**Press Release**
For immediate release: 14 November 2013
Ready, Steady…Fun!
Samui’s first ‘Soap Box Derby, Music & Beer Festival is coming this December, and it promises to be plenty of fun for participants and spectators alike.
Singapore has the Formula One Grand Prix. Hua Hin has the King’s Cup Elephant Polo. And Samui now has the first annual ‘Soap Box Derby, Music & Beer Festival’, to be held on 14 December 2013. Over 5,000 spectators are expected to gather for the occasion, which will involve around 2,000 hotel staff from the island competing in the event, organised by the Thai Hotel Association of Samui (THA). This is the same organisation that brought us the Samui Midnight Run, and both races are the largest party events organised on the island.
So what’s the concept behind the Soap Box Derby? The idea is to bring all the hotel staff on the island together to celebrate the end of another successful year in tourism. The race and accompanying festivities replace a previous event which was a dinner held annually solely for the General Managers of the hotels. Now, all staff are equally able to participate and let their hair down, and enjoy the day of festivities.
The main event involves a ten-hour soap box relay race around a 2KM track circumnavigating Chaweng Lake. Participants will race in teams representing their hotel or business, and teams can have as many as 30 members, which allows staff to come down to the race in shifts, so that hotels can still operate as normal for the day. Not only does the race bring as many of the hotels together as possible, but also departments within each hotel, as all are encouraged to participate. The engineering departments will be involved in constructing the structure of the soap box (technical plans are available from the event organisers), and other departments will be in charge of aspects such as decorating the soap box or designing costumes for the team mates. Managing Director of Zazen Boutique Resort &Spa, Alexander Andries, who’s closely involved in organising the event, hopes that hotels will get as creative as possible to make the race more interesting for spectators too. But he also hopes that everyone will have fun and take the race as it’s intended – a fun event for all to enjoy. It’s not about winning but about a day to relax and enjoy the festivities and have a good laugh too.
At midday on Saturday 14 December the race will begin, and last a gruelling ten hours, whereby teams will try to do as many laps as possible around the circuit. Participants will need to test the durability of their vehicles prior to the event to ensure they don’t come apart before the final whistle at 10:00pm. There will however be pit lanes where minor repairs can be done during the race, and this is also the only area where teammates can change places in the peddling seat if they need to rest weary muscles. Of course, the beer
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tent is in easy walking distance of the pit stops too, in case riders need ‘refuelling’…
The event organisers are expecting around 30 teams to partake in the event, so there’ll be plenty of antics for spectators to watch, as competitors in colourful and creative soap boxes, in all forms imaginable, battle it out for the grand title of ‘Koh Samui Soap Box Derby 2013 Champions’. But the fun isn’t limited to watching the race. The ‘Paddocks’ demarcate the food and beverage area, with the beer festival tents and terraces as well as Thai Hotels Association food stalls. Beer suppliers will use the opportunity to market their brands, both local and imported, creating a true German-style beer-fest atmosphere. The food stands will be represented by not only the hotels competing in the race, but others too – a great way to sample cuisine from the various resorts around the island. Add to this, bars, live-music stages, and DJs, and you have a fun-filled day to remember.
At 07:00pm, ‘Miss Pit Stop’ will be crowned, so teams need to enter their most attractive female competitor for this tongue-in-cheek beauty title. Various concerts will be staged throughout the day from the start of the race at midday, and culminate into the closure ceremony followed by a blast of a party with live DJs at 11:00pm.
In showing his support of the event, the Mayor of Koh Samui, Khun Ramnet Jaikwang, together with the president of the THA, the Bangkok Airways PR team and other sponsor representatives will be there to hand out trophies and awards to the winners. All profits from the event will go to the Samui Special Needs School.
So if you’re keen to participate and enter a team, contact the organisers and start getting creative. If you’re just after an entertaining day and alternative fun to the beach, diarise the event: ‘The Koh Samui Soap Box Derby, Music & Beer Festival 2013’ to be held on Saturday 14 December at 12:00pm. Join in the fun and support a good cause.
© Rose-Anne Turner
For all media enquiries, please contact:
Alexander Andries
Managing Director
Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa
T +66 (0) 77430345 M +66 (0) 89 866 8931 F +66 (0) 77425177
info@samuisoapboxderby.com
www.samuisoapboxderby.com
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For immediate release: 14 November 2013
Ready, Steady…Fun!
