The Phuket News December 13, 2019

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

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Hospital admits fault in cutting baby’s finger

LIFE

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John Dalley: A philosophy of genuine care

A Royal Thai Navy sailor scours the horizon for any sign of the missing kayak couple Mateusz Juszkiewicz and national Werakan Sirirakon.

Photo: Royal Thai Navy

SEARCH CONTINUES FOR MISSING KAYAK COUPLE AMID SLEW OF WATER-ACTIVITY DEATHS Eakkapop Thongtub and Tanyaluk Sakoot reporter2@classactmedia.co.th

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fter a week of of searching by air and sea, hopes were fading yesterday in finding Polish tourist Mateusz Juszkiewicz, 26, and Thai national Werakan Siriprakon, 23, from Nakon Sawan, who disappeared while kayaking with friends off Yanui Beach last Saturday (Dec 7).

Mr Juszkiewicz and friends had rented four kayaks to explore the waters and small island just offshore Yanui Beach, but when the group returned ashore at about 6:30pm Mr Juszkiewicz

and Ms Werakan, together on the same kayak, were missing.

Mr Juszkiewicz’s friends told police that he had called them while they were on the way back to the beach, and that he said that he and Ms Werakan were still far away and not able to return to the shore. They lost contact after that.

Search efforts by boat were launched last Saturday night, and continued each day with Navy and police helicopters joining the effort last Sunday.

By Tuesday, however, the search area had been expanded to cover 600 square nautical miles – nearly 2,059 square kilometres.

Leading the search efforts was Rear

Admiral Cherngchaiyot Atsuwee, Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command base at Cape Panwa, who by Tuesday had already called the situation “quite worrisome”.

“I hope that both of them are still alive somewhere. I want to see them alive,” he said.

However, even by Monday R/Adm Cherngchaiyot had admitted, “Whether the couple survive depends on how strong they are. They may stay alive a little longer, but not if they were not already quite healthy.”

DEADLY WATERS The apparent loss at sea of Mr Jusz-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

@thephuketnews

kiewicz and Ms Werakan comes as only the latest of a slew of deadly incidents involving tourists engaging in water-related activities in Phuket.

The deaths of 10 people prompted Tourist Police Commander Lt Gen Chettha Komolwatthana and Vice Admiral Cherngchai Chomcherngpat, Commander of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command base at Cape Panwa, to call for a raft of measures to improve safety in the water, including qualified lifeguards at all major beaches in Phuket as standard and for better scrutiny of dive tour leaders’ qualifications and snorkelling tour leaders.

The call came at a meeting of key officials involved in tourists’ safety…

SPORT

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Phuket’s Silver Surfer triumphs at SEA Games

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Tourist flees restaurant staff angry mob > p4

Phuket Town monkey gets taste for tourists Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

The protest lasted just 10 minutes before shopping mall management arrived to discuss the issue.

Central Phuket caves in to taxi drivers’ demands CENTRAL PHUKET HAS agreed to no longer operate its free shuttle service to bring tourists to the island’s main shopping mall following a protest by some 50 taxi drivers on Monday afternoon (Dec 9).

The taxi drivers massed in front of the Central Festival building at about 3:30pm, calling for the mall’s management to end the free shuttle service from hotels around the island, saying that the service severely affected their incomes.

Not allowing the situation to escalate, Central Phuket Assistant General Manager Kitt Thivavipat presented himself just 10 minutes later to talk with the taxi drivers.

By 4:15pm, a delegation of 20 of the drivers, led by Thammarat Suwanphosri, known for operating the local news Spotlight Thailand Facebook page (@spotlightphuket), re-

located to continue the talks in a meeting room inside the complex.

Present to witness proceedings was Future Forward party list MP Rangsiman Rome, and a local police officer to ensure talks remained cordial.

At 5:50pm the group had reached an agreement: Central will cease its free shuttle service from all hotels on the island except Central Group’s own Centara hotel franchise.

It was also agreed that staff from the Central Phuket mall will explain the new arrangement to taxi drivers who provide services from in front of Centara hotels across the island.

Management at Central Phuket has been asked for a formal statement regarding the new agreement, but as of Wednesday had yet to reply.

Eakkapop Thongtub

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ourist Police Region 3 Commander Maj Gen Krissak Songmoonna has called for more warning signs to be posted to prevent tourists from attempting to feed wild monkeys after a Russian tourist suffered a serious bite at Toh Sae Hill in Phuket Town last Sunday (Dec 8).

The news went viral on Thai social media on Tuesday after a video was posted showing the tourist bleeding profusely from the bite.

Somphian Kosaipruek, a snack vendor in the area who provided assistance to the tourist by cleaning the wound and wrapping it in a bandage, confirmed the incident occurred on Sunday (Dec 8).

During a visit to the site on Tuesday, Maj Gen Krissak said, “A lot of tourists come to Toh Sae Hill to see the view and the monkeys. Most accidents happen [there] because tourists feed, play with and take photos with the monkeys.

“For a solution, there must be more warnings. The existing signs are insufficient. There should be clear text and pictures about how to feed the monkeys properly and also warning signs telling people to not tease the monkeys,” he said.

“We will contact the president of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO, or OrBorJor) to set up some first aid points, because I have been told that tourists are attacked by monkeys here every day.

Tourist Police will request more signs be posted to warn tourists of closely engaing with the wild monkeys at Toh Sae Hill in Phuket Town.

“I also want security guards to have walkie-talkies to contact each other when an incident happens,” he added.

Pongchart Chouehorm, Chief of the Nature and Wildlife Education Centre at Khao Phra Thaew in Thalang, said that he was unclear what had provoked the monkey to bite the tourist.

However, he added, “Tourists look at the signs that have already been posted to warn them – in four languages.”

The “monkey rules” posted show a departure from original orders to not feed wild monkeys at all to now “Please only feed monkeys at designated areas”.

However, they also warn people to beware that monkeys may bite.

The signs, posted last year in areas across the island with large wild monkey

populations, caution, “Do not take your food back from monkeys”, “Do not touch monkeys directly” and “Do not poke and assault monkeys at all times”.

Further, the signs warn “A tour guide must follow all the rules” and display graphic images of people who have contracted serious, sometimes deadly, diseases from wild monkeys.

If bitten, people are urged to clean and cover the wound as quickly as possible – and seek medical attention immediately, Mr Pongchart said.

“Anyone bitten must stop the bleeding first, get to a hospital as fast as possible for first aid and to have the wound cleaned and for the doctor to determine if any treatment is required for rabies, tetanus or other diseases,” he added.

Tourist deaths spur call for safety by Tourist Police, Thai Navy

Continued from page 1 ...while engaging in water-related activities held at Chalong Pier on Dec 4.

Attending the meeting to hear the two commanders’ appraisal of what was needed to improve water safety in and around Phuket were Tourist Police Region 3 Chief Maj Gen Krissak Songmunnak, Chief of the Phuket Marine Office Wiwat Chitchertwong, and other relevant officials.

After the meeting, V/Adm Cherngchai told the press that the Third Area Command was working with local dive tour operators and snorkelling tour operators to ensure that those leading the tour groups in water activities were properly qualified.

“For dive and snorkelling tours, the problem is the qualification of tour leaders.

A lot of tourists have drowned during dive and snorkelling

tours. At this stage, the Thai Royal Navy Third Naval Area Command is working with dive clubs in Phuket to find out ways to take care of dive tour participants.

“We are also working on setting up an association that includes dive tour operators and snorkelling tour operators so when an accident or disaster happens, we will have a group of skilled people to help,” he said.

V/Adm Cherngchai’s comments about dive tour and snorkelling safety follows 37-year-old Japanese tourist Ryo Kubota dying during a snorkelling tour at Phi Phi Island on Nov 4, and the death of Russian tourist Ruslan Asaupov, 28, while snorkelling on a day tour to Racha Yai Island, south of Phuket, four days later.

As is usual with deaths of tourists who drown while

Polish tourist Mateusz Juszkiewicz and Werakan Siriprakon on the day they disappeared at Yanui. Photos: Supplied snorkelling off Phuket, no explanation has been given as to why tour leaders have been consistently unable to identify tourists in distress in the water before they become motionless.

Also, V/Adm Cherngchai’s move to engage more with dive tour operators to improve tourists’ safety while on underwater tours follows the deaths of South Korean tourist Sunghyun Cho, 37, and his Thai dive group leader Pongsathorn Madnui, 34,

during a shallow dive tour at Koh Racha on Oct 19.

The dive was reportedly to a depth of no more than seven metres. Mr Cho was apparently an already experienced diver, and was on a Try Dive tour at the time of the fatal incident.

LIFEGUARDS V/Adm Cherngchai also called for better protection of tourists swimming at Phuket beaches.

“Regarding the issue of lifeguards, there should be lifeguards under the same

standard at all beaches in Phuket, as well as designated areas specifically marked for swimming, and clearly marked areas where swimming is prohibited,” he said plainly.

“But sometimes tourists don’t listen to lifeguards’ advice and get injured,” he added.

That call followed a slew of drowning deaths at Phuket beaches during November, starting with the death of 31-year-old Belarus tourist Maksim Shchartsou, who disappeared while swimming at Nai Thon on Oct 29. His body was found five days later.

The area where Mr Shchartsou was swimming was not patrolled by lifeguards.

On Nov 5, 61-year-old Russian tourist Altaf Sharifulin, originally from Moscow, in Phuket on holiday with his wife, died after being pulled from the water unconscious

at Karon Beach. The section of beach where Mr Sharifulin drowned was patrolled by beach guards provided by a local resort, not the experienced, qualified lifeguards hired to patrol the sands elsewhere along the beach.

The next day, 55-year-old tourist Sergei Oshkin from Russia’s Far East also drowned at Karon Beach. Mr Oshkin drowned at the southern end of the beach, also where no lifeguards were reported as on duty.

On Nov 12, Dong Xuyan, 42, from Hebei, in northern China, was pulled from the water unconscious at Nai Harn Beach, and on Nov 13 Chinese tourist Ho Leong Lawrence, 50, from Hong Kong, was pulled from the water unconscious and unresponsive at Merlin Beach, south of Patong. Both men later died in hospital. thephuketnews

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Power blowouts hit Patong The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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power transformer failure on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee Rd in Patong last Wednesday afternoon (Dec 4) sent shards of ceramic spool insulators flying at high speed, following another power blowout on Bangla Rd just one day earlier.

The blowout on Rat-UThit 200 Pee Rd occurred at about 1:45pm at a step-down transformer in front of the Patong Post Office.

Jaray Ratthakan of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) Patong office explained that a small transformer at the main step-down junction of cables failed, causing the powerful electrical short.

Although an eye-witness reported to The Phuket News earlier that several had people suffered minor injuries in the blowout, both Mr Jaray and the Patong Municipality Fire Department said that no injuries had been reported to them.

“We used a dried chemical fire suppressant to stop fire, which took about 10 minutes,” one fireman told

Firefighters had the electrical fire on Bangla Rd put out in about 10 minutes. Photo: Patong Municipality Fire Dept The Phuket News.

PEA workers shut off power supply to the transformer in order to make repairs. However, power supply from the junction had yet to be restored as of 5:30pm.

“The power outage af-

fected only one hotel. No other buildings were affected,” Mr Jaray said.

“We are short-handed as we dispatched workers to repair a power pylon that was brought down by a water truck on Karon Hill earlier today,”

Concrete sheets fall in underpass THE CHIEF OF THE Phuket Highways Office has urged motorists to “drive carefully” while passing through the Chalong Underpass for the next two weeks until a contractor can be called in to prevent more concrete sheets from plunging off the walls into traffic.

The issue was brought to the attention of The Phuket News by an expat who was driving northbound through the tunnel at about 4:48pm last Friday (Dec 6) when one of the concrete sheets fixed to the wall fell and shattered on the road right in front of his car.

The incident was recorded by the car’s dashcam.

Mr Somwang told The Phuket News that the concrete sheet that fell was “only” for soundproofing in the tunnel.

“Our officials drove past and also saw it yesterday evening. We found the sheet had fallen onto the road. We had the debris cleared. There were no injuries and no vehicles were damaged,” he said last Saturday.

“I think the cause of the sound-absorbing sheets dropping may be from screws becoming rusty because of too much moisture inside the underpass,” he postulated. @thephuketnews

One of the concrete ‘sound absorbing’ panels falling from the wall of the Chalong Underpass yesterday (Dec 6) nearly hit a car driving through. Screengrab: Courtesy of ‘Brian from Nai Harn’ The Phuket Highways Office must wait for the contractor, Civil Engineering Co Ltd, to make the repairs, Mr Somwang said.

Asked why the two-week wait, he replied, “It takes time to order the soundproof sheets.”

Mr Somwang assured that the tunnel is safe, for now.

“We have already checked the [concrete] sheets. We check the whole project every month,” he said.

“This is also just one incident, and it does not have any effect on the main structure of the underpass,” he added.

Regardless, Mr Somwang urged motorists to exercise caution while driving through the tunnel.

“I can’t be sure when any more sheets will drop again.

Please drive carefully and slowly until the construction contractor came come and fix it in the next two weeks,” he said.

“If anyone sees any similar problems, please call the Phuket Highways Office directly at 063-6925308 immediately. We will get highways workers to the scene quickly to clear it,” Mr Somwang said.

The Phuket News

Mr Jaray explained.

The power blowout last Wednesday followed a loud explosion on Bangla Rd in Patong just one day earlier as a power overload saw several electricity meters short out and start a small fire in one

of the bars on the busy street The blowout last Wednesday also followed Phuket’s high-voltage mains power supply from the mainland being switched over from the old 115kV supply the island has been relying on for years

to the new network that can support up to 500kV at 10am earlier that day.

The sound of the loud explosion on Bangla Rd boomed at about 2:20pm, unsettling tourists as the wires overhanging Heroes Bar and nearby power meters burst from the charge.

Firefighters were soon at the scene and had the small electrical fire out within about 10 minutes.

Workers from the Patong branch of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA Patong) shut off power supply to the area while repairs could be made.

Mr Jaray of the PEA Patong office explained that a broken lightning rod at the top of the power pole where the explosion happened was to blame.

“We shut off the power off all along Bangla Rd while we made the repairs. The breakage led to a power surge, which caused the explosion,” he said.

The repairs were completed in about 30 minutes, Mr Jaray said.

Normal power supply to the street was soon restored, he confirmed.

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Californian on the run American flees Phuket after dislocating Thai partner’s jaw The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

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ourist Police will request US embassy officials’ assistance in serving an arrest warrant for an American man wanted for physical assault of his Thai partner, dislocating her jaw in a jealous rage last Friday night (Dec 6).

Maj Ekkachai Siri of the Phuket Tourist Police explained that the man wanted for the assault was David Earl Cash Brizuela from California, who turned 30 years old while in Phuket last Thursday (Dec 5).

His partner, Americanborn Thai Teresa Fahm Saechin, 26, also from California, has been released from Bangkok Hospital Phuket after receiving treatment, he said.

Ms Saechin told Maj Eakkachai that she was in rela-

Maj Ekkachai Siri of the Phuket Tourist Police. Photo: The Phuket News / file tionship with Cash Brizuela for five years.

They had traveled from San Francisco to Hong Kong, then on to Thailand. They arrived in Phuket on Dec 3 and were to depart Tuesday this week (Dec 10). They were staying at a hotel in Kalim,

Maj Ekkachai said.

Police were alerted to the incident after Ms Saechin ran out from her room to the hotel front desk at 8:15pm last Friday night.

Ms Saechin had blood running out of her mouth, and staff organised for her

to be taken quickly to Patong Hospital.

“After receiving basic medical treatment, Ms Saechin returned to her hotel room.

The next day, she took a taxi to see a dental clinic in Patong at 9am,” Maj Ekkachai said.

“The dentist informed her that the clinic could do little to help her, as her jaw was dislocated,” he said.

“So she went to Bangkok Hospital Phuket. Ms Saechin left the hospital on Sunday night (Dec 8),” he added.

Ms Saechin confirmed that Cash Brizuela had accompanied her to Patong Hospital last Saturday, but Kamala Police later confirmed that he checked out of the hotel at 9:20pm that night.

