m. He explained that he was terrified the whole journey, that he might hit a pedestrian straying out into the road, or an animal, or an unlit motorbike or scooter, and then his journey would be delayed even further. Why do one or two cars on the island now have sensible and bright white lights? Is there a new approach, or are they flouting the law or general custom? Are they the villains and exercising socially reprehensible behavior, or are they being socially responsible and just plain sensible, enabling them to see properly at night, and therefore present far less danger to others? Surely whatever the reason is for these dangerous soft yellow headlights, safety must now be considered as paramount, so that at least drivers can see properly at night. e accident rate on the island has got to be reduced, and this is one sure-fire way of doing it. What are we waiting for? Change over now!

Tips that let you turn down the thermostat WITH today’s high fuel prices, heating your home in the cooler months can be expensive. By turning your thermostat back 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours, you can save up to 15 percent a year on your heating bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. “ere are basic steps homeowners can take to maintain a comfortable home while living with a lower thermostat setting,” says Bob Vila, home renovation and repair expert. To help you get started, Vila oﬀers some useful advice: Seal Your Drafts One way to make sure you’re not throwing money out the window is to ensure heat’s not escaping through it as well. From mail slots to doorways, to cracks and loose window fittings, air leaks can be found throughout the entire home, sending heated air outside. Without compromising the ventilation system or air quality, you can seal most of these leaks by applying weather-stripping. Weather-stripping comes in many forms, including adhesivebacked foam strips for door and window frames, sealants for cracks and shrink-film for windows. Many come with easy application features. Warm air can even leave a room through electrical outlets. Seal these holes tight with fire retardant plastic foam outlet covers. Gather Round “Not all rooms should be treated equally when it comes to heating,” says Vila. By targeting only frequently used rooms of the home, you can turn down the thermostat and save energy. But don’t forget to

close the doors of rooms not in use. Portable heaters are ideal for zone heating because there is no installation involved, so you can create cozy spaces quickly. But traditional units can get very hot, posing a risk to pets, children, and flammable materials like curtains and carpet. “Opt for a product with no exposed heating elements,” advises Vila. “You get the warmth you want without any risks.” For example, EdenPURE heaters don’t get hot to the touch, don’t have exposed heating elements that can cause a fire, and won’t reduce humidity or oxygen in a home. For more information, visit www.edenpure.com. Five Minute Fixes ere are also many quick fixes that will help you heat eﬃciently. Between annual furnace check-ups, clean or replace air filters once a month. Dirt and

build-up prevent systems from operating at maximum eﬃciency. Ensure heat registers are dustfree and clear of obstructions like drapes and furniture. Change the direction of your ceiling fan to a clockwise rotation. is forces cooler air upward, sending the warm air down into your living space. Don’t forget that thermostats need upkeep as well. Calibrate your thermostat for proper temperature readings and dust the inside and cover with a soft brush. With a little eﬀort, you don’t need to sacrifice your family’s comfort to save a dime.

17 Conquering your fear of technology NO matter if you are young or old, the quickly changing technology landscape can sometimes seem bewildering. And for older Americans, in particular, mastering the use of computers and the Internet may not come intuitively -but the technology has boundless potential to enrich lives for grandparents and grandchildren alike. And learning how may be easier than you think. “If my mother can learn the computer, anyone can,” contends Abby Stokes, author of “Is is ing On?” a handbook for computers and digital devices. Stokes has taught computing to thousands of people, mainly seniors, and believes overcoming a fear of technology is the first step. Stokes oﬀers some tips and information to motivate anyone to get started (including your mom!): Catch Up Email is basically like the postal service, only faster. Take advantage of free services through your Internet service provider, or a company like Yahoo or Google. Once you get going, you can write your friends and family instantly. For a tutorial, visit http://abbyandme.com. Better yet, talk in real time, face-to-face with loved ones around the globe. For example, a service named Skype lets you do this free of charge. Share Photos Use your computer to store your photos and share them online. If you have a digital camera, upload the contents of the memory card onto your computer. If you have a film camera, your printed photos can be scanned into your computer

