PHUKET: One of the greats of football, Cristiano Ronaldo, is holidaying on a hideaway island near Phuket from Saturday, Phuketwan has confirmed.

The Portuguese with the golden touch flew in by private jet and was whisked away quickly to Kho Yao Noi, a small island off Phuket's east coast.

The shame is that the Phuket region greeted him with some stormy weather.

So after arriving the footballing star and his attractive female companion got into a helicopter, then got out again.

It was not a good day for flying.

Even more sadly, he didn't have time in passing through Phuket to don the boots to help Phuket FC in its big Saturday night derby against Krabi at home at Surakul Stadium in Phuket City.

Phuketwan has not been able to confirm where Ronaldo is staying or who will be holidaying with him, but the private jet was a 13-seater.

His most likely destination is the Six Senses Koh Yao Noi, an anonymous source told us. We last saw the couple at Ao Po Grand Marina, about to take a more conventional boat ride to the luxury resort with a reputation for clean living.

Ronaldo is a particularly healthy athlete who once sued a British newspaper for alleging he had a big night out. In fact, he is a non-drinker.

No doubt there will be a few locals on the beach wherever Ronaldo heads, and we suspect somebody will just happen to be kicking a football around.

Kho Yao Noi is a special place, still traditional and one of the many in the Phuket region that have yet to be touched by too much development.

It's believed Cristiano Ronaldo is in Thailand to launch a new car model on July 16 in Bangkok.

*An earlier report from an enthusiastic fan led us to believe the visitor was going to be Ronaldo, the Brazilian star, who retired last year.