November 2013

November 2013

What are your best souvenirsfrom Phuket?

Fit outside the gymAcqua Restaurant review

for travelers, the expatriate community & everyone in Phuket

P H U K E T

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ContentsEditor’s NoteCover PhotoSAPHAN HIN

Well it’s that time again, the time when the vast number of residents to Phuket, most of whom have some kind of connection to the tourism industry, look forward to possibly 6 months of no holiday, longer working days, and weeks upon weeks of, in some way or another, serving those who visit the island.On the other hand, there are also those who are now here to enjoy a few days, weeks or possibly months of all that this great island has to offer. And there is possibly no other tourist destination in the world that boasts a range of facilities, activities, history, culture, entertainment and even world class sporting events like Phuket, especially in such a small area.Welcome back high season!!!

Russell Smith Editor

18 Quiz

04

Fit outside the gym and it is free!

06 Boating in Phuket

12 What are your best souvenirs from Phuket?

14 Not just a place to get food

READ ‘IN-PHUKET’IN THESE OUTLETS AND MANY OTHERS.

The Hardstand is a lot more than a great coffee shop, they have a fantastic

menu as well just take a look at their website http://www.thehardstand.

com and Facebook page www.facebook.com/TheHardstandCafe and see.

Every Friday they offer a great BBQ night starting at 5.30pm and this a not

to be missed event. They also have an excellent reputation offer catering for

Marine Charters and other events.

We Café is a pleasant restaurant and coffee shop located on Chaofa West Road between Phuket Town and Chalong Temple. Opened in October 2012, it stands adjacent to a famous hydroponic farm which has been growing and selling fresh salad and vegetables since 2000 to distribute to Phuket’s many

restaurants and hotels.

A great café and bistro in Phuket Old Town, offering a wonderful selection of

coffee from Nespresso, you can also purchase a fabulous machine for home/

office use. There you will find a delightful selection of sandwiches, salads,

cakes, ice cream and they also serve breakfast. Not forgetting Wines, Beer

and Vodka.

Danny Place is a fabulous bar and restaurant in Kamala where you can

be assured of a wonderful welcome. On offer is great selection of drinks

from beers to cocktails or just enjoy great coffee. The menu offer excellent

value authentic Thai food and is open for breakfast, lunch or diner.

Located in the prestigious Boat Lagoon Marina off Thepkasattri Rd. You will see the on the right-hand side after the security box

You will find Dannys Place on the Rim Had Road in Kamala, in-between 7/11 Eleven and the Print Resort

Opening Hours: 07:30 – 20:00

Location: On Chaofa West Road,

near the intersection with Khwang Road

Tel: 076 521 670, 081 328 1352

Located in Phuket Old Town at 58 Radsada Rd. between Phuket Rd &Takoupa Rd.Tel: 080 524 2121

for travelers, the expatriate community & everyone in Phuket

(Part II: Crewed Yacht Charters)

16 Learning about #Hashtags08 Recipe: Beef Green Curry Fried Rice

15 Restaurant review, AQUA

17 Adopt a dog & save a life

17 Events & News

#phuket#beach

#hotel#room

#green

#rainyday

#read#travel#booking

#online

#food#sunset

#magazine

#photos

#restaurants#patong

#thailand#follow

#friend

#social

#internet

#view #pool

#where

#park

#market#bar

#beach#relax

#sea #spa#art

#network

#shopping#night

#beer


5Travel & Eateries in Phuket, November 2013in Phuket, November 2013Travel & Eateries4

the gym and it is free!

“Man surprised me most about humanity. Because he sacrifices his health in

order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And

then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the

result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is

never going to die, and then dies having never really lived,” says Dalai Lama XIV.

People on the island sacrifice their lives inside air conditioned boxes, sacrificing

their money to a membership, and their time being gym rats!

The cost of living on the Pearl of the Andaman is increasing and getting fit doesn’t

mean that we have to spend money joining and going to a gym. In fact, if you’re

feeling uninspired to go to the gym after work, grab a friend and head down

to your nearest park. Parks are becoming an alternative environment for those

wanting to add variety to their work outs, or who just don’t like the gym. And,

it’s an affordable way to increase physical activity opportunities, because there’s

nothing special to build. In Phuket there are couple places islanders like to go.

