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The most popular local breakfasts in Phuket draw on the cultural mix of the island's residents. Breakfast featuring traditional Chinese steamed buns and those with Muslim origins are quite different to the fried eggs and bacon combination that most Westerners have grown accustomed to. However, whether you prefer coffee or tea, the delightful breakfast choices available in Phuket are sure to satisfy even the pickiest of appetites.

Savoury breakfast options with Muslim origins

Roti is a delicious flatbread originating from the Indian subcontinent. Prepared in a variety of styles, it is a favourite breakfast across Phuket. Many locals and expats prefer to have their roti served with moderately spiced curries and fresh vegetables. This combination is easy to find at many local restaurants, but take note that most restaurants selling this delicious breakfast sell out quite early in the morning.

Another roti favourite is known as Roti Mataba. Stuffed with minced chicken or beef, cumin and shallots, Mataba makes for a savoury breakfast. Served with a cucumber and vinegar dipping sauce, it is a moorish treat.

Most tourists will be familiar with the street vendor varieties of roti, often referred to as pancakes. Smothered in sweetened, condensed milk and stuffed with bananas or smeared with chocolate and stuffed with strawberries, these types of roti make for a great snack and are available on nearly every street corner or market in Phuket.

Most of the authentic Muslim restaurants in Phuket also feature other menu items. One of the most popular menu items is a one-plate dish known in as khao mok gai. The dish consists of fragrant yellow rice sprinkled with crispy fried shallots and served with a piece of chicken. Khao Mok Gai is the Thai take on Chicken Biryani and it absolutely delicious. a popular breakfast dish, it is often eaten at lunch and dinner as well. This dish is easy to find and is really great value for the money.

In the four racing days of the 15th Royal Langkawi International Regatta 2017 the Racing, IRC1, IRC2 and Sportsboats classes competed in seven races for each category. The Multihulls raced six times, the Club Cruisers five times and the Ocean Rovers and White Sails had four races.

“We had more races than we thought at the beginning of the week,” noted Simon James (Principal Race Officer), with those early races ultimately ensuring sufficient race numbers for the regatta. “So, the sailors are happy and that is the important thing. Besides, the facilities in the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club are fantastic, we can sail out of the marina which makes the logistics very easy. And we had a really great management team”.

THA 72’s first time at the RLIR was rewarded with the Prime Minister’s Challenge Trophy for the Racing class, winning every single race during this regatta. Emagine came in second and Black Baza, another newcomer to the RLIR took third place. Mata Hari KL Registry racing this year in the IRC1 class came first, taking the LADA-IRC Challenge Trophy over Insanity and PhPlus.

The IRC-2 Challenge Trophy was claimed by Phoenix. Old Pulteney Blue Angel settled for second place ahead of Sailescapes Fargo Ladies. The teams in the Sportsboats class took turns for line honours throughout the week, but the RSYC Team finally won the Langkawi Sports Trophy for this class. Tantrum Too outclassed Fetz Ma and Mojo, winning all six races in the Multihull class, taking home the Malaysian Multihull Challenge Cup.

Sesame-apple citrus dressing

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tbsp orange juice 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tbsp sesame oil 
• 1 tsp fresh pureed garlic 
• 1 tsp honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together with a blender or whisk.

Salad ingredients

• 15g watercress 
• 10g asparagus 
• 20g fresh orange pieces 
• 20g shallots 
• 30g cherry tomatoes 
• 2 pcs fresh basil 
• 40g smoked salmon 
• 60g cos lettuce

Instructions

Grill the asparagus for 1-2 mins. Remove from grill and when cool cut into smaller pieces.

Dice the shallots, thinly slice the basil, cut the cherry tomatoes in halves and peel the orange and cut into smaller pieces. Mix ingredients together and add salad dressing.

Wat Phra Tong is also a popular attraction for both visitors and local residents. Phra Tong means “Golden Buddha”. One attraction is that the upper half of the golden Buddha image appears to sprout up from the ground. The image is known as “Phra Phut”. The temple also houses Wat Phra Tong Museum, which has a collection of ancient artifacts from Phuket locals.The temple is located on Thepkrasattri Road, 20 kilometres from Phuket City.

It's entirely typical of the man that Wicky Sundram not only agrees to meet at short notice, but also takes the trouble to ensure this interviewer arrives at the right place. Not easy Phuket Boat Lagoon is vast, a complex of 104 acres comprising condominiums, apartments, boat-handling facilities, stand-alone bungalows, shops, and restaurants - all cheek by jowl with the largest marina in Phuket, which offers mooring and dry docking facilities for every conceivable kind of sea-going craft.

