WBC MUAY THAI BATTLE COLLOSSAL VIII - Perth WA 2009-11-7

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASEWBC MUAY THAI BATTLE COLLOSSAL VIII (8) SATURDAY

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NOVEMBER 7, 2009

The popularity of the entertainment promotion only known as "WBC Muay Thai Battle Collossall" has grown from strength to strength since it's inception in 2007. A concept devised by promotor Phon Martdee, and branded "Battle Collossal" by his son Pamorn, has seen Perth fight fans returning time and time again witnessing some of the grittiest match-ups to date. The series has seen the appearance of big name stars such as Oley Sakonpetch, Dusan Salva, Greg Foley, Flip Street, Shannan Foreman, Robocop Tananchai, Marco Tentori, Jason Lea and many more since part one in '07.

In it's twentieth year Promotor Phon Martdee promises the future of 'a new breed of fighters in a contemporary generation of champions' with many new hard hitting names coming through the rankings. Battle Collossal 8 will once again see WBC National Champion Oley Sakonpetch (AKA The Smiling Assassin) taking on Portugese champion Osvaldo Ochoa who is sparring partner to K-1 Thai Legendary Kaoklai Kaennorsing. The original match-up where Oley was to face New Zealands Sailom Sasiprapa was scratched after Sasiprapa shattered his foot a month out in sparring preparation.

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Nevertheless Ochoa with a wealth of Muay Thai experience will come into the bout with a weight advantage and should put Sakonpetch to the test over five rounds under full Thai rules. Phon Martdee's new apprentice Chris 'Mr. TKO' Garner will step into the ring up against Supremacy Promotions star 'Kandy' Kane Hernderson in a full Thai Rules bout which will be "Knock-out or Be Knocked-out." As Kandy Kane hits as hard as a sledge hammer and Mr. TKO kicks and punches as hard as a steel baseball bat. The bout scheduled for five gruelling rounds. The question: Who will be left standing at the final bell? Also featured will be Perth's Irish giant Eoin (Pronounced: Owen) O'Droma who will be taking on Foxtel featured Lithuainian Andres Tamleht "AKA Indy" from Queensland. Indy who is slim though solid is tall and being Lithuainian, is known for being naturally hard to take down.O'Droma back after a shin injury is looking stronger than ever with improved hand and knee skills. Battle of the Big Boys will see another KO or Be KO'd style bout... The hottest four ladies in Australia labelled

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"Australia's Muay Thai Super Women" will all be featured on the one show with Theresa 'The Hurricane' Carter smashing leather with Victoria's Nicole Brolan and Perth's new starlet Melissa Norton pushing her boundaries against Sarah O'Connell from Johne Wayne Parr's Boonchu stable in Queensland.

In other bouts "Super Boy" Mitchell Seth will face off against South Australia's Scott Hughes who is coming off a narrow loss to the 16 year old supercharger Toby Smith. And the return of Hard hitting Jake "The Tear" Tomlinson going up against Queensland's Toi Vio. The under card will be short but sweet with Phon Martdee sourcing only the best to make the cut of this turbo charged fight card. Face offs will be closer

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than ever and the sweat and leather will be put together with some of the best light, sound and pin up girl entertainment to offer...

Don't Miss it, WBC Muay Thai Battle Collossal Viii, the last show until March 2010!For Tickets call 0413 813 887 or 9227 5296 check http://www.muaythaipromotions.com/ for instant ticket purchase now!!!

copy of brochure available at austhai Newflash

Diwali Festival Oct 2009 Thailand and West Australia

The festival of Diwali has been celebrated for ages and grows in attraction by the year. This year

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the festival is celebrated on the 17th day of October 2009. This is an occasion for the young and the old, men and women, rich and poor – for everyone irrespective of their religious and economic background.

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The festival is celebrated throughout the world to ward off the darkness and welcome the light into our lives and as William Shakespeare said “see yeah that light yonder so shines a good deed in a naughty world”. This festival is celebrated on a grand scale in almost all the regions of India and is looked upon mainly as the beginning of New Year. As such the blessings of Lakshmi, the celestial consort of Lord Vishnu are invoked with prayers.

