Interview About Asian Celebrity Golf Tour

[NBT TV Phuket]

Interview - Jeff Ogden, Tour Director for Asian Celebrity Golf Tour, & Ian Morgan, Director of Guest Relations, at Yorkshire Inn, in Patong

To see or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216502

Our interview is with Jeff Ogden, Tour Director for an Asian Celebrity Golf Tour, together with Ian Morgan, Director of Guest Relations, at Yorkshire Inn, in Patong. They are organizing a tour by 20 ex-professional footballers, snooker players & entertainers from the UK visiting Phuket 26-29 May for golf games at Loch Palm/Red Mountain courses & a charity dinner at Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa with the public to raise funds for children in Patong Municipality. Jeff first tells us more about his past experience in organizing tours for such celebrities:

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Contact: [email protected]

[email protected]

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List of Celebrities: Mike Walsh, ex-football player for Bolton & Ireland;

Luther Blisset, ex football player of Watford & England;

Graham Rix, ex football player/manager of Arsenal & England;

Mickey Adams, ex football player/manager of Southampton & Coventry;

Julian Dicks, ex football player, of West Ham & England;

Kevin Reeves ex football player, of Manchester City & England;

Frank McAvennie, ex football player, of St. Mirren & Scotland;

Snooker players: Willie Thorne, Jimmy White, John Virgo,

Ray Edmonds , Tony Knowles, Joe Johnson, & Mike Hallet;

Enterainers: Pete Conway, Steve Womack, Colin Gibson,

Brendan Healy, Mickey Gunn, & John Leeze..

Interview for Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) at 8.30am & local Cable TV channel 1 + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, & possibly FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket, Tuesday 18 March 2008 & http://news.prd.go.th

[NBT TV Phuket]

MiniVDO: Football, snooker and entertainment celebrities from UK are coming to raise money for children in Patong.

The organizer of the Celebrity Tour to Phuket has (just) informed Andaman News that a football coaching clinic by several ex football players from the UK has been arranged for 30 local children by the Deputy Mayor of Patong Chairat Sukaphan on the dirt pitch near Graceland hotel on Tuesday 27th May at 10.00am and the clinic will be for one hour. Local business men have also sponsored the purchase of 30 new footballs for the children. The football players including Luther Blissett & Kevin Reeves who both played for England, and Mike Walsh who played for Ireland, will sign the balls as well. The celebrities then start their practice rounds of golf at Loch Palm golf courses for their charity games on Wednesday and Thursday. The public are welcome to watch free of charge, but also encouraged to join the paid Gala dinner on Thursday 29th May at 7.30pm in Graceland hotel with bingo, auction of many memorabilia including signed shirts and photos by world-famous players & teams; and entertainment with a top class magician, comedians and singers, including Peter Williams the father of famous singer Robbie Williams. All proceeds go towards the “Children of Phuket” charity. Tickets are available at Yorkshire Inn and Tai Leisure Club, Patong. email [email protected]

Andaman News NBT (VHF dial) at 8.30am & local Cable TV channel 1 + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, & possibly FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket, Thursday 8th May 2008 & miniVDO on http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev....php?news_id=60

[NBT TV Phuket]

MiniVDO: Interviews Chairat Sukhapaban, Deputy Mayor of Patong Municipality, Luther Blissett, ex-pro football player, for Watford & other clubs, England & AC Milan, plus Mike Walsh, ex-pro football player & manager, for Nottingham Forest & other clubs & Ireland

on http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev...php?news_id=126

Interviews for Andaman News NBT (VHF dial) at 8.30am & local Cable TV channel 1 + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, & possibly FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket, Wednesday 28 May 2008 & http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev...php?news_id=126 Contact [email protected]

Our interviews are first with Chairat Sukhapaban, Deputy Mayor of Patong Municipality, then later 2 celebrities, as yesterday a group of Football, snooker & entertainment celebrities from UK coached & raise money for Patong children, and then practiced a round of golf at Loch Palm golf course for their charity games on Wednesday/Thursday. Anyway let’s hear first from Chairat about the children benefiting: …….

