by Rungtip Hongjakpet Izmen

Soldiers, an Art Exhibition by Thaweesak Srithongdee

Surrealism and pop art

Date: April 26 - May 17, 2008
Venue: D Gallery, Royal Phuket Marina
Contact: Nichakamon Khajorn, Gallery Manager, bowie@dgallery.co.th

Born in 1970, Thaweesak studied fine art and received a master’s degree from the Faculty of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Art at Bangkok’s Silpakorn University, regarded as the country’s leading art college.

Thaweesak’s style is influenced by surrealism and pop art but he is also a keen observer of people, so his paintings, usually in bright colours, depict his interpretations of, and feelings about other people’s physical and mental characteristics with a additional sensual touch that could be described as pop-erotic.
Thaweesak has taken part in exhibitions in Thailand and overseas, including shows in the Netherlands and Germany in 2000, Britain and Singapore the following year, and Singapore again in 2003 and 2004.

He was awarded a residency at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan in 2005 and was one of three Thai artists invited to take part in the Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale in the same year.

Of his exhibition at D Gallery, Thaweesak says, “I want to express my views about human beings in two parts. One is to emphasize the teen years, a time when people are searching for themselves. The other is to convey the conflicts, racial and religious differences that are often the cause of wars and destruction.

“I think teenagers and wars are related. Teenagers can be brainwashed and used to create wars, and wars are a way to trade weapons and to steal and take possession of natural resources.”

The 10th Anniversary Phuket International Rugby Tens

Phuket Rugby Tens

Date: May 31 and June 1, 2008
Venue: Karon Municipal Stadium
Contact: Patrick Cotter, phuketrugby@gmail.com

A full roster of 24 teams have already confirmed they will compete for the Clive Williamson Memorial Trophy in this year’s Phuket Tens, and 15 more teams have signed up to battle it out in the Coffin Dodgers competition for over-the-hill players.

Teams will come from all over the world, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, the UK, the Middle East and China. Phuket’s own Vagabonds RFC will compete in both competitions.

More information, see www.phuketvagabondsrfc.com

Turtle Fun Run and Education Day

"Endangered leatherback turtle..."

Date: June 1, 2008
Venue: Mai Khao
Contact: Michelle Mouille on Tel + 66 (0) 81 893 601 or info@maikhaoturtlefoundation.com

The JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa and the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation will hold a Turtle Fun Run and Educational Day on June 1, 2008, to raise funds and increase awareness of the plight of the critically endangered leatherback turtle.

The event will take place at Pru Jeh Sun Lake, near Mai Khao village in the north of Phuket. Registration for the Fun Run will be at 07.30, and will be followed with stretching and warm-up exercises. The Fun Run will start at 08.15 for professionals and 08.20 for amateurs, the distances being 7 kilometers and 3.5 kilometers respectively. Every 350 metres around the lake will be a Turtle Fun Run Rally stop with points awarded for answering questions about turtles and the environment.

This is a great event for the whole family, for schools, for groups of friends and for visitors to Phuket. Attractive prizes will be on offer, including stays at Marriott hotels in Thailand, various Phuket tours and many others.

Tickets to enter cost 200 baht for adults in the professional race, 100 baht for adults in the amateur race, and 50 baht for children in either race. The price includes a commemorative medal and a chance to win the lucky draw. All proceeds will be donated to the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation. Tickets will be on sale at the front desk of the JW Marriott from April, 2008.

Koh Samui International Regatta 2008

Koh Samui International Regatta

Date: June 1-7, 2008
Venue: Samui Island
Contact: kohsamuiregatta@gmial.com

With one month to go, the Koh Samui International Regatta organisation team is moving into top gear to ensure another great event on the island June 1-7, 2008. The entry list is taking shape with an outstanding number of hot yachts already confirmed. There’s a growing air of anticipation that we will see a fitting finale at this, the season-end Regatta of the Asian Yachting Grand Prix Championships.

