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Thai police say 15 bomb suspects at large as two appear in court
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Thai police say 15 bomb suspects at large as two appear in court Phuket Gazette / Reuters BANGKOK: Thai police cannot find 15 suspects in connection with a bomb at a shrine in Bangkok last year that killed 20 people, an officer said on Wednesday, as…
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Belgium says seen signs that IS has sent more fighters to Europe
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Belgium says seen signs that IS has sent more fighters to Europe Phuket Gazette / Reuters BRUSSELS: There are signs that more Islamic State inspired militants have been sent to Belgium and Europe, Belgian authorities said on Tuesday, maintaining the country’s threat status at the second-highest…
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Phuket man injured in drive-by shooting
PHUKET: One man was injured in a drive-by shooting in Srisoonthorn yesterday. “Weerachart Laloy, 20, was shot twice on his left hip at about 6pm,” said Lt Suporn Muangkai of the Thalang Police. Mr Weerachart was riding pillion behind his friend Nattapong Kerdthai at the time of the attack. Mr Nattapong rushed him to the emergency room at Thalang Hospital.…
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Police suspect arson in Phuket speedboat blaze
PHUKET: Police suspect arson may be the motive behind a fire that engulfed five speedboats at Chalong Pier yesterday (story here). Forensic officers believe the fire started on the middle of the row of boats, quickly spreading to those around it. The boats were removed from the scene for further examination. “There are two possible scenarios. Either someone set the…
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Phuket bomb squad called to Daorung Intersection
PHUKET: A bomb disposal squad was called on to deal with an abandoned suitcase at the Daorung Intersection in Wichit this afternoon. Passing motorists, fearing that the lone suitcase lying in the road might be a bomb, took snapshots, which quickly went viral on social media. “Luckily, the case was empty,” said Lt Prachpong Keawkamjan, head of the Phuket Provincial…
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‘Fire jellyfish’ invade islands in Krabi
KRABI: National Park officials yesterday erected signs warning visitors of venomous jellyfish at Koh Hong, Koh Lao Lading and Koh Pak Bia after thousands of purple-colored jellies appeared in the water off the islands in Krabi. “The signs are in English and Thai. They have been put up to warn the public about the venomous jellyfish,” said Jampen Pormpakdee, chief…
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Patong Bay water sent to Bangkok for testing
PHUKET: Officials have recently collected samples of water in Patong Bay and sent them to Bangkok to determine whether it is pollution or algae that has caused the sea water to turn brown. Akkarawat Hirunphun, an environmental specialist in the Phuket-based Regional Environmental Office, and his staff inspected the green-brown water along the Patong coast (story here) for contamination. “We…
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Jerusalem bus bomb wounds 16, Netanyahu hints at Palestinian link
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Jerusalem bus bomb wounds 16, Netanyahu hints at Palestinian link Phuket Gazette / Reuters JERUSALEM: A bomb blew up a bus and set fire to another in Jerusalem on Monday, wounding 16 people in an attack that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu linked to a six-month-old…
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Officials mull big bike licence
PHUKET: A specific driver’s licence for those wanting to mount a big bike is still in the works, officials told the Phuket Gazette yesterday. “I know that there are ongoing discussions about the possibility of creating a separate driver’s licence for motorcycles with engines that are at least 400cc,” said Jaturong Kaewkasi, chief policy adviser at the Phuket Land Transport…
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Major steel producers fail to reach deal on overcapacity, U.S. chides China
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Major steel producers fail to reach deal on overcapacity, U.S. chides China Phuket Gazette / Reuters BRUSSELS/BEIJING: China and other major steel-producing countries failed to agree measures to tackle a global steel crisis as the sides argued over the causes of overcapacity, prompting U.S. criticism of…
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Three days after Ecuador quake, hopes for survivors dwindle
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Three days after Ecuador quake, hopes for survivors dwindle Phuket Gazette / Reuters ECUADOR: Earthquake-stricken Ecuador faced the grim reality of recovering more bodies than survivors as rescue efforts moved into a third day on Tuesday and the death toll climbed over 400 in the poor…
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Swimmer succumbs after leaving ICU
PHUKET: A Thai woman in her twenties, who was pulled unconscious from the surf at Nai Harn Beach on Sunday, died while being transported home yesterday. The woman, who hospital staff refused to name, was one of six people rescued by lifeguards after they ignored red flags warning people not to swim due to dangerous rip currents (story here). Although…
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Flames ravage Phuket speedboats
PHUKET: One person was seriously injured as a blaze ravaged a number of speedboats at Chalong Pier this morning. Firefighters operating from five fire trucks spent about three hours battling the flames due to the massive amount of fuel on board, explained Phuket Marine Police Chief Panya Chaichana. “The fire wasn’t completely out until about 6am,” Lt Col Panya said.…
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Text messages may offer clues in fatal fall of Finnish tourist
PHUKET: Police investigating the death of a 19-year-old Finnish woman, who fell from the rooftop of a Patong guesthouse last month, have so far ruled out foul play in her death. However, they are hoping that her final text messages will reveal clues about her state of mind that night. Ida Maria Bexar fell from the rooftop of the Good…
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Loose flip-flop causes flip out near monument
PHUKET: A barefoot truck driver who flipped his vehicle near Heroines’ Monument last night said he lost control because his loose shoe got in the way when he tried to hit the brakes. “Subin Kulmuangdoan, 31, was driving back after delivering mushrooms in Patong at about 11:50pm,” reported Capt Santichai Srimai of the Thalang Police. “As he approached the monument,…