and saved. Easy-to-use software allows you to crop photos, remove red eyes from family portraits, and make other improvements to your pictures. Get Information Surfing the Internet isn’t very diﬀerent than channel hopping on your television set. ere’s a lot of information out there, and not all of it is useful. In fact, no special credentials are needed to run a website. A search engine like Google can help you find exactly what you’re looking for, whether it’s health research or celebrity gossip. You can access any information you want without visiting a library or newsstand. Many periodicals publish all their content on the web free of charge. See something you like? You can easily revisit sites you like by “bookmarking” them. Entertain Yourself If you love your television set, you’ll wind up loving your computer even more. Many television programs run complete episodes online. And if you’re a film buﬀ, you’re in luck. Online video rental sites are relatively inexpensive and allow you to watch movies online or order DVDs to watch later. Poker champs and Scrabble lovers will be happy to discover that you can play almost any game you can think of online. You can either play against the computer or against other people sitting at their computers somewhere in the world. “You don’t need to know how it works to work it,” says Stokes. So learn to stop worrying and love technology. (StatePoint)

Earth-friendly laundry tips FOR an eco-friendly laundry day, consider the following: Be sure to run only full loads of wash. According to Discovery’s Planet Green, the average household would reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 99 pounds a year by running only full loads. Opt for cold water when possible, and consider a natural gas tankless water heater, which heats only the water you need when

you need it. And with a natural gas dryer, you can dry on average two loads of clothes for the same cost as one electric dryer load. Avoid conventional detergents containing harmful pollutants. Instead, use homemade or natural products. Remember -- you don’t need to dirty up the planet when you clean your clothes. (StatePoint)

FEATURE

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

EXPAT PROFILE DR. CHRISTOPHER HERTZOG:

Samui’s flying doctor By CLAIR FULLERTON (Contributor)

DOCTOR Christopher Hertzog, the internationally renowned researcher in anti-aging medicine, your usual columnist in this paper, was born into a prominent Anglo/South African family, in a large Manor House, which will feature later in this story. Having experienced a very strict early childhood, Dr. Hertzog left home at the age of eight to board at prep school before going on to Uppingham School and then Cambridge University, where he began the study of medicine. His intention, at this early stage, was to become a doctor within the Air Force at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, one of the leading aviation facilities in the world. Unfortunately for Dr. Hertzog, the rules regarding this work changed before he ever began, and after a spell working with his father as a GP, he changed to a career in law. Dr. Hertzog studied Roman Dutch Law, gaining a First Class Degree, at the Inner Temple in London, with a view to working in South Africa. However, after being offered a position by his cousin, who was Deputy Prime Minister of South Africa, in the family firm of Hertzog, Cootzee & Co, Dr. Hertzog realized he wished to proceed on his own merits, and returned to England to become a senior lecturer in law at Guildford and Kingston for the LLB and BSc (Econ) degrees. Later he lectured in health and safety to senior officers at Camberley and Deepcut Army establishments. A friend of Dr. Hertzog's introduced him, during this period, to the managing director of a company specializing in anti-aging, assuming, correctly, that it would be of intense interest to him. e product Gerovital (GH3), in particular, attracted Dr. Hertzog's attention, and, working on a money-back guarantee basis, he took it himself for four weeks in order to evaluate it. By the fourth week, Dr. Hertzog was certain that this product was so effective that it could change the course of his life. He rang Professor Ana Aslan, who had originally discovered GH3, at the Otopeni Clinic in Bucharest.