He cleared immigration at Phuket International Airport to leave the country at 10:55am Saturday morning, while Ms Saechin was seeking

treatment for her dislocated jaw.

“Ms Saechin explained that Mr Cash Brizuela became jealous after she had leaned in too close to talk to their taxi driver because a voice translation app didn’t work.

He said she was too close to the driver while she explained and talked with him,” Maj Ekkachai said.

“After the taxi ride, they both went to buy some drinks at a shop. Then they had an argument and he used his elbow to hit her face,” he added.

Maj Eakkachai confirmed that he had informed the US embassy of Ms Saechin’s situation.

“Tourist Police and Kamala Police are now processing the request for an arrest warrant. Next, I will ask the US embassy for assistance in tracking him down to serve the warrant of arrest,” he said.

Tourist escapes mob amid fight Chinese injured as van driver asleep at restaurant staff in Karon wheel runs red light, slams airport van with POLICE HAVE DECLINED

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T H R EE C H I N ESE TOU R ISTS have been taken to Thalang Hospital after the passenger van taking them to Phuket International Airport slammed into another airport van at a major intersection on Thepkrasattri Rd early last Saturday morning (Dec 7).

Lt Sophanat Nayao of the Thalang Police was called to the scene, at the main turnoff to Nai Yang, at 4:40am.

At the scene were two passenger vans on their sides in the middle of the intersection.

Sitta Jamsuriya, 42, from Chumphon, the driver of the grey Toyota van registered in Trang at the scene, told police that he was taking Chinese tourists to the airport when the accident occurred.

He started falling asleep at the wheel, causing him to drive through a red light at the intersection, ending with his van ploughing into the side of the other van, a Phuket-registered white Toyota driven by Siwanat Srinoonchum, 34, from Phatthalung.

Mr Siwanat was driving from Phuket airport with a Chinese guide on board.

Lt Sophanat reported two Thai nationals and three Chinese tourists injured in the accident; Somchai Saeju, 33, and Sombat Sae-Cheng, 26, both

The driver of the van carrying Chinese tourists to the airport said he started falling asleep at the wheel, leading to the accident. from Chiang Mai; and Chinese tourists Mr. Luo Zheng, 39, Miss Wang Yong, 38, and Mrs. Zhou Hua, 47.

All five were taken to Thalang Hospital.

Lt Sophanat did not report the extent of their injuries.

Lt Sophanat noted that his investigation into the accident was to continue with the drivers to present themselves at Thalang Police Station later that day.

Chinese embassy representatives have been informed of the incident, he reported.

Eakkapop Thongtub

to explained what started a fight between an American tourist and a mob of staff from a seafood restaurant on the Karon beachrfont road last week that ended with the American man fleeing a mob of more than a dozen angry locals.

The incident, which occurred on Dec 2, became public last week after CCTV footage of the altercation and ensuing chase down the beachfront road was posted online.

Karon Police Chief Col Prawit Sutthirueangarun told The Phuket News that Maj Techin Deethongon of the Karon Police was called to the restaurant, Aof Seafood, at 4:30pm.

At the scene, Maj Techin found an American tourist who Col Prawit identified only as “Mr Connelly”, 44, and three restaurant staff who were allegedly involved in an altercation with the American.

Col Prawit identified the three staffers as Thai national Ms Theeraporn Thitayaporn, 27, and two Myanmar national men, who he identified as Ao Min Wen, 20, and Nadee, 21.

The American flees the angry mob on the Karon beach road.

Image: CCTV / Karon Police While questioning the four involved, police were told that Mr Connelly had a conversation with the restaurant staff, when a misunderstanding blew out of control, leading to a fight as recorded by a nearby CCTV, Col Prawit said.

The parties resolved the dispute through further talks, Col Prawit said, without elaborating on what started the argument or what the “misunderstanding” was.

Regardless, all four, who Col Prawit confirmed suffered only minor injuries in the affray, were fined B500 each for physical assault.

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Hospital admits baby injury

Finger cut by accident, free corrective surgery, compensation to come Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

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achira Phuket Hospital Director Dr Chalermphong Sukhonthaphon has confirmed that three-month-old baby Phakawadee Charnkol will receive free corrective surgery to the little finger on her left hand after a nurse’s assistant accidentally cut it with a pair of scissors, leading to the tip of the finger starting to rot – and eventually fall off.

The parents will also receive state compensation for the harm done, Dr Chalermphong told a press conference held at the hospital on Monday (Dec 9).

The news follows Phakawadee’s parents – father Stawut Charnkol, 34, and mother Oranuch Thongdee, 24 – filing a formal complaint against the hospital over its lack of response in addressing the issue.

The formal complaint was filed at the provincial ombudsman’s Office at Phuket Provincial Hall last Friday (Dec 6).

In filing the complaint, Mr Stawut said he and his wife had repeatedly asked the hospital to take responsibility for the state of the baby’s finger.

“But all they have done is given

@thephuketnews

Father Stawut Charnkol, 34, and mother Oranuch Thongdee, 24 filed the complaint at the ombudsman’s Office last Friday (Dec 6). Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub us a form to write how we could make things better,” he said.

“I have come to the Damrongdhama Centre to request justice, by requesting that the hospital be held responsible for care of its patients and to compensate us for the waste of time in going by their procedures – and also to provide surgery to the finger so it can be back to normal,” Mr Stawut explained to the press.

At the press conference on Monday, hospital deputy director Wandee Koikitchalern, who is also head of the Nurse Department, explained how the accident happened.

“The saline drip that was inserted in the finger could easily come out from baby, so we tied the finger with a bandage as tight as we could.

“An unexpected symptom hap-

pened, the nurse’s assistant had to take the drip out and had to use scissors to cut the bandage, leading to the accident,” she said.

Phakawadee will now receive free corrective surgery to her finger, explained Dr Chalermphong.

Dr Chalermphong named Dr Somphop Rattanasakulwong as the surgeon who will be responsible for overseeing the corrective procedure.

However, Dr Somphop, who was present at the press conference on Monday, explained that the corrective surgery will not be done until possibly eight years from now.

“We will make the finger better when she is 8 years old, or before if she is strong enough and ready for another operation.

“We will stretch the finger bone, a procedure which will take around three to four months,” he said.

“We have spoken with the child’s parents and explained that the surgery will improve the finger’s aesthetics, but not it usage, and the family understands that well,” he said.

Dr Chalermphong on Monday confirmed that the parents will receive state compensation “We are working on the legal process. Section 41 of the National Health Security Act, B.E. 2545 allows for compensation of B100,000 to B240,000.

“We will talk about this with the family again next Wednesday (Dec 18),” he said.

“To prevent this kind of accident from happening again, we will use plasters that can be easily removed by hand so we don’t need to use a knife or scissors in such situations,” Dr Chalermphong said.

Opinion 6

OPINION

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EDITORIAL

Gasping for marine safety

he number of tourists who died while engaging in nothing more than normal water-related activities over the past month were enough for not only the Commander of the Royal Thai Navy base in Phuket to step up last week and say his piece about what was required to make Phuket safer for tourists, but also the commander of entire country’s Tourist Police Bureau.

If Polish tourist Mateusz Juszkiewicz, 26, and Thai national Werakan Sirirakon, 23, who disappeared while kayaking at Yanui Beach, off Phuket’s southwest coast, last Saturday afternoon (Dec 7), are not miraculously found alive, the tally of tourists killed by the waters around Phuket will rise to 12 in the past seven weeks – eight of those in just one month.

What cannot be ignored

is that these tourists were doing only what countless other tourists had done before them, and many more since.

Worse, all of the deaths were preventable. At face value, this all seems too much for local operators and officials to comprehend. If that is not the case, the only logical presumption to be made is that tour operators just don’t care enough to take any further action.

The Phuket navy base commander and the Tourist Police chief stepping up to voice their concerns can be taken, thankfully, as a clear sign that attitude is not acceptable. The public call for improved water-safety measures may also herald the introduction of even more regulations.

Thailand has a habit of going from zero regulation to over-regulation in a knee-jerk

blink of an eye, but as many readers rightly pointed out last week with the news of the impending introduction of the demerit points system for driver’s licences, all that regulation means nothing without enforcement.

After all, the Phoenix tour boat disaster of last year that killed 47 Chinese tourists and marked the beginning of the downturn in tourism for the whole country did not happen without some officials allowing the boat to put to sea despite regulatory requirements.

Yet, as with the demerit points system, hope lies in introducing a system that removes the option of local officials and operators having a choice of ignoring the law.

Failing that, how much luck or poor judgement plays a part in a tourist staying alive while on holiday in Phuket is anyone’s guess.

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Filipino racer Torres, 16, dies in circuit collision American tourist flees mob amid fight with restaurant staff American flees after dislocating Thai partner’s jaw in jealous rage Concrete sheets fall from underpass walls Phuket braces for holiday surge Sticky rice vendor killed as motorbike struck by drunk pickup driver Safety on point: Demerit point penalties for traffic violations to start Central caves in to Phuket taxi drivers Tourists injured in vanon-van collision Phuket Opinion: Safer drivers on the horizon

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HAVE YOUR SAY How much is enough?

Re: Phuket’s tourism woes made clear to parliamentary committee The problems are many.

Strong baht, visa , prices too high ,no regulations for building new hotels condo villas with no vision of global plan , the only focus is on Chinese tourist, the feeling that farang are not welcome anymore, police checkpoints everywhere taking money for nothing. The out-of-control environmental situation. Too many shopping malls, shops, hotels, condos and restaurants, etc.

Lamboley Serge

things would be different but greed will rule until there is no one left to rip off then the sound of crickets is the only thing you will hear in Phuket.

Stephen Palmer Phuket government has no back bone, when the mall closes down due to lack of business and Thousands of people are out of jobs, will the taxi drivers take responsibility of course not, the government is responsible Carla Love

Re: Russian tourist arrivals hit 1mn, overall arrivals reach 32.51mn All decent comrades are welcome. Thailand is looking forward to foster closer ties with Russia economically and militarily.

Teradet Pongmaha

May we request that Tourist Police and TAT arrest and fine all minibus, taxi and tuk-tuk drivers to sell tours for commission to their customers because they are working without a TAT licence and Guide Licence and also to remove all brochures and leaflets from their minibus, taxis and tuk-tuks Seafarer Divers Charlie Phuket

Driver’s seat

Crash course

Re: Central caves in to Phuket taxi drivers’ demands Maybe if the tuk tuk mafia stopped ripping off the tourists

Re: Sticky rice vendor killed as motorbike struck by drunk pickup driver Sadly another fatal road accident in our little village.

We see cars and trucks daily, hurtling through Baan Manik, well over the speed limit. The school crossing is just another accident waiting to happen.

Speed bumps are urgently needed on either end of the village to slow vehicles down to a safe speed.

Chantel Re: Road closed, pickup truck hits power pole It always astonishes me how quickly the PEA are to repair incidents such as this… but that said, they do get a lot of practice!

Geoffrey Morris

Charity at heart

Re: Disabled Sailing Thailand launches two newlydonated boats in Phuket The best boating expansion effort I have seen since I got here. Not a drinking event on land but a promotion to get out on the water.

James Bahr

Feed me

Re: Bangkok street food, footpath vendors get reprieve They’re cheap because they’re illegal. People use

them because they’re cheap and that damages and destroys business for honest legal operations. Street food is great but it needs regulating. They can’t just operate for free and price gauge everyone else. Office workers in other countries manage to feed themselves without resorting to breaking the law.

Philip Mason Keep it simple, partition off one car lane of the road and add it to the pedestrian area. Street food vendors are so very important for office employees and the local grassroots economy. Stop ‘bowing’ to serve cars as the only users of the road. Streets are for all people.

Kurt Re: The evolution of farang food in Thailand And you can see the difference in the past 15 years or so. But what used to be staple food for Thai people is now eaten by many farang. You can see farang who have been here many years eat Thai food lose weight and become fitter and vice-versa with the Thai who eat farang food.

Simon Lomas

Have an opinion? Comment on stories at thephuketnews.com thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Phuket navy base to ‘monitor’ Myanmar sub BANGKOK

Wassana Nanuam

T

he Royal Thai Navy is preparing to deal with what it calls a ‘new situation’ after learning that Myanmar is going to send its attack submarine to the Andaman Sea for security missions.

The diesel-electric Kilo Class submarine, which Myanmar acquired from India, is scheduled to start operations from Dec 24, spokesman and deputy chief-of-staff Prachachart Sirisawat said.

The navy’s Third Area Command, based in Phuket, which oversees territories in the Andaman Sea, has been told to keep a watch on the submarine, which can operate underwater for up to 45 days.

Myanmar plans to use its submarine for “security and protection of its maritime interests,” said Vice Adm Prachachart, the Director-General of the Naval Acquisition Management Office.

The Indian government has been purchasing the Russian-made Kilo Class submarines since 1980 and made further adjustments to improve capacity at its shipyards.

With a displacement of 3,000 tonnes, the sub is well known for its quiet operation. It can be equipped with various types of weapons and can dive to a depth of

The Russian-made Kilo Class submarine which Myanmar will be using later this month for security missions in the Andaman Sea. Photo: AFP 300 metres, accommodating 52 officers.

“Myanmar is going to increase its military efficiency,” Vice Adm Prachachrat said, referring to its plan to enter talks with Russia to buy more Kilo Class submarines.

Thailand is in the process of buying three submarines from China after the previous coup-appointed government approved the B36-billion purchase, which was the first in over 60 years.

The navy signed an agreement to buy a Yuan Class S26T submarine worth B13.5bn from China in 2017.

Its construction began on Sept 7 last year in China, and it is expected to be delivered to the navy in 2023.

The navy reportedly has asked the

government to allocate B12bn to buy the second submarine, but a final decision will depend on the House of Representatives, which is considering the state’s B3.2 trillion budget request for the 2020 fiscal year.

“We’re scheduled to clarify the purchase plan today,” Vice Adm Prachachart said, referring to their meeting with the House special committee, which has been set up to scrutinise budget details.

Vice Adm Prachachart also rejected rumours about a “budget suspension,” which surfaced last month that the navy would suspend the submarine plan and instead buy less expensive frigates.

“That is confusion in communication,” he said.

Bangkok Post

Thai massage for Unesco status BANGKOK FROM UPSCALE BANGkok spas and Phuket beach fronts to modest street-side shophouses, Thai massage is ubiquitous across the Kingdom.

This week the traditional practice may be added to Unesco’s list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage” when the body meets in the Colombian capital of Bogota (Dec 9-14).

Massage employs tens of thousands of Thais, a number that tends to increase when

@thephuketnews

the economy is bad. As it is considered a job that requires only hands and knowledge it is widely accessible to many, such as people who are disabled or in debt.

Today a therapist at a topend spa can charge around US$100 (more than B3,000) an hour inside Thailand, two or three times more in London, New York or Hong Kong where the Thai massage brand is booming.

Teachings focus on directing blood circulation around problem areas to solve muscle aches, sometimes drawing

winces from clients unaccustomed to the force applied.

Studies have shown it can help relieve back pain, headaches, insomnia and even anxiety.

Originating in India, doctors and monks were said to have brought these methods to Thailand 2,500 years ago, passing its secrets from master to disciple in temples and later within families.

Today there is estimated to be more than 200,000 massage therapists practicing in 145 countries globally.

AFP

THAILAND NEWS

7

Muddy road traps timberpoaching local politician SURAT THANI A REPORT OF A BOGGED lorry on a muddy road blocking a vehicle taking students to school led to the discovery of a cargo of illegally harvested timber and the arrest of a local government councillor.

Residents of Ban Klong Mai Daeng in Chaiya district on Monday (Dec 2) called the district office and said a loaded truck stuck on a muddy forest road was preventing their children getting to school. It was unclear was type of the vehicle the students were in.

District chief Charoensak Wongsuwon went to the scene with a team of officials and defence volunteers. They found the 10-wheel truck blocking the road. And when they looked on the back they found four large sawn lengths of Malacca teak, he said.

The tree, also known as Merbau or Moluccan ironwood, is a protected species.

A search of the nearby forest found five more lengths of harvested teak tree trunk.

