Volume  012

 DARTS  THAILAND

January 2008
   TWO DARTS CELEBRITIES VISIT THAILAND IN JANUARY  
 

JOHN  LOWE  IN  PHUKET

  
  Darts Legend John Lowe will be in Phuket this month. We've been in contact with his long time friend David Brook from the Island Lager Bar on Phuket. David told us that while John is in Phuket on holiday he will participate in a charity darts event. He will also be available to meet fans at the Island Lager Bar.

David will contact us with dates as they are set and we'll post those on our forum. A special DT thanks to David who will write an article on the three times world champ's Phuket visit that will appear in next month's newsletter.

For those completely new to darts here's a brief list of John Lowe's accomplishments - won the World Championship title in three different decades - 1979, 1987 and 1993. He achieved the ultimate feat in darts on October 13, 1984 during the World Matchplay tournament against Keith Deller when he managed a nine dart finish. This was the first time this had ever been accomplished by any darts player while being televised.

As well as his three world titles, Lowe also won two World Masters titles, two British Open titles and two British Matchplay championships, two World Cup Singles and three European Cup Singles Titles, as well as countless other titles around the world in a hugely successful career. He played for England over 100 times and was captain for seven years, during which time his team were unbeaten.

To learn more check out John Lowe's website "Legends of Darts" -  CLICK HERE
The Island Larger Bar's website -  CLICK HERE		  

DARTOID  BACK  IN  BANGKOK
 

Our good friend Paul Seigel (a.k.a. Dartoid) - world renowned darts writer -  will be paying us another visit later this month. We all look forward to more great times at the oche and tipping a "few" beers. Latest email from Paul follows below.

I arrive late from Chengdu on Sunday the 27th (about midnight) so I’ll be ready to roll on Monday. I leave on Thursday for New Delhi . I guess I kind of figured I’d hang out around Washington Square – but am up for anything.

And all I would like to say is “When I’m done with him, Ben will wish he was an American!”

(Ain't rightly sure what you mean by them fierce words, Paul, but I will bet you a beer that Ben will have some responsive words on the DT forum soon as he reads this.)
 		  
   
   
 

DARTIOD'S   WORLD        CLICK  HERE

  

ENCOURAGING   WORDS

  Those words of encouragement we offer to a teammate as he walks up to the oche for a critical shot. For anyone who's played darts on a league team a season or two... or longer - we've all been there. It's your turn up at the oche for a shot that can win or loose the night's match. A well placed dart or darts will make you the hero on the night. But if you fail it may be another one of "those" conversations afterward where everyone makes comments like - Well it was really a lot closer than the score sheet indicates. (OR) Really - that team is just too good to be playing in our division.  And yet again - Coulda - Shoulda - Woulda.  
                   
 

DARTERS  WORDS  OF  ENCOURAGEMENT  HEARD  AROUND  BANGKOK

  
                   
  "Come on (Jayke)" - Ned - The Silver Dollar Bar

"Khun die" (Thai for "You Can") said to his Thai players - Dono - The Moe Syzlak Experience

"Now'd be good" said to Chris - Dono - The Moe Syzlak Experience

"Choke-dee" (Thai for "Good Luck") - Chris - The Moe Syzlak Experience

"You can dooooooo it" - Ben - Flaming Moe's

"Put it in mate" - Taxi - Full Moon

"Ho-bil" (Chinese for "Good Darts") - Ian - New Cowboy Bar

"Don't think about it - you can do it" - CW - New Cowboy Bar

"Go for it buddy" - Kenny - Wild Job

"Come on lad - you got it covered" - KaptainX - Full Moon		  

January Darter of the Month
The Enchanting Miss Nook.

Miss Nook serves as sectary for both Moonshine Pub's dart teams (Full Moon & White Lighting) as well as for all the pub's special darts events.

Don't let her sexy smile fool you as she's a really serious competitor on the dart board!

                   

                   

                   

 

INTERVIEW   WITH  KENNY 

 
  One of the few remaining dinosaurs playing on the LSDL (Lower Sukhumvit Darts League) since its inception and still active as team captain of the Wild Job team in the current season is our own Kenny. If you're new in Bangkok - Kenny is easy to spot - probably the only darter in town who almost always wears a tie. Don't let his gruff self cussing at his own darts put you off though - most people say that he's really a nice guy (owe me one more beer for that last comment Kenny).  
 