is happened in 1985, at which time Professor Aslan was already considered so eminent that it seemed unlikely Dr. Hertzog would ever be lucky enough to meet her. However, a meeting was arranged and he drove to Romania to meet the famous professor. e outcome of the meeting was that Dr. Hertzog undertook to begin research for a PhD in anti-aging medicine at UCLA and in Switzerland. e focus of this work was to be GH3, known as the "grandmother of anti-aging medicine", with emphasis on its eﬀects on sickle-cell anaemia and malaria. Finding that he was developing a passion for product-led research into anti-aging, Dr. Hertzog dropped his law career in 1989 and started working in the field of anti-aging products, soon broadening his interests to include treatment of cancer and terminal cancer. Initially he bought an American company which marketed GH3 in the USA and Britain, and soon after introduced GH3 cream, originally known as "European Renaissance Cream." He stopped the multi-level or pyramidal marketing methods and sold wholesale, supplying clinics, hospitals, doctors and the like. He also began internet selling. e time-released Vitamin B3, which is involved in extra production of human growth hormone (HGH) was also marketed, because, as Dr. Hertzog explains, if one produces a spike of HGH every day, one reduces the rate at which one ages. An advanced anti-oxidant soon replaced the basic one, which consisted of Selenium with Vitamins A, C and E, which had been oﬀered initially. While working on anti-aging products in conjunction with A4M, the Institute of Anti-Aging Medicine (AAM) in Chicago, Dr.

Dr. Christopher Hertzog’s passions include driving fast cars, as he is shown with one here in Koh Samui. well as patients who did not wish the UK and California, L.A. Hertzog decided to establish his As mentioned at the beginning to undergo surgery to overcome own conferences both in the USA cataracts. of this article, Dr. Hertzog was and in UK. He was going to employ a new born into a large Manor House, Unfortunately, the first two system of treatment involving e Gables, in Cambridgeshire. conferences, in Miami and SeatNAC drops, developed over the Seven years ago he took over tle, were timed to be held immelast 10 years by a team of Russian the management of this house diately after 9/11 , so neither doctors and a British doctor from his mother, whom he was lecturers nor participants were working in Northampton. nursing through cancer. willing to fly, resulting in attenese drops, consisting of NUpon her death, he decided to dance being seriously depleted in Acetyl Carnosine, are able to disbuy out his siblings' share in the both cases. solve cataracts within 60-90 days , house, in order to start a Medical After this, Dr. Hertzog ceased obviating the need for surgery. Center of Excellence. to oﬀer his own conferences and Having had a long-term interDuring the planning process, decided to attend those of other est in Fine Art, in 1995, Dr. the person working part-time in organizers. Hertzog became involved actively the Planning/Conservation DeAlso in 2001, the development in the art world. He was asked to partment reneged on the agreeof Dr. Hertzog's International help to sell a painting by Van ment whereby it could continue Health Care Clinic in Samui Gogh. came to an abrupt halt, due to the to be used for medical purposes, Naively, he put a three-line coltragic murder of the two principal without further change of use, umn advertisement in the Times since it had been used as doctor's directors. of London, which resulted in the practice for 250 years. e structurally finished 52press worldwide wanting to know It was two years ago that the room clinic still needs to be fitted what picture it was and how it out. It is valued at $5 million US. Council reversed this decision, came to be up for sale. and stopped all work on the deIt was while working on antiRealizing that this field of enaging in Arizona that Dr. Hertzog velopment of the medical center. deavor was far more serious than A helicopter was hired at a became involved with cancer and he had anticipated, Dr. Hertzog cost of $3,500 and was used by terminal cancer. the Council to film the workmen. teamed up with a Swiss art dealer He was introduced to Ellagic ey were then threatened with and he moved to Lausanne in Acid, which is a misnomer for an the possibility of imprisonment, if Switzerland, to work part-time Ellagitannin, which, in fact only with his new colleague in they continued with the work becomes acid when mixed with 1996/97. without the permission of the gastric juices in the body. He then went from dealing in He started importing the prod- Planning Oﬃcer. Dr. Hertzog had intended to use to researching Impressionist masuct to the United Kingdom, and terpieces, liaising with the acthe new Medical Center to spesoon after, started manufacturing cepted world expert and appraiser cialize in looking after able-bodit in Ireland and Miami, selling it Turn to page 24 ied terminal cancer patients as through the internet from both