Saphan Hin is a public park which has been popular with the locals for a long

time. It is part of a land reclamation project which sees new created land being

use for parks. One reason of its popularity is its location in town, but near the

sea. The tin mining monument shaped like a large drill bit and dedicated to the

memory of Captain Edward Thomas Miles, the Australian who brought the first

dredge to Phuket in 1909, is located at the entrance. Every Phuket kid used to use

the monument as their slide and play ground. Phuket Municipal Sports Center is

located here and everyone is welcome to use the facilities including gymnasium,

badminton court, indoor basketball court, petanque field at nominal fees.

It’s a multi-purpose park surrounded by mature pine trees and with lots of open

grass spaces. You can take an easy run around the park or the road. The park is

less crowded in the morning. Benches are not only good for resting, but act like

built in gym equipment! Stepping or even jumping up on to the bench several

times can really get your heart rate racing, but the park does also offer free

fitness equipment to do crunches, chin-ups, dips, and more while enjoying the

great outdoors. They are installed behind the bronze statue of Phraya Ratsada

Nupradit.

The newest workout trend in Saphan Hin is cycling. A bicycle rental booth is

located behind the public restrooms, and offers a variety of bicycles for rent at

a very cheap price and this activity is popular among children. With easy access,

and being located right in town, it’s no wonder this park has become a real

family venue, filled with picnickers and workout folks. Cars can be parked almost

anywhere so jogging or cycling can be a little frustrating in the evening so be

careful.

On the outskirts of the town is Rama IX park, commonly called Suang Luang, it’s

the biggest public park. The park is so large it takes up almost an hour to walk

around its outer walking trail. Like any park it is a gathering place for locals in the

mornings and evenings.

There is a couple of entrances to the park and car parks are restricted to certain

zones which make the jogging trails car free, although bicycles are allowed to

ride on them. In the morning there are some Chinese descent who come to do Tai

Chi, and some young people start their basketball matches at 8am. Ladies who visit

Suan Luang are welcome to join the aerobic dances whether they are beginners or

advanced, classes start late afternoon.

An impressive point about this park is that there is no doggy mess; it is actually very

rare that you will even see a dog. It’s very clean and well looked after. Spaces are well

used and of course fitness gear is available to use for free.

Another place worth visiting is Bang Wad reservoir, also called Bang Wad Dam. It is

the largest fresh water supply for the island and is located in the hills of Baan Kathu.

Doing workouts at the reservoir is a pleasure as it is less crowded and much quieter

compared to the two parks. The main workout activities here are walking, jogging and

cycling. The dam is about 800 meters long and has small trails winding to almost seven

kilometers around the reservoir.

There are more people here in the morning than in the afternoon as it can be very hot

during the day. The place offers stunning views with the morning light. One big advantage

of here is that the trails are different in terms of height so you are challenged with some

great uphill hikes; even cyclists like to come here to improve their sprinting speeds.

fit outside



CrewedY a c h tCharters

It is all about total privacy, personal service, gourmet meals, absolute relaxation

and seclusion, and no fixed itinerary. Taking a holiday on a fully crewed yacht is

much like staying in a floating hotel and you don’t need to be an experienced

sailor to do it as on a fully crewed yacht you have a dedicated captain, chef, and

on larger vessels staff to look after your every need.

The choice of yacht is important because you will spend days and nights on board.

In Phuket you may be surprised by the growth of the yachting business. There

are many styles of yachts available to charter, from sailing yachts, catamarans,

motor boats, traditional Turkish Gulets, motor sailors, and superyachts. There are

many yacht charter companies on the island that are ready to assist you to find

the right yacht to perfectly match your requirements.

Sailing Yachts - A range of monohulls are available, many more sporty with

excellent sailing performance, others more sedate. There are a variety of distinct

types, and each has their own characteristics. Some are very common, others

rarely seen, but all have their enthusiasts. Prices for these yachts vary depending

on their size, age, pedigree and number of crew. In Phuket crewed sailing yachts

are sized from 47ft and larger and accommodate from 4 to 12 guests.