Mr Charoensak said the timber was probably illegally harvested from Tha Chana Forest Reserve.

Chaiya district chief Charoensak Wongsuwon with the truck found to be carrying illegally processed Malacca teak wood, in Surat Thani province. Photo: Supapong Chaolan The district chief said heavy rain had made the road muddy and the truck bogged down.

District officials duly arrested the truck driver, Adisak Thongsuk, a member of the tambon Par Wae Administration Organisation. He was taken to Mo Thai police station and charged with felling timber in a forest reserve and cutting down protected trees.

Mo Thai police chief Lt Col Patipan Chairak said Mr Adisak denied everything and was released on bail of B100,000, and would fight the case in court.

Lt Col Patipan expected more people would face charges in the case.

Bangkok Post

THAILAND NEWS

8

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Stores binning plastic bags

Leading Thai retailers launch Jan 1 drive to cut plastic use THAILAND Bangkok Post

T

he Thai Retailers Association and 75 member stores across 24,500 retail distribution channels plan to ban the use of plastic bags under the “Everyday Say No to Plastic Bags” campaign from Jan 1, 2020.

With plastic waste a growing problem in Thailand, major retailers are taking steps to ban plastic bags at their shops.

The effort is expected to significantly reduce plastic bag usage in the country.

According to the Pollution Control Department, up to 45 billion plastic bags are used each year in Thailand.

Three main sources account for 40% of usage or 18bn plastic bags a year: fresh markets for municipalities, the private sector and stalls.

Some 30%, or 13.5bn plastic bags a year, comes from grocery stores, while another 30% stems from department stores, malls, supermarkets and convenience stores.

The average Bangkok

With plastic waste a growing problem in Thailand, major retailers are taking steps to ban plastic bags at their shops. Photo: Bangkok Post consumer uses eight plastic bags a day, resulting in up to 80 million items of plastic waste daily.

Thai Retailers Association president Worawut Oonjai said the association this year joined forces with malls, supermarkets, convenience stores and more than 40 association members nationwide to sign an agreement to stop the use

of plastic bags on the fourth day of every month.

The joint agreement was made with the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry on National Environment Day to reduce the amount of plastic bags used.

The campaign ran from Dec 4, 2018 to Aug 31, 2019, with consumers receiving up to three reward points for not

accepting plastic bags, reducing plastic bag usage by more than 2bn, or 5,755 tonnes, a decrease of 4.6%.

Another campaign dubbed “Reduce to Receive” encourages consumers to stop accepting plastic bags.

The ban on single-use plastic bags in 2020 for department stores, malls, supermarkets, convenience stores and shops

in the association's network is expected to reduce plastic bag use by up to 9bn a year, or 20% of current consumption.

On Nov 11, the association invited shops and its network to join the Jan 1 campaign.

Retailers in Thailand are making a concerted effort with more than 75 stores with over 24,500 distribution channels confirming that they plan to stop use of plastic bags.

Phattaraporn Phenpraphat, vice-president for marketing at Central Food Retail Co, said the company has stopped giving plastic bag to shoppers for five days a month since June.

Last year the campaign ran for one day each month.

"We will gradually increase the number of plastic-free days in the near future. Central Group is serious about environmental sustainability in the long term," Mrs Phattaraporn said.

According to Mrs Phattaraporn, customer awareness has improved with some 2.2 million customers saying no to receiving plastic bags in the first half of the year, compared with 1.1 million customers for

all of last year.

The company is also cooperating with suppliers to replace disposable plastic bags with eco-friendly products and packaging for certain products such as cotton buds and shampoo and will use plant plastics for fresh food and drinks.

The Mall Group announced earlier this year that plastic bags will not be provided at its department stores such as The Mall, Paragon, The Emporium and BluePort. If customers need a plastic bag they have to donate one baht per bag with the proceeds supporting environmental organisations.

Aside from launching plastic-bag-free campaigns at some branches, Tesco Lotus has also taken measures to reduce packaging and stop using non-recyclable packaging materials such as polystyrene foam trays.

"We will introduce more plastic-bag-free stores in the future, focusing first on stores near coastal areas and universities," said Ms. Salinla Seehaphan, corporate affairs director at Tesco Lotus.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

BUSINESS NEWS

9

Standing on the truth

MP tourism committee examines Phuket’s tourism problems TOURISM The Phuket News editor@classactmedia.co.th

T

he Parliamentary Standing Committee on Tourism (SCT) met with representatives of Phuket tourism associations last week in order to address challenges facing the local tourism industry and to understand why recorded numbers appear to be lower than in recent years.

Led by Committee President Surasak Phanchalernworakul, Vice President Mrs Sirinthon Rammasut and Vice President and Phuket MP Nattee Thinsakhu, the meeting sought to find solutions to a range of problems considered to be affecting tourist numbers on the island.

President of the Thailand Hotels Association Southern chapter Kongsak Khongphongsakorn commented that a major factor is the change in high season dates. Traditionally considered to start in November, it is nowadays not until mid-December that the numbers increase and this is having a serious impact, he said.

The decrease is reflected in hotel occupancy numbers islandwide.

Research conducted by the Tourism

The Standing Committee on Tourism heard first-hand the slew of problems facing Phuket’s tourism industry. Photo: Supplied Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MoTS) shows this figure has declined by 10-20%, Mr Kongsak pointed out.

Hotels at the forefront of Patong Beach continue to remain fully booked although those elsewhere, including other beach areas, tend to only be at 50-60% occupancy, despite the impending high season, he added.

One factor points to market saturation with the continued construction of new hotels and guesthouses across the island resulting in more than 3,000 new hotels with more than 250,000 rooms and 580 registered hotels with 50,000 rooms, Mr Kongsak said.

“There are also more than 1,000 unregistered hotels. These are typically smaller venues who many believe should not have to follow

Base wage to take a hike ECONOMY

PH U K E T A N D C H O N Buri will remain the two provinces with the highest minimum wage in the country after the national wage committee on Dec 6 approved an increase of B5-6.

The move will increase the daily minimum wage from B308-330 to B313-336, depending on the province affected.

The proposed rise to to be submitted to Cabinet to come into effect on Jan 1.

@thephuketnews

Suthi Sukosol announced the proposed wage hike last Friday (Dec 6). Photo: Ministry of Labour Ministry of Labour Permanent Secretary Suthi Sukosol said that the decision came after careful consideration of factors including employees’ cost of living, employers’ ability to pay, and local and

global economic conditions.

“We believe that the increment will enable workers to survive and also support national growth. The impact will be minimal. Investment can be promoted and the economy can grow,” he said.

Mr Suthi said the B6 increase will come into effect in Chon Buri, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon. The base wage in the other 68 provinces will increase by B5, he added.

The Phuket News

the same rules, or incur the same high costs, as the larger operators and that separate, fairer regulations should be introduced,” Mr Kongsak explained.

A significant number of shortstay condominiums and apartments, available via online booking alternatives such as Airbnb, would certainly fall under this bracket of unregistered entities and thus have

a measurable impact on the overall numbers, he noted.

Another challenge presented was regarding inbound airline traffic.

Phuket Provincial Industry Council President Sarayut Mallam suggested that restrictions on the allocation of slots for carriers operating from countries such as India, Vietnam and numerous Middle Eastern countries is limiting numbers.

President Sarayut also raised safety issues as being a factor with examples of tourist drownings and insufficient lifeguard and first-aid equipment in some beaches undermining tourists’ confidence. More tourist assistant centers might be a solution to restoring this, he said.

The ongoing debate around beach bed and umbrella operators wanting to increase their allocated space continues to rumble.

Recently, operators had gone to parliament to file a request to the tourism committee to increase the permitted space by 30%.

MP Nattee confirmed a subsequent investigative visit to Patong beach on Dec 1 resulted in any decision being placed on hold.

The key, he said, is about the demand by tourist numbers and not the operators.

10 BUSINESS NEWS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Russian arrivals reach 1mn Still the top non-Asia market with seasonal growth year on year Anton Makhrov news@novostiphuketa.com

O

nce again Russia became the first non-Asia tourist market to record 1mn visits to Thailand. Australia, the US and European countries are yet to make it.

According to the latest statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MoTS), some 106,693 Russian nationals visited Thailand in October doubling the numbers for the months from May through September and showing 5.41% growth against October last year. This growth falls in line with the standard pattern, according to which Russia normally provides Thailand with around 100,000 tourists in April and October and twice as much trough December to March.

Overall Russian arrivals for the 10 months of the year totaled 1.08 million representing 2.19% decline against the same period last year.

Yet, Russia still keeps its status of the most important tourism market among non-Asian countries.

Same report by MoTS also documents the continuing resurgence in Chinese visitor arrivals. In October alone Thailand welcomed 826,392

Russian are still heavyweights in Phuket’s buoyant tourism industry.

Photo: Dennis Sylvester Hurd / Flickr tourists from China, an increase of 27.81% year on year, while arrivals for the 10 months totaled 9.34mn, representing 3.58% growth against the same period of 2018.

Visitor arrivals from India in October 2019 continued to boom, growing by 37.9% and totaling 161,961. Arrivals from India since beginning of the year have already totaled 1.63mn (+26.72% year on year) making this market one of

the most important for Phuket and Thailand in general.

As of last August, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expected some 2mn arrivals from India this year thanks to more direct flights and free visas-on-arrival until April 30, 2020.

Over 1mn arrivals have already been recorded in the Japanese and Korean segments, as the first of the two countries provided 1.49mn

visits in January-October and the second recorded 1.55mn (+9.94% and +5.73% respectively). Arrivals from Taiwan and Hong Kong during the 10 months grew by 14.67% and 2.79% receptively and totaled 660,923 and 874,214.

Known as pretty unstable recently, the market of Australia kept going down. Australian visitors fell by 5.23% to 67,857 in October and decreased by 3.35% to 642,619 since January.

In contrast, visits from the US increased by 4.24% to 86,527 in October. American arrivals for the 10 months since January grew by 4.68% and reached 915,391.

None of key European markets – excluding Russia – was able to show any significant growth neither in October nor since the beginning of year. Arrivals from UK in January-October totaled 795,327 (+0.97%), arrivals from France and Germany reached 612,009 and 666,626 respectively (-0.05% and -3,64%).

Positive dynamics were recorded only in Spanish arrivals (156,027 visitors, +3.11%) and arrivals from the Eastern Europe (407,340 visitors, +4.98%).

Overall arrivals from Europe – including Russia – for the 10 months slid from 5.24mn to 5.16mn representing a 1.58% contraction.

Meanwhile, tourism from Middle East keeps flourishing with 598,885 visits from this region recorded in January-October, representing 45.05% growth. UAE and Israel lead the pack with half of the visits being from either of these two countries.

Total foreign arrivals from all markets in October reached 3.04mn against 2.7mn last year, showing 12.51% growth. Arrivals for the 10 months since January totaled 32.51mn (+4.29).

Tourist spending, as calculated by the MoTS, reached B147.8 billion in October (+9.27%) and B1.58 trillion since January (+3.97%).

The Tourism Council of Thailand expects that for the 12 months of the year Thailand will welcome 39.7mn foreign tourists who will spend B1.95trn in revenue.

The predictions were slashed from the previous expectation of 40.1mn visits and B2.13trn in revenue due to the strengthening of Thai currency, which is considered to be the most pressing challenge for tourism this high season.

CanCham to launch South Chapter in Phuket THE THAI CANADIAN Chamber of Commerce this Saturday (Dec 14) will hold an event at the Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort to formally launch Thailand South Chapter in Phuket.

The event, from 2pm to 5pm, is to provide the Cana-

dian business community and stakeholders an opportunity to be recognised, acquaint themselves with the Thai and Canadian business environment and community and participate in the launch of Southern Chapter.

Sanjeev Chowdhury, Head

of the Trade Mission at the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok, along with John Stevens President of the Thai – Canadian Chamber of Commerce, will be f lying down from Bangkok to attend and speak at the event.

Rajiv Parrab, Thai Cana-

dian Chamber of Commerce Board member who is based in Surat Thani, will be chairing this event and as presenting.

A number of dignitaries from various chambers of commerce throughout major Southern Thailand cities have confirmed their attendance.

John Stevens The agenda for the event is as follows: 1. Welcome and South Chapter overview– Rajiv Parrab 2. Opening remarks by Kalin Sarasin, Chairman of Thai-Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand (TBC) 3. Thailand Canada Trade and Investment Overview and opportunities – Sanjeeev Chowdhury 4. Thai Canadian Chamber of Commerce Overview – John Stevens 5. Digital Transformation within SME-sized organisations – Rajiv Parrab 6. Bombardier Transport Bangkok MRT Launch (TBC) 7. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS a. Smart City (Thoughts) – Surat Thani Chamber of Commerce b. Sustainability- Turning Waste to value - Turning Trash to Treasured Art (presented at the Thai Chamber of Commerce- YEC Circular Tourism) – Artist and YEC member Wishulda from the

Sanjeev Chowdhury Surat Thani Chamber of Commerce 8. Business, Trade and Investment between Southern Thailand and the Canadian Business Environment in Thailand and globally with assistance from the South Chapter of Thai Canadian Chamber of Commerce – A potential framework – Rajiv Parrab Following the presentations will be a chance to network with fellow business people for the remainder of the evening. Food and drink will be provided.

Attendance at the event costs B500 for Canadians and members of CanCham Thailand, GTCC, Trang, Surat Thani, Phuket Chambers of Commerce and government officials, and B1,000 for nonmembers.

For more information about the event, and to register, visit http://bit.ly/CanCham-South or contact Jen at 096 563 6198 or email ed@canchamthailand.org The Phuket News thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

In conversation with Soi Dog’s John Dalley

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

13

Cash crop: the profit in Phuket’s palm trees

16

THE HOLLOW BONE

An exploration of shamanic practices in Phuket MUSING IN THE MIRE David Jacklin david@littleloud.com

S

hamanism is an accepted way of life in Thailand that has been practiced for centuries.

Pre-Buddhist animistic beliefs are still a fundamental element of the culture that surrounds us.

It is the blend of both pagan animistic beliefs with the later Buddhist influence that makes Thai cultural practices so unique and interesting.

In particular, the people from Isan, Thailand’s North East region, and from the small hill tribe villages of the north, bring with them some intact traditions and individuals skilled in ancient ways of healing and the use of medicinal plants.

These tribal shaman achieve altered states of consciousness in which they profess to communicate with what is often called “the spirit world”. To a shaman and to the communities they serve, the spirit world is not a folk belief or a hold-over from earlier primitive religious practice. It is a real and palpable world, populated by entities with both good and bad intentions and who are believed to communicate with humans.

The shaman’s job is to communicate with these spirits to find healing knowledge, in a world where energy is more powerful than matter.

A vivid account of these practices in Phuket during the 1970s can be found online in the academic white paper, “A Glance At Shamanism In Southern Thailand” by Mary Jane and Jackson T. Gandour.

Ancient shamanic practices have been recorded and observed as cultural phenomenon across every corner of the globe, from the Native American tribes in the West, to Japanese Shintoism in the Far East. Over the past decades there has been a resurgence in the education and practice of these traditions as a healing art.

Closer to home here on the island, Sophie Dubus is a Shamanic Healer and Soul Coach. A series of synchronicities in her life led Sophie to undertake intense core shamanic training programs, involving a distillation of techniques coherent throughout many shamanic cultures. Sophie additionally trained in Mongolian and Siberian techniques, which were the primary areas of cultural knowledge from her teacher. @thephuketnews

’I am merely a vessel‘ - S. Dubus Sophie was clear to define that she was not a shaman, but a shamanic practitioner.

“This distinction is crucial. This means that I have been trained in shamanic techniques that have been distilled with permission from other cultures. Shamans are often chosen by their community and may undergo extreme experiences as part of their initiations and it can raise issues of cultural appropriation. Both shamans and shamanic practitioners work directly with spirits - such as ancestral spirits and spirits of nature. Because of this, it is very important to maintain the integrity of my work, and that of my relationship with these spirits.”

What Sophie practices is likely very different to Thai shamanism. In some cultures, shamans may work with what are termed ‘ethnocentric spirits’. These spirits may have their own agenda relating to culture, ancestors and tribes, requesting specific rituals be performed to honour them. This is not part of core shamanism. The depth and breadth of shamanism across the world is truly fascinating, and a study all to itself.