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Diwali is also celebrated outside India mainly in Australia, Barbados, Britain, Canada, Guyana, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States of America among the Hindus world over.

Thailand
Diwali is celebrated in Thailand under the name of Lam Kriyongh during the months of October-November. The festival has almost similar ways of celebration as that of Diwali. Diyas (lamps) made of banana leaves are made and candles are placed on it along with a coin and incense. These are set afloat on a river, which gives a wonderful view together on the water. The festival is not an extravagant affair. People greet each other and wish them happy returns of the day. Distribution of sweets is a common practice on this day.

Event dates

1. Thailand - 01&02/10/2009.

2. Perth West Australia - 28/10/2009 link - click here link includes link to the Thai Culture of the event

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Phuket FantaSea it's a must do

If you visit Phuket, and don’t visit the Fantasea Theme Park, there is something seriously wrong with you! Fantasea Theme Park rightly claims to be the most popular and renowned point of tourist attraction in Phuket and most definitely one of the most famous tourist spots in Thailand.

It packs the focal points of the entire Thai culture in 140 acres in the guise of much-enjoyable lights, sights and sounds, amazing performances, architecture and endless fun and entertainment and mouth-watering food.

The main event, The Fantasea Show, is an eye-popping performance by supremely talented

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performers depicting the treasures of Thai culture and heritage, including all kinds of animals! To add to it, there is a host of special effects enabled by the latest technology. All in all, it can give Las Vegas a run for its money!

As if that’s not enough, The Palace of the Elephants, a majestic replica of a Sukhothai-era stone palace which is actually a grand 3000-seater theater marked by unbelievable architecture and amazingly life-like replicas of elephants, proceeds to thrill visitors of every age to no end.

The Carnival Village is a galore of fun for everyone, especially children as it has an unending range of games, magic tricks, and much more. Tourists can also indulge in ‘shopping till they drop’ as a tempting variety of souvenirs are out for the grabs. To show off to friends back home, you can dress as a

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traditional Thai and pose with tigers and elephants and take back photos of your achievements.

Of course, this action-packed time is bound to leave you ravenous. The hospitable Thais have taken good care to make sure your taste buds are well-treated.

Delve into scrumptious multi-cuisine dinner at the world’s biggest (4000 seater!) and amazingly dazzling restaurant - the Golden Kinnaree Buffet Restaurant. The best idea is to go for original Thai cuisine to get the taste (literally) of the local culture. Otherwise, give the food stalls a shot.

Wash it down with beverages from the open-air bar where, with your drink, you get for free a nice jig and juggle from the barman.

Overall, Fantasea Theme Park is sure to be embedded in your memory as an evening well spent.

Thai Elephants - A Dynatsy or a Legacy?

Bangkok, like any large city has it’s share of animal problems, perhaps more so than others,

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among them snakes that occasionally cause panic and the city's omnipresent mangy stray dogs, which have been known to bite pedestrians. But elephants stand apart because they are revered as noble beasts, collected by kings and used as the tanks of the battlefield.


Before motor vehicles took over, elephants were the taxis of the rich and the workhorses of rural Thailand, especially prized for their help in clearing thick swaths of jungle. It was not until the late 1980s, when the government banned logging that many elephants found themselves unemployed.


Some elephants found jobs in the tourism industry, vessels for jungle trekkers and amusing Farang with their ability to paint or play in an "elephant band." For others, the unemployment queue led to Bangkok.

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The government has experimented, unsuccessfully, with several projects to confine the elephants to Thailand's rural hinterland. In 2002, elephants and their mahouts were offered jobs in national parks. For various reasons, it failed, in the main due to isolation issues. In 2006, the government started another project offering to subsidise income for the mahouts if they agreed to live in a designated area in Surin, about 400 kilometers, or 250 miles, northeast of Bangkok, but logistics and natural resources continue to dwindle it’s continuation.

map shows location of Suri in Red

Surin Province is home to 1,000 + about a quarter of all domesticated Babar’s. The mahouts from this area generally Gouay people, a small ethnic group that speak predominant language related to Khmer and history shows they possess special skills in capturing wild elephants from the jungle.

