News
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Phuketians say ‘yes’ to Thailand’s draft charter
PHUKET: More than half of Phuket’s eligible voters turned out to cast their ballots yesterday over the draft constitution referendum, Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada told the Phuket Gazette today. Almost 90 per cent of the 150,326 voters in the province voted to accept the proposed draft constitution. Provincial Election Commission officials said they had hoped for an 80 per cent…
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Man dies after jumping off Sarasin Bridge
PHUKET: A 51 year-old man died after he and a 15 year-old girl jumped off the Sarasin Bridge at about 7pm yesterday. The Thai pair, who police believe to have been father and daughter, were rescued by fishermen passing by on a boat. Police said that the man, named as Ruab Duangjan, was unconscious at the time of his rescue,…
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Opinion: Tracking tourists for ‘national security’
PHUKET: An online forum recently published an article titled ‘NBTC to propose special SIM cards for foreign tourists so they can be traced’. The article states that the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) intends to introduce ‘special’ SIM cards for mobile users, in order to ‘track’ foreigners while they are staying in Thailand. The news is worrying on so…
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Police arrest bag-snatching brothers, recover stolen items
PHUKET: Phuket City Police on Saturday night captured robbers who stole a bag from a Slovakian tourist at Phuket Downtown Fresh Market on Friday. Riding a motorbike, the robbers snatched a bag from Domonkoso Vaniko, 28, after pulling up beside her. It was initially believed that the suspects threatened their victim with a small hammer. However, it was revealed following…
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Nocturnal fly tippers trash Krabi mangrove
KRABI: Officials are taking on a fly tipping complaint that has been riding the social media airwaves for about a week. In the online post, locals and tourists complained about a mangrove forest at Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, publicly asking for help from officers in charge of the area. The trash was located in front…
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Youths wreak havoc, destroy property at juvenile center
PHUKET: A group of 35 juvenile delinquents, including at least one charged for involvement in the Thalang riot last October, wreaked havoc at the Phuket Juvenile Observation and Protection Center (JOPC) at Saphan Hin yesterday afternoon. Phuket City Police was called in to control the situation by JOPC Director Rawee Kuhapimook. “The group grabbed hold of fire extinguishers and sprayed…
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Alcohol banned for referendum election
PHUKET: The Phuket Election Commission (PEC) confirmed today that the sale of alcohol is prohibited throughout Thailand August 6-7, as the country goes to the polls to vote on the National Referendum. “The alcohol ban is from 6pm on August 6, ahead of voting the next day, until midnight on the 7th. It is applicable to all retail shops, restaurants,…
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Phuket prepared for floods with B433.5mn budget, officials say
PHUKET: There will be no flooding in Patong this year, Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup told the Phuket Gazette last week following approval of a 420-million-baht budget for flood prevention in densely developed Patong. Ms Chalermluck said she was confident that the implementation of several short-and-long-term flood prevention measures currently underway will ensure that Patong is not inundated with runoff during the…
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Finance: Hedging your way through Brexit
PHUKET: There has already been a lot written in this paper – and many others – about Brexit, but I’m getting lots of questions from both sides of the investment coin, so I thought it a good idea to highlight some of the things to think about before doing anything drastic. Are there any opportunities to exploit now that British…
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Opinion: Turning the tide on flooding
PHUKET: As the annual monsoon strengthens and the gripefest begins, Phuket residents might want to pause for a moment to reflect on what a wonderful climate we enjoy year round, every year. According to records dating back to 1951, the temperature ‘extremes’ in Phuket Town are listed as follows: record high 37.8°C (about 100°F); record low 17.4°C (63.3°F). That is…
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Gun-toting teens threaten bikers in Cherng Talay
PHUKET: Two men filed a complaint against two unidentified teenagers who allegedly threatened them with a gun in Cherng Talay last night. Satja Kongrat, 20, and Ekkachai Chaidam, 19, were both riding on a bike on Srisoonthorn Road, heading to Bangtao from Baan Pa Sak, when the incident took place. “Mr Satja and Mr Ekkachai said they arrived at Cherng…
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Police apprehend suspect behind Phuket Town crime spree
PHUKET: Phuket City police revealed this morning that they have captured the man responsible for a recent spate of robberies in and near Phuket Town. “The suspect, named Jakkarin Seesong, 27, was arrested and his motorbike confiscated at Karn Keha (Baan Porn) in Thalang on Tuesday,” said Lt Col Naruebadin Pangleesen of the Phuket City Police. Mr Jakkarin reportedly could…
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Muslim cleric shot, takes on attackers
PHUKET: A Muslim cleric was injured in a drive-by shooting in Koh Kaew last night, after which he attempted to chase down his attackers, seriously injuring both. Weerachat Kahapana, 49, an Imam at Bang Pae mosque, received one bullet wound in his rib-cage, while his 3-year-old son, who was in the car with him, escaped unscathed. The perpetrators were seriously…
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Shrimp spillage on slippery road leads to acts of kindness
KRABI: A pick-up truck loaded with thousands of fresh shrimp flipped over and spilled its cargo all over the road in Krabi yesterday. Ironically, the accident occurred in front of the Agricultural and Development Baan Thung Office on the road to Krabi Town. The truck driver and passenger were on their way into town around 6:15pm, when the driver lost…
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Tour guide apologizes for attempted rape
PHUKET: A tour guide has confessed that he attempted to rape a receptionist in Cherng Talay early this morning, police confirmed. Captain Sakkarin Pankhan of Cherng Talay Police said officers responded to a call from the Imperial Ocean Palms apartment complex about 4am. “When we arrived, the victim was with office staff and security guards in a shocked condition,” said…
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First Thai Muslims depart for Hajj via Phuket airport