Sophie explained that each and

every shamanic healing session will be different, because she is directed by her helping spirits to do the healing. Typically it will begin with a short conversation, so the client may pose any questions. The client will lie down and usually remain lying during the session, unless otherwise directed. Sophie then connects with her helping spirits who will lead the session.

“I am merely a vessel, a ‘hollow bone’.”

The hollow bone refers to one who can enter an altered state without their personal ego, making way for the Spirit to use them as a healing medium.

Experiencing a Shamanic Healing Session with Sophie is a rare opportunity to focus on your life intention and reconnect at a deeper, more intuitive level.

As you lie with your eyes closed, the air heavy with smoldering sage and Palo Santo wood, Sophie, now the hollow bone for the spirits to perform a diagnosis and begin the healing, moves around your being, sometimes singing, sometimes chanting. There are sounds of drumming and rattling, known as ‘sonic driving’, which is a way in which the practitioner achieves the

shamanic state of consciousness in core shamanism. It’s an intense, but entirely comforting experience. Somehow it’s an inner journey more than the sum of its parts, like having awoken from a lucid dream. At the end of the healing session, Sophie relays the meaning of visions and messages from the spirits, and any insights on your animal spirit.

Back in the physical ‘middle world’, Sophie explains the range of impacts individuals experience from her healing sessions.

“I find shamanic healing to be very powerful. This could involve removal of negative energy or intrusions, soul retrieval and power animal retrieval.

These are common practices in core shamanic healing. Sometimes the results may be subtle, sometimes strong.

Sometimes it may be instant, at others, it takes time. But it works, even at a distance. In fact, I work with many people all over the world doing remote healing, just as effectively as in person.”

Sophie Dubus can be contacted at: 095 091 2093, sophie@sophiedubus.com www.facebook.com/sophiedubus.mindandsoul

12 HEALTH

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Abs for Christmas Navasana pose.

LET’S GET BENT

Kim White info@kimwhiteyoga.com

H

ello and welcome to the last month of the year.

I don’t know about you, but 2019 seems to have flown by at lightning speed.

We have come to the end of the year and, for many, this means the beginning of the festive season. Being festive usually involves a heck of a lot of eating, drinking and frivolity which often results in an expansion of two things: 1. Your embarrassing festive season

Dandasana lift.

selfie collection; and 2. Your waistline.

I can’t really help you with number one, but I can definitely help you with number two, and this year I am giving you abs for Christmas! Merry Christmas. Let’s unwrap your present and see what’s inside…

Navasana (boat pose) This is an amazing asana that tones and strengthens your abdominals as well as aids in the improvement of your digestion and the function of your kidneys, thyroid and intestines.

Start by sitting on the floor on your seating bones with your knees bent.

Lengthen your spine and roll your

Forearm side plank.

shoulders down your back.

Lift your feet off of the floor and have your shins parallel to the floor.

Keep your arms extended and in line with your legs. Keep your back straight throughout and chin slightly tucked.

Hold for 30 seconds, gradually extending your hold to one minute.

If you are comfortable here and want to progress, straighten your legs.

Dandasana lift (staff pose variation) Not only does this posture tone the abdominals, it also strengthens the arms, shoulders, back and wrists.

Start by sitting on the floor with your legs extended straight.

Take a yoga block/a rolled-up towel and place it between your inner thighs.

Place your hands on the ground halfway between your thigh and knee.

Press your whole palm into the floor at all times.

Begin to push into your hands, squeeze the block with your thighs and start to lift your hips off of the floor and back. Your upper back will round and your belly will lift back into your spine.

Keep your heels on the floor and hold this asana for 20-30 seconds.

Forearm side plank This is a great muffin top buster for the midsection and is also great for toning the biceps and triceps.

Start by lying on your side with your elbow directly under your shoulder.

Extend your legs straight and stack your feet.

Press your forearm, your palm and your feet firmly into the floor and start to lift your hips off of the floor.

Keep your shoulders firm and keep a straight alignment from the crown of your head right down to your feet.

As you lift your hips and find stability, extend your opposite arm upward, keeping it stacked to avoid collapsing into your bottom shoulder.

Hold this posture for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

My suggestion is to incorporate these postures into your daily routine.

It’s literally a three-minute ab session.

Three minutes is nothing; we stare off into space for longer than that, multiple times a day. Not only will it help you to control the effects of the festive season, it will also help you to create a daily routine that helps to propagate a happier, more confident self image, and I believe that self confidence is a gift we should give ourselves every year!

Thank you for sharing 2019 with me. I wish you all a happy and safe holiday season.

Happy stretching, Metta, Kim oxo One of the main motivations that drives Kim to teach yoga is her desire to keep true, real yoga alive; the propagation of yoga for yoga. She strives to achieve this through teaching and helping people fall in love with yoga everyday. She gives you her yoga mind and yoga heart to guide anyone wishing to traverse the beautiful journey that is yoga. Teaching group classes, private classes, yoga intensives and retreats across the island. Monthly subscription is also available on her online yoga channel at KimWhiteYoga. com and you can also listen to her yoga podcast “Let’s Get Bent”.

thephuketnews

Street life THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

COMMUNITY 13

Inside Soi Dog, Asia’s largest animal welfare organisation: Part 1 Bruce Stanley ebstanley@rocketmail.com

I

’ve lived on Phuket for 30 years.

I’ve seen this island change. In 1989, it was not possible to buy coffee or butter except in one little store in Phuket town. There was neither an international hospital nor a traffic light. Electricity cut out many nights leaving people sweating until dawn. There were more motorcycle deaths back then because there were fewer cars and the broken roads were raceways for young men determined to kill themselves and anyone who got in their way.

But perhaps the most disturbing sight was the thousands of wild dogs that blocked the roads or roamed the small villages searching for food or a fight. There was nothing unusual about gangs of homeless dogs roaming around digging through garbage.

Perhaps it’s the Buddhist precept of showing compassion to those less fortunate that created an over-population of dogs. Or perhaps it’s a disregard for managing the physical environment.

Back in 1989, there were two main mechanisms for dealing with unwanted dogs. The first was to take them to the nearest Buddhist temple and abandon them to the care of the monks. The idea was there would be plenty of food left over from the morning alms collection. But it did not accommodate the fact that these solitary dogs had no personal territory which inspired constant vicious dog fights that prevented many worshipers from attending a funeral or even prayers.

The second mechanism for dealing with stray and threatening dogs was to poison them or beat them to death. In 1989, a number of international hotels and resorts opened and they could not discourage these dogs from scavenging for food from their kitchens and garbage. The solution was to feed poison to the homeless animals several times a year to reduce their growing and unwanted population.

@thephuketnews

Then in the mid to late 1990s, a number of Western women started feeding and caring for these neglected dogs in their neighborhoods and at the temples. Many thought they were rather eccentric and assumed unnecessary risks at getting bitten or worse.

But this small band of dog lovers was determined to deal with the suffering of these animals. Very slowly the number of volunteers grew.

In 1996, John and Gill Dalley married on the island and have returned each year since on holiday until they settled here in 2003.

“We stayed in a lovely resort and very soon became involved with dogs. First it was a local dog that stayed around our resort. We fed it and took it to the vet for medical care. We became quite attached but didn’t consider taking it back to England. The following year when we returned, we looked for this dog yet no one could tell us where it was. We later found out it had been clubbed to death by the resort which was common practice at the time,” remembers John. “It was a shock and really set us to thinking about how we could help support these unwanted animals.”

Throughout their yearly visits to Phuket, John and Gill collected food from hotels and took it to temples to ease the hunger of these homeless dogs, though it was clear that this was not sustainable and a more long lasting approach would be required. That day came when in 2003, both retired from their careers in England and decided to make Phuket their home. Almost immediately they began to volunteer with the other expats who spent much of their day feeding and caring for the growing number of dogs to pick up where they left off.

Many of us remember the sad story of how Gill went into a swamp to rescue a trapped dog and subsequently developed blood poisoning which cost her both legs.

Though she struggled with prosthetic limbs, it only seemed to fuel her determination to build a safe environment for these animals.

One man and his dog(s): John Dalley.

“Over the past 15 years, we have built an organization, Soi Dog, which has developed the largest hospital in Asia for the care of dogs. To date, 380,000 dogs and cats have been sterilized and the population of unwanted dogs and those who formerly lived at the temples has dropped significantly.”

The philosophy of Soi Dog is Capture, Neuter, Vaccinate and Release. With a fleet of trucks and mobile clinics staffed with veterinarians and support staff, Soi Dogs responds to any call for help to assist a dog in distress in any neighborhood on the island.

Soi Dog has become international

with foundations in seven different countries supporting their work in Thailand. They have developed 30,000 monthly donors through digital fundraising with 95 per cent of these funds coming from overseas. In addition to providing medical care for local animals, Soi Dog also provides an adoption service that each year sends 700 Thai dogs to homes in other in Thailand and overseas.

Living on Phuket is so much more pleasant now than 30 years ago. And thanks to the more than 300 staff and volunteers at Soi Dog, even the animals are having a better life.

14 CULTURE

Rite of passage W THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Phuket’s unclaimed bodies exhumed and reburied in ancient Taoist ceremony The Phuket News editor1@classactmedia.co.th

hen we think of a funeral, we think of a ceremony attended by the deceased’s loved ones, an opportunity to celebrate their life and bid farewell as they make their passage to the next life. But what happens when a body is unclaimed, when there are no friends or family in reach to make arrangements?

In Phuket, that’s where the Kusoldham Foundation comes in. Their team of rescue workers and volunteers exhumed over 900 such bodies from Mai Khao Cemetery last month and cremated and reburied the ashes in Khao Rang Cemetery in Kathu today (December 13).

This is the fifth time that unclaimed bodies in Phuket have been reburied in this way. The first time was in 1976 and the most recent was in 1989.

Torpun Khengsom, the consultant leading the exhumation and reburial ceremonies, explained, “This is run under the Thai Buddhist Association. It’s based on Taoist belief from China and crosses over into Buddhist beliefs too.”

“We help mortuaries, cemeteries and hospitals with unclaimed bodies in this way because they all have a lack of space. We will do this every 20 years,” added Torpun. “These bodies were first removed from hospitals in Phuket after three to five years without anyone coming to identify them.”

Exhumation at Mai Khao Cemetery. Photo: Oadpadib

Cremation at Kwang Thung Cemetery. Photo: Oadpadib

The process began with a parade from Phuket Town to Saphan Hin welcoming and making offerings to the Hook Jow god, a holy water searching ceremony presided over by Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana, a pole-raising ceremony and alms-giving for monks – all undertaken in order to protect the deceased from bad spirits.

At the exhumations, rescue workers and volunteers dug into the ground and brought the bodies and bones up for cleaning. Pud Jor spirit mediums then identified the gender of the remains, where possible, using spiritual techniques, namely pok poi, wooden sticks which, when thrown, dictate whether the deceased was male or female depending on how they land. The remains were then sorted into three groups: men, women and children.

In total, rescue workers exhumed 511 male and 233 female adults and 214 children of varying nationalities who all passed away in Phuket in the past 20 years.

Their remains were prayed for at Kwang Thung Cemetery in Phuket Town for 49 days – during which time those involved wore white, abstained from eating meat and observed strict moral discipline. The remains were then cremated and the three groups of ashes reburied in graves at Khao Rang Cemetery.

The motivations behind exhumation might, at first glance, seem a little unsentimental – to relieve space in crowded cemeteries in this case, land development and better feng shui in others – but exhumation ensures that those without loved ones still have someone looking out for them, someone to wish them good fortune in the spirit world, explained Torpun.

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT 15

Last Christmas Now showing in Phuket.

The Wham-sical festive flick bringing joy to the world David Griffiths

W

ith the rise of the Boxing Day blockbusters has come the demise of the Christmas movie. When I was a child, still a very young film buff, the release of Christmas movies was the one thing you could look forward to each December, aside from a visit from the jolly fat man on Christmas morning of course. As a youngster I can remember heading to the Cameo to see Bushfire Moon and recall the excitement of opening up a present to discover a book of Santa Clause: The Movie, the film I had fallen in love with just a couple of weeks before.

The downward spiral of the Christmas movie may be about to change, though, because one of the best Christmas movies to be released in years has just hit cinemas. In recent times this genre of film has either been aimed at younger children or just hasn’t matched up to the quality of festive films of the past, but not Last Christmas – a heartfelt film with an absolute beauty of a script.

Directed by Paul Feig, who in recent years has revealed his comedic side with movies such as Bridesmaids and The Heat, Last Christmas tells the story of Kate (Emilia Clarke), a young woman on the road to recovery after a major health issue landed her in hospital. She’s not recovering in the normal way, though, and she slumps into a cloud of depression as she’s forced to couchsurf, unable to bring herself to move back home with her overbearing mother, Petra (Emma Thompson), who has never really accepted that life has changed since the family emigrated to the UK from Yugoslavia.

Kate’s depression is affecting all aspects of her life. She finds herself drifting from meaningless sexual encounter to meaningless sexual encounter, while her boss, Santa (Michelle Yeoh), is growing increasingly angry with the laziness she’s showing in her job as a retail elf in a Christmas shop. But Kate’s dreary life starts to change when she meets the mysterious Tom (Henry Golding) – a man who teaches her that it’s often the small things in life that make you the happiest. @thephuketnews

A quick read through that plot and you could be forgiven for thinking that Last Christmas is yet another stockstandard rom-com with some Christmas trees and tinsel thrown in for good measure, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Somehow the script, which is written by Emma Thompson – who many may not realise wrote films like Nanny McPhee and Bridget Jones’s Baby – and first-time screenwriter Bryony Kimmings manage to find the right mix of romance, drama and Christmas cheer while exploring topics as vast as dysfunctional families and homelessness. They also deliver an unforeseen twist that will not leave a dry eye in the cinema.

The screenplay of Last Christmas is nothing short of a Christmas miracle in itself, securing the film’s future as a Christmas classic that will be watched year after year, in the vein of Love Actually and It’s a Wonderful Life.

The film sees Paul Feig put some of his recent duds behind him as he recaptures the magic that made Bridesmaids such a wonderful film. Once again he manages to get the best out of his cast.

Smart film lovers will have already realised that Emilia Clarke has a career outside of Game of Thrones thanks to her brilliant performance in Me Before You. With Last Christmas, though, Clarke seems to take her acting to a whole different level, mixing comedy and drama in such way that she makes a truly remarkable film even more special. At times in the film, her character is put through an emotional wringer, but she stays on top of her game and shares a remarkable on-screen chemistry with her love interest Henry Golding who again shows why he should be considered one of Hollywood’s finest leading men at the moment.

While the film has been billed as a “musical” centred around the hits of George Michael and Wham!, audience members shouldn’t be expecting a fullon musical extravaganza. It is very much highlighted that Kate is a George Michael fan, and she delivers a couple of well-sung numbers, but for the most part Michael’s music is simply a backdrop to the beautiful story unfolding on the screen.

At a time when a lot of soulless films are hitting our big screens, we should savour a film like Last Christmas. It’s

a throwback to the old-school films that made us fall in love with cinema.

With a heartfelt plot and a little bit of cinema magic thrown in for good measure, Last Christmas deserves to be labelled a Christmas classic. This is one for the ages.

David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus

16 GARDENING

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

It takes four years at least for the date palm to produce its fruit. Photo: Seweryn Olkowicz

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Oil palms are an important cash crop in southern Thailand and Malaysia. Photo: Tatiana Gerus / Flickr

Practical palms I GREEN THOUGHTS

Patrick Campbell

n many countries, palms are grown not for their aesthetic charms, but because they produce edible fruit in the most unpromising conditions.

While they have been important throughout recorded history, especially in hot, arid regions, nowadays they are assuming even greater commercial importance as cash crops.

Date palm (phoenix dactylifera) Date palms are more associated with the Middle East than southern Asia, but they are grown in the tropics.

Indeed, since they are so familiar with arid conditions, they are probably the hardiest of all palm trees. Often

single stemmed, they sometimes sprout as a clump from a single root system, after the manner of the yellow cane palm.