Elephants were not designed to dawdle down the city streets. For many years these giants have

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

plodded through the Concrete Jungle, stopping at red-light districts and tourist areas where their handlers peddle elephant fuel of sugar cane husks and bananas to passers-by.

Mahouts (elephant driver) bring their elephants into the city for the same reasons that the sons and daughters of rice farmers try their luck as waiters, golf caddies and massage therapists in Bangkok: “Money”.

The average income is around 2,000 baht per day from selling sugar cane husks to passers-by, good money in a country where a typical factory wage is 8,000 baht a month.
The police shrug, politicians periodically order crackdowns and animal lovers despair. The

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Mahouts get fine many times (about 300 baht) but like a business expense it’s a calculated against profit. The elephants go where the opportunities present (merry tourists), like the Nana red-light district, a warren of go-go bars in Bangkok's bustling Sukhumvit neighborhood. “Babar” adds to the carnival-like atmosphere of thumping music, hawkers dressed in hill-tribe costumes and bar girls twirling around poles in bathing suits.


A stray Dumbo Task Force was created back in 2006 (it included

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

undercover enforcers) but it didn't keep the elephants from their rounds of tourism touting. Occasionally Babar (it’s better than Dumbo!) knocks off the side-view mirrors from cars or stumble into gutters and cut themselves on sharp objects.

"To be honest, nobody wants the job of policing beasts or detaining the elephants' handlers, because they fear they will not be able to control the animals on their own. An rampaging elephant can destroy cars and make trouble - and then who will be responsible for the damage."

Image by Debby A via Flickr

Records suggest there some 4,000 domesticated elephants in Thailand today, only a fraction come into Bangkok – perhaps no more than 6 to 12 in any one night but in a city this size it’s easy to miss them.

There are many distinct laws that can be used to arrest mahouts but, it’s the complexity of administrating the paradox.

A note of caution for the drunken tourists who enjoy patting the elephants on backside and the Thai bar girls who duck under elephants' bellies in the belief it brings good luck. Elephants, are powerful, restless creatures prone to rebellion.

Catch them on the wrong side of tolerance and Babar not more when the beast is tempered the result is brutal.

Read our Forum members story (includes Dramatic pictures)

I hope some of us remember Babar for many years this beast brought smiles to my daughters...

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Thai Festival Perth 2009 - how they went in the wet

It was not the most pleasant of days in Perth West Australia on 20th September 2009



The weather tested the enthusiasm and appetite of the festival patrons.


The day jostled from sunshine to rain but it did not distract all those that love the Taste of Thai, the smiles, the food the wonderful memories of "sanook" (enjoyment) whenever there is a Thai smile to be seen.

Well done Perth for showing up and putting on a terrific support for a good friend Thailand

The Festival proved once again that Thailand brings out the best in all of us, the Community arrived in a constant flow throughout the day, selecting delicious Thai food for a taste on the day as well as extra purchase for home.

The event organisers prevailed a streamlined flow of dynamic events from Music, Dance, Food Carving events, fun and games for the kids and of course the compulsory Beer garden Haven for those that need to replenish their fuel system.

We invited comment from VIP ... We acknowledge feedback from Long time loyal supporter JOHN HYDE MLA

I dare say there has not been one occasion where the good John has not hesitated to come forward and offer support to the Community and share a few words to help us promote the Community, thanks John

“Congratulations to all involved with this year’s Thai Festival in Perth. It was tremendous to see the many local people who visited to gain an understanding of Thai culture. I was honoured to present a message of support from the Federal Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Interests, the Hon Chris Evans.”

JOHN HYDE MLA
Member for Perth
Shadow Minister for Culture and the Arts;
Heritage; Multicultural Interests and Citizenship

Picture John Hyde chatting

with festive smiles

We invited the EVENT CHAIRMAN and Committee to comment and will publish as soon as it is provided......

Thank you to AusWaThai volunteers that collected and donated photos of the day and dashed about with good smiles.