DT) How and at what age did you get started playing darts? Kenny) I was 13 years old when I started throwing darts with my brother in the back garden of our house. We found some darts and chalked a circle on the back of the garden gate. I enjoyed doing that so much that I got a school friend to pool our money and buy a dartboard.I continued throwing darts in my friend's house until I was 15 before continuing in the local pub near to where I lived (I started drinking at an early age too). At that time the boards in the pub where made of wood and had to be soaked every night to keep them supple. The landlord would hang the boards up each day and there was always a little puddle beneath the board every evening. The boards did not have a triple on them, just a large single and outer double, it was about a year or so later that the bar wanted to introduce the new triple board and the tap room (no women were allowed in there) had a Sunday afternoon vote on whether to change, the vote went for the triple boards and many of the older gentlemen refused to play on these boards. I got hooked on them and went to this pub some 6 nights per week. I loved the game and practicing in that kind of atmosphere.

DT) You go by the name "kennythedart" how did that angle come about? Kenny) A good friend of mine, Mike who is one of the organizers of the LSDL set me up with g-mail a year ago and did so by using the i-d by that name. It just stuck and I use it now for all darts correspondences. 		 
                   
 

PROFILE
NAME - Kenny
NICKNAME - 'kennythedart"
DATE OF BIRTH - 22 Nov 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH - Halifax Town, England
CURRENT HOMETOWN - Bangkok
DARTS USED - 27g 95%Tungstan
HEIGHT - 6 feet
Weight - 103kgs
DT) Who has influenced you the most in your dart game? Kenny) It was in the 80s when the game of darts was very popular in England and there were many tournaments televised. I watched as many of these programmes as I could to improve my game. I thoroughly enjoyed watching a dart player called Jocky Wilson. His style was one that I wanted to emulate and I wanted to play that way. He was a very bubbly kind of person and he looked like he really enjoyed his time on the oche, win or lose.  
                   
  DT) What has been your most memorable win? Kenny) I have had many great wins over the years. One game springs to mind; it was in season three of the LSDL league. At the end of the season, the top 16 players were asked to participate in a knockout. The administrator, a good friend of mine, called Osmo could not get 16 players at the time, so he phoned another good friend called Julian and myself to make up the numbers. As it happened, Julian and I ended up in the final and I managed to win after a few very intense legs.

DT) You have been playing darts in Thailand for quite a few years. What changes have you seen in the game over those years? Kenny) Unfortunately, the introduction of the pool table into most bars has affected the game of darts greatly and has caused a decline in popularity. When I first came to Thailand eleven years ago, darts were very popular in all the bars and most of the ladies working these bars could play really well. However, because of the pool tables, a lot of bar staff prefer playing pool to throwing darts.

DT) What changes do you think would improve our sport of darts in Thailand? Kenny) By encouraging many foreign-owned bars to promote the game more. In addition, if possible get more teams and competitions in their establishments.

DT) Anything specific you'd like to say to dart players in Thailand and readers of DT?  Kenny) At our level of ability, playing pub darts with friends, colleagues, and the odd tourists coming through, it is important, from my point of view, to enjoy this game and not to take it too seriously. We do have competitions and knockouts organized from time to time and anyone who enters these should know to up their game if they want to stand any chance of winning but in our division, it should be light-hearted and played in good spirits, while downing some.		  
 

Your league committee from LSDL (Lower Sukhumvit Darts League) continues to work for you. All sensible suggestions are certainly welcome although we are accustomed to hearing all. Thanks for your input & continued support. - - Johnny  
 

 
 

BANGKOK  DART  LEAGUES

  
   TUESDAY  AQUI-PAK  LEAGUE          Latest Update  
  On the 18th December 2007 on the last game night of the year; Moe Syzlak Experience won their fifth consecutive match in the Premier League against center spot Domino Stone reconfirming their poll position in the tables. Domino 1982 took bragging rights at D’Pelican Inn over The Lazy Pelicans with an 8-2 win leaving them in second place and only 1 point behind the leaders. Domino Titans took a 10-0 victory in this weeks’ home derby furthering the gap between themselves and Domino Seniors. Flaming Moes’ battle on, even though short this first quarter of the season with Ben out of town, winning 8-2 away at Cat’s Meow. In the individual stats, Pod from The Moe Szylaks’ holds a clear 12 point lead over 2nd place man; X from Domino 1982, while Pad and Giffy battle it out fr 3rd and 4th place.