Samui’s first ‘Soap Box Derby, Music & Beer Festival is coming this December, and it promises to be plenty of fun for participants and spectators alike.
Singapore has the Formula One Grand Prix. Hua Hin has the King’s Cup Elephant Polo. And Samui now has the first annual ‘Soap Box Derby, Music & Beer Festival’, to be held on 14 December 2013. Over 5,000 spectators are expected to gather for the occasion, which will involve around 2,000 hotel staff from the island competing in the event, organised by the Thai Hotel Association of Samui (THA). This is the same organisation that brought us the Samui Midnight Run, and both races are the largest party events organised on the island.
So what’s the concept behind the Soap Box Derby? The idea is to bring all the hotel staff on the island together to celebrate the end of another successful year in tourism. The race and accompanying festivities replace a previous event which was a dinner held annually solely for the General Managers of the hotels. Now, all staff are equally able to participate and let their hair down, and enjoy the day of festivities.
The main event involves a ten-hour soap box relay race around a 2KM track circumnavigating Chaweng Lake. Participants will race in teams representing their hotel or business, and teams can have as many as 30 members, which allows staff to come down to the race in shifts, so that hotels can still operate as normal for the day. Not only does the race bring as many of the hotels together as possible, but also departments within each hotel, as all are encouraged to participate. The engineering departments will be involved in constructing the structure of the soap box (technical plans are available from the event organisers), and other departments will be in charge of aspects such as decorating the soap box or designing costumes for the team mates. Managing Director of Zazen Boutique Resort &Spa, Alexander Andries, who’s closely involved in organising the event, hopes that hotels will get as creative as possible to make the race more interesting for spectators too. But he also hopes that everyone will have fun and take the race as it’s intended – a fun event for all to enjoy. It’s not about winning but about a day to relax and enjoy the festivities and have a good laugh too.
At midday on Saturday 14 December the race will begin, and last a gruelling ten hours, whereby teams will try to do as many laps as possible around the circuit. Participants will need to test the durability of their vehicles prior to the event to ensure they don’t come apart before the final whistle at 10:00pm. There will however be pit lanes where minor repairs can be done during the race, and this is also the only area where teammates can change places in the peddling seat if they need to rest weary muscles. Of course, the beer
-- MORE --
-- CONTINUED --
tent is in easy walking distance of the pit stops too, in case riders need ‘refuelling’…
The event organisers are expecting around 30 teams to partake in the event, so there’ll be plenty of antics for spectators to watch, as competitors in colourful and creative soap boxes, in all forms imaginable, battle it out for the grand title of ‘Koh Samui Soap Box Derby 2013 Champions’. But the fun isn’t limited to watching the race. The ‘Paddocks’ demarcate the food and beverage area, with the beer festival tents and terraces as well as Thai Hotels Association food stalls. Beer suppliers will use the opportunity to market their brands, both local and imported, creating a true German-style beer-fest atmosphere. The food stands will be represented by not only the hotels competing in the race, but others too – a great way to sample cuisine from the various resorts around the island. Add to this, bars, live-music stages, and DJs, and you have a fun-filled day to remember.
At 07:00pm, ‘Miss Pit Stop’ will be crowned, so teams need to enter their most attractive female competitor for this tongue-in-cheek beauty title. Various concerts will be staged throughout the day from the start of the race at midday, and culminate into the closure ceremony followed by a blast of a party with live DJs at 11:00pm.
In showing his support of the event, the Mayor of Koh Samui, Khun Ramnet Jaikwang, together with the president of the THA, the Bangkok Airways PR team and other sponsor representatives will be there to hand out trophies and awards to the winners. All profits from the event will go to the Samui Special Needs School.
So if you’re keen to participate and enter a team, contact the organisers and start getting creative. If you’re just after an entertaining day and alternative fun to the beach, diarise the event: ‘The Koh Samui Soap Box Derby, Music & Beer Festival 2013’ to be held on Saturday 14 December at 12:00pm. Join in the fun and support a good cause.
© Rose-Anne Turner
For all media enquiries, please contact:
Alexander Andries
Managing Director
Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa
T +66 (0) 77430345 M +66 (0) 89 866 8931 F +66 (0) 77425177
info@samuisoapboxderby.com
www.samuisoapboxderby.com
### END ###