PHUKET: One hundred fifty-eight Thais left Phuket International Airport on Tuesday to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, as this year’s Hajj begins. This was the first flight of Thai nationals leaving for the Hajj this year. Seventy-nine of the passengers were from Pattani Province, and the other half from Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Muslims are required to make the pilgrimage to…
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Tourists rescued from sinking longtail, drowning
PHUKET: Four Chinese tourists aboard a sinking longtail boat were rescued from Phang Nga Bay yesterday evening. The director of Krabi Chao Fah Rescue Center, Nithipat Monkulpradit, told the Phuket Gazette today that he received a distress report following the incident and immediately took action. “At about 3:20pm, a longtail boat named Nateesup was on its way from Koh Ngai…
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List alleges massive extortion scheme among Phuket officers
PHUKET: The publication of a list of 20 government offices whose officers are allegedly extorting bribes from employers of migrant workers has prompted an embarrassed Phuket governor and the provincial police head to condemn corruption and vow to investigate the allegations. The list, which details officers’ names, departments and phone numbers, went viral across social media sites including Facebook and…
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Thai students snag multiple awards at international math competition
BANGKOK: Thai students snagged 50 prizes at the International Mathematics Contest (IMC) 2016 held in Singapore last month, returning home this week with five gold, 10 silver and 20 bronze medals. They also won 13 special prizes plus two Grand Champion awards. Thanisorn Auttawetchakul from Chulalongkorn University’s Demonstration Elementary School and Vorapas Meejitpaisarn from the Bangkok Christian College were named…
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Jungceylon mall reopens after crumbling columns repaired
PHUKET: Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong was yesterday given permission to reopen a section of the complex that had been closed to make repairs to crumbling columns discovered in June. The reopening came after the mall received approval from Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada following a final inspection by engineers yesterday. The shopping mall’s Port Zone was initially closed off after…
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Bad weather causes Phuket flight delays
PHUKET: Bad weather prevented several flights from taking off and landing at Phuket International Airport this morning, causing delays of up to five hours for some passengers. Airport Director Monrudee Gettuphan said a total of 19 flights from the following airlines were affected: Beijing Capital Airlines; Shanghai Airlines; Juney Ao Airlines; Spring Airlines; Asia Atlantic; China Southern Airlines and Bangkok…
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Contractors demand fairness from Employment Office
PHUKET: A crowd of more than a hundred local employers of migrant workers gathered this morning at Phuket Provincial Hall to protest difficulties registering workers under their employ. A representative of the group, Wirachai Saddom, handed a letter of complaint to Phuket Vice Governor Kajornkiet Rakpanitmanee at 11am, demanding fair treatment of migrant workers and their employers while they are…
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Bomb attacks in south ahead of vote
SONGKHLA: Four border policemen and a civilian were injured in a double bombing attack in Saba Yoi in Songkhla yesterday morning. Two village defence volunteers suffered minor injuries when a third bomb exploded in front of a school in Khok Pho in Pattani the same day. The policemen were injured in the first explosion at about 7am in Ban Daru…
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Myanmar national claims abduction, extortion in Phuket
PHUKET: A Myanmar national claimed yesterday that he had been abducted the week before by a group of men claiming to be ‘Special Force officials’ investigating illegal workers, and that they robbed him of 120,000 baht. The alleged victim, ‘Mr Maung’, 40, told police that the group abducted him in Phuket Town last Thursday (July 28), then stole 120,000 baht…
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One killed in small plane crash in Bangkok
BANGKOK: The pilot of a small plane was killed and four others were injured in a crash in Bangkok yesterday. The plane, a 10-year-old Piper Chieftain registered as HS-FGB, belonged to Rabbit Wings Co Ltd. It was reportedly travelling from Nakhon Ratchasima province to Suvarnabhumi Airport when it crashed a few kilometers north of the runway. The people on board…
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Soi dog walks again
PHUKET: A puppy that had its two front legs hacked off earlier in May has been fitted with new prosthetic legs, the Phuket-based charity Soi Dog Foundation announced on Sunday. Theprachen Srisoda, 36, reportedly hacked off the puppy’s front legs with a sword because it had chewed one of his shoes left outside his house. Public outcry and a 96,000-signatories…
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Resort under investigation for alleged laundering
PHUKET: A four-star hotel in Koh Yao Yai has had it’s assets frozen, after officers from the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) began investigating whether the resort is being used to launder money and evade taxes for the embattled Tranlee Travel Co Ltd. During a joint task force raid on Saturday, AMLO officers said they were inspecting Blue Bay Resort’s land…
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Car bursts into flames in Phuket Town
PHUKET: The owner of a 20-year old Opal Corsa Swing was forced abandon his vehicle in Phuket Town yesterday afternoon when it suddenly burst into flames outside the Expo Market on Soi Dilok Uthit near Chana-Charoen Road. Two fire engines took about 20 minutes to extinguish the blaze, reported the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Phuket Office. A representative of…
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Opinion: Lack of local involvement in politics
PHUKET: Tueanjai Subanjong is a Phuket native who has spent more than 20 years volunteering for local projects. She is a community representative of Srisoonthorn sub-district and is also involved in many Corporate Social Responsibility projects, such as saving preserved forests and volunteering for the National Human Rights Commission, among others. Here, she talks about the problem of lack of…
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Island View: And then there was beef
PHUKET: For me, one of the most exciting things about moving to Phuket was all the delicious Thai food one could ask for. However, once I had moved, there was just one thing I craved – a nice, juicy beef steak. Thai people can cook a lot of different kinds of food, with spices that can make the sweat drip…
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