To oversee it all must be a daunting task, but to Wicky, Executive Director for the past nine months, it's a "challenge" which he embraces and enjoys. What makes it even more of a test is that last year a massive redevelopment was initiated with the ultimate aim of creating what Wicky calls a 'township' - an exemplar of a model marine village. He sees his exacting role as expanding the branding, commercial, and marketing side of the group's marina and hospitality business.

Wicky's route to the top has been an unconventional one. Unquestionably, his wide-ranging career path has stood him in good stead. After completing a diploma in accountancy in 1985, he eschewed a conventional post in banking. Instead, he became involved in Kuala Lumpur's entertainment business, graduating to the responsibility of running night clubs as well as organizing live gigs and concerts. By 1996, and already with a wealth of experience behind him, Wicky became general manager of TGI Fridays, an American-owned restaurant chain.

Odeon Roundabout: This used to be an empty patch of land next to the Odeon Cinema, but in 1958 the Prime Minister, Field Marshall Sarit Dhanarajata ordered the construction of a roundabout with a fountain in the middle.

The structure was demolished in 1998 because the area around it had become a squatter community and people were using the fountain for bathing and washing.

In its place was built an archway, called China Gate, that has been praised for its design and which many believe has improved the feng shui of Yaowarat Road.

There's another local belief that money will flow to you if you stand next to the brass plate with the Chinese character ti (land), look up at the character tian (heaven) and hit your wallet three times against the white stone depiction of mountains and dragons.

Wat Traimitr: Walking away from Hualamphong, the temple is just before the Odeon roundabout. The highlight of this temple is the beautiful golden Buddha. Locals claim that there's a huge amount of pure gold in the Buddha and that it's the largest such Buddha in the world.

Zoe Young (b.1978) is a rising talent within the Sydney art scene. Zoe graduated from the National Art School (Sydney). She is currently based in Bowral (Southern Highlands, NSW) with her husband and two young children. Zoe's paintings are marked by her eclectic use of colour and sharp eye for unique landscape and still-life compositions.

Zoe's childhood included "growing up in Bowral in spring, Thredbo in winter and at the beach in Sydney in summer". Having graduated in sculpture at the National Art School, she is self-taught in painting; her passion and skill for still life, capturing characters in portraiture and translating the landscape in painting is evidently unique and of her own voice. Through her use of pastel tones and dramatic shadow, her still life compositions reflect an emotive response to the environment in which she practices.

Zoe's work is a truly authentic representation of the Australian aesthetic; within her paintings you will find subtle nod to her Australian heritage through understated motifs. As a modern reinterpretation of the traditional still life, her subject matter reveals moments of simple pleasures - inspired through her experience of motherhood and living in the Southern Highlands. Zoe's perspective on her art making process - "It's like a muscle, you have to keep your hand and eye co-ordination fit. There are tips and tricks to make it easier, but you know when you're hitting it and when you're not."

Phuket, Thailand - More than 6,000 athletes from around the world are heading to Phuket this June to "Run Paradise" at the 2017 Laguna Phuket Marathon. Having put Phuket on the map as a world-class sports tourism destination, the Laguna Phuket Marathon has grown to become the leading destination marathon in South East Asia and will take place on 3rd and 4th June 2017, hosted by the multi award-winning integrated destination resort Laguna Phuket.

With a reputation that spans the globe, the Laguna Phuket Marathon attracts runners from more than 40 countries and has become the "must run" destination marathon in the region.

Thailand has always witnessed foreign participation in various industries in the country. However, interested foreign nationals are limited, with few exceptions and without an investment license, to a 49 percent shareholding as per the general rules according to the Foreign Business Act of Thailand.

Although the 49 percent foreign shareholding threshold was imposed with the intention of protecting Thai companies from being completely run by foreign persons or foreign entities, it can be difficult for investors and shareholders to effectively engage in their particular line of business without a majority deciding power.

Therefore, foreign investors often are forced to accept implementing voting mechanisms into Thai companies' corporate governance, so as to maintain control over decision-making, or alternatively they may seek to obtain a foreign business license - often a lengthy process.

From an economic policy perspective, it would seem prudent for Thailand to consider liberalising foreign investment in certain industries in order to encourage an influx of foreign capital investment and expertise.

One such industry that appears to be liberalising is the insurance industry in Thailand which, until recently, restricted foreign investment substantially to the 'standard rules.'