High power 3 boat

PHUKET: The Turanor, the first solar-powered boat to attempt a circumnavigation of the globe, is scheduled to moor at Phuket’s Ao Po Marina , on Phuket’s east coast, at about 7:30am tomorrow. The stunning piece of technology and craftmanship, will remain in Phuket until Wednesday and will be visited by a delegation from the Swiss embassy in Thailand on Tuesday. The voyage began 389 days ago – on September 27, 2010 – from Monaco and has been mapped with stopovers along the equator, where the boat can exploit the maximum amount of sunlight as it rounds the Earth. The four-man crew crossed the Atlantic Ocean, navigated the Panama Canal, then sailed the Pacific Ocean and are now heading for the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal, en route to the Mediterranean to complete 57,000km of ocean traveling. Dubbed in full the MS Turanor PlanetSolar, the multihull is topped by a large array of photovoltaic solar panels that at full exposure cover an area of 537 square meters. At 31 meters … [Read more...] about World’s largest solar-powered boat to arrive in Phuket

PHUKET: If boating enthusiasts know one thing, they know there is cruising in style, and then there is Pershing. The range of high-end yachts from Italian boatbuilder Ferretti, from the baby 50.1 to the silver bullet 115ft, deliver exactly what is expected of a yacht dubbed the “Lamborghini of the sea”. Hand-stitched leather interior by Poltrona Frau, the exclusive leather supplier to Ferarri and Maserati, sleek lines, sublime wood finishing throughout whisper elegance – but lurking beneath the beauty is the beast: twin-V12 turbo engines each producing up to 1,640hp that rocket the boat up to speeds of 45 knots. That’s about 80kmh, on the water. “Owners in Thailand have embraced the Pershing brand,” said Martin Holmes, general manager at Lee Marine, based at Phuket Boat Lagoon. “When they go out, they do not go out for week – time is precious. With a boat like this, you can go from Amanpuri to the Similans in about 40 minutes in absolute comfort. “And when everyone turns up – … [Read more...] about Phuket Boating: Pershing the limits [VIDEO]

PHUKET: Thailand has witnessed many attempted and successful coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932. In 1938, Field Marshall Plaek Phibunsongkhram, a military strongman, rose to power and became Thailand’s prime minister. Phibunsongkhram, or as many Western historians prefer to call him, Phibun, was a controversial figure. He led Thailand into the Second World War by openly siding with the Japanese against the Allied Powers. Phibun, a nationalist and Fascist sympathizer, created a leadership cult through propaganda and military dictatorship. After being ousted from power in 1944, Phibun was able to stage another coup against the civilian government of Prime Minister Thawal Thamrong in 1947. Phibun declared himself prime minister once again in 1948. The years that followed his second premiership would be plagued by several attempted coups against him. During his second premiership, Phibun changed his attitude drastically. Once a staunch supporter of fascism and Japanese … [Read more...] about History: The Thai army’s struggle for power over the navy

PHUKET: Phuket Airport remains open today despite winds gusting to more than 30 kilometers per hour and a flood warning issued early this morning. “A low pressure [system] is covering the middle of southern Thailand. Torrential rain with heavy to very heavy fall in many areas remains over the south,” read the warning issued this morning by the Thai Meteorological Department. “People should beware of flooding. Risk areas include the provinces of Chumphon, Ranong, Phuket, Phang Nga, Surat Thani, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Phatthalung, Trang and Satun.” Waves rising to two to three meters high remain in the Gulf of Thailand. All ships were warned to proceed with caution and small boats are advised to keep ashore for the next few days. The low-pressure system will move to the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal tomorrow and Wednesday, the report said. Travellers in Surat Thani are reporting crowding at the airport terminal following flight delays and cancellations there, while State … [Read more...] about Phuket Airport remains open as wild weather ravages South

PHUKET: Racing began in earnest in the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta yesterday with a fleet of 93 keelboats and catamarans from 16 countries, jostling in close-quarters competition in honor of the birthday of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Neil Pryde’s HiFi team opened their account with a six-second win on corrected times over Team Beau Geste in light winds in Race One in IRC 0 class. Pryde’s two-times Rolex China Sea Race-winning Welbourne 52 performed well to stake an early claim for 2014 King’s Cup victory, looking to add to their previous Phuket wins. HiFi were runners-up in Race Two with rivals Team Beau Geste taking the win, again by a small margin – classic Phuket King’s Cup neck-and-neck action. Hong Kong competitors Team Beau Geste maintained their powerful display to beat their rivals and compatriots HiFi once again in Race Three – just half a minute the difference. In Race One of IRC 1, Paul Winkelmann skippered Hong Kong-registered Island Fling to the win, … [Read more...] about Victories down to seconds at Phuket King’s Cup Regatta