Khun Arun (photos), Pair (student), Mary (student), Grace (student), Kae and Kate from Bangkok ( Kae kindly prepared a forum article)

You can see the photo album in our W.A.Thai Community Website also check the events calendar so you plan ahead for more events

WA Honey Exports are sooooo sweet for Thailand

Wescobee eyes sweet spot with export drive -

Thailand says "chorp kong wan maak maak jing jing"

Wescobee Honey, a fixture of the WA landscape for more than 80 years, has flagged a busy year of market expansion and possible acquisitions.

The WA Industry and Export Awards nominee is poised to launch a new organic honey range as soon as supermarkets finalise listings. Chief executive Eduard Planken said Wescobee, which exports about 27 percent of its product, expected Europe and South-East Asia to be the biggest international markets for the organic range.
Speaking from France, where he had handed over his presidency of the International Honey Export Association after 10 years in the job, Mr Planken said the company was set to expand beyond its 20 export markets.

After cracking the Philippines market two months ago with its honey and value-added health products like Apple Cider Vinegar & Honey, Wescobee is finalising its entry into South Africa and hopes to be in Vietnam within the year.

And after posting a full-year profit 10 percent lower than the previous year because of the weaker Australian dollar but “nine times higher than all our major competitors in Australia”, Wescobee is poised to take over other honey companies. “Our board is looking at honey businesses to grow with or take over in the next 12 months” Mr Planken, who has been Chief for 17 years, said.

A global honey shortage and mass disappearances of bee colonies because of extreme weather had pushed wholesale prices up at Wescobee about 50 percent over the past two years, he said.

The company, which is owned by 157 shareholders who are mainly honey producers or former producers, has been forced to eat in to its high-grade honey reserves since June to compensate for the sluggish local supply. Production in the year to June was 400 tonnes below the 1600 tonnes annual average.

Image by autan via Flickr

Mr Planken said innovation at Wescobee, which packs and markets about 80 percent of the State’s commercial honey, was confined mainly to packaging. “Because honey is a base product it limits innovation to packaging, and we’ve got a range of products we’re testing at the minute and one value-added product,” he said.

Over the past two years cheap competition from China and India has forced the company out of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Its key markets are Singapore, Malaysia and the Middle East, with Mauritius, Kenya and Bangladesh also big buyers of Wescobee Honey.

The award sponsors include The West Australian.

AUSWATHAI are now Directing knowledge of this Award winning Product and Manufacturer to Thailand

http://www.wescobee.com/

We are seeking expressions of interest for the Thailand Market, options exist for:

WA Exporters agency

or

Thailand Importers and/or Distributors

Please direct queries to Phill Smith AusWaThai

WA Exporters for Thailand market can be assisted by Austhai http://www.austhai.biz/

Austrade (Aust Govt Export support) are the best in the world for Export Initiatives.. try it ..

Love for food inspires business

A love of cooking and a Thai background led Wari Tritong to buy a Thai restaurant in Busselton, which opened this week.

Busselton is a Country Location South of of Perth, Western Australia

Located on Queen Street, Coco’s Thai Restaurant has an authentic atmosphere with much of the décor imported from Thailand and the meals served in coconut shells..

Venturing into owning her first business, Miss Tritong studied cooking in Melbourne, where she lived for four and a half years before moving to Dunsborough a few months ago.




“I love to cook for people,” she said, producing spring rolls, golden pouches, Tom Yum prawn soup and soft shell crab with garlic and pepper among the meals on her new menu.








Miss Tritong said she would serve lunches from Tuesday to Saturday and dinner seven days a week.

The restaurant opened for the first time on Monday night and tourism industry and business representatives were invited to be among the first to try out the food and hospitality.