Catamarans - Probably the most popular vessel in the area and as most staterooms

are located in the two hulls this leaves plenty of room for the saloon and deck. When

compared with a monohull of the same length a catamaran offers almost double the

space. They also provide a stable platform that can smoothly take the ocean swells.

The biggest advantage is that their shallow draft makes it possible to explore areas off

limits to other yachts such as hongs, high limestone islands which have collapsed in the

middle leaving a landlocked lagoon. Several of these lagoons are accessible via caves by

dinghy or kayak at low tide.

Traditional Turkish Gulets - These beautiful wooden sailing vessels are also available and

are traditionally two or three mast. Being single hull and because of their weight, a Gulet

is good to sail in most conditions, so this one vessel you might to want to look for if you

like to sail with a historical feeling and great sea comfort.

Motor Yachts – If you want to explore Phuket’s waters in but are limited for time you may

want to consider this type of vessel as they are somewhat faster than the aforementioned.

Again, there are many sizes of vessel to choose from, from small for just a couple to very

large superyachts for big groups. However, the prices for motor yachts can be high due

to their fuel consumption.

Most crewed yachts are available for private charter but the duration of the charters vary

from a single day trip up to a week or more. However, some sailing yachts may require a

minimum of a 4 night charter, or one week minimum on a luxury sailing yacht.

Yacht charter services in Phuket can be easily found by simply searching for yacht

charters Phuket on the internet, and you can choose the type that would most suit you.

Photos from Asia Marine Ltd | www.asia-marine.net

Boating in Phuket Part II



Thai Social Security Coverage

Thailand has a social security system which is funded by employee contributions as

well as additional contributions from the employer. There are different sections to the

social security system.

All working persons are eligible for medical coverage if they have a work permit and are

making contributions to the system. All those who are not in the system should have

private medical insurance to cover them. If you have a work permit and are working,

contributions are compulsory, no matter what your nationality is.

The insured person is an employee who starts working at the age of not under fifteen

and not over sixty years old in an enterprise with 1 or more employees.

In the event that the employee is a foreigner, a photocopy of his/her passport is required

for identification. Afterward, the employee has to fill in form SSO 1-03 (The Insured

Person Registration Form (SSO 1-03)) in order to register with the Social Security Fund

for Sickness of Injuries Benefit, Maternity Benefit, Invalidity Benefit, Death Benefit,

Child Allowance and Old - Age Benefit. The insured person has to provide 2 hospitals of

his/her choice where he/she wishes to receive the benefits. One of the two hospitals

will be selected as the care provider.

Thereafter, the insured person will receive a Social Security Card after registration and

pay contribution for 3 months so that they can receive free medical treatment at the

registered hospital indicated in the medical card.

Private Health Insurance

A number of Thai and international companies offer a wide range of health insurance

packages. Many Thai companies offer health insurance as part of a life insurance

package, so it is best to check the policy carefully if only health insurance is required.

For basic health insurance the only document required is a passport or ID card, while

for life insurance a work permit is normally needed.

Private hospitals may ask to see proof of funds if the patient is not insured. If the

patient is insured, the hospital will usually contact the insurance company who will

then communicate with and pay the hospital directly. If the hospital bill is more than

the cover allows, the patient is required to pay the outstanding balance before being

discharged from the hospital.

Each private health insurance policy has different terms and conditions. For example,

some require the policy holder to pay the hospital bill and then wait for reimbursement;

others will pay the bill immediately.

Check the policy carefully as many will not cover pre-existing conditions or chronic

medical conditions.

Choosing the right insurance package in Thailand

When looking at insurance, there are many different packages to examine and many

companies are willing to offer somewhat confusing deals and few details. It’s therefore

important to look at how much a policy will pay out in different situations (disease,

accident, etc.).

Personal Accident Insurance = provides emergency coverage should you be involved

in an accident, usually including transportation to a hospital, the hospital stay, and

emergency medical treatment.

Medical Insurance = provides coverage for general health care, for when you fall ill, as

well as for chronic diseases

Life Insurance = policies that pay out to your loved ones in the event of your untimely death.

Medivac / Repatriation = in case of serious illness or accident, this covers you to return

to your home country to take advantage of medical care and technologies that may be

seen as superior to those available in Thailand.