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Quake kills 272 along devastated Ecuador coast
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Quake kills 272 along devastated Ecuador coast Phuket Gazette / Reuters Ecuador: The death toll from Ecuador’s biggest earthquake in decades soared to 272 on Sunday as survivors cobbled together makeshift coffins to bury loved ones, lined up for water and sought shelter beside the rubble…
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The Songkran scoreboard
PHUKET: Three deaths marred Phuket’s attempt to keep the road-death toll at zero for the entire Songkran ‘Seven Days of Danger’ road-safety campaign. The province slipped past April 13, typically the most deadly day in the annual campaign, without a single death. However the next day, 41-year-old Swedish national Johnny Daniel Soederstroem died after losing control of his bike, while…
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Rip currents wreak havoc at Nai Harn, one swimmer in ICU
PHUKET: A woman is on life support after being pulled unconscious from the waves of Nai Harn yesterday afternoon. Vachira Phuket Hospital staff declined to name the woman, who is thought to be in her 20s. “She was swimming in a red-flag zone with a group of about six other people. In total, there were about 20 Thai people in…
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Algae to blame for murky water in Patong Bay
PHUKET: The cloudy green-colored surf off Patong Beach is a normal occurrence caused by an annual algae bloom, not pollution, officials confirmed today. Vice Governor Kajornkiet Rakpanitmanee made the reassurances today after members of the public became concerned that untreated wastewater was to blame for the usually clear water in Patong Bay turning a muddy green-brown color in recent weeks.…
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Power pole collision kills rider in Cherng Talay
PHUKET: A motorcyclist was killed in a high-speed collision with a roadside power pole in Cherng Talay this morning. Two people were on the motorcycle when it hit the pole along the road from Layan Beach to Ban Don. The other rider, who was wearing a crash helmet, survived, but suffered severe injuries. “The accident occurred at about 6:45am. Boontan…
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Fatal collision: Russian driver in wrong lane
PHUKET: A motorcyclist died after a collision with a car driven by a Russian man who may have simply forgotten which side of the road he was supposed to be driving on. The accident occurred on Saiyuan Road in Rawai at 11:45pm on Thursday night. Russian national Ruslan Gainutdinov, 37, who had arrived in Phuket just three days before the…
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Rotting whale carcass could still reveal clues
PHUKET: Marine biologists are hoping that the rotting carcass of a five-tonne whale, found washed up yesterday on Lampi Beach, Phang Nga, will reveal clues about how it died. Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) staff had been looking for the dead cetacean, ever since it was spotted floating off Koh Bon in the Similan National Park by a tourist on…
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Patong Girl wins Grimme Award
PHUKET: The Grimme Institute in Germany awarded its prestigious Grimme Prize to the lead Thai actress in the movie Patong Girl for her stellar performance in the trilingual film set in Phuket. Aisawanya Areyawattana flew to Marl, Germany to join other cast members on April 8 for the award ceremony, which was broadcast on German television. The Thai-German co-production is…
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Korean airline pilot dies after pre-flight check
PHUKET: The assistant captain of an Eastar Jet aircraft died shortly after complaining of breathing difficulties while preparing for departure from Phuket today. “South Korean pilot Hyunsoo Lim, 41, died in the emergency room at Thalang Hospital at about 8:20am,” said Lt Suporn Muangkai of the Thalang Police. “His co-workers told us that they were conducting pre-flight checks at about…
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Aftershocks rattle southwestern Japan after quake kills nine
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Aftershocks rattle southwestern Japan after quake kills nine Phuket Gazette / Reuters TOKYO: Aftershocks rattled southwestern Japan on Friday after a strong quake the night before killed nine people, injured at least 1,000 and cut power and water across the region, forcing the temporary shutdown of…
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Protesters clash with police in Paris
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Protesters clash with police in Paris Phuket Gazette / Reuters PARIS: Protesters attacked shop windows and cash dispensers in the east of Paris on Thursday, a Paris police spokeswoman said. “There are 300 people currently causing very important damage,” the spokeswoman said, adding that a police…
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Swede dies in big bike crash, first death in Phuket road-safety campaign
PHUKET: A Swedish man died in a motorcycle accident on his way across Thepkrasattri Bridge in Phuket yesterday evening. The death of Johnny Daniel Soederstroem, 41, marks the first death of the ‘Seven Days of Danger’ road-safety campaign in Phuket, which coincides with Phuket Bike Week. “He was riding a Honda CB650F, which crashed into the concrete railings along the…
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Local fishermen dish out ‘fishy’ details
PHUKET: Anchovies may be small fry, but they are big business for some fishermen operating out of Phuket’s main fishing port. Known locally as ‘pla ching chang’, anchovies have been a steady source of income for the last 40 years for fishing boat owner Kumnueng Dumead. However, business is not always plain sailing, especially during the rainy season. “During the…
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Pak Khlok residents raise concerns over new marina plans
PHUKET: Pak Khlok residents are worried that a new marina to be built in the area will have a negative impact on the environment and their livelihoods. The Kung Bay Marina is one of four new marinas slated to be built along the Andaman coast as part of a government-supported initiative to develop marine tourism in the region (story here).…
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Governor concerned about failure to arrest Phuket speed demons
PHUKET: With zero arrests made in Phuket for speeding violations by day three of the ‘Seven Days of Danger’ road-safety campaign, the Phuket Governor has demanded that officers step up their attempts to catch speed demons in the act. “Zero arrests for speeding is good, if that means nobody is speeding. However, I am not confident that this is the…
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