RELATED LINKS

Cocos Thai Webpage

includes menu

Cocos Thai Forum article

includes blessing from Monks

Visiting Perth WA from Thailand, please check our

Thai Travel Website it includes link to the W.A.Thai Community website; temples etc.,

Cultural Treasure of Thailand

One destination imbued with some of the most fabulous examples of both of these qualities is

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Thailand. Boasting a variety of topographies, Thailand is home to a thrilling combination of lush, green regions, mountainous areas and bustling cities that are oozing with sights and sounds to inspire awe in even the most seasoned of travelers

Culture hunters the world around are always searching for a new exotic holiday experience that will broaden their horizons and open their eyes to new beauties. Luckily the world is a treasure trove that is always replenished with wondrous sights, from the impressive architectural efforts of man to the majesties of Mother Nature.

The tropical climate of Thailand is one of the reasons it is so popular with tourists, but it's the rich historical and cultural routes that tends to make it a favourite with spiritual travellers and those hoping to find an exotic holiday location with something special. For example, people can barely say the name of Thailand’s capital Bangkok without making reference to the many incomparable cultural experiences found there.

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A city of global note, Bangkok is teeming with fresh ideas in fashions, arts and entertainments. The variety of its cultural experiences is in part due to the heady mix of its inhabitants, with influences coming from Indian, Western and Chinese society.

However, Thailand's history is also important to its inhabitants and the delightful selection of museums and preserved ancient sites offered by the city ensures that modern visitors can find out the reasons why. From museums detailing the history of Thai medicine and the rise of Buddhism, to the stunning Bangkok butterfly museum, fabulous sights are guaranteed on exotic holidays that include Bangkok

Those that enjoy the chance to unwind and relax in serene surroundings may find that Thailand's Chiang Mai offers exactly the respite they desire. Located in northern Thailand, Chiang Mai is surrounded by scenic mountainous terrain and lush countryside meaning it provides a far more tranquil air than bustling Bangkok. On the other hand, the city remains cosmopolitan and its many highlights ensure that travellers will have an edifying experience on their trip.

Whether it's the brilliance of the Bangkok or the charms of Chiang Mai, Thailand holidays offer superb cultural experiences for travellers looking to try something a bit different.

TRAVEL THAILAND FORUM WWW.FORUM.AUSWATHAI.COM

The Beer Bottle Temple

In 1984, Buddhist monks in Thailand began gathering bottles to decorate their shelters.

The interest not only attracted a lot of tourists but also resulted in a flood of donated bottles to help the monks realize their luminary vision. Since then, Thai monks in the Siasaket province just 370 miles northeast of Bangkok have used approximately 1.5 million glass bottles to create their temple.

While many eco-enthusiasts have incorporated recycled bottles into their décor, these creative and dedicated monks have taken it to a whole new level. Using a mixture of green Heineken bottles and brown Thai beer bottles, the monks find that the use of bottles as building materials is a practical solution, since the bottles don't lose their color and are easily cleaned; plus the thickness of beer bottles makes them durable enough to resist wear and tear.

Image via Wikipedia

The monks have also cleverly put beer bottle caps to good use by creating stunning mosaics depicting Buddha.


Moving beyond simple sustainability and to spiritual sustainability, Thai monks have taken beer, normally associated with common culture, and have created a cultural goldmine out of beer byproducts. They've single-handedly redefined recyclability, and raised the bar in an eco-conscious world.

If a handful of monks with limited resources can create this, what about the rest of us? The Beer Bottle Temple is a testament to eco-living that fuses practicality and spirituality to create a whole new forum for aesthetic design.


READ THE FULL STORY IN OUR TRAVEL BLOG

Kanchanaburi is Rainforest? a War bridge? a Tiger WAT?

Gibbons, rhesus monkeys, macaques, cobras and elephants are some of the animal kingdom heavy hitters in residence at Erawan National Park in Thailand’s Kanchanaburi Province. In the natural features department, the star attraction is the seven-tiered Erawan Falls, named for a three-headed white elephant in Hindu mythology

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Explore the rock stars of the earth’s ecosystems

Even the urban jungle’s most dedicated denizens, so caught up in asphalt and ambition, could do well to remember the green worlds beyond their horizon. What better way to start than a foray into the densest, most richly diverse wildernesses this world has to offer?



read the full story...... including Kanchanaburi ATTRACTIONS - click here

TRAVEL THAILAND WEBSITE

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