Travel Insurance = some combination of the above types of insurance, but applicable

when you travel to other countries outside of the jurisdiction of your regular coverage.

Not only do you have to choose your provider, they also have to choose what you are

eligible for. This generally means a complete physical as well as blood-work to check if

you have any chronic illnesses. If you do, you will automatically be offered premiums

higher than the base rates. Full disclosure is still the best policy, since if it is found out

later that you have lied or covered up any health issues, your insurance contract can be

immediately voided, leaving you in the lurch.

Social Security Benefitsand Insurance Coverage in Thailand

Beef Green CurryFried Rice

CurryFor centuries people have used curry as an essential ingredient. Curry is a mixture of spices, water, and coconut milk. It was first recognized as a symbol of food from the Indian continent, due to its Indian origin.

Influenced from the Indian curry, the Thai’s red curry, green curry, northern pork curry (kaeng hang lae), and yellow curry, originated in Thai kitchens by developing the basic curry mixture to suit Thai’s tastes.

In Thai cooking, all ingredients used and mixtures created have meaning and are used for a reason. For example, lesser eggplants (also called turkey berry), are used in cooking green curry instead of aubergines, or eggplants. This is because lesser eggplants absorb the oily, richness of the green curry and can help reduce the hot, spicy taste.

Ingredients:Cooked plain rice 200 gm.Green curry paste 2 tbsp.Beef, finely sliced 50 gm.Vegetable oil 2 tbsp.Coconut milk 50 gm.Fish sauce 1 tbsp.Palm sugar 1 tbsp.Lesser eggplants 10Eggplants, cut into quarters 2Green chilli, sliced 1Bergamot leaves, cut 3Sweet basil

Garnish:Shredded sweet porkCrispy fried anchovySalted eggFresh vegetables

Preparation1. In a large pan, stir the green curry paste and half of the bergamot leaves in oil until heated. Add the beef and stir. When the beef is cooked, add the coconut milk, fish sauce and palm sugar. Stir and taste.

2. Add the lesser eggplants, cut eggplants, remaining bergamot leaves and the rice. Stir and saute until they are cooked and well mixed. Stir in the green chilli and sweet basil. Remove from the heat and serve hot on a plate and add garnish.



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Kamala Beach

Patong Beach

Tha Ruea Bay

Phuket City

Kathu

Phuket Bay

Panwa Cape

Nga Cape

Phuket Aquarium

Yon Bay

Chalong Bay

Karon Beach

Kata Beach

Kata Noi Beach

Nai Harn BeachRawai Beach

Phromthep Cape

Ao Makham

Koh Lon

Koh Taphao Noi

Koh Taphao Yai

Koh Maphrao

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Naithon BeachPo Bay

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Bang Tao Beach

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Phuket International Airport

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Phuket

EmergenciesPolice & Emergencies 191Fire Department 199/ +66 (0)76-211111

AmbulanceBangkok 1646 Vichara Hospital 1554Narenthorn Emergency Services 1669Diving Medicine Center 1719(Bangkok Phuket Hospital )

Tourist Police National Hotline 1155 Phuket Hotline 1699Phuket +66 (0)76-225361/ +66 (0)76-254693Marine Police +66 (0)76-211883

HospitalsBangkok Phuket Hospital 1719/ +66 (0)76-254425Mission Phuket Hospital +66 (0)76-237220-6Patong/Kathu Hospital +66 (0)76-344034-5/ +66 (0)76-342633-4Phuket International Hospital +66 (0)76-249400Thalang Hospital +66 (0)76-311033-4Vachira Hospital +66 (0)76- 361234

Travel & TourismSuvarnabhummi Airport +66 (0)2- 132 1888Don Muang Airport +66 (0)2-535 1192Phuket International Airport +66 (0)76 327230-7Air Asia +66 (0)2-5159999Bangkok Airways +66 (0)2-2655555One 2 Go/ Orient Thai Airlines 1126Nok Air 1318Thai Airways +66 (0)76- 360444Lufthansa German Airlines +66(0)2-2642400Jetstar Asia Airways +66(0)2-2675125Business Air +66(0)2-1346036United Airlines +66(0)2-2530558