 In the First Division having 9 game points each, Bully’s manage to hold onto first place in the tables beating Full Moon 9-1; only by points diff over second place’ Pel-I-Can who beat Harry’s Hooligans 7-3. New Cowboy Bar’ took their win away at The Sports Corner’ leaving themselves in a precarious 3rd place only one point behind second place and one point in front of White Lighting who have 4th spot after a 5-5 draw at home with Silver Dollar. Wild-Job have center spot after a home draw with new comers’ Down Under BarBars while their counter-parts’ Down Under Wabbalies won by a thread 6-4 at home to the other new comers this season’ Larry’s Lobbers. In the individual Standings; The fight continues between Ms.Wai’ from The New Cowboy Bar and Kenny from Wild-Job, however this week Wai’ takes a clear 5 personal point lead over Kenny-the-dart. David from Bully’s’ is coming up quick and fast on both of the leaders tails holding a steady 3rd place, while White-Lightning’s’ own new comer Tom and long standing Colin battle it out for 4 and 5th place. Up to date league results are posted on the league's site.   Lower Sukhumvit Darts League		  
                   
    THURSDAY LEAGUE           
 

WHERE'S  THE  UPDATE?
  With the holiday season no current stats. As soon as Dew gets them done and we receive them - they will appear here.
Point of contact for this league - Dew at Domino Pub & Restaurant.    dewdomino@hotmail.com 
   UPDATE    BEST  501  BANGKOK  

?  WHO  WANTS  TO  BE  THE  BEST  SINGLES  DART  PLAYER  IN  BANGKOK ?
  Hello Fellow Darters, Well the Fat little fella has but put away his red suit for another year, you all can spend the next few months paying off your credit cards and we can get back to the important things in life - Like sport! well darts anyway,

The 501 Challenge is well underway with only a few yet to reach great heights - I am not on to point the finger, but I will Khun Tris, Taxi, Simon, and Khun Paul and Khun Johnny both from the Down Under teams - now I know that there has been a fair but of cricket being played I know the last two gents would be propping up the Bar in Soi 23 - so get your butts up to the higher level and play some darts! please and thank you -

Simon and Tris have made late starts but both played darts over the weekend, with very good results I might add. Also to come on board was Khun David - who unfortunately fell early to both Boy and Dono - but at least you now have numbers next to your name, and a slow start is better than none. The top of the ladder is Jay on 18, as is Grant but Jay has played less and won more games - 3rd place is Dono and 4th is Chris. Simon has shot 2 180's and Kenny 1 - next in line for Highs scores is Chris on 174. Highest out sits with Jay on 98. So come on guys gets those darts out - and head to your favourite dart bar and start to play darts.

Who will out play Chris - who can out drink Grant - who can out smart Jayke (hint play by a pool table and have a girl in a short skirt playing pool). Once you have played everyone - we can then move on to the ladder. . where you are open to challenges from others on the ladder. Also thanks for all the updates particularly love the ones at 4am in the morning - they are extra Special! Very Kindly KaptainX and Johnny (the Soi one) have been working behind the scenes with graphics - score sheets and web page (link to the right) thanks heaps you two. Cheers all and lets be careful out there.  - - Gayle TFC
Point of contact for this league - Gayle -  best501bangkok@gmail.com		  
 

HUA HIN  DARTS  LEAGUE

  
  Last email from Osmo was to let us know that no darts news due to the holidays. For those not familiar with Hua Hin - as with all Thailand's resort destinations - this is the peak of high season and most all are a lot busier than ever. However Osmo assures us that the league will resume play this month and he will have his regular write-up report for next month.  

The Hua Hin area
including Cha Am
is darts country.
12 active darts bars
a darts league
and regular
Monday and Friday
darts events.
   BANGKOK'S  NEWEST  DARTS  BAR  
 

This Month's Darts  Bar

  

A Touch of the South Pacific

Sukhumvit Soi 22
Tel: 02-663-7410
Open Daily - 4 PM - 1 AM
WEBSITE -  CLICK HERE
 

 HAPPY  HOUR  4 - 7:30 PM -  20 BAHT  OFF  ALL  DRINKS

 
 
Special welcome to the newest darts bar in town. After renovations last month the new bar includes a dart board and throw area. Cold Beer, Cocktails, Charming Hostesses -AND- Darts - stop in & check it out.

Saturday Jan 19 is the Owner's and Khun Dream's Birthday celebration. Free Food & Sanook! All are welcome.		  
 

501  KNOCKOUT  UPDATE

  
  December's Christmas Invitational 501 Knockout event was originally scheduled for 15 Dec 2007 - Reason for postponement - Notification to bars by local authorities that bars must close on 15 Dec for election reasons. Everything is now SET for 12 Jan.  

CHRISTMAS
INVITATIONAL
501
KNOCKOUT
  12 JANUARY 2008
SATURDAY - 8 PM
MOONSHINE PUB
QUEEN'S PARK PLAZA
SUKHUMVIT SOI 22 - BANGKOK
  Invitation Recipients - Your Chance to Win One of Three Trophies!            