PUZZLES

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1. Presumptuously daring 6. He has final say at the plate 9. Where to get pampered, pl. 13. Scoundrel 14. Needlefish 15. Diver's lung 16. Independent African ruler 17. Big Island necklace 18. Type of paint 19. *Deposed despot 21. *Atlantis was the last one 23. Right-angle building extension 24. Another spelling for #16 Across 25. ___ Bon Jovi 28. Like Jekyll and Hyde's personality 30. *Arab ______ 35. Stratfor-upon-____, Shakespeare's birthplace 37. "e Man Who ____ Too Much" 39. Become established 40. Holy Father 41. It cuts edge of yard 43. ____ Verde National Park 44. A rooster to farmers? 46. Ready and eager 47. Eurasian duck 48. Scandinavian, e.g. 50. It can be wringed? 52. Greed or sloth, e.g. 53. Diamonds or hearts, e.g. 55. Nervous twitching 57. *ey were super 61. *Royal beau 65. Autumn color 66. Witness 68. Polynesian kingdom 69. Like a new car 70. Employ 71. Homework assignment 72. *Pitched at Occupy Wall Street 73. 6th sense? 74. Reminiscent of the past DOWN 1. Big talk 2. "Rome" in Italy 3. Matured, as in wine 4. Like Elvis's famous shoes 5. Oﬃcial messenger of news 6. Tangerine/grapefruit hybrid 7. Legendary West 8. Rainbow-producing device 9. Jazz singing 10. Stroke on a green 11. Cain's unfortunate brother 12. Original home of the Saxons 15. Eats noisily 20. Stroke of luck 22. Her counterpart 24. Graceful or refined 25. *Site of nuclear disaster 26. Convex molding 27. With no face value 29. *Retired from "60 Minutes" 31. Roentgen Equivalent Man, pl. 32. Particulars 33. One born to Japanese immigrants 34. Chewed on 36. Smart but awkward 38. "e Way We ____" 42. Straight muscles 45. It loves company 49. Mixed breed puppy 51. Out of ______ 54. October's "Time," e.g. 56. Bring to an end 57. Well-mannered Emily 58. Heart feeling 59. Body part that can double 60. Superman's last name 61. "Read'em and ____" 62. In or of the present month 63. Petri dish gel 64. ____ Clinic 67. Female suﬃx

(Answer on Page 20)

SUDOKU

(Answer on Page 20)

PROPERTY

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

Profiting from Koh Samui real estate By STEVEN ROBINER, Managing Director, Ten Stars Co. Ltd. (ailand)

“From the 1,200,000 travelers who come to Koh Samui every year, many realize this special island can be more than just a holiday dream come true – it can also be a wonderful home and a profitable investment too.” DESPITE issues in many other parts of the world, the economy of Koh Samui remains strong, and indeed is still thriving and growing. A new airport terminal, larger capacity sewers, more concrete roads, island-wide high speed internet, and excellent cell phone coverage have all been added in just the last three years. Recently rated as one of the top ten best islands in the world by Conde Nast Traveler UK magazine, many internationally famous 5-star luxury brands such as Four Seasons, Conrad, Nikki Beach, Le Meridien, X2, Banyan Tree, Six Senses, and e W Resort have invested hundreds of millions of baht on Koh Samui. So, it is quite clear that this island is now a first-rate destination. From the 1,200,000 travelers who come to Koh Samui every year, many realize this special island can be more than just a holiday dream come true – it can also be a wonderful home and a profitable investment too. In addition to capital growth, one of the most important factors for smart investors is annual yield, which for real estate on Koh Samui means rental income. In a desirable, tropical real estate market such as Koh Samui, with easy access via an international airport and good infrastructure, property owners typically earn annual yields ranging from 5 percent to 10 percent, with some savvy investors achieving rates as high as 15 percent. is is possible because Samui is a highly desirable, upscale rental market attracting many more aﬄuent renters and buyers than a typical residential market. e wealthy always have enough money to travel and often desire spending time in a prime, idyllic, tropical island which also oﬀers

all the modern comforts of home. Samui is one of the few easily accessible destinations which offers the best of both these worlds. Every year, numerous couples choose to be married on Koh Samui, not just for its predominantly great weather and natural beauty; also because they can easily find a wedding planner, yacht rentals, catering, and a fully staﬀed, luxury villa for their nuptials. Once here, many holiday makers quickly become hooked on the Koh Samui lifestyle, returning here again and again. e lucky ones choose to invest in property here, so they can stay for as long as they please, and earn rental income while they’re away. is trend has fueled demand for condominium developments on Koh Samui. One area of growth is ai government-certified condo projects which can legally sell up to 49 percent of their units to a foreigner, directly in their own name. As of 2011, seven condominium projects on Samui have been completed, with the majority of those units already sold.