Embassies & Consulates (Phuket)Australia +66 (0)76-372600Austria +66 (0)76-248334-6Czech +66 (0)76-249400China (Songkhla Office) +66 (0)74-325045Denmark +66 (0)76-221159-60Finland +66 (0)76-330530-3France +66 (0)76-288828/ +66 (0)76-273511Germany +66 (0)76-610407Ireland +66 (0)76-281273Italy +66 (0)76-323029Korea +66 (0)76-234452Morocco +66 (0)76-219881-2Norway +66 (0)76-230130/ +66 (0)76-237156Russia (Bangkok Office) +66 (0)2-2349824Sweden +66 (0)76-380000United Kingdom +66 (0)76-318188/ +66 (0)89 874 0908

Lost CardsAmerican Express +66 (0)2-2730022-44City Bank 1588/ +66 (0)2-2322484Diners Club +66 (0)2-2383660HSBC 1590JCB Card +66 (0)2-6520341Master Card +66 (0)2-2991990-2Visa +66 (0)2-2991990-29

CouriersDHL Phuket +66 (0)76-355850TNT Phuket +66 (0)76-239804-6

TELEPHONE DIRECTORYSingapore Airlines +66(0)2-3536000Malaysia Airlines +66(0)2-2630565-71Firefly Airlines +66(0)76-351477All Nippon Airways +66(0)2-2385121Asiana Airlines +66(0) 2-2638333Etihad Airways +66(0)2-2530099Emirates +66(0)2-6641040KLM Royal Dutch Airlines +66(0)2-6352300Delta Airlines +66(0)2-6322914-8American Airlines +66 (0)2-2376917British Airways +66 (0)2-7284533 China Airlines +66 (0)76-327099-100Silk Air +66 (0)76-304018-20Phuket Bus Terminal +66 (0)76-211480Tourism Authority of Thailand 1672 ( Phuket Office: +66 (0)76-212213 )Telephone Directory EnquiryDirectory Enquiry 1133Overseas Operator 100

Landline Call CentresTOT Call Centre 1100TT&T Call Centre 1103CAT Call Centre 1322

Mobile Phone Call CentresAIS 1175DTAC 1678True Move 1331

Government OfficesPhuket Customs +66 (0)76-211105Immigration +66 (0)76-221905Harbour Master +66 (0)76-391174Department of Labour +66 (0)76-211995Post Office +66 (0)76-211020



Do you have any holiday rituals such as buying souvenirs of your trip or to take

home to others?

Many like to search for kitchen related souvenirs, especially edible ones, and

Phuket has many for you to choose from. Local Phuket food has strong Chinese

influences, Hokkien noodles, Poe Pia Sod (fresh spring roll) for instance. But these

Phuket favourites are hard to tuck into luggage therefore dried food items stuffs

are a far better choice.

Kung Seab or sun-dried shrimp, an important ingredient to Nam Prik Kung

Seap (spicy paste with crispy dried shrimp), is available at most souvenir shops

in various versions from plain, sweet and sour, with herbs and even ready to eat

Nam Prik. Everything you need to make your own Nam Prik can be found easily

on the internet so let’s check some other local Phuket food stuffs that aren’t so

easily available.

Mee Sua rice noodles - there are different kinds of Mee Sua, but the thin white

ones are highly recommended. These long life noodles are made locally at a

factory in town and the popular brand comes with a red swallow logo. You can’t

find Mee Sua in the large supermarkets, but you can at local fresh markets or at

the amazing mega-mall Supercheap.

best souvenirsare yourWhat

from Phuket?

Tao Sor is one of Phuket’s most popular desserts. It is a version of Chinese Bakpia, or

sweet pastry rolls, which come with assorted fillings such as sweet bean with egg yolk,

Durian and black beans. There are several famous local shops where you can get Tao

Sor. You can find them at Keng Tin sweet shop at Bang Niew intersection, one of the

eldest sweet shops on the island, or Mae Boontham, a small shop in Soi Surin 4 where

the Taosors are made. Mae Boontham is one of Thailand’s major Taosor manufacturers

and they sell them in large quantities every day so anyone who wants to buy them in

large amounts must place an order in advance. Tao Sor from the two shops is different

with their own secret recipe so you will have to check them out first for the one you

like best.