They will take four years at least to produce the characteristic orange fruit.

The common date palm (phoenix dactylifera) and the Canary Island species (canariensis) are both found sparingly here, but they are large (the crown of a mature tree may span 10 metres) so a better choice for the garden is probably the pygmy date palm (P. roebelenii) which comes, surprisingly, from Laos. These palms have thick trunks topped by delicate, fern-like fronds, and rarely grow to more than a couple of metres in height. And of course, they still produce delicious fruit.

An excellent choice as a specimen tree.

Unlike the coconut palm which is such a feature of the Thai landscape, roebelenii should be cultivated here more often. Go for it…

Oil palm (elaeis oleifera) The date palm is not the only commercial palm that you might consider as a presence in your garden. Oil palms have an unenviable reputation. True, they are an important cash crop in southern Thailand and Malaysia, the source not only of Thailand’s most-used cooking oil, but also of biofuel. However, as conservationists maintain, these plantations exist at the expense of biodiverse rainforest, of vanishing peat swamps and much else besides. Hardly surprising that elaeis oleifera should be both environmentally vilified and commercially valued. Indeed, palm oil is an ingredient in more than two-thirds of all products on your supermarket shelves. But such ubiquity comes at a price.

However, they can also contribute to your garden in an unlikely fashion.

If you want to grow ferns, maybe you should look no further than acquiring an oil palm. Ferns quickly populate the damp, fertile pockets that exist all the way up the palm’s shady stems – everything from maidenhair and Boston ferns (nephrolepis) to bird’s nest ferns (asplenium), even staghorn (platycerium) and elkhorn ferns. True, their hosts are substantial trees – up to 10 metres tall – but they are easy enough to grow.

Sugar palm (borassus flabellifer) Another palm associated more with commercial activity than aesthetic

value is the sugar palm (borassus flabellifer), which is grown in huge plantations for its sweet sap called “‘toddy” that’s converted into sugar or, more bizarrely, into a fermented drink.

The tree forms a distinctive silhouette with a thick, knobbly trunk and huge fan-shaped leaves, but it can look effective, provided it regularly has its lower, discoloured branches cut away. But though every part of this palm is variously used in Southeast Asia for timber, thatching and food, you will need a large garden to accommodate it.

Betel nut palm or areca catechu To conclude, one should mention the betel nut palm or areca catechu. Traditionally, it has been cultivated in the Kingdom for its hard “nuts”, the source of a mild narcotic and masticated by generations of Thais along with betel leaves. But it is quite an attractive palm, relatively small, with a single multi-ringed trunk and a crown of dark fronds. The nuts appear as a large cluster on a single rigid stem which juts horizontally from the bole below the crown.

For value as garden palms, however, I would still go with the Bismarck palm, the traveller palm, the yellow cane palm, the red sealing-wax palm and the foxtail palm as the best choices for your tropic garden. Livistona, with wide-spreading feathery, drooping leaves is also very popular. As for dense ground cover, you would be hardpushed to find a better choice than the rhapis, or lady palm, which, like the wine palm, will tolerate deep shade. To reiterate: it grows in graceful clumps with slender and fan-shaped leaves and rarely exceeds two metres. And it remains the best of all palms to grace your living room as a potted specimen.

Patrick has been writing for thirteen years about gardening in Phuket and allied topics. If you have horticultural or environmental concerns, please contact him at drpaccampbell@gmail.com Many of his earlier creative and academic publications can be found at Wordpress: Green Galoshes. Patrick will shortly be publishing ‘The Tropic Gardener’, an indispensable guide to Southeast Asia’s flowering plants, based on his experience of gardening in Phuket. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

COMMUNITY 17

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

The elephant in the room

TAT organises first ever ‘Elephant Wellbeing’ roundtable The Phuket News editor1@classactmedia.co.th

T

he Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) organised an ‘Elephant Wellbeing and Thai Community’ event at the World Travel Market (WTM) 2019 in London last month.

Inspired by the increasing global concern for elephant welfare, in connection with the tourism industry, the organisation brought together a panel of experts and key stakeholders to partake in an open discussion.

Host Srisuda Wanapinyosak, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas, was joined by Dr Chatchote Thitaram, Associate Professor at Chiang Mai University; Claire Jenkinson, Head of Sustainability at ABTA (a UK travel trade association for tour operators and travel agents); Dr Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA, and Dr Ingrid Suter from Asian Captive Elephant Standards.

The main takeaway message was that there is a clear need for communication, cooperation and compromise. Guidelines are good, but they need to work with local communities to be successful. A transitional period will be needed for camps to make any necessary management changes. A standardised accreditation process would be beneficial, as there is a strong ability for industry reform and success.

There were a diverse range of opinions on how to correctly handle elephants while preserving the livelihood of local communities.

Associate Professor Dr Chatchote said, “We are discussing elephant welfare, but we also need to discuss mahout welfare. We need to teach and train elephants

@thephuketnews

Photo: TAT to live with humans. Cruelty is being phased out, as we train elephants in a positive way and from a very young age. Riding a saddled elephant places less stress on an elephant than elephants in free-ranging camps.

The elephants with no riding activities get no exercise.

What is actually best for elephants?”

PATA’s Dr Mario Hardy noted that Western countries tended to overlook a deep sense of culture in communities that have elephants.

“We need to be supportive of private-public cooperation that supports those communities that live with elephants and tourism with funding for projects that improve elephant welfare, space and diet.”

A cross section of comments from private sector tourism operators showed the complexity of the issues at hand and the need for both better guidelines and clearer lines of communication. Audience comments and opinions included:

G Adventures: “We do not support any elephantbased tourism out of concern about smuggled elephants from [Myanmar]. Western customers are very much aware and demand high standards.”

Destination management company: “Customers are still booking elephant-based tourism. There is still a high demand for elephant riding and bathing from many tourism demographics.”

Elephant camp owner: “We need to be careful to not destroy businesses by saying ‘no touching the elephants’. We need a long-term plan and this needs to include mahout training and education.”

Thai Elephant Alliance: “Any guidelines and agreements created need to work with and include the people on the ground (mahouts, camp staff, etc).

Otherwise, it will be difficult to incorporate into organisational practice.”

Save the Asian Elephants NGO: “We do not agree at all with elephant riding. ABTA guidelines should be compulsory. [We are] working to create legislative bans of any elephant tourism advertising in the UK.” TUI Group: “We need to be very respectful of local communities and we cannot come in with our strict vision. Many things that are being discussed are not feasible to implement. Fighting will not implement standards, we need cooperation.”

Thai elephant camp: “It is very easy for people from the West to point fingers, but being too stringent can have adverse effects. Everyone needs to work with camps to facilitate change.”

A divide in opinion between mahouts, tourist operators and NGOs is evident, but the very fact that Thailand was willing to lead the discussion on a global platform is worth praise.

18 ISLAND SCENE

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Thankful for the new fleet.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

A host of supporters joined the event.

The christening of ‘Arnaud 1’ and ‘Arnaud 2’.

Eager new captains ready to sail.

DISABLED SAILING THAILAND LAUNCHES TWO NEW BOATS IN PHUKET Two newly donated boats, the S\V Arnaud 1 and S\V Arnaud 2, were added to the fleet of Disabled Sailing Thailand on Dec 5. The two 14-foot S\V14 sailing dinghies are designed to be sailed by people with disabilities, and will support Disabled Sailing Thailand's goal to make sailing a sport accessible for all. The two boats are named after long-time Phuket expat and philanthropist, Arnaud C. Verstraete, who kindly donated them to Disabled Sailing Thailand and was present to celebrate their launch at Royal Phuket Marina.

Kate, Chay, Yingyong and Bart.

Anusara, Panipak and Hameda.

Nicolas and Bart.

The host of VIPs at the event.

HOLIDAY INN PATONG CELEBRATES RE-OPENING OF BUSAKORN WING The Holiday Inn Resort Phuket in Patong this week celebrated the grand re-opening of their renowned Busakorn Wing. Present to mark the occasion were a host of VIPs, including Kate Gerits, Regional General Manager Thailand - Central & South; Chay Yue Kai, Chief Executive Officer - AF Global Limited; Yingyong Nilasena; Deputy Secretary - Government Pension Fund; along with, of course, hotel General Manager Bart Callens, who also serves as Area General Manager Holiday Inn Resorts Southern Thailand. thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

ISLAND SCENE 19

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Paul and Christmas helpers.

Anthony, Adam, Ian and Chef Tony.

CHAINE DES RÔTISSEURS PHUKET TURN UP THE HEAT FOR CHRISTMAS A very exciting Festive Christmas brunch was held by the Phuket chapter of the global culinary organisation Chaine des Rôtisseurs this year, at Sala Phuket on Dec 7. The sensational menu that Chef Tony prepared was a European themed Christmas menu. What a way to end the year!

All together now – Thank you!

The body art show was a hit.

INDIGO SAYS THANK YOU WITH ‘DISCOVER ART’ APPRECIATION PARTY Hotel INDIGO held its 1st Anniversary Celebration together with Holiday Inn Express Phuket Patong Beach with a special Appreciation Night on Dec 6. The event saw a host of VIPs turn out to show their appreciation, and to appreciate a “Body Paint Show” and a “Wonderful Butterfly Show”, with “Discover Art” as the theme of the event.

Jason, Peter and Tim.

Iwiyisi and Josiah.

Jeab and Chris.

Ben, Gulu and Andy.

GROW BOATING EVENT AT RPM SPOTLIGHTS THE THAILAND YACHT SHOW Even the King’s Cup Regatta couldn’t stop a great turnout at the monthly Grow Boating networking event held at Royal Phuket Marina last Friday night (Dec 7). The event also saw two recently donated SV/14 yachts on show, with Disabled Sailing Thailand Founder Peter Jacops present, as well as Royal Phuket Marina Founder and Managing Director Gulu Lalvani. Andy Treadwell, the key organiser behind the Thailand Yacht Show, raised hearts, minds, spirits and a glass to the prospect of Thai government soon making big changes to allow superyachts into the country specifically to provide luxury charters. Thailand Yacht Show was also the drinks sponsor for the event on the night. @thephuketnews

20 EVENTS

FRI

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

flowing and your toes tapping as you wash down those tender ribs with a bucket of craft brews. Full Rack set 1,400 Baht, Half Rack set 1,100 Baht. Reservations, SALA Phuket, events@salaphuket.com, 076-338-888.

13 DEC

Mussels night @ Shakers 1.2kg mussels served with French fries, your choice, your style: natural, marnière, Provençale, garlic and cream or Thai style. Reservations recommended B295 P/P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

ALL YOU CAN EAT BBQ RIBS Come join us for our WEEKLY BBQ EVERY FRIDAY served ALL DAY & ALL NIGHT at Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong. Indulge in All You Can Eat BBQ Pork Ribs, Chicken and Sides for ONLY 495 BAHT! Our BBQ is famous at Two Chefs! Come try us out and enjoy our mouthwatering pork ribs, flavor-bursting chicken and more! Join us for Live Music from 8-Late Performed by Our Famous Two Chefs Band! Come for the FOOD - Stay for the Fun. www.twochefs.com Kata Beach 076-333-370 Karon 076-286-479 Patong 076-344-914.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

CanCham Thailand South Chapter Launch Event CanCham Thailand (Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce) is very pleased to invite you to CanCham South Chapter Launch Event taking place at Thanyapura from 16:00 to 19:00. Our agenda will include presentations on: 1. Canada to Thailand and Thailand to Canada Trade and Investment opportunities. 2. Bombardier Transportation 3. Overview of Digital Transformation to E-Businesses and how South Thailand businesses and government can implement and operate such frameworks. Our special guest speakers include Mr. Sanjeev Chowdhury, Chargé d’affaires at the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok, Mr. John Stevens, President of Cancham Thailand and Mr. Rajiv Parrab, board member and a director of CanCham Thailand and CEO of A&II (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Entry Fee: THB 500 for members of partner organization, THB 1,000 for non-members. (Entry fee includes sumptuous food and free flow drinks) We hope you are able to attend and if you have any questions, ed@canchamthailand.org or 096 563 6198. Please RSVP at http://bit.ly/CanCham-South.

SUN

15 DEC

XANA Sunday Fun Brunch

THU

19 DEC

An extraordinary weekend with XANA Sunday Brunch at Angsana Laguna Phuket, spend quality time with friends and family, enjoying a one of a kind Sunday brunch on a perfect day of sunshine by the ocean at XANA Beach Club.

Every Sunday from 12.00 to 15.30 hrs. Call 076-358500 E: fbreservation-lagunaphuket@angsana.com

The annual PIWC Christmas Lunch

Banyan Tree Best of Brunch From noon to 15:30 on Sundays, we brunch introducing Banyan’s Tree Best Of Brunch showcasing our culinary’s team favourite dishes combined with an array of refreshing cocktials relax. Enjoy & indulge it’s Sunday. Food Only - THB 2,800 per guest. Inclusive of free flow of soft drinks hops, grapes - THB 3,700 per guest. Inclusive of free flow bubbly - THB 4,000 per guest. Reservation, The Watercourt at Banyan Tree Phuket, fb-phuket@banyantree.com, 076 372 400.

MON

The annual PIWC Christmas Lunch will be held Thursday 19th December. The Holiday Inn Patong is continuing its tradition & will be hosting at the Sea Breeze Cafe’. Registration: To commence promptly at 12 noon for a 12.30pm start to 3pm finish. Members: 850 Baht / Non-Members: 1,000 Baht As numbers are limited, members and their guests will have first choice, so RSVP for “Members Only” will be between the 1st December to the 8th December. Non Members can RSVP after the 8th December. RSVP at shelpmitchell@ gmail.com. For ladies north of the island, a minivan will be leaving from the carpark outside the rear entrance of Twai Restaurant at 11.15am, so please advise if you would like to reserve your seat at the time of your RSVP. The cost of the minivan will depend on numbers.

16 DEC

Sunday Roast All Day, All Night

Musical Weekend Friday & Saturday, from 6:00 - 10:00 pm. at Lagoon Quay.

From 15 November 2019 - 28 March 2020. Live music, DJ, Balloon, Bozo and movie corner. Good fun, Good atmosphere, Good dining. It’s all at Phuket’s most Lively Marina… the place to be. Email: events@phuketboatlagoon.com.

Tel: 076 239 888 ext.318.

SAT

Come enjoy a Traditional Sunday Roast EVERY SUNDAY at Two Chefs Kata Center, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong.

Indulge in our Traditional Sunday Roast ALL DAY & ALL NIGHT for ONLY 445 Baht! Enjoy a Large ALL YOU CAN EAT selection of your favorites! Featuring: Roast Aussie Beef, Pork Loin and Chicken. Roasted or Mashed Potatoes.

Roasted Mixed Vegetables Flavored with Thyme and Garlic.

Yorkshire Pudding and Gravy. Enjoy Live Music from 8-Late Performed by Our Famous Two Chefs Band! Come for the FOOD - Stay for the Fun. RESERVE Your Table Now Online at bit.ly/TwoChefsReservations Check out more details on our website at bit.ly/TwoChefsEvents Reservations, Karon, Kata Beach and Patong., Kata Beach 076-333-370 Karon 076-286-479 Patong 076-344-914.

14 DEC

All you can eat BBQ night 6pm – 11pm: Beef, Pork, Chicken, Burgers, Sausages, Prawns and Squid, Salad buffet, Choice of potatoes and sauces, bread, buns and garlic bread. Reservation recommended. B395 P/P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

TUE

17 DEC

BACK TO THE 70’S & 80’S EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT Don’t miss out on our newest, exciting weekly event at Two Chefs. Come and join us for our special Cajun Grilled Chicken Breast served on a wooden plate with mashed potato, red wine sauce, and bearnaise sauce for ONLY 395 THB. Have a sweet tooth? Treat yourself to the Two Chefs banana flambé served with vanilla ice cream for ONLY 95 THB. Sit back and enjoy one of our drink specials as you listen to the famous Two Chefs band performing all your favorite retro hits and more! Live music starts from 8:30pm and goes late at all of our Two Chefs locations.

