Phuket Kiteboarding at King’s Cup

PHUKET King’s Cup Regatta organizers have announced that the 2011 event will include a demonstation of the exciting sport of kiteboarding to be hosted by Kiteboard Tour Asia (KTA).

The introduction of this adrenaline-fuelled sport to this year’s event will enhance the Regatta’s 25^th anniversary celebrations and emphasize the recognition of kiteboarding’s development and popularity as a sailing discipline.

Kevin Whitcraft, President of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising Committee, expressed his enthusiasm for the introduction of kiteboarding to the Regatta’s schedule.

“We’re delighted to welcome an exhibition event by Kiteboard Tour Asia at this year’s Phuket King’s Cup. This is a bold step for us in terms of boardening the Regatta, and we hove this new element will have very strong appeal to kiteboarding enthusiasts and a younger sailing audience,” ecplained Kevin.

“Kiteboarding continues to grow in popularity in Asia, and Thailand in particular offers and accessible and exciting opportunity for anyone who wishes to see pro kiteboarding events,” he added.

Tour director of KTA, Willy Kerr, hopes the Regatta platform will help drive the sports’ following in the  region.

“This year’s Phuket King’s Cup Regatta will feature a thrilling KTA Race event which will be a unique addition on the Phuket King’s Cup. There is a growing interest in the sport across much of Southeast Asia, and we’re very excited to be able to bring this spectacle to people who may not be familiar with the styliish, cool fun of the professional kiteboarding scene.”

Twenty top-class kiteboarders are expected to take part, combining talent from Asia and international pro riders from the World Tour.

Two-time Asia Champion from Thailand, Narapichit “Yo” Pudla, will headline the surfing spectacle alongside two-time Asia Freestyle/Race Champion and two-time Japanese Freestyle Champion, Aya Oshima.

Other big names from the international circuit include; Ken Nacor, Philippines Champion and Asia Number 2; Beijing Olympics Silver Medalist (windsurfing), Ho Chi Ho; Turkish KTA Champion and Turkish Freestyle Champion Taner Aykurt; and Kathryn Bogwardt, 2010 and 2011 KTA Ladies Champion.

The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta first sailed in 1987 to celebrate His Majesty the king of Thailand’s 60^th birthday. With the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King, the Regatta is organized by the Phuket King’s CupRegatta Organising Committee under the auspices of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, in conjunction with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Rpyal Thai Navy and the Province of Phuket.
Phuket Kiteboard

Famous developers sweeping Phuket

FAMOUS Bangkok developers are queuing up to invest in Phuket's rapidly expanding realestate sector, with projects by Land & Houses, Supalai and Sansiri all being greeted by buyers with excitemnt.

But local firms are not being left behind as big names like Phuket Villa, Chao Fa Garden and Phanason stand ready to lunch new projects.

Phuket Real Estate Association president Thanan Tanpaiboon said the real estate market was growing and changing rapidly, both in term of the types of investments and the parties investing.

 "Phuket's real estate market is 100 per cent dependent on tourism and when tourist numbers are good, the real estate market thrives," Mr Thanan said.

The foreign buyer market has recovered fairly well from the recent slump, with Russian buyers in particular helping to boost the market. Many Russians who have been regular visitors to the island are purchasing condominiums here as second homes.

North Phuket is favored by foreign buyers, with an area stretching from Cherng Talay to Mai Khao being particularly popular.

A group of Russian investors are building Mai Khao Dream, a development comprising a hotel, villas and homes worth billions of baht.

Also popular is Saiyuan Road in Rawai, where many foreign funded projects have sprung up in recent months.

"Right now the zones that are most active are the areas of Mai Khao and Nai Yang," said Mr Thanan.

"The old families of Phuket ar starting to sell of the land br cause the price is good. There are investors from Central Thailand coming in and sweeping up the land to invest in hotels, accommodation and condominiums in order to be ready for the Phuket International Convention Center project," he explained.

The Thai market is continually expanding, with many new projects being opened famous developers from Central Thailand such as Land and Houses, Supallai, Pruksa and Sansiri. These developments have had a good response from customers on the island, since the brands are trusted and able to deliver their projects on schedule.

Piya Prayong, deputy managing director of Pruksa Real Estate, siad that many more Bangkok developers were likely to invest in Phuket in the future.