If looking for something other than edible souvenirs it’s simple as anything can really

be a souvenir, any object which is tied to the place it comes is a souvenir.

If you have a chance to attend a Buddhist ceremony such as a wedding ceremony,

or even if you just visit a small temple and have a chance to talk to a monk you will

notice a thick cotton thread known as ‘sai sin’ (sacred thread). It is a real feature of life in

Thailand and is part of the daily life of the islanders who are mainly Buddhists.

Sai sin is used in many ceremonies with significant different meanings. One is that some

times when you go to a temple the thread is tied onto your wrists by a monk to wish you

a safe journey and good health. It serves as a gesture to welcome the visitors’ to the host’s

home. This can also sometimes be done by elders to people who visit their house.

T-shirts are always a good souvenir idea. Thailand has many t-shirts which are not

only cheap but also good quality and attractive. Patong Beach has some good fashion

designers who are good at copying classic trend t-shirts with embossed logos like

Singha or Chang beer and which cost only 199 baht for a single piece, which goes

down to 150 baht if you buy three or more.

For lower quality t-shirts, prices can start at 100 baht or less, depending on the number

you buy. T-shirts with Thai words or printed sketch pictures of Phuket Old Town are

available in shops along the old street venues.



Not just a placeto get food

Having grown up in Phuket, living opposite the Downtown Market, I’ve come

to understand it’s not just a place to get food; it’s also the best place to get to

see real local life. After graduating I then went away working away, having now

returned to settle on the island again I know I have been given is more than

a gift. Whenever I have a chance to escape work going to the local markets is

one of my favorite activities to get away and enjoy every life, to exchange smiles

with familiar faces, socialize with old folks, and it always result in fun memories.

Another great thing is that you can also find many goods selling at far better

prices than supermarkets and department stores.

Downtown Market is one of the oldest markets being 100 years old ago, to

many town residents it is also known as the ‘local’ as it’s located in the Phuket’s

main commercial hub. To get there, from Suriyadej Circle take the one-way road

towards Jui Tui Shrine, it’s about 100 meters further on the right hand side. A

good landmark is the Talad Sod Satarana 1 (Publish Fresh Market), a four story

building which is opposite to the entrance of the Downtown Market. It’s best

to find a parking space wherever you can after exiting the circle and walking to

the market. However, I like to take Krabi Rd, just a few blocks past Thai Hua Museum,

on the left hand side, there is very small soi (alley) that leads to the Downtown Market.

Previously it was actually a narrow house which was demolished to create this walkway.

Simply put, the market is nested inside a small alley between Ranong and Krabi Rd.

It’s a 24/7 market specializing in supplying vendors from other markets with their

wholesale supplies of fresh veggies, meat, fish, seafood, fruits, and condiments. They

are delivered extremely early in the morning, usually around 3am or a little earlier. You

have to be an early bird to catch some common but exciting sights like motorbikes

speeding to deliver fresh veggies from local farms, or Burmese workers standing on

the roof of a pickup truck throwing watermelons to venders below. It provides some

great photo opportunities and gives a great insight into the real life of the islanders.

By around 5am all the fresh goods are set in all different stalls ready for shoppers. The

market gets busier especially around 8am and at this time you can hustle and bustle

your way eagerly past other shoppers. It is entertaining though, walking around from

one stall to another, browsing things. Doing only this can take a few hours, even if

you’re not intending on buying anything.

After 9am commercial activity in the market is slower down and the area that was

lined up with venders is cleared. There is also a small extension to the market on the

other side of the road selling fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the day, as well

as ready-to-eat food stalls. Besides, the buildings surrounding the market are densely

concentrated with shops selling clothes, eggs, incense, tools, birds, fireworks, baskets,

hats, slingshots, raincoats, shoes, and so on. Even though it cannot be compared to

China Town in Bangkok, you will see not less than a dozen gold shops and street-food

restaurants.

The market goes on until late afternoon, and to walk around there is very different from

the usual mall outing. No fancy clothes are needed, just comfy clothes and a good pair

of shoes.

Walking downtown market takes me back to my old days when I liked to have a fun

night out with friends. We would have an easy dinner, a plate of rice top with two to

three choices of ‘kap kao’ (different dishes eaten with rice) at the market, then walk to

Yaowarat Road for a choice of cafes where you can chat and listen to music till late. We

would then go to the market after midnight for a hot tea and late night snacks before

going back home.