Solutions for Sudoku and Crossword Puzzles

Luxury villas, penthouses and duplexes where foreigners can legally register their own name on long-term leases are also attracting a good number of recent sales on the island. Ten Stars Real Estate, a Samuibased agency, has received a significant number of inquiries from overseas customers who fear the falling Euro will lower their property values back home, so they are eagerly selling their properties there, and re-investing on Koh Samui. “With a robust mix of culture, active lifestyle activities and the low cost of living compared to Europe, Samui will always attract a vast amount of retirees and Europeans,” confirms local real estate developer Khun Chaiyapat Zongkijworakul. Considering the idea of moving to Koh Samui, some may ask, “how can one live on an island?” ese folks may be surprised to learn is that an ocean is not a wall from civilization, indeed it is more like an attractive, comfortable, and lucrative cushion: good for your body, your mind, and your wallet.

Free seminar on property ownership set January 26 FOLLOWING the highly successful seminars “Living and Retiring on Koh Samui” and “Working and Living on Koh Samui” held over the last four months of 2011, there is to be a further seminar entitled “Property Ownership on Koh Samui” scheduled on ursday, 26th January again at the Rajabhat University (International School of Tourism) located in Chaweng. e event will start promptly at 10 a.m. and finish at approximately 2:30 p.m. ere will be coﬀee and a free buﬀet lunch provided by chef Nigel. e agenda for the day will include types of ownership and en-

suring you have enough security for your investment, property maintenance, Tabien Baan, construction permits, registered rights and renting your property, all divided by a short “Master Class” and lunch by Chef Nigel. e event sponsors have informed e Samui Gazette that those people who already own or are thinking of purchasing property/land will find this seminar of interest. If you would like to attend this free event, you can reserve a place (only 30 seats available) by contacting: Michelle: michelle@samui-business-lawyer.com or phone: +66(0) 89591 263.

SPORTS

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

Tropical Murphy’s Pool League

Crucial matches to decide season 17 winner

By PATRICK ROXAS ON’S Livewire smashed Tam’s, 5-1, during their week 17 match which was played in advance, to move up in a tie with Bamboo Bar at second place and kept their hopes alive to bring the championship home going into the last two weeks of competition of the ongoing Tropical Murphy’s Pool League. On’s now has a total of 34 points, the same output as defending champion Bamboo Bar, who were held to a draw by Lord’s Bar during their December encounter in Choengmon. e Soi Reggae-based squad has three matches left and must win them all, particularly the one against Bamboo, to emerge this season’s winner. Despite the loss, Tam’s managed to retain the league leadership with their 12 win-3 draw-2 loss record for a total of 39 points. ey will be playing the always dangerous Chillin Beach Lounge Bar in one of the crucial matches which could well decide who will lift the trophy for this 17th season.

Bamboo Bar, unbeaten this season, but with three draws in their 14 matches played, still has a chance to win the league for the fourth straight season if they can win at least three of their four remaining matches although the task was daunting as they will be facing tough teams Aussieland and Spicy Bar for the last two playing weeks (Jan. 9 and Jan. 23, respectively,) and has two postponed matches against equally strong teams On’s Livewire and Chillin Bar. A result of two wins and two draws from these four matches could mathematically put the defending champions at the top of the Division 1 league table at the end of the season. In Division 2, Barbs Bar appear headed to a trophy finish needing only a draw in their last four matches (two postponed) to maintain their hold of the lead as the pool season winds up . e team currently sports a 34 point total from 14 completed matches, five points clear of Tam’s 2, which totes a 29 point total from 16 matches played.

LEAGUE LEADER - Tam’s pool team: ( Right to left) team owner Albin;Tony; Mark; Stell; Timmy and two friends. e team holds a precarious lead with the results of the crucial last two matches of the season likely deciding the winner.