Only players that receive an invitation are eligible to participate in this tournament. REASON This competition is specifically for those that don't usually make it to one of the final positions in a knockout. Regular Knockout will recommence in Feb 2008.		  
                   

KRABI
LET- DOWN
&
THE
FOOL  MONTY
  Well Xmas has come and gone and a Happy New Year to all- as promised this month's Jayke's Take goes to Krabi- what can I say about Krabi? If you like the beach and diving then the place for you- me personally would rather watch an entire season of 'Spongebob Square Pants' than go there again- true some nice scenery if big pointy rocks is your thing. A couple of saving graces to be honest (below) to pass the boredom.  

If scuba diving your thing and sitting on a beach all day reading Jackie Collins then you'll love it don't get me wrong- personally I think they should rename it Krappi. Apparently there was an hour boat trip to go to Pi Pi but thought a bit pointless as had our own bathroom in the hotel room. Anyway- enough of that place.
  (November Error) Just a quick apology to Taxi who I wrongly reported lost his game in Hua Hin- sorry Tax. - -  With New Year here it's time for Jayke's 2008 wish list so here goes.  
                   
 
1 Robin Williams to retire and never make another of his awful films again
2 Stoke to get to the Premiership (obviously)
3 McDonalds to do Milk Shakes in Thailand- what is 'Milo' ?????
4 The bloke on the corner of Pattayaland to stop saying 'awright mate- wanna suit making'- after 5 years can't he get a hint ?
5 Robbie Williams to be kidnapped by the Khmer Rouge and never be seen or heard again
6 HBO to stop showing the same film 17 times a week
7 Me to win a darts single game and maybe even beat Kenny one day
8 Star World to show an American sit-com that is remotely funny
9 My Mum to stop calling me Declan- after 39 years is about time she learned me from my brother
10 Witkowski to buy me a beer
 
                   
   SPECIAL  TREAT  FOR  THE  LADEEZ  

  Anyway as a special treat for the ladeez we have a male Darter of the Month- the former Mr. Eniskillen 1925 - Ian 'The lunchbox' White briefly came out retirement as a special treat for the chixz in the New Cowboy Bar.  

  Ian is available for private functions as soon as he learns to put his boxer shorts on before his trousers. - - Jayke  

 

DARTS   THAILAND   RUMOR   MILL

  
  Ideally we would like to report no rumors and only put out the facts. But we are not always able to confirm if a rumor is true or not by the time we upload this newsletter. In the case of darts events missed here or time or date changes we will email all on our emailing list. If you would like to be added to our emailing list - email us and we will add you.

 CURRENT  RUMORS
1) Talk around is that Kenny has been bribing staff on our own DT Newsletter for months with free beer in order to get his interview published.  ** Source of Rumor - New Cowboy Bar, Flaming Moe's, Moonshine Pub, Silver Dollar Bar and numerous go go bars on Soi Cowboy - DT staff refused to comment.

2) At an away match Gayle and her Baa Baas team (including two other white, straight females) walked into the opposition venue and received strange, confused, bewildered stares all night. Not from the Wild Job home team but from the usual cliental of Wild Country - a bar where the concept of "hands on experience" goes beyond mere lip service. ** Source of Rumor - Gayle

3) Soi 22 Johnny had half his darts kit stolen out of his apartment in the middle of the day. Word has it that his girlfriend, Pla nicked his backup darts and half his canes & flights as she now play's for Moonshine Pub's Full Moon team. Agreed by most that she will put the darts to far better use as Johnny's darts game continues in a spiraling downward slump. ** Source of Rumor - Pla

4) Hold the Phone - this one is completely un-true ! Word about is that favorite local CW has finally bought a mobile phone - as he captains the the New Cowboy Darts Team. This is a totally unfounded rumor according to Wai (Point of Contact for the team). According to Wai - CW says he will have nothing to do with foolish mobile phones as he has far better things to do to occupy his time. ** Source dispelling this rumor - Miss Wai

If you can confirm or dispel any of these rumors please contact us.		  

EDITOR'S  NOTE

Between the Christmas and New Years holidays and the election weekend prior to Christmas, then a late announced early election weekend prior to that - I'm surprised we played much of any darts in December. Looks like a clear schedule for January - so far at least. We'll have all the darts events news there is ready for you next month.

The sole purpose of this site is to promote darts in Thailand by having as much information as we can find published on-line. If you're a darter traveling to Thailand by all means pack your darts. New to Thailand? Contact us and we'll point you in the direction of the nearest darts bar. Traveling in a group and want an impromptu darts match - no problem

-  - Johnny "The Big Witkowski"

 soi22johnny@yahoo.com

     
 

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