Reservations are highly recommended. You can book on our website at WWW.TWOCHEFS.COMor find us on Facebook at WWW.FACEBOOK/TWOCHEFSTHAILAND COME FOR THE FOOD STAY FOR THE FUN! Reservations, Call us directly at Two Chefs Kata Center 076-330-065, Kata Beach 076-333-370, Karon 076-286-479, Patong 076-344-914

SAT

All you can eat BBQ Ribs night

21 DEC

ANDAMAN CATCH TUESDAY

6PM – 11PM: All you can eat BBQ Ribs served with salad buffet, potato salad & choice of sauces. Reservation recommended. 295 baht P.P. shakersphuket@gmail.com, 081 891 4381.

The Sunday Brunch Club: Brunch & Pool Party Get together for seafood buffet experience at Dream Beach Club offering fresh local and import items plus premium BBQ dishes and international favourites. Live performance by Jessie Cassin (NZ Top 10_ followed by Resident DJs, guest musicians, Dream dancers and more! ** DREAM MEMBER priced at THB 1,590/ person. ** BRUNCH ONLY priced at THB 1,890++/ person. ** Add free-flow package priced at THB 1,500/ person (4hrs). ** Kids under 10 eat free. 7-10 years old half price. Dream Beach Club, reservations@dreambeachclub.com, 098 048 3500.

Every Tuesday our culinary team prepare a special Andaman Catch menu featuring our fish of the day selection prepared in one of three ways, a special seafood appetiser and a sweet finish dessert. Pair your catch with one of our sommelier selections special offers, available Tuesday only. 950* Baht. 18.30 - 22.00 www.salaphuket.com Advance bookings are recommended - 076 33 8888. *Subject to 10% service charge and 7% value added tax. Sala Phuket.

WED

18 DEC

Rotary Christmas Party Join us for the Rotary Christmas Party at The Holiday Inn Patong Beach from 6:30pm. Free flow, full roast dinner and music. Members B1,600, guests B1,900. All profits go to RCoPB Charity. RSVP, by Dec 17, 2019, at rotarypatong.org

High Tea@ChaoFah served with free Day Pass to fitness and pool High Tea @ChaoFah serves more than 10 options of selected teas, delightful cream sandwiches, home-made warm scones with all the trimmings and truly Peranakan specialties. in the surrounding décor of exquisite SinoPortuguese architecture. Every Saturday and Sunday from 2-5pm and special on Sunday, nice music from Annie Guzheng. Free for children under 12yrs with complimentary day pass to fitness and swimming pool. RSVP +66 76 338 699.

Ramada Plaza Chao Fah.

All you can eat Sunday Roast Buffet Beef, Pork and Lamb – Cauliflower, Broccoli, Peas, Carrots, fried mushrooms, grilled tomatoes – Yorkshire pudding – roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes – gravy, mushroom sauce, mint sauce. Reservations recommended. B350 P/P. shakersphuket@gmail.com 081 891 4381.

Ribs, beats, brews Devour our succulent pork rib set complete with sweet corn chowder, blue cheese salad, moist cornbread and finished off with a bread and butter pudding. DJ Q will keep the soul

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

TUE

EVENTS 21

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

24 DEC

WED

THU

25 DEC

9 JAN

St. Joseph’s Parish Phuket Christmas & New Year Mass Tues, 24 Dec 2019: Christmas Eve • 10:30 p.m. Christmas Caroling • 11:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass. Wed, 25 Dec 2019: Christmas Day • 10:30 a.m. Christmas Caroling • 11:00 a.m. Christmas Day Mass. Thur, 26 Dec 2019 • 06:30 p.m. St. Stephen & Tsunami Memorial. Tue, 31 Dec 2019 • 11:00 a.m. Thanksgiving Mass (End of the Year). Wed, 01 Jan 2020 • 06:30 p.m. New Year Mass (Mary, Mother of God) Simbang Gabi • 05:00 a.m. - 16 - 24 Dec 2019 - Simbang Gabi is a Filipino Christmas tradition. It is a series of nine dawn masses. It begins on 16 Dec and ends on the midnight of the 24 Dec, which is the midnight mass. Note: All masses are held in English. Details can be found on the church website at phuketcatholics.com

New Years Eve. Dinner Buffet & Party @ Friendship Beach Friendship Beach Waterfront Resort Rawai welcomes you to our New Years Eve. Dinner Buffet & Celebration - Welcome Cocktail, Cabaret Show, Fire Show, Live DJ, Great Fireworks Display. International Buffet with: Imported Beef Filet, Grilled Salmon, B.B.Q. Pork Ribs Roast Duck Curry, Prawn Cocktail, Stuffed Salmon Lox, and a large selection of Sides, Salads & Desserts. Adults THB 2,100++ Kids under 12 yrs. THB 700++. For reservations call (66) 89 728 5304 or email to chef@friendshipbeach.com Chef Charlie, 27/1 Soi Mittrapap Rawai Phuket 83130.

Thailand Yacht Show 2020 The fifth edition of the Thailand Yacht Show returns to Royal Phuket Marina on the 9 – 12 January 2020. Firmly established as the leading yachting and luxury lifestyle event in the country, the Show will once again showcase spectacular displays of yachts, marine exhibits and lifestyle products, plus an improved programme of side-events, parties and family-friendly activities.

THU

30 JAN

’Tis the Season to be Jolly @ Two Chefs Bar & Grill.

Spread the holiday cheer and make your Christmas more merry with Two Chefs Traditional Christmas Buffet at Two Chefs Kata Beach branch on Tuesday the 24th of December 2019. Two seatings are available (6pm and 9pm). Adult Rate: 1,250 baht per person, Kids under 12 yrs: 625 baht per person. For bookings and reservations kindly email jonas.vir tanen@twochefs.com or call us at: 076 333 370.

It’s definitely Jingle Bell Time @ Two Chefs Bar & Grill

Christmas Eve Buffet & Party @ Friendship Beach Resort Friendship Beach Waterfront Resort Welcomes you to our Christmas Eve. Dinner Buffet & Party. Live Music w/ the Colin Hill Quartet (Pop Rock Blues), Children’s Choir, Santa Claus w/presents for the kids. Welcome Cocktail, Traditional Holiday Buffet w/ Imported Roast Turkey, Christmas Ham, Apple Cranberry Stuffing, Cranberry Port Sauce, Thai Seafood Special, Smoked Salmon and a large selection of Sides, Salads and Desserts. Vegetarian options available.

Adults THB 1,900++ Children under 12 THB 600++ For Reservations call (66) 89 728 5304 or email to chef@friendship beach.com Chef Charlie, 27/1 Soi Mittrapap Rawai Phuket 83130.

WED

Thailand Health & Fitness Expo 2020

1 JAN

Come and celebrate Christmas Day with us at Two Chefs Bar & Grill Patong Branch on Wednesday the 25th of December 2019 from 12pm to 12am. We have prepared a 4 course Traditional Christmas set menu dinner that will surely light up your holiday cheer! Price is 995 baht per person.

For more information please visit our website:www.twochefs. com For reservations please email us: patong@twochefs. com or call us at: 076 344 915.

TUE

EVERY DAY

31 DEC

FRI

3 JAN

Festive Season 2019

@thephuketnews

Listen to awesome tunes partnered with great food and drinks! We will be serving an elegant four course set menu including foisgras, Beef tenderloin, Canadian lobster and goat cheese ice cream and more for only 1295baht per person! Our ala carte menu and our highly appreciated vegetarian menu is also available as usual. For more information please visit our website:www.twochefs.com Sing and dance your night away as we countdown to 2020! What are you waiting for? billy.agren@twochefs.com

MARILYN BAND’s new exhibition at Mom Tri’s WOK Gallery MARILYN BAND, one of Phuket’s most significant artists, invites you to her new exhibition from 30 November 2019 - 31 January 2020, at Mom Tri’s WOK Gallery Kitchen. “...

I am presenting recent work, a more abstract expression of Phang Nga Bay’s beauty, which intends to encourage the viewer the opportunity to interpret and appreciate a little bit of paradise.” Contact Lies Sol, liesphuket@gmail.com

Bid the year 2019 goodbye and welcome the new year Two Chefs style!

Come and celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve oceanside style. We are offering an exciting program as you bid farewell to 2019 and look ahead to 2020 at The Nai Harn Phuket overlooking beautiful Nai Harn Bay. Please contact us for more details at Tel: 076 380 200 Email: fbsec@the naiharn.com Reservation, The Nai Harn Phuket, fbsec@the naiharn.com, 076 380 200.

The inaugural Thailand Health & Fitness Expo from 30th January to 2nd February 2020 will showcase brands and services related to the health, fitness and wellness industry.

A four-day extravaganza featuring an exhibition as well as workshops and networking events. Among scheduled events are a sportswear fashion show, healthy lifestyle seminars, healthy cooking workshops, group classes, dancing, DJs and live music. For more information please contact Munlika Boonyawong on +66 (0) 76 600 225 or email munlika.b@ jandevents.com or info@thailandhealthandfitnessexpo.com

Grow Boating Networking Evening - January 2020 The Grow Boating Networking Evening for January 2020 will be held at The Lagoon Saloon in Phuket Boat Lagoon on Friday the 3rd of January 2020 from 5pm onward. We are very pleased to announce that the Southeast Asia Pilot will be the drinks sponsor. See https://www.southeastasiapilot. com/ Once again Lagoon Saloon will fire up the BBQ serving their famous Friday night burger free to all attendees and there will be special prices on your favourite beverages.

Come and join in the fun, everyone is welcome. There is no entry fee, just drop your business card or register at the bar.

We hope to see you there and if you know anyone you think would be interested in coming please invite them along. To join our mailing list please send an email to growboatingphuket@gmail.com Grow Boating is kindly supported by our media partner The Phuket News, Live 89.5 radio and Phuket News TV. See www.thephuketnews.com The Grow Boating Networking Evening is organised by the Thai Yachting Business Association. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/491098897758155/ or our Website https:// www.thaiyachtingbusinessassociation.com/grow-boatingnetworking-evening

The Exotic Fishing Thailand 1.5 Million Baht Tagged Fish Challenge From Nov 1st to March 1st. Test your fishing skills Phuket and Catch a Monster fish and Monster Prize. 50 tagged fish with 50 prizes valued at over 1.5 Million baht. Anyone can enter for just 1,000 baht in addition to your daily fishing ticket ................. Exotic Fishing Thailand, Phang Nga, exoticfish ingthailand@gmail.com, English 088 379 9377 and Thai 081 199 5922.

22 TIME OUT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Crossword by Myles Mellor & Sally York 1. What is the highest-grossing horror film of all time?

2. Where in the world are 99.9% of all commercially grown artichokes produced?

3. Me is the title of which musician’s autobiography released this year?

4. What do the initials M&M – found on the colourful button-shaped chocolates – stand for?

5. What is a baby spider called?

Answers below, centre

SUDOKU

Easy

Across 1. Texas patriot Houston 4. DEA agent 8. ‘’Minute by Minute’’ brothers 14. Numero ___ 15. Big galoots 16. “Red Dragon” star, first name 17. Part of a price 18. Gather 19. Like all living organisms 20. Chef 23. Confirmation, for one 24. Some floor votes 25. Rocket launcher 29. Religious song book 34. Lindsay Lohan’s “momager” 36. Perry who sang “Catch a Falling Star” 37. Chef 44. Air transport group (abbr) 45. Lowly hounds 46. Region of Czech Republic 50. Like some heads 55. A deadly sin 57. Gender 58. Chef 63. Illinois city symbolizing middle America

65. Recline 66. Not just any 67. Art patron 68. Kind of bargain 69. ___ Miguel 70. Sushi offering 71. Groks 72. D.C. setting Down 1. To die for 2. Paleness 3. “Dark Places” star, Chloe Grace 4. “Me neither” 5. Leap for Lipinski 6. Virtual’s opposite 7. House shower 8. Rots 9. Black Sea port 10. Hooting experts 11. Bundle 12. Provoke 13. Hall-of-Famer Roush 21. Vintage Olds 22. Hiatus 26. ___meter 27. Reunion group 28. “__ Given Sunday”: 1999 film 30. Flat-screen TV choice 31. ___ fault 32. Record company 33. “Hellboy” star

Perlman 35. Beginner instruction in a subject 37. Objective 38. Officer, abbr.

39. Sticky beach problem 40. Gp. in charge of condominiums, perhaps 41. Over and ___ 42. Spoon bender Geller 43. Q followers 47. City with canals 48. Behind bars 49. Street is another name for it (abbr.)

51. Ball game official (abbr.)

52. Noted Chinese philosopher 53. Warm welcomes 54. Sublet 56. Pound sounds 58. Fountain order 59. “Strength, Courage and wisdom” singer India 60. Mouse-like rodent 61. Bauhaus artist 62. Word of despair 63. Downing St. VIPs 64. Unusual shoe width

Solutions to last week’s puzzles:

Answers to this week’s Pop Quiz: 3) Elton John; 4) Mars and Murrie; 5) A spiderling.

1) It; 2) California (in a rural town called Castroville);

GOT YOUR NUMBER

ISLAND VIEW VIEW ISLAND

This week in history

1

in every 1,000 babies are born with an extra finger or toe.

The destruction of tea at Boston Harbor.

December 13, 1972 Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt begin the third and final “Moonwalk” of Apollo 17. To date, they are the last humans to set foot on the Moon.

25

percent of a male moose’s energy in the summer months is expended growing antlers.

December 14, 1941 World War II: Japan signs a treaty of alliance with Thailand. Shortly after, the Thai government declares war on the US and the UK.

1,848

December 15, 2001 The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after 11 years and US$27 million spent to stabilise it, without fixing its world-famous lean.

is the record amount of cups of tea made in one hour (by a team of 12 people).

200,000

December 16, 1773 American Revolution: Boston Tea Party: Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawk Indians dump hundreds of crates of tea into Boston Harbor as a protest against the Tea Act.

US dollars is how much it costs Russia annually to preserve Lenin’s body.

December 17, 1989 The Simpsons first premieres on television with the episode “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire”.

300 million

kilograms of Play-Doh have been sold since its debut as a child’s toy in 1956.

Source: Uberfacts

December 18, 2018 A meteor explodes over the Bering Sea with a force over 10 times greater than the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945.

Ghosts of the Past. Photo by Chris Yoon, QSI Phuket’s Student Photo of the Year winner Traditional Thai dance takes centre stage. Photo by Michael Rafael Got an unusual or particularly beautiful picture of Phuket?

Email it or to particularly execeditor@classactmedia.co.th Got an unusual beautiful picture of Phuket?

Email it to execeditor@classactmedia.co.th

December 19, 1998 President Bill Clinton is impeached by the United States House of Representatives for “high crimes and misdemeanors”.

Source: Wikipedia thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

CLASSIFIEDS 23

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Jobs

NT GE UR Good staff required

(Thai)

Staff required for popular hotel in Patong.

We have several positions available. Great starting salary and lots of extras including commissions. Potential to grow and develop with the business. Must speak English. Great career oppurtunity.

@thephuketnews

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

GE UR

NT

Admin assistant wanted - Part Time

1. Social Media Officer - No need experience 2. Senior Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 3. Google Adverting 4. Social Media Specialist 5. Real Estate Sales Agent (Based on Kamala Full time) 6. Financial Officer 7. Project Construction Supervisor (Expat) 8. Quantity Surveyor 9. Personal Assistant to CEO and COO 10.

Senior Associate Attorney – Real Estate 11. Marketing 12. Architect HRBluehorizon-thailand, recruitment@bluehorizon-thailand.com, 061 149 3233.