Spicy’s Tanee, Barb’s Stu lead individual performers SPICY Bar’s ai player Tanee and Barb’s Stu currently lead individual performers in Division 1 and Division 2, respectively, latest post on the Tropical Murphy’ssponsored Samui Pool League website shows. Tanee is currently ranked number one having won 8 matches and only lost one for an 88.89 percent peformance while

to Stu in Division 2 with a 13 win-2 loss record. Darren of Tam’s 2 and John of Barb’s are tied for 3rd and 4th spots with 9 wins and 3 losses each. e finals of the Knock out Cup, a side competition of the Samui pool league, will be a twoleg match between Aussieland and Tam’s Bar.

Player Rankings (Division 2, as of January 9, 2012)

Player Rankings (Division 1, as of January 9, 2012)

Pos Player Team Won (%) 1 Tanee S Spicy Bar 88.89% 2 Timmy Tam Tams Bar 86.67% 3 Pat Bamboo Bamboo Bar 84.62% 4 Yak Bamboo Bamboo Bar 84.62% 5 Mark Tam Tams Bar 80.00% 6 Dave On's On's Livewire 80.00% 7 Lex S Spicy Bar 80.00% 8 Paul Tam Tams Bar 78.57% 9 Paul Bamboo Bamboo Bar 76.92% 10 Dave Bamboo Bamboo Bar 75.00% 11 Claus on's On's Livewire 72.73% 12 Ake S Spicy Bar 72.73% 13 Chris On's On's Livewire 71.43% 14 Patpong Chillin Chillin Bar 66.67% 15 Sam Jacks Jacks Bar 66.67%

Stu has won nine out of 10 matches for a 90 percent clip. Tam’s Timmy looms as the strongest contender for the Division 1 best player of the season award with a 13 win-2 loss record while two Bamboo players, Yak and Pat are ranked 3rd and 4th with 11 wins and 2 losses each. Ian of airish Bar is second

Won 8 13 11 11 12 8 8 11 10 9 8 8 10 8 8

Lost 1 2 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4

Pos Player Team Won (%) 1 Stu Barbs Barbs 90.00% 2 Ian Thai Thairish Bar 85.71% 3 Darren T2 Tams 2 75.00% 4 John Barbs Barbs 75.00% 5 Matt Office The Office 71.43% 6 Fon T2 Tams 2 69.23% 7 Steve Office The Office 66.67% 8 Audi Thai Thairish Bar 66.67% 9 The Shadow ThaiThairish Bar 66.67% 10 Mark Cos Cosmic 66.67% 11 Steve Barbs Barbs 66.67% 12 Jane Thai Thairish Bar 63.64% 13 Masu Ost Ostaria 60.00% 14 june Tre Tre-kronor 60.00% 15 Stu Jordans Jordan's 57.14%

Won 9 12 9 9 10 9 10 8 8 6 6 7 9 6 8

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

ISLAND NEWS

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

Australian artist’s exhibit up A romantic escape to Nikki Beach Samui

TRACY Verdugo - an Australian artist, write, singer, and workshop facilitator -- will open her painting exhibit on the island fromJan. 27 to Feb. 15 at the Namcha Tea House in Fisherman’s Village.

“My art is an expression of all that I see and do, a kaleidoscope of impressions, small things noticed and filed away, experiences processed or unfiltered, landscapes of my mind, characters and dreams impossible to forget,” A resident of a seaside village on the NSW South Coast of Australia, Verdugo has had nine successful solo exhibitions since 2002, besides participation in many group shows. Her artwork is in collections locally, nationally, and interna-

tionally and her skills are well recognized as a creative workshop facilitator for both adults and children. She also teaches art to kids after school and work with kids with special needs during the day. “My art is an expression of all that I see and do, a kaleidoscope of impressions, small things noticed and filed away, experiences

processed or unfiltered, landscapes of my mind, characters and dreams impossible to forget,” Verdugo, 46, describes her work. An exponent of beautiful vibrant art, Verdugo lives with her husband and two daughters. While on Samui, Verdugo will also judge a wall painting competition sponsored by Namcha Tea House.