Acqua is to Phuket what Le Meurice is to Paris, Aureole is to New York, and The

Ivy is to London. Not only are these restaurants comparable for their quality of

food, service, atmosphere and ambiance, they are all known to have a number of

celebrities pass through their doors.

Now coming up to its fifth anniversary no other restaurant, perhaps in Thailand,

but certainly in Phuket has gained as much recognition for it’s its achievements

than Alessandro Frau’s Italian fine dining eatery Acqua Restaurant, especially in such a short amount of time. However, it is not

only the restaurant as a whole that has won so much, it is also Alessandro himself who as well as owner is also Executive Chef

in the kitchen, and a very hands on one at that.

So how can Acqua be compared to the likes of The Ivy in London? Firstly, the Italian dishes that Alessandro and his team create

are world class, not only for their taste, but also for their presentation, and most importantly the quality of ingredients that are

used in the dishes. Almost all of the ingredients are the finest imported products, and Alessandro is always looking to source

new products to enable him to continue with his passion of creating unique dishes, and his customers enjoying them.

Secondly, Alessandro has a team that any restaurant in the world should be jealous of, many have been with him since the

doors to Acqua opened and this has enabled Alessandro to train his team to a level that is to be found at some of the best

restaurants in the world.

Finally, although it’s not a haunt for paparazzi, Acqua has had its fair share of celebrities pass through its doors, and Alessandro

is usually the chef of choice for most of the island’s celebrities wishing to impress their guests with an unforgettable, private

fine dining experience.

in the WorldAmong the Best



The Race That Stops a Nation 5 November 2013

Loi Krathong Festival 17 November 2013

Laguna Phuket Triathlon 24 November 2013

Events

This glamorous event will be held at the Underwood Art

Factory on the bypass road. Starting with a welcome glass of

champagne, a day fun and fashion and watching the famous

horse race live at 11 a.m. There will be food, drinks, music,

entertainment and great prizes. Tickets are THB2,000 including

lunch and three drinks. Contact [email protected]

Loy Krathong is a popular festival of Thailand,

traditionally performed on the full moon night of

the twelfth lunar month, which in this year is on

17 November 2013, you can find Loy Krathong

activities on all around Phuket

The Laguna Phuket Triathlon is Asia’s premier destination triathlon

featuring a unique 1.8Km swim, 55Km bike and 12Km run through

spectacular tropical scenery. Also, the popular race has attracted

thousands of age group athletes as well as triathlon legends Mark

Allen, Greg Welch, Craig Alexander, Paula Newby-Fraser, Michellie

Jones and Chrissie Wellington, to come to win the title. Additionally,

almost 20 years of competition, which attract more than thousands

of Thai and foreign athletes yearly still emphasize the success and

the advance of Phuket to be the leader of International Triathlon

Organizer.

#phuket#beach

#hotel#room

#green

#rainyday

#read#travel#booking

#online

#food#sunset

#magazine

#photos

#restaurants#patong

#thailand#follow

#friend

#social

#internet

#view #pool

#where

#park

#market#bar

#beach#relax

#sea #spa#art

#network

#shopping#night

#beer

Hashtags are a fairly recent internet development. The practice began in 2007

on Twitter when journalists were “tweeting” about the fires in San Diego. At first

Twitter was nervous about the practice, but then added support for hashing due

to popular demand.

So what exactly is hashing? Hashing refers to placing a # symbol in front of a

topic. For example you might hash the phrase #PhuketVegetarianFestival. The

question you might be asking yourself is “why do this?” First thing, it turns your

topic or any group of words into a searchable link which is easier to follow.

Next, let’s say you are following a bunch of news reporters who are covering

the Vegetarian Festival taking place in Phuket. You could look at each report’s

posts individually, but there comes two problems with that technique. First you

have to look at everything that reporter tweets, but you are only interested in the

Vegetarian Festival. Next you might miss out on information from other reporters

because you don’t follow them.

What you are really looking for is information relating to the Vegetarian Festival.