Regularly attracting 35 to 40 yachts, this Regatta has a truly international feel and features upwards of 300 participants from all points of the globe. Last year’s number of boat registrants on the first race day is a dusty record as there appears to be an increase of over 20% in yachts and boats signing on early - with skippers & crews ready to roll.

Callum Laing, the new owner of the Koh Samui Regatta and MobyElite MD, is quick to point out his plans to take the Tropical Island Regatta to new heights, whilst maintaining the same ‘laid-back’ island style of years gone by. “We really appreciate the huge effort the many international participants make to attend the Samui Regatta year after year and to guarantee another great event in 2008”, Laing was noted as saying.

Among the event supporters is the Samui Yacht Club which will stage, for the first time, the Samui Youth Sailing Kid’s Regatta during the event’s ‘rest day’, June 5th.

For further details check out the official web site www.samuiregatta.com or email kohsamuiregatta@gmail.com

ACYC Race Series 2008

Racing in the Chalong Bay

Date: March to November 2008
Venue: Around Chalong Bay
Contact: Tony Knight at +66 (0) 81 7470074
or visit www.acycphuket.com

The Ao Chalong Yacht Club’s annual Image Asia Keelboat and Multihull Race Series kicks off this year on March 16.

Other dates in the series are March 30, April 27, May 11, May 25, June 15, June 29, July 12-13, August 10, August 24, September 7, September 21, October 12, November 2, November 16 and November 28.

Anyone looking to pull a few ropes – even those who have never done it before – can call the club’s Commodore, Tony Knight (above), who can usually find a space for them on one of the boats.

2008 Laguna Phuket International Marathon

Am I on the right path?

Date: June 13-15, 2008
Venue: Laguna Phuket, Bangtao Beach
Contact: Nattira Anakasiri
at email: nattiraa@lagunaphuket.com

This year’s Laguna Phuket International Marathon, the third, is expected to attract some 4,000 competitors, of whom 1,500 will be coming from 40 countries overseas.

Events surrounding the race will start on Friday, June 13, with a two-day exhibition featuring sponsor booths and a variety of activities. Race day on June 15 will see competitors vying for honours in the 42-kilometre marathon, a 21-kilometre half-marathon, a 10.5-kilometre race, a 2-kilometre kids’ run and a 5-kilometre walk.

Japanese “eco-marathoner” Hajime Nishi, who has already competed twice in the event, will be returning. Nishi uses marathons as a way to promote environmental awareness, stopping along the way to chat with people and have his photo taken. The slower his time, the more successful he considers he has been. Despite this, he was the first person to run marathons in all seven continents – including Antarctica.

Online registration is now open and will remain open until June 5, 2008, with the “early bird” discount period ending on March 31. For further information about the event or to register, visit www.phuketmarathon.com

Six Senses Phuket Raceweek registration opens

In the race

Date: July 23 – 27, 2008
Venue: Phang Nga bay
Contact: www.phuketraceweek.com

Online registration is now open for Six Senses Phuket Raceweek 2008, with a reduced entry fee offered for those who early register early. Phuket’s ‘Green Season’ regatta, now in its fifth year, sees a mixed fleet of yachts race in the southwest monsoon breezes off Phuket’s south coast every summer, this year from July 23 to 27.

The originators and organisers of the event, Image Asia, have announced that this year’s regatta will incorporate an event-within-an-event, the inaugural NRG Cup, open exclusively to members of the oil and gas industry from around the region. Entrants in this competition will also still race in the main event against all-comers.

“Our industry is competitive, fearless and spirited, and this first edition of the NRG Cup should be no different,” said Benjamin Dupal, chief executive of NRG Engineering, who conceived the idea of the new cup.

Attracted by excellent sailing in mostly reliable breezes of 15 knots upwards, along with a full-on social scene, entries are expected to top previous years, although organisers Image Asia are not yet predicting numbers.

For the first time, races will be broadcast on international television, including CNN Mainsail, Eurosport, Star Sports, the European Sailing Channel and more – a total potential audience of 140 million households worldwide.

For more information on Phuket Raceweek, or to register, visit www.phuketraceweek.com. For more on the NRG Cup, send email to info@nrgcup2008.com