After the football coaching clinic, we talked to Luther Blissett, ex-pro football player, for Watford & other clubs, England & AC Milan, plus Mike Walsh, ex-pro football player & manager, for Nottingham Forest & other clubs & Ireland, as they first introduced themselves:. ………

Other celebrities include Peter Williams, father of famous singer Robbie Williams, and Jimmy White, top snooker player. There will be a Gala dinner on Thursday 29 May at 7.30pm in Graceland hotel with auction of many signed sporting items. Tickets available at Yorkshire Inn/Tai Leisure Club, Patong. [email protected]

[NBT TV Phuket]

MiniVDO on http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev...php?news_id=195

A group of about 15 UK celebrities came on their Asian Golf Tour to Phuket for the first time, with their different events over 3 days. The first was a football coaching clinic on the dirt pitch near Loma Park in Patong on Tuesday 27th May by four ex football players & managers from the UK: Luther Blissett, Kevin Reeves, & Nigel Jemson who all played for England, and Mike Walsh who played for Ireland. They coached 30 local Patong children under a new charity set up by the Deputy Mayor of Patong Chairat Sukaphan. Local businesses including from the Yorkhsire Inn & Tawan Cruises also sponsored the purchase of 30 new footballs for the children. The football coaches also signed the balls as well. After the clinic, Kevin Reeves told us how it went: Nigel Jemson also agreed with Kevin: The celebrities then started their practice rounds of golf at Loch Palm golf course in KAthu for their charity games on the following two days. Mike Walsh obviously needed the practice as he scooped his first shot, which only went about 5 yards. On the second day of the charity games of golf, they played at the beautiful new course of Red Mountain just east of Loch Palm, as Ian Morgan of Yorkshire Inn, one of the co-organisers, explained: “Jeff was the main organizer…where we are today.” It was also a tough course for most of the players, under the hot sun, through dramatic valleys of fairways, with the signature or outstanding 17th standing out as it has a steep drop at any angle of 45 degrees from the tee to the hole, similar in appearance to any San Francisco hill.

The highlight of the week however was the Charity Gala dinner on Thursday evening in Graceland Resort & Spa in Patong; The British Ambassador to Thailand Quinton Quayle was also invited as one of the main guests, and attendees who included many British members of the local community. even a Scotsman in a traditional kilt dress, not to be confused with the lady-boys! In the large ballroom, there were many impressive sporting & entertainment items signed by famous people, for sale by silent auction, where the guest could sign up with their bids and the highest would win the item and donate their bid to the Children of Patong charity. The items included Argentinean football star Diego Maradona’s shirt, German Formula 1 racing champion Michael Schumacher’s signed photos, Top English football star David Beckham’s shirt, which was already fetching bids of 49,000 baht, The England rugby team’s shirt, English football star Wayne Rooney’s photo, And British pop star David Bowie’s signed record & photos, among many others, but the British Ambassador was keenest on an English cricket player: Jeff Ogden, the main organizer of the whole event, encouraged all the wealthy guests to make their bids for both auctions and bingo games: The bingo game involved the guests standing up on their chairs until their numbers were read out on stage. Unbelievably this resulted in a win by one of the main UK celebrities, Jimmy ‘Whirlwind’ White, the top snooker player, who generously returned the prize of a jeweled bracelet which was subsequently won by a bidder at 35,000 baht. Jimmy told us later how much he was enjoying the whole event, while Luther Blissett, the ex England football player, joked about Jimmy’s fixed win: Jimmy’s golf team joined by Blair Speers, MD of HOteltravel.com a local generous sponsor and bidder, was also the main winner of the golf event. The verbal auction then began with bids from the floor, first for top golfer Darren Clarke’s signed shoes, sold for 12,000 baht. Top Portuguese football star Ronaldo’s signed photo sold for 20,000 baht. No.1 golfer from the US & don’t forget Thailand, Tiger Woods’ signed photo sold for 45,000 baht. Top ex-golfer from US Jack Nicklaus’ signed pin flag from the Masters, sold for 35,000 baht to Blair Speers. Probably the best ever footballer from Brazil, Pele, had his signed shirt sell for 65,000 baht. Yet the highest & longest bid of the night went for top rock group Pink Floyd’s signed guitar, bought by another generous resident & supporter, Paul Moorhouse, (for 170,000 baht).

The organizers were confident enough from the bids to already present a cheque for 430,000 baht to Khun Chairat for the Children of Patong charity, although the final total may go over half a million baht, which is a great achievement for this first ever event in Phuket. To celebrate the achievement, various British entertainers rounded off the evening, Including British magician David Redfearn, who amazed guests with card tricks, mind reading, And somehow even hiding a signed banknote inside a fruit. Finally we saw Peter Conway, father of famous pop star Robbie Williams, come to sing on stage, in his own style, but similar to Frank Sinatra. It was a fine end to a long evening and the 3 day fund raising fun sporting event by the UK celebrities, who hope to return to Phuket for an even better bigger event next year.

Special Report for Andaman News NBT (VHF dial) at 8.30am & local Cable TV channel 1 + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, & possibly FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket, Monday 9 June 2008 & http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/ Contact [email protected]