It really may not matter who is reporting, just that they are. So wouldn’t it be nice

if you could just look at that specific topic? That’s the purpose of hashing. Instead

of looking at people, you can simply look at people who post #VegetarianFestival

in their tweets. That way you only see the information that is related to that topic

and you will see it from everyone who is talking about it.

Learning about #Hashtags

This is also nice if you want to join into a conversation about something. Let’s

say you want to comment on #SaveTheWhales. You can post something like, “I

think whaling is wrong. #SaveTheWhales.” Now everyone who is interested in

listening in on this topic can see what you wrote. And you can also use multiple

hashtags in one tweet.

So how do you start a new topic? Just add the # symbol to anything you post

about. That’s all. Twitter will automatically create a new topic from that. There

are some rules that you need to follow. First of all you cannot have spaces

(i.e. #SaveTheWhales instead of #Save The Whales). Next there cannot be any

punctuation. Also keep in mind that this is not case sensitive which means

#savethewhales is not the same as #SavetheWhales.

Since hashing has become so popular, other social media sites have adopted

hashing as well. Facebook now supports hashing, so does Google+, Instagram,

Tumblr, and Pinterest. They all will behave similar to Twitter, but each one will

have their own peculiarities as well. Facebook has only had hashing since June

2013, and right now clicking on a Facebook hash tag will take you to a list of

posts containing the same hash tag. Instagram will use hash tags to label

pictures. Google+ will give you the option to look at the same hash tag in Twitter

or Facebook.

All of this is done so that people can find the information that they are looking

for faster. Hash tagging has become widely popular and for good reason. That’s

why it’s best to become familiar with hashing your #Phuket.

This was Jackpot when I rescued him from the streets of Phuket not so long

ago; he was fighting for his life & in very bad shape. After one month of good

food, some serious medication & lots of TLC, Jackpot has recovered & he’s

now looking for someone to adopt him & give him the home he deserves

Look at Jackpot now, his skin has cleared up, his hair is growing back & he is

the sweetest dog you could meet… Maybe you’re looking to adopt a dog?

Please Contact: [email protected] or check out www.doggie heaven.

net for more photos of Jackpot.

a dog & save a lifeAdopt


in Phuket, November 2013Travel & Eateries18

Fresh, live action cooking and themed buffet dining

STAY FRESH

Seabreeze Café @ Holiday Inn Resort Phuket52 Thaweewong Road, Patong, Phuket 83150 Tel: 076 370200 Fax: 076 370298Email: [email protected]

FridayA taste of Italy!THB 499++ per person

MondayAsian / Thai BBQTHB 599++ per person

SundayCarveryTHB 499++ per person

Tuesday & SaturdaySumptuous SeafoodTHB 899++ per person

ThursdaySurf’n’TurfTHB 799++ per person

WednesdayHawker Stall Favorites THB 299++ per person

SUDOKUThese Sudoku puzzles are pitched at a middle level: not too easy,

and not too frustratingly hard, for the average person.

Last month's sudoku answers

Crossword Trivia Quiz1. What place in the world has the least rainfall?

2. When was current Thailand's flag adopted?

3. Where is most popular travel spot?

4. How Many Wings Does a Bee Have?

5. Who had drawn Monalisa?

6. Which planet is the fifth from the sun?

7. Which continent has the biggest population?

8. What does the distress signal SOS stand for?

9. How many players are on the ice in an ice hockey team?

10. Which is lighter, gold or plastic?

Last month's solution

Answers1. Sahara dessert 2. 28th September 1917 3. France, over 76 million visitors a year4. Four 5. Leonardo da vinci 6. Jupiter 7. Asia 8. Save Our Souls 9. Six10. Plastic

1 2 3 4 5

6 7

8 9 10

11 12

13 14 15

16 17

Cross1. Color for baby girlscross3. Those two6. Copy8. Hanging13. Cut back16. Try17. Zest

Down1. Over2. Sound4. Most of the Earth5. Lobby7. Put in9. Thai river10. Point11. Thrash12. Fiber plant14. Takes too much15. Tourist stop

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Advertising Contact: 076 346 800-1, 08 0038 1537 [email protected] www.NewspaperDirect-Phuket.com

November 2013

Documents

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phuket old town

best souvenirsfrom phuket

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great island

italian pastries

italian breads