NIKKI Beach Koh Samui oﬀers guests a chance to indulge in some holiday romance in ailand’s hippest VIP beachfront escape with Nikki’s Valentine’s Package; a short stay of divine red-hot indulgence for three nights between 10 February to 17 February. e Valentine’s Package is priced at Bt23,300 ++ per couple for three nights, and is the perfect reward for thrill-seeking lovers. While a visit to Nikki Beach is always a luxurious and memorable occasion, Valentines week is a particularly special time for couples as the world-famous beach club pulls out all the stops to delivery a dreamy week of indulgence and hospitality. Guests are introduced to the most romantic week of their lives with inclusive round–trip trans-

fers to and from Samui airport, a welcome drink on arrival, flower basket in the exquisite rooms, and a gift of the Nikki Beach White Card which entitles the holder to 10 percent oﬀ all food and drink purchased during the stay. Start every day with a perfect breakfast in the room or at the Bakery Cafe, and enjoy a private dinner on the beach in the company of a special partner and a bottle of sparkling wine. e Valentine’s Package also includes a one-hour ai massage session for two. Optional trips include a private boat trip by longtail boat and a private island tour; the ideal chance to discover the real Samui. For further information on Nikki Beach, please visit: www.nikkibeachthailand.com

FOOD & WINE 23 Chef ’s Table: Definitely the place to go for great seafood!

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

By PATRICK ROXAS

KOH Samui is a veritable gourmet paradise and amazing dining experiences can be easily enjoyed wherever you are in the island. Cuisines from many parts of the world are well represented in the many outstanding restaurants on the island, and new dining places are regularly coming up to meet the growing need for more discerning meal experiences. One of those that recently took our attention is Chef’s Table.

Located in the northern part of Chaweng Beach Road, inside the 5-star Sareeraya Villas and Suites Hotel, Chef ’s Table is a restaurant that is fast gaining a reputation for its wonderful selection of international cuisine and local signature dishes – and most notably, the freshest and most delicious seafood imaginable on the island bar none. In fact, the restaurant is not only a great choice to enjoy mouthwatering international cuisines and exquisite signature dishes but also for fine wines and delicious drinks, not to mention its luxurious tropical atmosphere and magnificent setting. Chef ’s Table is situated behind the tall walls making it exclusively private and ideal for intimate setting. e 98seater diner is close to the beach and the hotel’s swimming pool, making it perfect for romantic dining rendezvous. A warm smile immediately greeted me as I stepped inside the restaurant, never fading even after I was courteously seated to a table with a great view of the beach and the swimming pool. I was trying to be nonchalant about it, but I felt like a

VIP visiting a luxury diner, probably a reflection of the fact that the restaurant was inside a luxury resort and has this unique luxurious tropical ambience. Because this restaurant is famous for its seafood, I decided to order the best I can. First served on my table was the tender lemon-garlic shrimp skewers, which proved to be a delicious appetizer. You can tell the lingering freshness of this most popular seafood even after the grilling with the lemon garlic and butter sauce served with mixed salad. en came the succulent, savory salmon steak, a cross-section of a fish cut normally thicker than a fillet and looks tantalizing. Served along with caesar’s salad, it proved tantalizing to the taste too – with its very mild taste. e meat almost melts in the mouth! Also part of the meal was a platter combination of prawns deep-fried squid and spring rolls that’s really filling. Indeed, they are just a few of a seafood feast you can enjoy at Chef ’s Table. And there area other options as well. As I mentioned earlier, Chef ’s Table also oﬀers a romantic dining experience –

even a candlelit dinner under the star-studded sky with your loved one. Served in a private tent on the beach, you will be welcomed with flower garlands and a glass of Kir Royal and be treated to a five-course menu with a waiter tending to your needs as if you are the only two people in the world. To make the long story short, Chef ’s Table is a place to go for just about any kind of dining experience you can imagine and its menu covers almost every international cuisine. But they have special dinners too. Every Monday is “ai Night” when food from every province in ailand is on offer; every Wednesday is the Khantoke-style ai dinner (Northern style); and every Friday is international buffet night Friday when Indian, Japanese, and Korean food as well as BBQ is served. e restaurant also serves different lunch and dinner menus, breakfast buffet, and kid’s menu, and they can even prepare food for vegetarians. For reservations, contact: 100/1 Moo 2 Chaweng Beach Road, Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani Tel: +66 (0) 7791 4333, Fax: +66 (0) 7791 4349, www.sareeraya.com.