NT GE UR Wanted- Designer

HTML Eflyers

Designer and creation of HTML responsive email marketing newsletters. Excellent written English, must be able to use Campaign Monitor. Please email CV - personalassistantphuket@gmail. com

Chinese Marketing Manager

Art House Real Estate is looking for Chinese speaking, basic salary plus commission. Art House Development Co., Ltd, info@arthouse.asia, 089 594 6888

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

CLASSIFIEDS 25

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Trades & Services

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

CLEANING SERVICES

CORPORATE SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

MARINE SERVICES

MARINE SERVICES

MARINE SERVICES

@thephuketnews

26 CLASSIFIEDS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Trades & Services

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

classifieds@thephuketnews.com

MARINE SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENT

PERSONAL SERVICE

PERSONAL SERVICE

SERVICE

OTHER

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

CLASSIFIEDS 27

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Buy & Sell BOATS, YACHTS FOR SALE Speedboat for Sale

14.2 m Speedboat, named Rayao DD, is still in a good condition with 3 engines, four-stroke engine, Yamaha manufacture. The boat is owned by 1 owner for 1 year (2018) with well maintenance. 4,400,000, Jane, social@karonseasand.com, 062 842 486.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Business opportunity

Four 3-bedroom pool villas, located on the south end of Ao Por, on the east coast of Phuket..., only 50 meters from the sea, 150 meters from new Sheraton Grand Bay Resort, 3 minutes from Ao Po Grand Marina........ Each villa has 330sqm buillt-up area, 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 10-metre infinity pool, western kitchen, fully furnished, ready to move in or rent out.... Price reduction from 98 mln to 78 mln for all.. for viewing or more details please contact owner directly Tel : +66 62 8133888 Email : montha_phuket@yahoo.com

CARS, TRUCKS FOR RENT Toyota Fortuner 2007 for sale

200,000 km. Two owners. Smart TRD 3.0 Good condition! Great deal! Call now!! 590,000 THB, Nony, Kathu, Phuket, Thailand, Nony_ntp@hotmail.com, (Eng/Thai) 099 2650808.

7 seater for rent

We have a New top-model Sienta 7 seater for rent. Has reverse camera, mag wheels, leather and automatic sliding doors. Available from Sept 7. Price daily or per month.

0848474377. stigisaan@gmail.com

@thephuketnews

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

CARS, TRUCKS FOR SALE UR

GE

NT

Car rental @fair prices

Low season prices Monthly from 10,000 Baht. Daily from 400 BHT. High Season from 12,000 monthly. All our cars are in very good conditions at affordable prices. From 10,000 BHT monthly, Stig Johansson, 110/78 Moo 2 T Pa­klok A Thalang 83110 Phuket, stigisaan@gmail.com, 0848474377.

LIKE BRAND NEW

2014 Ford Focus S white w/ black leather interior, sunroof, full options, one owner, accident free. LED front, black roof, 9,400km. Ted Blenkers, Chalong Phuket kapitanted@gmail. com, 0899085199

Mitsubishi Mirage 10/2018

9 months old, 9,000km, first class insurance. Like new. THB 360,000. Andy, Call 082 281 5976 ENG/098 059 8714 THAI

COMMUNITY Play Bridge

Come and join our happy group of Bridge players. Whether you are a beginning or champion, you will have a great time with people from many countries.

Didier, 080 142 8122.

FURNITURE Lis Anette BergstrĂśm

Luxury leather sofa by KELVIN GIORMANI As NEW Never used Price 135000 Now 50% off 67500. Anette, lisanette2002@gmail.com, 0930914502.

MEMBERSHIPS Blue Canyon Family Membership

Blue Canyon Country Club Family Membership For Sale 450,000 split transfer fee 092-801-9855

Golf Membership

Phuket Country Club. Family membership. Two golf courses. Walk or buggy.

Reduces for quick sale. 300,000 baht plus transfer fee. Alan, paradise11@mac. com, 084 065 7590

MEMBERSHIPS Loch Palm - Membership

280,000+transfer. Call 083 388 8036 and Thai 089 972 5378.

Loch Palm Memberships

Loch Palm Memberships with share (family) 340,000+1/2 transfer. Call 089 594 4067.

PROPERTY WANTED Allamanda 2 Bed Freehold

Hi, Am looking for a 2 Bedroom Freehold Unit at the Allamanda in Laguna.

Budget is 8million baht. Can contact me on wandererthomas1@gmail.com Thanks in advance!

Willing to Sell / Rent Property in Laguna?

Willing to sell or rent your property in Laguna area?

Please contact me raisa@rl-property.com +66 (081) 737 1687 (Viber, WhatsApp, Line) Raisa Sheludkina, Railand Property International., 46., Lagoon Road.,Ch erngtalay.,Thalang.,Phuket 83110., raisa@rl-property. com, 0817371687, 076324448.

House Wanted in Chalong

4 Bedroom House Wanted in Chalong for under 10 million baht. Please email me at mick11468@gmail.com

28 CLASSIFIEDS

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

Buy & Sell SERVICES Credit and investment in private section

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

The Phuket News @thephuketnews

PROPERTY FOR SALE

With honesty, we are offering credit and investment in private section with excellent condition.

Please feel free to contact us for more information. Georgette, GEORGESVALLER@ financier.com

SPORTING GOODS, EXERCISE Oceanus Speargun for Sale

▪72cm speargun ▪2 new Dunlop bands with wishbones ▪1 stock steel spear ▪1 tempered-steel Salvimar spear ▪10m of multifiliment line Rawai, Phuket, 618921323.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

1 Bed Condo Sale Rawai

Saturdays Residence beautiful condo in Rawai. Tastefully decorated with class. Short drive to beach. All condo amenities. Looks so good that you do need to see to believe. You will fall in love at first sight. B6,300,000, Dimitry, phuket@thairesidential.com, 082 030 7199

Seaview Condo for sale Karon

Luxury Condo for sale 300 m. from the beach. 100 sqm., furnished, parking, 4th floor, foreign freehold, 1 bedr. Reduced from 6.9m. Claudio, claudstrey@gmail. com, 0867479292.

2 or 5 BR OCEAN FRONT CONDO

137-274 sqm (2 or 5 BR)/180 sqm terrace. 5 bath. Inside 5 stars hotel estate. New hotel projected 2022?. Foreign/Thai freehold. 18 or 28 M THB. Agents welcome. Contact: Khun Gim mob. +(66)859182238/waruneehangan@hotmail.com

2 bed, 2 bath Stunning Villa

Stunning 2 bed, 2 bath fully furnished villa for sale in Baan Wana gated community, Cherngtalay. Large backyard w/ spacious patio. Swimming pool with new outdoor shower. Fully equipped European kitchen.

Email: mrsglasses1@gmail.com for full color property brochure 9,600,000 baht , Khun Ju, Baan Wana Pool Villa, Unit 4a, phukethrm@hotmail.com, +66835037655.

Luxury Condo Sale

2 Bedroom, fully equipped Kitchen – 212 SQM. Very high standard with a nice view.

2 Big Balcony, Jacuzzi. Location: Kathu, 5 min. Phuket Town and all department stores and International Hospitals. 086-268-7901.

THB 11,5 M, Martin, martinhkt@yahoo.com

White sand beach

29 Rai with breathtaking views and 128 meter of white sand beach frontage on Koh Yao Yai , just 20 minutes from Phuket away , secure Chanote tittle , public concrete road , water, electricity and ready to build for sale direct from owner for only 5.5 mln per Rai. Montha, montha_phuket@yahoo.com, 095 0147888.

OCEAN FRONT LAND

7 Rai with 185 meter of ocean frontage, 800 meter from Yacht Haven Marina on Phangnga side, water, electricity, concrete road on the back of property, building permission for 12 two-storey pool villas. For sale direct by owner for only 6 mln Baht per Rai. + 66 95 0147888.

OCEAN FRONT VILLA

3 Bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 10-metre infinity swimming pool, maid quarter..., fully furnished and ready to move in.., usable area of over 330sqm....., very convenient located in a gated community at the south end of Ao Por, 50 metres from the ocean, 150 metres from the new Sheraton Grand Bay Resort, 3 minutes from Ao Po Grand Marina, 20 minutes from Airport and shopping centers..., for sale direct by owner 22.9mln. +66 95 0147888.

Dream Village Phuket house

2bed 2bath 295sqm land 100sqm living + veranda, compl. renovated.: new water, electric., tiles, paint in/out, windows, 3A/C, built in kitchen. 0870608400 engl/deutsch, price is negotiable picharly@gmail.com, 66870608400

Villa in Patong prime location

Villa in central Patong , top condition.

Can generate 1.3 MB tourist rental income/y . 3 bed, 3 bath, 160sqm living.

Furnished, garden. Ms. Manatchanok, 0800409411.

PROPERTY FOR SALE G UR

T EN

SA

LE

RPM by owner

Unique luxury condo 2 bed, 2 bath, 155sqm. Foreign FREE HOLD. Architect remodel in tropical white. Jacuzzi.

All round beautiful views. Completely furnished to a high standard. Very motivated owner leaving Thailand.

Available to agents. Priced just REDUCED to 15MB or offers. Contact Brian (Owner) 089 054 4354, 076 360 943. bggvirgo@gmail.com

1 Bedroom Condo Kata For Sale

PROPERTY FOR RENT G UR

EN

Absolute Beachfront Pool Villa

T

Absolute Beachfront Pool Villa, 3 Bedroom, 3 Bathroom, fully serviced. Short Term Rental from 35‘000 THB/Week to 195‘000 Month depend on Season. Long Term on Agreement.

Casa Lagoon Phuket House 4 Rent

We have four houses with AmaZing Lagoon view Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, fully furnished available for short & long-term rental in a quiet area located in Koh Kaew area Phuket 0624236499.

Thalang House for RENT

Lovely condo at Utopia Kata for Sale. Completed in 2017 and close to Kata Beach. Fully furnished. Close to restaurants and amenities. Great views. Rental programme. Full facilities. Dimtry, 082 030 7199. B7,100,000

2 Bedrooms, semi-furnished with next door gym and smiming pool. 199/167 Moo 9 Thepkasattri Rd. Thalang Phuket, 089 882 9246 sawasdeeka84@hotmail.com

Super villa for sale

Condo in Patong for Rent

Super villa for sale. 4 bed, 4 bath, 450 sqm private pool villa, 500 sqm land, Heavily reduced price 14.9M. Call +66 (0) 92-6950329 15.000.000 baht, +66 (0) 92-6950329.

Full-furnished studio with 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, living room, kitchenette, mountain view, and free wifi. 2 Rooms available; 66 sq.m and 88 sq.m. Start from 25,000 THB/month, Jane, social@ karonseasand.com, 062 842 4861.

Karon 1 Bed Condo for Sale

Karon Butterfly hillside condo for sale just 800m from beach. Amenities close by. Fully furnished and condo facilities. Great investment in great area of Phuket. Shuttle Bus to Beach and Rental Program. A must see!!!! B4,300,000, Dmitry , phuket@thairesidential.com

Villa Mission Heights Big Pool

CONDO FOR SALE THE DECK PATONG

44 sqm Condo for sale at THB 5,200,000 – Parking space included – Quiet Unit – email: sale. hd.design@outlook.com - 66937198098.

PROPERTY FOR RENT

COMMUNITY

3bed, 3 1/2 bath, 330sqm living, 900 sqm land, very quite aera, 2 km mission hill golf, 6km UWC, 8 km airport. owner finance.

0870608400 engl/deutsch, price is negotiable.

10.9MB, picharly@gmail.com

7 Bed Boutique Hotel for Sale

A unique opportunity to buy a beautiful, fully licensed and 100% legally compliant boutique hotel business in Cherng Talay. The resort has full restaurant, alcohol and cigarette licenses.

B30,000,000, Mike, phuket@thairesidential.com

PROPERTY FOR RENT

1 story building for rent

150m2 - Located in Allamanda 1 Laguna Phuket is available for rent. Rent is negotiable especially for long term lease. 096 646 6287.

House in Boat Lagoon for rent

Boat Lagoon-Only 5 minutes from BIS, 3 bed/4bath. Great for families with kids. Furnished. Longterm (12 months or longer) Available now. 50.000, Claudio, claudstrey@gmail. com, 0867479292.

2-Bed Furnished Kathu House for Rent

2bd/2bth furnished house for rent in Kathu near Loch Palm Golf Course. See link for more photos and details. www.kathuhouseforrent.com B13,500, May or Wes, wes@pillarmarketing.com, 0899733276

Stunning Ocean Views!

4 bed/bath large pool villa. Privately located in Cape Heights Cape Yamu.

Furnished. Gardens. Fiber WiFi. 80,000/rent long term or 30 million to sell. Richard, Cape Yamu, Phuket, richarddesmondcapeheights@yahoo. co.uk, +66824203270, WhatsApp

thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

UFC 245 to showcase strong Phuket talent MMA

T

@thephuketnews

Fighters at the press launch at Jungceylon last Friday (Dec 4).

Thai Fight Thai Fest to be held in Patong

The Phuket News editor3@thephuketnews.com

his weekend (Dec 15) the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada will host UFC 245 in what is arguably the most important card of all time for Phuketrelated Tiger Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) training camp fighters within the competition.

There are three key matchups that will carry particular interest for Phuket fans as each fighter has specific links and history with the island and the sport.

Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski takes on Max Holloway in the co-main-event for the Featherweight title.

Despite returning to his homeland last year, Australian Volkanovski has maintained strong links to Phuket after winning the Tiger Muay Thai & MMA tryouts in 2014.

Since then his career has skyrocketed.

A strong all-rounder with solid grappling skills, he is on

SPORT 29

MMA

Phuket-based Petr Yan is considered one of the biggest prospects in UFC. Photo: AFP a 17-fight win streak including nine knockouts and three submissions.

Russian Petr Yan takes on Urijah Faber on the main card in a hugely anticipated and significant fight.

At 26 years old, Yan is considered one of the biggest prospects in UFC, possessing a dangerous striking arsenal and a great takedown defence.

He joined Tiger Muay Thai in 2016 and has been living in Phuket ever since. Win this and Yan becomes the number

one contender for the UFC Bantamweight title.

Sixth ranked New Zealander Kai Kara-France takes on Brandon Moreno on the preliminary card.

Kara-France was with the same Tiger training camp for the same amount of time as Alex Volkanovski, also winning a spot on the team through the 2014 tryouts.

He moved to Phuket when he was 19 to train and, after a hugely promising first 12 months on the roster, is now

a rising UFC Flyweight.

The main event is a UFC Welterweight Championship bout between the current champion Kamaru Usman and former interim title holder Colby Covington.

A UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship bout between the current champion Amanda Nunes and the inaugural UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion Germaine de Randamie is also scheduled to take place at the same event.

IT H AS BEEN CONfirmed that Phuket will host the King’s Cup ‘Thai Fight Thai Fest’ on Dec 21 at The Myth venue, Patong.

The announcement was made on Dec 4 at a press conference held at Jungceylon, presided over by Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup.

Watchara Jaru-ariyanon, Executive Chairman of The Tiger Muay Thai (Thailand) Co Ltd, and Mr Nopporn Wathin, Executive Chairman of Thai Fight Co Ltd will facilitate the match, now in its 10th year although the first time it has been hosted in Phuket.

Thai Fight is usually a Kard Chuek promotion. Kard Chuek is Muay Thai, but with hemp ropes instead of boxing gloves. However, for this event,

it will be a mix of gloves and kard chuek.

There will be some celebrated fighters contesting and some highly anticipated match-ups on the card including Saenchai who will be taking on Tiger Muay Thai’s Tofik Abullayev in the final of the 70kg King’s Cup Title tournament under normal Muay Thai rules and gloves.

Another big match up sees Amir Naseri take on Petch Samui in the final of the 67kg King’s Cup Title tournament. Amir also fights out of Chalong’s Tiger Muay Thai training centre and is the current Omnoi Stadium champion. Petch-Samui is the former Rajadamnern Stadium Champion.

The fighters will weigh in on Friday (Dec 20) at 11am at Tiger Beach Club at Chalong Bay, in Soi Mudong, Chalong.

Eakkapop Thongtub

30 SPORT

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Is Tiger ready for biggest roar?

Woods leads US against Els’ international team in Melbourne GOLF Chuah Choo Chiang

I

n years to come, linguists may well need to reword the old adage “Rising from the ashes like a phoenix” if golf legend Tiger Woods puts an exclamation point on an amazing 2019 by leading the United States Team to victory at the Presidents Cup at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club which started yesterday (Dec 12).

Turning 44 later this month, Woods plans to head into the holiday season on another high note by becoming only the second playing captain to triumph in the prestigious biennial competition against the International Team, led by Woods’ old foe Ernie Els. In the past 12 months, Woods has defied his detractors where his battle with career-threatening injuries has seen him producing two remarkable wins for the ages – first a 15th major victory at the Masters in April and a record-tying 82nd PGA Tour triumph at the inaugural Zozo Championship in Japan in October.