ON THE ISLAND

SAMUI GAZETTE | Jan. 11 - 24, 2012

Samui’s flying... From Page 18

TOP TEN WORST SAMUI EVENT IDEAS FOR 2012 10. Celine Dion Concert at Soi Green Mango 9. Drunk Brit Guy Helmetless Motorcycle Round Ring Road Race---First guy around the island in 30 minutes wins trophy 8. Chaweng Lake snorkel treasure hunt....dead body=2 points, dead fish=1 point, live fish=25 points 7. All You Can Eat Ramadan Special at Zico's 6. Lamai's World Famous Happy Bar Presents"Toothless (Bar Girl) Tuesdays" 5. "Sisters on Samui" Wet T-Shirt Contest 4. Bluewater School Presents "Pin the Tail on the Real Live Water Buﬀalo" 3. Samui Sewer Safari Tour and Lunch 2. Full Moon after-party revelers’ endurance swim from Koh Phangan to Koh Samui 1. "Nikki Beach" opens up "Icky Beach," a nude beach for overweight European guys

of Renoir's works, who lived and worked at the time in the Hermitage in Lausanne. At the height of Dr. Hertzog's interest in fine art, he was in possession, for a whole weekend, of the original Mona Lisa, the precursor of the one now hanging in the Louvre. is original art work had already been authenticated at considerable length in an hour-long feature program on the BBC. While working in ailand earlier this year, Dr. Hertzog noticed in a copy of the Sunday Times, an unusual advertisement asking for people to help to sell a brand new and revolutionary cardiovascular product. Upon inquiry, he discovered that this allegedly brilliant new product was being sold on a multi-level basis. Despite his misgivings, he set up a meeting in the UK but expressed his dislike of multi-level marketing, also known as pyramidal selling, of a Canadian product consisting mainly of the amino acid, L-Arginine, in powder form, which had to be taken as a solution in water. Challenged as to whether he could come up with something better, Dr. Hertzog decided that the formula would be considerably improved by being put into tablet form, and sold by ethical methods to doctors, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies etc.

Now that it is accepted for a $2 million trial at Manchester University, Dr. Hertzog is so confident that this product is going to be successful globally, saving millions of lives, that a public company has been set up to sell and market Super Cardiol on a world-wide basis. After an initial run at labs in the USA, it is now planned to switch manufacture to a leading laboratory in ailand from December 2011 (2054). After visiting ailand for 20 years and Samui for more than 15 years, Dr. Hertzog has strong emotional ties with the country and, as a result, has become involved with at least some of the local issues and politics. For example, to alleviate the plight of ai families who have an income of $2 or less per day, and could benefit from a donation of vitamins and healthcare supplements, Dr. Hertzog received an oﬀer from a leading healthcare company in Britain, asking which deserving families, particularly in Samui, could benefit from such a donation. Dr. Hertzog is also an ardent supporter of the proposed development of the new government airport on Samui, rather than the hitherto proposed ad hoc second airport.

Bangkok Airways' garden ranked 11th in "20 Must See" at Royal Flora 2011 BANGKOK Airways’ pavilion at Royal Flora Ratchaphruek in Chiangmai has been chosen by the organizer as one of the 20 'MUST SEE' pavilions this year. e overall concept of Bangkok Airways pavilion is led by "Greenitude" philosophy, combining nature and ai culture in every design to present Bangkok Airways' 'Environmental Friendly' motto in its daily operation. e identity of Bangkok Airways' own airports namely Samui,

Sukhothai and Trat is used as examples of how the airline recognises the importance of 'Global Warming' and to promote better 'Quality of Life'. We cordially invite you to visit our pavilion at the Royal Flora 2011 in Chiang Mai from now until 14 March 2012. Bangkok Airways operates 5 direct flights daily from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. For reservation, please visit www.bangkokair.com or Call Center 1771 or 02 270 6699.