They say good things come in threes and after unsurprisingly picking himself for the Presidents Cup, Woods now has a golden opportunity to put the cherry on the cake to conclude a stirring 2019.

Interestingly, the latest narrative that has golf fans gasping in sheer admiration could not have been better scripted.

It was during the 2017 Presidents Cup that Woods, then a captain’s assistant, painted a bleak scenario of him potentially never playing competitive golf again following a

US playing captain Tiger Woods poses in front of a mural of the 2019 Presidents Cup in Melbourne. Photo: Bangkok Post fourth back surgery which included spinal fusion.

“I don’t know what my future holds for me,” he told the media at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey.

But like all great spor ting comebacks, Woods first claimed a sensational victory at the 2018 Tour Championship and riding the wave of his new-found confidence and invincibility, he produced an improbable triumph at Augusta National a few months later that many had thought would never happen again.

Fans chanted “Tiger, Tiger” as he walked off the 18th green.

“I had serious doubts after what transpired a couple years ago. I could barely walk. I couldn’t sit.

Couldn’t lay down. Luckily I had the procedure on my back, which gave me a chance at having a normal life.

But then all of a sudden, I realised I could actually swing a golf club

again. I felt if I could somehow piece this together that I still had the hands to do it. The body’s not the same as it was a long time ago, but I still have good hands,” said Woods.

Woods limited himself to six more tournaments after his Masters win and when he failed to progress into the FedEx Cup season finale at the Tour Championship, he announced from out of the blue that he had undergone a fifth knee surgery to repair minor cartilage damage in his left knee.

Some wondered if this was another setback but in his return to tournament play two months later, Woods was back at his prowling best, rewriting PGA Tour history along the way at the Zozo Championship where he won by three strokes from Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama.

“It’s a big number,” said Woods after achieving his 82nd PGA Tour

win on a glorious Monday morning following a weather-hit week.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have had the career I’ve had so far. To have won this tournament in Japan, it’s just so ironic because I’ve always been a global player. I didn’t really know that I would come back and play at this level. Swing-wise, my speed started coming back. Ironically, my back has been less sore because of it. I’ve been able to rotate better, but still, it’s always going to be sore but it’s just less sore.”

US Open champion Gary Woodland, who had a front-row seat playing alongside Woods in the final two rounds in Japan, tipped his cap to the game’s icon and predicted the world will see more wins by Woods.

“Eighty-two’s just a crazy number. You look at the guys who have won 10 times and it’s pretty special, let alone to come out here and win 82 times. To battle through the injuries he’s dealt with, gosh, he’s young

and he’s playing unbelievable. The ball-striking exhibition I’ve seen the last two days is a joke. I don’t see him stopping anytime soon. I think there’s a lot more in store,” said Woodland, who will make his debut in the Presidents Cup. Next up for Woods is to extend the US dominance in the Presidents Cup, which the team has won the last seven editions.

At Royal Melbourne, site of US Team’s lone defeat in 1998, Woods will be assisted by Fred Couples, Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker.

Woods acknowledged that leading as a playing captain will present different challenges, but he is confident of emulating Hale Irwin’s victorious feat in 1994.

“It’s an honour and a tremendous responsibility to be able to be captain and represent our country.

We’re going to have a pretty solid team going down there against the Internationals,” said Woods.

“I’m going to be getting ready as the same time, it’s going to be a lot of work, but something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. On paper, we certainly have the advantage in the world rankings.

When it comes right down to it, like I told the guys, when you start out on Thursday, it’s 0-0. We have to go out and win this Cup. Doesn’t matter what the world ranking is.

You have to go and beat the other guys, and that’s what we’re going to try and do.”

Should Woods go on to rewrite another piece of golf history in Australia, it may well be time to change the old saying to: “Rising from the ashes like a Tiger.”

Bangkok Post

Thongchai gets into PGA senior tour GOLF TH AILAN D’S THONGchai Jaidee shot a brilliant final round nine-under-par 62 to earn full exempt status for the 2020 PGA Tour Champions (senior tour) after he finished second in the qualifying tournament final stage in Scottsdale, Arizona (Dec 6).

The three-time Asian Tour No. 1 and eight-time European Tour winner entered the last day outside the top-five but made the biggest final-round jump to finish second with a 16-under total.

Thongchai, the first Thai player to play in the President’s Cup (in 2015) carded five birdies and two eagles on the ninth and 17th holes in his final round. He had

carded earlier scores of 67, 71 and 68.

He has been a staple on the Asian Tour for a long time, collecting 13 wins, second most all-time behind countryman Thaworn Wiratchant.

“I am ver y excited. I worked well with my coach and caddie this week. When you have a good tee shot, you have a chance. I am very proud with this 62 and I played well. I putted a lot better today,” Thongchai said.

“I turned 50 this year and I’ll try to enjoy it although I’ll have to do things differently now. Hopefully I’ll enjoy next year.”

Shane Bertsch made a six-foot par putt on the 18th hole to complete a final-round 65 and pip Thongchai by one stroke with a 17-under total.

Bangkok Post thephuketnews

THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

SPORT 31 English Premier League 2019 - 2020 1

Pointing the way: having beaten Mourinho and Guardiola in consecutive games Solksjaer's team, led by Marcus Rashford, is inspired. Photo: AFP

United back on track FOOTBALL

The Phuket News editor3@classactmedia.co.th

L

iverpool's relentless march to a first English title since 1990 gathered pace with a comfortable win at Bournemouth, while Manchester City's defence of the trophy was hit by a painful defeat against rivals Manchester United.

Fuelled by Jamie Vardy's blistering form, Leicester have emerged as the closest challengers to Liverpool.

Solskjaer's big week Recently Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had been fielding questions over whether he is the man to return Manchester United to their former glories after just four wins from their opening 14 Premier League games.

A week on and Solskjaer has secured two monumental victories to lift the gloom.

United spoiled Jose Mourinho's return to Old Trafford by winning 2-1 and then defeated bitter rivals Manchester City 2-1 to climb up to fifth and within five points of the top four. On both occasions the

@thephuketnews

scoreline arguably flattered the losing side with Solskjaer's vision slowly coming to fruition.

Marcus Rashford has already matched his previous season's goal tally with 13, Fred has enjoyed two of his best games since a £50 million move from Shakhtar Donetsk 18 months ago, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was outstanding in nullifying the threat of Raheem Sterling and Harry Maguire marshalled his defence resolutely under a late City bombardment.

There is still much to do for Solskjaer to convince the doubters, not least catching Chelsea in fourth to secure a return to the Champions League next season, but this was undoubtedly his best week as permanent United boss.

His team welcome a slightly resurgent Everton to Old Trafford this coming Sunday (Dec 15).

Klopp's side made it 33 league games unbeaten as they maintained an eight-point lead over second-placed Leicester.

They have taken 73 points out of an available 75.

Goals from Alex OxladeChamberlain, Naby Keita and Mohamed Salah earned the victory, but it was Liverpool's first shutout since September 28 that pleased Klopp the most.

"I forgot actually how it feels, to be honest. It's great, we should have that more often," Klopp said.

"For the boys, that was the most used word in the dressing room when I came in, 'clean sheet, clean sheet, clean sheet'.

"Obviously everybody was desperate for that and now we have it, so let's have it more often."

Liverpool host Watford on Saturday (Dec 14) and will be confident of extending their impressive run.

Klopp relishes Liverpool shutout Jurgen Klopp admitted Liverpool's first clean sheet in 14 games was the talk of the dressing room after the leaders' 3-0 win at Bournemouth.

Leicester happy to stay in the shadows With Jamie Vardy on the kind of hot streak he last managed when Leicester won their fairytale title in 2016, Brendan Rodgers' side have become

the last hope of a competitive race to be crowned kings of English football.

Liverpool have left Manchester City trailing in their wake, but Leicester remain in the hunt after Vardy's double inspired a 4-1 rout of Aston Villa.

Va r d y, t h e P r e m i e r League's leading scorer with 16 goals this term, has netted in eight successive games, recalling his 11-match scoring streak from 2015-16.

The Foxes have reeled off a club record eight consecutive top-flight victories, but Rodgers has no intention of talking up his team's title chances.

"I don't think anyone expects us to be near the top. We respect that, we get on with our work and keep developing as a team," Rodgers said.

"It's just natural, Man City and Liverpool are both incredible teams. We know we are looking to improve and close the gap. We have finished ninth in the last two seasons but today we looked like a top team."

Leicester take on struggling Norwich City at home on Saturday (Dec 14) and will be looking to take all three points.

Team

MP

W

D

L

F

A

GD

Pts

Liverpool

16

15

1

0

40

14

+26

46

2

Leicester City

16

12

2

2

39

10

+29

38

3

Manchester City

16

10

2

4

44

19

+25

32

4

Chelsea

16

9

2

5

31

24

+7

29

5

Manchester United

16

6

6

4

25

19

+6

24

6

Wolverhampton

16

5

9

2

23

19

+4

24

7

Tottenham Hotspur

16

6

5

5

30

23

+7

23

8

Sheffield United

16

5

7

4

19

16

+3

22

9

Arsenal

16

5

7

4

24

24

0

22

10 Crystal Palace

16

6

4

6

14

18

-4

22

11 Newcastle United

16

6

4

6

17

23

-6

22

12 Brighton

16

5

4

7

20

24

-4

19

13 Burnley

16

5

3

8

21

29

-8

18

14 Everton

16

5

2

9

19

28

-9

17

15 Bournemouth

16

4

4

8

18

24

-6

16

16 West Ham United

16

4

4

8

18

28

-10

16

17

16

4

3

9

23

28

-5

15

18 Southampton

16

4

3

9

18

35

-17

15

19 Norwich City

16

3

2

11

17

34

-17

11

20 Watford

16

1

6

9

9

30

-21

9

Aston Villa

Live Sports TV Schedule *Times may be subject to change

SPORT

START STOP

EVENT

TEAMS / INFO

Rugby 7’s

Cape Town

Friday 13 Dec th

Rugby Union 19:00 23:55 Cricket

12:00 20:00 Test Match 1 - Perth

Australia v. New Zealand, Day 2

Saturday 14th Dec Rugby Union 13:30 23:55

Rugby 7’s

Rugby Union 20:00 22:00 HK Champions Cup

Soccer

Soccer Cricket

Connacht V. Gloucester

22:00 00:00 HK Champions Cup

Saracens v. Munster

00:30 02:30 HK Champions Cup

Leinster v. Northampton

Rugby Union 20:00 22:00 HK Champions Cup

Soccer

Cape Town

Benetton v. Lyon

22:00 00:00 HK Champions Cup

Montpellier v. Toulouse

00:30 02:30 HK Champions Cup

Glasgow v. La Rochelle

19:30 21:30

EPL

Liverpool v. Watford

22:00 00:00

EPL

Chelsea v. Bournemouth

22:00 00:00

EPL

Leicester v. Norwich

00:30 02:30

EPL

Southampton v. West Ham

22:00 00:00

EPL

12:00 20:00 Test Match 1 - Perth

Burnley v. Newcastle Australia v. New Zealand, Day 3

Sunday 15th Dec Rugby Union 15:00 23:55

Rugby 7’s

Rugby Union 20:00 22:00 HK Champions Cup 22:00 23:55 HK Champions Cup Soccer

Cape Town Exeter V. Sale Clermont V. Bath

21:00 23:00

EPL

Wolves v. Tottenham

21:00 23:00

EPL

Man United v. Everton

23:30 01:00

EPL

Cricket

12:00 20:00 Test Match 1 - Perth

Cricket

15:00 23:00

ODI1 - Chennai

Arsenal v. Man City Australia v. New Zealand, Day 4 India v. West Indies

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THEPHUKETNEWS.COM

editor3@classactmedia.co.th

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019

Ole’s no wally as United hit form > p31

HOLLYWOOD SMILE

Roberts and crew prove a cut above SAILING The Phuket News editor3@classactmedia.co.th

D

efending champion and veteran Australian sailor Ray Roberts clocked up five wins from eight races on his boat Team Hollywood to win the top flight IRC Zero class at the 33rd Phuket King’s Cup Regatta.

Despite some serious competition from Thailand’s former world Optimist champion and two-time Asian Games gold medalist Noppakao Poonpat, who was at the helm of the Thai-registered boat THA 72, Roberts and his crew finished the regatta in overall first place. THA 72 finished a close second with six

second place finishes from the eight races contested.

The Hong Kong-registered boat WindSikher of Sarab Singh and Nick Burns finished third overall, despite not starting in the final race, which was held in strong winds.

“Before the start of racing today the wind was at 24 knots and gusting up to 30 knots,” said race Officer Simon James. “At the start of racing the wind was averaging 17 knots, then it went up to 22. The wind was all over the place. Safety is the most important thing and on Friday we canceled some racing. But today the conditions were better and we were able to hold the races.”

His Excellency Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk, a personal representative of His Majesty the King of

Ray Roberts’ Team Hollywood has done it again. Photo: Guy Nowell

Thailand, presided over the Royal Awards Ceremony and presented the trophies to the winners this afternoon.

Russia’s Alexey Mashkin steered MegaZip to first place overall in the IRC 1 class after three wins from eight races. Hot on his heels were two Japanese skippers, with Kazuki Kihara on Char Chan in second place and Nanamori Yasuo on Emagine in third.

Proving that size doesn’t matter was Danish sailor Morten Jakobsen, who steered his small boat Over Here to victory in the IRC 2 class. Jakobsen was at the helm of the smallest boat in the class and won four of the eight races contested, just managing to get the better of two Chinese skippers.

Finishing second overall in the IRC 2 class was Shen Sheng on

Thai surfers making waves at SEA Games SURFING PHUKET RESIDENT Annissa Tita Flynn took home the silver medal in the women’s shortboard open surfing competition at the 30th SEA Games in the Phillipines on Tuesday (Dec 10).

She finished runner

up to local filipina favourite Nilbie Blancada who took gold with a score of 7.65. Flynn scored 6.35 to secure the silver medal.

Flynn commented via her facebook page “I couldn’t be happier!

Never in my life would I have imagined that I would be representing Thailand in the SEA

Games and win a silver medal!”

Fellow Phuket resident Hen r y Sitipong Chapman grabbed the bron ze medal in the shortboard men’s open.

In what was a successful day on the waves for Thailand overall, Athiya Ramee Junprasert from Phang Nga also

secured a bronze medal in the women’s longboard.

Look out for an indepth interview with Annissa Tita Flynn in next week’s edition of the Phuket News where she talks about her triumph at the SEA Games and her inspirations for the future.

The Phuket News

Bigboys Sailing Team, followed by Minzhi Feng on Highlead Encoragers.

Overall honors in the Premier class went to Hong Kong’s Geoff Hill on Antipodes, who won two of the seven races contested. Australian Peter Cremers finished a narrow second overall on Shahtoosh, just pipping Thailand’s Inthinai Yingsiri, who had to settle for third.

Australian Dan Fidock won six of the seven races to finish on top in the Multihull Racing class, with Dan Moore and Nigel Cross on Frankenstein in second place and Hong Kong’s Gaeten Verhegge skippering Team Red Blood into third.

The Firefly 850 Sports class, for mostly locally-built racing catamarans, saw Phuket-based sailor Hans Rahmann score four wins from eight

races for a narrow overall victory on Voodoo, with Great Britain’s John Newnham a close second on Twin Sharks and fellow Brit Neil Ayre third on Mamba.

The International Dinghy Fleet races were held close to Kata Beach on Saturday in a bid to avoid the stronger winds further out to sea. The strong winds on Friday had caused some problems for the mostly young dinghy sailors, with the Royal Thai Navy’s inflatable boats as well as some of the boats from the main fleet coming to lend a hand and towing some dinghies to shore.

A total of 120 sailors contested six classes of dinghies during the regatta, encouraged by the organizers who are keen to promote the sport among the young generation.

Phuket’s silver surfer Annissa Tita Flynn. Photo: Peeraphon Leelasetlakul.

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